Introuction
So…You decided you wanted to try Moonlord in pvp huh..? Well…you're in for a world of pain and regret, but I'll make sure to give you every tool possible that you’ll need. This will be a manifesto and a plea for help.
Skills
First of all, be in the mindset that you will lose to protect your psyche. It's the greatest tool that every pvper needs. Second you need to know your bread and butter c:
Triple Slash: Your go to close range poke and initiate skill. 400 SA 400SAb per hit. It can true combo into impact punch vs most classes with low to average SA. You can not use it to confirm vs Glad, Pally, Merc, or Blade Dancer. 1st hit hits grounded. You can delay the left clicks as well to see if they mash skills you can break and put on cooldown or bait a tumble.
Forward thrust: Same deal as triple slash. Has an iframe of 22 frames (or .37 seconds) 400 SA 200*3 sab on stab, 600 on slash. Its main features are its iframe and SAb. It’s the only way for you to iframe chain lightning when you chain it with a tumble. A good option to max out or level if you choose to do a more melee focused build. You can bait out tumbles with it and delay the right click to possibly get a catch.
Hacking Stance: 400SA, refreshes every second. Mainly used to get distance, bait spam happy babies, and iframe. Can be canceled out of after a dash right right click. Iframes on dash are 15 frames (.25 seconds) Can be used to iframe smite if you're a chad and wanna make pallies mald c: Paralocks low para classes if you want to be petty for whatever reason. Dash hits grounded.
Line Drive: Your pocket “good” SA skill. 600 SA 300*4 SAb. Gains iframes a few frames after the first hit. You’ll be hitable around the time your body re-appears. Good as an option against single hit 400 SAb moves like Shin Breaker for example (See a theme? c:) Hits Grounded.
Moonlight Splitter: Your poke, your damage skill, your relift. It does it all! But at what cost? 100SA
The air itself can break this skill. 100*6 Sab. In this server the skill is 100% skill cancelable right after the initial swing. Should paralock into cleave consistently. Paralock your enemies and give them a nice fat impact punch. Your Main damage skill if you can’t hit anything else. Hits Grounded.
Cyclone Slash: Nado, hot garbage but a tool nonetheless. Long Wind up 200SA 200SAb+40*29. I don’t think you get all the hits because of the way the move works. One of its main uses is as bait against a wall, it will still activate even if it doesn't hit a player. It eats and attempts to consume evades and skills being used but can be ignored for the most part by high SA classes. Use it to make it easier to aim Moonblade Dance or Crescent Cleave. Hits Grounded.
Crescent Cleave: The Big Mama c: The skill that scares people but still doesn't have to be respected. Long Wind up 400SA SAb irrelevant since you won’t and shouldn't use it in neutral. Burst skill that true combos off Heavy Slash. Rule of thumb: Stagger>side kick> Cleave. Hits Grounded.
Half moon slash: Big Getsuga…900SA 1800SAb 400SAb on 2nd slash. Big boi damage and your only panic button. Use it to break annoying skill if you know or FEEL them coming up, can turn the camera away from the enemy and back around to catch them off guard. Bait out tumbles then cast it to make people cry. Hits Grounded.
Courageous Shout: You need this or you won’t win. 100SA, SAb can either break everything or nothing because its buggy. You can use it as a pseudo anti air to cancel out jumping, Sniper’s arrow rain, or AE>right clicks if your fast enough. Buffs your damage high as hell. Hits Grounded.
Luring Slash: The brethren of shout. 400 SA 200+100*2 SAb Can also be used as an anti air verses some moves like air combo. Debuffs your enemy’s defense but overall mid skill outside of that.
Cross Counter: Your 2nd air escape. 400SA 400SAb Iframed on initial cast 20 frames (.33 seconds) You have to manually aim it and it does have slight landing lag so keep that in mind.
Air Combo: Garbage skill with amazing iframe 100 SA 100+100+200 SAb It has another 200SAb on landing but it’ll rarely connect. 100 iframes (1.67 seconds long) You’ll only get the full time if you **DO NOT** hold a direction while landing. The moment you try to move the iframes will be canceled. Good to give you a breather and some time to plan your next move.
Dash Slash & Combo: Separate skills with separate SA, both are 200 and have 600SAb total.
Dash Slash Combo being 300*2. Both have some end lag so for higher para resist classes try to disengage after getting your hits in. Hits grounded but dash slash more reliable.
Parry: A safety net. Iframed on success with some end lag now for whatever reason.
900 +200 SAb. Use it to be petty or as an escape such as Brush off>Parry. You will still be affected by status effects however.
Eclipse: Will probably be one of your favorite moves. 100SA 300*2 SAb. Mainly used to cancel opponents skills and for lower para classes true combo into impact punch. Hits Grounded.
Moon Blade Dance: The fanciest move in the game c: 300SA Can be used to jump over particular skills such as Holy Burst. Mainly used after catching with Cyclone Slash for beginners. More Advanced players can combo off wall bounce. Direction influenced by what you’re holding: forward, left, or right. Hits Grounded.
Flash Stance: A Ranged hacking stance with use. Same SA and iframes as hacking stance, Left clicks are…50SAb…Right click is 900. Probably the best use case is using far away to catch and closing in to knock down with the edge of eclipse hitboxes. Left click and dash hits grounded.
Helmbreaker: The new custom skill on this server to try and help out the class. 200SA? 300+100 SAb. Fairly fast, decent anti air for skills that don’t exceed 300sa right click has ending lag, tho if broken by light impact you’ll be grounded. Can be chained into air combo or canceled with a left click while in the air to chain with moonblade dance. If doing full cast with right click true combos into cleave.
Impact Punch: You might as well level it to max with how much you rely on it. 100SA 200SAb. Used to lift and or relift after certain attacks.
Heavy Slash: Solid skill with a bit of skill ceiling. 200SA 300SAb. Staggers on hit and hits grounded.
Destructive Swing: Skill is hot ass only good for breaking if you can actually hit it.
200SA 1200SAb, long cooldown, long wind up time, long ending lag, and super short iframe for how long animation is. 20 frames (.33 seconds) Use it to get some distance or try to use it after the opponent tumbles (may only work for slow classes like merc.)
Impact Wave: Beginner relift tool. Good to have but its only purpose is to help relift. 200SA, not tumbleable.
Rising Slash: Fairly good skill when you learn how to use it and its range. 400SA 100+200+300 SAb on shove 100*3+100*3 on left clicks, chains into air combo if you would like. Not tumbleable, hits grounded and relifts.
Brush off: Your debuff removing skill. It has priority through all hit states even while in the air, the moment you press it any other animation you're in will be canceled, has end lag tho. Should be used when you know a light impact hit will touch you or there's a window where you can escape.
Skill Plates
- Side kick action Speed
- Cross Counter aooldown
- Triple Slash cooldown
Preference/Swappables:
- Moon Blade Dance cooldown/damage
- Crescent Cleave cooldown/damage
- Halfmoon Slash action speed/damage
- Moonlight Splitter damage
- Dash Slash damage
- Line Drive cooldown
- Impact Punch damage
Skill Build
Play around and see what feels good for you, recommended is mls damage, cleave, and mbd and speed plate hms. You can either +2 Moonlight Splitter or +1 Moon Blade Dance or Crescent Cleave.
Match Ups
Archer:
For sharp shooters you should try to close the distance asap. But keep in mind of their iframe move since it does a ton of damage, try to conserve brush off for ankle shot if they use it. Triple slash breaks siege stance if your close enough.
- For Acros…good luck bro. Try to bait out counter ring shot and dodge it. Alternatively you can be ballsy and tank with line drive, or catch with one of your 2 anti airs if you time them correctly. There’s a 10 frame window you have to counter before any of their hitboxes come out. Use nado on them too they’re annoying.
Assassin:
With how low their hp is once you get their aes with a nado or poke them enough with mls they’ll keel over. You can either try to overwhelm them with pressure while keeping in mind of their retard strength and speed moves or play like a baby and throw out pokes till you win. If you can't aim you ain't winning.
Warrior:
Glad you should try to counter their forward thrust with your triple slash. If you feel a feint coming you should use something with 400 SA outside of lurring, if you use rising slash you’re almost guaranteed a lift if tumble is on cooldown for them. Try your best to outplay and you’ll come out on top, try your best to avoid being hit by a wall Line Drive.
- For Merc it's almost the same for both, respect their moves but counter whenever you can. Try not to cross counter when you're slowed unless it's to try to dodge massive damage like rolling attack ex. You can jump stomp and punish with a drop kick or air combo if you don't aim the 1st 2 hits. You can jump over circle swing too.
Tink:
Idk I rarely see tink, people barely play tink to my experience. Paralock them and don't be too retarded lmao they have no para.
Assassin:
Roy classes, all of em, you're doomed. Make them use all their evades and cleave will literally erase them from existence. Spam mls when you can they can still get paralocked too.
Kali:
Roy classes you ain't winning. You better play the safest, most boring kitey play style possible or you ain't winning. Just play assuming you're gonna lose and have fun instead. OE isn't real, it cant hurt you.
Pally:
The Salad class. Bait out and jump over shin breaker and punish with dropkick, or bait it out and iframe with forward thrust. Try not to chase smites and play calmly. Predict and jump over divine vengeance, you cant jump divine combo right click don't even try. If you get hit with the 1st hit of armor break you can recovery and iframe before the 2nd connects.
Priest:
Nado is your best friend. If you can predict it try to tumble detonate. You should either rush down or keep your distance depending on how they play.
Machina:
You only win if they fk up enough. Idk how you fight lustre or impactor dont even ask me 1 mf plays the sht. Idk machina match up myself either.
True Confirms
Cyclone Slash: Stagger --> Nado in most cases. Stagger --> Side Kick --> Cyclone Slash for moves with lockout like Forward Thrust.
Wall bounces.
Crescent Cleave: Same as Cyclone Slash
Moon Blade Dance: Would be more advanced but. Stagger>side kick. Impact punch --> Side Kick
Relifts
Moonlight Splitter--> Impact Punch
Heavy Slash --> Impact Punch
Triple Slash 1st hit --> Impact Punch
Lurring --> Impact Punch in the right conditions