I’ve played SSFIV:AE on a casual level for about a year now and I recently switched main from Chun to Viper. My rating fluctuates between 300-800 so yea… I’m kinda crappy (have too many holes in my defense, can’t punish properly, does tons of misclicks, can’t do Vipers “tricks” such as FFF - the list goes on and on. My brain knows what to do but my body isn’t able to execute - that’s the biggest issue I have and playing on a D-pad doesn’t make things easier).
One matchup I seem to have more problems with than usual though is when I play against Juri players.
I feel that I don’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell against this character:
Viper sucks in close combat and her normals are mediocre at best, while Juri is just SO damn fast! I don’t understand what I’m supposed to do when I can’t even EX-Seismo out of dangerous situations. High jump burn kick -crossups seems totally useless due to Juri’s senpusha.
So how can I even begin to be something of a threat?
If you have 300-800 PP, chances are matchups are irrelevant and you should rather learn how to play at a base level (punishing, anti airing, spacing, poking, blocking). Viper might be a questionable character for that…
Yea I know but I really like and Im the type of gamer who wants things to be difficult (always plays on the harders difficulty, tries to get the toughest achievements and so on). I know that she is very dependant on good execution and I’ll get there some day, but there must be something I can do?
I mean, as it is now I’m losing badly to Juri-players that have the same PP (and BP) and there must be something I can do? I thought this game was about fighting the player, not the character. (At least thats whats everyone is telling me)
Well, the reality is that Juri/Viper is in Juri’s favor, but at the early stages that doesn’t really matter. What Vulpes is saying is right. Plus, where Viper excels in the Juri match-up is probably something you can’t capitalize/execute yet. Not trying to talk down on you. We were all there at one point.
If you’re sticking with Viper, I’d focus more on improving your character and not necessarily match-ups yet. The match-up experience comes with time.
All that said, if you want to know how to deal with Juri as Viper, I’d probably ask the folks at the C. Viper forum. We can only help you from Juri’s perspective, which all things considered, wouldn’t help you all that much.
The issue isn’t with her execution. The issue is that as a 600 PP player you have a severe lack of fighting game fundamentals, and Viper is a rather bad character to learn them (her buttons don’t exactly bode well for learning footsies, you don’t learn how to patiently edge your way in as you can always superjump, you don’t learn how to block as viper players are prone to always push buttons, etc).
If you’re deadset on playing her anyways, learn just that. When to press which button, which distances work the best for your normals, how to punish at least severely unsafe moves (whiffpunishing normals isn’t necessary to learn early, but you should have 99% on random LP Shoryus) properly (with something damaging, not with a throw), how to block (on wakeup or during opponents pressure), how to get in without jumping stupidly, how to antiair consistently, how to apply pressure, etc etc etc
Matchups are ‘irrelevant’ at low level (to be more precise: They are entirely different depending on your abilities, and as we don’t know these, we have a hard time helping you; eg if your antiairs suck, a theoretically good matchup for you becomes bad because the opponent gains an option (jumping in) which he normally wouldn’t have).
You’ll find that <1000 PP Juri’s will make the common mistakes of spamming out EX Pinwheel unsafely (learn to punish accordingly). Random EX Dive kick, learn to block on reaction and punish severely (should be able to get a full punish from EX dive kick block). If the Juri likes to spam fireballs, use your high jump to punish accordingly.
The next piece of advice can be used on all cast, this is something fundamental that you need to learn to do to enhance your game:
Watch your replays, make note of where you’re getting blown up the most. Are you taking the most damage from blocked/unsafe moves? If so, make sure you’re not doing that anymore.
Are you taking the most damage from the same EX reversal? If so, learn to block and punish accordingly.
Are you getting chipped out with random pokes? Work on your footsies.
At the level you’re at, the best way to get better is to analyse yourself, learn what mistakes YOU’RE doing rather than the specific match-ups.
I play a 2000PP Juri if you ever want some Endless practise, I’d be happy to spar with you. (UK timezone)