Building a Moveset : A loose guide.
May 25, 2018 10:45:10 GMT -5
Mongo the Destroyer, La Familia Price, and 3 more like this
Post by Technical Perfection on May 25, 2018 10:45:10 GMT -5
OK, this is not meant to be preachy or owt, this is just the way I look at things. Feel free to use this as advice or to tell me I'm talking out of my arse or whatever.
I, as you may know, was a member of a match writing federation. Creating a moveset that flows nicely makes writing matches an easier job. So here's the way I go about it.
1. Finisher.
Your finisher defines who your character is and should help define the rest of your moveset. Pick something cool. If your finisher is a superkick or a lariat, you need to put some work into defining the mythology of the move. Otherwise these should be the defining pinnacle of what your wrestler can achieve.
2. Finishing sequence.
A lot of wrestlers are known by their finishing sequence. Stone Cold didn't beat people with a Stunner. He beat people with Toe Kick -> Double Bird Taunt -> Stunner. Hulk Hogan's Leg Drop was always preceded with a Big Boot. Aerial wrestlers usually have one move they rely on to land people face up on the mat (Liger's fall forward slam, for example.) If you're not using an "Outta Nowhere!" finisher, work out a move that sets up your finish and puts the opponent in the correct position. And if you're using an "Exclamation Point" style finisher, make the set up damn good. The People's Elbow is either set up with a Spinebuster or the Rock Bottom. It makes a lot more logical sense to think of them as the actual finisher and the People's Elbow as just dotting the is and crossing the ts. Eddie Kingston kills his opponent dead with the Backdorp Driver before using the Backfist To The Future if they stand up slowly or the American D if they don't.
3. Work backwards.
What are your wrestlers strats in most matches? If you use an aerial finish, it's working your opponent down to a point where they can't get off the mat. If it's a submission, you're looking to work the same body part as your finish because every thing you do is setting it up (Check how much Ric Flair works the legs when he's on offense). If you're a big power wrestler, big power moves, remembering again that working the back/ribs to set up your back/ribs finisher (and yes, they count as the same area because wrestling logic.) If you have a funky strat, get that over in the other moves you pick (for instance Keiji Mutoh works the legs to make his opponent slower to get up off the mat, setting up the Shining Wizard)
3. Signature moves
Don't just put a bunch of really cool movez to fill out all your signature slots. Unless that's what you're going for as a character, of course. But if you take something that's blatantly finisher strength as a signature, that's showing that you lack the power to beat people with something that dangerous. Again, always look at what your character is trying to achieve in the match and work to it. Naming signatures (and not naming them) also helps define who your character is. If you have a professional no nonsense attitude, you probably don't have 5 named signatures along with 2 named finishers. If you're a massive showoff, you've probably named everything. If you're Taz you probably get all your suplexes called Tazplexes.
4. Complimentary/Secondary Finishers.
If you're going to pick a secondary finisher, which is always entirely optional, pick something that compliments your primary. Moves, Holds, Strikes, Aerial attacks. Don't cross the streams as a general rule. If you usually finish people with a 450, there's little point in taking a Frog Splash because why wouldn't you be using the 450? Take something that already fits your strategy.
5. Normal moves.
These define your wrestler's style more than any of the big stuff. From your choice of strikes. Take the humble kick. A brawler or powerhouse might use a toe kick. An aerial wrestler would use a leg lariat or step up enzuigiri and an MMA style wrestler would use a mawashigeri (roundhouse) or maegeri (front kick). A boxer uses Jabs and Crosses, a pure brawler uses... a punch. A technical wrestler uses open hand strikes because that's what technical wrestlers do, damnit. Then for the normal moves, there are a ton of simple holds and throws that everyone should be able to do, so, again, pick ones that fit your strat. Remember, it's not the big things that define your character in the ring. It's the little things. And don't forget to cover all bases. I'm sure we've all played wrestling games on consoles and that. If you don't have anything listed that covers a situation, a writer may well assume that you just don't work towards that situation. If you don't put a move from the corner in somewhere, you're just going to use a strike and be done with it.
6. MDK Finisher.
The wrestling equivalent of the nuclear option. Every fed has a different name for your ultimate killer death move. This is used for winning major titles, blowing off blood feuds AND THAT IS IT. A match writer should kinda feel he needs permission to use it. While normal finishers should be sacred and never kicked out of except for very special occasions, MDK finishers should only be used on very special occasions and never kicked out of ever, ever ever, ever ever ever, period. So either pick something that is like your favourite finisher only BETTER or just pick something ridiculous and unfathomably cool. And remember, we're in e-fed rules so bans on head drops do not apply here.
And finally
7. Ignore all the other rules if you want to.
This stuff isn't gospel. The most important rule in E-fedding is the Rule of Cool. If you ever think "I want this in my moveset because I really like it," put it in. Sure most of the stuff about having consistent strats makes it easier for match writers but the most important thing is that your character handles the way you want it to. Your character, your moveset. I've been in a fed where one of the character shot laser beams from his eyes and used an overhand chop to shatter his opponents like glass (Generally when he didn't feel like submitting a full match and he thought his opponent might totally no show, just to give him the coolest possible default win.). So be cool. Always be cool.
I hope this helps those who are struggling to nail their character's moves down. Feel free to message me if you want direct suggestions on stuff.
~Will~
I, as you may know, was a member of a match writing federation. Creating a moveset that flows nicely makes writing matches an easier job. So here's the way I go about it.
1. Finisher.
Your finisher defines who your character is and should help define the rest of your moveset. Pick something cool. If your finisher is a superkick or a lariat, you need to put some work into defining the mythology of the move. Otherwise these should be the defining pinnacle of what your wrestler can achieve.
2. Finishing sequence.
A lot of wrestlers are known by their finishing sequence. Stone Cold didn't beat people with a Stunner. He beat people with Toe Kick -> Double Bird Taunt -> Stunner. Hulk Hogan's Leg Drop was always preceded with a Big Boot. Aerial wrestlers usually have one move they rely on to land people face up on the mat (Liger's fall forward slam, for example.) If you're not using an "Outta Nowhere!" finisher, work out a move that sets up your finish and puts the opponent in the correct position. And if you're using an "Exclamation Point" style finisher, make the set up damn good. The People's Elbow is either set up with a Spinebuster or the Rock Bottom. It makes a lot more logical sense to think of them as the actual finisher and the People's Elbow as just dotting the is and crossing the ts. Eddie Kingston kills his opponent dead with the Backdorp Driver before using the Backfist To The Future if they stand up slowly or the American D if they don't.
3. Work backwards.
What are your wrestlers strats in most matches? If you use an aerial finish, it's working your opponent down to a point where they can't get off the mat. If it's a submission, you're looking to work the same body part as your finish because every thing you do is setting it up (Check how much Ric Flair works the legs when he's on offense). If you're a big power wrestler, big power moves, remembering again that working the back/ribs to set up your back/ribs finisher (and yes, they count as the same area because wrestling logic.) If you have a funky strat, get that over in the other moves you pick (for instance Keiji Mutoh works the legs to make his opponent slower to get up off the mat, setting up the Shining Wizard)
3. Signature moves
Don't just put a bunch of really cool movez to fill out all your signature slots. Unless that's what you're going for as a character, of course. But if you take something that's blatantly finisher strength as a signature, that's showing that you lack the power to beat people with something that dangerous. Again, always look at what your character is trying to achieve in the match and work to it. Naming signatures (and not naming them) also helps define who your character is. If you have a professional no nonsense attitude, you probably don't have 5 named signatures along with 2 named finishers. If you're a massive showoff, you've probably named everything. If you're Taz you probably get all your suplexes called Tazplexes.
4. Complimentary/Secondary Finishers.
If you're going to pick a secondary finisher, which is always entirely optional, pick something that compliments your primary. Moves, Holds, Strikes, Aerial attacks. Don't cross the streams as a general rule. If you usually finish people with a 450, there's little point in taking a Frog Splash because why wouldn't you be using the 450? Take something that already fits your strategy.
5. Normal moves.
These define your wrestler's style more than any of the big stuff. From your choice of strikes. Take the humble kick. A brawler or powerhouse might use a toe kick. An aerial wrestler would use a leg lariat or step up enzuigiri and an MMA style wrestler would use a mawashigeri (roundhouse) or maegeri (front kick). A boxer uses Jabs and Crosses, a pure brawler uses... a punch. A technical wrestler uses open hand strikes because that's what technical wrestlers do, damnit. Then for the normal moves, there are a ton of simple holds and throws that everyone should be able to do, so, again, pick ones that fit your strat. Remember, it's not the big things that define your character in the ring. It's the little things. And don't forget to cover all bases. I'm sure we've all played wrestling games on consoles and that. If you don't have anything listed that covers a situation, a writer may well assume that you just don't work towards that situation. If you don't put a move from the corner in somewhere, you're just going to use a strike and be done with it.
6. MDK Finisher.
The wrestling equivalent of the nuclear option. Every fed has a different name for your ultimate killer death move. This is used for winning major titles, blowing off blood feuds AND THAT IS IT. A match writer should kinda feel he needs permission to use it. While normal finishers should be sacred and never kicked out of except for very special occasions, MDK finishers should only be used on very special occasions and never kicked out of ever, ever ever, ever ever ever, period. So either pick something that is like your favourite finisher only BETTER or just pick something ridiculous and unfathomably cool. And remember, we're in e-fed rules so bans on head drops do not apply here.
And finally
7. Ignore all the other rules if you want to.
This stuff isn't gospel. The most important rule in E-fedding is the Rule of Cool. If you ever think "I want this in my moveset because I really like it," put it in. Sure most of the stuff about having consistent strats makes it easier for match writers but the most important thing is that your character handles the way you want it to. Your character, your moveset. I've been in a fed where one of the character shot laser beams from his eyes and used an overhand chop to shatter his opponents like glass (Generally when he didn't feel like submitting a full match and he thought his opponent might totally no show, just to give him the coolest possible default win.). So be cool. Always be cool.
I hope this helps those who are struggling to nail their character's moves down. Feel free to message me if you want direct suggestions on stuff.
~Will~