Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
This matchup becomes dangerous the moment Ken is allowed to walk into low-tilt range for free. Richter does not win extended point-blank scrambles, so Cross, Axe, and Holy Water should be used first to pin down Ken’s walk and jump timings, then the whip tip occupies the place where he has to stop.
If Ken gets in anyway, trying to mash out of everything usually feeds the exact jab, down tilt, and special-cancel pressure he wants. The frame table shows Jab 1, Jab 2-3, every ftilt hit, utilt, dtilt, dash attack, every smash attack, neutral B, side B, and down B are punishable with Up B (6f) or Grab (10f), but nair and bair are much thinner or nonexistent punish spots. Richter needs to take the guaranteed Up B checks and let the safer aerials go.
Ken also gets much more linear when he is kept outside for longer and much more readable once he is pinned at ledge. Richter should cash that out with ledge control, not with reckless chases. Holy Water, Axe, and whip coverage at the edge are worth more than giving Ken one more close-range opening.
The win condition is not to outdamage Ken in the brawl. It is to stop the first entry, punish the first forced scramble correctly, and keep resetting him back outside before the next one starts.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Richter OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 2 | -10 |
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| Jab 2 | 3 | -21 |
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| Jab 3 | 8 | -21 |
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| Jab (1) | 7 | -19 |
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| Jab (2) | 9/16 | -10/-6 |
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| Forward Tilt (1) | 3 | -20 |
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| Forward Tilt (2) | 8 | -8 |
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| Forward Tilt (3) | 10 | -18/-14 |
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| Up Tilt (1) | 3 | -8 |
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| Up Tilt (2) | 7 | -19 |
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| Down Tilt (1) | 2 | -9 |
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| Down Tilt (2) | 6 | -15 |
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| Dash Attack | 7 | -22 |
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| Forward Smash | 13 | -24/-21 |
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| Up Smash | 9 | -24 |
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| Down Smash | 5 | -25 |
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| Neutral Air | 6 | -2/-2, -1/-2 |
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| Forward Air | 8 | -7/-6, -7/-6 |
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| Back Air | 8 | -4/-5 |
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| Up Air | 5 | -8 |
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| Down Air | 8 | -10 |
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| Neutral B | 13 | -35/-34 |
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| Side B (1) | 8/13—38 | -25 to -30 |
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| Side B (2) | 8/13/18/23/28/33/38 | -36 |
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| Up B (1) | 6 | ** | ||
| Up B (2) | 5/6/9 | ** | ||
| Down B | 12 (+21), 12(+31), 12(+59) | -32, -33, unblockable |
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| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 9 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 10 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Use Cross, Axe, and Holy Water to freeze Ken’s walk and jump timings so low-tilt range never starts for free.
- After blocking Jab 1, Jab 2-3, any forward tilt hit, utilt, dtilt, dash attack, any smash attack, neutral B, side B, or down B, punish with Up B (6f) or Grab (10f).
- Do not overforce shield punishes on nair or bair. Reset space with projectiles and whip coverage instead.
- Once Ken is at the ledge, prioritize Holy Water, Axe, and whip tip coverage over deep chasing so he cannot restart the point-blank game.
- Keep whip swings disciplined and aimed at the stop point, not thrown early into focus or burst options.
Actions to Avoid
- Letting Ken walk into low-tilt range because the projectile layer was too loose.
- Mashing at point blank and feeding his jab or down-tilt conversions.
- Trying to punish every blocked aerial and opening gaps for a second entry.
- Giving up ledge control with overcommitted chases and forcing yourself back into midrange panic.