SAGAT Character Guide version 1.0 Street Fighter Alpha 2 (SATURN/PLAYSTATION) By John Culbert (tigeraid@geocities.com) INTRO: ====== Sagat has always been by far my favorite fighting game character (along with Zangief)--first of all, he uses my favorite fighting style, Muay Thai, which is a type of kickboxing (I am studying American Kickboxing myself). More importantly he has that great "I'm gonna kill Ryu and I'll beat the shit outta anyone that gets in my way" attitude. Anywho, Sagat is a great character--he was in his prime in Super SF2, and was pretty good in all the other SF2 games (especially in the hands of a player like me). In SFA, he was buffed up to look like he truely should, however at the same time the general consensus was that he was weakened. I too believe he was weakened, but NOT to the point of uselessness. He must now be played more carefully, and rely on different moves than he did in SF2. I had a FAQ out for Sagat in SFA1, and although there isn't THAT much of a difference between him in SFA1 and SFA2, I feel I need to elaborate more on his tactics, so that you can hear it from a true Sagat player! :) NOTE: this FAQ should get a lot more in-depth than my other SFA2 FAQs... (and boy are they ever starting to get numerous!) ******* LEGEND: BUTTONS ******* .-------------Jab D-PAD | .-----------Strong | | .---------Fierce U/B U U/F | | | \|/ | | | B--o--F | | | /|\ O O O D/B D D/F O O O | | | | | | | | | | | ----------Roundhouse | ------------Forward -------------Short QCT= Quarter Circle Toward (roll the joystick from D to F) QCB= Quarter Circle Back (roll the joystick from D to B) HCT= Half Circle Toward (roll the joystick from B to D to F) HCB= Half Circle Back (roll the joystick from F to D to B) + = enter commands simultainiously N = Neutral (return D-Pad to center) C. = Crouching S. = Standing J. = Jumping CU.= Cross-up (jump over opponent and hit back of neck with attack) (Note: the graphical legend applies to default arcade settings; the Saturn or other platform systems can be set up in many different ways) ############################################################################# Some Short Forms Used in This FAQ: ---------------------------------- SF2= Street Fighter II: the World Warrior (may also refer to it as Classic) SF2CE= Street Fighter II: Champion Edition (may just be CE) SF2T= Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting SSF2= Super Street Fighter II: the New Challengers SSF2T= Super Street Fighter II Turbo (may refer to it as Super Turbo) SFA= Street Fighter Alpha: Warrior's Dreams SFA2= Street Fighter Alpha II L1, L2, L3= Alpha Meter levels DP= Dragon Punch- can be referring to Ryu's, Ken's, or Akuma's Special move, or to the similiar joystick/D-Pad motion (F, D, D/F) HK= Hurricane Kick- can be referring to Ryu's, Ken's or Akuma's Special Move, or to the similiar motion (QCB+any kick) FB= Fireball- can be referring to Special Move possessed by many characters, or to the similiar motion (QCT+any punch) SC= Super Combo- pertaining to Super Combos from SSF2T or SFA2 CC= Custom Combo- pertaining to Custom Combos from SFA2 FK= Flash Kick- Guile's and Charlie's move, or similiar motion (charge D, U+any kick) SB= Sonic Boom- Guile's and Charlie's move, or similiar motion (charge B, F+any punch) HHS= Hundred Hands Slap- pertaining to E. Honda's Special Move (tap any punch repeatedly) YF= Yoga Flame- pertaining to Dhalsim's Special Move or similiar motion (HCT+any punch) SBK= Spinning Bird Kick- pertaining to Chun Li's pattened move (charge D, U+any kick) TAP= Turn-Around Punch- pertaining to Balrog's pattened move (charge all 3 punches or kicks, release) TU= Tiger Uppercut- pertaining to Sagat's pattened move (F, D, D/F+any punch) TK= Tiger Knee- pertaining to Sagat Pattened move (QCT, U/F+any kick or F, D, D/F+any kick in SFA2) SPD= Spinning Pileriver- Zangief's pattened move, or similiar motion (roll 360 degrees) FAB= Final Atomic Buster- Zangief's SC ############################################################################# A WORD ABOUT... *************** THROWS AND GRABS: A Throw or Grab (including Special Move Throws, eg. Zangief's SPD) must be done right up close, and is unblockable; they can only be avoided. For grabs, repeatedly tap the button used and shake the joystick or D-Pad to make the repeated hits last longer. Do the same thing if you are caught in a grab to escape early. Sagat has only one grab. TAUNTS: To taunt or tease your opponent with Sagat, press the button you designated as "Chouhatsu" in the controller config screen (I recommend L if you use it at all, though it's better to have all three punches or kicks on the trigger buttons). Note that taunts cannot be stopped, and you are totally vulnerable, so choose where to do it wisely. With the exception of Dan, Taunts can only be done once per round. IMO this is the only thing that the PS version has over the Saturn version (i.e. the Select button for the Taunt). TECH HITS: In SFA2 the Throw soften was renamed the "tech hit", and it was given a little more freedom. To perform a tech hit, hold B or F and hit Strong or Fierce just as the opponent grabs you; in SFA2, you can now escape ALL regular Throws, including presses and grabs! It is still impossible to tech hit Special Move Throws (eg. Birdie's Bandit Chain). BUFFERING: This is a technique used in 90% of all fighting games out today. To buffer means to do the motions of one move while the animations of another move are still being performed. I will use Sagat's 8-hit combo as a model: -S.Strong buffered into Fierce Tiger Uppercut This combo can be done either of two ways for it to count as a true combo: a) hit Strong, then F, D, D/F+Fierce b) F+Strong, D, D/F+Fierce Both cases have their advantages. A is much easier to time and more difficult to screw up, but you must have FAST fingers. The second can be confusing, but EXTREMELY effective if you can get the timing off. Just remember that the idea is to pull off the Uppercut BEFORE the Strong Punch is finished its animations ("cancelling" the animation.) In addition, the second technique will also cause Sagat to Throw the opponent if they block. Eg. 2- (same button buffering) -crouching Short buffered into Short Tiger Knee a) hold D and hit Short, F, D, D/F+Short b) F, D+Short, D/F+Short c) press and HOLD Short, F, D, D/F, release Short The latter is MUCH easier to time and requires less button presses. But in that case the D-Pad motions have to be done faster, but it is easy to get used to. I personally use b. ALPHA METER: At the bottom of the screen there is a meter called the Alpha Meter. This fills up when a) Sagat is hit by the opponent with any attack, or he hits them with any attack, b) using any Special move or c) hitting any Fierce or Roundhouse. When the meter begins to flash it's outline, Sagat is cabable of a level 1 Super Combo. If you continue to build his meter to level 2, Sagat's cabable of a level 2 Super Combo. A level 2 Super of Sagat's must be done with TWO buttons (for example, Sagat's Tiger Genocide is done QCT, QCT+any kick; to perform a level two, do the same motion with TWO kicks). When the meter fills to level 3, Sagat is cabable of his most powerful Super Combos. These must be done with all THREE buttons. NOTE: I only list the SCs with one punch or one kick; to perform their level 2 and 3, substitute 2 and 3 punches or kicks... ALPHA COUNTERS: Immediately after blocking an opponent's attack, Sagat can immediately retaliate with an Alpha Counter. To do this, perform the motion B, D/B, D, and any punch or kick; a kick will perform a counter for ground attacks, and punch will counter air attacks (in most cases) Note: you need at LEAST a level 1 Alpha Meter to do one. BLOCKING: To block an oncoming attack, hold in the opposite direction. To block a low attack (i.e. the enemy hits low), hold D/B to crouch and block. In addition to blocking on the ground, it is possible in Alpha 2 to block attacks in the air. Attacks that cannot be blocked include most DPs, Super Combos, and ground-based uppercut/high kick attacks (eg. Ken's standing Strong, or Ryu's S.Roundhouse). OVERHEAD STRIKE: In addition to any jumping attack, there is an attack, introduced in SFA (actually, back in SSF2T with Ryu's), that can hit ducking, blocking opponents. Sagat does NOT have an Overhead Strike. SAFETY ROLL: To avoid a lot of meaty attacks, Capcom added a roll to every fighter's repitiore. By rolling from B to D in one motion and hitting punch just as you land from a knockdown, Sagat will roll forward along the ground to a standing position. You will not lessen any damage taken, but you can avoid meaty attacks in this fashion. Bear in mind that because of this added technique, meaty attacks are more difficult to cheese with in Alpha 2; if you are close enough to an opponent when you knock them down, wait a split second to see if they'll roll, then start your meaty tactic. SUPER COMBOS: Each Super Combo is a powerful attack that can be powered up to three different levels. You will know a character has executed a Super Combo because the screen will grow dark for a moment as they gather "chi" (spirit), and the game will pause for a second. If you finish your opponent with one of Sagat's SCs, the screen will flash brightly. CUSTOM COMBOS: Replacing Chain Combos from SFA, Custom combos allow you to chain ALL normal moves and even SPECIAL MOVES together into combos (it speeds the move up so their recovery is faster and you can throw another one emmediately). To perform a CC, you must first fill the Alpha meter at the bottom of the screen, then activate the CC with any two punches+any kick. Sagat will get blue shadows behind him. A time meter will appear right above the Alpha Meter; depending on how much Alpha Meter energy you have when you initiate the CC, the timer will count down for a period of time. Once the CC is activated, Sagat will slide forward and CANNOT be stopped until you attack. If you activate the CC in the air, they will fall at a normal rate, then start sliding forward. You CANNOT stop a CC once it is activated, and even if the opponent switches sides with you (i.e. jumps over you, or teleports), you will keep going in the same direction. BTW, the CCs I have listed to help out require a level 3. It is my opinion that this is the only time worth doing CCs, if at all... TICKS: The definition of a tick is basically this; a tick is an attack that, if you connect with it, you can go into a combo of your choice, and if blocked, you will recover in time to throw another attack before your opponent can; but, note that they also recover from their blocking animations at relatively the same time, so they will also be able to block the follow-up. But, since Throws are unblockable, you can nail them with a Throw! This tactic has been refined by many players, and in SF2: the World Warrior, Guile had the ability to Throw a Jab, and if blocked he could Throw emmediately (this was remedied in the later version--still possible, though, but can be avoided quickly) This tactic was used to win a popular SF2 tournament in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and ticks were to forever be considered extremely cheesy by anyone who loses (in some arcades they have gone so far as to BAN ticks!). If, however, the people you play against are okay with ticks, they are great in Sagaty's up-close game. REVERSALS: When a fighter is knocked down, there is a small window of opportunity for them to get up faster and attack at the same time (about 1/60 of a second). If a move is performed during this time, it becomes almost totally invulnerable unless the opponent is able to connect with a meaty attack first (see below.) See Tactics for more info on Reversing with Sagat. MEATY ATTACKS: A meaty attack allows you to hit an opponent who is recovering from a knockdown (i.e. getting up) without them connecting with a reversal move (see above); for example, normally it is possible for Ken and Ryu to do a DP JUST as they begin to rise, and it can surprise many enemies. But, using a A VERY WELL-TIMED meaty attack will prevent them from doing that, even more so in SFA2 with their altered, vulnerable DPs. I'm not sure about the exact timing of a meaty attack, but I do know it has to be what I refer to as a "constant" attack, in other words an attack that is thrown without stopping and withdrawn without stopping; fireballs will not work as meaty attacks because they flicker in and out as they fly, and the opponent will be able to block them as they rise. Basically, you have to use good timing for it to connect just as they get up. If you connect with a meaty attack you can perform combos you cannot normally perform, because the stun put on the opponent when hit is longer than normal. SAC-THROWING: "Sac-Throwing" (short for sacrifice Throwing) put in loose terms is countering with Throws. In previous versions, I included blocking and Throwing, as well as Throwing the enemy from a missed attack in this section. However, as one of my replies to this FAQ pointed out, a sac-throw is ONLY considered a true sac-throw when you have been HIT, then throw the enemy while they are still in their recovery frames. My explanation was a little clouded, sorry for the mix-up. As far as blocking and Throwing, or Throwing a missed attack, I suppose these are just "Counter-Throws". ############################################################################# SAGAT'S STORYLINE: ****************** A loner and a fighter, Sagat trained under many great Muay Thai masters and succeeded in becoming the world reknowned "King of Fighters". At heart he was an honorable man who lived for the fight, and since he had never lost one, he sought a true challenge. When the first Street Fighter tournament was held, his only pupil, Adon, enters to prove to Sagat that he is as powerful as his master. Sagat also hears of two never-before seen contestants blowing away the competition; Sagat takes this lightly until Adon too is defeated. He then takes it upon himself to truly destroy this one newcomer. The battle with this newcomer, a young boy named Ryu, was fast and furious; unfortunately, just as Sagat was about to finish the boy off, Ryu unleashed the full power of the legendary Rising Dragon Punch (Shoryuken), scarring Sagat beyond belief (SF1). --- (It is believed that after the first SF tourney, Bison approached Sagat and offered him the Shadawloo position, but at this point Sagat was way too pissed off to care. BTW, I believe that before he was scarred by the DP, he was like Ryu, living for the fight, and at heart not this big evil dude. It was the trauma from the scar that supposedly turned him into the brooding, hateful Sagat...) --- After recovering, Sagat wanders in search of the "Lucky boy", Ryu. He enters another tournament, beats a few opponents here and there, then succeeds in finally finding Ryu. Unfortunately, he was again beaten. It is at this point where he is believed to have joined Shadowloo, but still yearns to find Ryu (SFA). --- (This part is kinda cloudy--some believe that the SFA and SFA2 storylines happen at the same time, but I believe they were two separate tournaments, with Sagat having joined Shadowloo before SFA2... this is apparent from his SFA2 ending; he is talking to Bison like he's been with him for a while, whereas in SFA he is offered his position... kinda obvious, huh? Note: some also believe that Sagat never even made it to Ryu in SFA1, and was in fact beaten by Ken, then meets Ryu in SFA2.) --- Sagat, full of even more rage then before, again seeks a re-match with Ryu. His former pupil Adon confronts him, declaring that he is the greatest Muay Thai fighter. Out of a vengeful rage for Ryu, Sagat totally obliterates Adon (presumably killing him). On top of that, some guy named Dan shows up and demands vengeance on Sagat for killing his father. Sagat finds that his father was the one who destroyed his eye, and destroys Dan in the same fashion as Adon. He again finds Ryu, who he finally succeeds in beating! However, as he stands over Ryu he notices a look of pity on the boy's face. He suddenly realizes that Ryu was not fighting to his full potential, that he is in fact mocking Sagat! At this point Sagat takes a leave of absence from Shadowloo, and returns to Thailand to train harder (SFA2). --- (As in his SFA2 ending, it is believed that he learns to master his more powerful, single-hit TU during this training) --- From this point on is SF2, and it is still inconclusive wether or not Sagat beats Ryu (since this storyline is for some reason dropped in SF3!!!) ############################################################################# Background: ANOTHER view of that woman's statue in Thailand, this time with pillars leading to it. Quite beautiful, actually. Mid-Boss: Adon End-Boss: Ryu Taunt: rubs his chin with his hand, studying his opponent, then grins. Start Pose: laughs and drops his arms to his side Win Pose #1: rubs his chin with his hand, then grins. Win Pose #2: crosses arms on chest and laughs manically :) Note: if he fights Ryu, he will begin the round by putting his hand to his chest and his scar glows. :) ############################################################################# Fighting Style: *************** Sagat utilizes my favorite fighting style; Muay Thai. Muay Thai is a form of kickboxing originating in Thailand, of which many different fighting styles have evolved from (including American kickboxing, which I study myself). Muay Thai is a heavily offensive-based style, stressing the Knees, Shins and insteps of the foot to attack the opponent fast and furiously. Punches are also utilized (but no open-handed strikes, at least to my knowledge), as well as Elbows and Forearms. The prefered recieving points are usually the Shin/Calf area as a weakening technique, and the sides and ribcage are targeted as well. When a large blow must be landed, of course, the face, temple and jaw are preffered points of attack. For the most part it is not a finesse art, but focuses on hitting fast and HARD. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SFA1 AND SFA2: ********************************** -higher priority on jumping punches -slightly more priority on TU -added fake-out S.Forward -over-all speed increase ############################################################################# MOVES LIST: ----------- -High Tiger Wave: QCT+any punch -Low Tiger Wave: QCT+any kick -Tiger Uppercut: F, D, D/F+any punch -Tiger Knee: F, D, D/F+any kick -Fake-out Side Kick: tap Forward twice QUICKLY -Grab `n' Knee: F or B+Strong or Fierce (close) -Punch AC (Tiger Uppercut): B, D/B, D+any punch (after block) -Kick AC (Side Kick): B, D/B, D+any kick (after block) Super Moves: ------------ -Tiger Cannon: QCT, QCT+any punch L1- 4 hits L2- 5 hits L3- 6 hits -Tiger Raid: QCB, QCB+any kick L1- 6 hits L2- 7 hits L3- 7 hits -Tiger Genocide: QCT, QCT+any kick L1- 5 hits L2- 9 hits L3- 12 hits ############################################################################# REGULAR MOVES ANALYSIS: ----------------------- Jab- When standing or crouching Sagat throws quick jabs. These are fast attacks that are great up close when things get hot (see tactics); they are also comboable and can be used as ticks up close... J.Jab is no big deal. Short- S.Short is a decent low-directed shin kick; however, because of Sagat's size it sticks out annoyingly far and therefore has slow recovery compared to most Short kicks. For this reason, use it rarely. C.Short is an awesome low kick, with good range and bufferability. It should be your main tick up close, and is the easiest attack to buffer into the Tiger Raid in combos. J.Short is a jumping knee, which is a great jump-in for snuffing some air counters, crossing up and ESPECIALLY ticking (see tactics). Strong- S.Strong is a great side uppercut, one of Sagat's many air counters--use it on opponents close in the air or above your head. It is also a good up close move and is Sagat's best bufferable attack to be used in combos. The C.Strong is a basic crouching punch, bufferable and good in combos. Fairly fast and decent in up-close combat, but no big deal. J.Strong is a jumping uppercut that's great in the air against big jumpers like Chun Li or Guy. Forward- S.Forward is Sagat's best standing attack, period! The side kick has AMAZING range, speed, damage, recovery AND priority--it should be your most used attack on the ground. Great for poking, snuffing FBs and low attacks, and many other things. See tactics for MUCH more info. C.Forward, to the dismay of all Sagat players, is no longer bufferable. :( However, it still has great range and priority, so you can mix it into your up close game if the enemy uses an excess of high attacks. J.Forward is GREAT jump kick, with awesome horizontal range--good in both air-to-air and jumping in. Fierce- S.Fierce and C.Fierce are slow, powerful punches with little priority. Use rarely. J.Fierce is a good air-to-air move, but J.Strong seems to be faster. Roundhouse- S.Roundhouse as we all know is Sagat's best friend. It is THE best air counter in the game--as far as I know, the only thing that can defeat it is a mid-air CC. Use it primarily as an air defense, but remember that it will hit twice up close against most larger characters. If it does, it is his most powerful regular move, so if you can, do it! One thing to note about the close S.Roundhouse is that it actually has higher priority than the far one; this is because he first brings his knee up--since the enemy is close, that allows the knee to hit earlier than the kick normally does, so it is much faster for snuffing attacks up close. The C.Roundhouse is Sagat's only knockdown regular attack, and does good damage. It has less range than the S.Forward, but is probably the easiest thing to do after ducking a long-range high attack. A lot of standing kicks can take it out with some anticipation however (like Adon's S.Roundhouse, for example). The J.Roundhouse is a powerful jumping kick, that has less horizontal range than the J.Forward--it is however more powerful and is better for jump-ins if you are closer. ############################################################################# SPECIAL MOVES ANALYSIS: ----------------------- TIGER WAVES (HIGH AND LOW): ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Sagat rears back, then thrusts his arms forward exclaiming "Tiger!" and releasing a wave of energy) Using the Tiger Wave with a punch throws it high, and with a kick he will crouch and throw it low; strength of attack determines speed. The High Tiger Wave can be ducked but it is possible, because of Sagat's height and the size of the projectile, to hit the enemy out of the air. The Low Tiger Wave cannot be ducked, and allows Sagat to duck under high attacks; although, it cannot hit an airborne opponent. These moves are to be used VERY carefully. Even moreso than in SF2, Sagat's recovery, combined with his outstretched arms, make him a very easy target for counterattack with this move. From full screen is where these are best used, mixing up speeds and levels to confuse the opponent--then, once you get the chance, follow them by moving into mid-range, where Sagat plays best. They CANNOT and should not be used in FB traps ala Ryu, only for pressure to get in close. In addition, the Low Tiger Wave can be used to duck under some high attacks from mid-range if you anticipate them; although personally I would use a Tiger Genocide, C.Forward or C.Roundhouse. As a whole, stick with them from a distance, because Sagat's strengths are in his counterattacks, and mid-range moves, not projectiles (unlike in SF2...) Remember that these FBs, like most, will not knock down, so the closer you are to your opponent when they hit, the less the chance that you can follow them up properly. The Tiger Waves can be used in combos, but he has better options in this case... TIGER UPPERCUT: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Sagat stoops low, then exclaims "Tiger Blow!" and rises into the air, turned to the side, with his fist raised in an uppercut) First of all, I REFUSE to call it "Tiger Blow" because that sounds extremely faggoty. Strength of the punch affects height of the uppercut (and therefore recovery too), horizontal range, and number of hits (and therefore damage as well). The Jab version hits only once, the Strong version hits 5 times for SLIGHTLY more damage, and the Fierce hits a whopping 7 times for good damage. Note that like other DP moves, the first, deepest hit does the most damage. Which means, if you miss the first hit and hit the enemy with the last 6 or so hits, you will do very little damage. This move is best used in combos or to duck under VERY slow high attacks from a few steps (use the Jab version to be safe in case they block it or it misses). It is also ideal as an air counter as long as you hit the enemy low to the ground--the Uppercut has lower priority than other DPs, so it is best to wait for the enemy to stick out their jumping attack first, then counter. Hitting them as late as possible also ensures that you hit them with the 1st hit, for the most possible damage. An alternative to this is to use the Jab version as an air counter, which has high priority; it does however have little horizontal range and does slightly less damage. TIGER KNEE: ^^^^^^^^^^^ (Sagat stoops low, then exlaims "Tiger Crush!" and flies forward and into the air with his knee extended) Called the Tiger Crush in SFA1 and 2 (I prefer Knee), it is one of Sagat's most important moves. The strength of the kick button used determines the horizontal range and hits (once with Short, 2 hits with Forward and Roundhouse). This move has many useful applications; firstly, it will pass through the majority of projectiles in the game to snag the enemy. It is also good in combos, and depending on range it is a good air counter for deep jump-ins. It can also be put well into combos. However, probably its most useful application is as a fake-out; from mid-range, the Short (and sometimes Forward) TK is good for psyching out the opponent. Time it so the Knee will just whiff in front of the opponent (they will probably anticipate the move actually reaching them), and they may try to counter with a Jab DP or some other short-range move; if this occurs, you can then easily counter their attempted counter-attack with whatever you like (best a SC)! If they try to block the TK, try for a Sweep (C.Forward to push you back if they block low...) The Tiger Knee also has excellent recovery, so it's not too bad as a general poking move (except of course against ACs...) NOTE: rarely use the Roundhouse version against Chun Li (possibly Guy and Sakura too), because the 2nd hit will whiff over their little heads and they have a short time to counter. FAKE-OUT SIDE KICK: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Sagat begins a side kick, but quickly draws back at the knee) Not overly useful, actually. From mid-range, if the enemy has found a good counter for your S.Forward, you may want to fake it a couple of times, then counter their whiffed move... (additions?) GRAB `N' KNEE: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Sagat grabs the enemy's HEAD in ONE HAND and holds them up; he grins, then proceeds to bash their face repeatedly with his Knee) If you really wail on the buttons and joystick to get maximum hits, the damage isn't all that bad. More importantly, this is a very intimidating move and seems to have slightly more range than most other's Throws. This is a VERY important move in Sagat's up-close game, allowing him to get a quick, damaging attack in and toss the enemy back to roughly mid-range, where he can again work his magic. SEE TACTICS FOR MORE INFO. PUNCH ALPHA COUNTER; TIGER UPPERCUT: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Sagat blocks an opponent's attack and counters with a deep Tiger Uppercut) Like most ACs, this is totally useless and a waste of valuable Super energy. It is best used against jumping attacks, but why do this when you have the invincible S.Roundhouse, or the S.Strong, TU or Tiger Knee? Pure silliness. KICK ALPHA COUNTER; SIDE KICK: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Sagat blocks the enemy's attack and smacks 'em with a powerful side kick) Unlike most ACs, this is quite useful and part of Sagat's mid to close-range game. This is one of the few ACs I actually use on a frequent basis. It comes out instantly so it is impossible to counter, and has AMAZING range; it can be used to take out blocked FBs from a short distance, or poking kicks like another Sagat's S.Forward, or Adon's S.Roundhouse. It is also a good move if you block a Special or Super Move with fast recovery (eg. Charlie's L1 Crossfire Blitz). Basically, if you are at mid-range and you're fighting a compulsively offensive opponent, who pokes as much as you do, just stay calm and AC him. A great attack for getting out of the corner, and looks real painful... a good time to follow with a Taunt! :) SC 1; TIGER CANNON: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Sagat rears back as energy swirls about him, then shoves both arms straight out, exclaiming "Tiger!" as a HUGE ball of energy surges from his fists) Doesn't look like much, but it does GREAT damage (especially at L3) and of course goes through normal projectiles. Its only real disadvantage (other than slow recovery) is that, unlike most other SC projectiles, it can be ducked. Note that this can juggle the enemy in the air for up to 2 hits (though you shouldn't actually TRY for this, 'cause it's a waste and does little damage). Basically, use it rarely except against persistant projectile throwers, or if you actually find a good enough opening from a distance where the other two SCs will not reach. SC 2; TIGER RAID: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Sagat performs a series of standing kicks, then surges straight forward with a flying kick; at level 3 this kick is flaming) IMO one of the coolest moves in the game (that's why I named myself after it! :), and an effective and powerful SC. The most notable thing about it is the recovery--if blocked it is very difficult to counter, except with ACs, some buffered SCs and SPD moves (eg. Zangief's SPD). You can sometimes catch slow opponents who have blocked it with a Grab `n' Knee or another SC! The other great thing about it is that it takes GREAT priority over low attacks, especially sweeps and slides, so it's a great reactionary move if the enemy throws a lot of these. You can usually snag the enemy from about the same range as the S.Forward or C.Roundhouse... Note that I have seen it trade hits with projectiles and standing punches... NOTE: it is possible to actually juggle after the Tiger Raid in the corner! See combos! SC 3; TIGER GENOCIDE: ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (Sagat stoops low as energy swirls around him, then exclaims "Tiger Genocide!" and flies forward with a Tiger Knee followed by a Tiger Uppercut. At level 3 he performs a Tiger Knee then a Tiger Uppercut followed by ANOTHER Tiger Uppercut) A devastating and powerful SC that is visually stunning. It has about the same range as a Forward TK, and it will take priority over ALL regular attacks (there may be a few exceptions), so it is best used as a reactionary move when you're JUST out of the range of the Tiger Raid. Its other redeeming feature is that it passes through projectiles--use it FREQUENTLY in this case. The big problem with it is the recovery if blocked or missed, so make DAMN sure it connects. ############################################################################# CUSTOM COMBOS: -------------- As Sean Hoyles (hoyles@nfld.com) says, the CCs are what make Sagat truly deadly. Actually, I don't totally agree with this, but the CCs Sagat can perform certainly are worth doing. At L3, Sagat has the potential to take off over 50% damage with a CC! Here are some examples from Sean Hoyle's CC FAQ: 1. S.Strong -> Jab TU -> Roundhouse TK -> Fierce TU -> Fierce TU (can be used as an air counter or on the ground) 2. C.Roundhouse -> S.Roundhouse -> Fierce Tiger Wave -> Fierce Tiger Wave -> Roundhouse TK -> Fierce TU SEE TACTICS FOR MORE INFO! ############################################################################# COMBOS: ------- 1. J.Roundhouse, C.Roundhouse Comments: basic, easy 2-hit for decent damage. 2. J.Roundhouse, S.Strong XX Fierce Tiger Uppercut Comments: should be your most used combo; decent damage and easy to perform. 9 hits. 3. J.Roundhouse, C.Strong XX Roundhouse Tiger Knee Comments: good damage, remember not to use this on the smaller characters! 4. J.Roundhouse, C.Short XX Low Tiger Wave Comments: a good combo to push the enemy away when they block. 5. CU.Short, C.Strong XX Tiger Genocide Comments: you can of course use any Special or SC to finish, but the Genocide works best. 6. J.Forward, S.Forward Comments: only two hits and little damage, but it is the best thing to do if you jump in from maximum range and nothing else will connect (perhaps after jumping a FB). This is also a good combo for surprise if the enemy blocks the J.Forward from its maximum range-- they may not expect a follow-up from such a distance. 7. J.Roundhouse, C.Strong XX Tiger Genocide Comments: probably the best SC combo you can do. Good damage. 8. J.Forward, C.Short XX Tiger Raid Comments: easy and good recovery as well. 9. (corner) J.Roundhouse, C.Strong XX Tiger Raid, juggle w/Fierce Tiger Uppercut or L1 Tiger Genocide Comments: you can choose to do a L3 Tiger Raid and finish with a difficult TU, or you can use the L2 Raid and juggle with a L1 Genocide. Note that I do not recommend juggling with a high level Genocide, as you will get the same damage anyways. ############################################################################# TACTICS: -------- FROM A DISTANCE: This range used to be a great place for Sagat; however in SFA2, the speed and recovery of his Tiger Waves make this a useless (although not neccessarily dangerous) place for Sagat to be. From a far distance, especially full screen, throw a few alternating Tiger Waves, but do NOT think you can keep your opponent pinned back with this, because they'll get through this "defense" easily. Instead, try to follow them in (best after the Jab Tiger Wave) and get into proper range where you can work more effectively. If the opponent comes in hard offensively from a far distance, smack them back with a S.Forward or the like (blocked or not) and follow in--if they come in jumping (over your projectiles), hopefully you'll be in such a position that they will not be close enough to land a hit as you recover from a Tiger Wave; if they land a short distance away, snag 'em with a S.Forward, or possibly S.Roundhouse if they're still in the air. You can also follow in your Waves with jumping attacks, though this is more risky. If the enemy jumps to meet you, you have the J.Strong and J.Fierce to work with, but that's about it. For the most part, only go offensive jumping when you're sure they've left themselves open. MID-RANGE: Definetely where Sagat plays best. His best move, the S.Forward is stressed HEAVILY here; from this distance, counter the enemy's high regular moves with the C.Forward (or C.Roundhouse, if you're sure you'll connect) and snuff their low regular moves, projectiles and some Special Moves (see vs. strategies) with the good ol' S.Forward. Once they have a level charged, stay a little more defensive and cease the constant S.Forward peck, because they can AC, or if they anticipate it, can frequently snuff it with a high-priority SC (eg. Ken's Shoryureppa). If from this range they still throw projectiles constantly, focus on the Roundhouse TK and the Tiger Genocide (or the more risky Tiger Cannon) and above all else, don't jump often. If they press offensively a lot and you have a level, counter their pecks (or fast projectiles) with the Kick AC... If the enemy starts countering your S.Forward, try the fake-out and maybe they'll miss enough for you to counter. Also, don't forget your Short Tiger Knee fake-out, if the opponent thinks it is becoming predictable. For the most part this mid-range game is a reactionary game, focusing on anticipating the enemy's attack and snuffing a lot with the S.Forward. UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL: Sagat can handle himself well up close, though he is still better at mid-range. If the enemy tends to poke a lot with high or mid-range attacks (eg. Sakura's S.Roundhouse), time a Jab TU to snuff them, or just a C.Forward. Remember the supreme priority of the 2-hit S.Roundhouse on large characters; this combined with their slow speed makes it almost a sure hit. By far your most important technique up close is the Grab `n' Knee. It is not overly powerful, but has decent Throw range and knocks them back far enough for you to position yourself back to mid-range. Peck at them with the Jabs or the C.Short; if either connect, you can follow into a quick combo, and if blocked, go for the Throw--remember to ram the buttons and wiggle the joystick for as many knees as possible! If they tech hit the Throw, toss out a S.Forward to push them back as they land. If they Safety Roll persistantly you can frequently grab them as they rise, or hit 'em with a C.Roundouse! GETTING UP AND REVERSALS: I have numerous times gotten into a bad situation with the Safety Roll, especially vs. grapplers. Your opponent can hit you out of it with a low move, SPD move (in the case of the grapplers) or even worse, a Super Combo. IF they end up right beside you when you fall, by all means do it, because you'll roll behind them and be virtually safe to set up an attack (unless they anticipate). Otherwise, just let yourself fall and then try a reversal as you rise. As far as reversals, they can be good or bad. The big thing about them is that they surprise well, and also have increased priority. Probably the best reversal for Sagat is the Tiger Uppercut; if the opponent tries to pester you as you rise from close, the Fierce TU does great damage and usually connects. If they try to jump in, a Jab TU is more appropriate. If they try to pressure you as you rise with a FB, you MAY be able to go through it with a Roundhouse TK, but this isn't guarenteed. Another possible reversal is to Throw the enemy if they come in real close, possibly to meaty Throw you... The best reversal Sagat can do is of course a Super Combo--The Tiger Genocide is your best bet, and will reverse any regular attempted meaty attack, and go through FB from the proper range. Just remember, SOMETIMES it may in fact be better to just stay put... CUSTOM COMBOS: I never used to use CCs, until a guy named Sean Hoyles (hoyles@nfld.com) showed me the "Way of the Custom Combo", so to speak. Sagat in particular has totally DEVASTATING CCs, and is capable of draining massive amounts of life with a L3 Custom. Here are sections from Sean Hoyles' "The Art of Custom Comboing", which can be found at Gouki's Page of Whatever (link on my homepage; see URL in credits): "There is apparently a lot of confusion as to the mechanics surrounding custom combos. I have experimented with the technique and generally I have found the following to be true (although I, too, could be wrong here!): 1) regular attacks (particularly on the ground) will hit many times but take off next to nothing! Therefore, you can easily get off a twenty hit combo using ducking sweeps but the damage you do to the opponent will be laughable. 2) attacks which juggle an opponent in the air will generally do more damage than will ground attacks. Thus, if you keep pushing the opponent into the air with ducking fierces you will do a little more damage than if you did an equivalent number of ducking roundhouses. 3) special attacks generally take off the most damage but tend to take the longest amount of time to execute. In other words, you will do more damage per attack but you will be able to do so a significantly fewer number of times. 4) it obviously follows from the above that you will be able to do the most damage using attacks which are both special and juggle the opponent in the air. Almost every character in the game has at least one such attack to use to their advantage. 5) The damage level for special attacks tends to be highest at Level One for custom combos. However, at the higher levels, you can usually tack on several more hits which will mean significantly more damage overall. 6) Ducking roundhouse sweeps are perfect for setting your opponent up for a juggling custom combo. The opponent's animation after a sweep automatically has them reeling back into the air which sets them up for further hits before they hit the ground. You should also note, however, that some of these sweep/juggle combos will not work consistently (if at all) when you sweep your opponent in the corner. You should experiment with each custom combo to see which ones are practical everywhere and which ones are not." WHEN TO USE A CUSTOM COMBO: *************************** The best overall place for Sagat to utilize the Custom Combo is on a jumping opponent. As you should already know, Sagat's air counters are deadly, and the CC just adds a more damaging version. In addition, his S.Strong, a GREAT way to start a juggling CC, has awesome priority over jumping attacks, as long as they're not too deep. From this Sagat can devastate the opponent with a CC doing over 50% damage! The next best, and most obvious place, to use a CC is when the enemy leaves an opening. The prime example is of course a whiffed DP. Another great place is after the Short TK fake-out. NOTE HOWEVER: I find it is MUCH better to counter in the ground-to-ground case with a L3 SC instead of a L3 CC--Sagat's L3 Tiger Raid OR Genocide will do around 70% damage as opposed to the approx. 50% damage a good L3 CC will do (although I have yet to FIND a CC for Sagat that may do more... additions?) The last, and most difficult place, to use a CC is to pass THROUGH an air counter. Yes, it IS possible to time a CC as you fall from a jump to pass through the opponent's uppercut, or the like--note that as far as I know you can only pass through regular air counters (eg. Shoto-bros. C.Fierce, Chun's S.Roundhouse, etc...), but it is nonetheless a BIG surprise for the defending opponent, if you can get the timing down pat. Idealy, you want the screen to turn dark JUST as they begin the initial frames of their attack. NOTE: I am FAR from an expert on this idea, and I've only done it a few times. Anyone with more info, PLEASE MAIL IT TO ME! ############################################################################# STRATEGIES: ----------- VS. RYU: ^^^^^^^^ Ryu is still pretty tough, but you can take him if you're calm and careful. Firstly, the Ryu you will most likely play is the ol' FB/DP crap. From a distance ONLY, jump his FBs, and occasionally if your a fair distance back, you can counter them with your Tiger Waves. Once you get into mid-range, STAY THERE! This is not the best place for Ryu, that's for sure; from here, snuff attempted FBs with the S.Forward, and if you have a level charged you can pass through them with the TK, Tiger Genocide, a FAST Tiger Cannon, or you can block and use the kick AC. He will most likely get scared and either jump in, in which case hit 'em with a Jab TU, or the S.Strong (a good place for a CC air counter!); or, he will jump away, in which case toss out a FIERCE Tiger Wave, which may catch him on the rebound. ABOVE ALL ELSE, don't jump unless you're SURE you will hit him recovering from a projectile. When he has a level charged, don't throw Tiger Waves (Shinkuu-HADOUKEN!), and from close range, don't throw a lot of crouching attacks, or he'll take 'em out with the Vacuum HK. VS. KEN: ^^^^^^^^ IMO as hard, if not harder, then Ryu. His FB is slower and weaker (counter appropriately), but his mid-range game is good because of his S.Roundhouse, Roll and Shoryureppa SC. Just remember that if they throw a lot of FBs ala Ryu, it's an easy fight. :) If you play the offensive, reactionary Ken, it's a little more difficult. The best way to defeat him is again at mid-range; you must have VERY fast reflexes here! You can usually snuff his S.Roundhouse with your S.Forward if you anticipate (or peck), and of course the same goes for the FB. If he uses a lot of low attacks, he will most likely be ready for a Roll (he can Roll under your S.Forward), so again be watchful of patterns and try to make sure your S.Forward isn't stuck out when he can Roll. From this range, also remember your Tiger Genocide and Tiger Raid to take out his normal attacks. Once he has a level charged, watch all YOUR regular attacks, as he can take them out with his SCs. If you manage to block his HK, counter FAST with a Throw, SC, or best with an AC. VS. CHUN LI: ^^^^^^^^^^^^ Shouldn't be too difficult, especially if she likes to jump; the big mistake Chun players make a lot is jumping too often--her jump is fast, but because she goes so high she has big hang-time and allows you to set up a good air counter in time (CC!). If she stays grounded, she can be a problem--she will peck away at you with her high-priority C.Forward which, with GOOD timing, you can snuff with your S.Forward (or SC if you're REAL fast). Try to stay on the ground primarily, because she can jump up to counter you, use her S.Roundhouse OR the Kikosho if she has a level charged. Again, stay primarily mid-range, however from a long-range you can coax her into making a mistake; from this distance, she has to get in close to do any damage, because her Kikoken FB has a SLOW start-up. If you see it coming, jump if you're far, or counter appropriately from mid-range (snuff with the S.Forward, TK, or Tiger Genocide). Do NOT try to counter the Kikoken with the Tiger Cannon; as I recall, she bend over so far that the Tiger Cannon whiffs over her head! Once she has a level, don't throw out regular attacks a lot, at least not low ones, or she'll snuff 'em with the TBK easily. VS. ADON: ^^^^^^^^^ Your former pupil is even more of a pecker than you! :) From mid-range both your S.Forward and his S.Roundhouse have relatively the same priority, so they may trade hits. Don't use crouching attacks a lot, the Jaguar Kick can take them out (especially the C.Roundhouse; you may recover in time to block if you use the C.Short or Forward). Stay on the ground and peck with the S.Forward, and wait for him to make a mistake with the Jaguar Kick or Tooth, and counter with whatever you wish (best with a Super Combo or Throw). Above all else don't throw Tiger Waves AT ALL, because with your recovery he will hit you every time. VS. GUY: ^^^^^^^^ He's a fast hoser, but like Chun Li, is actually worse in the air than most think. His long hang-time will make it easy to counter him in the air with one of your many air counters (CC!). Again mid-range is your best position, and if you stay at the MAXIMUM range of the S.Forward, you can usually snuff his poking attacks. If you see him coming in for the Bushin Run moves, the S.Forward will usually surprise him even if he's doing the QCT+Short fake-out. You can also take it out with a well-timed Tiger Knee, or of course the Tiger Genocide or Tiger Raid :). Note however that the S.Forward is your best bet, because you won't know until the last minute if he'll do the Jump Kick or Slide, which have to be blocked high and low respectively. If you see him start the Bushido Leap, attempt a Forward Tiger Knee or a WELL TIMED Tiger Uppercut (a CC works well here too). Try not to throw too many Tiger Waves, especially Low ones, because he can easily Bushido Leap+Air Throw right over them. Refrain from jumping because he has air defenses as good as yours, including the Bushin Jump SC! VS. DHALSIM: ^^^^^^^^^^^^ A good Dhalsim will zone you with S.Roundhouse, C.Strong, Yoga Fires and the Teleport. The best way to defeat him is to stay grounded; his air defenses are great, and he also has good priority in the air with the Yoga Mummy. You can counter his HIGH long-range attacks with a very well-timed TU (eg. he sticks out a S.Roundhouse, you can uppercyt the leg from underneath). Counter his Yoga Fires from a distance with your own Tiger Waves; once you're in mid range, stress the S.Forward to snuff his slow long-range attacks, but watch for the Yoga Flame and Inferno! BTW, don't try using the Short TK fake-out often, because he will very rarely whiff his attempted counter because of his great range. VS. GEN: ^^^^^^^^ If he stays in Crane style, he's not that difficult. If he's in the Mantis Style, he can be annoying. In this style he will peck you from mid-range with his kicks, and up close with all those little finger-pecking moves. You can usually put up a fight at mid-range with the S.Foward or Tiger Genocide, however. Jumping in is usually fairly safe if you do it REAL deep, which will
often snuff his Mantis Kick if you're fast--don't jump in often if he's using
the Crane Style, because he not only has that awesome upward C.Roundhouse, 
but also that Rising Air Throw SC! In the Mantis Style, refrain from throwing
out ANY regular attacks often except the C.Forward, or else he'll take you
out in a FLASH with the Omega Dash (hey that rhymes! :). In the Crane Style
he's easy to beat if you stay grounded; 90% of his regular ground moves are
delayed at the beginning, giving you plenty of time to snuff them with 
whatever you choose. Likewise, do not throw any Tiger Waves, or high attacks
often, and you can block his Rolling Punch with ease and counter.

VS. SAKURA:
^^^^^^^^^^^

Like playing a faster, pecking version of Ryu. Her C.Forward and S.Roundhouse
will annoy you from mid to close range, but you can handle them with the 
S.Forward and the TU respectively. Her regular FB is pretty fast, but you can
counter it accordingly. If she actually wants to try one of her other FBs,
you have plenty of time to cook up a counter. Don't throw out a lot of low
moves liberally, because her HK is great for dealing with them; if you block
it, ACing is your best bet, but you can USUALLY Throw her. Once she has a 
level charged, do NOT throw anything out; she can take out the Tiger Waves
with her Super FB, she can take low moves out with her Violent Dragon, and
high moves with the Super Hurricane! Basically, remain defensive for the most
part, and the S.Forward is fairly safe to use still.

VS. ROLENTO:
^^^^^^^^^^^^

If he's hopping and leaping around everywhere, he can usually be dealt with
using the TU or S.Strong. Up close, he's no problem, and from mid-range, peck
with the S.Forward easily. Just don't jump in often or meet him in the air,
because he has amazing priority in both cases. Perhaps more on this later.

VS. ZANGIEF:
^^^^^^^^^^^^

Don't get too close and you should be all right. Both of you have fairly 
short jumps, and I find you both have good priority in the air with the 
punches, so stay grounded mostly. Throw Tiger Waves from a distance, but
remember he can Clothesline or Banishing Punch them with ease (if you see him
about to do the Banishing Punch to your FB, JUMP IN!), and for this reason,
don't throw them anywhere BUT full screen. If you see the wrestler coming in
with the Running Bear Grab, quickly snag him with a S.Forward or Tiger Raid;
a Roundhouse Tiger Knee works as well. Up close, he is FAST with SPD, so you
don't want to stay their long. Try to tick with the C.Short for a Throw to
knock him away, or the S.Roundhouse (he's big so you'll get both hits).

VS. CHARLIE:
^^^^^^^^^^^^

Be prepared for a barrage of Sonic Booms. You will likely not snuff the SB
often because of its speed, but you can still peck from mid-range because he
has no high-priority regular moves at this point. Try not to jump at Guile's 
buddy unless he's recovering from a Boom, because he LOVES to counter with a
Somersault Kick or any of his other great air counters.. If Charlie goes
offensive, he will likely try to jump in at Sagat; either counter with your
S.Roundhouse, or block; when he lands, he'll most likely go into a
crouching combo (but watch for a Throw!!)--after blocking that counter with a
C.Roundhouse or crouching Short buffered into whatever. Once you've 
charged up, buffer the Tiger Cannon as he swings his arm to release the Sonic 
Boom. If you're close, go through a Boom with the Tiger Genocide. Whenever 
you block a Somersault Kick counter with a combo just as he lands or if you 
like to keep it simple, just a well-timed Tiger Uppercut.

VS. BIRDIE:
^^^^^^^^^^^

Birdie has GREAT air counters and can be a VERY difficult fight for Sagat, so 
try and stay on the ground. He has no projectiles to jump over, and his other 
Special Moves will cause him to fly under an airborne Sagat anyway. Another 
problem with fighting him is that his Hopping Chain Grab Super Combo will 
travel over ALL of Sagat's projectiles, even the Tiger Cannon. So forget 
altogether about projectiles when Birdie has at least one level on his meter. 
You basically have to wait for him to make the mistake; counter his Headbutts 
at EVERY opportunity with a combo or SC, and other than that wait for him to 
jump and counter with your S.Roundhouse. Up close try and stick with 
crouching Shorts to tick for a Throw to put him back at mid-range, where you 
can peck with the S.Forward, because he'll try at every opportunity to Chain 
Grab you to put a world of hurt on our favorite kickboxer.

VS. ROSE:
^^^^^^^^^

Few Tiger Waves should be used in this fight, because she can absorb and
reflect them much too easily. A lot of Rose players will jump in to do her
big J.Fierce, C.Fierce XX Soul Spiral combo; either counter with a standing 
Roundhouse, or block and and then counter with any combo when she's done. 
Don't throw high attacks out of the blue, because her Slide comes out WAY too 
fast to block in time. One big mistake Rose players do is throw too many of 
her Soul Sparks; her recovery is horrible and her arm and scarf stick out 
quite far, making her a considerably larger target; if you're a little ways 
away and jump in, the only combo that should hit will be a jumping 
Roundhouse, C.Roundhouse 2-hit (or J.Roundhouse, S.Forward). Be very careful 
in the air otherwise, because if you're jumping all over the place she can 
easily grab Sagat with a Soul Catch or Super Soul Catch. When she starts up 
her Soul Images Super Combo, keep your distance so she doesn't start that 
Sliding cheese. A good Rose player knows not to waste their time defensively 
while they have the Images, but a lot of those players tend to go a little 
overboard with that idea and will attempt a jump-in to start off a seemingly 
big combo; stay calm and try not to let her confuse you, and when she jumps 
in counter with good ol' Roundhouse. If you block her level 3 Super Soul 
Catch, wait until she goes up in the air for the final hit then counter with 
whatever you want. If you block her Super Soul Spark anywhere close, counter 
with a S.Roundhouse or Tiger Raid; or, if it is a level 1 Super Soul Spark, 
you can time a jump over it an combo. If you're a good distance away and she 
throws a regular Soul Spark, whip off a Tiger Cannon if your meter is up. 

VS. SODOM:
^^^^^^^^^^

As long as you don't get close to him, you should be alright. When jumping
in try to make it as a counter to a missed Butsumetsu Buster (the Power
Bomb) or Daikyo Burning ("Carpet Burn"), otherwise he can counter pretty
easily with his C.Fierce or Strong Jigoku Scrape. Try your best to counter 
his jump-in attacks with your Roundhouse or S.Strong, because if you block he 
can land and usually surprise you with a Butsumetsu Buster or worse, a Super
Butsumetsu Buster Super Combo. From mid-range he can peck you with his 
S.Forward and S.Roundhouse, so you have to be fast; the former also acts as
a tick for the Butsumetsu Buster... Don't stay close to him once you've 
knocked him down to try and hit him as he rises, because he'll do that damn 
Tengu Walk to surprise you. As with the jump-ins, be careful up close with 
him when you're blocking, because he'll do some big combo and before you can 
get out of your blocking position he'll pull off a Butsumetsu Buster out of 
nowhere. Note that in SFA2, the priority in the Jigoku Scrapes his HUGE now,
so don't throw out a lot of regular attacks, especially low ones; stick with
the S.Foward. If you block his Daikyo Burning counter with a combo, Roundhouse 
Tiger Knee, Tiger Raid or Tiger Genocide. If you block a Jigoku Scrape, you
may be able to Throw him afterwards, otherwise the Alpha Counter works well
here.

VS. SAGAT:
^^^^^^^^^^

Hey, you know his weaknesses by now, so this should be an easy fight! Just
remember, try and be faster than him! :)

VS. AKUMA: 
^^^^^^^^^^

You'll find a lot of Akuma players staying in he air and whipping a lot of
Fireballs, there and on the ground. His Air FB has been weakened from SFA1,
and has a much steeper angle, so he can only throw it if really close. 
Sometimes if you block it from this range, you can snag him with a S.Forward
or Roundhouse TK. As with Ryu, if he pulls off any Fireballs from a distance, 
counter with your own or the Tiger Cannon, or up close with Genocide or TK. 
From mid-range peck with the S.Forward as you would against Ryu to snuff FBs
and regular moves. NOTE: see Ken for strategies on the Ground Roll!

VS. BISON:
^^^^^^^^^^

I'm not even going to fill this out, because nobody plays him, and he sucks
anyways!

VS. DAN:
^^^^^^^^

Hey, it's Dan, eh? But seriously, I've met a few good Dan players, and he
can be a pain. Pester him constantly with Tiger Waves of all strengths and
heights, and move into mid-range to peck with the S.Forward. If he's stupid 
enough to jump out of the blue, counter with your Roundhouse, and if you 
manage to block his Gale Kick, counter with whatever you like. Remember too,
that it is VERY difficult for him to go over your High Tiger Wave with his
Short Gale Kick, because of its height. The only place to really be careful
is when he has a level charged; he can take out your regular attacks up close
with the Violent Dragon or Desperation move; so, stick only with the 
S.Forward from here on.

#############################################################################

CREDITS:
--------

Thanks to Capcom for a great game, and thanks to the following FAQ writers:
Dan Wells
Gene Leong
Tyler Oswald
and Sean Hoyles

For their great FAQs. 

Also thanks to the guys over at the arcade for getting me started on the game 
and convincing me to rent it a year ago (After reading the newsgroup's 
put-downs). Also a Special Thanks to Jason Jamieson, who proved that 
Dhalsim's Teleport is a REAL pain in the arse, and JD Baptie, who convinced 
me through force that Ryu's FB traps can still be effective! ;-)

This and other FAQs can be accessed at my new homepage:

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/1910

You can also e-mail me at:

tigeraid@geocities.com

"I said it before and I'll say it again--democracy simply doesn't work!"

                                          -Kent Brockman, the Simpsons