Ragna the Bloodedge/Move List

Overview
Ragna is the standard-issue all-around character who is easy to use and has basic, but effective bread-and-butter combos. Unlike most main characters, Ragna does not use projectiles for range, and has an aggressive, melee-rushdown oriented playstyle. He is all about forcing his way through the opponent's guard by any means necessary, and bringing the pain with high-damage, long combos. Because of this, he can often experience difficulty with characters that excel at zoning, such as Nu-13 and Jin Kisaragi.

He is certainly not without range, however. Utilizing his amazing 5B and 5C, Ragna has all the tools he needs to catch his opponent out and then immediately close the distance with Hell's Fang. Once Ragna gets in close quarters, his damage potential increases considerably, and even becomes borderline devastating if he enters his powered up state, Blood Kain, but not without it's risks. Ragna's health is one of the lowest of the cast, at only 10000, but this is compensated for by his unique Drive ability, Soul Eater, which steals some of the opponent's life force during certain attacks. As such, a tenacious Ragna is awarded for his offense with precious vitality, while a Ragna without momentum is quick to fall at the hands of his opponent. He also sports a good mixup game, with him packs a crossup, overheads to supplement his low attacks, and good Rapid Cancel options.

Ragna has trouble healing his health in big amounts if he extends his combos too much due to damage scaling, and he also has a lack of reliable air finishers, should Ragna use Gauntlet Hades or Inferno Divider(including its followups) too high in the air the opponent can recover soon and take the chance to counter. As well as having an unsafe 2C, Ragna has quite an amount of weakness to exploit.

In Continuum Shift, Ragna was provided with several major buffs which pushed him up into top tier. Most importantly, the addition of the move Belial Edge (j.214C) set him up for some easy, extremely high-damage combos, many of which end in his Not Over Yet (22C) special, which deals fixed, unprorated damage and forces standing, preventing the opponent from rolling. Additionally, his 2C is now extremely safe and fatal counters on hit, giving him an easy setup into extremely high damaging combos (over 8k). Last but not least, his Soul Eater drive moves now regain a fixed amount of health (as opposed to a percentage of damage dealt, as in CT), allowing him to steal much larger quantities of health unaffected by proration and to gain health in a more fair amount. As well as healing when the orbs touch him instead of healing him on hit.

However, his combos can still be badly affected by damage scaling if they are dragged on for too long. Plus Ragna's capabilities lie within the corner, when out in the open his Belial Edge can messup quite a few things and it becomes much less effective, but it does not leave him open to enemy attacks should his opponent 'fall through' it. If they are launched too high for Ragna to drag down during an air combo, then the Inferno Divider can be a good alternative.

Continuum Shift II, unfortunately, has not done Ragna any favors. With the nerfing on Belial Edge, which now requires different, more strict timing to get a combo going, and a major portion of his combos being removed, Ragna was unceremoniously kicked off of the S-tier throne. Instead of long combos, Ragna now relies solely on mixup pressure to get in, which is more akin to his Calamity Trigger counterpart. Unfortunately, characters like Makoto, whose offensive potential received a massive buff, now overshadow Ragna in roughly all aspects that define his playstyle. Don't let this discourage you, however. Ragna still has his godlike 5B, outprioritizing all attacks that come his way.

For those who have adjusted to his changes in Continuum Shift II, there is no need to worry. Extend has brought him nothing but buffs, such as his Carnage Scissors now being immune to projectiles. Add the numerous other balance changes to the equation, such as the nerfing of every major character that did what he does better, and you have a road paved for Ragna to ascend the tier list once again.

Combos
The underlying approach that should be taken with this character (e.g. keep-away, rushdown) The basic approach for any Ragna player is to keep the pressure on the opponent and to maintain as little a range as possible between you and your opponent. Drive attacks are to be used liberally in order to offset the low health and to rack up serious damage. Hell's Fang, Gauntlet Hades, Not Over Yet, and Belial Edge are great ways to connect combos together.

Ground combos

5A/2A, 5B/2B, 5C, any special -> followup

5B, 5C, 5D, delay 214A -> 214D

5A/2A, 5B/2B, 5C, 2C, 214A -> 214D

6B, 5C, 2C, 214A -> 214D

5B, 3C, 22C, 5B, 5C, 214A -> 214D

623C -> 236C -> 236C, 5B, 623D -> 236C -> 214C - Damage: 2300~

5B, 6A, 5C, 5D (1 hit), 214B -> delay 214D, 5B, 623D -> 236C -> 214C

(near corner) 5B, 2B, 3C, 5D (DC), 6A, 5D, 22C

(near corner) 5B, 5C, 6A, jc, j5C, j5D, jc, j5C, j214C, 5D, 214D, jc, j5C, j5D, jc, j5C, j623D, j236C, j214D

^ 6A might miss on opponents with small hitboxes. Perform after a dash for better results or skip 5B/5C to remain closer to the opponent when using 6A.

(crouching opponent only) ..., 5C, 6C (1 hit), 214A -> 214D

(crouching opponent only) ..., 5C, 2D, 5C, 214A, 5A, 5B, 6A, 5D, 214A -> 214D

(corner, crouching opponent only) ..., 5C, 6C (DC), 6A, 5D, 214A -> 214D

(corner, crouching opponent only) ..., 5C, 2D, 5C, 5D (DC), 6A, 5D, 22C

(mid-screen) 5B, 2B, 3C, 5D (1 hit), 623C -> fastest 236C -> delay 236C, 22C

(mid-screen) 5B, 2B, 3C, 22C, dash 5A, 5B, 623C -> fastest 236C -> delay 236C, 22C

(mid-screen) 5B, 2B, 3C, 22C, 5B, 623D -> fastest 236C -> delay 236C, 22C

2D (CH), 5C, 5D (1 hit), 214A, 5A, 22C

2D (CH), 5C, 5D (1 hit), 214B -> delay 214D, 5B, 623D -> 236C -> 214C

(corner) 2D (CH), dash 5C, 5D (DC), 6A, 5D, 214A -> 214D

With 50% Heat Gauge

..., 214A (RC), dash 6D, j.D, dash 5B, 3C, 22C

..., 5B, 5C, 632146D (charge), dash 5B, 623D -> 236C -> 214C

..., 3C, 22C (RC), dash 3C, 5D, 22C

..., 3C, 22C (RC), dash 6A, 6B, 22C

Launch into air combo

(near corner) ..., 5C/2C, 5D (DC), 6A (JC/HJC), air combo

(crouching opponent only) ..., 5C, 6C (DC), air combo

(crouching opponent only) ..., 5C, 2D, (2B), 5C (JC), air combo

(crouching opponent only) ..., 5C, 6C, 214B -> delay 214D, 5B, 6A (JC/HJC), air combo - Damage: 4600~

(near corner) 623C -> 236C -> 236C, 5B, 6A (JC), air combo

6A, 5D (DC), 6A (JC/HJC), air combo

2A (repeat), 5B, 6A (JC/HJC), air combo

214B (CH), 5B, 6A (JC/HJC), air combo

214D (CH), 5B, 623C -> delay 236C -> delay 236C, 6A (JC), air combo

6A (CH), 5B, 6A, 214B -> delay 214D, 5B, 6A (JC/HJC), air combo

214B (CH), dash 5B, 6A, 214B -> delay 214D, 5B, 6A (JC/HJC), air combo

(anti-air) 623C (1 hit) (CH), 5C, 214A, 5A, 5B, 6A (JC), air combo

(crouching opponent only) ..., 5C, 2D, 5C, 214A, 5A, 5B, 6A (JC), air combo

2D (CH), 5C, 5D (1 hit), 214B -> delay 214D, 5C (JC/HJC), air combo

With 50% Heat Gauge

..., 5C, 214A (RC), 6C (DC), air combo

2A (repeat), 5B, 5C, 214A (RC), 5B, 6A (JC), air combo

(corner) 2B, 5C, 3C, 214D (RC), air combo

623C/623D (1 hit) (RC), 5B, 6A, 214B -> delay 214D, 5B, 6A (JC/HJC), air combo

214B -> 214D (RC), 214B -> delay 214D, dash 5B, 6A (JC/HJC), air combo

Air combos

j.C, j.D (JC), j.D, 623D -> 236C -> 214C

j.C, j.D (JC), j.C, 623D -> 236C -> 214C

j.B, j.C (JC), j.C, j.D, 623D -> 236C -> 214C

j.C, j.D (JC), j.C, j.D, 623D -> 236C -> 214C

Note: j.C, j.D (JC), j.C, j.D is ideal off most setups (JC off a grounded launch, HJC off a mid-air launch), but you'll often need to do j.C, j.D (JC), j.C/j.D instead (j.C for less proration, j.D if the opponent is too high for j.C). After a mid-air 5C launch, you need to use j.B, j.C (JC), j.C, j.D instead. As is often the case, doing such against Rachel and Carl is another story entirely.

Throw combos

5B+C, 214B -> delay 214D, 5B, 623D -> 236C -> 214C - Damage: 3200~

5B+C, 214B -> delay 214D, 5C (HJC), air combo

5B+C, 632146D - Only works on heavyweight characters

(corner) 5B+C, 623D -> 236C -> 214C

4B+C, dash 6A (JC/HJC), air combo - Damage: 3100~

4B+C, 214B -> delay 214D, 5B, 6A (JC/HJC), air combo - Damage: 3500~

j.B+C, 214B -> 214D

j.B+C, air dash j.C, j.D, 623D -> 236C -> 214C

(corner) j.B+C, 623D -> 236C -> 214C

Aerial Gauntlet Hades combos

2147B -> delay 214D, dash 5B, 5D (1 hit), 214B -> delay 214D, dash 5B, 623D -> 236C -> 214C - Damage: 4200~

Combos including Blood Kain


 * Normal chain~

..., 3C, 214214D, 5C, 5D etc

(corner) ..., 3C, 214214D, 5C, [5D (DC)] x3, 623D -> 236C -> 214C

(crouching opponent only) 6B, 5C, 6C, 214214D, hj.D, j.D, [5D (DC)] x2, 6D, j.D (JC), j.D, 623D -> 236C -> 214C - Damage: 5700~

(corner) ..., 5D, 214214D, 5D etc

(corner) ..., 3C, 5D, 214214D, 6A, 5D, 22C

(corner) ..., 3C, 214214D, 5C (HJC), j.D, j.D, (JC), delay j.D, 5D (DC), 5D, 22C

(corner) ..., 3C, 214214D, 2B, 5C, 5D (1 hit), 214B -> 214D, 5D (DC), 5D, 22C


 * Throw~

(corner) 5B+C, 214214D, 5D (DC) x2, 5D (1 hit), 623D -> 236C -> 214C

4B+C, 214214D, j.D (JC), delay j.D, land, j.D (JC), j.B, 623D -> 236C -> 214C

4B+C, 214214D, hj.D, j.D, land, j.C, j.D (JC), j.C, j.D, 623D -> 236C -> 214C

With 100% Heat Gauge

4B+C, 214214D, hj.D, j.D, 214214D - Damage: 5300~


 * Aerial Gauntlet Hades~

(near corner) 2147B -> delay 214D, dash 5B, 5D (1 hit), 214214D, 5D (DC), 6D, j.D (JC), j.D, 623D -> 236C -> 214C - Damage: 5200~

With 100% Heat Gauge

2147B -> delay 214D, dash 5B, 5D (1 hit), 214214D, 5B, 5D (1 hit), 214B -> delay 214D, 5D (DC), 5D, 214214D - Damage: 6260

Combos during Blood Kain

5B, 5C, 5D (DC), 214A -> 214D

5B, 5C, 5D (1 hit), 214A -> 214D, 5B, 5D, 214B -> 214D

5B, 5C, 5D (1 hit), 214A -> 214D, 5B, 6A (HJC), j.C, j.D (JC), j.C, j.D, 623D, 236C, 214C

(corner) [5D (DC)] xN, 632146D

(corner) [5D (DC)] xN, 6D, j.D (JC), j.D, 623D -> 236C -> 214C

[6D, j.D (JC), delay j.D, land] x2, hj.C, j.D (JC), j.C, j.D, 623D, 236C, 214C

(corner, anti-air) 5D (DC), 6D, j.D (JC), delay j.D, land, 6D (JC), delay j.C, j.D, land, j.C, j.D (JC), j.D, 623D, 236C, 214C

5B, 6A, 6D, j.D, land, [214B -> delay 214D, dash 5D (1 hit)] x2, 214B -> delay 214D, dash 5D (DC), 6D, j.D (JC), j.D, 623D -> 236C -> 214C - Damage: 5400~

With 100% Heat Gauge

(near corner) 5B, 6A (JC), [j.C, j.D (JC), delay j.D, land] x2, [5D (DC)] x2, 214214D

2D, 5B, 5D (1 hit), 214B -> delay 214D, dash 5D (1 hit), 214B -> delay 214D, dash 5D (DC), 5D, 214214D - Damage: 5800~