Slade
[14] Master
Probably the best person to offer perspective on this is Xephukai. I may be mistaken but I'm under the impression that he dropped Astaroth in favor of Pyrrha/Pat for similar reasons to those you stated, i.e. not because Astaroth is fundamentally a worse character, but because he's a character of extremes rather than utility and balance. He is pigeonholed into fighting in the way that was intended for him: taking advantage of his high damage, zoning/CH fishing, and throw game, while Pyrrha is capable of playing multiple roles.
6B can give Astaroth leeway for fighting outside of his intended niche, similar to how Maxi's 6A+B gives Maxi some breathing room when he's not in the process of working stance/string pressure, but its primary purpose is to augment the intended playstyle instead of giving full-fledged alternatives. Returning to the Pyrrha comparison, the necessity of adaptation at the highest echelons of play seem to conflict with Astaroth's normatively strong moveset, preventing him from excelling in the way Pyrrha has. It's admittedly an apples/oranges comparison, but the way we (as a playerbase) currently play SCV indicates the metagame has a preference for oranges, so to speak.
My personal advice would be to go with your instincts. If the character doesn't feel right, it may be more productive to learn a different character than try to rewire how your brain interprets SCV mechanically to better fit a preferred aesthetic choice.
6B can give Astaroth leeway for fighting outside of his intended niche, similar to how Maxi's 6A+B gives Maxi some breathing room when he's not in the process of working stance/string pressure, but its primary purpose is to augment the intended playstyle instead of giving full-fledged alternatives. Returning to the Pyrrha comparison, the necessity of adaptation at the highest echelons of play seem to conflict with Astaroth's normatively strong moveset, preventing him from excelling in the way Pyrrha has. It's admittedly an apples/oranges comparison, but the way we (as a playerbase) currently play SCV indicates the metagame has a preference for oranges, so to speak.
My personal advice would be to go with your instincts. If the character doesn't feel right, it may be more productive to learn a different character than try to rewire how your brain interprets SCV mechanically to better fit a preferred aesthetic choice.
