I've recently been playing H-Ryougi (derp) and I watched the combo vids to get an idea of what she can do. Is it really necessary to use meter for her combos? The way I see it, considering her weak defensive options (no reversal and low health), meter is best reserved for shield bunkers (this is Half moon after all), or for Max mode where you can set up her arc drive or auto spark.
Keep in mind that a lot of the combos in the vids are impractical and are just meant to fit the music.
I wouldn't say it's absolutely
necessary to use meter in her combos. It's true that meter used in the right places can extend your damage by a decent amount, but in real matches that's almost never why I use it. The main thing I aim for is to keep my meter sitting around 100% so that I have bunker available to me (since her defensive options are awful) and so I don't waste heat when I don't need to heal.
There are two easy places in combos to keep your meter down:
1) End combos with j.236c
2) Use 214c after a 2c, 3c, 5c, 5bb
Example: 2a, 5bb, 2b, 5c, 2c, 22a, 2c, 3c, 5c, 5bb, 214c, j.b(whiff), land, 2c, 3c, 5c, 5bb, j.bc, dj.bc, airthrow
I was wondering about using either 6AAA or 22A for extending combos. I guess it really depends. 6AAA for when you have no knife, 22A when you're staggering strings which makes for a nice and easy hitconfirm.
22a is necessary for pretty much all her big damage combos.