Date started: 99.5.12
Last revised: 00.6.12
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| Captain America |
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“I am like a hero reborn! My victory is inevitable.”
Along with being my second best character, Cap is my most consistent character. I don’t have slumps with Cap because his combos are very easy to pull off. His shield says it all – not only does it do a lot of damage, it covers a lot of range and is excellent for keepaway. He is also a good change up from a close range partner cuz I usually use Cap to fight at mid-range with jump-in attacks. Cap is my revenge against the Fatal Claw combo people. I hate that combo – getting that off a couple times will kill anyone. Even the experts like Jimmy can’t do that damn combo against me cuz I can keep them away with the shield.
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1. My general strategy:
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My main strategy with Cap is to do most of my damage with combos involving the shield. The typical tactic I use with Cap is double jumping in the air and smacking dashers with the shield. If I’m on the ground and I think there won’t be enough time to jump away from a dash, I like to hit the C. Jab a couple times for keep away because it comes out very fast. If the opponent gets too close, I pull off a ground combo. I don’t go for air combos because Cap’s launchers are very difficult to connect with unless you are really close. Against super jumpers, I super jump at them with a simple LP, MP, HP combo. I don’t like to do the zigzag because I want to make sure that the Fierce will get in. I save Cap’s supers for punishing mistakes.
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2. Universal moves:
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Dash:
Cap’s dash sucks cuz it’s slow and he doesn’t have any attacks that work well with it. The distance it covers is a little farther than Shadow’s, but that isn’t saying much. Don’t rely on Cap’s dash when going for combos; your main combo starter should be the J. Fierce.
Launcher: S. Strong, C. Fierce
The S. Strong is a decent launcher against people who jump in. Just remember to do it early. The C. Fierce has terrible recovery and range; I only use it when an opponent is right next to me and is vulnerable. Neither of his launchers link well in combos so I usually just go for ground combos.
Variable Assist: Charging Stars
The nice thing about this assist is that it neutralizes all projectiles except Cyclops’ Optic Blast (Grrr!). However, he is left vulnerable after doing the move so you have to follow it up or Cap will get abused, as I have seen happen to my Cap.
Counter switch: HP Stars and Stripes
This works nice against opponents that are jumping in, but terribly for fireballs – he’s just asking to get nailed. Don’t use this counter switch if the opponent is not attacking you directly cuz it is a waste of a super bar and Cap may just get abused.
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3. Special moves:
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Shield Slash: QCF + P
The problem with this projectile is that Cap has to fetch the shield
after he throws it. If he can’t get it, he loses his main offensive
weapon. A lot of people like ending Cap’s combos with the Shield
Slash, but I prefer ending combos with the HP because that does more damage
and eliminates the worry about losing the shield.
One combo I always use the Shield Slash with is combo #4. I like
to throw the MP Shield Slash after a blocked combo #2 or #3. Most
people throw the LP Shield Slash, but that can be jumped over. It
is harder to jump over the MP Shield Slash.
The only other time I use the Shield Slash is against turtlers on the
other side of the screen. I have discovered that throwing a J. LP
Shield Slash does a good job getting them to move. Just make sure
that you throw the shield while you are coming down from your normal jump
so the opponent can’t duck the shield. If they duck it, you’ll have
to play fetch. Even if the shield doesn’t reach the opponent, it
will bounce straight back to you.
Star and Stripes: DP + P
The LP version is excellent because it has very good recovery.
Charging Star: QCF + K
I don’t like to use this move because if it is blocked, Cap can get abused. It also does not do as much damage as his HP.
Cartwheel: HCB + P
I like to use this move once in a while if my opponent keeps blocking all of Cap’s combos.
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4. Supers:
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The super I use the most is Final Justice, although I can only use it when the opponent has made a mistake. Otherwise, I really don’t use his supers that often.
Final Justice:
This is Cap’s most damaging super and the one I use the most. It does a good 33% damage. Although it doesn’t link off of any of Cap’s moves, it is excellent for punishing mistakes.
Hyper Charging Stars:
Like Final Justice, this super does not link off of any of Cap’s moves. Although it neutralizes projectiles (even supers!), it does less damage and has bad recovery. Cap can be hit by certain characters after the super has been blocked, so even using this super for block damage is risky.
Hyper Stars and Stripes: F, D, DF + 2P
This super can be linked off any normal move. It does about the same damage as Hyper Charging Stars. If you can do the dragon punch motion on command, then you should go for this super often. This super also does a good 5% block damage.
Double Super: Hyper Stars and Stripes or Hyper Charging Stars
When Cap starts the double super, he does Hyper Stars and Stripes;
when he is switching in he does Hyper Charging Stars.
When Cap starts the double super, a good complimentary partner is someone
who has a good long-range super, like Ryu (Shinkuu Hadoken), Akuma (Messatsu
Gou-hadou), Omega Red (Omega Destroyer), Cyclops (Mega Optic Blast), and
Shuma (Mystic Eye). Just make sure it hits, cuz Cap can be hit while
coming down (unless your partner was Omega Red). Or, when I really
need to switch out, I do the double super when my opponent super jumps
at me. Cap should go past them and my partner can hit them from behind,
hee hee!
When Cap is the one switching in, the double super is not very
good unless it actually connects. If the double super is blocked,
I think every character can hit Cap with something; some can even super
him.
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5. My Favorite combos:
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1. J. HP \/ S. HP à MP Shield Slash
Not only is this combo easy to connect, it does a good 10% damage.
The Shield Slash won’t combo, but it does do chip damage and puts offensive
pressure on the opponent.
2. C. LP, C. MP, S. HP
I use this combo when a character is really close to me and it is not
a good idea to jump. Even if they block, it pushes the opponent far
enough away that I can jump and swing my shield.
3. C. LK, C. MK, S. HP
I use this combo when combo #2 won’t reach. The only problem
is that the kicks come out kind of slow and have bad recovery, so don’t
do it unless it will reach the opponent.
4. D. C. LK, C. MK à Double super
If your partner has a long range super, this combo can do a good 40%
life.
5. (blocked) D. C. LK, C. MK à HP Cartwheel, C. LK, C. MK à Team super
6. (at normal jumping opponent) J. LP, J. HP à LP Shield Slash
If this combo does not hit and you don’t throw the LP Shield Slash,
Cap can get abused cuz he is vulnerable coming down. Most of the
time, the LP Shield Slash will fly straight at the opponent and bounce
back to you immediately. If it does not hit the opponent, the shield
will hit the ground and bounce back to you immediately. The likelihood
that you have go fetch the shield is very low.
7. S. MP /\ SJ. LP, SJ. LK, SJ. MP, SJ. MK, SJ. HP
I only try this against opponents that are jumping at me.
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Comeback ability:
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My Cap sucks at comeback. The only way Cap can do instantaneous damage easily is by comboing the Hyper Stars and Stripes, which I can’t do. If my opponent just blocks the shield and doesn’t make any stupid mistakes, I lose because of time.
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Chip damage:
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Cap doesn’t have many options for chip damage. Try to minimize using the Shield Slash for block damage. The damage isn’t worth the risk of losing the shield if it completely misses. Cap’s Hyper Charging Stars does about 3% block damage but he can be hit afterwards by certain characters. The problem is that it has a bad startup time, making it easy for opponents to avoid it. I’ve found that the best way to make your opponent block this super is when he or she does a normal jump at me. The timing is critical though; I’ve charged past them sometimes. Hyper Stars and Stripes does about 5% block damage but leaves Cap wide open afterwards. Use it to kill off an opponent with a couple pixels of life left.
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Weaknesses:
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Cap is a difficult character to switch in because his counter switch and double super (Charging Stars) leaves him very open if they don’t connect. Also, it is difficult to make a comeback with Cap unless you know how to link the Hyper Stars & Stripes, which I can’t do. Cap also sucks in the block damage department – his Shield Slash is the only safe chipper he has, and he completely misses the opponent, he has to go play fetch. Try not to fall behind with Cap, or you’ll have a difficult time coming back unless your opponent makes dumb mistakes.
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6. Best partners:
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The best assist character Cap can have is someone with a long
range projectile attack which works well with Cap’s S. HP. Good choices
are Ryu (Hadoken), Chun (Kikoken), Dhalism (Yoga Fire), Shadow (Sonic Boom),
and Bison (Psycho Ball). However, Cap doesn’t really need a projectile
assist cuz he can cancel his S. HP with his MP Shield Slash.
The most important factor to consider about Cap’s partner is
his/her comeback ability. It would be very beneficial to pick someone
who has excellent comeback ability, like someone who can link supers or
do instantaneous damage. Excellent choices are Ryu, Akuma, Chun,
Wolverine, & Omega Red.
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Nemesis:
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Cyclops:
His air flash kick comes out faster than Cap’s shield. One way to deal with Cyclops is when he does a normal jump at you, meet him in the air with my combo #4. I use this combo against one of the best Cyclops players at my arcade.
Cap:
Don’t swing the shield unless you are above him. Also make sure to block when you don’t think you can swing your shield before your opponent can.
Dhalism:
Throw the LP Shield Slash after a J. Fierce jump-in instead of going for combo #1. If the S. Fierce doesn’t reach Dhalism, he can hit you everytime.
Wolvie & Spidey:
The key is to keep them at midrange. If they get too close to you, just do combos #2 or #3. Even if they block it, they will get pushed back far enough so you can jump and swing your shield. Don’t try meeting them in the air when they normal jump cuz Cap is kinda slow.
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Versus Cap:
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Your main concern about Cap is that damn shield. Try to
avoid getting hit by it because as Charles Wahington put it, it “inhales
life.” Be careful when you dash at him cuz good Cap players are waiting
for this so they can smack you with the shield. Go for jump-ins often
because Cap doesn’t haven’t the fastest or best air defense. Super
jump attacks can also make Cap’s shield a less of a threat. Make
sure you don’t do stupid mistakes like switching in front of him or missing
a dragon punch type move cuz he can punish you harshly. Since he
can’t do much block damage and his supers are difficult to link, as long
as you can avoid the shield you don’t have to worry about dying from one
or two combos like Wolverine can do to you.