This page mentions advanced tech, described in the strategy tab
The building block theory
Devo has some of the highest combo flexibility in the game, thanks to the opponent technically being in a tandem sandwich that is being extended as it goes. In fact, had it not been for IPS and tourney rules, you could reliably 100% your adversary after a bit of practice.
His combo potential is so high that listing every single possible string of combinations would not only take very long, but would also be a giant eyesore to look through.
Because of that, you're not going to lab a single, long combo, but rather different building blocks and transitioning between them, and that's what this page is for. The embedded videos will show the blocks in action. You can mimic the combos in them or just use them as guidelines.
Almost any combo can also be started from an aerial. The only time that's not the case is when you don't want your opponent to get pushed back from said aerial.
Autocombos
| Combo | Notes |
|---|---|
| 4xs.5a | 3 jabs into a squirt that's -10 on hit. |
| 4xs.6a | 3 jabs into a hair dryer puff. This one is much better, being +4 on hit which allows linking into tandem or s.5a if it can reach. |
| s.5a>s.5b>s.5c | s.5c is already a pretty bad move, any autocombo ending with it is not worth using. |
| s.5a>s.5c | //TODO: more autocombos for completion sake |
Basic Combos
| Combo | Notes |
|---|---|
| 2a, 2a, s+5a | A 2f plink that is your most effective way of going s.on mid combo, which you'll be doing a lot. Practice it, once you can get it consistently, you're officially a rookie devo and can move on to the fun stuff. |
| s.5a, s.5a xx s.22c | Pressing 2a will still result in s.5a coming out if done fast enough, thanks to it being an autocombo, so buffering 22 is easy. -7 on hit if mashed, but gives a good chunk of meter. |
| 5c xx 214a, 2a | The most basic combo which uses the doll's s.off specials and it already loops into itself. You have to do the special ASAP for the whole thing to work. |
| 5c xx 236c, 2a | Same as before, using 236c. Combined with the previous combo, it constitutes devo's basic loop, using j.c after 236c 2a to allow the doll to recover. |
| 5c xx 214aa, 2a | Uses meter, but deals high damage and turns off IPS, giving good ender opportunities, can still be combo'd off of. |
Building your combo
This video might be the reason 50% of devo mains exist.
For starting s.off combos you usually use 5c, and j.s.6b for s.on. It's possible to convert from other normals s.on, but it requires advanced techs.
Starters/pressure options
| Starter | Notes |
|---|---|
| 5c 214a 2a | Very easy and intuitive, but deals low damage and triggers IPS, meaning you have to quickly end it or use meter, which means you lose out on unscaled damage. |
| 5c 236a | Better than the above, doesn't trigger IPS and leads to SC setups. 236a has to be inputted very quickly. |
| 5c 236c 5c | If doing double 5c is possible and the doll is not too far away, it can run up before the opponent gets out of hitstun. Gives SC setups from a large distance. |
| j.s.6b | The IOH of doom. Unreactable and leads into anything you can do s.on. |
| d.s.2b xx s.22c | For opponents conditioned to block high. Gives meter or a tandem. |
Tandem confirms
Once you start your combo, you'll most likely want to quickly get a tandem, unless you don't need to worry about IPS yet.
| Confirm | Notes |
|---|---|
| s.6b/s.5b | Easy to use, but the tandem might not connect if the screen doesn't shrink from the super flash. |
| 4xs.6a | Known as the cloudskipper confirm, highly consistent, but requires the opponent to be close enough to the doll, either by screen shrink or by getting blocked by devo's body. |
| s.22c | Depending on whether you use s.2a or s.2b as the first tandem input and are p1 or p2, it's either a 2f, a 1f or impossible. P2's tandem is 1f slower than p1's and s.2a has 1 less frame of startup compared to s.2b. So p1 with using s.2a is 2f, p1 with s.2b is 1f, p2 with s.2a is 1f and p2 with s.2b is impossible. Can also be used to stand crash, more on that later. |
| 5c | P1 only, you have to use s.2a for it to connect, but is very lenient. |
| d.s.5a, s.3b | A hard link that is unsafe if dropped, but gives a lot of hitstun, thus it won't drop like s.6b if the opponent's too far. |
The tandem sequence
The basic devo tandem is inputting as many 2b 2a repetitions as possible, then 236c 2b 2b to signify the end of the tandem.
After 236c hits, wait until the doll does s.2b s.2b, then do j.c 5c and continue your combo.
Combo enders
| Ender | Notes |
|---|---|
| 2c | Sets up oki, can be substituted with 5b if you think 2c will get IPS'd, giving less time for oki, but guaranteeing a HKD if the combo's 9 hits or longer. |
| s.5a>s.5a xx s.22c | Gives meter, but is unsafe on hit, unless canceled into tandem |
| s.236aa | can be done from any s.on normal and HKDs, but deals low damage and throws the doll back, giving mediocre oki, if any. Also costs meter. |
Stand Crash Setups
S.22c is tandem cancellable, stand crashing with it is the easiest way to get a tandem.
| Sequence | Notes |
|---|---|
| 5c xx 214a, 2a, 2a, 2a, s+5a (s.5a) (d.s.5a s.2b) (d.s.5a s.5a d.s.5a s.2b)xx s.22c !SC | Stand crash setups from 214a. The moves in parentheses are respectively for small, medium and large gauges. The large gauge setup can get IPS'd. You shouldn't really be using 214a to start these combos, but if you don't care, here you go. |
| 5c xx 236a, (2a) 2a 2a s+5a s.5a s.22c !SC | A universal stand crash combo, can't get IPS'd. Do 2a after 236a against Stand on Iggy since it doesn't hit him instantly. |
| j.s.6b, d.s.5a s.2b s.22c !SC | Small and medium gauge setup from IAD. Add s.5a d.s.5a for large gauges. |
Okizeme
| Sequence | Notes |
|---|---|
| [...]2c HKD, 214a, 2a, 5c xx ... | 2a should hit as close to meaty as possible, and 214a just after. Meterless damage route, IPS will quickly kick in if 2a hits. |
| [...]2c HKD, 214a, 2a 2a 2a s+5a... | Less prone to IPS, as going s.on usually means confirming into tandem for another oki. |
| [...]2c HKD, 214a, 2c HKD, 214a 2c HKD... | Oki loops are tournament legal, unless stated otherwise. |
| Sequence | Notes |
|---|---|
| [...]2c HKD, 236c, roll, 2c | This doesn't setup another crossup oki, but you can still go for a s.on 50/50 or spear. |
| [...]2c HKD, 236c, roll, crossup j.c (5c xx .../2c) | If the opponent's standing. |
| [...]2c HKD, 236c, roll, crossup shorthop j.c (5c xx .../2c) | If the opponent is crouching/his standing hurtbox is short enough for you to jump over it. |
S.on 50/50s:
| Sequence | Notes |
|---|---|
| IAD d.s5a s6b xx 214s {TS}... | High version, IAD can lead into anything, not just the tandem sequence. |
| d.s2b xx .22c xx 214s {TS}... | Low version, utilizing the s22c confirm if going into tandem. Hard, but very much worth learning. Harder on P2 side. |
| s3b xx s22c/214s | Very easy, but heavily punishable on block. Use only if the opponent is properly conditioned. |
Keep in mind that these 50/50s are unsafe if blocked, use them only if you have no other option.
Advanced Techniques
| Sequence | Notes |
|---|---|
| 2a, 5c | It's useful if you want to squeeze out a bit more damage after 236c while not having enough time for j.c. |
| 2a 2a (5) 2c | "not advanced, it's a troll combo" - Zeke. Free HKD from a jab. The timing is similar to 2a, s+5a. |
| s.5a d.s.5a | Ebony's IPS-less loop. For moving your opponent into a desired position, such as into the corner to tandem confirm. |
| d.s.5a, d.s.5a... | A single button infinite. Does the job of the previous combo better and is much harder. |
| 214aa, j.c 5c xx … | Comboing from 214aa, you can time it by doing 4 2as and a slightly delayed j.c. |
Niche doll links
After some autocombos or normals, you can still get in a normal, creating loops or confirms from good normals. S.5a is always the follow-up.
| Sequence | Notes |
|---|---|
| s.6ax4 | The opponent needs to be between the doll and devo and everything has to be midscreen, so that devo reduces pushback. |
| s.4b>s.5a>s.5a | Flashy sequence for combo videos, also needs devo reducing pushback. |
| s.5b | Has some practical use, you could for example recover from inputting s2a by utilizing the autocombo to s5b and doing s5a. |
No IPS loops
Recently, the devo playerbase was shaken by BNOC popularizing the use of no IPS loops. They are usually used after tandem to get a lot of bonus damage and even a bar of meter, enabling 1 meter TODs from basic starters.
| Sequence | Notes |
|---|---|
| 5c 214b 5c | The easiest one, you can go for it with no prior training if you know how to devo. |
| 5c 214a 5c | You have to quickly dash to your opponent, tight, but works on crouchers. |
| 5c 214a j.a | For standing pol, midler and chaka |
| 5c 214c 5c | Ebony travels the furthest, but that means it might vault over the opponent. Tighter than 214b. |
| 5c 236b 5c | 5f of leniency, you have to keep the opponent in hitstun until the doll recovers. |
| 5c 236c 5c | 2f tighter and does 2 more damage than 236b. Decide for yourself if it's worth it. |
| j.c 5c 22a | Pretty easy, both 2 input are done during 5c. |
| j.c 5c 22b | You can't nedge 22c and you don't have a lot of time to release it and press it again (7f). Even if you do manage to get 22c, it deals 1 more damage. |
