Sagat

サガット

Sagat — 대책

Key Info

  • Sustained overhead with combo available
  • Defense
    • OD invincible reversal at 8F startup: 623PP (Tiger Uppercut)
      • Only DJ can land a meaty setup on it
    • Anti-air invincible at 5F startup: 623LP
    • SA1 Tiger Cannon (236236P): 13F startup, no projectile invincibility
    • SA2 Savage Tiger (214214K): 10F startup, projectile invincible
    • SA3 Tiger Vanquish (236236K): 12F startup
  • Plus-on-block moves
    • MP (Tiger Soak): Sagat +2F
    • 6HK (Step High Kick): Sagat +4F
    • 236LK on crouching block: Sagat +2F
    • 236MK on crouching block: Sagat +2F
    • 236HK on crouching block: Sagat +4F
    • 236KK on crouching block: Sagat +1F
    • 214K→6MK (Tiger Greed): Sagat +4F
    • 214K→6HK (Tiger Nova): Sagat +2F
    • 214KK→6MK: Sagat +4F
    • 214KK→6HK: Sagat +2F
    • 236MP (Tiger Shot mid): plus on block
    • 236MPHP (OD Tiger Shot): +6F on block

Neutral Game (Focus Points)

  • Dealing with 236K (Tiger Knee Crush)
    • Standing block on Tiger Knee Crush gives Sagat advantage
    • Sagat has no c.MK cancel that generates big reward on walk, so walking carries little risk. Stay in poke range and rely on whiff punishing — this naturally puts Tiger Knee Crush into a standing block
    • If you can react, pressing Parry converts it into a standing block, putting you on offense
  • Dealing with 6LK (Step Low Kick)
    • Heavy side-stepping to avoid Tiger Knee Crush makes his long-range low 6LK easier to land on you
    • Normal hit is not a combo starter, so do not over-respect it
      • Spacing management matters more
    • If you see it often in neutral, place neutral jumps to score damage on Tiger Knee Crush
  • Place neutral jumps
    • In addition to normals, Sagat has many options (236K, 6LK) — place neutral jumps against all of them
    • Sagat can punish neutral jumps with 6HK, but forcing him to respect that opens up your other options
  • Use back-step at moderate intervals
    • Concedes stage position but carries no risk from his 6HK anti-air
    • On back-step, the only losing read is a fireball — otherwise it is risk-free
  • Block → fuzzy stand guard
    • Expect Tiger Knee Crush cancels off his normals — stay aware of switching to stand guard during Sagat's pressure
    • Parry is also very effective in place of guard; Parry counts as standing block so you may get a punish or even Just Parry reward
  • Take your punishes
    • Sagat frequently drops his Target Combo confirm — make sure you take full damage when he does
    • 2MP→HP (Tiger Slash)
      • Tiger Slash can be canceled even after the full motion, making it difficult to challenge
      • There is an 8F gap between 2MP and the Tiger Slash follow-up — ideally press an 8F-or-faster normal every time you see 2MP
      • The 2MP→236K cancel has a follow-up branch, so pressing a normal with upward hitbox is even better
    • MK→HK (Step Middle Kick)
      • The MK→HK branch crushes mash, so do not press buttons when you see MK
      • If you block everything cleanly, you get an 8F punish — go for max damage
    • HP→HK (Tiger Sting)
      • Be ready to punish the moment you see HP
      • -12F on block — start with a heavy normal for maximum damage

623P (Tiger Uppercut)

Sagat's DP-type reversal.

Normal versions:

  • 623LP (Light Tiger Uppercut): 5F startup / -37F on block
  • 623MP (Medium Tiger Uppercut): 10F startup / -45F on block
  • 623HP (Heavy Tiger Uppercut / Hold): 18F startup (Hold: 35F) / -45F on block

OD version:

  • 623PP (OD Tiger Uppercut): Sagat's invincible reversal / 8F startup (only DJ can meaty) / -43F on block

Recommended Counter

All strengths are very usable anti-airs — do not jump carelessly.

On block you get -37F to -45F. At every strength, land your full SA-included max punish combo.

236P (Tiger Shot)

Frame data on block:

  • 236LP (Ground Tiger Shot): low projectile / Sagat -7F on block / long recovery — if you notice a high rate of low fireballs, start jumping in
  • 236MP (Tiger Shot mid): high projectile / Sagat +3F on block / does not hit crouching opponents
  • 236HP (Tiger Shot heavy): high projectile / Sagat -1F on block / faster startup than 236MP / does not hit crouching
  • 236PP (OD Ground Tiger Shot): OD version of 236LP / Sagat -1F on block / superior startup and recovery
  • 236MPHP (OD Tiger Shot): Sagat +6F on block at point-blank / big advantage at close range

Recommended Counter

  • Against 236LP: if low fireballs are frequent, jumping in has high expected value
  • Against 236MP or 236HP: avoid Parry — crouch to avoid them entirely. Overusing Parry puts you at Drive Gauge deficit. After confirming the fireball, a 2HK is easy to land as a punish
  • Against 236MPHP: often used in corner pressure. Understand that blocking point-blank puts Sagat at advantage

Crouching normals confirm on 236MP and 236HP. You cannot react and confirm on 236LP separately. Therefore, fuzzy-press 2HK at the timing you would block 236LP to cover both options.

The video below records:

  • 236LP
  • 236HP

236K (Tiger Knee Crush)

A charge move that leaves Sagat plus on crouching block. The further the range, the fewer minus frames on block. At long range, mix in Drive Impact and neutral jumps.

  • Cancel Tiger Knee Crush on crouching block:
    • 236LK: Sagat +2F
    • 236MK: Sagat +2F
    • 236HK: Sagat +4F
    • 236KK (OD): Sagat +1F

Recommended Counter

  • In neutral
    • After blocking any normal except 2LP, switch to stand guard
      • Without c.MK Cancel Rush, Sagat has no low combo from a single block outside of 2LP
      • Reacting and standing every time is demanding — after one block, back up
        • Of course, press Parry if you can react
  • On standing block (not deep)
    • If the screen shakes, Sagat is plus
    • If it does not shake, you are at 0F or better — mash a 4F normal or go for a throw
  • On standing block (deep hit)
    • Deep standing block means 5F+ punish is guaranteed
  • On hit
    • After 236LK on hit: quick-rise prevents walk shimmy when Sagat uses Drive Rush

214K (Tiger Nexus)

Special move with three follow-up branches. Cannot be covered with fuzzy guard.

  • 214K→6LK (Tiger Might): overhead / crushes mash / -5 on block
  • 214K→6MK (Tiger Greed): high / mash beats it / +4 on block
  • 214K→6HK (Tiger Nova): high / mash beats it / +2 on block
  • No follow-up: -5 on block

Recommended Counter

  • If you read 214K→6LK (Tiger Might): turtle and take the 5F punish after full block
  • If you read Tiger Greed or Tiger Nova: mash 4F immediately after blocking the base 214K
  • If your character has a 5F invincible move: it confirms on these options — examples include Luke SA2 and Ryu SA3
  • Fuzzy Parry:
    • Regardless of strength, Tiger Might and Tiger Nova differ by 6F in startup
    • Delay your Parry by 5–6F from blocking the 214K base — this covers both branches
    • You must be in stand guard or Tiger Nova will hit you if the Parry misses

The video below records:

  • 214K→6LK (Tiger Might): 15F startup — always press 5F on block
  • 214K→6HK (Tiger Nova): 21F startup — aim your Parry here; since Tiger Might is a block punish, aiming for Just Parry is unnecessary

Warning

If you show Just Parry, Sagat will start targeting you with 214K→no-followup into throw. When he omits the follow-up, 214LK and 214MK are -5F — that is a 5F punish.

  • 214LK→no follow-up: Sagat -5F
  • 214MK→no follow-up: Sagat -5F
  • 214HK→no follow-up: Sagat -3F
  • 214KK→no follow-up: Sagat -3F

MP (Tiger Soak)

A normal that is +2F for Sagat on block. Low pushback means two consecutive MPs can link into 2MP.

Recommended Counter

Midscreen

  • On block (midscreen): unless it was Drive Rush → MP, walking back ends his pressure at low risk
  • On block (corner): mashing 4F after MP results in a trade combo for you
  • On block — characters with a 4F standing normal:
    • Fastest mash after MP pushes the spacing far enough that Sagat cannot follow with 2MP after the trade
    • When it is not a sustained hit, 4F mash after MP is the right call
  • On block — characters without a 4F standing normal:
    • It becomes a guessing game between Just Parry and waiting
  • Sagat walks slowly — it takes at least 6F of walk before he can grab you. Pressing a button when you would fuzzy-block the second MP is also valid.
  • Fuzzy c.LP mash is an option, but if Sagat is skilled at walk throw or delays MP, counter hits will come up frequently. Alternatively, confirm the MP block and press MP immediately to put risk on his walk throw — that threat then lets you return to Just Parry attempts next time.

Characters that can combo after the trade from point-blank MP→MP mash (4F)

After point-blank MP → MP, mashing at 4F causes a trade. The table below lists which follow-up converts by character.

Follow-up Characters
2MP Luke / Jamie / Manon / Marisa / JP / Juri / Cammy / Ryu / Honda / Chun-Li / Zangief / Dhalsim / A.K.I. / Ed / Akuma / M.Bison / Terry / Mai / Elena / Sagat / C.Viper
2HP Kimberly
HK DJ
2MK Blanka
LK Guile / Lily / Rashid
HK or 4HP M.Bison → standing LK
LP Ryu / Ken / Akuma / Ed / Terry
2LP Mai / Chun-Li

Warning

There is theoretically some reward from LK cancel into SA as a 4F standing-normal response, but it has never been seen in practice — no need to account for it yet.

6HK (Step High Kick)

A normal that is +4F for Sagat on block. Can be avoided by crouching.

Pairs with Tiger Knee Crush as a mixup option, but it is high-risk so do not over-respect it. Rarely used in neutral — most Sagat players use it primarily as a neutral-jump punish.

Recommended Counter

  • Back-step covers 6HK, 6LK (Step Low Kick), and Tiger Knee Crush simultaneously — all three options are punished

Tiger Slash (2MP→HP)

All options off 2MP are a guessing game, and every branch carries risk/reward. Countering is difficult given the variety of cancel options, but landing your Drive Impact and taking your punishes are the key tools.

Sagat's main options from Tiger Slash:

  • Tiger Slash → Cancel Rush → 2LP: low-risk pressure continue for Sagat; it is a block string so invincible reversals do not work
  • Tiger Slash → 214K (Tiger Nexus): Tiger Might crushes mash and pairs well with other branches. Learn that Drive Impact confirms after seeing the full Target Combo
  • Tiger Slash → 236HK (Tiger Knee Crush): gauge-shaving setup. Also confirms with Drive Impact after the full Target Combo. Stay in stand guard because crouching gives Sagat advantage
  • Tiger Slash → Cancel Rush → 2LK: covers fuzzy stand guard attempts; gap in block string means invincible reversal is guaranteed
  • Tiger Slash → OD Tiger Shot (236MPHP): drains your gauge and gives +6F for continued pressure; you can mash 4F during the Target Combo gap

Recommended Counter

  • Invincible reversal: all options except Cancel Rush → 2LP have a gap where the reversal cannot be blocked. No follow-up is -12F, so the reward is lower, but it is safe. If you are confident in the input, go for SA
  • When you see 2MP, mash with a 6F-or-faster normal before the follow-up. Tiger Nexus Medium can crush mash, but keep it as an option
  • Show the Drive Impact threat against Tiger Slash. OD Tiger Shot and Cancel Rush beat it, but check your gauge and press it at the right moment
  • When you see 2MP, stay in stand guard — he may follow with Tiger Knee Crush (standing-hit projectile). Cancel Rush into low is possible, but it is signaled by super flash so try to guard through it
  • Fuzzy Parry: for players who want lower risk — time the Parry to land when his follow-up would arrive

MK→HK (Step Middle Kick)

Sagat's grounded poke that scores knockdown. Sagat is -8F on block.

Recommended Counter

Do not mash when you see MK — the MK→HK follow-up crushes mash.

After full block, Sagat is -8F. Punish with a medium normal that has good reach.

HP→HK (Tiger Sting)

Sagat is -12F on block.

Recommended Counter

Punish with a heavy attack starter.

236236K (SA3 Tiger Vanquish)

After hit, Sagat is +15F. 6HK and HP land as meaties. 6HK is meaty even against crouching opponents.

Recommended Counter

  • Drive Rush: there is no Drive Rush oki here — if you see Drive Rush, activate an invincible reversal immediately
  • 6HK: if you reversal with a crouching attack, 6HK whiffs and you land a Punish Counter. Of course Sagat can also contest with HP Target Combo for his own reward — make it a read

LPLK (Tiger Hang — Forward Throw)

Sagat is +21F. Even with Drive Rush, no invincible reversal is guaranteed. Back-rise creates spacing where no oki follows.

Recommended Counter

Take back-rise.

4LPLK (Tiger Carry — Back Throw)

Sagat is +21F. Even with Drive Rush, no invincible reversal is guaranteed. Back-rise creates spacing where no oki follows.

Recommended Counter

Take back-rise.