What would you change about Akira?

[Zeo]

I noticed I hadn't made a topic in the Akira boards, but aside from that I was thinking about Akira and his tools, where he stands in tier lists, how he shapes up against the other VF characters here and I came to the realization that both Pai and Sarah are superior to him in this game.

I placed Sarah in top tier (like everyone else) and placed Pai somewhere in high tier after discovering what she's capable of but I've always thought of Akira as the very bottom of high tier (and worse case scenario, the top of mid tier) and nothing as of yet has convinced me otherwise. So I'm wondering if I'm alone here, the chances of the VF characters being touched is slim to none, but if you could, would you change anything about Akira? Especially for people that play FS, would you change anything to it's FS incarnation?

I gave it some thought and I'd change some things about him.

- being +2 instead of +1. Akira has a few good +1 attacks but lacks any real frame traps.

- is +1 on block but depending on the distance it can be either +2 to +4 the further the opponent is when it's blocked, and +5 only at the furthest distance possible. I think it should, as a rule, be +5 and only +3 at point blank range.

- is -7 on normal hit. Why should his 13 frame low kick be -7 on NH when his 12 frame low jab is +1 and low holding is universal to both kicks and punches? I think it should be buffed up to +2 on NH and give him a nice meaty frametrap.

- should be a natural launcher on both NH and CH just like in FS.

- is +5 and leaves your opponent at BT, as it stands this throw is useless and has no viable purpose in his arsenal. It should be buffed up to around +9 at least so he can get something guaranteed off of it.

- should guarantee a followup.

- Completely revamp the buffer for and make it instant input. I don't want to have to buffer crouch to get a -13 on block mid punch. I want to press 346p and see it instantly come out. Though it's been the way it is since the dawn of VF so I don't see that ever happening.

- should guard break and shave about 28 frames off that -32 he's left at if it's blocked. Same goes for when he's at BT.

- should give more frame advantage on block. As of now the only thing guaranteed off of it is a jab in the corner and there is absolutely no situation where it should be used over

- should guarantee a CB if the opponent is in critical stun. As of now it can just barely be slow escaped at the fastest slow escape setting.

- should give a deeper stun and guarantee not only a CB but . I should be able to chain these sit-down stuns into eachother to get to CB. It should also track.

- should be +3 on block.

, and , should both be 2-in-1's.

- can be crushed and ducked by lows and certain low mid attacks, this should not happen.

- should be -4 on block.

- The followup to ,, should be guaranteed just like his
,, throw .

- , , , (GBoD) should guarantee you a force tech and mixup on wakeup, not guarantee your opponent a wakeup kick that you're forced to guess.

- , should guarantee a force tech if it's used as a combo ender.

And finally, this one I'm just being a little silly.

- ()+ should be unholdable.

If everyone gets the needed buffs that they deserve everyone in DOA5 should have some frametraps, I don't think anything I suggested is over the top or makes him overpowered. That being said what do you think, and would you change anything for the better, or for the worse?

 

[Sly Bass]

- The followup to ,, should be guaranteed just like his
,, throw .

- , , , (GBoD) should guarantee you a force tech and mixup on wakeup, not guarantee your opponent a wakeup kick that you're forced to guess.

- , should guarantee a force tech if it's used as a combo ender.

And finally, this one I'm just being a little silly.

- ()+ should be unholdable.

I am in favor of the un-quoted items. Here are my two cents on the quoted items.

- ,, is a mind game in itself. I almost never finish the P or K in that. Instead I throw again or GBoD.

- The GBoD is powerful enough as it is. If you could continue the punishment with that afterwards, it would be unfair.

- Yesterday, I was showing Galen a bunch of forced tech combos I came up with. I don't think it's needed to have , perform a forced tech, when , already does. On top of that, those forced tech combos are THE best setups for the GBoD, which in combination, removes half the life bar.

- would be nice if it was unholdable, but I think that there would need to be more of a disadvantage if it was whiffed or blocked. I'm fine with how it is now.

 

[Zeo]

I am in favor of the un-quoted items. Here are my two cents on the quoted items.

1. - ,, is a mind game in itself. I almost never finish the P or K in that. Instead I throw again or GBoD.

2. - The GBoD is powerful enough as it is. If you could continue the punishment with that afterwards, it would be unfair.

3. - Yesterday, I was showing Galen a bunch of forced tech combos I came up with. I don't think it's needed to have , perform a forced tech, when , already does. On top of that, those forced tech combos are THE best setups for the GBoD, which in combination, removes half the life bar.

4. - would be nice if it was unholdable, but I think that there would need to be more of a disadvantage if it was whiffed or blocked. I'm fine with how it is now.

1. It may have decent mixup properties but I still don't see why the followups aren't guaranteed, and I don't really see the point either. I'd rather just get the guaranteed stun game than have to attempt a mix up at the risk of being snuffed by something other than a hold. While we're at it the followup should have more stun on hit. It barely gives any as it is now.

2. Characters like Mila already have setups where she can get a nice 50-80 damage on you from her or force tech nonsense into even bigger damage from her mixup or tackle depending on what she wants to do. There's no reason Akira shouldn't have some sort of setup that gives advantage. At the very least, GBoD should put you back at neutral if it's landed, not guarantee you to guess wakeup. You're effectively giving up your momentum to your opponent every time you do it as it is now.

3. Fair enough, in that case though , should guarantee a force tech it's landed no matter when it's done on a juggled opponent. Basically it should have Helena properties.

4. is already unsafe, and an 18 frame mid kick, going to stand by thinking it should be unholdable.

 

[Sam Sultan]

1.More tracking moves for all i know he only has 3(, and SS). As he is now almost every usable move of his can be sidestepped. The should change the tracking as follows:
(NTT)
T
(NT T)
T
(NTT)
2.You should be able to do the on hit throw after SS like you can do in .
3. His (+1)(10 frames) should be (+2)(9 frames) and his (+1) should be (+2) Also his should be(+2) on guard. These changes will give him the upper hand in a close range fight.

Other than the above mentioned points i think he doesn't need any changes.

 

[Zeo]

3. His (+1)(10 frames) should be (+2)(9 frames) and his (+1) should be (+2) Also his should be(+2) on guard. These changes will give him the upper hand in a close range fight.

Other than the above mentioned points i think he doesn't need any changes.

A 10 frame +1 jab being a 9 frame +2 jab? That's a little too overkill. Just the +2 is one thing but the i9 that effectively gives him a 7 frame jab if the 9 frame is blocked. That's just too good for a standing jab.

As for the knee, going from punishable to +2? It would have to stay holdable if that happened then. An unholdable mid kick launcher that is +2 on block? Again, a little too good.

I agree with everything else.

 

[Sam Sultan]

A 10 frame +1 jab being a 9 frame +2 jab? That's a little too overkill. Just the +2 is one thing but the i9 that effectively gives him a 7 frame jab if the 9 frame is blocked. That's just too good for a standing jab.

As for the knee, going from punishable to +2? It would have to stay holdable if that happened then. An unholdable mid kick launcher that is +2 on block? Again, a little too good.

I agree with everything else.

Hmmm yeah that may be a little to overpowered but i think the 1 frame knee should not be punishable rather be (+1) on guard. The reason why i suggested those changes is because every time when i fight against Sarah or Pai they always seem to be much faster than Akira and given the fact that one of Akira's main strength is his speed makes it hard to fight a good Pai or Sarah.

 

[Sly Bass]

It feels as if Pai and Sarah are +2 on ALL of their strikes.

 

[Zeo]

It feels as if Pai and Sarah are +2 on ALL of their strikes.

Sarah gets +4 off an insanely fast mid kick. Which is why I feel Akira should get the +5 off his slow sit-down stun.

 

[Ghosty-J]

The first post pretty much hits the nail on the head for what I want the kind of tools Akira to have. I merely want his to be more useful again. Knocking the opponent so far back drastically limiting my options to nothing but a isn't working out too well for me.

 

[Sly Bass]

The first post pretty much hits the nail on the head for what I want the kind of tools Akira to have. I merely want his to be more useful again. Knocking the opponent so far back drastically limiting my options to nothing but a isn't working out too well for me.

I agree. The only thing I use for is when I'm trying to counter a side stepping opponent.

 

[Zeo]

I throw it out sometimes from a distance to get that deceptive +1 to +5. It looks so unsafe so the opponent is almost guaranteed to press a button if it's blocked giving me an opening. And nine times out of ten it's not a jab they're doing, which is the only thing that will beat out . And that's only if I got +1 off of it.