Claw Iori (Console)

[Malik]

Claw Iori combos
KOFXIII Claw: Non HD & HD Combos

[Hobojim]

I've recently picked up Claw Iori as anchor and am pretty consistent with his combos in training mode. When I'm playing in a match, I'm having a somewhat frustrating issue, and am hoping somebody can give me a hand with.

I've taken to ending my blockstrings with qcb+C, which I'm not sure is a good idea but seems mostly safe if I'm not using it against a 0-frame grappler. The problem is that if I try to poke out a blockstring during my opponent's pressure, I'll generally go with cr.B, cr.B, f+A, qcb+C. If I start this series from blocking, oftentimes I'll get an accidental maiden masher, which usually doesn't work out too well for me.

Does anyone have an easy fix for this problem, or is the answer just to be more precise in going from db+B to f+A to avoid the quarter-circle-forward motion I'm getting now, or let the stick reset to neutral before qcb+C? Both of those are not easy to do in pressure situations for me, but I'll work on it if I have to. Should I be ending blockstrings with a different move? None of his specials are neutral or plus frames on block according to the wiki.

Thanks!

[BodyOrgan]

I'm not entirely sure here, but you might be hitting qcb.C too fast after the f.A. You could also try going to cr.B instead of db.B.

[Hobojim]

That could be the case. I'll check it out in training and mess with the timing.

As for getting cr.B instead of db+B, if I'm just trying to poke out of my opponent's pressure with cr.B, don't I need to be holding block? I guess once I'm in blockstun I don't really need to be holding back anymore, but I'm not really good or smart enough to know when I can reasonably expect to successfully land a cr.B, so I'm usually holding down-back the whole time until I can actually confirm a hit.

[BodyOrgan]

That could be the case. I'll check it out in training and mess with the timing.

As for getting cr.B instead of db+B, if I'm just trying to poke out of my opponent's pressure with cr.B, don't I need to be holding block? I guess once I'm in blockstun I don't really need to be holding back anymore, but I'm not really good or smart enough to know when I can reasonably expect to successfully land a cr.B, so I'm usually holding down-back the whole time until I can actually confirm a hit.

If you're in a true block string, then you only need to block the first hit.

You can't block something, and poke at the same time. If you're holding db, and pressing a button, then you're attacking, not blocking. If the opponent throws something out that beats your move, then you'll get hit even if you're holding db, because you pressed a button.

If you're going to press a button, then move the stick to down. After you're done pressing your button(s) move it to back or db assuming your attack failed, and you want to block again. This will take some getting used to. I had to learn this technique in the opposite direction. I was used to starting BnB's with EX Kyo from df, but doing that with Kula causes her to slide, so I had to work on running in, and pressing down before pressing my lights.

Again, I'm not sure if starting from down is going to help prevent your super from coming out, but it's worth a shot. I suspect because you're starting from db that you're rolling the stick to forward and hitting d, df along the way thus completing that super when you try to qcb later. If you start from down, then you won't have the down (start of maiden masher) buffered since you were already holding down.

[Hobojim]

I'm definitely hitting d and df by rolling the stick to get the forward A, I just messed around in training mode to double check, but I was pretty sure that was the problem. That's all good advice about blocking, though, thanks. I just need to wrap my head around not holding down back constantly while I'm getting attacked.

As an interesting aside, I've been working on this set-up with Claw Iori that people might like:

(Jump-in) Cl.C xx df+C [HD] Cl.C xx df+C xx dp+A [DC] qcb+B [DC] dp+C, qcb+D [DC] dp+C, (qcb+B [DC] dp+C)X3, qcb+B, qcb+A, Cl.C (reset) -> whiffed st.B, hcf+P, qcb+D, qcf,hcb+P does enough to kill if close enough to the corner and you jump in with C or D. Not too bad for 1 bar and HD, you just have to delay the command grab after the reset ever so slightly.

If you start the HD any other practical way, doing dp+C, EX DM after the command grab is enough to kill for 2 bars, even if starting from cr.B, s.A, f+A, A [HD], which does exactly 1000 damage.

I'm not entirely sure that whiffing a standing B is the best option after the reset, but it seems to time it almost perfectly. I'll keep fiddling and see if I can find something better.

Edit: a very very slightly delayed cr.B is probably a better option, as it looks like you're going to go low after the command grab and times the grab really well.

[EXWildWolf]

I'm definitely hitting d and df by rolling the stick to get the forward A, I just messed around in training mode to double check, but I was pretty sure that was the problem. That's all good advice about blocking, though, thanks. I just need to wrap my head around not holding down back constantly while I'm getting attacked.

As an interesting aside, I've been working on this set-up with Claw Iori that people might like:

(Jump-in) Cl.C xx df+C [HD] Cl.C xx df+C xx dp+A [DC] qcb+B [DC] dp+C, qcb+D [DC] dp+C, (qcb+B [DC] dp+C)X3, qcb+B, qcb+A, Cl.C (reset) -> whiffed st.B, hcf+P, qcb+D, qcf,hcb+P does enough to kill if close enough to the corner and you jump in with C or D. Not too bad for 1 bar and HD, you just have to delay the command grab after the reset ever so slightly.

If you start the HD any other practical way, doing dp+C, EX DM after the command grab is enough to kill for 2 bars, even if starting from cr.B, s.A, f+A, A [HD], which does exactly 1000 damage.

I'm not entirely sure that whiffing a standing B is the best option after the reset, but it seems to time it almost perfectly. I'll keep fiddling and see if I can find something better.

Edit: a very very slightly delayed cr.B is probably a better option, as it looks like you're going to go low after the command grab and times the grab really well.

Have you tried messing with his Cmd grab resets? He can do some pretty nasty stuff when it comes to resetting. He can do, Cmd Grab, Run- up Cr. C, QCB+K
This is an ambiguous cross-up scenario that is really prevalent at mid screen, and can lead to a basic combo. It's especially gross because you can make it look like you're crossing them up, but when they land, you're on the original side you faced. It's real mixer upper, and one of the other reasons about what makes hims so dangerous on the offensive.

[Hobojim]

I've just started delving into some of his resets this week in training mode, they seem interesting. I think I'm still a ways off from being able to exploit them to their fullest, but it's nice to know they're an option.

Thanks!

[Hobojim]

Quick question for any claw (or flame, I guess) Iori players:

I'm currently drilling his cross-up taco move on crouching opponents because I'm HORRIBLE at hitting it, and am still having problems with it. It seems like half of the time the b+B comes out as a regular hop B, so I'm guessing that my timing is a bit off and it's crossing up before the command normal comes out, so it looks like f+B to the game instead. I can sometimes hit it by pressing f+B, lending some support to my theory above.

My question is, when good players are doing the cross-up b+B, are they inputting it as f+B or b+B relative to the side they start on? I'm very inconsistent with it either way, but both do work occasionally, and I want to know which I should be practicing or which timing is easier.

[Kane317]

Fwd+B: You jump over the opponent and simply hold up fwd (from jumping) and roll it one directional click to fwd and press B.

[BodyOrgan]

Fwd+B: You jump over the opponent and simply hold up fwd (from jumping) and roll it one directional click to fwd and press B.

Hmmm.... seems to be different for me (I use a hitbox), but it could be related to timings. I usually perform the move late so I hit lower thus I need to use back.B.

[Crazy Li]

Fwd+B: You jump over the opponent and simply hold up fwd (from jumping) and roll it one directional click to fwd and press B.

Hmmm.... seems to be different for me (I use a hitbox), but it could be related to timings. I usually perform the move late so I hit lower thus I need to use back.B.

I think it's just you. I use a keyboard which should be similar enough to a hitbox and still need f+B to get the taco. If I tried to press b+B while jumping over, I would just get a j.B

[AirLancer]

Sigh...

If you jump OVER someone, then you hold forward BECOMES backwards relative to the opponent. So by holding "forwards" while crossing up and pressing B, you ARE pressing back+B.

[BodyOrgan]

Sigh...

If you jump OVER someone, then you hold forward BECOMES backwards relative to the opponent. So by holding "forwards" while crossing up and pressing B, you ARE pressing back+B.

No sigh man, it's just people interpreting the English language differently. Maybe we need lawyers to help us on this one.

I view this as AirLancer described, but execute it as Kane317 described. To me it's back because I crossed over, but if you just go with the direction you jumped, then it's forward. Either way, you have to wait till the crossover before you press B.

[Crazy Li]

I don't actually play Iori at all... but I'm pretty sure what I do is press the forward before I cross over and just hold it, pressing the B after the cross-over... so that's why my perspective is forward. If you were to try to jump forward, and then quickly hit back+B as you're reaching the character, it's not going to work, because you need to first change sides.