Style:
Balanced
Difficulty:
Intermediate
Summary:
Slower attacks but good range huge damage including his signature heavy slash. Unlike in Samsho, he has a lot more crush and stance options (including fighting barehanded) to layer his offense.
Description:
Wait a second, that’s not Mitsurugi! Our visiting samurai comes bringing many aspects of his own Samurai Shodown gameplay, including devastating single hit-attacks like his heavy slash and the ability to fight barehanded (now a stance, not done out of necessity like in Samsho). He also has some Samsho mechanics, like the ability to cancel normal attacks into special attacks, and his own basic rage meter that he can use to power up attacks or enter a one-time powered up state, granting new moves like the ability to use the ultra-fast special Issen attack. Haoh has some really great range and to give him some of that Soulcalibur flair has some strings and a stance dash to help open up the enemy. His command grabs allow for custom follow-ups (another Samsho mechanic) and allow him to deal huge damage in Soul Charge or easily ring the enemy out over low walls. He struggles by having slower basic attacks and being generally unsafe on block, and can struggle to gain momentum when smothered by a faster or aggressive opponent. He also has easily the worst wall combo options in the game and suffers a bit on walled stages as a result. Overall his reliance on big reads to deal big damage can put him in a feast-or-famine flow where he can really struggle to crack a careful defense.Â
Strengths:
- high damage
- long range on basic attacks
- added offense through “ronin” attacks and rage meter mechanics
Weaknesses:
- weak fast attacks (i14 AA and i16 BB)
- worst wall combos in the game
- reliant on committing to big reads to deal damage
Unique mechanic:
2D cancels. Haohmaru, coming from 2D game, is able to cancel some of his moves into non-caned followups both for higher damage and for surprising followups. Also, some of his moves leads to special stance where he is minus on block but able to parry incoming attacks for respectable damage.