Doctor Defense - The zoning and annoying people with Strange thread

Classic Fighting Games Ultimate Marvel VS Capcom 3
1

Hey guys,

I think it is about time we try and focus more on this side of Strange’s game.

Along these 8 months, we have come a long way in terms of combos, technologies, traps, team sinergy and all that. But we all know that Doc is a projectile-heavy character, and that he was theoretically made keepaway-oriented.

So, this being the case, I wanted to start a segment in our board specially for strategies regarding his space-controlling game. Please feel free to contribute and help.

At least for me so far (I’m not experienced nor keen to zoning, but I’m grinding on it to become a better player) what works with him is to set something I called DPZ, as in Double-Projectile Zoning. Basically I think we all agree so far that EoA is where he starts to take over a matchup, so it is the first thing you would want to set up. Then, again, some projectiles beat the whole eye (like hadoukens or soul fists), meaning you need to protect it. Not to say about dive-kicking-happy characters who will try to come at you from above.

The primarly concept of DPZ is to make a projectile chain in which one of your spells will force the opponent to block just enough for you to set the next one, and so forth. So, after you build an EoA, you can palm it and cancel this IP into another projectile, basically either M-Daggers or M/H-Sword, again depending on the matchup (if the guy can go through the eye or not) and spacing.

Also, much like Dormammu and Morrigan, he’s got teleports and flight (unfortunately not an airdash), allowing Strange to make a ‘mobile keepaway’, changing sides and places in the screen really quick, either to protect an assist (missiles, vajra, whatever) or to simply escape a corner or any pressure situation.

Anyways, like I said I’m not an expert in the zoning department, that is why I made this thread. We made progress together from LMHS MMHS into palm-loops, and then into the flame ones, and now we can ToD with him from basically any confirm. Now, let’s work on making rushdown-players MAD beyond belief!

2

I think this is a very appropriate thread because to be a good Strange player and a good player overall you have to be able to balance offense and defense and be able to switch to and from them effortlessly. As for zoning with daggers of denak tiger kneeing the input allows for decreased recovery time and therefore better zoning. This is because there are 0 frames of recovery after landing. Also other strange players have pointed this out but i will reiterate the point but as a anti air if our Zoning fails, cr. M canceled into L mystic swords is a great anti air and leads to a combo. O and Tortonon i forgot to mention this in my previous comments but your Zero Vergil video you posted on the Team thread was awesome and very inventive keep up the good work man.

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My usual routine is

EOA > DOD M > IP EOA > Mystic Sword M > EOA > yellow grace > IP EOA > DOD M repeat.

For the most part anyone with a teleport that ends up behind dr. strange, will of course fuck him up. But I feel getting 3 yellow graces is essential to his keep away game, 3y charged fotf mixed with cross-up teleport can give you great results.
Dr. Strange, before SOV, use M DOD, SOV hits, and then the DOD hit, allowing an easier ground set-up.

4

I think DoD L is under utilized. For its speed and ability to just stop someone’s meta from full screen (Morrigan, Dormammu), not to mention its a pain if you’re a large character. My largest hole in my strategy is getting heavy rush down off of me and then creating a slit for EoA or whatever. I think DoD L is a somewhat low risk commitment that can make an opponent think twice about their next move. Plus it crosses up and can push characters far enough out of the corner to get a well timed Teleport M to get behind them. Supposing you want to be in the corner against someone while being Dr. Strange, for whatever bass ackwards reason you may have.

5

I usually chuck a couple DOD L after I connect an SOV, it seems to be eaiser for the dod to follow when they’re above you.
I def don’t use them as often as I could. I just feel like EOA helps convert into a combo much easier, and causes them to be more cautious, allowing me to throw more tk DOD L and M instead.

As far as zoning, I would use Mystic M over DOD L. Yes dod L is quick and fast, but mystic sword has greater pushback on block/hit, amazing durability and can help you further zone your opponent

6

I love Mystic Sword M except for when it doesn’t hit (shocker) and then Strange dies for it. The only other thing I can argue is the fact that a whiffed DoD L doesn’t mean a combo. Then again, neither does a Mystic Sword, but I can’t you guess which one i’d rather whiff, especially in light of the recent the hitbox video.

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This is true also, but vs. zoners. DOD L is useless i feel. It’s funny actually, dr. strange will lose a zoning game to half of the cast with full screen beams (ie. iron man, magneto) and the only option to nullify this is 7 rings , which still is not terrible, but at the cost of a bar its a gamble. DOD also dissapears when being hit (i’m not sure how it works if you get hit after they have started to travel) so I feel it’s a better gamble with mystic sword M/H (which x-factored can lead to palm loop or faltine loop)

Also is it me or does EOA have a weird durability?
It may depend on the time it’s been on the screen. I’ve seen it eat red mega buster although i do recall having disruptor assist backing up the EOA.

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Oh against most zoning tools, for sure MS M is a better choice. Eat disrupters, plasma beams, and soul fists all day.

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Mystic Sword M is godlike against zoners.

And I agree with you guys about daggers L. I’ll try to implement that a bit more.

10

Just switched up my team last week to better help out Strange.

Strange-Bolts/Hawkeye-Greyhound/Doom-Missiles

This is definitely something I need to get better with. I have trouble in the initial exchange against rushdown heavy opponents.

11

You guys do know that naked flames of the faltine eats beams? lol
You shouldnt be getting outzoned by Doom or Ironman or anyone with a beam.

12

This is true, it does eat their best beams. I just have too much trouble with unibeam assist teams. Against iron man alone, you should be able to easily destroy him. but smart bombs do give you trouble, and his ability to j. H you from almost half a screen away can make it difficult to keep him away. His L unibeam is fast and if you don’t get faltine out quick enough you’ll eat beam.

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[media=youtube]Is8NHdhwlaY[/media]

From 1:52 - 2:15 then at 2:24

Just some examples of point Strange. Granted it was online with lag, drops, & not my optimal combos
it just shows alittle of what Strange is capable of with zoning & mix ups

14

wait a bit…

RAW-flame also eats beams?! I’m doing shoryu motions like a mad-man for mystic swords for nothing?!

LOL

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Yeah man, I always like having lvl 1 Flames out at all times. My zoning pattern is starting to look like EoA xx Flame, Mystic Sword M/TK M Daggers, and it’s pretty tight especially if you have a beam assist like Disruptor backing you up at all times. Think of lvl 1 Flame as Guile’s Sonic Boom which you can follow behind.

16

I’ve always used it to kill Dark Matter projectiles from Dormammu but apparently it’s more useful than that. I was under the impression that it had crap for durability.

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I was surprised at first but there was a video a couple months back showing lvl. 1 FoF going straight through Doom’s Plasma Beam and hitting him. And you know how much durability that beam has. :wink:

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i too was surprised that FoF beat those things. someone made a video of it:

[media=youtube]FsR6UneK4IE[/media]

as for the actual thread, i’m surprised it took this long for someone to make it. strange seemed like the zoning king, and i’m glad to read what kind of projectile patterns you guys do!
personally, the only thing i know to do is EoA, I.P.>M Daggers. then i teleport in a desperate attempt to get a combo, but EoA just makes people jump. it’s quite annoying. i also know too well how jumpers destroy teleporters, both because they can’t be reached, and they’re already blocking in the crossup direction. i super jump and throw a a couple graces here and there. i think i’d have better results just spamming mystic swords, but that seems mean lol.

19

would it be worth having someone put together a sort of list of ‘what beats what’ as far as doctor strange’s zoning tools. ex: bolts of balthakk, beats : x y z, loses to : a b c. Hm, maybe even with start up frame data

20

that would be nice, but you can always keep in mind that :m: & :h: mystic sword beat nearly everything.