#techno analysis

So everyone who’s ever watched the guy knows he’s great at PVP, but they don’t seem to necessarily understand why. And Techno’s fighting style is actually really interesting compared to others, especially compared to what I’ve seen from other top PVPrs, like Dream.

So first, let’s talk about Dream, because Dream is well known for being a great pvper and I love remembering my boy beat him. Dream is smart and straightforward. He stays mobile but has mastered axe crits and the shield mechanics. Dream fights like a classic tank, steamrolling through hits. It’s simple, it’s effective, and it’s overwhelming - he just rolls through you like you aren’t there. Add on pearls and crossbows and you’re able to tank from a distance as well.

It’s a really popular tactic! Combined with enchanted netherite, using this tactic you become both the unrelenting force and the immovable object. Even I use this tactic to some extent. It’s easy, it’s effective, it utilizes a lot of the game’s mechanics, it’s arguably what most people expect from Minecraft PVP now, post 1.16.

Now let’s talk Techno - playing Minecraft and specifically PVP games starting with 1.8 pvp! I have actually been playing that long too, so I recognize a lot of tactics he uses from my own experience on faction servers. 1.8 focused heavily on attention, accuracy, click speed, and not getting hit in the first place because armour was way less enchantable, way less protective, and way easier to break. Obviously skywars’ games don’t require you to care about armour durability, but it’s just to keep it in mind.

But anyway, 1.8 pvp necessitates movement. You HAVE to be mobile, you have to get out the way because as soon as you stand still in front of someone, you’ve been spam-clicked by someone with a diamond sword and you’re dead, bro. You’re dead as dicks. You're deader than dead. You died before your ping even caught up to you dyin, man. 1.8 pvp is all offense and movement.

And especially in Factions PVP, something Techno mentions doing a lot on his own, the other biggest way to win a fight in 1.8 is to lag the other person out and/or make it even harder for someone to touch you with mobs. When I played factions I had a decent laptop, and the main way I defended myself was chickens. They move a lot, they update a lot, and its Really easy to get a lot of them. Similarly, you can use just about any other mob, but chickens are easiest to put wherever you want them to be. Coincidentally, you can also do this with wolves, if you've got a good enough computer to keep them all stood up around you, with the added benefit that if someone decides to fight you, you now have a swarm of mobs between you and them.

So, to break it down for you bc thats a lot of info! I'm gonna split this into two categories: Hypixel PVP and SMP PVP.

In Hypixel PVP, Techno's main strengths were experience, general skill at the game, speed, good ping, and focus. Simply put, the guy's just really fuckin Built to do 1.8 PVP and he exploits a lot of classic mistakes that players make post 1.9 - they stand still, they dont spam click, they expect armour to do more. Techno is fuckin SPEEDY, both in game and when it comes to accessing what's going on around him and sorting thru items. Its a strong combo, and hes a strong opponent.

in SMP PVP, theres a LOT more factors to think about and also to exploit. The players are there, in call with him, to be taunted. Almost everyone he plays with isn't skilled at 1.8 pvp, as well - and that leads to a few key advantages. The main one is that unlike players used to 1.16 pvp, Techno has evolved a style that keeps the spirit of 1.8’s necessary movement while compounding how much damage he’s able to do by using things like fireworks, crossbows, slowness and harming arrows, fully enchanted netherite with full prot4 and thorns3. Thorns3 is a stacking enchantment; if you have ONE item that is thorns3, there is a chance when you are hit it will do 1/2 heart of damage per hit. If you have all four pieces enchanted, you can do up to 2 hearts per time someone hits you. That’s huge, especially because Techno doesn’t use a shield regularly, hence why he never really takes his armour off.

Techno’s mixed style is something that comes as a surprise - a lot of people keep up with versions and change their fighting style as the versions change - but Techno only adapted his. He didn’t need to relearn things, just add to them. His movement is unpredictable and he uses pots like it’s second nature. Those sorts of things are what makes Techno fucking DEVASTATING as an opponent. 1.16 is a lot of standing still and holding your shield up but that shit doesn’t work when your opponent runs around like a hyperactive toddler the whole time. And technos ability to negate the usefulness of a shield - something that is absolutely OP in game - is one of his biggest strengths.

I want to talk about why cTechno and cEret's apologies were taken differently by cTubbo.

(Disclaimer, as usual, when I say the names, I only mean the characters. If I intend to speak about the creators, I'll say cc before. This also does not represent my emotions on any of the characters or streamers.)

Also I'm watching from Tubbo's POV.

Right. So let's get right into it.

I think it's important, when talking about this, to take the order and context into account, and to understand what is spoken. So, first, let's look at all of Techno's apology and understand why Tubbo trusts him again after it.

First, let's discuss the context leading up to this. And this, obviously, starts with the jailbreak stream where Techno is a known ally and friend to Ranboo, and was the one to approach Tubbo and tell him about both the death and the kidnapping. Taking off his armour, in fact, something I've spoken about as the armour shows how defensive or open someone is depending on how often they wear it. In that moment of almost vulnerability, Techno takes off his armour and tells Tubbo the information. This is how he probably knows Techno is telling the truth, amongst also knowing it's not in Techno's character to kill someone without like... A government involvement or something. From there he was the one to suggest finding Michael with Tubbo.

This alone would put Technoblade into a dubious trust as someone with a common goal. Tubbo understands the motivation, and this allows him to put a little bit of his trust into Techno since what else can he do?

Now we go into the saving Michael streams and they are right to business. They get their goal in order and this especially would affirm to Tubbo especially that Techno is set on getting Michael back. The fact that Techno is just as trusting in Tubbo to get this done probably helps as well.

Oh and then the fact that Tubbo is trusted with an Axe from Techno. Not only do they joke about the irony of Techno sharing an axe, but this is an axe that is worth more to him than the Axe of Peace ever was. This, again, builds up more trust. That Techno is willing to trust Tubbo with one of his strongest weapons, given to him by one of his closest friends.

Now. We skip a little bit to get to the apology.

First off, Tubbo first says he is the one who owes Techno an apology.

And the first thing Techno says? "For what?". In Techno's mind. Tubbo doesn't need to apologize.

He then follows up with "is it for the whole war thing? Because that was both of, you know, I used to be a menace." Techno immediately shifts blame onto himself. He is acknowledging what he himself has done, and, at the same time, he's also basically telling tubbo that he doesn't need to apologize for anything.

And then Tubbo suggests turning over a new leaf, because of their aligned views. This is a new thing. They have acknowledged that they have both done bad things to each other, they are willing to put that aside for this common goal.

Obviously, Tubbo's own execution has not been dealt with in conversation yet. Which means they're probably avoiding it. Knowing how these two are.

Now we go to when the apologies continue after they meet Eret, and I'll go over the necessary context for Eret when I tackle her apology.

I think an important thing to note is that the thing that started this, is Techno pointing out that he and Eret were the ones to kill Tubbo. He took that responsibility himself.

And he instantly goes to mention the festival, before being interrupted.

It's here that Tubbo questions whether or not he is being led to his death.

And Techno starts back, taking the first place in talking, and he mentions the festival again. And he mentions how he "wouldn't go to this much work" and you can't deny the merit behind that.

If Techno really wanted to kill anyone, he would probably do it as soon as he could. He has the ability and power to do so.

And then what does he do? Immediately takes responsibility for the festival. Techno takes the blame for Tubbo's death that day. He says it was pathetic of him; that he should have died for his beliefs. And then he explains the reason why he didn't; because he comes from a place where he only gets one life. Techno admits there and then, whether intentionally or not, that he was scared to die.

Techno also promises to never make the mistake again as Tubbo forgives him.

And now to Eret. Because I think this is really interesting how this exactly parallels Techno in the opposite way.

So. Context again. Tubbo goes into talking with Eret as "they are the one who stole my child". Not to mention that Eret is literally sat on a throne, looking down at them when they start this conversation. You don't want to get me started on camera angles that are unintentionally building character in the dsmp. Also. Eret laughing after Tubbo's "where the fuck is my child"? Probably not a good look... Learning that Eret doesn't have Michael, but instead trusted Sam (the man who killed his husband) with Michael is adding more distrust. Not only that, but Eret not knowing where Michael would be moved to after Sam said "I can keep someone safe, I can make a place for Michael to be safe"? Like. That's something I would hope they would have asked the coordinates of.

And obviously, without any prior motives or trust building before now, there is no wonder Tubbo thinks Eret, the person who led the L'manbergians to their death using a lie, may be lying about this.

And then, acknowledging that he killed Tubbo, she says "we'll let bygones be bygones" which... Coming from Eret, may sound a little bit like they're saying Tubbo did something to him. That's typically who says "we'll let bygones be bygones"; people who have been treated bad by the other person. Not the other way around. It's this sentence that causes Tubbo to back away very quickly from the two of them and have a little freak out about being led to his death.

Eret has to be prompted and asked before saying sorry.

It's no wonder that Tubbo says he's still pissed at Eret after Techno's apology.

And it's now that Eret explains their side of things. Saying how she thought betraying L'manberg would stop the fighting, saying how he's learned about how important the relationships are.

Tubbo seems suspicious at this, and can you blame him? Again. This is someone who has apparently learned this yet had to be prompted into an apology. This is about an act that happened who knows how long ago and yet they've remained silent all of this time.

I understand a little with Techno and Tubbo's silence with each other, they murdered one another (if you count the use of a totem as still killing someone before it works). They would want to avoid each other. They actively have bad blood in every version of L'manberg that techno had participation in ever since Schlatt's appointment as president.

Eret has, for the most part (and as far as I know) stayed away from all of that. There isn't bad blood there.