Matchup Summary (Win Condition and Game Plan)
Joker can scatter Terry’s midrange entries with Gun, Eiha, and superior mobility, and once Terry is forced offstage the matchup becomes dangerous quickly because aerial Gun and back air attack his weak recovery directly. Straight Burn Knuckle entries and high jumps are easy for Joker to bend around and punish.
The matchup also gets worse whenever Terry rushes big buttons into the defensive specials. Rebel’s Guard in normal state and Tetrakarn / Makarakarn with Arsene both punish impatient specials or raw super specials and let Joker control the pace of the stock.
But Joker’s raw kill power in normal state is much thinner, and Jab 1-3, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, every smash attack, Forward Air, Up Air, and Side B (1) are all punishable on shield by OOS Nair (7f) or even Up B (10f) in many cases. If Terry reaches close range through walk-shield, the reward on defense shifts heavily in his favor.
The win condition is to touch Joker first with jab, down tilt, or nair, keep center, push him to ledge, and then avoid overforcing the stock during Arsene. Drain that timer, then cash out at the end of Arsene or off GO confirms.
Full Move Frame Quick Reference
| Opponent Move | Startup | On Shield | Terry OOS Candidate Moves | Barely Missed Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jab 1 | 4 | -16 |
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| Jab 2 | 3 | -17 |
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| Jab 3 | 3 | -26 |
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| Forward Tilt | 8/13 | /-15(/-11) |
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| Up Tilt | 8/11/14/17/20 | -27 |
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| Down Tilt | 8 | -22(-19) |
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| Dash Attack | 6/15 | **/-23 |
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| Forward Smash | 16 | -21 |
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| Up Smash | 10 | -32(-30) |
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| Down Smash | 12/16 | -24/-20(—/-18) |
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| Neutral Air | 12 | -5 |
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| Forward Air | 7/12 | -10/-9 |
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| Back Air | 7 | -5 |
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| Up Air | 5… | -12 |
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| Down Air | 13 | -7 |
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| Neutral B (1) | 12/37/65 | ** | ||
| Neutral B (2) | 12/18/24 | ** | ||
| Side B (1) | 16 | -27 |
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| Side B (2) | 16 (1/6/11/16) | ** | ||
| Up B (1) | 20 | ** | ||
| Up B (2) | ** | — | ||
| Down B (1) | 3 (Start of Block) | — | ||
| Down B (2) | 4 (Start of Counter) | — | ||
| Grab | 6 | — | ||
| Dash Grab | 8 | — | ||
| Pivot Grab | 9 | — |
Win Condition Checklist
- Do not try to bulldoze through midrange with raw Power Wave trades or straight Burn Knuckle. Walk-shield through Eiha and Gun until jab, down tilt, and nair range is actually available.
- After blocking Jab 1-3, Forward Tilt, Up Tilt, Down Tilt, Dash Attack, every smash attack, Forward Air, Up Air, or Side B (1), punish immediately with OOS Nair (7f), and use Grab (10f), Up B (10f), or Up Smash (10f) whenever spacing allows.
- Against descending aerial Gun from high up, do not mash directly underneath. Shield or drift sideways first, then hit the landing around the third or fourth shot when Joker is more committed.
- Once you get the first opening, do not chase too far offstage. Keep center and ledge pressure, catch jump with Fair, and call out defensive ledge options with Down Tilt or Up Smash so Joker’s normal-state kill drought stays active.
- During Arsene and while GO is active, do not force raw Buster Wolf or Power Geyser. Make the counter special whiff, trim the timer, and finish from jab, down tilt, or shield-punish confirms instead.
Actions to Avoid
- Jumping high or throwing Burn Knuckle the moment you see Eiha or Gun and letting Joker swat the entry with Fair, Bair, or a landing trap into the ledge.
- Swinging Power Dunk, super specials, or smash attacks first when Rebel’s Guard or Tetrakarn / Makarakarn is a live threat and handing Joker either a reversal or extra Arsene value.
- Treating every blocked Nair or Bair as a guaranteed Up B or Up Smash punish and whiffing into another full reset at midrange.
- Fighting directly under descending aerial Gun and taking both the bullets and Joker’s landing mix at the same time.
- Overchasing offstage, letting tether recovery or Arsene Up B reroute around you, and exposing Terry’s weaker recovery for no gain.