I like 4K. It's a fast i14 horizontal. 3A I think is step-able to one side, while 4K I think is unstepable, and it has just a tiny wincy bit more range than 3A.
3A is still a better move overall because it's mid and wallsplats.
I've recently come to love A+B B and 8A+B. If you catch them stepping and get the CH, A+B B does some pretty nice damage as a matter of fact, something I never noticed before because I was only using it for OTG combo's. A+B takes a slight step backward too, is only i18, and the follow up B is only -12.
8A+B I think is another underrated move, simply because it's a safe i18 step killer that goes to mid, and has AGI built into it (although TBH the AGI of this move is pretty shitty, it's still something to consider).
All things considered, I think Raphael really only has handful of moves that should be avoided like the plague. Almost all of his moves serve a purpose, and this is why I main him. It's not that Raphael is weak per se, it's that most characters have a few unbalanced moves, where Raphael basically has no outright dominating moves.
If I played this game for money, I would probably feel differently about him, but as it is, I'm technically a casual player who is semi-hardcore. Not to say he can't win tournaments, but your odds are less with him.
Thoughts?