Oh come on Disco, I thought you had enough sense not to use online Japanese marvel play as your metric to conclude that a team you use is the best Nova team ever :/.
Nah, but not just the success, the way I feel using it right now. Hard to put into words exactly (it’s 2AM) but all the advice I got and all the stuff I knew I needed to implement but hadn’t, it’s all coming together. Felt the need to share cause I was down in the dumps about the team just a few weeks ago. I’ll body some Japanese people offline eventually to prove its strength further.
That said it’s an expensive pain in the ass to get to Tokyo, the only place near here where there’s any semblance of a scene, so that may be a while ;(
Don’t get me wrong, I know the team’s good, but I always encourage caution in claiming something’s the best. Not to mention I personally feel it’s just a matter of giving Nova his needed assists and not worrying about it beyond that.
Fair point as well. Plus, there will always be matchups where it’s probably better to use someone other than Doom (vs. Dorm, Hawkeye, other zoning characters who body Doom). Every team has its weaknesses.
I feel the exact same as Disco about this team (the same team), EXCEPT possibly that it’s THE #1 BEST Nova team,… BUT, I’d say it seems 2nd to none. Team Nemo, for example, may be AS good, but holy shit I know exactly what Disco is talking about. W/ all the great stuff Ive learned from you guys, the assist call into Cent rush being both a mixup and confirm and setup for more mixup, it feels near broken.
Thats why I posted in Q+A about some neutral stuff to force it (bout to check and see if anyone replied). I feel like the only way NDA can be stopped to to either be kept out entirely (good luck) or hit and killed first.
Edit: Nope, got completely overlooked or ignored:
Actually, here’s a new question about our boy: I was wondering, when in the thick of a neutral game where the opponent is very mobile, maybe making a concerted effort not to let us in to get anything started, any fun tips or tricks to help in forcing the issue? Thanks to everyones’ help, I feel like if I can simply CONNECT w/, say, a jH or cM (hit or block), they are at the very least going to deal w/ 2+ mixups, that’s usually enough for a hit. But what if we’re denied getting close enough to call assist and cent rush, or box jump jH then dash in, etc? The idea of fishing for Human Rocket Supers into launch combo on the last page was amazing answer for this.
Another good trick I use is a modification of an incoming setup Moons taught me many months ago. The setup was to jump up, adu, call Ammy, jS. POW, crossup cold star. So in neutral when an opp is playing a heavy space denial, I’ve been sometimes doing jump, aduf (or whatever jump and dash directions are appropriate, space-wise), then calling Ammy and hitting jS. This is kind of brazen and prob shouldn’t be a build-around-me type strategy. But if you just gotta get in there, and they haven’t seen too much of it, if can give you a free cold star lock once in a while.
Any other good tactics for when an opponent is playing solely to not allow the mixup train to leave the station?
It’s funny because I play people like that lol. Idk man. I just wait for them to slip up. It is hard for someone to PERFECTLY evade you ANDDDD kill. My suggestions
-Well placed assist calls: If they’re evading you, they’re probably using assists to help so like, let them call the assist first and evade it…Then look for your chance to call yours.
-Avoid using Nova’s stiff movement options: I say stiff out of lack of a better word but I mean stuff like c.M, c.M xx Cent Rushes, raw Cent Rushes, box dash H, etc. You should wave/plink dash. I say this because when you are the one engaging your offense, that stuff is strong but when you have a person moving all over the screen, you need to be able to move sharp and precise. Idk how to word it…what I mean is with things like c.M or box dash H, you have made a commitment to placing yourself at a definite point B on screen. Ugh, I really can’t word what I mean so here is an example: c.M + assist xx L Cent Rush…yeah it is powerful…but if the person is moving, all you did is tell the person “Hey, I’m literally going STRAIGHT AT YOU”. See what I mean? However, with plink/wave dashes, you can move in and out virtually to every possible point on the screen on command. I guess what I’m trying to say is if the opponent is moving around, you have to be able to move fluid. Also, throw out a stand jab here and there when you dash…you would be surprised how useful dash in jab can be.
-Put the ideas above together: Pay attention to their assist calls. While you’re in a position where you can put out a shield (assist cooling down, air dashing, stuff like that), and throw a javelin…they HAVE TO RESPECT THAT…then plink/wave dash in…DO NOT BOX DASH/SLIDE/etc for the same reasons I stated above…you need to be able to move while the javelin is in effect and see how it worked out for you. Let’s say you did a slide xx cent rush for example and they evaded the javelin…you can’t really move without doing a super or x factor. Basically rinse and repeat this until you can get a clean hit.
I hope this all made sense. Overall what I’m saying is Nova players need to step their neutral game the fuck up and pack up the j.H bullshit. Straight like that. I’m kind of sick of seeing box dash H + assist and c.M as people’s ONLY FORM OF GETTING IN. Look at Moons…he box dashes RARELY and his projectile assist isnt even all that but he GETS IT DONE because his movement and spacing are impeccable. Look at Marvelo…he efficiently uses the best of both worlds. He utilizes Cent Rushes and stuff when it is a good look but can play a neutral game too.
That’s good advice, but I certainly wouldn’t eschew the cMs and box jHs entirely. Though I dont think youre saying that, but some of the best options are born of those moves. ie:
- assist, cent rush (timed to be sure it will connect!)
- Marvelo’s box jump jH, land, dash in, IOH
I think they key isn’t in NOT doing those, but making sure if you do, you’re definitely going to connect. Speak of Moons, one thing he told me, which sounds obvious, but is pretty profound in practice: the best mixups are those that are safe on block AND confirms on hit. And with Plasma and Cold Star, assist into Cent Rush is exactly that. Notice I’m not auto-including cM first, though that can be a good way to get into it.
I also like ‘fake box jumping.’
Yeah that’s what I’m saying. Not that those options are terrible and need to be flushed out. I’m more-so saying that they have to be done with discipline/thought. Kind of coinciding with what you’re saying. I DEFINITELY do those things, absolutely…I’m not gunna front on that…but they are not the only way to approach matches as a Nova player.
Also, my response was more-so aimed at the “what to do when the opponent is being evasive” issue. In terms of Nova’s offense, having the kind of options he has is really strong. It’s just that people have to start understanding “let me call my assist and air dash in” is not the way to approach every single situation…especially when the opponent CAN MOVE. That is what I was getting at. I am starting to prefer *call assist, wave dash in, watch how the opponent is moving/reacting/positioned, pick offensive option (box dash, c.M, etc.) a WHOOOOLE LOT MORE because it gives me a chance to second guess and analyze before I commit to something really irreversible like a slide or Cent Rush. I have come to notice raw assist + Cent Rush or any other variation of assist + stiff entry is dangerous. If not set up and spaced appropriately of course.
with keeping the above in mind dont be scared to beam hyper punish their assist calls! if theyre trying to avoid you and call an assist from full screen, punish then immediately cr.M w/a ranged assist, dp.L. hyper again if you got it, if not then go back to neutral but now you have a significant life lead becuase they wanted to prance around avoiding you!
works best if theyre already pushed to the corner but if youre in the corner the safest options they have is to back dash into their own corner to avoid chip or possibly super jump toward you to try and cross up your input for a second hyper on the asisst.
either way theres ALWAYS a way to make them pay!!!
YES!!! I can’t believe I forgot that. That is SOOO POWERFUL. I have been criticized on my use of Nova’s beam super at times for it being “random” or basically appearing to have no purpose but that super is really under utilized. ESPECIALLY with red health.
Haha for sure! If you got a chaotic flame, flaunt it!
How would you rate Shopping Cart with Nova? I don’t know if I like it. I like the lockdown, but I feel like it’s such a slow and short reaching assist…
I’ve also been using Spencer, but his assist is just for combo extensions more than anything, IMO. Is there any assist that can do Spencer’s job, but better? (minus Ammy/Sentinel/Doom)
I personally love it it’s a great lockdown tool and of course nova’s sphere super causes a hard knockdown and let’s frank take a picture and get level 5 if you use his assist to extend it I use that strategy hard. my team is nova/frank/sent
It’s one of the fastest starting assists in the game and covers 3/4ths a condensed screen. It’s fantastic. Don’t think of it like a beam
Caught red handed, haha. I don’t have a beam, so that is what I’ve sort of been using it as, lolSpencer. What situations should I be calling Frank in?
Now that I’m in, I’d love to mix them up!
Just curious, but as soon as you guys get the hit with Nova, do you instantly go for the level ups with Frank? Since I run Nova/Spencer/Frank, I have a hard time deciding if I want to kill or go for the levels. Generally though, I go for the kill, since I guess I’m using Frank more for the cart than anything else.
Truly, the answer is “both” if you can help it. A lot of Frank team construction is based on that ability to both level and kill. In the situation where you must choose, other variables have to be taken into account to answer that. In a vaccum, though, I’ll tend to go for the levels. But again, other variables. Like, if you’re fighting a real problem character(Morri, Vergil, etc) and have a free kill, go for it! If you’re fighting a meat shield/battery and their real problem is on deck, probably best to go for the levels to be ready for what is to come. Life totals, the clock, meter situation, matchups, etc, all need to be taken into account.
Another wrinkle is your team has Frank in the back (which I very much prefer), making going for the kill a bit more advisable since you’ll less likely to have a lvl 1 Frank end up dropping in as a result.
Nova/Doom/Skrull? Doom with plasma beam Skrull with tenderizer. (tenderizer to extend combos as well for incoming mixups)
I see a lot of Novas use Stone smite instead but I like using tenderizer as the combo extender. Also I think it’s a bit better for Doom.
I think it could be good. Play with it and see how it goes. Just know getting damage will be tricky since the DHC from Nova to Doom is eh BUT, Nova can link 2 supers on his own a few ways.