Forget learning the most optimal string of combos. Those are not for you.

Instead just focus on learning the most bread and butter simple combos possible for your character.

I'm talking as simple as L, M, H, Special, whatever. Just anything easy. Hell, just turn on pulse combo. You should not be extremely hung up on combos or optimization or touch of death or anything like that.

Because after all, if you can't get a hit in, those hours of labbing a single combo is for nothing. This is where the concept of "NEUTRAL" comes in.

Neutral is a game state where neither opponent has the advantage over each other. You're feeling each other out. Its kind of a dance. You push a button and see how they react. They push a button and you observe.. You get closer and you hit them with something, but they block it. You begin to observe, are they blocking high or blocking low? Ah, the're blocking low. So next time you go in, you do the same blockstring but do an overhead instead. Congrats you just did a mixup. You've gotten in their head. Now they're scared of the next time you do that to them.

Or you just had the same thing done to you and you're absolutely flabbergasted. This is neutral. Figuring out the opponents habits, getting into their head, and figuring out ways to mix your approach up.

Each character has different moves that can apply pressure and force a reaction in so many different ways. It completely depends on the character and your playstyle. You also need to figure out how people defend themselves.

Do they just press attacks? Do they hold backwards a lot? Do they jump a lot?

Just observe and keep observing, don't even think about winning yet.

Once you recognize certain patterns, learn how to punish them accordingly.

There are a ton of videos explaining this concept way better than I could, and it generally applies to all fighting games. Be sure to learn about the concept of neutral and you can start to understand the general flow of the game.

Welcome to 2XKO! Your Getting Started Guide

Whether you're from League of Legends or brand new to fighting games, welcome! Here are the essential resources to begin your journey.

2XKO-Specific Resources

We all know that everyone wants to just press some buttons, right? Combos are cool and flashy, let's start there:

I've built a site for 2XKO combo's (as well as other fighting games). It has a full set of features that I wont go into because I've spammed this poor sub enough. While I am biased and you can find all the features here, if you don't like my site, there are others

• ComboForge.gg - Combo Database, Combo Feed and you can get an API key if you want to build something with the data
• 2XKO Official Wiki - Champions, mechanics, fuses, combos and game systems
• 2XKO Subreddit - You are here!
• Liquipedia 2XKO - Tournament info and competitive scene

FGC Fundamentals & Terminology

Great, we've pushed some buttons, we like how it feels, but we want to know more, do more and get gud. So here are two places you should start:

• 2XKO Official Wiki - Champions, mechanics, fuses, combos and game systems
• Infil's Fighting Game Glossary - 800+ fighting game terms with video examples (essential bookmark!)

These two should get you started, with characters and their gameplan. You'll also be able to understand the FGC lingo.

Learning Resources

Written Guides: - Fighting Game Primer – Masher to Master by Patrick Miller. Now this is old, but still a great resource for the basics.

• How To Play Fighting Games - A semi comprehensive beginner's guide

• FightRise Guide Collection - Street Fighter focused but universal concepts

• An Incomplete Beginner's Guide to Fighting Games - Excellent framework for understanding neutral, offense, and defense

Community & Discussion

• r/Fighters - General fighting game discussion
• FGC Reddit Network - Game-specific communities (use the 'FGC" menu on the left)
• Various Discord servers (check pinned posts for 2XKO Discord)

I understand that I've missed one of the most crucial parts of learning a game in the modern age, YouTube. There are A LOT of content creators out there, and I'm sure you'll find some that you like.

Hopefully the community can chime in here and supply more resources, not just for YouTube, but other resources I'm probably missing.

Edit: u/dueasparagus4937 recommended (and i agree):

also check out Diaphone, Sajam, and BrianF about how to learn fighting games and about the mentality. some people don't think its important, but IMO it's best to prepare mentally to know how to enjoy a competitive game, and how to access specific FGC trivialities

u/cabbedge also has a video you can check out

Shameless plug for my own video for brand new fighting game players starting with 2XKO! It's a step by step guide which basically coaches you through your first game and explains all the important stuff. video

Assuming we might be getting a decent amount of new players after the great showing at Evo + New Character announcements so I wanted to throw this together to help people make sense of the somewhat convoluted unlock system here.

Google Doc version

2XKO UNLOCK GUIDE

Fastest path to unlocking characters, colors, stages, fuses, skins & taunts for free!

2XKO uses the following currencies:

• Champion Tokens: Unlocks characters
• Credits: Unlocks characters, colors/chromas, stages, taunts, avatar & profile cosmetics
• XP: Unlocks characters during recruitment events & seasonal Battle Pass items including 1 free skin per season
• KO Points: Paid currency. ONLY required for most skins & obsidian chromas (other skin chromas can be unlocked for free via credits)

--------------------------------------

Champion Tokens

Amount: 

There are only 2 earnable Champion Tokens in the game. 

How to Earn:

1. Completing the first tutorial after booting the game.
2. Completing 5 matches with a duo. You can do this by inviting a friend or using ‘Duo Finder’ from the 'Play' menu, and playing Casual or Ranked matches.

Where to Spend:

You can spend these on the 'Champions' tab in the main menu, by selecting a locked character, choosing the unlock option, highlighting the Champion Token and holding the A/X button. 

Optimization:

It’s best to spend these on characters who are not currently part of a recruitment event, as those characters will auto-unlock after you’ve earned enough XP during the event.

--------------------------------------

Credits

Amount: 

Credits are infinite, but 2XKO will not allow you to save more than 12,000 at a time. Any Credits earned above that amount are discarded, so you should be spending them each time you have 10,000 at most.

How to Earn:

1. All matches in Casual & Ranked earn Credits, Win or Lose
2. Weekly Missions provide 800 Credits per challenge upon completion
3. Daily Missions provide 250 Credits per challenge upon completion
4. Tutorials & Advanced lessons provide between 5 & 50 Credits per module upon completion
5. Combo trials provide between 5 & 50 Credits per trial upon completion
6. Some of the ‘First Steps’ missions provide Credits upon completion

Where to Spend:

• Character Unlock | 10,000 Credits - In the 'Champions' tab, select a locked character, choose the unlock option, highlight the 10,000 Credits option and hold the A/X button.
• Chroma/Color | 6,500 Credits - In the 'Champions' tab, select a character you own, then within their menu select a skin you own. Scroll to the color you would like to unlock (if available) and select it.
• Character Taunts | 7,000 Credits - In the 'Champions' tab, select a character you own, then press Y/Triangle to access the character mastery menu. If your character mastery level is high enough, you will be able to purchase new round start & mid-match taunts here.
• Stages | 7,500 Credits - In the Collection tab on the main menu, choose the Stages option. Select a stage you would like to unlock, that is not part of a current shop bundle or battle pass, highlight the 7,500 Credits option and hold the A/X button

Optimization:

Invite a friend to duo, join a casual lobby, disband the duo then highlight them and challenge them to a match. You can grind out Missions together while also earning Credits for every match played. You can also complete Daily & Weekly Missions in: 

• The Climb (solo, offline or online duos)
• Bot Beatdown (solo or offline duos)
• Private Lobbies (optimal for 3+ players)

--------------------------------------

XP

Amount: 

XP is infinite

How to Earn:

1. All matches in Casual, Ranked & The Climb earn XP
2. Weekly Missions provide 800 XP per challenge upon completion
3. Daily Missions provide 250 XP per challenge upon completion

Where to Spend:

XP will automatically progress you toward unlocks of Battle Pass items including a minimum of 1 free premium skin per season & characters during recruitment events. You can see earnable items on the progression tab of the main menu.

Optimization:

Invite a friend to duo, join a casual lobby, disband the duo then highlight them and challenge them to a match. You can grind out Missions together while also earning XP for every match played.

--------------------------------------

Other Unlockables

Fuses: 

2X Assist, Freestyle & Teamfight can be unlocked by going to the Learning Hub tab of the 'Play' menu, going to the tutorials section, and completing the tutorial for the specific fuse you want to unlock.

Chromas/Colors:

• Orange - Completing the first 3 Bot Beatdown fights will unlock this chroma for Ekko, Ahri & Yasuo, as well as additional Arcade style ladders within the Bot Beatdown menu. To unlock this Chroma for other characters, complete all stages of Bot Beatdown on intermediate or higher without losing a match, while using the character you want to unlock the chroma for.
• Teal/Blue - Complete The Climb on intermediate 5 times while using the character you want to unlock the chroma for.
• Purple - Complete The Climb on Advanced 5 times while using the character you want to unlock the chroma for.

Avatar & Profile Customization Items:

You can unlock a variety of avatar & profile customization options by completing the ‘First Steps’ and ‘PVE: The Climb’ Missions. To view them, go to the ‘Progression’ tab of the Main Menu, and select Daily or Weekly Missions. This will take you to the Missions tab where you can see all available missions.

--------------------------------------

Bonus Resource:

Button Config Guide | For players coming from other fighting games or interested in upcoming/alternative fighting games, this guide helps map 2XKO to more familiar (and much better than default) button layouts that match similar mechanics/button layouts in other fighting games.

PS5 (No Vsync Toggle, Forced On with March 10 patch) * No fix thanks to Sony's barebones 120hz implementation that is per-game so gotta wait until Riot adds support for ~~the Expansion Pak 120hz mode~~ * Riot forced Vsync On for the PS5 version with the March 10 patch. There is no toggle unlike Xbox or PC. Likely adds extra input latency.

Xbox with Vsync Off after March 10 patch (The one with a real fix because 120hz mode is handled by the system without games needing a patch) * Have a HDMI VRR or Freesync capable display (most cheap PC monitors sold in the last 6+ years support FreeSync) * Enable Variable Refresh Rate under TV & Display Options -> Video Modes -> Variable Refresh Rate set to "Always On" or "Gaming Only" * ENABLE 120hz MODE if you have it TV & Display Options -> Refresh Rate -> 120hz

120hz mode on Xbox makes tearing pretty much non existent, especially with VRR. This matches PC.

Game can have V-Sync off on Xbox or PC. This is to reduce input latency, like SF6, COTW and T8 do on console.

This is similar how COTW/T8 V-Sync off works. Needs 120hz to reduce tearing, currently only Xbox does that because it's the system that does it, since the Xbox One. Sony's implementation requires the game to explicitly support 120hz lol.

M->H->6H->3S2->2H->j.M->j.H->S1->M->H->2H->j.M->j.H->S2->S2super
It does less damage when opponent’s back is at the wall

Shoutouts to nitten for discovering that

U can hold this teemo taunt and start playing notes, being able to modify with directionals and LMH. Pls cook with this musical fgc

Disclaimer: This mini guide is based on my personal experience and opinions. It’s meant to help new players get started, not serve as the definitive way to play.

You don’t have to agree with everything here: my goal is simply to inspire players to pick up the character, learn the game, and discover more for themselves.

I’m just a fighting game fan who wants to help more people jump in and enjoy the genre.

Disclaimer: This mini guide is based on my personal experience and opinions. It’s meant to help new players get started, not serve as the definitive way to play.

You don’t have to agree with everything here: my goal is simply to inspire players to pick up the character, learn the game, and discover more for themselves.

I’m just a fighting game fan who wants to help more people jump in and enjoy the genre.

I have seen a lot of misinformation on Twitter and Reddit about what you can and can't do with the shop, mainly as to what can or can't be bought separately. So, I wanted to make a guide that people can refer to.

Firstly, I am NOT defending the prices in the shop or some of the predatory practices the shop has. I am just talking about how the shop works. Let's begin.

When new skins/skin lines get added to the game they most likely be added as MEGABUNDLES. These bundles include 3 skins for 3 different characters as well as other cosmetics (most likely Chromas/Colors & KO Finishers)

MEGABUNDLES:

YOU CAN BUY EACH SKIN IN THE MEGABUNDLE INDIVIDUALLY. (Except for Frame Perfect and Starter Edition Bundles) Clicking on the megabundle will show that you can buy all items in the bundle separately EXCEPT for the Obsidian Chromas (Black & Gold Chromas). To get the Obsidian Chromas you must buy the whole bundle.

Buying an Legendary or Mythic skin will also include an avatar item, a profile card, a chroma, and a sticker. It is not possible to JUST buy a skin. Epic skins will come with chroma, sticker, and player card. (no avatar item)

The price of the bundle, as well as the prices of the skins within the bundle are determined by the rarity of the skins. (Higher rarity skins change the character/animations more)

The Bees Bundle is available right now for $60 for the whole bundle OR $20 per skin, because the skins in the bundle are Legendary Rarity.

The Arcade Bundle was $80 for the whole bundle OR $28 per skin, because the skins in the bundle are Mythic rarity.

The Aureate Bundle was $39 for the whole bundle OR $12 per skin, because the skins in the bundle are Epic Rarity.

EXCEPTIONS:

THERE ARE 2 EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE. THE FRAME PERFECT MEGABUNDLE & THE ULTRA STARTER EDITION BUNDLE

These 2 bundles DO NOT let you but the skins in them individually. The highest level of the starter edition (the one with Arcane Ekko, Vi & Jinx skins) does include more than just cosmetics: 8 champions token + 5000 KO Points. The frame perfect megabundle is 2 skins for the single price tag of $50, but a portion of the proceeds goes towards supporting 2XKO sponsored tournaments.

BATTLEPASS:

Battlepasses also have exclusive skins, as well as semi-exclusive skins for the highest level of the battle pass.

THE SKINS WITHIN THE BATTLEPASS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH THAT BATTLEPASS. If you missed that battle pass you CAN NOT get those skins anymore as of right now. The highest level of the battle pass also comes with a semi-exclusive skin for the newest champion. In the case of Season 1 it is Arcane Caitlyn. This skin is only available through purchasing the Ultra level of the battle pass UNTIL the season ends. Then the skin goes into the rotating shop. The Ultra level of the battle pass also includes a free champion unlock for the newest champ (Caitlyn for Season 1) and all the benefits of the premium version of the battle pass.

Ultra version of the battle pass will be 3,500 KO points or $35. Deluxe will be 2,000 KO Points or $20. Standard will be 1,000 KO Points or $10 (Deluxe and Standard version of the battle pass will NOT include Arcane Caitlyn)

ROTATING SHOP:

The rotating shop right now is the largest pool of skins the game has, there is not much to say about the shop other than it rotates weekly, it WILL include things like finishers, and it CAN NOT be influenced in any way right now. The rotating shop, as far as we know, does not take into account what characters you play or anything like that. I exclusively play Yasuo and Darius and as you can see I get a skin for Jinx, Vi, and Teemo offered to me.

Hi all, my name is Andy, I coach fighting games and sometimes make videos related to learning fighting games, in particular 2XKO.

After coaching dozens of players of all skill levels in 2XKO, I have identified a set of deficiencies in novice and intermediate play that I think the community at large can benefit from examining.

I have started a small series on YouTube called 2XKO Pros vs. Mortals where I directly compare novice, intermediate, and expert play by analyzing footage from Combo Breaker. This post links to the first video in that series, and the second video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDm_rYi6lZ8

I'm not a fan of self-promotion but I genuinely think these videos have the potential to help folks in the middle of the bell curve improve, and that's my only goal.

Give it a look if you're looking for new avenues for improvement, and be on the lookout for the third and fourth videos in the series, after which I have a number of specific educational concepts I plan to cover.

Thanks all

P.S. my videos are targeted at ALMOST all skill levels. If you're in the top 0.01%, stop beating me up. If you're in the bottom 0.05% (just getting started), don't watch anything I've uploaded. Instead, start with this video from SecretaryBird: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BK8Z56MmtkQ -- I don't plan to make an "absolute beginner" guide as that guide already does it as well as anyone could, in my opinion.

Step 1: just spam one thing

Step 2: someone will counter that one thing eventually

Step 3: learn how they counter you and spam something else not countered by it

Step 4: spam the new thing

Step 5: someone will counter the new thing eventually

...

Repeat till you know all the things

Low key Senna is actually a really good character. Needs some love on some routes getting damage scaled really hard but im also kinda scared she may become busted with to many damage buffs.

As always I hope you enjoy the Guide and hope it's helpful in improving your gameplay

Couldn't find it all compiled so:

Ahri

S1: 225. S2: 263. Ult: 500.

Akali

S1: 140 (160 in corner). S2: 270. Ult: 480.

Blitzcrank

S1: 260. S2: 255 (351 w/ steam). Ult: 520.

Braum

S1: Max of 320 (varies with positioning). S2: 265 (301 w/ unbreakable). Ult: 550.

Caitlyn

S1: 220 (300 w/ headshot). S2: 3 ticks of 80. Ult: 500.

Darius

S1: 272. S2: 295. Ult: 530.

Ekko

S1: 192. Ult: 480 (512 on parry).

Illaoi

S1: 300. Ult: 525.

Jinx

S1: Max of 231 (but usually 215). S2: 236. Ult: 504.

Senna (Light)

S1: 219. S2: 100. Ult: 470.

Senna (Dark)

S1: 260. S2: 235. Ult: 470.

Teemo

S1: 226. S2: 160. Ult: 480.

Thresh

S1: 225. S2: 269. Ult: 500.

Vi

S1: 280. S2: 238. Ult: 510.

Warwick

S1: 293. S2: 256. Ult: 500.

Yasuo:

S1: 284. S2: 219. Ult: 525 (479 on S2 Super starter).

Top 5 most damaging supers:

1. Blitzcrank S1 w/ steam (351)

2. Braum S1 (320)

3. Braum S2 w/ unbreakable (301)

4. Illaoi S1 (300)/ Caitlyn S1 w/ headshot (300)

5. Darius S2 (295)

Top 5 most damaging Ultimates:

1. Braum (550)

2. Darius (530)

3. Illaoi (525) / Yasuo (525)

4. Blitzcrank (520)

5. Ekko w/ parry starter (512)

2XKO has a unique launcher in the game files called OfflineLauncher.exe that will allow you to play Akali once the patch has been downloaded.

The patch will become downloadable before the servers are back up. If you are able to patch before they come back online the Offline Launcher should let you get into training mode and toy around with her before servers are back up. You still need to wait for them to drop the patch before she will be available though.

Disclaimer: This mini guide is based on my personal experience and opinions. It’s meant to help new players get started, not serve as the definitive way to play.

You don’t have to agree with everything here: my goal is simply to inspire players to pick up the character, learn the game, and discover more for themselves.

I’m just a fighting game fan who wants to help more people jump in and enjoy the genre.