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The Red Focus Attack, known in Japan as Red Saving Attack or simply Red Focus, is a mechanic introduced in Ultra Street Fighter IV. It is essentially a "revamped" Focus Attack.

Input
All appearances Medium punch + Medium kick + Arcade-Button-LPunch

Description[]

Ibuki Provisional damage

Red Focus Attack's damage absorbing properties in action.

Executed by pressing or holding medium punch, medium kick and light punch at the same time, it plays out similarly to a regular Focus Attack in terms of visuals; the character flashes red every time they absorb a hit. This technique uses two bars of the Super Combo Gauge and possesses "infinite" Super Armor - it can essentially absorb as many attacks as the user has health. However, it should be noted that like a regular Focus Attack, Red Focus is still susceptible to throws and Armor Breaking moves. 

Tactics[]

Red Focus(2)

Rolento using Red Focus Attack to absorb Dhalsim's Yoga Fire.

Like a regular Focus Attack, players can perform universal techniques which involve Red Focus - including EX Red Focus and EX Red Focus Dash Canceling. The Red Focus Attack costs two bars of the Super Combo Gauge to perform, but deals 50% more damage than a regular Focus Attack. The Red Focus Attack should be deployed in situations where it is necessary to protect against a flurry of hits (e.g. a Super Combo) which may be tough to punish after blocking, or do a lot of chip damage. Not only does all the provisional damage sustained build up the Revenge Gauge, but it does so twice as fast.

EX Red Focus Attack[]

Red Focus Combo

Blanka comboing into a level 1 red focus attack against Ibuki.

Unlike the base Red Focus Attack, canceling into an EX Red Focus Attack costs three bars of the Super Combo Gauge. The main difference between this and the EX Focus Attack is that it deals 50% more damage and crumples at level 1. This adds a whole new layer of new combos that are now possible. Moves that previously did not have enough hitstun to combo into a level 2 EX Focus Attack crumple can now use the EX Red Focus Attack to get a crumple state on the opponent. With this new opportunity to get the opponent crumpled, characters that couldn't easily combo into their Ultra Combos, such as charge motion characters, can now do so at the cost of three bars of the Super Combo Gauge.

Dash Canceling[]

Although it is possible with Red Focus Attack, there is no point in using this over the regular Focus Attack as it costs two more bars of meter and, since the EX Red Focus Attack never actually comes out, the player misses out on the Red version's 50% damage increase.

Trivia[]

  • When Red Focus Attack was revealed in the Ultra Street Fighter IV trailer, it was demonstrated by having Ken use the Red Focus Attack to absorb Chun-Li's Senretsukyaku. This mimics professional players Daigo Umehara and Justin Wong in the famous "Evo Moment #37", where Daigo (Ken), down to his last pixel of health, fully parried Justin's (Chun-Li) Houyoku Sen and made a returning comeback to win the match.
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