ZERO BEGINNERS GUIDE
General Zero Rundown
Zero is a rushdown character with good zoning, mobility, and mixups, but poor stamina and low damage without difficult combos or a corner. If you like having lots of options and keeping momentum on your side and don’t mind dying faster than other characters, Zero is the character for you.
Legend
For those of you not familiar with the number pad notations for directions, simply look at your number pad and imagine it as a dpad when playing from the left side. So basically…
u/b u u/f
b neutral f
d/b d d/f
is the same as
7 8 9
4 5 6
1 2 3
xxxx at the beginning of combos means whatever starter (jump in, assist, 5A, 2A, etc)
Normals
5A: A quick sword swipe. It’s got really good range for a 5A and can be used to start combos or pressure. Unlike most 5A’s, it can’t be chained into itself.
2A: A quick low kick, good for mix ups as your low and starting combos or when dashing in. Can also be used to tick throw. Like 5A it can’t be chained into itself for easy hit confirms.
5B: A far reaching horizontal sword swipe, can sometimes hit people out of the air. Usually your best bet for starting a combo when you have an opening.
2B: Pretty much like 5B except low. Use it in mix ups as a low or as combo filler.
5C: Huge sword swipe from the x-series. Has a nice long hit box and hits 3 times so it can be used to buy time in order to charge a shot in combos. Also has the nice property of moving you forward so you can use it to get a little closer in order to use your assist in a combo. Adds to damage scaling though so only do 1 hit unless you’re trying to hit confirm or buy time to charge.
2C: A rolling sword slash. Has decent range, knocks down. Can combo into 6C but not 3C
6C: A pretty long range 3 hit sword dash with a slash. Can be used to extend combos on the ground or to get closer to combo your assist. Can be special canceled the same as his other normals.
3C: Zero’s launcher, good vertical range on this. Unsafe on block unless you special cancel it.
j.A: A short reaching kick, can be done twice. Mainly combo filler but can be used with an instant air dash for mix ups since it can be done twice before landing.
j.B: A horizontal sword slash, has good range, and will sometimes cross up after an air command dash. Usually your best air to air. Can be done twice like j.A.
j.C: A three hit flip with Zero’s saber, has a really big hitbox all around zero and can easily be used in cross ups. Starts combos easily and definitely one of zero’s best moves. On air hit, knocks down. These are NOT overhead. Don’t tell anyone.
j.2C: Zero does his j.C but in the opposite direction. Useful when you want to position your hit box a certain way. Also has a weird property of crossing people up in the corner if done close to their hitbox. Generally not much different from j.C.
Specials
Hyper Zero Blaster
*Hold down any button then release to fire. Ground or Air. *
Zero will charge his buster. Has 3 levels of charge and each level does more damage. Level 2 and 3 knock down on hit. In the air, will fire diagonally down. Level 2 and 3 shot cause free fall state in the air. Level 3 shot causes them to fall slower so can be comboed after in some cases.
If you’re holding a button and need to switch which one you’re holding for whatever reason, it retains the charge.
Handangeki aka Sonic Boom
charge back, forward A/B/C
Zero slashes the air sending a shockwave of energy. A version travels slowly and can be followed or on hit combos into buster shots. B version is fast and 1 hit, while C version is 2 hits and will cancel small projectiles. Used for general zoning purposes.
Ryuenjin aka Uppercut
*
623 A/B/C Ground or Air. *
Zero does a rising slash with his sword. Not invincible like a regular SRK but functions the same otherwise. All versions come out very quick and have a big hitbox. Generally best for ending combos but can be safe if used as an anti air from certain ranges. The A version comes out and recovers VERY quick.
Hienkyaku AKA Command Dash
*214 A/B/C Ground or Air. *
Zero will dash through the opponent. A is a short dash, B is a longer on, and C does a jumping command dash. These are great for pressure and for doing mixups, or generally retaining safety after certain moves. You can cancel normals on block into these so you can do a block string, call your assist, and then command dash and your assist will cross them up. After the arc of the jump on the C version, Zero can attack, jump or air dash. These have the interesting property of being able to get behind people in the corner.
The air versions function the same pretty much, although the A version causes zero to plummet straight down instead. You can also cancel your air normals into these. The C version in the air also falls faster so you only have time to do j.236A/B/C or j.B afterwards, but j.B gets the ability to cross up after doing this for some reason. Can be done once in the air for each jump. This basically gives zero 4 air dashes or extra jumps.
Sentsuizan aka Sword Dive
j.236 A/B/C
Zero dives down from the air with a sword stab. Counts as an overhead. Has a really good hit box that can cross stuff up and tends to beat everything. On ground hit it staggers allowing a combo, and on air hit, knocks down. It can also hit a character laying on the ground at the end of an air combo. You can tiger knee this by doing 2369 A/B/C on the ground to get a really low instant overhead from the ground.
The B version comes out fastest but has some landing recovery (punishable by jabs but you can cover it with an assist if you want) while the C version has slower startup but allows for pressure afterwards if it’s blocked. B version combos from j.C. A version is a feint that stops your air movement, so can be used after a blocked jump in for some trickery or at the end of an air combo to stop in the air and go for an air throw attempt. You usually have time to do another jumping attack before you land if you use the A version to cancel your jump in.
Supers
Rekkoha aka Ground Pound
236 any two attack buttons
Zero Punches the ground and then a moment later, skittles lasers shoot from the sky. Pretty slow startup on this but it hits full screen and zero is invincible for a LONG time after startup. Generally not too useful but the ground punch has the interesting property of hitting people on the ground if you DHC into your other characters super right as he punches the ground. Difficult to apply but it can be used after a knockdown, even in air combos. Timing is very tight though.
Sougenmu
214 any two attack buttons
Zero does an activation super that gives double properties to all his specials. He will shoot 2 projectiles or have an after image on his physical specials that adds to damage or safety in case of the air dive. You can combo into this with an assist, lasts for about 10 seconds. Especially good to DHC into from other characters supers, sometimes allows zero to continue combos from supers or to start pressure.
**Dark Hold **
623 any two attack buttons
Zero draws his sword and does an upwards slash that hits about half screen. If it hits, he freezes them in a dark hold and then turns his saber into a lance and stabs through them, causing an explosion. Looks incredibly sexy. Invincible after the super freeze so it can be used to go through a lot of stuff, and does great damage if not comboed into (or using a short combo ending with it). Costs 3 bars. Can be used to go through Mega Crashes and punish them in some instances. Great way of finishing people off when they have megacrash and you need to get rid of one of their characters.
Zero Combos
*All combo enders can be substituted with j.236 B/C for a knockdown but less damage. *
Bread and Butter
xxxx (charge A) 5B 2B 5C (omit 5C for less damage scaling) 3C j.BB JC j.BB Buster Shot j.623C
Baroque Combo
xxxx (charge shot A) 5B 2B 5C 6C Baroque Dash forward 5B 2B 5C 3C j.BB JC j.BB Buster Shot j.623C
Ground Assist Combo (assists that don’t launch the opponent)
xxxx (charge shot A) 5B 2B 5C 6C Assist dash forward 5B etc
Anti Air Assist Combo (for assists that launch, doesn’t work for everyone)
xxxx (charge shot A) 5B 2B 5C 2C 6C (call assist in between hits of 6C, how early or late depends on the assist) 5B 2B 5C 3C air combo
Combo into Dark Hold
xxxx 5C or 6C >> Dark Hold (works on airborn opponents excluding some heavies)
Corner only HIGH DAMAGE combo
xxxx (charge shot A) 5B 2B 5C 3C j.BB JC j.BB Charge Shot level 3 j.214A (land) 5A (charge shot A) 5B 2B 5C 3C j.BB JC j.BB Charge Shot level 2 j.623C
This combo can also be extended even more with an assist. Experiment to find your best combo. This does upwards of 26 Billion with an assist.
