Anit-Wakeup Midscreen and Corner Reset Combo Guide
I worked this out from playing online and testing in practice mode so I haven't a clue how well known this information is.
I figured it couldn't hurt to have a thread about it.
=========
Midscreen
=========
Combo
f4GS,12,f43US/bUS (19%)
I didn't notate dashing, so test it out in practice mode and you'll get it.
The damage isn't incredibly high, but it leaves you in a safe position.
It allows you to combo your opponent into the corner and start the corner reset.
If an f4GS connects while pressuring you should be able to react and
use this to reposition them.
Positioning/Timing
If your 12,f43 hits with your opponent is at their highest in the air, they will be closer.
If the timing is wrong, your opponent will be too far away to safely hit confirm off the US.
I will try get a video of it working uploaded soon.
Until then I'll explain how I'm timing it right now in practice mode against Lao.
After the f4GS hits, dash and time your 12 so your 1 connects to Lao's boots and the 2 connects to his arse.
Then you need to quickly dash forward and aim your f43 for his arse again.
You will know if you're doing it wrong if you cannot unblock and dash+combo/chip after confirming the US hits/is blocked.
An indicator that the timing is off is if Lao's body jerks horizontally when you try to do the f43.
If you do it right, your opponent will be left at about the distance your b2 can reach.
This is very imporant because at this distance you can hit confirm your next action.
I've typed the following information assuming that you're leaving your opponent as close as you can.
How is this combo safe?
What I find most useful about this is that after the US you are safe against apparently any wakeup attack.
I've seen it work against Sub's EX Slide, JC's EX Shadow Kick and it's safe against Lao's EX Spin, Sektor's EX Tele, Mileena's EX Tele.
I'm fairly certain it's safe against Reptile's dash too, though I can't remember off the top of my head.
It should also be safe against Smoke's EX Shake.
Some wakeups that cause pushback on block may be unpunishable.
They may still be hit by the upskull though, so they will keep getting hit unless they give up and block.
When your opponent realises wakeups will be punished, he will be forced to block the incoming US, allowing for a variety of options.
When US hits
This scenario might never happen, but here are some tips on how to react to one.
If your opponent doesn't fall close enough, dash+combo could be whiff, so get the timing right!
If your opponent is too far away, you could SS or try dash and do a d4 (advantage on hit).
You cannot hit-confirm and jip.
If you try and the opponent had been crouch blocking the US, you might get an uppercut.
If you manage to pull off this VERY risky move and the jip hits, due to the stagger of the US, jip,221GS is likely to whiff.
Instead you can do 221,mGS,fGS,EXGS,cUS,GS,SS(50% with US hit).
If the risk seems too high, you can SS or mGS into an unbreakerable combo.
Also, you could always just let them take the hit and don't follow up at all.
When US is blocked
If your opponent does block, you can try a SS or dash and continue pressure.
DO NOT jip if US is blocked!
Depending on their attacks and familiarity with the combo, you could eat an AA or uppercut.
I'm not 100% certain every character can counter a jip here, but I have been punished for it plenty of times.
If they have been conditioned to block the US, you could always try another US and immediately jip.
If they don't see this coming, they may try to react and end up taking the US.
If they continue to block, you get to pressure, 50/50 or throw.
Tech Rolls/Advancing Wakeup Attacks
If your opponent begins to do tech rolls, you can do a bUS to catch them and then mGS. But even if you do an incorrect US, you should still have enough time to block wakeups or punish jump-ins.
If you're anticipating an advancing wakeup attack, you could cUS and then block. This is still completely safe and will result in your opponent eating an US for doing a wakeup, allowing you to unblock and combo 50% or (around)45% non SS.
This will not work if the wakeup attack has pushback such as Lao's EX Spin.
Due to the pushback and the stagger caused by the US hitting, I don't think there is enough time to dash.
You may be able to GS/US but I haven't tested this yet.
=========
Corner
=========
Combo
f4GS,fjk,12,b121US/221US (25%/26%)
My favourite Shang combo!
I had always heard Shang had an amazing corner game but I never knew about this combo.
Can't believe I ever played Shang without it.
Why it's amazing
I consider this combo vital for playing Shang, purely for the b121US/221US
This follows the same principle as the midscreen combo: it is completely safe against wakeup.
However, this allows either high-damage, meterless combos on hit or resume pressuring/50/50.
Both options are hit confirmable
Whenever a GS hits, repeat the combo and your opponent is locked in.
If a GS hits that you weren't expecting, don't risk doing a late jump kick and screwing it up.
Instead, aim for b121/12,221.
Here are two sample combos for if your opponent is hit by the US
f434GS,fjk,12,b121US (37% safe and resets combo)
221GS,fjk,12,221GS (39% safe and resets combo, but a bit harder to do)
Note on b121/221 differences
From standing, b121US will lead to the reset.
From standing, 221US will not lead to the reset.
Because of this you need to increase the juggle time by adding a 12.
If you want to play it safer and miss out on 1-2%, always end with b121US.
=========
Punish X-Ray/Wakeup Parry
Corner Reset Bonus Possibilities
=========
If you immediately f434GS after the reset US, they will both connect at almost exactly the same time.
This is risky buy can be useful if you anticipate certain wakeups and X-Rays.
By doing this in the corner I have hit a Kratos out of his wakeup parry.
This may mean that other, slow starting wakeup attacks could be beaten every time.
I think I might have also punished Scorp and Sektor's wakeup teles but I'm not positive.
I'll try to get to get my friend to help me test some different ones soon.
Because of the synchronized f4 and US hits I've also punished Jax's X-Ray by breaking its' armour.
This is too risky to be viable, but it's still pretty cool.
=========
Notation
=========
Lastly, I thought I'd just clarify my notation in case anyone is confused.
GS - Close Ground Skull
mGS - Mid Ground Skull
fGS - Far Ground Skull
US - Up Skull
cUS - Close Up Skull
bUS - Behind Up Skull
fjk - front jump kick
jip - jump in punch
50/50 - b2/f3
I worked this out from playing online and testing in practice mode so I haven't a clue how well known this information is.
I figured it couldn't hurt to have a thread about it.
=========
Midscreen
=========
Combo
f4GS,12,f43US/bUS (19%)
I didn't notate dashing, so test it out in practice mode and you'll get it.
The damage isn't incredibly high, but it leaves you in a safe position.
It allows you to combo your opponent into the corner and start the corner reset.
If an f4GS connects while pressuring you should be able to react and
use this to reposition them.
Positioning/Timing
If your 12,f43 hits with your opponent is at their highest in the air, they will be closer.
If the timing is wrong, your opponent will be too far away to safely hit confirm off the US.
I will try get a video of it working uploaded soon.
Until then I'll explain how I'm timing it right now in practice mode against Lao.
After the f4GS hits, dash and time your 12 so your 1 connects to Lao's boots and the 2 connects to his arse.
Then you need to quickly dash forward and aim your f43 for his arse again.
You will know if you're doing it wrong if you cannot unblock and dash+combo/chip after confirming the US hits/is blocked.
An indicator that the timing is off is if Lao's body jerks horizontally when you try to do the f43.
If you do it right, your opponent will be left at about the distance your b2 can reach.
This is very imporant because at this distance you can hit confirm your next action.
I've typed the following information assuming that you're leaving your opponent as close as you can.
How is this combo safe?
What I find most useful about this is that after the US you are safe against apparently any wakeup attack.
I've seen it work against Sub's EX Slide, JC's EX Shadow Kick and it's safe against Lao's EX Spin, Sektor's EX Tele, Mileena's EX Tele.
I'm fairly certain it's safe against Reptile's dash too, though I can't remember off the top of my head.
It should also be safe against Smoke's EX Shake.
Some wakeups that cause pushback on block may be unpunishable.
They may still be hit by the upskull though, so they will keep getting hit unless they give up and block.
When your opponent realises wakeups will be punished, he will be forced to block the incoming US, allowing for a variety of options.
When US hits
This scenario might never happen, but here are some tips on how to react to one.
If your opponent doesn't fall close enough, dash+combo could be whiff, so get the timing right!
If your opponent is too far away, you could SS or try dash and do a d4 (advantage on hit).
You cannot hit-confirm and jip.
If you try and the opponent had been crouch blocking the US, you might get an uppercut.
If you manage to pull off this VERY risky move and the jip hits, due to the stagger of the US, jip,221GS is likely to whiff.
Instead you can do 221,mGS,fGS,EXGS,cUS,GS,SS(50% with US hit).
If the risk seems too high, you can SS or mGS into an unbreakerable combo.
Also, you could always just let them take the hit and don't follow up at all.
When US is blocked
If your opponent does block, you can try a SS or dash and continue pressure.
DO NOT jip if US is blocked!
Depending on their attacks and familiarity with the combo, you could eat an AA or uppercut.
I'm not 100% certain every character can counter a jip here, but I have been punished for it plenty of times.
If they have been conditioned to block the US, you could always try another US and immediately jip.
If they don't see this coming, they may try to react and end up taking the US.
If they continue to block, you get to pressure, 50/50 or throw.
Tech Rolls/Advancing Wakeup Attacks
If your opponent begins to do tech rolls, you can do a bUS to catch them and then mGS. But even if you do an incorrect US, you should still have enough time to block wakeups or punish jump-ins.
If you're anticipating an advancing wakeup attack, you could cUS and then block. This is still completely safe and will result in your opponent eating an US for doing a wakeup, allowing you to unblock and combo 50% or (around)45% non SS.
This will not work if the wakeup attack has pushback such as Lao's EX Spin.
Due to the pushback and the stagger caused by the US hitting, I don't think there is enough time to dash.
You may be able to GS/US but I haven't tested this yet.
=========
Corner
=========
Combo
f4GS,fjk,12,b121US/221US (25%/26%)
My favourite Shang combo!
I had always heard Shang had an amazing corner game but I never knew about this combo.
Can't believe I ever played Shang without it.
Why it's amazing
I consider this combo vital for playing Shang, purely for the b121US/221US
This follows the same principle as the midscreen combo: it is completely safe against wakeup.
However, this allows either high-damage, meterless combos on hit or resume pressuring/50/50.
Both options are hit confirmable
Whenever a GS hits, repeat the combo and your opponent is locked in.
If a GS hits that you weren't expecting, don't risk doing a late jump kick and screwing it up.
Instead, aim for b121/12,221.
Here are two sample combos for if your opponent is hit by the US
f434GS,fjk,12,b121US (37% safe and resets combo)
221GS,fjk,12,221GS (39% safe and resets combo, but a bit harder to do)
Note on b121/221 differences
From standing, b121US will lead to the reset.
From standing, 221US will not lead to the reset.
Because of this you need to increase the juggle time by adding a 12.
If you want to play it safer and miss out on 1-2%, always end with b121US.
=========
Punish X-Ray/Wakeup Parry
Corner Reset Bonus Possibilities
=========
If you immediately f434GS after the reset US, they will both connect at almost exactly the same time.
This is risky buy can be useful if you anticipate certain wakeups and X-Rays.
By doing this in the corner I have hit a Kratos out of his wakeup parry.
This may mean that other, slow starting wakeup attacks could be beaten every time.
I think I might have also punished Scorp and Sektor's wakeup teles but I'm not positive.
I'll try to get to get my friend to help me test some different ones soon.
Because of the synchronized f4 and US hits I've also punished Jax's X-Ray by breaking its' armour.
This is too risky to be viable, but it's still pretty cool.
=========
Notation
=========
Lastly, I thought I'd just clarify my notation in case anyone is confused.
GS - Close Ground Skull
mGS - Mid Ground Skull
fGS - Far Ground Skull
US - Up Skull
cUS - Close Up Skull
bUS - Behind Up Skull
fjk - front jump kick
jip - jump in punch
50/50 - b2/f3
