Heracross is a powerhouse of damage, and she prefers a slower pace of play. Her strong and far-reaching charges demand respect on both horizontal and vertical axises. Heracross is a unique fighter among the defensive archetype, as she can flutter her wings and take flight whenever she pleases. Combined with a strong set of aerial options, Heracross can effortlessly control the air. She excels at punishing whiffs with staggering, single-hit yet high-damage charge tackles. Combining that with a solid meter gain gameplan, Heracross can steal rounds at a shocking rate.
Heracross can take the utmost advantage of destroying the opponent's guard due to her already strong burst options, which are modified to deal double damage on guard break. Moves such as 2A, 3A, Horn Flurry, and Horn Charge put heavy pressure on a blocking opponent. Her offense is less focused on high/low mixups and instead waits like a ticking time bomb to erode your endurance at a devastating rate. Desperate opponents will attempt to escape before their endurance hits zero with jump-ins or other offensive options. This is when Heracross unleashes her secret weapon: Horn Turret! This flash kick is a powerful anti-air option that is invulnerable to (most) attacks, and the opponent must respect it even as a wakeup option.
However, this character is not without flaws. Many of the options listed here require commitment from the player, and your opponent can punish poor decisions in neutral. Simplistic in control, Heracross's gameplan and execution demands a slower pace; an innate understanding of neutral to capitalize on mistakes!
Playstyle
Heracross is a tanky charge character who specializes in playing slow in exchange for huge bursts of damage and devastating combos.
Pick if you like
Avoid if you dislike
Oppressive Offense: Heracross' unique Air Dash allows for strong mixups and pressure on the opponent, as well as a unique approach to neutral.
Guard Damage: Key specials like [4]6b and 5b deal lots of guard damage, leading to frequent breaks off safe pressure.
Simple Combos: Heracross' burst damage and minimal combo routes allow for easier combo execution than the rest of the cast without any drawback of damage loss.
Flight: 66 (air ok) allows Heracross to take flight and have nigh limitless control over their aerial assault.
Requires Charge: Heracross' best tools require her to be holding down/back for a set duration before she can use them.
Stubby Normals: While Heracross' specials are huge, her normals lack the range to challenge some of the midrange-focused characters in the roster.
Reliant on Whiff Punishing: The defensive playstyle requires attentive focus and game knowledge to know when exactly to strike.
Flight
Flight 66 (Air OK)
Cancel
Invul
Property
Startup
Recovery
Cost
4, j5A, j2A, Beetle Dive
Throw
Airborne
-
-
-
Heracross unsheathes her beetle wings and takes to the skies.
Can be performed from either air or ground
Vertical trajectory can be changed upward (8) and the flight can be cancelled with 4
Flight speed is 5.0
Aerial moves cannot be used if Heracross is flying along the ground
Aerial moves cancel Flight and carry the instantaneous momentum with the exception of Beetle Dive
Normals
5A
Stop sign.
Stop sign.
Damage
Endurance Damage
Guard
Cancel
Invul
Property
2
0
Mid
3A
-
-
Startup
Active
Recovery
Advantage
Cost
7
3
12
-1 [+1]
-
Total: 21
Heracross delivers a quick palm-strike.
Heracross' fastest normal, making it her best button to mash when aiming to interupt
Only leads into a combo on counterhit, making it a situation starter
Toggle Hitboxes
Toggle Hitboxes
4A
Damage
Endurance Damage
Guard
Cancel
Invul
Property
1
0
Mid
4AA, Special
-
-
Startup
Active
Recovery
Advantage
Cost
9
7
11
+5 [0]
-
Total: 26
Heracross leans in and swings her horn towards the screen.
Typical combo starter when confirming backward charge inputs
Heracross lowers herself whilst using this move, making it an unsuspecting anti air
Toggle Hitboxes
Toggle Hitboxes
4AA
Damage
Endurance Damage
Guard
Cancel
Invul
Property
2
0
Mid
3A, Special
-
-
Startup
Active
Recovery
Advantage
Cost
5
3
16
+4 [-1]
-
Total: 23
Heracross swings her horn away from the screen.
Combo filler, allowing more time to confirm off 5A
Cancel into 3A for meter and continued pressure, cancel into [4]6B for damage
Reduces Horn Charge's startup by 5 frames when canceled into
Toggle Hitboxes
Toggle Hitboxes
6A
Damage
Endurance Damage
Guard
Cancel
Invul
Property
4
1
Mid
Special, C Cancel
-
-
Startup
Active
Recovery
Advantage
Cost
12
12
25
0 [-12]
-
Total: 48
Heracross jabs forward with her horn.
Heracross' best midscreen poke, confirmable on buffer into Special/6C
Toggle Hitboxes
Toggle Hitboxes
2A
Damage
Endurance Damage
Guard
Cancel
Invul
Property
5
2
Mid
Special, C Cancel
Upper Body
Knockdown
Startup
Active
Recovery
Advantage
Cost
18
4
27
+80 [+1]
-
Total: 48
Heracross swings her horn in an arc upwards.
Staple anti-air, can be cancelled into [2]8B for massive damage when you have charge
In Counter hit state this move grants Heracross access to strong meterless and stronger meter options especially in the corner
This move can be linked from a C-Cancelled Counter Hit 6A. (But notably not CCancel CH Horn Flurry).
Toggle Hitboxes
Toggle Hitboxes
3A
Damage
Endurance Damage
Guard
Cancel
Invul
Property
1
1
Low
-
-
Knockdown
Startup
Active
Recovery
Advantage
Cost
15
5
34
+49 [-21]
-
Total: 53
Heracross sweeps at the opponent's feet with her horn.
Standard sweep, builds a bar on hit
Toggle Hitboxes
Toggle Hitboxes
j5A
Damage
Endurance Damage
Guard
Cancel
Invul
Property
2, 2
0
High
-
-
-
Startup
Active
Recovery
Advantage
Cost
18, 28
3, 5
6
+16 [+11]
-
Total: 59
Heracross swings wildly while in the air, hitting twice.
Second hit only comes out if the move is started high enough off the ground
Whilst Flight:Due to the 4 input cancelling flight, holding backward whilst inputting this move can allow for a strong option off instant air-dashes, maintaining momentum and cover roll away options.
Toggle Hitboxes
Toggle Hitboxes
j2A
Damage
Endurance Damage
Guard
Cancel
Invul
Property
4/3
1
High
-
-
-
Startup
Active
Recovery
Advantage
Cost
21
1 Mid, 17 Weak
6
+27/20 [+18/11]
-
Total: 44
Heracross slams her horn down while in mid-air.
Incredibly active, can be argued as a superior jump-in when aiming to start a combo
Long startup allows it to whiff, giving access to empty jump mixups
Toggle Hitboxes
Toggle Hitboxes
Specials
Horn Flurry 5B
Nice armor, would be a shame.
Nice armor, would be a shame.
Damage
Endurance Damage
Guard
Cancel
Invul
Property
1, 1, 3
1, 1, 4
Mid
[4]646B, (First Hit Only) C-Cancel
-
-
Startup
Active
Recovery
Advantage
Cost
9, 9, 9
7, 7, 12
24
+1 [-4]
-
Total: 76
Heracross jabs at the opponent with her horn 3 times.
Key pressure tool, as it deals massive guard damage on block
All 3 hits will not land unless you are very close to the opponent or have them cornered to mitigate pushback
Toggle Hitboxes
Toggle Hitboxes
Horn Charge [4]6B
Damage
Endurance Damage
Guard
Cancel
Invul
Property
6
2
Mid
[4]6B2B (Horn Sweep)
-
Knockdown
Startup
Active
Recovery
Advantage
Cost
14
27
18
+45 [-16]
-
Total: 58
Heracross launches forward at her opponent.
Requires backwards charge to use
Standard dash punch, fantastic at horizontal space control
Launches Heracross back on hit or block
Toggle Hitboxes
Toggle Hitboxes
Horn Turret [2]8B
Damage
Endurance Damage
Guard
Cancel
Invul
Property
5
1
Mid
jB
Upper Body
Knockdown
Startup
Active
Recovery
Advantage
Cost
11
13
52
+54 [-26]
-
Total: 75
Heracross launches skyward, horn-first.
Requires a downwards charge to execute
Can be cancelled into jB for 1 bar, makes this reversal plus on block with a gap
Toggle Hitboxes
Toggle Hitboxes
Beetle Dive jB
Damage
Endurance Damage
Guard
Cancel
Invul
Property
5
2
High
-
-
Knockdown
Startup
Active
Recovery
Advantage
Cost
14
∞
33
+14 [-6]
-
Total: 46
Heracross quickly dives towards the ground.
Key part of Heracross' pressure and air-game, allowing her to quickly hit the ground
Unreactable overhead, forces the opponent to stand-block on a read
Toggle Hitboxes
Toggle Hitboxes
Hyper Moves
Horn Sweep [4]6B2B
Damage
Endurance Damage
Guard
Cancel
Invul
Property
8 (ground)/4 (air)
1
Low
-
-
Knockdown
Startup
Active
Recovery
Advantage
Cost
40
8
30
+50 [+1]
1
Total: 77
Heracross cancels her charge and swings at the opponent's feet.
Can be cancelled into when flight from Horn Charge begins
Plus on block, allowing for additional pressure
Checks an opponent for walking back
Slow startup makes this move susceptible to losing when the opponent is actively poking in midrange
Toggle Hitboxes
Toggle Hitboxes
Super
Mega Horn Flip [4]646B
Jumpscare.
Jumpscare.
Damage
Endurance Damage
Guard
Cancel
Invul
Property
9 (Scaled), 4 (Unscaled)
1
Mid
-
Full
Knockdown
Startup
Active
Recovery
Advantage
Cost
13 [-10 Super Freeze]
16
21
+36 [+2]
2
Total: 49
Heracross scoops her opponent, flies up and slams them to the ground.
Unreactable halfscreen hitgrab
Rare combo ender, best used when guaranteeing a kill
Toggle Hitboxes
Toggle Hitboxes
Throws
Forward Throw 6C
Damage
Endurance Damage
Guard
Cancel
Invul
Property
2
-
Unblockable
[4]6B, [4]646B
-
Knockdown
Startup
Active
Recovery
Advantage
Cost
8
2
41
-
-
Total: 50
Heracross scoops the opponent with her horn and tosses them.
Can be cancelled into Horn Charge or Mega Horn Flip for 1 or 2 bars of meter respectively
If cancelled, the throw does not gain a bar of meter
Back Throw 4C
Damage
Endurance Damage
Guard
Cancel
Invul
Property
3
-
Unblockable
-
-
Knockdown
Startup
Active
Recovery
Advantage
Cost
8
2
41
-
-
Total: 50
Heracross suplexes the opponent.
Insane oki into a throw loop if opponent does not roll when getting up