Basic combo question, from a new player.

[Judgment]

Hey guys and gals, my first post/topic. =D

I recently got into Melty Blood but actually could never find it until recently. I got my copy a couple of days ago and have gotten pretty fond of a couple of the characters, but that's really in general. I have seen your tourney vids and I really just have one question. That is, how in the world do you do air combos, like, exactly? I keep seeing different ways.

What I've been doing thus far, with varying success, is this...let's just say I am using Nanaya in this example.

For his combo I'd do 2A, 2B, 2C, then a neutral C with I think launches, then jump with them (diagonally, right?), and do B, C, jump, B, C, and then *try* an air throw, which has rarely worked for me.

It's just that I never have seen any kind of tips on how to do air combos, and no vids that explain it at all. So, if anyone could assist me, that'd be great. I use Nanaya and Red Arcueid, if that helps. Maybe someone can tell me about them in particular. I'd be honored for the help, hehe. You guys are awesome.

[dakanya]

I dunno how to explain but it's just about pushing the right buttons at the right time. It probably won't come out right if you try to mash it.

Basic Nanaya BnB
2A 2B 2C 5C j.BC j.BC th

What version of Melty Blood do you have?

[4r5]

MB has a really lax chaining system. So the basic idea is that you want to "unground" your opponent (this is what Nanaya's 2C does) and before their body touches the ground, you want to raise them high enough for you to jump up and continue the combo in to the air. (what Nanaya's 5C does)

[Tare]

What you want to know basically is pretty much how much a 'launcher' ( In Nanaya's case, 2C > 5C ) will put the opponent into the air until they're able to air tech out and be able to hit them once again before this happens. It's ESSENTIAL that you know when to jump cancel off your launcher. Too late and you'll jump short and they'll air tech out.

So for Nanaya

2C > 5C  is your basic launcher and you follow up with

j.B > j.C > Jump Cancel j.B > j.C > Air Throw or J.A > Air Throw

Most notably you want to get used to when to press 9 ( Or jump direction ) at 5C and your first j.C. It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it and air combo timing is universal with most characters with a few exceptions. Pretty much right when you 'hear' or 'see' 5C hit, press 9 but don't immediately mash out j.B, allow for a half second pause that your character takes to take off into the air before hitting j.B ( 2 hits ) > j.C etc. Hope this helped.

[Judgment]

Oh yeah, sorry for not clarifying. I have Act Cadenza for PS2.

Yeah, my problem is exactly what Tare is saying. I seem to sometimes not time the jump after launching well, and also the jump cancel itself. But I guess it's just a practice thing, huh. Thanks for the help everyone, I'll work on this later. ^^

[S-Blade]

Maybe you're not jump canceling correctly.

Try jumping as soon as the move hits. There's a very short pause in the movement, and that time is when you enter new moves to chain and jump cancel and such.

[TheCatSyd]

It's worth nothing that after the first J.BJ.C, you'll need to super jump cancel to be high enough to air throw after the next J.BJ.C.  I'm not sure on the exact input, but I just do a super jump (by inputting 2369 on the dpad) after the first J.C and I am then high enough to connect with the throw.

[LoliSauce]

Actually, I believe you super jump cancel just by tapping the 9 direction instead of holding it down when you press it.  You gain a little extra jump height that can really help.  =>

[TheCatSyd]

It's weird, I have no problems doing SJC out of J.C, but idfk how to do a super jump out of a normal jump.  I've done it a couple times just by trying to do a super jump after jumping, but it doesn't always work.  Anyone know more about this?  And whether or not it's even useful?

[LoliSauce]

Mmm...don't think you can super jump cancel out of just a jump. 

[TheCatSyd]

I didn't think so either, but I have done it before, no idea how, it was noticably faster and longer than a normal double jump.

[Light]

You only get a SJC during an air combo, and also it has a timing of it's own. If you do it too fast or two slow you won't get it. I find it hard to explain the timing since I just subconsciously picked up, and I don't play a character who has a lot of combos that require SJCs like M.Hisui.

Also, I could of sworn there was a discussion about this here.

[TheCatSyd]

I could have sworn I did it, I'll try to do it again next time I play.

[linalys]

Mmm...don't think you can super jump cancel out of just a jump. 

You only get a SJC during an air combo

I'm pretty sure you can super double jump from a normal, no attack, jump. 

[Zaido]

only certain characters have sdjc... example:

Tohno Shiki, Nanaya, Mech Hisui are one of the few that i notice

[Light]

I'm pretty sure you can super double jump from a normal, no attack, jump. 

Yes, you right. My bad.   :'(

[TheCatSyd]

The input for SJ out of normal jump (if your character has the capability) is something like 698 real fast, that's how I managed to do it with Nanaya.

[Sp00ky]

The timing for SDJ is to double jump by tapping jump for 1 frame.

This is easier to do when jump cancelling because of hitstop, but still possible to do empty.

[Irovax]

X3 I used to have the same problem!!

My solution is to mash early. I picture it like air hitboxes have a very long duration, so and my objective is to "drag" it into your opponent. As Ciel, as soon as I jump, I start mashing B. As soon as it connects, hit C, then mash 8, then mash B, then hit C and hit R1 ((throw)).

I've gotten a bit better now and only mash the first B, and also only tap 9 for the doublejump ((in case the j.B's hit box is just a tiiiiny bit too short to reach the opponent)).