Spiral Knights - Questions for experienced LD players

Questions for experienced LD players

26 replies [Last post]

Fri, 08/01/2014 - 19:10

Terrifying-Pancake

Hey guys! Just wanted to get some public opinions on a few points about lockdown. If you post an answer, you get 69 crowns. (Legit answers only pls)

1) Which do you find more annoying, Polaris or AT?
2) Are you able to tell when a gunner is using AT or not?
3) Are you able to tell if a swordsman is using AT or not?
4) Do you think relying on shock/freeze statuses(to get a kill or upperhand in a fight) is a fair tactic, or do you think it is cheap?
5) What would prefer LD without, Polaris or AT? The optimal answer is both, but I want to know which you think is worse.
6) What is your favorite way of countering AT users?
7) What is your favorite way of countering Polaris spammers?

Questions on the aspects of lockdown that kill the skill, just want to know some opinions! Everyone knows LD will be better without AT and Polaris, but these questions focus on which is the greater evil. Thanks for reading!

Fri, 08/01/2014 - 20:12

Thebronzemonsta

I find Polaris more

I find Polaris more annoying.
It is hard to tell if a gunner is using AT
IT IS VERY EASY TO TELL IF A SWORDSMAN IS USING AT
Freeze/shock is good, for the person using it.
I prefer LD without Polaris.
MY FAVORITE WAY OF COUNTERING AT USERS IT TO KILL THEM
I counter Polaris spammers by letting them KILL me and sometimes trying to KILL them. Mostly just dodge and ignore

BTW THIS WWORTH 696 crowns not only 69

Fri, 08/01/2014 - 20:18

Vaked

Doing it for the crowns...

1) AT
2) Not always
3) Yes
4) Not really sure what you are asking... I think it is fair to rely on, but I find it unreliable
5) Without AT
6) Hammer, but then you have to listen to them whine about hammers
7) Just waste their time by dodging their shots... most Polaris spammers suck anyways

Only thing bad about Polaris is it has moderate shock. It should be minor shock IMO.

Fri, 08/01/2014 - 20:54

Pithless

Doing it for the crowns - Coz Im a cheap a$$h@(!

1) Polaris - Though neither of them are "that" annoying.
2) Gunners are the easiest to tell if they're using AT. If they hit you, they're not using AT. If they don't hit you, they're using AT. ( And no, I didn't screw up the order )
3) Swordpeeps are hard, bruh. Some people just blame their death on AT even when the person that killed them did NOT even use it - (To protect their ego of glass )
4) Shock/Freeze - Completely fair, only time you SHOULD get shocked/frozen is when you're fighting a gunner ( A gunner needs to hit you a lot more times to kill you than you need to hit a gunner with swords to kill them ) so it's fair.
5) I actually wanna see AT gone. Because without AT, everyone can only blame themselves for being getting killed and therefore, their ego will shatter and I'll will laugh my face off. Oh and, without the AT/AA complainers, my ignore list won't need the whole of the SK LD community on it.
6) You dodge, Duh. AT isn't Aim bot.
7) You kill them.

Did you even need to ask other people these questions? :c

Fri, 08/01/2014 - 21:56

Klipik-Forum

1) Which do you find more annoying, Polaris or AT?
AT

2) Are you able to tell when a gunner is using AT or not?
Not usually

3) Are you able to tell if a swordsman is using AT or not?
If they're bad at it, which is about half the time

4) Do you find shock/freeze fair or cheap to rely on?
Fair, because you have to gimp your damage to make them happen (except polaris and really lucky driver shots while alch switching)

5) What would prefer LD without, Polaris or AT? The optimal answer is both, but I want to know which you think is worse.
AT, I can handle annoying weapons but fake skill is something that should be completely absent from any competitive activity

6) What is your favorite way of countering AT users?
Ignoring the fact they're using AT and beating them like they're just good at aiming

7) What is your favorite way of countering Polaris spammers?
Run around the bullets and stab them full of holes.

Also, y u no bring op other "questionably OP" weapons or gear, or UVs.

Fri, 08/01/2014 - 23:39

Leekcoco

1) Polaris
2) Yes
3) Mostly, but some are just very accurate
4) No
5) Without Polaris
6) Depends on who it is
7) There's no other way than killing them

Sat, 08/02/2014 - 00:25

Theirillusion

AT
Most times, yes
Most times, yes
Cheap
AT
Any long ranged weapon is a must, also real skill helps.
Ignore them, or dash, or dodge... turn sound off..

Sat, 08/02/2014 - 00:48

Zeddy

1) Polaris, if I have to choose one of them.
2) Haven't tried, but if the gunner stops moving a lot, that should be a sign he's using AT since AT only works while you're standing perfectly still.
3) Not at all.
4) A bit. That's why I don't bring out VT all that often.
5) Polaris.
6) I strafe while charging my bombs.
7) I strafe while charging my bombs.

Sat, 08/02/2014 - 02:11

Bleyken

1) AT
2) Yes
3) Yes
4) Fair, if you don't wanna get shocked/frozen just dodge
5) AT
6) Guns
7) Dodge, There aren't good pola spammers nowadays...

Sat, 08/02/2014 - 02:12

Bleyken-Forums

1) AT
2) Yes
3) Yes
4) Fair
5) Without AT
6) The polaris
7) With everything because usually their spam sucks. I usually bring a valiance so I use it.

Sat, 08/02/2014 - 04:18

#10

Valtiros

1) AT of course, the only

1) AT of course, the only problem with polaris is that it makes lag.
2) yeah it depends of the gun. slow gun doesn't need AT because it hinders prediction. but with fast guns it's easy to spot AT
3) perfect combos.. : Yes
4) No: to inflict status you first have to touch
5) without AT: this 1 is a plague in lockdown scene.
6) guns also
7) just doging I reckon. you can avoid their bullets and go behind them.

Sat, 08/02/2014 - 04:16

#11

Reto-Da-Liz

1) Both require 0 skill.
2) Of course.
3) Of course.
4) Cheap, particularly Freeze.
5) AT.
6) BTB + Valiance
7) My MSI Med loadout.

Sat, 08/02/2014 - 05:32

#12

Krakob

1) Polaris.
2) Kind of. If they're standing still, it's probably AT because no sane person would stand still if they have the opportunity to move.
3) I tend to assume it if they're just spamming Acheron's first hit or combos with anything except non-Hammer heavy swords.
4) Yes.
5) Without Polaris.
6) That really depends on what kind of AT user we're talking about.
7) Dashing through their wall of bullets and bashing their brains out.

Sat, 08/02/2014 - 08:11

#13

Seiran

PffFT

1) Which do you find more annoying, Polaris or AT?
Polaris. I'm a recon so I get hit anyway if I don't do something about people myself. Polaris is a long range status weapon that I need to specifically space from, so it's obviously more of a threat/annoyance to me.

2) Are you able to tell when a gunner is using AT or not?
Yes.

See Krakob's video on movement during AT, then try it yourself.

Autotarget will only lock on if you stand still while attacking. Gunners who use mobile guns (everything except magnus line/blitz/tortofist) and are walking while attacking cannot possibly be relying on AT. Meanwhile, the guns that DO make you stand still prevent you from turning (and remember, AT only aims at where the person WAS when you clicked without taking movement speed into account : Callahan will often miss beasts in PVE for that reason).

So, AT-reliant gunners will often stand still to attack. (Ex: AT-striker gunner will boost-stop-shoot).

3) Are you able to tell if a swordsman is using AT or not?
Kind of, but you need to get hit by a combo to really tell: a combo that goes directly into you (ex: doesn't slide past you) is most likely an AT combo.
Other than that, no, you can't. If you get hit by single slashes, it could just be their own good prediction on you.

4) Do you find shock/freeze fair or cheap to rely on?
Cheap? Nah. Effective, yes. In order to be shocked/frozen, you need to get hit in the first place. Strong latency (3 bars/worse) aside, you need to fight for every hit, and fight to not get hit.

5) What would prefer LD without, Polaris or AT? The optimal answer is both, but I want to know which you think is worse.
LD without AT, just so people can shut up and realize it's their own footwork/bad choices that's getting them killed.

6) What is your favorite way of countering AT users?
Outrange with guns. Perfect directional aim with short range will lose to good aim with better range. I mean think of it theoretically - if both of you have 100% hitrate and 100% timing, what will win? Obviously the weapon with better range and mobility. Also this puts your losses in your own responsibility - if you get hit it's because you mispredicted/mistimed/failed on your own side. You can't blame anything else (except lag... but if that's an issue, quit ignoring that issue and accept that you get hit because you're handicapped).

Also, recon/guardian don't care about AT. Recon is a game of footwork / prediction / spacing with guns - AT won't let strikers hit you aside from their own guesses. Guardian is a game of timing (you're visible anyway, so everything goes down to predicting when they'll approach you).

7) What is your favorite way of countering Polaris spammers?
Outrange with faster, ranged guns (Silversix lines, Valiance line). If someone moves towards you with a slow bullet, you have 'range' advantage - their attack won't be any danger to you for about 1-2 seconds, but you can completely hit them in that time with a faster gun, as long as you pay attention to where they were when they shot.

Camera advantage can help/hurt this cause, depending on resolution. My screen resolution puts me at a disadvantage at max-range gunning when fighting a gunner below me. Also, usual recon assassination tactics work too (status out of cloak, etc).

Sat, 08/02/2014 - 08:44

#14

Terrifying-Pancake

Liking the answers! Crowns

Liking the answers! Crowns have been sent to the name of the account that the post was made by. :)

Also reworded question 4 due to it causing some confusion

Sat, 08/02/2014 - 08:46

#15

Sir-Pandabear

http://imgur.com/YlCi6wt

OP is a man of his word.

Sat, 08/02/2014 - 10:41

#16

Lady-Of-War

I'll provide my opinion.

1) Which do you find more annoying, Polaris or AT?
I find both annoying, but to single it down, would most likely be Polaris/pulsars in general.

2) Are you able to tell when a gunner is using AT or not?
No.

3) Are you able to tell if a swordsman is using AT or not?
Most of the time.

4) Do you think relying on shock/freeze statuses(to get a kill or upperhand in a fight) is a fair tactic, or do you think it is cheap?
You have to get hit to be inflicted with the status, but armor can mitigate the effects, so it's fair in my opinion.

5) What would prefer LD without, Polaris or AT? The optimal answer is both, but I want to know which you think is worse.
Both.

6) What is your favorite way of countering AT users?
Simply get out of range and bombard them with bullets.

7) What is your favorite way of countering Polaris spammers?
Simply fire back at them, or find another route and strike them from behind.

Sat, 08/02/2014 - 12:01

#17

Dragonuity

1. AT, they deceive

1. AT, they deceive themselves when they think they are so good, it's the equivalent of beating a boss on super-easy mode and bragging about it.
2. Yes, Run perpendicular to their shots and they will never hit you.
3. Ofc
4. Fair game as long as it isn't Polaris
5. AT, only then would I come back
6. Make them aim by attacking them from a range outside of their AT cornucopia, throwing in fakes and outplaying them in general.
7. Leave game.

Sat, 08/02/2014 - 14:55

#18

Firetorpedo

Fires the torpedoes.

1) Which do you find more annoying, Polaris or AT?
Polaris
2) Are you able to tell when a gunner is using AT or not?
Yes
3) Are you able to tell if a swordsman is using AT or not?
Sort of, because when they are using a brandish line weapon I can't really tell. I play brandish line fairly well (13k+) and I hit like as if I had AT on (I always check if AT is on) so I can't just assume the person is using AT or naw.
4) Do you think relying on shock/freeze statuses(to get a kill or upperhand in a fight) is a fair tactic, or do you think it is cheap?
It's lockdown, you use what have to use to win or try to win.
5) What would prefer LD without, Polaris or AT? The optimal answer is both, but I want to know which you think is worse.
Polaris. Area damage and chance a shock.
6) What is your favorite way of countering AT users?
Lure them to me (usually people with AT on want damage, so why not lure) so I can give them a fist full of DA
7) What is your favorite way of countering Polaris spammers?
Valiance and the Antigua line, just a great side arm for any situation.

Sat, 08/02/2014 - 22:48

#19

Terrifying-Pancake

Sent second batch of crowns!

Sun, 08/03/2014 - 02:41

#20

Pawsmack

1) Which do you find more

1) Which do you find more annoying, Polaris or AT?

Polaris

2) Are you able to tell when a gunner is using AT or not?

I can sort of tell whether or not sometimes. It's possible that they're using AT if they have tendency to stop when shoot, but this isn't the best indicator to figure out if they're using AT or not considering some players (i.e. Grimranger) gun without AT and use the exact same tactic. The only reason as to why it may be a possible indicator to the question whether they are using AT or not is just because in order for AT even to work using guns is to stand completely still when you're shooting them.

3) Are you able to tell if a swordsman is using AT or not?

Not really unless they make it painfully obvious to me that they are. I try not to overlook everything that way I don't end up assuming that someone is using AT when they're really not. Though like I said before, I can tell if they make it painfully obvious to me that they are through suddenly making really precise and sharp turns on combos and managing to hit me even after they've done that.

4) Do you think relying on shock/freeze statuses(to get a kill or upperhand in a fight) is a fair tactic, or do you think it is cheap?

I wouldn't say it's cheap because you have to be able to at least hit your opponent before you can even get a chance of causing a status effect on them. And if you happen to be the opponent you should really just have the mentality that if you get hit once, you get the status effect. And if you make a mistake and get hit, that's your fault for not being sharper.

5) What would prefer LD without, Polaris or AT? The optimal answer is both, but I want to know which you think is worse.

I would prefer LD without Polaris.

6) What is your favorite way of countering AT users?

Turning on AT myself.

7) What is your favorite way of countering Polaris spammers?

Looking for spots where their spam is weak, taking advantage of it and throwing a Valiance bullet into their face now that I'm in range to do so.

Sun, 08/03/2014 - 17:54

#21

Holy-Nightmare

1) Which do you find more

1) Which do you find more annoying, Polaris or AT? Auto target as I main recon and they never aim pulsars at what they don't see. AT is a problem when fighting in a group as they get perfect aim when I appear to backstab them

2) Are you able to tell when a gunner is using AT or not? As a recon I can see AT when it is used on my teammates.

3) Are you able to tell if a swordsman is using AT or not? Yes, as I said before getting perfect aim when I appear then never being able to hit when I disappear.

4) Do you think relying on shock/freeze statuses(to get a kill or upperhand in a fight) is a fair tactic, or do you think it is cheap?
Not really, it is up to a player to be prepared for all possibilities.

5) What would prefer LD without, Polaris or AT? The optimal answer is both, but I want to know which you think is worse.
HP trinkets that throw class balance out the window.

6) What is your favorite way of countering AT users? Recon.....

7) What is your favorite way of countering Polaris spammers? Recon....

I have a feeling you dislike these "AT users" and "Spammers"..... these never bother me, what bothers me is when someone has to use an HP trinket crutch to even be able to play.

(Don't forget: If you post an answer, you get 69 crowns.)

Sun, 08/03/2014 - 19:42

#22

Ill-Fate-Ill

1) Which do you find more annoying, Polaris or AT?
Auto-Target. It's cheap. Unskilled players should just miss 24/7 instead of using AT. I mean, they're not even making an effort.
2) Are you able to tell when a gunner is using AT or not?
Yes. Especially Argent Peacemaker/Sentenza/Carbine, Valiance and Callahan users.
3) Are you able to tell if a swordsman is using AT or not?
Easily. Especially Brandish and Flourish users.
4) Do you think relying on shock/freeze statuses(to get a kill or upper hand in a fight) is a fair tactic, or do you think it is cheap?
Fair. Just don't make it a crutch.
5) What would prefer LD without, Polaris or AT? The optimal answer is both, but I want to know which you think is worse.
Auto-Target.
6) What is your favourite way of countering AT users?
Killing them.
7) What is your favourite way of countering Polaris spammers?
Killing them.

Sun, 08/03/2014 - 22:20

#23

Skeptics

1) Which do you find more

1) Which do you find more annoying, Polaris or AT?
People who resort to either of them because they're too weak against competition.

2) Are you able to tell when a gunner is using AT or not?
I am able to tell. Yes.

3) Are you able to tell if a swordsman is using AT or not?
Yes, I am able to.

4) Do you think relying on shock/freeze statuses(to get a kill or upperhand in a fight) is a fair tactic, or do you think it is cheap?
All's fair in love and war.

5) What would prefer LD without, Polaris or AT? The optimal answer is both, but I want to know which you think is worse.
Without the people who whine about these "wrong" playstyles and exploit another. The optimal answer isn't both, that's just an opinion.

6) What is your favorite way of countering AT users?
By fighting them in combat and trying to beat them. The majority is AT users anyway. People just whine/cry when the enemy is stronger. Whatever benefits them I guess.

7) What is your favorite way of countering Polaris spammers?
Watching them ruin a possibly enjoyable match.

Thu, 08/07/2014 - 08:41

#24

Recreatedhero

7) What is your favorite way

7) What is your favorite way of countering Polaris spammers?
There is no cure to Polaris.... (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

Thu, 08/07/2014 - 11:41

#25

Deleted-Knight

eh, I'm bored

1) Polaris, but mainly because it screws up my graphics and causes more screen stutters. Also, I don't use a mouse so it's frustrating when I can't gun them down even if I predict correctly.

2) They stop moving and fire a series of bullets that never miss. Usually with the Antigua line, sometimes blaster too.

3) Flourish combos that hit with the tip of the sword. Brandish or heavy sword combos that shows the player snapping into a new direction instead of turning.

4) Well, do you think relying on damage and attack speed increases, striker boost, UVs, trinkets, connection stability is a fair tactic? The answer is yes, if I'm the one benefiting. No, if others are getting more from them than me. Shocker, I know.

5) I personally don't care. I would just like to see people stop trying to blame their failures on the game or other people. Even if there is legitimacy to their claims, it's something they should be dealing with on their own. Everyone playing this game should be old enough to know life's not fair.
Ideally, people shouldn't be taking this game that seriously in the first place. Unlike some other games, SK does not give enough room for diverse, yet equally effective play styles. Go play some real-life sports to satiate your competitive spirit.

6) The same way I try to counter every other player. Try a strategy, figure out where it failed. Modify it, repeat. I usually build an imaginary "strike range", a zone around the player within which there's no possible way I can dodge an attack, even with prediction. I like to go recon against people with "OP" strike ranges.

7) Spam back? Usually just avoid them on big maps.

Fri, 08/08/2014 - 16:38

#26

Fangel

Might as well jump into the fire.

1) Which do you find more annoying, Polaris or AT?
Of those two, probably Polaris. I just accept the fact that I'll get hit for the most part, auto-target or not. Pulsars plus my connection equates to me getting hit a little too often by bullets that I should be outrunning. Honestly that's just something I haven't adapted to yet.

2) Are you able to tell when a gunner is using AT or not?
Not really, and don't care.

3) Are you able to tell if a swordsman is using AT or not?
Ditto as above.

4) Do you think relying on shock/freeze statuses(to get a kill or upperhand in a fight) is a fair tactic, or do you think it is cheap?
Relying on status is exactly what a mist bomber does. Always. It's a viable tactic with other weapons too that adds a bit of flavor to the dullness of "I hit you, you die".

5) What would prefer LD without, Polaris or AT? The optimal answer is both, but I want to know which you think is worse.
Without any pulsar honestly. That's a portable bomb launcher and shouldn't be in the hands of a quick sword user.

6) What is your favorite way of countering AT users?
Stand back and re-calibrate. If they are hitting me a lot, obviously my current approach isn't the best. It all depends on the situation - sometimes a well timed dodge cuts it, other times a retreat + counter-attack is good.

7) What is your favorite way of countering Polaris spammers?
Usually cloaking and watching them spaz about. If I'm a guardian I like to dodge through their bullets and smack them in the face, but if that doesn't work then I'll usually be able to tank hits for a while.

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Questions for experienced LD players