Surprising no one has made this yet.
Shaheen is better in Season 2 even if minimally. Nerfs are there but hardly so. Buffs mainly.
His new 10 frame punish 2,3 is 28 damage and +3 on hit or +10 on hit if he transitions to SNK. Hits don't jail however the mixup is in 2,1 his high mid poke. Recommend to just use as a punish. The 3 from his 1,2,3 string has the same transition and frames. Really no reason to use that one.
His 12f punish f2,3 got a significant beautiful buff. KND and wallsplat near the wall. Hopkicks and Kazuya's df2 etc. have more to fear. This beauty is also guaranteed after ws1 on counter hit and a new addition in season 2 is SNK 1 on counter hit.
On to his 4,1 string. A popular annoying counter hit launcher used by every Shaheen. The 1 in the string is -5 now from -4 (who cares really) and the 1 comes out two frames slower (people are saying they're having an easier time ducking this but I disagree. Two frames has made no difference and the mixup is still 4,4 which alot of people eat because they expect the 4,1. My advice for beating this is to wait for either string to finish and apply pressure after 4,1 with fast mids because most Shaheens dick jab after this which is annoying or if you block the 4,4 punish with your best punisher that's 13f or faster). If you're playing Shaheen and get your 4,1 blocked and not ducked you have your punch parry if you anticipate jabs afterwards which is common. Probably just accept your turn is over though and react accordingly.
His d3 low, a 16f high crush low is so much better now. Used to be -17 on block and now is only -14. This is WITHOUT his SNK transition and cancel which is a pain. The tradeoff for this becomes that when he cancels, his frame advantage is slightly less. This was already hard and they made the cancel harder by making it 2f slower so there's the nerf. I personally never cancel the low as it's so fast it's usually only going to be ducked by a guess or by some crazy ass reaction of someone who's on the 10th revenge match, super pissed with their adrenaline going, and they are aiming to win finally. Or it's a Bryan throwing out hope orbitals. Sad day. Final note about this move are it's neutral on hit and it used to be negative. I wouldn't recommend really trying moves out of the transition as you're only +3. That theoretically makes SNK 1 uninterruptible but easily sidestepped and duckable. All other moves can be stepped or dick jabbed.
Next move worth mentioning is his f3. A bit of a slow mid with okay range but it's a low crush move. Unfortunately that crush doesn't happen until the 13th frame of the 21f move. What makes this move worth using though is it's frame advantage on hit and more important it's a counter hit launcher in Season 2. Somebody is going to tell me that it was possible in Season 1 and I would respond with a simple "Just do it" meme. It required a frame perfect cancel from the previously mentioned d3 and that combo actually doesn't exist in Season 2 anymore due to them slowing it. The new easier (and actually doable) combo is d3 df into SNK 2 then f2,4,2 into either db3,4 or db2 df into SNK 3 if there are no walls nearby.
Some are calling this a nerf but again I'm disagreeing. db2 is now -10. db2,1 is a natural combo 14f punish. Frankly this move shoudve only been used as a punish anyhow as the the hit confirm window is definitely not the largest around. I will contradict myself though and say that it was a good move for catching crouchers especially by the wall and while it still is you're going to get dick jabbed, actually still land the second hit for antsy people, or for the patient and cautious get the second hit ducked and launched. Similar situation to before besides the dick jab is now guaranteed for the opponent on block. Gonna throw another opinion in here and say that I wish they would've made his rage drive mid, mid to provide a mixup and discourage ducking. It's a high either way right now. Or on the contrary make it jail but one can wish.
His hopkick is next. Can't be thrown out foolishly anymore. Actually a buff. Makes you respectable and have to actually react to lows or whiff punish opportunities. Makes your opponent actually able to deal with a whiffed hopkick. Can't say how many times online I had a Shaheen throw out a hopkick completely whiffed, I go in to punish, and then I get baited by another f*cking hopkick. Same deal with Claudio. They fixed the bs and it's now just a normal hopkick like anyone elses. Range is still great. I call it a buff because there's no scrubbing with that move anymore.
His wall bounce and finally added better while running move. As some may know his whie running 3 is actually his ff3 and his SNK 3. While that move is a sick looking launcher and the only one of it's kind in Tekken it's -12. I welcome his wr2. A 20f fisting to your abdomen and +4 on block. Okay so it's not Dragunov's wr2 and it's stepped far easier BUT if instantly done it's tricky to react to and if you're hit near a wall you're losing half or more of your health. It's a welcome addition to still be used sparingly.
The last move worth mentioning is his SNK 2. Generally a combo filler or wall carry, this move is now -9 from -13. Completely safe unless Yoshi can flash it which I have not labbed yet. This provides a mixup between SNK 1 given you have the frames for either to hit if someone tries to interrupt. Remember that it's all steppable , parryable, and if SNK 2 is blocked your turn is completely over. It's good to note that it really is based on your opponent though. I myself have my highest rank at Genbu with Nina and my Shaheen is at Vanquisher. My point is the higher I get the less moves I use and the more I use my fundamentals. High ranks start knowing how to step, backdash, and wreck you for any mistake or pushing buttons during frame disadvantage so take what I say with a grain of salt and base it on each and every opponent you fight.
There are moves I didn't mention and to see those here's the list. You may even prefer that to this short essay
:
https://tekkenworldtour.com/news/te...-notes-shaheen/
Also frame data referenced which was wonderfully updated for Season 2:
http://rbnorway.org/shaheen-t7-frames/
Let's start a discussion. Let me know thoughts. Changes that would've been nice. How you play Shaheen. What tier you consider him. What his best and worst matchups are etc.
Shaheen is better in Season 2 even if minimally. Nerfs are there but hardly so. Buffs mainly.
His new 10 frame punish 2,3 is 28 damage and +3 on hit or +10 on hit if he transitions to SNK. Hits don't jail however the mixup is in 2,1 his high mid poke. Recommend to just use as a punish. The 3 from his 1,2,3 string has the same transition and frames. Really no reason to use that one.
His 12f punish f2,3 got a significant beautiful buff. KND and wallsplat near the wall. Hopkicks and Kazuya's df2 etc. have more to fear. This beauty is also guaranteed after ws1 on counter hit and a new addition in season 2 is SNK 1 on counter hit.
On to his 4,1 string. A popular annoying counter hit launcher used by every Shaheen. The 1 in the string is -5 now from -4 (who cares really) and the 1 comes out two frames slower (people are saying they're having an easier time ducking this but I disagree. Two frames has made no difference and the mixup is still 4,4 which alot of people eat because they expect the 4,1. My advice for beating this is to wait for either string to finish and apply pressure after 4,1 with fast mids because most Shaheens dick jab after this which is annoying or if you block the 4,4 punish with your best punisher that's 13f or faster). If you're playing Shaheen and get your 4,1 blocked and not ducked you have your punch parry if you anticipate jabs afterwards which is common. Probably just accept your turn is over though and react accordingly.
His d3 low, a 16f high crush low is so much better now. Used to be -17 on block and now is only -14. This is WITHOUT his SNK transition and cancel which is a pain. The tradeoff for this becomes that when he cancels, his frame advantage is slightly less. This was already hard and they made the cancel harder by making it 2f slower so there's the nerf. I personally never cancel the low as it's so fast it's usually only going to be ducked by a guess or by some crazy ass reaction of someone who's on the 10th revenge match, super pissed with their adrenaline going, and they are aiming to win finally. Or it's a Bryan throwing out hope orbitals. Sad day. Final note about this move are it's neutral on hit and it used to be negative. I wouldn't recommend really trying moves out of the transition as you're only +3. That theoretically makes SNK 1 uninterruptible but easily sidestepped and duckable. All other moves can be stepped or dick jabbed.
Next move worth mentioning is his f3. A bit of a slow mid with okay range but it's a low crush move. Unfortunately that crush doesn't happen until the 13th frame of the 21f move. What makes this move worth using though is it's frame advantage on hit and more important it's a counter hit launcher in Season 2. Somebody is going to tell me that it was possible in Season 1 and I would respond with a simple "Just do it" meme. It required a frame perfect cancel from the previously mentioned d3 and that combo actually doesn't exist in Season 2 anymore due to them slowing it. The new easier (and actually doable) combo is d3 df into SNK 2 then f2,4,2 into either db3,4 or db2 df into SNK 3 if there are no walls nearby.
Some are calling this a nerf but again I'm disagreeing. db2 is now -10. db2,1 is a natural combo 14f punish. Frankly this move shoudve only been used as a punish anyhow as the the hit confirm window is definitely not the largest around. I will contradict myself though and say that it was a good move for catching crouchers especially by the wall and while it still is you're going to get dick jabbed, actually still land the second hit for antsy people, or for the patient and cautious get the second hit ducked and launched. Similar situation to before besides the dick jab is now guaranteed for the opponent on block. Gonna throw another opinion in here and say that I wish they would've made his rage drive mid, mid to provide a mixup and discourage ducking. It's a high either way right now. Or on the contrary make it jail but one can wish.
His hopkick is next. Can't be thrown out foolishly anymore. Actually a buff. Makes you respectable and have to actually react to lows or whiff punish opportunities. Makes your opponent actually able to deal with a whiffed hopkick. Can't say how many times online I had a Shaheen throw out a hopkick completely whiffed, I go in to punish, and then I get baited by another f*cking hopkick. Same deal with Claudio. They fixed the bs and it's now just a normal hopkick like anyone elses. Range is still great. I call it a buff because there's no scrubbing with that move anymore.
His wall bounce and finally added better while running move. As some may know his whie running 3 is actually his ff3 and his SNK 3. While that move is a sick looking launcher and the only one of it's kind in Tekken it's -12. I welcome his wr2. A 20f fisting to your abdomen and +4 on block. Okay so it's not Dragunov's wr2 and it's stepped far easier BUT if instantly done it's tricky to react to and if you're hit near a wall you're losing half or more of your health. It's a welcome addition to still be used sparingly.
The last move worth mentioning is his SNK 2. Generally a combo filler or wall carry, this move is now -9 from -13. Completely safe unless Yoshi can flash it which I have not labbed yet. This provides a mixup between SNK 1 given you have the frames for either to hit if someone tries to interrupt. Remember that it's all steppable , parryable, and if SNK 2 is blocked your turn is completely over. It's good to note that it really is based on your opponent though. I myself have my highest rank at Genbu with Nina and my Shaheen is at Vanquisher. My point is the higher I get the less moves I use and the more I use my fundamentals. High ranks start knowing how to step, backdash, and wreck you for any mistake or pushing buttons during frame disadvantage so take what I say with a grain of salt and base it on each and every opponent you fight.
There are moves I didn't mention and to see those here's the list. You may even prefer that to this short essay
:https://tekkenworldtour.com/news/te...-notes-shaheen/
Also frame data referenced which was wonderfully updated for Season 2:
http://rbnorway.org/shaheen-t7-frames/
Let's start a discussion. Let me know thoughts. Changes that would've been nice. How you play Shaheen. What tier you consider him. What his best and worst matchups are etc.
