EXVSFB/Strike Gundam: Difference between revisions

From Dustloop Wiki
Line 1,715: Line 1,715:


[http://horibuna.web.fc2.com/EXVSFB/EXVSFB_sdcsav8fdvg.html Horibuna niconico replay archives (Strike)]
[http://horibuna.web.fc2.com/EXVSFB/EXVSFB_sdcsav8fdvg.html Horibuna niconico replay archives (Strike)]
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxSK6wRyjow EXVS Pack Swap Combo Compilation]
----
----
{{Navbar-EXVSFB}}
{{Navbar-EXVSFB}}

Revision as of 03:51, 23 August 2014

22340d.png

Strike Gundam

Pilot: Kira Yamato

Cost: 2000

Durability: 600

MA Mode: No

Equip Change: Yes (Aile/Launcher/Sword/I.W.S.P Striker Packs)

Dustloop Thread: Strike Gundam General Discussion

JP Wiki: Strike (General) Aile Strike Launcher Strike Sword Strike Strike+I.W.S.P.

Introduction

Strike Gundam is the perfect example of the phrase "Jack of all trades, master of none" in this game. An all-purpose hybrid suit designed around changing your Strike Packs to suit the situation at hand. Default Aile Strike is your balanced stance, Sword your preferred melee stance, Launcher your long-range bombardment stance, and I.W.S.P. is a cooldown intended to give you access to all of three attributes at once. It lacks the instant-transform attacks that Impulse has, so you have to understand your opponent's suit options, their behavior and their tenancies and plan ahead. Even when utilizing all his basic tools at maximum potential though, it still under-performs compared to other average all-purpose 2000 cost suits.


Aile Strike is the base form, carrying a BR but is nothing special. Melee is underwhelming, and so hand-to-hand self-defense is also weak. It does though sport the best mobility for if you need to escape or evade. You can offer some mid-range support for your partner with BR and use it to supplement Launcher's [A] ammo, but it cannot sustain you through a fight on its own.

Launcher Strike is useful in many matchups and best facilitates Strike's role as a supporting unit. However, it has the worst self-defense out of all packs, so it's best to stick to using it at long range with CSa, and firing missiles and main shots every now and then whilst charging it. CSa can bend a lot, allowing it to be potent even in green lock, especially when you fire at an enemy and attempt to hit his partner instead if they are keeping close formation. B→BC→A is somewhat useful to save boost, but BC itself is awkward to use. Missiles require a little bit of time before their guidance properly kicks in, and will not hit at close ranges, making them somewhat unreliable. Again, it is imperative that you do not get caught close-range by an enemy while in this mode, and must constantly be aware of your distance and situation and be ready to switch modes and run or counterattack.

Sword Strike is your go-to mode if you want to pressure but don't have I.W.S.P. available. Melee is overall decent for a 2000 cost unit. The boomerang and anchor increase his self-defense against melee attackers, but isn't as strong as say Infinite Justice. BC does almost as much damage in a single hit as some full melee chains, so you should always strive to finisher combos with it. So if the matchup is favorable and your partner is going in, you can take advantage of being aggressive with this stance.

I.W.S.P. is Strike's trump card, and learning how to use it effectively is critical for playing the suit well. Mobility and power significantly increase, to around about 2500 levels. The principle technique of I.W.S.P. is to land sneak attack double Subs for lots of damage. Red lock is good here, so look for opportunities to fire at landings or vector-shoot people in the air. Exiting early after emptying your sub ammo once or twice is a common thing to do because of how valuable I.W.S.P. is and how long it takes to load from empty. Besides its Sub, I.W.S.P. also boasts very high melee damage and strong attacks. Spray with your MG when you can too, and utilize fuwas to stay on angle. You should try to avoid using I.W.S.P. in situations where you are likely to take damage, as wasting the time spent in this mode by being knocked down is detrimental to your chances of winning. It's best to activate I.W.S.P. when you're not being looked at, and then attack when people are not expecting it. You especially want to use this in moments when your team can press an advantage (use proactively - not reactively). You should aim to try to use this at least two times before dying; if you have a 3k partner - 3 times.


Red-lock range is Sword < Aile < I.W.S.P. < Launcher, with ~2 steps being between each level.


Changes from EXVS
  • Durability raised
  • Ammo for all Striker Packs now reloads simultaneously while in other modes
  • Mobility improved
  • EX Attack added
  • [B] guidance improved
  • [CSa] channels time increased and can be manually moved
  • Red-lock range increased
  • [AC] effective range increased
  • [A] range decreased
  • 8B damage raised
  • 6B buffed
  • [A] ammo 45→60
  • [BC] effect changed to light stun
  • 2B given automatic followup hit

Movesets

Aile Strike (AS) Moveset

Ranged Name Ammo Damage Reload/Charge Down Value Proration Notes
[A] Main 57mm High-Energy Beam Rifle 6 70 1 ammo/3s 2.0 70% Cost-standard BR damage and reload time.
[AB] Sub Igelstellung 75mm CIWS (Vulcan) 60 5~54 5s 0.2/hit -5%/hit Fires up to 15 rounds at a time. Staggers on the 4th hit.

Must be facing target to hit.

Shares ammo with SS.

[AC] 5/8AC AS mode

4AC LS mode

6AC SS mode

2AC I.W.S.P.

--

--

--

100 (15s)

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

15s (from 0). 15s CD.

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

Cancels from most attacks; melee cancels requires attack to hit first.
Melee

(Input)

Name Damage Down Value Proration Notes
5BBB Beam Saber 157 3.0 45% Second hit launches, third is a beatdown.
5B~8B→A Knock-up → Rolling Beam Rifle 158~176 2.6~3.4 50~30% Shoots up to 3 shots. Consumes Main BR ammo.
4/6BB Side Slash 116 2.5 65% Second hit has a considerable knockback
8B Kira Kick 75 1.7 80% Strong priority and large hitbox.
2B~B Beam Saber Uppercut 1 77 2.5 65% Launches and slightly knocks away enemy (compared to BC).

Second hit beatdown.

2B~8BB SS Beatdown 167 2.9 52%
2B~5/2A LS Point-Blank Shot 127 2.7 60% 5A point-blank shot in midair (knockaway). 2A pins enemy to ground for point-blank shot.

Shots do not consume LS [A] ammo. Despite being a shot, is rainbow step cancelable.

BDb Somersault Issen 80 1.7 80% Somersault cuts tracking
BDb~8BB SS Beatdown 177 2.9 57% Same as 2B variation
BDb~5/2A LS Point-Blank Shot 137 2.7 60% Same as 2B variation
BC Beam Saber Uppercut 2 75 1.7 80%
BC~5/2/4/6/8BB SS Beatdown 172 2.9 52% Same as 2B variation
BC~5/2A LS Point-Blank Shot 132 2.7 60% Same as 2B variation

Launcher Strike (LS) Moveset

Ranged Name Ammo Damage Reload/Charge Down Value Proration Notes
[A] Main "Agni" 320mm

Hyper Impulse

Beam Cannon

2 110 1 ammo/6 sec 4.0 60% Large beam. Knocks down in one hit.
[CSa] "Agni" 320mm

Hyper Impulse

Beam Cannon (Channeled)

- 22~240 4s charge time, 2s channel time Up to 5.0 (0.25 x20 hits) -5%/hit Gerobi. Can slightly move with control stick while channeling.
[B] 350mm Gun Launchers 6 59~116 5s 1.5~3.0 80%~60% Can fire up to 2 rounds at a time.

A minimum distance away is required for these to hit. Guidance takes a moment to initiate.

[AB] Sub Igelstellung 75mm CIWS (Vulcan) 85 5~54 5s 0.2/hit -5%/hit Fires up to 15 rounds at a time. Staggers on the 4th hit.

Must be facing target to hit.

Shares ammo with LS [BC].

[AC] 5/8AC AS mode

4AC LS mode

6AC SS mode

2AC I.W.S.P.

--

--

--

100 (15s)

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

15s (from 0). 15s CD.

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

Cancels from most attacks; melee cancels requires attack to hit first.
[BC] 120mm Anti-Ship Vulcan 85 6~106 5s 0.2/hit -2%/hit Fires up to 20 rounds at a time. Staggers on the 4th hit.

Turn-around firing. Causes vernier.

Shares ammo with LS [AB].

Sword Strike (SS) Moveset

Ranged Name Ammo Damage Reload/Charge Down Value Proration Notes
[A] Main "Midas Messer"

Beam Boomerang

1 20/hit 1s* 0.5/hit -10%/hit Standard boomerang, hits up to 2 times

(forward and return hits)

[AB] Sub Igelstellung 75mm CIWS (Vulcan) 60 5~54 5s 0.2/hit -5%/hit Fires up to 15 rounds at a time. Staggers on the 4th hit.

Must be facing target to hit.

Shares ammo with AS

[AC] 5/8AC AS mode

4AC LS mode

6AC SS mode

2AC I.W.S.P.

--

--

--

100 (15s)

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

15s (from 0). 15s CD.

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

Cancels from most attacks; melee cancels requires attack to hit first.
[2B] "Panzer Eisen"

Rocket Anchor

- 10 - 0.1 90% Stuns enemy and pulls them toward you.
Melee

(Input)

Name Damage Down Value Proration Notes
5BBB "Schwert Gewehr"

15.78m Anti-ship Sword

183 3.25 49% Last stage is 2-hit attack. Final hit knocks away.
4/6BBB Side Attack 183 3.0 48% Second hit slightly launches, third hit is a beatdown.
8B Stab 90 1.7 80% Good priority, hitbox, and pursuit properties.
BDbB Strike→Boomerang→Stab 169 3.95 49% Boomerang throw stuns.
[BC] Nicol Kill Strike 126 1.5/3.0 80%/60% Actually a 2 hit ability

I.W.S.P. Moveset

Ranged Name Ammo Damage Reload/Charge Down Value Proration Notes
[A] Main 30mm Gatling Gun 60 12~123 5s 0.3/hit -5%/hit Fires up to 15 rounds at a time. Staggers on the 4th hit.
[AB] Sub 15mm Railgun 2 65~130 5s (1.0 x2) (-15% x2) Fires 2 rounds. Knocks down on hit.
[AC] 5/8AC AS mode

4AC LS mode

6AC SS mode

2AC I.W.S.P.

--

--

--

100 (15s)

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

15s (from 0). 15s CD.

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

Cancels from most attacks; melee cancels requires attack to hit first.
[BC] "Midas Messer" Beam Boomerang 1 35 1s* 0.8/hit -10%/hit Weak Stun effect
Melee

(Input)

Name Damage Down Value Proration Notes
5BBB 9.1m Anti-Ship Swords 222 3.29 33% Third hit slightly launches, fourth is Issen
4/6BBB Knock-up → Issen

→ Backflip knockdown

194 3.3 40%
8B Pincer Strike

→ Torso cut

131 2.7 60%
2B~B Quick Uppercut

→ Beatdown

141/154 3.0/2.7 60%/64% Uppercut that can be followed-up with a quick beatdown that will bounce the enemy.

Note that 2B alone is a 2-hit attack, and the second hit launches very high. The followup [B] is a different chain entirely.

BDb Issen 80 2.0 80% Stuns

Cancel Routes

AS Cancel Rotes

[A]→BC

[AB]→A

[Anything except AB or 5BB~8B→BR shots]→5/8/6/4/2AC

(Striker Pack Change Routes)

[BC]→B, 5A, 2A

[2B]→8B, 5A, 2A

[BDb]→5B, 5A, 2A

LS Cancel Routes

[AB]→A

[B]→BC

[BC]→A

[Anything]→CSa (second impact)

[Anything except AB or CSa]→5/8/6/2AC

SS Cancel Routes

[A]→BC

[Any melee except BDbB, 8B, and BC]→BC

[Anything except AB]→5/8/4/2AC

I.W.S.P. Cancel Routes

[A]→AB, BC

[Anything]→5/8/6/4

Ranged Moveset Details

AS Ranged

[A] Main - Beam Rifle

Cost-standard properties, but noticeably underwhelming when you consider the lack of other attacks to pair with it. Also because of this you should try to be very efficient and a little greedy with this ammo, because you may find yourself in a situation where you are out of LS ammo and don't have I.W.S.P. up yet, and so need to switch to it. It can cancel into BC though for some psuedo-zunda short combos that can help with ammo conservation.

[AB] Sub - CIWS (Vulcan)

Generally underrated, this has buckets of ammo, pretty good guidance and only takes 5 seconds to reload fully. Being a head Vulcan it can't fire out of angle, so basically you just spray this constantly to annoy your opponents at low risk.

[AC] Striker Pack Change

The only moves from which Aile cannot cancel into this are Sub and Rolling Beam Rifle.

LS Ranged

[A]/[CSa] Main - Hyper Beam Cannon

Similar to Gunner Zaku's main - has good muzzle correction and travel speed, as well as being a thick shot. Causes vernier and knocks down in one hit. You should "hide" your CSa charges with other weapons, during the pack change, or simply when you are landing so that you don't recklessly waste [A] ammo.

[B] - Gun Launcher Missiles

Overall a little awkward to use due to the minimum distance requirement combined with the fact a gap is needed before the guidance properly initiates. Not the most reliable tool to hit with, but should be used often anyways just because of lack of other offensive options, and the fact that they can still be used while charging CSa.

[BC] Anti-Ship Vulcan

Not typically very useful aside from some cancel routes. The bullets are more concentrated than Sub making it a little easier to stagger with, so honestly, you should pretty much always use this instead of Sub. If you step then fire this whilst grounded, you remain on the ground.

SS Ranged

[A] Main - Boomerang

Due to its small size, this attack is more useful defensively for beating other people trying to melee you. It's possible to hit with this attack at the apex of its range so that you get both the forward and return hit immediately back-to-back, but this is difficult to measure, especially if being chased. At closer ranges if you move sideways after having thrown it, the return path may not hit.

The 1.5s reload time starts from the moment the boomerang returns to you. That's to say, if you throw it and then boost away so that it takes longer for the boomerang to return to you, it will be longer than just 1.5s after having thrown it before you can use it again.

[2B] Rocket Anchor

Has decent range, and is a great tool for setting up combos given its stun and minimal down value, however, it also has rather poor correction, which can leave you vulnerable and having to step or boost cancel if it misses. Significantly laggier than other anchor attacks (such as Infinite Justice and Strike Noir). Despite its utility, finding a situation to use this move can actually be hard - boomerang generally works better for anti-melee, and SS's standard melee has strong enough reach and priority that you can easily use it without needing to rocket anchor to start combos.

I.W.S.P. Ranged

[A] Main - Gatling Gun

A good MG. The concentration of the bullets is quite high, and the guidance is decent too, but like most MG it's a little tricky to get a knockdown with. Fortunately IWSP Sub and BC make good easy followups at most ranges. Considering that I.W.S.P. lasts 15s, that it takes 5s to reload this clip, and that heavy focus should be put on using Sub or getting in powerful melee strikes, you should be in the mentality that realistically you will only go through one clip of this before I.W.S.P. is up, and use it as such.

[AB] Sub - Railgun

The power tool of I.W.S.P. Great for sneak attacks, punishing landings, and is the preferable combo finisher. Great muzzle correction, very fast travel speed, wide shot, high damage if you can hit both in juggle. Very similar to Strike Noir's sub, but more powerful and a little slower. If you shoot at someone's landing or in their vector this is very likely going to hit, even at range.

[BC] Boomerang

Similar rules as its SS counterpart, but is all-around better: starts up faster, travels faster, reloads slightly faster, slightly more damage, and now does a weak stun on hit. If the return hit also connects it will refresh the weak stun effect. The boomerang is still quite small however, but the increased speed and stun attribute on it make it much more usable offensively as well as defensively.

Melee Moveset Details

AS Melee

[B] Melee - Beam Saber

On its own a three-stage attack that does 60/112/157 damage, 1.7/2.0/3.0 Down. The 5B~8B derivative also does 60/112 damage, 1.7/2.0 Down - the difference is the ~8B derivative puts you slightly above the enemy rather than starting the rotating cut motion of 5BBB. This makes it slightly better for doing lift combos (and combos in general). Doing the ~8B→BR route is extremely ill-advised however: it maxes out at 176 damage at the cost of half' of your precious BR ammo. ~8B>8B does 161 damage, has a better knockaway, and costs none of your BR ammo.

Overall, good reach, but the speed and damage are both poor. Combo chains have a large amount of movement in them, making them somewhat cut-resistant, but also tend to knockaway the opponent, so you have to be prompt with your step cancels.

[4/6B] Melee - Side Slice

Poor in all respects aside from the amount of swerving in the attack. Large knockback makes it difficult to follow up from (you can't even >BR from it unless opponent hits a wall), but possibly good if playing more defensively at the time.

[8B] Melee - Kira Kick

Good startup, correction and hitbox like most kick attacks, but very difficult to follow up. If you absolutely have to try to win a melee clash in Aile Strike mode this is probably your safest bet.

[2B] Melee - Beam Saber Uppercut 1

Generally overshadowed by BC since BC does 5 more damage is basically the same attack, with a possibly faster startup and no need to use ~8B to switch to SS. It has a good hitbox, so it isn't totally pointless, but is essentially just outclassed by BC.

[BDb] Melee - Somersault Issen

The somersault motion cuts tracking, but the motion is slow and the range is not very long. Contrary to most other BDb attacks the motion of this attack makes it actually counter-productive for trying to close in on opponents. Can followup into Pack change routes but is not the move you should use to try and do this due to its difficulty to hit with. All-in-all, actually a very awkward attack that you should probably outright avoid trying to use.

[BC] Beam Saber Uppercut 2

Cancels from BR, which is useful for close range zunda followups or finishers. Fast startup, making it a solid defensive attack. It's reach is tight, and it's closing speed is fast, but is easy to cut. Can be preformed without a battou even when in green-lock.

SS Melee

[B] Melee - Schwert Gewehr Anti-Ship Sword

3-stage, 4-hit attack (last stage does hit→spinning hit) that does 67/128/150(183) damage, 1.7/2.0/2.5(3.25) Down. Has extremely strong power and priority, good reach and speed, but is rather easy to be cut from enemy partner attacks. If you are allowed to go unchecked the potential damage from combos using this is very high using very basic inputs.

[4/6B] Melee - Side Attack

3-stage, 3-hit attack that does 65/121/183 damage, 1.7/2.0/3.0 Down. So it is essentially the same as 5B but skips the extra attack in the last stage, and has a wide swerve. It prorates harder than 5BB though, and you cannot →BC from the last hit, making 5B all around more preferable.

[8B] Melee - Stab

Good priority, hitbox, and reach, but hard to follow-up from due to knockaway. Best suited for ending combos, but also is the best chase ability of SS (maybe the best chase ability Strike has period). If pursuing from a far distance though its simple motion is easy to cut.

[BDb] Melee - Strike→Boomerang→Stab

Reach is poor compared to other SS melee options, but the 2nd hit boomerang stun can create some great transition setups.

[BC] Nicol Kill Strike

Near impossible to see visually, but this is actually a 2-hit attack. The first hit does 125 damage, stuns, and does 1.5 Down. The second hit does 1 damage but applies another 1.5 Down, making it combined an incredibly strong strike. This can be exploited though to do some advanced combos that get only the first hit so that you can squeeze in another 1-2 hits after it. Almost any stage of any melee combo can directly cancel into this (the exceptions being 6BBB(last hit), BDbB, and 8B).

I.W.S.P. Melee

[B] Melee - 9.5m Anti-Ship Swords

Great damage, good reach and speed, and decent cut resistance. You can follow it up with Sub easily too. A staple for this mode.

[4/6B] Melee - Side Attack Combo

Good damage, reach is a little worse than 5B, speed is good too. Cut resistance is a little less.

[8B] Melee - Pincer Strike

Fantastic startup and correction; very good in close-range hand-to-hand match-ups.

[2B~B] Melee - Quick Uppercut/Beatdown

Generic launcher, but the damage efficiency is very good. Great for quick downs into sub, and they will be juggled high for a long time with a sub combo followup. Generally, the followup ground bounce is favorable over the single 2B juggle.

[BDb] Melee - Issen

Approach is considerably slow, but the reach is decent. Not used too much.

EX Burst

EX Attack

Striker Pack Combo

274/247

The attack is a melee combo and so requires you to be a decently close range when using. It will chase, but a very short distance. You should try to use this with a normal melee combo.

  • Activating EX does not restore I.W.S.P. gauge (though it will reload at a faster rate).
  • However if you successfully complete the EX attack though you will be placed in I.W.S.P. mode with ~85 gauge (12.75 sec) left on it when you exit the attack animation (like Unicorn's EX->NT-D transform).
  • If you are already in I.W.S.P. mode when you use the EX attack and complete the combo, it will reset the I.W.S.P. gauge (again, exiting the animation at ~85 gauge).
  • If you are interrupted at any point in the combo you will be put in whichever mode you were in when the combo was interrupted.
  • If you miss with the attack you will be put in Aile Strike mode

Burst Selection

Assault: +10% Damage, +5% Defense

Blast: +0% Damage, +15% Defense

The choice between Assault or Blast Burst type is fairly open to preference with this suit. What's maybe more important to consider is which form you're currently in - you should plan what you intend to do with your EX and switch to the appropriate form before using it. Importantly, if possible you should aim to use EX with I.W.S.P. as it can do around 300 damage with some combos while under EX. Similarly noteworthy, LS doesn't really provide much while under EX, and so you should try to avoid using it for LS.

Taking these things into account, the decision leans toward Assault Burst here. When you also consider that Strike's EX attack requires you to be basically in melee range to hit with it, Assault will provide a little more freedom for trying to use it since if it misses you will still have some EX gauge left to do some damage with.

The general rule of aiming for 2 half bursts holds.

Info and Tactics

Tactics

One significant change for Strike Gundam in EXVSFB is that it can now generate all ammo for all modes while in a different mode. More simply, if you use up your 2x [A] shots in LS, you can switch to AS and the ammo will recharge, but will do so at 50% the rate. Previously ammo would only regenerate while in the mode for that ammo, so this change greatly expands the playability and tactical use of the suit.

As already mentioned, as a 2000 cost suit Strike's primary role is that of support. You're going to spend most of the match hanging in the background supporting your partner in LS mode, periodically switching into AS if needed for BR ammo or for some map mobility before switching back to LS. When I.W.S.P. becomes available you should move up and strongly force pressure with your partner against your opponents using your railguns and if safe your enhanced melee damage. It's not uncommon for players to cut I.W.S.P. early after having used a couple rounds of railguns so that the reload time is shorter and they can enter into I.W.S.P. more times.

Unless you are playing with a partner that operates in a double-front playstyle you probably will not be spending much time at all in SS mode. SS mode should be used for self-defense if you are about to be pressed down on by an enemy partner, separated from your partner, or if you have a situation where the enemy partner is out of position and not paying attention to you. But on its own Strike has very limited survivability and you should not expect to get to just roam the field in SS as you please.

Partner Considerations

3000 Cost

Most preferable combination. But caution: you must not die during EX, as being overcost, no EX, and no ability to immediately enter I.W.S.P. is a kiss of death. Given Strike's high adaptability to situations, basically any 3000 cost suit should be suitable, although suits that have difficulty in protecting their partner such as Wing Zero EW have bad compatibility when faced against very aggressive opponents. The reverse is also true - if partnering with a melee-heavy suit, like Master or Quan[T], you need to take care to play closer to them and not get caught alone, as self-defense can be a concern for Strike if you get rushed and cannot change modes.


2500 Cost

Less ideal than 3000 suit, but doable with smart form-switching.


2000 Cost

Very non-ideal with the lack in firepower.


1000 Cost

Combos

AS Combos

  • Zundas can be made marginally more damaging with melee as shown here.
  • You can do the 5B~8B chain instead of 5BB for a little bit more damage, and/or end in >BR or >8B.
Input Damage Notes
BR [A] Starter
BR>>BR>>BR 147 Basic Zunda
BR>>BR→BC 149
BR→BC>BR 158
BR>>5BBB 168
BR>>BDb>BR 161
BR→BC~5BB 178 Can BC~5B>BC (177) for better knockdown.

>>BC may be more consistent than >BC

BR→BC~5A>A 189
BR>>BR>>Sub 128 Conserves BR ammo
  • (4hit) is for the stagger
Input Damage Notes
Sub [AB] Starter
Sub(4hit)>>(→)BR>>BR ~109
Sub(4hit)>>(→)BR→BC>5A ~129

AS's melee is rather limited and underwhelming.

  • 5B~8B> does 116 damage and is easier to followup than 5BB (112 damage), and so is generally better unless you want the slight knockaway of 5BB to create wider motion.
  • Ending combos with >8B does a long knockaway.
  • Ending with >BR is ill-advised as it usually only adds a small amount of damage, is difficult to hit with, and so winds up really a waste of your precious BR ammo. The same applies for 5B~8B→BR.
Input Damage Notes
[5B] Starter
5B~8B>5BB 193
5B~8B>6BB>BR 197
5B~8B>5BBB 193 ~8B lifts enemy
5B~8B>>5B~8B>BR 194
5B~8B>>6BB>BR 198 Forward-fuwastep to hit with BR
5B~8B>>BDb~8BBB 204 Adding >5/4/6/8BB or >BC in place of the last B only adds 1-4 damage to the combo, so just decide which ending motion/attribute you like best
5B~8B>BC~BB 201 The timing for this is much easier than the BDb variation above, and the damage is more consistent.

2SC into BC is most consistent, but 4/6SC can work as well.

Same note as above

5B~8B>5B~8B>BC 195 Very high lift and drop.

Can whiff into SS or LS after BC

5B~8B>BC~5/2A 186 Adding >A to the end only adds 11 damage (despite being LS [A]), so isn't worth it.
5BB>BC~5BB 197 Can sub 5B→BC (196) for better knockdown
5BB>BC~5A>A 204
[4/6B] Starter
6B>6BB>BR 182 BR after forward-fuwastep
6BB>>5BBB 203 Forward-BDC immediately, but delay the first 5B. Difficult, but easier in the air, or off a slope.
6BB>>5B~8B>BR 204 Same note as above
6BB>>5B~8B>8B 206 Same note as above
6BB>>6BB 187 Same note as above
6BB>>2BB Same note as above
6B>BC~5B→>BC Same note as above
6BB>>BC~5BB 199 Same note as above
[8B] Starter
8B>BR 89 Basically the only thing you can followup 8B with, and adds only 14 damage to it.

Need to allow a delay or BR will sail over enemy's body.

  • AS's BC and 2B have the same Uppercut motion, but BC seems to have a slightly faster startup and doesn't knock the opponent away from you like 2B does, so it's easier to combo with.
  • Just remember that if you do decide to use 2B you must follow it up with 8B.
Input Damage Notes
[BC] or [2B] Starter
BC~B>5BBB(1hit)>8B 227 →BC does 223
BC~B>BDbB→4AC~A 216 Stun-and-gun
BC~B→5AC>>BC~5A(launch)>A 225
2B~B>BR 146 This is the one combo that can be done only with 2B and not BC. Solid defensive attack.

BR adds 30 damage to 2B~B, so decide if you have ammo for it. >Sub will do 138 damage total (an addition of 22 damage, but is a much better throwaway ammo option).

  • Some of AS's highest damage comes out of BDb~8B> combos, but again, given the oddness of the move it's very risky to try this compared to simpler BC~B combos.
  • One important thing is you need to left-step or back-step out of BDb to combo!! Using 8SC tends to perform Kira Kick that you can't followup, and 6SC seems to always leave you facing away from the enemy swinging at empty air...
  • On that matter though, you can step cancel out of BDb in any direction after the somersault but before the Issen hits. This is admittedly a very situational technique, but it allows you to get the guidance-cutting of the somersault before starting a different combo.
Input Damage Notes
[BDb] Starter
BDb>5BBB 197 Adding >BR to the end will do 204 damage
BDb>5B~8B>8B 204 Long knockaway.

You can actually BDb at the apex of the ~8B and quickly 8SC into 8B, allowing you to do the guidance-cutting somersault before the 8B knockaway to improve cut-resistance.

>BDb will do 202 and >BC will do 200, but both allow you to whiff change into SS or LS.

BDb>5/4/6B>8B 173 Long knockaway
BDb>BC~B>(→)BC 205(???)
BDb~8B>BC 202 Quick finish
BDb~8B>5BB→BC 222
BDb~8B>6BBB 220 >6BB→BC does 214 (compared to 222 above)

At the end of it all, while you can produce some acceptable melee damage in AS, you're really just gimping yourself and your team in the damage race by not using SS (or I.W.S.P. if available) instead. Melee in AS should only be if you don't have time to switch to SS, and you should use a melee combo that either makes time for you to switch to SS, or better still - a direct Pack swap combo.

LS Combos

Input Damage Notes
BR [A] Starter
BR>>BR 176 Limited hit capacity if enemy is higher than you.
BR>>CSa
Sub [AB] Starter
Sub(4hit)>>(→)BR ~107 4hit to stagger. More hits will increase damage of combo.
Sub>>CSa
[B] Starter
B(2hit)>>B(2hit) 159
B(2hit)>>A 172
B(2hit)>>(→)CSa 184
[BC] Starter
BC(4hit)>>(→)A ~126 Same principle as Sub starter.
BC(4hit)>>(→)CSa

SS Combos

Opening with ranged overall is not the best decision as the proration after[A] will rob you of a lot of damage, and opening with Sub requires you to spend boost to step into beginning melee. If you are being pursued then A>>5B is an acceptable choice of action, but otherwise you should just open with melee.

Input Damage Notes
Main [A] Starter
A>>5BBB 177 If it seems like you won't get cut
A>>5BBB→BC 162
A>>5BB→BC 188
Sub [AB] Starter
AB(4hit)>>5BB→BC 188

5B starter is where your top melee damage comes from in SS mode. You have to be wary though because getting this top-end damage typically requires doing the full 5B string, which takes a while to develop and has really no cut resistance. You need to know your situation and if you have time for a full 5B combo, or if you need to do a →BC/>8B quick-finish to avoid getting cut.

  • For BC(1hit)> use back-step for best consistency.
  • The first 2 stages of 5B and 4/6B are virtually identical in damage and Down. However, 4/6B prorates harder and you cannot →BC from the last stage of 4/6B.
  • Because the final stage of 5BBB is 2 hits, in these combos 5BBB means hit with both strikes. 5BBB(1hit) will be used to denote otherwise.
  • You cannot →BC(1hit) out of 5BBB(1hit) because the opponent grounds out.
  • A number of combos involving 8B>8B will have two damage values given: damage when opponent hits the ground first, (damage if a wall prevents the opponent from hitting the ground first)
Input Damage Notes
[5B] Starter
5B>5BBB→BC 224 If you have time for a full 5BBB→BC development there are better ways to use it.
5B→BC 165
5B→BC(1hit)>8B 201 Immediate followup hit. If you have to end 5B at the first stage to avoid getting cut, you should do this to salvage some of the lost potential damage.
5B→BC(1hit)→4AC>A 209 Poor damage, just a quick launched Down.
5BB>5BB→BC 224 BnB combo
5BB>5BBB 223
5BB>5BBB(1hit)→BC 224 Preferable to the above combo
5BB>8B 186 Not as good as using →BC
5BB>8B>8B 196(226)
5BB→BC 204 Quick finish
5BB→BC(1hit)>8B 216 Extremely tight timing for BC(1hit). Need to input >8B basically before you even see BC hit.
5BB→BC(1hit)→4AC>A 222 Same note as above. →4AC cancel route slightly more forgiving than 8SC, but still tight.
5BB→BC(1hit)>BC 210
5BBB(1hit)→BC 191 Bad choice compared to 5BB→BC, 5BBB(2hit)→BC, and 5BBB(2hit).

You should really only use this if you know you are about to get cut before you can extend the combo further.

5BBB(1hit)>8B 203 Even this is better than above.

It allows for one more hit, but the opponent will hit the ground first reducing damage.

5BBB(1hit)>8B>8B 212(238) If you have a wall opportunity, this is actually good damage (compared to other SS combos) with a quicker ending and an extra step for cut resistance than trying to draw ou a full 5B combo.
5BBB>8B 228 Takes a while to develop so easy to cut.

Allows for one more hit.

5BBB>8B>8B 237(252)
5BBB>2B→5BB 215
5BBB→4AC>>A 237 4AC as soon as last hit connects. Must BD toward the opponent for A to hit.
5BBB→BC 211 Takes a while to develop so easy to cut.

→BC as soon as the 4th strike hits or you'll miss.

5BBB→BC>A 224 >A can be done if BC is 1hit or 2hit.

Need to use 4/6SC for >A to hit.

Same notes as above.

5BBB→BC(1hit)>BC 239 Same notes as above.
5BBB→BC(1hit)>8B 245 SS Death combo.

8SC for BC(1hit)>8B is better than 2SC because you don't wind up accidentally shielding, but it's slightly harder to connect the 8B with.

Same notes as above.

5BBB→BC(1hit)>2B~8B 234 Because you might do this a few times trying to do the above combo...

Need to wait until cable pulls opponent to you before ~8B or you will fly past them.

Same notes as above.

5BBB>8B>8B 255 Final 8B considerably difficult to hit with unless there is a wall or hill, or before opponent hits the ground reducing its final damage.

Must 8SC immediately when first 8B hits.

More damage than 245 death combo, but considerably less consistent.

Does 237 if opponent hits ground, 228 if only one >8B hits.

5BBB→BC(1hit)→4AC~A 250 Obviously, use →4AC for BC(1hit) instead of the usual 2SC

Note that you need to just freefall from the →4AC and press A. If you use 4/6SC >A you will miss!

Slightly more damage than >8B finisher, but slightly less consistent getting the A hit (resulting in only 211 damage if it doesn't).

Also, does not end nearly as fast as the >8B finisher.

5BBB→BC(1hit)→5AC~2B 239 Not as good as other options

~8B does 231 damage and knockaway instead of launch.

5BBB→BC(1hit)→2AC>Sub 256 8/2SC is the only way you're going to get Sub to hit (8SC more consistent). Does 237 if only 1/2 shots hit.
  • As already mentioned above, 4/6B prorates harder than 5B, and also you cannot extend damage as far with 6B starters as you can with 5B starters.
  • But, it offers greatly superior speed and cut resistance. So learn some efficient combos using it.
Input Damage Notes
[4/6B] Starter
6B>5BBB→BC 222 Max damage 6B> starter
6B→BC(1hit)>8B 191 →BC finisher does 181
6B→BC(1hit)→4AC>A 174-201 Note that you must do a rainbow step or you will ground out before you can fire the A

Damage seems to slightly vary based on how 4AC>A hits:

For best consistency, if you start with 6B, do a right step (opposite direction of initial approach) to get the best hit.

6B→BC(1hit)→5AC>BC→A 183-191 Not notably better than above combo.
6BB>5BBB 207
6BB>5BBB(1hit)>8B 217
6BB>5BBB(1hit)→BC 213
6BB>6BB>6B 197
6BB>6BB>8B 204
6BB>6BB→4AC~A 208 Better cut resistance than the 6BB>5B~ options
6BB>6BB→BC 200
6BB>6BBB 204
6BB>>BDbB→4AC~A 207
6BB>>BDbB→2AC>Sub 213 For if you want to switch to I.W.S.P., starting with 4/6B swerve.

Using 6BB>6BB→ does 212.

Using 6BB→BC(1hit)→ does 206.

6BB→5AC>BC~B 206 Using ~A does 181.
6BB→4AC~A 187
6BB→BC 191 Quick finish
6BB→BC(1hit)>BC 207 >8B does 206.

Timing needed is much tighter than 5BBB, but extremely fast and good cut resistance.

Compared to the time/damage ratio of other 6B starers, this actually winds up being quite efficient.

6BB→BC(1hit)→4AC~A 207-212 Extremely tight timing. Essentially need to press 4AC before you even visually confirm the BC hit.

As seen before, damage seems to vary slightly depending on how A hits.

Honestly, given the damage variability and the exposure time of the 4AC~A, this is not as wise as the above combo. You at best get an extra 5 damage, maybe 0 extra damage.

8B Starter
8B>8B(>8B) 108(216) Certainly not ideal compared to other options, but if you hit with 8B you only have a couple real options for followup, and this one is the best.

>5B does 104, >6B does 96, >A does 94.

[BDb] Starter
BDbB>5BB→4AC~A 219
BDbB>5BBB(1hit)→BC 213 >8B finisher does 219
BDbB>5BBB 209
BDbB→5AC>>BDb~5A>A 186 Using >>BC~5A does 183 damage and is easier.
BDbB→4AC>A 174 More efficient than above.
[BC] Starter
BC(1hit)>8B 180 Low damage but incredible speed, motion, cut resistance, and knockaway.

It doesn't Down-out the enemy so you can still get a last hit, but it's very difficult without a wall.

BC(1hit)>8B>8B 216(???) >BC finisher does 206(???)
BC(1hit)>BC(1hit) 196
BC(1hit)>BC(1hit)>8B ??? (should be possible according to Down values)
BC(1hit)>BC(1hit)>BC ??? (should be possible according to Down values)

There may be other combos making use of BC(1hit) that should do ~250 damage. There are other combos you can do for pack-swapping, but given the whole reason you should go into Sword Strike is to provide aggressive melee pressure, doing anything but that can be a waste of the opportunity. 5BB>5BB→BC or the 6B derivative are your bread-and-butter combos here given their damage/simplicity ratio, and you should not stray far from them.

I.W.S.P. Combos

Input Damage Notes
MG [A] Starter
MG(4hit)>MG(13hit) 129 Takes 17 bullets in I.W.S.P. to down opponent, which is unlikely to happen.
MG(4hit)>>(→)Sub 154(116) More MG hits before Sub will up damage.
MG(4hit)≫(→)BC≫Sub 178 Damage will vary based on number of hits from MG and BC.

If you don't have Sub, or need to save it, >>BDb or >>2BB will down quickly for 135/175 damage.

MG(4hit)>>2BB>Sub 219 Very hard to connect with due to bounce from 2BB. Back-step from 2BB can help.
Sub [AB] Starter
Sub>>Sub 216 Only does this much if the first hit juggles the enemy.
[5B] Starter
5BBB>5BBBB 259
5BBBB>Sub 266 Primary I.W.S.P. melee combo. High damage for simple and acceptably quick input.
5BBBB>2BB 257 For if you can't use Sub
[4/6B] Starter
6BB>6BBB 221
6B>5BBBB>Sub 254 Beware: although good damage, this has a very long animation time which can significantly impact how much you get out of your limited time with I.W.S.P.
6BB>Sub>>Sub 258 >>2BB does 228
[8b] Starter
8B>Sub>>Sub ~240 Damage will vary depending on when you cancel 8B and number of shots that hit.

>>2BB will net 210 damage.

[2B] Starter
2BB>Sub>>Sub 284 Extremely high damage but tricky to hit with consistently.

back-step from 2BB>Sub, then forward-BDC into >>Sub for best results.

[BDb] Starter
BDb>2BB>>Sub 257
[BC] Starter
BC>>5BBBB>Sub 255
BC>>2BB>Sub 244 More efficient than above, though again tricky to hit with.

EX Combos

Most EX Burst combos are performed using I.W.S.P. because it has the highest damage potential out of all the forms. To get the most damage out of the EX attack itself you have to be careful about not putting too many moves ahead of it. Below is a list of the most efficient >EX ending combos for each form, as well as a few EX Burst-only combos that do not end in >EX

In addition to these, it is also supposedly possible to cancel or slide out of the EX attack itself in the stage between SS→I.W.S.P. by whiffing the I.W.S.P. Issen

Input Damage Notes
[ABC] EX Attack 274/247
AS EX Combos
6BB>EX 278/??? Use forward-step into >EX
6BB>6BB>BR 230/???
EX→5BBBB>Sub>>Sub 351~353/???~??? Does 345/??? without following with any Subs
SS EX Combos
5BBB→BC(1hit)>EX 290/??? Considering the setup is the same as normal SS death combo setup, disappointing damage for effort. Do not use.
5BBB>8B>EX 307/??? >8B is a much faster chase and followup in EX
5BBB→BC(1hit)>8B 263/??? normal SS death combo (245)
8B>8B>8B>8B 269/??? 4th hit only possible in EX.
8B>EX 303/??? Most efficient >EX combo
I.W.S.P. EX Combos
5BBB>5BB>EX 330/298 MAX damage >EX combo. Long animation time.
2B~B>2B~B>EX 325/296 Slightly less damage than above but takes less time
Sub(1hit)>>Sub(EX)>>Sub>>Sub 303/283 Assuming 2hit last 3 times
Sub(EX)>>Sub>>Sub 304/274 Same note as above
5BBBB>Sub>Sub 305/???
BDb>5BBBB>Sub 282/???

External Links

Horibuna niconico replay archives (Strike)

EXVS Pack Swap Combo Compilation


Template:Navbar-EXVSFB