#09 - Throws and Throw Escapes
The usual flow of offense and defense in fighting games is "Block to throw, throw to hit, hit to block". The latest Virtua Fighter has added guard throw escape techniques, which might make you wonder, "Can I really throw here?" This time, we'll cover throws and throw defense.
Throw Specifications in this Game
Startup: All 10F (Exceptions: Wolf's 6p+g/4p+g are 9F; Burning Hammer has different startup and range at 16F)
Total Animation (Miss Motion): Normal throws 34F, low throws 36F (Exceptions: Some of Wolf's long-reach throws are 38F)
High Throw Range: Determined by the center of gravity of both characters — characters with more forward weight have longer throw ranges, while those with backward weight have shorter ranges. During a match, the throw distance between two characters is always the same. Wolf has throws that move him forward, making his range particularly long (utilizing Burning Hammer's maximum range is essential).
Low Throw Range (Varies by character, based on direct testing): Wolf > Jeffrey > Arashi > others. Wolf players can confirm a low throw at any distance if they block Shun's 1p.
Throw Escape
Achieved by inputting the same lever direction as the opponent's throw command's final direction + p+g. If you can't memorize all the directions, roughly match the direction the opponent's body moves towards at the end. The probability is relatively high at 1/3 (1/2 if basic throws are excluded) — Against opponents who are good at throw escaping, you should actively utilize basic throws.
Character-specific Basic Throw Evaluation
| Performance | Character |
|---|---|
| S | Shun, El Blaze, Jacky, Pai |
| A | Lau, Sarah, Wolf, Vanessa, Kage |
| B | Aoi, Arashi, Goh, Jean, Lei-Fei, Lion |
| C | Brad (Wall Throw Exception), Akira, Jeffrey |
※ Evaluation considers factors such as whether wake-up attacks can be nullified by a forward jump, whether the opponent's head faces the sky, and the possibility of ring-out or position change.
Character-specific Priority Throw Escape Directions
| Shun | p+g / 4p+g when over 10 drinks | El Blaze | 6p+g |
| Jacky | 4p+g | Pai | 4p+g when standing / 6p+g when crouching |
| Lau | 4p+g | Sarah | 6p+g |
| Lei-Fei | 6p+g | Wolf | 6p+g / p+g on catch |
| Vanessa | Defensive 4p+g / Offensive · Mount 6p+g | Kage | 6p+g |
| Aoi | 6p+g | Arashi | 4p+g / 6p+g on catch |
| Goh | 6p+g / p+g on catch | Jean | 6p+g |
| Lion | 4p+g when standing / 6p+g when crouching | Brad | 6p+g / 4p+g on catch |
| Akira | 4p+g | Jeffrey | 6p+g |
| Eileen | 4p+g | Wolf | Neck Clutch 6p+g / Leg Clutch 4p+g |
※ Conditions may change in wall or position battles, so refer to these as default values.
Throws to Watch Out For in Specific Situations
| When Shun has his back to the wall | 6p+g wall combo |
| When cornered by El Blaze against the wall | 6p+g wall combo link |
| When El Blaze is cornered ringside | 4p+g / p+g ring out |
| When cornered by Jacky against the wall | 6p+g Neck Slicer or Sadistic |
| When Pai is cornered against the wall/ringside | 4p+g death combo / ring out |
| When cornered by Pai against the wall | 6p+g |
| When cornered by Lau against the wall | 6p+g |
| When Lau is cornered against the wall or parallel to it | 4p+g wall combo / wall throw |
| When Lau is cornered ringside | p+g |
| When cornered by Lei-Fei against the wall | 6p+g Muyounggak |
| In all cases when Aoi is close to the wall/ringside | 6p+g |
| When cornered by Arashi against the wall | 4p+g / Half Fence can also ring out |
| When Jean is cornered against the wall/ringside | 4p+g |
| When cornered by Lion against the wall | 6p+g |
| When cornered by Brad against the wall | p+g / 6p+g on catch throw |
| When Jeffrey is adjacent to the wall | 4p+g |
| When cornered by Eileen against the wall | 4p+g |
| When Eileen is parallel and close to the wall | 6p+g |
Exceptional Throw Escapes: Since REVO, all throws have been unified to 4/5/6 p+g, but there is one exception — Aoi's command throws must be escaped with 2p+g or 8p+g.
Advanced Throw Escape Techniques
1. Guard Throw Escape — After guarding with the g button, also press p to maintain p+g. (If the g/p timing is too fast during pre-input, an error may occur where an elbow comes out after a ukemi — you must press slowly)
2. Evasion Throw Escape — A technique continued from Virtua Fighter 4, injecting a throw escape during evasion. Duplicate direction escapes are not possible, so select a direction immediately after evading and press p+g briefly. It is still very useful and used by many top-ranked players.
Advanced — Is it possible to throw escape during evasion cancel?
- Theoretically possible, but a fastest possible cancel with normal lever operation is almost impossible.
- However, injecting a basic throw escape is possible to a limited extent — input p+g immediately after evasion, then dash cancel.
Evasion Cancel Guard Throw Escape: Achieved by maintaining p after evasion 66g. Can be quickly mastered once you get used to it. Fastest throws only respond to the 6 direction; late throws can respond to all directions.
Counter Throw Escape: A technique possible since Virtua Fighter 4, naturally achievable.
Fundamental Considerations for Throw Defense
1. Throw escaping is needed to a limited extent. Guard throw escaping is the most solid defensive method, but the expected value for health depletion is 0. All characters have guard breaks and catch throws, so even solid defense isn't truly safe. In fact, evasion throw escapes are stronger in some situations — mixing them up instead of relying on one method makes it harder for the opponent to break through.
2. If you are certain the opponent is throwing? "Did I get the throw escape direction wrong?" — No, just hit them. If you maintained guard throw escape for more than 0.5 seconds, it's an inefficient play. Take your hand off the g button and unleash punches and kicks.
"Block to throw, throw to hit, hit to block" — Never forget this basic principle.
Original Source: Ruliweb (rchacha)
※ This information predates the R.E.V.O World Stage and may differ in some aspects from the current version.