| Katarina (Tekken 7) |
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This page is intended to document general strategies and counterplay against Katarina which can be adopted by any character. For more specific match-up tips, visit the Katarina page on your character's match-up list.
Basic Counterplay Gameplan
Play patient and turtle against Katarina. Her poking lows are low damage and don't allow to continue pressure. React to and block her heavy lows. SSR duck beats nearly every option from HAR if someone transitions into HAR through a blocked move.
4,4,4 and 4,4,4~f
4,4,4 is on of Katarina's best counterhit tools and can be easily abused if the opponent does not know what options they have against it and its followups. 4,4,4 on its own is punishable at -10, but can transition to Harrier stance by holding forward, so most characters will not have any guaranteed punish as HAR 1 is a high crushing counterhit move. This section details the common options that can be used to shut down the mixup.
Side Step Right
SSR after 4,4,4 on block will evade all options from Harrier, allowing a punish if any Harrier moves are used, but gives up the option to punish 4,4,4.
Jab Strings
Jabs are the best way to punish 4,4,4 on its own, but run the risk of being counterhit by HAR 1. A single jab will be high crushed and punished by HAR 1, and committing to a jab string will get counterhit for a guaranteed f,f+3 into ub+4 followup. Jabs will beat all options that are not HAR 1.
Counterhit Highs
A single high with counterhit properties that is i12 or faster such as a magic 4 or King b+1 has very high potential reward with relatively little risk. It will not punish 4,4,4 on its own, but will counterhit all Harrier options except HAR 1, which will only connect as a normal hit, not counterhit.
Generic d+1
A generic down jab comes out at 10 frames so will punish 4,4,4 and also high crushes HAR 1. This will beat everything except HAR 3, HAR uf+3 and HAR df+3, which will low crush and punish the d+1.
12 frame mid
Characters that have an i12 mid move, such as Feng (b+4) or Alisa (df+4) can use this to prevent all Harrier options. This will not punish 4,4,4 on its own but will hit all options from the Harrier transition.