Tekken 9 How To Implement Baiting Strategies

Tekken 9 How to Implement Baiting Strategies

Alright, let’s talk about baiting in Tekken 9! It’s not about going fishing, but it’s a super important trick for winning more fights. Think of it like this: you’re trying to trick your opponent into doing what you want them to do. When they do that, you can punish them and score big damage. It’s all about reading their mind, just like a game of “Simon Says”, but with punches and kicks. Let’s explore how you can become a master baiter in Tekken 9.

Understanding the Basics of Baiting

Before we jump into fancy moves, let’s understand the why of baiting. Baiting isn’t about luck; it’s a calculated way of playing. It revolves around a few core ideas:

• Predicting Reactions: Good baiting requires you to anticipate what your opponent will do in a given situation. Do they always try to attack after they block? Do they usually duck after a low hit? Knowing these habits helps you set up your traps.
• Creating Opportunity: By making your opponent believe they have an opening, you make them react. Their reaction becomes their vulnerability. For instance, if you act like you are going for a low attack but then go for a mid, they might be caught off guard.
• Punishing Mistakes: The core of successful baiting is being able to punish the mistakes that your opponent is making. If they try to grab you because you looked vulnerable, punish them with your counter grab.

Common Opponent Reactions to Exploit

Let’s go over some of the things you might see people do, so we can use them to our advantage. Think of these as potential targets for your baiting plan.

• Button Mashing After Block: Lots of people will press buttons right after blocking. They’re eager to attack. You can exploit this by faking an attack and blocking or sidestepping their response.
• Always Ducking Low Attacks: If you use low attacks a lot, they will start to duck a lot. Here’s a simple way to exploit this – feign the low attack and then launch a mid attack.
• Grabbing When Close: Some people get grabby when they are up close. If you back up a little, they will probably reach for you, then you can punish them for their whiffed grab.
• Reversal Happy: Opponents sometimes get stuck on using reversals too much. If you see this happening, keep baiting them with unsafe attacks and punish them for trying to reversal.

Different Types of Baits in Tekken 9

Baiting isn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy; it comes in various flavors. Understanding these will allow you to be much more diverse and unpredictable in your gameplay.

Movement Baits

Movement is your friend! It allows you to play with your opponent’s distance and perception. Here’s how:

• Whiff Baiting: Move just outside of your opponent’s attack range. When they swing and miss (whiff), they’re open for a solid counter attack. This is especially effective against those who constantly throw out long-range attacks.
• Backdash Baiting: Briefly move backward. People will usually follow, thinking they can close distance and attack. This puts them right where you want them, perfect for a quick punish.
• Sidestep Baiting: Move left or right a little bit. If you see your opponent trying to use straight moves, you can use a sidestep and punish their whiffed attack.

Attack Baits

Attacks are not just for hitting; they can trick your enemy. Check out these attack bait ideas:

• Fake Attack Strings: Do part of a combo and then stop. If your opponent tries to retaliate while you paused, you can punish them for acting too soon.
• Delayed Attacks: Don’t attack right away after moving. Wait a little bit to make your opponent feel safe and then surprise them with a move.
• Using Safe Moves: If you use safe moves often, your opponent will probably start to predict them. Mix them with your unsafe ones and bait them into trying to punish the safe move that they are now expecting.

Defensive Baits

Even when playing defense, you can set the trap!

• Blocking Baits: Block a few times in a row. If your opponent feels safe, they might start using unsafe attacks. Then you can punish them when they make that mistake.
• Crouching Baits: Crouch down for a short moment. This looks like you are going to do a low attack. Opponents often react to this, giving you a chance to attack with a mid.
• Parrying Baits: Use parry too often and people will react to it. Once you know that they are expecting your parry, you can then use a move that they will expect to parry.

Implementing Baiting Strategies in Tekken 9

Now, let’s talk about how to put all these ideas into action. Here are some tips to help you become a baiting master!

Step 1: Observe and Learn Your Opponent

The first step is to watch your opponent. Do not just throw moves out randomly. Pay attention to how they react to different situations. Do they have any obvious patterns?

• Watch for Patterns: Do they always start with the same move? Do they duck a lot? Do they press buttons after blocking? Write down what they are doing, even if you have to keep it in your head.
• Adapt Your Strategy: If their habits are clear, use that information to plan out your baiting strategy. This is all about the chess game within the fighting game.

Step 2: Start Slow and Simple

Don’t try to do too much at once. Begin with easy baits before trying the complicated ones. Start with something simple like a whiff bait.

• Whiff Bait Example: Step back from an opponent’s long-reaching attack, let them whiff, then attack them while they are still recovering.
• Consistent Application: Once you see that a bait is working, do not get too comfortable. If you keep using the same bait over and over, your opponent will catch onto it.

Step 3: Mix It Up

Don’t use the same trick over and over! A good baiter is unpredictable. When you start using too many similar tricks, they will become less effective. Change it up by using different types of baits.

• Change Your Timing: Vary when you use your baits. Sometimes wait a little bit, sometimes go right away. Don’t be predictable.
• Use Different Baits: Don’t just rely on one type of bait. Try movement baits, attack baits, and defensive baits. The more you mix things up, the harder you will be to read.

Step 4: Punish the Obvious Mistakes

Baiting is not just about making them react, it’s about punishing their bad reactions. If they take the bait, you need to capitalize and get the maximum damage.

• Practice Combos: If you make them whiff, make sure you can land your biggest combo or string. The more damage that you get off of one of your baits, the more scared they will be to fall for your next one.
• Adapt to Reactions: As your opponent adapts, you need to keep adapting. If they are starting to predict your baits, make a change to your plan.

Step 5: Learn from Your Mistakes

Not all baits will work every time, and that’s perfectly okay. The important thing is learning from the mistakes that you will make.

• Analyze Your Gameplay: After a match, think about what baits worked and what did not. What could you have done better?
• Adjust Accordingly: Based on what you saw, adjust your plan for the next game. Learn and improve each time you play.

Advanced Baiting Techniques

Ready to step up your baiting skills? Here are some more complex ideas for you to try.

Frame Traps

These are a little more complex, but can be very powerful. A frame trap uses an attack where you are at a slight advantage over your opponent. If they retaliate, you can punish them.

• Creating the Trap: Use a string that lets you be slightly faster than your opponent right after they block your move. They will think that they can attack, but you can then punish them for their mistake.
• Punishing the Action: When they try to attack, hit them with another fast move. It’s all about knowing the timing and using moves that are fast after blocking.

Mental Conditioning

This is about training your opponent to expect certain things. It is about creating a pattern, but then breaking that pattern to throw them off.

• Establish Patterns: Use the same move or bait several times in a row. Then, change it up to surprise your opponent when they think that they know what is coming.
• Exploit Expectations: If you did a low attack often, then do a high attack. If they thought they were safe from the low, they will now be hit by the high.

Spacing Control

Space is the most important thing in Tekken, and you can use it to bait. Be close when you want them to attack, then be far when you want to punish.

• Staying out of Range: If you stay out of their range, they will think that they are safe from you. Use this false sense of safety to attack with a long range move.
• Controlling the Distance: Use your movement and your attacks to make sure that your opponent is where you want them. Try to put them in a place where you know that they will make a mistake.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even the best baiters make mistakes. Watch out for these pitfalls when learning how to bait.

Being Predictable

The biggest mistake people make is being too predictable. Your plan should change as the match goes on. Don’t do the same thing every time.

• Variety is Key: Make sure that you are always changing up your baits. When you are unpredictable, then it is harder for your opponent to know what you will do.
• Use Different Options: Mix up your attacks, movement, and defensive tactics to keep your opponent on their toes.

Being Too Aggressive

Sometimes, trying to bait too much can lead to mistakes. Stay calm and take a measured approach. Don’t get too excited and mess up your plan.

• Patience is Key: Sometimes the best thing to do is nothing. Wait for your opponent to make a mistake and be ready to punish it.
• Don’t Force It: If you’re forcing a bait, it probably won’t work. Let the match come to you and then be ready to exploit any openings.

Not Observing Your Opponent

You can’t bait if you do not know what your opponent is going to do. You must watch them like a hawk. Know the moves they prefer, and when they like to use them.

• Always Pay Attention: If you are not watching your opponent, you can’t use their habits against them.
• Adjust Accordingly: If you are not watching them, you will not be able to adapt to their plan, as the match changes.

Baiting is a powerful tool in Tekken 9, but it takes practice to do well. Don’t get discouraged if your early attempts don’t always work. The key is to learn from your mistakes, adapt your tactics, and keep practicing. Once you become a skilled baiter, you’ll find that your opponents become much easier to deal with. It’s like a mind game inside the fighting game, and it can be very rewarding when you start winning.