Under Night In-Birth/UNIEL/Byakuya
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Outdated Version
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Introduction
fluff
Story
Unique Trait/Health
Certain of Byakuya's moves set webs onscreen, similar to Testament's traps. Webs will steal one block of GRD from the opponent if they hit, or half a block if they are destroyed by an attack. Additionally, webs will snare opponents on hit for a relatively long time, allowing for easy followup combos.
Health: 9500
Gameplay
Byakuya is primarily a "setplay"-type character with strong offense but weak defense. While the wide range of his normals are excellent for neutral and pressure, his complete lack of invulnerability on any of his non-system reversals means that it is very difficult for Byakuya to escape pressure once he is pushed on the defense.
Byakuya's neutral game is strongest at midrange, where he can make good use of his relatively fast, extremely long-ranged normals to keep opponents out of their comfortable ranges, which will generally be shorter than Byakuya's. His 2B and 2C have extremely long range and fast startup and hit low, forcing opponents to commit to low blocking once Byakuya is in range. Versus airborne opponents, 5B has a very tall vertical hitbox and can be used to cover multiple angles of approach with relatively low commitment. 66B/C and 236B are slightly higher-commitment pokes, but have extremely long range and are easily capable of catching opponents who are not expecting to have to block from so far away.
Byakuya suffers more at close range, where his lack of a safe 5f poke (his 2A is 6f and -3, compared to many characters who have 5f jabs that are only -1 or -2 at worst) hinders his ability to stagger pressure with jabs. Similarly, Byakuya has difficult matchups against characters who are able to stuff his approaches from further away than his optimal midrange pokes, such as Gordeau, Vatista, Hilda, Yuzuriha, etc. Due to his lack of a real projectile and otherwise slow dash speed, he has a hard time avoiding projectiles, and being forced to block them will significantly hinder or entirely negate his attempts to close space. His 214X~X moves allow him to move past some moves, but they are extremely high commitment mobility tools that can be stuffed on reaction, so his best bet is typically to stagger dash in a little bit at a time and block often.
On pressure, Byakuya actually has no safe normals (the safest being blocked 2A or 2A whiff cancel off a blocked 5C move, both of which are still -3) but he is able to make up for this with the fact that his normals can all be canceled extremely late, meaning that it will be very difficult for the opponent to tell when his moves are actually unsafe and when he is just delaying them for a frametrap. As such, Byakuya can easily train opponents to respect his pressure, allowing him to safely set up 214X webs for mixup and pressure (which can otherwise be disrespected by mashing) or simply do things that would otherwise be hugely unsafe (such as 5C dash up throw). Because his normals are all unsafe, it is easy for opponents to mash reversals through them; however, Byakuya's huge range often pushes him far back enough that most reversals whiff, meaning the Byakuya player needs to have a good sense of the opponent's reversal options and adjust his pressure accordingly. Once Byakuya confirms a hit, his combos almost always deal high damage, build lots of meter and GRD, have good carry and enable side switching if necessary, so he keeps momentum extremely well. Again, some characters deal with web oki setups more effectively than others, so a sense of the matchup is necessary to do well.
On defense, Byakuya lacks any sort of invulnerability or reversal (other than VO/IWEXS), so he has a hard time escaping very tight strings with small gaps. However, thanks to the huge range and relatively fast startup on his B moves, he is often able to wait out pressure until the opponent pushes himself too far out, and poke out of pressure when the opponent is at frame disadvantage and cannot reach him with any move that would normally be fast enough to beat a B poke. As such, green shield's pushback and blockstun reduction are extremely useful for Byakuya, especially since he builds meter and GRD very quickly and thus typically has a lot of meter to spare.
Move List
L = Low, H = High, UNB = Unblockable, CS = Chain Shift
Startup includes the first active frame.
Normal Moves
| 5A |
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| 2A |
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| 5B |
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| 2B |
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| 5C |
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| 2C |
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| j.A |
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| j.B |
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| j.C |
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Command Normals
| 3C |
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| 3[C] |
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| j.2C |
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| j.2[C] |
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Dashing Normals
| 66B |
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| 66C |
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Universal Mechanics
| Force Function B+C |
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| Force Function (charged) [B+C] |
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| Throw A+D |
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| Guard Cancel 214D |
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| Veil Off A+B+C |
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Special Moves
| How shall I cook you? 「どう料理しよう?」 236X |
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| Is chopped fine? 「微塵切りがいいかな?」 6X After How shall I cook you? |
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| Or Maybe shredded to pieces? 「それとも八つ裂き?」 6X After Is chopped fine? |
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| Should I leave it around here? 「この辺に仕掛けておこうかな?」 214X |
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| It's useless to run 「逃げてもムダさ」 X After Should I leave it around here? |
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| See, I caught you 「ほーら、 捕まえた」 X After It's useless to run |
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| Isn't it good for eating now? 「そろそろ食べ頃かな?」 623X |
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Infinite Worth
| Become a part of me 「僕の一部になりなよ」 41236D |
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Infinite Worth EXS
| Endless Nightmare 「終わらない悪夢」 A+B+C+D |
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Combos
Universal route off ground A/B/C starters
2A (5B) 2B 5C (2C) 236B~4A 214CC~delayA 2B 236A~4AAA 2B > 236A~4AAA OR 236A~6A6A 236C (CS 236A~6A6A 236C)/41236D
- Probably the best general use combo; can add normals in parens for extra damage with better starters but combo listed will work even off 2A. Offers close-to-optimal meterless damage for most basic ground starters, substantial corner carry, and hits with four webs for massive GRD advantage.
- End with rekkas instead of 4AAA if you want to go into IW or EX for more damage.
- Practical and optimal pretty much anywhere. If you have to learn one combo, go with this one.
2A (5B) 2B 5C (2C) 236B~4A 214CC~delayA 2B 236A~4AAA 2C 236A 623C > web setup
- Same as above but gives up a bit of corner carry and GRD drain for 623C oki setup potential. 623C still does quite a bit of damage and drains an additional GRD on hit so the tradeoff isn't as severe as the shortened combo makes it look. This should generally be your default route if you have the meter to spare.
2A (5B) 2B 5C (2C) 236B~4AAB j.A(whiff) 2B > standard routes
- Sideswap route. Deals slightly less damage than the above and doesn't steal as much GRD, but otherwise works pretty much identically.
5B/2B 5C 2C 236B~4AAC 214CC~delayA 2B 236A~6A6A (236C)
- Corner carry route. The standard route already carries pretty far but this one carries REALLY far, at the cost of having less GRD drain and no 623C oki option.
- Note that this only works off B starters or better.
2A 2B 2C 5C 214BBX etc.
- Alternative starter. Generally not recommended as a default confirm because being forced to keep 5C for combos after 2C cuts off a lot of your pressure options.
- 2B works in lieu of 5C if 5C has already been used and 2B has not.
- Prorates hitstun slightly less than 236B route, so still useful for very bad proration starters (i.e. 2A 2A 2B 2C).
5B/2B 2C 236B~4A 66C 214CAA 2C 236B4AAA 2C 236A~6A6A
- Swag carry combo for style points.
2B>5B>2C>5C>214BBB>JA(whiff)>66B>236A4ABB>JA(whiff)>66B>236A6A6A
- Combo from official Byakuya introduction video.
- Switches side twice for swag (not really good, if you are looking for carry, unfortunately).
Specific starters
3C (anti-air or grounded) J2C JC 2C 5C 214BAA 2C 236B4AAA 2C 236A6A6A
- Basic 3C anti-air combo.
- Works off ground hit but don't expect to hit it super often since the visual difference between 3C low and 3[C] overhead is super obvious.
3[C](overhead) 214CAA etc.
- Pickup from overhead. Goes into pretty much all standard routes, albeit with heavy damage proration.
Corner-only combos
Strong starter > web snare > 2C 5C j.2C j.C 2C 236A~4AAA > ender
- Extremely high damage route. Doesn't drain as much grid due to lack of web hits but deals massive damage.
- Only works off good starters, i.e. B or C normals.
Strong starter > web snare > 214C~4AA~delayA 2B j.2C j.C 2B 214A~4AAA > ender
- Compromise between damage and GRD drain. Doesn't do as much damage as the above combo but doesn't sacrifice any web hits so you still get maximum GRD drain.
Dash attack starters:
66B 236B4A etc.
66C 214B etc.
- Must cancel before last hit. If last hit connects, opponent will wallbounce and be very difficult to pick up with a combo.
Force Function starters:
B+C CS 2C etc.
- Standard pickup from B+C overhead. CS is required in the general course.
B+C (corner) 2A 5B j.ABC 2B 214BBB 2B etc.
- Pickup off point-blank B+C in the corner. 2A only reaches if very close in the corner.
B+C (CH) 2B 214B etc.
- Counterhit confirm off B+C. Counterhit adds extra untech time allowing 2B to pick them up.
Aerial starters:
J2[C] land 5C 214A etc.
- Basic pick up from low air J2[C] hits.
J2[C] land 5C JB JC J214BAA 2C 236B4AAA 2C 236A6A6A
- Works only in corner, but does high damage (3.4k with Vorpal)
214 trap starters:
Trap hits > 2C 236B~4A etc.
- Standard pickup. It is possible to hit the opponent before they are launched by the trap (i.e. with 2B) but confirming it in practice can be difficult. Better to go straight into 2C.
- Note that trap trigger will use up your first long-duration snare stun so you will have to go straight into followups after your first web set (no double web hits).
Trap hits > 66C 214B etc.
- In case too far to dash in with 2C.
Web trap placement follow up attack starter:
Follow up A attack > dash 2C etc.
- Usual combo routes.
Follow up B attack > j.A(whiff) 2A 5B j.ABC 2B 214B etc.
- Standard followup route. You have less time to follow up since the opponent is already on the ground, so go straight into a 2A pickup to be safe.
Follow up B attack > J2[C] land 5C 214B etc.
- Works only in corner but adds a fair bit of damage.
Oki set ups with web traps:
At center, set up TK214BBA>214A
At corner, set up 214A>TK214C
- Basic setups that put multiple webs out and give you plenty of time afterwards to act freeform.
At center: Jump back j.214CAA 214AAD
- Sets two webs in front of opponent and one behind. Webs will not trigger immediately on the opponent's wakeup but will trigger if he moves at all. Ground and air web in front of opponent make it difficult for him to mash as he can potentially be snared by both webs if he fails to hit both of them in one attack. Moreover, if you block his attack, you can green shield him backwards into the web behind for a free combo.
In corner: 214AAD TK j.214BBB (whiff) falling j.B
- Three-web setup that leads into a safejump setup. Do j.214BBB whiff as the opponent falls out of the 623C web, requires a bit of timing vs. faster DPs.
- If the opponent doesn't have a DP or you don't think he will use it, you can delay the j.214BBB whiff slightly to get more forward movement and still get meaty falling j.B into an ambiguous landing crossup.
- Opponent can avoid being safejumped by doing normal wakeup (not holding any buttons). In this case you still have enough time to do a regular meaty.
- You can switch the order of the jumping and ground web placements (i.e. doing j.214AAD first instead of 214AAD to slightly alter the web arrangement if you prefer.
In corner: 214BB TK j.214BBD
- Three-web setup that puts you into corner with one meaty web and webs above and behind opponent, cutting multiple wakeup options. You are DP-safe and mashing will lose to webs (either meaty ground web if not a low or otherwise green shield into web behind). They will be forced into blocking the web above if they jump leading to free air-unblockable.
- Note that opponent can throw you to clear the webs (even if you tech the throw). Either just tech the throw for the free frame advantage or call it out with a meaty.
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