So after taking a break from fighting games for awhile I’ve started playing this game because I’m a fan of the series, I’m thinking that this is probably a pretty good excuse to have another go at getting good (or at least not terrible) at fighting games.
Basically the reason I stopped playing fighting games was my difficulty with execution that I gave up on trying to get over, so since I’m more serious about putting the effort in this time I’m wondering which one of these characters is easiest to play execution wise, any suggestions?
Also I find execution easier in MK9/Injustice, if that makes any difference.
Execution in this game isn’t hard because of complex motions you need to be inputting quickly…rather it’s the muscle memory of a series of simple inputs, and being able to confirm into the correct combo from a specific combo starter from a particular situation.
Yeah, the only characters that have somewhat weird execution quirks in this game are Mitsuru(charge motions), Liz(Magarudyne), and Shadow Labrys(obvious). Otherwise, it’s all timing.
If you’re looking for a character where you can do all of their best stuff with the least amount of effort, I would say Labrys and Akihiko are the easiest, but they’re challenging to win with.
On the other hand, if you just want a character with low execution required to win, and you’re willing to use suboptimal combos, I would suggest Kanji and Narukami, because you can beat up on people without learning their most difficult stuff, just using basic knowledge from other fighting games.
Yukiko is low “execution” but her technicality makes her just as difficult as a medium-hard execution character. Too much geometry and Persona control/timing required, much like the ways of Elizabeth. Her more advanced combos actually are execution intense as well.
Execution for characters can vary on level of play and areas of execution difficulty.
Akihiko could be low execution at a low level of play, but becomes much more execution heavy the more advanced you want to get with him. If I remember correctly, variations of his fatal combos are extremely tight and even the way his specials work may prove difficult. Overall, I would not say he is an easy character to play, nor is he a character that can be played with little effort.
Shadow Labrys can actually be considered low execution because her combos are extremely simple. However, she becomes execution intense when attempting to play more advanced by controlling Asterius in tandem with Shadow Labrys. This is more technical than execution however.
It also depends on what kind of level of execution are we talking about. Is the execution at the level “my combos are also my blockstrings” or is it “I understand the fundamentals of footsies”?
Though I will agree with Celerity that a low level Kanji and Yu will still get you ahead. These are characters that can still perform optimally with low execution, and become exceptional with higher execution. Labrys at a low execution will also get you somewhere.
Lower down, I also think a low execution Chie, Naoto, and Yosuke also will work. These characters require slightly more execution to play optimally, so if your level of execution is not that bad, perhaps these characters will work. Naoto does play the best at very high execution because of SMP loop, but can still function without it using proper fundamentals.
You’re joking, right? Naoto’s complete lack of a grounded high other than her 24 frame all out attack that gets armor after frame 20 and is -20 on block and the abysmal damage she gets off j. A DEMANDS that she hit each and every SMP combo, and that she converts optimally off a hit every single time since she has essentially no mixup and finding a clean hit is rare, especially in the corner. Playing Yosuke well requires you to master gliding, which is no small feat when your optimal means of movement and approaching is j. 66 air turn kara’d into j. 2B.
OP, if you want to do well with the least amount of execution, pick Narukami or Chie.
I didn’t say it’s optimal to play low execution Naoto and Yosuke, I said it functions. SMP should be a bonus, not a requirement. Gliding is a large bonus, not a requirement. I already stated that playing Naoto at higher execution would be better, but you can still get by without SMP. Outside of gliding, Yosuke’s highest execution requirement is his fatal combo, which almost every character’s has some difficulty.
Would I say to improve your execution before playing these characters? I would say that about every single character because higher execution is always a bonus and opens up more character potential. Is it required though? Skill floor for most characters is not that high, don’t mix the ceiling for the floor.
I agree with basically everything you said, but I don’t think a low execution Chie is going to do much for you either. No bias here, she’s a very simple and straightforward character to win with, but your execution needs to be clean, or else you’re not going to get your setups. She has some of the most difficult BnBs in the game, more difficult than anything Naoto has, although I totally agree that your conversion rate needs to be a lot higher with Naoto.
I guess I would say it like: With Chie, your execution needs to be pretty good most of the time. With Naoto, your execution needs to be perfect some of the time. For context, I play Naoto almost as much as I play Chie.
@nihil679 SMP loops and gliding are not bonuses lol, that’s like saying Arakune’s curse is just a bonus and you can play effectively with or without it.
That’s not an accurate comparison. You’re comparing a combo and movement mechanics to a core mechanic of a character. Arakune’s curse is the equivalent of Naoto’s traps or Yukiko’s persona rather than Naoto’s SMP. How you compare those at all is beyond me.
Chie does not require execution or set-ups to be effective. You can get by through straightforward damage combos.
If you honestly believe that Naoto requires SMP loop to exist in the game, then I have nothing more to say. Obviously your projected skill floor is about as high as the ceiling when this game is a lot easier than you are making it.
It’s true, you can get by in a tournament with nothing but the A button. This game is amazingly easy and silly concepts such as “optimal damage” and “guaranteed setups” are clearly redundant.
Nice way to blow my post out of context. Me saying the game is easy doesn’t necessitate that it’s simple. I’ve already said I establish a difference between skill floor and skill ceiling that you obviously do not understand.
Guess I’m done here then. It’s clear no one understands anything I say here and my words are just pure bullshit and I contribute nothing.
Narukami is pretty easy to do well with without doing anything harder than 5AAB Sweep > 5D. He’s usually my go-to character when I’m just screwing around online. Don’t really know a single real combo with him and he’s still a ton of fun to play against low/mid-level players. And he has plenty of higher level stuff once you get comfortable with the game.
The thing is, unless you’re spamming auto-combo and raw skills, all characters require a level of execution. Some higher than others. For example, Mitsuru: Yes you can abuse her strong 5A poke and DP, but unless you know how to convert them into good damage, your max damage will probably be at 2.5k.
A low-execution character does not exist in this game. With Yukiko, unless you know her SB Agi/Maragi combos or you’re at Lv 8 Fire, you’re not gonna be doing that much damage. Knowing when to time Naoto’s moves are pretty difficult and Naoto’s strong midscreen combos are extremely hard to get down (damn me for not knowing how far 5C goes). Yosuke won’t be doing that much damage unless you know when to use Dash Step B instead of A/time a proper Mirage Slash in combo. Aigis, do I need to even start with her? She’s ridiculously execution heavy. Akihiko is most like a Street Fighter, but you need to know when to duck in, weave out, build up Cyclone Level, etc. Strong Kanji combos require good use of OMC and timing.
Basically, my point is: All characters require some degree of execution. If you want to know which character has the strongest Auto-Combo or Raw SP Skills, that’s a different question. At low-levels when you don’t need to care about Oki, or corner-carry, pokes, and whatever, any character will get you by. The game is just that balanced.