How to deal with focus attacks in general

Newbie Saikyo Dojo
#1

I played SSF4 for 2 months. Its my only experience in the series.

sometimes, when my opponents finish their block strings, they’ll immediately start their focus attack, and when I counter poke with dhalsim even if i use s lk they hit me. I feel as if they can continue to keep pressure on me because of the ability to use focus as a counter mechanism to this.

Dhalsim doesn’t have a move that armor breaks i believe, and aside from ex fireball it fucks up my options.

Also, if i’m using someone like e honda and i jump in on someone, many times i see them charging focus. I try to empty jump it sometimes and go for a grab but most of the time i just get hit. If i try to use a jumping fp and go into jab hands, i still get hit before the s jab comes out.

I dont understand. Are my only options armor breaking moves to stop this pressure? I can deal wtih mixups, teching, vortexes, zoning whatever but when it comes to just the application of something like a focus attack, it tends to really just turn the matchups out of my favor. I dont know if this is because i play really defensive or what.

helpful tips? the two situations i provided above are the most common occurence where i get fucked up by that.

#2

I am by no means an expert but I’ve had success by learning the max distance of their focus, the max distance of my standing roundhouse (I main akuma) and just try so that I jump and land at the edge of their focus distance, if I see them ramping up I backdash quickly. Since Akuma’s RH hits twice, I can knock them out of it most of the time if I don’t back dash… remember that FA will only absorb one non-armor breaking move.

Might not help you with Sim and Honda, but the backdash might help. If you land just outside their FA distance and they’re not FAing, then you can prolly dash in.

Edit: go into training and set your dummy to record a focus and test it out to see if this will help. Use the lines in the training room walls and floor to your advantage, you’ll be able to get more precise. Once you practice, the distance to jump in will become second nature

#3

Grab them. or just block, unless you know for a FACT that they’re gonna go for a Level 3 crumple, in which case you grab 'em.

#4

With Dhalsim, holding back and pressing fierce punch should give a 2 hit headbutt if you are close enough. If you aren’t close enough just backdash or teleport out.

Jumping into focus attacks you might be able to wait until late into the jump and then use a light punch so the recovery will be less than fierce punch and follow it up with another standing/crouching light punch when you land, whichever has fewer startup frames. If they won’t be charged to level 3 by the time you land just block. If they don’t immediately release when you start blocking you can try to jump back, neutral jump, or crossup.

#5

Or, you can fight fire with fire. if someone is blatantly spamming Focus attack lv 1-2, you can charge yours to counter theirs, since they are using it to counter your moves. Empty Jump -> Watch them ready FA -> Ready your focus attack -> Focus Arrmor absorb their atttack -> Counter with your own. Or better yet, it they are getting entirely predictable with their focus attacks, just nuetral jump, or jump over them. And yes, Dhalsim DOES have an armor breaking move, his Yoga Flame and Yoga Blasts. In any event, you shouldNT even be that close to anyone to where you’re getting hit with Focus attacks if you’re playing Dhalsim. Dhalsims normals are extremely slow, and thats not the type of battle you can win with his playstyle. You’re gonna have to learn zoning, because thats where Dhalsim excels, not in close combat.

#6

yeah i’m talking about the unfortunate event where they knock u down or push u into the corner and you are forced to defend a block string. of course i can attempt to poke them out with some mix of s lk, b+lk and b+mk, but the thing i’m concerned with is how they use focus to negate my pokes. If i throw out fireball its way too dangerous there.

#7

Yoga Flame is armor breaking. The jab version has the quickest startup,but short duration. I tend to use medium for a longer duration at medium distance and LP for up close.

Back Dashing, and throw teching. Back Strong antiair xx Yoga Fire. Escaping with Dhalsim is something that can only be learned with practice.

#8

Or what about teleporting?