Lars players wanted!

[Super Cosmic Space Magnet]

Hi peeps!

So I've been struggling on Lars, I'm comfortable with his combos and his wall game but I'm finding two things difficult at the moment: Defending against pressure and poking with lows. When I'm against a Jin and he's mashing buttons on me I find it very difficult to get anything at all in without being immediately counterhit by another jab string. The big moves aren't so bad to punish, but I find myself struggling in the neutral game quite a lot. In the end I just defend and defend and defend, and hope eventually they make a mistake or I can get a low parry.

The other point is on offence. Lars has enough cheeky shenanigans that for a first match I can usually vary my attack, but if an opponent is stubbornly turtling my only real options to engage are a very slow low-damage db+4 low poke, or the throw you can get out of (f+3, 2). I've been looking at Lars guides and they tend to go into depth on how to pull of the crazy combos but I've yet to find something that can help with these particular problems. Using his Dynamic-->Silent combos is an option of course, but given that these movements register as counterhits (and have no low moves possible at all except for SE4, which feels horrendously unsafe on anything but counterhit) it feels far too risky to use often.

Is there something glaringly obvious I'm missing? Is there some tool Lars has that I should be exploiting but am not? I'm not an experienced player, I'm very much still a fresh Dan, so even obvious things may be helpful. Thanks!

[Pohtayto🐉]

1,4 is a high low move that has decent range. What I do most of the time for offence is do a couple 1,4's in to get my opponent to try and block the low so I can hit them with a launcher.

db1,3 is also another low poke that goes low high. It is a natural combo that does 19 damage and is safer than spamming db+4.

SEN 2 (f1,2 or f2,1 or f3,1f goes into SEN) is a low sweep that can go into a full combo on counter hit.

ff3+4 is a low low that has decent range but is launch punishable on block.

uf+3+4, 1 makes Lars do a flip into a low poke. -13~12 on block.

d3,1 is a low high high move that is launch punishable on the first hit if they block it.

d1+2 is a good low check move as it knocks down the opponent but is launch punishable on block.

(full crouch) FC+df1+2 which is a double low poke thats kind of slow and -12~11 on block.

ff3,4 is a low mid poke but is launch punishable on block.

Keep in mind that spamming the same move will make your opponent parry the lows so try and vary it up with the pokes.

(while standing) ws3 is a really slow high kick but on block it makes you +7, meaning that if your opponent tries to push anything you will punish them. If I see my opponent get hit by it then I try and do my df2,1 screw into a combo. Even if they block df2,1, you can't be punished for it.

If my opponent doesn't roll tech after a SEN ender, I usually go for SEN 2 instead of SEN 1 which is the far knockback ender. With SEN 2, they get a little extra damage for not teching but will leave you vulnurable if they do.

fff3 or (while running) wr3 is Lars slash kick that leaves you +8~14 on block so your opponent has to not push a button or else they get punished by your attack.

In terms of using either SEN or DEN, I try not to go into stance too often unless I know that my opponent isn't aware. df3f puts you into dynamic entry. ws2f puts you SEN while ws2d puts you in DEN while also backing you up. db2f puts you in SEN. You can do whatever stance combos you can. ws2d DEN1f puts you into SEN for whatever move you want to use.

Not sure if this is as important but SEN df1, (sidestep) SS2, or d2 puts the opponent into crouch state so they are forced to do a ws move.

df1+2 is Lars' power crush move, meaning that you can armor past highs or mids but get counter hit on lows.

uf1+2 is his command grab that can only be teched if your opponent pushes 1+2, otherwise they take the full 40 damage.

uf3+4 by itself is a grab but I wouldn't rely on it as it requires your opponent to be standing still.
uf3+4 4 is a safe mid kick on block after the flip. On counter hit, it grabs and switches sides.

ff1+2 is a good get off me knockback as it pushes your opponent away. It also screws on counterhit.

db1+2 makes Lars back up and do a mid attack. It's unsafe on block but can lead into a full combo on counterhit.

Sorry if this is really long but hope this helps you get better. It took me a while to figure out how to play Lars also.

[Super Cosmic Space Magnet]

That's a lot of help, thanks! There's some stuff on here I was already aware of, UF1+2 for example is one of my favourite moves as you can use it under pressure and it helps you push them towards the wall - which is where I like to be. I think the big takeaways for me here are the quick and simple strings like DB1, 3 and not overusing stances.

Last question, if an opponent is turtling and going hard on standing defence how do you crack them open? ff3+4 and db4 both feel horrendously unsafe.

[mingy]

Lars is a very s**t character - as said by the best Lars player atm who is LowHigh. Perhaps you should watch vids from him playing Lars to see what you can learn.

There's also a guide on Lars by a guy called Frame Whisperer on YouTube, he's very good at teaching you stuff.

[Blue Eyes]

Origineel geplaatst door Super Cosmic Space Pootis:

That's a lot of help, thanks! There's some stuff on here I was already aware of, UF1+2 for example is one of my favourite moves as you can use it under pressure and it helps you push them towards the wall - which is where I like to be. I think the big takeaways for me here are the quick and simple strings like DB1, 3 and not overusing stances.

Last question, if an opponent is turtling and going hard on standing defence how do you crack them open? ff3+4 and db4 both feel horrendously unsafe.

Db1,3 is useful, but it's also high risk if your opponent know it well, they can duck to block the low and while you making high kick they can punish by a While Standing laucher. If your opponent play defensive, I think d+4, d/b+1,3, (Crouching) d/f+1+2, d+1+2, d/b+4 go with WS+4, and all kind of throws might work.

[茶杯他爹]

Poke and whiff punish in neutral games, keep in mind that many of his moves high crush so if you find your opponent jabbing a lot, throw one of those out.
db1,3 is a good move, although second hit can be ducked, you can do db1 then into mid low mixup with fcdf1+2 and ws moves.
You already know db4, good crush properties and launches on CH, so when you see your opponent jabs a lot you know what to do.
d2 forces crouch and is safe, with a decent range. One strat with this move is backdash when it's blocked, if opponent hits a button it whiffs, you punish.
Also b4, safe on block and automatically deals about 50dmg on CH, abuse this move when you know your opponent won't jab back when you pressure them

[Super Cosmic Space Magnet]

Origineel geplaatst door Nishi:

Db1,3 is useful, but it's also high risk if your opponent know it well, they can duck to block the low and while you making high kick they can punish by a While Standing laucher. If your opponent play defensive, I think d+4, d/b+1,3, (Crouching) d/f+1+2, d+1+2, d/b+4 go with WS+4, and all kind of throws might work.

Very helpful! I didn't even know d/f+1+2 was a move until this - I'm finding it a great poke and pressure option. I'm also liking that the WS2 can go into DE defensively or SE aggressively to vary your gameplay - especially since SE can go either be a low or launching mid.

I'm still at Mentor rank at the moment but I've been able to get a few good wins against Marauders lately, thanks to the help I've had through this thread. Thanks!