[CP] Tsubaki vs Valkenhayn

[Kiba]

You'll be DP'ing more here, have fun!

[Kiba]

Pretty much what I said above.

Most Valks will be using this kinda blockstring alot, which consists of w[5A > 5B > 5C > 6D > j.A]. After the w[5C], you can DP them before they hit you with j.A, and if they keep doing it, keep DP'ing! The better players will be doing stuff like w[5A > IOH j.A] which is much harder to react to but does indeed lose to mashing. I can't keep saying DP when he has you down on lock because Valkenhayn has several ways of baiting DPs. It's up to you to find out the type of Valkenhayn player you're playing and make good judgments of what you're options are. w[5C > 6D > j.A] can lose to 5A mashing from time to time, but it mostly trades. Other times you may lose. w[5B > brjA] is tight even on IB so you won't be able to mash out of that.

w[5C > 6D > j.D > human transformation] mixups will lose to 5A mashing, but of course usually you don't know when they're gonna do that. Valkenhayn also has some mash safe blockstrings such as w[5C > IOH j.A] which will beat mashing.

I don't find fireballs generally good in this matchup unless Valk has committed to something because a lot of the times they can just wj.66D and j.C CH out. Cannons are unsafe if blocked so at this point I usually mash 5A, but it becomes problematic if they do something like wolf cannon > 7D > stuff, because your 5A may whiff and they'll just get a free hit. This is why usually after a wolf cannon against the better players I'll opt for an air throw while they're doing 7D. Another thing to note is that you should always be moving in this matchup, whether it's simply dashing or using 236C. Yeah, 236C is good here since wolf can't block, and Valk is very unlikely to remain in one position. Don't stand there and charge for a long period of time because you're indefinitely making it much easier for Valk to get to you. Blade super is useful in this matchup to stop him running around and allow you to get in comfortably.

We're lucky we have a DP tbh. Spaced w5C oki doesn't work against Tsubaki so that's something to note. When you have him on the defense, finish him!!! Remember his 6A loses to throws and lows and shouldn't really be mashed in Tsubaki pressure. His anti airs are still really good so be careful with jump ins. What Valk players should be doing is using barrier to push you out so that they can get away easy with wolf. So mixup your pressure between your standard stuff and using stuff like 5B > IAD j.CC to get in closer, but avoid being predictable because w5B is still a really good AA.

[Airk]

Any advice on how to play neutral in this matchup other than 'move around a lot'? =/

 

Edit: to clarify, it feels like everytime I move forward on the ground, I get a wolf cannon in the face;  How do you punish these at neutral, since it feels like he just flies past me and cancels into another for whatever he wants.

[Monarch]

I stay strapped with 2 charges, so I can abuse 236C, and follow up with 214D/22D if necessary. Not the best method, but it works for me.

[Airk]

How do you even manage to get charges? I feel like everytime I charge the wolf flies in and now it's me-failing-to-block time.

[Monarch]

I feel like this is one of those matchups were it's acceptable to jump back and OD at match start for some charges. That way, you at least have options for any of Valk's trickery. Besides.. you weren't going to need that burst anyway.

[Kiba]

I haven't tried that actually.

 

Match start:

-I find IAD back j.236A to be a huge commitment, you're wide open to a wolf cannon or w5B. I usually walk back a little and see how the Valk reacts. Sometimes I even run forward and tag them with sj.B if I think they will try to high jump away.

 

- 22B doesn't seem to work if he uses 5C, he'll just get a CH. You need to move.

 

His pressure:

-please please please please please please try to pay attention to his wolf meter while he's got you down, it could turn the match around in a pinch! If they're low on wolf meter it's a sign that they're gonna back off, resort to human pressure or most likely go for a command grab! Jumping is normally the best solution for this, and if he does use a command grab you can CH wih falling j.C > whatever. The only type of oki which works against Tsubaki's DP is the safe jump setup which involves the wj.B > 3D > wj.B > dj.D > falling j.C. Most Valks dont do this I'm afraid, so a DP would work against everything else. Valk can't OS our DP or make it so it whiffs, but he does have to guess if you're gonna DP.

 

This is where the mindgames come in. If they feel you could DP and they backdash you can do 236C/236D to catch 'em and get a combo, though of course if you guessed wrong you'll be stuck in the corner.

 

Try to make sure you have charge to spare for DPs, you'll need it and it really does help.