Understanding Stagger Pressure in TFH

Since the meaning of "stagger" can get confusing in different contexts, allow me to provide some basic examples.

• Usually "stagger pressure" refers to an offensive gameplan built around delayed gatlings. Example: Amaron uses a lot of stagger pressure against me.
• The singular "stagger" often refers to using a delayed gatling to reset pressure or frame trap. Example: I use stagger 5B > 2B against Bubbleboots.
• Plural "staggers" refers to the potential of a player / character's overall ability to perform stagger pressure. Example: Pom's staggers aren't very strong because 5B and 2B are minus six.

But in this write-up we'll mostly refer to the first example. Stagger pressure is the use of delayed gatlings and pressure resets to open up the opponent. This style of offense is built on the question of "How do I make my opponent commit to escaping" rather than "How do I mix them up?"

For an example from another game, this UNIST clip is a solid demonstration.

These two ideas are NOT mutually exclusive, but stagger pressure is firmly rooted in the former idea. In TFH, this commitment from the defender comes in the form of pressing a button or upbacking defensively. 

I will use Velvet as an example, since her entire offensive presence lies in staggers. Top Velvet players frequently end their strings at 2B, then dash back in and press 2A to reset their pressure and close any lost distance. Once they've established this, they'll start delay cancelling 2B into 2C in order to land a massive counterhit reward. It may be hard to illustrate this scenario in your head, so I've provided a video example. 

"But can't I just block forever? Why should I commit when that's exactly what the opponent wants me to do?"

In some scenarios, you're actually right. If you have the life lead, there's virtually no reason to commit when TFH gives you so many low risk defensive options. This is where throws come in! Strong stagger pressure isn't complete without representing throw. Let's discuss why that is.

1. Players cannot react to throw using the animation.

At seven frames of startup and minimal visual indication, reacting to throw using the animation is impossible! However, it IS possible to react to the situation preceding the throw. When someone says they're reacting to the throw, this is usually what they mean. It's also part of what makes tick throws so effective- they're almost impossible to distinguish from strings within throw range!

Sidenote: BB & UNI players who may dispute this, I watched you guys get sent to the Miiverse by Bykuya & Ragna TRM setups for three years. I don't want to hear it.

2. Throw tech inputs force the opponent to commit to something that's counterhit state.

Usually this is a throw tech animation, although throws can also be option selected with plink B~C (Pom players, you should always be doing this). Anyway the point is that valid throw tech inputs force you to commit to something in counterhit state. By extension, this makes baiting someone's throw tech a really big punish!

This is what makes the representation of throw so powerful even if it gets teched most of the time. You're forcing commitment from the defender and potentially setting up a big counterhit down the line. 

"So why is stagger pressure the foundation of high level play? What about all that other stuff?"

Simply put, it's the least committal way to win offense.

Most mixups in the game are either extremely committal or require external conditions to be effective. Oleander is the easiest example of this: her 6C is extremely high risk/reward. You'd be lucky to get more than a few hits (without Fred) in top level play. This is why top Oleander players use stagger pressure as the basis of their offense.

Tian & Shanty are slight exceptions to this rule, since they have unreactable overheads that remain safe. Tian players still have to use frame traps to prevent opponents from jabbing out of them. Shanty players still need to set up a blocked short hop jC to start her fuzzy offense. Both of these characters still have to make heavy use of stagger pressure in their core offense despite their direct mixup tools. And you will still see players implement heavy amounts of throw pressure for the reasons we just discussed.

Reactions tend to be tighter at the top level as well. A stray goatwheel or volcanic dash is less likely to catch someone off guard. Even players who lean more on prediction than reaction will have better ideas of where to look for them- even when they haven't been on the stack in a long time.

"Alright, so where do I start with stagger pressure?"

Pick a spot with decent frame data (for most characters, it's a 5B or 2B). End your string there, then dash up and reset pressure. When you think your opponent will start committing in that spot, do a delayed cancel into another normal. Bonus points if that normal is also a low, which will check fuzzy jumps.

Got the opponent to keep blocking after that point? Good! Start mixing in throws and throw baits. Dash up and reset pressure with 2A. Make them commit, dare them to mash out of your offense and blow them up for it when it matters the most.

Of course, like anything else, stagger pressure must be tuned to the opponent. Some players will get hit by any small gap in your blockstring. Some players will never commit no matter what you do. Either way, this is a great base to start with that you can easily adjust as you go. Good luck!