Post

Genuine problem I have with playing CF all these years is that the Top 3's resource management is basically non-existent for them in comparison to the rest of the cast. A lot of characters in CF who have to manage their resources or risk losing them for overextending.

Tager clearly wants to apply magnetism to you at all times so he can run his grappler mix, but has to build up meter for Spark Bolt every time he wants to use it. Bang has to juggle using his nails in neutral and combos as they are a finite resource while also trying to unlock all 4 of his seals.

Hell characters like Valk and Relius have tells of when they're gonna go for a throw if you somehow block their shit long enough. Relius either has to safely desummon Ignis or go for a throw (or risk it with Duo Bios for the mix). That leaves him open and allows you to take your turn back.

None of the Top 3 have this problem whatsoever. Izanami's movement and Drive allows her to just disengage entirely if she has no barrier left once ribcage runs out, and her combos last so long that by the time she gets to run her oki she's practically close to having it back.

Like the actual problem of running out of Barrier in CF is Danger State which leaves you open to air unblockable moves and Crush Triggers, while also applying a 1.5x damage modifier on you which STACKS WITH ACTIVE FLOW AND COUNTER HITS. As well as being unable to block while she's using her Drive.

Izayoi & Rachel also do not have this problem either. At most for Rachel, she loses out on her instant overheads and she won't be able to blow herself back to neutral with wind. But she gets wind stocks back so fast that all it takes is on block string and she's already back to making herself safe.

Izayoi is still a solid character without stocks and she's not really punished for expending all of them while in Gain Arts mode. She doesn't even need them to go into GA mode, just for her EX specials and special follow ups. She's still a solid character even in normal mode.

She also gains stocks in normal mode like crazy, you get two stocks for landing a special on hit, while you get one on block. Basically one combo will give her all 8 stocks for her to run her mix until you die. There's also her Overdrive which just gives her GA stocks for free overtime.