So, I think it’s time to start talking about Alex’s blockstrings and mixups.
This game sf5 is designed (battle planned by woshige, a VERY high level GG player from Japan. Knowing that, we can see many GG concepts taken and balanced for streetfighter and put into sf5 to make a sf5 a great game in its own right that still has familiar roots, yet also a new way to play… 2 of the most obvious things sf5 borrows from GG are great, short range standing mp attacks, and also the fatal counter from GG imported into streetfighter via crush counter.
Knowing this, it becomes apparent that certain concepts from GG make their way into sf5… I’m creating this thread to talk about one of those concepts as they refer to Alex… Blockstrings, mixups and attack ranges:
- Cr.lp then
Fhp (extremely important)
Throw
Command grab
St.mp
Those are the main options… There are of course tertiary options like Alex’s overhead, but I feel those 4 listed are the main ones for simple plus frames and options on block while still having a throw threat.
- Cr.lpx2 and cancel into ex flash chop on hit, or on block:
Walk forward slightly and L or ex power bomb (this is a HUGE option as it gives Alex an actual throw threat after going for a blocked confirm, which few characters actually have)
St.mp xx LK elbow (this is also incredibly powerful when slightly delayed, ESPECIALLY when Alex has super as it’s an easy peasy hitconfirm into super for 412 damage)
St.hp xx LP or MP elbow (442 into super, or 150 damage into a mixup opportunity)
Jump attacks
I feel like Alex really shines with jumpin attacks in one huge area… He has a lot of frame advantage off of lots of his jump attacks. Particularly his jmk is probably severely underrated for its mixup potential on block. After having landed a blocked jumping attack… Depending on the height or attack he used he will have varying amounts of frame advantage, from huge dp advantage after blocked jmk, to punishable disadvantage from his D+HP aerial attack.
General ways to exploit his frame advantage on blocked jumpins:
Fhp (combos on hit, is a hitconfirm in itself, is frame advantaged on block… Basically a perfect move to use from frame advantage, is basically in autopilot territory for how powerful it is.
Command grab
Cr.lp or cr.lpx2
St.mp
Next up I think I’m going to compile as many of Alex’s CH options as possible and categorise all of them and see how many viable setups I can find/what the best CH options are.