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Skullomania
PlayStyle: Tricky, Setup
Similar to: Duck King (Fatal Fury), Blanka(SF), M.Bison(SF), Rolento(SF)
Strengths: Hard to pin down and has lots of ways to avoid screen control/zoning from the opponent. Skullo has a very fast run speed and good quick normals to boot. His Skullo Ball is great for setups that give him further momentum on his plethora of moves that cause a hard knockdown. His Skullo Crusher can be made safe with the right spacing and his reversal in Skullo Head has it's own escape option your opponent has to worry about. Skullo is very hard to chase once he gets away.
Weaknesses: While his forward and back dash are very quick, his walk speed is quite slow. His moves can be somewhat gimmicky if used too recklessly and he does rely on momentum from his Skullo Ball super to get the most damage. He is somewhat dependent on meter to really be threatening.
Play if: + You like being slippery and all over the screen
+ You like annoying/frustrating your opponent
+ You like playing a bit risky
Avoid if: - You don't like doing setups for potential high damage
- You don't like playing a bit crazy
- You don't like looking at a skeleton costume
Recommended Gougi Decks: Shinobi, Stealth Raptor, Double Face, Nightmare, Aggro
Max Punish Combos
Meterless: dash crLK > cr.MP > cr.HP > Skullo Head (45 Damage)
1 Meter: dash crLK > cr.MP > cr.HP > Skullo Head > Super Skullo Crusher (70 Damage)
2 Meter: dash crLK > cr.MP > cr.HP > Skullo Head > Super Skullo Crusher > Skullo Barrier (81 Damage)
3 Meter: dash crLK > cr.MP > cr.HP > Skullo Head > Super Skullo Crusher > Super Skullo Slide > Skullo Barrier (89 Damage)
Key Normals
Crouch Heavy Punch: Go to solid anti air and can easily combo into Skullo Barrier and a bit more specifically Skullo Crusher.
Stand Light Kick: This is an excellent button to check dash in low with and to buffer into Skullo Slider or to whiff punish or counter poke an opponent. Skullo Slider will always connect from any range
Dangerous Heel: This unique attack is his best overhead and it's the quickest and has the most range. It is a great command normal to use during a chain especially while a Skullo Ball is starting to come down.
Crouch Heavy Kick: Completely safe on block and great to confirm into on block. This sweep will also low profile projectiles and is a great whiff punish tool. It is also special cancellable as well, using Skullo Tkachyov can be a sneaky way to annoy them.
Stand Heavy Kick: This is your best heavy normal to use on block if you want to maintain a good distance. You can hit confirm Stand Heavy Kick into any of his supers for more damage. This can also be made more plus after a knockdown as a meaty giving you a free Crouch Light Kick into Crouch Medium Kick into Skullo Slider.
Key Moves
Skullo Head: This is his reversal on wakeup and it has a built in option for potential escape in his Skullo Dive follow up that is also a low attack. The light version doesn't knockdown but it is very quick on recovery and has good pushback on block. Knowing when to cancel part of Skullo Head into Dive or a super is key to utilizing this move. You must avoid being predictable.
Skullo Tkachyov: As odd as this move looks it is technically a command grab. Each version will go a set distance based on kick strength used and it is great to use in the corner as it will never go past the opponent if they are there. This oddly enough is also a good throw baiting tool and can be used to make people afraid to stay ground after blocking chains from Skullomania. This move can be completely avoided if the opponent is airborne however it can mess up the opponent's other inputs if they try to anti air it or avoid it another way.
Skullo Ball: In neutral this move is gimmicky at best but after a move that cause a hard knockdown or launches the opponent far away (which is a lot of Skullo's moves) it can give him a ton of extra momentum that if used well can grant Skullo big damage. It also can cause a juggle state if hit in the right way. This does track the opponent's current location but once the light appears it will no longer follow the opponent. Using a different punch button will have the move come down sooner or later (light to heavy). Most players will try to avoid this super by throwing you or attempting to tech a throw, so use this knowledge well.
Combo Examples
Chain Combo
Cr.LK, Cr.MK, Cr.HP, Skullo Crusher, Super Skullo Crusher
Link Combo
Cr.LK, Cr.MP x 2, Cr.MK, Skullo Slider, Skullo Barrier
Tech
Using backthrow in the corner gives a meaty Skullo Tkachyov and also a safe jump
Nightmare and Skullomania go together like peanut butter and jelly
General Strategy
Skullomania is strongest when he is making the opponent take risks to chase him down and punish his wild moving moves. Frustrating and annoying the opponent with Skullo Crusher spaced just right and throwing in his Skullo Tkachyov to add extra frustration is key. Making the opponent feel like they have no idea if you are going to commit or not to the Skullo Dive from Skullo Head is incredibly important. Adding on top of a good hit and run offense really helps Skullo shine. Using decks that further help his meter, damage, mixups options or annoyance (depending on your playstyle of course) will make Skullomania incredibly threatening.
Frame Data
Back to Hayate or the graceful Blair
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