I figured we can start making specific match up threads to help with Astaroth's tough match ups. Might as well start with his old nemesis Sophie!
I haven't really fought too many Sophies yet in this game so hopefully we can fill this out together.
One of the most basic things I know is stab will beat any armor Asta tries to do, so if the Sophie player is sharp (or just being a Sophie player and throwing out stab), don't expect to get too much mileage out of armor type moves.
AS B (normal stab) is -20 on block, so you can either go for guaranteed damage with a BB6 and be +10, or go for a command grab mix up.
TAS B (236236 B) is only -14, so the best punish is either 4A (the follow up A is unduckable and is +4 on block), or K, which is also +4 on NH.
AS AA Shouldn't be blocked, since you don't really get anything for blocking it. If you see your opponent go for this just 8A+G over the low and throw them.
My biggest problem in this match up is dealing with her TAS AA/AB mix up. Yes you can easily block the low and react to the mid if you see it, but both options are good on block because the mid is +4 and the low is -12, which is completely safe against Astaroth.
Edit 11/15/18: New tech for TAS AA/AB!
If your opponent is abusing this on you, and you're tired of getting your guard broken, or guessing wrong in the mix up, there is an option! If you SS as soon as you block TAS A, and then GI, you'll either GI the A, or the B break attack will whiff. Now a friend of mine who figured this out claims you can react to the A and only GI if you see it, but I find that hard to believe. However, make sure you do it fast or else you'll be at negative frames if you step the B. I suggest following up with either 4A if you think they're gonna AA in response, or 4B if they are gonna do something that will high crush. If you have trained them to block there you can go for a grab or a slower mid.
There's still risk here because she can just not do a follow up, but if they are relying on this tactic then it can be very useful and open up the match a little bit more.
Now there are ways around this, as the AB string is easily stepped, and when you do this you can put a big hurt on Sophie, but the problem is if you step and they do TAS AA, you're eating 85 damage if they get both the JF stab and pull, as opposed to the 55 you'd get if you stepped TAS B and got a 22_88B (I believe you can also get a free back throw which would be more damage).
Another option to deal with TAS AB is to interrupt with a 4A or a K. 4A is good because you can do 4AA and they can't step, and you'll be at +4, while if you just do the 4A, you'll be at 0 on both NH and CH, according to the frame data overlay tool. K would leave you at +4 also, but slightly closer. However, this also puts you in the same situation as a step would if they opt for the low. But if you're superman and have reactions like that you can wait for the blue spark and respond with 4A or K, but the window is extremely tight.
4B will trade and lose to the low as well.
Dealing with the low is a little more straight forward. Of course it is easily blocked, but as I stated before it is safe. You can go for a command grab mix up, but this can be ducked or high crushed so if your opponent is duck/button happy, be careful. If you anticipate they are going low, the best option is probably 8A+G, since it's unbreakable and will net you 55 damage. If you guess wrong and they do TAS AB, you'll eat 44 damage and be knocked down.
As you can see this string is quite the problem. I would be more than content to just block it over and over, but each TAS AB you block is 14% of your guard gauge, so you can't block this forever. Luckily TAS AA is only 3%, but the fact that it's completely safe really sucks.
I'm trying to figure out the best way to deal with this one move, but for now I guess you are just going to have to block for the most part, and then decide your defensive option when you get a read on your opponent.
If anyone else has any more situations or match up specifics to add please share, and I can add them to this post. I'll also be adding more when I get a chance.
I haven't really fought too many Sophies yet in this game so hopefully we can fill this out together.
One of the most basic things I know is stab will beat any armor Asta tries to do, so if the Sophie player is sharp (or just being a Sophie player and throwing out stab), don't expect to get too much mileage out of armor type moves.
AS B (normal stab) is -20 on block, so you can either go for guaranteed damage with a BB6 and be +10, or go for a command grab mix up.
TAS B (236236 B) is only -14, so the best punish is either 4A (the follow up A is unduckable and is +4 on block), or K, which is also +4 on NH.
AS AA Shouldn't be blocked, since you don't really get anything for blocking it. If you see your opponent go for this just 8A+G over the low and throw them.
My biggest problem in this match up is dealing with her TAS AA/AB mix up. Yes you can easily block the low and react to the mid if you see it, but both options are good on block because the mid is +4 and the low is -12, which is completely safe against Astaroth.
Edit 11/15/18: New tech for TAS AA/AB!
If your opponent is abusing this on you, and you're tired of getting your guard broken, or guessing wrong in the mix up, there is an option! If you SS as soon as you block TAS A, and then GI, you'll either GI the A, or the B break attack will whiff. Now a friend of mine who figured this out claims you can react to the A and only GI if you see it, but I find that hard to believe. However, make sure you do it fast or else you'll be at negative frames if you step the B. I suggest following up with either 4A if you think they're gonna AA in response, or 4B if they are gonna do something that will high crush. If you have trained them to block there you can go for a grab or a slower mid.
There's still risk here because she can just not do a follow up, but if they are relying on this tactic then it can be very useful and open up the match a little bit more.
Now there are ways around this, as the AB string is easily stepped, and when you do this you can put a big hurt on Sophie, but the problem is if you step and they do TAS AA, you're eating 85 damage if they get both the JF stab and pull, as opposed to the 55 you'd get if you stepped TAS B and got a 22_88B (I believe you can also get a free back throw which would be more damage).
Another option to deal with TAS AB is to interrupt with a 4A or a K. 4A is good because you can do 4AA and they can't step, and you'll be at +4, while if you just do the 4A, you'll be at 0 on both NH and CH, according to the frame data overlay tool. K would leave you at +4 also, but slightly closer. However, this also puts you in the same situation as a step would if they opt for the low. But if you're superman and have reactions like that you can wait for the blue spark and respond with 4A or K, but the window is extremely tight.
4B will trade and lose to the low as well.
Dealing with the low is a little more straight forward. Of course it is easily blocked, but as I stated before it is safe. You can go for a command grab mix up, but this can be ducked or high crushed so if your opponent is duck/button happy, be careful. If you anticipate they are going low, the best option is probably 8A+G, since it's unbreakable and will net you 55 damage. If you guess wrong and they do TAS AB, you'll eat 44 damage and be knocked down.
As you can see this string is quite the problem. I would be more than content to just block it over and over, but each TAS AB you block is 14% of your guard gauge, so you can't block this forever. Luckily TAS AA is only 3%, but the fact that it's completely safe really sucks.
I'm trying to figure out the best way to deal with this one move, but for now I guess you are just going to have to block for the most part, and then decide your defensive option when you get a read on your opponent.
If anyone else has any more situations or match up specifics to add please share, and I can add them to this post. I'll also be adding more when I get a chance.
Last edited: