[UNIEL] Merkava

[LitchiFayeBling]

one important thing about flight is that back jump is lower, so try doing it from back jump (7 5 7 3 or something)

[darkcloud]

Could somebody please post some optimized bnbs? I am kind of bad at transcribing from videos and would greatly appreciate it.

 

I got perfected online by a Merkava and decided it was time to play someone other than Hyde.

 

Thanks

[Villainous]

Whats everyone using for pressure strings? I'm finding I have the most trouble opening people up that just sit on shield and don't do anything, since Merk's overhead is extremely slow. 

Generally I just do 5C 2C 5A or 5C 3C (blocked) fireball to stay safe but I know he's gotta have some setups for throws and stuff too. 

Oh also found out you can actually cross people up with Merk if you go into flight after jumping over them. Normally this game has cross up protection, you just block the way the character is facing, but flight resets the direction merk is facing so you can say, end your oki in 4B if you haven't jump canceled and then jump cancel the 4B towards them and fly right on top of them, and change your orientation depending of the timing of the flight into j.C. Only problem is you have to do CS combos or 623A 66C etc combos to not use your jump cancel, and that gives up a little damage. 

[LatiosG]

Could somebody please post some optimized bnbs? I am kind of bad at transcribing from videos and would greatly appreciate it.

 

I got perfected online by a Merkava and decided it was time to play someone other than Hyde.

 

Thanks

 

Go a few posts back and check elemenop's google doc. Pretty much every combo you will ever need.

[Elemenope]

Oh also found out you can actually cross people up with Merk if you go into flight after jumping over them. Normally this game has cross up protection, you just block the way the character is facing, but flight resets the direction merk is facing so you can say, end your oki in 4B if you haven't jump canceled and then jump cancel the 4B towards them and fly right on top of them, and change your orientation depending of the timing of the flight into j.C. Only problem is you have to do CS combos or 623A 66C etc combos to not use your jump cancel, and that gives up a little damage. 

 

 

Thanks ^w^, this kind of helped me a lot actually in terms of figuring out how the crossup prevention worked (or at least how I think it works) and helps me think more about how to open people up as merkava up close (as I think that's what most people's problems seem to be)

[SoWL]

The thing I'm figuring out right now: how do you confirm stuff into combos in neutral game? I love his poking range, but most of the combos require you to be around 2C's range, otherwise, the only ender you can go for is 214B, and that one gives you no oki at all. I'm using the time given by that to just kinda dash in and go for the 2C/66C mix-up, but it's too easy to react to. And because of that, I tend to stay away and keep poking, even if I get no combos from that. And when it's them who approach me, it feels like his buttons just lose to everything, so I block and wait for a window to 236C.

[Villainous]

The thing I'm figuring out right now: how do you confirm stuff into combos in neutral game? I love his poking range, but most of the combos require you to be around 2C's range, otherwise, the only ender you can go for is 214B, and that one gives you no oki at all. I'm using the time given by that to just kinda dash in and go for the 2C/66C mix-up, but it's too easy to react to. And because of that, I tend to stay away and keep poking, even if I get no combos from that. And when it's them who approach me, it feels like his buttons just lose to everything, so I block and wait for a window to 236C.

Depends on what you've already used in a chain but if you're too far for 2C to hit, 5BB 6C is usually your best bet. You can get 5[C] JC j.6D j.A j.B 66C from a lot of ranges but if its too far for that to hit, really all you can do is the 214B ender. If you want oki after that you can cancel the air grab to the fireball super and then go into flight before you hit the ground to get flight oki. 

If you have CS available, 214B actually leads to tons of damage and a good oki setup though. So keep an eye out for that if you land a long range hit confirm and have it up. 

[Elemenope]

Hi, I've added preliminary frame data at http://goo.gl/jfBgN3 until mizuumi gets the frame data up. Some of it may be off by a frame or so due to how my PC was reading the recorded video, but I *think* most of it should be correct. I'll try to get the supers tomorrow when I get a chance.

[Scrubtrash]

Hi, I've added preliminary frame data at http://goo.gl/jfBgN3 until mizuumi gets the frame data up. Some of it may be off by a frame or so due to how my PC was reading the recorded video, but I *think* most of it should be correct. I'll try to get the supers tomorrow when I get a chance.

Great job,i was waiting for this!

 

So far,it seems only 623A has frame advantage. Interesting.

[LatiosG]

Now we just need hitboxes so I can laugh at them. Merkava isn't as safe as most people think it is. Might just be due to the general speed of the game and his ranges.

[Istillduno]

So what on earth am I meant to do against the likes of Byakuya and Seth

 

Feels like if I hit buttons a limb gets tagged and I'm stuck in vortex, neverending blockstring, vortex all game and if I don't throw anything out, the same happens, how the on earth am I meant to stop these guys just getting in and doing whatever the hell they want?

[SoWL]

I'm struggling against my local Byakuya, as well, and the thing I'm trying to do is just stay out of his optimal range and poke him with 5C and j.B. At least it's not so difficult to block his strings, unlike Seth (haven't played against one yet).

[Istillduno]

I've been trying that but it seems like the move where Byakuya sends his claws directly forwards stuffs it most of the time.

 

I've had a slightly better time attempting to run away with air fireball xx fly whatever but still need to make some breathing room to get started with that and of course, it's not much help if I don't have a life lead.

 

Where are you getting out of his blockstrings btw, I notice a few spots which could be openings but often by then I'm sitting on a web and can't escape, is it possible to stuff his rekka when he jumps up for the overhead?

[SoWL]

Since pretty much everything is negative in this game, getting out shouldn't be too difficult, though I've been punished for my mashing way too often. I suppose there's always the "Block and wait for Vorpal into Chain Shift" plan.

 

Oh, and have anyone figured out the aerial version of 214C? I noticed that it catches even airborne opponents, so it shouldn't be too bad, but I'm still wondering if it even has the anti-air version.

[Istillduno]

What do you mean by the aerial version of 214C, do you mean the grounded 214C tracks jumpers or are you talking about the fireball?

 

Haven't been throwing it out much myself as I try to keep enough meter to throw out 236C when needed, getting 3K on a reversal is pretty nice.

[Scrubtrash]

What do you mean by the aerial version of 214C, do you mean the grounded 214C tracks jumpers or are you talking about the fireball?

 

Haven't been throwing it out much myself as I try to keep enough meter to throw out 236C when needed, getting 3K on a reversal is pretty nice.

He's talking about if there's a version of 214C that acts like 214B and grabs upwards.

[Istillduno]

Don't have my PS3 handy atm, but the wikia says you can get the angle of the B version by holding C when you input 214C.

 

http://in-birth.wikia.com/wiki/Merkava_%28Gameplay%29

[Elemenope]

Which is false, as anybody who played Merkava has tried it. The wiki has incorrect information throughout it to be honest. Like 6[C] causing a wall bounce, even though anybody who has done 6[C]>214B>CS in the corner knows this doesn't happen; or the input for fireball being j.236X when it's j.214X; 4C being able to be held to delay timing which doesn't work; hitstun being 1.5x on counter-hit and 2.0x on High Counter when this is not true at all either; and throw tech window being 14 frames when I'm 100% positive it's at least 15 frames.

[LatiosG]

Anyone have experience with Ex arms getting stuffed right out of startup? I usually try to go for it when I'm stuck in pressure and many times I get hit out of it by a few characters. Should I just start opting to veil off more?

[Villainous]

I'm not 100% sure but I think the way EX arms works is it has startup invincibility but then is vulnerable once the arms go active, so people can hit you out of it if they do something meaty. Its definitely a strange reversal. The kidnap super has invincibility on it too though if you don't trust 236C. 

Just realized yesterday that his 214 series doesn't have a hurtbox on his arm so you can grab people through their projectiles. Extremely useful against vatista or nanase's that like to set up the slow wind rush down stuff. 

[MoralHazardPay]

I've had Kidnap stuffed before, and I don't think it managed to reach active frames. EX Flail can definitely trade, but I've never had it get stuffed

[Scrubtrash]

Just realized yesterday that his 214 series doesn't have a hurtbox on his arm so you can grab people through their projectiles. Extremely useful against vatista or nanase's that like to set up the slow wind rush down stuff. 

Whoa,only now?

I've been punishing stuff like Hyde's fireball quickly after i started playing this game : p

 

And i've had Kidnap super stuffed a lot too,better stick with 236C i think. A trade is better than getting hit and (probably) eating a combo.

Edited August 4, 2014 by Scrubtrash

[SoWL]

Yeah, the way I see it, 236C is easy to trade with, but since it's relatively safe (well, as safe as anything with a super-flash can be in this game), it's used more often than, say, 623C, which can be punished by anything. Though after stuffing EX Grim Reaper twice in a row with 5BB, it feels like there are no safe reversals in the game

 

On that note, it also feels that all of Merkava's normals are so specific, pressing a single wrong button at the wrong time can spell doom for you. Especially since most of his normals have big blind spots, and you can't cancel them on whiff. And because of that, I'm sometimes afraid of pressing buttons in neutral, even though that's supposed to be Merkava's strong point.

[LatiosG]

Yeah, by stuffed I should have specified that it often trades. Not the situation I would like but better than nothing I guess. Neutral wise, I'd just be careful of using his C normals. His B and A ones are decently safe and you can usually cancel them into 4B which, even on whiff, recovers quickly.

[MoralHazardPay]

2c is a decent enough poke as long as you buffer into something safe due to its massive effective range. Otherwise the C buttons are for mid to long range almost exclusively.

5BB is a nice poke that leads into plenty of damage, but can have hitbox issues.