Mastering the intricate movement options of The Flash in Injustice 2 transforms a character perceived as beginner-friendly into a high-skill ceiling powerhouse. While his lightning-fast normals and generous hitboxes make him approachable, truly optimizing his pressure and damage requires a deep understanding of his signature combo structures. This guide dissects the core principles behind effective Flash combos, moving beyond simple execution to explain the why behind every link and mix-up.
Foundations of Flash Frame Data
The bedrock of any successful Injustice 2 combo sequence is a firm grasp of The Flash's specific animation metrics. His attacks feature incredibly low startup frames, particularly his 2A and 2B, which often allow him to outpace opponents' recovery animations. This attribute is the catalyst for his infamous tick throws and meaty mix-ups, as he can safely poke an opponent immediately as they stand up. Furthermore, his midscreen juggle combo potential is exceptionally high, largely due to the scaling mechanics that occur when you chain his ender strings, ensuring you can maintain offensive pressure without dropping the ball.
Basic Bread and Butter Combos
Before diving into advanced resets and damage hacks, players must solidify the foundational bread and butter strings that function as the basis for all high-level play. These reliable sequences punish whiffed attacks and stand-ups consistently, creating a reliable damage output that forces opponents to respect your zoning. Mastering these patterns builds the muscle memory required to execute more complex variations under pressure.
2A, 2A, 2A, 2A, 2A, Ender (Hail Mary): The quintessential damage loop, utilizing his fastest normal to build meter and push the opponent back.
2A, 2A, 2B, 2B, 2B, Ender: A slightly safer string that includes a mid-range poke, useful against characters with strong anti-airs that punish the overhead.
5A, 5A, 2A, 2A, 2A: A classic launcher into reset, utilizing his crouching light normal to catch opponents trying to tech forward.
Advanced Reset Mechanics
Flash's true potential is unlocked through his ability to reset neutral and extend combos indefinitely. By utilizing his projectiles and fast dashes, you can trick the opponent into thinking they are safe, only to immediately pull them back into a damaging string. This is often achieved by canceling his ender strings into a special move, such as the Speed Force enhanced Lightning Storm, which pushes the opponent up slightly, allowing for a delayed wake-up combo that feels impossible to tech against.
Specific Reset Strings
One of the most effective tools in Flash's arsenal is the "Fake" ender, where you input the heavy attack but cancel the animation into a special move before the hit connects. This maintains combo continuity while dealing significantly more damage and building more meter than a standard ender. Pairing this with his Assist, Flashpoint, allows you to apply cross-up pressure, forcing the opponent to guess which direction they should block, opening them up for guaranteed damage on the other side of the screen.
Damage Optimization and Efficiency
In competitive play, every second and every hit matters, making damage efficiency a critical focus. While raw damage numbers are important, the true measure of a Flash player's skill is their ability to maximize damage without wasting meter or leaving themselves open. Utilizing his Time Shift ability strategically can turn a punishable situation into a massive damage opportunity, as it allows you to rewind and re-perform a combo that may have whiffed or been blocked.
