Hi folks, I’m curious to see:
a - how often players use exchange enders?
b - why do you opt to do so?
c - how do you incorporate them in your game plan?
I thought about this after reading this post from @Fnrslvr
For example, as an Aganos player, you’d think I’d use the exchange ender to make sure my opponent has a wall behind them, but for I’m pretty much always going for more rocks or if a wall is already behind my opponent, he’s going through it no questions. I do agree that the exchange ender is a positional tool, but I am curious to see which characters really benefit from using it (or are taking advantage of it’s existence) and how so.
I know Orchid might opt to use it as she has good corner pressure, but her damage ender might negate using the exchange ender all together - I’d love to hear from other Orchid mains on this.
Spinal is notorious for corner pressure. Does he have an exchange ender? Is it used when the opportunity presents itself to be used, or do Spinal players opt to do launcher ender into resource steals?
Again, Aganos does great damage with pokes, but not so great damage within combos unless walls are involved. That being said, when I get a combo, I’m mainly building rocks or putting opponents through walls. Without a hi/lo mixup that starts combos, Aganos doesn’t open up folks for combos as easy as some of the other characters (unless he’s absorbing an opponent’s attack to start his … which is really fun to do btw!). Maybe if he did, I might use the exchange ender more. Quick side note, @TheKeits man, I do love the decision-making you’re presented with when playing Aganos. So much to think about (in a good way) when you play as him. So rewarding when it all comes together for the big guy!!
Recapping - as @Fnrslvr said, exchange enders are indeed a positional tool, so I certainly think they can be helpful at times, but how often do you opt to use it and how/why?
Pretty much this. I used them primarily with Aganos and T; Aganos to set up corner / wall pressure, and with TJ for the same reason and to get some setups afterwards too.
Darn, you gave a way my example in your own very 1st post, OP!
As an Aganos main, I will often use the exchange ender once or twice during a fight, to, as you have already said - put a wall behind them, which helps instill them with fear and instant dread. If I have at least 1 chunk of armor, then they can’t jump at me or I’ll put them through the wall either with a straight up ruin or d+HP into ruin (or shadow ruin, if I have the meter). This limits their options because it means they have to come straight at me or perform a low. With my all-powerful finger, they certainly aren’t going to zone me out - that’s for sure!
Sometimes I’ll use it if my opponent is using a teleport, and put myself into the corner. This way, if they try to do a teleport mixup behind me, I can instantly corner and counter-attack them.
More often then not though, I find the exchange ender is best used after I hold and hit someone with the shadow natural disaster. Due to shoddy mechanics (and timing), the opponent may not always be recaptured on the side I want him to be (which is generally whatever side the wall is on), so I’ll follow up the combo with the exchange ender to fix that.
Yeah, pretty much like what everyone has said, to put people into a corner to continue the pressure, or if you are in the corner to get yourself out with a quick combo.
To others who’ve responded… Firstly, thanks for responding. I definitely appreciate it.
So fyi, I do understand the utility/purpose of an exchange ender. I guess because I don’t see it used super often, I was curious to see if anyone uses them often in their general strategy and if so, which characters seem to benefit more/less from it, and if there are specific situations that players tend to use the exchange ender over other enders. @GalacticGeek’s mentioned some of these specific situations.
I, personally, may have gotten out of touch with using exchange enders because I can (usually) just put a wall behind an opponent for instant corner pressure or use Aganos’s natural disaster linker for great corner carry. So I rarely think of exchange enders to get myself out of corner. But that’s just my experience. I can see how other characters can use it to get out of corner pressure themselves.
I’m still interested to learn more about specific situations when and why a player would prioritize exchange enders over other enders when playing particular characters.
@UncappedWheel82 TJ’s recapturing tremor is definitely scary if he has you in a corner.
I don’t think an ender needs to see common use to be considered relevant.
But also, your experience might actually be indicative of an underwhelming ender. I can see why Aganos might want to consistently prioritize chunks over positioning, maybe obsessively enough to where his exchange ender might be worthy of a buff or a rework? I don’t know Aganos well enough to say.
I would have to test wrt Orchid’s exchange ender, but having studied the numbers on Jago’s enders a while ago, I can see the argument for doing launcher into sweep most times over just going for the damage ender – and that doesn’t exchange sides. If Orchid can exchange into sweep, her damage ender would have to beat out the exchange ender in damage a lot more starkly than in Jago’s situation for the damage to be preferable.
Sadira uses them quite a lot, as she only has two enders and her aerial pressure is actually less effective in the corner. Particularly once she’s in instinct, you’ll often see Sadira’s exchange ender their opponent out of the corner to preserve her left/right mixups.
I find it interesting that most characters have the exchange ender as a separate ender from the rest, yet Thunder has his damage ender also working as an exchange ender. Plus he gets his best safe jumps and ambiguous cross ups off of it. It might be the best ender in the game.
