The Problem

Many people (including me) seem to have difficulties with low-punch spammers. Don’t get me wrong: the low-punch is a great tool for interrupting your opponent and setting up these fabulous mid-launcher attacks, especially for higher tier playing. But somehow I can’t get rid of the feeling that it works too well in Virtua Fighter 5, which is heavily strike-oriented. Anyways, taking up ChanChai’s advices I will post the best tools for countering an opponent whose main tactics depends on the low punch.

Source: ChanChai on Low Punch problem (VFDC)

Punishing Low-Punche(r)s

There are several options how to punish players who constantly low punch. It depends on your ability to read moves and act according to it, as well as on your character’s style.

• Block & poke: Block any low punch and poke back right away with elbows, mid or low punch, practically everything that is quick enough and either low, mid, or special high. If your opponent is repeatedly low punching, he will get interrupted unless you poked him with a normal high attack. Note that in VF5 you don’t need to crouch in order to block a low punch but instead you can block it while standing! Close-range pokes to consider:
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• Dash back & strike: Let your opponent whiff his low punch(es) and launch a long range attack. However, it is advised to stick to the block & poke tactics (see above). Long-range strikes to consider:
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• Evade & counter: If your opponent tends to use one low punch for harassing you and setting up his combos, simply evade his low punch, and strike back.
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• Interrupt & launch: If you manage to interrupt the low puncher (can be seen by a yellow flash), then it is possible to do a medium launcher (,, ) if you are certain that your opponent will keep on low punching. However, you have to be quick, and initiate the launcher right after interrupting your opponent.

Example Situation

1. A blocks B’s low punch [Medium advantage: A]
2. A’s second low punch interrupts B’s repeated low punch [Big advantage: A]
3. A does medium launcher attack on B’s other low punch [Launcher beats low punch due to big advantage of A]
4. = A lands a free combo

Five Reasons Why Low-Punching Can Be Bad

1. If your low punch is blocked, a basic poke (low, mid, or special high) will beat your next low punch. For some characters, this basic poke could be a launcher leading to massive damage
2. If you are interrupted but still persist in low punching, the opponent can most likely launch you into a combo and interrupt that second low punch of yours.
3. Even if your low punch hits, the second low punch is just a waste of a decent (but not guaranteed) advantage. You could have done a launcher or a throw or just about anything better, but all you did was put another lowly damaging punch on your opponent.
4. If you are the type of player who keeps low punching, you are also the type of player who will keep getting hit by special highs (especially strings that end with a special high).
5. Low punch is easy to dodge. This isn’t that big of a deal, but it’s still a wasted move, especially if you know your opponent will just go for the dodge.