Overview
Health: 11000. Average.
Guard Primers: 5. Average.
Play-style: A hybrid zoner/pressure character with strong mixups. Rewards good hitconfirming with good damage and corner carry.
Movement Options: Fast running dash, horizontal airdash, arcing air backdash, double ground backdash. Able to delay movement almost indefinitely in the air with 623D/421D. Slow forward and backward walkspeed. 2 jumps, 1 airdash.
Drive:Matenbou - Litchi has the ability to place her staff with D, changing her moveset and giving her new pressure, mixup, and movement options.
- See also: Litchi Full Frame Data
Move List
Normal Moves
5A |
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5B[e] |
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5B[m] |
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5C[e] |
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5C[m] |
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2A |
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2B[e] |
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2B[m] |
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2C[e] |
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2C[m] |
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6A[e] |
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6A[m] |
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6B[e] |
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6B[m] |
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6C[e] |
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6C[m] |
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3C[e] |
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3C[m] |
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j.A |
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j.B[e] |
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j.B[m] |
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j.C[e] |
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j.C[m] |
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Counter Assault |
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Drive Moves
5D[m] |
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2D[m] |
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6D |
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4D |
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j.D[m] |
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j.2D[m] |
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5D[e] |
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2D[e] |
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j.D[e] |
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Staff Launch D with staff deployed |
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Throws
Forward Throw |
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Back Throw |
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Air Throw |
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Special Moves
Additional Back Step 447 |
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Straight Through 41236D[m] |
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Straight Through Followups |
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Tsubame Gaeshi 623D[m] |
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Three Dragons: White 236A[e] |
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Three Dragons: Green 236B[e]/j.236B[e] |
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Three Dragons: Red 236C[e]/j.236C[e] |
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Reach: Last Chance 63214A[e] |
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One Shot On staff, A |
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Last Chance > Three Dragons: Green On Staff, B |
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Last Chance > Three Dragons: Red On Staff, B |
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Reach: Robbing the Kong 63214B[e] |
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Reach: Kong on Kong 63214C[e] |
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The Four Winds 41236D[e] |
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Kote Gaeshi (Forward) 623D[e] |
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Kote Gaeshi (Backward) 421D[e] |
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Distortion Drives
Thirteen Orphans 632146D[e] |
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All Green 6428C |
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The Great Wheel 632146D[m] |
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Astral Heat
Nine Gates of Heaven On Staff [4]6D |
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Strategy
Litchi is a rather involved character, but in the end, her goal is simple - you want to knockdown your opponent in the corner, and mix them up until you win. The longer you play midscreen, the more difficult it is to do damage, and consequently, win with her. In Extend, her corner carry off regular hits is somewhat weak, but her corner carry off specific moves and counter hits is very good. You'll need a strong neutral game in order to succeed with Litchi.
Neutral
Litchi has a very strong neutral game, she only posses a disadvantage against a couple of characters in this regard.
The foundation of her neutral game is proper use of her staff pokes. Her 5B[m] is a pinch slow, but can be hit confirmed into 6C[m] on counterhit. If you choose to do this, buffer an IAD during the 6C, as it's only jump cancellable on hit. On block, confirm the situation and put down the staff/adjust to the situation.
Her guard point is an extremely strong move. Most characters have short low attacks. This means they'll have to dash in farther to attack you, which will leave them open to get counter hit by a 5B[m]. The guard point is also a good preemptive anti-air, as the A follow up hits behind her as well.
Litchi's 5A hits high and far in front of her face, making this her prime anti-air. Confirm it into jA on hit. The damage is low, but you get knockdown off it (though the opponent will be full screen).
Litchi's crouch is very low - you can use this to make preemptive jump attacks whiff. Follow it up by standing and hitting 5A, or hitting them with 2A > 2C > whatever the situation calls for.
Litchi can also put the staff down with 5D or 2D, giving her a full screen projectile. The staff launch (done by hitting 5D or 2D once the staff is set) hits 2 times, has a good amount of blockstun, and has counter hit carry, making it a strong tool. Although this can be used as an easy way to get in, an experienced opponent will be able to stop you, as Litchi has significantly less range when she isn't holding the staff. Using the staff as a projectile is a great way to pin someone down, rather than simply approach them. If you can get the opponent scared to do anything when you launch the staff, then you can approach them without fear.
Offense
Litchi has very versatile pressure game. Although she has two modes, the basic idea behind her pressure is the same - randomize what options you do to beat mashing, jump outs, then strike with highs, lows and throws. Litchi gets rewarded for counter hits -
-6A[m] and 5C[e] both have fatal counter properties
-With the exception of 6A[e] and 2B[e], all her staffless ground normals have 100 P1
-2C[m] and Ryuuisou both launch the opponent high into the air on counter hit
-Kokushi Musou is 100 P1
-3C[m] and 3C[e] are both untechable on counter hit
-6B[m] wall bounces on counter hit
-5B[m] and 2B[m] can both be followed up by 6C[m] on counter hit
-6D[m] gains a significant amount of hit stun on counter hit
-jC[m] gives a significant wall bound on counter hit
-Staff launch has counter hit carry
-Four winds has counter hit carry
You'll want to start by learning how to punish mashing and jump outs. If you stop mashing, it should be a counter hit, so it should lead to a corner carry combo (if you're midscreen) or big damage (if you're in the corner). Some prime examples -
-2A > 2C[m]: basic frame trap, this leaves a small gap for your opponent to hit buttons in. If anything that isn't invulnerable is attempted, they should get counter hit.
-2B[m] > 6B[m] or 6D[m]: another good frame trap, both 6B and 6D reward you well if you get a counter hit. 2B has a very late cancel window, so you can delay the next normal as much as you'd like.
-2C[m] or 5C(2)[m] > 6D[m]: same idea as above.
-2A > 5C[e]: same idea as the 2A > 2C frame trap, except gives FC.
If you can make an opponent afraid of your frame traps, Litchi additionally has many options to mix up the opponent. Her high/low game with the staff is admittedly lacking midscreen.
-4D has a long wall bound, but used as an overhead, it will simply knockdown midscreen.
-6A[m] can't be followed up without meter midscreen.
-3C[m] can only be followed be up at close range midscreen.
However, these attacks are not without benefits.
-4D and 6A[m] can both carry to the corner with meter.
-3C[m] has 90 P1, leading to good damage.
-4D and 6A[m] are both safe from a long range.
-6A[m] is safe on hit, and -2 on block (making it safe from a distance).
-4D knocks down and sets the staff in horizontal orientation, which gives a free mixup.
Additionally, you also have the option to throw. Use forward or back throw, depending on your position in relation to the wall. Once you have these options established, you can move on to one of her most powerful options - setting the staff. Litchi can cancel any normal besides 4D, 6D and 6B into her 5D and 2D (4D and 6D will set the staff after the move is over, in horizontal/vertical orientation, respectively). The foundation of Litchi's transition into staffless pressure is 5D, as it is 23F. For comparison's sake, both 4D and 6A are 22f, meaning that her 5D is essentially the same speed as her overheads. If you get your opponent to respect your frame traps, you can liberally use her 5D to extend pressure, leading to new ways to open up your opponent. 2D is 27F - it's a bit slower. It's mostly used to put the staff in horizontal orientation in neutral, but has a limited use in offense.
Once you set the staff, Litchi's pressure is pretty much the same, with a couple of important exceptions.
-As long as 6A[e] and 2B[e] are blocked, it is safe and you can follow up with pressure. -You can cancel moves into 5D or 2D, making move that would normally be unsafe, safe. -You can cancel moves into 421D or 623D, extending pressure if the opponent respects.
Kote Gaeshi (421D/623D) and 5D/2D have special properties. Both the ground and air version of 623D are cancellable after the 17th frame. For comparison's sake, usually the fastest instant overheads are around 14-15 frames, while her 6A is 22 frames. So unless the opponent is expecting it, they will not be able to react to it. The ground version of 421D is cancellable after the 18th frame, but the air one is cancellable after the 16th. 421D and 623D are easy ways to move the staff around you, and their functions are straight forward.
5D and 2D are a bit different. 5D and 2D are cancellable after 12 and 14 frames (respectively). The staff launches 2 frames after you relase D. So, if you hold D for a bit before launching the staff, you can make certain unsafe normals safe on block, and create strings that weren't possible before. An example of each -
-With the staff in horizontal orientation, 3C > release D > 3C is safe on block.
-With the staff in either orientation, 5B > 5D > 5B is air tight.
Defense
-Litchi's counter assault is average at best. It can be low profiled by moves like Makoto's 2B or Tao's 3C.
-Litchi only has access to an invulnerable reversal when she has the staff.
-Litchi's backdash is one of the best in the game, as long as the first part doesn't get hit, you can escape to a safe distance.
-If you think your opponent will bait Tsubame Gaeshi, try to jump away and use Daisharin to get them off you.
Because Litchi can't rapid cancel her Tsubame Gaeshi, it'll take a lot of knowledge of not only what kind of strings your opponent's character has, but good analysis of how they play. Good use of Tsubame, backdash, counter assault, barrier, barrier jump, 2A, and proper defense will keep the opponent on their toes.
Despite not being able to rapid cancel Tsubame Gaeshi, the opponent will still bait it because not only will Litchi take high damage from a Counter Hit/Fatal Counter combo, but she will be without the staff as well, leaving her with less defensive options. Take care in when you choose to use it.
Mixups
Litchi's forte. Litchi has a variety of meterless okizeme options that greatly limits an opponents options on wake up. If she has meter, she can use Kokushi Musuou for multiple attempts at high/low mixups.
Kokushi Musou
This super is the core of Litchi's game. Getting this as a corner knockdown is Litchi's prime objective, as you can follow up with a high damage combo. There's a couple of ideas to keep in mind when using this super for mixup -
1. 3C should be your low of choice - it's P1 is 100. 2. 6A/JC are your overheads of choice - 80 and 90 P1 respectively. 3. If you use 6A/3C for your mixups, you'll have about 3 oppurtunities to hit them. If you choose to use jC/3C for mixup, you'll get about 2. 4. If you have about 60 meter, a successful mixup will lead to Kokushi again.
Kokushi mixup is all about high/low. Basic mixup is -
1. 6A (overhead, 22F) 2. 5A (whiffs) > 3C (low, essentially the same speed as her 6A)
In order to make it more difficult to block, you can use any combination of 6A, 5A > 3C, dash 6A, dash 3C, dash 5A > 3C, 5A > 6A, or dash 5A > 6A to mess with the opponents eyes. Follow any 6A with a held 6B (feint) in order to confirm hit or block.
Combos
Unlike CS2, where Litchi could confirm random hits into one or two combo routes, Litchi has many more combo options this game. You have to be aware of position and initial proration more than anything else in EX. Ad-lib combos (as in, confirming combos off random hits) are very important as well. Unfortunately, there isn't any set way to do this or practice this - you need experience and confidence in order to confirm well. However, there are a couple of tools you may use often in ad-lib combos that will be listed after the main combo section.
Midscreen
General/Standard Hits (with Matenbou)
Litchi's combos are rather weak midscreen of non-counter hits, but she's able to follow them up with safe setups that can push the opponent towards the corner.
-2A 5B 2C 5C(1) > 623D
Standard midscreen bnb. Litchi can do this anywhere. It doesn't do much damage but the knockdown is all right - you can punish rolls for decent damage and huge corner carry.
-2A 5B 2C 5C(1) > 623D > 236A 236B 236C
If you are close enough, you can follow up with her rekkas for a little more meter, damage and corner carry.
-2A 5B 2C 4D
The lowest damage bnb, but gives the most corner carry and some unique mixup. Best when the 4D will put them in the corner, but doesn't bound the opponent.
-2A 5B 2C 4D > dash 2D > iad jC > staff2 > 6D(2) > corner
General/Standard Hits (without Matenbou)
-2A 5B 6B 2C 6C(1) > delay 236C > dash 5B 5C (or 6C(1) > 421D) > jB > dj jBC > j236B j236C
Standard midscreen BNB that works on anyone, anywhere. You need to slighty delay the first 6C(1) to make this work on crouchers. 2C > 6C does not connect against Noel and Litchi crouching.
-2A 5B 6B 2C 6C(1) > delay 236C > 236A 236C > dash 5B 6C(1) > 421D > jB > dj jBC > j236B j236C
Use this when you hit the opponent near the corner. The corner carry on this combo is all right, it works from a decent range.
Corner
Corner combo parts
Starters - 100 P1 starter > 6D(2) > 236B > 63214A > A follow up > B follow up > 2369B 236A 236C > 236A 236B > 63214A > j2B > jD > j236C > 6D(2) > Enders
Pretty much, you get this only off 6B starter. 5000 damage if you end with slide 6A.
- Good Starter > 6D(2) > 2369B 236A 236C > 236A 236B > 63214A > A follow up > B follow up > 5D > 236C > 6D(2) > Enders
You get this starter off a lot of moves - jump-ins, 5B[m], 2C[m], etc. Make sure to hold the 5D for a second to make the 5D > 236C part connect.
- Poor Starter > 6D(2) > 236A 236B > 63214A > A follow up > B follow up > 5D > 236C > 6D(2) > Enders
This would be something like a 2A starter, or a poorly confirmed jump in. If you want, you can omit the 236A and simply do 236B > 63214A instead.
- Worst starter > 6D(2) > 2369B 236A 236C > Enders
A starter such as multiple 2A's would qualify as a "worst starter".
Enders
~ > 5B > 6C(1) > 421D > jB > dj jBCD > falling delay jC > slide 6A
The core of all of Litchi's combo enders. From here, you can go into Daisharin (to kill them or for setups) or Kokushi (for mixup). This is the single most important ender Litchi has, and the one that should be learned first. Against Mu and Lambda, you'll have to delay jC even more to connect with slide 6A. Vs Hakumen and Arakune, super jump jB > dj jBCD to make it consistent.
~ > 5B > 6C(1) > 421D > jB > dj jBCD > falling delay jC > 6C(1) > 623D
Combo into Tsubame Gaeshi. Although it's not as universally practical as the slide 6A ender, Tsubame Gaeshi does give a lot of meter, and the positioning the combo gives is useful against certain characters.
~ > 5D > 6A > feint > 41236D~C > 236B 236C
Rekka ender. Using the C follow up to the guard point positions the staff outside of the corner. Setups off this prevent the opponent from late teching/rolling out, and you get one attempt at high/low/throw mixup.