Fantasy Strike/Valerie

Overview

Lore

Valerie has heterochromia, one blue eye and one green. She "sees things differently," and expresses herself through painting. Emotionally, she experiences highs and lows, which she believes gives her even more appreciation for the full spectrum of human feelings.

Character stats

Health	Character Type	Super Meter charge time
5	Rushdown	11 Seconds

Gameplay

Valerie is a Rushdown character that dominates the ground and controls space very well. On hit or block she can threaten high amounts of damage thanks to her high Three Colors rekka (meaning it has three different moves that can be done in succession by repeating the attack). The final attack allows Valerie to advance, retreat, or even crossup, forcing opponents into a mixup situation.

Her Rainbow Disc Super can lock opponents down for long periods of time, giving her access to both high damage and chip as well as opening up mixup opportunities. Chromatic Orb, her other Super is her only invincible move, so she must decide whether to use Meter offensively or defensively.

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Strengths	Weaknesses
Very fast walk speed Low Stroke is both a fast and long reaching poke that dominates footsies Rekka can take an entire health point on block and also opens up mixups Has an invincible super on ground and in the air Crazy strong oki potential off throw	Low health No reversals without meter Very high, floaty jump leaves her exposed

Moves

Ground

Mid Stroke First First Second Second

Version Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Advantage Block Advantage Counter Advantage Properties Attribute First 1 6 4 13 -5 -5 -2 Cancellable Strike Valerie does a quick swipe with her brush. Can cancel into (Second Mid Stroke) on Whiff. Cancellable into (Yellow, Crossup, or Retreat) or (Rainbow Stroke) on hit or block only. Valerie's fastest hitting Strike. Has great priority when spaced well. Useful for counter-poking or in a frame trap to interrupt opponents, though it is a low damage option it can be a useful tool for maintaining neutral. If used as a juggle, the opponent will flip-out and the followup moves can be used to mix up your opponent. On the ground the all of the followups are slow enough that they will not combo, even on counterhit. This move will leave Valerie at a disadvantage but is a relatively safe move. Second 1 8 4 13 +3 +2 +8 Cancellable Strike Cancellable into (Yellow, Crossup, or Retreat) or (Rainbow Stroke) on hit or block only. Leaves Valerie at more advantage than the first hit.

Low Stroke +

Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Advantage Block Advantage Counter Advantage Properties Attribute 1 7 8 14 -1 -3 +4 - Strike Valerie leans forward and paints her opponent's toes. Very far reaching normal that is also faster than most character's moves. Valerie can use this move to completely control the ground game by interrupting opponents and hitting them far out of their range. Due to her hurtbox moving around this move can work for you by dodging some higher moves or work against you by moving Valerie into an opponent's move. Try to use the move at it's max range or when it will low profile to get the maximum benefit.

Double Kick +

Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Advantage Block Advantage Counter Advantage Properties Attribute 2 18 4(4)5 12 +6 +4 +6 ~ +12 Throw Invincible Strike Valerie lunges forward and does a powerful double kick. 2 damage, 1 for each hit, throw invincible frames 7-31. If only the second kick hits on counterhit, Valerie can followup with Cyan, Magenta. Due to the slow speed and move forward so far it can be risky for Valerie to use this but it has good rewards on hit/block due to leaving her at a strong advantage. Best situations to use this are as a prediction against a Command Throw or as a punish.

Three Colors Cyan Cyan Magenta Magenta Yellow Yellow Crossup Crossup Retreat Retreat

Version Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Advantage Block Advantage Counter Advantage Properties Attribute Cyan 1 8 10 11 -1 -3 +4 Cancellable Strike Cancellable on hit, block or whiff into (Magenta) or (Rainbow Stroke). Can significantly affect distance by pressing or . Valerie's moveset is built around Three Colors and Cyan starts it all. It does a little bit of everything, acting as a punish, pressure with chip damage, a poke, in combos, even anti-airs. Due to having fairly long active frames Cyan is able to hit quite late and be plus, even on block. Magenta 1 9 9 16 -5 -7 0 Cancellable Strike Cancellable on hit, block or whiff into (Yellow, Crossup, or Retreat) or (Rainbow Stroke). Can significantly affect distance by pressing or . Magenta combos after Cyan and can create frame traps by delaying. Magenta has a stronger anti-air hitbox than Cyan. Valerie is heavily disadvantaged after Magenta and should typically cancel into a followup. Yellow 1 18 4 29 +1 -6 +10 - Strike Does not combo, but will frametrap Throws. If Magenta hit, then it should catch jumps on the ground, but on block the opponent will flip-out. Safe on block against most of the cast except Lum, Rook and Dragon Midori, who can perform a micro walk Throw to punish. This is a difficult timing though, and quite risky as too late and Valerie can Yomi Counter. On Counter Hit, a combo into Cyan is guaranteed and hit confirmable. Crossup 1 18 4 30 0 -13 +9 - Strike Has no pushbox and travels very far, so usually causes a crossup. On Counter Hit, she has a hit confirm into Cyan. Every character has a way to punish this move on block but risk varies greatly. Typically only punished for 1 damage and may even leave Valerie in advantage. Retreat - - - 26 - - - - - Valerie spins backward safely. This move leaves her minus but moves a far enough distance that she is out of reach. Using the back versions of Cyan and Magenta can allow Valerie to get even further back to stay safe.

Rainbow Stroke

Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Advantage Block Advantage Counter Advantage Properties Attribute 1 23 3(1)6(6)5 10 +4 -1 +4 Projectile Invincible Strike Valerie flies forward, painting a rainbow. Frames 1 - 26 projectile invincible so even on wakeup Valerie can go through projectiles. This move can be useful for getting in but leaves Valerie slightly minus. Useful as a safer followup than Yellow during Three Colors, it will deal the third chip damage. While it does leave Valerie minus and vulnerable to a throw mixup against several characters she can simply walk backwards out of their throw range. The major downside to Rainbow is that it can be beaten on reaction by several characters, limiting it's usefulness.

Throw Throw Throw X'd out! X'd out!

Version Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Advantage Block Advantage Counter Advantage Properties Attribute Forward 1 3 4 16 KD - KD Knockdown Throw Forward Throw. Valerie gets many safe setups after a forward throw and can end up dealing completely safe followup damage through chip. +47 advantage, +43 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 Back Throw. Side switches, same advantage. Universal Throw; all throws have the same frame data and can be beaten with a Yomi Counter Yomi 1 - - - KD - - Knockdown Parry Amazing Yomi Counter, gives access to her best defensive option and allows Valerie to start her offense again. +53 advantage. Universal counter for Throws. In a neutral state, the opponent's throws will be automatically countered by Yomi Counter.

Chromatic Orb

Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Advantage Block Advantage Counter Advantage Properties Attribute 1 11(0+11) 2(9)4(7)4(7)6 30 KD -15 KD Fully Invincible Strike Frames 1-13 and 38-57 invincible. Orb destroys projectiles while active. Deals damage on the last hit. Valerie fiercely paints an Orb of paint, blowing through attacks. She is vulnerable for a short time in the middle and will trade if hit, ending the super and dealing no damage. Valerie can do a followup afterwards if the opponent is prevented from being knocked back.

Air

Aerial Swipe , First First Second Second	Version Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Advantage Block Advantage Counter Advantage Properties Attribute First 1 12 9 2 +12 +11 +15 - Strike Good priority air to air. Can cancel into (Second). Second 1 12 9 2 +15 +14 +20 - Strike Another air attack, useful for combo following the first hit.

Cross Stroke

Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Advantage Block Advantage Counter Advantage Properties Attribute 1 26 5 4 +14 +12 +20 - Strike Has no pushbox, does not hit until Valerie is grounded so it can be reacted to and she is throwable. Use this in neutral to change up your jump trajectory to avoid fireballs and make your approach less predictable. Can be good occasionally in mixups but it is a really slow option. This move excels when being used as a punish for very unsafe moves and when being used in setplay on wakeup.

Flying Rainbow Stroke

Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Advantage Block Advantage Counter Advantage Properties Attribute 1 8 42 7 +1 ~ +6 -3 ~ 0 +5 ~ +10 - Strike Valerie does her rainbow but in the air. Startup time is much faster and her air to air priority is very good. Use this to avoid moves or to bully someone going air to air with you. It's relatively safe but the advantage varies greatly depending on where you hit. If it hits multiple times it is usually +5 on hit or +0 on block. Otherwise, the higher and earlier you hit the worse the advantage.

Rainbow Disc Startup Startup Projectile Projectile

Damage Startup Active Recovery Hit Advantage Block Advantage Counter Advantage Properties Attribute 1 11(0+11) - 19 KD - KD Fully Invincible Projectile Frames 1-12 invincible. The disc hits multiple times but on block has gaps which can lead to crossups or throw, it also means they can reversal. Very strong as an air to air or a setup up after throw. Valerie can get her highest damage out of this super.

Combos

Basic

> (2 damage)
+, > (3 damage)
(>), > (4 damage)

Counter Hit

(Yellow), > (3 damage)
(Magenta) > (yellow) (2 damage)
(2nd hit) > (Yellow) (2dmg)
+, + (3dmg)

Juggle

(>), (3 damage)
, (2 damage)
+, (2 damage)
+, +, (>) (4 damage)

Corner

(>), , + (4 damage)

Notes

• During a juggle combo for enders you can use , +, , or even (which can continue the juggle state). + is usually more consistent but each can be useful.
  

Strategy

General

Valeries main gameplan centers around getting the opponent to defend against Three Colors. Though extremely powerful up close she needs to be able to approach first.

Use her high walk speed to close the gap, this is the safest way to approach. Against grounded opponents use fA to beat out their moves with it's superior speed and reach. Once inside fA range you can begin using Three Colors. To deal with projectiles, neutral jump and jB can get her past most fireballs. Up closer, the projectile invincibility of Rainbow can get Valerie past some fireballs or if she has meter Chromatic Orb can punish projectiles on reaction.

To control the space around Valerie, a combination of neutral jump A,A and fA will wall out most opponents quite effectively.

Forward jump has a huge reward for getting in, Valerie will either get a lot of damage or be able to start up her Three Color pressure. If Valerie catches the opponent air to air the reward is even bigger. However, jumping is a big risk because she is extremely vulnerable to being anti-aired. This should not be her primary method for getting in but is something that opponents should be forced to watch for and defend against.

Three Colors

Each move within Three Colors should be considered a different option. If treated as a long, branching set of options it becomes much more unpredictable and more difficult to defend.

Delaying or finishing Three Colors early allows for the possibility of catching opponents mashing and extending your turn. Additionally, using back or forward to alter your spacing is important.

Some examples:

• Cyan, Magenta, Yellow - Take your damage and lose your turn. Encourages opponent to use reversals
• Cyan, Magenta, Backdash - Safest option, beats reversals.
• Cyan, Magenta, Rainbow - Greedy string that leaves you at slight disadvantage. The rainbow is very slow so in some matchups this is a fake option.
• Cyan, Cyan - the basic staggered string, can be poked or thrown out but if the opponent is blocking you get free damage while keeping advantage. Encourages the opponent to press buttons to try to take their turn back or die to chip.
• Cyan, delayed Magenta - this will catch people hitting buttons after Cyan
• Cyan, Throw - this will catch people that are blocking. More of a risky, fringe option but a devastating one if it lands.

Knockdown

After a throw you can walk back a bit and do jB for ambiguous meaty cross up that also safe jumps, Valerie is plus enough afterward to do a Cyan, Throw mixup on block. Watch here.
After a throw if you want to use the disc you have to use it low to the ground, forward jump and S just before you land. The safe timing and height varies depending on the opponent.

Miscellaneous

• Use bA to punish blocked dps, same damage as BB but it’s +6 which lets you do more mixups
  
• Forward throw to safe jB is another very good option as a punish
  
• jS has short invulnerability that makes it useful for air to air
  
• Sometimes when you have frame advantage they try to get out of your pressure by jumping, do C to cover that option safely (-1 on block) if they get hit you can combo to A/fA/B for 2dmg. You can also go for jAjA A/B for 3dmg
  

Matchups

Name	Type	Matchup Strategy
Argagarg	Zoner	Valerie struggles a lot with Argagargs zoning but he also struggles to keep her off him once she start doing rekkas, if she can get within fA range she can beat out fireballs and limb startup. Once she gets in she can start her train of rekka pressure. It is especially important to consider using back versions of Cyan, Magenta to stay just out of the range of Argagarg's bA. Both versions of rainbow are very risky in neutral, ground rainbow is too slow to beat out fireballs safely and bA beats Air Rainbow easily. Jumping is a very high risk, high reward situation. If Valerie calls out a fA she can jump in for 3+ damage but if Argagarg catches Valerie with an anti air she will be back at full screen. If Valerie has meter, she can use it on reaction to Fish or River to get in. When Argagarg has meter for Bubble Shield Valerie can use safe jump A or fA to safely pressure.
DeGrey	Wild Card	The ghost is the primary obstacle for staying in on DeGrey, if she does a Cyan or fA and DeGrey calls Ghost at the same time it will be a trade in his favor. From a range, DeGrey can use Ghost and jB to very effectively keep Val out. If DeGrey has meter, he can parry out of pressure as a prediction and resetting the match back to full screen where DeGrey can use Ghost more freely again. DeGrey has a risky way out of Three Colors strings. If Valerie does Yellow, DeGrey can do Backstep and whiff punish punish for 2. However, if Valerie does Rainbow instead of Yellow she will counter hit him for follow up combo into Cyan.
Geiger	Zoner	Geiger's fireballs recover fast enough that Valerie cannot use jump or Rainbow to get past them except from a pure prediction. Thankfully, Val's walkspeed allows her to walk and block Time Spirals to get in. At full screen, neutral jump and cross stroke to get past Time Spiral. Chromatic Orb can punish Time Spiral on reaction, forcing Geiger to stop throwing projectiles when Val is close. To beat walk and block and Orb, Geiger will use fA or jump back Drop Gear to beat Valerie walking in. This tools can be very difficult for Valerie to get past, Valerie can use her fA to low profile Geiger's fA. Valerie can often walk under Cycloid Revolution and punish Geiger, don't let Geiger get away with unsafe use of meter. bA can be used as a punish on Flash Gear
Grave	Zoner	Rainbow is a strong tool up close, Grave's fireball has so much recovery that it will often outright punish him. The charged, Big Cloud is a big obstacle for Valerie as it is very difficult to Rainbow past and covers a lot of space. Rainbow can be hit with Sword on reaction Use Chromatic Orb to beat fireball on reaction bA can be used as a punish against Sword, punish super with jB, B, B
Jaina	Zoner	Approaching by neutral jumping arrows is best, Rainbow is too slow. Use Chromatic Orb to beat fireball on reaction bA can be used as a punish against Dragonheart, punish super with jB, B, B
Lum	Wild Card	Pressure Lum to the corner slowly, avoiding getting knocked down because this will allow Lum to set up items. If Lum can get a mini-Lum or Cloud he can start to snowball and keep Valerie out. If Bomb or Fireworks come up, look to pressure Lum. Valerie's walk speed usually allows her to get in before they activate. Chromatic Orb can sometimes trade poorly against Slots by getting hit in the middle from items that came out. Lum can punish Yellow with micro walk throw. Cyan is difficult for Lum to deal with because he doesn't have any fast pokes Watch out for Lum's Throw, the range on it allows him to counter throw Cyan or fA If valerie blocks a Roll, she is put into an advantaged situation but isn't guaranteed any damage. Lum can counter throw forward Cyan here.
Midori	Grappler	Valerie can zone out human Midori with neutral jump A,A and fA. If spaced right, Parry will whiff against fA and allow a punish with Cyan, Magenta. If possible, save meter for dealing with Dragon and try to give your self space to walk away to waste time. It is difficult to anti air Dragon with Orb but Rainbow Disc will often keep him out or punish transformation.
Onimaru	Wild Card	Using single hits is riskier due to armor. Use multiple hits to break his armor limits his options, particularly on wakeup. Cyan, Magenta, Rainbow is good against meterless Oni. Jump only as a read to whiff punish a button, Valerie can die from one bad jump.
Quince	Wild Card	Valerie wants to stay mostly grounded thanks to Quince's massive bA anti-air. Use Rainbow or Orb to go through small mirror. Meterless Quince has no punish for max range crossup Yellow. Rainbow Disc and Chromatic Orb will take do 2 hits to Patriot Mirror, one more hit and it will be destroyed. Due to the time between Mirror hits you can immediately forward Cyan after blocking to get past the mirror.
Rook	Grappler	Valerie needs to play a style that switches between offense and defense against Rook. Overextending with too many mixups can lead to Rook getting the one Knockdown he needs. Use fA to poke at Rook out of range of his throw, punish blocked Vines or Earthquake on the ground with Cyan, Magenta. Valerie wants to maintain a distance where she can poke Rook and still use jump B to punish whiffed Earthquake. If jumping out of a Command throw be sure to jump in a way that allows a punish. Though there is a small startup to the throw invincibility, bA is a useful tool for beating Windmill Crusher. Chromatic Orb is worse than usual here because Windmill Crusher will beat it clean unless at max range.
Setsuki	Rushdown	Play defensively by walling Setsuki out with neutral jump A,A. Setsuki has difficulty beating this with anything but Esper Dash or Ninjaport Kick. Once Valerie has meter, she can use Orb to beat Divekick and mixup attempts or use Rainbow Disc as an air-to-air to take the round. Immediately go for pressure if Setsuki gets knocked down, Valerie can get 1 damage guaranteed with Cyan, Magenta, Yellow. Using fA is riskier than usual due to Setsuki wanting to be airborne often. Ground Rainbow can go through Kunai, preventing most zoning or setups Setsuki can attempt.
Valerie	Rushdown	Any hit from Three Colors or jA,A can end with Valerie losing half life. Whoever gets a knockdown has a huge advantage. Use fA to establish space on the ground, preventing the other Valerie from starting up Three Colors pressure. Air Rainbow is an air-to-air tool worth considering in this matchup, it will lead to a knockdown. Having meter is a huge advantage, using it as a defensive tool to stop jumping with either air to air rainbow disc or orb. Crossup Yellow is extra risky against Valerie because it can be punished for 2 with Cyan, Magenta.