Taokaka’s triple jump allows her to Drive command cancel twice in the air. This paves the way for numerous cross-ups, mix-ups, and surprising gimmicks. She has high pressure mixups. E.g.: 2A -> 5B -> 2A -> 2A -> 5B+C. Like Bang, she can air dash twice in the air. Her average damage output rivals Ragna’s and Nu’s (3k – 4.5k).
She has the lowest Guard Libra rating in the game, 80%. This means that it is easy to guard crush Tao. For example, two full pressure strings from Ragna will cause her to guard break. Tao has no good anti-air and reversal options. The only exception is her Hexa Edge, but that requires 50% meter. Tao lacks the necessary tools for zoning. Characters that excel at mid-range to long-range work against her.
Taokaka’s Drive Dancing Edge (ダンシングエッジ,Danshingu Ejji), involves using the drive button and a direction input to launch Taokaka at her enemy. Her Overdrive is Almost Becoming Two, Meow! (ほぼ2匹になるニャス!,Hobo Nibiki ni Naru Nyasu!), which summons a slower doppelgänger to help Taokaka.
Standing paw slap It is not particularly her best normal, but it is the one with the least amount of active and recovery frames. You can special cancel, jump cancel, or follow up with any other standing/crouching normal. 5A will not hit low crouching characters.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
340
140
Standing Tiger Knee One of Tao’s best standing normals in the game. Her 5B has the same execution start up as her 2A, except that her standing knee has 90% proration. This means that any time you land a 5B, you will land an even bigger damaging combo. And since it has a 6 frame execution advantage, most of your opponent’s normals will get countered, or, at the very least, exchange hits.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
550
227
Standing Claw Strike Chargeable 5C is a decent normal that you can use to gatling to a 2C, 3C, 6C, jump cancel, special or a drive attack. It does not have fast execution (10 frames) and has lots of frame recovery (31 frames), but if you score a Counter Hit, then be prepared to punish heavily. A fully charged 5C does a 2,400 guard crush against your opponent. Be aware that you are prone to getting throw countered (meaning someone can throw you and you cannot tech out of the throw) during the frame recovery and the execution. Charging 5C does not increase damage or change proration.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
216
68
Low Paw Attack. This normal is a very useful poke that forces your opponent to block low. It prorates heavily (meaning you’ll score less damage), but you can gatling into any other normal, special, or super. It is a great move that can be used for gimmicks (such as 2A -> B+C) or just trying to force damage on your opponents.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
216
68
Low Slide 2B is a fast normal that can only be blocked low. It does not have the greatest damage or proration, but you can gatling into stronger normals. This move is a great tool to use for throw gimmicks (2B -> B+C), mixup games, and extending your combos.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
575
238
Claw Swipe Chargeable. Like the rest of her C command attacks, 2C has high damage but slow execution (15 frames) and recovery frames (27 frames). She can gatling into her 3C, 5C, specials or distortion drives. You can charge the attack by holding the button, start up is 11 [frames] after button release, guard crush value is 1600 when you hold it 22~31 (start up 33~42), guard crush value is 2800 when you hold it 32~35 (start up 43~46). Charging 2C does not increase damage or proration.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
320X2
132X2
Standing 2 hits She can cancel into another special move or jump cancel after the first/second hit. This can be very useful to bait bursts or simply initiate another combo. Also, the first hit causes a little vacuum effect that sucks your opponent in. 6A is also Tao’s anti-air, but it is nowhere near as good as Ragna’s or Noel’s 6A. Does NOT hit low crouching characters (Litchi, Carl, Rachel, Jin, Noel, and Taokaka) OR characters who push you far back from perfect guarding. If you miss, then your opponent will have all the time in the world to punish you. 320 damage after two hits.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
440
182
Overhead Somersault Attack A nice useful overhead that can cancel into her Hexa Edge super OR jump mashy claw. If you ever land a CH with this attack, then you’re free to punish your opponent with a follow up combo. In CS:EX, it causes Fatal Counter.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
700
289
Hadouken Palm Strike Chargeable. This is her most damaging standing normal. Like all of her C attacks, 6C has lots of execution (23-64 frames) and recovery frames (18 frames), but deals insane amounts of damage. Unlike her other normals, you can only gatling into her drive, specials or supers. All combos initiated by 6C will land a 4k combo, but it is also very easy to punish. Even if you gatling into a drive or special, EVERY character will have a response to it. Wallbounces on hit. Charging 6C does not increase damage, but increases the proration scaler.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
390X2,440
161X2,182
Double Paw Strike with Foot Sweep She can gatling into her drives, specials or supers at any given strike. 3C is also what she uses to initiate her drive loop, which is one of her main bnb combos. 3C can serve as a potential anti-air. It is nowhere near as good as Ragna’s 6A or Jin’s DP. But since Tao has no good anti-air options anyways, except for her berserker barrage and her super prorating 6A, her 3C is the next best bet. The idea is to use a normal that has similar properties to her crawl. So if a Ragna player air dashes in with a j.C, you can CH that by using a 3C. Landing a 3C gives you 90% proration, which can lead into a hefty 4k combo. But if you miss, misjudge your opponent, or get baited, then you’ll take your opponent’s most damaging combo. Her foot sweep can only be blocked low.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
(in the air)
165
68
Jumping Paw Attack. Like the rest of her 'A' command attacks, you can gatling into the following: Jump Normals, Cat Spirit Two!, or Drive Attacks. It is a reliable move that can be used follow up a safe combo.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
CS-CP: (in the air)
140 X2
57
Jumping Leg Split Attack Her jumping leg split has a lot of execution and recovery frames (15 ~ 19). It also only has a 3 frame active window to hit your opponent, but the greatest feature about this normal is it is enormous hitbox. It is not her greatest zoning tool, but you can use it to hit confirm into other pressure strings or create some seemingly ambiguous crossups.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
CT: (in the air) CP: (in the air)
300
0
Performs a "Twin legged kick and can be perform in original or down version of it. likely it snaps everyone.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
(in the air)
480
198
Jumping Claw Attack Chargeable. This is Tao’s greatest zoning normal of her arsenal of moves. It comes out within 9 frames, but that is immensely fast for a heavy attack. While she cannot gatling into any other normals, apart from her j.B and j.D, the reward for landing a hit, or CH, exceeds the risk. You can chain a drive loop when you hit confirm j.C in the air OR apply ambiguous crossups to force damage on your opponent, so do not feel bad for using it frequently.
Throws[]
Input
Damage
Heat gain
0, 1000
0, 414
In the corner the opponent will bounce this allows you to go for j.2D,22C(1),5D,j.D-A,6C,etc,etc. As of BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend you can now combo mid screen by simply doing j.D-B,5C,j.8D-A,air ender
Input
Damage
Heat gain
0, 1000
0, 414
You only need to input j.2D, j.C if you’re coming from a really far distance. It is a must if you are going from one corner to another as without this input 6C will not wall bounce.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
(in the air)
0, 1000
0, 414
Can go into 6A(1), 5D-6, etc for corner carry 6C or 5D-B, 5C j.8D-A, air ender. You do not need the 6A(1) you can actually skip it and go straight to 5D-6, j.D-A, but it helps with the timing.
Counter Assault[]
Input
Damage
Heat gain
0
0
This has been nerfed greatly in BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend and will now whiff more frequently at closer distances. It will also whiff on certain normals like Litchi’s 6D or Tsubaki’s 5CC. Overall this should be used on randomly blocked normals in neutral. Keep in mind that for every time you use a CA you lose one primer and Tao only has 4 so please use this only for emergencies.
Crush Trigger[]
Input
Damage
Heat gain
1000
0
A heavy up'n claw attack
suffers every move that she attacked you and
no one smacks you.
"When would you learn that, Huh?!"
Drive[]
Input
Japanese name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
ダンシングエッジ Danshingu Ejji
Dancing Edge
600
248
Forward Drive. Allows you to drive parallel to the ground. This is the most commonly used gatling command after a 3C.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
650
269
Diagonal Forward Drive. Allows you to drive diagonally forward. This only applies while you’re on the ground.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
750
310
Leap Backwards and Pounce Drive. This has the most execution frame start up (35 frames). But if timed correctly, then you can leap backwards in order to bait bursts.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
(in the air)
550
227
Jump Forward Drive. Just like the 5D, you drive forward, parallel to the ground. Most drive loops require you to apply the j.D, so be sure to keep an eye out for them in the combo section.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
(in the air)
600
248
Diagonal Down Drive. While you’re in the air, you can drive down diagonally towards your target. Note, if you want to do taunt combos, then get used to doing this input.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
(in the air)
700
289
Plummet Straight Down and Forward Drive. While you’re in the air, you plummet towards the ground and drive straight. Nu cannot hit Tao with her standing drive while you execute j.4D, Tao will fly right over it.
Input
Damage
Heat gain
(in the air)
580
240
This is primarily used as a combo tool and for an occasional cross up if your looking for something faster than 2D, B Cancel. Besides that this move serves no other purpose.
Overdrive[]
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
CT-CS: CP:
ほぼ2匹になるニャス! Hobo Nibiki ni Naru Nyasu!
Almost Becoming Two, Meow!
Almost Becoming Two!
--
--
Tao gains a doppelgänger for 425 frames. Damage is cut by half when this super is activated and has a fixed proration at 90%. The doppelgänger can be blocked by ALL, but Tao’s standing normals still apply. For example, 236236B -> 6B (1st hit block high only, 2nd hit block ALL). The doppelgänger is 17 frames slower than Taokaka. In BlazBlue: Chronophantasma, this move is her Overdrive.
Exceed Accel[]
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
(during Overdrive)
カカ族のおもてにゃし! Kaka Zoku no Omotenyashi!
Kaka Tribe’s Hospityality!
Kaka Clan Hospitality!
2000 4000 (Active Flow)
Tao pushes the opponent away, they are then carried away by a huge group of little Kakas and attacked by them off screen. The opponent is then thrown back on screen. In the active flow the opponent appears in a giant cat head which falls from the top of screen and splits in half upon impacting the ground instead of just being thrown back.
Special moves[]
Input
Japanese name
English name
Damage
Heat gain
(repeatable)
ネコ魂ワン! Neko Tamashī Wan!
Cat Spirit One!
280xN
115
Quick slash. You cancel the move by rapidly tapping, or mashing, the A button. It is not really damaging or has the best proration, but it is the easiest move to execute.
Input
Japanese name
English name
Damage
Heat gain
(midair only, repeatable)
ネコ魂ツー! Neko Tamashī Tsū!
Cat Spirit Two!
380 (Hits 1-4), 800 (5th Hit)
157 (Hits 1-4), 331 (5th Hit)
CT: CS-CF:
Quick slash. Like her Cat Spirit One, you can cancel the move by mashing the B button. Air 236B gives you enough time afterwards to link another hit (236B again, or A/B/C) if you are high enough. However, this also shows there are no easy rejump combos after 236B without RCs. If you do a very high 236BB, wait, then C, you can land but you cannot move again or hit any buttons for a small period, so the combo becomes techable.
A huge slash. Chargeable. This one of her slowest attack (30 – 64 execution frames) and has a 17 frame recovery. Keep in mind that this also her most damaging AND one of her best prorating moves. High block only. 560, 580 damage
Input
Japanese name
English name
Damage
Heat gain
during /
ネコ魂アンコール! Neko Tamashī Ankōru!
Cat Spirit Encore!
280xN
A new move from CP, it allows Taokaka forcing crouch.
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
/ / (chargeable for C)
必殺ネコ魔球! Hissatsu Neko Makyū!
Deadly Cat’s Miracle Ball
Kitty Litter Special!
-- (Ver. A, B, and C), 150 (Apple), 150*2 (Bomb), 216 (Chibikaka), 150*2 (Pillow), 200 (Hammer, Baseball, and Fish), 300 (Bowling Ball)
-- (Ver. A, B, and C), 62 (Apple), 62*2 (Bomb) 447 (Chibikaka), 62*2 (Pillow) 82 (Hammer, Baseball, and Fish), 124 (Bowling Ball)
Projectile based attack that throws out random items depending on the input. 214A = Diagonal Projectile (31 execution frames)Apple, Pillow (2 hits), or Bomb (2 hits). 214B = Forward Projectile (39 execution frames)Puppet, Fish Bone, or Baseball (can fly from one side of the screen to the other as long as you do not get hit) 214C = Tao throws a Bowling Ball that travels across the floor (49 execution frames). 216 damage, Bowling ball does 288 damage and breaks one guard primer on block.
Input
Japanese name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
ねこっとび! Nekottobi!
Cat Jump!
--
--
Tao leaps toward her opponent in one pounce. It can allow you to do some mix up maneuvers, but be aware that you’re prone to getting Counter Hit while you’re doing the leap.
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
(midair, at the end of the screen, delayable)
タオぴったん Tao Pittan
Sticky Tao
Sticky Kitty
--
--
At the end of the screen, Tao sticks to the wall and stays there as long as you hold the 'D' button. If you press 6, then she will leap off the wall with some spiderman maneuvers.
Input
Japanese name
English name
Damage
Heat gain
Hold , then (press or for extra moves)
だましんぐエッジ! Damashingu Ejji!
Trick Edge!
600 (Normal), 600, (Down), 700 (Back)
248 (Normal), 248 (Down), 289 (Back)
Allows Tao to glide backwards, diagonally up, then drive straight forward. Press 2 or 4 for an extra move.
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
() (Hold to extend)
ギッザギザ! Gizzagiza!
Notchin'-notchin'!
Slashy-Slashy!
80x60
33x6
Tao ducks down and shoots nails in the style of serrated-saw blades out of her paw causing multiple hits. 80 damage per hit.
Distortion Drives[]
Input
Japanese name
English name
Damage
Heat gain
猫の人直伝・ヘキサエッジ Neko no Hito Jikiden: Hekisa Ejji
Cat Person’s Secret Art: Hexa-Edge
450*4, 1900
0
Berserker Barrage style super. 1,900 damage after four hits Tao can gatling any of her standing normals into a super. Distortion Drives are her only reversal. In CS:EX, its wallbounce properties were removed.
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
メッタメタのギッタギタ! Mettameta no Gittagita!
Wrecked Completely!
I’mma Beat the Crap Outta You!
0, 3300
0
Taokaka pounces towards her opponent and pummels them before kicking them into the air. Unblockable since it is a grab. You can swipe your opponent out of the air and/or gatling your combos into it. Pouncing super will not hit crouching opponents. In Overdrive, this move does about 100 hits, similar to the Unlimited version from past games.
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
(in the air)
ゆにぞんニャいぶ!! Yunizon Nyaibu!!
Unison Meouve!!
Aerial Dancing Edge!!
500, 300x8, 500, 2000, 500x2
A new move in BlazBlue: Chronophantasma, where Taokaka performs a joint ranbu-styled combo with Torakaka. An aerial super that is devastating in Overdrive. Provides a knockdown.
Astral Heat[]
Input
Japanese name
English name
English localization
Damage
Heat gain
Hold ,
あたっくにゃんばーわん Attaku Nyanbā Wan
Attack Nyamber One
Attack Meow Pow!
Death
0
Tao jumps back and glides to the opponent, then barrages them with multiple attacks. Jūbei (or Torakaka) delivers the final blow.