Hilarious. I don't buy the whole schlep of people thinking they would be two tiers higher if not getting dragged down by "noobs". It is true to some extent but the reality is that it takes A LOT of games played to slowly climb where you deserve to be. The matchmaking system isn't perfect but it is fair, and in the long run most will experience the same amount of teammate douches and lolwut-builds.

The tier numbers go up as you advance in the ranks. Tier1 is Ask Again Later, the lowest Tier if you don't count "Unranked" I think.

As an AOE Carry, I don't see any real tactic to take against her v1.9 bubble. But I think you figured that already. Catherine 1.9 is a solid buff against certain team compositions, and a slight Nerf towards others.

I think Skye is now Meta with her perk activation being super fast in 1.9, she can maintain her speed throughout a team standoff and generally stay at an advantage for openings with the short CD on her C + movement speed.

Did either of those two junglers pick up an IGC? If not, it would explain the conflict, and if any one of them should have an IGC, I think it should be Glaive.

You think Krul is a monster? Around Decent-ish he does as well as any other warrior, by the time you're in PG you do not want to see a Krul in your team. There is another Hero with built-in 20% lifesteal but isn't squishy like Krul. The only true monster in this game; Glaive! This bastard can run in, delete a hero and bring the remaining ones below half health by himself, and if they're not careful and make no attempt to kite him, he will clear them off as well. You play a Glaive right and...

His fighting style doesn't matter too much. With proper positioning there is only so many angles he can come in from even if he is invisible. If your ranged carry is decent they can make Taka's life hard. To me he is like any other melee hero except more squishy. Not even that much more slippery 'cause other melee jungles have escape moves too. But their escape moves have more utility like stun & slow so he is slightly UP I think.

Region?

Hate having SAW in my team because he falls off lategame when everyone has better cooldowns on their utility moves and better movespeed and support probably has AP. Then again I hate facing him in lane early game 'cause he can start going to work on your turret before you're even 2 minutes in. I would be for spreading the power out a bit more evenly, so he isn't such a bully early game and so he can keep up with all the teamfights lategame.

Its not suppose to be balanced in the way you're expecting... Even if Ardan can kill Catherine 1vs1 it doesn't mean he is always a better pick.