Generic Offensive and Defensive Options - nylonhat/SF6-Resources GitHub Wiki
This resource is meant to help players who are unsure what options they have to pressure or open up their opponent after a knockdown, and also give tools to defend against those options.
SF6, like Rock Paper Scissors, are games where no one option strictly beats all other options. This means that a good offense/defense is one that uses a mix of options that take into account the opponent’s options, as well as their relative risk and reward 1.
Below is a description of generic offensive and defensive options after knockdown oki, or more generally, when the attacker is at least +2 in frame advantage and in throw range of the opponent. Most of these options are transferable to other characters and not only for Chun Li. Having specific setups allows for more options but those won't be covered in detail here.
Description: Timing a throw to connect before the defender’s fastest normal (4 frame jab) connects. Press throw when +2 … +5 on a knockdowned opponent, or when +2 … +4 on block/hit. Throwing too early or with too much frame advantage will make the throw whiff due to the defender’s initial throw invincibility. Throw too late and the opponent will hit you first.
Vs Parry: Throws deal more damage on a parrying opponent (2040 vs normal 1200 dmg).
Forward vs Back Throw: It is generally best to choose the throw that puts the opponent closer to the corner.
Coverage: Only option that covers both a blocking and parrying opponent.
Description: Timing a strike to connect before the defender’s fastest normal (4 frame jab) connects; or before certain special moves gain defensive properties. A meaty strike can be hit on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd frame of the opponent’s wakeup and still beat a 4 frame jab, but may need to be timed to hit on the 1st or 2nd frame to beat certain special moves (eg. JP’s regular counter, Manon’s OD Spin Grab). A good meaty strike should also allow you to beat a wake-up drive impact.
Block pressure Strikes deal drive gauge damage to the defender on block. Your offence is not necessarily over if your meaty is blocked. [For more info]
Coverage: Beats virtually all of defender's options expect for block, parry and invincible reversals.
st.MP Chun's most versatile normal for meaty.
cr.LK Low meaty option to also cover opponent walking back. Less rewarding than st.MP but may be necessary in +2 situations to beat certain special moves.
cr.LP/st.LP Lowest recovery frames. Useful against slow startup reversals.
With specific setups you can also get:
Meaty overheads(df.HP, ss.HP) to mixup a blocking opponent.
Meaty projectiles(Kikoken) to beat Level 1 Supers.
Meaty safe jump attacks(j.HK, j.LP, stomp) to beat many invincible reversals.
Description: Walking back out of the opponent’s throw range in order to punish their whiffed throw. Walking back also has the added bonus of blocking attacks (notably invincible reversals), but is still susceptible to low attacks. It is usually better to confirm that the throw has whiffed before committing to the punish. You can crouch block immediately after walking back far enough in order to still block slow low attacks. Note that you may not be able to walk back in time to beat an immediate wake up throw from the opponent if you were: initially too close, didn’t have enough frame advantage, or the opponent has a far throw range.
Coverage: Delay tech, invincible reversals, wake up throw(ideally). Distance makes it easier to anti-air jumping opponents; especially in the corner.
Shimmy, cr.HP ... Chun's standard shimmy sequence. On a punish you can get cr.HP(PC) xx ss.MK ....
Shimmy, parry ... Advanced shimmy sequence. You can confirm or buffer a drive rush after the parry for high damage punishes. 2
Description: Timing a strike to hit late enough so the defender has already committed to a delayed action but early enough to connect before them. Aim for the strike to hit on frames 7-11 of the opponent's wakeup. Hard to cover all delayed timings because opponent can intentionally or unintentionally vary their delay timing. You can manually delay the move you normally use to meaty with or auto time the delay with a slower move.
Coverage: Ideally all delayed defensive options. Ideally also covers backdash and jumping.
cr.HP Can cover - Delay tech, walk forward throw, delay jab(may be beat or trade), backdash, jumping(air reset but sometimes knocks down). Relatively safe on block: cr.HP xx ss.LP xx MP FB, and confirmable on hit: cr.HP xx ss.HK ....
Description: Block for at least 6 frames to bait invincible reversals and then press jab. Will usually still lose to defender's own delay jab, but usually beats other delayed defence options (depends on how early/late opponent delays).
Coverage: Only option that beats both an invincible reversal and walk forward throw from defender.
Delayed st.LP, st.MP... Most rewarding sequence on hit but has a gap on block. Committing to st.MP can be punished if opponent moves back enough. Can clip airborne defensive options, leading to forced knockdown state.
Delayed cr.LK/cr.LP > cr.LP ... Low commitment but also less rewarding.
Description: Using a move with throw invincibility to punish a throw attempt. Throw baits usually cover fewer options than a shimmy, but can be used in scenarios where you can’t shimmy a wake up throw. An ideal throw bait is throw invincible by frame 7, not punishable on block and converts to a combo.
Coverage: Ideally all tech timings from defender.
Backdash Depending on how late the opponent techs, you can react and punish with st.HP. A useful option in the corner, allowing you to still anti-air a forward jump out of the corner.
LK Hazanshu Punishable on block, but can hit crouch blocking opponents if they can’t react to the overhead. Covers backdash but is punishable against opponent jumping back.
Instant Air Legs(IAL) Perform LK Air Legs as close to the ground as possible after a forward or neutral jump. Whiffs on crouching opponents and can be heavily punished.
MK/HK Hazanshu Hops over and is punishable if the opponent crouch blocks midscreen, but is safe on block in the corner. Leads to more damage.
OD Hazanshu Can also beat many projectile based Level 1 Super Arts.
f.HK Punishable on block even if stance cancelled. Can't convert a hit if opponent delay techs very late. Only gains throw invincibility from frame 8, meaning it won't work in +2 situations. Many of these downsides can be mitigated if f.HK is done from a drive rush.
Neutral jump Chun has a slightly floaty jump, meaning you will only punish an opponent delay teching very late.
Description: Block for as long as possible then throw, while still being able to tech a wake up throw from defender. You can block for up to 13 frames of opponents wakeup before throwing. Useful on a cornered opponent, when you can't properly shimmy them. Vulnerable to a defender neutral jumping and walking back on wakeup.
Coverage: Baits invincible reversals on cornered opponent while preventing them back throwing you into the corner. Will also cover defensive backdash in the corner.
Description: Hold down back to block all strikes except overheads. Hold back to block all strikes except lows. Blocking still loses to throws, including command grabs. Blocking is non-committal, allowing you to focus on reacting: Anti-air a neutral jump, drive impact attackers drive impact and blocking overheads.
Coverage: Almost everything except throws and true high/low mixups.
Crouch vs Back Block In general crouch blocking is safer and allows Chun to maintain down charge. However, back blocking defends against meaty overhead setups and allows you to walk back out of delayed offense. If the attacker's oki leaves them only just in throw range, you may also be able to walk back out, leading to a reverse shimmy.
Drive Gauge In SF6, blocking does have a slight extra downside in that you lose drive gauge meter. Block too much and you limit your resources for invincible reversals, drive reversal; eventually going into burnout.
Fuzzy guard Alternating your blocking direction in a specific sequence to block a loose high/low or left/right mixup. For example, blocking back initially against a safe jump attack, then immediately crouch blocking against the empty low.
Drive Impact Blocking DI near the corner will lead to a wall splat or stun combo for you opponent. It is very important to react and punish with your own DI.
Burnout When in burnout you can die due to chip damage from specials and supers. In a checkmate situation, you may be forced to block and make your opponent spend meter to kill you.
Drive reversal Blocking gives you the option to land a guaranteed drive reversal on certain moves. However, a good opponent won't give this opportunity.
Description: Parrying is very similar to simply blocking, with some notable differences.
Drive Gauge: Costs 1/2 bar to initially use but you gain 1 bar back for every attack parried (1/2 bar for projectiles). You can gain a lot of drive gauge back on attackers who autopilot their block strings. Of note, you gain more drive gauge back against a sequence of attacks if you hold parry, instead of tapping it for each strike; due to the initial cost.
Throw damage: You are considered in a punish counter state when thrown and take significantly more damage (2040 vs 1200 dmg). Unlike when blocking, you now have taken more damage and wasted some drive gauge.
High/Low mixup: Unlike blocking, parry can cover both high and low attacks. Very important for defending against true high/low setups.
Push Back: Parrying an attack splits to pushback evenly between you and the attacker; instead of just pushing you back. Although this doesn't change the relative spacing between players, it does allows you to maintain more screen space and get pushed to the corner more slowly.
Perfect Parry: Timing a parry(button press) within 2 frames of a strike connecting will lead to a perfect parry; allowing for a punish when you would otherwise not. The punish you can get varies with the move you perfect parried. You can try to press parry exactly on the 1st frame of you wakeup
to perfect parry the attackers meaty strike, but your success is heavily influenced by the opponent's timing.
Perfect Parry > DR: You can fish for a perfect parry on wakeup, but if your opponent does nothing (for example if they try to shimmy), you drive rush and possibly start your offence. (Input: forward, neutral, forward + parry)
Coverage: Similar to blocking. Additionally covers high/low mixups and potentially punishes meaty strikes.
Description: Moves that are invincible to at least throws and strikes from frame 1. They can be baited and heavily punished if the attacker does not commit to pressuring immediately. The treat of an invincible reversal leads to the attacker delaying their offense; in turn allowing you more options to use on defence. Hence it is important to show that you are willing to occasionally choose this option. Invincible reversals always cost some type of resource and may not always be available to use. In SF6, many invincible reversals are vulnerable to safe jump setups.
Coverage: The only way to punish both a meaty throw and meaty strike.
OD Tensho Fully invincible and costs 2 drive gauge bar.
SA1 Strike and throw invincible, costs 1 Super gauge. Still vulnerable to a projectile meaty.
SA2 Fully invincible and costs 2 Super gauge. Has slow (11F) startup; meaning attacker can potentially use a meaty light and still recover in time to block and punish.
SA3/CA Fully invincible and costs 3 Super gauge.
Description: Block for 4-10 frames of your wakeup, then press throw. If you block a strike, you'll enter block stun and your throw won't come out. If the attacker meaty throws you, you will still tech the throw in time. If no strike is blocked, you will be committed to the throw; potentially being punished. You can vary how long you block for to make it difficult for the attacker to find right timing for their delayed strike.
Coverage: Delay Tech generally covers fewer options than an invincible reversal would but it doesn't require resources. Defends against both a meaty throw and meaty strike. Useful if you don't have access to an invincible reversal.
Description: Walk forward for 4-10 frames of your wakeup, then press throw. The timing is very similar to delay teching expect you are walking forward instead of blocking. The aim is to walk forward enough to stay in throw range of an attacker walking back to shimmy you, and still being able to tech a meaty throw. You can choose to back throw when cornered to potentially put the attacker in the corner.
Coverage: Only option to cover both a meaty throw and a shimmy.
Description: Press throw immediately on wakeup to tech a throw. In cases where the opponent can't actually walk back in time to shimmy you, wake up throw becomes a viable alternative to a walk forward throw. Wake up throw will also be fast enough to catch opponents delaying their offense to bait your invincible reversal or delay tech.
Coverage: Covers meaty throws and delayed attacks. Can also catch a non-true shimmy.
Description: Block for at least 4 frames, then press your fastest normal(4 frame jab). The aim is to block for just long enough to block a meaty strike and then retaliate as fast a possible. By keeping your delay jab timing short, and your delay tech timing long, it makes it very difficult for the attacker to find a good timing for their own delayed strike that can beat both. Delay jab becomes a stronger option in situations where the attacker actually need to walk forward to actually throw you (usually after a blocked sequence rather than on wakeup).
Coverage: A tight delay jab can beat slower delayed offence and cover a meaty strike.
st.LP, st.MP ... Links without counterhit.
cr.LP, cr.MP ... Requires counterhit but stays crouching and maintains charge.
Description: Using a move with at least frame 2 throw invincibility to heavily punish a meaty throw. Normally a meaty throw is a very low risk option for the attacker, however having a damaging throw counter can change the risk reward so that you can block/parry more on defence.
Coverage: Heavily punish a meaty throw.
Instant LK Air Legs(IAL) Chun is very blessed to have a throw counter that leads to a full combo: LK IAL(PC), st.LP, st.MP, cr.MP .... It is important to note that IAL is punishable on crouching opponents. If the attacker doesn't crouch block after their shimmy, IAL becomes a much safer option.
Description: Jumping grants you throw invincibility to allow escaping a meaty throw. Jump backwards when midscreen and jump forward to get out of the corner. Even if your jump out is anti-aired, it is usually still worth it to get out of the corner. Jumping out generally also escapes delayed offensive options. Neutral jumping on defence is a strong option against command grabs; allowing for a high damage punish.
Coverage: Evades meaty throw and most delayed attacks. Option to punish command grabs.
Description: Backdash grants you throw invincibility to allow escaping a meaty throw. In the corner against a meaty throw, a backdash will at least flip the situation; allowing you to become the attacker. If you have a fast backdash and the opponent's meaty throw isn't done early enough, you can actually get a punish. In SF6, backdash doesn't but you airborne, meaning the attacker can get better grounded punishes on you. Backdash is a good option against command grabs, since they can't be teched and have long recoveries.
Coverage: Evades meaty throw and delayed light attacks midscreen. May punish meaty throw when cornered. Option to punish command grabs.
Chun Li's backdash is slower than most characters; you won't get a guaranteed punish when escaping a throw in the corner.
Description: Wake up with a fast, long range low attack; 6-8F startup. It needs to be fast in order to catch a shimmy before the attacker blocks. The timing may also beat an offensive delayed strike.
Coverage: A high risk/high reward option to beat shimmy and delayed strikes. Other options can cover the same things with less risk.
cr.MK xx DRC ... Confirmable low attack option.
Description: Press your fastest normal (4 frame jab). Normally if the attacker can truly threaten a meaty throw, wake up jab is very risky and covers very few options. However, it is very important to challenge fake oki: when the attacker's setup isn't actually at least +2 in frame advantage. Also note, even when the opponent is +1, a 4 frame jab will beat a throw from the attacker. This means that instead of trying to tech a throw, you can challenge it with a jab instead.
Lower skilled opponents may mess-up and mistime their meaties often, and so wake up jab may be a tempting option. However against stronger players, it is better to use other defensive options.
Coverage: Challenging fake oki.
1 This is related to a concept in Game Theory called Mixed Strategy Nash Equilibrium
2 Advanced shimmy from Sabo(4quanCH) Twitter