If the loc test is an indication of what the real game is like, Rufus is dead.
Forward/Neutral Throw damage reduced from 150 to 135
Neutral/Forward Jump Falcon Kick recovery increased by 1F
Messiah Kick MK follow-up recovery increased from 19F to 22F
Messiah Kick HK follow-up recovery increased from 17F to 19F
EX Messiah Kick less likely to cross over even when hitting low-state opponents; invincibility time reduced from 16F to 13F
Space Opera Symphony (UC1) damage reduced from 460 to 420
Big Bang Typhoon (UC2) damage reduced from 420 to 360
Rufus' entire game is nerfed. He gets less out of taking risks and making reads, and his two main tools are both weakened.
He gains no tools he didn't already have.
Rufus will not find many ways to use Red Focus, as he needs the meter. Delayed wakeup destroys his ambiguous divekick oki game. Other characters can utilise Red Focus to get out of some of his setups. He gains nothing out choosing W, but other characters get more options against him (Gief with two ultras? All your options are now beatable).
His hard matchups are now harder, and several of his good matchups will now be harder.
And this is in a loc test that does the following to Akuma, widely regarded as the best character in the game:
Crouching HK can no longer be cancelled into Wrath of the Raging Demon (UC1)
All versions of Back jump Zanku Hadoken recovery increased by 2F
HP Goshoryuken now can only be EX Focus-cancelled on the 1st hit; invincibility time reduced from 6F to 5F
Akuma's entire game is still intact. He might suffer from delayed wakeup, but he still has all his tools.
I cannot be the only Rufus player who looks at this changelist and is certain that this will cause them to drop the character.
Forward/Neutral Throw damage reduced from 150 to 135
Neutral/Forward Jump Falcon Kick recovery increased by 1F
Messiah Kick MK follow-up recovery increased from 19F to 22F
Messiah Kick HK follow-up recovery increased from 17F to 19F
EX Messiah Kick less likely to cross over even when hitting low-state opponents; invincibility time reduced from 16F to 13F
Space Opera Symphony (UC1) damage reduced from 460 to 420
Big Bang Typhoon (UC2) damage reduced from 420 to 360
Rufus' entire game is nerfed. He gets less out of taking risks and making reads, and his two main tools are both weakened.
He gains no tools he didn't already have.
Rufus will not find many ways to use Red Focus, as he needs the meter. Delayed wakeup destroys his ambiguous divekick oki game. Other characters can utilise Red Focus to get out of some of his setups. He gains nothing out choosing W, but other characters get more options against him (Gief with two ultras? All your options are now beatable).
His hard matchups are now harder, and several of his good matchups will now be harder.
And this is in a loc test that does the following to Akuma, widely regarded as the best character in the game:
Crouching HK can no longer be cancelled into Wrath of the Raging Demon (UC1)
All versions of Back jump Zanku Hadoken recovery increased by 2F
HP Goshoryuken now can only be EX Focus-cancelled on the 1st hit; invincibility time reduced from 6F to 5F
Akuma's entire game is still intact. He might suffer from delayed wakeup, but he still has all his tools.
I cannot be the only Rufus player who looks at this changelist and is certain that this will cause them to drop the character.