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Match-up Discussion Hawkgirl Matchup Discussion

Hmm, imo once players get the grasp that you simply have to wait for her to come down that you can then hit her, this will change, at least for Grundy, NW, and KF.(I don't have an input for Aquaman, Joker or Lobo). NW, just like Harley, can IA their projectiles at the same rate you chuck your maces to evade them, while also gaining as much meter. If you want to get work done, you now have to waste meter to add in that extra hit but this also means you have to be in near enough which is right where they want you to be. These three as well have tracking specials that hit grounded opponents, mainly it hits at your location whether you are on the ground or not. If a Grundy player sees your flight mode run out and you start dropping, if he has the meter, he can catch you with EX swamp hands to then combo you for who knows how much. Same with KF and NW. KF has her MB icebergs which she can dash in and slide to connect depending on the distance(I think it will connect at like 7/8 of the screen, maybe even full screen), and NW while in escrima stance for the IA projectiles, can instantly go into his staff slam which he can MB and then follow up with another, or if he's close enough, he can connect a Flying Grayson. These characters as well, mainly NW, I know you don't want to be close to anyways. Just my speculation on it

i would like to think smart hawkgirl players wouldnt just let the flight run out. you can bring her down, bait out the projectile and then land afterwards, or divekick down and block their far too late attempt to hit you. if you're flying close enough to get hit by wing dings, well you are doing something wrong. killer frost and grundy hate her flying because they have no projectile that can bring her down and their air attacks are ass. she can just sit there and just mace charge your approach if she wants. NW does have flying grayson, but that means he has to be in staff stance which has probably the worst jumping ability in the game. so basically you can completely focus on flying grayson and no matter how good a move is you dont want to be a one trick pony

of course those 3 characters all just want to land 1 knockdown so they can put you in their brutal bs lol
 

Akromaniac27

Ready to lose your head?
i would like to think smart hawkgirl players wouldnt just let the flight run out. you can bring her down, bait out the projectile and then land afterwards, or divekick down and block their far too late attempt to hit you. if you're flying close enough to get hit by wing dings, well you are doing something wrong. killer frost and grundy hate her flying because they have no projectile that can bring her down and their air attacks are ass. she can just sit there and just mace charge your approach if she wants. NW does have flying grayson, but that means he has to be in staff stance which has probably the worst jumping ability in the game. so basically you can completely focus on flying grayson and no matter how good a move is you dont want to be a one trick pony

of course those 3 characters all just want to land 1 knockdown so they can put you in their brutal bs lol
Yeah I get all that, but that's what I'm saying. She can get out of flight mode earlier than its full duration, but once players, especially those using these characters, know exactly what to look for, its not going to be an easy keep away game. When she throws her diagonal mace tosses, any character can just jump over them. Characters like NW and Harley can use their IA projectiles as a jump as well as using a special. Its not for the intention of hitting anyone, but to evade an attack while also gaining meter. As for Frost and Grundy, their tracking specials lock in on her location. They can input it on reaction to when they see her going down at whatever given point and catch her that way. I'm not sure for certain the hurtbox for those two, but I know NW for sure, you don't even have to be fully grounded, and it will hit you if you're within range. Speaking of which, NW's stance switch cancelling is fast af lol. It's I believe a 1f startup the stance switch and from there you can immediately cancel into a special from that stance. Below is a vid that demonstrates the stance switching a bit. It starts at around 0:40

 

EMPRESS_SunFire

Regina George of discord
Cyborg is very momentum based, if you give him the space to start his IA garbage it gets annoying, otherwise its 5-5 or slight advantage HG.
The 4th bad matchup imo is GL. He can get in so easily its fuckin dumb.



whoa how the hell is it 5-5 upclose? his j3, swordspin and any random guns totally shit on anything hawkgirl can try.
And how is his wakeup unsafe? swordspin is BARELY punishable (-6) and in some random cases its actually safe. Swordflip is also wonky and sometimes pushes you too far too for HG to punish. Not to mention any random guns that happen to hit you while you're doing MC or any WE knocks you fullscreen away which is totally ASS for HG in this MU.
Not to mention that you cant fly OR jump in this MU at all thanks to air guns and swordflip. fun fun..

IMO Sinestro, Batgirl and DS are all 7-3 or worse. Its pretty sad.
You can punish his sword spin with 1
And Hawkgirl has pressure! Once we are on his face we can't just random jump, the only free jumps he has is when he makes a hard kockdown and he can crossup with ji3 since if we try yo Mace Charge it will beat us. But our D2 can defeat his ji3
And what i sometimes do is when i am close from him (not on his face) i jump and use instant air mace charge since Deathstroke players love to jump when they watch up getting in, if it whiffs i cancel it into trait and dive kick or downward mace charge (MB)
Sorry, but all the wins that i have lost to Deathstroke players have been very very close, and they have been very good Deathstroke players, you must be so patient, that's all. That's what makes me thing that that one is 4-6 not worse
 

EMPRESS_SunFire

Regina George of discord
As a Harley main, picking up Shayera, I think the MU COULD be 5-5, but it feels to me like it leans close to 4-6, Harley's favor. Yes Hawkgirl has her hideaway spot to avoid MB cupcakes and the air shots, but her flight does come to an end and at that point she will feel Harley's flurry of projectiles. This is a MU similar to Wonder Woman, in the sense that both on the ground(Harley vs Hawkgirl), is anyone's game though imo it's slightly in Harley's favor due to superior mix ups and frame traps, but Harley at a distance can chip HG out while also evading her maces giving her already the life lead she needs to wait for the timer to run out. Not to mention any hit confirm combo starter Harley gets will dish out on average a 40% meterless combo which she can in the end use up 1 bar of meter to MB her Play Doctor which will cause an additional 8% unblockable damage while leaving her safe to play keep away again.

Long story short, its a MU where Harley can play keep away better and even if Hawkgirl wants to take the fight to her, Harley still has the upper hand, though not by a significant amount, but still on top. I spent the last 3 hours facing the AI Hawkgirl as Harley on very hard(yes its the AI, not a human, blah blah, however) and in the end Harley was winning nearly all of the matches. There was no routine so that I could "outsmart" the AI to get a cheap win, and to add, the AI would IAmace charge on reaction whenever I jumped on top of optimizing many combos whenever she would land any; higher combos and faster reactions than humans I faced, so to me that was saying something. As well as with me, I would evade maces on reaction, not through routine, which isn't really hard at all though, but just saying.

The way I see it, if HG wants to win this MU, she has to do whatever it takes to get the life lead and wait for the timer to run out. Flight will not help her accomplish this in this MU, believe me, and being up close and personal is a risk in itself. Not to mention Harley gains a HUGE amount of meter in this MU, this MU is like a surplus of meter for her, where Hawkgirl will most likely not wager because she WILL lose. Thoughts?
I agree with this! I don't know why many Harley players say she cantake us down from the air with her up gunshot
 

EMPRESS_SunFire

Regina George of discord
Killer Frost vs. Hawkgirl 5-5 (Maybe 6-4)

This is a match up where killer frost is a character that totally controls the ground and Hawkgirl is a character that totally controls the air, the diference in this match up is that Hawkgirl can actually make damage while she is in the air, but Killer Frost can't do nothing while we have our trait on, we can zone her with diagonal air maces and i really doubt that a Killer Frost player use her slide to get in on this match up since her slide is very punisheable on whiff and we will just get a free dive kick. I wouldn't recommend to be in the ground on this match up since in the ground everything changes, we fear her slide (just like everyone, but we have a slow B3 so if we MB B3 her slide she will be able to block it! And if we block a slide we don't have any options better that instant air dive kick or D3 to try to hit her since she can parry and any other hit would be deadly. Also don't try to use so much Mace Charge since she can punish it and she doesn't need to spend meter, she can neutral jump, back air dash and combo with jump 2 slide.

Stay in the air the biggest time possible.


What do you guys think?
 

Akromaniac27

Ready to lose your head?
I agree with this! I don't know why many Harley players say she cantake us down from the air with her up gunshot
Sweet! I don't get it either. If Hawkgirl is within up gunshot range(which she shouldn't be in the first place lol), she is very well within MB cupcake range which will cause much more significant damage than a single shot. Plus Harley has one of the best dashes in the game. Air mace tosses are so easy to react to with Harley, you really shouldn't be getting hit by them, even on block. Wanna Heavenly stomp? Harley has 2 combo starters that lead to about 40% combos meterless as a punish. In this MU, due to all of Harley's zoning options, Hawkgirl will be getting hit by them whether in the air or when she chooses to get back down to the ground, on block or not. The same cannot be said as a guarantee about Hawkgirl.
 

EMPRESS_SunFire

Regina George of discord
Sweet! I don't get it either. If Hawkgirl is within up gunshot range(which she shouldn't be in the first place lol), she is very well within MB cupcake range which will cause much more significant damage than a single shot. Plus Harley has one of the best dashes in the game. Air mace tosses are so easy to react to with Harley, you really shouldn't be getting hit by them, even on block. Wanna Heavenly stomp? Harley has 2 combo starters that lead to about 40% combos meterless as a punish. In this MU, due to all of Harley's zoning options, Hawkgirl will be getting hit by them whether in the air or when she chooses to get back down to the ground, on block or not. The same cannot be said as a guarantee about Hawkgirl.
Lol yes, first of all idk why we would be at a distance for an up gunshot. But the thing that make us fear to get in flying is her cupcacke. Everytime i see the cupcacke and i am flying close i use dive kick to evade it and up close Harley has better mix ups, we can only use D1~Mace Charge or D1~WE3 into pressure! I have played this match up not that much. But the times i have played it ot was with great Harley Players. I really like this MU
 

Akromaniac27

Ready to lose your head?
Lol yes, first of all idk why we would be at a distance for an up gunshot. But the thing that make us fear to get in flying is her cupcacke. Everytime i see the cupcacke and i am flying close i use dive kick to evade it and up close Harley has better mix ups, we can only use D1~Mace Charge or D1~WE3 into pressure! I have played this match up not that much. But the times i have played it ot was with great Harley Players. I really like this MU
Yeah its surprisingly a bit of an uphill battle for Hawkgirl.She can't get d1 happy against her or she'll eat a combo

And back to the NW MU, have you guys even seen that dash of his? 3 dashes and he's reached full screen, not to mention how incredibly fast it is and he has pretty much instant recovery after. Its like Harley's only her's doesn't cover nearly as much ground
 

RunwayMafia

Shoot them. Shoot them all.
you really think aquaman is in her favor? I dont feel like its in his favor either, but it seems like he matches up pretty well
Yes. Aquaman, Nightwing, Frost...anyone that with an inept air game can essentially never take her out of the air.
 

RunwayMafia

Shoot them. Shoot them all.
As a Harley main, picking up Shayera, I think the MU COULD be 5-5, but it feels to me like it leans close to 4-6, Harley's favor. Yes Hawkgirl has her hideaway spot to avoid MB cupcakes and the air shots, but her flight does come to an end and at that point she will feel Harley's flurry of projectiles. This is a MU similar to Wonder Woman, in the sense that both on the ground(Harley vs Hawkgirl), is anyone's game though imo it's slightly in Harley's favor due to superior mix ups and frame traps, but Harley at a distance can chip HG out while also evading her maces giving her already the life lead she needs to wait for the timer to run out. Not to mention any hit confirm combo starter Harley gets will dish out on average a 40% meterless combo which she can in the end use up 1 bar of meter to MB her Play Doctor which will cause an additional 8% unblockable damage while leaving her safe to play keep away again.

Long story short, its a MU where Harley can play keep away better and even if Hawkgirl wants to take the fight to her, Harley still has the upper hand, though not by a significant amount, but still on top. I spent the last 3 hours facing the AI Hawkgirl as Harley on very hard(yes its the AI, not a human, blah blah, however) and in the end Harley was winning nearly all of the matches. There was no routine so that I could "outsmart" the AI to get a cheap win, and to add, the AI would IAmace charge on reaction whenever I jumped on top of optimizing many combos whenever she would land any; higher combos and faster reactions than humans I faced, so to me that was saying something. As well as with me, I would evade maces on reaction, not through routine, which isn't really hard at all though, but just saying.

The way I see it, if HG wants to win this MU, she has to do whatever it takes to get the life lead and wait for the timer to run out. Flight will not help her accomplish this in this MU, believe me, and being up close and personal is a risk in itself. Not to mention Harley gains a HUGE amount of meter in this MU, this MU is like a surplus of meter for her, where Hawkgirl will most likely not wager because she WILL lose. Thoughts?
LOL...oh honey. For the record, I play Akro all the time and I consider him to be like a younger brother to me, (so don't think I'm attacking him) but in no way is Harley Quinn beating a knowledgable HawkGirl. I play Shogun offline and I play Birdsong's quite a bit online PLUS I've studied Harley's game and the only potential tool she has to stop a zoning and very flight active HG is through MB cupcakes...

Maybe on a cold day in hell I'd label it 5-5 (oh god, I can barely type it) but it is EASILY and AT LEAST 6-4 HG.
 

RunwayMafia

Shoot them. Shoot them all.
I think too many people forget her ground game is pretty solid as well. We always talk about her air game and who can and can't take her out of the air, but this character has a 6 frame d1 that has incredible reach. This tool alone nullifies and stops people in their tracks.

Let's not forget her amazing Mace Charge and Wing Evade 3 combined with D1. Akromaniac27 you used to call me cheap for "abusing" her d1. It's such a fantastic tool and needs to be reckoned.

Most of us well known Hawk's are super aggressive and in the opponents faces CONSTANTLY (because we can)...but remember, she is one the few characters in the game that wreak havoc playing the keep away/run away game. Mr. Mileena comes to mind as a player who has no shame to just glide away all day with a life lead, and like it nor not, it is very effective. I have yet to see a HG player truly utilize the lameness of getting the life lead and then just turtling in the air and staying away...I've been experimenting with it online and it truly does damage to the opponents mindset. They start to rush, burn unnecessary meter and it becomes an easy win.
 

Espio

Kokomo
Cyborg is very momentum based, if you give him the space to start his IA garbage it gets annoying, otherwise its 5-5 or slight advantage HG.
The 4th bad matchup imo is GL. He can get in so easily its fuckin dumb.



whoa how the hell is it 5-5 upclose? his j3, swordspin and any random guns totally shit on anything hawkgirl can try.
And how is his wakeup unsafe? swordspin is BARELY punishable (-6) and in some random cases its actually safe. Swordflip is also wonky and sometimes pushes you too far too for HG to punish. Not to mention any random guns that happen to hit you while you're doing MC or any WE knocks you fullscreen away which is totally ASS for HG in this MU.
Not to mention that you cant fly OR jump in this MU at all thanks to air guns and swordflip. fun fun..

IMO Sinestro, Batgirl and DS are all 7-3 or worse. Its pretty sad.
I had Hawkgirl versus Cyborg as 5-5 , but I'd really like to get in long sets with a couple really competent Cyborgs to really feel out the match up. The couple times I have played it, it seems like a very fun match up.

I've pretty much always found DS to be extremely annoying, it can get frustrating simply because usually when you get in on zoners, you're rewarded with superior up close game and damage, but this is not the case with Deathstroke unfortunately for her.


Batgirl is coming off as a light 3-7 to me as of late, doesn't seem too daunting like it used to be for me anyway. I've been playing quite a few Batgirls lately, but this is not to say it's not a problem.

Need to play updated long sets against a competent Cyborg, Joker, Killer Frost, Black Adam, Deathstroke, Flash and Lobo.

I have no idea how to fight Joker, the rest I've fought enough times to understand what I need to do overall.
 

RunwayMafia

Shoot them. Shoot them all.
I had Hawkgirl versus Cyborg as 5-5 , but I'd really like to get in long sets with a couple really competent Cyborgs to really feel out the match up. The couple times I have played it, it seems like a very fun match up.

I've pretty much always found DS to be extremely annoying, it can get frustrating simply because usually when you get in on zoners, you're rewarded with superior up close game and damage, but this is not the case with Deathstroke unfortunately for her.


Batgirl is coming off as a light 3-7 to me as of late, doesn't seem too daunting like it used to be for me anyway. I've been playing quite a few Batgirls lately, but this is not to say it's not a problem.

Need to play updated long sets against a competent Cyborg, Joker, Killer Frost, Black Adam, Deathstroke, Flash and Lobo.

I have no idea how to fight Joker, the rest I've fought enough times to understand what I need to do overall.
I can give you Killer Frost experience. As for Joker, I play Emperor_Dark quite a bit and I tend to do well as HG. Plus I played that Joker at Evo that wasn't too entirely noob. She wins it...I'd say 6-4.
 

EMPRESS_SunFire

Regina George of discord
I think too many people forget her ground game is pretty solid as well. We always talk about her air game and who can and can't take her out of the air, but this character has a 6 frame d1 that has incredible reach. This tool alone nullifies and stops people in their tracks.

Let's not forget her amazing Mace Charge and Wing Evade 3 combined with D1. Akromaniac27 you used to call me cheap for "abusing" her d1. It's such a fantastic tool and needs to be reckoned.

Most of us well known Hawk's are super aggressive and in the opponents faces CONSTANTLY (because we can)...but remember, she is one the few characters in the game that wreak havoc playing the keep away/run away game. Mr. Mileena comes to mind as a player who has no shame to just glide away all day with a life lead, and like it nor not, it is very effective. I have yet to see a HG player truly utilize the lameness of getting the life lead and then just turtling in the air and staying away...I've been experimenting with it online and it truly does damage to the opponents mindset. They start to rush, burn unnecessary meter and it becomes an easy win.
Actually i think that if you don't "abuse" her D1 then you are downplaying her, her D1 is her pressure and we can do godlike things with it
 

EMPRESS_SunFire

Regina George of discord
Exactly! I believe you can push the opponent back with like 4 or 5 blocked d1's. That's how far it stretches...god I love this character.
Yes, people says we are dumb for abusing her D1 but they don't know that it's not an average D1 lol! Just like Nightwing and Wonder Woman "abuse" D1 because it's plus on block we of course can "abuse" it because it push your opponent back, it's fast and it's only -1 on block, We love her <3 Hater will hate her of course
 

Jon Berg

Noob
HG is littered with 7-3 and 3-7 matchups. Just the way shes built. You are either the hammer or the nail, little middleground.
 
Alright look, before I give my thoughts on the matchups I play alot I just wanna say a couple things.......

Waiting until HG "falls down/her flying time runs out" is NOT and should not be a valid tactic . I think you guys saw a video or something of somebody getting hit after their flight timed out and they got hit by KF's super and lost. Let me tell you something. Ask most of the HG players who are worth a damn. My flying time ends, WHEN I WANT IT TO. I'll press fly and drop out of my own flight before my flighttime ends by itself and I do it quite often. Sometimes, I'll air dive out of it. The time I do it the most is after I MT and you block it.

Underestimate her inclose game at your own peril. Does HG have great 50/50 mixups like CW or WW? No. But her D1 and her D2 are top 3 in the game. Her sweep is fast and has good range and mixes up well with her lightning fast IAdive kick. Standing 3 hits multiple times and sets up the 3~WE/MC tech beautifully and is tough to get around for someone getting up. So you can think "Oh, I'll just get in close and take her out!" Naw buddy. You gotta cut through some D1s and D2s first.

Now.........

HG vs Bane

6-4 (HG advantage)

This is not the easy matchup many think even though there's really no way for Bane to stop her lame game. Bane has a really, really good dash, so he can block an air MT and dash in. BUT he's also really tall and really wide and his jump is as slow as growing grass. He's not gonna jump attack you out of any air MTs or air MCs.

But once he gets venom and you decide to play the ground game, it's his advantage. Many of HGs attacks are one hitters and Bane (with venom) eats those things for breakfast. Most Bane's don't use his venomed charge from mid-range but vs HG it is a viable tactic. MC and WE 3 get run over. Up close venomed double punch runs through d1, d2, and anything else other than a well placed 3. DP is 0 on block and HGs d1 and Bane's d1 are 6 frames. However, there's pretty much nothing stopping him from doing another DP or god forbid a command grab. On knockdown, Bane with venom is incredible. DP is gonna rip you a new one and only leaves you with MC and blocking as options. But MC gets eaten by Bane's jumping D3 so you have to keep it unpredictable vs his wakeup. Push block if you can because that'll give you room to fly and take the steam out of his attack again. Be aware, Bane's B23 is +5 on block and his D1 is +17 on hit (yeah that's right, +17) lots of banes you to block the B23 and frame trap you so you can't get away. BUT..... you can WE the 3 of the B23.

Most smart Banes only use meter for clash. The good thing about this though, even if you lose you get sent full screen so you can play keepaway again.

Once Bane's venom goes into debuff, he's pretty much like a prostitute going to her pimp without money, so prepare to rape his face. Go after him hard and don't be scared to get hit because even if you do his combos won't do jack in debuff. NEVER let him get away without intelligently managing his venom time. If you see that meter with an "X", go fuck him up. And once you knock him down with sweep or an air to air d3, the 3~WE tech rapes his face (even if he's got venom).

Overall, HG has the matchup advantage if she plays lame and goes to town on him during bebuff. Alternate between backdash and MC on wakeup and push block if you feel the pressure. Dont worry about holding onto meter because a clash is the best thing to happen to HG in this matchup.
 

EMPRESS_SunFire

Regina George of discord
Alright look, before I give my thoughts on the matchups I play alot I just wanna say a couple things.......

Waiting until HG "falls down/her flying time runs out" is NOT and should not be a valid tactic . I think you guys saw a video or something of somebody getting hit after their flight timed out and they got hit by KF's super and lost. Let me tell you something. Ask most of the HG players who are worth a damn. My flying time ends, WHEN I WANT IT TO. I'll press fly and drop out of my own flight before my flighttime ends by itself and I do it quite often. Sometimes, I'll air dive out of it. The time I do it the most is after I MT and you block it.

Underestimate her inclose game at your own peril. Does HG have great 50/50 mixups like CW or WW? No. But her D1 and her D2 are top 3 in the game. Her sweep is fast and has good range and mixes up well with her lightning fast IAdive kick. Standing 3 hits multiple times and sets up the 3~WE/MC tech beautifully and is tough to get around for someone getting up. So you can think "Oh, I'll just get in close and take her out!" Naw buddy. You gotta cut through some D1s and D2s first.

Now.........

HG vs Bane

6-4 (HG advantage)

This is not the easy matchup many think even though there's really no way for Bane to stop her lame game. Bane has a really, really good dash, so he can block an air MT and dash in. BUT he's also really tall and really wide and his jump is as slow as growing grass. He's not gonna jump attack you out of any air MTs or air MCs.

But once he gets venom and you decide to play the ground game, it's his advantage. Many of HGs attacks are one hitters and Bane (with venom) eats those things for breakfast. Most Bane's don't use his venomed charge from mid-range but vs HG it is a viable tactic. MC and WE 3 get run over. Up close venomed double punch runs through d1, d2, and anything else other than a well placed 3. DP is 0 on block and HGs d1 and Bane's d1 are 6 frames. However, there's pretty much nothing stopping him from doing another DP or god forbid a command grab. On knockdown, Bane with venom is incredible. DP is gonna rip you a new one and only leaves you with MC and blocking as options. But MC gets eaten by Bane's jumping D3 so you have to keep it unpredictable vs his wakeup. Push block if you can because that'll give you room to fly and take the steam out of his attack again. Be aware, Bane's B23 is +5 on block and his D1 is +17 on hit (yeah that's right, +17) lots of banes you to block the B23 and frame trap you so you can't get away. BUT..... you can WE the 3 of the B23.

Most smart Banes only use meter for clash. The good thing about this though, even if you lose you get sent full screen so you can play keepaway again.

Once Bane's venom goes into debuff, he's pretty much like a prostitute going to her pimp without money, so prepare to rape his face. Go after him hard and don't be scared to get hit because even if you do his combos won't do jack in debuff. NEVER let him get away without intelligently managing his venom time. If you see that meter with an "X", go fuck him up. And once you knock him down with sweep or an air to air d3, the 3~WE tech rapes his face (even if he's got venom).

Overall, HG has the matchup advantage if she plays lame and goes to town on him during bebuff. Alternate between backdash and MC on wakeup and push block if you feel the pressure. Dont worry about holding onto meter because a clash is the best thing to happen to HG in this matchup.
Yes, i really doubt someone just let her randomly fall...