Devoted to training from an early age, she possesses tremendous combat ability. After graduating from the Military Academy, she took an active role as the Lieutenant of the organization known as the 0th Division. Following the events of Calamity Trigger, she travels to the city of "Kagutsuchi", to assassinate Jin and her former classmate and best friend Noel for deserting the NOL.
Drive: Install
Pressing 5D, 2D, or j.D will cause her to “charge” her install meter. Holding the button on 5D, 2D, or j.D will cause this meter to fill at a specific rate. Gaining and using charges effectively is key to being successful with Tsubaki. The D versions of her specials have properties that can lead to new mix-up options, higher damage, and combos which will be explained later. She can only hold a maximum of 5 charges at any time during a round and any left over charges will not be carried over to the next round. Some of Tsubaki's normals can be "charge-cancelled". Doing this replaces the recovery of the normals with the recovery of charging her install gauge, effectively altering the frame advantage of most of these moves in Tsubaki's favor. The normals that can be charge cancelled, along with their regular and altered frame advantage are listed below.
- 5A(-2) > 5D = -7
- 2A(-1) > 5D = -7
- 5B(-5) > 5D = -2
- 2B(-1) > 5D = -5
- 5BB(-8) > 5D = -5
- 2BB(-7) > 5D = -5
- 5C(-9) > 5D = -2
- 5CC(-11) > 5D = 0
Take note that normals with recovery shorter than the recovery of charging such as 5A and 2B do not benefit from charge cancelling frame advantage-wise.
Overdrive: Second Install
After activating overdrive, Tsubaki automatically gains charges at a set rate for however long OD will last when used depending on her health. For example, if you choose to use her OD in the beginning of a match, you will gain, at most, 2 charges before it ends. Charge cancelling recovery is shortened during OD which makes her more advantageous on block and allows her to link slower moves after an air charge cancel. All of her normals can be OD cancelled except 3C and 3CC. When under 10% health, her OD lasts the longest in the game at 13 seconds total.
If you try to activate her distortion drive "Macto Maledictus" aka Tsubaki Mugen/Install (214214D) and then OD to gain the benefits of both, Mugen will take priority. This means that her charge bar will start to drain instead of gaining charges. However! Her charge bar will drain at half the speed during Mugen in OD which can allow for longer Mugen combos while short on charge.
Pros/Strengths
- Drive mechanic allows for smooth and seamless interaction with Central Fiction's new system mechanics and resource cycle.
- Special overhead hammer that hops forward over foot attribute moves and is plus on block makes pressure very scary.
- Combos are ridiculously straightforward, have consistent damage and get a ton of corner carry.
- Oki and spacing after knockdowns are very reliable anywhere on the screen which benefits an aggressive rushdown playstyle.
- Charge cancelling, delay-able whiff-followup normals and the ability to cancel specials into other specials provide pressure, frame trap, and mix up flexibility.
- Install gauge specials and cross-through attribute special shield bash grant remarkable control over the end positioning of combos and can be used to annoy the opponent in neutral.
- Has a command grab that fills her install gauge.
- Fireballs and blade super provide good neutral control and setups.
- DP that can be made 'safe' by using the install gauge.
Cons/Weaknesses
- Built as a 'standard' character so matchups where the opponent can fill the screen with fodder or are able to mitigate risk in neutral will feel restricting to fight.
- That's actually it.
For a list of changes that Tsubaki received in Chrono Phantasma and discussion check out this thread!