Disclaimer: This is a community written page and may contain opinions that not all players may agree with. Use at your own discretion.
General Gameplan
Hyde is a well-rounded character with tools for just about every situation. As such, he performs well most anywhere, whether it be defense or offense, rushdown or zoning. That said, he excels most at close range where his offense is at its strongest.
Hyde's general goal is to get in and keep the pressure on to bait his opponent into making a mistake and suffer big damage for doing so. He achieves this via frame traps and strike/throw mixes. The idea is to establish your pressure and, once the opponent starts to respect it, start using throws to break through their guard and force them to start guessing. Once the strike/throw game is established (and ideally once you've put the opponent in the corner), Hyde can keep his opponent locked down and force them to take risks if they want to attempt to retaliate.
Neutral
Hyde's most comfortable at close range, so you should be making sure not to give your opponent too much room to breathe. His ability to control the horizontal space of the screen using 236X and 22X help a lot with achieving that from a distance, while 3C and 214X can halt aerial approaches and maintain some control over the vertical space of the screen should the opponent favor jump-ins or assaults. Against characters who similarly prefer fighting in close-quarters, all he needs is a solid hit to start taking control of the match, as one good combo can easily take the opponent most of the way across the stage.
The further away Hyde is from his opponent, however, the harder he has to work to get in and run his gameplan. Against zoners or anyone who has better ranged tools, Hyde has to play more carefully since he has a harder time contesting opponents from afar, having to rely heavily instead on dashblocking and winning the GRD cycle.
Approach
Generally speaking, dashblocking is Hyde's main means of approach. In just about every matchup, especially those where he can be zoned out, dashblocking is the best way to get in.
Otherwise, 236X is your go-to option. 236A in particular is best suited to this due to its slow travel speed, allowing Hyde to run behind the fireball and react to whatever the opponent tries to avoid or counter it. 236B is faster and can help keep your opponent in check if they're trying to throw out a projectile of their own. 236C is especially strong since it combines the best parts of the A and B versions, moving quickly and keeping the opponent in check while also allowing Hyde to move in freely should they block the fireball. Canceling 22A into 236C is particularly good for forcefully taking your turn, because if 22A connects, the fireball then either confirms into a full combo or keeps the opponent in blockstun long enough for Hyde to get in without worry.
If the opponent is within range of it, 66C is similarly reliable. Very good range and leads to strong damage on hit. Great option to start pressure with. Can also be safe against some characters and at certain distances due to being -5 on block by default.
Keep Away
236X and 22X are your best options. Both provide great coverage of the stage and are safe if used at the right distances. Of the two, 22X is generally the better zoning option since it's faster and harder to react to. Fireballs can be easily avoided and punished if used recklessly, especially in matchups against characters who can bypass them entirely (Merkava with 214X, for instance). Fireballs have their use, of course. 236X~236A especially is good to keep the opponent's approach in check since the detonation is large, which makes it difficult to avoid. And since when the detonation occurs can be controlled, it's a solid option to discourage jumps and assaults as it can easily catch your opponent out of the air and lead to a combo on hit.
That said, ideally you don't want to be relying on playing keep away much since Hyde's strongest at close range.
Offense
Rushdown and strike/throw mixes are the name of the game here. He doesn't have any sort high/low mix due to his only standing overhead being his charged Force Function, which has a long startup (32 frames by default, 30 with Vorpal). However, with good use of rebeats, frame traps, and EX moves, Hyde has a great number of ways to keep the pressure on. The idea is to make the opponent respect his pressure. Once they do, you can start going for strike/throw mixes and start making them guess whether you're going for a throw or another blockstring.
Pressure
Hyde's pressure is built mainly around frame traps. Though he has limited stagger windows on most of his normals, there's plenty of natural gaps between many of his moves that you can use to catch the opponent's attempts to mash.
5A, 2A, 2B, 3B, and 2C are the only normals with stagger windows. Of them, 3B has the longest window to use with 2B and 2C being the smallest. 2A/5A > 2C/5C, however, are natural frame traps. Check the rebeat and gap tables on the Overview page for the exact number of frames in each gap.
Notable moves to use in pressure
2A: A standard approach is to use 2A > 2A > whatever. It's a fast move that's only -2 on block. It's a good as:
A tick-throw setup (2A > 2A > throw)
Greenshield bait (2A > 2A > assault j.B or dash up throw)
To setup frame traps (2A > 2A > 2C or 2A > delay 2A > delay 2C)
To check what your opponents' mashing habits are (2A > 2A > block if they're mashing, or dash > repeat if they aren't).
Mixing up what you do after the second 2A is a good way to keep your opponent guessing without taking much risk.
6B:6B is one of Hyde's best normals due to its reach and damage potential. Many of Hyde's best combos at midscreen use 6B, but it also has its uses in pressure.
6B(1) > 5[C] > 2A is a common and very strong blockstring. It's +4 on block and the gap between 6B and 5[C] can be made smaller by partially charging 5C. Can also be used to bait greenshields by using 2A after 6B instead if you're close enough to dash up for a throw. It's important to mix up your follow-ups off 6B since relying on just the default route can be punished if your opponent knows to look for it.
6B > 236A is another good route since, particularly at max range of 6B, it's plus and still creates a small frame trap. Can transition into a full combo with 66C on hit or by following up with 236X~236A.
6B > FF > 22A is a slightly riskier option due to 22A being -6 on block, but can be a great tool for catching an opponent off guard. Since Hyde's Force Function is his only standing overhead when charged, your opponent is likely to block high in anticipation of that, especially if you've conditioned them to look for it. In such an event, 22A can land a hit if they aren't quick enough to swap to blocking low again as long as they're within reach of the sword as that's the only part of the move that hits low.
Alternating between letting one or both hits of 6B connect before chaining into another attack is a good habit to get into as well. Harder for your opponent to get a read on where they can mash or use Chain Shift if you keep switching between different blockstrings off 6B.
5[C]: 5[C] is a great move to use in Hyde's pressure. It's +1 on block making it a good blockstring ender, and, as noted above, can be partially charged to make the gap between it and whatever normal you used before it variable. Combined with a normal with a good stagger window, it can be very powerful. It can, however, be easily punished due to the long startup, so don't become over reliant on it.
236X~236A: A very basic blockstring ender is 236X~236A. It's only -3 on block and pushes Hyde back. You lose your turn by using this, but it's always a solid option since it's always safe. Can also delay the 236A follow-up if you time it right to turn it into a frame trap.
214X: The second hit of Hyde's rekkas can be made safe or slightly plus on block if delayed correctly. The timing on it is very precise and is difficult to reliably pull off given the potential for the opponent to shield each hit and make it unsafe (or outright attack between hits in some cases). It's a useful tool for keeping your pressure varied, but ideally one you want to limit your use of unless if you have either Chain Shift or meter to spare so you can cancel into j.236C to prevent leaving yourself open.
J.236X: Though difficult to use on command, j.236X when tiger kneed makes for a devastating punish against throws and some option selects if timed correctly due to it being one of Hyde's best starters. It's also very plus on block (+14 for the A and B versions), making it safe as long as the opponent isn't ready to counter it or doesn't know how. Being able to use this consistently makes Hyde's strike/throw game much stronger.
Force Function: While generally used sparingly in pressure due to the GRD cost (one block without Vorpal, half of one with Vorpal), Hyde's Force Function is useful for the stagger window it has. If FF is blocked, you have a decent time frame in which to delay a special such as:
236X: A version is often your best bet due to its slightly slower startup to create a bigger gap.
22X: 22A is quicker to catch an opponent, but is unsafe if blocked, while 22B has much longer startup but is safe on block if all three hits of the move connect.
It's especially strong when Hyde has Vorpal as the recovery on FF is decreased (from being -11 to merely -6), which opens up no-cancels as an option. Particularly useful for the charged version since it's unable to be special canceled by default.
236C/22C: Of Hyde's EX moves, these two are the best to use in pressure. Both give Hyde a strong advantage when blocked due to how long they put the opponent in blockstun and act as easy ways to reset pressure or generally make something safe. 236C is useful anywhere on the screen, whereas 22C is at its best when the opponent is close to the corner since the flames bounce off the corner to keep the opponent locked down for longer. Should be noted that both also let the opponent gain a ton of free GRD by shielding them, so be mindful of the state of the cycle when using them.
Okizeme
2A is your go-to meaty option. It's fast, safe on block, and can confirm into itself.
5B is a good alternative. It's got a good number of active frames and has decent reach.
236X can be used for oki if the opponent is far following a knockdown (e.g after using rekkas or a throw). If you get a hit, you can combo off it with 66C at the right spacing and if you're fast enough. Should be used carefully, though, since the opponent can easily use it to gain free GRD.
Both of Hyde's dash attacks technically can be used for oki, although they're very risky and have limited use. 66C is definitely stronger for its long reach and its ability to side-swap and completely avoid certain reversals if used correctly (Byakuya's 236C, for instance), though 66B has its uses as well due to how it's only -2 on block and is pretty active. It's reach is significantly more limited, however.
J.236A/B in the corner can be used as a relatively safe oki option, though the timing on it can be tricky. Ideally you want to time it so that the projectile is active right as they recover to force them to block in order to safely dash in and start your pressure or for them to get hit and confirm into a combo. If you can time it such that you have to block the first hit without trading with the opponent's attack, even better, but doing so leaves you more open to being punished. Either way, it's good because the projectile is active for a while and leaves you at a huge advantage (+14). Should be noted that this does lose to Veil Off and any fully invincible reversals, however.
22B can work as well, since it's long startup can tempt the opponent into pressing a button, but if it's not timed correctly, you'll get a counter hit and likely take major damage. It's by far the highest risk and the highest reward. Best used sparingly. 22A can otherwise be used if you have Chain Shift ready to immediately cancel it and leave you safe.
Gimmicks
Assault j.236B can cause a side-swap in the corner. Follow-up with 66C and you can get back out of the corner and potentially catch your opponent off-guard. It's a completely fake left/right mixup due to Under Night's inherent cross-up protection, but it can work on occasion if your opponent isn't paying attention. Best not something to actually rely on, though.
J.236X can otherwise be used to cancel into Cross Cast Veil Off if the opponent blocks the first hit on recovery and they try to punish (such as with Veil Off), as shown here by yawn.
If the opponent forward techs off a combo in the corner, you can potentially use 236X~214C to catch them off guard, as demonstrated here by JDR. Only works if your opponent chooses to forward tech off a 236X~236B ender and you have the meter to spare.
236X~236C (or "laser") can be used in pressure as a limited use frame trap setup. At certain distances, if you use laser and then immediately input 66C, you can catch the opponent if they try anything other than blocking, backdashing, or jumping. Because the move is +9 on block, using 66C as soon as possible means the opponent gets a 6-frame gap at minimum you can use to catch them with. As a means of extending or resetting pressure, it's merely okay (236C is a better option for that), but it can be useful to either catch people off guard or who aren't aware of the range where the laser's plus frames matter (anywhere up to round start distance). Not something you're likely able to get away with multiple times if it works, but somewhat useful to at least establish whether they're aware of the gimmick or not.
Defense
With a good spread of reversal options, Hyde has plenty of tools to break out of his opponent's offense. If you know when and where your opponent's going to have gaps in their blockstrings or attempt a reset, you can use Hyde's 623B -- or any of his metered reversal options even -- to quickly punish and take your turn. Otherwise mashing 2A is a good fallback if you need something quick and safe to throw out.
Generally, though, playing defense as Hyde requires patience. Blocking and waiting for an opportunity to strike is almost always his best option, as it's safer and much easier to do. Tossing out reversals recklessly can and will be punished by your opponent. Shielding to win the GRD cycle is good -- important, even, in some matchups -- as getting access to Chain Shift makes it much easier for Hyde to contest or break out of his opponent's offense.
Reversal Tools
If you want to mash, 2A is your best option. It's his fastest normal and extremely safe on block.
6B and 2C can be used to catch backdashes. 6B has better odds given it hits twice and has better range, allowing it to work against more characters, but 2C is just as good against most of the cast. Both lead to strong combos on hit.
3C is great if the opponent is going for a jump or assault. 623A can technically work as well, but is a riskier option since you can only EX cancel it on either the very first hit or during the landing recovery (assuming your opponent doesn't punish before you can do that).
623B is easily his best reversal, overall. It's fast, has great reach, is fully invulnerable, and can be canceled into a full combo with Chain Shift on hit. Can be easily baited, however, and is very unsafe on block, so don't be over reliant on it. EX version is the same, only it deals more damage and sends the opponent flying instead of dropping them right in front of you.
Pale Bringer (41236C) is extremely strong as well. It's got good forward momentum and has full invulnerability for most of its duration. Can also lead into a full combo with Chain Shift. Generally something to use either off moves that are EX cancelable only, when you want to punish a ranged attack, or in reaction to the opponent's own reversal during superflash.
Gyre Vortex (41236D) can be used as a reversal as well, one with very good reward on hit, but it's high cost means you should use it sparingly. Spending 200 meter on a move that can baited just as easily as any other reversal is very risky, doubly so since Hyde's left wide open on block. Even so, if you make the right read and it works, it's extremely effective.
Option Selects
Hyde sticks to the universal option selects. He doesn't have much in the way character specific ones like some of the other cast does, but that's to his advantage here.
1AD: Most basic of OSes. Lets you tech throws without stopping you from blocking. Always a good option to fall back on, especially if the opponent is being predictable with their throw timings.
2AD: Basic OS if you want to mash out of pressure while still covering throw attempts. 2A is Hyde's fastest normal, making it ideal to catch opponents delaying their throw timing/button presses after closing in.
3C~AD: Anti-air/throw OS. Hyde's 3C is huge and leads to big damage on counter hit. Easily his strongest OS.
4AB~D: Backdash OS. Can work at midscreen occasionally on account of how good Hyde's backdash is. Use if you'd rather attempt making your opponent's attack whiff instead of blocking.
Counter Strategies
Respect his pressure, but don't be afraid to take risks
Hyde's pressure can seem really difficult to contest, but it only really works when the opponent respects it. Without meter, he can only make himself plus through the use of 5[C], 5[C] > whiff 2A, 22B, and max range 6B > 236A. He has plenty of ways to make himself safe, of course, but they still leave him at enough of a disadvantage that he can't freely reset his pressure, thus giving you an opening if you know to look for it. As much as Hyde's frame traps can discourage you from mashing, a good number of the gaps in Hyde's blockstrings can be punished, which, if you can do so consistently, forces Hyde to work harder to keep the pressure on. And the harder he has to work, the easier it becomes to figure out how to counter him.
Pay attention to your opponent's habits:
What moves are they using to end their pressure on and how safe are they? Most of Hyde's normals are minus to varying degrees. Most of them are safe, technically, but they also tend to push Hyde back or keep him from being able to press anything if he ends his blockstring on one of them. If he has to dash back in, and does so frequently, that's your chance to punish.
What are they doing after rebeating to 2A? If they're using the usual 6B(1) > 5[C] route, you can punish the gap between 6B and 5[C] or even try something in the space between 2A and 6B if they have to keep dashing in to use it again. Be mindful of 5C, though: Hyde can partially charge it to vary the length of the gap and score a counter hit if you're mashing.
How frequently are they putting gaps into their pressure; are they punishable? If so, can you mash or do you need to use a proper reversal? All else fails, win Vorpal and use Chain Shift to set up a punish.
The more Hyde has to work to stay in and lockdown his opponent, the easier it becomes for you to create an opening.
Shield 5[C] and 22B to invalidate plus frames
5[C] and 22B are both +1 on block by default. That's not much, but it helps a lot with his pressure given how good the reach on his normals are. Being +1 makes moves like 5A effectively a 6-frame move and 6B a 7-frame one, which, given the good range on those buttons, lets him easily reset pressure and keep you locked down. Shielding them is important then, not only to negate those plus frames, but also to push him out enough to where he has to potentially dash back in to continue pressure.
5[C] > whiff 2A is especially vulnerable to the pushback because its pretty significant. Hyde may still be +1 there, but he'll be pushed out enough that his options are limited. At best he can use 6B still, but if he goes for 6B(1) > 5[C] > w.2A again, he'll be pushed out even farther if you shield 5[C] again. If he no-cancels 5[C] instead, he's -2, so it's still advantageous for you. And shielding 22B means he's -2, so unless he recognizes that and decides to block, you can pretty easily take your turn and maybe even get a hit.
Zone him out
Hyde struggles a lot at long range. Even with tools like 22X that provide him some good zoning abilities, he can't beat anyone using them alone. If you have good zoning tools, you should be able to easily beat his options and keep him out and force him to dashblock to get in. Dashblocking is a reliable tool for Hyde to approach, but all it takes is one screw up to lose whatever ground he gained.
Ideally you want to keep him out of 22A's range at minimum and outside of 41236C if he has meter, since those are his best options to try and punish you from afar. 22B may have better range on it, but it's hard for Hyde to use if you have faster moves. If you can keep Hyde locked down, you can try concentrating to build GRD and see what he does. If he's too afraid to act, you get free GRD and can continue keeping him out. If he tries to dash in or attack with 236X or 22X, depending on your character and the space between you two, you can either beat either one and force him to block again or, better yet, get a hit in and punish his attempt to approach.
Bait his reversals
Hyde has a lot of good reversals that he can use to break free of pressure. On the flip side, they're reversals, so they're extremely punishable. If Hyde is relying on them frequently, use that to your advantage. Make him think twice about tossing one out.
Punish j.236A/B on block
J.236A/B is punishable as long as you block the first hit. The gap between it and the projectile spawning is long enough to use a reversal or a fast normal. If Hyde uses j.236X off an assault, you may have to jump and use an air-normal instead. You'll want to learn how to punish it because it's really strong once Hyde's established his strike/throw game (it's mainly used to call out throw attempts), and failing to punish it leaves him very plus.
For as much as Hyde's gameplan is pretty simple, the specific ways each person plays him can be unpredictable. As such, while knowing Hyde's gameplan through and through helps greatly, the mirror is mainly a matter of learning your opponent's particular quirks and how to counter them.
Common round start options:
Assault j.X: Any and all of Hyde's aerial attacks can be countered with 3C, 5B, or 214B easily.
22A: Assault into any air attacks work. Should be able to easily convert into a simple combo off any of them.
236X/236X~236A: Assault is generally a good option, though you can be caught by the A follow-up. 22A can counter that (may have to slightly walkback to ensure you avoid an immediate denotation), otherwise a delayed 66C can sometimes catch the recovery on that follow-up.
66C: Just about anything will work. Most effective options would be 6B, 236X, and 22A. 6B and 236X easily lead into combos while 22A stops Hyde's approach and resets to neutral.
Given Hyde performs well at just about any range, there's no easy way to victory other than quickly picking up on your opponent's habits and exploiting them to their fullest. Neutral is difficult since you and your opponent want to be playing at the same distances. Leveraging the range on your normals helps, especially if you can make your opponent's attacks whiff since they have a fair amount of recovery on them. It's imperative that you also learn all the ways to counter Hyde's shenanigans since it's likely you'll encounter them. If they use rekkas in pressure, shield and punish. If they're constantly relying on rebeats and frame traps, call them out. You need to be able to know how to counteract everything quickly to gain any ground.
Additionally, maintaining control of the cycle is paramount if at all possible. Winning Vorpal is always ideal, but in mirror matches especially, it is extremely important. Not only so you can better counteract what your own character can do, but also to ensure they can't do the same to you.
As Hyde has multiple reversal options, pressure is always going to be a gamble. His DP can easily punish obvious gaps while Pale Bringer gives him an easy out during any blockstring that pushes you farther out and can make any attempt to use fireballs or 22X in pressure a challenge, particularly if they have Vorpal. It's best to assume your opponent is going to feel the need to do something since Hyde's chip damage adds up quickly, doubly so if they end up GRD broken. At the same time, however, be very careful not to overextend. As good as Hyde is at locking down his opponents, in a mirror match, you're going to have to be more careful about how far to push in that direction.
Be wary of throwing out fireballs when your opponent has meter. Chances are good they may try canceling theirs into laser for huge damage. Unless you're certain you can beat them to that first, just dashblock or sit back and shield.
Your option selects need to be on-point here. Hyde's strike/throw game is strong, especially in the corner. 2K damage may not seem like much in the grand scheme, but it adds up fast if he's able to consistently get away with throws, doubly so if he can GRD Break you with any consistency.
Remember that 6B is very minus on block (-8) and is basically a free punish on whiff. Contesting it can be scary given the potential for a staggered special cancel (or the rare whiff cancel on the second hit at the right distances), but it's good to avoid letting them get away with using 6B freely.
Linne can be tricky -- not because she has any particular tools that are especially potent counters to Hyde's gameplan in her kit, but because she and Hyde generally want to play at similar ranges and can naturally counter each other easily. Fighting Linne as such is a matter of dictating the pace of the match and preventing her from operating in the spaces she wants to. If she's able to jump and roll around as much as she pleases, it becomes difficult to gain a foothold. If you can lock her down, however, Hyde can turn things in his favor.
Common round start options:
Forward jump/assault j.X: Anything that can anti-air works (5B, 3C, 214X, 623X). 5B and 3C are always the safest options.
6C: 236B and delayed 5C counter it nicely. 5C has to be delayed to avoid Hyde stepping forward into 6C while it's active. 22B can technically work as well, but it's extremely inconsistent -- sometimes it hits, sometimes it whiffs, sometimes Hyde gets hit -- and can't convert into anything.
66C: Walkback 5C is your best option. The walkback is slight -- just a step or two -- in order to keep Hyde within range for 5C to connect.
236B: Assault j.6C, 214B, and 22A all work. Assault j.6C is the most consistent since you can reliably convert into a combo off it, though 214B can sometimes work if you delay the rekkas just right. 22A can't convert without meter, but it's a standard round start option for Hyde, so it hitting at all is enough.
Neutral is broadly in Hyde's favor due to moves like 236X, 22X, 3C, and 66C that allow Hyde to control space and cover distances quickly. 236X~236A is especially good since it makes it hard for Linne to jump around (likewise with 3C). She wants to generally be within range of 66C and j.236X: 66C because it has great reach and is mostly safe at -4, and j.236X because it's always plus and tricky to contest. Your main goal should be to move between staying just outside of those moves' range so you can attempt a whiff punish and dashblocking to get in. Both make it tougher for Linne to dictate the pace of the match, thus giving you more opportunities to act.
All that said, Linne can be tricky to pin down. She has a lot of good movement options between being able to double-jump and roll. While Hyde has options to make it difficult for her to get around, she can still approach pretty easily if you're not able to keep her in check or are being too predictable with your zoning. Double-jumps give her greater mobility in the air which she can use to avoid 3C or 236X~236A, and rolling gives her a small window of invincibility against strikes and projectiles allowing her to get in and possibly whiff punish if done correctly. Ideally you want to be proactive about discouraging her from using either of those options so that you can get in and run your gameplan.
Pressure can be a bit tricky against Linne since she not only has a meterless reversal (623X), but also her Force Function that allows her to dodge and counter pretty much anything since it's invincible right on startup. Frame traps and resets are trickier to use against her as such because she can just mash FF on any gap you leave in your blockstrings. The key to getting around this is to be watchful for when and where she's using her FF so you can try to bait it. It's a strong move, so it's very likely you'll see it a fair amount and be able to get some idea of how reliant your opponent is on using it.
Linne doesn't have many options for anti-airing outside of FF and 623X. FF is the one she's most likely to use because it's invincible immediately on startup and is easy to confirm off of. Jumping can be risky then since she can pretty easily get a hit if you're not being careful about when and where to try a jump-in or assault.
5C[C] is an overhead. The gap is large enough for you to recognize and either block or mash, but can be hard to react to given how small the window is. If you can recognize it, 5A, 2A, or 623X are your best options. Keep in mind that she can partially charge it to make it a frame trap as well.
Anytime Linne uses 66B, she's -1. You can technically try and mash 2A to try stopping her from resetting pressure, but she can frame trap with it or space herself just right for 66B to hit and still be outside of Hyde's 2A range to get an easy counter hit if you mash, so it's very risky to contest. You're usually better off just blocking until you have a good idea of whether your opponent is no-canceling it or not and how often to get a sense for where you can possibly try countering it.
236X is one of Linne's few ranged options. 236[B] specifically can be a problem because it has much greater range and, since it hits twice, can delete projectiles and still hit you at certain distances. Your only options are to either avoid it entirely or, if you can make a hard read or already have a fireball out and can react quickly enough, try using 236X~236C to beat it.
J.236X is an even bigger problem because every version is always plus and difficult to counter since she becomes airborne while it's active. If you can make them whiff, 22X is a solid option to use in response. Ideally, though, you want to dashblock in and shield them to gain GRD and reduce the plus frames.
Anytime Linne dash cancels 236X, she's often minus. If you can recognize it fast enough, you can treat it as a free chance to strike. She can be slightly plus if she spaces herself just outside of her button range, which likely won't let her really capitalize on the frame advantage but is still worth keeping in mind if you try to auto-pilot into an attempt to punish.
63214X can be a tricky move to deal with, specifically the B version. Uncharged, it's an overhead that moves Linne forward a fair amount. When charged, it becomes a low. The startup on the charged version is slightly slower and the visual cue for the low version is noticeable, but difficult to react to in the heat of a match. Best you can do is train yourself to block high when you see the startup and try to recognize when she suddenly drops to the ground and block accordingly. You can try mashing 5A as well if you're feeling daring.
63214C is also worth noting because it tracks to your position and has a lot of invul frames. It's a really strong counter to Hyde's fireballs since it has projectile invul and lets her immediately get in. Whenever Linne has meter, be aware of this move and act accordingly -- especially if your opponent has shown they're willing to use it whenever feasible. Under the right circumstances, though, you can use Chain Shift in response to the super flash to block it and take your turn.
Though Waldstein's reach can be a problem, Hyde has the advantage once he's able to get in and run his gameplan. Between moves like 22X and faster normals, Hyde can easily take control of the match and keep Waldstein locked down. If Waldstein is able to keep you locked down, however, turning things around can be a challenge.
Common round start options:
66B: 6B beats it if used as soon as possible. May or may not be able to combo off of it. Backdash lets you avoid it, but can't punish afterward.
Forward jump j.B or charged j.C: Any sort of anti-air option will work (3C, 5B, 623X). Shielding is also useful to prevent him from doing anything else in the air or once he lands.
Assault whiff j.6C/66C > 360A: There are two ways to counter this depending on whether you can react immediately and want to punish the jump or if you want to punish the command grab. For the former, 3C, 5B, 2B, 236X~236A, and 214B all work. They all beat j.6C and 66C, 2B being especially notable because it allows you to duck under the hitbox of both moves and be able to easily attack safely by holding down-back and pressing 1B, thereby allowing you to block most other round start options. For the latter, you have time a vertical jump just right and counter with j.2C. Just dashing forward also works.
Dash 2B: 6B can catch him if you're quick. Assault j.B or forward jump j.2C also work
5B or 5C: Walk back 5C > 22A works as a good counter to 5B. Only works against standing 5B, however, as any sort of slight movements forward or back may not allow Hyde's 5C to connect. Against Waldstein's 5C, just block. You can possibly punish with 5C or 22A if he microwalks forward before using his own 5C, but you're better off just blocking to be safe.
236X: Shield the first hit and use 623B. Shielding the first hit creates a gap you can use to punish with your reversal of choice. Good to remember for when he uses it in pressure as well. Otherwise you can use 5C for an easy punish if you can make a hard read on what he's doing. Remember to always block high so as to avoid getting hit by the overhead.
Despite the range of Waldstein's attacks, the best way to counter him is by getting in and not letting up. Wald's frame data isn't great, with most of his attacks having long startup. He can't easily mash out of Hyde's pressure (his fastest normals are 5A and 2A at 8 frames each), meaning that as long as you're careful with spacing and considerate of what gaps you're leaving in your pressure, he can't do much without resources. Ideally, you want to end pressure at just the right spacing to keep him from just tossing out 360A so as to make it harder for him to challenge your offense.
On the flipside, contesting Waldstein's own offense can be tricky. Despite the long startup and recovery on many of his moves, he does have a few that naturally leave him plus (1A, 4B, 6C, and 214X). Between those and the threat of his command grabs, he can easily turn the tide in his favor if he's able to freely run his pressure. Ideally you want to be looking for moments where he wants to use 360A so you can stop him before he can use it. If he's dashing in first, start mashing or go for 623B.
Given Waldstein can delete projectiles with certain moves, playing neutral is a bit trickier since you can't just chuck fireballs and poke with 22X relentlessly to keep him out. They're both still very useful since they can often catch him trying something, but you need to be wary of mindlessly using them since he can easily punish you depending on his position. Assault into j.2C, for instance, can easily avoid your fireballs and their subsequent denotation since his j.2C gives him additional air time. Be aware of distances he tries stuff like that so you can be ready to anti-air. If you can consistently anti-air him and scare him into not jumping anymore, then you can start trying to rely on your projectiles more to control neutral and even concentrate if needed.
Be extremely careful about backdashing. Waldstein has plenty of ways to stop Hyde from doing that. Only really useful to avoid throws if you can make the right read. Any other situation is much more fraught. Use wisely.
Don't let him win Vorpal if you can. If Wald has access to Chain Shift and 100 meter or more, his offense becomes a lot scarier. His reversal options become absurd and he can make whatever he wants safe, allowing him to do whatever he pleases.
If Waldstein has Vorpal, he can attempt a hard call out on your fireballs with his Force Function. The rocks he throws delete projectiles and can cause a wallbounce while in Vorpal, allowing it to convert into a full combo. At best, your fireball will connect just before the rock hits you and you'll both trade hits and he doesn't get a combo, but in general, the risk/reward there is in Waldstein's favor -- unless you make a hard read and preemptively throw out a fireball and cancel it into laser before the rock is airborne. If you're sitting on opposite sides of the screen, you can safely assume he'll try throwing rocks at some point, so it's not too difficult to make that kind of read. Just be vigilant.
3C is your friend. Waldstein's movement speed on the ground is extremely slow, so he has to jump and assault a lot if he wants to cover ground quickly. Be ready for it and react accordingly. 236X~236A and 623X are also good anti-air options against Waldstein, 236X~236A especially because it always trades in Hyde's favor. It's a good way to keep his jump-ins in check if you don't want to risk getting too close while trying to use 3C.
Waldstein's command grabs are his biggest threat. 360A is fast and untechable, making it his primary mix-up tool in pressure. It has very limited range, however, so you can work around it as long as you remain cognizant of its effective range. 360B has greater reach, but can be teched, making it a bit less threatening as long as you're looking for it. [4]6X is fast once active and can often catch people off guard, but it is avoidable by jumping and can be interrupted by projectiles if you have enough time to throw one out. It's not too common to see Waldstein using that move in neutral, particularly at long ranges since it becomes much easier to react to, but worth noting all the same.
J.236X is a decent counter to Waldstein's throw game, but he also has some very good anti-air options available to counter with. Still worth using here and there to keep his throws in check, but not something to become too reliant on.
Broadly speaking, Carmine's mix-up potential can make him a tricky opponent for anyone. But between Hyde's constant chip damage and the health cost on most of Carmine's moves, Hyde has a definite advantage here. If you can get around his pressure and recognize his mix-ups, you can effectively win by being patient and letting Carmine slowly kill himself and strike whenever the moment presents itself and making good use of whatever chip damage you can deal. That said, while that gives Hyde an advantage, it doesn't make the match up an easy win.
Common round start options:
6B/j.6B: Just blocking is the safest option. If you want to try countering it, though, forward jump j.2C is a decent choice as long as Carmine uses 6B immediately at round start. If he's jumping into the air before using it, 3C is great if you're quick enough to recognize the situation and use it. Dashing under him and hitting him when he lands is always a good option as well. Otherwise, just block and take the free GRD.
2C: Slightly walking back and then pressing either 5C or 22A make for good whiff punishes, though neither can convert into anything without meter. Forward jump j.[C] also works and can possibly convert into a combo, though it is a bit inconsistent.
j.C: Anything you can catch your opponent out of the air with works against this (3C, 5B, 214B, etc.). May have to change which move you use depending on whether Carmine assaults or charges j.C or not.
Neutral is a matter of patience. Your main goal should be to force Carmine to come to you if he wants to deal any damage. For as strong as his traps can be, they don't amount to much if Hyde's just hanging on the other side of the stage just blocking everything thrown at him, essentially making Carmine throw his health away. The idea is to shield everything Carmine throws at you so as to swing the GRD cycle in your favor and ideally keep it there, forcing him to approach if he wants to actually do anything. Should be noted, however, that he can decide to just stop launching attacks to keep you from easily winning the cycle. In such an event, take stock of the current situation and decide whether you need to move in or just start concentrating.
6B is one of Carmine's favorite moves to throw out in neutral. It's a fast projectile that travels the entire length of the screen and sets a puddle beneath you if blocked. While you can try countering it with your fireballs (or even laser if you can anticipate it coming and are able to throw a fireball out preemptively), it's better to either dash block or just sit back and take the free GRD depending on the situation.
Shield Carmine's puddle traps/bombs or avoid them entirely if possible. Merely blocking them gives Carmine the advantage during pressure, which only lets him keep his turn longer. Shielding them reduces his advantage while also costing him GRD.
The hardest part of fighting Carmine is escaping his pressure once he's got you locked down. In the corner especially, his mix-up game is strong. He can cycle through a ton of different set ups to try opening you up. Learning to identify them and what, if any, counter play there is for each of them is key to keeping him from steamrolling you once he gets going. Check the "How to Prank" document by Paddu and Spinach for specifics on his mix-ups. Also, if you have the PC version, consider using some of the training dummy scripts put together by foxof42 to make it easier to lab some of them.
623B is a fantastic option to challenge his pressure with as a good number of his strings have gaps if you shield them effectively. If you can identify where the gaps in his blockstrings are (or have Chain Shift available), you can easily stop him in his tracks. Pale Bringer works as well.
236X (the large spinning wheel he throws out) has a long start up and can be mashed on. It's most often used as part of his oki, but does sometimes appear in blockstrings. Unless he has Vorpal or has spaced himself correctly, you should be able to strike before it becomes active.
When you get in, make the most of it. Hyde's chip damage is extremely useful here since Carmine's already losing health regularly, and the chip damage -- especially in Vorpal -- adds up very fast. Additionally, unless he has meter or Vorpal, he doesn't have access to any reversal options, meaning he has to take risks to escape pressure as long as you're not overextending. Use that to your advantage.
Speaking of reversals, his command grab (63214C) is his only true reversal option outside of universal mechanics like CS and Veil Off. It's easily avoided simply by jumping if you're on the lookout for it. He can try using 623C, but it only has partial invulnerability and is extremely minus on block (-12). 214C is also an option, which is plus if it hits (+6), but it has no invulnerability, so a well-timed attack will beat it.
Though Carmine's constantly losing health, he can regain a fair amount with his command grab. It's not enough to make a massive difference, but it can be a problem if you're not looking out for it.
Know when to hang back and let time run out. If you have a strong life lead and can put up a strong defense, there's not much Carmine can do without putting himself at considerable risk. Under the right circumstances, he'll only be one hit away from losing, which heavily shifts things in your favor.
The hardest part of fighting Orie is playing around the range on her normals. She can effectively poke you just out of reach of most of Hyde's pokes and has a fair number of tools to lock you down while still keeping herself relatively safe -- as long as she's within range to do so. Hyde has the tools to counter her approaches, however, which, when used correctly, can force her to play much more cautiously, allowing Hyde to take control and make Orie think twice about her approach.
Common round start options:
Assault j.C: 3C is the obvious answer. 5B works as well (particularly off a dash so you can avoid j.C entirely), and 214B can catch her as well.
Jump > Force Function > j.214X: Just use 3C. It's possible she ends up being able to dodge it entirely, but it's your best option against this setup at round start since chances are good she'll be able to hit with j.214X. If you can dodge that, though, you can get a hit in during her landing recovery.
66C: Jumpback or vertical jump j.2C works well and should score a counter hit.
214A/B: Assault j.B, j.6C, or j.2C is an easy counter. All of them get a guaranteed counter hit if she tries using any of 214X's follow-ups, though the C follow-up can sometimes trade in Orie's favor. Forward jump j.[C] and walk back 22A work as well. On the off chance she goes for 214B, no aerial options work since it acts as a decent anti-air and has slightly slower startup. 66C and 22A are your best bets against it -- but only if you're using them immediately.
236X: Walkback 5C or 22A works against 236A. The walkback is ideal because it'll avoid her attack even if she does a microwalk before using it. 236B can be beaten by shielding and using 6B.
Play it safe in neutral. Orie may lack any proper ranged tools, but her neutral is strong all the same. Try to keep her out as much as possible to force her to take risks if she wants to get in. Fireballs are very useful to that end since they can easily catch her attempts to approach using 236X and anti-air with it if you detonate the fireball with the A follow-up. 236X~236A is definitely one of your strongest tools here because Orie can't really do much about it. A strong zoning game effectively locks Orie down anywhere since all of her means of advancing quickly require her to take risks. Done correctly, you don't have to move in much yourself and instead wait for her to try something and punish accordingly.
Once you can get in, keep the pressure on. In the corner especially, you should be giving as little room to breathe as possible. The range on her normals means you can't really try to whiff punish, so rushdown is the play. Also, remember that Orie doesn't have any meterless reversals. As long as she doesn't have meter or Vorpal, she doesn't have any easy ways to counter your pressure. That doesn't mean you can just do whatever you please, of course, but it does mean you can run pressure a bit more freely.
Orie's pressure can feel difficult to counter due to the reach of her attacks. Her normals have great range and similarly good frame data, often leaving her safe and at distances you can't easily contest from. Be very aware of how she's spacing herself out and what attacks she's using to try enforcing her advantage. If she pushes you to the corner, she becomes a much scarier opponent due to how easily she can lock you down. Your best bet there is to identify when she goes for a reset (5A > 5A > 5A > dash > repeat, for example) so you can attempt an escape.
6B is an overhead and a very strong part of Orie's offense. On its own, it's not too threatening as long as you can react to it, but Orie is able to cancel it into 214A to create a pretty fast high-low situation that can be tricky to deal with.
Orie's Force Function makes her hard to pin down. Hyde's anti-air options are strong and often work to stop her, but the speed and arc at which Orie flips through the air can make it tough to land a hit, doubly so since she can use FF to set up j.214X to punish any whiffed anti-air attempts or counter them entirely if you're not fast enough to stop her before she attempts that. If she positions herself such that 3C can't reach at all, she can technically score a hit with 214C but can't reliably convert it into a combo, so she doesn't gain much from it. She can also use FF to cancel attacks and effectively make herself safe. FF doesn't have invulnerability, however, so it is possible to try punishing her for using it recklessly depending on the situation.
Be wary of backdashing, especially in neutral. 236[B] is fast, covers a large part of the screen, and is difficult to punish once blocked. Orie will almost assuredly use this a lot to close the distance in neutral. 236A is similarly strong, but it does have significantly shorter reach. Both can be stopped with a preemptive fireball. Otherwise your safest option is to just block. Trying to counter it on reaction is not worth the risk.
Orie will sometimes end blockstrings with 214X~4B as it's plus on block (+4) and pushes her out far enough to make it difficult to try anything. The gap between the two attacks is large enough to mash on if you're spaced correctly and shielding the first hit makes it bigger. If successful, fast buttons like 5A or 6B, or a reversal like 623B or Pale Bringer should catch her. Which option to use is dependent on how close she is. 5A, 6B, and 623B can all tag her at close distances, whereas 5C (only works if you shield the first hit) or Pale Bringer work at farther distances.
Depending on where you are, Orie's 22X can either be something you have to block or something you can avoid entirely. If she happens to use it raw, you can just dash forward on reaction and avoid it entirely, especially if it's 22C since the superflash gives you ample time to buffer your dash. If she's using it post-knockdown, you have to just block. If she has to run in after using it, that's the perfect time to get a couple shields in to gain some free GRD. Just don't attempt that when she's within range to continue pressure to avoid any potential GRD Breaks.
623A is a good option to use for post-Chain Shift mindgames since it trades in Hyde's favor and because the first hit is EX cancelable on hit and block. Best saved for when the opponent has established they're aware of and willing to play the post-CS mindgames, but still worth knowing.
Fighting Gordeau is very much a matter of spacing. If you stay just outside of the range of his normals, you can zone him out pretty effectively as long as he doesn't win Vorpal. If he has Vorpal, his Force Function gets a big boost in range making him much more threatening at a distance. Once you get in, his slower buttons and lack of meterless reversals can make things difficult for him.
Common round start options:
236X: Shield it and punish with 66C or 22A. 66C gets you in and can lead to a combo, whereas 22A knocks him back and creates more space between you two.
623X: Shield and punish. What you can use depends on range and whether he uses the A or B version (A version is only -6 on block, while the B version is -15).
On paper, Gordeau has an advantage in neutral due to the range of his attacks. Between moves like 5C, 236X, 623X, and his Force Function, he has a lot of ways to hit you from afar. However, all those moves are easily shielded and often punishable. Shielding his attacks and using 22A or 66C in response where possible can make it much harder for Gordeau to gain any ground. Try not to let him approach freely. Keep him out if you can, but don't let yourself get cornered doing so. Once you have an opening, get in and keep the pressure on.
Pressure is all about playing around Gordeau's effective range. From afar, you want to be careful about 5C, 236X, and FF specifically since they all have great range and allow Gordeau to keep his distance. In close-quarters, you want to play around just outside of 2C's range as that's right where Gordeau's most uncomfortable. He doesn't have any good options to contest at that range without resources to back him up. Ideally you want to be able to push him into the corner and then use Hyde's better frame data and range to your advantage to keep Gordeau locked down.
Your general goal should be to prevent Gordeau from entering Vorpal. He needs Vorpal to really excel and keeping him from accessing it gives you a definite advantage. Gordeau's means of GRD control can make it tricky to swing the cycle in your favor since he has a few moves that steal GRD (214X, Force Function, and 236X~6XX). FF is the only one that steals GRD on both hit and block, the other two only working on hit. As long your defense is solid you can still play the cycle effectively.
66C is very good against Gordeau. It's a good option to use whenever you block and shield any of his farther reaching moves. It's not a guaranteed punish (he can often just block), but Gordeau can't do much against it either. His only real options against it are mashing 5A or 2A (if you end up within range of those moves) or using 623C after shielding it and only on a no-cancel or a very late special cancel in the case of 623C, but those are easy to work around.
Try not to backdash too much. At close range especially, Gordeau's 2C and 3C are easy ways for him to catch your backdashes. Always be aware of the range of those moves.
If you try to use 6B in pressure, always be aware of whether Gordeau has at least 100 meter. If he does, he can use 623C and get an easy punish, especially if you no-cancel or try to frame trap off it. You can, however, use 236A~236A to interrupt him and get a combo if you're quick enough. The timing on that is very tricky, though, so keep in mind that it's a risky maneuver. Additionally, throwing out 6B after 22B can sometimes allow Gordeau to avoid it by using 2B, as it can low-profile certain attacks. Adjust pressure accordingly.
Gordeau's 3C and 66C can both be plus on block at certain distances (the farther out he is when it hits, the more likely he is to be plus or at least safe). 3C cannot be special canceled on block until late into the move, which can potentially cause a trade if you attempt to mash as long as you can recognize the spacings where it's minus. 66C can likewise be countered, but it requires a bit more finesse as he can always special cancel it. It generally has a big enough gap to use something like 623B, however, so you can always throw that out if you're able to react in time.
Be careful about using fireballs, especially if Gordeau has Vorpal. Most of Gordeau's moves can bypass them, his Force Function being a particularly noteworthy example since it gains additional range and head invulnerability when Vorpal is active. Fireballs are best reserved for pressure when you're up close or at fullscreen distance. Anywhere else runs the risk of giving Gordeau an easy opening.
FF can be avoided by crouching. The increase on its range in Vorpal is mainly horizontal rather than vertical, meaning you can easily crouch and try to catch him on recovery if you're close enough. Dashblocking also helps, especially if you can return to crouching before the move becomes active.
Because Gordeau has a command grab in 214X, his throw game is very strong and difficult to counter since he can swap between that and a regular throw at will. As such, relying on option selects is a bit risky since his command grab is only techable if it becomes a gold throw, so he can easily GRD break you if you misread the situation. The damage off it isn't terribly threatening, but he can steal GRD from you with each successful use, allowing him to consistently maintain control of the GRD cycle.
Counterplay around 214X revolves around knowing where the throw protection on Gordeau's attacks end. Gordeau ideally wants to avoid getting gold throws when using his command grab since that's the only circumstance where it becomes techable, so he'll usually wait for the last move he used to recover and then use 214X. By doing so, however, he creates a gap you can mash (5A, 2A, 5B, and 6B are good options), jump, or backdash to punish or avoid the command grab with. Knowing when and where the throw protection ends is extremely useful for successfully doing any sort of counterplay.
One extra note on that move: Keep a close eye on the status of the GRD cycle. Gordeau will often try to use 214X to swing the cycle in his favor right at the last second. Use that to your advantage if he's consistently using it to secure the cycle.
Be watchful of when Gordeau has meter to spare, especially on wakeup. Chances are good he'll often decide to use either 623C, 22C, or 214C. You can try to learn how to react to the startup animations (if you see his abs, it's 214X, so jump; if not, just block), or you can fuzzy jump to cover all of them. You do this by holding block for eight frames and then jumping. If he uses 623C or 22C, you'll block the attack. If he goes for 214C, you'll jump and avoid it. The timing is something you have to get a feel for. Practice it by setting up recordings for each of those moves and have the game play them back randomly as a reversal action.
22B can be countered with 3C on reaction. 2B can work as well, but 3C is the safer option since it's faster and has head invul frames which is always good to have when countering an aerial move. Either way, it's an easy counter.
Something you can do against 236C is shield and then backdash to avoid 2C if he's using that often. At most ranges, you'll be pulled in enough that the backdash will only avoid one hit of 2C, but you should be able to avoid getting comboed. At round start distance or farther, backdash will avoid 2C entirely. Additionally, if Gordeau is using 236C as his main option to make 623X safe, if you shield the last hit of 623X, you can create just large enough of a gap to input a reversal (e.g. 623B) during the superflash. Very difficult to do, but powerful should Gordeau be using that a lot.
If Gordeau is using 623X's follow-up (623X~6X), there's a gap you can use to input a reversal. The size of it differs depending on which version of 623X was used. The A version has a very small window that only invincible moves like 623B can work in. The B version has a much larger one that lets you use a lot more options, such as 5A, 5B, or 6B. You can also backdash to avoid both of them with the right timing. If you're not sure which one is being used and want to counter it, just go for the safe option of 623B.
Between Merkava's strong zoning and rushdown game, he can be a tough matchup. Generally, though, it's not too hard as long as you don't let Merkava control neutral too much as Hyde has tools to counter Merkava at the right distances. If he does, Merkava can easily keep Hyde at bay, forcing Hyde to play much more carefully. Once Hyde closes in, however, he can press the advantage with relative ease, particularly if he has resources to spare.
Common round start options:
5B(B): Walkback 5B or 5C can work if you're fast (can only chain into 22A on hit) and just walking back can make it whiff. In the case of it whiffing and if Merkava chooses to use 5BB, you can try to quickly punish with 66C. At worst, it'll be blocked, but you'll still have gotten in and can start posing a threat.
Jumpback j.214X: Dash 5B or 3C is the ideal response, but tricky to pull off. 22A can catch him reliably, although blocking is probably your best bet.
Some other general options you can try are 236B~236A and assault j.2C, though these all depend on Merkava doing something that leaves him vulnerable to those options (assault j.2C can beat a round start 5C, for instance, on the rare chance they try that). Still, worth noting.
Neutral is largely dictated by Merkava due to his large normals and 214X. Merkava generally wants to keep his distance in neutral until he needs to move in to win the GRD cycle. As such, you're going to primarily be dealing with a lot of zoning, so dashblocking is your main option. Ideally you want to get close enough for 22A to pose a threat, since it's Hyde's best ranged move in this matchup (throwing out fireballs generally isn't advised since he can usually hit you before they ever reach him). It's fast enough to interrupt Merkava's general zoning pattern (5C > 214A/whiff 5A) since he's always minus enough on block to be vulnerable to 22A whenever you're within range (66C, and sometimes 236X, are options as well -- more on that shortly). Failing that, shielding attacks is a good way to force Merkava to stop attacking and either make him approach or hang back and concentrate so you can try advancing. As always, focusing on the cycle is always a good first step.
His usual zoning pattern revolves around 5C > 214A/whiff 5A. He can cover a large part of the stage by doing this over and over. The 5A rebeat leaves him -5, which isn't particularly strong on paper, but makes it easier for him to mix his zoning patterns to make it harder for you to approach since being 5- isn't really a problem when he's got you stuck on the other side of the stage. He can also cut 214A short by inputting 214A~D, which can make it harder to gauge whether it's going to hit or not.
Counterplay generally revolves around calling out his rebeats or pressing the advantage after blocking 214A. In the case of the former, that means being ready to attack as soon as you see 5A so you can better your chances of landing a hit. 22A and 66C are really good ways to accomplish this if you're within their range, which is where you ideally want to be to discourage Merkava from trying 214A since it's far more minus (-14~-11) than a rebeat is. For the latter, the same principles apply, but how far you are determines your options. 236X can work if you're quick to act after blocking, though if you're too far out, Merkava can just use 214A and potentially hit you before the fireball reaches him.
One other thing you can try to bypass 214A is jumping forward and punishing with j.6C. The A version can't catch people out of the air, making it susceptible to being countered by a good aerial approach. The difficulty here comes from having to time it just as Merkava commits to 214A because he has a really good spread of moves that can be used as anti-airs that make aerial approaches risky. He can also decide to use 214B instead since that version can actually catch airborne opponents, but it's also a bigger commitment for him for it requires Merkava to leave himself wide open on the ground level. If you can condition the opponent to expect a jump, you might be able to get them to try 214B and then use that to try getting in with 66C or simply dash in safely. Be wary if he has meter, however, as 214C can catch you out of the air and is extremely fast (5-frame startup).
His ability to fly can also make neutral frustrating because he can decide to retreat and use j.B or j.214X to stop you from chasing him down, especially if he cancels something like 3C into flight or does an air-backdash into flight. J.B and j.214X are good for different reasons: j.B has massive range and can recover quickly, making it very hard to counter, and j.214X has all the usual benefits of a fireball, but with the extra utility of being plus if Merkava charges them.
3C and 623B are great options to knock him out of the air. 3C's massive hitbox can almost always hit him (only whiffs when he's at the very top of the screen) and being in flight allows him to be counter hit, making it easy to convert into a combo. 623B is useful just as a quick way to counter him charging in since it's fast and can be tough to reliably counter. Safest option, however, is to either back off and make it whiff or greenshield so you can catch the air-normal that follows (j.A and j.B are the most common buttons) and punish.
Should note that he can delay those attacks to make them whiff for a quick low or throw.
Using flight slowly drains GRD, so Merkava is often at risk of losing the cycle depending on the circumstances. Use this to your advantage whenever possible.
If Merkava starts to go in and play rushdown instead, while the frame data on paper should put Hyde at an advantage, Merkava has plenty of ways to make his pressure very scary. His biggest weakness, however, is that he doesn't have many ways to make himself safe on block and his lack of good rebeat options means he can't reduce recovery on a lot of his moves either. The key to escaping his pressure at close range is to identify where he likes to reset pressure and act accordingly.
623A is the only move Merkava has that leaves him plus on block (+1), but the advantage is slight, making it easy to invalidate if you shield the last hit. Once shielded, 6B(1) > 5[C] is your go-to counter because it can catch just about anything Merkava is likely to do after 623A (backdash, divekick, 2A, etc.). It's particularly strong because Merkava is launched even on a trade (in the case of him pressing 2A), so it's still advantageous for you.
Once you're in, however, Hyde's got the advantage. Merkava doesn't have any meterless reversals, meaning he can't easily break out of pressure. His fastest normal is 2A at six frames, so he can't beat Hyde's fastest buttons (2A, 623X). Try to keep meter saved for pressure extensions. The more tools you have available, the harder it will be for Merkava to try anything to escape.
When attempting to reset pressure, keep in mind that Merkava's divekick (j.2C) gives him a good option select in 171C~AD. An instant divekick allows him to very easily avoid lows and punish large gaps in pressure. Understanding the range of j.2C and trying to stay just around the edge or outside of its range can help make Merkava think twice about it, as can using moves with good vertical reach (5B and 3C, for example).
All of Merkava's reversal options require meter:
236C can be beaten by using EX moves like Pale Bringer on superflash, Chain Shift to either use a reversal or block and shield the second to last hit to make Merkava more minus and possible to punish (extremely difficult to do), or just trade with certain moves (or bypass it at midscreen with 66C) since Merkava doesn't have full invulnerability on 236C (invul only lasts until the first active frame). It is -3 by default, however, so while Merkava technically loses his turn, he doesn't lose anything by trying it other than being out of 100 meter.
Extra note on 236C: 66C only works as a means of countering it at midscreen off an ender that leads to a hard knockdown (214B~4B~4B, 214C, 41236C) as enders like 236X~236B allow them to forward tech.
623C has full invul instead of trading on the first active frame like 236C, making it a true reversal. As such, it's also extremely minus on block and easy to punish.
41236C can see some use as reversal since it causes him to jumpback before attacking, which can allow him to dodge attacks, but it lacks any invulnerability, so it's not likely to be seen very often, if at all. On the off chance it does see use, countering the superflash with 623C is a good option. Can otherwise try just about any move and to try and hit him out of startup instead if you're feeling daring.
If you end up in the corner against Merkava and he has worms active (22X), be very careful. Merkava's worm oki gives him an incredible advantage, allowing him to set up strong high/low and strike/throw mix ups that are very hard to react to. Countering worms is dependent on whether Merkava has Vorpal or not. If not, mashing can work since any hit he takes, even on block, will immediately get rid of the worms. If he does have Vorpal, the best thing you can do is focus on defense as Merkava's Vorpal trait allows worms to stay active while blocking, meaning you have to hit the worms directly to get rid of them, which can be difficult in some cases. (If you want info on the specifics of worm setups and what they look like, check the Merkava Worm Guide by OnyxDood and April.)
On a knockdown, especially with worms active, Merkava's oki is strongest when he uses low-flight to set up a 50/50. The way it works is that he floats close to the ground to either hit you with a move like j.A or make it whiff and then go straight into a low. It's powerful because flying close to the ground allows him to greatly reduce recovery on his air-normals, making it very easy to keep himself safe. When combined with 22X, he can easily keep you locked down and run some very strong strike/throw mix for as long as they are active.
Guard thrust and delayed wakeup generally cover most of the counterplay against worm setups and the 50/50, the former especially since it's an instant, safe way to avoid being forced to guess and forces Merkava to return to zoning. Don't be afraid to use it if you can, especially if you have Vorpal so you can avoid putting yourself in a GRD Break state. Chain Shift is good, but getting Merkava off you is more important.
If he doesn't have worms active, however, you can try attacking with moves like 5B, 3C, and 623A. The worms are the main thing that discourages mashing, so they aren't around, you can try to actually counter Merkava directly.
22C is an overhead. It's the only version of 22X that has a hitbox. Key to blocking this consistently is to just block high whenever you see Merkava use an EX move as 22C is the only one that is an overhead, the rest being mids. If you block it, it's -5, meaning you can take your turn.
Merkava's 66C looks exactly like his 3C. If you can learn to identify which is which (the animation on 66C is faster than 3C), you can shield the dash attack to prevent him from being able to cancel into anything to make himself safe. 66C is already -7 on block by default, so shielding it gives you a chance to punish with a stronger button.
Quick note on 3C: Merkava can charge it to turn the move into a feint instead, which can also be canceled into flight.
Likewise, 66B looks exactly like 2B, though shielding it doesn't prevent him from canceling into anything on block. It is more advantageous on block than 2B (-2 on 66B as opposed to -4 on 2B), so he can use that to go for a throw (especially if you mistime a shield), frame trap (Force Function and 623A are common options there), or a pressure reset if you're being too passive. Pay attention to what he's doing after 66B and how often to figure out when to start mashing. You ideally want to catch him no-canceling 66B to avoid getting caught in a frame trap. 5A is good since it's fast and has good reach, though you could try 5B or 6B as well.
If Merkava uses CS while in throw range, you should always try either 214A or 623A in response. This is because both those moves cover just about anything he'll try, including trading with 236C. Both have their weaknesses (623A loses to throw, 214A loses to 5A, and both lose to delayed 236C), but presenting those should give you an edge in post-CS situations.
Outside of throw range, keep it simple and either dashblock or walkback and try 5B or 22A. Counters a bit harder there, so better to play it safe.
Vatista can be a hard match up for anyone, but for Hyde especially, she's difficult due to how good her zoning abilities are, her flashkick that can beat almost any attempt to meaty easily, and her excellent gem pressure makes it difficult to challenge her once she gets going. Vatista is a very difficult opponent, but she's not impossible to beat. She just requires a lot of patience on when to approach and careful thought on how to gain and maintain the advantage.
Common round start options:
[6]4A: 236B can negate the laser entirely if done immediately. Can also follow-up with 236X~236B for a hit and potential combo. If you want to go for a bigger reward, forward jump j.2C can avoid the laser and often catch Vastista during recovery. Jumping in is riskier, but if you know she's going to start a round by firing a laser, it's a good callout option. Otherwise, dashblocking is always a good choice.
66C: 236B is an easy counter. Can detonate the fireball with 236X~236A as well for a quick combo. Other options are 5B, 5C, and neutral jump j.[C] or j.236X. Neutral jumps are relatively safe as long as she is using 66C or [6]4A since neither one can catch you. Best saved for when you're certain 66C is coming and want better damage.
[4]6X: Just dashblocking is the best choice. 22A can catch both the A and B versions if you really want to get a hit in, and 66C hits before the A version is launched, but both effectively require you to make a hard read. Better to just dashblock and gain ground until you have a good grasp of what your opponent's roundstart habits are.
Dashblocking is the approach here. Vatista's lasers and balls can allow her to control neutral with ease, so you need to be patient and gain whatever ground you can. Shielding her projectiles are key to swing the cycle in your favor. Don't try concentrating as Vatista's lasers are too fast to block on reaction. Focus on shielding her attacks to swing the cycle in your favor. Figuring out how to navigate her zoning patterns is necessary to approach, but Vatista wants to keep those patterns irregular to make you slip up. Again, patience is paramount: observe and find your spots to dashblock.
While dashblocking is going to be your primary means of approach, 236X and 22X are still pretty good. You can't just throw them out carelessly, but they still have good utility as ranged pokes or ways to help you make your way in, especially with Chain Shift ready.
Pale Bringer is a great way to get in once you have meter and access to CS. It's effectively one of the strongest options you have since it can bypass basically anything Vatista tries as long as you're within range. Saving it until you have CS is key because you want to be using it to punish gaps in zoning patterns so you can guarantee she won't be able to try EX canceling something during the superflash.
One thing you can try if you're feeling daring is to use Hyde's Force Function to destroy balls ([4]6X). As FF becomes special cancelable upon doing so, you can sometimes use that to catch Vastista off-guard if they're attempting to dash in after the ball. This works best against the A version since it travels slower, but it's still a risky choice given how Vatista can charge a laser to follow-up with soon after to keep you in check. That said, worth showing every now and then to keep your opponent from trying to use the balls to cover their approach.
Important to note that this does not work against the EX version. The most FF can do is greatly reduce the number of hits it can deal, but it cannot destroy the ball outright. That has its uses (less hits means less time blocking and potentially lower reward for Vatista on hit), but is broadly not recommended unless you're absolutely certain you can do so safely. Avoiding that ball altogether if possible is the better strat.
As of UNICLR, Vatista now has a parry of sorts in 2A+B. If an attack connects with the barrier she creates, or if she times the input correctly, she can use any one of her specials without having to charge them first. As you can imagine, that's a very bad situation to be in. It does have one glaring weakness, however: it loses to lows. Depending on range and how she's using the barrier, you can try running in and using 3B to get a hit in. Most Vatista players will be careful not to hold the stance for long, though (chances are good they'll be keeping their distance when using it as well), so you need to be quick if you want to attempt to punish.
Most importantly about 2A+B, it allows Vatista to do some particularly annoying zoning. Namely, she can use this to use [4]6X and [6]4X multiple times very quickly. A couple examples (borrowed from the training mode scripts):
Triple A Ball: three instances of [4]6X used in quick succession. On their own, annoying, but not terribly threatening. With gems on the field? Much more difficult to work around.
If she's just throwing A Ball out on its own, you can just use FF to destroy one or two and then use 22X. If you have meter, you could otherwise EX cancel FF after destroying one of the balls (236C and Pale Bringer both being good options) or just go straight to using meter to bypass/destroy the balls entirely. This assumes she hasn't placed gems such that approaching to get close enough to potentially land a hit becomes a more difficult prospect.
Triple A Laser: What it sounds like. Basically just the dashblock tutorial except she can't just spam laser all day.
Just dashblock. CS Pale Bringer works if you're within range, but you'll almost certainly have to dashblock first to get into position.
Vatista's flash kick in [2]8X makes keeping the pressure on a challenge since it's a fast reversal (4-frame startup) with great reach. Putting gaps in blockstrings is risky because of how easily she can just use her reversal (particularly if the gap is large enough and your blockstrings predictable), so pressure should be structured with keeping her locked down first and foremost. Trying to open her up only gives her more opportunities to punish with [2]8X. If you do decide to try going for resets or frame traps, try to keep the gaps tight so you can catch your opponent's attempts to reversal (Hyde's 2A is very good for this) and the blockstrings ambiguous to make it harder for your opponent to know when your pressure is ending.
Important note: she has only two moves that must be blocked low (2C and 2B+C). If you can identify where she wants to use those moves, you can try assaulting or forward jumping over them to get in for an easy hit.
Post-CS situations are troublesome because she can either use [2]8X or go for a throw instead if she's within range. Both options have 4-frame startups, so your best bet is to default to just blocking or attempting an OS like 1AD if you're confident she'll try a throw. Hyde's 623C can technically win against B flash kick, but only just barely. Not a great use of meter.
Hyde's 5A can beat Vatista's 2A if used at max-range. It can also push him just outside of her 5A and 5B at that same distance (5BB can still connect, though). Important to note if only because her B and C normals are slower than her A normals, which gives you more leeway with how minus you can be against her as long as you're conscious of the range of [2]8X and careful not to overextend.
Once you get a good life lead, don't worry about trying to get in. Vatista doesn't pose much threat from afar given her lack of mixups at that range and her slow mobility. Don't take unnecessary risks if you don't have to. Just hang back, shield any lasers or balls she throws your way, and force her to come to you.
Gems are the cornerstone of her pressure and a key part of neutral. She'll use them often to lock you down in the corner and effectively create a minefield in neutral if she's able to set multiple. How to get past them is dependent entirely on their location and how Vatista is using them.
She'll often choose to concentrate after setting gems to bait you into taking action. Usually she'll set one where she can detonate it with 5A. If it whiffs, she might try going for 66C to catch you trying something.
Counterplay: approach just enough to be in 22A's range so you can try getting a hit in while she's concentrating. 22B can also potentially work, but because it's slower, it does give Vatista more time to block. Alternatively, see how close you can get by dashblocking to see how quick she is to detonate the gems once you're within range of them. If the explosion doesn't hit and she tries to use 66C to go in, 5B, 236B, and neutral jump j.[C] or j.236X can catch her.
"Gem Bridge" is a particular setup that involves using [4]6A to detonate gems as they're set to halt aerial approaches. She does this by quickly chasing the ball and setting gems just as the ball is within range to hit them. She can only get away with a couple sets before she closes in.
Counterplay: Hyde can use his Force Function to destroy the ball and immediately invalidate the setup. Enables you to special cancel FF to try catching Vatista setting a gem if you do it right. 22A and Pale Bringer also work as well as general ways to counter her approach.
Regarding gem loops: first, check the Vatista Gem Loop Counterplay doc by Ayr. It includes gifs of some of the most common gem loops and the universal counterplay. Second, while it may not look like there are gaps, some of them do in fact have just enough of a gap that you can mash Veil Off or use a reversal to escape (Guard Thrust is also always a good option).
The most important thing to remember about Vatista's gems is that, when she sets one off any normal, she's minus. The opponent will likely try to space themselves such that they can't be easily punished for setting gems and vary their blockstrings to make it tough to even attempt to challenge them, but they are always minus (gem loops are exempt from this, obviously). If you want to take advantage of that, you need to be able to quickly recognize where she's setting gems and whether any of your attacks can reach.
An example of how much those minus frames vary is that she can be -6 at best (off 2C) and -22 at worst (off j.A). The full list can be seen in the rebeats and gaps table on her page.
For more in-depth info on gem pressure and its frame data, check The Vatista Tech Archive by Foxof42.
66C is a strong move since it's got good travel (can side-swap like Hyde's 66C at the right spacing), hits multiple times, and can be canceled to make it safe or into a frame trap. A couple examples how she can use it and how to counter it follow:
66C > 2FF can be shielded to make it -6. The spacing has to be just right for Hyde to be able to punish with 2A (pushback on shield can put you right outside its range), which can make it difficult to do, but even if you can't actually punish it, you can at least make her unsafe there.
If she uses 5FF instead, however, she can move backward while firing. She's -3 at best if she does this, but that she can move backward makes it very difficult to do anything regardless of how minus she is.
66C > [4]6A is +8 at point-blank range, but the startup of [4]6A is long enough that you can throw her before the ball becomes active. She'll only be put at point-blank range if she side-swaps off 66C, though. 623B can also work, technically, but is much harder to do there.
Because Vatista can't be counter hit, anti-airing her requires more work. You have to be cognizant of how high in the air she is as that will largely determine whether you can get a combo or merely disrupt her aerial movement. For Hyde specifically, that means you can't rely on the usual 3C routes against her (check the anti-air combos section for a combo to use). Likewise, depending on just how high in the air she is (j.A+B can let her float pretty high if done right), 3C might not even reach. In those cases, 623B/C is your best bet.
One of the most annoying parts of fighting Vastista is the high/low mix she has involving j.[8]2B or "B Drill" as it's commonly known as. What makes it annoying to deal with is the fact that, if done correctly, it's effectively a 20-frame overhead -- five frames faster than the fastest standing overheads in UNI. She'll either use B Drill before she lands or land and use 2C instead. Your best bet for countering it is to try recognizing the setups your opponent uses and hope you guess correctly. You can block it, but it is very hard to do so on reaction alone. Having some idea of what they'll do to use it will make it a bit easier to deal with.
The most basic setup involves detonating a gem set close to the ground with a rising j.A. Depending on the situation, you can try backdashing to get yourself clear of the mixup if you're able to see it coming. Delay and back teching on wakeup also helps avoid any mix she might try as part of her oki.
One other common setup is off j.C. It's a multi-hit normal that's plus even when shielded, but it's not an overhead. The basic counter play is to either anti-air it if possible (Hyde's 3C makes this pretty easy) or shield it to screw up the timing on the input (by landing and getting 2B instead). If she goes for it after being shielded, you can catch the startup with a reversal or Veil Off.
Should be noted that Vatista can still counter greenshields. She can do this either by canceling the first hit of j.C with a whiffed j.B or landing with j.A or j.B. This only works off a jump, though. Off an assault, you can safely shield j.C.
If you can block the mixup, however, B Drill is -11 on block by default making it easy to punish. Only way she can make herself safe here is with CS or spending meter.
Seth can be a tough matchup because he can be difficult to keep up with. His fast and varied movement options make it easy to be overwhelmed and make a wrong move, and a lot of normals are fast and safe on block, which can make him hard to contest. Also, he has a true unblockable setup. So that's fun. All that said, Seth also has the lowest amount of hit-points in the game, so any hit and chip damage you deal goes a long way.
Common round start options:
Walkback/jumpback/backdash: Nothing you can reliably do about these sorts of options. Seth is likely to play it safe at round start. You can maybe catch his backdash with 22X and 236B if you're lucky, but unless he's backing off to set an orb or canceling into some other move, there's not much to do. Better to just observe and see what, if anything, they do and act accordingly.
Forward jump > (j.X): Usual anti-air options apply -- 3C, 5B, 623X, and 214X -- depending on what he's doing and how fast you can react. Be aware that he can air backdash to bait anything you might try, though.
66C: Immediate 6B, 236B~236A, 214B, or vertical jump j.[C] > j.2C can easily counter Seth's 66C. Have to be fast, though, as you'll likely be counter hit instead if you aren't quick.
623A: Vertical jump j.[C] > j.2C is the easiest way to counter it. 236B~236A can trade if you're quick, but it's not particularly favorable for Hyde.
Seth is a glass cannon. As such, he has to play carefully since he can't afford many mistakes lest he get taken out by a couple really strong combos. Neutral then is largely a matter of watching his movement and taking whatever opportunities you have to get a hit. He can be tricky to catch given he has a lot of ways to quickly move around the screen, making the matchup sometimes a matter of chasing him down. That said, Hyde has some advantage due to his spread of ranged attacks. Seth has no real ranged presence, so he can't really do much if Hyde is staying outside of his effective range.
The key to fighting Seth is always being aware of what options he has when he's in the air and what normals he's likely to cancel into 214X. Seth's movement is his biggest asset and is key to most of his gameplan. Generally speaking, most any aerial move can be chained into: air backdash, fast fall (j.22), j.623X, j.214X, and so on. The problem is that you basically have to guess what he's going to be doing in any given situation since he usually has a fair number of moves available at any given time. Paying attention to habits helps to make some level of informed decision making, but you'll still largely be guessing.
Because Seth often spends so much time in the air, 3C is very good. Be aware, however, that depending on what he's doing he can potentially set up situations where he can move just far enough to screw up your inputs so you get 2C instead. Even so, 3C is still a very good move to rely on against Seth.
Pressure against Seth isn't particularly difficult since he has no meterless reversals. His normals have really good frame data (fast startup and often safe on block), but their short range makes it easy to stay just out of their reach (most of Seth's normals can't punish Hyde's 5A if no-canceled around max range, for instance; only 5C can because he lunges forward). As such, long reaching moves like 6B can help a ton since Seth can't easily contest them without resources. Pressure only becomes risky when he has access to either Chain Shift or meter to use 623C during whatever gaps you leave in your blockstrings. Otherwise, careful spacing can keep him locked down in the corner pretty easily.
Anytime Seth sets an orb (236X), you can destroy them either by attacking them with any move or going for a throw. Even if the throw is teched, any active orbs will vanish. If the orbs are charged by his Force Function, however, they can only be destroyed if Seth is hit directly. If he's setting orbs in neutral, use that as an opportunity to get in and strike. Failing that, you can try to time a jump just right to make the projectiles miss entirely. These only really work if Seth isn't immediately trying to move in after setting an orb, though. Seth players will either decide to wait for the orb to start firing before moving in or just go straight to running pressure. In the case of the latter, just block and wait for your moment to strike.
Being able to counter the orbs is important as respecting them lets Seth control the match. If Seth is sitting back after placing one (maybe to concentrate to build GRD, for instance), that's a sign you need to start being more aggressive. Likewise, if he's constantly moving in after setting them, try to leverage that to your advantage.
Seth's 66C is often used as a means to set up some easy crossups. Stuff like 66C > 623A is a common one that can be tricky to block because of how fast that sequence is. It can be an actual crossup because his 66C, just like Hyde's, can side-swap to make some nasty frame traps. He can also blink into a dive (j.214X) for similarly tricky setups.
Blink pressure (214X~X) is one of the biggest obstacles when fighting Seth. How you contest it depends on what he's doing and what options he has available at any given moment. He'll usually either go straight into a dive or fast fall to start side-swapping a bunch. It's hard to deal with in the heat of the moment given how fast he moves, but once you know what his pressure looks like and what he can do, you have plenty of ways to counter it. If you're playing on PC, highly recommend trying out these training mode scripts compiled by foxof42.
214X can either place Seth behind or in front of you and in the air or on the ground depending on the follow-up he uses. His movement options are varied and some have some amount of invulnerability. Best thing you can do is familiarize yourself with each of them and pay attention to how much your opponent is using any one option so you can learn how to react.
A common part of blink pressure is Seth going into his dive. If he does this, assuming you can recognize the situation fast enough, you can knock him out of the air with 3C, 214X, or 623X, or avoid it by dashing forward or backdashing. Any of these counters require you to act quickly, of course, as being just slightly too slow can lead to you getting hit.
When he's constantly blinking left and right, you don't have to worry about changing your block direction to block whatever attacks he uses -- usually his fast fall kick (j.22~6X). UNI's inherent crossup protection helps a lot here. Additionally, backdashing can make for an easy escape that can even allow for a proper punish if done correctly.
Orb setups make his blink pressure a bit more tricky since, depending on when the orb was set, there's a chance it could hit you while you're attempting to act if you choose the wrong time. All the usual options to counter blink pressure still apply: you just have to be conscious of the orb.
Should be noted that Seth can also decide to just cut his blink pressure short and do something completely different as well or not even fully engage it as well. As always, pay attention to your opponent's habits and react accordingly.
One other note on 214X: be wary of throwing out fireballs recklessly as Seth can technically blink through them to set up a blink or fast fall kick from fullscreen distance. This is known as "blink storage."
Using 22B against Seth as a reset tool, unless properly spaced, isn't especially useful since his normals are fast enough to make the plus frames moot, doubly so if he shields it. Most of his normals easily counter any sort of move you might use to continue pressure depending on range. There are, however, some ways to play around that. A very slight walkback 5A, 5B, or 5C can either get a counter hit or catch the recovery on either of his B or C normals. Hyde's 214X can also avoid 2B entirely and lead to a pretty strong combo, but it loses to any standing normals.
Likewise, no-canceling or frame trapping with 6B can be similarly risky if Seth is able to shield it when he has meter to spend on 623C. You can mitigate that risk if you have Chain Shift available so you can block and punish, but without it, you're better off being quick on the special cancels to avoid leaving any gaps he can exploit.
Seth's command grab (632146X) is another reversal option that can be annoying to deal with. It has very little range, but is very fast at 6-frame startup. If he has meter, be wary of it -- especially after a knockdown.
Yuzuriha is a difficult matchup. The reach on her sword strikes makes it hard to approach, even by dashblocking. Hyde has to play patiently, as Yuzu's reach makes it difficult for him to get in and start running his gameplan. It's a matchup that can be more or less summed up as: keep her out until you can get in and keep her locked down.
Common round start options:
Walk back, jump back, or forward jump > j.236X: A well-timed 22X can sometimes catch her out of the air. Otherwise your best bet is to just block or try dash 3C if you think you can react fast enough.
This matchup is one that requires a ton of patience. Yuzu's ability to control space means you can't do much. Neutral is very much in her favor. If you want to win, you need to be able to understand your opponent's habits and how to exploit them. Granted, that applies for every matchup in every fighting game ever, but it's especially important here as Yuzu has very few points where you can forcefully take your turn. Fighting her is less a matter of "if X then Y" as it is one of making informed reads and calculated risks based on your opponent's actions. Try to gather as much info as you can (slash timings and which of her marks she's using when, for example) before attempting anything.
Your main focus should be on winning the GRD cycle before committing to any sort of offense. 1AD is a good way to shield Yuzu's attacks as it lets you shield without the risk of getting greenshields. Greenshields are one of the best ways for Yuzu to control the cycle when she's zoning, so being able to avoid them entirely is a huge help. Once you have Vorpal, dash blocking and ranged moves like 236X and 22X are good ways to begin your approach. With Chain Shift backing you up, you can toss out fireballs more freely since using it lets you easily run up on Yuzu or react to whatever she tries to halt your advance. Likewise, it's useful for converting off 22X or using CS on whiff to save yourself from getting hit.
Another good approach option is dash jump j.6C. It's riskier, but it's also effective because it can hit one of Yuzu's blindspots in the air if she isn't using j.236B very often (it's also good for catching Yuzu's attempts to enter stance by jumping into the air first). This is important because that particular move doesn't cover the ground, which means you can go for dash 3C instead if she's using j.236B more often in anticipation of j.6C. 66C is similarly a good but risky option as it can catch her trying to reset stance pressure as long as she's within range of it. These options should generally be used carefully as recklessness will only allow her to maintain control of neutral.
If you can push Yuzu into the corner, focusing on keeping her locked down is a good approach. Don't worry too much about trying to open up your opponent. You don't want to give Yuzu an easy opportunity to escape by taking unnecessary risks. Strike/throw mixes should be used sparingly, as such, since it gives her a chance to take her turn if the opponent is on-point with their option selects. If you structure your pressure right, you may be able to catch her with frame traps. Otherwise the chip damage will eventually add up enough to gain the life lead.
As Yuzu lacks any meterless reversals, if she wants to try countering your pressure, she'll likely go for options like Veil Off rather than 214C due to how slow it is. As such, you should always be wary of any sudden Veil Offs once she has meter to spare.
When going for resets or ending pressure entirely, try to space yourself just outside of Yuzu's 2A. It's a 5-frame attack and one of her go-to mash options. It's range is limited, however, so spacing yourself correctly can make it whiff for an easy punish, or force her to commit to a longer but slower attack (2B, for instance) that you can possibly beat with a faster move. She can try dashblocking to close the gap and make her 2A a threat again, of course, but it's worth doing if only to establish the opponent's actions. Whether that's them mashing and whiffing, dashblocking, or simply doing nothing, it's still valuable info.
If Yuzu starts to move in, be on the lookout for throws. She doesn't have any high/low mixes, so throws and assaults are her only options to open you up if you're patient on defense. Yuzu's throw is one of the few that can combo anywhere on screen, so she can deal out some decent damage if her throws are successful.
Yuzu's teleports (421X) can catch you off guard if you don't have any idea of when to expect them. Best way to beat them is to just figure out when and where she's using them so you have a better shot at blocking the sudden side-swap. Easier to block when you have some kind of idea of when to expect them.
Yuzu's parry (4B) can be a problem at certain spacings, but Hyde has some ways to beat it at close range. The hitbox on Hyde's 5A completely bypasses the parry window on 4B, and 22X being low at point-blank range beats it as well, making both options good for punishing any attempts Yuzu might make to use 4B to escape your pressure. Likewise, if she tries to use it to destroy your fireballs, you can punish with 236X~236A if you're quick. Should be noted that these only work if Yuzu is using 4B a lot without much consideration. Chances are good your opponent will be careful to not use it recklessly, especially at ranges where Hyde can bypass it entirely, but worth knowing that the counters exist should the opportunity ever arise.
Yuzu's anti-air OS is 5C~AD, which has a couple notable weaknesses. Namely that it leaves her open to lows, making it easier to punish if you successfully condition your opponent to expect assaults. The head invulnerability starts late as well (frames 10-15), so the opponent has to be on point to use it effectively.
Pale Bringer is very effective. It's one of Hyde's best tools in this matchup as it easily lets him bypass Yuzu's zoning if used correctly. Best saved for when you have CS ready so you can read the situation instead of trying to use it raw.
Hilda is a difficult matchup for Hyde due to her very strong zoning abilities and mix ups. She wants to keep Hyde out and make it a nightmare to try and approach. But if Hyde can get close and keep the pressure on, he can easily turn the match in his favor. The hard part is getting there.
Common round start options:
66X: Depending on which version she uses, your options are to backdash > 66C (to counter her 66B) or forward dash > 66C or just use 66C raw (to counter her 66C). Because the main thing that differs between them is the distance they travel, it's entirely guesswork on which one to expect. Still, you have options.
j.2C: Depending on the height she uses j.2C from and whether she jumps back or not, you can try a few different things. Assault j.6C and 236X~236A generally work. Dash 3C is good as well.
22B: 66C is the best option since it can cover this and 66C, but 22A is good as well since it moves Hyde's hurtbox just outside of 22B's range.
As Hilda is the zoner of Under Night, dashblocking is the way to go. Hilda's moves have massive reach and let her control the screen very easily. Getting through is largely a matter of patience as forcing your way in is rarely ever a good idea against her. She wants to keep her patterns ambiguous to catch mistimed dashblocks and generally make it tough to try taking advantage of any openings. Hanging back and building GRD to win Vorpal should be your first step. Hilda's zoning may keep you out, but it doesn't make it easy for her to gain the advantage in the GRD cycle. Take that time to observe her attack patterns and slowly advance whenever you can. Don't rush. Patience can go a long way.
Once you're in range, 22A works as a good poke (doubly so with Chain Shift backing you up) and 66C can get you in sometimes to whiff punish. If you can make a good read, laser (236X~236C) can also catch her and immediately let you start your offense, though this is obviously a gamble given how quick her 236A is.
236A is a common part of her zoning patterns since it's fast and active for a while. It has one significant weakness, though: it whiffs entirely if you're crouching. If it whiffs, you can easily start approaching or even score a hit if you're close enough. If she tries to use it as a meaty as well (say, following 214C on a knockdown), you can also avoid it by mashing 2A on wakeup. This does lose to tk j.236A, however, so you can't just mindlessly mash 2A in those situations, but it is very good to know all the same.
5BB is the same as 66B/C in that it behaves the same way. The projectile covers the same space as 66B does and is just as minus (-11) and you can counter it the same way you would 66B. The main thing to watch out for there is that she can cancel 5B into it even on whiff, making it tough to recognize on reaction.
Vary your approach between the ground and air. Hilda can't often cover both options, so mixing your own approach when possible can help create openings. 2C is a good example of this, as it's a move you can assault over. If she tries to throw that out, she's committed to covering the ground.
Pale Bringer helps a ton in this matchup. Hilda's zoning may be strong, but Hyde having a horizontal reversal means can easily bypass whatever she throws out as long as you're within range. It's most effective when you have Chain Shift to better your chances of landing it, but as long as you have 100 meter, the mere threat of it can help a lot with swinging the odds in your favor because you can always use it to counter whatever Hilda's doing, especially if she doesn't have Vorpal or meter ready to really make her pressure scary.
To that end, this is why patience is key. Hilda's pressure can feel suffocating sometimes, but without resources, it's harder for her to make that pressure actually meaningful if you're just blocking everything. She can't open you up as easily without meter since it enables her to run mixups whenever she pleases, and without CS, obviously she's more vulnerable generally since it gives you more options by default when you have access to it instead.
623X is strong because it's huge and either safe or plus depending on the version used. The A version hits in front of Hilda is and is -2 on block; the B version is slower (37 frame startup), hits behind you, and is +13 on block, while the C version is basically the A version but bigger and -3 on block.
Of the three, the B version is the most punishable because it has such a long startup. Obviously range matters when attempting this because Hilda is likely to be conscious of positioning herself such to make it difficult to attack, but it is something you should be aware of so that she can't get away with using it as a free pressure reset.
Both the A and C versions have a deadzone at point-blank range, but it's difficult to take advantage of as Hilda tends to keep her distance.
22X is a long reaching and fast low. A and B versions are -8 on block, which can provide an opportunity to strike depending on your position, but they're both quick to recover on whiff, making it easy for her to remain safe if you don't act. 22C is -2 on block and tracks to your position, so you just have to block it. She can also use 22X in concert with her negative edge moves (colloquially known as "pins"), which allows her to go for a low into an overhead string that can be difficult to react to. 5[C] (link) > 22X is also another way she can follow an overhead with a low.
For 22A, 5C and 66C are good options. 5C because it should be able to tag her should she try attacking afterward without you needing to advance, while 66C allows you to close the distance and can trade favorably should she manage to get a hit in. If you're close enough, 5A and 6B also become options.
For 22B, 66C is your best bet because you want to advance. You can get a counter hit if she attempts to press something, which is a nice bonus, but the important part is closing the distance so you can get in.
Pale Bringer is technically an option to counter both versions with, but it's mostly contingent on her EX canceling 22X to make it a safer option. You can shield 22A to make Pale Bringer viable, as it reduces the risk of her being able to block first by positioning herself just far enough to recover before Pale Bringer hits, but it won't work if she's using 22A at max distance. Learn to recognize the exact distances Pale Bringer can work at first if you really want to make the most of it.
Once you get in and are able to push her to the corner, her lack of reversals makes it hard for her to challenge you as long as she doesn't have resources available. Her fastest move is 2A at 6 frames and doesn't have great reach, while her 5A has very good reach but is 8 frames. Both of them can work to mash on pressure if you give her an opening or push yourself out enough, but are easy to work around given how strong Hyde's pressure is in the corner. (5B can also be something to be careful of since, while it is an 11-frame move, still has very good reach and can be canceled into 5BB even on whiff as mentioned previously.) You want to be very careful about where you position yourself so that you can stay close, but also just far enough to keep her from using 2A. If she has meter, you can try to bait Veil Off, but she could rely on options like Guard Thrust that are trickier to counter. Be aware of what resources she has available at any given moment and act accordingly.
Veil Off is scary if she succeeds, because she can, in addition to sending you back to neutral to navigate her zoning again, immediately launch into a 50/50 off 214C (more on that later). 2A is a safe move to try baiting it with since you'll recover and be able to block if timed correctly. 66B can also work if timed correctly, but is harder.
FF~A is also something to be aware of. It's a fast move that makes her temporarily airborne, meaning it can crush lows easily. Avoiding this move is important because she can get close to 4K damage off a hit if she succeeds. You can't rely on 2A freely, then, because of the likelihood of her exploiting that. Any standing normal is a good way to keep her in check -- as is any move that's a mid, really -- since their hitboxes usually cover enough space to reliably catch her during startup. As the move doesn't have any invul and the startup is decently long, FF~A is strong, but easily countered. J.2C is similar in its use on defense.
To that end, mids are your friend in this matchup as they can consistently counter those two options while also easily being able to keep Hilda locked down. Hyde's frame data is better than Hilda's at the ranges Hyde wants to play at, so you should be making the absolute most of them to make it as hard as possible for Hilda to attempt a counterattack. If she doesn't have resources, don't hold back.
If you happen to block FF~A, there's a good chance Hilda will decide to cancel it into 236X. If she does this, there's a gap you can use to reversal in response. 236A has a two-frame gap and is plus on block, while 236B has an eight-frame gap and is minus on block. The only downside is that if she decides to no-cancel it, she's safe. If you reversal in that event, she gets a free hit. You can work around this by shielding FF~A to always ensure you can punish it on block, but this does require you to be looking for FF~A and electing to block rather than counter it outright outside of her using it in pressure. Still, worth noting.
Should keep an eye out for FF~2A as well, as it is overhead. It's slower, so you have a larger window to react to it, but since it's an overhead, it can be difficult to recognize in the heat of a match.
41236C doesn't have invul, but the projectiles it spawns remain even if she's hit, so it's still an active threat if you aren't able to properly stop it. It's also plus on block (+16). The air version is also plus.
On knockdown (usually off pins -- or ]X[), Hilda generally goes into 214X to run gloom oki. 214X is key in setting up 50/50s, which act as the cornerstone of her offense since she can combo into another setup if you guess wrong. Guard Thrust works as a general form of counterplay, but it requires specific timing to ensure you can tag Hilda. Otherwise you'll have just potentially wasted 100 meter and GRD broken yourself for nothing (Guard Thrust only takes away Vorpal if used while you have it). Even so, the less you're forced to take a 50/50 and guess, the better.
She can also set 214X in neutral to force a 50/50 when she has meter (e.g. 623B > 214C or 214A/B > 236C). Depending on your position, you can use Pale Bringer to close the distance and immediately punish her for attempting to use 214X in neutral. Otherwise, Guard Thrust remains an option.
Which version of 214X and the direction the projectiles cover change depending on what direction Hilda predicts you'll tech in (details can be found on the strategy page for Hilda). You can't tell which direction the projectiles will cover until they become active, so you should instead focus on recognizing whether she's using the A or B versions instead and go from there. With the right read, you can escape 214X's reach by teching in the correct direction.
Hyde is unique in that he has a consistent counter to any form 214A oki. If he delays his wakeup and buffers 623B, the invulnerability on that move is long enough for him to bypass 214A entirely, effectively forcing Hilda to not use that particular version against him once you've shown you can do that. This is a huge boon for Hyde, as being able to weaken Hilda's oki at all goes a long way.
214C is noteworthy because she gets a guaranteed mixup off it and can set it up at basically anytime in Veil Off. Guard Thrust is your only option in that scenario.
In the event she gets to go for a 50/50 and you don't have resources to spare for Guard Thrust, you can shield the second hit of j.[C] (link) and then press 5C to catch her if she tries to mash after being shielded. It doesn't guarantee a punish (unless she's mashing after being shielded, in which case, maybe), but it does mean you can take your turn. It does lose to Veil Off, however, so keep an eye on her meter (and Veil Off habits if possible) when attempting this.
Hilda's Vorpal trait is unique in that it encourages her to spend meter as she gets some of it refunded upon doing so. When dealing with her pressure, it's worrisome because it means she can continue to have access to meter easily, which gives her room to set up a 50/50 or use defensive options like Veil Off or Guard Thrust if needed.
The hardest part of fighting Chaos is maintaining control of the match. If you're able to keep his lizard (Azhi) down, it's not too hard to keep Chaos cornered since he relies heavily on Azhi to do anything. But if he's able to run his gameplan, things become very tricky very quickly. It's a matchup that consists of a lot of quick recognition and understanding of what his setplay involves and how to counter it.
Common round start options:
6C: Walk back 66C can counter it nicely. Have to be quick to catch him before he fully recovers.
Jumpback > (any special): If you're quick, you can dash jump j.A or j.6C, or dash 3C to catch Chaos trying to attack and get a full combo. Can be tough sometimes to go for an air-to-air if he uses j.236B since it makes Azhi lunge into the air, potentially causing a trade. This of course only really works if Chaos is actually trying to attack at round start instead of merely maneuvering.
Azhi's presence defines neutral in this matchup. As long as Chaos is able to keep Azhi active, he can easily control the pace of the match and make approaching difficult. Hyde can't really use his ranged tools while Azhi is active (he's only vulnerable during recovery on his attacks), meaning Chaos can essentially do whatever he pleases as long as he's able to keep Azhi alive, doubly so if he has Vorpal thanks to his trait that lets him chain specials together even on whiff. The key then is either get rid of Azhi ASAP or find a way to bypass him and start your pressure. As long as Azhi remains in play, Chaos has the advantage if you aren't able to get in and keep the pressure on.
Pressure against Chaos is generally easy once you get in. His lack of meterless reversals means he has no easy means of escaping pressure. His Force Function has a decent amount of strike invulnerability, but it's not immediate so he's able to be caught by frame traps (as long as the gaps aren't large enough for him to roll through). As Chaos doesn't have a five- or seven-frame normal, Hyde's 5A has some use in keeping him at bay since Chaos' fastest buttons can't contest 5A at close to max-range. He either has to dashblock in or commit to a slower button like 5C or 2C to challenge Hyde's pressure as long as Hyde is spacing himself correctly.
5A and 2A are Chaos' fastest buttons. As they're both six-frame moves, you can work around them by spacing yourself correctly to force him to use slower moves with longer startup that you can try beating with 5A, or 6B if you're willing to risk a trade.
Azhi can be dispelled by attacking them with any B or C normal. Shield any attack from Azhi to give yourself a better window to attack and then strike. 5B is your best move to use because it's fast, has a good vertical hitbox, and has less recovery than Hyde's other normals that work. Ideally you want to establish when Chaos is ending his pressure with Azhi first because mashing hastily can lead to getting caught in a frame trap.
Once Azhi's down, Chaos will have to resummon him first to make him a proper threat. Depending on how Chaos decides to go about summoning, you can interrupt him and continue to keep the pressure on. Jumping into the air and using a special is one of the more common options, which can be countered with a dash jump or assault into j.6C or dash 3C. If he's trying to use 22D to bring Azhi out, 22X, 66C, and 236X all work to catch him while he's vulnerable.
One extra bonus of attacking Azhi: Chaos takes a bit of damage every time you successfully hit Azhi. It's not much, but every little bit helps. Note that this doesn't apply when he has Vorpal.
Jumping is generally pretty strong against Chaos since he lacks any reliable anti-airs. Both forward and backward jumps can be useful for getting in or escaping pressure. Don't be afraid to leverage that as much as you can.
Don't throw fireballs at Chaos from afar. His 6C can reflect them and lead into a full combo. 22X is your best ranged option against him, though it too can be caught by 6C as well if timed correctly since the flames count as a projectile, so keep that in mind. Best bet is to learn the exact spacing where 6C can't reach and try to use 22B or 66C as a whiff punish. 22B is a safer option, but it also doesn't provide any reward on hit, whereas 66C has the clear advantage of allowing you to get in and convert into full combo.
Additionally, be careful about using fireballs when Chaos has Chain Shift and 200 meter available as he can just decide to use his super for an easy counter. As Hyde can't EX cancel anything until recovery from the fireball ends or until the fireball is no longer active, there's literally nothing you can do to counter Chaos should he be in a position to do this.
Chaos' pressure is largely built around setplay using Azhi, often involving 22X. 22X makes Azhi disappear and places him either in front of or behind you to strike as soon as you're within proximity for his bite to activate. This can be used to set up resets, throws, crossups, and generally discourage you from mashing. Highly recommend giving the Anti Setplay doc by jake a read as it covers most of the general setups and the counterplay. Training mode scripts are available (via foxof42) as well if you're playing the PC version.
If you see 22A being used at midscreen and you still have space to move, backing off is a good way to more or less remove the threat it poses. Since 22A places Azhi in front of you, Chaos has to cancel it into another move (236X, for instance) if he wants to keep the pressure on. From there it becomes a matter of figuring out whether he's no-canceling or not and acting accordingly.
One thing Hyde can do as well is to use his rekkas to avoid the bite of 22X entirely if timed correctly. This is risky, of course, because you can still sometimes be hit out of the rekkas or leave yourself open for an easy punish if you don't delay them just right or don't have resources ready to make yourself safe, but it is something to keep in mind should you have meter or CS ready to back you up.
Zoning is the other thing Chaos likes to do. Azhi's attacks can cover a lot of distance and push you out easily, making it difficult to catch the recovery to remove them from the field. Dashblocking to stay in range is a good idea so you can get rid of Azhi when the opportunity presents itself. Most importantly, though: pay attention to the sequence of moves Chaos is using and when he chooses to end his pressure on before restarting. Acting too hastily can easily end in you getting clipped by something.
Some quick notes on Chaos' zoning:
If he's ending strings on 214X, you can use that as an opportunity to dash in, especially if Azhi is behind you when the fireballs come out. Have to be cautious of Chaos attempting to intercept your approach, of course, but knowing where you can take a shot at advancing is good to know. If you're lucky, you can use that as an opportunity to go for a hit with something like 66C or dash jump j.[C] or j.6C depending on the situation. Be aware, however, that Chaos can cancel 214X into j.623X. It's especially good at stopping you from approaching since it's easy to screw up a dashblock and get hit by it.
2C and 5CC are a couple of things you can look out for if you're attempting to dash in. Both are normals with decent reach and stop most approaches if he's anticipating you to try something. Assault j.2C is something that can show up as well occasionally, though that's easily countered by just dashing into a standing shield.
If he decides to end his zoning pressure with 22X and you're cornered, you can try running past or forward jumping to avoid Azhi. 6C can be a concern depending on distance if you choose to jump, so be wary of going into an assault so you can air-shield it.
6C is something he can use to cover 22X's recovery, however, so always be conscious of that whenever he's within range of 6C. Depending on range, you can try punishing him for trying that since 6C is -15 on block.
Should be noted that using j.236X isn't particularly useful against Chaos since he can easily just use FF to get past it. For as useful as it can be as part of Hyde's strike/throw game, you're better off mostly avoiding it so as not to give him a free opening.
Fighting Nanase is a matter of playing around or outright preventing her from setting fireballs. Both her and Hyde generally play around similar ranges, making the match up a matter of figuring out how best to counter her approach and keep her from setting the pace of the match.
Common round start options:
J.236X: Depending on whether she's using it immediately or after an assault or jumpback, your go-to options vary. Immediate j.236X can be beaten with 22A, walk forward 5[C], or forward jump j.6C, whereas jumpback j236X can be beaten by dash forward jump j.6C (if you're able to recognize the situation quickly) or dash 3C (the generally safer option). Assault j.236X can be beaten with 5B, dash 3C, or 236X~236A.
Jumpback j.8C > j.236B: 3C is the best option since you have time to run up and tag her after seeing j.8C. Could try 623B or 214B as well.
236A: Vertical jump j.2C and 214X are the easiest ways to counter it. 236X~236A or 5C can potentially get it if you're quick, but have a good chance of trading.
214X: Unless she ends up being just barely too short on the range, just block and try to punish afterward if she uses one of her follow-ups. If she delays the follow-up, you can try using 623B.
The key to this match up is stopping Nanase from freely setting down fireballs. It's the only ranged option she has and they're an important part of her gameplan in neutral, as the rest of her kit mainly helps her get in or run pressure. She'll often use fireballs to cover her approach or stop assaults or jump-ins. If she can set them without fear, she effectively wins neutral every time unless you take measures to show you know how to counter them.
As with any projectile, shielding Nanase's fireballs for free GRD is a good idea, but be aware that she'll often try to go for a throw once her fireballs are active to go for a GRD break. You can either tech the throw or try avoiding the situation entirely by jumping around once she starts getting close. Dashing forward to change the timing on your block and her throws can help keep her from controlling the situation. She's likely to try going for anti-airs or TRMs once you start showing you can avoid the fireballs, however, so vary your actions accordingly.
Be mindful of when to try jumping over her fireballs. If you do it too quickly, she'll almost certainly redirect them immediately with 6B to knock you out of the air.
22X, 236X, and even laser can counter her fireballs. 22X and 236X are generally easier to use since you don't have to potentially waste resources and can sometimes catch her dashing if timed correctly. Laser works best if you can catch her during the startup or recovery of her fireballs. Harder to do, but leads to huge damage if successful.
Remember that Hyde's Force Function can delete projectiles if timed correctly and becomes special and EX cancelable on doing so. Risky since the startup and recovery are long, but since Nanase's own fireballs are rather slow, it's a potential option to consider.
Nanase can also use her fireballs for pretty good oki, particularly in the corner. She can end her combos in such a way that allows the fireball to meaty while also setting up a quick overhead with j.2[C] or time it such that it whiffs just as the charge flash appears and then go straight for a low, or opt for routing that simply makes the fireball a threat on wakeup rather than have it meaty. Reversals can counter setups like this, but they are, of course, risky. Chain Shift helps reduce that risk considerably, though shielding also works in most cases.
Once you get in, Hyde can run his pressure pretty easily. 6B and 236X are especially good moves to use against her generally. Her 236A can be a problem since it's fast (seven frame startup) and trades favorably for her, but as long as you're careful and she doesn't have meter or Chain Shift ready, you can easily get by. Her DP doesn't have much horizontal range, so she can only really use it reliably to counter moves with extended hurtboxes or when you're right next to her. That said, it's still a meterless reversal, so keep it in mind.
One of Nanase's bigger weaknesses is how reliant on spacing she has to be to access plus frames. Many of her attacks (dash attacks and specials, specifically) can be made pretty plus, but that only happens if she's able to make only the last hits of her moves connect. Dashblocking can be a good way to mess with her spacing as long as you have the opportunity to do so.
Nanase's Force Function is something she'll mainly use to cancel her pressure with. It's technically something you can react to if you're quick enough to recognize it, but difficult to do so. Better option is to just focus on maintaining a lead in the GRD cycle to make her think twice about using it recklessly.
If she tries to go for a low after FF or other aerial moves, her fastest low is 2B at nine frames, so you can easily swap between blocking high and low without much worry.
66B and 66C hit low and high, respectively. The startup animation on both is very similar, making it difficult to properly block them. 66C is nine frames slower than 66B at a 27 frame startup, but it's still hard to recognize. Best bet is to set a training dummy to swap between using those two moves at random and try to train yourself to be able to react to them.
Block high whenever you see Nanase use 236X or 214X. Those two moves are mids, but one follow-up for 236X is an overhead, and all of the follow-ups for 214X need to be blocked high. Preemptively blocking the overheads is a good way to ensure you don't get opened up or GRD broken for shielding low too late.
The follow-ups on 236X and 214X can both be punished.
236X~A: You can mash 5A to catch it at most ranges as it's -7 by default. Can also shield it to make it even more minus and punish with 6B.
236X~B: 623B works if you can mash it quickly enough in the gap between 236X and its follow-up. Easier if she delays it slightly. Can also shield it and use 2A, 5A, 5B, or 6B to punish.
236X~C: 5C is the easiest option. May have to slightly walk forward to make it connect, but as long as it does, you can easily convert into a combo. Otherwise, if you're quick, FF > 236A can catch her and lead to a full combo as well. Much harder to do, but provides a huge reward if it works.
214X follow-ups can all be countered with 623B unless Nanse's not delaying them to stop you from doing that. Otherwise you can mash 2A if she lands close enough for you to do so. Be sure to shield them as well if you end up blocking to reduce the frame advantage.
236C has projectile invulnerability and is a common tool Nanase uses to get in. If she has 100 meter, be on the lookout for it. You can try baiting it by throwing out 2A randomly to check if they're reacting to literally any kind of action. If so, you can easily block and punish it as long as you both aren't on the exact opposite sides of the screen, as it becomes safe when used at the maximum possible distance.
Shield the last hit of 214C to make Nanase 0 on block. Doing so creates an RPS situation where she either has to throw or use a 5-frame move (2A, 623A) but it also keeps her from being plus and thereby able to do whatever she wants. If nothing else, locking her out of being plus is useful.
Nanase's 623A is fully cancelable on hit, block, and whiff. It's not fully invulnerable, but that she can actually cancel it makes it difficult to punish unless she screws up and uses it without resources available to back her up. Learn to recognize which version is being used so you can know when you're able to punish and when you should just block and let her waste resources.
Between his huge stagger windows and oppressive web oki in the corner, Byakuya can be a frustrating opponent if he's able to get in and stay on top of you. Hyde has a small advantage in his superior neutral thanks to his fireball and pokes like 22X, however, which are key to keeping Byakuya in check until you can close in. You have to dictate the pace of the match to win as Byakuya only needs one good hit to take control.
Common round start options:
Assault j.C: 3C is the obvious choice. 5B also works, particularly if you dash forward or backdash at round start and want to knock him out of the air. 236X~236A trades favorably, allowing you to combo even if you get clipped by j.C.
Jump back j.214X/backdash 214X: 3C is the go-to if he uses j.214X at round start. Can otherwise try 214B or 5B depending on your position. Same works for grounded 214X, with the added option of 66C if you can predict what he's doing and can react fast enough to tag him before he tries any follow-ups and bypasses you entirely.
66B: Assaults avoid it entirely, but can't score a hit unless you immediately cancel into j.236X (both A and B versions work). 214B can catch him and lead to a full combo. Backdash > 22A/236B~236A can punish; fireball is a better choice since it can lead to a full combo on hit, whereas 22A needs meter or CS to do so. Vertical jump j.2C can catch him as well.
Neutral is in Hyde's favor since he has actual ranged attacks available to him, but with moves like 66B and 66C, Byakuya can still be a threat from afar. Of the two, 66C is largely the more troublesome one given it's range. Be wary of throwing out fireballs or other ranged pokes when you're within range of 66C as there's a good chance you'll get hit.
Playing outside of 66C's range early on is key as he can't do anything outside its range. He has to dashblock his way in so long as you keep using your ranged tools effectively, so use plenty of fireballs to keep him out. Additionally, try jumping around. Byakuya's anti-airs are awkward, meaning he has to be preemptive with their usage. By playing with different jump arcs and adding the occasional air-assault, he has to be much more on guard to be able to knock you out of the air. And if he's looking to anti-air, he can't toss out 66C as much.
Playing the zoner game is helpful, but make sure you don't commit to it too hard and start feeding Byakuya free GRD. Most Byakuya players will adapt and just start concentrating or shielding to gain the advantage in the GRD cycle. Don't let them do that.
The large stagger windows on his normals make contesting his pressure difficult. Be careful and watch closely for points where you can try taking your turn.
Try to abuse his weak frame data during pressure when you can. Be mindful of going for pressure resets, however. Carelessly doing them may lead to you getting clipped by his low attacks. Don't get greedy.
If Byakuya has meter and you're expecting him to use 236C (his main reversal), 6B(1) > 2A can be used to bait it. Works best if you've already conditioned them to expect 6B(1) > 5[C]. You can dodge it by delaying your special cancels (214X to jump over him, for instance, though that's best reserved for when you have resources ready to back you up) or using CS. In the corner, you can also try 6B > 22A to try catching him standing while inputting 236, or use 22B and whiff cancel with Pale Bringer during the superflash.
Byakuya's web oki in the corner is where Byakuya's at his strongest. If he's playing the situation right, he can effectively keep you locked down and turn most any hit into another triple-web setup. Safest way to get out of it is to block low on wakeup then quickly block high if you have the opportunity to do so. The timing can be tricky to figure out depending on what Byakuya is doing after the webs are set. If he hangs back, you can easily get rid of both webs without worry. If he starts pressure immediately, things get much trickier, especially if he uses 3C/3[C] as it sets up a high/low mix that's tough to react to due to how similar the two moves look.
That said, the webs can be bypassed with a perfectly timed 66C or 214B on wakeup (3C can also clear them instantly, but also leaves you wide open while still keeping you in the corner), but it's not a guaranteed escape option. Used successfully, it can get you out of the corner, maybe even lead into a combo. Otherwise, if Byakuya's expecting you to try bypassing his webs, he can intercept you and put you right back in the corner. Use sparingly.
Whenever Byakuya sets down webs during pressure, he can hold any of the four buttons to use a different follow-up. He has four options available, one of which is an overhead, and two of which are teleports (one of which leads to a low attack). As such, the best way to deal with them is to block high until you see him vanish, in which case, immediately switch to blocking low.
Shield his rekkas (236X) to get easy GRD. The EX version is one of his main reversal options and is extremely easy to punish if blocked with it being -21. You can also bypass it entirely by timing 66C correctly during 236C's startup. Very useful to keep him from trying to reversal on wakeup. Otherwise, you can try jumping and using j.236X to bypass it and potentially hit him since he doesn't have full invulnerability on it.
If Byakuya tries setting a ground web (623X) in neutral or in a blockstring, there are a couple ways to counter him. Jump back j.2C can catch him and lead to big damage, unless he holds down the button to stop himself from moving forward, at which point jumping back will avoid the web and put some space between you two. If he's using the charged versions often, 66C will catch him. Timed correctly, you can score a counter hit off either option, leading to huge damage with the right combos.
Fighting Phonon is similar to fighting zoners in that you largely have to be patient until you can get in. The range on her buttons is large enough to keep you out while still also being able to run a good offense in close-quarters, making it difficult to challenge her. On the flipside, though, her defensive options aren't terribly strong, so keep her locked down once you get a hit and you can easily turn the tide in your favor.
Common round start options:
623B: 66C beats it if you're quick. Have to be fast on the input because 623B will assuredly clip you if you're just slightly too slow.
6FF: Assault into any air-normal except j.[C] will work. J.[C] doesn't work because the charge time makes it get caught by the last hit of 6FF.
Forward jump j.B: Dash 3C is the obvious option. Dashing forward just enough to run underneath j.B and countering with 5B, 2B, or 6B works as well.
Jumpback j.236X/j.X: Both can be countered with 22B since the flames hit at just the right distance to catch Phonon jumping back at round start. May not see these come up too often against Hyde given they aren't as good against him, but worth knowing about all the same.
Due to the reach on Phonon's attacks, neutral is broadly in her favor. Hyde has to dashblock to get in, primarily, as between her normals and projectiles, she can easily keep you out. Getting within range of 22X is useful since it can sometimes catch her out of the air if she's throwing fireballs from there. Hyde's own fireballs are fine as well, since 236X~236A can potentially catch in the air as well, but she has a fair number of ways to avoid and punish fireballs as well, so they're best used carefully. That said, Phonon doesn't have the best aerial coverage. Her anti-airs have to be used preemptively, so forward jumps and the occasional assault can allow you to approach.
Also of note: Phonon's 2B and 2C, while both are buttons with very good range, they both have the "foot" attribute, meaning Hyde's 66C and 214X can bypass them since they both have foot invulnerability. If you can tell Phonon is going to use either of those moves, you can try using 66C or 214X to counter her and get in.
Since Phonon lacks a meterless reversal and a five-frame button, pressuring her isn't too difficult as long as she doesn't have resources available. Whenever you get a knockdown, you should be laying on the pressure as much as possible to avoid giving her any openings. Do be conscious of her 5A, though. While it may be a six-frame normal, it's pretty big and can catch you easily if she shields the right moves (22B, for example) or you leave a big enough gap in your pressure for it to hit.
Pay close attention to her defensive habits. Jumping forward and backward is one of Phonon's better defensive options. Since Hyde doesn't have a lot of easy non-committal ways to stop his opponent from jumping to escape pressure, Phonon can use that to her advantage. Air shields will let her beat most any assault option Hyde has with the exception of j.2C. Forward jump j.A wins against most assault options and also allows her to avoid any dash 2A attempts. Her j.A is particularly noteworthy because, if she has meter, she can convert off of it with j.236C into a full combo or use it to keep herself plus on block. If Phonon is jumping a bunch, assaults are good since, at worst, as stated above, j.2C keeps her from really doing much if it's shielded. Using anti-airs is also a good option, of course.
Watch the pattern of Phonon's fireballs. Most Phonon players rotate through 236X, j.236X, and 3C to keep their opponent locked down at a distance. With a mix of dashblocking and well-timed assaults, you can escape her pressure. That said, she can toss out 623X to stop your attempts to assault over her fireballs (especially if she has Chain Shift available), so be mindful of that.
Phonon's 3C is one of those buttons that looks more threatening than it actually is. Despite the absurd range, it's easy to avoid and even punish if she's becoming over reliant on it. Since it's a low, jumps and assaults can avoid it easily. Likewise, if blocked, she can only special cancel it, which lets you also jump or assault over fireballs should she choose to cancel with 236X.
As stated earlier, Phonon's anti-air options require her to be preemptive in using them, so jumping is pretty strong against her. Her options broadly are 5BB, 4B, Force Function, and 623A. She can also choose to meet you in the air with j.A or j.C. None of them are particularly strong due how difficult they are to use on reaction, though FF does have a faster startup and has head invul kick in sooner when Phonon has Vorpal, so keep that in mind.
Block high whenever you see the superflash. None of Phonon's EX moves are lows, but there is one that's an overhead (22C -- both the ground and air versions), so always blocking high is the safest option.
Phonon's 6FF can be annoying to deal with. It's got good range, is only -3 on block, has a very disjointed hitbox that makes it difficult to counter when used as a meaty, and is EX cancelable on whiff. The only real weakness is that the move is very easy to gain GRD from, so you can generally get a decent lead in the cycle if your shields are on-point. Using that to your advantage is the best way to counter it. If you can't do much to punish the move itself, better to make the most of the GRD cost and swing the cycle in your favor.
6FF also has three follow-ups:
6FF~A pulls you forward and is just barely safe on block at -5, but it also has a large stagger window. She can try chaining into 2A or 2C to catch you with a low, but it's easy to recognize since it's the only way to chain into a low off 6FF. More threatening is that she can pull you in enough to run her strike/throw game. Pay attention to what she does off 6FF~A and react accordingly. She can only be -3 at best if she rebeats to 5A, so if she does decide to go for a throw, you can mash 2A or 5A and catch her approach.
6FF~B is a very fast gapless overhead. As it's the only one of her follow-ups that isn't a mid, you can just block high whenever you see 6FF and continue doing that until you see the A follow-up pull you forward so you can swap to blocking low. The B follow-up is -8 on block, making it easy to punish if she doesn't have resources to make it safe.
6FF~C adds a few more hits and pushes you out. It's very minus on block (-12), but between the pushback and the move being special cancelable at any time and normal cancelable on the final hit (making -1 if she rebeats to 5A), there's no easy way to contest her. Just block and take the free GRD.
66B > j.236A is a common string that's plus on block if Phonon delays the fireball. But because she has to delay it, there's a gap that you can exploit by using a reversal like 623B or Veil Off. She can counter those by going for 66B > j.22A instead, but you can catch the recovery of j.22A with 66C as long as she isn't pressing anything afterward. If she does use an air-normal, 22A can catch her. Pale Bringer can otherwise cover both options if you have meter. You can also stop her from chaining into anything off 66B entirely by shielding the second hit, granting you more options to punish with (e.g. 6B).
If Phonon is using air fireballs a lot, you can try catching her recovery with laser. Doing so is contingent on you making a read to have a fireball already active, but it is something to keep in mind should you see her taking to the air a lot.
One thing you should be on the lookout for regarding 214X is that she can use only one hit of 214A at certain distances to pull you in for a throw. It's risky on her part since that move is -5 by default, but it can easily catch you off guard. Mashing 2A or 5A is the easiest counter should she be trying this, but she can also delay the second hit of 214X to create a frame trap. You can work around that by trying to use 623B or Veil Off after the first hit connects. If she delays the rekka, she'll be hit. If she doesn't, you'll continue blocking.
Should also be noted that every version of 214X that isn't the first hit of the A version is very minus on block, doubly so if she uses the second hit. If she doesn't have resources to make herself safe, you can pretty much get a guaranteed punish with Pale Bringer. 6B or 623B can also work depending on spacing as well.
Mika is an opponent you can keep out with relative ease since Hyde has better range overall. Mika can't pose too much of a threat until she's able to get in and lock you down, at which point her strike/throw game becomes pretty strong. If she can't do that, Hyde can take control of the match and maintain it easily.
Common round start options:
66B: Just about any move can catch her. Most effective options are 5B, 236X~236A, 22A, and backdash.
Forward jump > j.X: Dash up 3C or any move that can anti-air works. Dashing forward to run under her and then attack is also a good option.
Mika's effective range is small due to the fact that she has almost no ranged options. As such, Hyde has a definite advantage in neutral due to his ability to zone with 236X and 22X. Your main goal in neutral should be to zone Mika out and make it difficult for her to approach so that you can control the pace of the match. Varying your fireballs between the A and B versions is useful to avoid being too predictable in your zoning and to make the A follow-up more of a threat if she decides to try jumping or assaulting to avoid the fireballs. When she gets close, forcing her to keep dashblocking your attacks or staying just outside of her range to make her attacks whiff is a good approach. As long as she can't get in to start her pressure, she's not too much of a threat.
While projectiles are generally pretty strong against Mika to keep her out, her 5BB is able to destroy projectiles and becomes cancelable upon doing so. Not much of a problem from afar, but at closer distances, it can give her an opportunity to bypass whatever zoning you're attempting to do and potentially give her a chance to counter.
Additionally, make good use of Hyde's anti-air options to stop her jump-ins. A good number of her moves allow her to take to the air, which leaves her vulnerable to stuff like 3C and 623X if you're able to catch her quickly enough.
Mika's normals are fast and usually safe, but have very limited range, meaning you can pretty easily pressure her without much worry as long as you're spacing yourself correctly. She does have a reversal in 623C, so be wary of that whenever she has meter available. Otherwise the best she can do is dashblock and try mashing out on gaps.
All of Mika's A normals are both very fast and very safe (-1), making them difficult to contest. If you try using Chain Shift against them (say, to catch a pressure reset), you'll be forced to play mind games since she's safe enough to make post-CS situations a huge gamble.
5B is a strong mashout option for Mika because of its range and speed. It can counter a lot of what Hyde tends to go for after no-cancel 5[C] and 22B since they're both only +1 (5[C] > whiff 2A only becomes +1 on shield, so it's still advantageous for Hyde). 5A can still work as long as neither move is shielded, but 6B trades by default and outright loses if the preceding move is shielded. If you can, keep an eye on whether she shields either of those buttons
5[C] > 5/2A is very plus (+7). The spacing she has to be at to make that happen is a bit tricky, though, so you have some options. If she tries to dash back in to continue pressure, there's a large enough gap for you to mash 2A depending on spacing and what normal she decides to use. If she decides to go for something like 66B instead, just jump and delay your attack to catch her recovery. You can also just shield 5[C] to make her only +4 and use 5A or 6B instead (again, depending on spacing). You can also try 214X as well if you have meter or CS backing you up.
Mika's 66B and 66C can be tricky to deal with. The former is a mid into a low, and the latter is an overhead. 66B is often canceled into 214X, which can be easily teched if you're ready for it, while 66C is canceled into j.236X or j.623X unless it's shielded. Shielding 66C prevents Mika from being able to cancel it. Otherwise, shielding 236X stops her from being able to perform any follow-ups. 66B can also be beaten by using Hyde's 623B. Ideally you want to buffer it after the second hit connects so that it'll come out if there's a gap between 66B and whatever Mika does next or you'll block if there isn't a gap.
Should note, though, that at certain distances she can make 66B safe or even plus. This generally happens if she only gets the second hit to connect from a little ways out from round start distance.
Regarding 66C: if you don't shield it, the counterplay changes, but isn't too difficult. Her two cancel options (j.236X and j.623X) can both be beaten with Hyde's 623X since both moves have the "dive" property and all versions of Hyde's DP are able to counter that. This works best if she's delaying them to make frame traps. You can also just dashblock and stop her that way (video example here). If she tries no-canceling instead, you can just throw an attack out and catch her attempts to get back in as she's too minus for her to pose any threat should she try going back in.
236X is at once annoying to deal with and not too big of a threat. It essentially allows her to quickly get in and disengage pressure at will (especially the EX version since it allows for multiple follow-up inputs), making it tricky to lock her down when she's able to take control of the match. Shielding the first hit stops her from being able to do anything, of course, but because she can use the follow-ups and change direction at any time before that or simply no-cancel and be safe or even plus at certain distances (the farther she is when she uses it, the more likely that is to happen), it can be tricky to counter if you're not ready for it.
In the corner, 236A~7X can cross-up. It's hard to block on reaction since it happens pretty quick. Best ways to counter it are shielding to stop her from using any of 236X's follow-ups (and thereby open her up for an easy counterattack) or mash 2A after the first hit connects so she'll fly right over you (video example here).
214X is a command grab. Both the A and B versions are techable and have somewhat limited range, making them easy to counter, whereas the C version is untechable and tracks to your position, almost traveling the full length of the screen. You have to react to the superflash to stop it. The EX version has no strike invulnerability however, you can use just any move to catch her as long as you can react in time (the timing to start mashing changes slightly depending on how far she is from you). Just jumping is the safest option, though. A vertical jump into j.2C should be able to hit.
623B is another move she can use for mixups. It's always minus on block, however (anywhere from -5 to -7), and has no stagger windows on its follow-ups, so you can always mash without fear of being hit. If she decides to spend meter and cancel into 236C, you have a couple options for counterplay: If GRD broken, dashblock. It'll allow you to avoid getting mixed by 236C. Might come out as a backdash, but will still avoid the attack either way. If not, hold 6D when the superflash appears and then swap to 4D to shield each hit safely (video example here).
You can also just go straight for 623X to knock her out of the sky (video example here). Forward jump shield works as well if you feel more confident doing that than inputting a reversal.
Fighting Wagner is mainly a matter of shielding her attacks to create openings. Her pressure can feel endless due to how long her blockstrings can go for and tools like 22C that act as free resets while also giving her access to both her buffs, which only make her stronger. But overall, she's not too difficult to deal with as long as you know when and where you can contest her pressure and how to keep neutral in your favor.
Common round start options:
66C: Assault into immediate j.236X and 214B can counter it. Of the two, 214B is easier. 6B is also an option if you press it as soon as possible, but is much riskier overall since it can be beaten if the timing isn't perfect.
236A: Jumpback j.2C, 236B, and 214B all work. For the fireball specifically, you need to make sure you're not immediately canceling it into the A follow-up as you'll get hit if you do. You can cancel into the B and C follow-ups immediately without worry, though.
Should be noted that backdash at round start will put you outside the range of anything Wagner can try. 236A is difficult to avoid with this method as the timing is very specific, but it is possible.
Neutral is decided by how quickly Wagner is able to close in and start running her pressure. Once she's in, she won't let up. If you're able to create space, then Hyde has a small advantage since he has better neutral. The key then is to play neutral as much as possible to avoid letting Wagner get in and run her pressure. Wagner has no ranged options, so she has to close the distance to present any actual threat. Smart use of fireballs and 22X can make it rough for her to approach.
Wagner's fast normals and reversal options give her easy ways to escape pressure if you give her the opportunity to do so. Pressure can be tricky if you're leaving a lot of gaps or going for resets too much, then, but she's not particularly more difficult to lock down than anyone else with fast buttons and good reversals are. Main thing to watch out for is when she has meter as 623C is a 3-frame move, making it one of the fastest reversals in the game.
Escaping Wagner's pressure, on the other hand, can be tough. While she can't generate plus frames at will like Hyde, once she gets going, her pressure becomes very scary very quickly, especially if she has meter and/or any of her installs active. Careful use of shielding to push her out to make her attacks whiff or being able to recognize and punish no-cancels (6B, 2C, and 5C are some of the notable ones) are generally the best way to get out.
Quick note about 2C: the stagger window on it is huge. If you Chain Shift after blocking it, chances are good she can still cancel it, effectively making it even on block there.
Wagner's sword and shield buffs are a cornerstone of her gameplan. Her sword buff enhances some of her moves, granting better recovery and giving all of her sword attacks chip damage. Her shield buff is the one you want to be most wary of since it grants "guard point" on some of her attacks. What guard point does is add armor to moves like 214X and Force Function. If you try to attack while those moves are active, Wagner's attacks will absorb each hit and counter you directly. Of the two, Force Function is the one you need to be on the lookout for as it can absorb a lot of hits and lets her deal some heavy damage on hit. Be very careful about mashing out of her pressure when the shield install is active. That said, there is some counterplay.
214X counterplay:
Basic counterplay is to either greenshield to invalide plus frames and take your turn or dashblock and gain space. Shielding is especially important as it locks her out of being able to cancel 214X, effectively ending her turn and makes using 214X for pressure resets much harder for her to do if you can shield it consistently. Against 214A, either of these options are most effective at the spacing where it becomes plus (around 5C/6B range). Against 214B, shielding is more effective since the B version is generally more minus on average, making it easier to punish, though dashblocking is never a bad option either.
Charged versions of 214X cause knockback on block, making them difficult to counter outside of the corner. If you do end up in the corner, however, depending on spacing and the version used, you can try punishing by either mashing 2A after shielding or cancel into j.236X as the knockback puts you in the air briefly. The latter is obviously more risky since if Wagner is able to recover first she can try to counter j.236X. At midscreen, just shield.
When the shield buff is active, she always gains some measure of projectile invul and guard point becomes active. Be aware of when she has the install on as throwing out fireballs can easily backfire as Hyde cannot EX cancel his fireball into a reversal until it is no longer active.
Important to note: the shield buff makes the charged A and B versions always plus (A version is +4 at worst, B version is +1 at worst). Uncharged 214A with the shield buff is even at worst by default.
Force Function counterplay:
This move's ability to destroy projectiles makes it a definite threat if you're trying to frame trap with fireballs in pressure. Wagner is able to pretty easily just toss out FF and launch a counterattack since it becomes special cancelable upon doing so. It's not enough of a threat to never try tossing out fireballs at all, but it is something you should always be conscious of. You can try making a read, however, by using 236X~236A to catch FF if she's using it too often since it can't destroy the detonation.
While the shield buff is active, if you press a fast button like 2A, you can chain into a throw, Chain Shift (if you have Vorpal), or just block. Best way to do it is to mash 2AD to avoid shielding since it avoids the chance of shield activating and easily lets you go into CS or throw if you want to use either of those options. No canceling 2A to block only works if you mash early during FF's startup. If you catch it too late, you can't block and have to cancel into something (throw or 623B, for instance).
If you're able to catch the startup or make a hard read, you can try moves like 623B or Pale Bringer as Wagner's guard point won't cover all the hits of those moves. Should note that for 623B specifically it isn't always a guarantee if you catch the startup. There is always the chance the timing is just off enough that she can guard point through all the hits and be able to punish the recovery of your reversal.
22C is Wagner's go-to pressure reset option as it's +9 and grants her both of her installs at once. Guard Thrust is the easiest way to counter it since it knocks her back and removes one of her buffs, but it also requires you to perform the input during the superflash to ensure it connects. Otherwise you can try shielding to reduce her frame advantage and push her out enough to reduce the threat of a throw. That's good because you can effectively just block if she wants to leverage her advantage since dashing in again opens up the potential to mash out with 2A. All that said, just shielding to gain GRD is never a bad idea either.
Last note on the installs: they immediately deactivate whenever she's hit, starting with the most recent one she used. The sword and shield icons under her health bar denote which one was activated first, so you can keep track of which one will be removed once you land a hit. When using Guard Thrust against 22C, for example, the shield buff is always the first one to go because it is considered the second buff to become active.
236AA while Wagner has her sword install active is the sort of thing that seems harder to escape than it really is. Her install allows her to cancel the follow-up into any air-normal, which lets her continue pressure or catch you blocking low if you aren't quick enough to block high.
In the corner, the basic counterplay is to shield 236AA to ensure she has to make the string gapless to avoid being hit by a reversal or just shield the air-normal to make her extremely minus. You can also try holding forward the slightest moment to side-swap and make the air-normal whiff entirely. Hyde also has the advantage of avoiding j.A and j.B entirely by crouching. They can only hit him when he's crouching if Wagner delays them, which gives Hyde a bigger window to counterattack. Against Hyde specifically, leaving a gap is extremely risky since Hyde can pretty much always use 623B if there's a gap. J.C is the only move that hits Hyde while crouching while still being a gapless string, however, so it's important to get in the habit of blocking high after 236AA.
At midscreen, she'll likely use j.[B] and j.[C] to leverage the plus frames she gets from them or try a whiffed j.[C] to bait shields. You can try using 623B catch her, but because 236AA can cross-up at midscreen, it becomes a lot harder to do. Just blocking and letting her waste the sword buff is generally the safest option. You can also try backdashing after 236AA to avoid the air-normals entirely.
623A > j.236C is a common string that leaves her safe and makes it extremely difficult to punish her on block. Just blocking and maybe trying to shield for free GRD is never a bad idea, but you can also try avoiding it entirely by backdashing at the right time. It is far more difficult to do, though.
Enkidu's lack of ranged attacks outside of his Infinite Worth place him at a definite disadvantage against Hyde, but he makes up for it with his parry and havoc, his unique trait. If Enkidu is able to get in and keep the pressure on, he can be tough to challenge. If he can't get there, however, Hyde can instead more or less run his gameplan without too much trouble.
Common round start options:
5C: 236X~236A beats it easily. 2C or a slight walkback 5C can counter it as well. You technically don't need to walk backward to punish -- you can just sit still and catch the recovery -- but it does help ensure you don't get clipped by his attack.
236X: Depends on which version Enkidu uses. The A version can be beat by a slight walkback 5B or 5C (5B probably the better choice since it's faster) or an instant 6B. The B version can be beaten easily with 236X~236A (likewise for the charged version). And the C version can be punished on block with just about any normal.
Assault j.C: Anything that you can anti-air with works (3C, 5B, 214X, 623X).
Walking backward can beat anything Enkidu tries at round start. There's nothing he can do that poses a threat. The closest option is 236X~6B/C since the second hit is a low, but you have more than enough time to react and block or punish accordingly.
Hyde has the advantage in neutral due to his spread of ranged attacks. Enkidu has the means to bypass them with 3C, but largely he'll have to dashblock to gain ground if you're taking the zoner approach. Keeping him out is a good place to start. You want to be playing at spacings that are uncomfortable for Enkidu as much as possible. Apart from outright zoning, that means staying just outside the range of his attacks when closing in and taking a more active approach. The recovery on his moves is large, giving you ample opportunity to punish if you play your cards right. Understanding the spacings you need to be playing at is key to gaining and maintaining the advantage in neutral.
Enkidu doesn't have any "true" meterless reversals, but his parry (214X) essentially becomes one when used after Chain Shift. (214A becomes a one-frame reversal when used post-CS. 214C has a one-frame activation by default, but becomes only -2 post-CS.) As such, pressuring Enkidu is primarily about working around his parry. Best way to do that is to be very careful about leaving large gaps in your pressure. Gapless strings and tight frame traps are a good place to start. Anything into [5C], Force Function, or 22B are examples of the kind of strings you need to be careful of since the startup on those moves often creates large gaps. That's not to say you can't use them at all, but it is advised to use them carefully.
His parries can make attempts to meaty tricky, but they can be baited if your opponent is over-reliant on them. If he has CS available, assume he'll spend it to parry the first chance he gets -- especially if it's still early enough in the cycle for him to use CS and still be able to compete to win the next one. The only real counterplay is to just be aware of your opponent's habits and try to exploit them. As long as you aren't reckless, you should be able to find a way around them.
One last note on 214X: 214C can steal GRD. This makes it extremely important to be wary of depending on the state of the GRD cycle as it could very well swing it in his favor.
On the flipside, escaping Enkidu's pressure can be tough. While his frame data isn't great, the reach on his moves is surprisingly good when he has you locked down. 2B and 2C are standouts because they have good reach (especially charged 2[C]) and a good stagger window in the case of 2B. However, because most of Enkidu's moves have huge recovery on them, dashblocking to gain space helps a lot to weaken his pressure as it forces him to either end his pressure early or risk being caught during recovery. Additionally, his rebeats are very weak, leaving him -4 at best if uses 2A, so he can't rely on them to reset pressure if you're not respecting him.
You should be careful about mashing on Enkidu's pressure. While there are gaps you can exploit, his "havoc" trait always gives him the advantage on any sort of trade (more so when he has Vorpal), often leading to heavy damage. This makes his stagger pressure incredibly strong and difficult to contest. Spending CS to safely setup a reversal is a good choice.
Worth noting that havoc does not apply to his A buttons, however.
Enkidu has a couple of overheads: 5[C] and 6[C] (link). The startup for both increases immensely when charged, but they can still be hard to react to sometimes. While the startup is enough to create a gap, he'll often be placing them in longer blockstrings to push himself out of 2A range, meaning you have to commit to something like 5B or 6B to catch him if he's not using either at around max range.
66C is noteworthy because it travels far and can be safe at -3 if spaced correctly if he no-cancels it. And since the move makes him airborne briefly, he can cancel into j.236X and keep himself safe at ranges where 66C would be very minus or even make himself plus by spending meter. He can otherwise try frame trapping with something like 236X or go straight into 214X to stop any attempts to mash, so be mindful about trying to take your turn there. Try to establish how often he tries to cancel it and what move he's using before taking action.
236C can be easily punished with 5A or 6B. Enkidu can, however, space himself just right so that neither of those moves can punish. If he is able to do that consistently, shielding 236C and then using 5C will work. He'll mainly use it to try and bypass Hyde's fireballs because 236C has some measure of projectile invul and travels a decent distance. It's important to note, however, that it doesn't become active frame one, so there's always the rare chance your attack will connect first if Enkidu is too slow.
Force Function > CS can beat reversals. It's similar to how Hyde can use 22A > CS to do the same. If he has Vorpal, always keep that in mind before you decide to mash or try a reversal. Also, remember that the first hit of Enkidu's FF is a low.
4C retracts Enkidu's hurtbox and can destroy projectiles and becomes special cancelable upon doing so. At certain distances, this can be used to negate stuff like 236A > 66C at farther ranges depending on spacing, as he can cancel into 236X or 214X and stop your approach. It's possible he can also catch fireballs at close range as well (something like 6B > dl.236A, for example), but it's a higher risk for him given how tight the window is. The hurtbox retraction is the main thing to be wary of, since it can make a lot of Hyde's attacks whiff if you're using them at around max range.
22X is one of the few moves Enkidu has that can leave him plus or at least very safe, making it one of his better pressure resets. The A version is -2 by default, the B version can either be +2 or +8 depending on whether he charges it, and the C version is always +4. While the plus frames are good, however, shielding can force him into an unfavorable RPS situation. Because his fastest normals are 6-frame moves, something like 22C becomes +1 if shielded, which is effectively 0 against Hyde given he has a 5-frame normal in 2A. Shielding the A and B versions reduces his safety and invalidates the plus frames, respectively. 22[B] is the only one that doesn't apply since it's +8, but the startup is so long (38 frames) that it's a big risk to use frequently.
Londrekia and Hyde play at similar spaces, generally, with Londrekia having some slight advantages at further ranges due to normals like 5B and 2B having good range while still being pretty quick, as well as his rekkas providing strong mix-ups and also being pretty safe in a lot of cases. Learning how to work around them is key to winning this match up.
Common round start options:
4C: Slight walkback 22A or 66C work, though you have to be fast.
214X: 5B is generally the safest option. You can do more risky things like counter his rekkas with 214B, but they lose if he delays his slightly or if he uses his 214B. 3C can counter all three, but is inconsistent against 214A.
66C: Just about any normal will work. 6B, 5C, and 2C are particularly good since they lead to strong combos.
Neutral is largely a matter of working around Londrekia's reach. He's got strong pokes like 5B that cover a lot of space and make it difficult to easily approach and his rekkas give him an easy means of getting in. Hyde and Londrekia are both pretty good at playing basic zoning against each other, so the biggest factor in neutral are the interactions between his and your fireballs.
Since Londrekia likes to use 214X to start his approach, Hyde's 236X~236A is something you'll want to use to discourage him from getting in for free. Dark Lotus' detonation is big and active for a while, so it's perfect for catching 214[C], which usually lets him leap over Hyde's fireballs for an easy punish. But while it can catch him trying to approach from the air, using it preemptively and not getting any hits off it leaves you open to Londrekia's own projectiles.
His 236A is his fastest option at 15- frames. In a straight fireball war, Hyde can beat it easily by using 236A/B, though the B version is generally the better choice for a fireball clash since it's faster and still lets Hyde recover before Londrekia.
Be mindful of whether he has meter available or not when trying to contest his projectiles. He can easily cancel 236A into 236C and either force you to block or punish you trying to throw a fireball of your own. Hyde's own EX fireball can win against Londrekia's, but unless you have really good reflexes, you're better off just holding the pressure and taking the free GRD.
Also: do not use laser to counter his 236C. It just barely loses that clash and will give Londrekia a free hit. You can use it to catch the A and B versions just fine, but using laser against the EX version is just asking for trouble.
You want to be careful about using 236A to cover your approach. Being able to do that is what you want, but Londrekia can choose to use 236B in response, particularly when you're farther out. His 236B is a threat because it's a multi-hitting projectile that's plus on block (+9). It has a slow startup (35-frames), but the projectile itself is fast and difficult to react to. The only options Hyde has to beat it in a fireball war is laser or 236C as both have more hits than Londrekia's. Jumping over it can lead to an easy punish, but the charged version can catch you out of the air. Best option is to try using 22A in response to get a quick hit in.
If you block 236B, try to shield it to avoid getting hit with the freeze debuff and play it safe from there. If you don't shield and get hit with the first stage of the debuff, Londrekia is at advantage. Be patient and wait for an opportunity to strike.
If he doesn't try to use 236B to counter your approach, you ideally want to be ready to anti-air him should he attempt to leap over the fireball instead.
If you ever see a superflash while you're in the air to avoid his projectiles, hold 6D to assault over a potential 623C whiff cancel. Failing to do so will allow 623C to catch your landing.
As Londrekia has a proper meterless reversal, keeping the pressure on is about as difficult as pressing anyone with a meterless reversal is. His A normals are both 6-frame moves and have small reach, meaning you can easily avoid them with 5A and still be safe. Be careful with your attempts meaty him, though -- likewise for putting too many gaps in your blockstrings -- as he can throw out his Force Function a lot. As it's effectively a one-button reversal, it's very easy for him to just toss it out wherever he can and almost certainly get a hit. Try to learn the exact range on it so you can end some blockstrings just outside its reach to make him think twice about using it.
Relying on 236X and 22B in pressure can help mitigate the risk of being hit by FF since you can more safely create gaps with them while still putting yourself outside of FF's range. 5[C] and Hyde's FF still have use, but because the gaps are so telegraphed, they become easy targets for Londrekia to use his reversal against. Be careful about using them.
Hyde's strike/throw mix is particularly useful since, while Londreakia's FF does have strike and projectile invulnerability, it's still vulnerable to throws. And since it has a 12-frame startup, it's just slow enough to outright lose should you time it right.
Hyde can also call it out by doing forward jump j.236A/B in the corner. If done correctly, you'll be placed right in FF's blindspot and be able to avoid it all together and get a combo off it. Only works if the opponent is unaware of that weakness FF has and can't properly counter j.236X. Not something you're likely to get away with multiple times once you've shown it, but worth knowing all the same.
The timing on it can be a bit tricky if done after a knockdown as you have to make sure you aren't too quick or too slow to use j.236X or you'll get hit. Forward techs can also complicate it by putting you closer to FF's hitbox when you try to jump. Keep these risks in mind if you decide to try this.
Be aware that Londrekia can cover attempts to blow up FF (and lows in general) by using rising j.C. You can prepare for that by using moves like delayed 5B after using 2A to catch it early and by just running in and immediately backdashing to bait it since it's punishable on whiff.
You can backdash 5BB if you position yourself right and then immediately follow up 66C. Ideally have to space yourself just barely outside of 5B's range to make it work as it becomes gapless if 5B connects.
If 4C is giving you trouble generally, 214B can help you get past it. If done right, you should able to catch Londrekia off guard either by landing the second hit and forcing him to block or take some damage or just by landing in front of him and doing nothing.
Londrekia's unique freeze mechanic will always set a status affliction even if you block any of his moves that can apply it (6B, 236X, 22X, 623C). You can prevent it from being applied by shielding moves like 236X and 22X, as the status only becomes active on regular block. 6B and 623C are exempt from that, however. Freeze basically just encases you in ice for a brief period, which gives Londrekia more combo opportunities. It's not a serious status to be afflicted with, but it is something you want to avoid.
6B and 623C are moves to be watchful of. Both allow Londrekia to freely take his turn and steal GRD even on block. 6B can be avoided by forward jumping on reaction. It's slow enough (32-frame startup at best) that you should be able to recognize the startup animation and still have time to get out of the way. 623C, on the other hand, tracks your position, making it really tough to counter -- doubly so since Londrekia isn't likely to use it outside of combos or pressure. You'll likely have to just hold it and take the GRD loss.
If he slips up and decides to use 623C raw or after creating a gap in pressure, you can try Pale Bringer if it's within range of that, at which point you should be able to react to the superflash. Otherwise, you can use 66C to bypass it if you're quick, even punish it if you're at the right range. Forward jumps work as well, but you can still be caught if you aren't jumping as soon as possible. But again, this all assumes Londrekia is using 623C carelessly.
Learn the difference between each rekka and block accordingly. While the high/low mix threat they pose can be a problem, they ultimately can't do much if you can recognize which one is which. His mix there isn't as threatening once you know which button he's pressing. If he's delaying his rekkas, you can use Chain Shift and go for a reversal. Foxof42's video on countering his rekkas is a good place to look for a broader overview on how to deal with them.
Worth noting that 214C can be somewhat reliably countered with 3C if you can get a read on how often Londrekia is using that in his rekka strings and where. Requires them to delay it to create an opening (or charge it instead), but it is a strong counter if you can pull it off.
623B and Veil Off are also options you can use. May require a bit of shielding to create a gap to do so.
4CC/4C > 214A can be a difficult high/low mix to deal with. Because 4CC is an overhead, Londrekia ideally wants to condition you to block high so that he can use 214A after the first hit and catch you with a low instead. At -7 by default, 4CC can be difficult to punish unless he's close. You can shield it to make it more minus, but spacing is still key to whether you can actually punish him or not. Likewise, 214A is -2 by default, so it's safe.
If you have meter, however, Pale Bringer can be used in response to 4C and catch whatever he might do afterward. 4C is -13 if he decides to no-cancel it, which leaves him wide open for Pale Bringer, and the gap between 4CC and 4C > 214A is large enough for you to use it there as well. At closer distances, 623B also becomes an option.
Should note that 4CC is EX cancelable, so he can chain into 236C to keep himself safe. You can shield 4CC to create a gap to counter that, however.
22X oki can be bypassed by either destroying the snow blossom or jumping forward if Londrekia just uses it without following up with anything. If he does take advantage of the oki, however, things become way more difficult. Generally Londrekia will use his oki to set up throws or meaties in conjunction with 22X's attacks -- 22A to create a gap, 22B to make it a meaty. If he's going for a throw, using an option select is likely your best bet. If he uses it to meaty, then you might be able to mash depending on how Londrekia decides to follow up the meaty. Foxof42 has a video on it if you want some visual examples of what Londrekia can do.
Fighting Eltnum largely comes down to leveraging the reach of your normals to avoid letting her start to run her gameplan. She excels at close range and can run a strong rushdown game, but doesn't have many great answers to zoning. Because Hyde has some decent options in that regard, he can easily play just outside of her optimal range and do so safely as long as you don't overextend or get reckless.
Common round start options
Forward jump (> air backdash): Anti-airing with 3C is the best option. The air-backdash can easily make that whiff and give her an opportunity to punish, however, so countering this is really just a matter of figuring out your opponent's habits and making a read.
236X: Just block. She doesn't get anything off it at round start without resources (236A > 236C being a prime example), so you're better off just doing nothing. If you really want to try countering it, a very slight walkback 66C can punish 236A, but the timing is very precise. On the off chance she tries 236B, a forward jump into j.2C can catch her, but again: timing is very precise.
Eltnum is a character that is generally weak to zoning, so you want to be trying to take advantage of that when you can. Eltnum performs best at close-range, so keeping her out can give you the advantage. Fireballs and 22X work well for keeping her in check, though you should be aware of her air-backdash since it can bait anti-airs and generally allow her to avoid stuff like 236X~236A. She does have some decent ranged attacks in 236[X] and 214X, but they have blindspots you can exploit if you're ready for them. If she does manage to close the distance, ideally you want to be playing outside of the range of her 2B but still within range of Hyde's 6B. 2B is a move to be watchful of because it's a fast low that advances Eltnum forward, giving it great reach. Most of her other long reaching normals hit close to the ground, making them easy to assault over and thus force her to be cautious about using them.
Should note that you need to be careful about giving up the cycle too easily. Eltnum may struggle against strong zoning, but if she wins the Vorpal cycle, she can use Chain Shift to pose a very strong threat around mid-range.
Also good to avoid letting her win the cycle because her vorpal trait lets her whiff cancel A buttons into just about anything -- including backdash. Rebeats become harder to challenge, then, as they can just as easily be a trap to bait you into taking your turn as much as they can be a way to end to reset pressure.
As Eltnum has a meterless reversal, that's always going to be a concern when trying to pressure her. Her 5A is her only 5-frame normal (2A is 6 frames), which is easy to stay just out of range of, but her B normals move her forward, giving them better range and making them a bit more of a threat if you start getting greedy as she can use 2B to challenge if she shields something like, say, 22B correctly, or catch attempts to reset pressure.
As with neutral, max range 6B is a decent place to poke from, though 6B(1) > 5[C] can be beaten by Eltnum's 2B pretty easily at that distance. There is no spacing where you can do that and make 2B whiff, so careful usage is key. The best you can hope for is that she greenshield's the first hit of 6B to keep her locked in blockstun, but this also reduces the frame advantage of 5[C]. Partially charging 5C can potentially catch her mashing, and rebeating the first hit of 6B to 2A might be able to throw off the opponent as well. Best course of action to be cautious about using that blockstring when you have her cornered.
A lot of Eltnum's normals can be beaten with assaults. 5C, 5CC, and 2C are notable because they hit close to the ground, or in the case of 5CC, have a large enough gap between hits to assault, even after blocking the first hit (though the timing may be a bit tight). 2C is something Eltnum likes to use as a poke in neutral, which effectively makes it a free hit if you can assault on reaction or know when she's likely to try using it. This also applies to moves like 214X as the hitbox doesn't reach high enough to catch assaults. Try to pay attention to the range she's likely to try any of these moves at so you can be ready to assault on reaction.
236X is a common poke since it's fast and is relatively safe. 236A is one you'll see a lot since it's faster and only costs one bullet, but 236B has more hits which allows it to counter projectiles reliably (Hyde's fireball, for example). They mainly pose a threat when she has meter to spend on 236C to convert into a combo, but 236B can be special canceled on hit, so taking a hit from that version can potentially be a problem. If you can tell she's going to use either version, take it as a shot for some free GRD.
The charged versions are a bit trickier. They have much longer range and do allow for conversions on hit without spending meter. They do have gaps in the bullet trajectory you can use to avoid them entirely, however. Being able to regularly be around those spots makes the charged versions more or less moot. 236[A] is the one to be wary of at fullscreen because the trajectory covers a good portion of the screen horizontally, while the 236[B] covers more vertical space. The diagrams shown here can give you a general idea of where you want to be to avoid them. If you can, the recovery is long enough for you to try using 22X or 66C to punish.
With enhanced bullets available, 236A becomes +1 and 236B is -1. The charged versions are always plus on block with the exception of 236[B], which can be 0 on block at worst.
22X is a common blockstring ender since it's either safe at -1 on the A version or +8 on the B version and has great reach. Eltnum's use of this is contingent on how many bullets she has available, especially regarding the B version since it uses five bullets instead of one like the A version does.
A version is a 10 frame move, making it very scary during pressure since it's one of her best starters. Be wary of it when attempting to mash out of her pressure.
22B being +8 means you can just shield for free GRD. She keeps her turn, but it's a good opportunity to swing the cycle in your favor. It also costs five bullets, so she can't use it recklessly.
J.214B is unblockable. But since it's an aerial attack with a long startup (28 frames), you can avoid or anti-air it easily enough. She can only combo off it with Chain Shift, so it's likely to only see use when Eltnum has Vorpal since it doesn't deal much damage on its own.
421C is another reversal. It has decent horizontal reach and can naturally lead to a combo on hit, making it more threatening than her meterless option. The other versions have more situational use, but can be problems all the same. 421A is basically a command dash with projectile invul, allowing her an easy way to bypass zoning. She can also use it to side-swap, which, if you aren't ready, can potentially give her an opening similar to how Linne's roll can. 421B is similar, but it ends in a kick that makes it a stronger anti-zoning tool since she can use it to convert into a combo. The kick is very minus on block (-11), but she can still special cancel it, so it's tricky to punish.
Akatsuki is a character with strong rushdown, which makes him difficult to challenge once he gets in, but he's heavily limited in terms of range. Hyde can play around the spaces Akatsuki wants to better than he can because Hyde's normals have better reach on top of him also having a good suite of ranged attacks to zone with. As such, this matchup is dictated by how effectively Hyde can zone in neutral and lockdown Akatsuki when he closes in.
Forward jump j.6C: Any anti-air option works, 3C being the obvious choice. Just dashing forward also works as it can allow you to run under him and punish.
The key to fighting Akatsuki is to not let him get close. Because of his step-dash and his lack of ranged options, zoning is very effective here. Hyde specifically can get a lot of mileage out of 236X~236A since Akatsuki can't really contest it unless he has meter to use 214C's projectile invulnerability to bypass your zoning, but even then, Hyde can still EX cancel to counter him there as well. Your first step then should be to focus on defense and keep him out as long as you can so you can pick up on what he's doing to approach. If he gets close, your best option is to try and stay around 5B or 5C range to poke at him if possible. Akatsuki's normals can't really contest you there, forcing him to take more risks to get in and start his offense.
As he has a good reversal in 22B and a counter as his Force Function, pressure against Akatsuki is dependent on being very aware of gaps and spacing. FF is the more common threat of the two since he can just mash it while still blocking, but 22B is just as important to be wary of since that input makes it easier to throw out a reversal. As such, pressuring him is largely down to two things: one, baiting his defensive options with no-cancels, and two, leveraging the range on your normals.
For no-cancels, you're looking to gather info and maybe attempt a whiff punish if he tries something risky. If Akatsuki is using FF or 22B during any kind of attempt to frame trap, cutting pressure short makes it tougher for Akatsuki to use those moves without taking considerable risk. As Hyde's stagger pressure is limited, no-canceling is generally safer to avoid being too predictable.
Hyde has better range on his normals than Akatsuki does. In the corner it makes it tricky for him to try contesting Hyde's pressure when spaced correctly because he can't just mash a button and score a hit. Staying around max range of 5B lets you poke at him without much fear of reprisal since none of his normals can reach at that distance.
An important note as well regarding FF and 22B is that some of Hyde's options in pressure -- namely using his charged Force Function for an overhead or using the second hit of delayed rekkas to create plus frames -- are more or less useless given how easily Akatsuki can react to and punish both of those.
One last note on FF: Akatsuki players are sometimes likely to try keeping their turn by using FF on moves that leave them minus. Delaying your own attack slightly to catch the recovery can work to try and dissuade them from doing that.
As far as escaping his pressure goes, shielding is the way to go. Akatsuki's moves have great frame data that makes him difficult to challenge. 5A (-1), 2A (-1), close 5B (0) and far 5B (-3, but it's got good reach), 2B (0), and close 5C (+1) are all very strong, plus they have good stagger windows as well. Mashing recklessly will almost certainly end poorly. Shielding then is the best option because his frame advantage worsens at farther ranges and gives you a chance to try something. You have to be careful with the shields, however, because Akatsuki can catch greenshields pretty reliably at close range.
Akatsuki's fireballs (236X) are his main ranged attack. Due to his step-dash, however, he can't use them to cover his approach the same way Hyde can, so you don't have much to fear from them unless he's using it at distances where he can leverage the frame advantage (around where he can immediately use 66C afterward and it hits). Though even then, shielding is always an option to gain some easy GRD. Few quick things to remember:
You can assault over 236X pretty reliably. The hitbox is smaller than the projectile would suggest. The A version is easier to do that against since it's slower, though it's definitely possible to do against the B version as well.
236C can be beaten by Hyde's own 236C. Hyde's fireball can absorb a lot of hits before it's destroyed, making it a good tool if you're far enough to use it on reaction. Laser should work as well if you already had a fireball thrown when the superflash appears.
Hyde's FF can destroy any of Akatsuki's fireballs. It's spacing dependent because of how slow the startup is, but it is something to consider as it does become special cancelable upon a successful hit.
66C > 236A is a common blockstring, especially in the corner where Akatsuki is likely to loop it. Easiest way to counter it is to use CS > Pale Bringer. You can also try 623B, but the risks are higher given the specific timing involved with doing so (works best to catch 66C). If you don't have Vorpal nor meter, shielding the fireballs for free GRD is never a bad idea. Doing so can force him to stop early so he doesn't lose the cycle.
Once you do start showing you can counter that string consistently, be wary of Akatsuki trying to mix up his approach to catch your reversals. Just dashing instead of using 66C will let him block whatever reversal you try if you're just auto-piloting. This is mostly important if you're trying to use a reversal raw instead of using CS first (or are trying when you don't have Vorpal), but it's still worth noting all the same.
214X is one of Akatsuki's harder moves to deal with. It's quick and covers a decent amount of space due to how fast it advances and it's safe on block unless shielded correctly. The hardest part is reacting to the A version versus the B version. 214A is a one-hit move that is -2 on block, and 214B is a three-hit move that ends in an overhead that is -4 on block. They're tricky to react to specifically because of the counterplay involved. 214A requires you to mash or be ready to tech a throw while 214B requires you to shield the final hit to make it -7 and therefore punishable.
Should note that counterplay becomes risky if he has CS or mostly invalidated if he has meter, as he can either use CS to quickly go for a GRD break, or he can spend meter on j.236C to keep himself safe and reset pressure.
One thing you can try to cover the 214A/214B RPS is press 4A/2A~4D at the same time as you would shield the second hit of 214B. This will result in either a shield if 214B is used because it's a gapless string, or let you mash if 214A comes out because it's minus. Best way to practice is by setting up a dummy to use 214A > 2A in one slot and 214B in another and then set them to random playback. It's difficult, but it can give you a better chance of challenging him when he's using 214X.
This was mentioned earlier, but 214C has projectile invulnerability, so be careful about throwing fireballs recklessly when he has 100 meter. You can try EX canceling in response if you've already detonated your own fireball with 236X~236A or have CS ready to immediately give you access to EX cancels after tossing a fireball, depending on the situation.
