Ken Combos and Glitches

Classic Fighting Games Capcom VS SNK 2
1

List your favorite combos here using standard abbreviation conventions. Include the proper damage from the training data in training mode.

In order to get an accurate number, make sure to set your character’s super meter to either “Normal” or “Max Start” because “Infinity” and “Recover” will give the combo an illegal damage boost. Also, make sure to perform the combo against P-Groove or A-Groove because some of the other grooves have meter-based defense bonuses. Finally, make sure to perform the combo when the opponent has a full lifebar, because otherwise the damage will be reduced depending on how low the opponent’s health is.

Also, discuss any glitches or bugs the character has, not including Roll Cancel. RC discussion belongs in a strategy thread.

2

Here are some combos straight from my FAQ, which is hosted at Gamefaqs and neoseeker.
I don’t own a copy of CvS2, so I don’t have the stun/damage data for the combos.

1) d.LK + d.LP + d.LK/s.LK xx Nata Otoshi Geri

This is arguably the safest combo in the game. Off the the top of my head, I can’t think of another combo that leaves you at +2 on block or hit. Along with giving you the initiative, this combo does significant guard damage on blocked and fair damage on hit. The only drawbacks are you need to be in close to start the combo and the Nata Otoshi Geri portion whiffs on a crouching Maki, Iori, and Athena.

2) close s.HK xx HP Shouryuu Ken/Oosoto Mawashi Geri

This combo is for damage. If you have no meter and get a guard break or a large opening, use the Shouryuu Ken variant. This variant has the added bonus of leaving you very close to the opponent after the combo. Continue pressure with a meaty attack, or crossup with LP Zenpou Tenshin. Use the Oosoto Mawashi Geri variant when you don’t want the opponent close to you.

**3) d.LK x 2 xx Super of choice **

This is the combo to use during in close pokes. The first d.LK serves as a check. If it hits, you know the second d.LK will hit and can safely cancel to super. In C-Groove, cancel to lv 2 Shouryuu Reppa and do a level 2 cancel for the most damage.

4) d.MK/d.HP xx Shouryuu Reppa/Shippu Jinrai Kyaku

Same function as combo 2, but you have meter this time. When possible, use Shippu Jinrai Kyaku variant for the most damage when not in C-Groove.

**5) Small jump HK + LP Shouryuu Ken **

Useful little combo for small jump Grooves. Scores a knockdown for subsequent pressure.

6) d.MK/d.HP/d.HK/d.MP xx Hadou Ken

Classic Hadou Ken combos. Still useful for pushing the opponent back, but depending on distance are not always safe; use with discretion. Do not use when opponent has a lv 3 or full A-Groove
that can blow through Hadou Kens. Limit use against characters with strong rolls.

-C-Groove Cancels-

**7) Combo 3 or 4 (with lv 2 Shouryuu Reppa) xx LP Zenpou Tenshin (a), (b)

(a) MP Shouryuu Ken

(b) HP Shouryuu Ken OR lv 1 Shinryuu Ken**

This is a mid screen C-Groove cancel. Use route (a) when you want to follow the combo with a meaty ambiguous crossup. The MP Shouryuu Ken sets you in perfect position this type of crossup. The suggested way to do an ambiguous crossup is to hold F then roll to UF. If the crossup connects then use combo 2 (HP Shouryuu Ken variant). This will dizzy the opponent. Use route (b) when you want to get the most damage out of the combo by itself.

8) Combo 3 or 4 (with lv 2 Shouryuu Reppa) xx Nata Otoshi Geri + LP Shouryuu Ken + lv 1 Shinryuu Ken

This is a corner variant of combo 7. Unlike the Zenpou Tenshin, the Nata Otoshi Geri will build meter for you. If you are just short of a lv 1 Shinryuu Ken, this could fill up your bar. If you choose not to end with a super, the extra meter can be saved for another lv 2 super. Like combo 7, you can go for an ambiguous crossup after this combo.

9) Combo 3 or 4 (with lv 2 Shouryuu Reppa) xx LK Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku + lv 1 Shinryuu Ken

Included because should you miss the xx portion of combo 7 or 8, you have a second chance at completing a cancel with combo 9.

3

Ever go for Ken d.LP, d.LP, d.LK xx level two combos at midscreen, but have the d.LK xx level two completely whiff because you were a pixel out of range? This happens to me a lot unfortunately. I confirm that my two jabs have hit, then I cancel into d.LK xx super immediately. Not so good. Now I haven’t done this in a real match yet, but I’m going to start linking into d.MK xx level 3 qcb, qcb+K instead.

d.LP, d.MK, (hit confirm), level 3 for defensive purposes as well.

4

Yup. Happens with d.LK + d.LP + d.MK xx Shouryuu Reppa too. In fact, I found that whenever you hit d.MK from about Ken’s foot to slightly before his knee that super will sometimes not reach, even at level 3.

I think the only thing to be careful of with d.LP + d.MK xx Shippu is negative edge. There have been a lot of times where I mess up because I forget to hold d.MK and get a hurricane kick, which isn’t good.

5

Hey, do you guys want to get better at CvS2? Pick C-Ken against K-anybody (I picked Blanka), set the dummy guard to “random just defense”, and now practice hit confirming chained low shorts comboed into a super. If you don’t properly time the low shorts, you’re going to lose to the legendary tactic of JD, mash on throw.

Everybody agrees Buk is the strongest player here right? I don’t even have to ask him and I’ll guarantee to anybody that he practices this exact same exercise but with Iori and Hibiki.

6

why not just do c.jab, c.short into super or c.short x 2 into super? and why do c.fwd into lvl 3 unless you’re out of range for lvl 2?

7

Here’s some of My favorites:

Cross Up Foward, s.Fierce, Fierce DP (devastating to health and stun).

[Jump in Strong, air tatsumaki, c.short lvl. 2 shoryureppa] Rh ryusenkyaku/ Rh tatsumaki

Jump in RH, c.RH xx lvl. 3 shinryuken.

Anyone know if you can connect a c.strong with a c.foward?

8

Replace the close s.HP w/ close s.HK, more damage & stun.

Only if the c.MP hits as a counterhit. c.MP has +4 davantage on hit/block, c.MK has 4 frames of start-up.

9

I play mainly N-Ken, some combos I use:

-c.LP, close s.HK x hcf+LK
damage: 2800
stun: 28

I’m still debating with myself whether or not I should be using this combo instead of the regular Funky Kick combo (#1 on The V’s post).
It does 500 more damage than the regular Funky Kick combo, and if it’s blocked it eats a big chunk of guard meter. However, it pushes Ken farther away from the opponent than the regular combo. Also, I had issues with the Funky Kick randomly whiffing against Cammy and a few other smaller characters, especially in the corner.

Options if the c.LP, close HK gets blocked:

One good thing thing about this combo is the +4 advantage of the close s.HK; in theory you could do c.LP, close s.HK and then walk up a bit and do CH c.LK/MK. If they’re afraid of getting hit by the low attack and keep blocking you could walk up further and throw them. In theory it works, but since I don’t have anybody good to play against in the town I live, I’m not really sure how well that really works against a good opponent.

Other options:

-c.LP, close s.HK, qcb+LK
Against regular & small characters your options after this would be c.LK/s.LK x hcf+LK. Against bigger characters it’s possible to follow this with c.LK(2x) xx Super or c.LK > s.LK x hcf+LK.

-c.LP, close s.HK, qcb+LP
After this you can follow it with c.LK(2x) xx Super or c.LK > s.LK x hcf+LK against any character.

In both cases, after the special move you can walk up a step and throw your opponent or walk up and start the combo again (which will drain their guard meter if they just keep blocking). Also, you can mix it up with low jumps or do a LP Shoryuken after the qcb+LP/LK (Combofiend style, yay!).

-c.LK(3x) xx lvl 3 Shoryureppa
damage: 6680 (N), 7375 (K)
stun: 9

-c.LK(3x) xx lvl 3 Kick Super
damage: 6780 (N), 7485 (K)
stun: 9

Your basic hitconfirm combos. The difference in damage between the Shoryureppa version and the Kick Super version is 100 damage points in N and 110 damage points in K, so I often find myself using the Shoryureppa version for the sake of consistency. I can pull off the Kick Super version at will on a good day but on a regular day I’d rather use the Shoryureppa version to avoid messing up.

-c.MK xx lvl 3 Kick Super
damage: 6280 (N), 6835 (K)
stun: 9

The damage listed is what you get if the c.MK hits from maximum distance, you can get more damage the closer you are to the opponent. Shoryureppa doesn’t combo off maximum distance c.MK, even at lvl 3 so Kick Super is the super to use in this situation. This combo is especially useful in N & K due to the fact that those grooves have run.

-c.HP xx lvl 3 Shoryureppa
damage: 6920 (N), 7645 (K)
stun: 11

-c.HP xx lvl 3 Kick Super
damage: 7620 (N), 8415 (K)
stun: 11

-c.LP, c.HP xx lvl 3 Shoryureppa
damage: 7160 (N), 7915 (K)
stun: 13

-c.LP, c.HP xx lvl 3 Kick Super
damage: 7260 (N), 8025 (K)
stun: 13

Combos for punishment situations. I was surprised when I saw the difference in damage in the different variants of the combo. I’m guessing the combos with the links push Ken farther away from the opponent and cause the first couple of hits of either super to miss, thus the reduction in damage.

-close s.HK x dp+LP, lvl 3 Shinryuken (corner only)
damage: 8800 (N), 9690 (K)
stun: 30

This is my favorite Ken combo. Massive damage and stun, especially in K.
I’ve seen Combofiend doing a combo like this but without the initial close s.HK. The situation in which this combo comes in handy is if you guard crush a cornered opponent. Any of Ken’s guard crushing moves give you enough time to run up to the opponent and start the combo. Timing is pretty tight but it’s doable in real matches and it seems to work on everybody (I can do it even against small characters but for some reason it seems easier to do against bigger characters, at least for me). Doing the combo without the initial close s.HK seems easier in terms of timing but if you add the s.HK in the beginning it adds a significant amount of damage and stun to the combo. The Shinryuken gets the opponent out of the corner and sets up cross-up opportunities afterwards.