GGST/Chipp Zanuff/Counterstrategy

Fighting Chipp

Chipp is a pixie character, whose goal is to whiff punish you with his extremely fast dash speed and low recovery normals, then then carry you into the corner with his long combos. From there, he can enact deadly frametraps with his pressure tools. In exchange for his strong offense, Chipp is one of the most fragile characters in the game. As such, there’s immense pressure on Chipp players to play as perfectly as they possibly can.

Round Start

Chipp’s round start is weak. 2DGuardLowStartup10Recovery19Advantage-7 is his only low that reaches, and only against crouching opponents or big bodies. As long as you don't crouch round start, the only option he has are mids. The most practical mid that he has round start is f.SGuardAllStartup9Recovery20Advantage-8, which has 9 frames of start up. However, it loses to 6P. Simply walking back or using a quick normal with 4-5 active frames should be enough to keep him out. Without a hard read, his bet is to try and maneuver around your buttons. Don't open up with anything super committal. Since his round start options are so poor, he'll more likely opt to back up and whiff punish you instead. He could also attempt to immediately Instant Air Dash into j.HGuardHighStartup8Recovery17Advantage+4~5 (IAD). This will lose to fast 5Ps, but j.H's deep hitbox allows this button to beat certain characters' 6Ps.

Neutral

Dealing with Ground Approaches

Chipp’s ground approach boils down to 3 options he’s rotating in relation to pressure you’re applying. Primarily, he wants to whiff punish, or make you uncomfortable enough to get in range of 2KGuardLowStartup5Recovery8Advantage-2 or 5KGuardAllStartup6Recovery8Advantage-3. Kicks into 2D are extremely valuable to him because he can convert into his BNBs easily, use the hard knockdown to push you into the corner where his mix is more potent, and with Tension, give him low into overhead mix off of command normals and specials.

Midscreen, you need to stop his approach with small, quick buttons that have low recovery like 5P, 2P, 5K, and 2K. Some characters, like Giovanna and Nagoriyuki, have a 5K that can actually low crush Chipp’s 2K. In general, the best way to fight Chipp is to anticipate his buttons and try to fight them head on. Don’t run away by backdashing. Chipp’s 2K recovers so fast that he can input 2D afterwards, even on whiff, and still catch you with it.

Once we’ve removed the kicks from his neutral, he starts to run into problems. None of his slashes, even his 2SGuardAllStartup10Recovery17Advantage-7, are lows. That means you can freely move back and forth and 6P any slash approaches. If he tries to bulldoze his way in with his own 6PGuardAllStartup9Recovery25Advantage-16, use your 2D/low profile moves. You can also whiff punish 6P as it has 25 frames of recovery. Stand a solid mid-range away from Chipp and make him come to you. That way you’ll be able to react to his dashes in neutral. However, don’t put yourself in the corner doing this, as Chipp’s offense becomes a lot more volatile in the corner.

Dealing with j.2K

Chipp's j.2KGuardHighStartup16RecoveryUntil Landing+8Advantage+3 (IAD) is a fast dive kick that hits at a steep angle. Coupled with his three jumps, it can be extremely difficult to block. An effective strategy is targeting the moves long recovery by dashing/back dashing out of way and attempting to punish. Another simple option is to take advantage of its large hurtbox by simply pressing any high reaching button. Most buttons can easily counter hit Chipp's j.2K (including some lows) so it is rarely necessary to attempt a 6P and risk being crossed up. On block, Chipp's j.2K will hit multiple times with each hit being an overhead An attack that the opponent must block high., so it is important to avoid crouch blocking too early. Chipp will be left at advantage and up close forcing a very unfavourable RPS Rock Paper ScissorsA situation wherein an attacker and a defender have options that only beat certain responses from their opponent. For example, on wakeup a defending opponent may use a reversal to stop an attacker from using an attack, but the attacker can also block to defeat the reversal. If the attacker blocks, the defender can use the opportunity to take the offensive. guessing game on his opponent. It is best to counter hit j.2K and avoid the situation entirely.

When Chipp is jumping

His jump always pushes towards the way he’s facing. This is good for long range jumps, but not for crossups.
In order to face you again, after he crosses over, he must either jump again or airdash. With a single jump, at best, he can only really make you uncomfortable with 1 or 2 hits of a cross up j.2K. Nothing really scary.
If he wants to threaten with a cross up, he has to wait and time his jump/finish his air dash to even threaten it. Chipp can’t face the direction of his opponent until he double jumps, and since anti-airing single jumps is commonplace (at least it should be) we can use ourselves as an anchor point for Chipp’s jump/dash and directly challenge when we know he wants to j.2K.

If Chipp baits out a 6P with a single jump, but double jumps over it, dash forward from where you’re standing (the anchor point) and respond to his next move instead.

If you’re not able to get out of the way in time, FD j.2K to increase pushback and make 2K whiff. If all else fails, remember you can backdash 2K > 2D, which are his most meaningful follow ups after j.2K, however, he can target the backdash if he sees you go for it everytime, so mix things up. If he delays his options after 2K, this opens him up to reversals/jab punishes. This creates a rock, paper, scissors game that he doesn’t have the health to keep participating in.

Brief j.2K RPS Summary
j.2K ▷ follow up	Chipp beats...	Chipp loses to...
j.2K ▷ Button	Mash	Throw (4/6D)
j.2K ▷ 5P	Throw (4/6D)	Crouch button
j.2K ▷ Jump	Crouch button / Throw (4/6D)	Mash

Note: Chipp is not limited to these options and his opponents answers will vary from character to character.

Offense

Chipp's 5PGuardAllStartup3Recovery10Advantage-2 is the fastest normal in the game with 3 frames of startup. He can mash this during gaps in blockstrings, however, mashing as Chipp can be extremely risky. If you notice the Chipp isn't respecting you, try frametrapping more frequently and see what happens. This also applies to his meterless reversal Beta BladeGuardAllStartup9Recovery23Advantage-27. If this whiffs or is blocked, and Chipp is counter hit out of it, you can make him explode.

Zansei RougaGuardAllStartup20+1Recovery49~53Advantage- is Chipp's main damage overdrive which sends him back and forth several times hitting anything along his path. This move has good damage and covers a huge portion of the screen but has long recovery and will never break the wall. Expect Chipp to use this move to whiff punish, in combos, or as a gimmick in neutral. Despite the move crossing back and forth, Zansei Rouga only needs to be blocked from the side of the initial hit with no need to switch from left to right. In other words, if Chipp connects this move from the left side of the screen, then all subsequent hits of Zansei Rouga can be blocked as though Chipp is on the left. Zansei Rouga is not invincible on start up but it has some invincible frames after the super flash. This means that Chipp can be hit in the later active frames but it is normally safer to simply block and punish the move. Chipp will land on the opposite side from where he used Zansei Rouga and the attack will hit 5 times total. Blocking and chasing using directional inputs rather than the dash macro can prevent accidentally running away from Chipp and missing a punish. You don't have to wait until the Overdrive is complete in order advance towards Chipp. When Chipp goes towards the top of the screen, the Overdrive won't hit you unless you just jump into it. If Zansei Rouga hits, Chipp will be left close and at advantage mid-screen so be prepared to block a mix up.

Defense

Chipp can cancel his 2S into his 2HGuardAllStartup12Recovery24Advantage-14 on whiff. In addition to his 2K > 2D, this is what he'll use to punish back dashes. If he manages to make contact in neutral, always make sure to use Faultless Defense when blocking him, as it'll hinder his pressure. He can't stagger 2H after 2S or f.S if you're using Faultless Defense, or else it'll whiff. This will force Chipp to start relying on his special cancels.

Defending Against Rekka Pressure

The safest special Chipp can cancel into is his rekka A series of special attacks that are only available after the first one is performed.. This is an advancing attack series that is used in combos or as a pressure tool. Chipp's rekka always begins with Resshou (Rekka 1)GuardAllStartup13Recovery16Advantage-4. This is -4 with good push back. Rekka 1 has two possible follow ups: a low and an overhead. It is risky to challenge rekka 1 on block despite being negative. The spacing allows Chipp to press one of his fast far reaching buttons or cancel quickly into rekka 2 for a counter hit.

Rokusai (Rekka 2)GuardLowStartup8Recovery21Advantage-6 is the low follow up. It's -6 on block but leaves Chipp somewhat far. You can actually take a turn after this. If Chipp doesn’t cancel into the overhead, he’ll likely backdash after this because it *is* minus on block. You can catch the backdash with fast, far reaching normals. If Chipp delays inputting the low after Rekka 1, it can be backdashed and punished with a back throw. However, this does leave you vulnerable to:

Senshuu (Rekka 3)GuardHighStartup20Recovery20Advantage-9 is the overhead follow up. It has a longer start up at 20 frames, and leaves Chipp close at -9 ending the series. Chipp can go into the overhead either after the low, or immediately after the first hit of the rekka. He doesn’t need to do the low follow up to go into the overhead one.

When blocking the rekka, block low and react high. It’s not recommended to try and press here unless you’ve got a 3 frame button (only Sol and Chipp himself have three frame buttons). You can input a DP or any invincible reversal Overdrive if Chipp goes for the overhead, but be aware that Chipp can bait this out and block it. If Chipp special cancels into this after 2S/f.S > 2H, use Faultless Defense on his normals, but stop using it once he cancels into the rekka, as this will bottleneck his options. If he doesn’t backdash, certain characters can punish the low if he stops the rekka there. If you use FD the entire time, he’ll be pushed out too far for you to punish at all.

Chipp can do a microwalk backwards after the first hit of the rekka to avoid punishes, and then go for an instant dash throw, adding another layer to the RPS game.

Dealing with the Rest of his Specials/Special Cancels

All of his special cancels have flaws. Even more so if he doesn’t cancel with the blockstun from 2H.

Genrou ZanGuardGround ThrowStartup27Recovery15AdvantageN/A is a tricky command grab and an important part of Chipp's pressure. He disappears into a swarm of leaves and then reappears on top of you with a clone. This will catch you blocking. While it has a slow start up, it can be mixed in with Chipp's other options making it difficult to react to. It’s a strong option for Chipp if you’re not ready for it. Chipp will disappear with a unique sound cue and animation when using Genrou Zan. Despite disappearing, Chipp has a hurtbox during this time and can easily be hit out of the move with a fast button on reaction. If Genrou Zan is avoided by jumping, it will be very difficult to punish Chipp since the move has a somewhat short recovery. If you do go for a jump, an air throw is the best way to guarantee a punish. Chipps typically like to do this after knocking you down. After being knocked down, any high reaching 5f button can interrupt a meaty Genrou Zan. Attempts to back dash and escape will usually fail since Genrou Zan travels quite far and is extremely active.

Chipp's Alpha Blade is a move where Chipp quickly dashes forward before vanishing, crossing his opponent up midscreen. It's also used in Chipp's combos and pressure. Chipp will vanish with a unique sound cue (shared between all versions) and then re-appear at a fixed distance before the attack activates. There's a Horizontal Alpha BladeGuardAllStartup29Recovery19Advantage-4 and Diagonal Alpha BladeGuardAllStartup27Recovery17Advantage-2. It is important to remember that Alpha Blade should be guarded based on the side Chipp re-appears on and NOT based on the side the move is used from. This is particularly important near the corner where will cause Chipp to perform a bounce off the wall which keeps him same-side. Despite being invisible during the startup of Alpha Blade, Chipp is not invulnerable. Chipp has an enlarged hurtbox that travels slowly along the path of the move which can be easily counter hit or thrown on a read or reaction.

A fuzzy jumpslightly delayed jump - attempting to cover multiple options forward can also be used to cover both versions of Alpha Blade in block strings while simultaneously defending against Chipp's Command Grab. When Horizontal Alpha Blade is blocked, Chipp will be left close and at disadvantage so he will not be able to continue pressure freely. When Alpha Blade Diagonal is blocked fast jump buttons like j.P or an air throw can can be used to end Chipp's pressure. If you're in the corner, this move can NOT cross you up. Instead, Chipp will try to cross you up by initiating a brief wallrun before bouncing off of it and attempting to hit you on the opposite side. You can punish this with a well-timed air throw, or try to escape from the corner altogether with a dash.

Diagonal Alpha Blade is Chipp’s medium risk/reward option, so you’re gonna see it a lot. If you FD his most used blockstrings 2K > 2D/2S > 2H, you can avoid the hitbox entirely and focus on punishing him mid-air. Although the threat of Alpha Blade may seem overwhelming, it is important to remember that Chipp's reward from Alpha Blade is low even when he uses Tension.

Gamma BladeGuardAllStartup25~50RecoveryTotal 42Advantage+9 has Chipp summon a clone that dashes towards the opponent. It launches on hit and does very high wall damage. It’s slow, with 25 frames of start up and is +9 on block, so mashing after the move is a bad idea. You can jump back to get out of pressure. You can interrupt this move but it’s risky. The clone has a hurt box on it, causing Chipp to take damage when it comes out. You can punish this with a reversal super depending on your timing. Again, this is risky, but extremely rewarding. This move will also not hit airborne opponents. If you have a special move that causes you to be airborne, like Sol’s Bandit Revolver (236K) or Nagoriyuki’s Beyblade (214H), you can punish it with this. If Chipp uses this after a ground throw, you can actually mash backdash and punish his attempt to approach with 2K.

It’s important to pay attention to what Chipp is canceling into his specials from. 2K > 2D having less block stun allows you to challenge whatever special move he uses sooner. For the command grab, you can backdash, mash on reaction, or even airgrab. The same concept applies to both versions of Alpha Blade and Gamma Blade as well. Just keep an eye out for 2K > 2D, because it allows your character to directly challenge sooner. His 2S - 2H make it hard to challenge, so have a more passive response ready (like simply jumping for example).

One of Chipp’s primary ways of breaking the wall is combos via Wall Run. Chipp has the natural ability to dash up along the wall, where he has access to special versions of his grounded normals. If you’re caught in a wall run combo, it’s important to wait until the second hit before you burst, so that he ends up in the corner. Bursting early will just turn the situation to neutral. You can really put him in a bad spot with this knowledge check.

Banki MesaiGuardAllStartup6+1~11Recovery28Advantage-20 is an overdrive where Chipp summons a posse of clones to jump you. It has no invincibility on startup, so Chipp can be thrown or hit out of it. It's also -20 on block, leaving him wide open for a punish.