BBCF/Izanami/Strategy

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 Izanami



General Tactics

Terminology

  • Flaming Dome (41236C) = Fireball
  • Orchid (63214D) = Wheel
  • Droplet (41236D) = Laser
  • Exodus Mode = Active Mode
  • Shield of Dreams (623B) = Ribcage/Ribs
  • fl.{hjc/7hjc/9hjc} (27/28/29) = Fastfall (hjc stands for high jump cancel AKA superjump cancel)

Important Moves

  • 2A: One of the few buttons that is jump cancellable on block. Access to 2A tk. float is the linchpin to Izanami's more advanced pressure (see below)
  • 6A: Your go-to move to cancel into float alongside 2A. Anti-air, launcher, etc. Be careful about whiffing it however, as it has a lot of recovery
  • 2B: Amazing low profile poke
  • 3C: Great tool for corner carry. Good pressure & neutral tool in float
  • j.B: Amazing air to air. Also used in High/Low mixups from float
  • j.C: Main air-to-ground move, and a good air-to-air when the opponent is below you
  • 623B (Shield of Dreams/Bulwark): Important moves for Izanami's pressure. Shield of Dreams allows her to bulldoze her way in, while Bulwark conserves Barrier and prevents Danger State
  • 41236C (Flaming Dome): Powerful combo ender. Leads to amazing oki and pressure sequences
  • 4D: Great move for holding down neutral in Active Mode. Do note it doesn't quite travel fullscreen
  • 3D: Great grounded approach tool that you can run behind
  • 6D: Amazing combo tool, helps link certain strings. Also situationally useful in neutral

General Gameplan

Force your opponent on the defensive by pushing in with bits, or by forcing them to block and setting up Active Mode/Ribcage. This varies based on matchup. The blanket way of dealing with neutral in most matchups is to get to a position where you can safely go into Exodus/Drive and rely on bits to rush your opponent down or interrupt poke attempts. Different Drive attacks are better for different angles and situations. You can use float to approach from different angles and play evasively. You can also use specials like Droplet to track opponents and force them to make awkward movements. Izanami also has other strong tools to hold down neutral. Buttons like float 3C (fl.3C/fl.{3C}) can be strong in neutral if you know how to use it as a poke, and is a good tool for punshing whiffed anti-airs after baiting them with strong movement. You can cancel float normals into jumping hits, or IAD in order to create ambiguous mixups. fl.214B is a good surprise move and becomes a very strong approach tool while in Exodus mode, and is especially strong against characters like Nu/Lambda, where Izanami can punish moves with lots of recovery from afar. j.B/j.63214B are great air to airs and improve when you pair it off with float hop off at different heights and patterns.

Alternatively, Izanami can play a very aggressive neutral by using Ribcage and simply running towards people. At a low level, you'll likely see success with this tactic. However, opponents with good defense will simply wait it out, counter throw, or evade. Several characters have unique ways to handle Ribcage in general. Going into Danger State from Ribcage is also quite dangerous. On top of losing the ability to Barrier and suffering a damage bonus, Izanami cannot use Ribcage while she's in Danger State.

While bits are on cooldown and you're not in ribs, you want to play very evasive. Abuse Izanami's stellar backdash, retreat with backwards superjumps and airdashes along with float movement, or alternatively move past them (or under them with fl.214B, especially utilizing tk.2147B) if they're eager to approach and chase you. Skulls (j.63214B) can be used to change your air trajectory and make it harder to pin your landing. You can also use their eagerness to approach to retaliate yourself by using your normals to outspace or going into Shield of Dreams (623B).

Special Note: 2A tk. Float (aka tk. fl{ }): tk. fl is shorthand for jump cancel into float cancel, or achieving the lowest possible float; usually this will leave Izanami at around the opponent's shins (or knees) while they are standing. The input is 2A~88. Being able to do this allows you to enter float mode much safer than using 6A, since that can be challenged easily once the opponent is looking for it. This allows for much better sudden pressure, since she now has so many more options while floating than on the ground, such as 2A > tk. fl.{2A > 5B > 2B > 5C > 3C > etc}; in addition, this also allows for a much stronger mixup potential compared to her ground strings. You can extend pressure via the above blockstring or some variant, go for a quick low with 2A > tk. fl{2A~9hjc} > 2B, overhead with 2A > tk. fl{2A~9hjc/IAD} > j.B, a throw setup with 2A > tk. fl{2A~9hjc} > throw/63214C, and so much more. Experiment around and see what works, or take a look at the segment that covers it!

Blockstrings / pressure

Blockstrings in normal mode are much more limited. Followup attacks aren't often helpful for keeping Izanami safe (aside from 5CC sometimes). Usually, Normal Mode blockstrings will use 236A to push Izanami out and make themselves safe. Alternatively, you can cancel into 5D and go into Active Mode. Your goal here is to get enough respect to go into 5D, whether that be doing stagger pressure to bait out reverals or frame trapping to beat attempts to mash out.

Examples:

2A > 5B > 2B > 5C > 2C > 5D

2A > 5B > 2B > 5C > 2C > 236A

2A > 5B > 2B > 5C~C > 236A

In Active Mode, Izanami's blockstrings have much more flexibility because Izanami can use her Drive while doing almost any action. Moves like 63214D, 6D, and 4D are great for extending pressure.

Examples:

2A > 5B > 2B > 5C > 236A(6D)

2A > 5B > 2B > 5C > 6A(6D) > fl.2B > xN

2A > 5B > 2B> 5C > 2C > 214A(4D)

If you're having difficulties with opponents using reversals during gaps in your pressure, you can bait it out while keeping pressure up by doing 623B(63124D), for example "2A > 5B > 2B > 5C > 623B(63214D)".

Incorporating a bit of stagger pressure here and there along with normal float pressure and Exodus pressure resets can be surprisingly good for several reasons. First of all, it makes your opponents more antsy and likely to try and retaliate which you can then exploit. Secondly, if they don't retaliate that means they give you more respect that you can use to go for tick throws with 63214C or going for 2A > tk.float without having to use bits. Thirdly, it keeps it more unpredictable when you will actually go for a certain mixup. And lastly, it's good for baiting out Guard Cancel Overdrive which otherwise can be one of the only strong options against Izanami with Exodus or Ribs on defense.

Okizeme

Midscreen

Grounded 3C

As Izanami you often might want to end short combos with 3C < 5D if you aren't in range for 6A~8. From here you can throw out bits, use a meaty button e.g. 2A, or do a combination of both.

Punishing no tech

Soft knockdowns like 3C has a rule where if opponents do not immediately tech (aka Emergency Tech) there's a short window (~7f) where opponents are completely vulnerable before they get the chance to roll or do a delayed tech. 3C > 5D > immediate 2A hits opponents during this and allows you to follow up with a full combo. Once you have conditioned your opponent to always emergency tech, you have more freedom in what you can do from midscreen 3C.

Regular ender

Most combos in Normal Mode end in 6A > j.63214B~8 > fl.{3C}. Your oki from this isn't stellar, but you could for example do fl.{7hjc} > j.5D > land > button + 4D/6D, one of which should ideally be meaty.

Exodus ender

Exodus midscreen combos almost always end with a lvl. 1 fireball. From here you can do grounded 5D > 623B(4D/63214D meaty) > blockstring. 63214D is better at catching delayed techs, while 4D keeps you in Exodus for more pressure.

Corner

The corner is where Izanami's setplay really gets to shine.

Flaming Dome (Fireball) Lvl.2/3 Ender

Arguably Izanami's most preferred ender. At level 2/3, the hits and knockdown provide great setup for oki. Depending on your resources and the situation, you'll want to go for a combination of the following Oki (suggested input sequence: 858 > fl.{5D > 623B(63214D)}):

Ribcage

Almost always a strong option after knockdown. Allows you to virtually disregard wakeup mash/DP/reversal. Do note that reversals with many hits can quickly shred through your barrier gauge, so use a bit of caution if your barrier is getting somewhat low.

Wheel Oki

Wheel Oki involves Active Mode Orchid after a knockdown. You can use it to lock down your opponent while setting up Ribcage on their wakeup. Orchid also hits them and allows you to combo if they try to roll or delay their tech. Timing can be tricky, though: too early and you can't properly combo them on hit, too late and they're able to forward roll out of it. If you want to call forward rolls out specifically, you can do "858 > fl.{5D > 623B > 2B(4D)}". 2B hits the forward roll, while 4D covers you in case 2B whiffs.

Active Mode

Switching to Active Mode after a knockdown is usually a good option because you can use a Drive special without the startup animation and run your offense. The suggested input sequence (see earlier example) guarantees an Exodus mode activation and Ribcage activation while locking the opponent down with Orchid.

Meaty Fireball

Another strong option to default to, especially if you have little Barrier gauge left from using Barrier and Ribs in neutral. Release the fireball soon after it goes into lvl. 2 and it'll cover rolls and delay techs, leaving you with much more time to hitconfirm into a full combo than off of meaty wheel (Orchid). In case they correctly emergency tech, you have a lot of frame advantage (~+28) allowing you to go into float and either activate Exodus (active mode) or Shield of Dreams (ribs)

The issue with meaty fireball is that it loses to reversals and moves that are projectile or fully invulnerable on frame 1 and have enough reach or forward movement to hit Izanami. Reversals are most easily punished by using fireball lvl. 2/3 ender and going into Ribs, or backdashing after dropping meaty fireball / after lvl.2/3 fireball > float 5D.

Float Mixups

Float gives Izanami some truly fearsome mixups, especially after oki. She can go into these mixups at any point during her float blockstrings e.g. fl.{5B > 2B > 5C > 3C} since all normals become jump cancellable during float.

The first layer of mixup is the 50/50 between fastfall > j.A and fastfall > land 2B. j.A is slightly faster while having less reward on hit damage-wise. You can delay the float cancel from your buttons to change the timing and throw off any attempts to fuzzy block.

That in itself is very strong, but there's a lot of room for creativity. Fastfall > land 6B can be strong since they expect you to 2B after landing. If they give you too much respect you can use fastfall > land command grab (63214C meterless / 214214C metered) for great reward (3-5k depending on meter usage). Another effective delayed overhead is fastfall > delayed airdash j.B > j.C. Using this further complicates attempts to fuzzy block in reaction to the fastfall. 214B can be used as a surprise low, as opponents might wait for fastfall before crouch blocking.

Special mention is given to rising j.A fuzzy overhead, which works on a majority of the cast. Simply float at a height where j.C will hit from a fastfall, then do a deep/late j.C into a rising j.A. Since they are in blockstun from the j.C, j.A will still hit them if they try crouch blocking (which they would do since you can 2B after j.C). You get a full combo by going into float off the jA, from which you get to run your blender all over again. Even if they block you're at a height where a fastfall j.C sets up for yet another fuzzy j.A. Simply disgusting.

Tips and Tricks

  • Izanami has many ways to end Shield of Dreams safely. Experiment with Bulwark in combos to end Shield of Dreams and gain Barrier
  • Izanami will regain an air action (air dash) after float. Use it for different movement
  • Use bits for approaching and pressure extensions. Bits/Laser (41236D) in Exodus also allow you to convert off of virtually any stray hit in neutral.
  • Izanami's inability to block in Active Mode is similar to  Valkenhayn's inability to block in Wolf Mode. This makes it important to not use her drive and certain special moves recklessly. Alternatively, you can compensate for this temporarily with good oki, evasive movement and/or Ribcage
  • 214B can be a good surprise approach tool when they're not expecting it, e.g. off super jump > float if they're waiting to anti-air you. This is especially strong if you have bits available to make 214B safe or even + if they block it.

Fighting Izanami

  • Multi-hitting moves like Hibiki's DP shred Ribcage, and the hitstop she suffers can mess with her inputs
  • Remember that Izanami cannot block during Active Mode. She will be specially vulnerable when her bits are on cooldown
  • Sometimes it's best to play very evasive and wait for Izanami to drain her own Barrier
  • Izanami is specially vulnerable to certain resets when in Danger State, so abuse her lack of barrier as much as possible
  • Watch out for her 2B. It has an extremely low hurtbox, but is very vulnerable on whiff
  • 214B is quite minus on block without RC or bits, and she lacks a fullscreen overhead option. Its slow startup also means you can counter it with foot invul moves
  • Izanami's strongest defensive options are locked behind OD and Meter, so be sure to abuse the times where she lacks it

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