GGXRD-R2/Sol Badguy/Strategy

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 Sol Badguy


Neutral

Details of Sol’s gameplan at neutral depend heavily on the matchup. This section explains Sol neutral in general. Successfully anticipating and reacting to an opponent’s actions at neutral is key. Almost every move in Sol’s arsenal is useful in some fashion here. Sol excels at close range, his neutral often revolves around working his way into range of his strong close-range normals and Wild Throw.

Round Start

  • Making the right decision at round start can put you well on your way to dominating the round. Depending on the matchup, player tendencies, and outcomes of previous round start exchanges, certain options will be stronger or weaker. The goal is to take advantage of how you anticipate the opponent will start the round, while not taking unnecessary risks. Round start essentially begins the neutral game at Sol’s f.S max range. The information in the following sections on neutral can be applied here.

Ground Game/Footsies

  • Dash Brake is a strong method of ground movement and is essential. Use it to block oncoming attacks instantly out of dashing or stop just outside their range to make them whiff, which can lead to punishes or a chance to gain ground.
  • Use 5P as a counter to opponent’s poking with extended hurtbox attacks. It recovers quickly so it’s unlikely to be whiff punished. 5P will be countered by long range attacks which don’t extend their hurtbox.
  • Use f.S to poke at long range. Timed properly, it can counter an opponent’s pokes out of start-up, hit them out of jump start-up, or force them to stop forward movement. You can also use it to whiff punish.
    • f.S should always be cancelled to something, whether it hits or is blocked. On hit it combos to 5H which can be Roman Cancelled into further combos, however 5H will not reach from a max range f.S hit. f.S cancelled into 2S is the most common choice. It leaves you at advantage after a f.S hit or block if 2S is in range to connect, and can be a useful conditioning tactic if the opponent is far enough for 2S to whiff. This gives you a chance to gain ground, or counter an opponent attacking to keep you from doing that. The following are some examples of how to use f.S > 2S.
      • f.S > 2S (whiff) > Dash Brake is a safe way to gain ground. f.S > 2S (whiff) > block is a similar option which lets you confirm how the opponent reacted and act accordingly.
      • f.S > 2S (whiff) > (dash) f.S can catch the opponent out of attacking or moving, and allows you to reapply f.S pressure options.
      • f.S > 2S (whiff) > 5H can counter an opponent’s attacks with high reward. f.S > 2S (whiff) > Fafnir is a similar option which also gains ground and allows for continued pressure on block.
    • Conditioning opponents into looking for f.S > 2S (whiff) can introduce the opportunity to use special cancel options when f.S connects, which are more risky without Tension but can be rewarding. Gun Flame (GF) and Bandit Revolver (BR) following a f.S complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses. With Tension, the GF can be Yellow Roman Cancelled for a stronger option which is covered later. Mixing these two options together well, along with 2S options, can keep the opponent guessing with how to react after f.S. This tactic is useful unless the opponent is truly reacting to BR or GF start-up consistently, and punishing them accordingly.
      • f.S > GF can encourage blocking and jumping, since they can punish a non-YRC’d GF by jumping or air dashing over it. The fact that GF will be advantage on block at this distance and deal chip damage are more incentives to jump. GF can counter attacks, so attacking in anticipation of BR is risky for the opponent.
      • f.S > BR can encourage attacking or staying grounded, since they can punish BR start-up with upper body or otherwise invulnerable attacks. BR has a large hitbox which can catch opponents out of air into knockdown unless they Faultless Defense, which also encourages staying grounded. BR blocked from far range will be advantage on block, so the opponent is inclined to counter it’s start-up with attacks, which loses to GF.
  • Use 5H at maximum range for countering shorter range or slower pokes. Despite its more cumbersome nature, it’s actually rather difficult to hit Sol out of, as his hitbox doesn’t extend forward as it does with f.S. On Counter Hit, 5H combos into Grand Viper on any ground hit, Instant Air Dash j.S on standing hit and Bandit Bringer on crouching hit. 5H does have significant recovery on whiff, so you should only use it when it’s likely to connect. If blocked, it should be special or jump cancelled to reduce recovery. You can apply similar special cancel options as f.S here, but they will be less effective since the opponent has less options to look out for.
  • Use 6P to counter higher-hitting pokes with its upper body invulnerability. On Counter Hit you can combo off the wall bounce, so trades will usually be in your favor. 6P can be counter poked by an opponent’s lower-hitting attacks and can often be whiff punished.
  • Use 2K as a quick low poke when opponents are outside 2P or 5K range. You can use it to hit low profile attacks out of their start-up. It will combo to 2D within range, and f.S from a max range hit.
  • Use 2S to cancel f.S as explained above, and as a low-risk, high-reward poke. It recovers quickly, so whiffs won't leave you in as a bad position as many other pokes might, and blocking it gives you advantage. 2S can be counter poked due to its slower start-up, but Sol’s hurtbox is not extended, so only long range attacks will work when it is used from max range. 2S compliments the weaknesses of f.S well, so using these two normals in conjunction is a large part of Sol’s ground game. From max range it combos to 5H on hit and 6H on Counter Hit.
  • Use 2D or dashing 2D to low profile under an opponent’s higher-hitting pokes for a knockdown or damaging combo on Counter Hit. 2D can also be used to duck under certain projectiles, preventing you from needing to block or jump them. Due to the recovery on a 2D whiff, this should only be used at safe distances. 2D is susceptible to being countered by quick low attacks and whiff punished.
  • Use Gun Flame (GF) to control huge ground space and encourage opponents to approach from the air. Opponents will be unable to throw out ground attacks with GF approaching them, so they must either block it or avoid it by backing up or jumping. Without Yellow Roman Cancel (YRC), GF is punishable by forward jump or air dash attacks, so you must be careful not to over use it. When YRC is available however, GF becomes extremely useful for both holding and gaining ground. Following the YRC, if the opponent stayed grounded to block the GF or backed off, you can easily chase them down by dashing after it into ground pressure. If the opponent jumped forward over the GF, you can take to the air yourself with rising j.P or j.HS to cover yourself, begin pressure, or potentially hit them out of an air attack. This situation can also often result in a free air throw at closer ranges. Following GF (YRC) with an instant air dash j.HS covers space on ground and air simultaneously and can covert to combos or pressure according to how the opponent reacted.
  • Use Volcanic Viper (VV) as a risky but rewarding means of gaining ground. Ground SVV from a distance can catch long range attacks which extend hurtboxes and results in a knockdown, allowing you to safely press your offensive. Dashing forward and using VV the moment you expect the opponent to attack in an attempt to keep you out is a common tactic which has useful implications. If it succeeds, it can discourage the opponent from attacking when you get within VV range, which can then enable you to get away with moving into closer ranges than would typically be permitted. It is important not to get carried away with this tactic however, since if you lose out in this mind game, you can be punished severely. A dashing low j.SVV is particularly rewarding since it can grant follow-up combos on hit without the need for a Roman Cancel (RC). A dashing HSVV will reach the farthest both horizontally and vertically, and will allow follow-up combos on hit with RC or a Counter Hit on the rising hit.
  • Use Grand Viper (GV) sparingly at neutral, since it is heavily punishable on block, whiff, and sometimes even hit when the opponent has Burst. It reaches far quickly and low profiles instantly, so it can be used to counter attacks from the opponent which don’t reach to the floor and results in a knockdown. It will also whiff punish attacks with long recovery from a far distance. GV can be Roman Cancelled on block to begin pressure, or on hit for brief follow-up combos. Note that it cannot be Yellow or Purple Roman Cancelled, so if the opponent jumps or otherwise makes it whiff, chances are you will be punished.
  • Use Fafnir to counter higher-hitting pokes while at the same time gaining ground and potentially starting pressure. If the opponent jumped or backdashed to avoid it, you recover instantly and can continue with your pursuit or anti-air. If the opponent blocks, you are at frame advantage. Fafnir will lose to fast pokes which hit low enough, although if the attack trades for a Counter Hit it will give you a full screen carry combo.

Approaching from Air

  • Typically, approaching from air should be a last resort since your options are limited while airborne. Remember to use Faultless Defense while airborne and blocking against grounded opponents since almost all ground attacks will be unblockable otherwise.
  • Neutral jumping at range can be used to check what the opponent does and react accordingly. If they backed off or whiffed something, you can often air dash in for pressure or a punish. If they started approaching, you can air dash back to give yourself space. If the opponent was simply waiting and sees the jump, they will often be getting ready to anti-air an air dash. You can sometimes use this against them if they don’t react to an air dash and input their anti-air in anticipation. Simply land and either whiff punish the anti-air attempt or use it as a chance to begin your offensive.
  • Double jump can be used when jumping in on an opponent who is ready to anti-air. Double jumping when the opponent inputs their anti-air of choice can make it whiff, causing them to be in recovery or punishable as you come down on them from the double jump. However, this option is risky since many of the better anti-airs will recover in time to allow the opponent to use them again as you fall. Opponents expecting this can also simply not do their anti-air until they see you use all your air options, so use this method with caution.
  • High Jump can be used along with an air dash to evade many anti-airs due to the very high jump arc. This will be more useful if you will not land within range of the opponent’s anti-airs, since if they see a High Jump, they know you have more limited air options.
  • Instant Air Dashing (IAD) into air attacks can be a risky but fast and rewarding way of covering distance. IAD j.P is best on very tall characters and puts Sol’s hurtbox forward slightly allowing it to counter or clash with anti-airs on occasion. IAD j.S reaches farthest down, and does so very quickly, so it is good for whiff punishing pokes which you may have avoided with the IAD or catching the opponent trying to move forward. IAD j.H covers the most space with long active frames. Follow it up with falling j.P after the recovery to continue pressure if it was blocked. All of these options are susceptible to being anti-aired, so use them with caution.
  • Aerial S Volcanic Viper (j.SVV) will typically beat anti-air attempts, so you can jump or air dash in and use it right when you expect the opponent to use their anti-air. j.SVV can be followed up for no Tension at the correct height after landing with 5K. This option is rewarding when it works, but also risky when you don’t have meter to Roman Cancel (RC) if the opponent blocked. If the opponent avoids it somehow, preventing an RC, it is highly punishable.
  • BreakGGXRD Sol Kudakero1.pngGuardAllStartup22Recovery29 after landingAdvantage+2 (j.214K) can be used similarly to double jumps, in that you can use it to bait anti-air attempts since it stalls in midair before diving down. This is also punishable if the opponent is looking for it, so it should be used with caution. With Yellow Roman Cancel available this becomes a much less risky option, since you can confirm what the opponent did during the slowdown to come down on them with either a whiff punish or pressure.

Anti-Airing

  • 5K is typically the anti-air option of choice due to its speed and hitbox. Unless the opponent already has an air attack on top of you, or their attack outranges 5K, it will either hit or force the opponent to block or avoid it. Since it recovers quickly, double jumping to avoid 5K is not effective, since Sol recovers and can simply attempt to anti-air again. On hit, it can be converted to different options depending on height.
    • 5K (JC) > j.P/j.K can be used on normal hit at most heights.
    • 5K (HJC) > j.P/j.K can be used on normal hit from max height.
    • 5K > 2H > j.S can be used on normal hit from lower heights and adds an extra hit for damage and hit confirming.
    • CH 5K > IAD j.P/j.K can be used for extra corner carry routes using the added untechable time on Counter Hit.
  • 6P has limited uses for anti-airing, since it doesn’t reach very high. It will mostly work on closer to ground air dash approaches. Unlike 5K it does have upper body invulnerability which begins early in its start-up. In general, it is not used when anti-airing regular jump-ins, since many air attacks will reach below the upper body invulnerable area and outrange the hitbox vertically. A normal hit can be cancelled to c.S to keep the opponent from being knocked back, then converted to an air combo with 2H. Near corner or on Counter Hit, you can simply combo from the wall bounce.
  • Rising j.P is useful for anti-airing, more so done in anticipation of an opponent’s aerial approach. It is very low risk since it recovers quickly and allows any air options if it misses.
  • Volcanic Viper (VV) is a strong anti-air option, typically HSVV since it is faster and has more reach. With quick reactions, VV will be essentially guaranteed against opponents air dashing in (unless they use something invulnerable or Yellow Roman Cancel), since they cannot use air Faultless Defense until the air dash has ended. Against regular jump-ins, VV is completely invulnerable so it will beat any air normals, as long as they weren’t done so deep that the opponent lands in time to block. Take care not to get baited into using anti-air VV only to have the opponent air Faultless Defense and punish you. VV is risky without Tension to Roman Cancel, unless you already see an air attack starting up. The opponent can also sometimes air backdash to avoid VV, preventing any cancels, so doing it in anticipation too often or predictably can backfire. A normal hit can be converted to Tataki Otoshi for a knockdown. A Counter Hit of only the second hit (a likely situation when anti-airing) causes untechable until the ground, allowing follow-up combos upon landing when within range.
  • Air Throw is a universally strong mechanic and can be used when meeting opponents in the air during their descent. If you are in Air Throw range, below the opponent, and they don’t already have an attack connecting with you, in general they can be thrown (very few air attacks are Air Throw Invulnerable). When going for Air Throw, it helps to hold back so that you will block incase the opponent gets an air attack out before you can get into range.

Offense

This section gives an overview of Sol’s offensive options including Blockstrings/Pressure and Okizeme.

Blockstrings/Pressure

  • All options for blockstrings can be determined by viewing Sol’s Gatling Table. Typically, the weaker the attack, the more options you have following it.
  • Sol’s blockstrings typically come in short bursts. He requires Tension for his safest methods of continuing pressure, such as Gun Flame (GF) Yellow Roman Cancel (YRC).
  • Proper conditioning is a huge part of Sol’s pressure. For example, conditioning the opponent to jump, attack, or backdash upon seeing certain attacks can open up opportunities to punish these responses. However, keep in mind if the opponent reacts well to your actions, they will be harder to punish with basic methods, especially if you are getting predictable. A few simple examples of conditioning in blockstrings are listed below. Note these are far from foolproof, but the theory behind them can be applied in numerous situations.
    • 2P > WT/2K: The opponent jumps in anticipation of WT following the 2P, which gets hit by 2K, or the opponent blocks low in anticipation of 2K, which loses to WT.
    • 2P > WT/6P: The opponent attacks in anticipation of WT following the 2P, which gets countered by 6P, or the opponent blocks in anticipation of 6P, which loses to WT.
    • 2D > GF/BR: The opponent jumps following the 2D in order to avoid or punish GF, which can lose to BR, or the opponent blocks in order to punish BR, which grants Sol frame advantage from GF.
  • The safest blockstring enders are 2P and 2S since they grant frame advantage on block. If previous attempts to hit the opponent during a blockstring fail, and the opponent has been pushed outside ideal range, gatling into 2S is a very common method of ending safely to either attempt to restart pressure, or wait and react to the opponent’s actions.
  • Pressure can often be restarted from 2S, Fafnir, and a far range GF or BR. From close range, 5K is difficult to challenge at any time you are at frame advantage, and the same goes for f.S at farther range. GF (YRC) is the strongest pressure restarter, since you can dash into close range pressure safely immediately following the YRC, or chase the opponent back to the ground if they jumped over the GF.
  • While high risk without Tension to RC, VV is useful in pressure at times when you are disadvantage and would normally have to accept that it was the opponent’s turn to attack. It is fully invulnerable so it will counter their attempt to begin pressure after you ended pressure disadvantageously.
Normal Levels Normals Advantage
Gun Flame Feint Frame Advantage Chart
0 5P, 2P, 2K -22
1 5K -20
2 6P, c.S, f.S, 2S -18
3 2D -15
4 5H, 6H, 2H -13

Defense

This section gives a brief explanation of options unique to Sol while he is on the defensive.

Escaping Pressure

  • Volcanic Viper (VV) can be used during a gap in an opponent’s blockstring to challenge their next action. Using Instant Block to create more gaps in an opponent’s blockstrings makes this an even stronger tool. VV can discourage opponents from using certain pressure options and grant more chances to escape.
  • Grand Viper (GV) can be used while under pressure if the opponent uses attacks which can be low profiled, such as certain projectiles. Reacting to situations which can grant you a guaranteed GV hit can limit the opponent’s pressure options.

Wake-Up

  • Reversal Volcanic Viper (VV), particularly HSVV due to its speed, will generally punish any attack within its range other than safe jumps. It is a high-risk, high-reward wake-up option. With 50% Tension, you can Roman Cancel to make it much less risky and more rewarding. Reversal VV should be used with caution, because it is one of the main things experienced opponents will be looking out for against Sol.
  • Reversal Tyrant Rave ver.β (TR) is similar to reversal Volcanic Viper (VV), but does a wall bounce in corner and deals unburstable damage. It also has farther horizontal range than VV and can be Yellow Roman Cancelled after the flash if the opponent did not attack on your wake-up.
  • Reversal Grand Viper (GV) will instantly low profile on wake-up, so it can be useful occasionally to avoid or punish certain attacks. GV is extremely unsafe without 50% Tension to Roman Cancel, so this option should only be used if you are sure it will hit, or at least be blocked.
  • Reversal Riot Stamp (RS) can occasionally grant an escape to disadvantageous situations because it becomes airborne instantly. It will dodge throw attempts, and if it gets tagged by meaty attacks, the opponent must acknowledge quickly that they must confirm from the air hit. If they don’t properly convert, you can air tech away to safety. This is generally not worth the risk, but it is worth knowing as an option.

Tips and Tricks

Fighting Sol

don't burst fafnir

don't get hit by gunflame

IB and throw against bandit bringer and bandit revolver

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