Kid Buu (DBZ:B3)

Introduction

Kid Buu's high damage combined with his ability to be very aggressive with multiple charges in his strings and high Baseline Ki, makes him one of the top characters in B3. He has more reach than nearly all characters but has the slowest starter in B3 which means you need an understanding of your opponents starters to be most effective. Kid Buu doesn't have any defensive starters nor can he interupt strings as well as other characters with dodge-counters. Kid Buu doesn't have many disadvantages, but the few he has hurt him a lot and can be exploited if you don't acknowledge them and work around them.

Pros and Cons

Pros Great damage Great Baseline Ki of 6 Great combo platform Great mind-games Great reach Good throw Good capsule set-ups

Cons Very weak defensive play Slowest starters

Strategy

Move List Breakdown

P
Understand that Kid Buu is a rather slow long ranged fighter despite what so many people think of him. P is Kid Buu's fastest starter at rank 6 which makes him horrible at close range defensively but it has good reach for it's speed at 25 pts. LEARN TO POKE WITH PP. Against a majority of the character's, P at more than 20 pts works really well. Majin Buu(P), Cooler(P), Piccolo(>P), Cell(>P), Dabura(>P), Android 16(>P), Omega Shenron(>P), Super Buu (P), Saibamen(P) and Cell Jr.(P) all have a starter that is either the same reach or has more reach than Kid Buu's P but is also faster. All other character's are either even in speed at 25 or more pts or slower.

PP actually has a very very small stun window that allows you to delay after PP and continue with another PP which will combo or cancel PPP- and combo into >P or >K or <E. So if PP hits cancel with PPP- then combo. If you delay after PP and continue with the string you can cancel PPPPP- which also has a small stun window like PPP-. This means you can combo after a blocked PP(delay)PP that counters an opponents attempt to attack. After PPP-, PP>P- and PPPP>P you have frame advantage.

If PP is blocked, you can cancel PPP- then poke with P or use PP>PP- which moves you back a little. You can delay and continue the string with PP(delay)PP which results in the same situation after PP only you're now closer to the opponent. This allows you to interrupt any counter attempt. If PPPP is blocked then cancel with PPPP>P- which should put you in throw range or buffer a back dash or block or cancel into P or >K. You can also use the delay method with PP>P. PP>P stuns on CH (counterhit). Only the >P must hit for the stun, for example, after a blocked PP you proceed to go into PP>P but delay the >P or charge the >P and let go for the CH. It's safe if you cancel PP>PP-. This gives opponents more to look for after PP poking. Even better though, is that this could lead to more damaging combos, opposed to PP(delay)PP>P- combos. Also, PP(delay)>P is better than PP(delay)PP because it doesn't put you at close range. (>PP and P>P also stun on CH but aren't as useful as PP>P). PP>P- also puts you close enough to cancel into throw from max range, opposed to PPP-. The animation of the attack has Kid Buu close enough to land a throw, but if you let it hit a blocking opponent then you are pushed back out. PP>P also stuns if fully charged opponents who aren't blocking. You can also use PP<P which nullifies and stuns but doesn't combo. If you land PP<P then continue the string PP<PPPP* then combo.

I wouldn't recommend using PPPP>P* too much in combos. It looks nice but has funny properties and doesn't stun at times. On block, however, the >P* in PPPP>P* is safe and safe against dodge-counter. It leaves you very close but you have frame advantage. Here you can buffer a back dash during the last input of the string and dash away from retaliation. This tactic can get you back out in a more comfortable Kid Buu range if PPPP is blocked. But this tactic can be beaten by dodge-counter. I'm not sure if you can react to a dodge and decide whether you should block or back dash, I doubt you can wait and still get the quick back dash. The >P* in PPPP>P* can be charged, which you already should know, but it doesn't nullify. However, you can release the charge and probably beat all counter attempts with >P* having amazing speed. If the counter attempt nullifies then you would most likely trade hits since >P* hits multiple times in a short time. If it's #18's <P then you may get juggled if hits don't trade. But it's still a guessing situation for the opponent since PPPP>P* can be canceled, is safe on block, >P* is fast and can beat anything that doesn't nullify. Charging the last hit of the string (if you have conditioned your opponent to not attack while you are charging) gives you a safe way to back dash buffer since they have to look out for more threatining offensive options (fully charged/early release while still being safe/throw).

P>PPPP* stuns and nullifies but could get predictable. PPPP>P is a good string and PP is an even better poke that stuns so deceivingly, so USE IT. Kid Buu has two infinites from P, PKK^ and PPPPP^, PKK^'s damage scales down slower so it's recommended over PPPPP^. Last note, PPPPE and P>PPPPE lead to Kamehameha and Vanishing Ball.

>P
<P
K
>K
<K
Other

Match-Ups

Kid Buu vs. Close range
Kid Buu vs. Mid range
Kid Buu vs. Long range
Specifics

Combos

1 Ki gain
1.5 Ki gain
2 Ki gain
2.5 Ki gain

Reset Combos

2 Ki gain
2.5 Ki gain