[CP] Tager vs Tao: I really don't like catgirls now

[A.X.I.S.]

She is still annoying as ever.

[Ctrlaltwtf]

GP is bizarrely effective at countering quite a few of her neutral options. I'm getting a lot of situational use out of it against XDest. Especially if she tries to 6C you out of a jump (something Tao often does against Tager cuz Tager can't AD or double jump). You can predict a 2D anti-air with 360C, but it's very finnicky.

So with GP beating 6A and 6C, and the potential to predict 2D with 360C, you have some strange approach options via the air. It's usually risky for Tao to jump once she's been magnetized. And 45 spark bolt now is an option for forcing her to stay on the ground once it is charged. (she can still avoid it with crawling, obviously, but now she can't safely jump). Her j4D is an option for avoiding 45 spark bolt though. All-in-all spark bolt is more useful as a threat rather than through actual use.

This entire matchup is basically you under pressure and guessing what Tao's about to do next. There's virtually no A2A at all it's entirely either you trying to approach or you being pressured by endless Tao stuff. Thankfully Tao has to land a whole bunch of confirms on us to get our lifebar down to 0 while we only have to guess right a couple of times to win.

Tao's pressure is pretty intense, but there are a lot of chances to guess for a punish in it. There's frame traps everywhere, which is always a risk against Tager. Things go very badly for Tao if you get just one good guess. As XDest says, Tao can't afford to pressure you for too long. The longer she pressures, the more chances you get to get lucky and destroy her momentum.

Overdrive is a great new tool for Tager that helps him destroy characters like Tao who rely on that Burst to get them out of trouble and save the round. GF > RC > OD > pressure is a great way of making Tao insanely scared. If you land another combo'able hit afterwards it's usually the end of Tao's chance of winning that round.

Tao almost entirely relies on CHs to combo off 6C and D midscreen. So if you jump in and just block or don't input attacks, she may hit you but won't actually get a combo (need a real Tao main to confirm this though) Jumping and blocking is overall a pretty safe way to approach.

Her bowling ball is annoying as fuck this time around. it hits multiple times and doesn't get killed by sledge. Once again, Spark Bolt is a threat that deters her from using this though.

Your "guessing" tools:

Air

jB - Reasonably effective at smacking her out of stuff

GP - Counters 6A and 6C, also catches her out of a lot of her D moves.

j360C - Counters 2D on prediction, not too reliable

It is possible to IB a 2D, then use 360C. Only up high though. This is also unreliable though.

Ground

5A/2A - Whenever she attempts to do anything that isn't super fast. i.e. 6B

360A - Punishes 236C if you IB 6C beforehand or anything else. Also reverses a bunch of frame gap stuff on IB. This is a good, classic threat to her pressure. This sometimes doesn't work due to Kaka Clan Voodoo magic (see below)

5C - You can use this whenever you'd usually 360, as a hard read for jumping. AC obviously works too

2C - Whenever she goes for an air cross-up, usually with jC or jB

720 - Should be obvious

5D - This one can catch her if she tries to backdash out of an air string.

Voltec Charge - Your indispensable tool for Burst Baits.

6A is utterly worthless in this MU. Don't even bother.

Both 5D and 6A get ducked by crawling.

p.s.

I....

[pokerus12]

I'm bad with certain abbreviations, so does GP refer to Tager's elbow drop(j2c?)

[SoWL]

GP is Crimson Meteor / Guren Punish, j.63214A.

[pokerus12]

GP is Crimson Meteor / Guren Punish, j.63214A.

Aaaahh. Gotcha.