Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike/Alex/Strategy

Strategies

Overview

Alex is a low tier character, who is afflicted with being the other half of Hugo, in that he's fast, but his grabs aren't particularly good. His EX Techniques are very useful, as they make his regularly unsafe moves safe(ish).

Super Art Selection

Use Super Art: SA2 (Boomerang Raid). Why? Alex's EX moves make him a much better character, and SA2 has the most meter to store EX moves. SA2 is also the easiest super art to combo into. Why not SA1? Because it has a 3 frame start up, that's why. The opponent can just jump out of it if it's not properly set up. The only time that it is ever guaranteed is after amp or Flash Chop. Why not SA3? Because the Stun Gun trap is escapable. It's not easy, but its possible.

The other two supers tend to rely on gimmicks to land. As we all know, gimmicks only work once on a competent opponent, if at all.

• SA1
  • Big Damage
  • Harder to setup than other supers
    • Use on: Low stamina characters - Low stamina means that this super can really frighten an offensive player.

• SA2
  • Large capacity for EX Moves
  • It can be hit confirmed
  • Opponent may not be grabbed if SA2 wasn't done at fair range
    • Use on: All

• SA3
  • Small meter, big damage
  • Trap can be escaped
  • Small capacity for EX Techniques
    • Use on:
      • Characters with no anti air - SA3 can be good anti air move against characters with no fast start up anti airs (such as Ryu's Shoryuken).
      • Chun-Li - After you blocked her air D+ you can punish it with SA3.

Kara-Techniques

Throw
Alex's prime kara-throw normal is F. (F x Throw)

Alex can also kara-power bomb, with [st.LP] [→ ↘ ↓ ↙ ←] [→ HP ~ LP].

A kara-throw is cancelling a normal move into a throw before the normal technique executes, extending your grab range. They are incredibly tight to execute.

To grasp what it is you're supposed to be seeing after a successful Kara-Throw, watch the feet of your character. If you see dust appear around them, and visually see the sprite move forward, you have successfully performed a Kara-Throw.

Neutral

Pokes

• cr.MP is a very strong poke, as it is very fast, safe, and covers up a good amount of space. HOWEVER, it is weak to both forward and down parry, so overuse of this will quickly get yourself in trouble.
• forward.MP is slower and has slightly less range than cr.MP, but requires are forward parry, and has a great vertical hitbox, letting you tag jumpers.
• cr.MK is a great low poke to stop walkers in their tracks.

Anti Airs

• cl.MP is a lightning fast reliable anti air.
• cr.HP is a slow, but beefy anti air with multiple hits.
• j.MP is your go to air to air. j.HK can be useful in ranged situations.

Tricks

• EX Stomp can be a great tool to catch fireball/preemptive pokers off guard, as it often avoids their move.

Mixups

HIGH

Alex's standing and UOH are useful. Strong high section techniques include;

• - Does a ton of stun, somewhat ambiguous animation, and is relatively safe on block.
• Meaty UOH x SA2.
• Meaty Close x / Stomp are also useful tools at lower levels, as you can cross up for a left/right. However, be warned that tapping in any direction performs a block/parry OS against crossups, so use sparingly against a familiar opponent. Useful for DDT setups.

LOW

• Regarding Alex's low mix-ups, c., c., and c. are all lows.
• Alex's target combo of c. > c. lets him get more reward off of his c., and the sweep can be used as a high risk callout. (It is quite unsafe on block though, so use carefully.)

THROW

• As is the way with all the characters in the game, an additional layer of Strike/Throw can be layered into your mixups.
• Power Bomb, being a command grab, is a high-risk middling-reward tool. Alex's is not especially rewarding, both in damage and in positioning, but it is an important tool nonetheless.
• Tick throwing is an important tool for any grappler - by throwing right as your opponent leaves blockstun, you can beat out any option asides from invuln/jumping.
• Tick throwing from st./st./ > Power Bomb can be an especially powerful tool, and you can mix it up with normal attacks to catch jumpers.
• Given Alex's little reward off of Power Bomb, however, comes the importance of using regular throws - although they are techable, they are significantly safer, as if your opponent jumps out of your throw, you can block punishes that would catch Power Bomb otherwise.
• DDT is a unique command grab, in that it has good range and oki, but whiffs on crouchers. This makes it a very risky tool on its own, but is quite useful to bait parries/people afraid of overheads. Meaty cl. x DDT can be used where one would expect a stomp, which can catch parry/high block attempts.

Additional Notes

• Personal Action: Alex's damage done on the next attack increases. Holding Fierce and Roundhouse keeps this action going. If Alex rotates his arm 7 times, the damage increase is maxed out. This can be done in multiple taunts.