Street Fighter 6/A.K.I./Combos

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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)

Day 1 Combos

Jump-In Combos

Easy

j.MK, 5MK, 5MP > 214HP/236HP
j.HK, 5HK > 2PP~K, 2LP > 2LP > 214HP/236HP

Both combos show some of AKI's basic normal hit combos. The first shows off the 5MK, 5MP link. Get familiar with 5MP, it's a core part of how her combo structure works. The second combo is a little longer, but can also be used after Punish Counter Drive Impact.

Either special works as an ender, but only 236HP works as an extender. This will be detailed later, but keep it in mind. For now, just try and get one of these consistent.

Lights into a Knockdown

Very Easy

2LP > 2LP > 2LP > 214HP/236HP
5LP~LP > 214HP/236HP
2LK > 2LP > 214HP/236HP

Drive Impact

Easy

PC DI, 5HK > 2PP~K, 2LP > 2LP > 214HP/236HP

Should look familiar, as it's functionally the same combo as the second jump-in combo with a different starter.

Drive Impact

Easy

DI, 5HK > 214HP , DR 5HK > 2PP~P

From 2PP~P, it is possible to extend further into a super, or DR 2HK > super for extra damage.

Links and Starters

Normal Hit

Links and Chains

Combo	Notes
5LP~LP	General-purpose close-range TC. Slightly slower than 2LP but good as a check regardless.
2LK/2LP > 2LP	Starting with 2LP allows for a third 2LP to chain before being pushed out of range.
5MK, 5MP	AKI's main medium starter link.
2MK/5HK, 2LP	Alternate medium starter link. Whenever this is in range to work from 2MK, 2LK > 2LP is always better. 5HK > 2PP~K does more damage but is much harder to confirm and leaves AKI point blank and -3 if done on block.
5HK > 2PP~K, 2LP*n	AKI's highest damage normal hit starter. 236PP can be used instead of 2PP~K to apply Poison.
2MP > 236LP/236PP	Converts a poke into a little more damage.

Counterhit

Counterhit Links

Combo	Notes
CH 2LP/5LP, 5MP	Adds a smidgen of damage before converting into a special move.
CH 2MP/5MP, 2PP~K, 2LP > 2LP > Ender (e.g. 236HP)	Confirms MP into BNB.
CH 5MK, 2MP	Converts CH 5MK into a special move or a Drive Rush for a knockdown.
CH 2MK/5HK, 5MP	Less useful than it may seem due to 5MP's short reach, but important nonetheless.

Punish Counter/Drive Rush

-4 Punishes

Combo	Notes
PC 2LP, 2MP

-5 Punishes

Combo	Notes

-6 Punishes

Combo	Notes
PC 5MP, 5MP

-7 Punishes

Combo	Notes
PC 2MK, 2MP/2MK	2MP won't link properly after 2MK at max range, which heavily limits AKI's options afterwards.

-8 Punishes

Combo	Notes

Reversal/Throw Whiff Punish

Easy

PC 5HK > 214HK, 2LP > ...
PC 5HK, 5HK > 236PP, > ...

Two main starters for DP punishes when the opponent isn't Poisoned. Both of these combos can be extended if the opponent was Poisoned beforehand, but there are generally better routes to go for if that's the case.

Reversal/Throw Whiff Punish

Medium

PC 5HK > 2PP~P!, 5HK > ...
(Near corner, 6 drive gauges) PC 5HK > 2PP~P!, 5HK > 2PP~K, DR 5HK > DRC 5HK > DRC 5HK > 214HK > SA1/SA3 (~6400 damage)
(Near corner, 4 drive gauges) PC 5HK > 2PP~P!, 5HK > 2PP~K, DR 5HK > DRC 6HK > 236LP > SA3 (~6200 damage)

Having access to Toxic Blossom allows for AKI to heavily frontload the damage of the following combo.

Drive Rush Cancel

Medium

light normal DRC > 2LP/5LP, 2MP/5MP
2MP/5HK DRC 5MK, 5HK > 2PP~K, 2LP > ...

AKI gets very little reward for using DRC from her light normals and 5MP. The biggest damage increase she gets is whenever 5MK is available, which is only from heavier buttons.

Raw Drive Rush

Easy

DR 2MK, 2MP
DR 3MK, 5MP
DR 6HK, 2MP
CH DR 6HK, 5HK

2MK 2MP is listed here a second time as it's much more consistent thanks to the momentum of Drive Rush. Otherwise, all of her non-5HK Punish Counter routes work.

Picking an Ender

LP Serpent Lash

Very Easy

anything special cancelable > 236LP
... > 2PP~K (juggle), 236LP

Generic combo ender. Unrewarding, but sometimes the best AKI gets. Has the best range of any option she has and cancels into lvl3, but will drop at max range.

Toxic Wreath

Easy

anything special cancelable > 214HP

Close range generic combo ender. Gives AKI a workable knockdown and automatically spaces a plus on block Nightshade Pulse in the corner. Applies Poison to boot, boosting the damage and corner carry of the next hit.

HP Serpent LashSafe Jump City

Medium

anything special cancelable > 236HP
... > DR 5MP/2MP (juggle) > 236HP

Close range combo ender that doubles as a combo extender when the opponent is Poisoned. Without Poison, 236HP gives AKI a safejump, meaty Nightshade midscreen (due to spacing), or plus MK/HK Snake Step. With Poison, it allows AKI to follow up anywhere with a DR 2MP juggle > 236HP to setup yet another safejump. With corner and poison AKI can route into a 214HP juggle, enabling the next ender.

Venomous FangWelcome to setup city and combo town.

Hard

juggled, Poisoned opponents > 2PP~P!, 214MP, 214LP

AKI's best combo ender by far. If juggled into, Toxic Blossom 2PP~P gives her a shocking +86 KDA to work with. Listed here is a safe Orchid Spring and plus Nightshade Pulse setup, but she can also link any of her supers or really go for any kind of setup. This is surprisingly easy to set up in the corner and can be done with as little as 1 bar of Drive.

Combo Extensions

AKI uses Drive Rush for a lot of her combo extensions, as Toxic Blossom gives her a launch off her common combo enders. This is by no means a complete list, just something to get started with.

DRC Drive Dump

Medium

light normal DRC 2LP/5LP, 5MP DRC 5MK, 5HK > 2PP~K, 2LP*n > ...
medium/heavy normal DRC 5MK, 5HK DRC 5MK, 5HK > 2PP~K, 2LP*n > ...

WIP

Midscreen 236HP!

Medium

1) ... > 236HP!, 236LP
2) ... > 236HP!, DR 5HK > 236MP
3) ... > 236HP!, DR 2MP > 236HP
4) ... > 236HP!, DR 5MP > 2PP~K, 236LP
5) ... > 236HP!, DR 5HK > DRC 5HK > 22P~P
6) ... > 236HP!, DR 2MP/5MP > 2PP~K, DR 2MP/5MP > SA1/SA3

236HP! Is a versatile combo tool and one of the more common conversions since it can be combo'd from light normals. Aki has many viable combos from it depending on resources, corner spacing, and whether you want to go for corner carry, damage, or oki. 1) For a meterless extension. It builds enough space to safely throw out a projectile, but doesn't work at max range 236HP! such as after 2LPx3. 2) For an enhanced version of the first route with better damage and corner carry. 3) For a safe jump anywhere. 4) For a mix of extra damage and corner carry at the cost of stricter spacing (Doesn't work at max range 236HP!). 5) For expensive corner carry (only works at max range 236HP!). 6) For closing out a round if you need that extra damage before cancelling into a super.

Generic Corner Combo

Medium

... > 236HP!, (DR 5HK >) 214HP, DR 5HK > 2PP~P!
DI (Crumple), 5HK > 214HP, DR 5HK > 2PP~P!

Looping poison setups (if 214MP is setup afterwards) that lead back into AKI's best knockdown. Learn this.

Orchid Spring Stun Combos

Medium

214MP...
0 drive: ... > j.HP, 5HK > 236MP!, 5HK > 2PP~K, 236LP! (2903, Orchid Spring is +4 on oki)
1 drive: ... > j.HP, 5HK > 236MP!, DR 5HK > 2PP~K, 236MP!, 236LP (2832 + poison, can cancel to SA3)
2 drive: ... > j.HP, 5HK > 236MP!, 5HK > 236PP!, 214HP, 236MP! (2984, Orchid Spring is +19 on oki)
3 drive: ... > j.HP, 5HK > 236MP!, 5HK > 236PP!, 214HP, DR 5HK > 2PP~P! (3109, Orchid Spring is +38 on oki)
3 drive super ender: ... > j.HP, 5HK > 236MP!, 5HK > 236PP!, 214HP, DR 5HK > 2PP~K (SA1 ender ~3820, SA2 ender ~4140)
4 drive SA3 combo: ... > j.HP, 5HK > 236MP!, 5HK > 236PP!, 214HP, DR 5HK > 2PP~P!, DR 2HK > SA3 (5181)
5 drive: ... > j.HP, 5HK > 236MP!, 5HK > 236PP!, DR 5HK > 214KK, 236LP > SA3
6 drive: ... > j.HP, 5HK > 236MP!, 5HK > 236PP!, DR 5HK > 214KK, 236LP, 214PP~LP > SA2/SA3

The 0 drive combo allows you to end in Orchid Spring, but doesn't give a throw mixup on oki due to spacing. 1 drive combo is less damage, but ends with the opponent poisoned while allowing throw oki. 2 drive combo is a small damage increase over 1 drive, but gives Orchid Spring AND throw oki. 3 drive combo 1 gives the best Orchid Spring oki, but if you end in SA1 or SA2 doesn't deal as much damage as combo 2 due to less poison time. 4 drive combo is a very minor damage boost over 3 drive, but the extra hit can get you the meter you need for a super. The links are quite tight for the 6 drive combo, but does the most damage.

Overview

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#SF6_AKI