SSBU/Ken/Combos

Combos
The purpose of this guide is to teach players the concept of Ken’s combos. Below are common wordings that the player should learn to understand how Ken’s combos are written. Afterwards, there are small parts of combos and how to escape them. Ken’s combo game is so free form that he can basically string any small combo into another small combo multiple times with a read or frame trap in between. At the end are some difficult, long, true combos.

Before You Read This Page

 * It is expected that all specials done in combos are input specials.
 * Please read through the overview page to know the abbreviations for specials’ names.
 * The version of special will be specified by saying “l.[name]” for a light special, “m.[name]” for a medium special, and “h.[name]” for a heavy special. Specials without the letter in front mean that any version is acceptable.
 * The combos list will also assume the reader understands basic smash terms and acronyms.
 * “Apex [aerial]” = doing the aerial so that the frame after hitlag ends Ken can fast fall. This usually requires Ken to delay the aerial in which the amount of delay will be different depending on the aerial.
 * “>” = do the next action in the sequence
 * “xx” = cancel the normal into the next special in the sequence

Common Links

 * LDTilt > LDTilt
 * LDTilt > HDTilt
 * LUTilt > LUTilt
 * LUTilt > PJab
 * LUTilt > PTilt
 * LUTilt > Jab 1 > Jab 2
 * LFTilt > NAir (or another aerial)

Normal xx Special
To combo, cancel the normals LDTilt, HDTilt, LUTilt , PJab, PTilt, Jab 2, or DSmash into any special (except focus attack)

PTilt/PJab jab locks
Do the first jablock listed unless it gives a character orientation. "Front-floored" means when they are lying on their front side face down. "Back-floored" means when they are laying on their back side face up. "Head-side" means when you're standing by their head. "Feet-side" means when you're standing by their feet. Graphic by Lernonad:

PTilt > Jab1 jab lock
"Front-floored" means when they are laying on their front side face down. "Back-floored" means when they are laying on their back side face up. "Head-side" means when you're standing by their head. "Feet-side" means when you're standing by their feet. Graphic by Kyronic:

LDTilt xx l.tatsu > tech chase
CPU was mashing air dodge
 * Difficulty: easy
 * Works on everyone
 * Works on Mario at 31% on no DI and no SDI
 * Floaties: DI/SDI up and away to avoid tech chase
 * Combo: at 45% LDTilt xx l.tatsu > (miss tech) PTilt > jab 1 > SH Apex DAir > LUTilt > PJab xx CK > SH UAir FF > FH UAir xx m.shoryu.

CPU was not mashing anything (CK > FSmash was not true in this situation)
 * Combo: at 38% LDTilt xx l.tatsu > (miss tech) PTilt > PTilt > PJab xx CK > FSmash.

CK > follow up
Crescent Kick’s entire game plan is to condition the opponent to SDI one way so that Ken can kill them for doing that SDI, so here are the possible follow up attacks: CPU was set to DI and SDI away and set to mash air dodge away.
 * DSmash is true at low percents and is avoided by SDIing up. DSmash is especially good since it provides a lot of extra damage.  On most characters it can be canceled to RH for more damage, but on others it will be better to cancel into hado to jablock and cover a tech.  It can also be canceled to tatsu to move Ken closer to the opponent to apply pressure in a tech chase situation.
 * RH/Dash attack is true at low to high percents and is avoided by SDIing away
 * Tip for doing CK > RH: time the RH input so that the A button is pressed as Ken is putting his foot back down on the ground
 * UAir is true at mid to high percents and is avoided by SDIing away
 * FSmash is true at high percents but only for a very small window. Try air dodging out of the combo but also SDI away
 * BAir is true at high percents and is avoided by SDIing down and away
 * NAir is not true but covers certain SDI and escape options. At high percents it becomes true but Ken will not get anything from it.
 * DAir is like NAir in that it requires very similar situations to get it. It is used to kill when at the ledge with the spike hitbox. At high percents CK > DAir becomes true.
 * H.shoryu requires a small microstep forward before doing but it is a true combo. Best way to get out would be to hard SDI away or hard SDI in.
 * And there is, finally, CK > hard read: don’t get hard read.
 * Combo: 0% PJab xx CK > DSmash xx RH
 * Combo: 0% PJab xx CK > DSmash xx hado
 * Combo: 0% PJab xx CK > DSmash xx tatsu
 * Combo: 0% PJab xx CK > SH BAir
 * Combo: 0% PJab xx CK > SH DAir
 * Combo: 40% NAir > SH Apex DAir > LUTilt xx CK > Run forward (Air dodge read) > PJab xx h.shoryu.

LUTilt > UAir
Best way to get this combo is off of multiple LUTilts or after DAir or sour FAir
 * Difficulty: easy
 * Starts working on Mario at 57% (does require Mario to be in the air when LUTilt hits)
 * SDI down or away makes it harder to confirm at earlier percents
 * If the opponent SDIs down Ken can do LUTilt > PTilt/LFTilt

NAir > SH Apex DAir
This is a solid confirm that is true up until sweet NAir tech chases then sour NAir will confirm into this combo. It leads to Ken’s good air combos so that he can do even more damage and potentially KO the opponent. Video was done with CPU mashing air dodge and with no DI or SDI
 * Difficulty: moderate
 * Starts working on Mario at 45% with sweet, front hitbox of NAir
 * Combo: 55% SH NAir > SH Apex DAir > LUTilt > SH UAir FF > FH UAir (to platform) > FH UAir xx m.shoryu

FH rising NAir > FF UAir
This small combo is actually really easy. The difficulty is in comboing the combo into itself and starting the combo It can be started from DAir, sour FAir, LFTilt, or from an air-to-air NAir Doing this is called Majin Airlines. You can end Majin Airlines into: CPU was mashing Focus Attack (frame 1 heavy armor)
 * Difficulty: moderate
 * Starts working on Mario at 22%
 * SDI in can prevent Ken from looping this combo.
 * UAir > m.shoryu
 * IDJ DAir
 * IRAR BAir
 * H.shoryu
 * Combo: 45% Air-to-Air FH rising NAir > FF UAir > FH rising NAir > FF UAir > FH DAir.

FH rising NAir > NAir
The main difficulty is starting the combo. It is the same as majin airlines but instead of ending with the opponent in the air, they are close to the ground. A lot of times the opponent isn’t ready when NAir hits as an Air-to-air, so Ken might get away with hitting this combo at earlier percents. It can also be started from a DAir, sour FAir, or LFTilt. Because the combo ends close to the ground Ken can get his grounded tilts and set up for another air combo or go for a tech chase. And at mid-high percents NAir > FSmash can kill at the ledge. Video was done with the CPU mashing Focus Attack (frame 1 heavy armor) with no DI or SDI
 * Difficulty: moderate
 * Starts working on Mario at 45%
 * Combo: 45% Air-to-air FH rising NAir > FF UAir > FH rising NAir > FF NAir > FSmash

UAir FF > h.shoryu
This is an easy way to get a kill from tipper shoryuken, the strongest hitbox. It is a little more difficult to do so here is Beek describing how to do it: https://twitter.com/based_beek/status/1331753175599165440?s=20
 * Difficulty: moderate to hard
 * Starts working on Mario at 40%

UAir xx m.shoryu
When UAir FF > h.shoryu won’t work, this combo will. M.shoryu has the most knockback of all aerial shoryukens. The timing is hard but with practice it will get easier. To get m.shoryu, hold the A or B buttons for 3-4 frames.
 * Difficulty: moderate to hard
 * DI/SDI away on the UAir especially at high percents can make shoryu whiff.

Raging Demon (With max rage) FADC2/3 > sour FAir > SH Apex DAir FF > LUTilt > PJab > h.shoryu
This is Ken and Ryu’s ToD. The video is done with Ryu but is done the exact same way for Ken. Fron Pennini: https://twitter.com/PenniniKen/status/1221971236219248641?s=19
 * Difficulty: hard
 * SDI Away on LUTilt can make PJab whiff. SDI in on LUTilt > PJab xx Shoryu can make the opponent fallout Behind Ken.

The common kill confirm DI mix
Normal xx h.shoryu Normal xx RH Note the correct DI for shoryuken stated in the Overview page that it is down and slightly away. The correct DI for roundhouse kick is almost the exact opposite, in and slightly up. So, DIing for shoryuken when roundhouse hits will cause the opponent to be KOed earlier than normal and vice versa. To counter this is to SDI in for shoryuken. It will cause the opponent to SDI and fall out behind Ken when he does h.shoryu but SDI correctly if Ken does roundhouse. The counterplay to this is for Ken to do m.shoryu as there are less hits and hitstun for the opponent to fully SDI and fall out of m.shoryu. This will also cause them to DI m.shoryu inwards and be KOed early from it. Another way to counterplay SDI in on shoryuken is to do a B reverse shoryuken. Opponent on correct DI for shoryuken: in between down and down-away notch The Spanish Inquisition!!! Opponent on correct DI for shoryuken: in between down and down-away notch
 * Difficulty: easy
 * Combo: 90% PJab xx h.shoryu
 * Combo: 90% PJab xx RH

NAir > SH Apex DAir FF > SH UAir FF > h.shoryu/IDJ DAir/SH IRAR BAir
This combo is an example of a combination of small combos listed above put together. Once mastered it can be easy to change to cover all sorts of DI and SDI. It is an example of how to use the small combos and some imagination to come up with a larger combo to be able to KO the opponent from any percent. This could include dropping combos to do a dash forward because the opponent is heavily trying to SDI or using Crescent Kick to condition the opponent to air dodge a certain way to then start over the combo. The difficulty in Ken’s combo game is the on the fly adaptation to the opponent’s options in disadvantage. In any event that a finisher won’t kill or set up for a tech chase, It would be best to cancel into a special. Either Hado to deal extra damage or Focus Attack to apply fear to get the opponent to make a hasty mistake and to protect against single hit reversals. An example of this would be LDtilt > HDtilt xx hado at low percents to push the opponent off the ledge or start a close range scramble or LFTilt > BAir xx FA at 0% to then cover against reversals while also setting up for a shield break if the opponent shields and also allowing mobility of a dash cancel if the opponent decides to run away. There are many more niche combos (example: Funny Punch confirms) that were not listed just because of how simple and not cohesive with the rest of Ken’s combo game they are. Here are examples of some of Ken’s most creative combos by MALASA: https://twitter.com/i/events/1475325137633579013
 * Difficulty: hard

Ledge Trapping
A common setup used is the three zones. The three zones are the pressure zone, neutral zone, and distance zone. The pressure zone is when Ken is right on top of the ledge. It covers ledge getup and ledge jumps if Ken is mashing tilts. It loses to ledge attack, ledge drop aerials, and ledge roll but ken can react to the roll and pressure that as well. The next zone is the distance zone. It is meant to cover ledge rolls to prevent losing stage control. It is also good for reacting to ledge jumps. It loses to ledge getup. The final zone is the neutral zone. It is right in between the pressure zone and the distance zone meant to be used to transition between the two other zones and react to ledge options and move there with Ken’s walk to successfully punish it. Another setup is to stand at ledge roll distance and throw a light hado as soon as the opponent grabs ledge. This will cause them to delay ledge getup, ledge attack, and ledge jump, for if they do this, they will get hit by the hadoken and be pushed off stage again. And if they decide to ledge roll, Ken will be right there to punish that. This will cause them to wait so that their intangibility runs out. If they ledge getup or getup attack dash in and try for a combo starter. If they jump, use an air-to-air at low percent or heavy shoryuken at high percents to kill. If they roll try for a combo starter. Be ready to transition to shield pressure if they do shield. After doing this for a little bit, be prepared for hasty ledge jumps to try and get out of the way before the hado gets to the ledge. Finally, if the opponent decides to hang on the ledge, there are many ways Ken can counter that. Depending on the character, Ken’s LDTilt, HDTilt, and DSmash can hit the opponent’s ledge hang.



Another way to counter ledge hangs is to use tatsu trumping. This is a way to ledge trump without having to deal with body blocking preventing ledge trumping. How to tatsu trump is listed on this character’s Tech page under COIL

Edge Guarding
Ken won’t often go for edge guards. Really it’s best if the opponent for sure has to use their double jump. It’s not advised to edge guard if the opponent has a really long recovery and large hitbox on their Up B that could potentially stage spike Ken or worse. An example would be Byleth, Charizard, and Ken and Ryu. If possible, stuff them out before they get a chance to use their Up B. Only other time edge guarding would be beneficial would be from combos. If Ken hits a DAir at the ledge at an early percent a cool trick would be to cancel to Focus Attack and fall down then release the attack when they jump up next to Ken then dash cancel, double jump, DAir, and cancel to shoryuken to recover back to stage. Combo notation for that would be: DAir xx FA (hold until opponent is next to Ken) > release > dash cancel > double jump > DAir xx shoryuken.