Is there a thread with all of Rufus’ safejumps, unblockables, and most importantly ambiguous divekicks on knockdown. I’ve been in the lab but I can’t really get shit quite as ambiguous as ricky. His mixups and divekicks are so godlike and I can’t replicate them. I basically don’t know how to seriously mixup opponents on wake up. If there is can anyone direct me there or link me a video? If not would you guys mind lending me a few?
Question from a decent rufus player, what are the best options against the clore range preasure specially with characters that are happy using grabs and command grab mixups (makoto, feilong, grapple characters in general) i just panic when they manage to get a jump-in they can either jab me, tick throw, jab and inmediatelly command grab, they knock me down and the cycle repeats.
if i try to jump back i get caugh in their normals, if i block they grab me, if i try to OS grab they still grab me anyway, and i just stand there, they command grab me.
I don’t think anyone’s made a thread and that’s probably because it would be very hard to put in to words exactly what you have to do. Most of Rufus’ setups are situational and require a lot of match practice, although I guess maybe someone has the theory down.
I certainly feel your pain and there isn’t an easy answer but what I usually do in situations where I’m under lots of pressure and getting grabbed a lot is simply keep trying to jump away. Yes you might keep getting stopped by jabs or eat a combo, but inevitably they will try a grab or pause to see what your doing. I know it sounds pretty lame but in some cases you just need to get outta there!
how about a backdash, is it possible to simply smash BACK so you get a backdash during the holes of their mix ups?
Yes although Rufus’ backdash is so ass that depending on the character your up against it wouldn’t leave you at much advantage. For example Gief could walk forward a fraction and spd you, Seth could os a tanden engine etc.
It’s certainly worth mixing up between a backdash and jumping but I’d start off by jumping, then if they show that they can punish you consider backdashing. Obviously this all depends on how the other person is playing, some grapplers rely on the fear having a grab creates, so blocking can still work some of the time 
[INDENT=1][FONT=Helvetica]I actually have a few questions regarding rufus.[/FONT][/INDENT]
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[INDENT=1]1. What are a few good safe jump setups off foward throw and sweep? (Btw is this shit legit? and if it is is it still viable?) > [media=youtube]loU2Tvh9hss[/media][/INDENT]
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[INDENT=1]2. I have a habit of tri-jump cross up divekick on peoples wakeup, and if it hits, I’m not in range for a st.hp after my st.lk, is there some kind of universal crossup divekick set up?[/INDENT]
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[INDENT=1]3. Is there a list somewhere of suitable followups after a blocked ex massiah kick? Because I know you can delay shit and beat trade reversals after you do it?[/INDENT]
[INDENT=1][FONT=Helvetica]4. What is the input/movement of the stick required to execute an instant air divekick? And I’m talking about the really fast one where his feet barely leave the ground[/FONT][/INDENT]
[INDENT=1][FONT=Helvetica]5. What matchups should I be using ultra 2 on?[/FONT][/INDENT]
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[INDENT=1]Thanks[/INDENT]
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I’ve checked that in training mode and it seems like it will work, but it isn’t as simple as just throwing out a st.hp, you have to delay it a little and because of that it isn’t reliable, although with some practice it could be useful. My go to off a fwd.throw is double dash into crossup dk (or crossup mk depending on the character).
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If your out of range for st.lk - st.hp then st.lk - cr.lp xx ex gt is a good substitute if you have the meter, plus it’s an easy link.
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There’s probably a list somewhere, but basically lk followup can trade with some reversals (e.g Ryu) if delayed a small amount.
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It’s simply up, up-forward or up-back and then as quick as you can down-forward. Not complicated just requires practice
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I’ve stopped using u2 in any matchups but it can still be useful against fireball characters (Sagat, Rose etc) and against air dominant characters (Viper, Ibuki etc)
I’m trying to understand how his divekick works. I checked Rufus’ frame data, and it says his divekick is +7 on block, but on hit it’s spacing dependent. does this mean that at whatever height the divekick connects, it’s always +7 on block? that would make divekick, st. lk a true blockstring, right? (I find this kinda hard to believe though…)
the advantage depends of the height, higher dive kick = less advantage, the ideal is try to hit in the lower part of the body
so whats the +7 on block for then? why specifically +7 when its spacing dependent? is +7 the most block advantage you can get maybe?
Yes the +7 refers to the most frame advantage you could have. If you do an instant divekick right next to someone (assuming they aren’t a character with a busted hitbox…) then yes dk - st.lk would be a true blockstring. I’m not sure of the exact math behind how much you lose at different heights, but tbh you just need to spend more time with Rufus so it becomes automatic.
thanks for the info. i have never mained a divekicker before, but rufus is amazingly fun to play! i’m not sure if i will make him a new main, but i’m definitely having fun rushing people down with him. lost a lot of pp but oh well, lol.
i do have trouble with keeping the pressure on after a knockdown… what i do now:
after hp galactic tornado quickrise: walk forward a step jump towards hp
after f throw: dash x2 forward jump divekick really high (looks kinda hard to block, scored me tons of damage on shotos but seems easy to get out of if the opponent has a pinwheel/spinning bird kick kinda reversal.
backthrow: nothing tbh… divekick i guess?
sweep: also nothing
its hard to get in sometimes so i’d appreciate some tips on how to continue pressuring after a knockdown…
Can someone point me to a post or thread for rufus’ dive kick mixups off of a forward throw and on an opponents knock down in the corner (like after a tornado)?
Rufus needs a safejump/ambiguous setup thread. Anyone agree?
Im going to have to respectfully disagree. Safejumps are extremely useful but if you look around here for a bit they aren’t hard to find, there are videos on youtube detailing them to (also detailing oki). And why would we need to highlight ambiguous setups? He has a divekick
Ambig divekick setups lol. I have rufus as a pocket character but I constantly see questions asking what do I do after knockdown and how do I keep pressure.
And there are so many safejump setups but they should be organized, which is what a thread does.
Don’t really play Sf4 anymore but I may consider picking it back up and giving Rufus another spin, I just want to know the answers for some of the few things that bothered be when playing Rufus.
Reversals, everytime I go up against a ryu for instance and I divekick at them I obviously want to deal some pressure and score a tech trap into a BnB or a throw however I find it imposible seeing as most Ryu’s mash that fierce SRK which bloody hurts. Are there any ways around this? I know baiting is one of them but I find it tedious because If I cut my light attack block string short to bait an uppercut and they don’t actually uppercut, i’ve just given away my in their face positioning and will probably be pushed out again. What can I do reversals such as this? One thing I was thinking is just to go into a HP GT string to try and push them towards the corner however is st.lk st.hp HP GT a true blockstring?
Post sweep game, seriously, Wtf do I do after a sweep, an ambigous divekick may score me a hit but I can’t do a BnB off it or anything, what options are there?
St.lk, st.hp xx HP GT is not a true blockstring. And your problems with DPs (specifically from Shotos) are definitely ones that pose a challenge. The one thing I always keep in mind is that, typically, no one DPs only once. So if they’re mashing it out, get in that situation again and make them pay. SRK is massive risk for the player to take. If they don’t know that or don’t care about that, then punish them for their overaggressiveness/carelessness. If you want to stuff DPs outright, cross-up dive kick is the go-to. If you hit a cross-up dive kick while they’re DP’ing then be mindful that you won’t be able to go into a string as they will be airborne. Dive kicks high in the air will even trade with SRK.
The truth is this–against 3 frame DPs with invincibility (like SRK), you’re not going to be able to bulldog them to death with dive kicks unless you’re very crafty. Having SRK in their arsenal means that baiting becomes your main tool for drawing this out for the ensuing punish (which you need to make count). But again, cross-up dive kick is your friend as is paying attention to your opponent’s habits. Rufus does not have an inherent game plan like Guile or Sim. He has to take what the opponent gives him in a lot of scenarios.
Hmm really? What are Rufus’s GT strings then?
Yes, you can cross-up dive kick and perform a combo’d BnB off of it after a sweep. It isn’t the exact same timing and/or spacing for every character due to hitbox sizes though. Also, if a Shoto wakes up with DP, it will hit them while they are in the air and you will not be able to combo with your BnB, but it is safe on your part and stuffs their DP. Regarding the Shotos (or any character actually), you can usually open up anyone with dive kicks though, because after stuffing their wake up DPs 3 or 4 times in a row by hitting cross up, even the most stubborn players usually stop DPing and start blocking. That is when you then stop hitting them with the cross up dive kick and hit them with an ambiguous dive kick in the face for a full BnB combo. At that point you’ll have them guessing…