Avant Line

The Avant Line is one of Poison's special attacks, introduced in Street Fighter V.

Description
Executed by performing a quarter-circle forward motion and pressing punch, Poison lashes her whip downward at her opponent's feet. The strength of the punch button pressed determines how many times Poison whips her opponent if the first attack connects.

Poison lashes her opponent's legs once during Light Avant Line. If the first attack connects during the Medium version, Poison swings her arm in a backhanded swinging motion to lash her whip across her opponent's chest. If the first attack connects during Heavy Avant Line, Poison whips her opponent across the body for her second attack. She then ends the move with an upward lash of her whip that knocks her opponent upward. If no directional input or button is pressed after the attack, Poison rolls up her whip before dropping back to her stance.

If two punch buttons are pressed, then Poison performs the EX Avant Line. She whips her opponent a total of six times before sending them flying with an upward lash.

Tactics
Avant Line mainly serves as one of Poison's main combo enders. This attack replaces Aeolus Edge, which was one of her special moves prior to Street Fighter V. It has the longest range, compared to her other special moves. While it does have a 15-frame startup, it can be linked from most of Poison's normals. Each version can be linked into her Critical Art. In addition to the number of hits this move performs, the strength of the punch button pressed also determines the move's damage output, the frame advantages on hit, and how punishable it is on block.

The Light version inflicts the least amount of damage because it hits her opponent once. Even though it is -7 on block, this version is theoretically the safest. Despite being unsafe on block, it can be difficult for her opponent to punish if she hits them from max range. This is mainly used to frametrap her opponent and to inflict decent chip damage from afar. In addition, Poison can throw out Light Avant Line to surprise her opponent and catch them if they are advancing toward her.

Medium Avant Line hits the opponent twice, inflicting slightly more damage than the Light version. The second hit of this move comes out only if the first attack is blocked or hits her opponent. Even though it's -8 on block, the second hit pulls her opponent closer to her. This makes it easier for her opponent to punish Poison since she's bringing them withing range of most of their normals. However, hitting her opponent with Medium Avant Line gives her good frame advantage. Because she is +2 on hit, she can put her opponent in a mix-up situation. After hitting them with the Medium version, she is in range to either go for a throw, continue pressure with one of her stronger normals, or use shimmies to open up her opponent.

The Heavy version inflicts the most damage since it hits the opponent three times. It is very unsafe on block. However, it results in a knockdown on hit. This creates separation from her opponent and allows Poison to continue zoning them out with her long-ranged normals and special attacks. This is mainly used to end hit-confirm combos for optimal damage.

The EX version requires 1-bar of Critical Gauge. However, it inflicts the same damage as the Heavy version. This version of Avant Line can be used to extend combos since she can cancel the final hit of this attack to another special move that's exclusive to one of her V-Triggers. She can cancel into Fire Squall to inflict damage over time while extending combos, or into one of her two command grabs during her second V-Trigger.