Yes and no. You can never safe jump Blanka, Ken, or Akuma because they have moves that hit on the first frame (as in 0 frame start up moves). You can safe jump everyone else, but some easier than others depending on how fast their reversal move(s) is/are. I’m assuming you know enough about safe jumps that I don’t have to explain it, but if you need me or anyone else to, just ask. A lot of safe jump setups (at least the ones I try to use) start with an early j. jab or j. short so that they hit late. I think Ken’s j. punches only have cancelable fames toward the beginning so you can’t do the same trick. You’ll have to hit jab and qcb + k all in a quick motion.
What’s happening? At the moment the only advice I can think to tell you is to hit buttons sooner. Which block string are you using? Are you using cr. forward or cr. roundhouse after the air HK?
Sweep :lp: and :mp: DP’s followed by a cross-up or mix-up. For :hp: SRK’s, I suggest :mk: > :hk: tatsu > throw. Again, that combo is ridiculous. One whiffed :hp: SRK and it’s ggs.
I don’t use the RH Tatsu into Throw technique a lot, primarily cuz I suck at timing a throw after a Tatsu, but also cuz I try to space my Tatsus to hit at the tip of the foot, as opposed to hitting really deep. I’m sure it’s a good technique, and I really should try to practice it more. Good stuff. :china:
These videos are a great example of the built-in DP technique:
SIN (Boxer, Honda x2) vs. Aniken (Ken x3)
[media=youtube]dLsfSNDzLMQ&feature=player_embedded&#t=3m5s"[/media] that stuffs a reversal Sumo Splash
[media=youtube]dLsfSNDzLMQ&feature=player_embedded&#t=3m56s"[/media] Safe j short whiffed into built-in Shoryuken that stuffed the reversal Super, followed immediately by another safe j Short (with a built-in Shoryuken) that was blocked into a combo string. Aniken messed up the combo, but it shows you quite clearly the advantages of the built-in Shoryuken technique.
The built-in DP technique really helps out a lot of characters (Ken, Ryu, Hawk, Cammy, Fei, Sagat). Once you’ve trained your opponent to block, you’re guaranteed a tick throw setup.
Question: To the best of my knowledge, Ken’s jump forward :hk: stuffs Blanka’s roll; could you safe jump with it? If he blocks, you have a way to extend your offense, if he goes for the roll, it’ll get stuffed.
I highly recommend that you do. Doing the combo nets you 6 hits on Dic, Claw and Sim. Sim in particular is quite susceptible to the combo as he gets dizzy before the throw. Everyone else (save for a few select) become dizzy after the throw. It’s the closest thing Ken has to a ToD.
What is the situation regarding the reliability/safety of this?
Who has frame(s) advantage after the tatsu has hit at it’s deepest?
Is it something that is pretty safe to use on most characters, or would you just not bother on guys that you normally can’t safe jump?
How strict is the spacing? Does it have to be a point blank tatsu, or is there some margin of error for how close you need to be?
Any particular reason why a throw would be better than a hold, or is it just for dizzy rather than throw ranges?
Sorry for all the questions, just in my experience it hasn’t been that reliable. Maybe I was doing it wrong.
I did some tests a page or so back, its character dependent, some characters the hk tatsu doesn’t even combo on like guile, and some it hits as many as five times.
So basically, as long as the tatsu hits it’s minimum amount of hits, you can go for a free throw, providing the guy you are attempting it on doesn’t have a reversal that hits in the first 2 frames or so? What about if you tatsu into them, are they likely to be able to throw you before you throw them?
Also I’d just like to bring up j.punch xx tatsu. I tend to use fierce punch and short tatsu just because it’s easiest for me to execute on pad, but does the strength of tatsu make any notable difference in the amount of block stun it inflicts? I imagine it does, and I’m almost certain I see a difference, but I haven’t been able to break it down side by side and frame step through it or anything. I usually get a kneebash after, so I didn’t see the point in changing the strengths I use, but it seems Dictator is able to escape it. Maybe I need to use roundhouse, or maybe I’m not using the maxium range of the knee bash and I’m walking too far forward.
I just re-read your test. Interesting that the tatsu is such an unreliable move. I notice that roundhouse tatsu was the most consistent, and I wonder if that was because it was speeded up, and if that’s why it was speeded up. IIRC the stun was reduced on the roundhouse tatsu by half(!?). Too bad the forward tatsu isn’t as reliable, because I quite like cr.forward xx negative tatsu. I will have to try cr.forward xx roundhouse tatsu more, but I usually get a negative forward tatsu whether I like it or not (don’t think I’m releasing the buttons quick enough on pad).
It’s kind of BS, but I think remixing the hitboxes for the tatsu’s might have made them more consistant, although it might upset something else matchup wise.
Mmm another question. Which characters can Ken NOT cross up reliably with his j.mk? I’m still in the bad habit of being able to crossup anyone in SF4 so I end up eating reversals or combos in HDR!
Spacing is the key here. If the tip of Ken’s foot hits meaty, then it will most likely flat out beat the vert ball. You can also use Hp is you space it properly. You can’t really safe jump Blanka, since the vert ball hits on the first frame, but there are a ton of moves that will flat out stuff it, or at worst trade for equal damage.
From experience if you can knock him down with a j.SRK out of his c.HP you should be in pretty good position. The mistake I see most new Ken players making is trying to cross-up with j.Mk on every knockdown. j.HP cancelled into Hurricane kick is WAY more difficult to deal with.
Ryu’s jumping fierce is better than his roundhouse, as it has a red hitbox which is mostly invincible (i.e., barely any blue in it) and Ken’s jumping fierce is strictly better, so I suppose fierce is the way to go, man. At the proper distance, it should stuff anything he does on wakeup.
Edit: I have learned it recently, from the same post by NH2.