First Attack Episode 8 Explains the "The Magic Number" for Fighting Game Frame Data

Frame data is a deep topic that typically only competitive high level players tend to delve in. Seeing huge tables of numbers can be overwhelming to someone who is still trying to learn to do a fireball motion. But those who are well versed in reading frame data know that there are shortcuts to finding information that you want. Here is where Jchensors come in to help demystify the complexity of frame data and show you a concept that you can utilize right away.

James “Jchensor” Chen is one of the Fighting Game Community’s most respected teachers. His years of experience as a competitor and a commentator have given him a great level of insight which he shares in an easy to digest manner. With this beginner friendly approach, he’s created his First Attack series on YouTube to teach everyone how to play fighting games and show why they are so great.

He shows in this lesson how to quickly look through a frame data table to find useful info. He teaches to look for what he dubs “the magic number”, which is the most prevalent fastest move in the game. This move would be the 10 frame jab in Tekken 7 or the 3 frame jab in Street Fighter V. This is significant because it determines which moves are punishable or not on block in the game. In the 2nd half of this lesson, he uses a nifty graphic to show how the magic number works within time.

Check out the 2 part lesson here below: