That’s exactly what I did. I still have to get used to the terminology and notations for Tekken.
If people have any questions, just ask and we’ll try and see what we can do.
Ive been playing zaf for a while now and heres what I think.
No tracking and weak lows.
b+1+2 is blocked on reaction
Half of movelist is rendered useless.
So how do you compensate?
d/b+2 has great ss tracking up close
ff+4 has ff homing.
The best way to play her is a zone punisher. You have to be consistent with your punishing.
Any whiff outside of launch range is d/f+3,4
1,3 is your main up close punisher. (forget 1,4. the second you hit tnt they can jump over you and get a free bt combo on you.)
Any blocked low should be ws+4 or if they stagger u/f+4 or d/f2
Learn your combos:
d/f+2 u/f+1 f+2,3 scr 3+4 b! 1+2 (give best oki) sub out 1+2 for f+2,3 for wall carry.After b! f+2,3 W! hop in scr 3. this leaves you in the best wall pressure position. scr 1+2, scr d+3,3 (dont use scr 4 to much do to death on block)
Learn your spacing:
Zaf is weak to pressure. She lacks an overall push of move.
f+3 is a great long range poke ~d/b to cancel scr
If your opp is using a lot of high strings or 1,2 spam dont be afraid to use d/f 1+2 its an excellent high crush and isw set up killer. your going to need to take a gamble on it but its worth the risk if it lands.
judge covered the close range pokes.
Just try not to go into scr or tnt on standing opponents.
ff 3+4~d is a great move.
Short jump:
If you short jump in tekken U/f, U/b and land it leaves you in ws state.This can lead to ws/FC mix ups.
Best moves out of jump are ws+2~d and FCd/f+3 and ws+4
Thris thread is top tier.
Zafina is top tier
God job everybody specially judge
And yes i will subscribe to tekken zaibatsu too.
I always thought tekken was a scrub game (mashing buttons) but it’s very complex.
I like !!
How it’s possible zafina is low tier ? i cannot understand.
She look perfect for me
Well with her it is useful to know the property of her stances. I was about to drop her but decided to relearn her and play differently. Scarecrow stance is decent if u transition to it.
Here is some tricks I learned but our common tactics.
A common way is to do 1,2, hold 3.
Here you can go for a:
3(SCR),
(SCR)d+3,
the famous (SCR)4,
SCR 3, 3,
SCR d/f+3 and the ground combo.
Another trick you can do is 1,2,hold 3. then d/b(cancel stance) and then throw, low,or mid. This is a great tactic for advanced players as alot of ppl respect SCR after 1,2,hold 3 since the opponent will block to avoid the SCR 4 which has high priority.
SCR 1+2 is an excellent move for mix-ups especially if you go to Tarantula after it.
Tarantula stance is very interesting. As it is very low to the ground. Most people can’t combo you from the position. Some lows even miss you. I find it useful in certain situations. 1+2(TAR) from Tarantula is useful to punish on reaction. 1+2(TAR) will stuff many character attempt at a low attack since you are in Tarantula. d+1+2(TAR) is good to use followed by a Mantis(uf+3). Very low risk stance. Wish they had faster moves in this stance though.
Because most ppl can’t combo you well in TAR. I would say it is kinda useful as you limit their moveset when you move to that stance. The can only do lows or moves that hit the ground.
Punishing long range with d/f+2 and ff+3 is crucial gameplay for her.d/f+1,2 and d/f+1 is your get out of close range attack.
Mantis is very risky since you can be launched from it. The attacks are relatively slow from Mantis. The slide(d/f+3) is useful at times. Up close mantis is actually kinda useful but very risky as you can be launched .d+3 is nice to use up close and it guarantee a combo if it is counter hit I believe. Far away mantis is tough and not recommended, just remember you can block in Mantis. The risk/reward ratio for mantis is pretty bad. High risk for little reward. Use this stance in certain situations like oki or stance transition, for example.
So far, I play safe and long ranged and close in when I have them knocked down on the ground, or have a decent frame advantage from a hit. She fits my style as I am a long ranged defensive fighter in Tekken but actually in all games even SFIV.
Why is Zaf low tier?
Well, one, she is possibly underused in tourneys (or at least in the ones that the tiers were based off of). If the tiers were not based on tourney results (and even if they were), some of the popular reasons I have come across are:
-Punishment (but she is not alone on this…not everyone can be a Mishima or Bryan)
-High Risk/Low Reward Lows (more than likely in reference to her popular b1+2 and FC d/f 3 or was it d/f 4? I don’t really use it outside of CH fishing for the guaranteed 2 launcher afterwards…but you can adjust your style and move-set to a degree to where you don’t have to whore out those moves)
-Punishable (a lot of her stuff that you would otherwise poke with tends to put her in negative on block)
-New Character Exploration (pure and simple…gotta find that Zaf niche outside of just ‘tricks’ to make her work most effectively under already solid strats vs other characters)
edit: Also her popular items are on the weak side: d/f 2 and hop-kick…16f and other with no range (therefore, WS 1…)
This is the reason some people suggest that Zaf be played:
a) aggressively with a pressure/mix-up style (she is pretty evasive naturally, but MYK also gave extra props to her SS movement alongside Lili)
b) passively with a dodge and punish type style (move enough to not be a sitting duck, while focusing on chipping little by little at your opponent until you land some sort of bigger punish or lucky hit into a wall carry where your oki is much stronger in stances)
She will move up. I don’t doubt that. Tops? I don’t know.
I think it’s about time I updated my other post with more Zafina goodness, good job people…
[media=youtube]DWOVVWBIaqs[/media]
^ zaf death combo. i’m going to spam this link everywhere.
Oooh. something new to practice!
Its not very practical. And the first 3 hits arent guaranteed.
Moving along…
d+1, 1 might be slightly unsafe but it is just the bees fuckin knees on CH. Being able to delay the hits are also a very very nice touch. Its a MM and comes out hella quick, I use it as a round opener and to stop rushing in.
b+1+2 is not “duckable on reaction” its a very quick low, but its predictable because Zafina’s options are limited. It is however easy to punish.
See, Zafina doesnt flat out suck. Shes high reward, for high risk. Let your opponent underestimate you and get cocky. When they get reckless is when Zafina evens the playing field by slapping them silly with all those nasty CHs. CH db+4, 1 is disgusting on hit.
I dont like to try my luck by breaking through their defense with Zafina. When they turtle and I just throw a lot to “loosen then up.”
Zafina is like Zasalamel in SC3. A little bit of goodness, but mostly parlor tricks. Now what she has thats solid is very limited, so throw in a little bullshit every now again on top of a tight Zafia game with emphasis on whiff punishing and spacing… and her shenanigans can make her just as viable as anyone else.
Definitely taking some notes
I kinda wing it with Zafina. But if youre taking notes I’ll tell you exactly what I do:
CLOSE RANGE
1 2
df+1 2
db+2
throw
d+1 1
d+3~SCR
f+2 3~SCR
MID RANGE
df+3 (4_d+4)
WC df+3
b+1+2 (max range)
d+2
db+4
FAR
-why are you back here?
Mix in shenanigans to your taste//
Zafina combo video made by Sithlord:
[media=youtube]PD7J9NiF2PQ[/media]
Ling Xiaoyu vs Zafina
Xiao Attack ---- Zafina Punish
1,d+2,1+2 ------ 1,2 or 1,3 or d+1
3 -------------- 1,2 or 1,3 or d+1
f+3,1,1+2 ------ 1,2 or 1,3 or d+1
f+4,4 ---------- WS+4
f+1+2 ---------- d/f+2
d/f+2~1 -------- 1,2 or 1,3 or d+1
d/f+3 ---------- d/f+1,2 or d/f+1,4
d+3 ------------ WS+4
d/b+4 ---------- WS+4
b+1 ------------ 1,2 or 1,3
b+2,2 ---------- WS+4
b+4 ------------ 1,2 or 1,3 (close range)
u/b+3+4 -------- d+2,4 or b+1
u+1+2,2,1 ------ 1,2 or 1,3
u+1+2,3+4 ------ d/f+2
u/f+3 ---------- 1,2 or 1,3 or d+1
ff+1,4 --------- 1,2 or 1,3 or d+1
ff+2,1 --------- 1,2 or 1,3 (close range)
WS+4 ----------- 1,2 or 1,3 (close range with zaf back against wall)
FC+3 ----------- WS+4
FC,d/f+2 ------- WS+1,2
FC,d/f+2,1 ----- WS+4
FC,d/f+4 ------- WS+4 (WS+1,2??)
SS+3 ----------- WS+2
SS+4 ----------- WS+4
RDS 3 ---------- d+2,4 or b+1
RDS 4 ---------- d/f+2
RDS 1+2,1+2 ---- 1,2 or 1,3
RDS f+3+4,3+4 -- d/f+3,4
RDS d+3 -------- WS+4
RDS d+4 -------- WS+2
RDS ff+1 ------- WS+4 (WS+1,2??)
AOP 2 ---------- 1,2 or 1,3
AOP 2,1 -------- 1,2 or 1,3
AOP 3 ---------- WS+1,2
AOP 4~3 -------- ff+3
AOP 1+2 -------- 1,2 or 1,3
AOP 3+4 -------- d/f+1,2 or d/f+1,4
AOP d+1 -------- WS+4
AOP u/f+3 ------ d/f+3,4
AOP u/f+3,1 ---- d+1 (d/f+1,2_4??)
AOP u/f+3,4 ---- d/f+3,4
AOP u/f,n,3 ---- WS+2
AOP u/f~n~3 ---- d+1 or d/f+1,2 or d/f+1,4
Put together a punishment list for Zafina players having trouble with Xiaoyu. Not a set in stone punishment list, but something to work with. Keep it in mind, remember that sidewalking left is her weak side and you can wreck many Xiaoyu players.