Guide - Ruthless [Pre-XL] Ruthless Guide

[Kamikaze_Highlander]

So I had posted this in a few other threads, maybe our community has just been quiet lately, maybe people hated it, maybe they just didn't notice. Either way I've waited a few days with little response so I figured I'll just get up on my soapbox and push this out more.

This isn't a super detailed guide, as there are plenty of other resources out there for safe strings, mixups, etc. What was lacking was a good overview of post 9/1 patch Ruthless, with the new PnG cancels. So that is what this mostly focuses on, with also a little bit of anti air tech. Please let me know what you think, if there's anything you think I missed or should add please let me know and I can fairly easily update it. This is my first time doing this so any feedback is helpful.

I'd happily get this included in the OP of the other Ruthless guide thread. I already messaged @Forr about it a few days ago, but he'll need to do that since it's his thread.

so here it is, get ready for some PAIN AND GAIN!!!!!

 

[KuralKing]

Not worth the trouble, play vicious!

 

[Kamikaze_Highlander]

Not worth the trouble, play vicious!

I used to, and still do for certain match ups. but the damage potential with Ruthless is just insane. The mind games with PnG armour, and the new safe 3 stack set ups, make it irresistible to me, on top of that I've been put off a little from vicious with their command grab. I only really avoid Lackey, I need my little buddy Ferra.

 

[Wetdoba]

Not worth the trouble, play vicious!

Man this attitude towards the game sucks. "Hat trick not worth the trouble just play Tempest," "Sorcerer not worth the time just play Summoner"

These "not worth the trouble" variations have so much to offer, taking the easy way out for temporary immediate success is so lame. And for Ferra Torr specifically, playing just one variation won't get you very far anyway, each variation is better against a fair amount of match ups over the others. Also Ruthless covers the most bases anyway which makes it best overall FT variation

 

[Blewdew]

Not worth the trouble, play vicious!

what does vicious have that it's better than ruthless? ferra toss is really practical yeah but only really needed in specific matchups imo against characters with mid projectiles like reptile or hw jax. otherwise it has a slower command grab and if you hit confirm b121 into ferra toss you get 21% while you get like 40% with ruthless.

good job @Kamikaze_Highlander

 

[Kamikaze_Highlander]

playing just one variation won't get you very far anyway, each variation is better against a fair amount of match ups over the others. Also Ruthless covers the most bases anyway which makes it best overall FT variation

Agreed, I avoid Lackey personally as i don't like it's style compared to Vicious and Ruthless. At this point there are few match ups I'd choose Vicious over Ruthless, more because I want a challenge and improve my game with that variation specifically, less because getting PnG cancels feels swaggy to me. I feel it does the best overall (post patch, Vicious was definitely king before imo) compared to the other two, but they definitely have their strengths over Ruthless.

@cR Biohazard your opinions? You're basically the expert on this one so I'd appreciate any tips.

 

[Kamikaze_Highlander]

what does vicious have that it's better than ruthless? ferra toss is really practical yeah but only really needed in specific matchups imo against characters with mid projectiles like reptile or hw jax. otherwise it has a slower command grab and if you hit confirm b121 into ferra toss you get 21% while you get like 40% with ruthless.

good job @Kamikaze_Highlander

Thanks!!

 

[Blewdew]

Agreed, I avoid Lackey personally as i don't like it's style compared to Vicious and Ruthless. At this point there are few match ups I'd choose Vicious over Ruthless, more because I want a challenge and improve my game with that variation specifically, less because getting PnG cancels feels swaggy to me. I feel it does the best overall (post patch, Vicious was definitely king before imo) compared to the other two, but they definitely have their strengths over Ruthless.

@cR Biohazard your opinions? You're basically the expert on this one so I'd appreciate any tips.

without lackey it's hard to handle rushdown chars though imo. lackey d1 can interrupt so many things and ex toryuken is a pretty good reversal. I usually go with ruthless but change to lackey or vicious depending on the matchup you'll see a variation change can make a big difference with this character.

 

[MK Led]

As @Wetdoba said, if you are a Ferra/Torr player, its definitely worth your while to learn all three variations, but Ruthless is almost definitely the best variation overall atm (as in, the variation with the most 5-5 match-ups, haha).

 

[Kamikaze_Highlander]

Here's some footage I got putting my guide to good use.

 

[Doombawkz]

Time to put this juicy guide into the compendium.

 

[Skedar70]

Not worth the trouble, play vicious!

No way man ruthless is way better than vicious. Better command grab, better punishes, better damage. Vicious may work better against zoning but I find nothing else that can make it better than ruthless.

 

[GLoRToR]

This guide only lacks one thing: Ruth.

 

[Barrogh]

Vicious may work better against zoning...

If that. It doesn't work against some projectiles, and then aren't you better off playing Lackey or trying to PnGC flying shit (tapping input doesn't help here though)?