Samurai Shodown VI/Charlotte

Introduction

Tri-Slash is a charge move don't do 236S for Tri-Slash you'll get Splash Fount instead

Apart from a few new inputs Charlotte's specials haven't changed much, but her normals have. Charlotte is mainly reliant on her pokes for offense which meant she was prone to getting deflected in the games prior, but here she has been given low-hitting pokes which avoid deflects entirely, meaning she doesn't have to rely on specials or simply not poke for a second to avoid this issue. You may also be pleased to know that Charlotte now has unblockable setups, but do be mindful they can just... jump.

Data

• Dash type: Run
• Damage taken: 100%
• Rage retention: 195
• Rage duration: 12 seconds

Gameplan

Poke with your far light and medium slashes, they're all really good. 5B is the winner but 2B is immune to deflects and hits low, meaning your opponent can't time a deflect so absent-mindedly if you're mashing pokes in their face. 2C is another option for poking because that also hits low while travelling further than 2B, but the heavy recoil is pretty risky. At far range Tri-Slash (4,6S) and Violette Lunge (214S) are both viable options. Tri-Slash is a fireball with slow startup but it takes up plenty of room on the screen, and if your opponent attempts to time their jumps you can simply delay the Tri-Slash by holding the button, then releasing it to catch them falling. If they block Tri-Slash then the long-reaching Violette Lunge will catch impatient opponents. Violette Lunge is also good at catching short rolls, which you might get after they finish getting hit by a Tri-Slash. This pressure is further strengthened in the corner.

Anti-air with 5C and Power Gradation (623S). 5C is a quick, far-reaching anti-air, but it isn't great for close anti-airs because you'll get n5C instead. 623S comes out extremely fast for close anti-airs, although it carries a great deal of risk if you miss it. For air-to-airs Charlotte can bully rather well with jB, as it reaches far and her low, quick jump is perfect for the job. Up close is when Charlotte can start abusing her jC, a crossup that will leave the opponent trapped for at least a mixup. Apply basic hop pressure theory for best results.

The opponent doesn't typically want to tech roll against Charlotte; if they short roll then Violette Lunge can catch them, while long rolls practically invite her to set up Tri-Slashes for free. If the opponent finally decides not to tech and the knockdown was spaced well enough then Charlotte can throw out a rose (4Start) which hits as an overhead. From there she can go for near-unblockable setups, notably with 66C which hits low on the first hit and knocks down on the second. The opponent can avoid this entirely by either running at Charlotte or backdashing away (the option of jumping is stripped away given the rose's high arc, provided you take advantage of the ensuing reset and don't autopilot as they will most likely go for this option, and there's nothing you can do about it because jumps are instant). For runs Charlotte can simply counter-poke with anything mentioned in the first paragraph, but for backdashes she has Violette Lunge which then leads into her Tri-Slash game. Rose setplay isn't an integral part to Charlotte's game and she doesn't get many opportunities to go for it, but it has the ability to shift the entire match in her favour, or at least give cover to her approach.

Charlotte has a decent selection of Spirits to choose from. V Spirit is notable because Charlotte not only already has an easy time finding room to meditate but a glitch involving her rose and Issen makes her State Of Nothingness combos quite deadly. IV Spirit not only gives her plenty of time to land her WFT but Continuous Slash giving her stronger punishes is useful in matchups where she otherwise has a difficult time catching up. Charlotte benefits from VI Spirit's Mikiri dodges and Hyper Guard as defensive options, but the lowered damage output may be detrimental to her if she can't secure a lifelead.

Normal Moves

Far Slashes

• 5A - A quick forward poke with very agreeable. Has more range than 2B.
• 5B - Has the same range as 5A but deals more damage than 2B. This is Charlotte's main grounded poke but abusing it will leave you prone to deflects. Luckily, Charlotte now has a few non-deflectable pokes to back it up.
• 5C - A far anti-air. A bit shorter than 5B, so not really used for poking.
• 2A - 5A but lower and doesn't reach as far.
• 2B - New move. This is a stab to the feet which hits low and is immune to deflects. About the same recovery as 5B and will also recoil on block, but has slightly less range. Will hit at round start.
• 2C - Charlotte slashes along the ground then upward. Outranges 5C. This move now hits low and is immune to deflects.

Near Slashes

• n5A - A quick elbow attack. Special cancellable.
• n5B - Standard combo starter.
• n5C - A very slow swipe for big damage. n5B 623C outclasses it damage-wise, and it's faster.
• n2A - n5A but lower and not special cancellable.
• n2B - A bit faster than n5B but deals less damage.
• n2C - This is faster than 2C but does not hit low.

Kicks

• 5D - A leaping knee attack. Beats throws during its active period but is punishable on hit with, well, a throw.
• 6D - A standing low which knocks down. The recovery is cancellable.
• 2D - A low kick.
• 3D - New move. A low-hitting roundhouse sweep rather than a slide. Knocks down.

Dash Normals

• 66A - Charlotte hooks upward with her palm. This is bad even on hit and isn't even a good anti-air despite appearances. Only use if you want the cherry tap.
• 66B - A running overhead which causes a soft knockdown on hit. Not kara cancellable.
• 66C - A two-hit attack. The first hit is a low while the second is a mid which knocks down. Useful for punishes, mixups and rose unblockables. Immune to deflects.
• 66D - A running low slide which causes a soft knockdown on hit.

Air Normals

• jA - Charlotte stabs forward angled slightly downward. Inferior to jB which is just as active.
• jB - jA, with the same reach and priority, but it deals more damage. A very strong air-to-air and harassment tool when combined with Charlotte's quick, low jump.
• jC - Braindead crossup for Charlotte to abuse when she's close with suitably low hitboxes. Will lead into backhit combos often against opponents trying to contest it. This attack now counts as a heavy hit.
• jD - An air-to-air kick which stays out for a while. Obviously isn't beating jB in terms of range, but when you're unarmed it's your best option.

Unarmed Normals

• u5S - Standing punch.
• u2S - Crouching punch.
• u66S - 66A but it knocks down.
• u66D - A two-hit wheel kick. Both hits are overhead and deal the same damage, but this move has been nerfed in that they will not combo into each other, halving its damage output.
• juS - jA but without the weapon. Still active for a while but is outclassed by jD.

Hyper Slash (I)

• A+B - Essentially her 5C, which means it doesn't work from her ideal poking range and, given it's a Hyper Slash, it's too slow to anti-air as well as regular 5C can. Its damage output is slightly below average.

Command Moves

4Start, can be done unarmed

• Charlotte's taunt is unique in that it's actually an attack. After taking her time to smell a red rose, she then throws it at a high arc for one pixel of damage. This may ring a bell, but it doesn't track like that other move. This rose will not deal any chip damage but it actually registers as an overhead, meaning you can combine it at range with such lows as 66C, 66D and 236D for some TAS unblockables. 66C is your ideal move as it deals two hits, meaning if they block low and eat the overhead they will likely eat the second hit of 66C as well, which can lead into another rose toss if close enough. Charlotte usually won't have the most advantage after setting this up, so if the opponent tries to run at her she can simply opt for a defensive poke instead. The startup is extremely slow but Charlotte can set it up from moves such as a spaced sweep if the opponent doesn't tech roll, which she has decent tools to deal with. This setup is not as feasible when unarmed because 66C is gone and u66D is another overhead, but 236D can make it work even though it launches way too far for it to loop and it will leave you very unsafe if they block low.
• There are two glitches associated with this move and Issen (IV, V). Firstly, if this move hits the opponent while Issen is active, it will take on the damage and Weapon Gauge properties of the move. This effectively gives you a double Issen, but not necessarily twice the damage given the amount of Weapon Gauge drained from the first hit. Regardless, this can make Charlotte's State Of Nothingness combos hit extremely hard and can be set up from a heavy slash's hitstun.
• Secondly, if the rose and Issen connect on the same frame then the same glitch will occur, but the opponent will behave as if they got hit by the rose and not by Issen. This means the Issen cinematic will not occur and the opponent will be left standing while Charlotte is stuck in the hit animation. Fortunately, she is fully immune to everything during this period, but the opponent being able to press whatever advantage they please is a pretty big deal.

4B/C/D+Start, can be done unarmed

• How Charlotte aims her rose. Different variations of her taunt which successively increase the distance travelled and change the colour. 4Start on its own is generally better for unblockable setplay but these can still help cover Charlotte's approach.
• 4B+Start is white and will reach at about where the opponent ends up after getting hit by Power Gradation. This is best used after a point blank Splash Fount or Violette Lunge which give her some advantage for this to work.
• 4C+Start is black and will reach at about the distance a successful Lance De Lion leaves the opponent at. As that move results in a hard knockdown, a setup involving this afterwards is guaranteed.
• 4D+Start is blue and reaches fullscreen, which ends up covering a lot of space in the air while she can occupy the space below it with Tri-Slash or Violette Lunge.

3B

• Her universal overhead from V Special. Charlotte stands in place rather than leaping like most other characters with this sort of move. Links into Power Gradation.

Special Moves

Power Gradation - 623S

• A DP where Charlotte travels straight upward. Strength determines how high she travels and the damage output. Landing this move on the ground will deal more damage than actually anti-airing with it, but on the ground 623B and 623C have identical damage values. On hit the opponent will be pushed far away for a soft knockdown. All versions are extremely fast and will combo from light hits and your overhead.

Splash Fount - 236S (Samurai Drive)

• Charlotte's mash special where she runs forward while stabbing in front of her. Strength determines the startup, how far Charlotte leaps back before it's active, how long she rushes for and the recovery. This is mainly a chipping tool.
• 236A is a combo tool for when 623S won't reach. It deals a bit less damage than 623C but it carries both you and the opponent further across the stage. Other strengths will not combo from anything besides deephits.
• This move can be deflected.

Tri-Slash - 4,6S

• Charlotte's classic big ass fireball. The new input restricts when you're able to perform it, as Charlotte must wait about a second before she can fire one off. Strength determines how far and fast it travels, with 4,6C reaching just short of fullscreen. As usual, you can delay the release by holding down the button, but despite appearances the static triangle will not have a hitbox. Has slow startup meaning it's best used at fullscreen or after a knockdown, which is usually when you can afford to charge safely. If you have the opponent cornered you can run a convincing fireball game starting with this then using Violette Lunge or other good preventative tools to keep them stuck. On hit it results in a soft knockdown, which is perfect for setting it up again.
• If Charlotte is moved during the delay then the triangle will move with her.
• Be very careful that this move doesn't override an intended throw input, because it will.

Violette Lunge - 214S

• A poke which reaches instantly over half the stage after a bit of startup. There are no differences between strengths in this game. This has utility as a recoil cancel option, a poke which can't be deflected (although you now have some lows for this purpose) and a means of catching short rolls without much commitment.
• This move is not violet as its title would lead you to believe. It's teal.

Lance De Lion - 236D, can be done unarmed

• A low-hitting slide which is a hitgrab. This is also a combo tool which switches sides but deals the most meterless damage. If successful Charlotte will catch the opponent, then throw the opponent far away for a hard knockdown and very good damage. Charlotte tosses the opponent well over half the stage, so the only shmix you're getting from this is a simple running mixup. Alternatively you can take the initiative to start firing off Tri-Slashes from fullscreen.
• Charlotte will be facing the wrong way a split second after recovering and her inputs will be swapped, so mashing 4C+Start in the new direction may end up activating 6Start instead.

Toy Transformation - 321421E (II)

Supers

Crystal Rose - 236AB

• A quick slash in front of her. This can be used as an anti-air as it has some upper-body invulnerability on startup, but it's best used as a combo tool.

Splash Gradation - 632146BC (II), 236BC (VI) (Samurai Drive)

• Charlotte's old WFT from Samurai Shodown II where she draws a seven-pointed star with her rapier. On hit this will launch the opponent far back for a soft knockdown. Will combo from the same things 236AB does but will deal less damage.

Combos

Standard Combos

• n5A 623S - Light combo.
• n5B/n2B 623S/236A/236D/236AB - Basic stuff. 236D deals the most meterless damage but will switch sides. If you don't want this then 623B/C will deal the most meterless damage. If 623S won't reach then use 236A instead.
• 3B, 623S - Overhead link.
• 2D, 623S - Counter hit only.
• n2C, 623S - Corner and counter hit only.
• 3B, n5B/n2B - Backhit only.

Continuous Slash (IV)

• A+B BBC 623S/214S/236AB - 214S deals more damage than 623C so use that. The 236AB juggle doesn't work if your opponent is too far away.
• A+B BBC 236D - Only works on certain characters.

State Of Nothingness (V)

• 4Start, 2B, ABC - A TAS unblockable you can do on a sitting duck, or at least after a good knockdown. Time the 2B a little so it's ambiguous.
• (3B, D+E,) n5C, 4Start, ABC - A combo which takes advantage of the rose glitch. This requires at least 35% blue life from the n5C hit, and the recommended starter in brackets will guarantee you land it ASAP. Be mindful of the other rose glitch when timing this.

Colors

External Links

• Seesaa wiki