Fantasy Strike/Onimaru

Overview

Lore

General Onimaru commands the Flagstone military. He's an expert on tactics and strategy. In combat, he relies on deliberate, powerful strikes with his sword.

Character stats

Health	Character Type	Super Meter charge time
7	Wildcard	13 Seconds

Gameplay

Onimaru is a slow but powerful fighter. If he can land his attacks on an opponent (blocking or not), he can quickly cause a lot of damage.

Rather than dealing chip damage from special moves, Onimaru can guard crush you by making you block 3 of his sword attacks within a certain amount of time. This effectively treats you as being hit as if you were not blocking at all.

Strengths	Weaknesses
Extra health Swings a big sword that hits hard Guard Crush forces opponents to play actively Extremely strong Supers, both offer high potential damage and neutral control Multiple armored moves	Does not get throw invincibility on his reversal moves His big sword moves are reactable Often has to make big reads or rely on knowledge checks to win

Moves

Ground

Hilt Bash	Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Adv Block Adv Counter Adv Properties Attribute 1 8 7 14 0 -2 +5 Cancellable Strike A quick strike with the blunt end of Onimaru’s sword. Good anti-air at the tip with the pommel. Cancellable into or on hit or block.

Overhead Slice +

Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Adv Block Adv Counter Adv Properties Attribute 2 20 9 16 -2 -4 +4 Cancellable, Guard Crush Strike A slow overhead swing with Onimaru’s sword. Despite the animation, this move hitbox is only about as high as Onimaru’s waist (standing neutral height). Causes 1 point of chip on block. It is unsafe as a blockstring when performed in close range. Cancellable into or on hit or block.

Sweep +	Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Adv Block Adv Counter Adv Properties Attribute 1 13 5 25 KD -9 KD Cancellable, Knockdown, Guard Crush Strike A quick, far reaching sweeping slice across the ground with Onimaru’s sword. Causes 1 point of chip on block and pushes opponent back. Can be spaced at max range to safely meaty most reversals. Cancellable into or on hit or block.

Tactical Slice Tactical Slice Tactical Slice Tactical Stance Tactical Stance Shoulder Charge Shoulder Charge Spirit Fire Spirit Fire Tactical Analysis Tactical Analysis

Version Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Adv Block Adv Counter Adv Properties Attribute Tactical Slice 2 22 5 41 +10 (-23) +8 (-25) KD Cancellable, Projectile Invincible, Guard Crush Strike A forward moving, spinning, horizontal slash attack. Causes 1 point of chip on block. The spinning portion of the move has some projectile invulnerability. At the end of the move Onimaru automatically enters the Tactical Stance. During the stance Onimaru can perform the following: dash forward by pressing twice, or alternatively +, remaining in the stance, but losing the ability to dash in either direction; dash backwards by pressing twice, or alternatively +, exiting the stance; cancel into to perform Shoulder Charge; cancel into to perform Spirit Fire; cancel into to perform Tactical Analysis. Shoulder Charge 1 12 9 9 +5 ~ +12 +3 ~ +13 +11 ~ +17 - Strike Onimaru does a quick shoulder ram that exits Tactical Stance and leaves him at Frame Advantage. If it hits at the very end it can grant massive advantage. Serviceable anti-air. Spirit Fire 2 23 28 13 KD -20 KD Knockdown, Guard Crush Strike, Projectile Onimaru does a slow, massive swing of his sword. Leaves Tactical Stance. The ghosts that follow the sword eat projectiles. Tactical Analysis - 10 82 16 KD - KD - Parry Parries Strikes and Projectiles with a high swing of his sword for a counterattack. Leaves Tactical Stance. Tactical Stance can be held active for quite a long time by holding down . If a Strike or Projectile hits while active, the Counter Attack is activated. Counter Attack 1 9 8 9 KD +4 KD Knockdown, Guard Crush Strike Quick Upward angled attack with long range. Guard crushes. Very fast to recover, even on whiff. Allows juggle for follow up hits or simply charge super for big unblockable damage.

Divide and Conquer Spin to win Spin to win

Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Adv Block Adv Counter Adv Properties Attribute 1 ~ 2 17 5(17)7 31 KD -17 KD Armor Strike Slow, armored attack that hits twice and moves forward quickly. Has 1 hit of armor starting on the first frame, will hit behind Onimaru. If both hits connect (easier if the opponent is airborne) it will deal 2 damage. This move will Guard Crush opponents with only 1 point of chip, making it an extremely powerful threat. There is a bug with blocking Divide and Conquer. The last active frame is unblockable. After a successful parry, combo with the sweep. Use Divide and Conquer but DO NOT cancel from the sweep, wait until the cancel window ends and it will perfectly time the just frame.

Throw Throw Throw Yomi Counter Yomi Counter

Version Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Adv Block Adv Counter Adv Properties Attribute Forward 1 3 4 16 KD - KD Knockdown Throw Throws are extremely strong for Onimaru, should he be in the position to land one, because retaining the Guard Crush on an opponent means he can set up guaranteed damage. Onimaru has enough time to move in closer for a meaty with his jump bunt after throws, +50 advantage (+46 on Rook). Universal Throw; all throws have the same frame data and can be beaten with a Yomi Counter Back 1 3 4 16 KD - KD Knockdown Throw Side switches and has more advantage than Forward Throw (+54 advantage) except on Rook (+42). Universal Throw; all throws have the same frame data and can be beaten with a Yomi Counter Yomi 1 - - - KD - - Knockdown Parry Important for Onimaru to land a Yomi Counter because of his weakness to throws on both Divide and Conquer and Martial Law and the high utility of his supers. Very low advantage though at +37. Universal counter for Throws. In a neutral state, the opponent's throws will be automatically countered by Yomi Counter.

Martial Law level 1 level 1 level 2 level 2 level 3 level 3

Version Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Adv Block Adv Counter Adv Properties Attribute level 1 2 11-31 13 18 KD -10 KD Knockdown, Strike Invincible, Guard Crush Strike An overhead swing. The startup frames are invincible to strikes and projectiles, but vulnerable to throws. Serves as a decent anti-air. Onimaru can delay up to 20 frames by holding the input, so this move can be anywhere from 11 to 31 frames of invincible startup. If the move is delayed further, it charges to the level 2 version. Onimaru's super will start charging after the cinematic rather than after the recovery, with hitstop or a full charge this can effectively remove a few seconds off his Super Meter charge time. level 2 3 32-71 15 16 KD -10 KD Knockdown, Guard Crush Strike A sound effect plays on the first frame, alerting you to level 2 charge. Can be delayed up to 39 frames. Reaches farther than level 1. Another sound effect plays on the final frame, alerting you to level 3 charge. level 3 4 72-112 15 16 KD - KD Knockdown, Unblockable Strike Reaches full screen and is unblockable, but can be jumped. Can be delayed up to 40 frames, but holding until the forced release wastes 40 frames compared to a timed release.

Air

Bunt	Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Adv Block Adv Counter Adv Properties Attribute 1 ~ 3 9 10 4 - - - Cancellable Strike A jumping sword attack which can be repeated up to 3 times. Can work as a decent air-to-air in some matchups. Is a good movement tool.

Spirit Slice	Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Adv Block Adv Counter Adv Properties Attribute 2 20 2 28-41 - - - Knockdown, Guard Crush Strike, Projectile A slow but long lasting horizontal swing which launches ghosts projectiles. Ghosts count as projectiles and can eat other projectiles. Onimaru has no hurtbox on his feet during this move.

Helm Breaker Helm Breaker Helm Breaker Rising Sword Rising Sword

Version Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Adv Block Adv Counter Adv Properties Attribute Helm Breaker 2 3 6 33 KD -18 KD Armor, Cancellable, Knockdown, Guard Crush Strike A flip into a downward slash. Doesn't startup until Onimaru lands on the ground. Has armor from frame 5. Cancellable into Rising Sword by pressing again. Rising Sword 1 20 9 34 KD -25 KD Invincible, Knockdown, Guard Crush Strike Invulnerable rising slice followup.

Clockwork Soldiers	Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Adv Block Adv Counter Adv Properties Attribute - 0+0 1 5-23 - - - - - Summons 2 Clockwork Soldiers. Recovery depends on how close to the ground Onimaru performs the move. Soldiers have 2 health. They cause 1 chip on block, with Guard Crush, and deal 1 damage each, causing knockdown on hit.

Combos

Basic

> (2 damage)
, > (3 damage)

Situational

, (if it hits an airborne opponent) > +

Counterhit

> (3 damage)
, > (2 damage)
+ > (4 damage)
(second hit) > + > (4 damage, corner only)
(second hit) > + > (3 damage, corner only)
(second hit) > (3 damage)

Strategy

General

Onimaru's main goal is to keep his opponent under pressure. Use your attack moves to apply Guard Crush to break through their defense and setup a high damage move, or to force your opponent to react. If Onimaru catches with a Counter Hit or hits airborne he can deal massive damage, often far more than simply blocking. Unfortunately, his strongest moves are locked behind a stance or slow startup requiring players to take risks or get crafty with setups. Onimaru has access to some of the most powerful supers in the game, allowing him to become a character defined by inevitability. To avoid blocking themselves to death or getting hit by his supers most opponents will rush in where Onimaru can use his armored spin, Divide and Conquer, to make them pay for their haste.

Onimaru does best when forcing his opponents to play his game, if forced to only defend he will struggle. Sometimes simply applying a single point of Guard Crush is all you need to change up the dynamic because of all the ways to deal 2 points of Guard Crush at once.

One of Onimaru's strongest moves is to perform + followed by , which will only combo on counter hit, but will cause 4 damage when it lands, and on block you can always follow up the Tactical Slice with a parry () or one of the other attack options. One of the main weaknesses is the length of startup and forward movement on his swing will let opponents throw or beat him with invincible moves. Often this move is a knowledge and reactions test, abuse it if you can but always be aware of it's drawbacks.

Use invulnerability, or spin to get past projectiles while applying pressure. + is also good against projectiles, as it stays in air for long, allowing to jump over projectiles, and also eliminates them at the end of the move with the ghost skulls, and it also is a long reaching attack.

Choice of super is very important, Clockwork Soldiers are extremely strong at controlling neutral and setting up Guard Crushes but Martial Law allows for strong anti airs and reaction punishes with it's huge invincibility.

Abuse of Tactical Slice (), varying the followup between parry and attacks, to keep your opponent guessing.

When you knockdown your opponent, punish them with a meaty +, a meaty , which allows you to easily follow up with different attacks (or parry), or even a .

Guides

Guide by Tidazi

Matchups

Name	Type	Matchup Strategy
Argagarg	Zoner	Stay out of range of his bA and Bubble Shield. Use jC and jB to dodge his limbs and projectiles. Your main focus is to get into sweep range where you can start to bully him. If you land a Parry against Arg's fA do a meaty lvl 3 super for massive damage. Always save your super for Martial Law
DeGrey	Wild Card	His jump attack is extremely hard to deal with, using Divide and Conquer to trade is key. DeGrey has no reversals outside of Parry, which will whiff if done during stance but in neutral can shut down your B and fA
Geiger	Zoner	This match, for Oni at least, involves a lot of jumping. Geiger can zone out Onimaru, leaving him without any options except for . Without his super, he doesn't have any option other than to go in, which Geiger can do good against as well. Jumping with Geiger may seem like a shoo-in, but that's not necessarily the case. With Phase Out, Geiger can bait out his many anti-air options, and go in for a clean punish. Not to mention, there's not a lot that Oni can do defensively, so he's gonna have to take all the pressure from Geiger. Especially his air super. If Geiger throws that out, then there's literally nothing you can possibly do other than block, and Geiger can just all the pressure that he needs to. Offensively, he can only do things up close, which Drop and Flash Gear both counter, and if you jump in: Time Stop.
Grave	Zoner	Play patiently, Martial Law completely shuts down his zoning Don't use Clockwork Soldiers if he has wind, it will remove them from the screen.
Jaina	Zoner	Martial Law and Tactical Slice make zoning extremely risky for Jaina. If Oni trades on B he can combo into Martial Law. Option Select against Dragonheart after Tactical Slice, if you press it when hitstop would occur it will not come out but if she used Dragonheart it will cancel into Parry. Followup with fA > B for ToD
Lum	Wild Card	Thanks to items Oni will have to go in. Lum has no reversals to beat out moves so swing away but Lum's long throw range can scoop Oni while he is moving forward in his swings.
Midori	Grappler	Parry is simply put, a nightmare to deal with. You will not be able to run your normal gameplan here because Midori can squeeze parries inbetween any gap in blockstrings. If you use Tactical Slice at far enough range, Parry does whiff and you can punish with Spirit Fire. Should you happen to have a Dragon doing Talon Swoop at you, you can punish with Clockwork Soldiers for a ToD juggle
Onimaru	Wild Card	Whoever has the most Honor wins.
Quince	Wild Card	Lack of reversals makes Quince a soft target. Should he use his C to try to get out of Tactical Stance mixups, Parry will recover before him and give a free throw.
Rook	Grappler	You will need to backdash out of Tactical Stance far more than normal. Use your long range to keep Rook out and abuse Clockwork Soldiers against him.
Setsuki	Rushdown	She has many ways to break your armor with multiple hits and a command grab to throw you but Oni really only needs to land a hit or 2 to win. She has a lot of trouble escaping Clockwork Soldiers because her cape dips downward but don't forget the power of anti-air Martial Law.
Valerie	Rushdown	Cyan, Magenta and Rainbow both break your armor but landing just one Divide and Conquer can win the game. Air Rainbow gets past bots quite well, you want to catch her jumps on the way up if you are using the bots. Charged Martial Law is a good way to punish rainbow by using the extended invincibility.