A Comprehensive List of the Effects of Signature Skills in Blacktop Online
I've scoured the internet and found nothing. It's up to us to determine which skills are and are not effective in Blacktop Online. I'm a maxed out athletic shooting guard, and I've been buying up skills left and right lately to Frankenstein together the perfect baller: I'll tell you what I've found out in my 300+ games of Blacktop, ask a couple lingering questions I have, and leave you guys tell me what you've got...
OFFENSIVE:
Finisher- Come to the conclusion that it's worthless, even with/without 'Acrobat'. I have Level 3, which according to another post could be worse than Level 2? Haven't experimented with Highlight Film along with it, but perhaps it assists (not that they miss more than 15% of the time) in 360/Flash dunk completion?
Acrobat- Stupid. Apparently people use it to Euro-cheese, but I'm not interested in further research. Altering your finish in Blacktop is asking to get yo $hit thrown.
Shot Creator- Pretty freakin' Awesome! The Shot Feedback tells all you need to know, as any shots that you get an open look with using the RS gets a significant rating boost. Insanely useful for a scoring wing.
Ankle Breaker- Choose at your own risk. It's hilarious (not to mention effective), when you get one of those poor CPU defenders on you, but you CANNOT make a user fall. At least, I can't, on Level 3. It does work to some degree, but the user has to commit themselves to learning proper RS dribbling.
Dimer- A life-saver when you're going rogue online. It's a given that people are going to try and live out their fantasies of being Kobe. Instead of being mad at their incessant jacking, try to aid them in hitting their shots! I'm at Level 2 and I see a gigantic increase in shooting, PLUS the ball is always on the money, PLUS bounce passes just have extra magic with this. Highly recommended.
Deadeye- Haven't experimented with it, as I started getting obsessed with getting a 5x5 and needed room for skills. Didn't shoot great with it on Level 3, but I have to be seeing it work because a ton of people online make a ton of shots with a late arriving hand in their faces. People who use this are dicks, because we know all-too-well that there is nothing worse than a guy hitting a bomb with a hand up, but I recommend it.
DEFENSIVE:
Pick Pocket- I don't know whether to hate it or love it. People spam their 'X' buttons all game, picking my pocket at LEAST once a game off rebounds etc., but I'm not doing the 'dribble move' in the definition of the skill itself. I've gotten plenty of steals, with and without it, but if you simply can't match up athletically with your player yet, this would be the go-to defensive skill. After all, Blacktop usually comes down to the team with the most possessions winning the game...
Interceptor- Had a hunch the other night that I could stop the alley-oop spammers by lurking with this skill at Level 3. FAIL. I didn't stop one out of five and quit. Doesn't have a purpose on the Blacktop.
Eraser- I have no idea if the levels impact the "emphatic-ness" of the block, but on Level 2, though blocks are few and far between, it definitely makes your blocking more powerful. Granted, lowering the shooter's ratings for 'x' seconds doesn't do much in Blacktop, so it's uses are limited to big guys that can block more frequently.
Chasedown Artist- I went back and forth on this for awhile, but I'm convinced it doesn't work in Blacktop. Chasing somebody down looks the same without the skill, including the speed. I want, so badly, to believe that this skill does something, so if anybody has insight into it, please lemme know.
Lockdown Defender: Honestly, I thought it would be more effective. For it's price, I assumed that it would attach some training wheels to defense. Maybe make up for a bad RS movement on a close-out, and AT LEAST stop people from hitting contested shots. I didn't get any boost in steals/blocks with it equipped, and came away from a few games thinking I was better served going back to pick pocket.
OTHER:
Brick Wall- Cheap, hilarious, and useful. Highly recommended.
Scrapper- Quickly becoming my favorite skill. I'm a 6' 3" guard pulling down a good 5 rebs per Blacktop game, diving 20 feet for loose balls that I usually cause, and generally being a pest for the big guys that assume they can dominate you down low. Well worth it.
Microwave- It depends on if you think you'll be getting enough shots up to light up. When you're on fire, I think it's obvious that it affects EVERY attribute, but if you only go 2-5 during the course of a game, it's clear you're wasting a skill.
I WANT TO KNOW:
Does Closer do anything in Blacktop?
Can attributes be boosted over 99 with the use of shoes or skills?
---
Get at me: shaumer827 on XBL
OFFENSIVE:
Finisher- Come to the conclusion that it's worthless, even with/without 'Acrobat'. I have Level 3, which according to another post could be worse than Level 2? Haven't experimented with Highlight Film along with it, but perhaps it assists (not that they miss more than 15% of the time) in 360/Flash dunk completion?
Acrobat- Stupid. Apparently people use it to Euro-cheese, but I'm not interested in further research. Altering your finish in Blacktop is asking to get yo $hit thrown.
Shot Creator- Pretty freakin' Awesome! The Shot Feedback tells all you need to know, as any shots that you get an open look with using the RS gets a significant rating boost. Insanely useful for a scoring wing.
Ankle Breaker- Choose at your own risk. It's hilarious (not to mention effective), when you get one of those poor CPU defenders on you, but you CANNOT make a user fall. At least, I can't, on Level 3. It does work to some degree, but the user has to commit themselves to learning proper RS dribbling.
Dimer- A life-saver when you're going rogue online. It's a given that people are going to try and live out their fantasies of being Kobe. Instead of being mad at their incessant jacking, try to aid them in hitting their shots! I'm at Level 2 and I see a gigantic increase in shooting, PLUS the ball is always on the money, PLUS bounce passes just have extra magic with this. Highly recommended.
Deadeye- Haven't experimented with it, as I started getting obsessed with getting a 5x5 and needed room for skills. Didn't shoot great with it on Level 3, but I have to be seeing it work because a ton of people online make a ton of shots with a late arriving hand in their faces. People who use this are dicks, because we know all-too-well that there is nothing worse than a guy hitting a bomb with a hand up, but I recommend it.
DEFENSIVE:
Pick Pocket- I don't know whether to hate it or love it. People spam their 'X' buttons all game, picking my pocket at LEAST once a game off rebounds etc., but I'm not doing the 'dribble move' in the definition of the skill itself. I've gotten plenty of steals, with and without it, but if you simply can't match up athletically with your player yet, this would be the go-to defensive skill. After all, Blacktop usually comes down to the team with the most possessions winning the game...
Interceptor- Had a hunch the other night that I could stop the alley-oop spammers by lurking with this skill at Level 3. FAIL. I didn't stop one out of five and quit. Doesn't have a purpose on the Blacktop.
Eraser- I have no idea if the levels impact the "emphatic-ness" of the block, but on Level 2, though blocks are few and far between, it definitely makes your blocking more powerful. Granted, lowering the shooter's ratings for 'x' seconds doesn't do much in Blacktop, so it's uses are limited to big guys that can block more frequently.
Chasedown Artist- I went back and forth on this for awhile, but I'm convinced it doesn't work in Blacktop. Chasing somebody down looks the same without the skill, including the speed. I want, so badly, to believe that this skill does something, so if anybody has insight into it, please lemme know.
Lockdown Defender: Honestly, I thought it would be more effective. For it's price, I assumed that it would attach some training wheels to defense. Maybe make up for a bad RS movement on a close-out, and AT LEAST stop people from hitting contested shots. I didn't get any boost in steals/blocks with it equipped, and came away from a few games thinking I was better served going back to pick pocket.
OTHER:
Brick Wall- Cheap, hilarious, and useful. Highly recommended.
Scrapper- Quickly becoming my favorite skill. I'm a 6' 3" guard pulling down a good 5 rebs per Blacktop game, diving 20 feet for loose balls that I usually cause, and generally being a pest for the big guys that assume they can dominate you down low. Well worth it.
Microwave- It depends on if you think you'll be getting enough shots up to light up. When you're on fire, I think it's obvious that it affects EVERY attribute, but if you only go 2-5 during the course of a game, it's clear you're wasting a skill.
I WANT TO KNOW:
Does Closer do anything in Blacktop?
Can attributes be boosted over 99 with the use of shoes or skills?
---
Get at me: shaumer827 on XBL
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