So, it seems we really lost our 2hit s.MK
So in practice our real change log is something like this:
1 Huge buff (b.HP 5 frames), 4 minor buffs and 1 Huge nerf (EX Yoga Flame damage)
Well, it’s more than we’re used to since Super, so, I’ll take it =/
The most interesting change to me is b.HP becoming a 5 framer, it’s basically the go-to punisher now, because it’s the same startup as db.MP and b.MK, why would you do any of the other ones?
This also means that the close-range to-go punish (shoryuken FADC on block for instance) would be db.MP, b.HP xx MP Yoga Flame. Instead of the previous db.MP, b.MP xx LP Yoga Flame.
With that, and with s.HP getting 5 more damage and b.HK getting 10 more, it seems we’ll be doing a liiiiiiiiiiiitle more damage in the long run.
Ironnically, I think we’ll do better gainst Yun’s divekick, because my main anti air against it at close range was actually b.HP wich will now go faster.
About the EX Yoga Flame damage nerf, I really don’t see a point… 20 less damage and we get 3 less frames of recovery? The recovery is still crap… the only reason this damage reduction would make sense is if the startup was also faster enough to allow it to combo into b.LK/db.LK/d.LK, wich would give us an “okay” punish on -3 moves…
The point is, Dhalsim may not be buffed a lot, but lots of his bad matchups were nerfed and the game comes with delayed wakeup, wich will help us more than it helps the others…
I’m guessing Makoto will be our worst matchup in this version instead of Yun/Cammy, and that matchup will be almost impossible, but when you think about it, Makoto isn’t a very popular character, so I guess we’ll be kinda alright. Of course, not as alright as we were in Super, but really better than we were in AE and AE 2012.
Let’s wait and see 