Changes To Makoto

Classic Fighting Games Ultra Street Fighter IV
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Playing with Makoto I felt that some of her normals and moves needed a few tweaks to make her stronger. Don’t get me wrong, the character is great, I feel she’s in a decent spot. I hope that we can have a discussion about my list on why things should or shouldn’t be so. Don’t be afraid to bring out a personal list yourselves on what you think would make the character better while still holding on to her core style of play. I numbered the changes by the first having the most importance to least importance.

Normals:

1.) c.LK, startup 3 frames. Opens new doors for her close up game, it’ll still require execution to land into different combos but hey, at least you’re offered options.

2.) ->LK, 0 on hit, and not as negative on block (maybe -2). This command for Makoto is almost useless.It has 2 important uses, gaining ground and for Kara-Karakuza or Kara-Headbutt.

3.) c.MP, startup 5 frames. This is an important poke with Makoto. With this buff it’ll help her more in the neutral and it would expand her combos. Correct timing and execution is needed if you want to combo from s.MP into c.MP, so it isn’t free.

4.) c.HK, 100 damage. Mostly used as an anti-air, it should feel rewarding landing this on an opponent. I thought giving 10 more damage wouldn’t be the end of the world.

5.) c.HP, startup 6 frames. Making it one frame faster wouldn’t hurt. It’s better asking for 6 than 5 because with 5 she would be able to get a free combo into knockdown without meter.

6.) s.HK, 110 damage. A very scary move, lets make it scarier!

TC (Target Combo):

1.) TC 1, the 2nd hit (MK) in this combo should be 0 on hit, -3 on block. Great TC, thought it could be a little better.

Specials:

ALL Hayates:
lvl 1, -5 on block
lvl 2, -4 on block
lvl 3, -3 on block
lvl 4 & 5, -2 on block
Now this one is a tough call to make (and I might be completely wrong about wanting this buff). Although, in the end if your normal Hayate gets blocked, you’ll be punished. I didn’t want Makoto to be punished as hard because her wake up game is weak… Since it’s still -5, throwing it around won’t be the case.

EX Hayate, -1 on block. For the EX version on the other hand, I wanted it to be a way of closing the gap. Spending the meter to get close sounds similar to Yun’s EX Zesshou Hohou (Dash Punch), but instead Makoto’s will be a bit more fair and have it be -1. Command grabs will be a threat if the EX is used carelessly.

Think that these changes would be too much? Tell me what you think could be done.

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Wow… this is quite a lot of changes honestly.
I don’t see Capcom ever making Hayate safer, I just think it’s something that’s part of the character.

About the changes to normals… heh…
Giving her the possibility to do crLK > crLK just sounds insane to me, given Low is the only angle she really struggle with.

fLK going over lows makes no sense, she doesn’t leave the ground like Evil Ryu does, she’s not airborne. You could argue giving the move a better hitbox to be closer to Evil Ryu’s far MK, but even that sounds way too good as a way to get in.
I would love it if the move became safer tho. -4 on block for it is really punishing.

5 frames crMP sounds really really powerful. I don’t have any real comment on this, but it’s a really good buff, not something to overlook as just a little improvement.

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Yeah, now thinking about it, the ->LK wouldn’t make sense. I wanted to see how they could make it better, I guess by making it less negative on block, idk if -2 on block would make it really good.

For Hayate, I think that buff wouldn’t change too much. Maybe the EX would make the most impact because she would be actually scary with 1 bar. I’m not saying she already is but she needs to be in your face to be a threat.

With the c.MP I was thinking about 6 frame startup, I could see them doing that. 5 frames would be pretty freaking dope!

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Update:
So after looking more into this character and seeing what was useful and what wasn’t I made a shorter and more fair list.

(The previous changes I wanted are not going with this current list)

(This list goes from 1 being most important to 6 being not needed as badly)

1.) EX Hayate puts opponent into free juggle. It would only be useful in the corner and she would feel more like her 3rd strike form having this buff. Now there’s more mixup options with her if this buff were to go through. Again, this doesn’t go with the -1 on block buff I wanted in the earlier list.

2.) EX Oroshi being throw invincible. So Makoto isn’t having such a hard time against Grapplers. The point of Makoto is to go in, giving her this wouldn’t make her broken.

3.) c.HK 100 damage. A strong counter poke and anti air, but not strong enough.

4.) ->LK 0 on hit, -2 on block. Same as before, doesn’t hold much use, but with this upgrade it would be a great offensive tool in neutral.

5.) TC1 -3 on block. This move isn’t used much and I would understand, -1 on hit & -4 on block? It starts up very quickly but remember that even if something is -2, you would need to anticipate that move to go through to have a CHANCE of punishing it.

6.) c.HP start up 6. Just cuz…

The first two would be amazing to have and if those were to happen to this character the light of hope with going against Grapplers would shine brighter. And the buffs would still stay true to her overall game. Like I said before, her having the free juggle off of EX hayate isn’t something brand new, she had that ability in the SF 3 series.