Sen no Sen, localized as 2-Steps Forward in Plus R, is one of Kliff Undersn's Special Attacks, first appearing in the original Guilty Gear and in all subsequent games that he appears in.
Overview[]
Kliff rears back defensively, functioning as a spot-dodge that avoids mid-level attacks. This originally used to be his backdash input in the first Guilty Gear, being regulated as special move from X Plus onwards as he gains a proper backdash.
However, abusing this dodge too much raises a chance where Kliff hurts his back and will be left vulnerable. Thus it's wise to cooldown on using this dodge too much. Older games before XX also has him inflict self-damage to his HP each time he hurts his back from failure; the percentage chance to hurt his back has nothing to do with his current self-stun/dizzy rate and is its own percentage.
Details[]
2-Steps Forward[]
Hellish Charge[]
Hellish Charge.
During his back step, he can follow up with Hellish Charge (地獄突っ込み, Jigoku Tsukkomi?, lit. Hell Penetration) as localized in Plus R by pressing 
. Kliff thrust-chops his opponent's midsection upwards, stunning them for a short time; the first game's version could allow him to rapid-jab 4 times in a row with strike invulnerability frames at midsection or higher.
As of X Plus however, the move can be rapid-fired up to 3 times instead and no longer carries any strike invul. frames. Then as of XX, the chop thrusts no longer have any pushback on hit, allowing Kliff to keep the victim in place for all three hits and likely convert into a combo with meter to RC it or into a special/super with a fast link/late chain.
Regardless, with its short recovery, Jigoku Tsukkomi/Hellish Charge can easily be used as a frame trap or a pressure tool, but that depends on how many times Kliff has liberally used the Sen no Sen to lead to a chance of failure with his back pain animation.
Solely in Accent Core Plus R, however, the base version has been nerfed to only being a single chop attack that has some recovery on block (making it far easier to punish). As compensation, it now always inflicts stagger with a high stun modifier (while still having no pushback on hit), giving Kliff more chances to punish the foe off of a solid spot-dodge read. Regardless, the fact that there exist minus frames means that followup potential off of a raw Hellish Charge is very limited to only very quick moves or frame trap tools unless Kliff cancels with a Roman Cancel or lands a counter hit with it.
Also in Plus R, a new Force Break version with 
is accessible, where he delays his chop thrust, but also has him tire out/cough akin to his 
+ 
regardless if it hits, whiffs or connects on block.
However, whenever FB Jigoku Tsukkomi/Hellish Charge connects on hit, it has a much larger dizzy/stun state modifier compared to its reworked base version, to the point where in most scenarios the victim is instantly put into dizzy/stunned state. allowing Kliff off of a strong hard-read to put his victims in a powerfully compromising position (even possibly to set-up an Instant Kill). The coughing animation as recovery/endlag however, limits more of what Kliff can do without usage of a Roman Cancel.
Even then, both variants in Plus R also lack pushback on block, making it easy to punish either version if read correctly on top of their short range and block disadvantage unlike the original pre-reworked version.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- This move is likely a Japanese manzai comedy reference (in tandem with one of his battle intros involving himself flipping a tea table in anger). Jigoku Tsukkomi is named as such because Kliff's jab/chop at his foe resembles that of a tsukkomi (straight man) smacking the boke (fool) in reactions during such routines.
References[]