SkyKing

I actually lost a GF in a local tourney to a Tao. I normally try to maintain my airspace with jumpback A and B. I try not to stay on the ground when Tao has momentum since her mixups are pretty nuts with her ability to stop her strings into drive tricks. Getting even a decent combo off of her is advantageous, especially a knockdown. I try to limit my drive uses as so not to get predictable and possibly eating a reaction super. Surprisingly, I personally use 6A in this match to try and sneak in a CH pursuit combo. Other than that, it'll just depend on the style of the Tao to understand which moves use.

I'd like to do more that resort to 5D when all other options I know don't work, even with IB. With 2D's hitbox getting increased, it even more reason to be wary of just throwing out drives just for the hell of it. And Rekkas can be used since they are fast, cover a good distance, and are usually safe on block on the 1st instance, which Noel's drives lacks in all areas.

You should be able to crack Mantenbo in half. :3 6C was her do anything attack back in CT. If any semblance of 6C is put into CS2, then I'm gonna have a field day with even more buffed normals. I would care less about getting crappier drives. They really shouldn't be used outside of combos anyway, unless ASW really wants to make them her go-to evasion.

I'm an OG arcade goer, and used to work for one, so stick for me as well. Although I can use either one, I feel that just using your thumb is so limiting for multi-button and multi-directional presses. With stick, I feel more comfortable with precise motions and having my whole hand doing stuff with the buttons.

I always have an urge to try and run under a chicken block. Do an instant j.A or throw from there. It's kinda lame and weird.

I've gotten wins this way before, and the heat gain really does help when you need to build up for added pressure in the corner. They still have to think about how to get out first without taking more damage, and Noel can finish rounds with the corner so they have to take extra caution when making decisions. I've actually whiffed the 22B before and used it to setup a 6B/2D/6D/throw game out of it.

Could it be a trap if they IB'ed 5C and tried to do something during the 2C? I haven't really tried options for IB 5C for each character's options.

Here's to hoping they don't changes Noel's CA. They did Tsubaki's, so they may do so to other characters as well.

I'd say given time, that list will be flipped.

I think they have trouble in Rachel's balancing of damaging moves vs. abusability. Wind does wonders for her, and in CT was the cause of many of her outstanding combos. She's got versatile, single-hit moves like j2C and 6B, coupled with so good frame-traps of 3C, pumpkin, and frog. They massively failed CS Rachel since doesn't have any of that, and while they had the right idea the execution was done poorly. I would just like to see some minor damage tweaks and more usability with 6A and 6B so she can actually get out of pressure with another option than CatChair or winding out of block string gaps.

Something else I've been thinking about: If we end up keeping throw whiff cancels, then that could add another dimension in our mix-up game if the recovery allows for it. With 5C > 6B gatling we can actually use B+C as a sort of frame trap against DP characters if you use the gatling and they've reacted to it with DP. The extra animation might warrant a reaction if we keep them honest with threatening with 5C > 6B. Also, if they do try to jump out of the pressure to not deal with it, 5C jc chasing is entirely viable now. Just instant air dash throw if they like to jump back, and use 2C as a frame trap if they become indecisive in their defensive choice.

As much as try to take out loops, the changes they are making are sure going to be explored, and may eventually come with new loops or devastating new tactics and combos. If your getting stuffed by scrub Noel's, then play a more basic style. It's lame, but if it works then stick with it. Noel's a hard enough character to win with now, so much so that players have dropped her to stay competitive. On topic, really liking Tsubaki right now so much that I may pick her up along with Makoto. Really wanting to be efficient with the NOL girls. Question, how is the knockback on Tsubaki's new CA? Is it a standard CA, or does it give a special state like Bang's does?

I welcome these new gatlings. It gives her more threats of big damage is they guess wrong on block. Of course they could always DP out of it, but now it's not so obvious when that will be exactly.

Oh yeah. Totally forgot that j.4D was a primer breaker. Shows how much I use that move. Sounds more and more like the way I'm wanting her to play. Along with the system changes to primers on burst, we may have a chance to punish bad bursts with a j.4D start/Assault Through end CR chains for 2 primers. Can't really do it now since everyone has an eternity+ to react to j.4D.

Any word on changes to primer breakers? Possibly some that don't require 50 heat to be safe.

Carl's should be his 623[D], Brio. If it's Noel's 6C, it's probably talking about the second hit where she fires after spinning her guns.

That'd be unreal, but hilarious. Maybe all this damage is coming from the buffed j.4D. If j.4D is usable mid-combo, then she'd be even more stylish than she is now.

Noel's 3C is a hell of a punisher, especially to whiffed or baited DP attempts, and even some really high recovery normals when IB'ed. And even if it did FC now, she's lost her haida loop, so it's even more intriguing what kind of combo it was that dealt 4k+ midscreen. Just waiting on any info based on the state of the rest of her normals, but if she stays this way in the final, then I'd be content. Something better than CS1 at least.

Noel's getting abare damage sounds like her normals are something than just pokes now. Just thinking about damaging options from each normal is something that has to be considered now, counter hit or not. Now I'm looking forward to what kind of corner game she's gonna have. I swear, if she somehow gets even a semi-lockdown in the corner we won't hear the end of it.

I'm looking at it in a positive light. Considering CS1 non-haida loop mid-screen averaged at about 3.5~4k with a 5D or 3C, 4k+ in a supposedly damaged nerfed game is pretty powerful. Since we now have 6A again, the thing to look for now is the average damage Noel can deal with 5A,2A, or 2B>6A starters. If her normals buff to where I can spam 5A again, then I'll be doing so.

I can see 4k coming from a CH 5D, though exact mashing patterns kind of irk me. Hopefully, Optic Barrel can actually be used as a new link in combos more consistently. That would give us another move to tack on damage, and could make for some midscreen mix-ups and somewhat of a zoning game against those not named Tager. Please give us CS1 loketest Optic Barrels.

If that's mashing, what'll her actually combos end up doing? 6k+, oki, and meter?

Well then, looks like my idea is out the window. Good thing, too. Let's hope ASW doesn't mess this up and actually have an identity with her. 4k+ sounds like a good place to start. Wondering now just on her normals in general. Slight buffs, sure, but moreso on specifics.

So is Ragna's 6A going to have any change in hitstun on counter hit then? It'd seem odd to have just a stand alone move without any bonuses for guessing correctly on a jump-in or air dash attack. Although I guess they would want to have Inferno Divider as the main anti-air then.