Basics

The basics, the fondation if you will. Le Fundamentals. Before that, you will need to know some terms so check out the 'terms' sections. Anyways, you need to learn your fundamentals before getting into the crazy combos and comfirms. I would say fundamentals are your Spacing, Neutral, Offense, Deffense, and Reaction. All of them are intertwined together. You need these to get good at any fighting game. Once you learn these learning any fighting game will be much easier. If you look at the top players, you can see these things reflected in their gameplay. They aren't automaticlly going into some combo. They get a feel for the opponent, try to open them up. Playing with spacing and conditioning the other player. Maybe to block low on wake up, or to jump back when they jump forward. Half of it is mindgames, you need to be able to do this to your opponent.


Number 1: Spacing

Know how to use your space, your area of the screen. Know the range that you are the most effective. You cant land those combos if you arent even able to hit the opponent. Is move x gonna get punished at this range? Can I hit the opponent but they cant hit me from this range? Am I able to link this move into a combo from here? Can I safely jump without getting dp? Space consiouness is very important for all of these. This can greatly effect whether you have or lack the advantage. The more space you have the better, start to apply pressure to the opponent. Make sure they have no space to breath. This applies to you the other way around, youre at the dissanvantage with the less space you have. Try to get out my jumping or applying pressure back to them, although it really depends on multiple factors in the situation. If its inbetween engage in neutral with the opponent to get advantage. Then rinse and repeat till one of yall win. This match is a good exmaple of these things being applied.


Number 2: Defense

Learn to block bruh, dont become a Strive player. This is usually neglected by players (strive). I reccomend to spend some time in the lab blocking shit, just 5 minutes of practising, All attacks will consists of upper body or low attacks. You block high for mids and highs, and low for lows. To in almost all fighting games, you need to hold back. Back down for low blocking, and directly back for high. A thing you might do as a beginner is block too much. Dont do that, it'll give the advantage to the opponent for free. This too ties into spaceing, if youre across the screen you dont have to continuasly block. Unless they can reach you some how, its just giving you opponent a free turn to close in and pressure. Defense isn't only blocking though. Different games will have other defesive mechanics, like Arcsys burst or parrying in SFIII. As I said before, check out the wikis for more info on those specific cases.

Anti-air and Dps are also part on it. It your opponent tries to jump in on you, you can knock them out the air. This is you defending yourself from an offense. Pretty much every character has a anti air, not all have a dp though. A dp is an anti airs thats invincible on start up. Dp standing for dragon punch, named after Kens move.

Reversals, reverse the situation. They are attacks that are done after hitstun, blockstun or on wake up. Usually to hopefully get the opponent to back off of you. Maybe even resetting the neutral.


Number 3: Pressure

There's so much different offensive options in fighting game. It really depends on your toolset and character archetype. If you want to learn more about what said archetypes are, check out the playstyle page(semi-shill). Although it's really important to see what playstyle it is, it will be very important on how you approach gameplay, along with combos sooo. There will also be very character specific things too. Y’know throw out some pokes and get on your opponents ass with……PRESSURE!!!

Pressure is exactly how it sounds, you pressure your opponent. You usually do this when you have the advantage. You can do this many ways, block strings, okizeme, and advanced shit that you don't need to know now. Technically you don't need to know block strings either rn, buttttt it's easy. Block strings keep your opponent in block stun and if they're true, allow you to still be safe on block. Using that knowledge you can lock down your opponent and prevent them from doing much. This will hopefully condition them into blocking certain ways so you can hit them with an overhead or something. It also might push them into the corner, might.

Do some mixups dude, go for a high, a low, a throw. Anything makes sure it's safe though, you do NOT want to be punished, speaking of throwing... Throwing is also a way to pressure someone! You might jump in and throw, dash in and throw, while the opponent is in blockstun, during a mixup. It is very useful, although you can lose your advantage. If someone guesses right during a mixup or something and techs, it's their turn now. Okizeme ties into throws, or really anything that knocks the opponent down. There are limited options that your opponent has on knockdown. In certain games there are quick wakeup or choosing when you wake up mechanics. But usually it's still limited. This causes you opponent to have to guess what you’re going to do and counter accordingly. Will I A.Over head, B. Go low, C. Go high,or D. Do nothing. You are in favor on this gamble, but remember nothing is ever truly safe lol.