Splendid Claw - Skye's Vega Guide

[Skye]

Splendid Claw ~ Vega Guide by Amakou no Skye

Update: Because of the 2013 update to Street Fighter X Tekken I know that a lot of information in the current guide will be out of date or certain things may I changed. I plan to update the guide with new information, updated technology, update notes and any changes I feel need to be made.
To make it easier to know which parts of the guide are new I will add them below the original parts in bold text. Please do note however that a lot of information in this guide is still viable and useful to you, do not disregard it as old tech or useless information. I will take out any parts I do feel do not apply however.
I hope this guide will help you in your future 2013 endeavors to become the best!

Contents:
I – The Basics
II – Normals
III – Special Moves
IV - Combos
V – Tips, Tricks and Advanced Techniques
VI – Gem Load Outs
VII – Credits and End

Vega, known as Balrog in Japan first appeared as a boss character in Street Fighter II. Vega the narcissistic Spaniard assassin works for the evil organisation Shadaloo and is one of the Four Heavenly Kings. Vega has an obsession with beauty and will do anything in his power to cut down the ugliness in the world. Using his claw to slice and stab his way to victory Vega uses a fighting style which is a blend of Ninjutsu and bullfighting; this earned him the nickname "Spanish Ninja."

Change List

cr. LP - Frames increased by 1 (on hit +4, on block ±0)
• cr. MK - Block stun has been reduced by 3 frames (on block -2)
- 6 frames added to Boost combo (on hit -6, on block -13)
- Push back on block for boost combos reduced
• Vertical jumping HK - Opponent will go into a hard knockdown state if hit with this attack while in the air.
• Flying Barcelona Attack - The position of the hurtbox has been changed
- Pushback on block has been reduced
• Izuna Drop - Throw area has been reduced
• Sky High Claw (H) - The knockback timing on hit and on block has been changed
• Scarlet Terror (M) - Damage decreased from 100 to 80
• Scarlet Terror (H) - Damage increased from 100 to 120
- Mid-air combo count number increased
• EX Scarlet Terror - Damage increased from 150 to 160
- Mid-air combo count number increased
• Stardust Drop: damage increased from 150 to 190.
• Bloody High Claw: tweaked to make it easier to hit with.

Special move meter gain
• Rolling Crystal Flash (L): whiff 20->10, on hit 10+40(50)->20 x 2(40)
• Rolling Crystal Flash (M): whiff 15->10, on hit 10 x 3+40(70)->8 x 3+20(44)
• Rolling Crystal Flash (H): whiff 15->10, on hit 10 x 4+40(80)->8 x 4+15(47)
• Scarlet Terror (L): whiff 15->10, on hit 40->30
• Scarlet Terror (M and H): whiff 15->10, on hit 40+40(80)->20+10(30)
• Flying Barcelona Attack (Jump): whiff 10->5
• Flying Barcelona Attack (Attack): whiff 5->0, on hit 40->30
• Izuna Drop: whiff 5->10, on hit 40->50
• Sky High Claw: whiff 15->0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bT2snEacHbk

[Skye]

Chapter I: The Basics

Vega relies heavily on his footsie game and great range, with some of the best normals in the game he has the tools to keep his opponents at bay and frustrate them enough to make mistakes which can lead to damaging combos.
Vega is one of the few charge characters in the Street Fighter series and has never been known for combos in past Street Fighter games but with SFxT Vega is able to fully use the system to his advantage and finally a variety of combos are now at his disposal. Vega becomes quite weak when close to opponents and lacks the amount of options to get out of certain situations so it is better to keep your space.

Because of Vega’s Ninjutsu training he is able to perform very graceful acrobatic moves which give him great advantage when covering the air and with Vega’s new and improved Bloody High Claw you can easily punish any jumps-ins from the opponent.
Your main goal as a Vega player is to out-poke your opponent and open up their defences so that you may either get good damage out of a combo or go straight into a chained launcher.

You can do this in 3 styles which would be defensive, offensive or mind game based. These will be looked at in more detail later in the guide but just keep in mind there is no ‘right’ way to play Vega and it is good to experiment to find the right style for you.

Pros:
* Amazing footsie game.
* Great air coverage.
* Long and fast normals.
* Fast walking speed and ability to cover distance easily.
* Excellent zoning.
* Helpful evasive moves.
* New possibilities with combos
* Very easy hit confirms into tag launcher.
* Good kara throws

Cons:
- Lacks options when being attacked with relentless offense.
- No good anti-air other than a 2 bar Super Art (Bloody High Claw).
- Gains disadvantages when he loses his mask or claw.
- Below average health at 950.
- His pokes can sometimes be grabbed.
- Combos which include 1 frame links may be tricky for some players.
- Not a lot of answers to character with good defense.

[Skye]

Chapter II: Normals

This chapter will look at Vega’s many normals and unique attacks. This will cover frame data and also notes on each move.
Note that all aerial moves state recovery is ‘Recovery: Until touching ground’ there is also 4 frames of recovery when touching the ground added on to the recovery of your fall.

Note: .lp = light punch (Jab), .mp = medium punch (Strong), .hp = hard punch (Fierce), .lk = Light Kick (Short), .mk = Medium Kick (Forward), .hk = Hard Kick (Roundhouse), St. = Standing, Cl. = Close, Cr. = Crouching, J. = Jumping, Nj. = Neutral Jump (Not officially used).

Punches


Standing – St.lp
Damage: 30, Startup: 2, Active: 2, Recovery: 11, Adv. On Hit: +4, Adv. On Block: 0
Description: Vega will thrust his arm forward very swiftly.
St.lp is not an amazing poke with Vega and you shouldn’t be worried about using it too much. It is a nice poke to throw out on rare occasions but it is not that good compared to some of his other, more useful pokes.
The best use for St.lp is that is can be cancelled into anything. So if you were to use this poke at all it would probably be in mid combo, other than this it doesn’t have much use.
Close Standing – Cl.lp
Damage: 30, Startup: 2, Active: 2, Recovery: 11, Adv. On Hit: +4, Adv. On Block: 0
Description: Vega will perform a quick horizontal slash.
Again similar to the St.lp, Vega’s Cl.lp will be mainly used in combos to be linked into a special move or even super art.

Crouch – Cr.lp
Damage: 30, Startup: 4, Active: 2, Recovery: 10, Adv. On Hit: +5, Adv. On Block: +1
Description: Vega will thrust his arm forward while crouching.
Pretty much one of your main tools as a Vega player, Cr.lp will be one of your important hit confirming moves. When near the opponent it is always good to throw out a couple of crouching light punches as if they do hit you can link into another Cr.lp or a Cr.mp. It is perfectly safe so you don’t need to worry about being punished though that’s not to say it can’t be beaten by other moves so make sure to be smart with it.
You can link a maximum of 4 crouching light punches in a combo and then end it with a Cr.mp. If the opponent blocks your Cr.lp do not let up! It is a great block-string and can frustrate them into pressing a button, which in turn can let you hit confirm into a chain-launch. Even if your opponent does block all your pokes you will be pushed far enough away to make a safe escape and plan your next attack. When hit confirming with Cr.lp try to only use 2 as the more you link into a combo the high damage scaling your combo will suffer. These links can be tricky if you are a beginner to hard links but with practice you should be able to get the timing.

Aerial – J.lp
Damage: 40, Startup: 5, Active: 5, Recovery: Until touching ground, Adv. On Hit: +12, Adv. On Block: +4
Description: Vega jumps in the air and thrust his arm forwards.
To put it simply you should only ever see a Vega use this move on accident or maybe if they aren’t playing too seriously. It is not a good move especially when comparing it to his other aerial attacks. The damage is bad, the range is bad and you will most likely be beaten out by other moves from your opponent so it’s safe to say you can stay away from this one.
Vertical Jump (Neutral Jump) – Nj.lp
Damage: 40, Startup: 5, Active: 5, Recovery: Until touching ground, Adv. On Hit: +12, Adv. On Block: +4
Description: Looks very similar to his J.lp but has his legs pulled close to his body.
Again really not a move you want to be using. The damage and range are bad and you have much better attacks in your arsenal to deal with people. Just don’t bother with this one.


Standing – St.mp
Damage: 60, Startup: 7, Active: 2, Recovery: 17, Adv. On Hit: +2, Adv. On Block: -2
Description: Vega thrust his arm forward similar to his St.lp but moves his body slightly forwards.
Starting from here on out all of Vega’s far standing moves will all be used for pokes or in a chain. None of these moves can be cancelled into anything and will only be used to damage your opponent bit by bit.
Vega’s St.mp has very good range and if used at a correct distance it is harder to punish. You will mainly be using this move as a poking tool so it won’t be used in any combos. If you are playing a defensive and poke based Vega, then this is one of your many long-ranged tools.
Close Standing – Cl.mp
Damage: 60, Startup: 7, Active: 2, Recovery: 16, Adv. On Hit: +3, Adv. On Block: -1
Description: A curved horizontal slash that looks to hit below the waste.
This move will be used similarly to Vega’s Cl.lp. It has no real purpose other than mid charge combo where it can be cancelled into a special move. This will normally be a Scarlet Terror or Light Rolling Crystal Flash. It’s not too important of a move so don’t feel it is something needed to be used often.

Crouch – Cr.mp
Damage: 60, Startup: 7, Active: 2, Recovery: 16, Adv. On Hit: +3, Adv. On Block: -1
Description: A long ranged lunging stab.
This will be your second saving grace as a Vega playing and one of your most important moves. This will be used to poke your opponents at long range and also used to cancel into special moves. It has fast recovery and is hard to punish. This is a great starter for combos and you should be ready to use this move often. You can link this move from many other attacks but the moves which are more notable for this would be Cr.lp, Cr.mk and Cl.hp.
You want to use this move in conjunction with Cr.lp to create some good combos as you will see later on in the guide. Don’t be afraid to throw this move out at long range. It is another great tool to keep your opponent at bay and to also sneak in a combo off of a hit confirm.

Aerial – J.mp
Damage: 70, Startup: 5, Active: 5, Recovery: Until touching ground, Adv. On Hit: +16, Adv. On Block: +5
Description: A stabbing move which is angled diagonally down slightly.
This jumping attack is definitely better than the light version but still isn’t anything to write home about. It can be useful if you are predicting your opponent to jump but it really isn’t one you your best air options so I think it would be safer to use moves that will be covered later in this guide.
Neutral Jump – Nj.mp
Damage: 70, Startup: 5, Active: 3, Recovery: Until touching ground, Adv. On Hit: +16, Adv. On Block: +5
Description: A high arched slash.
This is a slightly useful move if you can see your opponent jumping in. Because it hits just above Vega’s head you can perform a quick Nj.mp to possible hit them back. Though this move can be useful I would say that the Nj.hp is a little more useful for these situations.


Standing – St.hp
Damage: 90, Startup: 8, Active: 3, Recovery: 23, Adv. On Hit: -1, Adv. On Block: -6
Description: A massive lunging stab forward
This move is one of Vega’s slow pokes but it reaches a great distance and deals a good amount of damage. It’s best used at a long range as it can be punished easily when used closer to the opponent.
This is possible Vega’s longest poke so you want to be using this to either punish your opponent for their mistakes or to throw it out when they least expect it. Don’t overuse this move however. If the opponent starts to read you and knows you will be using this move often they can easily punish you.
I feel its best when the opponent least expects it. Back off so you seem you are on the defence and when they start to walk towards you, quickly stab them in the gut with this merciless stab. This works well with wake up games too which will be covered in the advanced section. This causes a crumple state on counter hit.
Close Standing – Cl.hp
Damage: 45-45(90), Startup: 7, Active: 3-3(6), Recovery: 16, Adv. On Hit: +7, Adv. On Block: 0
Description: A double hitting move which slashes the opponent in a ‘X’ shape.
This is another one of Vega’s great moves and will be mainly used in combos. You will normally connect this move with a link after a jumping attack but it is possible to put your opponent off guard and use it when you are close to them.
When using this move you have 3 options to choose from. You can either let 1 slash hit and cancel it into a special move, let both slashes hit and then link into a Cr.mp or you can let both slashes hit and link into a chain launcher.
The timing for cancelling the first hit can be pretty rough but once you start to understand the timing you should have too much of a problem. If you do choose to cancel the first hit this should normally be into an EX Rolling Crystal Flash though any RCF should be good.
Letting both attacks hit and linking into a Cr.mp is your best way to start Vega’s most damaging combos which will be covered later on. If you wish to get Vega out or simple have good combos with incoming teammates then simply linking into a chain should be good enough for you.
This move is safe on block and you can push yourself away with a couple of pokes which won’t hit unless the opponent is pressing buttons. You could also anticipate a move such as a shoryuken from your opponent and punish their whiff.

Crouch – Cr.hp
Damage: 90, Startup: 4, Active: 2, Recovery: 27, Adv. On Hit: -3, Adv. On Block: -9
Description: A diagonal lunge that is pointed upwards.
This move has nice damage and works similar to Vega’s St.hp. It is a little hard to incorporate as the opponent can easily jump over the attack or use a sliding attack under it. It can still be used as a pressuring tool when crouching however and you should be afraid to use it considering you are at a decent range.
Don’t throw this move out near the opponent without a plan and make sure not to overuse this move as it can be easily punished when anticipated with a jump-in.
This move can be used as an anti-air but in all honest it is a pretty poor anti-air and the certain placement the opponent has to be in to be hit by this just isn’t worth it.

Aerial – J.hp
Damage: 100, Startup: 6, Active: 4, Recovery: Until touching ground, Adv. On Hit: +20, Adv. On Block: +8
Description: A low angled diagonal slash
One of Vega’s best jumping attacks and a great combo starter. When looking to jump in at the opponent this should be one of your options. It has great damage, a good angle for a jump in on an opponent which is grounded and is your best chance to link into a Cl.hp.
When in an air battle with an opponent this is a good attack to use as it can beat out a lot of opponents pokes though because of its angle it makes it bad for certain situations such as high jumping characters or when you have jumped second.
J.hp can also be used as an instant overhead if timed correctly. This is good for big characters such as Hugo or Kuma but can still be used on some average sized fighters such as Asuka and Ryu.
This move can also cross up at the right angle which makes for good mix-ups.
Neutral Jump – Nj.hp
Damage: 100, Startup: 6, Active: 2, Recovery: Until touching ground, Adv. On Hit: +20, Adv. On Block: +8
Description: A long arched horizontal slash
This is one of the two great Neutral jump attack for Vega, the other being Nj.hk. Use this if you predict your opponent jumping in or notice that your opponent has a tendency to jump in a lot. It is very hard to beat out so this is your best way of repelling aerial attacks without meter.

[Skye]

Kicks


Standing – St.lk
Damage: 30, Startup: 5, Active: 2, Recovery: 10, Adv. On Hit: +5, Adv. On Block: +1
Description: A high knee to the opponents face
This move can be used for a couple of things. It can be linked from Cl.lk into a small combo but it is best used as a block string pressure tool to annoy opponents. Constantly walk forwards while the opponent is blocking and use the St.lk. They will of course be able to escape out of this with an alpha counter or mash out a move if you get your timing wrong so don’t overuse thing. Just frustrate them into making mistakes.
Close Standing – Cl.lk
Damage: 30, Startup: 4, Active: 2, Recovery: 11, Adv. On Hit: +4, Adv. On Block: 0
Description: A high knee to the opponents face
This move looks almost the same as St.lk and pretty much has the same purpose too. There really isn’t much difference when comparing the two. You can use a Cl.lk to link into other moves to set up a combo or chain which is probably its best use.

Crouch – Cr.lk
Damage: 30, Startup: 4, Active: 2, Recovery: 10, Adv. On Hit: +5, Adv. On Block: +1
Description: A short prod with Vega’s foot
This is a very fast move but it doesn’t hold much against Vega’s Cr.lp. When choosing between the two I will always pick Cr.lp over Cr.lk but sometimes when an opponent is pestering you, you will be able to poke through their defences with this fast attack.

Aerial – J.lk
Damage: 40, Startup: 6, Active: 7, Recovery: Until touching ground, Adv. On Hit: +5, Adv. On Block: +4
Description: A long horizontal kick which is very slightly angled down
This is a good aerial move if you anticipate a jump in from a distance. Other than a good air-to-air move J.lk doesn’t have much use for Vega when he has such better tools. Even J.mk is better for the job.
Neutral Jump – Nj.lk
Damage: 40, Startup: 6, Active: 9, Recovery: Until touching ground, Adv. On Hit: +12, Adv. On Block: +4
Description: A high knee in the air
This move has such a bad and odd hitbox that it makes it almost useless to use. The fact that Vega will knee straight upwards means that it is so hard to hit anything. If anything this move has a purpose for it would be giving your opponent a humiliating defeat to such a puny attack.


Standing – St.mk
Damage: 60, Startup: 8, Active: 2, Recovery: 18, Adv. On Hit: +1, Adv. On Block: -3
Description: A very long horizontal kick
This is a great move for keeping distance between you and your opponent. St.mk is fast, has great distance and is a great poking tool at long range. It can be beaten and doesn’t deal the best damage so you don’t want to overuse this but it is still a very good zoning tool that should be used by any defensive Vega.
Close Standing – Cl.mk
Damage: 60, Startup: 6, Active: 2, Recovery: 13, Adv. On Hit: +6, Adv. On Block: +2
Description: A low hitting kick to the opponents kneecaps.
This move really isn’t that amazing and you shouldn’t really be using a Cl.mk up in the opponents face for very many reasons. The only major use for Vega’s Cl.mk is to work similarly to his St.lp and Cl.lp which can be cancelled into specials. Other than that you could really only see use for it in a chain.

Crouch – Cr.mk
Damage: 60, Startup: 6, Active: 3, Recovery: 13, Adv. On Hit: +5, Adv. On Block: +1
Description: A very long and fast ground kick.
Vega’s Cr.mk rivals that of his Cr.mp in speed and length. You will use this move similarly to his Cr.mp and it is also a good juggle tool when the opponent is airborne.
You can use this in many different situations ranging from defensive poking or offensive combos. This is definitely a move you will want to take advantage of. If you do manage to hit the opponent with this move you will probably want to link into Cr.mp and then into a special such as EX Barcelona Dive.
It can be a tricky move to throw out when the opponent is about to land. Even if this is blocked you can link into crouching mp to be safe.

Aerial – J.mk
Damage: 70, Startup: 6, Active: 7, Recovery: Until touching ground, Adv. On Hit: +16, Adv. On Block: +5
Description: A long aerial kick similar to Vega’s J.lk
This move will be used the same as J.lk in which you will punish long distance jump-ins for much more damage than the light could offer. You can also hit confirm into a Cr.mk from long distance and go into a combo. Though you will probably want to jump in with a heavy attack.
Neutral Jump – Nj.mk
Damage: 70, Startup: 6, Active: 6, Recovery: Until touching ground, Adv. On Hit: +16, Adv. On Block: +5
Description: A horizontal kick.
This is a very odd move in which Vega will kick in a perfectly horizontal line. It can be used as an anti-air if anticipated but compared to the neutral heavy attack it seems pretty weak.


Standing – St.hk
Damage: 40, Startup: 5, Active: 4, Recovery: 27, Adv. On Hit: -4, Adv. On Block: -9
Description: A double hitting kick which starts with Vega’s knee and ends with him flicking his foot in the opponents face.
Vega’s St.hk and Cl.hk are the same move, the only difference is that the Cl.hk hits twice whereas the St.hk will only get the last hit. The longer version is good for unexpected pokes to the opponent’s cranium as they are walking towards you. It can also be used as an anti-air but similar to Cr.hk, the window of opportunity is so small that it makes it almost pointless to try.
Close Standing – Cl.hk
Damage: 50, 40(90), Startup: 4, Active: 4, Recovery: 23, Adv. On Hit: 0, Adv. On Block: -6
Description: A double hitting move which slashes the opponent in a ‘X’ shape.
The close version will hit twice which deals 90 damage instead of 40. This is not a great move to do near the opponent for no reason as it can be easily punished if blocked, even if you care pushed slightly backwards. I can’t really think of many reasons to use this move as it is just too risky and when you have Cl.hp what’s the point?

Crouch – Cr.hk
Damage: 90, Startup: 9, Active: 13, Recovery: 17, Adv. On Hit: Knockdown, Adv. On Block: -10
Description: A long slide that will knock the opponent over.
This is a very interesting move but should only be used at a range where you can’t be punished. Using this move at close range gives your opponent a huge amount of time to counter. If you want to use this move outside of a combo then I would suggest you learn its range and use it when the tip of Vega’s toe will touch the opponent’s hitbox. This way you won’t be punished.

Aerial – J.hk
Damage: 100, Startup: 6, Active: 6, Recovery: 20, Adv. On Hit: Recovery: Until touching ground, Adv. On Block: +8
Description: A powerful and long diagonal kick.
This is another one of Vega’s great jumping attack. The range of this move is beautiful and you will be able to go into a full combo if this hits. A good tactic with the J.hk is using it in conjunction with J.hp. The J.hp has less range than the J.hk so you should use this first. The opponent will get used to this and may even be able to understand the timing to punish it. When this happens switch it up to J.hk. This will throw them off and you can hit from further away. From that point on just change which you use and the opponent will have a much harder time you anti-airing you.
Neutral Jump – Nj.hk
Damage: 100, Startup: 4, Active: 5, Recovery: 20, Adv. On Hit: Recovery: Until touching ground, Adv. On Block: +8
Description: A full back flip in mid-air.
Vega’s Nj.hk is another great neutral jump attack. It has a great hit box similar to Nj.hp and can easily. A good tip for wake up game with some characters is to stand next to them when they are knocked down, neutral jump and come down with a Nj.hk. If it hits you can go into a combo, if not you will be safe.
A special tip for SSFIVAE is that you can neutral jump Guile on his wake up, if he tries to flash kick it will whiff and you will go straight through it leaving you with a full punish. I am unsure if this works with any character in this game (definitely not shoto characters) but it’s worth a try.
Now with this move causing a float state when hitting an airborne opponent, it opens up new possibilities for Vega. Vega already have good jump-ins with his heavy attack but now you can anti-air an opponent or simply catch them off guard and get a decent combo. It is a good move to keep players out as it has a very good hit box. Even if an opponent isn't jumping by throwing this move you you almost guarantee a safe landing or a hit confirm into a combo or chain launch.

Unique Moves

Cosmic Heel –
Damage: 90, Startup: 13, Active: 5, Recovery: 17, Adv. On Hit: Knockdown, Adv. On Block: -4
Description: A leaping kick towards the opponent.
This move used to be great in SSFIV but unfortunately in this game it is but a shadow of its former self. This move will whiff on crouching opponents in SFxT making it an extremely dangerous move to use when it is so easily punished and avoided. In SSFIV you were able to hit blocking opponents and when they blocked you had the ability to kara throw them. Unfortunately you cannot kara throw in this game either.
Cosmic heel will send the opponent into the air and put them into a juggle state if you manage to connect. It is also good for mid combos if timed correctly which can at time be tricky. The one other good use for cosmic heel is a way to gain distance. Because cosmic heel is a move where Vega leaps forward it can cover good distance so you can get in safely. Just make sure to do it from a range you will either hit or have time to recover as it isn’t as good as its previous counterpart.
Just be careful with this move. It isn't safe and can easily be punished.

Piece of Mercury –
Damage: 60, Startup: 7, Active: 2, Recovery: 16, Adv. On Hit: +3, Adv. On Block: -1
Description: A jumping heel to the opponent’s skull.
This is Vega’s overhead and a very good one at that. It is best used when the opponent has a solid defence to mix them up. You can’t really get much out of this but it is still possible to kara throw them after it (though it is a little trickier).
If you are a master execution GOD then you will be able to pull off a beautiful combo that is all 1 frame links. This being Vega’s trial 20.
This move will catch back dashing opponents and leave crouching opponents open. If you are sure they wont press a button it doesn't hurt to throw it out there. This move does have quite a bit of start up so be careful, it can be interrupted a lot of the time.

- Back Slash – Recovery: 67
Description: A long back flip
Vega has the great advantage of having a move set for evasion. Both of his back slashes are invincible and are good to get out of some annoying situation and mix-ups. Be warned however. These moves are extremely easy to punish even if you use it correctly. Be sure to only use these moves if you desperately need to. Do not depend on them. You still have a back dash!

- Short Back Slash – Recovery: 43
Description: A shorter back flip
Pretty much the same as the backslash but this version is much shorter and slightly harder to punish. If you must use a back slash then I implore you to use this one. It is much safer than the other but that doesn’t mean you will get away with it a lot.
You should mainly use back slashes to avoid throw mix-ups or pass through powerful moves that you can punish.

Air Throw -
Quite simple as the name implies, Vega has an air throw. There is no real tactics or data for this move other than if you see your opponent jump towards you while you are in mid-air, throw them back down to the cold earth!
This will deal 150 damage compared to a normal throw’s 130.
Air throw damage is now 190 making it much more damaging. Though it isn't your best air option it is a way to get some easy damage from a good read.

Wall Jump -
Vega also holds a wall jump in his arsenal of moves. Use this to jump far across the screen, get out of messy corner situations or just for personal preference. There is no real advantage or disadvantage to using the wall jump but note that the distance you will travel depends on the height of the wall you jump from.

[Skye]

Chapter III: Special Moves

This part of the guide will cover Vega’s special moves. Since Vega is a charge character you will need to hold back in one direction for a small amount of time and then push to another direction to pull off a special move. These moves will be covered similarly to the Normal moves with frame data and notes.

- Flying Barcelona Attack (FBA)
Description: Vega jumps to one of the walls of the stage and leaps off giving him options for 2 different attacks.
Light -
Recovery: 91/102
Medium -
Recovery: 91/105
Heavy -
Recovery: 91/106
The Flying Barcelona Attack (FBA) all have the same effects excluding a few differences so I will explain the three non-meter using version in one go.
FBA is a really good move to use as a Vega player. It gets you across the screen extremely fast, it can be hard to block if you don’t know which side Vega will hit on and it’s a great tool to use for mind games. While you are in the air you can direct Vega’s air path with the stick.
The main differences between the Light, Medium and Heavy version of FBA is the recovery and area in which Vega will dive to. First off I will say that the difference in amount of recovery is so small that you should pick one over the other because of this.
The Light FBA will have Vega just low down on a wall, the medium will have Vega jump about mid screen on a wall and the heavy will have Vega jumping near the top of the screen to a wall. To direct the FBA properly in SFxT you will want to hold to direction of wall you wish Vega to jump to just a little longer to make sure he doesn’t go to the wrong side.
Against experienced players this is not a good move to throw out, it can be easily punished so don’t feel it’s going to work on everyone. When in the air you will have 2 follow up attack options. You can either press any punch button for a Flying Barcelona Attack follow-up which will have Vega spreading his arms to both his sides or you can try to pull off an Izuna drop. To do this you will have to press the direction the opponent is in plus a punch button.
Try to fake out your opponent with faint attack by jumps to the closest wall but then directing yourself to land near it. If you do a couple with will find it hard to guess when you will decide to swoop over and attack them. Do not use an EX FBA in the corner as you will not be able to follow up with an attack.

Follow-Up Attack
Damage: 120, Startup: 4, Active: 11, Recovery: 31 frames when landed, Adv. On Hit: Float, Adv. On Block: -13
The follow up attack is what you should be using when not using the EX version of FBA though going for a grounded Izuna drop is always an option. It creates good mix-ups and can be hard to block when your opponent is unsuspecting of your movements.
If they do manage to block however expect to be punished big time. If you simply whiff the move full screen Ryu can counter with a Super Art no problem. Be careful.

(Towards Enemy) Izuna Drop
Damage: 150, Startup: 1, Active: 2, Recovery: 30 frames when landed, Adv. On Hit: Knockdown
The Izuna drop can be used as a mix-up tool when the opponent tries to block a follow-up attack but can sometimes be tricky to pull off when the opponent is on the ground. You will mostly be using this after an EX FBA.
EX -
Damage: 50, Startup: 10, Active: 1/16, Recovery: 81/86, Adv. On Hit: Float, Adv. On Block: -2
The EX FBA is a great way to end any combos. The specialty about this version is that Vega will knee the opponent into the air leaving them open for an Izuna Drop or simply slashed with a follow-up attack. Make sure you attack towards the opponent when using the EX version.
Another addition to the EX version is that follow-up attacks will have 2 hits instead of 1. Not a lot of people know this and will occasionally not block the second attack expecting to punish after the first block. This won’t come out unless you are close to the opponent. You should understand the positioning after a few minutes in training mode.

- Sky High Claw (Charge Special) (SHC)
Description: Vega will jump to the wall similarly to FBA and dive towards the opponent.
Normal -
Damage: 110, Startup: 26/42, Active: Until you reach the opponent or other wall, Recovery: 35/40, Adv. On Hit: -13/-15, Adv. On Block: -6/-7
EX –
Damage: 60x2(120), Startup: 21/30, Active: 21, Recovery: 30, Adv. On Hit: Float, Adv. On Block: -13
There is no difference between the normal versions of Sky High Claw (SHC) other than the area of screen they cover. This works the opposite to FBA. Light will attack along a line at the top of the screen, medium in the middle and heavy at opponent level.
The way this move works is that if you will jump to one side of the wall and fly to the other, so if you jump to the right wall you will fly to the left.
You really don’t want to use light or medium unless you KNOW that the opponent will jump. They just won’t hit otherwise. So you are stuck to using heavy. The great thing about this move is that on hit it is a hard knockdown and on block it gives a massive amount of block stun that the opponent has an extremely hard time trying to punish it.
On top of all that it is a wall-bounce on counter hit giving you chance for an extended combo.
EX version is great for mix-ups. It is extremely fast and looks exactly like an EX FBA.
Use this with FBA for some great mix-ups. Since the EX SHC leaves the opponent in a float state you can then combo after it. Another good thing to remember is that this is Vega’s charge special, this means that if you input this move and hold onto the attack button it will slowly charge to EX and then to Super. A good use of this is when you get the opponent in a hard knockdown. Charge up a normal SHC and you should have enough time to get to an EX. When they get up, fly to a side of the screen and if they fail to block send them a combo.

- Scarlet Terror
Description: Vega performs a graceful back flip towards the opponent.
Light -
Damage: 70, Startup: 8, Active: 10, Recovery: 23, Adv. On Hit: Float, Adv. On Block: -18
Medium -
Damage: 60, 40(100), Startup: 8, Active: 10, Recovery: 24, Adv. On Hit: Float, Adv. On Block: -19
Heavy -
Damage: 60, 40(100), Startup: 5, Active: 12, Recovery: 24, Adv. On Hit: Float, Adv. On Block: -21
EX -
Damage: 80, 70(150), Startup: 6, Active: 12, Recovery: 23, Adv. On Hit: Float, Adv. On Block: -20

Scarlet Terror is Vega’s “Flash Kick” and though it isn’t the most dependable move it is still useful. It works a bit differently in SFxT compared to other games such as SSFIV.
Only the heavy and EX version will hit crouching opponents so be warned that light and medium will whiff. You can combo off of light and medium but not heavy or EX, the medium version is the best yo use in this game.
You will want to use this move in combos, don’t try throwing this move out, the hitbox is not good and it is easily beaten. You would think this would be Vega’s best anti-air but trust me...it’s really not.
So as states use this move for combos. Medium should be used near the start of combos and heavy or EX should be used to end combos.
Cancel this move at close range as it can whiff at long range in combos.
Unfortunately there isn’t much to say about this move. It just isn’t that great and its uses are limited.

– Claw/Mask Removal
Description: Vega grabs his claw or mask and throws it away.
Regular – Recovery 41
EX – Recovery 41

So, for some odd reason Vega has a gimmick where his Claw and Mask have possibilities of falling off. They pretty much only bring more pain to Vega as losing your claw leaves you with less range and -10% damage and losing your mask gives you +10% but you take +10% more damage too...yeah. You will use your claw if you block too many or get hit by too many moves and you lose your mask if you get hit by too many moves. When one of these falls off you will need to walk over it to pick it back up.
So because of this wonderful circumstance Vega has the ability to take off these items himself. All punches take off his claw and an EX will take off his mask... that’s right, 1 bar to get a tiny buff and nerf. Like Vega’s health wasn’t already bad.
There is only 1 practical use for this move and that is to show your opponent the uttermost disrespect and humiliating defeat. Just make sure you don’t lose because of this.

- Rolling Crystal Flash (RCF)
Description: Vega rolls forward in a ball and on the last hit reaches out with a long reaching stab.
Light -
Damage: 20, 70(90), Startup: 10, Active: 9(5)3(5)8(5)4, Recovery: 21, Adv. On Hit: +6, Adv. On Block: -5
Medium -
Damage: 10x3, 80(110), Startup: 22, Active: 9(5)3(5)8(5)4, Recovery: 26, Adv. On Hit: -1, Adv. On Block: -3
Heavy -
Damage: 10x4, 90(130), Startup: 25, Active: 9(5)8(5)9(5)8(5)4, Recovery: 26, Adv. On Hit: +4, Adv. On Block: -7
EX -
Damage: 25x4, 30(130), Startup: 25, Active: 9(5)8(5)9(5)8(5)4, Recovery: 16, Adv. On Hit: +8, Adv. On Block: +3

This move is pretty useful in many ways; it isn’t amazingly powerful but can be used for some unconventional means. Each version of the Rolling Crystal Flash (RCF) will go different distances and do a different amount of hits. The light is a 2 hitting move with 1 roll and 1 stab, medium rolls 3 times and stabs, heavy rolls 4 times and stabs and EX will do the same.
Medium is the worst of the 4 so you won’t want to use this unless you have good distancing. Light is good to use in small combos and with the right distance you can roll a short distance but far enough that the lunging stab will attack the opponent. They should not expect that coming. Heavy has a slow start up and does not combo so you will rarely his people with this but on that note you can make them block it. This makes good use for 2 things which would be gems that require the opponent to block your attack and also a lock-down tool for a switch cancel.
EX RCF is basically a slightly more damaging heavy that can be cancelled into a combo. The best way to do this is to cancel the first hit of Vega’s Cl.hp. The timing can be pretty rough but you should get the hang of it after a while. You will also be able to combo into a Cr.mp after the last hit of the EX RCF which will then lead into more combos.
So if you are a smart player you should take advantage of this move.

Super Art:
- Bloody High Claw –
Description: Vega will jump to a wall and slash his opponent into the heavens
Damage: Knee (50), 70, 40x4(240/290), Startup: 6(Towards) 34(Away), Active: Until touching wall, Recovery: 4, Adv. On Hit: Knockdown, Adv. On Block: -23(Towards) -17(Away)
In past games Bloody High Claw has been totally useless as the hitbox after the knee was so bad. In SFxT this has been fixed. The only time this move should hit is if your opponent is in the corner and you attack towards them.
This move needs to be directed similarly to Sky High Claw and Flying Barcelona Attack. Vega will jump with his knee forward towards a wall, if this touches an opponent they will be flung into the air so it is best to use this move towards them.
This is also Vega’s best anti-air because of its invisibility and start-up frames. If you see someone jumping in, don’t be afraid to catch them with this move.
Not only has it been improved in that effect but it can now also be combo’d in from many move such as Cr.mp which was impossible in past games.
If you are doing any combo’s mid-screen this is always a good move to end on. On rare occasions people will forget that after the knee Vega will still attack so after they block they won’t be blocking the follow up slash in the opposite direction (Do not expect this to happen too often).

Cross Art:
- Splendid Claw –
Description: Vega slides along the floor, back flips the opponents in the air and finishes them off with a beautiful and deadly slash towards his teammate.
Damage: 100, Startup: 9, Active: 15, Recovery: 40, Adv. On Hit: Switch, Adv. On Block: -33
Well there isn’t much to say about this move as it is simply a Cross Art. Splendid Claw used to be able to go through/under projectiles in past games but now does not have this ability. The best use of this move is as a punish or as a finisher for combos. Because of its low hotbox it has a lot of potential to catch foes in many different situations.

Launcher

Description: Vega slashes swiftly vertically, ending in an elegant pose.
Now you may not see much use for a bare bone launcher but in fact it can be incorporated into a game strategy well. For one thing the launcher is very fast so you can sometimes punish a missed link by the opponent if you mash it out.
The thing to remember with bare bone launchers is that your partner can’t combo after it if done to end a combo. I am not saying if you chain into a launcher it won’t work but if you were to let’s say for example juggle the opponent in the air with a medium Scarlet Terror you could then use the launcher which will hit and your partner will run in. However you can’t combo after this. Just doing the launcher with no previous hits from a combo will still allow your partner to continue attacking your foe.
The 2 main uses I see for a bare bone launcher would be firstly as I explained to punish failed links from the opponent or to have a safe way of changing into your opponent through a combo without meter which is a nice tactic.
One last example I can give is if you are very strong with your Vega play but fall weaker when it comes to your second character you can still chain-launch into your secondary character with Vega, you can follow up that launcher with a small combo and end with a bare bone launcher from your partner which will bring Vega back in.

[Skye]

Chapter IV: Combos

This chapter will cover a variety of combos which range from simple bread and butter (B&B) to more complicated, high damaging combos. This will also cover some combos from many specific moments and options in game. I will show the damage, how many bars it takes and also how difficult I feel the combo is out of 5 (1 being easy, 5 being hard).

Bread & Butter Combos:
Cr.lp, Cr.lp, Cr.mp, Light Rolling Crystal Flash – Damage 171, No bars, Difficulty: **
This is great for simple damage for a no meter combo at close range.
Cr.lp, Cr.lp, Cr.mp, EX Barcelona Dive into Izuna Drop – Damage 233, 1 bar, Difficulty: **
This is your typical good damage combo for 1 bar. It’s easy to do and worth the meter, you can switch it out for a Bloody High Claw for more damage.
Cr.mk, Cr.mp, Heavy Scarlet Terror – Damage 200, No bars, Difficulty: *
A very simple combo when hitting a Cr.mk, you can switch out Scarlet terror for many things.
J.hp, Cl.hp (2 hits), Cr.mp, EX Flying Barcelona Dive into Izuna Drop – Damage 363, 1 bar, Difficulty: ***
A high damaging version of an EX Flying Barcelona Dive combo.
Cosmic Heel, Cr.mk, Cr.mp, Heavy Scarlet Terror – Damage 240, No bars, Difficulty: **
If you manage to hit a cosmic heel you can use this combo or switch out the Scarlet Terror for Cr.hk or maybe something that uses meter such as EX FBA or BHC.
J.hk, Cl.hp, (Chain) Cr.lp, Cr.mp, Cl.hp (2 hits), Hp (launcher) - Damage 305, No bars, Difficulty: ** (plus whatever damage comes from your incoming partner)
The best launch combo you will get.
On incoming after launcher: Cr.mk, (Chain) Cr.mp, Cr.hk - Damage differs, No bars, Difficulty: *
This is the most damaging no bar combo for incoming I have found. You can switch Cr.hk for Bloody High Claw or Splendid Claw.
On counter hit in mid-air: Cr.mk, (Chain) Cr.mp, Cr.hk - Damage differs, No bars, Difficulty: **
If you counter someone out the air you will want to use this combo for the best damage with no meter.

Advanced combos:
J.hp, Cl.hp (both hits), Cr.mp, Medium Scarlet Terror, Cr.mk, Bloody High Claw – Damage 517, 2 bars, Difficulty: ****
A very powerful and beautiful combo from a jump-in
J.hp, Cl.hp (both hits), Cr.mp, Medium Scarlet Terror, Cosmic Heel, Splendid Claw (Cross Art) – Damage 424 (plus the damage from your incoming partner), 3 bars, Difficulty: *****
A more damaging version of the jump-in combo. The damage is totally worth it, you are looking at 550-700 depending on the partner.
J.hp, Cl.hp (both hits), Cr.mp, Medium Scarlet Terror, Cosmic Heel, Cr.hk – Damage 407, No bar, Difficulty: *****
Best damaging combo with no bars.
EX Sky High Claw, Cr.mk, Cr.mp, Heavy Scarlet Terror – Damage 270, 1 bar, Difficulty: ***
If you mix your opponent up with an EX SCH use this combo after it hits though you can switch Scarlet Terror for Cr.hk.

[Skye]

Chapter V: Tips, Tricks and Advanced Techniques

Now you should understand the very basics of not a little more about Vega. Now it’s time to look at how you are going to apply this in an actual match. This chapter will cover many tips and tricks for your Vega and also some advanced techniques to consider. Don’t feel tied down to what this guide states though! It’s all about experimentation, feel free to use this information in whatever way suits your play style.

As I had stated earlier in the guide I feel there are 3 types of Vega players; the defensive, the offensive and the ones who play mind-games with the opponent. I would put myself in the ‘mind-game’ category but I love to play an offensive Vega too.

If you are a defensive Vega your game is based around keeping your distance and slowly lowering your opponent’s health by out-poking them with a good footsie game. The problem with a defensive game is that you can do so much work but 1 mistake can lead to you losing.
Your tools of destruction for a defensive Vega would be St.mk, St.hp, Cr.mk, Cr.mp, Cr.lp, Cr.hk, Nj.hp, Nj.hk and J.hk and possibly some special moves for punishing. These moves have the best range and defensive ability.
Use long range moves such as Vega’s medium kicks and punches to keep your distance and use his more powerful attack to punish your opponent for their mistakes. If you opponent starts to jump in counter with a neutral jump heavy punch or kick. Don’t get too close, if they catch you and you are knocked down it can be hard to get to a good distance. Luckily with the ability to roll you have more chances to get out but if you guess wrong you could lose a chunk of health which is not good for a below average life character such as Vega.
Don't forget at any point when you cant get away for an opponents unending pressure or annoying blockstrings you can sacrifice 1 bar to do an Alpha counter by inputting while you are blocking. Vega will do an EX Cosmic heel with full invincibility so you can push your opponent away. This can be a good tactic to use in dire situations. You could also try to dackdash out of some block strings but if anticipated your opponent could punish with a special or long ranged move.

Vega is not always known for an offensive game and sometimes it can put people off guard. Vega can do some damaging combos and but on some real pressure so don’t be afraid to get in there. Your main game as an offensive Vega is to get at the enemy with unrelenting force and open up their defences. It is also important that you have a good secondary character or partner to help you out as it is very easy to get a chain launcher ( , , , (does not have to be with punches can be a mixture of any)) as Vega. If you simply manage to hit a Cr.lp from a distance, throw out another to hit-confirm and then go into the chain. This will bring your partner in for some possible devastating damage.
Your tools of destruction as an offensive player would be Cr.lp, Cr.mp, Cl.hp, St.lk, Cr.mk, Cr.hk, J.hp, J.hk, Cosmic Heel, Piece of Mercury, Light RCF, Medium Scarlet Terror, Medium & EX FBA plus Heavy & EX SHC.
You want to get in close to the opponent; you can do this by a whiff Cosmic Heel or a jump-in heavy. Use medium Flying Barcelona Attack to get across the stage if the opponent is trying to zone or run away and use it for good mix-ups.
Pressure your opponent with Cr.lp and don’t let up until you have pushed them away, they may let up their guard throughout your pressure, if they do this you will want to chain into launcher to bring in your partner for the most damage.
Use Vega’s most damaging combos after you hit a jumping attack; this will gain you the most usefulness as an offensive Vega. If the opponent seems to block a lot throw out a Piece of Mercury (overhead) regardless of what happens try to throw them after it works the majority of the time. If you manage get your opponent in a hard knockdown charge up a Sky High Claw for a 50/50 mix-up which could get you extra damage. Heavy Sky High Claw is hard to punish so you can always throw a couple of those out to irritate your opponent. Just don’t forget, just because you are on the offence doesn’t mean you don’t need a defence so you should take some notes from a defensive Vega.

Finally is the mind-game player. You really want to mix this with one of the other play-styles as I doubt it is great on its own. It’s quite simple really; your goal is to get inside your opponents head. Fake out moves and do things they won’t expect.
Faint version of Flying Barcelona Attack to make your enemy think you will dive, they may get worried and not attack so you can do this a couple of times before diving in when they don’t expect it. If you knockdown the opponent you should think about either jumping in at them, throwing them or if you keep to a close at a slight distance so you can catch they’re roll with a Cl.hp. The good thing about this is that it is a mix-up. Because they roll towards you all you have to do is stand still and hard punch next to them. They won’t know which side to block because they aren’t up yet and if you get the distance right you can do this so often and easily. If they get hit you can go into a very damaging combo which is always fun.
Don’t stick to the same things, just because something worked doesn’t mean you should use it again or they will just learn. Keep on top of them and own their mind.

[Skye]

Chapter VI: Gem Load outs

In SFxT you need to take advantage of the gems, picking the ones that best suit your character and game style. This chapter will go through a couple of recommendations for Vega players but you can always base them around what you feel will work for yourself.

Vega works well with a lot of different Gem types but will also need a few for personal needs. Because of Vega’s low health and disadvantages he gains when losing his claw or mask it is best to at least have 1 defence or life gem.

The best activation conditions for Vega will be based around normal hits or blocking. Gems that require you to hit an opponent X amount of time with normal moves or having them block X amount of moves are best for his play style. You can also mix in gems with condition which revolve around your game style such as gems that activate after a launcher.

Vega can gain a lot of damage with meter so if you are confident in your defence and/or attack you could always add meter building gems for more EX Flying Barcelona Attacks or Bloody High Claws.
I personally like to use power gems that activate when hitting with a certain amount of normals. With this you will be able to deal a massive amount of damage though I like to add a life gem on the end just in case I’m in a sticky situation.

In all it all depends on your play style and you your use Vega to your advantage.

[Skye]

Credits and End + Update Information

I hope this guide will be a help to anyone who wishes to try and level up their Vega game or maybe for any beginners that wish to start with this beautiful character.
With luck people will start to forgive this game and in the future we get a version that can be enjoyed by all.
If you have any question regarding this guide then feel free to PM me or send me a message on XBL. I will most likely not see your PSN message so don’t try there.

I would like to thank JdotSweapA, BmThOffTheHezay and Cat Flap Ninja for the support, help and encouragement.

[Skye]

Update History and Changes:
Here I will keep a note of any changes or additions made for the future of this guide.

27/05/12: Release.
28/05/12: Added information on the Alpha Counter technique.
01/06/12: Added Launcher to the Special Moves section with information and tactical use.
25/06/12: Thanks for choosing me to win the June guide competition!