R1M15 Quality Delibs

Judge Dimitresque (Surface)

Hey hey!
Judge Surface here! Excited to read these strats, especially considering this was my match concept!
Starting with Kid Savage, the rushdown was definitely a unique and stylish choice! Especially given the nature of the match itself. I'm quite fond of this one, although it doesn't leave me with much to say beyond that I think it's a well-executed rushdown in a match where it wasn't a very expected strategy. I think it's pretty efficient use of Kid Savage's stand and resources, which I think is especially paramount in a match partially balanced over how little END he has. I think my biggest criticism of the strat is that it trends towards assuming an ideal situation for Kid that, while I think isn't an unlikely bet, it feels a bit too confident the idea that they can maul Gale before The Middleman has the chance to make a real shot at them and force them to keep moving- especially against an opponent who's whole thing is restriction of movement. I don't think this confidence is necessarily all-bad, given that rushdown tends to be very frantic and takes a lot of investment, but a lack of contingency planning can sometime induce "points of failure" a strat doesn't have the answers to. I give Kid Savage a quality of **7**- a fun plan from a fun angle, although outside the specific circumstances of this match I might have given it a lower score for being a little paint-by-numbers for Kid's kit.

Moving onto Galeazzo, I do like the efficiency this is played with. Gale knows he's the weakest out of the three stand users present in terms of sheer power, and he goes out of his way to make up for it with wit and finesse. I can definitely praise the strat for how adaptive it plays in the face of the opponent(s) in question, really willing to use his clamps for all sorts of bizarre tricks and strategies. I was also really impressed with the play to use the Hake Head to slow down Kid's heartbeat to impact his stand's output- I'm unsure how much it actually *works*, but just the idea of it put a smile on my face. I was generally impressed with Galeazzo just forgoing actual battle in a deathmatch in favor of forcing Kid to tire himself out, taking advantage of his whole deal. I give Galeazzo an **8**, a fun strat with a lot of fun tech with some fun ideas behind it.

Judge Moreau (Archerous)

Things are getting tense. We have a seemingly straightforward deathmatch here, with Galeazzo Renieri from PINDROP vs Kid Savage from Cause for Concern. Also, there’s an unstoppable murder machine on the loose. This might complicate things, after all. So, how do our players do?

Starting with Galeazzo, we have a bit of a slippery strategy on display, as one must be when dealing with two very hyper-aggressive opponents. Starting with the room exit strategy, we take some time to set up some early bottle traps and craft the Tackle. With everything set, they dash out of there hoping to gather the Middleman’s attention, leading them into more bottle traps as they pursue. They aggro the Middleman fairly early in the match, and as such, Galeazzo is prepared to take on their various attacks, either by zipping away or by a simple, yet brisk jog.

From there, Galeazzo breaks up their actions based on the various scenarios that could occur in this match. One thing I noticed while reading this section was that, at times, it came across more as a tech list than a strategy. While this isn’t inherently bad, it can disrupt the flow of reading and comprehension of the strategy proper. Beyond that, they offer some good maneuvers, such as their rebound hook shots against Kid when he’s attacking and using the HAA on Kid’s torso to calm him down, leading to a less powerful water blast. That was a particularly clever move.

From there, once they’ve dealt with Kid, they ready themselves for their real target: the Middleman. This section is incredibly thorough, using old bottle traps and newer attacks to deal some heavy hook blows to the Middleman. They account for all of the monster’s moves, making sure to treat them with the utmost severity.

Overall, I’m going to give this strategy a 7/10. I think this strategy has a lot of good maneuvers, especially given the limited nature of Galeazzo’s kit in this particular match. However, I do take a slight issue with the tech list approach, as I believe this could’ve been spread throughout the strat in a more natural way. Other than that, well done.

Moving onto Kid, we employ a simple, yet effective strategy: get close, stay close. This is the throughline for the strat, as Kid aims to end things quick, all while giving himself the chance to escape with his life. Unfortunately, this comes at the cost of Galeazzo. Unfortunately for them, anyway.

But things aren’t so straight and forward. Thankfully, Kid offers quite a few strategies to account for his wily opponent after the initial wall smashing. This section is incredibly thorough, from dealing with any lingering hook traps with his swampwater to getting the drop on him from above. Galeazzo can’t move a meter without Kid having a plan for it.

I also appreciate the level of understanding Kid shows for his foes, especially the Middleman. He knows where he can take the edge in a fight, given his tactics against the Danava’s Breath, as well as what he isn’t really all that equipped to deal with, given the Oil Of Kumbhipaka. As stated earlier, Kid knows he can’t beat the Middleman, which is why he’s prioritizing the quickest way to victory. I think this is (on paper) a risky play that can initially come across as, for lack of a better term, cocky. You have to back it up with lots of careful plays, and I think Kid does just that. He even takes into account the risks of fighting such a dangerous opponent such as Galeazzo, which is especially evident in their close quarters section.

Ultimately, I’m giving this strat an 8/10. As stated previously, I think this is an incredibly thorough strat that weighs its options smartly and does the best it can do with what it has. Well done.

Judge Heisenburg (Extra)

Seven seconds. Seven seconds is all I have to write these delibs. So I'm gonna try to make these breezy while still being effective. Starting with Kid, as a rushdown enjoyer, Kid Savage, and this strategy in particular, speaks to my soul. Rushdown is a careful balancing act; too aggressive and you get stuffed before you can do a thing, but not aggressive enough and you fundamentally fail your main objective. He who lives on the blitz, dies on the blitz. And on the whole, you walk the tightrope well. Kid's movement and aggression feel urgent without feeling hasty, brutal without feeling reckless, and intricate without feeling muddled. Like many rushdown strategies, it's sparse on the defense, electing instead that the best way to not die is to kill the other guy first, and the pressure you put on Galeazzo from the get-go convinces me that you can make it work, even despite Kid's extreme fragility. I'm going to leave this with an **8.** I think it's a prime example of rushdown done well, but I do think it lacks a bit of care, in particular for the A POW stage hazard, on the defensive end that could have elevated it.

As for Galeazzo, it is the exact opposite. This is a prime showcase of defensive play, emphasizing the long game and whittling down a much more threatening opponent on face. Galeazzo's evasion and deflection tactic is rock-solid, able to keep even his relatively fragile body safe from the worst the Middleman and Kid have to offer. However, I'm going to equivocate the two and also give this a **8.** The technique and logistics on display are excellent, and on those grounds alone I think this is a superior strategy, but I find Galeazzo a smidge *too* passive. I do understand it as a Jojolity angle, and it all comes together in a very interesting mechanical bundle (albeit one that tares a bit close to a tech list at times), but something in the way of a stern "get off me" for use in an emergency would have gone a long way, as would a more formal finisher plan. On the whole, it's a great product, if a little unclear at times with its objectives; a bit of polish and the creativity and tactical prowess here would've rocketed this even higher.