I plan to edit my post to add more vids, hopefully more people will pick Zaf but if not there’s always AGEHA lol…
yessssss, subbed.
This is my first tekken game. Zafina is fun. So far i only got about 3 launcher punishes down but I’m totally lacking in the poking/blockstrings mix-ups and Okizeme game.
Judge, no offense but youre cluttering up the topic. All this information is in one form or another on Tekkenzaibatsu. Re-posting the moveset with damage info is pretty pointless. Id rather you put more emphasis in your guide on the “pokes, getting in and getting away” pieces. Information that isnt widely known or understood.
Moving along…
poking:
df+3
db+2
b+1+2
uf+1
12
13
df+12
df+14
You can really play Zafina in any way that your heart desires.
I mostly push them out with safe frames to get them to stop being aggressive, then I can mindfuck with stance transitions.
Zafina has so many strings that just doing the low ender as opposed to the mid or high is sufficient enough.
People eat TRT 1+2 (for instance) so much in fear of TRT 1, which has shit range and is slow as molasses that they forget you actually have to be CLOSE for it to land. Oh well.
None taken. It’s an approach that I usually take, but you’re right. No need to impose my own method of learning onto the thread. Especially when move-sets are as long as they are for characters of this genre. I’ll clean it up and come back when I actually have something useful.
I think a segment on poking and getting in are crucial. Looking forward to that from you.
Especially since Zafina can do a string of pokes WITH frame advantage transitioning directly into stance mixup.
I take it you dont have PSN? I have yet to play a decent Zafina online.
I’ve been following this thread closely and have been working on my Zafina a lot.
I keep getting yelled at by my friends to stop stringing and backrolling haha. got a lot of work ahead of me.
I got the same shit told to me yesterday. I’m so used to Blazblue, it’s kinda hard to break that habit.
Anyways, I played in my first Tekken 6 (or any Tekken for that matter) repping Zafina today. I did a lot better than I expected but I didn’t do fantastic either. All the matches I won were from her stance gimmicks and my opponent not knowing the matchup. Regardless, I do have a lot to learn so I’ll be frequenting this thread.
IIf I play, it is usually on my friend’s account, DaBatCave. I have a general idea of how I want to play Zaf and it is somewhat close to your description. Tricky to approach, strong on oki/knd, and daring up close. So far, I make the most of stance transitions as well just because I like having personality lol . SCR is a great poking and general pressure stance. MNT is pure mix-up, and TRT I am still getting a feel for. I will drop some more info regarding how I play Zaf soon, but for now, some pokes that stand out to me: 1, 4 ; f+4 ; df + 4 ; db + 1 ; b + 4 ; b + 1 + 2 ; db + 1 of course ; 2 and f/us ; WR2 [~B]. SCR I like 3 ; d + 3 ; d + 4…more later, but she is evolving for me. Time for combos
Zaf-Specific Mobility Tricks (some more useful than others):
SCR…
-1 button backdash (or back hop rather)
-SS moves her forward much more than regular SS
TRT…
-forward crawl is fast as heck
MNT…
-Paradox: leads to one of the best run-aways
Zaf-Specific Defensive Tricks:
*SCR loses the ability to guard
MNT and TRT both evade Highs
TRT crawl evades most Mids entirely
MNT SS has a small window of Mid evasion as it actually puts Zaf closer to the ground and seems to have a wider SS arc
*you lose the ability to guard and parry in all stances it seems
*SCR can be thrown but you can still break throws
*MNT is weird because it seems she has certain periods where she can’t be thrown; but since she sways a little up and down, on the up parts she CAN be throw…breaks are still possible
*TRT can’t be thrown
*MNT Paradox CAN’T be back thrown…at least I haven’t been able to do it =/
*neither MNT nor TRT can be low thrown (e.g., by Marduk/King)
are you sure about this ?
i recall getting thrown by King’s bd2+4 throw while in TRT stance 
I also recall getting thrown by King’s WR2+4 grab while in MNT stance
might be me doing a mis-timed move that switched / canceled stance though that made them able to grab me
I’ll check with those specific throws
EDIT:
SCR:
-Can be High thrown
MNT:
-Can be High thrown, but only on parts of the stance where you move up (i.e., during some attacks and while moving forward)
-Can NOT be Mid thrown
*Marduk’s Vale Tudo 1+2 is an exception
TRT:
-Can NOT be thrown
*if you attack out of MNT or TRT with a move that puts you into a standing position, you are fully vulnerable to High throws at this point…which means if someone is trying to throw you, and you attack with a move that forces you to stand and has slower start-up than their High throw, you will be thrown
Also, a mistake on my part:
“But in MNT you can use B to block mids and D to block lows. Takes you out of MNT however.”
-ChrisCP of TZ
NCs on standing:
HIGHS:
1,2
1,3
MIDS:
1+2, 4
F2,3
Df1,2
Df1,4
Df3,4
D2,4
B4,4
WR1,2
SCR2,2
SCR3,3
SCR3,F3
Zaf is fun as hell so far. I always feel like I’m at a disadvantage in tarantula stance though…anybody here got any tips on using it properly?
TRT Stance:
- you can’t block
- you can only move forward if you move at all
- you naturally evade all highs and most mids
- you can’t be thrown
*it isn’t all that hot defensively b/c the stance transition is too slow to evade some close encounter mids; but there are ways to get into it outside of simply doing d1+2
To put it frankly, this stance is OFFENSIVE. You don’t want to be attacked as you can’t block; but you have a STRONG sense what will hit you will likely be a low or other moves that attack near the ground. You aren’t too afraid of getting hit since your low height doesn’t offer much for juggles.
TRT when close…and if you intend to stay in it:
-you want to use your fastest attack if you sense one coming
-you want to pressure safely (really depends on whether you stay in the stance afterwards or not) if you have them blocking
*you ARE afraid of getting LOW PARRIED…
TRT when far…you just use it to provoke what they use against it and try to counter
TRT after knockdown…your approach is a form of mix-up
:u: this is how i see the stance…when i play around with it further to learn HOW i do the above by looking further at TRT attacks, i’ll drop more infoes
Cancelling out of Mantis/Scarecrow into block is almost instantaneous.
Usually I’ve played with TRT stance after
SCR, 4, 1,1,2,2 into TRT and then I think ->2?
yea, there is no reason to bullrush in these 2 stances for that one reason . personally, i think SCR has the best ‘pokes’
Thanks for the tips. I’ll keep all that in mind.
k, it’s go time!
Zafina 101
*credit to all the vids I have watched and all the people who continue to post good info on SRK and TZ boards
(editing post, but i have to go soon and will add some essentials now for time’s sake via quick answers)
Zafina’s Highs that give + on block:
1 :clown:
3
f2, 3 - same 3 as above, but you have the option of doing your mid f/u of f2, 3, 4 OR stopping at the 3 and blocking (cancels SCR stance with ~B) or continuing into SCR
fF2
SCR 1
Zafina’s Mids that give + on block:
b3
fff3
SCR 1+2
Zafina’s Lows with Stance Transitions (or doesn’t activate trip on block; or is fast or looks like a mid; or has a mid f/u that isn’t launch punishable):
FC 4
2,1,3 ~ MNT (manual guard or SS)
d/b4 ~ MNT (with 2 f/u)
fff4 - lol at this move. it is the WR slide. u can transition into TRT, but if they block low you will be in TRT and BTed 
still not too scary though given you are in TRT (but I will find out who you should be afraid of while in TRT later though…ground-hitting moves that B!)
d/b1+2 ~ MNT
:d: how I would play Zaf :d:
Match-Openers
-> if you guess a forward moving high, throw
quick answer: BDC, SSC, duck, d/b1+2, b1+2
-> if you guess a forward moving mid
quick answer: BDC, SSC, block; d/f3~b; d/f4, 1
-> if you guess a forward moving low
quick answer: SSC, duck, short pause > tap d/f once > go neutral > and react if it is slower
-> if you want to attack first
quick answer: to go high…you want speed and whiff coverage (1,4?); to go mid…you want speed, SS & whiff coverage (d/f1, 2? ; d2, 4~TRT?); to go low…db1+2 ~ MNT or f/u?); TRT straight up?
Footsy and Chipping
quick answer: b1+2; f2, 3…; ff4; 2, 2, 1+2
Whiff Punishers & Follow-Ups
quick answer: ff4; b1+2 (eh, but you KNOW you will hit); d/f2; WS1; WS2
Starting Offense
quick answer: 1; d/f1; f2,3~b; ff3+4~MNT > SSC > MNT 1; ff3 ~SCR 1+2; d2, 4 ~ MNT > SS; TRT straight up; MNT straight up > SS > MNT 1
Combos & Oki
http://www.youtube.com/user/judgerl#g/c/EE4BBBC0F2D19630
-> after a launcher:
-> after a CH crumple or KND:
Getting Out of Pressure
*aside from BDC, SSC, d/b1, FC 1/2…
(your goal is to either re-gain the offensive, punish a whiff, or re-create space)
-> and they are pressuring you with forward moving highs, throws
quick answer: duck; 1+2; d/b1+2; b1; break the throw
-> and they are pressuring you with forward moving mids
quick answer: block and 1,3 punish or 1,2 punish into 3 for SCR or 1 punish 4 for TRT
-> and they are pressuring you with forward moving lows
quick answer: block low, WR1/WR2/WR4; parry; d1
Damn, we learn more and more everyday just how scrubby we really are the next day. Learning to counter your own strats before thinking they are gdlk is an essential. I advise anyone that is really trying to level up with Zafina to create a TZ account. Once you do, read up and discuss. I will be frequenting TZ with in-depth strat talk and etc (though it is not that complex, but you know what I mean) AND questions. Most of these guys have had 2yrs with the character and can drop some good insight on what does and doesn’t work and why or why not.