Jack-O' is a technical Commander and Setplay character, well-known for her bombastic animations and complexity in play.
This page provides a fully-comprehensive resource on Jack-O's mechanics, tech, and gameplan. This page is very long and occasionally provides advanced information. If you are new to the character and want a simple primer, please read the Starter Guide.
This page assumes you are familiar with the basic mechanics of Jack-O's moveset. Please refer to the Overview if you are not sure how certain moves work.
Jack-O' has a complex moveset, with Held Servant stance, and the option to hit and cancel off servants. For this reason some unique notation is utilised. The below chart provides all notation that is used on the Dustloop site. For the rest of this page, move strings will rely on this notation.
Notation
Full name
Meaning
ns.2P
Near Servant
Pick Up ServantGuardStartupRecoveryTotal 14Advantage-
hs.
Held Servant
Moves performed during the Held Servant stance, e.g.hs.K for Attack CommandGuardAllStartup12RecoveryTotal 23Advantage+15.
j.hs.
jumping Held Servant
Moves performed while holding a servant in the air.
Numbers represent direction on a keyboard numpad. For example, + becomes 236P.
> = Proceed from the previous move to the following move.
▷/land = Indicate that the player must land at that point in the sequence.
, = Link To perform a second action after the first action completely finishes its animation. the previous move into the following move.
->/~ = Cancel To bypass the remaining time or frames in an action by proceeding directly into another action. the previous special into a follow-up special.
The core of everything powerful and confusing about Jack-O'
The core of Jack-O's entire gameplay, and perhaps the most complex single mechanic in the whole game. Once summoned, they can be used as projectiles with a limited timer and perform special commands. These are not all critical, but it can be helpful to understand exactly how servants work.
Servants Leaving
Servants Leaving
Certain situations instantly remove all servants without regaining any resources.
Blocking Recalls all servants, giving some Servant Gauge back.
Being hit Lose all servants immediately.
Throw Clashes Lose all servants immediately.
Cheer Servant SGuardStartup3RecoveryTotal 15AdvantageSee Notes prevents servants leaving these ways, particularly to mitigate YRC and Psych Burst, and easily reset after having an opponent tech out of a Throw.
While both lose you servants, Blocking an attack actually recalls servants, this grants Servant Gauge back, reducing the overall punishment.
Servant Duration
Servant Duration
Servants remain for 8 seconds.
Hitting a servant removes 3 seconds.
Throwing a servant doesn't affect duration.
Holding a servant pauses their duration.
Cheer Servant On pauses their duration.
Each servants as a timer of 8 seconds, and each servant handles their timer individually. Every time a servant is hit by Jack-O' (does not include Throw ServantGuardAllStartup12RecoveryTotal 27Advantage+5 they lose 3 seconds. This will usually give you time for 2 hits.
The duration is paused when held by Jack-O', during Cheer Servant On, and during Countdown.
When duration hits 0, idle servants leave automatically.
You may still hit them indefinitely so long as they do not stop.
You can issue 1 final command, but the servant will always leave afterwards.
If a servant's duration reaches 0 it will leave after either recovering from hitting the ground or finishing a command.
Before this happens, you can hit them again as many times as you like. The servant will only be prolonged so long as it is being hit. You may also issue one final command, but you cannot hit the servant or issue another command, forcing it to leave. It can also be picked up and thrown, but will leave Frame 1 of being released.
Servant Gauge
Servant Gauge
Command Gauge Used by Servant Commands.
Summon Gauge Used by Summon Servant. Can only fill to as high as the Command Gauge.
The Servant Gauge is actually two seperate resource at the same time, the Summon Gauge and Command Gauge. You restore your Servant Gauge over time, limiting both how many times you can summon and use servant commands in quick succession.
The Summon Gauge is represented by the white area. This is used only for summoning servants. It is a lot easier to maintain and restore. However, it is much more essential to maintain at least 1 bar to provide nessecary access to Summon Servant.
The Command Gauge is represented by the green area marked by a servant's face. It used by all servant commands, including Attack CommandGuardAllStartup12RecoveryTotal 23Advantage+15, Defend CommandGuardStartup4RecoveryTotal 30Advantage+25, CountdownGuardAllStartup3+180+25RecoveryTotal 24Advantage-, and Recover ServantGuardStartup10RecoveryTotal 19Advantage-. In addition to being more difficult to maintain, it acts as a limiter. The Summon Gauge can never exceed the Command Gauge's current level, and if it goes down then the Summon Gauge will also be lowered to match.
Servant Gauge Recharge
Servant Gauge Recharge
Servant Gauge naturally recharges over time.
The more gauge you have, the slower it recharges.
If you have a servant active, the gauge will charge even slower.
Cheer Servant On H ignores all of this and recharges at a flat rate.
Recalling servants refills a flat amount immediately.
The gauge recharges passively each frame. This amount is reduced for each gauge already filled, which is seperate between Command and Summon gauges.
In short, the first bar restores quickly, but the final bar is quite slow, making it very easy to sustain 1 bar, but reaching 3 bars requires a great deal of patience. If you have no servants at all (i.e. currently on defense) you will restore it a little faster, but you want servants available regardless.
Servant Gauge Recharge Rate
State
Units Per Frame
Time to fill 1 bar (seconds)
0 bars filled
10
1.67
1 bar filled
8
2.08
2 bars filled
6
2.78
0 bars filled + servant
8
2.08
1 bar filled + servant
6
2.78
2 bars filled + servant
4
4.17
Cheer Servant On HGuardStartup3RecoveryTotal 15AdvantageSee Notes
20
0.83
Note: 1 Bar = 1000 units.
Seperately, any form of 'Recall' restores +1 Command Gauge and +0.5 Summon Gauge per servant. This includes Recover ServantGuardStartup10RecoveryTotal 19Advantage-, Forever Elysion DriverGuardAllStartup10+1Recovery58Advantage-41, breaking the Wall, and Blocking an attack (not to be confused with getting hit).
Pausing the Servant Gauge
Servant Commands Pause for 1 second (excl. 214P).
Held Servant Commands Pause for only 0.5 seconds (excl. 214P).
Countdown Pauses for the entire Countdown.
Cheer Servant On H Prevents the gauge being paused by commands.
Commands actually freeze the Servant Gauge regeneration momentarily. This also makes commands more expensive than they appear. Attack Command and Defend Command pause Servant Gauge for 1 second (60 frames), but this is halved if the only Servant to perform the command is held (30 frames). Similarly, recharge is paused during Countdown. Like most character systems, Servant Gauge does not restore during Hitstop frames.
For reference, 1 second of pause is equialent to 0.24~0.48 bars of Servant Gauge.
There is a major exception to this, during Cheer Servant On HGuardStartup3RecoveryTotal 15AdvantageSee Notes all new sources of pausing the Servant Gauge will be disabled. However, you still need to wait out any pause from Attack Command and Defend Command made prior.
Launching Servants
Launching Servants
Any time Jack-O's attacks connect with a servant they are launched as a projectile towards the enemy. This can even happen if a previously launched servant hits another servant, transfering the effect. If this is done using any normal or with another servant it may be said to "bounce" a servant, while Servant Shoot will "launch" a servant.
Every move has a different launch angle.
Angle
Moves
Common use
A
2P, 5P, j.P, 5K, j.K, j.D, Servants
Good for defensive coverage, with fast recovery and good for catching pesky dashes or low profiles.
B
6P, f.S, c.S, j.H, 5H
Far-reaching, good for zoning at a shallow angle, or simply hitting opponents faster than with Throw Servant.
C
j.S, 2H
Pre-emptive anti-air, setting up a servant slowly enough to allow you to either set up or approach from the ground while the air is covered.
D
2S, 5D, 6H(1)
Reactive anti-air, better for threatening airborne opponents. Also sees some niche usage in pressure for setting up servants mid-blockstring.
Notes:
2S launches extremely high, landing full-screen.
2H goes slightly higher than j.S.
236K goes in a straight horizontal line until it collides with the edge of the screen.
Aside from simply the angles they hit at, some moves are especially useful specifically for their interaction with servants, such as 5K which allows the use of a jump cancel off the servant, while 6P can be used to threaten in neutral but cover yourself safely if you whiff. Learning to manipulate servants with your moveset is a major part of Jack-O'.
Clash Levels
Bounced servants have the standard clash level.
Thrown and Launched servants have a Lv. 2 protective shield to help them break projectiles.
All projectiles have a Clash Level, not to be confused with Attack Level. This determines which projectiles beat which other projectiles, or if they both disappear when they collide.
Bounced servants have Clash Level 1, similar to the vast majority of projectiles in the game. If they collide, the projectile will be destroyed (multi-hit projectiles lose only 1 hit) and the servant will disappear wih it.
If a servant is launched with Throw Servant or Servant Shoot, it will also have a Level 2 layer on top. This breaks through all hits of Level 1 projectiles (e.g. Gravierte Würde HGuardAllStartup35RecoveryTotal 66FAdvantage+17), or a single hit of Level 2 projectile (e.g. Chemical LoveGuardAllStartup11Recovery22Advantage-9), while leaving the servant intact. This allows Jack-O' to work against zoning much more effectively with these specials.
Hitting Servants
Hitting Servants
5F hitstop is applied when hitting a servant.
Hitting a servant enables on-hit cancels, even RRC.
Opponents hitting servants get the full hitstop of their attack.
Besides the launch a servant receives, Jack-O' is also affected by launching servants. Jack-O' receives 5F Hitstop, even if it also hit an opponent. In addition this provides on-hit cancels similar to hitting a opponent, including special cancels and even Red Roman Cancel.
When an opponent hits a servant, similar to hitting Zato-1's Eddie or Chaos' Scapegoat, they receive the full hitstop of their attack. This means the active frames will be massively extended. This functionally gives enormous recovery on whiff, a hugely extended Counter Hit window, but maintains an attack Jack-O' may inadvertantly fall into.
Similar to Jack-O', opponents can also perform on-hit cancels inc. So while an opponent is often locked into their attack for longer, they can quickly follow it up with a unique move to prevent whatever Jack-O' may be doing.
Hitstop Cancels
Hitstop Cancels
Hitting a servant reduces your hitstop. That means faster recovery and cancels!
Jack-O' frame-data largely improves if she hits a servant at the same time as the opponent, by replacing her attack's hitstop with the servant's 5F hitstop. This massively improves her advantage on hit and block, and speeds up cancels. It is strange conceptually, but simple in practise.
For Attack Level 0~1, it is better if the servant is blocked. Conversely for Attack Level 3~4 it is better if the servant whiffs.
This has many applications:
YRC and Burst Baits Almost every normal recovers fast enough to safely block.
Sandwich Pressure c.S&(Whiff) is +10 on block, among other things.
Cheer Servant On H Cancelling off a blocked servant leaves you +6.
Pressure Resets Smaller gaps when resetting pressure.
Pichu Pressure Cancelling from 236K& gives a loopable offense.
Many other uses exist, is happens far more often than you might think, as it is an essential part of how Jack-O' works.
If a move hits both the opponent and a servant at the same time it is notated with an &, such as 236K&. If this is ever listed it is a hitstop cancel. Some clatification may be made on if the servants hit or not, such as 236K&(Whiff).
For a full list of all hitstop cancel Frame Data, please see the Frame Data Page.
Neutral
Footsies
Jack-O' is generally outclassed in footsie play, due to overall low reward and mediocre frame-data. However, she still brings in unique quirks, and the very threat of footsies is what drives Jack-O's ability to summon and set up. An opponent that predicts Jack-O's aggression may be too hesitant to stop her summoning a servant, the true goal of neutral.
Close Range
Amazing 2K One of the best close-range pokes in the game.
Good 2P 5F, solid range, and good Counter Hit reward.
Strong Backdash Uniquely short recovery while maintaining 5F invuln.
Bad Approach An otherwise amazing kit hindered by little threat to enable approaching.
Surprisingly adept, at close ranges Jack-O's 2KGuardLowStartup6Recovery12Advantage-3 is the largest fast 2K in the game, while being too fast, too low, too safe for opponents to reliably challenge without some uniquely good low options. Furthermore, Jack-O' also comes with a 5F 2PGuardAllStartup5Recovery9Advantage-3 with good range. Both 2P and 2K confirm into a linked 2K on Counter Hit, for easy neutral pokes. Though her on-block situations is not particularly special, with both 2P and 2K being -3 on block, and both 6P and 2D are somewhat unsafe gatlings on block.
Jack-O' is also tied for fastest recovering of 5F-invuln backdashes at 18F, making it safer for her to escape this range if she wishes to.
Primarily, the difficulty of Jack-O' is not fighting at this range, but getting into it in the first place, as Jack-O' lacks reliable and threatening pokes that enable her to approach. Many of her best pokes like 5HGuardAllStartup10Recovery23Advantage-6 are easily caught by low pokes, giving opponents little reason to not attack Jack-O' approaching besides avoiding her sluggish f.SGuardAllStartup11Recovery17Advantage-9. Combined with her poor movement speed means she can struggle to reach this range if opponents are forcefully covering with their own pokes. This can, however, work to your advantage.
Mid Range
Amazing 2K One of the best close-range pokes in the game.
Good 2P 5F, solid range, and good Counter Hit reward.
Strong Backdash Uniquely short recovery while maintaining 5F invuln.
Bad Approach An otherwise amazing kit hindered by little threat to enable approaching.
This is where Jack-O' struggles mosts, from poor movement, to poor coverage, low reward on hits, and higher recovery on many options, she does not win from an honest mid-range neutral.
The core goal for Jack-O' is to summon a servant. This opens new neutral tools, enables zoning, turn pokes into combos, and even begin pressure. However, summoning is not safe, an approaching opponent can easily catch her off-guard. To make this possible, you must either create a threat to stop the opponent attacking, or land an attack yourself. Jack-O' can also try to approach to hold onto her the favourable 2K range, depending on matchup.
If an opponent is simply dashing in to attack, you can poke their approach. f.SGuardAllStartup11Recovery17Advantage-9 is her largest poke that is mostly safe to whiff. However opponents may stagger their approach. Varying pokes with with 5KGuardAllStartup7Recovery10Advantage-4 for its speed and low recovery, dashing in with 2K for its low profile, or using her long-reaching 5HGuardAllStartup10Recovery23Advantage-6 can cover opponents' movement and attacks. The strongest counterpokes an opponent has will often be their 2S as Jack-O's pokes either hit too high or get out-ranged. When this happens, you can stay back and summon safely, winning the interaction indirectly, or you can wait for the whiff and punish it, especially with 5HGuardAllStartup10Recovery23Advantage-6. This creates a basic neutral gameplan.
If an opponent is being very aggressive in their approach, or shimmying with backwalk to outspace any pokes, 5H and 2DGuardLowStartup10Recovery18Advantage-19 are very powerful. 2D can catch opponents for not crouch-blocking and 5H is one of Jack-O's safest moves on block, while both get huge reward on Counter Hit. These are dangerous on whiff, and can be easily defeated by low pokes (Usually a 2S), but the huge range and fast startup make them a major threat for the opponent. This can slow an opponent down for fear of the attack, therefore giving Jack-O' more time to summon, build the space, or approach.
Far Range
Varies heavily by matchup.
Against non-zoners, Jack-O' can use the range to summon servants completely unchallenged, this makes it extremely easy to set up and threaten opponents. Since even long-range characters struggle to hit full-screen (e.g. Testament'sArbiter Sign SGuardLowStartup24Recovery26Advantage-12), the only reason Jack-O' need approach at all is to avoid cornering herself or to intimidate an opponent out of approaching. With dash momentum her 5HGuardAllStartup10Recovery23Advantage-6 travels immensely far, making it a great counter-poke to commital approaching. Her ranged options become incredibly safe. Bizzarely, at long-range Servant ShootGuardAllStartup15Recovery25Advantage-12 can anti-air low airdashes, and Throw ServantGuardAllStartup12RecoveryTotal 27Advantage+5 will hit a low height, making it slightly more difficult to jab out servants.
Against dedicated zoners like Axl, Chaos, and sometimes Faust with the right items, Jack-O' has no easy opportunity to summon, and needs to either approach or otherwise utilise specific gaps in their pressure to get that opportunity. It can often be safer to just focus on approaching into a range her normals can threaten, as without it she can't force the opponent to give her safe openings.
Generally speaking long range is not actually something Jack-O' wants to maintain more than nessecary. As soon as she has a Servant, and has gotten it on the opponent, it is vastly more valuable to approach to establish pressure. Choosing to remain at this range gives her only extremely low reward options, while the risk of correct callouts from the opponent is extremely painful.
Jump-Ins
Jack-O' has 2 main ways to threaten jump-ins, either by doing so normally with j.SGuardHighStartup11Recovery21Advantage+3 (IAD) or j.HGuardHighStartup11Recovery32Advantage+5 (IAD), or after launching a servant in the air (see Zoning for more information).
IAD j.HGuardHighStartup11Recovery32Advantage+5 (IAD) is the preferred jump-in for its superior range, and on block leads perfectly into 2K. Additionally, by cancelling the first hit into Air Servant ShootGuardAllStartup15Recovery25Advantage-12 you land earlier, creating additional pressure options. This is one of the best on-block pressures of a conventional jump-in simply for variability.
IAD j.H PressureA short, useful, setplay achieved off a simple jump-in
IAD > j.H > Land > 2K or IAD > j.H(1) > j.236K (Whiff) > Land > 2K
By cancelling the first hit into Air Servant ShootGuardAllStartup15Recovery25Advantage-12, you cancel the attack and momentum, to land earlier and slightly further, creating a pseudo-High-Low-ThrowIt can be fuzzied, making it not a true mixup, but this fuzzy is also exploitable to allow safer pressure. as the opponent still needs to stand-block the second hit of j.H normally.
j.H(2) is +5, making a 2K a true frametrap. While c.S is throwable, it provides better pressure on block.
j.H(1) > j.236K (Whiff) is +3, but will be further spaced out. Depending on how close it hit, 2K will be throwable, backwalking slightly can make Throws whiff while maintaining c.S range; unless you land too close and/or the opponent has a large Throw range.
A similar effect can be accomplished with j.S > j.236K to get a safer spacing despite its weaker on-block, but this will naturally be easier to challange.
Where this falls short is the slowness. IAD j.HGuardHighStartup11Recovery32Advantage+5 (IAD) takes 32 frames to hit, 35 if the opponent was crouching, making it very easy to 6P as it will immediately whiff through the upper-body invulnerability. In contrast, IAD j.SGuardHighStartup11Recovery21Advantage+3 (IAD) hits deeper, making it harder to 6P and hits crouchers 3 frames faster (Frame 32). However, it has less range, worse pressure on block, and worse combos on hit, making it a substantial trade-off.
Anti-air
Jack-O' has a vast array of viable anti-airs, many of which are quite strong. Below is an overview of her most versatile anti-airs.
6P - As is standard, the universal 6P anti-air is your bread and butter, it is the safest and most consistent anti-air. In Jack-O's case its hurtbox is tied for the fastest lowering in the game, making it easier to respond with on reaction without being caught on startup. The largest problem is a general lack of reward, only comboing in select cases, and giving minimal value on block.
2S - Powerful anti-air for opponents directly above Jack-O'. This is for covering angles that 6P normally cannot, including vertically moving attacks like May'sj.2HGuardHighStartup13Recovery6Advantage+2 (IAD) and Potemkin'sj.DGuardAllStartup13Recovery9 After landingAdvantage+1 (IAS), and cross-over maneuvers such as Millia'sKapelGuardAllStartup13Recovery12Advantage-1 (IAS) or Chaos'IAD j.DGuardHighStartup11Recovery21Advantage+3 (IAD). It will be apparent this move is specialist to a fault, as it challenges one highly specific option the opponent has (or may not have at all), and almost nothing else. But for that utility, it is very good at its job.
214S - With a servant active, Defend CommandGuardStartup4RecoveryTotal 30Advantage+25 becomes an extremely potent pre-emptive anti-air. Not only can the massive shield catch even 100% Screen IAD jump-ins, but on successful parry it gives a rewarding left-right mixup. Due to the Defend Command's huge active time, it extremely hard to stagger air movements to bait and avoid it, and even if they do so, they can't punish Jack-O' more than wasting her resources.
Anti-Air Defend Command MixupAnti-air parry leading into a high reward 50:50 mixup
214S > Dash > c.S
By running under an opponent as they are Guard Crushed, Jack-O' can set up an ambiguous left-right mixup based on which side she will remain. Dash more to end crossup and slightly less to remain sameside. Done correctly this can be so ambiguous even the user won't know which side they're hitting, and the opponent will be Guard Crushed for the entire duration making it impossible for them to avoid the mixup. Even if they block correctly, Jack-O' remains extremely plus due to the air block, and builds extra RISC.
While the Defend Command heavily scales the combo, anti-air c.S leads into strong combos. Combined with the 33 Defend Command damage it nets a potentially sizable reward for an anti-air.
hs.6X - Throw Servant is less an intentional anti-air tool, and more designed for pre-emptively covering the airspace while setting up for pressure. It doesn't often give much value on hit, but it's so readily available that require use can easily shut down jump-ins, especially on slower opponents.
Zoning
Zoning is never the gameplan for Jack-O', it is merely the prelude to set up for your pressure. This is important to emphasise, as Jack-O' cannot win with zoning alone, her reward is too low and the risk far too high. However, zoning is still an essential part of her, the use of zoning creates new threats to force opponents to approach, and it can often allow setting up servants from as safe a position as possible. When combined with the threat of more aggressive neutral, this can force opponents into difficult positions where any wrong call gives Jack-O' access to pressure.
Setting up a Servant
The general goal of zoning is to place a servant into a threatening position near the opponent. There's two general types: a sameside servant, and a crossup servant.
Sameside Servants are much easier to accomplish, simply make the opponent block any servant. Their position prevents the opponent approaching safely, and gives Jack-O' access to her sameside pressure strings.
Crossup servants are only achieved with commital options by getting a servant to fall completely over the opponent. This usually leaves the opponent able to approach more easily as the servant may whiff Attack Command, but if this is used to start pressure it provides the extremely rewarding Sandwich Pressure.
Most options provide the easy and safe sameside servant. Despite the greater risks, a crossup servant is generally more rewarding. Even with less Servant Gauge at your disposal as it enables more mixups and stronger Hitstop Cancels.
Servant Zoning
Grounded Servant LaunchesEasy neutral coverage, your bread and butter use of servants.
5P* or 6P* or 5H* or 6H(1)* or 236K* or hs.6X
While Throw ServantGuardAllStartup12RecoveryTotal 27Advantage+5 and Servant ShootGuardAllStartup15Recovery25Advantage-12 are obvious ways to launch servants, you can actually cover many more angles using Jack-O's normals.
Throw Servant is very advantageous when blocked, can easily anti-air, and reaches near max-screen distance, but easily whiffs dash-ins. Also crushes projectiles.
Servant Shoot easily crushes opponent projectiles for anti-zoning and hits from max-screen distance, but can be low profiled. Can slightly anti-air at far range.
5H gives fast long-range launches for placed down servants, while hitting low enough to be difficult to low-profile.
6P is similar to 5H but is safer against long pokes, and hits faster and further from Release Servant.
5P hits very short range, good for shutting out extremely-low-profiles quickly and safely.
6H(1) can be used to shoot up a servant for pre-emptive anti-air and can be ran under for total coverage in neutral.
There is many more ways to use servants with normals. Please see the Overview for more lengthy explanations of the neutral utility for every normal.
In addition to simply launching servants, using any normal allows cancels. Cancelling into Summon Servant (Hold)GuardStartupRecoveryTotal 14Advantage- allows quickly snowballing with more summons for more zoning. If the spacing is good you can also Whiff Pick Up cancel to recover very quickly.
Air Release ServantThreaten a jump-in or stall for time.
236[P] > Jump > hs.D > ...
Releasing a servant while rising with a jump creates an extrmely safe position. Hitting the servant with j.PGuardHighStartup6Recovery6Advantage+1 (IAD), j.KGuardHighStartup7Recovery12Advantage- and j.DGuardAllStartup21RecoveryTotal 44Advantage- covers against anti-airs, j.SGuardHighStartup11Recovery21Advantage+3 (IAD) creates a lingering barrier against running under Jack-O', and j.HGuardHighStartup11Recovery32Advantage+5 (IAD) has long-range as a conventional air projectile.
All of these maintain cancels, making it easier to escape with a jump or airdash if an opponent approaches from below. You can also threaten a faster jump-in with an airdash. Especially with j.H, a slightly delayed airdash can punish an opponent for using 5P on the servant, and while hitting the servant with 6P will almost always catch the jump-in (due to hitstop extending the active frames), this commitment to a 6P can allow grounded punishes/pressure, give Jack-O' time to summon, or reach a better position.
If very far away, an airdash cancel off j.H can be Faultess Defense Cancelled to set up a high/low mixup that is made safer by the servant.
Rising j.DBack off and stall for servant gauge.
Jump > j.D
The least threatening and least rewarding option of them all. j.D is virtually incapable of comboingIt is theoretically possible, but it requires 50% and cannot be hitconfirmed.
This is done with ADC > (66.BRC~j.S or 66.BRC~j.H), does low damage, and can even be minus on hit. It is fully Counter Hit recovery meaning any punish at all nets huge reward for the opponent. So why do it?
The long air time and slow projectile shot gives a lot of time to regain Servant Gauge before resetting to neutral off the large distance it creates, this makes it great for avoiding a close neutral with no summons available. It is also, despite how vulnerable it is, really difficult to challenge without specifically trying to counter it. This can make it great as a substitute for backdashes as a way to build space without risk from powerful grounded approaches. However, due to its slowness, j.D is extremely matchup dependent, some may be unable to challenge it without bigger commitments, while other matchups make it virtually useless.
If the opponent is very low health, the low reward ceases to be a problem, and becomes an extremely annoying poke that furthers Jack-O's gameplan and wins off any hit.
Zoning Counter Strategy
Like any zoning it takes commitments, there's some gap Jack-O' fails to cover, either for being slow to start or leaving some area safe (i.e. jumping or low profiling). Servants do not prevent attacks, meaning so long as an attack can still hit Jack-O' it will cancel out the servant. If Jack-O' blocks an attack she loses her servants instantly, this makes many projectiles able to counter-zone, and advancing attacks (especially paired with a Roman Cancel) can be especially difficult to handle.
The biggest weakness of Jack-O's options is low profiles. Moves like Night Raid VortexGuardAllStartup15~31 [32]Recovery32Advantage-17 completely invalidate almost any option except staggering the zoning (giving more gaps to approach) or using her much weaker low-range options like 5P*. If you have one of these, it is essential to exploit it to bypass her zoning. Additionally, powerful projectiles like ZarameyukiGuardAllStartup18~29RecoveryTotal 39Advantage+5 can blast through zoning attempts.
Another important strategy is to jab servants mid-air. Servants have genorous hurtboxes, every 5P/2P can be used to remove them fairly easily before they even reach you, often before Jack-O' even has a chance to issue a command, making it low risk when done well. Not only does this make you more advantaged than blocking a servant, but it prevents her Attack Command pressure, and it wastes her Servant Gauge (which is nessecary to summon servants and zone in the first place). While 6P is easier, the hitstop will lock you for extremely long, making it easy to get Counter Hit punished by her 5H or 2D. Lastly, you can cancel off the servant, this is important to challenge Jack-O' approaching after you jab a servant, many characters have ways to play into an RPS against her approach.
Okizeme is the art of attacking an opponent during their wakeup. Jack-O' is a specialist in okizeme, giving her an incredible variety of ways to completely safely pressure an opponent after her offense is complete.
In contrast to Millia, who is also specialist in okizeme, Jack-O' is more capable of safejumps and leading into her own sandwich Pressure, with less loopable damage output on mixups and generally simpler mixups to defend against. Jack-O' also has a lot more variety of okizeme with a variety of different strengths, weaknesses, and counterplay.
Jack-O's okizeme also comes in a huge variety for any situation, specific to the matchup, presense of supers, need for mixups, and more. While she has many options, you likely only need a few versatile options to be particularly ready. For more in-depth information on the theory and routes of Jack-O's okizeme, please visit her Okizeme page below.
Generally speaking you do not need to use or know all of Jack-O's okizeme, however she can score decent okizeme off almost any situation, making it worthwhile to recognise at least one available route for each attack. You also do not require optimal okizeme to establish a strong threat, therefore you can be selective for okizeme you can perform consistently. For example it is perfectly functional to use a safejump with imperfect timing to hit meaty, you do not need to have it safejump to be useful.
Pressure Tech
While Jack-O's pressure is largely contextual on her servants and positioning, a variety of techniques are usable in many situations. Their value shifts based on situation, still, but it is better to understand the tech as broad additions to her tools.
Pressure Mixups
While Jack-O' lacks conventional mixups, she does in fact have access to a unique one. This is not the same as other true high-low mixups, but it still enables very powerful pressure.
F-Shiki j.P MixupA pseudo-High-Low mixup usable when a servant is nearby.
Hard (Variable)
... > j.S or j.H) > Jump Cancel > j.P > j.214K
By hitting an opponent very low to the ground with j.K, j.S, or j.H, you F-Shiki Sometimes known as "Fuzzy Overhead". When you are in blockstun, you can switch high/low blocking, but your blocking animation and hurtbox does not change until you leave blockstun or block another attack. F-Shikis take advantage of this and use overheads that would miss on crouching characters, but not on standing characters. the opponent into allowing j.P to connect off a jump cancel, creating an unreactable mixup when combined with landing into 2K.
This is usually set up for either through an okizeme safejump, or by using (c.S or 5K) > Jump Cancel > TK 214K > dl j.S to set up the mixup from sandwich pressure.
Unusually, if the opponent crouches and is hit by the initial attack, the jump cancel j.P will whiff, leaving Jack-O' at best +2 but stuck above the opponent. Meaning the decision-making happens before the jump cancel begins. It costs Servant Gauge to combo, and when the opponent reads the mixup, you will lose pressure. The attack is virtually impossible to hitconfirm, nor is it viable to make the attack a safejump while buffering a forward jump cancel. If you assume the opponent will try to defeat the overhead mixup by getting hit, you can land into c.S better combo conversion. This won't even weaken any pressure you get, but it will whiff if they used Faultless Defense.
The difficulty varies by opponent. Giovanna is impossible to hit with the mixup, and Baiken is possible but requires an extremely good timing of the initial jump attack to be able to hit the j.P. By contrast, Potemkin is trivially forgiving on the timing.
Servantless Pressure
Without any Servants to her aid, Jack-O' has some of the weakest blockstring threats in the game. Do not disregard it, however. Any strong hit through this offense can be game-deciding from the incredible setplay it can lead into. This is the time to either set up servants aggressively to convert into strong pressure, or bait out attacks to land that Counter Hit.
Basic Blockstrings
Jack-O's basic blockstring. Delay for the final 236K to hit.
Your core pressure strings is c.S > f.S > 5H > Delay 236K, giving the central route to stall for Servant Gauge, gain R.I.S.C. and corner carry, and create a mixup opportunity using c.S. There is very minimal threat to a defensive opponent after the c.S, given the weak frame data on f.S and 5H being weak to 6P attacks. However, adding delays helps stall for Servant Gauge and support the use of pressure resets like Summon Servant.
The Servant Shoot is very spacing reliant and can easily whiff. In these instances, instead use Recover Servant to stay -1 on block, or Summon Servant to exploit the safe distance. The longer you delay, the more you move forward and the easier it will hit, but this opens the risk of abare.
K Normals Blockstring
A much weaker string for K normals, it is very weak but sometimes nessecary. The core string is (5K or 2K) > 2D > 236K. The string is wrought with problems and is quickly forced into a dangerous RPS.
While it seems unimportant, starting with 5K is much stronger than 2K, due to having double the cancel window. A 2K > 2D frametrap is a frame perfect input and 2K > 236K sacrifices any hitconfirm off 2K, making it very easy to challenge for the opponent. With 5K you can delay to catch opponents being aggressive.
Using 2D > 236K is dangerous but it's your only frametrap. It can be backdashed if you don't delay, it can be thrown if you had dash momentum, it naturally opens a gap to reversals, and may be blocked to lock you into the aforementioned RPS. Every option is risky, there is no truly safe route here.
The below table lists characters with easily applicable tools to punish 236K without engaging with the RPS on block.
Backdash and PunishBackdashing the 236K, assuming no delay on the backdash or 236K. Characters labeled * do not get an advantage state from their punish.
ThrowInterupt the 236K with Throw. This assumes Jack-O' had some amount of dash momentum.
This is not your only option. The 2D should be treated similar to 236K, and also use a variety of options from Jack-O's defensive RPS.
Wild Assault
One of the easiest ways to set up servants from servantless pressure is to use 5H > 236D > 236P. This is a 2F frametrap, losing only to Throw and reversals, an extremely high-risk callout for the opponent. This doubles as a way to frametrap when Servant Shoot would whiff.
Even on uncharged Wild Assault, Jack-O' is left +9 on block, giving a true blockstring 2K, an autotimed frametrap with 2D, and enough time to Tick Throw, enhanced by the Guard Crush. On hit, the only possible combo from 236P is with 2K if the opponent does not stagger recover at all. However, Wild Assault can be surprising enough for this to be a realistic combo confirm.
Summon RRC
Cancelling any move into a forward-drift Red Roman Cancel will leave Jack-O' advantaged enough to summon a servant and reset pressure with c.S&, 2K, or tick throw immediately, while the RRC leaves you spaced just enough to be safe from most Throws. Due to using a Red Roman Cancel, this has the greatest impact on your Tension and is generally not efficient.
Do not forward drift in the corner. You will always be in Throw range, weakening your offense severely.
Sol can reliably use 5KGuardAllStartup3Recovery25Advantage-16 to break the setup.
You are -1 on block, but the opponent is under the effects of slowdown, meaning their options are severely limited. This has some unusual maths, so the below table provides some simplifications.
Attack used
Trades with
Countered by
2P
N/A
3F or faster
2K
4F
3F or faster
c.S
N/A
4F or faster
Notably, this means you cannot ever outspeed Sol's5K, nor low-profile it with Jack-O's 2K.
Summon BRC
By performing a Roman Cancel immediately after completing Summon Servant (Hold), you will get a Blue Roman Cancel. This has several benefits:
Hugely extended slowdown for stronger offense.
Tension Penalty reduced from 4 seconds to 2 seconds.
Able to bait out and punish reversals by opening a gap.
Compared to Summon RRC, this has a better frame advantage situation.
Done perfectly, this has 20F before the Roman Cancel begins (14F summon, 6F roman cancel). This means the opponent always has an opportunity to act. If they use a risky move like a slow punish or an invuln reversal, you get a high value punish. However, if they pressed a fast jab it might prevent you pressuring them after the Roman Cancel, wasting the resources.
Unlike Summon RRC, this is heavily impacted by spacing and pushback. If you are heavily pushed out, it is usually better to drift forward. However at close range, especially in the corner, it is better to not do this, to avoid being Thrown or abared by fast attacks.
If the opponent did not already act, you are functionally +0, but the opponent is under the effects of slowdown, meaning their options are severely limited. This has some unusual maths, so the below table provides some simplifications.
Attack used
Trades with
Countered by
2P
3F
2F or faster
2K
N/A
3F or faster
c.S
4F
3F or faster
Notably, this means you cannot ever outspeed Sol's5K, nor low-profile it with Jack-O's 2K.
Summon PRC
The most difficult variant of Summon RC, but is potentially extremely effective in the corner. Cancelling Summon Servant (either version) after Frame 10, the servant will remain while you begin a Roman Cancel as early as Frame 16. This is so fast that it can used from a lot of pressure completely safely.
This is usually preferred with a Fast Roman Cancel, as there is not much change to the pressure situation regardless, and makes it the most efficient form of Summon RC listed.
Due to the shorter distance it travels when fast cancelled, while leaving the servant behind Jack-O', this is usually better in the corner after 2H or 5H, as the pressure mid-screen is not very substantial regardless. The short drift on fast cancelling actually can cause Throws to whiff regardless,
If done perfectly from an Attack Level 4 move5H, 2H, and 6H(2), you are +4 on block. If timed a frame off, you will be only +2 on block. The opponent is under the effects of slowdown, meaning their options are severely limited. This has some unusual maths, so the below table provides some simplifications.
Attack used
+4 on block
+2 on block
Trades with
Countered by
Trades with
Countered by
2P
N/A
N/A
N/A
Throw
2K
N/A
N/A
N/A
Throw
c.S
N/A
Throw
3F
Throw
Notably, this makes Throw difficult but not impossible to counter. If your timing is perfect, 2K can work. However, you may not need to if the fast PRC does not drift into Throw range, allowing safe use of c.S under most circumstances.
Sandwich Pressure
A simple sandwich position
Sandwich Pressure is a position of advantage when the opponent has a servant behind them and Jack-O' is in range to use her grounded normals. The "Sandwich" creates a position such that Jack-O' can safely loop pressure for an extended period of time, often building an incredible amount of R.I.S.C., while enforcing an oppressively strong Strike-Throw threat, and some moves allow potential Overhead and Crossup options. Faultless Defense is also less effective, as the pushback of the Attack Command will repeatedly move the opponent closer to Jack-O'.
This offense is usually achieved through Okizeme or Zoning, to get a servat over the opponent. Once Jack-O' is in range, any attack can be used in tandem with Attack Command to begin the pressure.
This is the largest application of Hitstop Cancels, as a hit servant whiffing allows for even better frame data.
Sandwich Pressure Routing
Once in range, the biggest tool at your disposal is a Hitstop Cancelledc.S hitting the servant behind the opponent (notated as c.S&(Whiff)). This launches the servant back, letting you keep the sandwich pressure, and leaves you +10 on block, while able to do many new pressure options.
There's a couple loops that are frequently used for sandwich pressure:
c.S& > Dash c.S > 2D > 214K Standard route off which most sandwich pressure is built.
c.S > 5H& Alternative route good for corner carry when Servant Gauge is very low and when c.S can't be hitstop cancelled.
The main goal is to enforce the threat of c.S and especially c.S&(Whiff) as much as possible. When hitstop cancelled this way it offers many different options:
Dash c.S if a very threatening frametrap.
5D is a gapless overhead.
2D can be safely delayed to match the 5D timing.
Tick throw is very easy even against Faultless Defense.
Forward jump cancel into IAS Instant Air Special Conceptually includes Tiger KneePerforming a special as soon as possible after becoming airborne. Usually, but not always, involves an input trick. For Example: 2369S for a j.236S input. Attack Command crosses up. Using j.S hits the servant for an autotimed 4F gap, but manually timed j.H can be faster at the risk of making the opponent auto-block.
Neutral jump cancel into IAS Attack Command enforces a potential F-Shiki j.P mixup.
Dash Cancel can be used to counter Deflect Shield while staying +3 on block.
Sandwich Cheer H
If you run out of servant gauge and wish to continue the offence, you may use a fast servant cancel with 5H (Note this doesn't require heavy input buffering), to set up Cheer Servant On H.
This is usually done with 214K > 5H&(Whiff) > 236236H > 214K > .... If the cancel is done fast enough (+13 on block), this is a true blockstring. You can even microdash the 5H to defeat Faultless Defense, without opening a gap.
On top of the standard pressure routing, for additional corner carry you can also use 5H&(2) > 214K from close spacings, while remaining gapless against Faultless Defense.
Similar to corner Cheer H pressure, be mindful of heavy use of Faultless Defense and the use of Yellow Roman Cancel disrupting the pressure after Jack-O' has already spent her Tension. Additionally, the use of f.S and 5H can easily lose to 6P if a gap is opened.
Corner Pressure
Your opponent's single biggest nightmare. Show them no quarter.
Jack-O's corner pressure is one of the most powerful and diverse positions of any character, and is the core goal of her gameplan. Due to its huge value compared with her riskier neutral. She has access to extremely lengthy tick throw pressure, with huge Tension gain. Its greatest strength is safety, Jack-O' can repeatedly true frametrap many many times before needing to open a single gap, making it hard to get out of. By contrast, it is low damage, with comparatively softer combos and a heavy use Throws, demanding the opponent be locked down continuously.
Standard Corner Pressure
Jack-O's basic pressure with a servant is quite good for how long it can be, and offers a surprisingly large range of options.
Generally your goal is to avoid losing the servant from Jack-O' hitting it unnessecarily. A full duration servant can be hit up to 2 times before leaving. Your goal is to build R.I.S.C. and present tick throws. Due to the servant's very limited duration, stagger pressure is less valuable. Conversely building R.I.S.C. is quite easy.
Optimal routing will usually use some part of the c.S > 2H > 236K > 214K blockstring, ommitting parts to avoid hitting the servant more than nessecary (e.g. cancelling c.S into 236K), or using 2K > 2D > 214K to avoid hitting the servant at all. This is very nuanced and situational, requiring some understanding of pushback on block to control when you would hit the servant.
You can build even more R.I.S.C. with c.S > f.S > 2H, but this creates a throwable gap. While 236K& > 214K can frametrap, to ensure the servant is spaced out to do another loop, you will need to delay and open a gap where the opponent can abare.
Example Blockstrings:
All examples assume a full duration servant blocked in the corner by Throw Servant
Dash c.S > 2D > 236K > 214K > Dash c.S&, c.S > 2D > 236K > 214K > Dash c.S&, c.S > f.S > 5H (Backdashable 236K attacks; gauge remaining to cancel the 5H) c.S stagger string, with high Tension gain. Very strict timings.
Held Servant Pressure
Colloquially known as the "Pichu Pressure" after its discoverer NotPichu.
By cancelling off the servant into Summon Servant (Hold)GuardStartupRecoveryTotal 14Advantage- (usually from 236K&), Jack-O' is able to prolong her pressure with one of the strongest forms of pressure reset possible. When combined with her standard pressure, this can balance her finite resources more efficiently. The full loop, including a starting 2H, provides:
4500 R.I.S.C. (approx. 35% R.I.S.C. Gauge)
Approx. 23% Tension
0.44 ~ 0.88 bars of Command GaugeVaries based on current Command Servant Gauge level..
It should be noted this pressure is not by itself a mixup and won't further your offense directly, it is a supporting utility to reset pressure and generate resources.
The core structure looks like 236K& > 236[P] > 236K* > hs.6X > Dash > c.S. This is usually set up from c.S > 2H > 236K for its resiliance to not whiff the servant after FD block. There's two main components, summonning the servant, and releasing the servant. Done correctly, even if a servant is at zero duration after the first 236K, it can be hit again before it can idle, only requiring the servant be hittable at the start.
The second 236KGuardAllStartup15Recovery25Advantage-12 usually whiffs, but its leaves an active hitbox on Frame 8, requiring unique counterplay to abare. This is favoured on trade and combos very well on hit, making it dangerous for opponents. Deviating from this route can punish opponents trying to abare.
236K& > 236[P] > hs.K Replacing with Attack Command catches (almost) any abare.
236K& > 236[P] > hs.D > 2D Release Servant resets the offense early, and by not extending any hurtbox can cause the opponent to whiff.
236K& > 236[P] > Backward Dash Spacing out can cause the opponent to whiff, and is your primary answer after Instant Blocks.
The second gap at hs.6XGuardAllStartup12RecoveryTotal 27Advantage+5 attempts to fully reset the pressure, even jailing jump attempts. The opponent stand blocking will leave Jack-O' less plus, opening a tiny gap in her reset (potentially allowing a Throw). Some crouching attacks can hit Jack-O' before the servant lands, assuming she is in range. Universally, anyone can use 6P to catch her dash in.
To answer these options Jack-O' must once again deviate from the string.
236K& > 236[P] > 236K* > hs.6X > 2D Simply replacing c.S with 2D punishes any abare at the end, but this weakens the reset as you must spend another Attack Command.
236K& > 236[P] > 236K* > hs.D > 2D or 2H Releasing the servant instead of throwing it leaves you +10~12. In theory 2H is the better frametrap option but 2D is less spacing-sensitive. Both give enormous reward on hit.
c.S Hitstop Cancel Pressure
When hitting the servant in the corner with c.S, Jack-O' is left +6 on block thanks to Hitstop Cancelling off the servant. Due to a quirk of c.S inputs you can't true frametrap into another c.S, but this still presents an extremely strong position to apply Stagger Pressure regardless.
5K true frametraps for a combo.
c.S staggering into another c.S generates more R.I.S.C. without losing the standard pressure.
5D gatling can hit without opening a gap.
Tick throws are very easy with its low pushback and high frame advantage.
A Dash Cancel perfectly times for a Tick Throw (-1 on block) while almost entirely mitigating the effects of Deflect Shield or IBFD.
Meterless Dust Combo
If a servant is spaced slightly away from the servant (e.g. after blocking Throw Servant), by precisely using 5D you can hit the opponent and have the servant launch them. This has a few outcomes:
Knocks down with time to summon a servant.
At high Wall Damage results in an immediate Wall Stick.
If correctly spaced, Jack-O' can combo into 2P > 6P or even 2K > 6H and pick up into a wallbreak combo meterlessly.
To get an idea of spacing, the green explosion of the Dust Attack should visually appear between the servant and the opponent.
This can often be threatened after Throw Servant, the opponent is expecting a threatening frametrap, and this gives ample opportunity to dash into the spacing.
Whiff Pick Up cancel
If the spacing is just right when launching a servant forward, using Pick Up ServantGuardStartupRecoveryTotal 14Advantage- will fail, giving a fast cancel. This makes you +7 without holding a servant, allowing a fast Tick Throw or frametrap with 2D, dramatically enhancing the potential threat and preventing opponents abaring on the pressure reset. However, the spacing is so sensitive, it can be broken by just the opponent stand or crouch blocking.
For example the following will reliably work from a dash after Throw Servant, making it one such setup, but only if not FD blocked, and requires careful timing to not be throwable. Dash c.S > f.S > 2H > 236K& > ns.2P (Whiff) > (Dash Throw or 2D).
If too far, no cancel happens, if too close, you will pick the servant and be left horribly disadvantageous.
Sameside Pressure
In contrast to Sandwich Pressure, if a servant is on the same side as Jack-O' it is called Sameside Pressure. This is much weaker than sandwich pressure, but is a lot more accessible as it can often be achieved directly off an opponent blocking a servant.
Generally speaking Jack-O's pressure structure doesn't change much with the inclusion of the servant, and due to the servant and Jack-O' both being pushed out over time, the pressure cannot loop safely. But with the improved framedata from hitstop cancelling a few options are opened up or enhanced.
Beginning Sameside Pressure
Sameside Pressure Routing
Work in progress
c.S& > jc > TK 214K > j.S& > (ADC > j.P or Land > dl 2K)
Close-range High-Low Mixup. Difficult to set up, reliant on both a fresh servant with just the right spacing. It creates a true blockstring into a difficult to react to high-low mixup that can be made unfuzziable. Unfortunately, both routes will likely end in the 2D RPS, for lack of a servant to support Jack-O'.
This can also be done from further away using 5K*. Unfortunately, this will make j.S* leave a gap based on how close the servant was. Additionally, based on Jack-O's spacing you may need to add a small delay before the 214K, to ensure the servant bounces back into j.S range.
Creating a c.S& is difficult, this is because most servants if blocked will be too far from the opponent. For example, Throw Servant > Attack Command does not place it close enough. This makes it very situational. A good way to force this is by using Attack Command before or immediately during a servant being blocked, reducing the pushback to keep it in position.
Super Wall-Break
Your approach here will differ based on their character and Tension. Make sure to check beforehand.
When Jack-O' breaks the wall using Forever Elysion DriverGuardAllStartup10+1Recovery58Advantage-41 or Wild AssaultGuardAll (Guard Crush)Startup20~31Recovery20Advantage+13, the opponent will be knocked down for +36 advantage.
While this is often nessecary, Jack-O' has a very poor Super Wall-Break, and is a large reason why Jack-O' dislikes needless wall-breaks in favour of corner pressure. While she is advantageous, Jack-O' must usually play around RPS to begin any significant pressure. On the positive side, the near-corner position turns almost any meaty hit into a full combo, and Positive Bonus allows converting even basic blockstrings into devastating corner pressure very quickly.
There's two main approaches to okizeme from this position, usually based on the matchup.
A common option creating decent pressure on block and advances on the opponent.
Unfortunately, Jack-O's jump and airdash cancels are floaty, meaning she takes longer to land than most. This rather upsettingly means Jack-O' cannot safejump fast reversals here, getting hit by any 9F reversal.
Generally if the opponent can use an invulnerable reversal, it is not advisable to use this as baiting is notably risky and takes away the main advantages of jumping in.
In addition, any 6P will cause it to whiff, or even punish depending on startup. You can use an Option Select 6D to throw slow 6P attacks at the cost of performing a j.D gatling on hit/block. This weakens your advantage (+6 → +1), but outspaces Throw, usually keeping a good offensive position.
You can also call out a 6P by using j.S, but this has very poor pressure on block, and is throwable out of all attacking options.
Super Wall-Break: Run Up c.S
The best answer to characters with a strong reversal, going into an RPS with generally stronger risk-reward, especially when backed with meter.
Jack-O's very slow dash means she can only barely hit c.S safely with tight timing. This is throwable if even slightly earlyDone early you get f.S, with dash momentum this easily gets thrown. or late on the input. This compounds to some other issues. Jack-O' is unable to easily threaten a tight Uncharged Dust AttackGuardHighStartup20Recovery26Advantage-15, and has almost no counterplay to Backdashes without committing to much weaker options (e.g. dashing in further). Generally, Jack-O's advantage doesn't translate to any new tools here.
If you score this knockdown with spare Tension or Burst, you may use Dash Cancel BRC or Wild Assault to set up. The Positive Bonus will allow you to make up for any of these costs, and often go into Cheer H before it ends (almost entirely removing the Tension Penalty), easily refilling your entire Tension Gauge.
You may Summon Servant before reaching the opponent, this has a side-effect of being a reversal and backdash bait functionally, and is a situation many will not react to. However this will almost always leave you negative.
Defense and blockstrings
Ending Blockstring RPS
When Jack-O' is blocked from any unsafe move—which make up the majority of her kit—she is given a variety of options to escape punishes and reset to neutral.
Jack-O' may wish to cancel from any normal to avoid punish, but some are much safer than others. 5H is the safest, it has huge pushback on cancels, high blockstun (attack lv. 4), and has a practical cancel into Servant Shoot. Conversely, 2D has bad blockstun (Attack Lv. 2), leaves Jack-O' extremely close, and while it has a frametrap, you have less time to hitconfirm to avoid wasting okizeme. Servant Shoot, despite middling pushback and blockstun, is also not particularly safe as the opponent has no further frametraps to avoid
Jack-O' needs to end the blockstring safely. There's many many ways to go about this, you are only limited to Jack-O's movement, and the timing of releasing her servant. However, counterplay is usually shared between routes based on their general patterns. Below are these patterns, but do remember that variations within them may slightly alter interactions of matchups.
BlockAvoid being punished, but allows the opponent to begin pressure.
... > 214P
Only normally punishable off a close-range 2D. However, you immediately surrender to the opponent's pressure, not only does this remove Jack-O's momentum, but she may need to handle dangerous pressure imminently. This is one of the least-dangerous options, but with no particular potential for reward.
This is also the simplest way to be safe from problematic reversals, like Leo's EisensturmGuardAllStartup9Recovery33Advantage-28 or Ramlethal's MortobatoGuardAllStartup7+2Recovery51Advantage-38 [-38] {-43}.
Run AwayAvoid short-range punishes, better with distance
... > 236[P] > Backward Dash
Excellent, as most character's best counterplay is to commit to running forward, giving Jack-O' time to react by jumping over a punish or attacking the opponent before they can react. However, if the opponent is very fast, like Ky, Jack-O' may have less time to react or make a decision.
This method is most susceptible to spacing. 2D is always punishable by a reversal attack if Jack-O' was too close. Additionally, spacing affects how long it takes for an opponent to catch up.
If Jack-O' has 50% Tension, this also challenges particularly dangerous Overdrives like Giovanna's VentaniaGuardAllStartup5+4Recovery49Advantage-37, as Jack-O' can react with her own Forever Elysion Driver.
JumpAvoid low-hitting punishes, better with higher attack level
... > 236[P] > Jump > ... > hs.D > ...
The most varied route, Jack-O' can position herself many ways into the air: back jump, instant Air Backdash, forward jump, even double jumping. However, because Jack-O' must first release the servant, she is exposed to strong air-to-air and anti-air punishes. Some characters can even call out the direction of a jump for even better reward.
Being Counter Hit in the air leads into many powerful combos. It is the most potentially rewarding, as Jack-O' can launch the servant or reset pressure with an airdash, but this comes with significant risk.
AttackReset pressure against slower punishes, better with higher attack level
... > 214P > 2K or ... > 236[P] > 236K
Less a blockstring ender and more a form of stagger pressure. Attacking the opponent quickly can often outspeed their usual punishes to other routes.
This can often be disrupted by Faultless Defense or prior spacing, as it will push Jack-O' out of range, but this benefits her other defensive options.
This is much better at close ranges off higher Attack Levels, narrowing the gap in pressure.
This tactic is most important for 2D and 236K, as these are the most unsafe of Jack-O's moveset, however some risk exists with any move, even 5H.
Most characters have hard punishes to any particular route, but these can easily falter to other routes. Varying these will force opponents to generalise their options, which are much lower risk overall. Additionally, most punishes rely on the opponent to act fast, cancelling off early into a blockstring will allow Jack-O' to escape safely, as the opponent is forced to respect potential frametraps.
Matchups often lean heavily into specific punishes, for example Ramlethal's 5HGuardAllStartup12Recovery28Advantage-12 [-13] is extremely good for catching run away attempts but she lacks particularly rewarding pressure if blocked, while Potemkin's f.SGuardAllStartup12Recovery18Advantage-8 easily covers jump attempts but his Hammer FallGuardAllStartup18~62Recovery26Advantage-9 is very poor for catching running away.
Counter-pokes
Abare
Additional Info
6H Range
The second hit of 6H (notated as "6H(2)") applies a chain of hitboxes in sequence, each one is higher up and further away. The below table demonstrates at what ranges this move will work on specific characters and the timings of these hits.
Nagoriyuki'sFukyoGuardN/AStartup-RecoveryTotal 25AdvantageN/A low profiles the entirety of 6H(2). Millia'sMirazhGuard-Startup-RecoveryTotal 26Advantage- low profiles the entirety of 6H(2). Potemkin has no dash equivalent. Faust can be hit by the 6th hitbox when he is standing while wearing an AfroGuardNoneStartup110 To LandRecoveryAdvantage-.
While 6H is rarely much use in neutral, a few exceptions are noteworthy:
Goldlewis is exceptionally easy to hit, as even when dashing he can be hit from significantly further away, and any attack he has is likely to stand up and be hit, especially given his otherwise poor crouching moves.
Faust with an Afro is particularly exposed. His only benefit is the use of LoveGuardAll (Guard Crush)Startup27RecoveryTotal 48Advantage- which will be hit from 6H easily, and any standing move can be hit from extraordinarily far away.
I-No suffers a strong range where it can catch her hoverdash and all aerial attacks, but it cannot be hit by anything grounded, not even Stroke The Big Tree HGuardLowStartup28Recovery16Advantage-2.
Note: The servant must be hit such that it will cause a sameside okizeme before Jack-O' falls behind the opponent. By performing a timing incorrectly the game's throw protection will nullify this sequence entirely, as the first hit will be blockable from either direction.
Throw Midscreen: Sameside-Crossup sequence safejump. A bizarre variant of safejump, by enforcing the enemy to wakeup facing sameside their only reversal options will whiff Jack-O'. It leads into a sandwich pressure with a half-duration servant, giving less reward on block. Its primary strength is in the visual ambiguity, being extremely deceiving about the sequence which must be blocked sameside then crossup, it can easily confuse opponents. Even after solving this, the safejump comes with a natural high-low mixup which cannot be option selected, but can be fuzzied.
Input Buffering
Input Buffering is a common technique where you input some of a complex motion early, and then complete it later. This is because some motions are too lengthy to do quickly. In Jack-O's case this is most valuable with her Cheer Servant OnGuardStartup3RecoveryTotal 15AdvantageSee Notes Overdrive when cancelling off a servant, because a servant removes so much hitstop as to make it extremely difficult to input fast enough to cancel immediately. Below are some practical examples of this.
Move string
Input sequence
c.S& > 236236H
236S236H
2H& > 236236H
2362H36H
5H& > 236236H
236H236H
236K& > 236236H
236K236H
236[P], 236236H
236[P]236H
236[P], 236K
236[P]236K
This technique is utilized in the following sections:
By cancelling a backdash into a forward drift BRC and fast cancel into j.P, Jack-O' can perform a fast overhead attack. On hit this combos into 2K. This is difficult to react to compared compared to jumps and Charged DustGuardHighStartup28Recovery26Advantage-10, and is still safe, however has generally lower reward.
On block it cannot lead into a true blockstring due to the immediate landing recovery and lack of blockstun. While it is advantaged, it doesn't avoid invincible reversals.
Executionally this is quite difficult as the window to input j.P is very tight. When done incorrectly, Jack-O' will land before it becomes active.
c.S BRC Cancel
It is possible to perform a Blue Roman Cancel during the prejump frames of a jump cancel. This means c.S > jc~BRC will result in a grounded BRC cancel, leaving you extremely plus while the enemy is locked in a slowdown. During this time you can hit a Sweep (2D) or Uncharged Dust (5D) as a true blockstring, creating a reversal-safe unfuzziable high-low mixup. Even better, both options can still combo without further use of Tension, due to the BRC slowdown.
Jack-O' is unable to perform a meterless wallbreak (assuming no prior wall damage) off the Dust without a servant already summoned, however she can still do considerable damage into okizeme with a servant. Even on block, due to BRC slowdown you remain +5, and can frametrap with c.S.
Additonally, Jack-O' can true blockstring summon off any Lv. 1 or higherAny normal except 5P or 2P normal, with the string c.S > jc 66.BRC > (c.S or 2D or 5H) > 236P > 2K, as a potent alternative to Summon PRC.
Tiger Knees
A "Tiger Knee" (abbreviated to TK) is a special kind of input where you perform an aerial special on the first frame of a jump, being the fastest way to perform a move, but also usually occuring extremely low to the ground, giving it new usability and functionality. Jack-O' can TK a lot of her specials, for sometimes unusual benefits:
214P / 214K / 214S / 214H Servant Commands can be performed as a TK to be made airborne, such as for dodging low-hitting moves like Slide HeadGuardLowStartup29Recovery24Advantage0 and ZarameyukiGuardAllStartup18~29RecoveryTotal 39Advantage+5 in neutral.
214K Off Sandwich Pressure you can TK Attack Command to set up crossups while still frametrapping opponents.
214S When Defend Command is TK'd you can parry oncoming strikes while evading run-up grabs, defensively covering against both in neutral.
236K Servant Shoot can still launch servants when TK'd, and can be used in pressure from a jump cancel to maintain blockstrings while staying airborne against Forever Elysion Driver in the mirror match. For launching servants, you will need to not High Jump this.
hs.6X Throw Servant can be TK'd to throw it at the earliest time to get more time to attack, due to its long recovery time. The motion isn't a "TK" motion but it behaves the same.
hs.D Performing Release Servant earlier allows you to block potential punishes or use air specials slightly faster. The motion isn't a "TK" motion but it behaves the same.
Inputting a Tiger Knee
For most quarter circles you can simply extend the motion of the input into the jump, and slightly delay the attack button to just as you leave the ground, such as a 2369K. Some cases may behave differently, as explained further below.
TK Throw Servant: Throw Servant is unique as it has no motion, so simply inputting hs.9X will result in a TK. This is still important, but extremely to perform.
Manual direction TK: If you need to control the direction of the TK, you will need to do this while avoiding the unwanted jump directions, for example to neutral jump 236K we need to input 2368K, which can be done as 23658K but not23698K, as the 9 would simply make you jump forward.
Low TK: Normally a 2369 motion results in a High Jump, as you do a down input before an up, this can indirectly cause your moves to go higher than you expect. In the case of TK 236K this height will make you whiff servants. To avoid this there is two solutions. You can perform 2369K with a extremely small delay before the 9 to stop it being a High Jump but still in time for the move buffer, or input the motion 9236, where you perform the entire 236K input during prejump. This is not too difficult from a jump cancel, as you can buffer the jump giving you time to perform the TK, but in neutral this is the hardest motion possible.
TK hs.D and TK hs.6X: Throw Servant and Release Servant have no motion, so simply inputting a jump hs.9X will result in a TK. This is trivially simple for backwards Release Servant (hs.7X), neutral Release Servant (hs.8X), and forward Throw Servant (hs.6x). However, due to the overlap, if you wish to do a forward jump with TK Release Servant or neutral/backward jump Throw Servant you must change the direction during prejump.
Unlike the other TKs, a TK Release Servant is about how quickly you release the forward direction, not how quickly you can press an input. Interestingly, you can still input hs.9X and it will Release Servant so long as you are no longer holding forward by the time prejump ends.
Delay Gatlings
Many gatlings and cancels are commonly used to assert pressure. There is many reasons why you might delay your cancels:
Open a frametrap from a true blockstring.
Widen the gap to catch fuzzy options.
Make mixups more ambiguous (e.g. the recovery animation stops being a telegraph of Throw).
To evade an opponent's Instant Block timing.
Generate more Servant Gauge
For the last point, Jack-O's Servant Gauge refills automatically even during her own pressure strings, therefore by slowing down the cancels you can allow yourself to regain more Servant Gauge.
Take for example 214K, c.S > f.S > 5H. The initial Attack Command freezes the Servant Gauge for 60 frames. If we wish to use this as a loop into another Attack Command and leave zero gaps it will be difficult to not lose Servant Gauge rapidly. With the fastest possible inputs it will regain Servant Gauge for only 3 framesEquivalent to 0.018~0.024 bars of Servant Gauge.. If you delay every attack perfecctly you can gain up to 19 framesEquivalent to 0.114~0.152 bars of Servant Gauge, while still leaving it truly gapless. It isn't much but this can make the difference in a pinch.
This can, of course, be taken further. Intentionally opening larger gaps in pressure is not only useful as covered above, but also stalls for even more Servant Gauge.
Advanced Tech
This section discusses a wide range of tech and mechanics Jack-O' has access to. The application of each is largely different.
Non-Wallbreak FED
An unusual quirk of its range buffs in Battle Version 1.05 is Forever Elysion Driver can now reach an opponent stuck to the wall from a distance where it will not cause a wallbreak, allowing any wall stick combo to immediately lead into a corner okizeme, at the cost of 50% Tension.
While many setups exist for this, the only requirement is the ability to reach a specific position in time to use Forever Elysion Driver. The positioning is incredibly tight. If too close, Forever Elysion Driver will cause a wallbreak. If too far, Forever Elysion Driver will whiff and the opponent will escape the wall.
A good visual guide is the timer. The black arrow at the base of the timer should line up with the back of Jack-O's head.
Corner Okizeme
One weakness of this okizeme is a lack of time to set up servants while also performing strong okizeme. Therefore, this setup is most valuable with either already placed servants, or by setting up servants before using Forever Elysion Driver. Note that because you can Forever Elysion Driver, you need only 14 frames to get an additional servant.
While the pressure can be very potent, unfortunately the wall damage will likely be extremely high, meaning any hit will almost immediately break the wall. With Jack-O's unfortunate lack of "wall slump" combos, this usually makes her reward very low. This is still superior damage to the original Forever Elysion Driver wallbreak, but it largely reduces the potential value that can be earned, unless the opponent remains in the corner for some time. Alternatively, it allows her to spend an additional 50% Tension on a second Forever Elysion Driver, functionally resetting the combo for an extremely high damage reward.
632146P, 236[P] > 9 > j.hs.D > dl j.S.
Servant summon and safejump. The benefit of this string is that it immediately leads into safe corner pressure and blockstrings with a full-duration servant while auto-timing for a safejump, allowing more potential mixups, while being reversal-safe. Despite the seeming lack of mixups at face-value, it directly provides more overall value than a basic strike-throw.
If you lack Servant Gauge to perform this, you can either pick up a servant instead of summoning (same frame-data), or use 632146P, 5P (whiff) > 9 > > dl j.S. The 5P acts as a frame-kill, however it mustn't hit a servant to work, and offers much worse corner pressure options.
Known by many names, when using Defend CommandGuardStartup4RecoveryTotal 30Advantage+25, if the servant is released or picked up 1 Frame after (with 5F input buffer) the enemy strikes the defend hitbox, the servant will not perform a Guard Crush, instead the hitbox will be nullified without ending their animation. This can enable a lot of unique punishes.
Hitbox NullifyingInterrupt the Guard Crush for a full punish
Hard
214S > ns.2P or hs.S > hs.D
By releasing or picking up a servant instantly as it parries the attack, the hitbox is nufflified without stopping the attack (and therefore recovery). This allows fully punishing the opponent with a high damage combo meterlessly, especially against DP Dragon Punch A move that has invulnerability during its startup, long recovery, and a rising motion. attacks and slow H normals.
By interrupting the Guard Crush you lose the 33 damage, and do not regain 1 bar of Servant Gauge. Additionally, this only nullifies the first hit: multi-hit attacks such as EisensturmGuardAllStartup9Recovery33Advantage-28 will simply hit immediately after. Additionally, moves with short recoveries are likely to be be safe.
You cannot drop a servant during the Defend Command animation unless it parries, so you can buffer the hs.D input on prediction. This is not possible when picking up a servant, but its shield lingers as picked up, making it not frame-perfect.
Interestingly, even if you intend to only punish with Forever Elysion DriverGuardAllStartup10+1Recovery58Advantage-41, it is still more optimal to use this, as the Guard Crush normally causes combo scaling and proration for significantly less total damage.
This technique is utilized in the following sections:
The Unscaled Countdown behaviour is generally assumed to be a bug and may be removed in the future.
When using CountdownGuardAllStartup3+180+25RecoveryTotal 24Advantage-, if the explosion hits Jack-O' before hitting the opponent, the explosion will deal damage with no combo scaling besides proration, resulting in an enormous damage boost to a combo, at the loss of some of Jack-O's health.
Unscaled CountdownEnd a combo with a staggering 80 extra unscaled damage, but beware the self-harm.
Variable
By routing a combo to set up a servant to hit Jack-O' before the opponent, you can deal an enormous amount more damage. This is key to some of Jack-O's highest damage combos, however on top of removing all Servant Gauge, this also resets to neutral, and deals 80 damage to Jack-O' (and able to lethal herself).
This is usually set up by having the opponent launched high while the servant explodes near the ground, to give as much time as possible for the opponent to avoid the explosion until after it has hit Jack-O'. The servant can be hit into the ground using 2S, 2H, 6H, j.S, or bouncing it off a wall. You can also use Attack Command to hold it at a low position for longer.
Due to the precision of spacing and timing involved, this is reserved for very pre-planned combos routes, and is not realistic to improvise into a combo.
While this is in theory even more expensive than usual Countdown combos, for its self-harm and neutral reset; given most Countdown combos are not worth using unless it kills, this is often just a more optimal use of Countdown—assuming the explosion doesn't take out Jack-O' in the process. If this happens it does result in her losing the round, it will not be a draw.
This technique is utilized in the following sections:
Jack-O's Pick Up ServantGuardStartupRecoveryTotal 14Advantage- is possible to activate when near a servant, but it will not pick up the servant immediately, and if the servant disappears or goes out of range, the move will whiff. This gives Jack-O' a 14F special cancel which does not place her into Held Servant stance, allowing her to recover extraordinarily fast from many moves, for pressure and zoning.
Whiff Pick Up cancelFail to pick up a servant to fast cancel off move.
Easy
236P > 236K* > ns.2P (Whiff)
By inputting Pick Up ServantGuardStartupRecoveryTotal 14Advantage- as you hit a servant, Jack-O' is able to cancel any move into a 14F recovery. This can be done with any special-cancellable, not just 236K. This is most easily set up with 236P to get the perfect spacing, but adding a slight delay can allow it to be done from 236[P] > hs.D too.
When zoning, using this allows Jack-O' to launch servants while giving herself more time to catch jump-ins, run-unders, defend against potential punishes, or approach behind the servant.
In corner pressure, this can open new frametrap and Tick Throw opportunities, but is difficult to set up due to unreliable pushback spacing.
Because the window between picking up and whiffing the servant is quite narrow, spacing is important. Off some hits it may be required to do a delayed cancel. Additionally the detection range is not limitless, far reaching hits may not allow Pick Up Servant at all. In the corner, it is possible for a servant to never leave its range due to the wall.
Pick Up Servant shares identical frame data to Summon Servant (Hold)GuardStartupRecoveryTotal 14Advantage-. When the servant hits an opponent immediately this is +7 minimum, making it very advantageous given Jack-O' has full use of Normals, Throw, and can block.
This technique is utilized in the following sections:
Below is a list of every training recipe included on this page.
Learning Jack-O'
Training Recipes
Name
Recipe Number
Difficulty
Notes
PC
PS4/5
Corner Pressure
Summon PRC: frametrap post-PRC
16286
12723
Medium
Sol will 5K very shortly after block. You will need to time your PRC precisely to the exact moment the servant appears, and not fast cancel the PRC (to allow the slow down).
Summon PRC: react to reversals
16783
11728
Very Easy
Use the freeze from PRC to react to an unsafe reversal.
Cheer H:c.S loop
20008
12759
Very Hard
You will need to apply a dashes after every Attack Command to stay in range.
Cheer H:5K loop with 1 servant
---
---
Hard
This will leave very small gaps, try to avoid leaving bigger openings. The timing changes if you hit the servant, but this won't happen every time.
Cheer H:5K loop with 2 Servants
16508
---
Medium
Has a consistent rhythmn, see how the additional servant improves the string.
Servant Shoot: pressure loop
16592
11711
Easy
236K* does not need to be very fast for this challenge. Hold the P input while you buffer 236K, to make this much easier.
Servant Shoot:214K frametrap
16623
11692
Easy
Quickly link into 214K to frametrap Ramlethal's 5K, which otherwise defeats a 236K*.
Servant Shoot:2H frametrap
16773
11702
Easy
Instead of throwing the servant, release it and frametrap with a 2H, to punish the abare.
Servant Shoot: catch the jump
16751
11683
Medium
Some opponents are hard to catch in the air, but can still be challenged.
Advanced Tech
2S& Servant Unblockable: perform a perfect unblockable
---
---
Very Hard
If you are too early, their 7 will auto-block, if you are too late, you will not grab off the servant hitting.
2S& Servant Unblockable: combo off a backdash
---
---
Very Hard
More lenient timing for the unblockable.
Learning Counterplay
Counter Strategy Recipes
Character
Name
Recipe Number
Difficulty
Notes
PC
PS4/5
Corner Pressure
Universal
Summon PRC: punish drift PRC
16801
13916
Very Easy
This will also work against 5P even if you do not crouch.
Universal
Servant Shoot: IB and punish the 236K&
17650
13895
Hard
You will need to use an Instant Block to accomplish this. Most important for Goldlewis and Chaos
Universal
basic Cancels: fuzzy block the overhead
17713
---
Easy
You can do this challenge predictively, but use it as a good opportunity to practise your fuzzy blocks.
+
