Zappa Love: Series Renovation. AC Edition!!!!

[Oiboi]

I agree mostly with Zoogstin, just a few things to add: 1: Vs. Millia, I don't have TOO much experience, but I know her mixups are really wacky against Zappa. Her 6K has deceivingly good range against him, and her pokes are generally quick enough to scare you away from poking. You can punish her tops with 6P if you've got the momentum/position right, and can cancel into summon if your afraid the tandem tops will hit. 5K beats the hair slide thing if timed right (closer you are, the better), and just anti-air her in the air. Her air moves aren't too great against zappa, since their designed to connect on taller characters. 2: With the ghosts, you can take advantage of this by super jumping and immediately using j.HS as soon as you leave the ground. Air backdash will also allow you to toss a j.HS to create room between you and your opponent, helping to zone. As for rushdown, ALWAYS throw a ghost before you run in. This will make it harder for them to stop you and stuff any attacks you're doing, and you can start doing 6P/5K 2D while the ghosts catch up, and then you can toss FRC for shenanigans. With the sword, the slowness isn't as severe, so usually it takes a lot of movement for you to be too far away from it to use it properly. If you desperately need a sword, DP will always work, as will swordspin. Basically, execute a special and you'll get the hitbox regardless of where the sword is. 3: Getting in with Raou can be tricky on some characters. Ky, for instance, is actually a bad matchup for raou, so take that into account. Don't be afraid to play really really safe, as you'll end up scaring them into acting (as they'll expect a throw or mixup) and you can get free counterhits. 4: I disagree with Zoogstin; Zappa's backdash is probably the best option IMO. 10 frames of full invincibility, plus in the corner your right there and read to punish it. Jump, even 1 frame jump, can still be grabbed (albeit it's much more difficult). Sword DP has instant grab invul so that's a good option, as zoogstin said, but keep in mind 5D has 10 frames before the grab invul appears, so it's actually not too effective defensively (I prefer to use it as throw bait on wakeup). There are several setups for Wild toss, so determine which one you friend usually catches you with and you'll learn to predict when their about to do it. Alternatively, learning to Instant block his strings and throw him before he throws you is an option (though way more difficult since Zappa is wacky with throws).

[Zoogstin]

I forgot to mention his backdash. Don't know why since its so good. The only problem is his backdash is really fast. So I find myself getting Wild thrown anyways.

[Valentine]

Awesome, thanks for the info guys. I'm trying to catch up in the fighting game scene, but I'm so far behind. First it was GG, then I had to pick up KoFXI, then Arcana Heart, then Blazblue, and now Fate Unlimited Codes. So many combos to remember o_O But Zappa and Noel comes first. Gotta nail that ghost FRC. I suck at it ><

[Oiboi]

Forums been dead for a while, so I'm coming with a question to stimulate your noggins. Belated Xmas present, if you will:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrVocUskWrQ At about 40 seconds, Zappa does a reverse sword swipe after a normal one. Was there some reload reverse version I don't know about or something? This is seriously bugging the hell out of me.

Also, Valentine: Getting that FRC in combos is tricky, you have to input it normally before you even see it happening since it will read your inputs seperately from what's going on on screen. It's a little confusing at first but get the toss FRC down by muscle memory and just do it whenever you throw a ghost in a combo and you'll get the hang of it.

[Zoogstin]

He didn't do a reverse sword swipe. Look again. Zappa actually turned around before doing the first sword swipe.

[Oiboi]

He didn't do a reverse sword swipe. Look again. Zappa actually turned around before doing the first sword swipe.

But doesn't the sword only go in one direction, regardless of which way is Zappa facing?

[kanom]

just a small "remark" since the forums are dead =) -the forums actually aren't that dead, people come,read,learn,and go. since most important things have been said =) -zappa is "never" summon less,because when he seems to have no summon,he actually got "s.ko" try close slash,jump dust,blocking..and more =)

[Dangief]

Dang, good work Zoog. You are credit to team.

[Phrekwenci]

But doesn't the sword only go in one direction, regardless of which way is Zappa facing?

Things have changed through the versions (that video is #R) and with some sword moves (6HS, 2HS, 5S, 2S, jHS) the direction or even place where Zappa is doesn't matter. What matters is where the sword was last. In the video, he hits with the 6HS, then times the next button press (2HS) to happen before the sowrd can reset. The sowrd swipe is another move that doesn't depend on location and even though Zappa's sprite has figured out to turn around, the sword moves haven't yet and when the swipe happens, it's backwards.

I'm sure some of you folks have tried to do the 6P, 2S, 2HS (air combo) near the corner but realized that Zappa isn't close enough and tried doing a swipe instead. If you connect with the second hit of the 2HS and then immediately swipe, the swipe will be much higher in the air.

Using the sword this way is key to zoning your opponent. If you keep throwing out a 2HS, this will keep the sword spinning in the air. Which normally gives the opponent the only option of either rushing you on the ground, or straight projectile. The sword will reset position with 5HS and come back down to stop a rush down. Characters with projectiles (hi Ky!) will just cut you off. Instead, mix-up between 6HS and 2HS, and be ready to uppercut.

[Valentine]

just a small "remark" since the forums are dead =)

-the forums actually aren't that dead, people come,read,learn,and go.

since most important things have been said =)

-zappa is "never" summon less,because when he seems to have no summon,he actually got "s.ko" try close slash,jump dust,blocking..and more =)

What is "s.ko"? Sorry if that's a scrubby question, I'm still pretty bad at GG

[Oiboi]

That makes sense now, thanks phrek. S-Ko is the girl who appears when Zappa blocks and in certain moves (naked 5HS, 6HS, j.D and j.S to name a few). She's a vengeful spirit who posesses zappa (like the other ghosts, but rumored to be stronger than all of them somehow, at the very least she has the most control over zappa). She's based off the girl from the Ring, and more rumors stipulate she's Axl's girlfriend from his own time.

[Valentine]

Ooh, her. Bah, she doesn't count as a summon. I get no souls from her <_< I'm really digging the sword right now though :D

[HellSap]

But doesn't the sword only go in one direction, regardless of which way is Zappa facing?

One of the worst things about #R zappa is he can activate his sword moves backwards on the first or so frame before he turns around... one of my favorite things I did with the sword back then was jump over the opponent and do 236s the wrong way (after the crossup) and on the first frame he faces backwards and it does the animation but he goes backwards... the pushblock was also changed, and it always made the sword swipe kinda safe. Real dumb, but something I always noticed about #R zappa which they fixed eventually. Sword swipe also just worked backwards...

I didnt really research it, I always did it every so often and just used that vid to confirm my suspicion that everyone already knew about it... hmm

BTW - does anyone know about when the sword turns invisible in AC?

Sometimes when cancelling 2h near the last frame the sword doesnt snap back, or 236s, he just moves with nothing trailing him... it seems that the sword is too far away to reappear next to him? but it still has the hitbox

[Oiboi]

One of the worst things about #R zappa is he can activate his sword moves backwards on the first or so frame before he turns around... one of my favorite things I did with the sword back then was jump over the opponent and do 236s the wrong way (after the crossup) and on the first frame he faces backwards and it does the animation but he goes backwards... the pushblock was also changed, and it always made the sword swipe kinda safe. Real dumb, but something I always noticed about #R zappa which they fixed eventually. Sword swipe also just worked backwards...

I didnt really research it, I always did it every so often and just used that vid to confirm my suspicion that everyone already knew about it... hmm

BTW - does anyone know about when the sword turns invisible in AC?

Sometimes when cancelling 2h near the last frame the sword doesnt snap back, or 236s, he just moves with nothing trailing him... it seems that the sword is too far away to reappear next to him? but it still has the hitbox

Invisible? I know if you special cancel on the last frame of 2HS, Zappa does the motion but the sword doesn't do anything and just returns, with no hitbox or anything.

[HellSap]

you sure about no hitbox? because I swear I've hit people plenty with 236s afterwards...

[Phrekwenci]

Interesting idea, I'll have to check this out.

[Oiboi]

I think 236s still has a hitbox (since it's technically on zappa and not the sword) but Swordswipe lacks a hitbox completely, that much I know for sure. DP might have a hitbox, but if your cancelling when the swords that far away, chances are the enemies too far away anyways.

[4Corners]

S-Ko appears on Zappa's jHS, too. :D

[HellSap]

oiboi - agreed. 236s still hits, 63214h does not... Even if the dp didnt hit you're nigh invincible anyways... Excellent addition to the conversation, 4Corners! lol... those random s-ko frames are freaky... I still think 6hs animation is the funniest, though....

[Valentine]

I've found that if I do it at just the right height and time, I can punish a non-FRC'd gunflame with jump, airdash, j.k. Since Zappa flattens out when he does this, it's almost like he slides over the top of it and kicks Sol in the face :D EDIT: Anyone know some good, practical Zappa combo/tutorial vids? Almost all the stuff I do is stuff I came up with, with the exception of the corner Raoh loop. Simple pressure, combos, mixups, etc. Nothing too fancy yet : /

[Ankh]

Its the undead looking chick that hangs onto him and possesses him when he fights.

[Oiboi]

Any of the generic AC combo vids are good. The thing with zappa that any combo is practical simply because even some of his most basic extended combos are pretty difficult. The only stuff that might be a bit too much is the sword j.HS frc j.HS FRC land 2S 2HS etc. bullcrap which is just silly and too hard to bother with. Still, when it comes down to it, you'll learn alot when watching those vids.

[HellSap]

Thats mostly just positioning... the FRC isnt so bad, just the timing so you're not too high/low is hard.

But positioning is most of Zappa's game. I still dont do iad combos with the dog because I never get them to where I think I'll hit it... even though its a great way to extend his damage potential...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsgVgQw5RKo canon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVismbh7YO0 song for

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8wuRUUUVSI LOLZ

[Zerite]

The way you use roah is by throwing your opponent since they'll be blocking for 15 entire seconds. The basic idea is that you get free throws -> combos and chip damage. Also sometimes your opponent will do something dumb, like vv, which you then double clash edgy with and then rc the third edgy. etc.

[Hi-C]

Not sure where this goes because its AC+, but since its Zappa, yeah. I was playing Zappa's storyline earlier, and Slayer is a pain. Anyone know how to kill him? A) He regenerates health slowly, and gains a boost if he hits DOT or any overdrive. B) His tension gain is insane. Good enough to hit an overdrive, additional random hit, dandy step, pile bunker and your dead. Likes to roman cancel to hell. C) Vanishing dash... bypasses a moves and free combo for him. The only thing I can imagine doing is It's Alive! -> RC -> It's Alive! repeat. And its bound to fail. Not too mention, he sometimes clashes with my od. Wth? Its either that or learn advanced combos with the sword or dog. 2H~236S no sword? Hasn't cost me a match yet, but I find it funny Zappa can do the motion without the sword.