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Defensive options?

Psyken

Psyken

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Psyken
Valentine
I want to play solo Valentine. Everyone tells me "No." In a game like this, I can't imagine why I can't. So keep in mind that while reading this "Invul assist" is not an option with me specifically and I know that. Now, moving on.


I started playing Skullgirls a couple weeks ago and I'm pretty much ass at this game. Who wouldn't be after not practicing? I expect to lose, that's fine. Here is my problem though, I suck at defense in this game particularity. I would like to know some defensive options that I have without having to mash out a super. Val doesn't have a DP either, this I realize.

When it comes to resets I realize that with certain setups you can't: Jump (NOT up+back), Block w/ down+back, throw, mash (b/c burst bait), super etc. For me this is frustrating because in ASW games the grabs are not insanely fast and I can tech if I need to holding down+back and on and on. Most of us knows ASW games. In a fighting game I feel like I shouldn't have to "guess right" either when sometimes the odds of being able to block or tech are not 50/50. For example, if someone crosses under me but they're still close to me... My initial reaction in SG will be to grab. Mashing grab. That turns into > eating a low. Damn. If they let me drop in the air and I can't jump, I can't mash jump if they hit me with a trip. Most of you guys know the setups already.

My question is: How do I properly defend against so many offense options without getting blown up most of the time? (Again, without invul assist) I like playing Solo Val, its fun and I don't have the time to master 2-3 characters. Hell, I wouldn't even say I mastered Val yet. As it currently stands with the people I play against, I can't do anything and it usually ends up 5 me and 20 opponent. Clearly I'm doing something wrong.

This is not a whine post, I'm not here to say "SG sucks, I hate the grabs whine whine". Out of respect I would appreciate it if one did not respond with "git gud" or something along those lines. I want to love SG but after every session I play I just end up getting frustrated with the game and that's not fun. So... help me out! .. Please. xD

This I know in reset situations:
Jumping > Throws
Lows > Jumping
Throws > Button
Down+back > Low
Overhead > Down+back
Throws > Down+back

I don't know much about PBGC, so I'll have to research that to help from getting stuck in lockdown situations. Learned PBGC. Woo.
 
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How do I properly defend against so many offense options without getting blown up most of the time?
It probably won't answer your questions completely, but worldjem wrote a pretty good guide on defence. I'll post the link in a minute.

EDIT: Here it is.
 
My biggest advice would be to learn every character, and some of the combos they do. Most people use the same combo over and over, so they normally have only one or two setups for it. For the most part, you should be fine following what the tutorial says, where it discusses always blocking low and only really standing during jumps or telegraphed overheads.

Don't forget about reaction shots, either (Two punch buttons while blocking)- If you feel like you're being pressured and are scared of being hit through some crazy mixups, use it.

Eventually as you'll get better you'll run into people with more setups. These people must be read, similarly to Street Fighter. You'll have to try and learn figuring out what they're going to do, before they even do it.


Playin' solo is hard, man.
 
Thanks @Vadsamoht That helped w/ pbgc. :3 Is absolute guard still a thing? I never really had a problem with that. I don't have the time to learn all the chars. If I did, I would just be in TR all day lol.

When facing meat shields, can you cancel an attack to go back to blocking? Multi-hitting moves get ignored when your opponent calls an invul assist. You just get blown up.
 
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Its worth noting that up+back avoids ground throws, blocks high attacks and avoids some crossup setups (cause you jump into the path of their jump or air dash while they're trying to cross you up).

Loses to lows and air throws though.
 
If you're going the solo route, especially solo Val, you are giving up any real counter option on wake-up besides mashed super. It's a situation that will happen, and yeah, you will have to make a guess as to what to do on wake-up. Of course, it can be an educated guess based on how your opponent is playing.

The only advice I can really give, besides playing a lot and learning what other characters tend to do in certain situations, is to try avoiding the situation on defense whenever possible. It's kind of simple advice, but it's all you can really do outside of a wake-up mash super and guessing. But, Val does have some tools to avoid a ground mix-up setup while she's still in the air (those tools being her air dash and air dead cross).

So, in regards to the example in your post about reacting to a cross-under setup, if you know it's coming, you can either air dash or air dead cross to avoid being right where they want you to be. This tends to give you an advantage, or at least makes it easier to go back to neutral.

Val also has her counter. While I'm not a fan of the move in general, it does have its uses and is worth learning more about. @Fedora_Ninja has a great post on it that is definitely worth a read: http://skullgirls.com/forums/index.php?threads/vals-lvl2-super-and-you.1465/

Hope that helps.
 
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Also if you are being lockdown by an assist you can choose to either PB the assist right before they attack and go into absolute guard, or guess their first mix up from their point character then immediately pbgc jump and get the hell out of there. Also blocking things in the air is always better than blocking them on the ground so you should try to do that when possible. But yea as solo you miss out on a few solid defensive options, soooo. Gotta work way harder.

The trick is to not think of every offensive option all at once, or else you are gonna be overwhelmed. Pay attention to the distance they are at and what they have done before. Narrow the options you need to think about. It's worth getting caught off guard once with something new rather than always getting hit because you can't process their offense fast enough.
 
I don't visit SH often enough so this was lost on me. Basically everything Outlaw Spike and Camail said is true.

I'll add that as a solo, you'll definitely want to work on defense before offense because being in the corner is the scariest thing. You'll want to be able to read opponents well looking out for mixups, learn to pushblock well, pushblock guard cancel and absolute guard. They are going to be your best assets to get out of the corner and deal with pressure since Val lacks a meterless DP or a true or simple "I want to get the fuck out NOW" tool. You gotta be patient I know you want to immediately push block them but just calm yourself and like pb the last hit. It's all about reading the opponent and respecting their offense. Just analyze the opponent and after learning to take advantage of those defensive tools will carry you far.

Solos are hell but rewarding and satisfying when it works out.
 
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