*******Laurence Blood
**************** normal attacks :**
Laurence’s normals have slow start up and recovery, but on the other hand their range are pretty good. Light normals can’t be connected into themselves. Same for the lights and the power normals (no a, c or abc or bc combo available for laurence). These moves should be used to keep people out at a distance.
a : A really good poke, pretty fast but can be ducked by small crouching characters, this poke is great to use with a dash to harass the opponent. You can use this move to prevent people from jumping in on you.
b : Slow start up, that middle attack is necessary to the laurence’s mixup cause this move hits crouching opponents.
distant c: Looks like a slightly nerfed version of yamasaki’s kick. Good range but really slow recovery. Pretty good to counter dash rushs.
close c : Several C can be conected into an easy c c c combo killer (hits five times) but you still have to find the opportunity to land it. Can be used as a meaty but you have to hide this one before attacking (be carrefull to “d” switchline).
This move is bufferable and comboable into all special/fury moves.
crouch a : fastest normal of Laurence.
crouch b : slightly slower but slightly better range.
crouch C : Pretty fast for a knockdown roundhouse. The recovery is ok.
a+b : good anti air.
forward+b : really slow start up, don’t hit crouching characters at long distance, unfortunately the recovery is really bad and the range is also a bit short. Actually, you have to trick your opponent to land it but it’s a “high risk-hight reward” move cause it allows to land insane combos in close combat.
“D” from back plane : good range, the histun is pretty good and allows laurence to deals more damage than some others characters
"D" sweep and down “D” sweep : good range for both. Standing D is bufferable and combos into all special/fury moves if your opponent is way above you, you still have to react really quickly.
coming soon, : Josh’s frame data.
***************** bloody saber** (charge back then forward C)***********
This is a good poke for long distance and pretty easy to do. Over the screen , most part of people fear about this special move cause few moves can beat the saber when it’s deployed. Like billy’s SanSetsuKon, Mai’s billy’s SanSetsuKon, the saber can’t be countered by Geese, Yama, or Krauser so it can a good advantage, mind game tool for those matchups.
That special move still has some oubious weakness. The start up is really slow and same for the recovery (even slower than billy’s SanSetsuKon Mid Hit) and opponents can duck the attack while they’re crouching, so this special move is really risky to use during close fight. Fucking up your saber at close range exposes you on a very disadvantage situation because laurence give all his body to an heavy counter during the recovery, so don’t do it !
Also, that move can be comboed only after heavy normals (sadly not a+b), the bad thing is heavy normals comboed into a saber are unsafe at close range against some characters. Still pretty good combined with a distance far “D” sweep when the oppoent is on the back plan. Even though it’s impossible to combo light normals into the saber, it still usefull to follow up saber with A at long range to counter predictable far-fetched jump-ins, dashs or trick brainless people who use to react imediately after anything you do. This is a great damaging meaty and zoning tool at long range, can reach your opponent from a whole screen distance, may be even more suprising and faster than an geese’s reppuken and this is a good preventive counter against far fireball games (don’t destroy ground fireballs though).
******Bloody Spin[/COLOR] hcb+a or c
C Bloody Spin version deals insane damages especially if bloody spin is comboed into a bloody cutter. However, that version can be comboed only into power normals, that move isn’t always safe if blocked and can be easily breakshotable during blockstun, so it’s a bit risky to use it randomly. Depending on what you expect from your opponent you can try sometimes to trick him into folow-up a distant light normal or a forward b with the c bloody spin, if the oppoent makes a “wrong move” or react too early, there is great chances to hit him… That special is excellent to combo after a standing sweep at close range (sweep D, forward b, D, bloody spin, bloody cutter xD ftw !). Due to his delay and his difficult motion, c bloody spin is hardly viable as a breackshot but when it’s done it’s highly rewardly…
“A Bloody Spin” version deals lesser damages and is less safe than C bloody spin version but can be comboed with light normals if you aren’t too far. Thanks to his faster start-up, this version is more difficult to read for your opponent because it’s faster and some combos can be easierly done especialy when if you’re to far from your opponent to connect into the c version. Hit confirming dash b into a bloody Spin gives a pretty good dammage bonus for your harrassements… It’s also a safer breakshot but Bloody Cutter is still a better option. This move version can’t be comboed into a bloody cutter.
******Bloody cutter charge down (2 sec), up+C
That special reminds guile’s flash kick, unfortunately the priority/start up of the attack is not as great and you can lost some air fights if the bloody cutter is landed too late (it’s better to use that special to counter as an anti air at middle range) . Anyway, the start up is still fast for a special and the range is huge. Of course bloody cutter is definetly one the best anti air special move of the game but it’s also a really good special to punish zoning poke during your opponent recoveries, especially if combined with the dodge. Of course, it’s a good finisher combo move for ground combos and laurence’s juggles (example : hcb+c or dodge, c, reverse qcf+c). Last but not least, that special is pretty easy to breaskshot despite the necessity to charge down before.
One the best special of laurence in my opinion. Sure this move is easily punishable if you fuck up, but it has such strenghts.
******Bloody Slasher mash A
The more you mash the more you hit, bloody slasher can hit 5 times and 7 times. The heavy mash deals more damages, protects you in some situations against potential breackshots but gets more recovery. The 5 hit version is great as a defensive/zoning move, for trap and chip damage on corner. This is the version you would have to use the more. Bloody slasher waves absorbs ground or midlle psychic fireballs. For some weird reasons, randomly bloddy slasher is a pain to land on demand, sometimes you wanna your blood slasher and all you obtain is an A normal, again and again Oo, it’s really annoying ! Actually, that move has to be connected after a normal during a hitstun or a blockstun, fortunatelly this is the best way to use that special. Keep in mind Laurence has few offensive options against turteling, this special is really helpfull for him because it forces the opponent to react.
One word about the corner trap game. A general strategy on corner consists by ticking normals into Bloody Slasher. Especially cruel when your opponent has few health left because bloody slasher deals good damage even on block 
It still requires a good timing, and a good guess game to be a success, you have to know exactly what sort of normals you will use to tick depending of the range, blockstun of the attacks and your oponent’s options. Keep in mind laurence standing light normals are slow, so if you try for example a standing b too closely, you have great chance to be punished by a normal poke. Futhermore, you have to keep a strict timing between Bloody Slasher and normals to lock the opportunites of your opponent to counter with a fast normal.
Of course, it still possible but risky for them to escape with breackshots cause some of those one can be absorbed by the bloody slasher waves if the timing/range is wrong/too far. Moreover you can use the 7 hit version of the bloody slasher to counter a possible breackshot, in this case and only if the range is ok, the breackshot will be stoped by the additionnal waves… However, breackshots are a solid defensive option, though, so it’s better to corner trap with bloody slasher when opponents doesn’t have any breackshot stamina. But it’s possible to do, all you have to care is considering breackshot as an option for your mindgame. If they can breackshot and you know they’ll probably use them, you can fool them by doing a fast dash-throw or any suprising attacks, dodge, or absolutly nothing except guard then punish
Also, Trying to escaping with D is still risky for the opponent if the corner trap is perfectly set up with the range cause laurence should have enough recovery times to be safe or for punish with a D after a ducked light normal or a blocked Bloody Slasher. And once again you’re free to cut your strings to force your opponent to react wrong and then punish him…
****************Dodge *******(b+c)
Maybe, the laurence’s greatest and original ability. The dodge can duck almost all attacks no matter their height (up, down, middle) or type (normals, fury, specials, fireballs). The dodge can explain why Laurence don’t have excellent fast startup combo like some other characters because he would be overpowered with that ability. Anyway, dodge is almost as great as third strike’s parry and even if it don’t work exactly that way, it should be used with the same philosophy to be effective, considering the predictableness of your opponent and punish him ! Dodge is an amazing mind game weapon tool. No matter what happend and Laurence’s weakness, he can beat every characters if the strategy guessing game of the player is right. All one hit moves with slow recovery from your opponent become unsafe for him, you have to consider the mixup of your challenger in your mind game to get a perfect use of that skill. Like a toreador, you can force your opponent to make the move he shouldn’t do Mindless rushers should have a hard time against a good Laurence dodger. Few attacks can defeat the dodge, only throws and some ppowers can do. Dodge is really scary cause the start up is almost instantaneous and the recovery is ok, moreover Laurence can cancel the dodge with all his specials/furies he has and with some normals added by the stance :
Down+c : A fast slide who knockdown whith a pretty good recovery, especially usefull for closest fight. Good to counter a geese kara 360 for example.
C : A knockdown kick ala a+b, good for longer range an anti air. Can juggle and combo with an overhead “reverse qcf +c”
b : like the normal b, good to hit a crouch opponent.
All laurence’s specials :
Keep in mind, using a special is a bit risky cause laurence special aren’t safe (except bloody slasher may be) and drop you on a disadvantage situation if you guess wrong , but it doesent matter cause you’re suposed to guess right :). Bloody cuter is the best option to hit your opponent during one of his wiffed animation.
Furies : The duck of the stance allows you to skip the slow start up of the Bloody slash (the start up will proceed during the wiff animation of your opponent). dodge+ppower=GG. The ppower is fast, get high priority start up, so if the opponent dares attacking you during the stance, unleash your ppower during the dodge
Nothing : (wait for the end of the animation), dodge is good to use to duck fireballs. If the opponent is sticking with you, grab him after the end of the stance.
**spower/ppower
spower, Bloody Slash************** :
Almost worthless. This is one of the worst spower of the game. Easaly breackshotable with a very slow startup, that spower can still be safely comboed after a C, but the damage won’t be insane. In some case, it’s a good tool to meat or punish an opponent who 1)switch from back to the normal plan, 2) dash toward you 3)tech move (chonrei rolling for example).
ppower, Bloody Shadow************** :
Work only against ground opponents. Laurence can move through projectiles with this fury whick makes this attack really scary, i’ve won a bunch of match with that property :). The range is good, more longer than it seems to be and the ppower is triggered by touching the nearest pixel of your opponent. Can be comboed and hit confirm whith dash a (not too far) or b. Great ppower in my opinion.
***Charges and tips
Some properties of charges moves are oftlenly unknow by most of people.
The most important thing first : don’t forget to hide your charge during any of your moves. If people see you crouching for a whole day, they probably won’t jump But if you hide your down charge during a far C for example, it’s more difficult to read for them.
Rb2 allows players to do many things with the charge moves.
The game keep in mind the charges for a long time, that’s means some charge specials move can be done more ofently than people use to think and some tricky actions are available for charge characters, this is especially usefull for laurence :
For example, dashing don’t immediatly reset back buffer imputs. Charge back for 2 sec, forward x2 + C is available with a small dash to add some extra range. However, This could be a trouble if you want to throw your opponent after a dash, so how to throw properly after buffering back ? Just dash, then press back to reset the charge buffer imput then press forward+C to grab.
Also, it’s possible to land a blood cuter during a walk => charge down, walk a bit then up+c to unleash the bloody cutter, it should be usefull sometimes to increase your range or fool your opponents.
Moreover, you can combo high normals into bloddy cutter by buffering, the benifice of that trick is your able to combo or link a special with a poke you’re not supposed to connect, so charge moves don’t nerfed your mixup at all ==> this is an extremely example with the standing a normal : cr.a, cr.b, then standing a, press up+c, the special will come out.
A last tip :
pad scheme :
7 8 9
\ | /
4 - 5- 6
/ | \
1 2 3
Sometimes when you want to throw out a “bloody cutter” by charging 1, you fuck up your motion, press accidentally “6” and land a bloody saber instead, that kind of mistake can be deadly xD. To avoid mistakes, press “7” instead of “8” or “9” to release your bloody cutter.
************************Managing air attacks :
j. C is a bit slow to come out, but has a good range and is unmatchable on priorities when the attack is deployed, it also hits twice and the block stun of that attack move is longer than other characters one, as a consequence you’re lesser vulnerable to throws counter. This is a really good defensive move too. Thanks to his range, Laurence can easily connect j. b-c on air which make more combos available.
*******Conclusion:
Laurence is really unique in his playstyle, unlike the others he don’t have light start up nor abc type chain combo. Futhermore you can’t connect light normals into themselves to come out assisted combos like a, a, a or b,b,b for example. On the other hand, he’s the only character who can combo several close standing C. It sounds broken and “no skill”, but in tell the truth that design choice is more a weakness than an advantage for him cause you have to be closely from your opponent to combo with normals and you know “close C” is slow which makes the rushs really situationnal or risky. That’s why Laurence seems a bit rigid compared to other characters, he requires more skill than most part of the other characters cause all his normal expose him to a counter in case of a bad choice.
Laurence is more a poke character, like Krauser or billy for example. Each of his normals has an unique use and you have to choice the right to poke well.
Laurence don’t have really safe special moves except bloody slasher wich is slow to come out. This is a real pain for close fights, because you will have to wait for an mistake.
Turtelling seems to be an pretty effective strategy against laurence, cause he’s vulnerable with all his bad recovery specials, but keep in mind you won’t be vulnerable if you play safe. And fortunately Laurence has some good options against the turtle strategy : his only overhead move is "dodge, c, reverse qcf+c, pretty slow to land but potentially relyable with intensive harrass rush and a good mix up. Bloody slasher is also a solid option to force your opponent to react.
Playing laurence requires a lot of self control, patience and good guess sense especially against turtling opponents. Whatever the time needed, Keep harrassing and attack with safe normals, play with your range poke and your dodge but don’t take unecessary risks with random specials.
**********Combo section :
Laurence has really damaging combos, they look like not to complicated but the real challenge is to find the opportunity to land them. They require a decent timing with the charge and you would probably have few occasionnaries to land those combos in real situation match cause you’ve have to be away above your opponent. Moreover, some combos are only available on corners or with a late j.C, which make them really situationnal.
2 hit combo
Dodge (b+c), C, qcb+C
2-3 hit combo (good for hit confirm)
dash a or a (qcb hit confirm), qcb+a
2-3 hit combo (good for hit confirm)
dash b or b (qcb hit confirm), qcb+a
3 hit combo :
forward B, D (charge back), back - forward+ C
3 hit combo :
(from back plane) D, dwn+a, dwn-up+C
4 hit combo
J.C , cr.+a or b (charge dwn), dwn-up+C
4 hit combo*
J.C (charge dwn), (neutral) a+b (charge dwn), dwn-up+C
(note : it’s all about charge buffer, pretty difficult.)
5 hit combo (no reasons to use it - exept it’s cool - instead of the previous one since it deals lesser dammage and it’s more difficult to execute.)
J.C, a, qcb+a
5 hit combo :
J.C (late hit), forward B, D, qcb+a
5 hit combo :
J.C (late hit), c (charge back), back-forward+ C
5 hit combo (7 on corner) :
J.C (late hit), forward B, D, mash A
6 hit combo :
J.C (late hit), c, qcb+c(charge dwn), dwn-up+C
6 hit combo :
J.C (late hit), c, c, dwn-up+C
6 hit combo :
J.C (late hit), c, c, back-forward+ C
8 hit combo :
forward B, D, qcb+C(charge down), dwn-up+C
9 hit combo* :
jump b-c, c, qcb+c, dwn-up+C.
*Note : you can see jump b-c is the only way to set up combo into qcb+c on midlle screen.
9 hit combo (on corner)
j.c (late early), c, mash a (7 hit version).
9 hit combo (on corner)
j.c (late early), c, mash a (5 hit version), cr.a, dwn-up+C
10 hit combo (corner)
J.C, c, c , qcb+c, dwn-up+C
spower and ppopwer combos :
spower 8 hit combo :
jump b-c, c, spower.
ppower 14 hit combo :
J.C (late hit), forward B, D, ppower
ppower 20 hit combo (on corner) :
j.c (late early), c, mash a (5 hit version), down+a, ppower.
23 hit combo (corner) :
jump b-c, forward B, D, mash a, down+a, ppower.
video match examples******
Here a match video example to show what can be done with a godly Laurence player (btw that match is really amazing). Here my youtube account, you will find some of my laurence’s casual matchs.
As usual, that guide will be edited 1 milion times with extra informations like my previous guide about cheng.
