What exactly do those numbers mean? For example, you just said -2, I've heard it thrown out for other moves too.
In fighting games you measure speed in frames. In SC specifically, one of the fastest 'speeds' is i10. This changes from game to game (for example, in SFIV, 3 frame moves are usually the standard for fast). If you see
i10 next to a description of a move, it is another way of saying: this move starts in 10 frames. When you're talking about how safe a move is on block, or how advantageous it is on hit, numbers like +2 or -4 might come up. If Patroklos' 66B is blocked, for example, he is at
-2 (frame disadvantage). Another example to explain this:
Two Mitsurugi's are facing each other. Both of their As are i10 (or 10 f start-up / 10 f execution / 10 f speed). If they both hit A simultaneously, they will trade. Why? Because their move both starts at the exact same time. If one Mitsurugi was at
-2, he would have lost that battle. He would be
2 frames slower than the opposing Mitsurugi because he is at
frame disadvantage.
Now in the Patroklos situation, you're at -2 after a blocked 66B. If you try to do an i10 move right afterwards, and your opponent Mitsu does A (i10), who wins? Mitsurugi, because the -2 slows down Patroklos' move just like in the Mitsurugi mirror, (effectively making it i12).
Similarly, if you do a REALLY punishable move that leaves you at say, -22. Well then that's just horrendous isn't it? You're so unsafe that any move that starts up in 22 frames or less can punish you. Negative frames are just another way of saying :
you are in recovery for this many frames / you are punishable for this many frames.
More notes:
- Patro's 66B (which is -2 on block) can't really be punished, because not many moves exist that are 1 or 2 frames. [I think Asta/Ivy's grab supers are 1 frame though]
- If a move that is -14 on guard is blocked by your opponent, than the character that blocked it may respond with a move 14 frames or faster to
punish them.
-If a move that is
+3 on guard is blocked by your opponent, you are at
frame advantage. This means your opponent is stuck in block stun (the opposite of negative frames, when you are the one recovering), for 3 whole frames. Any move you perform will come out 3 frames faster than your opponent. If you and your opponent both perform an i10 move in this situation, your move technically becomes
i7 instead of i10, because you are at 3 frames of advantage. To re-emphasize:
your opponent can't do anything for 3 whole frames. Your move will therefore beat your opponents i10 move.
This concept serves as the foundation for "frame traps".
Think about examples like this and see if you can figure out what happens:
- Natsu's move is blocked, it is -16 on block. Mitsurugi's 236B is i15. Can Mitsurugi punish Natsu's move? Is Natsu's move considered unsafe?
- Nightmare does a huge sword swing that is +4 on block. Ezio tries to do an i10 move after he blocks the sword swing. If Nightmare decides to do a move that is i12, who will win this battle? Nightmare, who's move speed is i12, or Ezio at i10?
Sorry if went off track a bit. It's a broad topic and really hard to explain. Hope it helped somewhat :)
