A Killer Instinct Guide for SFIV Players by Infil

Riptor is the first character with a stanceA stance is usually entered by an input command (typically three punches or three kicks). The character will lose access to certain moves, but gain access to new moves and movement options. Often the character's appearance and animations will look quite different while the stance is active. in Killer Instinct. You enter Predator stance either by pressing all three kick buttons, or by getting your opponent to block a Shoulder Charge special move. While in Predator stance, Riptor has a forward and backward dash instead of a run, cannot block, and cannot do any special moves, but has access to 6 unique normals. Performing one of these special normals or pressing three kicks will exit Predator stance.

• LP: A fast three-hitting, safe-on-block bite attack that will cause a wall splat when close to the corner, but creates some distance if blocked. It's shadow counterable on block, but allows for follow-ups after the wall splat, so it is best used in the corner or when you want some distance.
• LK: A fast twice-hitting leap attack that is +1 on block and leaves Riptor very close. The same amount of startup as LP, but you can't combo after it, so use this to interrupt an opponent's button for small damage and to set up more mixups. This is likely to be your go-to option if you want to maintain pressure without risking a punish.
• MP: A low-hitting bite attack. Riptor's main low threat while in Predator stance, it is also an opener and will directly begin a combo. It is only marginally unsafe at -3, but starts in 17 frames, which might be interrupted by a mash-happy opponent.
• MK: Riptor bends her tail over her head for an overhead attack that hits three times. It also has 17 frames of startup and is -3 on block, but is very easily shadow countered if it's blocked. Like MP, it is an opener.
• HP: Riptor leaps up and blasts fire at her opponent. This overhead attack is very fast at 14 frames, but is unsafe at -9 on block and knocks the opponent down, so it is not a combo starter.
• HK: A fast low-hitting sweep attack that leaves Riptor far away from her opponent. It starts up in 12 frames, the same as her LP and LK Predator normals, and while technically unsafe at -9, it is pretty difficult for most characters to reliably punish. However, it will push Riptor out of range for future pressure.

The Predator normals can be summarized as follows: the light attacks can be blocked both high and low but are good for interrupting your opponent's attempts to escape the pressure and keeping Riptor close for more mixups. The medium attacks have a high and low option that are right on the edge of human reaction time and require meter to punish, and lead to combos on hit, but will lose to an opponent who likes to press a lot of buttons. Nonetheless, these two buttons are the real stars of her Predator stance arsenal. Finally, the heavy attacks have a high and low option that are too fast to recognize and block, but they are unsafe or otherwise end Riptor's pressure. Use the lights to keep your opponent honest and generate frame advantage, use the mediums to test their defense with only marginal unsafety, and use the heavies to create distance or force them to truly guess.

Riptor has a few key openers. Tail Flip causes Riptor to somersault at her opponent, landing on her back. It's her main left-right mixup tool and starts a combo, while MP and MK in Predator stance form a strong high-low threat that starts a combo off either attack. Shoulder Charge and Talon Rake are unique special moves in KI because they act differently if the opponent blocks them, so they are mostly used in the neutral game for their on-block options and will conveniently start a combo if the opponent happens to get hit.

As discussed above, Shoulder Charge directly leads to Predator stance when blocked, so it's a great attack to use at around sweep range to force the opponent to handle a surprise mixup. Talon Rake causes Riptor to leap into the air feet first towards her target. When blocked, Riptor bounces off the opponent and, while falling back to the ground, has access to two attacks; press punch to throw a downward fireball towards the opponent at three different angles, or press kick to perform Tail Flip in the air. The fireballs can do some chip and keep Riptor safe at distance, accepting that the move was blocked and reassess the situation, while the Tail Flip can very easily cross-up or stay in front depending on the button pressed at risk of punishment on block, making it more of an all-in attempt. If you press no button after a blocked Talon Rake, Riptor will bounce away from the opponent and land with only trip guard frames. Be warned, however, that some characters can do a reversal attack and catch Riptor out of all possible options (examples include Jago's Tiger Fury and Sabrewulf's shadow Jumping Slash), so a blocked Talon Rake will not always guarantee safety.

Both shadow Shoulder Charge and shadow Talon Rake perform the same on-block behavior as the non-shadow versions. While shadow Talon Rake can be easily shadow countered on block, shadow Shoulder Charge never can, because Riptor cancels into Predator stance when the 5th hit hits the parry state, making her immediately safe. It's also important to note that Riptor can press LP/MP (Shoulder Charge) or LK/MK (Talon Rake) to execute special moves during both her forward and back runs. This allows Riptor to perform these moves while mobile or as cancels off normals, giving her many options to apply offense.

While Riptor has a lot of interesting ways to start a combo or apply pressure, she has fairly standard linkers. Shoulder Charge is her more damaging linker, while Talon Rake pushes the opponent faster to the corner. Shadow Tail Flip must be broken using staggered timing; it has a big first strike that launches the opponent into the air, and then 4 more strikes as Riptor jumps up and recaptures them to the ground. Her combo trait allows her to use HP and HK as single button special move linkers, which is great for beginners, but Riptor tends to have better options.

When Riptor performs a shadow linker, it can be difficult to tell which move she has chosen, as the animations during the screen freeze look surprisingly similar. Shadow Tail Flip turns Riptor around and is the easiest to recognize, but you'll have to look more closely for the other two; the only reliable way to tell is to look at her tail. During the freeze for shadow Shoulder Charge, Riptor curls her tail up like a scorpion, while during the freeze for shadow Talon Rake, Riptor's tail is long and straight behind her.

Like Spinal, Talon Rake is a great damage ender but typically only used when it can finish an opponent's health bar, since you will forfeit all of Riptor's valued momentum when you use it. The two important enders for Riptor are Shoulder Charge and Tail Flip. In the corner, the wall splat from Shoulder Charge is very strong, as Riptor gains a lot of potential mixups with her strong jumping normals, multi-way mixups with Tail Flip and Predator stance, and even going the non-risky route and just landing a throw does high damage and leads to a safe mixup with Flame Carpet. Mid-screen, Tail Flip causes a hard knockdown, where Riptor can lay a Flame Carpet and force the opponent into a reversal-or-block scenario, which can lead to extended pressure. The longer Riptor can keep the opponent blocking, the more panicked the defender will become.

Riptor also has a couple non-flame normals. Far standing HK hits 3 times (so watch out for shadow counters) and pulls the opponent towards Riptor to make sure they will be in range for a Predator cancel mixup or Tail Flip. It also has a ton of active frames, making it a great meaty attack if you don't have time to lay down a Flame Carpet. Close standing MK has 6 frames of startup, is +1 on block and +7 on hit, and doesn't have much pushback, making it a great move to bully your opponents. Jumping HK is great for air-to-air and ground bounces the opponent on hit; if you have time when you land, you can recapture them with shadow Tail Flip to continue the combo. Lastly, HK while running backwards is a giant tail attack that can be used as a pseudo-reversal. Riptor is not truly invincible, but her hitbox is small and hiding behind the tail attack.

Specials to watch: Some of Riptor's special moves are unique in that they have just as much utility on block as they do on hit. As mentioned, blocking Shoulder Charge puts the opponent in a free Predator mixup and blocking Talon Rake can lead to safe fireball pressure or a Tail Flip left-right mixup. Tail Flip can also be performed on the ground or in the air using a quarter circle command, but all versions are very unsafe on block. To effectively punish this move, either use a low-hitting combo starter to hit Riptor as she lays prone on the ground, or wait a half-second until she starts to stand back up again; her hitbox will be in a better position for you to hit with a giant attack like HP or HK, and you'll have ample time. Clever Girl is an upper body invincible attack that ground bounces the opponent (you can recapture with shadow Tail Flip, but you'll start with high KV). On hit, you can choose to bounce them around with a few Clever Girls for some marginal damage. Shadow Clever Girl is Riptor's best reversal, as it's fully invincible to the hit, but has a low hitbox, which makes it susceptible to jumping crossups and other attacks that aim for the back of a character's body. Like normal Clever Girl, you must spend a second bar to recapture, or loop a few more Clever Girls to tack on some extra damage. These additional Clever Girl attacks will be breakable, since they are links after a non-opener special move.

General strategy: Riptor is most effectively played as a frightening rushdown character, sprinkled with some patience and runaway. Characters without projectiles will have a somewhat difficult time breaking through back run HP and Flame Carpet projectiles at a distance, while Riptor approaches cautiously with run forward HP, or run forward into Shoulder Charge or Talon Rake. When the opponent is knocked down or forced to block, Riptor goes to work. The Predator mixups are quite real; Riptor can keep herself in perpetual frame advantage with Predator LK or crouching HP Predator cancel loops, and do rudimentary throw fakes afterwards (complete with neutral jump HP for throw baits) or perform any number of difficult to defend mixups with Predator high-lows and Tail Flips. If you knock your opponent down, lay a Flame Carpet on top of their body so they must wake up into frame disadvantage. She couples the best parts of SFIV Dudley's high-low offense that always seems to be at plus frames with El Fuerte's irritating mobility and left-right mixups. You'll just have to watch for shadow counters on her approaching normals (standing HK, run forward HP) and defenders who predict your more deadly mixups.