| Model Number: MS-06S | Pilot: Char Aznable |
| Cost: 2000 Hp: 540 Transform: X Form Change: O (X3 Speed) | |
Char’s MS-06S Zaku II is a customized version of the standard MS-06S Zaku II Commander Type painted in his personal favorite color: red. Being a commander’s unit, a horn-like decoration was also attached to the Zaku’s head. Despite the risks, Char personally ordered the removal of its limiters, allowing it to use its thrusters to the maximum limit (x3 Speed). The hit-and-run tactics enabled by the resulting high thrust, and the impression its distinctive colors made on the battlefield, led to Char’s nick name, “Red Comet”.
Ability Summary
| Ranged | Armament | Ammo | DMG | Notes |
| Main | Zaku Machine Gun | 60 | 15~136 | Manual reload |
| Sub | Zaku Bazooka | 5 | 99 | The rocket speed is fast |
| Special Shooting
Special Shotting (2AC) |
Z’gok Stab | 2 | 170 | 5AC:High damage grab attack |
| Mega Particle Beam Cannon (Vaulting Shot) | 150 | 8AC: Jumps, fires a pair of beams | ||
| Tank Toss | 146 | 4/6AC: Throws a tank | ||
| Mega Particle Cannon | 130 | 2AC: Fires a pair of beams | ||
| Special Melee | 3x Speed | 2 | – | Increases mobility until it lands |
| 2B | Heat Hawk Toss | ∞ | 65 | Stuns |
| Burst Attack | Red Comet Combo | – | 276 (F) / 271 (E) / 277 (S) | Long melee combo |
| Melee | Input | DMG | Notes |
| 5B | 5BBB | 188 | Standard 3-stage |
| 8B | 8B | 85 | On hit, cancel to Main for freefall |
| 4/6B | 4/6BB | 164 | Uppercut |
| CC8B | CC8BB | 141 | Punch combo |
Cancel Routes:
A: AB, any AC, BC, 8B, 2B
AB: any AC, BC
2B: AB, BC, any AC
BC: A, AB, any AC, any BC, any melee except 2B
8B: A
Any melee on hit: BC
Overview
The manually reloadable machine gun Main and bountiful-ammo Sub may seem like mainstays of typical all-rounder units which use physical ammunition, but the ability to transform into Z’gok to perform certain moves is an ability no other unit possesses. Z’gok also has super armor on all of its attacks, which can be very oppressive. Last but not least, Char’s Zaku’s Special Melee which triples its speed and lasts for as long as its airborne is a potent powerup that allows it to traverse the battlefield with ease.
However, the reload on AC and BC are long, and if you fail to use these limited moves effectively your overall performance will be lacking. Make full use of your bountiful cancel routes and earn the nickname “Red Comet” for yourself!
Ability Details
Ranged Weapons
Main: Zaku Machine Gun
Fires 3 shots per button press, up to a maximum of 12 with the button held. 11 shots are enough to knock down an enemy. This has good overall performance for a machine gun attack and has a good fire rate, but only average tracking. Its projectile speed is about the same as with Sandrock’s machine gun. Manual reload on empty.
This is used for applying pressure, and can be quite oppressive with BC active. You can open a fight with this attack just to force movement from your opponent, or to get a flinch or a Down. It can be used for self-defense, and since the machine gun can be manually reloaded, it is considered to be one of the top 5 high-performing machine guns. It can freely shoot the machine gun without worrying about ammo management while conserving other weapon’s ammo. However, since the machine gun bullets are physical type, it can be destroyed by beam weapons and other physical weapons. There are plenty of cancel routes you can use with the machine gun, such as special shooting(AC), special melee(BC), 8B and 2B, this allows you to make different decisions based on the situation. Due to the long attack animation with the machine gun, you can carry over the tracking from red lock into green lock.
Sub: Zaku Bazooka
The Zaku stands still to fire a bazooka shot. There is no cancel proration when canceling into this attack, and it takes 7 seconds to reload on empty. The projectile speed is fast but has only average tracking. If fired without the BC buff, Char will come to a complete halt to fire this attack. However during BC, some momentum will be inherited. This launches the target on hit, making it easy for a follow up. The explosion is rather small so it’s difficult to break a Guard even after firing multi bazooka shots.
Special Shooting: Z’gok Transform Attack
The Zaku transforms into Z’gok to perform various attacks. Reloads on empty, with an 8 second reload time. All moves have super armor during the animation. Your unit name will also change to ‘Char’s Z’gok’ during the attack. This is Char’s ace-in-the-hole. Make sure you understand all 4 variants of the attack to put them to good use.
5AC:Iron Nail
Z’gok grapples the target with the Iron Nail, causing an explosion. A Forced Down occurs from the explosion, and the Z’gok has super armor during the entire animation. This is an extremely good move to use against incoming melee attacks. The entire animation will be played out if the target dies from the initial grapple. Be aware of how much boost your opponent has left over since this move will never hit as long as it sidesteps.
This move is more suited for sneak attacks even with the good startup and dash speed. Use this sparingly as a hidden trump card so as not to alert your opponent to this super armor fast melee attack. During BC, this move will move even faster during the startup dashing animation, making it a lot easier to land. If you have 2 BC buffs and Fighting Burst, this move can even catch enemies who are Boost Dashing.
8AC: Mega Particle Beam Cannon (Vaulting Shot)
Z’gok hops upwards and fires a pair of beams downwards. Each beam has a separate hitbox and causes Forced Down if both hit. The jump itself appears fast, but the beams come out slowly. Z’gok has super armor until the beams are fired. The muzzle correction lasts all the way until right before the beams are fired. The main use for this will be using Main to carry over the red lock while backing off, then canceling into this move for its good tracking and muzzle correction. This can also be used as a dodging move in dire times.
However, the other AC commands are usually a better choice to use if you’re new to this suit. Don’t force yourself to use this. Furthermore, you cannot hit targets directly below you. You also consume a lot of boost if you use this and then Boost Dash Cancel out.
4/6AC: Tank Throw
Z’gok throws a Type-61 Tank in a high arch. This causes a huge explosion at the point of impact which launches the target. There is no cancel proration applied if you cancel into this from another move. This move has very good vertical tracking and decent horizontal tracking. It’s especially useful against enemies who are below you. The startup for this move is somewhat slow, and Z’gok has super armor until the tank is thrown.
Unlike 8AC, this move will hit enemies directly below you. The slow startup and the projectile being thrown in a high arch means it isn’t effective against enemies far away. The big explosion makes it easy to catch landings, and it’s also possible to use as an anti-melee due to the good muzzle correction, but only against enemies without boost due to the low startup. This move can be considered Char’s main source of damage. The high initial damage and the launch makes it easy for dealing fast and decent combo damage (generally 250~).
Like with the previous 2 AC commands, you will inherit momentum during BC.
2AC: Mega Particle Beam Cannon
Unlike the 8AC, when using this attack Z’gok transforms on the spot and fires the Mega Particle Beam Cannon. Each beam has a separate hitbox, and causes Forced Down if both hit. Compared to 8AC and 4/6AC this has faster startup, and the projectile will reach your target faster. Use this as a follow up after your other attacks flinch your target, or as an anti-melee move. Even if your enemy hits you with a melee attack while you’re in super armor during this 2AC, they won’t be able to dodge the beams even if they sidestepped immediately. However this move doesn’t have good tracking or muzzle correction. Unlike the other 3 inputs, you do not inherit any momentum while BC is active.
Special Melee: 3 times the speed!
This move embodies the famous line that describes Char’s Zaku as approaching at 3 times the speed of a regular Mobile Suit. Char hops off a meteorite and gains a pink aura. Input a direction to hop in that direction. The initial jump cuts tracking, but you cannot step out of this animation. This reloads in 11 seconds on empty, and the reload will only start when Char touches the ground. This does not reload when entering Burst. Char will gain the following buffs while the pink aura is active:
- Mobility increase: Char’s Boost Dash distance will be increased, and Boost consumption for Boost Dashing is reduced.
- Melee attack reach further, and the dash speed when performing melee attacks is increased.
- Char inherits momentum for some of his vernier moves.
You can use BC twice for the buffs to stack. Commonly referred to as ‘9x the speed’. The buffs also stack with Fighting Burst, making this the fastest unit in the game with all 3 buffs active.
However, Char’s ascend and descend speed doesn’t change, and Boost Consumption during hops and ascends/descends also doesn’t change. The buffs also won’t end if you get bounced off the ground from an attack that causes a Bounce Down. If you got Downed in the air, you can perform an Air Tech and the buff will still be active.
This move can be used for both offence and defence. If attacking, you can fire the machine gun while approaching your target and both you and the bullets will reach at about the same time. With this setup your target will have to deal with the bullets, and whatever attack you’re doing at close range, preferably one of the Z’gok attacks. Canceling from Main also allows you to attack from blind spots like directly above your enemy due to the red lock being carried over. When used for defence, the obvious use is to go into 9x speed and make a break for it.
2B: Heat Hawk Throw
Zaku throws a physical projectile that stuns on hit, has weak tracking, and can be rainbow stepped. With the BC buff active, you’ll inherit momentum. Use this as a follow up if your other moves are out of ammo. A good series of attacks while in BC would be Main>2B>AB to slide backwards using the inertia while carrying over your red lock.
Melee Set
5BBB: Heat Hawk
Weak priority, short reach, and slow startup. The second stage of the attack is also extremely slow, so beware of incoming attacks or when trying to cancel out. The overall damage dealt is higher than 4/6B, so use this only if you aren’t worried about being interrupted.
5B(B), 4/6B~8B Derivative: Char Kick
Same attack as the regular 8B.
8B: Char Kick
The original Char Kick. You can cancel from and into Main with this 8B, and canceling into Main will let you freefall. This kick also causes Dust Down making it easy to follow up into another combo, but it’s hard to chain multiple kicks. If you’re in 9x speed from BC, you can sidestep after one kick to barely hit with another 8B. While you can cancel into Main for a follow up, the kick will knock the target a bit too far away for another melee attack to connect so you might as well just Boost Dash cancel. Still, this is useful in a combo for its damage.
In arcade routes vs bosses, you can Down bosses quickly by looping 8B~A. This loop also does decent damage within a short span of time.
4/6BB: Cleave>Upswing
This attack has decent reach, and the curvature on the dash trajectory makes this a good combo starter. The animation for the full string also finishes quickly and ends with a launch, making it superior to 5B in many cases. The priority on this attack isn’t high, but it’s still usable as a combo starter.
The initial dash speed is faster than with 5AC, and while in 9x you can catch most enemies who are Boost Dashing. This can be very strong if your target isn’t looking at you.
CC8BB: Left Hook> Right Uppercut
This combo has decent reach but weak priority due to it being a barehanded attack. The knockback on hit is very little, so you can combo into other melee attacks easily. Despite being a 2 hit melee, this attack does a surprising amount of damage. However, the second stage is a multi-hit, making it unsuitable as a combo ender.
Burst Attack
Red Comet Combo
The Zaku executes a series of slashes with the Heat Hawk, kicks the enemy, and Z’gok stabs and finishes with an explosion. The first stage has super armor. The dash speed on the first stage is also affected by BC, making it move even faster. Char doesn’t move much during the string of attacks leaving him very vulnerable. The final explosion launches the target high up into the air. Refrain from using this unless it’s totally safe or you are rushing to end the game.
Recommended Combos
| Ranged Weapons | ||
| Input | DMG | Notes |
| A (4hit)~8B>2AC | 214 | 200 dmg from a Main starter |
| 4/6AC>>5BB~8B | 238 | |
| 4/6AC>>5AC | 236 | |
| Melee | ||
| 5BB>5BB~8B | 230 | Cancel into main for freefall |
| 4/6BBB>8B>2AC | 253 | Best damage from 4/6B. Need to be cancel very quickly. |
| CC8B>5BB>2AC | 258 | |
Strategies
- Guerilla warfare is what this unit is about.
- Your general playstyle is to maintain red lock with your Main, pressuring the enemy with it while reacting to what your opponent does. Use BC to increase your movement speed and get into favorable positions to attack, then run away with the BC buff.
- Remember the difference of all your AC moves, especially the duration of super armor for each.
- You’re slightly more vulnerable to melee attacks when AC is out of ammo, so be careful of your positioning. Plan ahead your usage of BC and AC so you can get out in time.
- Fighting Burst allows for better melee damage and further boosts your terrifying speed. On top of that, it recovers the most Boost, allowing you to maintain the BC buff for longer periods.
- Extend only provides insurance and easy access to Burst even when taking damage, which reloads your AC. Use when you want to prevent getting bodied.
- Shooting will reload your AC very quickly and also allow you to freefall by canceling your shooting attacks into Main. However this recovers little Boost, limiting the usage of BC.