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The Ultimate Emerald Defender Guide

RoboCop

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Since people on the Jade forum just like to complain and argue with anyone who tries to post helpful information, most of that helpful information gets lost in the sea of tears. So I'm going to break down the Emerald Defender variation to hopefully show why she is much better than the Jade community would have you believe.
 
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RoboCop

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Part 1: Best Strings and Normals
  • b1: This 15-frame mid reaches about the same distance as her d4. It can be used for whiff punishing or to catch the opponent in a 50/50 to close out the match (between b12 and b1~db3). It and b12 are unsafe in block, but due to pushback it can be tough to punish for some characters.
  • b2: Wiggle Stick is one of her best buttons. This triple-hitting high is mostly safe due to pushback, especially if used from medium range or further. It can be confirmed into Edenian Spark or Nitro Kick for around 14%. Once the opponent is afraid of b2~db3 or b2~bf2, it becomes a relatively spammable normal. Naked b2 followed up with another b2 will catch many players. Wiggle wiggle wiggle!
  • b3: This is her primary punish and pressure button (b3434). An 11-frame mid, it's staggerable and just an all-around great short-ranged button.
  • b4: Jade's sweep is a little on the slow side at 16 frames, but it's only -2 on block and lowers her hitbox about twice as much as crouching. The 28 frames of advantage on hit allows for some decent jump-in pressure.
  • d4: Jade has one of the best d4's in the game. Abuse the shit out of this button and your opponent will tear their own hair out.
  • d2: Jade's uppercut is one of the best in the game
  • f3: Her only low-starter, this is a very short-ranged move but it's still quite good. It's only -4 on block and +17(!) on hit, making it a great stagger. All parts of the full string (f34 and f343) are totally safe, and f34 can be confirmed into amplified bf1 for unbreakable damage into a +10 standing reset.
  • f4: This is a great, if not frustrating, button. The hitbox doesn't totally match the animation (like many of her moves, unfortunately), and so it gets beat out by some things that it shouldn't, but it's still a solid normal. Only -4 on block and +13 on hit, it's a solid stagger button.
  • f2: And finally, her infamous f21. It's slow at 28 frames and very unsafe, so it should be used with caution. However, it's not as bad as the Jade community would have you believe. You will catch people with it a lot and it leads to her highest midscreen damage output. Since f21 ends with an overhead, you can mix it up with f2~db3 for a fuzziable 50/50. F2~df4 is also a solid option since it can be ampllified on reaction to lower the risk of being punished.
  • j1: Jades j1 has an excellent hitbox with a ton of active frames, allowing you to throw it out pretty early.
  • j2: Jade's j2 is excellent for winning aerial trades, but it can be a little tough to land it on a grounded opponent.
Strings:
  • b12: This is massively unsafe but can be combined with b1~db3 for a somewhat fuzziable 50/50.
  • 21: This is an amazing stagger string. On block it's only -2 with almost zero blockstun. On hit it's +19(!). The 2nd hit also has surprising range that extends past her d4 range. The 2 recovers so quickly that you can use it from max range to bait your opponent. The full 212 string is also safe at -4, giving you plenty of safe opportunities to make your opponent respect it before throwing in staggers.
  • f21: Already covered above.
  • b3434: Just an overall amazing stagger string. If your opponent is flawless-blocking the gap before the final hit, you can start mixing in b343~bf2 to keep them on their toes. The first hit is only -2 on block and the final hit is +5, and it's very easy to hit-confirm into either the final hit on block or a special on hit. b343~bf1.amp will be one of your most-used strategies.
  • f343: already covered above
  • 43: I don't use this one a lot, but it has potential. Standing 4 is +3 on block, but it's a high. The full string is a -8 low launcher. In the corner, you can cancel it into bf1.amp for a decent 1-bar kombo.
  • f41: already covered above.
 
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RoboCop

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Part 2: Specials
  • Razor-Rang:
    • This seems like a slow projectile, but only because it spins around her before launching. It has a hitbox this entire time, so it can actually catch people trying to teleport punish her zoning. If they are airborne when it connects, she can get a full b343 kombo or d2.
  • Amplified Razor-Rang:
    • This stupid move is +7 on block, but it doesn't jail, so the opponent can always avoid it and punish. Thus, it should only ever be confirmed into on hit. Luckily, on hit, it deals reasonable damage and leaves you point-black to your opponent at +10.
  • Air Razor-Rang:
    • This move is the reason you play Emerald Defender. It's an amazingly strong move that has very little counterplay. I don't know what's up with the in-game frame data, but at worst this is around -11. If you instant-air from max range, it's only -5. Following a blocked jumpkick, it's usually around -13. On hit, you're usually around +7 to +18.
  • Amplified Air Razor-Range:
    • This move is straight ridiculous. The 2nd hit swoops upwards, so as long as it doesn't hit the ground at the lowest point in its arc, it will travel full screen. A full-screen amp air rang is around +35 on block or hit, making it a decent frame trap with her other zoning tools. When instant-aired from beyond d4 range, you're usually around +15 on block or +16ish on hit. Following a blocked jumpkick with this move will usually leave you around +7, though you'll almost always be pushed out of b3 range and midscreen you'll be pushed even further.
    • If this clips an airborne opponent you can usually get a kombo or b2 followup. If they're out of range, you can almost always get a df4 followup.
    • This move can also be used after a whiffed aerial normal, making instant j4 or j2 canceled into air.db1.amp a very effective tactic.
  • Upward Razor-Rang:
    • This move is too slow to use as a reliable anti-air, but it can be used preemptively to make your opponent too afraid to jump. If it clips an aerial opponent, you can usually get a kombo, d2, or df4 followup.
    • It will hit a standing opponent from full screen, leaving Jade +50 on hit or +31 on block.
  • Amplified Upward Razor-Range:
    • The 2nd hit will connect with a crouch-blocking opponent from about twice sweep distance and further, including full screen.
    • From the closest range it will hit a blocking opponent, it leaves you +22 or +23 on hit. From full-screen, it leaves you around +38 on hit or block.
  • Deadly Butterfly:
    • This is a risky move to throw out at -13 on block, but you can use it after cancelable strings to make your opponent respect your staggers.
    • In the corner you can kombo off this. Kombos will be listed below.
    • On hit, it leaves you +35 and within jk or b2 distance. This can also set up your f2 for decent damage if you think your opponent will wake up or otherwise not block it. Correctly delaying the f2 can allow it to hit on the 1st wakeup frame.
    • This move also has decent corner-carry.
  • Dodging Shadows:
    • Not much to say here. This one move completely defines some matchups. The only issue is that it doesn't work against a myriad of ranged moves that aren't considered projectiles, like Scarlet's Tentacle. However, it does work against a lot of moves I wouldn't consider, like Jacquie's wrist blasts (including her air-wrist blast_ and her ground pound.
  • Edenian Spark:
    • A decent low projectile, it actually has a much better hitbox than it seems, allowing it to catch a lot of jumping and aerial moves.
    • At -23 and with almost zero pushback, it's insanely unsafe up close. However, it can be combined with her overhead attacks to keep your opponent guessing.
  • Temptation:
    • Jade's parry is rather poor, but still has its uses. I like to use it to punish wakeup attacks.
  • Amplified Temptation:
    • You'll almost always want to amplify Temptation for the extra damage and to build toward your KB. If the opponent knows about the KB, having it loaded can be enough to keep them from ever waking up against you.
  • Blazing Nitro Kick:
    • A very fast mid-range attack, it's borderline unreactable and has an exceptional hitbox. It can be used to punish almost any jumping attack and to convert off almost any stray hit.
  • Amplified Blazing Nitro Kick:
    • You can confirm into this on block to punish an opponent trying to punish your blocked kick. It can be canceled into quite late. You want your opponent to respect this option early on so that anytime you have meter, they become afraid to try to punish your regular Nitro Kick.
  • Fatal Blow:
    • Slow as balls but with massive range. The hitbox fits the attack much better than her f2, meaning this move will connect if the very tip even grazes the opponent whether they're standing or airborne.
 
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RoboCop

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Part 3: Kombos

Unfortunately, Jade's kombo system is ass. Usually if you get a launch, a simple d2 will lead to as much, if not more, damage than anything else she can do. In fact, after any KB, your best bet is to just d2. For instance, her d2 KB into d2 is 30%. d2 KB into any other meterless kombo maxes out at around 29%.

Your best punish is usually b343 into either normal or amplified Razor-Rang. If you need something faster than 11 frames, or with better range, then either b2 or 12 canceled into bf2, df4, or amplified Razor Rang are your best bet.

You primarily want to be canceling into amplified bf1 from kombos that leave the opponent grounded. The following strings are all starters for grounded amplified bf1:
  • 1
  • 21
  • point-blank f2
  • point-blank b2
  • f32
  • f4
  • b343
  • 4
The reason you want to keep the opponent grounded and cancel into amplified Razor-Rang is because it deals decent damage and leaves you +10 while negating their wakeup. You get a free mixup between b3, f3, throw, jump, or whatever else you want.

Whenever you land a f21, you can either d2 for 24.3% or b3434 for 24.8%. For 1 bar and with medium execution and little lag, you can do f21-4~bf1.amp-d4~df4 for 31% anywhere on screen. After f21 you can also do b2~FB for a reliable 46%.

Anytime you land bf2 against a grounded opponent in the corner, you can juggle with d1 into 21-21~df4. You can also end with bf2, though the hit advantage is a little wonky. It's also a very tight link that I wouldn't bother trying online. Even the few pro and semi-pro Jades I see drop it constantly when playing online.

Anytime you land a j4~(air)db1.amp, you can usually get a df4 followup for 21%. In the corner you can instead follow the (air)db1.amp with 43~bf2 for 27%.

Standing 2 is an incredible anti-air. Anytime you anti-air with 2, you get an easy and reliable b2~df4 for 16%. You can also do 2~db1.amp-d2 for 23%. And if you have FB, you can do 2-b2~FB for 40%.

If you land a f21, you can either just d2 for 24.3% or b3434 for 24.8%. If you have FB, you can do 21-b2~FB for 46.3%.

[more to come, including corner]
 
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RoboCop

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Part 3: General Strategies

In most matchups, Jade is a keepaway and space-control character. You'll be using Air Rang, Up Rang, b1, b2, f4, b4, d4 and 21 to keep your opponent from being able to approach. You want to make yourself a fortress against rushdown. You don't want to go in too hard until the opponent makes a mistake and you get a knockdown, a standing amplified Razor Rang, or manage to land a massively + poke, like b2, b3, f3, f4, or d4.

B2 is relatively spammable and is one of her most important tools. It's a high and it gets beaten out by a lot of other characters' hitboxes, for some reason, so you do have to be careful in some matchups. However, it has a massive 21 active frames, making it an excellent disjointed long-range multi-hitting hit-confirmable poke. By using it correctly in the neutral, you can make it a wall that's very difficult for many characters to circumvent.

Initially, you'll need to take some risks with b2 to make your opponent respect it on block, since it's -13. b2~bf2 works except from max range, and it's pretty unsafe. b2~df4 works but both attacks are high; it can also be canceled into amp on reaction for the additional mind game. b2~db3 works a surprising amount of the time, but is massively unsafe. And, of course, b2~FB is always an option.

b3434 is your next most important tool. b3 is your primary punisher as an 11-frame mid. You can stagger b3 and b343, though it's easier to react to the b343 staggers. b3434 is +5 on block, but has a flawless-blockable gap. If your opponent isn't abusing that gap then you can just b3434 all day and they can't stop you.

b343 is very easy to hit-confirm. If you see it hit, cancel into amplified bf1, which will leave them standing and you at +10. If you see it blocked, you can either finish the 4 to remain +5 at the risk of being flawless-blocked. You can also cancel into any of her specials, which have the same pros and cons as with b2.

Amplified bf1 is next up. This is what allows her to dismantle her opponents once she gets her momentum going. This leaves her +10 point-blank against her standing opponent, opening up a number of mixup options. After an amplified bf1 hits your opponent from close-range, you can use any of the following options:
  • b3: This will be your best option early on, and will help train your opponent to respect your + frames. Unless they flawless block, they either have to block the b3 or eat it. They can't jump out, crouch, throw, or poke. This allows you to confirm into another amplified Razor Rang, continuing the loop, or use any of the b343 on-block mind games.
  • f3: This is your next best option. It's a little tighter to time correctly, but the good news is that if they try to jump out and you do it correctly, it will catch them and you can confirm into bf1.amp-d2 for 27%. It's also a low starter and can be confirmed into bf1.amp on hit to keep the loop going. It's also easier to stagger than b3, so you can do f3-throw, f32-throw, f32~bf2, or any of the other enders from the b2 mind games. The only big weakness is that it's easy to whiff against neutral jumps, which results in a full kombo punish on Jade.
  • f4: This one is a little riskier due to the slow startup, though it will catch any jump attempts. You can cancel into db3 and it will catch a hit opponent for 11%. f4 is also an excelltn stagger normal, so you can try to get away with a d1 followup or throw.
  • Throw: Don't use this option if you want to stay on top of your opponent, since you throw them 3/4 screen away.
  • J4 or j1
  • Walk back and whiff punish with b3~df4 for up to 14%.
  • Walk back and whiff punish with f4~bf1.amp for 16% into her standing looped pressure.
  • Walk back and whiff punish with b343~bf1.amp for 13% into her standing looped pressure.
  • Walk back and whiff punish with f21~kombo or f2~db3.
  • Walk back and 21 or feint with just 2.
  • Walk back and j4 or j1.
Next up are Air Rangs and Amplified Air Rangs. These moves are the reason to play Emerald Defender. This one move straight up shuts down several characters. It can be used offensively or defensively. It can be used to make your opponent afraid to anti-air. It can be used to cover an escape (jump-back-instant-2 canceled into Air Rang is very effective). You can instant-air them by jumping forward or backward and inputing the move. Neutral jumping usually results in a hop attack instead, and the attack won't come out as quickly.

Defensively, Air rang is highly spammable and good at preventing opponents from being able to close in on you. By mixing in regular air rang, amplified, normals, and empty jumps, you can make it very difficult for your opponent to know for sure when to advance.

Offensively, I've already outlined the crazy frame advantage of Amplified Air Rang, and the relative safety of regular Air Rang. By using Amplified Air Rang just outside your opponent's anti-air range, you can safely punish them for trying to anti-air. Whether they block or get hit, you're usually around +11 and within b2 and f4 range, both of which will catch forward and neutral jumps.

Midscreen, if you land a jk~air.db1.amp, you can almost always get a df4 followup for 21%. In the corner, you can do jk~air.db1.amp-43~bf2 for 27%.

You can also cancel into amplified Air Rang from j1. This will usually leave you around +9 and you can micro-dash to connect a b3.

Next is f343. This is already covered pretty heavily in the section on her Normals, but it's worth reiterating. f3 is easy to stagger, and all hits of f343 are safe on block and it's relatively easy to hit-confirm f34 into bf1.amp to start her looped pressure.

Her 212 string is excellent. It's incredibly staggerable and is just an excellent poke and feint. When you get your opponent cornered, you can keep them mixed between 2, 21, and 212. Once they fear you, you can whiff the 2 as they wakeup and then throw. Try seeing if you can get away with poking after a blocked 21. It's surprisingly difficult to counterpoke, so if your opponent can't seem to punish it correctly, keep stealing their turns after they block 21.

On hit, you jail into any of her normals, though only b3 and f4 will hit midscreen. You can micro-dash into b343 and it will jail. In the corner, this jails into her +3-on-block standing 4, making it much more dangerous. You can 4, 43, or 43~special. In the corner, 43~bf1.amp-43~bf2 does 30% damage. Standing 4 leaves you +14 on hit, so you can jail into another 21 string, another standing 4, b3, or go for a throw.

From just outside d4 distance the 2nd hit of 21 will connect. The 2 recovers very quickly, allowing you to easily feint by whiffing naked 2. If the opponent jumps, you get an easy anti-air punish. If they don't, you can do another 2, 21, b2, b4, d4, f21, or any other long-range option.

Her parry isn't particularly useful, though I sometimes use it to punish wakeup-happy opponents. However, you're usually better off punishing wakeups with b2 or f2.
 
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RoboCop

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Will potentially post matchup info in this section, though that's a bit more in-depth than I planned to go.