[DI-X: PRP] [Guide] Pokken Quick Tips #1: CADC

[Sol 0/300]

Pokken Tournament Quick Tips #1: CADCing

Hey everyone! I'm Sol, and this is the first installment of a series of guides I'll be doing on Pokken Tournament DX. In this series, I'll be giving quick tips on how to improve your Pokken gameplay.

1. What is CADCing?

CADC stands for Counter Attack Dash Cancel. It's a technique used to deal with zoners and projectiles in both Field and Duel phase. The animation looks exactly the same as your character's dash/sidestep animation, but with the blue flash of a counter attack.

You may have noticed during matches that you can counter attack projectiles, causing them to have no effect on you. Unfortunately, completing the counter attack gives you lag and leaves you vulnerable to follow-up projectiles. That's where CADCing comes in. By CADCing, a character can block projectiles effectively while still approaching their opponent. This is especially useful when dealing with zoner characters like Chandelure or Gardevoir, as it allows you to get in on them much more easily. Simply CADC their projectiles and dash towards them, and you've dashed their primary plan of keeping you away.

2. How is this performed?

CADCing is very simple! You press X+A as for a normal counter attack, but before you let go to complete the attack, you hit R and a direction at the same time. (You can also hold the direction during the counter attack before you hit R, which makes it a little easier.) This cancels the counter attack and makes you dash in the direction you inputted. Note that you cannot CADC in place- you must move in one direction for the technique to work.

You do not have to instantly cancel the counter attack in order to CADC. A good way to do it is to hold the counter attack until the projectile has stopped hitting you, and then cancel. If you cancel while a projectile is still hitting you, you'll get hit as normal, which defeats the whole purpose.

3. When should I use CADC?

If you see a projectile, your instinctive reaction should be either to block or CADC. CADC helps out enormously against projectiles and projectile-based characters, as previously stated. Don't do it too much, however. Skilled players will notice you CADCing all the time and switch to different tactics or punish you for it. CADC is also not great at dealing with certain types of projectiles or supports, such as beams or the Emolga support. Try blocking these attacks instead. Alternate your projectile-reactions between CADCing and blocking, and you should be alright.

CADCing isn't exclusively used for dealing with projectiles, however- it has many applications beyond them. For one, it can be used to mindgame your opponent. You can bait your opponent in by CADCing away a few times and then attacking as they approach, or trick your opponent into grabbing and then CADC back and punishing them. You can also take advantage of the counter attack armor granted by CADC to deflect an opponent's attack and get some space, or take advantage of the dash aspect to maintain your spacing. Mastering the mobility and armor granted by CADC is crucial to implementing it properly into your gameplay.

There are a few drills to use when practicing CADC. A good one is to go into Free Training mode against Braixen, and set her to constantly use normal attack. Do nothing but CADC to block Braixen's fireballs and approach her, and when you get up to her, finish the counter attack to knock her into Duel Phase. Then while in Duel Phase, deflect her normal attack with CADC and dash backwards. Rinse and repeat this drill until you have CADCing down pat.

4. Ending

CADCing is an incredibly useful technique with several important applications. Working it into your gameplay is crucial to becoming better at Pokken. Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you again next time!

Spoiler

Tagging PRP council members: @13thShade @Nitro @Eastonn8

[Nitro 2,318/3200]

Approved! Good guide, and while I haven't played Pokken I appreciate that you gave a way to learn how to do it well.

[Guest Eastonn8]

I definitely learned from this article. Approved!

[Sol 0/300]

5 hours ago, Nitro said:

Approved! Good guide, and while I haven't played Pokken I appreciate that you gave a way to learn how to do it well.

3 hours ago, Eastonn8 said:

I definitely learned from this article. Approved!

Thank you both! My hope here is to spark interest in Pokken from the rest of DI, so your reactions are very heartening.

[Guest PunctualGuy]

Good guide! I knew about CADC (never knew to call it that though), but it's not an option I often remember to use in the heat of battle. I suppose it's one of those things I'll just have to practice until it becomes natural to me.

[Sol 0/300]

4 hours ago, PunctualGuy said:

Good guide! I knew about CADC (never knew to call it that though), but it's not an option I often remember to use in the heat of battle. I suppose it's one of those things I'll just have to practice until it becomes natural to me.

Thanks! I have issues remembering it sometimes, too, but it's consistently been useful once I think "hey, this is a thing that exists and is good, use it". One of my reasons for writing these guides is to remind myself to do these things more consistently. Teaching others is the best way to teach yourself, I guess.

[13thShade 4,323/5000]

Approved.