[CP] Relius Clover vs Azrael

[TD]

Discuss the Azrael matchup here.

The Neutral Game

Long Range: Your Tools vs His Tools

Medium Range: Your Tools vs His Tools

Close Quarters: Your Tools vs His Tools

In The Air: Your Tools vs His Tools

Offense

Your Offense:

His Offense:

Defense

Your Defense:

His Defense:

Gimmicks and Resets

Match Summary

[NecroTheReaper]

Felt like some of these needed some posting in.

The Neutral Game

So nothing's goin on from either side, you'd have the advantage with or without ignis imo. His only safe way of getting in is through the air or tryin to force through with gustav. 214x series can keep him back (especially Tus) from ground approaches, and if he jumps it, his air mobility isn't great either. If he comes in from the air, just watch out for the dive kick. Also, with Gustav, while you can beat it out with neutral jumps, be careful. A CH gustav can lead to 3.5k+ damage, so while it is a risky choice for him, its definitely rewarding.

Long Range: Your Tools vs His Tools

214x and 22x are all especially good tools to use on Az, and unless he manages to somehow growler 22x (I havnt seen 214x give him phalanx stocks) you should be able to do whatever you want. His air game can be ruined using 4D too, just make sure if you're at neutral, you try and keep to this range with the life lead until you get to pressure. Also, even if he gets a phalanx stock, ignis>almost all projectiles (damn you Jin super wave).

Medium Range: Your Tools vs His Tools

So, at this range, 5B is good. It beats almost all of his ground based options, but can leave you vulnerable if he tries to IAD in. Honestly, if I'm in this range, I just throw out a 5B until I score a hit or make him back off to return to long range. If he does go for the IAD, the most you can do is either forward dash if he does a crossup (works occasionally) or use 6B since 2C wiffs on IAD from this range. Now, if he tries to stuff your 5B with 236/214D, the super armor lets you ley through it, though with the way I've seen super amor work in the past, 5B>5C might stuff it.

Close Quarters: Your Tools vs His Tools

This is not a range you want to be in. All of his normals are good at this range, having good startup and great frame advantage. Even on pressure, Relius uses a lot of frametraps, and if youre this close, he can Growler you out of a lot. Stick to midrange for pressure, long range for neutral, and you'll be fine. Safe jumps work ok at this range however, as long ad you can keep him locked down safely enough to mixup/score CH's with appropriately spaced moves. Also, be aware that he can get out of this range easier than you can with his godlike backdash.

In The Air: Your Tools vs His Tools

j.A I've honestly used frequently in this MU. Az's best poke for air to air is j.5B, which if it scores a CH can give him a nice combo. j.xD series also works well when appropriately spaced, and gives you a possibly good reward on CH.

Offense

Your Offense:

Stick to max range 2B unless he's commited to barrier blocking. Going for FC 6C's is mostly safe at this range with ignis, as growler has a really short range. Most of the time it wiffs going from 6C>214A or 6C>41236B. His AA is moderately slow so high/low stuff is mostly safe if you keep it basic. Also, if he goes for 2C and you block, most options after are unsafe, so you could possibly mash out after blocking it.

His Offense:

This is bad for Relius. Backstep and ley are both easily stuffed since Azrael's moves have short recovery and high actives. On block isnt much better, with many of his moves having frame advantage. If anything, stick to barrier guard to force him to gustav and try to jump out after. Just be careful of his 5B which can hit you out of this easily if he's close enough and lead to great damage. Sadly if you barrier, you make it more difficult to mash out of his dash through crossup pressure. Luckily his mixup isn't all that great with high/low stuff, but his crossups can be tricky and rewarding. Just pay attention and try to get out as fast as you can. Don't be impatient though, getting CH'd is the last thing you want to happen.

Defense

Your Defense:

As said before, backstep and ley are next to useless in this matchup. If anything, just barrier and try to get away or look fot his more risky mixup attempts to mash out of.

His Defense:

Growler and backstep are his main ways of dealing with pressure. Luckily, if you stick to midrange pressure, growler wiffs and if you think he's gonna backstep, you can use 214C for a pressure reset or possible punish for a good 4k. If you don't take this opportunity though, he could hurt you easily. In the corner his options for growler get a bit better, but his backstep options become more risky with its long duration.

Gimmicks and Resets

The 22A>2D path works on az midscreen for up to 3.7k without heat. Its great if you get a hit without ignis summoned midscreen.

Match Summary

Depending on if you keep him out or if he gets in on you, I'd say 5/5, at most 5.5/4.5 our favor just cuz we can zone.

[Myoro]

So the 5B->[6D->665B]xN loop really can shine in this match-up.

Have you ever had trouble with a backdashing Azrael? With Ignis, we can punish it with ease.

I've also had fun 236A-ing his mix-up as it's insanely obvious and very punishable.

[NecroTheReaper]

If you do it early enough, you -can- use ley on his mixup, byt they usually have the same duration as ley, so using it on reaction just lets you dodge one mixup attempt. Plus you could just mash out between most stuff>6/3D and get a combo.

[NecroTheReaper]

So, anyone who understands Azrael's links in pressure know what punishable gaps are in his pressure on IB? I can't help but feel there would be a lot of them due to the nature of his pressure, but I don't know what points would be opportune. I know Gustav is -2 on IB, but does IBing his 5B/5BB leave any punishable gaps if they do anything BUT gustav? Since I got my hitbox I've really been able to IB a lot easier.

[LordSpectreX]

So, anyone who understands Azrael's links in pressure know what punishable gaps are in his pressure on IB? I can't help but feel there would be a lot of them due to the nature of his pressure, but I don't know what points would be opportune. I know Gustav is -2 on IB, but does IBing his 5B/5BB leave any punishable gaps if they do anything BUT gustav? Since I got my hitbox I've really been able to IB a lot easier.

 

Unfortunately since Relius' normals are kinda slow, he can't poke out as much stuff as a guy with a 5F 5A.

 

There is a gap between his 5B and his 5BB even on normal block. You can use 2363214C Super if you're sure he's gonna do it.

 

5A>5B is unsafe on IB. You can mash out with 5A.

 

In fact, 5A on IB forces a gap no matter what. You can even IB 5A and twirl to avoid gustaf (he will go through you, really good to counter his corner pressure). You can't punish it but you should be at an advantage, more than enough. Mashing won't work against 5A>Gustaf, 5A>5A or 5A>2A, but you can DP out. Or backdash if you have the balls.

 

IBing his 5B reaps less chances. IBing 5B>5BB creates an even bigger gap than normal block but still not enough to mash out of. 5B>2C will have a gap but again, no 5F 5A so you can't mash through it. 5B>Gustaf is a tight string so don't worry about mashing out of it.

 

Other than that. Gustaf obviously becomes minus 2. You can "kind" of option select him blocking or backdashing by doing 5A>214A. 5A will make him block if he stood there, and 214A will catch him if he backdashes.

 

5D and 2D become punishable with 5A only on IB. 3D/6D only become -5. 

 

The other things aren't that important. Relius is the kind of character I would recommend just barriering Azrael's stuff with rather than IBing it. But if you want to IB, then the two big ones are 5A and Gustaf. Obviously 5D as well, but just blocking that regularly is fine.

[NecroTheReaper]

Thanks. I don't necessarily have trouble with the MU, since the ones that win are obviously just better players. Was testing out my hitbox, and since Azrael has to use somewhat obvious jump-ins for mixup, or go unsafe with drive mixup, felt like he'd be a better character to practice against.