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| Notation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| (Leave a space) cancel from the previous normal to the following. | |
| , | Link from the previous move to the following. |
| > | Cancel the previous move into the following special / super move. |
| ~ | Cancel special into set followup or plink previous attack into the following. |
| dl. / delay | Delay the following move. |
| whiff | Must whiff the following move. |
| land | Must land on the ground before the next move. |
| rejump | Must land then jump again before the next move. |
| j. / sj. | Move is done in a jump / superjump. |
| jc / sjc | Cancel previous move into a jump / superjump. |
| ia./tk. | Instant Air or Tiger Knee Special or Super Move. |
| XX | Any two attack buttons excluding S. |
| NXX | Dash / Airdash in N direction. |
| X+S | Any other attack button and S pressed at the same time. |
| AA | Anti-Air |
| [X] | Hold input |
| -X- | Release input |
| (N) | Connect with only the Nth hit of this attack. |
| (Move) | Move is optional. |
| [sequence] x N | Repeat sequence N times. |
Beginner Combos
- Work on all or nearly all characters.
- Require little to no resources (Meter, Assists, Character Specific Stocks).
- Need minimal adjustments for positioning or starter.
Relatively stable combo from any grounded starter. Unfortunately, many of Spencer's combo routes vary a lot based on screen position. When you OTG with j.236M, the behavior will be different depending on whether you are near the corner or not. In this example combo, the initial sequence carries close to the corner, so j.236M causes a "close" Wall Bounce, leaving Spencer in range to connect j.S.
If the initial combo does not carry close enough to the corner, then the Wall Bounce will leave Spencer far away from the opponent, and you need to use a modified extension. The midscreen OTG pickup looks like rejump j.236M, 3X+S, j.S land 236L > L You can see an example here.
Similarly, if the 236L > L ends close enough to the corner, Spencer can connect a 2369S TK Bionic Bomber to OTG for a little extra damage. If you are not close to the corner, then cancel 236L > L directly into 214XX.
Spencer's j.H has high hitstun and a hitbox that reaches fairly high up. This means that Spencer can often connect a falling j.H, land and re-superjump, then connect another j.H on the way up. This route is useful because it works essentially the same at nearly any screen position, which is rare for Spencer combos.
236H > L deals an unscaled 80,000 damage which makes it uniquely powerful and means that routing into it whenever possible will usually result in a damage increase. Nearly all Spencer combos want to land an 80k up-grapple at least once, and most will route into it several times because it deals significantly higher damage than nearly anything else once Damage Scaling has set in.
Bionic Bomber (j.236S) is one of Spencer's primary OTG tools, although it is difficult to utilize outside of the corner. If done early in a combo, Spencer recovers fast enough from the Ground Bounce of (j.236S) to link 5M into a relaunch for more damage. The link is fairly tight even when done early enough to be possible, but worth learning. This is route is also great for including assist extensions.
You can also do 5S sjc. j.M j.M j.H j.5S, j.236S, land, 5M if you do not need the extra corner-carry from 3X+S.
Against Wolverine and Rocket Raccoon, their juggled hurtboxes are small enough that the TK j.2369S, land 5M 5H 5S sjc. TK 2369H > L drops against them. To fix this, omit 5H and chain 5M directly into 5S.
Bionic Lancer is a hyper that is used frequently raw to punish projectiles, assist calls, or other less-invincible hypers. It is partially spacing-dependent, but Spencer can usually pick up after an Arm hit with a quick TK j.236M into a combo. This route is a basic way to get some extra damage from a raw Bionic Arm.
Note that you can not use this combo if you use Lancer against an assist, since j.236X will not activate its follow-up kick against an assist character.
Core Combos
- Works against a selected set of characters.
- Can require adjustments for positioning and resources.
- Are expected to be consistently performable by a skilled player who main the character.
This is the standard post-hyper corner combo for situations where you connect Bionic Maneuvers without using Wall Bounce. Many of the combos below avoid using Wall Bounce specifically so that you can utilize this extension afterwards. Additionally, another character performing their regular combo and DHCing to Spencer will allow him to use this extension, provided the previous character didn't use Wall Bounce. As a general rule, the post-hyper extension will add 289,000 damage to the end of any combo and will build ~15% of a bar at the cost of a second full bar of meter for the second hyper.
When you end a combo with non-Wallbounce TK j.2369H, Spencer falls into the recovering opponent such that a j.M will connect meaty for a safe jump, which could be useful in the niche case where Spencer does not kill.
The 236S link between Up Grapple and the second hyper is character specific, but can be added in for some free extra damage and meter on these characters:
Morrigan, Felicia, Hsien-Ko, Firebrand, Arthur, Zero, Tron, Frank West, Akuma, Phoenix Wright, Vergil, Viewtiful Joe, Amaterasu, Rocket Raccoon, Shuma, Wolverine, X-23, & MODOK
it also works on every character in X-Factor.
The two Wire Zips performed during the Post-Hyper Extension may initially seem inconsistent or even random when first starting to learn them. However, there is a trick to cause this part of the combo to function reliably. TK j.2369H behaves slightly differently based on whether the Tiger Knee jump was a regular jump or superjump. Depending on the type of jump performed, the Wallbounce will occur at a slightly different height, and the amount of hitstun caused by attacks will also change until Spencer returns to the ground.
Hold down for some amount of time before starting the TK motion to get a regular jump (you can hold it during the entire Bionic Maneuvers animation if you like). If done correctly, there will not be a "whoosh" effect underneath Spencer when he jumps. In this case, the correct Zip combo is (As early as possible) 3X+S, (Delay) 2X+S, land, 236H > L.
If you do a normal TK Motion starting from a neutral stick position, the down input will cause Spencer to TK with a superjump, and there will be a "whoosh" effect underneath him as he leaves the ground. This is less consistent than the regular jump method, and is not preferred, but you can still complete the combo with 3X+S, 1X+S, land, 236H > L. Essentially replace the Down Zip with a Down-Back Zip and adjust the timing based on the height that the opponent is juggled.
Video Guide - SpartanThrone on Easy 80k Up-Grapples with Spencer.
Wallbounce Combos
These combo routes consume Wall Bounce at some point before the hyper, by using Spencer's Air Wire Grapple OTG as an extension. Therefore, they can not use the generic post-hyper extension detailed above. Spencer can still link j.2369H Tiger Knee Grapple, but without Wall Bounce, he cannot extend further (you do get good oki off this). These combos typically do higher 1-bar damage, in exchange for losing the ability to double hyper with Spencer. If you can kill with 1 bar, or if you wanted to DHC out to another character anyway, these routes are a good choice.
The "GX Loop" (named after the JP Player GX who popularized it) is Spencer's standard midscreen combo route. There are multiple different "Zip Loops", usually starting from the same 2H > 9X+S, j.M sequence, but the GX loop is popular due to its relative ease and consistency.
| Notation | Damage | Meter | Location | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2L 2M 2H > 9X+S, j.M, [rejump, j.M j.H j.S > 3X+S]x3, land, 236H > L, dash forward (x2), jump, j.236M, j.S > j.6X+S, j.3X+S, land, 236H > L (, 236S) xx 236XX |
~730,000 |
+0.15 |
Anywhere |
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2L 2M 2H > 9X+S, j.M, [rejump, j.M j.H 3X+S, j.S]x2, rejump, j.M j.H j.S > 6X+S, 6X+S, 3X+S, land, 2H > 236H > L, TK j.2369H, 3X+S, 1X+S, land, 236H > L (, 236S) > 236XX, j.2369H |
~734,000 |
+0.15 |
Anywhere |
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6H, 236S, 2H > 9X+S, j.M, rejump, j.M j.H j.S > 3X+S (sideswitch here), rejump, j.M j.H j.S > 6X+S, 6X+S, 3X+S, land, 5S sjc. 2369H > L (, 236S) > 236XX, etc. |
Corner |
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|
623X, 5L 5M 5H 5S sjc. j.M j.M j.H > 3X+S, j.5S rejump j.236M, j.S > 6X+S, 3X+S land 5S sjc. TK 2369H > L (, 236S) > 236XX, etc. |
~370,000 |
Midscreen-to-Corner |
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Sample confirm off 623X command grab | ||||
|
Airthrow, j.236S, land, 5M 5H 5S sjc. j.M j.M j.H j.5S, land, (backdash) jump j.236M, j.S > 6X+S, 3X+S, land, 5S sjc. TK 2369H > L etc. |
409,000 (no bar) |
+0.8 |
Midscreen |
|
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|
Forward Airthrow, j.236S, land, 5M 5H 5S sjc. TK 2369H > L, backdash jump j.236M, j.S > 6X+S, 3X+S, land, 5S sjc. TK 2369H > L etc. |
409,000 (no bar) |
+0.8 |
Corner |
|
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|
Forward Throw, TK 2369H, j.S rejump j.M j.H (delay) j.S rejump j.M j.H j.S > 6X+S, j.S > 3X+S, land, 5S sjc. TK 2369H > L, etc. |
320,000 (no bar) |
+0.9 |
Corner |
|
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Forward Throw, TK 2369H, j.S land 236H > L, jump TK j.2369S, 5M 5H 5S sjc. TK 2369H > L etc. |
320,000 (no bar) |
+0.9 |
Corner |
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Non-Wallbounce Combos
These combo routes intentionally preserve Spencer's Wall Bounce, so that it can be used for the post-hyper extension detailed at the top of the section.
GX Loop variant that preserves Wall Bounce for post-hyper extension. This is the recommended Spencer BnB to learn off normal grounded hits. Consistent on most characters, but needs to be modified against Sentinel, and Rocket Raccoon, and doesn't work on Tron.
| Notation | Damage | Meter | Location | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2L 2M 2H > 9X+S, j.M, [rejump, j.M j.H > 3X+S, j.S]x2, rejump, j.M j.5H > 3X+S, 3X+S, land, 236H > L > 236XX, etc. |
Anywhere |
|||
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Slightly shortened version of the normal GX route. | ||||
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2M 2H > 9X+S, j.M, rejump j.M j.H > 3X+S, j.S, rejump, j.M j.H > 3X+S, j.S, rejump, j.M j.H j.S > 6X+S, 6X+S, 3X+S, land, 5S sjc. TK 2369H > L > 236XX, etc. |
642,000 (1 bar) / 932,000 (2 bars) |
Builds ~1.1 bars |
Anywhere |
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2L 2M 2H > 9X+S, j.M, land, short dash, 5L 5H > 9X+S, j.M, [rejump, j.M j.H > 3X+S, j.S, rejump, j.M j.H j.S > 6X+S, 6X+S, 3X+S, land, 5S sjc. TK 2369H > L (, 236S) > 236XX, etc. |
417,000 (with no bar) |
Builds ~1.0 bars |
Anywhere |
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Air-to-Air Confirms
Spencer's air-to-air confirms can be inconsistent due to factors like relative height, screen position, and the size of the opponent. However, it is possible on paper for Spencer to confirm just about any hit, usually by making use a few key tools.
- j.S causes opponents to fall faster than other attacks, and so connecting it frequently can help Spencer to "staircase" an opponent lower to the ground. It also has a very high amount of hitstun, often giving Spencer time to land and rejump if done below superjump height.
- j.3X+S allows Spencer to give himself a consistent amount of downwards momentum from any point in his jump arc to stabilize an otherwise awkward air-to-air confirm. Ideally, you want the opponent to be slightly below Spencer, so that j.3X+S hits them instead of going all the way to the wall behind them.
j.S > j.3X+S, j.Sis a fairly reliable way to bring both Spencer and the opponent lower to the ground. You can also do something likej.6X+S, j.6X+S, j.3X+Sto bring opponents closer to the corner.
- j.H has high amounts of hitstun and hits high above Spencer. Its combination of quick startup and upward angled hitbox make it ideal for rejump/resuperjump sequences, because it will connect on the way up earlier than Spencer's other air normals.
Spencer's general goal when confirming a weird air-to-air is to bring the opponent low enough to the ground that he can land and connect either 5S Launcher or 236H Up-Grapple. It's almost never optimal, but if you do not feel able to staircase an opponent all the way down, Spencer can cancel nearly any air normal hit into some version of j.236X and spend Wall Bounce to bring himself and the opponent to the ground.
| Notation | Damage | Meter | Location | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
(Air-to-Air) j.M j.H j.S > j.236L/M, (delay) j.3X+S, j.S land 236M > L, dash TK 2369S > 236XX. TK 2369H |
618,000 |
-0.5 |
Midscreen |
|
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(Air-to-Air) j.M j.H j.S > j.236L/M, (delay) j.S > 2X+S, land 236L > L, dash TK 2369S > 236XX. TK 2369H |
~645,000 |
-0.5 |
Corner |
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(Air-to-Air) j.M j.H j.S, (sideswitch here) rejump, j.M j.H > 3X+S, land, 5S sjc. j.H > 6X+S, 6X+S, 6X+S, j.S, rejump, j.236H, 3X+S, 2X+S, land, 236H > L xx 236XX |
+0.75 |
Midscreen |
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(Air-to-Air)j.M j.H j.S (sideswitch here), rejump, j.M > 3X+S, rejump, j.M j.H > 6X+S, 6X+S, 3X+S, land, 5S sjc. TK 2369H > L, etc. |
+0.5 |
Midscreen |
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(Air-to-Air) j.H j.S > 3X+S, j.S, rejump, j.H j.S > 6X+S, S, 3X+S, land, 5S sjc. 2369H > L (, 236S) > 236XX, etc. |
633,000 (1 bar), 938,000 (2 bar) |
Midscreen-to-Corner |
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(Air-to-Air)j.H j.S > 3X+S, j.H, resuperjump, j.H > 3X+S, j.S, land, 236H > L, etc. |
0.4 |
Corner |
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Video Guide - Situational Spencer Confirms by Miniboss
Assist Extensions
Spencer's solo damage is already very strong, and so he is not necessarily dependent on assists for normal combo routes. However, Spencer also gets disproportional benefit from even simple assist extensions due to the fact that Up-Grapple deals an unscaled 80k damage. If any assist allows Spencer to connect even one extra 80k, it significantly improves his damage potential, and can turn a 2-bar ToD into a 1-bar ToD, or a 1-bar ToD into a meterless kill.
Spencer's main way of utilizing assists in combos is to help support the limitations on his OTG options. j.236S will (usually) consume Ground Bounce, and j.236X consumes Spencer's precious Wall Bounce, putting a hard limit on how many times Spencer can use these in a combo. Any OTG-capable assist can do something as simple as (Any Hard Knockdown) -> Call Assist -> 236H > L to add about 100,000 damage to any point in a combo.
Alternatively, you can use an assist to prevent a Hard Knockdown from happening in the first place. A common Spencer extension - especially near the corner - is 5S + Call Assist sjc. TK 2369H > L, 5S sjc. TK 2369H > L. Many common assists last long enough that Spencer's Reel-In Punch will knock them into the lingering assist hit, juggling them and skipping the usual Hard Knockdown.
Spencer has a uniquely powerful synergy with Doctor Doom's Hidden Missiles assist. A 236H > L done in the corner leaves most characters at the correct spacing that, if Doom is called, exactly one missile will hit OTG on the way up, and the rest will hit on the way down. The standard Spencer/Doom extension looks like this: 236H > L, Call Assist (and dash), 236H > L, [Assist hits again] 236H (delay) > L and lets Spencer connect several unscaled up-grapples in a row for very high damage.
Spencer/Doom/Vergil
Spencer/Doom/Vergil
Spencer/Doom/Vergil
Thor-killer with Spencer/Doom/Ammy
Spencer/Dante/Doom Maximizing Up-Grapples. Partially novelty, but also shows practical extensions
Spencer CMV featuring extensions with Doom, Iron Man, Dante, Ammy, Taskmaster, Shuma, Raccoon
Spencer/Skrull/Rocket sideswitch combos
more Spencer/Skrull/Rocket stuff
Comboing in X-Factor
[Needs expanding?]
- With X-Factor active, you almost always want to replace Bionic Maneuvers (236XX) with Bionic Lancer (214XX) in combos. Lancer does a little less damage (with X-Factor active this shouldn't matter in terms of killing), but is MUCH faster and thus wastes less X-Factor duration to complete.
- In Spencer can directly link 5S after OTG j.236S.
- In any level of X-Factor, Spencer can link 5L after his 6H Overhead to confirm without needing to use 236S Armor Piercer and waste Wall Bounce. It is a tight link in XF1, and much easier at higher levels
- You can also use X-Factor activation itself to cancel 6H and follow up with anything.
- Spencer can also link 6H into Bionic Lancer (214XX) and combo from there, since it has the same startup as 5L.
| Notation | Damage | Meter | Location | Video |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
214XX > LMHS, jump j.236S > 214XX |
711,000 |
-1.9 |
Anywhere |
|
| ||||
Advanced Combos
- May only work on a few characters or in specific circumstances.
- Can have any amount of requirements such as meter, positioning, starter.
- Are not necessarily harder than core combos, but require more specific knowledge.
Spencer's Bionic Bomber knee drop constists of two separate attacks. The main knee drop hits OTG and causes a Ground Bounce, meaning if Ground Bounce has already been used the opponent will instantly flip out and the combo will end.
Bionic Bomber also sends out a shockwave on landing, which hits OTG and knocks upward in a similar way to the main hit but does not use or interact with Ground Bounce. It is possible for Spencer to reposition after certain knockdowns and space a TK Bionic Bomber so that only the shockwave hits.
Spencer's zip attacks have just enough minimum hitstun that, combined with the flat additional hitstun caused by attacking in a superjump state, allows this sequence to loop into itself infinitely.
Do not be fooled by the simple-looking inputs. Doing even one rep of this at minimum hitstun is very difficult. The link timing is quite tight, and it is necessary to input a superjump for each rep. However, it is - if you can pull it off - a meterless, assistless, TAC-less infinite.
The Zipfinite's damage is EXTREMELY low, at only 3,000 total damage per rep of the infinite (1k per zip at minimum damage scaling). In fact, it deals so little damage that it is unlikely to actually kill a character before the match ends on time. It is technically possible for Spencer to timer-scam an opponent by getting them stuck in this infinite and not letting it end until the round is over, with Spencer's team hopefully having a life lead at that point. It would take roughly 520 hits of the infinite (~173 reps) to fully drain the timer for 99 Marvel seconds down to 0. A perfect execution machine could theoretically win a match off the first hit by confirming into this infinite and never, ever dropping it.
