Ibuki FAQ version 1.6.0 Ibuki FAQ version 1.6.0 by Shaun McIsaac. This FAQ is copyrighted under US and international laws! DO NOT reproduce for commercial purposes! Table of Contents: * I..... Ibuki's Biography * II.... Normal Moves * III... Special Moves * IV... Super Arts * V.... Combos * VI... General Strategy * VII.. Opponent Specific Strategy * VIII. Winning Quotes * IX... Ending * X.... FAQ history I - Biography: Ibuki is a young kunoichi (female ninja for the non-japanese among us) and the possible daughter/niece of Geki from SF1 (Gee, have I played SF for a while now? That was 10+ years ago!). He's the grey clothed ninja that floats around in her background after the round's over. She's your average, fun loving kid outside of battle but is 100% serious in battle. This is evidenced by one of her winning quotes: "Now that you know the secret move of the Shinobi (means ninja?) I cannot let you live." Pretty hard core! She seems to have a taste for music as well as battle. II - Normal Moves: 1 - Standing Moves: * Jab: Just a jab, nothing particularly special about this. * Strong: A quick doublestrike at about an 80 degree angle. It's quick enough on execution and on recovery to be linked from a jumpin into a low roundhouse. Not particularly powerful but adds a few extra pixels of damage to a combo. It's vulnerable if only the first strike hits so make sure you're comboing them or they're blocking/parrying high. * Fierce: A spinning elbow to the chest. It has a tell-tale startup to it so watch out for parry types. This guile-esque spinning attack does good damage but is not comboable because of the startup time, unless you execute a jumpin. It has reasonable range (it will hit Ryuken after a missed sweep attempt) and quick recovery; you can combo from it rather than into it. * Short: A quick kick in the shin (strikes low). Strikes at about 30 degrees away from her other leg. * Forward: A long range kick that is very similar to her tsumuji. A very nice poking attack, the recovery is particularly nice as well. * Roundhouse: A long range low kick (not sure if it strikes low or not) with quick startup and recovery for a roundhouse. (In three, most roundhouses and fierces have considerably longer startup and miss animations than in two.) 2 - Crouching moves: * Jab: Similar to the crouching Strong but with less range/priority. * Strong: A straight, low punch with about an inch of reach. I've been using this as a meaty attack with good results. This has very nice priority versus other low attacks; Oro, Necro, Alex, and Elena all have problems hitting this. If they try their low attacks they'll get hit clean. It will trade with Elena's F+Strong overhead attack. * Fierce: An upward strike (80 degree angle) that looks similar to her standing close strong. * Short: Looks very similar to her crouching roundhouse; does not have particularly good priority, range, or speed. * Forward: A small, Vega-esque slide that has poor execution and recovery. It does not travel very far. If it is blocked you canNOT be hit/thrown, unless you are very close. The recovery is better than I thought it was. Goes under fireballs. * Roundhouse: A very quick sweep. The range is a little bit longer than the low strong IIRC and the recovery is good too. Always a good combo ender. 3 - Close Standing Moves * Jab: A jab. * Strong: A double hitting strike. It appears to be just like her far standing strong and is comboable and what not. * Fierce: Another double hitting strike. Acts as an overhead. * Short: A quick kick to the shin. * Forward: Quick knee in the groin. Recovery is cool so this might be useful as a meaty. I'll try and check the priority on this one but I think it's low. * Roudhouse: An upward, punt-like kick. At point blank range it re-juggles with ITSELF for an infinite combo. Lame, Capcom! Don't they test for this kind of stuff? 4 - Jumping Towards Moves * Jab: Standard downward pointing punch * Strong: Standard downward pointing punch * Fierce: Standard downward pointing punch * Short: Knee attack * Forward: This one's mildly reminiscent of Ryuken's air forward from two. It crosses over (surprise!) and might lead to some nasty combos (including the infinite). * Roundhouse: This air attack has good execution + damage, but doesn't cross over like the forward does. It has enough priority to hit the anitair attacks except the sratch wheel (done early). I find it odd that it's easier to hit late dps than it is scratch wheels. 5 - Jumping Straight Up Moves * Jab: A straight punch that does not appear to have good priority. * Strong: The same as her jab but it is more powerful. * Fierce: A downward strike (30 degree angle with the horizon) that has very little range. * Short: * Forward: A kick that extends almost straight out beneath her. * Roundhouse: 6 - Advanced Moves These moves are the result of pressing F + an attack button or D,D + P. * F+StrongThis punch attacks straight forward and takes a half step towards the opponent as it is being executed. It doesn't seem to have any particularly useful properties. * F+FowardA sort of hop kick that strikes as an overhead. It hops forward for quite a distance considering that it's an overhead. It's speed is only average, but it's not too bad. Seems to be unretaliable if blocked. * F+RoundhouseA weird split kick that doesn't seem to hit the smaller opponents if they crouch. Poor range and speed, but it recovers quickly. * D, D + PIbuki's generic overhead is REALLY quick; it can beat other, non-overhead moves to the punch, so to speak. The speed on this truly makes it a gem worth mastering; turtles beware. III - Special Moves * Kubiori: D,DF,F + K The kubiori slides along the ground quickly and hits low. It goes through fireballs at close range and is a good all around attack due to it's high speed and damage. It IS vulnerable when blocked/parryed so use caution of course. It's a good response to an opponent who is trying to gain meter from far away and works against jumpins from certain distances (trip guard (tm) is gone and the move'll go under some attacks). At mid-close range it will hit a fireballer but you must be very quick with the move. * Raida (energy ball): D,DB,B + P This is ibuki's semi throw. It's not parryable but can be blocked. It launches your opponent far away. Good damage, but since you generally want your opponent close to you (where you can pressure them) the normal throw is usually better. * Tsumuji (double or triple spin kick): D,DB,B + K This move executes a spinning kick that hits twice. You can tap K to add an extra hit. The double hit version, from max distance, is useful as a blocking poke b/c of it's range and the fact that it seems to have better recovery than the triple hit version (I have not yet been hit out of the recovery time of the double hit but have been for the triple). The double version may be able to combo into other attacks. * Hein (flash kick): F,D,DF + K This rising kick is Ibuki's air defense. It's difficult to parry (because it hits three times) if done late, but it can be traded with much like all other dps (even Ryukens) unless you play around with the timing and mix it up with other air defenses. Damage is pretty good for the rh. version if it gets all the hits and is decent even if it doesn't. * Kezekiri: B,D,DB + K Executing this move causes Ibuki to jump into the air (at a height which depends on the button pressed) and tap dance on the opponent's head. You can throw a kunai as you land (if and only if you didn't wiff with the move) but it won't combo. It will add safe block damage unless they anti-air through the knife (which IS possible, but unlikely). If you find your opponent doing this often then simply don't throw the knife and smear them with a combo of choice as they land (They'll have to use the fierce/roundhouse version of their antiair in order to hit you... you should get in a kubiori at the very least.). It DOES go over fireballs but you must execute the move VERY quickly as the move travels in somewhat low path. * Kunai: Jump (any),D,DF,F + P This is a rolento air knife special... it functions almost identically to the one in SFA2 except that this can be done while jumping as opposed to Rolento's which was executed on the ground. Very low damage and combo opportunities. IV - Super Arts: * Kasumi Suzaku: Jump,D,DF,F,D,DF,F + P This is Ibuki's Kunai super art. She throws about 10-15 knives in the air. They do pathetic damage individually and as a whole. (Yawn). * Yoroi Doushi: D,DF,F,D,DF,F + P This powerful super has two variants. + Variant one: Ball super This version is the one that is usually first observed. A large red ball of ki forms in front of ibuki, blasting anything in it's path and dealing nearly 40% damage if unblocked. This version has BIG startup time to it, tho, so you must have a clean shot at them for it to come out in time. Luckily, this version leaves an opponent at a full screens distance making retaliation nigh-impossible; the block damage (about as much as a sweep) makes this super worth the long charge time + startup. + Variant two: Throw super If the Yoroi Doushi is executed at very close range, it grabs the opponent much like the semi throw does. The damage on this version is nearly as much as the Shin-ShoRyu-Ken and the HyperBomb!!! This version has a startup, but the opponent is unable to do anything (they just stand there) and is promptly blasted into the next round. This is a devastating wakeup super since it is a throw and overpowers all other attacks that I've seen thrown up against it (even dragon punches). It grabs limbs in a way very reminiscent of Zangief's SuperSF2 SPD did... sucks ppl right on in. Damage is just crazy when it's uncomboed, and it might be possible to combo this much like her semi-throw can be. The block damage and difficultly in retaliation on the first variant and the INSANE damage on the second make this super a very attractive choice. Btw, EGM is talking out it's ass when it says that the spaz attack super does more... this is only true if you don't get all the hits with the first variant (and you DO get all the hits with the spaz attack super). * Hashin-Sho: D,DF,F,D,DF,F + K Yet another spaz attack super. Retaliable if blocked and fairly easy to parry (for a super). It can catch people who are recovering from "safe" moves (Dudley's punches, blocked flash chops, fireballs that do or do NOT hit, Yun/Yang palm hits, just about any atack from Necro, etc.. Can set up the infinite. V - Combos: Ground Combos * The infinite: Sweep, Standing close roundhouse repeatedly! You are a cheese monger if you use this ^_^! * Low short, low short (are three possible?) * From Zvi we have: + Crouching roundhouse, standing roundhouse, fierce Jump-in Combos * Air roundhouse, low roundhouse * Air roundhouse, standing strong (x2 hits), low roundhouse * Air roundhouse, standing strong (x2 hits), low roundhouse, standing roundhouse, hein (Ibuki's dp with kick) * From Zvi we have: + Air fierce, standing fierce -into- raida (semithrow) * From Qian we have + Air Fierce, Crouching Fierce, Hein. + Air Fierce, Crounhing Fierce, Tsumuji (either). Combos that use supers * From Oliver we have: + Air Fierce, Yoroi Doushi (Throw Variant!) + Air Roundhouse, Yoroi Doushi (Throw Variant) * From Zvi we have: + Air forward, standing jab, crouching short, standing strong, yoroi doushi... not sure which variant comes out, but it's most likely the first variant. Also not sure if it gets all 13 hits for the super. Juggles (which start in the air) * Jab, Short, IIRC Chains * From Zvi we have: + Standing jab, standing strong, crouching roundhouse, standing roundhouse + Standing fierce, crouching roundhouse, standing roundhouse VI - General Strategy: The first thing to do, when finding a suitable strategy, for any character, is to assess what the character's most useful moves are. While crounching, Ibuki has the low strong, which out prioritizes many moves, the low roundhouse, which is quick, and can be chained out of, a low slide (forward), which goes under the most notorious of all SF3 poke moves: Alex's standing forward. While standing, Ibuki has an overhead (F+forward), which has very long range, a sweep hopper (F+roundhouse), a long range standing forward (N or B+forward), which makes for a very nice poke, and a medium range standing roundhouse (N or B+roundhouse). The sweep hopper isn't very fast, so it is not used under most circumstances. While in the air, Ibuki is limited to her jumping forward, which crosses over, her jumping fierce, for air to air, and her Kunai, which must be used sparingly. Ibuki's useful specials are the tsumuji, raida, hein, kezekiri, and the kubiori; however, the kubiori should only be used to punish mistakes - it is too slow and gets you killed if blocked. The tsumuji does nice block damage, and cannot be countered if you do the double hit rather than the triple hit. The raida is (effectively?) unparryable, and packs a punch. The hein is air defense/juggles, but this must be a "sure-hit" too, as even the short version leaves you vulnerable. The kezekiri is an overhead, strikes twice (harder to parry), and combos into the Kunai. Ibuki also has a very nice generic overhead (D, D+P), get used to using it after blocked jumpins, when the opponent is turtling, and etc.. The more your opponent has to worry about it, the better. A nice trick: F+Forward (overhead), D, D + P (overhead), B, D, DB + Short (overhead) Folks, no one blocks this one right. Remember to combo the Kunai off the Kezekiri. Always select the Yoroi Doushi or the Hashin Sho as your super art. Ibuki has to work hard to get her damage in; most of her combos only do 20-25%. By selecting this SA, you give yourself the ability to keep up with stronger opponents on a hit-for-hit basis, in the case of the Yoroi Doushi, or to allow more attack opportunities with the 'Sho. Also, the Yoroi super is the only one Ibuki can use as a countersuper and / or as a wakeup super (She'll grab there limbs ala Zangief.). Throw. Often. I can't stress this enough. You simply won't be competitive in a throwing environment unless you master throwing. This applies to all SF characters and games, of course, but it still is worth mentioning. Cheap = Champ? No way. Throwing takes skill and timing, perhaps moreso than any other aspect of the game. I can do low short, supercombo in any SF game, any day, any time, but even I can't tick %100 of the time. And that's not even counting counterthrows and reversals. VII - Opponent Specific Strategy * Elena: Learn to parry her overheads and unload with the Yoroi, or block them and kill her with the Hashin-Sho * Necro: Take the Hashin - Sho. Learn to block 'n' super against his standing fierce or parry 'n' super. Use the fierce Hashin-Sho. * Sean: Cake walk. Similar to Elena and Necro in that the 'Sho removes any possiblity of block damage going uncountered. * Oro: Your low strong beats his. Watch for the overheads into Tri-Slam. * Yun: Blocking his sweep gives a countersweep opportunity. * Ryu: Kill them in close; Hashin-Sho blocked/notblocked fireballs, etc.. Yoroi if they like to play the wakeup games... %50 later they stop doing that. * Ken: (see above) * Alex: Pick away at him with block damage. * Dudley: Take the Hashin - Sho. Block any chain combo or special move and blast him. VIII - Winning Quotes * Now that you know the secret move of the shinobi, I cannot let you live. * Don't underestimate me! Ok, so they're not as cool as Alex's (the best in the game, IMHO) but the one about your opponent not being able to learn the secret move of the shinobi's pretty cool. IX - Ending Starts with Ibuki lying down in a field with some sort of grain sticking out of her mouth. She flashes back to the end of her battle with Gill. "I'll keep my word. Here's the G file. It's too late tho! It's already begun! This is an execent document, you should use it as a reference paper, hahaha!" Then she senses the presense of someone trying to sneak up on her, and attacks with her knives. Her friend (the presense) blocks with her bookbag and yells at her. THE END. (complete with pic of Racoon dancing) X - FAQ history * 1.0.0 - General format created, most of the normal and specials added. * 1.0.1 - Did more of the format but left a lot blank (sect. V-IX) * 1.0.2 - Added more moves and combos * 1.1.0 - (4-5-97) Started dating updates, added faq history, added a few normal moves, added advanced moves section, fixed some html * 1.1.1 - (4-5-97) Fixed more html * 1.1.2 - (4-6-97) Added more Normal moves, corrected Advanced moves section, added Yoroi Doushi Jumpins * 1.2.0 - (4-12-97) Added some presentation (ending images/background) * 1.3.0 - (4-15-97) Added lawsuit warning * 1.4.0 - (4-21-97) Made the darned thing readable, added ending. * 1.5.0 - (4-22-97) Changed bg pic to make reading (even) more facile. Added General strategy section. * 1.6.0 - (10-5-97) Changed bg pic; added Specific Opponent section. * 1.6.1 - (10-8-97) Changed bg pic; changed stategy advice. Email: spmcisaa@midway.uchicago.edu