Asuka Kazama: Frametraps and Pressure

Classic Fighting Games Street Fighter x Tekken
1

Just thought it would be nice to have a topic divorced from the general discussion and combos to talk about what to do once you actually get in. Fact is, her footsies aren’t that great so you need to stay in once you’re there, and her overheads are either unsafe as hell or blockable on reaction. Both are fairly slow and thus vulnerable to reversals and standard poking.

A lot of standard frame traps utilize fast jabs and pokes that give you an advantage on block. I don’t actually think that’s a good idea, as Asuka has T-Rex arms and pushing yourself out is the last thing you want to do. You don’t have very many ways to force a stand block, so the normal sweep throw isn’t that great. Thus I would say that you should use her chains and cancel into a counter if you suspect they’re mashing. This WILL lose to mashed SRKs, Flash Kicks and other Airborne reversals, but against jabs and the like it works well. Sadly her EX Sweep Throw does not have strike invincibility, so anyone mashing jabs will beat it out as well. Her only advantage on block moves are her :lp: cr:lp: (her cl:lp: does not share this property) Whiplash Toe Kick (b:mp: :mk:)

As to staying in and keeping pressure on, you can effectively stay in via her CADC. Any cancelable move that gives at least 22 frames of blockstun is enough for you to dash right back in their face. Leg Sweep for example, should be done 3 times, then canceled into a CADC; puts you at +1 frames of advantage. Whiplash Toe Kick leaves you at +5 frames of advantage if you do this. You can safely do a CADC on any move with 20 frames of blockstun, although that will leave you at a disadvantage should you dash forward (does not work against Julia or Zangief). Thus I see no reason not to go to the 3rd Leg Sweep unless your opponent does not have a 3 frame jab and you hope to frame trap by ending at neutral frames. Remember, with any cancelable normal you can make it safe by just letting the Oni rip if you don’t want to backdash, but you will be at -1 frames. You can also charge it to try and frametrap.

Thoughts or anything to add?

2

interesting stuff i definitely think cadc is very important to her pressure game as well good stuff

3

Here’s how I currently play Asuka.

Asuka needs meter, badly. All these setups require a good amount of meter, and honestly, I don’t believe you can play Asuka without some of her metered threats.

When I play Asuka, I abuse the SHIT out of her Chains. Whenever I throw a s.LK out, I option select it with a s.MK and its almost always guaranteed to hit so far and chain into c.MP on reaction. If its a hit, you score a free Cancan into standard BnB. But when it’s blocked, the options get interesting.

My goal with Asuka is to do the longest chains possible on block to build the most meter that I possibly can and end off with a [s.MK - c.MP]. First, due to playing online a lot, I CADC to a backwards dash to see their reaction to pressure. I honestly don’t know her frame data off a CADC, but if I feel like I can beat out whatever button they’re pressing, I immediately go into CADC forward s.LP [s.MP - s.LP]… etc. Thats the first frame trap.

Second, more risky frame trap is CADC forward straight into an EX Cancan which she can link a f.LK into a combo for damage. If it doesn’t work, it pushes back pretty far to punish. You should be able to build meter for this option with your blockstrings.

If you have yomi, throw out the damn counter after c.MP. I’ve seen a bunch of people swing thinking they can pressure, but they’ll eat a counter. Just don’t cancel it from the c.MP or else the counter will be way too obvious. It’s too risky for them to walk up and throw with the distance of c.MP, and if you kept hitting s.LP after CADC, you prevent them from jumping as well.

When you get them to start being docile and holding down-back, you open up a TON of your game.

After c.MP xx CADC you can start throwing df.HK and CADC that into more frame advantage or hit confirm into launch.

Here’s where more meter usage comes in. Since it’s almost always standard to condition your opponents to block long blockstrings, you can break blockstings midway for mixups.

My standard meter building blockstring is:

s.LP [s.MP - s.LP] [s.MP - s.LK] [s.MK - s.MP] CADC.

Here’s a list of things you can do if you preemptively break your strings:

After [s.MP - s.LP]…

… f.MP overhead. The overhead moves Asuka’s body forward for another s.LP [s.MP - s.LP] confirm string.
… df.HK x 3. s.LP gives good frane advantage, keep opponents honest with the low.
… Counter. This is for mashers.

After [s.MP - s.LK]

… CADC Throw. This is a very awkward time to break the string. Not much of an advantage, use sparingly for surprise.
… CADC EX Cancan. They’ll usually react to the dash in with a button, throw tech or stuffer, so hit them with your invincible EX move.
… EX Command Throw. This is my favorite option. They usually don’t hold up-back due to the standard s.MK afterwards. This is a really good option and hits right on the range of EX Command Throw. And if you don’t know, EX version hits both crouching and standing, and I’ll gladly take that 180 dmg anyday.

In all, you have to take risks, but for the most part, these all are pretty decent risk-reward ratios if you ask me. You won’t get caught too easily with this pressure, at least yet.

Feel free to add any other possibilities for Asuka AND FRAME DATA (which I desperately want D: PLZ) and criticisms of this kind of Offensive Pressure.

EDIT:

Added note, Alpha Counters blow this shit up if your opponent knows what you’re doing, but you make them waste a meter… so moral victory?

I guess thats when s.LP pressure comes more important, but that move is ass.

4

I don’t have the frame data on hand, but would cr.LP xN into f.LK be any good for a frame trap? The cr.LPs move you away but f.LK moves you forward slightly. It wouldn’t be something you abuse a lot, just one of those ‘every now and then’ things.

5

Frame data for moves on hit/block

s.lp +6/+2;
stand mp -1/-5;
stand HP -4/-9,
stand lk (close and far, both hit low) +3/ -1;
stand mk -1/ -5,
stand HK -4/-9

c.lp +6/+2 ,
c.mp +3/-1;
c. HP+3/ -12
cr. lk +3/ -1 (and the worst hitbox in the game),
cr. mk -4/-8,
cr. HP +3/-12

jump HP +20/+8

Forward MP +3 /- 8, forward MK Bound / -2

s.MP -1/-5 -> LP chain = +2/-2
MP -> Lk chain = -1/-5 (does not hit low)

Mk -> c.Mp chain = -1/ -1

Back Mp -2/-5 -> Mk = +3/+3 (!);
Back Mp -> C. Mk = Knockdown/0

Heron dance completley unsafe unless you go into sacred blade, then you’re at 0

Second hit of leg cutter string leaves you at 0, the rest is punishable and negetive

first hit of “rekkas” -3/-6, second hit -4/-7, final hit Knockdown/-10

all specials unsafe except oni, leaves you at +2/-1

hope that helps, any other normals you’re looking for?

Edit: frame data and low priority normals look like Asuka is not amazing at frame traps :frowning:

additonal edit: all this accoreding to brady guide, not confirmed by independent testing

Super turbo edit: added data on hit

6

I don’t need the frame data just on block, I need the entire frame data to calculate recovery and frame advantage off CADCs.

7

give me a minute, I’ll edit it in.

8

Anything else you need I missed?

MORE EDITS: Jesus, this is a mess, I’m at work at the moment, I’ll give it a full breakdown when I get home. The edit function is not working correctly and is not saving my changes.

9

upkicks is unsafe on paper, and in most situations really is unsafe, but against a lot of the cast you can do it at a safe range.

10

Wait a minute…I’m actually trying to learn Asuka now… am I to believe that you can dash cancel out of almost any of her moves likes her S.MKxx cr.MP and that puts her into enough frame advantage to block???

11

I need Active and Recovery frames ideally.

All of her Unique Moves are cancelable except for f.LK and f.LP I believe.

EDIT: Also f.HK, b.MP, f.MP I believe, this is off the top of my head so go find out.

I’ve tested [s.MK > c.MP] CADC on training mode with All Block then setting the computer to jump on first available frame, she looks to be no slower than -1 and also right in their face after CADC. If you [b.MP > d.MK] CADC, it’s like +3 on block, same with df.HK x 3 CADC as well.

12

doing her [MK > cr.MP] is also really good at footsie range. You can do st.lp…back up a bit and do that target combo for a hit-confirm. It works really well for me. If they block you can CADC backwards or forward for pressure, or just end it with Oniku. You can also continue with a st.lk to a [MK > cr.MP] for added pressure after that string, she has just enough range for it. It’s wise to do it if they are afraid of the counter or don’t mash a reversal tho.

13

This thread is pure gold. Everytime I get Asuka into a team combo, I go for the j. hp ambiguous cross-up, then st. mp to st. lp string and then I had no idea what the fuck to do after that. This is too helpful, nice work guys.

14

The values will be “SD on hit/SD on Block” with no CADC, and the next will be “SD on hit/SD on Block” with a perfect CADC forwards.

HK: -4/-9 ; +2/-3
MP>LK: -1/-5 ; +2/-2
MP>LP: +2/-2 ; +2/-2
MK>dMP: -1/-1 ; -2/-2
bMP>MK: +3/+3 ; +7/+7
dfHK>dfHK: 0/0 ; +1/+1
dfHK>dfHK>dfHK: na/-8 ; na/+2

That should be all the relevant points, hopefully I didn’t mess up my math too much.

15

Complete frame data for her and other characters: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/lv?key=0ApPlWhz-bEuHdDM2blEydzhDY1BJOC1Qdm9mZ09yRlE&f=true&noheader=false&gid=59

I got it from Gilley post in the Guile forums.

16

wow linking jab after overhead is 1 frame? for some reason I don’t think heihachi’s is that hard

17

It can be a bit easier if you do it from further range or as a meaty attack on wakeup, it has a nice amount of active frames (5 I think?)

18

Frametraps in this game don’t feel the same as AE though if they’re even present at all; pushing a button/letting go of the stick means you’re getting hit, I don’t think you have to leave room for the opp to push something. Besides that, I’m with Korbidon, most of her moves don’t have that much frame advantage where she has enough room to frame-trap. At least in AE where many people’s cr.jab had 6+ frames on block.

That being said : cl.jab, cl.jab really close a frame trap, it’s a 3 frame jab and it leaves +2, which means the opp has -1 frame to push something if you will, you can do one or two jabs, walkup-throw, if you expect that then follow up with jab-uppercut strings. There’s no point in stopping short from the jab uppercut because of the big disadvantage it leaves, always end with st.mk -> cr.mp either by itself or cancelled into the onigiri

Heron Dance (fwd.mk) by itself is a dumb move, but ending in cr.mk it leaves 0 on block, knockdown on hit. Back.mp -> mk, with a perfectly timed st.lp is a true string, cannot be beaten/reversal’d.

cr.HP looks like a risky but rewarding move, especially for footsies: one of her bigger hit-boxes, 9 frame startup 5 frames active, but if it hits, +3 on block, and if it counterhits it deals a crumple. It looks like it will be very useful with slow-normal characters like Hugo, and asuka’s major disavantages are grapplers (since she relies on close-quarters). +3 is also alarming ie. linking st.jab, maybe in some crazy corner-specific instance cr.hp followed by st.jab can be linked. Have to test

We just need a player to demonstrate all of her possibilities in match play, matchup-specific stuff is what’s going to make her good, coupled with her damaging bnbs and building huge meter.

19

Her long chains are good for building meter, even if they resort to alpha counter to get you off. As far as footsies goes I think st.mk is a lot better then people think. It stuffs a lot and can be whiff canceled into cr.mp oni which is safe on block, or upkicks for a full combo.

The main reason to not do three leg cutters is its interrupt-able and can be reversal’d. Same with any leg cutter string. She doesn’t have too much for safe pokes like her counterpart Lili. Onikubigari is great as a blockstring ender, and can sometimes leave you in position to stick out cr.lk or st.lk > st.mk > cr.mp, stuff jumps with j.mp and beat backdashes with sweep throw. Just be wary of the matchup and what counterpokes they like to use, and whether throwing out counter is worth it. Charging oni can be a good way to stagger your string and bait a button, dash cancel backwards if they DP. The sooner you can get them to stop pressing buttons there the more likely they won’t react to CADC. If you do a tight CADC, throwing out counter after your - moves can keep people somewhat wary. Besides that I don’t think she has too much to reset pressure/stay in without heavy conditioning. Your opponent would have to be pretty scared of your counter and baiting skills.

I think your best bet to use her +frame strings are after tag cancels. Short blockstun moves can still give you time to do whiplash -> toe kick. Longer blockstun tags can let you start-up an overhead. If you have a partner with ideal lockdown moves(like hwoa’s hunting hawk or ken tatsu), you can go for an ambiguous cross-up, then use the +frames off the jump-in to start CADC pressure.

Once they’re knocked down I try to stay point blank and use the 4 active frames of cr.lp to hit meaty and maximize frame advantage. Potential +5-6 on block, and lets me jump back j.HP on reaction to rolls.

She is best to use 2nd when you have the lead in my opinion. Her long blockstrings can stall timer, and forcing people to come to her makes her very annoying to deal with. Also the ability to build meter for her ex grabs to make her a threat once she comes in. Upkicks are also good for tag-ins. Maintaining pressure with her for me just means using my meter and teammate.

20

Whiplash to Toe Kick xx CADC > cr.hp would be awesome if cr.hp wasn’t -12 on block (according to frame data).

WtTK xx CADC leaves you at +7 and cr.hp has a 9 frame start-up and crumples upon counter hit, would be godlike if cr.hp wasn’t so unsafe. I wonder if you can tag the cr.hp to make it safe, doubt it though.