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Tiers of Improvement (request)

ArryKae

Noob
I was wondering if someone could put together a detailed tier list for improving kompetitively. For instance, tier 0.. frame data, combos, etc. Where does learning the rest of the kast's strings/tech fall? What are advanced things to look for in frame data? Anything you can think of, in order, from beginner to SonicFox.

Also, another question.. I hear people say it's too early for buffs. That the lab monsters will find tech that could take a character from low-tier to viable. This is very hard for someone like me to fathom. What's a generic example, or one from a previous game, that could change a character that much? One that comes to mind is Deoxys with Blue Beetle, but what exactly did he figure out that no one else did?

I know this is alot to ask. So, thank you to anyone who takes the time out to do this.
 

HugeMcBigLarge

Retirement my ass
I think the tech discovery examples will be most relevant for other games you've played. I think from MK9 smoke was a good example. He had an EX smoke bomb that, after a certain string would guarantee a reset. You could do 70%+ combos using this mechanic. However it took a while for anyone to find a reliable set up to be able to incorporate that. Without threat of his reset and huge combo potential, smoke was a pretty average character.
 

GLoRToR

Positive Poster!
I was wondering if someone could put together a detailed tier list for improving kompetitively. For instance, tier 0.. frame data, combos, etc. Where does learning the rest of the kast's strings/tech fall? What are advanced things to look for in frame data? Anything you can think of, in order, from beginner to SonicFox.
S-Tier (Competitive Level): Playing with high level players once you know what you're doing
A-Tier (Advanced Level): Mindgames, matchup knowledge
B-Tier (Comprehensive Level): Fighting Game Fundamentals, frame data
C-Tier (Beginner Level): Understanding what all you need to know to get started.

Also, another question.. I hear people say it's too early for buffs. That the lab monsters will find tech that could take a character from low-tier to viable. This is very hard for someone like me to fathom. What's a generic example, or one from a previous game, that could change a character that much? One that comes to mind is Deoxys with Blue Beetle, but what exactly did he figure out that no one else did?
MKX Demolitions Sonya. She was widely considered trash until the grenade setups were found.
 

HugeMcBigLarge

Retirement my ass
For leveling up with some kind of progression chart I would be happy to take a first pass:
1. Strings, special links, core mechanics
-> This would be basic tutorial kind of stuff. You can use strings and link special moves. Krushing blows are easy damage to access. Throws are 50/50's by themselves and beat blocking.

2. Frame data
-> Some things leave you at disadvantage/advantage. Find out when you're vulnerable and when you can press the advantage

3. Pokes/'Turns'
-D1/D3/D4 are often your fastest buttons and give hit advantage. Utilizing pokes comes after understanding frame data. If you do a string that leaves you -3, you can throw a 6f d1 to beat any move that is slower than 9f. This then starts the fight over turns. If you end -3 and hit them with a d1, you get to do another string. If your opponent hits you with their poke first, then you must respect their advantage. However, if you are able to hit them with a few d1's after that string and they're waiting for it, instead of doing a d1 after that string, throw them instead. They're conditioned to waiting and blocking, so you can get a throw off that 'turn'.

4. Advanced set ups
-Learn your characters strings and knock down set up so that you can create advantageous situations. Obvious examples are something like Cassie's restand (nut punch). You might be able to get more damage by doing another combo ender, but by doing the restand you can create advantage for yourself to then mix up further. Or using baraka as an example, being able to knock down an opponent midscreen might make them feel like they're at a safe distance. However your f4 advances incredibly far and crushes pokes. This often takes people by surprise and can set you up for a KB.

5. Conditioning/mind games
-At the highest level, people will know all your character's options and set ups that you'll be working towards. They'll anticipate these before you even have a chance to offer a mix-up. In order to get past someone that knows all your options, you'll need to be familiar with the character enough to be able to optimize off different scenarios that they're expecting. For example with Erron Black, if they're doing their 221121 string (or whatever the input is) there are 2 over heads. You'd expect a basic player to mix overhead with slide. However, advanced players actually cancel the string variably with his gun stance and cover with a d3. Being able to create different scenarios with the same tools (and conditioning them to expect set ups, and taking advantage of how they're adapting) is high level game play, and often how you'll hear about top tier players reacting to each other.

6. Tons of practice
-Once you can see the mind games and different options that people are able to exercise and mix up, you'll find that you've developed specific habits that people can take advantage of. Being able to break these habits and selectively use the right tool comes with practice. People often braindead go through the same sequence. Even top tier players get into this loop (Do string, wait for counter poke, poke of my own, wait for poke back, walk up grab). You'll see that kind of sequence frequently, and sometimes characters just have the same kind of set up. For example, every cetrion player will walk back and throw projectiles for days. Once cornered, they'll teleport away. Being able to anticipate those moves and punish optimally is key.
 

ArryKae

Noob
For leveling up with some kind of progression chart I would be happy to take a first pass:
1. Strings, special links, core mechanics
-> This would be basic tutorial kind of stuff. You can use strings and link special moves. Krushing blows are easy damage to access. Throws are 50/50's by themselves and beat blocking.

2. Frame data
-> Some things leave you at disadvantage/advantage. Find out when you're vulnerable and when you can press the advantage

3. Pokes/'Turns'
-D1/D3/D4 are often your fastest buttons and give hit advantage. Utilizing pokes comes after understanding frame data. If you do a string that leaves you -3, you can throw a 6f d1 to beat any move that is slower than 9f. This then starts the fight over turns. If you end -3 and hit them with a d1, you get to do another string. If your opponent hits you with their poke first, then you must respect their advantage. However, if you are able to hit them with a few d1's after that string and they're waiting for it, instead of doing a d1 after that string, throw them instead. They're conditioned to waiting and blocking, so you can get a throw off that 'turn'.

4. Advanced set ups
-Learn your characters strings and knock down set up so that you can create advantageous situations. Obvious examples are something like Cassie's restand (nut punch). You might be able to get more damage by doing another combo ender, but by doing the restand you can create advantage for yourself to then mix up further. Or using baraka as an example, being able to knock down an opponent midscreen might make them feel like they're at a safe distance. However your f4 advances incredibly far and crushes pokes. This often takes people by surprise and can set you up for a KB.

5. Conditioning/mind games
-At the highest level, people will know all your character's options and set ups that you'll be working towards. They'll anticipate these before you even have a chance to offer a mix-up. In order to get past someone that knows all your options, you'll need to be familiar with the character enough to be able to optimize off different scenarios that they're expecting. For example with Erron Black, if they're doing their 221121 string (or whatever the input is) there are 2 over heads. You'd expect a basic player to mix overhead with slide. However, advanced players actually cancel the string variably with his gun stance and cover with a d3. Being able to create different scenarios with the same tools (and conditioning them to expect set ups, and taking advantage of how they're adapting) is high level game play, and often how you'll hear about top tier players reacting to each other.

6. Tons of practice
-Once you can see the mind games and different options that people are able to exercise and mix up, you'll find that you've developed specific habits that people can take advantage of. Being able to break these habits and selectively use the right tool comes with practice. People often braindead go through the same sequence. Even top tier players get into this loop (Do string, wait for counter poke, poke of my own, wait for poke back, walk up grab). You'll see that kind of sequence frequently, and sometimes characters just have the same kind of set up. For example, every cetrion player will walk back and throw projectiles for days. Once cornered, they'll teleport away. Being able to anticipate those moves and punish optimally is key.
Wow! Thank you for the detailed response. I appreciate it.
 

ArryKae

Noob
I think the tech discovery examples will be most relevant for other games you've played. I think from MK9 smoke was a good example. He had an EX smoke bomb that, after a certain string would guarantee a reset. You could do 70%+ combos using this mechanic. However it took a while for anyone to find a reliable set up to be able to incorporate that. Without threat of his reset and huge combo potential, smoke was a pretty average character.
Ahh. That makes sense. Other than IJ2, the last FG I owned was MK1. I played MK2 or MK3 at my cousins a couple times. But, I only played IJ2 online a few times cause the input lag didn't feel good to me. This game feels much better, could just be me though.

I have watched some MK9 tournaments and seen (I think) Scar using Smoke. I remember them mentioning the switch from Sonya, but I figured he was DLC or got a buff. It's possible I just missed them mentioning the new tech though. Anyway, I've been playing online alot more and wanted to get better, hence the post. Thanks for your replies!
 

OzzFoxx

Hardcore gaming poser.
Also, another question.. I hear people say it's too early for buffs. That the lab monsters will find tech that could take a character from low-tier to viable. This is very hard for someone like me to fathom. What's a generic example, or one from a previous game, that could change a character that much? One that comes to mind is Deoxys with Blue Beetle, but what exactly did he figure out that no one else did?
One example that immediately comes to mind is when people discovered the power of Mileena's B1, 2 she rocketed to the top (although she was already very viable). Also, Dr. Fate was barely played at first, but over time people realized how powerful his zoning capabilities were until the point he was game breaking. Sometimes a character isn't necessarily bad, but they are tedious or just not very fun to play. You won't see anyone play them until someone finally takes the time to invest in them (your Deoxys reference fits here). Scorpion was decent at best in MKX, but he is super fun so tons of people played him. Liu Kang would prolly be top-tier in MKX right now because of the work NinjaKilla put in very late in the game. So it is definitely possible for a character's potential to be "discovered" later on. In most cases though, the initial impressions are pretty correct. NRS has too many bugs right now anyways, I doubt we'll see a patch for another month or so.
 

dribirut

BLAK FELOW
I think something that is suppppper important is knowing the mu's. Specifically practicing punishes. Because its early in the game, soooooo many things go unpunished. Just by being aware of what is punishable and practicing on reacting on getting these punishes, I guarantee that alone will level you up drastically.
 

OzzFoxx

Hardcore gaming poser.
Regarding your tier list, I imagine it'd look something like this:

  1. Knowing the game (movement, universal characteristics & techniques, mechanics)
  2. Knowing your character (memorization, a combo for each situation [AA/Corner/Midscreen/Meter], optimal spacing)
  3. Knowing the cast (learning best/most common tools each character has and how to react)
  4. Developing defensive strategies <-- OVERLOOKED BY MOST
  5. Building your tech (setups, traps, string range, environment usage, situational awareness)
  6. Memorizing frame-data, and building muscle-memory around it
  7. Improve via a network of top-tier opponents (this really should be happening continuously, always one tier above yourself)
  8. Buy a blue rabbit/dog hybrid costume, take bunny ears off when its time to get serious
 

ArryKae

Noob
For leveling up with some kind of progression chart I would be happy to take a first pass:
1. Strings, special links, core mechanics
-> This would be basic tutorial kind of stuff. You can use strings and link special moves. Krushing blows are easy damage to access. Throws are 50/50's by themselves and beat blocking.

2. Frame data
-> Some things leave you at disadvantage/advantage. Find out when you're vulnerable and when you can press the advantage

3. Pokes/'Turns'
-D1/D3/D4 are often your fastest buttons and give hit advantage. Utilizing pokes comes after understanding frame data. If you do a string that leaves you -3, you can throw a 6f d1 to beat any move that is slower than 9f. This then starts the fight over turns. If you end -3 and hit them with a d1, you get to do another string. If your opponent hits you with their poke first, then you must respect their advantage. However, if you are able to hit them with a few d1's after that string and they're waiting for it, instead of doing a d1 after that string, throw them instead. They're conditioned to waiting and blocking, so you can get a throw off that 'turn'.

4. Advanced set ups
-Learn your characters strings and knock down set up so that you can create advantageous situations. Obvious examples are something like Cassie's restand (nut punch). You might be able to get more damage by doing another combo ender, but by doing the restand you can create advantage for yourself to then mix up further. Or using baraka as an example, being able to knock down an opponent midscreen might make them feel like they're at a safe distance. However your f4 advances incredibly far and crushes pokes. This often takes people by surprise and can set you up for a KB.

5. Conditioning/mind games
-At the highest level, people will know all your character's options and set ups that you'll be working towards. They'll anticipate these before you even have a chance to offer a mix-up. In order to get past someone that knows all your options, you'll need to be familiar with the character enough to be able to optimize off different scenarios that they're expecting. For example with Erron Black, if they're doing their 221121 string (or whatever the input is) there are 2 over heads. You'd expect a basic player to mix overhead with slide. However, advanced players actually cancel the string variably with his gun stance and cover with a d3. Being able to create different scenarios with the same tools (and conditioning them to expect set ups, and taking advantage of how they're adapting) is high level game play, and often how you'll hear about top tier players reacting to each other.

6. Tons of practice
-Once you can see the mind games and different options that people are able to exercise and mix up, you'll find that you've developed specific habits that people can take advantage of. Being able to break these habits and selectively use the right tool comes with practice. People often braindead go through the same sequence. Even top tier players get into this loop (Do string, wait for counter poke, poke of my own, wait for poke back, walk up grab). You'll see that kind of sequence frequently, and sometimes characters just have the same kind of set up. For example, every cetrion player will walk back and throw projectiles for days. Once cornered, they'll teleport away. Being able to anticipate those moves and punish optimally is key.
Another question, if you don't mind. How long does it take you to get a combo down in the lab? I sat in the lab for over an hour and still can't get it more than 60% of the time.

For reference, it's Jax..
2,2xx BF2 1,2 1,2 BF3,4
 
Another question, if you don't mind. How long does it take you to get a combo down in the lab? I sat in the lab for over an hour and still can't get it more than 60% of the time.

For reference, it's Jax..
2,2xx BF2 1,2 1,2 BF3,4
One key thing to realize is that you're not going to be able to do all of the optimal combos. Some types of inputs will just be wonky for you, you won't always be able to move your fingers fast enough to be able to hit the tightest execution windows, etc. Understanding what you're capable of pulling off on a consistent basis and working within that is something you need to be able to figure out.

For instance, inputting a dash in the middle of a combo string is just really awkward for me. There are some combo strings for Sonya which I'm trying out right now where the optimal damage includes doing a short dash cancel inbetween some inputs and the mechanism feels weird when I try it and I cannot do it on a consistent basis, so I just dropped that part and did something else there instead. It is far better to have a combo string which does 25% damage that you can hit 80% of the time than one which does 35% damage that you can only hit 20% of the time.

That's not saying that you should stop trying to improve your execution and get better at the things which are holes in your skill repertoire, but learn what you can pull off right now and have your game play focused around that as opposed to what you might be able to pull off in six months if you spend a lot of time in the lab. If you can't pull off both those 1/2s for Jax consistently now, do a different string which doesn't require such tight execution into the BF3 so that you can finish it off for as much damage as you can get on a fairly consistent basis.
 

HugeMcBigLarge

Retirement my ass
Execution comes over time. I would agree w/ TaserFace007 that execution comes over time. I think people stress about 'optimal' dmg way more than necessary. If you sub a s4 instead of the 12 12, how much damage do you really lose?

Is the difference between a 20% combo and a 30% combo worth the unreliability of dropping it half the time? Guaranteed damage is often the best, and you can always level up your combos over time. The best motivation for this is just playing the game and seeing the opportunities where that extra bit of damage would have won you the match. You'll go lab it more and build - again, just more play time.

Some combos come quick, some never quite get implemented (think Liu kang's 5x instant air fireball combos in MKX), but the character is still playable without being 'optimal'. Most of the time when I lose, it's not because I couldn't get the 1-2% more for a perfect combo.
 

HugeMcBigLarge

Retirement my ass
Also another key piece of leveling up is understanding the construction of combos. You'll see it in the notation, but it basically is STARTER x Extender x Ender.

A good starter is a good string that creates opportunity (mid string, mix up, advances, safe).

A good extender is defined as getting the most damage while minimizing scaling. Often these will continue a juggle and allow more dmg.

A good finisher is there to benefit you the most - either a strong knockdown for the most frame advantage, the most damage, or screen advantage (keep them in corner OR away from you).

Using your example:
(STARTER) 2,2 (EXTENDER) xx BF2 1,2 1,2 (ENDER) BF3,4

The main point I would make here, is appreciating why combos are the way they are allow you to make intelligent substitutions AND conversions. Being able to identify the extension is the problem means you can just extend the combo in a different way, but keep the other optimal parts of the combo.

The greater area for improvement is being able to convert/free form these. For example, if you manage to get an anti-air with a standing 1 or 2, being able to dash in and get a string into bf2 opens up the entire combo. This will net you 25%+ instead of the 10-12% an anti-air uppercut or naked anti-air would. This would be a major component of the Advanced set ups aspect of my prior list.

A lot of people get locked into thinking "This is how the combo starts, so I HAVE to use that button." This makes you really predictable and one-dimensional. If an opponent only needs to protect against 1 string, they can figure out your game plan a lot faster.
 

ArryKae

Noob
Execution comes over time. I would agree w/ TaserFace007 that execution comes over time. I think people stress about 'optimal' dmg way more than necessary. If you sub a s4 instead of the 12 12, how much damage do you really lose?

Is the difference between a 20% combo and a 30% combo worth the unreliability of dropping it half the time? Guaranteed damage is often the best, and you can always level up your combos over time. The best motivation for this is just playing the game and seeing the opportunities where that extra bit of damage would have won you the match. You'll go lab it more and build - again, just more play time.

Some combos come quick, some never quite get implemented (think Liu kang's 5x instant air fireball combos in MKX), but the character is still playable without being 'optimal'. Most of the time when I lose, it's not because I couldn't get the 1-2% more for a perfect combo.
I just got home from work. I'll have to lab it. The ender needs a certain amount of hits for the KB. It's possible I don't need the extra 1,2. I can't remember how many hits are needed. Thanks again.
 

ArryKae

Noob
Also another key piece of leveling up is understanding the construction of combos. You'll see it in the notation, but it basically is STARTER x Extender x Ender.

A good starter is a good string that creates opportunity (mid string, mix up, advances, safe).

A good extender is defined as getting the most damage while minimizing scaling. Often these will continue a juggle and allow more dmg.

A good finisher is there to benefit you the most - either a strong knockdown for the most frame advantage, the most damage, or screen advantage (keep them in corner OR away from you).

Using your example:
(STARTER) 2,2 (EXTENDER) xx BF2 1,2 1,2 (ENDER) BF3,4

The main point I would make here, is appreciating why combos are the way they are allow you to make intelligent substitutions AND conversions. Being able to identify the extension is the problem means you can just extend the combo in a different way, but keep the other optimal parts of the combo.

The greater area for improvement is being able to convert/free form these. For example, if you manage to get an anti-air with a standing 1 or 2, being able to dash in and get a string into bf2 opens up the entire combo. This will net you 25%+ instead of the 10-12% an anti-air uppercut or naked anti-air would. This would be a major component of the Advanced set ups aspect of my prior list.

A lot of people get locked into thinking "This is how the combo starts, so I HAVE to use that button." This makes you really predictable and one-dimensional. If an opponent only needs to protect against 1 string, they can figure out your game plan a lot faster.
Yes. This is something I definitely need to practice. I have trouble sometimes converting off of a hit confirm. Lol. I'm pretty good at it with Scorpion, but I wanted to get the combo down before I worry about that. I guess it will all come with practice. Thanks.
 

ArryKae

Noob
Also another key piece of leveling up is understanding the construction of combos. You'll see it in the notation, but it basically is STARTER x Extender x Ender.

A good starter is a good string that creates opportunity (mid string, mix up, advances, safe).

A good extender is defined as getting the most damage while minimizing scaling. Often these will continue a juggle and allow more dmg.

A good finisher is there to benefit you the most - either a strong knockdown for the most frame advantage, the most damage, or screen advantage (keep them in corner OR away from you).

Using your example:
(STARTER) 2,2 (EXTENDER) xx BF2 1,2 1,2 (ENDER) BF3,4

The main point I would make here, is appreciating why combos are the way they are allow you to make intelligent substitutions AND conversions. Being able to identify the extension is the problem means you can just extend the combo in a different way, but keep the other optimal parts of the combo.

The greater area for improvement is being able to convert/free form these. For example, if you manage to get an anti-air with a standing 1 or 2, being able to dash in and get a string into bf2 opens up the entire combo. This will net you 25%+ instead of the 10-12% an anti-air uppercut or naked anti-air would. This would be a major component of the Advanced set ups aspect of my prior list.

A lot of people get locked into thinking "This is how the combo starts, so I HAVE to use that button." This makes you really predictable and one-dimensional. If an opponent only needs to protect against 1 string, they can figure out your game plan a lot faster.
Yeah. You can get the OB without the extra 1,2. It's a bit tricky still, but much easier and only 20 less damage.
 

Xelz

Go over there!
This is a great idea and would be awesomely helpful.

I don't know if there's a tip to get to "SonicFox tier" other than "Be SonicFox." Perhaps "Be 100% correct with every hard read"?
 

CrimsonShadow

Administrator and Community Engineer
Administrator
I think my list would look a little different than most. I'm not sure if it's possible to rank everything, but I think there are a few related things that are important.

Disclaimer: I don't have enough time to dedicated to be a high-level competitive player myself, but these are things I've learned from observing other people.

FUNDAMENTALS
-------------------------

1) How Does This Game Work?

So the meta of the game. In Moral Kombat for example, we'd be talking about when to poke, when to block, how blockstun and hitstun work, how strings work and how to defend against in-baked mixups, etc. What are the different strings designed to do? The specials? What does the designer probably intend certain things to be used for? This kind of study tells you what your options are.

2) How Do Fighting Games Work?

So over time, there are a lot of different archetypes for characters and tools that people have had to deal with. Things like footsies, spacing, etc. are universal. Dealing with jumping or dashing, how do deal with advancing specials and mids, getting in on zoning, etc. are things that have common traits between a lot of games.

No matter how well you know your own game, it's hard to win competitively without this stuff. And sometimes people can get by with fundamentals when their knowledge fails them.


STRATEGY
---------------------------

3) Solutions to Problems

So this is a huge area that sets levels of players apart. And that is: once we're all playing with the same tools, how do you solve the problems that you face?

Problems could be:
-I'm having trouble getting in range because of the range on my opponent's normals, or he projectiles they're throwing
-I need to get out of the corner
-I need to deal with a string that my opponent can end different ways
-I need to deal with the staggers that are being used against me
-I'm getting hit with this after my opponent does this
-I'm getting thrown a lot in in this situation

Each good player is going to play to the strengths that their character utilizes best -- and your job is to figure out answers to the problems that those playstyles pose. One thing that separates great players from great is their habit of being able to find solutions, vs. just continuing to do the same things.

*How do you learn solutions to problems? If you're not lucky enough to have someone tell you (like a great training partner), then looking at what great players are doing in the thousands of matches out there is a wonderful start. If you're having a problem with something Geras is doing, how did Dragon deal with it? How did some other top player deal with it? Or just someone who plays a matchup well. Etc.

Also looking at what other people are doing to you is a great way to learn. When you can learn from the tactics good opponents are using on you in real time, you're on your way to improvement.

3.5) Flexibility -- Just a minor point; you can't actively choose the best solutions to your problems if you're unable to be flexible with what you do in a given situation. So in order to allow yourself to actually use better solutions in realtime, you have to work on being flexible. It's hard to be a great player when there's no variation in your play, and being locked into habits and patters is something that separates midlevel players form the better ones.

4) How Do Other People Play

So aside from #3, the biggest thing that separates players is their understanding of what their opponents are likely to do. Everyone always talks about reactions, but the fastest reactions always happen when you already expect what you're reacting to.

The mark of a great player is being able to expect what their opponent will do next, and being able to plan for that in advance. So no matter how much you know about your game, knowing the tendencies of what human beings will do is what allows you to beat other human beings. Knowing when they're trying to bait you, condition you, etc.

This means you need to get good at:
-Seeing patterns. Does this person generally wake up a certain way? Do they general do one thing after another thing? How does this person move in neutral?
-Just knowing human tendencies. When do people tend to jump? When do they block, duck, attack, roll, poke, etc.? What do people do when faced with certain situations? When they're cornered, when they're down majorly on life?
-Manipulating people. How do I get this person to do what I want them to do? How do I condition them to expect something different than what I'm actually going to do?

This ranges from the bigger stuff, which we generally call "Yomi" (which is basically being able to turn whatever you opponent wants to do next into a disadvantage for them, and an advantage for you), to the small things. You need to know what you opponent expects you to do, do you can hit them with something else.

Micro-timing, for example, is something small that has big repercussions. When you watch great players play, they will often take a split second and hesitate in certain situations, rather than just committing right away, to see if their opponent will try something. Minor hesitations, tiny walkbacks, being able to interrupt someone in the middle of what they're trying to do rather than trying before or after it, all make big differences competitively.


SELF MANAGEMENT
------------------------------

So aside from knowing your game and knowing how other people play, the last truly important category is knowing how to manage yourself most effectively. That includes stuff like:

5) Self-Honesty

Being able to admit when you screwed something up. When you're doing something wrong. Being able to look back critically at your own play and find the holes in it. To admit when you're not playing as well as you could have. If you don't know matchups, then you work on it to fill those gaps. If you're struggling against zoning, then you work on it until that hole is filled. If you need to play someone to work on an aspect of the game, you go get them and grind it out until you're better.

To be great you should learn from any and every loss, no exceptions. Being able to ask "What should I have done better?" is probably the most important skill in fighting games.

6) Emotional Management

If you want to compete, you've got to be able to manage your emotions as well. Being able to stay calm when something bad happens in the match.. Keeping your head about you and not freaking out late in the game.. Being able to mentally calm yourself when you're down 0-2 and rationally work through adjustments to make a comeback. Being able to shake off a bad set in order to come back and win something in losers. Being able to hang in there when you have a bad couple weeks and you're losing to everybody. Being able to stay calm when you're winning massively to avoid becoming cocky and making a mistake that costs you. Etc.

Being able to tune out your own self-doubts in critical moments. Being able to stop you from defeating your own self. Dealing with pressure. Dealing with distractions, crowds, noise.

Have the attitude to learn from every loss in your casual sets, instead of just being depressed about it, or complaining that it's unfair. Even if you have a low moment, being able to come back the next day and figure it out rather than just crying and losing.

6) Practice

It goes without saying, but what you'll only do you know you should do in the moment, if you make a habit out of doing it. If it's not a habit, that moment will come and go before you have a chance.

Building habits takes repetition. Lots of it. The reason I list this after everything else above is that it's not just the time -- you need to build good habits, which takes the discipline of knowing what you're supposed to do. But extended practice is what makes your instincts sharp enough to be able to do it. You can include execution and things like that in this category.

7) Preparedness

This comes from practice, but I think it's also a general habit on a personal level. The guys that watch tape on everybody else before a tournament.. Scout their opponents and find their strengths.. Just generally being aware of what you could be faced with competitively and already being ready for it when it hits you. These are the people who get the edge when it's tournament time. Just getting in the mindset of being as prepared as possible before you walk into any situation. "What do I need to do to be ready for this event?" "What do I need to do to be ready for this player?" It's an important life skill that can get you ahead in many areas.

The best players I know have all spent time preparing for specific situations they'd run into in tournaments, preparing for Top 8 the next day, etc. It's a lifestyle.
 
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ArryKae

Noob
I think my list would look a little different than most. I'm not sure if it's possible to rank everything, but I think there are a few related things that are important.

Disclaimer: I don't have enough time to dedicated to be a high-level competitive player myself, but these are things I've learned from observing other people.

FUNDAMENTALS
-------------------------

1) How Does This Game Work?

So the meta of the game. In Moral Kombat for example, we'd be talking about when to poke, when to block, how blockstun and hitstun work, how strings work and how to defend against in-baked mixups, etc. What are the different strings designed to do? The specials? What does the designer probably intend certain things to be used for? This kind of study tells you what your options are.

2) How Do Fighting Games Work?

So over time, there are a lot of different archetypes for characters and tools that people have had to deal with. Things like footsies, spacing, etc. are universal. Dealing with jumping or dashing, how do deal with advancing specials and mids, getting in on zoning, etc. are things that have common traits between a lot of games.

No matter how well you know your own game, it's hard to win competitively without this stuff. And sometimes people can get by with fundamentals when their knowledge fails them.


STRATEGY
---------------------------

3) Solutions to Problems

So this is a huge area that sets levels of players apart. And that is: once we're all playing with the same tools, how do you solve the problems that you face?

Problems could be:
-I'm having trouble getting in range because of the range on my opponent's normals, or he projectiles they're throwing
-I need to get out of the corner
-I need to deal with a string that my opponent can end different ways
-I need to deal with the staggers that are being used against me
-I'm getting hit with this after my opponent does this
-I'm getting thrown a lot in in this situation

Each good player is going to play to the strengths that their character utilizes best -- and your job is to figure out answers to the problems that those playstyles pose. One thing that separates great players from great is their habit of being able to find solutions, vs. just continuing to do the same things.

*How do you learn solutions to problems? If you're not lucky enough to have someone tell you (like a great training partner), then looking at what great players are doing in the thousands of matches out there is a wonderful start. If you're having a problem with something Geras is doing, how did Dragon deal with it? How did some other top player deal with it? Or just someone who plays a matchup well. Etc.

Also looking at what other people are doing to you is a great way to learn. When you can learn from the tactics good opponents are using on you in real time, you're on your way to improvement.

3.5) Flexibility -- Just a minor point; you can't actively choose the best solutions to your problems if you're unable to be flexible with what you do in a given situation. So in order to allow yourself to actually use better solutions in realtime, you have to work on being flexible. It's hard to be a great player when there's no variation in your play, and being locked into habits and patters is something that separates midlevel players form the better ones.

4) How Do Other People Play

So aside from #3, the biggest thing that separates players is their understanding of what their opponents are likely to do. Everyone always talks about reactions, but the fastest reactions always happen when you already expect what you're reacting to.

The mark of a great player is being able to expect what their opponent will do next, and being able to plan for that in advance. So no matter how much you know about your game, knowing the tendencies of what human beings will do is what allows you to beat other human beings. Knowing when they're trying to bait you, condition you, etc.

This means you need to get good at:
-Seeing patterns. Does this person generally wake up a certain way? Do they general do one thing after another thing? How does this person move in neutral?
-Just knowing human tendencies. When do people tend to jump? When do they block, duck, attack, roll, poke, etc.? What do people do when faced with certain situations? When they're cornered, when they're down majorly on life?
-Manipulating people. How do I get this person to do what I want them to do? How do I condition them to expect something different than what I'm actually going to do?

This ranges from the bigger stuff, which we generally call "Yomi" (which is basically being able to turn whatever you opponent wants to do next into a disadvantage for them, and an advantage for you), to the small things. You need to know what you opponent expects you to do, do you can hit them with something else.

Micro-timing, for example, is something small that has big repercussions. When you watch great players play, they will often take a split second and hesitate in certain situations, rather than just committing right away, to see if their opponent will try something. Minor hesitations, tiny walkbacks, being able to interrupt someone in the middle of what they're trying to do rather than trying before or after it, all make big differences competitively.


SELF MANAGEMENT
------------------------------

So aside from knowing your game and knowing how other people play, the last truly important category is knowing how to manage yourself most effectively. That includes stuff like:

5) Self-Honesty

Being able to admit when you screwed something up. When you're doing something wrong. Being able to look back critically at your own play and find the holes in it. To admit when you're not playing as well as you could have. If you don't know matchups, then you work on it to fill those gaps. If you're struggling against zoning, then you work on it until that hole is filled. If you need to play someone to work on an aspect of the game, you go get them and grind it out until you're better.

To be great you should learn from any and every loss, no exceptions. Being able to ask "What should I have done better?" is probably the most important skill in fighting games.

6) Emotional Management

If you want to compete, you've got to be able to manage your emotions as well. Being able to stay calm when something bad happens in the match.. Keeping your head about you and not freaking out late in the game.. Being able to mentally calm yourself when you're down 0-2 and rationally work through adjustments to make a comeback. Being able to shake off a bad set in order to come back and win something in losers. Being able to hang in there when you have a bad couple weeks and you're losing to everybody. Being able to stay calm when you're winning massively to avoid becoming cocky and making a mistake that costs you. Etc.

Being able to tune out your own self-doubts in critical moments. Being able to stop you from defeating your own self. Dealing with pressure. Dealing with distractions, crowds, noise.

Have the attitude to learn from every loss in your casual sets, instead of just being depressed about it, or complaining that it's unfair. Even if you have a low moment, being able to come back the next day and figure it out rather than just crying and losing.

6) Practice

It goes without saying, but what you'll only do you know you should do in the moment, if you make a habit out of doing it. If it's not a habit, that moment will come and go before you have a chance.

Building habits takes repetition. Lots of it. The reason I list this after everything else above is that it's not just the time -- you need to build good habits, which takes the discipline of knowing what you're supposed to do. But extended practice is what makes your instincts sharp enough to be able to do it. You can include execution and things like that in this category.

7) Preparedness

This comes from practice, but I think it's also a general habit on a personal level. The guys that watch tape on everybody else before a tournament.. Scout their opponents and find their strengths.. Just generally being aware of what you could be faced with competitively and already being ready for it when it hits you. These are the people who get the edge when it's tournament time. Just getting in the mindset of being as prepared as possible before you walk into any situation. "What do I need to do to be ready for this event?" "What do I need to do to be ready for this player?" It's an important life skill that can get you ahead in many areas.

The best players I know have all spent time preparing for specific situations they'd run into in tournaments, preparing for Top 8 the next day, etc. It's a lifestyle.
That's alot of great information, and quite intimidating, if I'm being honest. Thank you. This is awesome.
 

HugeMcBigLarge

Retirement my ass
Awesome list crimson and huge +1 for self honesty and emotional management. Turning salt into productive training and realizing that the move isn't cheap, but instead you aren't changing what you're doing so you keep falling for the same thing EVERY time is a big deal.

Remember you have a lot of options. OP string getting you down? What if you walk backwards? Neutral jump and catch them on the way down? block it and find optimal punish? Keeping your mental is really important, and remember that there is nothing in the game that is cheap. You have access to 100% of the content your opponents do. How you use your tools 100% make the difference.