Can low-tier characters benefit from team synergy?
In Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, every character has a set of completely unique moves. Certain characters, regardless of placement on tier lists, can still benefit from having an assist that contributes to strengthening their weaknesses.
Assist are the two other characters in a team of three. There is a rotational system that places the primary or point character at the beginning of each fight. A secondary or middle character that is placed after the point character is either defeated or tags out, and finally the last character or the team anchor (kind of like cleanup hitter in baseball) becomes the anchor if both primary and secondary teammates are defeated.
There is no specific order in which you are restricted to place any character on your team, but given the strengths and weaknesses of each character, placement could be the difference between a victory or a defeat.
Strengths and weaknesses?
For example, some low-tier characters are viable as point characters paired with the right assist or team synergy. Point characters need to make quick work of the opponent’s point and secondary characters, and they also need to be able to capitalize on mistakes their opponents make by being able to take down a character (given the circumstances) within favorably one combo.
Most of the low-tier roster cannot accomplish a “one touch kill” (defeat and opposing character with one combo variation) even with the proper assist.
A major contributing factor as to why characters are placed in the low tier bracket on a tier list is in fact their viability as solo characters.
Low-Tier Example
I’ll use She-Hulk and her versatility as a solo character. She’s a rush-down heavy character with an above average HP (Hit Points) pool and decent damage output. Despite all of her positive features, she has a mobility problem and a big hurt box (the area surrounding a character that registers damage) leaving her ultimately defenseless against characters who utilize projectiles or a team that focuses on long range fighting.
Her mobility alone impairs her against some of the faster characters in the roster, making her vulnerable to a modicum of mix-ups, cross-ups, unblockables, and untechables (unable to counter-grab or escape being grabbed). Even though her damage output and durability are exceptional, she cannot “one-touch kill” the majority of the cast even with the right assist. Ultimately this places her in a low- to mid-tier range on a tier list.
Pairing her with assist characters (assuming she will be the point character) that help strengthen her mobility creates openings where being a rush-down, hard-hitting brawler truly benefits her. This won’t change her placement on a tier list much, being that she relies on her allies in order to create these opportunities, but with some team synergy even the low- tier characters can pose a threat.
After all, it is a team game.
Published: Jun 27, 2013 05:56 pm