Alex

アレックス

Alex — 대책

Key Info

  • Grappler-leaning in-fighter
    • Command grab 63214P (Power Bomb) is his primary mixup tool
  • Sustained overhead but no combo follow-up
    • 6HP (startup 22F)
  • Defense options
    • 623LK (Air Knee Smash): startup 6F, air invincible
    • 623KK (OD Air Knee Smash): startup 10F, air invincible
    • SA1 (236236K): startup 9F, strike and throw invincible
    • SA2 (214214P): startup 13F, strike, throw, and projectile invincible
    • SA3 (236236P): startup 12F, fully invincible
  • Moves that are plus on block
    • 236HP (Flash Chop): +2F
    • 2PP→HP (Heavy Lariat): +3F
    • 2PP→HP hold (Heavy Lariat hold): +5F with armor
    • HP hold (Face Crasher hold): +2F
    • HK hold (Long Kick hold): +2F

Neutral Game (Focus Points)

  • Prioritize Just Parry
    • Situations after command grab and normal throw are not favorable for Alex
    • You'll have more opportunities to go for reversal Just Parries than against most characters
  • Don't let him get close
    • Alex at close range has an extremely strong strike/command-grab mixup
    • Keep mid-range or further and poke him out — maintain a spacing where HP and HK whiff
  • Watch for 2PP→MK (Air Stampede)
    • A mid-air overhead stomp — if your anti-air is late, he transitions straight into okizeme
    • Anti-air with a grounded normal or walk forward to whiff it and punish

63214P (Power Bomb)

Alex's signature command grab. Startup and range differ by strength.

  • 63214LP (Light Power Bomb)
    • Startup 9F, long range
    • +15F on hit
  • 63214MP (Medium Power Bomb)
    • Startup 7F, mid range
    • +15F on hit
  • 63214HP (Heavy Power Bomb)
    • Startup 5F, short range (roughly same as normal throw)
    • +15F on hit
  • 63214PP (OD Power Bomb)
    • Startup 5F, range between light and medium
    • Higher damage
    • +15F on hit

Recommended Counter

+15F on hit. The distance after the grab puts you far enough that carelessly pressing a button gets Punish Counter from HK or HP.

As a first option against Rush oki, neutral jump or back jump are solid choices. Alex's Rush follow-ups are all weak — decide based on your character's tools and gauge status.

  • Neutral jump
    • Can get return against his hold HK and hold HP
  • Fastest HP and MK can catch a neutral jump — treat it as a read
  • Some characters can get return against his fastest HP
  • There is an 8F gap after fastest HP — place your character's long-range normal in it
  • Back jump
    • Even his fastest HP misses — very effective
  • If he reads your jump and goes for anti-air
    • Alex must extend his Rush in that case — fastest mash is very effective

Don't passively block his hold HP and hold HK.

2PP (Breaker Stance)

Activated with down + two punches. While in stance Alex cannot block, but gains access to many follow-up options:

  • 2PP→LP (Palm Contact, startup 4F)
    • Rapid-cancellable, Alex +1F on block
    • Can cancel into follow-ups from frame 15
  • 2PP→MP (Shoulder Launcher, startup 7F)
    • Launches the opponent, also used as anti-air
    • Alex -6F on block — punishable
  • 2PP→HP (Heavy Lariat, startup 12F)
    • Alex +3F on block; hold version is +5F with armor
  • 2PP→LK (Tactical Leap)
    • Movement option, actionable from frame 21
  • 2PP→MK (Air Stampede, startup 30F)
    • Overhead stomp, Alex +2F on block
  • 2PP→HK (Sweep Combination, startup 11F)
    • Low attack, can chain to second hit
    • Alex -17F on block — heavy punish
  • 2PP→LPLK (Hyper Lift, startup 5F)
    • Grab that only hits standing opponents — whiffs on crouchers
  • 2PP→2LPLK (Dangerous Approach, startup 21F)
    • Grab that also hits crouchers, airborne during active frames

Recommended Counter

236P (Flash Axe / Flash Chop)

Alex's strike special — properties change by strength.

  • 236LP (Light Flash Axe, startup 13F)
    • Alex -4F on block
    • A reliable poke cancel
  • 236MP (Medium Flash Axe, startup 17F)
    • Slower than 236LP but longer range
    • Alex -6F on block — punishable
  • 236HP (Flash Chop, startup 26F)
    • Alex +2F on block
  • 236PP (OD Flash Chop, startup 15F)
    • Alex -4F on block

Recommended Counter

  • 236LP is -4F on block but the distance prevents a direct punish
    • Drive Impact also does not confirm — Just Parry is the only real option
    • Look for Just Parry on the 2LK→2LP→2LP→236LP sequence
    • If you cannot get Just Parry, accept that he'll keep using it and grind it out
  • 236MP is -6F on block but the distance prevents a direct punish
    • Look for Just Parry on 2MP→236MP
    • Drive Impact also does not confirm — Just Parry is the only option
    • If you cannot get Just Parry, accept that he'll keep using it and grind it out
  • 236HP leaves Alex +2F on block
    • You'll usually block this after HP(hold), but the distance often prevents the command grab from reaching
    • Look for Just Parry on the MP portion of HP→236HP→MP
    • Importantly, also fish for Just Parry on the 236HP itself
    • He'll typically make it a block string, but he may also delay to punish your mash

623K (Air Knee Smash)

Alex's anti-air special. All versions are invincible to airborne strikes and air projectiles, and cannot hit grounded opponents.

  • 623LK (startup 6F)
    • Invincible frames 1-10, damage 1200
    • Fast startup — great for quick anti-air reactions
    • +29F on hit
  • 623MK (startup 8F)
    • Invincible frames 1-16, damage 1400
    • Longer active window and wider anti-air coverage than light
    • +29F on hit
  • 623HK (startup 14F)
    • Invincible frames 1-21, damage 1500
    • -42F on block — heavy punish if guarded
    • +29F on hit
  • 623KK (OD, startup 10F)
    • Invincible frames 1-17, damage 1700
    • -46F on block — heavy punish if guarded

2PP→MK (Air Stampede)

Overhead stomp from the air. Startup 30F, Alex +2F on block. On hit causes a bounce that leads into follow-up combos or straight into okizeme.

Recommended Counter

In neutral

Using a special anti-air frequently results in getting caught by 2PP→LK (Tactical Leap). Normal anti-airs also get stuffed by 2PP→MK — not realistic in practice.

However, 2PP→MK is strong directly below but weak horizontally. The recommended response is: Confirm 2PP → forward jump → crossup attack

Sometimes his anti-air will still connect, but the risk is lower than incorrectly trying to anti-air.

If you're worried about anti-air, confirm 2PP → backdash. This lets you punish a whiffed 2PP→MK.

On block

If you block 2PP→MK, Alex is +2F. Don't mash carelessly.

The recommended response on block is backdash, neutral jump, or back jump. After blocking 2PP→MK, Alex cannot chain two light attacks into his follow-up. So putting a risk on backdash or neutral jump requires LP→236LP — and that has almost no risk for you.

Alex's option against backdash is MP→HP (Palm Strike) — but if you jumped, it whiffs, so you get return.

Breaking down the mixup after blocking 2PP→MK:

  • Neutral jump
    • Beats his command grab mixup option
    • Loses to LP→236LP
    • Beats MP→HP
    • Loses to jump read (623HK anti-air)
  • Back jump
    • Ties with his command grab mixup option
    • Loses to LP→236LP
    • Beats MP→HP
    • Loses to jump read (236236K anti-air)
  • Backdash
    • Beats his command grab mixup option
    • Loses to MP→HP
    • Loses to LP→236LP

MP→HP (Palm Strike — Target Combo)

Alex's target combo with no punish on full execution. On hit it transitions into his powerful okizeme.

Recommended Counter

Just Parry is the only effective option — accept this and go for it. This target combo does not confirm Drive Impact even on full execution, and the second hit is a mash punish — Just Parry is the answer.

LPLK (Forward Throw — Arm Lock)

+28F on hit. The distance after the throw means carelessly pressing buttons gets Punish Counter from HK (hold).

Recommended Counter

Alex's mash punish options are:

  • Rush → HK
    • +2F at close range
  • Rush → MP
    • +4F throw range

Assuming he goes for Rush → HK: Back wakeup → block the strike → back jump is a very stable option. The situation resembles after blocking 2PP→MK — two light attacks can't reach the second time.

Once he adapts to this, Alex will start holding HK. In that case, place a neutral jump to get return.