Jonathan Almaguer
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7 Min read Many people find zoning to be the most frustrating play style to fight against in any fighting game. Effective zoning prevents the opponent from executing their game plan and forces them to play according to the zoners rules.
A character built for zoning comes equipped with oppressive projectiles and long range offensive options. Technically every character can utilize a zoning playstyle, and keep out their opponent whether their kit is technically built around zoning or not.
Though not optimal, even Zangeif, who normally wants to play at a very close range in order to land his powerful grabs, can instead choose to use a zoning playstyle and abuse his super long range pokes to beat his opponent. When you break it down, zoning is simply punishing your opponents’ approach attempts.
The best zoners in Street Fighter 6 are JP, Guile, Dhalsim, and Dee Jay. Each character has their own version of projectiles and long-range attacks with varying speeds, trajectories and strengths. While each match-up requires specific knowledge to some degree, there are universal principles to countering any zoners gameplan.
Let’s dive in!
Knowing where your character gets the most out of their moveset, and how to set up your high-damage combos and punishes should be covered before trying to figure out how to counter someone else’s playstyle.
For example, Blanka players can use his Amazon River Run that low-profiles projectiles.
No matter how good of a player you are facing, everyone has patterns they fall into. There are so many factors to keep track of in Street Fighter 6, and we all fall into automated responses to help with quick decision making and reactions.
Additionally, as we play the same character over and over, we all learn strategies and attack patterns that tend to work, and those become our go to sequences. The first and most important thing to do when trying to beat someone attempting to zone you out is to learn these patterns and habits.
Here’s a brief list of things to keep track of in order to help get you started identifying your opponents patterns.
Marisa learns Dhalsim’s poke pattern, allowing her to get a perfect parry.
Becoming very familiar with your character’s approach options will be extremely important as well. Does your character have any projectile invincible attacks to punish your opponents telegraphed projectile?
Do your character have any special moves or normals that go over an opponent’s low attack to whiff punish? Once you close the distance, what of your attacks keep you in advantage?
Having as full as possible of an understanding of your kit will be crucial in closing the distance and giving yourself the upperhand. Aside from you character-specific approach options, these are universal to Street Fighter 6:
Tempo is extremely important in a match against a zoner. If you let a JP set the tempo for instance, you might as well put your controller down because you’ll never get out of his onslaught of long ranged special moves and SA II.
You can understand tempo by the pace at which a match occurs: Are the players slow to approach each other? Constantly trying to get the advantage by rushing each other down? Using calculated and safer approach options, or going for high risk high reward?
If the zoner knows you aren’t going to be moving towards them any time soon, that gives them freedom to continue attacking you at a distance where they are at a huge advantage.
On the other hand, if they know you are just going to Drive Rush-in everytime there is a split second opening, they can easily punish your aggression.
Continually applying pressure through your approach should gradually push the zoner back. Eventually they find themselves unable to further retreat as you have backed them into the corner where you maximize your offensive assault.
Watch SnakeEyez’s Zangief keep constant pressure on JP. Zangief uses his pressure through pokes, drive rush, and the threat of his approach to keep himself as the Tempo setter. He never walks backwards into JP’s optimal zoning range, and gradually pushes the JP player into the corner.
Attacks with good oki (when your opponent is waking up) are always important, but when fighting against zoners, oki can become even more important than getting max damage on a combo.
Attacks and combos with bad oki are essentially giving your opponent a free reset into their optimal range and forcing you to figure out how to approach all over again.
Since zoners typically have weaker than average close-range options, ideally you will maintain a close position once you have achieved it. Additionally, getting and maintaining corner pressure against a zoner is often crucial for a win.
Zoners can fall into rhythms and patterns that you can get a feel for to create openings.
You can also condition your opponent to expect your jump-ins at a certain time, or if they are countering your Drive Rush with an invincible attack, you can bait it out by Drive Rushing and using an attack or grab to stop the Drive Rush before coming into range of their attack, causing them to whiff and giving you a massive opportunity for a Punish Counter combo.
The final and most crucial aspect of becoming an anti-zoning god is not actually something relating to your game skill; it’s patience. Patience. Patience.
If you let yourself get flustered, you are basically giving your opponent the free win. A few incorrect guesses is no big deal. One approach didn’t work? Try it at a different time, or try another approach method.
Be patient. Use the entire 99-second round timer if need be. If you lose the match, hold onto what you learned and implement it in your next fight.
In the video, Blanka remains extremely patient as he attempts to close the distance by walking forward and parrying, then takes the opportunity to max range Drive Impact counter the Sonic Boom.
Ultimately, you will have to accept the fact that beating a zoner really does come down to guessing correctly. Making educated guesses according to the principles laid out above will ensure you have the highest chances of guessing correctly.
Sometimes, however, you will simply be guessing wrong and your opponent will be guessing right. Weighing the risk/reward of your guesses will also help you in your decision-making.
Luke goes for a guess jump, predicts a projectile is coming, and is rewarded with a MASSIVE jump-in punish.
Lastly, let’s analyze the final round of the final match Between Fuudo’s Dhalsim and Shuto’s Marisa.
To be clear, this guide wasn’t written after watching this match. Instead, the guide was written, and I just looked for an unfavorable matchup against a zoner from Japan’s Street Fighter League this week.
The principles laid out above can be found in every single high level match against a zoning character because they are fundamental to any successful anti-zoning gameplan.
The match begins with your standard footsies. Marisa’s first approach attempt uses walk forward with block. She Quickly recognizes Dhalsim goes for three long range pokes a row (pattern) and perfect parries the 3rd into a Drive Rush.
Next goes for a jump-in guess, but gets punished because Dhalsim waited instead of throwing out an attack, (educated guessing, sometimes right, sometimes wrong). Tries for a whiff punish using her long range special move Quadriga, then a successful jump-in during Dhalsim’s back dash.
He is defending her strikes, but this exchange is greatly in Marisa’s favor as she maintains close distance and the pressure is gradually pushing Dhalsim into the corner. She then correctly guesses a Drive Impact, punishing Dhalsim’s un-cancellable poke.
Notice how far away Marisa was when she began that DI, she took full advantage of its armor and forward movement, using the attack as an approach option. At last, Shuto does what Marisa is best at: MASSIVE damage combos. Marisa then immediately Drive Rushs in, maintaining tempo and corner pressure.
Next combo finishes with good oki. Shimmies his wake up,(likely because in the 1st round she landed 3 grabs in a row on the cornered Dhalsim and expects him to go for a grab tech: conditioning). Attacks (blocked), then shimmies the throw tech attempt, Punish Counter for the win.
Shuto’s Marisa uses each technique available in her offense. Walking forward with blocks and parries, Drive Rush, Drive Impact, jump-in, forward moving special attacks, etc. First and foremost – Patience. Shuto’s Marisa was already down to 30% life before landing his first successful hit on Fuudo’s Dhalsim, but he did not waiver and kept looking for his opportunities to move in and take control of the match.
Check out the entire Match and see what else you can pick up from how the Marisa player adapts to Dhalsim’s zoning!
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