The King of Fighters 2002 UM/Bao

Normals

Close

• cl. A/B/C are cancel-able and hit mid
• cl. A and B aren't chain-able
• cl. C has very fast start-up, cancel-able and is good for a close combo starter.
• cl. D hits twice and isn't cancel-able. It is a very good and easy confirm into Max Mode, and is only special cancel-able in Max Mode. It is also very hard to punish on block because Bao gets pushed back.

Stand

• st. A/B/C/D all hit mid and are not cancel-able or chain-able.
• st. A is a short ranged jab which can stop incoming hops at a very close range.
• st. B hits mid despite its animation.
• st. C is a shoulder thrust which can stop incoming hops as well but has bad whiff recovery
• st. D has lower body invincibility which can evade most slides and ground skimming projectiles except for Kusanagi's qcf+P and Iori's qcf+P

Crouch

• cr. A/C are cancel-able and hit mid.
• cr. B is chain-able into itself as well as cr.A, st. A, cl. A and st. B.
• cr. B can link into close D.
• cr. C has a great distance, lowers Bao's hurtbox, and is hit and whiff cancel-able into his ground command normals and specials.
• cr. D is a sweep that is not cancel-able and has bad whiff recovery.

Jumping

• j. B/C/D can cross-up a majority of standing and crouching characters
• j. A is cancel-able into his d+B air command normal. It can also be used as an instant overhead on crouching opponents.
• Neutral j. A is a downward fist swing which is cancel-able into his d+B air command normal, and has fast start-up like j.A.
• j. B is a jumping knee attack which is good for air-to-ground offense.
• Neutral j. B is a jumping side-kick which is good for stopping full jumps in an air-to-air position.
• j. C is good for jump-in attacks and is a bit harder to cross-up opponents than j.B and j.D
• Neutral j. C hits standing opponents twice and hits jumping opponents once.
• j. D can be used as an air-to-ground attack, and as a jump away ground-to-air against hops and jump-in attacks. It also has a easy cross-up hitbox as well.
• Neutral j. D is similar to neutral j. C that it hits standing opponents deep twice and jumping opponents once. Use j. A or j. B instead as a neutral jump anti-air to avoid it getting beaten out by the opponents jump attack.

Blowback Attack

• Stand CD is a very good grounded anti-air, Bao's hurtbox shrinks down momentarily (there is no invincibility) then releases a massive head butt. Be careful of the slow start-up. Stand CD is not cancel-able either.

• Jump CD is one of Bao's best air-to-air attacks, just mindful that it can whiff on crouching opponents if performed too early in the hop or jump.

Throws

Phantom Head Attack - (f/b + C) close

• Grabs the opponent, headbutts them, then jumps away

• Can be broken and counter mashed

• Hard knockdown

Advice: Bao recovers before the opponent stands up and lands in a favorable position for a cross up j.D or j.2A on the opponent's wake up. The opponent can choose to counter mash against the headbutts to lower the damage (full damage is 10%) or they can choose not to mash as a defensive tactic to run the clock timer or Bao's Max Mode timer if it's activated.

Critical Throw - (f/b + D) close

• Grabs and tosses the opponent to the other end of the screen

• Can be broken

• Hard knockdown

Command Moves

Kawasaki - f + A

Senheki Shu - f + B

Sensyou Shu - df + B

Rikatsu Shu - df + D

• Wire damage

Sousho - in air, d + A

Banda - in air, d + B

Special Moves

Psycho Ball Attack: Raise - qcf + A

Psycho Ball Attack: Boung - qcf + B

Psycho Ball Attack: Front - qcb + B

Psycho Ball Attack: Aerial Front - in air, qcb + A

Psycho Ball Attack: Aerial Bound - in air, qcf + B

Psycho Ball Crush: Raise - qcf + C

• Super cancellable

Psycho Ball Crush: Bound - qcf + D

Psycho Ball Crush: Front - qcb + C

• Super cancellable

Psycho Ball Crush: Aerial Front - In air, qcb + C

Psycho Ball Crush: Aerial Bound - in air, qcf + D

Desperation Moves

Psycho Ball Attack MAX - qcb x 2 + A/C

Psycho Ball Crush Special - qcb x 2 + B/D

Super Desperation Moves

Psycho Ball Attack MAX - qcb x 2 + AC

Psycho Ball Attack IIDX - f, hcf + BD

HSDM

Psycho Ball Gravity - qcf x 2 + AC

Videos

Bao Master Class Part 1

Bao Master Class Part 2

Discussion Threads

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