Free Step Dodge

Im just saying the character doesn't need any nerfs. Buff the rest of the cast and people need to level up. She is clearly superior in toolset but the way people complained made it sound like it was a headache dealing with her.

It is. And the "only direction is up" approach is not more valid here than anywhere else.

We'll just have to agree to disagree. I personally think if the cast had the tools to combat he pressure, or if their ability to create force tech situations was restored Rachel would still be solid but not dominating. As of right now I treat rachel the same way i treated force techs in vanilla.

Know her followup options and react accordingly. If you make the wrong read you are fucked as you were in vanilla after force techs. Make the right read you are in a good situation.

Combat one ridiculous thing by giving ridiculous things to everyone? No thanks.

just dont hit a button. if you are giving her the counter hit damage she wants shes going to drop you faster than she should.

if you stay blocking or sidestepping you force Rachel to respond to you in specific ways. That makes it easier to make a read on what she is doing.

I'm not saying the cast needs to be ridiculous I'm saying they need access to real or better pressure options.

Rachel is ridiculously good right now because of the way she can open people up. She has almost nothing else as her ability in spacing is pitiful.

At most she can use a reduction in the frame advantage on whiffed stomp. That would be the best thing.

1) Blocking required hitting a button
2) Oh? Blocking limits her options? Let's see, from her fastest string she can go high, low for a + on NH trip, mid for a SDS if you block low for a low/high evasion, a reset OH, or a special side-step. How does that force her to respond in different ways? Because last I recall, that's every possible option you could have.

Or of course she could say: "fuck all that, I need EVEN MORE OPTIONS AVAIALBE if they block" and just go with one of her GBs, her multiple low pokes that are +on NH, a big ol' throw etc. And all these mix-ups are for a braindead no-risk huge reward move.

After whiffed stomp if I'm sidestepping or blocking as my main options the smart thing to do is grab or go for a tracking strike. Going for the linear high puts you at risk of being stepped or ducked even if I'm expecting a grab.

going for the low is also going to get stepped or blocked if I choose to duck a grab.

its not wise to go for linear options when im revealing im not afraid to sidestep you.

sidestepping and blocking are, again, pressing buttons, and the antithesis of what you just recently said to do to effectively liit her options (which, according to you, was blocking). Fact is, there is no efficient way to limit her options because she's got so fucking many of them you just have to guess right.

Im not saying this is the best approach to dealing with rachel. but if you condition her to respond in specific ways, you deter her from using some followups to whiffed stomp

*I meant grabbing and tracking strike = hitting buttons

making it easier to get a read on her

ok let me be more specfic. when i say hitting buttons i mean striking at disadvantage. that is the worst possible thing to do against rachel.