Electric Pile Driver being an instant grab that requires no diagonal inputs makes it a fantastic option as a punish and instant reversal. There are hundreds of ways to experiment with it, but here are a few important tricks you can do with it to really make your Chrome Dome threatening.
Anti-air EPD
Chrome Dome lacking "The perfect anti-air" is a minor, but very real weakness for Chrome. Electric Pile Driver's awesome range can (kinda sorta) make up for it! The key is to watch where the opponent lands. Many times, players will make risky full screen jumps that will cause any jump-in normal to whiff. Use this to your advantage and throw them as soon as they land.
Power Drill EPD Punish
Power Drill is super plus, and most of the time you will get thrown for free, but don't worry! With immaculate timing (and a bit off luck) you can time an Electric Pile Driver after Raph recovers. Whether this is a true punish or not is up for debate, but it's almost unanimously agreed that it's worth trying just in case the Raph doesn't time the throw correctly.
EPD Fireball Trap Escape
Like the Powerdrill setup mentioned before, doing this trick successfully mostly relies on the opponent messing up. In this case, you have to either hope the opponent throws too late if you block the fireball, or; if you don't block and take the fireball, hope the opponent still attempts to throw after you get hit by it. In the gif, you can see that Raph attempts to throw after Chrome took the fireball. The Raph ended up getting a close heavy punch, and the Chrome Dome was able to throw him before the normal connected.
Chrome Spark Tricks
Chrome Spark allows for a magnitude of eccentric techniques that will definitely catch your opponents off guard. As mentioned below, Chrome Spark works as a fantastic reversal and anti-air because of it's invincibility. Use these tricks to really take advantage of it.
Chrome Spark Anti-Air
Chrome Spark can make up for Chrome Dome's mostly average anti-air game just like EPD. In fact, it may be an even better one, as it's much better for countering actual air normals rather than the opponent's landing.
Buffered Chrome Spark Anti-Air
Chrome Spark can still be buffered after a whiffed normal. Use this to your advantage!
Chrome Spark Fireball Trap Escape
Chrome Dome's best option against fireball traps. There's no exact timing for this, so try and get a feel for which methods work best in these situations
Chrome Spark Aska UA Dodge
A neat (and the only) way to avoid Aska's super with Chrome Dome. It's possible with both light and heavy Chrome Spark, and it must be done very late.
A risky poke that's best used to cancel into EPD. It does an insane amount of stun for a light normal, but standing heavy kick should be favored over it. This is also a two part move. It only hits once, but the initial kick is a hit as well as the extension. Both have different damages. This is a recurring theme with Chrome Dome's extended limbs.
One of Chrome Dome's main far anti-airs. In certain situations, it can be used as a poke to call out button presses and push the opponent away. This is a very important normal for CD, make sure to use it. Be mindful of it's picky hitbox and the fact that CD's whole arm is venerable.
Chrome Dome's best anti-air. It has awesome priority, and its hitbox has quite a bit of range, making it double as an anti-cross up. Make sure to abuse this against jumpy opponents.
A surprisingly fast kick. Overall, this is a better poke than standing light kick. It is capable of calling out certain moves, but be mindful of it's below average priority.
One of the highest damaging moves in the game stun-wise if both hits connect. Perhaps the most infamous part about this normal is that it sets up the grab loop combo against the turtles and War. Even when you're facing characters who aren't venerable to the loop, use this during jump-in combos to get a quick dizzy. This builds an above-average amount of meter; six points instead of the usual four for heavy normals. Be mindful that it can setup a really specific unblocakble against Shredder in the corner if canceled into light Chrome Spark, but it's not very consistent. This normal can change the outcome of matches quickly, don't sleep on it!
VERY similar to crouching light kick, but it's slightly slower and has less range. It also can't setup any knock-down CPS chain combos, but keep in mind that it is possible to redizzy the turtles and War by CPS chaining this move three times into crouching heavy punch after a light punch grab, so use it when you want to get creative.
A very quick low kick. This is a great normal that is mostly used in CPS chain combos into crouching heavy kick. It is also a decent close poke, and it is relatively safe to set up EPD grabs with it.
Similar to crouching light punch in a sense that it's very similar to it's kick counter part. Although crouching heavy kick is mostly the better normal, this can be great for whiff punishes and interrupting block strings.
An awesome sweep that has a startup speed that's almost unfair. It works great as a cancel into EPD, to call out special and regular moves, and for ending CPS chains. This is not only one of Chrome Dome's best normals, but arguably one of the best in the game. Use this a lot to solidify Chrome Dome's ground game.
An odd pogo jump that is almost useless. It can be used during mind games to confuse the opponent, but you're better off ignoring it completely in neutral. Its usage comes when jumping in on the opponent. Its above-average priority can be used to beat many anti airs and special moves.
An okay normal in general that can call out certain moves. Most of its usage comes from it being the lowest instant overhead Chrome Dome has. This is really important, as it allows the overhead to work against low crouchers like Armaggon.
This normal's long range and awesome startup make it a fantastic air-to-air. Said long range makes matchups like Wingnut far more bearable as Chrome Dome can beat out moves while in the air and control a good amount of space. It gives Chrome Dome the opportunity to combo from a relatively far distance into cr.hk. Keep this in mind against opponents who are predictable with fireballs. Be mindful when throwing this move out though. Since it does not have infinite active frames, experienced opponents will be able to punish it off of a good read.
A quick dive. When used right, this normal can be a huge threat. It's incredibly fast, mostly safe, and perhaps the deadliest part: it must be blocked high. Avid Chrome Domes should always establish their gameplan with this move and know when and when not to use it. Dive should be used often, but it only should be abused when the opponent is in the corner. In neutral, it should mostly be used as a gap closer and mixup option. It's also a great option for getting over fireballs quickly. When the opponent is cornered, mix this up with instant overheads and EPDs to really solidify damage.
Possibly the most interesting fireball in the game. It has some bit of invincibility on startup, making it double as a reversal and anti-air. Being a good Chrome Dome player requires utilizing this as more than a fireball. In fact, some might say it's better as a reversal than a fireball. Yes, it can help Chrome Dome control space and play keep away, but it's fairly slow on recovery, and it's completely grounded, allowing fireballs like Dragon Breath to pass right over it. Seasoned Chromes will mostly use this moves as a "get off me" attack. It can help Chrome Dome wiggle out of fireball traps, counter okis, and call out special moves. Against cornered opponents, Chrome Spark mostly becomes a setup for EPD. The process is usually knock down, into canceled Chrome Spark, into EPD.
Similar to the light version animation wise, but speed and recovery frames are different stories. This move, unlike the light chrome spark, has slower startup and recovery in exchange for faster speed. In reference to the light chrome spark, heavy Chrome Spark also has invincibility frames. This allows it to be used to get out of of certain fireball loop setups and as a sneaky reversal. Be sure to use this move at safe distances because you can take a bit of damage if this move is thrown out at a bad time.
The only command grab possessed by a legal character. This of Chrome's most important moves. It is an instant grab that cannot be jumped out of or blocked, there is no whiff animation, and it has a decent amount of range. These three traits in particular help Electric Pile Driver's general viability a lot. It allows it to be used as an unorthodox anti-air, block strings interrupter, and most importantly, an instant reversal. EPD allows for a lot of creativity, and there is no specific way to use it. Don't be afraid to be expressive with it. Always remember that you can buffer the "down" input indefinitely, and EDP will still come out.
