GAME GUIDES
Player traits and the matchup radar
Every Career player has one trait, including AI opponents. Your trait gives an initial rating boost, reduces the XP needed to improve certain stats, and gives you an advantage against one opposing trait and a disadvantage against another.
Choose your trait at the start
- Open Career → Start new career and enter your player’s details.
- Spend the 40 starting attribute points.
- Under Choose one trait, click a trait name or point on the radar. Selecting another replaces the previous choice.
- Check the highlighted trait, its attributes and the updated starting rating, then choose Create player.
You can also focus the selector with Tab and use the arrow keys to move between traits. If you resume an older career that has no selected trait, the Career menu asks you to choose one before continuing. That first choice grants its rating bonus once, up to the normal trained-stat limit.
Read the matchup radar
The outlined label is the trait you are choosing. Every name around the radar is a possible opposing trait. The shape changes as you select a different trait.
- Green, outer point: your selected trait has an advantage against that trait.
- Red, inner point: your selected trait has a disadvantage against that trait.
- Grey, middle point: the trait matchup is even. This includes facing the same trait.
The Strong vs and Weak vs key names the two relevant opponents. The radar shows matchup categories. Its size does not show a stat rating or your chance of winning.
Compare starting bonuses and training discounts
A starting boost is added after you allocate your rookie’s points. For example, choosing Power Hitter with Attack 65 gives you Attack 68. The XP discount lowers the cost of future upgrades in the listed stats, including upgrades earned through camps and General XP spending.
| Trait | Affected stats | Starting boost | XP cost reduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power Hitter | Attack | +3 | 20% |
| Net Specialist | Net | +3 | 20% |
| Counterattacker | Defense | +3 | 20% |
| Marathoner | Stamina | +3 | 20% |
| Quick Mover | Speed | +3 | 20% |
| Clutch Player | Composure | +3 | 20% |
| Conditions Specialist | Wind & Climate Mastery | +3 | 20% |
| Aggressor | Attack, Net | +1 each | 10% each |
| Wall | Defense, Stamina | +1 each | 10% each |
| Patient Defender | Defense, Composure | +1 each | 10% each |
| All-Rounder | All seven stats | +1 each | 5% each |
If an Attack point would normally cost 100 XP, Power Hitter makes it cost 80 XP. A coach’s training bonus increases the XP you earn instead. Both can help you reach the next rating point.
Check the opponent’s trait before playing
Trait badges appear beside player names before a match, during playback and in results. A green badge marks a favourable matchup for that player; red marks an unfavourable one. AI players also have exactly one trait and use the same counter relationships.
| Your trait | Strong against | Weak against |
|---|---|---|
| Power Hitter | Net Specialist | Wall |
| Net Specialist | Wall | Power Hitter |
| Counterattacker | Aggressor | Patient Defender |
| Marathoner | Clutch Player | All-Rounder |
| Quick Mover | All-Rounder | Conditions Specialist |
| Clutch Player | Conditions Specialist | Marathoner |
| Conditions Specialist | Quick Mover | Clutch Player |
| Aggressor | Patient Defender | Counterattacker |
| Wall | Power Hitter | Net Specialist |
| Patient Defender | Counterattacker | Aggressor |
| All-Rounder | Marathoner | Quick Mover |
For example, Power Hitter has the edge over Net Specialist, is at a disadvantage against Wall, and is even against the other traits. This changes the simulated chances of winning rallies without adding points to the displayed base rating. A favourable trait cannot guarantee a win: skills, coaching, fatigue, form and court conditions also affect the match.
Traits assigned to real-player opponents are fictional game profiles. Your own trait stays selected as your ratings develop; training a different stat does not automatically replace it.