String

String Meta(Formal - Attack String Meta) is a form of offense meta that was first introduced in TZDL2009 by Argryia during her preliminary bout with Mystic. The concept incorporates the knowledge that T1 battles, or forum Play-by post, utilizes Turns for players to use an action or react to one and creates a near inescapable scenario by having one attack precede another in tandem in reaction to their opponent's previous turn. In short, an attack created by one player will have a subsequent follow up but isn't launched until the enemy player finishes their post. It is a form of interception meta for the sole purpose of ensuring a hit between dodges against evasive characters. The term may have originated from fighting game jargon where a player will chain several commands at once in a long premeditated string. The term has been found in computer programming language as well with an identical meaning as to create a line of code and commands, which give this phrase its definition to string short attacks between post player post.

Principle
String meta exploits the turn order of both players, as the rights of play-by post dictates that any author has the right to dodge or block an attack (responding to an action). A string of attacks seeks to intercept the defender's ability to react by constantly attempting to hit them at every possible turn in a very short amount of time. A player with several potential attacks at the ready will bait a user into dodging one in which their turn is used to react, and another attack of a similar or more severe/lesser degree is launched that reacts to their previous reaction. Unlike combos or chaining, the other consecutive attacks are not released until the enemy player has finished their turn so they are either prepped or on standby.

The philosophy of stringing multiple attacks for each post plays also into the enemy player's right to respond to their opponent. The aggressor using string meta is capable (when allowed) of having their character view how their enemy character responds to them, and then launches a subsequent attack coordinating to how they moved if a dodge is enacted. String meta relies heavily on tells from defending players for aggressive users to determine their next following action, and string more than 2 attacks pre-post of an expedient nature. The speed of traditional string meta innovated by Argryia in 2009 involved high velocity projectiles, but it could also incorporate moderate to slow attacks provided that their delivery was intentionally orchestrated to intercept a defending character's ability to adequately respond.

String meta was formally known as Attack String Meta by Argryia in a conversation with Mouse during her fight with Mystic. As the name implies, it is a string of attacks in a short precession that intercepts a defending character's ability to respond to the aggressor's first attack with a follow up. It almost borrows heavily from retroactive meta in that, the aggressor may have broken the chronological order of events the defender invoked as a response by attack between their response and retaliation in the hopes to negate a feasible counter offensive; however, unlike a traditional barrage -- string meta revolves heavily on responses from both parties for execution in said chronological order.

Example
Here is a conventional form of String Meta.

The chronological order that allowed Secunda the ability to respond with his fireball is put into question. Prima has intercepted his dodge from his first attack with his orb, and now Secunda might have to reply to that attack instead. Prima has successfully negated the retaliation Secunda mustered provided that Secunda cancels his previous counter-attack to respond to the orb instead. That means Prima is on the offensive to control the flow of the fight, since Secunda's only measure of offense puts him in great danger of being hit by Prima's string. Prima used the dodge of Secunda as a tell since it involved distinct physical indicators he is performing an action, and that allowed Prima to intercept his opponent's means with a precisely calculated rush.

A simpler string is as followed

Prima has used the knowledge that bullet speeds are vastly superior to enemy movement and attempted to intercept him again; however, Prima did not aim to stop the motion Secunda was taking but allowed it to finish before releasing an attack of his own in response. The danger Secunda faces here is that despite successfully moving out of his opponent's aim, he may not be able to avoid the follow attack Prima launched regardless whether he cancels his fireball attack. There are, of course, possible ways to avoid being cornered by interception meta of this type but these are traditional examples.

Example of string meta used by NPCs

Secunda here has used his NPC's action to attack Prima, without giving Prima the chance to enact his retaliation. Secunda, who was on the defensive, has now applied pressure on his foe using external means. Prima may block the encounter but at the possible negation of his attack which hurts the time he has to deal with Secunda whom can now wisely attack very thoroughly.

Usage
Argryia introduces String Meta by summoning orbs of her ki energy near her. Mystic throughout the fight held a strong field presence by keeping a great counter-offensive, keeping Argryia's Serenity character at a distance; however, she created these orbs and fired one at him that forced him to dodge as she came closer to use her shotgun WAE/AOE projectiles at close quarter. The turning point of the fight right here was that Mystic, who stood his ground and seldom left his position, flew away in a retreat with no counter retaliation using Serenity's own signature evasive meta Burst Control. This intuitive play by Mystic showed that he was well aware of the dangers of being in close quarter to his opponent's rush strategy, and allowed Serenity to equalize the former pressure she was under throughout their bout.

Draven Javad utilized a simpler form of String meta against his opponent Veazy in TZDL2011. Veazy was planning to close the range gap between both players to engage in melee; however, Draven wasn't particular interested in playing Veazy's game of chance in the open arena they fought and took the offensive with his gun. The pistol Draven used decimiated any counter attack Veazy had prepared, being intercepted and disallowed because of the quickness the interval of gun shots had. Now if Veazy had used his Geomancy powers for solid defense or permanents then the string meta in question would have easily been negated.