How to Analyze a Bad Matchup pt. 2 (Using RAAM v Cinder as the example)

Part one was about analyzing block safety to understand what we can get away with in a matchup.

I now submit to the UC community part two, which is about analyzing startup to understand how interrupts might factor into our strategy during a tough matchup.

Originally, I wasn’t planning to post part two here. But, part one garnered a good response, so I thought I’d follow up :slight_smile:

I hope you guys and girls enjoy, and I would be just thrilled beyond belief to see feedback and new ideas in response.

Part three will be about reversals, and part four will bring all the parts together to talk about what the analysis contributed to my RAAM v Cinder strategy.

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I like the way you approach things. Waaaay more involved than anything I’d personally be willing to do. but I like the comprehensiveness of it all :slight_smile:

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P.s. I love to.

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I’m just going to say this right now. If you’re actually trying to go in on RAAM with Cinder, I think you’re playing the MU completely wrong. lol

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Lol. This is also true :smile:

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Today I saw keits use raam and he got wrecked hard by tswag eyedol. Like, really really bad. It was like watching a qualifier vs a killer lol according to what they said, there’s possible buffs coming for raam cuz he had zero chance lol

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Or they were being sarcastic about the buffs lol idk but dude took a beating every single match

Ha yeah, I can see that. Partially because of what we’ve learned from block safety and interrupts in the matchup :slight_smile:

Don’t know if you approach the MU this way as a top-tier Cinder, but anecdotally the good Cinders tend to focus on the lava blob against my RAAM. That strategy requires heart more than brain on RAAM’s part to overcome.

@xOGTxBONESx

there’s possible buffs coming for raam cuz he had zero chance lol

This is the best news, if it comes true :slight_smile: Eyedol is a really tough one for General Bae.

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If they where to buff RAAM, I’m trying to think what they would do. @TheKeits says that the team usually focuses on augmenting strengths as opposed to removing weaknesses. I think that RAAM’s strengths are already pretty good, with his only major weakness being dealing with opponents from a distance. One thing that might make RAAM have an easier time dealing with zoners is giving him some way to apply a swarm from full screen, perhaps with light emergence covering the ground with Kryll that apply a swarm but don’t actually cause hit stun or block stun. This would encourage zoners to either let RAAM in or try their hardest to hit RAAM and remove the swarm. This would also give light emergence (which in it’s current state is very situational) MUCH more utility .

EDIT: OK, there is one HUGE thing that I would love to see buffed that I think would be fair. I would like the kryll rush to have kryll shield on active frames. This would allow him to grab cinder during inferno for example. I hate when I charge through an inferno only to get hit right at the end.

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I love this idea. Like, a lot.

Dude, I just reached level 50 with RAAM last night and the last few matches where all major losses to high level Cinder players. I am VERY familiar with the inferno situation.

As ever, this is good information. The real problem i see in this case is that cinders usually do not do trailblazes from the ground, unless they are at point blank range.

I would like to watch that. Where you saw it?

Iron Galaxy twitch stream last week

You know what he needs? Kryll Teleport ala Jason in MKX :fearful:

In all seriousness, as someone who is learning RAAM and needs a thorough explanation about frame data, I’m loving this series and hope to see parts 3 and 4 up soon.

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As someone still trying to figure the General out, This is a matchup I have yet to win. The smart Alecs I go up against tend to throw the orbs on me and explode them as I approach and then zip away. Then they like to attack from the air and I’m never sure when the combo is finished. I try to counter and I’m rewarded with more hits from cinder. Extremely annoying fight. More so when you realize the opponent was Using Jago, but switched specifically to fight Raam…I know that’s fair and all, but I play Raam no matter the opponent . to me it takes the fun out Of the game if you’re Just choosing characters for the sake of counter picking. But maybe that’s me.

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Does anyone think they can give me advice on RAAM vs ARIA and Sabrewulf? I keep giving away wins no matter how hard I try to play RAAM.

Against Sabrewulf, default to blocking low so he can’t slide-tackle you. Then, when he does his jump-in, emergence to get him OTG (that jump-in is much easier to hit on reaction than the slide is–that’s why I say default to blocking low). Otherwise, play keep away with sHP. When you connect with sHP, get a short combo in (or go for gold if you’re good at counter breaking or locking him out). You can also anticipate rush-ins with emergence. That will shut him right down on approach, at which point you can grab him or try c.MK when he wakes up.

Light and Heavy Emergence on wakeup can shut down his corpse dance game (when he dashes over your body trying to thwart your wakeup). Just be careful. If he crosses your inputs, kryll rush comes out and you hate life. Also, if he baits emergence on purpose and blocks it, then I’m sure you’re already familiar with how erection-smothering that can be.

Sadly, I have nothing on ARIA. I rarely encounter her on the ladder, and when I do, she gives my balonga the slap of a lifetime. I keep thinking that her body determines how you play (treat blade like sabrewulf, treat zoning like a spamming shago, treat mobility like…uh…Gargos???). But, I haven’t been able to figure out a way to beat her reliably, yet.