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Stop Jumping: How to footsie your way in

Enenra

Go to hell.
An excessive amount of jumping may get you somewhere online, but offline you will get AAd, kombo'd, and exposed.

So let's talk about a very general, rough way to get in using footsies. If you don't know what footsies are, you're adorable.

The easiest and most obvious way to get in is using pokes. If your character has a solid D4, use it. Kick that bitch in the shin, and be aware if a confirmed D4 grants your character enough advantage for free pressure. Moral of the story? STUDY YOUR FRAME DATA. Know if your character is good enough to poke their way in, and if they are, take advantage of it.

If your character has an advancing, long reaching normal that is EXCEPTIONAL for footsies. Smoke's B2 is a perfect example. Try and get the range down, and make your opponent respect it. Coupled with low pokes, reaching normals are great mind games and pressure to get yourself in. Again, study the frame data to make sure the normal you are using is at least neutral on block. To use Smoke as an example again, B2 is zero on block yet B23 is -8. Negative frames will only help your opponent get in on you. Avoid it.

The hardest but hands down best and most rewarding way to get in is to make your opponent do the first move, and then whiff punish it. I'll use Sub Zero as an example this time. If I am trying to get in on (x), who we will say is Johnny Cage, I may press forward at walk speed and then dash back and 22 and try to bait out the F3. If I get Johnny to go for it, I now have a kombo and I'm in. Whiff punishing is by far the best way in, and if you are successful, they will over respect your approach and you can do just about anything you want.

Another way of getting in is if you have a teleport. Sektor can instant air teleport for example. This is best for violating zoners, get some damage and get right next to them. Advancing specials are also good. Reptile's dash coupled with a slow forceball is a perfect example. Kabal's dash cancels are an obvious way in as well. This is character specific, the most consistent ways are the three above.

This is a general guide. If this is well received, I'll make it more specific and add a guide for how to keep people out.
 

Mattman

Warlock Nerd
An excessive amount of jumping may get you somewhere online, but offline you will get AAd, kombo'd, and exposed.

So let's talk about a very general, rough way to get in using footsies. If you don't know what footsies are, you're adorable.

The easiest and most obvious way to get in is using pokes. If your character has a solid D4, use it. Kick that bitch in the shin, and be aware if a confirmed D4 grants your character enough advantage for free pressure. Moral of the story? STUDY YOUR FRAME DATA. Know if your character is good enough to poke their way in, and if they are, take advantage of it.

If your character has an advancing, long reaching normal that is EXCEPTIONAL for footsies. Smoke's B2 is a perfect example. Try and get the range down, and make your opponent respect it. Coupled with low pokes, reaching normals are great mind games and pressure to get yourself in. Again, study the frame data to make sure the normal you are using is at least neutral on black. To use Smoke as an example again, B2 is zero on block yet B23 is -8. Negative frames will only help your opponent get in on you. Avoid it.

The hardest but hands down best and most rewarding way to get in is to make your opponent do the first move, and then whiff punish it. I'll use Sub Zero as an example this time. If I am trying to get in on (x), who we will say is Johnny Cage, I may press forward at walk speed and then dash back and 22 and try to bait out the F3. If I get Johnny to go for it, I now have a kombo and I'm in. Whiff punishing is by far the best way in, and if you are successful, they will over respect your approach and you can do just about anything you want.

Another way of getting in is if you have a teleport. Sektor can instant air teleport for example. This is best for violating zoners, get some damage and get right next to them. Advancing specials are also good. Reptile's dash coupled with a slow forceball is a perfect example. Kabal's dash cancels are an obvious way in as well. This is character specific, the most consistent ways are the three above.

This is a general guide. If this is well received, I'll make it more specific and add a guide for how to keep people out.
This is well received. Hope you can make it more specific and add a guide for how to keep people out.
 

Faded Dreams V

Retired June 2012. Unretired June 2013.
Frankly, it's easy to read about footsies and spacing and "fundamentals," but hard to get a grasp of what it even looks like until you play people of much higher levels for yourself, especially if you're an online player. =P

Everyone, just play F0xy or Curbo. You'll learn the hard way. lol.
 

GrandMasterson

The Netherrealm beckons
I'm still trying to figure out what the hell to do with Scorpion's footsie game, because his pokes are arguably the worst in the game. F3? F4 into takedown? D4 in takedown? Just throw random takedowns in general out there? I honestly don't know with this character anymore.

I'm trying really hard to not give up on Scorp, but I'm completely at a loss.
 

Enenra

Go to hell.
I'm still trying to figure out what the hell to do with Scorpion's footsie game, because his pokes are arguably the worst in the game. F3? F4 into takedown? D4 in takedown? Just throw random takedowns in general out there? I honestly don't know with this character anymore.

I'm trying really hard to not give up on Scorp, but I'm completely at a loss.
With Scorpion, you have to make them respect your pokes by respecting the takedown followup. D4 is simply to keep people at bay. Scorpion's best footsie game is walking back, and punishing whiffs.

B2 is my favorite footsie tool. Lowers my hitbox, safe if spaced correctly, and leads to vortex. F4~takedown is also very good, safe, but less rewarding. Can also beat out a lot of D4s.
 

GamerBlake90

Blue Blurs for Life!
This is something I've been trying to work into my game in regards to approaching opponents. I usually prefer to zone and wait patiently, but there will come times when I won't have the life lead and will therefore be required to take the battle up-close. With Sonya, I usually try to approach with her d4, but that is highly vulnerable to whiff-punishing, so dash-blocking is preferable.

Jumping to approach is NEVER the answer, just don't do it. Not even out of desperation due to low health or something. Anti-airs are dominant in this game. (hide while you can, you online warriors)

Hoping to see more detail added to this good guide, Ryan.
 

Zoidberg747

My blades will find your heart
You know the easiest way to get in? Walk forward. It sounds so simple yet people never do it. Just walk forward until you see their projectile come out and block. If you keep repeating this you will be in there face in less than three projectiles(Unless they are Kabal, even then he only takes like maybe 6).
 

Flagg

Noob
You know the easiest way to get in? Walk forward. It sounds so simple yet people never do it. Just walk forward until you see their projectile come out and block. If you keep repeating this you will be in there face in less than three projectiles(Unless they are Kabal, even then he only takes like maybe 6).
That's okay if you're Sheeva or Baraka or Ermac who have fast walking speed, but ever tried "walking" anywhere with CSZ? It's a small mercy NRS deemed CSZ to have the best dash in the game to compensate.
 

Zoidberg747

My blades will find your heart
That's okay if you're Sheeva or Baraka or Ermac who have fast walking speed, but ever tried "walking" anywhere with CSZ? It's a small mercy NRS deemed CSZ to have the best dash in the game to compensate.
Well obviously there are a few exceptions, but if you can walking>dash blocking
 

Flagg

Noob
Men should never use the word "adorable" in connection with other men. It sounds all kindsa metrosexual. Just sayin.

Well obviously there are a few exceptions, but if you can walking>dash blocking
Yeah I know what you mean, i've been using walking more in some of my game. Baraka has pretty good walk speed. Kano is, unsurprisingly, one of the slowest walkers in the game.
 

Espio

Kokomo
Guide is solid, useful info that all players regardless of online or offline exp. can benefit from immensely.