Introduction
This mage/witch lady is Tessa/Tabasa(I'll call her Tessa), from the lost jewel of the niche's Capcom Board (CPS3) Warzard(a.k.a. Red Earth in Japan),and she is probably the most popular character of the game along with Leo of the awful Capcom Fighting Evolution/Jam. Here, she is very good for advanced players, because she is very technical(She can do basic things, but her game is really advanced).
The Mage researcher's Good and Bad Things
Good Things:
- Has nice reach on her normals;
- Her Command Grab has nice reach(It even has some glitches, and you can combo with it after a normal too);
- Has nice moves to create pressure games;
- Has the best air-to-air in the game(By only pressing two buttons);
- Has a Super that can juggle on the corner;
- Exceed is an unblockable grab that can juggle your opponent after it hits(Thanks to it, Tessa has amazing 100% combos in MAXIMUM Mode);
- Has nice MAXIMUM Mode options(And an easy infinite in there);
- Can use a jumping normal after a backdash(Pretty unique for her in this game).
Bad Things:
- Very hard to Learn and Master(Yeah, she is strong, clearly High Tier, but she is very hard to use)
- Her projectiles/long-range things have bad startup;
- Has bad anti-airs(She has a DP-Like move, but... She stops for a little time before hitting with it, and I won't talk about her anti-airs in the normal moves);
- Although it can look like, you can't juggle after her Command grab;
- You can't do two trap moves on your opponent(Sadly, but it's okay, she would be broken if she could do that);
- Can't cancel most of her crouching attacks(3 of them, to be exact);
- Isn't very friendly with Light Attack chains.
Moves List
Normal Moves
s.LP - (Far) Tessa does a simple attack with her staff. It has bad startup, but nice recovery. You can use this move as a poke, and only that. (Close) A double-slap. Good to use on Light Attacks, but whiffs on low crouching chars. Any hit can be normal canceled, and this move can chain into itself, and other Light Attacks.
s.LK - (Far) An attack with Al(Her cat, if you want to make Tessa use the other cat, Evan, choose the other color). It looks like it hits low, but it hits mid. It's generally used as a poke, to hit as a meaty attack(The reach can help). Can't be normal canceled, and can't chain into any Light Attack. (Close) Like the Far one, but with less reach. It's probably the best finisher for her short Light Attack chains. Can be normal canceled, but cannot chain into the other Light Attacks.
s.HP - (Far) Just a poking move with ice magic, but the reach isn't what it looks like. You can't hit your opponent with the tip of the ice thing, and if it whiffs, you can eat a combo. Can't be normal canceled too. (Close) A move for combos, but this isn't her best one. Just avoid this move, due to the bad startup.
s.HK - (Far) This move is nice for poking(The HK attack are the best normals too). Faster, and the reach is what it looks like. Cannot be normal canceled. (Close) Her best normal for combos. It's the most damaging, and has great startup(When compared to the cl.HP). Just learn how to use this.
j.LP - The Diagonal and the Neutral versions are the same. Just an attack with her staff. Can be used as a jump-in attack, or as an air-to-air move(The reach helps).
j.LK - (Diagonal) A "kick" with her cat. Strange to use as a jump-in move(It can whiff on some characters if you try), but it has a decent angle. (Note: The cat is the attack here, not Tessa's leg.) (Neutral) Nice defensive move. Can be used as an air-to-air, due to the great reach. It can be used as a neutral jump-in too, but it's a little dangerous.
j.HP - The Diagonal and the Neutral versions are the same. Tessa will stop in the air, and will use her ice magic. This move is bad as a jump-in attack, due to the "stop". Interestingly enough, this move can be used after a backdash, like the dash hops on Darkstalkers(It's probably the only normal with this feature in this game)
j.HK - The Diagonal and the Neutral versions are the same. An attack with her "Dragon Tail". This is probably her best jump-in attack, because it can crossup(A little tricky, but it still can). Learn how to crossup with this move, and you'll do fine in your matches.
cr.LP - An attack with her... Magic bird? Dunno, but this move can be normal canceled, and can chain into all of the Light Attacks.
cr.LK - Just another attack with her cat. Has nice reach, and hits low this time. You can use this move as a poke, but this move can't be normal canceled(Just imagine you canceling a cat, or do it in MAXIMUM Mode).
cr.HP - Maybe... A normal anti-air? Not! She doesn't have reliable anti-airs, just don't use this, unless if you need a poke. Can't be normal canceled too.
cr.HK - Just another sweep that hits low, but this move can't be normal canceled(Unlike most of the other cr.HKs).
Command Moves
Inroad Fowl (aka Bird)
- d+HK (In the air only; you can hold the button to delay the hit) - This is one of the things that make Tessa a good character. "Why? It's just a little bird..." Yeah, but not only that. It can just beat ANY move in the air in the whole game, because the bird can't take damage(Meaning that no one can trade hits in the air when against it, your opponent will just lose). Oh, it can defeat air projectiles too, and I think Demitri's ES fireball(It destroys normal projectiles, is very horizontal, and can be used in the air) can be included in this list. Oh, it can be a combo starter against tall characters too, but more details about this will be on her combos section. Well, you'll need to learn how to use this move, it's very useful for her game(If you like zoning, you can use this, and if you like to be broken against your opponent in the air, abuse of this move).
Flask (Tachi)
- f+HP (You can hold the button to delay the hit) - This move is good for zoning, and can be used as an anti-air(Probably her best one), or as a meaty attack. It's very fast too, and you can even delay the hit(Dangerous, but you can). If you release the button pressed when the Flask isn't falling down, the ice magic will aim upwards. If you release it after the Flask passes Tessa's hat, the ice magic will be like her f.HP, but with way better reach. If you hold the button until the end(Or until it hits your opponent), the Flask will just be destroyed, but Tessa will recover faster than the two other versions mentioned before(On the other versions, Tessa points with her finger to fire the ice magic). Learn how to use this move if you like zoning games. (Important note: In case you hold the Flask until the end, it can act as a low-hitting move, but it depends of where it hits. And no, it won't act as an overhead if you throw the Flask on the opponent's head while he/she's crouching.)
Flask (Shagami)
- df+HP (You can hold the button to delay the hit) - This version isn't that useful when compared to the version above. It can do anything that the move above can do: When you hold, Tessa will roll her Flask on the ground, and the attack will hit low(The above can do it), but your opponent can easily jump over it. "No worries! I can just release the button to predict his/her jump! Don't even try it. You'll just eat a damaging combo. Avoid this move, the above is just better.
Haul Flapper
- df+LK - Decent move for combos(In the ground). Tessa uses her cat to do an attack aiming upwards. It's said that it can juggle without a counter hit, assuming that it hits your opponent in the air(Like an anti-air, but I don't know if it's reliable). It's fast, has almost no recovery, and can be used on some ground combos.
Restive Kitten
- df+HK - This is the move. It's like a stronger version of the Haul Flapper above. Very useful, and I can confirm that you can juggle if this move hits your opponent(It sends your opponent flying right above you, and you know what this means... FREE DAMAGE GUYS!!!!) It can easily combo after a normal, and Tessa even has some easy-to-land infinites with it in MAXIMUM Mode. Oh! did I said that you can followup her Exceed with this move? Yeah, that's the real juggle, and her Exceed is a setup for the infinite mentioned, which is amazing for her. The cat will go higher, but a little slower than the "LK version".
Special Moves
Chakra Wave (aka Moon)
- QCF+P (In the ground or in the air) - A standard projectile for her zoning game. The recovery of this move is very bad(No matter how you use it), and the best way to use it is to catch jumpers(By using the air version). If EQ has meter, he can easily punish you by using this projectile.
Winder Fist (aka Dragon)
- QCF+K - Tessa transforms her arm into a dragon. This part of the move won't do anything special, but it can combo after the cancelable Heavy Attacks.
- Follow-Ups:
- She's On Enemy
- QCF+K after the above hits - The dragon will grab your opponent and throw him/her to the other side of the screen(It's not unblockable). If you whiff the move above, you still can use this followup. You can use this move on combos, you can need.
- She's On Enemy
- Follow-Ups:
Reverie Sword
- DP+P - Her... DP-Like move. Not that good for an anti-air, because she stops after using it, and it doesn't have invincibility frames, making it a risky move to use. It should be better if you stick with the LP version, because you can juggle(With almost any air attack) after it, and it has infinites with this version in MAXIMUM Mode too.
Jamming Ghost (aka Ghost)
- DP+K - One of Tessa's moves to do pressure games. It helps on zoning too(Some characters can hardly jump over it), but it's easy to block. If the ghost hits, four ghosts will surround your opponent, and move when he/she moves. They will attack him at the same time after some seconds, and that's what makes him/her block, leaving you open to move and do pressure things. The best ways to use it are on punish situations, or if you make your opponent fall on it.
As Sent Proof
- HCB+P (While near from your opponent) - Tessa's unblockable grab. This move is very good to use(It even has some unblockable glitches), and the reach can help you(It can be used after any normal if you need more damage). Although it can look like, no, you can't juggle after this move, but it's still good to use(The gliches will be explained later).
Super Moves
Tricicle Edge
- QCF(2x)+P (You can hold the button to delay the hits) -
Death Phenomeno
- HCB(2x)+K -
Exceed
Meteo Fall
- HCB(2x)+AC (While near from your opponent) -
The Basics
She is focused in two zones,long range trap projectiles and short ranges with throws,but can be defeated easily in jum-in games due to her short range and damaging anti-airs.
COMBOS
1.-Jump D, standing D, As Sent Proof or Reverie Sword
2.-Jump B, standing D, Wonder Fist, Sea's Anemone
3.-Jump D, standing D, Restive Kitten, Haul Flapper, Inroad Fowl
19)Jump D, standing D, Tricicle Edge
20)Jump D, standing D, Restive Kitten, Haul Flapper, Tricicle Edge
Jump D, standing D, Meteor Fall, Restive Kitten, Haul Flapper, Tricicle Edge
Jump D, standing D, Meteor Fall, Restive Kitten, Haul Flapper, Death Phenomeno (corner)
)Jump D, standing C, Tricicle Edge, Tricicle Edge
Crossup D, standing D, Haul Flapper, Meteor Fall, Restive Kitten, Death Phenomeno