Proper use of focus in AE

midnightgreen20

The one thing that I never really grasped in AE was using focus attacks, when to use them and for what purposes. Let me preface this by saying that I main Adon, whose focus attack is alright at best, but clearly not as good as others. Because of this, I rarely even use it and just stick to using my other moves and actually do a bit of zoning with Adon as well. But at the same time, I do like to goof around with other characters like Gouken for fun, who actually has a good focus attack, yet I can't really find a way to use it.

What are the common uses for focus attack other than following up from a stun?

Chewmandinga

If you have an opponent cornered, you could try using a focus attack and bait them into jumping, then cancel your focus, dash forward and attack. I'm not sure what Adon's corner options are. With Makoto, you could use the same bait, then dash in and hit their jump with a fukiage corner combo.

You can use it to dash through/under awkward jump in attacks. I think Adon's forward dash is pretty good so if someone's trying to cross you up you can use it as a quick escape route?

eltrouble

• Can be used to punish slow, single hit, non-armor breaking attacks, such as sweeps. Used as more of a guess really. Can be punished by using quick 2-hit moves, armor breaking moves, or even faster supers/ultras
• Can be used to focus dash out of certain attack strings or jump attacks Most effective if your character has a good focus-dash, and can be punished by a variety of people.
• Can be used as an anti-air for certain characters. Requires a very fast FA
• Can be used on a stunned opponent to maximize damage. Primarily depends on damage scaling and your character's optimum damaging combos.
• Most popularily used for FADC to extend the length and damage of certain combos, as well as to make certain reversals safe on block.