[CSE] Rachel vs. Noel

[gli]

Summary

Noel isn't as scary as she was in CS2, but she can still be a treat. Midscreen 4,5k+ out of D-mash is gone, though mashing D like there's no tomorrow still works. Her ability to stagger pressure also got weaker, but is still good. The Haida loops is gone, that's a good thing especially for Rachel and her haida specific loop that did lots of damage and built lots of heat.

Getting zoned hurts Noel in the long run, and she doesn't have much safe options to get out of the corner due to the lack of a meterless true reversal. Getting here there should be your priority.

Fullscreen

Noel can hit you fullscreen, punish your summons with Optic Barrel and gets momentum afterwards. She is most likely to use the C version if you are standing fullscreen away. Your best bet is to summon in the air where Optic Barrel can't hit you. If the Noel preemptively uses OpticC, feel free to IAD with wind to punish it. Clever Noels will start throwing Optic A to bait your winded IAD if you overdo it. Be careful with that.

Also keep in mind that Noel has the fastest dash speed in the entire cast. Throwing out B or C Lobelias can be very risky if there is no pumpkin around.

Midscreen

Noel's main pokes are 2A and 5B. You can challenge both with 2A, but keep in mind Noel can 2D over it. Your best bet, if you really have to poke, is 5B though. You will score a 5B CH on 2D happy Noels that leads into an air combo. If the Noel jumps during your 5B, prepare to block. Both 6A and 6B are, like in almost every MU, also useful if she rushes towards you.

Pressure

Noel can stagger pressure very good. She will score many CHs on you if you push too much buttons. Her main stagger tools are 5A, 2A (,2B) and 2C, though 2C is weaker now (from +3 to +1 frame adv.)

Normals that chain into her overhead: 2A, 5A, 6A, 5B, 5C

I highly recommend that you don't block high immediately after you see her in midair. It could be a Muzzle Flitter (214A) that still leads into decent damage even midscreen.

Be ready to block a cross-up 2D as long as she is point-blank.

Things you can punish

Muzzle Flitter whiff. Punish with 5C

3C on block. If Noel is point blank, punish with CH5B or 5C. If she isn't, either dash 5B or CH6B

IB 2C puts her on -2. If she wants to resets pressure, you can score a CH with (dash) 5A or 2A.

Blocked 2D. Punish with 5A. She only has 3 options (without RC) to avoid your 5A. Spring Raid (623D), Fenrir (632146D) and 4D. First two options are unsafe if blocked and no Noel will or should ever do that. If she does 4D, your 5A will whiff but she won't be able to hit you.

Blocked Assault Through (214D). Punish with 5B.

Blocked Fenrir (631246D): dash FC 5C

Blocked/whiffed Bullet Storm (j.236236C): dash-in 5B, 5C or 6A. You have to hit Noel before she reaches the ground.

Unfortunately, instant overheads don't work on her. You have to delay your j.A/j.B in order to hit. While this can be easily reacted to, fuzzy guard setups still work. Example: 5B jc 2D j.B jc j.A j.B j.C

Fighting against a drive happy Noel isn't that big of a deal for Rachel. A meaty 5B on Noel's wakeup will beat every drive clean. The only thing she can do except blocking is throwing out her Fenrir super.

Stay alert when she has 50 heat. She can escape the corner with her CA and even punish you afterwards regarding of what you did. Two ways to deal with the CA is getting some space between you and Noel while george hits. Noel won't escape the corner this way. Another option is 3C because it hits on both sides. If Noel does her CA during 3C, you will hit her. Though she leaves the corner, you can easily bring her back with either a BBL combo or something like 3C 8D 5B j.C 2D j.2C 2A(w) dash under 5C(w)C.

Thanks to Sakaku for the write-up.

[Sakaku]

Summary

Noel isn't as scary as she was in CS2, but she can still be a treat. Midscreen 4,5k+ out of D-mash is gone, though mashing D like there's no tomorrow still works. Her ability to stagger pressure also got weaker, but is still good. The Haida loops is gone, that's a good thing especially for Rachel and her haida specific loop that did lots of damage and built lots of heat.

Getting zoned hurts Noel in the long run, and she doesn't have much safe options to get out of the corner due to the lack of a meterless true reversal. Getting here there should be your priority.

Fullscreen

Noel can hit you fullscreen, punish your summons with Optic Barrel and gets momentum afterwards. She is most likely to use the C version if you are standing fullscreen away. Your best bet is to summon in the air where Optic Barrel can't hit you. If the Noel preemptively uses OpticC, feel free to IAD with wind to punish it. Clever Noels will start throwing Optic A to bait your winded IAD if you overdo it. Be careful with that.

Also keep in mind that Noel has the fastest dash speed in the entire cast. Throwing out B or C Lobelias can be very risky if there is no pumpkin around.

Midscreen

Noel's main pokes are 2A and 5B. You can challenge both with 2A, but keep in mind Noel can 2D over it. Your best bet, if you really have to poke, is 5B though. You will score a 5B CH on 2D happy Noels that leads into an air combo. If the Noel jumps during your 5B, prepare to block. Both 6A and 6B are, like in almost every MU, also useful if she rushes towards you.

Pressure

Noel can stagger pressure very good. She will score many CHs on you if you push too much buttons. Her main stagger tools are 5A, 2A (,2B) and 2C, though 2C is weaker now (from +3 to +1 frame adv.)

Normals that chain into her overhead: 2A, 5A, 6A, 5B, 5C

I highly recommend that you don't block high immediately after you see her in midair. It could be a Muzzle Flitter (214A) that still leads into decent damage even midscreen.

Be ready to block a cross-up 2D as long as she is point-blank.

Things you can punish

Muzzle Flitter whiff. Punish with 5C

3C on block. If Noel is point blank, punish with CH5B or 5C. If she isn't, either dash 5B or CH6B

IB 2C puts her on -2. If she wants to resets pressure, you can score a CH with (dash) 5A or 2A.

Blocked 2D. Punish with 5A. She only has 3 options (without RC) to avoid your 5A. Spring Raid (623D), Fenrir (632146D) and 4D. First two options are unsafe if blocked and no Noel will or should ever do that. If she does 4D, your 5A will whiff but she won't be able to hit you.

Blocked Assault Through (214D). Punish with 5B.

Blocked Fenrir (631246D): dash FC 5C

Blocked/whiffed Bullet Storm (j.236236C): dash-in 5B, 5C or 6A. You have to hit Noel before she reaches the ground.

Unfortunately, instant overheads don't work on her. You have to delay your j.A/j.B in order to hit. While this can be easily reacted to, fuzzy guard setups still work. Example: 5B jc 2D j.B jc j.A j.B j.C

Fighting against a drive happy Noel isn't that big of a deal for Rachel. A meaty 5B on Noel's wakeup will beat 5D, 2D and 6D clean. Now that 4D has projectile invul, 5B won't work. But you can walk a bit backward before you do your meaty 5B in order to let her 4D whiff. She is still able to do her Fenrir super to hit you though.

Stay alert when she has 50 heat. She can escape the corner with her CA and even punish you afterwards regarding of what you did. Two ways to deal with the CA is getting some space between you and Noel while george hits. Noel won't escape the corner this way. Another option is 3C because it hits on both sides. If Noel does her CA during 3C, you will hit her. Though she leaves the corner, you can easily bring her back with either a BBL combo or something like 3C 8D 5B j.C 2D j.2C 2A(w) dash under 5C(w)C.

[swordiris]

Thanks this helps.

[gli]

Good job. I'll edit the first post with that information.

[Sindelian]

How do we beat out Noel's 4D

[gli]

Noel 4D loses to lows.

[TD]

psst. hey guys. haida is back and stronger than ever, so they say.