[CPEX] Hakumen Gameplay Discussion

[BladeOfJustice7]

Maybe it was zantetsu, it was a while ago and I only saw it done once. Nevertheless, that's the only viable use I see for it at this point in cs2.

[ScarrCrow]

Out of curiosity, I noticed in the Mu forums that they have called colors for online matches. Do we have a Hakumen thread for that?

[NeonCrusader]

What exactly would it take for Mugen to be on the level of, say, Almost Becoming Two, as far as usability goes? I hate Mugen being the only more or less useless install in the game.

[mAc Chaos]

More damage and being able to combo into it off more starters.

Except that wouldn't work since to combo into it you'd have to use stars but to use Mugen you'd need 8.

It's pretty much bad by its design. Blood Kain puts you in a better position when you're done, at least; you can gain life and gain a ton of heat. After Mugen you're always at 0 stars.

[Arcknight]

I really dislike the after X stars(9?) the meter starts basically abandoning the ship feature Mugen now has(so to speak). Also, as mentioned before, once it is activated the opponent can just turtle up/run away/burst out of it, which wastes the entire bar usually. I rarely have 8 mags anyways unless I am really getting my head stomped. I also do cannot think of a way to make it viable without making it completely broken. Super armor? Haha....

Also that 6B change baffles me too. That move is basically crap outside of resetting a block string, upon hit. I want CT6B back with the counter-bounce and everything. Wishful thinking I know.

[IndigoNovember]

I've seen 6d Mugen Zantetsu Shippu, but not 6C.

Hmm, [6d -> Mugen -> 6c -> Shippu is] corner only for (5610)

Nicest thing about 6d -> Mugen -> Shippu (5400) is that it's an unburstable combo for high damage.

If you put in anything else, then it becomes burstable and you might as well just do a full Mugen combo. That's the way I see it at least.

Out of curiosity, I noticed in the Mu forums that they have called colors for online matches. Do we have a Hakumen thread for that?

Eh? So, like, we'd all have our own colors when we decide to do online matches? That seems kinda interesting. I call DLC #10 the yellow Hakumen with a green sword but blue sword effects. I like the green ones, but a lot of people use them, so...

Edited August 31, 2011 by IndigoNovember

[Jmyster]

I prefer to go manga man (washed out normal colors) myself, but I'm not too picky if I face someone that REALLY likes that color/style (otherwise I either go normal or Baikeman).

[SansProtocol]

You know how you call a color? Show up to a tournament and do well with a color. B<

[SlyRoyale]

You know how you call a color? Show up to a tournament and do well with a color. B<

Do online Danisens count?

[zreb]

Color calls seem to have a lot to do with personal experience or interaction with players who use said color. I associate red Haku with Tenchi just because I managed the video thread and saw lots of matches where he always used it. There's no hard and fast rule or anything.

It feels like a matter of "fame" to me.

[SansProtocol]

Do online Danisens count?

No. XD

[IndigoNovember]

You know how you call a color? Show up to a tournament and do well with a color. B<

Gotta get that car I guess.

Color calls seem to have a lot to do with personal experience or interaction with players who use said color. I associate red Haku with Tenchi just because I managed the video thread and saw lots of matches where he always used it. There's no hard and fast rule or anything.

It feels like a matter of "fame" to me.

DLC #9 green (the green and green with white hair, not the green and black with slightly blond hair) is FT/BBB Player (*≧▽≦) and #12 normal with extreme shadows is sodomu. That's all I know, though you will find others using the DLC green at times. Oh and of course, #2 the black with orange hair is Spark ( ^_^) .

PS: I am slightly color blind so if the colors sound wrong, forgive me.

Hey guys, is it better for me to use counter assault or block until I see an opening and use Zanshin? I know this depends on how good you are at blocking, but let's say you're decent enough to block most stuff. I'm thinking you should only use it when you feel like you're really in trouble, and otherwise just block and wait for that opening.

[SansProtocol]

Gotta get that car I guess.

DLC #9 green (the green and green with white hair, not the green and black with slightly blond hair) is FT/BBB Player (*≧▽≦) and #12 normal with extreme shadows is sodomu. That's all I know, though you will find others using the DLC green at times. Oh and of course, #2 the black with orange hair is Spark ( ^_^) .

PS: I am slightly color blind so if the colors sound wrong, forgive me.

Hey guys, is it better for me to use counter assault or block until I see an opening and use Zanshin? I know this depends on how good you are at blocking, but let's say you're decent enough to block most stuff. I'm thinking you should only use it when you feel like you're really in trouble, and otherwise just block and wait for that opening.

1) There's not anyone in the Match Finder thread that will pick you up? I know Cali is infamous for driving all of the state to get its' people who are interested in the scene.

2) I use the second to last of the regular colors (the one before Shadow Hakumen) but I would rather "earn" my color before I start claiming it.

3)You have many options like IB Barrier Blocking to push them away, Yukikaze (if you have the meter to use CA), and some other stuff. I'd use the CA when you're in a situation that will lead into a trap and you need to break out of blockstun (Like Litchi's Daisharin > Throw Trap). Zanshin should only be used in reaction to overheads and other moments where there's a lot of space in some gaps in your opponent's blockstrings. You can also buffer them against Distortions and also as on the offensive to cancel your normals into Drive to yomi-catch mashers 5A/2Aing through your stuff. Usually, you'll will want to use it on reaction to take out a lot of the risk in using D at times.

[IndigoNovember]

1) There's not anyone in the Match Finder thread that will pick you up? I know Cali is infamous for driving all of the state to get its' people who are interested in the scene.

Gotta get some more practice in before that. I've been slacking recently, as you can see by me not having posted up that meter regained update for the combo guide.

2) I use the second to last of the regular colors (the one before Shadow Hakumen) but I would rather "earn" my color before I start claiming it.

Earning colors would be cool, though I dunno how you would earn it besides, like you said, showing up at a tourney in that color, I mean using that color (do I still have that yellow shirt somewhere?).

3)You have many options like IB Barrier Blocking to push them away, Yukikaze (if you have the meter to use CA), and some other stuff. I'd use the CA when you're in a situation that will lead into a trap and you need to break out of blockstun (Like Litchi's Daisharin > Throw Trap). Zanshin should only be used in reaction to overheads and other moments where there's a lot of space in some gaps in your opponent's blockstrings. You can also buffer them against Distortions and also as on the offensive to cancel your normals into Drive to yomi-catch mashers 5A/2Aing through your stuff. Usually, you'll will want to use it on reaction to take out a lot of the risk in using D at times.

I thought as much. Don't think I'll be doing those Yomi Zanshin any time soon, but everything sounds like what I was thinking. Thanks for the clarification. I should probably be punishing random Distortion Drives with CH 5c or other stuff so I can get bigger damage, but I always end up just using Zanshin. 5d -> 6d my friend's Magna Tech Wheel all day (─▽─) .

[SansProtocol]

Trust me, you'll want to try to get into the scene as early as you can. I value friendly offline practice more as you can deduce what are your actual issues and what was caused by the lag you face in online play. It's also much easier to ask a person to your right for helpful advice.

Honestly, I've learned just today that you shouldn't worry so much about the color you pick and just the skills you bring to the table.

Lastly, it just all comes with practice. We all still have much to learn, even the people with a good deal of knowledge and experience under their belts.

[IndigoNovember]

Trust me, you'll want to try to get into the scene as early as you can. I value friendly offline practice more as you can deduce what are your actual issues and what was caused by the lag you face in online play. It's also much easier to ask a person to your right for helpful advice.

Yeah, that's very true. I'll probably end up trying to set up a few dates here and there where the few people in Santa Cruz that I found play Blazblue, could get together.

Honestly, I've learned just today that you shouldn't worry so much about the color you pick and just the skills you bring to the table.

People worry about that? If I made it sound like a big deal to me, my bad, I normally go original color anyways ┐(￣ー￣)┌ .

About how much magatama do you guys usually have before you stop turtling/charging magatama and start really going on the offensive? I find I usually start at about 4-5 magatama, that way I can throw out a Hotaru and still have the magatama to do something else if the Hotaru whiffs. Any tips about when to start pushing?

[Moblin]

I agree with SansProtocol about the skill thing. For me colors help me with my mindset. For instance, I play cool blue hakumen since it represents what I think my mindset should be while playing hakumen; cool, calm and collected. If I start losing really bad to a certain player, though, I'll switch colors, and purposely play differently than I did last match. Seems to throw people off, which messes with their concentration. "WTF am I playing a different guy or something?"

I've never seen anyone else use cool blue hakumen either... is it an ugly color?

[Sophisticat]

Offline is awesome if you have a scene, and it's a better game to boot. Don't dismiss online, though. If your connections are decent, it's still good just to practice the game and get some matchup exp.

About how much magatama do you guys usually have before you stop turtling/charging magatama and start really going on the offensive? I find I usually start at about 4-5 magatama, that way I can throw out a Hotaru and still have the magatama to do something else if the Hotaru whiffs. Any tips about when to start pushing?

I'm always on the offensive even with 0s. Then again, I play RTSD Haku. Nothing stops you from using counters or playing SF, you just won't be dealing a ton of dmg.

I've never seen anyone else use cool blue hakumen either... is it an ugly color?

It's usually my default since I like blue and it's an easy C button press. I otherwise main all colors at random and go for Manga Haku when I'm serious/tourney time.

[NeoArtisan]

sigh, i dont think il ever play BB offline, im in egypt and we dont exactly have a FG community let alone BB players. Luckily i can get decent connections with players in europe (2-3), but would be lucky to even find 1 game during the morning because there are mostly JPN and NA players online.

Its too bad this game doesnt let you set the default color for your character or give you a quick way to select them, i usually go for yellow haku, and having to press start and pick the color before every match gets a bit annoying.

[IndigoNovember]

I've never seen anyone else use cool blue hakumen either... is it an ugly color?

It's not a bad color, but I liked the Calamity Trigger blue and white too much, so every time I see the new blue I just cry.

I'm always on the offensive even with 0s. Then again, I play RTSD Haku. Nothing stops you from using counters or playing SF, you just won't be dealing a ton of dmg.

Exactly what options do we have with a 0 magatama Hakumen? It seems like the idea would be to go for throws, Counter Hit 3c, and Zanshin. With throws you get decent carry, Counter Hit 3c you can do actual combos, and Zanshin you get carry, magatama, and combos.

[SansProtocol]

About how much magatama do you guys usually have before you stop turtling/charging magatama and start really going on the offensive? I find I usually start at about 4-5 magatama, that way I can throw out a Hotaru and still have the magatama to do something else if the Hotaru whiffs. Any tips about when to start pushing?

I play it according to the matchup. Usually, if they are gaining anything from me turtling (Stein set-up, Install meter, Spark Bolt meter, etc.), then I will apply pressure accordingly. If not, then I usually am fine with sitting back, allowing my meter to build. If anything, I will adjust my position if I am getting too close to the corner by using Kishuu to go underneath air approaches and D to flip them into the corner. In some matchups, I never go on the offensive even with a bunch of meter as I find it easier to use it to exploit weaknesses in a character's offense.

[Sophisticat]

Exactly what options do we have with a 0 magatama Hakumen? It seems like the idea would be to go for throws, Counter Hit 3c, and Zanshin. With throws you get decent carry, Counter Hit 3c you can do actual combos, and Zanshin you get carry, magatama, and combos.

Whoops, mised this response, sorry.

You have a ton of options, actually, but I don't think of it that way. I just use whatever move is best to use in the given situation.

Of course, that's not helpful, so here's a specific list:

- Throw

- 2a -> 6a -> 3c

- Most any normal on CH -> 3c

- Counters

- Air hit -> 5a/b or 2c -> j.2a -> AD j.2a -> j.C

- 3c CH (close) -> 2b -> 5a -> j.2a -> yadda yadda

- j.C -> 4c

Etc., etc., etc.

I could list more for more specific situations, but the gist of it is that you should poke for spacing, time, pressure, and harassment. When playing rushdown, you're looking to pressure in any way you can. This means also doing a/b blockstrings and whatnot. Just play fundamentals; I strongly believe Haku is the best in the BB cast at this!

EDIT: I forgot to add the important part:

RUSH

RUUUSHHH

RUUUUUUUUUSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited September 8, 2011 by Sophisticat

[IndigoNovember]

EDIT: I forgot to add the important part:

RUSH

RUUUSHHH

RUUUUUUUUUSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hop forward to start rushing, gets hit by Hazama 3c.

Walks forward to start rushing, gets hit by Hazama 3c.

6b's over Hazama 3c, too far to hit Hazama, gets hit by another Hazama 3c.

Hop Hotaru, whiffs Hazama 3c due to being too far away (probably did it too early in the jump), gets hit by another Hazama 3c.

... orz

Anyways, thanks for the suggestions, will get around to trying them out when I go back to college.

[Sophisticat]

Lol, only do rushdown if that's your style since Hakumen isn't an intuitive character for that. Knowing these is good for 0s play, but don't go all gung-ho if you're primarily a defensive player. Hakumen works well with both styles, so there's no need to switch around to something you're not.

Hazama is also a very difficult character to pin down as his zoning is very frustrating to deal with, and he has a ton of options to deal with your approach. He can be pigeonholed through conditioning, though you'll first have to expect to block a lot more than in most matchups.

[IndigoNovember]

Lol, only do rushdown if that's your style since Hakumen isn't an intuitive character for that. Knowing these is good for 0s play, but don't go all gung-ho if you're primarily a defensive player. Hakumen works well with both styles, so there's no need to switch around to something you're not.

I'd like to learn some rushdown so that I'd be able to do it every now and then to throw off my opponent (a good way of destroying someone's momentum if done right, instantly changing playstyles that is). Other than that, I doubt I'd be using it much.