Street Fighter 2: Champion Edition/Vega (claw)

Handsome fighters never lose battles.

Introduction

A spanish matador and ninjitsu fighter, he is a narcissist and ladies man that hates ugly people due that his father killed his mother, an the number 3 of Shadaloo.

If you like to be a jumper and a keepaway fighter he is your choice, also he had a nice backdash that can evade aerial and projectiles, sadly, he can be defeated easily in long range combat as Boxer too.

With the time he become a good aerial poking characters and became more dangerous with the additions of the Scarlet Terror on ST (where its his best version along with Alpha 3 V-ISM) to anti air and also his height in other games like Alpha 3.

Color Options

Start	Default

Moves List

Normal Moves

• Rainbow Suplex: f + Medium or Hard Punch
• Stardust Drop: close, f + Medium or Harp Punch in air

Special Moves

• Backflip: b, b
• Rolling Claw: b~f + Punch
• Wall Jump: dcuf/dcub + Kick
  • Dive Claw: Punch
  • Izuna Drop: f + Punch when close

The Basics

• Anti Air: standing High Punch
• High Poke: crouching Medium Punch
• Low Poke: crouching Medium Kick

Pros

• Fast Pokes
• Best Air Game
• Projectile Evasive Move

Cons

• Lose Claw can Lose Match
• Rolling Attack varies on revision

Combos

• LP Rolling Claw,cr.MP
• j.MK,cr.MK,cr.MP

Hitboxes

Standing Normals

• Standing Jab/Short:

Damage+claw	4+0
Stun	1~7
Stun Timer	40
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	Yes
On Hit	+5
Frame Count		2	2	4	4	1
Simplified		4		4	5

Standing Jab and Standing Short are identical in frame data and hitboxes.

• Standing Strong/Forward:

Damage+claw	10+2
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	60
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	No
On Hit	+8
Frame Count		5	4	7

Standing Strong and Standing Forward are identical in frame data and hitboxes.

• Standing Fierce/Roundhouse:

Damage+claw	14+4
Stun	11~17
Stun Timer	80
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	No
On Hit	-2
Frame Count		7	6	19

Standing Fierce and Standing Roundhouse are identical in frame data and hitboxes.

• Crouching Jab:

Damage+claw	4+0
Stun	1~7
Stun Timer	40
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	Yes
On Hit	+6
Frame Count		1	1	2	4	4
Simplified		4			4	4

• Crouching Strong:

Damage+claw	10+2
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	60
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	No
On Hit	+8
Frame Count		5	4	7*

• Crouching Fierce:

Damage+claw	14+4
Stun	11~17
Stun Timer	80
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	No
On Hit	-2
Frame Count		7	6	19*

Same range with claw. Over half screen.

• Crouching Short:

Damage	7
Stun	1~7
Stun Timer	40
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	No
On Hit	+5
Frame Count		2	1	1	1	4	5
Simplified		5				4	5

Crouching short hitboxes and frame data are identical with or without claw.

• Crouching Forward:

Damage	10
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	60
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	No
On Hit	+8
Frame Count		2	1	1	1	4	7
Simplified		5				4	7

Crouching forward hitboxes and frame data are identical with or without claw.

• Crouching Roundhouse:

Damage	14
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	130
Chain Cancel	No
Special Cancel	No
On Hit	KD
On Block	-11
Frame Count		3	2	2	21	14
Simplified		7			21	14

A long slide across the ground which knocks down. Crouching roundhouse hitboxes and frame data are identical with or without claw. Amusingly, unlike all other crouching attacks, no claw is shown during the active frames of the c.RH animation even when the player still has the vega.

Aerial Moves

• Neutral Jumping Jab/Short:

Damage	8
Stun	1~7
Stun Timer	?
Special Cancel	No
Frame Count		1	1	20	2	2	∞
Simplified		2		20	∞

• Neutral Jumping Strong/Forward:

Damage	12
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	?
Special Cancel	No
Frame Count		1	1	10	2	2	∞
Simplified		2		10	∞

• Neutral Jumping Fierce/Roundhouse:

Damage	16
Stun	11~17
Stun Timer	?
Special Cancel	No
Frame Count		2	2	5	2	2	∞
Simplified		4		5	∞

• Diagonal Jumping Jab/Short:

Damage	7
Stun	1~7
Stun Timer	?
Special Cancel	No
Frame Count		1	1	20	2	2	∞
Simplified		2		20	∞

• Diagonal Jumping Strong/Forward:

Damage	10
Stun	5~11
Stun Timer	?
Special Cancel	No
Frame Count		1	2	10	2	2	∞
Simplified		3		10	∞

• Diagonal Jumping Fierce/Roundhouse:

Damage	14
Stun	11~17
Stun Timer	?
Special Cancel	No
Frame Count		2	2	5	2	2	∞
Simplified		4		5	∞

Unique Moves

• Wall Jump: Jump towards wall, then press away from wall

Frame Count	6

Throws

Vega can throw with Strong and Fierce, and has an Airthrow with Strong or Fierce.

• Rainbow Suplex: (←/→ + Strong/Fierce)

Damage	28
Stun	7~13
Stun Timer	99
Range (from axis)	48
Range advantage	19

Both punch throws are the same.

• Stardust Drop (a.k.a. air throw): (←/→ + Strong/Fierce) while airbourne

Damage	28
Stun	7~13
Stun Timer	100
Range (from axis)	58
Range advantage	29

Both punch throws are the same.

Special Moves

• Rolling Crystal Flash: (Charge ←, →, P) [charge time: 59f]

Startup:

Frame Count	5	5
Simplified	10

In the American Version Vega only roll 1 time,in the Japanese one...

Active part 1:

• Jab Version: This does not occur.
• Strong Version: This happens only once.
• Fierce Version: This happens 2 times.

Damage (Jab)	-
Damage (Strong)	4,4
Damage (Fierce)	4,4,4,4
Stun	0~6,0~6
Stun Timer	30,30
-	-
Frame Count		4	3	3	1	2
Simplified		4	6		1	2

Active part 2:

Damage (Jab)+claw	4,4
Damage (Strong)+claw	4,4
Damage (Fierce)+claw	4,4
Stun	0~6,0~6
Stun Timer	30,30
Frame Count		4	3	3	3	2	2
Simplified		4	6		3	4

Damage (Jab)+claw	16+10
Damage (Strong)+claw	16+10
Damage (Fierce)+claw	18+10
Stun	13~19
Stun Timer	130
Frame Advantage	+9
Frame Count		8

Recovery:

Frame Count	4	1
Simplified	5

A point blank fierce roll is usually blockable after the second hit. Depending on positioning, the second hit of both active part 1 and 2 are capable of hitting low (i.e. Fierce RCF contains 3 possible low hits). However, after hitting low in this fashion, the opponent being in hitstun long enough for the rest of the roll to connect is even more position dependent.

• Flying Barcelona Attack: (Charge ↓, ↑, K), [charge time: 59f] P for claw attack, or any direction + P for Izuna drop

• Claw attack (vs ground):

Damage (Short)+claw	16+6
Damage (Fwd)+claw	18+6
Damage (RH)+claw	20+6
Stun	13~19
Stun Timer	120
Frame Adv	-12
Frame Count		3	10

• Claw attack (air-to-air):

As above, except

Stun	11~17
Stun Timer	80
Frame Adv	KD

• Izuna drop:

Damage	28
Stun	7~13
Stun Timer	99
Frame Count		2

Recovery:

Frame Count	1	2	2	9	2
Simplified	17

Vega jumps to the wall, clings briefly as in his walljump, then jumps towards the opponent. After touching the wall, Vega's arc is controllable with ← and →.

For the Claw attack, the initial kick button pressed (NOT the punch button) determines the damage dealt. Hitting a grounded opponent near the head with the Claw attack leaves you at considerable disadvantage, less so when hitting deeper (best case is -1f). Hitting an airbourne opponent with the Claw attack results in a knockdown.

The Izuna drop leaves plenty of time to set up a safe jump or meaty attack.

• Backslash (a.k.a backflip): Tap Back Twice

Invincible:

Frame Count	1	7	8	19	3	8	8
Simplified	54

Recovery:

Frame Count	9

Vega's sole move with invincibility. Unfortunately it's slow enough that most opponents can simply chase Vega down and punish the considerable recovery, or at the very least keep the pressure on. Generally an unfavourable option.

Misc Animations

Walk back	Neutral	Walk Fwd	Crouch

• Standing reel:

• Standing gut reel:

• Crouching reel:

• Dizzy:

• Knockdown bouncing pushbox:

Frame Count	9

For some reason, Vega has a series of knockdown frames with an elevated pushbox. This allows his opponent (character dependent?) to walk "through" a knocked down Vega, which can be very annoying

Miscellaneous

Technical info about Claw's claw

Advanced Strategy

Another of the 4 now playable bosses of the game,but a shame compared to Sagat and Dictador.

Claw's gameplan is too advanced, you need to learn about hit and jump with some cheap pressure set ups and aerial grab ones but are too specific depends of the character you fight.

Your main objetive is to poke and charge to made your Barcelona Special and attack your opponent with your throw or claw attack,Rolling Attack isn't useful int the American version,but is buffed in Japanese one now that the number of rolls depends of the strenght of the punch (1 time Jab,2 times Strong,3 times Fierce),and can be used for cheap pressure damage, in before, if the opponent had a good anti air like Ken, Sagat and Guile, your first special option is the Rolling one and poke them to counter their projectiles.

Unfortunately, he lacks of Anti Airs Specials, but his crouching Fierce and standing Roundhouse had decent range to be used like that, and also, you need to punish high projectiles with Crouching Roundhouse if you don't had time to charge for Barcelona Special that is the option against projectile spammers at medium range combat, or with Crouching or Standing Jab/Short if you are close to them.

Air-to-Air Moves are your main strength, he had an Air Throw with good range and also a fast jump along with better range and startup jumping normals than the Shadaloo ones,and also he had quick tap backdash that is useful to escape from your opponent and invincible against projectile and jump in attacks.

Claw's main weakness will be about close range combat, due to the lack of offensive options outside of his damaging and fast throw and pokes, backdash with holding crouchingback is your common sense answer defensive option.

Match-Ups

Vega's match-ups according the "official" SF2CE Tier List:

• against Ryu: 6
• against Ken: 7
• against Chun Li: 5
• against E. Honda: 4
• against Zangief: 5
• against Blanka: 5
• against Dhalsim: 9
• against Guile: 4
• against Balrog: 7
• against Vega: 5
• against Sagat: 6
• against M. Bison: 5

Vs. Ryu

His spirit ball dragon punch pattern is your biggest problem here.

When fighting try to stay at a distance so that your ducking fierce stab attack yourself and Ryu so that you can jump over his spirit balls and if you hold on attacking should avoid his uppercut.

When you do jump over projectiles and attack try to target your kicks so that you hit Ryu in the wrist (start jump as soon as he starts motion for spiritball or, or sooner if you can predict it, from about 1 and 1/2 to 2 body widths away) Another good way to put a hold on his spiritball throwing is the off-the-wall attack. Usually it is best to go to the wall opposite him and then try to recross over him and slam. (this helps in messing up his uppercut timing and motion.) The best way to counter his helicopter kick is to just block his hits and then slam him.

Vs. Ken

Handle very much as you would Ryu with the exception of jumping in. With his much expanded range on the uppercut he can usually hit you when you jump over his spiritballs. (you can still jump over them just add about 1 more body width than you would against Ryu. Or better yet be able to predict when he is going to throw one.)

Good air defense--- When your opponent jumps in a very good attack is the standing strong punch but if they are close when they jump in or if you wish to cause more damage it is better to hit them with a roll. If you have noticed Vega jumps slightly forward when he starts his roll (this will lower your body enough to sneak under most attacks). The key is in timing it so that you dive into your roll just as your opponent is about to hit you. This will allow you to hit them just as they fall through you. Sort of a hemorrhoid from the ground. When your opponent jumps in you should have about three inches between you to use this.

Vs. E.Honda

A lot of ducking strong punches will do best here. (fierce punches will also work but are slow enough that you may get hit out of them.) An occasional forward slide (need a safe distance here) is good to lure your opponent into an attack that you can either roundhouse him out of or roll attack him. Also if you get close enough a throw will work well. (some players may consider this cheap so be warned). When executing a wall attack it is best to cross over Honda and try to slam him from behind, otherwise he may headbutt you out of your attack and take no damage himself. Another good way to knock him out of his headbutt defense when you do a wall attack is to get about three inches behind him and execute the cut attack. This will hit him in the butt as he starts to headbutt of into the other direction.

Vs. Chun Li

Keeping her back and out of throw range is the best tactic here. When jumping in do so that you are coming down just in front of her face and hitting her in the waist. (this keeps her from walking under and throwing you). Off-the-wall attacks are also good here. When staying on the ground use a variety of ducking and standing strong punches. Finally if she starts using the neck kick attack wait until she is just starting to peak and flip over you, then jump straight up and air-slam her out of it.

Key to good wall throws---Most experienced Vega players will know that the best way to insure an off the wall slam attack is to get as close to directly above your opponent as possible and keep wiggling the stick back and forth. (this will make it much harder for them to either charge and or predict what side your coming down on.

Vs. Blanka

Your crouching strong and fierce punches along with your well angled jump in attacks do well against Blanka. When jumping in try to time your attacks so that they just hit him in the face and try to hold your attacks im out of the ball.)

When attacking with the wall attack treat Blanka much like Honda as far as avoiding his ball when you approach from the air. When he jumps in on you the best defense is a walk under throw, or if he is to distant for that to work just jumping straight up and roundhouse kicking him when you reach the top of your jump should work well. A good way to counter his ball is the back flip. Execute this move just after he starts the ball, then go for the throw after you recover. You recover from the backflip faster than he recovers from the ball.

Vs. Zangief

The usual ducking strong punch will work well against Zan also. Don't become to predictable with this attack for he can airplane punch you out of it. Try throwing in a ducking short kick or a standing jab (this may lure him into an airplane punch that you can then roundhouse slide him out of.) When using the of-the-wall attack try to hit him at an angle (don't get to close or go for the slam to often because he can headbutt you out of this. Headbutt= straight jump and strong punch as you hold up.) Another good way to knock him out of the airplane punch is the roll, but don't try this unless he is very close.

Vs. Guile

The best attacks against guile are air based. Ground attacks allow him to much opportunity to either throw sonic booms or axe you. When jumping over his sonic booms use the roundhouse kick just as you start to come down otherwise he may kick you out of the air before you land. Or if you are close enough (just behind is best) throw him when you land, but not if you kicked and he blocked because it is cheap. (if you don't care about cheeping this works well). If he starts throwing sonic booms and luring you into the pattern discussed under (Guile vs. Vega) do your best not to use the wall attacks it is very hard to out time him here, the best attack is to just jump over them.

Good wall fakes---Once again most Vega die hard will know about this but I shall mention it. When you come off the wall you can pull the stick back in the direction of the wall and call your wall attack short. This works well against Guile if he has an axe-kick charged.

Vs. Dhalsim

Your ducking strong and fierce punches will hit him out of most ground attacks. When jumping in do it from a fairly close range (about 2 body widths) this will allow you to jump over his leg attacks. If Dhalsim stays on the ground hold your attack until late, if he tries to jump up and hit you use the attack early. When using the wall attack try to go off the wall that is nearest to Dhalsim because if you come from a distance he can jump backwards and roundhouse kick you. Also watch his standing jab punch, it has an uncanny knack of knocking you out of wall slams. So try to attack from behind.

Vs. Boxer

Your Crouching strong and fierce punches along with a roundhouse slide if he uses a charging punch will work very well here. Throw in an occasional wall attack and combine that with a nonstop attack at times and Balrog should go down. The key to beating Balrog with Vega is to never give him a chance to rest and think about what to do. Vega's speed is your biggest advantage so be quick to use his quickness.

Vs. Claw

When fighting yourself you must first figure out what kind of opponent you are facing. (either ground or air based) If ground based use the jump in roundhouse kick about midway through your decent. This will usually counter his standing strong. If he uses jumps as a defense try using your attacks a bit earlier. Also if you can get close enough so that your jump lands sort of throw him you can easily slam him into the turf. If he is air based a good defense is the standing strong (good at distance.) If he gets close enough walk under throw. Or if coming from a medium range the back flip followed by a roll, wall attack or throw if close enough is highly effective.

Vs. Sagat

Handle both like you would Ryu and Guile. When he throws tigers jump them following the same guidelines for jumping Ryu's spiritballs. (if you don't mind getting hit also you can, if within range, use the ducking strong or fierce punch to hit him as he throws the tiger. If it is a high one you will hit him in the chest, or in the case of a low one in the face. You shouldÔtreat more like Guile for you can knock him out of his uppercut unlike Ryu. (only his arm is the dangerous part.)

Vs. Dictador

Wall attacks and jump in throws are best against this opponent. Use the jumping roundhouse followed by a roll or some jab punches. Like Balrog a non-stop attack style is good here. If he does get you into the torpedo pattern you can either switch directions of your block as he passes through so that you will have a wall attack charged, or execute the backflip just before he hits you. This should take you through his torpedo and if your opponent isn't on the ball he can easily be slammed after you recover.