Skye

You are correct, and the only solution I can give is to tough it out until you get a feel for it. If the dash isn't coming out, then you are indeed doing it too fast.

Yes we still.... Link up.

KNEE GROW

Don't think it's that big, if it hit, whatever the damage or corner carry, you still maintain momentum, not to mention the possibility of resets. The change to the wolf meter is the best change for me, I can block wolf mix up to a certain extent, but I hate blocking it, then getting hit and having to stay from square 1 when he gets good meter back after the combo.

Thank God they changed Mu's backdash.

True. Most characters have bad defensive options outright.

Not at all, I said they, as a whole, amounts to a decent defensive game, but nothing overwhelming. I know it's easy to make something sound bad by only pointing out the flaws, but since everyone was talking about how good it was, a counterbalance was well needed. At least to paint a proper picture.

I never said I wanted them to be better!

Everything I mentioned about the 3 example DPs makes them better than "somewhat", imo. They ARE better, there isn't a MU where you wouldn't use it because on normal hit, you'll (not your opponent) eat 3k (Hi Tao). Again, I don't agree that Growler is "strong". it's decent, yes, and it serves it's purpose as a reversal, kinda. His backdash is his saving grace. Think about if he didn't have a really good backdash, would you still swear by Growler? I promise you not more than Jin, Ragna and Kagura players would swear by their respective DPs, and those were just the examples characters that immediately came to mind. I completely understand that Azrael has two defense options with merit, I stated that before anything, but one defense option is ok, the other is versatile, but has flaws and if I couldn't OS, I'd much sooner opt for punishing the "most likely (therefore easier to read) defense option that can make my autopilot blockstrings whiff and he gets a mostly free punish" backdash over the DP that'll return me to neutral midscreen. No, I haven't. I play Arakune who relies on projectile pressure, it gets him out of projectile based set ups, but he's still on the defensive afterwards, it's a MU thing, not a universal trait. I'm aware, but that's weeks from now, I'm talking about Azrael now.

In my opinion, observation and experience, it's not that good, not when you take into account say, Inferno Divider, Hirensou, Whatever the hell Kagura's DP is named, DPs with good hitboxes, good speeds, comboability. His DP isn't bad, but there are much better DPs out there that force a considerable amount of respect. I may have misspoken when I said "bad", I meant more along the lines of "below average" He has options and they have their uses, but can be blown up with little effort, especially in certain MUs. This is a hard question to answer, because it falls into conjecture and a player by player basis, but if you hard read the 2c, you can normal or instant block it in the air and get a free punish if Azrael tries to follow up, and people always use AAs with the expectation for them to CH. Remember guys, dumb ol' Skye is just giving his 2 cents, no big deal.

5b and 2c are the real AAs, as good as 6b is in theory, it's actual usefulness it's limited, you only get those big numbers on CH and the follow up is awkward and distance dependant. 5b is for badly spaced air approaches and 2c although active for days is not air unblockable and one of his least safe normals, if not his least safe. You can normal block it and mash a, IB it and you got a full punish with most characters, you shouldn't come in so recklessly anyway and all those AAs are easy to bait and punish. As an Arakune player, I judge AAs by how hard it is to deal with them (maneuver around, bait, punish, being forced to respect, etc) and Azrael is no big deal. They are good, but they all have exploits.

Watch Fumo, his neutral is pretty outstanding. Having good neutral with Arakune is basically picking your moments to go in. Regardless who's on the offensive.

I think Azrael does have bad defense, or at least average defense. A characters defensive worth, imo comes from 2 factors; How many defensive options they have available? How good are said defensive options? All Azrael has is a really good backdash and an ok reversal. The reversal isn't a huge issue and is actually negative on hit. His backdash although good, can be baited, and some characters can OS both. Judy takes some thinking. Although it's a tighter window, you can punish Azrael's backdash the same way you punish Arakune's. Not saying it's free, but it has blind spots, enough to take advantage of.

Generally any pre curse combo that ends in j.d or 5d to activate curse, involves ending it with slow cloud. 5d ender is simply 41236[a~cd] special cancel on the wallstick. J.d ender is 6b~d bugs > 41236[a] > 6acd. You need to hold a on the slow cloud to prevent the a bug from coming out from behind the opponent and messing up the knock down from d bug.

I use slow cloud > j.c in corner. Slow cloud > 214a/bcd cross up/fake cross up midscreen off a j.d combo. Delay 5c6d bug > 2c off a 6d combo. Sometimes I'll go for the unblockable in the corner and that's when 2b meaty comes in handy.

Wait a brief second and 2c, the combo timer resets after like 20f of knockdown. Are you buffering bugs once you get curse? That should also force honesty.

2b > 5b buffer OS in the corner. If the roll, 2b > 5b will connect and you air combo, if they don't, 2b will whiff and you'll recover in time to pressure. Midscreen, 2a and pray. J.b is decent only for back rolls, because it'll hit the roll and the knockdown will force emergency tech. Other than that, I wouldn't try too hard to run oki midscreen, return to neutral or start setting up zoning.

Something involving Kokonoe, I'm sure, but no definitive answers, no. I too hate that he's such as minor character in the plot.

One upon a time, excessive complaining about changes before release was a pretty bad offense, and for good reason, keep a lid on it, please. Understandably, everyone won't be pleased, but it's not the end of the world and not objectively the end of your character. Please wait for release and development in the meta game to complain at length, it's presumptuous to do so now.

Five frames before the flash, two frames after the flash. It's a nerf. His super used to be essentially a 5f dp, now not so much. It might affect combos too, idk though. The backdash is a buff. It's faster with only 10f of vulnerability instead of 11. The curse time change sounds drastic when we're getting hit or blocking, but it's also slower overall now, so that's cool. I think these changes, albeit small, will make a big difference, mostly for the better. Also, I'm not quite such how NP resistance works either, I'll read the wiki real quick.

Without going in to it, I'll simply state that I did say "arguably". :P

Be realistic. It's not like she's terrible, just honest. We've seen what happens when Makoto is grime.

Only on paper, really. Don't forget about his gdlk normals, safe pressure and infuriating keep away game.

Alright guys, I got it. The 100% midscreen to corner curse combo off an S starter. I understand it. As far as I know, there are two versions, basically the same, but just uses the respective 6b follow ups at different spots. These, I've found, are largely up to preference, the combo is a doozy, regardless. (j.4b) > 5a > 6b > iad j.4ab > j.6d > j.4b (1/2) > j.a > land 6b > iad j.2a > DC 6d > 2c > 5d (j.4b) > 6b > iad j.4ab > j.6d > j.4b > 5a > 6b > iad j.2a > DC 6d > 2c > 5d The trick is the first iad. You need to pretty much literally tap the barrier, because you need to carry a wee bit if distance before you j.d. you almost plink the barrier and j.d. after that, the test of the combo isn't that hard, it's just that first iad is imperative to execute correctly. Iad barrier too long and they'll tech, don't iad barrier, then the j.4b will most likely whiff. In my efforts there was no such thing as doing the barrier too early, the faster the better.

Pre-curse combos.