Using Vanessa, how?

Okay this is NOT a tutorial. I'm actually wondering what is the proper way for me to use her in defensive stance and offensive stance. I mostly play offensive and I focus mostly on the takedowns, mainly because I'm learning her. I know that her defensive stance is supposedly better but I am just having a tough time finding it slow. I know it is filled with circular and semi circulars but I don't know what is the best way to start using defensive stance and offensive stance right. Advice?

P.S. I know this seems like a bad topic but I think that other people might have the same problems but I really want to learn her.

 

The ONE advice i can give you if you want to play OS is that you SHOULD mix up some random LOW THROWS in your game: her strings are duckable and half her mids are on negative frames on simple hit so PEOPLE WILL DUCK.

 

OS = Poke+Run. Then look for counter hit.

 

Just spam sabakis and walk backwards. It's BROKEN!! BROKEN!!

 

THE TRUTH COMES OUT!!!

/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

p.s. - you forgot 3k

 

lol ok I'll try that.

 

I find Vanessa [only just now] having more options and capabilities than my Akira, but I find playing Akira to be more fun and less 'gimmicky'.

Vanessa Sabakis you till you realize that defending is pretty much your only option. Akira hits you so hard and if I can read your sidestep, you're pretty much out of luck...

What I REALLY LOVE about Vanessa [besides her smokin' hot sexi] is her Ukemi crushing abilities in /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/db.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif and /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/b.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif+/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif. (DS) /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif+/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gifThe former crushes low wakeup kick, the latter crushes mid wakeup kick. Very good to instill fear in that kick that your foe thinks will give him breathing room. Vanessa can get all UP INSIDE your opponent's 'safezone' safely. Abuse that shyte.

Her DS /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/df.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif and /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif are downright annoying and unless your opponent is REALLY good at countering/sidestepping, random usage of both mid kicks will snuff out most agressors.

Up close, you Sabaki. Plain and simple. I've used all of her DS sabaki moves almost at random and I've never had bad results with them. [people cursing me over the mic is satisfying too]

Boomerang Elbow is an awesome crumple that usually ends up in nearly 40% hp down the drain for juggles. [check the move list, should be /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/df.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif+/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif ]

I've found OS to be what you use when DS fails. [quite damn useful actually once you nitpick it].

At a certain point, your foe will realize that attacking Vanessa is futile due to her DS auto counters, manual counters [Damn they do a lot of damage], and Sabaki's... So, they'll start turtling.

Truth be told, a turtle will NOT fall for Sabakis and Bone Crush Middles and her Shadow Slicer. Instead, they'll "look" for an opening inbetween your DS hits.

I've used OS in order to give them NO openings... By abusing /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif+/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif,/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif and /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif, you can force your opponent to stand.

All of her moves that lead into the mount position can REALLY crack a turtle open. Even if they read your mount attempts and break them, you can still use her larger hits like /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/p.gif and the /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/f.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/u.gif//forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/d.gif/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/k.gif to force some ugly situations if they duck.

OS wins when DS convinces your foe that attacking doesn't work ^_^

 

Michishio, really informative post, only a couple of gripes really:

Fixed it for you.

No big deal, you stated you play Akira, *his* rising attacks can indeed all be Sabakied with Leopard Strike.

Fixed.

Yeah, that's the newcomers' second most frequent error (the first being mashing of course). You shouldn't try to space DS vanessa in VF5.

+, is -12 on block and , is duckable. They are also sidestepable and none of them combos afaik.

I hope to be wrong there.

Final fix and you're done.

Also, doesn't crouch stagger (although i'll grant you it does pack a punch for a 15 frame mid) - don't you mean ?

 

hey thanks guys! I think I've been getting the gist of what to do with Vanessa. I've been starting to try faking noobs out. The worst thing I do at the start of a match switch to OS and the right when the words block the screen I switch to DS and usually get a free counter on a high punch.
But yeah I'm starting Sabaki's on the start and then I switch to OS, cause I love getting the Takedown, and then mix the takedown around. I know its not the best strat but its fun

 

insight, lol

 

I thought crouch staggers were discussed in the following paragraph but, no, AFAIK the whole string is not guaranteed on crouch stagger (sidehit/head stagger yes). I remember that the training dummy in free training Dojo modo ducked the third hit.

Once again i hope to be proven wrong, i will test tomorrow cause tonight is getting late.

Yup tested and I *was* wrong (makes sense, Sebo's always right).The string does combo if the opponent is guarding low. Nice to know.

Still i find the thing hard to use, for two reasons; first of all it's really tough to hit check for the crouch stagger since, if i hesitate for just one moment and delay even a bit the string's followup the training dummy seems to be able to duck it. But ok, that's just my reflexes i suppose.

The second reson is that the string doesn't combo on normal hit, nor counterhit, it only combos if your opponent is guarding. Now, technically, a high level player will try to crouchdash to get into a crouching position faster, no? So it's unlikely that you'll get a combo against an experienced opponent, right?

Still, i acknowledge Michishio is right - using the string does seem like an easy way to deter xbox live opponents from ducking by guarding low

EDIT: btw is it me or is OS OM kinda useless?

 

I love it when I'm right ^_^.

In any case, controlling the fight is what this game is all about really. Vanessa has all she needs to force the opponent into a situation as well as break out of anything the opponent forces her into.

In the end, it comes down to how well you can make your foe duck for me. Lots of her moves can be assumed 'safe' on crouch and with that, you can go mid and REALLY wail on your foe. Akira opponents like never duck cause anyone who knows how to even remotely play against him know that he has no good lows to force a crouch, just throws. Vanessa can do quite a bit if you don't block low in my opinion. Her throws are hot and her low hits in my opinion are more numbered and useful than Akiras.