Safejump setups
Labrys has traditionally not been considered to have safejumps outside of a few very niche scenarios, however as of 2.5, her improved options and knockdown ability (and use of C beast) has introduced a few scenarios where you can safejump!
How it works
With IAD
By initiating an IAD just at the point where the enemy ground techs (can use the audio sound effect or visual white flash cues for this), Labrys' poor air movement will cause her to land around 5 frames after the enemy has fully teched. j.B (or j.2B) does not affect her vertical momentum or have landing recovery. This gives her a small window to press j.B, which will either hit a blocking/rolling/mashing/jumping opponent or whiff if the enemy goes invulnerable. However, as most dps take 10 or more frames to come out, she will land in time to block! Just remember to actually block after doing j.B. On block, you can safely blockstring into 5A or 2A.
The j.B itself is a slightly delayed one after doing IAD, the timing of which you need to get a feel for. Doing it too early or late will result in a whiff and therefore you will be at a frame disadvantage when you land, so do give it some practice. Sadly P4AU doesn't have great training tools, so you may need to record the different scenarios yourself.
The other known alternative is from a spike hit into [5B] > 236C/D > dash cancel > IAD j.B, which works for similar reasons and gives you the bonus of having an orb in play. It is possible to do the j.B too early, and is somewhat of a fast series of inputs, but is nice to have regardless.
With whiff j.A
After a charge 5B > C/D orb (usually after an SB guillotine axe route in the corner), you can do a jump whiff j.A > j.A/B safejump. This only works in the corner, but provides strong mixup potential, and the second air normal can be replaced by a jump or air stall/dash if needed (against counters/plus supers etc.). This will also work with SB beast, jumping as soon as you're able for solid timing.
Note that this only works if the opponent is off the ground when you charge 5B, as this provides enough time before the groundslide, giving you enough time to jump and land again for the safejump. Also note that you can hold up after doing C/D orb (or in any situation)in order to jump as soon as you're able to, making the timing much easier.
Whiff throw can also be used, which will result in hitting j.B one frame off the ground! This does remove your ability to cancel from this and is near frame perfect, however this will grant you the ability to safejump even the stronger parry DPs such as Rise, or even Yosuke's!
When you can use it
Any time Labrys can move again when the opponent is teching is viable for this, but due to the somewhat strict timing and other options available, it can be used:
After a C beast that gave knockdown (which it wont if the 3rd hit of beast was in yellow due to a bug...)
This is a very tight timing, timing this near optimally will still lose to 5 frame invulnerable reversals or faster (Aigis SB spear, Mitsuru A myriad arrows only pretty much)
After a counterhit DP (which makes the loss of a full combo since 1.1 hurt slightly less)
Can be timed to be immune to effectively everything
If opponent grounded, IAD as soon as possible, if aerial, delay slightly
After a throw
Must be done perfectly, and will only beat things roughly 11 frames or slower (which is half the strike DPs, or all if the opponent isn't frame perfect)
Can be delayed instead to turn it into a crossup, but won't be a safejump
On [5B] as mentioned above, but only if the opponent is high in the air when you do it. The higher they are, the better this setup is
After A brutal impact
This should never happen, but hey, it's a thing
It cannot be used on Kanji at all, and only the CH DP, [5B] and A brutal impact scenarios are good enough to deal with Rise and Yosuke DPs (although are so perfect, probably not worth going for at all). Chie can always be safejumped as long as you block low, and Teddie can be safejumped in most scenarios , but will require a unique punish.
Against Margaret and Liz - instead of blocking, you can input a backdash as you would hit j.B - if the j.B lands/get blocked then 5A as normal, but if they DP you'll get a backdash, which will allow you to punish either DP. In the case where they super, you will still have time to react.
Ways to mixup
Once an opponent respects that this is a safejump, you can do a very nice mixup too! If you do j.B a couple of frames too late, it will appear as though the move has come out (including visually and audibly), but you will instead land, meaning that both 2A and grabs will be unexpectedly quick. Clearly don't do this too often otherwise they will not respect the safejump, but do keep it in mind.
You also have the ability to cancel j.B into j.214A for a 2nd quick high, although this is unsafe on block. Consider doing this when you have the meter to cancel the 2nd hit into a low for a nasty high/low/confirm from the high.
Also - after j.B/j.2B is blocked, you can microdash short hop j.B for a very nasty crossup if the opponent is crouching, and this can be confirmed with md 5A if it lands.
Other considerations
j.B was chosen for the button to use due to the ease of timing and ability to confirm relatively easily no matter the situation.
If an opponent doesn't tech, you will either whiff or hit them off the ground depending on the spacing. Typicaly, after a C beast you'll switch sides and jump over them. After a DP, you will get a yellow combo, which can be confirmed either by doing j.BB > dash > j.B > j.B > j.C > j.214B > 236236D, or j.B > j.214B > 236236D. Sadly due to proration, you won't get any more than this
j.2B can work instead, with a few differences:
Longer startup, so slightly different timing
Higher blockstun and better spacing for Labrys
Less time/slightly harder to confirm
Different confirms based on where on the screen you are
Higher damage in green and below on hit, worse damage orange and higher
Harder to input
Doesn't require a delay
Can't confirm off no-techs after dp knockdown
Try both out and see what works for you.
Last updated