Anti Algol

NinjaCW

NinjaCW

[09] Warrior
This is a general question for pretty much anyone who has time. We have all seen the "Algol should be banned" threads but it's going no where fast. The general problem seems to be his bubbles and ease of use, Turning a player who hasn't been winning to much into a player who is able to win or keep it close with possibility of winning, etc etc. I even have picked up Algol so I can at least compete with him cause I can't rely on reckless fighting all the time.

Sorry for the block of text above :/

Bubbles - Probably the <3 of Algol players. Sets him up for many things, can lock down someone, can make moves safe, and used in juggles. How do you get away from them or avoid them all together? So far I have found absolutely nothing. I can go around the bubbles but then I leave Algol to come and go as he pleases which is a big problem cause you don't want your enemy moving around you and trapping you as he sees fit and you have little to stop him. I play Cass and I can go under the projectiles sadly though Algol will just stay on the other side of the screen next to projectiles so that even if I do go under it one of his projectiles will hit me.

The other way you try to get around the bubbles would be to see what type he used and move accordingly and go in (i.e., angled bubbles - you would go straight in, but what player would just let you run right in with no threats?) The problem here is probably worse than trying to go around the bubbles without being reckless because here you are being reckless and making mistakes just so you don't have to deal with bubble lockdown. Probably not the best approach but it has it's moments were it might shine for you.

Another effective way to get around the bubbles is to just GI them back at him. The best way for this to work in your favor is to be in his face to GI them so they hit him otherwise it's a waste because he can put more on the screen than you can reflect back without dying for trying to do so. When you start trying to GI his bubbles you open yourself up pretty wide for his damaging combos.

The last problem I have seemed to come across would be him making moves safe against me. Like his 33b or 11a >.> I block them fine but go to punish and get hit in the face with a bubble so now he has like this crazy mid/low mix up going with good throws as well. People tell me to just punish the lows and 33b but I can't cause I usually get hit with a bubble so I will just say "It is safe by circumstance". If anyone could help me with these problems I would so greatly appreciate it.

Can contact me on AIM if you don't want to talk over the boards just PM me.
 
Sounds like you're having WAAAAYYYY too much trouble with these bubbles. GI is my favorite way to deal with them, but you need to be good at it. He keeps shooting them? Keep GI'ing, he'll have to stop to block or get hit by his own bubbles, move closer, repeat. Punish him for thinking he can lock you down with 1 stupid move. Otherwise maybe this jus isn't your game? Try Beautiful Katamari! :P
 
lock you down with bubbles? ... *shrugs*

seriously just GI them or 8WR around all of them ... even the angled bubbles can be stepped ...

also, if you GI a bubble back while he's shooting another one then he's going to get hit ... another useful tidbit is that when u GI a bubble back it returns to him faster than it traveled to you... but seriously you shouldn't be having that hard of a time with bubbles ... they're nice and all but they're not that hard to get around ... especially not with cass

just get in algol's face and u've shut down his bubbles as well as his mid-range game ... the ball's in your court up close
 
ok ok. . . you seem to misunderstand what I'm talking about. At about mid range (or a little under) when he releases bubbles he has a perfect defense. And I'm not saying lock me down with bubbles but using the bubbles with other moves to lock me down. And I do so to others because there's not much you can do to fight against it.

I can fight it but I wonder what will happen when someone has like really good defense. Because a good Algol that ducks any of your throws will take a good chunk of your bar. The bubbles aren't really my concern though at least how you are taking it haha. I deal with them just fine but was wondering if there was something more solid other than GI a bubble back and he sends two more out.

The bubble you send back is easily avoided and gives him more than enough time to put more out and reposition, no?
 
It's all head games. Like Nuez said, they are easily stepped long/mid range. Just GI or interrupt close. If he's avoiding his own bubble that gives you more than enough time to move in and make him eat pavement. Online of course can be a different story.
 
Ok thanks for the advice :D

Do you think Algol would still be just as good (or bad) without his bubbles (limited to juggles only)?
 
He'd still be great. Because he has his stupid BB/1B/1A and backstep. But bubbles throw a big old wrench into things and give characters that need to get in a hard time.
 
You'll eat quite a few mids and lows if you roll around recklessly. Even if it does work, a half-decent Algol player will see it coming and find a counter.
 
NinjaCW said:
Ok thanks for the advice :D

Do you think Algol would still be just as good (or bad) without his bubbles (limited to juggles only)?
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honestly i still don't think Algol is that good at all ... and I'm an Algol player lol.

He's not my main or anything (Lizardman all the way!) but as my regular offline session pplz can tell you, I use him a lot .... a lot.

So coming from the Algol point of view bubbles are seriously all about head games to give the opponent more to worry about on screen but aren't a serious direct threat like a frame trap mixup would be. I see what you mean when you talk about mixing bubbles in with other moves at mid-to-close range to make some of his moves safe, but even then the solution is simple:

a) if bubble is first GI it and Algol will be hit on CH
b) if Algol first followed by bubble then either block both, or GI Algol and block bubble, or (with enough distance ... like at mid-range) step slightly and block -- this will lead to you being off-axis to the bubble and you will be able to block Algol's leading move if it tracks ... you have to observe the opponent and see what moves they like to use with mid/close range bubbles ... i'm guilty of whoring bubbles before or after aB shield slam ...

besides all that bubble talk his moves are actually pretty slow once you're used to seeing their starting animations..... he's not that hard to block up close on reaction

hope i'm helping u some ... feel like im jus babbling at this point
 
I almost count on the other guy forgetting on BT moves ... now that's sad ... cuz some remember and then follow them up with ouchies!
 
NinjaCW:
this thread may help http://www.caliburforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=35035

also, trading with bubbles is a valid strategy. lets say he's setting a 4[A+B]. You can try doing a long range attack that knocks down to hit him while he's setting them. Even if you trade, as long as he gets knocked down, you'll get WAY better end on the trade.

bubbles are not very good for oki because you can avoid all of them with a sideroll after throw knockdowns and things like that. none of algol's mids can hit a side rolling opponent and his lows will do crappy damage if they hit sideroll. standing straight up after being knocked down by algol is one of the worst things you can do.

Even really simple stuff like front step > guard will help. Just gotta be patient. If I'm playing Nightmare vs Astaroth his bullrush will beat every move I have at mid/long range that doesn't have a sidestep on it, so I'm not gonna have the initiative. If you are at mid/long range algol is gonna have initiative.
 
He is that hard to beat.... Just like NinJA said he can make unsafe moves safe with bubbles and a good turtle with algol is one hard cookie to beat... I have a feeling he will be scraping up many tournaments this year...
 
RedDjinn said:
He is that hard to beat.... Just like NinJA said he can make unsafe moves safe with bubbles and a good turtle with algol is one hard cookie to beat... I have a feeling he will be scraping up many tournaments this year...
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I'm pretty much under the same impression.
 
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