Itachi: Useful Tips and Strategies Against Him

I’ll break down Itachi and Susanno separately. Just know that watching, collecting info, and adjusting accordingly based on your opponent is always the best strategy.

Itachi

Combos/Projectiles:

-Either block, dodge, or knj. It’s pretty self explanatory, but I thought I’d just include it to be thorough.

-During projectile attempts is the best time to get close.

Grab:

-Only thing you can do is knj or jump away as soon as you see it coming.

-His downtime after a missed grab is long, so attempting an attack immediately afterward is pretty safe.

Tilt:

-It is hard to knj out of. You can block, though it does do considerable damage to it.

-The best thing is to simply dodge it since it doesn’t track well. Afterward, a well time jutsu will punish him during the downtime after the attack has finished.

Fireball Jutsu:

-The easiest way to deal with this is to simply walk to the side. As long as nothing else is occurring, it will never hit you.

-When activating in the air, if you dash as he begins but before the fireball is released, you’ll go right under it. This is also a good and safe time for those characters and players that thrive on close combat to get close.

-Lets say the opponent is clever. He uses projectiles to halt you just before the fireball hits. Well, in this case the best thing is to knj. But in case you see it coming, simply side dash and most of the time this should solve the problem.

-Lets say he’s even more clever. He activates a long range support that tracks then fires the fireball behind it, effectively hiding it for the most part. Even if you see it, knj is slightly risky due to the fact that you have to succeed with both and sometimes players panic. The best thing here is to just block. Watch your block status, however, and if it’s already red then I suggest just attempting knj.

-After a SB, the only thing you can do is knj. This is self explanatory obviously, but it is actually much easier then people seem to think. Simply mashing the block button will almost guarantee you get away without a scratch.

U2:

-First off never, under any circumstances, dash toward an Itachi that just sits and waits to punish you with this. Most don’t, and at least attempt projectiles or fireballs. The best time to dash is thus when they do one of the two. There is not enough time to effectively activate the U2 during a projectile throw or after a fireball if not too far, as he has not enough chakra. Thus staying decently close to him is recommended.

-When your opponent dashes in to attempt a stun + U2 combo, simply blocking is the best answer. Sometimes you might mess up, so I find it easiest just to keep holding block since Itachi’s U2 goes off a fraction of a second too late most of the time. If you want, you can attempt knj, though this is riskier imo because U2s are harder to knj and panic often occurs.

-After a SB, just mash the block button like crazy. Hopefully you’ll get lucky.

Now some basic counter-strategies against the usual player

Turtlers:

-Turtlers love to put distance between you and them. Simply don’t let them put an entire stage length gap and stay somewhere in mid-range to be safe. At that point, use projectiles, supports, and well timed long range U1s until you find an opening to get closer.

-Shikamaru balance type works well against most Itachi turtlers. Unlike puppet turtlers, Itachi ones rarely block. If nothing else it gives you another way to attempt a big hit on a player that would otherwise give little opportunity to do so. Also, Shika works wonderfully against a certain someone else I’ll mention later.

Susanno

Susanno, Susanno, Susanno. If you looked up cheap in the UNS2 Official Guidebook you’d see a picture of Mr. Invincible Cloak over here. Here are some tips that make fighting or avoiding him range from doable to downright easy.

-Your best advantage is knowing that an Itachi player will indeed attempt to awaken. This gives you the entire battle to prepare for him.

-Susanno does not last long compared to most others, I believe somewhere around 15 seconds.

-Remember that Amaterasu will likely be used, especially as a first attack to ensure their dash in goes unhindered and to hit you for easy damage. It’s best to simply block it, unless they dash in to stun you, then knj like mad.

-The best way is to completely avoid Susanno being awakened at all. Get Itachi down to health low enough to be beaten by a U3 or possibly U2 but high enough not to awaken, then attempt to strike with either one. If that fails, keep the pressure on him with projectiles to prevent his awakening. Be cautious however and save your chakra just in case he ends up succeeding, which is still likely. At the very least, try to get him down to health low enough that 1 to 2 U1 or support attacks will do Susanno in.

-Once Susanno has arrived is when the trouble begins for most characters. But Susanno players, if not Susanno himself, have an obvious weakness: they rarely block. Long range, projectile based jutsu work magnificently against Susanno. I suggest a player with fire style jutsu, or Ino’s flower bombs also work well. When they attempt to dash in, usually after being hit by the first U1 forcing them to halt and forcing you to block Amaterasu, just block and knock both characters back. Then attempt another jutsu. Between this and supports, you should have little trouble defeating him with ease.


-Most characters don’t have projectile based, fast long range jutsu. The best thing to do here is to prepare before battle, if you know the opponent has picked Itachi or if it is one of their mains, the right supports. A long range and fast support will do well and might be necessary for the rest of the battle, but at least one of your supports should be multi-hit, non-SB characters. The best ones for this position are probably Hidan, Chiyo, Shikamaru, or Karin. Their jutsu give you definite breathing time, since Susanno’s knj places him back in the same position, to either charge chakra or attempt your own attacks. Also, Karin's jutsu creates poison and defense break which can be very useful in defeating Susanno faster.

-Characters like Minato, Guy, and Lee work well when awakened. Simply use their c. dash to get behind Susanno for a few hits before you run out of chakra. The best way to ensure you can awaken is to use Hidan because he gives you ample time to do it with his dragged out jutsu. Prepare for this during battle by saving Hidan for when you can awaken.

-Karin is a viable choice to use against Susanno. Her jutsu creates poison and defense break, highly useful, and while she's awakened can easily break his guard to make sure it hits.

-Dodging can be extremely difficult, but still possible. If timed and done right, you can literally jump around him in semi to full circles until it runs out. I’m not particularly good at this feat, but if you are a good dodger you might want to give it a shot.

-If all else fails, knj like mad while using supports for some breather time until it runs out.

Hope this guide helps those who have trouble against Itachi. Let me know of any other strategies you’ve come up with or heard that are useful against him and I’ll happily include them.

Please check out my other Itachi guides as well:

Intro and Moveset

Strategies For

His awakening time is short, most other awakenings will out-damage and out-last him.
Some, like Lee, Guy, and minato will basically stop a susanoo in its tracks if your good enough.

Alright thx. I'll include those little tidbits. I'm assuming its their awakenings correct?

Yeah. Some characters, like Karin and such, can awaken and basically use their jutsu to stall out susanoo.
Also, the sooner your awakening time, the better. A support like Hidan is amazing because it puts them in hitstun long enough for you to load it out.

Updated

Just let me know how Karin is effective and the others as well. Then I'll put them down ASAP.

Well Karin's perfume spray is a guard breaking multi-hit with debuffs, and from the right place you can do it and have room to put up your guard. Most characters are useful against susanoo in the way that susanoo's low hp makes it harder to survive even a single awakened string from any other character.

I see your point.

But don't you think even a decent player could get around that? Amaterasu is their insurance for a successful c.dash. It seems that would only work on an inexperienced Itachi player.

I'll include it but I'll forewarn to use caution and watch for Amaterasu.

Thx.

I'm just saying what it does.

I'm just explaining my reasoning.

I need to let everyone know why I include/don't include things in order to make it easier to understand and follow.

Well ammy can be avoided and blocked, and perfume does pretty major stuff. One landed perfume spray basically cuts susanoo's usefulness down by about 90% because of the defence drop. Add in the poison and other debuff too.

I actually wasn't aware of her jutsu's attributes.

Based on what you've said, she would be very effective. So I'll definitely add her as a separate bullet point and to the helpful support section.

All the strategies are all great against the average player that uses him. But the average player that uses him sucks. The issue is, who you are you up against?

I guess once I get internet I'll have to pin 'em down, don't I?

You have another avoid option when Itachi's awakened, clearly when he's awakened if he rushes and you rush he tramples you dmging you like hell, but when he's coming if you jump and def at the right time he backsteps!! And you can keep avoiding him like this if he doesn't try another aproach.

Also, having a Guard type support helps as well since everytime he attempts to dash at you, your guard will step in. I usually use Hidan as a guard type against him though it doesnt matter who you use.

Just because I'm an Itachi fanboy I'm going to state it's "Susano'o" :p

Just kidding, but nice strategy guide, I've learnt a thing or 2 about his tilt though now.

Tenten's bombs work well against Susano'o because they hit he staggers then they blow up, and he staggers again during which you can use bombs again or support or just walk up and do her combo.

Also you can just JUMP OVER SUSANO'O like I do when he dashes.

Path should really update this list because itachi has alot of cool tricks now.

Lol Path is beyond dead. Why don't you make an extension thread and post the new stuff?

[DJ] wrote:

Lol Path is beyond dead. Why don't you make an extension thread and post the new stuff?

Alright then i'll just add to it.

lol i 4got all about path wats he up to nowadays?