Post by ____ on Jul 13, 2010 0:13:50 GMT -5
I personally consider myself a move set aficionado. When people sign up for Kingdom of Pride, the first thing I look at is there move set, and that often tells me a lot about that person, even before they post there first role play. Is it simply a list of moves copied from Wikipedia or is it well thought out, providing an orderly sequence from the start to a finish. As much as role playing and segments, matches help your characters get over and having a solid move set is a big part of putting on good matches. It defines who your character is inside of the ring, while role plays and segments define him out of it.
This guide was not authored by me, but instead the man who really helped me get a start on making move sets for people, The Senator. I have added some of my own edits, however the essentials are the same. This is near required reading for any e-wrestler worth their salt as it gives you a chance to have a solid base and not be labelled a cunt right form the get go.
That being said, I will still be more than welcome to help anyone out with questions regarding move sets, or to suggest moves for their character.
Thanks,
James
---
Part 1: Pick Your Style
The first thing to do is to figure out your own fighting style. Is your character a submission fighter? Are you a high flyer? If your character is 6'8 300 pounds, I would personally recommend that you forgo the moonsaults and hurricanranas, and go with power. Likewise, someone 5'6 165 pounds is not going to be a power wrestler. It's also good to have some sort of a hybrid style, for example, if you are mainly a mat technician, perhaps you could add some martial arts style in as well to make yourself a well-rounded character.
Part 2: Have a Good Finisher
For a finisher, you want to have a distinct move that people will remember you by. Keep your style in mind, and your limitations when you think of this, though. A good example of a well-selected finisher would be my own Legacy Bomb (Spiral Tap). The name for the move fits with Chris perfectly, the legacy of the Hart family and also SOUNDS powerful. The move itself is the culmination of his entire offence, and uses his agility to take down his opponent.
Likewise, if you are a power wrestler, consider using an impact move, or something that shows your power. Even a rather generic finisher, like, say, a sleeper hold can be made more interesting if you add personal touches, such as a unique setup (jumping off the top rope to set it up or a special taunt before going for the sleeper), or a good gimmick name. Your secondary finisher is also important, try to balance out your primary finisher with this one. Seeing that we now have our finisher down, let's move onto the trademarks.
Part 3: Trademark This!
Your trademarks should be somewhat varied. As these are your main moves after your finisher, you should take the time to make each of these unique, but without exceeding your characters limitations. Here is where you can put those moves that could have been your finisher, but you decided not to use for that purpose. Former finishers work well as trademarks, too.
I have also found that if you want a few moves outside your general style, this is the place to put them, as the trademarks are not as character defining as the finisher, but also are not as commonly used as the wear down moves. You only have a few slots here, so be careful, though.
An example of an excellent trademark move would be Josh Eagles’ Ancient History (Old School). It sets up for his finishing move, but also has a certain measure of flair that sets it apart from other moves.
Part 4: And Now ... the Rest of the Story
Wear down moves can be diverse, but do not go nuts with these. Putting stuff like choke slams. f-fives, 450 splashes and such here is frowned upon by most people, and will instantly get you in my bad graces. Remember to keep a general focus with these moves, look at what body part your finishers and trademarks mainly focus on, and have most of your wear down moves do the same, setting the opponent up for the big moves. You should also keep a large majority of these moves in your general style.
Don’t forget to take away your opponents strengths however. You should have one or two moves that attack every part of the opponents body in your wear downs, whether it’s a shoulder claw, a koppou kick or a neck breaker, make sure you have diversity.
Remember, writers use these moves more than any others, so it would be good if you try hard to make these distinctive enough to add to the uniqueness of your character, and fit with the types of matches you want to have. You generally want to stick to the basic limits set in the application, but if you can justify having more moves in your move set, while not resorting to hyperbolic amounts of submissions and suplexes, I personally say, go for it!
Part 5: What NOT to do (or, the most entertaining section)
Too many people come up with completely generic move sets. This not only has the effect of driving yours truly right up the wall, but also waters down the fed, makes your matches less interesting, and perhaps could even hurt you in the long run. Here are a few condensed examples of some mistakes people often make, and how to fix them.
EX 1:
Finisher-450 Splash
1) Sharpshooter
2) Spear
3) DDT
4) Suplex
5) Exploder/T Bone
6) Superkick
Problem: Most Generic moves EVER! This person has no originality, and has put the "holy canon" of wrestling moves into this move set. One thing noted here is that one of the moves is just titled "suplex", there are hundreds of suplex variations, so if that is supposed to be a vertical suplex, call it that. Try to stay away from using all of these moves if possible, too many people use them, and if you do use a few of them, make a personal modification, or at least a nice gimmick name...and PLEASE call the Exploder suplex by it's proper name. (Note-I am not insulting anyone who has these moves in their move sets, it mainly happens by coincidence, it's not that these are bad moves, either, I just want to implore people to have more diverse move sets.)
EX 2:
Finisher-Space Tornado Dirkus*
1) Death Scythe
2) Death Hand
3) Reaper Bomb
4) Homicide
Problem: This could be the coolest move set ever...but we will never know, as this guy did not explain his moves beyond the gimmick names, do make sure you explain your moves so that all people understand what they are, and writers can know how to properly set them up.
(*Yes, someone actually does use a STO variation called by this name, I named it for him, but he never figured out what the initials stand for.)
EX 3:
Finisher: Pedigree
1) Knee to Face
2) Spinebuster
3) Face First DDT
4) Sleeper Hold
5) Pendulum Backbreaker
6) Mounted Punches
Problem: I am the Gameah! This person just stole Cripple H's move set, and appropriated it for themselves...a big no-no, so to say. If you want to reference a wrestler in your moveset, that's fine, I do so somewhat with a number of wrestlers, Abel does so with Matt Sydal, but both of us also have a number of moves, that were not taken from one person. Just be sure to somewhat mix up your move set, and not copy too much from one person, no matter how cool they are.
EX 4:
Finisher: Uranage
1) Shining Enzu Abise Giri
2) John Woo Dropkick
3) Avelanche Delfin Special #2
4) Jujigatame
5) O-Soto-Gari
Problem: Ok, this is one I was partially guilty of myself. Do not use too many obscure or esoteric move descriptions, I may know judo names for many moves, but perhaps only one other person would understand the reference, go ahead and also put in a description for the more casual wrestling fans if you use a move name you are not sure that everybody is going to understand.
EX 5:
Finisher: Triple Powerbomb to Shoulder Carry Ace Crusher
1) Wristclutch Burning Hammer
2) Tombstone
3) Canadian Destroyer
4) Tiger Driver '91
5) Top Rope Release Dragon Suplex
6) Phoenix Splash
Problem: He's...so...powerful! This person has too many powerful moves in their move set, water it down a bit, people will no sell this junk if you make your move set too powerful, and just pick every move you like. You can have a number of strong moves in your move set, that's fine, but do try to balance them out with wear down type moves, and don't go for the "all finisher" move set.
Part 6: The Requsite Closing Section
Well, that's it, we've gone through all the main stages of creating a move set, but what if you just want to make a quick edit on a pre-existing one? First off, don't be afraid to ask others for opinions. Again I personally love helping with move sets, so a PM my way would be recommended.
Second, look at what you want to accomplish. Do you want to just add a few more unique moves, or do you want a complete overhaul. Don't forget that changing a move set can mean changing a gimmick in many cases. Are you making a heel to face change? In that case, take out that eye gouge and low blow. Do you want to completely change your gimmick...in that case, change the finisher, that will alert people more than about anything that you want to do things differently.
In closing, I just want to encourage people to experience other sorts of wrestling outside the WWE. Doing so will drastically widen your lens, helping your move set exponentially, as well as showing you how much better wrestling can be. One other place to look for inspiration can be in video games, even non wrestling games, of which I would recommend the Tekken and Def Jam series, as many moves in those games have a distinctive wrestling base. Mixed Martial Arts matches can also help, UFC and PRIDE FC have interesting grappling, and are good places also for inspiration.
A move set is in many cases the most distinctive part of a character, and there can be no way to understate how it is important to have a good one, and I hope this helps.
---
Again, many thanks to The Senator for allowing us the use of his guides.
This guide was not authored by me, but instead the man who really helped me get a start on making move sets for people, The Senator. I have added some of my own edits, however the essentials are the same. This is near required reading for any e-wrestler worth their salt as it gives you a chance to have a solid base and not be labelled a cunt right form the get go.
That being said, I will still be more than welcome to help anyone out with questions regarding move sets, or to suggest moves for their character.
Thanks,
James
---
Part 1: Pick Your Style
The first thing to do is to figure out your own fighting style. Is your character a submission fighter? Are you a high flyer? If your character is 6'8 300 pounds, I would personally recommend that you forgo the moonsaults and hurricanranas, and go with power. Likewise, someone 5'6 165 pounds is not going to be a power wrestler. It's also good to have some sort of a hybrid style, for example, if you are mainly a mat technician, perhaps you could add some martial arts style in as well to make yourself a well-rounded character.
Part 2: Have a Good Finisher
For a finisher, you want to have a distinct move that people will remember you by. Keep your style in mind, and your limitations when you think of this, though. A good example of a well-selected finisher would be my own Legacy Bomb (Spiral Tap). The name for the move fits with Chris perfectly, the legacy of the Hart family and also SOUNDS powerful. The move itself is the culmination of his entire offence, and uses his agility to take down his opponent.
Likewise, if you are a power wrestler, consider using an impact move, or something that shows your power. Even a rather generic finisher, like, say, a sleeper hold can be made more interesting if you add personal touches, such as a unique setup (jumping off the top rope to set it up or a special taunt before going for the sleeper), or a good gimmick name. Your secondary finisher is also important, try to balance out your primary finisher with this one. Seeing that we now have our finisher down, let's move onto the trademarks.
Part 3: Trademark This!
Your trademarks should be somewhat varied. As these are your main moves after your finisher, you should take the time to make each of these unique, but without exceeding your characters limitations. Here is where you can put those moves that could have been your finisher, but you decided not to use for that purpose. Former finishers work well as trademarks, too.
I have also found that if you want a few moves outside your general style, this is the place to put them, as the trademarks are not as character defining as the finisher, but also are not as commonly used as the wear down moves. You only have a few slots here, so be careful, though.
An example of an excellent trademark move would be Josh Eagles’ Ancient History (Old School). It sets up for his finishing move, but also has a certain measure of flair that sets it apart from other moves.
Part 4: And Now ... the Rest of the Story
Wear down moves can be diverse, but do not go nuts with these. Putting stuff like choke slams. f-fives, 450 splashes and such here is frowned upon by most people, and will instantly get you in my bad graces. Remember to keep a general focus with these moves, look at what body part your finishers and trademarks mainly focus on, and have most of your wear down moves do the same, setting the opponent up for the big moves. You should also keep a large majority of these moves in your general style.
Don’t forget to take away your opponents strengths however. You should have one or two moves that attack every part of the opponents body in your wear downs, whether it’s a shoulder claw, a koppou kick or a neck breaker, make sure you have diversity.
Remember, writers use these moves more than any others, so it would be good if you try hard to make these distinctive enough to add to the uniqueness of your character, and fit with the types of matches you want to have. You generally want to stick to the basic limits set in the application, but if you can justify having more moves in your move set, while not resorting to hyperbolic amounts of submissions and suplexes, I personally say, go for it!
Part 5: What NOT to do (or, the most entertaining section)
Too many people come up with completely generic move sets. This not only has the effect of driving yours truly right up the wall, but also waters down the fed, makes your matches less interesting, and perhaps could even hurt you in the long run. Here are a few condensed examples of some mistakes people often make, and how to fix them.
EX 1:
Finisher-450 Splash
1) Sharpshooter
2) Spear
3) DDT
4) Suplex
5) Exploder/T Bone
6) Superkick
Problem: Most Generic moves EVER! This person has no originality, and has put the "holy canon" of wrestling moves into this move set. One thing noted here is that one of the moves is just titled "suplex", there are hundreds of suplex variations, so if that is supposed to be a vertical suplex, call it that. Try to stay away from using all of these moves if possible, too many people use them, and if you do use a few of them, make a personal modification, or at least a nice gimmick name...and PLEASE call the Exploder suplex by it's proper name. (Note-I am not insulting anyone who has these moves in their move sets, it mainly happens by coincidence, it's not that these are bad moves, either, I just want to implore people to have more diverse move sets.)
EX 2:
Finisher-Space Tornado Dirkus*
1) Death Scythe
2) Death Hand
3) Reaper Bomb
4) Homicide
Problem: This could be the coolest move set ever...but we will never know, as this guy did not explain his moves beyond the gimmick names, do make sure you explain your moves so that all people understand what they are, and writers can know how to properly set them up.
(*Yes, someone actually does use a STO variation called by this name, I named it for him, but he never figured out what the initials stand for.)
EX 3:
Finisher: Pedigree
1) Knee to Face
2) Spinebuster
3) Face First DDT
4) Sleeper Hold
5) Pendulum Backbreaker
6) Mounted Punches
Problem: I am the Gameah! This person just stole Cripple H's move set, and appropriated it for themselves...a big no-no, so to say. If you want to reference a wrestler in your moveset, that's fine, I do so somewhat with a number of wrestlers, Abel does so with Matt Sydal, but both of us also have a number of moves, that were not taken from one person. Just be sure to somewhat mix up your move set, and not copy too much from one person, no matter how cool they are.
EX 4:
Finisher: Uranage
1) Shining Enzu Abise Giri
2) John Woo Dropkick
3) Avelanche Delfin Special #2
4) Jujigatame
5) O-Soto-Gari
Problem: Ok, this is one I was partially guilty of myself. Do not use too many obscure or esoteric move descriptions, I may know judo names for many moves, but perhaps only one other person would understand the reference, go ahead and also put in a description for the more casual wrestling fans if you use a move name you are not sure that everybody is going to understand.
EX 5:
Finisher: Triple Powerbomb to Shoulder Carry Ace Crusher
1) Wristclutch Burning Hammer
2) Tombstone
3) Canadian Destroyer
4) Tiger Driver '91
5) Top Rope Release Dragon Suplex
6) Phoenix Splash
Problem: He's...so...powerful! This person has too many powerful moves in their move set, water it down a bit, people will no sell this junk if you make your move set too powerful, and just pick every move you like. You can have a number of strong moves in your move set, that's fine, but do try to balance them out with wear down type moves, and don't go for the "all finisher" move set.
Part 6: The Requsite Closing Section
Well, that's it, we've gone through all the main stages of creating a move set, but what if you just want to make a quick edit on a pre-existing one? First off, don't be afraid to ask others for opinions. Again I personally love helping with move sets, so a PM my way would be recommended.
Second, look at what you want to accomplish. Do you want to just add a few more unique moves, or do you want a complete overhaul. Don't forget that changing a move set can mean changing a gimmick in many cases. Are you making a heel to face change? In that case, take out that eye gouge and low blow. Do you want to completely change your gimmick...in that case, change the finisher, that will alert people more than about anything that you want to do things differently.
In closing, I just want to encourage people to experience other sorts of wrestling outside the WWE. Doing so will drastically widen your lens, helping your move set exponentially, as well as showing you how much better wrestling can be. One other place to look for inspiration can be in video games, even non wrestling games, of which I would recommend the Tekken and Def Jam series, as many moves in those games have a distinctive wrestling base. Mixed Martial Arts matches can also help, UFC and PRIDE FC have interesting grappling, and are good places also for inspiration.
A move set is in many cases the most distinctive part of a character, and there can be no way to understate how it is important to have a good one, and I hope this helps.
---
Again, many thanks to The Senator for allowing us the use of his guides.
