Quick tip you might not know:
Against Zangief, you can HEAR which type of lariat he is throwing, since he makes a different sound for PPP and KKK. With the english voices, the long lariat is like a double grunt, “hya-yyyaa”, whereas the short one is like “hyyyaa”, single grunt.
^
Japanese is the same connotation
I don’t really main Claw, but I have to admit that he is a very unique character. I started with Fei, and then picked up Seth (while playing the populars and everyone else along the way). Obviously, both of these characters are console characters, so I would like to begin investing more time into Claw.
-his fastest normals are 4fr
-he has no one-size-fits-all for an anti-air
-he has NO combos into knockdown without charge (although those of you who play Claw on the regular may know some CH stuff into sweep)
-he has NO normal x-up
-he can’t chain
-he gets penalized for blocking (loss of mask-defense/claw-range)
-even though he pokes at you with a CLAW, it is still an extension of his hittable sprite
-he has NO reliable reversal or get-out-of-jail-free special
There might be more, but I think I will stop here. All of these shortcomings almost require you to be SPOT on nearly 24/7 with him in matches to even stand a chance. To be good with Claw, you have to know and accept the above and work around them. So…
? Rolling Crystal Flash (Rolling Claw Attack) ?
Your main tool for chip damage…period. I see the jab version has the quickest start-up, which means you’re probably using this one…all are -2 on block, which means you are NOT trying to low jab someone after this more often than not (unless you have trained them to not counter-poke). You know they have the attacking advantage, so you choose to walk back, backdash, neutral jump, jump over > throw, ex izuna, etc…
? Flying Barcelona Attack & Izuna Drop (Wall Dive and Throw) ?
Aside from being your main tool of building meter full-screen, this is majorly used in Claw’s oki game. It is not very hard to jump up back and hit him air-2-air if done point-blank…or even simply anti-air him (e.g., c.fierce). When your opponent knows how to respond to this outside of knock-down, you mostly lose this as an offensive option.
? Sky High Claw (Aerial Claw Attack) ?
Another mix-up tool…be creative.
? Scarlet Terror (Flip Kick) ?
I see the RH version has the fastest start-up of 4fr, so I now see why it is the recommended strength as anti-air. Ghetto reversal along with EX, but eh…
? Back Flip ?
The main purpose I see for this is avoiding chip from fbs while you absorb fbs to build Ultra. This does not get you out of blockstring mix-ups (walk forward > sweep). This does not get you out of true x-ups. Another use would possibly avoid getting chipped to death in some instances from point-blank ultras/etc.
-his fastest normals are 4fr
which means, some things you just HAVE to punish with throw (3fr) outside of EX (?)
-he has no one-size-fits-all for an anti-air
you have to effectively mix in nj.rh, jump away fierce, air throw, s.rh, gtfo, specials
-he has NO combos into knockdown without charge/EX (although those of you who play Claw on the regular may know some CH stuff into sweep) on a low jab/short hit-confirm
-he has NO normal x-up
accept it and learn to use his wall-dives correctly
-he can’t chain
accept it
-he gets penalized for blocking (loss of mask-defense/claw-range)
this is why you have to try your hardest to maintain your middle ground and keep opponents from jumping on you, forcing you to block lvl2, getting away with random specials (e.g., hurricane kicks, chicken wings, etc)
-even though he pokes at you with a CLAW, it is still an extension of his hittable sprite
which means, you have to be knowledgeable on how to poke and engage in footsy…if they are poking with a move closer to the ground (low forward) you bust out the low strong or s.fierce…if they are poking with something that is about middle or high: and it has fast recovery to where they can spam it to fill that space, use his kicks or watch the intervals; and it has lots of active frames, go for the favorable trade with df+hk into combo. this is really an art for Claw that I would like to work more on
-he has NO reliable reversal or get-out-of-jail-free special
learn to tech throws, weigh risk/reward, backdash, jump out…learn to use ultra as anti-cross-up (cpu is dumb with this and i can’t wait to start watching more vids to see who actually manages to make use of it in-match)
Characters with fbs will harass Claw, because up-back is somewhat strong vs him. For someone who wrote above on how do you fight Ryus that just jump up and away with j.RH…build meter
-once they are tired of letting you build meter, the fbs will come…focus some fbs to gain ultra while making use of backflip to pass through the ones you don’t intend to focus
-once they start to move forward on you…this is where you put your footsy/pokes/reaction into play…stuff like random tatsu and jumps you should be stopping
-if your poking game is that strong to where you get them to throw in a jab dp in here or there, be spot on to punish it with df+rh, slide, low strong xx ex fba, etc
-if they manage to get the life lead somehow and then begin to assume the run-away play-style again, you have to be creative still:
a) look at the clock…can you build meter?
b) walk them to the corner
c) can’t ex fba be timed to hit up-back?
Good story, bro.
Yeah, but this is mitigated by the fact that you can charge during a combo. So a fj.fierce to c.lk to lkST will get your knockdown.
Otherwise, your post just reinforced to me just how much Claw is NOT a beginner’s choice.
Is it possible to land izuna on a focusing Honda? I can get it semireliably on all the other chars but can’t seem to get it to work on Honda.
Go behind his head, like you are trying to throw him from his back.
You know… If you start thinking about that, you have already lost and will sooner or later drop him because you think it’s too hard/he’s not the right choice.
Play who you want to play, okay? And play who you love to play.
I started out playing fighting games competitively with Vega and strived on to become better with him because no one played him. I could actually discover things no one else had ever noticed or posted or written the book about.
I even have a friend who started out playing with Viper. And you know what? He’s doing really good!
However, at a certain point in your fighting games “career” you have to think about advanced stuff to beat players who really know their stuff. That’s one of the reasons Vega is low tier. You can’t just learn the basics, links and punishes and then apply that to every character you fight against. He’s like-
Vega is like his own Mask he’s wearing. He has to adapt dramatically. For each character another mask, like a hypocrite. That’s the point when people actually start reading the frame data to get out of e.g a tiger knee blockstring we never even thought was possible of escaping (Makoto) or start thinking about how to set up an Ultra that everyone branded as shit.
At first you might think this is all too complicated and waayyy to difficult and all that. But with a little bit of work and motivation you hopefully get by the ppl you’re playing against, you can make it. I really like it when people say “I liked your Vega, keep it up cause no ones playing him!!!” and suddenly feel like I can do even better than before.
Sasaki,
I have no intention of dropping claw or thinking negatively because he’s “not a beginner’s choice.”
I was more trying to get at the fact (what we’ve seen historically) that it’s rare for a beginner to choose claw due to his flaws, not that I wouldn’t recommend him. Like you know, 80% of beginners choose Ken/Ryu, and probably less than 2% choose Vega, and I am suggesting that the reasons that Judge listed are why.
I plan on sticking with him, and I take a little (meager) pride that I wasn’t a Ken/Ryu beginner, like an overwhelming majority of beginners are.
You see what I’m saying? Not “let’s hate on Vega cuz he’s not a beginner’s ideal choice” but more “the above reasons are why beginners are choosing Ken/Ryu to Vega 35 to 1.”
I know, I know. I didn’t say you were trying to hate on Vega or something, I just wanted to convince you (because I know you’re more or less a beginner) to stay with Vega if he’s the one you love to play. Cause your previous post just sounded as if you didn’t want to stick with him anymore
I wouldn’t say new players shouldn’t use Claw. I hope no one thought that was the point I wanted to get across.
Ok so facing Akuma on wakeup. Is there any way to tell what the hell he’s going to do or am i pretty much forced to guess between three or more options?
Tatsu crossup -> sweep
demon flip -> throw
demon flip -> kick followed by big combo.
I had no idea how to adjust. Tried the occasional flip and while it got me out of the jumpin i just got hit by his brokenass doublekick into fadc combo instead ^^
Since he can’t tatsu out of demon flip, pay attention to how he jumps when you are down. If he demon flips, you can block, quickflip, or backdash. If he normal jumps, you have to be prepared to block and watch for the crossup, or you can flip or backdash.
Izuna Drops on wakeup, anyone else having success with this?
I think I saw Bebop or Tatsu use this in one of their vids and wondered why I wasn’t doing the same.
If you time the walldive right, so that you’re already over your opponent as they get up, you can grab them for another Izuna Drop. I’ve managed to chain 4-5 of these in a row on a couple of opponents now.
I’ve had a bunch of people just give up after a few Izuna’s in a row, pretty funny 
this works untill the person learns how to SRK very late and deep so that the auto works in his favor as opposed to you. But it is funny, and good way to practice your spacing and timing on wall dive. So yeah i use it, but only when i know it works on the player. It also works as a good mix up since it conditions the opponent real fast.
I have a bit of success with it, ecspecially when my opponent wakes up in the corner, but a lot of the time, it doesn’t work in midscreen, the opponent wakes up too early.
i’ve been getting incredible success with izuna drop rape on wakeup
sagat gets raped by it,
zangief gets raped by it (yes you can grab him out of lariat start up)
ryu gets raped by it,
chun li gets raped by it,
ken gets raped by it,
those are the only people i’ve really spammed it on so far.
if you really break people’s mentality you can hit a couple izuna drops, then steer completely away and have them whiff tiger uppercut / lariat then simply punish it with another EX FBA and keep it going
you just have to have the eagle eye when it comes to lining up vega’s hands with ppls shoulders
and if you feel you’re taking too many risks using izunas, take it easy and just do your regular corpse hop mixup into kara throws / jump out fierce, etc. this is a seriously powerful offensive tactic
Yeah, I’m lovin it.
As for SRKs, like Joz says, it works well against Sagat and Ken despite theirs. They have too much forward motion it seems, that if you’re directly above them, or slightly behind, they’ll whiff, which sometimes sets you up for an EXFBA.
Just trying to explore a tactic I haven’t been really using a whole lot. I am now 
yesterday i got a ryu player like 3 times in a row with izuna on a couple seperate occasions
so awesome
also check this option select. Knock someone down with a sweep or izuna (has to be untechable) then as they’re getting up use meaty c. lk cancel into RCF, or a sweep.
the input goes like this:
c. lk, forward jab punch like you would normally combo into an RCF
and then crouching roundhouse, a little bit after you press your jab forward on your RCF. if someone stays still, you get a little chip damage or a tiny combo, or if they back dash out, you sweep them. the idea is if the c. lk connects the RCF will come out, if not, the sweep will come out right after the c. lk, but there will be no RCF. the timing is pretty simple, you just have to try with a partner and see if you can get the timing in the middle.
I dropped a Ryu like 4 times in a row a few days ago. After that, he quit saying he wasn’t concentrated… oh if he knew the magic power of the Izuna…
The last 2 drops I grabbed him out of lp and mp shoryu.
Also, thanks for those OCs, Joz. I’ll try them out.