VEGA

First appearance: Street Fighter II(1991)

Data
STAT

VALUE

RANK

Vitality

1000

Stun Threshold

900

Forward Walk Distance per Frame

0.055

Backward Walk Distance per Frame

0.05

S+

Dash Duration in Frames

20 frames

Dash Distance

1.34232

A-

Backdash Duration in Frames

8 invincible, 10 airborne,
4 grounded (22 total)

Backdash Distance

1.2

Pre-jump Frames

4 frames

Jump Duration in Frames

35 frames

Diagonal Jump Distance

1.7

C-

W Ultra Damage: 75%

CLOSE STANDING (CL.) NORMAL MOVES

STANDING (ST.) NORMAL MOVES

CROUCHING (CR.) NORMAL MOVES

VERTICAL JUMP NORMAL MOVES

DIAGONAL JUMP NORMAL MOVES

NORMAL THROWS
Vega can use close or standing H as a kara throw for additional range. Vega has enough time to dash forward and set up a meaty
attack, but not enough time to set up a safe jump when your opponent gets up at the normal time. When your opponent does a
delayed getup, Vega gets a safe jump against characters with a reversal thats active on 7 frames or later.
As with his forward throw, Vega can likewise use H as a kara throw for additional range on his back throw. Vega has an easy safe jump
that works against all strikes that are active on frame 6 or later by holding up forward after this throw and then hitting M before he hits
the ground. Due to Vegas quirky hurtbox, this setup is safe against many faster reversals as well. As this setup is safe against 6-frame
reversals, Vega will be able to use this safe jump against characters with delayed wakeups without worry of the attack whiffing before

his opponent stands. Vega can also opt for a 50/50 mix-up gimmick after a back throw with EX Flying Barcelona Attack or Ultra I. After
Vega lands a back throw, set up a cross-up EX Flying Barcelona Attack or a cross-up Bloody High Claw by whiff-linking a
crouching L and then activating the Special or Ultra as close to recovery as possible. If its frame perfect, it will hit from behind and
reversals will generally go the wrong direction. If the attack is mistimed, it will hit in front.

Air Throw: Vegas air throw throws his opponent approximately half a screen away. Unlike most air throws, the hitbox on Vegas
Stardust Drop is larger beneath him, making it work better if Vega jumped before the opponent and making the attack slightly weaker
as anti-air.

FOCUS ATTACKS
When Vega has his claw, his Focus Attack is one of the farthest reaching in the game; without the claw, Vegas reach is only marginally
diminished. Vegas Focus Attack is a reliable tool to use due to its long range, allowing you to avoid rapid attacks that would hit twice
as well as close-range armor-breaking attacks. Vega can also do a kara Focus with H, then dash forward to cover a large amount of

ground quickly. This enables you to more easily approach an opponent who attempts to keep you out with fireballs or slow pokes like
sweep.

UNIQUE ATTACKS
Piece of Mercury: Vega hops forward and smashes his foot down on his opponents head. Piece of Mercury is an overhead attack
that can go over some low strikes with enough reach to hit an opponent from mid-range. This move works well to augment Vegas
poking game once you have established that Vega will beat your opponent at mid-range. After your opposition is worried about Vegas

overhead and blocking high, you can use this opportunity to sneak a hit for bigger damage and use crouching M leading into Combo IV
on hit.

Cosmic Heel: Vega hops forward and launches his opponent into the air with a kick extending in front. If Cosmic Heel hits an
opponent in a neutral state, the opponent is launched into a free juggle state, allowing you to use any attack for a reset or a
knockdown. If Vega hits an opponent that has already been launched by Cosmic Heel, he puts his opponent in a limited juggle state
and can only hit his opponent with an attack that has juggle potential. Cosmic Heel is airborne and can go over low normals and low
projectiles. If spaced properly, Cosmic Heel can have an advantage of up to +2 on block. If it hits an opponent on the final active
frames, you will have enough time to link Ultra I or Ultra II if you begin charging immediately after your initial directional input.

Back Slash: Vega leaps backward invincibly doing a back handspring followed by a back flip. During the back handspring, Vega can
pick up a dropped mask or claw if either can be found near his hands. Back Slash covers a large amount of ground, leaving Vega
approximately half of a screens distance from where he started. Vega is only vulnerable for the final 8 frames of this move. It should
only be used sparingly due to its long recovery period; an opponent who expects a Back Slash can react to it and punish Vegas
attempt at escaping pressure.

Short Back Slash: Vega makes one invincible backward jump doing a backflip. Vegas Short Back Slash traverses slightly less distance
than his backdash. Vega is only vulnerable for the final 10 frames of this move. This move recovers much more quickly than the longer
traveling PPP Back Slash. When used in conjunction with Back Slash and with Vegas ordinary backdash, you can cloud your
opponents judgment and force the opposing player to guess on which of Vegas three escape tools they intend to punish.

Wall Jump: While Vega jumps toward the edge of the screen, he can jump forward off of the wall by pressing the direction opposite
of his jump. This works on either side of the screen and works by jumping forward or backward. Vega only needs to be near the edge
of the screen and does not have to be in the corner of the stage. Vega jumps further from the wall than he would jump straight off of
the ground, making this useful for escaping corner pressure. There is a 6-frame delay after he jumps before he can perform actions.

Pick-Up Mask: When Vegas mask falls off, he has to manually pick it up. There is neither an animation nor any recovery for Vega as
he picks up his mask, though he can only use this ability when he is in a neutral position.

SPECIAL MOVES
Scarlet Terror: Vega does a backflip while leaping forward and kicking upward. The hitbox for Scarlet Terror is above and in front of
Vega, allowing you to use these attacks as anti-air (if you are ready to use it early). Likewise, all versions are invincible to throws and
break armor, allowing for a bit of utility. Though invincible to projectiles and throws, the EX version does not have true invincibility; it is

still countered by strikes, so use it sparingly as a reversal. The LK version recovers quickly enough to allow Vega to juggle his opponent
with the second hit of another Scarlet Terror (see Combo II).

Rolling Crystal Flash: Vega rolls forward doing up to three somersaults before stabbing his opponent with his claw. The stronger the
punch button you press, the farther Vega travels. The LP version is relatively fast and will combo off of a normal. Vega can Special
cancel if he is close to his foe. The MP, HP, and EX versions of this attack are slow to start up, so they only combo off of Vegas attacks
with larger amounts of hitstun. As the EX version is projectile invincible from the first frame, you can use it to beat a predictable fireball
at mid-range. All versions are safe on block and can be cancelled to Red Focus Attack for a crumple.

Flying Barcelona Attack: Vega flies to the wall and leaps off toward his opponent, deftly maneuvering himself to where the
opponent is or might be. After reaching his opponent, Vega attacks by grabbing his opponent (if in throw range) or slashing them with
his claws (if outside of throw range). All versions of the Claw Attack are unsafe on block. Izuna Drop is short range and can be difficult
to hit shorter characters when they crouch. Izuna Drop is a hard knockdown on successful hit.

During the EX version, Vegas flight to the wall counts as an attack that can potentially cross-up an opponent on the ground. Also, the
claw attack hits twice; if the claw is done late enough, it will break Focus Attacks on grounded opponents. The first hit of EX Flying
Barcelona Attack puts Vegas enemies in a free juggle state, allowing you to combo off of an occasional trade when hes nearby. You
even have enough time to charge up for a second Special or for an Ultra. It is easy to combo into an EX Flying Barcelona Attack from
almost any hit due to the speed of Vegas ascension upon activation (see Combo I).
After landing an Izuna Drop, Vega has a safe jump against all 6-frame or slower reversal attacks that can be timed by whiffing a
crouching m and then doing a forward jumping h.

Izuna Drop Loop: After successfully landing an Izuna Drop, Vega has enough time to reach the wall with another Flying Barcelona
Attack and attempt another Izuna Drop. This loop works best against large opponents like Zangief, Abel, or T. Hawk. As this isnt a
particularly tight mix-up, Vegas opponents have several options available to them. This leads to you trying to guess if your opponent
will Focus, jump, or use an invincible reversal. If your opponent jumps, you will lose to an early Claw Attack. Against Focus Attacks,
you must either retreat while still in the air or successfully grab the opponent. Against invincible reversals, you can maneuver behind
and back to the front of your opponent to make their reversals go the wrong way. This works best against reversals that travel upward
at an angle, such as Cammys Cannon Spike, while it works the worst against more vertically rising reversals, such as Feis Dragon Kick.
Opponents delaying their wakeup actually makes repeated Izuna Drops much easier to successfully hit due to Vegas opponent losing
what time he had to try to maneuver away.

Sky High Claw: Vega leaps to the wall then flies horizontally at a fixed height across the screen. As all versions of this attack are
unsafe on block, the normal version of this move is only useful against an opponent that you know will try to jump back to escape from
Vegas Flying Barcelona Attack. The EX version armor breaks, is projectile invincible, and also works well as a quick cross-up and
knockdown near the corner.

Remove Mask and Claw: Vega can taunt his opponent by throwing off his claw. There are no in-game positives for Vega losing his
claw, as his damage, range, and priority diminish on all punch attacks.
You can spend one bar to throw off Vegas mask with the EX version of this move. In a pinch, this may be useful, as it gives Vega a
10% boost in damage output. At the end of a round when Vega doesnt have enough life to take a hit or block a Special, the damage
increase Vega receives will make no difference. Meanwhile, the damage output could potentially change the outcome of the match. If
Vega dizzies his opponent, he has enough time to throw off his mask and then jump in or use a raw Ultra to deal the extra 10%
damage he gains when he removes his mask.

SUPER & ULTRA COMBOS

Flying Barcelona Special: Vega flies to the wall performing a Super version of either Flying Barcelona Attack or Izuna Drop. The
Super flash does not activate until Vega reaches the wall. There is no invincibility on the startup of Vegas Super and he loses the
meter before the Super flash occurs. It is possible to lose Vegas Super meter before he even leaves the ground. Vegas ascension to
the wall now works similar to EX Flying Barcelona Attack and Ultra I.
After the flash, Vega is able to control his movement left or right to direct himself to his opponent. When hes near, Vega attacks with
Super versions of a claw attack or an Izuna Drop. Unlike his normal and EX versions of Flying Barcelona Attack, the range on the Super
versions grab is quite large. The ordinary tricks of focusing or just crouching will not help Vegas opponents; instead, they will have to
try to beat the move clean, be invincible for the duration of when Vega is close enough to strike, or dodge it early.

CI: Bloody High Claw: Vega soars towards the wall of his choosing before the Ultra flash occurs. This leap is an attack similar to EX
Flying Barcelona Attack. When Vega reaches the wall, he flies diagonally toward the opposite corner very quickly. Bloody High Claw is
projectile invincible after it reaches the wall. If the first attack hits, Vegas opponent is juggled to a position where the rest of the
attacks follow up. The first hit can be timed to hit a rising opponent who chooses to block, as a surprising left-right guessing game.

UCII: Splendid Claw: Vega slides rapidly across the ground hitting his opponent low. If he hits, Vega launches his opponent and
slashes them with his claw. This is Vegas only invincible attack, so it is useful as a reversal or anti-air. It can also punish projectiles
from mid-range or even work as a whiff punish due to its speed.

Recommended Ultra Choice: Ultra II or Double Ultra

Vega gains the most utility from Ultra II in almost every match. If you are comfortable with ambiguous Ultra I setups or are against a
character with a strong projectile game (such as Akuma or Sagat), Bloody High Claw would certainly be useful. In these situations, it is
often still not worth losing the utility of Splendid Claw, so you would best be served choosing Double Ultra. As Vega seldom manages to
land a combo into his Ultras, the damage reduction from choosing Double Ultras will hurt more noticeably than other characters. So if
you arent facing a long-range projectile character, and arent comfortable with Bloody High Claw tricks, Splendid Claw is the stronger
choice.

Overview
PROS:

Vega has arguably the best mid-range game of any character in the game

Fastest walk speed in the game

It is quite frustrating to get in past Vegas fantastic ground normals

CONS:

Vega has the second lowest stun

Weak options for keeping opponents from jumping in

Vegas only invincible attack is Splendid Claw, his second Ultra

He is at a great disadvantage when his opponent has knocked him down and goes for a mix-up

Vega is arguably the best character in SFIV at controlling the mid-range game. No other character has pokes that are as long-reaching
and safe. He is tied for the fastest forward walk speed in the game while his backward walk speed is in a class of its own, even

outpacing many characters forward walking speeds. Between the speed of his walk and his attacks, Vega can dominate other
characters to where it feels like there is no way to get in. Sadly, these tools come at a price. Vega has perhaps the weakest defensive
options of any character in the game. He has only one attack that works as a reversal and is generally weak against characters that like
to control the air and press their advantage after knocking their opponents down. To combat this, you must be vigilant in controlling
the range where you fight your opponent; you must use your speed and cunning to keep the fight where you want it while frustrating
your opponent into opening up.
Vegas objective is to dominate his opponent at mid-range. He achieves this by:

Attacking with a hit and run game plan

Using speed and escape options to avoid being trapped by opponents

Controlling his opposition from beyond their range with excellent normal attacks

Avoiding scenarios where Vegas weak anti-air capabilities can be exploited

Forcing the enemy to come to you

VEGAS TUNING HISTORY

STREET FIGHTER IV

TO SUPER STREET FIGHTER IV

CHANGE

EFFECT

Ultra II added

4 + M now hits overhead, startup increased from 19 frames to 20, active

Makes Vegas offense more

threatening

frames reduced from 4 to 3, advantage on block increased from -5 to -4,

advantage on hit increased from -1 to 0
Rolling Izuna Drop Super damage increased from 90, 90, 117 to 90, 90,
180

Ultra I now hits as it goes to the wall

SUPER STREET FIGHTER IV

Vega can now use a variety of

setups for ambiguous Ultra I or use
it as anti-air

TO SUPER STREET FIGHTER IV ARCADE EDITION

CHANGE

EFFECT

Backdash now airborne from first frame after invincibility

ends

No longer receive a grounded hit as soon as

invincibility of backdash ends

CR. m damage reduced from 70 to 60

CR. M startup reduced from 8 frames to 6

Much better poke, less likely to be beaten by attacks

at mid-range

CR. H damage lowered from 110 to 90

4 + H advantage on block reduced from -1 to -4

Less safe on block, slightly reduces the usefulness as

an approaching attack as Vega must be nearly at max
distance for the move to become safe

EX Rolling Crystal Flash recovery reduced from 22 frames

to 20, advantage on block increased from -2 to 0,
advantage on hit increased from +2 to +4

Allows for new links leading to high damage

EX Flying Barcelona Attack damage reduced from 50 to 30

Rolling Izuna Drop Super damage increased from 90, 90,
180 to 100, 100, 200

Ultra II startup increased from 0+7 to 0+9, invincibility

increased from frames 1~13 to 1~14

Worse as a reversal or anti-air

ARCADE EDITION TO 2012 UPDATE

CHANGE

EFFECT

CR. H damage increased from 90 to

110

4 + H advantage on block changed

Slightly safer on block, slightly more useful to use as an approach

from -4 to -3
All versions of Sky High Claw now
knockdown

Ultra I hitbox adjusted, juggle potential Vega connects with the second portion of Bloody High Claw more often
increased to 2 on the second hit
when he gets the first hit, increased juggle potential enables usage in
combos after 4 + H
2012 UPDATE TO ULTRA STREET FIGHTER IV
CHANGE

EFFECT

CR. h active frames increased from 2 to 4

Better as anti-air

Mask Pickup is now a command, 5 + PP while near the mask

Vega has to intentionally pick up the

mask in case he wants to keep his higher
damage output

MP Rolling Crystal Flash FADC forward blocked advantage increased

from 0 to +3

Allows Vega to spend meter for offensive

pressure

Jump-in L hitbox extended

Now crosses up

All versions of Rolling Crystal Flash charge time reduced from 60

frames to 50

Easier to get charge during combos

Super now has an attack added to the jump to the wall dealing 100
damage, Rolling Izuna Drop damage reduced from 400 to 300, Super
gauge consumption changed from when Vega reaches the wall to
when Vega inputs the command

Much easier to combo into Super, offers

Vega the same sorts of ambiguous
left/right setups he gets from Ultra I and
EX Flying Barcelona Attack

Ultra I forward charge attacks hitbox expanded to match EX Flying

Barcelona Attack

Better as anti-air

Ultra II startup reduced from 8 frames to 7

Better as anti-air and as a reversal

Close M startup reduced from 6 frames to 5, recovery reduced from 13 Faster on startup, enables new combos

frames to 10, advantage on hit increased from +3 to +5, advantage

on block increased from -1 to +2

MASK AND CLAW

Vega fights with a mask to protect his face and a claw to frighten and damage his foes. Throughout the course of his fights, if Vega is
hit or forced to block too many attacks, his mask and claw will fall off. After his claw falls off, Vega loses 10 damage on any attack
involving his claw, including Special attacks and his Super Combo. Multi-hit attacks will lose 10 damage per hit. Vega also loses a good
deal of range on his attacks. If Vegas mask is gone, he both receives and deals 10% additional damage. In the event of two Vegas
fighting each other, when neither character has a mask, the multipliers stack and both Vegas will deal and receive 21% additional
damage.
The speed at which Vegas claw will fall off is based on the types of moves that Vega is forced to hit or block. Focusing through an
attack can no longer cause Vega to lose his equipment. Vegas claw will fall off after he blocks around 50 hits of normal attacks or 25
hits of Special attacks. Moves that hit multiple times do accumulate additional wear and tear on Vegas gear, but not at a constant rate.
If Vega is being hit, he will lose his claw after around 13 hits of normal attacks or 6 Special attacks. Vegas mask will fall off after it has
received about 50% more damage than his claw. The wear and tear on Vegas equipment can accumulate over time and, unlike stun
values, does not drop after a period of inactivity.
In a vacuum, a Vega player always wants to keep Vegas gear on. Your opponents likely know this and will attempt to guard Vegas
gear by standing on it or potentially locking the screen in a position where Vega cannot reach his equipment. It is occasionally viable
for you to forgo picking up your mask and instead opt to deal the additional 10% damage with the risk of receiving 10% additional
damage. This becomes more reasonable the lower Vegas lifebar becomes; at the very end of his life when he is not even able to block
a Special move, there is no longer a penalty for not wearing the mask at all.

LONG RANGE
Although Vega doesnt have many options at long range, hes also not in a bad circumstance due to his high mobility. Vegas overall
long-range goals change based on the current circumstance in the round. When behind on life and attempting to get in on your
opponent from long range, the best method is to simply walk towards your opponent. If projectiles are barring your path, pay attention

to your opponents habits, bide your time, and then Focus dash (or H kara Focus dash), use either Ultra, or just jump over a fireball. If
you get far enough away from your opponent, it is safe to jump over a projectile and break range without fear of an uppercut shooting
you down.
If you have a reasonable life lead, especially as time is dwindling down in the round, you should focus on keeping as much space from
your opponent as you can. Vega can cross a lot of ground quickly by jumping back to the corner and then wall-jumping at the peak of
his jump. When his back is against a corner against another character throwing projectiles, you can use Bloody High Claw or EX Sky
High Claw to quickly jump off the near wall and attack your opponent from full screen. If done correctly, Vega will knock his opponent
down and be out of the corner in one fell swoop.
If you have a substantial life lead at long range, you can easily get around fireballs with Back Slashes and Focus backdashes to
squander time and make your opponent come to you. Since Vega has good options to avoid fireballs, there is often no need to worry at
all in a long-range match if you simply pay attention and watch for when your opponent gets frustrated and decides to start jumping at
you.
While running away, you have several options to keep yourself from being cornered. If you can ever manage to connect a
crouching m while you have charge, you can simply cancel to EX Izuna and go to the far wall. Vega can wall-jump for about half a
screens distance. You can also potentially make an opponent block a HP or EX Rolling Crystal Flash, which will put over half of a screen
behind Vega, allowing you space to retreat again. If youre willing to burn the meter, Vega can even FADC the claw attack at the end of
Rolling Crystal Flash and end up further forward with 1 frame of advantage on block, allowing you to potentially start up offense again,
giving you the option of either finishing your opponent or pushing him back in order to continue running away.

MID-RANGE
Vega is at his strongest working from neutral game, staying just inside of and out of Ryus max-range sweep. His normals and walk
speed allow him to dominate his opponent. Crouching m and standing M are Vegas primary tools in this range. Both have such
incredible range and rapid recovery that they are very safe to throw out without fear of reprisal on the ground. Standing h is Vegas
best tool for whiff punishing. It is active on 8 and deals 120 damage on hit and outranges even his already long-range crouching m.

Once youve demonstrated dominance with Vegas standing and crouching normal attacks, it can generally be assumed that your
opponent will be reluctant to try to attack from this range. If the opponent stays on the ground, this leaves him open to Vegas longrange kara throw with standing H. Vegas kara throw becomes most effective when used in conjunction with standing L poke strings.
Standing L has excellent range and can be hit confirmed into a short combo ending in crouching h or crouching m (see additional
Combos IV and V).
If the opponent attempts to stay mobile in this range, Vegas crouching M will catch them trying to dance in and out of range from a
long way off. From a slightly closer range, you will have time to confirm for a combo, crouching M, crouching l, or
crouching m > 2 + KK.
Cosmic Heel (4 + H) will go over lows and allow you to enter close range with reasonable safety. Its fairly slow on startup, so it would
behoove you to establish that you will punish whiffed normal attacks before using it as an entry tool. From this range, Cosmic Heel will
generally hit meaty and may potentially leave you at frame advantage on block. From here, pay attention to how your opponent reacts.
Many players will have a gut reaction of throwing Vega after any blocked Cosmic Heel, and that will leave them open to punishment
with a Scarlet Terror.

CLOSE RANGE
At close range, Vega does not gain as much as many other characters. Vega does not have any chaining light attacks, so there will
always be gaps in his pressure. This in turn allows your opponent to always have a reversal attempt open to them without fear of unblocking and eating a low combo. When up close, you cant make good use of Vegas walk speed to dodge attacks, as you will be
caught by a low. Vegas crouching Ldoesnt have enough frame advantage to link off of while his crouching M has such fantastic range
that you dont have to put Vega in harms way to rely on a low. Even his throw has enormous range. As there is much additional
danger when you are up close to your opponent, you must be more cautious about when to attack and when to defend. What you gain
at close range is the potential for higher damage and greater opportunity for baiting opponents into opening themselves up. From up
close, you can continue to threaten your opponent with Vegas kara throw, allowing you more ticks before leaving throw range, giving
you a greater potential for landing throws or countering an opponent who is afraid of throws. At the same time, you can harass and
annoy with Vegas overhead at any point, which in turn can cause your opponent to block standing, leaving them open to real damage
from confirming off of a crouching M.

At close range, you can use Vegas Short Back Slash to beat your opponents reversal attempts. This is especially effective when your
opposition feels that a reversal is a safe option due to having enough meter to focus cancel on block. As Vega is completely invincible
during his Back Slash, your opponent will not even touch you; he will sail helplessly through the air and Vega will recover quickly
enough to punish with Combo III or Combo X if you have the resources.
From this range, Cosmic Heel will generally be -3, but it still goes over low attacks, so its worth it to throw it out after a blocked l or
crouching M. If you establish that you like doing this early on, you can occasionally press your advantage and sneak in a standing h.
Standing h is easily confirmable into Combo III.
Given that Vega generally fights strongest from mid-range, it is occasionally a good idea to cancel normals into Short Back Slash to get
away from your opponent with relative safety, as well as punish a reversal attempt if the opposition decided to reverse during your
pressure string (see Combo IV for an example). It is also worth noting that, if youre more comfortable further from your opponent,
you can always push him out with far standing L strings or crouching l strings.
After knocking an opponent down at close range, Vega has relatively weak offensive options. Vega does not have easy safe jump
setups or invincible option selects. If you are cornered, position Vega on the far side of the opponent with a wall jump or a Sky High
Claw, and then return to the mid-range game where Vega excels.
You can use Cosmic Heel to hop over an opponent who is on the ground, confusing them and allowing you to sneak in a hit from the
far side. After Vegas crouching H slide, you are close enough to simply link the 4+ H. After an Izuna Drop, you must dash forward
first, then link the Cosmic Heel. These setups arent fast enough to cause a reversal attack to go the wrong way, but they will stop an
opponents ability to charge back. If done a touch late, Vega wont be able to cross over his foe and will instead remain on the front
side to make this setup a bit more ambiguous.
Though more challenging than with characters who can chain their light normals, you can use an option select to stop opponents from
backdashing away at every opportunity. Simply option select a meaty crouching lwith a crouching H to chase down opponents
attempting to escape your pressure. Against characters with slow movement and backdashes with a minimum of 25 recovery frames,
you can instead option select a crouching l with 4 + H and get a juggle combo off of Cosmic Heel on successful hit.

If you have your opponent focused entirely on the ground game, you can sneak in a jump that isnt likely to be hit with an anti-air.
Against a taller opponent such as Abel, Seth, or Sagat, you can use a jumping h to attack from the front due to its exceptionally deep
range, or you can use jumping L to hit your opponent from behind. In order for these to hit, you must time the h so it hits early but
the L so that it hits late. If your opposition isnt precise with his blocking, you will be able to land and get a combo.
Vegas angled jumping h and H have a deep enough hitbox to catch an opponent who is standing up while holding down back for a
free hit. Against characters such as Chun Li or Dhalsim, this may not be safe unless you land an instant overhead as the final hit in the
round. Against slow reversals such as Balrog or E. Hondas EX Headbutts, when Vega jumps forward as he uses his instant overhead,
he will be safe. If you can make your opponent block a jump-in h or H, you can force your opponent into a high/low guessing game
between an instant overhead fuzzy guard or a crouching M confirmed into a combo. This works especially well after a safe jump.
One of Vegas greatest shortcomings is his relative inability to keep his opponents off of him. First and foremost, you must control the
area where Vega stands. Typically, if you are trying to play a ground-based mid-range game, your opponent can make a read and
jump at you with relative safety due to Vega having neither fast anti-air normals nor an invincible attack that can be easily thrown. If
your opponent reaches a range where he can jump in and you cannot anti-air well, you need to move Vega in or out depending on
how far from the corner he is.
Vega can most consistently anti-air his foes by jumping up and meeting them in the air. Vegas air throw, Stardust Drop, never trades,
and when successful, ends with a grounded opponent and buys you some space to work with on the ground (in the event Vega was
near the corner). Forward jumping m hits very far in front of Vega while backward jumping h and H work very well if you see the jump
relatively early. Winning an aerial exchange with neutral jumping roundhouse requires a very early jump; though it works well, you
generally have to jump so early you are likely better off using air throw.
You can occasionally use a crouching H to assume a low profile and slide out the other side. This is exceptionally good when you are
being backed into a corner and would like to gain some space. If your opponent is trying to set up a wall with neutral jumping attacks,
use far stand fierce for an attack that doesnt point downward at all, or use Cosmic Heel as it will generally win an exchange but also
net you a juggle combo.

Vega has weak wakeup options and you will be forced to guess your way out of your opponents mix-ups more than many other
characters. His second Ultra Combo is his only attack with invincibility. Even worse, as Splendid Claw requires a back charge,
opponents can safely take Vegas charge away while he is grounded, leaving him no invincible wakeup at all. This leaves six defensive
options you will always have access to: block, Short Back Slash, Back Slash, backdash, Focus-backdash, and throw tech. Fortunately,
Vega has one of the best backdashes in the game, since it travels fast and recovers quickly.
Finally, if you are positive that your opponent is going to throw Vega, then any version of Scarlet Terror is a reasonable choice. All
Scarlet Terror kicks are invincible to throws from the first frame, so you can use them to crush a throw attempt for reasonable damage.

Combos
I. CR. l, CR. l, CR. m > 2 + KK, move toward
opponent, 3 + P
219 damage, 305 stun
This challenging combo is Vegas bread-and-butter hit confirm. Comboing off of a crouching l requires 1-frame precision to link with
both itself and crouching m. This combo includes the minimum number of attacks Vega must use to have enough time to fully charge
his Flying Barcelona Attack. However, if Vega starts attacking his opponent while already crouching, you have plenty of time to confirm
a hit and cancel the second attack into EX Izuna Drop without that pesky extra light punch.
Due to the excessive range of Vegas crouching l and crouching m, you can continue to link up to five crouching l in some
circumstances. If your opponent blocks the first l or two, you still have enough range to continue to frame trap with additional
crouching l and confirm off of later hits. If you see a hit while continuing to pressure with crouch jabs, you will already have the charge
prepared so Vega will not need the extra jab and can go directly to his EX Flying Barcelona Attack.
II. 4 + H, charge 6, 3 + H
240 damage, 300 stun

4 + H, charge 6, 3 + L, charge 6, 3 + KK
268 damage, 370 stun

4 + H, charge 6, 3, 7, 3 + KKK
440 damage, 100 stun

4 + H, charge 6, 4, 6, 2 + KKK
464 Damage, 100 Stun
You must begin charging down back as soon as you hit the H button for Cosmic Heel in order to have enough charge time to link
Scarlet Terror before your opponent hits the ground. To link an Ultra, you must hit your opponent in the later frames of Cosmic Heel to
have additional time for charging.
III. CL. h, charge 5, CR.m > 2 + KK,
move toward opponent, 3 + P
289 damage, 345 stun

Vegas standard punish combo; Vega has plenty of time to charge for the Flying Barcelona Attack during the h.
IV. CR. M, CR. l, CR. m, > 2 + KK,
move toward opponent, 3 + P

259 damage, 355 stun

This combo starts from a crouching M and ends in a knockdown. If you do not start the combo with a bit of down charge, the
crouching l has to be included to create time to build the down charge necessary for the EX Flying Barcelona Attack. If the l is omitted,
the damage remains constant.
V. CR. l, CR. l, CR. l, CR.l, ST. H
171 damage, 295 stun

Vegas standing H has enough range and speed to be used as an ender to a combo of linked crouching jabs if you dont have or dont
want to spend the Super meter on EX Flying Barcelona Attack.
VI. Charge 6, 3 + L, charge 6, 3 + KK
210 damage, 300 stun

Charge 6, 3 + L, charge 6, 3 + H
160 damage, 250 stun

This combo can be used to beat a throw attempt on a read, or as very early anti-air. There is no invincibility on Vegas Scarlet Terror,
but the hitbox is above him. This combo can even work in the event of Scarlet Terror trading on hit.
VII. ST. L, ST. L, ST. L, CR. m

154 damage, 210 stun

ST.L, ST.L, ST.L, CR.h

189 damage, 280 stun

This combo builds up space between Vega and the opponent. As you link Vegas crouching m, you have the option of frame trapping
your opponent by canceling into a LP Rolling Crystal Flash. You can also choose to create further space from your opponent by
cancelling a concluding crouching m into a Short Back Slash.
VIII. Charge 7, CL.h > 3 + PP, charge 5,
CR. m > 2 + KK, move toward opponent, 3 + P
375 damage, 435 stun

Charge 7, CL.h > 3 + h, charge down back, 4, 6, 2 + K, move toward opponent, 3 + P

510 damage, 230 stun

You can score big damage off of Vegas close h when he has enough time to prepare a back charge. EX Rolling Crystal Flash is +4 on
hit, allowing you to link a crouching m afterward for additional damage.
IX. Charge 7, CR. l, CR. l, CR. m > 3 l EX Red Focus,
charge down back, 3, 7, 3 + KKK

365 damage, 314 stun

Charge 7, CR. l, CR. l, CR. m > 3 l EX Red Focus, charge down back, 4, 6, 2 +KKK
374 damage, 314 stun

With Red Focus attack, you can now combo into Ultras off of simple hit confirm. You can simply link either Ultra off of the crumple
state; theres no need to complicate matters by dashing into an Ultra.
X. Charge 7, CL.h > 3 + h EX Red Focus,
charge down back, 3, 7, 3 + KKK
508 damage, 300 stun

Charge 7, CL.h > 3 + h EX Red Focus, charge down back, 4, 6, 2 + KKK

521 damage, 300 stun

Similar to Combos VIII and IX, you can go for a high-damage combo into Ultra when Vega has a back charge, 3 meters to burn, and
an Ultra attack available to him.
XI. CL. M, charge down, CR. l, CR. m > 2 + KK,
move toward opponent, 3 + P
259 damage, 365 stun

The USFIV increase on speed and advantage to Vegas close M now make it useful as both a combo starter and to beat throw techs by
characters like C. Viper who have a slow crouching L. Vega does not have time to build a charge off of the M alone, so you must link
a l before cancelling a third attack into EX Flying Barcelona Attack. Against an opponent who is attempting to throw tech late, you
would still try to use closeh for the additional damage, but this is a good option against fast techs.