GGXRD-R2/Slayer/Matchups/Baiken

Matchup Overview

General info about character's advantages and disadvantages in matchup, and how to play around them

Tatami(floor-mat)

Overview

Details

Counterplay

Suzuran(auto-guard dash)

Overview
Command dash that forces you to be more careful about throwing out mids, as it will auto-guard any of them. This move also can be canceled into multiple follow-ups, or a throw after the moves duration is over.

Details

28f total duration, with auto guard during frame 4-25
Can be canceled into P, K, S, H, D (share the same follow-ups as azami, but the framedata is different).

Counterplay
Will not counter any lows, so you can use 2K, 2H, 2D etc for a normal-hit punish.

H kabari(claw chain)

Overview
A very long reaching, disjointed, plus on block move with several follow-up cancels. You will likely encounter this move a lot.

Details

21f startup, however has more startup the further away from it you stand, and likewise becomes more plus.
11f active, so its very hard to use i-frames around this move.
14f recovery.

Counterplay
IN NEUTRAL: You want to avoid trying to dandy step or forward dashing through this move as it is far too active to realistically get away with. You much rather want to outspace it with K mappa, or build meter outside it's range by whiffing PUP repeatedly. When the time comes to approach, look for whiff-punishing it with K mappa, or going over it with IAD. You can also try to stuff the startup with K mappa, as H kabari is not that fast to come out. If you are at far range, you can also try to blitz this move on reaction, as the startup is much slower here.

ON BLOCK: H kabari on +2 on block up-close, can go into a frametrap, or canceled into P, S, or H follow up.

H kabari > 5K 2D

Usually frame-trapped into 5K 2D as this is the combo on hit also. Generally, you have to IB this move to punish it. BDC P mappa, P pile, forward dash throw are only guaranteed on IB. Slayer 2P and 5P will trade with 5K unless you have IB. Slayer forward dash works without IB, but no guaranteed punish. P under pressure is also a decent option if you have no IB and just want to move around this poke.

H kabari > P follow up

This command grab is very slow. You can CH the startup with 6H, P pile, f.S, forward dash etc. BDC P mappa is also fast enough for a CH, though BDC K mappa can be too slow. You should generally never be hit by this move, as you will at bare minimum BDC jump.

H kabari > S follow up

-2 on block, but has a pretty sizeable gap when canceled into. P cwh, P pile, BDC mappa, 5K, c.S etc. will all work. Slayer f.S is not fast enough unless on IB, so mind the c.S+6H throw OS spacing.

H kabari > H follow up

-7 on block. Can often be interrupted with S+H throw OS if close enough or general purpose BDC P mappa. P pile and P cwh also work. 5P will always trade unfortunately.

Rokkonsogi

Overview
Baiken has three ways to go into this move, which can make it confusing when or how punishable it is.

Details
Baiken can go into Rokkonsogi three ways, which all have different frame-data.

Azami > H follow up, 24f recovery, -9 on block, sideswaps on hit.
Suzuran > H follow up, 17f recovery, -2 on block, sideswaps on hit.
Kabari > H follow up, 21f recovery, -7 on block, does NOT sideswap on hit.
Attack level 4 for all versions, so if you IB any of them, they become additionally -4.

Counterplay
You can not 6P this moves active frames for all versions. Generally, you have to try a BDC or dandy step whiff-punish, throwing the startup, or block-punishing.

Azami(parry stance)

Overview
Baiken's azami is annoying to deal with, but fortunately Slayer has a lot of counterplay available

Details

Standing azami: Parries high attacks and mids.
Low azami: The same as standing azami, but parries for mids and lows.
Air azami: Parries everything.

Counterplay
If you touch grounded azami, the H follow up is generally a guaranteed punish “no matter what”. This means you can't be tricky with like a 2P to try blocking afterwards, 2P YRC, cancel into 6P or dandy step cancel etc. If you touch it with the wrong poke, you're gonna get hit. However:

out-RPSing azami with high/low/throw is pretty good. IADs, 6K, whiff UP~IL, dash 2K, 2D, simply try to out-guess the Baiken player.
Helter skelter is safe against azami P and H, but is very unsafe against azami S.
Helter YRC > crossup dash is safe and will allow you to punish the follow ups, however Baiken 5K beats crossup helter skelter on reaction, frame 1, so you have to be careful about this strategy. Same side helter YRC will work.
Wait out the Baiken player, and react to the high/low stance. Here you can 5D, 2H, etc as you like.
2H YRC and IAD j.S can hit azami and be safe. These moves have low/no hitstop so these are the only moves that are azami-safe like that.
CWH beats azami into H follow up, but loses to double parry and other stuff.
Undertow will CH azami

Cinematic super

Baiken's cinematic super:

Block the first two hits without IB > P cwh > dash j.PSHD > dj.KSHD2K > j.PD. You can also instant block the first hit and try EW in the gap to the 2nd hit. It's also possible to throw or BDOT between the 1st and 2nd hit on IB, and 2nd and 3rd on normal block. The super is not very minus on block(-7), so you generally don't want to be going for a blockpunish.