Post your team and how you use it (aka how it owns!)

[J]-[UN]

If you have 2 skill stocks you might as well just go for a combo which stuns the opponent instead of wasting power stocks...

[AcidicEnema]

Finally, a team that racks consistent wins for me:

Duck/Hayate (L)/Silber- in that order.

Nothing that stands out, but a solid team altogether. Duck's one of the better starters in the game- jump D used correct as both defense and pressure. Slide kick and A Ball to keep them honest. Distance, distance, distance, until I land a poke combo into Silber DM (usually don't have 2 skills at this point of the match) to almost kill off his first character... then kill him off. Silber/Duck also do good stun, so its possible to dizzy in one QS if I've landed a few random hits before.

Hayate comes in the moment I have 2 stocks against any fresh characters that he has, since his BnB LDM combo does most against a full life opponent. Throw boomerangs, until I get an ideal position to land the LDM off combos and random anti-air pokes/ground zooms, then swap out to Silber. Crouch B has good block stun, low recovery, b+HP is one of the best throw option selects in the game. Tick throw is your friend.

Silber's the clean up force- no particularly bad matches, high damage, and general low risk play if I distance his hop Ds, stand As/Bs/Cs, crouch Ds, and f+B,Bs right. Still, I try to use Duck as point, since Duck's jump D Spear+Shield-all-in-one-move is too good to pass up.

Throw in the fact that Hayate's LDM can combo off lots of QS positions- off a close Duck slide/sweep, off a Silber counter/ranbu DM- and I think overall, I've got a team that I'm going to stick with for awhile... for once. All three characters can fight KGO, still at a disadvantage, but definately winnable *if* the right distance is kept.

Team plays to my strengths (distance and tempo) and hides my weaknesses (shitty psychomotor skills) with minimal chances to screw up in combos.

[shura]

nice to see that so many ppl use terry so after all he isn't bad at all

btw mine is:

kim
terry
ash (L)

and i start in this order keeping
keeping ash ready to jump in in combo to land his corner customs (qsing from kim's sanrengeki or terry's power charge)

kim is a very good starter since he doens't need stocks to be effective and can keep opponent pressurized till death or guard crush
when i land some stuffs usually qs for terry to go for damage or stun combos

[Ashilyn]

My team's evolved quite a bit since I got the game back in June. When I first started out, it was Athena(L)/Vanessa/Jenet (My best characters from 2k3, 2k2, and Garou, respectively), but somehow I'm just not as good with Vanessa and Jenet as iw as in 2k2 and Garou, causing me to drop them from my team and play around with other characters. It seems that a lot of characters I used to, frankly, suck with have gotten a lot easier to play in XII, leading to my current team of:

Kula(L)
Kyo
and depending on my mood and who I'm playing, either Kensou or Momoko

I usually start with that 3rd character, Using Momoko for meter building, or Kensou for a mix of meter building and damage. Kyo comes out after I've got some stock downand want to do some raw damage, and usually stays out until he gets really low on heath or is defeated. Finally, Kulla comes out once I get my stocks up, using Diamond Shoots and Critical Ice to keep the enemy at bay, with occasional jump in A into Crow Bites, and once I hqve enough stock for a Dream Cancel or have a set up, out comes Freeze Execution. If that doesn't finish them, it's usually a matter of a Ray Spin > Stand or a Diamond Breath or two to finish them. If Freeze Execution misses or gets blocked, who ever's left comes back out to build some more meter and deal some damamge ubntil there's enoughs toclk for Kula to get off a Diamond Edge, or, if I feel lucky, try for another Freeze Execution.

[dobiqwolf]

when i got the game on ps2 in june it was maxima, shen(L), K' in this order,
and i had Ryo the destroyer from my arcade game before the ps2 release, now
I got some nasty combination:

the pain in the ass team: yuri, hayate(L), silver. hayate and silver swap order and/or Leadership yuri got one of the best anti air with her dpAand she is really annoying bc of a dm from c.B.

anti top tier team: eiji, clarck, Ryo(L) no fancy stuff with those 3, just plain damage and i kick oswald butt without to much trouble.

actually i am working on another team
vanessa, Gai, Malin(L) i dont have comments on those 3 bc i havent play against many people so i am still practicing.

[Derrace]

heh, how true one's team evolves base on the challengers...

I used to use DL, Oswald, Malin(L) in that order.. but as soon as everyone got "used" to malin's attacks and weakness, it was pretty much downhill for her... I only use her sparingly nowadays.

My current team would be Beni, DuoLon (L), Oswald. I wouldnt say I have a best team anymore considering how I can use more characters more effectively to the point where I can swap one char for the other and still provide a tough challenge. My Duolon is irreplacable in serious matches. Having mastered everything I can (combos including LDM. at will, mind games, how to play it safe bad matchups, etc) with DL, challengers in my arcade now fear me using him as leader... and beg me to use Ozzie or Malin as my "LAME" Leader.

I build my team around DL as leader and these supporting chars: (1-10 with 10 being most comfortable/effective)

Beni (10/10), Oswald(7/8), Malin(9/6), Shen(7/8), Clark(10/9), Duck(10/9), Kyo(8/8).

As you can see, I have a variety of chars I can use to "counter" my oppponent's chars.

I am currently praticising eliz(5/6) and gato (6/6)... meh, I still havent figured out their hitboxes and frames...there are lots of other chars around that region.. but I wont be posting them here...

My weakest 3 would be Athena, Momoko, Hayate. I can use Athena, but she doesnt stand a chance against top tiers...

[Bankotsu]

1st Kasumi
2nd King
3rd Blue Mary (leader)

Blue Mary ====> one of the best leaders in the game because you can use her LDM in combo, alone, or after you kill a character. When I got 2 stocks and one character is almost dead I quickly switch to Mary, kill the character and then receive the next one with her LDM and I only have to worry about his 1/2 life bar


Cheap? yes, but fair enough vs the three overpowered characters: Gato, Oswald and Kula

[Empyrian]

A broader intrepretation of the topic title after reading something about this elsewhere.

There are generally 3 ways to play the game. Note that they are not mutually exclusive as one can switch tactics during a match.

1) The 8 second playstyle. The first skill stock takes 8 seconds to charge. Getting 2 skill stocks takes about 24 seconds iirc. This play style means that you switch characters once you get your 1st skill stock via QS. As you can see, it prolongs the lifes of your characters in addition to adding new dimension to your attack patterns. Of course the QS combos of choice must be of relative ease and of reasonable damage.

2) Stun combo. (with one or 2 skill stocks.) As it suggests, this style is going for that "STUN" factor and killing off the almost dead opponent when you managed to land it.. The character (or vanguard) has to be someone who works pretty well individually and preferably able to last until the second skill stock is filled up. Alternatively, one can trick the opponent to using at least one of their skill stocks and finding ways to land your stun combo on the incoming (most often more life) character.

3) SS style. This style eschews QS or stun. The player starts the offense only after 2 skill stocks are filled. At other times, he keeps the distance and zones. Effective for characters who are strong as a stand alone unit.

Which characters are good for each style? Discuss.

[Invincible Duo]

my main team is Duo Lon, Malin, Gato usually with either gato or malin as leader but rare occasions, i make duo lon as leader.

i usually start duo lon off first because he can build up momentum pretty well and i put gato last because he can overcome any character.

a few main QS combos i use are:

with duo lon into malin: (palm chain, cr.a,) +p x2, then QS into malin, j.c, close c, f+b, +b. i put the first part in paranthesis because it can be done without the palm chain.

with malin into duo lon: j.c, close c, f+b, +b, QS into duo lon, j.c, close c, +a, f+b, +c, cr.a, +px3

with malin into gato: j.c, close c, f+b, +b, QS, j.d, close d for one hit into +b, a follow up, hh b (which misses), qcfx2+b

with malin into gato: j.c, close c, f+b, +b, QS, j.d, close d for one hit into +b, b follow up, qcfx2+a (doesnt work on crouching opponents)

duo lon into gato: qcfx2+p, QS into gato, j.c, cr.c, +ex3

duo lon into gato: qcfx3+p, QS into gato qcfx2+b

gato into duo lon or malin: qcfx2+p QS into malins LDM or duo lons phantom wall super

stun combo: start with malin: j.c, close c, f+b, +b, QS into duo lon, j.c, close c, +a, f+b, +c, cr.a, +px2, QS back to malin, j.c, close c, f+b, +b.

[dobiqwolf]

A broader intrepretation of the topic title after reading something about this elsewhere.

There are generally 3 ways to play the game. Note that they are not mutually exclusive as one can switch tactics during a match.

1) The 8 second playstyle. The first skill stock takes 8 seconds to charge. Getting 2 skill stocks takes about 24 seconds iirc. This play style means that you switch characters once you get your 1st skill stock via QS. As you can see, it prolongs the lifes of your characters in addition to adding new dimension to your attack patterns. Of course the QS combos of choice must be of relative ease and of reasonable damage.

2) Stun combo. (with one or 2 skill stocks.) As it suggests, this style is going for that "STUN" factor and killing off the almost dead opponent when you managed to land it.. The character (or vanguard) has to be someone who works pretty well individually and preferably able to last until the second skill stock is filled up. Alternatively, one can trick the opponent to using at least one of their skill stocks and finding ways to land your stun combo on the incoming (most often more life) character.

3) SS style. This style eschews QS or stun. The player starts the offense only after 2 skill stocks are filled. At other times, he keeps the distance and zones. Effective for characters who are strong as a stand alone unit.

Which characters are good for each style? Discuss.

after reading your post I though of one team eiji, gai, hayate(L)
eiji is first, he is a good stand alone character so you can wait to the 2 skills(by wait i mean kill the opponent with eiji).
then the combination of gai+hayate is good for stunt and gai takes so much life and you dont want to be cornered by gai with skill points.
plz comment.

[AcidicEnema]

Good post, but I'm not quite convinced that there's a real difference between style 1 and 2. IMO Style 3 is also less a 'saving shift' style than simply a 'solo point man' style. There's also the 'Oswald-Ace' strategy which probably should fit somewhere in 1 or 2.

IMO, the most dominant teams in the game are those focused on the 8-second stun combo/ace combo play style, though that is truly, just my opinion.

This interpretation probably would tie in well with your K,G,E thread too. Obviously, 'E' characters are the best starters in the game for style 3. Anyone wanna come up with a list of who the best starters and finishers are in the game?

A broader intrepretation of the topic title after reading something about this elsewhere.

There are generally 3 ways to play the game. Note that they are not mutually exclusive as one can switch tactics during a match.

1) The 8 second playstyle. The first skill stock takes 8 seconds to charge. Getting 2 skill stocks takes about 24 seconds iirc. This play style means that you switch characters once you get your 1st skill stock via QS. As you can see, it prolongs the lifes of your characters in addition to adding new dimension to your attack patterns. Of course the QS combos of choice must be of relative ease and of reasonable damage.

2) Stun combo. (with one or 2 skill stocks.) As it suggests, this style is going for that "STUN" factor and killing off the almost dead opponent when you managed to land it.. The character (or vanguard) has to be someone who works pretty well individually and preferably able to last until the second skill stock is filled up. Alternatively, one can trick the opponent to using at least one of their skill stocks and finding ways to land your stun combo on the incoming (most often more life) character.

3) SS style. This style eschews QS or stun. The player starts the offense only after 2 skill stocks are filled. At other times, he keeps the distance and zones. Effective for characters who are strong as a stand alone unit.

Which characters are good for each style? Discuss.

[starr]

My team changed, after I learned how to quickshift and basically learned all the damaging combos with my characters.

I usually use Mary, Kensou, Kula. Kensou can be switched with Kyo.

Usually I jump in with mary and qs to kula and do her bnb, if it's late in the match i can LDM. Then after another skill stock is up, I can qs kula on her slide, and DM with mary or kensou.

[Kashi]

Momoko
Iori *leader*
Kensou or Kengo

don't really use a strategy, just feeling comfy with them,,,
But I really LOVE to use momoko,,, she's great XPXP

[Empyrian]

Off the top of my head...

Characters suited for style 3. They include:
-Ash, Hayate, Eiji, Kensou, Athena, King, Yuri, Jyazu, K`.

Style 2 would include:
-Maxima, Adel, Gai, Oswald, Duck, Elizabeth, Ryo(Yes, strictly speaking, Ryo's combos don't really stun well BUT he has a stunning LDM! XD).

For style 1, it would include:
Kyo, Malin, DL, Iori, Kim, Terry, Benimaru, Shen Woo.