You buff his anti airs vs dive kicks you buff his anti airs vs non-dive kicks. That simply how it works. End of story. There isn’t a middle ground there. An AA that works vs Dive kicks will be better vs non-divekicks.
End Result: Much harder to ever jump in on Sim without the ability to alter jump arc. Hurts everyone, especially slow characters who jump in from specific ranges most often. This one is probably the most OK to adjust though with the least wide spread results.
Focus attacks aren’t the issue, focus attack dashing is the issue. The issue is simply that a handful of characters have extremely good dashes. Focus dashing as say: Ryu doesn’t really do that much against sim, focus dashing is only an issue when the dash is very fast. For a character with an 18F dash with average distance, focus absorbing any limb and dash canceling any limb other than sHP/sHK/crMP/crHP will leave you negative vs Dhalsim. Most mids that are focus dashed are punishable by Dhalsim on focus dash. The thing is when a character has a fast dash they are less negative or not negative. And a character with a far dash can still end up gaining ground even if Dhalsim throws out a 2nd poke or a fireball right after your focus dash. They gained more than the pushback from that 2nd poke.
Net result: Completely removes a situational mediocre tool from characters sim does ok against in exchange for buffing his tools vs those he falters. Also removes focus backdash as an option to build meter for slow characters who can’t get in anyway. It does fix the problem sim has, but it’s in exchange for destroying an entire option for characters who can’t abuse it.
Anti Fireball stuff:
Zangief Lariat existed since the start of streetfighter. Bison could scissor over some fireballs. Balrog had TAP. A ton of characters supers demolished fireballs entirely in ST. Complaining about anti fireball moves and thinking they are the heart of the problem is a myopic view (IMO) that comes from not recognizing the issue has to do almost entirely with something else: lower risk on jump ins and lower damage on fireballs. Yes, anti fireball moves ADD to the problem but saying “we should remove moves that avoid fireballs” shows a choice to ignore the history of the genre.
Removing anti fireball moves: completely demolishes almost so many matchups it’s not even funny and I have to ask you: did you think about how much this hurts Sim’s good matchups? How does Zangief ever beat Dhalsim without Lariat? What even is the point of Cody’s Zonk and EX Ruffian if it loses to fireballs? How does THawk beat Sim? How does Honda ever get in on Sim period?
Then there is the general stuff for all matchups not just involving Dhalsim How do you escape meaty fireballs EVER, even an SRK no longer works. What is the point of a move like Dudley’s ducking now, where the only reason for it existing is that it’s projectile invincible? Is it relegated to simply being a shitty version of Ibuki’s Kasumi Gake without the speedy movement ability to cross over opponents?
Adjusting SOME anti fireball moves, sure. Removing them? Fuck no. Not unless some MAJOR system changes are put in place and new moves given to those characters who would basically have no options to get in on Dhalsim now unless Dhalsim falls asleep.
Your ideas ALL would result in making several of the matchups Sim wins already be much harder. That is the nature of the character and the nature of balance period. The balance is HOW MUCH is it ok to make some of his bad matchups better in exchange for making his good matchups better. There is balance that can be achieved, and generally its through adjusting the reward on his tools rather than the efficiency. Some things can be (and should be changed) but you need to admit the FACT that when you buff a character to be better at something: he is going to be better at that thing. You buff his anti airs, he is going to be better at anti airing. You buff his pokes, he’ll be better at poking. There isn’t a “this anti air only hits divekicks” flag for moves or “this move is only 2hits vs Makoto” flag.
I’m all for all sorts of Dhalsim buffs, hell most of the ones Jones posted I agreed with. I also have a few of my own ideas. However you need to look at the facts, ANY time you buff a character to be better at something you affect all matchups where that something is used. So, how many matchups does Dhalsim have that involve: Focus, Opponents being in the air at some point, and throwing fireballs? If those things come up in any matchups, your suggestions effects them.
Note, the crumple would be the equivalent of a level 2 focus, in this version he isn’t able to dash / jump / special cancel so he always ends up only being able to combo off the couple during the frames the opponent is already airborne. Limits the tool a bit more but still can lead directly to ultra.