Free Step Dodge

Lars was a crazy combo character, just like Hayate.
But Hayate doesnt need a buff, he got great tools as is.

hayate, perfect? how so? he's one of those character people talk about being super strong, but i just don't see it

You don't see it because no one really plays to his strengths offline at a high level.

Like the man says, if you look at Hayate objectively and try to break down what makes him good, you'll quickly realize everything he has is good, he has no fallacies as a character. I was extremely intrigued when i heard Japan said Hayate was the best character in the game, now i see it clear as day.

Too bad the U.S. is.....one tracked minded to realize what characters are really strong in their own game. It's certainly not Christie.

i know this sounds like im asking alot, but what exactly makes him so good/lacking in flaws? im honestly curious because his place on the top of the Japanese tier list confounds me.

American players tend to get sucked into a one-dimensional spacing game and use a very limited portion of their kit there. We focus more on the in-stun mixups and as such Hayate would never truly shine like he can.

You don't see enough 4P string usage at high level, despite the fact it's one, if not the strongest mid-field closer in the game. Instead you see a lot of 3H+K which is punishable on reaction at all parts of the string due to it not being strongly delayable, and you see a lot of run-in 66P/6T mixups which will only get you so far.

In stun, he's as good as anyone else.

Hayate will shine when Americans stop trying to play him like 66P lancer fear is his only gimmick.

Its as Rikuto says, and being as someone who subs Hayate, I prioritize his 4P as his neutral/offensive/defensive tool because of what it offers in all areas.

Hayate is strong midscreen and virtually any stage in the game (like Ayane, Akira and a few other characters are). 66P honestly is much better during threshold since it offers the same mix up Ayane's 6P has. Which is something a lot of players don't understand about their mids. You are "always" guessing the 50/50.

3H+K from Hayate is better as a whiff punish, and threshold mix up to check players that it will not be their turn unless Hayate messes up. But sadly, like Rikuto said lol.

Another thing players don't understand you are supposed to overcommit with his jab strings on block. You are supposed to check opponents that challenge him after he has put PP on your block.

That's why PP6[P] exists because it is there to check people that have realized they have to stop challenging him mid string.

Hayate has everything he needs in this game. It's just that a lot of U.S. players want to play him in a very straight-forward, gimmicky and limited fashion. Which is why they never perform well at a high level.

daaammm, glad i'm not a hayate player reading this post lolz, but thanks for the insight guys, still not convinced him being "perfect" or S tier, but it sound like a classic case of a strong character being played poorly, at least in the US according to you doodz

The only thing that could really push him to be stronger would be an 11 frame mid and that would just be ridiculous.

He's got what he needs.

Oh he's not perfect, no character in the game is as everyone has a flaw(s) their design somewhere. But he is a strong character. He, Akira and Ayane (along with Raidou and Honoka) are who, IMHO, U.S. players misunderstand a lot.