What's new

The Ultimate D'Vorah Guide

RoboCop

The future of law enforcement.
Administrator
Premium Supporter
THE ULTIMATE D'VORAH GUIDE


I've been having a ton of success with D'Vorah, so I decided to make this guide. It will break down her Buzzed variation. I don't watch Sonic Fox or belong to the D'Vorah Discord, so I'm sure there will be things I'm missing. If there's anything you think I should add, just let me know.
 
Last edited:

RoboCop

The future of law enforcement.
Administrator
Premium Supporter
General Information

D'Vorah is an unusual character, and she takes a lot of work to win with. Her overall damage output is among the lowest in the game. Her fastest non-poke mid is 20 frames, though she does have a 17-frame low. Her most damaging non-FB punish faster than 11 frames is her throw. She is generally considered to be one of the worst characters in the game. However, with the right gameplan, she can be a versatile character that can melt health bars before the opponent knows what hit them.

Due to her low damage, D'Vorah has to repeatedly open up her opponent. Luckily, she has a number of 50/50 and stagger tools that make it easy to keep the opponent guessing. She can be an absolute joy to play thanks to how technical she is, and winning with her is always satisfying. If you feel hollow after your Erron Black, Geras, Sonya, and Scorpion wins, then maybe it's time to give D'Vorah a shot.
 
Last edited:

RoboCop

The future of law enforcement.
Administrator
Premium Supporter
Normals and Strings

  • 1: D'Vorah's standing 1 is excellent. It has nice range, comes out in 7 frames, and is +1 on block.
    • 12: This is an excellent stagger, since you'll be using 12~db4 so often. It's only -4 on block, but +13 on hit, allowing you to jail into another standing 1. Unfortunately, this does not kombo into amplified db1.
    • 121: Your goal is to confirm into 12~db4. If they block the 12, you can finish the string, 121, keeping yourself safe at -2. If the final hit connects, you land a nice +42 knockdown, allowing you to go for jump pressure or set up traps.
    • 12(1+3): I have never once used this move, and legit forgot it was in the game... It does have a KB on punish, though, for 29%.
  • d1: Her d1 is also exceptional. It has massive range, comes out in 8 frames, is +10 on hit, allowing her to jail into standing 1, though it is -6 on block.
  • f1: This has excellent range, though it is a high. It comes out in 15 frames and is only -5 on block, making it an effective stagger into throw or d1. With its hit advantage of 10, it jails into standing 1.
    • f13: You'll be using this string a lot in the neutral. It has 16 hit advantage and is only -6 on block. Since you'll be canceling it into db4 so often, it can be an effective stagger.
  • 2: Her standing 2 has deceptive range, though it's a little slow for a standing 2 at 11 frames.
    • 21: This string also has deceptive range, though I don't find myself using it too often except to kombo into bf4.
    • 21222: I never use this string. Yes, it's safe, but it deals very little damage and knocks down the opponent. I'd rather do 21~db4 and amplify the db4 if it's blocked.
  • f2: This move has massive range but comes out in 20 frames. It also has zero priority. If the opponent sneezes in D'Vorah's direction, it will beat out her f2. It also has almost no vertical hitbox, opening up D'Vorah to jump-in punishes. Her f2-based strings will whiff if the f2 hits from max range, so its range isn't actually as good as it would seem. It only gets her 2 advantage on hit, making it a rather lousy poke.
    • f22: There is a gap, but it's actually beneficial. If the opponent is mashing FB, the gap is just big enough for the FB to come out, but small enough that it will break the armor and get you a kombo. This also cancels into db1(amplified), allowing you to do around a 20% kombo. However, the 2nd hit will whiff if the first hit is used from max range.
    • f22(U1+3): Never use it. Even the KB only does 17-fucking-percent. Geras says hi.
    • f22(D1+3): Never use it, though I suppose it can be useful for keeping f22 safe, at -6. The KB does a whopping 15%.
    • f224: The final hit is a high, so you can't throw it out predictably, but it can be used to keep f22 safe at -6.
  • d2: Her d2 is the stuff of legend. It's lightning fast and lowers her hitbox, making it very reliable. The only big issue is that it will whiff if the opponent starts their jump arc too close to D'Vorah.
  • 3: Never use it.
  • b3: This is her 17-frame low. b3~db4 is a nice little poke, and an easy way to get her 12~db4 loops going.
    • b34: There's a pretty massive gap that some characters can poke out of. But it's still a safe, side-switching, double-low.
  • d3: Her d3 has almost identical range to her d1, only it's just +1 on hit, making it useless as a solo poke. I usually only use this against players that parry a lot, and even then, I always cancel it into db4.
  • 4: D'Vorah's standing 4 is rather excellent, as it's only -4 on block, has deceptive range, and cancels into her db1(amp) kombo starter, making it an effective 11-frame punisher. However, it will whiff against crouch-blocking opponents unless you're right next to them.
    • 44: The 2nd hit is a 0-on-block low. I forget to use this a lot, since she usually has other things she'd rather be doing, but it can catch a lot of players off guard if you don't abuse it.
  • b4: D'Vorah's sweep is a mixed bag. It's got amazing range, extending almost 4 character lengths. It starts up in 12 frames and lowers her hitbox. The only downside is it's -19(!) on block, with very little push-back. Only use it from outside b3 range, as b3 is a much safer 17-frame low that leads to better damage and setups.
  • f4: This is D'Vorah's 21-frame overhead. It's unsafe at -16, but you'll still be using it a lot to whittle down your opponent's health bar. Although it's slow as balls, the start-up animation is actually rather subtle, making it more difficult to react to than you would think.
  • d4: This is an excellent long-range poke, reaching almost 4 character lengths. Only use it when outside of f1 range, it's punishable at -11.
  • j1: This is the core of D'Vorah's offense. I'll cover it more in the Strategies section. Just know that it extends almost 4 character lengths, though it does have a hurtbox, allowing opponents to anti-air it without too much difficulty.
  • j2: D'Vorah has a j2?
  • j3: D'Vorah has a j3?
  • Hop 1/2: Has about half the range of f4 and is very much reactable. I don't use her hop attacks.
  • Hop 3/4: Similar to Hop 1/2
  • Getup 2: What a wonky move! She shoots out a bug with excellent horizontal range, but still maintains a hitbox on herself, meaning the bug can whiff, but if the opponent has jumped over D'Vorah, they can still be hit. The hitbox does not extend as far as the animation does, however.
  • Getup 3: A decent medium-range getup attack.
  • Flawless Block U2: Same as getup 2.
  • Flawless Block U3: Same as getup 3
 
Last edited:

RoboCop

The future of law enforcement.
Administrator
Premium Supporter
Specials

  • Fireflies (bf1)
    • For some reason the recovery isn't listed, but it's got to be around 60 frames. This is her primary zoning tool. At 18 frames, -24 on block, and tons of recovery, it's certainly not the strongest projectile. However, due to the slow wobbly projectile, it will catch a lot of jumping opponents, and effectively creates a barrier between D'Vorah and her opponent. However, any character with a decent projectile can punish this on reaction, and it usually does not trade in D'Vorah's favor.
    • The amplified version releases 2 bugs. Sometimes they kombo, sometimes they don't. When they kombo, they deal a respectable 11%, which can be favorable when trading.
    • Both versions have massive hit-advantage from sweep distance and further, allowing her to jail into f22.
  • (Air) Ticking Time Bug (air.bf1)
    • This move can be done close, medium, or full-screen. It tough to use effectively, and is utterly useless in many matchups. It basically just puts a delayed vertical hitbox on the screen, like a 1/5th-speed Shang Tsung up-skull. It does embarrassingly low damage (4%) and has a very strict hitbox, which will whiff unless the opponent fully touches the bug. It's +41 on block, but is very difficult to use effectively as a block-stun jailing move. I find it most useful for remaining airborne, as it keeps you airborne for around 40-50 frames. From full-screen it can help her trade favorably with her opponent's zoning. From mid-screen, you can put down a Close bug to serve as a barrier against rushdown. You can also drop one in front of a cornered opponent to keep them locked down.
    • The Amplified version shoots 3 bugs at all ranges. The distance is always the same regardless of the height at which they are launched. I find it most useful to aim the middle bug at the opponent so that the other bugs land behind and in front, blocking them in. They can't jump out or really escape, so they're forced to deal with D'Vorah's pressure. Against heavy-advancing rushdown, like Kotal Kahn, I'll usually aim the far bug at him so that the mid and close bugs end up between us, making it impossible for him to advance. This version is also very effective against Scorpion's teleport.
  • Ground Swarm (db1)
    • This move can be done close, regular, far, or almost full-screen. It's tough to use this move effectively. It can help trade favorably in zoning wars, and can be used in conjunction with Air Bug to make it a pain for the opponent to find the frames to start zoning. It's primarily used during special setups, which I'll outline in the Strategies section.
    • The Amplified version has a much smaller hitbox. Midscreen, you need to kombo into the normal version from f22, f13, and standing 4. In the corner, you need to use the close version. It's ridiculously unsafe, but does allow her to kombo for around 20% or into her FB for a little over 40%.
  • Infested (df2)
    • This is her anti-air grab. It has an awesome hitbox and comes out in 8 frames, making it an excellent anti-air, though it can still whiff if the opponent starts their jump arc too close to D'Vorah.
    • If you catch the opponent out of an air-attack, you get an amazing KB that leads into an easy 43% kombo +4 restand (56% if you kombo into FB).
    • The amplified version deals 10% damage, with an additional 5% added at 1% per second. It leaves the opponent standing, but leaves D'Vorah at -2 for some idiotic reason, so I usually don't bother with it.
  • Strepsiptera (db3)
    • I'll be talking about this move a lot in the Strategies section. D'Vorah puts down an egg sack that births a flying bug. The bug will track the opponent to some degree, making it an excellent tool for slowing down the pace of the match. Although its block advantage is listed as 80, this is only because D'Vorah recovers well before the bug hits the opponent. Once the bug has connected, it has only a few frames of actual block or hit stun. If D'Vorah is hit or blocks an attack before the bug has hatched, the sack will break and the bug won't release.
    • The amplified version releases a series of 3 bugs, each flying further than the last.
  • Swarm (bf4)
    • This is a decent kombo ender for damage and its +4 restand, though D'Vorah can't do much with +4 other than d1~db4. Otherwise, it's highly punishable on block, so is best reserved for kombos.
    • The amplified version just does more damage. In her other variation it puts all her bugs on the opponent at once, allowing her to recall them for 15% damage, but is effectively useless in this variation.
  • Katipo Rush (db4)
    • Other than her j1, this is the core of D'Vorah's gameplan. It's unsafe at -15, but can be amplified on reaction to make it -4. If it hits, it leaves D'Vorah +13, allowing her to jail into standing 1. I'll talk much more about this move in the Strategies section.
    • The amplified version is safe at -4, but knocks down the opponent, making it undesirable to use unless the opponent has blocked the normal version.
 
Last edited:

RoboCop

The future of law enforcement.
Administrator
Premium Supporter
Strategies and Setups

This is the part I'm really excited to get into. Thanks to @Under_The_Mayo , for labbing a lot of these setups.

J1

The core of D'Vorah's offense is her j1. It can be used very similarly to Catwoman's j2 in the Injustice series. If the opponent isn't anti-airing effectively, then you've essentially already won the match.

Every time you connect a j1 on hit or block, the opponent has to guess between your overhead, low, throw, or pressure strings. Only the overhead option is unsafe. This is an excellent way to jail into her slow-ass f1 and f2 strings, and makes it even easier to confirm them into her amplified db1 for a kombo.

If my opponent seems to have trouble anti-airing, I abuse this move as if she's unable to start her offense otherwise. Neutral-jump-1 is amazing on knockdown. Forward-jump-1 is amazing for starting pressure. Back-jump-1 is even super effective thanks to the incredible reach of the j1. Seriously, I cannot overstate how important this move is to her overall gameplan.

Katipo Rush Loops

Katipo Rush (db4) against a grounded opponent is essentially a low-damage +13 standing reset. It jails into her 7-frame standing 1, so you can easily loop 12~db4 until the opponent finally blocks the db4.

In the corner you can just loop 12~db4 over and over. Midscreen, you need to do a tiny dash between loops. To practice the timing, set the opponent to jump and then try hitting them with as many loops as possible without letting them become airborne. So just 12~db4-ff~12~db4-ff12... and so on.

Once your opponent starts respecting the +13 restand, your options open up exponentially. You can start staggering the 1 and 12 into throws, lows, overheads, and other strings. You can also just go into any of those options after the db4, since the opponent will probably be blocking. You can even stagger 12 into itself, since it's +13 on hit as well. Every time you land a db4, the opponent is put into a 25/25/25/25 situation between the low, overhead, and forward and back throws.

Each iteration of the loop only does 9% damage, but you'd be surprised how many players will get hit by multiple repetitions. If you hit them twice and then catch them with a throw, that's 32% meterless damage.

If the opponent blocks the db4, you can amplify it on reaction to keep it -4. You can d1~db4 after this to force the opponent to respect your d1, which essentially limits them to counter-poking or attempting a throw. If they don't block correctly our counter-poke you, they're put back into the loop.

Once your opponent starts respecting the amplified db4, you can start getting away without amplifying the normal version on block as long as you have meter. This can be risky, but it can save you some meter and is tough for an opponent to punish if they're watching out for the amplified version.

Here are some options after hitting with db4. Just realize that any option ending in db4 continues the loop:
  • 1 into any stagger or extension, such as 1-throw, 12-throw, 121, 12~db4, etc.
  • 1 or any extension canceled into df3.
  • b3 into db4, b34, or df3
  • d1 canceled into db4, df3, or staggered into throw or another d1 if the opponent is respecting d1 on block due to d1~db4
  • f4 overhead
  • sweep
  • throw
  • f2 and all extensions and staggers such as f23~db4, f2-throw, etc.
  • neutral jump 1 or 3
  • walk back, whiff punish or anti-air df2
D1~db4 is an excellent option if they block any of your staggers. For instance, following a successful db4 with 12 stagger can cause the opponent to want to press buttons, but they have to wait to make sure you didn’t do 121 or 12~db4, so your d1 is almost assured to beat any option other than block.

Strepsiptera Setups

I need to experiment more with what all you can do with this move, but I'll go ahead and cover the basics. The bugs that launch from both versions of this move will track the opponent, so once they're hatched, D'Vorah has relative freedom to do as she likes. Be careful, though, because they do such low damage that any trades will probably be in your opponent's favor. They will go away if anyone is hit with a KB or FB.

The amplified version releases 3 bugs. If D'Vorah can throw the opponent within range of the bugs and before the 1st bug hits, then the 1st bug will knock her out of the throw, but the 2nd and 3rd bugs will keep the opponent in a kombo state, allowing D'Vorah to get up and kombo them. But remember, if you go for a throw and the opponent d2 KB's your ass, your bugs will be obliterated.

Against a cornered opponent, setting down an amplified df3 allows D'Vorah to safely go for her 50/50 and other pressure. Once the opponent is locked down, she can freely use db1 into a f4 hard-to-blockable.

Though you can end kombos with df3 into setups, you have to sacrifice some damage to do so. If you choose to end your kombos into a setup, I've found ending with standing 4~df3 to leave you with the most damage and + frames. For instance, in the corner, I might do j1~f22~db1(amp)-4~df3(amp), neutral-jump 1. That kombo does 19% damage. The final j1 will hit the opponent after they wake up, whether they jump or not. If they do jump, the j1 will knock them down into the bugs, allowing for a kombo. If they don't jump, they are jailed into D'Vorah's mix options. If they delay their wakeup then the j1 will whiff but they'll be jailed by the bugs when they do wake up. If they try to forward-roll, the j1 will catch them, jailing into her options before being further jailed by the bugs. If you follow the j1 with a throw, it will lead into the throw setup I discussed above. This setup seems to avoid most getup attacks, though if the opponent does a getup attack, they will be jailed by the bugs and D'Vorah will have plenty of time to recover and start her pressure.

I just discovered that if you put down an amplified Strepsiptera and then hit with her b34, the opponent will remain in a juggled state, allowing for a kombo. Even just doing a d2 will net you a nice 25% damage. @Second Saint Even if they block the low, the bugs will prevent them from being able to substantially punish the setup.

(Air) Ticking Time Bug Setups

As I said before, this move is a bit of a bill. This is primarily due to the insanely long recovery. The opponent has all the time in the world to punish D'Vorah for using it, and the hitbox is so tiny that it's very easily avoidable. In some matchups it's absolute suicide to try to put out a ticking time bug, but they can be very useful in others.

I'll use the full-screen bug against zoners like Skarlet and Cetrion, though their teleports can make it very risky to do so. Using a combination of ticking time bugs, db1u, and bf1 can make it difficult for the enemy zoner to find their rhythm due to all of the crazy delayed blockstun.

Midscreen, I'll sometimes plop one down about sweep distance in front of my opponent. This makes it impossible for them to advance for a few seconds. Spaced correctly, this allows D'Vorah to use her f22 and f12 strings without fear of punishment. I'll also use this tactic against a cornered opponent to keep them locked down. Once you've safely put the time bug down, you're free to plop down a df3 as well and really get your pressure going.

The Amplified version is where things really start to get interesting. You want to practice aiming the standard time bug so it lands on your opponent. Doing so will allow the amplified version to put down bugs in front of and behind the opponent, effectively boxing them in. D'Vorah can then pretty much go nuts until the bugs are above head-level. I've found that f13 is an excellent string to use. It's safe enough to stagger, but if it hits, it will usually knock the opponent into a bug, allowing you to kombo into standing-4~df3 for around 20% damage into a setup.
 
Last edited:

RoboCop

The future of law enforcement.
Administrator
Premium Supporter
Matchups (will format later)

Since I pretty much only play on PC, I have a very limited pool of players to play with, and most of them are overseas, so take this info with a huge grain of salt.

Due to her insanely low damage output and the insane risks she has to take to get that insanely low damage, I seriously doubt she currently has any matchup more favorable than 4/6. That said, she has tremendous potential to outplay her opponents. All this is to say that the odds are certainly stacked against you, but you have the opportunity to truly outplay your opponents and gain satisfaction from your wins.

My main experience is against @Sutter Pain Jacqui, @Hellbringer Lao and Skarlet, and, surprisingly, @The Slaj Jazz Kollector Bag Bomb variation.

The biggest issue is damage output. D’Vorah has to open up her opponent 3 times for every time they open her up or every mistake she makes. As @Braindead said, “she doesn’t scare me”. Her opponents can take risk after risk and at worst they’re eating a throw, or maybe an f1 into 19% if they used something severely unsafe.

Jacqui, surprisingly, is manageable. D’Vorah has to make the same guesses as anyone else. When she guesses correctly, she’s able to get her momentum going. Db1 and air-bf1 can’t be used anywhere close to Jacqui’s Dash Punch range, but overall D’Vorah can keep Jacqui staggered and guessing pretty well.

Kollector sucks, especially his Bag Bomb variation. That move, while mediocre, completely shits on a lot of D’Vorah’s offensive options. Combined with his standing 1, it can be very difficult for D’Vorah to get into her optimal range. She also has no great way to contest his cancel and stagger frames other than d1, so he utterly out-damages her.

Skarlet can rot in hell. Seriously, what is up with this zoner having such oppressive offense? She out-classes D’Vorah from every range. Her f43 string defeats D’Vorah. Seriously, it can stagger, it anti-airs her j1, it can be canceled into meterless 18%+, it beats her f1 and f2; it’s a wall that D’Vorah can’t bypass. If Skarlett has access to FB them D’Vorah literally can’t try to contest it for fear of eating 40%+, since it can be canceled or staggered into FB.

The Shang (Warlock) matchup feels very similar to Skarlet, where he can outzone you, out-footsie you, and severely out-damage you. His normals and strings seem to simply out-prioritize her, leading almost any trade to be in his favor. His JK is also perfect at avoiding her offense and is rather difficult for her to anti-air with df2 on reaction. Due to the massive startup and recovery of her f22 and f13, he can simply JK after many of his attacks are blocked and punish D’Vorah for daring to press buttons. Like most matchups, you’ll have to open him up 4 times for every 1 time he opens you up.
 
Last edited:

Sonzai

Noob
Great guide :D
A couple of things to correct though
You said
  • f22(U1+3): Never use it. Even the KB only does 17-fucking-percent. Geras says hi.
  • f22(D1+3): Never use it, though I suppose it can be useful for keeping f22 safe, at -6. The KB does a whopping 15%.
But the KB ads a dot effect that you didn't factor in
The real damage is closer to 275 for the U1+3 and 270 D1+3
Something around that anyway
It's triggering the KB's that's the tricky part
Also you can cancel into katipo rush after these strings have been blocked and that can catch a lot of people ofguard
 

RoboCop

The future of law enforcement.
Administrator
Premium Supporter
Great guide :D
A couple of things to correct though
You said
  • f22(U1+3): Never use it. Even the KB only does 17-fucking-percent. Geras says hi.
  • f22(D1+3): Never use it, though I suppose it can be useful for keeping f22 safe, at -6. The KB does a whopping 15%.
But the KB ads a dot effect that you didn't factor in
The real damage is closer to 275 for the U1+3 and 270 D1+3
Something around that anyway
It's triggering the KB's that's the tricky part
Also you can cancel into katipo rush after these strings have been blocked and that can catch a lot of people ofguard
Oh wow, I wasn’t aware of the dot damage, thank you for pointing that out! I’ve started using f22d(1+3) a lot as a safe way to close the distance and score a knockdown. The final hit connects way more often than you would think, with the only issue being that it can whiff on crouching opponents, leaving her vulnerable to a full-kombo punish. Does any other character have an overhead that whiffs on crouching opponents?
 

Second Saint

A man with too many names.
So I want to break down the exact series of options D'vorah gets on amp df3 in the corner from the recommended setup here minus the jb1. I haven't labbed that. Sounds nice, wish I'd thought to do it.

After the bug is down, you are in a 33/33/33 situation between overhead/low/throw.

b34 (Bugs hit), 4, 4~df2/bf4/ whatever is your low combo. This nets about 280 damage.

Your throw combo will depend on what kind of hit reaction you get. It's pretty much random. If you get knocked away, you can do: Throw (bugs hit) jik, d1, d1, 4~ender. If you get knocked toward the opponent, all you can get is: Throw (bugs hit) f13~db4.

And your overhead is of course f4. I find this is nearly guaranteed, as most people are looking for the big damage options. If they are hit by or block f4, we enter Phase 2 of this mixup series.

Throw is off the table at this point. You can't get it out with bugs landing. Your choice are now to continue mixing, or lay down a db1 to go for an HTB. Interestingly, b3 is no longer your best low starter at this point. Her sweep, b4, is now the best choice for a low starter because the two bugs left are timed well enough to keep them airborne, unless they delay wakeup. What I do to time this after landing f4 is :

backdash cancel b4, (bugs hit) f13~ender. About 230 if you time everything right and go for a df2 ender.

The backdash cancel isn't necessary, but you would have to end in 4~ender without it. I also find it helps with my timing the b4.

If they've blocked f4 or b4, we enter phase 3. You get one more mix or stagger into a throw. At this stage, I recommend going with b3 as your low again, as it's safer. Even canceled into db4, when you should have no offensive meter at this point, it's safer than sweep and no combos are possible at this point. Now that I think about it, you might be able to do a jump in here. I'd have to lab that.
 

Second Saint

A man with too many names.
Amp strep can turn anything that knocks off the ground or involves a 2 character animation into a combo.

Throw, F22d1+3, F22u1+3, and 121+3 all cause the same knockdown animation that tends to be somewhat random. It can be difficult to set these up, outside of throw. The pushback on f22 is so far that you will typically push the opponent two far away to start a combo (this depends on hurtboxes and the particular setup) and in the corner the bugs are set too close for the first one to interrupt the animation, and all three are necessary to combo off this.

Other than that, the normals and specials that can potentially start a combo with strepsiptera setups are 21222, amp db4, d2, and b4. All of these require specific timing to work without amp strepsiptera.
 

Ozzy_K

Death waits for a slightest lapse in concentration
I've only started playing D'Vorah, and she's super fun.
Great guide, thank you very much.
Question: Do you have more success with Arachnophobia against zoners, those Shang Tsungs and Skarlets?
 
Last edited:

Second Saint

A man with too many names.
I only started playing D'Vorah, and she's super fun.
Great guide, thank you very much.
Question: Do you have more success with Arachnophobia against zoners, those Shang Tsungs and Skarlets?
There is literally never a reason to use arachnophobia. It is genuinely the worst variation in the game. You're giving up a lot for a sub par teleport and the nearly useless Deadly Swarm. Arachnophobia has literally 2 kB's, including the d2 kb. You lose some very important strings and all setups.

On Shang and Skarlet, your best bet is to get in honest, or if you want to actually win against people at your general skill level, play another character.
 
Does anyone have good BnB's for the new Arachnophobia?

Consensus seems to be that's the better of the two variations with the new balance patch.

Looking to get into D'Vorah
 
I don't really think arachnophobia is better, myself, but I do know a good combo video for that variation right now.
What are the reasons to not go for Arachnophobia over the first variation?
Is it still up for debate which is the better variation or it it still clearly the first?

Thanks from a scrub!
 

Second Saint

A man with too many names.
What are the reasons to not go for Arachnophobia over the first variation?
Is it still up for debate which is the better variation or it it still clearly the first?

Thanks from a scrub!
Buzzed has parasite, which is kind of integral to actually pressuring with D'vorah. They went ahead and made f224 +4 on block, but they didn't fix the hitbox, so it's a true high that is duckable while blocking all the time. There is 0 reason to block high in that situation without f22d1+3. This is also especially infuriating because the end of f224 is the exact same animation as her s3, which does not whiff on people duck blocking. Buzzed still punishes harder in a lot of situations because of 121+3 KB.

Arachnophobia is also even more meter hungry than the already incredibly meter hungry base version of D'vorah. She has no option for safety on her mids without spending a bar, all her big damage comes from two bars, cashing out on the bugs without the krushing blow all cost meter.
 

Second Saint

A man with too many names.
Actually, found out some information that's making it a lot closer. 21 links into teleport now, which is huge for D'vorah. This is a big deal, and I can see that making her strong enough to really make the difference.
 

dungeonsector

AI Fighter
The main reason I wouldn't play arachnophobia is because D'Vorah loses her bug, which something that makes her different than the entire cast. I wouldn't actually like playing the character without her setups.