Lethal League/System

Basic Mechanics

Movement

Although it is the most basic mechanic, its importance is often overlooked. Characters do not run at a constant velocity, instead they accelerate up to a maximum velocity. This is extremely important for winning races for ball control and quick positioning for both offense and defense. When you change directions, your horizontal velocity will not reset. This is an important factor to consider since low accel characters will be more committed to their movement.

Crouching

Decreases the size of your hurtbox, but takes frames to uncrouch to swing or move again. Can also crouch swing while running to slide swing.

Jumping

Being in the air gives you more mobility at the cost of not being able to tapcharge and risk of being floortrapped. Accelerations and maximum velocities are the same in the air for all characters as on the ground.

Fastfall

Done by pressing down at the apex of your jump. It is the fastest movement option in the game which makes it great for both approaching and getting out of the way. Since it can only be used at the apex of a jump it can be predictable.

Hitlag

When a swing or smash connects the character and the ball will be frozen in hitlag. Hitlag duration depends on the ball speed and state, and increases as the ball gets faster.

Ball Tag

When the ball is hit, it will be tagged and cannot kill players with the same tag.

Swing

During swing hitlag, you can choose a release angle: up, neutral, or down. Some characters also have a ground angle which replaces down angle when standing on the ground. If swing is held you will enter a vulnerable charge state which can be released to start the second half of the swing. A normal swing hit will increase the ball speed by 1. A partial charge will increase the ball speed a small amount depending on the charge duration. A full charge will double the speed and have reduced hitlag.

Bunt

When the ball is bunted, the ball speed decreases by 3, there is no hitlag, and it enters a bunted state. When the ball is hit by a swing or smash in a bunted state hitlag is greatly reduced.

Smash

Doubles the ball speed on hit and has only one angle. Is the same size as swing but has an additional hitbox above, making it a good option for vertical races or bunt steals. It is possible to be in both a smash and a grounded state which can impact certain specials.

Clash

If two swings or two bunts intersect on certain frames, a clash will occur which stuns both players and knocks them back. Clashes are the only way to interact with the opponent directly. Swings and bunts have different clash frames and smashes cannot be clashed.

Ball Clash

A ball clash will occur when two players hit the ball at the same time from any combination of swing, bunt, or smash. A ball in play will enter a bunted state and the players will be knocked back and stunned. For a ball clash on a neutral serve, the ball will stay floating in the center. If ball tag is disabled, the ball will keep traveling. Ball tag does not change from a ball clash.

Meter

Hitting the ball with a smash or swing will give one meter. If the ball is hit in a bunted state, it will give two meter.

Special

When you have full meter you can activate special (for most characters). Some character specials are also used in other situations, like switchflip.

Parry

If you bunt during hitlag while having any meter, you can spend it all to parry. Parry will protect the ball and stun any attackers for a short period of time while in hitlag. Parry increases the ball speed by 3 and a successful parry will give full meter. It is not advised to parry too early or too late. If you parry early there is no way to protect the ball so the opponent can just walk up and take it. If you parry on the last frame of hitlag it will be wasted.

Auto Parry

The first hit of a serve will have an invisible parry automatically applied to it for the entire hitlag duration.