Mega Knockdown/M.M. Lewis

Lewis M.M. Lewis

Playstyle Brawler HP 1400 Unique Traits Slippery Movement Can move on wakeup using specials. Blocking Allergy Take chip damage from normal attacks. Favorite Chess Opening: 1. e4e5 2. Ke2

Introduction

M.M. Lewis is an up-close footsies character who uses his slippery movement to dodge and counter the opponent's pokes. On defense, he's hard to pin down, but he experiences immense psychological pain if he's forced to block.

Gameplan

Lewis wants to put himself at close-to-mid range where he can harass with his First of Euphoria and PileDebunker. Slippery Slope is a little risky, but it's a useful tool to force a whiff and close distance quickly, or to catch the opponent low. On wakeup, consider using your backward-moving specials to evade the opponent's oki. Remember, you can leave! You don't have to hold shit!

"There's no way you can outsmart me. I've seen almost two entire episodes of Cosmos."

Lore:

Lewis believes that the best way to win this tournament is through careful study and mental mastery. He's attempted the newspaper's sudoku puzzle every day, watched a lot of Jeopardy on TV, and has nearly finished one episode each of Cosmos: A Personal Voyage and Cosmos: Possible Worlds. He's also studied the frame data of this game extensively. If he wins, Lewis wants to buy a ticket to Sweden to continue his search for Stemmy the STEM Dog.

Pros and Cons

Strengths

Weaknesses

Slippery movement - His specials are effective at dodging in or out of range, causing attacks to whiff. Euphoric - Fist of Euphoria is an evasive attack that is especially hard to deal with. Disrespect options - Lewis read the wiki. Frame advantage and pressure are merely suggestions to him. Can disrespect many oki/pressure options. Excellent mix - His strong options force walk and block, opening up a strong throw game.

Unsafe specials - Most of his specials are unsafe. No ranged attacks - Doesn't have great options against zoning. Bad at blocking - Can't rely on blocking as much as other characters. Low stamina - Tied for the lowest health, combined with taking damage from blocking normals gives him the lowest effective health.

Normal Moves

A [5A/6A]

Version Damage Startup Ground/Air Range Guard Block Advantage On Hit Push Chip Damage Attributes Normal 100 10 1/1 All 10 Combo A 1 - - Good mashing or pressure option. Lewis has a 10-frame 5A, tied for the fastest normal in the game. He doesn't have a normal 4A, but it doesn't matter because his 4A special is one of the best moves in the game. Combo A 300 - - - - - 1 - - Three-hit follow up combo. Automatically triggers on a clean A hit.

B [4B/5B/6B]

Version Damage Startup Ground/Air Range Guard Block Advantage On Hit Push Chip Damage Attributes Normal 100 20 2/2 All Unsafe (close) -> -20 (far) Combo B 1 - - B is a powerful space control option that covers both the air and the ground. B normals are only unsafe at point blank range and cannot be whiff punished, so they have the least risk at range 2. Combo B 200 - - - - - - - - Two-hit follow up combo. Automatically triggers on a clean B hit.

C [5C/6C]	Damage Startup Ground/Air Range Guard Block Advantage On Hit Push Chip Damage Attributes 200 30 2/0 Low Unsafe KD - - - Punishable unless done meaty, but can't be blocked while moving. This sweep is used to call out grounded "walk+block" approaches. Loses to jump-ins, forming a 2-part strategy with B normals.

j.A [8A]

Version Damage Startup Ground/Air Range Guard Block Advantage On Hit Push Chip Damage Attributes Normal 200 30 0/1 All - Combo A 1 - - Dedicated air-to-air. Jump forward up to two spaces and punch a jumping opponent. Whiffs grounded opponents. More damage and easier to land than an air throw, but doesn't knock down. Combo A 300 - - - - - 1 - - Three-hit follow up combo. Automatically triggers on a clean j.A hit.

j.B [8B]

Version Damage Startup Ground/Air Range Guard Block Advantage On Hit Push Chip Damage Attributes Normal 200 40 2/2 All 10 Combo B 1 - - Reliable jump-in option. Jump forward up to two spaces and do a drop kick. Gains ground quickly and has a long reach, but will be interrupted by most ground attacks. Plus on block. Good for challenging long-range zoning, sweeps, or punishing throw attempts. Combo B 200 - - - - - - - - Two-hit follow up combo. Automatically triggers on a clean j.B hit.

j.C [8C]	Version Damage Startup Ground/Air Range Guard Block Advantage On Hit Push Chip Damage Attributes Normal 300 50 2/0 All -10 KD, Side Switch (if close) - - - Jump forward and do an inverted lariat that can KD on hit, and side switch on hit or block. Beats a lot of the same options that a j.B can, but it's even slower and won't hit most jumping attacks--except another j.C.

Universal Mechanics

Throw [Any+T]

Version Damage Startup Ground/Air Range Guard Block Advantage On Hit Push Chip Damage Attributes Neutral Throw (5T) 300 - 1/0 Unblockable - KD - - - Stand still and throw. Opens up a blocking opponent. This type of throw also beats attacks, as it is effectively "0 frames." Hence it is a universal reversal option, but only at point blank range. Forward Throw (6T) 300 - 1/0 Unblockable - KD - - - Step forward and throw. Opens up a blocking opponent, but loses to attacks. Use this if you're confident they will block. Back Throw (4T) 300 - 1/0 Unblockable - KD, Side Switch - - - Stand still and throw an opponent behind you. Opens up a blocking opponent, but loses to attacks. A risky way to switch sides. Air Throw (8T) 400 - 0/1 - - KD 1 - - Jump forward up to two spaces and attempt to throw an opponent. Can only connect if players started their jumps fairly close to one another (distance or ~3 squares or less). If it does connect, beats any air attack. Flashy hard read option to call out jumping. Lewis' only option to KD a jumping opponent. Lewis only pushes 1, allowing continued pressure.

Block [Any+G]

Version Damage Startup Ground/Air Range Guard Block Advantage On Hit Push Chip Damage Attributes Neutral Block (5G) - - - - - - - - - Stand still and autoguard high or low, if attacked. A passive option that defends against everything but throws. Walk and Block (4G/6G) - - - - - - - - - Walk and then block high, if attacked. Lows will still hit you. Generally the safest way to gain ground or reposition yourself. Backflip (8G) - - - - - - - - - Quickly jump back up to 2 squares. Doesn't actually "block" anything, but evades most attacks.

Special Moves

Fist of Euphoria [4A]

Damage Startup Ground/Air Range Guard Block Advantage On Hit Push Chip Damage Attributes 250 25 2/2 All -20 or Unsafe - 1 75 Late-moving Slip backward, and then swing forward with an uppercut. Very annoying harassment tool which shuts down most normal attacks, and can rack up a bit of chip. The opponent usually needs to commit to walking forward to stuff this, allowing Lewis to more easily force a mixup with strike or throw. Unsafe if Lewis doesn't have room to swing forward, -20 on whiff. Doesn't actually have invincibility, so long ranged moves can beat Fist of Euphoria. This move's backward evasion works even when used on wakeup.

PileDebunker [4C] Don't sue me, Arc System Works! Don't sue me, Arc System Works!

Damage Startup Ground/Air Range Guard Block Advantage On Hit Push Chip Damage Attributes 400 40 3/0 All Unsafe KD 1 100 Late-moving Slip backward, and then swing forward to deliver a haymaker. Hard callout option that can whiff punish things very hard. Unsafe on block, even as a meaty. -20 on whiff. Fairly slow, so it can also be challenged by most pokes, if they make contact. Like with 4A, this can be used to dodge backward on wakeup.

Slippery Slope [6C]

Damage Startup Ground/Air Range Guard Block Advantage On Hit Push Chip Damage Attributes 200 25~45 3/0 Low Unsafe KD - 100 Late-moving Sliding trip attack. Unsafe on block, but it hits low. Moves forward 2 spaces after the range check. Fastest up close, slowest at max range. Fairly slow, but the late movement property allows it to whiff punish stationary pokes. You can also use the slide to move forward on wakeup. Should you? (No.)

Unique Traits

Slippery Movement

Fist of Euphoria, Pile Debunker, and Slippery Slope still do their movement on wakeup, negating the some of the penalty for getting knocked down.

Blocking Allergy

When Lewis blocks any normal attack he will take chip damage. By default, he takes 75 chip damage but if another passive ability causes normals to do chip he will take whichever is greater.

Strategy

General

Lewis is a short ranged rushdown character. You can use your slippery late moving attacks to go in and punish their whiffed attacks. Your specials will leave you somewhat vulnerable afterwards, so you may find yourself using 8G to move back to safety or counting on 5A/5T to beat their attacks. Fist of Euphoria (4A) is particularly useful for getting in their face and punishing them for hitting a button. Pile Debunker (4C) is a strong option on wakeup or in neutral to beat either mixup attempts or pokes keeping you out. Slippery Slope (6C) will stop any standard midscreen pokes (such as 5B) or it can form a powerful 2 prong approach of 6C or 8B/8C to get in.

If they play passively enough or start trying to walk and block to punish Fist of Euphoria (4A), open up your deadly throw game.

Playing disrespectfully

Tilt your opponents with your ability to be in and out. Lewis can benefit from playing in a way that could be described as "ignorant" by using his moves at times that could be deemed "unsafe" by less adventurous players. For instance Fist of Euphoria (4A) will lose to a 6A if Lewis is at neutral advantage or worse. Or perhaps they will try to 6G to get a punish. Going by frame data, you should never use 4A when you aren't plus (though you should definitely also use it when plus), but by taunting your opponent with your blatant disregard for their advantage you force them to counter. This allows you to employ throws, because 5T will beat the options they need to punish your 4A.

Likewise, merely representing the threat of Fist of Euphoria (4A) or Pile Debunker (4C) when you are knocked down forces them to weaken or at least change their offense against you. (Mostly makes you hard to throw)

Okizeme

Fist of Euphoria (4A) is extremely strong as an oki option. Sure it doesn't do a ton of damage but it is near impossible to beat and blocking it only leaves Lewis at minor disadvantage. Rotate in 5A to cover fewer options but better damage and advantage or 5T to beat the block and repeat the scenario.

Matchups

Paul (Even)
Paul has good zoning tools to keep you out but Fist of Euphoria (4A) limits what Paulcano (5A) can usually beat. Note that Pile Debunker (4C) is the same speed as Firepaul (6C).

Billy (Slight Disadvantage)
He has a lot more health than you and a command grab. His Shiko Slam (5C) won't let you use Fist of Euphoria (4A) on wakeup.

Lewis (Even)
This can be a wild one. Anything goes. Do you gamble big or passively deny your own special attacks?

Marv (Slight Disadvantage)
Blazing Ent (6B) makes it very difficult to poke with backswing specials. Beware of Gravity Spike (8A) keeping him out of range of Fist of Euphoria (4A). You can knock him down by hitting the exposed hurtbox on his 6B. Don't be afraid to use Slippery Slope (6C) as a way in, it loses hard to 6B but gives you oki. At range 4 or 5 you can hit Blazing Ent (6B) with Pile Debunker (4C).

Noel (Slight Advantage)

She clog up the screen with pokes and Fightning Flurry (6B) can catch your backswing. But, if you watch the advantage you can beat out Fighting Flurry. Also be on the look out for a very good trade opportunity: Pile Debunker (4C) trades massively in your favor with Fightning Flurry. You can use Slippery Slope on wakeup to catch far away Unusual Botanical (6C), though she will armor it she won't get the vine. If she has vine up, you can use late movement to your advantage to avoid the vine attack.

Nick (Slight Advantage)
Nick does extra chip to you with his slower normals but with no ranged attacks it is easy to make Nick's attacks whiff safely. If you can force him to walk and block by wearing him down with Fist of Euphoria, then Slippery Slope or Throw become strong threats. Most of your general strategy works here but definitely don't let yourself get backed into a corner.

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P1 Abstract

P2 Abstract