Frame traps main purpose is to get counter hits by punishing your opponent for pressing buttons in the middle of your block strings (mashing jabs or OS tech, late OS techs…etc) a counter hit normal attack will deal 25% extra damage and stun than it normally does, counter hit light attacks (lk, lp) will give 1 extra frame advantage, as for medium (mk,mp) & hard attacks (hp,hk) they’ll give 3 extra frame advantage on counter hit, which makes linking certain combos and specials possible that aren’t in normal situations, i.e CH cr. mp > sweep or CH cr. hp XX Shakunetsu.
Here’s a great thread about frame traps from the Bison forums (which was the reason I created this thread). You can also check this very informative post by Toxy (one of the best Akuma players) on ozhadou forums that has lots of useful information about how to beat opponents defensive options (late cr.techs, stand techs, mashing jabs…etc), Thanks for mentioning it Gamogo.
Here’s a quote of Toxy’s post about the subject in-case the link isn’t working:
Toxy’s post
[details=Spoiler]#1 YOU MUST LEARN THE OPTIONS BASED AROUND CLOSE COMBAT
(I will use Ryu for these examples below since everyone knows Ryu)
For example in Melbourne i see most people do a basic block string and finish it with a tick throw or do something for example with ryu and do c.lp, c.lp, c.lp, c.mk > fireball to push the opponent out.
If you keep doing a block string into throw every time against someone who knows how to crouch tech, it’s going to be too hard to get a throw on them since you are not mixing up your block string, and if your doing a block string just for the sake of pushing them out, your wasting an opportunity, doing a block string for no reason doesn’t achieve anything, it’s your chance to deal damage to your opponent.
What you should be doing is mixing up your block strings so your opponent has to guess, e.g
HOW TO BEAT DELAYED CROUCH TECH
To beat someone who does delayed crouch tech you can do for example [c.lp, c.lp, walk up, c.mp+lp+lk] [c.lp, stand up, c.mp+lp+lk] (if you LP + LK while doing your c.mp, if they go to throw you, you will tech)
If you timed it right and opponent went to crouch tech you will get counter hit on him and then you are able to confirm into a combo, so once your opponent sees that you are able to beat delayed crouch tech hes going to be more scared to just spam crouch tech because he knows your able to beat it so then you will be also able to start landing throws on him.
HOW TO BEAT SOMEONE WHO’S GOING FOR A SETUP TO BREAK CROUCH TECH
If the defender believes you are going for block string that beats delay crouch tech, then he can mash on a quick start up move like a c.lp which will beat that setup since you will hit him while hes walking over to you.
HOW TO BEAT A JAB SPAMMER
If the attacker thinks your going to do that he can do a “frame trap” for example c.lp, slight pause , c.mp, which you time so it leaves a 1-2 frame gap for him to stick out a normal, if he went to spam c.lp you will score a counter hit on him.
HOW TO BEAT STAND TECH
If your opponent uses stand tech instead of crouch tech you have to do different things to beat that, eg [c.lp, c.lp walk up uppercut] any type of move that has invincible start up will beat throw e.g DP type of moves
But this is very risky if they block it they will be able to punish you, so mostly use this when you have 2 meters so you can cancel in case they block it
another way to beat someone who stand tech is by using dive kicks e.g Cammy and Rufus, do block string walk up a little bit then do a dive kick, If you dont use those character though you can also do something else
e.g c.lp, c.lp, walk back (they have the whiff throw animation) then you can just punish their whiff animation with what ever you want
HOW TO BEAT SOMEONE WHO TRIES TO REVERSAL YOU WITH AN INVINCIBLE START UP TYPE OF MOVE EG SHORYUKEN OR EX SPINNING BIRD KICK
simply do a string with no gaps in between e.g c.lp, c.lp then just crouch block, or if the opponent is the type that will uppercut only when your a bit closer, after your string walk up slightly then crouch block
IF YOU’RE A BIT CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT I HAVE WROTE AND ARE VS’ING SOMEONE WHO MAINLY DELAY CROUCH TECHS HERE’S A QUICK REFERENCE TABLE OF THE MIND GAME
Frame traps > Normal spamming
Normal spamming > delayed crouch tech counter
Delayed crouch tech counter > delayed crouch tech[/details]
These are Akuma’s normals that’ll leave him with frame advantage on block (some might be useless because of their hitbox such as fs. lk, but I’m just mentioning 'em for the sake of completion and maybe someone might figure out something useful with 'em vs certain characters):
+1: fs.lk
+2: st.lk, cr.lp, cr.mp
+3: st.lp
+4: fs.lp
You can check the frame data for the rest of Akuma’s normals here (frame advantage for far st.lp is wrong there btw).
Akuma’s most used frame trap is probably cr.mp (or st.lk/cr.lp) slight delay > another cr.mp which on counter hit gives +8 frame advantage that you can combo into sweep or far roundhouse (1 frame link).
Here are some other frame traps (this isn’t a full list of Akuma’s frame traps):
1 Frame Window
cr.lp > st.mp
cr.mp > cr.lp
2 Frame Window
cr.mp > cr.mp
cr.lp > cr.mp
st.lk > cr.mp
cr.lp > st.hp
3 Frame Window
st.lp > cr.hp
cr.lp > cr.mk
cr.mp > cr.mk
st.lk > cr.mk
4 Frame Window
cr.lp > cr.hp
cr.mp > cr.hk
st.lk > fs.hp
cr.lp > fs.hp
fs.lp > fs.hk (vs large characters i.e Sagat, he’ll block the fs.lp while crouching)
6 Frame Window
st.lk > fs.hk
cr.mp > fs.hk
Far roundhouse should only be used as a frame trap vs characters that can’t dodge the 2nd kick of far HK while crouching to avoid being punished.
Just to be clear, I didn’t find these frame traps, credit goes to whoever posted in this thread: LoyalSol, West, ShinAkuma204, DevilKnight…etc (I’m not saying whether they discovered the frame traps or not, just where I got the info from).
Finally, if there’s any false information in this thread or you think something should be added to it (frame traps, other info…etc), please let me know so I’d update it.