#NoScrubs: Grabs and Throws are Cheap

Normally, when I do these “Fight Fridays”, I have a general topic in mind. However, more often than not, these ideas are repeated at length. Though some of these issues deserve it. Still, I’d like to get back to the core of what this segment is supposed to be about: fighting games and the world around them. Instead of telling you all to be good people, I’m going to be a…bad person. Today, more times in the future, we’re going to be making fun of some scrub quotes. 

For the unaware, I’ll be using the very apt definition of a scrub from the Fighting Game glossary to bring you up to speed. According to it, a scrub is:
“Someone who thinks they’re much better than they are and makes excuses whenever they lose. The classic scrub believes that the only reason they aren’t winning is because the opponent isn’t following some self-defined set of “honorable” rules (like not spamming whatever move is hitting them today), not through any lack of skill on their own part.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself. In the future, this’ll be the working definition of a scrub. For now, let’s dissect this particular one and why it’s so terrible. 

i shouldn't have to duck https://t.co/dmtwdT6rBk

— Scrub Quotes: 1st Fiscal Quarter Report 📈 (@ScrubQuotesX) May 20, 2021

Despite being known for playing grapplers in most fighting games, I actually hate grabs. Not because I think they’re unfair. As a player, I recognize that breaking grabs is difficult for me. I try to practice it, but it comes with… mixed results. That said, seeing scrub quotes that revolve around throwing is personal because that could’ve been me. But it wasn’t, so this is funny to laugh at. 

What’s particularly bad about this one and ones like it is the straight up dismissal of the solution. Ducking is such an easy thing to do. Literally hit the down button. But somehow, not doing this takes less skill? Grabbing means you’re bad at the game? Then how good are you to keep getting beat by the tactic? Do you think “throw metas” come out of throws having no skill? 

Given the definition of the scrub, we can see that this person’s “honor code” is not to throw. Which, honestly, is stupid. Grabs are there to break defenses, and if you got grabbed, that’s your fault. Unless you’re online, because you definitely teched that throw. I saw it. I believe you. I can imagine this person playing offline, getting grabbed, then scoffing about how a person plays with “no honor.” 

By the way, let’s get something straight. Honor in fighting games doesn’t exist. People practice to find the most unfair ways to win and honestly? You just have to hold that sometimes. If honor existed, there would be nothing but character loyalists playing the games like a turn based RPG. You don’t get cool set ups, cool combos that knock off more than half your bar, infinites, and so on through honor. Consider that as we continue to look through these quotes. 

As for our friend here, being mad about your shortcomings is fine. Getting help then acting like it’s part of the problem is not. Just learn to tech. Or backdash. Or duck. Maybe even learn some frame data if you’re so inclined. I promise it won’t be so bad. I hope you all got something out of this. And don’t worry. While ScrubQuotesX will be a great inspiration, I’ll try to do some they missed because woo boy do they miss some bottom of the barrel thoughts people have. For now, tech the throw.

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