Sophisticat

Oh yeah, the 6c's were flukes, just so you know. I wouldn't normally throw one out like that. I'll also note he doesn't have any exp. vs. good Haku's (not saying I'm one), so he was getting used to the match-up. Besides that, thanks for the info!

Okay, I'll give it a shot. What's the best you got for a 5a CH? If the guy crosses me up and I was going for 6a, I get 5a CH instead, so I was wondering how to capitalize on that.

I've really been in need of a better combo off 3c, so thanks for posting that. My current 3c -> 2c -> IAD j.c is kind of lacking.

I hope no one's tired of it yet, but I've got some new vids up for critiquing! These are against Moi_X7, a very good Jin. (1), (2). I'll have about 4 others up, but I won't link since they're of less consequence. Things to note: lag was minimal. Beyond not being able to properly IB his very predictable string, it wasn't an issue. So this time (unlike vs. Blade), if I made a mistake or if it looks like I'm mashing a lot, it's very unlikely lag caused it. It's just this guy who was putting on the pressure. I believe the second vid is the better one of the two since we both got our bearings by then. Anyway, please critique!

You can't underestimate this combo! It's harder than Slayer links! But really, no one's blowing it out of proportion at all. We're just saying it takes practice. On a slight tangent, am I the only one to find it an odd bnb, both visually and input-wise? The timing/spacing is harder than your average bnb, and it doesn't look like a bnb at all. I can't deny the advantage it can confer in terms of damage and positioning, though. Anyway, not complaining, it's just a weird combo for several reasons.

Yeah, falling.C combo is a pain to get down. I still don't have it right myself. Sol has it right for the tips, though. Not much more to it than practice, though I guess I'll add... Doing: 1) f.C: Timing. I do it so I hit C a bit after Haku's legs bend. 2) 2c -> sj.2c: Tricky. You have to go back to neutral just as you hit 2c, then hit 7/9. Gotta do it fast. 3) sj.2c -> AD j.2c: I just mash 66/44, then hit C/2c asap. Scrubby, but it works. AD timing after a j.2c isn't something I find intuitive.

Thanks for clarifying, though I'd never go below the 1k/star + 1k anyway (Well, as much as possible). What kind of rule would you say applies to the low-damage stuff? Hop is faster in CS? Does this mean hop specials are harder to do now?

So I've been trying out: [starter] -> Gurren -> hop 5b -> j.2c -> AD j.2c. Is it really worth incorporating this into my repertory? The current Kishuu -> 2c variant is well within the 1k/star + 1k damage rule for combos, so it should be good enough. Of course, the answer would be yes since you only do ~150 less dmg for one less star and similar results, but the hop -> 5b link makes me wonder if it's worth the possibility of miss-timing. It's not a combo I'd use online, in any case. Otherwise, I've been giving this close-to-corner variant a shot: [starter] -> Gurren -> 5c -> Gurren -> 2c loop. This is a more situational combo, but I find it gives more bang for your buck than the above two combos when the spacing isn't right for them. I don't think it works on Carl, though.

Is it really completely worthless? You can always check to see which gaps are going to be easier to tech out of, what's going to come next, options at the end of the combo, etc. No need to actually practice them, but knowing what's what is (at least to me) useful. Well, sticking to one character is the best idea no matter what. I mix it up with other characters every once in a while to see how they play. Personally, it gives me a better understanding of what I'm up against as a whole, rather than in the parts I'd see from my character's point of view. But that's just preference on my end, I wouldn't automatically call it necessary. It makes it easier for me to learn the match-up, so if that's what makes it for you, then go for it.

Okay, about those Mu Gen combo vids Ryoko posted earlier. First, the glaringly obvious: holy shit @ 6C/Mugen combos. I'm certain this will be toned down in later versions, so best to enjoy it now. Anyway, some interesting stuff in there, but I'll just list the more obvious things since I wouldn't wish to assume anything more than that and be wrong about it. - 5c -> 5c/2c link (possible to do 2c -> 5c link?) - Corner loop is now longer. You can do j.2a -> j.c about twice, land, j.b, and do it again. - 6a will have its uses, but I only recall one instance where 6b was used. - Combo's off j.D. Among these, only the loop is new to me, but it's nice to see the rest in action. Overall, the vids show his damage/return and risk/reward ratios are better than in CT. His bnb's damage even exceeds that of CT in some cases. I find the only notable exceptions are the lack of 4c (only once as a loop finish), combos off throws (only one in there), and IB -> punish stuff (might have been there, but I didn't notice it), but those might have simply been redundant material. Can't wait to play the guy.

Yes, less recovery too. I can also catch them off-guard once in a while for a nice setup. I just want to use kishuu more effectively in this match-up because it's a nice tool to have. Not too many ways to get in Nu. :\

^ Indeed, Haku has one of the most visible backdashes. Didn't you mean "invincibility"? :P So last night I found out Montreal might have a solid BB scene forming, which is awesome. Offline is too good. I was IB'ing stuff easier than I usually do online, though my first time using stick has left me unimpressed. I'll be sticking to my pad's analog stick for a while now. Besides that, crowds really do mess with your head. I was dropping stuff left and right all night. Now, about IB - and to make it formal - when blocking, you set the stick back to neutral before going back to 1/3, correct? That's what I'm doing, but I was wondering if it wasn't necessary and you could just go half-way back to neutral, then back into 1/3.

Q: Can you kishuu after IB'ing 5D's first sword for an unpunishable CH? In general, when is a good time to kishuu when IB'ing a regular 5D -> 4D -> 236D string?

^ A lot of us are console players. There'll be plenty of hype once it drops on the Ps3/360.

No, it really depends on the player. Some choose to use it, some don't. I know one very, very good Nu online who uses it very effectively and double perfects me nearly every time we get a match going. That's assuming I haven't refused it because it's an entirely ridiculous waste of time going up against someone like that. Good use of gravity wells means you seal Haku's motion nearly completely since he already can't airdash. Doesn't matter if you had a permanent Mugen with one-hit-kill jabs, if you can't get in, it's pointless. I'll upload a vid if I see him again, you'll see what I mean.

^ Good Nu's that make effective use of gravity wells are near impossible to beat unless they make a mistake. Bad Nu's chip away at your health, but you'll likely blow them away once you get in with your 8 stars.

The loop in question is basically: [Launcher from the corner] -> j.2c -> j.C -> 2c -> sj.2c x2 -> AD j.2c x3. You can assume your combo is the "launcher" here... I'm also assuming the guy won't automatically tech out because you combo'd into it.

A tip for falling j.C: I time it so I tap C right after Haku's legs finish bending in his jump. You have a bit of wiggle room here, so find the one that fits you best. But for me, that's the one I like. In general, practice doing it as late as possible. Doing it too early lets them tech out. For IAD j.2c, just gotta do it fast. Takes practice is all I can say.

The fighter mentality in a match is about knowing how and when to defend and attack. Outside matches, you're learning how to be effective at that by keeping an open mind and learning the game. Simple as that.

^ Not to derail the thread further, but I thought he was a "punisher" character? At least insofar that he capitalizes on other's commitments by giving back several times (depending on meter). More on topic, thanks a lot for the list! Only thing I think is missing is that 6c has 4 "levels", and only three are present. I'm taking this from memory, so I could be wrong, but I do recall Ryoko posting the damage figures a month or so ago.

Oh, you meant 4/5 as throw direction. I thought you meant number of variations... silly me. But yeah, I've seen it done. In the corner I prefer doing loop since it's meterless for relatively equal damage, so it's a better trade-off in my opinion. Shippu is good to kill them, though. Counters... just going to have to practice. I'm actually more wary of counters vs. RTSD because I can also easily get hit out of it. And Blade isn't an RTSD player? That was some wicked stuff there.