Is it all Luck

Getting the 5 wins in a row in RA to advance to TA is killing me. Is it really all just a matter of luck in ending up with a team that can make 5 wins in a row?

Of course, RA will test how well a random group of people can synergise their builds, but it shouldn't be that tough to get at least 5 wins in a row.

There is still a good amount of skill involved, especially understanding your opponents and your strengths and weaknesses (both as a player and as a build). Play to your strengths and hope to god your team mates can cover our weaknesses.

If you are desperately trying to get 5 wins, you might as well roll a monk or any type of healer - since this is the usual problem of RA.

I also suggest playing in Int districts. Better players, just don't upset them or the trolls will eat ya!

Fate

RA is all luck. Of course.. its "random" so you will always end up with a random chosen team. There is no formula that it runs or types of people it chooses. Which is why a lot of people QQ about getting 3 monks on one team or all wars on another...etc..etc. Syncing however in RA can be done to get the team you want, though if you mess up someones sync prepare to be reported by the over-abused and terribly coded report system.

^
This too.
But you can still make the odds look better if you run a healer build (Monk/Necro/Rt/Prism noob) as this is what is mostly needed in RA.

And this is not offensive but actual fact: There are too many new players and players without tactics on the American districts that can lower your rate of success because of countless people creating builds without heals, expecting a healer to show up and save their day.

Which brings me to your own skill bar. If you do not wish to actually play as a healer, understand this: You are just as likely to not get a monk as you are, to get one. And so if you are a melee character (Warrior, Derv, Assassin and Ranger) you must be aware that several different shutdown hexes and conditions will be coming your way. And so instead of going all out damage, you should be able to handle such hexes and conditions. Assassins really have no say in the matter (there is barely any space for a combo and decent survivability) but Rangers will bring mending touch to get rid of 2 conditions on yourself or your party members, if you're feeling generous. Dervs have their own healing spells and enchantments that i heavily suggest not just for healing but for enchantment juggling as well. And for warrior, my favourite survival build for them is with using Empathic Removal for an elite.

Run an Axe warrior with: Empathic Removal (can also use Expel Hexes), mending touch (can be swapped for lions comfort), Dismember, Executioners, Bullstrike, Sprint, Frenzy and Res sig.

This build is a good example to show that in RA, you must be ready for anything, even without a monk. This warrior will be able to remove hexes for the party and still provide deep wound and good DPS + knockdown. And even if you do have a monk, it comes useful when they are being ganked and any hexes need to be removed

Good times.

go as monk, easy 5 wins

Not necessarily.

If you are not used to playing a Monk, RA is going to be tough learning (thought that holds for anywhere, with any profession), and if your team is no good, you can still lose playing a Monk.

Although there is some luck, it is also a test of your skill. Being and getting better at the game will help increase your odds of success. A team of 3 good players with complementary builds can carry the team if the other 1 teammate isn't good. Better odds for a win streak to be one of those 3 then the 1. You only have to find 2 good teammates instead of 3.