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Zangief General Discussion Thread

ChoseDeath

Seriously Casual Player.
I realized that as I posted it. I had a match yesterday where I messed up my combo due to lariat whiffing and I felt like giving my opponent the win lol, lucky he was not that good or I would have got punished big time.
No homie, you misunderstand. I completely and wholeheartedly agree that we're reduced to that sort of circumstantial nonsense in order to win. I'm saying he accepts it as a challenge, wherein I believe you and I say it's ridiculous that we have to stoop to such levels to win. Ever played a really good Laura or Karin? Holy shit. It is a nightmare. Laura has a 19 frame ex grab that dashes about 5 steps and grabs you. I fucking challenge you to react to that. Couple that with you spend the entire match trying to get in and she can out throw you? Fucking ridiculous. And it just goes on and on and ON!
 
How come sometimes when I do the SPD even if I'm real close to my opponent it whiffs? I mean Zangief's arms literally go through the opponents body it seems.
 
How come sometimes when I do the SPD even if I'm real close to my opponent it whiffs? I mean Zangief's arms literally go through the opponents body it seems.
Im sure you know that the different strength SPDs have different ranges. Lp has the longest reach but leaves you far from the opponent after, Hp is the opposite.
 

ChoseDeath

Seriously Casual Player.
How come sometimes when I do the SPD even if I'm real close to my opponent it whiffs? I mean Zangief's arms literally go through the opponents body it seems.
That's either two things. One, you hit them and they are in block or hit stun and the grab will not connect or two, you're doing the heavy punch SPD, which has zero range. Or they're doing a move that is airborne.
 
Nah bro, I think the gentleman is new to fighting games.
aha yeah I guess.

No homie, you misunderstand. I completely and wholeheartedly agree that we're reduced to that sort of circumstantial nonsense in order to win. I'm saying he accepts it as a challenge, wherein I believe you and I say it's ridiculous that we have to stoop to such levels to win. Ever played a really good Laura or Karin? Holy shit. It is a nightmare. Laura has a 19 frame ex grab that dashes about 5 steps and grabs you. I fucking challenge you to react to that. Couple that with you spend the entire match trying to get in and she can out throw you? Fucking ridiculous. And it just goes on and on and ON!
Yes yes yes, I honestly would like to see the results of that challenge at least he can be in the same league as Snake Eyez LOL. I always try to go in with a gameplan against Laura then I get grabbed...
 
That's either two things. One, you hit them and they are in block or hit stun and the grab will not connect or two, you're doing the heavy punch SPD, which has zero range. Or they're doing a move that is airborne.
Im sure you know that the different strength SPDs have different ranges. Lp has the longest reach but leaves you far from the opponent after, Hp is the opposite.
That's either two things. One, you hit them and they are in block or hit stun and the grab will not connect or two, you're doing the heavy punch SPD, which has zero range. Or they're doing a move that is airborne.
A heavy spd won't connect? I'm confused. And won't they usually be blocking when someone's pressuring them so it's difficult if you can only land the spd if they're not blocking. So if I'm up close I should use lp spd but hope for them to not block?
 
A heavy spd won't connect? I'm confused. And won't they usually be blocking when someone's pressuring them so it's difficult if you can only land the spd if they're not blocking. So if I'm up close I should use lp spd but hope for them to not block?
If the opponent is either blockstun or hitstun and you attempt to SPD, you will just get the grab whiff animation, You have to slightly delay the SPD. Just as an example that Rashid vid I posted in here I do 2 crouch jabs then SPD. You also see when I attempt it and get the jump punch when my timing is wrong.
 
If the opponent is either blockstun or hitstun and you attempt to SPD, you will just get the grab whiff animation, You have to slightly delay the SPD. Just as an example that Rashid vid I posted in here I do 2 crouch jabs then SPD. You also see when I attempt it and get the jump punch when my timing is wrong.
Oh ok so the trick is to delay slightly, thanks guys.
 

ChoseDeath

Seriously Casual Player.
Oh ok so the trick is to delay slightly, thanks guys.
Are you familiar with block and hit stun? There is a video series on UltraChenTV called How To Play Street Fighter I think would be really helpful for you. I've been playing fighting games on and off for many years and it still helped me! If you have any questions don't be shy about asking bro.
 
Last night I got a bit disheartened playing offline against a friend and switched to Ryu because the invincible frames on m.dp allowed me to interrupt pressure strings. I left my friends house thinking it was time to drop Gief entirely due to him being forced to just sit back and accept any pressure thrown his way, until I realised that he does have a readily available way of interrupting strings and turning the tide: his v skill.

Success with this will require a huge amount of match up knowledge, and does come with a degree of risk, but when I considered that invincible reversals can be baited too, I realised that the risk is about the same for Gief but with a greater potential pay off. A DP gets you damage, but no mix up. A successful V skill parry with Gief is a mix up in itself. Will you just parry and then grab or will you tap forward to get the hit? And after the hit, will you grab or go for pressure (possibly the c.lk-c.lk-CA confirm? Haven't tested the ranges yet to know if it'll work)?

I don't think that widespread use of this tactic will change people's perception of Gief and move him up the tier rankings, he still has his problems with things like lariat's hit box that denies him any real hit confirm pressure, but the study needed to make it work will make you a better, more knowledgable player in a way that will benefit every character you play.
 
Its it another option to consider and I think we need to know every possible option to put the opponent in these types of situations.

BTW here is the video where I missed my combo and made me emo.

Here is another one for the lol
Good stuff man, it's always been very hard for a Gief player to compete with other characters given both players are skilled. So is the lariat his best anti-air? Is it unbeatable? Also at the end of the 2nd round in the first vid against Ryu you jabbed then did a SPD, so did you pause a little after the jab connected since you told me that you have to delay slightly?
 
Good stuff man, it's always been very hard for a Gief player to compete with other characters given both players are skilled. So is the lariat his best anti-air? Is it unbeatable? Also at the end of the 2nd round in the first vid against Ryu you jabbed then did a SPD, so did you pause a little after the jab connected since you told me that you have to delay slightly?
Lariat is not invincible. Once he is upright the top of his head and arms are vunerable. His most consistent anti air is standing jab, but Lariat and c.hp do around 100 damage. C.Hp actually has a better hit box than lariat, but it moves Gief forward so it only works for jump ins from further out, or nuetral jumps when the opponent is next to you (players will do this a lot on your wake up to avoid getting SPD'd). Ideally you'd get an anti air from Air SPD or a crush counter s.hk into ex air spd, but realistically you'll only get these with a read. To defend against cross ups, use jump back jab.

TL;DR- All of Gief's anti airs are situational. Learn which ranges and situations each one handles best and don't limit yourself to one approach.

The jab into spd is a tick throw. You have to delay the throw for it to work. It is not a guaranteed way of getting a throw though as the opponent can jump after the jab.
 
So guys I have been trying out a deadly reset which was posted by a guy named kanon42. When it works it gives extremely high stun or even dizzy if used as a CC. I will post the video.
The good thing about this is if this done perfectly, you will be left at 0. The opponent may try to use a normal but the distance left between you will not be enough and they will get grabbed.
 
So guys I have been trying out a deadly reset which was posted by a guy named kanon42. When it works it gives extremely high stun or even dizzy if used as a CC. I will post the video.
The good thing about this is if this done perfectly, you will be left at 0. The opponent may try to use a normal but the distance left between you will not be enough and they will get grabbed.
Awesome combos. What are the inputs to those? I know the first combos started with s.HK>vtrigger>m.K then I don't know what punch came after the m.K? Also @1:00 does he do a hp>hk>vtrigger? Everytime I try a hp the hK never comes out.
 
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Awesome combos. In the what are the inputs to those? I know the first combos started with s.HK>vtrigger>m.K then I don't know what punch came after the m.K? Also @1:00 does he do a hp>hk>vtrigger? Everytime I try a hp the hK never comes out.
So the inputs are HK>Vtrigger, f.MK, HP (no charge) then EX SPD. Dont hold forward when you do HP or you will get headbutt. The other reset thing starts with a Crush Counter, if you are doing this in practice mode you have to turn counter attack on.
 
So the inputs are HK>Vtrigger, f.MK, HP (no charge) then EX SPD. Dont hold forward when you do HP or you will get headbutt. The other reset thing starts with a Crush Counter, if you are doing this in practice mode you have to turn counter attack on.
Thanks man, I got it now.
 

ChoseDeath

Seriously Casual Player.
So the inputs are HK>Vtrigger, f.MK, HP (no charge) then EX SPD. Dont hold forward when you do HP or you will get headbutt. The other reset thing starts with a Crush Counter, if you are doing this in practice mode you have to turn counter attack on.
That shit is crazy sick, but I never crush counter with Roundhouse when they're standing. I doubt this works literally, but I'm digging the idea behind it. Let us know what you come up with bro!
 
That shit is crazy sick, but I never crush counter with Roundhouse when they're standing. I doubt this works literally, but I'm digging the idea behind it. Let us know what you come up with bro!
It's very situational. I think you can get a standing CC with HK on shoryukens, etc, just as they land, but I tend to use HP as it catches crouching opponents if I mistime it.

I would also refrain from doing the restand against characters with invincible reversals. You're rarely going to use f.mk without following up with a grab afterwards in neutral, so many opponents will (over time) react to it with a dp. It's not much damage, but it'll make you wish you went for the knock down and oki pressure. Against the rest of the cast I could see it being a solid option though, provided there is no gap between f.mk and s.hp for them to do a low attack or reliably armour.
 

ChoseDeath

Seriously Casual Player.
It's very situational. I think you can get a standing CC with HK on shoryukens, etc, just as they land, but I tend to use HP as it catches crouching opponents if I mistime it.

I would also refrain from doing the restand against characters with invincible reversals. You're rarely going to use f.mk without following up with a grab afterwards in neutral, so many opponents will (over time) react to it with a dp. It's not much damage, but it'll make you wish you went for the knock down and oki pressure. Against the rest of the cast I could see it being a solid option though, provided there is no gap between f.mk and s.hp for them to do a low attack or reliably armour.
Agreed to all. We'll have to play with it. I'm sure mashing jab will let them escape, lol. Dat pessimism
 
I play against a very good gief regularly. There's nothing wrong with him besides the lariat hit box. I've been grabbed out of normals after they've started up. like throwing out a c.mk from just inside sweep and he just grabs my toes. His anti airs aren't that bad, they are just all used in different situations and most people are spoiled by being able to spend three weeks reacting to any jump and then just mashing lariat like in ultra. The trick seems to be making your opponent respect that they could be grabbed at any time, and since backdash doesn't have invulnerable frames in this game, it is incredibly risky to ever use anything that's minus at all against him.

I wouldn't consider him top tier or whatever, but he's certainly a viable choice. this is one of the most balanced fighters on initial release that I can remember. react to a 19 frame move? challenge accepted. 19 frames is comparatively extremely slow in SFV.