
Capcom recently released a balance patch for Street Fighter 6 with the Terry DLC, tweaking various aspects of some characters to enhance gameplay. While not every character received changes, significant adjustments were made for some, focusing on balancing offensive and defensive capabilities. Let’s explore these updates and their potential impact on gameplay.
JP – Return of Offense Tools
JP’s nerfs from previous updates have been slightly reverted, restoring some of his offensive prowess in this SF6 balance patch:
- Standing Medium Kick: Now grants a +3 frame advantage on hit, making follow-up combos easier.
- Drive Rush into Standing Medium Kick: This now results in a +7 frame advantage, allowing JP to combo into crouching medium punch.
- Command Grab Adjustments: Reduced combo scaling for his command grab gives JP a more rewarding offensive game.
These changes give JP players more options in both neutral and pressure situations.
Luke – Improved Consistency in Combos
Luke received several buffs aimed at improving his combo capabilities:
- Crouching Light Punch & Light Kick: These now leave Luke closer to the opponent on hit and block, increasing his combo potential.
- Crouching Medium Punch: The reduced pushback on hit allows Luke to consistently follow up with two crouching jabs.
- Target Combo Buff: His Medium Punch combo no longer suffers from damage scaling after the second hit, leading to more damage when canceling into supers.
- Drive Rush Adjustments: Increased inertia for his back heavy kick enables easier follow-up after a drive rush.
These changes make Luke more threatening in close-range battles, enhancing his ability to pressure opponents.
Kimberly – Increased Damage Potential
Kimberly’s damage output received a slight boost:
- Combo Scaling Reduction: Combos starting with her can now scale less, giving Kimberly a better opportunity to deal damage following a knockdown.
While it may not be a game-changer, this buff gives Kimberly a more competitive edge in matches.
Dee Jay – Enhanced Pressure
Dee Jay sees buffs that increase his pressure options:
- Target Combo Adjustments: His light punch, medium kick, and medium kick combo now leave him closer to the opponent, putting him within throw range.
- Overhead Mix-up: The overhead now puts opponents in a juggle state on a punish counter, enabling follow-up combos.
These improvements make Dee Jay’s pressure game more dangerous, allowing him to capitalize on mistakes more effectively.
Dhalsim – New Combo Opportunities
Dhalsim saw changes that enhance his combo potential:
- Standing Heavy Kick: Now leaves him at +24 on a punish counter, providing new combo routes.
- Standing Medium Punch: Changed to provide a neutral advantage, improving his zoning and control.
Guile – Reduced Meter Gain
Guile faced nerfs primarily targeting his meter gain:
- Meter Gain Reduction: His drive meter gain from certain loops has been significantly reduced, preventing him from accumulating too much meter too quickly.
This adjustment aims to balance Guile’s high-reward playstyle, making his powerful loops less dominant.
Chun-Li – Fixes to Combos and Moves
Chun-Li received minor adjustments to improve consistency in some of her moves:
- Ten Sho Kick: Fixed an issue where only the first hit of the move would connect in certain situations.
These changes focus more on quality of life rather than outright buffs or nerfs.
Zangief – Nerfs to Abusive Moves
Zangief’s most abusable moves were toned down:
- Headbutt Scaling: Increased combo scaling when starting with his headbutt reduces his damage output significantly.
These nerfs are aimed at balancing his high damage potential and forcing players to be more mindful of move spacing.
These buffs give Dhalsim more options to keep opponents at bay while maintaining pressure.
M. Bison – Adjustments to Scissor Kick
- Scissor Kick Pushback: Reduced pushback on his scissor kick, making it more punishable if not spaced correctly.
Rashid – Nerf to Crouching Light Kick
- Hurtbox Adjustments: Increased hurtbox on crouching light kick to make his Drive Rush less abusable.
This adjustment is meant to tone down his overwhelming close-range pressure.
Ed – Combo meter gain Nerf
Ed, who was known for his combo meter gain, has been nerfed:
- Reduced Meter Gain: His combo now gains less meter, requiring Ed players to be more strategic with their meter usage.
The nerf balances Ed’s high combo potential, making his offense less overwhelming.
Final thoughts on the latest Street Fighter 6 balance patch
Overall, this balance patch for Street Fighter 6 introduces a series of adjustments aimed at refining character balance, with buffs to characters needing a little help and nerfs to those exhibiting dominant traits. Players will need to adapt to these changes to master the new competitive landscape.