Frame Trap

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Revision as of 23:00, 27 December 2017 by Shtkn (talk | contribs) (→‎Assists)

A Frame Trap is a way of taking advantage of frame advantage to make blocking a weaker defensive options and to break the opponent's guard.


What is a Frame Trap?

A basic Frame Trap consists of three parts:

  1. Make the opponent block an attack
    • Typically this is an attack with lots of frame advantage, but is not a requirement
  2. Lure the opponent into retaliating/any non-blocking action
    • Usually the opponent does an action because they are unaware it's a frame trap - they believe they are punishing your "unsafe" action
  3. Interrupting the opponent's action with your own attack
    • Your attack should hit the opponent out of the startup of their attack

Once the opponent is conditioned into blocking after the first part of a frame trap (eg: blocking during step 2 instead of attacking), then it's time to take advantage of your opponent's hesitation to mix it up! Throws and slow overheads become options if you can condition the opponent to not move.

Common Types of Frame Traps

Let's look at a few common types of frame traps and an example of each.

Fram Advantage

A typical frame trap is doing a move that has frame advantage, following it up with a fast strike. If the opponent attempts to attack between your two moves, then they will get hit.

For example, Hazama's 5B in BBCF is a very strong frame trap tool because it is +2 on block and relatively fast with 8 frames of startup. After an opponent blocks Hazama's 5B, the Hazama player can move 2 frames before the opponent can, allowing him to do a dashing 5B without much fear. If the opponent attempts to retaliate with a 5A (average speed 6F), then Hazama's 5B will trade in Hazama's favor since he will be +10F in the exchange. If he's dealing with someone with a 5F move (like Ragna's 5A), then Hazama can use 5A and beat 5F moves outright.

Blockstrings

In games like BlazBlue and Guilty Gear, characters can often cancel their normals other normals on hit or block (5A > 5B > 5C or 5P > c.S > 5H).

Players can make frame traps by either:

  1. Delaying the later move to intentionally create a gap, inviting the opponent to attempt a counter
  2. Doing two moves that naturally have a gap between them that's small enough that most moves would be hit out of their startup

For example, Jin can do multiple 2As in a row with delayed timings to coax the opponent into counter attacking. Jin's 2A is -1 on block, so theoretically the opponent should have a slight advantage. However by delaying the second 2A, the window to attack between the two 2As is very tiny, usually less than the time for the opponent's attack to come out. If the opponent decides to keep blocking, then Jin can choose to restart a new blockstring, they can even start the new blockstring with another 2A, placing the opponent in the same situation yet again!

Most blockstrings actually already have gaps between some moves, however it's hard to consider them frame traps as they don't look like an opening to the opponent, and thus won't elicit a response from them.

Delayed Cancels

Similar to the delayed blockstrings mentioned above, players can do the same thing, but with special/super cancels instead! This is usually much more risky, but follows the same principals as described above.

Assists

Some characters can create frame traps by using assists to hit after unsafe moves to create frame traps. A common case of this is puppet charactesr like Zato-1 from Guilty Gear or Carl Clover from BlazBlue. Others like Kum Haehyun and Arakune can use delayed projectiles for the same purpose.

Almost everyone can do this in team based games like Dragonball FighterZ and BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle.

Escaping Frame Traps

Invincible moves like reversals and backdashes are a strong tool versus frame traps.

Instant blocking can also be used. If you instant block an attack, this reduces the frame advantage the opponent has and may give you enough time to counterattack in time or to jump/backdash out.

Barrier/Faultless Defense is also an option, since it tends to push you further away, this may push the opponent far away enough to do avoid the opponent's attempt to attack you.

All of these options have their own advantages/drawbacks and may not work against certain frame traps. You will need to learn what frame traps the opponent likes to use and have a counter prepared ahead of time to maximize your punishes.

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