Basic String Defense

Strings, or preset series of attacks, can be effective initially. Often, when blocking a string, you don’t know when the string will end, and take action at the wrong time. Some strings are also completely safe on block, which can lead to their abuse. With study, however, these strings become a liability, or a mixup of “will I or won’t I” at best. Opponents who do not realize this and use entire strings every time should be punished to the fullest extent.

Countering strings can be done for more damage when you delve into character specifics- but every character should be able to perform what is shown here. After making your opponent whiff, retaliate with the attack of your choice.
Show your opponents that just throwing these strings out without thinking won’t work on you anymore.


Transcript:

Patroklos (0:05)

6BBB – duck second hit
3KK – duck second hit
22AA – duck second hit
22A[A] – duck second hit
44KK – duck second hit
236AB – step second hit (or JG second hit)
1B BE – duck second hit (step third afterwards for harder punish)
66A BE – JG/GI second hit (or step second hit left)
236B BE – JG/GI second hit (or step second hit right)

Z.W.E.I. (0:26)

3AA – duck second hit
66BA – duck second hit
22BB – step second hit left
33B BE – step second hit (wait until Ein whiffs to punish)

Leixia (0:38)

3AA – JG/GI second hit
1KK – jump attack over second hit
66AA – JG/GI second hit
44[A] – duck second hit
22kAAB_kAAK – step final hit

Natsu (0:57)

BK – duck second hit
B[K] – duck second hit
BBK – duck third hit
KKK – duck third hit
33K – duck second hit
66B BE – duck second hit
Wind Roll BBB – step third hit (use a horizontal to punish!)

Ezio (1:12)

6AB – duck second hit
6ABB – JG/GI third hit
4AB – duck second hit (or JG/GI second hit)
wrBB – JG/GI second hit
66AB – duck second hit (or JG/GI second hit)
66BB – JG/GI second hit (or step second hit right)
BB BE – JG/GI third hit (or step third hit right)
66BB BE – JG/GI second hit (or step second hit right)

Raphael (1:37)

6BB BE – JG/GI final hit (or step final hit right)
Prep K BE – duck second hit

Viola (1:45)

6AB – duck second hit
ORB 6B+K – GI second hit
66AA – duck second hit
66AAB – duck third hit
44B – JG/GI second hit
ORB 66A+BB – JG/GI second hit
66K BE – step second hit right
44A BE – GI third hit
22B BE – GI second hit

Pyrrha (2:10)

3KK – JG/GI second hit (or step second hit right)
44K strings – interrupt with a quick attack
66B+KA – duck second hit
66B+KAB – step third hit left (recommend regular -16 block punish)
236AA – jump attack over second hit
66B BE – JG/GI second hit
236AA BE – jump attack over second hit (or JG/GI third hit)

Siegfried (2:30)

AA – duck second hit
AAB – jump attack over third hit
1AA – jump attack over second hit (or JG/GI second hit)
SSH BB – step second hit
SSH BBB – JG/GI third hit
66K BE – JG/GI second hit
SCH K BE – JG/GI second hit (or step second hit right)

Hilde (2:50)

6AKA_AKB – GI final hit
6BBB – duck third hit
[A+B] – step second hit left (or JG/GI second hit)
22AA – duck second hit
C3A – JG/GI second hit
C2B – JG/GI second hit
C3B – JG/GI second hit
3B BE – JG/GI second hit
66B BE - step second hit left (or JG/GI second hit)

Xiba (3:19)

Any Channeling Kick (6AK, 6BK, A+BBK) – 2A interrupt (or other quick horizontal)
AA – duck second hit
3AB – duck second hit
BB – step second hit
3BKK – duck second hit
66KB – quickstep second hit
44K BE – JG/GI second hit

Ivy (3:40)

AA – duck second hit
6AK – duck second hit
(B) – step second hit right (or JG/GI second hit)
wrA+BA – duck third hit
66[A] – JG/GI second hit
22BBBB – quickstep second hit right (or GI second hit)
1B BE – JG/GI second hit
66B BE – JG/GI second hit
22B BE – JG/GI second hit

Cervantes (4:02)

BBB – JG/GI third hit (or step third hit right)
wrA+B – step final hit
wrA+B BE – JG/GI final hit (or step final hit left)

Aeon (4:17)

BBB – JG/GI final hit
6BB – duck second hit
44BAA – duck second/third hit
6B BE – step final hit right (or JG/GI final hit)

Tira (4:29)

GS 3AA – duck third hit
GS 4BBB – JG third hit (or GI second hit)
4B+KB – step second hit
GS 3A BE – duck third hit (or final hit)
JS 66B BE – JG second hit

Nightmare (4:48)

AA – duck second hit
AAB – step third hit
A2AA – jump attack over third hit (or JG/GI third hit)
BB – JG/GI second hit (or quickstep second hit left)
4BB – JG/GI second hit
4KK – duck second hit
4K BE – JG/GI second hit
33B BE – JG/GI second hit (or quickstep second hit left)
GS K BE – duck second hit

Mitsurugi (5:12)

FC 1BB – step second hit
4KB – JG/GI second hit
11BA – duck second hit
11BAB – step third hit

Maxi (5:23)

wrKK – step second hit (or duck second hit)
LO BK – duck second hit

Yoshimitsu (5:28)

6KK – step second hit (or JG/GI second hit)
6B+KBB – duck second/third hit
6B+KBBB – step final hit right (or JG/GI final hit)
3AB BE – step third hit right (or JG/GI third hit)
66A BE – step second hit

Dampierre (5:43)

3BB – step second hit left
623KKKK… - duck second hit
44AB – step second hit left (or JG/GI second hit)
33BK – GI second hit

Voldo (5:59)

4BAA – duck second/third hit
wrBB – step second hit right (or JG/GI second hit)
BS 8KA – duck second hit
[B+K] – JG/GI second hit
66A+BK – duck second hit
Landfish/Death Roll [A] – jump attack over third hit (or JG/GI third hit)
6B BE – quickstep second hit (or JG/GI second hit)
66B BE – quickstep second hit (or JG/GI second hit)
Landfish/Death Roll B BE – JG/GI third hit

Astaroth (6:30)

AA – duck second hit
6AA – duck second hit
1AA – JG second hit, run in punish
1AB – step second hit
BB – step second hit
BB6 – step second hit right (or JG/GI second hit)
1KA – duck second hit (works even on normal hit!)
66AB – quickstep second hit
66A(B) – step second hit
66K BE – quickstep second hit left (or JG/GI second hit)

α Patroklos (6:57)

BT B+K:B – step second hit right (or JG/GI second hit)
22AA – duck second hit
22BA – duck second hit

Algol (7:03)

6AA – duck second hit
6AAB – step third hit
3AA – JG/GI second hit
6BB – duck second hit
3BB – JG/GI second hit
6KK – duck second hit (or JG second hit)
33AB – step second hit

Pyrrha Ω (7:22)

66B+KA – duck second hit
66B+KAB – step third hit left (recommend regular -16 block punish)


Some strings have been omitted for the sake of simplicity.
Some unsafe strings have been omitted.
Devil Jin has been omitted.
Crosscheck this data with your own in practice mode.
This video is meant to give ideas, and is not the final word on string punishment.

 

Front page material. Again.

 

Very nice, very useful, very something I need to practice.

One question though. Are any of these string defense tactics beatable by not completing the string and throwing out something else?

EDIT: Also, wtf song is that?

 

One question though. Are any of these string defense tactics beatable by not completing the string and throwing out something else?

Yup.

i.e. the aforementioned "Will I or won't I" mixup.

In a good number of cases the initial hit has enough disadvantage on it that it only ends up leaving both players at neutral. But, you have to account for the defending player's thought process; any hesitation on their part directly translates into disadvantage for them.

(You'll often catch me ducking after blocking a Natsu BB, anticipating the high K- especially if I don't know the player. Likewise, just using a plain Natsu BB is a good way to get me to freeze up.)

Also, wtf song is that?

La Caution's "Thé à la Menthe", instrumental version.

 

There are also slower strings and stance transitions that can be either interrupted or you punish the second last attack if the opponent does not do the last attack.
Especially if you evade or JG the second last attack or if the second last attack is unsafe enough.

Like Siegfried 3B is unsafe to Natsu A:6 and it beats everything he can do from Chief Hold.

 

Good shit Drake. This is Excellent work!

A good defence in this game leads to great things. Practice this and you will become a better player.

 

Looks like Night fox has mastered the ancient art of amazing buffoonery, but all that laser dodging skills were put to use atleast.

 

Spoiler

Xiba (3:19)

Any Channeling Kick (6AK, 6BK, A+BBK) – 2A interrupt (or other quick horizontal)
AA – duck second hit
3AB – duck second hit
BB – step second hit
3BKK – duck second hit
66KB – quickstep second hit
44K BE – JG/GI second hit
66BBB - Step to the right
44AA - Jump attack over the low
FC A+B - Step to the left

JUST THOUGHT I WOULD ADD THIS BECAUSE WHY NOT. I COULD BE WRONG ABOUT THE DIRECTIONS BUT I AM PRETTY SURE IT IS CORRECT.

 

Oh wow!! Neat! Nice work

 

JUST THOUGHT I WOULD ADD THIS BECAUSE WHY NOT. I COULD BE WRONG ABOUT THE DIRECTIONS BUT I AM PRETTY SURE IT IS CORRECT.

66BBB Step second hit to the right.
44AA is correct.
FCA+B step RIGHT.

 

Great video as always Drake, there were strings in there I didn't know I could counter, simply because I never wanted to try to mid-match. So thanks, Algol's strings frustrated me to know end. Your music selection is nice too, even though all I can think of is Counter Strike when I hear it.

 

That video was great!

 

Wow. This is an amazing "how to beat scrubs" tutorial (and also contains lots of information that's useful against good players too, of course--but most terrible players who win abuse this stuff predictably constantly).

 

Viola's 44A can be GI'd from her second hit.