Elena Setup/Mixup Thread

Classic Fighting Games Ultra Street Fighter IV
1

Share your mixups/setups/strategies here!

Been messing around with Elena solely in the lab for about a week and found that she has some interesting setups/mixups, particularly off of mk SS. Here are the ones I’ve found along with additional information for the setups and other info that I thought was a little interesting as well.

Note: These all assume frame perfect timing

Kara backthrow - lk~lp backthrow (moves her 1 microsquare)

Elena Setups

setups

[details=Spoiler]Setups

off LK/MK/HK SS:

dash, meaty f.mp
dash, HP mallet smash Note: not meaty, but beats every backdash in the game
dash, slight pause(around 3 frames), meaty EX MS
dash, c.lp, meaty sweep
dash, walk forward, meaty c.lk
dash x2, meaty c.lk
dash, walk forward, kara backthrow
dash, slight walk forward, meaty c.mk

Off LK/MK/HK SS(no quick rise)

dash, f.mp, dash, meaty f.mp
dash, f.mp, dash, st.lk, perfectly meaty c.lk
dash, f.mp, st.lp, dash, meaty throw
dash, HP mallet smash, very slight pause(approx 1-2 frames), meaty f.mp
dash, HP mallet smash, s.lp, perfectly meaty c.lk
dash x2, lp MS, meaty s.hk

off LK/MK/HK SS(after option 1, 4, or 5 of SS setup)

dash, slight pause(around 3 frames), meaty EX MS resets to f.mp spaced SS setup
dash, c.lp, meaty sweep
dash x2, meaty c.lk *resets to f.mp spaced MK SS setup
dash x2, meaty throw

Off LK/MK/HK SS(after option 1, 4, or 5 of SS setup) (no quick rise)
dash, c.lp, s.hk, c.mp, meaty EX MS
dash x2, f.mp, meaty f.mp
dash x2, s.lp, c.mp, perfectly meaty f.mp can link c.mp after

off backthrow

dash x2, very slight walk forward, meaty f.mk can combo after
dash x2, meaty EX MS character specific
dash x2, walk forward, meaty c.lk
dash x2, walk forward, kara backthrow
dash x2, meaty b.HK (can combo with c.lp after)

off backthrow (DWU)
dash x2, c.lp, meaty f.mk
dash x2, c.mp, meaty c.lk
dash x2, c.mp, meaty throw
dash x2, s.lk, meaty s.hk

Off sweep

dash, pause 1 frame, meaty f.mp
dash x2, meaty cr.lk
cr.mk, meaty EX MS
dash, st.lp, meaty throw

Off Sweep (DWU)

dash, st.lp, perfectly meaty f.mk
dash, st.mp, meaty c.lk

Off lk Lynx Lynx

very slight walk forward, meaty f.mp
dash, meaty f.mk(can combo after)

Off EX SW(corner only)

very slight walk forward, perfectly meaty f.mp can link c.mp after Note: if you got EX MS from a combo and link c.mp and do an EX MS loop afterwards you you will do over 1000 stun in total essentially stunning almost all of the cast

Off hk lynx(in corner)

c.hp, meaty f.mp can link c.mp after
s.hp, meaty f.mk can combo after
Slight walk forward, safe jump j.mk 4 frame safe jump

off hk lynx(midscreen/corner)

dash x2, perfectly meaty f.mp can link c.mp after
dash x3, meaty c.lk
Slight walk forward, safe jump j.mk 4 frame safe jump

off hk lynx(midscreen/corner) DWU

dash, s.hk, s.lk, meaty c.lk
dash x2, s.lp, meaty f.mk(can combo after)
dash x2, c.mk, meaty, c.lk

[/details]

Setup Tiers off SS

setup tiers off mk SS

Spoiler

S tier

Honda
Blanka
Hakan(S-)

A tier

Yun(A++)
Yang(A++)
Adon(A++)
Oni(A++)
sakura(A+)
Guy(A+)
Bison
Cammy
Rufus
Hugo
Makoto
Rose
Decapre
Ibuki
Elena(A-)
Fei Long(A-)
Vega(A-)
Chun-Li(A-)
Ken(A-)
Akuma(A-)
Gouken(A-)
Evil Ryu (A-)
Ryu(A-)

B tier

El Fuerte
Zangief
Dudley
Dhalsim
Abel
Dan
Sagat
Rolento(B-)
Viper(B-)
Deejay(B-)
Poison(B-)

C tier

Cody
Juri
Gen
Guile
Balrog
T Hawk

D tier

Seth

Setup tier explanation

Spoiler

D – special ranking for Seth. Cannot do an f.MP, without delaying it compared to the rest of the cast. When done, he is also the furthest away from Elena vs anyone else in the cast, so you cannot do any options that require you to walk forward.
C – These characters cannot be comboed after a successful f.mp combo during a spin scythe setup. Other setups like hp mallet smash or ex mallet smash after a spin scythe still work however. C and D tiers are the weakest as you cannot continue your vortex perpetually after a successful f.mp mixup and most instead rely on burning meter for an overhead mixup or her other mixup options instead.
B – The B tiers are separated into standard B and B – tiers. In general if a character is in B tier that means they can only be comboed out of a successful f.mp mixup after an EX mallet smash combo or loop. After every successful f.mp combo, your next setup off a spin scythe cannot be an f.mp combo if you want to go for an overhead, but instead must be either an EX mallet or hp mallet combo as your spacing resets you to the spacing of a C tier character. Meaty lows must also always be confirmed with c.lp, rather than c.mp to be able to successfully cancel into another spin scythe(i.e. c.lp, c.lp, c.lp xx mk SS) using c.mp will cause the normal to whiff. All other mixups should still work on them though. A character with B- means that you can also be punished if you miss the the link after a successful f.mp.

A – A tiers have been separated into A-, A, A+, and A++. The differences are this:

  • All A tiers can be comboed out of a successful f.mp mixup without having to burn 1-2 meters for an EX mallet combo or loop beforehand. meaty lows done by walking forward after a dash can be confirmed with c.mp

  • A- tiers share all the traits of an A tier but with the negative that if you miss an f.MP link, the opponent can punish your blocked SS.

  • A+ tiers are characters that share the same traits as standard A tiers, but with the positive that bait options are strengthened as you can confidently combo into s.HP after a baited DP. End with hk SS to continue her vortex after a bait or go into an mk RH combo if you are near the corner for EX SW setups

  • A++ tiers share the same traits as A+ tiers plus any pressure string of 3 normals canceled into a SS cannot be punished by the opponent.

S – Has all the traits of an A tier character, but with the additional benefit that after any EX mallet combo or loop, if doing a successful f.MP mixup, you are still within the f.mp spacing, meaning that you can do a second f.mp mixup without needing to do an EX MS or another setup to get back within the prime spacing if you want to use f.MP again.
Blanka and Honda share the same traits of Hakan, but unlike Hakan, you don’t need to confirm or combo out of an EX MS to get access to c.lp, c.lp after a successful f.mp combo. If comboing into f.mp after SS you’re still within range to do another dash, f.mp if you choose. Of the two, Honda is the highest ranked as a Blanka can punish your pressure strings cancelled into SS as well as an f.mp linked into c.lp and canceled into SS. Honda cannot and must eat chip damage like all A++ tiers making him by far the most free to Elena’s pressure/mixups.

Additional info I’ve found with Elena:

EX MS whiffing

Spoiler

EX MS, c.lp, c.mp xx EX MS will whiff on:

Sakura
Oni
Yun
Yang
Honda
Decapre
Makoto
Akuma
Adon
Dhalsim
Elena

use EX MS, c.lp, c.lp, c.mp xx EX MS instead if a character is on this list

mk SS punish list

mk SS punish list

Spoiler

Characters that can punish well spaced Spin Scythe(ie max range c.lp xx mk SS): ** = 1 frame link

Vega
Ryu
ken
Akuma
Evil Ryu
Deejay
Rolento
Poison
Elena
Fei Long
Blanka
Gouken
Rolento
Viper**
Guy**
Dan**
Fei Long**

Characters that can’t punish a perfectly spaced Spin Scythe:

Cody
Rose
Oni
Bison
makoto
Yun
Yang
Seth
Rufus
Balrog
Dudley
Abel
Cammy
Decapre
Guile
El Fuerte
Adon
Sakura
Zangief
THawk
Hugo
Hakan
Sagat

Characters that can punish a SS from a hitconfirm (i.e. c.lp, c.lp, c.mp xx mk SS)

Vega
Cody
sakura
Sagat
Rose
Makoto
Guile
Ryu
ken
Akuma
Evil Ryu
Deejay
Rolento
Poison
Elena
Blanka
Gouken
Rolento
Chun-Li**
Viper**
Guy**
Dan**
Fei Long**

Characters that cant punish a SS from a hitconfirm (i.e. c.lp, c.lp, c.mp xx mk SS)

Yun
Yang
Seth
Rufus
Balrog
Dudley
Abel
Cammy
Decapre
Zangief
THawk
Hugo
Hakan
Oni
Bison
Honda
El-Fuerte
Dhalsim
Dan

Try these out and see if they work for you. If I’ve made a mistake let me know as well!

2

Off of hk lt she has a 4 frame safejump. If she walks backwards or forwards slightly then jump mk.

3

Yeah might as well add the safe jumps to this as well. I remember someone posting a vid of a meaty St. HP setup that works on some characters, I’ll see if I can find the video.

4

It’s in the video thread.

5

Off any RH you get a 4 frame safejump just hold up forward. They need to quick rise though and it crosses up in the corner.

Seems like it crosses fei long up. It may cross up other characters too. I’m doing cr.mp xx LK RH hold up during RH jump mk. That’s the safe jump and it only works if your opponent quick rises.

Edit: it crosses up midscreen and corner. I’m not sure if but late non reversal dp may beat it. I’m having a tough time timing it consistently.

If you’re opponent is mashing srk on wake up this set up will cause the dp to whiff depending on the strength. Tested on Ryu. Non reversal light dp trades.

6

Nice setup, thanks for sharing! I would like to point out, though, that I believe calling it a “4 frame safejump” is incorrect, from how you described it losing to late dp. A 4 frame safejump should land just in time to block 4 frame reversals but get hit by 3 framers like srk, not just make them whiff due to positioning, though I suppose a combination of both may be possible. I’ll have to test this out after work :slight_smile:

7

Yeah it may not be a true safe jump I found it pretty hard to dp it though. At least for me. But it’s not a simple as non reversal dp beating it.

8

@onemic do these set ups work for all versions of SS or just mk?

9

I mainly tested off mk SS as that’s the version that will be most commonly used, but they work on all versions

I’ll update the OP to reflect that.

10

That’s cool to know.

11

Yeah definitely not a 4 frame (or even 5 frame) safejump, but it can be safe from a lot of reversals due to the way it crosses up, including 3 framers like Ryu’s dps as you mentioned. For me only LK and MK Rhino Horn (point blank) will give a crossup setup midscreen, though they all work in the corner of course. Character specific, Dee Jay for example won’t get crossed up midscreen and his EX upkicks will beat this every time.

12

Ah I see I wouldn’t think it would work on Dee jay. What kind of timing did you have on the moves you tested?

13

Couple things I am working on. I’m really trying to work on my stun game. I like playing the stun game mixed with heal since if you react to stun you can get a full heal or a canceled heal and still combo. I’ll be adding more later but here are some things I found.

These are stun set ups from the corner off a c.lp, c.lp BNB. I am working on midscreen stun game as well as the stun game off whiff punishing.

**(corner, quick rise) c.lp -> c.lp -> c.mk -> LK SS -> HK SW (204 DMG, 366 STUN)
Follow up with:
slight walk forward -> meaty f.mp -> (can link) c.mp -> EX MS -> c.lp -> c.mp -> LK RH -> EX SW (370 DMG, 522 STUN) **

Leaves it at 888 stun for 1 throw to stun unscaled. React to stun with Heal or j.hp -> s.hp -> MK RH -> EX DP (427 DMG with throw). This will give you either full heal or a maximum of 1001 DMG. This will build 1 bar by the time you need the EX MS so you only need 1 bar to make this work since you will build 1 in the process. If you don’t have 2 bars you can replace the LK RH -> EX SW with LK SS -> HK SW leaving you at 867 stun. Not enough for throw but enough for a heavy attack to stun.

(corner, quick rise) c.lp -> c.lp -> c.mk -> LK SS -> MK SW (204 DMG, 356 STUN)
Follow up with:
whiff c.lk -> meaty f.mk -> (can link) c.lp -> c.mk -> EX MS -> c.lp -> c.mk -> LK RH -> EX SW (325 DMG, 494 stun)

Leaves it at 850 stun for a heavy attack stun. This will build 1 bar by the time you need the EX MS. If you don’t have 2 bars you can replace the LK RH -> EX SW with LK SS -> HK SW leaving you at 832 stun.

**c.mk -> EX MS -> c.lp -> c.mp -> HK LT (272 DMG, 370 STUN)
Follow up with:
dash -> whiff c.mp -> meaty f.mk -> (can link) c.lp……
dash -> whiff c.lk -> meaty f.mp -> (can link) c.mp…… **

I’ll be adding editing this later to add to the whiff punishing section

**c.lp -> c.mk -> HK LT -> b.hk -> j.mk **

This seems to be a really good safe jump. It even seems to work with DWU. I used the c.lp, c.mk just for spacing reasons. Makes it easier to set up after a EX MS. I haven’t done too much testing on this but it worked with all of Ryu’s shoryuken as well as Fei Long. Still need to do more testing though.