DGSD - "We don't do formations!"

[Ken Cheng]

You can't get too far in any of the three CONDOR HEROES TRILOGY novels without encountering wulin warriors fighting in some sort of formation. In L/ROCH, you've got the Cheun Jen Sect's 7 Stars Big Dipper Formation, the Beggar's Union Dog Beating Formation, the Ancient Tomb Sect's Double Sword Formation, and Peach Blossom Island's eponymous formation. Skip over to HSDS and you've got Mo Dong Sect's Jen Mo 7 Section Formation and Shaolin's Demon-Subduing Circle Formation.

In DGSD, however, nobody uses formations. In DGSD, individual fighters seem to blast and shoot internal energy left and right, and the concept of battle formations seems nonexistent.

[Ren Wo Xing]

There were two major formations used in DGSD that I think think of; the first was the Beggar's Clan formation used to find the subordinates of Murong Fu, and the second was the Grand Arhat formation used by Shaolin near the end of the book to ensure that Xiao Feng did not escape, and which scared the piss out of the Xingxiuhai people who were kissing DCQ's ***.

[AnhHung]

I dont see how formations would help against a LDA opponent. Formations are great at close and contact combat, like in the Triology. Whats the different between blasting a bunch of people from 5 ft away and a bunch of people, standing in formation, from 5ft away.

[PJ]

I think formations can "disallow" the LDA'er from LDA'ing, which reveals the true strength of a formation: disallow the opponent from using his maximum power. In HSDS, Zhang Wuji could not use Qiankun Danuoyi against the Liangyi formation because of the exquisite steps and stances used in the formation. Only when he picked up the steps of the formation could he defeat it.

Was it said if Xiao Feng, Jiumozhi, Murong Bo, Tianshan Tonglao etc knew liangyi/sixiang/bagua?

[CC]

Was it said if Xiao Feng, Jiumozhi, Murong Bo, Tianshan Tonglao etc knew liangyi/sixiang/bagua?

Not explicitly but given Xiao Yao Pai's 'know every damn thing from astrology to gardening' style, they should have some interesting formation theory in there. Imagine a multiple LBWB users weaving around in formation!

[PJ]

Heh, the difference between DGSD and Trilogy is that DGSD characters receive big claims from the author such as "able to beat stronger people" and "know everything inside out", but we see little evidence in the novel. Did we see Xiao Feng beat anyone stronger than him? Sure, he made the Sweeper Monk spit blood, but it has been argued Sweeper Monk let him do that on purpose (it's debatable). Trilogy people actually demonstrates their claims (except Zhang Sanfeng, who doesn't live up to any of his praises).

[CC]

Heh, the difference between DGSD and Trilogy is that DGSD characters receive big claims from the author such as "able to beat stronger people" and "know everything inside out", but we see little evidence in the novel. Did we see Xiao Feng beat anyone stronger than him? Sure, he made the Sweeper Monk spit blood, but it has been argued Sweeper Monk let him do that on purpose (it's debatable). Trilogy people actually demonstrates their claims (except Zhang Sanfeng, who doesn't live up to any of his praises).

We never did see TSTL execute anyone in 1 stance too....

Or Duan Yanqing fight 10000 men....

[ChronoReverse]

We do have the randomly powerful XF though. On one hand, he's unable to kill a tiger with a powerful blow. On the other hand, he goes ahead and performs tasks the narrator declares impossible (like running up a cliff).

[AnhHung]

I think formations can "disallow" the LDA'er from LDA'ing, ...

How would this work?

[PJ]

How would this work?

I'd think the steps used in the formation, which would be based on advanced Chinese philosophy such as Wuxing and Bagua, would make it hard for the opponent to do LDA, similar to how it made it hard for Zhang Wuji to use Qiankun Danuoyi.

[CC]

I'd think the steps used in the formation, which would be based on advanced Chinese philosophy such as Wuxing and Bagua, would make it hard for the opponent to do LDA, similar to how it made it hard for Zhang Wuji to use Qiankun Danuoyi.

Hrrmph, I'd like to see how it'll fare against Ding's Decaying Corpse bomb.

[AnhHung]

Hrrmph, I'd like to see how it'll fare against Ding's Decaying Corpse bomb.

Or Lions Roar.

[PJ]

I have no idea how it would fare against Ding Chunqiu's decaying shit.

As for the Lion's Roar, you need time and energy to generate it. If the formation keeps you busy then it will make it hard for you to do it.

[ChronoReverse]

Same thing with the corpse bomb. DCQ has to actually grab a body to use it. If he's within a formation, he'll be way too busy protecting himself from being skewered left and right.

[bliss]

How would this work?

DG9J could definitely do it with its Qi Breaking stance. I can't remember off the top of my head ... did DG9J have a Formation Breaking stance ?

[ChronoReverse]

It did not.

[hyoyatika]

Did we see Xiao Feng beat anyone stronger than him? Sure, he made the Sweeper Monk spit blood, but it has been argued Sweeper Monk let him do that on purpose (it's debatable).

IMO, Sweeper Monk let XF hit him, but did not expect the hit to be as hard to the extent of him spitting blood.