Cyberbots/Lightning

RF-009 Lightning

Introduction

Lightning is a VA that creates brutal oki situations with its Weapon in conjunction with overheads and lows. Due to how long the missiles from the Weapon attack hold the opponent in blockstop, Lightning can create unblockables by holding the opponent in a high block and then confirming a low into a full combo. Managing your Weapon Gauge becomes very important for Lightning, as you want to have it available for okizeme situations, but you also often need to use it in neutral to get in in the first place. Juggling between the two roles and judging when to spend your Weapon Gauge can be awkward. While it seems like Lightning is focused around lightning attacks, you lean more on missiles and dash attacks instead. Since these techniques that Lightning relies on to win are kind of tricky, Lightning is considered to be a more difficult VA to pick up and perform well with.

Pros:

• Extremely strong Weapon attack that leads sets up high/low mixups and unblockables.
• Can get a full combo into knockdown from a fast low starter as well as overheads.
• Extremely strong okizeme.
• Strong tridash jumpins that allow you to continue pressure.
• Super has a lot of invincibility and does a lot of damage.

Cons:

• Has a lot of moves that are good when they hit, but very punishable when blocked, has to take risks with these.
• Full combo conversions can be awkward and difficult to do consistently.
• Moves will feel stubby against some characters, and it can be difficult to navigate those matchups.
• Has trouble getting in on and locking down opponents that like to stay in the air.

Normals

5L - Active on frame 5. This chains into H, or into another L which can chain into H. This target combo ends in a knockdown, so it's quite nice. It is possible to combo Lightning's super from 5L if you cancel it quick enough, but this is very difficult to do.

2L - Active on frame 3. Hits low. Can be combod directly into Rolling Gear if you cancel it as soon as possible. This is one half of Lightning's dangerous mixup that he applies on wakeup. The range is quite short.

5H - A long reaching electric shock attack. Knocks down on hit. Cannot be charge canceled after it is active, so try not to use this, or charge cancel it right away in case it comes out when you're aiming for a throw.

6H - Active on frame 7. An upwards diagonal version of 5H. This one doesn't knock down on hit. Can be used as an anti air from mid range. Can't be canceled after active, and it takes a while to recover from, so you won't be able to follow up after landing one of these.

2H - Active on frame 12. Extends the tracks for a sweep. Knocks down on hit. Hitbox doesn't extend as far as it looks like it should. Charge cancelable.

j.L - Active on frame 7. Treads attack that does up to 3 hits. The other half of Lightning's mixups game. Can be done as a fast overhead with a 3B tridash. Has to hit pretty deep to be able to connect a 2L afterwards, but this shouldn't be a problem with how low Lightning can tridash.

j.H - Active on frame 12. Bigger version of j.L that does 2 hits. It is easy to connect a ground move after landing this if you get both hits to connect.

j.2H - Active on frame 9. Downwards stomp that does up to 6 hits. If you don't hit from directly above your opponent it is difficult to get multiple hits. If you use it as an OTG you will only do one hit for very little damage.

Dashing L - Active on frame 7. Rushes forward with the treads for up to 3 hits. This is on the slow slide for the track type VA dash L's. You can cancel the second hit to combo with a move like Rolling Gear, or just charge cancel it as a way to get in up close.

Dashing H - Active on frame 12. Rushes forward with a 2-hit move that looks like 2H, but doesn't knock down. The second hit can be canceled into various special moves for more damage and a knockdown.

Throws

Normal throw range - 43.

L throw - Standard mash throw. You can use the L throw to OTG.

H throw - Standard toss throw. Try to throw with 7 or 9 so that if the throw doesn't come out you will get a jump instead of 5 or 6H. Also OTG's.

632 L or H - Arm Ripper. For some reason, the L version of Lightning's Arm Ripper throw has more range (L is 43, H is 41) so use that one.

Weapon

Spread Missile.

5W - Active on frame 12. Consumes 100% of the Weapon Gauge. Launches missiles horizontally. It doesn't travel very fast, but the hitstun is long enough that you can combo after with an attack if you charge cancel the Weapon Attack as soon as the missiles launch and chase after them.

2W - Active on frame 12. Consumes 100% of the Weapon Gauge. The same as 5W, but launches from a lower position.

j.W - Active on frame 12. Consumes 100% of the Weapon Gauge. Launches missiles at a horizontal-ish angle. Good to use when flying in from a distance.

j2W - Uses 100% of the Weapon Gauge. Drops the missiles closer to your feet directly below you. This is good for jumping in or setting up okizeme. This can also create unblockables because you cannot switch guard directions during hitstop. On an opponent's wakeup do a j.3B2W, then after landing do a j.3BL into 2L. The hitstop from the missiles will make the 2L unblockable if the opponent tries to block the overhead. Getting this sequence down is important for succeeding with Lightning.

Specials

236 L, or H - Sparkle Laser. Active on frame 25. If it hits up close it will do 3 hits. If it hits from further away it will do 2 hits, triggering an electric shock stun. The H version shoots diagonally upwards, but you cannot follow up after hitting an airborne opponent. If you hit them on the ground you have enough time to combo into a dash attack. This will do a lot of damage, but the Sparkle Laser itself is very slow and is very punishable on block, so be careful when trying to use this.

2 (Charge) 8 L, or H - Rolling Gear. Active on frame 13. Air ok. Big spiked wheel move that does up to 4 hits. Will juggle airborne opponents and knocks down on hit. Does good damage, and since it connects from a 2L, it makes 2L scary. This move pushes Lightning around the screen quickly, and has a big hitbox, so it can be easy to run into. However, it also has a fair bit of recovery, so be careful not to use it recklessly.

22 L, or H - Thunder Rain. L version is active on frame 14, H version is active on frame 17. Calls down lightning from the sky that envelopes you. Usually used to hit airborne opponents from directly below, but can also be used as an OTG move. Punishable on block, so again, be careful with this.

2 (No Charge) 8 H - Vertical Gear. Active on frame 5. Does not do chip damage. Attacks the area above Lightning's head, kinds of overlaps with Thunder Rain for when you want to use it. Feels slightly weaker than the Vertical Gear attacks from the other track based VA's.

Super

LH - Giga Rain. Active on frame 8. Invincible until right after it becomes active, but the recovery is long and is very punishable on block.

236236A - Thunder Shaking. Throws a lightning ball at the opponent. Active around frame 12 (?). THe first stage is invincible for a long time and the damage on hit is very high. However, on block the defender can jump over the ball before Lightning throws it. Doesn't combo from 2L, but can be comboed from dashing L. Knocks down on hit. Makes a surprisingly good reversal due to its invincibility.

Combos

Basic BnB combos, courtesy of Totu_Q.

j.L (1~3 Hits>L>L>H. Basic combo for Lightning. The chain takes some practice to get used to.

(j.L) L>2L>2 (charge) 8L. You only barely have enough time to charge long enough with the 2L input. this is more difficult than the above combo, but is a way to improve the damage you get from a 5L.

j.2W>BL> (2 Hit)>236236A > > 22L. After confirming your missiles have hit, you can follow upo with a dash attack into super.

(As the opponent wakes up) j.3B2W>2L>L>... Unblockable starter if the opponent wakes up blocking high that leads into any of your 5L options.

Extra Resources

Japanese wiki page for Lightning, most of the information on this page was taken from the Japanese wiki written by Savaki.