Cody.
For beginners - Guide
I know the game isn’t out yet but for a while now I have scoured the net and vids for as much info as possible sticking them in a .txt file for when I get chance to play the game, however I thought it would be better to have one place with his listed confirmations and provide a good place to discuss this jailbird and what he has. All contributions welcome.
**Story: **
In the original Final Fight, Cody’s girlfriend Jessica (the daughter of Mayor Haggar) is kidnapped by the gang MAD GEARS which leads Cody to join Mayor Haggar in his quest to take revenge on the gang and rescue Jessica.
During the events of Final Fight Revenge Cody is framed by the remaining Mad Gear gang and sent to prison. Since these events Cody has become a jaded street brawler who frequesntly breaks in and out of prison only to serve relieving his boredom.
SSFIV story to come…
Overview:
Cody is mainly based around his excellent normals, he has trouble with fireballs as his Bad Stone will not compete in a fireball war. He needs to make his way into Zonk Knuckle range but this proves to be the most difficult aspect against a fireballer. He’s good close range with basic BnB combos into specials or Ultra, great pokes, he has a projectile (Bad Stone), a crossup (j.MK), brilliant anti airs (b+MP/st.HP/st.HK), a fantastic dash, a good focus attack and the option to change his game by picking up the knife. He’s a great close range character but can struggle against fireballers.
Move List:
http://gameslatest.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/ssfiv_cody_movelist.jpg
Normals:
st.MP: Amazing high frame advantage normal, hits all characters crouched and can be linked into cr.HP and others.
st.MK: Long range poke. May go over lows.
st.HP: Great anti air.
st.HK: Another great anti air but with more range. Like Bisons st.HK but a slightly lower angle.
st.HK©: Hits straight up for anti air if they try and jump over you.
cr.LP: Combos into itself and links into cr.MP. Good frame advantage on hit.
cr.LK: Has great range and is special cancelable.
cr.MP: Can be cancelled into specials as your basic punisher.
cr.MK: Slide kick, can go under fireballs (very strict). Can be used as anti air and to cover distance.
cr.HK: Fast start up, high hitbox and great range.
j.LP: Quick air to air with a good hitbox
j.MK: Crossup and good air to air
j.HP Neutral: Great hitbox.
j.HP: Low angle jump in
f+HK: Big lunging kick from A3. As anti air can combo into EX CU/Ultra1
f+MP: New command normal, can link cr.MP off it. Looks like Ryu’s f+HP.
b+MP: Hitbox hits upward, best anti air and can link into cr.LP.
f+HP: Slow long range overhead, 2 hits. Unsafe on block.
Dash: Good speed and distance.
Jump: Floaty like Bison.
Special Moves:
Bad Stone : QCF+Punch
You can hold punch to delay the rock throw. Each punch strength used determines the distance of the rock throw. Slower than say Sagats fireball but fast enough to be useful.
EX:
2 hits and faster start up. Apparently good in corner traps to keep pressure.
Fake Bad Stone: down+HP+HK
Picks up rocks as if to throw and then does nothing, good for baiting people to jump over your projectiles.
Criminal Upper : QCB+Punch
Strength of the punch used determines the start up time and damage done. Does not seem like a viable anti air in comparison to his normals just yet. Can combo into it and FADC has to be done before the tornado appears. No combos off this yet. CU has next to none of the same properties it had in A3, cannot juggle after in the same way due to it’s longer recovery.
EX:
Faster start up, more hits but so far cannot combo off it.
Ruffian Kick : QCF+Kick
Cody slides across the floor and the strength of kick determines what version of RK you get. LK gives you a low with untechable knockdown, MK gives you a straight long range mid which knocks away and HK gives you an anti air version kicking upwards. These can all be used in combos and the HK version is great as anti air however it has slight start up so be aware of it and try to pre-empt jump ins. HK version wiffs on crouched which is a shame for his only confirmed way into Ultra.
EX:
Faster, the animation is of the LK version but with longer range, apparently can go through fireballs on start up (strict timing). Can combo EX Criminal Upper off it in the corner.
Zonk Knuckle : Hold and release one Punch button
Zonk Knuckle Or Bingo Punch as some are calling it is a new special move. This is a button hold and release invincible punch (very similar to Boxers Turn Around Punch but with less range). However you only need to hold one punch button allowing you to still use the others for combos etc. Goes through fireballs. Upper body invincibility. Apparently you can store Zonks too, eg one for each punch held down. Regular zonk also becomes active on frame 16. but he is also fully vulnerable on the frame as well and can trade slot. During the first 15 frames. He is vulnerable from the knees on down and is fully throwable.
EX:
Lots of invincibility, Cody’s only good wake up reversal however it is unsafe on block and can be punished. Good to chuck out during expected strings from opponents. Can FADC the first hit into EX CU or Ultra1. Ex zonk is 100% invincible for 16 frames. The first active hitframe is on frame 16. It is unsafe on block. No different than how messiah kick was, and we all know how silly that move is.
Bad Spray: U+P
Wake up dust throw. Probably only able to be done after certain knockdowns like in Alpha 3. Bad spray is a wake up move when you are knocked down. He chucks dust out about a characters distance in front of him. I don’t know the properties of the SSFIV version (frames?/invincibility?/projectile?). Apparently you can do it at any point you would be able to quick rise.
Knife: Down+PPP
Cody just like in Alpha 3 can pick up his knife, this changes all of his standing punch normals to have better range and cause chip damage on block.
I imagine that in some match ups it could be important whilst not so much in others. Throwing the knife can be done by doing QCF+Punch. This however does not stop fireballs. st.LP, st.MP and cr.HP are his best normals with the knife.
Focus Attack:
Cody pulls out his wrench, this focus is very similar to Bisons as cody steps back whilst charging the focus. Meaning that in close range poking games you can use it to avoid your opponents normals. It is also quick.
Super move:
Dead End Irony : QCFx2 + Kick
Very similar to his Alpha 3 super. A flurry of kicks and punches, differs depending on button used. Super cancelable into off HK Ruffian Kick.
Ultras:
Ultra I : Final Destruction : QCFx2 + PPP
[media=youtube]XOmH7NrjqRA[/media]
A flurry of punches ending in a criminal upper. Seems to be his best ultra as it can be combo?d into off HK Ruffian Kick FADC. There may be other ways into it too (eg: High anti air EX or Jab CU, Zonk Knuckle FADC etc). Very range dependant, will wiff often when doing strings into it.
Ultra II : Last Dread Dust : QCBx2 + PPP
[media=youtube]XO60Q0W_PGM[/media]
Cody kicks out a blast of dust, them pummels the opponent with a wrench knocking them into the air then baseball swings a pipe into their back smashing them into the corner of the screen. The initial dust kick has to hit to go into the Ultra. The dust goes through fireballs however you have to be close. No way to combo into it has been found yet except off a focus crumple. Can combo into it off a max distance stone throw, not really applicable though.
Combos:
cr.LP, cr.LP, cr.MP xx Ruffian Kick or Criminal Upper
cr.LP, cr.LP, cr.LK xx Criminal Upper or MK/HK Ruffian Kick
cr.LP, cr.LP, cr.MP xx HK Ruffian Kick xx Super
cr.LP, cr.LP, cr.MP xx Criminal Upper xx Super
cr.LP, st.MP, cr.HK
f+MP, cr.MP xx Ruffian Kick or Criminal Upper
b+MP, cr.LP, cr.MP xx Ruffian Kick or Criminal Upper
BnB into cr.MP xx HK Ruffian Kick, FADC, Ultra I
HK Ruffian wiffs on crouched opponents.
st.MP, cr.HP, xx HK Ruffian Kick FADC Ultra 1
cr.LP, st.MP, cr.HP xx HK Ruffian Kick xx FADC Ultra 1
st.MP, cr.MP xx HK Ruffian Kick xx FADC Ultra 1
Cr.HP xx CU/RK for a heavy wiff punisher.
EX Zonk FADC, f+HK, EX CU (Moderate damage 100% meter)
EX Zonk FADC, Ultra I (75% meter for good damage)
st.MP, cr.LP, cr.LK, HK Ruff Kick, EX CU (corner only and HK ruff has to hit late)
f+HK (anti-air) EX CU or Ultra 1 (if in range/corner very hard)
HK Rufiian Kick(anti air), MK Ruffian Kick
HK Rufiian Kick(anti air), EX Ruffian Kick, EX Criminal Upper (strict)
HK Ruffian (anti-air) [Trade] or [High hit] Ultra I (Easy in the corner)
st.MP, Ultra2
cr.LP, st.MP, Ultra2
f+MP, st.MP, Ultra2
cr.LP, cr.LP, cr.MP xx Criminal Upper xx FADC, cr.LP, cr.LP, cr.MP xx Criminal Upper xx FADC, cr.LP, cr.LP, cr.MP xx Ruffian Kick
cr.LP, cr.LP, cr.MP xx CU, FADC, cr.LP, cr.MP xx HK Ruffian Kick xx FADC Ultra I
Knife Combos:
st.LP, st.LP, cr.LK xx Ruffian Kick or Criminal Upper
cr.HP, cr.LK xx Ruffian Kick or Criminal Upper
st.LP, st.LP, cr.LK xx HK Ruffian Kick FADC Ultra1
cr.HP, cr.LK xx HK Ruffian FADC Ultra1
Quick summary of Cody use:
Long Range:
Rock throw, Focus absorb projectiles and dash in, EX Ruff kick through projectiles
Mid Range:
st.MK, st.HK, st.MP, f+MP, MK/LK Ruffian kicks (hit at max range), f+HP (overhead), Zonk through projectiles/obvious moves, cr.LK, cr.MK, sweep, focus attack, f+HK
Close Range:
cr.LP into combos, st.MP, f+MP, Zonk Knuckle, throw, crossup MK, jump in HP, EX rocks in corner pressure
Anti-air:
b+MP, st.HK, cr.MK, st.HP, HK Ruff kick, j.HP, Focus Attack
Notes:
So I asked a bunch of specific questions to HellTpm who has the game and he came back to me:
kaworu:
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Does Zonk knuckle (EX or Normal) wiff on crouched opponents?
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Can you cancel into EX Zonk off say: cr.MP
EDIT: Just realised that this: “13) jump HP, HP, PP*, CU ex” means you can. -
Can EX zonk be punished on block?
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If HK Ruffian hit’s a standing opponent (say in a combo) at max range mid screen is it impossible to FADC it and still land Ultra1?
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Is cr.MK under fireballs consistant for all fireballs if you get the timing down (I am referring to different projectiles with different sized hitbox’s and speeds).
Thanks for your help
HellTpm:
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No, but some normals, as Ryu’s cr.mk, go under it, and it misses, leaving you open.
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Yes, high damage too. Ex bingo does 160.
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Yes, although i’m sure it’s safe at max range. My opponents were having trouble punishing it. But if used as a reversal and you get baited, yes, you can get punished hard for it. It’s still a great move.
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HK Ruffian has to be done really close to your opponent, or else U1 won’t hit. This sucks.
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I don’t think it’s going to be reliable, just situational, as the timing is strict and it’s different for every speed used.
kaworu
Last questions and I’ll leave you alone
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How do you think Cody fares in fireball wars with the likes of Sagat/GuileRyu etc? Considering his floaty jump (which got Bison killed) and shit cr.MK.
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Is: BnB xx CU FADC, cr.LP xx HK Ruff kick FADC Ultra1 worth the meter for the damage you get?
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If your opponent tries to cross you up on wake up can Cody do anything? I imagine EX zonk would make thier move wiff but then they could block?
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Will b+MP hit an opponent directly above you trying to cross you up?
EDIT: I see you answered this above, thanks. -
After doing cr.LP, cr.LP, cr.MP xx LK Ruff kick you get untechable knockdown but does this put you in a position to do a meaty wake up crossup j.MK?
HellTpm:
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I’m trying to answer that myself. At long range he has the bad stone, but he can’t win a fireball war with it. Cody’s best answer against fireballers is the Bingo punch, and you can do it on reaction although it’s a short range attack. His U2 seems like the obvious choice, but most of the time it misses, you have to do it near the opponent and have godlike reactions, so i’m leaning to pick U1. Ex ruffian has some frames of invulnerability and it can pass through fireballs, but the timing is odd. I need to test that move more. Overall, I think Cody will do well against them, he certainly has the tools to do so.
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Cody gains meter in no time, so there are instances where it’s well worth it. But maybe just cancelling in super is more efficient. I’ll test the damage of both combos next time, and let you know.
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Not really, it looks like Cody will die to well timed crossups. They stuff ex ruffian and ex CU, and ex Bingo will be option selected, or just blocked and punished.
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Yes.
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It puts you right next to them, but i did not test it, i’ll also do it next time and let you know. I’ll see if i can get an ambiguous crossup after that. Right now i’m finishing my BnB with fierce CU, and starting some serious pressure after that. Cody has the tools.
Some more minor notes…
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Bingo cannot be FADC, but EX Bingo does 2 hits, and the first one can be FADC’d. It’s possible to do Ex Bingo FADC (first hit) U1.
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It’s possible to combo after a high antiair with hk ruffian, and not only with U1. You can combo a MK ruffian as they arefalling. Very situational though, but this has a lot of potential.
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You can use cr. forward to slide under fireballs. Timing is strict (LAME). You can use it too to get out of badly timed crossup attempts.
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You gain some nice pokes with the knife, it might be worth to pick it in some occasions. Still needs more testing, but it looks better than it’s alpha3 counterpart.
Cody video thread:
http://www.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=228999
Cody general discussion thread:
http://www.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=217083
updated the error.