Someone said I play grundy diffrent then every other grundy online the other day so I thought I'd comment here. I didnt really have love for grapplers until the big mitted god that is solomon grundy walked into my life(also that hidden killa shazam, but thats a diff topic). Im not sure how long Im going to make this, but im stoned so it may end up being a whole bunch so ill start in stages of the game I guess
As the game opens I like to do one of two things depending on my opponent and how I feel. Imo walking corpse to start is always a great option because if they throw a string out you can just eat that shit up and still get the first hit with a free chance to MB for a hard knockdown set up, it will catch most peoples backdashes and back jumps, and if they go for that opening jump in/cross up(fuck you black adam)you can cancel on reaction. The other thing I start with is a standing 2. Reaches immediately, hits mid, pretty fast for grunder, and I usually recover fast enough to block if they opened with a jump. Now in certain matchups you do have to just block(stupid 8 frame mid superman), or just want to block(batman I know you are going to jump in and eat my d2 for a free 50%), but that is how I generally start. I never EVER just jump with grundy because he is straight ass in the air(though neutral jumps can be beneficial, I just dont like to use them with grundy).
Once the first hit is out the way I am immediately looking to get a pain chain confirm, always opting for the defense chain(taking less damage on hit). I cant express enough how much better this chain is than the others, I literally dont consider grundys health bar to be normal until he has his defense chain on. If this chain isnt on yet im really just looking to punish a mistake with d2xx4. You can d2 into a combo for 50% ez np, BUT its not as consistent as d2xx4 in my eyes. On block that will catch most people sitting there while still being effective on hit, and though the d2 scales the pain chain damage down you will be able to control where your opponent hands and how long they will be unable to do anything(you also dont ever have to worry about the d2 into 11xxhands link whiffing because they were crouching). Aside from WCmb the pain chain is his greatest set up tool imo(also it hurts, use that shit).
When I have my defense chain on I feel safe to really lay on the walking corpse pressure. landing a WCmb leads to grundys greatest set up so thats what im always trying to land. A lot of people try to lay on the pressure with his 11 string(11xxhands for low, 11xxcleaver for high is just too punishable/interpretable a mixup for me unless they have no meter), but the best standing normal hes got is standing 2. Its like M bison's medium kick and heavy kick in one move and that shit hit confirms into swamp hands. Grundy doesnt build meter fast unless(this is funny)hes eating hits with walking corpse so Im learning to always go for the wall bounce combo after a mbswamp hands as one bar for all them deeps aint bad, and you need at least one bar for nice damage or a nice set up(seriously, unless it will kill or you are full screen dont use more than one bar in a combo). I really like f13, its a low that doesnt look like a low and on hit knocks them into the air to link 11xx4 or 11xswamphand(mb). Thats really the only string I like to cancel into 11xxswamphands(mb)because its really easy to see the link. His vortex is kool, but pretty unpractical because of the meter it cost and the fact that just resetting into trait instead of the vortex gives you 50% np(would only use on the first life bar or to stunt on someone).
Off of a WCmb I always double dash in and stance switch leading to his very ambiguous overhead cross up, f13(there is enough time to decide to cancel into trait on block or just link into grab with this one), a plain throw, or nothing if you think they will wake up attack. I will only ever WCmb into another wc if I know for show they will wake up and I have meter to do it again(waste of meter, yes. Funny as hell and aggravating to the opponent, fuck yes).
My basic gameplay strat after getting my first defense chain is as follows. Push them to the corner and do corner bullshit. You would not believe how many people ive caught in three consecutive raw pain chain grabs because after a pain chain(not sure about all of them, but the defense chain definitely)ending in the corner you can just mash 4 and the chain will come out perfectly timed to their wake up so they must jump or wake up attack. Really just force them into jumping all the time, then punish them for jumping.
Unless im losing in health I like to end the first bar of health with a power chain(one of three exceptions to always using the defense chain), then go for a f13~11xx link for big damage right into a defense chain(usually the first big damage combo wont get clashed). After that I go for any swamphands(mb)set up into b3~f3. Most people clash grundy on a pain chain so they wont clash you right as the 11xswamphands lands, after that lands its unclashable while still giving a nice 30%(will also keep you in the rhythm of doing his b3 combo).
The only other time I use a chain other than the power chain is when im fighting a good zoner(and ive gotten the first hit), or I need to position someone. I always wondered why the chip chain threw them so far away, but I recently realized how it was intended to be used. In a match with a good zoner you try your damndest to get the first hit and turn that hit into a damaging combo(easy once you get that hit because with a bar of meter most hits can be turned into 50%)ending in the chip chain. Then you rely on d2xx4 and timeout since they will chip for absolutely shit damage. Since my game plan revolves around pushing people to the corner it is really extremely helpful that the power chain not only leaves the opponent closest to you, but also leaves them on the opposite side of you if you just do the first hit(this is the only chain that really has a benefit in just doing the first hit). If you are confident in your skill you can literally back yourself into a corner, land a punish into trait, and suddenly you have your opponent in the corner.
[edit] I also catch people trying to zone me full screen all the time with MBswamp hands. Its said that there are other ways to combo off this full screen, but I can only consistently connect with dash twice and MBcleaver spin into a combo(or just cleaver spin if I have no meter, im still in)ending in trait.
So yeah, press your big body against your opponent..thats how I use grundy
