Verimeloni

Optimized Hornet/Valiant OD combo: [bOTH][HP < 60%][10%] 214D > 8 > j.C x 3 > cOD > j.C > jc. (9) > (delay) j.D > 2C > 6D > 5D > 236D > {6 > 5C} x4 > 3C > 6A > BHS = 6888 or SCP = 5847 (have to check) + weakpoints. Builds 40% heat, works on the entire cast, works everywhere on the screen, corner to corner, in corner, midscreen to corner. The only funky part is the delayed j.D, which can in some cases bounce the opponent behind you.

Don't forget that for every projectile (or even worse, a multi-hitting one) Az absorbs with Growler, 1) he's invincible until the animation ends and can do another one (almost, I think there's like 2F gap) instantly. 2) he gains Phalanx Cannon stocks (up to 3, multi-hitting counts as many stocks), which have priority over Koko's projectiles.

@Zeth: I've been playing Unlimited Mars for some time now and though I haven't beat any of the 3 courses yet I suppose I'm able to share some tips to exploit against one or two U. opponents. Should I post this knowledge to the opponents' match-up threads or post it in here?

http://youtu.be/-3_1bhHBfx4?t=24m41s Wanted to share this one. There's Dogura and Tahichi playing Az in two different pairs, going against Relius and Hakumen team. There's pretty impressive blockstrings + a double RC combo (from blocked Leopard) by Tahichi: TCL (blocked) > RC > 3C > RC > j.A > 5B > Aerial.

Something funny to share, ya? Most of the "glitches" in BB can be explained with hitboxes and invincibility frames but this one... It just makes you go: "...what?"

@Zeth: Should you add this "new" Valiant-being-timer-related-piece of info to the FAQ thread? I understand if it's straight from Dustloop wiki (or some other good source) and you don't want to change it, but in there it still reads that "Valiant Charger can be followed up with up to 5 normals etc."

Yeah, it really works only if you hit them with midscreen rekkas. In the Ragna match I didn't really spot anything that I would've done differently, with Rachel I think you could've "Growlered" at least a couple of her fullscreen projectiles. Other than that, great matches! Out of curiosity (off-topic), how many people in your area main Azrael? Is there any (one) character which people tend to play the most?

CT: Ragna, Carl CS: Tsubaki CP: Azrael Tsubaki was my first real main, I only played Calamity Trigger for about 6 months before buying CS. Azrael was the character that really got me hyped for CP, and due to Tsubaki changing RADICALLY between Extend and CP, I decided to drop her. I'm thinking about subbing Relius or Kagura :^

Trying to meaty characters with good DP isn't a really good idea, you'd be better just crossup-dashing and getting a free CH combo. @Ice Cube: Very solid matches must say, only things that bothered me was the BHS in the first match, there you could've RC'd to aerial (since they still had "too much" HP left for BHS to finish them) and since you had so much heat (41% after BHS) you could have done a double RC combo to finish them right away (RC > IAD > j.5C > hj.c > Aerial (delayed j.5D) RC > j.5C > 2C or whatever), but that's just my opinion. The second thing, other than dominating the Mu match, you could've stayed back to gain a few stocks couple of times. Nitpicking aside, great playing!

I'm having a lot of trouble with this match-up. I recently got a friend online who plays a great Haku, and from the about 12 matches we've played I've maybe won just 1 :pp It's funny how I see his traits, his mixup isn't super good and I've successfully baited at least 10 Yukikazes and punished accordingly, but I just don't have it in me (yet). I think one of the biggest problems is that whenever I get really close I just have to block his pressure which pushes me to IAD distance, which he knows. The few times I get pressure him myself I tend to lose for his jabs and whenever I try crossup j.B he can read it and do 2C etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Fg8hB7VBy0 Done that too :DD this is the last self-promotion I swear

...That's me ^^; (link in sig)

Anyone play StepMania?

Daamn, with Sourenga presumably no longer subbing and a new Bururaji going I wish my Japanese was better :/

I got to play against a great Nu player yesterday, things I noticed: -From fullscreen distance, forward-dash-jump-cancel can be abused to gain Phalanx stocks. When they see you do it, you block their 6D and on the ground you can pretty much Growler all of her swords to follow (typical pressure goes x number Ds + 236D). -High-jump 2D isn't good, most of the time I tried this (after knockdowns, whiffed swords) I just ate a CH aerial combo.

I started to play with it and found out that if you hit your [uW] opponent with Valiant, you can do {6 > 5C} x 5 and follow it up with TCL > 5A > j.A - Aerial, does 4375 damage which is actually higher than "the usual" {6 > 5C} x 4 > 6A > 3C > 2C > 6D. The only other special which connects after {6 > 5C} x 5 is Phalanx, even Gustaf whiffs but meaties neutral techs.

Oh. ^Mistake, meant so say 4 x 5C ^^;

I always do 5 x 5C and after the 5th you can gatling to 6A/3C, doesn't that make it part of the loop?

This is easily tested with comparing hit count between doing {6 > 5C} x ... and {6 > 5B} x ... right?

The easiest, most powerful OD combo I've found: [HP 60-1%][9%][bOTH] 5BB > OD > 2C > 6D > 5D > 3D > TC > 236D > {6 > 5C} x 4 > 6A > 3C > 2D > 236236D = 7049 Easy to do, safe to do (will work on Litchi if done from midscreen, from opposite corner Valiant whiffs), basically builds it's own heat [41%] so relatively easy to do right after Scud. Can be done with 90% HP if you just leave 2D from the end = 6909. EDIT: OD Hornet/Valiant combo: [HP 60-1%][10%][bOTH] 214D > 8 > j.5C x 3 > cOD > j.5C > jc. (9) > j.5D > 2C > 6D > 236D > {6 > 5C} x 4 > 6A > 3C > 5D > 236236D = 6789 Builds 40% heat, if HP is in 60% - 70% range you can do the combo if you just leave 5D out in the end. I tried experimenting like doing TC before Valiant like: 2C > 6D > 66 > 2B > TC > 236D but results in less damage, less heat, plus wouldn't probably work on Litchi & co.

CA doesn't knock you across the screen right? So even if they CA the unblockable BHS, if you have meter you can just dash in for 5C > BHS. Or better yet throw a Phalanx > BHS.

Good luck, are they going to stream the tournament? If so please share your matches in the critique thread (and for cool points!)

Of course you can, though you have to ensure you're as high in the air as your opponent since j.2D hits lower than j.5D. You have to realize that for basic damaging combos you want your opponent to have [uW] on them, as [LW] is more of a mixup-tool when it's not used like [uW], for ex 2C > 3D > rekkas or ending aerial with j.2D to continue with rekkas or another aerial.

Has anyone experimented with the Aerial > RC > j.5C combo pathways? I tried something like this: 1. [LW] 3D > 5B > Aerial > RC > j.5C > 2C > 6D ... but at that point you have to be in the corner or do BHS (which makes this a [LW] 100% heat combo with about 5k damage :pp) 2. [50>HP][76%] 3C > 22C > 5B > OD > 5B > Aerial > RC > j.5C > 2C > 6D > 5D > 236D > {6>5C} x 4 > 6A > Scud = 4601 + weakpoints, but this too is basically a 100% heat OD combo which results in 4.6k dmg + weakpoints. I only posted this because I started to play with this Aerial > RC > j.5C pathway while playing Abyss and thought if there where any more meat to it. I still prefer it over IAD > j.5C > Hornet -combos, those are the worst. Got a typo there~