Ask Freddy

[Zoidberg747]

What are his best uses for meter?

 

[M2Dave]

What are his best uses for meter?

1. Combo breakers
2. EX spike / EX teleport

EX spike is obviously used in combos and as a punishing and anti-zoning tool. EX teleport is Freddy's best defensive move, but EX sweet dreams is not too bad either if you are stuck in the corner.

Stay away from EX glove / EX fingers. These moves are useless for the most part.

 

[Strippers&Beer]

do certain or all specials have invincibility frames on wakeup after getting knocked down. is this just a general game mechanic? i've noticed in particular ex spikes, nms, and teleport.

 

[Zoidberg747]

do certain or all specials have invincibility frames on wakeup after getting knocked down. is this just a general game mechanic? i've noticed in particular ex spikes, nms, and teleport.

Yeah that is just a general game mechanic.

 

[M2Dave]

do certain or all specials have invincibility frames on wakeup after getting knocked down. is this just a general game mechanic? i've noticed in particular ex spikes, nms, and teleport.

I believe every wake up attack has 8 frames of invulernable frames, so the faster your attack the better. For example, Kung Lao's spin has a 6F start up, so the move is entirely invulnerable on wake up. Freddy's spike has a 16F start up, so only half of the move is invulernable on wake up. You can therefore be hit, which does happen sometimes.

 

[jokey77]

Does anyone know the amount of +frames on GT?
I am thinking about using b+3 and b+2 into GT. Does this provide enough +frames to set up another 50/50 situation?

All these 50/50s are a matter of risk/reward and I think, Freddy's 50/50 are underestimated. Linking b+3/b+2 into Ex-Spikes offers a chance for great damage, is safe (at least fwik) and only costs 1 meter. I think no other character has such a safe and still rewarding 50/50 game, especially since Freddy produces meter easily. Getting in can still be kinda difficult. However it´s usually the opponent coming for you, so you don´t have to get in while being out-zoned, but just find the right spot for a jump-ins while you´re doing your own zoning game.

 

[M2Dave]

Does anyone know the amount of +frames on GT?
I am thinking about using b+3 and b+2 into GT. Does this provide enough +frames to set up another 50/50 situation?

Unfortunately no. I think GT is +1 on hit at best. As is FF. The only projectile that gives a lot of advantage is EX FF which is similar to Kung Lao's old low hat.

Freddy's 50/50 mix up is theoretically the best in the game, but Quan Chi and Scorpion have superior set ups. Basically, Freddy has a 100% safe 50/50 mix up but poor set ups. Quan Chi and Scorpion have the set ups but lack safety.

Also, be careful how you spend meter in some match ups. If you waste too much meter vs characters like Cage, Cyrax, Jax, Smoke, etc. you may put yourself in a very, very bad situation.

 

[jokey77]

thank you very much for your answers, m2dave!

i´d like to ask another one: if the opponent is knocked down, both b+2 and b+3 will stand them up, if he plays dead, right?
has anyone been thinking about using NMS, 2 (long knockdown) followed by a teleport to mess up his wake-up. afterwards you could try the 50/50?

... there must be a way!

edit: just tried it and rolling away makes this set-up just totally useless

 

[M2Dave]

thank you very much for your answers, m2dave!

i´d like to ask another one: if the opponent is knocked down, both b+2 and b+3 will stand them up, if he plays dead, right?
has anyone been thinking about using NMS, 2 (long knockdown) followed by a teleport to mess up his wake-up. afterwards you could try the 50/50?

... there must be a way!

edit: just tried it and rolling away makes this set-up just totally useless

I think neither b+2 nor b+3 has off-the-ground capabilities.

After NMS, 2, do sweet dreams. Your opponent can backroll, but you create space, which is what Freddy needs.

 

[jokey77]

I guess, space is exactly what Freddy needs.
... and I think, I understand, why hardly anyone plays him. He´s not a bad character, but he is rather reactive. Thus you have to know the whole cast and you have to understand what pretty much every other character is capable of. As Kabal I dictate the pace of the match. For newbies like myself, this makes things a lot easier!

 

[Peckapowa]

I'd like to screw around with freddy but find it difficult to get a handle ont he utility of his normals, i know hes got strong 50 50's but what combos should be doing based of those normals and how od i use them situationally, i have good idea i feel with him though

and has anyone noticed his ex ground spike causes pretty sever stagger? i feel like that would be a good follow up after the overhead or something for added pressure if the overhead doesnt hit

 

[jokey77]

xxteefxx and m2dave mentioned a couple of high damage combos in the guide.

however at least online I prefer easier ones: JIP, b+2 or b+3, ex GroundClaw, b+1,2,u+1, NMS, 1, b+2, f+4, 2, 1. That´s what I use. Usually I follow up with a low projectile (FF), but you can also connect the last 1 into far ground spikes.


I got another question myself: how can I zone Kabal properly? Usually I want to have my opponent knocked down full screen away. However against Kabal and his invincible ground saw I can´t follow up. My frame traps seem not to be any effective...


Maybe an own thread about how to follow up against specific chars (once they´ve been knocked down full screen away) might be a very great thing. For example I think GT is a good thing to use against Scorpion. If he tries to use his teleportpunch, he will often be hit before he even leaves the screen (but after the invincible start-up frames).

I might try to start one, but I don´t want to spread misinformation and I am far away from being a top player for sure...

 

[M2Dave]

I got another question myself: how can I zone Kabal properly? Usually I want to have my opponent knocked down full screen away. However against Kabal and his invincible ground saw I can´t follow up. My frame traps seem not to be any effective...

Are you talking about wake up buzzsaws? If so, use sweet dreams. Sweet dreams has the right speed to connect shortly after Kabal's wake up invincibility wears off. Once the sweet dreams connect, you have enough time to neutral jump the buzzsaw and still juggle Kabal with far ground spikes. This strategy works against every wake up fireball.

Against Scorpion it is best to bait and block teleports and then unleash your most damaging combo. EX teleports should be interrupted with d+1, which you can do on reaction, and then combo with f+4,2,1.

By the way, what happened to fellow Freddy player @DarKNaTaS last night? Did he quit the game for real?

 

[jokey77]

i meant wake-up buzzsaws, yes. so sweet dreams is recovering fast enough for you to block an incoming exND / buzzsaw? then this sounds like a good option!

against scorpion i prefer constant pressure, since hellfire is kinda annoying.

 

[M2Dave]

against scorpion i prefer constant pressure, since hellfire is kinda annoying.

Sweet dreams trades in your favor against hellfire because there is generally enough time to combo with spikes. Just be mindful of teleports if you start doing lots of sweet dreams.

Spikes have a 16F start up. Hellfire has a 22F start up and leaves Scorpion at -1 on hit. So, even if you eat a hellfire full screen away, the Scorpion player has to jump or block a far spike.

Freddy still has the zoning advantage. You only have to apply pressure if you are significantly down in health.

 

[Metzos]

Can you use his uppercut for an AA solution or it doesnt have good hitbox ? Also can you combo after it with hell spike if it connects after a cross-up ?

 

[M2Dave]

Can you use his uppercut for an AA solution or it doesnt have good hitbox ? Also can you combo after it with hell spike if it connects after a cross-up ?

d+2 is very good as an AA. You can usually combo with mid spike when d+2 connects vs cross ups. You can sometimes even combo when d+2 connects vs non-cross ups, but your opponent must be positioned very high in the air. However, the best thing to do off-line is AA 1, f+4,2,1 xx far spike, far spike.

 

[DarKNaTaS]

if freddy had a anti air 1 like sonya he would be god like!

 

[Plop]

What are Freddy's best strings to pressure with (other than f421). Alot of them dont look that safe or advantagous. Is 11 any good?
Also, are all 3 hits of f421 safe?

One more thing. Freddy's zoning looks hella effective but also very tricky to get the hang of. m2dave i saw some of your matches recently and your zoning wowed me like no other player has, which is why i've decided to pick Freddy up. Can you give me some zoning tips? I've never been too good at it really. I play a rushdown Kano and occasionally throw out a couple of knives. There's probably a "general rules to zoning" or whatever, but i just never figured them out lol

 

[AK Vip3r]

What are Freddy's best strings to pressure with (other than f421). Alot of them dont look that safe or advantagous. Is 11 any good?
Also, are all 3 hits of f421 safe?

One more thing. Freddy's zoning looks hella effective but also very tricky to get the hang of. m2dave i saw some of your matches recently and your zoning wowed me like no other player has, which is why i've decided to pick Freddy up. Can you give me some zoning tips? I've never been too good at it really. I play a rushdown Kano and occasionally throw out a couple of knives. There's probably a "general rules to zoning" or whatever, but i just never figured them out lol

Freddy has some excellent block strings. f.2,1,4 there is also u3 which is plus on block and you can continue the block string. 1,1 is also a decent block string but I dont often find myself using it, even though I probably should. DO NOT end block strings with close claw. you will get punished for it, assuming the player is half way smart. Ill let dave explain the zoning deal to you. Im more of a rushdown freddy player myself but I have a decent zoning game.

 

[Plop]

Freddy has some excellent block strings. f.2,1,4 there is also u3 which is plus on block and you can continue the block string. 1,1 is also a decent block string but I dont often find myself using it, even though I probably should. DO NOT end block strings with close claw. you will get punished for it, assuming the player is half way smart. Ill let dave explain the zoning deal to you. Im more of a rushdown freddy player myself but I have a decent zoning game.

Thanks alot

 

[Phase 3]

Can you use his uppercut for an AA solution or it doesnt have good hitbox ? Also can you combo after it with hell spike if it connects after a cross-up ?

This one can be tough to field. From my experience, Freddy's uppercut has a fantastic hitbox and it's 10 frames, so it's as fast as his jabs. Looking at the move by itself, it's a great AA due to its speed and excellent range; however, you do sacrifice some hefty damage by choosing not to use the AA 1 combo. Does this mean there is never a time to use the uppercut? Not necessarily.

There are some situations in which the AA1 may be risky to attempt due to spacing, timing, and whether or not you're recovering from a move. Going for AA1 100% of the time can result in you eating some combos if you're in the wrong position. The nice thing about his uppercut is that it lowers his hitbox a little, so if someone is jumping and you're recovering from a move, an uppercut is an excellent way to play it safe. After some time experimenting with the two, you'll begin to see which opportunities best suit each AA (AA1 vs Uppercut). Do practice the AA1 combo though because on obvious jump-ins you net a whole lot more damage and much better screen positioning.

FCan you give me some zoning tips? I've never been too good at it really. I play a rushdown Kano and occasionally throw out a couple of knives. There's probably a "general rules to zoning" or whatever, but i just never figured them out lol

I'm not m2dave, but I can definitely help you out with Freddy zoning.

First of all, the universal rule is, when Freddy is full screen opponents must block a Far Ground Spike following a blocked Glove Toss/Freddy Fingers. This is great for Freddy because it gives him chip and meter. Following a blocked Far Ground Spike at full screen, they can't dash forward if you do another Far Ground Spike. If you do land a Far Spike from these frame traps you can combo into another Far Spike or set up a trap by tossing out a Glove Toss/Freddy Fingers/Sweet Dreams as they're landing. Some teleports/moves will also get stuffed by another Far Ground Spike following a blocked one, so opponents must be careful how they respond to this situation. They can jump, although as a Freddy player you should be prepared for that.

If they jump, whether it be forward, neutral, or back, you can catch them with any of your projectiles/ground spikes provided your timing is on point. If they jump forward and get hit by Glove Toss or Medium Ground Spike you can combo into two Far Ground Spikes. Upon hit they keep ending up in that frustrating full screen position and from this range Freddy does a ton of unbreakable damage (while building meter) which can get players to do reckless/unsafe moves.

Another nice mind game comes once your opponent is conditioned to block following a blocked Glove Toss/Freddy Fingers. What happens is, if they're so used to blocking, you can sometimes fire off a second GT which is free meter and chip. By the time they realize it's not a Far Spike they probably won't want to jump given GT's speed. I wouldn't do it all the time but it's something you can get away with here and there, specially if you're at an advantage in the match.

When you're in zoning wars, utilize Far Spike to gain momentum because it lowers his hitbox and allows him to duck under and counter standard projectiles. It's also a great trade because it pops the opponent into the air. Ex Spike into an unbreakable combo and/or setup is also a great way to say "don't fuck with me at a distance" and will often stop opponents from trying the ranged game. There are matchup specific zoning strategies but that'd be going a little far for general zoning advice haha.

At full screen Freddy can do a lot of unbreakable damage if you choose to use 1 EX meter on EX Ground Spike. If you EX Spike from full screen you can teleport, do Medium Spike, Far Spike, Far Spike for what I think is around 22%. Alternatively, you can use EX Claw into Freddy Fingers for 17% which keeps them standing and guarantees a free Far Spike frame trap (2% chip) and removes any wakeup options.

When players start to get close, just watch your projectiles. If you've been zoning effectively, they'll want to just get right in there which means they might make some unsafe dashes/jumps just to close in the final few feet. It's crucial that you establish Freddy's amazing AA game (AA1, Uppercut, or NMS 1) to make people think twice about carelessly jumping. Once you shut down the jump Freddy can backdash and control space by shutting down dash jabs through pokes or even his uppercut (because of its range and the fact that it lowers him under some jabs that would otherwise hit him while blocking).

I'm sure m2dave can add tons to this. He wrote a superb guide, so you should definitely check that out too. Hopefully I've managed to help a little.

 

[M2Dave]

One more thing. Freddy's zoning looks hella effective but also very tricky to get the hang of. m2dave i saw some of your matches recently and your zoning wowed me like no other player has, which is why i've decided to pick Freddy up. Can you give me some zoning tips? I've never been too good at it really. I play a rushdown Kano and occasionally throw out a couple of knives. There's probably a "general rules to zoning" or whatever, but i just never figured them out lol

Phase 3 describes Freddy's full screen zoning very well.

Also, you can use NMS at mid range, which can be highly effective depending on the match up. Generally, NMS is excellent vs any character with no quick advancing special move that hits crouching opponents. NMS xx glove toss is very good too.

 

[Gweedo888]

when doing u+3 after the b1,2,1 i can't connect the f+4,2,1 is there a trick to this im missing?

 

[M2Dave]

when doing u+3 after the b1,2,1 i can't connect the f+4,2,1 is there a trick to this im missing?

You have to dash in properly before doing u+3 or f+4,2,1 never connects. I will try to make a video soon because I cannot describe the timing very well. However, you can use the following combo at the moment which only does 1% less damage than the u+3 version. I used it throughout MLG to avoid execution errors and input bugs.

b+2 / b+3, JP b+1,2,u+1, dash b+2, f+4,2,1 xx mid spike, far spike, far spike.

I did not understand your mix up question, so re-xplain it please.