What is a punish?

[Phantasmagore]

Noob question of the day.

To make things easier, pick a certain character as an example to explain what punishing is. I would prefer the example being Reptile or Ermac.

 

[Shifty Capwn]

Attacking an opponent who is recovering from performing an attack. It is, of course, easier to "punish" whiffed attacks, as well as attacks that have high recovery time.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Glossary_of_fighting_games

 

[JTB123]

A punish usually refers to when a player blocks a move, e.g. Ermacs teleport and the defending player (the one who blocked Ermacs teleport) does something that hits during the block recovery of the attacker i.e. they cannot escape nor block it.

If a Reptile player blocks Ermacs teleport, then Reptile can uppercut him and there isn't anything the Ermac player can do about it.

Whiff punishment is also very important, the principle is the same, but you have to take note of the "recovery" frame data to know how much time you have to punish.

Hope this helps.

 

[Ze Dingo]

A punish can be anything from a poke to a full combo. You can punish on whiff or punish on block.

For example: Scrubby Scorpion YOLO teleports you. You block. After that, you can full combo punish with Reptile or Ermac. I don't know what strings though since I don't play either of them.

In Sub Zero terms, I'd go 11~Ice ball, clone whiff, JIP, 242, Run~123~slide.

 

[GLoRToR]

Noob question of the day.

To make things easier, pick a certain character as an example to explain what punishing is. I would prefer the example being Reptile or Ermac.

Punishing means that the opponent is helpless and you deal damage to them.
You can punish moves out of two regular outcomes:
Blocked move that is unsafe on block.
Whiffed move. Whiffing is when a move misses completely.

Moves in fighting games (and every other form of animation) consist of frames. Startup frames (initial frames), and recovery frames. If a move hits your block or hits air, the character is helpless for a moment. A move fast enough can then deal guaranteed damage for free. This is a punish.

 

[Phantasmagore]

Attacking an opponent who is recovering from performing an attack. It is, of course, easier to "punish" whiffed attacks, as well as attacks that have high recovery time.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Glossary_of_fighting_games

Makes sense. Punishing an opponent for failing to land a hit.

Thanks for the quick and concise replies.

I've heard about characters having specific combos or strings meant to punish, or even characters who are "good at punishing". I'd like elaboration on that.

 

[Taxman]

Makes sense. Punishing an opponent for failing to land a hit.

Thanks for the quick and concise replies.

I've heard about characters having specific combos or strings meant to punish, or even characters who are "good at punishing". I'd like elaboration on that.

Any string with low start up frames is a good string to punish.

 

[Matix218]

Any string with low start up frames is a good string to punish.

and even better is if the move has low start up frames AND has long reach (or quickly advances forward). This way the move can punish attacks that are negative on block even if they have far pushback