top of page
Hokuto
PlayStyle: Footsie/Bait
Similar to: Yang (SF)
Strengths: Great normals that can control the screen, excellent supers that are very versatile, strong anti airs that can convert into good damage, great mobility with her Shinkyaku-Geki Shin feint, and one of the best command normals in the game (Gai-Shu). When she has meter Hokuto can start getting momentum very fast with her Rensho-Geki super. Chugeki-Hoh can be cancelled out of on the first hit so she doesn't really have to ever commit and even if she does it's safe on block. She has an overall toolkit that can be used in a variety of situations and can be somewhat hard to deal with for the opponent.
Weaknesses: She does not a a solid wakeup option but Shinkaku-Geki Shin can help her avoid some bad situations but a lot of the time it can be covered and punished by the opponent. Hokuto has one of the worst unique attacks in the game in Chu-Hoh, it's incredibly slow, low damage, and not super cancellable. She does have trouble dealing with projectiles and characters that can control the screen. Despite having a great toolkit and many ways of doing damage, her output is on the lower side and requires a lot of knowledge to leverage her damage. The right gougi deck can help cover her weaknesses as she doesn't really have big ones.
Play if: + You like almost always being safe
+ You like juggle combos and creativity
+ You enjoy baiting your opponent
Avoid if: - You don't having no wakeup reversal attack
- You don't like high execution characters
- You want more traditional FEXL combos
Recommended Gougi Decks: Aggro, Shinobi, Juggernaut, Babel, Berserker, Fantasista, Infinity
Max Punish Combos
Meterless: dash cr.MP > st.MP > st.HK > Gai Shu (49 Damage)
1 Bar: dash cr.MP > st.HP > f.HK > Rensho Geki > forward jump HK > dash st.LP > dash st.LP > dash st.LP > dash st.LP > cr.MP > st.HP > f.HK (86 Damage)
2 Bar: dash cr.MP > st.HP > f.HK > Rensho Geki > forward jump HK > dash st.LP > dash st.LP > dash st.LP > dash st.LP > cr.MP > st.HP > f.HK > Rensho Geki > forward jump HK > dash st.MP > st.HK; Fullscreen 102 Damage
3 Bar: dash cr.MP > st.HP > f.HK > Rensho Geki > forward jump HK > dash st.MP > st.HK > Rensho Geki > neutral jump HK > dash st.MP > st.HK > Rensho Geki > neutral jump HK > st.HK; Midscreen 115 Damage
Key Normals
Stand Medium Punch: Go to solid anti air and can easily combo into Chugeki-Hoh or for extra damage and a follow up super. It's also a good meaty as it has a lot of active frames.
Stand Heavy Kick: This is an excellent button to check dash in low with and to buffer into Kiren-Eki to whiff punish or counter poke an opponent. Also a great anti air for far jumps.
Stand Medium Kick: A great normal to buffer into Kirin-Eki at any range. This normal has a lot more active frames then most medium attacks and it's a great way to whiff punish other crouch light/medium kicks.
Crouch Heavy Kick: Completely punishable on block but has a long range and can also low profile under projectiles. It can also be made safe if you go into the command normal Gai-Shu (forwadrd + HK)
Gai-Shu: This is Hokuto's longest range normal and can be buffered into Kirin-Eki very well to check dashes and counter poke the opponent. This normal is safe and has a lot of pushback at the end of a chain especially after crouch heavy kick.
Key Moves
Chugeki-Hoh: The regular punch follow up will be your go to punish ender as it combos into Rensho-Geki and will start her deadly juggle combo game. Unlike Shirase she can't mixup her options for offense. Instead she can cancel into Shinkyaku-Geki for a low that doesn't combo or you cancel into Shin to escape and it can be used to avoid a potential check or punish. While this is a more simplistic version compared to her counter part it is actually safe on block and actually at advantage on crouch block.
Shin: After inputting a kick button during Shinkyaku-Geki, Shirase like Hokuto gets access to a evasive back turn type of spin. This move is invincible on startup and during the spin but has recovery near the end that is punishable. This move is great for baiting wakeup reversals from your opponent and trying to escape pressure if the opponent leaves a gap. Be careful of skilled players that punish you for it.
Kirin-Eki: Her incredibly strong bow and arrow super that is basically safe on block outside of point blank range. This move can also be charged for more damage, hits and pushback on block. It is a great wakeup and can also cause many favourable trades for Shirase as well as the projectile still comes out even if she is interrupted during the start up of this super.
Combo Examples
Chain Combo
Cr.LK, Cr.MP, St.HK, Gai-Shu, Kirin-Eki
Link Combo
Cr.LK, Cr.MP, Cr.LK, Cr.MK, Chugeki-Hoh, Rensho-Geki
Tech
St.MK After a blocked Gai-Shu can be a deadly whiff punish
Hokuto is one of few characters who can combo into their hard attack
General Strategy
Hokuto is best when attacking the opponent and using her Chogeki-Hoh to open up the opponent /bait a response and then converting going into Rensho-Geki and getting high damage from her juggles. Conditioning the opponent is key in being successful with her baits as simply blocking her rekka doesn't really threaten too much on a proper block. Learning strong combo juggle routes are important but also which option gives you the best potential to continue the momentum. She requires a bit more creativity compared to Shirase to obtain similar damage. It may depend on the deck but she can simply dominate most characters with a simple gameplan and using her jump to throw bait often.
Frame Data
Back to Jack or onto the narcissist Vulcano Rosso
bottom of page