I admire your ability to remain positive regardless of how dire the situation seems.
I'm not sure what to think yet ... as a Hitomi player, I thought she had it bad but it seems every single char except the new ones got nerfed pretty hard. I'm starting to think TN wants this game to be played a very certain way most of us here wouldn't agree with.
Seems every new mechanic they put into the game save for Power Launchers was meant to keep people from dealing as much damage as they would in DOA5 - I'm talking about the overall nerf of the ground game, and those bounds that only garantee shit juggles.
This is far from the truth. I've said this shit so many times already...
Learn the game, it's obvious and apparent that DOA5U is not exactly the same as DOA5. Characters have been changed,
deal with it, figure out what they're capable of in this game and readjust.
My character; Ayane:
If we're really going out of our way to just look for the bad, she's only got one. 1P+KP and BT PPPP went from being a guard break and +5 to -8, which is pure unsafety. Okay that hurts, sure. But there is an upside, and guess what it is? 4P+KP, which is 3rd and 4th hits of her BT PPPP string.
Why is this actually good? Because now Ayane has a mid punch option that
stuns on normal hit while she's back turned, this gave her the ability to further her mix ups within the threshold without relying only on a high or a low. 4P+KP also leads into an unstaggerable gut stun, which gives me my 50/50 much earlier than before. This change alone has increased her already solid ability to reach a Critical burst (which she doesn't even need or have to use at all to get any solid damage but now opponents are even more fucked because of it). She lost a guard break in exchange for better mix ups during hit confirms, I can cope with that.
What did she gain that's actually good? A new short string, P4P. 10 frame jab into a mid punch, leaves her back turned, +0 on hit, -5 on block, stuns on counter hit. I'm probably the only player here that realizes just how stupid this made her already solid jab cancel mixups, more stupid. It has a decent delay, so you can fish for counter hit stun against players mashing after her jab cancels or are actually trying to press buttons after blocking her jab (because her jab is -1 on block what are you really going to do about that? Aside from getting hi counter hit by my BT6P?). Her jab cancel mixups just became more dangerous.
In addition, P4P is great for her stun game and counter hit stun > launch. And now that holds have increased recovery, my throws are guaranteed if I see you holding out of stun. Especially if you are low holding (such a bad habit).
3H+K: I kept quiet about everything in regards to Ayane's changes around here on the forums, while almost everyone else was in panic mode crying and screaming nerfs. I saw the bound in the trailers, then I am told and had it confirmed that bounds can lead into good or potentially solid damage. This move wasn't hit hard at all in the slightest. What really changed is it being -3 on block now instead of it being +0 on block, so you can't frame trap anyone but who cares? She's still incredibly safe if it's blocked and you are not punishing her either, you are counterhit hard if you try.
If this hits, you reap the benefits because 3H+K has very good combo potential both midscreen and near walls (and on walls her same 3H+K wall combos from Vanilla still apply). Right now Ayane's BnB for 3H+K is; 3H+K > 66 Free cancel > 66KK4 BT7K for 56 damage (on normal hit). And that's universal, not weight specific.
Her 4K is still a sitdown stun with guaranteed followups.
1P+K is a 1 frame (instant) as opposed to her old 11 backspin, which took 3 frames. She has access to the generic KBD now. A character with KBD and solid Integrated is wonderful in my eyes.
4P+K actually launches slightly higher now than it did in Vanilla because of that new juggle airstate. She has a higher damaging combo from her 64H+P throw and 64H advanced mid punch hold on lightweights now because of it
on flat ground terrain. Speaking of which, both 64H+P and 64H advantages are still intact, nothing off about either of them.
Her 4P is still intact. Her 66KK4/BTPP6KK4 are still intact. 3H+K is still intact. All of her other crushes are still intact, all of her CQC and range tools are still intact.
1P+KK no longer tracks, but it is now -5 in exchange. -5 up close, -3 at a distace and -1 at tip range. You're not throwing this unless it's a grappler at -5.
She's received some tweaks, but is in no way nerfed hard. She's received a few buffs. And this is all just from Day 1 play.
The guaranteed damage is still in the game. And, it's so remarkably funny how most players whin about guaranteed damage, when most playing this game don't even opt for it. Most don't even know that throw punishment exist in the game.
oops... His counters are kinda crappy too lol. It seems only the people who've mained Eliot and actually know his tools and understand his struggles. I've came across a few hidden buffs, but nothing to help him exponentially as a character. Spending another hour in the "lab" isn't going to change anything for him or his match ups.