+1 
I think you use the LP Zanku for best effect and the distance is just inside jab range, though I guess it may depend on your opponentās ācrouching hitboxā. Though for myself I donāt try this outside of practice mode yet (I canāt get the execution down to an acceptable level for me to want to use in an actual match so far). But the times I did succeed, it was following those guidelines.
Iāve seen vids of JR using TK zankus often enough. Check out some of his matches on his youtube page for pointers.
Iām pretty sure the only times to really use the insta air fireball is after a demon palm, or after a throw. After the palm you back up a bit, then do it. If the throw is mid-screen you just dash up once then do the insta air fireball (lp fireball always)
I am finally learning to understand what plinking is all about. However I have no idea how to implement it with Akuma. Do you guys have any particular combos for Akuma where plinking is useful?
Laughter if iām not mistaken, if your landing in front of the opponent your doing it too far away. You should use the lp fireball all the time, and when your right above the opponents head. Well, you shouldnāt be directly over their head, but just a tiny bit right before your vertically above them. I usually use this after a back throw or sweep. I donāt tend to use it too much though, for some reason people catch on to it fairly easy.
jjohan theres plenty of stuff you can plink with Akuma. Go to training mode against Sagat and try at close range Hp, lk tatsu, cr.hk. It should be a hard punch to lk tatsu to a sweep. If you cant do it well try plinking the sweep. This is the combo that every Akuma player should plink. Keep in mind the sweep after the lk tatsu doesnāt work on everyone.
Plenty of combos to plink, imo ā¦ Hereās some besides tatsu-sweep that 4Eyez mentioned.
c.mp, sc.hp xx bnb
c.lp, sc.hp xx bnb
c.lp, c.mp xx EX Tatsu/bnb
c.mp/c.lp, c.mk xx fb
fs.hk, c.mp/sc.hp xx bnb
I just want to confirm your abbreviations: c is crouching, sc is standing close, fs is far standing? Can you correct me if Iām wrong? Sorry it seems like everyone here has their own abbreviations going.
all correct.
Does Akuma have a shortcut for his Raging Demon?
LP, LP, back+LK+HP. The ā3 inputā Demon.
Thanks for the advice guys. Itās definitely helped, but I still havenāt mastered it.
The only really safe set-up I can do with it is a Zanku or medium Gohadou from medium range (i.e. stand directly next to your opponent and jump backward - that type of range), then a jump-in sweep or HP or whatever. That combos and is also āsafeā in the sense that your opponent canāt simply SRK out of it (unless itās EX I guess).
The only other safe air FB set up I can do is DF palm, take a step back, light air FB, sweep or HP combo. However, that DOES NOT work with an INSTANT air fireball, only a āquickā air fireball. I.e. instead of inputting d, df, f, uf, LP, you have to input uf, d, df, f + LP. I found thatās the only way to get the timing right in training mode. And then, coincidentally, I was watching this video of Tokido (Ak) vs Momochi (Ken) this morning and I saw Tokido do that set-up (1:34 mark):
[media=youtube]q37lKlnNYm0]YouTube - Tokido [Akuma] vs Momochi [Ken[/media]
And he also does not do the instant air fireball. Only the āquickā air fireball.
Hi I just started learning the vortex and Iām having bit of trouble when they block the demon flip kick because when my opponent blocks it he usually crouches afterward expecting the sweep after so I go for a grab and almost every time it wiffs right over or through his body even when he doesnāt crouch. Do I need to throw normal punches first or time it longer. But if I do wait longer he just throws me and I thought the demon flip gave me frame advantage? Can some one explain to me what to do when the dive kick is blocked please?
Man, I just canāt win with Akuma. Its funny how can I do decently against some better players, then I somehow lose to a scrub Vega just turtling at one end of the stage doing NOTHING. I think HDR is the only SF game for me, I just canāt get comfortable or understand this engine. Ah well, see you gents.
Supah_Ape: You canāt throw someone who is in blockstun/hitstun. This is why you see your throw whiffing: you are trying to throw when you still have frame advantage from your demon flip kick (heās still in blockstun). Best bet is to throw a c.lk out after a demon flip kick. Itās 0 advantage on block (thereās no blockstun) so it makes a perfect tick throw if you find your demon kick was blocked. If your demon flip kick hits, then follow up with c.lk, c.lp, c.lp -> bnb
Hello all. Iāve got 3 questions, the first 2 pertain to things I remember reading in the forums that I wanted a little clarification on, the 3rd could be a whole new discussion in and of itself, but I didnāt want to double-post:
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I saw someone say something to the effect of, āIāve been trying to do more cLP cLP cLP xx LK tatsu instead of cLK cLP cMP xx LK tatsuā as if to suggest the former would be somehow better than the latter. Is there something Iām missing, why would that be better? I checked in training and the lk lp mp combo does a little more damage. Theyāre about equally easy to do, and since the LPs have to be linked, itās no safer on block (unless you mash the first few jabs, but link the last one or something). Why would 3 jabs be better than lk lp mp? (or is it not and the guy who said that was full of hot air?)
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I also saw someone say something about a, and Iām paraphrasing again, āwell known mixup after a landed HK tatsu.ā Assuming weāre talkinā about something better than point blank throw vs DP, and since weāre too close to demon flip, what is the āwell known mixupā after a landed HK tatsu? The way he said it was as if it had been recently discussed, but I read back a lil and didnāt see anything.
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I could probably make a whole post about this one, maybe I will. But in what situations with Akuma do you guys like to use focus attack? Iām asking mostly about offense, but if thereās a key defensive situation, Iām all ears (eyes)? Lots of talk about vortexes and combos, not so much about FA technique. Like, with Chun sometimes we will lvl 1-2 focus either during or after a block string. But she gets relatively amazing frame advantage from it. This is probably more about personal style and preference than technical theory, but when and how do you guys like to mix focus into the mind-fuck equation?
Thanks, you guys are awesome!
1: thereās can be alot of reason to it.
clp3 is to hit confirm. clk,clp,c.mp can you hit confirm that? and also c.lp3 is not a simple clp*3 ( clp, clp+chk, clp ) for option selecting. and imo, i find that c.mp into tatsu have 2 bad situation that happens often which is the distance it hits especially on fuerte and some small sized character might cause the combo to whiff. 2ndly on hit the distance is further hence hard to do x-tatsu afterā¦imo not exactly sure if i am right or not.
2.not sure what your talking abt. why hk tatsu in the 1st place?
3.chunli focus attack is superior by far the best in the game, akuma one isnāt. akuma FA max is +3~4 frame only. not very reliableā¦hard to explain this one really. at +3 situations and your input skill you might end up getting reversaled which is really stupid. only use focus against poorly spaced fireball or predicted opponent gonna sweep and focus dash in grab.
I donāt think theres anything wrong with either bnb, but the cr.lk cr.lp then cr.mp to tatsu wiffs on some characters, well the tatsu would wiff. I believe this doesnāt really work on Balrog, unless you jump in with a meaty. But yeah the cr.mp tends to make tatsus wiff on certain characters, thats the only reason I can see why people wouldnāt want to use it.
But about the HK tatsu. I remember seeing an Akuma mirror match where the Akuma was doing amazing mixups after many OS HK tatsus to the other Akumas teleport. When you catch them at a certain distance with it the opponent lands directly behind Akuma so a light demonflip will land right on top of them. Iām going to try to find that video and put it up here.
OK, thatās good to know. Iām gonna have to unlearn the cMP bnb heh. Though when I have the meter, I tend to like to cMP into FB to FACD off of. I also have been liking Tokidoās cLK sLK cMP xx whatever.
As for HK hurricane, sometimes I like to just randomly throw it out, in particular against characters who have FBs that tatsus go through. I donāt mean in a scrubby mash tatsu kinda way, but in a once every 1-3 games as a surprise tactic kinda way. Iām playing mostly my brother and people online, so Iām not exactly expecting Juntin Wong would get popped by this, but I hit with it more often than I donāt, again, due to the surprise of having a tatsu suddenly fly across the screen. When it hits it leaves you right on top of them.
As for the focus, I understand that our FA isnāt quite Chunās (whos is?) just wondering if mixing in an FA is ever something you guys like to throw into an offense, or just not worth it. More of a stylistic question I guess.
New question: So say we do a nice deep meaty DF dive, or a nice beefy crossup jMK, something that leaves us right in there ready to do whatever. But they block it. What are some things you like to do in this situation? I know it depends a lot on their tendencies, but Iām trying to come up with a good set of options to choose from based on those tendencies. Iāll list some stuff I like to do, but then am hoping you guys can add (or subtract if necessary) to the list:
-tick throws. Duh. The problem is most decent players will tech these, hence why Iām asking about other options. OR if you have any fun tick sequences you like that tend to work more often than others (if used sparingly obviously)
-string into FB (cLK cLP cMP cMK xx or whatever). Ho hum. Iāll usually start with this to condition them to keep blocking (and if I face a DP masher who breaks through, Iāll stop short and block next time)
-Partial string, stand up, maybe step fwd a lil, cMP counterhit fish.
-string into demon flip (the JR special)
-if I think theyāll let me get away with it, do a short string, then jump over for a crossup hurricane (people with a good DP WILL stop this)
-string into FB fadc into mixup. This is one Iām curious your opinions on, since on the one hand, itās a waste of 2 stocks when the combo isnt even hitting, but on the other hand, gives us a fast mixup with throw/cLK combo/anything we want.
General tournament question: Are winners allowed to change ultra? I could have sworn Iāve seen this happen.
Generally no, but itās up to the organizers