Line #205 Tropers/HorselessHorseman


1	I have no horse yet some how I am a horseman.
2
3	This is the question you must ponder.
4
5	-----
6
7	Have you pondered today?
8
9	Anyway, someone told me to create this page, so I did. The end.
10
11	----
12	Touhou 13.5: Hopeless Masquerade Guide.
13
14	[[folder:BACK TO BASICS]]
15
16	To me, there is little more exciting than trying to learn a new fighting game. Each game has new mechanics, characters, and skills to learn. However, there are some things that are universal: The Basics.
17
18	'''Getting Started'''
19
20	Let's start up a fight and get started, right? WRONG!
21
22	You're going to want to head over to that profiles button, there you should see a list of options:
23
24	* This one will be to set your spellcards. These will be discussed in detail later on. Each of the playable characters has 4 loadouts which you can customize. A list of spellcards can be found [[http://en.touhouwiki.net/wiki/Hopeless_Masquerade/Spell_Cards here]]. Different Spellcards will add to Taoism(道), Shinto(神), and Buddhism(仏) stats, which are represented by a triangle in the upper right.
25
26	* This one is your key configuration. To change a key use the arrow keys to select one, press z, and then push the key you want it to be. Easy as that!
27	* Icon Select. A little bit of personalization never hurt.
28	* New Profile. Up to 16 characters.
29	* Copy Profile. Need to give it a unique name though.
30	* Delete Profile. Be careful, you can't get it back!
31	* Rename Profile. Hide the decisions of the past.
32
33	I recommend creating a profile with all the keys set to buttons you won't use; you might need a punching bag.
34
35	'''Config'''
36
37	You should set the game to run as best as possible on your machine
38
39	* Sound Effect Volume
40	* Background Music Volume
41	* Windowed/Fullscreen
42	* Fullscreen resolution
43	* Background Quality
44	* Framrate(60/30 fps)
45	* Vertical Sync : Yes/No
46	* Display Framerate : Yes/No
47	* Save Replay : Yes/No/Ask every time
48	* Save Replay(Network) : Yes/Only when playing/Only when spectating/No
49
50	'''Notation'''
51
52	Hopeless Masquerade uses "Keypad Notation." This means that movement keys correspond to numbers of a keypad. For instance: 8 is up, 2 is down, and 5 is when no buttons are being pressed.
53
54	Attacks are referred to as A, B, X, Y. As dictated by the game's creators. A is a light attack, B is a heavy, X is a light projectile (which will be referred to as a danmaku[[note]]bullet curtain[[/note]] attack by this guide), and Y is a heavy projectile attack.
55
56	Occasionally, you will see a C or Z in notation. C means A and B together, and Z is X and Y together. These are for Special Attacks and can be assigned to a specific key.
57
58	This guide will may use this notation at points so here's a quick guide to what some things mean:
59
60	6[6]: Press forward twice and hold it down.
61
62	5A: Just press A.
63
64	5AAA: Just press A three times.
65
66	6Z: Forward and Z or X+Y
67
68	'''The Screen'''
69
70	Okay, now you may start fighting.
71
72	If you look at your screen then you should see several things.
73
74	First, you should see you and your opponent.
75
76	Above them, you should see two bars with your characters pictures next to them. These are your health bars. When you take damage it will be removed from your total health. If you lose all your health, you lose the round.
77
78	In between these bars should be a number. This is the timer. When it reaches zero whoever has more Popularity wins the round, regardless of damage dealt. In the odds of a tie for popularity, whoever has more health wins. In the odds of a tie for health, both players will receive a lantern. If both sides have both lanterns, the match will end with no winner.
79
80	Below each bar, you should see some letters and two lanterns. The letters are your characters name, the lanterns will light up if you win a round.
81
82	There should also be a number next to your character's name. This is Popularity; it will be covered later on.
83
84	Your characters picture should also be covered by a wheel. This wheel contains three segments Grey(Neither), Blue(Yes), and Red(No). This will show how your popularity is being allotted. Note that you can still have positive popularity with a large amount of Red showing that you could lose it all very quickly.
85
86	Below your actual characters there should be a smaller bar.
87
88	This is your Spirit meter. Spirit is the currency, so to speak, of your Special and Danmaku attacks. It regenerates slowly after being consumed, but will return quickly if more is not consumed after an amount of time. It will return much quicker if your max spirit is low from blocking or items.
89
90	Below your Spirit meter is some small text. This is your profile name. Next to this text is your profile image.
91
92	On the other side of this bar is the meter for your character's unique ability. These are passive skills that will be covered in-depth in each characters section of the guide.
93
94	'''Pausing'''
95
96	You can pause the game with the "Escape" key.
97
98	Should you want to pause you should know what your options are.
99
100	* Return to Game
101	* Check Skills.
102	* Change Keys. In fight Key Mapping. Very useful.
103	* This one just hides the pause screen. The game will remain Paused.
104
105	* Return to Character Select
106	* Return to Main Menu
107
108	'''Movement'''
109
110	Movement in Hopeless Masquerade can be difficult to wrap your head around. The game is a 2D aerial fighter. However, if you are familiar with air dash fighters, such as Guilty Gear or Blazblue, then it should be easier to understand.
111
112	Pressing left and right will cause your character to move, well, left or right.
113
114	Pressing up or down will cause your character to float up or down, however they will always return to the center. Pressing forward or backward while returning to center will cause your character to drift right or left, respectively.
115
116	While holding back, your character will block oncoming damage, however some attacks will still deal damage through block, known as "Chip Damage." Chip Damage can be just as great as regular damage, but it will always leave you at one health if you would run out of health otherwise. In addition part of your Spirit Bar will turn black, and will regenerate back slowly.
117
118	If you hold an attack button while blocking, you will perform a "Chicken Guard." This will shield your character with a circular barrier that will push away the attacker, even if they use danmaku. This will give a greater loss to popularity, however. Releasing the button will change it to a normal guard.
119
120	Tapping back right before an attack hit you will result in a "Brave Guard," this will push back physical attackers.
121
122	You will be able to "graze" projectile attacks to avoid damage while jumping.
123
124	66 will cause your character to dash forward. 44 will cause them to dash back. You can hold the second button press (remember 6[6]?) to increase the range of your dash. You can press up and down while dashing to change your flight path.
125
126	You can't block while dashing, however you will be able to "graze" projectile attacks to avoid damage.
127
128	[[/folder]]
129	[[folder:FIGHTING]]
130
131	The moment we've all been waiting for. This is where the game gets tricky, so listen real good.
132
133	You have 6 attack buttons, which you can set during the key configuration.
134
135	A, B, X, Y, C (A+B), and Z (X+Y).
136
137	Pressing 6[6] + A or B will give you a dash attack which is good for getting in close. After dashing a set distance, your character will pass through a shockwave. At this point your dash will reach max speed, and your dash attacks will gain additional properties.
138
139	Pressing Any Direction + Any of the first four attack buttons will be a Command Attack. These will be noted in detail in each characters section of the guide. Not all combinations will yield a result.
140
141	X, Y, and Skill attacks will drain from your character's spirit at the bottom of the screen. This will not drain from your current stock, but shrink the size of your bar overall.
142
143	If you have no Spirit Bar left and you take a heavy hit you will "Guard Crushed." While Guard Crushed you will instantly regain all your spirit, but you will be knocked back and unable to take any actions. It is difficult to get put into this state by your opponent alone, so manage Spirit well.
144
145	'''Spellcards'''
146
147	You will have two "wheels" on which to place your spellcards.
148
149	When you take damage you will begin to accumulate blue health.
150
151	If your entire health bar is blue, pressing C/Z + the proper direction will "declare" a spellcard. You need to press it again to use it. You see while spellcards are powerful and Spirit free, they will always be telegraphed. It's up to you to figure out how to land that hit.
152
153	Once you declare a spellcard, a timer will appear and begin to deplete. During this time you may declare as many spellcards as you like, but you may not declare the same spellcard twice per round. This does not apply to having multiple copies of a spellcard. Upon using one of these spellcards, or once the timer fully depletes, you will begin to accumulate blue again. A round will not end while a spellcard has been declared.
154
155	When a spellcard is declared, the match timer will stop until it is used or the spellcard timer runs out. This can give you the time you need to make a comeback.
156
157	If you declare a Spellcard and are unable to use it, you will receive a popularity penalty.
158
159	IMPORTANT! As a note, you can place specials and spellcards on either wheel, which changes the button to activate them from C to Z and vice versa. Once you get a feel for your character try and put them on whatever wheel suits you better.
160
161	If you're in a pinch, you can activate a potentially game changing "Item" Spellcard, but they will always come with a nasty side effect.
162
163	There's one final type of attack. A "Last Word." A Last Word can only be used when the number below the health bar is at 100% by pressing both Z & C, or A+B+X+Y. This number is "popularity" and will be described later on. Last Words are insanely powerful finishing moves, however, if you fail to kill with them, you will be left with 0 Popularity.
164
165	As a final note, some Skills have different effects when assigned to different directions. Try different combinations to see what works for you.
166
167	'''Faith'''
168
169	Each Skill will add to Taoism(道), Shinto(神), or Buddhism(仏). Each faith gives a unique bonus.
170
171	* Shinto specializes in shooting range. It features more bullets with better homing, but the bullets can be easily destroyed by other bullets or graze.
172	* Taoism specializes in shooting speed. Its bullets are faster, have better penetration, and are harder to be grazed, but they have the worst homing.
173	* Buddhism specializes in close combat. Its bullets are larger but have worse range. A "high speed attack" (arrow key + strong attack) can be charged.
174
175	If you don't put enough points into a religion or you put enough into two, you will have no religion and have no change to your abilities.
176
177	Some characters will have complete changes to the mechanics of their attacks rather than the usual change. These will be covered in each character's section.
178
179	'''Combos'''
180
181	Much like a common air-dash fighter, Hopeless Masquerade uses a chain-combo system. This means that one type of move will "cancel" into another type of move.
182
183	Here is the system for Hopeless Masquerade: 3 Light Melees > Heavy Melee > Danmaku > Special > [Declared]Spellcard
184
185	What this order means is that Light Melee attacks can combo into everything after them, but a Heavy attack will never Cancel back into a light.
186
187	Use this order to maximize damage off a single hit!
188
189	In addition, some attacks will cause your opponent to hit the wall or ground. These are called a "Wall-bounce" & a "Ground-bounce" respectively. After a bounce your opponent is temporarily placed into a "bound" state. In this state it is possible to add an additional hit to the combo. However, you can only have one of each bounce per combo.
190
191	Note! You can combo 3 light attacks before using a heavy, but if you press A again the fourth hit will automatically be a heavy attack. In other words, even a novice can land a combo by just mashing A!
192
193	'''Rate'''
194
195	Rate, or proration, is a system where the damage of each move in decreased by a percentage for every additional hit in the combo.
196
197	The decrease depends on which moves are being used, but typically it will be around 10 percent. This decrease is applied to the next attack in the combo.
198
199	If you are going for the greatest amount of damage, it may be wise to reduce the number of hits in your combo.
200
201	Note! Sometimes landing more hits will still give more damage, remember to experiment to find the optimal potential of your combos!
202
203	'''Stun'''
204
205	In Hopeless Masquerade, hits from certain attacks do a small amount of stun. However, if you land enough of these small hits in the same combo you will put the opponent in a Stun state. However, the second[[note]]More accurately, the 30th/60th of that second.[[/note]] that combo ends that Stun is lost.
206
207	A combo that reaches 100% Stun will stun the opponent and is cleverly named a "Stun Combo."
208
209	There are two types of Stun Combos: Regular and Spellcard.
210
211	A Regular Stun Combo will place a clear shield around your opponent. In this state you cannot hurt your opponent normally, however, you can still hit them with spellcards. Which brings us to the next type.
212
213	In a Spellcard Stun Combo the opponent will be surrounded by a Red Shield, and cannot be harmed in any way until they recover.
214
215	Note! You do not need to place your opponent in a Regular Stun state to put them in a Spellcard Stun state, and sometimes you will have no choice if you want to maximize damage.
216
217	''Teching''
218
219	Teching is the act of rolling after being knocked down. In Hopeless Masquerade, knocked down refers to being hit with a powerful move, but not stunned, such as Marisa's 5B. Holding a direction during while in this state will cause your character to "roll" to said direction. You will be invincible during this period.
220
221	You can also tech after a Stun if you are also knocked down.
222
223	However, if you are standing in a Stun animation, you will be unable to tech roll. However, you will be able to cancel into a variety of attacks, but you will not be invincible while doing so.
224
225	'''Popularity'''
226
227	Popularity is not an exact science. However, I pride myself on detail and I shall share what I have found out. If something is wrong or not noted please tell me.
228
229	As noted above, Popularity decides who wins in a timeout. If this Popularity is equal then the match will be decided by who has more health.
230
231	Popularity needs to be a 100% to use a powerful Last Word Spellcard. The Popularity you have at the end of one round is transferred to the next round.
232
233	In the most basic terms, Offensive actions raise popularity and defensive actions decrease it.
234
235	When you gain large amounts of popularity a notification will appear explaining why, and more importantly for those who don't know Japanese, how much you gained.
236
237	The player who does damage first will receive 10% Popularity. How you play at the start of a match can determine everything.
238
239	You will gain 5% if you land a "Counter Hit." This is when you hit an opponent while they are still in the middle of an attack animation with a strong attack. In addition, your opponent will lose that much Popularity.
240
241	Each spellcard declaration per round will grant 5% and reduce your opponent's by 5%. You will gain 10% additional popularity if you land the spellcard.
242
243	Once you reach 100% Popularity you will enter a Last Word State. While in this state you will have increased spirit regeneration and access to your Last Word. Activating your Last Word will put you and your opponent at 0% Popularity and use up your Last Word. If you do not use your Last Word the state will end and you and your opponent will be placed at 0%. Your Popularity can not decrease while it is at 100%. Similarly, it won't increase while your opponent is at 100%.
244
245	If you have already been holding back for some time retreating via holding back or dashing back will decrease your popularity by 1% over time. It will still decrease if you only tap back. Similarly, moving forward will slowly increase your popularity. Your popularity will decrease more if you are actually blocking attacks in addition.
246
247	Landing a Guard Crush will increase your Popularity by 5% and decrease your opponent's by 5%.
248
249	Making a significant difference in health will result in a popularity increase.
250
251	Gaining enough Popularity will result in a blue aura.
252
253	Losing enough Popularity will result in a red aura. This will give you increased Spirit loss on block.
254
255	Popularity becomes easier to drop after several drops in a row, but this can be reset by gaining popularity even once.
256
257	Note! Some items also affect Popularity. Make sure you know what they do before using them.
258
259	''Art Score''
260
261	The 1.10 patch included notes about a mechanic known as "Art Score" it works as thus:
262
263	Actions such as Brave Guard will increase Art Score, while actions such as Chicken Guarding decrease it.
264
265	Art Score does not decrease over time.
266
267	Once one player has a certain amount of Art Score, the audience will cheer and that player will gain popularity. Similarly, booing can occur from multiple decreases in Art Score.
268
269	After cheering or booing the requirement is increased for both players. This means that the audience will become less and less likely to cheer or boo over Art Score each time they do so.
270
271	[[/folder]]
272	[[folder:TRAINING MODE]]
273
274	If you haven't yet created a Profile that uses buttons you don't need to press to play the gam, do so now. For this I assign QWER for motion and the numpad for attacks. You can set your opponent to this profile by pressing the 'C' key during character select.
275
276	In Training Mode the health bars will remain blue, you may declare the same spellcard as much as you want, the timer will not count down, health will return to 100% after a combo, and Spirit will return to 100%.
277
278	Using Training Mode you can spend as much time as you want experimenting with spellcards and combos.
279
280	Pressing the "Escape" key will open a menu that will allow you to fine tune your Training Mode experience:
281
282	* Return to Training Mode
283	* Return to Character Select
284	* Return to Main Menu
285	* Restart [Can be activated in Training Mode with F1]
286	* Set your opponent's health[Can be toggled in Training Mode with F2]
287	* Set your opponent's spirit[Can be toggled in Training Mode with F3]
288	* Sets whether or not you want your spirit to regenerate automatically[Can be toggled in Training Mode with F4]
289	* Sets your Popularity Ratio(Starts at 50/50, Then goes to Blue Aura, Last Word, Red Aura) [Can be toggled in Training Mode with F5]
290	* Sets your opponents Popularity[Can be toggled in Training Mode with F6]
291	* Sets the opponents action(Return to start position, move up, move down, COM, Player 2)
292	* Sets the Difficulty of the opponent if controlled by a COM
293	* Sets the player's starting position
294	* Sets the opponent's starting position
295	* Sets Counter Hit(On, Off, Random)
296	* Sets Blocking(On, Off, Random, Every other time)
297	* Sets Barrier Guard(On, Off, Random)
298	* Sets what direction the opponent will roll after a knockdown(Forward, Backward, Random)
299
300	If you use a profile that is set to the same keys as you, you can have an opponent that will act at the same time you do. Use this to compare the differences between two characters.
301
302	Note! When testing combos make sure to test them far from the wall, mid-screen, and at the corner. Certain combos only work in certain parts of the screen, and it will be useful to know when you can and cannot use these combos.
303
304	[[/folder]]
305	[[folder:ITEMS]]
306
307	'''Spiritual Strike Talisman''': Makes you temporarily invulnerable and sends a nearby opponent flying. Can only be used once per round. Lowers Defense.
308
309	'''Magic Mushroom''': Temporarily gives you increased spirit and max spirit regeneration. Afterwards, you will be temporarily unable to use Spirit. Can only be used once per round.
310
311	'''Virtueless Dharmacakra''': Summons a nyuudo's fist to attack the air above you. Landing this fist will stun the opponent. Costs a moderate amount of maximum Spirit and goes on a short cooldown. Using it during this cooldown will increase the cooldown's length. Cannot be used while Spirit meter is flashing.
312
313	'''Witch's Broom''': Cancels many non-Skill attacks into a dash. Passively allows you to enter the second stage of a dash faster. Consumes a large amount of max Spirit when used. Koishi and Byakuren will use their own unique dashes. Reduces ability to Guard Break after use. This item cannot be used again until the effect wears off.
314
315	'''Pagoda of Bishamonten''': Summons a powerful laser that can deal up to 60% Stun. Takes a large chunk out of your Maximum and Usable Sprit.
316
317	'''Hermit-Style Plate''': Rides a small plate downwards, and can hit an opponent below you for a small amount of damage and Stun. Costs a moderate amount of Maximum Spirit.
318
319	'''Ritual Baton''': Builds Art Score while in use.
320
321	'''Force Shield''': All damage you take will passively be reduced. Can be used to further reduce damage and your opponent's ability to Guard Break, but it will no longer reduce damage for that round. Can only be used once per round.
322
323	'''Common Talisman''': Passively gives +2 to Shinto and -2 to other faiths. Not usable in battle.
324
325	'''Hermit's Decorative Sword''': Passively gives +2 to Tao and -2 to other faiths. Not usable in battle.
326
327	'''Prayer Beads to Hide in the Bosom''': Passively gives +2 to Buddhism and -2 to other faiths. Not usable in battle.
328
329	'''Innocent Hat''': Passively gives -2 to all faiths. Not usable in battle.
330
331	[[/folder]]
332	[[folder:NETPLAY]]
333
334	''Creating an Icon''
335
336	Hopeless Masquerade has a small selection of icons to choose from, but you don't have to use one of those. Take any 32 by 32 bitmap image and put it in the game's icons folder. Now you can select that image as your icon. This icon will apparently be seen by opponents online and given to them afterwards.
337
338	* Host Server
339	* Specify IP & Port and Connect to Server
340	* Use Connection History and Connect to Server
341	* Use IP from Clipboard to Connect to Server
342	* Select Profile
343	* Port to Use
344	* Allow Spectating(Yes, No)
345	* Save Replay(Yes, Only When Playing, Only When Spectating, Never)
346
347	NOTE! If you are the host you must have the port you are hosting on forwarded.
348
349	You will be given the option to play or spectate in that order after connecting to a server.
350
351	[[/folder]]
352	[[folder:THE METAGAME]]
353
354	Coming Soon! Please Wait Warmly!
355
356	[[/folder]]
357	[[folder:REIMU HAKUREI]]
358
359	''The Advocate of the Eight Million''
360
361	'''Ability''':
362
363	'''Skills'''
364
365	'''Spellcards'''
366
367	'''Last Word''':
368
369	'''Example Decks'''
370
371	[[/folder]]
372	[[folder:MARISA KIRISAME]]
373
374	''The Human-Representative Magician''
375
376	'''Ability''':
377
378	'''Skills'''
379
380	'''Spellcards'''
381
382	'''Last Word''':
383
384	'''Example Decks'''
385
386	[[/folder]]
387	[[folder:ICHIRIN KUMOI & UNZAN]]
388
389	''The Overwhelming Youkai Ascetic''
390
391	'''Ability''':
392
393	'''Skills'''
394
395	'''Spellcards'''
396
397	'''Last Word''':
398
399	'''Example Decks'''
400
401	[[/folder]]
402	[[folder:BYAKUREN HIJIRI]]
403
404	''The Ācārya who Surpassed Primates''
405
406	'''Ability''':
407
408	'''Skills'''
409
410	'''Spellcards'''
411
412	'''Last Word''':
413
414	'''Example Decks'''
415
416	[[/folder]]
417	[[folder:FUTO NO MONONOBE]]
418
419	''The Feng Shui Master who Controls Dragon Lines''
420
421	'''Ability''':
422
423	'''Skills'''
424
425	'''Spellcards'''
426
427	'''Last Word''':
428
429	'''Example Decks'''
430
431	[[/folder]]
432	[[folder:MIKO NO TOYOSATOMIMI]]
433
434	''The Almighty Taoist who Administers Space''
435
436	'''Ability''':
437
438	'''Skills'''
439
440	'''Spellcards'''
441
442	'''Last Word''':
443
444	'''Example Decks'''
445
446	[[/folder]]
447	[[folder:NITORI KAWASHIRO]]
448
449	''Handyman of the River''
450
451	'''Ability''':
452
453	'''Skills'''
454
455	'''Spellcards'''
456
457	'''Last Word''':
458
459	'''Example Decks'''
460
461	[[/folder]]
462	[[folder:KOISHI KOMEIJI]]
463
464	''Imaginary Personality Holder''
465
466	'''Ability''':
467
468	'''Skills'''
469
470	'''Spellcards'''
471
472	'''Last Word''':
473
474	'''Example Decks'''
475
476	[[/folder]]
477	[[folder:MAMIZOU FUTATSUIWA]]
478
479	''The Bake-Danuki who Always Holds Surprises''
480
481	'''Ability''':
482
483	'''Skills'''
484
485	'''Spellcards'''
486
487	'''Last Word''':
488
489	'''Example Decks'''
490
491	[[/folder]]
492	[[folder:KOKORO NO HATA]]
493
494	''Expressive Poker Face''
495
496	'''Ability''':
497
498	'''Skills'''
499
500	'''Spellcards'''
501
502	'''Last Word''':
503
504	'''Example Decks'''
505
506	[[/folder]]
507	[[folder: MATCHUPS]]
508	[[/folder]]
509	[[folder:OUTDATED IN-DEPTH REIMU GUIDE]]
510
511	Reimu Hakurei: The Advocate of the Eight Million
512
513	Ability: Reimu is fortunate enough to have two abilities, unlike other characters. The first is that she has about twenty-five percent more spirit than other characters. The next is that when she has her back to the corner she can backdash to teleport to the other side of the screen; she is completely invincible during this teleport.
514
515	General Playstyle: Reimu generally plays as a keep away character. She uses her passives to maintain pressure, and run away when the opponent starts building momentum. Her damage output very rarely reaches the potential of other characters, with or without spellcards. To get the most out of her, the opponent needs to be in the corner, as Reimu gets more out of wall bounces than she puts in. To have the greatest chance of winning you need to take full advantage of the properties of each attack in her arsenal. Her unique playstyle offers itself to unusual setups that can make her completely unpredictable, but there is always a general risk-reward system with her. Reimu is a very advanced character with an emphasis on knowing you match-ups. You need to use your extra spirit to throw danmaku attacks at a fast interval, and then run away through the corner when the opponent draws near. You need to make sure you don't spend to much time retreating, or you will lose popularity. You want to make sure that you are using the right projectiles at the right time to try and push your opponent back, or at least slow their approach. Look out for dashes, as you will need to react quickly to prevent the opponent from grazing into range, and know what attacks crush your projectiles, and what attacks your projectiles crush.
516
517	'''Normal Attacks'''
518
519	5A: A fast low kick. This is a basic combo starter. Almost every bread and butter combo in Hopeless Masquerade requires you to land a full 5A combo.
520
521	5AA: Another quick low kick. This is just another part of Reimu's hitconfirm. Don't stop here.
522
523	5AAA: Reimu quickly attacks with her gohai. The final part of Reimu's hitconfirm. If this connects you're all clear for a combo.
524
525	5B/5AAAA: Reimu does a two-hit stab with her gohai. It does slightly more damage than Reimu's other heavy attacks though I don't think that makes it a good enough reason to use it. However, the gohai itself does not count as Reimu's hitbox so she can safely poke with this move. Try to make sure you combo it on the second hit, or the damage will be significantly less. While I may be pretty down on this move I will admit that if you can land it while you have a blue aura you should always and then combo it into another heavy.
526
527	6B/6AAAA: A quick swat for a wall-bounce. It's not nearly as safe a her 5B, but it is ridiculously fast. Generally, you're going to use this to continue a combo already in effect.
528
529	8B/8AAAA: Reimu ducks down and flies upward delivering a powerful kick in the process. It has quite a bit of start-up and recovery, but as it attacks from below instead of head-on, it will counter a handful of attacks. However, I don't think that justifies using it as a poke. It isn't really a good combo starter either though, as it knocks the opponent too high up to continue with most moves, but it can lead into a good combo ender in some situations that will be covered in the combo section.
530
531	2B/2AAAA: Reimu flies up and delivers a quick kick downward. Like her 8B it can be used a poke, but from above. Also like her 8B, it will counter a small handful of moves, but it's most notable for its use in combos.
532
533	66A: A quick swipe. This attack can be cancelled into any heavy attack or greater. It's use is to punish after grazing close to an enemy, but because it requires you to graze the entire attack beforehand it can be extremely limited.
534
535	6[6]A: Reimu quickly stabs with her gohai. It's essentially the same attack as the above, but with more reach, and can only be cancelled into heavy danmaku or greater.
536
537	6[6]B: A flying jump kick with a wallbounce. Can only be cancelled into special attacks and greater. Good if you want to knock away an opponent who's only using danmaku, but that's really too specific for me to recommend using it ever.
538
539	5X: Reimu fires a bunch of magical amulets. Amount can be increased by holding down X. Always fires directly at the opponent. Generally crushes other X attacks. Becomes homing when it passes through Reimu's 6Y gate.
540
541	5Y: Fires two large amulets. Good for locking down opponents over a distance. From mid-range you can jump diagonally after collision to get close enough to follow-up.
542
543	8Y: Fires a single large amulet upwards. A good follow-up to attacks that knock the enemy upwards, like Reimu's 8B.
544
545	2Y: Fires a single large amulet downwards. A good follow-up to attacks that have a ground-bounce, like Reimu's 2B.
546
547	6Y: This is one of Reimu's more unique attacks. It has two parts. First, Reimu fires an amulet directly ahead of her. This phase is very short, but it will generally crush all other projectiles -- even stopping Marisa mid-laser, and will do minimal damage to any enemies it passes through. Afterwards, it becomes a large gate that will last several seconds. If Reimu's 5X passes through the gate it will become homing. If Reimu's Yin-Yang Orb passes through the gate it will gain speed, damage, and 10% stun. Not very useful, but worth using at least once a round to keep enemies on guard.
548
549	'''Skills'''
550
551	Youkai Buster: This is Reimu's signature move right here, and anything that gets in its way is tossed back into the wall behind them. Here Reimu will throw four amulets, each with 10% stun, and so long as one of them hits the opponent will be wall-bounced. However, there is a catch: Reimu will throw the amulets at a different angle depending on the direction the move is assigned to. The 6 version will throw them in a spread straight ahead, the 8 will throw them 30 degrees upwards, and the 2 thirty degrees down. The 4 is an interesting case, as it will throw them 60 degrees down. You will generally use Youkai Buster for your superior zoning. You should always have at least the 6, however the 8 & 2 are also useful for when the enemy starts trying to position themselves above or below you. I find my self getting popularity for counter hits quite often with this attack. However, this attack does have weaknesses. For one, like all danmaku attacks, it can be grazed to make it completely ineffective. The next is its significant Spirit cost. Don't throw this attack out thoughtlessly. Not only will you conserve Spirit, but you will give yourself an extra second to react if the enemy decides to start dashing.
552
553	Mid-Air Ascension Kick: Now this is a fun one. Reimu performs a somersault kick straight upwards, with some variation depending on direction. 2 will have her flip in place, 4 will have her flip straight upwards, and 6 will have her flip upwards while traveling far ahead of her current position. 8 is the odd one out this time, as it will start like 4, but will then have her perform a divekick at the apex for a ground-bouce. So long as the first hit connects, the latter will as well, however said ground bounce can only be followed up with a pre-declared spellcard, and all variations will deal 40% stun. Because this move cannot hit from above, and many of it's variations travel upwards, it is best used from below the opponent. Carry one of these for its use in both combos and for it's ability to aggressively close gaps. Let your opponent take the high ground, it will make falling down all the more painful.
554
555	Sub-Space Pressure Point: This is definitely the hardest move in Reimu's arsenal to use effectively. First, Reimu will throw a marker which will detonate for minimal damage when it reaches it's location, where it will stay for the remainder of the round. Reactivating any version of the ability will cause Reimu to teleport to the marker removing it and performing a divekick. The 6 & 4 version will place the marker straight ahead. When Reimu teleports if she hits immediately the opponent will be ground-bounced, if she misses she'll loop back to the top of the screen, and if she hits after that the opponent will just be knocked towards the bottom of the screen. The 8 throws the marker at the top of the screen, and Reimu will dive straight down for a ground-bounce. The 2 version will place the marker straight down, after which it will behave like the 6 & 4. The fact that it allows Reimu to teleport makes it a suitable tool for both escape and pressure. Since I don't really use it as much as I should I'll just tell you a trick I like to play with it: Toss it behind your opponent and then activate it immediately. HM has cross-ups, folks!
556
557	Yin-Yang Orb: In the shooting games this orb is the key to Reimu's power. Here, not so much. When you throw it out, it will bounce around until it either hits your opponent or a projectile. Unfortunately, any projectile will destroy the orb completely, and it can be grazed on top of that. 8 and 6, will fire it upwards at at a 60 and 30 degrees angle, respectively. 2 and 4, are the same only they fire down. It will speed up and become more powerful when it passes through your 6Y. You can fire them fast enough to have 2 on screen at once, but you only have enough Spirit for 3. Maybe I'm too hard on this skill, it does bring a lot of chaos to a match, but when compared to the power of the Youkai Buster and the fact that your loadout slots are limited, I'm not sure it's worth having. However, you can get Popularity for spamming it... somehow, so it's not useless.
558
559	'''Spellcards'''
560
561	Fantasy Seal: Reimu rapidly fires several explosive homing orbs. This is Reimu's more damaging spellcard. In addition, it can be both declared and activated while the opponent is stunned. It is an indispensable tool for delivering that deciding blow.
562
563	Omnidirectional Dragon Slaying Circle: Reimu forms a great barrier with her as the center. Like Fantasy Seal, it can be both declared and activated while the opponent is stunned, but it does slightly less damage. And that's all it takes for me to say don't take this spellcard. Neither spellcard is as useful outside of a combo as they look, and Fantasy Seal deals more damage. Maybe this spellcard is for story mode? I would have loved something like this for Suika's boss fight in IAMP.
564
565	''Last Word''
566
567	Fantasy Nature: A counter attack for melee strikes. It does great damage, but does it's reward outweigh the risk? You don't even get the chance to use it that often, but if you did... It's your decision to use it or not, but there's no way to guarantee it will work. The decision to activate is on your opponent, after all.
568
569	''Items''
570
571	Take the Talisman if you're going to use one at all. It works like the bombs of previous Touhou fighters, but with a popularity risk. It's for emergencies only, but what's most important is that it works.
572
573	Reimu doesn't need any help in the Spirit department, so the mushroom is off the table, and I don't actually know how to use the Dharmacakra in any effective context.
574
575	'''Match-ups'''
576
577	Vs. Marisa: This is an extremely difficult match-up for Reimu. Marisa has better range, faster attacks, and her zoning is decent for a rushdown character. In addition, Marisa's passive adds a slightly unpredictable nature to the fight. Your trump cards in this fight are going to be your amulets. Your 6Y and Youkai Buster can crush all of Marisa's attacks. If you can zone Marisa with Youkai Buster, you've won. However, Youkai Buster is very expensive, and will require you to play defensively while you spirit regenerates, and 6Y has a bit of startup to it. In addition, Marisa has better damage and no reliance on the corner, so you have no choice but to dodge around. Remember to use your passive to switch sides once Marisa gets too close.
578
579	Vs. Ichirin: This is a much easier fight by comparison. Ichirin's attacks are much slower than Marisa's, but she can fight at range with Unzan. In this match-up you will need to play both the role of defense and offense. Approach with 5Y, Subspace Pressure Point, Ascension Kicks, and just old fashioned grazing. You won't be able to take too many hits from her, especially if she can declare a spellcard, so make sure to not stand too close when you don't have any action to take. Other than that, it's a pretty easy fight to win.
580
581	'''Combos'''
582
583	Testing, please wait warmly.
584
585	'''My Loadout''' [8,6,2,4]
586
587	Wheel 1:[Ascension Kick, Youkai Buster, Youkai Buster, Pressure Point]
588
589	Wheel 2:[Fantasy Seal, Ascension Kick, Fantasy Nature, Talisman]
590
591	So here's my loadout for The Hakurei Maiden. It's a mix of things not to optimize her for any particular challenger, but to allow her to play multiple roles in a fight. I take an Item and her Last Word for fun, but feel free to replace them if they are too risky for you. Keep in mind this is just an example, I can't speak for the effectiveness of this build, just that it does work for ''my'' playstyle.
592
593	[[/folder]]
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Context Tropers / HorselessHorseman