[CS1] Lambda vs Litchi

[Andru]

Placeholder for now, feel free to add any insight/discussion on the matchup to the thread.

[kenja0]

Hitting Litchi's staff with a projectile will disable the staff's projectile properties once.

Litchi's staff hits going out and coming back in.

If Litchi does a 63214A/B/C, 2D is your safest bet. It will hit Litchi out of A and C and cancel the projectile out of B.

Although it isn't preferred to clash with the projectile, you can use it as a pseudo defense from random counter hits.

Don't clash if Litchi is trying to approach though since it may turn into a counterhit combo 4~5k damage.

[Andru]

The middle of 5CCCC mash will whiff on a crouching Litchi.

[SolarMisae]

This matchup is a pretty frustrating one I've found. Considering Lambda's ability to break out of pressure is sorta meh, and especially doesn't do too well when cornered, taking on a character who's whole goal is to get you cornered is just plain awful! I too am very interested to see some tips on dealing in this matchup.

[Overheat]

Definitely a frustrating match-up. One use for Lambda's DP in this match is to reverse being trapped in the corner, if you find yourself in one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReJZXx64l14

Maybe it's just me, but Litchi is one of those characters who is very easy to IB. You can IB > punish, or play it safe and IB > IAD away and zone.

This has saved me a couple of times: both have low health, and the Litchi does her Great Wheel DD close to you. Super flash buffer Lambda's 632146D, and it'll hit Litchi for 2800 before you get hit.

[SolarMisae]

It may not be just you, I'm not very good at blocking in my opinion, really but I do have a rather okay time IB'ing her stuff. I mostly try to play it safe though, as whenever I try to punish after IB I always end up having the tables turned on me again, so I usually just IAD away and try to continue zoning like you said.

Also, thanks for the vid. I always tend to forget about Lam's gravity seed and it's interesting uses.

Anyways, any tips on punishing Litchi after an IB? Or is it better to take the play it safe route and just zone?

[Overheat]

Depends on the Litchi. Some Litchi's are just aggressive, and others are very patient. The aggressive ones will always try to keep you blocking, and given Litchi's mix-up, your defence might falter O.O

IB and IAD away is always a good and safe idea. IB > Punish is if you want that risk vs. reward. Take advantage of aggressive Litchi's and their IAD's with 214D, 2DD, 6DD, etc.

Easy combo: 2DD > 6C > etc.

I get to fight a very good Litchi online, and my brother subs Litchi, so I have some offline experience as well. I'll post some videos later.

[SolarMisae]

Yeah. My best friend mains her and she has since CT, and she has always been a very aggressive Litchi player, it's pretty scary sometimes hehe. And yes, videos would be very helpful, would love to see some. :]

Thanks for all your help really, it's very greatly appreciated. I'll be sure to try out everything you've suggested. ^_^

[ikeTATARI]

One thing that no-one has mentioned is that if you make Litchi block or get hit, her staff loses its hitbox and falls to the ground.

The most frustrating thing I've had with this matchup is that Litchi has much more range on you than a lot of other characters, especially with staff in hand. Some things that are safe against other characters aren't as safe, and she can punish whiffed Drive moves much more painfully and easily than other characters. You need to keep control of the ground in this match, and don't let her get close enough to jB because that move has a ridiculous, ridiculous hitbox. This matchup is most definitely in Litchi's favor, though, thanks to her fantastic normals and range.

Really though, it turns into running away a lot and trying to control space as best you can - being unpredictable is the best bet with this match, and some of those high risk-high reward things (fishing for 5D counterhits into 236C, etc) can be useful in this match - strangely, since Litchi's normal damage is so high, I'm not as scared of her punishes since it's generally the same as getting hit by a combo.

[SolarMisae]

Yeah, I've noticed that. I am beginning to hate this matchup a LOT. I mean, I know Lam is all about zoning, though with Litchi I hate that you are forced to spend practically the whole MATCH just running away and hoping she messes up.

Outside of the corner it's pretty easy to IB -> back-dash, I can get away from her okay outside of the corner. Though...in the corner it's just...a nightmare...her block strings are difficult...gah so many low moves/overheads. Her mixup is so Godly. ;_; I can do them okay if I focus usually, the Litchi I play tends to use the same block-string after all..but not being able to dash out when your back is to the wall SUCKS...she's just so good at getting poor Lamchop in the corner and keeping her there...and Lam's DP always fails me. It usually gets blocked and i'm right back under pressure.

I've given up on fishing for CH 5Ds cause usually the Litchi I play is far too smart to fall for any of that, and will stay defensive when too away from me to hit and rush down or jump-in when she thinks it's safe. I started to punish her jump-ins, and it worked for awhile. I try to AA 6A -> 6C, and it works pretty well..usually. More often she falls for AA 2DD -> 6C. This has been helping loads, though I'm still always so on edge fighting her, and she's learning how to avoid the punishes I mentioned and is not jumping as much, and manages to block them she when does.

This battle is scary. I mean, I noticed today one of her normals does 1000+ damage alone...wtf? o_O;; Not to mention it's got scary good range and knocks you into the air if you miss your IB and get hit, then you eat one of her evil aerial combos...

This is a match-up I just...don't like playing, makes me not enjoy the game as much. I'm always on edge in this battle, one tiny mess up = bye bye to half your health in an instant. T_T Being nervous also causes me to mess up more...

Anyways, how do you deal with this "on edge" feeling, and any tips on dealing with a defensive Litchi? I'm trying to mixup what I do, and try not to be too predictable, but she just seems to be able to jump over/block just about anything I throw out. >.<; Not to mention her scary corner pressure...how do you escape that other then just bursting?

[crazycrackers]

the only time gravity well is really even that useful here is if you predict a 4d from her. Besides that, all of her moves have too much potential to be spaced well for your reversal to even be in range. Staffless her normals have a lot less range but her strings are a lot tighter. Mostly with Litchi the idea is that you look for an opportunity out of her pressure and be patient. If she does staff canceling in her strings (canceling a normal with her guard point stance, then canceling that immediately) you can hit her with a low, but you pretty much have to predict it by observing patterns the Litchi might have (and she'll mix up when she does it) because its pretty much instant. Honestly when she has her staff, you should just IB a lot to find a way out. If she's staffless, you might as well save your meter in this matchup for counter assaults. Also try not to jump out of pressure, seriously. You don't want to eat an air unblockable 2c for 6k. If you jump just make sure you barrier immediately afterwards.

The zoning in this matchup isn't really that difficult. 2d easily takes her out of the air. The only thing you have to watch out for when she's in the air is her air kara throw (its similar to Carl's). If she's going to land behind you with this dash under her and 5d CH>236c since its really vulnerable to counter hit. If she's going to land in front of you 2d or 6d might hit her, but 6a is your best bet. Spike chaser is pretty good in this matchup except Litchi's 2d staff release will just cancel it out. Still, ending strings with spike chaser is pretty viable nonetheless. Really, zoning Litchi isn't terrible difficult, you just have to watch your spacing a bit more than usual against her because her normals have huge poking capabilities. Zoning her should be alright, the problem is when she actually gets in.

[Andru]

Alright, let's say she's got you in the corner and just knocked you down + distortion, now you're forced to eat the mixup. This is usually where I get owned, because I get hit by some random shit then it's back into the same corner combos and Lamb can really only take like 2-3 combos before dying. Gravity isn't very useful at all in the corner, I haven't found much success with it..

I guess the real question is where are the holes in the corner mixup? Can you 5a / IB 5A and hit her out of anything?

[toanenadiz]

Are you asking if it is possible to hit her in between the hits of her DD safely?

[Andru]

Nah, I know you have to take it - but I mean after the DD ends she's still mixing you up in the corner. Just don't know when to get out :x

[severin]

Just keep blocking~ Just keep blocking~ Just keep blocking blocking blocking~

In all seriousness though, just judge your escape like it's any other litchi situation. Just because it's the end of her DD doesn't mean it's necessarily "your turn".

As far as dealing with her oki goes:

Late neutral tech is good against Kokushii Musou (spinny punch staff thing).

Against daisharin, if they use the 133333 movement pattern. You can neutral tech, instant block the first 3 hit, and super jump out. Against any of the new patterns (139333, 138333, etc) your only real option is to just block correctly 3-4 times, with the first 3 involving potential fuzzy guard setups. Fun.