[Other: Q&A] Rachel Alucard Gameplay Questions and Answers

[Celerity]

I was just going to ask for some insight into performing Rachel's instant overhead, so luckily I checked the previous page and pretty much found my answer.

Basically, I want to know if it's worth me learning to input 5B > 2D > 9j.A?

I am already comfortable inputting 5B > 9j.2DA for her instant overhead but the Mixup/Pressure Compendium challenged me into thinking I wasn't doing it optimally.

I have been practicing inputting the 2D before the jump but am struggling with it a bit. I'm basically attempting to land the j.A > j.B > jc > j.B > j.A > j.B > j.C block-string but generally the downwards wind will disappear before the jump-cancel or I will just super-jump right at the start. So, I'm basically inputting the wind too early or just super-jumping at this point. I think I've managed to land it legitimately a few times out of countless attempts.

I know you can bait a high block with the wind and then 2B instead, as Tari explained, and the j.A seems slightly lower but is there much other advantage in inputting 2D before the jump?

Also, are there any tips into landing 5B > 2D > 9j.A > j.B > jc > j.B > j.A > j.B > j.C?

Or is it just practise, practise, practise, like everything else?

No no, don't worry. You're already doing it the best way with 5B > 9j.2DA, because that doesn't allow them to react to the wind. Later wind = better. The only reason to 2D before jumping is if you think you can catch them with a 2B or start conditioning them for that.

When you say "5B > 2D > 9j.A > j.B > jc > j.B > j.A > j.B > j.C", are you talking about her fuzzy guard setup? Piano j.A > j.B immediately, otherwise it won't come out. You need to delay j.A slightly against small hitbox characters, but against most of the cast the timing is simple. Again, just do 5B > j.2D > (slight delay) > j.AB (piano) > jc > j.B etc.

Edited June 15, 2013 by Celerity

[Sindelian]

CP question:

Has anyone seen anyone do a midscreen 5b>5c+d>3c>BBL... combo other than '5b>5c+d>3c>BBL>from>4b>Alobelia>5cc' ?

[TD]

There's ...6a 236b (frog hits) dash 5b jc j236a for a two pole setup. Not much to do with 3c being used up early.

speaking of, I've seen 5b 5cdc bbl work in the corner which may open up some damaging combo routes.

Edited June 15, 2013 by TD

[Wild Candy]

What's the best way for Rachel to deal with Mobile characters like Bang, Tao, and Hazama, who just won't sit still long enough to hit them with any of her zoning tools.

[TD]

6a, jc, careful summoning, and your own mobility. Remember that you can also move just as quickly as those characters with your wind, so long as you move with a purpose because of how wind works. If you get a setup going you can keep these characters out decently, but they also have ways of dealing with Rachel's zoning, so you'll need to be even more careful if haz has 50 heat (jump/block portal super) Tao with heat (duck pounce super), and bangs d teleports.

[samthegreat]

That's a very complex question lol, watch how N-O plays. Bang is easy to zone by himself but his nails are problematic, zoning a good Tao takes skills but it's entirely possible, Hazama pretty much outzones you in many situations. I have a few videos in mind from EX and CP but I'm on my cellphone for now so later.

Edited June 15, 2013 by samthegreat

[Wild Candy]

Okay, thanks for the useful tips!

[Stoneroth]

No no, don't worry. You're already doing it the best way with 5B > 9j.2DA, because that doesn't allow them to react to the wind. Later wind = better. The only reason to 2D before jumping is if you think you can catch them with a 2B or start conditioning them for that.

When you say "5B > 2D > 9j.A > j.B > jc > j.B > j.A > j.B > j.C", are you talking about her fuzzy guard setup? Piano j.A > j.B immediately, otherwise it won't come out. You need to delay j.A slightly against small hitbox characters, but against most of the cast the timing is simple. Again, just do 5B > j.2D > (slight delay) > j.AB (piano) > jc > j.B etc.

My problem with the fuzzy guard setup is the jump cancel after j.B. My belief is that you still want the 2D to be active during the jump cancel?

I can easily get the fuzzy guard from 5B > 9j.2DA but I can't seem to from 5B > 2D > 9j.A.

I'll give your suggestion a go and try to further analyse what isn't working for me.

Thanks for the help!

[Celerity]

My problem with the fuzzy guard setup is the jump cancel after j.B. My belief is that you still want the 2D to be active during the jump cancel?

I can easily get the fuzzy guard from 5B > 9j.2DA but I can't seem to from 5B > 2D > 9j.A.

I'll give your suggestion a go and try to further analyse what isn't working for me.

Thanks for the help!

Hmm, I don't know, but why worry about it if you shouldn't be using 5B > 2D> 9j.A anyway?

[Tari]

My problem with the fuzzy guard setup is the jump cancel after j.B. My belief is that you still want the 2D to be active during the jump cancel?

I can easily get the fuzzy guard from 5B > 9j.2DA but I can't seem to from 5B > 2D > 9j.A.

I'll give your suggestion a go and try to further analyse what isn't working for me.

Thanks for the help!

For 5B > 2D > 9j.A > j.B > jc j.BABC (or jc j.ABAC), you just have to time the 2D and air hits correctly. I just booted up the game and tried, and it seems pretty easy to input 2D a bit before you can actually jump cancel out of the 5B. The wind lasts long enough, and the short gap prevents superjumps from occurring.

I know you can bait a high block with the wind and then 2B instead, as Tari explained, and the j.A seems slightly lower but is there much other advantage in inputting 2D before the jump?

^This shouldn't really be happening. If you're landing the first j.A lower than you are off of 5B > 9j.2DA, it means you're doing it too late, and there's a higher chance of you not having the wind effect when you go for the fuzzy.

On a related note, while I'm a personal fan of the j.ABAC fuzzy (it's 1 frame faster, I suppose?), it's a bad idea to use that if you do the 5B > 2D > 9j.A path into the overhead. If you mess up the wind timing or anything, there's a chance you'll float too high and the second j.A will whiff due to crossing up the opponent. In that situation, j.BABC still forces the opponent to block, as the second j.B hits behind. That said, if the crossup occurs, it's not quite safe no matter what.

[Stoneroth]

Thanks.

I must just need to practice it some more. I guess I'm slightly delaying my j.A because I'm so used to doing 2D after my jump.

Anyway, I'm sure I'll be able to find out what I'm not doing correctly. Thanks again.

[TD]

is it known if rachel gets any benefits from OD besides fast wind regen? some characters get special properties on some of their attacks even without their OD being an install of some sort (for example, izayoi's gain arte d sonic saber doing 8 sword hits instead of 4, despite her OD being about gaining stars)

i'd like to think pumpkin/george stay out longer, or she gains a new move or something

[Tari]

Her supers get buffed? ./cough

Other than that, nothing that I know of.

Having said that, the fast wind regen is really nice.

Edited June 18, 2013 by Tari

[Stoneroth]

I'm pretty sure OD Tempest Dahlia is just insane.

Regarding my 5B > 2D > 9j.A problem, turns out I just wasn't doing the j.A fast enough. Thanks Tari.

[TD]

I didn't mean the supers - refer to the above example. I know her supers get buffed and what they will be used for, but I was wondering if she got a normal/special buff too. Oh we'll, it would seem not.

I only ask because the wind regen seems, while nice, slightly underwhelming with her ground combos gaining enough as it is. I mean, great if want to go for max damage, wind intensive combos or looking to keep out while gaining and keeping wind. Don't get me wrong it's good, great even. Perhaps it's just the situational uses that I'm looking at, she does get a lot of nice perks.

[Tari]

Yeah, I was just joking with the OD super comment, haha. While it would be nice for Rachel to have some buffed normals or specials, I'm pretty okay with what she's got now--and imagine the cries of OP if she got even better again. :P

[kirbster]

So far it seems her OD is mainly for added super damage, stopping the timer or preventing the opponent's burst, so nothing really out of the ordinary.

Maybe OD could be useful when the opponent has close to zero health left if you wanna go in for the kill (TD into guaranteed free mixup with full wind). I can also picture endless lotus powered lobelias being really annoying lol.

[Venussail91]

This is probably quite an old fact, but someone asked me the other day if Rachel had an unblockable setup. It made me wonder, does low flying winded pumpkin plus 4B work for this? Or can the opponent just block the whole thing high?

[kodimt]

Just block high.

[tofurr]

^That. You can block Pumpkin high or low, no matter where it is/where it's coming from.

[Venussail91]

Ah, damn lol. Thanks.

[Zoular]

Astral setup is probably the only unblockable setup she has.

[Wild Candy]

2 questions.

One, how exactly to you properly perform Rachel's winded Overheads (J.A and J.B)

And what are some general strategies when Zoning with Rachel.

[samthegreat]

1. 5A/5B > jump forward > down A+D as fast as possible. Don't wind down before you jump!

2. http://www.dustloop.com/forums/showthread.php?14170-CSE-Rachel-Gameplay-Guide

Your goal is to safely summon the pumpkin. Use your head and be aware of the opponent's options (for example Hazama or Lambda can shut you down easily even full screen, look for dead angles). More often than not you have to create your own space first by stopping their advance with winded lobelias and iris (use wind smartly, don't overdo it). Don't be afraid to backdash/move with them. Don't forget you have one of the best anti-airs in the game (if not the best). Make them move predictably. Once the pumpkin is out you can summon George safely. In certain matchups he is less useful but he could always save your ass. If both the pumpkin and the frog are out, try 236B+5D to send them the whole package. Hopefully you have some wind left, if so it's time to get in if you manage to make the opponent block George. Else, set up your defense again. On the offense always go for 50/50 mixups immediately, this is your strenght and you want to capitalize on it. Don't rush in with a single wind stock though, because if the opponent blocks it you're in a worse situation. By the way this is far from easy and I wish I could do half of the things I said most of the time. Work hard.

Also, watch N-O.

[gli]

Guys.... we have legit taunt combos. 8D combos are new hotness. Lobelia + OD is the new Maragidyne trick heh