UPDATE: Updated with the new characters. Updated some match-ups with information (Haggar, Spider-Man, Hulk, Strider).
Planning on adding more character specific things, such as the characters OTG Buster is different, jumping loop delay, etc.
This thread is for all of Zero’s match-up discussion. Apart from the obvious individual Zero-vs-Somebody discussion, try to add to your opinion of the match-up any assists the other character can use and some ways you can counter them.
Akuma
[details=Spoiler]Kef:2/23/2011 Akuma has a very good pressure game with both air fireballs and his Air Tatsus, so your best choice in this fight is to gain the air control. You can do this by super-jumping and trying to stay on top of him with a regular airdash and j:h: which has a very large hitbox and hits 3 times. He can also cancel into his Demon Flip during his blockstrings, so be wary of it because it hits overhead and can lead into one of his loops.
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[details=Spoiler]2/28/2011DarkAdmiral: Haggar has a really tough time getting in on Zero if he’s alone. Keep charging blaster, and use Handangekis to keep him out. If he get’s close, DO NOT go air to air, respect the pipe. If you get cornered, look for an opening to use Zero’s M teleport on the ground to get space, and cover yourself with an assist if possible.
Kef: [*2/**19/2011] *When you are fighting Sentinel, try not use any attacks while coming down from a superjump too often because you might get hit with Sentinel’s launcher, which is 80% on Zero if he completes the basic combo. You can’t mindlessly rushdown Sentinel, you have to think on you blockstrings, but more importantly, when to call your assists in between to keep him in blockstun. Once you have Sentinel in blockstun, you are free to mix him up. Zero has very good instant overhead against a crouching Sentinel. Do a normal jump near Sentinel and immediately follow with j. for the overhead then cancel it to a Senzuitsan (qcf. in air) so you land quicker and can continue the combo. Another option is j.:h:>j.:s:
She-Hulk
Spoiler
coming soon
Shuma Gorath
Spoiler
coming soon
Spencer
Spoiler
coming soon
Spider-man
Spoiler
Storm
Spoiler
Kef: *2/23/2011 *When fighting Storm, always try to save meter. This would keep smart Storm players wary that you can punish any random hailstorms they want to do with Genmu Zero, or even worse, with a Guard Cancel XF into Genmu Zero for more damage. When you don’t have the 3 meters, rush Storm down, but be careful of her fast cr.:l: and instant overhead :)up::s:)
Hailstorm: you can activate after super animation (before crystals hit). Possible to activate X-Factor while blocking crystals and then do Genmu Zero.
Magneto
Gravity Squeeze: You can punish from fullscreen after blocking (very strict timing). If blocked close to Mags, it’s better to follow with a combo.
Magnetic Shockwave: From fullsreen, after the super animation you can do a dash or Shippuga (6:h:) then quickly cancel into Genmu Zero so you take no damage. From close distances just quickly activate after the super animation. To punish midscreen without taking damage just time it before the first shockwave hits. Everywhere, you can block and take the chip and punish afterwards.
Magnetic Tempest: Everywhere, anywhere.
Iron Man
Proton Cannon: You can activate after the super animation everywhere and can also punish after the super ends. Can activate XF while blocking and activate Genmu Zero.
Dante
Million Dollars: You can activate after the super animation everywhere and can also punish after the super ends. Can activate XF while blocking and activate Genmu Zero.
Devil Must Die: Activate just after the super animation, works everywhere.
Phoenix/Dark Phoenix (lv1.XF and Genmu Zero is enough to kill Phoenix one shot)
Phoenix Rage: You can activate after the super animation. You will not get hit. You can also activate XF just while getting hit and then do Genmu Zero to kill Phoenix/Dark Phoenix. Also works vs. Dark Phoenix with X-Factor lv.3 activated.
Healing Field: You can activate Genmu Zero after the super animation quickly. This can be done everywhere. You can also mash on XF then quicly activate Genmu Zero to kill Phoenix/Dark Phoenix.
Wolverine
Weapon X: You can activate after Super animation. Can also cancel the first hit (only hit) if blocked with XFC and then do Genmu Zero to punish. Goes through the 2 other supers.
Deadpool
Cuttin Time: Anywhere everywhere. Can cancel when first hit is blocked (only hit) with XFC to punish with Genmu Zero.
Sentinel
HSF: Found out that you can advance guard the first group of mini sentinels and then you have time to do Genmu Zero and you will punish Sentinel without taking any damage. You can also XF after the first hit to punish. Other super is free.
Dormammu
Chaotic Flame: Everywhere after super animation. Can cancel blockstun with XF and then activate Genmu Zero.
Floating Bomb: Can go through it and destroy the bomb if done after the super animation. Really easy to punish. If close to Dormammu, cancel blockstun with XF and then activate.
X-23
Rage Trigger: Everywhere after super animation. Can cancel blockstun with XF and then activate Genmu Zero.
Weapon X Prime: CANT PUNISH. Not even with XF Guard Cancel. The shot from Genmu Zero goes OVER her because she crouches during the super.
Wesker
Phantom Dance: You can activate from anywhere after the super animation even is it looks you can’t lol. Everywhere it doesn’t matter, Genmu Zero will always hit.
Lost in Nightmare: You activate after super animation. You can also XF during the first hit (only hit) and punish.
Sentinel has a tendency to mix up high-low when you’re right in front of him, so it’s a good idea to go through air, like bokchoy said.
You can always go :d::h: in the air instead of a regular :h: to mix up crossovers and overheads.
Unfortunately qcf+:l: stops just short of hitting sentinel (from fullscreen), so if you want to use raikousen to get closer to Sent, make sure you use
Updated with you guys suggestion. Also if anybody want to add anything else to the Genmu Zero punish list, be free to do so but try to be detailed where and when it can be done.
Zero short range block string loop. (j.:snkb:, j.:snkc:(two hits’ of the spin), j.:s:). It’s useful when I’m close in for pressure game after an assist hit on block or on confirm. good enough to push Sent. to a corner too Sent. only
Updated the Genmu Zero part of the thread with Phoenix, Dante, Iron-Man. Really cool that Genmu Zero actually beats Dante’s lv.3 which also has invisibility. You can actually punish Phoenix’s Healing Field after activation from fullscreen, but Dante’s Devil Trigger is instant an can’t be punished. Many ways to kill Phoenix is Zero has 3 meters and lv.1 XF.
In regards to Sentinel, I’ve found that keeping your X-factor and Zero until last can be pretty useful in fighting him, especially if Zero has a level 3 hyper meter ready to use. I’ve destroyed a fair few sentinels using this method. That said, if you have a sentinel under pressure, keep the heat on, I’ve lost matches because I didn’t keep the pressure on against Sentinel as I tried to get a level 3 Hyper out.
A friend of mine plays him, and I can’t get close. Aim of Hawkeye is too good. If I try and approach from the air, he just shoots upwards, if I’m successful and try to start blockstrings, I’ve gotta worry about a counter super, plus his damage output is insane and Taskmaster’s sword normals have longer range than Zero’s. This is, by far, my hardest match-up.
Need advice against flying zoner/run away characters like Modok and trish. If they hover up there all day long you can barely get a hit on them. Jumping then QCB + H can only get you so far. @_@
Sevans: against Task I usually use rangekis + assists followed with low teleports to get ground advantage. Sometimes it takes one or two steps, but you can get there. It’s all about knowing Task’s timing on his moves and knowing when to teleport.
Against Sentinel it’s good to do the shadow super and just jump in with S and attack low. The shadow should pretty much act as an overhead if he blocks low and if he doesn’t you’re low hit should get him. Seems to work pretty well for me. It works against a lot of characters for that matter. What to follow it up with is a different questions… I just start mashing H and F+H then try to do a mix up with the QCB+L dash when it’s ending. Sentinel low beam recovery time is actually pretty slow even from full screen, jump normal dash then QCB+M dash can either get him or put him under pressure. Lastly practice relaunch combos and assist combos… Sentinel has a lot of damn health points.
Against Deadpools that turtles and use his gun special often… I find that jumping and using the qcb+m dash is quick enough to still get them if they’re shooting on the ground.
Against Zero if they are doing the magic series and finishing it off with F+H, if you pushblock the H and the opponent still does the F+H you can punish him cause the F+H will whiff. Watch out for assists.
Against Taskmaster same deal as Zero. If he does the shield or spidey swing you an pushblock before and punish, but rare to find a smart Taskmaster that will try to rush Zero. But I rush with Task so eh? And again watch out for assists and if he counter supers, you’re screwed.
I actually have trouble fighting Haggar. I can’t seem to rush him, jumping back pipe is super good against Zero, considering after the hit he can easily connect combos which deals tons of dmg.
Can’t think of anything else right now, but so far from my experience those things seem to be working pretty well for me.
Haggar has a really tough time getting in on Zero if he’s alone. Keep charging blaster, and use Handangekis to keep him out. If he get’s close, DO NOT go air to air, respect the pipe. If you get cornered, look for an opening to use Zero’s M teleport on the ground to get space, and cover yourself with an assist if possible.
for the overhead then cancel it to a 
:s:)