The Most Hated Fighting Game Archetype

Comments · 537

• SP

  @spingebill2009 · 1 month ago

  Zoner? I didn't even know her!

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• JE

  @jeremy19-g9s · 1 month ago

  I think something that's underdiscussed when talking about why zoners are frustrating is that at lower levels the risk/reward doesn't line up. When playing Ryu vs. Ken at lower levels, you know you're not playing the characters at full strength, but that's ok. You don't punish everything you could, you don't always do the optimal combo, and you don't always throw out the best option, but neither does your opponent, so it evens out. If developers balanced the game so Ryu and Ken were equally likely to win neutral, and can each kill off of 3-4 interactions at high level, at low level the same thing happens over 6-7 interactions and it's still fine. With zoners, however, there's a missmatch. Each stray JP spike or Guile boom deals the same damage at bronze as it does at legend. However, when a low level player does get in on a zoner, they're not going to get as much damage off their combo and probably aren't going to have as good of oki, so they're more likely to get sent back to full screen after only doing half the damage they needed to. Sure, low level zoners can't generally anti-air as well or do strong combos, but that's often less relevant. When the formula for a game is "I can hit you with 30 10 damage projectiles each time you get in, then you do a 300 damage combo when you actually land a hit", then non-zoner only does 150 damage before getting DP'd back to full screen, it stops feeling like an even fight.

  18

• WI

  @wilvic6683 · 1 month ago (edited)

  Fun fact : tohou has a fighting game that is basically everyone being a zoner and somehow works,is a really good fight game

  390

• AH

  @AH-uz3fx · 1 month ago

  The lonely zoner tries to free his mind at night

  352

• MA

  @Max_Casetera · 1 month ago

  The thing that i like about zonners is that when you DO get in, it feels so much better than hitting any other character

  368

• RE

  @ReRubis · 1 month ago (edited)

  I like Peacock because she is very interesting as a zoner. <br>It is not about just dashblocking through projectiles. <br>It is about the unique tools you have to counter her zoning. <br>About navigating her dead zone.<br>About paying attention to item drop cooldowns.<br>About spacing around M item drop shadow. <br>About M/H shadow tradeoffs. <br>And assists make it even more interesting adding a layer on top.<br><br>Like I can call H Hilgard 2 hir armor fullscreen projectile assist, but it takes time to come out and can be hit before it comes out. So I want to step forward with my point character and guard the assist to get it come out. Amazing.

  51

• VE

  @Vernafveik · 1 month ago (edited)

  Worst types of zoners are those who can cover multiple approaches with one use of a special.<br><br>Zoning is at it’s most fun when you HAVE to select the right option for the specific situation because then it becomes a game of trying to condition and read your opponent for both sides.

  274

• GI

  @giantdinoboy8264 · 1 month ago

  Trap zoning is probably the most messed up of the 3 types of zoning but also the type I enjoy the most playing vs and as. Fighting Testament in +R is something you really have to experience to understand and appreciate.

  84

• SH

  @shotsniper009 · 1 month ago

  I can see why people like sf6 sagat. Hes got a muay thai anesthetic so makes sense people would like the version who&apos;s elbowing more.

  10

• JA

  @jaywalk65 · 1 month ago

  when I hear “broken top tier zoner” I think of injustice superman, chills

  101

• JA

  @jays.6843 · 1 month ago

  Zoners tend to be really badly designed. They tend to either violently hose characters that don&apos;t have proper answers or they are actually solid characters with strong ranged options, aka the old Netherrealm special..<br><br>So even when they&apos;re terrible, they&apos;re still extremely frustrating.

  12

• IN

  @Inferno144 · 1 month ago (edited)

  When my man started showing Sagat in his later apperances, I now realize how fucking HUGE this man is. I didnt realize how tall Sagat was, like good god. He&apos;s even taller than Zangief!

  31