CopperDabbit

Faultydefense, oh no, I agree with you completely. There are definitely ways around it, not trying to say there isn't. And in the last... I dunno, 4,000 matches I've played against HOS (ok, maybe a TAD of exaggeration in the number there) I've probably been hit with a Fafnir maybe twice. As the damage he can get off the fafnir is far better than the BR, I always block low, unless I can predict the lvl3BR. As for not letting him charge as much, maybe you can give me some advice. Basically I try very hard to keep pressure on him at all times. He's all the way across screen charging I'll either IAD jD or S EXE to try and stop him. If he's paying attention he can usually just use his charge burst to go through either. I realize I could bait the burst by FRCing the EXE but even then it's hard to get in fast enough to punish that. Another trick he uses is doing a lot of 2k gatlinged into 2D xx charge. If it hits me he gets a knockdown + lots of charge, if I block he recovers quickly enough from the charge that I can't punish it. The only other option I can think of (while staying on the ground) is warrant, but if he tries it on wake up I'm just gonna get hit in the face. Or Ankle, whatever. And the third problem I face with him (hmm... guess I segway'd a little here. So but please bear with me ^_^) is his *%$&^* 2D. Because it puts him in a low stance, it actually makes for really good anti-air against Testament. It will beat out every jumping normal with the exception of jH. And jH only works if it has enough time in the air to fully extend down under Testament, which seems to require a double jump. So the other problem with that is that it gives HOS a chance to recover from the 2D and just block the jH or Storm Viper if he really wants to tick me off. Anyway, if you could give me some advice it would be really appreciated. As I said earlier I feel that his mix-up with lvl3 HOS meter and at least 25% tension is very strong. Without it, agreed, not so much.

IMO against HOS I think its worth just weathering the storm. The scariest mix-up he's got is tick throws I have to disagree with you there sir, His lvl3 bandit revolver and fafnir are both too fast to block on reaction. At least for me, but as my last few evo's have proven... I suck. At any rate, HOS can get mad damage off both the BR and Faf. Especially the Faf. Frankly I am far less afraid of his tick throws than anything else.

Here's a good combo that seems to work on all characters. It takes a minimum of 25% tension to do, but I feel it's worth it. If I had a button that took that much tension and marked an opponent, I'd use it like mad. Whatever ending in a knockdown > HS EXE > 5S > jKSH > badlands (1 hit) > 5S > 214D > 5k 5H > BL > 236P The only thing to keep note about it the combo counter. It seems that if the combo counter is over 10 the 5H --> 214D will not combo. At least on Sol. There are also more ways to set up this particular combo, but that one listed tends to come up alot.

I've also found that using hitomi as an anti-air shield is good in certain situations. Plant the tree, and then stand on top of it. This typically seems to work best if they've moved you somewhere near the corner, thus limiting their options of crossing over the hitomi. As I already said it's situational, and very probably character specific as well (god I wish there were more local people to play!). I can say for a fact I've found it useful against baiken, jam and dizzy. (The dizzy I play isn't very good yet, so I can't say for a fact diz doesn't have an easy way around it)