Are jabs too OP?

[YellowFlashKid]

Is this strictly a Street Fighter thing? I have never in other FGs seen people use jabs that much. The funny thing is, they beat everything from what I've seen.

Throw jab on pressure, you win cause it doesn't matter if the other guy presses his fastest button, you still get to keep going. Wanna do DI? Nope, that's cancelable into counter DI. This is most definitely a skill issue, I don't deny it. But how does one counter that spam of jabs?

[Lysamus]

Jabs are very safe because of their quick startup and recovery, but there's a few downsides. They're usually pretty short ranged and any combo that starts with a jab is going to scale down pretty hard.

As for how to beat them, you've got a few options. Off the top of my head:

1.) Out-poke them with a normal that hits outside their jab range.
2.) Use a move with I-frames on startup like a DP.
3.) Use frame traps (moves that give you advantage on block) and beat out their jabs if they contest you.

[Teddy Roosevelt]

jab jab jab super is literally meta right now. I made a thread on it a couple weeks ago.

[VayneCalibur]

Lights are mostly negative on block. I don't think they are an issue, I'd say grabs having long reach in SF6 plus cr.MK into Drive Rush Cancel might be the problem here.

[GraveTrail]

Jabs are just the way in. They have been in almost every fighting game

[Nauct]

Light confirms are really what I'm working on now.

On Juri I can get Level 3 super off jab if I do 5LP 5LP 5LK LDP Lvl3. That one was kinda hard, cuz you gotta be fast as ♥♥♥♥ canceling DP into Super.

Then I found out I can level 3 off any of my Fuhajin.
So I can:
5LP 5LP LFuha Lvl3, 2 hit confirm, have to be close
2LP 2LP (2LP) MFuha Lvl3 can be quite far
Punish Counter 5LK MFuha Lvl3 can be very far, punish a lot of things that are relatively safe and level 3.

This isn't to mention you can DR cancel, on Juri I can Jab Jab DR Jab 2HP and the whole world after that, whatever super whatever Oki setup, everything

They're very good and in my opinion the hardest moves to use their full potential because the timing is the tightest

[mrrogers]

Nothing is OP you just dont know what to do. SF 4 everyone mashed jabs, but mashed jabs lose to stuff so mashing doesnt always win.
Everything has a counter and good players will punish you for always mashing jabs. SF 4 already explored the jab meta for 10 years its not a new thing and its not OP

[Definively Not Alchman]

yeah jabs are good. specially when you don't know what else to do.
the issue with jabs is that the return is a lot smaller

it is the low risk, low reward option

[YellowFlashKid]

My main issue is when vs. Cammy. There is no button I'm aware of that Chun-Li has that can beat Cammy's jabs. I try to do DI where I know it won't be countered, but its like playing a dead man's hand. One mistake and I'm getting full comboed or countered.

Same applies to characters like Juri and Kimberly. No matter what I try to do, meaty, bait or just block, they always get rewarded for spamming the jab.

[VayneCalibur]

Originally posted by Nauct:

Light confirms are really what I'm working on now.

On Juri I can get Level 3 super off jab if I do 5LP 5LP 5LK LDP Lvl3. That one was kinda hard, cuz you gotta be fast as ♥♥♥♥ canceling DP into Super.

Then I found out I can level 3 off any of my Fuhajin.
So I can:
5LP 5LP LFuha Lvl3, 2 hit confirm, have to be close
2LP 2LP (2LP) MFuha Lvl3 can be quite far
Punish Counter 5LK MFuha Lvl3 can be very far, punish a lot of things that are relatively safe and level 3.

This isn't to mention you can DR cancel, on Juri I can Jab Jab DR Jab 2HP and the whole world after that, whatever super whatever Oki setup, everything

They're very good and in my opinion the hardest moves to use their full potential because the timing is the tightest

Most characters can do everything you just said, in fact, characters Like Ken, Cammy, Ryu have better lights and more range. Juri has really low range to confirm into st.LK, unless you want to do a two-hit confirm.

[Konossööri]

Safe on block, DI safe, easy to confirm with or without meter, leads to pretty good damage and carry depending on meter spent/character.

If anything, I'd teach new players to embrace their light strings. This is the first thing I look up in training in any fighting game.

[Shifue]

Originally posted by YellowFlashKid:

Is this strictly a Street Fighter thing? I have never in other FGs seen people use jabs that much. The funny thing is, they beat everything from what I've seen.

Throw jab on pressure, you win cause it doesn't matter if the other guy presses his fastest button, you still get to keep going. Wanna do DI? Nope, that's cancelable into counter DI. This is most definitely a skill issue, I don't deny it. But how does one counter that spam of jabs?

Unfortunately This is a really big thing with street fighter have been noticing and then the real kicker is not everyones jabs are created equal.There are some that are faster some combo on themselves and onward. However rushdown characters have the best advantage with jabs and guess what most of the roster are? Now i am not saying others don't have good jabs but the ones that are the best at them have being rushers in common such as cammy,juri,kim, and ken. As others have said it's safe and quick to recover then add the drive system on top of that fact and that is why you see so many people using rushers and sticking to jabs.

[C1REX]

Originally posted by YellowFlashKid:

Is this strictly a Street Fighter thing?

Jabs are essential in most games. Tekken has jabs plus on block. Low jabs can interrupt some block string and all attacks hitting high. It's a bit similar in most 3D fighting games.
What different in SF is some characters have faster jabs than others what is extremely hard to balance. Also even the most basic jabs can lead to a strong combo ending with a lvl3 super.

So yeah - jabs are super fast and considering they can be easily chained into a combo they can be stronger than heavy punch/kick.

[jyuuu]

you can job someone out of a DI and some supers lol

[Zeel Ara]

Originally posted by YellowFlashKid:

IBut how does one counter that spam of jabs?

Same way you learn to counter anything else that seems overwhelming in a fighting game: Start using it against others and pay attention to what good players do to beat it. Talking and thinking is no substitute for real experience. Same goes for any character you can't figure out how to beat. Play them and use all the cheap stuff that wrecks you when facing them, and pay attention to how others beat it.

[Tottery]

Jabs are strong in this game. Unfortunately, it has changed the way I approach the game because so many people mash. My whole approach now is jabs into an ex move that leaves me + on block and then follow up with a mixup. If I don't, I'll be jabbed through everything else.

Guess I'm saying to jab back lol.