[CP/EX] Kagura Mutsuki - FAQ/Q&A thread

[Raptor]

Neutral for this character requires patience, especially if characters are using spacing against you. When it comes to spacing characters like Jin, Litchi, Haku, etc, you do NOT want to challenge them at mid-range, you will lose. The idea is to gain enough ground to the point that they will have to deal with your pressure and eventual knockdown into orb oki. Once you get a knockdown, it's pretty hard for them to escape.

j.C is pretty good at keeping them honest on the ground, but will lose to faster air normals. Try not to use this too close to your opponent or your landing recovery will let them punch you in the face, or worse, it will whiff because of the lack of hitbox directly under Kagura and still allow them to punch you in the face.

j.B is much like j.C, great jump in, except this move covers all angles below Kagura. Good for cross-ups, jump-ins and doesn't have the landing recovery j.C has, but of course it's very poor for air-to-air.

j.A has long horizontal reach, making it ideal for air-to-air.

5C, 2C are very long range pokes thats pretty good for catching backdashes, but due to slow start-up and recovery try to condition them into these. ie upon an opponent landing and you're outside of their midrange.

6D-C is good for covering a bit of ground and can beast through projectiles.

Both your orbs are plus on block. A orb can be used mid blockstring to keep the pressure.

Edited November 19, 2013 by Raptor

[Midnight-Zephyr]

I dont know if this is wierd to ask but...

Could someone tell me the general uses for Kagura's drives please? (like what its safe against, whhat's better against certain characters/tactics/etc.)

I dont have the game, but I would like to know these things and general information about him very well before the english release. Also im not good at holding a lot of info in my head, so knowing it before I get the game is good cause I'll have it memorized by then and save me a lot of trouble.

[Justice7541]

5dA: Mid/high super armor. Punishes mashing, mixup with 2dA.

2dA: Overhead that goes over lows, punishes mashing. Mixup with 5dA.

5dB: Command throw, very gimmicky mixup.

6dA: Dash and attack from front. Mixup with 6dB.

6dB: Dash and crossup. Mixup with 6dA.

6dC: Projectile super armor, used for approach.

Rest: Mostly combo filler

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

[LoVeBirD-]

Alright so sometimes I'll do combos in the corner that have B orb in them and B orb will only do 2 hits and the opponent will tech. I've even lost matches because of this. Has this happened to anyone else? Anyone know why this is happening and what the solutions are?

This can't be just me...

[-Seo]

B orb can be real finicky when used in the corner. I think it's to do with you yourself being too close to the corner, that the B orb kind of appears behind the opponent a little, so only a few hits connect and it seems to be most common after a 2D~A. I remember testing it out a little, and if you delay the B orb slightly after the 2D~A you can still get all the hits, but the timing is a little awkward, too soon you get only 2 hits, too late you get nothing and lose oki. I'd honestly recommend cutting your combos a little short if this happens too often, keeping oki is huge for Kagura, so I don't think sacrificing some damage for it is too big a deal personally. I can't say this happens to me too often, unless I'm confirming from a pretty random stray hit. Is this the same case for you, or is there a particular combo this is happening with?

[LoVeBirD-]

B orb can be real finicky when used in the corner. I think it's to do with you yourself being too close to the corner, that the B orb kind of appears behind the opponent a little, so only a few hits connect and it seems to be most common after a 2D~A. I remember testing it out a little, and if you delay the B orb slightly after the 2D~A you can still get all the hits, but the timing is a little awkward, too soon you get only 2 hits, too late you get nothing and lose oki. I'd honestly recommend cutting your combos a little short if this happens too often, keeping oki is huge for Kagura, so I don't think sacrificing some damage for it is too big a deal personally. I can't say this happens to me too often, unless I'm confirming from a pretty random stray hit. Is this the same case for you, or is there a particular combo this is happening with?

Yea (in corner), 5DB＞(air cancel)＞2C＞5C＞6DC＞5DA＞2DA＞B orb＞5C＞6DC＞2DC＞super

[-Seo]

Yea (in corner), 5DB＞(air cancel)＞2C＞5C＞6DC＞5DA＞2DA＞B orb＞5C＞6DC＞2DC＞super

Yeah, delaying the B orb after 2DA is needed. Alternatively you can do 5DB>(cancel)>2C>5C>6DC>2DC>B orb>5C>6DC>2DA>super (or if you want oki do B orb>5C>6DC>5DA>2DA>delayed A/B orb). I don't quite remember the damage in comparison to that combo, but it's tons easier to do.

[LoVeBirD-]

Gonna try that and see how it turns out and post here. Thanks a lot bro!

[Midnight-Zephyr]

5dA: Mid/high super armor. Punishes mashing, mixup with 2dA.

2dA: Overhead that goes over lows, punishes mashing. Mixup with 5dA.

5dB: Command throw, very gimmicky mixup.

6dA: Dash and attack from front. Mixup with 6dB.

6dB: Dash and crossup. Mixup with 6dA.

6dC: Projectile super armor, used for approach.

Rest: Mostly combo filler

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

Heheh...thanks for that man. Im already gonna be behind everyone else for waiting until march, but this little bit of info will help a lot.

[Stellarcircle5]

So I messed around with Kagura some more and I'm loving him (getting 4K off of any confirm is nice). But what I would like to know is what are his optimal blockstrings, given that Kagura is almost Noel-like in his drive mechanics, what strings work best during block pressure?

[Bill307]

Yeah, delaying the B orb after 2DA is needed. Alternatively you can do 5DB>(cancel)>2C>5C>6DC>2DC>B orb>5C>6DC>2DA>super (or if you want oki do B orb>5C>6DC>5DA>2DA>delayed A/B orb). I don't quite remember the damage in comparison to that combo, but it's tons easier to do.

Seems like delaying the orb isn't an option vs Kokonoe: you have to use the 6DC 2DC 46B route instead, and it needs a lot of short delays in it to make it work. :/

Ending in super, the 6DC 2DC 46B route deals [5963 -16], while the 6DC 5DA 2DA 46B route deals [6229 -14] but doesn't work vs Kokonoe, maybe others. A simple alternative deals [5571 -18]:

5DB short delay 6DC 2DC 46B 5C 6DC 2DA 5D~28D

(This also works if you're close to their corner: just remove the delay after 5DB.)

[exogi]

Hello there, first time poster here.

I was really hoping you could help me out here.

Q: How can I get the color palette found in this video?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYkDXseG-us

Best regards.

[Lord Pwnge18]

Hello there, first time poster here.

I was really hoping you could help me out here.

Q: How can I get the color palette found in this video?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYkDXseG-us

Best regards.

http://www.dustloop.com/forums/showthread.php?16987-Importing-101&p=1567189&viewfull=1#post1567189

[Toushi]

So I messed around with Kagura some more and I'm loving him (getting 4K off of any confirm is nice). But what I would like to know is what are his optimal blockstrings, given that Kagura is almost Noel-like in his drive mechanics, what strings work best during block pressure?

Considering that the opponent is going to defend everything for fullscreen/midscreen I use 2B > B ( start holding 4 ) > B > 46A

After the orb you can do: 6A ( overhead ) > B > 3C > 2D~A > 6D~A > 5D~A > Dash

or B ( low ) > 6B > 3C > 2D~A > 6D~A > 5D~A > Dash

After the dash you can do 2B > B > B > 46A again or just do the BC grab

Remembering that if the 6D~A or 5D~A confirms you can start a combo

[Grimstar]

2DA is awesome in blockstrings and leads to a lot of big damage and corner carry. Not sure how safe it is on block... but if you're lucky you can follow it up with a 5DA fatal counter. either way 5DA is probably more safe on block.

Edited December 8, 2013 by Grimstar

[Kagura Mutsuki]

I have been working with Kagura for a little bit and I'm trying to learn a couple of things. I was wondering what are some good ways to approach since his neutral is terribad. Also I was wondering what are some good follow ups after block jump C to keep people from mashing and after a blocked jump B?

Dragon Emperor

[Phones01]

I have been working with Kagura for a little bit and I'm trying to learn a couple of things. I was wondering what are some good ways to approach since his neutral is terribad. Also I was wondering what are some good follow ups after block jump C to keep people from mashing and after a blocked jump B?

Dragon Emperor

I usueally will throw orbs to gauge what the opponent will do. on a blocked jump c I like to go into air stance to 2d a or into 5d b if they start catching on I do the stance cancel 1DD (4DD also works). on a blocked jump b if it's a normal jump b then i try to cross over with a nother jump b or go for the air stance to 5db or stance cancel (1DD/4DD)

[Kagura Mutsuki]

I usueally will throw orbs to gauge what the opponent will do. on a blocked jump c I like to go into air stance to 2d a or into 5d b if they start catching on I do the stance cancel 1DD (4DD also works). on a blocked jump b if it's a normal jump b then i try to cross over with a nother jump b or go for the air stance to 5db or stance cancel (1DD/4DD)

And what about if they are mashing?

Dragon Emperor

[Grimstar]

Might be a slightly off topic question... But of those of you who play Gear, who would you say is the most "Kagura-like" character? I was sort of thinking Order Sol, but I have a pretty limited knowledge on GG, and would like to pick it up more for Xrd.

[Veteru]

Might be a slightly off topic question... But of those of you who play Gear, who would you say is the most "Kagura-like" character? I was sort of thinking Order Sol, but I have a pretty limited knowledge on GG, and would like to pick it up more for Xrd.

Outside the command grab, Kagura's moveset is basically derived from Ky Kiske.

Kagura is Ky 2.0. Stronger but slower. Has improved version of various Ky specials.

Drive 2DB is Stun dipper v2.0

Drive 2DA is Greed Sever v2.0

Fireball are improved version of Ky's stun edge / charged stun edge v2.0.

Flashkick is an improved version of Vapor Thrust (vastly improved...).

Gameplay style is somewhat similar, though Ky is faster / weaker.

Kagura's 6DB is derived from a move that Ky has had since GGX... but always as a console only alternate character variation. Unfortunately "Impala Hunt" might never make it into his real move set.

Ky doesn't have the drive cancelling aspect, but basic/neutral gameplay might be similar for you.

In GG, overheads tend to be the end of your pressure so if you like Kagura's high/low/command grab mixup options then Ky might not be the character of choice (Greed Sever easily punished on block, 5D is the end of pressure or punished if you're too close).

[Phones01]

And what about if they are mashing?

Dragon Emperor

If they mash do on wake up j.1dd recovers fast enough for you to block it. If they mash 2a or 5a on your way down from an air stance you lose depending on the character. Though 5dA loses to lows iirc.

[donelf]

my experience on playing kagura after eating alot of astrals and frustration for being a slowpoke all i can say is use orb when you can A version if the enemy is somewhat close to you and B version if they are far away and observe for what kind of move they will do of course they will jump most of the time use 6c or flash kick they mostly won't see this coming even the 6c which is slow and don't let them close up flashkick won't be always there for you all the time lastly always be patient and know how to block you will be force to block when playing kagura because all of his move are slow and punishable when whiffed it will worth all that trouble if you 5k anywhere them but it's still up to you how to utilize his moves

[Naphiel]

Is there much I can do to punish somebody for just refusing to tech into my orb oki after using 2 2DCs in a combo? Seems that the SMP ruins anything I can do too punish them for it.

[Phones01]

you can try to pick them up with 5b if they just lay there.

[donelf]

Is there much I can do to punish somebody for just refusing to tech into my orb oki after using 2 2DCs in a combo? Seems that the SMP ruins anything I can do too punish them for it.

use 6d~b that will keep them in check 5b is too risky if they want to wake up dp or wake up super