I have serious trouble closing out rounds.

Slayer0

Slayer0

[08] Mercenary
I'm a very new Soul Calibur player, as SCV is my first one I've ever played seriously (playing Link in SC2 to ring out everyone doesn't count, I take it). I've played years of Street Fighter and dabbled in some other fighters, but an across-the-board problem for me is finishing rounds and matches when all it takes is one or two hits for me to get the win.

I've almost always had issues managing to get in and get that last bit of damage, and I'm not sure what's stopping me so much from really just going in for that last hit. My friend's given me some tips but it's been consistent for a while now, and I'm looking for any more advice or tips on how to just clutch out the very end of games. Recently I played a Tira where I won two rounds pretty convincingly, and she proceeded to come back and win three rounds when I almost had her in all three rounds, which really shook me up more. So I guess I'm just a little lost on how to push forward through that to make sure I can actually get those wins and rounds done.

Does anyone have any advice?
 
You have some options

1) Wait for them to attack and get your mix up for guessing right
2) Run away and create a whiff
3) Just throw out a simple poke

It really depends on the context of everything. If you are annoying somebody with a low kick the whole game, they are going to be frustrated and do everything they can do avoid it. The best option is what favors your playstyle and how you are conditioning your opponent.
 
The problem is you are probably obsessing too much about finishing the round and landing that last hit or two (I could be wrong though, since I haven't actually seen you play), so you end up with tunnel vision. When you start thinking, "Okay, all I need is to land one more 2K and I'll win" and start focusing on that, people can take advantage of that and play around it. My advice would be to just take it easy if you have the life lead, and play more or less like normal, or perhaps a little more defensively or pokey than usual. If you have the life lead, they're the one that has to come to you.
 
My new motto is "Nobody knows what they're talking about" including me, so take this post for what you will.

A fact of SCV, however, is when the player reaches yellow, a weak attack (I believe 20 hit points and under) will only do half damage. Strategically speaking, a strong attack will end the match faster. Sticking to safe, weak attacks are going to take twice as long. I believe this feature was used to balance the game and make matches closer. These are your options...

When they're in the Yellow:
- Try to grab your opponent, which should be enough to beat your opponent or at least set it for a 1-hit kill afterward.
- Use strong, unsafe attacks to win the match or be punished. High risk, high reward. An even better idea is to use a strong attack after you have successfully dodged or used a Guard Impact. Successfully launch them in the air and following up with a combo should be a guaranteed win.
- If you have a filled gauge, use a Critical Edge or a Brave Edge attack and that should be enough to defeat your opponent. This works especially well if that Brave Edge gives you advantage on block. Never use your Critical Edge unless it's guaranteed, for wasting your gauge is never a good idea.
- Use fast, safe moves to win the match without being punished, but will take longer and could cost you the match.
- Ring outs are guaranteed to win even at 100% health! take advantage of this if the opportunity presents itself! but aiming for them might get you out of the ring instead.

As to your problem, I see this all the time in more fighting games than just Soulcalibur. The most common mistake someone makes is once they have their opponent dead-to-rights in a match, they for some reason do not take advantage and I watch as their opponent, almost defeated make a complete comeback and 50% of the time in this scenario, they end up beating the one who originally had 60%+ health before this scenario has begun. After observing this scenario several times, there are quite a few reasons for this, and here is my personal list:

Having the advantage:
- They are trying to get an "epic finish" and attempt to win the match with a move that is clearly not working.
- They begin to "toy" with the opponent by playing keep-away or trying to dodge in a special fashion, in hopes of taking the opponents life after they get frustrated or give up.
- The opponent, knowing their defeat is nigh, becomes enraged and transforms into a monster of pressure ultimately putting their enemy (you) down.
- For reasons unknown, the soon-to-be winner freezes up and loses the match out of pure hesitation.

In my experience, these are mental scenarios as to what your opponents are thinking when you are about to win the match, and typically they fall into only one category per player, but some are known to switch.

Opponent's defeat incoming:
- The player becomes overly aggressive in a last ditch effort to win. They no longer defend, they try to pressure you into losing. They typically aren't thinking so try to dodge and/or counter.
- The player becomes extremely defensive, in an attempt to frustrate you and capitalize on your mistakes. They typically block way too much even when it's their turn to attack. They also stick to safe moves that you can't punish. I'd say go for a grab. If they keep ducking, get close as if you were to grab and instead blast them with a mid-attack.
- The player gives up. Don't waste time, don't try to provoke them into fighting more, just finish the match.
- The player "pretends" to give up. They wait for you to attack, counter your move and play the waiting game again. Just simply play the waiting game with them. When you have more health, you have the advantage. Let the clock run out, and they will eventually come to you (even if it's a few seconds before the timer runs out) and attempt to attack. Or you could try to safely hit them from a far distance away, especially if they lay on the floor.

This should be enough information for you. I am just speaking from my own experience. I don't claim to know what I am talking about. I am making an educated guess at best or a shot in the dark at worst.

I will say this; when I stopped playing Soulcalibur 5, I had an 81% win percentage, fighting a majority of players with a variety of skill levels, so take my advice for what it is. Good luck.
 
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Slayer0 said:
I'm a very new Soul Calibur player, as SCV is my first one I've ever played seriously (playing Link in SC2 to ring out everyone doesn't count, I take it). I've played years of Street Fighter and dabbled in some other fighters, but an across-the-board problem for me is finishing rounds and matches when all it takes is one or two hits for me to get the win.

........

Does anyone have any advice?
Click to expand...

Generally bb and 2k are he best ways to safely close out a round, but it would help if you said which character you play to be more specific. Also keeping your distance and whiff punishing, when you have life advantage, along with not ducking.
 
Sometimes that happens and I start saying "ONE MORE HIT!" And I up getting counter attacked thus killing me or ringed out....So be patient or grab the opponent
 
Not sure if anyone pointed this out, but I see other people try to be flashy in order to close out a round. I've done it before in this game, along with VF5FS and sometimes DOA. JTK, thank you for explaining how to close out a round.
 
Don't think about it too much honestly, else it can fuck with your head like OP is suggesting it is for them. Anyone can come back from the biggest gap in hp. Worst thing to do is freeze up and give your opponent a chance to get back into it.

I like to just run up and force a mix-up, fortunately for me Natsu has some good round-closing tools. She can mix-up 4A low with 6B/A+B mids which are minimal risk. If your life lead is big enough, you can just keep doing this until you finally guess right which you will eventually.

Some character-specific round closer tools (Not standard 2K/BB):

Natsu - 4A/6B/A+B
Omega - 1K/3A
Rugi - 2KB/1B
Cerv - 1aB/aB
aPat - 1A/33B
Pat - 1K/1B
Ivy - 3B/3B/3B/3B/3B
 
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