Brad Vs. Thread

This thread is for discussion on how to use Brad against the rest of the cast, and also on to use him in mirror matches. This post will be updated every once in awhile with new information.

Akira

Akira can be a difficult match-up against any character, but Brad doesn't fare too badly against him. The key to winning against Akira is to be efficient and to commit to guesses without hesitation. This can be difficult, because he can force you to make uncomfortable decisions, especially when side turned.

Offense

Even though Brad gets good damage on Akira, he is pretty safe after a lot of moves. His main offensive options are (and to a lesser extent, ), , , and which, aside for the last move, are all -5 on guard. In order to force Akira to play less safely, Brad needs to rely on . This move will track to Brad's back and is somewhat safe on guard (-15). Most Akira players will not consider guarding low over fuzzy guarding unless they are forced, so is the starting point for conditioning them. If the Akira player adjusts at -5 by:

1) Back dashing, then will still hit

2) Evading towards Brad's front, start using and throws

3) Using , both and will launch him on a counter hit. Note that this won't work after (-4)

4) Trying to abare, then and will launch, provided that you react quickly enough. Otherwise, will interrupt. An elbow is a better option after , since the aforementioned attacks are too slow to beat Akira's fastest abare moves. However, is fast enough and leads to good damage. Don't use it too much, or else the high in the string will get easily punished by a good player

5) Using a standing guard, and throws will work

6) Using -> , use . Note that all the above options won't work.

Also, don't forget that and are good full circular attacks to use once in a while.

After or and , is fast enough to interrupt his attacks. It will whiff against or and , though. Against the former, or -> is the safest option to use. I'm not sure about , but the same move could work as long as you evade towards Akira's back.

Punishment

The following is a selection of Akira's most frequently used moves, with the headings specifying the moves used to punish them:



Teishitsu Dantai

Fukko



Youzentai

Zensoutai



Byakko Soushouda

Youhou

Youshi Saiken

Hyousatai



Chisentai



Jashin Hisei

Renkantai

Tetsuzankou

Tetsuzankou
Haisetsukou
Tetsuzankou

Defense (Side Turned)

Akira is one of the most dangerous characters in the game when he has his opponent side turned because of his guard breaks. Therefore, your strategy needs to first involve protecting yourself against them. A simple way to do this is must by remaining neutral. You'll take a little bit of damage from the guard breaks and, in the case of , be knocked down, but it will force Akira to use different strategies. Remaining neutral also protects you from getting launched on a side counter by . Brad can deal with this a little more easily than other characters by using . This will protect Brad against both and and allow him to launch Akira. It will also cause any hit to be a normal hit only, so you'll be pretty safe against . Another bonus: Brad will also face Akira directly, so , in addition to only being a normal hit, will not cause a back turned situation nor guarantee a followup. The fact that you'll leave being side turned is also significant in that it will cause Akira's to become -10 when it hits, guaranteeing a throw against him. In case of a throw, make sure that you enter during the animation of . A neutral crouch is another option to avoid throws, but this will lose to . As stated earlier, Akira can force players to make uncomfortable decisions. Not guarding is not something most players usually try, but it will force the Akira player to adjust. Evading is still a viable option, as is abare.

 

Ok, im coming up with actual constructive things atm... but is 2p supposed to be 1p?

 

I'm pretty sure it just means that if the opponent tries to 2P at -5 he'll get hit by both 6_K and 2_3P.

BTW 2P+K,6P is mentioned in 4). Unless I'm mistaken it can be hit-checked on CH even if it's not a crouch hit?

 

Ok, i get it now. Duh...

 

Be mindful of abusing after blocking Akira's . If Brad whiffs , Akira gets a free combo; guaranteed. If he's expecting it, he could also launch you with instead; for max damage. The same could be said about in that situation as well, however, it's harder to punish online.

Players should also bare in mind that when Akira is at -4/5, he can still opt to use Fuzzy Guard Cancel into crouching as well. This tech can successfully guard against both fast mids and slow low attacks simultaneously; depending on your timing.

 

It probably can, but I think it's harder to hit check than Sarah's .

 

This is why I didn't list , even though it's a good move. tracks in the same direction and messes up the kind of option you mentioned. I wouldn't avoid altogether, but seems like it's a better move in general as a mix-up.

Also, I didn't mention this before, but is -3 on hit and +4 on counter hit.

 

After reading this, I retested this tech in the same situation as mentioned above, and the results are as follows:

After performing a CDFG into crouch guard (Crouch Dash Fuzzy Guard/,) I was able to successfully guard Brad's , , while at -5 disadvantage. The only low I was unable to block was Brad's , which happens to be his fastest low attack; the former on it's own is almost completely useless in this situation because it isn't a natural combo on NH.

As far is concerned, it's tracking is irrelevant in this situation due to the fact Akira isn't SS'ing. As @Libertine stated above, will beat any SS attempt towards Brad's back - whether it is a EC, or EDC.

In addition to this tech beating almost all of Brad's low options; it also beats any of his mid attacks that are 17f or lower, SIMULTANEOUSLY. This also includes any of Brad's high attacks such as and throws(even delayed) as well; which is ridiculous.

This is why smart Akira players will apply this tech during this often recurring situation; both sparingly and with caution, of course.

So, does not beat this tech unless the Akira player mistimed the (after ) altogether. In this scenario, this puts in the same situation as more or less. However, if Akira starts to abuse this tech, I recommend using moves such as , , or because these moves are slower than 17f and will catch Akira crouching.

At this point, applying @Libertine's mixup/conditioning strategy can be used among his other strats to keep AK from playing too safe. Then again, most AK players just abuses CDFG while at -4/5 anyways; so this sort of strat is always useful until the AK player starts using the tech mentioned above. I just wanted to create awareness of this underused technique, the threat it poses, and how this situation isn't quite as simple to deal with.

 

I didn't even think about -> . At least in this situation, a lot of Akira players can't punish -15 well. They'll either get from trying to do from crouching, or they'll use . It's possible to do from crouching (?), but most Akira players I've faced don't.

is risky, but is good. It's safe and can get an Akira player to risk abare sometimes. It should also bound if he tries to use to beat , but I'm not sure if it's fast enough to beat an abare shoulder from -5.

EDIT: It won't beat , so that makes it a relatively safe abare move for him. will still work, though.

 

Congressman, you are such a GIRL!

 

Yes, You can input while crouching to punish low attacks with Akira; not many AK's punish lows anyway.

Brad's vs , =

If your testing in the dojo and lands, your doing it wrong; if you can guard and a 17f mid simultaneously.....

Also, Akira's from closed stance while at -4/-5 will crush Brad's , , , and ; for those who are unaware.

 

I'm not saying it's not. LOL. I said that it would beat from -5. It seems that could be Brad's best option for the tech you're talking about.

is the worst mid Brad has to beat moves with low hit boxes. I'm guessing that will whiff too, though will probably hit.

 

@TrueGodFist, can you gave me advice on beating the Congressman with Akira, he's been constantly raping me and I don't seem to have an answer for him. Please help help!

 

Yep, tested a few things vs Maho shoulder with brad at +2 and +5. Akira will beat Brads from both -2 and -5. Also found that at times akira will go under and result in mC. As you said brad gets eaten up all day long, and its the same in this case. So, if the akira you are playing knows that is ineffective at even +5 vs Shoulder, you're kind of exhausted as far really punishing akira for throwing out moves at -5. Knowing this, the best option i can think of is (Unless FS gives priority to akira's input move) but then, its rather unsafe if evaded and if guarded puts you in nitaku situation. doesn't reach as we know its really shitty in the range department and id think that is too dangerous. Is there any other move that could replace in this situation for same reward and also as safe?

 

Not really. You might try using or Back Dash -> -> . I'm not sure if anything from Sway Back would work, but I could test it.

I've updated the first post with moves to punish.

 

Thanks for your contributions, @TrueGodFist. I'll update the Akira strategy later to reflect what you've told me.

This is what I think of the Aoi match-up:

Aoi

Aoi can be a difficult match-up for any character because she forces players to play fundamentally different. First, she has the ability to either reverse or sabaki a wide range of attacks, and this usually results in her getting a lot of damage. The player has to adjust by using moves that are 1) slower and/or less safe or 2) as fast and/or as safe, but gives less return when successful. Once the Aoi player realizes that the player has adjusted in the first manner, she simply needs to start playing according to the fundamentals of the game. For instance, an elbow is an extremely common move for players to use at +2, because it's fast enough to beat . Most characters don't have a 14 frame mid that's not an elbow, so to compensate for Aoi beating the elbow with a sabaki, they'll use a slower move of a different attack class. This is when the Aoi player can resort to using , because he's conditioned his opponent to stop relying on fundamentals.

The second reason why playing against Aoi can be difficult is because her moves push a guarding opponent away from her, making attacking afterwards tricky. Some of her moves have good evasive properties as well, and it's not always clear what attacks will reach her in certain situations.

Third, she combines good reach with good mobility. A couple of her long range moves even launch.

Lastly, she is extremely safe. Most of her punishable moves are only -13 on guard, and one of her unsafe moves allows her the option to parry both high and mid attacks. Since punishing this move involves a guess, it's technically safe.

Offense

Brad is a character who can usually play safe and get high damage on a correct guess. This is still true to an extent in this match-up. It's important to understand that many of Brad's unsafe moves aren't so unsafe against Aoi, because she can usually only get high damage from her sabaki attacks. For instance, will launch her for damage that may exceed 100 points, but on guard her best punishment is either a throw or . These are decent options, but it's worth the risk of getting punished with them. Brad can make an Aoi player mix up her sabaki options pretty well, but her Tenchi stance can still be a problem. It's important to also mix up with low attacks to discourage the use of this stance, since it can't parry lows and Aoi has risky options to deal with low attacks in general.

It's important to understand the risks associated with Tenchi. Aoi is granted the following when it's successful:

Punches, elbows, and side kicks: for a knockdown and for +7 on a side turned opponent

Knees and mid and high kicks: and for a launch against a side turned opponent

Brad's options relative to their risks can be nicely illustrated in the situation where Brad gets +4 after . A throw and are the common options, but forces him to consider different ones.

1) is a safe option that will beat this sabaki as well as thwart a low punch, but it doesn't give Brad nitaku on counter hit. He has the option to enter as stance with , but using Brad's stance moves against Aoi is generally risky.

2) and will both launch Aoi for a lot of damage, with the latter doing more damage but being far less safe. The punishment against either Tenchi or , which is a sabaki attack against both knees and mid and high kicks, is the same, however. It's only less safe on guard, but Aoi's lack of good punishment makes it worth the risk every so often. is safe and (Ducking) is guaranteed on counter hit should you choose to enter Ducking from it. It will also catch Aoi if she back dashes. These benefits are probably not enough to justify using it often, but it's good to be aware of the option. All of these attacks are 17 frames in execution, meaning that they'll lose to .

3) is a pretty good option here, and could possibly replace as his main option in this situation. It's difficult to hit check, but the use of by itself is an annoyance to Aoi players. This will beat all of her sabaki options, all of her high and mid reversals, and any attack that she decides to use as abare, including . This will also beat a fuzzy guard, but it won't guarantee the second . Another good feature of this move is that it will hit her if she back dashes in this situation. This is a good option to get an Aoi player to start thinking more about standard defensive options such as evading, as her low reversals and jumping attacks aren't worth the risk.

4) will beat the sabaki attack and launch her. If Tenchi parries it, Brad cannot be launched. It's main weakness is that it won't execute quickly enough to beat , but if you're going to use a punch or elbow attack in this situation, make sure it's worth the risk! will beat and launch her on a counter hit for possibly more damage than , but it's difficult to hit check and the high might get crouched. Again, though, it's best to go for high damage considering the risk of attacking Aoi in general.


I'm going to post more, but I want to know what you guys think for now.

 

As far as beating tenchi goes, the are a few moves that I like to use. Most rewarding for Brad is 1p. Half circular Will launch a tenchi attempt, however is unsafe on guard and if evaded. When using this move, knowing your opponent will really help. This is the move to use if you read "tenchi" and are committed to launching it.




Then, there is the full circulars. K+g and 2k+g are rather safe as k+g is fuzzyable on guard and 2k+g is fuzzyable on hit. And 66k is unsafe on guard but is a valid option depending on ring position (and ofc if you read that your opponent will do tenchi)

Edit: these moves have their uses in "normal" vf too and not just in aoi's world of nontraditional defense. Do not just use for beating tenchi... Plz

Hope this made sense and I'm not rambling on. (I'm on phone and idk how to do the symbols off of here. Will edit later)

 

The key to fighting Aoi is to know when to play by the numbers and when to attack to beat her evasiveness and special defensive options. I hate having to list different options for different situations, but this kind of rote memorization is necessary for now.

I like to take the fewest risks possible, so I'm trying to find the most efficient options. After using (+4):

1) Back dash. It might seem counter-intuitive in advantage, but this is a pretty good option for Brad in this situation.

-If Aoi doesn't do anything, fuzzy guards, or back dashes, then you've reset the situation. That's the worst that's probably going to happen.

-If she uses or some other attack that leaves her crouching, you can easily hit her with afterwards.

-If she uses Tenchi, then you've pretty much just reset the situation. might be good here sometimes, but she can probably evade it if you're predictable.

- or some other launcher can be used against Aoi if she whiffs a sabaki attack. Just make sure that you press after the back dash so you don't get .

2) might be hard to hit check, but you'll probably get a counter hit with it if it works. You're taking a risk against her defensive options, so you may has well use something that does a lot of damage. It's safer than if parried by Tenchi, too. is tempting, but not only can Brad be launched if the Aoi player uses Tenchi, it will also lose to .

3) Throw.

I think that's pretty much the best you can do here. Keep in mind that I'm not talking about standard defensive techniques like fuzzy guarding and back dashing. I think that against a fuzzy guard, it might be best to use . You should get a normal hit while getting a counter hit for any attack she uses. Since you have the advantage, I'm not sure if she can back dash and punish it, either. Again, it may seem counter-intuitive to use here, but it will beat all of her special defensive options except for her low reversals, and those are way too risky for Aoi players to use here. Even if they're successful, they would hardly get any damage. This is the safest option Brad can use, and on guard he can crouching back dash (), if you're good enough at hit checking it. Don't forget that you have nitaku on counter hit.

If the Aoi player starts back dashing, then you'll have to substitute for .

Of course, the best options are relative to what the Aoi player is doing. You can still delay throws or whatever to beat fuzzy guarding, and use other attacks as well. This is just what I think is the most efficient strategy after considering her defensive options. The goal was to make attacking less risky while still being able to get good damage.

 

Dang @Libertine A lot of this stuff is non-traditional and I would have never thought to apply it like this. Is there any situation where is a better option after => backdash, instead of ?

*All points noted*

Thanks liberpeep