« I Need Backup! - Utilizing Assists Properly in MvC3 (Part Two) »

Alright! We're back with the next installment on how to properly utilize assists in Marvel vs Capcom 3. Last week we went over the basics (click here to read part one) and discussed how to think of assists and when you should call them. This week we're going to have a bit more fun, diving right into different types of assists and their uses. We also included a short video to hopefully give you guys a couple ideas on how to use these assists efficiently and possibly come up with some setups of your own!

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF ASSISTS VOL. 1

Below is a video put together by MAGUS1234 and myself, showcasing how a handful of the assists in the game work in practice. This barely scratches the surface, but we'll be back with Vol. 2 showcasing OTG assists a few other goofy setups in the game as well. Check out the text after the video for more details on different assists and their uses. 

Different Types of Assists

Now there are well over 100 different assists in the game, so we're not going to go over every last one, but here are some of the more useful assists in the game, with a brief breakdown on how they work and what types of characters they benefit. Understanding the purpose of different assists in the game is not only beneficial for forming a team, but is also good general knowledge to have so you don't run into any surprises when going up against another player.  Of course, if I missed anything or if you have anything to add, let us know in the comments!

Iron Man's UniBeam & Dr. Doom's Plasma Beam

Both of these assists are quite effective for characters such as Dante, Zero or Wesker -- really, any character with a teleport -- who need some cover as they move in to mount an offense.

Iron Man's UniBeam is great for locking down the opponent while you move in for a high/low mix-up or a potential cross up with, say, Zero's Jumping Hard. It's also a great way to shut down players who use Sentinel's Sentinel Force (Charge) assist, as the beam will hit Sentinel and clear the incoming drones from the screen.

Dr. Doom's Plasma Beam is similar to Iron Man's UniBeam assist, except that the opponent will be knocked down after the beam hits, instead of staying in place. Still, if you see the Plasma Beam is hitting, you can quickly launch the opponent and start an air combo. 

Sentinel's Sentinel Force (Charge)

Sentinel's Sentinel Force (Charge) is another great assist for offensive-based characters who need a bit of cover as they move in to attack. Unfortunately, in many videos I see players using this as a defensive assist, moving away from the opponent as they call Sentinel. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but generally isn't the most effective way to utilize this assist.

It's best to try to move in with the drones by Wave Dashing or Triangle Jumping, so the opponent can't hit you while you are receiving cover from the drones. It's also best to call Sentinel while moving forward, or in any other manner where the opponent won't be able to actually see Sentinel as the drones come out. 

Keep in mind that if Sentinel is hit while the drones are coming out they will disappear completely, so be sure to cover him while the drones enter the screen. 

Akuma's Hurricane Kick 

This is a fantastic assist to clear the screen of projectiles and other attacks, though it has more uses than meets the eye. I personally use this with Magneto's Hyper Grav to pull in the opponent for a combo if it hits, and also as a general "get off me" assist, allowing me to get some space from the opponent as I look for my next opening.

Wolverine can also make good use of this assist after his OTG attack, Down-Forward + Medium, as it will pick up the opponent, allowing for more extended combos. 

Dante's Jam Session

This is arguably the best anti-air assist in the game, as it comes out quickly and covers vertical space above you to keep the opponent from coming in from above. This can also be used to lock down the opponent in the corner or extend combos after hit stun decay has kicked in after launching the opponent. 

 Dr. Doom's Hidden Missiles

This is easily one of the most frustrating assists in the game to deal with, and while it benefits runaway characters such as Taskmaster and MODOK, it's a great fit for virtually any team. Unlike Sentinel Force (Charge), the missiles will not disappear if Dr. Doom is hit. That combined with the delay before the missiles become a threat makes this a solid alternative to Sentinel Force.

This assist is particularly effective because even if you are caught in a combo from the other player, the missile will hit them and allow for a counter attack. If you call Doom while moving forward, or in any fashion where the opponent can't see him as the missiles come out, this makes it even more effective. 

More than that, it can be used within combos when timed correctly, as it acts as an OTG attack. Taking all of this into consideration, Doom's Hidden Missiles is easily one of the best assists in the entire game.

Deapool's Katana-rama & Wesker's Samurai Edge

These are both fantastic OTG assists that benefit characters that lack OTG attacks of their own. You can use these OTG assists to extend combos after slamming the opponent to the ground with S. Wesker's Samurai Edge reaches a bit further than Deadpool's Katana-rama and comes out quite fast, making it a good way to set up unblockables when timed correctly with a jumping attack. 

Haggar's Double Lariat & Tron Bonne's Gustaff Fire

Both of these assists are invincible for the majority of the time they are active, making them two of the best "get off me" assists in the game. They both set up easy launchers as well, making them a pretty good fit for virtually any team. 

Haggar's Double Lariat is a little easier to punish than Tron's Gustaff Fire, which is very difficult to punish, as Haggar is vulnerable during the recovery of the attack. Haggar also loses a slight bit of health each time you call him, so be sure to keep a close eye on this life bar.

Chun-Li's Lighting Legs & Amaterasu's Cold Star

Both of these assists are great lockdown assists, as the opponent will be unable to pushblock while you start an offense. Amaterasu's Cold Star fires down at a 45 degree angle, making it useful for keeping the next incoming character locked down, or pinning down the opponent as the wake up -- especially in the corner. 

Chun-Li's Lightning Legs doesn't have nearly as much range, but it can be used on offense and defense a little easier than Amaterasu's Cold Star. On offense it can be used to lock down the opponent, and it also doubles as a fairly potent "get off me" assist due to the fact that her hitbox is so insane, covering virtually all the space around her. If the opponent is hit with the assist, wait a moment before launching them into a combo. 

WHAT'S NEXT?

So now that we've covered a handful of the assists in the game and their uses, next time we're going to talk about protecting assists as you call them out, as well as punishing the other player's assist as well. We'll also get into a few of the finer details of what happens when you punish an assist, or if your assist get caught in a combo -- things like that. The next installment will most likely be the last, though if you guys have any special requests, let us know in the comments and maybe we can extend the series!

Miss out on the last entry? Check it out here: I Need Backup! - Utilizing Assists Properly in MvC3 (Part One)