@@LordKnightfgc The character is popular LK...can't get on board with this video. Are you saying she's busted or just different? Furthermore, do you know everyone who plays guilty gear? Usually you're on point with your analysis, but this post was underdeveloped and forced. And yeah I main Baiken and I'm not a pro. I've just been playing fighting games for 30 years.
the character is really popular among baiken players, who are a lot. But as LK said, a lot of other character players really dislike playing against baiken
@@monty083083 My guy, it was just a title so he can show everyone certain mechanics of Baiken that are famously frustrating to fight against, he isn't actually claiming that every single person that plays guilty gear despises baiken with their whole heart it's a hyperbole homie
@@LordKnightfgc wow LK, I'm so disappointed with this video. I love baiken, and so does everyone I know. Do you know every casual who plays fighting games? I don't think so, and they love Baiken. Baiken has a great set of personalities and it really makes her gameplay amazing. I'm a Baiken main and I don't even play her, that's how good she is. Furthermore, I've been a Baiken main for 40 years. Next time, get your facts right 😤
@@luciplayground999 People assumed h3 would be hard to learn because of blood gauge, but it's pretty easy to play around it when you're just learning. He's only hard when you want to do crazy combos, but he doesn't even them at most skill levels.
+R baiken still my fav version the baku followups are insane.I hope they dont change too much of her character or at least allow some type of guard cancel mechanic (although it would prob be too op in a game like strive)
@@heythatsme5000 kinda like what LK mentioned in the video you just can't do anything to her. When she's in blockstun she can break out of it and retaliate with a series of attacks. And then on top of that seal your abilities such as blocking jumping etc. Plus the mat is mad good too. She's ridiculous in plus r
@@heythatsme5000 -Guard cancels force many characters to completely rethink offense routes -Massive, disjointed hitboxes on a lot of her moves -A lot of her best pokes are neutral or plus on block -Incredibly pressure from most hits thanks to a multitude of plus frame normals, strong resets such as her Kabari hook and her 2H, throw invincible 6k, and safe ender in Tatami Gaeshi -Tatami Gaeshi screen control is incredibly strong -High damage from most combo starters -25 Meter Baku guard cancel puts her in an incredibly strong position, and even more for 50 meter -25 Meter triple tatami is a ridiculously good answer to any type of zoning but at least she's not Zappa
@@heythatsme5000 If played well, your only option is to wait for Baiken to make a mistake, wait for them to come to you and punish them. "Everyone in GG is playing their own game" is one of the things that makes GG different but that comes to a screeching halt with this character. Granted, I don't think Rev2 did her play style justice but you can't play your character so it feels like only one player is playing the game. Sure in fighting games when you're getting comboed all you can do sometimes is go make yourself a sandwich and a cup of coffee and come back but Baiken is the threat of "your turn ends now" taken to the oppressive extreme.
Given how they completely reworked Jack-o, another character whose mechanics people found frustrating, I'd be surprised if they didn't rework her to some extent.
Xrds rework shows that they value the guard cancel aspect of her character. She'll be reworked again in strive for sure but im not hopeful for it being a rework that fixes my issues with her T-T
Jack-O had only been in Xrd. She wasn't that established. Baiken has been around since the first game in the series, where she was an optional boss. They won't be substantially changing her the way they did Jack-O.
There are 3 things I belive in as a Byken player: - Tatami in neutral - TK Yozansen - Azami on wakeup The holy trinity of moves you should always be using
Picked Baiken up in Rev2 at the time back in 2017 because I lost all hope of them putting in ABA, my +R main, in Xrd and I've been a Baiken main ever since. Now I'm ready to burn the entire world down.
@@vigorouslethargy I'd honestly recommend that you just play her in +R then, since there's a very high chance that even if she does make it into Strive(which is unlikely) she will be almost a completely new character like Baiken, Ram and Testament, +R also still has an ongoing scene with new players coming in, discord is necessary to get better and find players your skill level, but there almost always dozens of people in quickmatch, Aba is kind of a hard character but at the same time, if you can get a feel for round start and her basic offense, you will kinda dominate a lot of low level players since she's a bit of a scrub killer
I think that since GGST has many options for delay gatlings and cancels, they are probably going to remove the parry during blockstun. However depending on how good parries are there's going to be a lot of messed up stuff for characters who have natural gaps in their fastests strings. They can also make low parry not parry mid attacks so, there are ways of balancing her. Fortunately I was a Baiken main in Xrd and a Millia main in strive so I have what I need XD.
Baiken sounds like the type of character I'd like to play. I felt there was no defensive characters in strive for me. I can be wrong though. But excited there maybe something for me in GGS
If it gives you any hope, as someone who only started playing FGs competitively back in Xrd, I was conditioned to learn how to block properly for about a 1000 matches & lose by that much since only OGs were playing where I was at. In Rev 2 Baiken dropped into the game and once I had that moment of clarity with how pressure works in that game, I also managed to more or less consistently make her parry work. I originally only picked her up because she looks cool, but who knew she'd actually play in a way that benefits blocking a lot, and make it fun. I'll tell you, its the most fun shit I've ever done in any FG before & after. Especially so if you enjoy frustrating others by playing the same way you are frustrated by some of the obnoxious shit some of these other characters have. Hopefully at least her defensive play aspect doesnt change too much in Strive.
GG doesn't really reward defensive play, it actually kind of punishes it. I wouldn't even really call baiken a defensive character, she's more rushdown/mixup. People just assume counters=defensive.
Was introduced to Guilty Gear through Strive, and this video makes it super easy to get an idea of what Baiken is bringing to the table. Thanks a lot, my 2 Leo braincells needed this.
I like fighting Baiken but I've been a Dizzy main but 10ish years. Baiken makes me switch up my approach to zoning and it's one of my favorite match-ups be it +R or Xrd honestly.
I wouldn't mind Baiken retaining her defensive options, but I suppose she'd need some kind of restriction to not become an antithesis to Strive's core combat. First thing I can think of is to use the Guard meter as her resource: if it reaches a certain point, Baiken can then use her parry/guardpoint moves, but it also locks her Guard meter in place for a few seconds, meaning that players who bait Baiken into a parry could punish her for big damage, and Baiken players themselves would need to be careful about their approach.
I would be SHOCKED if she had a parry out of blockstun. I think it will be more like Anji's, a special move she inputs that she has to kind of do on a read. JK she can do it out of blockstun, but also Baiken has 6 resource meters for Azami that all build at different rates off and you'll have to keep an eye on all of them :)
Kinda seems like the only two options for her. They've REALLY leaned into resource management for powerful mechanics. Security, Eddie, Blood Rage, Bullets and focus, minions. At this point we're combining RTS games with fighting games like hero shooters did with shooters and MOBAs. Either she'll have 3 meters and a manual reload(think +R special effects meets Millia's Pin. Like, the effects last til the next knockdown then you have to go pick up a card to use them again or something) or they'll just take her good shit and add so many recovery frames and punishments to poor use that it's effectively a different move like they did Anji. Option 3 is Baiken is just the next 1.0 Sol where you only get to really play the game by playing that character.
I am thinking they might do something different with her, since they gave anji a parry super. It will still certainly fit her defensive theme, but maybe something else that differentiates her from the rest of the cast. The other dlc characters have been really wild.
I remmember the first time I tried any type of online play in a guilty gear game.... EVERYONE was playing Baiken, not a single soul would play johnny or sol or whatever. Just seeing her trailer gave me PTSD. Man those flying mats were annoying.
Mashers are about to post a million "Baiken is BROKEN" posts to r/guiltygear when she drops Incidentally, "Baiken mains" that mash parry and get baited everytime are gonna post "Baiken is weak (I'm disappointed)" posts left and right too 😅
Yeah I was definitely one of those baiken players that mashed parry when I was first picking up the character then after awhile I learned that I've got to use parry enough that the opponent is scared of it but not to the point that it's predictable
@@sushiknight7013 right, just the threat of parry does so much work for you on defense. It creates fear, which opens up more gaps to mash and take a turn back for free. Or they do weaker and safer pressure that you don't feel as nervous about compared to other characters. She's disgustingly cheap and I can't wait to play her again, I loved committing war crimes with her in plus r lol
I didn't know how Baiken played, but hearing how LordKnight describes her a character that can punish aggressive pressure is definitely what a rushdown heavy game like Strive needs to add variety.
I would not be surprised if they reworked her into basically a Samurai Shodown character. Though extra high damage on counter hit sounds brutal in that game.
I think the chances of her getting a meterless gaurd cancel in strive are about as good as it was for ramlathal getting her planted sword moves back. Not very high, but I would like it to at least return maybe cost meter to do it in block stun.
I used to hate playing against Jack-o in Xrd, but in strive they managed to make her much more fun to play with and against, in my opinion. I think they will probably do the same to Baiken, maybe rework her stances, tone down aerial Tatami or maybe just give her less health and make her a "defensive Chipp" or something like that, but we'll see.
I used Baiken in GGXX/AC and tried her in Rev2 and I can tell one reason why players now hate her is her Crouching Dust in Rev2. Her crouching Dust in GGXX/AC was fast, had excellent range, and combos into Tatami Gaeshi followed by an Air Juggle. So run towards your opponent with a Cr. D into Tatami Gaeshi for offense and combo opportunities. Not in Rev2, her Crouching D. has pathetic range that you have to be super close to your opponent to hit instead of sweeping distance like in XX/AC. After that she became more frustrating to play as, like she struggles to have offense. GGS will be probably be no different than Rev2 Baiken.
"Most people only care about their character, they don't care about the other characters, unless they beat their character" Too true I love my character. Most of the other ones are annoying to fight against. And one I have a passionate hate for.
#1 thing I loathe about fighting against Baiken in Xrd.. her 2d.. good poke, full combo reward, low, surprisingly good anti-air, jump cancel on block. Otherwise... Baiken players don't play games. They only have one hand.
because it is an unforgivable sin to play our one armed Queen with more than than 1 arm. we are only doing it out of respect. lots and lots of respect.
Slayer main since #Reload: I've always liked Baiken despite never being any good with her myself. I've always enjoyed counter-style designs, so in #Reload figuring out how to approach Anji or Baiken was a fun puzzle that felt different (and more entertaining for me) from approaching, say, Dizzy or Testament through their respective minefields. Honestly I've always thought of Zato/Eddie as "that character" when it comes to what I hate playing against. I'll take an interesting back and forth puzzle all day every day over getting locked in the corner forever.
I play ABA in +R, I like fighting against Baiken there, even if she's got a terrible matchup, it's interesting to have to play completely differently. I'm sad how they gutted her in Xrd, I hope alpha counters go back to how they worked in XX, just lower the reward you get from them.
The narrative around people who play GG hating Baiken and people who don’t play thd game liking her has always been weird to me. Like what about people who… play Baiken??
After playing with her in Samurai Shodown, aside from the parry being something I’ve had to get used to using she’s still pretty fun to play as. Idk if it’s also in Xrd but her dash move that has multiple follow up inputs has a parry window during the dash itself and I hope this stays with her kit in Strive
I always need LK to give me the level headed takes on characters. Strive is my first real GG, I played Rev2 a year or so ago and it was dead online. Excited to see what she does, and possibly dreading my existence as a May/Leo main. But who knows? If she's so busted maybe I'll just play her! Thanks for keeping it real LK
As an Xrd Sin main, I just Beak Driver everything so i never really noticed what she was doing lol. In all seriousness though being able to start offence from mid screen does help make Baiken a less frustrating opponent.
Excited to play, but also 100% sure she's gonna be very different (and much, much weaker.) Would love to pick her up and drop Ram, but that's only gonna happen if she's good. But yeah, part of why I loved characters like Dudley and Yamazaki was their counter options; Baiken having counters out of blockstun was a game changer.
I feel like any anger about Baiken coming back is equivalent to Princess Peach being in Smash or something. Like, she's a series staple at this point, just get over it lol. I'm a huge casual, having only played Strive and nothing else. So, I'm hyped for her. She was a face I'd seen before I even knew the name Guilty Gear, and no not from any website's you horndogs are thinking of, so I enjoy the fact that there's finally a face that I'm familiar with in the game. I think it's smart to add her back with her recognizability, it'll definitely bring back more people that may have not played in a hot minute. Idk, casuals are happy and pros seethe ig. A tale as old as time.
I feel like calling her "defensive" just because she has counters isn't right. She's a mix-up character with good defensive options, different defensive options from other characters. But she doesn't work like a typical counter character and others aren't considered defensive because they have an invincible shoryuken
She has the best and the most defensive options in the game. Of course she has mix on offense otherwise she's not a character but saying she isn't a defense character because she had decent offense makes no sense.
As a Baiken main, I'd still say she's more of a defensive character than an offensive, she just happens to also have good offensive abilities because it's Guilty Gear, I also think it's ridiculous to call her a "mix-up character" in a game where Millia and Chipp exist
yeah i think theyre turning that instant overhead into a reversal DP instead which is still pretty strong for a defensive character but much less frustrating to block
Honestly, I don't hate Baiken in Xrd, I just hate how they delivered her. There is almost no punishment for the parry, her move followups are ridiculously safe even when blocked. So much so that after landing a parry move, she can parry again. It doesn't even have to be all that accurate. With Blitz shield, you can hit someone mid who's doing a low blitz. With Baiken, it's a 75% chance that you're gonna get parried. There is no accuracy in what she has to do and the choices are right pretty often. I feel like she's better in XXAC design-wise as well cause while she can parry do what's essentially a dead angle attack, the followups can be punished if guessed right far easier compared to Baiken in Xrd where she hits you with her stab and it pushes characters too far away to punish her well and to top it off, the followups to her parry give her invincibility. Not just the uppercut one, but the stab. Especially considering every hit from the parry is pretty much a guaranteed counter hit and will result in huge damage most likely. Tatami can be a pain to deal with, but it can be deal with if you know how to. Anyhow as far as XXAC+R Baiken though, there's at least a mentality to playing against her. Poking her slightly, playing carefully, not overextending your boundaries, etc... In Xrd, these aspects do not exist. Once you hit her during parry, the deal is done. And generally, throws don't always make up for the damage she can do from that one parry.
that's unrelated but what is the song in the background? I know it, but I can't remember!!! I bought Xrd to see how the old characters played like and personnaly I really enjoyed Baiken, I like how different she feels. Hyped to see what they will do to change her in Strive.
I don’t play against enough Baikens, though when I did play them tatami and parry were MAD annoying as a sol player in +r. She’s still super cool tho. It’s true facts that nobody plays her tho lol
Not very? Parry is a shutdown move but it's not a massive set piece like 6D into mugen into TOD. If you like Hakumen, you would still prefer Nago in terms of gameplay, unless you were a degenerate like me who only played Hakumen for Yukikaze.
I "dislike" Baiken mainly because my usual FG bro wouldn't play Xrd or Strive without her being on the roster, and I can only play random online matches for so long 'till my eyes roll over. As far as how she'll be adapted to Strive, I think they're definitely going to keep her guard gimmick closer to how Xrd changed it (via parry stance) rather than reverting back to attacking right out of block. One expansion from Xrd I could see them doing is allowing her to cancel her command run INTO the parry stance. Expecting tatami to be unsafe if done too close to the opponent/won't push back as far on block.
my first GG was XX on original (and best) X Box. I liked Baiken because my main game was Soulcalibur and I liked Mitsurugi and pretty much liked Japanese Sword users in Fighting games. I also liked Baiken because she was named after the real life Baiken who showed an egotistical upstart "the art of fighting without fighting" which Bruce Lee borrowed for a certain movie.
With the change to air backdash, air tatami is probably not gonna be as annoying tbh. At least not on defense. Offense finna be annoying tho and I love it. That being said, everyone is somewhat toned down in GGS, so I wouldn't be too worried. We've already seen plus on whiff dp, Chipp j2k, and Garuda Impact in Strive. We've been dealing with bs for a while now. And yeah, Baiken's got them tig ole biddies, but she also got hella swag and for me at least, the way she says "YOZANSEN!" with so much fury in her soul is amazing lol. Can't wait for this super fair character to come back and be my side besides the great Anji Mito.
Baiken's now a character who will NEVER be in the base roster of any game. Because Arc KNOWS they can sell her for DLC. that principle about her kinda pisses me off tbh.
I play a defensive style. That’s why I play Axl. I’m pretty excited for Baiken, but to be fair strive is my first Guilty Gear, and the first fighting game I’m actually delving deep into.
I've played guilty gear since the beginning and I've mained Baiken and Anji Muto but Baiken mostly. She has always been my favorite character in the series.
That I’m hoping for that too. I literally brought XRD Rev 2 just to play this character because she looks so freakin badass but realized that her inputs are incredibly hard to do. Hopefully since Strive is more newcomer friendly than she hopefully be more easier to use.
Unfortunately they'll probably just butcher the character in order to make her easy to use. Hopefully not, but they really did remove a lot of the more interesting parts that the cast had in the older games.
I only play Baiken in Xrd in Stylish node and against her in Arcade mode. Honestly, I have no idea people dislike her before. I guess I'll know how they feel next year.
It's interesting, I main Venom in Guilty Gear, I dabbled with other characters, particularly Answer a bit to get the feel for them, I also tried out Baiken, and she was the one character I couldn't get the gameplay feel of. I was wondering why so many people liked her, and I realize it's the same reason I don't get other characters (Angel from KOF and Mileena from Mortal Kombat) appeal, that being I'm not straight, so I don't usually notice this stuff.
I must've missed the memo since I've hardly seen anyone talking trash about her. She's also my favorite main since Guilty Gear on the PSX. Maybe I didn't pay attention, and quite frankly if what you said is true then screw those hypocrites!
Baiken is one of the most popular characters period in GG, but on the competitive side she's pretty disliked. Reactions on Twitter to her drop was really varied too. Like I said, I think she's pretty cool... but Millia usually beats her too lol
@@LordKnightfgc Ah I see. Thanks for the heads up. I guess I don't generally pay much attention to that reception side after all. I was more focused on the characters I'm maining and even enjoying. Anyhow thanks again.
As someone who for years in fighting games has always gravitated towards grapplers and defensive option/counter characters I enjoy playing Baiken. I'm used to the sounds of high sodium output. I enjoy playing characters wher the usual "unga-bunga faceroll on the buttons" shit won't fly.
I love defensive characters so much and strive is my first guilty gear. I love parries and holting ppls offense. My friends tell me constantly that baiken will be for me. If they keep her defensive.
I’ve only played strive, but always loved Baiken who has made appearances in other games I played. Cool to see her back in the franchise. Excited to try her out. Probably won’t main her because wtf.
Besides her fanservice looks, it's fun to watch pro players use her. Her parries need excellent reads to utilize them properly and that's no small feat. On another note, I do agree the trailer for her was a bit lackluster. It would be nice if they just showed a scene with That Man and then she suddenly comes down with a slash and then a black screen, imo.
I mained her in +R but didnt really play her much in Rev2 so I'm on both sides of the fence for her, I'm happy shes in but I wouldn't have minded her being in a season 2 pass
Never used Baiken, but if she has those defensive options I may pick her up, full disclosure as an Axl Lo Mein I'm tired of being crushed in the corner (by every other character in the roster) with very few good options. Got into GG a little late started with XRD about a year ago with no dlc so no Baiken experience.
i used to main her waaay back in the days of xx#Reload but i never knew people disliked her like that. he says acr were the strongest versions of the chars? what about their Ex version from midnight carnival?
As someone who has played fighting games for 19 years and (due to playing mostly SoulCal, DoA, Tekken, and Virtua Fighter from 2002 to 2012) has a defense-oriented skillset, every entry of Guilty Gear ive ever tried have given me little-to-no reward nor enjoyment. So, I want Baiken to retain her defensive power and ability to ironwall all these pressure/mixup characters that are high-tier because they have powerful offense while not being too complex. Aside from Ky getting buffed to high-tier status (for skill levels other than top player minority), a hard counter to rushdown is the only way to get me to play Strive again, since not even the best netcode in the world can make me enjoy the gameplay of Strive otherwise.
I do plan on maining Baiken but it’s not because of the obvious my favorite archetype in any game is samurai women. And I’ve listened to multiple videos for why people don’t like the character but I’m still confused because this is my first real guilty gear. How is it that so many people hate her and dislike fighting against her if the entire meme is that nobody played her or even played her competitively.
Not a big fan of people calling her the boob character, I like her for the same reason I like Nago. Lets see what direction they take her gameplay, will she be flipping, griping and jailing. After getting mixed for a few months by Leo and Miliah I though people would be less sad about Baiken's footsies, also Happy chaos he took yawl character spot. more characters to come guys relax
I'll definitely try my hand at Baiken when she releases in Strive. Of the DLC so far, I haven't played around with Goldlewis, but Jack-O and Happy Chaos are far too technical for me. I'm relatively comfortable with Ramlethal but I'm still not great with any character really. If Baiken keeps her parry in Strive it'll be interesting because I don't think anyone else on the current roster has a parry.
Well, she's not rushdown, but she isn't a zoner either. She manages space with tatami, but Baiken does have to get in close to brawl with you to get her damage (just with the implied and explicit threat of azami and/or armored runs to back it up). You may or may not like her tbh - Baiken in Xrd was pretty hard to play well. But she is fun once you learn her, and her combos (while tough) look really cool and also do a crapton of damage. :-)
???
Everyone loves Baiken, what is up with you?
There's a reason the char gets memed so hard lol
@@LordKnightfgc The character is popular LK...can't get on board with this video. Are you saying she's busted or just different? Furthermore, do you know everyone who plays guilty gear? Usually you're on point with your analysis, but this post was underdeveloped and forced. And yeah I main Baiken and I'm not a pro. I've just been playing fighting games for 30 years.
the character is really popular among baiken players, who are a lot.
But as LK said, a lot of other character players really dislike playing against baiken
@@monty083083 My guy, it was just a title so he can show everyone certain mechanics of Baiken that are famously frustrating to fight against, he isn't actually claiming that every single person that plays guilty gear despises baiken with their whole heart it's a hyperbole homie
@@LordKnightfgc wow LK, I'm so disappointed with this video. I love baiken, and so does everyone I know. Do you know every casual who plays fighting games? I don't think so, and they love Baiken. Baiken has a great set of personalities and it really makes her gameplay amazing. I'm a Baiken main and I don't even play her, that's how good she is. Furthermore, I've been a Baiken main for 40 years. Next time, get your facts right 😤
I actually like playing against Baiken in +R. The ground based Footsies GG is known for.
I do play Anji though so "Footsies" means spamming 6S.
facts
Ur, serious aren't you. Lol
@@Ock_mantis why would i not?
@@rangoon2 and 5H
stop doing that or we robomains will cripple your shins
"If you like her, you either main her or you don't play the game"
Jokes on you Lord Knight. It's Both.
Right, Baiken "mains."
@@MiketheNerdRanger i think he meant that baiken players play a different game
wut?
Baiken really putting the GGs in Guilty Gear. Thanks, Daisuke.
more like DDs am i right fellas
@@lobsterdeliveryspecial Good job, you made the same joke but worse, cups don't end at D.
Based and Baiken-pilled.
Guilty Gear players hate every character other than their favorites.
you cracked the cycle of everyone who plays a fighting game lol
As a Nago main, I feel like we're the only ones who are happy.
@@johnhurley8918 its wild because I heard nago is hard too play but he legit my first character I played as I already knew he was my main
@@luciplayground999 People assumed h3 would be hard to learn because of blood gauge, but it's pretty easy to play around it when you're just learning. He's only hard when you want to do crazy combos, but he doesn't even them at most skill levels.
@@darkmatter7713 naw but that’s especially true for GG players
i love how lordknight treats his streams like people arent completely stupid or children. And doesn't put up with dumb.
Why doesn’t more streamers do that?
@@splnter648 because most people are dumb
He is part of my stream role models
Sajam said the same thing. I respect these two a lot
I bought +R a few days ago and yea I absolutely understand why people hate her. I absolutely love her design but the salt is completely understandable
Why do people not like her?
+R baiken still my fav version the baku followups are insane.I hope they dont change too much of her character or at least allow some type of guard cancel mechanic (although it would prob be too op in a game like strive)
@@heythatsme5000 kinda like what LK mentioned in the video you just can't do anything to her. When she's in blockstun she can break out of it and retaliate with a series of attacks. And then on top of that seal your abilities such as blocking jumping etc. Plus the mat is mad good too. She's ridiculous in plus r
@@heythatsme5000 -Guard cancels force many characters to completely rethink offense routes
-Massive, disjointed hitboxes on a lot of her moves
-A lot of her best pokes are neutral or plus on block
-Incredibly pressure from most hits thanks to a multitude of plus frame normals, strong resets such as her Kabari hook and her 2H, throw invincible 6k, and safe ender in Tatami Gaeshi
-Tatami Gaeshi screen control is incredibly strong
-High damage from most combo starters
-25 Meter Baku guard cancel puts her in an incredibly strong position, and even more for 50 meter
-25 Meter triple tatami is a ridiculously good answer to any type of zoning
but at least she's not Zappa
@@heythatsme5000 If played well, your only option is to wait for Baiken to make a mistake, wait for them to come to you and punish them. "Everyone in GG is playing their own game" is one of the things that makes GG different but that comes to a screeching halt with this character. Granted, I don't think Rev2 did her play style justice but you can't play your character so it feels like only one player is playing the game. Sure in fighting games when you're getting comboed all you can do sometimes is go make yourself a sandwich and a cup of coffee and come back but Baiken is the threat of "your turn ends now" taken to the oppressive extreme.
Given how they completely reworked Jack-o, another character whose mechanics people found frustrating, I'd be surprised if they didn't rework her to some extent.
Hopefully Potemkin still has a winning matchup
@@crinsombone5380 every matchup is a winning matchup for Potemkin in strive
Xrds rework shows that they value the guard cancel aspect of her character. She'll be reworked again in strive for sure but im not hopeful for it being a rework that fixes my issues with her T-T
@@idkmanp9573 Not true. Him and Chipp both have a losing matchup against each other
Jack-O had only been in Xrd. She wasn't that established. Baiken has been around since the first game in the series, where she was an optional boss. They won't be substantially changing her the way they did Jack-O.
"theme in guilty gear of fast pressure with unreactable responses"
Anji mains in shambles
its pain
Wipe them tears we no longer feel sympathy for anji mains
There are 3 things I belive in as a Byken player:
- Tatami in neutral
- TK Yozansen
- Azami on wakeup
The holy trinity of moves you should always be using
As a new gg player (about a year on xrd) i can concur
Picked Baiken up in Rev2 at the time back in 2017 because I lost all hope of them putting in ABA, my +R main, in Xrd and I've been a Baiken main ever since.
Now I'm ready to burn the entire world down.
Fuck yea, no one is allowed to enjoy Guilty Gear except me and other Baiken players
@@jonnysac77 I’m a Guilty Gear newbie, but my Sol and Ky are coming along very nicely. Played GG1, now I’m playing XX+R.
@@paperluigi6132 +R is a fire game, I hope you continue to have fun with it
I keep wanting to see A.B.A. in 3D so friggin' bad. I never got that great with her in AC, but she was still super fun.
@@vigorouslethargy I'd honestly recommend that you just play her in +R then, since there's a very high chance that even if she does make it into Strive(which is unlikely) she will be almost a completely new character like Baiken, Ram and Testament, +R also still has an ongoing scene with new players coming in, discord is necessary to get better and find players your skill level, but there almost always dozens of people in quickmatch, Aba is kind of a hard character but at the same time, if you can get a feel for round start and her basic offense, you will kinda dominate a lot of low level players since she's a bit of a scrub killer
I think that since GGST has many options for delay gatlings and cancels, they are probably going to remove the parry during blockstun. However depending on how good parries are there's going to be a lot of messed up stuff for characters who have natural gaps in their fastests strings. They can also make low parry not parry mid attacks so, there are ways of balancing her. Fortunately I was a Baiken main in Xrd and a Millia main in strive so I have what I need XD.
Baiken sounds like the type of character I'd like to play. I felt there was no defensive characters in strive for me. I can be wrong though. But excited there maybe something for me in GGS
If it gives you any hope, as someone who only started playing FGs competitively back in Xrd, I was conditioned to learn how to block properly for about a 1000 matches & lose by that much since only OGs were playing where I was at. In Rev 2 Baiken dropped into the game and once I had that moment of clarity with how pressure works in that game, I also managed to more or less consistently make her parry work. I originally only picked her up because she looks cool, but who knew she'd actually play in a way that benefits blocking a lot, and make it fun.
I'll tell you, its the most fun shit I've ever done in any FG before & after. Especially so if you enjoy frustrating others by playing the same way you are frustrated by some of the obnoxious shit some of these other characters have.
Hopefully at least her defensive play aspect doesnt change too much in Strive.
GG doesn't really reward defensive play, it actually kind of punishes it. I wouldn't even really call baiken a defensive character, she's more rushdown/mixup. People just assume counters=defensive.
Yea there’s a lot of BS offensive stuff right now so it’ll be good to have some BS defensive options that’s aren’t just a good reversal
Was introduced to Guilty Gear through Strive, and this video makes it super easy to get an idea of what Baiken is bringing to the table. Thanks a lot, my 2 Leo braincells needed this.
My 1 potemkin braincell would like to second this.
I like fighting Baiken but I've been a Dizzy main but 10ish years. Baiken makes me switch up my approach to zoning and it's one of my favorite match-ups be it +R or Xrd honestly.
I wouldn't mind Baiken retaining her defensive options, but I suppose she'd need some kind of restriction to not become an antithesis to Strive's core combat.
First thing I can think of is to use the Guard meter as her resource: if it reaches a certain point, Baiken can then use her parry/guardpoint moves, but it also locks her Guard meter in place for a few seconds, meaning that players who bait Baiken into a parry could punish her for big damage, and Baiken players themselves would need to be careful about their approach.
That actually seems like it would be cool
I would be SHOCKED if she had a parry out of blockstun. I think it will be more like Anji's, a special move she inputs that she has to kind of do on a read.
JK she can do it out of blockstun, but also Baiken has 6 resource meters for Azami that all build at different rates off and you'll have to keep an eye on all of them :)
Kinda seems like the only two options for her. They've REALLY leaned into resource management for powerful mechanics. Security, Eddie, Blood Rage, Bullets and focus, minions. At this point we're combining RTS games with fighting games like hero shooters did with shooters and MOBAs.
Either she'll have 3 meters and a manual reload(think +R special effects meets Millia's Pin. Like, the effects last til the next knockdown then you have to go pick up a card to use them again or something) or they'll just take her good shit and add so many recovery frames and punishments to poor use that it's effectively a different move like they did Anji.
Option 3 is Baiken is just the next 1.0 Sol where you only get to really play the game by playing that character.
@@BlueDragon7100 Jack-O in Xrd was RTS-like. that was fun, now its some Granblue VS
Arcsys show me Venom with cd based balls
"Please input your birthdate to determine how many Azamis you get per round."
@@unamusedrohan1666 the real kick is its completely randomized anyway
I am thinking they might do something different with her, since they gave anji a parry super. It will still certainly fit her defensive theme, but maybe something else that differentiates her from the rest of the cast. The other dlc characters have been really wild.
so basically everyone hates the fact that she has a way to counter/escape blockstrings with 1 input
Basically, yeah.
People don't like matchups that force them to play a certain way. And baiken does that.
Her and Answer got me into the GG series so I’m happy she’s back.
You really like spiky ponytails, huh?
@@MsMvsc yes.
I remmember the first time I tried any type of online play in a guilty gear game.... EVERYONE was playing Baiken, not a single soul would play johnny or sol or whatever. Just seeing her trailer gave me PTSD. Man those flying mats were annoying.
Mashers are about to post a million "Baiken is BROKEN" posts to r/guiltygear when she drops
Incidentally, "Baiken mains" that mash parry and get baited everytime are gonna post "Baiken is weak (I'm disappointed)" posts left and right too 😅
And then the third posting barrage when people stop spamming parry where "All she does is Tatami, it's useless/broken, please buff/nerf"
Yeah I was definitely one of those baiken players that mashed parry when I was first picking up the character then after awhile I learned that I've got to use parry enough that the opponent is scared of it but not to the point that it's predictable
I just think it's funny the meme of Ky players just going for run-up-and-grab is a decent approach for counter happy Baiken players.
@@vigorouslethargy if we're being real, run-up grab has seemingly been a solid strat in most matchups for ky players 😂
@@sushiknight7013 right, just the threat of parry does so much work for you on defense. It creates fear, which opens up more gaps to mash and take a turn back for free. Or they do weaker and safer pressure that you don't feel as nervous about compared to other characters. She's disgustingly cheap and I can't wait to play her again, I loved committing war crimes with her in plus r lol
“Your blockstring? You mean OUR block string!”
I didn't know how Baiken played, but hearing how LordKnight describes her a character that can punish aggressive pressure is definitely what a rushdown heavy game like Strive needs to add variety.
I would not be surprised if they reworked her into basically a Samurai Shodown character. Though extra high damage on counter hit sounds brutal in that game.
I think the chances of her getting a meterless gaurd cancel in strive are about as good as it was for ramlathal getting her planted sword moves back. Not very high, but I would like it to at least return maybe cost meter to do it in block stun.
I used to hate playing against Jack-o in Xrd, but in strive they managed to make her much more fun to play with and against, in my opinion. I think they will probably do the same to Baiken, maybe rework her stances, tone down aerial Tatami or maybe just give her less health and make her a "defensive Chipp" or something like that, but we'll see.
I feel they are definitely gonna simplify her like everyone else. Maybe put all her cool defense tech behind needing meter
As an outsider (who will probably be playing her a bunch when she comes out) this seems counterintuitive to her fundamental design.
Ppl saying “nobody hates baiken” literally just don’t know anything abt guilty gear
I used Baiken in GGXX/AC and tried her in Rev2 and I can tell one reason why players now hate her is her Crouching Dust in Rev2.
Her crouching Dust in GGXX/AC was fast, had excellent range, and combos into Tatami Gaeshi followed by an Air Juggle. So run towards your opponent with a Cr. D into Tatami Gaeshi for offense and combo opportunities.
Not in Rev2, her Crouching D. has pathetic range that you have to be super close to your opponent to hit instead of sweeping distance like in XX/AC. After that she became more frustrating to play as, like she struggles to have offense.
GGS will be probably be no different than Rev2 Baiken.
Baiken is great! But my favorite characters have always been ones with powerful defensive options and the ability to punish mindless combo routing.
Baiken mains reacting to the Baiken trailer: YO LET'S GOOOOOO
R+ Players still suffering from PTSD: oh shit oh fuck
"Most people only care about their character, they don't care about the other characters, unless they beat their character"
Too true I love my character. Most of the other ones are annoying to fight against. And one I have a passionate hate for.
#1 thing I loathe about fighting against Baiken in Xrd.. her 2d.. good poke, full combo reward, low, surprisingly good anti-air, jump cancel on block.
Otherwise... Baiken players don't play games. They only have one hand.
because it is an unforgivable sin to play our one armed Queen with more than than 1 arm. we are only doing it out of respect. lots and lots of respect.
Unrelated but that set between you and Macho was OD I knew you’d comeback 😭
I would enjoy a complete baiken overhaul like how they did ram from xrd to strive
@Hunter Rayna oh yeah I meant gameplay mb not visual, I’m fine with baiken as is😏
OMG! Characters in Xrd can jump crazy high! I am so not used to it after Strive.
My main gripe with the character was her moves. They just didn't feel fun
This
Honestly I tried her out in +R and her buttons just seemed janky.
Baiken announced: I sleep
Bedgirl teased: REAL SHIT??!!
very nice background music.. makes listening to you talk more enjoyable
What's the name of this song again? It sounds familiar
The Realm Within (Liyue Domain)
Slayer main since #Reload: I've always liked Baiken despite never being any good with her myself. I've always enjoyed counter-style designs, so in #Reload figuring out how to approach Anji or Baiken was a fun puzzle that felt different (and more entertaining for me) from approaching, say, Dizzy or Testament through their respective minefields.
Honestly I've always thought of Zato/Eddie as "that character" when it comes to what I hate playing against. I'll take an interesting back and forth puzzle all day every day over getting locked in the corner forever.
I play ABA in +R, I like fighting against Baiken there, even if she's got a terrible matchup, it's interesting to have to play completely differently. I'm sad how they gutted her in Xrd, I hope alpha counters go back to how they worked in XX, just lower the reward you get from them.
Since Strive has more gaps in pressure a safeish frame 1 parry might be good enough.
The narrative around people who play GG hating Baiken and people who don’t play thd game liking her has always been weird to me.
Like what about people who… play Baiken??
After playing with her in Samurai Shodown, aside from the parry being something I’ve had to get used to using she’s still pretty fun to play as. Idk if it’s also in Xrd but her dash move that has multiple follow up inputs has a parry window during the dash itself and I hope this stays with her kit in Strive
Yeah she has that
hate to break it to ya
I always need LK to give me the level headed takes on characters. Strive is my first real GG, I played Rev2 a year or so ago and it was dead online. Excited to see what she does, and possibly dreading my existence as a May/Leo main. But who knows? If she's so busted maybe I'll just play her! Thanks for keeping it real LK
I’m a Baiken main, i don’t really care what others think. I just really play who I like 👍
literally millia and baiken are my first 2 characters that i fell in love with. after that its bridget and answer
I love playing +R Dizzy and just letting the fish eat all her guard cancels.
Booted up rev 2 to see new players playing Baiken having a blast and chatting it up pretty cool
As an Xrd Sin main, I just Beak Driver everything so i never really noticed what she was doing lol. In all seriousness though being able to start offence from mid screen does help make Baiken a less frustrating opponent.
People who hate Baiken are way more annoying than anyone who wanted her in the game.
Excited to play, but also 100% sure she's gonna be very different (and much, much weaker.) Would love to pick her up and drop Ram, but that's only gonna happen if she's good.
But yeah, part of why I loved characters like Dudley and Yamazaki was their counter options; Baiken having counters out of blockstun was a game changer.
I feel like any anger about Baiken coming back is equivalent to Princess Peach being in Smash or something. Like, she's a series staple at this point, just get over it lol.
I'm a huge casual, having only played Strive and nothing else. So, I'm hyped for her. She was a face I'd seen before I even knew the name Guilty Gear, and no not from any website's you horndogs are thinking of, so I enjoy the fact that there's finally a face that I'm familiar with in the game. I think it's smart to add her back with her recognizability, it'll definitely bring back more people that may have not played in a hot minute.
Idk, casuals are happy and pros seethe ig. A tale as old as time.
I feel like calling her "defensive" just because she has counters isn't right. She's a mix-up character with good defensive options, different defensive options from other characters. But she doesn't work like a typical counter character and others aren't considered defensive because they have an invincible shoryuken
She has the best and the most defensive options in the game. Of course she has mix on offense otherwise she's not a character but saying she isn't a defense character because she had decent offense makes no sense.
May not be defensive but she got a lotta tools to survive sum bullshit💀
As a Baiken main, I'd still say she's more of a defensive character than an offensive, she just happens to also have good offensive abilities because it's Guilty Gear, I also think it's ridiculous to call her a "mix-up character" in a game where Millia and Chipp exist
Good video, also nice CEO run, had a great time watching.
The title is off meta. Everyone loves Baiken herself, now her gameplay… that is what the title should’ve mentioned
yeah i think theyre turning that instant overhead into a reversal DP instead which is still pretty strong for a defensive character but much less frustrating to block
Honestly, I don't hate Baiken in Xrd, I just hate how they delivered her. There is almost no punishment for the parry, her move followups are ridiculously safe even when blocked. So much so that after landing a parry move, she can parry again. It doesn't even have to be all that accurate. With Blitz shield, you can hit someone mid who's doing a low blitz. With Baiken, it's a 75% chance that you're gonna get parried. There is no accuracy in what she has to do and the choices are right pretty often. I feel like she's better in XXAC design-wise as well cause while she can parry do what's essentially a dead angle attack, the followups can be punished if guessed right far easier compared to Baiken in Xrd where she hits you with her stab and it pushes characters too far away to punish her well and to top it off, the followups to her parry give her invincibility. Not just the uppercut one, but the stab. Especially considering every hit from the parry is pretty much a guaranteed counter hit and will result in huge damage most likely. Tatami can be a pain to deal with, but it can be deal with if you know how to. Anyhow as far as XXAC+R Baiken though, there's at least a mentality to playing against her. Poking her slightly, playing carefully, not overextending your boundaries, etc... In Xrd, these aspects do not exist. Once you hit her during parry, the deal is done. And generally, throws don't always make up for the damage she can do from that one parry.
that's unrelated but what is the song in the background? I know it, but I can't remember!!!
I bought Xrd to see how the old characters played like and personnaly I really enjoyed Baiken, I like how different she feels. Hyped to see what they will do to change her in Strive.
the song is The Realm Within (Liyue Domain)
@@dex8482 thank you!!! So it was from genshin, of course I heard it before
I don’t play against enough Baikens, though when I did play them tatami and parry were MAD annoying as a sol player in +r. She’s still super cool tho.
It’s true facts that nobody plays her tho lol
The only characters I would want over her are Slayer, Johnny, and Jam in that order
So, she's a parry character? How close she is to Halumen? Because I mostly mained Nago because he reminded me a bit of him, lol
Not very? Parry is a shutdown move but it's not a massive set piece like 6D into mugen into TOD. If you like Hakumen, you would still prefer Nago in terms of gameplay, unless you were a degenerate like me who only played Hakumen for Yukikaze.
I "dislike" Baiken mainly because my usual FG bro wouldn't play Xrd or Strive without her being on the roster, and I can only play random online matches for so long 'till my eyes roll over.
As far as how she'll be adapted to Strive, I think they're definitely going to keep her guard gimmick closer to how Xrd changed it (via parry stance) rather than reverting back to attacking right out of block. One expansion from Xrd I could see them doing is allowing her to cancel her command run INTO the parry stance. Expecting tatami to be unsafe if done too close to the opponent/won't push back as far on block.
my first GG was XX on original (and best) X Box. I liked Baiken because my main game was Soulcalibur and I liked Mitsurugi and pretty much liked Japanese Sword users in Fighting games. I also liked Baiken because she was named after the real life Baiken who showed an egotistical upstart "the art of fighting without fighting" which Bruce Lee borrowed for a certain movie.
*I dont hate Baiken...*
*I simply dislike fighting her, people who use her and her inclusion in games...*
So does she have to parry as the hit connects or can she do Azami after she already blocks?
xx Baiken is hilarious and you can't change my mind
With the change to air backdash, air tatami is probably not gonna be as annoying tbh. At least not on defense. Offense finna be annoying tho and I love it. That being said, everyone is somewhat toned down in GGS, so I wouldn't be too worried. We've already seen plus on whiff dp, Chipp j2k, and Garuda Impact in Strive. We've been dealing with bs for a while now. And yeah, Baiken's got them tig ole biddies, but she also got hella swag and for me at least, the way she says "YOZANSEN!" with so much fury in her soul is amazing lol. Can't wait for this super fair character to come back and be my side besides the great Anji Mito.
I play Potemkin. How does Baiken handle grapplers in previous games? I'm chill with the Anji Matchup because you can't spin a pot buster
I love baiken but I really do not like playing against her at all
Baiken's now a character who will NEVER be in the base roster of any game. Because Arc KNOWS they can sell her for DLC.
that principle about her kinda pisses me off tbh.
I play a defensive style. That’s why I play Axl. I’m pretty excited for Baiken, but to be fair strive is my first Guilty Gear, and the first fighting game I’m actually delving deep into.
I've played guilty gear since the beginning and I've mained Baiken and Anji Muto but Baiken mostly. She has always been my favorite character in the series.
Everybody praying that she'll be easy to use in Strive
I hope her parry super is at least. I don't remember the input, but I remember being quite frustrated with it.
That I’m hoping for that too. I literally brought XRD Rev 2 just to play this character because she looks so freakin badass but realized that her inputs are incredibly hard to do. Hopefully since Strive is more newcomer friendly than she hopefully be more easier to use.
Unfortunately they'll probably just butcher the character in order to make her easy to use. Hopefully not, but they really did remove a lot of the more interesting parts that the cast had in the older games.
I only play Baiken in Xrd in Stylish node and against her in Arcade mode. Honestly, I have no idea people dislike her before. I guess I'll know how they feel next year.
It's interesting, I main Venom in Guilty Gear, I dabbled with other characters, particularly Answer a bit to get the feel for them, I also tried out Baiken, and she was the one character I couldn't get the gameplay feel of. I was wondering why so many people liked her, and I realize it's the same reason I don't get other characters (Angel from KOF and Mileena from Mortal Kombat) appeal, that being I'm not straight, so I don't usually notice this stuff.
"If you like her, you either main her or you don't play the game"
SamSho players: "Jokes on you, i main Baiken in SamSho."
I must've missed the memo since I've hardly seen anyone talking trash about her. She's also my favorite main since Guilty Gear on the PSX. Maybe I didn't pay attention, and quite frankly if what you said is true then screw those hypocrites!
Baiken is one of the most popular characters period in GG, but on the competitive side she's pretty disliked. Reactions on Twitter to her drop was really varied too.
Like I said, I think she's pretty cool... but Millia usually beats her too lol
@@LordKnightfgc Ah I see. Thanks for the heads up. I guess I don't generally pay much attention to that reception side after all. I was more focused on the characters I'm maining and even enjoying. Anyhow thanks again.
Anyone knows what song is playing in the background?
As someone who for years in fighting games has always gravitated towards grapplers and defensive option/counter characters I enjoy playing Baiken. I'm used to the sounds of high sodium output. I enjoy playing characters wher the usual "unga-bunga faceroll on the buttons" shit won't fly.
I love defensive characters so much and strive is my first guilty gear. I love parries and holting ppls offense. My friends tell me constantly that baiken will be for me. If they keep her defensive.
I’ve only played strive, but always loved Baiken who has made appearances in other games I played. Cool to see her back in the franchise. Excited to try her out. Probably won’t main her because wtf.
Me and my friend found out today that I enjoy playing reversal characters. So I'm looking forward towards baiken
Jack-O announcement: "Haha, funny butt meme"
Baiken announcement: "They're just satisfying the coomers. Ugh."
Someone know that background music? Soothing af.
Besides her fanservice looks, it's fun to watch pro players use her. Her parries need excellent reads to utilize them properly and that's no small feat. On another note, I do agree the trailer for her was a bit lackluster. It would be nice if they just showed a scene with That Man and then she suddenly comes down with a slash and then a black screen, imo.
I mained her in +R but didnt really play her much in Rev2 so I'm on both sides of the fence for her, I'm happy shes in but I wouldn't have minded her being in a season 2 pass
Never used Baiken, but if she has those defensive options I may pick her up, full disclosure as an Axl Lo Mein I'm tired of being crushed in the corner (by every other character in the roster) with very few good options.
Got into GG a little late started with XRD about a year ago with no dlc so no Baiken experience.
Can someone clue me in as to what the song playing during the majority of the video is?
The Realm Within (Liyue Domain)
i used to main her waaay back in the days of xx#Reload but i never knew people disliked her like that. he says acr were the strongest versions of the chars? what about their Ex version from midnight carnival?
As someone who has played fighting games for 19 years and (due to playing mostly SoulCal, DoA, Tekken, and Virtua Fighter from 2002 to 2012) has a defense-oriented skillset, every entry of Guilty Gear ive ever tried have given me little-to-no reward nor enjoyment. So, I want Baiken to retain her defensive power and ability to ironwall all these pressure/mixup characters that are high-tier because they have powerful offense while not being too complex.
Aside from Ky getting buffed to high-tier status (for skill levels other than top player minority), a hard counter to rushdown is the only way to get me to play Strive again, since not even the best netcode in the world can make me enjoy the gameplay of Strive otherwise.
The issue is that, as far as I'm aware, GG is designed around offense, so a character that is specifically defensive is jaring for a lot of people.
Having not played Xrd or +R much at all I was really confused when I saw so many people fuming over Baiken coming to Strive lol.
My main gripe with baiken is not the character's moves.
Im not good enough to get annoyed by that
It's the players. Not the Baiken mains, the players.
Well akshually, as someone who doesn't play guilty gear my main is ramlethal... my friend had called dibs on baiken
This is MY character man. I haven’t been playing Strive much since release. I can’t wait for Baiken.
I do plan on maining Baiken but it’s not because of the obvious my favorite archetype in any game is samurai women. And I’ve listened to multiple videos for why people don’t like the character but I’m still confused because this is my first real guilty gear. How is it that so many people hate her and dislike fighting against her if the entire meme is that nobody played her or even played her competitively.
Not a big fan of people calling her the boob character, I like her for the same reason I like Nago. Lets see what direction they take her gameplay, will she be flipping, griping and jailing. After getting mixed for a few months by Leo and Miliah I though people would be less sad about Baiken's footsies, also Happy chaos he took yawl character spot. more characters to come guys relax
hie lordknight what is the music in the video?
The Realm Within (Liyue Domain)
I'll definitely try my hand at Baiken when she releases in Strive. Of the DLC so far, I haven't played around with Goldlewis, but Jack-O and Happy Chaos are far too technical for me. I'm relatively comfortable with Ramlethal but I'm still not great with any character really.
If Baiken keeps her parry in Strive it'll be interesting because I don't think anyone else on the current roster has a parry.
Anjis spin is the closest thing to it
If I'm an axyl main would I like playing her? Strive is my first gg game and I don't really like rushdown characters.
Well, she's not rushdown, but she isn't a zoner either. She manages space with tatami, but Baiken does have to get in close to brawl with you to get her damage (just with the implied and explicit threat of azami and/or armored runs to back it up).
You may or may not like her tbh - Baiken in Xrd was pretty hard to play well. But she is fun once you learn her, and her combos (while tough) look really cool and also do a crapton of damage. :-)