DeathInMyEyes
DIME
After extensive play with Astaroth, having an offline sparring partner who plays Astaroth, and being a friend of Xeph's, I have to say without a doubt that this matchup is Nightmare's worst matchup.
In SC4, NM had ways around Astaroth, but now he has pretty much nothing to stop bullrush. Its all about zoning, picking your movement carefully, and taking potshots when you get them.
JG is your best friend. JG/step every thing you can. 44(a), 4(b), 3ka/(a), ab, bb6 (step to his left), 66kBE, 1aa, all of it.
Up close, 66k will beat both 3ka and 3k(a). At a distance, your best bet is to JG.
If you get knocked down (after bullrush or something similar), instead of teching left or right, tech forward or backward. This way, you have time to step, interrupt, GI, or JG his 22B oki. He doesn't have a lot of scary tech traps this time around, thank goodness. After getting hit with bullrush BE though, tech to the side. He has tech trap options, and 22b is a force block regardless.
His step kill is insane, so you have to pace yourself. Your step kill is good, but bullrush can eat it alive.
Don't go into stance, except to punish a whiff or something. His bullrush and bullrush BE absolutely demolish NM's stances.
Basically poke, grab, JG, move correctly, and work that guard guage. The fact that he can punish blocked 1ks sucks so much, but at least its a 50/50 if he does.
Twitch duck a bunch too. It might save you from eating a random CE or B grab. Do it right, and bullrush won't hit you.
Also, FYI, don't break his 1a+g/b+g pickups. If you do, Astaroth gets a free bullrush BE. Better to let him just get the +10.
In SC4, NM had ways around Astaroth, but now he has pretty much nothing to stop bullrush. Its all about zoning, picking your movement carefully, and taking potshots when you get them.
JG is your best friend. JG/step every thing you can. 44(a), 4(b), 3ka/(a), ab, bb6 (step to his left), 66kBE, 1aa, all of it.
Up close, 66k will beat both 3ka and 3k(a). At a distance, your best bet is to JG.
If you get knocked down (after bullrush or something similar), instead of teching left or right, tech forward or backward. This way, you have time to step, interrupt, GI, or JG his 22B oki. He doesn't have a lot of scary tech traps this time around, thank goodness. After getting hit with bullrush BE though, tech to the side. He has tech trap options, and 22b is a force block regardless.
His step kill is insane, so you have to pace yourself. Your step kill is good, but bullrush can eat it alive.
Don't go into stance, except to punish a whiff or something. His bullrush and bullrush BE absolutely demolish NM's stances.
Basically poke, grab, JG, move correctly, and work that guard guage. The fact that he can punish blocked 1ks sucks so much, but at least its a 50/50 if he does.
Twitch duck a bunch too. It might save you from eating a random CE or B grab. Do it right, and bullrush won't hit you.
Also, FYI, don't break his 1a+g/b+g pickups. If you do, Astaroth gets a free bullrush BE. Better to let him just get the +10.