P4U2R/Universal Strategy

Preface

As you may probably infer, this page consists of explanations and breakdowns of common strategies and solutions to situations that occur very often in Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. This is intended to provide general insight on the metagame of Persona, to players at novice and intermediate levels.

Dealing with DP (Super Cancels, Baiting)

Denying Awakening

Self-Awakening

Using your furious action turns some health into blue health, so if you are close to awakening and can safely use it you can forcibly enter awakening and overall increase how much health you have to work with in awakening as well as gain its other benefits earlier.

Punishing Persona Calls

If your opponent used a persona move, the persona will linger for a moment. If you can land an attack on said persona without being punished always do so (5a is likely a good idea since personas will always vanish after one hit anyways). Examples of moves likely to be punished with a hit on the persona are Kanji's C primal force since it cannot be cancelled and Take-Mikazuchi will be next to you while Kanji often won't as well as Teddie's 5D, 2D and jD since they have no hitbox and once again cannot be cancelled into a threatening move.

How To Get Mix-Ups

General Meter Management (SP, Burst)

Combo Notes (Juggles, Proration, Common Damage, Meter Usage)

Proper Hit-Confirming

Frame Advantage

Frame advantage is the concept of who is free to act first after an interaction.

This is most commonly brought up after blocking an attack; who can act first - the attacker or defender? A negative value on block means the defender can act first, and a positive value means the attacker can act first. The value shows exactly how many frames one character can move before the other. For example:

If a move is -5 on block, it means the defender is free to move 5 frames before the attacker.
If a move is +2 on block. it means the attacker can move 2 frames before the defender.

Each character's Frame Data subpage shows both the frame advantage when an attack is blocked. Air attacks don't have frame advantage listed since that value is varaiable and is heavily influenced by when the attacker lands after an attack.

Frame advantage assumes that the attack connects as soon as possible against a standing/crouching opponent, and that the attacker does not cancel the attack into anything else. Hitting an attack later into its active frames is called making the move "meaty".

Sliding Input

You can combine dashes and attacks to both start coming out on the same frame in P4U2; when an attack start-up begins during the start of a dash, it’s referred to as a “sliding input” (direct translation). Your character will slide forward with dash momentum, and also perform the attack with no delay, while frame data doesn’t change on these moves if performed properly. This system is mainly in place to allow you to be able to perform micro-dashed attacks as fast as possible, instead of forcing you to go through at least 1F of dash/run before you can act like many other games.

It is ideally paired with the input buffer, to allow you to do strings like Narukami 2AGuardLowStartup7Recovery11Advantage-3 > dash 5AGuardAllStartup5Recovery12Advantage-2, and still hit the opponent out of their early airborne frames, when otherwise they would have been able to block.

The effectiveness depends on the characters initial dash speed. In this regard, Kanji suffers, and Yosuke does very well.

You also aren’t limited to performing Sliding Input on normal attacks. You can slide roll, slide Furious Action, etc.

Kara Cancels

Like most games, kara-cancelling for advantages is also possible in Persona. There are some rules in place for how they may occur, though:

There is an approximate 3F (speculated) window on most move's start-up to kara-cancel it into another.
Normals (both user and Persona) attacks can be kara-cancelled into specials.
- They can also be kara-cancelled into system mechanic moves, such as Evasive Action.
System mechanic moves can be cancelled into some other system mechanic moves, but it seems that it's only if they are of a higher button priority. For example, Evasive Action can be kara-cancelled into Gold Burst.
- For system mechanic kara-cancels, it's speculated to be only a 1F (plink) window to cancel.
Specials and supers can only be kara-cancelled into other specials or supers respectively, and any other of each type, but it can only be kara-cancelled from a normal version to an SB version.
- For example, Narukami cannot cancel the start-up of C or D Zio into A Heroic Bravery, it must be C or D Zio to SB Heroic Bravery. The same goes for supers; C Ziodyne > SB Issen is valid, C Ziodyne > B Issen is not.

Running Momentum

Performing actions while running will carry some momentum from the run into followup actions. This is a potent way to give attacks more range and make jumps move further, especially because this can used a frame immediately after starting a run. The run can even be buffered and immediately cancel into a followup action to gain running momentum without even running for a single frame!

Attack: Characters will slide forward during the first few frames, giving the attack more range for free.; The amount the character slides forward depends on the attacks, for example normal ground throw slides less than a 5A.

Jump: Jump trajectories are affected by running momentum. A jump will actually move forward slightly, and a forward jump will go further than normal. This is effectively a new set of jump trajectories that can be used to approach the opponent.

Kanji's Run is Slow to Start: Kanji's run is slower at the start. As a consequence of this he gains less running momentum during the start of his run.

Input Buffer

Advanced Input

Hold an attack button to repeat the button input every frame for up to 4 frames. This will make difficult links are easier to do -- hold the button a little early and that 1F link usually becomes a 4F link!

Inputting a run within 4F of returning to neutral (such as near the end of an attack's recovery, blockstun, wakeup, etc.) will also have the same effect; regardless of any directional inputs after that, your character will begin running as soon as recovery ends! The same principle can be applied to backdash and airdashes.

Advanced Input makes timing things as fast as possible easier, and is even better when buffering both an attack and a run. The attack will activate as soon as possible while sliding forward! This technique is useful for linking together combos as well as punishing things after blocking. In fact, some combos rely on Advanced Input to work.

Super Flash Buffer

Supers are easily reactable...

Some attacks briefly pause the game to make the startup of the attack more dramatic. This is known as Super Flash or Super Freeze.

When the opponent does an attack with super flash, commands inputted during super flash will be executed immediately after super flash ends.

Players often use this to execute an invincible attack (such as Furious Action or super) to counter the opponent's super. This is because supers usually have a bit of startup even AFTER the super flash, which allows the defender to input an attack of their own risk-free!

Super attacks list their startup values as: startup pre-flash + (super flash duration) + startup post-flash

Meaning an attack with startup 5+(90 Flash)+5 has 5 frames of startup, then 90F super flash, then hits the opponent after 5 more frames for a total of 10 frames of startup.

Supers With No Startup After Super Flash

... unless they're active immediately after the super flash!

Some attacks are special: they have no additional startup after the super flash. Super Flash Buffer is useless against these attacks - you can think of the superflash as just a formality, the attack has already become active!

Kanji's Super ThrowGuardThrow (180)Startup6+(78 Flash)+0Recovery44Advantage- is a prime example of this; you must already have some way to avoid the Super Throw BEFORE the super flash or else it will be too late. You can identify such attacks in the frame data by looking at their startup post-flash, which should be 0.

Defensive Techniques & Option Selects

If you don't know what an option select is, check the explanation and examples on the Metagame page about it before reading on.

Please also note: Everything in this section consists of relatively advanced concepts and strategy for this game. You should not worry about these until you feel like you are already around general competency in your basic defense (when to block, reactions, when to reversal, etc), and would like to learn more theory or technique surrounding it.

Fuzzy Jump + Air Throw OS

1~7C+D~1

Explanation: Mid-pressure option select that is used to escape gaps that may be large enough to jump out of, with an extra layer of defense against P4U2-specific pressure options.

Execution:

It is assumed you are most likely holding [1] first (to block standard pressure).
When you expect a gap in pressure, quickly switch to 7, and then input the C+D after a tiny delay (to jump out of pressure, and get instant air throw on top of that).
Do not hold 7, go back to holding [1] ASAP to continue blocking standard pressure (in case there was no gap at all). If you managed to jump, this is inconsequential.

Results:

If the opponent continues an airtight blockstring: You stand block briefly due to the input, but no jump or throw will come out of course (because you are stuck in blockstun).
If the opponent attempts to tick throw or reset pressure without plus frames: You will jump out and whiff an air throw, dodging their throw attempt or typical Re-dash When the attacker in a pressure situation dashes back in on the opponent after a frame advantageous or low frame disadvantageous attack, to reset and thus continue their offense. pressure.
If the opponent jump-cancels a normal to attempt an IAD or airturn airdash mix-up: You will jump out, and air throw them

Certain characters in this game can jump-cancel some normals on block to extend pressure or go for mix-ups (i.e. Minazuki), so adding the air throw to additionally shut down this option and start your own offense makes this classic OS even better. Even if you don't catch the opponent with the air throw, air throw whiff recovery in this game is typically short enough for you to perform an air action before landing, such as a j.A or air backdash to stay relatively safe.

How to beat it:

Incorporate more low-hitting moves into your blockstring, either with buttons, Sweep (2A+B), or specials that hit low to catch the opponent switching to stand block.
Frame-trap the opponent's jump start-up, or early jump frames where they cannot block.
If nothing else, you still have the option to chase down the opponent and punish them for being airborne with a 2B, or even an air throw of your own!

Video Tutorial on fuzzy jump OS, by LordKnight

Fuzzy DP on Wake-Up

[4]~B+D

Explanation: A hitstop/blockstun OS to defend against safe-jumps and their possible mix-ups that come after conditioning, to DP Dragon Punch A move that has invulnerability during its startup, long recovery, and a rising motion. against mixes while still blocking potential meaties.

Execution:

Hold [4] so you are blocking on wake-up.
Shortly after the timing where you should be blocking a meaty, input B+D.

Results:

If the opponent performs a meaty: You block the meaty attack, and your DP will not come out. Continue blocking pressure like normal.
If the opponent goes for a late airdash overhead / empty jump low: You will attempt to block for a moment, and then DP before they hit you.

How to beat it: There's no surefire way to beat this without dealing with RPS, but anyway, there's no need to do so. Simply take your meaty and go into pressure.

Temporary twitter link to a demonstration of the OS: https://twitter.com/Elite_Soba/status/1534017356489367552

Wake-Up Block/Throw Tech/Backdash OS

On wake-up, [4][4]~1C+D

Explanation: Wake-up option select to deal with strike/throw mix-up, while also utilizing a backdash to avoid a throw whiff animation and its Counter Hit state recovery.

Execution:

Tap and shortly hold [4] so you are blocking on wake-up.
Next, quickly tap and hold [4] again to buffer backdash shortly, for when the backdash lockout window ends (to backdash if no meaty).
Once the backdash is to execute, quickly switch to 1 and input C+D for throw at about the same time (to block low if meaty, and/or tech if you got thrown).

Results:

If the opponent performs a meaty: You block the meaty attack
If the opponent attempts to "meaty" throw you as okizeme: You tech the throw
If the opponent attempts to delay meaty or bait your throw tech if you attempt a normal fuzzy throw tech: You backdash away from the situation

How to beat it: The video goes into depth about counterplay, and also solutions to the counterplay, but here is the most basic solution if the OS is executed correctly:

The opponent can be hit with a delayed meaty or delayed low that are timed just right to hit during a 2-4F window after they wake up while they are buffering the backdash, since they must tap 44 and return to neutral in the middle to backdash. The attacker can also just wait for the opponent's OS backdash and punish it while it's in motion.
- However, the timing to catch the backdash input is variable, and waiting to punish the backdash leaves a big gap. As a result, this leaves the attacker susceptible to wake-up rolls and eventually abare in future interactions to get past their attempts to punish the OS.

Video Tutorial for this OS, by SKD

(Video is recorded in P4U, but technique is still applicable to P4U2 2.0.)

"Stone Hat" Technique

While cornered, hold [6] while an opponent is air dashing overhead

A technique originating from the oldest corners of poverty land, Melty Blood.

Explanation: A technique to potentially escape corner IAD pressure, put the opponent themselves into the corner, and punish the opponent for their pressure.

While you are cornered, if the opponent chooses to IAD into you during a pressure string, there is often a large enough gap to where you are able to hold [6] to walk forward for just a tiny bit and make your collision boxes pass one another as they fly overhead. As a result, you will end up on the other side of them and can potentially punish the opponent with a full combo on their pressure reset / mix-up attempt.

Doing this over other options has its advantages:

As opposed to 2B: More characters can take the corner from the opponent instead of just get a combo out of the corner.
As opposed to simply dashing out (into buttons): If mistimed, you can get a backdash and you won't be able to punish the opponent. One input ([6]) is also safer and more reliable to do on reaction than 2 (66)
As opposed to Fuzzy Jump + Air Throw OS: Early IAD > air buttons can stuff that OS in some situations.

Do note that this isn't foolproof versus every character, though; some characters with more privileged air buttons that hit on both sides of them (i.e. Narukami j.AGuardHighStartup7Recovery8Advantage-) can still force you to block even when you walk out, and in other cases you can end up letting yourself get hit with direction screwery.