Strategy

Long Range

Rashid’s overall strategy isn’t as cut-and-dry as most other characters, so you’ll be in and out of the varying ranges frequently, especially if you combo into Eagle Spike with your enemy using quick-recovery off of it (since it bounces Rashid off his attacker quite a bit of distance). To transition back into mid and close range, you’ll have to constantly be on your toes while keeping your opponent on theirs. A unique property Rashid has that helps in his elusive movement is his running dash. His dash is actually a run if you hold the second input for the command. If you simply tap , he will run a short distance before he decelerates to a stop. If you want to run the shortest distance possible, you can cancel his run with any input beside and . For instance, you can tap and then hold and press for an immediate dash into crouching , or you can simply hold / to block at the earliest possible time.

If you hold during Rashid’s dash and input during the run, you’ll execute a special Running Spinning Mixer. Pressing will result in a Running Eagle Spike. You can basically end Rashid’s dash with a command of holding / to produce these special variants quickly when desired.

You’ll be using Rashid’s dash and run constantly to confuse your opponent about how he’s going to approach. They have to be concerned whether Rashid is running all the way into mid and close range, or if he’s going to cancel into Running Eagle Spike. You can also cancel his run with a jump, so Rashid can immediately run into forward jump distance, or even closer at forward jump cross-up distance. Otherwise, you can cancel with a backward jump to stay safe and confuse the adversary even more.

Like most characters, Rashid deals the majority of his damage from mid to close range, but he doesn’t need to go all-out rushdown. His approach can vary depending on the matchup, but he’s designed as a quick and mobile character, much like Rolento from other Street Fighter games. As long as you’re cunning, he can deal with most matchups. Against most characters, especially those with limited mobility (like Birdie and Zangief), you shouldn’t be too afraid of Rashid being cornered and losing ground. Your Front Flip V-Skill, especially canceled from HK/EX Whirlwind Shot, allows Rashid to swap sides at a moment’s notice and is an extremely difficult maneuver to counter for these types of characters. If Rashid does get cornered, he can fight his way out by making the enemy guess how or if he’s going to escape. Rashid can use an Triangle Jump off the wall to jump over for a cross-up, use the variant for a more aggressive approach, or Front Flip his way out (or HK Whirlwind Front Flip). Alternatively, you can just fight back if you think your challenger is on to Rashid’s aerial shenanigans.

You can also abuse characters who have dashes with higher-than-average duration using Running Eagle Spike from long range. Although this move has a terrible recovery period, characters like Birdie, Dhalsim, M. Bison, and Zangief all have trouble punishing it with significant damage when it’s blocked. Characters with faster dashes can dash in for at least a light-strength starting combo, so be mindful of how you use this attack. Experienced players will know optimal ways to punish you, but you can occasionally get away with mixing up your normal Eagle Spikes with your Running Eagle Spike, since the range to which Rashid bounces is different for each. Running Eagle Spike places Rashid farther from his opponent but leaves him at -21, whereas Eagle Spike leaves him a little closer and at -20 disadvantage.

Whirlwind Shot may seem like a great zoning tool at long range, but it’s limited in horizontal travel distance. LK Whirlwind Shot travels just past half-screen distance, and HK only travels about a dash’s distance before ascending to the sky. This isn’t typically a projectile you can abuse repeatedly because its startup time is quite long (LK is the fastest at 17, versus Ryu’s slowest Hadoken at 14), while its recovery period is lengthy relative to other projectiles. Though it’s difficult to punish on reaction, your enemy can just wait until the whirlwind ascends before walking into mid and close range. This sacrifices valuable spacing and time you could have used to create distance. (It’s still an invaluable tool to use once in a while, especially against characters who don’t have projectile-invulnerable moves or fast ground mobility options.) In addition, it builds a small amount of meter when executed (you gain a small bit of meter, even if it doesn’t make contact).

Rashid doesn’t have much trouble getting around zoning characters, especially with his projectile-invulnerable Rolling Assault.

Mid Range

Although Rashid will be running around frequently and generally being an annoyance to his foe, you can change it up and play an exceptionally effective mid-range game with his abundance of footsies-based pokes. His main attacks at this range include standing , standing , standing , crouching , , , and his various Whirlwind Shots.

Standing is, without a doubt, Rashid’s most powerful attack from mid range. It’s a heavy attack, so it has the highest priority during trade collisions, cleanly counter-hitting light and medium attacks that overlap with its active frames. Furthermore, it rewards you with a Crush Counter when it does counter-hit (which can be quite often), giving you access to Rashid’s more powerful combos (see variants in Combo 11 and Combo 12).

Not only does it out-prioritize medium attacks, but it also crushes low attacks with its invincible lower body hurtbox and airborne properties. It’s airborne from frames 6 through 18 and hits on Frame 16, which is extraordinary when you take into account that it’s safe (at -2 when blocked) and advances Rashid into close range. The best way for your opponent to deal with this is to either block and then go on the offensive with their +2 advantage, or to counter it with a preemptive standing light attack, which just knocks Rashid out of the air into safety.

If you want Rashid to stay at farther ranges while keeping up an aggressive stance, you can use standing instead. It sports an impressive hitbox-to-hurtbox ratio, with its hitbox extending slightly past Rashid’s hurtbox. It’s also much more difficult to counter with a low attack from a distance since Rashid lifts his leg up for a thrusting side kick to the enemy’s midsection. As a whiff-punish, you can cancel standing into Ysaar for extra damage. Otherwise, standing isn’t special-cancelable.

Once you’ve conditioned the enemy with the threat of your standing and standing (or if you’re playing a more reserved footsie game), you can start using crouching to poke at them (or whiff-punish confirm into Combo 2). Crouching (non-mashed) is safe even at closer distances, but it’s even better when you connect with it at the tip of Rashid’s foot. He’s left at -2 from range and gets a tiny bit of free chip damage, so he’s completely safe. On hit, it’s possible to confirm into LP Spinning Mixer lv.2 (mashed), but this is quite difficult. Otherwise, it’s perfectly acceptable to just take the smaller amount of damage from hitting with the three-hit LP Spinning Mixer, considering how safe Rashid is on block from this effective mid-range string.

If you have a good read on your opponent’s defenses and you believe them to be the passive type, you can start going for Rashid’s far-reaching aerial overhead attack. It’s not nearly as safe as standing , both in its block advantage (-4) and its airborne state (Rashid’s technically standing before his first active frame). You should reserve this attack until you’re sure that your adversary is afraid of your crouching poke sequences. On counter-hit, you aren’t rewarded with a combo (like Necalli is with his overhead), but you do gain a bit more advantage (+2 on counter-hit, ±0 on non-counter-hit).

Another excellent attack from mid range is (Flap Spin). It does 10 more damage than standing , covers more range, is safe on block, and advances Rashid forward a bit. It’s easier to interrupt (even though it starts at eight frames, like standing ) because it moves Rashid’s entire body forward. The upside is that it’s a two-hit attack, so if you happen to whiff the first swing, you get another chance with the second hit (which admittedly can be interrupted). But, if this second hit counter-hits, you’re rewarded with a link into crouching , as seen in Combo 11.

Alternatively, if you want to take your offense into the air, Rashid has one of the best cross-up jumping attacks in terms of ambiguity, thanks to the long active frames on jumping . At certain distances (around the distance of his backdash), you can create a 50/50 forward jump setup by changing the timing of his jumping . With its five frames of activity, you can time it earlier to cause it to hit frontal, or input it late when Rashid has passed over his foe for a cross-up. To practice this, get up close and flush with the training dummy and then backdash away. Then, forward jump and try out different timings. You’ll notice that sometimes you’ll cross up the dummy, but other times you won’t. If mastered, this is an absurdly powerful technique.

If you’re up against a grappler or non-projectile character, you can opt to make more use of Whirlwind Shot at mid range. This is an irritating move for characters with limited ground mobility because it’s difficult to jump over on reaction. Use LK for a faster release and more horizontal coverage. Use HK Whirlwind Shot at closer ranges and when you sense hesitation in your opponent’s play (because of its long startup time). It’s also more likely to knock enemies out of the air at closer distances once it’s out. If Rashid is cornered, or if you want to switch sides to give Rashid more space behind himself, you can cancel HK Whirlwind Shot with Front Flip if you can force your adversary to block it. You can even confirm into Front Flip Eagle Spike on hit (juggle or grounded).

Against mid-range jump-in attacks, Rashid has a few options available. With EX Gauge, you can beat most jumping attacks with EX Spinning Mixer because it’s invincible for nine frames. It covers a wide area from the front of Rashid’s head and a bit farther out. However, it will whiff against attacks directly on top of Rashid and against cross-ups, so you’ll have to assess whether or not it will hit if someone goes for a closer jump-in on Rashid. For these situations, you can use a well-timed HP Spinning Mixer. You’ll need to execute it earlier than you would EX Spinning Mixer because it doesn’t have complete invincibility (it does have upper body invincibility, which suffices), so it does a decent job of covering the top of Rashid’s head. Without meter, you can use crouching to deflect jump-ins at ranges where EX Spinning Mixer works. It still has the same weakness of not beating cross-up attempts, though.

Close Range

Rashid’s best attacks are from mid range, but he’s also excellent in close-quarters combat. He doesn’t have a three-frame jab, but his standing does leave him at +3 on guard (where most characters’ light attacks provide +1 to +2 advantage on block). You’ll mainly be using standing and crouching , standing , and throws when Rashid is face-to-face with his opponent.

Once Rashid’s in close range off of a blocked jumping , a knockdown, or from LP Spinning Mixer (non-mashed, which leaves him at ±0), you have a few routes available to take. You can go for a simple low-check sequence with crouching standing into Combo 1. This combo doesn’t do much damage, but if you knock down with LP Spinning Mixer lv.2, Rashid’s left at substantial knockdown advantage, allowing you to go in for a frame trap. For instance, after the Spinning Mixer knockdown, immediately dash forward and cancel Rashid’s dash into crouching . This is a strong set-play mix-up where if the enemy quick-rises, they have to block the first crouching HP strike. If they back quick-recover, they’re forced to deal with the second hit (which Crush Counters on counter-hit; see Combo 17). Alternatively, you can go for a throw or frame trap.

Although Rashid’s throws aren’t too exciting in terms of knockdown advantage, you’ll still need to go for them occasionally. Forward throw is best in most offensive situations, but you won’t get much off of it aside from some damage (see the Riding Glider and Rising Sun descriptions for specifics). Rashid’s throws are primarily used to scare the opponent to start going for tech-throws when he’s in their face, creating chances for you to score your high-damage frame trap combos. You’ll want to land these as often as possible because Rashid doesn’t do much damage otherwise.

Standing is your primary frame trap tool when Rashid has enough advantage. On hit, it’s easily confirmable into either another standing or crouching , as seen in Combo 3a and 3b. The caveat to linking another standing is that the enemy must be hit standing, so it’s safer to link into crouching in most scenarios (although you get better follow-ups off of standing ). On block, standing leaves Rashid at an outstanding +3 advantage, giving him enough room for several lines of play afterward. After a blocked standing , you can opt for an aggressive advance into point-blank range into standing , which, on counter-hit, rewards you with Combo 9. If you’ve gauged your opponent’s close-range defense and feel like they’re going to retaliate with some kind of attack after guarding, you can go for a buffered standing counter-hit frame trap, with the potential Crush Counter combo seen in Combo 14. See the combo description for an option-select technique off of standing . Alternatively, Rashid can step forward for another standing ; with it being a five-frame medium attack, it can potentially beat out light attacks with its higher priority in the trading system.

Even though standing is designed as a mid-range attack, it’s also decent from just past point-blank range, especially after Rashid’s +3 advantage from a blocked standing or . For example, you can chain two standing jabs, then buffer into standing for a low-crush counter-hit frame trap attempt.

When you’ve landed one of Rashid’s EX Eagle Spike combos (see combos ending with in the Combos section), you can choose to juggle with either MP or HP Spinning Mixer. HP Spinning Mixer deals the most damage, but MP Spinning Mixer affords you a better mix-up opportunity on a quick-rising (or back quick-rising) enemy. Against a backflip quick-recovery (the kick version, which most players opt for in hopes of getting away from Rashid), you can immediately go for a forward jumping for a frontal attack, or you can have Rashid step forward a bit and then jump forward with a late jumping for a cross-up. This can be rather difficult to block, so make use of this setup as often as possible. Of course, this requires that your opponent is predictable with their recovery option. If they’re on to your tactics, you can change it up with forward dash into a frame trap setup instead.

If you find Rashid cornering the enemy, you can either keep them boxed in with his superb mid-range attacks, or you can go for some tricky Triangle Jump setups. For instance, if you cross up the opponent with a forward jump , which corners Rashid, you can then go for a low-hit check. If they’re blocking, go for a quick Triangle Jump into jumping while Rashid’s back is to the corner. This is extremely hard to block, even for the most experienced players. Be creative with these wall jump techniques, as they play toward Rashid’s evasive nature well.

As Rashid, you never want to be defending from an up-close position since your fastest normal attack starts at four frames. However, you do have access to an invincible reversal, provided you have EX Gauge. EX Spinning Mixer will beat out non-invincible meaty attacks and throws, with the drawback being that it’s reversal counter-hit punishable. You can rarely afford to whiff these against a competent player who knows the optimal punish, especially considering Rashid’s less-than-average health. Since Rashid is such a mobile character, your opponents will frequently want to pin him down with meaty attacks any chance they get. Therefore, you may be more likely to hit with this wakeup reversal relative to playing as another character (for instance, Ryu players tend to be predictable with wakeup Shoryuken).

Ysaar Setups

Rashid’s V-Trigger, Ysaar, is an extremely flexible move that allows for set play mix-ups, as well as a neutral projectile that lets Rashid advance into range. You’ll want to master as many setups using Ysaar as possible to give you the best chances of opening up the enemy’s defenses. The following are some examples of what you can do with Rashid’s V-Trigger.

Off of an EX Eagle Spike, instead of juggling with MP/HP/EX Spinning Mixer, you can instead throw out a meaty Ysaar for a mix-up attempt. You sacrifice some damage for a chance at more damage and another setup, so you’ll need to assess whether you can go for this or save up your V-Gauge for a hit-check combo.

After you’ve placed your meaty tornado, you can utilize Ysaar’s unique movement-enhancing properties by jumping forward into it, which launches Rashid far forward, crossing up the opponent. If the foe quick-rises, they must block the opposite direction. If they don’t, you can juggle with either an Airborne Eagle Spike (or Front Flip Eagle Spike) or an MP Spinning Mixer (for another potential mix-up afterward).

If your foe stays down or if they block this cross-up, Rashid flies so far that he actually reaches the other end of the screen, allowing him to Triangle Jump off the wall. You can use this opportunity to then go for a downward Triangle Jump into an overhead jumping . This can be relatively easy to block, but the alternative isn’t. Instead of coming down with jumping , simply land and go for an “empty jump” crouching hit-check into Combo 1.

The other branch you can take off of EX Eagle Spike into meaty Ysaar, if you think your opponent will refuse to quick-rise, is to set them up into an overhead or low attack. For example, after your V-Trigger, Rashid can stay in place or go for a timing sequence using whiffed attacks to help you time his overhead or low hit. EX Eagle Spike, V-Trigger, whiff standing twice, then whiff a standing ; this is about the time your adversary will wake up into your meaty tornado, where you can go for overhead (Beak Assault). If done correctly, you’ll open your foe up into getting hit by Ysaar, where you can then juggle with EX Eagle Spike or MP Spinning Mixer.

Alternatively, you can (after a meaty V-Trigger) whiff standing twice, then walk forward a bit, then go for a meaty crouching , pushing your enemy into the tornado. If they’re blocking high (expecting Beak Assault), they’ll get hit into the tornado, where you can finish your juggle combo.

These are just some examples of what you can do with Ysaar, so practice and discover other variations to keep your mix-ups ambiguous.