Advanced Sarah stratagies, flow charts, and delayed attacks

This topic is here for discussion for anyone who has any Sarah stratagies, flow charts and delayed attacks you've picked up with Sarah that you think are helpfull or aren't in most FAQs you've seen.


I'll start off with some flow charts and delayed attacks I picked up from playing the VF4 with sarah.

Also I'll use a (D) to represent that the move is delayed.


{P, d+k}: the mid kick part of this combo actually stops a character who evades the p and performs a P+K+G evasion counter attack or something orginal thats agressive(your foward leg must be opposite of your opponents foward leg for it to work, so if your right leg is foward your opponents left leg must be foward. It will look like the same legs are foward, so this lets you spot it quickly in the heat of a fight instead of trying to figure out which leg is foward). Try {f+p,f+k}, {u/b+k+g}, and {d+k,k} if you want to switch your footing during battle.

If the evading opponent delays the P+K+G counter attack, you can delay the d+k part of the combo to compinsate for there delay. Use this to fool enemies who like to evade your standing punch with an evasion P+K+G counter. Even if blocked it's difficult to punish, and if the opponent is damaged from the kick you can press on with an attack, throw a P+K to counter any high or mid attacks, or do a d+p to stop an enemy whos going to go in for an attack directly after that and follow up with an appropriate flow chart.

Alot of the flow charts below supplement ices-9s FAQs nicely and add quite a bit of depth to Sarahs poking game.


Some variation on sarahs ppp string:

P,P, (D)P
> Throw
> P+K Sabaki
> K, or b/u K
> (D)K, or (D)b/u K (the key here is how long you delay the move)
> d+P (allowing you to go into another flow chart)
> d/b+K to go over high moves and set them up for a combo
> p,d+p to keep the flow chart going

The above works great if the first two punches are blocked, since the third punch will catch them by surprise(the third punch has a long delay time allowing you to delay the 3rd punch almost to a point where it seems like a punch to a sperate string). The delayed 3rd punch is effective against players who blocked the 1st punch. It's also effective since you can choose not to attack with a delayed 3rd punch and throw or buffer in a guard and do something else if your opponent is onto your delayed 3rd punch. If your opponent trys to do a low punch to stop the 3rd delayed punch, do a u+k+g instead of the 3rd delayed to punish them.

If you choose to continue on, the final kick string will hit crouching characters and goes right through low punches if they low punch during the k part of the combo. Or you can just go in for a throw after the 3rd (D)p or do a MC d+p to grab if there agressive.

What I like about this is that most people don't use Sarahs PPPK strings, so it catches the players off guard with a delayed 3rd punch and a delayed knee to the face.

I think it's best to start off with P,P,(D)P then followed up by d+p or P+K to counter anything your enemy might throw at you thats quick(if there an agressive player).

If your opponent catches on to you and trys to guard or evade you can go for a grab instead of the delayed third punch. If the enemy guards the 3rd delayed punch you can go for a delayed k. It's important to know how long you delay the k or u/b+k if your opponent defends the delayed 3rd punch, so when they stop defending they'll go in for an attack or grab, but will be greeted to a knee/foot in there face. It's important that the delay of the k or u/b+k is either a VERY short delay or a long delay. If it's too long and the enemy does a standing attack quickly after guarding the 3rd punch it will stop your delayed k. So delay it very slightly(a few frames after the punch) so that when you press the k or u/b+k the delay was just enough for a bull doggish player to fall for the bait and be punished for it. Delaying the K portion for a longer time is good against players who react a bit slower expecting to block something else but didn't and feel they have an opportunity to go in for an attack, or possibly interupt with a low punch. The knee goes over low punchs...surprise!!!



Another flow chart I find usefull after I interupt someone with a d+p:
p > d+p > p,p,(D)p

or after {d+p > p,d+k}:
>d+p > p,p(D)p
>P+K
>p,p(D)p
>u+g+k (against low punch interupts)
>MC p or MC d+p to a throw

It can really confuse players on what to expect after the delayed third punch. Mix in a {p,d+k} after the (D)p connects to stop players who are evasive or right before the ppp string with another d+p to keep bull dogs in there place. Or go in for a grab if any of the hits are MC to really keep the player guessing.

It's important to mix this up with {f+p,(D)f/d+p} and {f+p,(D)f+k} to totally confuse players who think there on to you. The elbow to chop is a safe move which can be delayed and lets you put the pressure on the opponent if it connects. Be sure to include the above and mix them in the flow charts above.

pp(D)p along with her other delayed attacks really strengthens Sarahs poking game since theres no telling if you should guarding throw counter, use a fast striking attack, or guard/evade....all of which have flow charts to counter them which leave you rather safe, thus your opponent really can't predict what your going to do. If your opponent is expecting a grab after a MC punch you can continue to go in for the offensive but fool them with the proper delayed attacks which in essense shakes the player up. Then mix it up again and just go in for the MC punch to throw.

Well placed P,d+k really throws a evading character off guard, so it makes your offensive game of delayed attacks and pokes a bit more annoying to deal with.

Also using u+k+g will go right over low punches. So if your going in for the offensive and the player thinks there going to stop you with a low punch they'll be greeted hearty juggle of u+k+g > b+k > u+k or d+k+g.


Flamingo:

Her pp(D)p also works great with her cut in punch from flamingo. Using P+K to sabaki an enemy from one of the flow charts above and going right back into your flow chart with PP(d)P or a PP variant can keep the pressure on. P, d+k is the key to characters who evade your standing punch strings(remeber to check your footing). The flow charts above are some what eratic so a player can have a difficult time using a reversal.


Something else I find usefull:
Fool the enemy while in flamingo with a u+k from mid distance, and use the cut in punch close up. Feel free to delay either action if your opponent defends right after you go into flamingo or just do a throw. Since a standing K in flamingo has high priority it forces the player to make a choice, and thus gives you a strong guessing game the moment you hit flamingo stance.

Aside from the punishment you can deal while in flamingo going in and out of flamingo quickly can be equally damaging, and hella confusing for your opponent.

If anyone else has anything helpfull please post it up.

 

Some good stuff HC.

Also using u+k+g will go right over low punches. So if your going in for the offensive
and the player thinks there going to stop you with a low punch they'll be greeted
hearty juggle of u+k+g > b+k > u+k or d+k+g.

Something training mode taught me:
u+K+G --> b+K --> [FL]f+K+G works against Lion, Shun, Lau, Kage and Lei.

I use the [FL]u+K against the girls, and the flamingo sweep against Jacky, Akira, Wolf and Jeff.

Note that the above b+K combos also work after an elbow-knee knock down. (These combos kill kumite opponents.)

Be warned, however, that all of these combos can be tech rolled out of (something kumite opponents don't do realistically /versus/images/icons/tongue.gif ) but doing b+K and buffering the 270 throw will usually grab someone who quick rises, and if they tech roll, you can use the flamingo low kick hit throw or step forward in flamingo and side kick, kickflip or P-sidekick to continue the pressure.

 

Good stuff guys. I have learned a lot just reading both of your posts. One thing that my friend told me was to abuse the first kick of the flamingo stance kick. (b+k (fl), k) and just delay it a second and use it to keep people from getting in a move. It gives you frame rate advantage, and the only want out of it is to side step or only certain fast moves that the opponent has. But I am pretty sure you guys know that already. The other thing that I like to do is to use the u/f p+g throw because she will charge at the opponent. I use it even if it doesn't connect. If the action gets crazy, it is almost like a side step dash to me. It gets away from some opponents and I would sometimes be behind them to where I can turn around low kick. The other thing I do that I like to delay is d+p, k, k. Sarah would low punch, and do two turn kicks. But I would only do the d+p, and one k, and wait. That way I would be turned around and I could surprise some people with a low kick or jump away if they are going to pummel me, and while they are doing some strings, I can turn around and hit them. Just some stuff I learned while practicing. Thanks for the tips again.

 

low punch --> turn away kick-turn toward kick is really d+P, b+K,K

Be carefull of using high attacks like the flamingo K all the time... if you miss you will get reamed.

 

About the rolling face crush {u/f+P+G}.

I find it effective to do from a distance and use it after I knock a player down. But first I make sure I do either a crush tornado {K+G from rising, charge} or the tornado kick {u/f K+G}. It can break through a rising attack(proper timing required) and it goes right over low attacks.

But the way I tend to use is against players that don't get up with an attack. The hit from either move staggers the enemy. Depending on the stagger I either run in and go on the offensive or I dash back and then perform the u/f P+G and it catches them off guard. I make sure iam distanced properly and then dash making the opponent thinks one of there mid range hits will connect. Works against human players as well, or you can change the rolling face crush for a d/f K+G after the guard stagger, which works really great against humans opponents.

 

Cool beans. Thanks for the tips. So what is a good way of juggling after a successful db+k, or knee? I am trying to get the one move where she knees, and then p, df+p, k, p, u+k combo. It's kinda hard right now. I think the timing is a little off for me. Also, is there a low throw for Sarah? What can I do after I do two mirage kicks? (df+k, k) I usually try to do two and then go to something else, or I try and trick them by doing the low one. Any suggestions?

 

she got a low back throw /versus/images/icons/wink.gif

mirage kick can also end with a mid kick. which is d/f+k,k,f+k.

 

Search for the Sarah Combos thread by Adio...

The best combo vs. light weights I know of (given that I haven't actually researched this too hard) is
(MC) db+K, df+PK, P(G), db+K

against middle weights change it to
(MC) db+K, df+PK, PPK

 

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr>

Be warned, however, that all of these combos can be tech rolled out of (something kumite opponents don't do realistically)

<hr></blockquote>

Strange enough, Jeffry is the only Kumite opponent that I find able to TR or QR to avoid the [FL]d+K+G. The rest are bozos.

 

Yep, I look forward to fighting kumite Jeff's because they let me practice more realistic okizeme options.

 

Hehe, yeah, only Lion and Jeff in kumite mode will actually TR things, and they have their own AI problems /versus/images/icons/wink.gif

I think the combo he's referring to is db+K -> P -> df+P,K -> u+K, which *should* be doable on lightweights (haven't tested it) but doesn't looks as cool as the aforementioned db+K -> df+PK -> P -> db+K.

 

Some okizeme for Sarah. It's a decent guessing games to pull on rising characters.

Do the u/f K+G when there getting up.

Then you can either do a
>kick flip(mid range)
>d+k+g or d/f k+g
>u/f p+g

If your opponent rushs in the kick flip or the low sweep/shin cutter will stop them. If they choose to go on the defensive the rolling face crusher will catch them.

Also I have a question. What does b+k+g have priority over exactly?

 

db+K -> P -> df+P,K -> u+K, which *should* be doable on lightweights

It is. I was doing this before I learned about
db+K --> df+PK --> PPK

db+K --> df+PK --> PPPK also works on lightweights even without a wall. It's just stance specific. If you have a wall, it works on middle weights too.