Oiboi

Well, I guess I should get around to this, huh? Fighting bridget is tricky. Being defensive just will not cut it in this matchup, particularly because you can cancel all of his Roger moves except for the razor just by landing a hit, blocked or not. This will help you ruin setups if your smart and fast, and while Bridget is good at running, he can't completely escape Zappa. Unsummon/Naked: -Pressure and get that summon. Look out for Starship, it's not as good as it used to be but it'll still mess you up. -Watch how he sets up and how he begins attacking. Once Bridget gets his yo-yo set, he's got many options for counterhit and pressure. -With that in mind, don't get scared by it. Keep on him and there's not much he can do. Ghosts: -These are pretty decent in this matchup, but seeing as how Bridget's very good at escaping, not the best. Will lockdown semi ok but susceptible to yo-yo. -Bridget is EXTREMELY light, so be prepared if he gets popped up into the air. -Watch out for Kickstart, it'll allow him to cross the screen pretty safely if you just throw a random P toss. Sword: -About the same level of effectiveness with the ghosts, since you have to get inside his poke ranges to do anything. -With that said, damage and air combos are pretty easy to come by because of his weight. -The speed will really help to mess up Bridget. Sword swipe will beat out Starship and KSMH, and DP will keep you safe from most of the Roger moves (assuming your within range). Dog: -Setup match Keep your dog from getting killed by the yo-yo and you'll do great. -Usual dog setups mostly, but watch the yo-yo. You'll be severely limited to options depending on placement and attacks Bridget does. -Once you get a hit in, it's all yours pretty much... Raou: -Normal Raou play. Pressure is usually too great for Bridget to do anything, so just beat them into the ground. That's about all there is to it. I fought a really good bridget at FRXI, and didn't have too much trouble against him, aside from choking So, as long as you know your stuff you can do pretty well.

It's the same thing, if you just move between 3 and 4 repeatedly it'll block both. Just do it really fast.

Slayer's combo's are particularly difficult at high levels. Of course, he's still got his ridiculous damage and great moves, so combos don't really seem all that necessary to me in his case

I tested it in training mode the other day, and it's not actually that hard to do it because of hitstop (I tested against 22D forcebreak unblockable setup). If your in block stun and correctly change your block motion (i.e. from low to high, or high to low), Then you will automatically switch as that hit connects. In fact, if the blockstun is long enough that another attack connects with your guard, you don't even have to hold back and you will auto guard it if it's blockable in the same block status. In the case of the FB drill, it's 3 hits. The D little eddie hits (generally) between the second and third hit (this is dependant on placing and when the eddie releases D). But it's really easy to see coming, so if your on a stick, just slide your stick from 4 to 3 back and forth after you begin blocking the low and it'll automatically catch it, just remember to gaurd properly after the overhead. I tested on a pad which is might be a little easier since you simply have to move your thumb slightly. I'll have to test his other unblockable setups, but I'm assuming the same thing happens. It just requires some intuition to understand which one will connect first, then it's rather simple to block.

I'd agree. I'm trying to pick up I-No, and she's real strong once she gets moving, and her combos can deal decent damage and allow her to set up for more stuff. However, Zappa's got a few things that are very quirky (Such as no standard wakeup tactic, or various ranges of effectiveness for different summons that can change very quickly depending on the situation), and most of his combos don't give a lot of damage for the difficulty. It's a strange dynamic for both of them, and I actually think I-No's a poor matchup for Zappa... But I digress, I think at a point it just relies on player Skill, as it's been said before. Especially with these two, where skill is everything to get them to work.

It's certainly possible, but I find it questionable to really work at it and rely on something like that. There are many things that can be happening at that time, so it could fail or it could work splendidly. So while I say it's possible and use it if you can/want, I wouldn't swear by it, especially because it only takes a millisecond of bad timing to get the summon on a different second; hit stop and comboing into it will effect the timing greatly.

I hope you got the match between me and Kenji D: I still need that...

Ah, Yeah, I always considered 'instant' dog tactics to be intermediate level so I didn't include them, but they are very important things to keep in mind and are a great basis for wakeup/summon play. I almost always try to summon if my opponent is not in grab range on wakeup, simply because I've noticed it comes out a lot, at an almost reliable rate. I sometimes eat the attack due to getting the ghosts or something, but in the long run, Blocking or back dashing is the safest option-- Period. Still, You've got an interested way of using the sword on wakeup, so that's worth mention as well. Something that needs to be kept in mind with using the dog off summon hits is that every character has different wakeup timings, so sometimes they'll get up before you can set up the dog properly, and sometimes you can really get great setups off that would normally be very difficult to work out. This is why I almost ALWAYS do 'whatever' into 2D Summon, because it pushes the opponent higher and further, allowing me more time to get a summon out and assess the situation, and begin my oki. Aside from which, I'm pretty sure it gives me more damage; but even if it didn't, the options it gives vs. 2P 2K Summon make it well worth it. Edit: Oh, and in rare cases you can sometimes connect a 5/6D off summon hits on some characters with the dog. It's difficult to combo off this, but I believe it is possible if you prime a dash and try to get close; of course, this is kind of risky if you end up getting a different summon, so it's give or take.

Added more data to the first post. Range of effectiveness seems to be something I never really thought about on a more conscious level, but always kind of understood what it was for Zappa.

I find it questionable that Zappa is more difficult than I-No, but I suppose if you consider the multiple 'versions' of him, then maybe it makes sense. Perhaps this is a 'First attempt' Kind of view? Like, when someone first plays Guilty gear. If that's the case, I think this makes sense. Someone first playing Slayer, Eddie, or Zappa would likely have no idea what the hell is going on

Seems a lot of people have trouble with the dog... To help you learn how to control him better, use moves that use the same inputs as the dog (i.e. 6HS 6D or something, just get creative). Remember that you can buffer inputs during blockstun and while your attacking, so using stuff like 8D when you can't actually jump due to blockstun will have your dog uppercut for you, usually hitting through your opponent or at least giving you a chance to resummon. Once you've learned how to use him like that, the rest will come with practice :3

Not bad... A few things: Pros: You've got pretty good pressure. That 5k at the start of the one match was great. Your FD Timing is good, keep it up. The millia got scared of you pretty fast Cons: You jumped A LOT... And against millia, that's bad. Seeing as how she's mainly an air character and that all of her moves will beat out all of your air moves beside your j.HS with the sword, you were just asking for pain... Your ground moves can get around everything she has if your smart, so stick to the ground more. Your anti-air pokes could use some work, and you poke a bit haphazardly with the sword. Keep in mind that a lot of the sword moves are pretty situational, so try not to throw them out randomly. By the way, the swordspin is only safe if hit confirmed before hand, so only use it in combos or off a hit j.HS. Your dog was pretty ehh at first, but it seemed to get better so I'll chalk that up to rustiness. Still, Could use a little work I think. You threw out Edguy a bit too unsafely and nearly got punished bad for it. Be a bit more careful with that move, it's got over 30 frames of disadvantage on block or whiff. Other than that, your combo's could use a little work but overall, not bad :3

Ah, yeah. I always play crappy on camera, I'm not normally that bad but hey I'll get more up soon, thanks though

lol nearly forgot about this thread... Here's some I recently recorded on my crappy webcam with my friend: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oWX8Wz0XIg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfi-gbMdjFc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gSNQXgdHYk I have more, but I haven't uploaded them yet. Expect more soonish:psyduck:

Zappa's damage isn't so bad that you need to max out the gauge, even with the ghosts it's just a bonus. I'd suggest going for mixup rather than letting them find a hole in your pressure, your overall damage would be worth it. That said, sure, if you wanna max the gauge (or at the very least, get it flashing) it's not too hard to do. All the summons are capable of doing it (aside from unsummon, but getting that summon in is what you're going to want anyways). Ghosts, obviously j.HS and 2HS are your go-to's for cranking gauge, and aside from Raou, are the easiest to do this with. Dog I'd say is your second, just because you can keep someone in block string for quite a while with him, eventually cranking the gaurd gauge. The sword is a little more difficult, but you can shove a lot of blocked hits in real fast if you want to crank the gauge. And of course, all of Raou's moves are designed to crank the bar and chip them to death. I end matches faster doing mixup rather than maxing the bar out then mixing into a combo though, so if you're going to do it, just get Raou and destroy them

I KNEW IT!! There is no love for Zappa I'll go practice Raou loops cuz we're obviously not wanted here. Also, no one noticed that Zappa looks like he's about to get raped in every one of the endings he's in. Yeah, even the Faust one has a creepy feeling to it.

Anji can taunt for fake mixup.

Got to fight a may for a long time last night so I'll throw up some more info. Placed properly, 6P beats out vertical dolphin rides (If they use it to try to set up for command throw, you can 6P the tip of the dolphin and hit). May's need to play defensive in this matchup or they have no chance; any aggression is immediately beat by summon. It was actually kind of hilarious when he kept doing dolphin rides into my summon or sword DP or something over and over again. He was really impatient so once I got raou, he kept trying to counter me (unsuccessfully, of course). If you think they'll try a 3K, just backdash and darkness anthem the recovery. If they try for a command throw, Edguy is your best friend. May's light enough to get 4 consecutive edguy's in the corner, so take advantage of that; her defense isn't great either, so once you land a hit, she's in trouble. Dog's good if it's set up right. Using it for free summon hits are a plus, since she generally moves around too much and has too many projectiles on the screen for him to really be of much use. Ghosts lock her down real well. They'll often try to set up hoops, but once you hit may, they go away, so just keep pressuring. Ghosts and sword are May's enemies. By the way, watch out for command throw. You'll be in trouble if they land it, since she can generally take off 60% with combos and loops. It's a frustrating move, but if you can get some practice in against a May, the fights not as difficult. The command throw is easily her best option in this fight, but don't get trigger happy with the summon or DP or you'll eat a whale. I think it simply comes down to experience. Seems about even as far as I can tell; Zappa can't do too much until he gets Raou, but with so many opportunities to counter her with summon and DP, getting the orbs isn't too difficult; but if she gets just one combo off, your in trouble. So it's up in the air, and since both of these characters are pretty rare to have players for them, you'll have a greater chance of success if you have the experience to back up your play.

I already posted it in the matchups forums... Try to keep matchup discussion in there

Ghost infinite: rushdown 6P/5K c.S f.S 2S/5HS Toss 6FRC6 (You have to prime it or you won't run fast enough to keep the combo) Repeat, 2K works also at the beginning. I've seen Nang-In get over 30 hits in a match with this. If you watch for the projectiles from the haunting, you can also use that to continue the combo (like instead of throwing a ghost, you let the golf ball hit, which saves you tension). Each string lasts long enough for the ghost you threw before hand to come back; the only restraint is tension, but you can just go for a knockdown at the end and throw a P toss to keep pressure. And I'll just keep on mashin then lol

So is it something like Counterhit-Landing hit? Hm, I'll test it out and see what I can find out, I guess...

I try, but I was tired when I made that post lol... Anyone else use P spam when waiting for the ghosts to come back? I've been using it quite a lot in and out of combos (actually, I almost only use it when putting pressure on or in an air combo). I find doing air combos aside from j.D and impossible dust stuff is more trouble than it's worth, so I usually go in for my ghost inifinite combo and if the 5K or 6P are CH's, they get picked up off the ground, making the loop impossible; so I just go into the air combo, do j.P a bunch of times then j.D Ghost toss to finish it off. It's actually given me a lot more wins than I thought it would, so it's not exactly a bad option, though I'm sure a real combo with the ghosts in the air would be better, huh?

Admittedly, I don't have ~too~ much experience, but I think I have enough to help out those who have none. May is a very solid character, always has been, so solid that she has very little changes from game to game (Compare XX or even X may to AC, and you'll see theres been very little changes, really). Naked/Unsummon: -May has some formidable normals to watch out for; 5HS is the bane of Zappa's existence. The moment they start using this to stuff your rushdown (And Trust me, they will), Summon into it. -6p and Summon will avoid/beat the horizontal dolphin ride (If they Forcebreak, 6P will catch them when they hit the ground, summon will hit either way in most cases). If they use the vertical one, it's safest and best to simply block or run under it. Backdash will work if you can recognize which one they're using in time. -May has the advantage of priority over Zappa. Her 3K is so low, it will even go under centipede super, and in many cases zappa's summon. Summon is the only move to use to beat out her stuffing attacks or normals (aside from 3K in some cases, the timing is weird; I swear she goes under the damn floor). -DO NOT GET IN THE AIR! Holy crap this is not a safe way to fight May at all. Even air oriented characters can get freaking beat to hell by vertical dolphin ride. Zappa is amazingly safe on the ground, especially with summon (Which CAN beat out dolphin ride at the end of it, especially vertically; practice the timing if your unsure on it). Ghosts: -Normal pressure, watchout for dolphin ride counter attempts. To an extent, using ghost toss to float in the air can help avoid a few things, but don't become predictable or you'll eat a whale. -May is pretty light despite the anchor, so keep that in mind when doing combos/frame traps that involve her going into the air. -So-So summon in this matchup. Not terrible, but nothing to get her off you and keep you safe completely. Sword: -Very very nice summon in this matchup, as most of the attacks will stuff Mays. DP is amazingly good in this matchup, so feel free to use it as much as you like. -Swordswipe is alright, it won't hit alot because she's kind of small, but the damage is nice. -Probably the most favorable summon since May is normally very aggressive, and so is easy to beat out. Dog: -Normal dog setups, watch out for the water on the Hoop setup when moving the dog. Her aerial spinning move (can't remember the name at the moment lol) will mess up your attempts at trying to set him up at times, but you can punish without too much worry. -Unblockables =D Also, 8D will help to counter dolphin ride attempts. -Maybe about the same level of useage with the sword. Raou: -May has some really really nice attacks. Can't stress that enough. Edguy beats out any dolphin ride, but watch out for forcebreak fakeouts. If she sets up a hoop, just throw some Darkness anthems and watch for them to pop out and block to stay safe. -Keep May scared and you should do alright. Summary: Don't underestimate May, but don't get scared either. Her strange mixup options and very strong mix of fast and slow normals can really play with your head if your not used to them. Just be patient and wait for the right moment, and take your opportunities when you can get them. Alternatively, keeping the pressure on May is always good, just watch out for that 5HS and bait it (FD stop). f.S is a frustratingly good move, so abuse it as usual. As always, comments, tips, questions, ETC. Do it. lol

May is a very solid character. Anyone whose never fought one will be in serious trouble (No, really). Since there are very few us may players, not many people get the experience they need vs. her. You can summon and 6P through horizontal dolphins, if you have the sword the DP is your best bet there, Ghosts, just don't set up for dolphin ride counters, dog is tricky but if you set up right she's in trouble. She can't beat Raou. DO NOT GET IN THE AIR. This is even worse than getting in the air versus testament. She doesn't have as much leverage on the ground, just a few mixup moves and her 6P and 6HS for really strong hits. Many May's will try to 5HS to stuff your rushdown/counter attacks, but summon or DP will beat it out easy. The trick is to go for counterhits. I'll post a full matchup for her in the matchup forums later, but this is the gest of it.

Tiamat: Oh, right, nearly forgot. I almost always try to end with j.HS Sword spin out of habit, since I used to input the sword spin motion early when trying to do j.D into swordspin and just did it too fast so only the sword spin would come out lol Dangief: Really? That's kind of funny. Though I bet j.D Sword spin would be great at the right angle on a heavier/bigger chara...