Thought process during neutral

[I am Jeroen]

Right, so I've played Guilty Gear casually in the past and have now Xrd has come to steam, I have decided to pick it up for real. I've got a basic understanding of the game mechanics and my character (Potemkin). This means I can pull off combo's, use my meter for defensive purposes, execute mix-ups and basic oki. These are things that are very basic and easy for me to understand. Now to what I don't understand, and that is the neutral game. Whenever I play or watch match videos I have no idea of what is going on. More specifcially, what am I supposed to be thinking of when I occupy this spot on the screen or what are these dudes in this video thinking as they're battling for positioning. I can get no further information from videos besides finding the spot on the screen that they want to occupy because (I'm guessing) it probably is where their character is strongest or they are least susceptible to enemy attacks.

Let me give you an example. I'm playing as Potemkin versus a Millia. The round starts and Millia backs off. I now think to myself: "what do I do?" I know that Millia can airdash and be in my face in a split second. I know she can go to the air and do hairpin to put me into blockstun. Another is that she runs at me and sticks out a button. There are more options, but lets keep it to these three for now. My mind is now cycling through my own options: "Do I do a pre-emptive 5S to stop the airdash? Do I try to react to the jump and flick the pin or backdash and avoid? Maybe I should do a neutral jump on reaction to her jump and try to go for  airthrow. As for dealing with the run, I'll try to hit 2D pre-emptively or do I wait for the run and then do it?"

I choose any of these options, but guessed wrong. I get hit or put into blockstun, knocked down eventually and put into the blender. I have no meter the first time round and I didn't guess right, into blender again. I manage to get out somehow, neutral is reset. Now Millia can get to choose again from the three previously mentioned options. I choose wrongly and get put into blender. It's the end of round 1, I lost. Round 2 is starting and I'm hoping for the best.

Is this how the game works (as Potemkin)? Committing to unsafe moves and hoping for the best? It's not just versus Millia either. I can give you a similar scenario versus Faust for example, or any of the cast for that matter. So how is this game's neutral played? Do you have to make pre-emptive decisions? Or is it reactionary? I can hear everybody already thinking, a combination. So then how do I approach the neutral?

I get street fighter neutral (reactionary, more slow). I get kof neutral (actively defending and occupying space, fast paced). Guilty gear doesn't feel quick enough to be about making activively hitting buttons and moving around, but it doesn't seem slow enough to be reactionary either. Can someone explain how to approach the neutral game?

 

 

 

[I am Jeroen]

As no one has replied yet. I'll try to elaborate a bit on my issue.

There is hardly ever a time during neutral where I don't feel at risk of a potential attack. So I feel the need (as a Potemkin player) to occupy space to stop any incoming attacks. Avoiding potential attacks is also an option, but because Potemkin has limited movement options, chances are that you won't get your precious space back. Looking busy (dashing or walking back and forth, sticking out buttons, hopping up and down) while looking out for a specific move is another potential option, but not for Potemkin. That leaves me with occupying space and blocking.

Potemkin has far reaching normals that do a great job at occupying space, but they're slow as balls and have long recovery. So everytime I decide to hit them, I'm unable to block for a relatively long time. The only actions during the neutral game that Potemkin can use without much risk are 2P, walking, neutral jumping and blocking. Is this how the game is supposed to be played as Potemkin?

[Dark Ranger88]

Not really a Potempkin/GG player, but don't you have a full screen unblockable that lets you approach if it hits?

Isn't there also a move that lunges most of the screen and has 1 hit of armor , that lets you threaten command throw afterwards?

[Airk]

Well, part of this problem is, as I understand it, that Potemkin isn't very good. :P But mostly, I'm wondering if this question might not work better in the Potemkin forum, because you're not really asking "How do I play neutral in Guilty Gear?" you're asking "How do I play neutral with Potemkin?"

 

[I am Jeroen]

You're probably right, Airk. My initial thought was to go to the noobie forum, because that's how I feel when playing haha.

Should I ask a mod to move the topic to the Potemkin subforum?

[Airk]

You can if you like, or you can just repost it there, I don't think anyone will mind.

[Blade]

Potemkin's neutral game often depends on how close he is to his opponent for a Buster, really.  (If you ask me, that is).