/-------------------------------------\ |ONE MUST FALL: BATTLEGROUNDS BETA FAQ| |Version 1.54, build 1300, 4/13/03 | |by Robyrt (robyrt@marney.org) | \-------------------------------------/ Table of Contents ----------------- I. What is BG? II. Beta Testing 1. Getting Started 2. Bug Reporting 3. The Message Boards III. Basic Walkthrough 1. Making a Server 2. Basic Movement 3. Advanced Movement 4. Basic Attacks 5. Special and Super Moves IV. Game System 1. Game Basics 2. Menus 3. Game Registry 4. Controls 5. Damage System and HUD 6. Basic Strategy V. Arenas 1. Blade Pit 2. Canyon 3. City 4. Desert 5. Fire Pit 6. Iceberg 7. Laserball 8. Pharaoh's Fire 9. Power Plant 10. Space Station VI. Robots 1. Chronos 2. Force 3. Gargoyle 4. Jaguar 5. Katana 6. Mantis 7. Pyros 8. Warlord VII. Credits /------------\ I. What is BG? \------------/ One Must Fall: Battlegrounds (OMF:BG, or BG for short) is, as advertised, the first 3D online fighting game. Why is this important? Because to get a proper perspective on playing, you have to know what kind of game it is. * 3D: Range and dodging are very important in this game. One step is the difference between a successful throw and a horribly obvious missed throw attempt, and one dodge is the difference between a fireball and a free super for your opponent. Know where you are in the arena at all times. * Online: You WILL get teamed up on, attacked from behind, and harassed by projectile-throwing newbies. Know where your enemies and teammates are, and move accordingly. * Fighting: This is not Half-Life, nor is it Street Fighter. However, being able to combo, retaliate, and outprioritize is essential. Even a mage needs to use his staff sometimes, especially at close range. * Beta: This is not a "free game" for your amusement. Your job is to find problems (whether software bugs or bad gameplay) and report them (see next section). /--------------\ II. Beta Testing \--------------/ Sorry, folks, this section is for beta testers only. That's the whole point of having an NDA. :) /--------------------\ III. Basic Walkthrough \--------------------/ OK, you're a complete newbie. You've played Tekken maybe once, and that was for the giant panda. You have no idea what the controls list means and in your first multiplayer game you got killed by the arena before the other players had a chance. This section is for you. STEP 1: Making a Server ----------------------- First, go into the options menu and set the AI difficulty level all the way down, so your opponent won't bother you much. Then, find yourself a quiet spot to practice: start up a server, make it Team Demolition in the Desert on "normal" speed, then choose a random team, a pilot who looks cool, and the Jaguar robot. You'll have time to worry about the finer points of choosing a pilot later. STEP 2: Basic Movement ---------------------- Let's practice some movement. The arrow keys control your character: ^ or as we f <- V -> call them: l b r Now, this is fine for turning or backing away, but walking forward is rather slow. To run, tap and hold forward. This is the fastest movement available to you, but if you get hit while you're running, you'll fall flat on your face. Practice running for a while; make sure you can get around the arena, run behind the AI bot, etc. STEP 3: Advanced Movement ------------------------- Now that you're familiar with running and walking, let's get on to the controls. They're arrayed like this: A S D F or as we LP RP E J Z X call them: LK RK These stand for Left Punch, Right Punch, Left Kick, Right Kick, Evade, and Jump. Try these out and see what they do. Note that although Evade makes you crouch, you can't do low moves. (They aren't necessary, as you'll see.) Also, your jump isn't very high. To superjump, press E+J. (The plus sign means to hit the buttons at the same time; you'll be doing a lot of that, so get used to it.) Another nifty function of the Evade button is to, you guessed it, evade attacks. To strafe, hold E and left or right. Hold forward while you're doing it (keep holding all 3 keys) and you'll move in a circle. This is called circle-strafing; circle around your AI opponent to get the hang of it. However, it's kind of slow, so for really going sideways, you'll need a dodge: l,l+E or r,r+E. (Tap left/right twice and press E with the second tap). If you did it right, you'll roll to the side. This is almost as important as running, and works wonders for avoiding projectiles, jump attacks, etc. You also have a built-in 90-degree turn while doing your dodge: just tap the opposite direction from your dodge and you'll turn to the side. This is great for somebody close to you, since you can dodge and then immediately turn to face them. Try using your newfound movement capabilities until you have at least minimal control. (Don't worry, you'll get better.) In particular, here's your first task: See those green platforms on the edge of the arena? Jump on top of one (either jump forward with f+J, or superjump with E+J and then hit forward) and pick up the "planes" powerup on it by pressing E. You now hold it in your left hand, so turn to face your AI opponent and press LP (see above diagram if you can't remember) to throw it. Sit back and watch the jets you just summoned! Two sides of the arena contain this powerup; the other two have a "bounce pad", which bounces you up to the top of the pyramid. Get on top, pick up the nuke on the pyramid with E, and then blow your AI opponent away. :) STEP 4: Basic Attacks --------------------- OK, you can run around places, you can superjump to get around places, you can dodge enemy attacks, now you need the fun part. Attacking. :-) Hit Esc for the menu, then add an AI bot. (Make sure he's on the opposite team; his pilot and robot are irrelevant.) Remember those four punch/kick buttons? Run up to face your opponent and dish out some pain! ... Ah, I see. He just sits there and blocks everything you throw at him. A very important skill: to block incoming attacks (projectiles, punches, you name it) just don't press anything. That's right, let go of the keyboard and you'll automatically defend anything coming straight at you. Now go back to your hapless AI opponent, run behind him, and start attacking. Notice that he (and you, for that matter) can't block anything behind or from the sides. Thus, if you find yourself taking damage mysteriously, you're under attack from behind, sp turn around! Now that you've familiarized yourself with your four basic heavy attacks, let's do some light ones. To do a light attack, hold forward and hit the appropriate button. So if you want to do a less clumsy version of Jag's RP, hit f+RP for a different, faster and weaker attack. Familiarize yourself with these eight attacks, then look at your 8 jump attacks (the same as on the ground: press a button for a heavy attack, forward + a button for a light attack). Of course, you won't be using all of them, but it's good to have them in the back of your mind for emergencies. Once you know your basic attacks, you can start trying out a central concept of fighting games, the "combo" (short for "move combination"). These are attacks in a particular sequence that the opponent can't block or escape once the first one hits. If you're successful, text at the left of the screen will tell you how many hits you just chained together. Unfortunately, doing these isn't as easy as mashing buttons. For a simple one, get up close behind the opponent and do f+RK, LP. (As soon as your f+RK hits, press LP). If you did it correctly, it should say "2 Hit Combo". Why this specific combo instead of one more powerful? Because LP (your uppercut move) knocks the opponent up off their feet, it's called a "launcher". While the other guy is falling, he's completely defenseless, so you can hit him and add to the combo easily. (More on this later.) STEP 5: Special and Super Moves ------------------------------- Now that you've got the hang of some basic moves, try the most basic special move, the Jag Leap: f,f+P. Tap forward twice, and on the second tap press either punch button as well. If you do it right, your Jag will rush forward with blue trails. Notice that LP and RP make different Leaps: one fast, one long-ranged. The usefulness of this move should be immediately apparent: it gets you in close, it retaliates against blocked attacks, that sort of thing. Now get behind your opponent and press f,f+PP: both punch buttons at the same time instead of just one. You should do a red leap forward that starts off an impressive combo. Note that this also uses up one-third of your "energy" bar at the bottom of the screen, so it's a super move. Since it's a super move, it also has the potential to completely destroy the other bot: get him down to a sliver of health, then use f,f+PP (the Berserker Rage super) to finish him off. This is called a "destruction" and is accompanied by an immense feeling of reward in the form of pyrotechnics. :-) Since you'll often get in situations where you need a quick, medium-range attack somewhere other than directly in front of you, different versions of the Jag Leap can be performed by tapping l,l+P or r,r+P (to turn 90 degrees and immediately Leap) or even b,b+P (a backflip and Leap upwards, to defend against jump attacks). You can even do a Leap in the air with f,f+P. It's actually easy to remember this stuff, since your special moves (no matter which bot you are) see heavy use on the multiplayer battlefield. Special moves are also important in combos (remember them?). For example, try adding an RP Jaguar Leap (f,f+RP) to your previous combo, making it f+RK, LK, f,f+RP. Of course, it's not nearly as impressive or powerful as your Berserker Rage super move, but with a little work, you can make combos that will severely punish anyone who leaves you an opening. Unfortunately, most of this stuff is useless (and possibly dangerous) against a blocking opponent. To hit someone blocking, use a throw, f+PP. Throws can't be blocked, but they have very little range, so get right up next to an opponent before you try one. If you did it right, you should grab him and kick him twice, sending him flying. If you just do a grab motion, you're not close enough. Throws are important because they can succeed against an otherwise ironclad defense. Now you're ready for some more specific strategy, covered in detail for your choice of bot and arena. Have fun! /-------------\ IV. Game System \-------------/ 1. GAME BASICS -------------- * MOVEMENT: The arrow keys control basic movement on the ground or in the air. Blocking: Stand in place or walk backwards (B) to block incoming frontal attacks. Attacks from the side or back cannot be blocked. Running: Tap and hold forward (f,F). You move faster while running but in this state, any hit you take will knock you down and you cannot stop immediately. Ducking: Hold E to duck. This will ultimately duck some attacks, and also picks up any powerups near you, including Force's charges. Dodging: Press l,l+E to dodge left and r,r+E to dodge right. Pressing the opposite direction of your dodge during the dodge will make you turn 90 degrees in that direction after the dodge finishes. Strafing: Hold L+E or R+E to walk sideways. Hold F while strafing to turn in a circle while strafing. Superjumping: Press E+J to jump higher than normal. In BG, a superjump is just like a normal jump in all respects except height. * SCORING: This differs for each gametype: Last Man Standing: The last player left alive gets one point. Winning is calculated by the player's score. Last Team Standing: When one team is eliminated, surviving players get one point and their team gets one point. Winning is calculated by the team's score. Demolition: Players get one point for each point of damage they inflict on other players. Bonuses are awarded every round to the player with the most damage inflicted, least damage received, most powerful combo and highest hits in a combo. Winning is calculated by the player's score. Team Demolition: Players get one point for each point of damage they inflict on the other team. For each point of damage a player receives (even from hazards or teammates) the other team gets one point. Bonuses are awarded every round to the player with the most damage inflicted and least damage received and their teams. Winning is calculated by the team's score. * TEAM PLAY: Normal attacks will pass through a teammate, but special and super attacks can still damage them. Be careful! * COMBOS: Right below the score readouts is a readout (number of hits and damage) for any combos (sequences of moves that are guaranteed once the first hit connects) you perform. To see example combos for individual bots, see their respective sections in part VI. Note that once a combo has started, the attacker may use each of his moves only once and the defender is unable to interrupt the combo or otherwise avoid damage. * PILOT STATS: Each pilot has four statistics: Power: Amount of damage your moves do Agility: Speed of movement and attacks Endurance: Amount of damage your bot takes, recharge rate of stamina bar Focus: Recharge rate of energy bar, speed and tracking of projectiles For example, a pilot with more endurance recharges stamina faster and takes less damage. Ideally, all pilots will have a total of 200 stat points, with each statistic having between 1 and 100 points. In this build, some pilots have more or less total points than others. * ROBOT STATS: Each robot also has its own modifiers to your pilot's endurance and agility. With Force as a 100% baseline, here are robot endurance ratings, from highest to lowest: Warlord Pyros Force Gargoyle Jaguar Mantis Katana A robot's agility is inversely proportional to its endurance, but the difference is much smaller. For example, Pyros runs more slowly than Force, but only a smidgen more slowly. Warlord and Katana are still very extreme, though. Robots also have their own jump and superjump height. Here they are, from highest to lowest: Gargoyle Pyros Mantis Katana Force Jaguar Warlord 2. MENU NAVIGATION ------------------ Main Menu --+--> Quit Menu | +--> Options and Help Menus | +--> Tournament Menu ---\ | | \--> Join/Create Menu | | | /------+------\ | Join Menu Create Menu | | | | V Team Menu--> Pilot Menu <--\ Match Menu | | | Creature Menu | Modifier Menu | | | In-Game Menu \-- Environment Menu Quit Menu: * Yes: Exits OMF:BG. "Go cry to mommy!" * No: Returns you to the previous menu. * Credits: Shows a tantalizingly blank menu with a "back" button. Join/Create Menu: * Join: Searches the Internet and your LAN for available games, then takes you to the join menu. * Create: Takes you to the match menu. * Back: Takes you to the previous menu. Join Menu: * Server List: Click on a server to select it and see its settings at the bottom of the screen. * Next: If the match is Last Team Standing or Team Demolition, takes you to the team menu. Otherwise, takes you to the pilot menu. * Back: Takes you to the previous menu. Team Menu: * Team List: Click on a team to select it and see its icon and current team members to the right. Iron Fist: Your primary color is changed to blue. Phoenix: Your primary color is changed to red. * Next: Takes you to the pilot menu. * Back: Takes you to the previous menu. Pilot Menu: * Pilot List: Click on a pilot to select him and see his stats at the right of the screen. Power: Affects the amount of damage you deal with every melee attack. Agility: Affects your movement and attack speed. Endurance: Affects the amount of damage you take for every hit. Focus: Affects the amount of energy you gain from various actions, as well as speed and tracking of your projectiles. * Next: Takes you to the creature menu. * Back: Takes you to the previous menu. Creature Menu: * Robot List: Click on a robot to select it (See part V.) * Next: Starts the game. * Back: Takes you to the previous menu. Match Menu: * Match List: Click on a match to select it. Demolition: Players gain points for dealing damage, and for goals like "least damage received". Last Man Standing: Players gain points for defeating all other opponents. Last Team Standing: Each team gains points for defeating all other teams. Match Server: Once a game is finished, another begins on the next arena in the sequence. Team Demolition: Each team gains points for dealing damage. * Next: If "Match Server" is selected, takes you to the gametype menu again. Otherwise, takes you to the modifier menu. * Back: Takes you to the previous menu. Modifier Menu: * Modifier Boxes: Click on a box to select it. Score Limit: Determines the score necessary for the match to end. Speed: Affects the speed of all actions (Regular, Turbo, or Nitro). Block Penetration: Affects chip damage of all moves. * Next: Takes you to the environment menu. * Back: Takes you to the previous menu. Environment Menu: * Arena List: Click on an arena to select it. Blade Pit, Desert, Iceberg, Pharaoh's Fire: See individual sections in part IV of this FAQ. * Next: If the match is Last Team Standing or Team Demolition, takes you to the team menu. Otherwise, takes you to the pilot menu. * Back: Takes you to the previous menu. In-Game Menu: * Add AI Bot: Adds an AI player; takes you to the team menu for Last Team Standing or Team Demolition and the pilot menu for other modes. * Leave Server: Takes you to the join menu and leaves your current server. * Main Menu: Takes you to the main menu and leaves your current server. * Quit: Takes you to the quit menu. 3. GAME REGISTRY ---------------- The OMF:BG Registry is activated by running the "Game Registry" program, which has its own subfolder under "Battlegrounds" in the Start Menu. It is not to be confused with the WINDOWS Registry, which is much more dangerous to play with. Remember, you have to run BG once before editing the Registry. To get at something, select it on the left panel, then click "String" or "General" on the right panel and enter your value. Here are some notable things you can do with it: * Current User -> Audio -> Music Volume: Controls music volume as a decimal, from 0 to 1.0. Defaults to 0.7. * Current User -> Network -> Kick Time: Sets the time in milliseconds for the server to stop responding before you leave a server you've joined. Defaults to 60000. * Current User -> Network -> Max Clients: Sets the maximum number of people or AI bots to allow in your server. Defaults to 16. * Current User -> Network -> Player Name: Sets your name. * Current User -> Network -> Server Name: Sets your server's name. * Current User -> Preferences -> DirectInput Devices: Sets the key controls for the game. Defaults and accepted values are listed in section 3 (Game Controls). * Current User -> Preferences -> Game Launcher -> Video: Toggles various graphical display options. * Current User -> Preferences -> Renderer: Toggles various graphical display options. 4. GAME CONTROLS ---------------- A: Left Punch S: Right Punch D: Evade F: Jump Z: Left Kick X: Right Kick Left Arrow: Turns left Up Arrow: Moves forward Down Arrow: Moves backward Right Arrow: Turns right Esc: Takes you to the in-game menu Tab: Shows server statistics T: Chat Ctrl-W: Toggle wireframe mode Ctrl-N: Toggle network display Ctrl-P: Toggle profiling information Ctrl-Shift-Q: Exits OMF:BG F12: Take screenshot 5. DAMAGE SYSTEM AND HUD ------------------------ * HEALTH BAR: This is the yellow bar at the bottom of the screen. You start with 400 points of life. When they're all gone, you die. There is no way to regain life, but you can lose it by being hit by something or by blocking a move that does chip damage (i.e. most special and super moves). The more endurance you have, the less damage each hit or block does to your lifebar. * STUN BAR: This is the red bar right above your health bar. You start with 125 points of stun. When it's gone, you become briefly "stunned" and can't do anything (even block). Standing or walking backwards causes your stun bar to increase. Being hit causes your stun bar to decrease just like your health bar. The more endurance you have, the less damage each hit does to your stun bar. * STAMINA BAR: This is the light red bar inside your stun bar. You start with 125 points of stamina. When you are hit, your stun bar instantly decreases to the level of your stamina bar. Performing special or super moves, dodging and running decrease your stamina bar by a fixed amount. Standing or walking backwards cause it to increase very quickly, up to the current level of your stun bar. The more endurance you have, the faster your stamina recharges. * ENERGY BAR: This is the blue bar right above your stun bar, divided into 3 levels (each of which glows blue when full). You start with one level. You gain energy by hitting an opponent or by blocking a special or super move, by standing on an energy recharge pad, or by walking over an energy powerup. You use 1-2 energy levels to perform each super move. The more focus you have, the more energy you gain with all of these methods. * SCORE READOUT: Three pictures and numbers are in the top left corner of the screen. The top one is your pilot and your score. In non-team games, the second and third pictures are the first and second place players and their scores. In team games, the next two pictures are the two teams and their scores. * STATS READOUT: In the bottom left of the screen is your picture, your pilot stats, your name and your team name. In the bottom right is the same information for the opponent you are currently targeting. (After facing an opponent for a short time, you will automatically target that opponent.) Your targeted opponent's health, stun and stamina bars will also appear above his robot. * COMBO LIMITS: Inside a combo, each move can only be used once. For example, Jaguar can do f+LP,RK as a combo or RK,f+LP, but not f+LP,RK,f+LP: the second f+LP will whiff. * COMBO SCALING: Each successive hit in a combo does less damage than the one before it - up to a point. The first hit does full damage, the second hit does 80%, the third 65%, the fourth 50%, the fifth 35%, and all successive hits 15%. This means that you should concentrate on making the first five hits of your combo as powerful as possible, and then tacking on as many hits as possible after that. This is why many of the best combos end with a big long super move: super moves often connect for 10+ hits, and at the end of a combo, you want as many hits as you can to eke out that last shred of damage. 6. BASIC STRATEGY ----------------- * Positioning OMF:BG is a new kind of game, and as a result, it requires a new kind of thought process in order to play it well. You can no longer focus on one opponent, you need to watch every one and every thing on the battle ground. Thus, being a skilled mover is the most important thing in OMF:BG. A player needs to position himself so that he can defend against (or watch) all of the players on the battleground. I've found that the "Defensive arc" is actually quite large, around 100-120 degrees. Which is to say, that you can block all attacks coming in from with inthis 120 degree arc. So a skilled player adjusts his facing and position so that the largest majority of near-by players is in this arc, at all times. This commonly means breaking off from an attack to reposition your self so that an enemy who is running behind you is back within this arc, this is where evade rolls come in handy, quickly moving you away from a fray and moving all your opponents back into your "defensive arc". Another way mobility comes in to play is on the attack, being able to move in quickly for the killer combo, still keeping all enemies off your "six". The ability to dodge is also an essential skill in OMF:BG, and the easiest way to dodge is to always be on the move; this makes you a hard target to hit with projectiles and it also make it harder to get around your defenses. Once again, the trick is to constently move and keep as many players as possible in your sight and in range to launch a devestating attack. Thus we see that the best OMF:BG players are masters of their bots' evasive and movement abilities. They keep track of every person on the battlefield, and keep as many of these foes in a place where they can dodge or block their attacks, as well as move in to make a kill. So, I have found that your skill in this game is not just your ability to dish out big damage (although it helps) but having a strong battlefield awareness and a mastery of your bot's movement. * Joining In Learn to quickly spot those that are being attacked, and attack them from behind as fiercely as possible. A defender busy blocking attacks cannot see you coming from behind, nor block your attacks from behind. Learn to keep moving, and while moving keep turning to evaluate what's happening in the arena. Learn to make your shots against the wounded whom you can destroy and against the backs of others your most accurate. Avoid being the one to initiate combat unless you can finish the target, for you will almost certainly be hit by others that join in. But once you have joined in, do whatever works for your robot/pilot to inflict the most damage to the backstabbed target and anyone else you can immediately involve, an obvious target being the robot that initiated the melee. Remember, as it stands in this build, whoever lands the last hit in the combo gets the combo bonus, so make sure that even if you can't get there in time to melee, launch projectiles and hopefully they will combo. Pilots with either high agility or high power are favoured. * Pickup Confluence Some pickup weapons create convergence points, such as the pyramid in Desert. As well, the pickup weapon is highly desirable because of its power or uniqueness in the arena. Unless everyone is so busy that they fail to pay attention to that point, avoid it. Whoever goes there is likely to be attacked, and whoever gets the item even more so, as the item user cannot use the item in melee. However, some pickup weapons are spread out, and as such people pay significantly less attention to them, such as the 3 nukes in Pharoh. People holding pickups are likely to be rushed, because running away from them isn't likely to work well. Observing how the other players use and react to the pickup weapons and their locations is very important towards identifying good opportunities to join in. * Laying Low It may sound simple, but getting hit gives others points, whether as in Demolition points or as in gaining ground in health in Last Man Standing. You do not want to give them points. Learn methods of running away and herding aggressors into others. Always keep moving, and while moving always keep turning so that you can see what's happening in the arena. In a Demolition game, if you are in danger of being attacked, it is better to jump into the water and escape their attention than allow them to combo you. Remember, your goal is to join in and backstab, not initiate. Know which places attract a lot of attention (e.g. nuke pyramid in Desert) and stay away from them until you spot an opening to join in or sniper. If the game is Demolition, remember to join in as much as possible in melee so that you can earn points. Sniper whenever the opportunity is presented, but remember that snipering alone usually won't win a Demolition match. If the game is Last Man Standing, fight defensively; use your throw (especially if you are a Jaguar) to hurl your opponent into the arena hazards, then run away so that others will try to finish him off after being weakened by the arena hazards. In Last Man Standing, points don't count, survival does. * Make Them Fight Each Other This is much easier in a LAN game due to quicker and more immediate means of communication (read: yelling). Many of you who have played Chu Chu Rocket no doubt understand how this plays into Laying Low; time and effort expended on each other tends to be time and effort directed away from you. Note that this can be very difficult if you are the only Force in the arena, as most people are very quickly angered by its projectile antics, as you should know how useful and annoying its vortexes and bombs are when joining in melee. Run people into one another to make them fight each other, and call on their aid in order to defeat others. Be willing to take some damage if it will work towards vilifying the attacker and bringing upon them the wrath of the other players. Let the dark side cloud everything. * A Free-for-All is a Free-for-All - This method of fighting may seem evil and honorless, but remember, they'd do the same to you. /-------\ V. Arenas \-------/ 1. BLADE PIT ------------ Hazards: Sawblades on edge of arena, 3 hits apiece Spikes from bottom walls, 1 hit knocking you to center Powerups: 2 energy spheres on top walls, accessible by superjump from top edge Tips: Look for the red lights underneath each section of floor. Once it becomes a triangle, the spikes will trigger. General: The Bladepit is great for small numbers of people, as there isn't much space to run and spikes force you all into the center section if you're not careful. Remember this and keep the pressure on your opponent; prevent them from just running. You CAN reverse the spikes, so use that to your advantage. 2. CANYON --------- Hazards: Cannons on arena walls, player-controlled with laser sights Powerups: 4 energy spheres at ground level in arena corners 2 cannon control centers on top of staircases Individual cannon control centers next to cannons Tips: Once you own a cannon, your pilot photo will appear above it. Be careful - even your own cannons will shoot you if their targeting lasers find you, although they won't target you. Pyros and Jaguar can jump from one top railing to the other using superjump and firespins/leaps. Pyros can also get up the ramps quickly: simply run towards the shortest pillar and sj.f+LK three times. 3. CITY ------- Hazards: None Powerups: Energy sphere in center of arena Tips: This is a very basic arena. No frills, no stupid hazards, just nice big walls for your lasers to reflect off of, two recessed places to hide when plotting your next assault, and a juicy powerup in the center. 4. DESERT --------- Hazards: Mines past edges of arena, hits dependent on distance to arena Powerups: Fighter jet call (LP) on opposite edges, on platform accessible by superjump from ground Nuke (RP) on top of pyramid, accessible by bounce pad from opposite edges 4 energy spheres in corners of arena, accessible by superjump from floor Tips: Always enter the bounce pads from the pyramid side, or you'll risk missing the top entirely. The nuke can be controlled with f/b just after it's thrown; the jets are instantly triggered on your target. General: Desert is the most "stable" arena, and great for big matches. The pyramid is always a popular spot, so take advantage of this: Force players can throw meteors, vortexes or black holes at the guy on top, Pyros players can get up the pyramid with repeated jumping f+RP into firespin, and Jags can seriously punish players with an aimed laser or super cannon. Throw planes whenever possible, and since energy is free if you can superjump into it, focus isn't much of a consideration. 5. FIRE PIT ----------- Hazards: Super fireballs generated at arena edges, aimed by flying drones Wall break damage at arena edges Powerups: 4 energy spheres at arena edges Tips: Where there's one fireball, there are sure to be more. Just imagine there are many scrubby Pyros players outside your field of vision and you'll do fine in this very simple arena. 6. ICEBERG ---------- Hazards: Water (instant death) past edges of arena, either open or behind breakable walls Powerups: Cruise missiles on bridges in top area (top accessible by bounce pad in center) Energy recharge inside center bounce pad Tips: Don't trust the bounce pad, as it will often bounce you into the water unless you time it correctly. The cruise missiles attack your target every time the red lights finish one slow/fast cycle, but can be turned against you (more on this later). General: Expect to do a lot of running on this map, since there's plenty of wide open spaces and little in the way of incentive to keep standing. When possible, try to pressure your opponent to the edge so he can't dodge or retreat. While you CAN recharge your energy, make sure you've got a secure position before doing so, as you're asking for a projectile super in the face. To make an opponent come to you, activate the missiles and throw projectiles until he gets annoyed. To avoid the missiles, either run at full speed towards him (they'll barely miss you, given a modicum of agility) or stand under him about halfway between the bounce pad and the edge of the bottom platform so that the missiles will hit the bridge he's standing on while they streak towards you. To get up to the top without relying on the bounce pad, Pyros can superjump and firespin, f+LK, or f+RP. Be aware of throw-happy opponents, as Jag's and Force's throws will often throw you into the water. 7. LASERBALL ------------ Hazards/Powerups: The ball (a right hand powerup) is in the center of the arena. Pressing RP will throw it until it either hits the ground and explodes, goes through the opposing team's field goal and activates, or hits another player and passes the ball to them. The ball will also activate if it is run to the opposing team's end zone. When it activates, it flies to the center of the arena and shoots a laser at all members of the opposing team. If the ball is outside the flashing line of the playfield and on the ground, it will automatically bounce itself back inside that area. Tips: The ball is extremely powerful when it activates, so be sure to have at least one teammate with high agility, high endurance, and a Jaguar or Katana to run the ball to the endzone repeatedly. 8. PHARAOH'S FIRE ----------------- Hazards: Mines past edges of arena, hits dependent on distance to arena Powerups: Fighter jet call (LP) on center circle Nuke (RP) on isolated platforms, accessible by bounce pads on arena edges Tips: Always enter the bounce pads from the center side, or you'll risk missing the platform entirely. The nuke can be controlled with f/b just after it's thrown; the jets are instantly triggered on your target. General: The number one thing to be aware of on this map is mines. One dodge or firespin could mean a couple hits and a new location in the center, a turkey shoot for fireball-throwing fools everywhere. The number two thing is nukes; if you see someone fly through the air, you can either lie in wait for them as they bounce back with a projectile super or run to the sides to avoid a possible nuke blast. If you manage to get in the center early in a round, get back out as quickly as possible; later, when only 2-4 people are left, you can safely make a run for the planes and start throwing projectiles to catch someone off guard. Since there's so little room to maneuver on this map, Jag has problems using its superior agility, and even Pyros has to forfeit some damage lest it take a few mine shots itself. 9. POWER PLANT -------------- Hazards: Moving drones with vertical lightning attacks Wall impact damage Powerups: Lightning strike (LP) on arena edges Energy pad on center platform Tips: One of the drones circles the energy pad, so don't stay there too long. Run your opponent into the wall repeatedly for massive damage (Gargoyle's throw works wonders here, for up to 25 hits). 10. SPACE STATION ----------------- Hazards: Blah Powerups: 2 energy spheres on raised platforms Tips: Blah /--------\ VI. Robots \--------/ LEGEND ------ f,b,l,r: Tap forward, back, left or right arrow keys F,B,L,R: Hold forward, back, left or right arrow keys LP: Left Punch (defaults to A) RP: Right Punch (defaults to S) PP: LP+RP simultaneously P: Either LP or RP LK: Left Kick (defaults to Z) RK: Right Kick (defaults to X) KK: LK+RK simultaneously K: Either LK or RK E: Evade (defaults to D) J: Jump (defaults to F) j.: "Jumping" (perform move while airborne) sj.: "Superjumping" (perform move while superjumping) ,: Perform commands in quick succession +: Perform commands simultaneously ->: Perform move quickly after the previous move finishes Special and super moves are presented in this fashion: Name: Command - Notes - Damage/Chip A move does the "damage" value if it hits and the "chip" value if it's blocked. If the chip value is "ub" the move is unblockable. The chip values are based on zero block penetration. Normal moves are presented like this: Command: Description - Damage Normal moves automatically have a 0 chip value. All damage values are based on Gracy vs. Gracy/Force. These values are only accurate against Force; Jaguar, Katana and Gargoyle take more damage, while Pyros and Warlord take less. 1. CHRONOS ---------- * Special Moves: Stasis Cone: f,f+P LP: Upward - 2/0 RP: Forward - 2/0 Teleport Kick: f,f+K LK: Forward - 42/0 RK: Backward - 42/0 Bomb Crystal: b,f+P LP: Long - 17/ub RP: Short - 17/ub Stasis Crystal: b,f+K LP: Long - 2/ub RP: Short - 2/ub Side Power Cone - l,l+K or r,r+K - 31/0 Counter Attack: LP+LK or RP+RK Throw: f+PP - 21.5/ub * Super Moves: Super Teleport: f,f+PP - 82/0 Super Bomb Crystal: b,f+PP - 50/ub * Normal Moves: LP: Headbutt f+LP: Left hook RP: Uppercut f+RP: Right jab LK: Upwards power cone f+LK: Forward kick RK: High kick f+RK: Short kick j.LP: Downwards double punch j.f+LP: Left jab j.RP: Jab and uppercut j.f+RP: Right jab j.LK: Downwards power cone j.f+LK: Left jumpkick j.RK: Forwards power cone j.f+RK: Right jumpkick Combos, strategy and damage numbers coming soon! 2. FORCE -------- * Abbreviations: BO: Requires bomb charge(s) VO: Requires vortex charge(s) * Special Moves: Bomb: b,f+P - makes BO charge LP: Forward - 21/ub RP: Arcing - 21/ub Vortex: b,f+K - makes VO charge LK: Forward - 37/ub RK: Arcing - 37/ub Meteor Call: b,b+P LP: Long - 37/3 RP: Wide - 37/3 Gravity Well: b,b+K - anti-air only LK: Short - 10/ub RK: Long - 20/ub Reflector: f,f+K - hold K to extend LK: Projectile - 21/4 RK: Shield - reflects cannon, fireball, LP Whirlwind Side Reflector: l,l+LK or r,r+LK - hold LK to extend - 21/4 Counter Attack: LP+LK or RP+RK - 20/ub Throw: f+PP - 44/ub * Super Moves: Super Meteor Call: b,b+PP - 45/4 Super Gravity Well: b,b+KK - anti-air only - 60/ub Super Bomb: BO b,f+PP - 46/0 Super Vortex: VO b,f+PP - uses 2 energy bars - 69/ub * Normal Moves: LP: Uppercut - 18 f+LP: Left jab - 14.5 RP: Two-handed uppercut - 36 f+RP: Right jab - 14.5 LK: Charge kick - 36 f+LK: Forward charge kick - 14.5 RK: Flipkick - 36 f+RK: Roundhouse - 36 j.LP: Downwards left jab - 36 j.f+LP: Left jab - 14.5 j.RP: Two-handed uppercut - 36 j.f+RP: Forward uppercut - 14.5 j.LK: Knee - 36 j.f+LK: Fake jumpkick - 0 j.RK: Flipkick - 36 j.f+RK: Roundhouse - 14.5 * General Strategy: * Fighting Jaguar: * Fighting Force: * Fighting Pyros: Force has an edge over Pyros because of its ability to take preventive measures against many of Pyros' best moves. A Pyros at medium or long range will either throw a fireball or a super fireball. The normal fireball is easily reflected, forcing him to dodge his own fireballs. The super fireball is easily avoided with a couple dodges, or if you're close, can be destroyed before it launches with any of your ranged attacks. However, most Pyros players (knowing that if they can keep you in melee range, they have the edge) will rush straight at you. If you spot them coming from afar, feel free to use a vortex or two to slow them down, allowing you to choose the terrain (preferably one with little room for dodging). As soon as they get in range, call LP meteors. This will stop their run and likely knock them down. If your opponent is fond of dodging, call more LP meteors to allow him one dodge, then switch to RP meteors. Even an agile Pyros pilot will have a hard time dodging these, so he has to take plenty of block damage while he walks forward or retreat out of meteor range to throw a fireball. If he backs away, you can either let him run and reflect a fireball, or close up while he backs away and throw LP meteors to catch him as he reacts to the break in RP meteors. If he walks forward, you have three options. RP meteors to prevent a dash forward, LK reflector to prevent a throw or RP, or a gravwell (preferably the RK version) to stop a Fire Spin, j.f+LP, j.LK, or RK. A couple gravwells (even if they miss) will reduce his options to an RP flamethrower or something you can beat with LK reflector or a melee combo. The RP flamethrower is easy to see coming and if you're backing away, will often miss entirely, allowing you to start up the RP meteors again. The throw is very short-ranged, so you can duke it out with melee moves like LK or f+LP and get a combo in. Just remember to keep him at arm's length until you see a combo opportunity and you'll do fine. * Combo Tree: /--> f+LP -> f+RP | f+RK --+--> Throw -> LP Meteor Call (downslope only) ^ | | | \--+--+--> RK --+--> RK --+--> Gravwell -> Meteor Call / Super Meteor Call | ^ | | | | | | /----------\ \--> LK--+ \--> LK | | | | | V | +------> RP --+--> Super Gravwell --+--> Meteor Call -> Meteor Call | | | \------> LP --/ \--> Super Meteor Call Throw ^ | LP --+--> f+J -> j.f+LP -> any jump move except j.f+LK | \--> LP -> RP 3. GARGOYLE ----------- * Special Moves: Glide: f,f+P or j.f,f+LP - can be aimed LP: Slow - 9/0 per hit RP: Fast - 9/0 per hit Downwards Glide: j.f,f+RP - 9/0 per hit Talon Dive: j.f,f+K LK: Near - 59/0 RK: Far - 59/0 Whirlwind: b,f+P LP: Projectile - 31/3.5 RP: Tornado - 21/0 Scream: b,b+K - hold K to extend LK: Short - 26/3 RK: Long - 35/5 Side Scream: l,l+K or r,r+K - hold K to extend LK: Short - 26/3 RK: Long - 35/5 Counter Attack: LP+LK or RP+RK - 37.5/0 Throw: f+PP - 44/ub * Super Moves: Super Talon Dive: j.f,f+KK - 71/0 Super Scream: b,b+KK - 44/11 * Normal Moves: LP: Wing attack - 19 f+LP: Left jab - 15 RP: Uppercut - 15 f+RP: Right jab - 26 LK: Overhead kick - 37.5 f+LK: Forward high kick - 15 RK: Double-footed kick - 37.5 f+RK: Forward punch - 15 j.LP: Overhead hammer - 37.5 j.f+LP: Left jab - 15 j.RP: Uppercut - 19 j.f+RP: Right jab - 15 j.LK: Axekick - 37.5 j.f+LK: Short kick - 15 j.RK: Roundhouse - 37.5 (does not score in demo mode - bug!) j.f+RK: Double-footed kick - 15 * Combos: RK/f+RK,f+LP,f+RP,LP,RP,f+LK,LK,talon/super talon/super scream. Throw, (f,f+LP), talon/super talon. LP,LK,RP,f+LK,j.RP,throw,glide,super talon. LP,LK,RP,f+LK,j.RP,throw,glide,j.f+RP,LK,j.f+LK,super talon. 4. JAGUAR --------- * Special Moves: Jaguar Leap: f,f+P or j.f,f+LP LP: Short - 25.5/2.5 RP: Long - 25.5/2.5 Downwards Jaguar Leap: j.f,f+RP - 25.5/2.5 Side Jaguar Leap: l,l+P or r,r+P LP: Short - 25.5/2.5 RP: Long - 25.5/2.5 Backflip + Upwards Jaguar Leap: b,b+P LP: Short - 25.5/2.5 RP: Long - 25.5/2.5 Concussion Cannon: b,f+P - hold P to aim LP: Fast - 31/3.25 RP: Tracking - 31/3.25 Air Concussion Cannon: j.b,f+P LP: Near - 31/3.25 RP: Far - 31/3.25 Laser: b,f+K - hold K to aim LK: Fast - 12.5/1.25 RK: Ricochet - 12.5/1.25 Overhead Throw: j.PP - 43.5/ub Backflip: b,b+J Counter Attack: LP+LK or RP+RK - RP Jaguar Leap Throw: f+PP - 40/ub * Super Moves: Berserker Rage: f,f+PP - 88/0 Super Concussion Cannon: b,f+PP - 87/19.5 Super Laser: b,f+KK - hold KK to aim - 52/10.33 * Normal Moves: LP: Uppercut - 19 f+LP: Left jab - 15 RP: Spinning slash - 31 f+RP: Forward punch - 27 LK: Axekick - 38 f+LK: Hopkick - 15 RK: Roundhouse - 38 f+RK: Fast roundhouse - 15 j.LP: Uppercut - 27 j.f+LP: Left jab - 15 j.RP: Spinning slash - 38 j.f+RP: Right jab - 15 j.LK: Flipkick - 38 j.f+LK: Left kick - 15 j.RK: Roundhouse - 38 j.f+RK: Right kick - 15 * General Strategy: Use the Jaguar's speed to your advantage, be aggressive. The Leap is great for striking your opponent quick and fierce, e.g. when you've just been knocked down, where a forward leap as quick as you can will surprise your opponent. Also, the side leaps are good when your opponent tries to pass you to take you from the side or in your back: a side leap and Whack! your opponent is the one getting hit. Another good surprise attack is to rush at your opponent and when he expects you to hit him, you jump up and shoot a Concussion Cannon while in mid air. This is also good when someone charges at you. Sometimes, though, it might be good to calm down and take distance to cap someone with a Concussion Cannon or snipe someone with an aimed laser. A good way to annoy your opponent is to continuously shoot lasers at him; this might result in him rushing towards you in rage and getting shot down by the laser. If someone jumps at you, evade. A good way to evade is the Jag's Backflip. This way you will still face your opponent and can attack him quickly. In short, be close or far away. The Jag is not at it's best at midrange. * Fighting Jaguar: This match can actually be fairly interesting. Be wary of the Jag's laser; there are exactly two ways to stop an LK laser barrage: block and evade, or block and backflip/superjump. There is NO possible retaliation until you do one of those two things. Remember, he's doing 1.5 damage per laser even if you block, so be careful. It's also a useful tool to make the opponent move in close quarters like Bladepit / Pharaoh's Fire. When you jump, you have several options: jump forward and Overhead Throw, superjump and RP cannon, LP cannon (it's a 2-hit combo if you space it properly), air leap up and RP leap back down, or jump and LK or f+LK for combos. The Jag Leap is a powerful tool, but remember it has a big startup and can actually be outprioritized by f+RP and f+LK. Since your opponent will also want to go for combos, use the less risky f+RP starter instead of LK. Use the super cannon to interfere with an ongoing battle or to do chip damage on an opponent when you've set them up to take it. * Fighting Force: The important thing here is to stay out of meteor range - that is, either close in enough so that you can beat RP meteors on reaction with a Jag Leap, or just outside their range. When you're close, you can go for combos, Overhead Throws, etc. with abandon because of your superior power and maneuvrability. Dodge, dodge+turn, and backflip are your friends here, as well as an occasional aimed laser to snipe at a Force making his escape. If he starts pulling out gravwells, use f+LK instead of a Jag Leap and f+RP as a combo starter. If you're in prime meteor range and he doesn't know it, disguise the fact by firing off air cannons or simply running forward (since he'll probably meteor you on reaction, dodge a couple times and continue the advance). Outside of meteor range is where you can set up the chip damage traps. Punish the first whiffed RP meteors with a super cannon; if it hits, you've probably got the super to do a superlaser later, and if it's blocked, you get plenty of chip damage. From there, start an LK laser lockdown; Force's only escape from this is a dodge or a forward superjump, so mix up every 3-4 lasers with an aimed laser to nail the dodge. Once you've got him frozen, you're free to do free chip with the super cannon or lead him to a ring edge, and while he's dealing with the arena, you can get in close and do real damage. Beware of midrange vortexes, though; if you're slow with the lasers, he'll just take a couple hits and vortex you right back, which gives him time to either continue the vortexes or escape to a more favorable arena position. * Fighting Pyros: * Combos: ! j.f+RK, j.LK, LK, f+LP, RK, LP, j.f+RP, j.LP, j.PP, j.ff+RP, ff+PP (20 hits) ! j.LK, LK, RK, LP, j.f+RP, j.LP, j.PP, j.ff+RP, ff+PP (156 damage) j.LK, LK, RK, LP, j.f+RK, j.PP, j.ff+RP, ff+PP j.LK, LK, f+LP, RK, LP, j.f+RP, j.LP, b,f+PP * Combo Links: j.f+RK -> j.LK -> LK -> anything f+LP -> RK -> LP -> air combo f+RK -> LP -> air combo launch -> j.f+RP -> j.LP -> air combo launch -> j.f+RK -> j.PP -> j.ff+RP -> ff+PP or b,f+KK 5. KATANA --------- * Special Moves: Rising Blade: f,f+P LP: Short - 31/0 RP: Long - 42/0 Side Rising Blade: l,l+P or r,r+P LP: Short - 31/0 RP: Long - 42/0 Sonic Blade: b,f+P - hold P to aim LP: Large - 10.66/0 RP: Tracking - 10.66/0 Spinning Razor: f,f+K LK: Forward - 29/0 RK: Upward - 29/0 Wall Kick: f,f+J or b,b+J or l,l+J or r,r+J - 27/3 Air Wall Kick: j.f,f+J or j.b,b+J or j.l,l+J or j.r,r+J - 27/3 Backflip: b,b+E Counter Attack: LP+LK or RP+RK - RP Rising Blade Throw: f+PP - 44/ub * Super Moves: Super Rising Blade: f,f+PP - 69/0 Super Spinning Razor: f,f+KK - 61/0 * Normal Moves: LP: Slow double slice - 9 f+LP: Left slice - 14.5 RP: Jab and slow slice - 9 f+RP: Spinning slice - 26 LK: Upwards kick - 35.5 f+LK: Fast kick - 14.5 RK: Flipkick - 35.5 f+RK: Forward cartwheel - 14.5 j.LP: Left slice - 35.5 j.f+LP: Left jab - 14.5 j.RP: Right slice - 35.5 j.f+RP: Right jab - 14.5 j.LK: Spinning dive kick - 35.5 j.f+LK: Forward kick -14.5 j.RK: Flipkick - 35.5 j.f+RK: Forward kick - 14.5 Strategy and combos coming soon! 6. MANTIS --------- * Special Moves: Slide Kick: f,f+K LK: Long - 26/0 RK: Powerful - 35/0 Acid Shot: b,f+P - hold P to aim LP: Fast - 31.2/3.25 RP: Tracking - 31.2/3.25 Spider: b,b+P - makes spider charge LP: Long - 21/ub RP: Short - 21/ub Flyer: b,b+K - makes flyer charge LP: Forward - 31/0 RP: Arcing - 31/0 Drop Spiders: PP - drops any spiders you're holding Destroy Spiders: KK - detonates your spiders Side Spider Bomb: l,l+P or r,r+P - 21/0 Retreating Spider Bomb: b,b+J - 21/0 Counter Attack: LP+LK or RP+RK Throw: f+PP - 21/ub * Super Moves: Super Spider Bomb: b,f+PP - releases 6 spiders - 51/ub Super Flier: b,f+KK - 47/0 * Normal Moves: LP: Double-handed punch - 36 f+LP: Forwards jab - 14.33 RP: Uppercut - 17 f+RP: Double jab - 7 LK: Lunging kick - 36 f+LK: Short kick - 14.33 RK: Double spin kick - 5+5 f+RK: Roundhouse - 14.33 j.LP: Downwards spider bomb - 21 j.f+LP: Left jab - 14.33 j.RP: Forwards spider bomb - 21 j.f+RP: Uppercut - 17 j.LK: Downwards kick - 36 j.f+LK: Short kick - 14.33 j.RK: High kick - 36 j.f+RK: Roundhouse - 14.33 Strategy and combos coming soon! 7. PYROS -------- * Special Moves: Fire Spin: f,f+P or j.f,f+P LP: Stationary - 40/3 RP: Forward - 46/5 Side Fire Spin: l,l+P or r,r+P LP: Short - 40/3 RP: Long - 46/5 Fireball: b,f+P - hold P to aim LP: Fast - 21.2/3.33 RP: Tracking - 21.2/3.33 Flame Thrower: b,b+P LP: Upwards - 44/1 RP: Forwards - 44/4 Counter Attack: LP+LK or RP+RK - RP Fire Spin Throw: f+PP - 40/ub * Super Moves: Super Fire Spin: f,f+PP or j.f,f+PP - 73/11 Super Fireball: b,f+PP - 47/ub Super Flame Thrower: b,b+PP - 93/10 * Normal Moves: LP: Flame burst - 19 f+LP: Left jab - 19 RP: Charge punch - 46 f+RP: Right jab - 19 LK: Flipkick (launcher) - 23.5 f+LK: Upward flipkick (launcher) - 19 RK: Diving kick - 46 f+RK: Punt kick - 19 j.LP: Forward flames - 46 j.f+LP: Diving punch - up to 32 j.RP: Downward flames - 46 j.f+RP: Short diving punch - 19 j.LK: Diving kick - 46 j.f+LK: Flipkick (launcher) - 19 j.RK: Roundhouse - 46 j.f+RK: Small diving kick - 19 * General Strategy: Your combo starters are RK, RP, RP flamer, j.LK, and plain old LK. Obviously, they're each useful in different situations, but for the maximum damage, you want to use RP or RK as a starter. Aside from these, f+RP is great for knocking people out of runs, and your throw is fairly powerful with a followup, so use it to threaten. While a super fireball is useless against someone with room to dodge, it's great for announcing your presence to someone who either can't dodge (as in Pharaoh's Fire) or isn't looking. Super flamers are THE weapon for catching dodges and people who love to rush in, and LP flamer makes short work of any of Jag's or Force's air moves. RP flamer does a lot of chip, since you can often do 2-3 before backing them out of flamer range. Firespins are great for general chaos, since they cause a knockdown and hit from all sides; remember, if you've knocked down your opponent, you can pressure him with a slower combo starter like RK as he gets up. They're also fast and have high priority, and will trade hits with almost anything (although they often lose to a Jag Leap). Pyros jumps a lot higher than the other bots, allowing him to get around arenas better (see appropriate section). First things first... picking a pilot. DE has graciously given us a great wealth of pilots to use in our attempts at world domination. Fortunately with pyros almost every pilot will work great, depending on your particular play style. Players like Brick with tons of power will fit in well with an extreme melee fighter since coupled with pyros' already formidable arsenal of moves, a pilot with great strength can really add that extra punch to your combos... but to actually get in extra punches you'll need a pilot with higher agility. If you can combo people often, it might be better to lose a little on the power to get some more stamina, or focus. A speedy pilot can help you to position yourself within the key zones of attack much more easily than a slower but more powerful pilot... the choice is yours... choose wisely... Some movement tips: as previous people have posted, moving around is essential to self-preservation. Pyros has a few options, you can just strafe or jump to the side, which is okay in and of itself, but what many don't yet know is that you can turn while side jumping. Simply jump to the side and in mid jump press and hold the opposite direction. Using this method I can easily circle strafe people (assuming they don't run away in confusion). Also, pyro's sideways flame spin is really great. It not only can clear you from danger, but also will hit everything around you. Be warned though that there is a small recovery penalty associated with this maneuver. In addition to the strafing moves, pyro's jumping is so far greater than all other HAR's. For one thing, he can do the flame spin in the air if attacked, can do a jet to the ground j.f+LK or j.RK. Also, pyros seems to jump higher and further than other bots (for now) so I've found it extremely helpful to just do a quick jump after missing an opponent. For one thing, there aren't many good moves to attack players in the air. For another, if you do get hit, you'll be knocked down, which is (IMHO) better than getting combo'd. Another thing about movement... (Here I go giving away some of my best moves...) pyros has some great running moves. Simply run towards someone and press LK. You'll do the funny little flip thingy and if you don't hit and knock down your opponent, you'll be carried a safe distance away. Also, while running, as you reach someone you can hit LP or RP which can lead to a combo if you succeed in hitting the opponent. Super moves: Super flamethrower can be of great use to stop attackers from rushing in or (as I usually use it) to push people around. For instance, if another player is on the edge of a pit, like the sand in the desert, or the water in iceberg, you can usually push them in with this move. The super fireball is my favorite super so far. Its unblockable, so if there's someone in your way and they're not paying attention, you can simply bowl them over. The final, and perhaps most powerful is the super flame spin. One thing that most people seem not to notice is that the super flame spin has extreme precedence over other moves. It will effectively stop oncoming attackers, be they jags, other pyros, and if you time it right even forces. There is however one great drawback. The recovery time is very long, plus you float up as the move is preformed, which can allow an attacker to have a field day with your limp soon to be beaten HAR. Use it with caution, but don't be afraid to lay into your opponents. For combo info I'll just refer everyone to Robyrt's combos lists, he seems good at making them... though I do have a few to add. A simple RP, LK, super flame spin is a quick-n-dirty combo that can do significant damage in a hurry. Also, after the LK you can do a RK or RP for some quick damage too. I find these combos to work fairly well since they're easy to execute, quick to finish, and leave you opponent wishing he didn't just taunt "yo mama!" Arena specific advice: Blade pit: Attack. Pure and simple. The pyros is at his best when he's laying in the hurt, so do it with ruthless abandon. The small area of the pit will ensure that people can't run away and cry in a corner anywhere... there are no corners! I've found that most people cower in the middle of the arena, as if they truly fear the spikes... but let me tell you this, they can be countered. As soon as you see the red nearing the center, hit the counter and you'll be safe. It takes a bit of practice, but you won't have to continue to wet yourself anymore. Besides, pyros can easily jump and float for a few seconds while the spikes go about their deadly ways below. Desert: for now, pyros has an easy time climbing the pyramid and getting the nuke... from what I understand this will be removed for the final. In any case, get on that pyramid and you can really lay in some damage with the nuke. This works great in either LMS or demolition mode. If someone trys to get onto your pyramid while you are there, simply so a super fire spin, it will always catch them in mid air . One trick I've found useful in using the nuke is if someone is standing at the base of the pyramid, simply fall backwards away from them and simultaneously throw the nuke, it will deflect up over the pyramid and hit them if they don't move. Iceberg: Flamethrowers are your friend. The flamethrower is a great weapon in this arena particularly. You can push people into the water so easily (assuming they don't fall in themselves ) that it hurts (them). Not so great in demolition mode, unless DE puts in a bonus for kills (please!). Pyros doesn't need to use the jump pad to get back to the upper arena, he can simply jump and holding forward hit LK once or twice. This is enough to boost you up. I can do it almost every time now, but it may take a little practice. Another way up is jumping and flame spinning, this gives you the advantage of being able to hit people waiting for you, but does have some recovery time. Pharaoh’s Fire: A pyro's wet dream.... the center of the arena is where you want to hang out, your flame throwers can push people into the surrounding sand and then when they bounce back you can easily lay waste to their already war-torn battle damaged HAR. The outside rings are also great for pyros, as an opponent won't have any room to dodge an incoming super fireball . A great trick I like to do is go onto the jump pads to get a nuke... if someone follows you simply do a fire spin and knock them into the sand for some nice damage bouncing back in... plus you now have a nuke to play with. Solo: in one on one combat you'll be able to turn the whole of your attention to your opponent. This is great since it’s nearly impossible to succeed in attacking a properly defended pyros. If you charge in he can flame you, stay back and risk fire balls. Force's can be a bit tough to take out if they also defend, but its possible, just don't be on the wrong end of a particularly damaging combo. Multi: Pyros is great for attacking multiple targets at once. He can stay back and just shoot fireballs at people until their provoked into attacking you, in which case you should be able to lay waste to their already injured players. A simple super fire ball will slow them down quite a bit giving you time to position yourself such that one is between two of you, that way you should only have to worry about one at a time, assuming they don't beat each other into greasy piles of used parts. In demo mode, pyro's super fire spin will give you an easy way to rack up hits in a combo, and since pyros has some of the best combo's of the three (at least as of this build) you have no excuse for not cleaning up the room and taking names. In LMS, pyros also shines. You can either take the annoyingly cowardly approach and snipe people, of just go for the glory and open a can of you-know-what on some unsuspecting noobs. Always always remember though to make sure no one is on your 6. There's no easier way to lose than to have someone snipe at you from behind leaving you open to attack from the front. * Fighting Jaguar: Jag's laser prevents you from fireball duels, and his Jag Leap prevents you from using firespins with wild abandon. However, Jag is considerably shorter on anti-air than Force or Pyros, meaning you can use j.f+LP and j.LK more effectively, as well as try to confuse Jag with a jump over them and j.RP. If he tries an Overhead Throw, air Leap, or basically any air move, your flamers can take care of it easily. If you see a Leap coming, either RP flamer or side firespin and get him as he passes by. Even RK can be useful, if only to get you in throw range. However, remember to get close, and beware of the lasers: if he can keep you at bay with them, you're at the mercy of a super cannon to deal free chip damage. * Fighting Force: Unfortunately, Force has an edge over Pyros if it stays properly defensive, but you still have a chance, and it lies in getting in fast. If he generates a bomb or vortex as you run in, your job is half done, since unless he throws a short-ranged RP vortex, you can get into flamer range for free. If he does, you can avoid it and still get close. Once you're in flamer range, keep coming. Dodge LP meteors and run right through gravwells, then jump and j.LK over reflectors. Once you're nice and close, you can use any of your combo starters or melee options, or even throw him as he tries to get you off his back. The one thing you have to watch out for is RP meteors. If he throws those, either back out of meteor range and throw a fireball (which he must block, allowing you time to get back in), or walk forward and get him panicked. If he keeps throwing RP meteors at close range, jump and j.f+LP him out of it and snag a free combo. If he wants to do melee or LK reflectors, run to the side and side firespin him down, so you now have the advantage. If he throws gravwells, simply run forward and trash him as he lands. Between these, hopefully you can get the Force player confused as to which he should be preventing, a ground combo or j.f+LP. * Fighting Pyros: A Pyros-Pyros match is often decided by who can get on top of whom, and looks rather like a Sentinel-Sentinel match in Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Remember, Pyros' only option against a rain of fireballs is to come at you or use his own fireballs, so you can fire off a few and hopefully score a hit before he comes within flamethrower range, which is where the battle begins. Since the RP flamethrower is excellent at stopping dash-in attacks cold, your best method of attack is from the air, so you can get close enough to grab the advantage. Although j.f+LP is an invaluable tool, use it only when you already have the advantage, as a canny Pyros player will otherwise snuff it with j.LK, j.LP, or his own j.f+LP. (Note that an LP flamethrower is next to useless against j.f+LP, so remember your other options). An enemy Pyros may charge with RK or j.f+LP, or he may try to confuse you with j.RP or j.LK. Your best defense against these is to block them, or RP firespin under them. While a throw is tempting, the danger of getting caught in a random firespin is too much to take unless you're waiting for him to get up or something. When you're not sure of his attack, firespin (the side spins often work well in this regard). Just remember that if he blocks it, he gets a free firespin (normal or super). Use the super flamethrower to catch opponents at an angle where RP flamethrower won't work. * Combo Tree: j.LK -> j.LK RK RP --> f+RK j.LP | | | | | LK <-------+----+---+------+-----/ | Firespin/ <-----+----> RK -> LK -> Firespin super firespin | \----> f+RK -> LK -> f+RK -> LK -> f+RK Throw --> j.f+LP | \--> RP Firespin 8. WARLORD ---------- * Abbreviations: MI: Uses missile arm(s) GR: Uses grenade arm(s) CL: Uses claw arm(s) MA: Uses mace arm(s) * Special Moves: Missile Arm: f,f+K - changes arm to MI LK: left arm RK: right arm KK: both arms Grenade Arm: b,b+K - changes arm to GR LK: left arm RK: right arm KK: both arms Claw Arm: l,l+K - changes arm to CL LK: left arm RK: right arm KK: both arms Mace Arm: r,r+K - changes arm to MA LK: left arm RK: right arm KK: both arms Missile: MI b,f+P - hold P to aim LP: fast - 37/5 RP: tracking - 37/5 Grenade: GR b,f+P - hold P to aim - 15/ub Claw Grab: CL f,f+P LP: throw backwards - 52.5/ub RP: throw forwards - 52.5/ub Left Claw Grab: CL l,l+LP - 52.5/ub Right Claw Grab: CL r,r+RP - 52.5/ub Reverse Claw Grab: CL b,b+P LP: throw backwards - 52.5/ub RP: throw forwards - 52.5/ub Mace Rush: MA f,f+LP - 46/5.25 Earthquake Smash: MA f,f+RP - 31.25/ub Left Shoulder Ram: l,l+P - 36/0 - RP only with left claw Right Shoulder Ram: r,r+P - 36/0 - LP only with right claw Counter Attack: LP+LK or RP+RK - 19/0 * Super Moves: Super Missile: MI b,f+PP - 51/9 Super Grenade: GR b,f+PP - 36/ub Super Mace: MA f,f+PP - 67/ub * Normal Moves: LP: Left swipe - 53 f+LP: Left jab - 19 RP: Overhead strike - 53 f+RP: Downward punch - 19 LK: Double-footed kick - 53 f+LK: Forward shoulder ram - 19 RK: Stomp - 39 f+RK: Punt kick - 19 (Warlord's jump moves are not complete in this build.) * Strategy and Combos: Warlord is not entirely complete in this build. However, he can be played well in a big match where the opponent doesn't have time to concentrate on you. Maces are your main offensive weapons, since the specials are extremely useful. Claws don't have the damage potential of maces aside from the infinite, but are still useful as a way to stop an expected rushdown because of their high priority. Missiles do lots of chip damage, especially when aimed, and although super missile isn't too hot, you can still force an opponent to come to you, thus circumventing your low speed. Grenades are useful only as anti-camper tools, since they're unblockable and can bounce all the way up the pyramid (among other things). Since you can't pursue anyone, you have to grab a favorable arena spot (like the top of the Desert pyramid or the Canyon ramps), switch to double missiles, and throw missiles like crazy. If you see the opportunity, switch to double grenades, fire off a super grenade, and go right back to missiles. Eventually they'll come to you, in which case you switch to double mace or mace/claw and defend yourself. Remember, they have to keep constant pressure on to keep you from activating an unblockable, they can't get to your back (Earthquake Smash takes care of that), and they can't spam you with lasers/fireballs (reverse or short dodge). Meteors and vortexes are a problem, of course, as is Pyros rushdown (hopefully you can catch them with RP) and Jag's vastly superior melee arsenal and Katana's virtual immunity to Earthquake Smash, but in a big game, you can be effective. * Combo Tree: RK / Earthquake Smash --+--> any normal or jump move, Mace Rush, RP Claw Grab, or Super Mace | \--> LP Claw Grab --+--> LP Reverse Claw Grab --\ | ^ | RP Reverse Claw Grab <--/ \--------/ /----------\ VII. CREDITS \----------/ Diversions Entertainment: The game itself, which is their copyright. Judy Elam: Bug reporting Katana: Basic strategy Relnah: Error checking, Jag strategy Spockmeat: Pyros strategy Spoony: Basic strategy X-BoT: Error checking Robyrt: Everything else That's it! Now go play OMF:BG!