- "Extends talons out a short distance to pierce opponents and poison them if the attack lands. Useful in combos or as a way of checking opponents from mid-range."
- —Street Fighter 6
The Serpent Lash (蛇頭鞭 Jatōben?, Snakehead Whip) is one of A.K.I.'s special attacks, introduced in Street Fighter 6.
| Classic |  +
|
|---|---|
| Modern |  +
|
Description[]
Executed by performing a quarter-circle forward motion and pressing punch, A.K.I. extends one of her claws like a sheng biao, poisoning the opponent 7 seconds on contact. The strength of the button changes the direction of the attack:
does the attack straight forward.- does the attack diagonally upward.
- does the attack straight up.
The Overdrive version sends out both talons at the opponent. If they connect, A.K.I. pulls herself towards the opponent. If she hits the opponent when they are poisoned, A.K.I. then thrusts both claws into her opponent, causing them to collapse to the ground.
Tactics[]
This move is one of A.K.I.'s primary combo enders. She can hit them whether they are close or midscreen distance away. Each can be cancelled into her Level 3 Super Art. Hitting the opponent with Serpent Lash puts them in a poisoned state, setting them up for a Toxic Blossom. Triggering a Toxic Blossom with this move not only inflicts additional damage, but also grants the move certain properties, depending on the which version is used.
The Light version has the longest range due to its horizontal trajectory. While it is -8 on block, it can be difficult for the opponent to punish if properly spaced. Meanwhile, the Heavy version has A.K.I. elongating her claws vertically upward. This makes it a decent anti-air option, especially against cross-up attempts. Even though it has the shortest horizontal range, it has the fastest startup and inflicts the most damage. Triggering a Toxic Blossom with Light or Heavy Serpent Lash puts the opponent in a juggle state, allowing A.K.I. to perform another special move for additional damage.
Medium Serpent Lash has an upward diagonal trajectory, making it useful against a neutral jumping opponent. It can still be used at the end of combos, though the opponent must be standing in order for the Medium version to connect. It can also be used as a long-range poke against taller characters like Marisa or Zangief. Triggering a Toxic Blossom with Medium Serpent Lash also puts the opponent in a juggle state if they are airborne. Against a grounded opponent, it puts them in a crumple state, giving A.K.I. an opportunity to begin a high damaging combo.
The OD version has the same trajectory as the Light version with an increased range. While it has the longest startup and inflicts as much damage as Medium Serpent Lash, hitting them with the OD version pulls the opponent closer to her. She can link into Crouching Light Punch to extend the combo. Triggering a Toxic Blossom with OD Serpent Lash also puts the opponent in a crumpled state. Additionally, this is one of A.K.I. main tool against zoning characters. Using OD Serpent Lash can have the claws whip through the opponent's projectiles and punish them on the recovery.
Trivia[]
- Jatō (蛇頭) are Chinese gangs that smuggle people to other countries.
Gallery[]
