Yeah, I’m bored here in Muskegon, MI so I’m posting a new thread.
Anyway, the groove system in CvS2 allows for 6 different versions of each character. However, it seems that there are some characters that for some reason or another are used exclusively in one specific groove. The general public only sees these characters in these respective grooves, so their knowledge of how they fare in other grooves is very limited. Having been an A-Groove user for most of the game’s existence, I have used many characters in A-Groove that most people would never consider associating with the groove. However, in my experience, they have had a fair amount of success (at least, in Sunnyvale, CA and in Tokyo, JPN they have - I might be less successful in other areas against other competition). Here are the two most blatant:
A-Zangief
I’ve been a Zangief player for years, which is why I’m so stubborn about using him in what most people consider a worthless groove for him. However, in my experience, it is one of his better grooves. For one, he retains RCs. RC Lariat is absolutely ESSENTIAL against top tiers and ESPECIALLY against big characters. Besides being his best anti-air, against C-Sagat, it virtually makes it an even matchup by creating an invincible, uncrouchable poke. Also, Level 1 FABs provide more than enough invincibility to beat pokes set up by empty jumps, and A-Groove provides the best way to use his meter (after a d/b roundhouse in the corner). Most people consider N and K to be his best grooves, but I think he does extremely well in A-Groove (his lack of a high-damage midscreen is actually an advantage in that he acts as a quality battery for other characters).
A-Yamazaki
I will go down as saying that A-Groove is Yamazaki’s best groove. The whole world seems to think that C is his best, and a small group professes that N is the best groove for him (I was one of them), but in my experiences in Japan, Yama is by far the best in A. C-Groove only gives him 2 things that A does not - airblocking, and Level 2 supers. Yama does not need to jump, so the airblocking “advantage” is a moot point. Level 2s are a nice option, but they are only really good as an anti-air - and at high levels, people will rarely jump on you. The 50/50 setup (roll into either super) is nice, but A-Groove offers guaranteed damage (albeit chip) rather than an “all-or-nothing” scenario. His ground CC can easily be transferred to a chip CC if you guessed wrong after the roll, and you can change that to a mixup CC by inserting his twd+strong. The full meter allows for better protection against K-Groove (by keeping them in the combo for much of the duration of the K meter), and it is easier to combo into than the Level 2 (albeit after a rare jump-in). A-Yama is my most consistent character in Japan, but I seem to be the only one in the world using him. It’s a shame, too, because I adamantly believe it is his best groove.