Street Fighter 6/Zangief/Combos

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#SF6_Zangief

Combo Notation Guide

Click "Expand" for information about combo notation in SF6:

SF6 Combo Notation Guide
Notation	Meaning
>	Cancel the previous move to the following move. e.g. Normal into Special (2MK > 236P) or Special into Super (623P > 236236K)
~	Chain/Cancel the previous move into a followup. e.g. Luke's target combo (LP~MP~HP) or Rising Uppercut into Slam Dunk (623PP~PP)
,	Link the previous move to the following move. e.g. 5MP, 2MP (requires manual timing)
An example with Ken that uses all three "connecting" symbols: 2LP, 5MP~HP > 623P > 236236P 2LP links into 5MP; 5MP chains into HP Target Combo; HP cancels into Shoryuken which cancels into Lv.3 Super
j.X	Jumping action; for Neutral Jump, use 8j.X e.g. Kimberly j.2MP (Elbow Drop) or Ryu j.214K (Aerial Tatsumaki Senpukyaku)
P or K	Any Punch or Any Kick (when button strength does not matter) PP or KK represents any two punches/kicks.
X/Y	Do either X move or Y move. e.g. end a combo with 214K/623P
[X]	Hold the button input e.g. Luke 214[LP] = charged LP Flash Knuckle
dl.X	Briefly delay the action e.g. Ken 236HK~dl.6LK (Jinrai Loop starter)
AA	Anti-air; hit the opponent while they're mid-air. May cause a different juggle state compared to a grounded opponent.
Y xN {Y} xN	Repeat 'Y' input 'N' number of times. A sequence of multiple inputs will be bundled into "{}". e.g. 5LP x3 (5LP, 5LP, 5LP) or {2HP > Drive Rush} x3
Y > DR	Button Y cancelled into Drive Rush (3-bar version) e.g. 5HP > DR
DR~Y	Drive Rush into Button Y (cancel the dash frames early into a followup attack) This can be done from the 1-bar or 3-bar versions of Drive Rush e.g. 236HP Launch, DR~5LP
An example for Ryu using both Drive Rush notations: 2MK > DR~5HP (cancel 2MK into Drive Rush, then immediately use 5HP during dash animation)

Links and Starters

Normal Hit

Light Confirm into Lariat

2LK > 2LP > PP
2LK > 2LP > > 5LP > PPP

Double Lariat (PP) is Zangief's only strike special move, and therefore most of Zangief's combo routes end with this move to deal solid damage and score an oki-capable knockdown.

Zangief's primary concern when confirming into Lariat is range; From 2LP, Lariat can only combo on it's first active frame, and so combos into Lariat may drop if the opponent is too far away due to pushback. Lariats from longer range can also drop against opponents who are crouching. OD Lariat is faster and can help to mitigate this issue, but 2LP or 5LP even canceled into OD Lariat will drop at their outer range. From point-blank, the general rule is that Zangief can chain 2 light normals into regular Lariat, or 3 light normals into OD Lariat. From farther ranges, fewer chained normals can be done, and confirming into Lariat may be impossible at poking range without utilizing Drive Rush.

When comboing into Lariat, hold forward for the duration. This helps move Zangief closer to the opponent while spinning, making oki easier afterwards.

Combo	Position	Damage	Drive Gauge	Super Gauge	Difficulty	Notes	Video
2LK > 2LP > PP	Anywhere (close)	1480	0	0	Easy	Subject to whiffing when slightly spaced.
2LK > 5LP > PP	Anywhere (close)	1570	0	0	Easy	Subject to whiffing when slightly spaced.
2LK > 2LP > 5LP > PPP	Anywhere (close)	1890	2	0	Easy	Hold 6 during PPP to improve reliability. Can fail to combo at longer ranges.
2MP/3MP/6HP > PP	Anywhere	1900/2000/2100	0	0	Very Easy	6HP > PP is Zangief's most damaging combo without additional frame advantage or resources.
6HP, 2LP > PPP	Anywhere	2400	2	0	Easy	The easiest hit confirm after 6HP, hold 6 during PPP to improve reliability. Can fail to combo at longer ranges.
j.8HP, j.360KK	Anywhere	3800	0	0	Moderate	Only works if the opponent is also in the air when the headbutt connects

Punish Counter

Combo	Position	Damage	Drive Gauge	Super Gauge	Difficulty	Notes	Video
6HK, 3MP, PP	Anywhere	3320	0	0	Easy	Can opt for PPP ender for 3560 damage and better oki
6HK, 3MP, PPP, tk j.360kk	corner	5360	4	0	Moderate	Most damaging punish counter combo without spending super meter.
5HK, 3MP, tk j.360KK	Anywhere	4100	2	0	Moderate	Maximum range 5HK won't connect into 3MP or tk j.360kk, but can combo into other options via Drive Rush
5HK/6HK, 3MP, SA1	Anywhere	4100/4460	0	1	Moderate	Max range 5HK will cause 3MP to whiff but will still connect into SA1 in corner. SA1 must be buffered to connect. 6HK ground bounce is finicky on airborne opponents
j.[HK], tk j.360KK	Anywhere but too close to corner	4500	2	0	Moderate
j.[HK], 3MP, SA1	Anywhere but too close to corner	4700	0	1	Easy
3HK, SA3 (CA)	corner	5520 (5970)	0	3	Easy	At further ranges, Zangief must dash in to be within SA3 range, making it more difficult to land in time.

Drive Rush

Combo	Position	Damage	Drive Gauge	Super Gauge	Difficulty	Notes	Video
5LP/2LP > DR~2LP, 2MP > PP	Anywhere	1812 / 1712	3	0		Drive Rush 2LP can help Zangief convert longer range light pokes into a Lariat knockdown.
2MP > DR~5MP > 5MP > 5MP	Anywhere	2234	3	0		Extra frame advantage from Drive Rush allows 5MP to combo into its TC.
6HP > DR~6HP, 3MP > PP	Anywhere	2917	3	0
6HP > DR~5HK, 3MP > PP	Anywhere	3002	3	0	Advanced	DR~5HK, 3MP is a tight link and may be easy to drop for only marginally more damage. 5HK whiffs crouchers

SA2 Combos

Juggling after Cyclone Lariat

6HP > SA2[P], jump j.360KK

Holding down any punch button during Zangief's SA2 will cause Zangief to continue to spin in place rather than transition into one of his slam finishers. Once Zangief has started his third spin, the punch button can be released, as Gief is already committed to the spin version. This version deals less up-front damage than a "normal" SA2, but launches the opponent into a juggle state, from which Zangief can potentially extend the combo to get higher damage than would otherwise be possible. Follow-up combos that deal more damage than the default finisher require additional Drive Gauge or super meter, so there may be cases where using the normal SA2 finisher is preferred.

This is the most basic way to combo after Held SA2. Simply hold up-forward while Zangief is spinning. Once you see Gief jump, input 360KK (since you already have an "up" input from your jump, this can be done as just 41236KK).

All of the combos below use a 6HP > SA2 starter in order to accurately compare damage, although they are all possible off any ground combo into SA2, including doing raw/reversal SA2. The air juggle version of SA2 provides a worse juggle state, disallowing further juggles with 5HK or 3MP without Drive Rush. It's worth noting that j.2HP is a cross-up which always links into 6HP against a grounded opponent.

Combo	Position	Damage	Drive Gauge	Super Gauge	Difficulty	Notes	Video
6HP > SA2	Anywhere	4060	0	2	Easy	SA2 with normal ender, for comparison purposes.
6HP > SA2[P], dash, 3MP, tk j.360KK	Anywhere	4440	2	2	Hard
6HP > SA2[P], dash, 3MP > 236236K	Anywhere	4390	0	3	Very Hard
6HP > SA2[P], dl 5HK, tk j.360KK	Corner	4600	2	2	Hard	Slightly higher damage alternative to 3MP tk j.360KK combo in the corner
6HP > SA2[P], dash dl 3MP > PPP, tk j.360KK	Corner	5190	4	2	Very Hard	A short delay is required for 3MP > PPP to juggle properly into tk j.360KK.
J.[HK], 3MP > SA2, 360KK	Anywhere but the corner	5280	2	2	Hard	Requires a Punish Counter, such as a fireball read or a punish on certain OD/Super reversals
J.[HK], 3MP > SA2, SA1	Anywhere but the corner	5230	0	3	Hard	Requires a Punish Counter, such as a fireball read or a punish on certain OD/Super reversals

Drive Impact

Combo	Position	Damage	Drive Gauge	Super Gauge	Difficulty	Notes	Video
DI, 360HP/360PP	Anywhere	3270/3680	1 / 3	0		Gives no meaningful okizeme but does the most damage for the fewest resources.
DI, 63214HK/KK	Anywhere	2990 / 3520	1 / 3	0		Leaves Zangief close enough for Drive Rush oki. 63124KK builds considerable super meter and is useful for closing out rounds.
DI, SA3	Anywhere	4320 (CA: 4670)	1	3
DI, 6HP > PP/PPP	Anywhere	2520 / 2730	1 / 3	0		If you don't want to spend any resources, do this. Can instead opt for delay 3MP or j.HK > PP for slightly better oki at the cost of slightly reduced damage (2440 vs 2520).
DI, 6HP > SA2, etc.	Anywhere	3892+	1+	2		Damage shown is for normal finisher. Higher damages are possible by using SA2 to juggle (see SA2 combos).
DI, neutral jump j.8HP, land DR~3MP > PP	Anywhere	2684	2	0		Slight addition to normal DI -> Lariat combo. gives a later hit of lariat allowing far superior oki
DI, dl.3MP > PPP, tk j.360KK	Corner	4150	5	0		The only reason to use 3MP over 6HP is that a delayed 3MP will create an airborne juggle state, which allows Zangief to do his OD Lariat -> OD Borscht combo in the corner.
DI, 6HP > DR~5HK, 3MP > SA2, tk j.360KK	Anywhere	3888	6	2	Advanced	Technically uses your entire Drive gauge, but you'll build back about half a bar before the combo is done. DR~5HK, 3MP is a tight link and may be easy to drop for only marginally more damage than using DR~6HP, 3MP.
DI, 6HP > DR~5HK, 3MP > SA2, 3MP > SA1	Anywhere	4460	4	3	Advanced	DR~5HK, 3MP is a tight link and may be easy to drop for only marginally more damage than using DR~6HP, 3MP.
DI, forward jump, J.2HP, 360KK	Anywhere	3100	3	0	intermediate	side switches
DI, forward jump, J.2HP, SA1	Anywhere	3000	1	1	easy	side switches, buffer SA1 in the direction you started
DI, forward jump, J.2HP, PP/PPP	Anywhere	2330/2500	1/3	0	easy	side switches meterlessly

Drive Impact Wallsplat

Damage in parenthesis is if the Drive impact is not blocked

Combo	Position	Damage	Drive Gauge	Super Gauge	Difficulty	Notes	Video
DI, 3MP > PP		1660 (2280)	1	0	easy	Best meterless damage on wall splat
DI, 2MP, tk. 360kk		2720 (3160)	3	0	hard	2mp will whiff on high wall splats. 3MP doesnt pop up high enough to connect into tk.360KK
DI, 3MP > SA1 / DI, 3MP > SA2, SA 1		2880 (3190) / 3200 (3610)	1	1/3	hard	Highest damage without using additional drive gauge
DI, 3MP > PPP , tk. 360KK		3520 (3990)	5	0	hard	wont work on high up wallsplats

Overview

Combos

Strategy

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Frame Data

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#SF6_Zangief