This is my take on Ibuki’s changes (even though they may not be final).
Stamina down to 925 - I’ll live with that. I already thought she was potentially cheap in Season 1 when she had 900. Right now at 950 she basically has better set play than characters like Karin who only has 900 and buttons that convert more easily than Juri’s who also has 950. Right now she’s a super saiyan offensive character that can outwalk most of the cast, make them whiff shit and counter poke and has more health and stun than Cammy and it’s kinda stupid (within this game). Even as an Ibuki player I’ll admit that. 925 makes it so she still has a little room to get her 3 bar VT1 in in pixel situations but isn’t completely outdoing characters like Juri and Chun in momentum and conversions who have the same health.
Standing LP - I’ll live with this. Plus 2 on hit nerf hurts a bit, but not a ton. Can’t do counter hit s.LP, s.MP anymore, but counter hit s.LP, s.LK is decent alternative. Not the end of the world.
**Standing LK - I imagine hurt box is getting expanded. Expected since it’s a very good whiff punish tool and can buffer punish stuff from good distance. I’ll live.
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Standing HP - Likely some type of hit box adjustment. Hopefully it makes the hit box stick out a little more so it can actually beat stuff. I hate how it’s basically only good as a slow, preemptive whiff punisher ATM. The button has no real use other than VTC combos.
Standing Heavy Kick - Plus 3 on regular hit. Basically means if you land this on regular hit you get to frame trap the opponent with another button like c.MP. Basically makes it slightly better in neutral and will allow you to combo into s.LP if you somehow land it on non counter hit at close range. Mike and Zio gotta hold this s.HK derp.
**Crouching LP - hurt box changed. Whatever. Only use to start combos or frame trap any way.
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Crouching Medium Punch - 4 more frames of recovery and hurt box change. Basically just have to be less of a dummy when using this. That makes it the same recovery as her s.HK which apparently is too fast LOL. This is mainly a counter poke, whiff punish button so you should either be using it reactively to whiff punish or use it at a range where it will make contact. Basically use footsies and you’ll be alright.
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Crouching Medium Kick** - BIG buff. Like SFIV her c.MK is now a viable low attack now. Right now there there isn’t much reason to use it other than to tap people a bit for walking too long. Only real other use it has is to give you a good low to VTC off of. Now it’s a good low in general. Her c.MK is basically the same range as her sweep which is her only other ranged low. Basically you get a way to check people’s lows while getting a much longer range move that you can fish for counter hits with and get combos off of. Counter hit c.MK, s.LK, raida sounds so good. Improves the range she can be effective from which is sorely needed as she otherwise has to walk a lot to actually scare people with her buttons.
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Crouching Heavy Punch **- Hurtbox changed. Who knows what this means, but I can’t imagine it’ll make it too much worse. It’s a pretty decent AA that can be command dash canceled off of for mix up and frame traps.
Jumping Medium Punch - Combo restriction change. Guess it won’t juggle after certain resets anymore. Not sure here.
Jumping Heavy Punch - Hurtbox changed. Whatever. Never use this in neutral any way.
Jumping Heavy Kick - Hurt box changed. Ok yeah.
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Agemen (b+MP)** - Have to see how the hit box changes play out. I’m trained to only cancel the first hit any way since that mainly gave you the best use out of it in SF3 and IV. Nothing new there. I think they just don’t want you getting lazy 2nd hit b+MP’s and then still command dashing for a mix up/frame trap.
Tobikura (j.LP, f+MK air target) - expected change. They don’t want you getting standing reset 50/50’s all day. The reset 50/50’s don’t work on big characters any way so they already prepare you for AE. Just fight against a lot of Rogs and Alex players to prepare. With that said, you can still get the 50/50’s on everyone if you launch people near the corner. She just can’t get corner worthy mix ups midscreen anymore which is fair.
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Shakunage (c.MP, f+HK target)** - Not bad to allow frame traps if you land this close enough, but from the range you’ll usually land this from, probably not a big deal.
EX kunai - Expected nerfs. Ground EX kunai right now is plus 18 on block. There are probably very few to no other things that are plus 18 on block in the game. This knocks it down to a paltry plus 14 on block. I already got walk up setups for this that let you use better buttons than just jab or s.MP after a dash any way.
V Skill meter gain on hit slightly reduced. Makes sense. She has one of the best V Skills in the game easily and they want to reduce V Trigger unga so yeah. Cool.
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V Trigger nerfs expected.** It’s a pretty dumb V Trigger in comparison to other characters. General damage nerf on VTC that everyone has now. Meter gain buff…um yeah sure I’ll take it.
Kunai Ikkinage (grounded P kunai release) - Apparently can now be canceled into specials. I guess this will make converting after it hits. Considering this is SF I imagine this only works on contact and not on whiff. I’ll take it.
Overall basically nerfing derp, buffing a good bit of her fundamentals. She already has some of the better AA in the game (and I still mainly AA with s.HK which is her most damaging one on CC and didn’t get touched). All VTC’s got nerfed so on same level there. Gives room to play around with her VT2.
