2XKO Self-Defense Guide: In-Depth Analysis of Defensive Mechanics
In "2XKO," mastering defensive mechanics is crucial for survival and counter-attacking, as the game offers a plethora of defensive options, yet defense itself is quite challenging. This guide will delve into the key defensive techniques, resource management, and methods for dealing with specific pressure situations as introduced in the video.
I. Core Defensive Mechanics
1. Retreating Guard
Retreating Guard is one of the primary defensive mechanics in the game.
- How to perform: While blocking, press two buttons simultaneously to activate Retreating Guard.
- Function and advantages: This mechanic consumes no resources. It allows players to escape an opponent's attack, causing their moves to whiff, thereby creating opportunities for a counter-attack, a poke back, or an escape using an Assist. Retreating Guard typically creates a significant gap.
- Weakness: Retreating Guard is vulnerable to low attacks.
2. Push Blocking
Push Blocking is another common method to escape pressure.
- How to perform: While blocking, press the forward direction key plus the Assist button to perform a Push Block (though simply pressing the Assist button is sufficient, and it can also be done with the backward direction).
- Limitations: Push Blocking can only be used when the Assist cooldown is available.
- Advantages: Push Blocking pushes the pressured character away. There is approximately a 6-second cooldown after a Push Block, during which players can take action, such as tagging in another character from their team. You need to judge when to Push Block based on the opponent's different combos. For example, Push Blocking against Ekko will make Ekko retreat; while Push Blocking against Yasuo will push him much further, preventing him from even starting his combo.
II. Burst and Limit Strike
1. Burst
The video points out that the Burst mechanic in "2XKO" is "extremely cheap."
- Advantages: When a Burst successfully hits, the player gains a massive +37 frames of advantage. This not only allows you to escape a combo but also grants you the initiative. Players can run up for a "meaty overhead" attack and follow up with subsequent combos. Since the opponent has no options like wake-up attacks, they will be put on the defensive.
2. Limit Strike
Limit Strike is an important way to manage resources.
- Mechanic: Performing two reaction mechanics (e.g., two ground bounces) within a combo will trigger a Limit Strike.
- Function: Limit Strike ends the current combo. If a player cannot defeat the opponent with a combo, they should almost always use a Limit Strike to end the combo.
- Resource return: Limit Strike helps players build their super meter and burst gauge.
III. Dealing with Throws and Wake-up
1. Importance and Teching of Throws
Throws are very important in this game because many characters can link combos from throws. For example, Ekko, with a clone on the field, can combo from a throw and deal significant damage. Even if a character cannot solo combo (like Arya), they can call an Assist to extend a throw combo.
- Throw Tech: Press medium attack and heavy attack simultaneously to tech a throw. After a successful throw tech, both players are immediately reset to close range, leading to a scramble for the fastest button.
- Jump a Throw: If you evade a throw by jumping, the opponent will have a long recovery time and cannot tag out. Players can get a fat punish and a counter hit opportunity.
2. Wake-up Strategies When Knocked Down
When a character is knocked down, wake-up actions require extreme caution.
- Risks of rolling: If you hold back or forward during wake-up to perform a back roll or forward roll, your character will be vulnerable to throws. This means the opponent can use normal throws or command grabs to punish the roll. This punishment often leads to a hard knockdown, allowing the opponent to set up further actions. Furthermore, rolling means you lose "throw invincibility" and "wake-up attack" options.
- Advantages of not rolling: If you do not hold any direction when knocked down, your character will remain throw invincible and can use a wake-up attack (wake-up attacks are very strong).
- Breaking habits: Players need to break decades of fighting game habits, such as constantly holding the back direction key (block) after being knocked down.
IV. Parry and Air Teching
1. Parry
- Parry range: Many moves in the game can be parried. Anything can be parried as long as there is a gap in the combo.
- Low Parry parries low attacks.
- Standing Parry parries mid and high attacks.
- Run cancel parry: Players can run cancel a parry. If the opponent's move is far away and cannot be followed up after blocking, you can parry and then run up to punish.
- Dash parry: Dash parry is also a very useful technique, providing sliding momentum.
2. Air Teching
When hit in the air, if you hold a direction, your character will be forced to tech in that direction (e.g., forward tech or back tech).
- Traps: Opponents will often set up traps to punish players' forward or backward air techs. For example, if you are comboed by Ekko in the corner, holding forward to tech might lead you into an electric field trap, allowing him to get a full combo. Forward tech is usually the easiest option for opponents to follow up on.
- "Hold down" tech strategy: If you hold the down direction key when hit, your character will not tech. When you land while holding down, you can escape the combo or pressure. The video notes that few people use the "hold down" strategy when playing ranked matches.
- Overall strategy: Do not always auto-tech. You need to rotate your tech options (forward, back, down) to make it difficult for your opponent to follow up on you. If you don't tech, and your opponent is determined to pursue a tech, you will be in a safer position.
Tip: The video source mentions that this game has many defensive mechanics, and while this information is listed in tutorials, to truly understand and apply it in practice, players may need additional help, such as watching YouTube videos like this one, to learn "what you really need to know to fight other human players."