Strategy - Jacqui Briggs Jacqui In Neutral - A Living Guide

[The Celebrity]

Hey friends, lets have a full-length discussion on Jacqui in the neutral game. I'm not here to tell you what you should be doing... quite the opposite really. I'm looking to compile a full-sized guide of how to play her in neutral (no combo discussion here) for myself and anyone else interested. Block strings into standing 4 checks, anti-airs, pokes (lol), and more. We'll discuss all 3 variations and I'll update this post with any additional information provided over-time. Please feel free to chime-in or put me in my place on certain things. This is merely information I have gathered from a very prolonged amount of labbing with her and online experience (haven't used Jacqui offline yet, don't hurt me). All of this information is based around her beta changes, not the live patch.

Color Key:
Universal
Full Auto
Shotgun
High Tech

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Universal Jacqui Tools

1. Pokes (lol)

Spoiler

• D1
  • 7F Startup
  • -4F On Block.
  • Can check opponent with a standing 4 on block if their counter-poke/follow-up is slow.
  • Very short range.
  • Can't be used to check an opponent after using: [2334, 4U4, F12, F2U2(2+4), DF2]
• D3
  • 8F Startup
  • -4F On Block
  • Deceptively poor range
  • Useful if your opponent has outspaced your D1.
  • More valuable than D4 in most situations
• D4
  • 13F Startup
  • -6F On Block
  • Shitty 22 Recovery Frames and only 2 Active Frames
  • Sucks ass unless cancelled into a special or at perfect spacing
  • I personally only use this and then cancel into a special to be more plus or catch my opponent off guard. DF2, DF2, DF2, DB2 EX, DB3
• 4U4 (I'm including it because if you can do it reliably, which is possible, Stanky Leg is a very strong tool in the neutral game)
  • 11F Startup
  • +2 On Block
  • Lightning Fast Recovery
  • Perfectly spaces you on block for F1 or B2
  • Deceptively effective range.
  • Full combo on hit midscreen (hard to confirm) and corner (easy to confirm)

2. Plus Or Slightly Negative Block Strings/Specials

Spoiler

• (+2) 1
• (+2) 11
• (+2) 114
• (+2) 12
• (+1) 121
• (+2) 1212
• (+2) 21
• (+2) 2334
• (+2) 4U4
• (+/-0) F1
• (+2) F12
• (+2) F121
• (+2) B1
• (+2) B14
• (-1) F2
• (+2) F2U2(2+4)
• (+6) (air)DD4 [EX]
• (-1) DB3
• (-1) DF2
• (+2) DF2

3. Effective Use Of Plus On Block Abilities

3A. Staggers
Jacqui is amazing when it comes to staggering. With so many plus on block abilities and one of the best staggering tools in the game with 1212, she becomes a machine of guessing. 1212 is a quadruple cancellable/stagger ability that is plus at every point. Opening someone up at any point during this string is hit confirmable into full combo in every variation utilizing DB2 EX, DB2 EX and QBRC. At any given point you can stagger this pressure into a throw, mixup, reversal bait, standing 4 check, or continued pressure. Utilizing this string up close is an important part of her neutral game.

On top of 1212, she can utilize all her strings above to do the same. B1 and B14 are both +2 on block respectively. On block these strings can have 3 primary options. Grab, Cancel or Standing 4 Check (beats all 7 frame pokes and ties 6 frame pokes). Likewise, F1, and F12 are relatively safe as well. Lastly she has 1, 11 and 114, all which are +2 for your 3 primary options.

3B. Standing 4 Checks
One of my personal favourite uses of all Jacqui's plus/low negative frames is to check your opponent with standing 4. The close range meta of MKX is typically a poking battle between D4s and D1s, especially against characters such as Johnny. Utilize these habbits of players to check them by using your 8 frame mid after a +2 on block string. This will tie all 6F pokes and beat all 7F pokes. It is an easy way to open someone up which can be cancelled in every variation for a full combo. Do note, Standing 4's range is not always that great. Some characters have "laid back" block animations, such as Takeda and after using an ability like F12 that has a slight amount of pushback, Standing 4 will actually whiff and leave you open to a full combo punish.

Once you have someone respecting your Standing 4, start going right into mixups after a plus on block string. If they're going to respect you everything, you don't need to respect them.

4. Range On Normals
Jacqui is notorious for her "t-rex arms", aka very short reaching normals. Despite people typically labelling MKX as a rushdown-based game where footsies don't play a role, its not until you play Jacqui that you realize they do. Most characters can make a matchup seem like they favour themselves strictly by abusing space control. A good example of this is Johnny Cage, who dictates the entire fight when playing against High Tech and Shotgun (from my experiences). At full screen he controls you with projectiles, at mid screen he controls you with F3, at close range he controls you with D4... Its not until you're licking his eyeballs up close that you feel like a real character in comparison. So how do we fix this?

When you play with a character with bad normals. Its all the more reason to understand their ranges and use them to their fullest. Despite what I've read and wrote about how abysmal Jacqui's D4 is, this is a situation where it comes into play slightly. Jacqui's D4 has quite deceptive range on it, and when cancelled into a special can catch your opponent by surprise. Normals that you should learn the max range of to properly use them in the neutral game are (ranked from furthest space to least space):

Spoiler

• F4xxB4
• F4xxB2
• F3xxB4
• F3xxB2
• F1
• B2
• D4
• 4U4

NOTE: None of these abilities remove Jacqui's hitbox. During the animation of all of these abilities, Jacqui can be hit by a non-hurtbox move. Someone like Kung Jin or Mileena can still dictate you from the max range of these abilities by using their no-hurtbox normals. The best move to use to challenge hurtbox issues is 4U4 since it is such a fast move it will commonly trade, but its range is not as good as the others.

As discussed slightly under the pokes category, one of my favourite utilizations of Jacqui's normal spacing is doing a Stanky Leg (4U4) into either F1 or B2. On block this move pushes Jacqui wayyyy back and dare I say into nearly the perfect range for both of these normals. This is something I've been working into my gameplay for awhile now and has proven itself as a very effective strategy to bait you opponent into pushing a button.

5. Anti-Airs
Jacqui is definitely not quite like her father when it comes to anti-airing, but she does alright at it. The biggest part about Jacqui's anti-airing is that in all variations she gets a good amount off it. A single anti-air conversion in Shotgun leads to restand, Full Auto sends them fullscreen, and High Tech... well... you get some damage at least. Jacqui's best anti-airing normals I've found are (in order from most reliable to least reliable):

• DB2
• D2
• Standing 1
• 4U4
• DF2
• B1
• F2

A well-timed standing 1 is Jacqui's most effective anti-airing tool against JIPs. After landing a standing 1, following up with 11, F2U2xxDU4, (ENDER) is typically my approach. Despite what people may say, if you can perform the Stanky Leg reliably, its actually a decent anti-airing tool. You can challenge most jump in punches with it besides Kung Lao JI2, Kung Jin JI2 and almost all JIKs. With the increased height of your opponent, it becomes a much simpler confirm into (run cancel) 11 that doing so midscreen of a grounded stanky leg.

6. Wakeups/Reversals
Jacqui has poor wakeups, no other way to say it. Her only ones worth mentioning are:

• BF2 EX
• BF1 EX
• BF4 EX
• DF2

Presuming the beta changes go live, she gains access to BF2 EX, which is now a pseudo-safe (after pushback) armored, mid-hitting wakeup. Unfortunately the startup speed of this move is still quite slow and therefore is not the most effective choice against characters with strong armor breaking qualities. The only other wakeups your opponents are forced to respect is a highly unsafe mid-hitting BF4 EX and a highly unsafe (but faster) high-hitting BF1 EX. Both of which have their uses to "get the fuck out" of pressure, but typically this is her primary weak point. I normally find that instead of relying on her reversals, I prefer to block and wait for a moment where the opponent is neutral/slight negative and challenging them with Standing 4, your 8 frame mid. In my experience, this has proven itself as a more effective strategy.

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7. Full Auto Specific Knowledge
Although I dabble in some full auto gameplay, I would prefer this section updated by someone that is more knowledgeable behind the variation than I am. I am a very new full auto player and I'm sure do not utilize her tools nearly as much as I should.

7B. Fullscreen
Full Auto wants to keep you back... simply put. She does this with the use of her armor breaking guns (DF2) which can be neutral ducked. Coupled with her reliable anti-airing DB2, and her -1 on block low missile (for when they get close) she does a good job of this. Utilizing Pig Of The Hut's Kenshi zoning tactics on Jacqui, I've learned that its a decent strategy to purposely whiff Stanky Legs, Standing 1's and DB2 when at full screen to bait you opponent into moving forward, then catching them with the guns. These 3 moves all have a fast recovery. To put your opponent full-screen, you can spend a bar of meter on nearly every special move to do so.

7C. Midscreen
TBD

7D. Up-Close
TBD

7E. Punishing
TBD

7.1. General Strategies
TBD

8. Shotgun Specific Knowledge
Shotgun focuses on being a ridiculous threat up close, thriving heavily on a strong mixup game. Jacqui is a very safe character overall and shotgun is no slouch. With combos reaching 50% 1-bar in the corner off a mixup, she can end in the game in a single hit... being able to get that hit is what is important.

8B. Fullscreen
Where Full Auto wants to be is where Shotgun doesn't want to be. A Shotgun Jacqui stuck at fullscreen is one that is not having fun. Utilizing your DB1 (Tech Shield) in certain matchups can help make the fullscreen a friendlier place for shotgun Jacqui.

8C. Midscreen
Shotgun Jacqui is not only scary up close. Understanding the range of your DB2, and when it can stun your opponent with dust is important. If you understand the distance in depth, suddenly a Shotgun Jacqui thats near midscreen is dangerous, since one whiffed normal or projectile can result in a vortex situation. My favorite utilization for this is against characters such as Kitana and Liu Kang who appreciate tossing out instant airs. Once in range of DB2, I will normally wait until they toss out an air fan/fireball which is when I will use DB2 EX. This will trade with their projectile allowing a run-in and mixup because of the hit advantage (be careful of armor). DB2 EX has slight anti-airing properties which allows this to work. Its also a good strategy for those pesky Kung Jin/FerraTorrs that love to NJP.

Around midscreen is when Shotgun becomes a scary force, not only because of the dust but because of her F12(2+4). This string is nothing short of godlike in this variation. On hit it confirms into a full combo vortex restand and up to 35%ish meterless damage in the corner. On block, the last part option selects itself and won't even come out, making you +2 after a F12. This string is one of, if not the best advancing normal she has, and is a very useful tool for restands.

8D. Up Close
This is where Shotgun Jacqui wants to be. Needless to say, she wants you up close and I shouldn't really have to tell you what to do because she has so many options to do here. Scroll up and re-read her stagger options and plus on block frame data for more information.

Side Note: I've heard a couple people say DF2 is not a useful enough ability, I personally beg to differ. On hit, it provides enough hit advantage for a mixup opportunity. On block, you are only -1 and got a decent amount of chip from the ability. Since Jacqui has access to an 8 frame mid, something very few of the cast do... -1 is not bad for her. She can check any counter-poke that is 9 frames or slower. She also has a VERY good walk speed, letting her walk back slightly after a DF2 on block and whiff punish/pressure your opponent's counter-poke with F1.

8E. Punishing
My person favourite punishing tools are either 114xxDB2 (ender) and F12(2+4) (ender). 114 is for fast punishing, F12(2+4) is for slightly better corner carry and heavily punishable abilities.

8F. Resets
Shotgun Jacqui is 2 dusts in a single combo, either with DB2 EX or DB2. After performing both of these, your opponent is put into autoblock meaning that no matter what they can block your next move, but you have the hit advantage to do a 50/50. Since your opponent is in autoblock, even though they are still technically in hit stun, a grab will ALWAYS connect and they will have to guess the tech to get out. Whenever an opponent is airborn, you can use 12xxDB2, 11xxDB2 or in some cases of higher gravity, 4xxDB2 to restand them meterless. If they are grounded with no previous gravity, you can use 114xxDB2 to also restand, but if you were already juggling them previously before-hand, this will not connect because of gravity. In those cases you must use DB2 EX.

After juggling your opponent and ending in 12xxDB2. You can go for a straight 33/33/33 by dashing up and doing B2, B33 or Grab. B33 is hit confirmable and if you're feeling really on the ball, so is B2 (it was weird cancel frames).

8.1. General Strategies
TBD

9. High Tech Specific Knowledge
Like Full Auto, although I play High Tech and am confident in some aspects of it, I would prefer someone else go into further detail about this variation.

9B. Full Screen
Same as shotgun

9C. Midscreen
TBD

9D. Up-Close
TBD

9E. Punishing
TBD

9.1. General Strategies
TBD

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Thanks to anybody who reads this, and hopefully at least some people find it valuable. As I state at the beginning, I am looking for anybody and everybody to correct me on things in here or add parts to what I've made. I want to improve my personal Jacqui play with what the community knows, and I want to hopefully share some of what I know.

@Pan1cMode @EMPR_FEAR @stosn @scarsunseen @rev0lver @JustinXavier21 @karaokelove @AnyOtherJacquiMain/Player

 

[stosn]

in my opinion, DF2 can be used as AA ( if cant constantly do 4up4 )
Great job! I think it will help a lot of players

 

[RoboCop]

Unfortunately I sold my PS4, assuming I could still play on PC. About a week later it was announced that the people in charge of MKX are lying shitheads and PC will no longer be supported. So I will be unable to add to this discussion. Thanks for the tag, though!

 

[Pterodactyl]

in my opinion, DF2 can be used as AA ( if cant constantly do 4up4 )
Great job! I think it will help a lot of players

Outside of the corner it's not only a safe ender it also pushes people right into db2 stagger range on hit in many cases, so it's good practice to go for db2 right after you land it on hit and maybe even if df2 is blocked depending on the situation.

I catch people with it all the time.

 

[TrulyAmiracle]

Good stuff man, I have some similar notes and go more detail wise into specials and the rest of her normals in my matchup/strategy guide (which is buried atm but it's there if you wanna have a look and add from it to your guide.
I'll try to do what i can to add to the full-auto section, and maybe some high-tech but i dropped that variation around June last year.

Also a few corrections that i saw:
F1 is +2 last i checked, and F121 doesn't come out on block so it being +2 isn't really relevant.

 

[Pan1cMode]

Awesome will contribute more stuff later today after hospital rounds

 

[sn_meruem]

This is a really helpful guide for beginners and even myself, playing her for a while now and I did take something out of this. I'd like to add that the karma cancels are extremely helpful in shotgun off the 2nd restand and in general off 4u4, 2334, db2/exdb2(full-auto) etc

 

[mikosu]

This topic is essential to discuss since this is her biggest weakness. I won't go into it too much in the thread I made about High Tech since I'm posting here. Ground pound and EX are +6 on block btw.

In some matchups Jacqui will simply not be able to counterpoke at all. Ex. Johnny d4 and F/T d1 near tip range. So what I have been "counterpoking" with is her walk speed and armor to either get in effective ranges or escape situations. Jacqui can walk back slightly and whiff punish pokes with b2. bf2 being -8 and EX bf2 being near 0 on block in the beta helps but reads are still required. For High Tech specifically neutral is never in her favor unless she has the life lead. I also use df2 to punish counterpoke attempts, mostly in the corner pressure though.

 

[aieches]

Unfortunately I sold my PS4, assuming I could still play on PC. About a week later it was announced that the people in charge of MKX are lying shitheads and PC will no longer be supported. So I will be unable to add to this discussion. Thanks for the tag, though!

tis a sad day.. thats sucks man.

 

[Ecodus]

I'm excited about this discussion about her neutral, it's true that her counter poking and footsies game is weak, but using her walk speed to set people up to poke so we can whiff punish is a huge aspect of her game. I also find that cancelling her pokes (to an extent in all 3 variations) into specials is very strong. Nice thread!

 

[Gengar]

Can we talk about how tech shield is the worst projectile reflect in the game? If you can even call it that since it doesnt actually reflect unless you spend bar...

Ronin takeda, Kenshi, and Storm Kitana all have reflects that send the projectile back for no meter. Subzeros ice shield doesnt send it back but it also freezes if people hit it with normals, which is its primary purpose. additionally, the 3 reflect characters have projectiles of their own that are threats as well from full screen. 2 of jacquis variants do not have ANY full screen threats, and they also have worst projectile parry in the game. Even crystal tremor, who can block projectiles with DB1, has other zoning options to contest fullscreen on top of projectile denial.

the meter gain from absorbing isnt much and giving you meter to armor still ddoesnt fix that your armored specials wont go far enough. also the tech shield has slow start up as well. characters like JC with arcing fireballs can just sit there and zone against HT and SG jacqui and due to the arc you cant even neutral duck them. id you spend meter to reflect one you still have to block another that hes throwing before the reflect gets back to him, so you dont even gain ground. slow start up means you are mashing out and then bam, shadowkick. and your parry, unlike subzeros, isnt saving you.

It just seems like its the worst in the game, and its on a character that could already use some better full screen options. she has no low profile advancement to get under projectiles. Make it give her health back instead of meter, 2% at a time or something. just make it more of a deterrent, because in the current state people are content to feed you meter, that you cant use to get in and even if you do its measly 12%, all day from full screen and anytime you misstime the slow ass tech shield you eat damage, and when you get it right you are merely saving yourself chip. the reward is still highly in the opponents favor to zone you all day.

oh, projectiles with multi hits, such as kitana ex fan and FA guns still eat the shield because they last longer than it..... ugh it is sooooo useless.

 

[Gengar]

Obviously never gonna happen, but if they gave HT jacqui some form of low spark projectile, think Nightwing sparks, that lowered her profile under projectiles then she could probably contest better. HT needs the most help with dealing with zoning, since tech shield is useless. At least SG has some half screen threats, but HT has nothing until you are in real close.

Balance it by requiring she has the tech buff up in order to use it, meaning you still have to get away with the buff in order to start having some fullscreen options. It doesnt have to be super good or do hella damage, but giving her a threat that makes people want to get in would help her game plan, because running away from HT is too easy right now with her terrible tech shield.

 

[Gemini]

Y'know i've been thinking, since quick burst (Df2) can absorb projectiles and that property of that move is unique to her high tech variation, what if she gained 1/4 of a gaunlet charge for every successful,absorb?

 

[sn_meruem]

Y'know i've been thinking, since quick burst (Df2) can absorb projectiles and that property of that move is unique to her high tech variation, what if she gained 1/4 of a gaunlet charge for every successful,absorb?

I don't why this isn't a thing tbh