How to learn/get better at blocking and punishing?

[Varion]

i have my combos down now I just need to learn how to open someone up and block their attacks any help would be greatly appreciated.

How do I get better at blocking and how do I punish?

My block game is weak

 

[Alright RyRy]

Set the computer in practice to what ever move you want to punish

 

[Varion]

Someone answer this for me too. I can't block and punish for shit in these new NRS games. It's part of the reason I despise the high, mid, low system. I just don't have the time to memorize every string.

^^^^

 

[Tony at Home]

What you want to do is keep a list of "optimal block" patterns for each character. Write them down, and at the beginning of the match, just look at what "optimal block pattern" you should be using.

You don't want to try to memorize all their strings and where they hit, just memorize the end result of what you have to block.

So for example, Kotal Kahn:
1st hit: block high
2nd hit: block low:
3rd hit: block high.

Kotal Kahn has multiple strings that hit low on the second hit
He also has a string that hits overhead on the third hit.

You don't need to know all three strings. You just need to know "block low second hit, block high third hit" and that covers them all.

You can do the same for most characters. Some will inevitably have mixups where you have to just guess. Try and do a cost/benefit analysis and go with what works the most the majority of the time. This is why I say generally block high on the first hit of Kotal Kahn's attack. He can hit you low, or overhead, but the overhead is slightly more dangerous.

 

[Varion]

When you block low is it better to tap down and let it go and pop back up to block high or hold it down?

 

[Tony at Home]

When you block low is it better to tap down and let it go and pop back up to block high or hold it down?

Might be just my preference, but I hold it down. There's generally enough time between hits of string that I don't have to go for a "just low" blow.

Though, in MK9 there was actually a benefit of blocking low by tapping low right before the hit- because your character had additional frames of recovery if they were coming out of a crouching block. From what I have seen, there's no more penalty to crouch blocking, but I honestly can't say for certain.

 

[Varion]

Any way we could get a community optimal block pattern for each character list going on the forums?

 

[Akky]

When should the inputs be entered for a punish? Right after you block or when the characters go into their neutral state?

Thanks.

 

[Tony at Home]

When should the inputs be entered for a punish? Right after you block or when the characters go into their neutral state?

Thanks.

If you are punishing with a special move, you have extra input buffer. You can go ahead and hit the move pretty much right after you block and it should come out.

If you are punishing with a normal move, then you have little to no input buffer, and need to hit the button right as you are going into neutral state.

 

[zaf]

When should the inputs be entered for a punish? Right after you block or when the characters go into their neutral state?

Thanks.

If you are punishing with a special move, you have extra input buffer. You can go ahead and hit the move pretty much right after you block and it should come out.

If you are punishing with a normal move, then you have little to no input buffer, and need to hit the button right as you are going into neutral state.

Just to let everyone know...... you do NOT need to release block to punish or counter poke.

Yup, unlike MK9 you can be holding block and have a normal come out. This also works for interactables. As someone is pressuring you, feel free to hold block and mash out the interactable. It will use meter however.

@CrimsonShadow

 

[mistaRONJON]

If you ever find yourself getting punished by a character online or even on very hard difficulty. Take your fav character nd the one who's punishing you in Practice Mode. Look at the move list for your opponent and perform a string combo on Record option. Learn how to block it then punish with the fastest normal you have.

Also you can learn which of your strings leave you at a disadvantage/advantage when you set your opponent to Block Stance. Add Reversal option to practice against wakeup attacks.

Alot of ppl go wrong bc they go into practice mode learn combos like that's all there is to know. But they hardly know the technical advantages and disadvantages of their so called "main". Playing footsies is very reliant on the fact you know these things. Advanced players often take advantage of scrubs bc all they do is button mash blindly attacking nd crying bc they get punished all day beat into the corner.

 

[Tony at Home]

Just to let everyone know...... you do NOT need to release block to punish or counter poke.

Yup, unlike MK9 you can be holding block and have a normal come out. This also works for interactables. As someone is pressuring you, feel free to hold block and mash out the interactable. It will use meter however.

@CrimsonShadow

A bit confused by this.

I just tested this and no attacks will never come out when I'm holding block.

Can you clarify this?

 

[Epy69zSmallBoys]

Just to let everyone know...... you do NOT need to release block to punish or counter poke.

Yup, unlike MK9 you can be holding block and have a normal come out. This also works for interactables. As someone is pressuring you, feel free to hold block and mash out the interactable. It will use meter however.

@CrimsonShadow

Hold block and still punish with a normal attack? Are you trolling me right now?

 

[Gh0sty]

It sounds like the OP might be looking for a short cut here. There is no easy way. Reacting to and blocking various attacks and setups is a matter of repetitiously training your eyes and hands and mind. Anticipating how to block/evade also comes with a shit ton of practice and experience.

1. Play thousands of games and lose a lot
2. Get better at blocking

Not even trolling. This is the way to achieve your goal.

 

[Gh0sty]

When should the inputs be entered for a punish? Right after you block or when the characters go into their neutral state?

Thanks.

During your opponents recovery frames. That's the definition of a punish.

 

[Gh0sty]

Any way we could get a community optimal block pattern for each character list going on the forums?

Block pattern? .......
......
..
...........humans don't have patterns.









Ok, some humans do.

 

[Tony at Home]

During your opponents recovery frames. That's the definition of a punish.

It's not always during recovery frames. Your opponent is still in recovery frames when you are in block stun, and not just any move is going to come out that second. If you do a special move it will buffer it and come out the first available frame. If you do a normal move, it has less buffer, and if you do it too early in the recovery frames a move will not come out.

Block pattern? .......
.

Humans don't have concrete patterns, but characters programmed to do only a certain sequence of moves do.

For example, Kotal Kahn doesn't have anything that can hit you overhead on the second hit of a string, but has multiple things that can hit you low on the second hit. Thus the pattern is you should be blocking low on the second hit, and high on the third hit.

 

[Gh0sty]

It's not always during recovery frames. Your opponent is still in recovery frames when you are in block stun, and not just any move is going to come out that second. If you do a special move it will buffer it and come out the first available frame. If you do a normal move, it has less buffer, and if you do it too early in the recovery frames a move will not come out.



Humans don't have concrete patterns, but characters programmed to do only a certain sequence of moves do.

For example, Kotal Kahn doesn't have anything that can hit you overhead on the second hit of a string, but has multiple things that can hit you low on the second hit. Thus the pattern is you should be blocking low on the second hit, and high on the third hit.

I thought it was self evident that you shouldn't be trying to punish while you're in block stun...

And please help me out here dude. The idea of looking for block patterns is ludicrous. Even the AI on very easy is a dynamic opponent that formulates a response based on your inputs.

 

[Gh0sty]

I think every string listed in NRS games should have annotations that label each attack as high, mid, low in addtion to triangle, square, circle, X, etc on the combo lists.







They do.


Another thing that would help is having the names for each string that the dummy gets programed to do displayed in training mode

And lastly, another thing would be to have a match record function(Do they have this yet?) for online matches, and have the game be able to display which strings your opponent is attacking with. Like, If I watch a replay of a match--whenever my opponent does a string I could toggle a function in replay mode that said something like "display string names for player 1, player 2, or both". That way I I could learn which strings people seem to be using the most, which would make memorization a lot easier. This would be similar to display inputs, but with strings.

Do you really need this level of spoon feeding? Learn the game dude. Shit. What's the value in string names when you play a human. Learn to recognize strings visually. This is the VERY basic foundation of learning a fighting game.

 

[Tony at Home]

I thought it was self evident that you shouldn't be trying to punish while you're in block stun...

And please help me out here dude. The idea of looking for block patterns is ludicrous. Even the AI on very easy is a dynamic opponent that formulates a response based on your inputs.

Let me put it this way.

It is 100% physically impossible for the AI or anything using Kotal Kahn, with Sun God variation, to hit you overhead on the second hit with any string he posseses.

Literally impossible.

Other characters often have similar patterns. And if they don't, one can simply make a judgement to the least risky block pattern.

And yes, if you input a special move while you are in block stun, it will buffer it and come out at the soonest possible frame automatically. It is called a reversal. This differs from using a normal move. The timing is different.

 

[Solo]

Someone answer this for me too. I can't block and punish for shit in these new NRS games. It's part of the reason I despise the high, mid, low system. I just don't have the time to memorize every string.

A good defense isn't something that come overnight. Blocking attacks come from experience.

 

[Knoterror]

I need to be able to associate what my opponent is doing beyond telling me they're doing:
1,1,2,1,
2,2,4,3
3,1,2
etc....

And mind you, the game doesn't tell you this with numerical notation.

1.
The game doesn't even use numerical notation. It uses triangle, circle, square, x, etc....
It would help if the game gave you the option to choose numerical notation, or triangle, circle, square, x notation.

2.
assigning the names of the strings with the actual performance of the string allows you to know which strings are being used on average, and the name of the string so you can practice with the dummy. Everyone, especially new players, isn't going to sit and memorize every string in numerical notation.

Example: I get beat up by a string online. What was the string? If I don't know 1,1,2,2,3 how do I know what string I lost to?

Which is easier to understand?
Oh, you lost to (made up string)Lizard smash or Oh, you lost to 1,2,2, b+3?

Say, you wanted to find the combo on the combo list. Lizard Smash would be listed, but 1,2,2,b+3 would not be in the combo list.

If the game replay highlighted the combo I had lost to as Lizard Smash I could just go to training mode, find Lizard Smash in the combo list, and practice against it. It would be even better if the game let me sticky problem strings.

It's more intuitive this way.

Just stop. Fighting games are homework. If you want to "get gud", you need to do the work. And if you don't feel like being proactive and seeking out the information with the tools available to you, than you don't really care that much, do you? Stop looking for the easy way out. It ain't there.

 

[Hitoshura]

i have my combos down now I just need to learn how to open someone up and block their attacks any help would be greatly appreciated.

How do I get better at blocking and how do I punish?

My block game is weak

Learn to play Guilty Gear and play against good Eddie/Zato-1 players.

 

[Solo]

I think this is bad design because it makes learning the game too slow, and gives too much of an advantage to legacy players. A novice player has to drudge through string memorization, which isn't even streamlined to make memorization easier, before they can compete. String memorization is an added layer of yomi that shouldn't be as laborious as it is. String memorization is also one of the biggest reason 3d games are less popular. This is in addition to learning the intricacies of projectiles and special attacks.

The suggestions I've made would make the yomi of learning strings more manageable.

All fighting games take time. It's literally just no way around it. You can't expect to be top dog within a week. You have to learn the MUs, but the best way to learn them is just playing.

Memorizing the strings won't help, tbh. Knowing how your opponent is going to utilize those strings is what's important. A very aggressive player take pride in quick low starters and overheads.

 

[Knoterror]

What would be the problem with having the game tell me what strings are being used in a replay function?
For example, using mK9, If my opponent were using primarily Afterlife, Spellbinder, and Root of evil, and the game listed those names when each string was performed then it would be easier to make a note of it than to have to try to decipher if Quan Chi is doing a 1,2,3, or 4, or try to make sense of input display. I can learn the notation later.

String display, in replay mode, would make learning the game an equal playing field.

You're kidding me, right? The information is already pretty much silver-plattered for you. Are you getting bodied by a 3-hit string that goes overhead, low, low? Go into the move list for that character and look for a move listed as an overhead. Then go into the combo strings and look for one that starts with the overhead.

It's simple. Like I said. It's homework. If you want to overcome something, go overcome it. The information is already in the game and easy to access. If you don't want to put in the time, that's your problem.

You can keep asking for things, but where does it stop? Sounds like you'd eventually just have someone play the game for you.