Options off P

So in previous installments of VF I relied very heavily on Sarah's P, especially given that it was a frame faster than most other characters. While the speed normalization hurts her a bit, obviously using P effectively is still going to be a core strategy for a good player. With that in mind I'd like to throw out some options for working off of blocked or successful Ps. She's got some solid stuff in FS I think but I've not seen a lot of match video or honestly got to play much even since the release, so i apologize if this is old news.

Blocked P: Puts you at +2 on hit. Most opponents will continue to guard, 2p, sidestep, or possibly abare into something big.

Options: I'm assuming p(g) is used here.

6p Elbow/Throw: The classic mixup is of course elbow or throw. Properly buffered 6p will beat any attack the opponent throws excepting possibly sabaki moves. Steppable, -5 on block, but does have followups (chop, knee (very unsafe), and 3k into FL which gives -3 on block). On hit the 3k followup is +3, so decent if not great entry into flamingo. Throw is of course throw. I see nothing wrong with using this still, but there are other options.

3p: The chop is 12 frames, half circular, goes into a mid or the kick into flamingo. good for flamingo entry if they don't like to duck the kick, also should catch sidesteppers. Not a bad option, certainly safest sidestep option.

44k: Sort of an odd option, but may have uses. Buffered correctly should beat a retaliatory P, gives followup, followup cancel to FL, and ends backturned so you may have options there. it's not screwed on block, and it also catches sidesteppers the opposite way of 3p, so if they know which way to go around 3p this will catch them.

3p+k: So initially I thought this move was crap, but I've learned it has some interesting properties as far as avoiding p. So far as i can tell, for some characters it will ALWAYS avoid a retaliatory p off of a blocked p(g) (and possibly from up to about -2 disadvantage); this is for Jacky and Wolf for certain. Other characters it will only avoid the P in open stance (Sarah, Eileen). Vanessa DS this doesn't work at all. If it ducks the P you get a minor counter and you're back at +2. If they continue the string or try anything else (elbow, whatever) at 16 frames this should beat their retaliation and give you a flop stun into 4p+k, FL 8k for a good 70 damage. On block you are at -6, so again not disastrous. Steppable, loses to 2p however.

p+k: The sabaki should intercept anything it is capable of intercepting at +2, but does lose to step/low punch. Hit gives you FL +4, block FL+2, so not bad situations.

6p+k: Wind knuckle gives you a reasonable way into a mid, should beat most things at +2, and of course sets up the full circular/throw mixup at the end. Might be worthwhile every so often but certainly loses to 2p hard.

6/8k: I think 8k is probably better than 4k off a block, since it will crush 2p. Will lose to steps and most anything else though, so only really useful if you expect block or 2p.

8k+g: Catches steppers and 2p, but slow, no real damage opportunity. 8k is probably better.

Off P hit: +5 frames

Elbow/Throw: Still works, even safer.

3p: Also still a good option.

3p+k: This move is great on a connected P. At +5 crushes everything they throw out, only really beaten by steps. So you can think of this as an elbow/throw mixup but better.

6/8k: Still both good, 8k is much safer here than previously.

1k+g: At +5, since this is 15 frames, it's magically delicious. Still steppable, but it's a low into FL that should otherwise beat most retaliation.

So it seems like your best options are to (if not hit checking) mix between 3p, 6p or 6p+k depending on stance/character, and throw, with maybe the occasional 44k or 8k thrown in if your opponent has specific tendencies. If you can confirm a p hit, then 6p+k and 1k+g get a lot stronger on hit or become viable for the mid/low mixup.

Thoughts?

 

Thanks for this. I feel that I'm a decent player, but more options are always welcomed.

 

Great stuff man, been slowly incorporating this stuff in my game plan and it's helped out immensely!

 

glad to be of help! if you guys find things that are useful by all means please post here; stuff like p(g) 6p are pretty much good for everybody, but she does have some unique options.

i'd like to put together a general Sarah breakdown, if there's interest; we need more strategy discussion. At the very least I'm going to put up some discussion of getting into flamingo effectively and what your options are (possibly right now).

 

Didn't want to start a new thread and this seems like it's the most relevant.

If you can't execute Sarah's edge kick combos, ( FL P 2KKK or Step KKK), consistently then knuckle down and learn how. The best way to do this is to take Taka into the training room and keep practicing since it doesn't knock him down. I know my fellow Sarah players felt that deep, deep, sense of despair the first time they found out her flashiest move is vanilla status against the sushibeast. Just remember it's plus 4 so 6K mixup is viable.

EKC puts the fear of God in people. Once you've shown you can pull it off consistently, the more advanced players will block low after FL P, not wanting to eat that combo. When that happens just hit them with FL PK. The K staggers crouching opponents. from there Sarah has many options.

Standard pressure: P, 3P, 6P, 44P, 44K, 6K, 3K, 6P+K etc. 3PK and 44KK will combo when the stagger isn't struggled out of. Dash/crouchdash up and throw.

Non-Standard pressure: 8K+G, Slide shenanigans, P+K, 4P+K, 6K+G, 3K+G, 2K+G (if you think a high is coming). KxG can be used before executing to confuse.

4K: leaves Sarah at +5 or +6 on guard. Use FL mixups from there. Step is good to use from here too. After blocking 4K after a stagger, most people are going to block. This is a good opportunity to use the Step stance.

If you think they'll evade: Use K+G, 3K+G, 44K, 3P, 8K+G, 44P, 4P. 44K is great in this situation because you can cancel into flamingo for more mixups while using a half circular.

That's all I got for now. Just remember this is useful once your opponent is committed to blocking low to avoid EKC. Keep FL 3P, 4K, 1KK, K+G, and 2/8P+K in mind so that you can shut down their evades when in FL. Then you open them up with FL PK.

Edit: Oops my bad. I posted in the wrong thread.

 

Keeping in line with this thread, 4K is great after a blocked P. This is assuming you've conditioned your opponent to not evade after P and they don't attack afterwards. Not that great on spammers.

 

Spammers?

4k is 17f exe right? Don't know how useful Sarah's 4k is but from -2 I could smack her out of that for 80+ damage, might want a little more advantage before throwing out a knee class attack.

 

No I meant after Sarah's P is blocked. 4K is good to throw out every now and then because most people will continue to block, fuzzy, or evade. Once they don't want to commit to an evade, that's when 4K comes in for that sweet +4 on block.

I could've worded the above better.

 

has enough active frames to sarah up to +7 on block, if you can manage to get it to connect late/deep enough.

The main problem with this move is it can be hard to disguise. If its evaded, Sarah can get punished pretty badly.

 

I use it like that too sometimes, Sarah doesn't have much else for anti-yutori. Fl at +4 is a better situation in FS than it was in vanilla anyway. But yeah, she's pretty screwed if it's evaded...

 

Using basic P is indeed important for every character in VF.

Notes and opinions:

3PK is natural combo on any hit into flamingo at +5. On block the kick is +2 (Change from previous VF:s where this used to be -1). This is certainly one of the better options to go into flamingo as long as you avoid opponent ducking the second hit. If you hit opponent with the 3P this is flat out excellent. Should be used also as minor punishment in -12 situations.

Considering this is only a halfcircular move, I would recommend using 44KK only as a -13 punishment against certain characters (since it knocks down on any hit, and is a natural combo on any hit)

One of the better moves Sarah has, since it sabakis most of peoples fast pokes (except low punch). Similar to Vanessa DS 1P in that it will throw opponents for a loop for having their basic tactics beaten, even if it doesnt do much damage or threaten with huge damage other than basic flamingo stuff. If it sabakis, its an excellent situation to try the edge kick combo due to the small stagger..

I would restrict 6P+K use to punishing whiffs/-14 standing. I guess some people may be rattled by the cancel into flamingo but I wouldnt rely on it much. There is very little reason to use 6P+K instead of 6P after blocked P, I wouldn't do it.

8K is Sarah's THE anti-lowpunch move.

This move is pretty bad, as it is only a halfcircular (so beats only half of evades), doesn't go airborne from first frames (meaning it will be beaten by low punch unless you have advantage, and 8K is always better against low punch imo). Its only redeeming qualities is that its mid and safe on block and launch on CH. I would NOT try to use it after blocked P as it is FAR too slow for that.

This is propably the worst possible option to go into flamingo that Sarah has, so I recommend trying to avoid using it outside of combos. The second kick is a natural combo only if the first low hit as counter, otherwise on normal hit the second kick can be ducked and Sarah punished. On block same thing. Hitconfirming the low doesn't do much on paper since even the first kick is punishable on block and you can use something that autocrouches the second kick. This on top of it being evadable.

 

8K+G does beat 2P at disadvantage, at least up to -8. In case someone want to low punch when they're +8 lol.

 

Ok I take that back, seems like they changed the move's properties completely since vanilla..
This means that it will beat low punch from bigger disadvantage than 8K..

On the other hand, it doesn't seem to give any kind of combo now..