"Styling" with Thrust Peak. (USF4)

Something small I’ve been doing in the lab with Timothy Hawk.

Compare Thrust Peak:
40 damage, 50 stun, 20 meter gain, special/super cancelable

It pretty much has the same strengths as Close LP and Far LP give or take some frames. So why do Thrust Peak when you can just to a normal LP?

… Style?

For a command normal, there’s not much to look at besides it looking different. It didn’t stop me from messing around with it.

After going Close Jab to Close Strong, it’s possible to link a crouching LP or a Far LP afterwards. Since Thrust Peak can cover as much distance, and has just as much startup, you could make your link combo look like this

L Punch
M Punch
Thrust Peak.

“But Azu, why would I use such a dinky command normal when I can just stuff the big bad Native American’s chest into their faces (Tomahawk Buster/Condor Spire) after the standing Strong?”

Because depending on who you’re against, that dinky command normal can add just a bit more damage before said stuffing.

I have gone through the whole cast to see which of the fighters i could get away with this slightly fancy linking.

I’d like to call it the “3-P-C combo.” "Poke, Poke, Poke, Chest!!"
L Punch
M Punch
Thrust Peak
(DP)

The following can be 3-P-C’d with only the L Tomahawk Buster:
Gouken
Yun
Chun-Li
Dhalsim
Guile
Zangief*
T. Hawk
Yang
Hugo

The following can be 3-P-C’d with either L Tomahawk OR Condor Spire
Abel
Sagat**
Cody
Hakan
Rufus

  • I’ve found that Zangief can get stuffed with up to a H Tomahawk.
    ** Sagat is a weird case. Thrust Peak keeps making both L Tomahawk and L Condor Spire whiff, but linking a Far Jab after the Close Standing Strong makes either DP connect. I’m still wondering what the deal is with that.

Thrust peak beats low pokes like shoto c.mk, and anti airs. That’s it’s main purpose.

My favorite application of df.LP is to do it on wake-up so it hits very meaty. People underestimate its active frames, and often fail to block it. And if they do, you’re free to tick throw with SPD since you’re less negative than they’d think. I’ve even managed to land it on the last frame as a counterhit, and then 1f link it into cl.LP.