Street Fighter 6 Drive Impact Basics Guide! The Best Counter & Easy Tips

Everyone wants to know how to stop Drive Impact in Street Fighter 6. That's what today's guide is all about. I go over the absolute basics of how this important mechanic works so you can understand its strengths and weaknesses. The best counter to Drive Impact is itself, so you need to do everything you can to react to it as quickly as possible. I give some easy tips on using a macro button and some insight on how to be more aware of it during a match with real examples.
Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:40 DI Properties
02:40 DI Weaknesses
03:12 DI Best Counter
04:21 Make Them Pay
06:07 Use Macro
08:57 Other Options
11:27 Mindset & Examples
13:36 Corner Awareness
16:06 Closing
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#StreetFighter6 #SF6 #StreetFighter #Capcom

[@VesperArcade]

Once again, this is just the basics to get started. I'll be doing more guides very soon. Also, feel free to leave suggestions on anything you guys want me to cover in the future for Street Fighter 6. Thanks for watching!

[@wicketd7730]

Great Vid man. As far as suggestions for future vids I am always down to watch strategy guides and tips to characters, or maybe a vid on applying pressure on knockdown. Thanks again for the great content.

[@comedianseenoevilgaming7382]

This is the most annoying mechanic and Street fighter history 17:39 😢

[@ElBeeGaming]

Honda finna drive impact somethin in that thumbnail... 👀

[@PharmArtist99]

You win the day sir. Well done 10/10

[@KurohigeDTeach-yy3yk]

Dosukoi!!

[@Bastos9458]

Couldn’t blame him.

[@slothywun]

I wish he’d drive impact me (from behind).

[@Dredabeast95]

Lmfaoooo I thought the same thing 🤣

[@Luun89]

I loved the in-match example in the closing section of the video, well done.

[@AlandelaTower]

This is the most useful DI video I’ve found. Thanks 🙏🏽

[@satanderteufel6563]

Thx, I even had problems, with my reaction time in the drive counter tutorial, when i knew the attack would come every moment. Binding Drive Impact to a single key (Spacebar) my be really helpful.

[@jiggs677]

Thank u vesper. Also that marisa pressure was insane.

[@IncredibleHemp]

“Don’t just throw them” *Manon takes sip of 🍵*

[@jmacdonald480]

Always appreciate your insightful videos! I do want to say though that DI is comparatively, not objectively slow, at least from where I'm sitting. It has longer start up than the majority of normals and specials but 26 frames (at 60 fps, that's less than half a second) doesn't sound slow. As a longtime fan in his forties with diminishing returns on his reactions, raw DI still comes out quick enough to be a threat.

[@goldenmindcavity]

super useful guide Vesper, loved every second of it, will try to apply the lesson here to my gameplay

[@MrFuckinglogin]

what you name "too basic" was just right for me! Ty !

[@0thers1d3]

Cant get enough of this content!

[@classicretros23]

This is an excellent video tutorial!

[@ElCactusKing]

Great video! Thank you for this

[@mechanicalpants]

I see what you did there on that thumbnail👌

[@gavins9946]

great video, can you do a drive rush video how it works, when to use it and how it enhances or expands combos

[@montana01]

Thanks for this.. I’m going to need to hold my controller a little differently, as i normally hold the left side like a arcade stick, so my fingers aren’t on L1. Or re map the other buttons.

[@MistaDvN]

Awesome video.. Easy to follow..

[@FabianR87321]

Throws also go through both DI and parry. Just for when you need a save and steady option against spammers. Its hella non optimal but when I downloaded SF6 today, having that option put me more at ease with the mechanic.

[@stomboyyuffie8511]

One thing I've noticed, is that when my opponent presses DI and I hit them, the additional hitstop (on cancellable normals) makes it much easier for me to react.

[@VesperArcade]

Yes, exactly. Using lights is especially effective for this when pressuring your opponent.

[@Brunolima06]

Awesome video, Vesper… now my opponents will suffer. Thanks, Vesper!! 💪🏼

[@jaybeam1466]

This is obviously subjective, but I believe the entire point of DI was to give newer players a button to bypass the neutral. I don't know if that was Capcom's intention, but I'm having trouble seeing it another way. I'm sure we'll all adjust, but the concept itself really bothers me.

[@komujimaru]

its the wor4st thing ever ion any sf, it is a free button to crumple you. i dont even use cos im not a scrub.

[@yurinka]

There's also the option of hitting 3 hits to the other character who is doing the DI: some characters have special attacks that quickly throw 3 or more hits (like lighting kick in case of Chun) that are also useful to avoid it.

[@DewlayLomo]

Great education

[@natman2939]

I wish I could get a macro for the dash cancel stuff. Some of the combos are so damn tight when you’re supposed to go down medium into dash into back heavy punch into special. You have to do it so fast it’s unbelievable. And due to that pressing right twice and then back all in a micro second can make it come out as quarter circle back or something

[@Dimipc]

Really like these kind of videos ! Is there any way you could do matchup guides or videos like « a tip against each character » like KarQ does with Overwatch. I felt like there were not a lot of these when I started with sfv

[@VesperArcade]

I definitely can in the future. The issue with matchup stuff is that it's very specific. So I'll be covering more general stuff later.

[@Neruk01]

I get Di each time I buffer specials after my pokes, and you cant Di back there, which makes me not want to confirm my pokes and Im afraid that makes me play too passive :(

[@flame_eh]

NOT THE APPLES IN THE BACKGROUND!!!?!!

[@ShebbaYoung]

yea, its crazy how many people perfectly react and play around DI just 1 week after release. People were afraid for no reason back then.

[@genuwine21]

One thing you didn't cover was how to deal with DI when you are in burnout. I know it is a little character specific but I think new players are more likely to find themselves in burnout and need to beat DI. Having super for those situations is important since a bunch of lvl 1 supers beat DI. I go with the tactic of only using lvl 3 to close out rounds or to start a round and be sure to save a lvl 1 to deal with DI if I end up in burnout.

[@turkdajerk]

Hey @vesper, you can also throw them out of drive impact if they do it too close to you.

[@VesperArcade]

Yeah for sure. I'll be discussing that soon in my next DI vid.

[@josephtagger7085]

how do you get that green stuff is that drive impact?

[@alb1reo]

My only problem is Drive Impact at the moment. If I'm in the corner and get mixed up I have to be ready to grab or DI at the same time. Problem is that grab is LP and LK on the left side of my hitbox, and DI is on the very right sight... Since SF is a 6 Button game I am used to playing with my hands in different positions all the time. I don't have one finger on one button, I can't play like that, my hands are too small with my current large hitbox. So I just cant comfortably rest my fingers on grab and DI at the same time. My reaction is horrible and I tried practicing but I just end up having awkward hand positioning. Any tips?

[@jimcarrey2866]

I need to unlock more classic costumes

[@PharmArtist99]

You can also do a grab on someone doing a drive impact it beats the animation. Done it plenty of times.

[@VesperArcade]

Yes, this is especially important when you have your opponent knocked down. I'll be sure to cover that soon.

[@darkdeath47xxx]

i use classic and i dont change my buttons i cant play if I change anything

[@eyezonly8593]

Mine keeps knocking the opponent across the screen unless I do it in the corner 😅

[@arthercasillas2755]

I dislike when you parry a drive impact then I drive impact and the opponent does another drive impact … how long does that have to go on.

[@chuito0008]

I noticed DI used often to counter aggressive cross ups. Can you respond to their DI in that situation as you are still committed to that aerial or do you just have to eat it and save that combo for later when its safer to do so?

[@VesperArcade]

You should always be able to DI yourself as soon as you hit the ground from a jumping attack. The exceptions are if you're doing a dive kick special or a unique attack. I'll show examples in the future.

[@Un3xpectedTruth]

Forgot to mention mashing light attacks and the broken throws in this game.

[@darkdeath47xxx]

is there any other way because drive never works i try to use it to stop them from getting a free win but it dont work they use it then i use it and lose everytime so i give up on using it because it sucks and kills the game

[@CarlosEduardo-kt6gc]

what ps4 to ps5 controller adapter are you using? and does it work on ps5 or pc only?

[@VesperArcade]

I play on pc so I just use a generic USB cord.

[@rdmqwerty]

no matter how hard i try, i cant react when the enemy uses drive impact. sometimes i just stand around waiting for them to do it and by the time i react, its too late

[@VesperArcade]

It's going to take some time. Just keep trying and eventually you'll see it coming a mile away. Don't give up!

[@damazsta]

Do guides with modern controls

[@mistervader]

LOL. Frame-perfect DI to DI trade at 3:33. You don’t see that everyday.

[@iamfiefo]

Every Street Fighter 6 content maker is going so hard on making thumbnails for their vids. Not complaining here. Just an observation.

[@soulcontrolwo6088]

Yo shout out to Vesper much appreciated for this. Guaranteed they will nerf it though after the first year

[@itstaeday]

I think the blocked corner DI wall splat should scale as hard as perfect parry punishes, it’s too punishing. Defending in the corner in this game is hard enough as it is

[@itstaeday]

@@dylzpi think the burnout wall stun should do the heavy damage as you’re being punished for poor meter management, but sometimes losing to a blocked DI feels stupid.

[@mechanicalpants]

@@itstaeday I agree, that's a good way of putting it, because it does feel too extreme, especially when your opponent has memorised traps and can perfectly execute them, I just feel at such a disadvantage unless I am perfect with my timing and decisions when I'm in the corner. And mind you I'm on beginner rank! I swear there must be some douche bags out there using macros to just annoy the shit out of people like me😅

[@soulcontrolwo6088]

Can you do how to handle corner pressure?

[@mechanicalpants]

yes this would be my number one issue in this game, especially against people who have memorised patterns and are going berserk on me!

[@VesperArcade]

Yes, this is another really important topic I should cover. Thanks.

[@HalcyonEX]

You forgot to tell people that you cant drive impact or counter driveimpact if you use certain moves an example is ryus sweep if you throw it out and they use drive i pact you cant do it back and they actually DO get free damage

[@xdarkass4sin]

Drive reversal?

[@VesperArcade]

Drive Reversal does work but it's better to get a full punish.

[@freeway230]

I simply just can’t react to it 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@elij04]

Do u use a macro for OD / EX?

[@VesperArcade]

No, I use Square/Triangle+R1 and X/Circle+R2

[@scottv5587]

This video: Just react Me: Thanks bro not sure why I didn’t think of that

[@darkdeath47xxx]

my rank is zero i dont play that rank mess so i dont have one

[@jewishlilboy]

You can also throw your opponent out of Drive Impact.

[@HokKan]

I'm not a fan of this game mechanic. Maybe if they made it 2 hit invincible instead, it'll be less powerful. I get that there are ways to counter it, but even recent footage of Daigo gets hit by raw DI's in the corner. If even Daigo is having trouble reacting to it with shortcut buttons, I think it's overpowered. It makes the neutral game a lot less fun when you're hovering over DI the entire time looking for it instead of playing real footsies.

[@subigirlawd_7307]

This is just raw DI but in game it doesn't work like that because from what I hear it's different from character to character (not sure it's true) because some characters can cancel into it and punish and the other character is stuck in his/her button animations Let me know if I'm wrong but I've seen people cancel a move into DI and when I try to cancel a move it won't For me the best thing is to stay away and stick and move to avoid the mechanic, it's too much to deal with it, I rather jump and get hit with something else for less damage

[@VesperArcade]

All DI's are pretty much the same. I think what you're talking about is using cancellable normals into DI. Since DI has armor on the first frame it doesn't really matter if you press it late in this case. There is no situation where it's impossible to react to. If they combo into it they don't get a crumple or wallsplat and if the blockstring is air tight, then you get lock out. The only time it matters is in burnout because you're forced to jump/super. I'll make sure to explain this next time.

[@CharlieMarno100]

I go poopy.

[@babafett85]

The next edition of his game should be called SF6 drive impact as an homage to all of the drive impact spam

[@darkdeath47xxx]

the drive trash still makes no sense to me

[@mextyle_327]

I think im going back to SFV and i hate 5 🤢 but this DI sucks

[@KurohigeDTeach-yy3yk]

The only thing i would change about the drive impact is whoever has more drive gauge wins the clash.

[@rodrigo9785]

"Promo sm"

[@darkdeath47xxx]

this video must be outdated because that is why I hate the drive because even if they use it then i use it i always get beat the drive makes the game unfair and boring its like a free win thats cheating

[@komujimaru]

ngl drive impact is makking me very very angry, im lossing to complete udots spaming this crap. this is the worst thing sf jhas ever done. its ruining the game me

[@johnmccullough251]

Let me save everyone 17 minutes, basically watch out for drive impact. Haha

[@digitalkid5623]

That doesn't explain on how to DEAL with drive impact. Telling beginners to just watch out for it doesn't help.

[@johnmccullough251]

@@digitalkid5623 EXACTLY!!

[@darkdeath47xxx]

i know how to play street fighter games i hate that dumb ass drive shit because i dont understand it i dont get what its for

[@yourstillwithme]

This content is super late. Bro, like every single Street Fighter content creator has already made extensive videos on drive impact. Cannot wait til you teach people how to deal with headbutt next.

[@mechanicalpants]

I have to disagree, this is the best video on drive impact I have seen so far, so not too late at all!

[@VesperArcade]

I have done multiple videos on everything DI since the BETAS months ago lol.

[@yourstillwithme]

@@VesperArcade So, then whats the point of this video if you already made that content? Thats like reviewing the new Little Mermaid and then reviewing it again 2 months later. Same concept.

[@VesperArcade]

@@yourstillwithme To keep things up-to-date and make sure new players can see it. We have been working hard to get updated combo videos for every character as well, even though we did them all during the beta. It's not a race to make a quick buck. I'll be covering this game for years.

[@lunchbox4415]

I'm having a real issue with the official hitbox where I don't have a good button to bind it to, the only real option is the far right bottom button but my little finger doesnt sit naturally over it. 0bviously this is another video where you dont talk about what button to bind it to on a normal hitbox lol, literally nobody talks about it its really fucking annoying!