More often than usual I have noticed that I heavily rely on Jago for competitive sets. Despite knowing some matches where it is more difficult for him, I am no good with trying to counterpick.
I have a few pocket characters like TJ, Kim, RAAM, or even Gargos. Though, when in doubt, I always go with Jago. My decision to branch out was simply to get rid of my bad habits and tendencies, to no avail though, as it seems like this mental barrier of mine is something I can’t seem to escape from.
Anyway, I have always felt more comfortable with Jago, despite being in situations where it may be difficult for me to get in or deal with.
So I ask this, are you guys/gals more comfortable when you stick to your character despite a bad matchup? Or if you have an opportunity to switch in order to stack the odds in your favor, do you take it?
To my fellow specialist, how do you approach the match knowing the odds stack against you? What do you tend to do differently? How do you mentally prepare to change your entire playstyle because of one matchup, or do you force your playstyle knowing the disadvantages?
To the counterpickers, if you aren’t too familiar with a character, but know they have a higher likelihood of winning the match, why do you take it? How do you prepare yourself in a situation where counterpicking is more ambiguous (first-match)? What led you to favor counterpicking opposed to roughing it out with one character?
I stick with my main, and then I think on the habits, mistakes, and missed opportunities my opponent made so that I can capitalize on it. For example, are they performing an attack often that I can block and shadow-counter? Also, try to reduce or not use what you know they can counter and/or read - at least until you train them to no longer expect it.
I’m in the same situation as you. Jago is my main as well and I feel the most comfortable playing as him. Personally I don’t mind if I’m up against a bad matchup with because it mainly strives me to improve and find ways to counteract said bad matchup. Plus it also depends on the person playing the character as well. If I’m in a bad matchup but my opponent doesn’t know how to play him/her, I can take advantage of that.
I main three characters simply because I want to main them not just because I want to win. That includes both their good and bad matchups because improving is always good. As a Bruce Lee quote said: “I fear not the man who practiced 10,000 kicks but the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times”. It’s my job to know the ins and outs of the characters I chose to main.
I guess it depends. I mean I don’t bother since well…I don’t need to and that wasting that time and effort to learn the character to CP your opponent…and probably for only one character? Might as well roll with the punches with your actual main then.
Then there’s online where you won’t know your opponent and well…yeah.
I’m a character hardhead, not specialist. Let’s be clear.
There’s a whole checklist of things, but my biggest thing has been finding something to exploit. It sounds stupidly simple, but say i played a Jago that had no intention to challenge a meaty with a DP. Find that out quick and exploit it. Playing a Hisako that will Shadow Counter and Parry me at all opportunities. Start using command grabs and empty jumps. No one player plays with every tool of their character at all times, so i have to be fast and smart enough to know what they arent doing and punish them as best i can for it.
I used to try and play across the entire cast online, but apart from friendly stuff and achievement hunting I’ve decided to stick with a handful of characters I like. Trying to get decent enough with Wulf to back up the claim that I main him, but I like to keep the rest of the Season 1 cast as well as Tusk and occasionally Mira around for back up.
Used to do mostly Sadira/Riptor/Shago in S2, and I was almost exclusively a Wulf player in S1 because quarter circles are hard to do for your first FG. Obviously that’s changed since I got the whole cast to 50 and I enjoy playing all of them, but I’m starting to narrow down my focus since I don’t need to level up a ton anymore.
Character specialist here. Just play through your bad MU’s - adapt your style to deal with the particular deficiencies that make the fight tough. I think that the familiarity that comes from playing with your main is worth struggling through a bad fight or two. A lot of fights are very manageable so long as you’re willing to put in the time to really learn the particulars involved.
I’m most definitely a specialist here. I’ve had more fun focusing on a single character (Omen) and learning all his matchups, rather than trying to figure out counterpicks or playing a variety of characters. It probably helps though that Omen’s bad MUs are, as far as I know, few and far between. But I have found myself getting better and getting more consistent sticking with my main rather than switching around characters competitively, even if I’ve been learning Aria as a pocket character.
Honestly, I think that’s perfectly fine for any character other than RAAM. Against Glacius, you basically have to wait for them to get bored or mess up their zoning horrendously. It’s so bad, I’ve switched to my first main, Riptor, every time I fight a zoner.
I main Aganos and Gargos. When I play ranked, I tend to play with one of them for a while, not caring about who is my opponent.
It happens that some of Aganos bad MU’s are good MU’s for Gargos(like Sadira). If I want to win, I go for Gargos if I see these characters, but overall I have not much issues staying with a character during a bad MU. Of course, I have better results with the one with advantage. But I didn’t choose this characters for their MUs. If Gargos wouldn’t have a good MU against Sadira, I would have to adapt with these characters.
I would never counterpick choosing a character that I’m not familiar. If a character is a bad MU for my both mains, I just stick with them. I have better results with them.
It’s hard to describe what I actually do during a unfavorable MU. It’s really specific to each character. There is not “magic formula” against these characters that I don’t use against favorable MUs.
I specialize in both Fulgore and Riptor with Cinder coming in at close second.
I’ll feel comfortable with my pick, even if the other guy chooses a character that’s my bad MU. I always try to find a way around my weaknesses and take advantage of my opponents.
If I get trouble I just go talk to the awesome folks on here for advice.
I guess I’m more of a stubborn specialist. I play a lot of characters, and am trying to learn a little bit about all of them, but in doubt I go back to my true main, Arbiter, regardless of match up. And if I’m playing another character for the evening, like for match up training or ranked climbing, I’ll stick with it regardless. I feel it’s the only way to learn.
Omen
Sadly, the skill gap between Kan-Ra and Sadira still forces my hand to choose Kan out of experience and confidence. Though, I will never improve my Sadira unless I play her so why am I not playing her holy crap I’m stupid. Has Epiphany
I too am a specialist…and i rarely branch out when competing on a high level such as ranked. Now if Im playing a qualifier - Gold…I will pick other characters, but if its a Killer and I do not know them or it isnt a friendly set, I have to start with my boy Omen. Once I judge their skill I may pick a different character depending on how bad I beat them.
But I understand what you are feeling becasue I too feel like some Match ups are stacked against me.
But recently I have started using Shago and Fulgore as my counter pick characters…so far so good, but with both I have yet to find that BnB combo that can completely bale me out at the end of a tight match. You know…that go too combo that guarantees if you get the set up or lock out that it will deplete the life bar. I have that with Omen, I dont have that with the other 2. Im still searching for it though.
