AC: Tension Usage Thread

[Josh Ballard]

Hello all, AC Axl has many good uses for tension on both offense and defense. Offensively, Rensen FRC is critical to his ground combos and pressure, and makes a very nice poke as well. And FB Bomber adds a lot of damage to his anti-air combos. Defensively, he has no good reversals and his normals suck. Thus, FD becomes very important, as does DAA in certain matchups. What I am wondering is this: Should you always try to hold on to at least some meter for defense? Or should you focus more on damage? It's going to be matchup-dependent, certainly. vs. Eddie, for example, it seems to me that you should aim to keep 50% since your DAA hits him out of little Eddie's BS. But someone like Slayer leaves me less sure. He can't pressure you on the level that Eddie & Testament can...but he has good mixups and good hit-confirm combos if anything hits. I suspect that you should keep a little meter for FDing, but don't need to go too far with it. Any thoughts, people? Thanks, Josh.

[RedBeard]

Hmm I find that Axl's DAA is too short range to affect Eddie a lot of the time. It's also somewhat slow...in that matchup I try to pull in Eddie from afar with long range stuff then I focus all of my tension on offense and damage. Eddie is just going to unblockable you most of the time anyways and I don't think Axl's DAA does that much good. Pretty much uhh...try to learn backdash timing I guess. That match kinda sucks no matter what. Defensively I sort of rely on counters and occaisionally on wakeup if I know what's coming I'll use his reversals. While his OD has somewhat slow startup it does have full body invincibility and does good damage. I use it on occaision during frametraps but not very often. My tension is almost all used towards FB Bomber and Rensen FRC. I've been playing an almost strictly offensive game lately though so that's just my personal playstyle right now.

[BlackRose]

Hmm I find that Axl's DAA is too short range to affect Eddie a lot of the time. It's also somewhat slow...in that matchup I try to pull in Eddie from afar with long range stuff then I focus all of my tension on offense and damage. Eddie is just going to unblockable you most of the time anyways and I don't think Axl's DAA does that much good. Pretty much uhh...try to learn backdash timing I guess. That match kinda sucks no matter what.

Defensively I sort of rely on counters and occaisionally on wakeup if I know what's coming I'll use his reversals. While his OD has somewhat slow startup it does have full body invincibility and does good damage. I use it on occaision during frametraps but not very often.

My tension is almost all used towards FB Bomber and Rensen FRC. I've been playing an almost strictly offensive game lately though so that's just my personal playstyle right now.

Does anyone use his tenhouseki catch (214p) FB besides me? I find it good psychological use and relatively safe even if whiffed. I don't recommend using it all the time though. I usually follow it up with light Raieisageki, right before the recovery frames kick in, usually they are still on fire.

[Shoto]

Yup, I do^^ Gives you good damage thanks to the follow up combo and gives you a "second chance" against moves that won't get hit by the standard follow up. I guess I mostly use it in anti air situations..