VS Viola
*Orb=Orb is in her possession. SET=Orb is somewhere on the stage.
AAB ORB -18: She is setting the orb here, beat her up for that with a 3B. You get the CH for it if you get her.
AAB SET - Crouch the orb return and use a low poke to gain the momentum. 2K or 2B work great here.
6AA -16: WR K, 6B, CE.
6AB: You should still be crouching!
1A -20: WR BB, CE. 66BB is tight.
ORB 4A -13: AA, CE.
BBB ORB -13: K or CE for the CH.
BBB SET - It is important to find some way to avoid the orb. Your TC moves are not fast enough to avoid the orb and hurt her at the same time however. As a result, crouch or JG the orb and retreat or apply guard pressure/mix up.
3B -14: With her orb, pushback is too much of an issue so only CE can punish and even then it whiffs at tip range. Without her orb AA can punish close range, A will punish mid(and 2A) and CE will punish also.
1B -20: 6B, 3B, CE. For some reason 66BB gets blocked. 6B whiffs at tip range.
8B SET -18: Forces crouch. She has little reason to do this but WR BB and CE can punish.
2K -14: 2B, CE
1K -16: WR K, 6B, CE. Assuming she does this with no orb crap then yes you can punish it. If she's applying that trademark pressure don't bother.
ORB A+B -12: A single A can punish at close and close-mid range.
ORB A+BA -18: 6B, CE. 6B can be blocked at tip range.
SET A+BAB: Use 6AB after blocking the second hit for the whiff punish or crouch the last hit and quickly using 2A or 2K.
1A+B -21: WR BB, 66BB, CE. 66BB timing is tight.
8A+B ORB -23: 66BB, crossbow, CE.
8A+B SET -13: Forces crouch. CE. CE whiffs at long range. LEARN THE DIFFERENCE. Just guard this for a 6B punish, this is really an attack you should learn to JG.
66AAB string: You should be ducking as soon as you can.
22AB ORB -14/15: This is a two hit string and a means to set her orb. If you block this you have different answers depending on range. 2A and AA will hit her before she can recover for the counter hit, but 6B works at kissing range where as any other range 6B will be blocked.
22AB SET - 2K the instant she recalls her orb to poke her before she recovers.
ORB 33A -14: CE. ON JG -21: use 6b
SET 33A -18: 6B, CE. WR BB gets blocked. 6B whiffs at long range.
ORB 44A ~18: 6B, 3B, CE. These will punish her and the risk of guessing wrong in this scenario are low.
ORB 44AB -14: CE. Only punish that can reach.
*You have balls if you try to challenge a SET 44A delay. Be smart here, that mistake can cost you the entire round.
SET 44A -19: 6B, 3B, CE.
SET 44AB -18: 6B, 3B, CE.
SET 44A Brave Edge - GUARD IMPACT THE ORB
44B -14: K, CE. A will only work at long range. JG for 1K
33K -13: AA, CE. AA whiffs at long range.
22KB strings: 66BB is a universal answer to both. On ORB its -25 so you have plenty of time. On SET there is a considerable delay before the orb can reach you, so 66BB will have you tech crouched by then and still punish her. A+B works for both situations too!
44/11/77K -15: 2B, CE.
ORB 66A+BB -16: 6B, CE. 6B only works at close range.
SET 66A+BB- -22: 66BB, CE. Too much pushback for a 6B punish.
RUN K -22: 66BB, WR BB
66K(BE) - Step to either side for a mid punish.
22B (BE) - GI the first orb hit.
CE - If you block the first hit you can JG the 2nd and 3rd and GI the 4th. But why do this shit.
Crossbow Viability: Medium-high
This is a tool that really helps Ezio in this match up. Unless at point blank range Viola will not be able to block punish crossbow. If you whiff and do not roll the best she can do is something along the lines of running up and using 3B. However, this tool becomes essential when Viola tries to use her orb range attacks to harass you at full screen. You really have the advantage here with 4B+K so abuse the hell out of it.
Dealing with Viola
Thanks to RumblerosesBOSS for compiling this info.
*You don't HAVE to do these things, but some tech in here can be used to mix things up and throw her off.
6B+K, 6B
-Block 6B and GI the orb is one option.
-After blocking the 6B your 4K avoids the orb preventing a post orb mixup. 4K also crushes fastest options after Viola 6B(-6 on G).
-Viola can step the 4K and punish so use carefully. This presents a mind game in its own, you need great yomi here.
6B+K, 1K
-Block 1K and GI is one option.
-After blocking 1K Ezio's WR A avoids orb preventing post orb mixup. WRA also crushes fastest options after Viola 1K(-16 on G)....Ezio WRK cannot puinsh Viola 1K because the orb beats it out.
6B+K, 3K, 2A ect.
-Block 3K,2A and GI.
-Ezio 4K avoids the orb and crushes her fastest options. Viola can step the 4K in attempt to punish him but Ezio can bait that and catch her step with 66A while avoiding the orb. You would not do this normally because Viola's 2A beats it out.
44A BE
-Block 44A and GI the first orb. (She can't cancel the first orb however she can cancel the second so make sure you GI the first orb).
-After blocking 44A you can backstep and lest the first orb hit you avoiding the other two. Viola
CANNOT punish the backstep.
-After blocking the first orb you can step the other two but this is difficult and Viola can do 1A+B to punish your step.
-You can JG the second horizontal in 44A(-24 on JG) and punish.
22B BE
-GI second part of string.
-After the second hit of the string on block you can step but grab catches step and leads into the orb unblockable.
-If you duck to avoid the unblockable, Viola's 3B punishes crouch. You can twitch duck but this is difficult.
66K BE
-Step orb and punish.
_____________________________________________________________
Post orb mixup
-After blocking the mixup and the orb Viola will do multiple things. She will do 3B to avoid her opponent from attacking at disadvantage. An opponent would attack out of disadvantage to avoid another 6B+K mixup. Viola 3B is also used to launch ducking opponents who are attempting to avoid a possible grab mixup.
-Trying to react to 6B+K summon is impractical and can backfire hard due to how fast the recovery is which is where........
Orb defense comes in
-Orb defense is when Viola does a 6B+K summon and guards. After she sends out the orb Ezio's 2A is his best option because anything bad on recovery gets punished by the orb and Viola 3B combos as a follow up. Ezio 2A is also his best option because its fast and if you get in the habit of doing slower options, Viola's 2A could beat you out and she can combo into RCC3B for a follow up off the orb.
Viola oki game
-When Viola knocks her opponent down, she can bait people into attacking on wakeup by applying a 6B+K mixup. The opponent would attack to avoid options after Viola sends out the orb. If you do get in the habbit of attacking on wakeup Viola can 3B crush your wakeup attack.
-Back tech Viola often.
-Pay attention to how the Viola player is pressuring you and adapt.
Grab situations
-Ezio back to ledge < Viola B+G rings out
-Ezio face to ledge < Viola A+G rings out
-Viola B+G midscreen put her out of 6B+K mixup range and allows spacing for the opponent.
-Near wall Viola B+G wall splats and combos into 3B.