Digital Watches

Sengoku Basara X!

I dunno, I think Ky's gone up and Millia's dropped since then.

Well, c.S already gatlings into 6H, it's just that 6H is too slow to combo.

I don't think there's a direct link to it in the player's guide... But the thread in this forum is stickied: http://www.dustloop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2572 Here's the direct link: http://www.dustloop.com/data/ac/select.html

Well, it's basically just experience, but you've got to go into it with the right mindset. Learn some strings with other characters, even just by watching, get a sense of what's SCable, JCable, gatlings they have, and know what you may have to block at any given moment. Also probably good to figure out some tick throw setups as well. Then start working on FDing and IBing and chicken blocking. I can give character specifics from what I know, but there's no substitute for experience. Basically, you want to FD when you think you can force enough pushback that the added stun won't be able to compensate for how long the other character has to spend getting in. IBing is more for if you think you can throw something out if you get a few frames less stun in any given string (Since Axl's reversals tend to suck, this is usually going to be a throw, a jump, or maybe a 5/2K or a housou, but not always). 1FJ is a good thing to use, but you have to know when it's applicable, as it's not just a magical solution for everything. I'd say use it when a situation is too ambiguous, or would be unblockable on the ground, and then ONLY if you have the meter to at least FD your way to the ground. Last thing to figure out is when you can just plain beat shit. This is especially possible if the opponent tries to get in from the air or from far away. Axl's best pokes are either far-reaching lows (3P, 2P, 2H) or anti-air, so learn to recognize situations where you can get momentum back. Usually, Baiken can only IAD safely on oki in this matchup, and while she can trip you up occasionally, you should usually be able to answer with a 5P or 2S. Smart baikens will try to airdash in different places to get a tatami mat in, but it's still to your advantage to try to stuff her dash. But even on the ground, if you can force Baiken to come to you, you've got a pretty clear set of ways to fuck her up, with SCable options that hit from far away and low (Mainly 2P). But what it sounds like your problem is is that you get nervous about defense and won't try anything risky to get out of pressure, which is basically an instant loss, since Axl doesn't exactly have risk-free defensive options besides blocking. Frankly, if you're afraid of Baiken's pressure, a good Eddie, I-No, Dizzy, Jam, Sol, Chipp, or especially Millia will DESTROY you.

Eh, being in the air isn't always the smartest thing, especially if you don't have the meter for it. Are you seriously afraid of letting go of block?

Right, that's why I say "if anything." Basically, trying housou is assuming the baiken will fuck up their meaty by one frame or more. But DPing is even less likely to work. I dunno about counterhit, but she can't combo from it if not RC'd from a normal hit. Meanwhile, if you IB it, you get a free punish if she doesn't RC. Eh, it's worth a try. But for real tick throws it'll just be too fast. But if she tries for command run, go for either that or 3P (Depending on how much stun you're in.)

Well, the main thing is that he just has a lot of tools to hit anji out of whatever he tries to pressure with along with the butterfly, not the least of which is 2K, which also buys him some time before the thing hits him. But no, no real reversals to speak of (although if your meaty isn't perfect, the counter is active on frame 2).

Axl actually has two DPs, but neither is fully invincible. They're just throw invincible, and one is upper-body, the other is lower-body. So it's a guessing game at best a lot of the time, and not really worth trying. Meanwhile, I'd like to know from makubex why running is such a bad idea. Why not just FD break the run? And also, what mixup would you use once you're in?

If anything, housou the tatami, but I'd recommend just IBing and waiting. Baiken isn't that hard to block, the worst thing she has is TK Youzansen and tick throws, both of which are risky for her to try. Random overdrive = never a good idea.

Yeah, sadly, I agree. I've never felt threatened by an Anji, and there are several good reasons this matchup is still probably one of the worst in the game (up there with eddie-pot). Frankly, an Axl who can block properly has nothing to fear from Anji, even up close, since shitsu gives Axl time to poke, and Fuujin is easy to block on reaction regardless of which followup you use, and can be punished if anticipated. You can actually fuujin through rashousen (Which will also beat the fake version before Axl recovers) if you get the timing down, and discouraging Axl from using it breaks one of his more common mixup games, but that's pretty much the only edge Anji has. I wish I could say more about how to win this besides just being really solid and not making any mistakes... but I'm at a loss. It's a REALLY bad matchup . Also, to dawnbringer: Real Axls will often mix in other specials (Raei?), normals (2H, 5D, 2D) and IADs instead of always going for 6H, and a rensen will almost never be the "end" of a blockstring if the Axl has meter.

Heh. I'd argue that a lot of other things besides Eddie are easier/in some cases, even plausible at all on stick... That being said, I know a few good players who are good on pad also, so I won't knock it.

That and most good players DO have a stick...

Watch no one read this. Again.

The funniest one of all time, of course.

Eh, that's not quite true. If it's really true that Eddie's UB setups aren't truly unblockable, getting good at the 1-frame-guard-switch and just taking the chance on the 50-50 is better than just getting hit every time. Of course there's no way to guarantee it, but at least it's possible to get out.

I like to open with... THE FUNNIEST MINDGAME OF ALL TIME.

Ah, no worries. I really am only posting to get info out there, since it seems like there are very few people writing matchups that really have a lot of v. Axl experience.

Yeah! Niiyama, that's the guy. I THINK he's still good... But I'm sure Meru and Syuuto know their shit (although Syuuto can be a bit wacky sometimes... Wacky isn't a bad thing, though! ).

If you can get an airthrow off, by all means, do it. Especially in the double-jump situation, that sounds like a great thing to do. I wouldn't rely too much on being able to catch an IAD with it... but maybe that's just me sucking at airthrows.

TRUE! However, that makes it sound like it's not as good as the others. On the contrary, the 623P counter is much more viable in most situations, given that it comes out in two frames (same speed as Jam's parry), is unblockable on the ground (must be faultlessed in the air), and is invincible from activation to hit. That being said, it's still a fairly risky move.

Er... Finkledoodoo, if I've come off as dismissive, I apologize, but what I'm saying is that those matches, in my opinion, do not show "top" Japanese Axl players (I've actually mentioned at least two and a half names (Is it Nijiura? I honestly don't remember the name of the third guy) of ones that are much better to watch if you want to get an idea) and am only trying to be helpful. I'd love to play against Mynus to see if there's something I'm missing, but frankly, a lot of it comes down to "there just aren't that many Axl players out there." What I'm saying I'm getting from experience (Though I'll admit that the only I-No I've played since Evo is 9TNine) and I'd be glad to demonstrate what I mean. Meanwhile, I agree with a lot of the things being said: I-No CAN viably go for notes from outside of poking range, Axl has a hard time getting out of pressure games, etc. And of course I do not believe the match to be so bad that it's unwinnable by any means. I really don't understand the animosity, sir. Hatred Edge: Aside from the fact that she then has to redash in order to go for a low or throw option... True I disagree, for the aforementioned reasons. True. True, though I'd still say it's not outstandingly good to the point where it affects this particular matchup. I-No has a good pressure game, but so do most characters, and the fact that Axl doesn't deal well with pressure is true against any character. The main thing is that people just need to learn that "block low, wait for overheads and block those on reaction" isn't viable against her. I don't mean to imply that the Axl player should have blocked everything the I-No did, it just seemed like he didn't really know what to do. I get this opinion not only from the fact that he got hit almost every time I-No approached, but also from the fact that he throws out a lot of normals for no good reason that get him punished (for example, the random dust in the corner, and various twitch 5Ps that allowed I-No to get in.) This is somewhat true, although the Axl in that video seems to be hesitant or unable to consistently use Rensen FRC, which would aid his pressure game a lot.

That I-No most definitely knows what he's doing, both in that matchup and just in general. However, I'm still not impressed by the Axl, though that's more a commentary on his defense (Particularly bursting. Lulz.) I'd actually like to use this video as an example for Axl players of what happens when you get too jumpy. What lost him the match seemed to be throwing things out pre-emptively when waiting and reacting or blocking would have not only gotten him out of a lot of situations, but also won him a lot of exchanges, for a lot of damage.

That's this combo. It's the only way to do it I can think of that still does decent damage and knocks down (since FB air combos tend to be situational (TK FB, run up, c.S, TK FB, AD, j.D, bomber. Try landing that twice in one match, or once, for that matter) or non-knockdown-inducing).

Well yeah, but that's practically a combo...