Combos
Kakyoin's combo game is fairly simple, fluid, and interchangable while giving high damage and/or oki in any situation.
Kakyoin's Net Link
As his main (pretty much only) tandem ender, Kakyoin has to link a jumping normal into a net. This link is absolutely crucial to getting good at Kakyoin. The input is 8 j.A/B/C 214A 5A. The way you do it is by connecting the jumping attack as Kakyoin is falling, while still in the air, input 214A as soon as you land press 5A. 5a should hit before the net.
Anti Air Combo
Any time you land your opponent in an air net you have 3 combos:
| (Net hit) s.j.B s.214A/B s.236x |
This is your basic meterless option. Deals less damage and builds less meter, but isn't height dependent. Launches the opponent fullscreen, giving you ample space. If they tech in, it's the easiest anti-air of your life. And if they don't tech the anti-air hit, they can end up falling into a hard knockdown for free oki. I recommend s.5A for this.
Note that you will need to horizontally orient yourself with the opponent for the Emerald Splash, do this by either double jumping or landing then jumping.
| (Net hit) s.j.B s.214A/B S j.C |
This meterless option does more damage and builds more meter than the other option, however the first hit of j.c can whiff against characters with smaller air hurtboxes if they're too high. It also leaves the opponent a lot closer to you which might be scary if you're struggling against their pressure.
| (Net hit) s.j.B s.214A/B s.236aa |
The same as the first meterless option, but with a super. A disgusting round stealer, this combo will often do at least 1/4th of the enemies health, if not 1/3rd. Huge reward off a simple anti-air.
While the first net can be any of them, the net mid-combo should always be A or B, since C will whiff. A is preferable if possible. Also don't hit the opponent before doing your Emerald Splash special or super, since they can tech out and you waste your damage.
You can also take an air net as an opportunity to tech chase instead.
Starters
Kakyoin's grounded combos will almost always go into tandem, so this will be split between starters and enders.
Stand Off
| 2A 2A d.5C 214S ABCxN |
| d.2A 5A 2A d.5C 214S ABCxN |
| d.2A 5A s.5A s.665A s.5A s.665A s.5A s.5C(1 hit) xx 214S ABCxN |
s.5a s.665a loops can be difficult at first, so don't be discouraged if you can't do them.
Stand On
| s.5A s.665A s.5A s.665A s.5A s.5C(1 hit) xx 214S ABCxN |
| s.j.3X s.5A s.665A s.5a s665a s.5a s.5c(1 hit) xx 214s ABCxN |
Only works vs characters tall enough to get hit by S.5A crouching, which includes every Stand On Active Stand Character, Stand On Chaka, and Shadow Dio (in hitstun) Works against more characters standing.
*Also can be done off of an IAD, however the timing is very strict and requires a low IAD.
Enders
All of these enders will begin with j.A j.214A 5A
| 214B 214C (hold) 9 5B (close) 5B (far) (Release C) 214A 214B 44 236AA |
| S 214B 214C (hold) 9 s.j.66B (jump over, then airdash back into opponent) (Release C) s.214A s.214B 44 s.236AA |
| 214B 214C (hold) 9 d.5B/d.2B (Release C) 214A 214B 463214A 665A 5AxN 44 (dash away from the wrapped opponent to fullscreen) 214A/B S |
Wrap ender, leads 50/50 net oki. Cannot be done if you're comboing from a meaty hit, due to the taiwrap whiffing from command grab invulnerability that lasts through the whole combo because of a glitch. Make sure you aren't too close to the corner or they will hit the wall after being launched from the wrap and be able to tech, taking away your oki.
| S s.214B s.214C (hold) 9 s.2A s.2B (Release C) s.4C s.214A |
Gives pretty much the same oki as wrap with none of the downsides
| 214B 214C (hold) 9 463214A 665A 5AxN 44 (dash away from wrapped opponent to fullscreen) 236AA (Release C) 236AA |
Meter dump wrap combo, more difficult than the previous wrap combo due to needing to land the Taiwrap as soon as you land on the other side of them. Has the same issues of not working after a meaty and screen positioning.
| 214B 214C (hold) 9 d.2A 5A 2A (Release C) S s.665A s.5A s.5C (1 hit) s.236AA |
A personal favorite of mine, purely for style, will usually drop due to IPS because the game hates you.
In case you couldn't tell, Kakyoin's options are incredibly freeform. For the most part, you can switch around whatever you do before and after Releasing the C net as you please. All of these pale in comparison to tandem looping, which is incredibly easy and can even be done with an...
Extended Tandem
If you ever land a net on a grounded opponent, you can go into an extended tandem.
| (A/B Net hit) s.214A/B s.214C (hold) 9 s.j.66B (Release C) s.214A/B s.214A/B 214S (Hold S) ABCxN |
By using his nets, Kakyoin can set up a combo where he can hold S to extend his tandem, something no other character can do (...as easily.). Whenever it says A/B, do the one that's off cooldown, if the initial net was A, do B and then A and etc. If the initial net was C, then simply walk up and do s.214A/B s.214A/B 214S. This can bag absolutely HUGE damage for 1 meter and can easily be done after a tandem if you're willing to tandem loop. When going for extended tandems, 10 reps is a good number to go for, but do as many as you can!
The Corner Loop
| s.214A/B s.214A/B (Hold) s.5C(3 hits) (Release A/B) 66 s.214A/B (Hold) s.5C(3 hits) (Release A/B) |
Kakyoin's corner loop, IPS hates this combo so be careful going for multiple reps. The key is to not go too fast, you need to let your nets respawn during each rep, and remember to alternate your nets. Best done after oki from a stand on grab or a d.2c knockdown. Can end it with a super or another knockdown into 50/50 and a chance at another Corner Loop. If you feel like rolling the dice against the right characters, you can also attempt WallBounce Loops after 1 or 2 reps.
Combos Without Tandem
Without tandems, Kakyoin's combos are mostly simple reliable hard knockdowns.
| IAD s.2A s.2B s.2C |
The most useful tandemless combo, gives you a knockdown after an IAD, making your pressure much stronger from farther ranges. Won't knockdown against stand on opponents, so you can replace the s.2C with a net cancel and continue to mixup and pressure after that.
| s.j3x s.2A s.2B s.2C |
Same as above, but from his divekick move. Better at close range due to speed, and a lot easier to time.
| s.5A s.665A s.5A s.665A s.5A s.5C(1 hit) s.236AA |
s.5C(1 hit) can also combo into Super Emerald Splash, if you feel like doing something different.
Advanced Combos
These combos are all either too precise, too esoteric, or too unoptimal to be used in most scenarios. Generally these are for style over anything else, but combos like these can be a fun challenge and good at building execution.
StandCrash Starter.
| j.C (landing) j.C SC! j.214A d.5C 214s ABCxN |
Niche standcrash combo using a low landing j.C comboing into a second j.C. Only works vs Dio and standing Vanilla Ice, everyone else is too short. The combo theory here can however be applied in real matches when the opponent has a weakened stand gauge. Each hit of J.C does TWENTY damage to the stand gauge, so only hitting 3 out of 4 hits still does 4/5ths of a small stand gauge. Can also go into an extended tandem.
Wallbounce Loops.
| S.664C 214A/B/C S.664C S.214A/B/C etc. |
An alternative to the regular corner loop, these can end up dealing more damage with less chance of IPS as the corner loop. HOWEVER, they are very character specific. Most characters can ground-tech before the net can hit.
Wallbounce Loops work on: Jotaro (don't use C net, delay more to loop A and B), Polnareff, Chaka, Midler, Hol Horse, Black Polnareff, and Hoingo. Some characters may be hit by one rep of this with the right screen positioning, however these are the only characters who can get hit by this in the corner, which is the one place you'd use it.
Swag Loops.
| d.2A 5A 5B(far) d.2A 5A 5B(far) etc. |
Stylish loop that can be used to squeeze out the littlest bit of extra damage and meter from a confirm, but 5A>5B(far) is a 1 frame link, so good luck.
The InfiNET.
| 214A 214B 214C 214A 214B 214C etc. |
On wide enough characters, you can infinitely combo with only nets. This requires good delays, and walking towards them after each one to stay close enough.
Works on: Crouching Avdol*, Iggy*, Alessi*, Crouching Chaka*, Standing Devo*, Crouching Devo, Crouching DIO, Crouching Ice* (Pixel Perfect.), Crouching B.Pol* (Pixel Perfect.), Standing Petshop*, Crouching Khan*
*Kakyoin must be in Stand On.
The Man I Really Wish This Wasn't So Niche.
| d.2A 5A 665A 214A 5A 214[B] 214S |
An extended tandem from a simple d.2A starter is really really strong. So what's the catch? Well first off, the character has to be tall enough to hit with 5A, then they have to be wide enough for 665A>214A>5A to work, especially after the pushback from d.2A>5A. Also, this combo falls prey to an issue that normally only effects Kakyoin's inferior little brother, Nkak. Pose RNG. Kakyoin has 5 different poses he can perform, and the one where he points forward is significantly slower to recover. Enough to take a perfectly canceled 665A from +3, to -6. So you have a 1-in-5 chance of this combo dropping. And yep, the best you're getting is +3, which makes the followup 5A frame perfect. If you've got the right characters, and you're feeling lucky, make em wish they never let go of down.
Pathetic's Midscreen Loop.
| 214A S s.214B s.214C (Hold) 9 s.j.66B (Release C) S 9 5B(close) 214A etc. |
Builds about a quarter of meter from just one rep, but any more can easily get killed by IPS and 5B(close)>214A is a very tight cancel, and it also only works on really wide characters! If it was more applicable, it could be good to squeeze out more damage and meter before an Extended Tandem from a random A net, but it's too niche to be something urgent to learn.
Works on: Crouching DIO, Standing Alessi.
The Legal Netless TOD.
| S.866C S.665A S.5C(1)>214s(ABCx2) SC 5B D.2A 5A 5B D.2A 5A 5B D.2A 5A microdash S+5A S665A S5A S665A S5A S665A S5A S5C(1) 214S (ABCx8) 5B 463214B 665A 5AxN 236AA 66C |
The 1 frame Swag Loops return, alongside a slew of other difficult inputs. Ending them with a microdash before the stand transition to make the TINIEST bit of necessary space, the Swag Loops plus dashloops leaving plenty of hits for IPS to ruin your day, a whopping 8 CLEAN tandem reps, and 5A mashing during both the tandem and the wrap that may need to be frame perfect. Recommended only for the most insane of execution junkies, otherwise this serves as just a proof of concept, that Kakyoin doesn't need his most defining trait to destroy you. Technically. Here's the combo in action
