Drake Aldan

http://www.twitch.tv/drakealdan/b/604811702?t=41s Today's session. I haven't yet been able to apply 5K > 2S or 5H > 2D properly... but, I think I am getting to the point where I am solidifying my gameplan, and I'll need to start seriously analyzing my play and/or individual matchups. --- Something I was flirting with today was jH > j236H as an "OS"... i.e. you jump around and fish with it, if people don't like to play grounded footsies with you... If they're being overly aggressive you'll catch them. --- Some thoughts about BT stance: BT P > BT H looks like a frametrap. You can be thrown out of it, but then it looks like BT P > BT K will catch them low (since they have to hold 4 or 6 to throw, which means they have to stand, right?) Combos off of BT H seem very important to make BT extra scary. I think linking into BT S > rekkas or BT 632146S is a minimum. It feels like if you whiff a parry it's just another diceroll (will they walk up throw or stick out a limb?) unless you're immediately punished for it. Spending longer periods of time in BT stance kinda feels good when you start parrying consistently, anyway. --- [2]8H~S plinking really works well and I strongly suggest everyone start doing this. It's reminiscent of SF's super pianoing, things work nicely when you get multiple chances to hit the reversal. Saved my ass more than once. --- 5H ~ P might be good as a fake. Its weakness to lows is what makes it matchup/situationally specific, really. The thing is you have to visually confirm what your opponent is throwing out before you can choose to interrupt it, unless you're just doing it for the lulz. --- 2D's foot and throw invincibility seems to make it a good choice for counterpoking (stopping a Millia running in on you, stopping Sin's slide, etc.) It seems mildly confirmable into RC air combo. --- Running gives the faster characters a lot of range on their attacks... It seems to stop them you have to throw out your attack quite early (no reacting to their run). You can go for 5H > 236S, or 5K > 2H > 236S... I think that would be pragmatic. (5K > 2H may not link at tippy-tip range hitting outstretched hurtboxes, so I guess 5H would be the "safe" option...) fS requires you get CH or crouching before you can convert it into anything. Maybe [4]6S YRC, to cover yourself if they jump. Geez, fS looks like it should be a good button, but I really don't like it at all, the more I play.

http://www.twitch.tv/drakealdan/b/604381497?t=4h50m05s Seems like most of the setups I do are unintentional... fS seems to have a terrible hurtbox... and I can't recall others whiff punishing my fS/5H (though maybe I should go look, huh.) Aside from using it to block DPs in your blockstrings I really can't say the purpose. It's not fast enough to act as a shield to hold your ground vs most projectiles, honestly (as I said, fS has a bad hurtbox and 5H is just too slow). You end up having to do it really early, and you're a sitting duck if the opponent didn't actually toss anything at you. 2H being 11 frames is your best bet but that means they're in your face, hopefully they don't just sweep you. Someone will think up something eventually, I guess.

It was bugging me, so I booted the game up again. Ah, lab mode, you never end... Even with the RC 6H stuff we're looking at +60-65 damage or less for a rekka extension... so yeah, probably not worth it, unless it kills... I think this is what I'm going to start doing, personally. I end up almost always doing 236H whiff anyway, so I just end up in the same position (i.e. in BT). Though I guess you could argue that RC lets you keep corner control if you have it... If they don't burst out of it, anyway. I'll probably save meter for YRC, Dead Angle, and Stahl Wirbel. --- Yup, you get 236H whiff off of 2D knockdown. I need to use it more, definitely. That means Leo has his "infinite" blockstring, and he has stagger pressure with dash 5K/2K > 2S... Good to know. --- Honestly, I like using BT P instead of BT K as my meaty in BT stance. P has more throw invul frames, i.e. a little more wiggle room (important, online!). You can always do K if you notice them starting to stand block or whatever. --- I got it! After Dritt/2D/etc. in the corner, just whiff 5H~hold (like what Locked was doing fullscreen)... There's your BT pressure on their wakeup! Why didn't it occur to me before...?! --- So to get this straight with [4]6H YRC: The point is that, after Dritt midscreen, you do it, and then you 236H for a crossup that they're forced to block, right? And then you're left in BT for mixups (or you BT S > rekkas if it hits). Would you do it if Dritt flung them into the corner (i.e. you are not close enough to whiff 5H and go into BT)? Would it be better to just save the meter and walk up 5H instead?

http://www.twitch.tv/drakealdan/b/604381497?t=1h50m10s A long set... if you can stand the potato quality. Hopefully I can fix that next time... I think I am warming up to 2D. I will have to test it out to see if you can get 236H whiff afterwards, but I was using it as a "counter-poke" today and I think it's not so bad at all. I bet 5K > 2S > 2D combos, so that would make that blockstring (5K > 2S stuff) more viable... --- So what do you think Leo should spend meter on? I've been spending it on Rekka RC extensions... but I'm beginning to think that may not be so wise unless it will kill, even if you get it off of a 5K or 5H starter. (I don't know the exact numbers but they are probably not worth it.) Leo's very momentum-based... Blitz Shield and Dead Angle, perhaps? Maybe YRC to assist in spacing... Maybe doing more Dead Angle instead of going for reversal overdrive and failing would keep me alive longer. :P

Can bars be a reasonable way of filtering connections, or should you just assume it's a lie and try everything out? At this time of day I was looking at player/ranked match search... A lot of 0 bars, but a lot of 4 bars, too. Judging from the names, these were the Japanese... The thing is, I don't live in California, I live in Florida.

Well, yes. It makes him a scrub killer, or, as I've said, the online King. Offline and against real players he'll just be honest- BUT the first thing you have to establish, is "can you deal with the loop". Regarding Instant Blocking - 5K > cS is still gapless. if I'm reading things right, cS is -1 on instant block, which isn't so bad, and it's also jump cancelable. Instant blocking cS puts a gap before 5H, but it'd be a pretty small one. Instant blocking 5H doesn't change much as you are already putting a gap there. You have 5H~P and 5H hold BT D to deal with DPs and Overdrives/jabs, respectively. Instant blocking 6H is the big one since 6H on instant block is (again if I'm reading things right) +1. STILL... +1 is still a good situation. You might not be able to 5K as easily, but you can still backdash 5H, you can still transition into BT, you can YRC at the last second to throw them off and go into another blockstring- you have all sorts of options (as Dime has mentioned above). The opponent, within a short period of time, is having to decide whether to- - instant block - blitz shield - block crossup - faultless defense - mash faultless defense throw OS - execute under pressure without errors - etc. all at once, and repeatedly, without having too much time to think. That's gonna require some serious processing power, and just a few mixups or delays are gonna throw their whole plan outta whack. It's layers on layers, and I don't think anyone can truly put him dead to rights, but the foundation of it is establishing that loop, and "putting the fear of God" into them. --- Some notes, from playing the computer (thanks LizardSquad...) 5H is "the money button" since you can start your loops with it if it gets blocked. Carefully confirming off of stray hits/counter hits into a Dritt knockdown will be a good skill to have. 236H works well for catching R1F backdash. Flash Kick is... an OK reversal. Because it's a charge and there's no real buffering in this game you get one shot, and then your charge is gone. (Hope you didn't mistime it, or waste it during a gapless blockstring.) Maybe it would be better if the input was plinked or something, i.e. [1]7H~S. In my eyes, knockdown into Dritt, 236H whiff, BT pressure is the best thing you can do, at least at first. (If you get hit out of meaty BT K, it means you mistimed the 236H whiff.) If the enemy blocks your BT H overhead and gets pushed out, it's probably a good time to think about inching towards them for the BT D. Of course, we're talking about sheer reads, here. I guess you could dash away and cancel stance to be "safe" but cmon, we're playing Leo, right? I like doing 66> BT S > BT H after a successful BT D, since you remain in BT stance. (Personally, I think repeating actions like this- Dritt into BT, BT D into BT, block loops, etc.- serves as psychological warfare, it'll annoy and aggravate most players and cause them to get sloppy, which Leo can easily punish.) Ideally you'll want to be knocking your opponent around midscreen with BT "setplay". Be very aware of your screen position, since you don't want to 236H whiff, and then put yourself in the corner; if you guess wrong, the opponent gets damage and corner control. Hopefully if it comes to that point you are able to do something like [4]6H YRC instead. After hitting Dritt dead in the corner it's kind of hard to back off and do much else... I think your options are meaty 6K (throw inv) or backing off and maybe cautiously throwing out a 5H or something to fill the space, if you think they won't reversal or something... When you've weathered the opponent down with BT setplay and block loops, stopping at 236H in combos is gonna be pretty scary. If you've stressed out your opponent enough, you might be able to use it more than just a couple of times.

I tried this out. It could be an option if you got good enough at it, but for me, I don't think it will be practical. The delay window feels very tight. 5K > 5P doesn't gatling... Do you mean doing 5K, then doing 5P shortly after? A few characters can interrupt this by jabbing... I guess you could 5K > 5H to call them out on it... eh, but it seems spacing dependent (too close and they can throw you out of 5H). Eh.. Holes aren't too bad since you're playing against humans, but I still don't like them... A run-up 2S is gonna give you enough advantage to 5P afterwards and beat most things clean... and CH 2S, 5P is a thing on hit. But 2S is 10 frames, added to the dash I wonder when I'll get a chance to use it. 6K honestly is not looking too useful to me. You get + frames but not reliable ways to shut down mashers afterwards (cause of the pushback). I feel like it is a meaty tool only because of the throw invincibility (and you just happen to get advantage if they block). I have been using 236H as a risky way to close distance or start an offense. I think, aside from shenanigans, the best thing to do is to get it blocked from the front... to try to make the timing ambiguous so they don't throw you. The thing is you can still be hit by them sticking limbs out on your approach... 236H would've been better with some armor :P Hmmmm. http://youtu.be/KBTyr59F1dg So it seems this is the key. As long as you have the spacing for 5K to go into cS on the initial blockstring, the vacuum effect of 5H and the forward movement of 5K and 6H should take care of the rest. http://youtu.be/Gp7Zal-DfiA 6H, 5K is a 3 frame gap. Only Chipp, with his fast 5P, can CH you out of it, and his timing needs to be perfect. The best he gets is a trade, if you've done it correctly. 4f jabs get wrecked. Three loops of this fills the RISC gauge. If you catch a hit at this point the whole thing will combo for spectacular damage. ("Fatal!") Establishing this opens up the rest of his mixups. 5H/6H > 236H, 5H~P guard, 5H/6H hold, 5H/6H hold BT D, 6H YRC, dash FD brake throw, jumping after cS- what can you think of? (No, seriously, help me out, I need to document all of this.) You should have answers for Instant Blocking, Blitz Shield, DPs, Overdrives, etc. Faultless will mess it up (specifically it'll keep cS from coming out and turn it into a whiffing fS), but keep in mind that 5H and 6H take big chunks (12-13 tension?) when blocked. http://youtu.be/DfaSch9gviA And you still have the option of skipping cS for just this instance, too.

Leo can't cancel his backdash like Slayer can- so when you backdash after 236S, you might make them whiff, but you don't get a whiff punish. I suppose it's better than nothing. I've used 236S > RC a few times (just mashing buttons, really). It seems like a good way to reset pressure, though it's somewhat expensive. I really haven't had the opportunity to use Dead Angle attacks much... Hm, is it because I spend the meter before it gets to that point, or that I get preoccupied with something else...? I know people have done it to me (they would rather Dead Angle me out of blockstrings/BT blockstrings than deal with all those + frames...) 236S's -1 being bad is probably related to the obvious animation and lengthy hitstop (... blockstop? Is that a thing? The amount of real time it takes for both players to get back to neutral and for the game to accept commands, I mean.) It's easier for the opponent to react to the situation and take advantage of their +1, as opposed to you doing something like run-up 2P (i.e. ticking). That, and 236S > 236H is gapless, so there's no real drawback for the other guy pressing buttons unless you start taking risks with DP/super.

Apparently Leo's fS can be countered by certain 6Ps. http://youtu.be/XtVlMSSrFOk Zato, Potemkin, Ramlethal, Chipp, Faust (trade or 5D), I-no, Leo (trade), May, Slayer, Venom (trade) can do this. I can't be conclusive about the results since it wasn't the most scientific test... It could be something to think about when choosing to use fS as a spacing tool, maybe.

http://youtu.be/OigJ0c2-A60 Seems like it. What to do without 25 meter, though...? That's true. I guess I'll just have to make a cheat sheet or something, and put it in front of me until I learn the whole bag of tricks.

What can I do with it? It doesn't feel like I have a whole lot of advantage. My go-to (236H whiff on wakeup) isn't fast enough, so I've just been freezing afterwards. [4]6S (YRC)? Does anyone know what the numbers are on this? In training it feels like you're even, or maybe slightly negative. Sol's 5P seems to be winning out, and he also has the option of chicken blocking... 214S, whiff 236H, BT K seems to stop jumping, leaves you at advantage, and seemingly works at 236S's tip range as well... Though, I suppose that all depends on wakeup timing and when you input 236H... I sometimes go into random 236H combos when my fingers are just moving. v_v As an unintended surprise, it seems to work well, at least at this point where people aren't used to Leo yet.

My mashy, laggy Leo, when he does well. http://youtu.be/KBo0Ut2e0yc http://youtu.be/QS8y-VrOZSQ I haven't yet started to really apply blockstring variety, I've just been mashing through autopilot... I should probably start using 5P/2P more in close quarters, but the lure of 5K is just too much. Do you think 5K > cS > 6K will be a better autopilot string than 5K > cS > 5H? You lose some damage on hit (and 6H gatling), but with 5H you pretty much have to go into BT stance consciously to make anything work afterwards, else you'll get mashed out. Or maybe you just don't autopilot and use both. :P

Only referring to block. Why there is no hit numbers I don't know... Yes. Too much honesty = not top tier. Top tier is being able to apply pressure or mixups while taking little or no risk- Leo is dicerolling/rock-paper-scissors with hard counters to situations that leave him on his ass if he guesses wrong. That's not a top tier trait. Leo seems built for online. 236S becomes positive on block if the opponent hesitates, if there's lag, or especially both. His crossups, overheads, etc. can get ridiculous to block and yeah, you can do things like counter 236H with a throw, but defending against Leo shenanigans is gonna be a real mental drain on the other player, and it's going to be very hard to do consistently in any lag... That's when you're on autopilot, not mixing in delays and mental tricks. He seems to lose to people who can lame him out and play keepaway, so figuring that out will probably be the bulk of matchup study.

Saw this while watching a set on Youtube. In the corner: Rekka123 or Throw > RC > 6H, cS > jK > djK > jH > j236H http://youtu.be/5y048k9oyDo The untech time from 6H seems to "stabilize" them in the corner, making your followups somewhat more consistent.

The most consistent for me seems to be jS(2) > djS(1) > jH > j236H. (Venom kept teching out of cS > jK for some reason...) jS is 3 frames faster than jK, so that should help when untech time gets low. The only issue is in the corner, when the pushback starts stacking up... It seems to me that "optimizing" any air combo isn't really worth it, since we're talking about peanuts, maybe 6-10 damage difference at max (usually much less). Better to land in BT stance at advantage than have them tech out to play neutral again.

Thinking about blockstrings. Gapless: 5P > 5K > cS > fS or 6K or 5H 2P > 2K > 2S 6K or 5H or 2H or 6H > 236S 5H > [4]6S 66 > 5H > 236H (I have no idea how this works) http://youtu.be/CRwWGvIOTYc BT K or BT P > BT S > BT H (BT K and BT P chain into each other) --- + frames (frame traps/gaps) cS, 5K 6K, 5K > 2H > 236S 6K, 5H (a little risky but if you trade you win) fS > 5H or 6H 5H > 6H 6H, 5K > 2H > 236S --- cS/fS can be jump cancelled but Leo doesn’t have good distance on his jump… jumping after cS is probably best BT P can be jump cancelled, might be a good idea since you are usually CQC in BT anyway 5P > 5K > 5D or 2P > 2K > 5D for Dust mixups (doesn't seem like he'll get too many opportunities for this) --- fraud setup: 5H > 236H, late YRC, 6K you can be thrown before and after the YRC but if they are too late they get CH. --- I don't see a lot of mixups here. Frame traps, but not much mixups... I think relying on 236H will become a crutch, so I don't think it's good beyond using it every once in a while. Anyone have any thoughts?

Can someone tell me what's happening here? http://youtu.be/479g3KUeJ-k 66 > 5K > cS > 5H > 236H 5H > 236H is not supposed to link, I would think(?) For some reason it gets shortened...? I don't know if this would be any useful or have any other applications.

CH 6K, 5K > 2H > Rekka123 5K > 2H can work for going into rekkas when there's too much pushback to hit cS > 5H. Parry/Counter stuff: BT D success, then: 66, BT S > BT H (hard knockdown, stays in stance) 66, BT S > BT 214S (hard knockdown + corner carry) (can RC into desired air combo) In the corner: Wallsplat, BT 214H, 5K > cS into desired air combo Wallsplat, 66 (wait until they sit), BT S > BT H, BT S > BT H, BT 632146S, 6H hold, BT S > BT 214S http://youtu.be/RVMyHX_Zars I think that last one is probably a waste... but it looks pretty cool.

Dritt (214S, rekka ender) seems to be -7 on block. 236S seems safe even on IB (?) 236S > 236H is not safe (you can be interrupted before you get the parry out, unless your opponent has bad timing). Just blocking 5H hold seemingly forces opponent into your BT mixups since it pulls them in and you can parry right away. Does fS/5H, hold P do anything other than look cool? It doesn't seem useful... Can you even do anything after blocking with it? (edit- ok, you can cancel both into 5/6/2H after a short period, seems like. also, blocking in stance removes any pushback and you don't take chip damage. http://youtu.be/Fs4ExY1c9Ds though overdrives blow right through it.) I don't think he's going to be high tier, BT stance seems very "honest" with dicerolling/rock-paper-scissors (though BT backdash still has invincibility...?!) and there's chicken block FD to worry about, of course. I don't sense anything particularly "unfair" or "broken" about him. But he seems like a good fit to me. Fairly low execution, good damage. And lots of attitude!

Filled out gatling table. http://www.dustloop.com/wiki/index.php?title=Leo_Frame_Data_%28GGXRD%29 Yeah, I think I really like this guy. He's just too cool.

http://youtu.be/7fP9YCU_kYw ... Al-righty then.

Deep K Mappa (blocked), short dash cS seems really, really good (at least online). The damage is superb... and if they mash anything but 5P/2P type stuff they'll whiff and get hit. Even easier than BDC Mappa (though BDC Mappa is safer, and more "solid")... What beats crossup dash? It feels like they have to specifically call it out by timing a quick interrupt or throw

OK, putting together blockstrings/block options: After K Mappa: - BDC Mappa (go-to) - 214PP or crouching Blitz Shield (stops 2P/2K mash) - cS or 5K (if they do something like Grand Viper) - fourway (walk forward throw/bite, short dash cS, 6K/2K) (when they start blocking) After cS: - 6K - 6K YRC (recovers airborne) jS/land 2K - gatling fS - neutral jump, descending jK - forward jump crossup jK (specific range) - 5D/2D (not very practical) After fS: - cS again (cS > fS > cS > fS is gapless with the right timing and pushes you out to a range where most of the following options will work) - K Mappa (there's a gap) - BDC Mappa (shouldn't have to do this...) - jump forward jS, do cS > fS when you land - IAD jK (crossup) - dash/long dash cS (crossup) (at fS max distance, short dash is in front and long dash crosses up) - 5K (fS is +6 on block) - 5D After 5K: - IAD jS > jK > cS > fS or whatever - 5K again (not at tip range) - K Mappa (gap) - BDC Mappa (if the lag is eating your frame advantage) - Long dash, cS (crossup) (from further range) - gatling into 6H - 2D (no gatling) (should be safe on block...) - 214PP (not canceled, after 5K recovers) - 214PS/214KS (depending on distance) After 6H: - K Mappa - 214PP (short mash) - 214KK (ranged mash) - 214KS (when they start blocking) After Under Pressure: - It's Late (should at least trade with mashers) - 2K (treat like 5K if blocked, sans jump options) - Walk forward throw/bite (if you don't walk forward you'll either be out of range or they'll still be in blockstun!) - short dash, cS (crossup) - 214PS again --- 214P/K ~ throw/bite works when enemy consistently respects Under Pressure --- Is that about right?

Huh. Does anyone have the data on that? If I get hit out of it on the way back in, does that mean I missed my input (didn't do it ASAP)? I've seen it trade, too- do the i-frames not overlap with its active frames? I'll keep it in mind. Is there a character weight list anywhere for Xrd? 5H seems most viable on Millia (to me). Please do. I like to put everything in one place, so I don't have to go searching through topics to find stuff, and so I can look over all of it at once.

214PP, right? (Not the K Dandy.) If I'm reading this right, Pilebunker doesn't have any invincibility or anything, it's just fast with a big hitbox- so you have to Pilebunker ASAP to not get hit out of your Dandy, right?