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My Journey to Learn the Entire Cast

Thanks everybody for your support. Played some more online and got the idea that people are either beginner or expert with no inbetween. I was either destroying people or getting destroyed. More research is required on the matter.

There's sort of a point in this game where new players begin to break through and make significant improvements in their playstyle. They find a decent combo that they can do, start to finally understand the neutral on some basic level, and begin to recognize patterns and tactics that lead towards success. There is also a point at which players begin to explore various combo paths, utilize every move in their arsenal for various situations, adapt mid-game based on their opponents actions, etc. etc. and these players are individuals that have begun to break into what some would consider being an expert. There are definitely intermediate players in-between, though it's a lot more complicated than just labeling someone as "beginner" or "intermediate."
 
I completely agree. I consider myself a beginner with some flashes of intermediate brilliance. Picking up advanced techniques and trying to put it all together but still falling apart under pressure from a good opponent. I am just now starting to explore in-depth intricacies of my characters and take the next step towards becoming an intermediate.
 
Launching my campaign to help spread the Squigly love. Anybody who needs her on PC please PM me for your free Squigly gift. Offer is only good while the Steam sale is ongoing.
 
Well it has certainly been a while. Lately I've been in the training room trying to nail down some new stuff. Is there any way to test if you have the fundamentals of the game down? I'm not sure if I do. I mean I'm very confident in my blocking ability but still corner = death. I still have issues with spacing when jumping in. I forget to pushblock a lot. Guess there's nothing I can do but fight more humans.

Team Madoka might make a comeback. I am trying my best to learn a peacock combo for when they get in my face. Working on the super simple no air dash one and it seems easy enough. The question is will I be able to pull it off in a real game or just panic and die?

Really feeling good about squigly and am now incorporating her f.hp Ashes to Ashes overhead into my mixups. I shied away from it because of the slow startup but it can put in work when sprinkled in. More ways of getting in is exactly what I need for squigly.

Filia continues to be the dominant force in my skullgirls game. She can turn it around by herself. Not looking forward to her forthcoming nerf.

That's all I got to report. Anybody who wants to play a set add me on steam or send me a PM.
 
If it's any consolation, panik100, I'm in the same boat. I do well, until I actually start doing terribly. I don't combo much, but I think I'll work on some short ones.

I think it's helpful for newbies (like me) to find some combos that link into a Blockbuster. If you search 'Skullgirls all blockbusters' on Youtube there's a video that shows all of them up to Fukua with a lead-in combo for each super.
 
That's generally what I do. I'm allergic to using meter unless it's for a combo-ending super.
 
I feel like trusting your instincts works... usually. I'd be a bit flexible with the meter but don't if you don't think it's actually likely to hit them (rather than just throwing it out there).
 
WOW GUYS! Fantastic news! I won newbie night 16! Yeah!

How did I go from early exit last time to plowing through the entire winner's bracket this time? I guess I have improved...

Thanks to all of my opponents for great games. Thanks to @doubledark @dapurplesharpie and Pinkus for running it and providing outstanding commentary. Congrats to my IRL friend Twisted K for getting so far in his first try. Looks like all of our training paid off.

I thought that I would be a part of newbie night for at least a little while, but alas, it appears I must move on and continue my journey up the ladder that is Skullgirls. Solo Filia FTW!
 
My matches from newbie night:

 
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It has been a long time coming but I finally got myself back in the training room to start learning more characters! The next choice is...PARASOUL! I feel like her great team synergy makes her a logical addition to my array of characters.

My friends also forced me to show them Painwheel so I played Painwheel for the very first time without any preparation. Managed to figure out some things and I am half interested in finding out what she is capable of. She still seems like a lot of work to master.

It's good to change things up because I was getting bored with the same old Squigs/Filia. Playing sets of the same match-ups nonstop gets repetitive.

So character progress update:

Finished: Filia, Squigly
Work in progress: Peacock, Double, Parasoul
Waiting for patch: Fukua, Valentine
 
My friends also forced me to show them Painwheel so I played Painwheel for the very first time without any preparation. Managed to figure out some things and I am half interested in finding out what she is capable of. She still seems like a lot of work to master.

It's good to change things up because I was getting bored with the same old Squigs/Filia. Playing sets of the same match-ups nonstop gets repetitive.

Firstly, I totally agree with the 'changing it up' sentiment. Personally I'd rather play ok as a variety of characters than brilliantly but only as a couple of them. Spice of life etc. etc.

As someone who thought they'd be totally ok playing Painwheel against the Nightmare AI and then had to learn the character very fast, I found a few things out about her (she is technically my main, after all). Basically, and remembering that I'm a noob and this site has lots of other tutorials as well:


- Learn her normals. They're strong, and they tend to have a lot of effects on them (MP is a launcher, for instance). Her aerials are even better. j.HK has a great hitbox, and j.MP and HP do good damage if you can hit them.

- If you're new to the character it's easy to forget Hatred Guard exists, but it's very useful. Mostly because it lets you just soak up an attack without actually taking it, but also for the extra damage. Try dropping it in occasionally. Also, j.HP is her only aerial with Hatred Guard.

- Her specials are useful, but it's probably worth learning when they're useful 'cause it's not all the time. Buer Reaper in the air tends to catch people, if not the AI, by surprise.

- Just in case you didn't know about it, she has an assist-only attack called Pinion Dash, which is down-down-kick. It's really useful, but it's not very well-advertised.

- Given that the computer doesn't know what to do when you're in the air, Flight can actually make it shut down almost because you're off the ground for extended periods of time. I find even on hard difficulties that Painwheel's Flight is the ideal Peacock counter - just not against humans.

- I don't know much about comboing, but with a bit of practice I can get MK->Buer Reaper M->Death Crawl. Sometimes it resets, but if you're quick enough it combos straight.
Also, j.H Buer Reaper->Buer Thresher.


It's not much, and you've probably spotted most of it already, but if I was going to give advice to someone playing Painwheel first time that's what I'd say.
 
I appreciate your help. I am working on parasoul right now but will keep your post in mind when I get to painwheel. She definitely seems unpredictable in her attack patterns (much like squigly).
 
Yeah, I like working with Squigly because she has a very fluid playstyle and a move for just about any situation.

I suck at Parasoul, sorry, no help there from me. In fact I could probably do with tips from you when you're done.
 
Well folks, I haven't posted in a month and anyone who has been following the journey might be wondering how it's going. It isn't going...well...at all...

My IRL friend quit the game and thus I haven't been as motivated to play as I used to be. I still watch people stream all the time and browse the forum occasionally but the burning passion to learn the game has left me. Maybe it's because I get bored so easily and I got bored of the game. But I'm pretty sure it's because I need a training partner. Somebody to push me to continue to get better and strive to reach their level. Or maybe I will end up not playing anymore and moving onto something else. Who knows? I don't, at least right now I don't.

This is an open call for sparring partners. I hope that is what I need to get the competitive juices flowing again. After all, I still have a goal to achieve!
 
Now training for a real life tournament! May 2nd in Princeton, NJ I will make my public debut! And I'm not prepared whatsoever! I want YOU to train with me. Help me not go 0-2!
 
Add me on Steam, and we'll work something out. I said last year I'd b on hiatus because life/self-evaluation reasons, and Beowulf's as good as Retail-worthy, so here's to throwing my hat back in the ring.
 
Added. Anybody else going to this tourney by chance?
 
Streamed a bit last night and here are some highlights:


Looking forward to streaming more and getting better.
 
Feeling REALLY salty about Painwheel!!! I have no idea when her stuff begins or ends. I know it's a bad match-up for Parasoul but what the hell am I supposed to do? I have never ever beaten this character. Somebody help me!
 
From my own personal experience. Considering Painwheel can just fly and Parasoul has no choice but to jump all over to hit her, I'd consider that to be in Painwheel's favor. In addition, considering Painwheel's moves have armor which render Parasoul's jumping moves useless, I'd also consider that to be in Painwheel's favor.

So how do I beat this character? I've searched the forum for help but found none.
 
In addition, considering Painwheel's moves have armor which render Parasoul's jumping moves useless, I'd also consider that to be in Painwheel's favor

j.HK, air grab. if painwheel is flying her only armor move is j.HP and it only has 1 hit of armor.
 
Painwheel can just fly and Parasoul has no choice but to jump all over to hit her, I'd consider that to be in Painwheel's favor. In addition, considering Painwheel's moves have armor which render Parasoul's jumping moves useless, I'd also consider that to be in Painwheel's favor.
With that argument, PW has a good matchup against everyone~

There isn't a lot of help for Para vs PW floating around because it is generally viewed as a good matchup for Soul.

jLP/jLK - jHP is 2 hits and therefore largely beats armor
Para has the best Airthrow in the game, which beats armor
Placed Tear + jLP/jMP/jHP is 2 hits and therefore beats armor

Sure, if PW stays in the air you have to take to the air to beat her, but your mobility is better than hers -
you got the best dashjump in the game, which means she can't really react to when you are going in;
If she doesn't already have a hitbox out, airtech and airsuper are the only things that beat Airthrow -
and airtech will lose if you pushed a button instead (or go to neutral if you did airthrow), while super is obviously a bit risky.

So she kind of has to commit to a button push of jMP (which has long startup, so isn't too free)
And if she does that you can M Shot, call assist, Sniper, whatever

If the PW is good she gains a buncha threatening tools (jHP armor through jLP, let go of jHP; jHP armor xx Buer / xx Thresher, Unfly),
and certainly if she lands a hit Parasoul is in a world of trouble.. as such, I don't think it is as free as PW players make it out to be (who largely say this is an easy win for Soul),
but it doesn't strike me as a particularly bad matchup for Soul either. What exactly do you have issues with? Do you have any match recordings? etc
 
Add me on steam if you want to play sometime! If love to have practice against different members of the cast. I only really play 2 characters though, so keep that in mind.
 
j.HK, air grab. if painwheel is flying her only armor move is j.HP and it only has 1 hit of armor.

I never thought to use j.HK. Thanks for the tip.

snip

Well thanks for the advice. My problem is I have no idea what she does. Like her moves are just one big jumble to me. I end up in the corner and die. Whenever I think it is safe to go in, I get nailed by a move with armor either in the air or on the ground. I guess the remedy to that is either play against more Painwheels or learn her myself. I have faced Bella a million times so I know what she does and where the reset points are. When I see a Painwheel I just chalk it up as a loss before the game begins. Blame my lack of game knowledge for not having the proper tools to fight.

Add me on steam if you want to play sometime! If love to have practice against different members of the cast. I only really play 2 characters though, so keep that in mind.

I'll add you but I've been only focusing on Parasoul lately with the hopes of getting her ready for a tournament next month.
 
I never thought to use j.HK. Thanks for the tip

for air-to-air, its probably better to use some of the options that Isa mentioned, as far as I know you can't get much off of a j.HK. Jumping in though, j.HK air-to-ground works well.
 
As a side-note for time in the training room, if you don't want to learn long combos per character I find it's easier to just learn ground and air section snippets and you can link them at your own leisure. Though this doesn't help avoid IPS it's good enough to help you reach combo stage around 3-4 until you want to start learning the super long ones. As a small piece of advice for Parasoul specifically try to learn how to Napalm Pillar because if you can learn how to pull that out consistently the barrier for execution on other charge moves is lowered by a lot.
 
for air-to-air, its probably better to use some of the options that Isa mentioned, as far as I know you can't get much off of a j.HK. Jumping in though, j.HK air-to-ground works well.

Still good to know. Thanks.

As a side-note for time in the training room, if you don't want to learn long combos per character I find it's easier to just learn ground and air section snippets and you can link them at your own leisure. Though this doesn't help avoid IPS it's good enough to help you reach combo stage around 3-4 until you want to start learning the super long ones. As a small piece of advice for Parasoul specifically try to learn how to Napalm Pillar because if you can learn how to pull that out consistently the barrier for execution on other charge moves is lowered by a lot.

The training room is the bane of my existence. I know it is a necessary evil in order to get better but I hate it so much.
 
Sooooooo why is Painwheel considered the worst character in the game? Seems pretty unfair to me!

1. Moves with armor in the air and on the ground means I can't combo at all!
2. Install = I play with 1 1/2 life bars!
3. The only character that can fly and cause so much confusion!

Here's a small look at the damage:


As you can see from the win totals, it was much worse than it appears. All I did was chase around Painwheel trying to land j.LP or air grab and neither really succeeded. Getting a little better at blocking/pushblocking her but when I get hit it's basically over for me.

What am I doing wrong? I can already predict some of your answers. "Your spacing is bad." "You drop stuff." "Why does napalm dart come out in the middle of combos?"

Yeah I know all of those things. I swear there's a huge difference between retail and beta. In retail I hardly ever get wrong button inputs or dropped combos. It seems in retail you have to mash out things faster where the beta seems to be more sensitive. Like b.hk into L Shot works no problem in retail but in beta if I mash it too quickly the b.hk gets cancelled into L Shot and never comes out.
 
Sooooooo why is Painwheel considered the worst character in the game?
People are insane
That is a leftover impression from 5 versions back, I don't really know anyone who still thinks this
Especially on Beta she is just really strong

Also you don't really want to use jLP to air-to-air like that, use jLK instead.
It is angled horizontally rather than down, which makes all the difference vs PW who spends a lot of time at the ceiling of the screen (and can fly up even higher when you jump at her)
jLP is very prone to just whiffing under PW, while jLK is rather likely to hit.

Both the vids in your spoiler are Private.
 
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I apologize for that. Videos should work now. Thanks for the j.lk tip.
 
Well guys, the dream is dead. I have lost interest in the game. I won't be going to the tournament. It was fun. Forever casual.
 
Nothing. Just came to the realization that I will never be good at this game. Fighting games are too much work. I only play for fun now.
 
man, I don't blame you for just playing for fun.
that's all I do now.
 
Yeah but at least you're good at this game.
 
Nothing. Just came to the realization that I will never be good at this game. Fighting games are too much work. I only play for fun now.
Everyone who isn't winning money in tournaments is playing for fun :)

I've been playing this game "for fun" for years now.
 
It's thanks to this post of yours that I stayed with it this long.

general parasoul reset options for beginners

So thank you for that.


Haha, no worries! (I actually saw you doing that reset in the above vids and I was like "oh, someone came up with the same thing I did...VERY COOL!)

Sorry it didn't work out for you. But there's no problem in a game not necessarily being for you. If it ain't enjoyable, don't do it imo :)
 
It was extremely helpful for learning a game plan for Parasoul. My biggest problem is getting in, so having a large amount of reset possibilities gave me many easy kills once I did get in.