Tech Maximising the potential of iaTU

[NKZero]

Ok so not too long ago I was under the illusion that iaTU had 8 start-up frames (thanks to the whole "8 frames papi!" joke). Anyways iaTU has a 16 frame start-up, which I still think is quick enough to be used in situations which you might not think are possible.

We all know that the main purpose of iaTU is to act as an effective anti-zoning tool, which can be used to punish projectiles and the like on reaction from about 3/4 to full screen. Well, that's just one purpose. The other, which I've been looking into more closely, is to punish specials/projectiles on block.

I believe if we worked on using iaTU as punishes on block at ranges where we cannot get full combo punishes off normal starters, Sektor would have a different MU chart outlook. Once opponents know that they're severely crippled by throwing anything remotely unsafe out, Sektor can really press the advantage up close.

So what I've done is I've created two separate lists:
1) what can be iaTU'd on reaction
2) what can be iaTU punished on block/whiff (in special circumstances)

If I am missing some moves or you believe a certain move is wrongly placed there please let me know. TECHNICALLY, any move that is -16 on block or more can be punished by iaTU providing you do it flawlessly. This is why I think we really need to spend time perfecting this move because it really is a game changer imo.

Anyways here are the lists.....

What can you iaTU on reaction (3/4 screen to full screen)?

-Baraka blade spark
-Cyber Sub Zero ice ball
-Cyrax net
-Jade low boomerang, high boomerang and anti-air boomerang
-Jax ground pound (even when it's cancelled)
-Johnny Cage low force ball and high force ball
-Kung Lao hat toss and ground hat
-Nightwolf arrow
-Noob Saibot shadow tackle, shadow slide and ghost ball
-Rain water bubble
-Raiden lightning bolt
-Reptile slow force ball and fast force ball
-Scorpion spear
-Sheeva fire ball, jump stomp and ground pound
-Skarlet blood ball
-Stryker low grenade, high grenade and gun shot
-Sub Zero ice ball

What can you iaTU punish on block (especially at closer ranges since some projectiles become safer at full screen)?

-Baraka blade spark and *blade charge* (punish blade charge if done at maximum range as you may not be able to punish with B2)
-Cyber Sub Zero ice ball
-Cyrax net
-Ermac telekinetic slam and **telekinetic push** (punishing TKP is very tough and you can only be a frame or two off. Not recommended unless you master it)
-Jade low boomerang
-Johnny Cage low force ball and high force ball
-Kabal standing gas blast
-Kenshi **rising karma** (like Ermac's TKP, very tight punish and not recommended unless you master it)
-Kitana X-RAY
-Nightwolf arrow
-Noob Saibot shadow tackle, shadow slide and ghost ball
-Quan Chi trance
-Raiden *electric fly* (if you feel uncomfortable for any reason punishing this move when it gives the far push back with a normal)
-Rain water bubble and lightning
-Scorpion spear
-Shang Tsung X-RAY
-Sektor flame burner and X-RAY
-Sub Zero ice ball

 

[RYX]

you can iatu ghostball on reaction, but it's not like that move is ever used.

when it comes to block, wouldn't the better choice be to simply full combo punish up close with b2 or 12b1?

 

[NKZero]

you can iatu ghostball on reaction, but it's not like that move is ever used.

when it comes to block, wouldn't the better choice be to simply full combo punish up close with b2 or 12b1?

I could still add it to the list...forgot he had the move lol...so thanks.

In answer to your question, let me give you an example. If Rain were to throw a water bubble at touch distance, of course I would punish with 12B1 or if it's in B2 range I'll punish with B2. What about when it's done from half screen. I don't have enough time to dash up and then throw out a normal. That's when (providing I do it very quickly), I can do a 16 frame iaTU and punish. This is where it comes in useful to punishing things on block. I can also punish a blocked Rain lightning from full screen or Scorpion's spear from full screen. iaTU punish is a solution to punishing things that are -16 or worse when you are out of B2 range. Otherwise my list would include a lot more moves lol. Hope this clarifies things.

 

[SonicFox5000]

WHats an IATU?

 

[NKZero]

WHats an IATU and which character are we talking about?

Is this meant to be a funny post? In any case, iaTU stands for 'instant air teleport uppercut'. Best used for burning hoes

 

[SonicFox5000]

Is this meant to be a funny post? In any case, iaTU stands for 'instant air teleport uppercut'. Best used for burning hoes

Oh i see, I was contemplating on it being instant air teleport, then i saw the "U" and went "wtf lol."

 

[NKZero]

Oh i see, I was contemplating on it being instant air teleport, then i saw the "U" and went "wtf lol."

No I thought u were trolling when u said what character are we talking about lol....anyways yeah hope that clarifies things.

 

[SonicFox5000]

No I thought u were trolling when u said what character are we talking about lol....anyways yeah hope that clarifies things.

Thans lol, I IATU all the time. Wish someone would send a projectile toward me while Im using sektor. Salt.

 

[RomeoBravoDelta]

That's 16 frames if done perfect, right?

Personally, I've pretty much given up on iaTUs because they are so easy to mess up (and it's more likely that they'll come out wrong the better you get at them) and the cost of screwing one up can be lethal.

Nice to have this information all in one place though, especially the wiff/block information. What are the chances that we are going to see a list from you in the future of things you can just regular TU on reaction?

 

[Peckapowa]

bombs?

 

[NKZero]

bombs?

too risky and unlikely that they're done on reaction. Cyrax recovers more quickly from bombs than nets. You could take the whole "I'll wait till he opens his chest approach" but it's better not to try.

RomeoBravoDelta I think it's worth learning iaTU and getting it as flawless as possible. iaTU>normal TU so there's really no point making a list for that.

 

[Red Reaper]

If I remember korrectly you have to add the jump frames to the 16 of the iatu. It should kome out to 21+? Somberness

That explains why I kouldn't iatu ermac's push on block even when I felt I got it right. (@EGP Wonder_Chef lied to me telling me there was some video posted somewhere showing the punish.)

So word of advice, never trust Chef. Tech wise he generally knows his shit, but ALWAYS verify everything he says.

 

[Espio]

NKZero with that fancy Sektor tech .


I didn't know he could do that to Baraka's blade spark and Jade's low boomerang on block .

I'll have to be more careful with those two in the Sektor match up. I like stuff like this cause it makes everyone play more on point with their characters.

 

[NKZero]

If I remember korrectly you have to add the jump frames to the 16 of the iatu. It should kome out to 21+? Somberness

That explains why I kouldn't iatu ermac's push on block even when I felt I got it right. (@EGP Wonder_Chef lied to me telling me there was some video posted somewhere showing the punish.)

So word of advice, never trust Chef. Tech wise he generally knows his shit, but ALWAYS verify everything he says.

What d'you mean add the jump frames. iaTU is 16 frames when done at it's quickest i.e. quick jump cancelled into the TU. I guess if you are slightly off it can run into the region of 21 frames or so. Realistically there are some things on my list that cannot be punished because it's really hard to do so but it's worth mentioning. Gives me something to practice. I'd say anything -22 or -23 or above is easy with practice to punish with iaTU. Stuff like TKP (as you mentioned), rising karma, blade charge etc. may be a little harder.

Espio I think with Stryker's gun shot it's a little hard to punish and I think when cancelled he is safe. That move is a little hard to react to. Be careful with grenades I guess...as for Jade well yeah, it sucks. Nothing game changing, it's not like zoning was her key to victory anyways. Since when d'you play Baraka?

 

[PPJ]

i gotta master dat insta-iaTU pimpimjim 2d frame god

 

[Eddy Wang]

NKZero, i was recently using sonya dive kick to whiff punish string attempts.
Skarlet shares a similarity by counter poking with iaD that is 11f execution and with the jump backwards it should ble 14f.

I wonder if we could use similar stuff to whiff punish strings or pokes with iaTU on special occasions

 

[Red Reaper]

What d'you mean add the jump frames. iaTU is 16 frames when done at it's quickest i.e. quick jump cancelled into the TU. I guess if you are slightly off it can run into the region of 21 frames or so. Realistically there are some things on my list that cannot be punished because it's really hard to do so but it's worth mentioning. Gives me something to practice. I'd say anything -22 or -23 or above is easy with practice to punish with iaTU. Stuff like TKP (as you mentioned), rising karma, blade charge etc. may be a little harder.

I really think it's more than 16 frames. I'll wait for Somberness konfirmation before spending hours again to try punish something that's probably not even punishable with iatp..

Accidently typed in the quotes... lol.

What I meant by jump frames was this. Look at Sonya's Air Drop Frames.
It's 4 Frames. Being an Air drop it's always done in the air. But if you look underneath it, it says plus diagonal jump brings it to 10 frames.

What I think is happening with Sektor's Frame Data is that Somberness put 16 Frames for the Air Teleport. Which simply means teleport when in the air from a minimum height.

But I don't think he added in the frames for jumping as well. Otherwise a regular air teleport would be ~10 Frames.

NKZero

 

[STRYKIE]

Not to rain on any parades but most of these don't seem like they're going to be that consistent and the ones on block are better off being checked with B3 or B2 imo.. Noob's shadows for example, who's gonna be able to process which one they just blocked and respond to it with a 4 button input within a 15th of a second 10 for 10?

Early days though and I won't get carried away with conclusions, it'll be interesting to see how many of these come can come to fruition and it's a nice project you've put together.

 

[NKZero]

NKZero, i was recently using sonya dive kick to whiff punish string attempts.
Skarlet shares a similarity by counter poking with iaD that is 11f execution and with the jump backwards it should ble 14f.

I wonder if we could use similar stuff to whiff punish strings or pokes with iaTU on special occasions

That takes execution and timing to another level lol. Maybe worth looking at. Baby steps though

 

[NKZero]

I really think it's more than 16 frames. I'll wait for Somberness konfirmation before spending hours again to try punish something that's probably not even punishable with iatp..

Accidently typed in the quotes... lol.

What I meant by jump frames was this. Look at Sonya's Air Drop Frames.
It's 4 Frames. Being an Air drop it's always done in the air. But if you look underneath it, it says plus diagonal jump brings it to 10 frames.

What I think is happening with Sektor's Frame Data is that Somberness put 16 Frames for the Air Teleport. Which simply means teleport when in the air from a minimum height.

But I don't think he added in the frames for jumping as well. Otherwise a regular air teleport would be ~10 Frames.

NKZero

Hmm you make a point. Still the move looks too quick to be more than 16 frames. Think about it, Scorpion's B2 is 18 frames are we really saying this move is slower than that (wishful thinking that it's not lol). We'll see what he says. For now I'm assuming my punishes based on it being a 16 frame move. I'll make changes if need be.

 

[NKZero]

Red Reaper, here's the jump data from Somberness' frame data thread...

Jump Data
Neutral Jump (start up if not buffered) - 3
Angled Jump Forward (start up if not buffered) - 1
Angled Jump Backward (start up if not buffered) - 1
Neutral Jump Duration (start up not included) - 41
Angled Jump Forward Duration (start up not included) - 40
Angled Jump Backward Duration (start up not included) - 41 (42 for consecutive jumps)
All air normals have recovery frames on the ground except angled jump kicks. That does not include deep jump kicks, which have a small amount.

 

[smokey]

Smoke bomb can be iaTU on reaction but EX sometimes picks you up out of the floor midway through for a combo.

 

[Metzos]

NKZero, are you sure Sektor can punish a TKP ? I mean if i remember correctly IATU is 16f and a blocked TKP is at -17f, PLUS the blockstun and the minor push back. I dont think it can be punished, unless you guys have tried it. Somberness.

Edit: For a blocked TKS you dont need to do an IATU. Its -26f.

 

[EGP Wonder_Chef]

NKZero Red Reaper

Somberness explained to me that you have to be in the air for 5 frames before you can do an air special, so the fastest IATU is 21 frames.

Red I never said there was a video! I said back in the day there was a thread discussing what could punish max range TKP and people were talking about IATU because the data said 16 frames.

I don't think it's possible though.

 

[NKZero]

NKZero, are you sure Sektor can punish a TKP ? I mean if i remember correctly IATU is 16f and a blocked TKP is at -17f, PLUS the blockstun and the minor push back. I dont think it can be punished, unless you guys have tried it. Somberness.

Edit: For a blocked TKS you dont need to do an IATU. Its -26f.

Technically yes (assuming it's 16 frames), but realistically no. As for TKS, well good habits I guess. Why bother worrying about what TU to use when. Just learn to use the iaTU instead.