Nash is a monster with his booms, so utilize kens ex fireballs as a means to cover ground. For example, u do an early ex fireball just as ur opponent throws his, it eats ur opponents fireball but it gives your opponent enough time to block, even better if proximity block comes into play and ur opponent can’t react to think quick enough to do anything so they just sit there and block. This is ur chance to look for a way to cover ground fast, whether it be dashes, kens run, his run into a jump, his fierce tatsu, max range step kick, fake step, or just a run to a complete stop and see what ur opponent does etc…u get the idea? Also don’t neglect using his running step kick as a counter poke either. Try to use it as a way where it will be unexpected but will mostly be guaranteed to hit and act as a long range counter poke, because if it hits, u basically covered alot of ground as it knocks opponents down. And since u used it at max range, most likely ur opponent wouldn’t be able to punish it. As for dealing with moonsaults, u can basically jab them out of it if poorly spaced. Also use ex fireballs for the same reason during wars, only throw it when u feel like he will throw a normal fireball, because u can barely use fireballs against Nash as is unless u plan on using em as a counter poke outside sweep range but even then.
I pretty much use Ken how I always used him since i started messing with him in ae 2012. Use him as a traditional shoto, keep ur anti airs and fireballs on point according to the MU, and establish a ground game to pick your openings, so forget the “Ohh Ken is more rush down than ryu so I will rush my opponent down alot” for a moment. since Ken has a bit more tools to fight on the ground than a traditional shoto, always look for ways to mix his unique attacks whenever possible. To me, being able to utilize all his unique attacks altogether with the basic ground game is what makes him shine, and helps u manipulate how your opponent will behave. One important thing to note is his fake step kick now causes proximity block.
Now before u know it, ur opponent will already forget about kens air ex tatsu. I usually rush down with Ken either when I smell blood, feeling gutsy, or have the meter to back me up, but it’s usually in short bursts. All of this is why the same Ken i used in IV pretty much translated to V quite well. Yes I remember the quote from momochi how Ken is different and u shouldn’t use him like u did in iv…not exactly true, yes the range on his moves have changed quite a bit, but the way how I think Ken is portrayed when he fights is still pretty much there in V as he was in IV because his moves still pretty much serve the same purpose, only just u may have to use some of them at a different range.
Now, by the time u have v-trigger, u already prob have meter, and now since u already established a ground game beforehand, ur chances of hitting his roundhouse into v trigger should be increased. And since u hit confirmed his roundhouse into v trigger, blood has been shed. It’s time to rush down, kens ex tatsu is even more deadly during v-trigger. And if u somehow activated v trigger and ended up across the screen, his fireballs knocks down so u can cover ground alot easier, his hk tatsu is even better as well -2 on block which can set u up for the dirtiest and most unexpected dp ever assuming if u have a really strong read. Once ur in short-mid range, make ur opponent fear his air ex dive kick, then once they fear an ex dive kick they will most likely look out to anti air instead of pressing buttons on the ground, now u can just dash up n grab or whatever.
U can take this info with a grain of salt as I’ve hardly had time to play this game, but when I do, I can still hold my own with even gold ranked Nash’s in lag. And u know how strong Nash is when there’s lag?
