Hey, everyone! Librarian Husky here, ready to break down some advanced movement techniques to help you master the battlefield! In this guide, we’ll be diving into the heavy melee cancel (HMC) and zipline momentum conservation (ZMC) tech. If you’re curious about the technical details, feel free to check out the Deadlock movement document for all the nitty-gritty. But here, we’re going to focus on how these techniques actually look in-game and how they can give you an edge during combat. Let’s get moving!

What is Heavy Melee Cancel?

Heavy melee cancel is when you use an item or ability to cancel the recovery frames of your heavy melee attack. Currently, there are four items and six hero abilities that can perform an HMC. The most affordable way to use HMC on any hero is through fleet foot, but certain heroes like Abrams, who have a built-in HMC, can perform it two or more times when combined with items.

How to Perform Heavy Melee Cancel

To perform a heavy melee cancel, charge your heavy melee attack and press your item or ability input during the animation. The timing of when you cancel the animation affects the distance you cover. On the ground, HMC allows you to bait parries, make sharp turns, or extend the reach of your melee. In the air, HMC can provide additional momentum and flexibility for movement.

Speed Boost with Heavy Melee Cancel

Using heavy melee cancel (HMC) provides a significant boost of speed in your chosen horizontal direction. This technique can serve as an engaging or disengaging tool for any hero, giving them an additional powerful aerial option. Let’s explore how to combine HMC with other movement techniques to effectively traverse the map and gain an advantage.

Practical Example of HMC in Action

One example of HMC in action is using it right after dismounting from a zip line, which allows for fast traversal across a building and catching opponents off-guard. This method is effective for rapidly repositioning or surprising enemies during combat situations.

Practicing Movement Options with HMC

A great way to practice stringing all movement options with HMC is by using a sandbox mode. You can get airborne with a grapple, reset your movement, and continuously chain air dashes with HMC to efficiently move around the map. With practice, you can achieve smooth and fast movement across different areas.

Zipline Momentum Conservation

Zipline momentum conservation (ZMC) occurs when you dismount from a zip line, granting you a 2-second anti-drag buff that increases movement speed. To execute ZMC, attach to a zip line and crouch to dismount, activating the speed buff. This technique allows for faster movement than usual, enabling quick repositioning during gameplay.

Combining Techniques for Maximum Speed

The purpose of this section is to demonstrate how much faster you can move when you start stringing together different movement techniques. By combining heavy melee cancel (HMC) and zipline momentum conservation (ZMC), you can drastically increase your speed, especially when familiar with using air dashes. This allows players to traverse large areas of the map in a short period.

Character-Specific Techniques for HMC and ZMC

While all heroes can utilize the movement tech discussed, there are specific characters that can further benefit from combining HMC and ZMC. For example, Lash can use ZMC to maintain momentum after performing her death slam, increasing its accuracy and ability to hit more heroes. Similarly, Abrams has a built-in HMC on his drain ability, making him exceptionally fast and effective as a dive tank.

Advanced Use of HMC and ZMC with Abrams

Abrams, already equipped with HMC, can perform this technique twice when using additional items. This gives him incredible mobility and makes him an oppressive force in combat, capable of quickly diving and pressuring enemies with his enhanced speed. Mastering this combination provides a significant advantage during matches.

Paradox’s Use of Heavy Melee Cancel

Paradox is unstoppable with her ability to HMC while charging her carbine. This means that once she begins charging, she can dash forward. If she has Fleet Foot or another HMC item, she can reposition a second time before shooting. This offers great mobility and versatility during combat.

Pocket’s Advanced Mobility with HMC and ZMC

Pocket, being a highly mobile hero, can utilize both HMC and ZMC in unique ways. By throwing her cloak into the air and using zip melee into the cloak teleport, she can carry momentum in the direction she is facing. This allows her to perform impressive maneuvers, such as teleporting on top of objects during combat.

ZMC and Barrage Combination

Pocket can also combine ZMC with her barrage ability, carrying the momentum from ZMC to make her barrage attack move faster. This synergy between ZMC and her abilities gives her unmatched speed and control, making her a formidable force in any engagement.

Future of HMC and ZMC Techniques

Now that you have a basic understanding of HMC and ZMC, you can start experimenting with these techniques in your own gameplay. These movement tools are very flexible and enjoyable to use. With the acknowledgment and re-implementation of this tech by Yoshi, it’s safe to assume that HMC will remain a core feature for the foreseeable future.

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