What's a loyalist to do?

[Justice]

Now don't get me wrong, I love the idea of not having to switch characters as much (or possibly at all) to counter-pick my opponent, but I do feel that as a loyalist this poses a unique problem: how loyal do we get? Do we treat each stance as a separate character and only "main" one of them? Or "main" one stance and "secondary" the others? Or do we treat the three stances as different facets of the same character?

I only post this partly for the potential lulz and partly to spark intelligent discussion. Odds are it will be a moot question since even at this early stage it appears the stances will be similar enough to each other that it won't matter. But if the stances play very differently, do we main a Zoning Cassie, Grappling Cassie, or Rushdown Cassie (for example)?

 

[mrKrucifix]

I think it'll only be natural for everyone to have that one variation that they prefer to play with over the others.

I also think that mostly character loyalists will take full advantage of all 3 variations of one character, while people who don't have an allegiance to any one character will still play multiple characters.

For example, let's say I'm playing Cryomancer Sub-Zero (Ice Swords), and I'm getting killed up close in footsie range. If I'm a loyalist (which I am personally) I'm likely going to switch to Grandmaster SZ (Ice Clone). If I don't really care about character loyalty, I might switch to Spec-Ops Cassie Cage if her zoning ability is better than anything SZ can do, regardless of variation choice.

 

[EGGXI]

I'm pretty sure you're fine with just being a character loyalist, I mean being a variation loyalist could be a thing but it sounds like you'll just be screwing yourself over.

I mean I get why you're a character loyalist in the first place because you just know absolutely everything about the 1 character you like and their match-ups, and as long as the variations don't make your normals completely different in terms of frame data, I think the special move variations are enough to handle.

 

[Briggs8417]

Fuck that. I'm going to take advantage of the fact that they want to give me ways to deal with everyone.

 

[Eddy Wang]

We should treat the three stances as different facets of the same character.

As a character specialist i feel i must learn all 3 variation and explore them as deep as possible so i can successuflly take advantage of it on tournaments whitout necessarely switch to a different character.

Winning with your favorite character is the best feeling in the world in any tournament, specially if the last match is a tough one

 

[Vagrant]

lol "variation loyalist"

I'd be very surprised if we see anything like that.

 

[Tony at Home]

The large amount of similarities between variations should make it somewhat easy to switch between them. Hell, strings are about 80% of the character. I'll have a main variation, but unlike Injustice where I won't counterpick unless I'm dealing with an 2-8 (which is Sinestro or Deathstroke with lag), in MK X I can definitely see myself picking a new variation to even out a disadvantage as small as 3-7 or 4-6

 

[Dizzy]

Lol, not wanting to play different variations of a char isnt loyal. Its just lazy

 

[Eddy Wang]

Lol, not wanting to play different variations of a char isnt loyal. Its just lazy

Variation specialist

 

[SaltShaker]

Honestly I don't think the variations of each character will make them play "that" differently from each other. We are still in the early hype stages of the game. I highly doubt the game will have, say 30 chars, with 3 variations sooo diff from each other, to where it seems like there are 90 characters. "90 characters". HIGHLY unlikely.

With that being said, switching variations might be similar enough that it feels easy to do so, but just enough of a difference to put a match up more in your favor than the previous one. Character loyalist won't feel like they are using a different character when switching variations, just changing their tools a bit to deal with the MU.

 

[Anbu]

Hollywood Cassie loyalist. Glasses or GTFO.

 

[GamerBlake90]

If you want to get anywhere in MK:X, you're going to need to master everything about your character.

And "everything" includes their variations. If you stick to just one variation, you're back to the problem of uphill match-ups.

Would you play a dungeon level in The Legend of Zelda with just one item, or an arsenal of items? Think about that.

I for one will be using all three of Scorpion's variations to the fullest.

 

[Vulcan Hades]

I will be the Kotal Khan Variation 2 of america.

 

[Vulcan Hades]

If you want to get anywhere in MK:X, you're going to need to master everything about your character.

And "everything" includes their variations. If you stick to just one variation, you're back to the problem of uphill bad match-ups.

I disagree about "needing to know all 3 variations". I'm sure many players will only play 1 variation (the best or what they prefer) then for bad matchups they will simply use another variation of another character.

For example the defensive/zoning variation of Scorpion might not be the best or what is most suited for you, your playstyle and your personality. Just because Scorpion is your main does not mean all his 3 variations will suit you well.

At least I know in my case I will need to explore all the other characters to find the right combination of Vs that is right for me. I don't feel obligated to learn all 3 variations of my main if I don't like them. That's the way I see it anyway.

 

[GamerBlake90]

I disagree about "needing to know all 3 variations". I'm sure many players will only play 1 variation (the best or what they prefer) then for bad matchups they will simply use another variation of another character.

For example the defensive/zoning variation of Scorpion might not be the best or what is most suited for you, your playstyle and your personality. Just because Scorpion is your main does not mean all his 3 variations will suit you well.

At least I know in my case I will need to explore all the other characters to find the right combination of Vs that is right for me. I don't feel obligated to learn all 3 variations of my main if I don't like them. That's the way I see it anyway.

My point is that knowing only one variation with your character limits yourself. Nowhere did I say you couldn't use another character if you so prefer.

 

[Lo0py]

Mileena, coin inspector specialist.

 

[juicepouch]

I'm still not sold on being a loyalist in the first place. In games without variations (IGAU/MK9) it's admirable but foolish when you're actively trying to win. Now that NRS is finally trying to make it more feasible for a character loyalist to win a tourney you can't stick to 1 variation or you're going to end up back in the same boat. What if your favorite sub zero gets absolutely mopped up by variation 1 scorpion? You're just handicapping yourself if you willingly chose to not learn all of your character (or even characters)

 

[Vagrant]

I will be the Kotal Khan Variation 2 of america.

The sad part is I could see this discussion happening a year from now.

 

[Rickyraws]

Hey everybody, look at me, I'm a Metsu Hadouken loyalist

 

[Justice]

The sad part is I could see this discussion happening a year from now.

Sad part is, I don't think we'll have to wait that long

Thanks for the wonderful opinions guys! Keep em coming

 

[d3v]

Fuck this scrubby "loyalist" mentality and learn to play whatever gives you the most advantage in a given matchup, regardless of character.

 

[callMEcrazy]

Learning all 3 stances of a character just because they belong to the same character is for loyalists and romantics. People looking for performance probably won't bother with that.

Stances won't have to have separate normals (with different frame data) to feel very different. One special or string could be enough to spin a character upside down. Think of Sonya's cartwheel, Sektor's tele or Liu Kang's B3 1 2. Take them out or replace them, and what you are left with is an entirely new character. From what I can gather stances will differ by much more than just one string or special. That will have a massive impact. Separate stances will essentially be separate characters.

 

[16 Bit]

Most of the time players are loyalists because they have a strong connection with their main as a character. So since the variants are still the same character there's no reason not to use all 3. When the game comes out I'll play one character and use all 3 variants depending on matchup.

 

[GrandMasterson]

Fuck this scrubby "loyalist" mentality and learn to play whatever gives you the most advantage in a given matchup, regardless of character.

What? You need character loyalists to figure out all those little advantages and disadvantages for each character and match up in the first place. If everyone was just switching characters all of the time nothing would be discovered. Dial down your "serious" knob a bit, bro.

 

[Compbros]

[Character] Loyalist: sticks with the character but plays multiple variations.

[Variation] Loyalist: sticks with one character's variation.


Be whichever you want.