Advanced technique: How to abuse the opponent's hitbox to defeat their defense.

[Sp00ky]

In most fighting games, whenever you block an attack high there is a small period of time where even if you crouch, your hitbox is the equivalent of your standing hitbox. This little known fact doesn't really sound like much, since in most situations where it occurs you are just going from an overhead to a low or another (slow) overhead, and it does not effect gameplay.

However, this short period of time is in fact abusable to create ridiculously difficult to block strings that are the opposite to your opponent's instinct. For them to block such a setup correctly they have to block 'wrong.' And as we've already discussed, any setup that abuses a good opponent's instinct is always top tier.

The idea is we are going to force the opponent to block an attack high as in a typical high to low setup, and convince them to block low immediately after based on their own instinct. Then we are going to attack them with an early jump attack (which is still possible since despite the fact that they are crouching, their hitbox is the equivalent of their standing hitbox).

Example 1: Kohaku
Kohaku has one of the game's best overheads in her jump early C. However, this technique is character specific -- it actually does NOT work on the entire cast. In the case of the characters it does not work on, this technique can be utilized instead.

2AB5C2C 236A 236C pause into meaty 22C. (This is one of Kohaku's common 22C setups.) ->
IAD Deep BC land jump Early C land 2C 5C 5B j.BCA dj. BC Airthrow.

Explanation: IAD deep j.B (opponent blocks high) j.C (Hitbox of j.C forces you to land earlier than normal) and upon landing immediately jump early C. (opponent fuzzy guards to low expecting 2A, and you hit their glitched hitbox for a 22C combo.) land 2C 5C 5B j.BCA dj. BC Airthrow.


The best part about this setup -- even if the opponent gets hit by the IAD B, you still have enough time to combo despite your setup after failing. Very difficult sequence to block correctly.

Example 2: Aoko
Very typical, textbook setup.

2AB 6ABC 236C 421A (This is her staple orb setup BNB.)
Jump in deep j.AC land jump early C [Release orb] Airdash C 2AB 6ABC 421A

Explanation: Jump in Deep A (opponent blocks high) j.C (forces Aoko to land earlier than normal) and upon landing immediately jump early C. (Again hitting their glitched hitbox.) Release orb Airdash C land 2AB 6ABC 236C 421A (Reset the opponent back into your orb setup.)

Example 3: V.Sion
Here is an example of taking a character who's natural mixup is quite weak, and converting it into a powerful, fearsome series.

2ABC 214B (Typical satsuki summon setup.)
IAD Deep C dj.Early C j.2B 6B 2C 236C j.BC Airdash C dj. BC Airthrow.

Explanation: IAD Deep C (opponent blocks high and immediately fuzzyguards to low anticipating your 2A upon landing) doublejump C on the way up (lightning fast overhead in a situation where the opponent is expecting a low) j.2B (comboing the divekick after allows you to land earlier) 6B 2C 236C j.BC Airdash C dj. BC Airthrow. (Typical Satsuki summon combo)

Example 4: V.Sion
Forgive me using a character twice here, but it's no secret she's the character I know best. Here is an example on how to abuse Chaos/Warakia's height during their standing hitbox to land otherwise impossible overheads.

2ABC 5C 623B j.C dj. BC Airthrow. (Typical V.Sion BNB.)
Jump AC land jump Early C j.2B 2ABC 214C.

Explanation: Jump AC (hits meaty and forces chaos to block high) land jump Early C (Chaos Fuzzy guards to low and you hit his glitched hitbox) j.2B 2ABC 214C (the 2A is a link, and the distance this leaves you at makes an Akiha summon setup the most consistent followup.)



Conclusion: This technique is not for the faint of heart. It requires spot on execution, and failing can get you punished instead of forcing some good damage. However mastering this techique at the advanced to expert levels will give you a mixup option that even the best of the best cannot block at a high ratio of success.

[Zaelar]

You forgot the other half to the trick that makes this good and not just a gimmick.  Instead of doing the j.c(or whatever you use) to hit the bugged hitbox for the overhead, you go low(usually 2a).  Yes its obvious, but it should be included for completion's sake.  Once you have your opponent guessing which way to block you can also go for a grab, but its usually a better idea to stick with the high/low mixup most of the time.

[ಠ_ಠ Dizzynecro]

This is fuzzy guard right?

[Zaelar]

Fuzzy guard is going from 4 to 1 or from 1 to 4 to block a mixup where the high/low guess doesn't happen on the same frame.

[4r5]

But if it was guilty gear, it would be called fuzzy guard