[CSE] Rachel Mixup/Pressure Compendium

[Kuuhaku]

CS Rachel Mix Ups 101

Welcome! Would you like to learn how to make people salty about Rachel j.A? You're in the right place then.

Topics to cover:

• 5B
  
• Fuzzy Guards
  
• Frame traps
  
• Resetting pressure
  
• Zoning tools
  --Approach
  --Pressure
  
• Oki
  --Midscreen
  --Corner
  
• Crossups/Crossunders
  
• Block string examples/components
  
  
  Bonus:
  
  • Hit confirming 3C (link, CS2 info)
    

[Kuuhaku]

5B

Windless

5B 2B (can loop once before you're pushed out of range)

5B 3C (if hits, press D to go straight into high damaging BnB. ends block strings)

5B 4B (warning- very slow overhead. can do 5B 4B 2B 4B for high low high)

1 Wind

5B 2D j.A (extremely fast overhead. does not work on Litchi. gapless)

5B 2D j.B (slower than j.A, but will hit all characters. not gapless)

5B 2D j.B 2B (high low)

5B 2D j.c 2B (empty jump in into low)

5B 2D j.c throw (empty jump in into throw)

5B 2D j.A/j.B throw (overhead into throw)

*Except for ones involving 2B, all of these setups can be done from 6B, but it's considerably slower and requires 3D instead of 2D.

*Can also be done from 5A, but 5A 2D j.A is not gapless.

Fuzzy Guards

5B 2D j.B j.c j.B

Frame Traps

2A 2A (delay chaining to give 1-2f gap)

3C Sword Iris 5A (4f gap)

Resetting Pressure

[Kuuhaku]

Zoning tools

Approach

Pressure

Oki

Midscreen

3C Frog/Pumpkin

-Dash 2A

j.2C (lvl 1) air ender

-2A whiff (leave a small gap if you suspect DP attempt, 2A again to meaty)

Corner

5CC frog

-A cannon (covers neutral tech and jump outs)

-6B (punishes forward roll and sledge attempts)

-6B j.c (can be used to fish out mashing/DPs/burst. this is not safe to Tager's AT) Doesn't work in Extend.

-5B (works better on characters with smaller roll hitboxes, also better proration)

Crossups/Crossunders

Throw Crossunders

B+C/4B+C 7D dash 2A whiff (single crossunder)

3C Crossunders (does not work on Noel)

3C 9D (single crossunder)

3C 9D dash 2A whiff (double crossunder)

Block string examples/components

5B 2B 5B 2B

[Kuuhaku]

Okay. I'm done now. Post whatever. I'll fill in stuff when I'm less lazy.

[TD]

thanks polka :3 and what a lovely layout you did. alright, i'll post my stuff in here tomorrow. today

but to start things off with some basic strings-

from 5?:

- 2b(low)

- 2d jc...(high/low/throw setup)

...j.a (high from 2d)

...land 2b (empty jump low)

...land b+c (empty jump throw)

- 4b(high)

- 3c(low)

from j.a:

- j.b... (high)

...dj j.b or j.a... (fuzzy guard setup)

- j.c land... (tricky high/low/throw setup)

all of these setups loop back into 5b, 3c being an exception.

[gli]

Note that crossunders only work if the opponent techs at the correct time. If they choose not to tech you can extend into a bluebeat combo.

Some crossunders I came up with a few weeks ago.

Throw Crossunders:

B+C or 4B+C > 7D > 66 > 2A whiff (single crossunder)

3C Crossunders (does not work on Noel):

3C > 9D > ... (single crossunder)

3C > 9D > 66 > 2A whiff > ... (double crossunder)

A really nice crossunder setup by Jason D. is as follows.

Jason D. Baden-Baden Lily Crossunder:

BBL hits from a high height > 214A > dash under to backside of opponent > 66 (timed so that you reach them as they fall to the ground) > 2A whiff (single crossunder into George mix-up or hitconfirm into combo if George connects)

[Beening]

I believe it was Matsu or Tetsu (some amazing Rachel player) that gave me a good mixup idea, 5B->6B->3D->jA->jB->(land) 2B->5B BnB. It is a pretty useful setup for me since it is a little hard to mix in a good overhead in a pressure combo since the JC and J2C are not overhead but combo really well. Possible a rapid cancel in air during a forward CD move followed by a fast jA. Was this helpful?

[gli]

*Except for ones involving 2B, all of these setups can be done from 6B, but it's considerably slower and requires 3D instead of 2D.

This was already posted in there. It's a pretty good mix-up but it is indeed slower and carries the risk of getting DP'd out of.

@Polka: What would examples of "Resetting Pressure" be?

[TD]

mixups from 3d

...3d jb (catches backdashes, gets you within point blank range and hits high)

...3d ja ( recovers fast enough to bait dp's, early ja is a frametrap, hits high)

...3d jc (catches jumps so that you both will land and be in pb range, fast enough so that if it whiffs youre not at a disadvantage)

...3d late throw (catches jumps, decent recovery)

all in all im not a huge fan of 3d mixups either, but there comes a point where they have to be done.

l wonder if her j2c3d can be used like jin's 6b for feint throw shenanigans :o

[Son of a Gun]

Can I ask something? I'm sorry that I'm quite new to DL and I don't have much to contribute right now.

It's because I'm also quite new to BBCS2. But I'd like some tips for Astral setups.

[gli]

Welcome ;D

You should ask that question in the Gameplay discussion thread as Astral setups are outside the scope of this thread.

Here is a link:

Rachel Introduction and Gameplay Discussion Thread

Unless, of course, you consider the threat of Astral "pressure".

EDIT: I also forgot to correct something. The 3C 9D cross-under also fails on Tager.

[Son of a Gun]

Welcome ;D

You should ask that question in the Gameplay discussion thread as Astral setups are outside the scope of this thread.

Here is a link:

Rachel Introduction and Gameplay Discussion Thread

Ah I see. Thanks I'll do that.

Unless, of course, you consider the threat of Astral "pressure".

EDIT: I also forgot to correct something. The 3C 9D cross-under also fails on Tager.

Ah I see. Thanks I'll do that.

[gli]

Made a quick visual guide on the crossunder setups. I'm trying to get comfortable with Vegas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4rUzbpJz2w

[Kuuhaku]

This was already posted in there. It's a pretty good mix-up but it is indeed slower and carries the risk of getting DP'd out of.

@Polka: What would examples of "Resetting Pressure" be?

Stuff that has too big gaps to be considered frame traps, but chances to keep going if they're giving respect.

EX: 3C 5A or (pumpkin) 5B 2B 5B 2B 5D dash repeat.

[FatalxInnocence]

I'm not sure if anyone has suggested this one but I actually find it extremely useful. Basically;

5B j.2D j.A J.B ( now if you timed this correctly you should be able to ) DJ J.B J.A J.C... you can actually reset back into 5A, or 5B I believe once you're back on the ground but yeah! this is probably her most useful overhead mix up to me. Since 4B comes out kinda slow compared to it.

[TD]

been awhile since this has been posted in...

zoning tools: pumpkin

approach - if both you and your opponent is near a pumpkin, 1/2/3/4/6d will put you safely in point blank range.

pressure - 2d (pumpkin blocked, or P) allows for a very fast 3 way mixup and can be made completely safe; same with 3d(P).

examples:

*2a 5a jc 2d(P) land 2b

*2a 5b 6b 236a jump 3d(P) jb

*2a 5b 2b 5b 2d(P) land throw

pumpkin 1/2/3d tk george works and is safe, very good for extended blockstrings.

example

*2a 5b 6b 2147a 3d(P) land 5b 6b 236a (frog hits)

you can stagger pressure with pumpkin or make a move safe. this can be applied to all of her normals including cat chair.

examples

*2a 5b 4b delay 5d(P)

*2a dash 2c (if the foe does not dp/mash/get hit at all) late d(P)

with pumpkin around rachel's pressure is extremely varied, freeform, and safe. be creative anytime youre allowed to pressure with it.

do be aware: unwinded pumpkin will float for 6 seconds while a winded one will only last about half that time.

[Tari]

Worth noting that, as usual, using stuff like pumpkin against Hakumen should be done with care, as he can counter the pumpkin and grab you with that same counter.

Anyway, not sure if it's noted anywhere, but you can cross up in the corner with wind. This is done by jumping over the opponent and then inputting 1/3D while falling onto them. You can do this with a whiff j.C (IAD 1D j.C), for example, as that will actually hit them if they try to stand up to do anything (like, say, block in the wrong direction). The safest way to apply this is to get corner oki, get George out, and then cross-up during the end of George's activation.

This can be 'mixed up' with your typical overheads and 2D mixups (falling j.B, 2D aerial moves, 2D into low/throw, etc.) and air sword iris.

This cross-up will work on basically anyone, even if they're standing and holding back to move away from you. The wind pushes them out and Rachel slides in behind them. It works while they're blocking things like George, as well, but is less useful, as they have more time to react to the change while blocking George (hence why I suggest doing it as George finishes up).

[[SpA]Relentless]

Why would you want to cross them up in the corner though?

Anything you can do afterwards either gets you low damage and only midscreen oki, or costs lots of wind, does decent damage and lets the opponent airtech. Maybe if you had 50% heat for doing a high hitting BBL, then crossing under so they end up in the corner again, or if it kills them.

Still, I think it's better to keep them in the corner and just do regular high/low/throw mixups and frametraps with iris and pumpkin. If they block the crossup, then you give up most of your pressure. The risk/reward just isn't quite enough imo.

[Tari]

It's only worth it if you can kill them off of it, though you can do BBL and then recorner them if you're so inclined.

[Kuuhaku]

Yeah. I guess I should note that. Something like j.C 5B 3C BBL level 3 and what not would be pretty cool.

SPA- not really since you still get to continue your pressure so I wouldn't say you're throwing away your pressure at all... especially since if you wanted to you could cross them back up. Also, any combo into BBL will let you put them back into the corner. You don't need a high hitting one. The only thing you'd really have to watch out for is if they block and then decide to dead angle/burst you back into the corner.

If you want a meterless combo, you could probably make something work with level 2 j.2C, but I'm kind of lazy.

[Tari]

Yeah, from the crossup, these are pretty approximate damage values:

3 wind, 50 meter, recorner, no oki: 5.2k dmg

3 wind, 50 meter, recorner, oki: 4-5k dmg (depending on if you want frog or pumpkin oki)

3 wind, 0 meter, no corner, no oki: 3.2-3.7k dmg on 3C>236B characters (depends on combo complexity: higher damage requires the dash 5A link from 236B)

3 wind, 0 meter, no corner, no oki: 3.1k dmg on non 3C>236B characters

2 wind, 0 meter, no corner, no oki: 3k dmg on 3C>236B characters

2 wind, 0 meter, no corner, oki: 1.4k dmg on non 3C>236B characters

All the wind counts include the wind used to crossup. Didn't check for wind regen or meter gain.

You can shave off 1 wind from some of the combos just by riding the leftover momentum from the crossup wind.

edit: further testing comes out with a 5.8k combo off of 1D j.C crossup hit, recorner with frog oki, 2.5 wind regen, and 35-ish meter gain. Costs 3 wind (including the 1D) and 50 meter.

[kotokot]

iad 1d crossup works with j.b on crouching. j.c is for tager and haku or standing opponent.

[[SpA]Relentless]

SPA- not really since you still get to continue your pressure so I wouldn't say you're throwing away your pressure at all... especially since if you wanted to you could cross them back up. Also, any combo into BBL will let you put them back into the corner. You don't need a high hitting one. The only thing you'd really have to watch out for is if they block and then decide to dead angle/burst you back into the corner.

You have them cornered, you cross them up, they block it and all following mixups -> They can escape and you won't have wind.

You have them cornered, you don't cross them up and they block all your mixups -> You can still do pseudo pressure with lobelia and iris and keep them cornered until you get some wind back.

If you have enough wind to do double crossups, then you can just as well spend it on normal mixups and high damage corner combos. Rachel's high/low game is just so powerful, she doesn't really need those shenanigans imo. Especially since Rachel's crossups are fairly easy to block.

[Tari]

In the corner, something like blah>4B 6D>5B>jc j.A>1D j.C actually crosses up pretty fast on the j.C. It's significantly faster than her midscreen IAD crossups (though you can do similar things by burning extra wind midscreen).

That said, yes her corner pressure is very solid without using crossups. There's no reason not to mention that this option exists, though. If your opponent has even more options to worry about the moment you jump cancel your 5B, all the better.

[gli]

Yeah that is exactly what I was thinking Tari. It's always good to know all your options. As mentioned before, if you want minimal losses if cross-up fails it's best to attempt it if it will kill. I would mostly use this myself if my opponent gets too comfortable blocking my corner pressure and has seen most of what I can dish out at him. So you throw this out and more than likely they won't be prepared for it given that you mostly opted for corner pressure.