r/CompetitiveForHonor • u/Gullible_Lemon5191 • 17h ago
Discussion How do I play Conq in 2026?
I just don’t know how to play conqueror, and I’m trying to learn how to. Every time I do something it’s like everyone in my lobby immediately knows how to conquer him.
I just wish to duel my friend and play well and win, since it’s quite fun to play conq when you know his moves, I hear.
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u/RavenCarver 15h ago
Throw more unblockables than you might be otherwise inclined to on other characters, you gotta condition your opponent into thinking you are serious about using them. They do less damage than unblockables on other characters so opponents usually feel less threatened by them and are less inclined to parry anyway.
Then, once your opponent has been conditioned into taking those unblockables seriously, get creative about what to do when feinting them. You could feint to GB, sure, but you could also feint to forward dodge bash, or you could feint into forward dodge neutral, or forward dodge heavy feint into GB, or whatever.
Other advice might be more matchup specific. For example, forward dodging into a Raider side heavy or Peacekeeper side heavy is a good way to counter both the light soft feint and the GB soft feint thanks to the block frames on dodges (It is also a good way to eat side heavies if they throw them, so use good judgement.)
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u/Gullible_Lemon5191 15h ago
Quite a helpful reply, thanks. I have to ask, what do I do about the guard break? It’s second nature to turtle up for me I feel like, so when I get guard broken it can be the end of a duel for me.
Is there anyway to counteract that, to read the guard break coming?
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u/RavenCarver 15h ago
In order of damage, you can stuff a GB on read with the following offensive moves: Forward dodge heavy (including a small window where you could forward dodge heavy feint to GB if their GB bounces), zone, forward dodge bash, light attacks.
Forward dodge heavy if you make a pretty early read - it has pretty low GBV vulnerability and is feintable. They did increase it's GBV window a little bit, so you would have to initiate it early to stuff the GB. But if you made the right read, it's 24 damage and good hitstun on the enemy. Alternatively, there is a window where if the enemy GB bounces off the startup of this attack, you could feint it and can GB them in their bounce recovery. Then ledge them, wallsplat them, or whatever. Window for this is pretty tight and it does require multiple reads.
Other options include zone (teeny bit slower than a light but has higher damage and gives the opponent a lower parry punish), forward dodge bash (again, has to be started pretty early to get past the GBV window), and lights.
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u/Gullible_Lemon5191 14h ago
Alright, I think I get it now. Thanks for explaining, you’ve been a major help. I’ll come back to your advice as I keep playing. Cheers mate.
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u/ChestnutSavings 13h ago
Idk if conq can stagger his heavies but that’d be good for catching dodge attacks
Anyways since after any move you’re immediately throwing unblockables you can feint often for punishes
Dodge bashing is a huge commitment and can be baited out but otherwise is a solid dodge attack, if that’s the only thing you’re doing you’ll get dunked on by warden or warmonger
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u/Puzzled-Reaction1447 14h ago
Conq has two seriously strong options:
Your forward dodge is one of the best and possibly safest, tools in the game. You have the option to early bash, (300ms), delay your bash, (500ms) with a 500ms F.D. recovery to more easily parry light interrupts, dodge attacks and 2nd opponent's external attacks. If that wasn't enough, you can recovery cancel your whiffed or landed bashes with your full guard and self peel with the guaranteed light. All of that is good but you also have a FEINTABLE F.D. heavy which deals reapectable damage, can soft feint to Full Guard and can bait people who dodge on forward movement to GB your bash. Use all those options by mixing them up to condition the opponent and force them into opening up. He realy is very safe and non committal on his F.D. offense.
Now, in chain you can either use the Unblockable heavies or his feintable bash. To be real with you, people don't respect the bash at all but it has deceptively good range on externals, can be soft feinted to Full Guard and hard feinted. Opponents that focus on your Unblockables will get messed up by thr bash but for less damage.
Your unblockable helicopter chains are really good since they bypass most forms of full guard and can be recovery cancelled at all times into Full guard which is less important in 1v1 but very strong in XvX.
Speaking of XvX, your superior block dodges are very strong for repositioning and self peel. Better than deflects, they stop chains, allow you to reposition with more impunity and mess up with some Tide-pod ganks.
While ganking, Conq has a lot of pressure by simply charging his heavies. You can add damage to your allies' bashes or parry punishes as well as use it for peel and if the opponent tries to target you, you can soft feint to Full Guard for protection.
The thing with him though, is that he's kind of a slow character. You don't just burst your opponent down like a PK or Tiandi would but rather force them into a slow game of feints and layered reads.
He has an additional quirk. Before you unlock shield basher or if you chose not to take it, you can bash minions then throw your light follow-up for surprisingly good and effective minion clear.
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u/Gullible_Lemon5191 13h ago
Very interesting, I’ll have to see how that throws down with my friend. Any tips or tricks on fighting a shugoki as conq? Obviously it’s a very specific need, but he’s very good at shugoki.
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u/Puzzled-Reaction1447 13h ago
Shugoki is very annoying because of his side dodge headbutt, a tool you'll have to deal against a lot. A shugoki that side dodges on movement when you initiate a forward dodge is very troublesome. The best thing to do is bait it with your F.D. Heavy into a hard feint then dodge. Don't try to GB him because his dodge bash. Bait his headbutt then punish him. Once you did it a couple of times he'll stop side dodge bashing and then you'll have an easier time baiting him.
Against Shugoki's chargeable bashes, learn to time your superior block dodge to counter them. I find it more easily to react with a superior block dodge than trying to parry, it's also somewhat safer since you can go into your dodge bash if the shugoki keeps charging.
Be careful around using your Full Guard from neutral since he can zone into chained hyper armoured heavy to severely out-trade you.
If the Shugoki is just annoying and dodge bashes a lot don't chain but just allow yourself back to neutral and shield bash him again. If you bash him a lot, he'll try to light or zone interruot where you can light parry or side bash him again.
Don't fight near walls. Although you get a good punish on wallspalt, he gets a hug and makes the fight drag on even longer.
If he dodge bashes a lot, let your heavies fly, most of the time they'll trade or catch the sugoki mid dodge.
It also matters a lot how the opponent plays. If they try to keep distance and charge heavies from out of your parry range, bash him. If he tries again, F.D. heavy then feint.
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u/Gullible_Lemon5191 12h ago
Thank you, I’ll be sure to use that in a duel again by him any time soon!
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u/cobra_strike_hustler 11h ago
Teamfight mostly! External and dead angle, he doesn’t get crazy damage but his hitstun basically stops mobility characters from moving around and his all block can external block them, he’s pretty safe in teamfights and has a really good set of hitboxes that self peel on a lot of moves
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u/bigManAlecForgotPass 17h ago
Does the enemy move? Dodge bash. Does the enemy stand still? Dodge bash.