The King of Fighters 2003/Ash

Introduction

「　Ash Crimson　」

Ash is a cross-range character that specializes in long to mid-range zoning with his [b~f+A] Pluviôse, and his [b+B] Floréal, while baiting the opponent into a roll or jump for punishment.

He lacks reliable source of damage, since his BnB does about 8%, and his only reliable stock combo does about 20%.

Ash also lacks teamwork tools, as he can properly setup only for air MSCs, and his 2 methods for doing so, [hcf+C Vendemiaire(anywhere)] and [qcfx2+P Thermidor(corner, usually from a frame trap)] are not reliable either. When summoned to finish the MSC himself, Ash can only do decent damage at corner[qcfx2+P Thermidor x1~5 loop], but the cost may be a bit too high for the possible resulting damage.

As a leader, Ash cannot get advantage of his LDM Sans-Culotte, since activation does not allows juggles, and he gains more weaknesses than advantages. Refer to its section in this guide for more information.

Data

Crouch Height: Low

Multi-Shift Attack Juggle: Normal

Stand	Crouch	Run

Colors

Movelist

	Hitbox			Notes
Close Standing
				Takes some time to activate(although less than cl.st.B), making it a better choice to combo into hcf+C than dw.B and dw.A, since these are so fast, and buffering from these often makes the last hit of hcf+C out of range. Whiffs on crouchers, but in case you are comboing into hcf+C this is a good thing, since the last hit of hcf+C also whiffs on crouchers if cancelled, and in case you combo into it against a crouching character from starting the combo with cl.st.B, this will leave you open for a punish.
				Takes even more time to activate than cl.st.A, making it easier to combo into hcf+C, but it is not advised to use this move to do so since it connects on crouchers, while the last hit of hcf+C does not; if it actually combos on a croucher, last hit of hcf+C will leave you open for a punish.
				Optional, more damaging combo starter for qcfx2+K.
				Meaty. Useful for corner frame traps.
Far Standing
				Standart anti-hop tool. In case the opponent hops into close range, cl.st.A will come out, which can also anti-hop, unlike cl.st.B.
				Optional anti-hop. Not advised since the opponent getting into close range will result in cl.st.B coming out, which will fail on hoppers.
				Optional anti-hop. Takes too long to recover, although not as much as st.D. Whiffs on most crouchers, except big characters.
				Optional anti-hop. Unlike st.C, it whiffs only on Malin. Good diagonal range, but takes too long to come out and recover.
Crouching
				Standart combo filler into d~u+K Nivôse and qcfx2+K Pluviôse. Faster than dw.B.
				Optional combo filler into d~u+K Nivôse and qcfx2+K Pluviôse. Slower than dw.A, but this is a low.
				Works as an anti-air in case the opponent is directly above you, mainly if you are trying to prevent them from jumping away. Takes a bit too long to come out and recover, making it a bit risky in case it whiffs.
				Sweep. Low option for attack strings, and for when you run after b~f+A Pluviôse.
Air
				Fast air-to-ground option. Short hitstun.
				Anti-air option, but unreliable due to hitbox lacking vertical range.
				Optional jump-in. Unreliable due to lack of range.
				Standart jump-in. Takes longer than air A to come out but has much more vertical range and more hitstun. Crossups on crouching Tizoc.
Multi-Shift Attack
Out				Works as a very low hit, allowing Ash's incoming teammate to hit low as well.
In				Lands at opponent's front in case Ash's outgoing teammate's MSA hit, and at opponent's back in case Ash's outgoing teammate's MSA whiff.
Command Normals
f+				Messidor Overhead option. It takes a bit too long to come out, so it is better to go with hop D instead, but by using hop D, your opponent might be able to react to Ash getting off the ground and block high. If this is the case, f+A Messidor might prove better.
b+				Floréal Amazing poke. Quick startup; quick recovery; long range; linkable into qcfx2+K; goes over many lows from afar. Can be used to buffer a b~f+P Ventôse.
b+				Floréal (Backward) Virtually the same as b+B Floréal, but backwards and cannot link into qcfx2+K. Can be used to buffer a b~f+P Ventôse.
Special Moves
b~f+				Ventôse Standart projectile. Startup and recovery are very quick. Travels the screen slowly, allowing Ash to follow after it into a mix-up. Can also be used as an attack string finisher.
b~f+				Ventôse Double projectile; can be used to go through normal projectiles. Note that it is already active by the time Ash creates the first wave, meaning it can already hit the opponent or nullify other projectiles by then. Regarding the case of hitting the opponent with the first wave, also note this projectile recovers very fast, so you can use it as a corner okizeme option for frame traps. More information can be found later in this guide.
d~u+				Nivôse As an anti-air, this move does not include invincibility, so d~u+D Nivôse shall be used in this case. This d~u+B Nivôse, however, has a faster recovery, and allows you to set up a b~f+A Ventôse afterwards, so it is advised to use this move as a stardart meterless combo finisher.
d~u+				Nivôse Standart invincible anti-air. It has almost complete startup invincibility; not many anti-air specials have this much invincibility anymore in this game.
hcf+				Vendemiaire Command throw. Not very effective due to game system allowing the opponent to stay in blockstun longer, making a normal throw safer. This command throw can be used as a combo finisher too, although risky if you can't confirm if the opponent is standing or crouching.
qcfx2+				Thermidor 11 hit projectile with complete startup invincibility. Its main purpose is as a frame trap tool at the corner, but if blocked it does considerable cheap damage, making it also useful as a tool that might make the opponent uneasy and force them into commiting a mistake such as a poorly timed jump or a roll, trying to evade it, and ending up punished instead. It can also be used to nullify any normal projectile.
qcfx2+				Pluviôse Amazingly fast triple Nivôse combo. Can link from b+B Floréal. Combo option for a more damaging midscreen combo, and combo finisher for b+B punishments.
~~~				Sans-culotte Ash's Leader Desperation Move(LDM). Can only be used if you pick Ash as the leader of your team. One of the three install LDMs in the game. Upon activation, Ash gets wrapped in flames that can hit the opponent for mediocre damage and then for the next 8 seconds gets his damage output halved, in return of being able to have multiple projectiles on screen, reducing charge time to 0(meaning you can use Pluviôse by simply inputing b,f+P and Nivôse by doing d,u+K). It also makes viable an already possible although not viable combo finisher for b+B, link d~u+B(since in normal state, it is possible to charge it in time to combo, but charging it in time is tricky). You cannot charge your stock gauge while in this state. If you shift while in this state, when Ash comes back Sans-Culotte will be done. Unlike following versions of Sans-Culotte, this version does not allow custom combos. Considering damage output is halved, 2 stocks are wasted and you cannot charge stocks while in this state, I would not advise the use of it.

Battle

Attack Strings

I - Dw.B, Dw.A

    - Dw.D[Low]
    - hop D[High]
    - ,b+B -> b~f+A|[Corner]Throw/qcfx2+P
    - Run throw

II - b~f+A -> Run

   - Dw.D[Low]
   - S.hop D[High]
   - dw.C[Anti-air]
   ☆ qcfx2+P before running, then run into a mix-up.

III - qcfx2+P -> Run

   - Dw.D[Low]
   - S.hop D[High]
   - dw.C[Anti-air]
   - Crossup s.hop D[Crouching Tizoc only]

IV - Dw.C, b+D

   - Ready charge; punish anti-air attempts with d~u+D Nivose; rolls with a combo and projectiles with b~f+C Pluviôse. In case nothing happens, you can throw a b~f+A Pluviôse.

V - Air D

   - Dw.D[Low]
   - Hop D[High]
   - Run throw

Combos

I - Dw.B, dw.A, d~u+B/qcfx2+K

II - [Dw.B,]Dw.A, b+B -> [close]qcfx2+K

III - [Cl.st.A,]hcf+C, d~u+B/MSA/[Midscreen, SC]qcfx2+P/[Corner]d~u+D,[SC]qcfx2+P

IV - [Corner/Ground MSC]qcfx2+P x1~5 juggle

Strategy

|- Throw is not recovery rollable.

|- b+B goes over most lows from afar.

|- Considered airborne during b+B and b+D.

|- hop D crossups on crouching Tizoc only.

b~f+A Ventôse set up

I - Throw

II - [...]d~u+B

III - [...]b+D string

Frame Traps

I - [Midscreen][...]b+B -> qcfx2+K

II - [Corner]Wake up b~f+C -> Throw/dw.C

III - [Corner][...]b+B -> Throw/qcfx2+P

Match Up

| - Ash: b~f+C Ventôse can nullify his b~f+A, but if he runs after his b~f+A, doing this might leave you open for an air attack or roll. qcfx2+P can nullify not only his b~f+A and b~f+C, but also his own qcfx2+P.

| - Duolon: Using projectiles might get you punished by this rdp+D in case he's in range. Also, note Duolon can hop over all of Ash's projectiles, including qcfx2+P.

| - Shen: His qcfx2+C can go through Ash's projectiles, although a few observations must be done regarding this issue. Shen can only get a clean hit if he throws his qcfx2+C by the same time Ash starts inputing his projectiles, meaning a hit during its activation, or by the time the projectiles are already active, and Ash has already recovered, meaning Ash will only be hit if he runs after the projectile; otherwise he will be able to successfully guard Shen's qcfx2+C. Otherwise, if Shen tries a qcfx2+P just after Ash throws it, which would certainly be the best option, his invincibility will end short and he will be hit by the projectile.

| - Terry: Be careful of his qcb+B, since it is a long range overhead that might catch you when holding db to charge. Despite his qcf+P being a ground projectile, Ash's projectiles will still clash with it. Also, careful of running after qcfx2+P Thermidor, since Terry's qcb,hcf+P can destroy it, taking Ash along.

| - Joe: Although Joe can nullify Ash's b~f+A Ventôse with his hcf+C double projectile, it takes too long for each of these projectiles to come out, and he might get hit instead, so be aware Joe players might be wary of using it. Also, although it could clash against Ash's b~f+C Ventôse, it is not actually fast enough to consistently do so, getting Joe punished by Ventôse's second wave. Joe's qcfx2+P can nullify qcfx2+P Thermidor, so be careful when running after it. Regarding the case of Joe's sliding, it will defeat Ash's b+B Floréal if the sliding is already active, but in case it is already active, b+D Floréal will beat it.

| - Tizoc/Griffon: He can go through all of Ash's projectiles with a well-timed dw+AB. He can also hop over b~f+A Ventôse with hop D, which might end up Ash if running after it; he can't hop over b~f+C Ventôse and qcfx2+P Thermidor, though. Ash is considered airborne during b+B and b+D Floréal, and since the recovery is so fast, it may be tough for Tizoc to actually grab in time.

| - Ryo: He can go over all of Ash's projectiles with qcf+D, although it might be tough to go over qcfx2+P Thermidor, making it difficult to run after the projectiles; although you can actually use this as a trap to punish him with d~u+D instead. It is also possible to auto-guard and counter normal projectiles with qcb+P. He can also auto-guard normal projectiles with f+B, and since his f+B is cancelable, he might cancel it into a dp+A or hcb+B to punish Ash when running after it. Lastly, he can go through any projectile with his active qcf,hcb+C and qcfx2+AC.

| - Robert: Be careful of his f+A, since it is a long range overhead that might catch you when holding db to charge; on the other hand, b+B can hit it before it actually gets active. His f,hcb+P DM can nullify Ash's projectiles and trade with qcfx2+P Thermidor, but it comes out too slow to be a threat.

| - Yuri: There is a very short period during her dp+C which gives her invincibility, allowing her to go through Ash's projectiles, so be careful when running after the projectiles. She can also revert normal projectiles with qcb+P. Also, her charged qcf+P nullifies Ash's projectiles.

| - Kim: Dw.D goes under his st.A poke from afar. d~u+D Nivôse proves useful against his jump-ins. His dw.D gets priority against Ash's b+B.

| - Chang: His b~f+A can auto-guard and counter Ash's normal projectiles, while b~f+C can auto-guard and counter Ash's qcfx2+P Thermidor. It is possible to escape his hcb,f+P loop pressure with a qcfx2+P on wake up.

| - Jhun: Beware of his f+A; in case it hits or trades with Ash's b+B, it will both counterwire and counterhit, giving Jhun chance for big damage. He can nullify Ash's b~f+A Ventôse and qcfx2+P Thermidor with his qcb+P, but surprisingly it won't stop b~f+C Ventôse.

| - Leona: She can go under Ash's projectiles with b~f+D, but Ash will always be able to recover first, so Leona's b~f+D never works and leaves her open for a punish. What you must be warry of, is Leona's [hop D, V-Slasher], which can punish Ash's normal projectiles upon activation.

| - Ralf: Dw.D goes under all of his standing pokes. b+B Floréal often goes over his dw.D. His qcf,hcb+P goes through Ash's projectiles, but b~f+A Ventôse and qcfx2+P Thermidor usually recover before it can actually hit; however, b~f+C Ventôse may not be able to recover in time.

| - Clark: Dw.D goes under all of his standing pokes. b+B Floréal often goes over his dw.D. It is possible to escape his hcf+K loop pressure with a qcfx2+P on wake up.

| - Gato: Beware his qcb+P,C grab can still grab Ash during Ash's d~u+D Nivôse if close. Despite this, you will most likely still need d~u+D Nivôse to deal with his qcb+K,C. Gato's qcb+A,C(grab) and qcb+B,C(kick) come from a hop, making it difficult to react. The grab will often come from qcb+A,C instead of qcb+C,C, which would be a bit too long and obvious, so stay out of qcb+A range, leaving him only the option to qcb+D,C kick, so you can safely punish with d~u+D Nivôse.

| - Billy: From afar, you can use b+D Floréal to punish his dw.A. Beware of his hcf+P, since it can hit Ash while throwing projectiles.

| - Yamazaki: Beware of his qcb+B, since it can hit Ash during b~f+A/C Ventôse activation. He can also revert normal projectiles with qcf+C(except for qcfx2+P Thermidor), and absorb qcfx2+P Thermidor with qcf+A.It is possible to escape his grab loop pressure with a qcfx2+P on wake up.

| - King: Despite her qcf+K being a ground projectile(and a low, on top of it), Ash's flying projectiles will still clash with it. Her qcfx2+AC LDM will destroy all of Ash's normal projectiles, and the first of her quadruple projectiles will trade with qcfx2+P Thermidor, making way for the remaining 3.

| - Mai: Since her jumps are so long, it might be tricky to hit her with d~u+D Nivôse; she get past Ash instead, getting a free combo. In this situation, it is advised that you rely on dw.C. She can easily hop the projectiles as well. Also, her qcb+P can nullify Ash's normal projectiles.

| - Mary: She can dodge Ash's projectiles with qcb+P, but be aware that it has vulnerability during recovery, meaning you can always run in and punish with a b+B. It is possible to escape her qcb+P,hcf+P loop pressure with a qcfx2+P on wake up.

| - Benimaru: Since his jumps are so long, it might be tricky to hit him with d~u+D Nivôse; he get past Ash instead, getting a free combo. In this situation, it is advised that you rely on dw.C. He can easily hop the projectiles as well.

| - Shingo: He can auto-guard and counter projectiles(even qcfx2+P Thermidor) with his qcb,hcf+P, although its range is very short so you must only be careful of using projectiles during strings.

| - Daimon: He can roll through projectiles with qcb+B, but this makes him vulnerable to b+B Floréal punishment. b+B Floréal will also beat his dw.D from afar. Dw.D will go under his standing pokes. It is possible to escape his hcb,f+P loop pressure with a qcfx2+P on wake up.

| - Athena: It might be a bit difficult to stop her jumps with d~u+D Nivôse due to her jump being long, but since Athena's speed has been reduced, you can actually confirm if either a dw.C or d~u+D Nivôse will do better. Despite the looks, qcfx2+P Thermidor cannot defeat her hcbx2+P,qcb+P projectile; both will be destroyed.

| - Hinako: b+B Floréal gets an advantage over her hcb,f+A grab since Ash will be airborne, but you must be careful of trying to anti-air her with d~u+D Nivôse, and ending up grabbed instead.

| - Malin: Since her jumps are so long, it might be tricky to hit her with d~u+D Nivôse; she get past Ash instead, getting a free combo. In this situation, it is advised that you rely on dw.C. She can easily hop the projectiles as well. Although b~f+C Ventôse can get rid of her yo-yos, it will give her a chance to punish Ash with her air qcfx2+P instead. Ash's qcfx2+P Thermidor can get rid of all her yo-yos at once while also granting some safety, but this may be a waste of stock.

| - K': His qcf+P works as a shield against b+B Floréal, but it takes some time to actually be active, these often end up trading. His normal projectile can be countered by Ash's b~f+C, while charging also protects Ash from his long range qcb+K. Beware of his qcf,hcb+AC LDM, since it can nullify all of Ash's projectiles(including qcfx2+P Thermidor).

| - Maxima: hcbx2+K DM can grab opponents from poke range. If close enough, his hcbx2+K DM can grab Ash even if there is a projectile between them, so be careful when running after projectiles. Also, he can auto-guard and punish the projectiles with st.C and dw.C.

| - Whip: Usually it is not possible to punish her air C with dw.C, making it a bit troublesome in case she tries to crossup with it, since d~u+D Nivôse will not be able to hit it in this case, so you must prevent her from getting into crossup range.

| - Kyo: b+B Floréal will cleanly beat his dw.D. b+B Floréal can also deal with his rekkas, but there is a small chance of qcf+A auto-guarding it. A well timed d~u+D Nivôse can cleanly hit his rdp+D.

| - Iori: His air b+B crossup often defeats Ash's dw.C, making it very risky to let Iori into crossup range. Despite his qcf+P being a ground projectile, Ash's flying projectiles will still clash with it. qcfx2+K Pluviôse can always punish Iori between his qcb+P rekkas.

| - Chizuru: Her clones retain a hurtbox, meaning you can always punish those with dw.D or b+B Floréal. She can revert normal projectiles with qcf+P, so be careful when running after it. If she seals Ash, it deactivates Sans-Culotte.

| - KUSANAGI: Despite his qcf+P being a ground projectile, Ash's flying projectiles will still clash with it. b+B Floréal will cleanly beat his dw.D.

| - Maki: Most of her clone's hitboxes are full body, making it useless to try punishing it with b+B or dw.D, unlike Chizuru. Although, her possibly BEST clone move, qcb+C that goes fullscreen, actually has vulnerability just like Chizuru's clones(although this one moves very fast). If you stay fullscreen away from her, this move will be her only way of hitting you without walking or running in. Also, her qcb+A which includes fullbody hitbox and can't be punished by b+B can be "deactivated" by a projectile, and by this time Maki stays open for a combo for some time. If she seals Ash, it deactivates Sans-Culotte.

| - Adelheid: b~f+A and b~f+C Ventôse will still clash with his qcf+K, but be careful since Adelheid also has a shield that works as a reflector. His dp+D goes under Ash's projectiles. His air B crossup often defeats Ash's dw.C, making it very risky to let Adelheid into crossup range, but this might be difficult due to his speed. His qcf+A LDM has a very long invincibility period and can go through Ash's projectiles(including qcfx2+P Thermidor) so be careful when running after it in case Adel is a leader.

| - Mukai: Beware of his st.D when using b+B Floréal, since it can auto-guard and punish. In case he is picked as a leader, beware of his qcb,hcf+AC LDM since it can instantly nullify and punish Ash's projectiles before they even come out.