The Sakura Kasugano Thread

Classic Fighting Games Street Fighter x Tekken
221

I am thinking the same. Using her now because she is such a good fit with my best character King with all of her tag shenanigans. Literally all I am doing now though is fishing for c.mks, throwing balls when I can, and punishing with cl.hp stuff. I guess the rest of how to play her will come with practice, rather than asking how she footsies and such.

Some good news: i feel like her cross up game is sick and is one of her best ways to get solo damage. dj.mk and dj.hp look nearly identical to each other, and can be used at the same point during a jump to hit either side.

Also, since speed gems increase dash speed, is there a chance that they can eke out more reps from combos involving cadc like her post launch? I do not have the execution to test. Could help any of her combos that rely on her walking during them too, I think she has a few. I know Steve can do more reps of a combo with them, so it is not impossible.

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222

I may be mistaken but I was under the impression that speed gems don’t affect the dash speed of a dash cancel, just raw dashes

Also, what are you guys doing on wakeup other than blocking?

223

I wanna practice my sakura with other sakura players, anyone on psn using sakura here?

224

If my opponents gets too greedy on my wakeup, I might ex shouken tag cancel.

Sorry only XBL here :frowning:

225

I’m a PSN Sakura player but I’m not on now xP

I just picked up Sakura because I’ve wanted a Xiao/Sak team for a while (yes they are schoolgirls…which is exactly why they belong together). I know that Sakura is decent on point and Xiaoyu is a good support but I’m having trouble with Sakura basics. I know :mk:>:hk: is good for fishing out launchers and spacing since the knockback is amazing. However, what are her good block strings and wake up games. I know EX Sho was stated earlier but I feel like when I do that on wakeup I get hit out of it, is it invincible on startup and I’m just doing it too late? What is her best jump-ins? I know cr.:hp: is a good anti-air also. Is cr.:mk: a good poke to throw out there, I know in SFIV is was decent but I’m not sure how it is in this game.

Sorry for all the questions, I just really want to get a head start on her, especially since she is my point character.

226

I’m pretty sure it’s full invincible on startup, in AE it was 12f startup with 13f invincibility, might be a similar case here. It can be baited with neutral jump so I’d be careful with it.

Cr.hp isn’t really a reliable AA, it’s nowhere near the level of SFIV’s cr.hp.

Cr.mk is the same speed in SFIV, they’re both 5f, but I feel there’s more recovery on her cr.mk in SFxT but that could be a placebo effect.

Blockstrings would be like cr.lk cr.lp cr.mk xx fireball or cr.lk cl.hp for frame trapping (her cl.hp is 3f), lk tatsu is pretty bad now because it’s -3 at least while in AE it was 0.

Her best jumpins probably would be j.hp/hk and j.mk for crossups and j.mp for A2A.

HP/EX shouken tag cancel on block is good, provides a mixup for your incoming character.

I also alt Sakura/Xiaoyu :D, I think it’s a strong team, you can do cr.hp xx slight delay qcb mp qcb lp > cr.hk xx w/e for setups after Sakura’s cr.mk xx hp shouken. Does like 450 damage or something.

227

If I play even 1 hour of SFxTK Sakura I forget everything about SF4 Sakura… o_O

When is the second set of costumes coming to SFxTK?

228

Sakura changes:
LK – Hit box reduced

  • Hurt box reduced
  • Startup 3F->4F
    Close MP – Frames reduced by 2 (on hit +4F/on block +1F)
    Close HK – Hit effect changed to knock away against opponents on the ground on hit
  • Push back on block for boost combos reduced
    Far HP – Can be canceled
  • Push back on block for boost combos reduced
    Far HK – Push back on block for boost combos reduced
    cr. HP – Hurt box reduced
    Jump MP – Changed hit effect to knock down against airborne opponents on hit
    Hadoken – Increased total frames from 42F->49F
  • Frames adjusted from (on hit ±0/on block -6F)->(on hit -3F/on block -7F)
    Sakura Otoshi – Hit box enlarged
    Haru Ranman – Damage increased from 300->330
    Special move meter gain
    Hadoken: whiff 15->5/on hit 40->20
    Shouoken (L): whiff 15->10/on hit 10×2(20)->15×2(30)
    Shouoken (M): whiff 15->10/on hit 10×4(40)->8×4(32)
    Shouoken (H): whiff 15->10/on hit 10×6(60)->5×6(30)
    Airborne Shunpukyaku: whiff 15->0/on hit 40×2(80)->15×2(30)
    Sakura Otoshi (Attack): on hit 15->10
    Sakura Otoshi (Finish): whiff 5->10/on hit 15->20
    Shunpukyaku (L): whiff 15->0/on hit 40->25
    Shunpukyaku (M): whiff 15->0/on hit 40×2(80)->15×2(30)
    Shunpukyaku (H): whiff 15->0/on hit 40×3(120)->10×3(30)

Bring a bit of life back here… seriously though, WTF? It’s like they saw everything that made her good and took them away. s.LK doesn’t have ass range?! Let’s change that and make it slower! Using c.MK xx s.HK as a practically safe hit confirm pressure tool? NOT ANYMORE!!! Actually making use of her crappy Hadouken? WE’LL CHANGE THAT!!! Character reliable on meter? NOW YOU GET PRACTICALLY NONE!!!

I am exaggerating a bit but I don’t see why any of that was necessary. She did get some buffs; c.HP should trade less now, far s.HP cancels so hit-confirming into Super and EX Shunpuu should be easier. Otoshi be easier to hit (cause it was a fucking nightmare before TBH) and bit more damage on Super. I don’t think they made up for the nerfs and she was kinda sub-par to start with anyway.

Next I’ll find out they gimped Asuka and Lili to hell as well. Oh well, the decline of this game has moved it to almost extinction at this point.

229

Damn I really wanted to go the LA anniversary tourney but I couldn’t get my hands on a decent ps3 stick.

Anyway, I welcome the otoshi, far fierce, and close/jump mp buffs

The stand short nerf seems unnecessary but with them almost universally reducing pushback and adding recovery frames to moves it might be a moot nerf.

I think nerfing her meter gain on tatsu and srk on hit is her biggest nerf; although I think capcom is trying to make people be smart about their meter management and not rely on those meter gems.

On a different note, what is your guys’ gameplan with Sakura? Since she doesn’t have her tatsu pressure anymore I find myself relying (a bit too much) on air tatsu to get in and then pressure my opponent with jab, cl fierce and throw; as well as, building meter by doing hados and tatsu CADC and fishing for crMK xx HPsho tag cancels. FYI: Off a forward throw if you immediately dash and then jump at the opponent you get a safe ambiguous cross-up on most of the cast, if they roll the positioning is reset.

Also, I don’t play this game as much as I would like so I haven’t fleshed this idea out completely but I think she might be able to apply otoshi pressure on the opponent’s wakeup:

[INDENT=1]When I have the opponent in a juggle (usually from a counter hit jMP) I end it with stHP xx MKtatsu and then do HKotoshi as soon as I can and then press Punch as late as I can. If the opponent does a quick rise the otoshi should hit meaty so it will be safe on block. If the opponent tries to reversal you’ll either stuff it, trade with it, make the reversal whiff, or get beaten out (it’s very character dependent). If the opponent doesn’t roll, input the motion for a special and slightly delay the button press so that it auto-corrects. If the opponent doesn’t roll and you input a special you might get stuffed if the opponent wakes up with something (also very character dependent)[/INDENT]

I think if I don’t end up liking her 2013 version I might go back to playing Poison since her meter building capability almost stayed the same or learn a new character (Guy’s looking strong).

230

I think they managed to make Sakura worse overall in v2013, which is pretty surprising since I thought she was already low tier at best. I don’t think I’ll be going back to her or this game. I’m focusing a lot more on SF4 Sakura and having a lot more fun with that game anyway.

231

I don’t understand the nerf on her fireball, it’s not like she had an amazing zoning or AAs to back it up.

St.lk nerf is just a massive wtf, nerf one of her best footsies tool thanks.

Cr.mk > st.hk is going to really hurt her (although this will apply to a lot of characters, but this especially hurts Sakura since it was one of her biggest strenghts)

Hadoken frame data nerf is a bit annoying too, I use charged hado in pressure a lot.

At least we got a cr.hp buff I guess, far hp cancellable isn’t really that good, j.mp buff seems ok if it gives her a ground bounce after A2A j.mp .

Overall I think she’s gonna be a bit weaker in 2012, as if she wasn’t weak enough already.

232

Haven’t played this in a long time, and truth be told I wasn’t really holding my breath when it came to the change log, but as it stands so far Capcom’s making it hard for me to want to come back to this. Sakura barely got anything that’s worth a damn, took away her amazing fireball recovery and the lot of tools that she could use, either directly (LK nerf) or indirectly (boost combos being more unsafe). That, and I still don’t get any benefits for hitting flower kick on an opponent to cause a major opening, even on CH. As far as I’m concerned, her enjoyment level’s now purely on how bad everyone else gets nerfed that gave her problems (which was a hell of a lot of the cast.)

If I do come back (and I hope to god they don’t smack Lili with the nerf bat as hard as they did Rufus), I’m going back to my original team Chun/Lili permanently (and if need be, even my Week 1-2 team of Ken/Lili). Doesn’t help the fact that my relationship with Sak has been on the rocks since August, just haven’t been feeling like playing as this girl, even in AE. To make it worse, I’m playing Juri more so along with Chun… Hope this is all a phase or something. Maybe I’ll suck it up and find a way to make this work out, but man, what the hell is going on here? Something in the air that’s turning cherry blossoms sour or something?

In other news, God Bless The King (dem King buffs are bueno, and I don’t even play the guy…) That, and Elena buffs. Glad to see her getting some solid stuff at least.

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From a translated part on the Saikyo blog:

"Hello everyone, Ayano here.

Thank you for all of your comments regarding the SFxT version 2013 balance changes. After we’ve collected all the opinions we’ve received so far, we have begun to consider whether any of the changes can be reflected upon.

Please give your opinions in the comments of the blog in the future. We will deliver a follow-up blog about SFxT version 2013 this Friday (Japan time)."

So, that said, what would you want done to Sakura to fix her up a bit?

234

Damn I can’t think of any reasons why any company would nerf something that’s not broken. It sucks getting used to playing a certain way then they take it away so suddnely. I feel for you guys even though I don’t play this game…maybe one day but the gems is what’s really driving me away

235

I want Sakura to have Shinku hadoken :frowning:
Akuma gets Raging demon, give Sakura Shinku!!

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I don’t think she really needs to have shinkuu hadouken, haru ranman is a good super for her, plus they are buffing the damage to 330, so that’s good.

**-**For one thing, she doesn’t need that fireball nerf, leave those frames alone. Fireballs are already weak enough in this game.

**-**Nerfing her s.lk is annoying, but if you compare frame data most characters seem to have slower s.lk’s too, even slower than 4 frames, so we might just have to accept this one.

**-**Also, her lk tatsu, that thing is at least -3 on block, so that means she has a very limited pressure game. In Street Fighter 4 it’s 0 frames on block, so if it were at least -1 it would still be safe from reversal grabs and stuff, so that could stand to be adjusted. Also, why does it only do 30 damage in this game? I don’t think it combos from close standing mk either, and I know it does in SF4 since I use it pretty often to start a tatsu loop. It does cancel, just not combo. Maybe adjust that?

**-**Her special moves in general are pretty weak, so those could stand to be adjusted.

**-**Give her some comboability mid-screen off of her lp shououken, similar to how Ken can extend combos from his lp shoryuken. Right now all of her shououkens send the opponent flying across the screen, so unless she’s in the corner, she can’t have any sort of follow-up. You don’t have to have to work to get back in with her either, so it’s strange that they decided to make this happen. I think I saw in earlier videos prior to the DLC characters actual release that Sakura could lp shououken, c.mk juggle into hp shououken. Can’t she have this back? She really could use the damage boost.

Are there any other suggestions? I’ll put together our input and post it tomorrow for Ayano-san. No guarantees that anything will happen obviously but if I can prevent Sakura from being bottom tier I’ll try whatever I can do.

237

Hrm, I do agree about the lp shouoken, it’s kinda sad we get such tiny dmg off of that unless it’s mid combo (even then we have to work pretty hard to get the extra hits lol).

I’d say give her a better lk tatsu, the mk and hk can be -whatever but let us have that safe lk at least, that’s a big combo opener. Her hadoken is also pretty useless as is, it doesn’t exactly come out fast enough to zone, and especially online the charged ones like to come out either too late or too early in relation to the opponent’s position in the air. I’m sure the slower one would make that only more frustrating.

I don’t have any gripes about her s.lk, I rarely use it, so I’m not sure I’d recognize the difference.

238

So were there any changes that are going to make her combos any easier to pull off? I’m a Paul player for Christ’s sake I cannot stand doing these CADC combos post launch to get average damage.

239

No her combos are pretty much the same, doing cr.lk to st.lk for confirming launcher will be trickier though as it’s 4f now instead of 3f.

240

So in the 2013 trailer released during SF25, it shows Sakura linking close LP into close HK, then juggle far HP x HP Shouken.
2:30 for the Sakura section
[media=youtube]ijkXlbGo-M8[/media]

I never realized that the far HK caused float, I thought the change list meant close HK would just knock down like a throw. This is actually a pretty cool change. Now I’m just wondering how tight the link is from LP to HK, 1 or 2 frames? If the frame data in that department is like AE, then it would mean a 2f link because close HK is 6f startup.