Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge/Demitri Maximoff

Introduction

A good character for people looking for someone "familiar", due to his "shoto-style" gameplay basics.

Moves List

Normal Moves

Demitri's dash (toward and back) causes him to teleport a short distance. At any point in the dash, he can perform a special or super, but cannot do any normal attacks.

-Standing Normal Frame Data -

Name	State	Startup	Hit adv	Blk adv	Buff	Blk pos
Jab	Close	-	-	-	-	-
	Far	5	+5	+3	y	H/L
Strong	Close	7	-2	-4	y	H/L
	Far	8	-3	-5	n	H/L
Fierce	Close	9	-7	-9	y	H/L
	Far	10	-5	-7	n	H/L
Short	Close	-	-	-	-	-
	Far	6	+4	+2	y	H/L
Forward	Close	7	-5	-7	y	H/L
	Far	8	-8	-10	n	H/L
Roundhouse	Close	-	-	-	-	-
	Far	11	-4	-6	n	H/L

Standing LP - a simple poke, quick but will whiff over crouching opponents.

Standing MP - a decent poke but will whiff over crouching opponents.

Standing close MP - good for in close combos and is relatively safe.

Standing HP - Demitri's longest reaching standing poke, hits a little bit lower standing MP but again will whiff over many low attacks.

Standing close HP - good for in close combos ending with a Chaos Flare. Can be used as an anti-air but he has faster options. Use HP for his throw, you will get this move in case the opponent jumps away from your throw attempt and thus will hit them out of their jump.

Standing LK - a very short range kick best used for tick throw attempts.

Standing MK - a great anti-air from a far, large hit box and good range, plus it's quick. However, it will whiff on crouching opponents

Standing close MK - Very similar to standing close MP but not as safe, however it can result in slightly more damage.

Standing HK - another long range poke, with a better tendency to hit crouching opponents but not as safe as standing HP.

Crouching LP - a good poke and way to start a chain combo.

Crouching MP - similar to the crouching LP but more damage and range

Crouching HP - outside of chain combos this should never be used as it cannot be cancelled and is just not safe at all.

Crouching LK - hits low, so good for starting combos off a low attack but crouching LP has more range.

Crouching MK - hits low, good range so great for a blocked Chaos Flare string.

Crouching HK - Demitri's sweep with great range, possibly his best punisher when afar and you have no meter

Jumping LP - A decent jump in that can link to Jumping HP

Jumping MP - Good for starting jump-in combos

Jumping HP - Demitri's air-to-air go to attack. This move has enough priority and range to knock almost any other jumping attack out of the air. Be careful, his legs are completely vulnerable. Therefore use this only as an air-to-air or in jumping links.

Jumping LK - a kick that comes out at a steep angle, not entirely useful.

Jumping MK - one of Demitri's best jumping attacks, covers a good distance in front of him, good for jump-in combos and it can cross-up

Jumping HK - Good to use against cornered opponents, back to back due to its hitting arc. Good damage, but overall a slow jump-in attack that is not recommended for starting combos.

Special Moves

Chaos Flare: QCF + P (useable in air) [ES]
This is Demitri's fireball. You can only combo into the MP and HP versions from medium and or hard attacks. This projectile moves rather fast and helps control space.

The ES version throws a slightly larger fireball that does multiple hits and results in a knock down. If this move hits an airborne opponent in the corner it does put them in a limited juggle state. If you do not juggle it will result in a standard knock down. Unfortunately you cannot combo into the ES Chaos Flare. It it best used for his limited juggles, punishing moves from afar and to winning projectile wars. Be careful this move whiffs at point blank range. With that said there is no reason to use this close - stick to using a regular Chaos Flare behind a blocked normal. The ES version is a few frames slower on start-up but much safer on a block.

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Demon Cradle: F, D, DF + P (Guard Reversal) [ES]
Essentially this is Demitri's own Shoryuken based attack. This move is Demitri's bread and butter for anti-airs. However it is not completely invincible. It is prone to trading hits. Mix it up use standing close HP and standing MK for anti-air as well. Whiffing a few LP Demon Cradle's from max range is an OK strategy for building bar, put them in between your Chaos Flares to achieve this. The strength used won't affect the damage output but the height, invincibility and recovery of the attack. With that said stay away from using the HP version, unless you think you really need the extra height. On a connected hit, the HP Demon Cradle can still be risky if the opponent tech rolls. You can perform this move during his dash, resulting in the Demon Cradle flying at an upwards angle. You can use the Demon Cradle in two-in-one's and that is it, with one other exception. Demon Cradle will not combo from a standing close HP. This special has such a narrow hit box, therefore a jump-in to attack would push you out of range from connecting with a Demon Cradle.

ES Version can be a better substitute for reversals and anti-airs due to its higher priority. It still carries the problematic combo draw back. This moves does more damage and more hits, but when comboed into many hits will whiff. In the end do not combo into this ES at mid-screen, a two-in-one into a normal Demon Cradle will actually do more damage. Two-in-one to ES Demon Cradle against a cornered opponent will work.

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Bat Spin: QCB + K (useable in air) [ES]
Demitri teleports and re-appears back in the air drilling the opponent with his cape. This is an odd and peculiar move, as some will call it his Hurricane Kick maneuver. Due to the bounce-back on a block or hit it can be risky, with the opponent hitting you with their quickest/longest poke as you recover. It can be used to punish certain moves from a distance, especially due to its slight invincibility. The LK version goes a 1/3rd of the screen. MK versions travels roughly half of the screen. HK version travels roughly less than full-screen. Memorize these distances and use them to pursue your opponent. Demitri has one of the fastest pursuit attacks but keep in mind pursuit attacks can be evaded. Once in a while after a knock down use you a Bat Spin to get back into close range and keep your opponent pressured. By missing, Demitri essentially recovers right away when he touches the ground. You can throw one out after a fireball to keep the pressure on your opponent. If you do make sure to hit from as far as possible. If you hit as close as possible you will strike the opponent in the head, leaving more hang time until you land and recover. All around risky but a good move if you need that last chip damage to secure a win. You have to be random with this move during you dashes, jump-ins and block strings to keep your opponent guessing when and where you are going to appear. Cancel a blocked jumping attack once in while to throw the opponent off. But always bare in mind the riskiness of this move.

ES version has the same distance of the LK version but results in more damage and hits. This version does have a few less frames on invincibility. ES Bat Spin will keep you close the opponent and give you a small window of advantage to link another attack. Therefore, you can combo off of this ES move. By being kept closer and no re-coil, the ES version is slightly safer, you may even attempt a block string or walk-up throw if blocked. At the same time this move, like the other is open to Guard Reversal punishment. More people will be prone to Guard Reversal this to get you back since the normal Bat Spin can be easily punished with just a poke after block.

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Negative Stolen: Close, 360 + MP or HP

Demitri's own Spinning Pile Driver. This move does slightly more damage than Demitri's normal throw and cannot be teched like a normal throw. In addition, it leaves the opponent knocked down further away then his normal throw.

Super Moves

Midnight Pleasure: D, F, DF + PP
Demitri travels forward a small distance for a bite and combo super. Can be done off of a dash to surprise an opponent, but be careful not to overshoot and miss them. This move is unblockable and is a 1-frame start-up super. This is best used in mix-ups off of hit or blocked normals, especially jump-ins. Midnight Pleasure can be used as a substitute in usual tick throw mix-up's, resulting in big damage and a pursuit attack.

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Demon Blast: D, F, DF + KK
Demitri morphs into his demon form and fires bats off of his body at the opponent. It does have alot of invincibility on start-up. Good to counter opponents who empty jump to attack. It is basically a projectile super and is best used when outside of range for his Midnight Pleasure. At the same time this super has tons of start-up, so you have to suspect an attack you can counter. One notable use is also for projectile wars, for it will beat all fireballs when at mid-screen and give you a pursuit attack. Plus, due to its larger hit boxes you have a higher chance of hitting opponents who can maneuver around his Chaos Flares, resulting in more damage/chip damage.

The Basics

A core of Demitri's game should revolve around keep-away with Chaos Flares, mix up the strengths and throw out an air one every now and then for good measure. Dash in from time to time to throw off the opponent with a Demon Cradle if you anticipate a jump or use a Bat Spin. A Bat Spin behind a Chaos Flare is a good measure for applying pressure and causing some chip damage. Save your bar for his Midnight Pleasure and ES Pursuit follow-up. This will do about 40% damage. Some set-ups include

-Standing close HP, Chaos Flare (MP/HP) (hit), dash-in Midnight Pleasure. (It's important that the two-in-one hits, because the Chaos Flare will give you a healthy amount of frame advantage and when done correctly, the opponent will be coming right out of hit stun as your super connects.)

-Any jump-in attack (hit or blocked), land and Midnight Pleasure

-Jumping MK (cross-up), land and Midnight Pleasure. (This can be tricky since you have to remember to reverse your motion as you land, but it will throw the opponent off quite well.)

-Any of his cancellable standing or crouching normals (blocked or not).

-ES Bat Spin (blocked or hit), land and Midnight Pleasure (The ES Bat Spin gives you a good amount of time hit or blocked to follow-up. This set-up will require more bar. It should be noted landing this with a ES Bat Spin that hits will do more damage than the link crouching LP, crouching HK chain-combo follow-up. It just depends if you want to use your bar for this set-up or not or save it for other things.)

Of course you can use bar for ES Chaos Flares, but outside of the juggle its use ain't that great since you cannot confirm it and opponents can maneuver around it just as easy as the normal version. It's not a bad idea to have some bar every now and then for a ES Demon Cradle, since the normal has a tendency to trade hits alot and this will give you more priority and invincibility. A ES Bat Spin is not recommended since you have to get the positioning right to successfully land it.

Combos

Crouching LP, Crouching LK, Crouching HP, Crouching HK (4 hits, 21% damage)

Standing LK, Standing MP, Standing MK, Crouching HK (4 hits, 26% damage)

When the opponent is in the corner, Standing close MK, ES Demon Cradle (8 hits, 35% damage)

ES Bat Spin, link Crouching LP, Crouching HK (12 hits, 49% damage)

Advanced Strategy

Instant Dashing Demon Cradle

It isn't the easiest thing in the world but gives you an edge in keeping opponents out and landing combos you normally wouldn't especially with the ES version. To this simply do a normal Demon Cradle motion (F, D, DF) and return the stick to neutral than hit F and wait a split second and press any punch. The timing on this is not easy and takes plenty of timing and practice.

Instant Air Chaos Flare

By doing a TK motion (D, DF, F, UF) with punch you can do an instant air Chaos Flare from the ground. Use this after throwing a regular Chaos Flare to further control space and to help you in landing his corner juggle combo.

ES Chaos Flare Corner Juggle

As mentioned above, you can juggle a jumping opponent who is in the corner with your ES Chaos Flare. The ES Chaos Flare has the tendency to miss one or two of its 3 hits on a jumping opponent which puts the opponent into a juggle state. If all 3 hits connect then it will result in a standard knockdown. The cap on this is 3 hits. Meaning ff you hit with one ES Chaos Flare for 2 hits, then you can hit with another one that will hit only once and result in a knock down. You may hit with 3 ES Chaos Flares if they all only connect for 1 hit each. You may also follow up and juggle with a Demon Cradle (preferably a normal one because the ES version will hit only once and result in lesser damage and wasted bar), a normal Chaos Flare or a Bat Spin (though this is difficult and not worth using). However, juggling after the initial ES Chaos Flare (1-hit) with any of these options will result in a knock-down, regardless of the 3 hit cap because all have no properties to keep the juggle going. Each character is different in their hit box and jumping arc. It is easy to juggle Victor and Hutizil with three ES Chaos Flares. Whereas the rest of the cast you will normally get a juggle with two ES Chaos Flares. There are two exceptions - Felicia cannot be juggled at all - 1 hit will result in knock down and there is no cap for L. Raptor - resulting in an infinite/100% damage combo. Don't think that because of the hits whiffing you will result in less damage than usual. The juggle will actually do more damage than a normal ES Chaos Flare hitting a standing opponent. Roughly it will be 25% more damage.

Match-ups

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