MBAC: "Advanced" Tactics: Kouma Blockstring Thread

[Xie]

Guide is a WIP as of today, 5.10.08. There will probably be a billion layout changes as I figure out better ways to structure this guide better, due to the "tree-like" nature of the guide. So much so that I might even eventually delete this thread and repost when it's complete.

If you're reading this right after starting to play Melty Blood or Kouma, it's probably a bit early. This "guide" will contain a lot of technical jargon and requires you to know the spacing and properties of all many of Kouma's moves, so getting lost or not being able to do these properly is just a sign you need to practice and read a bit more.

Required Reading:

http://www.meltybread.com/forums/index.php?topic=865.0 "How to Build a Blockstring"
http://www.meltybread.com/forums/index.php?topic=547.0 "Kouma: In Depth, and everything else you need to know"

With that out of the way, let's talk blockstrings. Kouma, as you probably know if you've clicked on this thread, has easily the most linear blockstring in the game. With no real danger from the attacks themselves so long as the defending player just holds downback. Luckily, when you put Kouma's throws into the picture, this at least puts some pressure on the opponent. Thus, because this leads me to believe that throws and throw awareness are what leads to the most damage; for the purposes of this thread, I will usually be talking more about creating throw setups and anti-anti-throw setups and how they loop into each other. Remember that the all important the purpose of a blockstring is to give your opponent opportunities to make mistakes that you can punish. Oh, and unfortunetly for you guys and the community, I'll have to name these blockstrings as I go along.

Notation:
~~ = denotes a [possible] stagger point.
{} = can/may be omitted
>>> = an additional followup to the followup, sounds redundant, but I can't keep the guide together without it yet.

[Bad] BnB Blockstring:

2a 2b 5b 5c 2c 6c

Kouma's most basic, and bad blockstring. You basically just do his BNB at maximum speed at your blocking opponent. This usually doesn't give your opponent a chance to make a mistake, but even so the [Bad] BnB Blockstring has a purpose: your opponent may mistake this for an actual blockstring attempt, foul up his bara/reversal timing, or think that you don't know good blockstrings (very rare) because of the vast speed difference between the [Bad] BnB blockstring and other blockstrings. Use sparingly.

[Basic] BnB Blockstring:

{2a} {2b} {5b} {5c} {2c} ~~

Now we're talking, this is where the fun begins. While this blockstring is at the bottom of the "tree" of options, this is probably the blockstring you will use first (to make your opponent block through all your different normals) and most often (because it builds the most meter, and Kouma needs all the meter he can get sometimes). Hopefully you understand the concept of staggering by now, and are staggering this string accordingly between all the normals up to 2c. Once you complete the 2c and have block confirmation, this is where you can give your opponent a significant ammount of places to make an error.

~~ 6C
>>> (on block) 5C
>>> (on block) 2C
>>> (on block) 5B

A basic followup. Great against jump outs (easy to hit confirm into a knockdown), short ranged reversal attacks (most 2a's). Bad against shield, block, dodge. Also, if you wait too long, your opponent will have ample time to get a long distance reversal poking going (I.E Nanaya 2b, Ciel 2c), which will beat out the 6C if the gap between 2c and 6c is too big. Vary the timing to bait long distance moves according. Very good in conjunction with throw setups, since between the two you cover almost all your opponent's escape options. Can deal big damage on counterhit. All the additional followups are possible after the 6C (since it resets your combo state) if you are (realtively) close to your opponent. Can catch an opponent off guard if your opponent thinks they can punish you with a long ranged normal.

~~ 236a/b ~~ {236a/b} ~~{236a/b}

This followup has massive reach and pushes an opponent very far away into a very solid knockdown. Surpsingly, it can beat out a lot of different types of normals and reversals that 6c would have trouble beating at the same stagger timing tanks to the superarmor and (relative) speed. Much, much weaker against jump outs, shields, and even some dodges. Note that on block, you have many different options and you can stagger the addition 236a/b's or omit them completely to keep your opponent from punishing you. If you want to get gimmicky, you can intentionally whiff your opponent by performing the wrong final rekka (either falling short or leaping over them) to also avoid punishment, since most players will think "oh here comes the slow overhead attack that I can punish if I block correctly", but on whiff you may be able to escape due to the "WTF?" nature. In general, can be more rewarding than 6c because it can corner your opponent at midscreen, or you can cancel perform a 236c for the second rekka to perform a corner combo.

~~ Any normal omitted from the blockstring. (2b, 5b 5c)
>>> 236a/b ~~ 236a/b ~~ 236a/b
>>> 6C

If you left any long reaching normal out of your combo (2b, 5b, 5c), you may be in range to perform it at this stagger point. Much better at catching jump outs than 236a followup, but not quite as powerful against ground attacks save for when it manages to luckbox a clash. This option is the more versatile option between 236a and 6c; it does things similar to both options, but not quite as well. Note that if it hits a standing opponent, it might be better to perform the rekka combo follow up for the reach because the distance of putting an additional normal after 2c can be unpredictable, but the rekka will always hit.

~~ 5a(whiff cancel)
>>> (Dash in mixup)
>>> 6C
>>> 2C

Reset point for the block string, you basically perform your standard dash in mixup which S-Blade outlined quite well in his guide. One notable difference is that you can also perform 6C after whiff canceling. While the damge sucks, an opponent can jump out of ALL parts of the Dash in mixup (save for a lucky dash in 5a which is really hard to hit confirm) at the point of the 5a whiff cancel, so throwing a 6c after the 5a whiff can punish an opponent for trying to jump out. If you are prone to throwing this 6c out after the 5a whiff cancel, you can apply addition tension for your opponent to not jump out and just try to take on your dash in mixup.

~~ Do nothing (Block until you fully recovery from the 2c)
>>> (Dash in mixup)
>>> 6C
>>> 2C

While much weaker than the 5a whiff cancel from a logistical standpoint (significantly more frames for your opponent to escape and mount a counterattack), this is the perfect option to bait a bad reversal (EX Hiero, etc) from your opponent without giving up too much in terms of. Reason being, if you do nothing, your opponent no longer has the visual cue to jump or perform a reversal under normal conditions, so you may end up getting the same options presented to you as if you had just performed the 5a whiff cancel (dash in mixup, 6c) without actually peforming it. Furthermore, opponents know they can beat your 6C clean with various reversal attacks, this is where blocking can put them in a horrible situation.

Creating an "Advanced" Blockstgring

Now that you know what a normal Kouma blockstring looks like, you can now mix it up with various techniques to help you defeat various blocking/mashing habits your opponent may exhibit through the course of the match. This will vary from matchup to matchup, and there are a near infintie number of combinations you can create that are more or less optimal or have different maximum damage output; the choice is yours. Let's take a look at a few examples.


Dash 2a
>> 2a (staggered)
>> 214a (staggered)
>> Any other blockstring

The possibilities are literally endless with a dashing 2a. Most commonly following a reverse beat or on certain oki setups, a dashing 2a is often the starting point for many blockstrings. Though not strictly "advanced" it is certainly different from a normal 2a into blockstring because of the extra dash momentum you have, which makes 214a after the first 2a possible.

2a 2a 2b 2c 5b {ender of choice}

This is a very specific blockstring made to beat jump-outs and some reversals. Reverse beating immedatly from 2c into 5b can actually give your opponent enough time to attempt a jump out yet get hit during the startup of the jump and stay on the ground for the rest of the combo. It doesn't deal a lot of damage due to the reverse beat and missing some of the normals and you can't stop at 2c for the 2c okizeme setups (since you've already used it). Not that the 2a is not manditory, but is recommended in this blockstring since you need to be close enough for your to have been able to start with 2a for the 5c part of the combo to hit. Also remember that you cannot usually omit the 5c if you intend to go for a 6c ender because 5b does not link into 6c except on counterhit. Use any of the 236x attacks as the ender instead if you're afraid that your spacing was inappropriate

2a 2a 2b 214b
2a 2a 214b
2a 2a
5b 214b
2c 214b

All of these are blockstrings are geared toward landing the 214b throw. You can mash these out due to 214b's massive startup and the grab will still land. Note you should only use this type of blockstring fairly rarely and only if your opponent is afraid of your blockstring; if your opponent does ANYTHING but stay still they will be able to get out of it. You can mix this up with 5[c} since the startup animation for 5c/5[c] look exactly the same as 214b; but this doesn't change the fact that your opponent can easily just reversal and such to defeat both 5c or 214b.

{2a} 2b 5b {5a} ~~
>>5b
>>5c
>>2c
>>dash
>>nothing

This is a blockstring that is stronger in some matchups but worse in others. This blockstring will put you at neutral-ish situation close to your opponent but leaving initiative in your hands. The reason this blockstring can be very powerful is that in some matchups is because they have no good reversal pokes at this range and this range is very good for scrubbing out some dash clashes. For example, Ciel has a short 2a, a relatively shorct reaching 2b, and a relatively slow 5c and 2c. If Ciel attempts either 2a or 2b, Ciel will whiff cleanly and if you chose to do nothing or 5c you will be able to beat out either of those choices for a combo. Furthermore, if Ciel chooses to reversal poke with 5c or 2c or 4c, if you chose 5c right after 5a you can easily counterhit that as well.

Situational hits

Now, we'll talk a little bit about situational hits that may occur during a blockstring. If this list gets too big, it might get its own thread, but for now it'll be in here. Difficulty in hit confirming will be colored colored as Very Hard, Hard, or Normal, because I hate hit confirming. Note that top japanese players such as Kaimaato also often do NOT check whether or not they have gotten a counterhit and often just go for the combo anyways. You'll often see Kaimaato do a 2b and immediately jump cancel into j.b 236b irregardless of whether or not it was a counterhit.

Against an airborne opponent:
2a (not counterhit): This one is hard to hit confirm on its own, sometimes happens when you attempt to whiff cancel close to your opponent with a 2a or your opponent jumps out of your dash in 2a ~~ 214a. The untechable window is very, very small on a single anti air 2a, so reacting to it is extremely hard. What you can do if you were expecting a jump out or have superhuman reflexes is to immediatly mash out some more 2aa's  and then into 5aaa into a jump instant air throw or 2ab into an airthrow. This can be more or less difficult depending on the height and hitbox of your opponent

5a (not counterhit): Nearly identical to the above, though this a different situations from how it happens. This will happen when attempting to whiff cancel 2c into 5a, but the 2c hits the opponent at a close range to where the 5a then hits afterwards; or when you anti air a certain bad crossup setups. Once again, those of us with superhuman reflexes or anticipated this kind of hit can mash 5aaa into instant air throw.

2b (not counterhit): Also similar to the other non-counterhits, a 2b non-counterhit against an airborne opponent will mean you have to jump and air throw your opponent before they can tech. This happens most often when you're performing a 2aab blockstring and your opponent jumped out from the get go or you did a 2b anti-air.

6c (not counterhit): Hits most often at the end of a blockstring against a jumpout. Hopefully you were holding up while performing the 6c because it's very difficult to hitconfirm a non-counterhit 6c into an air throw without having pre-emptively jump canceled it.