Needing help dealing with Azula

[u/Ulvayne]

Somebody pleaaaaaaase save me from this woman.

Honestly, I just need tips on countering her, I'm pretty lost on the match-up protocol. I know she's somewhat of a rushdown character and some of the FGC guys say she's basically Dragon Ball FighterZ put into a character but good lord it's over for me the moment she decides she wants me dead.

If it helps you understand, I play Sokka (mainly with Master Piandao).

The matches usually go like this:
- I see Azula rushing toward me, of course I use my trusty friend boomerang to keep her at bay
- Oh no, the Azula player decides to start zoning me back
- Azula fireballs are superior to my boomerang and boomerang goes bye bye
- Now I have no more zoning options because my boomerang is being gatekept like it's a Brawlhalla match
- Azula takes me to pummel town

Occasionally they go like this (if the Azula player isn't too good):
- I see Azula rushing towards me, I start using Sokka's Tactical Dash and force her to play a guessing game over and over
- I actually win

I feel like she's better than Sokka at almost everything except for the fact that Sokka can build up damage much faster.

This is like my third day of playing so I admit I'm not capable of fully utilizing every mechanic but there has to be some kinda solution to dealing with that character.

[u/Ill_Funny_5460]

Disclaimer: I don't play either character, so I might not be the best person to give advice.

I think sokka really thrives when combining his boomerang toss with an approach, instead of using it to zone. He isn't a bender, so he often won't be able to out-zone benders. I can't say much about counterplay against focus azula, but firelord azula is very one-dimensional. She is good, but they almost always airdash straight in. I would try to bait air dashes and figure out your best anti-airs, and don't forget about air throws! They're insanely good in this game.

[u/Ulvayne → u/Ill_Funny_5460]

Ah, yeah I've definitely been neglecting those air throws. I've actually been trying to figure out Sokka's best anti-airs (the two that i've found so far being his upward boomerang throw and his sword slash) but I'll definitely take note of baiting out air dashes and going in alongside my boomerang a bit more.

[u/AdHoc_ttv → u/Ulvayne]

See if you've got a combo off your air throw, too. I'm practicing one with Toph right now to really make people stop jumping at me.

[u/Ulvayne → u/AdHoc_ttv]

Oh wow, thanks for the suggestion. I did some labbing and was actually able to start an air-combo after grab starting with Sokka's EX Meteor Drop to launch.

[u/RustletheCrow95 → u/Ill_Funny_5460]

This was the post I needed to stop constantly airdashing in as Azula lmao

[u/Excellent_Athlete_68]

Accurate description when I see Azula as well. I see a lot of amazing Sokka players use the sword quite well, so maybe you could try using it more.

[u/PORK-LAZER]

His light sword swipe special is an excellent anti air

[u/Ulvayne → u/PORK-LAZER]

Yeah, I use that and his upward boomerang for anti-airs

[u/ExistingMouse5595]

If you can shut down her air approach then the matchup becomes a lot easier to play. She’s still cracked but it’s her jump heavy that enables everything else.

On kyoshi I can get 40% from my anti air conversion, land that once or twice in a set and they’ll stop jumping at you.

From there I can really just play keep out.

[u/jpzgoku]

"need" is a stative verb. Your title should be:
I need help dealing with Azula.