Ramlethal Valentine
Introduction
In general, Ramlethal's pressure, apart from a few gatlings or combination attacks is lacking without her swords. Her okizeme game is dependent on her getting her swords out to lock the opponent down in a "grinder" of high-low mixups and sword hits. It's so potent that her entire gameplan revolves around this part of the game. In this, she's a rather easy character to understand because her punish game is heavily reliant on memorizing okizeme set-ups.
Ram's okizeme can be loosely described as a series of If > Then checks. Ram's okizeme is heavily conditional and improves the more she wins interactions and the more she gets an opportunity to set up. The tree for setting up okizeme looks something like this:
- If you got Hard Knockdown with both swords equipped, then immediately set a sword with 6S or 6H. Follow it up with a mixup.
- If you won the 50/50 or have converted into a combo, route into a corner-carry setup if possible. If you didn't, knock down again and set your second sword. Repeat the first step.
- If you converted into a corner-carry route, then carry them to the wall and perform a corner combo to try and set both swords if possible.
- If both swords are now set and your opponent is in the corner, then continue to layer them in your mixup attempts.
If you manage to get to the last step of this plan, then Ram's okizeme becomes incredibly strong and difficult to escape. You can utilize both swords in unison to cover reversal attempts or aerial pressure escapes. You can also use them mid-pressure for mixup attempts.
Primary Okizeme Tools
After earning Hard Knockdown, Ram wants to set her Swords for use in Okizeme. However, Ram has a number of quirks that make her Okizeme different depending on where the opponent is on the screen and where your Swords are. In a nutshell, Ram's midscreen Okizeme is good, but her corner Okizeme is fantastic.
Ram's Swords have three different setups relevant to their use. Swords begin Equipped to Ram, bolstering her S and H normals. If she sets them with 6S and 6H, they become Deployed. Setting an Equipped Sword causes a minor delay between the Sword being set and it being swung, while Deployed Swords swing almost immediately. If a Sword is Deployed but is not near an opponent, it will teleport close to them and then swing. These are called Far Swords.
Ram's primary method of earning Okizeme is by setting her Swords with Equipped 6S and 6H. These two buttons are useful for midscreen Okizeme or any situation where you've got a Hard Knockdown and need something to keep them blocking immediately. When a Sword is Deployed, use 2S and 2H instead. These are more active, easier to time on wakeup than Deployed 6S/6H, and partially obscure Ram's movements, which can make them very powerful Okizeme tools.
To summarize: use Equipped 6S and 6H for Okizeme, then use 2S and 2H once they are Deployed. If a Sword is Far, treat it like it is Equipped and expect there to be a delay between pressing 6S or 6H and the swing to come out.
- Swords Equipped, Midscreen/Swords Deployed, Far: Hard Knockdown > Set 6S or 6H > 6K/2D > Combo
- Swords Deployed, Midscreen: Hard Knockdown > Set 2S or 2H > IAD j.K/land 2D > Combo
- Swords Deployed, Corner: Hard Knockdown > 2H > jump j.2S > IAD j.K/land 2D > Combo
If you can't use Deployed Swords, just set a Sword and go for a grounded mixup. If you can use them, use 2S or 2H. If you have the corner and both Swords are set, then press 2H, jump and press j.2S, then while falling go for a IAD mixup.
Mid Screen Setups
The following section contains details on the different potential setups that Ram can perform at Midscreen.
Knockdown > 6S or 6H (Equipped) > Mixup (6K/2D/Throw/236K)
Ram's absolute most basic mixup when she at least one Sword Equipped or both Swords are deployed far away. At the same time, basic doesn't mean bad. This string is potentially reversal safe if the opponent blocks it, has numerous followups that can either loop back into this setup for flow into a better one, and acts as the building block for everything else Ram does. Make sure to time 6K/2D as a Meaty hit, less you get Reversal'd.
You can sub in 3k as well, which will catch backdashes. If you time it well, 3K won't be caught by a throw.
Knockdown > jump j.6S or j.6H (Deployed) > IAD High/Low/Throw Mixup (j.K/2D/Throw/236K)
Ram's default Okizeme setup if a sword is Deployed near your opponent and does not need to teleport. Fast, safe, active and can even safejump with the j.K option!
If you go for the j.K option and its blocked, do j.K > j.P > j.K on the way down to keep your opponent in blockstun long enough to safely land. If you go for 2D and its blocked, just hold back. 2D will naturally space itself out, protecting you from throws.
Knockdown > j.6S or j.6H (Deployed) > j.K > jc j.K > j.KP
Fuzzy Overhead setup. Funky and tends to mess with people's heads pretty well. The animation of j.6S or j.6H is bright and flashy, which makes focusing on Ram fairly difficult. Can be very effective if you have meter too.
Knockdown > 6H (Equipped) > jump j.6S (Equipped) > YRC > land Mixup (6K/2D/Throw/236K)
Metered Mixup. Gets both Swords out onto the field ASAP, letting Ram get her best Okizeme without routing into one of her longer combos. Once you land with the YRC, immediately run forward into your opponent and perform the mixup.
In order to land the throw and the Command Grab (236K) you may need to IAD after j.6S YRC and push the opponent out of the swords. This leaves Ram vulnerable to being thrown, so be careful with doing it.
Knockdown > 6H (Equipped) > IAD j.6S (Equipped) > falling Mixup (j.K/2D/Throw/236K)
A meterless crossup setup! Since j.6S stops Rams air momentum, doing IAD j.6S causes her to pause in midair and drop. This can disorient opponents, who might get caught by the Sword swipe or Ram herself. Has the ability to become a High/Low mixup depending on whether or not you press j.K or 2D while falling. Also notable in that it spends both of Ram's swords, which can be expensive and leave her exposed. Use with caution.
Using YRC makes this string a bit trickier and can also give you a read on your opponents options, including if they decide to reversal.
Corner Setups
If you've managed to get your opponent to the corner and have at least one Sword deployed near your opponent, welcome to the party. Ram's Corner Oki is downright devious and mostly revolves around using 2S (Deployed) and 2H (Deployed) to wreak havoc.
Many of Ram's combos in the combo section of her page are designed to end with setting up at least one Sword in the corner, usually both if possible. Thus, you should expect to have a number of swords either directly next to or very close to the corner when performing this Okizeme. If you don't, then default to one of the midscreen setups listed above.
Hard Knockdown > 6H (Deployed) > jump j.6S (Deployed) > IAD Mixup (j.K/2D/Throw/236K)
Basic Okizeme setup in the corner. Good if you got a quick knockdown and just want to set up something quick and dirty to keep them blocking on wakeup.
Hard Knockdown > 2H (Deployed) > jump j.2S (Deployed) > IAD Mixup (j.K/2D/Throw/236K)
Is this the first mixup listed above, but just with 2H instead of 6H? Yes. Is it better? You bet.
2H is a massive swipe that will keep enemies crouching against their better judgement. Reversals will either be automatically safejumped by you or destroyed outright by the active frames. Jumping and pressing j.2S will keep enemies sitting still while you airdash in for a mixup. You can still be reversal'd if you don't properly safejump the IAD mixup.
This string can also be used mid-pressure if you can get 2H off. Just jump, press j.2S and go nuts. If Ram's opponent gets opened up and then launched by one of the Swords, press j.8D to bounce them into the air and catch them on the way down for a combo.
Hard Knockdown > j.6S > YRC > j.2H > IAD Mixup (j.K/2D/Throw/236K)
Useful when you want to make the IAD airtight. Prevents all kinds of reversals and is great for making reversal baits.
Wait for apex of jump before performing. Hard to time DP against it, unless mashing works.
Hard Knockdown > 6S (Equipped) > 66 jump j.2H > IAD Mixup (j.K/2D/Throw/236K)
A useful combination to know if you've only gotten one Sword in the corner. Works vice versa with both Swords depending on which is set and which is equipped.
Hard Knockdown > 6S > jump j.6H > YRC > IAD Mixup (j.K/2D/Throw/236K)
Same as the midscreen version. Important for getting both of Ram's Swords onto the opponent as much as possible.
Video Examples and Guides
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Mind chart: || https://www.mindmeister.com/825342195/ramlethal-valentine-work-in-progress
Nyaa's guide: || https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i5ntiJbsfe0UYIWLWCnVMlE9pwCvfewEeaKcyyvx9E4/
Ramlethal Valentine
