Using Sarah

I'm in the process of learning Sarah, and wanted to start some discussion of good strategies and tactics to employ with her. I've done some searches and only found a smattering of topics discussing her.

Anyways, so far I've already got myself into predictable patterns with her. Here's my basic list of moves and tactics:

1. + (from mid range) -> +, ->
2. + (on counter) -> +, ->
3. , (on crouching characters)
4. -> + -> (delay)
5. (my basic combo starter) -> ->
6. , -> into throw, usually fallen angel +

The above comprises my basic poke, throw and combo game (not very inspiring I know). In addition to that there's my Flamingo game:

My main methods of entering Flamingo:

1. , (seems fast)
2. (used when I have some space)
3. , (on crouching characters)

That's about it. I never use the stock , flamingo starter as it always seems risky and slow.

From Flamingo I generally mash on ,, or ,, or make bad attempts at the flash piston throw.... agian, not too impressive.

 

++, isn't recommanded against crouching opponents because he can block the low kick and the second is high..........

I prefer ->throw (no matter the punch hits or not) and mix it with ->+

I delay ++, (if the first kick is blocked,I stopp)and do the combo: ++, / +/ open stance only

sometimes,when I see my ++ blocked,I go for the ++ which can MC if the ennemy tries to attack after his guard

I always do from flamingo if one of her moves from her stance is blocked

 

Yes I too was intersted in putting some good Sarah info on the boards here too a while back but got side tracked with other things. If slimadey were still around here he could probably put down some decent advice as he plays a good attacking Sarah.

As an Akira player though I recommend not just mashing kicks in flam stance as this is one of the few times I'd be ready with a sabaki-reversal from which there is a large damage potential follow up. I play Aoi and a bt of Pai too and anyone with good yomi and reversals would punish you for this. Just a thought. I'll try and add my ramblings about Sarah soon as I played her quite a bit in ver c but have been busy with Akira, Goh and Aoi of late. Myke, Creed and Stakwart Samurai put up some good combos recently though somewhere.

 

learn to use , into FL in situations
its good for mC when you have a medium punch advantage to setup a FL mind game in my opinion

FL mind games-
dont baecome perdictable and do the same thing twice- or youll get puninshed (same with all characters really)
No more FL for you
try FL as you are in a even situation when blocked or at a med advantage so you can still enforce offensive tactics

Another approach is to see what your opponent likes to do in a disadvantagous situation when you get into FL and guess/react to what they do
(this takes a lot of experience and skill however, but little by little everybday and whoknows) /versus/images/graemlins/grin.gif

You can try to condition you opponent into doing certain things when you setup FL, but i wouldnt know much about that /versus/images/graemlins/grin.gif

But generally setting up FL mind games is one good offensive approach in becoming successful Sarah player.

I havent seen much of Sarah players footage from top players in Japan but from what i have seen they are quite defensive machi style (cant think why tho /versus/images/graemlins/confused.gif), and some are sucessful in using it, this requires much skill considering.
However i think the best defence is extreem offence (when you can of course).

Otherwise try to be original in tactics etc
dont become hooked on watching Sarah vids and copying styles of play- you become "a once fluid man crammed and distorted by classical mess"
Combos are copyable tho and Sarah has tonnes of them /versus/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Also try to see what kind of situations your opponents put you in so you can to do EDTE, fuzzy guarding etc.

 

Well, where do I start?

Sarah's Throwing Game.

The one area of Sarah's game that is improved from VF4 to Evo. This is mainly due to the new 270 throw(s) add + , also her + (This throw also has a guaranteed light down attack.

Also use +, neutral++, and + and you can see her effectiveness in this department. IMHo one of the best throw games in Evo.
So, direction wise, your opponent need's to escape throw's ,,, (you can crouch this one however), and neutral. So, unless your playing a 4 TE master, Sarah is a VERY useful thrower. /versus/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I'll post more later.

 

You cant reverse or can you?
I thought it was a catch throw
(gonna find out 2nite)

 

Your right Samurai, uf++ is a catch throw, my mistake, it's still useful when you've got your opponent on the defensive (near the end of a match for instance).

Sarah's +
Unfortunatley weakened in Evo (it now hit's High instead of Mid /versus/images/graemlins/mad.gif, it is however still full circular, but watch out for people who buffer crouch dashes into evade's. Useful for setting up pokes (such as ,d+)

 

Sarah's +

Hit's Mid, will hit opponent's from a very long distance (i.e. the distance you start the round in). and is not throw counterable. I always use it when I have frame advantage but am out of range for a throw (Go, back, Home! Chamone!).

 

[ QUOTE ]
slimadey said:



Sarah's +




[/ QUOTE ]

I find this move really usefull when i know my opp is going to do a DTE and then set up a FL mind game

 

Evo Sarah

Finally sat down over the weekend and got back into using Sarah (not played her much since vf4). Some of my thoughts...

THROWS

Just thought I'd point out a few things. Sarah as 3 high catch throws (only Vanessa has a low catch throw) and 2 hit throws. Her catch throws are + in normal stance and + and 270++ in FL. Its worth pointing out that these can just be avoided by an opponent who holds guard and ducks. Her 2 hit throws also come from her FL stance. (hit)+ is something I find more useful than +(hit or guard)+ as its quicker and its a low attack. Sarahs attacks from FL are predominantly high so using a low attack hit throw is a good mix up. Sarah as 3 throws that end with so any player worth their salt will try to escape this direction but she also has good options ending in and so it pays to vary your throws.

FLAMINGO STANCE

Its important to know how to get into this stance and then what options you have available in the stance. Moves that leave you in FL are,





+ (a useful sabaki-attack)
+
+
+

When in the Fl stance you have various fast attacking options. is a cheap way to retaliate to a move you anticipate and will take you out of the stance. Some tricks you can use are "enter FLstance>throw" which works similar to the flowchart />throw simply as it relies on an opponent have very good reactions to stop (well in general anyway). Its good to throw in series like and + occasionally too as the first series ends low and the second has a chance of scoring a small float. I've a lot more I want to say about some stuff but I'll post back some other time whe I've tried it out more.

 

Re: Evo Sarah

[ QUOTE ]
LM_Akira said:

Sarah as 3 throws that end with so any player worth their salt will try to escape this direction


[/ QUOTE ]

3 throws?
I know only ++ and ++
What is the third throw? /versus/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[ QUOTE ]
LM_Akira said:
Its important to know how to get into this stance and then what options you have available in the stance. Moves that leave you in FL are,





+ (a useful sabaki-attack)
+
+
+



[/ QUOTE ]

and /versus/images/graemlins/shocked.gif don't go to the FL stance.......

 

Re: Evo Sarah

[ QUOTE ]
kimheng said:


3 throws?
I know only ++ and ++
What is the third throw? /versus/images/graemlins/cool.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe +. Hardly anyone uses this move nowadays... Heck, Jacky doesn't even have this move anymore. Maybe it's time for this move to retire too.

[ QUOTE ]

and /versus/images/graemlins/shocked.gif don't go to the FL stance.......




[/ QUOTE ]

You're right, I think he meant and

 

Re: Evo Sarah

Yes apologises for my mis commands. Yep the three throws written down are correct for the end of + and I mistyped the 2 series that end with the FL. /versus/images/graemlins/blush.gif /versus/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I was in a rush to get something down and then realised I didn't have the time to do what I wanted to (still don't atm). If in doubt of moves check the command list for Sarah on this very site.