Additional Topic: Finding the Rhythm Through Perfect Charge and Perfect Input (AKA How to Use Multiple Advanced Techniques At Once To Become A Dee Jay Counter Machine)
Roll pausing, in conjunction with slightly delayed button presses, are two of the many methods noted that you can use to accomplish these rather advanced techniques. Once you get really efficient at implementing perfect charge and perfect input regularly, your ability to counter an opponent with effectiveness and style will increase monumentally. For example, perfect charge and perfect input will allow you to do the following sequences with much greater proficiency:
- quick reaction jackknife (“Ume-Upkick”)
- juggles after an anti-air Air Slasher or Upkick (e.g., EX Sobat juggle)
- quick reaction Super (or Ultra 1)
- much more exotic, stylish combos (e.g., combos incorporating multiple dashes into Ultra 2)
- near instant follow up of a Dee Jay special with another special attack (e.g., Air Slasher followed by Ultra 2, back dash into instant Upkicks, etc.)
Now, as they say, the proof is in the pudding. So to show you just how beneficial perfect charge and perfect input can be to your overall Dee Jay game, examples of each of these sequences is demonstrated in the video below:
NOTE 1: Always remember that it is the ability to seamlessly go from perfect charge to perfect input which makes these attack sequences not only possible but practical. In fact, utilizing these techniques together maximizes the chances that you will be ready for whatever your opponent comes at you with, so that you can then turn the tables on them in quick fashion. As an example, using perfect charge during a back dash allows you to have a full charge ready by the time you finish it, after which perfect input can allow you to input specials into super and Ultra on the falling, crumpled opponent (see the combos against Blanka and Rufus as an example). Likewise, to get an instant Super or Ultra 1 through an opponent’s fireball (as demonstrated against Ryu and Sagat), I use the roll pause method to input all the necessary inputs for the super with minimal stick movements (i.e., perfect input), then wait a brief instant before pressing the button (a variant of perfect input) in order to confirm that I will go through an opponent’s fireball at the optimal moment to counter.
NOTE 2: By using such methods at peak efficiency, even your multi-input moves will become the next best thing to “one-button attacks” since you will be able to store the inputs for Super and Ultra in the game’s buffer beforehand and then react to the opponent doing a fireball by only completing the final button press when you know it will hit. Given that the inputs remain in the game’s memory buffer for a short duration, moves such as these will still come out even with this slightly delayed button press, making it A LOT easier to react to incoming attacks than would be the case if you had to do the full input and button press at the same moment. For example, it becomes much easier to hit incoming linear attacks such as Boxer’s rush punches, go through fireballs, and strike hard-to-counter moves such as dive kicks. In addition, because you are able to slightly delay the final button press, you can begin charging back/down again in the meantime, allowing you to minimize the time that you are vulnerable without charge in between these sequences.
FINAL NOTE: Knowing how far to actually move the stick for each input – as well as how long you can delay a button press after putting in inputs – is something you will only truly understand through practice and experience with your muscle memory. But, as the above video shows, it certainly opens up a lot of possibilities for Dee Jay in USF4. Worth taking to the training lab, for sure. Even in the late, late year of 2023.
