Combos

Low Hit-Check

COMBO 1

Crouching standing/crouching

A confirmable, Third Strike-esque combo into Critical Art when you’re loaded with EX Gauge. This is a good option to keep in mind since F.A.N.G. usually can’t combo from his light attacks without some sort of specific counter-hit setup (like starting Combo 7 with crouching ). If you want raw speed, crouching/standing links into itself and then cancels into Critical Art easily, and it starts up in four frames instead of five.

Grounded Hit-Checks

COMBO 2

Standing (start charging ) standing (one hit), then cancel to:

From charge, ()
89 damage, 195 stun (293 damage with Critical Art, requires full EX Gauge)

From charge,
137 damage, 275 stun (requires one stock of EX Gauge)

From charge, (start charging ), juggle
172 damage, 493 stun (requires two stocks of EX Gauge)

This close-range hit-check starts with standing , a four-frame jab that can link into standing on hit. On block, there’s a small gap between the attacks, so watch out for matchups against characters with three-frame attacks. This is a much faster offensive opening for combos than standing . It’s especially useful after using Nikankyaku to get in or pass through them, or after non-deep jump-ins. Enemies who block crouching may retaliate against the second hit of standing , which whiffs over crouchers. If you’re worried about that, then cancel to LK Ryobenda on block to bounce away, but beware of foes who are loaded with quick lateral punish moves.

COMBO 3

Standing (start charging or ), then link to:

While charging , crouching ()
173 damage, 400 stun (368 with Critical Art, requires full EX Gauge)

While charging , crouching
205 damage, 400 stun (requires one stock of EX Gauge)

While charging , standing (one hit) (start charging ), juggle
257 damage, 531 stun (requires two stocks of EX Gauge)

While charging , standing (one hit) (start charging ) standing (start charging ), juggle
273 damage, 546 stun (requires full V-Gauge and two stocks of EX Gauge)

This is a standard hit-confirm from double-hitting standing , which is slow to hit (12 frames for the first knee) but is fantastic in all other ways. It offers V-Trigger cancel opportunities on both hits and standard links after the second knee. F.A.N.G. is at +1 when standing is guarded, so you can feel free to go for it. Ideal opportunities including after frontal jump-in , cross-up jumping , and after closing in with Nishikyu or standing Nikankyaku.

After standing roundhouse’s second hit, you can link crouching LP Sotoja, or link one hit of standing MP Sotoja or EX Ryobenda. With full EX Gauge, any normal Sotoja combos end in F.A.N.G.’s Critical Art.

COMBO 4

(start charging ) standing (one hit), then cancel to:

From charge, ()
145 damage, 305 stun (311 damage with Critical Art, requires full EX Gauge)

From charge, (start charging ), juggle
247 damage, 481 stun (requires two stocks of EX Gauge)

From charge, ()
153 damage, 305 stun (348 damage with Critical Art, requires full EX Gauge)

From charge,
177 damage, 305 stun (requires one stock of EX Gauge)

From charge, standing ()
201 damage, 370 stun (requires full V-Gauge; 342 with Critical Art, requires full EX Gauge)

From charge, standing (start charging ), juggle
263 damage, 496 stun (requires two stocks of EX Gauge and full V-Gauge)

Senpukuga Follow-Up affords enough advantage on hit to allow for link combos afterward. The standing link is pretty fast, quicker than most like this, and standing must be canceled immediately on the first hit (which is usually the case with standing combos). When Senpukuga Follow-Up is blocked, either let standing go without canceling it, leaving F.A.N.G. at +1 if blocked by a standing foe, or cancel the first hit of standing into LK Ryobenda to bounce back a bit.

COMBO 5A

Charge , or standing (start charging or ), then link to either:

When starting from fullscreen, from charge, crouching
194 damage, 456 stun (requires one stock of EX Gauge)

When starting from midscreen, from charge, standing (one hit) (start charging ), juggle
266 damage, 566 stun (requires full EX Gauge)

COMBO 5B

Charge , or standing (two hits) (start charging ) standing standing (one hit)

This mid to full screen hit-check starts with Nishikyu canceled into EX Nikankyaku. With V-Trigger active, it’s a great way to force poison onto foes. Start standing as soon as possible after the EX command dash. If you realize that the beginning is blocked and you’re feeling frisky, you can cancel the first hit of standing into another Nikankyaku, or make a blockstring out of standing into either crouching or standing canceled into Nikankyaku. Otherwise, end in LK Ryobenda as long as the enemy isn’t loaded for a fast, Critical Art-type punish on block.

With V-Gauge full, any standing gives you time to confirm the hits before V-Trigger-canceling to another standing into the usual single-hit standing or crouching link ender.

Jump-Ins

COMBO 6

Jumping (start charging ), standing , then cancel to:

From charge, )
226 damage, 445 stun (421 damage with Critical Art, requires full EX Gauge)

From charge, (start charging ), juggle
312 damage, 621 stun (requires two stocks of EX Gauge)

From charge, standing crouching ()
278 damage, 551 stun (requires full V-Gauge; 419 damage with Critical Art, requires full EX Gauge)

From charge, standing (start charging ), juggle
328 damage, 636 stun (requires full V-Gauge and two stocks of EX Gauge)

These are simple combos from a clean frontal jump-in, like after neutral jumping up over a command grab attempt or leaping in against a dizzied opponent.

COMBO 7A

Cross-up jumping , standing (start charging or ), then:

From charge, crouching ()
250 damage, 536 stun (418 with Critical Art, requires full EX Gauge)

From charge, crouching
278 damage, 536 stun (requires one stock of EX Gauge)

From charge, standing (one hit) (start charging ), juggle
322 damage, 646 stun (requires two stocks of EX Gauge)

From charge, crouching (start charging ) standing ()
296 damage, 586 stun (requires full V-Gauge; 437 damage with Critical Art, requires full EX Gauge)

COMBO 7B

Cross-up jumping , standing (start charging ), then cancel into:

From charge, ()
232 damage, 475 stun (427 with Critical Art, requires full EX Gauge)

From charge, (start charging ), juggle
318 damage, 651 stun (requires two stocks of EX Gauge)

(start charging ) standing crouching ()
284 damage, 581 stun (requires full V-Gauge; 425 with Critical Art, requires full EX Gauge)

F.A.N.G.’s forward-jumping roundhouse always turns him around, which means it’s guaranteed to whiff for jumps landing in front but is perfect for jumping over opponents for cross-up hits. Hit with it somewhat deeply, and you’ll have no trouble linking standing upon landing. Begin reorienting to build charge in the new direction immediately as you cross your foe up with aerial . Thanks to the double hit of forward-jumping and the generally low charge time of F.A.N.G.’s special moves, it’s possible to do a jumping cross-up roundhouse into standing and have another charge built up to cancel off the single grounded hit.

When jumping over the enemy with forward-jumping , keep in mind jumping , which hits from the front as normal and can be regarded as a front-facing, slightly weaker version of the same attack. You can use jumping to jump a little shorter than usual, hitting from the front with jumping instead of crossing up with . (Your hitstun will be less, though, probably not enough to link standing , so you’ll likely have to land and start a standing standing combo instead.) In addition to the “fake cross-up,” you can use jumping as an “instant overhead,” jumping in with an air attack you’re pretty sure will get blocked, then immediately jumping back out with air just off the ground. This attack comes out so fast and reaches so far that it will hit enemies sitting in a crouch-blocking stance, so it is important to keep in mind if defensive players are consistently blocking your cross-ups. This kind of jump-in, jump-out double-overhead is also a classically annoying thing to do against strong close-range characters, like grapplers, whom you don’t usually want to engage up close anyway.

Grounded Counter-Hits

COMBO 8A

While charging , counter-hit crouching standing (one hit), then cancel into either:

From charge, )
119 damage, 289 stun (314 with Critical Art, requires full EX Gauge)

From charge, (start charging ), juggle with
213 damage, 465 stun (requires two stocks of EX Gauge)

COMBO 8B

Against standing foe (while charging ), counter-hit crouching standing (two hits) standing ()

Crouching may lead to counter-hits up close after you move in with Nikankyaku or a blocked jump-in, or stage a secondary assault after your initial opening is blocked. Hitting in four frames, it may also counter-hit foes walking in to throw F.A.N.G. or stage a frame trap with a big gap. Crouching also links to standing (or crouching ) on counter-hit, but it loses for raw speed. Also, the advantage of hitting low doesn’t mean anything because someone in a position to be counter-hit wasn’t going to be blocking anyway. Combo 7b shows how two-hit standing can be a confirmation tool for advanced players against standing targets.

COMBO 9A

While charging , counter-hit standing , then depending on range:

From max range,
186 damage, 360 stun (no knockdown or poison)

From max range, crouching
168 damage, 316 stun (no poison)

From max range with charge,
186 damage, 360 stun (requires one stock of EX Gauge)

Closer in with charge, standing ()
232 damage, 475 stun (427 with Critical Art, requires full EX Gauge)

COMBO 9B

Counter-hit standing , then cancel into:

(start charging ) standing
232 damage, 475 stun (427 with Critical Art, requires full EX Gauge)

(start charging ) standing (start charging ), juggle
318 damage, 651 stun (requires two stocks of EX Gauge)

(start charging ) standing standing crouching ()
284 damage, 581 stun (requires full V-Gauge; 425 with Critical Art, requires full EX Gauge)

Standing is F.A.N.G.’s Crush Counter, leading to a number of potential combo follow-ups. It’s a good poke that leaves F.A.N.G. at -2 on block (while hitting only in front of F.A.N.G. despite its downward-slapping appearance). Your opportunities after a counter-hit standing vary depending on F.A.N.G.’s range and whether you canceled standing into LK Nikankyaku speculatively.

From max range off of standing by itself, the most you can link is a Nirenko, sweep, or EX Sotoja (if charge is built in time). If F.A.N.G. is close enough, you can just link another standing into a special-cancel. Counter-hit standing LK Nikankyaku combos also involve linking another standing . After a Nikankyaku cancel is blocked, go for a throw or light attack counter-hit combo (Combo 7).

Anti-Air Combos

COMBO 10

While charging , anti-air crouching (one hit), then cancel to either:

From charge,
77 damage, 165 stun

From charge, (start charging ), juggle
220 damage, 455 stun (requires two stocks of EX Gauge)

Crouching is a terrific two-hit anti-air on its own. F.A.N.G. crouches down into a low profile, both hits sweep above him with extended hitboxes, and either hit suffices as anti-air. But if you happen to have charge ready, you can make it even better by canceling the first hit into LK or EX Ryobenda. This requires prep time, which isn’t such a big deal; at mid range, when you suspect your opponent might really want to jump, just park yourself on sometimes for a second. If the jump materializes, great—charge is ready. If not, don’t feel committed, and go back to poking or repositioning as the situation dictates. It’s possible to attempt to cancel LK Ryobenda in this juggle into F.A.N.G.’s Critical Art, but your opponent’s likely position in the juggle means that this can miss, potentially wasting all your EX Gauge. Only attempt it when you happen to catch someone jumping in very deep (like “as far in as possible without crossing you up” deep).

COMBO 11

While charging , after Nishikyu hit against airborne opponent, juggle

This simple juggle is possible after any Nishikyu hit that floats your airborne enemy somewhere in front of F.A.N.G. with enough time for EX Sotoja to reach. Pestering the enemy with Nishikyu should be one of the cornerstones of your gameplan, and one of the cornerstones of their gameplan will be trying to bully inside anyway since Nishikyu doesn’t really do that much damage and it’s not worth letting poison add up. With HK/EX Ryobenda mines, the tips of Sotoja and Nirenko pokes, and Nikankyaku movement specials, you’ll give the opponent many reasons to just try jumping in preemptively, hoping to catch you on startup of something. The point is that it’s not that unlikely that LP Nishikyu sometimes hits as anti-air. Since you should usually be right back to storing charge after using a special, you should have time to react if the opponent is in the right position after a stray Nishikyu hit.