Raphael General Discussion

I don't have videos very much ... but I use a lot of 3B ..and some 6BB.

If you use a lot of 3B..you'll realize how easy it is to use 33B and 22 or even 22A cuz of the spacing.

Don't feel bad when your opponant blocks your moves ..since the SG is nice... plus you're applying pressure and aggravating them at the same time. Eventually they'll open up to your CH prep game, and you can get more damage in.
 
I still think prep has the risk reward in your opponents favor, prep is unsafe and does minor dmg without CH
 
I see what you're saying Trolt....you can't gaff off how well 3B spaces, I rarely see that because I'm constantly going into prep off it.
 
and this one to me is actually worse because it COMPLETELY shuts prep down IMO...they just sit there and duck.....
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They just sit there - how is this not in your favor? We all know Raph's game is weak, "They just sit there and duck" means you maintain offensive control, which is what Prep does. Prep A on hit is -6, which means 44B will GI 2As (and many other retaliation options) and that 4B will still TC high retaliation.

3B or 6BB and not entering prep I don't do much since -14 is rough; however, I do agree that it can be useful just, as usual, expect to take damage (not saying you will, just saying keep it in mind and only do it if you have the damage to lose).
 
ducking against prep doesn't solve much because he has SEA B

whether it actually hits you doesn't matter so much since it's + on guard anyway
 
Tiamat, you don't understand.

You can FC 2A SEA on reaction, just like VE...you're not going get blocked, you're going to get interrupted. From the blocked prep transitional move, you simply duck, and either

1) get hit with Prep A on NH(not the CH Prep A that we all know and love) 10 damage and Raphael's at -6

2) see SEA/VE/Prep K:K/Prep BB/Prep A+B. SEA and VE are FC 2A'ble ON REACTION, Prep K:K is blocked(You're FC and guarding) and gets punished, Prep BB goes right over your head for easy WR punishment, and Prep A+B is blockable on reaction(and possibly slow enough to step after getting up from FC) and -20.


The only thing you got with Prep is on CH. 3B prep CH you either go Prep BB for the guaranteed damage, or you go into your advantage prep game. Once any of your extendors is blocked however(SEA B or Prep BB) it's right back into the disadvantage, get left stepped or get FC'd prep game that will only get Raphael's ass kicked.
 
I agree that prep on paper is useless. IMO, you shouldn't so much be doing blocked prep entry > x prep option much if your opponent knows how to play Soul Calibur, but there would be some degree of mixing between doing and not doing prep (def moreso not doing, the higher the level of play). If you do a 3B or such and they sit there to wait and react to what prep option you go for, you can not go into prep and continue offense. If you stop using prep for a while and they realize they don't have to wait and react to punish something, then you can actually use prep and punish that idea. Instead of using this prep option vs. other prep option, it's more like not using it vs trying an option when they don't expect prep. This makes your SG damage game better too, since they'll be staying put and blocking 3B > whatever if they're looking to react/punish prep. I guess some people think prep is just what you do on block/hit/everything when it's not, but just an option, piece of the mindgame.

And you have to really know your opponent.
 
I dunno about y'all, but despite all this, prep works for me.

Like some of you are saying, pen and paper and frames and thinking is all well and good, but actually playing is the true test.

Like today I was playing KrayzieCD, and he was trying to do exactly what some of you are saying. After a prep entrance he'd sit there low guarding, waiting to punish my prep BB or interrupt my stance transitions (and eat my prep a and take the massive advantage).
We only played two games, but in the first I think I managed to land a prep 5 BB once or twice. (The second game one he was warmed up and didn't let me enter prep or do anything at all)

So take that as you will.

All I'm saying is that we shouldn't examine what people should be doing, and examine what they are actually doing.
You don't stop doing something cause it shouldn't work, you stop doing it if it doesn't work.

Cause really, with perfect players, everyone would just take turns warbling each other.
 
2A is not gonna stop me from using Prep and the like. You shouldn't obsess over eating a 10 damage interrupt. It's all mindgames. You don't have to enter Prep. You can pull plenty of shenanigans once you get in their heads.

I'm finding Raph to be ok against Hilde i.e. not hopeless. And before you jump the gun and disagree linearity isn't a problem with how you should approach Hilde imo. I say this from playing RTD's Hilde online. Still a bad matchup no doubt but he's got the tools. VE against predicted charges is workin' well for me so far to name one. Risk/reward still in her favor but he's better up close. At best 4:6. Worst 3:7. You all can decide that though.
 
mikosu said:
I'm finding Raph to be ok against Hilde i.e. not hopeless. And before you jump the gun and disagree linearity isn't a problem with how you should approach Hilde imo. I say this from playing RTD's Hilde online. Still a bad matchup no doubt but he's got the tools. VE against predicted charges is workin' well for me so far to name one. Risk/reward still in her favor but he's better up close. At best 4:6. Worst 3:7. You all can decide that though.
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We can't :P Someone closed our matchup thread!
 
I'll unlock the match up thread because that's a very important topic, definitely the deepest one potentially for any character and we haven't done nearly enough discussion. It should go further than just a chart but a more particular breakdown of how he should fight against different characters, something which takes a lot of time and experience between us all.
 
Sooooo...I know most of the Raph players have a secondary, but who's planning to use our lovable linear French fencer at EVO?
 
lol....I will be representing Raph at all tournaments as well, but I'm still using Voldo for the obviously better matchups.

Ruiner
 
Took a bunch of Vids at evo - I'll post Hudathan's links up in the video thread so you can see a master at work

For those of you that didn't come, you missed out!
 
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