Baiken
| Combo Notation Guide | Character Name Abbreviations | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|  A.B.A Anji Mito Axl Low Baiken Bridget Chipp Zanuff Dizzy Eddie Faust I-No Jam Kuradoberi Johnny Justice Kliff Undersn Ky Kiske May Millia Rage Order-Sol (HOS) Potemkin Robo-Ky Slayer Sol Badguy Testament Venom Zappa |
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Introduction
If you're just starting out learning Baiken and want some basics to get into matches quickly, you may want to check out her Starter Guide page first.
When you're ready to get more in-depth the Combo Tutorial here will teach you how to use Baiken's many interchangable combo 'chunks', when and what each are good for, and which characters they work on. Character Specifics will be kept to a minimum early on, but Baiken is a character that can improve her combos significantly with more specific route variations, so they will show up more in the later sections. These lessons are ordered to prioritize the value of learning them compared to their difficulty, hopefully giving you the most out of your training time.
Also make sure that your Training Dummy is set up properly.
If you really just want notation without the combo theory there is a Combo List down below.
Combo Tutorial: Beginner
The beginner section covers her most common combo starters and core pieces of her routes that never fall out of use.
6P/6K/c.S/5H > 623P
2D/6K/5H/6H > 236K
Baiken has two Special Moves that launch the opponent into the air, leading to bigger combos.
These are Youshijin (623P
GuardMidStartup12Recovery25Advantage-17) for midscreen and Tatami (236K
GuardAllStartup15Recovery9Advantage-6) near the corner.
Youshijin requires you to be very close to a grounded opponent to combo with it, so 6P
GuardMidStartup8Recovery9Advantage-3's low pushback makes it the most commonly used normal to cancel into it. It is also unsafe on block so ideally you want to confirm a hit before doing it. Strings like 2K > 6P > 623P should give you enough time to confirm. If you need more time (2K) > 6P > 6K > 623P can also work but will push you a bit further away. If you have a clear punish opportunity and don't need to confirm, you can use 5H > 623P for more damage.
If 623P does not connect on its first active frame/hitbox due to opponent being either too far away or airbourne, the properties on its launch are much worse, the opponent will be able to tech out in the air immediately, with no way to follow up.
Tatami works from further away, is safer to throw out unconfirmed or on block, does more damage, and can work on airborne opponents. However it will typically only lead to combos near the corner. 2D
GuardLowStartup8Recovery13Advantage-8, 6K
GuardMidStartup12Recovery6Advantage+2, 5H
GuardMidStartup9Recovery24Advantage-6 and 6H
GuardMidStartup15Recovery28Advantage-17 combo into it on normal ground hit. Her S normals can situationally work too if they hit the opponent crouching or counter-hit.
Tatami does have an FRC Point which can be used to unlock some stronger combos, including midscreen ones, but we'll get to that much later in the guide. You could also check out the Strategy/Offense section for some tips on how to apply her normals to land these confirms.
Next up, lets move on to some followups to these launchers.
Starter > 623P > Dash > 6P > 63214K~412P
Zakuro (412P
GuardAllStartup9Recovery32Advantage-) is Baiken's most used combo ender, causing a forced knockdown with time to set up offense after. However, this is one of her Guard Cancel specials, so to access it in combos you will need to cancel into it from Suzuran (63214K
GuardStartupRecoveryTotal 30Advantage-), her command run special.
The opponent will need to be airborne for Zakuro to land, and 6P is nearly always used to combo into it, due to it being the only normal with long enough hitstun to work late in combos.
The 63214K~412P input can be a bit tricky to get used to, but when buffered during 6P's 2 hits it doesn't need to be done as quickly as you might expect. Complete the Suzuran motion during the 6P, staying on 4 when you finish it. Hit K as the second hit of 6P lands, then roll from 4 down to 2 and hit P to finish the Zakuro motion.
Now lets put this together with one of our starters. After confirming into a close 623P launcher, dash up into 6P and end it with a Suzuran > Zakuro!
From this knockdown you can continue your offense by holding 8 after Zakuro recovers then performing an Air Tatami (j.236K
GuardAllStartup18RecoveryUntil landing+16Advantage-) as you fall, dropping it on them as they wake up.
This is a staple midscreen combo that works on almost the entire cast, excluding a couple of super-lightweight characters: 
May and 
Baiken herself. These two are difficult to knock down, but you can just jump up with air normals for some extra damage after your 623P launch, such as the j.K > djc j.H > j.236K piece covered in the next section.
Starter > 236K > 2D/5S > jump cancel > j.K > double jump cancel > j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P
This corner combo combines the Tatami starter and Zakuro ender from the previous two sections with a core piece of her air combos, j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K. This versaile chunk is used in many different routes to add on damage, corner carry, and adjust juggle height up or down. After the double jump cancel there is a generous window to link the j.H, which you can delay to allow both Baiken and the opponent to fall a little during the combo. This makes linking followups after landing easier, and is important to bring lighter characters low enough for your 6P to reach them. With slight timing adjustments this route works on almost the entire cast.
One potential difficulty with this combo is judging if you're close enough for a j.K to reach from longer range Tatami hits. One way to get closer is to microdash into 2D or 5S after the Tatami, but this is quite a tight timing; much harder than the rest of the combo. Feel free to skip learning this early on, but keep it in mind for later. There is also another route for far Tatami hits in the Intermediate Section: 2.2.
There are two characters this route doesn't work on, but there is a modified version that does, deals more damage, works from slightly further away, and demonstrates a way to raise the juggle height on heavier characters.
Heavyweight Variant
Starter > 236K > 5H > 236K > (j.P) > j.K > double jump cancel > j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P
This extra 5H into Tatami raises their height and adds a lot of damage. Instead of jump canceling from a ground normal, you will need to jump directly into air attacks after the second Tatami. Linking j.P is easiest here, and raises their height further, making for the most stable route on the heaviest characters, though it does lower the damage slightly.
This route is required for 
Johnny and 
Robo-Ky and also recommended for 
Potemkin and 
Testament. The j.P is less necessary on the latter two, so you may want to go directly to j.K for higher damage.
It can also work on 
Ky, 
Zappa and 
A.B.A if you delay the 5H as much as possible, but it's a more difficult optional improvement on them.
Throw > (Dash) 6P > 63214K~412P
Throws are heavily scaled starters, both in damage and untechable time, so usually you'll want to prioritize a knockdown and Tension gain. Zakuro is great for both of these, so just going straight to it with a dash 6P pickup off the groundslide is pretty good, and works on almost the entire cast. The dash may not be absolutely needed if you were already deep in the corner, but its a good habit to get into and extends the range you can land it from.
6P will not connect on 
Axl or A.B.A groundslide hurtboxes, and on Zappa its tighter, needing to be very close. For these three character the simplest fix is to do: Dash 2K > 6P > 63214K~412P
If you wan't to push your throw combos further there are a couple of variants that aren't much harder but are slightly more character specific.
| (Dash) 6P > 41236H > c.S > 6P > 63214K~412P |  AN BA  BR  CH  DI  ED  IN  JA JO  KL KY MA  MI PO RO TE  VE
|
| (Dash) 6P > 41236H > 6P > 63214K~412P |  FA  JU  SL ZA* (Close)
|
Along with the problem characters mentioned above, the Kabari used here will not connect on 
Sol or 
Order-Sol so go straight to Zakuro on them. If you don't want to remember the list of characters the c.S works on, the second variant will work on all of the first group too, except for Millia, the c.S is required to pick her up from Kabari.
Though further gains are small due to the scaling, if you want to try and squeeze out more there are advanced options in the full Combo List, including ways to go for max damage or combo into Baku unblockable setups.
Sakura 412S 
GuardMidStartup10Recovery34Advantage-16
Sakura causes a Stagger state on the opponent, which gives them some control over how long you have to follow up, or if you can get anything at all. When playing matches, try to take note of how quickly your opponent breaks out of Staggers and use it to inform how greedy or reserved you should be with your followups. This concept also applies to 2H, 41236H and CH 6K too, though their Stagger lengths are different.
Sakura's Stagger time increases dramatically on Counter Hit, improving your options. You can use Training Mode's "Slip Recovery" settings to try out various speeds of Stagger escapes. The frame advantage after Sakura ranges from a maximum of about +20~ on a CH vs Lv1, down to a worst case scenario of -3~ on a normal hit vs Lv3.
Sakura pushes the opponent back a bit and there usually isn't time to dash up after it, so range is also a big factor in followup options.
2D is a reliable choice with its Jump Cancel setting up for Tatami okizeme if it hits, or returning to neutral if they blocked.
5H reaches a little further, but at tip range the only thing that it will combo into is 236D.
6P > 623P can work if they're extremely close to you. This is the best midscreen reward you can hope for without RCing Sakura.
Sakura FRC/RC 412SGuardMidStartup10Recovery34Advantage-16 > RC
With an RC or FRC you can get any grounded normal you want off Sakura. This is usually a very worthwhile use of meter and an important way for Baiken to make her punishes threatening against people that can recover from Stagger quickly. The FRC window is only 2f just as Sakura hits, but even if you have to red RC, combos from it will still work.
The ideal combo option will usually be to Dash up into 5H or 6H then either 623P midscreen or 236K in the corner. If you weren't already 100% sure that the Sakura was going to hit you could use dash 6P > 6K for some extra hit confirm time, then into one of the specials, though this will do a bit less damage.
Ouren 412H
GuardAllStartup19~Recovery14+16 after landingAdvantage-15
Normally Ouren just knocks down, but on Counter Hit it's a big untechable launcher, very similar to 623P. The Dash 6P > 63214K~412P ender is a good default followup that works on the whole cast. Many of the other combo pieces later in this guide can be started from this launcher too. Anything that can work off 623P is worth giving a try from CH Ouren too.
Baku 412D
GuardMidStartup11Recovery20Advantage-3
There are a few different ways to combo off Baku, but you'll have to commit to either trying to link off it with normals, or using a Curse followup instead. Curses must be done immediately after Baku to combo from a normal hit, which doesn't give any time to confirm a potential Counter Hit. This is unfortunate because a CH Baku can be a hugely rewarding starter, which you miss out on if you choose to Curse. The strategy behind if you should Curse or not is beyond the scope of this guide, but here are some examples of how to combo off each outcome.
On Normal Hit Baku is +6, letting you link into 2K or 5P which can lead to 6P > 623P if the opponent is very close to you. Not as easy or rewarding as the Counter Hit, but its still something. Be careful when you have 50+ Tension that you don't try to press your attack too soon or you may get a late Curse followup by accident, which will not combo.
On Counter Hit Baku is +18, allowing for much better links with time to squeeze in a short dash too. The ideal followups midscreen are usually either Dash 6P if you need to get closer for a 623P, or if you're already close then Dash 5H > 623P for max damage. Near the corner you can 5H, 2D or even 6H into Tatami. It also causes an untechable juggle state against airborne opponents.
Curses open up a rabbit hole of different paths and options, but to keep it simple there is one important route that will nearly always do something good for you: 412D~P~H. This applies the Movement Seal Curse, preventing the opponent from dashing or jumping, and then locks their H button, making them unable to Throw. The H ender attack can also be combo'd from if it hits later in the flip, letting you score a knockdown with 6P > 63214K~412P then start applying offense with the opponent in a crippled state. This Curse lasts for 14 seconds.
There are some examples of the other Curses and Enders down in the Combo List.
Combo Tutorial: Intermediate
The intermediate section contains some of the best ways to turn Tension into damage and corner carry, including a couple of her most used FRC's.
j.236K > (Dash) f.S/2D/5H/6H/2K/6P/41236H
These being such commonly used tools in her neutral game makes it very important to get the most reward you can when people run into them. Air Tatami has very little recovery when performed low to the ground right before landing, allowing followups from its wallbounce, even midscreen. The window to confirm isn't huge, so you'll need to be ready with one of these options in mind as you land.
The most reliable midscreen followup is a dash up into f.S > j.D. This can either knockdown, or be converted into more with the FRC Extensions in the next section.
Dash 6H can act as a stronger version of f.S but is a harder link.
Dash 6P can work, but getting close enough to land Zakuro off it can be hard depending on how far away the Tatami hit from.
Dash 2K into either 6P or c.S can be an easier version of the above, or useful for raising the height of heavier characters if you want to get into routes like j.K > dj > j.H > j.236K to carry towards the corner.
41236H is a very difficult option; you'll need to prepare the motion then hit H as soon the Tatami's landing recovery ends. This also makes it difficult to confirm if the Tatami hit or not before going for it, but can result in some of the highest damage midscreen combos.
j.D Knockdowns
As a quick aside, this is a good time to talk about how j.D can knock down Middleweight and Heavyweight characters from low altitude juggles like this. j.D is not a "forced knock down" type of move, but its untechable time can last until the opponent hits the floor if they are low enough when it lands, resulting in a very advantageous okizeme situation, even better than Zakuro in some ways. This is a strong meterless midscreen option to follow up Tatami, with high corner carry. After the knockdown you can Air Dash Tatami to safely meaty.
Near Corner
j.236K > (Dash) 5H/6H > 236K > (j.P) > j.K > dj > j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P
Near the corner the ideal meterless followup is usually going to be this variation of the Corner BnB. Because they are already juggled slightly higher than a normal ground Tatami you'll need to jump straight into j.P or j.K rather than jump canceling from a ground normal against most characters, but a 2D could be added against very Heavyweight characters.
Counter Hit Tatami's
On Counter-Hit both Ground and Air Tatami's become completely untechable until the opponent hits the floor, giving you lots of extra time to follow up if you can recognize the Counter-Hit. This makes the harder followups mentioned above much more practical, such as 6H, 6P and 41236H.
The trajectory of the opponent getting thrown towards the wall is slightly different between the Ground and Air Versions. Air Tatami's is lower, so the CH won't buy you that much extra time before they hit the floor, unless they ran into it while they were higher in the air. The Ground version launches them higher, but its longer recovery effectively means the time you have to follow up is only slightly longer than the Air version.
The CH does open up one extra followup: IAD/Kire Tatami. Difficult, but adds huge corner carry. It works on the whole cast from a Ground Tatami CH, but from an Air Tatami CH will only work if it hits them while airbourne, or if they're very light.
Air Hit 6H/5S/2D/6P > jc > (j.S)j.D FRC > Air Dash > (j.H) > j.236K
j.D's FRC is quite approachable to learn with a 3f window at an intuitive timing right as the move hits. It's also red RC-able for 50 even if you do miss it, so these combos are still possible at a higher cost while you're working on getting the timing down. It's a very versatile piece that offers huge corner carry and good damage, specially if you reach the corner for stronger enders.
Near Corner
Starter > 236K > 2D/f.S > jc > j.SD FRC > Air Dash > j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P
The corner version of this chunk is actually easier to learn first, and sees a lot of use when j.K won't reach after a Tatami. The added j.S in this version is slightly easier to link into from 5S/2D than going straight into j.D. When trying to FRC from j.S > j.D delaying the gatling until after the hitstop of j.S can make it easier by maintaining a consistent timing from when you press j.D to the FRC point. After FRCing, the Airdash closes the distance and thanks to the corner you'll be in range to add a j.H into Tatami. You can delay either the Airdash or the j.H to lower their height; particularly useful against lightweights.
Though Tatami is a common example, this piece can be used after many other near corner juggles such as 623P, 6P Anti Airs, j.PSD Air to Airs, and Airthrow wallbounces. It is a very consistent way to stabilize the opponents juggle height and secure a Zakuro knockdown. Expect to use this a lot.
Midscreen
Starter > 623P > 6H > jc > j.D FRC > Air Dash > j.236K > Dash > 6P > 63214K~412P
The midscreen versions are stricter in a few ways. Firstly you need to keep the opponents altitude low, so avoid adding extra air normals such as j.S before the j.D. Then to follow it up you'll need to Airdash Tatami, with either 66236K or 2366K. 66236K is more flexible by allowing you to delay the Tatami; lowering their height, giving you more advantage after landing, and traveling further with the airdash. This can carry about 60-70% of the length of the stage, letting you finish with corner enders ranging from just Dash 6P > Zakuro, or the Corner BnB up to more advanced chunks in later sections.
623P is a common midscreen starter for this, ideally followed by 6H > j.D on most characters. Using 6H when possible makes the link into j.D easier than with her lower attack level normals. On Lightweights that are too high for 6H you can jump directly into j.D, which can keep you close enough to land an Airdash j.H > j.236K midscreen. Other common starters include CH or Air Tatami, CH Ouren, Kabari Groundslides and Anti-Air 6P.
Corner to Corner
If you yourself are cornered and wont reach the other end with the midscreen routes there are still a few possible ways to continue, but they are harder. Keep in mind that switching sides may be a better option instead, if available.
After the Tatami you can Dash f.S > jc > j.D against middle and heavyweight characters, which may knock them down if they're low enough. This j.D link gets very tight late in combos. Against lightweights you can Dashjump j.D or j.SD if they're too high for f.S.
If you have another 25 Tension to spend you could FRC this second j.D and repeat the Airdash Tatami a second time to carry the rest of the way, or if getting close enough use the Near Corner version above with j.S added to ease the link slightly.
j.623S > RC > j.236K > ...
Baiken's instant overhead is a very powerful combo starter when you have 50 Tension to RC it. For tips on executing the instant air TK motion head over to the Strategy Page, but here we'll cover how to convert off it.
After RCing the best option is nearly always to follow up with an Air Tatami, but the window to get it out before landing is tight, specially if you TK'd the Youzansen at minimum height. Fortunately Youzansen causes Baiken to rise slightly during its animation, so if you delay the RC you can gain some height after it hits, buying you more time before landing. During that delay before the RC, you can buffer your 236 motion to prepare the Tatami, then hit K right after RCing to get it out as soon as possible. This motion should look like: j.623S > 236RC~K
You can also use Negative Edge from the RC input counting as K to finish the Tatami rather than pressing another button, but an extra K tap after does increase your chances of success.
Corner
j.623S > RC > j.236K > 6H > 236K > (j.P) > j.K > dj > j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P
In the corner you have lots of time to follow up with whatever you want. The basic Corner BnB works if you want to keep it simple, but the maximum damage pickup is usually 6H > 236K. This route works on the entire cast, with an optional j.P to raise the height of heavies.
One potential issue is if you are extremely close to the corner when you Youzansen, the Tatami after can wallbounce them above you, causing 6H to whiff. In this case you'll need to pick up with either 2D or c.S.
If you want to push the damage further you can use either the Tatami FRC Loops in the next section if you have more meter to burn, or the more advanced Neutral Jump Loops if you're willing to get more character specific.
Midscreen
Midscreen followups are harder to secure a knockdown from and more character specific to the point that you might consider saving your meter for a stronger/easier corner situation, but that does give midscreen versions an extra element of surprise.
j.623S > RC > j.236K > Dash > (f.S > jc) > j.SD FRC > Air Dash > j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P
If you have 75 Tension the easiest option is to use that extra 25 on a j.D FRC to get to the corner. On most characters you can dashjump straight into j.SD, but some need a dash up f.S and jump cancel into it. See the table below for specifics.
j.623S > RC > j.236K > Dash > j.S > delay j.P > j.K > Double Jump > j.H > j.236K > ...
A slightly more difficult but meterless version of the above. Most characters will be too high to knock down, and it's difficult even on those that can be, but the damage is high even if you just end with another air sequence such as j.P > j.K > dj > j.H > j.623S
| Dashjump j.S Works | AX BR ED FA IN JU KL SO MA BA* JA*
|
| Dashjump j.S Works and 6P > Zakuro Possible | AN CH JO MI OR PO SL TE VE ZA
|
| Dash f.S Recommended | AB DI KY RO
|
This route can be improved by using Neutral Jump j.H as you near the corner. This is required on Baiken and Jam or the Tatami will whiff underneath them if you forward jump.
j.623S > RC > j.236K > 41236H ...
Very difficult, but a strong meterless midscreen option is to link into Kabari. This is a very tight link, your Tatami must come out as low to the ground as possible to have a chance at it. A higher Youzansen also seems to help by giving you more time to delay the Tatami before you land, letting the opponent fall. Can work on everyone except Chipp, Jam and May but is more forgiving on heavier characters. From the groundslide there are a variety of followup options.
Corner Air Juggle into 5H/6H > 236K > FRC > Neutral Jump > j.H > j.236K > ...
This combo chunk is usually the best way to spend Tension for damage, and a great way to practice Tatami's FRC point. To start this you typically need the opponent airbourne, slightly above the ground. A common way to set this up is to land a low Air Tatami near the corner, either IAD/Kire or just falling from a jump. You can also arrive at one from other starters such as the j.D FRC or Youzansen RC from previous sections.
From there you need to juggle into either 5H or a slower, more damaging 6H, depending on how much time you have. If you end up too close to the wall 6H may pass underneath them as they wallbounce. Holding backwards and using 5H can prevent this. Cancel your H normal into Tatami and hold up(8) as you FRC it, then j.H > j.236K immediately, completing one segment of the loop.
It can work on the whole cast and is good for stabilizing the juggle height of any weight class once you get it started, due to the large window to delay or adjust things between each rep. Two reps are usually the maximum if you still want to get a knockdown at the end. It also has the upside of keeping them cornered for better okizeme than if you jumped forward and had to Zakuro away from the corner. It can also be mixed and matched with other corner combo pieces, depending on how much meter you want to spend.
Grounded Starters
On some characters you can get them to the required height from normal grounded Tatami starters, making these loops even more accessable. Using the Double Tatami Heavyweight variant of the Corner BnB easily leads into it on a small list of characters.
Against most Lightweights, and a few unusual Middweights you can actually land the j.H from just a single grounded Tatami hit, though this will require confirming into the FRC quickly.
On the subject of confirming quickly, the efficiency of meter spent on these depends a lot on the starter. Prorated starters like Baiken's 2K (80%) and 6P (90%), along with longer confirm gatlings consuming the opponents Guard Gauge can scale a combo heavily before you even getting to the FRC's. Consider these factors before you spend it; the Tension is best used on quick, strong starters.
| 236K > 5H > 236K FRC > Neutral Jump > j.H > j.236K | PO RO TE JO AB* KY* ZA* ( * = Delayed 5H)
|
| 236K FRC > Neutral Jump > j.H > j.236K | BR FA IN JU KL MA BA JA CH MI SL DI
|
Forward Jump Versions
One other more advanced variation of this is using a Forward Jump rather than Neutral from further outside the corner. Judging the spacing on if this will cause the opponent to cross over you or not is the tricky part. A version using this is shown in the first example video for a bit of extra corner carry, using a walk back 5H to keep the corner before a second loop using a neutral jump.
Forward Jump can also be used to cause a crossover intentionally if you want them outside of the corner, such as for Guts Crush Enders.
Combo Tutorial: Advanced
The advanced section covers more character and positioning specifics, building an understanding of character weights and hurtboxes.
Juggles into 2H and 6K > 2H
2H
GuardMidStartup15Recovery8Advantage+4 has an interesting property where it can fling airborne opponents behind you if it lands with the right spacing and height. This can be used in some combos to switch sides and finish with your opponent in the corner by linking a 6P off it. The difficulty with this comes from the positioning and timing required to cause the side switch, combined with character specific weights and hitboxes. 6K can often be added as a faster normal that sets up the 2H positioning against low altitude opponents.
Starter > 623P > 2H > 6P > 63214K~412P
This is a simple version with the least positioning variables to manage. It works on almost the entire cast, excluding May, Bridget and Baiken, mostly because they're too high for the 6P ender.
... > Air Hit 41236H > 6K > 2H > 6P > 63214K~412P
Another easy one, from a Kabari Groundslide this works on everyone, though comboing into Kabari is more accessable on heavier characters.
... > Corner j.H > j.236K > (6K >) 2H > 6P > 63214K~412P
In corner combos this improves your okizeme by ending with them cornered rather than having to do a less advantangeous crossover air dash Tatami. There are a lot of character specific variables in how you juggle them to set this up. 6K and specially 2H being slower normals means you need to land your air Tatami lower to the ground to have enough frame advantage to link them. This can be done from either j.K > dj > j.H > j.236K if you delay the j.H heavily, or the j.SD FRC > Airdash j.H > j.236K chunk. Untechable time gets shorter the longer a combo goes, leading these to become extremely difficult or impossible if you do too much before trying a sideswitch, so try to keep your confirms brief. On Lightweights you'll usually need to link directly into 2H, making it even stricter on timing.
One other potential issue, particularly with the j.D FRC Airdash route, is that after the Air Tatami Baiken can end up too deep in the corner, with no space to put the opponent behind her it becomes nearly impossible to land the ender. This usually happens if the opponent gets too high above Baiken. If you can keep the opponent vertically parallel with Baiken when the Tatami hits then their collision will body-block you from landing in the corner, setting up the sideswitch ender spacing. With experience you can visually confirm after landing if you've gotten it right and either do the Sideswitch or just settle for a basic Zakuro ender if you messed up.
By confirming the crouching or standing state of the opponent you can convert midrange c.S
GuardMidStartup8Recovery11Advantage+1 and f.S
GuardMidStartup9Recovery8Advantage0 hits into higher reward.
vs Crouching 2K > 5S > 236K
Being hit while in the crouching state causes extra hitstun, which allows all of Baiken's S normals to combo directly into Tatami. For 2S and f.S this is an obvious improvement due to their limited Gatling options, but this can be important even for c.S. Its possible to land a far 2K > c.S where a gatling to 2D wont reach, and a 5H would push the opponent out of Tatami range, so canceling c.S into Tatami can be the best option if you recognize this spacing.
vs Standing 2K > 5S > jc > j.D
Against tall standing characters its possible to link a j.D from a jump canceled c.S or f.S. This offers strong corner carry and will always knock down, which you can follow with Airdash Tatami okizeme. This link is easiest on the tallest characters and gets stricter on the shorter ones. Here is who it works on in descending order of height:
| Taller JU TE JO AN SL VE AX PO ED SO HOS DI IN AB Shorter
|
The j.D can also be FRC'd for potential followups, but fully converting it midscreen can be extremely difficult, requiring a very quick 2366K Air Dash Tatami buffer to catch them before they hit the floor.
One of her most difficult but also most valuable techniques. This can allow you to convert Tatami hits midscreen into full combos where you would otherwise get no followups, greatly increasing the damage potential of her longer range normals. The execution can take a long time to master, but its definitely worth it. The window to land it is tighter on heavier characters.
There are a few different ways to approach the inputs with slight pros and cons to each, which you choose is up to personal comfort.
236K > FRC > 236956K
This method performs a full Kire Tatami motion after the FRC. You will linger on the ground a bit longer while performing the 236 but then should get the fastest possible Tatami after.
236K > FRC > 956236K
This method performs an IAD Tatami motion after the FRC. By holding 9 while FRCing this will get you off the ground into the Airdash immediately after, but it then hinges on the speed of the 236.
236K > 236 > [FRC] > 956]FRC[
This method starts to buffer the Kire Tatami motion before FRCing, but then must hold the FRC input (assuming it includes the K button) to avoid having a second ground Tatami come out via Negative Edge. It then releases the FRC (or K) button at the end to finish the Kire Tatami input with Negative Edge. This input gives the theoretical fastest possible Kire Tatami after FRC, but the overlapping input timings bring their own execution challenges.
Possible followups after are similar to any other Air Dash Tatami hit, which are covered in this section above.
j.K > neutral double jump > j.H > j.236K
If you want to optimize beyond the basic Corner BnB without spending extra meter, these neutral jump loops both add a lot of damage and end with cornered knockdowns for better okizeme. The idea here is to maintain a spacing slightly outside of the corner that blocks them from crossing over you during a Tatami wallbounce.
To do this we need to neutral jump cancel j.K while staying in range for j.H. How difficult this is to set up varies wildly amongst the cast, based on the width of their hurtbox. On a huge character like Justice you can casually route into a neutral jump off almost anything, while slim characters like Millia and Sol need very specific routes. This list gives a general idea of the width of each characters hurtbox and how close you need to be to land nj.H:
| Very Far | JU
|
| Far | JA AX TE PO FA KL VE
|
| Medium | CH ED ZA IN DI BA
|
| Close | MA BR AB
|
| Very Close | SL KY RO AN SO HOS MI JO
|
A major factor here is pushback scaling and if the opponent is touching the wall; which applies stronger pushback to the attacker. Other things can come into play here such as gravity scaling, dash momentum, early or delayed j.H hits, and characters hurtboxes changing across their hitstun animation. It can take a lot of experience to get used to the spacings for it to work on each character and when you should try to go for it. The Very Close tier in particular is so strict that you will need unusual starters that put you closer than a typical corner Tatami, and ideally peel them away from the wall slightly to mitigate pushback.
Single reps can also be combined with other combo pieces that lead into the correct spacing, like the j.D FRC > Airdash j.236K shown in the first example video. You can also use forward or neutral jumps before the j.K, or microdash 2D's to adjust the spacing, or remove the ground normal to lower their height, as shown in the second example video against a lightweight.
There are too many possible variations to show everything, but once you understand the concept there are many places to apply this technique.
6P > j.PPPPK > dj > j.PPPPK > j.623S
When you combine a low health opponent getting damage reduction from Guts with a combo that consumes most of their Guard Balance, you end up with your hits only doing 1 damage each. At this point the best way to add more damage is just to land more hits.
Zakuro's 6 hits naturally do a decent job of this, and it can be followed up with an OTG 2H for 3 more. Zakuro RC > Zakuro is also unburstable if you only need another 6 damage to finish them off.
j.P chains can add even more specially at high gravity scaling, and continue to work beyond the point that Zakuro can no longer combo from 6P (which happens at about 14 hits typically). You can either replace a Zakuro ender with an air string instead, or if you have 50 Tension to burn can use Zakuro RC to tack on more afterwards. The video example shows putting this all together to push a scaled starter into a kill against a character with high Guts Rating.
One quirk with the j.P route is that you want to do them towards midscreen, not up against the corner. If the opponent is touching the wall the game will push Baiken away from the corner with each hit, out of j.P range.
Beginner Combos
| Combo | Position | Tension Cost | Works on | Difficulty | Notes | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2K > c.S > 2D | Anywhere | - | All | [1] Very Easy | Basic Knockdown, can jump cancel 2D into neutral jump Tatami for oki. | Video |
| 2K > 6P > 623P > Dash > 6P > 63214K~412P | Anywhere | - | All except BA, MA | [3] Medium | The go-to close midscreen confirm into knockdown. Use this if you can't reach the corner and don't want to spend any meter. | Video |
| 2K > 6P > 623P > Dash > 6P > jc > j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K | Anywhere | - | All | [2] Easy | Decent damage and corner carry, can lead into more if you reach the corner, but doesn't knockdown midscreen. Skip the second 6P against lightweights. | Video |
| Anti-Air 6P > jc > j.S > j.P > j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K | Anywhere | - | All | [2] Easy | Basic 6P anti-air combo, can lead to corner extensions. | Video |
| Airdash > j.S > j.P > j.K > land > j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K | Anywhere | - | All | [2] Easy | Combo off an air dash string, can lead into corner extensions. | Video |
| Sakura [GC 412S] FRC/RC > Dash > 6P > 623P > Dash > 6P > 63214K~412P | Anywhere | 25-50 | All except BA, MA | [3] Medium | RC/FRC Sakura and dash up into a combo off the stagger. | Video |
| CH Ouren [GC 412H] > Dash > 6P > 63214K~412P | Anywhere | - | All | [3] Medium | On CH Ouren launches them high, similar to Youshijin. | Video |
| CH Baku [GC 412D] > Dash > 6P > 623P > Dash > 6P > 63214K~412P | Anywhere | 25 | All except BA, MA | [3] Medium | On CH Baku has a lot of hitstun allowing for dash up followups. | Video |
| 2D/5H > 236K > 2D > jc > j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Corner | - | All except JO, RO | [3] Medium | Basic corner combo, switches sides. Delaying j.H is needed against some characters. Air dash over them afterwards to take corner positioning back. | Video |
| 2D/5H > 236K > 2D/f.S > jc > j.S > j.D FRC/RC > Air Dash j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Corner | 25-50 | All | [3] Medium | Corner combo when you're too far for j.K. Also more damage for a bit of meter. | Video |
| Throw > (Dash) > 6P > 63214K~412P | Corner | - | All except AB, AX | [3] Medium | Basic corner throw combo into knockdown. Dash may be required to close distance. | Video |
| TK j.623S > RC > j.236K > 2D > jc > j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Corner | 50 | All | [3] Medium | Basic TK Youzansen RC overhead into corner combo. | Video |
Combo List
Midscreen Meterless
Combos that work anywhere, any time.
| Combo | Position | Works on | Difficulty | Notes | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2K > c.S > 2D | Anywhere | All | [1] Very Easy | Basic Knockdown, can jump cancel 2D into neutral jump Tatami for oki. | Video |
| (Starter) > 623P > Dash > 6P > 63214K~412P | Anywhere | All except BA, MA | [3] Medium | Go-to confirm when close enough for a 623P. 2K>6P is one of the most commonly used starters for this as it starts with a fast low, has low pushback, and gives time to hit confirm. | Video |
| (Starter) > 623P > 6P [2nd Hit Only] > 63214K~412P | Anywhere | Lightweights | [4] Hard | A variation of the above for vs May, Baiken, or other Lightweights. 6P immediately after 623P; whiffing the first hit but connecting the second. Harder because you have less time to buffer Suzuran>Zakuro. | Video |
| (Starter) > 623P > Dash > (2D/6P > jc) > j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K | Anywhere | All | [2] Easy | An easier route option that takes damage over a knockdown. Further extensions are possible if you get close to the corner. On lighter chars go straight into j.K but Heavies require a ground normal first. 6P is easier but worse damage than 2D. | Video |
| (Starter) > 623P > 6H > jc > j.D | Anywhere | Mid and Heavyweights | [3] Medium | A knockdown with better corner carry, allowing for airdash Tatami oki. Requires a low 6H on Midweights to get j.D as low as possible, if done too high they can tech before being knocked down. Reaches further than dash 6P can. Can lead to FRC extensions. | Video |
| (Starter) > 623P > Dash > 6P > 41236H > 6P > 63214K~412P | Anywhere | Mid and Heavyweights | [3] Medium | You can add a Kabari to the basic confirm against heavier characters, just make sure that they are low to the ground when your dash 6P hits or Kabari will whiff. Adds a bit of extra damage and meter gain. | Video |
| (Starter) > 623P > Dash > 6P > 41236H > 6H > jc > j.D | Anywhere | AN, AX, ED, VE, FA, SL, ZA, JO, PO, AB | [3] Medium | A more character specific version of the above with a j.D knockdown for more damage and corner carry, though less Tension gain than Zakuro. | Video |
| (Starter) > 623P > Dash > 6P > 41236H-S > 6P > 63214K~412P | Anywhere | RO, PO, TE, AN, KY | [3] Medium | Another more specific version of a Zakuro extension that adds Kabari's Tetsuzansen followup for more meter build. Builds about 40%~ Tension normally. | Video |
| (Starter) > 623P > 2H > 6P > 63214K~412P | Back to Corner | All except BA, BR, MA | [3] Medium | A way to switch sides and put the opponent behind you. You'll need a very close 623P for 2H to throw them behind. | Video |
| (Starter) > 623P > Dash > 6P > 41236H > 6K > 2H > 6P > 63214K~412P | Back to Corner | Mid and Heavyweights | [3] Medium | A slightly higher damage sideswitch route against heavier characters by adding a Kabari. | Video |
| 2K > c.S/f.S > jc > j.D | Anywhere | Tall Characters Standing: SO, HOS, ED, SL, TE, PO, VE, JO, AN, DI, JU, IN | [3] Medium | An option to get a good knockdown on tall standing characters when you're too far for a 623P. Generally a better knockdown than 2D due to the high corner carry. The taller the character, the easier this is. Can lead to FRC extensions. | Video |
| 2D > jc > j.D/j.S/j.K | Anywhere | Faust ONLY | [2] Easy | Faust has a very odd air hurtbox that allows some unique things on him, including going into air combos from 2D. Just doing j.D gets you some extra damage, corner carry, and a better knockdown than 2D would and works at any distance. If you're close then j.S or j.K can lead into even better routes. | Video |
| Anti-Air 6P > jc > j.S > j.P > j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K | Anywhere | All | [2] Easy | Basic Anti-Air damage and corner carry route, easy to confirm and adjust for height with additional air normals if needed. Can be extended near the corner. | Video |
| Anti-Air 6P > jc > j.D | Anywhere | Mid and Heavyweights | [2] Easy | Anti-air straight into knockdown on heavier characters. j.D must hit low to knock down. Can lead to FRC extensions. | Video |
| Anti-Air 6P > 41236H > 6P > 41236H > (6K > 2H) > 6P > 63214K~412P | Anywhere | Mid and Heavyweights | [4] Hard | Requires a low air hit to combo into Kabari. Can optionally add a sideswitch. Confirming the height for this route makes it harder than the above options. | Video |
| Airdash > j.S > j.P > j.K > land > j.K > djc j.H > j.236K | Anywhere | All | [2] Easy | More air normals can be added to this to either adjust height or add damage. Further extensions to this are possible if you get close to the corner. | Video |
| Instant Airdash j.S Counter Hit > j.236K > Dash > f.S > jc > j.D | Anywhere | All | [3] Medium | Instant Air Dash j.S can be a strong tool for catching many taller characters trying to use standing moves like projectiles or summons from a distance. If you can read one of these and counter-hit them then j.S will combo into j.236K. This must be an immediate IAD j.S, if you delay it you won't have time for the Tatami to come out before you land. See the Tatami Conversions section for more information on other followups. | Video |
Also see Tatami Conversions and Guard Cancel Combos in their own sections.
Midscreen To Corner Meterless Combos
Transitions from midscreen to corner enders.
| Combo | Position | Works on | Difficulty | Notes | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Starter) > 623P > (Dash 2D) > j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K > land > j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Near Corner | All, but height and distance vary. | [3] Medium | When you're close enough to the corner after an air Tatami for another j.K to reach and low enough to end with a 6P this is your easiest path to a knockdown. On lighter chars go straight into j.K but Heavies require the 2D. Similar transitions into corner combos will work off any combo that leads to a near-corner j.236K. | Video |
| (Starter) > 623P > Dash 2D > j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K > land > j.S > j.D | Near Corner | All | [2] Easy | When you can't get close enough for j.K but j.S will reach you can take this ender instead for a bit of damage. Much better when you have 25 Tension to FRC j.D and extend. | Video |
Corner Meterless Combos
When close enough to the corner to combo off Tatami.
| Combo | Position | Works on | Difficulty | Notes | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Starter) > 236K > 2D > jc > j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Corner | All except JO, RO | [3] Medium | The most basic corner route, a reliable knockdown. A microdash can be added before 2D if you aren't going to be in range for j.K, this is much more difficult though. | Video |
| (Starter) > 236K > 2D > jc > j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K > (6K) > 2H > 6P > 63214K~412P | Corner | All except JO, RO | [4] Hard | The above with an added sideswitch for a better knockdown position. Remove the 6K on lighter characters. Possible on most of the cast but the strictness varies a lot by character. | Video |
| (Starter) > 236K > 5H > 236K > (j.P) > j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Corner | JO, RO, PO, TE, KY*, AB*, ZA* | [3] Medium | On heavier/bigger characters you can add a 5H>Tatami before going into the air for a chunk of extra damage and to raise their height. Highly recommended learning the chars this works on, even required on some like JO and RO. The j.P can raise height if needed, specially on RO and PO. *AB requires a very delayed 5H, ZA a slight delay if deep in corner, and for KY you must be spaced away from the corner a little, delay reduces the distance needed. | Video (Johnny) |
| (Starter) > 236K > (Dash) 2D > jc > j.K > 8djc > j.H > j.236K > ((Dash) 2D > jc) > j.K > 8djc > j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Corner | JU, JA, BA, IN, CH, AX, FA, KL, VE, MA, BR, DI, TE, ZA | [4] Hard | Neutral jump corner loop that works on characters with wider air hurtboxes. These usually require a deep in the corner Tatami to be close enough to get started. On very light chars like BA, BR and MA its easier to remove the 2D between the two reps. Neutral jump 8j.K can also help stop them from going behind you on the 6P. See the Advanced Corner Combos theory section above for more information. | Video (Jam) Video (Venom) |
Midscreen Metered Combos
| Combo | Position | Tension Cost | Works on | Difficulty | Notes | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| f.S/2S/5H/6H > 236D | Anywhere | 25 | All | [1] Very Easy | 236D's speed and range can allow it to combo in some places where nothing else can. Though it does not knock down it will push the opponent almost fullscreen away from you which can be useful in some situations. The distance at which f.S/2S will combo can vary depending on the characters width and if they are crouching or not. | Video |
| (Starter) > Low j.D FRC > Air Dash > j.236K > dash > f.S > jc > j.D | Anywhere | 25 | All | [3] Medium | An easier way to tack on some more damage after a j.D FRC. Though the final j.D wont be a true knockdown against most characters it can be worth trying to see if the opponent can tech fast enough since it can be quite a small window to escape. | Video |
| (Starter) > Low j.D FRC > Air Dash > j.236K > dash > (f.S > jc) > j.D FRC > Air Dash > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Baiken Cornered | 50 | All | [4] Hard | Corner to corner carry for 50 Tension. On mid to heavyweight chars you'll need a f.S after the first Tatami to keep the height up, but on lighter characters you can just do a dashjump j.D. | Video |
| (Starter) > Low j.D FRC > Air Dash > j.236K > 41236H > (6K > 2H) > 6P > 63214K~412P | Anywhere | 25 | ?? | [5] Very Hard | A very tight link into Kabari can offer you the best midscreen knockdown options. You'll need to buffer 41236H to come out as soon as your landing recovery from Tatami is over. You may also need to delay the airdash Tatami if the j.D hit wasn't very low, or the Kabari can whiff under them. After Kabari you can choose which side to knock down, though the sideswitch adds more damage. | Video |
| (Starter) > Low j.D FRC > Air Dash > j.236K > 41236H > 6H > jc > j.D | Anywhere | 25 | AN, AX, ED, VE, FA, SL, ZA, SO, HOS, CH, JO, PO, AB | [5] Very Hard | A character-specific variation of the above with a j.D knockdown for more damage and corner carry. | Video |
| (Starter) > 236K FRC > Kire/IAD j.236K > dash > f.S/6H > jc > j.D | Anywhere | 25 | Mid and Heavyweights | [5] Very Hard | A Tatami FRC combo for when you don't reach the corner and don't have another 25 meter to spend. You can get a knockdown on many chars with a low j.D. 6H is a lot tigher than f.S but does more damage. | Video |
| (Starter) > 236K FRC > Kire/IAD j.236K > dash > f.S/6H > jc > j.D FRC > Air Dash > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Baiken Cornered | 50 | All | [5] Very Hard | Combining a Tatami FRC route with a j.D FRC route you can go from corner to corner for 50 Tension. | Video |
| (Starter) > 236K FRC > Kire/IAD j.236K > 41236H > (6K > 2H) > 6P > 63214K~412P | Anywhere | 25 | ?? | [5] Very Hard | Similar to the other Kabari combos above, though the height is usually easier to manage off a Tatami FRC route. A very tight link; you'll need to buffer 41236H to come out as soon as your landing recovery from Tatami is over. An optional sideswitch is possible on most characters. | Video |
| (Starter) > 236K FRC > Kire/IAD j.236K > 41236H > 6H > jc > j.D | Anywhere | 25 | AN, AX, ED, VE, FA, SL, ZA, SO, HOS, CH, JO, PO, AB | [5] Very Hard | A character-specific variation of the above with a j.D knockdown for more damage and corner carry. | Video |
| (Starter) > 236K FRC > Kire/IAD j.236K > IAD > j.S > delay j.P > j.K > land > j.K > dj > j.H > j.236K > land > j.K > dj > j.H > j.236K > land > j.P > j.K > dj > j.H > j.623S | Baiken Cornered | 25 | Middleweights(??) | [5] Very Hard | If you forsake knockdown you can carry from corner to corner to get some extra damage in with a few repetitions of the Tatami loop, but it will end with them air teching back to midscreen. Less downside against Light characters since you usually can't knock them down off this without spending more meter anyway. | Video |
| (Starter) > 236D FRC > Kire/IAD j.236K > Dashjump > j.S > delay j.P > j.K > dj > j.H > j.236K > land > j.K > dj > j.H > j.236K > land > j.PPPK > dj > j.PPPK > j.623S | Anywhere | 50 | All | [5] Very Hard | When you can only combo into an FB Tatami you can still opt to spend an FRC to convert it into a lot more, though knockdowns usually aren't possible on most characters due to how high it puts the opponent. Note that FB Tatami's FRC point is earlier than normal Tatami. | Video |
Midscreen To Corner Metered Combos
| Combo | Position | Tension Cost | Works on | Difficulty | Notes | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Starter) > 236D > Dash > 6P > 63214K~412P | Half-screen from corner | 25 | All | [3] Medium | Along with its faster startup and longer range 236D's corner carry can get you some nice enders at certain ranges. Taking a Zakuro knockdown is fairly easy here and if your starter was long it would be difficult to extend more anyway. | Video |
| (Starter) > 236D > 6H > jc > j.D | Half-screen from corner | 25 | Middle and Heavyweights | [3] Medium | An alternative to the above for a bit more damage and a j.D knockdown instead of Zakuro on heavier characters. No time to dash here so you'll already need to be in 6H range after the FB Tatami. | Video |
| (Starter) > 236D > Dash > f.S > jc > j.D | One Screen from corner | 25 | Middle and Heavyweights | [3] Medium | Dash f.S can reach to pick up off FB Tatami from almost a full screen away. | Video |
| (Starter) > 236D > Dash > 2D > jc > j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K > (6K > 2H) > 6P > 63214K~412P | Half-screen from corner | 25 | All | [4] Hard | The spacing for this is pretty specific to get a Dash 2D but it can lead to strong meterless routes, just like a normal Tatami would but from further out. | Video |
| (Starter) > 236D > Dash > 5H > 236K > ??? | Half-screen from corner | 25 | JO, RO, PO, TE, ZA | [4] Hard | Similar to the above but with a Dash 5H into Tatami against Heavy/Big characters. Various routes are possible after the Tatami. | Video |
| (Starter) > 623P > (6H/2D > jc > ) j.S > j.D FRC > Air Dash > j.H > j.236K > (6K > 2H) > 6P > 63214K~412P | Midscreen | 25 | All | [3] Medium | When close enough to corner for j.H to reach this is better than raw Tatami from a j.D FRC. On very light characters like BA, BR, DI, MA, MI and JA you'll need to omit the ground normal before j.S > j.D. On heavier characters 2D may be easier than 6H. Similar things can be done from any other starter you would land a j.S > j.D from. | Video |
| (Starter) > Air Dash/Kire j.236K > Dash > f.S > jc > j.S > j.D FRC > Air Dash > j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Midscreen | 25-50 | All | [3] Medium to Very Hard | Most commonly used from either a 'j.D FRC Airdash Tatami' or 'Tatami FRC Kire/IAD Tatami' midscreen combo when you don't quite make it all the way to the corner you can spend another 25 for this ender. Can also be done off any low Air Tatami hit. A 2H sideswitch may be possible here if your starter was fast, but it's already a long combo so the timing becomes tight. | Video |
| (Starter) > Air Dash/Kire j.236K > dash > c.S/2D > jc > j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Midscreen | 25 | All | [3] Medium to Very Hard | Once you reach the corner from Air Dash/Kire Tatami carry combos there is usually time to transition into at least a basic corner combo, similar to what you would do off a corner ground Tatami. If your starter was quick there may be time for more, like loops or sideswitches. | Video |
| (Starter) > Air Dash/Kire j.236K > dash > 6H/5H > 236K > j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Midscreen | 25 | All | [3] Medium to Very Hard | The highest damage options once you reach the corner. If your starter was long you may find j.K after Tatami becomes very tight, forcing you to add a j.P or make other adjustments to end the combo properly. | Video |
| (Starter) > 236K FRC > 41236H > ??? | One screen from corner | 25 | Middle and Heavyweights | [4] Hard | Kabari allows for some high damage pickups like 6H and keeps you at a good spacing to go into a couple of Air Tatami loops. Whiffs under most lightweights. | Video |
| (Starter) > 236K FRC > Delayed/High Air Dash j.H > j.236K > ??? | One screen from corner | 25 | All(?) | [5] Very Hard | A very damaging but difficult Tatami FRC followup near the corner. If you try to IAD j.H you wont be high enough for the Tatami to come out before you land, so you must wait for Baiken to rise a bit before Air Dashing. Tight timing and can result in some awkward wallbounce spacings afterwards. | Video |
Corner Metered Combos
| Combo | Position | Tension Cost | Works on | Difficulty | Notes | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Starter) > 236K > 2D/f.S > j.S > j.D FRC > Airdash > j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Corner | 25 | All | [3] Medium | Very stable corner route that adjusts for many heights and spacings. Primarily you'll use this if you're too far for a j.K to reach after your jump cancel and not confident in microdash 2D/5S to get closer. Delay the airdash on lighter characters to allow them to fall or the Tatami can whiff, specially against Jam and Dizzy. | Video |
| (Starter) > 236K > 2D/f.S > j.S > j.D FRC > Airdash > j.H > j.236K > (6K) > 2H > 6P > 63214K~412P | Corner | 25 | All | [4] Hard | A version of the above with a 2H sideswitch added to get back to a corner knockdown. On lighter characters you'll usually have to use 2H alone, but on mid-heavyweights adding the 6K makes it easier. When judging if you have the correct positioning for this Baiken will need to be slightly outside of the corner after landing from the air Tatami. | Video (Middleweight) Video (Lightweight) |
| (Starter) > 236K > 5H > 236K FRC > 8 j.H > j.236K > 6H > 236K FRC > 8 j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Corner | 50 | JO, RO, PO, TE, ZA*, AB* | [4] Hard | A high damage meter-dump route on heavier/bigger characters. Must land your initial tatami close enough to the corner that you can 8j.H without moving to sustain the spacing. *AB requires a very delayed 5H and ZA a delay if deep in corner. | Video |
| (Starter) > 236K FRC > 8 j.H > j.236K > 6H/5H > 236K FRC > 8 j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Corner | 50 | BA, BR, JA, MA, KL, CH*, MI*, JU*, SL*, FA* | [4] Hard | A version of the above primarily against light characters where you can go straight into the FRC 8j.H. The 6H can be tight on some characters but can be replaced with 5H for an easier version. *On these characters the 6H is nearly impossible. | Video |
Tatami Conversions
Stray Air Tatami hits in neutral can turn into a lot more if you're quick to confirm, even on normal hit. On Counter-Hit both Ground and Air Tatami's become fully untechable giving you lots of time to follow up. j.H and CH j.S also combo into Air Tatami and lead to similar routes.
| Combo | Position | Tension Cost | Works on | Difficulty | Notes | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CH 236K/CH j.236K > Dash > 6H > j.D | Midscreen | - | All | [3] Medium | On Counter-Hit you have a lot of time to reach them for your strongest options, which usually means 6H into a j.D knockdown on Middle and Heavyweight characters or FRC extensions against everyone. You can substitute 6H for f.S to make these more lenient to confirm. Fishing for CH's greatly improves Ground Tatami as a midscreen poke since it otherwise only converts when FRC'd. | Video |
| CH 236K/CH j.236K > Dash > 6P > 63214K~412P | Midscreen | - | All | [3] Medium | Against Lightweights j.D wont knock down so you can go for Zakuro's knockdown instead. You may find this easier than timing a low j.D on Middleweights too, though it does a bit less damage. | Video |
| j.236K > Dash > f.S > jc > j.D | Grounded/Low Enemy Midscreen | - | All | [3] Medium | Simplest way to start converting your air Tatami hits. j.D can knock down against Middle and Heavyweight characters or FRC extensions against everyone for corner carry and damage if you have meter to spend. | Video |
| j.236K > 41236H > Various Combos | Grounded/Low Enemy Midscreen | - | All | [4] Hard | Kabari gives you a lot of different options to followup after but is a tight link and requires the Tatami to be done very low to the ground, either falling right before you land or from an IAD or Kire. You then must time the Kabari to come out as soon as your landing recovery ends. | Video |
| j.236K > Dashjump > j.S > j.D | Airbourne/High Enemy Midscreen | - | All | [3] Medium | On higher hits you'll need a dashjump to reach them to convert. No knockdown by default but if you FRC j.D and reach the corner you can get better enders there. | Video |
| j.236K > Dashjump > j.S > j.P > j.K > dj > j.H > j.236K | Airbourne/High Enemy Midscreen | - | All | [4] Hard | A more difficult route to carry to the corner meterlessly. Its possible to lower them down to the ground for a knockdown with Tatami loops, but requires character and spacing specific variations. | Video |
| j.236K > 5H/6H > 236K > Various Corner Combos | Grounded/Low Enemy Corner | - | All | [3] Medium | Close to the corner you can transition into many of the typical corner routes, though the height will be a bit higher after the second Tatami than a grounded Tatami starter would be. See the above corner combos section for more examples. | Video |
Ground Throw Combos
| Combo | Position | Tension Cost | Works on | Difficulty | Notes | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Throw > (Dash) > 6P > 41236H > 6P > 63214K~412P | Corner | - | KY, RO, MA, BR, IN, VE, DI, JA, CH, SL, AN, ED, TE, FA, PO, JO, KL, JU, BA, ZA* | [3] Medium | The standard throw combo that works on most of the cast for decent damage, a lot of Tension gain, and a good corner knockdown. A microdash 6P may be required if you weren't already deep in the corner when you threw. *A microdash is always required for this to work on Zappa. | Video |
| Throw > (Dash) > 6P > 63214K~412P | Corner | - | SO, HOS, MI | [3] Medium | The Kabari version doesn't work on these characters so its usually best to just take the knockdown since Throws are a heavily scaled starter. | Video |
| Throw > Dash > 2K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Corner | - | AX, AB, ZA | [3] Medium | ABA and Axl have very small sliding hurtboxes that 6P wont work on but adding a dashing 2K first can fix it. This can also be an easier option on Zappa than microdash 6P since 2K is faster. | Video |
| Throw > 5H > 236K > j.P > j.S > j.D FRC > Air Dash > j.H > j.236K > 6P > jc > j.PPPP > j.K > djc > j.PPPP > j.K > j.623S | Corner | 25 | All | [3] Medium | An attempt to kill off throw using an anti-guts route with a lot of hits of 1 damage. 5H also works from further away from the corner than 6P would. | Video |
| Throw > 236236S | Corner | 50 | All | [2] Easy | Supers lock out Burst so this can be a way to end a round without letting them use it. Does a little more damage than a typical meterless throw combo but less than an anti-guts route. | Video |
| Throw > (Dash) > 6P > 63214K~412D~X~X | Corner | 50 | SL, AN, TE, PO, VE, KY, RO, ED, JO, JU, JA, ZA* | [3] Medium | A way to apply a Baku Curse from a throw. Can lead into unblockable setups with S Curse. Mostly works on midweights and heavier, Jam being an exception. *As above, a microdash is required for this to work on Zappa. | Video |
Air Throw Combos
If you Air Throw while holding the direction away from the corner Baiken can toss them into the wall for a wallbounce. Different heights and distances from corner will change how you can convert these into combos. They usually lead into other corner routes already mentioned above, though with slightly scaled untechable time and damage.
| Combo | Position | Tension Cost | Works on | Difficulty | Notes | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airthrow > 5H/6H > 236K > ??? | Near Corner | - | All | [3] Medium | Typically the highest damage option. Airthrow's wallbounce is fully untechable so even if they're high up you can wait for them to fall get the right height for this even on light characters. Leads to many of her highest damage routes shown in previous sections. | Video |
| Airthrow > c.S/2D > jc > j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K > (6K > 2H) > 63214~412P | Near Corner | - | All | [3] Medium | This can be an easier option than the above, specially off high airthrows or against chars that require a precise height for a 5H combo. May need extra normals added if they're low or heavy. | Video |
| Airthrow > f.S/2D > jc > j.S > j.D FRC > Air Dash > j.H > j.236K > (6K > 2H) > 63214~412P | Near Corner | 25 | All | [3] Medium | Some high Airthrows can wallbounce from quite far outside the corner; this route reaches from further away and is also very good for stabilizing awkward heights too even when closer. | Video |
| Airthrow > 5P > 6P/cl.S > ??? | Very Close to Corner | - | All | [3] Medium | When you're so close to the corner that the opponent bounces over you then 5P is the most stable pickup. You can either get a Zakuro knockdown and switch sides to corner the opponent again; or carry them back to midscreen to get yourself out of the corner. | Video |
TK Youzansen Combos
TK Youzansen can be done using different motions, such as 6239S, 6923S or spinning the stick and ending on 3S (i.e 632147893S). Use whichever you are most comfortable with.
| Combo | Position | Tension Cost | Works on | Difficulty | Notes | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TK j.623S > RC > j.236K > 2D > jc > j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Corner | 50 | All | [3] Medium | The simplest TK Youzansen RC corner route into a standard corner combo. | Video |
| TK j.623S > RC > j.236K > 6H > 236K > (j.P) > j.K > djc j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Corner | 50 | All | [3] Medium | A stronger route adding a 6H into Tatami for more damage. You can optionally add a j.P to raise height against heavier characters if needed. | Video |
| TK j.623S > RC > j.236K > 6H > 236K > j.K > 8djc j.H > j.236K > 2D > j.K > 8djc j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Corner | 50 | JU, JA, BA, IN, CH, AX, FA, KL, VE, MA, BR, DI, AB, TE | [4] Hard | The ideal TK Youzansen corner route using 8j.H loops. See the Advanced Corner Combos theory section above for more information. | Video |
| TK j.623S > RC > j.236K > 6H > 236K FRC > 8j.H > j.236K > 6H > 236K FRC > 8j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Corner | 100 | All | [4] Hard | The ultimate meter dump, spend everything to kill them. Delay the first 6H against lighter characters to let them fall a bit lower. | Video |
| TK j.623S > RC > j.236K > Dash > (f.S jc >) j.S > j.D FRC > Air Dash > j.H > j.236K > ((6K) > 2H) > 6P > 63214K~412P | Midscreen | 75 | All | [4] Hard | Expensive at 75 Tension but probably the most stable way to take a midscreen Youzansen to a corner knockdown. On Heavy chars like AB and RO you'll need to add the dash f.S instead of going straight into a dashjump j.S. 2H sideswitches are optional here, but quite consistent from a Youzansen starter. | Video (May, Light) Video (Robo, Heavy) |
| TK j.623S > RC > j.236K > Dashjump > j.S > delay j.P > j.K > dj > j.H > j.236K > 6P > 63214K~412P | Midscreen | 50 | Mid-Heavyweights except AB, RO | [4] Hard | A difficult corner carry route that can lead to a knockdown without spending any additional meter if you can manage the spacing and height with delays. You'll need a long dashjump to get close enough for j.P to connect. | Video (+Advanced Version) |
| TK j.623S > RC > j.236K > 41236H > ? | Midscreen | 50 | All except CH, JA, MA | [5] Very Hard | Kabari is a very tight link. Falling Tatami must be done as low to the ground as possible. Higher Youzansen's seem to make it easier by allowing you to delay between hits letting the target fall a little lower before the Tatami. | (Higher YSZ, Meterless Enders) (Min Height YSZ, FRC Extension) |
| TK j.623S > RC > j.K > djc j.H > j.236K > ? | Midscreen Close | 50 | All | [4] Hard | Opting for this starter instead of going straight into Tatami gets you a bit of extra corner carry, but usually results in a bit less damage overall. You must not Superjump before your Youzansen to preserve your Double Jump. Must be very close for this to work on some characters. | Video |
Guard Cancel Combos
Guard Cancels are basically starters and will lead into many of the routes above. Here are some examples of how to convert them.
| Starter | Leads To | Position | Tension Cost | Works on | Difficulty | Notes | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sakura CH Stagger (412S) | 2K, 6P, 2D, 5H | Anywhere | - | All | [2] Easy | On Counterhit Sakura can be converted without an RC if the opponent isn't breaking out of Stagger extremely quickly. There usually isn't time to dash up here so just opt for the fastest move that will reach, even if its just a 2D knockdown. You can do similar things from non-CH Sakura if their stagger escape is very slow. | Video |
| Sakura FRC/RC (412S) | Dash 5H, 6H, 6P | Anywhere | 25/50 | All | [2] Easy | Even against Level 3 Slip Recovery an FRC or RC here can get you enough time to dash up for your best starters into either 623P midscreen or 236K in the corner. At max range midscreen though you may be able to land 5H it probably wont be deep enough to combo into 623P. In those cases dashing 6P can get you closer. | Video |
| Ouren CH (412H) | 6H, Dash 2D, 6P | Anywhere | - | All | [2] Easy | An Ouren CH results in a very similar situation to a 623P hit, with similar ways to followup. You can always take a Zakuro knockdown to keep it basic, but considering this is quite a strong starter its very worth spending some meter on 6H > j.D FRC routes midscreen or transitioning into corner extensions when possible. | Video |
| Baku (412D) | 2K, 5P | Close Hits | 25 | All | [3] Medium | Baku is +6~ on normal hit allowing you to link a 2K or 5P if close enough. Be careful you don't try to input a normal too soon or Baku's followups will come out if you have another 25 meter. | Video |
| Baku CH Grounded (412D) | 5H, 6H, 6P, 2K | Anywhere | 25 | All | [3] Medium | On CH Baku is about +17~ allowing you to link almost any normal with even some time to spare for a microdash to close distance. 6H at 15f startup must be done immediately to work. | Video |
| Baku CH Airborne (412D) | 6H, Dash 2D, f.S, 6P | Anywhere | 25 | All | [2] Easy | On Air CH Baku causes an untechable float. This is an extremely powerful starter with huge damage potential. How much time you have to followup varies a lot depending on the distance and height, but a Dash f.S should nearly always be possible at least. | Video |
Baku's Followups do allow for some specific combos and setups that aren't like anything else in her toolkit.
| Combo | Position | Tension Cost | Works on | Difficulty | Notes | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baku (412D) > S > D -reset- Unblockable j.H or j.236K | Anywhere | 50 | All | [3] Medium | Using this sequence of followups curses the opponent causing the next attack to be Unblockable and gives a good knockdown to set up from. You can either safejump with j.H for max damage, or set up a falling Tatami for more active frames to cover backdashes. These lead into another guaranteed combo, though with 50% forced proration. | Video |
| Baku (412D) > K > P/S > 5H > 236K > [6H > 236K] x3-4 > 63214K~412P | Anywhere | 50 | All | [3] Medium | A basic combo using the Forced Counter Hit K Curse. P and S followups both link into 5H. S is more lenient and switches sides, but this combo will carry corner to corner from almost anywhere anyway. The curse basically allows you to do "custom combos" with her counter hit effects but anything done directly off Baku will have the damage scaled down to 30%, so you mostly get positioning and knockdown out of these. There are many other variations you can experiment with, though an unblockable with the S curse will offer more damage when possible. | Video |
5D Combos
Landing 5D then holding up will propel you up into the air in a state that allows you to cancel any air normal into any other; with some extra untechable time and some very strange momentum physics while rising. Basic Dust combos involve just doing a series of air normals for damage and then letting them tech out at the top of the screen, since Baiken has no way to knock the opponent down from high in the air. However, with so-called "Impossible Dust" combos you can use the extra untechable time to get yourself back down to the ground which opens up better routes with more damage and knockdown potential.
| Combo | Position | Tension Cost | Works on | Difficulty | Notes | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5D > [7/8/9] > j.S > j.S > j.S > j.P > j.K > j.S > j.P > j.K > djc > j.H > j.236K/j.623S | Anywhere | - | All | [2] Easy | The timings on the first three j.S can feel a bit like links, if you press them too fast they wont come out, but if you time them in a rhythm you can get three in before the window for free cancels ends. You must continue to hold up to stay in the rising Dust state. After that window ends you return to your normal gatling options. | Video |
| 5D > 9 > 5 > dj9 > j.K > Land > ??? | Anywhere | - | All | [2] Easy to [4] Hard | Probably the simplest version to start experimenting with "Impossible Dust". The way this works is you initiate the Dust State by pressing 9, but then cancel your momentum by double jumping to return to normal physics. If you time j.K properly it will have so much extra untechable time you can fall to the ground and then followup with various things, like a rejump j.K, 6P, 2D, or even 6H, but these depend on the characters weight and how well you time it. | Video |
| 5D > 9 > FD > j.K > delayed djc > j.H > j.236K > Land > ??? | Anywhere | - | All | [4] Hard | Flashing FD for a moment will also cut your momentum slightly and it retains your air options allowing for combos like this. The delay before Double Jump Canceling here is required, if you do it as soon as j.K hits you'll go flying off the top of the screen. The height at the end of this depends on how you time the j.K and dj j.H, ranging from high enough that you'll have to rejump j.K after, to ones so low you can link 6H off the Tatami. | Video |
| 5D > 9 > FD > j.H > Land > ??? | Close Dust Anywhere | - | TE, FA, PO, RO, ??? | [3] Medium | High damage Impossible Dust starter, does not work on all characters and must be close for j.H to reach, but makes getting back to the ground easy if you can land it. | Video |
Tutorial Videos
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_IJXRhsMn0 A video guide covering the foundations of Baiken's optimal combo parts; by Shinjin.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhWyMpqKw_E A video tutorial for getting into character specific combos; by Nok.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YouBphbVaE A video demonstrating some "Impossible Dust" routes; by Woocash.
Baiken
