Pullback User Guide
Complete User Guide — detection modes, filters, and automation
Watch these tutorials to get up and running with Predator X Pullback.
Full walkthrough of all features and settings
Quick guide to importing the indicator
Troubleshooting and setup for automated trading
How the ConfirmedBounce mode works
Real-time signal generation explained
📌 Current Version: [pullbackversion]
Always ensure you're running the latest version for optimal performance and bug fixes.
Predator X Pullback is a sophisticated pullback detection indicator designed for professional traders using NinjaTrader 8. It provides the building blocks to create your own custom pullback trading system by combining multiple detection methods with powerful filtering capabilities.
🎯 Build Your Own System
This indicator does not come with recommended settings or a "one-size-fits-all" approach. Instead, it gives you complete control to:
- Mix and Match: Combine any of the 5 pullback detection types
- Filter Your Way: Apply as many or as few filters as you want
- Fine-Tune: Adjust every parameter to match your trading style
- Test and Optimize: Experiment to find what works for your markets and timeframes
5 Pullback Detection Types
Price, Post-Reversal, Fast MA, Slow MA, and Trend MA pullbacks. Use one or combine multiple for confirmation.
Comprehensive Filtering System
MA alignment filters, slope filters, body percentage filters, and more. Stack filters to refine signal quality.
Two Signal Modes
OnTouch: Real-time signals as they happen. ConfirmedBounce: Signals after bar close (recommended for automation).
Automation Ready
Individual plot signals for each pullback type work seamlessly with Predator X Order Entry, Strategy Builder, and other automation tools.
1. Choose Signal Mode
OnTouch: Signals appear immediately when price touches the trigger level (real-time).
ConfirmedBounce: Signals appear after the bar closes and confirms the bounce (recommended for automation).
2. Enable Pullback Types
Select which pullback detection methods you want to use. You can enable multiple types simultaneously for added confirmation.
3. Configure MA Filter (Optional)
Set up moving average filtering (1, 2, or 3 MAs) to ensure pullbacks align with trend direction. This is optional but recommended.
4. Apply Additional Filters (Optional)
Fine-tune signal quality with body percentage, same direction, slope filters, and more. Start simple, then add filters as needed.
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Arrows | Up arrow (🢁) for bullish pullbacks, down arrow (🡻) for bearish pullbacks. Shows pullback type labels (L-PB, F-PB, etc.) |
| Bar Colors | Bars are colored (default: Blue for bullish, Orange for bearish) when pullbacks are detected |
| MA Ribbon | Color-coded region between Fast and Slow MAs showing trend validity (Blue = bullish valid, Orange = bearish valid, Gray = neutral/invalid) |
| Moving Averages | Up to 3 customizable moving averages (Fast, Slow, Trend) displayed on chart |
PredatorX Pullback offers 5 different pullback detection methods. You can use them individually or combine multiple types for more robust signal confirmation.
Detection Method: Triggers when price moves X ticks beyond the prior bar's low (bullish) or high (bearish).
Bullish Setup
- Prior bar must be green (close > open)
- Current bar's low goes X ticks below prior bar's low
- In ConfirmedBounce: Bar must close above trigger level and close green
Bearish Setup
- Prior bar must be red (close < open)
- Current bar's high goes X ticks above prior bar's high
- In ConfirmedBounce: Bar must close below trigger level and close red
- Trigger Distance (Ticks): Number of ticks beyond the prior bar's extreme (default: 10)
Best Use Case: Ideal for catching sharp pullbacks in trending markets. Works well on lower timeframes with volatile instruments.
Detection Method: Identifies pullbacks that occur after a reversal bar (first bar of opposite color after a trend).
How It Works
Bullish: Detects the first green bar after a red bar (reversal), then watches for price to pull back to X ticks below that reversal bar's open.
Bearish: Detects the first red bar after a green bar (reversal), then watches for price to pull back to X ticks above that reversal bar's open.
- Post Reversal Tick Offset: Number of ticks from reversal bar's open (default: 5)
Best Use Case: Excellent for trend continuation entries after a brief counter-trend move. Catches "first pullback" opportunities.
Detection Method: Triggers when price touches or comes within X ticks of the Fast Moving Average and makes a lower low (bullish) or higher high (bearish).
Requirements
- Price must touch the Fast MA (with optional tick offset)
- Must make a lower low (bullish) or higher high (bearish)
- In ConfirmedBounce: Bar must close away from MA in trend direction
- All enabled Fast MA filters must pass
- Fast MA Tick Offset: Negative = signal before MA touch, Positive = signal after MA touch, 0 = exact touch (default: 0)
- Fast MA Type: EMA, SMA, DEMA, HMA, etc.
- Fast MA Period: Number of bars for calculation (default: 21)
Best Use Case: Most popular pullback method. Great for scalping and day trading when price respects a fast MA.
Detection Method: Same as Fast MA Pullback, but uses the Slow Moving Average. Typically used for deeper pullbacks in stronger trends.
- Slow MA Tick Offset: Offset from Slow MA (default: 0)
- Slow MA Type: EMA, SMA, DEMA, HMA, etc.
- Slow MA Period: Number of bars for calculation (default: 50)
Best Use Case: Swing trading and position trading. Catches major pullback opportunities in established trends.
Detection Method: Same as Fast/Slow MA Pullback, but uses the Trend Moving Average. Used for very deep pullbacks or long-term trend validation.
- Trend MA Tick Offset: Offset from Trend MA (default: 0)
- Trend MA Type: EMA, SMA, DEMA, HMA, etc.
- Trend MA Period: Number of bars for calculation (default: 200)
Best Use Case: Long-term position trading. Often used as a trend filter rather than a primary entry signal.
The MA Filter system ensures pullbacks align with the overall trend direction. Filters apply to ALL pullback types when their respective MA is enabled.
🎯 How MA Filtering Works
Bullish Trades: Fast MA must be above Slow MA (if both enabled), and both must be above Trend MA (if enabled).
Bearish Trades: Fast MA must be below Slow MA (if both enabled), and both must be below Trend MA (if enabled).
MA Ribbon: Visual ribbon between Fast and Slow MAs shows trend validity (Green = bullish valid, Red = bearish valid, Gray = invalid/neutral).
Each MA (Fast, Slow, Trend) has its own set of filters that apply when that MA is enabled:
Requirement: The prior bar's close must be on the correct side of the MA.
- Bullish: Prior bar close must be ABOVE the MA
- Bearish: Prior bar close must be BELOW the MA
Purpose: Ensures price was already trending before the pullback occurred.
Requirement: The prior bar's open must be on the correct side of the MA.
- Bullish: Prior bar open must be ABOVE the MA
- Bearish: Prior bar open must be BELOW the MA
Purpose: Stricter filter than Close Prior - ensures the entire prior bar was in trend territory.
Requirement: The signal bar's open must be on the correct side of the MA.
- Bullish: Signal bar open must be ABOVE the MA
- Bearish: Signal bar open must be BELOW the MA
Purpose: Ensures the pullback bar started from trend territory.
Requirement: A specified percentage of the prior bar's body must be on the correct side of the MA.
How It Works
The body is the distance between open and close (ignoring wicks). The filter calculates what percentage of this body is above (bullish) or below (bearish) the MA.
Example: With 50% threshold, at least half the bar's body must be on the correct side of the MA.
- Body Percentage Threshold: 1-100% (default: 50%)
- Higher values = stricter filter (more of body must be past MA)
- Lower values = more lenient filter (less of body needs to be past MA)
Purpose: Prevents false signals when price barely crosses the MA. Ensures meaningful trend participation.
Requirement: The prior bar must be the same color as the expected trend direction.
- Bullish: Prior bar must be GREEN (close > open)
- Bearish: Prior bar must be RED (close < open)
Purpose: Ensures momentum was in the trend direction before the pullback. Filters out choppy/ranging conditions.
Requirement: The MA must be rising (bullish) or falling (bearish) for X consecutive bars.
How It Works
Bullish: MA[1] > MA[2] > MA[3] > ... for the specified number of bars
Bearish: MA[1] < MA[2] < MA[3] < ... for the specified number of bars
- Slope Bars: 2-20 bars (default: 2)
- Higher values = MA must have sustained directional movement
- Lower values = more lenient, MA just needs slight upward/downward tilt
Purpose: Ensures the MA itself is trending in the expected direction, not flat or counter-trending.
Additional filters that apply globally to all pullback types, regardless of which MAs are enabled.
Purpose: Limits pullback signals to occur within X bars of the last trend reversal.
How It Works
A reversal is defined as the first bar of opposite color after a trend:
- Bullish Reversal: First green bar after a red bar
- Bearish Reversal: First red bar after a green bar
The filter counts how many bars have occurred since the last reversal and only allows signals within your specified limit.
- Max Bars Since Reversal: 1-100 bars (default: 10)
- Lower values = signals must occur soon after reversal (early entries)
- Higher values = allows pullbacks later in the trend (more lenient)
Best Use Case: Prevents late entries into exhausted trends. Ensures you're catching pullbacks in fresh trends only.
Purpose: Limits the number of pullback signals allowed in the current trend before requiring a reversal.
How It Works
The indicator tracks how many pullback signals have occurred since the last reversal. Once the limit is reached, no more signals are generated until a reversal bar appears (which resets the counter to 0).
Example: Set to 1 = Only the FIRST pullback in each trend generates a signal. Great for "first pullback" strategies.
- Max Pullbacks Per Trend: 1-20 (default: 3)
- 1 pullback: Only first pullback entries (most conservative)
- 3 pullbacks: Allows multiple re-entries in strong trends
- Higher values: More opportunities but potentially later in trend cycle
Best Use Case: Risk management. Prevents over-trading in ranging conditions or catching multiple signals in a dying trend.
Purpose: Requires the distance between Fast and Slow MAs to be INCREASING for X consecutive bars. Ensures trend is expanding, not contracting.
- Both Fast and Slow MAs must be enabled
- Only available when MA Filter is set to "TwoMAs" or "ThreeMAs"
How It Works
The indicator calculates the distance between Fast and Slow MAs on each bar. For the last X bars, each bar's distance must be GREATER than the previous bar's distance.
Example: With 3 bars setting:
- Bar 3: Distance = 10 ticks
- Bar 2: Distance = 15 ticks ✓ (increasing)
- Bar 1: Distance = 20 ticks ✓ (increasing)
- Result: Filter passes! MAs are expanding (strong trend)
- MA Distance Increase Bars: 1-20 bars (default: 3)
- Lower values (1-3) = More signals, less strict trend requirement
- Higher values (5+) = Fewer signals, only in sustained strong trends
Best Use Case: Filters out pullbacks when MAs are converging (trend weakening). Only trades pullbacks when trend is accelerating.
Predator X Pullback provides individual plot signals for each pullback type, making it easy to automate your strategy with the Predator X Order Entry, Strategy Builder, or other automation tools.
✅ Plot Values
Each pullback type has its own plot that outputs:
- +1 = Bullish signal detected
- -1 = Bearish signal detected
- 0 = No signal
| Plot Name | Label | Detection Type |
|---|---|---|
| PricePullbackSignal | L-PB / H-PB | Price pullback beyond prior bar's extreme |
| PostReversalPullbackSignal | PR-PB | Pullback after reversal bar |
| FastMAPullbackSignal | F-PB | Pullback to Fast MA |
| SlowMAPullbackSignal | S-PB | Pullback to Slow MA |
| TrendMAPullbackSignal | T-PB | Pullback to Trend MA |
The Predator X Order Entry is our recommended automation tool. Here's how to connect it to the pullback signals:
Setup Steps
- Add Indicator: Load Predator X Pullback onto your chart with your desired settings
- Enable Pullback Type: Make sure the pullback type you want to trade is enabled in the indicator properties (e.g., Fast MA Pullback)
- Open Predator X Order Entry: Launch the Order Entry tool
- Select Entry Signal: Choose "1 Entry Signal" mode
- Configure Signal:
- Set Mode to: Plot
- Select your indicator: Predator X Pullback
- Choose the plot: FastMAPullbackSignal (or whichever pullback type you're using)
- Set Operator to: == (equals)
- Set Long Value to: 1
- Set Short Value to: -1
⚠️ Important: Scan Current Bar Setting
ConfirmedBounce Mode: Do NOT enable "Scan Current Bar" in the Order Entry. Signals appear after bar close.
OnTouch Mode: You CAN enable "Scan Current Bar" to enter while the bar is still forming.
💡 Multiple Pullback Types
To trade multiple pullback types:
- Enable multiple pullback types in the indicator (e.g., Fast MA + Slow MA)
- In Order Entry, create separate entry conditions for each plot signal
- Or use a single entry that triggers when ANY pullback type fires
Each pullback type has customizable tags that appear in the visual arrows and can be used for automation identification:
| Pullback Type | Default Long Tag | Default Short Tag |
|---|---|---|
| Price Pullback | LPB | HPB |
| Post Reversal | PR-PB-L | PR-PB-S |
| Fast MA | FPB-L | FPB-S |
| Slow MA | SPB-L | SPB-S |
| Trend MA | TPB-L | TPB-S |
You can customize these tags in the "Predator X Signals" property group to match your automation tool's requirements.
📌 First: Check Your Version
Current Version: [pullbackversion]
Always ensure you're running the latest version before troubleshooting issues.
📺 Video Tutorial Required
Before setting up automation, please watch the Automation Troubleshooting Video which covers common issues and solutions in detail.
Essential Settings for Automation
- Pullback Trigger Type: Set to ConfirmedBounce (recommended for automation)
- Enable Pullback Types: Choose which pullback methods you want to automate Required
- MA Filter: Configure moving average alignment requirements Optional
- Apply Filters: Enable additional filters to improve signal quality Optional
Note: Calculate mode should always remain set to OnPriceChange (default setting).
Connecting to Order Entry
- Load Predator X Pullback indicator on your chart
- Ensure the desired pullback type is enabled in properties
- Open Predator X Order Entry
- Select "1 Entry Signal" mode
- Configure the signal:
- Mode: Plot
- Indicator: Predator X Pullback
- Plot: Select your pullback type (e.g., FastMAPullbackSignal)
- Operator: == (equals)
- Long Value: 1
- Short Value: -1
⚠️ Scan Current Bar Setting
- ConfirmedBounce Mode: Do NOT enable "Scan Current Bar" - signals appear after bar close
- OnTouch Mode: You CAN enable "Scan Current Bar" to enter during bar formation
Plot Signal Names
When configuring Predator X Order Entry or other automation tools, use these exact plot names:
PricePullbackSignalPostReversalPullbackSignalFastMAPullbackSignalSlowMAPullbackSignalTrendMAPullbackSignal
Plot Values
- +1 = Bullish pullback signal
- -1 = Bearish pullback signal
- 0 = No signal
🔍 First Step: Verify Latest Version
Current Version: [pullbackversion]
Many issues are resolved in newer versions. Always check you're up to date first!
Problem: Signals Not Appearing
- ✅ Verify indicator is added to the chart
- ✅ Ensure pullback types are enabled in properties
- ✅ Check that filters aren't too restrictive (try disabling filters temporarily)
- ✅ Look in Data Box to see plot values in real-time
Problem: Plot Always Shows 0
- ✅ Check if pullback types are enabled
- ✅ Verify MA Filter is configured correctly (if using)
- ✅ Disable some filters temporarily to test
- ✅ Ensure you have a valid license activated
Problem: Order Entry Not Triggering
- ✅ Verify plot name spelling in Order Entry matches exactly
- ✅ Confirm Operator is set to == (equals)
- ✅ Check Long Value = 1 and Short Value = -1
- ✅ Watch for "Scan Current Bar" setting (should be OFF for ConfirmedBounce)
Problem: Historical Signals Don't Match Realtime
- ✅ Use ConfirmedBounce mode (not OnTouch)
- ✅ Verify you have the latest version [pullbackversion]
- ✅ Check if Body Percentage filter settings are correct
- ✅ Watch the troubleshooting video for detailed walkthrough
💡 Remember: No Recommended Settings
These are general guidelines for using the indicator effectively. You must test and optimize settings for your specific markets, timeframes, and trading style.
Start Simple
Begin with one pullback type and minimal filters. Add complexity only after you understand how each component works.
Test Each Filter
Enable filters one at a time to see their individual impact. This helps you understand what each filter does to your signals.
Combine Confirmation
Enable multiple pullback types for stronger confirmation, but be aware this reduces signal frequency.
Use ConfirmedBounce
For automated trading, ConfirmedBounce mode is strongly recommended as it generates signals after bar close, preventing repainting issues.
Filter for Quality
Automated systems benefit from quality over quantity. Don't be afraid to stack multiple filters to reduce false signals.
Monitor Plot Values
Add the indicator to your chart's Data Box to verify plot values are updating correctly in real-time before going live.
Paper Trade First
Always test your automated setup with simulated trading before risking real capital. Monitor for several sessions.
If you're getting too many signals or too many false signals, try:
- Enable MA Filter (TwoMAs or ThreeMAs) for trend alignment
- Enable Same Direction Filter to require prior bar momentum
- Increase Body Percentage threshold (50-70%) for stronger trend confirmation
- Enable Slope Filter with 2-3 bars to ensure MA is trending
- Use Pullback Per Trend Filter set to 1-2 for early entries only
- Enable MA Distance Filter to catch pullbacks in accelerating trends
If you're not getting enough signals, try:
- Enable multiple pullback types (Price + Fast MA + Slow MA)
- Use OneMA filter instead of TwoMAs or ThreeMAs
- Lower Body Percentage threshold (30-40%)
- Disable Same Direction Filter
- Increase Pullback Per Trend limit (3-5)
- Increase Bars Since Reversal limit (15-20)
- Disable or reduce Slope Filter bars
Trending Markets (Stocks, Crypto Trends)
- Use MA Filter (TwoMAs or ThreeMAs) for strong trend confirmation
- Enable MA Distance Filter to catch expansion moves
- Enable Slope Filters to ensure MAs are trending
- Pullback Per Trend: 1-2 (catch early pullbacks)
Ranging/Choppy Markets
- Use Price Pullback or Post-Reversal Pullback (less dependent on MA alignment)
- Disable MA Filter or use OneMA only
- Increase Body Percentage to filter out noise (60-70%)
- Use tighter tick offsets for faster reaction
Volatile Markets (News, Futures)
- Use ConfirmedBounce mode to avoid whipsaws
- Enable Same Direction Filter for momentum confirmation
- Wider tick offsets (10-20 ticks) to avoid noise
- Shorter MA periods (Fast: 9-13, Slow: 21-34) for faster reaction
- No Holy Grail: This indicator is a tool for building your system, not a complete strategy
- Test Everything: What works on ES may not work on NQ. Test on your specific instruments
- Market Conditions Change: Be prepared to adjust filters as market character changes
- Risk Management: Always use proper position sizing and stop losses
- Monitor Automated Systems: Never set and forget. Check your automation regularly