Digital Watches

Yeah, I probably should have practiced that more before trying it so often at Evo.

Oh, semi-new thing: The blockstring version: 2K, c.S8-5H, 63214S (FRC) I'd use this one because it's easy to get a normal combo if the opponent doesn't block it, the c.S is easy to JC, and the 5H is level five and therefore has hideous amounts of blockstun, preventing them from jumping for an airthrow. Really, any blockstring that includes a JCable move (c.S8, 2S8, 6P8, 6K8) and a last move which can special-cancel (Any normal but 6H and 5D) will work.

Sure, if I get some video-recording equipment.

Well, I admit that I was exaggerating when I said that. IB into OD obviously is not a very good option at all. Really, I just hate DAA a lot, due to being very easy to bait or react to (Slow) and very easy for it to miss. I can think of several instances where I've tried it, and opponents need not even predict my doing it to stop, maybe backdash, and punish it as a reset into combo, just because they have 17 frames to react before getting hit, a good chance of it missing entirely even if the opponent tries what they would have done anyway, and a nice 8-frame recovery to punish it (Since the only good feature I can think of is that it's fully invulnerable until the active frames end.) Either way, it might be a personal bias, but it feels like Axl's DAA just isn't that useful. (IB into OD, however, is useless in the same way, for a lot of the same reasons, but worse, and I don't actually recommend doing it unless you're trying to be flashy, and know for a fact that it will beat what the opponent is trying. Its only real advantage over DAA is that its larger hitbox will take more effort to get around, but this is largely offset by the extremely large window in which an opponent who has succeeded at this can punish the move.)

It was my trademark too, back in #R... When I first started playing the game. And by that, I mean I was a total scrub. Needless to say, I got hit out of it a lot. And by a lot, I mean quit doing that move so much, jeez. Some of your game is smart, but that part's just really a bad idea. Yeah. The DAA is essentially the same hitbox as the 6P, which is pretty... bad. There's a reason people only use that for anti-air when it's super-close (Besides 2S being ridiculous). I dunno about Shoto, but I for one would rather waste my meter on faultless pushback or even IB->Super (Also a pretty bad idea, but at least it can hit and do damage sometimes) than that terrible-terrible DAA.

Lulz.

Okay, new development: This is still testing on potemkin, but! This is, in fact, a combo: TK Bomber, 2S, j.D, Bomber, 2S, j.D, Bomber, slight dash, 2S, j.D, Bomber, Rensen (FRC), 5P, Rensen (FRC), 5P, Rensen (FRC), 5P, Rensen (FRC), 5P, Rensen-->2 It does ever-so-slightly more damage than just ending it with Rensen-->2 in the first place. Something like 10-20 more, to be exact. Basically, if Pot's not quite going to die from a B-loop, and you have full meter, this is your combo.

Alright, so I'm very sleep-deprived and thus can't really trust my execution (at least until I've had some caffeine), but I was able to practice this wacky-ass combo on Potemkin. While his huge hitbox and fast falling speed convince me that this is a Pot-only combo, it could be usable on other characters, but considering that: A. It takes a ton of meter B. It does hardly any damage, and C. It's very much not burst safe, It is very much a flashy move that doesn't really accomplish anything you couldn't have done better with another combo. But nevertheless, I give you... The midscreen Rensen Loop! Basically, you do (ground string) into rensen FRC, then dash slightly, 5P, then Rensen (FRC) again! The whole combo I was able to pull off looked something like this: 5K, 5P (2), Rensen (FRC), short dash, 5P (2), Rensen (FRC), short dash, 5P (2), Rensen (FRC), short dash, 5P (2), Rensen (FRC), short dash, 5P (2), 2S, j.H, j.D, kokuugeki. Needless to say, this is a breakthrough discovery in the fields of shenannigans and tomfoolery. Doing this combo in a match, especially to finish the opposing Potemkin off, or to waste meter gained from a gold burst, will guaruntee you plenty of lulz.

Lulz. Tell that dizzy to stop teching or start blocking. Buuut... All in all, it seems like you have zoning basics down to an extent, now try to work in some offense and trickery. Maybe combos so that you get damage from all those hits you're getting.

Okay, two new things: 1. Benten (FRC) combos do more damage than Rensen FRC combos, making them worthwhile to learn. (Many thanks to Kobayashi for testing this while I couldn't access a PS2) 2. This is pure conjecture, but I've been messing with it for around an hour, and this is the conclusion I've come to: The three separate frames of the Raeisageki FRC are each different in what they will do when the move is jump-installed as follows: The first frame of the FRC will keep Axl facing the direction he was facing when he performed the move, meaning that if one buffers a dash immediately after FRCing on the first frame, it will be a backdash if towards the opponent (assuming that the move crossed up) and a forward dash if done away from them. The second FRC frame allows Axl to face the correct direction as soon as the move is cancelled, meaning that airdashes will correspond correctly to the side that Axl is on. Therefore, if your execution allows you to choose which frame of the EFRC you hit, you have four dashing options upon jump-installing, crossing up, and EFRCing: You can backdash towards the opponent immediately (or over them, for a double-crossup) if you FRC on the first frame. You can forward dash immediately away from the opponent if you FRC on the first frame (since Axl's forward dash in the air is much longer and faster than his backdash, this allows you to put the most distance between you and your opponent.) You can forward dash towards the opponent immediately after the FRC if you FRC on the second frame. This is good for charging in with a j.H or j.D (Or j.P or j.K, if you prefer) to get a ground combo into rensen. Or, you can backdash immediately after the FRC if you FRC on the second frame. This can be good for putting some distance between you and your opponent without losing too much momentum, and also allows you to throw out a j.S or j.6P on your way away from them. Of course, after FRCing on the first frame, one can still wait for Axl to turn around in the air and airdash slightly late to get the other set of directions as well, as I've already mentioned. EDIT: My other working theory is that it has nothing to do with the frame on which the move is FRC'd, but instead with how recently in the course of the move Axl crossed up the opponent. Maybe the game takes a little while after the characters have switched sides to allow the jumping character to turn around, which could also account for this.

No worries, just wanted to help out.

There are a few minor errors here. 623S is a 2-frame FRC (And is before the active frames end). 63214S is now a 3-frame FRC, the last frame of which is the first active frame of the move.

The trick to that is airdashing late. You'll want a low j.H anyway, so do the airdash low. By that time, Axl will have turned around and will airdash forward. Of course, if you don't cross up, this isn't a problem, but on most characters it's safer to assume that the combo will work better with a low airdash. EDIT: Holy shit. I was playing around with backdashing after the FRC, and I got the j.H to connect on Sol after backdashing in the air. I'm sure it's some wacky spacing thing, but it can potentially score a more meaty hit than the forwards one, thus making it easier to combo from it. Dunno how useful it will be in the long run, though.

Alright, now that I fully understand how to do it, I'm going to explain the awesome thing I've been working on lately: Jump-Installed Raeisageki (63214S) FRC. As many of you have known since Slash, using the Raeisageki FRC can make an ambiguous high crossup/throw/low guessing game that'll net a clever Axl a lot of free throws. Well now, with the additional hitting frame on the Raeisageki FRC, this move can be more dangerous, ambiguous, dynamic, and overall useful than ever before. Much like a ton of other JI'd moves, the JI'd Raeisageki allows you your jump options (double jump/airdash) after the FRC, which allows for a lot of options after doing it. Firstly, you now have a midscreen combo starter on most characters, making getting hit by a Raeisageki midscreen (where it can cross up) a lot more dangerous. This is accomplished by FRCing the move at the third frame of the FRC window, then chasing the slide with an airdash and popping up the opponent with j.H. This will work on almost, if not every character in the cast, but the timing for the airdash and j.H will vary from character to character. A basic combo to do would be: 632147S (The 7 is to JI the move) FRC, airdash j.H, land, 2S, j.H, j.D, Kokuugeki. You could swap out the air combo for a HS Benten for knockdown on most characters as always, and if you have sufficient meter or are close to the corner after the airdash, you can just go for a bomber loop. This combo is hard due to the 1-frame FRC timing, but I've been able to pull it off a few times in matches, and could probably do it more consistently with practice. Anyway, now the threat of damage is established regardless of your position on the screen. This is where the move becomes even more dangerous. Note: From here on, FRC and Empty FRC (EFRC) will be noted as such. EFRC refers to the two-frame FRC window in which the move is cancelled before the active frames, FRC refers to the one-frame window in which the move is cancelled on the first active frame. Now that your threat of damage is established, the opponent will already have to decide both which way they're going to have to block, but also whether you'll simply EFRC and throw them for a similar combo. Of course, even without the Jump Install, you could go for a high attack after either FRC, or land and go for a low after an EFRC. Basically, now your options have been expanded. You can airdash to safety or to chase them down, you can double-jump out of the range of a close anti-air, and you can go for re-crossups with airdash+Kokuugeki (Probably requiring another FRC to do damage, so try to have 50% meter if you want to try that) or j.K/S/H/D, and you can even EFRC to tech their airthrow attempt (assuming they react in time to try it.) You have several powerful mixup and movement options, whether or not you decide to force the opponent to block the initial raeisageki, and, if you play your cards right, you're fairly safe throughout the whole situation. I think that this setup could revolutionize Axl's pressure game if players learned to use it. EDIT: Maybe this belongs in the lockdown thread?

Haha! Sorry about all that, I have a bad habit of reacting in kind of an acerbic manner to things I think are wrong, but I really don't mean it all that seriously and such. I agree with some of your points, such as that getting one or two people to the top would be pointless and counterproductive (In that they'd have no comp at their level). But um... yeah.

As good as encouragement is, we need improvement more. In my experience, regardless of skill or intelligence, you CANNOT motivate a player. They have to be self-motivated, period. Um. Are you stupid? Sorry, but this also isn't a fight. It's a 1v1 fighting game wherein stamina will never feasibly come into play, so actually, assuming that they're a better player, one person can take on a gigantic amount of people without losing. Just look at what Japan did at Evo last year. I'm not saying anything that anyone is actually that good in America (probably not), but damn, your logic sucks, no offense. Eheh. The internet's like that all over. Let's just hope that some good will come out of this thread DESPITE the flaming and bitching. Alright. While I think that defense is more lacking in the American scene, knowing what to do in given situations is probably a good idea too. Interesting. That's a problem. The reason combos are "standard" or "Bread and butter" is because you're SUPPOSED to be able to get them off in a LOT of situations. If there's a problem doing that, there's probably a more significant flaw in your approach or matchup knowledge. Or the command grab, plus it's not as though May is particularly bad in terms of Abare in general. I dunno, AC seems a little less execution heavy than other iterations, so a lot more focus can (and should, IMO) be put into strategic stuff. While it is VERY important to have your execution down 100%, that's definitely not the only thing Japan has on us, and I'd argue that it's not even the most significant. That last part is very important. As much as can be said for trial and error, there are just too many options and too much variability to viably be able to figure out on one's own what it is that they're doing wrong. Maybe they even have the right idea, but are missing some important factor.

Eheh. All player egos aside, bad execution isn't one of those weaknesses that can be turned into a strength unless you let them. If they can't execute, just rely less on prediction and more on conservative play (throwing out things that will beat almost anything they try, or avoid it alltogether) and reaction.

I think that worrying about people who win by sucking isn't a good idea. Anyone who can't execute is more easily beaten, one must simply vary their strategy. Usually, this is actually easier to do than to work with what one would otherwise do.

What I see in flash's post is: Be solid in your execution and matchup knowledge, and work on defense (Including offensive defense, like burst baiting and mixup). It's good advice, really.

Whatever works. If it does more damage than the standard one, I'll probably start doing it that way too. Unless Ky is a lot lighter/gets to tech earlier than I thought, I'd omit the Kokuugeki (63214S) from this one. The Heavy Benten to Bomber is a good way to trade damage for knockdown (In this example, you could do 2S into air BnB after the 5P for more damage but no knockdown (unless you have 25% meter and are at a good spacing to get him into the corner and in one rep of B-Loop)), and doing the followup kokuugeki kills the knockdown opportunity. (Of course, if Ky is one of the few characters that can tech it, there's no reason to do the 623H variation at all). That's a good combo if you can get them into the corner with the 63214S, but I'd have a backup plan for when you're closer to the corner than he is, and thusly can't get the B-Loop rep at the end. Good stuff.

I don't know for sure, but I think that guts rating is factored into damage scaling calculations as of the first hit of a combo. What's definitely true is that a combo will do more damage if started earlier in the opponent's lifebar.

Dude, halfscreen unblockable with a feint, plus an FRC into combo? TOO GOOD. That being said, they should add it in immediately.

I've done that a few times in matches, but it's certainly a rarity. I'll check the frame data and try to use it more in casuals to see how it fares.

Yes. I can do that in training mode. On most characters, you can land well before they do and they won't be able to tech. Then again, it's got to be low to hit a standing character, and it's not an overhead or anything, so good luck getting that off in a match often.

Just 6239. I've tried it, and it works, but when I go to training mode, I still find my input being 6923 unless I specifically try to do a regular TK. Old habit from Reload/Slash. You can try that too, if you think it'd be easier for you.