The King of Fighters '98 UMFE/Ryo Sakazaki

Command List

Introduction

Ryo is a dangerous all-rounder who is scary at every range. On defense, he has great pokes and some of the best anti-air tools in the game, making him a real walking wall. On

offense, he has a fairly basic mixup but can confirm into huge damage from any situation with or without meter, even having some relatively practical near-100% combos with Extra meter. He is playable at every spot in a team. He is also quite simple and easy to pick up for new players.

Changes from previous versions

98 to 98UM

Normals:

• recovery of far B is 2 frames longer
• recovery of far C is 10 frames shorter
• the startup of st.CD is 2 frames slower and the active frames is 1 frame shorter
• the startup of f+A is 2 frames faster
• GCCD hitbox increased, can no longer be low profiled

Specials:

• qcf+A recovery is 2 frames shorter
• the recovery of dp+A is 2 frames longer
• the startup of qcb+C is 3 frames longer, you can no longer combo into it from heavy normals.
• you can cancel it into dp+P or hcb+K on hit or block
• hcb+B 3 frames more recovery, hcb+D 5 frames more recovery

Supers:

• qcf,hcb+AC starts up faster and has the same frame data as the light version
• qcfx2+P got increased damage
• qcf+AC got decreased damage

98UM to 98UMFE

Specials:

• qcf+C Faster startup, more recovery

Supers:

• f,hcf+P C and MAX versions have faster startup

Normal Moves

Standing:

• st.A: Good range. Special cancelable. Use this after cr.B for combos and to stop hops.
• st.B: Great poke to keep the opponent at bay and whiffpunish.
• st.C: Not a bad button to throw out, not great either. His most damaging normal outside of CD. But not cancelable or anything special about it.
• st.D: Can anti air in situations where cr.C lacks horizontal range but its too slow to react with, rather use st.A, dp+A/C or block.

Close:

• cl.A: Will hit where st.A might whiff on small characters. So use accordingly in confirms from cr.B.
• cl.B: cl.A and st.A are better do not use this. Special cancelable.
• cl.C: Less damage than cr.C but can make combos easier. Special cancelable.
• cl.D: Same as cl.C really. Same damage. Activates further away but comes out a little slower. Special cancelable.

Crouching:

• cr.A: Not great but use it after cr.B instead of st.A/cl.A if the opponent is too short while crouching.
• cr.B: Low combo starter. Chains into itself, cl.A, st.A and cr.A. Links into cr.C. Does not special cancel.
• cr.C: Very reliable anti air normal, one of the best in the game. Insanely fast at 1f startup. Links from cr.B for combos. Special cancelable. Leaves you very open when whiffed so use with care.
• cr.D: Fast sweep with okay range. Special cancelable. Cancel into qcf+B for low->high gimmick.

Jumping:

• j.A: No use for it really. Maybe air to air but j.B works just as well.
• j.B: Best horizontal range of his air normals. Use for air to air or to poke when too far away for j.C/j.D/j.CD.
• j.C: Same damage as j.D and just as fast. Can crossup.
• j.D: Same damage as j.C and just as fast. Can crossup. More horizontal range

Blowback:

• CD: Quite fast, recovers fast enough to link into dp+A after a counter hit in the corner. Enough range to connect after cr.B, cr.B blockstring. Nice to fish for counterhits to combo. Special cancelable.
• j.CD: Good move. Easy to hit crouchers with. Great for pressure. Enough blockstun to run up or jump in an again after connecting. Also good air to air. Lets you combo on counterhit.

Throws

Tani Otoshi: b/f+C (close)

• Throws forward. Causes hard knockdown, leaves opponent backturned and allows for pressure.

Tomoe Nage: b/f+D (close)

• Throws back. Recovery roll possible, making it only useful to throw the opponent into the corner.

Command Moves

Hyouchuu Wari: f+A

• Overhead when done raw. Reaches surprisingly far. Pretty safe to throw out. Loses it's overhead property when canceled into. Not cancelable into other moves directly. When done REAL meaty on opponents wakeup you can link st/cr.A to combo further. It is also possible to combo from this move using quick max or cancel into dodge and its follow-up attack.

Special Moves

Ko Ou Ken: qcf+A/C

Unlaunched projectile

• Both versions only combo from heavy attacks but are not optimal for combos since other options are more damaging. C version deals more damage and moves further. Both are safe on block if spaced properly and punishable when not, they make good pokes to throw out at the right distance. Easily beaten by slide moves.

Kohou: dp+A/C

DP type move.

• Incredible anti air. Both versions will beat most jump in attempts but are punishable when missed. A is harder to punish, C equals a free combo of choice for your opponent.
• A: Invulnerable frame 1-2, active on frame 3.
• C: Invulnerable frame 1-7, active on frame 5.

Moh Koh Raijin Satsu: qcf+B/D

Flying Overhead

• Overhead that travels forward in an arc. Useful to punish reckless projectile usage, less useful as an overhead itself. B version hits about half screen away. D version hits almost full screen but not quite.

Moh Koh Raijin Gou: qcb+A/C or A+C

Special cancelable armor move

• This move has armor frames during startup and is cancelable into other version specific special moves. Unsafe on block.
• A: Cancelable into from heavy normals. Is cancelable into dp+A/C.
• C: Can not be cancelled into. Is cancelable into hcb+B/D.
• (A+C): Cancelable into from heavy normals. Cancels into dp+A/C or hcb+B/D. Crazy.

Pressing both buttons together combines the best parts of both versions into one. Cancelled into hcb+D makes this the most damaging meterless combo ender.

Hien Shippuu Kyaku: hcb+B/D

Spinning kicks

• Both versions combo from light attacks. B version alone does more damage than dp+A/C or qcf+A/C, D version does even more damage. This is the meterless combo ender to use for longer confirms.

Kyokugen-ryuu Renbu Ken: hcf+A/C (close)

Proximity unblockable

• An unblockable attack that puts your opponent in juggle state. Use j.CD after launch for extra damage, that way it does more damage than hcb+D alone. This is the best you can get out of cr.B, cl.A without meter.

Desperation Moves

Haoh Shou Kou Ken: f, hcf+A/C

Projectile DM

A and C version combo from heavy normals and deal the same damage.

• A moves slow.
• C moves very fast.
• SDM version also comboes from heavy normals. Deals more damage and has a bigger hitbox, moves about as fast as C version.

Punish reckless projectile use with this. Can also catch jumping opponents.

Ryuuko Ranbu: qcf, hcb+A/C

Ranbu type move, as name suggests.

A and C version combo from heavy normals and deal the same damage.

• A connects much more reliable in combos because it starts faster.
• C has some meaningless invulnerability on startup, not a reliable reversal.
• SDM comboes the same way A version does and deals more damage. Also has some invulnerability.

Most damaging out of the regular DMs.

Tenchi Haoh Ken: qcf, qcf+A/C

ICHIGEKI HISSATSU

A and C version deal the same damage and a lot more on counterhit.

• A connects from light normals.
• C has some meaningless invulnerability on startup, not a reliable reversal.
• SDM connects from light normals and deals less damage on its own but will stun the opponent.

This SDM turns out to be his most damaging SDM since it lets you hit a combo of your choice afterward. Paired with even just his best meterless combo this deals more damage than any other SDM alone.

Combos

General notes on combos:

• It is more reliable to use only one cr.B in confirms. Using more than one cr.B usually works but often deals less damage or completely fails against crouching characters by making qcb+AC and hcb+D not connect all hits.
• Most combos work after jumpins (j.C or j.D, same damage) with slight adjustments, just skip light normals for a heavy or do one less cr.B.
• You can use any close heavy normal instead of cr.C when not linking from cr.B, like after jumping in. But cr.C is still optimal since it deals more damage.
• Use cr.A instead of st.A/cl.A for crouching Chin and Choi. qcf, qcf+A/C/ also completely whiffs on them when crouching, SDM will still work however.

Meterless

hcf+P, j.CD: Very basic. Unblockable launcher into juggle j.CD. Jumping CD deals more damage than hop CD.

cr.B[xN], st.A, hcb+B/D: Basic low confirm. Using only 1~2 cr.B will guarantee hcb+D which deals more damage. Use hcb+B when too far away for hcb+D.

cr.B, cl.A, hcf+P, j.CD: Basic confirm into proximity unblockable. You need to be close, only 1 cr.B possible. Remember j.CD does more damage than hop.CD.

cr.B[x1~2], cr.C, qcf+C: cr.C link low confirm into projectile.

cr.B, cr.C, hcb+D: More damage than projectile but harder.

cr.B, cr.C, qcb+AC, hcb+D: Best meterless ender.

cl.C, hcf+P, j.CD: Classic. Remember j.CD does more damage than hop.CD.

Meter

cr.B[xN], st.A, qcf,qcf+A: Does unspectacular damage but you can get many cr.Bs in for easy confirming on standing chars.

cr.B[xN], st.A, qcf,qcf+AC [STUN] j.C, cr.C, qcb+AC, hcb+D: Start the same as above but hit the SDM for stun and follow up with his most damaging meterless combo.

cr.B[xN], st.A, qcf,qcf+AC [STUN] [ABC] j.C, cr.C, qcf,hcb+P: If you happen to play Ryo 3rd and have full bars. Same as above but activate maxmode during stun and jumpin to SDM Ranbu.

cl.C, f,hcf+P: Very simple, basic. Generous window for cancelling.

cr.B[x1~2], cr.C, f,hcf.P/AC: cr.C link low combo.

cr.B[x1~2], cr.C, qcf,hcb+A/AC: Ranbu is unreliable when using more than one cr.B or late with cancelling. Much easier with only one cr.B.

EX Meter

(corner)cr.B[x1~2], cr.C, qcb+AC, hcb+D, ABC, dp+C:

cr.B[x1~2], cr.C, qcf,hcb+ABC: Consistent version ranbu low combo.

cr.B[xN], ABC, cl.D, f,hcf+C: Main low meter bnb.

(corner)cr.C, qcb+AC, hcb+D, ABC, (max)qcf,qcf+P [STUN] j.C, cr.C, qcb+AC, hcb+D: His best damage.

Videos

King of Fighters 98 UM FE: Ryo Guide by Mash It Out