Arcana Heart 3/Saki Tsuzura

Saki Tsuzura

Health Modifier	0%
Guts Threshold	~50%
Maximum Guts	~25%
Guts Factor	~5%
Base EHP	~25263

Saki's Move List

Introduction

Next time, we make a neutral charge. Saki, like Heart is one of the easier characters to play with great mileage. She has a great set of normals and many tools for pressure, defense and mixups. She's a very solid character.

Starting Out

1 - Homing Approach
Does Saki's JA remind you of Heart's? Well good, remember that it is just as good. Note that it does not cancel it itself though. It is great when homing towards your opponent since it will hit above and below Saki. Another good tool is J2B. If you homing over your opponents head, the timing of the move makes it good for baiting anti airs and punishing right after.

2 - Neutral Spacing
J2C has a good hitbox and almost no recovery. You could use to be be more forceful in off a single jump jump or 7/8D. You don't want to be too predictable in your approach though, carelessness could lead into eating damage. 2A has a great hitbox and fast start up so you could use it off a step for more aggressive spacing. You should also get into the habit of using 5B on hit or block right after it. This is important because 5B is jump cancellable on block. This means that you can IAD into an overhead or Just cancel into 2C for the low. If they block the low you could cancel into Orna for an overhead after that. Another good tool is Brionac. The A version covers a decent amount of space and is slightly plus on block. You could use it to be more aggressive when spacing near your opponent. The C version has great reach and a great hitbox. You should time it with openings in your opponents neutral game to almost any response to Brionac. The C version has a lot of recovery and is minus on block though, so your usage needs to be systematic.

3 - Hit Confirms
For air-to-air JA hits, you can simply tie the hit up with JB and J4B. If you land a J2B, try to be able to confirm straight into Gorm Glas, or with as few 2As as possible. If you can you can follow up without having to use homing cancels or EF.

4 - Defense
Claimh Solais is not only great for anti air, but for reversals as well. You can use the A version to beat out a lot of jumps ins and cross ups as well. Oh hit you can link right into Liath Fail for more damage. People who know how Saki works will be trying hard to bait this. In those cases you can respond with 5A and 6C for the anti air and or combo confirm. If this gets blocked, use a HC to stay safe. If you don't have time to charge Claimh Solais, you can reversal with Liath Fail instead. Her 2A is also good so you do have the options of poking out with that as well. You also have a command roll. Its not recommended for general use, but it can help you escape the corner or a throw and punish with a corner combo in some situations. Just remember that you're going to be very unhappy if they guess right.

Arcana Selection

Saki has a wide range of Arcana to choose from. She doesn't really need EF for combos, so she can burn it on other things such as pressure, chip damage and burst. Many good choices give her extra damage off random confirms or help her with spacing/zoning as she has no innate projectiles.

Love
Love gives Saki a good good set of long range options to play with. You could use love balls to help give Saki some cover to force a close range with a greater degree of stability. You can also increase the damage of you combos by adding super love laser after a JE when facing away from the corner. This arcana is recommended to all Saki players from experts to beginners.　Halo is similar to Love in this sense. Which one you choose is based on preference.

Thunder
Saki's own arcana is great for her. Thunder allows Saki to play at he best range with ease through the use of step and charge moves. You could also make use of Thunder's EF attributes to punish jump ins and respond with a flash kick. You can also use Thunder's lightning bolts to improve Saki's okizeme game after a knock down. The only problem is that Thunder doesn't help with her midscreen game. You'll still have to work a little bit to get in.

Time
Time gives more focus on mixups for Saki. She can use infinite light and Fragarach in the air to start up mixups with Causality and Freedom from Bondage. Gorm Glas also combos well with 6D. The speed boost from EF also makes Saki's strong rushdown even harder to block. Note that you'll still have some issues getting in, and Time's FG recovery time leaves room for only a few mistakes. When dealing with character that are most effective from mid to far range, its better to avoid Time.

Fire
Saki's OG arcana of choice. Fire can help turn a lot of Saki's hit confirms into big damage with EF. Besides that, you also get nice damage off fireballs into homing cancels and Kakou Ha combo enders. Air fireballs also provide good cover for your spacing game since they cannot be reflected. Fire's EF traits are good since saki's rush down is so already fierce. You can easily stack up a ton of chip damage with this, along with charge E unblockables.

Flower
The elimination of counter hits for Saki is a blessed thing for her. You can also burn your FG on burst for the most part. Multilayered Crimson Nirvana is also a good tool for pressure on knockdown and guard breaks. You can also use flower for hidden lameness. With your back against the wall, you could lay a couple of plants and lay in wake of your opponent in EF. If they don't come, just stay there and increase your AG. If they come, bail out with La'a into an EFC or just high jump as a low risk option. If you know they are gunning right at you, counter with a Claimh Solais and then combo into JE to blow them away from you. This of course, depends on you having a life lead until you have three bars. When down on life, use the meter you have on Multilayered Crimson Nirvana to increase damage off combos. When you're good on life, use Dream Flower or plant more regular flowers and continue to maintain your fortress.

Strategy

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Combos

Target Combos

• 2AAA / j.2B / 2B > [6]4C > 5C > [8]2C > j.66 AC > j9.A4B > dj9.{BC / A4B} > j.623A

Saki's best meterless confirm. Does about 8.5k off 2A's and over 11k off 2B. Does not work on Fiona.

• 2A > 2B > 2C > [6]4X > 6C >[jc]> JA > JB > J4B >[jc]> JB > JC > 623X

7776 dmg.

No meter combo. This won't work if you use more that one 2A or if something else happened to hit them before Gorm Glas (remember the 3 hit rule). If you have more than 3 hits, you'll need to use a homing cancel instead (e.g. 3HC > land > 6C). You can add Liath Fail at the end for additional damage.

• 2A > 2B > 2C > [4]6B > 5A > 6C >[jc]> JB > J4B >[jc]> JB > JC > 623X

6878 dmg.

Another meterless combo. This combo can be used when you don't think that you've charged forward enough for the above combo. 「J4B >[jc]> JB」 needs a bit of delaying to make the rest of the combo stable, but its easy to do.

• 2A > 2A > 2A > [6]4C > 5C > [8]2C > airdash > jA > jC > land > jA > j4B > [jc] > jB > jC > j623A

8566 dmg.

Best meterless combo from 2A. Start charging [8] during Gorm Glas.

Does not work on Fiona: the first jC whiffs. Against her, you have to use 6C after Gorm Glas and lose a lot of damage.

• 2A > 2B > 2C >[6HC]> 5A > 6B > 6C >[jc]> JA > JB > J4B >[jc]> JB > JC > 623X

6660 dmg.

1 bar combo. Low damage but easy combo. You can use an EFC in place of the HC.

• [2]8X > 214AB >[NHC]> JA > J4B >[jc]> JB > JC > 623X

Claimh Solais starter and 2 bar combo. NHC before the last hit of Liath Fail. You could just end it at Liath Fail to save some meter also.

• [4]6X > 236AB

BC super without the BC. Used a lot now since you regain meter automatically and quickly now.

• J2B >[land]> [6]4X > 5C > [8]2X >[J66]> JA > JC >[land]> JA > J4B >[jc]> JB > JC > 623A

9521 dmg.

No meter, J2B starter combo. Great damage.

• J2B >[land]> 2A > [6]4X > 6C >[jc]> JA > JB > J4B >[jc]> JB > JC > 623X

8511 dmg.

Easier to hit-confirm than the previous combo, but also much less damaging.

• 6C anti-air > [jc] > delay j2C > land > delay [6]4C > 6C > [jc] > jA > j4B > [jc] > jB > jC > j623A (> j214A+B)

9126 dmg.

10411 dmg with Liath Fail.

Best used after guard-breaking an airborne opponent with 5A (blocked) > 6C. If they're hit too high in the air, or if you don't delay [6]4C enough, then they'll be too high for the second 6C to connect.

• 2A > 2B > 2C >[6HC/EFC]> 5A > 5B > 5C > [8]2C > JB > JC >[land]>[jump]> JA > J4B >[jc]> JB > JC > 623X

A combo using Orna. Looks really cool.

• 2A > 2B > 2C > [6HC/EFC] > 6B > 6C > j2C > land > 5B > 6B > 6C > jA > jB > j4B > [jc] > jB > jC > j623A

8122/8003 dmg.

Damage combo.

Against Dorothy, the 6HC version will not work unless you are right beside her. Both versions need to change 5B 6B 6C to 5A 6C against her.

The j623A will whiff if you EFC'd and you fail to input the air attacks fast enough, causing EF mode to end.

• 2A > 2B > 2C > EFC > (dash >) 5B > 5C > [sjc] > instant-air j2C > jB > land > 6B > 6C > [jc] > jA > jB > j4B > [jc] > jB > jC > j623A

7899 dmg.

EFC damage combo. Relatively easy: you don't need to delay any of the attacks.

The dash after the EFC is optional: it will allow you to enter this combo from a far-range 2C.

Change 6B 6C to 5A 6C against Fiona, or if you started with j.2B or 2A 2A 2A.

In the corner, you need to dash 5A 6C and shorten the air combo, especially against small characters. For example:

• ... j2C > jB > land > dash > 5A > 6C > [jc] > jA > j4B > [jc] > jB > jC > j623A

• 2A > 5B > 5C > EFC > dash > 6B > 5C > [sjc] > instant-air j2C > jB > land > dash > 6B > 5C > 2C > delay [4]6C (OTG) or delay [6]4C > j214C

7630 dmg.

8816 dmg with Liath Fail ender.

Ground EFC damage combo that always carries the opponent to the corner.

This combo is particularly useful for Arcanas like Love and Flower where you can cancel [4]6C into an Arcana super (or Love 236E) for oki on the ground.

If you don't cancel [4]6C, then the more you delay it, the less frame advantage you'll have before they wake up.

Arcana Combos

Plant Arcana

• 2A > 5B > 5C > 236E > 5B > 6B > 6C > [jc] > jA > jB > j4B > [jc] > jB > jC > j623A

7745 dmg.

Easy, meterless target combo with Vine.

Against Fiona, omit the 5B after Vine.

• 236E > [6]4A > 6C > [jc] > jA > j4B > [jc] > jB > jC > j623X (> j214A+B)

9323 dmg.

10988 dmg with Liath Fail.

Easy, good-damage combo after Vine.

• 236E > 6B > 6C > [jc] > j2C > land > 5B > 6B > 6C > jA > jB > j4B > [jc] > jB > jC > j623A

10290 dmg.

Harder combo after Vine. If Vine hits the opponent at max range, then you need to 6HC/EFC it.

• 2A > 5B > 5C > EFC > dash > 6B > 5C > [sjc] > instant-air j2C > jB > land > dash > 6B > 5C > 2C > delay [2]8B (OTG) j214214E

7398 dmg.

Ground EFC combo that can lead to a high+low unblockable with a plant seed in the corner.

If you start this combo near your own corner, end it with [4]6C (OTG) j214214E instead.

Delay the [2]8B until you see them bounce off the ground.

If you replace [2]8B with 5C [sjc], you are pushed farther back and you will get 2 seeds on the ground instead of 1.

Move List

Normal Moves

2A A crouching kick. This 2A doesn't have much reach but it cancels into itself. The hit box for it is also rather narrow, making it impossible to pick up falling opponents with the the tip of the move. This is still a good move for poking out and starting combos though.

5A A level straight punch right out in front, one of Saki's only moves using her hands. This cancels into itself. This works quite well as an anti air, making it great for stuffing careless jump ins. You can also try to clash the opponent with it, giving you more options. This doesn't hit a lot of characters crouching animation, but in exchange, you can do things like whiff this over their heads, and then throw them. This is pretty good for a 5A.

2B This crouching kick has a good bit of range on it, but you cannot cancel it into itself. Her 2A to 2C will never connected valid, so you'll need this move to go in between. At point black, anyone can punish her 2C, so make sure you stop at 2B for hit confirms.

5B A low kick. You can use it to hit opponent that are just about to land, but this move too, has a narrow hitbox. This move actually hits low. If you try to use this in combos like in AH2, there is a high chance that your combo with stop right here, so be careful.

6B Saki's old 5B, a side kick. This is great for combos and spacing. But you still need to spend time to learn how to use the move well. Also, you end up letting go of your charge if you use it because you need to use the 6 direction. So it isn't always good to let this move you.

2C A slide with pretty good reach. Be careful not to use this too close to the opponent, or else you'll definitely eat a counter attack. You could make the opponent guard the tip of this move, that you give you enough frames for something else (staggers, reversal, etc). You mostly use this move for your HC and EF combos.

5C Saki turns her body towards the opponent for a strong side kick. This move cannot be jump, but high jump canceled. This move looks pretty high but it will hit everyone except Konoha's crouching animation, this makes it easy to use for your super cancels to extend your combo. This is also used often to chain into 2C for your EF combos.

6C Saki high kicks a bit over her head. This is air unblockable and you can jump cancel it, making it a lot like Saki's old 5C in terms of use. Great for intercepting jump ins.

2E Saki kicks almost straight up with this move. You could say this for pretty much every character's 2E but if you time it right, it becomes a decent anti air, as this move is air unblockable.

5E Saki kicks the opponent with her shin. You'd think her 5E would have more reach than her 5C... but... whatever. Saki moves forward a decent bit so its not as short range as it looks.

JA This looks familiar, another Ryu diagonal J.MP... Saki throws her arm up as she turns her body to attack the opponent. This attack is almost the same as Heart's Jump A in structure and function. She also has a hitbox in her knee and raised arm. Taking the hitbox and the relatively quick start up of this move into account, this is very useful as an air to air move. You be using this for a lot of air to air confirms and rejumps.

JB Saki kicks diagonally downward at the opponent. This is mostly use for jump ins, because as you can guess from looking at it, it loses a lot in air to air situations. When throwing this move out in the air, it's not a bad idea to buffer J4B to make hit confirming easier.

J2B Saki stop her momentum in midair and dives straight down for an overhead dive kick. Since it stop her momentum completely, you can catch your opponent by surprise a lot. If you are really high up in the air, Saki will gradually accelerate more towards the ground, moving this move useful move movement as well.

J4B Where have we seen this before...? A mid air punch that is level with her shoulder... another rare punch move from Saki. this is mostly used to add more damage to your combos. This also doesn't hit most characters crouch hitbox, so you can do some ground throw gimmicks by whiffing it in the air. It's also relatively strong if you throw it out early in terms of being an air to air move. During EF, you can hit the opponent with this after a JB valid, then pick the combo up with a JC before they touch the ground.

JC Saki kicks straight forward good for air to air poke when put out early and used a lot in air combos. This has clash on its start up too, so you can use it rather forcefully on the opponent.

J2C Saki stop her momentum in midair and dives at a 40 degree angle at the opponent. Functions well as a jump in; best used when hit hit the opponent with it as close to the floor as possible. The opponent can't tech for quite a while if you with them with this in mid air, so depending on how high you are you could pick the combo back up for a mid air J2C.

JE Almost exactly like JC. On hit, it will wallslam the opponent. This will also reflect projectiles, even after the duration of the move is over.

Special Moves

Brionac 「ブリューナク」 - [4]6ABC (Description) - A rush kick in the direction that Saki is facing, think of it as Joe Higashi's Slash Kick. All versions hit only once. Depending on what button that you use, you'll charge farther forward. (A version) - Least forward movement; Even on block (B version) - Moderate forward movement (C version) - Most forward movement; Blows the opponent way horizontally; Air unblockable

Claimh Solais 「クラウ・ソラス」 - [2]8ABC (Description) - A flash kick. Saki does a somersault into the air and kicks the opponent. This is a good move for reversal'ing out of blockstrings, so make sure you always remember that you have the option of letting this move out while you are crouch guarding. Also, don't forget how to follow it up for hit confirms or when it gets blocked. (A version) - Has no clash, so it usually completely beat jump ins. You could follow it for for a combo with a HC, but this is usually unnecessarily difficult. (B version) - The B version has invincibility, but also clash attached to it. (C version) - Two hits. The best course of action upon having this blocked, is to immediately HC it. If it whiffs, you're completely up until you land after all.

Orna 「オルナ」 - [8]2ABC (Description) - Of all things an "up" charge... This move is pretty much a special version of J2B. Saki jumps up and forward a little bit and does a dive kick. This is an overhead and rather quick too. Saki just further out depending on what button you use. You have air movement afterward regardless of if it was a clean hit or blocked. Because of AH3's relaxed command interpreter, this is easy to put in combos.

Gorm Glas 「ゴームグラス」 - [6]4ABC (Description) - Another interesting input, a "forward" charge. After the first hit, Saki showers the opponents with kicks, the floats them with a rising flip. Your follow up changes depending on how many hits you used before using this move. If you only used a few, about up to 3, then you can simply follow up with a 6C. If you have more than that then you'll have to use meter and follow up with a 2D homing cancel. You can use this move after a Neutral Throw for a follow up as well.

Fragarach 「フラガラッハ」 - J623ABC (Description) - A reverse somersault in the air, ground slams the opponent. The different versions change the start up and the (very) slight forward movement from this move. The C version has a tendency to not hit when you combo hit number is high. This can also function as an overhead from an IAD as well.

La'a 「ルァハ」 - 214ABC (Description) - An elegantly preformed judo forward ukemi. Your collision hitbox disappears for a moment, so you can actually slip through the opponent if you use it well. However your hitbox persists and can be nit with normal attacks so be careful. Still useful for left/right mixups when you can do them safely.

Super Moves

Liath Fail 「リア・ファイル」 - 214A+B (Description) - Somersault justice. The last hit of the ground version high launches the opponent, you can follow that up with a HC. The last hit of the air version groundslams the opponent. The air version is usually just a combo finisher, but the ground version could be used for cutting into the opponent after a 6D guard cancel. A clash battle with this could go the wrong way though, so be careful

Ar Eadbair 「エル・イードヴァル」 - 236A+B (Description) - A five hit, super version of Brionac. The last hit will blow the opponent away horizontally. Fast start up (0+7), so you technically mash out with it, but there is no invincibility.

Critical Heart

Gulff・Dagda 「ガルフ・ダグザ」 - 632146A+B [+] 2A 2B 5B 5C 5E 2E 5D 5B 5C 8C 2C 5E (Description) - In short, a manual rondo. After the first hit, you use the follow up inputs to get the full effects of this XH. Strictly speaking, this does not actually lock the opponent, so even if you hit an airborne opponent with this you cannot get the rest of the XH. You can usually land this off a 5C. The normal version has one hit per input, but the EF version has extra hits during the air part, making the timing a bit different: 5B, 5C, and 8C have 2 hits each, while 2C has 4 hits. It's possible to get only one hit from 5B if you time it incorrectly after 5D. You can input the first 5 inputs, 2A 2B 5B 5C 5E, pretty fast. Find a consistent rythym: the time between each input is about the same. After 5E, there's a long pause before 2E and then a short pause before 5D. After you fly up to the opponent, in the normal version, the last 5 inputs are pretty fast and have a consistent rythym again. In the EF version, the timing of 5B 5C 8C 2C is about half as fast, but the rythym is still consistent, and then there's a long pause before the final 5E. The timing of the whole thing isn't too bad for the most part, but for people that just can't get it down, this move doesn't stop even after you input something extra. In other words you could just mash all the buttons and just remember where you need to change directional inputs. However, for the most part, the inputs during this move, and what they look like normally look pretty much the same, making it easier on you. You do need to be quick with the all the inputs for the most part though. Don't expect to go over 10,000 damage in AH3 with this move off a 2A starter, and it's not like you're in a good position after the move (since you can't use homing because you've put all your meter in to this move). Consider using this move a gamble. (Supplement: How to Gulff・Dagda - The Ignoble Version) Conditions: In EF or almost charged. 1. After the superflash and rush, leave the stick at [2] and mash every button but D. 2. After confirming that 2E hit (The vertical kick) press D. After this, keep the stick buffered at [8]. 3. If you followed the opponent, leave the stick up and mash BCE. 4. When you confirm that 8C hit, jam the stick down to 2 and resume mashing BCE. 5. If the E finisher hits, congratulations, you've just Gulff・Dagda'd

Palettes

4. Akiha (Tsukihime)
6. Homura (Madoka Magica)
8. Ky Kiske/Millia Rage
11. Chikane Himemiya (Kannazuki No Miko)