[CF] Nine Spell Guide (WIP)

[RurouniLoneWolf]

 

Evernote link for easy access and passing around:

https://www.evernote.com/shard/s624/sh/d99055bd-ed5b-4a5e-a379-e2666d5eef30/246adc96f3955fa46fed05f3b7754833

 

DISCLAIMER: Because Nine is a new character, this spell guide is very much still a work in progress. I'll be adding stuff to it as I see stuff in match videos and as new tech gets developed before and after console release. If you see anything especially good, feel free to contribute by leaving a reply in the Dustloop thread!!!
 

 

 

Introduction

 

Hello everyone,

 

Welcome to the Nine spell guide. Unlike other characters in Blazblue, Nine has no drive. Instead, Nine uses magic to cast spells with different uses. Considering Nine's wide variety of spells are the reason I picked up the character, it should come as no surprise that I wanted to document and compile as much information on them as possible and that's where this spell guide comes in. This guide will not only give information about the uses of Nine's spells but will also cover the best way of creating them.

 

 

 

Spells

 

0 Element Spell

 

Shawl of Everlasting Darkness

• Alternative Air Combo Ender
• Can be special canceled

Uses:

Although it doesn't see much use, Shawl of Everlasting Darkness has a good amount of untechable time and can be good as an alternative ender for air combos at lower heights when used in conjunction with Sea Moss Gate. It also seems to be good in some corner combos to optimize damage output. 

Best Way to Set Up:

Since it's a 0 element spell, the only way to set it up midcombo is to use Sea Moss Gate and have your stock slot empty.
Air Ender Example - https://youtu.be/EkCac8MrkVQ?t=201

Also, here's an example of it being used in a combo for its special cancel properties

Combo Example 1 - https://youtu.be/rHsPu9bwtT4?t=467

Combo Example 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSUCY_7KBzw

 

 

1 ElementxN Spells

1 elementxN spells are about as easy to get as 3 Element spells but they aren't as useful as other spells. With the exception of Tanzanite of Mourning, most of these spells don't really see much use. 

 

Lapis Lazuli of Grief (W)/ Sapphire of Sorrow (WW)/ Tanzanite of Mourning (WWW)

• Very useful combo tool

Uses:

A very common combo tool to help Nine bring her opponents back down to the ground from an air combo to go for a ground ender. This is very useful because Nine tends to have better options and greater control over her opponent's wakeup options from ground enders.

Best Ways to Set Up:

Creating this spell is pretty straightforward compared to other spells. It's often done from juggling an airborne opponent with 4/5A > 6A > sjc j.2/5A. In situations where you are too far out to connect 6A from the 4/5A, you can make up for the lost water normal in the air portion by doing stuff like j.2A > j.A


Emerald of Anguish (A)/ Peridot of Distress (AA)/ Malacite of Tragedy (AAA)

• Good anti-zoning tool
• Doesn't quite go fullscreen (At least at Ax1)

Uses:  

As one would expect from a spell that's more or less functions as a laser beam, these spells can be a great anti-zoning tool to keep zoners cautious of pressing buttons. It can be equally useful in general just to hinder an approach. These wind spells also tend to get used to combo into her Flame Punisher distortion to tack on more damage to a combo to end a round. 
Best Ways to Set Up:
When you have no elements in your active slot, doing a blockstring as simple as spaced 5B > 5B can be enough to safely create the spell. 
In the event that you already have elements in your active slot, safely creating this spell is going to require a more specific start. Falling j.B > 2B > 5B or falling j.B > 5B > 5B can get the job done at the right spacings. 

 

Coral of Anger (F)/ Garnet of Resentment (FF)/ Rubellite of Rage (FFF)

• Good for converting Round Start 3C and some 3C Low Mixups

Uses:

For the most part, this spell is only useful to confirm a round start 3C into a full combo using Coral of Anger [Fx1]. There's also a few specific blockstrings that'll open up an opponent with 3C low that Rubellite of Rage [FxN] will allow you to convert into a full combo
Best Ways to Set Up:

Since you'll usually only be going for this at round start, the 3C alone will provide you with the 1 fire element you need to use this spell

 

 

2 Element Spells

Because of the nature of how Nine's spell system works, it's notably harder to get and use 2 element spells compared to 1 elementxN and 3 element spells since you usually have 3 elements stocked up. The best place to try and make a 2 element spell is after you've used a spell and you get put back to a clean state where you have no elements in your active slot. Taking advantage of 236D can also help create this opportunity if you don't have anything already stored up in your backup slot. 

Heliodor of Submission (WA)

• Gives Nine auto-guard point against a body attribute attack

Uses:

Unfortunately, this spell has seen little to no use currently. However, console release giving us access to a training mode with a lot more options than its arcade version could bring new developments that'll see more use for this spell. 

 

From what I've seen so far, it isn't a particularly useful spell. The most important thing to understand about this spell is that it'll only guard against body attribute attacks. Any other attacks like most jump normals and crouching normals will still beat Heliodor if you have it out. 
Best Ways to Set Up:

Currently, no examples. Sorry ;.;

 

Amethyst of Massacre (WF)

• Good for resetting pressure
• Good for hindering approaches 
• Vanishes after 5 in games seconds if it doesn't hit anything
• On hit, has a shock effect

Uses:  

Can be a good way to attempt to reset pressure against some characters. The advancing electric ball can give opponents limited options to deal with it at such a close range. Typically, they'll have to stay on the defensive or will attempt to try and jump out and risk getting tagged by Nine's 6C. If you happen to have it in neutral, it's also very good at hindering approaches, either from the air or from the ground depending on where you throw out the spell
Best Ways to Set Up:
Can be created by doing a blockstring as simple as 2/5A > 5C when you don't have anything in your active slot. 

Video Example - https://youtu.be/FZjNmqGvpu0?t=362
It's less common but taking advantage of a falling j.A can also be an opportunity to set it up by doing falling j.A > 3C > [WF]
Video Example - https://youtu.be/gvc196YqU6k?t=694

 

Citrine of Rotation (AF)

• Good anti-zoning tool 
• Absorbs projectiles that hit it and shoots a thin projectile back at the opponent
• Disappears if hit by anything else
• Will push Nine or the opponent as it moves forward if they obstruct its path
• Mirror can be kicked forward using Crush Trigger and Exceel Accel and will gain a hitbox.  Wall bounces on hit

Uses:

Great anti-zoning tool for dealing with projectiles coming from the front. It won't protect you against stuff like Nu and Lambda's 4D but it'll still protect you from most projectiles. 
Best Ways to Set Up:
Citrine is a somewhat awkward spell to set up. It works best as an anti-long range tool but because of the nature of how Nine creates her spells, you need to be up close and personal to create it. When you do try to create this spell, you should aim for a blockstring at your max range. This way, if you throw it out immediately, it'll be at a good distance to discourage your opponent from using a projectile to stop you from getting back in. If you don't throw it out immediately, then you'll have it ready to use right away or you can use Sea Moss Gate to store it for later use. 
Jump forward j.2C > land 2B > [AF]

Video Example -  https://youtu.be/_uas1-Iezao?t=61

Max range falling j.B > 5C > [AF]

Video Example 1 - https://youtu.be/_uas1-Iezao?t=248

Video Example 2 - https://youtu.be/gvc196YqU6k?t=1679

If you're feeling truly desperate and feel you absolutely need the mirror, you can also use overdrive to help create the spell
Overdrive Example - https://youtu.be/gvc196YqU6k?t=2724

 

 

3 Element Spells

Nine's most powerful spells and the easiest to create. Almost everyone of these spells can turn the tide of a match in Nine's favor when used smartly.

Celestite of Vows (WWA)

• Slows ground movement like Nu/Lambda's gravity Seed
• The opponent can't jump while in the field. If they're in the air, they'll be knocked down to the ground as if they got hit (The hit does no damage)
• There's a 2 in game second delay from when Celestite is set and when the gravity field starts to kick in
• 5D sets it on the opponent's location
• 4D sets it in front of Nine

Uses: 

Unfortunately, this spell doesn't really see much use. But when it is used, it's usually used to hinder an opponent's advance or their ability to get out of pressure
Best Ways to Set up:
Taking advantage of the long blockstun of Uvarovite is one of the good opportunities to create the Celestite of Vows spell. During the fire shower, do jump falling j.B > double jump falling j.2A > 5A > [WWA]
Video Example - https://youtu.be/_uas1-Iezao?t=141

From a blocked Uvarovite in a more neutral situations, you can do superjump forward falling j.B > 2A > 5A 

Video Example - https://youtu.be/1bDVc_2klQM?t=840 

Getting your opponent to block a falling j.A or j.2A after a teleport dash can also be a good time to setup Celestite

Falling j.A > 2A > 5B > [WWA] Example - https://youtu.be/1bDVc_2klQM?t=1911

Falling j.2A > 4A > 2B > [WWA] Example - https://youtu.be/1bDVc_2klQM?t=1415

Outside of Uvarovite oki setups, you should observe what elements you have currently. If all you have is one water element in your active slot or water was the last element you added to the slot, try catching the opponent with a 2 button water <-> wind blockstring like 3A > 5B
Video Example - https://youtu.be/_uas1-Iezao?t=1187

Taaffeite of Fascination (WWF)

• The fairy attacks 3 times at set intervals. The first from the front, the second from the back and the last attack is from above
• Goes away if Nine blocks or gets hit by an attack

Uses:

A great spell for oki. Fairy oki is one of the more common enders to go for at the end of a combo. Syncing up your blockstring to go with the fairy's 3 consecutive attacks that happen at fixed time intervals is a great way to reset pressure or keep a mixup safe. 

If you have it available, Taafeite can also be great in neutral. The timed consecutive attacks can greatly limit an opponent's options and is great cover for an approach. 
Best Ways to Set Up:
Fairy is usually set up at the end of a combo by doing falling j.A > 5A > 3C > [WWF]

 

Andradite of Binding (AAW)

• Holding the D button moves it forward more and delays the explosion. Hold up or down on the stick to move it up and down. 
• Blows back and wall bounces on ground or air hit for easy conversion into a combo
• Does a good chunk of chip damage on regular block and drains a good amount of barrier on barrier block
• The orb can be destroyed by the opponent before it explodes

Uses:

Great spell for neutral. Because it fires a laser beam in all four directions from its core, it's pretty great at controlling space and limiting your opponent's movements. 

However, if you can manage to get it out in a blockstring, Andradite is also quite good in pressure. It's good for resetting pressure but on regular block, it'll also deal a great amount of chip damage and on barrier block, it'll take an equivalent amount of barrier away from the opponent.

Andradite as a combo extender Example -  https://youtu.be/_uas1-Iezao?t=990

Best Ways to Set Up:
Andradite can be created in a variety of ways from a blockstring involving a water normal and 2 wind normals. Since wind normals usually have the best reach, it's usually best to start with the water normal and then take advantage of the range of wind normals so you can finish creating the spell at a range that it'll be mostly safe to throw out the Andradite spell.  
Blockstring 2A > 5B > 5B > [AAW]
Video Example 1 - https://youtu.be/_uas1-Iezao?t=59

Video Example 2 - https://youtu.be/_6Nug1EBbBg?t=2046

Blockstring falling j.A > 2B > 5B > [AAW]
Video Example - https://youtu.be/_uas1-Iezao?t=146

Blockstring 2A > 5B > 2B > [AAW]
Video Example - https://youtu.be/_uas1-Iezao?t=1556 

 

Uvarovite of Destruction (AAF)

• There is a delay between the targeting circle first appearing and when the rain of fire comes down

Uses:

Uvarovite sees most of its use as an oki tool. When the fire shower eventually comes down, it'll trap the opponent in blockstun for a fairly long time. The fire shower is also really good at obscuring what's happening on the screen and can be a good place to try and slip in a mixup.

In neutral, Uvarovite can also be pretty good. The area that the fire shower comes down in is fairly large. Even throwing it out at midscreen will greatly limit the way opponents can move without getting themselves caught in the fire shower, which would allow you to get in. When the opponent is closer to the corner, Uvarovite can be especially good in neutral because they have even less places to run, making it easier to lock them down to cover an approach.
Best Ways to Set Up:

The best place to set up Uvarovite is usually the same place that you would make the Taafeite for fairy oki. Instead of doing the normals you would need to get the fairy spell, you do normals that'll get you Uvarovite instead -> falling j.B > land 5B > 3C > [AAF] oki
Video Example - https://youtu.be/_uas1-Iezao?t=13

Here's a more rare example of setting it up in neutral. There are definitely other ways to do this. Try to experiment

Falling j.B > land j.B |> jump falling j.C Video Example - https://youtu.be/_uas1-Iezao?t=18

Kunzite of Prison Break (FFW)

• Launches on ground hit
• Ground bounces on air hit
• Tracks to the opponent's location horizontally 

Uses:

Possibly Nine's most useful spell. Kunzite has a lot of great uses. 

 

• Kunzite is a great spell in combos since the ground bounce it causes will allow you to easily followup with 4A/5A up close or 6C further out to keep your combo going.
• In pressure, Kunzite is a good overhead that can open people up for a full combo. 
• Because throwing out Kunzite halts Nine's falling momentum completely, it's an amazing AA destroyer that converts into a full combo on hit and on block, allows her to safely come down to start pressure.

Best Ways to Set Up:
A very typical way of creating the spell is to use a 4/5A > 5C > 3C in a blockstring or a combo
Video Example - https://youtu.be/_6Nug1EBbBg?t=1953

Another good place to create the Kunzite spell is using an alternative ground ender from Tanzanite of Mourning freeze ground by doing falling j.C > 5A > 3C 
Video Example - https://youtu.be/_6Nug1EBbBg?t=1957

More rare to see but air combo enders where air Crimson Raider will put the opponent in the corner is also a good place to create the Kunzite spell. 
j.A > djc j.C > j.C Example - https://youtu.be/ADRnZCooZvM?t=1390

There's a multitude of other ways to form the Kunzite spell dynamically from blockstrings, especially if you take advantage of spells with lots of blockstun like Fairy, Andradite and Uvarovite. Keep an eye on the elements you have in your active slot and experiment with blockstrings based on your current situation to find many more opportunities to create this spell. 

Morganite of Pulsation (FFA)

• The first hit to make contact with the opponent will always be a low. So if the first hit whiffs, the second hit will become a low.  If the first hit is bloccked, the second hit will be a mid.

Uses:

Currently, seed doesn't see much use outside of attempts to do unblockables. It seems a bit hard to get the opponent to block it compared to other spells like Fairy, Uvarovite and Andradite. However, we might see new developments at console release when we get access to a training mode with more options to test with. 

 

Outside of unblockables, it seems like it could be a decent tool for controlling ground space. Between the 2 branches that sprout out of the ground to attack, they cover about 3/4 of the screen. 

Neutral Example - https://youtu.be/_uas1-Iezao?t=1469
Best Ways to Set Up:

Like many spells, Morganite can be created by working in sync with Uvarovite oki. It's easier to do in the corner when you have better spacing and the opponent has less options to deal with Uvarovite oki. 

Midscreen Example 1 - https://youtu.be/1bDVc_2klQM?t=1015

Corner 2B > 5C > jc j.2C > [FFA] during Uvarovite oki Example - https://youtu.be/1bDVc_2klQM?t=2159

Corner 5B > jc j.2C > land 5C > [FFA ]Example  - https://youtu.be/1bDVc_2klQM?t=1024

Also, while the setup will be more loose, you can attempt to use Fairy oki similarly in the corner by syncing up 4X inputs with the Fairy's attacks

Fairy Oki Example - https://youtu.be/1bDVc_2klQM?t=434

 

Nephrite of Demise (WAF)

• Cannot be regular blocked. MUST be barrier blocked BEFORE the super flash.
• Drains a good amount of barrier on barrier block
• Countdown timer goes away on hit but not on block

Uses:

A great spell to just throw out. Closer to the end of the countdown, it gives the opponent reason to start going on the defensive or either risk having a button press get punished for big damage. On barrier block, Nephirite drains a pretty good chunk of barrier if the opponent barrier blocks while completely obscuring what Nine's doing. For these reasons, Nephirite can be great to either allow you to approach your opponent and start pressure. It can also be good  for resetting pressure depending on what the current situation is when it's about to activate.
Best Ways to Set Up:
Because of Nephirite's long countdown, typically the best time to set it up and throw it out is when you're in the middle of fairy or Uvarovite oki so that you can waste some of the countdown time with your pressure. 
After throwing out fairy oki, jump forward j.2C > land 3A > 5B > jc j.[wAF]
Video Example - https://youtu.be/_uas1-Iezao?t=55

After throwing out Uvarovite oki, jump forward j.2B > land 4A > 5C > [WAF]
Video Example - https://youtu.be/_uas1-Iezao?t=467

 

 

 

Sea Moss Gate 

Sea Moss Gate is a special that'll allow you to swap the contents of your Active Slot and Stock Slot. Currently, it hasn't seen much use but the few times it has been used have shown some interesting potential. 

During combos

A common combo part in Nine combos, 6C > delay 214A, can actually be done by doing 6C > 236D > 214A as well. This is pretty good for getting a fire element stock into your stock slot so you don't necessarily have to start from scratch if you find yourself back in neutral with nothing in your active slot. 

A single fire element might not seem like much but that single fire element can really help make it easier to make spells when approaching from neutral later on. With just a single fire element, you can create:

• Andradite [WF] from a single blocked A normal
• Citrine [AF] from a max range 5B or falling j.B poke
• Fairy [AAF] from a max range 5B > 5B or falling j.B > 5B blockstring
• Kunzite [FFW] from any simple A > C blockstring like 5A > 5C 

It's also just great to have that single fire element so that you can use Flux Nurture on defense in case things go south in neutral. 


Neutral

Typically because of the way Nine's spell system works, it's usually better to use spells you want as you get them rather than to hold on to them. However if you find yourself back in neutral with a good spell, it can be a good opportunity to use Sea Moss Gate to store it away for later use. 


Future Development: Sea Moss Gate in Pressure?

We haven't really seen much of this at all yet. However with Sea Moss Gate's short total duration, it feels like there's a lot of potential in pressure to make good use of Sea Moss Gate to store away key spells or pull out a spell you had on reserve for use. With console release coming up this fall, we might see some interesting new developments on this front.

Sea Moss Gate in Pressure Example - https://youtu.be/kjpPmF3mdRw?t=4909

[Tokkan]

No mention of her 0-element spell, Shawl of Everlasting Darkness. Is it because we haven't seen much of it?

[RurouniLoneWolf]

5 minutes ago, Tokkan said:

No mention of her 0-element spell, Shawl of Everlasting Darkness. Is it because we haven't seen much of it?

Right. The spell I keep forgetting exists. Thanks for reminding me! ^,^

I've added something for it but it's pretty much as you said, it hasn't really been used currently so there isn't much to say in terms of use and how to set up. 

[Monarch]

Nice job so far Rurouni, I do want to add that Shawl has seen some use as a combo route tool, though different Nine's use it at different parts during a combo: so there's no definite "route" yet as far as we can see.

[RurouniLoneWolf]

I've added additional info for Shawl of Everlasting Darkness to the guide based on contributions from @Monarch and @xLittleLucifer

Thanks a lot for the help guys!

[Canine]

Another little thing about Shawl (and Amethyst) is that they both have bonus prorate, and a ground combo example using Shawl is early on one can 6C>Sea Moss~Shawl>Crimson>4X>the rest, usually after Kunzite. It's iffy midscreen but I've seen it before, just more consistent in the corner. Corner example of Shawl, though not the best since it doesn't end in oki and highlights a weird reset, without active flow up and with an oki ender it'd be around 3.5k I think.

[RurouniLoneWolf]

Added the example and a bit more info to Shawl of Everlasting Darkness. Thanks Canine!

[TD]

Wow is that super involving shawl at the end blockable?!

[RurouniLoneWolf]

Updated the guide. Saw some good examples of setting up Celestite and Morganite in the last batch of Saki footage released this week and have added more examples for both these spells. 

On 6/6/2016 at 7:58 PM, TD said:

Wow is that super involving shawl at the end blockable?!

It should be. I think the combo timer just ran out in awkward spot between the first hit of the super and the second hit against the training dummy not set to block .