AK L0rdoftheFLY
I hatelove this game
So what makes her pressure so good? Block strings, resets, footsies...Yes all of these things are good for pressure but what about frame traps? Characters like kabal and Cage get all the praise for pressure related to frame traps but what about skarlet? She definitely has them and they can be very unforgiving if you fall for one.
In order for a character to have a frame trap, they must be at positive frames after a blocked attack. Since none of skarlets normals grant her natural advantage like cages 11f1, she has to create them by using ex dagger, red dash, or 112. So I went though the frame data and compiled a list of all possible frame traps with her. I will make a video to follow up also.
Frame advantage off of blocked attacks when cancelled into eh dagger must be greater than +19 for her to get any positive frames. I’m assuming all cancels are done perfect and on the frame to ensure accurate data. If it doesn’t work its because your slow and need to practice more.
Frame traps are very important for skarlet because if characters low block it becomes hard for her to get her long block strings without landing a jip. f212 1+2 only chains if the opponent stand blocks the first one and the first two hits whiff on most characters on crouch block. If they dont stand and you want to maintain pressure and frame advantage after a reset and during footsies, these traps are essential to know.
114
gives her +23 cancel adv on block. When they are crouching the EDC will whiff so take +23 - 19 for eh dagger = leaves her at +4 even if the dagger whiffs. If dagger hits on stand block you can link to the obvious f2121+2. If they try to poke, your pokes (d1, d3) will always hit first. When Canceled you should not she skarlet move forward or backward if you did it fast enough. If this happens, you are still in range for a f4 to hit. When canceled properly, F4 will come out in 13 framess - 4 = 9 frames. This has the ability to eat there low poke and grant you a huge combo.
On hit 114 grants +33 frames...when canceled into red dash (29 frames) she is still at +4. same rules apply as above. Both hit and block cancels can be armored.
112 on the ground
Do an EDC after 112 on the ground and it will whiff. You are at neutral frames and have no advantage...This is not terrible but on block they can duck the EDC and poke you if they have faster normals or pokes. On stand block, f2121+2 is guaranteed within 2 frames.
112 on grounded hit grants +37. This is more cancel advantage than 114 but in block strings, 114 is ALWAYS better to maintain frame advantage. +37 canceled into red dash (29 frames) leaves her at+8. F4 will come out in 5 frames. Pokes (d1, d3) will always come out first.
212
Grants +22 cancel advantage. If they are ducking the EDC will whiff. 22 - 19 (EDC) = +3. Not much better than 112 on block. Pokes (d1, d3) come out first and f4 comes out in 10 frames.
On hit you get a juggle.
Standing 2
Standing 2 grants +26 cancel advantage. After a combo with minimal air hits into 112 reset, the advantage is greater than the traditional +37. The higher you reset them the better. Therefore after Red Dash you can land a standing 2 at 12 frames for free. Low hitbox characters cannot duck it either. This on block (if opponent ducks) into EDC leaves her at 26 - 19 = +7 frames. This means f4 comes out in 6 frames...This could be her go to frame trap vs low hitbox characters. On stand block it can be linked into f2121+2. If 2 EDC hits, it leads to a safe jump.
d4
+25 cancel advantage. On crouch block the EDC will whiff still leaving her at +6 frames. This lets f4 come out in 7 frames. On crouch hit the dagger will connect granting you +19 on block. If canceled into red dash she is at -3 but on stand hit she is at +4.
F2121+2
Grants +25 cancel advantage. I think this can be one of the game breakers for her. After a reset, skarlet gets free chip damage if 112 is canceled into EDC. After the EDC, the followup is dependent on the opponents hitbox. Small/medium get b11f4 and large gets f212. Large hitbox characters have a larger disadvantage because they always will take more damage vs skarlet. If the opponent ducks this string can only be done once HOWEVER, the cancel advantage of the last his is +25 so even if it is canceled into EDC she is still at +6 frames. This means her next attack is FREE. F4 comes out in 7 frames. D4 comes out in 6 frames. D1 and d3 are always first hits if your slow in the cancel and they are poking you first. If they stand block you can lock them into another f2121+2. If canceled into Red dash she is at -2 frames.
If you manage to land f2121+2 on low hitbox characters the same rules apply but it will be ten times harder to do this. In fact if they are good enough it most likely wont happen.
f4
Gives +19 frame advantage. Meaning you are neutral when canceled into EDC on crouch. Chances are you will get the first poke because their reactions will not catch up but you should know what the frames are. When canceled into red dash you are at -13...be careful with this.
b2 +24, f2 +26, f21 +24, and f212 +22
These are all normals and strings that grant enough cancel advantage to make a frame trap, but they are very impractical.
Knowing her frame traps is very very valuable and when you have meter you need to use it smartly. These are most dangerous against characters that do not have launching armor attacks. I imagine her Play style and matches should emulate a slow progression. Stating out by building meter through zoning, f43, other chip strings, lots of red dash slides and other meter building tactics. As the match progresses the risk grows, and the frame traps become more of a danger as she builds meter. When she has meter she is the most dangerous character in the game.
She has many options with using armor on the strings she is negative on. This is why being at negative frames with her isn’t that bad and can still be used as a frame trap. When fighting characters with armor and very fast normals like lao, or sonya, being at negative frames can be a good thing as it will bait them into attacking leaving them vulnerable to an armored red dash.
video coming soon.
In order for a character to have a frame trap, they must be at positive frames after a blocked attack. Since none of skarlets normals grant her natural advantage like cages 11f1, she has to create them by using ex dagger, red dash, or 112. So I went though the frame data and compiled a list of all possible frame traps with her. I will make a video to follow up also.
Frame advantage off of blocked attacks when cancelled into eh dagger must be greater than +19 for her to get any positive frames. I’m assuming all cancels are done perfect and on the frame to ensure accurate data. If it doesn’t work its because your slow and need to practice more.
Frame traps are very important for skarlet because if characters low block it becomes hard for her to get her long block strings without landing a jip. f212 1+2 only chains if the opponent stand blocks the first one and the first two hits whiff on most characters on crouch block. If they dont stand and you want to maintain pressure and frame advantage after a reset and during footsies, these traps are essential to know.
114
gives her +23 cancel adv on block. When they are crouching the EDC will whiff so take +23 - 19 for eh dagger = leaves her at +4 even if the dagger whiffs. If dagger hits on stand block you can link to the obvious f2121+2. If they try to poke, your pokes (d1, d3) will always hit first. When Canceled you should not she skarlet move forward or backward if you did it fast enough. If this happens, you are still in range for a f4 to hit. When canceled properly, F4 will come out in 13 framess - 4 = 9 frames. This has the ability to eat there low poke and grant you a huge combo.
On hit 114 grants +33 frames...when canceled into red dash (29 frames) she is still at +4. same rules apply as above. Both hit and block cancels can be armored.
112 on the ground
Do an EDC after 112 on the ground and it will whiff. You are at neutral frames and have no advantage...This is not terrible but on block they can duck the EDC and poke you if they have faster normals or pokes. On stand block, f2121+2 is guaranteed within 2 frames.
112 on grounded hit grants +37. This is more cancel advantage than 114 but in block strings, 114 is ALWAYS better to maintain frame advantage. +37 canceled into red dash (29 frames) leaves her at+8. F4 will come out in 5 frames. Pokes (d1, d3) will always come out first.
212
Grants +22 cancel advantage. If they are ducking the EDC will whiff. 22 - 19 (EDC) = +3. Not much better than 112 on block. Pokes (d1, d3) come out first and f4 comes out in 10 frames.
On hit you get a juggle.
Standing 2
Standing 2 grants +26 cancel advantage. After a combo with minimal air hits into 112 reset, the advantage is greater than the traditional +37. The higher you reset them the better. Therefore after Red Dash you can land a standing 2 at 12 frames for free. Low hitbox characters cannot duck it either. This on block (if opponent ducks) into EDC leaves her at 26 - 19 = +7 frames. This means f4 comes out in 6 frames...This could be her go to frame trap vs low hitbox characters. On stand block it can be linked into f2121+2. If 2 EDC hits, it leads to a safe jump.
d4
+25 cancel advantage. On crouch block the EDC will whiff still leaving her at +6 frames. This lets f4 come out in 7 frames. On crouch hit the dagger will connect granting you +19 on block. If canceled into red dash she is at -3 but on stand hit she is at +4.
F2121+2
Grants +25 cancel advantage. I think this can be one of the game breakers for her. After a reset, skarlet gets free chip damage if 112 is canceled into EDC. After the EDC, the followup is dependent on the opponents hitbox. Small/medium get b11f4 and large gets f212. Large hitbox characters have a larger disadvantage because they always will take more damage vs skarlet. If the opponent ducks this string can only be done once HOWEVER, the cancel advantage of the last his is +25 so even if it is canceled into EDC she is still at +6 frames. This means her next attack is FREE. F4 comes out in 7 frames. D4 comes out in 6 frames. D1 and d3 are always first hits if your slow in the cancel and they are poking you first. If they stand block you can lock them into another f2121+2. If canceled into Red dash she is at -2 frames.
If you manage to land f2121+2 on low hitbox characters the same rules apply but it will be ten times harder to do this. In fact if they are good enough it most likely wont happen.
f4
Gives +19 frame advantage. Meaning you are neutral when canceled into EDC on crouch. Chances are you will get the first poke because their reactions will not catch up but you should know what the frames are. When canceled into red dash you are at -13...be careful with this.
b2 +24, f2 +26, f21 +24, and f212 +22
These are all normals and strings that grant enough cancel advantage to make a frame trap, but they are very impractical.
Knowing her frame traps is very very valuable and when you have meter you need to use it smartly. These are most dangerous against characters that do not have launching armor attacks. I imagine her Play style and matches should emulate a slow progression. Stating out by building meter through zoning, f43, other chip strings, lots of red dash slides and other meter building tactics. As the match progresses the risk grows, and the frame traps become more of a danger as she builds meter. When she has meter she is the most dangerous character in the game.
She has many options with using armor on the strings she is negative on. This is why being at negative frames with her isn’t that bad and can still be used as a frame trap. When fighting characters with armor and very fast normals like lao, or sonya, being at negative frames can be a good thing as it will bait them into attacking leaving them vulnerable to an armored red dash.
video coming soon.
