JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Heritage for the Future/Shadow Dio

Introduction

In 1888, Dio Brando, via the power of the stone mask, had become transformed into an invincible vampire, and killed Jonathan Joestar's father. JoJo (AKA: Jonathan), set out to stop Dio from fulfilling his ambitions, and in the process, learned how to use Hamon (a special breathing technique which allows the user to channel natural energy), which can destroy vampires. After tracking Dio down, and cornering him in his abandoned mansion, JoJo had succeeded in destroying Dio... Or so he had thought. Dio, before he could be completely destroyed, severed his own immortal head, preventing the loss of his life.

One year later, in 1889, JoJo is married, and for his honeymoon, decides to go on a steamship trip to America. Unknown to JoJo, one of Dio's zombies stows away on the ship, carrying Dio's severed head. During the trip, Dio's surviving zombies massacre the passengers, and lure JoJo, to Dio. Once in range, Dio uses his eyes to shoot a pressurized beam of fluid, piercing JoJo's throat, and preventing him from using Hamon. Dio then attempts to take JoJo's body as his own, but once again, JoJo destroys his ambitions by causing the ship's engine to explode, just as he is assuming control of the body.

One hundred years later, in 1989, Dio (who had escaped to safety in a near-by coffin) was brought up from the bottom of the sea by salvagers...

Shadow Dio, is the form of Dio who has assumed control of Jonathan Joestar's body, but is not used to it yet, reducing his powers and ability to control himself correctly. He is an offensive character with few defensive options and combos. His main trait, is that many of his moves will allow you to setup cross-ups, and even use his unblockables. To spite being unused to the body, in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, he is ranked as highly as regular Dio on tier lists.

Fun Fact: Dio, in Italian, literally means "God", and "Muda", his battle cry, can be translated as "Useless" from Japanese. The immortal shadow god Dio, who's might makes all attempt to resist useless...

Moves List

Input Chart:

Move	Motion
Forward	F
Back	B
Crouch	C
Jump	J
Jump Forward	UF
Jump Backwards	UB
Short Jump	Tap U
Short Jump Forward	Tap UF
Short Jump Backwards	Tap UB
Dash Forward	FF
Dash Backwards	BB
Quarter Circle Forward	QCF
Quarter Circle Backwards	QCB
Forward, Down, Down-Forward	F,D,DF / DP
Back, Down, Down-Back	B,D,DB / RDP
Half Circle Forward	HCF
Half Circle Backward	HCB
Guard (High)	B when enemy is attacking
Guard (Low)	DB when enemy is attacking
Any Attack	A
Any Two Attacks	AA
Light Attack	A1
Medium Attack	A2
Heavy Attack	A3
Stand Toggle	S

Normal Moves

• Normal Attacks

Light attack (A1)
Guard Type: Middle
Dash Property: Attack becomes similar to c.A2, but in a standing position.
Information: Shadow Dio jabs toward his enemies chest.

Down + Light attack (c.A1)
Guard Type: Low
Information: Shadow Dio jabs low.

Jumping Light attack (j.A1)
Guard Type: High
Information: Shadow Dio sticks his arm downward diagonally.

Medium attack (A2)
Guard Type: Middle
Information: Shadow Dio performs a spinning roundhouse kick.

Down + Medium Attack (c.A2)
Guard Type: Low
Information: With his arm, Shadow Dio uppercuts.

Jumping Medium attack (j.A2)
Guard Type: High
Information: Shadow Dio performs a spinning kick in the air, similarly to his A2.

Heavy attack (A3)
Guard Type: Middle
Dash Property: Longer startup frames
Information: Shadow Dio lurches forward slightly, and brings his arm down on his opponent from above.

Down + Heavy Attack (c.A3)
Guard Type: Low
Dash Property: Acts like FD+A3, with the rocks.
Information: Shadow Dio in a display of strength, smashes his arm into the ground so hard, that rocks fly upward.

Down-Forward + Heavy Attack (DF+A3)
Guard Type: Low
Information: Shadow Dio slides along the ground, knocking the opponent down.

Jumping Heavy attack (j.A3)
Guard Type: High
Information: Shadow Dio swings his arm down, similarly to his standing A3.

• Stand Attacks

Stand button
Guard Type: Middle
Information: The silhouette of The World rushes horizontally out with a slight buzz, and punches the opponent.

Backward + Stand
Guard Type: Middle
Information: The silhouette of The World, punches diagonally into the air after a slight delay.

Down + Stand
Guard Type: Low
Information: The silhouette of The World, toward the ground after a slight delay.

Jumping Stand Attacks
Guard Type: High
Information: Shadow Dio has the exact same commands with his stand in the air, as he does on the ground. They all hit high, and all function the same way.

• Throw

Mid-air recoverable: No
Information: Shadow Dio with amazing power, throws his opponent across the screen into the wall. They will be knocked down.

Special Moves

• Vampiric Drain

How to perform: Forward, Down, Down-Forward + A
Guard Type: Unblockable
Information: Thrusting with his fingers, Shadow Dio will grab the opponent, and drain their blood away slowly, then fling them across the screen.

• Tome of Time

How to perform: Back, Down, Down-Back + A
Guard Type: Middle
Information: Shadow Dio stylishly turns away from the opponent, and procures a book to read. During this time, if he is attacked, he will teleport directly behind his opponent, and freeze them for a brief moment. The button used determines the time the book is read for.

• Throwing Knives

How to perform: HCF + A
Guard Type: Middle
Follow-up: HCB + A Follow-up Guard Type: Middle
Information: Shadow Dio procures knives to throw at the opponent. The attack, and follow-up will combo, and every button produces a different pattern of knives.

• Silhouette Strikes

How to perform: HCF + Stand
Guard Type: Middle
Information: A silhouette of The World appears, and after a short delay, rushes forward attacking the enemy with three quick-succession punches.

Super Moves

• Knives of The World

How to perform: QCF + AA
Guard Type: Middle
Information: A silhouette of The World appears, and charges horizontally attempting to punch your opponent. If it connects, Dio will stop time in a flash and knives will hit the opponent from all directions.

• Stone Mask Strike

How to perform: Forward, Down, Down-Forward + AA
Guard Type: High
Follow-up: Forward, Down, Down-Forward + AA
Follow-up Guard Type: Unblockable
Super and Follow-up special property: Hold AA to rush, release AA to hit.
Information: Dio, using all of his might, rushes forward and smashes his opponent, sending them flying. Using the follow-up (costs an additional level of meter) will have Dio kick them stylishly. You will need to hold AA on the follow-up for a short period of time to hit them, otherwise you will miss.

• Dio's Charisma

How to perform: QCB + AA
Guard Type: Unblockable
Special Properties: Super requires TWO levels of meter.
Information: Screaching "WRRRYYYYY", Dio will release several sparkling spores, which home in and damage opponents unblockably. This super has a long start-up.

• The World

How to perform: A1, Forward, A3, Backward, Stand
Guard Type: Unblockable
Special Properties: Super requires THREE levels of meter.
Information: Shouting "The World", Dio will stop time, and his super meter will drain rapidly. During this time, you can attack the opponent continually using specials and supers. They cannot block *during* the super. The start-up time on this move is so long, that you can often be punished even from full screen! Use sparingly.

The Basics

hadow Dio, having absolutely no native combos, is required to make use of crouch cancels (standing, or crouching during a move's recovery, to shorten the recovery) regardless of what he does. Shadow Dio, as such, is required to be in mid to close range, and keep momentum in his favor, so that he can land potential combos, and setup his risky unblockable traps.

• Normals

Shadow Dio's normals only serve as a means to an end... That being said, most, if not all of them are very useful. You will need to correctly utilize his entire moveset, or be demolished. Memorize how each of them hits, and how fast they are. Specifically, c.A1, Dashing A1, c.A2, Jumping A2, A3, c.A3, DF+A3, Dashing A3 and j.A3.

• Anti-Airs

Use c.A2, or Dashing A1 anti-airs. They have good priority and reach, and with good dash timing, can even take evasive air recoverer's out with it. Since many people will air recover backward, or with no direction in the corner, this can lead to a whole lot of free damage.

• Air Versus Air

In air versus air, Shadow Dio's only option is j.A2. It's reach and speed are fairly good, and if desired, you can cancel it into a stand attack at any time, should you find yourself in a bad spot.

• Short Jumping

Using short jumps (tap up, instead of holding it) to score deep hits, or fast hits on opponents is a great way to keep up pressure, or start combos. Specifically, Shadow Dio will require this to land just about any hit, or setup cross-ups. Short jump A2, and short jump A3 are fairly good, especially when combined with a stand.

• Footsie

As always, the usual high/low/throw should be applied here. Dashing c.A3 can be canceled into a stand attack to start a combo, so preference to that low should probably be made. Dashing A2 and dashing A1 can both be used to setup the correct distance (and therefor act as a tick) for the blood drain (DP+A) against slow, or overly prediction based opponents. The blood drain alone, is great for use on many opponents as they wake up.

Advanced Strategy

Shadow Dio is one of the more simple characters, with little in the way of difficult tactics or strategy. His main goals are as always, to get into unblockables (which never combo, and therefor reset damage) and to use The World, to stop time.

• Unblockables

The World, and his QCB+AA super, are both unblockable. The only option against them, is to run, or to counter. Off of Shadow Dio's low knockdown (c.A3), his throw when close to the corner, and his double A3 knives you can use the QCB+AA super fairly safely. As always, super counters and AAA dodges can throw a wrench in your plans, but that is the risk of using anything which does not combo.

• Cross-up/lockdowns

Shadow Dio's stand, The World, in it's current form, acts as a weapon, that starts behind you, and attacks the front. Jumping over an opponent with a short jump while they're OTG, or a regular jump while they stand/crouch, and using your stand just before you touch the ground, will strike them from the rear, and allow you an easy combo opportunity.

Using HCF+Stand, while you are on the ground, will have it attack three times. Jump at or dodge through the opponent, and hit them during this. They are not able to move, if they were blocking, however, they may still pushblock. Use sparingly.

• The World
  The World's time stop is Dio's trademark ability. Shadow Dio has a number of ways to reliably set it up.
  
  
  1. Blood Drain: The blood drain, results in your opponent being thrown across the screen. Use it's animation to buffer The World.
  2. c.A2 Anti-Air: Many people will recover away from you, to try and save themselves. Buffer The World during c.A2 if you have an opponent who likes to do this.
  3. HCF+Stand: The third of the hits, has a rather long reach. Many people have slow reactions, and if you buffer The World during the third hit from a long ways away, it will likely hit.

Combos

• Beginner

c.A1 -> c.A1 -> c.A1
c.A1 -> A3 -> Stand

• Average

j.A -> c.A1 -> A3 -> Stand -> DF+A3
j.A -> A1 -> Crouch cancel -> A3

• Advanced

Dashing c.A3 -> Stand -> Dash -> c.A1 -> A3 -> Stand -> DF+A3 -> Small delay until close to opponent -> QCB Super c.A1 -> c.A1 -> A3 -> Stand -> Dash -> c.A1 -> Dashing A1
[c.A1 -> A3 -> Stand -> Dash] *N

Match-ups

Vs. Shadow Dio:

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure