BBCSE/Arakune

From Dustloop Wiki

Overview

A Sector Seven scientist turned blob after insane exposure to the boundary, now with thousands of bees inside of him, he haunts the city of Kagustuchi in search of the Azure. In terms of Gameplay, Arakune is a very awkward character with awkward attacks, awkward movement, and an awkward playstyle. The main goal is to put your opponent in a "Cursed" State and deal big damage along with extremely safe block strings, cross ups, mix ups and even an unblocklable here and there. This is the offset to a very weak character without curse with lackluster pressure and mix up, and mediocre and predictable defensive options.
Drive: Crimson
Crimson is the system that calculates curse meter, how much is needed to curse an opponent, what attacks inflict how much curse meter (more details on this below), how long curse lasts, and the cap of meter gain after curse ends. During curse, Arakune can summon a variety of bugs that helps his pressure, comboability and damage. Curse lasts for roughly 14 seconds. Each bug has a cooldown before it can be summoned again (more details on this below) and Arakune cannot summon bugs when he is taking damage or in blockstun (but he can summon bugs in the few frames that he is not in blockstun in usual blockstrings). When the curse gauge depletes while bugs are hitting the opponent, any attempt to rebuild curse meter will be capped at 50%. There is no cap if bugs hit the opponent after the gauge is already depleted.
Arakune

BBCSE Arakune Portrait.png

Health: 10,500
Guard Primers: 5
Movement Options: 1 Double Jump, 2 Air Dashes, Command Dashes, Teleport-type Dash

 Arakune is very Passive and Evasive Pre-curse - Very Offensive During Curse

Pros
Cons

Move List

See also: Arakune Full Frame Data

Normal Moves

5A

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
300 124 80 84 6 3 12 -3 Click!

Standard ground poke, easy to confirm, jump cancellable, goes into a few other attacks, notably his rekka 6B. Simply put, Arakune's best ground poke. Cancels into itself 3 times.

The main idea of using Arakune's 5A is to confirm into 6B to get curse meter or to pressure your opponent enough so you can jump back or try to continue pressure. There are better 5A's out there, but it's certainly not a bad move. The lack of a quick dash makes it hard to follow up in max range on hit or block.

5B

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
300×3 124×3 80 90 (Once) 12 2, 3, 3 12 +2 Click!

Basically pre-curse combo filler. Due to its speed, it's not very useful for anything else. You could use it as an emergency anti air, but it's highly unrecommended. It's good for pressure if your opponent isn't barrier blocking since it's +2, and it gatlings into 5A, but since most people barrier block Arakune (because it's so effective, seriously), it's a rare quality to luxuriate in.

No use during curse.

5C

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
800 331 90 90 23 3 18 -2 Click!

Arakune's primary anti air, but because of its speed and hitbox it's easy to see coming and/or cross up because the jump in was too deep. It will only really hit if you catch your opponent being reckless, or rather, it will only really hit if the circumstance is in your favor, because 5C is so slow, using it as an anti air is more of a yomi thing than reaction. If it does hit, you can confirm into 80% curse with decent execution. 100% on Fatal Counter with good execution. Few characters have little to no answer to Arakune's 5C, that said you're usually better off evading air approaches or blocking them like a man, in few cases, you would use 2B.

During curse it's good for a little extra damage, but only once due to the repeat move proration.

2A

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
300 124 80 85 10 2 12 -2 Click!

Kind of a bad move. It's slow, has terrible active frames and is pretty bad on Instant Block. Now it's mainly used for mix up after a 5A or to set up a curse combo.

2B

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
460 190 80 90 11 2 10 +2 Click!

The move no one really sees coming since it's not very useful. 2B has its rare uses of low profiling some normals and being an anti air on some characters/air attacks. It also gatlings from 6A, making an air tight blockstring, however with barrier blocking, it's pretty moot. It cancels into itself infinitely on hit, block or whiff. Looks pretty funny.

During curse it becomes very dangerous. It's hard to see with bugs everywhere so it compliments his mix up and leads into big damage.

2C

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
800 331 100 92 13 45 16 36 Click!

Arakune's useful sweep attack, decent abare quality, but try your hardest to make sure that it's never blocked (unless it will break a final primer). The new gatling into 6D makes this move much better pre-curse. You can add the curse meter using meter or on Fatal Counter. Both situations nets him about 70% to 80% curse meter.

During curse is when this move shines. A 2C starter will deal the most damage in any curse combo, and combined with the j.c starter (which is the runner up), you have a high/low mix up that scares everyone. 2C is also a staple tool in setting up Arakune's unblockable reset, and at its lowest usage in curse, it's safe and breaks a primer.

6A

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
600 248 80 89 23 2 15 ±0 Click!

Primary Overhead, on good execution will lead into 100% curse. On top of that, it's even on block and jump cancellable. On that rare chance you punish an opponent for trying to jump out, it goes into 100% curse as well. The only downside is that it's one of the slower standard speed overheads. Easy to stuff with mashing. This, like many other overheads in BB, you need to condition your opponent to block, which is tricky when using Arakune in some cases. Plus, it's his only practical overhead pre-curse, so after a while, it's easy to recognize and block.

It gets even better during curse, it goes into decent damage and is a part of his mix up in general. It can also go into a double overhead situation with his j.c.

6B

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
500 207 100 90 *10/6 2 25 -10 Click!

Pre-curse combo staple, comes after 5A for curse meter, it gatlings from 6A as well for combo variety or corner carry. It has some mix up potential for mix up during curse when used correctly. It's mostly positioning.

  • Can be used standalone, however the start up is 10 frames this way, still good. Both versions have repeat move proration, but they don't affect each other.

4B

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
600 248 80 90 19 3 21 -7 Click!

One of the least used attacks in Arakune's arsenal. It's not too useful pre-curse other than to troll. It's jump cancellable and hard to see coming since it's a standing low.

During curse it's scary, because it's a standing low. Goes into decent damage, rare usage so it's hard to see coming. Nothing too special about it.

6C

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
1000 414 85 89 27 2 13+19 -17 Click!

Not a particularly bad overhead, being only a few frames slower than his 6A and having decent recovery and leading to pretty good damage on hit with the two rekkas that follow. It's insanely large and obvious on execution, however, which might crib its overall use, especially when 6A is faster and much safer on block.

What helps qualify 6C as a semi-decent move anyways is the way the hit box moves Arakune completely off the ground, meaning that most crouching and low hitting attacks will whiff during the starting frames of this move. This can be good for a surprise hit if they go in low and suddenly whiff because Arakune's not there anymore, but don't expect this to happen often. Chances are, you'll want to wait until curse sets in to start using this as the combo staple it's meant to be.

6C > 5C

Version Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
6C > 5C 1000 414 85 89 27 2 13+19 -17 Click!

The first rekka of his 6C, in curse, when 6C is done point blank on a emergency tech, this attack will cross up and reset the opponent, other than this little tidbit, it's simply combo filler. Leads into good damage if you can land it standalone though.

6C > 5C > 2C

Version Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
6C > 5C > 2C 1000 414 85 89 27 2 13+19 -17 Click!

The last rekka of the whole story of 6C. A combo finisher pre-curse, more of the same in curse.

3C

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
800 331 100 60 26 3 37 -21 Click!

Just about the worst move in Arakune's arsenal. No practical use pre-curse, no practical use in curse, terrible on block, hard to confirm, terrible recovery, simply put, this move shouldn't be used unless you KNOW it's going to hit. You can try to get lucky vs zoners or careless players, but the risk outweighs the reward greatly. Seriously, dodge this move.

j.A

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
300 124 80 90 7 1 16 -- Click!

Main air to air, more combo filler otherwise. Its hitbox is good for a regular j.a. That's basically it. It is easier to pick up on from Counter Hit.

j.B

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
220×5 91×5 90 85 10 3×5 21 -- Click!

Arakune best move precurse, j.b is his best offensive method after a jump or air dash, a good air to ground in general, can lead into any BnB Arakune has and is also small combo filler for a few of his air combos. You're not playing Arakune right if you're not massively overusing j.b in some way. The proper usage of it is to air dash, hold 4, and press j.b (also known as j.4B). Although that technique can be done with any air command that doesn't offer its own trajectory, j.b is the most practical in neutral. As awesome as it is pre-curse, it has almost no use during curse.

j.C

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
700 289 90 89 12 2 20 -- Click!

J.C is a Fatal Counter. This does nothing during curse, pre-curse it's a half decent throw bait that can go into 100% curse. Other than that, it's combo filler, the hitbox nerf it got from CS1, makes j.b required for j.c to land in some range specific situations. You can also alter the trajectory of where Arakune bounces once the attack connects, using 4, 5, or 6 for backward, neutral and forward momentum. This is important for Arakune's new dive loops. During curse, j.c becomes a scary mix-up tool, it's an instant overhead for one, for two it can be also used as a cross up overhead, which creates a realm of fear for the opponent, it deals big combo damage if it connects. Scary in the corner as well.

j.6A/B/C

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
600 248 80 85 13/14/15 3/4/5 13/14 -- Click!

The "bird", this attack lunges Arakune forward at a fixed trajectory, which differs depending on which version you use (a, b, or c), each version makes you travel further and provides more active frames, but there is more start up and recovery the further you go. It has its uses as abare and combo filler pre-curse, and combo filler/corner carry during curse. Not a bad move. With high execution, you can use it for pressure against certain characters on the ground by using j.6x > jc > j.4B.

j.6A/B/C

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
600 248 80 92 21 Till Landing 21 After Landing -- Click!

The Dive. It hasn't been the same since CT, because of its recovery, it's terrible pre-curse, unless used for combos, which required decent execution to do anyway. During curse, it's a combo staple/guard crusher. Also used to set up the unblockable. A and C versions have the same frame data, but the trajectory is different. J.2A has forward movement, j.2C has backwards movement.

j.6A/B/C

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
600 248 80 92 22 Till Landing 22 After Landing -- Click!

The B version, a few differences frame data-wise, the trajectory is straight down at a bit of a backwards angle.

Counter Assault

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
0 0 100 100, 86 4 2 22 -- Click!

Arakune's Counter Assault, it's not bad, since it can go into 100% curse with 50 meter, it does nothing but give you breathing space without meter, which is standard for a Counter Assault, but Arakune is one of the few characters who can combo off of it, even if it's only with meter. The down side, it's a grab and therefore breakable, so be sure it's a counter throw.

Drive Moves

5D

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
480 198 100 85 17 18 44 -43 Click!

5D is a combo staple, and it can also be used as a half baked oki technique. The former is the most practical, it marginally safe on block due to the jump cancel and has good hitstun on normal and frighteningly good hitstun on CH, but whatever you do, don't whiff this move, the recovery will leave you vulnerable enough for a Fatal Counter to hit you. 5D adds 40% curse meter on hit; 17% on block.

A good 6A can set up a clean hit into this, but is best done as part of a mix-up, given 6B's relatively slow startup.

2D

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
400, 520 165, 215 90 84 19 11, (15) 12 Total 46F 12 Off first hit Click!

2D doesn't have any real use as far as combos go, that went the way of clouds having a hitbox, it's a half decent zoning tool that doesn't even combo into itself unless it's on crouching CH and with specific spacing. Don't use it point blank. Its best use is getting blue beat curse meter if the opponent refuses to emergency tech a combo, but that's it. 2D adds 12.5% curse meter per hit, on hit; 8.3 per hit, on block.

6D

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
560, 880 231, 0 100 89 14, 38 16, 147 19 -18 Click!

6D received a nice buff from CS2, now Arakune has a headbutt that knocks the opponent into the bell bug. The bell bug is still used as a zoning tool, but if it hits, it knocks down and forces emergency tech, this changes the scope of his combos a little to get optimal curse meter. Still bad on whiff though. While the bug is active, if Arakune is hit or blocks an attack, it will vanish. 6D adds 40% curse meter on hit; 17% on block.

A well-timed 2C can cancel into this, giving Arakune some decent spacing while also building meter, pre-curse.

j.D

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
500 207 70 80 34 3 7F After Landing +8 off lowest possible height Click!

Another interesting move, j.d is a combo ender for most of Arakune's pre-curse combos and a semi-scary zoning tool that adds 100% curse up close on normal or CH (not on air hit). You can change where the bug is summoned using different commands for directional input (j.4D, j.2D, j.3d and j.6D).J.d adds 30% curse meter on hit; 15% on block.


Curse Bugs

Once the curse gauge reaches 100%, it's time to summon bugs, these bugs change the entire scope of Arakune's combo potential, creating a variety of options off of the simplest hits. Although powerful, they are not invincible, as all bugs vanish if Arakune takes a hit, and there is a cooldown between re-summoning each type of bug. The fun stops when the Curse gauge depletes, which is about 14 game seconds after it starts. Do what you can during that time, with good execution, you'll be happy with the outcome.

BBCS Arakune BugDiagram.png

Hold left or right when summoning to shift the bug's trajectory.

A Bug

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
220 45 75 90 2 -- -- -- Click!

The combo starter bug, most basic curse set ups involve the a bug in some way. It bounces in from behind Arakune and flies away once it hits the ground. Vanishes if contact is made with anything that's not the stage floor, Arakune, or its fellow bugs. It's really good on block and hit, easy to confirm into a combo, it pulls the opponent in as well, so that's an "up yours" to those who rely on barrier blocking. 60 Frame cooldown after input means that in a tight window, more than one A bug can be on screen at once, the easiest bug to spam, and the most effective at it too.

B Bug

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
200×3 41×3 75 80 (once) 5 -- -- -- Click!

This a pressure/oki bug, decent block stun and forces emergency tech during a combo, another staple to the unblockable reset. It flies down at a 45 degree angle from behind Arakune. Arakune's fastest bug in terms of projectile speed. 85 Frame cooldown after bug disappears.

C Bug

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
650 134 75 95 40 24 -- -- Click!

The Combo staple of combo staples, the C bug is there for it all, good for everything, zoning, pressure, combos, set ups, and even the unblockable reset. It comes out of the ground hungry and has 40 frames of hitstop which virtually adds to the block stun, hit stun and the start up frames to any counter assaults your opponent attempts. The awesome comes at a price of absurdly slow start up and 97 Frame cooldown after it goes away.

D Bug

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
150xN, 500 31xN, 103 70 90 (once) 1 1×96(33)76 -- -- Click!

Your second bread and butter for combos and another important tool in the unblockable reset. The D bug comes straight down from above, burrows into the ground, giving hard knockdown, then launches as an air unblockable, primer-breaking moth. Second hit has bonus proration and there is no cooldown after the bug disappears from the screen.


Throws

Ground Throw

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
0, 1700 0, 703 90 100, 55 7 3 19 -- Click!

The ground throw, nice damage and decent range, the only real use for this is to go into his Distortion Drive for some damage and curse meter. That said, meterless, there is no practical use for it outside of just getting some damage out.

Air Throw

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
0, 1400 0, 579 100 100, 55 7 3 15 -- Click!

The air throw. It's hard to use now, if the circumstance are right you can get 30% curse at the least, 80% with good execution. It's wonky and inconsistent, but they can fall into a cloud or you can use j.236C. Its use is not as good as it once was.

Special Moves

Equals Zero

236B

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
-- -- -- -- -- -- 30F total -- Click!

This move makes Arakune viturally invisible, good when being sneaky during evasion, or being sneaky during curse pressure. Invisibility lasts until Arakune makes any hitbox/hurtbox contact with a projectile or opposing character. Pretty good.

Zero Vector

j.236D

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
-- -- -- -- 30 400 Total 46F -- Click!

The infamous cloud. The type of cloud is random between a homing cloud, a cloud that hovers above the opponent and a cloud that hovers around Arakune. Now, when you summon a new cloud, you're never going to get the same cloud in a row, so that's a good addition. Adds 30% curse on contact with opponent, vanishes if Arakune is thrown, hit, if Arakune summons another cloud or its active frame reaches its limit.

Y-Two Dash

j.236C

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
200×8 124×8 100 90 (once) 11 3×8 11F After Landing -- Click!

The "Spin" or "Wheel", this move is 100% combo staple, pre-curse and during curse. It's good for corner carry when used with j.6A/b/c. Don't use it more than once in a combo, repeat move proration. It also breaks a primer on block, which has very few uses. Still not a bad move. Decent abare when you're trying to cover your opponent's air movements.

If p then q

214A/B/C

Version Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
214A -- -- -- -- -- -- 48F total -- Click!
214B -- -- -- -- -- -- 56F total -- Click!
214C -- -- -- -- -- -- 85F total -- Click!
j.214A -- -- -- -- -- -- 46F total -- Click!
j.214B -- -- -- -- -- -- 54F total -- Click!
j.214C -- -- -- -- -- -- 44F total -- Click!

Arakune's various command teleports, each version (air and ground versions included) puts him in a different spot after he teleports.

  • 214A looks like a forward jump and puts Arakune directly below where he teleported
  • 214B looks like a neutral jump and puts Arakune one character space ahead where you performed the input.
  • 214C looks like a forward dash and puts Arakune right back where you performed the input.
  • j.214A looks like a forward double jump and puts Arakune one character space ahead of where he teleported.
  • j.214B looks like a neutral double jump and puts Arakune directly below where he teleported.
  • j.214C looks like a forward air dash and puts Arakune directly below where you performed the input.

When it comes to these move, use of them is up to the player, but it's good for evasion pre-curse and good for cross ups and positioning during curse. Be careful when using them, you can get punished hard if the opponent sees the teleport coming. Sometimes you'll get it just because the circumstance was against your favor.

Wall Teleport

j.44 When backed to a wall

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
-- -- -- -- -- -- Total 47 -- Click!

Arakune's last and most annoying command teleport, when you are at a wall (either screen parameters or in the corner), air dash back and Arakune will warp from one wall to the other. Good when you're cornered pre curse, good for a fast fullscreen approach and cross up during curse. Don't get careless about this move, it takes 25 frames for the teleport to happen, that's plenty of time to get hit in most circumstances. Use this move wisely.


Distortion Drives

F-Inverse

236236C

Version Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
body 640 0 80 92 5+2 108 33 -122 Click!
laser 90×35 0 80 99×35 5+5 3×35 -- -- Click!

Arakune first and most practical Distortion Drive, used as a combo ender during curse, combo filler after a throw pre-curse and a pre-curse wake up DP. The latter being the least practical and very risky to do. It's an awkward DP since the range it covers is strictly vertical, unlike most other Distortions which have horizontal range, that said, it can't be used like them, still good though. Chains well after a ground throw. But do not miss; it's highly punishable, leaving you open to a free counter-assault.

F of G

j.214214D

Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
400×14 0 80 92, 84×12, 10 20+5 15 32F After landing -27 Click!

Arakune's air Distortion Drive, made useful in CS2, now due to its new properties, it can be combo'd into, adding 100% curse on hit. Pretty much any combo that ends with j.d can be replaced with this move if you have the heat and appropriate lack of curse meter to make this move necessary. It's also good at catching AA attempts, punishing the opponent's confidence with 14 seconds of fun. Don't whiff this move, or have them block it, it's pretty bad on block and whiff, like j.d, it leaves Arakune vulnerable until he lands. It also has somewhat poor tracking, often bested by your opponent merely dashing or jumping forward/back.

Astral Heat

N-Infinity

632146D

Version Damage Heat Gain P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Adv Hitbox
1 bounce death -- -- -- 5+216 250 117 -- Click!
3 bounce death -- -- -- 5+236 163(65)126(65)127 178 -- Click!
horizontal death -- -- -- 5+246 66(153)66 94 -- Click!
vertical death -- -- -- 5+113 79(53)76(53)76 121 -- Click!

There's a reason you don't see this move. Due to its random trajectories, this move is one of the least practical Astrals you could ever attempt. There are ways to combo into it, but it's only during curse, and only in certain spots with a specific trajectory that you can't even pick. On the other hand, it's troll. Breaks all primers, destroys barrier, and of course, instant death.

Strategy

The general idea of Arakune is to be passive-aggressive pre-curse, and crazy as hell during curse.

Offense

Offensively, your best friends are going to be j.b and 5a, these are your main pokes. 6a only when you condition them right. 5a > 2a is good for mix up, jump cancel when you need to, most of Arakune's attacks are jump cancellable. With good execution, rising j.b > j.4b (rising j.b > IAD > j.4b) is excellent for pressure and is one of Arakune's most dangerous pre-curse mix up. Outside of that, Arakune's offensive front is kinda weak pre-curse, but once you have curse, you're the prom queen and the world loves you. You get the opponent to block (or get it), and you go into a curse set up, then a curse combo, from there, depending on a few factors, say opponent has low health, if you are or are not running low on curse meter, you can go into a DD or attempt a reset or if they are in the corner, do the unblockable reset. Arakune's overall offense is a mix of these two.

Defense

Arakune's defense is weak. No DP, no reliable AA, a nerfed backdash, when it comes to Arakune's defense, the name of the game is evasion, do what you can to avoid having to block anything, use your command teleports, back dash, forward dash, wall teleport, all this, use the distance to set up your zoning game. When it comes down to it, you have to know how to block, learn what you can IB > backdash or punish.

Combos

Notations

> = Next notation of attack
j. = jump.attack
sj. = Super Jump.attack
DC = Dive Cancel
RC = Rapid Cancel
IAD = Instant Air Dash
(N) = Only use the Nth attack of the move (for example, if j.b(2) is written, you only use the first two hits of j.b)
(text) = Whatever's listed in the parentheses is optional
Blue text = Opponent must be crouching for combo to work
Red text = Requires 50 heat in order to use the combo
Green text = Combo is character specific; check the notes to see who it works on
Yellow text = Fatal Counter combo
[*c] = close/point blank confirm, relative to the hitbox of the attack
[*m] = midrange confirm, relative to the hitbox of the attack
[*f] = long range confirm, relative to the hitbox of the attack

Pre-curse

Midscreen
30% Curse
5a > 6b > j.6d
6a > 6b > j.6d
j.b+c > j/9 > j.c > j.d
[*m] 5c > j.a > j.b (2) > j.c > j.d
[*m] 5c > j.a > j.b (2) > j.c > j.d
40% Curse
2a > 5b > 5d
6a > 5d
[*f] (5a) 2a > 2c > 6d
[*c] 5a > 2a > 5b > 5d
70% Curse
2a > 5b > 5d > IAD j.a > j.4b > 5a > 6b > j.6d
Counter Assault > 236236c > 5d > sj.a > j.c > j.d
j.b+c > j/9 > j.c > [j.2a or j.2b] DC 5d > sj.a > j.c > j.d
80% Curse
5c > j.aa > j.c > j.2a > DC 5d > sj.a > j.c > j.2a > DC 2c > 6d
j.b+c > j/9 > j.c > [j.2a or j.2b] DC 5d > sj.a > j.c > j.2a > DC 2c > 6d
100% Curse
6a > 5d > IAD j.4aa > 2a > 5b > 5d > IAD j.4aa > 6b > j.6d
2c > delay RC 5d > sj.a > j.c > j.2a > DC 5d > sj.a > j.c > j.d
5c > 5d > sj.a > j.b (2 hits) > [j.4c > j.2a or j.c > j.3b] > DC 5d > sj.aa > j.b (2 hits) > j.c > j.d
j.c > j.214c > 5d > sj.a > j.b (2 hits) > [j.4c > j.2a or j.c > j.3b] > DC 5d > sj.aa > j.b (2 hits) > j.c > j.d
a+b+c+d (Gold Burst) > walk forward > 5d > sj.a > j.c > j.1a > DC 5d > sj.a > j.c > j.d
Near Corner
100% Curse
5a > 6b > IAD > J.2a > DC 6b > IAD j.d > 5d > J.a > J.c > J.d
Corner
100% Curse
5a > 6b > IAD j.6d > 6b > IAD j.6d > 5d

Curse Combos

Before you lay the smackdown of their candy asses, you need to mix them up and confirm into a curse combo. Since CS1, Negative Edging (abbreviated at NE) is not as important to Arakune's gameplay as it was in CT, most set ups can be done with little to no NE'ing, but there will be times when it might be necessary, either to zone, do a combo or to do a set up. Whenever you see [brackets] in the notation, that means to NE the bug. If you see ]reverse brackets[ in the notation, that is telling you to do a different command (4/5/6) and press the given button (or release it if you're NE'ing) while the recovery of a different attack is taking place (Ex. 4b > ]5cd[ ). Once you hop in training mode, you'll get the timing of NE and releasing down. The time when the bug hits will be indicated directly in the notations for instance, take the first combo. [6a > 5cd > c bug > d bug 1/2] You would have to press D during 5c, even though nothing happens immediately, you are actually summoning the d bug, which hits later in the combos, since the d bug has two individual times of connecting with the opponent, it's broken down to "d bug 1", when the d bug if descending, and "d bug 2", when it takes flight. When you see "d bug" without numbers, that assumes that the entire d bug does it's thing without anything in between.

To understand mix ups to their fullest potential, refer to the gatling table in the frame data

Curse Combo

[j.236[cd] > delay release 6cd > 6c bug > 6d bug] > [6c > 5c > 3c > tap d > 6c bug > d bug] > [j.2acd > a bug > c bug > d bug] > [*6a > 5c > j.a > j.c > j.d]

Brackets 1-3 can be done in any order

[j.236[cd] > delay release 6cd > 6c bug > walk backwards > 6d bug] > [6c > 5c > 3c > tap 6d > 6c bug > 6d bug] > [j.3acd > 6a bug > 6c bug > 6d bug] > [*6a > 5c > j.a > j.c > j.d]

Corner Version. Brackets 1-3 can be done in any order
*This is the combo finisher and it can consist of whatever you want, if you want to replenish you curse gauge, here is a good time to do so, but if the combo consisted of bugs while curse was active, then the gauge caps at 50%. If a combo starts because bugs hit after curse became inactive, there is no cap. If their health is low, you can finish the combo with 6a > 5c > 236236c > 236236c.
Curse Set Ups

6a > 6a bug > 5cd > c bug > d bug

3aa > 6a bug > 5cd > c bug > d bug

2b > b bug > 5cd > c bug > d bug

4b > ]5cd[ > b bug > c bug > d bug

2[c] > ]6cd[ > 6c bug > 6d bug

Won't work max range. Close/mid range only.

3aa > 6a bug > 2[c] > ]6cd[ > 6c bug > 6d bug

[blocked 6acd] > j.c > j.1b

Corner Only

Watch these videos for a demonstration of a few of these and more.

Resets & Etc

Re-curse

If you have 100 heat after curse ends, you can also perform a re-curse. Re-curse is very difficult, you end the combo with 6b > j.214214d > RC j.b (all hits). The scaling on j.b forces them to get out of the stagger early, but due to the properties of f.g, being unblockable once it hits, it resets the combo counter and does 100% curse.

Unblockable reset

Bear in mind that although this video is CS2 footage, it is still applicable in CSE, noteworthy differences is the guard primer breaking, which only removes 2 primers instead of 3.


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