ArcDawn's Journal/Archive

[ArcDawn]

This seems like an actual good idea to get stuff that I learned archived and a fun way to just see myself as a player grow!
So from 7/29: Returned to SkullGirls after a year's hiatus. As a Fighting game enthusiast, I play a lot of different ones like Tatsunoko Vs Capcom, SkullGirls (obv), USF4, Smash bros Melee, 3rd Strike, Super Turbo, DiveKick, Melty Blood, and more. I have a bit of FG knowledge so my return wasn't completely back to square 1, but I still had some trouble readjusting to SkullGirls. Struggled to remember simple combos for Band but eventually got some simple ones down. I had 1 bnb from my peacock days that I could still do like 70% of the time.

Learned from my games that day: I have to work on anti-rushdown tactics, my zoning for peacock sucks because I never bothered to learn it (The way I played peacock back in the day was not zoney at all) Call in assist more often to help with zoning. item drop is really good. As big band, I should Parry projectiles more often and if I get a read, parry shit to get counters. (I played a bit of third strike so I was getting some pretty good parries that day)

7/30 Played some more games and joined DeFox School stream (which I almost missed cuz I was napping. lol) Basically got wrecked but I learned a lot from them including:
Big Band is a risky guy. I can use SSJ to counter a lot of stuff from block. (Maybe use pushblock cancel ->SSJ or something) I have to go in more as Band. Peacock bombs at midscreen away is awful = free punish. Band's A-Train assist that I use is hard to pair with normally, but if I do good zoning patterns (ie. mk george, hk george, assist, item drop) it can be quite useful. + I should try to learn the timing for the combo extend after (TP into launcher or TP into bomb or Lenny -> Argus) A good opening gambit is to call in assist and have it cover your escape + you can mix it up with TPs . If I get Caught w/ Peacock in the corner, I can do pushblock cancel Lenny into Argus to keep them away. I need some more damaging combos stuff too haha. Dealing w/ robo Fortune's beams is a mess but I can Parry/Rush Punch through them or Giant Step. As Peacock, Fake teleports can help to make them block or get a combo from a real teleport if I read the laser (will have to test). Beams Kill bombs so it might be more worth it to use item drop + hk george. But in general, band matchup against robo just sucks (have to just be patient and get through the lasers .)

7/31 Checked out the Big Band Mixups Guide and that stuff is so good. Will have to lab some of it out sometime. "Found" a Burst Bait through lp> mp> mk>jmp>jhp>dash cancel jlp> jmp> lp> mp> mk > jhp (burst)
Not sure on follow ups but will be testing. I'm thinking maybe j mp > j hk follow up into some kinda combo. Worked on Lenny Combos (the above string but adding hp>low gun instead of launcher to bait) Having a bit of trouble getting argus after item drop but that will come with time. Also I just thought of this but I might get some mileage out of A-Train Assist after burst bait into free item drop/combo. since they will be in the air for that one and I can use that to retreat and escape if it fails and bait them into attacking band for an argus punish. Will be trying to work on getting some Big Band Combos down next time.

I'll be ending this here, if anyone actually reads this it'd be cool to get some feedback/tips on Peacock/Band :) or general discussion on whatever

 

[mcpeanuts]

Big Band is a risky guy. I can use SSJ to counter a lot of stuff from block. (Maybe use pushblock cancel ->SSJ or something)

Or just do it, doesn't have to be from a pushblock. PBGC is mostly for interrupting or punishing things that are otherwise safe.

Peacock bombs at midscreen away is awful = free punish.

Free punish isn't quite right, it's a risk. If you do L or M bomb and they jump they can hit you, or if you do H bomb and they dash forward they could hit you. They still have to make the read, but generally it is not worth the risk. If you're close enough that they could hit you if they jumped forward and pushed a button, your priority should usually be to get to a range where that's not the case. Run away and use buttons like j.HK j.HP and call your assist until you're at a safe range to throw bombs.

Band's A-Train assist that I use is hard to pair with normally, but if I do good zoning patterns (ie. mk george, hk george, assist, item drop) it can be quite useful. + I should try to learn the timing for the combo extend after (TP into launcher or TP into bomb or Lenny -> Argus)

What I was trying to say during the matches and I guess didn't explain well was that while A-Train isn't as useful for neutral as Brass or Beat Extend, you can still make it worthwhile if you take advantage of how long they're in hitstun when it hits them. You could use that time to charge an item or taunt or something. Teleporting and doing a c.LP (and using your OTG at that) is not getting enough mileage out of the assist to make it worthwhile.

I can't tell you what assist to use, but I've been using Beat Extend as my assist for a while and it works great for me. In addition to being a better get-off-me than A-Train since it can hit people on the ground, it also lets you do setups like this:

(these are unoptimized but I made this video like a year ago. Maybe I should make an updated video idk)

 

[ArcDawn]

Or just do it, doesn't have to be from a pushblock. PBGC is mostly for interrupting or punishing things that are otherwise safe.


Free punish isn't quite right, it's a risk. If you do L or M bomb and they jump they can hit you, or if you do H bomb and they dash forward they could hit you. They still have to make the read, but generally it is not worth the risk. If you're close enough that they could hit you if they jumped forward and pushed a button, your priority should usually be to get to a range where that's not the case. Run away and use buttons like j.HK j.HP and call your assist until you're at a safe range to throw bombs.


What I was trying to say during the matches and I guess didn't explain well was that while A-Train isn't as useful for neutral as Brass or Beat Extend, you can still make it worthwhile if you take advantage of how long they're in hitstun when it hits them. You could use that time to charge an item or taunt or something. Teleporting and doing a c.LP (and using your OTG at that) is not getting enough mileage out of the assist to make it worthwhile.

I can't tell you what assist to use, but I've been using Beat Extend as my assist for a while and it works great for me. In addition to being a better get-off-me than A-Train since it can hit people on the ground, it also lets you do setups like this:

(these are unoptimized but I made this video like a year ago. Maybe I should make an updated video idk)

Thanks for the clarifications! That's interesting though I didn't think of that (charging an item for probably a free follow up from assist for big damage) I will be testing this stuff more in training

 

[ArcDawn]

8/2/15 Played a few lobby matches and ran into Joshb911 who helped me a bit with my play. I still have to work on my zoning and combos, but he mentioned using m.bang which has startup invincibility as a reversal for trapped peacocks. It's interesting when combined with Mr. Peck's idea of using Lenny as a reversal to force them to back off. (meterless option tho always good) I hope I can get more MU experience so I can figure out how to deal w/ blockstrings and actually reversal for once.