Moroha

Hey Josh, good shit. GL at SER and see you at SB3 Any other ABAs coming to SB3?

Hey Don (Tage), just saw your Finals matches with Jedimindtrick. Your ABA's looking really good! You really stepped your game up since I saw you at FR. You're mad consistent with the combos and you were reacting really well to his Dead Angles / Bursts too. Make sure you convert every j.H CH into damage, and get that normal mode throw combo xx keygrab in the corner down. That last round was tight too, lol, love the gold burst.

Johnny vs ABA is total suck for Johnny. For starters, blocked Ensenga is punishable by her 5S, which means big damage combo. If you whiff a Killer Joker or Cheesestick FRC, you will most likely also be eating big damage. Her ground game also completely overpowers his, and Danzai says no to the whole 'should I 6P airborne Johnny or shouldn't I' thing. That being said, it's not unwinnable, but you really need to play smart. Be wary of f.S, it shuts down any of Johnny's pokes from its max range. I would absolutely learn 1hit ensenga xx mist setups on ABA, because if you do run into one, it can really change the entire pace of the game. Make sure you have a throw combo that knocks down, 4r5 does Cheesestick into FRC combo. When you do have her pinned in Moroha, it's tough for Johnny to keep her locked out forever, but be aware that she has slides, 5H, 2H, and jumping/IAD options available to her. Plan for them. There's also like a million vids of us online so check them out to see what works for him and what doesn't.

@Whyte Sakura; Even Chipp can. If he RCs the last hit of his Vega bounce across the walls super, he can land, enter IK mode in time, and activate. I forget what Zappa has, but I definitely have seen him do it in a match vid before. I can almost guarantee he can do it off an RCed Raoh Upper. What I saw wasn't that, but I forget what it was :x Also sorry andrew I deleted your message by accident

Glad it did! She's a really unique character and a blast to play. She'll also force you to learn strong defense quick. If you have any questions, feel free to ask away.

2H, slight pause against most characters except like Ky, IAD j.S, immediate j.H, immediate Orbs. That's the best advice I can give. You need to gatling the j.S naturally into the j.H, that's all there is to it. Um, here's my 2H gameplan in theory Midscreen no tension you want to combo 2H (1) into Rekkas. That gives you a knockdown and oki reset. Midscreen 25% tension you want to combo 2H (2) into IAD, since you can FRC the orbs off of it for more combos. Corner 2H with any amount of tension is whatever the fuck you want, honestly. It all depends on the character, your tension, and how flashy you want to be. But in the corner, 2H xx IAD leaves you with lots of options post Orbs with or without FRC, while 2H xx dj loop leaves you with similar options. It's just preference, I think 2H IAD looks cleaner but w/e. Also 2H xx DJ loop depending how deep it is can set up a funny relaunch combo I figured out today in training mode, at least on Slayer

If ABA drops it like it's hot and gets all +4, I like following up with f.S. This is the safest route, and generally beats the bulk of your opponent's pokes. When it feels like it's closer to neutral frames, EX Danzai is also a fantastic option, especially late in a pressure string when people get antsy to escape or swing back. Butt is a fantastic pressure tool that you all should explore; it catches jumpers for saucy combos on CH, can be RCed into combos / additional pressure, and can even be used as frame advantage.

Pretty much anytime you combo into 2HS, you can string into IAD j.S, j.HS, Orbs, or dash jump j.S, j.HS, j.D, Orbs. The combo listed above is a staple combo of mine with two exceptions; I always FRC the first Orbs, and I dash jump your bolded j.S instead of regular jump. Doing that FRCed Orbs I'm pretty sure guarantees the combo on everyone with proper timing on your 2HS -> IAD. There are absolutely situations where you can combo off the first orbs into dash jump without FRC, but the FRC makes it mostly guaranteed.

Yeah, so I know this isn't game discussion but http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy7D9c2iu0Q :D And Josh mostly everyone can IK ABA off stuff, I think a lot of the other character forums have a list of how in their own matchup threads since it's not on our shoulders to execute. My favorite is probably I-No's throw xx FRC xx AD, land, IK.

The visual acknowledgment is that you don't even really see her enter her run animation - if only for a frame. You want to 669 ASAP as you are able to; the instant you are able to act after the throw animation ends. 669 should be fast and fluid, again, you really shouldn't see much at all of her dash frames and just get the momentum for the jump. For the dash jump j.P combo after the throw it's important to catch them early I believe.

Some characters are better equipped in the air than other characters; May, Millia, Chipp come to mind. But going to the air is a risk, and should be treated as such. If the opponent doesn't react to it or AAs improperly, they're either dealing with a combo or an air to ground blockstring. That being said, all kinds of things can happen to you in the air. If air to ground was stronger throughout the game than vice versa, then everyone would be jumping the whole time and could turn into a game of lol air counterhits.

Basically, throwing a bloodball and then another is fine. Throwing a bloodball and sliding is fine. So is throwing a bloodball and jumping in, or 236King. Your opponent has options after a bloodball, but you do have some frame adv - especially if you FRC it.

A.B.A vs. Sol Japanese ranking: 5.5-4.5 A.B.A Sol has the ability to lock down ABA pretty decently up close when she is in normal mode. Gunflame stuffs your non-FB Slide, and jumping or swinging back is also a very real risk. You have to deal with that, while at the same time watching for an opportunity to anti-air and looking out for Wild Throw. Slide does go under Sol's 5S(? the swipe that Sols like throwing out at the beginning of rounds). When in Moroha mode, you have the upper hand. Non-FRC Gunflame is a CH j.H for an attentive ABA. No failed VV is safe from Moroha ABA; her run speed enables her to punish Sol for at minimum 1/3 life (5K/5S into 2HS launcher into 2X Keygrab, or into Rekkas FRC in corner). You probably want to punish VVs with 5K, because of the quick recovery if you mistime it with his followup kick shenanigan. Danzai eats Sol's Riot Stomp, Wild Throw, Fafnir, Gunflame, and Bandits. EX Danzai eats Grand Viper and, the big one, Volcanic Viper. Eat a VV with EX Danzai and watch that Sol player sink back into his chair as you combo his life away. As with anyone vs Sol, never forget that a Sol that VVs or Grand Vipers with 50% tension is up to some RC into something, so pay close attention. (It's the same deal as Danzai RC, wink wink.) 2D can be used far away from Sol as oki to bait and beat VV. More importantly, however, is timing the low to the ground meaty j.S for oki. Off knockdowns that give you enough time to apply a dash jump, you'll want to NAIL the timing on placing a dj.S over Sol's hitbox. If you can, two things will happen. 1. Sol VVs. If you are low enough to the ground, you will land before you are hit and be able to block. The VV is blocked, Sol goes flying off into the air, and you murder him. 2. Sol does not VV. Now, the j.S lands, and Sol has to guess between land 2K, land throw, or JC j.S. You can see how deadly this situation is for Sol, and hence how valuable learning the timing on it is. It's extremely effective and a potential game winner. The easiest way to set it up is off of a dash in P K S H 2D knockdown. Then, dash jump as soon as you recover from the 2D - if you do, you should get that low to the ground j.S just as Sol stands up. Deadly setup is deadly. You WILL get hit with VVs throughout the course of a fight, but conversely you have many ways of dealing with them. When he guesses right, he gets a knockdown and 5% damage. When you guess right, we're talking potentially upwards of 30-40%. Don't play scared, respect the VV, Wild Throw and Grand Viper, and outrange / outplay him in the neutral game. Hope that helps.

ABA has no problems whatsoever gaining tension. Anytime you're dashing forward or pressuring/comboing the opponent, you are gaining copious amounts of tension. ABA will often times have at least 25% tension available to her at many points in a round. Play smart in Moroha, dash and feint, and when they start blocking, you will def be seeing some serious tension gain.

If ABA is rushing in with Danzai, you've probably already won. Block first hit, summon/dp before the second hit, knockdown, gg. If you can't punish Danzai, you will not beat generic ABA scrubs who use Danzai as an offensive tool. Here's my Zappa experience from fighting a lot of Kenji and a small amount of Rudy. Throwing out SRKs to deal with ABA's f.S or (I assume you meant 5HS, not 2HS) is an extremely risky move. If you whiff either your summon or DP, you are most likely going to eat at LEAST 40%, lose your summon, and deal with potentially lethal oki. (Which is not to say don't use your counters, but it's certainly not the "answer" to f.S and 5H.) Zappa can deal with f.S and 5HS with sword and ghosts with strong zoning play. ABAs can 6H vs the Sword's long range swipe, clash and get an IAD out of it, so be wary of that. Ghosts vs ABA can be extremely effective and abuseable. You can really lock down ABA's avenues of movement and potentially force her into a guessing situation. If you land a ghost on her then you've got the momentum for a long time. This is not an easy fight for either player; it is largely based on momentum. Zappa has the tools to lock ABA down with Ghosts, and can get in good damage and knockdowns with Dog. Sword is probably the summon I want to see most as an ABA player..possibly even Raoh over Ghosts, depending on how much life I have left to risk. Be wary of Danzai/EX Danzai when you've got the Dog and Raoh, because she has the ability to plow through any non-super hit/string. If Zappa can establish himself with a summon, preferrably ghosts or dog imo, he has the upper hand. You need to play safe and at your own pace, and it WILL take a lot longer for Zappa to kill ABA than vice versa. For me, the fight is about keeping Zappa off his summons. Zappa might have the fight under control, but ABA can take back the momentum in a moment and be immediately on the verge of winning the match.

You send me a recording of you beating him, I will make you 1x kickass ABA avatar.

Moroha ABA vs Slayer is in ABA's advantage. They both are high priority characters with the ability to combo into big damage; however, ABA's moves have longer range, her f.S stuffs anything from its max range, her deep 5HS and 2D eats Dandies all day long, her j.HS gives Slayer's AA some problems (He needs to pick the right one and needs to time it just right. Early 2S for instance) and her Danzai doesn't make life easy for Slayer either. Femoral, ABA's don't expect to get their pressure damage all the time. They will however get there sooner or later - which is why it's important to do avoid getting dragged into her 2HS pressure deathtrap. Punish Danzai second hit with P.Dstep Bunker I believe. 5K is solid if you're spacing it right, but most ABAs will be either rushing you down or at f.S range or further away. PS nobody is unthrowable. Your setups might be too familiar to the other player, or you're not mixing up well enough. In summary, do your best to contain her in normal mode, and when she's in Moroha, do your best to avoid getting blockstringed into her pressure game. This matchup is def one of the few that aren't in Slayer's favor.

fixT

Hey Elvenshadow, just wondering if you found the name of the ABA that OCV'd you, and if you have any footage from the event. Great effort in the SBO quals, sounds like you're doing a great job representing America over there.

A.B.A vs. Venom Japanese ranking: 5.5-4.5 Venom? An interesting matchup, this fight is about patience. If at any point in the match, you are able to knock down Venom while in Moroha mode, you have everything you need to win. Until then, you have to play very patiently, as Venom is one of the few characters that can go toe to toe with your Moroha mode. He has a great set of normals, including f.S, 6P, and 6H, all of which will stop you in your tracks. He can anti air you, zone you, and then lock you down and mix you up. That being said, he has zero defensive options, outside of a Dead Angle which gets JCed over or eaten by Danzai all day long. Again, once you knock him down, you TAKE that fight. You're invariably going to have to deal with his mixup game, but you probably know that blocking tough mixups is pretty much a prerequisite to playing ABA. You need to prevent him as best you can from getting free ball sets, so threaten him like you would Dizzy and be in range when you can to punish. Well timed f.S and HS will go a long way. You want to stay to the ground a lot in this matchup, as his 6P is just too good. Your anti-airs work reasonably well against him, however. PS, you can reaction Danzai doobies. You can also reversal slide beneath Dark Angels for hilarity. If any other ABA players have noticed Danzai/EX Danzai randomly failing against Venom, btw, post up here and let me know I'm not alone in the world on this one ;p

Slayer vs. ABA is a smashmouth matchup that involves people getting hurt real bad. The good news is, this matchup favors ABA, because once she is in Moroha mode - and she will get there against Slayer - she has the edge on the neutral game. Slayer's 2S can have trouble with ABA's j.H if not positioned or timed just right. f.S crushes a lot of what he'll try to do, and deep 5H takes care of BD and Dandies. Do not fall back on Danzai against Slayer; use it sparingly. It definitely has its uses, as it beats his Dandy options and kills his Mappa/Mappa Feint throw attempts. Slayer's oki can be tricky and you do need to watch him carefully, but to be honest ABA's is scarier. =REACT= to 6K and throw attempts. Slayer doesn't really get to sit around and build meter in this matchup. When ABA is in Normal mode, he's probably trying to carefully pressure her, and when ABA is in Moroha mode, he has a lot on his plate. This is one of Slayer's few bad matchups, it's a matchup we will see a lot, and it's one that you should be familiar and comfortable with. If you can play cautiously, poke well, and understand Slayer's movement and shenanigans, you'll find it's actually a very winnable fight and frustrating for Slayer.

Casual Vids from a round robin this weekend; http://www.youtube.com/view_play_lis...53E109ABC6F77E Most of them are newer players in the MD community, so take them with a grain of salt. 4r5 and Xiggurat are the fights of note. While I'm on it, does anyone that fights Venom ever have the problem where he randomly just stuffs a Danzai/EX Danzai? Edit: FixT

Yeah, it can be especially useful out of a slide FRC or in certain tick situations with a deep 5P, pause, close (command throw version) Keygrab.

Slides are still useful against potemkin; while they get crushed by slide head, they go underneath a decent amount of his moves, including Hammerfall and possibly his 5H and 2S? from what I remember. Close-ish Danzai = Free Buster for Pot after the first hit. Of course, Danzai startup is throw invincible. Using mid to close range Danzai against Potemkin without 50% tension is generally a poor choice, since if you're wrong, you're eating a knockdown, big damage, and devastating oki. Also, size is of no concern for ABA with SJI combos into Keygrab, she gets them on the entire cast. Potemkin is the "boss" fight. You'll want to play it fairly patiently and realize that, as Josh said, good ol' 5H -> Bloodpack is not a good option unlike in most matchups. Any Potemkin will be able to slide head dry bloodpacks. You're going to want to get in there and go for a keygrab combo, or again, BP if he's high up there / anti-air into KG combo. Potemkin isn't really a character that will lock you out of Moroha for the duration of a match like Eddie; instead, he wins rounds by catching ABA once and shipping us out on the Oki train to frowntown. Be VERY careful about your backdashes; Pot has anti-backdash options that give him a free combo into Heat Knuckle (which is of course another knockdown), and ABA's backdash isn't anything amazing. Like every matchup in this game, you are at a disadvantage in Normal mode and obviously when Pot has the pressure, which means against most of the cast - Pot included - that if you've got at least pixel of health and are at the neutral game, you are in the position you work to be in. What's different about Pot moreso than other characters is, if you get too careless, he will backdash your jumpins or deep normals and buster you, and when that happens, any momentum you once had is completely erased and you're on the verge of losing. The good news about this fight is, when you get there, you are able to run your Moroha game on Pot, double keygrab combos come all the time, and while he does have high HP, ABA damage is still ABA damage. So fight your way into Moroha safely, poke him with 2Ds, 5Ses and 5Hes, do NOT be afraid to AA him ever, and if the pot is reversal BD happy or reversal Buster happy, realize it early and punish accordingly.

ABA's Keygrab is actually both a throw and an attack. When you input the Keygrab, the game first checks to see if you are in throw range of your opponent. If you are, it becomes a throw, is unblockable, and you get your grab. If you are not in range, then it becomes an attack with a hitbox (the swinging chain). This holds true in all of ABA's modes.