Blade Strangers/Ali
Introduction
Source Game: Code of Princess
Story
You are a computer simulation. Your existence is meaningless. Might as well use your incredibly degenerate bomb oki to wreak havoc.
Gameplay
Health: 10,000
Commanding, low-risk oki off every touch. Strong air-to-airs. Lacks in overall damage compared to some characters, but the layered mixup game involving bombs more than makes up for it.
Strengths/Weaknesses
Strengths | Weaknesses |
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Move List
Light Attacks
5L Light Attack |
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5LL Light Attack 2x |
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5LLL Light Attack 3x |
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6L Forward Light Attack |
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6LL Forward Light Attack 2x |
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2L Crouching Light Attack |
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2LL Crouching Light Attack 2x |
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2LLL Crouching Light Attack 3x |
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j.L Jumping Light Attack |
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j.8L Hilt Thrust |
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Heavy Attacks
5H Heavy Attack |
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6H Slide Kick |
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4H Stomach Kick |
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2H Crouching Heavy Attack |
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3H Cleave |
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j.H Jumping Heavy Attack |
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j.3H Axe Kick |
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j.8H Split Kick |
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Unique Attacks
5E Anti Air |
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6E Overhead |
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4E Knock Back |
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2E Sweep |
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3E Chase Attack |
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j.E Jumping Knock Back |
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Skills
6S Hayate |
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6H+S Hayate (Heavy) |
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6S+E Hayate (EX) |
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L (during Hayate) Dust |
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H (during Hayate) Meteor |
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E (during Hayate) Hell |
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S (during Hayate) Flash |
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2S Reppukyaku |
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2H+S Reppukyaku (Heavy) |
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2S+E Reppukyaku (EX) |
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4S Explosive Bomb |
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4H+S Explosive Bomb (Heavy) |
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4S+E Explosive Bomb (EX) |
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j.S Hayabusa |
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j.H+S Hayabusa (Heavy) |
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j.S+E Hayabusa (EX) |
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j.2S Uzura |
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j.2H+S Uzura (Heavy) |
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j.2S+E Uzura |
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j.4S Aerial Explosive Bomb |
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j.4H+S Aerial Explosive Bomb (Heavy) |
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j.4S+E Aerial Explosive Bomb (EX) |
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Universal Commands
L+H Throw |
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L+E Offensive Skill (horizontal) |
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8L+E Offensive Skill (upward) |
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j.L+E Aerial Offensive Skill |
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4L+E Defensive Skill |
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Ultra Skills
H+S+E Meteor Dance Lv. 1 |
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H+S+E 2x Meteor Dance Lv. 2 |
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2H+S+E Requiem Lv. 1 |
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2H+S+E 2x Requiem Lv. 2 |
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Strategy
Offense
Bomb Oki
Overhead: 4S > Whiff 5L > 6E > 4S Explodes > 5L Pickup
Low: 4S > walk forward > 2B > 4S Explodes > 5L pickup
Throw: 4S > walk forward > L+H > 4S Explodes > 4B pickup difficult, easier in corner
Down Attack: 4S > walk forward > 3E > 4S Explodes > 5L Pickup (the explosion should catch them trying to punish your 3E)
DP Bait: 4S > Whiff 5L > Block reversal > 4S explodes > 5L pickup
Alternative DP bait setups look like this[1]: 4S > walk back > 3B > 4S explodes > 5S~L > 2L Pickup
Can add a 2nd mixup if you use 5S+E instead
Universal Stuff
6E versus 3H is still quite the potent mixup even if you don't have a Bomb over your opponent.
Throws in this game can't be broken on reaction. Walking in and out of throw range can oftentimes provoke a reactionary throw break attempt, which can be punished with 3H and other normals.
Defense
Due to a lack of reversal options, you're getting out the ol' fashioned way. You can save meter for Guard Cancel, or you can look for outs to counterpoke or instant-air j.H+S.
Throws in this game lose outright to normals, so if you really expect a tick-throw you can 4E for CH damage.
Neutral
Depending on the matchup, you'll be throwing out Bombs and moving forward after them, jockeying for space. j.H+S is actually a very good poke here, as it masks when you actually intend to jump-in as you can do it at any point in the jump arc, and it cleanly beats out certain normals and anti-airs at range. If you can get your opponent to block a bomb, you can run throw mixups, go for an ambiguous crossup, or continue pressure.
3H is probably your longest button with the highest reward on hit, while still being a low. Learn to confirm off it right into EX Hayate > Flash to turn stray counterpokes into oki.
EX Bombs are very useful in matchups where you have trouble approaching. It's expensive, but your opponent is normally forced to answer them or risk being put in a bad situation.
Combos
Midscreen
5L,L,L,6H xx 5S~E
j.H+S > 5L,L,L,6H xx 5S~E
3H xx 5S~E
5L,L,L,6H xx 2ES > 9j.L,H xx j.5H+S > 4H xx 5S~E
6L,L,6H xx 2ES > 9j.L,H xx j.5H+S > 4H xx 5S~E
3H xx 5ES~S > 5L,L,L,6H xx 2ES > 9j.L,H xx j.5H+S > 4H xx 5S~E