Overview
Royal Arcanist character and matchup guide from beginner to advanced
The Royal Arcanist Guide (Game ver 1.1.0.13)
Hello, I am FinalFrontier321 aka “Nix” in the Maiden and Spell Community.
Noticing that there was no Arc guide and being one of the very few who main the character, I felt the need to write a guide in order to help new players and give out more information in general to help grow the community.
Getting Started With Arc
List of Arc Attacks[wiki.gbl.gg] (thanks to Ada Basilisk!)
Basic(Dimi Dark)
-A straightforward “shotgun” like attack with increased coverage the further out it travels
-No movement penalty when firing
-Small delayed spawn which has notable close range uses
-It’s best to use focus before firing to get the best accuracy
Wide(Lat Dark)
– Arc spins while throwing out a spiral like pattern of slow and small bullets
– Causes you to move slower, which makes it good for more precise movement and micrododging
– Can cast Novi Starfall while holding down wide but other attacks will stop the channeling
– Note that it is easier for opponents to dodge the pattern depending on their orientation to arc
OS(Novi Starfall)
– A meteor(though usually referred to as a moon) that drops from above
– Usually best to cast on cooldown unless specific situations require timing
– No penalty of any kind and can be cast from any move instantly
– Removes movement debuffs on arc(short duration if applied debuff is continuous)
DS(Arcane Magic)
– fired with tap DS command only (not held)
– Paralyze, Confuse, Slow, Poison, Mini, Death Toll
– Magical debuffs that quickly fire horizontally, stopping after moving the horizontal distance between you and your opponent at the time of casting
– Has a set rotation of 6 in the same order
– Has a high amount of movement slow when casting
– Can be avoided by dodging left/right
DS(Time Stop)
– Hold to throw out a clock horizontally that stops when button/key hold is released
– Opponents are completely immobilized when hit with Time Stop
– All deletable bullets will disappear when they come in contact with the clock
– Non deletable bullets will pass through but do no damage while time stop is active
– Slows opponents inside of Time Stop
– Can still cast Arcane Magic while Time Stop is active
– Equally defensive/offensive utility
– Arc can take advantage of Lat Dark’s spawn radius and shoot from within the clock
Basic Gameplay
In order to not get caught up talking about basic Arc gameplay in each matchup, I will write the basics for using Arc here. So first off, I believe Arc is one of the harder characters to start with as the ability to hit the opponent is not as straightforward as most characters are designwise. The main thing Arc players should look for is to weaken the opponent with debuffs and using wide and moon together to force hits on the opponent. Matchups may demand that Arc plays more offensively, more defensively, or a combination of both. It’s alright to lean towards one style or the other, but remember to calculate the risks when doing so.
Offensive
– Higher chance of scoring hits
– High risk/High reward gameplay
– Good movement values to be precise but also chase and corner
Defensive
– Good survivability
– Less likely to score hits so longer game time
– Very strong when walls are small due to moon
So Arc is very dynamic in design and relies a lot on strong positioning and reactionary punishes for additional hits which usually involve hitting people with basic when opportunities present themselves or making the opponent’s dodging as difficult as possible so wide is very likely to hit(wide + moon funneling).
But in neutral, Arc is for the most part holding down wide and spamming moon on cooldown to create those situations by putting up some pressure. All while lining up horizontally with the opponent to fire debuffs in order to make hitable situations. Once an opponent has enough debuffs then you may feel free to be more aggressive on the opponent and close the distance. Remember though, just because an opponent is debuffed it doesn’t mean they are useless, wide attacks will still be threatening and mini/confusion could just come back to hit you unexpectedly.
Advanced Gameplay
Since Arc has the luxury of having 5 moves, there are a lot of unique techniques that can be done to make more intricate gameplay.
The Big one that makes all arcs happy is the Time Stop punish.
Even though Time Stop is labeled as a “Defensive Special”, the offensive capabilities are huge. When Arc hits the opponent with the clock, she can fire 6 debuffs, drop a moon on their head, and even shoot a basic when the invul ends. The best way to go about the timing is to use 5 debuffs > Basic + last debuff to get the most difficult dodging situation. Generally the moon is going to hit the opponent first and the timing for casting moon depends on the opponent’s distance from the top of the screen. Then afterwards feel free to chase the opponent and follow up on para stuns with timed basics or wide if they are trapped under the moon.
Another more niche option is to overlap basic shots.
If your opponent is fully debuffed and retreating towards a wall, Arc can move towards the opponent with basic shots and because of their slow speed, Arc can spawn more over the previous shots and form a mini wall of bullets. This is very useful against slower characters who just can’t get away when slowed, paralyzed, and poisoned as their movement options are hindered immensely. Against fast characters however, it may be more effective to just follow one basic shot and then cast wide while behind it for more coverage but slightly less density.
So Time Stop has a lot going for it right? Well here is another important trick to make use of its defensive qualities.
Unlike opponents, Arc is immune to being frozen in place and can freely move around in the clock. So what makes this work is the fact that wide shots have a spawn radius that lets them fire outside of the clearing properties of the clock while Arc is safely protected. This comes into play often when arc is on the defensive or as an unexpected attack when the opponent is focused on dodging the moon. Also don’t forget, debuffs can still be fired while Time Stop is still active so make use of both moves whenever capable.
With the intro out of the way, here is my take on all of the matchups and how I think Arc should go about fighting each one.
Sun Priestess
Overview
Arc Vs Sun requires Arc to be very conscious of positioning and movement so she is doing what she can to move freely yet precisely. This is crucial so she wont get trapped against the walls or areas that are dense with bullets. In order to move much and not get caught out by Sun’s attacks, its best to use basic shots to pressure sun as it doesn’t limit Arc’s movement. Sun has a lot of move lock while casting so basic is very useful in general vs sun and especially so at range. So as Arc is moving around, she is also trying to close the distance in order to pressure Sun against the walls and this allows Arc to use wide + moon pressure and potentially score hits. Sun’s attacks do not spawn hitboxes immediately so weaving through is not as difficult when they are spawned on top of Arc, Namely wide and diamonds in particular. Another side of the neutral game is DS management. Generally Arc Will be dodging at diagonal angles at times as running through Sun’s focus basic attack is risky when stray wide shots can halt movement at times and force direction changes. With that said, as Arc passes horizontally with Sun, she has opportunities to use debuffs to weaken Sun Priestess. Sun’s dispel is very much anti Arc in design as it clears all debuffs on use. But as long as Arc does not use Time Stop, Sun may be forced to use dispel to clear raw debuffs while Arc can continuously punish after its on cd. It is never good to use Timestop on Sun just because the opportunity is there. It is a 1 for 1 trade that benefits no one. So in general, Arc has a lot of things to focus on vs Sun including closing the distance while staying mobile and trying to force dispel with debuffs and pressure in general so further debuffs and Timestop will be a dangerous threat for the period dispel is on cd.
Interactions
Sun’s attack patterns require very different approaches depending on Arc’s distance and what attack Arc is doing during Sun’s offensive. As Arc is using basics and moving at max speed, Arc can more freely macro and close the distance/line up debuffs on Sun. Using debuffs however, is very dangerous as Sun’s basic can easily catch a wary Arc off guard. It is best to use debuffs in very small bursts of 1 or 2 at most. using three usually prevents Arc from being able to escape being inside of Sun’s basic as the slow is immense. At close range, when Arc is using wide, She is much more likely to be forced into difficult micro situations vs Sun’s basic and wide traps. When dodging this, try to micro as close to the edge of basic as possible and between the spawn points of the wide shot. It is the most safe point. In dire situations at close range, Arc may also need to dodge perfectly away or through Sunny so the wide attack will potentially never hit if done precisely enough. Sun may also opt to use diamonds to catch Arc running out of basic at close range which is most difficult as diamonds patterns are difficult to read in short time so try to dodge out towards where you see a diamond heading in your path. This will mean the diamond will all ready pass you as you reach its position. If faced with diamonds in general, Sun Priestess is very slow and very easily hit by debuffs and moon. So when faced with diamond spam, Arc can take this time to punish Sunny and potentially force dispel but as far as dodging diamonds go. Try to visualize the 2 patterns in front of you and pass through the point where 2 diamonds intersect one another. They leave a gap for you to run through and also look for diamonds spawning on top of you. Their hitbox is slightly delayed so you can freely keep moving forward and be safe. When closing the distance and Sun is feeling threatened, she may opt to use dispel for safety but also as a setup starter for her basic + wide combo. Being inside dispel makes both players invincible but slows Arc down for Sun’s setup. Along with microing as close to Sun’s basic as possible, Casting moon will clear the slow appied to Arc and let her move freely again to safety.
There are times were Sun may seize an opportunity to get into hugging range vs Arc and this makes basic much more threatening. When dealing with this, never use debuffs at point blank range or hold wide for long periods of time. The slow will allow Sun’s basic to hit. It is best to just retreat to the moon or run through Sunny unexpectedly and get to safety.
Tips
– When dealing with diamonds. It’s easiest to look at the whole attack as two different patterns in order to get a good level of focus. That way when you see two diamonds that overlap, you can see the space they leave and easily run through. When mastered then you can even take the time to fire debuffs while waiting for maximum effectiveness.
– Most bonks usually come from wide sniping so always watch yourself when Sun spawns wides on top of you and don’t panic.
– Sun’s moves are very effective at hitting when you’re cornered so staying mobile is key.
– If Sun is trying to hug you then retreat to your moon for safety. Also if you get the movement read then you can also run through Sun and use a focus basic for a quick sneak attack as a sort of reversal.
– Don’t be afraid to use Time Stop when stuck in dispel and moon is on cooldown and you don’t feel like you can escape basic setups.
Silent Redhood
Overview
Arc Vs Red requires a lot of long range focusing on multiple attacks in order to take opportunities to get hits in and position safely. In the long run of the match, Arc will want to start off playing mid to long range as hitting Red is exceptionally difficult without setup but as walls get small, it becomes much easier to hit her. So in order to potentially get hits in during the early game, focusing on lining up debuffs is key to making Red more likely to bonk shots. This is also one of the few opportunities for Arc to close the distance but only if the set up is right. Usually when Red just happens to get caught against the wall with the moon is when the hit potential is highest. Otherwise Arc mostly looking to play when the walls are small so using the moon will force Redhood into difficult dodging situations. Surviving to this point involves navigating through red’s wide and basic shots while keeping a close watch on kunais so Arc can dodge accordingly. To make it easier its best to try and keep the red hood and deployed kunais away from Arc and not on bothsides, otherwise Red can use basic shots to make macroing much more difficult and set up checkmate situations potentially.
Interactions
Most of this match is long term macro but there are a few instances where specific situations may call for more micro heavy gameplay. When trying to hit a corner’d Red in the early game, Red’s basic requires a lot of quick reactions to micro properly. You must notice the charge and see if you want to micro between or beside it. So as the moon is falling Arc needs to hold her ground and hold wide to force potential hits on their escape or sometimes force vanish out. When Red is in vanish they are still somewhat trackable and can be hit with debuffs. When vanish is on cd is a good opportunity to line up a time stop attempt to hit Red against the wall and moon. One thing to note is that when punishing a fully debuffed Redhood, Kunai can cleanse the stuns that paralysis inflicts so getting hits is still very difficult. Mini also makes Kunai very hard to see and focus kunai need to be kept in check though kunai are much easier to dodge at close range but at the expense of Red’s basic being much harder to react to. When walls are getting to the small point, Scoring hits with moon is Arc’s best chance to win. This is done by having moon come down at Red and putting her in a spot where basic is near guaranteed hit.
There are also instances of close range fighting if either play opts to do so. Arc can take advantage of this to push Red or run from Red towards a wall and set up a moon to make dodging difficult for Red. Don’t hug long though as kunai’s and 50/50 situations with basics are not worth the effort.
Tips
– Don’t let Red chase you back. It is very easy to bonk into a wide bullet. Stay calm and you can actually hide inside of Red’s deadzone and use debuffs/basic as a retaliation. Just be careful of kunai approaching or spawning under Red as a trap.
-Be careful about chasing Red as she may opt to use a focuskunai which will quickly hit you in the back while chasing.
– Kunai attacks usually have a small animation to show when they are locked before firing so its good to use this to manipulate their attack pattern and dodge safely at all ranges.
Royal Arcanist
Overview
The Arc mirror is very interaction based but as a general rule, holding center vertically speaking and forcing the other Arc to be against the top/bottom wall gives the best advantage. This way its easiest to avoid traps while catching the other Arc aligning themselves with you so you can safely intercept with debuffs. So to apply optimal pressure, Arc will be using wide mostly and casting moon on cooldown as often as possible. This will force both Arcs to move horizontally throughout the match but the Arc controlling center will be the safest. The Arc against the bottom/top wall will have limited dodging potential and have a more difficult time capitalizing on any situation while avoiding any forced back on them. when one Arc is pressed against the side wall is also equally bad as this opens up situations for wide to hit and even time stop to come out. So to prevent this is to keep track of where the moon is falling down and try to keep towards center if possible and generally try to hold the safest position throughout the match.
Interactions
So as both Arc’s naturally align themselves vertically from one another, debuffs will be the primary focus as these will set up the situations and allow one Arc to take stage control. When one Arc is moving towards the other vertically speaking, the Arc holding their position can intercept with debuffs safely with preemptive shooting which is why holding center is so important. The most important debuff to hit is paralysis as it will make setups much easier and dodging much harder. Capitalize on para with more debuffs, wide, basic, and even clock setups as Arc is generally slow and has difficulty avoiding attacks at closer range. If you have stage control and are the center holding Arc and are pressing them into a wall. Look for opportunities to get close and trap them with wide, if they are stationary due to fear of moving then you can shoot a basic shot as they are locked down and may throw them off guard. One key interaction to look for is punishing defensive time stops. If Arc is trapped in their clock, the other Arc can use their own and stun the other in the other clock. This is very devastating as their clock will be on cd and the other can guarantee moon hits with no difficulty when timed correctly. Also its worth noting that being in the clock does not defend against opponents debuffs so defensive time stops should only be for quick panic dodging and that the Arc should quickly leave and be on the move again when safe.
Tips
– If the opponent misses a Time Stop punish and is hiding in their clock. You can throw yours on top of theirs and get the stun even though they are invulnerable from bullets.
– Paralysis is the strongest debuff as Arc is fairly slow and it’s easy to follow up on the stuns with any of your attacks.
– Moving left/right is the best way to avoid debuffs as they stop at the opponents current position when shot. As opposed to up/down which can be tracked.
Hero of Frost
Overview
Arc vs Frost is a very difficult matchup due to the nature of relying on prediction in order to punish Frost. Frost is capable of playing defensively or offensively vs Arc to a great extent though offensive Frost is more threatening. If Arc is going against a defensive zoning style Frost, Arc needs to be able to accurately weave through Frost’s focus basic attack and try to hit as many debuffs as possible in order to make Frost weak enough to punish or approach. The difficulty in this is being able to control different speeds in micro situations as Arc using basic/wide/debuffs as they will have different movement reductions while casting so mastery in quick changes is important. If Frost gets enough debuffs then Arc may be free to get closer and hope to force hits with moon and wide but Frost is still not completely free to close the distance on. Frost’s wide attack is especially difficult to maneuver and even more so with the mini debuff applied. This means Arc should try to get above/below Frost and slowely close the distance by moving directly at them with care. When debuffs are getting worn then quickly back away and repeat as Frost is still very capable of stunning Arc and scoring hits. Even with full debuffs, Frost can still quickly stun and line up horizontally and hit a basic shot. When dealing with aggro Frost however, Arc will play very different and be forced to one side and hope to keep as much dodging room as possible. Frost will try to box with wide so key is having anticipation skills to quickly dodge between basic and potential wide shots with redirecting movement so be careful about slowing yourself with wide when you need the movement to get away. If cornered however, Arc will have to opt for holding wide and hoping the situation is too difficult for Frost to get close without bonking due to pressure of wide and moon. If Arc gets trapped against a corner with Frost, the biggest way to escape is to time the moon drop so you is able to use it for spacing and potentially force a situation, sometimes repeating this moon camping strat if necessary.
Interactions
The most important interaction to learn vs Frost is how to deal with focus basic and what Arc can do if they are comfy enough to make plays while weaving. Usually against zoning Frost, try to close the distance while shooting debuffs in the bullet stream so Frost is feeling more pressure the closer Arc gets, There are moments where it is necessary to macro focus basic instead of micro depending on the angle which usually comes down to wanting to get closer quickly by moving out of the bullets then back in when wanting to use debuffs at closer range. This is because It is very difficult to hit Frost in general with them so being closer will help make capitalizing on any that hit important. This all changes with aggro Frost though because of the sheer amount of pressure she can put on Arc at close range and the looming threat of stunwave. The ability to make predictions on dodge roll attempts is important to be able to defend yourself and hit Frost at all. A well timed basic or even clock is the best moment to turn the game around but its still a prediction based punish so using clock is only necessary if you are very sure on the read. If clock is on cd and you are left defenseless, Arc can opt for a moon camping strategy until time stop comes up. This is not completely safe but can make it difficult for Frost to punish, but also is hard for Arc to really hit back as well. The only other time moon camping is good is endgame when walls are smallest as Arc wants to make as much distance as possible vs Frost in order to not get punished easily. One key interaction that could potentially win games unexpectedly is the stunwave counter-basic punish. If Arc times a basic input as the clear part of stunwave is active, the delay on basic will allow a basic shot to spawn in after the stun and potentially hit Frost. This is not guaranteed but the unexpected nature of it can potentially score hits.
Tips
– Getting comfy with dodging Frost’s focus basic and attacking will make a huge difference in dealing with Frost’s zoning pressure.
– Use the moon to camp until Time Stop is off cooldown
– Practice countering Stunwave as there is no reason to not as its a last resort and can easily score hits with the surprise factor.
Dreadwyrm Heir
Overview
Arc vs Wyrm is heavily about holding space and making it very difficult for Wyrm to approach. Wyrm has very strong close range potential so it is very difficult to make correct decisions as it is very prediction based at times. The hardest thing to deal with is the threat of novi fire as Arc is slow and escaping its hitbox is very difficult and requires preemptive awareness. So Arc will generally want to work with as much space as possible and hold wide to make Wyrm’s approach more linear. This way it is easier to line up basic punishes when Wyrm is locked on a set path and also debuffs if they try to dodge basic or the moon.
Interactions
All of Wyrm’s moves are a major threat but as long as you don’t position along any of the walls or corners, then you should be able to avoid most attacks and find opportunities to punish back. Being against the wall is what wyrm wants because the threat of point blank basic and Novi fire is Wyrm’s main ways of hitting Arc and much more likely to hit due to limited dodging against said walls. Wide is also a threat but with enough comfort and anticipation it is not as difficult as other moves. When Wyrm fire lasers at mid-long range, this is a great time to punish with debuffs as Wyrm will move slowly and predictably but just watch out for yourself as well while doing so. Close range laser + basic combo’s are much more difficult but you should have time to slowely move back at an angle to avoid over-dodging and maybe hitting back with basic. So in order to not get hit at close range you must be cautious of the angle Wyrm is approaching because moving perpendicular is how wide hits so it is preferred to micro Wyrm’s basic shots and not deal with wide at all if possible. So when Wyrm is very close and you don’t want to get stuck in a corner, it is good to get used to running through wyrm for safety. Use moon to make space while doing so and don’t use debuffs or hold wide as the slow could let a potential novi fire attempt to hit. If going straight at wyrm or away, wide isn’t a big worry so you only need to anticipate basic and novi fire for the most part. If Wyrm attempts to hit with Novi fire and misses then Arc can shoot basic on the escape and is a near guaranteed hit on wyrm.
Wyrm may opt to hug and abuse your dead zone and when this happens then you must be ready to activate time stop or wait for the moon to make space. Even if you don’t clock Wyrm, She is still likely to get hit by debuffs up close and is guaranteed to get hit by one if Arc clocks verses a novi fire attempt. When timestop is down, Wyrm will likely be trying to hit novi fire again with its shorter cooldown so make use of time stop to hit Wyrm with debuffs to buy time. If extra time is needed then it can be a good idea to stay towards the top and camp inside of the moon until Time Stop is back up before wyrm takes advantage of your limited space. One interesting interaction to note is if Wyrm is strafing with basic shots, they will not hit you if you don’t move. This can allow you to just hold wide and they may possibly bonk when trying to force a hit on you.
Tips
– Try your best to not get cornered. Being comfy with contesting melee range will keep you safe from being boxed and steamrolled.
– Use moon and wide to make it hard for Wyrm to approach as it is the best way to force mistakes and lock her down for debuffs and basic hits.
– Don’t over dodge, move with anticipation that Wyrm will fire wide if you are caught moving.
Lich of Flowers
Overview
Arc vs Lich is heavily reliant on early game hits in order to make end game less Lich favored due to the oppressive nature of the character when set up. Early game however is Arcs best opportunity to get as much hits as possible in order for that to not snowball back against you. So one thing to note is that this matchup has a steep learning curve and requires strong movement control and awareness in order to overcome this matchup. The reason being the difficult decision making in moving and punishing nature of any hit taken will turn the game around quickly. So to start this matchup, Lich can opt for a a small novi life(that you should interrupt with basic) into a widex3 + butterfly pacement. This is Arc’s best chance to to approach as there is only so little Lich can do early game. So after Lich places these objects on screen, Arc needs to quickly navigate through and use moon + wide to push Lich against the side/top/bottom wall in order to make it very difficult to move without bonking. Arc needs to try and dodge and keep Lich on one side in order to prevent Lich from placing butterflies and novi lifes on both sides of the stage. Be sure to hit as many debuffs as possible during this to make it hard for Lich to move. Also movement impairing debuffs can convert into clock punishes as well that should potentially score 2+ hits. But while all this is going on, it is most important to keep Lich on one side, if hits are not happening and walls start closing, Lich is naturally going to get stronger with the restricted dodging space so preventing further setup will help stall objects and hopefully the current ones may disappear with time.
Interactions
I can not stress how important it is to master navigating Lich’s flowers with as much comfort as possible. Otherwise it will be very difficult to hit Lich at all and Arc will surely be faced with overwhelming pressure during end game scenarios due to being forced to zone. The best way to practice this is to get used to moving quickly through the inner circle of flowers in Lich’s wide. Be wary of butterfly placement while moving however so to not put yourself in a situation where you can not dodge further.
It is important to note that Lich is very capable of taking advantage of hit recovery and will use that time to setup novi life and butterfly objects around you while invulnerable and wall you off. If this happens then it’s possible to use time stop to make a bridge to get out of novi life if needed or just dodge really well and hope to survive until a Novi Life goes out by manipulating the bullets that spawn from the butterflies. Since Lich is the slowest character in the game, Debuffs are extremely effective and easy to hit with practice and so if forced to zone due to getting wall’d, it is possible to loop all six debuffs indefinitely and just make it as hard as possible for Lich to survive and snowball back and potentially have a novi life disappear for further aggro. If Lich is on hit recovery then one trick to note is that Lich will usually take advantage of it to set up a novi life at close range but Arc can potentially respond with a time stop as a big punish which is devastating for Lich.
Tips
– Don’t hug Lich at round start. Novi Life will hit. It is better to use basic and then debuff with para before pushing Lich to one side with the moon.
– Be careful of hit recovery. Lich will use this to set up in any way they can.
– Lich is surprisingly strong at close range with her basic shot, She can abuse Arc’s deadzones fairly well and chase her into a wide for an easy bonk.
– Learn to manipulate the bullets that spawn from butterflies in order to not get checkmated by watching the animations that butterflies give before firing.
Depth’s Secret
Overview
This matchup is one of the most unique in that it is very macro heavy and there is little need to learn difficult micro patterns like in other matchups. The game plan here is to pay attention to the direction Depth’s basic is moving and get to a more open position and not get checkmated. Depth will want to follow a growing basic bubble and pay attention to which side Arc is opting to move for to escape and then checkmate her with shotgun/Jellycat during the escape attempt. So to make this a bit easier for Arc, she can try to position more vertically angled to depth and this will make basic travel at undesirable positions which will open up more free space and debuff attempts as Depth may try to travel with it. The key to doing well is recognizing the free space and being able to navigate quickly without hesitation as waiting too long is very bad for Arc. So Depth being a very slow character benefits Arc a fair bit because of how easy it is to hit debuffs/clock and snowball hits off of them. As long as Arc is manipulating basic and moving quickly, it shouldn’t be very difficult to punish Depth’s heavy committal moves and slow speed with basic and debuffs.
Interactions
To avoid checkmate scenarios, Arc needs to learn how to manipulate Depth’s basic position and make use of free space as quickly as possible and the best way to do this is position more vertically to open up safe zones to move to. When safe, Arc is free to cast debuffs and because Depth is very slow, debuffs are very devastating. So if Depth is debuffed, Arc is more free to use moon and wide to score hits but still watch out for shotgun as mini will make it very hard to react too (position vertically to make the best use of confusion). Another way to hit Depth is to bait out a shotgun attempt by standing in the sweet-spot range so you can just back up when it fires and shoot a basic at Depth in return.
The slow Depth has with shotgun is her most punishable state so be on the lookout for it. When you are cornered by depths large basic then you will most likely be forced to use time stop to get to safety. So doing whatever you can to macro safely and stall until clock is back up is necessary to not get trapped multiple times. Other chances to punish Depth is reading a Jellycat charge, it is a bit slow and it is expected at certain scenarios as Depth’s only option. So with the right read, Arc can use time stop to quickly punish Depth for charging Jellycat and score hits due to it most likely going on cooldown. If the timing is off, release clock early and use it for safety.
Tips
– Wide shots from Depth are slow and linger for long periods of time. Be wary of them or else it is very easy to bonk into them.
– Focusing too heavily on debuffing and attacking in general from one spot is very dangerous as it could let Depth setup a checkmate situation
– If Depth is being unsafe with positioning, she is easy to use Time Stop on due to slow speeds which will lead to a massive punishment.
– Depth is very dangerous as the walls are small so being consistent with debuffs and having a neutral advantage is very important in the long run.
Stormbeast
Overview
Storm is a very controlling character that can keep Arc locked the majority of the game so your freedom of movement is mostly limited by the stop and go nature of Storm’s attack patterns. Though this is the case most of the time, Arc can just hold wide and make it very hard for Storm to move safely around and put you in bad spots. The main rule of this matchup is = wide is red-light while basic is green-light. Though you can move around during Storm’s wide, it’s mostly just very subtle tap movements while you wait for basic attacks so you can get a short burst of movement and re-position. When positioning you want to hold the most free space between the Storm clone and the wall and try to not get caught against the wall where your dodging will be limited and all while trying to hit debuffs when Storm passes by Arc on the same horizontal level.
Interactions
Arc is much slower and can be checkmated by charged basic walls or quick clone basic sandwiching where Storm traps Arc between a clone and herself and then charges 2 basics at close range for a guaranteed hit if not anticipated. In order to avoid these charge basic attacks, be prepared to move the instant they are charged as Storm can not use wide and basic at the same time. There are a few instances where Storm may try to come up and do a basic melee attack as well when the opponent think you are not ready for it. When this happens you can watch how close Storm is and move in a way where you are safe but also can counter attack with basic.
Arc is a difficult character to melee because the properties of basic make it hard to avoid but Storm also has a second way to fight Arc which is charge basic zoning. Storm can opt to stay far away from Arc and shoot charge shots and Arc will be forced to stay closer to make dangerous positioning attempts. When Storm is charging a basic shot, Arc needs to move away from the wall and into a safer spot to possibly hit Storm with debuffs who is moving slow while charging. Generally it is very hard for both characters to hit each other unless either one makes risky attempts to try and force hits. Usually the game will go to small walls and this is where Arc can get a huge advantage with hiting Storm with the moon and holding wide to make it very difficult for her to dodge.
Tips
– Time Stop is not very effective to punish Storm due to her speed so it’s best to save it if Arc is getting walled by charged basic shots.
– always move slowly and carefully and always anticipate Storm using wide when you are caught moving around.
The End
Thanks for reading and I hope this was helpful as it was mostly a fun personal project that I figured would be helpful to others as it got larger and more in depth.
Special thanks to iLLy, minkull, Jam, and Hourai for proofreading, advice, and helping with recording!