P4U2R/Labrys/Strategy

Labrys

Overview

Combos

Strategy

Matchups

Frame Data

Resources

General Tactics

Aurha's Labrys Character Guidebook

Labrys wants to get red axe and maintain it to get access to her highest damage combos the the threat of fatals from a lot of her normals. If you’re able to do that, you can end games in 1-2 hits, so be willing to spend meter to get there, then be ready to kill once you land that all-important hit!

Axe Levels

Labrys gains axe level through attacking, both in pressure and during combos. As she moves up through the levels (Grey > Blue > Green > Yellow > Red), she becomes much more threatening, although her axe level also drops while being hit, or if she doesn’t attack while above green, which is her base level. It’s important to remember that axe level is a crucial resource while playing Labrys, so make sure to learn your combos so you can make the best use of it. This includes SB combos that will take you from green to red, as well as the best confirms so that you don’t have to spend D beast if you don’t have to, and get to carry red axe into the next round.

Remember, axe levels change many things, including combo routes available, damage (especially from supers), chip damage, and even what mixups and neutral hits you can confirm from. Keep a close eye on your current level to make the most use of the mechanic, and you can put out some serious hurt.

Offense

Labrys struggles to open people up without meter, but instead relies on good use of C Normals, Throws and other system mechanics to make the opponent slip up and and crack

Liberal use of stagger pressure and pressure resets are also key to her pressure, with the added bonus of gaining a little bit of axe while you do it. Labrys cannot consistently blockstring with her normals anyway, so this comes naturally, but with careful play and good confirms on hits, can be quite strong.

Once you get to Red Axe, your opponent is going to want to do two things, keep Labrys out, and minimize the interactions they have with her to make sure they don't suddenly die to a single hit. It'll be on the Labrys player to make sure they can keep the pressure up to continue rocking their opponents world, maximizing every hit possible.

Okizeme

Off of knockdowns Labrys will typically want to set up Spike/Sword (22A/B/C/D) or Orb (236C/D) to create an okizeme scenario and establish a threat. While these are strong threats with good payoffs on hit, Labrys does need to enforce them with meaty 5As from time to time, as they do not hit meaty by themselves. Once you have established this threat though, you can use them in a variety of mix options, go low/high, left/right, a mix of both, or even throw, which can be confirmed with orb!

Defense

Easily Labrys' biggest weakness. Labrys' defense is overall very weak due to her slow guard point DP which can be reversaled on reaction and OS'd leading to Labrys' best options being universal options such as fuzzy throw/mash, or spending meter on GCA/GCR/gold burst. However, if Labrys is in awakening, then she gets access to her best reversal, Gears (214214C) and even then Labrys will still have to be on point because there is counterplay to all of the defensive options she has, so pick wisely!