Swayback

Since stepping back from VF5 and coming back, I've noticed that I'm trying out new things and having an easier time breaking free of bad habits that were sticking with me previously. One of the things that I've started using is based off of advice from Blahzie: Use Brad's swayback more often.

Prior to taking a break, swayback seemed like a very poor move to me, since it doesn't seem to be very offensive, and felt like it broke apart the flow I had worked to establish. However, now that I've started using it, I can't believe how right he was. A few of the things I like about swayback stance..

Jab back into stances - I really like the fact that Brad can jab from swayback to re-establish his tempo and immediately enter back into stances. The jab is a great placeholder for the flow I usually try to work towards in matches, letting you stop and start at a rhythm that is designed to throw your opponent's own timing off.

RaMDaDHaFHdaFJsaFDMasnan combo ( /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif+ /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif... ) - I like that this presents yet another variation to flow out of Brad's jab, and that you can enter into stance after the second hit, or follow-through with a third and blisteringly fast fourth strike in the combo. In a fast-paced match with lots of pressure on them, a lot of people seem to freeze up at the wrong time and attack into the second kick of this string

SHIN KICK - Cool for so many reasons, not the least of which is his taunt after a counter-hit. Lower level players will often let themselves get hit with a heavy pounce afterwards, and occasionally higher level players, if you've been using good yomi and oki to encourage them to stay on the ground. On a regular hit it can be CD fuzzy guarded, and once they start blocking low, you can shift into using his mid-kick and other mix-ups

I'm interested in hearing anyone else's take on this stance, and your favorite moves/setups from it. Speak up!

 

I'm new to Brad so I'm still having trouble utilising his sways and ducks effectively but I have definitely noticed the values of them.

 

Seidon - I thought you were a Brad veteran for some reason.

One of the keys to using Brad's stances for me is applying good yomi and a variety of entries into the stances to train the opponent that they better block rather than try to retaliate.

Anything in particular giving you trouble?

 

Yes, the phasing turn.

I don't know when/why I should use it in any given situation.

What made you think I was a Brad veteran?

 

The sideway sways have the ability to avoid high attacks and occasionally (difficult to measure this) mids as well. But its all down to timing and its something that you learn by feeling once you play enough. Some Brads are really good to evade mids when I play them. (possibly due to Akiras pinpoint midattack hitboxes..)

cons: Brad can be low thrown out of the sways and ducking, and sidecrumpled out of sways.

 

I guess I've just seen your name a bunch of times in the forums.

I can only speak from my own experience: Phasing Turn is Brad's slowest stance to enter in to, and it takes a long time to go from entering this stance to attacking successfully. I use to think this was a good way of moving around the ring, but Blahzie put an end to that line of thought by advising me to only enter the stance if I had a purpose in mind - very good advice.

The best places I've found to use Brad's phasing turn or for okizeme (ie. wake up games) and after you've applied good yomi to train your opponent to anticipate Brad's SR/SL P follow-ups (both of those punches lead to big combo damage and should be feared by your opponents by the time you are done - careful though, I believe they can 2P you out of this, so don't spam). Once your opponent is too frightened to attack you when they see you enter slipping, you can confuse the issue by moving further into phasing turn and applying pressure from there.

Some things to keep in mind:

- I found it worth my while to learn about which moves in Brad's stances can be followed up directly into more stances. Being able to chain your stances together goes along way towards establishing a good flow.

- Seeing the phasing turn animation seems to cause most opponents to instinctively try to P or 2P you out of it (which will be successful most of the time), so effectively entering phasing turn requires that you have trained this instinct _out_ of your opponent (such as abusing SR/SL P,K options for a while)

- For me, the most basic mix-up from phasing turn, once you've trained the opponent to let you do it, is to either hit mid with /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif+/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif (from which you can immediately continue onwards with more stances), or to punish blocking mid by either throwing or using /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/d.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif (which can be combo'd with /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif+/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif, /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif I believe).

- Pro tip: I believe Brad ducks under high strikes while moving through this stance - although the ability to do so is beyond me, I suppose that you could take advantage of this fact if you notice that your opponent is always going for high strikes after you've entered SR/SL.

- Scrub-tip: This stance is very popular with newer players (at one time, guilty over here), but less effective than it is intimidating. It looks very cool, and the moves that hit out of it hit hard. Still, being effective with it means using it only when you can feel that it is appropriate. If your opponent keeps trying to jab every time you start entering stances, go back to the basics and just follow up with the next sequence in the string until they realize that getting counter-hit over and over comes at a significant cost to their lifebar.

 

I've seem McMystery evade a rising attack with the phasing turn. Any tips on how to get the timing down on this?

 

I usually do sways and ducking until I see an opponent move, if the roll to the side, I add one more ducking so when you see they start to get up I am just one tap away from Phasing Turn. Sorry for the poor explanation, but that's how I do it, and I do it often. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif Practice it in the dojo Mr. Po Seidon /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif

 

I can never seem to get the timing right on that approach, over than if I'm trying to lure an opponent close enough to allow me to connect with the last shin kick remaining in his lifebar. (Swayback, Ducking, Swayback, Ducking, etc.)

 

@Seidon:

I've succesfully managed to evade a rising kick and punish using the PT /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif+/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif, and posssibly even PT /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif. However, these have been out of luck more than anything, and I find the timing too difficult to get down. Ideally, I prefer either using yomi to encourage the opponent to rise with a mid kick (and then punish with the counter /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/db.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif+/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif, or block the strike and then begin your flow over again. I think this might be a matter of preference though. I generally like to go with the moves that I feel safe with and know I can pull off. I just don't ever feel reliable trying to crush a rising attack.

 

Its mostly a guess as to which direction the rising attack kicks and doing phasing turn in the other. This can be achieved propably best by setting the situation up, watching after which attacks the opponent tends to attack.

Phasing turn in essence is just like a normal evade, trick is timing it into the opponents attack since obviously it requires bit harder input.

A good target for practising evading rising kicks is Akira, since exactly EVERY one of his rising kicks is evaded in the same direction (back). Some can be evaded in both directions but ALL can be evaded back.

 

I done it to Eubanks VFDC earlier and got a really sick crumple from the PT-K.

Thanks for the advice.

I've just started using sway back, P+K P into ducking and I'm allready reaping the rewards.

 

Don't forget swayback P either - that move is great and allows lots of fluidity into other moves.

 

I think the setup I used to use is

Crumple, 66P+KP6, Duck K, Duck, Slip, PT.

Or it may be Duck, Slip, Slip, PT. I can't remember.

 

I also have noticed that if your opponent doesn't know to tech roll after the /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif+/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif, you can enter long ducking and hit him with both knees, and then a light pounce. Especially demoralizing. Determine what kind of opponent you're playing, and adapt your strategy accordingly.

 

I use swayback K for spacing. On CH, it crumples and you can follow up with 6PK afterwards.

 

Blackula, I'm totally with you - Sometimes after a light pounce, the swayback will perfectly position you out of range to miss your opponent's rising kick, but close enough to retaliate with either the shin kick or the mid kick. Very frustrating for wakeup games!