Guilty Gear Strive: How To Beat Potemkin

In Guilty Gear Strive, Arc System Works adds Potemkin to the initial roster as the title's staple grappler pick. In this entry, Potemkin's tools are reliable and can be used to wrest control of the match reliably which makes him a tough opponent to beat. However, he still has some weaknesses that players can use to take Potemkin down and win games in Strive.

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Potemkin As A Character

Potemkin is a grappler character that specializes in landing his signature command throw move, Potemkin Buster, on his foes. This move can only be landed when Potemkin is close to his opponent. However, Potemkin moves slow and has limited straightforward options to move closer immediately.

On paper, Potemkin should have trouble against fast foes and difficulty catching up to his opponents but not in Guilty Gear Strive. Normally, Potemkin's Megafist comes out fast and moves him forward. Players also have ways to make extend his Potemkin Buster's range by making it slide with a nifty trick. Combining his surprising mobility and hard-hitting normals in Guilty Gear Strive, Potemkin is a potent grappler with solid ways to get in rather than simply waiting for an opponent to make mistakes.

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Avoiding Potemkin Buster

All in all, Potemkin wants to land his Potemkin Buster whenever the situation opens up that he can land it cleanly. Normally, most grapplers often go on defensive and wait for gaps in pressure to scoop their foes with their command grab and lay down more than 40% health damage in one successful command throw.

The weaknesses of command throws in this game is that it cannot catch enemies in mid-air. Some moves that show the character fly off the floor like Sol's Bandit Bringer, Ky's Foudre Arc, and Axl Low's Forward Heavy Slash are some situational punishes for this move if Potemkin Buster is seen and felt from a mile away.

However, the safest option to counter this move is to jump up and hit him on the way down or backdash just time before the throw lands to make it miss and land your counterattack swiftly. Make to switch in between these options as Potemkin has anti-air options to catch you such as Heat Knuckle and Heavenly Potemkin Buster.

For most characters, it takes at least two or three Potemkin Busters to completely lose a round. Be careful when approaching him once he has 50 Tension as he has increased freedom in landing his command throw on you.

Respect His Attacks And Counter Properly

Once you show that you're careful and can't be grabbed easily, Potemkin will start using his far-reaching normals to hurt you instead. This character doesn't have many combos at long range but a single hit from his Slash and Heavy Slash attacks hits hard. In Potemkin's effective range, it may get difficult to get in if he sets up a strong defence using his arms as poking tools to keep you off him.

To get inside and start your own pressure, you'll have to bait out Potemkin's arms by faking your advance at his maximum range to force him to press a button. If he misses, use it as an opportunity to get in or better yet hit his extended limb to land some damage on him.

Stay Patient Yet Proactive

Overall, the Potemkin matchup will take some balance of patience and proactive plays to win it. Impatience often leads to an offence that disrespects his options will make you lose rounds fast as he can land high damage from counter hits and command throws due to careless players. Meanwhile, staying too defensive on Potemkin will encourage him to come closer and use his surprisingly good rush down to break your defence.

This matchup is often a difficult fight to take but once you have the match's momentum, keep it as long as possible. Potemkin's hard-hitting attacks make it easy to catch up on lost health and knocking out your character easily.

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