What rank to start memorizing frame data?

[Saki]

Everyone says the only way to know when to punish is knowing character strings... well 100+ moves for 30 characters is crazy...

Even it takes many hours to understand the details of my own character strings, but to know the details of every other character just to win is crazy

When do you start going to lab to memorize stuff?

[Sardine]

Day1, you play, get ♥♥♥♥♥♥ by something and then go to the lab to figure out how to deal with it and if it was punishable.
Repeat that for every session you play and you have the framedata of the basic, most important moves for every character you regularly fight against down in 6-12 months.
You can also check out the top 15 moves of every character(google it) and memorise the framedata off the punishable moves there.
There are also plenty generic moves that will mostly have the same frames across all characters, like hopkicks.

[SEATEK The_LEFTY]

Another great idea is recording some (not all are necessary) of your matches. The best time to record is when you are losing...With Win10, you can record easily. Then simply review when you have free time and learn from YOUR own mistakes- Instead of failing over and over again. Good Luck!

[FryingBerries]

Nobody remembers all the frame data for every single character. The important part is to play enough to understand the logic behind moves. At certain point you'll start seeing a lot of similarities and will feel comfortable dealing with most of them.
For now, figure out your punish moves for your character frame 10 through 15. When you're playing and want to check if something is punishable, start with a simple jab and move up from there.
Look out for strings with duckable highs and try to remember what moves give your trouble.

[Unknown]

Sadly, frame datas hold back majority of a character's moves. People only use moves no more than 10, 15... out of over a hundred moves a character has. I liked it better back in the previous entries when anyone can go absolutely ham with any character. But not button mashing. It's based purely on reaction & timing. Frame datas restrict players, especially from high ranks from fully utilizing a character's command list.

[Yosogoto]

Originally posted by Unknown:

Sadly, frame datas hold back majority of a character's moves. People only use moves no more than 10, 15... out of over a hundred moves a character has. I liked it better back in the previous entries when anyone can go absolutely ham with any character. But not button mashing. It's based purely on reaction & timing. Frame datas restrict players, especially from high ranks from fully utilizing a character's command list.

The previous entries were even worse with the frame data. Some characters in older Tekken games were literally reduced to two moves, as there was just no other reason to use anything else. Some characters, like T5 Steve, were god-tier and could just choose to win at pretty much any moment because his whole movelist was stupid awesome. King's d/f+1 was +15 on block in Tekken 1, just saying.

I actually can't think of any character that has more than one or two moves you just never want to do. I don't see what you mean by 10 or 15 moves being limiting, that's actually a lot in the neutral game. The other moves come out once the poking is over with, or someone has to take a risk.

[Dan Smith]

I dont know any frame data and I'm savior.

[pablonesmrtelny]

Originally posted by Saki:

Everyone says the only way to know when to punish is knowing character strings... well 100+ moves for 30 characters is crazy...

Even it takes many hours to understand the details of my own character strings, but to know the details of every other character just to win is crazy

When do you start going to lab to memorize stuff?

its good to gradually explore chars and take notes to remember the most important moves. Generally each char has just a few often used moves that are -10, -12 or -15 (when you are advanced you can of course optimize punishment to single frame (-13,-14 etc.)
-10 means jab punish
-12 means slightly bigger punish
- this is the most used punisher generally - those are the hopkicks etc. - especially remember that 15 frame hopkicks - the fast ones - are usually -13 - they are powerful moves so try to make opponent pay for them.
-15 means combo (depends how fast launcher your character has - check that out)
- these moves are not used so often but its VERY IMPORTANT to launch them to discourage opponent from using it (such moves have great properties and they are launchable to balance that - they are OP without punishment - its often just one or two moves per character that you need to remember to launch.

There are many exceptions and differences but you will get it in time naturally - I played for hundreds of hours and my punishments still suck :D

I really REALLY recommend taking a notepad and making a notes for the most important moves - this is super powerful. Ideally you can explore chars from time to time in practice and again write a few details down.

For example super basic notes for Asuka would be:
1) F2 is -17 LAUNCH (often used high crushing launcher)
2) b3 -19 with pushback - try the rangiest move you have if it reaches - or dash move
3) careful about snake edge! ((launch it on block) it can also be cancelled and come out from a string (the string is recognizable by a tiny duck and punch asuka does - you need to watch that to remember it.
4) WS 3 -16 with some pushback - try to launch it. (often used WS launcher)
X) bonus trick: 1+4 - (you need to see the animation) always downjab after it if you are fast enough (this one is harder then the rest of the basic list) - this interrupts every single possible string continuation from this move (there is high or very slow mid). if you are really sharp you can even launch asuka after crouching but that is advanced.
HER FRAMETRAPS: (push buttons very rarely after those moves - she has advantage)
1) ff1 +4
2) f4 +3
3) f3 (two spins) +6 (with one spin its about 0 on block - with two spins its +6 and with three its an anblockable attack)
X) bonus trick: when you are advanced you can for example explore moves that are 0, -1, -2, -3 since after those asuka could sidestep (this goes for all chars even yours - if you see that a move is -2 you can try doing it and then stepping to the side and if opponent tries to jab or something you get full launch on him from the side. Sidestep is generally 7 frames but it depends on character and pushback too.

DUCKABLE MOVES:
1) ff1,2 (she has mid mixup that is -12 and other mid mixup that is safe but not natural combo so you can block it unless it counterhits you)
2) df1,2 (she has mid mixup that is -12)
3) ws1,4 (often used ws move)

if you opponent keeps using the mid, high variations you can simply block the mid and duck the high and then launch asuka for full combo - careful if he is smart he will mix it up with mids sometimes but they dont have so good properties so he is losing momentum or even gets punished on block if he does that. Again - if you dont ever duck the high even though he keeps using it you are giving him an OP tool - he needs to at least think about it and do the "worse" move from time to time out of fear that you punish him.

If you trained a little your eyes fo the mentioned moves and their punishment your MU would be waaaaay better - and of course as you get comfortable you sloooowly add things you know about asuka and what are her weak sides. The best part about tekken is when you generally know everything about the Matchup and its all about skill and mindgames and execution.

For example imho there is nothing better in Tekken than Hwoarang vs Hwoarang where both players know what they are doing. The level of mindgames, techniques and knowledge used is just mindblowing.

[Xero_Daxter]

You don’t have to memorize every single move; only the ones that matter.

Generic d4 is -11 on block so it can be punished by any i11 WS Move.

A Normal Wind God Fist is -10 on block so it can be punished with a i10 Move.

It helps to know.

[SEATEK The_LEFTY]

Knowledge is power.

[<blank>]

When you feel you need it.

Frame data isnt all it needs to win, but you certainly know why you lose the initiative in some situation.