Aoi FS first impressions

Just a thread to share some thoughts about Aoi in FS. I wanted to start that topic weeks ago, but I was too busy playing lol.


Like I thought, that sabaki works also against high punch and any high punch type moves ( like Eileen or Akira's ). Aoi has finally an low punch sabaki ! Yay ! BUT....it only works at advantage down to... -1.
So at 0 and -1 and advantage, it sabakies low punches and high punches.( note: at -1 it doesn't work against 11-fr high punch.) So it has limited uses only. Like after 43P NH, 6P+K on block and especially 6PP NH. Or if you block Kage K+G or 9K+G. Honestly, worth a try only after 6PP when your opponent knows that you're at -1, so he decides to go with a low punch. And then he will stop 2P after eating that sabaki ( 61 damage, that's a lot for our little Aoi !)

or
No more magic evading properties against wake up kicks like in vanilla. No more natural combo on normal hit.
Some use if you decide to abare against a throw attempt and your foe is back to wall. Because the second hit causes wall stagger. Also, nice to use in a wall combo when you're off axis after the 6K+G bound.( against light weigth only )


Slightly better hitbox. It's like a second low punch, but it's true mid and just 1 frame slower. Against characters who has low cruch moves or anti-2P moves ( like Eileen's 9P, Lion's 8K or El Blaze's 8P+K ), replace your low punch with that move.
Also, can be done from a crouching position, and it comes out easier while you're moving ( no more mistaken input with 3P or 23P)

~
By far, the best Aoi's move, though unsafe.
Go under all highs at disadvantage up to -10. It has also a very good range. Your opponent is whiffing a high or a low punch after your crouchbackdash, you duck a high or a throw attempt ? Go for that hit throw. It also goes under or "eats" mid attacks at the appropriate range and disadvantage! A good abare tool too, but use it sparingly.
But it also works in close range against elbows in close stance at -1 and -2: Tested on Jacky, Lau, Goh, Kage.


Natural combo on MC only. Also delayable, and 4P is full circular. Use it if your opponent mixed evade with a low crushing move at disadvantage, expecting that you will use your 2K+G sweep. Even if 4P leaves you at -2 on block, because of the threat of the follow up, you are safe and you can even try BT 2P to interrupt attacks. Don't forget that BT 2P is still a true low, it need to be crouch guarded.

Sundome~
One of her best addition IMO. Since zero frame throws are gone, you will rarely get cancel to throws against good opponents. Sundome~K is here to make them stop P or 2P or attack you everytime they see Aoi cancel something.
Very safe ( only -4 on block), mid attack, frame advantage on hit, and stagger crouching opponent. So, after a lot of sundome K, once a while you can try a cancel to throw lol.
That move also crumple a staggered opponent, good to know near a wall


Since the last hit is delayable, is mid, can be cancelled and provides a crumple on MC, that string has some uses outside combos now.


6K is -8 on guard now, but with the threat of the follow up P, your opponent will not attack immediately unless he wants to eat the dust. On combo, it slams like the old KK in vanilla: if they fail to tech, you can add a ground throw or a down attack.


The second hit used to stupidly whiff when using against a standing opponent. Not anymore.


What have they done to that move ? It was nice in vanilla for combo or punishing -14 move. Now it can be barely used in some combos... Disappointing.


Has better chance to KD since it's full circular and hits evaders. You can still avoid the block animation by entering tenchi stance, but be sure to not hit P+K+G immediately, delay a little.


Has really an unexpected good range. If you opponent likes to side kick because they think you are going to backdash, or just to poke you at distance. use it ! Too bad you can only get at best 57 damage with a combo after that sabaki. KD on any hit.


Better frame stats, but no free low throw attempt on MC anymore. However if your opponent holds G or doesn't react, your low throw can still connect, he has to evade or attack right away.


Better float on MC


Better frame stats on NH and MC.


Still damn slow, and since it's only +9 on MC now ( it means no more free PPK )...useless.


Good move, kinda fast, wall splat, KD on hit. Deserves a try, even if I prefer the side kick 3K.

and
Her bounce moves. Hard to use outside combo because of their slower execution. If only 6K+G could be positive on block like Pai's 46K+G..

Tenchi
nothing really change, except that you get PPK now on elbows, punches and side / mid kickes for 40 damage. Free launchers for others. Still have no clue why some mid kicks get parried like side kickes, and theses kick parry animations looks a little too similar.
_ Tenchi 6 goes under throws and highs, but is better if used after you KD your foe with a MC sweep for example. Tenchi 6P launches and is safe, and Tenchi 6K is a low kick with +4 on NH but unsafe on block. Or you can throw. Decent mix ups.
_ Tenchi 4 evade away. Not bad to keep yourself at distance.
You can crumple with a safe K, or KD with a sweep. Oh, and she has a guard break from that too. Would have been much better if we could get that guard break after Tenchi 6 IMO...
_ Tenchi evade 8 or 2
It seems that the evade is slower, covers a ridiculous short distance, and Aoi can easily get hit during the evade now.
The bright side is Tenchi 8 or 2P crumples on NH now, but is only half circular.( in vanilla, it was full circular)

Backturned options
Nothing godlike like Lau or Kage BT options but not completely useless.
_BT P+G catch throw for a free 64P+KP
_BT 2P a fast low punch what can only be crouch guarded.
_BT P+KPP now the last hit is cancellable ( sundome K should make your opponent think twice before ducking ), special high ( bye bye low puncher ) and is still a double handed attack.

Reversals
Now you get a free down attack or a free low grab attempt after every reversals, which is kinda nice. Still risky. Use them when your opponent is too predictable.

Wall combo juice
It's still like vanilla, so kinda easy for her to carry your opponent near a wall ( juggle with PP6PP ). 66P and 3K+G start your wall combo, but also P+G 8 or 2 or 4 and parry EL/SK/P followed with an elbow or a punch what causes stagger.
After the Bounce with 6K+G, (P,P+K) does slightly more damage than (3K+G), but against some characters like sarah or el blaze, using 3K+G allow a free 3K at the end, with good oki.


Overall, Aoi get her best damage on combo after 23P+KP MC and 44P+K ( beetween 75 and 85 DMG ), others launchers or crumples do decent 65-70 damage. Nothing crazy like a 100 damage combo excepted on wall. However, as a light weight, and since some characters get strong combos damage-wise in FS, prepare to cry when you get launched.. She still can be deadly near a wall ( 66P, but also P+G followed by a direction, or punch / elbow / side kick parry... then wall combo FTW ). She is still weak for punishing ( excepted some low moves thanks to 23P but that's it) but she's pretty safe too ( at worst, she's at -13 ). Her throws are still good ( 65 DMG for 6 and 60+10 damage for 4 ) but no more easy cancel throw set ups.
From vanilla, she get an average damage boost on combo, and some buffs and moves with frame advantage on hit, but she's still the same character who can shut down your opponent's basic / best options and forces him to play differently, mostly with anti-tenchi moves and strategies. Speaking of which, most characters in FS seem to get more anti-tenchi moves now ( Jacky get a sweep, Pai get 3P+K, Eileen get 43P+K, Lau get that stupid 1P..) so although tenchi is a part of her defense, don't rely on it too much. She get better okizeme thanks to FS system, but still need work and set ups to get damage. A single mistake or a launch really hurts her.
To conclude, a good average character, who can be strong in the right hands and with the right decisions and guesses.

 

Nice writeup! Time to start working on those anti-aoi strats (i just found out that lau 9k and 66k+g are now jumpkick class attacks, so thats a nice start).

 

Very nice and thorough.

 

Nice post kingo. Good to see you on board as an Aoi specialist.

Yeah, + is an absolutely great move. Heh, I know I've fallen in love with that move far too many times during matches. It works so well in numerous situations.

Sundome is great as well. It's too bad everyone looks for that move now when fighting Aoi.

is also a big time favorite of mine since it's good at pushing an aggressive rushing opponent back and even causing a stagger at times. Plus a timely side counter hit with this move after an evade can possibly lead to using a launcher.

+ is another personal favorite of mine to slip in a counter hit on an overly aggressive opponent.

Sometimes I set up opponents to use Aoi's single half circular against frequent one-direction evaders who don't use crouch dashing maneuvers. (I also use for those evading in the opposite direction in similar situations.) But yeah, has changed a lot from its vanilla counterpart. I pretty much only use this double kick just for tack-on wall hits.

I still like + the most as Aoi's best launcher. However, through some extensive combo testing I shockingly found a lot more effective combos than I previously thought can be discovered from using as the starter. Plus I noticed that a well-timed + can be used to float characters slightly higher during a combo. This makes for some interesting combo ideas I want to experiment after finishing this testing process.

The majority of moves out of Tenchi stance now seems to be relegated to controlling distance in fights... and also orchestrating some, heh, demonic okizeme tactics.

Kruza

 

Great thread and congratulations to the specialist promotion. =)

is useful in her + combos in open stance and gives max damage (as far as I know).

About : I kind of find it useless outside of combos. Unless the hits on MC, the next hit does not combo, not even if it hits from sideturned. Also, the second hit is actually high and can be stopped with after is guarded or connects on normal hit.

So, it is only useful when the part counter hits and then you only get to force a guessing game. At +4 there are better and safer options IMO.
Or am I missing something? When is it good to use?

 

23P+KP MC, 2KP, KK seems to work only on Lau and her daughter though. 23P+KP MC, 2KP, KPK give max damage (81) and only works on the Chan ( close stance ). Can't get it work on others characters.

2KPP cancel makes you safe if the opponent TR a side hit PPK for example

Krye: yeah, like you would use these moves when you're at +4 only and close range... But that's one of the purpose of Tenchi stance: makes you use moves you wouldn't even think about at normal time, and sometimes, these anti-tenchi moves are not better than what you would normally use.

Kruza: feel free to post in the combo thread!

 

+ > > works on (in closed stance)

(with one frame delay by buffring a crouch dash after )
Eileen
El Blaze
Aoi
Sarah
Pai
Vanessa
Shun
Lion

(with fastest timing/buffered)
Lau
Brad
Lei Fei

According to my testing at least. In open, replace with .

On some characters the timing is... trickier. I don't know how to describe it and I really don't understand how it works.
Anyway, try it on Lion, with the CD buffer. It is fairly easy.