Cassandra General Discussions and Impressions

Windstar

[13] Hero
So coming right out of the gate, Cassandra is impressively strong.

A lot of new moves and some old ones on new inputs. Still has her old 1K and 1A, but also has a new 1B that when held and the opponent is on the ground leads to some good stuff.

Basic theory is charging up her Divine Force using 66A+B4, 6A+B, 6K (ch) or 6[K] and then running the variants that spend this force for extra damage.

She has several new crouching throws 2A+G, 1A+G, and 3A+G and a couple new ground throws. Her old shield toss throw is now a command throw (64A+G) and she has her old SC2 command throw with the same follow up (66A+G, 8KK). She also has a new air throw, and it seems like you can use her new WS B on counter hit to catch an aerial opponent for a Divine Force charge up or spend.

Her new attack throw can be escaped, but there's seems to be some guess work depending on which follow-up the player presses (A, B or K).

She can hurt herself when using Divine Force at maximum power for some extra damage on her new throw, but will always end up safe from any retaliation and the damage she inflicts on herself isn't terrible compared to how much she inflicts on the opponent. Good stuff for showing off.

Shield Slaps are there, Face-stab is still there (and lethals on backdashing opponents). B+KB is still there, 6A+B is now 44B, old SC2 44B is now a new input. Seems like she lost of lot of launchers. 236B is still there, 2BB:K is still there (has Divine Force variant that does a ton of damage).

Cassandra feels pretty strong, but also very unsafe. Seems to commit a lot to get a lot of damage. 236K is a new move, looks like a Tekken Kazuya move. Angel Twirl, 214 also has several new animations. Seems like some of these may actually be worth it to use, but will eat away at your guard meter everytime. Not many Break Attacks compared to some others, or many frame traps, but still has some good tech traps with 1A.

3B, 66A+B, 1A still good. 55 damage.
Divine Force 236A, A+B looks like it has some follow-ups there, but hard to catch. If the opponent fails to recover, 1B held can catch for extra throw damage.
Gaia Quake is there.
8B+K is an air throw catch, look into this one.
New WS B on counter launches.
Quite a few new FC options too.
4A and 4B aGI and charge up Divine Force

Several lethals require a reverse impact after a GI to apply the lethal hit.

Overall difficulty feels beginner friendly, but lethals will probably require some practice and timing to nail down. Much better out of the gate than Amy felt.

New mechanics in eating up guard meter for some moves... wonder if this will show up more often.
 
They gave her Tekken's Marduk VT Mount.

Also, Necrid's projectiles with a Terry Bogard's Power Geyser, LOL!

The Captain America move was unexpected. And her Divine Force mixes are nice!!!

She is really fun gameplaywise. They spiced up her gameplay instead of a straight copy and paste from SC4. They mixed her SC2 and SC4 versions perfectly well.
 
Most if not all her sc4 moves are there, quite a few moves have different commands
cassandra does average damage w/o divine force & more damage with it
Divine force attacks pressure a lot & I'm a huge fan of the ce.
Felt that her low game is nerfed a bit, 1a no longer knockdown & 1b can be ss
It bothers me a little bit that she doesn't have a low lethal hit.

Overall, she's really interesting & fun to play in a "comic book" kind of way.
 
I love her and the Captain America spice is awesome. I haven't played since SC4 because Cass hasn't been in it, so this is great!

Is 1A safe on block now that it doesn't knockdown? That would be an upgrade imo.
 
1A is not safe on block, but FC 1B appears to be.

Also, head over to the combo thread to check out the link I just posted. I've been working on a small combo guide for Cassandra by testing things out myself. Found lots of interesting combo routes, in particular using DF 1A+B to extend combos after hard knockdowns. Also, 3B, BBB, DF 1A+B, 8B+K is guaranteed for roughly 90 damage and leaves you in a TS mixup for additional damage. You would think they can AC BBB, but it confirmed works on all directions of AC if timed precisely (you have to do it late, just before they hit the ground). That combo is highly unlikely to survive the next patch, I'd bet, but enjoy it while you can!
 
1A was never safe, 8AK used to be 11AK and was safe way back in SC2. Still has the move, but not really safe anymore.

Anyway, it doesn't matter too much about Cassandra's safety, damage is good, mixups are good, nice pokes and NCs. All in all, very solid.
 
1A is not safe on block, but FC 1B appears to be.

Also, head over to the combo thread to check out the link I just posted. I've been working on a small combo guide for Cassandra by testing things out myself. Found lots of interesting combo routes, in particular using DF 1A+B to extend combos after hard knockdowns. Also, 3B, BBB, DF 1A+B, 8B+K is guaranteed for roughly 90 damage and leaves you in a TS mixup for additional damage. You would think they can AC BBB, but it confirmed works on all directions of AC if timed precisely (you have to do it late, just before they hit the ground). That combo is highly unlikely to survive the next patch, I'd bet, but enjoy it while you can!
Lol
Was really doubtful about it working but it actually does. The best bet is to AC to the right because then it feels kinda random but if someone decides to AC into any other direction it's basicaly 100%
 
Lol
Was really doubtful about it working but it actually does. The best bet is to AC to the right because then it feels kinda random but if someone decides to AC into any other direction it's basicaly 100%
I was testing it more and it might not be real after all, but it's really hard to tell. People were telling me that the Training mode AC settings aren't really accurate compared to proper AC from a player. I tried recording myself doing the combo, then ACing out of it. You can escape it to the left side (AC towards Cassandra's shield, and NOT away from her at all). So, at this point I'm not sure if the combo is "real" or not. It definitely works, but I think proper AC left should usually escape it.

On another note, iWS B gives a non-ACable relaunch in combos that launch high enough. Some example launchers:

A+B
(BB)B6
4B+K6
66B+K
WS B+K

Those all launch high enough to combo into iWS B. The combo looks like:

A+B, iWS B, 4K, 6B+K:A

Pretty sweet, and with 66B+K it gives a good reverse RO option (do 66B+K, iWS B, 6K for this).
 
I was testing it more and it might not be real after all, but it's really hard to tell. People were telling me that the Training mode AC settings aren't really accurate compared to proper AC from a player. I tried recording myself doing the combo, then ACing out of it. You can escape it to the left side (AC towards Cassandra's shield, and NOT away from her at all). So, at this point I'm not sure if the combo is "real" or not. It definitely works, but I think proper AC left should usually escape it.

On another note, iWS B gives a non-ACable relaunch in combos that launch high enough. Some example launchers:

A+B
(BB)B6
4B+K6
66B+K
WS B+K

Those all launch high enough to combo into iWS B. The combo looks like:

A+B, iWS B, 4K, 6B+K:A

Pretty sweet, and with 66B+K it gives a good reverse RO option (do 66B+K, iWS B, 6K for this).
Exactly what I was saying. You move towards her left side so you AC right according to your position but we both get what were talking about. It's silly how much this third B tracks.
On a sidenote - it's funny how she is supposed to be begginer friendly while having like 2 or 3 times the moves of Mina or Geralt. Makese wonder how we should call those latter two :D
 
Eh, Sophie is the beginner version tbh. Cass has always had a little more swagger. I'd rate her as "intermediate". Not Ivy, Sieg, Yoshi, Voldo, Maxi level (those are probably the top complexity, imo), but also not as simple as Geralt, Groh, or Sophie.
 
So what do you guys think her top 10 moves are? Here are my top six so far (in no particular order):
66BB: Great for whiff punishing. Safe on block.
1K: Annoying low poke to use against people are blocking under pressure.
22/88B: Great stepping tool. Can follow up w/ a throw, 66BB, 6B+KB, etc.
214K: Holy shit, this move is CRACK. Can follow up w/ 236B, SC 236A+B string, etc.
SC 214A: I'll explain later.
214B(B): Great Lethal Hit to use. Can follow up with combos.

I'll add the rest later tonight.
 
66A is definitely on the list. Nothing inspirational, just a really important tool in the toolbox.
 
66A still tech crouches and still tracks really well.
b6 still good
WS K
WS A+B is old 44B and still has the tech crouching properties, launches too.
236B still a solid punisher, still punishable, though.
3AK still feels solid
BK, pretty solid poke, still.
8AK. Still feels good, fast and generally a good mix-up. Punishable.

Need more time on...
2BB:K Dunno what they changed here, but not as solid as it used to be.
4K, it now knocks down, but the range and speed seem slower.

SC BBBB. Seems solid, but also easily punishable and linear.
 
Cassandra seems to have a pretty good throw game. In addition to her crouch throws, air throw and standard throws, she also has two (more like three) throws that charge up Divine Force. 64A+G, her back throw, and her crouching back throw. Best of all, these don't require additional inputs like her attack throw or air throw and give her some really good options when the basic stuff isn't working.

As another, perhaps interesting note, her moves that cost guard meter actually recover that guard meter if they hit. So they aren't quite a risky as initially thought. Though they cost some guard meter, you'll make it back if those same moves score a hit, but if they're being blocked all the time, there's not much you can do about it.
 
I was doing some testing on Angel Step (236, or AS) and it's properties to "parry" high attacks. I learned some useful stuff, and also a few head scratchers.

First of all, the parry window for AS is i8 - i22. You will get clipped by high attacks at either i6 or i24. That is your window - 14 frames.

AS will get the "parry" animation, and charge Divine Force (DF) vs. all high attacks and throws. You can follow up with LH AS B for lethal hit combos in these scenarios.

Or at least, AS should parry all highs and throws...

What about high unblockables? Well, we can use AS to TC under Ivy's 214A, but we will NOT get the parry animation, the DF charge, or LH AS B.

Boo.

What about high guard breaks? Well, we can use AS to TC under Zas' A+B, but we will NOT get the parry animation, the DF charge, or LH AS B.

Boo x2.

What about, uh... Groh 8A? Wtf? We can also TC this, but don't get any of the fun stuff.

Boo x3.

The Groh 8A one surprised me the most. I understand why the UB and BA attacks don't get parried (I still think we're getting ripped off and that Namco devs got lazy, but I understand WHY it happens that way). However, I have zero explanation for why Groh 8A doesn't trigger it. I wonder if this applies to other jumping attacks? You can all have fun figuring that one out, but that's where I've stopped testing this for today.

Enjoy!
 
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As another, perhaps interesting note, her moves that cost guard meter actually recover that guard meter if they hit. So they aren't quite a risky as initially thought. Though they cost some guard meter, you'll make it back if those same moves score a hit, but if they're being blocked all the time, there's not much you can do about it.
Forgive the double post - something sounded off about this yesterday, and I wanted to make sure I addressed it, but needed to test it first.

What you posted about these moves is not true. Moves that cost guard meter do not recover guard meter, ever, hit or block. Moves that cost guard meter have the blueish purple flash animation (e.g. 66B+K, 6B+K, 4A+B, 214K, 214B, 214A, CE, etc.) and all cause 9% self inflicted guard damage. This guard damage happens no matter what - hit or block. It does not get restored by using these moves at all: they only ever cause guard damage.

However, Cassandra can restore guard meter by spending a DF charge on a DF move, all of which will restore 10% of your guard meter, on hit or block. Examples include DF 1A+B, DF 2A+B, DF 3A+B, DF 6BA+B, DF 2BA+B, DF 236AA+B, DF TS A+B, and DF CE. It should also be noted that, because Cassandra's Soul Charge state gives "unlimited" DF charge, you can use SC to restore guard gauge rapidly. The "unlimited" DF charge actually works out to 3 DF moves before spamming them drains your SC gauge completely.

So with Soul Charge, 3 x 10% + 1 x 10% (the DF charge you get to keep after SC ends) = 40% potential guard gauge restored.

Edit - More tech for you ppl, since I want to avoid spamming this thread with too many new posts.

BK cannot be stepped on guard, except by the following characters:

Cervy, Mina, Kilik, and Tira.

Only works with SSR. SSL will get clipped.
 
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@Force_of_Nature Glad to see you're enjoying Cass in this game! This is probably my favourite version of her. Are you in the Cassandra Discord? You should post this in there - I'm a mod, I'll pin it for you :D.

In other news:
"b4k4, you control the board."
"Thanks, Alex. I'll take 'Things You Should Absolutely Never Tech FUCKING EVER' for $2000."
"It's our next daily double!"
 
@Force_of_Nature Glad to see you're enjoying Cass in this game! This is probably my favourite version of her. Are you in the Cassandra Discord? You should post this in there - I'm a mod, I'll pin it for you :D.

In other news:
"b4k4, you control the board."
"Thanks, Alex. I'll take 'Things You Should Absolutely Never Tech FUCKING EVER' for $2000."
"It's our next daily double!"

Ah, I'm not @b4k4, can you link me please?

Damn! Haha, yeah, Cassandra can be savage in SCVI!
 
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