UMvC3 - The Ultimate Phoenix Wright Tutorial

**Main Thesis:** This tutorial provides a comprehensive guide to effectively utilizing Phoenix Wright in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, focusing on evidence management, Maya's support, and mastering his various combat modes and combos for optimal damage and strategic advantage.

**Key Points:**

*   **Evidence Management:**
    *   **Knife:** Generally considered the weakest evidence due to slow speed, low damage, and ease of avoidance.
    *   **Watch:** Durable against most projectiles, including beams, making it a strong defensive tool.
    *   **Folder:** Slow but can force an opponent's next character to block, setting up throws.
    *   **VS:** Useful in "Innit" mode for extending air combos up to four times, dealing significant damage and potentially leading to a "Phoenix W's Attorney" hyper for over a million damage if meter is available.
    *   **Photo:** Fast and deals decent damage but is easily dodged if spammed; best used sparingly to catch opponents off guard.
    *   **Phone:** Offers projectile nullification with its hovering orbs, can be used for cross-ups in "Turnabout" mode by dashing under opponents after deploying it twice, and is effective for chip damage from a distance.
    *   **Bad Evidence:** While generally undesirable, it can be used to control space and buy time. "Order in the Court" can remove bad evidence while preserving good evidence.

*   **Maya's Role and Support:**
    *   Maya's barrier can absorb up to 250k damage. Characters with low-damage normals will not knock her out as quickly as those with high-damage normals.
    *   Combos on Maya do not scale in damage; multi-hitting attacks like beams will deplete her health faster.
    *   Positioning is crucial: stand behind Maya's barrier for better evidence searching and counter-attack opportunities, especially against teleporting characters who can separate Phoenix from Maya's shield.
    *   Maya's shield does not block throws or command grabs; attacking opponents who dash in for a throw can lead to combos.
    *   **Maya's Hyper (Phoenix W's First Vable Hyper):** Maya becomes unstoppable, running through projectiles, physical attacks, and other hypers. However, Phoenix is vulnerable before and after activation. Cinematic hypers can still hit Phoenix if they connect before Maya interrupts. Maya's heavy sliding attack can catch opponents expecting her to use her barrier.

*   **Combat Modes and Combos:**
    *   **Investigation Mode:** Combos can start with crouching light/medium, but a standing heavy is recommended for ground series to maintain proximity for holds or launchers. Combos can be extended with Maya for an OTG in the corner. Certain combos utilize overhead attacks and Maya's slide attacks, often requiring corner positioning. A grab reset is possible for extending combos.
    *   **Trial Mode:** Combos can be used anywhere and deal significant damage. "Heavy Badgering" focuses on heavy attacks and maintaining low opponent positioning. "Questioning Attacks" are key: 4 holds for a stun in Investigation, 3 in Trial, and 2 in Turnabout mode (excluding the first "objection" that bridges to Turnabout). Stun combos are possible but often require assists and meter.
    *   **Turnabout Mode:** This mode is activated by landing "objections." Various methods exist to trigger it, including comboing after elimination, launchers with OTG assists, and even objecting assists themselves. Corner throws and air throws can lead into objections. Raw objections can also be used. Combos in this mode can deal substantial damage, with specific techniques involving delayed medium attacks and "Break the Witness" to maintain opponent stun and maximize damage, potentially reaching over 1 million points.
    *   **Ultimate Cross Examination:** The most damaging combo requires no hyper bars, X-Factor, or friends. It involves delaying attacks after launches and using a heavy "Break the Witness" to ensure wall bounces connect. Walking back instead of dashing is recommended for optimal positioning. This combo can kill characters with 1 million health or less, with specific exceptions.

*   **General Tips and Strategies:**
    *   **X-Factor Level 3 with Turnabout Mode:** Combos become trickier; focus on corner pressure with heavy attacks or utilize projectiles whose properties become "insane."
    *   **Chip Damage:** Phoenix's specials and hypers deal significant damage even if blocked.
    *   **Touch of Death:** Even without Turnabout mode, X-Factor can significantly boost damage for a "Touch of Death" scenario.
    *   **Unblockable Setups:** Maya's hyper can lock down blocking opponents, followed by a jumping heavy and subsequent combo. Timing is crucial to avoid attacking before Maya hits low.
    *   **Order in the Court:** Can get Phoenix out of difficult situations but should not be thrown out if blocked, as it can lead to punishes.
    *   **Level 3 Hyper:** Effective against opponents not blocking or in an invincible state.
    *   **Team Hyper Combo:** Can reset Maya, allowing for infinite calls until meter runs out if Phoenix is alone and out of resources.

**Conclusion:** Mastering Phoenix Wright requires understanding his evidence mechanics, leveraging Maya's support effectively, and executing complex combos across his different modes. Consistent practice is emphasized, as the character demands significant effort to utilize to his full potential.