Virtua Fighter 2: Jacky FAQ v0.50
=================================
by James M. Ross
[email protected]
Please send any comments, corrections, and additions to the above address.
---------------------------------
Table of contents
=================
Introduction
Part I: The moves
Key to move list table
Move list table
Move description and analysis
Basic and special moves
Combination attacks
Turning attacks and combinations under construction
Hopping attacks under construction
Jumping attacks under construction
Pounces
Throws
Getting up and rising attacks
Part II: Selected Jacky topics
Staggering and delayed combination attacks
Floating
Guard cancel and using the defense button under construction
Part III: Strategy and tactics Part III & IV
General philosophy will be completed
Character specific tactics in later versions
of the FAQ
Part IV: For your information
Character profile, history, and fighting style
First grade with Jacky
Taunts and grunts
Glossary
Acknowledgments
---------------------------------
"Jack of all trades, but master of none." (except maybe the kickflip)
Introduction
============
Jacky, be fittingly, in terms of game play in VF2, fits this proverb very
well. He's of average speed, behind Pai, Sarah, Kage and Lion. He has
attacks with good range, but not the extreme range the lunging/flying
attacks that everyone else except Sarah has. He has very versatile
attacks, but lags slightly behind Kage, who has a low turn away attack and
flying attacks. He has good low attacks, but is hampered by having to
punch first to get a sweep. His pounce is of average speed, behind Pai,
Sarah, and Shun. His sidekick is powerful, but needs to hit as a counter
attack to knock someone down, while Wolf and Jeffry can knock someone down
with just a sidekick. He excels, however, with his kickflip float hit, but
even this ability is not the most dominant of the game, as Lau easily
outclasses him when it comes to damage potential while floating an
opponent.
According to the VF2 FAQ, to fight well with Jacky, you must bring out the
"fear of the unknown" in your opponent. If Jacky has a strength at all
over the other characters, it's his ability to "roll your own combos" and
mix attack levels easily within those combos. This has lead me to define
"combo attacks" very liberally. I do not think of a combo as an
unbreakable series of attacks, nor do I think combos are just the built in
PPPK variety that any VF beginner picks up on almost immediately when they
start playing the game. With Jacky you need to prey on your opponents'
want to counter after blocking one of your attacks, and this is where
delayed combos come into affect. When I say combo in this FAQ, I refer to
any chain or string of moves that are "useful". This explains why the
movelist contained within this FAQ is longer than other move lists. It
includes almost all of the possibilities to inspire the "fear of the
unknown." I only stopped when it came to elbow/hook stagger combos and
floating attacks, as the possibilities of what you can do to your opponent
after an elbow/hook stagger or after you get them air born would easily
double the size of the move list and is generally redundant or irrelevant
in terms of the actual combos themselves. Instead I've dedicated an entire
section to both the use of the elbow/hook stagger and the possible float
combos.
The primary reason I am writing this is to try to inspire more expert
quality players as well as new VF2 players to start playing as Jacky. He
has been left behind in terms of tactics development, IMO, as many
consider him "cheesy" or "mechanical". I admit that his kickflip can take
off incredible amounts of damage, but so can Akira's body check. I also
want to point out that both of these attacks leave the attacker extremely
vulnerable if they're blocked, justifying their damage causing potential.
While I don't expect Jacky's popularity to grow like Akira's did after the
release of Joji Suzuki's Akira FAQ, I would hope that many will reconsider
Jacky as a viable character to master. I feel an aggressive, multi-level
and stagger combo Jacky is an exciting fighter to play as well as to watch
fight.
I have chosen, like other FAQ writers, to use the Akira FAQ as a template
for this work and have only tried to improve upon the movelist's format. I
had thought my Jacky evolution had dead ended with the development of the
G-cancel combos, but I have found great joy in finding new stagger
potential with Jacky's elbow and hook punch thanks to recent posts in
RGVA. Therefore I am very open to your opinions in terms of strategy and
tactics, as I am continually striving to improve my play. I have found
through personal experience that very subtle changes in tactics can make
the difference between a crushing defeat and a long winning streak. Again,
I am openly requesting any comments, complaints, and suggestions by
posting to RGVA or emailling me directly. Thanks a lot and have fun.
=================
Part I: The moves
=================
Key to Moves Table
==================
?=I am unsure about this move, damage, recovery time, or reversal.
Motion:
P,K,G=punch, kick, and guard (defense), respectively
u,d,b,f=TAP joystick up, down, back, or forward, respectively--a slash "/"
indicates a diagonal direction, i.e. d/f=diagonally down and forward;
back and forward are always respective to your opponent, i.e. at the
beginning of a round on the player one/left side, f=right and b=left
,,=Hesitate slightly before entering the next command--a delayed combo--in
all other combos, enter the commands as fast as possible
Hit:
H=Move hits standing non-defenders, throw hits any standing opponents
M=Move hits crouching opponents (even when defending)
L=Move hits standing opponents (even when defending)
G=Move hits opponents that are lying on the ground
B=Throw hits opponents that have their back facing Jacky
Damage:
Given in life bar points, NOT a percentage of the life bar. The standard
of 100 points is set by Wolf's Twirl and Hurl (of all things). When the
game is set at normal difficulty, the life bar has 200 points when
playing with 2 players. The life bar is reduced by 90% when fighting the
CPU. At the higher difficulty setting, the life bars are shorter and the
ring is smaller.
Recovery:
Measured in 60ths of a second. A blank space means that the time was not
available to me at the time of writing the FAQ.
F=Jacky changes his stance/feet position after this move
B=Jacky ends up with his back facing his opponent after this move
S=Jacky skips back half a step after this move
D=Jacky ends up lying on the ground on his back after this move
Reverse:
P=Pai can reverse indicated high/mid-level attacks
K=Kage can reverse high punches
W=Wolf can reverse side kicks
A=Akira can reverse indicated high/mid/low-level attacks
Comment:
!=Opponent will always be knocked down when this attack hits
+=The dodging punch and turning backfist can be used as the first punch
in any of the combos that start with a simple high punch
*=The kickflip must be done as u/b+G+K (like Kage's), to get it in this
combo
%=Jacky gyrates his hips after connecting with the spinning mid-kick
@=Jacky hangs his leg and drops it slowly after the fifth lightning kick
$=Jacky usually does a little dance after connecting with the turn toward
kicks (a pounce is impossible to connect if this happens)
#=The landing kick, overhead hammer, and drop kicks can be comboed after
the take-off kick
&=Rising attack can only be done when Jacky is face up and his head is near
his opponent
Move name Command Motion Hit Damage Recovery Reverse Comment
========= ============== === ====== ======== ======= =======
Basic moves
-----------
Punch P H 12 20? P,K,A
Low punch d+P L 10 A
Roundhouse kick K H 30 22? P,A !
(high kick)
Low skipping kick d/b+K or L 10 A
hold d+K
Side kick d/f+K M 25 P,W,A
Special moves
-------------
Elbow (forearm shiver) f+P M 19 21 P,A
Hook punch d/f+P H 14 16 P,K,A
Backfist b+P H 22 14 P,K,A
Low backfist d/b+P L 22 22
Dodging punch G,P H 14 16 P,K,A +
Beat knuckle P+K M 30 32 P,K,A
(bitch slap)
Knee f+K M 30 29F !
Toe kick d+K M 24 24 P
Side hook kick b+K M 20 20 P,A !
Backflip u/b - 0
Kickflip u/b+K M 60 50 !
Crescent kick G+K H 30-50 24
Spinning mid-kick b,f+G+K M 36 41F %
Low side kick d+G+K L 20 36 A
(shin slicer)
Punt kick f,f+K M 30 40 P,A !
Lightning kick d+P+K M 8 26 P,A
Combos (reverse applies
------ to last move
Punch combos of combos only)
""""""""""""
Double punch P,P HH 12+12 16 P,K,A
Punch-side kick P,K HM 12+19 19 P,W,A
(at close range)
Punch-crescent kick P,K HH 12+(30-50) 18 !
(at long range)
Punch-roundhouse kick f,P,K HH 12+30 22 P,A !
Punch-sweep P,d+K HL 12+(20-40) 34 !
Punch-low backfist P,G,d/b+P HL 12+22 22
Elbow-heel kick f+P,K MH 19+30 30 P,A !
Elbow-kickflip f+P,,u/b+G+K MM 19+60 50 !,*
Double punch combos
"""""""""""""""""""
Triple punch P,P,P HHH 12+12+14 15 P,K,A
Double punch-straight P,P,K HHM 12+12+30 28 P,A !
kick
Double punch-backfist P,P,b+P HHH 12+12+22 28 P,K,A
Double punch-low P,P,G,d/b+P HHL 12+12+22 22
backfist
Double punch-elbow P,P,f+P HHM 12+12+19 21 P,A
Double punch-elbow-heel P,P,f+P,K HHMH 12+12+19+30 30 P,A !
kick
Double punch-elbow- P,P,f+P,, HHMM 12+12+19+60 50 !,*
kickflip u/b+G+K
Backfist combos
"""""""""""""""
Double backfist hold b+P,P HH 22+30 22 P,K,A
Backfist-low backfist b+P,d/b+P HL 22+22 25
Backfist-crescent kick b+P,K HH 22+(30-50) 32F !
Backfist-sweep b+P,d+K HL 22+(20-35) 36F !
Backfist-kickflip b+P,,u/b+G+K HM 22+60 50 !,*
Low Backfist combos
"""""""""""""""""""
Low backfist-sweep d/b+P,K LL 22+(20-35) 36 !
Low backfist-knee d/b+P,,f+K LM 22+30 29F !
Low backfist-hook kick d/b+P,,b+K LM 22+20 20 P,A !
Low backfist-punt kick d/b+P,f,f+K LM 22+30 40 P,A !
Low backfist-kickflip d/b+P,,u/b+K LM 22+60 50 !
Low backfist-beat d/b+P,,P+K LM 22+30 32 P,K,A
knuckle
Low backfist-elbow d/b+P,f,f+P LM 22+(19 21(81D) P,A !
(or clothesline takedown) or 40)
Low backfist-elbow- d/b+P,f,f+P,K LMH 22+(19+30 30(81D) P,A !
heel kick or 40)
Low backfist-elbow- d/b+P,f,f+P,, LMM 22+(19+60 50(81D) P,A !,*
kickflip u/b+G+K or 40)
Kick combos
"""""""""""
Roundhouse kick-heel K,K HM 30+30 28 P,A !
kick
Crescent kick-sweep G+K,d+G+K HL (30-50)+ 40 !
(20-35)
Double lightning kicks d+P+K,K MM 8+8 24 P,A
Triple lightning kicks d+P+K,K,K MMM 8+8+8 25 P,A
Four lightning kicks d+P+K,K,K,K MMMH 8+8+8+10 27 P,A
Five lightning kicks d+P+K,K,K,K,K MMMHH 8+8+8+10+30 31 P,A !,@
Side kick-heel kick? d,d/f+K,K MH 24+25 P,A ?
Turn away attacks (while facing opponent)
-----------------------------------------
Turn away hook b,b+P H 14 16B P,K,A
Turn away kick b,b+K H 30 16B P !
Turn toward attacks (with back facing opponent)
-----------------------------------------------
Turn toward backfist P H 20 P,K,A +
Turn toward hook b+P H 12 P,K,A
Turn toward low punch d+P L 14 A
Turn toward hook from hold d+P H 20 P,K,A
crouching
Turn toward kick K or b+K H 36 S P,A !,$
Turn toward sweep d+K or L 36 !
hold d+K
Turning Combos (while facing opponent)
--------------------------------------
Turn away hook-backfist b,b+P,P HH 14+20 P,K,A +
Turn away hook-hook b,b+P,b+P HH 14+12 P,K,A
Turn away hook-low b,b+P,d+P HL 14+14 A
punch
Turn away hook-kick b,b+P,K HH 14+36 S P,A !,$
Turn away hook-sweep b,b+P,d+K HL 14+36 !
Turn away kick-backfist b,b+K,P HH 30+20 P,K,A +
Turn away kick-hook b,b+K,b+P HH 30+12 P,K,A
Turn away kick-low b,b+K,d+P HL 30+14 A
punch
Turn away kick-kick b,b+K,K HH 30+36 S P,A !,$
Turn away kick-sweep b,b+K,d+K HL 30+36 !
Hopping attacks (tap u, u/f, or u/b)
------------------------------------
Hopping hammer u+P M 30 !
Hopping jab u,P while asc M 30 !
Hopping kick u,K while asc M 30 P,W,A !
Hopping side kick u,K while des M 20 P,W,A
Jumping attacks (hold u, u/f, or u/b)
-------------------------------------
Take-off kick hold u+K M 30 !
(jumping/leaping kick)
Mid-air kick hold u,K M 30 !
while asc
Landing kick hold u,K M 30 !,#
while des
Overhead hammer hold u,f+P M 30 !,#
while asc
Drop kick to front hold u,f+K M 40 !,#
while asc
Drop kick to rear hold u,b+K M 40 !,#
while asc
Pounces
-------
Short/low pounce u+P G 30?
Long/high pounce hold u+P G 40?
Skip kick (soccer kick) d/f+K G 15 48
Throws (must be within punch range)
-----------------------------------
Brainbuster P+G H 50 153D
Reverse clothesline P+G B 70 179
(bulldog)
Clothesline takedown f,f+P H 40 81D
Trip and hammer f,b+P+K H 60 65F
Rising attacks (repeatedly tap button and/or joystick to get up faster)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Stand up P - 0
Handspring (kip up) u - 0
Rising kick K M 30? !
Rising sweep hold d+K L 30? !
Handspring kick K or hold d+K M 30? !,&
(mule kick)
Twist away G - 0
Twist away and kick G,K while M 30? !
twisting
Twist away and sweep G,hold d+K L 30? !
while twisting
Roll away b - 0
Roll away and kick b,K while M 30? !
rolling
Roll away and sweep b,hold d+K L 30? !
while rolling
Roll away and mule kick b,K while M 30? !,&
rolling
Roll away and low mule b,hold d+K L 30? !,&
kick while rolling
Move Analysis
=============
-----------------------
Basic and Special Moves
-----------------------
The following is a detailed description of what Jacky does during each of
these attacks, along with some comments on how to use them.
Punch (P) and low punch (d+P)
-----------------------------
The high punch is a quick jab that's mainly used to start combos. Its only
drawback is that it hits high, the easiest attack level to defend against.
The low squatting punch is primarily used for harassment and to finish off
the last bit of your opponent's life bar, but it's also the quickest way
to crouch--about 10 frames faster than just holding down on the joystick.
Low punch whenever you feel your opponent is coming in for a throw, but be
aware that if you guess wrong, you'll be knocked down by almost any
mid-level attack. The low punch is also useful for goading your opponent
to crouch and defend so that you can unleash Jacky's powerful mid-level
attacks.
Roundhouse kick (K)
-------------------
The single roundhouse kick is a high kick that should not be used that
often. It's slow and hits high. But in certain situations it's very
useful, such as after an opponent's missed pounce (especially Lau's). In
these cases, always use the roundhouse-heel kick combo, for maximum
damage.
Low skipping kick (d/b+K)
-------------------------
Jacky skips forward and flicks his forward foot at his opponent's legs.
The low kick is great for harassment and goading your opponent to crouch.
Use in conjunction with the single lightning kick to finish off the last
bit of your enemies life bar. Be aware, however, that Jacky is still
vulnerable to some lunging/hopping high attacks, like Pai's lunging high
kick and Wolf's drop kick, because he is standing when he does this
attack.
Side kick (d/f+K)
-----------------
A kick right at the opposing character's mid-section, a move that every
character in the game has. (Unfortunately, the side kick is forgotten
about by most players, IMHO, even though any character can knock down a
crouching defender with a single side kick, as it hits a croucher right in
the face.) Jacky's side kick has great range, at least as far as Jeffry's
and Wolf's, but it comes out faster than theirs, and for slightly less
damage (25 vs. 30 points). But the damage is still enough to knock down an
opponent if you catch them recovering from a missed attack, especially the
high rising attack. Use primarily against crouchers at extreme
range--those that would have time to stand if you dashed in and then
attacked. The side kick should also be used exclusively against
inexperienced players that continually hit PPP. Just back up a step and
side kick under their punches. A low pounce will always connect after a
side kick knock down.
Elbow (f+P)
-----------
Jacky steps forward and delivers a forearm shiver to his opponent's chest.
The elbow is also a great harassment attack, as it's uncounterable if
blocked. It staggers crouchers as well, giving you an opportunity to
follow up with another attack, such as a side kick, beat knuckle,
kickflip, or elbow-heel kick (see the stagger section for more details).
You should always try to do the elbow with two forward taps instead of
just the necessary single tap. The benefit of this technique is that Jacky
will do the clothesline takedown if his opponent is standing, otherwise
you get the elbow stagger vs. a croucher. Note that the elbow is sensitive
to stance as well, and usually misses if you're in an open stance.
Hook punch (d/f+P)
------------------
Jacky does a left or right cross with whichever arm is forward, a punch
that's perpendicular to the axis of the fight. The hook punch is a move
that is very under used, IMHO. It has great harassment potential as it
comes out very quick and has a lightning fast recovery time. Unfortunately
it hits high, the hardest attack level to connect with, and has a very
short range, about equal to the elbow's. The reason that the hook should
be used regularly, however, is that it can be used in a very similar
fashion as the elbow, but to stagger non-defending standing opponents and
then follow it up with a side kick, beat knuckle, or punt kick (see the
stagger section). Too bad the hook can't be comboed naturally like the
dodging punch or elbow, it would significantly increase its popularity and
use.
Backfist (b+P)
--------------
Any professional kickboxing fan will recognize this attack. Jacky spins
around hitting his opponent in the head with the back of his clenched
fist. A quick move with excellent range and recovery speed that is strong
enough to connect a kickflip float afterwards if you interrupt one of your
opponent's attacks. This attack also combos very easily with almost any
other attack because of its extremely fast recovery time. Its only two
draw backs are that it hits high and can easily be interrupted with a side
kick. Most good players have quick enough reflexes to duck under the
attack and throw you, but this can be remedied with the threat of the
backfist combos (see below).
Low backfist (d/b+P)
--------------------
The attack most Jacky players love and all players who fight against Jacky
hate. It's use is very similar to Akira's dashing elbow and Pai's side
kick, but it has the added advantage of being able to damage standing
defenders. Jacky spins and crouches down at the same time to strike his
opponent at about knee level. The low backfist is one of Jacky's primary
combo starting moves thanks to its lightning fast recovery time, which
also makes this move uncounterable. Similar to the high backfist, a
kickflip float will connect if you interrupt one of your opponents
attacks, but it's also similarly vulnerable to being interrupted by a side
kick or low kick. The best time to try this is when an opponent comes in
with a PPP combo, Jacky will duck the punches and hit them in the legs for
a knock down and float hit chance. The best feature of this attack, IMHO,
is that Akira can't reverse it. It's one of the only low attacks he can't,
along with sweeps.
Dodging punch (G,P)
-------------------
Another technique that is under used by most Jacky players. Jacky bends
backwards at his waist and delivers a hooking punch that does slightly
more damage than the normal high jab. The main benefit of this attack is
that it can be comboed with any combo attack that starts with a normal
high punch. Just tap defense before doing any normal punch combo. Don't
use the dodging punch to counter attack, you want to be as quick as
possible at those times. Instead, use the dodging punch when you end up
toe to toe with an opponent that likes to start his attacks with punches
(Sarah, Jacky, Pai, and Lau). If you're fighting against a character that
has to wind up for most of his attacks (like Jeffry, Wolf and Shun),
however, stick with the normal high punch, elbow, and backfists to start
your attack combos. You'll have greater success at interrupting their
attacks that way.
Beat knuckle (P+K)
------------------
Jacky looks like he's throwing a curve ball as he rips down diagonally
with his fist making a neat whoosh sound. This attack is one of the moves
that Jacky haters use to justify their dislike for Jacky, as many new
Jacky players pick up on it quickly and over use it. The beat knuckle
comes out very quickly and has good range. It is great when used as a
counter move, especially after a kickflip from Pai, Lau, or Kage (his low
one). But I've seen way to many Jacky's use it as their primary attack.
The recovery time is just way to long (over 1/2 a second) making this
attack easily punished when blocked. The beat knuckle is not a guaranteed
knock down when it connects. In certain situations only a stagger will
result, but the move doesn't recover quickly enough to allow Jacky to take
advantage of the stagger, like after an elbow or hook punch. (In future
versions of this FAQ I will outline the criteria for beat knuckle knock
downs and staggers.)
Knee (f+K)
----------
Jacky hops forward with one leg bent up to hit his opponent with his knee.
This is Jacky's primary floating move. Whenever the knee connects, your
opponent will be floated high enough for you to get in another attack
while they're in the air. Through experience you'll learn when's the best
time to connect the knee. After an opponent's missed pounce is usually a
good time to do a single knee with float combo. The knee is also the move
of choice to change Jacky's stance, it's the fastest recovering move that
has this affect.
Toe kick (d+K)
--------------
Jacky kicks forward, raising his foot to waist height. A very slow attack,
that you should use very infrequently. It's usually only done by accident
when you miss the diagonal for the low skipping kick. The only thing you
should be aware of is that you can float people with the toe kick if you
interrupt one of their attacks. Follow the toe kick with a beat knuckle,
punt kick or side kick in these situations along with a low pounce for
maximum damage. Otherwise a high pounce will connect if you start it
before your opponent hits the ground.
Side hook kick (b+K)
--------------------
Another new move for VF2, Jacky raises his leg and brings it down with a
heel axe motion, striking his opponent with the back of his foot. The hook
kick is uncounterable when blocked, so use it often. This move has
deceiving range and defines the spacing you want to keep with your
opponent. Find out what its range is and try to stay at that distance or
half a step further back from your opponent. You'll find that you'll be
able to interrupt many of your opponents attacks with this spacing and
this attack. You'll catch the outreached hand or foot of the attacker.
Also note that it's possible to get a float hit with the low side kick if
Jacky is in close when he connects the side hook kick, otherwise a high
pounce will almost always connect afterwards if you start your pounce
immediately, while your opponent is still in the air.
Backflip (u/b)
--------------
Jacky does a backward handspring to back away from his opponent. The
backflip can avoid most low attacks, but Jacky is still vulnerable to mid
and high level attacks. Tapping back twice is a much more reliable and
quicker way to get space between you and your opponent.
Kickflip (u/b+K)
----------------
Jacky does a backward layout flip with his feet extended to do damage to
his opponent. Jacky's "big gun" is the best kickflip in the game, it does
the most damage and has the best forward range, it's contact zone has a
reach similar to the elbow. Most opponents complain about the obscene
damage that the kickflip does, but if they can block it, they are free to
do whatever they want to Jacky, as it takes him almost an entire second to
recover from a kickflip. The optimal use of the kickflip comes as a
floating hit when your opponent is in the air after a knee, high or low
backfist. The kickflip is also very useful against those foolish enough to
do a jumping attack. Because of the large contact zone of the kickflip,
Jacky has the potential to hit a leaper almost all the way up to the apex
of their jump (except for Kage). The kickflip can also be used quite
effectively against another Jacky player who over uses the low backfist
combos--immediately kickflip after blocking the low backfist and if the
attacking Jacky was attempting a combo you'll almost always catch them
first.
Crescent kick (G+K)
-------------------
Jacky does a spinning high kick. This kick recovers surprisingly fast for
such an attack, but it hits high and is easily ducked under. Can be used
as an alternative to backing up and side kicking PPP crazy players, just
back up and crescent kick, instead.
Spinning mid-kick (b,f+G+K)
---------------------------
This kick is another new move for Jacky in VF2. Jacky spins around with a
leg extended to hit his opponent in the thigh. The only reason to do this
kick is to see Jacky gyrate his hips after it connects. When it does,
however, Jacky's showing off negates the chance to pounce. It's recovery
time is also dismal (two thirds of a second). Do you need any other
reasons why not to do this attack? Its only redeeming feature is that it
changes Jacky's stance, but the knee is a better choice for that purpose.
Low side kick (d+G+K)
---------------------
Jacky crouches down and sticks out his front leg striking his opponent in
the shins. If you catch your opponent in the middle of an attack, they
will fall humorously on their face, otherwise this attack will just push a
standing defender back slightly. Use this attack very sparingly due to its
excessive recovery time. Both Wolf and Jeffry can still dash in and throw
Jacky even after being hit by the shin slicer. All the other characters
can also easily counter this attack after blocking it.
Punt kick (f,f+K)
-----------------
The punt kick was Jacky's dominant move in VF1 (IMHO), but it has been
toned down greatly in VF2 due to its slightly shorter range. Jacky makes a
motion like punting a football, lifting his foot to about shoulder height.
This attack is great for interrupting attacks as well as hitting crouchers
at extreme range, similar to the side kick, but has more damage potential.
It is also popularly used as a float attack, second to the kickflip,
because of its similarly large contact area. Unfortunately there is no
"super" punt kick, similar to Akira's super dashing elbow. If you hit
f,f,f+K, Jacky will do a knee. To dash forward and punt kick, you must hit
forward *4* times. A Jacky player must be conscious of this failing,
otherwise he will most likely leave himself very vulnerable by missing an
attack with the knee. Also note that the punt kick's recovery time is very
long, so only use it at extreme range and make sure your opponent blocks
it, otherwise your opponent has plenty of time to dash in and punish you.
Lightning kick (d+P+K)
----------------------
Jacky lifts his forward leg to hit his opponent in the knee. This attack
along with the low skipping kick and low backfist are best used for
harassment and finishing off your opponent. It works great with the two
low attacks because it hits mid-level. Only use at very close range,
because it has about as much reach as the elbow.
-------------------
Combination Attacks
-------------------
Below are comments on Jacky's multitude of combination attacks, focusing
primarily on the appropriate times to use each. Jacky can only excel
against good players by almost randomly mixing up attack levels and attack
timing, to inspire the "fear of the unknown". But really Jacky's goal is
to get his opponent to crouch and defend, so that he can unleash his most
powerful mid-level attacks. Keep this in mind while reading the following.
Double punch (P,P); triple punch (P,P,P); double punch-backfist
(P,P,b+P); double backfist (b+P,P); double punch-straight kick
(P,P,K); and double punch-elbow (P,P,f+P)
---------------------------------------------------------------
The first four combos main failings are that they are comprised entirely
of high attacks, the hardest attack level to successfully hit, as noted
above. Even though the double/triple punch and double backfist recover
quickly, you are still throw bait if your opponent ducks them, because you
missed. Furthermore, the double punch-backfist takes intolerably too long
to recover, use it very sparingly. On the other hand the double
punch-straight kick will knock a croucher down if you end up right on top
of them when the straight kick comes out, and the double punch-elbow will
stagger a croucher. See the elbow stagger section below. The double
punch-straight kick also seems to work well when used as a delayed combo,
i.e. hesitate before hitting kick. You will usually catch your opponent in
the middle of his attempted counter attack.
Elbow-heel kick (f+P,K) and double punch-elbow-heel kick (P,P,f+P,K)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
The elbow-heel kick was Jacky's "bread and butter" move along with the
punt kick in VF1. Unfortunately, it has lost much of its bite in VF2, due
to its full half second recovery time, making it very easy to block and
counter. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT elbow-heel kick to start an attack
unless you are sure you'll knock you're opponent down, i.e. they were
crouching, dashing in, or you had already staggered them. (This especially
goes for Sarah players who also play Jacky, the elbow-heel kick is not as
safe as Sarah's elbow-knee.) The double punch-elbow-heel kick is Jacky's
most damaging "built-in" combo, and is usually unbreakable if the first
punch hits. A low pounce is a guaranteed hit as well after both combos.
Punch-side kick and punch-crescent kick (P,K); backfist-crescent kick
(b+P,K); and punch-roundhouse kick (f,P,K)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
All except the backfist-crescent kick recover quickly, but they start with
a high attack, and are therefore not as easy to connect with as the elbow
heel kick. When in close the punch-side kick comes out automatically, you
must learn by experience how close you have to be to your opponent to get
the side kick. The side kick will also stagger your opponent so be
prepared to follow it up with another side kick, a beat knuckle or ANY PK
combo (the elbow-heel kick, punch-sweep and punch-crescent kick all work
nicely.) The punch-crescent kick recovers extremely fast for that type of
an attack and can be used as a feint at long range to draw your opponent
to dash in to counter. The backfist-crescent kick has a little better
range than the others, but takes over half a second to recover, use it
very rarely. You will usually get the punch-roundhouse kick by accident
when you mess up the timing for the elbow-heel kick.
Punch-sweep (P,d+K); backfist-sweep (b+P,d+K);
and low backfist-sweep (d/b+P,d+K)
----------------------------------------------
This is where Jacky's ability to mix attack levels starts to flourish.
Most VF veterans will know to crouch when they see the backfist or low
backfist, because that's the way to defend against ANY of the "built-in"
combos after those attacks, be it a high crescent kick, a sweep, or
another backfist. A sweep after a normal punch, dodging punch, or the turn
toward punch, however, leaves extremely little reaction time, as most will
prepare to stand and defend against the double punch-elbow-heel kick. I've
had extreme success with the punch-sweep particularly when the camera
angle changes so that you don't know which way is left or right for your
joystick. The sweep has a very wide attack area that extends about 45
degrees to either side of the axis of the fight, so also feel free to use
it after reversing Sarah's or Shun's P+G throw, or any other time the
characters get out of alignment and you're afraid a straight forward
attack will miss to the side. All three of these combos also work great as
delayed combos, just hesitate before hitting d+K and the sweep will still
come out. Learn how long you can delay such combos, as this skill is very
valuable in messing up your opponent's timing as well as the "rhythm" of
the fight (see the strategy section). On the other hand, however, the
sweeps recovery time is greater then half a second, making it an extremely
easy move to punish if blocked. Be especially aware that Wolf and Jeffry
can get in one of their croucher throws if they block Jacky's sweep.
Fortunately for Jacky, the sweep is a guaranteed knock down when it hits,
while the low side kick, which has similar risks, is not. Follow up a
sweep with a low pounce for some guaranteed extra damage.
Punch-low backfist (P,G,d/b+P); double punch-low backfist
(P,P,G,d/b+P); and backfist-low backfist (b+P,d/b+P)
---------------------------------------------------------
All three of these combos are used as a variation to get to the low
backfist and are easily chained together with the very powerful low
backfist combos (see below). The "built-in" backfist-low backfist is a
very neat looking move, IMHO, but has a few draw backs. First, the first
impulse of many after seeing a backfist is to crouch and defend, as
described above. Second, the low backfist takes slightly longer to recover
in this combo (25 vs. 22 frames in the other two), giving you less of a
chance to connect a delayed combo. Finally, you can't tack a sweep on
after the backfist-low backfist either. The punch/double punch-low
backfist are the first G-cancel combos you should learn as you strive to
be an expert Jacky player. The G button clears the command buffer and
cancels whatever built-in combo was in progress. (If it wasn't used, you
would have to wait longer than the delayed combo time to get a low
backfist out and not another high punch.) Both of the G-cancel combos were
developed to take advantage of players that have conditioned themselves to
stand and defend against Jacky's PPPK combo. This being the case, you'll
actually find that the two G-cancel combos work even better against
veteran VFers, as they will usually wait for the opening to counter,
versus newer players pounding on the buttons and maybe catching you during
the slight delay before the low backfist. Be prepared to finish off with a
low backfist combo as you will more likely than not stagger your opponent
in this case. Note that during the G-cancel, you can be thrown or
interrupted before the low backfist connects, so practice these two combos
so that you can do them as smoothly and quickly as possible.
Low backfist-knee (d/b+P,,f+K); low backfist-side hook kick (d/b+P,,b+K);
low backfist-punt kick (d/b+P,f,f+K); low backfist-beat knuckle
(d/b+P,,P+K); and low backfist-elbow/clothesline takedown (d/b+P,f,f+P)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
These combos have been referred to in the past as Jacky's "canned" combos.
They are what most Jacky players will rely on to do the majority of their
damage. The idea is to stun your opponent with the low backfist, and as
they're recovering, hit them with a powerful mid-level attack or set them
up for an even longer combo. The low backfist-knee has the most damage
potential due to the float hit chances the knee incurs (see the floating
section), but you'll find that the punt kick (buffer it in right after the
low backfist) and the beat knuckle follow-ups work very well, especially
against Pai and Sarah, as they sometimes stumble too far away for the knee
to hit. Use the side hook kick and elbow when you fear you may miss the
low backfist from just beyond its range. They are both safe attacks if you
can make your opponent block them. Actually, I've only gotten the
clothesline takedown throw after missing with the low backfist, but it's
always advisable to do the elbow with two taps forward. Furthermore, the
first tap takes up the normal time you would have to delay anyway.
Elbow-kickflip (f+P,,u/b+G+K); double punch-elbow-kickflip
(P,P,f+P,,u/b+G+K); backfist-kickflip (b+P,,u/b+G+K);
and low backfist-kickflip (d/b+P,,u/b+K)
----------------------------------------------------------
The first time you catch an opponent with the kickflip after an elbow or
double punch-elbow they'll wonder where there life bar went. The key with
the two elbow combos and the low backfist combo are to stagger/stun your
opponent with the first attack to leave them defenseless against the
kickflip. All of these combos are VERY risky because if you're late with
the kickflip, or your opponent just stands and defends against the
high/low backfist they will most likely block the kickflip leaving Jacky
as vulnerable as he could ever be. Also be wary of the lighter characters
being staggered too far away and out of range of the kickflip. The key to
using the backfist-kickflip is to pay attention to what your opponent does
when you throw a backfist at them. If their tendency is to just crouch and
defend (as most will), you'll usually catch them still in a crouch or even
better, interrupt their counter attack with the kickflip. This is one
reason to use the backfist-sweep and low backfist-sweep--to keep your
opponent "honest" and fearful of the low attacks.
Roundhouse kick-heel kick (K,K)
-------------------------------
The roundhouse kick-heel kick is a simple combo that you'll rarely see
good Jacky players use very often, even though the heel kick is a
guaranteed hit if the roundhouse connects. Furthermore, the heel kick has
the ability to hit crouchers if you're close enough and the combo has good
reach overall. The reason experienced Jacky's won't use this combo more
frequently is that the knee can usually connect as a counter in place of
the high kick, and it has much more potential for high damage (see the
float section). If you're being conservative, however, the roundhouse-heel
kick is a good option.
Crescent kick-sweep (G+K,d+G+K)
-------------------------------
A great surprise attack as the sweep is about a half step forward of the
crescent kick and usually catches opponents that look to counter a missed
crescent kick. I know a couple of Pai/Lau players that are jealous of this
combo, one that the crescent/sweep masters Pai and Lau should be able to
do, but can't (heh-heh). Use this combo freely until your opponent has
proven that he will just crouch and defend when Jacky does a crescent
kick. An added bonus of this attack is that if the crescent kick connects,
the sweep has a good chance of hitting as well.
Lightning kicks (d+P+K,K,K,K,K)
-------------------------------
Jacky lifts his front leg progressively higher striking his opponent at
different levels. After the fifth kick, Jacky hangs his leg and drops it
slowly, emulating his fighting style's creator, Bruce Lee. This attack is
almost pure eye candy, but can be used in combination with the low kick to
finish off your opponents. The first three kicks hit mid-level and tend to
connect consecutively once one hits, but the last 2 hit high, and only the
last kick does enough damage to knock your opponent down. Most opponents
will duck and defend taking the minor damage of the first three kicks to
avoid being knocked down and then counter with a quick punch-kick. If you
just use the first two or three a few times, you may be able to lure an
opponent to counter attack too early and get hit by one of the high
attacks, but this strategy is very inadvisable. Use only against lesser
skilled players or when you have a comfortable lead in life bar points.
Side kick-heel kick (d,d/f+K,K)
-------------------------------
The mythical Jacky combo, supposedly similar to Sarah's punt kick-side
kick combo but hundreds of times more difficult to do. I think Jacky's
roundhouse kick-heel kick is his corresponding attack, if there is such a
thing. I've only received one response concerning this combo, and it was
described as a side kick-heel kick not a toe kick-side kick as described
in the VF2 FAQ. (This is courtesy of Douglas William Cole
([email protected]).) Meanwhile, I would like to hear from anybody out
there that has done this combo with Jacky. IMHO, however, it is not worth
the effort or frustration of trying to get this combo that may or may not
exist.
--------------
Turning combos
--------------
The turning combination attacks can add a lot of spice to a match, and
will usually confuse your opponent when you suddenly have your back to
them. Be aware or your options when you have your back turned--you have
many. Most players will turn their back to set up a trap, especially if
they are playing against a character with a cool or powerful back throw
like Lion, Wolf or Jeffry. Therefore, the most common turn toward attack
is definitely the sweep or low kick for all characters, so to connect a
turn toward attack against someone who simply crouches and defends when
faced with Jacky's back, use the turn toward low punch or better yet ANY
of the punch combos, such as a punch-sweep or double punch-straight kick.
(This section will be expanded in later versions of the FAQ.)
---------------
Hopping attacks
---------------
Only use against the frequent sweepers or with a multitude of low attacks:
Pai, Lau, Lion and Shun; and only if the player who's using them DOES
sweep a lot. Otherwise, use hopping attacks against players who tend to
always get up with a sweep. You have to pay attention to your opponents'
tendencies. Except for these two cases, however, Jacky's hopping attacks
should not be used, mainly because they all hit mid-level, so there's no
temptation for your opponent to crouch, like against Pai, Lau, Kage, Lion
and Shun. Furthermore, the hopping attacks are telegraphed way in advance
and have long recovery times making them easy to block and counter attack.
(This section will be expanded in later versions of the FAQ.)
---------------
Jumping attacks
---------------
Use the jumping kick primarily for escape when you're backed up to the
edge of the ring. Furthermore, try to only add the combo of the landing
kicks if you have a chance to connect, to make the recovery time as short
as possible upon landing. Remember your options for turn toward attacks
and also that there's no shame in just running away. Never leap when
playing against the high kickflippers: Jacky, Sarah and Kage. If you're
playing against a very aggressive opponent who always starts the round
with an attack, the jumping kick can be used as an effective opening
attack as well. Also know that the jumping kick hits mid-level, and
therefore hits crouchers when they're close to you and makes it possible
to use the jumping kick as a float combo when you get your opponent in the
air. (This section will be expanded in later versions of the FAQ.)
-------
Pounces
-------
Short pounce (up+P) and high pounce (hold u+P)
----------------------------------------------
Jacky leaps toward his opponent and lands on him/her doing damage with his
knee and foot, then rolls backward off of his foe. Jacky's low pounce is
one of the most reliable in the game with good speed and a large contact
area. The only way to effectively escape it is for your opponent to
quickly kip up when his/her head is furthest from Jacky. The pounce has
great success against those who try to twist away because it can usually
catch one of their arms. Feel free to use the low pounce whenever you
knock your opponent down (except after the trip and hammer throw), just
remember that in VF2 you can start your pounce before your opponent hits
the ground, a great improvement over VF1. The high pounce will always
connect (if you start it while your opponent is in the air) after any move
that has floating potential, such as the knee, side hook kick, and toe
kick, or after a kickflip (against an opponent that was on the ground) due
to its high damage. If you're trying to pounce after a floating kickflip,
however, it's best to dash forward then low pounce (f,f,u+P). The other
great feature of Jacky's pounce is that his roll after it connects puts
him in perfect position to counter a rising attacker, just crouch and
defend while waiting for your opponent to get up. If they use the rising
heel kick, counter with a side kick-low pounce. If they choose the rising
sweep, you won't have time to counter, unless you're fighting Akira, Wolf
or Jeffry, who will still be knocked down by a side kick counter. (A list
of attacks after which the high pounce can connect will be compiled for
later versions of the FAQ.)
Skip kick (d/f+K)
-----------------
Everyone, except the new guys, Lion and Shun, have stomps now to hit
fallen opponents on the ground for some extra minor damage. Jacky hops
slightly and kicks his opponent like he was striking a soccer ball. Your
best chance to get this attack in is against Shun and Wolf players who end
up lying on the ground frequently, after blocking Jeffry's flying butt
attack, or after a trip and hammer throw, but a quick/experienced player
should be able to get up before Jacky can skip kick. It is also useful as
a float hit just as your opponent hits the ground. It may be a better
option, however, to low pounce a Shun or Wolf player who is primarily
lying down to waste time because they are leading a round, you have to
learn what those attacks look like by experience.
------
Throws
------
Jacky can only throw standing opponents. It does not matter if they are
defending or not, but he must be within punch range to throw somebody.
Brainbuster (P+G)
-----------------
Jacky grabs his opponent between the legs and above the shoulder and lifts
them up turning them upside down then kicks out his legs to let them fall
down on top of their head. This is also Jacky's only reversible throw. If
your opponent was attempting a P+G throw at the same time, and hit P+G
within a sixth of a second of you hitting P+G, your opponent will slip
Jacky's grab by falling and rolling backwards taking Jacky along with
them, and leaving both of them lying on their backs side by side. Jacky is
at a slight disadvantage when this happens because his opponent is able to
get up quicker, just make sure you're tapping back or defense to get away
from them as quickly as possible. The best opportunity to throw is when
your opponent misses an attack, especially if you ducked a high attack,
because you are already in throw range. You should always at least hold
forward when you attempt to throw or better yet tap forward twice before
the throw motion to make sure you're close enough to your opponent.
Reverse clothesline takedown (P+G)
----------------------------------
With Jacky facing his opponent's back, he leaps forward and to the side
putting his hand on the back of their head and drives it into the ground
face first as he lands. He gets up slowly and turns around to survey his
work. A truly vicious looking throw which does more damage than any other
single attack Jacky possesses. Go for it when the opportunity presents
itself, such as after ducking Kage's flying kick or twisting away from one
of Lion's missed pounces, but be wary of traps that your opponents may set
for you by presenting Jacky with their back. A quick turn toward low sweep
or slide will knock down anyone trying to dash in for a back throw. If
you're afraid of such traps, stick with the side kick or punt kick to
attack the back of your opponent.
Clothesline takedown (f,f+P)
----------------------------
Jacky leaps forward and to the side of his opponent hooking his arm around
their neck and slamming the back of their head to the ground as he lands
on his back, leaving both players on their backs. You want to get in the
habit of always attempting the elbow by using the f,f+P motion. This
results, as explained earlier, in a dual purpose attack that can either
stagger crouchers or bring them down with the clothesline. Other than
that, it is a weak throw that you shouldn't necessarily try to do on
purpose, because the elbow stagger combos are much more damaging and the
trip and hammer is a much more damaging attack.
Trip and hammer (f,b+P+K)
-------------------------
Jacky's new throw for VF2. He sticks his leg out into his opponent's gut
doubling them over slightly and gives them a two fisted hammer to the back
to help flip them over his leg, leaving them on their back and Jacky
looking down at them and ready to give them a boot to the head with a
quick skip kick. This should be your primary throw because it is not
reversible like the brainbuster. You should hit f,f,b+P+K whenever your
opponent misses a power attack by being slightly too far away. The two
forward taps are not a typo. You want to dash in and then hit b+P+K. The
second forward tap of the dash in satisfies the forward tap necessary for
the trip and hammer. Jacky will throw out a beat knuckle if you weren't
close enough or your opponent was crouching when you went for the trip and
hammer, which is not too bad because you should at least stagger a
crouching opponent. This throw along with the clothesline takedown can
also be used to defeat any CPU opponent as well. Just back away from the
CPU controlled fighter and when they start running at you, dash in and
throw as explained above.
-----------------------------
Getting up and rising attacks
-----------------------------
All the VF2 characters will get up faster by repeatedly tapping the
joystick and/or buttons. The more input commands that are entered, the
faster they will get up. (See the Akira FAQ for a more detailed
explanation of the "rising model.") There are some techniques described
below that combine button and joystick taps to maximize the number of
input commands and still get up in the desired way under control.
Furthermore, each character has a maximum of 40 different ways to get up
based on their orientation to their opponent when they are on the ground.
This number is derived from all the combinations of head position (near or
away), face up or down, and weather an attack is made or not. In general,
however, Jacky has only 9 or 10 choices to pick from for any given
orientation.
Stand up (P)
------------
Jacky just stands up in place. Do not use this way of getting up unless
you are backed into a corner of the ring and even the handspring would
ring you out. A pounce will still connect, as Jacky does not move
horizontally to dodge an attack from above. Furthermore, Jacky is
vulnerable until he is completely upright, leaving an easy opportunity for
his opponent to knock him down again.
Handspring (u)
--------------
Jacky will do a gymnastic kip up if he is on his back or a flip over hand
spring when laying face down. Use this technique whenever Jacky is in
danger of getting pounced on the legs, i.e. whenever Jacky's head is
farther away from his opponent than his feet. But it's not that effective
in avoiding Lion's or Kage's pounces. The kip up pulls about
three-quarters of Jacky's body away from the ground, and therefore can be
very effective in dodging incoming pounces. Furthermore, you can always
avoid the second hop of Lau's heavy pounce by kipping up. To quickly get
up this way, tap both up and punch as quickly as possible. (Thanks to
Colin Leong for this idea.)
Rising kick (K)
---------------
Jacky gets up with a heel kick that will hit crouching defenders if they
are close enough. A low pounce will always connect after the rising kick.
Rising sweep (hold d+K)
-----------------------
Jacky gets up with a sweep that will take down standing opponents. A low
pounce will also always connect after knocking down an opponent with a
sweep.
Handspring kick (K, when face up and head is near opponent)
-----------------------------------------------------------
When Jacky's head is near his opponent and he is face up, he has only one
attack available if he doesn't twist or roll away--the handspring or mule
kick. Even if you hold down, Jacky will still do the handspring kick.
Jacky kips up and then thrusts his feet at his opponent using his arms to
propel him upward at a 45 degree angle. The handspring kick hits crouching
defenders like a heel kick does, and the low pounce is also guaranteed
after it hits. Most experienced players know that Jacky can't sweep them
when he's in this orientation so they'll stand and defend and counter
attack after blocking the handspring kick. Use a different way to get up.
Twist away (G); twist away and kick (G, K while twisting);
and twist away and sweep (G, hold d+K while twisting)
----------------------------------------------------------
Jacky twists his body, rolling away sideways, then stands up, or does a
heel kick or sweep. The twist can avoid most pounces, but has particular
trouble escaping from Pai, Sarah, Jacky, and Jeffry. Try to stick to the
handspring or rolling away when fighting one of those four. Use it almost
exclusively, however, against Lion's who pounce often, as you have a great
chance of ending up behind them as they get up. The twisting direction is
usually toward the center of the ring, even if that direction puts you
closer to your opponent, so pay attention to where the edge of the ring is
at all times. Don't depend on the twist to take Jacky away from the edge,
however, because at certain angles, the twist will bring him close enough
to the edge that he will fall out as he tries to get up. On the other
hand, you can use the twisting into your opponent to your advantage by
adding on the heel kick attack. Most players will back off just out of
range of the heel kick and crouch and defend as they wait for you to get
up. The twist will put Jacky back in range for the heel kick in these
cases. To get up as quickly as possible, tap down on the joystick while
also tapping defense. Once Jacky starts rolling, hit kick or hold down and
kick to make a rising attack.
Roll away (b); roll away and kick (b, K while rolling);
roll away and sweep (b, hold d+K while rolling);
roll away and mule kick (b, K while rolling); and
roll away and low mule kick (b, hold d+K while rolling)
-------------------------------------------------------
Jacky does a forward or backward roll, depending on his orientation, and
then stands up, or does a heel kick or sweep. Use in the same situations
as the handspring, but be aware that the roll gets out of the way of a
pounce slightly slower. Also know that the CPU does not allow you to roll
out of the ring when you get up. Jacky will just stand up if you attempt
such a thing, leaving him very vulnerable as explained above. Generally,
if Jacky is on the ring's warning track and not almost parallel to the
edge, he won't be able to roll away to get up. The roll is usually your
best option defensively, because it allows Jacky to get as far away from
his opponent as possible. If an opponent sees you doing this often,
though, he may start dashing in behind your roll to attack you. Counter a
following opponent with a rising kick. To get up the quickest with a roll,
tap back (away from your opponent) and punch rapidly together, and once
Jacky starts rolling, you can add on a rising attack by hitting kick or
down and kick.
==============================
Part II: Selected Jacky topics
==============================
-----------------------------------
Elbow and hook punch stagger combos
-----------------------------------
Staggering refers to your opponent's reaction when you hit them with an
elbow or hook punch. They reel backwards, momentarily stunned by your
attack. (For a chuckle, look closely at the face of a character that gets
hit by a hook punch--they actually grimace.) The reason these combos work
is that the recovery time of the elbow and hook punch are quicker than the
opponent's recovery time from the stagger. Always be prepared to follow up
an elbow or hook punch to capitalize on your opponent's momentary
vulnerability.
Staggering is very weight sensitive, with the lighter characters (Pai,
Sarah, Lion, Shun and Kage) being staggered far away, and the heavy
weights (Wolf and Jeffry) barely stumbling back a step. Keep this in mind
when attempting the various stagger combos, as some attacks don't have the
range to reach the light weights after they've been staggered. In
particular, the kickflip, knee, and some punch combos can be missed
because they have stumbled back too far.
The elbow is a much easier attack to get a stagger with, because it will
hit any croucher, even if they are defending, along with standing
non-defenders. The hook punch, on the other hand, will only stagger
standing non-defenders, and has a slightly shorter range. Both are quick
enough to interrupt a fair amount of the possible attacks other player's
can make. Just remember to always be prepared to tack on a combo if they
stagger.
These lists are of course not complete, but may well be in a later version
of the FAQ. I am currently trying to confirm which attacks will always
work (not many, but it depends on what your opponent does after the
stagger) and against which opponents. The elbow-kickflip is almost a
guaranteed combo against a crouching middle to heavy weight opponent.
After an elbow to a crouching opponent:
---------------------------------------
G-cancel kickflip (u/b+G+K) (may miss light weights)
double punch-elbow-heel kick
double punch-straight kick
elbow-heel kick
punch-sweep
punch-roundhouse kick
punch-side kick/crescent kick
backfist-sweep
backfist-crescent kick
double backfist
beat knuckle
G-cancel punt kick (G,f,f+K)
G-cancel knee (G,f+K) (don't use against light weights)
After a hook punch to a standing non-defender:
----------------------------------------------
double punch-elbow-heel kick
double punch-straight kick
backfist-sweep
backfist-crescent kick
double backfist
punch-sweep
punch-roundhouse kick
punch-side kick/crescent kick
roundhouse kick-heel kick
beat knuckle
punt kick
side hook kick
side kick
knee (don't use against light weights)
--------
Floating
--------
Floating and juggling are terms VF players use when they refer to hitting
an opponent with an attack which makes them rise in the air before falling
to the ground, making them susceptible to further attacks as they are
falling. Floating is possible in the world of VF because the physics model
used in the game uses less gravity than the real world. This also partly
explains the super jumping ability of all the characters to some extent.
Jacky's major floating attack is the knee, but you can also get float
attacks in after the high or low backfist, the toe kick, and the side hook
kick if you catch your opponent with a major counter (you interrupt one of
their attacks), as well as after the turn away kick.
Floating is a skill that separates good players from fair to average
players, IMHO. Your main goal is to maximize the damage for a given
attack.
How high you float your opponent depends on 3 things:
1) weight*
-light weights = high and far float (they tend to bounce, too)
(Pai, Sarah, Lion and Shun)
-middle weights = average float
(Kage, Lau, Jacky and Akira)
-heavy weights = low and short float
(Wolf and Jeffry)
2) orientation
-crouching = low float
-standing = average float
-hopping = high float
3) action
-running in = high float
-major counter = high float
-counter = average or high float
-not defending = average float
-defending = low float
*Each character has there own individual weight (see the VF2 FAQ)
and this is what the "floating model" built into the game really
uses. It's not really as cut and dried as the three categories here,
but this is a good way to classify the characters for discussions
or papers like this. Kage has a very borderline weight and behaves
like a "light weight" during staggers and bouncing but like a
"middle weight" during floats.
These affects are cumulative. For example, if you catch Pai with a knee
while she's spinning around during her crescent kick (a major counter),
you will float her extremely high and maybe too high, as some attacks
could miss beneath her. If you had simply kneed a crouching Pai, she will
not be floated high enough to get in an extra attack. Wolf and Jeffry are
normally not floated high enough to get in an extra attack, but if you
catch them hopping or as a major counter, you have a good chance to hit
them in the air as well.
The below floating attacks are listed roughly in order of preference,
taking into account the ease of connecting the float attack and also the
damage potential the float attack has. Note that these lists are not
exhaustive. There may be other attacks that I haven't considered that
could follow the toe kick or turn away kick, in particular.
After a knee: (there are probably more than are listed here)
-------------
kickflip
elbow-heel kick
punt kick
beat knuckle
jump kick
punch-side kick/crescent kick
backfist-sweep
punch-sweep
backfist-crescent kick
double backfist
punch-roundhouse kick
backfist-low backfist
roundhouse kick
low side kick
double punch-straight kick\
double punch-elbow } (usually only the first and third
triple punch / attacks of these three combos connect)
ground skip kick (the side kick will not work as a float attack)
lightning kicks (4 is my best against Pai, can you do better?)
After a high or low backfist:
-----------------------------
kickflip
elbow-heel kick
beat knuckle
punt kick
punch-sweep (?)
knee
ground skip kick (the side kick will not work as a float attack)
lightning kicks (?)
After a toe kick:
-----------------
beat knuckle
punt kick
After a side hook kick:
-----------------------
low side kick (must be in close range)
After a turn away kick:
-----------------------
turn toward sweep
punch-sweep
turn toward low punch