DESPERATION!

I like watching or being a part of big comebacks & matches that go down to the wire. Okay, so I don't particularly enjoy being on the wrong side of big combacks, but I generally try to fashion something positive from the experience even if it's nothing better than the whiny/smartass "nice low kick" quip I just never get tired of. Anyway, the most intriguing thing for me about all this is how desperation breeds and intertwines invention and bullshit beautifully. I love mashing out dashing elbows after the reversal from nowhere and finishing with crap like LBF>++. I love seeing two char's in crouch dueling out of range lp's. I love mysterious frozen opponent syndrome. I love seeing too much charge take advantage of the mfos. Got an anecdote? Something you use or have seen used that just shouldn't ever work against something with a pulse but ends up carrying the day? Got any whack flowcharts? Share your experience.

 

When it's desperation time, it's true that you say "f it" and start pulling out all the stops. Conservatism goes out the door for me. I take more chances on Sarah's + praying for MCs and her staple ->+->->+, or ->->+->+, also, I take more chances on rising MCs with her knee, then staple combo.

But it's opposite when I'm ahead big time, I turn very conservative, waiting with block and guaranteed throw opportunities. That's one aspect I'd like to change about my game.

 

Sarah's +. Unless your opponent is the twitchy low punch type, it should work pretty well once he's in brain freeze /versus/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

My true game doesn't even come out until I've been pressured by having less energy than my opponent. That's where I stop and think about every attack and move I'm going to do, and I don't just throw moves out there that might leave me open. I'll do way more pokes when losing and trying to catch up, and other safe moves like that.

But if I'm winning, I'm afraid I do play more freely and more willing to try things I normally wouldn't do. I guess I'm the opposite of Catch 22.

I'm not completely like this, though, and when I'm losing I will on occasion do the risky moves that I'll just gamble with, but it's not too often that'll happen. Just depends on how I feel.

 

hi..

in situations with low life using wolf, i normally rely on backdash attacks varying with either ++, or + since both have good reach on whiffed attacks, if i am spaced well, then the toe kick stunna is a better option. if i don't have enough room to move, low drop kick is my best friend, or can be mixed with HCB+p(p) / reverse hammer as the best options for a close mid attacks.. to deal any real damage, i some times trick the opponent by charging close as they TR to bait them to either guard a mid, or anticipate a throw, but then follow up with a + (~pounce) to knock em flat /versus/images/graemlins/cool.gif

any real flow charts i use are leik + ~ high jab ~ ++, or jow jab ~ backdash ~ ++ / toe kick stunna / SS (which is a great launching setup after + ~ backdash).. i also like + ~ reverse hammer.

his best poking tools IMO to make the oponents rip their hair out are his +, +, + and a single standing jab which is a good force defense tool on MC hit. /versus/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

this is a good question. with vanessa in version c, there are a couple that i like to throw out there:

first, there's . i like to keep a fair amount of distance between me and my opponents. this move is one of vanessa's few spinning moves, so it can't be evaded, and it has very good reach. i love nothing more than hearing big boy exclaim at the end of a close round, "how the fuck did that hit me?!" similarly effective is +. same principle, but this hits low instead.

probably my fave desperation move for vanessa when i'm in fairly close quarters is the (holding ) or + moves. god, that's useful! more often than not, the hit'll be a major counter and crumple your opponent. then i'll do one of vanessa's two low throws (i'll usually go for ++ instead of the ++ since it's less likely to be escaped). that has saved me more times than i can count. i used to abuse that move, but now i save it for desperation situations only. mostly ;-)

then there's from ds or from mt. it sabakis low punches and kicks, and it forces opponents into a crouching position. ric flair's got nothing on vanessa, man. when both fighters are desperate and you both start alternately low punching and blocking low punches like you're yin and freaking yang this is a nice way to break up the monotony

of course, there's low punch, too.

i also like to use her auto-inashi when i suspect that a mid or high punch may be coming. this is especially great against lau's pppbullshit strings and akira's p, sudden dashing elbow nonsense (my roommates' fave desperation moves).

my final favorite desperation move (there are a few others, but they usually involve trying to guard until a guaranteed throw move is entered by my opponent. this is a bad idea) is switching to muay thai and using +. if it hits then i get to follow up with either or > off the bounce.

happy fighting,
william

 

If it were such a good question more than 5 dude's woulda replied. /versus/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Actually before this one dies and nobody says it I gotta give props to the cancelled . Thankyou AM2 for the rounds and matches from this one. Makes me almost feel competent sorta.

 

I agree. G-cancelled kick is one of the greatest mind-games ever! /versus/images/graemlins/cool.gif

During "desperation time" If I'm using Kage, I might just bust out a random ++ to catch the opponent off guard. Very risky, but effective.

The one thing I've noticed about top level players is that their aggressive attitude during desperate times. Chibita refuses to play "machi" at the end of a close match. He's in the opponent's face no matter what. IMO, that's why he's the best. No fear whatsoever.

 

Hi /versus/images/graemlins/smile.gif, just a comment on low throwing kuzure downs: the opponent can escape your options pretty easily. (intermediate/high level play) Low throws in this situation only work on beginners or someone that is mentally drained. Sorry to nitpick but you'll find that it's easier to just combo or setup a potential backstagger.

 

Desperate times though, Jerky /versus/images/graemlins/laugh.gif...It's a risk vs. reward thing. If I've got a full lifebar & Will is a touch from death when he gets the KD, then the 60ishpts he'll get from his combo is a start, but I've got a bunch of room for lp's (or whatever) and he can't sabaki them all. And then, Vane getting the backstagger requires me to cooperate rather than just be lazy and pissed off that I screwed up the excellent. So Will, with nothing to lose, goes for the low throw & if it works, half my lifebar is gone and on top of kicking myself for missing the excellent, I'm kicking myself for eating the goddamned low throw...even if my psyche isn't pocked with these defects, Will's chances of winning the round have just improved dramatically. Of course, when I escape the low throw it's KO, but this was gonna happen anyway.