Are you playing Manon in Street Fighter 6? Are you finding it difficult to consistently land her command throw Manège Doré? Then this is the guide for you!
Manon is one of 3 grappler archetype characters in Street Fighter 6. Similar to Zangeif, Manon is equipped with an incredibly powerful command throw: Manège Doré. A lot of her game plan is built around using, or threatening to use it to deal massive damage. This is the essence of being a grappler – you throw your opponent, and they go boom.
Unfortunately, hitting your opponent with a throw is a lot easier said than done. Just about every defensive option beats throws. In fact, the only defensive option that loses to throws is blocking. Therefore, we need to convince our opponent to keep blocking, so that we can hit them with Manège Doré. That’s where the focus of this article comes into play: tick throws.
Table of Contents
- What are Tick Throws?
- What Attacks Should I Use to Tick Throw?
- What About Aerial Attacks?
- Fake Setups
- Notable Omissions
- Bringing it All Together
- Closing Thoughts
What are Tick Throws?
Tick throwing is a technique where you hit your opponent with an attack before you attempt to throw them. Usually this is done with a fast attack, or a move that leaves you with frame advantage. The basic idea here is to disguise your throw, so the opponent doesn’t see it coming.
Just think for a moment about how scary that is: you’re blocking your opponent’s attacks, and suddenly you get thrown out of nowhere. That’s why the tick throw is so powerful. It allows you to threaten your opponent with throws throughout your offense. This allows you to get way more creative with when, and where you try to throw while making it far more difficult to defend against.
What Attacks Should I Use to Tick Throw?
Now that we understand the what, and whys of tick throws, let’s look at the how’s.
Manon has a couple different normals that work fantastic for performing a tick throw. You’ll recognize that most of these are also her bread n butter combo starters, and that’s part of why they make such good tick throw setup options. Remember – tick throws only work if you can scare your opponent into continuing to block. Your opponent has to think that you’re going to keep swinging, or else they won’t continue blocking.
Standing Medium Punch (5MP)
We’re going to start with my favourite of Manon’s attacks: 5MP. This move is forward advancing, and leaves Manon at the perfect distance to throw her opponents with her fastest command throw (63214HP).
However, 5MP is -1 on block, meaning that the opponent recovers 1 frame before Manon does. This means that they can quash any attempt that we make to continue our pressure unless we spend some of our Drive Meter. Thankfully, 5MP is, in my opinion, one of Manon’s better attacks to spend Drive Meter with.
The setup here is simple: do a raw Drive Rush into 5MP. You can do a raw DR by Dashing out of a Parry. This gives 5MP an additional 4 frames of block stun (and hit stun), which allows Manon to recover 3 frames earlier than a blocking opponent. This will let us throw our opponent with 63214HP even if they continue blocking, or mash a button.
Alternatively, if you think your opponent is going to try to jump, or dash out of your throw setup you can attack with 5LK into your preferred combo route. 5LK catches jumps, and back dashes before the opponent leaves the ground so you can use an identical combo route for both scenarios. I’ve included a few different examples in the attached Youtube video.
5LK also beats mashes after DR 5MP, which is a nice additional bonus.
Finally, you can also use a Drive Rush Cancel following 5MP as a throw setup. This is a little different than our previous setups as we’re using a standard 5MP, but we’re relying on the DRC to give us the frame advantage we need to land our throw. As a result of this, we actually need to use 63214LP instead of our faster command throw. This is because our opponent will still be locked in block stun, so the fast throw will whiff against them. Thankfully, the slowest command throw is auto-timed to work after DRC, and will catch mashers so it functions very similarly to our setup outlined above.
As for how you can beat back dashes, and jumps: 4HP, or 2MK. Both options lead into similar combo routes, and, like 5LK in the previous example, beat both options before your opponent leaves the ground so you can use the same combo routing. I’ve included another video with a couple examples of potential routes, but you can use whatever you like best.
Oh, and these options also always beat mashers. I realize that’s a bit of a recurring trend, but the reason for this will come up later in the guide.
Frame Advantage on Block: -1
Frame Advantage After Drive Rush: +3
Applicable Throw(s): 63214HP, 63214LP
Crouching Medium Punch (2MP)
In my opinion, this is another of Manon’s better normals. It has a lot in common with 5MP, but 2MP pushes Manon back quite a bit on block. That’s of very little consequence though as you’ll want to use 2MP almost exclusively after a Drive Rush.
As far as setups, and usage are concerned, 2MP is basically the same as 5MP. It also has 3 frames of advantage against a blocking opponent after a Drive Rush, which means that you can use 63214HP safely afterwards. This also means that all of your 5LK combos will also work here to stuff an opponent who tries to escape the throw with a jump, or backdash.
The only key difference is that using DRC after 2MP requires different routing. 2MP puts the opponent in less block stun, so you can actually continue using 63214HP here. That also means that you can continue to use the same 5LK options here as well to beat jumps, and back dashes. Additionally, you can also use a regular throw if you want an option that is less punishable than your command throw.
Personally, I find 5MP a little easier to use, but occasionally throwing in 2MP will help to overwhelm your opponent. Doubly so if they’re only looking for DR 5MP. And it won’t cost you any additional mental load since both attacks lead into similar offensive flowcharts.
Frame Advantage on Block: -1
Frame Advantage After Drive Rush: +3
Applicable Throw(s): 63214HP, LP+LK
Standing Light Kick (5LK)
Yes – 5LK gets its own section. 5LK can do a lot of the same things as 5MP, and 2MP, but it isn’t anywhere near as proficient. I say this because it has less block stun, which limits your offensive follow-up options. It’s useful to have as an option, but I’d recommend using 5LK sparingly compared to the previously covered options.
That said, you can use Drive Rush into 5LK to set up a 50/50 just like we’ve already covered in previous sections of this guide. Drive Rush makes 5LK +2 on block, which gives Manon exactly enough frame advantage to go for 63214HP while still having it beat mashers.
As for beating jumps, and dashes you’re a lot more limited here. You can go for 5LP into a special move, but if your opponent blocks the jab then you’re going to get punished for committing to a special move. Quite heavily, in fact. I’d almost recommend simply going for the jab alone just to check your opponent for trying to evade the throw. Though if you’ve got the read, and are certain your opponent is going to evade the throw then absolutely go for the full combo on them.
You can also use DRC to set up some 50/50 situations. These aren’t as damaging as the options previously covered in this guide, but they’re still worth using to overload your opponent’s mental stack.
As for the actual execution, we’re going to do the same thing as before: 5LK, DRC, then throw. You can actually go for a standard throw, or your fast command throw (63214HP) here. Both will catch mashes, but the standard throw is less punishable if your opponent evades the throw.
On that note, to beat jumps and dashes you’ll want to use 5LP again. You can combo into whatever you want, but one thing that is nice here is that the DRC momentum puts Manon close enough that she can go for 3 consecutive jabs. This makes it way easier to hit confirm, which makes using a special attack a lot less risky. Just make sure you’ve actually hit your opponent before you let that special attack rip at the end of these combos.
Frame Advantage on Block: -2
Frame Advantage After Drive Rush: +2
Applicable Throw(s): 63214HP, LP+LK
Back Heavy Punch (4HP)
This is the last attack that I want to cover in this section of the guide. As of Season 2, 4HP is Manon’s only attack that has frame advantage when it is blocked. Unfortunately, it also has a mountain of pushback, so 4HP’s fairly meager frame advantage doesn’t do a whole lot for us. Still, if you want to try going for a throw after your opponent blocks 4HP then use 63214MP. Manon doesn’t step far enough forward with the faster command throw, but the medium punch variant will always reach your opponent after a blocked 4HP.
As for stuff that’s a little more reliable, you can use Drive Rush once again to set up a 50/50. This will give 4HP 5 frames of advantage, which will let us use 63214MP in a way that always beats mashers.
As for the strike component of this 50/50, you’re afforded access to all of your medium buttons. I’m relatively certain if you’re reading this guide then you probably already have a few combos that you like using with Manon that start off her medium punches. That being the case, use whatever you like to hit your opponent if you think they’re going to jump, or backdash. I’ve still included a video with some examples below though if you need some inspiration.
It should also be noted that you can also go for 4HP in the above scenario too. This will actually beat jumps, backdashes, and mashes too, while also allowing you to convert into a medal by using Manon’s hitgrab (236MP). I’d recommend spending additional meter when you do this so that you can ensure that you’ve actually hit your opponent before you input Manon’s hitgrab however, as it is incredibly punishable on block. Those extra frames during Drive Rush Cancel will give your brain time to actually confirm your combo.
I don’t actually have any auto-timed setups for 4HP DRC, so I’m going to recommend against using it. You certainly can, but you’ll need to manually delay your throw, and I prefer auto-timed setups as they’re highly reliable, and easy to practice.
Frame Advantage on Block: +1
Frame Advantage After Drive Rush: +5
Applicable Throw(s): 63214MP
What About Aerial Attacks?
Good question. Yes – aerial attacks typically give you frame advantage in Street Fighter, so they can be a great way to set up additional 50/50 situations for your opponent to deal with. Unfortunately, they also carry a lot of risk since it is VERY easy to anti-air fighters in this game. As such, you’ll want to use this option judiciously, unless your opponent demonstrates an inability to control the space above their head.
Of Manon’s different aerial attacks, there are only really 2 that you’ll want to use to set up a strike/throw mixup.
Jumping Heavy Kick (j.HK)
Manon’s premier jump-in attack. This sucker hits deep making it very useful for clipping your opponent with your jump-ins. It also has anywhere from 5 to 10 frames of advantage depending on how close to the ground you are when you use it. As such, which throw you’ll want to use depends on how much frame advantage you’ve got, which you won’t really know when you’re mid-match. Use your best judgment here, but note that you’ll need to manually delay if you want to use a standard throw, or your fast command throw.
Frame Advantage on Block: +5-10
Applicable Throw(s): All of them!
Jumping Heavy Punch (j.HP)
This attack is in the same boat as j.HK: you’ve got anywhere from 5 to 10 frames of advantage, and what throw you’ll want to use will depend on the amount of advantage that you’ve got since you can’t throw an opponent while they’re in block stun. As such, you’ll need to get a feel for what works, and when to use it.
However, I do find it easier to consistently get j.HP to just be +5, which makes it a little easier to use against cornered opponents. It also spikes them back down to the ground if they try to jump out of the corner, which can be useful for jailing them.
Frame Advantage on Block: +5-10
Applicable Throw(s): All of them!
Fake Setups
Okay, so you know how earlier I was making a stink about how all of the setups beat mashers? This is why. If you can convince your opponent to stop mashing because your setups just win against it then you suddenly unlock a whole wealth of additional options where you have negative frame advantage, but you can catch your opponent blocking. This is what makes grapplers so gosh darn scary to deal with.
The other advantage of the fake stuff is that it (mostly) doesn’t cost resources. This will let you get throws in places you otherwise couldn’t which will help to overload your opponent’s mental stack.
I need to clarify here that these options should be used sparingly. Fake stuff works REALLY well below Diamond rank, but once you enter higher ranks you’ll find fewer and fewer players who consistently fall for fake setups. Your goal isn’t to exclusively use the fake stuff though – you want to use just enough to throw your opponent off. That’s, unfortunately, not something I can teach you – you’ll simply need to develop a sense for this yourself.
Standing Light Punch (5LP)
This move is like 5MP, but it’s even faster so it’s harder to react to. This makes it an ideal candidate for following up with a throw. You can treat it as if it is +1 on block, and most players won’t actually be able to punish you for doing so, unless you overuse this tactic to get throws.
Regardless, this is probably the most basic fake option, and the one that I’d recommend incorporating first into your play-style.
Frame Advantage on Block: -1
Applicable Throw(s): 63214HP, LP+LK
Crouching Light Kick (2LK)
I love this move. It has incredible reach, hits low, and combos into itself up to 4 times. However, it’s absolutely god awful on block with a monumental 5 frames of disadvantage. This means your opponent can easily punish you if they block 2LK.
However, 2LK can rapid cancel, so if you keep pressing it then your opponent will get punished for trying to punish your 2LK. This means that your opponent can never be truly sure when you’ll stop pressing 2LK, and will likely stop trying to punish it.
That scenario is exactly what we want to happen: once your opponent stops trying to punish 2LK then you can choose to go for a throw after they block it. This setup is fake as fuck, but I couldn’t tell you the number of people I’ve caught with it. What’s even better is that some people will start mashing to prevent future throws, but that just gives you an opportunity to combo them for 25% of their life by continuing to attack.
I guarantee that you’ll always be able to catch someone with this in every match you play. No one expects the -5 tick throw.
Frame Advantage on Block: -5
Applicable Throw(s): 63214HP, LP+LK
Jumping Light Kick (j.LK)
I didn’t cover this option in the aerial section because it’s a complete scam, unlike Manon’s heavy aerial buttons. This aerial normal leaves Manon with no frame advantage. This means that your opponent can trade with you if you both use a fast attack, but if your opponent doesn’t know that then you can continue to attack them, or just throw them.
However, the move is quick enough that you might still be able to mess your opponent up by using j.LK. It’s also great at controlling space above Manon thanks to its speed, so j.LK works great as an air-to-air option as well.
Frame Advantage on Block: 0
Applicable Throw(s): 63214HP, LP+LK
Raw Drive Rush (MK+MP 66)
Yes – you can throw your opponent out of a raw Drive Rush. This can prove to be really effective after you’ve used several of the options outlined at the top of the post as your opponent will be conditioned into blocking your Drive Rushes. There’s always the chance that you’ll get mashed out of this, but it can help to keep your opponent on their toes.
It works with all throws, but obviously you’ll need to judge on-the-fly which one to use based on the distance you’re trying to travel.
Applicable Throw(s): All of them!
Standing Medium Kick (5MK)
Final normal: 5MK. If you do a DRC after a 5MK then you can use your medium punch command throw to catch people. This is fairly expensive, but it can catch people off guard very easily. This is doubly true if you’ve already been using 5MK DRC to apply offensive pressure, or convert off 5MK in neutral.
It should be noted that unlike all of the examples covered at the start of this guide, this will not beat mashing. That’s why it is important to use this option sparingly, and also to condition your opponent to expect a frame trap whenever you DRC 5MK.
Applicable Throw(s): 63214MP
Notable Omissions
Back Medium Kick (4MK)
I know that I recommended using this in the original version of my guide, but I’m not presently a huge fan of it. In lower ladder ranks, I could get away with using Manon’s 4MK target combo all over the place. This meant I constantly found myself in situations where I could simply throw the opponent instead of going for the target combo.
In addition, 4MK is +1 on block after a Drive Rush, which does let you threaten both your high follow-up, or a throw. This can help with scaring your opponent out of using Drive Impact, or Parry as a response to 4MK~MK, since throws will beat both of these options.
However, as I’ve spent more time in Diamond, I’ve found 4MK to be a lot less reliable. It’s still nice to have as a back-pocket option, but most people don’t want to deal with it, and will just use a reversal to push you away. This became even easier to do with the Drive Reversal buffs in Season 2, so I’m even less inclined to recommend 4MK as an option for tick throws.
It’s also only +1 after DR, so follow-up throws will lose to mashing, which I’m simply not a fan of. If I’m going to spend meter then I want to ensure that I get something for it, instead of allowing my opponent to mash like they would to escape Manon’s below average strike pressure.
Bringing it All Together
Now that you know a variety of real, and fake Tick Throw setups, you can start to incorporate them across your play. The advantage here is that it’ll give your opponent more to keep track of, which will give you additional opportunities to hit, or throw them in other spots.
For example: if you do 3 tick throws in a row your opponent probably won’t be ready to react to you walking up, and throwing them raw. Alternatively, if you use DRC to facilitate throws then your opponent is going to be more likely to try an evasive option when you DRC meaning your different combo options become more powerful.
The trick here is to not overuse the techniques I’ve outlined in this guide. Tick Throws are 1 of many tools that you can use to break your opponent down. If you overuse them then your offense will become predictable. This is something that you’ll have to get a feel for, but I’m confident that’ll come with experience.
I’ve also included a few matches of mine to demonstrate this whole concept in motion.
Closing Thoughts
I hope you found this guide effective. I wrote it mostly out of frustration as I’ve seen far too few Manon’s utilizing tick throws as part of their play. They’ll just throw Manège Doré out in neutral like a bunch of savages. That’ll work once in a while, but you’ll need tick throws to help breakdown a more formidable opponent.
So what are you waiting for? Get out there, and start throwing your opponent!
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Frostilyte Writes 