Overview
If you want to control the air, look no further than Rei. With excellent mobility, a powerful moveset, and high versatility, Rei is a go-to pick for just about anyone.
Rei has a number of excellent pokes to help him control neutral. His f.B, 2B, 2D and j.D are all fast and long-reaching, giving him great control over the ground. If opponents try to jump in or airdash towards Rei, he has an excellent anti-air reversalGuardAllStartup8RecoveryAdvantage- for keeping them shut out. Furthermore, Rei's own air mobility is the best in the game. Triple jumps, multiple advancing special moves, and a suite of great ground-to-air buttons and specials can make him a total menace once he's gotten airborne.
While his control over neutral and defense are solid, Rei's offense is easily his scariest attribute. Almost every single one of Rei's grounded buttons are jump cancellable. Since IAD inputs can be done very low to the ground in this game, this allows Rei to perform an excellent pressure game that can threaten an instant overhead into a full combo at nearly any time. Even better, Rei's throws are also jump cancellable, giving him excellent mixup potential with high reward. It can be difficult to block Rei for extended periods of time.
At the highest level of play, Rei can be downright terrifying. Unlike the majority of the cast, Rei's basuke From Hokuto no KenA state during particularly long combos in which the victim of the combo begins to rebound off of the floor at extremely high speeds, most commonly while the attacker is also airborne. Resembles dribbling in basketball, hence the name. setups are easy and nearly universal, only requiring a single bar of aura and boost to work with. Rei's infinites are started by using his NantoGuardAllStartup38RecoveryAdvantage- super, which can be tacked on at the end of his BnB A staple combo that is simple yet effective. combos. This lets Rei threaten instant death at pretty much every point in the match past the first neutral exchange, solidifying his place near the top of the tier list.
Overall, Rei is an excellent and highly versatile character who is great for beginners and experts. His plethora of strengths and lack of real weaknesses often cause him to be considered the second or third best character in the game, and he remains a popular pick for everyone getting into HNK.Damage Taken |
100% |
Jump Startup |
4f |
Backdash |
1f |
Pros and Cons
Rei controls the air with an arsenal of jump-cancellable moves and strong conversion potential.
- Air Control: Rei is the undisputed master of the air thanks to his triple jump and unique air throw. It is also difficult to approach Rei in the air if he is on the ground, thanks to his solid DPGuardAllStartup5RecoveryAdvantage-.
- Jump Cancellable Everything: Pretty much every single one of Rei's grounded moves (including his throws) are jump cancellable. This allows him to perform lengthy pressure sequences with multiple mixup opportunities.
- Excellent Supers: DankoGuardMidStartup30-143RecoveryAdvantage- lets Rei control the screen very easily, NantoGuardAllStartup38RecoveryAdvantage- is a great reversal super, and KubuenrizanGuardMidStartup37RecoveryAdvantage- can steal stars at the end of a round and put the opponent in a precarious situation in the next.
- Simple Combos: Rei mostly uses a single combo and routes in and out of it depending on the circumstances. All that changes are the starter and ender, making him very easy to learn.
- Practical ToD: Most of the lengthy 100% combos that this game is known for can be character specific and difficult, but Rei's are relatively easy and practical. His infinites are even extensions of his BnBs.
- Sluggish Crouching Recovery: Rei has the longest crouching recovery in the game; some character's have crouching-Rei-specific infinites, making his defense much more difficult against those matchups.
- Execution: Rei is an infinite-centric character. Learning the routing to infinite anyone will require some character specific variations, and mastery of mechanics such as movement boosting.
Normals
c.A
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 9 | 5 | 3 | 4 | +2 |
- Jump cancelable.
Tied for one of Rei's fastest buttons. It is mainly used as used as an anti air against low airdashes and combo filler in midscreen combo routes.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
- Jump cancelable
c.B
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 8 | 8 | 4 | 4 | +3 |
- Jump cancelable.
Low kick that is a mid. Not much usage from this button due to it's lack of hitstun.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
- Jump cancelable
c.C
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 19 | 7 | 6 | 13 | -3 |
- Jump cancelable.
Excellent anti air. Whiffs on crouching characters.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
Launch |
- Jump cancelable
c.D
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 19 | 9 | 4 | 18 | -3 |
- Jump cancelable.
Excellent button for pressure with a lot of blockstun. Can go into instant airdash or 2D. Combos into banishing attack except on crouching Jagi where you would use 2D. Also combos into IAD j.B.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
- Jump cancelable
f.A
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 7 | 5 | 3 | 4 | +4 |
- Jump cancelable.
The other 5F normal. Same usage as close A but is smaller vertically. Whiffs on Mamiya, Rei, Shin, and Jagi crouch blocking. Whiffs on Souther and Toki neutral crouching.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
- Jump cancelable
f.B
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 7 | 7 | 4 | 5 | +4 |
- Jump cancelable.
Excellent midrange poke. Confirms into 2D except on crouching Jagi.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
- Jump cancelable
f.C
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 17 | 12 | 4 | 16 | -2 |
- Jump cancelable.
Not really used as a poke. Mainly combo filler.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
Launch |
- Jump cancelable
f.D
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 17 | 14 | 3 | 16 | 0 |
Low invulnerable button. Can confirm into banishing strike by kara canceling 2D into CD as 2D~2C. Also confirms into Grave Shoot. Surprisingly not jump cancelable.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
- Jump cancelable
2A
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 6 | 6 | 3 | 7 | +1 |
- Jump cancelable.
Faster crouching normal.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
- Jump cancelable
2B
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
low | 6 | 7 | 3 | 4 | +6 |
2B is a great low. It's significantly plus on block, can be jump canceled, and has solid speed. It confirms into 5D and 2D. 2B > 2D
does not combo against crouching Jagi.
- Jump cancelable.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
- Jump cancelable
2C
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 16 | 12 | 4 | 14 | -2 |
- Cancels into itself.
Combo filler.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
- Jump cancellable
2D
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Low | 13 | 14 | 5 | 20 | -5 |
- Jump cancelable.
Rei's furthest reaching low.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
Launch |
- Jump cancelable
j.A
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
High | 4 | 16 |
Rei's Fastest air normal. Good as an air to air.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
j.B
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
High | 5 | 20 |
A very active air normal that is great for air to airs and the fastest button that will hit a crouching character from an instant air dash.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
j.C
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
High | 9 | 6 |
Hits above Rei. Mainly used to hitconfirm from 2D.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
j.D
Command Normals
6A
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
High | 24 | 4 | -4 |
No real reason to use this but it's there if you want to.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
j.2B
Air Throw
Universal Mechanics
Throw
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Throw | 4 | 4 |
- Jump cancelable, of course.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
Launch |
- Jump cancelable
Kick Throw
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Throw | 9 | 4 |
- Also jump cancellable, who would have guessed?
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
Launch |
- Jump cancelable, whiffs on crouch
Grave Shoot
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 16 | 7 | -4 |
Good hitbox that also reflects projectiles. Also moves slightly forward.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
Grave Launch |
- Reflects projectiles
Heavy Strike
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unblockable | 41 | 4 |
Pretty standard heavy attack unblockable.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
Stagger |
Banishing Strike
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 18-33 | 4 | -8 |
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On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
Banishing Launch |
Special Moves
Hien Ryubu
Version | Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hien Ryubu A | All | 11 | Until ground, 25 (after hitting ground) | ||||
Hien Ryubu B | All | 11 | Until ground, 90 (after hitting ground) |
- A version bounces upwards off the ground.
- B version glides across the floor.
Excellent air to ground projectile with utility in: stalling in the air to mess up anti air timing, having an active projectile to follow behind in order force a response from the opponent and start pressure, and being a mixup tool with boost.
Version | On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
j.236A | |||||
j.236B |
- j.236A (notes: bounces on ground contact)
- j.236B (notes: slides across ground)
Nanto Gekisei Kakubu
Version | Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nanto Gekisei Kakubu A | All | 8 | 14 | ||||
Nanto Gekisei Kakubu C | All | 5 | 22 |
- 623A
- Cancels into air special moves.
- No invincibility.
As it cancels into air special moves, one can use j.236C to follow up to get hits and create good corner carry for the Baskue.
- 623C
- Rei's invincible reversal.
While being a DP, it is also often used in basket combos by Boosting out the last hit.
Version | On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
623A | Launch | ||||
623C | Launch |
- 623A (notes: air ok, cancelable into air special moves)
- 623C
Air Nanto Gekisei Kakubu
Version | Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Air Nanto Gekisei Kakubu A | All | 8 | 14 | ||||
Air Nanto Gekisei Kakubu C | All | 9 | 25 |
- j.623A
Not commonly used.
- j.623C
- Has some invincibility.
Mainly used as a reaction to the universal guard cancel while still in the air.
WARNING! In arcade version, Boost TKing this move after Grave Shoot (A+C > 6239E~C) will cause Rei's DP to hit infinitely many times; the technique is called a Grave Install, but the effect it has on Rei's DP is unique to it. THIS IS A BANNED TECHNIQUE IN ORGANIZED PLAY. FAILING TO BOOST OUT OF THE LAST HIT BEFORE KO OR TIME OUT WILL SOFT LOCK THE GAME, REQUIRING A RESTART. |
Version | On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
j.623A | Launch | ||||
j.623C | Launch |
- j.623A
- j.623C
Nanto Jinshu Suizan
Version | Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nanto Jinshu Suizan | High | 15 | Until Landing | ||||
Nanto Jinshu Suizan Backwards | High | 15 | Until Landing |
Used as combo filler and an overhead option. Is airdash cancelable if at jump height. Wall bouncess on counter hit.
Version | On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
j.236D | Launch | ||||
j.214D | Launch |
- j.236D (notes: Airdash cancellable, wall bounce on CH)
- j.214D (notes: Airdash cancellable, wall bounce on CH)
Nanto Kyoukaku Shoubu
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 26 | Until Landing |
Rei creates a shield around himself with a hitbox that disappears when Rei lands on the ground, it hits, or is blocked. It eats some projectiles such as Souther's 623A.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
- Eats some projectiles
Nanto Kakuyokujinzan
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 19 | 20 |
- Jump cancelable.
- Wallbounces on counter hit.
A rushing mid attack done in the air that knocks up on normal hit and wallbounce on counter hit. Integral in all of Rei's combos by airdash canceling or jump canceling with a button and itself.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
Launch |
- Jump cancellable, wall bounce on CH
Nanto Koharyu
Version | Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nanto Koharyu | Mid | 20 | 12 | -9 | |||
Nanto Koharyu Followup | Mid | 12 | 5 | -11 |
A two part move mainly used to beat guard cancels. 1st portion of the move has armor. 2nd input launches the opponent in a grave shoot state.
Version | On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
214C | |||||
214C~214C | Grave Launch |
- 214C
- 214C~214C
Super Moves
Nanto Seiki Mouha
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All | 38 | 27 |
- Uses 1 bar of Aura.
Reversal super with some invulnerability, great damage, and good hykuretsu combo potential. Attacks in the super can also beat projectiles.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
Launch |
- Can cancel projectiles
Danko Sousaiken
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mid | 30-143 | 50-200 |
- Uses 1 bar of Aura.
Rei charges up the attack with one hit of armor, flies up with invincibility, and then throws 3 projectiles that bounce around the screen. Charging the super increased the damage and the duration of the projectiles on the screen.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
- Chargeable
Kubuenrizan
Guard | Damage | Startup | Active | Recovery | On-Block | Star Damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mid | 37 | 4-24 |
- Uses 1 bar of Aura.
A super mainly used to take as many stars as possible after A+C or 214C 214C at the end of a round. Has a little bit of invul that can go through guard cacncele but it isn't generally used in this manner.
On-Hit | Boost Gain | Aura Gain | GC | Level |
---|---|---|---|---|
Launch |