Terminology
This starter guide assumes you are somewhat familiar with Strive, but it should be noted that there will frequently be references to numberpad notation. Learning notation is essential to understanding not only the information on Dustloop, but also for communicating with other players and asking questions when you get stuck. Don't worry, it's not hard! Below is an explanation of combo/numpad notation.
| Combo Notation Guide | Character Name Abbreviations | |||||||||
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Key Moves
2K
Fast low normal mainly used as a Abare An attack during the opponent's pressure, intended to interrupt it. and low pressure starter. Can be used as a quick preemptive poke.
2S
Fast mid-range poke. The standard poke for I-No
2H
Disjointed mid-range poke, with fast recovery. Useful for beating many other pokes. Great reward on CH.
214K (Chemical Love)
A long-range poke used to zone out opponents or whiff punish certain moves.
Dash up j.S/j.H
A overhead pressure starter and reset tool. Usually plus on block with a variety of useful Gatling The special category of cancels that describe how each character can cancel normals into other normals and specials.s.
236H (H Stroke)
A low profile call-out move to beat long-ranged mids and pre-emptive checks on hoverdash.
j.236S/j.236K (Sultry Performance)
A quick divekick to whiff punishing slow startup mids and to get in.
214S (Mad Love Agitato)
A slow and large advancing attack that gives you a turn on block.
6P
Great anti-air with great Upper Body invulnerability. The most common anti-air against most air approaches. Can also be used to disrespect certain moves during pressure and counter-poke certain mids.
5P
Fastest normal for anti-air and fast recovery compared to 6P.
j.P
Air to air move, useful for calling out opponents in the air that are trying to bait out 6P/5P.
Combos
I-No doesn't do much damage from her combos, except when she is in the corner. The most important is that her combos end with good oki Short for "Okizeme" Attacking an opponent about to wake up after they were knocked down, usually with meaty attacks or mix-ups. so that I-No can keep on repeating her oppressive pressure. See more combos here
- All of these combo with 214P at then end, are NOT part of the combo. The 214P helps setup your Okizeme From Japanese "起き攻め". Attacking an opponent about to wake up after they were knocked down, usually with meaty attacks or mix-ups..
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Basic combos are simple combos with the fewest requirements and conditions possible. They:
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- BNB Overhead from j.S/j.H
- BNB from 2K/j.S/j.H (The Most Key Combo to Learn)
- DP Punish
- Corner Combo
64 Damage
(j.S/j.H) > 2K/c.S > 2D > (delay) 214P (setup)/safejump
Unimpressive damage and route, but critically sets up I-No's note oki and is less dependent on range than the 6H confirm. Depending on range, an immediate cancel into 214P might cause the projectile to whiff. Gauge the distance between you and your opponent after you hit your 2D and try to delay it appropriately so your projectile hits meaty. You can also do a meaty safejumpsA Safe Jump is a meaty jump-in that is commonly used to beat reversal attacks like Sol's Volcanic Viper. Safe Jumps take advantage of the fact that you can cancel the recovery of a jumping attack by landing and immediately blocking afterwards. instead of setuping up 214P.
126 damage
2K/j.S/j.H > 6H(2) > 236H > 214P (setup)/safejump
Your go-to combo for 
I-No's high/low mixup, with 2K being your low option and j.S being your high option. Good corner carry and oki. Be aware that at farther distances 6H(1) wont connect so you will need to combo into 2D for a hard knockdown.
153 damage
CH c.S/2H/2S > 236H > 6H(2) > 236H > 214P (setup)/safejump
Essential punish for DPs that works anywhere on screen. Okay damage, but huge corner carry and also leads to note oki. Use 2H or 2S if the opponent is farther away.
181 damage (j.S starter)
2K/c.S/j.S/j.H > 6H(2) > 214S > (delay) j.236H(3)~H > j.H/j.S > WS > 5[D]
Timing can be tight on the j.236H farther from the corner and on characters with shorter horizontal hitboxes. Delay the j.236H when I-No is moving back or when the lightning bolts disappear after 21S.
Pressure
I-No's oppressive pressure comes from the ability to force the opponent to guess on wakeup on the mixups of j.S (a high block), 2K (a low block) or throw from every single knockdown that I-No gets. See here for more info on how to structure I-No's offense.
Her pressure is mainly focused around j.S.
From j.S I-No can do one of the following: reset Purposefully ending a combo early in order to perform a mixup in order to deal more damage.s, mix-up To perform a maneuver that forces a defending opponent to choose between two or more options. If the opponent chooses incorrectly, then they are hit by an attack. There are many different types of mix-ups such as crossup(left/right), high/low, and strike/throw.s, and frame trap An offensive technique where the attacker leaves a small opening in their offense, goading the defender into performing an attack. This opening is designed such that the attacker can easily counter the defender's attack with their own.s.
Mix-ups
sample mixups off a knockdown:
- j.S > 2K - High Low mixup that also Frame traps and is safe from reversals.
- j.S > j.D - Double overhead with its own rps situation if blocked.
- j.S > throw/Megalo - tick throw that beats any blocks
- Hoverdash > 2K - Low mixup
Resets
sample resets:
- j.S > j.S - Naturally acts also like a Frame Trap. Loses to fast buttons like 5P or anti-airs like 6P.
- j.S > c.S > IAD - A reset that is more riskier and has a longer punish window than j.S > j.S.
- 2D/6H > 214S - Special cancel reset. Useful reset off enders like 2D/6H or pokes like 2S.
- end of a mixup/frame trap > RRC/WA - A reset that is completely safe. At the cost of resources.
Frame Traps
sample frame traps:
- j.S > c.S - Most common frametrap with a variety of Gatling after the c.S like 2S, 2H and f.S to extends the blockstrings and a jump cancel which can be used for a reset.
- j.S > 6H - Natural Frame Trap that is also use for combos. Be aware that 6H can be punished if they IB the second hit.
- ... > Ender (2D, 6H, 5H) > 236S - Frame trap ender, commonly used after 2D and 6H. Be aware that 236S can easily be punished with a 7 frame normal.
Safe jumps
This is bit more advance thing to learn. But Safe JumpsA Safe Jump is a meaty jump-in that is commonly used to beat reversal attacks like Sol's Volcanic Viper. Safe Jumps take advantage of the fact that you can cancel the recovery of a jumping attack by landing and immediately blocking afterwards. are a key part to I-No okizeme From Japanese "起き攻め". Attacking an opponent about to wake up after they were knocked down, usually with meaty attacks or mix-ups.. Safe jumps allow I-No to continue her offense from a knockdown by chasing the opponent's recovery with a j.H/j.S, stuffing attempted jump outs, normals, throws, or even block a reversal DP. I-No can do a safe jump from almost any type of knockdown.
This Safe jump works on all knockdowns and all positions. Requires a different timing for all knockdowns. Safe jumps require much practice to be consistent with. Look here for more safe jumps.
66 j.H(whiff) > 66 j.S
Pretty good safe jump. (everyone do be suggesting this safe jump). Works on every possible knockdown. Perfectly fine to only learn this safe jump. Very easy to transition this safe jump to grab or a 2K low by doing two whiff j.H instead of j.S.
Further Learning
The Strategy page contains lots of information about all sorts of tricks and tips that I-No can do. After you feel like you have become comfortable with I-No, it is recommended to proceed further into more intermediate and advanced techniques like:
- Neutral/Matchups
- Safe Jumps (I think this is the one of the most important things to learn)
- Option Selects
- Wall Slumps
- Mixups involving meter
- Anti-Fuzzy mixups
- Sideswap mixups
- Advance/Optimal Combos
