Are FA’s really that much quicker? even if they are, the part that concerns me the most is that RSF will be harder to do as some have mentioned. If it is harder to do, that means its risk has just gotten higher (a mess up means eating a good reversal or combo), and the reward for doing it has gotten lower with the stun reduction. RSF is supposed to be a high risk high reward move, and they increased the risk and lowered the reward, its really uncalled for. Of course, if FAs are really much quicker, and RSF still has the same timing without it being harder to do, then a stun nerf is acceptable and not an issue at all.
Its fine if they nerfed FGB a little, maybe to 500 damage. But it got nerfed big time, and it was one of the very few options Fuerte had to do SOME damage. Hopefully the spark will prove to be a good replacement, since that way this nerf becomes irrelevant. But I suspect FGB will remain a bit more useful in a few matchups, and in that sense, we got a big nerf.
Tortilla nerf is just retarded. But as Densou mentioned, if its applications are still intact, then this should not matter much.
This is really too much nerfing for a low tier character. Before I get depressed about it though, I will wait till next week when they talk about Fuerte changes in more detail. I have hope they made some more significant changes besides ultra 2 to really justify all this nerfing. guacs need to stop trading for no damage, otherwise the guac buff is not too helpful. If his normals got improved, along with his priorities, then that alone can help Fuerte a LOT, and would be a much needed buff that can help explain all this nerfing.
Another thing to remember - thanks to ultra 2, opponents have more fear about mashing out reversals during the rsf loop - especially if they don’t have ex meter to combo into ultra.
If they reversal you during rsf, they get at most 120-200 damage from reversal.
If you block the reversal instead, they’re looking at eating at least 350+ damage from ultra 2.
If they have enough ex stock to combo into ultra, you really shouldn’t be doing long rsf loops anyway.
Naaah, those guys arent hateful, they’re just being cool like any other Fuerte player looooool Arde is cool too it is almost a pre-requisite to be cool to pick Fuerte as a main
El Fuerte does have a footsies game. c.mk , s.mp, f.mk are all pretty decent normals that when you use immediately after a whiffed normal become quite effective. Also try throwing sf.hp in the mix, as you can avoid the range of some moves when he steps backwards but then punish the whiff when he steps back in again.
Also how can you forget about sf.hk, that normal alone stuffs so many moves and pushes anyone thinking of closing in on you away.
You have to utilise what you already have in order to be a great Fuerte player in the next game. You have to wait til you have taken 50% dmg in order to even use his U2, so what do you plan on doing for the first half of each round?
I just don’t want anyone falling into the trap of believing that the new ultra will make them naturally win. I am looking forward to hopefully seeing a whole new wave of El Fuerte players who are ready for the challenge though.
That’s why if Fuerte gets faster normals, I think it will be an awesome change that will be very meaningful. Fuerte has a few decent normals (especially the dropkick, I just love it and it really helps in improving your game and controlling the pace), so if he only has faster startup for those normals, it would draw the full potential of them as opposed to have them hindered with the current SLOW startup. Unlike ultra 2, this will be a consistent change that can be used during every part of the match, without waiting to eat some damage to punish.
Ultra 2 alone is great, but we need something more than that to be used during the whole match, that would really make Fuerte a more consistent character. I think the answer is faster normals. If we get that, and get guac trades fixed, then I can see Fuerte moving to mid tier without too much doubt. Ultra 2 is going to be a great help, but by itself I dont see it making Fuerte that much higher in tier lists (I could be proven wrong though, this is just my speculation).
Am I mistaken in the belief that a good 70% of Fuerte’s damage comes from wakeup shenanigans, or am I just not playing good Fuertes? I’ve seen vids too, like TKD’s Fuerte, and my impression seems to hold water.
Nickle and dime-ing is the term coined. Alot of the damage is that along with baiting moves to punish with RSF whenever possible.
This is why there’s so much work required to win with him. This is also why it may seem that Fuerte can land 6472746 hits but then eat a combo and it’s even or at Fuerte’s disadvantage.
El Fuerte’s number one form of dealing damage, is from opening up the opposition and punishing them for it.
His wake up options are simply to scare and confuse the opposition into doing ridiculously stupid things.
Anyone who knows how to fight El Fuerte, will know how to backdash most of his moves if not all of them, which means we really have to think 2-3 moves ahead at all times.
The best Fuerte players will not only apply footsies and zoning to their game, but they will ensure that its not just a c.mk that they land, but instead a c.mk, run, stop, c.mk > splash mixup.
Optimising this opportunity is the key to winning with Fuerte but to open up the best players, you are really going to have to think out of the box in order to create an opening.
This is what differentiates those who let luck bring them victory, and those who earn it through skill.
@Dhevil:
One of the reasons Fuerte is considered the hardest working character in the game is simply because of his very low damage punishing moves. While other characters can combo for a quick 200-300 damage, Fuerte will only get a measly c.LK, c.MK link to a 50/50 mixup.
That and Fuerte has really low life.
All of Fuerte’s big damage comes from either focus attack to RSF or landing giga buster. And you know that it’s really hard to land those on good opponents who know the match-up well.
Most times at close range, Fuerte can only throw people for a measly 120 damage.
While Fuerte has loads of combos into super, his incessant need for EX run makes it almost unlikely for Fuerte to rely on super combos to rack up damage.
What ultra 2 gives Fuerte is the chance to score really big damage in the times where vanilla Fuerte can only get a measly 120 damage from throw.
it is almost a pre-requisite to be cool to pick Fuerte as a main 
I am really happy with it
