Samurai Shodown VI/Tam Tam

Introduction

Clap clap brr no more.

Tam Tam in VI sets himself apart from his other iterations by having each of his air slashes cover different angles. In exchange for having more varied air-to-airs, a crouching heavy slash which recoils on block and a fireball reflector, Tam Tam has relinquished his dash normals, ability to run at all and invincible reversals. Factor in the universal damage nerf and you've got Tam Tam in a pretty questionable spot.

Data

• Dash type: Step
• Rage duration: 12 seconds
• Amount to rage: 12

Gameplan

Tam Tam is not the hardcore zoner you'd think he is from looking at his normals but it's still something he's designed to do, and with that comes the need to space him properly. Unfortunately spacing is a pretty big issue for Tam Tam. His walk speeds are okay for positioning, but instead of a conventional run he has a step dash, which though quick is not only imprecise but leaves him wide open to attack. You're also missing out on his running heavy slash from V Special, which was a surprisingly effective punish tool in spite of his awful run speed (it's better in other games, trust). Furthermore his backdash is absolutely dreadful, having very noticeable recovery while also not moving him that far backwards. This makes it suboptimal for buying yourself extra distance from the opponent, but at the same time your best option because it's still a backdash. The removal of his heavy spin kick also means you can't use this as part of a gimmicky visual mixup, which in theory would make your backdash more respectable but in practice was a non-issue.

Moving on to his buttons. Your far standing buttons and 2C all reach very far and are decent for recoil cancels (yes, 2C recoils in this game). 5A is particularly good at interrupting the opponent from a distance away and also leads to a recoil state the fastest when blocked. 2C is a hard-hitting low attack which knocks down, but be mindful its bad recovery on whiff and the opponent's ability to simply jump over it (or hop depending on their Spirit). 5B and 5C are less rewarding but reach higher, so they have their situational uses. Tam Tam's options for anti-airs are 2B, 5D, 623A (pre-emptive), 421A and his WFT. Alternatively (and more reliably), Tam Tam can simply air-to-air with his trusty jC. Tam Tam has a greater variety of air-to-air options but jC is still the king. Tam Tam jumps higher than most other characters, so its ability to not only hit diagonally-downward but cover respectable range while at it is greatly appreciated. In the case of opponents overcoming its blind spot between Tam Tam and its hitbox, jD and your new jA fill that area nicely. For opponents whose jump heights actually exceed Tam Tam's, your new jB is essentially an aerial 5A and reaches just as far. His jC is notable for its ability to be used as an instant overhead, but it is punishable even on hit unless Tam Tam scores a deephit, either through hitting the opponent crouching or in a counter hit state. To condition his opponents to block low, Tam Tam has the high-risk, high-reward 2C and the quick, annoying 6D which both give knockdowns.

Aside from his normal grab, Tam Tam also has a delayed but long-reaching command grab (236D). It's designed to be used from a recoil cancel as a mixup option (other viable options include your 236A/B fireball rekkas to buy space and 421D for a fast-but-risky counter-attack), but ticking with 2A is another means of landing it. A smart opponent may jump out after a 2A or a recoil in anticipation of this move, in which case you should know your answers to that by now. Tam Tam's rolls in II and V Spirits are a boon for his positioning and may also be special cancelled into useful spacing tools. Given the dubious nature of his WFT and his ability to poke from a far distance away being useful in State of Nothingness, Tam Tam can't go wrong with V Spirit.

Normal Moves

Far Slashes

• 5A - Pretty damn quick for something that reaches well over halfscreen. Useful for interrupting stuff and for fast recoils.
• 5B - Actually reaches farther than your 2C. Pretty sluggish and not that rewarding damage-wise. Not special cancellable meaning you can't combo into 421D if close enough anymore.
• 5C - Two-hit swipe with the longest range of all of Tam Tam's normals. 5B then an upward flick. Be careful with landing the first hit at the tip because the opponent will be pushed far enough for the second hit to whiff. Actually does less damage than 2C.
• 2A - Short butt with the end of your scimitar. Commonly used to tick into 236D but don't get predictable with it.
• 2B - Upward swipe. This is a passable anti-air but you're crouching for it which makes a failed AA attempt more dangerous. Special cancellable.
• 2C - Important normal. Less range than 5C but much more effective as a punish tool, especially given that this knocks down. This will recoil on block just like 5C, so you generally want to use this instead most of the time. The opponent will fall directly in place granting some opportunity for okizeme.

Near Slashes

• n5A - Headbutt. 2A has better frame data and no issues with proximity so use that.
• n5B - Backward swing. Special cancellable.
• n5C - Two-hit punish. n5B then a stab forward. Knocks down on hit.
• n2A - Same as far version.
• n2B - Same as far version, meaning there's no issues with proximity when you're trying to anti-air with it.
• n2C - Same as far version.

Kicks

• 5D - Special cancellable, giving Tam Tam the ability to combo even when unarmed. May also be used as an anti-air if spaced properly.
• 6D - Fast low sweep. Given how VI's wakeup rolls work 6D into pursuit is not a true combo.
• 2D - Low kick with decent range for its job. The last few frames appear to be special cancellable.
• 3D - After a brief pause Tam Tam spins in place for a sweep. The last few frames appear to be special cancellable.

Air Normals

• jA - Aerial n5A. Despite appearances it isn't fully active for the rest of your jump, but it does stay out for a little bit.
• jB - Aerial 5A, even dealing similar damage. This means it also reaches far as hell. The hitbox is pretty high up from Tam Tam's body so you won't be able to jump in with this against most opponents. There aren't many characters who can jump higher than Tam Tam in the first place, so this is pretty situational.
• jC - Perennially-important tool in Tam Tam's arsenal; a jump-in, air-to-air and instant overhead rolled into one package. There's still an annoyingly-wide gap between Tam Tam and the hitbox, so it won't hit most opponents who are directly in your face as you're jumping, and you don't have weaker versions of this move which don't have this blind spot to cover those situations but different air-to-airs entirely. Furthermore if you intend to use this as an instant overhead then you better be sure the opponent will be crouching - if it hits them standing you won't cause a deephit state so they can actually punish you on hit. If they can reach you, that is.
• jD - This hits lower and farther than jA, so better for jumping in with.

Unarmed Normals

• u5S - Delayed bitch slap. You should land this move because it's cool. Causes a knockdown and pushes the opponent far away.
• u2S - Low finger jab. Better for buying space for you than u5S for obvious reasons.
• juS - Same as jA.

Special Moves

Paguna Paguna - 421S

• Practically a new move, as this is the exact opposite of what Paguna Paguna was in the game prior. It still hits extremely high up to the point where most opponents will be unable to cross over Tam Tam while this move is active. Tam Tam quickly (but not instantly) starts spinning his scimitar, then it extends out before it boomerangs back to him. Strength determines how active the move is and how far the weapon will extrude out. All hits may juggle into eachother.
• 421A is active as soon as the scimitar starts spinning but there is still a delay before it extrudes outwards, furthermore this version will not cause a knockdown even on an aerial opponent. This makes it a fast-acting anti-air, but not a rewarding one. This happens to be your most damaging combo ender even with WFT handy, but you still don't get a knockdown.
• 421B/C are only active while the scimitar is moving horizontally, but they will knock down. Potentially useful for safe chip kills.
• All strengths of this move will reflect fireballs. Potentially useful for this purpose since Tam Tam's skulls aren't the best for winning fireball wars, but you won't be able to act immediately after doing so.
• You can not move Tam Tam forward while this move is active anymore.

Ahaooh Gaboora - 623S, can be done unarmed

• Tam Tam leaps up and breathes fire diagonally downward. Once it hit the floor it rises up. Strength determines how far Tam Tam leaps up before firing, and by extension the startup and the space this attack covers.
• 623A is fast and covers the area directly in front of him.
• 623B reaches midscreen with notably more startup than 623A.
• 623C reaches a bit farther out from 623B to remove the blindspot the move had previously had, but it no longer reaches fullscreen.

Pagoona Dios - 421D, can be done unarmed

• The light version of Tam Tam's spin kick is now just one move. The reversal variants are nowhere to be seen. This is fast, moves forward a great distance and can be combo'd into even when unarmed. Does not hit low despite appearances.

Gaboora Gaboora - 236D, can be done unarmed

• Ultra-delayed command grab but with respectable range. This usually has bad recovery but if you're unarmed it will recover faster as Tam Tam doesn't have a weapon to pick up.
• If you hit from too far away with this you won't get the command grab. Instead, the opponent will just be swatted away by Tam Tam's hand. On the bright side this is still unblockable, but it does way less damage and you get even less okizeme.

Mula Mula - 236A/B, can be repeated twice, can be done unarmed

• Tam Tam throws a skull in a straight line at either a high or low height depending on the version. You can throw up to three skulls in one go, alternating between versions and delaying your pitches to create a danmaku of sorts for your opponent, but the second skull you throw will travel a bit faster than the others. Obviously you don't want to always be throwing three skulls at once as that will leave you more vulnerable, particularly to tracking attacks such as teleports.
• 236A will sail above most standing opponents, but is still useful for locking down the space above them. 236B is generally more useful as a ground fireball.
• All three skulls will combo into each other but will not knock down, though dealing the exact same damage as 421D. If you somehow screw up the combo it's much safer on block.
• Your opponent may no longer break the skulls by slashing at them.
• There is a sizeable gap between the height of your skulls, so fireballs like Galford's Plasma Blade will fly straight through your danmaku and hit you for the knockdown, which doesn't deserve to happen to you because Galford is a cunt.

Toy Transformation - 6412364E (II)

Supers

Magnus Dios Zahl - 236AB

• After the super flash a totem pole rises from the ground and reaches up to the skies. Attacking Tam Tam after the totem pole starts rising will not dissipate it, so you're likely to end up trading with it if it catches an extended hurtbox of yours. There's a bit of time before the totem pole hits the top of the screen so it's not the most reliable anti-air. It is, however, fast enough to work in combos.
• If you happen to be pushing Tam Tam while he's doing this, you might end up pushing both you and him away from the totem pole. You can then punish him taunting with the totem pole rising safely behind you.

Ahaooh Thiuwakan - 623623BC (II), 236BC (VI)

• Tam Tam's WFT from Samurai Shodown IV; essentially a stronger 623S. This comes out much faster than either of these but you still can't combo into this. Best used as a far anti-air.

Combos

Standard Combos

• n5B/2B/5C 421A/421D/236B~236B~236B/236AB - All you really need. 421A potentially does the most damage but it will not give you a knockdown. 421D and 236AB, however, will. 236A/B is the safest option if you're unsure about whether or not the starter had hit and it deals the same damage as 421D.

Continuous Slash (IV)

• A+B BBC 421A/236A/236AB - Unless you've got Rage, any conversion from BBC will lead to a reset. 236A will buy space for you and you can force them to block some more skulls to buy yourself room.
• A+B AABB 421A/421D/236AB - Your optimal choice of dial-a-combo. The WFT combo here will deal more damage than the previous combo.

External Links

• Seesaa wiki