Haku (SCON4)

Haku
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HP	200
Guard Gauge	1600
Jab Speed	Frame 15
Jab Height	High
Backdash Type	Normal

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Summary

Haku is considered by many as one of the most technically challenging characters SCON has to offer, due to to his subpar HP and high skill ceiling. Haku's playstyle revolves around the use of his trademark needle projectiles, used to threaten tick throws, create frame traps, or for his Needle Loop infinite. Haku also possesses strong normals, such as and , allowing for both defensive and offensive game plans to shine. Utilizing the many applications of needles in tandem with the swiss army knife that is Haku's normals is essential to mastering the character.

Gameplay

Moveset

Basic Moves	Notes
	15f startup, very average jab with decent reach, hits high
	16f startup, hits mid 2 times, tracking properties
	23f startup, high crushes on frame 7, on the slower end for sweeps
	16f startup, 10 guard frames, making it one of the fastest and best 4bs in the game, can be low profiled
	21f startup, high crushes on frame 7, advances very far making it good for whiff punishing or escaping backturn
	19f startup, unsafe on block
	16f startup, very fast for a airborne move, small hitbox
Special Moves
	10f startup, throws one needle, has a follow-up (throws another 2), can be charged for extra damage (+4) and stagger, deals chip damage
	10f startup, throws a wide spread of 5 needles, great anti air, deals chip damage
	14f startup, advancing high crush (frame 8), leads to max damage routes, deals chip damage
	11f startup, counter, bad tracking and hitbox
	17f startup, very active, deals chip damage
	Running kunais, plus on block, deals chip
	Slower startup than standard air kunai; releases 5 needles upon pressing while airborne, however, any number of needles can also be "held" by pressing and holding within a certain period after the initial press. Haku's gameplan is centered around oppressive use of needles in neutral, on offense, as a high reward punish on defense, and for infinites.
Super Moves
	21f startup, costs 100% meter, standard cinematic super
	17f startup, costs 100% meter, high and mid invulnerability for 6 frames, teleports to opponent on activation, stomp activator can be jumped or stepped, projectiles deal chip damage; guarantees a OTG

Strengths

• Haku leverages his needles in many areas of his gameplan, discussed in Needle Usage
• Like many characters, can be used defensively against strings which lift Haku in the air
• is a fast high crush with reach and good for quickly capitalizing on openings
• > > combos meterlessly
• is a double-hit mid attack with startup comparable to jabs and good recovery
  • This makes the attack frequently preferable to his jab because of its extra active frames (to catch 4B's and sidesteps) and lack of vulnerability to high crushes
  • can be performed on whiff making it relatively safe to throw out in neutral
• Haku prefers to end combos with a knockdown before the opponent substitutes so he can build chakra and set up needles
  • The overhead slam () has high damage and chakra build, but does not leave Haku time to safely set up needles if the opponent tech rolls
  • Other combo finishers including , and may be preferable so Haku has time to set up needles.
• is one of the stronger guard frame attacks in the game- it is fast and lunges far in front of Haku
• has uses as a reversal, full screen teleport punish (including when Haku is backturned) and a finisher, discussed in 2X Usage and Counterplay

Weaknesses

• Low HP
• Holding needles drains chakra potentially leaving Haku vulnerable to punishes without the ability to KNJ
• Haku relies on the threat of needles to make his guard pressure threatening and his strings safe; without chakra, Haku's options are significantly limited
• The need to reserve chakra for needles also discourages the use of his and supers as their use effectively weakens Haku himself
• Without the threat of needles, Haku's blockstrings leave him fairly vulnerable
  • can be sidestepped or jumped
  • can be avoided with a back walk or punished with a jump attack
  • Haku is minus after (the overhead slam) and can be throw punished
  • The sequence is severely minus on block and punishable; Haku will rely on mixing up the ending of his string to keep the opponent guessing
  • can be punished with a jump attack or throw punished
• Sidestep-cancel run can quickly punish attempts to set needles
• Combo needle loops can be punished with a KNJ timed just as Haku goes to jump ->

Needle Usage

• All movement, attacks and throw are available while holding needles
• Needle loops serve as a subbable infinite combo
• Standing needle loops can be converted into a ground combo to build chakra or lead to an or confirm
• Grounded combos with needles held can be converted to needle loops; this method is one of the more reliable ways to start a needle loop
• Needle loops can combo infinitely as on-the-ground (OTG) hits, though the timing is tighter than as in standing loops
• Needle loops can effectively zone in neutral dealing chip damage on block and to force an approach from the opponent, which can be punished with Haku's normals
• Landing held needles on block gives an opportunity for a strike/throw mix or to continue pressuring and dealing chip damage with needle loops
• Haku can set up unblockable cross-ups by positioning on the opposite side of the opponent before launching needles and attacking from both sides in sequence
  • Note: Once blocking, characters can block from either side, so the attacks must be alternated rather than hit simultaneously.
• Haku can make unsafe block strings safe by releasing needles
• Haku can punish incoming attacks by releasing needles
  • Held needles drop if Haku is hit or blocks an attack thus Haku should release A before an incoming attack comes into contact with him

Okizeme

Haku is theoretically guaranteed a combo, strike/throw mix or needle loop on block if he has time to set needles and get close to his opponent after a knockdown

• If the opponent uses neutral get up, Haku can stand by the opponent holding needles
• If they wake-up-kick (WUK), Haku can release needles to punish and start a combo (including a needle loop) or block the WUK, causing the needles to drop, and punish with a normal
• If they stand without WUK or directional roll, Haku can chase and most reliably enforce okizeme with a normal attack followed by releasing needles to cover his attack recovery leading to his strike/throw/needle loop mix on block
• If they KNJ, Haku can punish by releasing needles and combo

2X Usage and Counterplay

• has six frames of invincibility at startup allowing it to serve as a reversal with proper timing
• The stomp is unblockable but the needles are blockable
• Haku can hit OTG with after , building back 25% chakra, as compared to which will consume all chakra
• Ineffective against an airborne opponent because the shockwave will miss
• Teleports to the opponent and can punish at long rang, including back turn situations
  • Haku can on whiff
• The stomp is avoidable with the invincibility frames of a sidestep
  • A missed can be punished with jab or a divekick (if in the air)- at which point the needles will not launch

Combos

Combo	Notes
25% Chakra Opponent
> > >
> >
0% Chakra Opponent
	text here

Changes from Vanilla

(Needs further updates. Please let wiki editors know details)

• 5B: made high
• 5BB(A) (flip): Replaced with 6A and its follow-ups.
• 2B: hitbox appears one frame sooner; hit direction changed slightly to assist follow ups
• 2B(B): launch height and type adjusted for more consistency on characters it used to drop on
• 2B(A) (flip): replaced with 6A(A)
• 5BB(8A) and 6B(8A) added: Performs flip; properly low crushes
• 2BA(A) (flip slash): is unblockable
• JB(A): Added as JA
• 6A: hits twice; damage is distributed between the two hits
• 4A: window improved
• A4A: appears above 14 frames faster, activation is unblockable and unsubbable; hitboxes are bigger and better placed; moves quicker
• 8A: needles have slightly more lift on hit
• RA: replaced with 2B(A) and follow ups
• JA: spawns 5 needles instead of 10, holding each needle drains 6 chakra per frame instead of 3 (was pairs before)
• 5X: hitbox appears 4 frames earlier
• 2X: Stomp hitbox changed to be a shockwave hitbox instead of on his shin; needles knock down
• GRKnJ: Made a mid instead of a high

Resources

Guides and Info

LINKS TO INFO AND GUIDES

Gameplay footage

• Dark Tournament 2: LilyHV's run and Kandle vs Skeet
• Fall Clash swiss ft4, LilyHV vs Clemente