Online,i find that even when I am anticipating the opponent to go for a 2 A right away, and I am blocking low, I still get hit. This is probably due to the lag. So lately I’ve been thinking the stronger bet is to go for the first hit myself; if youre both mashing jab then its at least gonna trade.
A neutral jump could be dirty and an even better combo starter than a jab. I am gonna try out some new things. The low jab is too tempting though.
I don’t start the match from point blank, I give myself a little room and usually go for an IAD C. I play Jun/Chun though so it might be different depending on your character.
I usually start with a j.A up close if I they’re looking aggressive at the start. Most people will jump right away expecting you to 2A. If the character is faster than me I’ll just super jump up and try to feel them out first.
Being someone who usually starts the match with 2A, I’ve started to take note of the characters who have the fastest jabs in the game. In no particular order, I observe:
Yattaman-1
Roll (5A is faster I think - possibly fastest normal in the game?)
V.Joe
Karas
There might be others but I’m not aware. If you’re facing one of these guys and you have reason to believe they’ll start with 2A, don’t try to beat them to it.
I usually pretend I’m going to get in and poke with 2A or throw, but then I usually jump and block instead.
If I’m playing Karas, I try to get a slight distance and then I dash at the start of the match with the intention of getting behind the opponent for a quick 2A crossup. But that’s kind of risky.
I usually start matches with Alex and I will just continually walk into the opponent. Nine times out of ten they do a crouching block thinking I am going to jab… so I just powerbomb them.
Get Equipped With GET THE HELL OFF ME BARRIER, Volnutt! Jump over that predictable 2A as well!
If I get the feeling I’m about to get pitbull’d hard by someone who isn’t going to just try the canned low weak, I’ll probably try for the throw. I’ve been shocked by how much stuff throws will interrupt and beat in UAS.
If someone’s going to let me actually start the match anywhere but point blank, I’m going to laugh like a douchebag while starting to fill the screen with Megabuster + Machine Gun + Shocking Pink BS, letting them know that it just went JUST AS PLANNED. Seriously, don’t let Volnutt/Viewtiful start the match from even mid screen from you. It’s dumb and you’ll take more damage then you think and you’ll deserve every pixel of it.
(With my other main starter, Soki, I’ll either just block or, if they try to be tricky and start at mid or long range, sometimes just shove 5A out there. You don’t know how many people just run into that thing from mid-screen at the start of a match. It’s like they forget Soki’s holding a bigass sword or something. If I’m expecting a hard pitbull or the predictable 2A I might try for a QCF but it’s a gamble with anyone with enough brainpower to see it and throw instead.)