Character Preview: Taokaka
Hey, folks! With Season 5 on the horizon, we’ve asked D (aka tirankin) to give us insight into the season, it’s mechanics, and characters. Without further ado, let’s let see what D has to say!
Taokaka is a swift rushdown character who bounces around the arena, constantly leaping in and out of melee. She has poor defenses and low damage, but she's one of the most mobile fighters in the game.
Tao's kit is straightforward and easy to use. She's recommended for players of any experience level who enjoy reckless aggression and don't mind feeling a bit out-of-control.
Key Design Idea: ZOOM!
Tao is a hyperactive cat-girl with a short attention span and a whole lot of blades! Her character ability is modeled after her Drive, Dancing Edge: when she initiates a Strike with a Wild Swing, her attack gains a movement effect that sends her flying toward (and sometimes past) her opponent.
This powerful ability gives her "free" movement at the cost of some control. This lets her maintain high-pressure offense longer than most fighters, since she doesn't rely much on spending time and resources to reposition.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Tao specializes in unpredictable offensive mix-ups that use her ability to make a wide range of attacks viable in any given position. She doesn't telegraph anything in particular, since even she usually doesn't know what she's using!
On the other paw, most of Tao's attacks are unimpressive without the benefit of her ability. She relies on offensive pressure to maintain her momentum, and her defensive tools are subpar at best. If she's careless and puts herself in a bad position, she can easily expose herself to a high-damage follow-up attack from her opponent.
Mechanics
Tao's Overdrive is simple, but strong: it upgrades her movement ability so it applies to Strikes she sets from hand in addition to her Wild Swings. This can easily make some attacks unbeatable! Her Overdrive trigger helps her chase down fleeing foes or create distance to set up her next attack.
Tao's Astral Heat, Attack Meow Pow!, is a fast, strong attack that only hits when the opponent's cornered or when Tao has room to get a running start. Tao usually needs to use her ability to present strong threats at long range; picking up her Astral gives her a powerful ranged threat that isn't reliant on the luck of the draw.