Mike Z

LOL @ "?" combo, someone watched: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-bjrW-UNrA It's a tech trap, but whatever. Actually throw xx BSledge, 5C->2D is overall better than 5C->5D since they are pretty much forced to bounce tech and you end up a lot closer.

That's neutral tech. Quick-rise is Down+button, and it performs the same getup animation you go through if you don't tech at all. It's cancellable into superjump/specials/normals/barrier/supers from frame 14 on, and it's throw-invin until frame 19. As for applications, well, there's one at the end of my Useful Tactics vid, but basically: If they thought you were going to neutral tech and are waiting around for you to do it so they can put out a meaty move at the end of your bounce, you can quick-rise into a special and surprise them. With Tager it's especially useful since you can do 2+button,147896+A and get what looks like a straight-off-the-floor 360A...where even if they saw you start to get up and did an attack, most likely you'll invincible through it and grab them anyway. :^)

Osuna - yes, you can't be thrown out of quick rise until frame 19, but you'd only have 5F to get the input right since you can't do anything until frame 14.

So, just to chime in a bit...Spark, jump towards (they bounce-tech), 720 is hella good, I used it a lot today. A few more tricks: - Air-to-air blocked j.B->C, land at the same time, 720. Just like any other grappler in other games. - BSledge (stagger), jump towards B that whiffs as they tech, 720 is also stupidly good. - So is setting up a situation where they bounce tech and doing a jump-towards B that looks like it'll hit right when they finish the tech...but do it just a slight bit early and 720 instead. Just like any other grappler on wakeup.

Because depending on how/when they tech they can hit you. :^)

She attacks with the release of D. So for example: -- standard notation is that [D] = hold D, ]D[ = release D -- [D], 6+]D[ then during attack [D] and keep it down until she finishes; she'll stay "on" after the attack. Then after that, with it still held down, do 41236+]D[ and she'll do the next attack. ]D[ during that attack to keep her "on" after it, etc.

You certainly can backdash it, you just have to do it really late. That's your best tactic too, because if she touches you with it she can cancel to j.C which eliminates her landing recovery...but if she whiffs, she has a decent amount of recovery which gets you your free 360A,5C->5D.

He means Jump Cancel, which is right. (^.^)

Another thing to remember is that whiffs are always worse for your opponent than attacks that connect, even blocked ones. You can't chain, cancel, or Rapid Cancel an attack that whiffs. Thus, if you can IB->backdash, or simply backdash, and get an attack to whiff, you are much better off. As well, learning common things you can Sledge (such as Jin 5C->5D) will get you places fast.

Yeah, it's totally a gimmick and depends on which way they tech. However, if they tech Fwd or Back you can just do another Collider and grab for free. (^.^) Additionally, in that situation a lot of [good] players will want to neutral tech because they'd come down straight on top of you, and as we all know Tager's antiairs are bad.

^ in that case, the followup is Shot, 2C xx Collider. 6C etc is only possible in certain combos, but the only case to not say (F) is when you can't even followup with Shot.

Funnily enough, this has never been covered. Everyone tries it and sort of gives up when other players learn, I guess. This trick requires that they tech in the air, which most players won't after figuring it out. If they do air tech, any character can j.A you out of it with proper timing.

I'm not sure why people seem to have such a problem with blocking, honestly. :^)

There certainly is tech scaling. If you look at the frame data (for the lazy) under the "PP" column (for Proration Points) the more points on a move the more tech scaling. Collider has quite a lot: 3000 first hit + 6000 second hit; whereas lots of his other moves have 100 or 200. Basically, you never get Collider->OTG->Collider->OTG in any combo ever. Not even if the first Collider is a counterhit. You can Spark after the 2nd one but they'll always be able to tech before they land.

You're getting hit out of pre-jump frames. 5C has 19-20F blockstun, 5D starts up in 23F, so since your jump startup is > 4F he gets nailed. For further proof, try Ragna vs. Tager: Have Tager do 5C->5D. If Ragna blocks the 5C he can hold 7 to jump and block the 5D...if Ragna gets hit by the 5C he can stand and block the 5D, meaning it's not a combo...but if Ragna gets hit by the 5C, he cannot jump and block the 5D, he'll get nailed out of jump startup. Also j.B seems to miss on crouching Tager for me.

If you're magnetized, use it to your advantage: - If he does blah blah 5D in blockstrings, backdash 360B is free. - If he does blah blah 5D xx Collider, neutral tech when you hit the floor and you end up back next to him. Just beware the 720 if you do this too often.

Remember, if he does iad j.C, after blocking it you should always be trying to 720 him as he lands. Usually Haku's followup won't combo.

Arakune-only (well Tager too but whatever): Throw xx BSledge, Collider, walk 6C->5D. Sledge, Collider doesn't work on anyone else. This does more damage than almost any other throw combo, and gives you magnetism.

I was going to mention that - BB doesn't lock out MY inputs during YOUR superflash. Works for any character, likesay it improves Hakumen a ton since, for example, he can just 6D Litchi's explosion and run up to punish.

Also done it, if you both hold it the 2nd superflash wins. Which makes sense, because it's invincible from startup till the flash, but not after.

The blockstun doesn't lock them in place, after a few frames they are still allowed to fall.

To clear up the last bit: You can still get "Throw reject miss" on a non-techable 360/720 if they had buffered a throwbreak before you did it. Heck, you can TRM after the guy is dead... So TRM is not an indicator it was breakable.

More shameless self-promotion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-bjrW-UNrA Some Guy (TG) vs. HeartNana (NO), Evo team tourney. --Note: Yes, there was a MM later that night and he beat me up for a good long while. NEVER piss off HeartNana, he's one HUGE angry dude! :^P [edit] For Dyne: It is imperative that you learn your combos. CH BSledge in 1st round should have had 5C->6A xx Collider after, and 360B should have had at least ASledge->Followup after. Your pressure is alright, but there are a lot of holes - tell Arakune to stop Barrier Guarding and start Instant Blocking and hitting you, and see how it goes from there.

You don't win by using tricks they don't know; you win by more intelligently applying tricks they do know. Gimmicks won't win you tournaments - they only work once. (Well, maybe one-game-single-elim tournaments...) Your job is to know the other character as well as they do, so you can properly exploit your opponent against himself. What's good against your character, and why? What's safe, and what's a free punish? What's a bad poke that only people who play that character know is bad? What do they think you're going to do next? Do they jump every tick throw? Airthrow next time. Do they DP every chance they get? Leave a hole, bait the DP, and punish hard. Do they have unstoppable rushdown? Learn to block - everything has openings. Are they doing the same move all the time that you can't get around? Find a way around it, even if the solution is just being patient. Tager is currently the bottom character in BB. This means you'll be losing a lot due to simply having uphill battles against a lot of the cast. If you are playing to win without effort, you should stop reading and switch characters. However, that's not saying that Tager can't win, it's just saying that in order to beat your opponent you need to be significantly more on-the-ball than they are. More versed in the game; more determined; more patient; more aggressive; more defensive; faster; better at taking advantage of the tiniest mistake. You'll find that Tager has the tools to deal with anyone he comes across, if they are properly applied. It's knowing what "properly applied" means that takes time. But at the end of all that, there's nothing that feels better than planting some top-tier's head in the ground.

That. Also, there's not really a "best" way to hold it, whatever you feel most comfortable with. 720s mostly come from my wrist anyway. Heck, Seth Killian plays cross-handed and does fine.