[CS2/CSE] Lambda Critique And Self-Improvement Thread

[susano]

Yeah, i noticed you weren't online. I ll probably be on later today so hopefully we'll meet up then.

Add sakanoue-

Lambda is my sub and used to be my main.

[Vladyyy]

Hello there, if someone can criticize me, I'll apreciate. Thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SArYt1yK3a4&feature=plcp

[AchedSphinx]

Seems like you don't know how to use combos that well. For instance, you did a RC j.214D and didn't follow up with 5C in the corner, it would have netted you a great deal more damage. Also, some of your execution is off as well. I noticed one where you could have won the round with an easy combo follow up, but you almost lost the round because of a mess up. You're also auto-piloting air drives assuming that the opponent will be in that place when Lambda auto-corrects herself. In most cases you could have simply landed and did 6A anti-air or blocked to prevent some of those losses. I noticed how you tried to bait a burst or thought he was going to burst or something, you were better off doing a drive combo after that RC, that way they can't burst.

You're not using positioning and spacing to your advantage. I know Litchi can be rough but it seemed pretty easy for that Litchi to predict what you'd do. That's all I got.

[HexaNoid]

KaizerBlack - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziblwgFtzOY&feature=youtu.be

[Vladyyy]

Thanks AchedSphinx

Please give me advices abot this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx9NzhDkuFk&feature=plcp

SKYLL is so amazing and I can't do nothing. Do you have some tips against Ragna or other rushdown characters?

Thanks guys!

[Nedel_3773]

I'd like to point out first that whenever you do 6C, you're better off letting all hits connect. The proration only applies once, so you can only get more damage by letting more hits connect.

Second, you should RC your air throws for big big damage. You missed that a few times in the video.

Third, I think you don't vary your mixups enough. You always go for 5C - 4B/3C mixups. What you could do is X - 2C - 3C/TK/TK feint mixups, or TRM setups, like 2A - 2A - 2B - dash grab, or stuff like that.

Vs ragna: whenever he does a blockstring that ends with X - dead spike, you can simply jump over it. The start-up is long enough for you to do 9 - falling j.C and either hit him or force him to block.

Aside from that, use more Spike Chaser. It's really the best tool to limit his options and zone him the way you want. Whenever he has 50 heat, I would suggest that, midscreen, you end combos with 236B and don't do the charged 214D, just to be sure he doesn't carnage scissors through it (it's impossible for him to get through the "standard" version).

Something else I'd note is regarding corner shenanigans. I would advise you (and mostly everyone, to be honest) to go for set-ups, rather than long, complete combos. This way you can control him and keep him in your mixup game (and incidentally, more damage).

That should be all from me. I'm sure the others can cover other things that I might've missed.

[hipikachu]

Hey guys, day one Lambda here. Grabbed someone in the corner today, and proceeded to 6A>TK Crescent him into oblivion. I will pretend this was the completely optimal thing to do and go on my merry way. TK Loops 4evar :3

[someonewhodied]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzCW_vf4qsg

[Overheat]

Lambda mirror

- 4D, especially just by itself, is not very good to use in a mirror. It's not very good in most match-ups, actually.

- (corner) X > 5C > 6C > 236C works at surprisingly low proration. In general, as long as you haven't used 236C twice in the combo (yet), it will usually work.

- If you use 2 236C's in a combo, you should give up on getting a proper air ender (from X > 236C > Dashing 6A/4B). Instead, if you use 236C twice in a corner combo, you can just TK 632146D after the last 236C. Or you can not do the last 236C and just do anything > air DD ender

- When an opponent is blocking 236236D, I recommend just sticking with 236D. One problem with 214D~C is that it's too slow, and the opponent can usually jump to avoid it.

Hakumen

- You dropped the air ender quite a few times in these matches.

- I think X > 2DD > (j.C) > j.2C > 2DD is a more worthwhile combo route to learn than X > j.DD > dj.2DD > dj.214D~C > dj.2C > 2DD, but it's not that important.

- In general, I don't think it's wise to do 236C after a blocked Drive. 236B and 236A are alright once in a while, but I think you used 236B too much in your blockstrings.

- If you're going to use X > TK > RC > j.66 > j.2C > 2DD, I would recommend doing 214A after. It leads to a better combo with better Heat Gain, and greater corner carry.

- Related to the point above. I think you could benefit from using Gravity more in your combo's.

- Your blockstring of 2A > 5B > 6A > 2B > 4B[#2 only] didn't work the two times you tried it. Autopiloting strings doesn't work all the time, since the opponent can be getting hit, IB'ing, using Barrier, etc.

Hazama

- I don't recommend X > 2DD > 6C > (delay) 236D~C, since it isn't that hard to avoid.

- 5C is not very good to use as a tech-punish. Since he had 50 Heat, he should've neutral teched and gotten ready to Jayoku or CA. Ideally, reaction 2B to rolls is what I'd suggest, but it is online...

- When you can go for a guaranteed KO combo, you should do it. In the first round against the Hazama, you did X > 236B > (Dashing) 6B. You could've gone for something really easy like X > 236B > RC > 5C > 6C > 236C. Not really a glaring error, but just keep it in mind.

Other than all that, I would recommend playing against stronger players and just tightening up your execution a little bit.

[mAc Chaos]

Huh, didn't know about that Hakumen.

[someonewhodied]

Yeah thanks to mac I always conserve gravity for full screen lockdowns against hakumens and I suck at air enders I know =|

My favorite ender after 2 or 3 236Cs in the corner is 214A>236A>236D Oki just for the stylishness of it. Or if I can kill with it I go for the distortion (Usually I don't because it puts me in the corner)

Also 4D is getting me killed more often than not so I'm working on dropping it outside of styling tager combos and gravity lockdowns.

[atdsutm]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOSo6UWaaJk&list=PLU3V9lBogANPgE2rBYcm98X0ZP35_TH2p&index=3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48mlAeM34pU&list=PLU3V9lBogANPgE2rBYcm98X0ZP35_TH2p&index=6#!

I need some tips/help for this matchup.

[Overheat]

This is one of Lambda's toughest match-ups.

* indicate points I recommend focusing on. The general tips at the bottom are also very important.

Gameplay

*In general, when Bang guardpoints 236D, you should be able to throw him. If you've got confidence in your reactions, you can RC a guardpointed 214D and Throw/5A/2A, etc.

*I don't recommend throwing out 214D as much as you did. The problem with 214D is that at the distances where it's relatively safe, it's also slow. 5DD/3C > 236A/236B are alright as long as it's not abused.

There were a few anti-air 5A/6A > 3C's that happened. I guess you were trying to do 2C?

You used a Dashing 6A as an approach 3 or 4 times. It's not a big deal, but I don't recommend using 6A as an approach, unless you're under the cover of Spike Chaser or 236D.

Combo's

*I would highly recommend learning to hitconfirm 2DD > 4B[#2 only]. You might also want to try using j.214D~C in your air Drive spam combo's. It's not too hard, and it can help a little bit.

For random air hits, confirm into X > j.B > j.C > dj.B > dj.C > dj.214D.

In the last round of the first match, you did (near corner) 3C > 236B > RC > 5DD > 6DD > 2DD > air ender.

You could have done

- 3C > 236B > RC > (Dashing 5C[2]) > 6C > 236D > 214D~C > 236C > Dashing 4B[#2 only] > 2DD > air DD ender,

or if you weren't sure about the distance to the corner

- 3C > 236B > RC > 5DD > 236C > Dashing 6A > TK > 6A > 5C[8] > 4B[#2 only] > 2DD > air DD ender.

Both would have KO'ed Bang right there.

In the first round of the second set, you ended up having to block a lot. I think if you had IB'ed more, the Bang would have started to stagger his strings and bait mashing, or back off a bit. If you had Barrier blocked, or Barrier IB'ed, you could have gotten some more breathing room. Learning to IB consistently is a critical skill for a high-level player.

I don't think it'd be a bad idea to use Gold Bursts (on wake-up as well) more often. I think it could have helped you when you were in the corner, for example. It'd also hopefully make the Bang respect your wake-up options a little more. The reversal of momentum, IMO, could have helped you potentially win some rounds.

I think your combo choices could be stronger. It'd help with damage and Heat, which would be useful for CA's against a pressure-heavy character like Bang.

In general, I think you were either getting CH'ed a lot, or ended up having to eat a lot of mix-up.

Bang's not a character that Lambda can effectively challenge up close (not that she can challenge many characters up close to begin with...), so I don't recommend mashing out of pressure too much.

[toanenadiz]

First video

1:06 - If you see Bang guard point 236D, I recommend jumping and coming down with jB and you will get a nice CH combo 95% of the time. Regardless, after he whiffed it, you should have done something to punish it.

1:45 - Practice the crescent RC combo more. Dropping it really hurts you.

2:22 - Try to cancel your 5DD into 236B faster. It was lucky he wasn't blocking low but you could have potentially ended up in a bad situation.

2:39 - Nice blocking here. But like Overheat said, you should IB and IB barrier some more to force Bang to shorten his blockstrings. Bang will typically try to reset on 6A since it is plus on block, IB'ing 6A will let you press a button in those situations.

2:50 - Pretty dangerous to do 214D that close against Bang. Not sure if you had enough time for a 5A but it looked like you had at least enough time to block it. If you had IB Bang's drive there, you could have punished with giant sword super. Giant sword super will punish Bang's 5D and 6D as well as being invincible to any special move Bang tries to cancel into so you get free damage in that situation.

3:04 - Delay your D follow-ups to give you some more time to react to whether or not they hit so you don't lose free damage

3:34 - Definitely should have gone for a gravity well combo here. Get the damage, max out your heat and have him in the corner would have been really advantageous for you.

4:16 - I'm guessing you used 2A here to poke out. Outside of 3C, I don't believe Bang can low-profile Lambda's 5A (at the very least, I haven't had that happen yet while I have been playing) so he is another character you can use 5A instead of 2A to mash out with

4:29 - Why use raw jA during 236D oki?

4:42 - That was a pretty bad rage burst there. He had significantly more life and meter than you and you also have no meter to mount a comeback

5:24 - Should have done 5DD > 236D for huge damage and corner oki

6:11 - Dunno why you wanted so low to RC? Did it not come out the first time? You should have RC'd and dash under him while he was in blockstun from giant sword super to get out of the corner

7:17 - Missed out on a 5DD > 236B > RC combo which would have put him in the corner and taken a good chunk of his life

Second video

8:18 - Always watch out for D nails when you try to follow spike chaser. I believe this was the 3rd or 4th time in the videos linked that you got hit by them in this situation

10:47 - Probably should have done another gravity well combo here to put him in the corner and get good damage from your gold burst

Pretty much what Overheat said for the most part. I think you didn't like having to block against Bang and ended up getting caught mashing a lot. Particularly when you were being hit while standing and the Bang dropped the combo, you were mashing and got caught, which lead you to losing a lot of unnecessary life.

I'd recommend going into training mode and practicing various Bang blockstrings and getting a feel for when he has to reset them and aiming to escape during those gaps. If you were more confident in blocking Bang, you would probably would do better in neutral as well.

[atdsutm]

Thanks for the help. :3

I also need some tips for my neutral game and how I would have decided what to do next after an IAD, 214D~C, 236B and 5DDs and etc.. and what other possibilities I can do at those times when bang does certain things.

I always get hit when he jumps into me as well as trying to press 6A.

I also need tips on what to do at the start of the match.

[Overheat]

In neutral, you should be half a screen away or greater. I think it's less about what you do (as long as what you're doing is relatively safe), and more about being in a safe position. If you're in a good position, you'll have enough time to react to what the opponent does, and still be in a safe position to whiff a Drive.

- After an IAD, I think j.2D is usually the best option. If you do an IAD back, j.D and j.2D both work.

- It doesn't really matter what you do after 214D~C as long as you get yourself better positioning. You can do 6D/2D to force them to block 214D~C, do 236D~C to get them to block more, run with Spike Chaser to get farther away from the corner, attempt a mix-up, etc.

- I don't recommend 214D~C after 236B. 236D(~C) is too slow here as well. 6D is probably the best option. 214D's alright.

- 5DD > 236A/236B, depending on if it's blocked or not. 214D sometimes isn't as strong as 236A or 236B in this situation. If the opponent's in the air, you can also do 5DD > 236C, of course.

If you keep on getting hit when using 6A as an AA, then you're probably doing 6A too late. You could try blocking or using one of Lambda's different AA's. If he's crossing you up, you could also try backdashing out of it.

Best round starters, IMO:

jump and block (doesn't matter where you jump. Usually back, though)

IAD back

crouch and block

3C

A lot of this isn't that complicated. I have confidence that you already knew some of these things (like round starters and what to do after IAD's). Still, I think it'd be best to focus on only a few things right now.

[toanenadiz]

Thanks for the help. :3

I also need some tips for my neutral game and how I would have decided what to do next after an IAD, 214D~C, 236B and 5DDs and etc.. and what other possibilities I can do at those times when bang does certain things.

I always get hit when he jumps into me as well as trying to press 6A.

I also need tips on what to do at the start of the match.

I feel like blocking would be a very good thing you should do when you aren't sure what to do. Overall vs Bang, you essentially have to react to what he doing in neutral since he is a really mobile character with good (but limited) tools in the form of his nails. You just need to pay attention to his D nails in particular and pay attention to your spacing so you know how to avoid them and not get hit by them or forced to block them. His A nail approach is also something else to worry about with respect to trying to AA him but it is already hard enough to AA Bang anyway so you might just want to run under him to avoid the situation all together.

If you have more in-depth questions about what to do against Bang specifically, it is probably better to ask in the Bang thread from this point on since it is no longer critiquing your own play.

[someonewhodied]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOSo6UWaaJk&list=PLU3V9lBogANPgE2rBYcm98X0ZP35_TH2p&index=3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48mlAeM34pU&list=PLU3V9lBogANPgE2rBYcm98X0ZP35_TH2p&index=6#!

I need some tips/help for this matchup.

If you are feeling ballsy, throw out a 2C as soon as you see a guardpoint.

2C is my hero. It isn't the best option but its my favorite. You can do so many things off of it.

Jump Cancel>IAD on the first 2C that hits for this combo:

2C(CH)(1)>IAD>j.2C>2DD>4B(2)>2DD>2147D>66DD>2DD>Air Swords>Air Ender

or

2C(CH)(1)>IAD>j.2C>2DD>214A>2147D>66A>6C>236C>664B(2)>2DD>Air Swords>Air Ender

or if you jump but don't airdash

2C(CH)>j.2DD>j.21D~C>j.5C>2DD>4B(2)>2DD>Air Swords>Air Ender.

or if you miss the IAD completely and don't even jump.

2C(CH)>5A>6C>j.DD>dj.2DD>j.214D~C>j.2C>2DD>Air Swords>Air Ender.

The j.214D>RC>Follow up you missed in the first match, I prefer the follow up as j.66>j.2C>2DD>4B(2)>hj.2C>Dj.5DD>j.2DD>j.214D since its hard to drop and does enough damage to warrent an RC instead of oki.

Off of your 4B(2)s I'd do the following: 2DD>7j.5DD>7dj.2D>j.214D~C>j.2C>2DD>Air Swords>Air Ender for an extra maybe 1K damage

[atdsutm]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8L6N9TT_9Q&list=PLU3V9lBogANNDwO4k1cUKpc9mhVa1GtNI&index=15

more vids of me failing.

[Overheat]

Nothing really different from before, IMO. I think you should work on a few things from the tips above, then get recorded in a few weeks if you wish to ask how to further improve your Lambda.

You must've noticed, but you were cornered very quickly in the first round. It's not usually a huge problem, but it can be if you don't know how to escape.

You did 6DD > 236C twice as a blockstring in the first match and it didn't work. You also did a few 236C's by itself. Last round you were mashing a lot. Your combo choices midscreen could be improved upon greatly. Your hitconfirms could be improved as a bit well.

[Dazardz]

[The Color I Usually Choose Is The Black And White]

[My XBL: ReaperD Reborn2]

Every single one of these matches were recorded about 5 days ago, I just didn't have the time to record the latest ones. I kind of noticed that I've adapted to online since then, but I still need improvement. And I'm really sorry about the horrible quality, I don't have a capture card or good camera.

(A load of these are against beginners too)

Vs Another Lambda

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY9015_j3c4

Vs Makoto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APzicbXavnI

Vs Mu-12

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2g8XV3U9vw

Vs Ragna

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIXzCqKDafE

Vs Platinum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdKHEXh2xCY

[toanenadiz]

You use 2A too much. During the first match, you were being hit by j2DD and for some reason, was mashing 2A. Similarly, 2A isn't that great of a poke to just dash in with. You should try using 2B or 3C if you are going to dash in against someone. You also should use less 5C in neutral and for oki as well. It can't really be used for that purpose and that Makoto showed you that a few times. There are better options, like your B moves.

Which leads nicely into the fact that you should also try using your B moves more. I noticed a lot of the time, you would just do 2A > 5C or 2C, which doesn't actually combo unless you got a counter hit

Better hitconfirms. There were some cases where you would land a CH 214D or 236D and either not do anything off of it or just do 5C > 6C. In the same vein, you were sitting on meter a lot and it would have been better to use it to RC after 236B for a good combo

You should also try using the follow-up to j2D and then either confirming into crescent saber or cancelling into a crescent feint. You hit with j2D a bunch but didn't do anything from it

I also noticed you whiffed some of your moves a lot. Particularly moves that you shouldn't whiff at close range like 5D. Make sure you learn the minimum and maximum range of your moves since Lambda's moves tend to have a bunch of recovery

Also in the first few matches, you weren't doing 236D but then against the Ragna you did that is good. Though I did see the Ragna easily jump out of it so you might want to practice the timing some more.

[Overheat]

Although recency is a factor, its not that important unless you just started playing Lambda a week or two ago.

- You use 236C too much. Of all the 236C's you do (whether on block or at neutral), how many connect?

- 5C's a bad move in this game. I recommend minimizing your use of it whenever possible. It's alright to use in combo's, but unless you can stagger it for 4B/3C, it's not that good.

- For 3C > 236D oki, 236D should be delayed slightly for greater frame advantage.

- You use TK's a lot for mix-up. TK's are alright to use once in a while, but 4B is a much better mix-up tool. You can combo from it, and thus get more damage and Heat. I don't remember seeing you use 4B in these matches.

- You did 2A > 2C quite a few times... That doesn't work on a standing opponent. A good normal to use in gatlings is 2B. From there, you can do 6B > 5C, or 2C > 5C > 3C.

- As toanenadiz said, there were a lot of times where you could've RC'ed your moves for more damage. You would also get better corner carry and some of that Heat back.

You were able to IB a little bit in the Lambda mirror, but I didn't notice any IB'ing in the other matches.

The things that I would recommend implementing as soon as possible:

- Less 5C

- Less Parsers

- Less 236236D

- 4B

In general, I think your choice of combo's and hitconfirming could be greatly improved.

Lambda mirror

Spike Chaser can be cancelled out by Drive. It's not necessarily a bad tool to use in this match-up, but it's not very strong either.

There were a few Parsers that you randomly threw out.

A lot of your 2A's were out of range. Sometimes it was because you didn't do a Dashing 2A, and other times it was because you didn't dash enough. I'd recommend replacing most of them with Dashing 2B's or 4B's instead.

A lot of your j.2D's were pretty high off the ground. j.2D should be done as soon as possible. It'll be faster, and you'll land quicker.

Near the end of the first round, the other Lambda got hit by 236D, and you did a 214B. I'm guessing you were trying to do 4B there?

(midscreen to corner) 2A > 2B > 2C > 5C > 3C > 236D > Dashing 5C[8] > 6C > 236236D > Dashing 5C[8] > 6C > 214D

- This was kind of a waste of Heat.

- 5C[8] > 6C > 214D doesn't work late in combo's.

It was kinda difficult to tell, since there weren't many opportunities to land any, but I think your hitconfirming needs some work.

Makoto

You looked like a different player here, to be honest... Just from the first round, I didn't see any of the mistakes from the Lambda mirror. You even picked up a random Spike Chaser hit with Drive, instead of using 5C.

Still a lot of 5C and Parsers, but this was much better. You played better, and your opponent was stronger.

Mu

j.2DD > j.214D~C > 236C? 2A > 2C again...

Your opponent was at the other end of the screen, but it's still a bad idea to use 236D~C there - especially without prefacing it with 5D or 4D (I don't recommend using 4D either). I think you could've used Spike Chaser there instead. It's safer and controls space more effectively.

Ragna

You were playing alright here. Near the end of the first round, you used 236236D to get your opponent to block, then did 236D~C to force them to block a mix-up. You did a TK. If you had done 4B, you could have KO'ed Ragna or forced him to waste a Burst.

You attempted 6DD > 2DD > j.C > j.2C > 2DD, which is good. You can also do X > 2DD > 4B[#2 only] if you find it easier.

236236D is not something you should throw out from anything less than fullscreen. It should also be prefaced with 5D (or even 6D) to make it safer.

Platinum

I think you were jumping or mashing a lot against the Platinum in the first round. Blocking is the safest option on wake-up. If you can Barrier block or Barrier IB, your opponent's pressure won't be as strong.

[Sadeyo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpGMkEmsfdg&feature=youtu.be

Going full lambda till the end of Extend. I can't say that my performance is too hot with her and I'm no expert to provide tips but I'll take any hints I can get to make her lethal. If she's truly enjoyable I don't mind taking her to BBCP with me. I get random tips while I still get the chance with toan and hk.

[someonewhodied]

add me on PSN, I can say I'm one of the best netplay lambdas around. I'll be able to play on PSN soon. About to set up bank account and credit card, then I'll purchase that controller adapter and hop on PSN. (or you can play me as I am now, while I use a PSP as a controller )