Update officially announced. Maybe some of these will come true.
What else would you guys want added/changed?
EDIT: Apparently, Capcom is listening (or pretending to) to fan feedback on character balance changes over at Capcom Unity. So let’s get our requests well formed and reasonable so that Capcom takes (or pretends to…) us seriously and to drown out the inevitable whining from uninformed casuals that don’t know shit about the game or the character.
I think it’s awesome we get a new update for the series. New stages and maybe even new characters would be pretty sick but as far as Gief goes I’m not expecting any improvements whatsoever. They’ve made him worse with every update so I’m expecting the exact same here. It’s quite obvious that they don’t listen to what skilled Gief players say and instead listen to clueless scrubs that always bitch about how grapplers are always cheap. I fully expect jab spd range to be decreased because every scrub complains about that.
This is all wishful thinking and I’m sure none of these changes will take place but:
Make ex.gh kd again(0% chance this will ever happen)
Don’t make st.mk -98070979 on hit, makes no sense at all
Get rid of rbg. The move is fucking useless!!!
Slight damage buffs on normals and ex.gh
Quicker df sweep
Since non ex.gh’s are basically useless give us significant meter when we use them to absorb fireballs like Rose
regular GH is the universal back dash punish, that leads into a knockdown, and a cross-over mix-up. Yes, it requires reads, is vulnerable to EVERYTHING else, except maybe neutral jump. Jump back owns it for full combo, any attack owns it for full combo, reversals own it, and throws own it.
And on top of my previous recommendations, like far st.hp down from 12 frame to 10 frame startup (to tag jumps during block string or combo resets) and increased float state on hit, to allow juggle EXGH.
And a new notion of mine, I want, Super FAB to have LP SPD range!!! As I’ve always believed that the super should be superior to the Ultra. Face it, its more rare and way more risky as you gamble 4 EX bars.
Definitly take a bear grab instant startup, I sometime use ex bear to stop people from neutral jump in front of me waiting me to enter their air attack range and they fall for an Ex bear more than not. But that insane startup make it quite useless in fact against better opponent.
I don’t think Zangief needs that many buffs. The only important ones I’d like to have are:
I think those changes are all Zangief really needs. We can’t hope for the EXGH KD, but I do believe that changes 1 and 2 would help Zangief not rely on EXGH combos all the time and use less meter in general. Less meter usage would mean more meter to use EXGH in the neutral game (which is especially useful for fireball matchups) and more opportunities to save up for and land Supers.
you are insane.
I’d like to see:
EX RBG have the same properties as L. RBG in SFxT. He should be able to hold it and use the armor to absorb a hit and grab from maybe slightly farther than M. SPD range. Maybe have it active for 1 second before it goes into the moving taunt animation. And he should be able to cancel into dash. That’d be a nice middle ground as far as grabbing pokes with a read. It’s not brainless as you still have to guess, but it’s not as unforgiving as whiffing SPD. It still costs a bar and quite a few characters can punish Gief’s backdash, and everyone can punish his forward dash so it’s not really free. Maybe even bump the damage down to M. SPD.
st.RH should be slightly faster. If Capcom decides they wanna keep Gief more footsie oriented, then a faster st.RH will allow him better frame traps for people trying to jump away.
This, in addition to the stuff I mentioned before. And fuck any version of any move being unsafe on hit. That’s incredibly fucking stupid. Not you, Funk, but Capcom for ever thinking that was a remotely good idea and fair.
I just have this strange feeling that Sagat is going to get buffed big time. Maybe even Sim as well. I think it’s safe to say Akuma will get nerfed so that may be the only positive for Gief players.
Ok, for anyone and everyone that cares for Zangief… I would, suggest that we come down final buffs, reason for the buffs and post them in the capcom unity board. I will, compile all of which are fair and reasonable for Zangief. So, lets put our heads together and come up with some
BUFFS:
ULTRA 2 GRAB BOX BUFF:
-Increased the grab box
-Allow to grab anything that’s considered airborne
Reason:
First and foremost, The grab box in this Ultra is severally small. For Anti-Air ultra, it doesn’t work as it suppose to, for example it should grab
anything that’s considered airborne rather the character is invincible or not.If Ryu would do a ex dragon punch, and zangief were to do Ultra 2
both would fly through each other or, zangief would a combo on chunli with ex green hand and in anticipation of her doing a backdash, reads
and does ultra 2 but the ultra whiffs defeating the entire purpose that it was originally used for. With the risk/reward factor, with the above
mentioned buffs, it will make Ultra 2 more useful.
FAR STANDING MK BUFF:
-Decrease frame disadvantage on hit from -7 on hit to -1 and from -10 on block to -7
Reason:
Zangief is a footsie based character and relies heavily on his standing normals to punish whiff normals, far punishes etc. Far St.mk being -7 on hit,
defeats the purpose of it being used, limiting the use of his normals. -7 Even on hit is a bit extreme and is ultra punishable, and super punishable
from a wide variety of characters. By making this normal -1 and on hit and -7 on block, it allows zangief to have another footsie tool to aid him thus making the character
stronger on his feet, but also allowing him to be punish for not using far st.mk on block.
EX GREEN HAND HITBOX INCREASED
-Increased the overall hitbox so it always hits twice.
Reason:
Zangief Ex hand doesn’t have many uses, besides going threw fireballs and some combo usage. But Zangief’s ex hand since vanilla has never
been fixed, for example there’s a range that even if the zangief player reads the fireball and successfully punishes the opponent for throwing
a bad fireball, the ex hand will only hit once and making zangief punishable for reading the fireball, Ryu can even sweep punish, dragon punch and
a multitude of other options, defeating the whole purpose of its usage. By increasing the hitbox, so it always hits twice from all ranges, it will allow
Zangief to be stronger on his feet with against fireball based zoning characters.
-EX GREEN FRAME ADVANTAGE INCREASE
-Increase from +1 on hit to +3 .
Reason:
The Ex knockdown Nerf was devastating to Zangief as a character overall. Zangief must use his vitality to get in and usually that could range from 25 % to
even more just to get in once and possible win with a knockdown but that changed drastically when ex hand didn’t knockdown and left his opponent, on
his or her feet giving them an even greater chance to get away, even after Zangief has worked so hard to get. By increasing frame advantage on hit to +3
on hit, it will allow a better reward after he spent the whole match and vitality trying to get in. Increasing it to +3. will give him better options of advancement
after contact with ex hand,…previously +1 would put him in psuedo advantage state, leaving the opponent standing defeat several of Zangief’s own options on
the advance. Such, zangief whiff punishes Sagat’s sthk with crounching light punch option select ex hand, but it’s only +1, If Zangief normal green hand, ex green
hand in anticipation of a backdash and neutral jump or holds up-back zangief will punish. By, making it +3, it puts him in a more safe position to apply pressure
with meaty normals such as crouching light kick , Far st.mp. This buff will Zangief to be safer and stronger on his feet granting him the ability to also be truly
advantageous after ex hand .
RUNNING BEAR GRAB
Reason:
As it stands since the original street fighter 4, this move has been useless in all formats. First, Zangief runs slowly across the screen to grab his opponent. 2nd RBG
Is so slow that any and all opponents can see and punish this from all angles. By giving him 3 hits of Ex Armor and increasing the speed of which zangief runs it can
be used to catch opponents off guard, the 3 hits of Armor would allow Zangief some protection while he’s making his advancement but still making it extremely
high risk/ high reward.
Final thoughts :
By giving Zangief these buff’s overall has a character would make him more rewarded after he has spent time getting in on the opponent, more useful tools added
to help him in extremely bad match up’s vs fireball characters and giving him the ability to have a more useful Ultra 2 that add another element or dimension to our
favorite Russian wrestler. Lets Keep the Russian Sky’s protected…FOR MOTHER RUSSSSSSIA !!!
Here is a buff I would like to see. Increase Sagat’s and possibly all characters back dash height during air frames. At present you can’t seemingly react to and punish back dash, despite it being 22 to 26 frames. You have to luck out or option select a punish.
Plus more height makes it, all the more Siberian bait! Yummy.
I agree. The Armour absorb on EX RBG is garbage, too slow to grab before the second hit, when it should be a lot quicker. Effective grabbing range on all RBG should be increased instead of the current point blank.
They haven’t done a thing to rbg so it’s highly doubtful that they’ll suddenly make changes to it. Especially something crazy like giving it 3 hits of armor. Just get rid of the damn move all together. I would say that reasonable requests would be:
Fix st.mk
Maybe change u2 motion and range
Overall damage buff to normals, ex.gh, jab spd
Faster far sweep and st.rh
Get rid of that retarded close st.lk shin kick move. Again, completely useless.
Definitely want a simpler U2 input, as well as increased grab box for it. Also there are certain things that are able to escape it despite being considered airborne, for example Seth’s EX shoryuken and Dhalsim’s U2. This Ultra needs to be able to grab EVERYTHING out of the air.
Jab SPD needs to do 190 damage, Super needs increased range. And RBG needs the option to be dashed or FADC’d out of.
And then, you guys pick what to do about EX hand.
Zangief needs some serious buffs to make him more competitive. I think we all would love to see a Zangief winning a tournament but we all know that this will never happen cause of some really bad match-ups. 
I’m not starting to make some buff suggestions since I’m only a ~2500pp casual player. But I really hope that we will see some really good ones from zangitan, vangief, snake eyes and aquasilk.
Did you miss this?
For all it’s worth, Zangief can grab Sim’s U2 with U2, I just did it yesterday.
All I want is either more ways to get oki (knockdown on EX GH) or better oki once you’re in (3 frame cr.lk and Armor break + 1 hit on EX GH).
I agree with Cybah. Give Zangief lots of buffs. Chief among them being simpler U2 input, increased U2 box, increased Super range, and increased damage on normals and Jab SPD.
Green Hand needs buffs but I can’t decide what.
For a grappler, Zangief isn’t threatening enough up close. Getting up close should mean that the opponent is in TERRIBLE danger.
I disagree with this Psycho.
Jab Spd damage is fine. The range and speed make it for any other thing you could think about.
And Gief IS damn scary at close range.
cr.lk links aren’t that hard to perform. I can get them often in training room after a month while I fail miserably to do a tsumuji loop with Ibuki after a year trying here and there. So I think top level players don’t have trouble using them.
The biggest problem is that far.st.lk kara cancel window. If they could remove this huge windows so we can far.lk xx EX GH more easily that could change Gief Mix ups success.
Spalsh , cr.lk, cr.lk, st.mp, far.lk xx EXGH would be 309 damage every time instead of : missing links/ whiffed far.lk / karaed EXGH
and without any damage buff, Gief will to more damage.
I agree that super and ultra could have more reach because not being able to ultra a blocked ultra because you’re pushed too far is just unfair. I wouldn’t mind a longer start up time if the range was like lp SPD.
For the ultra II motion, how about being able to activate in air AND ground. No more need to jump or delayed kkk, thus faster startup when you need it asap.
I just saw this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFjZV1dnAxk (SSF2 Turbo HD Remix)
RBG was useful in older SSF versions. O_o Unbelievable. 
I would like if RBG had a cancel like Hakan I have hated when I don’t get U2 and get the RBG to eat a combo… That and make EX version like Fuerte’s EX run need three hits instead of two.