Post
The detective work behind every world record, where runners reverse-engineer games to find seconds nobody knew existed.
Strat finding is the research phase of speedrunning where runners analyze game code, test theories, and discover new techniques or routes. It involves a mix of decompilation, memory analysis, TAS-assisted testing, and sheer brute-force experimentation. Some strat finders specialize in disassembling game code to understand mechanics at the instruction level. Others use TAS tools to test frame-perfect scenarios that humans could never replicate in real-time, then work backward to find humanly viable versions. A single new strat can reshape a game's speedrun overnight.
Example
In Celeste, speedrunners discovered 'ultradashing,' a technique where dashing diagonally into the ground at specific angles preserves momentum in ways the developers never intended. This single discovery shaved minutes off the any% route and spawned dozens of derivative techniques. The community spent months mapping every screen where ultradashing saved frames.
Why it matters
Strat finding is where speedrunning becomes a collaborative science project. World records get the glory, but strat finders build the knowledge that makes records possible. Many retired runners transition to strat finding, contributing to their community without the execution pressure of live runs.
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