Investigating Optimals After Thanos Snap

[Shawi]

HOPE THIS HELPS!

TLDR; Assuming in most cases you will need to recharge your hourglass:

1. Airborne opponent: db3ex, fj4, f2, bf1xxteleport, j4, db4, f2, bf1xxteleport, j4, db4, f2, db2/df2 = 301.00
2. Grounded opponent: b12, db3ex, 2, f24xxteleport, j4, db4, f2, bf1xxteleport, j4, db4, f2, db2/df2 = 371.76

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So I've been quite frustrated with landing snap online and having to adapt my combos depending on the opponent's position, my Kameo, my meter and wanting to get the optimal damage depending on the scenario. I've also seen this combo being used which I just can't get consistently: f44, db3ex, backdash, b12, db4, 1221+3

I decided to to do this post to detail what I've found.

There are two scenarios:

1. Airborne opponent
2. Grounded opponent

There are then three options after the snap lands:
a. maximum damage
b. hourglass recharge- use meter
c. hourglass recharge - meterless

There is then the variability of the kameo you are using which gives two options. Teleport combos would be for Lao and Motaro, and teleportless combos are for every other Kameo (or Lao and Motaro if you dont want to/cant use teleport).
i. teleport combo
ii. teleportless combo

NOTE: I will write the combos below assuming Lao teleport (because I still think Lao is Geras' best Kameo), but for Motaro, you just replace the j4 with standing 4 after the teleport.

After spending time in the lab, these are the combos I have decided on for me personally.

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IMPORTANT: In the airborne scenario, getting the fj4 in before the timestop finishes, scales the combo LESS, than if you were to get the hit in just after the timestop finishes. All the combo damages below assume you get the hit in BEFORE the timestop finishes.

Airborne, max damage, teleport combo (1ai):
uj4, fj4, f2, bf1xxteleport, j4, db4, f2, bf1xxteleport, j4, db4, f2, db2/df2 = 357.00

Airborne, max damage, teleportless combo (1aii):
uj4, fj4, f2, db2/df2 = 243.52

Airborne, hourglass recharge - use meter, teleport combo (1bi):
db3ex, fj4, f2, bf1xxteleport, j4, db4, f2, bf1xxteleport, j4, db4, f2, db2/df2 = 301.00

Airborne, hourglass recharge - meterless, teleport combo (1ci):
db3, fj4, f2, bf1xxteleport, db3, f2, bf1xxteleport, j4, 1, 1221+3 =246.05

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Grounded, max damage, teleport combo (2ai):
f242, df4b, 1, f24xxteleport, j4, db4, f2, bf1xxteleport, j4, db4, f2, db2/df2 = 428.26 (Stand 1 after the df4b is hard to time right, therefore do the combo below)
standing 4, b12, 2, f24xxteleport, j4, db4, f2, bf1xxteleport, j4, db4, f2, db2/df2 = 427.76 (can be made easier by replacing the stand 2 with stand 1)
BONUS: You can actually charge a snap AND USE IT within the same snap combo - BUT it does less damage so is really just for show (would be funny if someone did this vs Sikander)
e.g. b12 db3ex, dash f2, db4, f2, db3, 4, db4, f2, bf1xxteleport, j4, db4, f2, bf1xxteleport, j4, db4, f2, db2/df2 = 402.04

Grounded, max damage, teleportless combo (2aii):
standing 4, b12, f2, db4, dash f2, db2/df2 = 330.68

Grounded, hourglass recharge - use meter, teleport combo (2bi):
b12, db3ex, 2, f24xxteleport, j4, db4, f2, bf1xxteleport, j4, db4, f2, db2/df2 = 371.76

Grounded, hourglass recharge - meterless, teleport combo (2ci):
b12, db3, 2, f24xxteleport, j4, db3, f2, bf1xxteleport, j4, 1, 1221+3 = 322.17

 

[ReD WolF]

Super useful. Kudos

 

[wsj515]

The only time I would use meter is if I really wanted to eek out extra guaranteed damage in a combo, or if you're in a MU where building clocks outside of combos is a death sentence (Quan) - even then, if you're using both teleports, you can easily charge 3 clocks with no meter, so just need to make a decision on damage vs. meter/kameo usage. When going meterless, 122 1+3 is going to be your best ender since it charges a clock and basically guarantees an additional free clock after from hit advantage + full screen.

Using Motaro, but with Lao being almost exactly the same as explained in OP:

Grounded: f44 db3, b12 db4, f2 bf1 teleport, 4, 122 1+3 -- 322.22, can do additional teleport loop for 353.70
Airborne: ji4 db3, f24 bf1 teleport, 4 122 1+3 -- 261.48, can do additional teleport loop for 310.85

I'm also convinced you can link the following combo for optimal damage airborne, but haven't been able to land it: 4 db3, f2 db4, dash f2 bf1 teleport...