What's the principle behind learning multiple characters?

Current Fighting Games Fighting Game Discussion
1

For however long in recent history, I’ve been sticking to 1-2 characters whenever I learn a new fighting game. If I’m feeling curious, I would learn one or two more. In Mortal Kombat, I can use six fairly proficiently: Sub-Zero, Johnny Cage, Liu Kang, Jax, Scorpion, and Smoke. In Street Fighter, I know only two - Fei Long and Ryu - and only can use Fei Long at high level play. My principle was that learning one character and mastering him is better than learning a bunch of others at once. Today, I lost 10 games, winning only 1, against a player in Mortal Kombat, who proceeded to beat my very best character with 10 of his.

I don’t get it. I would figure that learning one character and mastering them is enough. But apparently, someone has the time to master 10? Or is there a principle I’m missing? Maybe I just don’t know the matchups with Sub-Zero like I thought I did, but I feel that there’s something wrong with my logic. I’ve played people in Injustice who use a bunch of different people, and I would beat them all with just Batgirl.

2

Are you actually as good as you think you are?

I dunno about master, but i like to learn other characters because it helps me to understand how that characters works. I get to experience the characters weaknesses and strengths first hand. You can then apply that knowledge to your matchups with your main character.

I also like to learn new characters just because i think the process of learning new things in fighting games is one of the best parts.

3

Maybe you didn’t really “master” the character… The fact that it’s “your best” doesn’t say how good you are as a player.

4

The principle of learning multiple characters at a high-level is to cover your bad matchups. That way, if you face an unfavorable matchup, you have a small roster of characters you can pick to try and give yourself a matchup advantage, or mitigate your opponent’s matchup advantage.

Nobody ever masters ten characters. They might be able to play them at high-level, but they’re not masters. Not even the very best players can claim that they can pick ten characters against seriously tough competition. But hey, if you have the time and have no responsibilities, learn as many characters as you feel like.

You got smoked by a player who’s just better than you. Happens all the time. You just gotta step up your game.

5

Nailed it. Fundamentals beat character knowledge every time.

6

No bro, you just got bodied because your not that good as you thought
in mk i can use every single character. reason being i wanted to know what the other characters can do, their strength and weaknessess.
i cant use everyone super well maybe my 6 or 7 characters.
your logic is kinda dumbfounding me though.
my girlfriend watches me play all the time and when i used to bitch because i couldnt figure out how to beat a certian character she said "learn them then"
it was like a light bulb went off in my head.
then after i started playing more she suggested i learn shang also
why?
because if i can get off combos with every character shang gets way more dangerous
I.E. "soul steal jax, then combo, frame trap then xray, like 80%"
a nightwolf player isnt going to get bodied by another nightwolf
why?
because they KNOw that character
Fundamentals has alot to do with it also
also mk isnt hard to play, having set combos you do midscreen or in the corner then learning pressure
sounds like you need alot of work no offense

7

This. There is no shame in having a pocket counterpick.

8

Honestly i think it’s kind of dumb to not have at least one or two pocket characters.

9

IMO, every serious player needs to have top tiers in their pocket. Not just to win, mind you, but also to understand how they play to better be able to deal with them.

10

Learning multiple characters gives you the general idea on what they play like. It would benefit you greatly if you can learn as much as you can. You can use that experience for character match ups.

11

By playing other characters you learn how they move, so you understand match ups more.

12

There is shame, so much shame. Cheers become jeers, smiling children suddenly look as if their puppy died, people question your manhood, women demand their phone numbers back, and u may get food thrown at you.

13

You sure you’re not describing your own personal experience when you were caught looking at bee on bee porn?

14

If your game is match-up heavy, the it’d be wise to have a pocket character. If the game isn’t match-up heavy, then it’s just for fun or just because.

15

It depends on the game. For games where the system itself is strong, it’s very realistic to play a lot characters at top level.

Kuroda is one of the best at any character he touches. Boss is highest level with half the cast.

16

This, this is key. What game are you playing? What are the characters? Any match ups that is a problem for your character can be countered with another character?

I play SF4 and using Ryu, play against a turtling Akuma, not a vortex one but the runaway, I get frustrated and lose and the guy taunts me. Plays again, I pick Akuma, use vortex, lock him down, option select his teleports and utterly destroy him. It depends on the player, and the character.

I play roughly eighty percent of the characters in Third strike, and feel only one or two characters that are tournament viable which are Ken and Yun. The others are simply pocket or counter picks. Can’t fight against necro, Q, or Urien, thus needing a counter.

Necro, not enough match up experience on high level play so I’m lost and rely on Makoto to rush and don’t allow a single blockstring get going.

Q- Makoto, quick rushdowns, forcing Q to block and jump, not being able to taunt safely unless comboing Makoto into a hard knockdown. But a good Q can do this with parries, red parries and setups.

Urien- My worst matchup, simply infuriated from the person hovering the select circle over him. For this, Ryu would work, having heavy punish with meter and great baits like walk forward, ex tatsu or parry into ex donkey kick, cl heavy punch into a reset and forcing the Urien to remain defensive.

Thus, having characters in hand is useful when your matchup knowledge is severely lower or lower chances of success compared to another character. But remember, tier list is simply an opinion, as Fei long is top tier, but lost to a mid tier Makoto. Haitani Vs MAgo was a great match for anyone entertained in fighting games.

Anyone can come over bad matchups with great plays and sets from the player. The PLAYER is the important part.

17

that is the issue if you play multiple fighters. you often encounter opponents that are very good at that one game because they play it exclusively for years.
of course they could play any fighter they’d like too, but I guess they want to avoid being ridiculed if they dont put the right amount of dedication.

18

Chun can safely counter most everyone though, if you learn her.

19

Oh hell yeah, but I’m impatient and enjoy aggression play, so I never liked chun li, but, I do know how to counter and win with her, feel cheap though. Nor will it ever be as good as nuki’s chun li

20

I’m totally from the “Master 1 character” school of thought.

I think lots of noobs distract themselves with learning the basics and the combos of lots of characters instead of learning the nuances of their main. They are underestimating what it takes to really learn a character. Whenever I see guys with sigs listing 3 or more characters they play for a single game, my first thought is “scrub.”

OTOH, sometimes learning lots of characters is the best option players have for learning matchups when they lack sufficient competition.

Also I think people fool themselves when they watch top players winning with tons of characters. When you’re a top tier player, you don’t need deep character knowledge to win against weaker players. If they added a new character to ST tomorrow, Nuki could beat me with said character vs my ST main cause I suck at ST and he is a god.

In the end though, it’s kind of a stylistic choice. Traditionally Japanese players favor mastering 1 character, and Americans prefer counterpicking, and I jock Japanese so I try to be like them :rofl: