u/Motor_War_5777

This is mostly a saltpost. You've been warned. Also this is about pre-Id Vaseraga, in case this post is seen after that update.

First things first, I play 2B. Vaseraga is one of her absolute worst matchups so that doesn't really do me any favors here... but she does have tools against him that many others do not, such as fullscreen projectiles to check his 5U or 236L to break his armor when timed well. The real issue with the matchup is the astounding difference in reward off any given interaction (not just in terms of damage, also general advantage after the fact). But anyway...

Vaseraga is a big body character with 18000 health, the most in the game (tied with Ladiva). He also has absolutely massive pokes, a neutral skip tackle that's easily made plus on block, a fireball that's also basically always plus, and a safe on block 66H for some reason. His 22X stance also gives him access to one of the most insane anti-air moves in the whole game as well as a basically fullscreen low that's entirely safe on block. He can also augment most of these moves with Soul Forge, which grants them 2 hits of armor that will tank literally anything until his SF gauge runs out. Also he has a command grab and he does an absolute shitton of damage off every hit, being able to convert into full combos from just about any touch anywhere.

Insanely strong character right? So what are his downsides?

ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NOTHING this piece of shit character has no real weaknesses and I'm so fucking tired of people pretending he does bro.

"His pokes are slow and high-recovery" yeah in an ideal world that would be the case but his f.M is 11f with literally the same range as 2B's 5H and recovers way faster than it rightfully should, stance anti-air is plus on whiff, tackles are hard to make whiff in the first place, fireballs are 99% of the time safe to jump-ins.

"He has bad defense" 5f reversal in U tackle that gives him a full combo into like 60% on hit + his wincon (and for some reason it's only -6 on block so if you do bait it you still have to whittle him down while he 2-touches you off everything). If he has armor up then meterless stance and tackles also become f5 reversals. 7f reversal U stomps that deny any sort of spaced pressure and are safe on block. U command grab that easily snatches you when you're worrying about the other shit as well as BRAVE COUNTER which is the most broken mechanic in this game right now and he is one of its best abusers because CH BC into 5U is just "congrats you're fucked now". H and U Instinction as absurd options for disrespecting spaced pressure due to being 9f and 11f respectively. Also you can't even really BC him back because armor tanks it and he puts himself out of BC range usually anyway so he's free to just chip you to death among other things.

U Instinction is arguably the dumbest "I win" button in this game btw. Genuinely up there with U Butterfly. But while shit like U Butterfly is a slow burn, U Instinction is fucking instant ez bake win just add water. Plus infinity on block, tall as fuck so you can't reliably jump it, full combo on hit (because that's just what the character does, thanks f.M buffs).

5U being a gauge rather than a one-time use was the stupidest buff I've ever seen in Rising. He buffs himself once and just gets to steamroll from there because wtf is the opponent gonna do about it? Armored lariat into plus frames into plus on whiff stance anti-air into U Instinction into buff yourself again into f5 reversal if the opponent does literally anything, and then if they sit still you command grab so you can 5U again.

Big body with the highest health in the game, some of the highest damage in the game, some of the best pokes in the game, deceptively low recovery on 90% of his kit, some of the dumbest neutral in the game, broken defensive options, an extremely dominant and accessible win condition, offense that's inherently anti-BC while he abuses it ridiculously well, and getting to make a lot of mistakes because of the high health so he has like 4 chances to rob you each round if not more.

This character makes no sense whatsoever. I don't understand how this hideous abomination ever made it past testing and it's crazy to think this is a NERFED version of him. You genuinely cannot fucking lose as Vaseraga in any situation unless the opponent just proves to be miles better than you in every single one of the many interactions he's allowed while he removes the ability's opponent to interact beyond potentially holding a command grab into more bullshit, cuz at least getting grabbed is better than taking 70%. Off a f5 reversal.

From the bottom of my heart, fuck Vaseraga, all of you mfs who play him are carried beyond belief and I hope you're well aware of that fact.

You know, I refused to give up on you for so long... I thought it would be cowardly to do that. I thought it was a sign of strength and dedication to keep up hope despite everything. But I guess at a certain point it becomes more like obsession, and just kinda unhealthy. I didn't want to let go of you because I cared so much about you. I felt like I had a sort of responsibility to be the one that believes in you, and in us, even when you cannot. Felt like if I believed hard enough it would change things. Maybe I could pull you out of the rut you got stuck in by consistently showing you that someone believes in you and reassuring you that our dreams can still become real. But in the end, I was unable to really change things... and in all honesty, my own mindset on life became worse over time. Rather than bringing out the best in you, I kind of... let your own thoughts about it all rub off on me, and I gradually became less and less motivated to do anything along with you, until we just commiserated. The reality is that I can't help someone who doesn't want help. I'm not saying this in a rude fashion, but I don't really know what you want... perhaps because you don't either. It's confusing. And normally I would've once said "we'll figure it out" but the reality I must accept is that that is all on you. Whether you figure out where to go from here or decide to continue not to think about it and just kind of exist there... is not something I can influence. I hope that one day you'll be ready to make more of your life, but I cannot keep waiting for you anymore. I need to start moving forward with my own life. And even though that is what you wanted for me too, and it's why you chose to break up... I'm really sorry it has to be like this. I still care so much about you and I still want to help if you ever need me, but just... I need to let you choose to live of your own volition. I'm sorry.