Hey everyone, so I've been playing Skullgirls for a while (currently just over 300 hours) and I thought making a training thread to consolidate my thoughts and ask for advice would be a good way of improving.
I'd say I'm roughly an intermediate level player, I'm starting to understand and utilise some of the more advanced mechanics but I need to work on a number of aspects of my game.
General Things to Work On:
I'm trying to work on noticing habits while playing and punishing them as well as adapting faster to the more obvious resets. This'll probably come with practice but I should also watch over some of my matches and try and pick out habits.
I should start thinking about character matchups as well as I currently play against most characters with the same general game-plan (that is, no game-plan).
I need to learn how to PBGC properly and remember to alpha counter.
I also rarely do ground throws outside of tick throws and resets so I should do raw throws more to train my opponents to not block low. I also should use cr.LK as Val for my tick throws instead of cr.LP. I need to improve on teching grabs, it always feels like the tech window is near non-existant though. Even when I know the grab is coming and try to tech it I don't :(
I should practice but confirming and staggering my blockstrings to catch pushblockers. I don't do this in training mode cus it's boring but I really should.
Call assists when I want to go on the offense more. I currently mainly call assists (and normally only M Bomber) during blockstrings. This nullifies a big advantage of playing a team (especially a trio) so I'm trying to work on it.
I also have a problem with DP motions outside of combos. I need to practice the motion as if I need to do a DP motion then I usually input it too slow or mess up the input and in PBGCs I mess up the input.
Character Specific:
Teams:
So my main team up to this point has been Val (H bypass)/Double (M Bomber)/Bella (Excellabella/H Lock 'N Load). I like having Val and Double up front because they have some great synergy. I get two safe DHCs which I can combo from, M Bomber is great for lockdown, approaching the opponent, confirming off of ground pokes like MK and HK and vial load corner mixups. H bypass also should work well for Double when I want to zone though I do lose out on some good fleshstep mixups with cr.MK assist. Val also gives Double a safe DHC that does quite a bit of chip as well and puts her full screen. The part of this team I'm increasingly unsure about is Bella. Excellabella provides a good setplay assist for Val to load two vials and it has some other good situational uses but due to the lack of invincibility it doesn't make for a great AA assist. Devil Horns doesn't hit in front SK it's also not great as an AA assist which is what I feel Val needs in a trio. Lock 'N Load is a good assist for getting but I have Bomber for that and I feel M Bomber's advantages outweigh H Lock 'N Load's. Bella is a great anchor and Lock 'N Load is very good for Double but as Val it often feels like I'm playing a weaker version of Val/Double duo.
So I've been thinking about two alternate teams: Val (cr.MK)/Filia (H Updo)/Double (M Bomber) aka team Duck/Cloud or Val (cr.MK)/Filia (H Updo)/Bella (H Lock 'N Load). I lose my safe DHCs from Val with both teams but I have a good AA assist and rushdown assist on both teams. Updo also gives some nice reset opportunities for Val. I can also use these teams as a template for when I want to use other characters (e.g. if I want to use Ms Fortune then I just swap her with Filia). I need to check to see if Updo allows for midscreen vial load combos.
Welp, that's it for now. I'm hoping to get a video up of a set between me and some person at some point in the future but I'm very lazy so don't get your hopes up haha.
I'd say I'm roughly an intermediate level player, I'm starting to understand and utilise some of the more advanced mechanics but I need to work on a number of aspects of my game.
General Things to Work On:
I'm trying to work on noticing habits while playing and punishing them as well as adapting faster to the more obvious resets. This'll probably come with practice but I should also watch over some of my matches and try and pick out habits.
I should start thinking about character matchups as well as I currently play against most characters with the same general game-plan (that is, no game-plan).
I need to learn how to PBGC properly and remember to alpha counter.
I also rarely do ground throws outside of tick throws and resets so I should do raw throws more to train my opponents to not block low. I also should use cr.LK as Val for my tick throws instead of cr.LP. I need to improve on teching grabs, it always feels like the tech window is near non-existant though. Even when I know the grab is coming and try to tech it I don't :(
I should practice but confirming and staggering my blockstrings to catch pushblockers. I don't do this in training mode cus it's boring but I really should.
Call assists when I want to go on the offense more. I currently mainly call assists (and normally only M Bomber) during blockstrings. This nullifies a big advantage of playing a team (especially a trio) so I'm trying to work on it.
I also have a problem with DP motions outside of combos. I need to practice the motion as if I need to do a DP motion then I usually input it too slow or mess up the input and in PBGCs I mess up the input.
Character Specific:
I need to work on my ground game with Val, I almost always just do air-dash j.MP/HP when I'm up close. Specifically I need to use cr.MP to anti-air, MK/HK with M Bomber/LnL for poking mixed with the occasional HP.
In the air, I need to air-dash less often and use j.MK, I should also use j.LK sometimes as opposed to j.MP. When I use j.MP I need to remember to fast fall with j.HP to catch opponents unaware. I should also be more careful with when I use j.HK against characters with long range air attacks (Parasoul and Eliza especially).
In terms of resets, I need to come up with some mash proof resets. Apart from that, I feel like I know plenty resets and just need to remember to use them and I'm happy with my burst baits.
Also. Counter super. It exists. I should use it.
In the air, I need to air-dash less often and use j.MK, I should also use j.LK sometimes as opposed to j.MP. When I use j.MP I need to remember to fast fall with j.HP to catch opponents unaware. I should also be more careful with when I use j.HK against characters with long range air attacks (Parasoul and Eliza especially).
In terms of resets, I need to come up with some mash proof resets. Apart from that, I feel like I know plenty resets and just need to remember to use them and I'm happy with my burst baits.
Also. Counter super. It exists. I should use it.
Again I need to work on my ground game (you'll notice this is will be a recurring theme) but I think it may be a bit better than with Val. I've started poking with HP but still need to remember to use cr.HP in neutral and practice hit confirming into slide. I also always seem to use L gun when the opponent is up close but I'm getting better at using H gun.
In the air I should use j.MK for staying in the air and moving across the screen and using j.LP/LK for air-to-airs. I also need to use j.HK a lot more than I do.
In terms of resets, I don't use many but I'm happy with the ones I use. I need to learn and remember to use burst baits more.
In the air I should use j.MK for staying in the air and moving across the screen and using j.LP/LK for air-to-airs. I also need to use j.HK a lot more than I do.
In terms of resets, I don't use many but I'm happy with the ones I use. I need to learn and remember to use burst baits more.
Again, I need to work on my ground game; I should use f.HP to punish assists and poke from long range, cr.HP, DH and Excellabella to anti-air. I also need to use command grabs in neutral, mixups and resets. I should also use tumble run attacks more.
In the air I should use j.MP and j.HK against grounded opponents more (I know, a Bella who doesn't use j.MP/HK all the time? Crazy) and j.LK, j.HK against opponents in the air.
I also need to use sweep and runstops in blockstrings instead of either ending in nothing/cmd grab.
In terms of resets/burst baits, I know a bunch of good ones but need to remember them.
In the air I should use j.MP and j.HK against grounded opponents more (I know, a Bella who doesn't use j.MP/HK all the time? Crazy) and j.LK, j.HK against opponents in the air.
I also need to use sweep and runstops in blockstrings instead of either ending in nothing/cmd grab.
In terms of resets/burst baits, I know a bunch of good ones but need to remember them.
GROUND GAME. Use cr.LK and HP to poke more and should remember how fast her dash is.
In the air I need to use j.LK to poke in the air and j.MP/MK as air-to-airs.
I'm happy with the resets I know but again need to remember more of them (especially the ones that work on Big Band). I also should try and remember some more burst baits.
In the air I need to use j.LK to poke in the air and j.MP/MK as air-to-airs.
I'm happy with the resets I know but again need to remember more of them (especially the ones that work on Big Band). I also should try and remember some more burst baits.
I don't use her very much and as such I only really use the M Clone reset which I'm fine with. She also has some easy burst baits so I'm fine with the little tech I know.
I should use cr.MP and HP as anti-airs. I also need to remember to use j.LP before j.HK as an air-to-air.
I should use cr.MP and HP as anti-airs. I also need to remember to use j.LP before j.HK as an air-to-air.
I barely started playing her so I'm still getting used to her. One question though; when I try HP, IAD, j.LK as a burst bait against Band, I always get hit by the burst (it is possible to block it) does this burst bait just not work against him?
Teams:
So my main team up to this point has been Val (H bypass)/Double (M Bomber)/Bella (Excellabella/H Lock 'N Load). I like having Val and Double up front because they have some great synergy. I get two safe DHCs which I can combo from, M Bomber is great for lockdown, approaching the opponent, confirming off of ground pokes like MK and HK and vial load corner mixups. H bypass also should work well for Double when I want to zone though I do lose out on some good fleshstep mixups with cr.MK assist. Val also gives Double a safe DHC that does quite a bit of chip as well and puts her full screen. The part of this team I'm increasingly unsure about is Bella. Excellabella provides a good setplay assist for Val to load two vials and it has some other good situational uses but due to the lack of invincibility it doesn't make for a great AA assist. Devil Horns doesn't hit in front SK it's also not great as an AA assist which is what I feel Val needs in a trio. Lock 'N Load is a good assist for getting but I have Bomber for that and I feel M Bomber's advantages outweigh H Lock 'N Load's. Bella is a great anchor and Lock 'N Load is very good for Double but as Val it often feels like I'm playing a weaker version of Val/Double duo.
So I've been thinking about two alternate teams: Val (cr.MK)/Filia (H Updo)/Double (M Bomber) aka team Duck/Cloud or Val (cr.MK)/Filia (H Updo)/Bella (H Lock 'N Load). I lose my safe DHCs from Val with both teams but I have a good AA assist and rushdown assist on both teams. Updo also gives some nice reset opportunities for Val. I can also use these teams as a template for when I want to use other characters (e.g. if I want to use Ms Fortune then I just swap her with Filia). I need to check to see if Updo allows for midscreen vial load combos.
Welp, that's it for now. I'm hoping to get a video up of a set between me and some person at some point in the future but I'm very lazy so don't get your hopes up haha.