u/GravitoMagnetism

I had been cooking this Kolo in LMS (he wasn't bad but it's Cream in her natural habitat so...) and then this happened. I totally thought he was going to walk me off the edge, bringing me to exe spawn on the exact opposite side of the map. I could see him thinking about it. I'm not sure if he decided he didn't want to win like that or if he *was* trying to toss me without falling in himself and I just got flung the wrong way, but I choose to believe it was intentional because it's funnier. I edited in what I like to imagine went through his head at that moment if this is the case.

Despite my problems with this game, it's still top tier in terms of hype moments and aura. I love playing it and showing off the most exciting moments. The best way to make fleetway fun to play against is to keep improving and learning, and helping each other get better can only serve to push everyone further ahead in skill.

I have no idea how I hit this. I think it's because chaos dash was almost over? I definitely shouldn't have hit it. But hey, it gives us a glimpse into a lore-accurate Metal Sonic in OM.

The ragdoll it puts you in lasts FOREVER. Even getting hit with a normal Fateful Drain lets you make *some* distance after. I left in the Sonic saving me afterward because it was some consolation. W Sonic player, bro did what he could throughout the game. That being said, this would have downed even if I was at full HP. I can't tell if the third hit was a random crit but the first two definitely were. I know it's probably just bad luck, but it always seems like he gets random crits a lot more than 10-25% of the time when I'm playing against him. Although TBH I'm baffled as to why he has them at all.

And yes, he entered his stun pose before the M1 hit. :( Man I Love Fleetway.

Also, while I was working with the template, I made a Kolo grab version as well. I'm still not a fan of how Kolo can (and most will) get an extra M1 (two if he walks to or grabs a survivor in a small space) if he hits you with grab, which *can* (not always, it's mostly ping dependent from what I've heard) hit you from a VERY large distance and with a lingering hitbox. On the other hand, Fleetway is still much worse IMO. At least his giant hitboxes make sense (except for grab, but that's one move). In fact, IIRC, Fleetway has a bigger M1 than Kolo for...some reason. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on that one, though.

Just a few panels from Sonic The Comic issue 81 (Running Wild Part 2) where Amy and Tails are shown dodging Super Sonic's attacks by just a small amount and still not getting hit. So then...why does Fleetway have the biggest hitboxes in the game (I think)? He's fast and strong like is in the comics, he's mostly invincible (and technically can't be truly killed it's just the world he's in rejecting him if he gets tired) and has a LOT of flying ability, but for some reason, he still basically can't be dodged because he just has a hitbox big enough to hit anyone in the general area, possibly even with a random crit. I doubt this'll ever be changed, just wanted to point out an inconsistency here.

I'm a longtime Sonic main, and I've been looking to improve my gameplay. I know the basic techniques and have been practicing with them for a while, but I feel like I've been hitting a wall. I know I can improve. I've seen much better players than me out there and I think I could be dying and letting my teammates die less. I'm hoping someone with more skill and/or game knowledge can provide some help for people in my situation.

Some things I do know are (to give an idea by what I mean by "advanced" and to help others that may not know of these):

Hit & Run tactics: If a teammate isn't in imminent danger, you want to make sure you get in, do your thing, and get out when using abilities. Both are good at making distance from the exe, so use that.

Playing distractor: You have a dodge meter. This makes you great at wasting exe's time. Think about letting them get some of your dodge so they stop attacking your team.

Teamwork: Helping your team isn't a one-way street. If you're in danger, it's smart to seek out teammates. It seems obvious, but only relying on yourself is a good way to get killed. Those drop dash cooldowns are DANGEROUS for you!

Map knowledge: This is more of a general tip than a Sonic one, but knowing good looping spots and how to lose an EXE is incredibly important. Playing erratically, especially with peelout, is your main method of losing 2/4 exes so they don't just kill you (and whoever you're carrying) when it ends.

"Homing Dash": Drop Dash's third hit will always toss the exe towards you. However, there is a short delay between when you are thrown back and when it decides this angle. I'm still working on the timing, but if you flick your direction, you can toss the exe in a specific direction without actually being thrown this way. This is great near ledges, especially on Mystic Caves.

Peeldash: By spamming the drop dash button as peelout finishes charging, you can do a drop dash with the control, speed, and ability to pick up others from peelout. This move is risky because it puts you on an even longer cooldown than normal for BOTH abilities once it's finished. It also doesn't give dodge if it hits. Because of this, it's normally not a good idea to use. However, in a few situations such as reviving a teammate with an exe standing over them waiting to hit your LONG peelout hitbox or getting a teammate out of grab and getting them out of there, it can be useful.

Stun stacking: A great way to get dodge, not a great way to extend stun times. Usually, the amount of time you get from this isn't worthwhile. On the other hand, the exe being immobile for free dodge can be a life saver.

Springs: Great traversal tool, especially with your abilities. Drop Dash pairs well as long as you don't go in directly facing a wall as that usually makes it so you don't get enough height to clear it. In theory the same can be done with peelout and I've seen it done, but the amount of momentum I have on springs with that move almost seems random to where you either go straight up and can't make it where you want to go or you shoot forward and hit a lip, stopping your upwards momentum. Verticality is great, especially from looping, but try not to use one with an exe ready to hit you since either server lag or hitbox jankiness seems to make it so that there's a portion of the upward movement where they can still hit you, even from the bottom.

I frames: Probably the best part of your kit. Drop dash has 7 seconds of instant I frames. Use that if exe is going to hit you with something that's not a projectile!

Trickery: Both in and out of LMS, if exe is coming to you or someone nearby, it's good to use peelout. You can still dodge it with the correct inputs if the move is charging, and getting distance is always helpful.

Peelout: If you're not in LMS, try to only use it to save others. It's risky to use to escape a nearby exe due to the loud noise and you get about 15 extra seconds of cooldown if you aren't carrying someone when it ends.

Any knowledge would be appreciated. I also welcome input from exe mains: What do Sonics do that make your life harder?