Apprentice Match-up Discussion

So I've taken up the apprentice as one of my main characters to play, hell of a lot of fun to play. However, I've noticed I have major draw backs against very high speed characters, Maxi and Setsuka mainly. Even after force pulling, they can throw out a simple A attack or in either character's case, one of their speed frame attacks and I have no answer for it, they're to far for a 3K attack to stun them and 3B takes to long. Only 8K gets them out of my face, but then they're right back in my face and I can only 8K so many times before I get slapped.

Is there anything to follow up Force Pulling or just general blocking that would allow the apprentice to beat them to the punch in most situations? I've also tried 1B with moderate success, that seems to be the most promising so far.
 
MammothMan said:
So I've taken up the apprentice as one of my main characters to play, hell of a lot of fun to play. However, I've noticed I have major draw backs against very high speed characters, Maxi and Setsuka mainly. Even after force pulling, they can throw out a simple A attack or in either character's case, one of their speed frame attacks and I have no answer for it, they're to far for a 3K attack to stun them and 3B takes to long. Only 8K gets them out of my face, but then they're right back in my face and I can only 8K so many times before I get slapped.

Is there anything to follow up Force Pulling or just general blocking that would allow the apprentice to beat them to the punch in most situations? I've also tried 1B with moderate success, that seems to be the most promising so far.
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Force Pull puts both characters at 0, so your only options should be your fastest moves. Problem is that Apprentice is in general very slow.

Here's what I do post Pull:
Throw
iFC 8K:A (will beat their fast highs due to crouch)
1A (very slow but has a long tech crouch [5-25], use it sparingly)
3K (i14 stun)
K (i13)
AA (i14)
B (i15, but it has a very wide arc, use it when pulling at a distance, one of his safest options leaving you at -4 on block)
or simply step and 22B whatever they send out.

You just have to remember that Force Pull doesn't force an actual mixup, it just puts you and the opponent at 0 (even on CH). It's great for taking them off guard however.
 
What is the frame data for the apprentice's step anyways? Sometimes I'll get caught with a quick vert while trying to do a 22B, iFC8K:A combo after a force pull. This normally happens with the quicker characters like Maxi, Setsuka, Taki, etc as well.
 
Actually BoringRyu, only 6B,A+B puts you at 0, but appy A+B in general puts you @ +1. based of this tier list and from the level of play i've seen from fighters, it looks like most of these tier lists are misbased. Rugi is not a good matchup for appy since he can take advantage of his weak range, and further more, Talim is nothing on an appy or rather the most you may play. All of her dash back mixups seem so very unsafe, so just turtle block and punish, but raph is a ++ matchup IMO since you can step and punish practically everything lol. However, a good raph can take care of this disadvantage, but 22A is the best weapon in apps reportoir for facing Raph, because you can TC any step kill attempts and dodge BB, plus many CH ops. Maxi is probably one of the easiest matchups since very few fight like KrayzieCD, as most throw out his very duckable moves like his JF kick successions in which you may either 1A TC or duck and Backgrab. Setsuka is a little difficult, but nothing you can't handle with some turtle and response. I hope that helps, and btw i rate taki a moderate for app because generally her moves aren't as safe as they look and fit perfectly for a 1B eye poke lol. Generally i don't eat AA everytime i force pull using 2A or 1A, but 3K is different, and there are those takis that can stop this, but there are different approaches. I completely disagree with appy being outmatched by pretty much every single character, Vader is definitely in apps favor too. However, ivy creates distance problems and her 9B is annoying. I hope that helps Mammoth.
 
I've come across a new nemesis for my Appy. Mitsu, for some reason this jackhole gets the better of me, and I'm not talking 1Aing Mitsu online, I'm talking about Mitsu using his stances to their fullest. I know you can force pull him out of Relic, but that doesn't work so well with Mist thanks to the TC when he moves towards you. Plus Mitsu seems to have a slower damage dampener and can pull off several full powered moves before it kicks in, making a 5 hit combo take half of your life.

Anything in Appy's arsenal that anyone can think of that can give an edge against him? I know I can out maneuver him with A+K and 8_2 A+K, but I can only flip around like an idiot for so long.
 
If mitsu is in a stance and a bit of a distance, try a 236 B to get him off the stance or if they're close go for a 1B to poke and possibly tech trap him into a 2 A+B. Well, I do this most of the time and it works, but otherwise idk.
 
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