Street Fighter 6: What Is Burnout & How To Survive

In Street Fighter 6, one of the new gameplay mechanics introduced is called “Burnout.” Burnout is a state that affects your character when your Drive Gauge, located below the health bar, is depleted. This Sf6 Burnout guide is all about how to survive Burnout!

What Is Burnout?

In Street Fighter 6, burnout refers to a specific state a player enters when they’ve depleted all of their Drive Gauge. This gauge, also known as the Drive Meter, is a resource that each player begins with in full at the start of every round. It’s composed of six stocks of Drive Gauge and allows players to perform various universal mechanics in SF6, including moves like Drive Impact, Drive Rush, Drive Parry, Drive Reversal, and Overdrive moves.

• However, if a player exhausts this resource completely, they enter a SF6 burnout state.
• In this state, the player loses access to all of the moves that require the use of the Drive Gauge.
• This means they cannot use any defensive or offensive drive moves.
• On top of this, being in burnout puts the player at a severe disadvantage because it makes them susceptible to being stunned.
• Burnout also introduces a new damage mechanism.
• In a normal state, players can block hits and the impact chips away at their Drive Gauge, but in burnout, players will see their health go down incrementally even as they block their opponent’s moves.

Additionally, players become vulnerable to being KO’d with chip damage – something that can only happen in burnout.

Best Strategies To Do In Burnout State

These tricks have absolutely worked for me. Incorporate these and you will be SF6 Burnout proof, well Kind of! Playing aggressively while in a SF6 burnout state in Street Fighter 6 is a risky strategy, but it can pay off if executed correctly. Here’s how you might approach it:

• Counter-Attacking: Look for opportunities to counter-attack while defending against your opponent’s moves. Interrupt their combos or exploit recovery times.
• Pressure Play: Maintain pressure on your opponent with quick, safe moves to keep them on their back foot and limit their attacking options.
• Mix-Ups: Keep your opponent guessing by mixing up your attack patterns. Use grabs, high and low attacks, and varied approaches to keep them off balance.
• Frame Advantage: Utilize moves with frame advantage to maintain pressure and create opportunities for follow-up attacks.
• Corner Control: Maneuver your opponent into a corner to limit their movement options and maintain offensive pressure.
• Surprise Attacks: Catch your opponent off-guard with unexpected moves to break through their defenses.
• Chip Damage: Use special moves to deal chip damage even when your opponent is blocking, especially if they’re playing defensively.
• Punishing: Capitalize on your opponent’s mistakes by punishing missed attacks or moves with long recovery times.

1. Stay Grounded

“Stop jumping” might seem like a simple directive, but in a game like Street Fighter, it has complex implications. Here’s how and why you might consider keeping your feet on the ground more often:

• Predictability: Frequent jumping can become predictable and easy for your opponent to counter. If your opponent notices that you’re jumping a lot, they might start anticipating it and respond with anti-air attacks, which can lead to significant damage.
• Vulnerability: When you’re in the air, your options for blocking or countering attacks are limited. This can make you vulnerable to attacks, especially from skilled players who can time their strikes accurately.
• Control: Staying grounded allows you to maintain better control over your character’s movements. This can help you execute precise combos, block attacks effectively, and respond quickly to your opponent’s moves.
• Range and Timing: Being on the ground gives you a wider range of moves and allows you to better time your attacks and defenses. This can help you control the pace of the match and pressure your opponent more effectively.
• Footsies: “Footsies” is a term used in fighting games to describe the mid-range ground game that characters play, trying to control space and punish their opponents.

2. Attack Is The Best Form Of Defense

If you play too defensively, there’s a chance you would be all corned up. “Avoid the corner at all costs” is another fundamental strategy in fighting games like Street Fighter. Here’s an expanded look at why this is important and some strategies to avoid getting cornered:

• Limited Movement: In the corner, movement options are restricted, making it easier for opponents to pressure and land hits.
• Increased Vulnerability: Being cornered gives opponents control, enabling them to trap and relentlessly attack, leading to devastating combos.
• Escape Tactics: Prioritize escaping when cornered. Use “wake-up” attacks if knocked down, invincible moves to bypass attacks, or well-timed jumps/dashes to slip past opponents.
• Reversing the Situation: Skillfully reverse the situation by cornering opponents. Look for chances to sidestep, throw, or push opponents into corners to apply pressure.
• Spatial Awareness: Always be aware of your position relative to the corner. Proactively change situations by advancing aggressively, using repositioning moves, or forcing opponents back with long-range attacks.

The key to avoiding the corner is to control the space in the fighting game effectively.

3. Have A Full Super Meter

Here’s an expanded look at the strategy for saving your super meter:

• Resource Management: Saving your super meter requires careful resource management. It’s a limited resource that can turn the tide of battle when used wisely. Reckless use can leave you without it when needed most.
• Strategic Use: By conserving your super meter, you open up more strategic options. It can serve as a finisher, interrupt opponent attacks, escape danger, or apply pressure by threatening its use.
• Psychological Pressure: A full super meter puts psychological pressure on opponents, forcing them to play carefully to avoid severe punishment. Their cautiousness can be exploited.
• Combo Potential: Saving meter can extend combos, unleashing long, damaging sequences when an opening arises, potentially leading to comebacks or solidifying leads.
• Counterplay and Defense: Super meter often offers defensive options like guard cancels or invincible reversals. Saving it provides a safety net during heavy pressure.
• Adaptation: Decide to save meter based on match flow. If close to winning a round, consider spending meter to secure victory.

Finally, feel free to check out our take on Street Fighter 6: JP and Eternity, Ryu and M. Bison guides.

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