-1.jpg?q=50&fit=contain&w=1140&h=&dpr=1.5)
Laser rifles, high-tech grenades, mountains of explosives, tanks, planes, and modern machine guns are all staples of the battle royale genre, so most players are perfectly comfortable keeping their distance from opponents and raining fire down from afar. When the battle draws closer, things often fall apart.
Rumbleverse is a free-to-play BR with a twist: it takes its inspiration from fighting and wrestling games, keeping combat an up-close and personal affair. This formula results in some wild and wacky fights, but it can be hard for new players to adjust to. Because of this difference, there are a variety of mistakes that are all too common among new players. Here are some of the biggest mistakes that new players make in Rumbleverse.
8 Not Air Dodging
Everyone understands that avoiding damage is a good thing in a battle royale, but not everyone understands the right ways to do it. Taking cover, running away, weaving, and other strategies are all important, but in Rumbleverse, the air dodge deserves special attention. Though the game can be as wacky and lighthearted as Fall Guys, that doesn't mean there's no strategy at play.
The air dodge is one of the best ways to avoid certain types of attacks in Rumbleverse. It's particularly useful against dash attacks, which many players favor, and can be activated simply by pressing Dodge while in the air. It can also be useful for closing the distance for Slams, turning the air dodge into an offense mobility power as much as it's a defensive one.
7 Trying To Break Shields
Characters in Rumbleverse can use shields to keep them alive during dangerous fights, and too many players have the bad habit of trying to break these shields by simply striking the character over and over again. Trying to break a shield this way is a waste of time.
If an opponent is hiding behind their shield, the player can use a Vicious Grab to circumvent the shield and grab them, opening them up for more damage. Rumbleverse is a chaotic game at times, and in the flurry of action it can be easy to forget fundamental counters like these, so it's no surprise that new players do so frequently. The better the player builds their muscle memory to simply grab enemies out of their shields, the more often they will win.
6 Not Dive Bombing Properly
By attacking while in mid-air, the character can dive bomb, plunging straight down towards the ground and doing damage to anyone nearby. Dive bombing isn't as easy as simply punching or grappling someone, especially because it involves a greater element of prediction, so new players who aren't confident in their ability to read opponents are often hesitant to use this ability.
Yes, learning the timing of a dive bomb can be tricky, but even players who have learned it often neglect another important aspect of this attack: the damage dealt by dive bombing scales with height. This means that the higher the player is when they begin to dive bomb, the more damage they will do. Too many players execute low-flying dive bombs for little damage when they could've climbed a little higher and done much more. Always take advantage of the map's best areas when possible.
5 Getting Up Right Away
As a melee-focused BR, Rumbleverse incorporates some mechanics from fighting games that aren't typical in the battle royale genre. One of these is the getup: when knocked down in battle, the player must rise to their feet again, and players who time this well can easily string together a combo that takes advantage of downs for big damage.
It's important that players mix up their recovery options, sometimes delaying their get-up or launching straight into a get-up attack in order to take other players by surprise and prevent easy grabs. Learning the timing and strategy behind this can be tricky, but it's something that every new player will want to learn if they hope to win.
4 Spamming Instead Of Timing
Since Rumbleverse owes as much to fighting and wrestling games as it does to more traditional battle royales, it's no surprise that a common fighting game tactic is popular in Rumbleverse: spamming. By hitting inputs as quickly as possible rather than trying to time them precisely, players can sometimes cheese their way through fights against inexperienced players.
The better the player, however, the more they understand the importance of timing. Like most fighting games, Rumbleverse is sensitive to I-frames and the input timings of certain moves, meaning that players who just thoughtlessly mash buttons will miss attacks and waste time that they wouldn't have if they'd just waited a moment to time their next attack properly. Spamming is one of the reasons that delaying a get-up is so effective, after all.
3 Not Long Jumping
By holding Jump while sprinting, the player will execute a Long Jump. Anything that allows the player to switch up their traversal options is a good thing, as it will make them a more unpredictable target and therefore harder to KO.
By alternating between sprinting, air dodges, and Long Jumps, the player can make it much more difficult for enemies to predict their next move, which can be useful in a number of different ways. This can be used to escape from fights that have gone sideways, but it can also be used to close in on opponents and hit them before they're expecting it or before they can reposition themselves to a more advantageous area. Air dodges and Long Jumps are both excellent examples of how many of Rumbleverse's defensive moves also have excellent offensive utility.
2 Forgetting To Throw Weapons
Rumbleverse separates itself from most battle royales by focusing on melee rather than ranged combat, but that doesn't mean that there are no projectile attacks in the game. Players can scoop up a variety of weapons around the map, and these weapons can be thrown at opponents rather than swung.
Throwing weapons often takes opponents by surprise, allowing the player to land an easy hit or two that they wouldn't otherwise, and anyone familiar with fighting games will understand the importance of being able to chip away at an opponent's health before being able to close in for the kill.
1 Forgetting The Defensive Ultimate
One's Ultimate ability charges over time and can be unleashed to perform a devastating attack once the meter is full. This excellent offensive power should be a key part of any good player's strategy, but Ultimates have a second, defensive usage that many players make the mistake of forgetting.
If a character dies while their Ultimate is charged, they will revive with a small amount of health to continue the fight. Thus the player can either use their Ultimate offensively, to deal major damage or defensively, to try to salvage a bad situation and make an unexpected comeback. Both options have their moments, but many new players make the mistake of focusing only on the offensive option.
Rumbleverse is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Series X/S.