Egg
[10] Knight
One of the hardest things about playing Z.W.E.I is adapting to his odd Move List.
The first thing to keep in mind when playing Z.W.E.I is that the Moves you will use will change based on the character you are facing. Certain moves become punishable while others become bait depending on the Match up. One thing you have to understand when playing Z.W.E.I.; you cannot play like a robot, you need to be able to think objectivly and be able to read your opponent to get the Damage you need.
These are the moves you will generally use in just about every MU,
Throw
A/AA
B/BB
K
2K
3K - hits if you are close only
4A - no Ein
3A/3AA
B+K
4B - Unsafe but needed
66A+B
2A/FC A
2B/FC B
A+B - Unsafe in certain MU's but needed
6A+B
(B)
Everyone one of these moves is very good in every MU. There are things to be aware of in certain MU's but I will address those when we get to them. For now Make it a habbit to use these moves alone and try to win with these moves only. When you can do that, you are ready for the more advanced stuff.
Instead of describing the MU's them selves, I'm going to break down the moves instead and explain why you should or shouldn't use the move and how it should be applied. I will also mention certain MU's and later on have a list of Moves to use in the MU's themselves.
But for now, lets start with the basics.
Starting with the list above. Let's Break these moves down...
A/AA
i14, HH
A - JG =-15 Grd =-8 Hit=+2
AA - JG = -13 Grd = -5 Hit = +6
A is a fairly good tool to use, if you do not use it to often. If you become predictable with this move then your opponent has options to punnish you. If someone JG's your single A then they have 15 Frames to punnish you. AA has better frames but if the first hit is JG'd then the second hit can be ducked and punished for huge damage. If they are not JG'ing this move then abuse the anti step properties of this move. TC will of course beat this move,
Postive thing to note on AA is the +6 on hit. This allows you to set up much slower moves as follow up or allows you to read the opponents reaction. If they like to Backstep for example; as long as your in range: A+B or 66BA are a great follow up.
This move is more player specific than character based. Pyra, Omega, Astaroth, Cerventes and Apat are the harder ones to deal with. If A cerventes can JG then FC-iGDR then you have a real issue there.
B/BB
i15, MM
B - JG = -15 Grd = -8 Hit = -2
BB - JG = -13 Grd = -6 Hit = +4
Similar to it's Cousin A/AA, If you notice there arnt to many differences frame wise with these moves. You will use this move a lot more than A/AA because of its decent damage and frame advantage on hit. B is a solid Pokeing tool. -2 is a very good position for Z.W.E.I since it makes his A-GI easier to use if they decide to push some buttons (more on thjs later). The only advice I can give is to dont be to predictable with this attack but Spam it when you can. BB on hit gives you +4, meaning that the next BB will be i11 if you adjust for your opponents negative. Most characters are going to have to act defensivly since stepping becomes very difficult at -4. Think Objectivly when you land this attack. Whatch what the oppoennt will do after it lands and create a game plan from there.
BB on JG is punnishable by: Cerventes CE/aB, APat Twister/CE , Natsu AA, Lexia, AA, and anyones K. Cerventes and ApAt are the two you need to worry about here.
K
i13, H
JG = -15 Grd-7 Hit = +2
So your asking yourself; "why is K on this list?"
Simple, it is his fastest and furthest reaching punnisher he has. Take the damage you can get when you can. Z.W.E.I is about dealing huge damage in one big string, so playing cautious and punishing every little thing you can is very effective with him.
Moves to punish with this move: Cerventes 3B (will add more later)
2K
i15, L 16 damage
JG = -15 Grd = -14 Hit = -2
This is his best low. You should use this move a lot. Poke with it, hit them on the ground with it. Just plain Annoy the hell out of someone with this move. Now there are somethings you have to understand about this move. On Block certaing Charecters get a lot of damage. This move can also whiff on steppers if you dont realign before you use it or if they step as you do the attack. Oddly Cerventes is not as huge of a threat on this move as many others.
Be award of who can punnish you: Pyra, Omega, Apat, Astaroth, Maxi CE, Pat 236 BE, everyone else gets something but its usually 2A or a WR something which will be Normale Hit.
3K
i14,M
JG =-15 Block =-7 Hit = +3
This move has very short range. If you can work it into your game then it will serve you well. Its very hard to punnish on JG as well. Overall a good move. If someone JG's it and they know to punnish right away then thats the only time you will have a problem.
4A
i18, H Tech Crouch
JG = -24 Grd = -16 Hit = +1
This move looks horrible on paper but in all honesty its a very good attack to use. The TC takes some time to get used to but when you can call a High and hit someone with this, it can shift the momentum in your favor very quickly. its good for catching step and ducking Highs. There is a variation With Zwei that requires 15 frames to complete summoning animation, Ill go into more detail on this in the Ein Section. On JG and whiff, be prepaired to eat some damage.
Characters to avoid using this on: Pyrra, Omega, Maxi, Cerventes if hes close or has a CE stocked.
3A/3AA
i23, M/ MH
3A JG = -23 Grd = -17 Hit = +2
3AA JG = -17 Grd = -4 Hit = +6 Turns opponent to Back Turned, CH on 2nd hit = Colapse Stun
This movie has a few uses. It's a decent step catcher, It's a Great Whiff Punnisher with its BE cousin, Good for using in Frametraps if you suspect movement or buttons being pressed, Good for Stun Combos, Can be used as a Tech Punnish with certain moves.
On paper this move looks terrible but because it has 2 Parts, you can sometimes trick your opponent into not punnishing it or running head long into the second hit. Make sure to mixup between the two, If they call it right you can either get Stabbed/iGDR'd or Ducked and Punnished that way.
Characters that can punnish this move easily are: Cerventes, Pyrra, Omega, Apat, Maxi, Xiba.
B+K
i24, M Uses Ein, Tech Crouch at the end of summoning animation.
JG = -18 Grd = -9 Hit = STN
This is one of your better whiff punnishers. If you are able to step Backwards and step out of an attack, This move is a great follow up for an attempt at a whiff punnish. Fairly safe unless someone JG's it. Ill let you use you imagination on a -18. When you use this move Ein takes about 2 seconds to recharge. There are more uses for this move but I will cover that later. If you hit an opponent who is in the air, they will be launched upwards and a 4A+B/CE can be used to hit them for more damage.
4B
i17, M
JG = -19 Grd =-14 hit = STN
So I hope you can see the draw back to this move right off the bat. It's -14 on guard which can be a real issue vs the Greeks.The Good news is that you can play mind games with this move much like you do with 3A/3AA. 4B/4B BE can help to make this move a little safer and possible getting a stun etc. One more thing to note, this move is also the same speed as a throw; i17. Try using a few throws and when you think they will duck, use 4B when you would have used a throw and you will hit if they duck. Another interesting thing is that when Z.W.E.I is on 2p side, with his back to the camera, this move becomes very difficult to see.
Be aware of the greeks beina able to punnish this. Cerventes can CE as well but the BE will catch him if he is in range. Pyras 236 K is a real nuisance to this move as well.
66A+B
i28, MM, Uses Ein, Ein is delayable if you hold A+B for up to 3-4 seconds I think. Ein Realigns if held for almost max hold.
JG = -4 Grd = +5 Hit =LNC
This is debatably Z.W.E.I's best move. This move has so much awesomeness attached to it that I will have to expand on it in full later on. For now understand the basic mechanics of this move: The first hit is terribly Punnishable on block and on whiff. The First Hit on Block Will cause your opponents Burst Metser to blink red in 6 hits. On Hit Ein Will Launch the opponent while you have enough to time to wind up a fully charged 4)A+B) or for a ton of damage or 214B/1(B)/ 8A+B for something different.
Drawback for now: Ein Can Be GI'd fairly easily. There are ways around this though which I will cover later.
2A/2B
2A i14 , Specia Low
2B i16, M, FC towards end of move.
2A JG = -9 Grd = -6 Hit= +8
2B JG = -17 Grd = -12 Hit -2
Failry self explanatory of why these are here. 2A is one of his better moves with fantastic frames white its couisin 2B has not great frames but can hit a crouching opponent. Also note the -2 on hit for 2B. 2A's +8 is standard among the characters. Overall both very good moves. 2B is unsafe bs APat's Twister attack.
FC A/FC B
FC A i12, Special Low, TC/FC
FC B i16, Mid , FC
FC A - JG = -11 Grd = -6 Hit = +8
FC B - JG = -15 Grd = -6 Hit = +2
Now this is where things get kind of weird frame wise with Z.W.E.I. While FC A is faster by 2 frames than 2A, notice that the JG on 2A is actually completely safe at -9 while FC A is unsafe to Cervys CE. Also notice on FC B that Z.W.E.I now gets +2 on hit and and is now -6 on Grd which completly safe unlike its counterpart vs APat's Tister. 2A and FC lose to Pyras 236K. Make sure to take advantage of that +2 on hit from 2B to confuse your opponents with 2B.
A+B
i19, M , The Very last frame has a TC for some reason, Counts as a shoulder bash.
JG = -24 Grd = -16 Hit =KND
This move can either win you a match, or lose you a match depending on how you use it. First thing to notice is that its i19. This move has a nice step and can close distance quickly. The idea of this move is to catch Someone stepping to the right or to the back, Whiff Punnish a 2A after back stepping much like B+K, Combos, If you get the right angle you can start a wall combo, And to intercept attacks while you have a good amount frame advatge.
The seond thing to notice is that on Grd you are at -16. Vs Cerventes CE, Prra and Omega You need to becareful with your A+B placement.
Vs Xiba, Astaroth, Z.W.E.I Spam this move all day, they cant punnish it on block.
One more thing to note, This move has a good deal of push back and if you hit with the tip of the pommel then your opponent will be pushed completly out of range to punnich except for Omega, and Cerventes. Note: Cerventes CE can potentially whiff due to odd TC property.
6A+B
i7, N/A, Auto Guard Impact
Damage Dealt on Succesfull GI = 20x2, damage can vary if the oppoent is in the air or if Oppoenent is in Yellow life.
Active window is i7 - i17 (All) / Uses Ein
Ever wonder; "How the hell do I use this move?"
Ok this move gets a little complicated to use, Don't worry thoug, I got your back and Im going to explain this step by step.
Earler I mentioned that -2 was a great thng for Z.W.E.I., Here is an example of why:
You and your opponent are down to a few pixels of life and your playing footisies for the win. You use 2B and it hits, but your opponent knows you like to step after 2B and also knows your at -2. Tey decide to push 2A on reaction, you use 6A+B and land a counter for the win or for the better position.
You use 2B and it hits = -2 frame disadvantage
Opponents FC A now = i10
6A+B Activates on 7-17
since its i10 you will get the AGI. Try doing some math with other moves he has and you will see all sorts of uses for this move.
(B)
i15, MM, NCC
JG = -9 Grd = +2 Hit = +12
On paper this move looks great. But this move has one major flaw in it. If the First hit is JG'd, a Step will force Ein to whiff opening you up for a Launcher Punnish. Other than that, this move is fantasitc. Its great in Combos and Frame Traps. +12 On against the wall is very very nice.
Combos:
22K > (B)
3ABE > (B)
Ok, thats it for now. This is the basic stuff that you need to know to be able to use Z.W.E.I. If I missed anything feel free to put a message below and Ill add it in if its valid. I will put up another section next week describing more of his move Mechanics and some more stuff about E.I.N.
The first thing to keep in mind when playing Z.W.E.I is that the Moves you will use will change based on the character you are facing. Certain moves become punishable while others become bait depending on the Match up. One thing you have to understand when playing Z.W.E.I.; you cannot play like a robot, you need to be able to think objectivly and be able to read your opponent to get the Damage you need.
These are the moves you will generally use in just about every MU,
Throw
A/AA
B/BB
K
2K
3K - hits if you are close only
4A - no Ein
3A/3AA
B+K
4B - Unsafe but needed
66A+B
2A/FC A
2B/FC B
A+B - Unsafe in certain MU's but needed
6A+B
(B)
Everyone one of these moves is very good in every MU. There are things to be aware of in certain MU's but I will address those when we get to them. For now Make it a habbit to use these moves alone and try to win with these moves only. When you can do that, you are ready for the more advanced stuff.
Instead of describing the MU's them selves, I'm going to break down the moves instead and explain why you should or shouldn't use the move and how it should be applied. I will also mention certain MU's and later on have a list of Moves to use in the MU's themselves.
But for now, lets start with the basics.
Starting with the list above. Let's Break these moves down...
A/AA
i14, HH
A - JG =-15 Grd =-8 Hit=+2
AA - JG = -13 Grd = -5 Hit = +6
A is a fairly good tool to use, if you do not use it to often. If you become predictable with this move then your opponent has options to punnish you. If someone JG's your single A then they have 15 Frames to punnish you. AA has better frames but if the first hit is JG'd then the second hit can be ducked and punished for huge damage. If they are not JG'ing this move then abuse the anti step properties of this move. TC will of course beat this move,
Postive thing to note on AA is the +6 on hit. This allows you to set up much slower moves as follow up or allows you to read the opponents reaction. If they like to Backstep for example; as long as your in range: A+B or 66BA are a great follow up.
This move is more player specific than character based. Pyra, Omega, Astaroth, Cerventes and Apat are the harder ones to deal with. If A cerventes can JG then FC-iGDR then you have a real issue there.
B/BB
i15, MM
B - JG = -15 Grd = -8 Hit = -2
BB - JG = -13 Grd = -6 Hit = +4
Similar to it's Cousin A/AA, If you notice there arnt to many differences frame wise with these moves. You will use this move a lot more than A/AA because of its decent damage and frame advantage on hit. B is a solid Pokeing tool. -2 is a very good position for Z.W.E.I since it makes his A-GI easier to use if they decide to push some buttons (more on thjs later). The only advice I can give is to dont be to predictable with this attack but Spam it when you can. BB on hit gives you +4, meaning that the next BB will be i11 if you adjust for your opponents negative. Most characters are going to have to act defensivly since stepping becomes very difficult at -4. Think Objectivly when you land this attack. Whatch what the oppoennt will do after it lands and create a game plan from there.
BB on JG is punnishable by: Cerventes CE/aB, APat Twister/CE , Natsu AA, Lexia, AA, and anyones K. Cerventes and ApAt are the two you need to worry about here.
K
i13, H
JG = -15 Grd-7 Hit = +2
So your asking yourself; "why is K on this list?"
Simple, it is his fastest and furthest reaching punnisher he has. Take the damage you can get when you can. Z.W.E.I is about dealing huge damage in one big string, so playing cautious and punishing every little thing you can is very effective with him.
Moves to punish with this move: Cerventes 3B (will add more later)
2K
i15, L 16 damage
JG = -15 Grd = -14 Hit = -2
This is his best low. You should use this move a lot. Poke with it, hit them on the ground with it. Just plain Annoy the hell out of someone with this move. Now there are somethings you have to understand about this move. On Block certaing Charecters get a lot of damage. This move can also whiff on steppers if you dont realign before you use it or if they step as you do the attack. Oddly Cerventes is not as huge of a threat on this move as many others.
Be award of who can punnish you: Pyra, Omega, Apat, Astaroth, Maxi CE, Pat 236 BE, everyone else gets something but its usually 2A or a WR something which will be Normale Hit.
3K
i14,M
JG =-15 Block =-7 Hit = +3
This move has very short range. If you can work it into your game then it will serve you well. Its very hard to punnish on JG as well. Overall a good move. If someone JG's it and they know to punnish right away then thats the only time you will have a problem.
4A
i18, H Tech Crouch
JG = -24 Grd = -16 Hit = +1
This move looks horrible on paper but in all honesty its a very good attack to use. The TC takes some time to get used to but when you can call a High and hit someone with this, it can shift the momentum in your favor very quickly. its good for catching step and ducking Highs. There is a variation With Zwei that requires 15 frames to complete summoning animation, Ill go into more detail on this in the Ein Section. On JG and whiff, be prepaired to eat some damage.
Characters to avoid using this on: Pyrra, Omega, Maxi, Cerventes if hes close or has a CE stocked.
3A/3AA
i23, M/ MH
3A JG = -23 Grd = -17 Hit = +2
3AA JG = -17 Grd = -4 Hit = +6 Turns opponent to Back Turned, CH on 2nd hit = Colapse Stun
This movie has a few uses. It's a decent step catcher, It's a Great Whiff Punnisher with its BE cousin, Good for using in Frametraps if you suspect movement or buttons being pressed, Good for Stun Combos, Can be used as a Tech Punnish with certain moves.
On paper this move looks terrible but because it has 2 Parts, you can sometimes trick your opponent into not punnishing it or running head long into the second hit. Make sure to mixup between the two, If they call it right you can either get Stabbed/iGDR'd or Ducked and Punnished that way.
Characters that can punnish this move easily are: Cerventes, Pyrra, Omega, Apat, Maxi, Xiba.
B+K
i24, M Uses Ein, Tech Crouch at the end of summoning animation.
JG = -18 Grd = -9 Hit = STN
This is one of your better whiff punnishers. If you are able to step Backwards and step out of an attack, This move is a great follow up for an attempt at a whiff punnish. Fairly safe unless someone JG's it. Ill let you use you imagination on a -18. When you use this move Ein takes about 2 seconds to recharge. There are more uses for this move but I will cover that later. If you hit an opponent who is in the air, they will be launched upwards and a 4A+B/CE can be used to hit them for more damage.
4B
i17, M
JG = -19 Grd =-14 hit = STN
So I hope you can see the draw back to this move right off the bat. It's -14 on guard which can be a real issue vs the Greeks.The Good news is that you can play mind games with this move much like you do with 3A/3AA. 4B/4B BE can help to make this move a little safer and possible getting a stun etc. One more thing to note, this move is also the same speed as a throw; i17. Try using a few throws and when you think they will duck, use 4B when you would have used a throw and you will hit if they duck. Another interesting thing is that when Z.W.E.I is on 2p side, with his back to the camera, this move becomes very difficult to see.
Be aware of the greeks beina able to punnish this. Cerventes can CE as well but the BE will catch him if he is in range. Pyras 236 K is a real nuisance to this move as well.
66A+B
i28, MM, Uses Ein, Ein is delayable if you hold A+B for up to 3-4 seconds I think. Ein Realigns if held for almost max hold.
JG = -4 Grd = +5 Hit =LNC
This is debatably Z.W.E.I's best move. This move has so much awesomeness attached to it that I will have to expand on it in full later on. For now understand the basic mechanics of this move: The first hit is terribly Punnishable on block and on whiff. The First Hit on Block Will cause your opponents Burst Metser to blink red in 6 hits. On Hit Ein Will Launch the opponent while you have enough to time to wind up a fully charged 4)A+B) or for a ton of damage or 214B/1(B)/ 8A+B for something different.
Drawback for now: Ein Can Be GI'd fairly easily. There are ways around this though which I will cover later.
2A/2B
2A i14 , Specia Low
2B i16, M, FC towards end of move.
2A JG = -9 Grd = -6 Hit= +8
2B JG = -17 Grd = -12 Hit -2
Failry self explanatory of why these are here. 2A is one of his better moves with fantastic frames white its couisin 2B has not great frames but can hit a crouching opponent. Also note the -2 on hit for 2B. 2A's +8 is standard among the characters. Overall both very good moves. 2B is unsafe bs APat's Twister attack.
FC A/FC B
FC A i12, Special Low, TC/FC
FC B i16, Mid , FC
FC A - JG = -11 Grd = -6 Hit = +8
FC B - JG = -15 Grd = -6 Hit = +2
Now this is where things get kind of weird frame wise with Z.W.E.I. While FC A is faster by 2 frames than 2A, notice that the JG on 2A is actually completely safe at -9 while FC A is unsafe to Cervys CE. Also notice on FC B that Z.W.E.I now gets +2 on hit and and is now -6 on Grd which completly safe unlike its counterpart vs APat's Tister. 2A and FC lose to Pyras 236K. Make sure to take advantage of that +2 on hit from 2B to confuse your opponents with 2B.
A+B
i19, M , The Very last frame has a TC for some reason, Counts as a shoulder bash.
JG = -24 Grd = -16 Hit =KND
This move can either win you a match, or lose you a match depending on how you use it. First thing to notice is that its i19. This move has a nice step and can close distance quickly. The idea of this move is to catch Someone stepping to the right or to the back, Whiff Punnish a 2A after back stepping much like B+K, Combos, If you get the right angle you can start a wall combo, And to intercept attacks while you have a good amount frame advatge.
The seond thing to notice is that on Grd you are at -16. Vs Cerventes CE, Prra and Omega You need to becareful with your A+B placement.
Vs Xiba, Astaroth, Z.W.E.I Spam this move all day, they cant punnish it on block.
One more thing to note, This move has a good deal of push back and if you hit with the tip of the pommel then your opponent will be pushed completly out of range to punnich except for Omega, and Cerventes. Note: Cerventes CE can potentially whiff due to odd TC property.
6A+B
i7, N/A, Auto Guard Impact
Damage Dealt on Succesfull GI = 20x2, damage can vary if the oppoent is in the air or if Oppoenent is in Yellow life.
Active window is i7 - i17 (All) / Uses Ein
Ever wonder; "How the hell do I use this move?"
Ok this move gets a little complicated to use, Don't worry thoug, I got your back and Im going to explain this step by step.
Earler I mentioned that -2 was a great thng for Z.W.E.I., Here is an example of why:
You and your opponent are down to a few pixels of life and your playing footisies for the win. You use 2B and it hits, but your opponent knows you like to step after 2B and also knows your at -2. Tey decide to push 2A on reaction, you use 6A+B and land a counter for the win or for the better position.
You use 2B and it hits = -2 frame disadvantage
Opponents FC A now = i10
6A+B Activates on 7-17
since its i10 you will get the AGI. Try doing some math with other moves he has and you will see all sorts of uses for this move.
(B)
i15, MM, NCC
JG = -9 Grd = +2 Hit = +12
On paper this move looks great. But this move has one major flaw in it. If the First hit is JG'd, a Step will force Ein to whiff opening you up for a Launcher Punnish. Other than that, this move is fantasitc. Its great in Combos and Frame Traps. +12 On against the wall is very very nice.
Combos:
22K > (B)
3ABE > (B)
Ok, thats it for now. This is the basic stuff that you need to know to be able to use Z.W.E.I. If I missed anything feel free to put a message below and Ill add it in if its valid. I will put up another section next week describing more of his move Mechanics and some more stuff about E.I.N.
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