"Fueled by Conflict" - Ares Combo & General Strategy Thread

Current Fighting Games Injustice
1

I guess just post combo notations and videos for Ares here! :wink:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3F44-UzFhU&list=LLdzhiSJb_PNovHg9hGNLn2g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B9wZpnPMUg&list=LLdzhiSJb_PNovHg9hGNLn2g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpcQjAO7wnA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APJnRPSUGiQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZoXdL5y_49I
[Credit to High0nPCP]
DISCLAIMER: ANY VIDS YOU FIND OF ARES COMBOS FOR PRE-RELEASE HAVE DIFFERENT DAMAGE THAN WHAT THEY HAVE IN FULL RELEASE. (Most likely due to patching).

Try to use these notations for any inputs you post:

1 - Light attack
2 - Medium Attack
3 - Strong Attack
4 - Character trait
MB - Meter Burn (or EX)
u - Up
b - back
d - down
f - forward
xx or XX - cancel
(input) string - this is a string/combo in the character’s movelist

Not saying we shouldn’t, but let’s try not to post “interact-able” specific combos. They are less practical considering the fact that some of them are specific to their stage.

Some tips for Ares Character Power (Sword & Axe):
[General]
-Both sword and axe abilities can be held in either up, down, or straight positions for an indefinite amount of time
-Both sword and axe abilities can be cancelled by dashing (forward or back)

[Sword]
-Obviously, essential for good damage in combos.
-Activated in 3 positions: High (overhead hit), Low (launcher that hits low), Mid (straight projectile)
-Can be cancelled from most if not all of his strings
-Like most cancel-able strings, can interrupt strings as well
-Hits one time, dealing 9% damage
(Sword Inputs)
Overhead sword = u.4
Straight sword = 4
Low Sword = d.4

[Axe]
-Decent damage/style for combo enders
-Great projectile, very hard to fully jump over at most distances
-Hits multiple times, dealing 10-12% damage

  • Some people have been wondering about whether or not the axe can be instantly activated. If you notice, normally you have to spawn the Axe by hold back and pressing 4, then pressing the direction (up or down) that you want your axe to go. However, the axe can be instantly spawned in these positions. These are the inputs:
    (Axe Inputs)
    Overhead Axe = u/b+4 (Upback and 4 must be hit at the exact same time for this to work, or else you will just jump. Watch your inputs in training to see if the buttons are alongside each other, instead of vertically)
    Straight Axe = b+4
    Low Axe = d/b + 4 (Timing is much less strict, buttons do not need to be pressed at the exact same time. You can even spawn a low axe from holding a downback blocking position making for good anti-air situations).

[METERLESS COMBOS] (will be updated):

j.2, 123 string, b.1,3 string (24%)

j.2, 112 string xx d.4 (low sword), j.3, b.1,2 string (37%)

j.2, b.2,3 string, 2, b.1,3 string (27%)

j.2, 112 string xx d.4 (low sword), j.2, f.23 string xx b.4 (Straight Axe) (40-42%, depending on where the axe hits) [Angrynord]

j.2, 112 string xx d.4 (low sword), j.2, b.23 string, d.2 xx b.4 (Straight Axe) (38%-40%, depending on where axe hits)

j.2, f.23 string, 3d.2 string xx d.4, j.2, 123 string (43%) [Corner Only]

j.2, f.23 string, 3d.2 string xx d.4, b.3 into transition (47-53%) [NOTE: Transition damage depends on the actual stage you play on. The most damaging stage transitions are Strykers Island (yard to cell block), and Fortress of Solitude (Menagerie to Laboratory). The weakest is Hall of Justice (Great Hall to Plaza).]

[METER BURN COMBOS](will be updated):

j.2, 3d.2 string xx d.4, MB qcf.1 (34%) [1 Meter]

(MB dd.2 can be replaced with MB b.2) MB dd.2, b.3, j.2, f.32 string xx Straight Axe (35%) [1 Meter]

(MB dd.2 can be replaced with MB b.2) MB dd.2, b.3, j.3, f.32 string xx MB qcf.1 (39%) [2 Meter] (For the jumping 3 to land midscreen, you must delay it slightly. Works easier when opponent is closer to wall)

j.2, 112 string xx d.4 (low sword), j.2, f.23 string xx MB qcf.1 (41%)

[COMBOS INTO SUPER]
(Since there are several ways to combo into super, i figured i’m just going to use the most damaging i’ve found so far)

j.2, 112 string, d.4, j.2, f.23 string xx Super! (49%)

j.2, f.23 string, f.23 string, f.23 string xx Super! (57%) [Corner Only]

[ARES’ RESETS]
-Ares’ resets are very viable; his high damage output makes resetting a good option, and the resets that he can set up are very easy to perform
-The reset normally involves Ares’ b.23 string into a delayed Close MB Godsmack. After the Godsmack your opponent will be suspended in the air for further combo’ing, and a possible SECOND reset.
-As you may know by now, this reset was damn near unavoidable and was patched so that your opponent CAN tech roll after your b.23. This doesn’t make the reset useless, and the reset is still possible, it just turns the reset into an honest mix-up.
-If your opponent tech rolls, you do the normal distance MB Godsmack. If your opponent doesn’t tech roll, you do the CLOSE MB Godsmack. This makes the reset a bit of a guessing game between players
-Don’t be afraid to “customize” resets. This reset works by hitting your opponent with the unblockable Godsmack as they are waking-up, so you can really use this in much more situations than after landing a b.23. There are several good knock-down situations where this reset will still work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYurgbt2lUs
(MIND YOU, THE ABOVE VIDEO IS 1 MONTH OLD, THIS RESET IS STILL DO-ABLE, BUT IT CAN NOW BE TECHROLLED)

[COMBO’ING AFTER RESET]
-Once your opponent is suspended in the air from your MB Godsmack, you have several options for a combo. I would suggest immediately inputting b.2 after it lands, to get the wall bounce and get max damage.
-After the wall bounce, you can either end your combo with a string xx Teleport for mixups, a traditional f.23 xx Axe/Fireball ender, or, you guessed it, another reset.
-Keep your meter in mind, you don’t want to burn it all willy nilly trying to reset the entire game, you may regret it when it comes time to Wager.
-Personally, i’m pretty liberal with meter when i play Ares, because i feel that he gains meter rather quickly with his Fireball keepaway game. His Fireball is fast, and you gain meter when it leaves your hands as well as when it connects with your opponent. The meter-gain will be even higher if your opponent BLOCKS the fireballs.

[ARES GENERAL STRATEGY]
-Ares is a hit and run, momentum based character. When Ares has his sword and his meter, he is a powerhouse upclose. Once you use up your tools for combat and you need to recharge trait as well as recharge meter, Ares has his teleports to escape pressure, and his fireball to rebuild the meter. All the while, his trait is recharging, so there really isn’t much time he needs to spend away from his opponent, although is keepaway is pretty good.

[PRESSURE]
-When it comes to pressure, Ares is a nightmare on okizeme (wake up game). Most strings that knockdown can be cancelled into a teleport for frightening pressure, and his meterburn Godsmack is always a decent option when your opponent is waking up, due to the fact that it’s Unblockable, Has Armor, and Leaves your opponent in a bound or juggled state for extended damage.
-He has some safe strings, as well as a few that push the opponent out of punishable range.
-Ares can also interrupt a lot of his strings with his Traits, which can confuse and in some instances frame trap the opponent. I’ve noticed just from matches that i play that if i end a blocked 112, or 22 with d.4 (low sword), the sword interrupts my opponents punish from the blocked string, and i can finish my combo accordingly. The sword also pushes the opponent back a decent distance, and is a hearty +14 on block, making it extremely safe.
-Sometimes for block pressure, i will follow these inputs: 112/22 (blocked) xx downward sword (blocked), close MB godsmack. From there if the godsmack isn’t interrupted or avoided, i continue with the usual ender or reset.
-Keep in mind, that sometimes a landed MB Godsmack will be out of range for a combo extension. This is usually at full screen, or close to full screen.

[DEALING WITH PRESSURE]
-When it comes to Receiving pressure, Ares is fairly weak. After the first patch, his teleport became somewhat more viable as a wake-up escape move but it can still be stuffed if you time it incorrectly, and even though MB Godsmack has armor, i still wouldn’t be too comfortable doing it on wake-up, especially considering that it only has one hit of armor. Ares usually should be escaping pressure before the situation gets out of hand, with a well timed teleport, or a well placed Godsmack. When it comes to Anti-airs, again, i feel like Ares is lacking. Yes his trait weapons can be used for anti-air, but they are pretty slow and hit in front of Ares, so they can be jumped behind and Ares can still be hit. If you have a jumpy opponent, you should either be dashing backwards or forwards, performing well-placed Air-to-Air normals (I found his j.1 to be pretty good, it has good range and it’s fast). Another option that is suprisingly useful is doing ares d.1 when someone tries to cross-up jump. Obviously, the d.1 won’t hit your opponent out of the air, but what will do is lower Ares hitbox significantly, cause a lot of jump in attacks to just whiff. Once your opponent lands, you’re free to inflict major damage.

Credit for Transition damage information goes to Injustice Interactive Object Thread, started by SoVi3t

2

Ares’ super doesn’t do that much damage, so I see it as a waste of meter to tack onto combos unless it will kill the opponent. It will usually add 8-10% damage, depending on how long the combo is. Besides, why burn 4 bars to do ~50% when one can do these:

(no meter, anywhere) j.2, 112 string x d.4, j.2, f.23 string x Axe (40-42%, depending on where the axe hits)

If the opponent gets pushed to the corner after the f.23 string, then continue with another f.23 string, then uppercut into d.4, and finish with b.13. The whole thing looks like this: j.2, 112 string x d.4, j.2, f.23 string, f.23 string, d.2 x d.4, b.13. I can’t remember the damage on it, but it’s at or near 50%. If you’re quick about it you can sometimes do b.3 to knock them through a transfer.

Now for meter burn. For 1 meter, Ares can push an opponent from mid screen all the way to the corner, and often through a screen transfer by using j.2, 4 d.2 x far ground pound (meter burn, hold forward and Ares will push the opponent very far), f.23. If you reach the corner, repeat the last part of the previous steps. Generally I don’t like to knock them through, and would rather let them land and try for an ambiguous cross up.

Also, a very simply combo in the corner is j.2, and then f.23 looped three times into whatever. The nice thing is if you cross them up, Ares will do his b.23, which puts them back in the corner, and you can continue your combo.

3

A quickie note on background bounces :
-You can use IOs only once per combo.
-You can lead into it from 112, 12, 22, 3, d.1, b.1, f.2, b.2, or f.3. The most damaging is 112, the best range is b.1, and you can give armor to f.3. In case you want mixups, the only low is d.1, and the overheads are 112, 12, b.2 and f.3. The attack itself is an overhead, but we don’t have its frame data (am I wrong ?). 112 doesn’t work in juggle state, use 22 instead to maximize damages. The fact that we can use it after b.1 is really great.
-From a background bounce, depending on your position, you may or may not be able to land b.23 or f.23 afterwards. As a rule of thumb, if you hit in the center of the area of interaction, you can land it.

You can pretty much do anything you want to follow up, including b.3 and f.3 which is neat.
Speaking of which, any combos after a b.3 ? I don’t have any use for the 3-d.2 chain either, but it seems to have potential…

4

What is the meaning of string and the “X” ?

5

“X” or “XX” is the symbol for cancelling.
For example:
If i wanted to give you an input for cancelling Ares’ b.1 into his low sword, i would type: b.2 xx d.4

As for string, every character in Injustice has strings, or combos, in their moves list, and these are generally 2-4 hits.
Ares’ 112 is a string. Anytime you see “string” after the input, that means it’s one of the strings in the characters moveset, and it also gives you an idea of what speed you should be hitting your buttons.

6

TY , i want you in my bed NOW xD

7

Updated!

8

Really good stuff here. This totally helped me level up my Ares game this weekend. Thanks, folks.

9

Updated!

10

What’s up, I tried Ares out today and did a really quick combo vid showing 3 combos (41% meterless midscreen, 54% 1 bar midscreen & 61% meterless corner + transition)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoXdL5y_49I

11

Updated!