Evolving Exdeath's Meta-game

**Zero_Ruzai** · 03-29-2011 10:22 PM

First off, a couple things to throw out there to all you Exdeath users, and even those who aren't, to help you out on a few things.
I suggest reading some of these tips (you'll probably know most of them anyway) before watching any videos (there may eventually be several) on them.

So like I said, a couple things to add, if you know changes between Dissidia and Duodecim gameplay for Exdeath, you can skip this section:
In comparison to Dissidia:

1) Black Hole's absorb property is HUGE. You can experience from across the stage, and it makes opponent's HP and most BRV attacks very hazardous to use since they can be pulled in from a long ways away. It has the highest priority of any attack (so it catches the opponent no matter what, but magic/projectiles go through it). It is now long enough to have both Almagest and Grand Cross link into it. This makes Exdeath a major threat at mid distance.

2) All HP attacks, save Delta Attack, can be guarded in the middle of it: Grand Cross at the beginning, Almagest at any time prior to the final explosion, and Maelstrom a couple frames after you start and a couple frames before the final attack. They can be guarded with Omni/Turn/Protect/Shell Guard AND regular guard. This is crucial to keep in mind for later.

3) Turn Guard priority was slaughtered, but it still has uses against long range, which if you play Exdeath right, that's the only kind of attacks you'll be getting. Omni-Guard dodge frames are... very weird. I've blocked things that I KNEW I would have missed in original Dissidia but missed things when I timed it PERFECTLY (the bubble popped up, but refused to block). I have no idea what's up with it.
4)Grand Cross now has an aborb property. Couple this with Black Hole, and your opponent will find it difficult to run anywhere.

Now some things that you need to know.
In original Dissidia, there was a block>dodge, one user called a blodge. This is guarding then pressing X IMMEDIATELY afterwards. This allowed for a dodge with a slight block with it.
For Exdeath, mastering this can make you a master. In the first video I'll show, you'll see the advantage of this blodge and how it can be applied to his game. Since you technically can't dodge out of an attack, but you can block first, a blodge can be used to escape. This is especially handy if you're not very good with Omni-guard.

You'll notice using this blodge technique builds assist extremely quickly while also keeping the user: i.e. Almagest reflects magic, and if the opponent gets close enough, you can block if you see the attack coming. Also, with how Exdeath's guards work, you can block immediately after a dodge. So if you're opponent gets to close, blodge! If they attempt to punish your dodge, punish their punisher with a guard! You won't see this because I manage to keep the opponent at bay long enough for them not to threaten with any attacks.

As I was saying with assist, it builds extremely quickly. The build I use involves Aerith; once she's summoned and uses Holy, since Exdeath is designed to be a defensive character, I use what some refer to as a Guard Dog Tactic. While she's casting Holy, it's easy to hold the opponent off with the combined strength of Grand Cross (aborb properties) and Black Hole (Mega absorb!).

So here's the video, I hope all of you learned how to be a little better with Exdeath's long range and mind game play (sorry, all vids except 1 are all CPUs, my friends refuse to fight me when I'm Exdeath now ^^ )

CPU: Very High, level 100.

Sample Battle:

PVP battle (with commentary):

We actually did 4 fights, but due to slow internet, I only uploaded this one. This was the only REAL fight anyway, since Tidus is his main. The other battles were... slaughter... and very short. I figured you wouldn't get anything out of it anyway.

P.S. 1000th POST (again)

**Enuo** · 03-29-2011 11:08 PM

I have to say I was very skeptical of your strategy but now, after seeing the speed of your assist being built and your rape of the opponent I can see this working. Unfortunately there seems to be a blinds pot where you can be dashed to between black hoes and hit with a quick Hp move(Like Gilgamesh Hurricane). Other than that this looks like a solid strategy.

**Zero_Ruzai** · 03-29-2011 11:22 PM

There are some tricks around it, but for the most part, your opponent will get caught more than you'll be hit. I hardly ever get touched by my buddies. I'll try to convince one to play with me again, they're abandoning me because of this ^^
But with that example of a quick HP attack, you can dodge away from them, and if they pursue attacking, then you can guard as soon as the dodge frames are over. It's a pretty solid maneuver, I've dodged Zidane's Free Energy and punished a follow up move multiple times.

I added another vid just for kicks. Sample battle.
At :52, I couldn't block because Maelstrom was already executing the final hits =\

**Lord Shmeckie** · 03-30-2011 04:00 AM

It's a decent strategy, certainly gimmicky, but I really don't see this evolving Exdeath's metagame. Constantly whiffing and cancelling attacks doesn't make for a mindgame, it just makes for Exdeath making silly noises, and causing you to create a rhythm that the opponent will exploit by picking you off during the holes in your patterns. Exdeath should never get caught up in a pattern. He should be the one forcing the other guy into a pattern.

Throwing up Black Hole and Grand Cross seems like a good idea at first, until you fight someone with Omni Air Dash who can just circumvent it and attack you from behind. Especially with Mages, or Garland (with his aerial lance attack). Reverse Polarity spam builds Assist much faster than this, as does RP spam with guarding.

Plus, you're showing us these things used against a CPU player, which are incredibly exploitable as Exdeath to the point you can literally control what they do based on your movements (CPU Zidane, for instance, will pull out Shift break every time you whiff RP from long range, without fail, while CPU Sephiroth will always rush at you and try to BP attack you while charging Maelstrom). It's better that you try out strategies against the seasoned veterans around here before talking about evolving the metagame.

Also, Exdeath has no need for standard blocking whatsoever. Turn Guard has the same priority.

Exdeath's metagame did indeed evolve in Duodecim, but this ain't it. He's got a ton of new tools, but he's got much better options than this.

**Zero_Ruzai** · 03-30-2011 11:30 PM

Originally Posted by Lord Shmeckie

It's a decent strategy, certainly gimmicky, but I really don't see this evolving Exdeath's metagame. Constantly whiffing and cancelling attacks doesn't make for a mindgame, it just makes for Exdeath making silly noises, and causing you to create a rhythm that the opponent will exploit by picking you off during the holes in your patterns. Exdeath should never get caught up in a pattern. He should be the one forcing the other guy into a pattern.

Throwing up Black Hole and Grand Cross seems like a good idea at first, until you fight someone with Omni Air Dash who can just circumvent it and attack you from behind. Especially with Mages, or Garland (with his aerial lance attack). Reverse Polarity spam builds Assist much faster than this, as does RP spam with guarding.

Plus, you're showing us these things used against a CPU player, which are incredibly exploitable as Exdeath to the point you can literally control what they do based on your movements (CPU Zidane, for instance, will pull out Shift break every time you whiff RP from long range, without fail, while CPU Sephiroth will always rush at you and try to BP attack you while charging Maelstrom). It's better that you try out strategies against the seasoned veterans around here before talking about evolving the metagame.

Also, Exdeath has no need for standard blocking whatsoever. Turn Guard has the same priority.

Exdeath's metagame did indeed evolve in Duodecim, but this ain't it. He's got a ton of new tools, but he's got much better options than this.

Shows a few things:
1) How to gain Assist quickly without the use of RP which I don't even equip anymore
2) importance of black hole
3) using long range with him when the opponent won't attack
4) Ok, I was confused by when you said "there's no need for standard blocking when you have turn guard." You can't dodge with turn guard. You have to use standard blocking followed by pressing X immediately to pull this off.
5) While approaching an opponent with an HP attack, it shows there's a way to keep safe without necessarily having to block, since that can be risky. PLUS, after the dodge frames have disappeared, you can immediately block, making dodge-punishing on Exdeath risky.
6) This video was not about changing Exdeath's meta-game altogether, it was showing how there are ways to improve it. I would expect a veteran Exdeath user like yourself to see that these are just some tricks that can be added to make him better than he already is, rather than sticking to the same turtling style.

Besides that note I meantioned multiple times I could not get any friends to battle against my Exdeath. Until today. Lag was annoying as hell, but I still got a vid of Exdeath vs. Human (Tidus). Uploading now actually.

**Lord Shmeckie** · 03-31-2011 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by Zero_Ruzai

Shows a few things:
1) How to gain Assist quickly without the use of RP which I don't even equip anymore

If you're not using RP, you're using a handicapped Exdeath.

2) importance of black hole

Pretty common knowledge at this point.

3) using long range with him when the opponent won't attack

That's what he got Maelstrom for.

4) Ok, I was confused by when you said "there's no need for standard blocking when you have turn guard." You can't dodge with turn guard. You have to use standard blocking followed by pressing X immediately to pull this off.

This is a useless tactic for Exdeath. He needs to be blocking with his Guards so he can counterattack. That's the core of his game. He doesn't needto do any feinting because, first and foremost, he wants the opponent to attack him so he can block and counterattack.

5) While approaching an opponent with an HP attack, it shows there's a way to keep safe without necessarily having to block, since that can be risky. PLUS, after the dodge frames have disappeared, you can immediately block, making dodge-punishing on Exdeath risky.

Not if the Exdeath is creating a pattern, which this strategy does. The opponent can wait for when they know you're going to feint an HP attack and hit you then.

6) This video was not about changing Exdeath's meta-game altogether, it was showing how there are ways to improve it. I would expect a veteran Exdeath user like yourself to see that these are just some tricks that can be added to make him better than he already is, rather than sticking to the same turtling style.

The turtling style is his style, though. An aggressive Exdeath may be a fun diversion, but at the end of the day it's not Exdeath at his fullest. You're playing to his weaknesses, not his strengths. Especially since Exdeath got a ton of buffs in Duodecim at the cost of his cheap, broken-ass tactics (the EX Block will be missed, even if it was a total gamebreaker...) that allow him to control his opponent and force them to do what he wants them to do. RP puts on unrelenting pressure like it always has, and now builds assist meter insanely fast. Maelstrom prevents opponents from turtling Exdeath back and looking for an opening by forcing them to make the frantic assault he wants them to make, making Maelstrom by and large the best new addition to his movepool. And all that's not factoring in Grand Cross' buffs allow it to be used offensively now instead of just as a punisher, Almagest's plethora of new properties and options, etc. etc. etc.

He's got a ton of new toys, but it seems like the strategies you're suggesting are taking them in the wrong direction.

Besides that note I meantioned multiple times I could not get any friends to battle against my Exdeath. Until today. Lag was annoying as hell, but I still got a vid of Exdeath vs. Human (Tidus). Uploading now actually.

I'm not talking about friends, I'm talking about the folks here. Test and evolve your strategies against high level players first, before you jump the gun in assuming such-and-such is a big new factor in his metagame.

**Bloodsword83** · 03-30-2011 06:20 AM

I was playing against Halabaloo's Shantotto on Empyreal Paradox. I had killing brave, full assist meter, and Aeris assist. I popped Holy and Maelstrom at the same time he reached the EX Core. I was at the top, he was at the bottom. He got up to me, but he didn't interrupt Aeris in time, so he got esploded.

**Weiss_Hikari** · 03-31-2011 01:19 AM

Originally Posted by Bloodsword83

I was playing against Halabaloo's Shantotto on Empyreal Paradox. I had killing brave, full assist meter, and Aeris assist. I popped Holy and Maelstrom at the same time he reached the EX Core. I was at the top, he was at the bottom. He got up to me, but he didn't interrupt Aeris in time, so he got esploded.

It's funner to charge Maelstrom on the ground and have Aerith use Planet Protector on you while you charge. You don't have to worry about anything as long as you summon her after about a second or two since neither her or you can be damage. And if the opponent accidentally uses and HP attack, you have a nice chance to brake them since it'll do zero damage and their brave will drop to zero.

**Zero_Ruzai** · 03-31-2011 01:43 AM

Sometimes it's fun to hit with double HP attacks. Like in the pvp vid I just issued ^^
I found that that's generally right, with Planet Protector, but I never really bother, since I prefer to stay in midair. Much easier to make full use of all of his abilites. Plus, he has a landing lag that's very punishable, so I stick to high in the air ^^

**Zero_Ruzai** · 03-31-2011 12:00 PM

From what you're saying, I'm just assuming you've never even tried this so you're just making inferences right off the bat. Cuz' a lot of what you're saying makes no sense.