Noctis strategy

Key moves

Function
	Core
	Secondary
	Extra

Move	PokeFast and safe, see Poke	Counter	MixupUseful against a guarding opponent.	KeepoutUseful against an opponent moving in.	ApproachUseful when moving in.	Oki
1
1,2
2,2
df+1
df+4
d+3
b+1+3
uf+1
uf+2
f,F+1+2
d+2
df+4,2
d+4,1:1+2
db+1,1+2
b+2:1+2
SS.2
wr1+2

df+1: Good block frames and can threaten with extensions. df+1,2 is generally better than df+1,4 since it's also a combo on hit. However, df+1,4 is a CH combo with up to 8 frames delay, so if you're sharp you can sometimes hit confirm that.
2,2: Huge range for a mid poke. Can threaten 2,2,f+2 on block which is a delayable CH launcher.; 2,2,f+2 can only be parried by Geese, Jin, Leroy, and Noctis.; Max delay 2,2,f+2 can sometimes be stepped, e.g. vs Eliza, Josie, Kuni, Lucky Chloe, Xiaoyu.; Careful vs Yoshimitsu as he can punish 2,2 on block and interrupt 2,2,f+2 with flash. You can use 2,2,b+2 or 2,2,2,2 to beat that.
df+4,2: Risky extension off the mid poke to get more reward. Not quite fully hit confirmable (max delay is 9 frames) but can easily confirm off a whiff or counter hit. Recovers close enough on hit to go for Maelstrom, but be careful that that still won't clean hit if they do a well-timed backdash.
db+1,1+2: Safest and most reliable mid option with tracking in both directions and a low hitbox. Can pick up grounded opponents for a combo if it hits them on the side.
wr1+2: Has more pushback on block than you’d think so be careful not to whiff after, especially if it connected from far away. On block, f,F+1+2 is totally uninterruptible by most chars (only very fast powercrushes or certain parries can challenge it), so it's good to keep them honest and enables you to keep doing more wr1+2.
f,F+1+2: Shadow Scissors. Possibly the best mid in the game. It’s a long range, homing, wall splatting, safe-on-block CH launcher that gives a free 50/50 on normal hit and can occasionally evade some high hitting moves. As an i15 dash attack, can be done in 16 frames from pressure or 18 frames from neutral. Be careful not to overuse it, since while it is “safe” on block, -9 and right up in their face is still a bad situation.
d+2: Standing low that can't be low parried. Risky on block but can threaten a CH launcher with d+2,2. Main use is to discourage low parries to make d+3 stronger.
d+3: Much better than a generic d+3, doing more damage and being safer on block—and because you also have d+2, opponents won't want to low parry this.
uf+1: A magic four with unusually good frames and pushback on block. Doing two in a row is unreasonably effective.
d+4,1: 1+2; Maelstrom. Huge damage for a low, but needs clean hit (max range 1.79) to work. Pretty slow for a demoman, making it almost always lose to backdash in pressure. Mostly useful in neutral and at the wall where the clean hit can't be escaped.
db+4: Mostly useless, but being -12 can make things trickier for opponent, and can be useful vs Josie, Kazuya, and Eddy who can launch the other lows.
db+2: Big damage reactable low with a distinct audio cue. You can throw it out sometimes to catch ’em lacking.

Tracks left

2,2

Tracks both

d+3
db+1,1+2

Tracks right

df+1
df+4
b+2:1+2
db+1