Introduction
Story
Overview
(Insert brief description about character and how they play, other details)
Strengths | Weaknesses |
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Default VS Mirror
Move List
Vertical Normals
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | 7 | - | - | - | +4 | +21 | - | Ground | |
Byakko's busted cat jab. Does not hit other cats crouching, or Gantetsu/Gamof crouching when at specific ranges. |
5AA
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | - | - | - | - | -4 | +14 | - | Ground | |
Byakko loses frame advantage on hit, and without a fast special move to combo into, that's a rather large weakness, all things considered. |
5AAA
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | +12 | - | Ground | |
Because Byakko loses frame advantage on 5AA, his 5AAA is completely inferior to Rai-On's, as it does not combo. Considering it also has the same pushout on block, it also isn't the best of pressure tools to go for, either. There is something he can do here, though, that separates him from Rai-On a bit in a positive way... |
5AAAK
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | - | - | - | - | +3 | +1 | - | Ground | |
...and that's this. This simple little low kick puts Byakko back in 2K/5A range at frame advantage. Since it's a kick, it cannot be parried. The damage off of this is basically nothing unless you're willing to risk it all on 236A+B cancels, which -will- combo, but because none of the hits in the string combo to this point, is a pretty wild guess/read to make |
5AAAA
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | -15 | - | Ground | |
"Blue Palm." It pushes out really far on block so it is probably safe versus most characters. But... it also pushes out really far on block, and you want to be in close. You probably shouldn't use this |
2A
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | 9 | - | - | - | +0 | +14 | - | Ground | |
Good range and speed, incredibly busted frame data on block. It's a really good thing he doesn't have any sort of reward for this on hit. Enough frame advantage on block that slide afterwards catches jumpers. Pushes out pretty far on block/hit, so its difficult to do much aside from slide afterwards that doesn't lose to sidestep/jump. |
3A
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | 19 | - | - | - | - | -15 | - | Ground | |
Byakko's primary launcher into damage, and one of his most important moves. You could, in theory, cancel this into your back hop and get a smaller confirm from it, but -15 is pretty hard to punish at the range it puts you at and, more importantly, landing this move into a juggle super confirm is the single reason to play this character. This frame traps after all hits his of 5AAA on block. |
While Running A or B
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | Overhead | 10 | - | - | - | -13 at close range, -2 at tip | -13 at close range, -2 at tip | - | Jumping | |
Byakko's running overhead is a two part move. Even at tip range this is at disadvantage, so be careful. This part of the move tends to whiff smaller opponents when crouching, so its also a matchup dependent move. |
While Running A or B, A/B
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | Overhead | 10 | - | - | - | X | -7 | - | Jumping | |
The second part of Byakko's running overhead. Knocks down on hit. Combos with the first part, making it a fairly good mixup/approach tool. |
Horizontal Normals
5B
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | 10 | - | - | - | -12 | +6 | - | Ground | |
An extremely fast horizontal with somewhat limited range. With huge frame advantage on block, this is a great tool for containment, but the hit disadvantage means you may get accidently wrecked by someone mashing step->button during your block strings. |
5BB
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | - | - | - | - | -1 | +2 | - | Ground | |
A two hit horizontal string that's plus on block would be incredible money for this character if only it comboed. The second hit does combo into specials/supers, but the bigger issue is getting this move to hit at all. |
5BAB or 5KAB
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | Low | - | - | - | - | +7 | +4 | - | Low | |
Creates a little space with slight frame advantage, will frame trap into its own string ender or slide at the range it creates, and it is one of the few special cancelable moves he has that combos into 236B. Unfourtantely, the string itself does not combo, but the final B has enough hitstun that comboing into super on reaction is more than doable. Would be a lot better if the move had full circle coverage, but, despite being a horziontal, it often loses to step. |
2B
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | 11 | - | - | - | +12 | +10 | - | Ground | |
2Bs tend to be important for most of the cast in Plasma Sword, and Byakko's is no exception. Decent range, fast speed, low cat crouch... all of this combined makes for a frustrating poke that, while it may not do much damage or score you big combo extensions, nonetheless shuts down many approach options and allows you to check your opponents easily safely. The push out on both block and hit makes it somewhat difficult to followup on, but make no mistake: the ball's in your court. |
4B
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | 26 | - | - | - | +1, -9 on white flash (counterhit, sidestep) | +1 | - | Ground | |
4B has the unfortunate distinction of almost being one of Byakko's best tools. If it hits, it leads to a massive string that combos into swords super. Unfortunately, if it hits stepping opponents or hits on counterhit, the hit advantage disappears in a white flash. Instead, this is mostly just useful as a anti-step frame trap from big tools like 5A, 5KA, etc. It is special cancelable, but due to the fact you can no longer combo super from it on white flash, it has limited usefulness thanks to Byakko's bad special moves. |
4BB
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | 26 | - | - | - | - | -8 | - | Ground | |
One could forgive 4B's lack of frame advantage on counterhit if this follow-up did something other than put you at disadvantage. |
4BBB
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | 26 | - | - | - | - | -4 | - | Ground | |
This string really only exists to mess you up if you don't do 4BB3B correctly. But hey, it's safe! Unless its parried. |
4BB3B
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | 26 | - | - | - | - | -10 | - | Ground | |
If this hits, it combos into swords super for massive damage. Combos naturally from 4BB, but by this point you've presumably read why that's easier said than done. |
Kick Normals
5K
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | 7 | - | - | - | -7 | -7 | - | Ground | |
One of Byakko's main buttons and fastest attacks. Hits a bit faster up close than the animation might make it seem. Mostly a good move because of the strings attached to it. |
5KK
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | 7 | - | - | - | -18 | -18 | - | Ground | |
This two kick hit cannot be parried, combos into supers, and has some very good strings attached to it. However, it is linear and, perhaps more importantly, this hit tends to whiff crouchers in some matchups, such as the cat mirror. As a confirm, it is generally out performed by 5KA |
5KA or 5BA
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | 7 | - | - | - | +7 | +23 | - | Ground | |
This is a premium hit confirm into super thanks to its consistency on opponents regardless of hitbox size and the fact that it is plus on block. The giant frame advantage makes a few of his strings afterwards unjumpable/steppable, which is great for locking down squirrelly opponents that don't like to block. |
2K
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | 5 | - | - | - | +8 | +7 | - | Low | |
Byakko's main low string starter. The hit advantage might make you think he can link off of it, but due to push out + a weird buffer lock on the move, nothing connects afterwards aside from the occasional perfectly timed 5A. The combo counter will also lie about this comboing in training, sometimes. Cool! Despite these problems, 2K is still your primary pressure tool outside of 5A (which this pairs nicely with) |
2KK
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | i5 | - | - | - | -3 | - | - | Low | |
Byakko's main low string. It has a tendency to not combo properly depending upon range/axis/character, so careful attention to the situation is required to hit confirm this into the third hit. If it does hit, it does cancel into dash super, and serves Byakko's main low confirm into it. It almost never combos on crouching opponents regardless of axis, and most consistently works as a combo on far range standing opponents. This means that you can also technically link this consistently off of a 5KA if the 5KA hits a standing opponent. |
2KKK
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | i5 | - | - | - | - | -13 | - | Low | |
Byakko's main low string ender without meter. All things considered, probably safer than it should be, considering what it does, and the advantage is variable with spacing. |
3K
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | 8 | - | - | - | -6 at close range, +10 at tip | -7 at close range, +8 at tip | - | Low | |
The slide. Byakko's main low poke. Plus enough on hit that it is relatively easy to confirm into swords super with enough practice. Far more reliable than 2KK in that regard. It is technically possibile to do 3K(tip), 2K->Dash super, if you're feeling saucy about your neutral. |
4K
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | 29 | - | - | - | +3 on standing, +4 on crouching, +2 on crouching counterhit, -2 on standing counterhit | +2 | - | Low | |
Byakko's overhead kick. Unlike Rai-On, he does not get links from this and, weirdly, he loses a lot of frame advantage on counterhit. A far less important move for this cat, but it is still a pressure OH that jumps lows/throws. |
While Running K
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | 7 | - | - | - | X | -6 at close range | - | Low | |
It's Byakko's slide again, but its a frame faster and knocks down. The knockdown does not stop sword super from comboing afterwards. |
Divekick
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | ~10 | - | - | - | +6 | +20 | - | Ground | |
Byakko divekick. Hit/Block advantage is an estimate--data used is for the earliest frame 2K can be entered (frame 11 after jump starts) blocked/hit at the top of a 2p Byakko's head. Becomes more or less plus depending upon how its blocked. Byakko's divekick is far worse than his cat counterpart, as he rarely gets meaningful confirms off of his. However, the block data is quite good still, and is one of his most oppressively tools. Still, Byakko has some tools that have the same function, such as airdash K, so its not like he's hurting for similar tools. |
Jumping Normals
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Ground |
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Ground |
Special Moves
236 B Shippu Zan
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | Low | 31 | - | - | - | - | -11 | - | Low | |
An extremely long range knock down horizontal low. At -11, and especially with spacing, this can be difficult if not impossible for some characters to punish. It is very slow despite the somewhat subtle startup animation, though, and can be jump punished. |
Kessou Jin 214B
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | 18 | - | - | - | - | -27 (both hits blocked) | - | Ground | |
Byakko stabs his hands into the ground and swords come out around him. This move only hits in a very small circle around Byakko, making it very difficult to ever actually hit someone with. If it whiffs, he's vulnerable for any punish his opponents want, and if its blocked, it's not much better. It does have a tendency to beat anything above Byakko clean, though... but you'd probably just want the super version of this to do anti-airs, anyways. In contention for one of the worst special moves in the game, but Byakko still has some niche uses for it. |
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Ground |
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Ground |
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Ground |
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Ground |
Gauge Moves
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Ground | |
An invincible ground dash super. If it hits, Byakko slashes several times and knocks the opponent down. This matchup single handedly blows up anyone's projectile on reaction, and is one of the best grounded whiff punishes in the game. The only real weakness it has is its worthlessness versus grounded opponents, as the followup animation does not trigger. Worth noting: For some reason, it glitches out when used as a whiff punish versus June/Ele's Plasma Field startup, and Byakko will perform the slash animation without hitting her. |
Bloody Petal Claw Dance
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | 7 (2 pre flash, 5 post) | - | - | - | - | - | - | Ground | |
Byakko's sword super is probably the reason you should play him. Fast, great on-reaction anti-air, good damage, this is the glue that holds the rest of his movelist together. The short horziontal range means it has some limited usefulness against grounded opponents but its speed more than makes up for it. |
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Ground |
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Ground |
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Ground |
Miscellaneous
Damage | Guard | Startup | Active | Recovery | Total | Hit Adv | Block Adv | Meter Gain | Property |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Ground |
Strategy
General Gameplan
Byakko has a few defining traits that make up his archtype and gameplan:
- Options control what the opponent should/shouldn't do based on your reactions
- Tons of frame advantage
- Tons of Pushback
- No health
These are all things you should keep in mind when playing as Byakko. You are, almost always, in the driver's seat due to the fact that you have two supers that cut off the horizontal and vertical space on reaction. You are the S-tier character in the game that says "I have labbed your moveset and I know I can do this super on reaction to completely neutralize it." If you aren't willing to study every character in the game to learn when you should do these supers, you're not really playing Byakko--you're just playing a worse version of Rai-On.
That being said, you still have access to the cat qualities that make both characters annoying to fight against. You have a -ton- of moves that are so plus on block that it narrows opponents possible methods of defense to only a handful of options, and you should leverage these to the full extent of your movelist (even if your options are worse than Rai-On's.)
5A Frame Traps and the Concept of Layering
5A is +21 on block, but pushes out: a feature you'll run into a lot with this character. 5A->microwalk->5A is a true blockstring infinite on everyone except the following characters whose crouching hurtboxes shrink enough to make 5A whiff:
- Rai-On / Byakko
- Gantetsu / Gamof (whiffs crouching if too close)
- Saturn / Prince (whiffs crouching if too close)
- Gore / Luca (whiffs crouching if too close)
You might think Byakko's plan is as simple as "get a life lead, 5A on block, call it a day." Against a completely new player that might be the case, but savvy opponents will know that +21 is so much that it's almost too much advantage to force a real mid/low mixup. For example: a player can hold down-back and mash sidestep. If you try to mixup divekick or 4K, Byakko will whiff. If you try to 5A->5A or 5A->2K, you'll just get blocked because of the massive frame advantage--or worse, if you mistime 5A,5A, they might take the hit, then sidestep your follow-ups anyways since Byakko gets basically nothing off of 5A, not even enough frame advantage to keep them still. Try to walk up throw? Sorry, sidestep wins unless you frame perfect time the throw as block stun ends, -and- it whiffs if they walk backwards. Worse than all of this, if your opponent -does- have meter, you have to consider that any 5A->microwalk->5A attempts could cause you to get parried into a full combo. And none of this even starts to talk about reversals with invincibility!
It is with sidestep in mind that you have to rethink what a mixup is for the cats, because the mixup is not "will my opponent block high or low?" but rather "will my opponent block? jump? sidestep? mash reversal?
These charts attempt to give you a basic framework to build on versus common options in the game. Take it as a starting point to build from, and remember that different characters smaller crouch blocks might limit some of these, such as 5A->5A. For situations where the blockstun is so high that the enemy blocks, you might be able to hit them if you delay the option until just as the block stun ends. This is easier with options that are extremely active, such as 3K, than it is with faster/shorter options like 4A/2K.
After 5A is blocked... | Enemy Low Block | Enemy High Block | Enemy Parry | Enemy Sidestep | Enemy Jump | Reversal |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
...5A/5BA | Blockstun Block | Blockstun Block | Parry Wins | Blockstun Block | Blockstun Block | (testing) |
...3K | Blockstun Block | 3K hits | 3K hits | Blockstun Block* | 3K hits | (testing) |
...2K | Blockstun Block | 2K hits | 2K hits | Blockstun Block | 2K hits | (testing) |
...2B | Blockstun Block | 2B hits | 2B hits | Blockstun Block | 2B hits | (testing) |
...4B | Blockstun Block | Blockstun Block | Parry Wins | 4B hits | 4B hits jump back, whiffs otherwise | (testing) |
...Divekick | Hits, no combo | Blockstun Block | Hits, no combo | Whiffs, Off Axis** | Hits, knocks down | (testing) |
- 3K will hit sidestep attempts if slightly delayed or if the 5A is blocked at tip versus most sidestep/block OSs.
- Divekick whiff may put Byakko off axis depending upon the sidestep. If this happens, he cannot block due to being forced into a turn-around animation, but can still quickly act with things like 2K.
As you can see from the above chart, what is most likely to happen is you'll either just have an opponent mashing down-back sidestep, block normally, or in very certain cases, mash reversals. You might think looking at this chart that 4B is a solid answer to this, but now we have to talk about...
The 4B problem
In the developer's infinite wisdom, 4BB does not combo on counterhit or when the first hit hits a sidestepping opponent. You'll know when this happens due to a white flash occurring on the screen. Because of this, the reward for Byakko guessing right against an opponent that tries to sidestep OS is around 8% damage at best. To make matters worse, 4B puts Byakko off axis and minus in these situations, and even if the opponent blocks 4B, he's left so far away that he's effectively reset back to neutral. So, when using 4B, even though its one of your best options, you effectively have the following choices: stop at 4B and hope your opponent doesn't know the situation, use 214/236 stances, or try to out gimmick them with the rest of the 4B string options.
Matchups
Vs. Zelkin (5.5:4.5)-- Byakko is one of the few characters that can dance evenly with Zelkin in the sky thanks to his double jump/divekicks, and he completely outclasses Zelkin on the ground thanks to his swords super. However, Byakko is also made of paper, and if there's anything Zelkin is particularly good at doing, it's stealing rounds out of nowhere with bucket loads of unearned damage. Zelkin not having any grounded super means he's particularly susceptible to Byakko's particular brand of jab-infinite BS and divekicks, so it's almost always optimal for Zelkin to save his meter for parry attempts.
Vs. Saturn/Prince (6:4)-- Both characters have interesting counterplay to each others tools. Byakko dash super punishes PF/whiffed long range normals/specials fairly hard, and Saturn's missile gimmick is almost completely shut down by swords super. However, the power of sidestep->PF, which Byakko naturally has difficultly contending with and is a technique that Saturn always scores giant damage off of, dictates a lot of the pacing of the match. Saturn's ability to fake jumps with mid-air control can also potentially bait out sword super, but Byakko can cancel whiffed slides on reaction into swords super if he sees Saturn jump. This might generally be worse for Saturn than this but the damage from one PF is just that high on the paper tiger. One other small but important note is that Saturn's ducking hitbox makes 5A and some other tools whiff if Byakko is too close, so Byakko has to be mindful of his spacing, lest he accidently get PF'd randomly.
Vs. Rain (6:4) -- Rain straight up can't use half of her movelist once Byakko has a bar, because Dash super very simply beats it all or punishes it all. Her jump back A/B is a nuisance like in any matchup but it is not unreasonable for Byakko to slide/run in, see the jump back, and swords super it. If Rain didn't melt Byakko with one lucky PF, this matchup might be closer to an 8:2--she's really, really lucky Byakko has low health.