Look, if you’ve spent any time in a high-level lobby lately, you’ve probably felt it. That weird moment where an opponent hits you once—just a basic, vanilla tap—and suddenly half your health bar is gone or you're pinned in a corner before you can even blink. It isn't a glitch. It’s the improved initial standard attack.
Games used to be obsessed with the "finisher." Developers spent all their resources on the flashy, cinematic ultimate moves that took three minutes to charge. But the tide has turned. Now, the smartest balance teams in the industry are looking at the first frame of interaction. They’re buffing the stuff we used to ignore.
What's actually changing in the first frame?
Most players think of an "attack" as the whole animation. Wrong. Total mistake. An improved initial standard attack is really about three invisible things: startup frames, hitstun decay, and priority windows.
Take a look at Street Fighter 6 or even the recent patches in Elden Ring's PvP. The developers aren't just making the "light punch" do more damage. That would be boring. Instead, they’re adjusting the frame data so the "startup"—the time between you pressing the button and the fist making contact—is shorter. It sounds small. It’s actually massive. If you shave two frames off a jab, you’ve essentially changed the entire rhythm of the neutral game.
The physics of the first hit
When we talk about an improved initial standard attack, we're talking about "priority." In many older engines, if two players hit a button at the same time, the game basically flipped a coin or gave it to whoever had the lower ping. Modern "improved" systems use a priority tier.
Standard attacks are being moved up that ladder.
This means a well-timed basic strike can now "stuff" a heavy, slow-moving special move. It rewards the player who is paying attention to spacing rather than the player who is just mashing their most expensive ability. Honestly, it’s a relief. It makes the game feel responsive. Snappy.
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Why developers are obsessed with "The Poke"
You've got to wonder why this is happening now. For years, the trend was "power creep." Bigger explosions. More particles. But that led to a "one-shot" meta that killed viewership on Twitch and frustrated anyone who wasn't a pro.
By focusing on an improved initial standard attack, designers are trying to bring back "the neutral." That’s the phase of the game where nobody has an advantage yet.
- Micro-interactions: Instead of one big 10-second fight, you get fifty 0.5-second fights.
- The skill ceiling goes through the roof because you can't just rely on a "super" to bail you out.
- It feels "fair." When you lose to a standard attack that was just faster and better placed, you don't feel cheated. You just feel outplayed.
Real-world impact: From MOBAs to Shooters
It isn't just fighting games. Look at League of Legends or Dota 2. The way "Auto-Attack Resets" work is essentially a version of an improved initial standard attack. When a champion's basic attack animation is tightened, their "kiting" ability doubles.
In tactical shooters like Counter-Strike or Valorant, the "improved" aspect comes down to first-bullet accuracy and movement deceleration. If the "initial" part of your engagement—the very first click—isn't rewarded, the game feels mushy.
I remember talking to a balance lead at a major studio last year. He told me they spent three months just tweaking the sound and "impact frames" of a starter pistol. Why? Because if the player doesn't feel powerful in the first 100 milliseconds of a fight, they quit. They go play something else.
The "Stagger" Factor
One specific mechanic often bundled into an improved initial standard attack is the "stagger" or "flinch." In games like Dark Souls or Monster Hunter, the first hit of a combo now often carries more "poise damage."
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This is a huge shift.
It means your "standard" opener can actually interrupt a boss or a heavy-armored player. It turns the basic attack into a utility tool, not just a way to chip away at a health bar. You’re using it to create an opening. You’re using it to breathe.
What most guides get wrong about frame data
You’ll read a lot of wikis that say "just use your fastest move." That’s terrible advice.
The "improved" part of the improved initial standard attack usually refers to the recovery frames too. A move isn't good just because it hits fast; it's good because if you miss, you aren't stuck in an animation for three years.
Modern games are reducing "whiff recovery" on standard pokes. This encourages players to be aggressive. It says, "Hey, go ahead and throw out that jab. If it misses, you can still block." This lowers the barrier to entry while simultaneously giving pros a tool to "bait" their opponents.
The psychology of the "Snap"
Humans love instant feedback. It’s hardwired. When a standard attack is sluggish, it creates "ludonarrative dissonance." Your brain says "Punch!" but the character on screen takes a moment to wind up.
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An improved initial standard attack fixes that. It aligns the player's intent with the digital reality. It makes the character feel like an extension of your own hand.
Think about the "Active Reload" in Gears of War. That was an early version of this philosophy. It turned a standard, boring action into a timed, improved strike. We're seeing that same DNA in almost every genre now. From the "Perfect Timed Hits" in RPGs like Sea of Stars to the "Just Frame" inputs in Tekken.
Actionable insights for your next session
So, how do you actually use this info? You can't just go into a game and look for a button labeled "improved attack." You have to feel for it.
1. Test your "Check" moves. Go into training mode. Find your fastest button. Now, look at how much the dummy moves back when you hit them. If they barely move, that's a chip tool. If they "stagger" or "reel," that is your improved initial standard attack. Build your entire strategy around that one button.
2. Watch the "Plus Frames." If you hit someone with a standard attack and you can act before they can, you are "plus." In modern metas, standard attacks are increasingly "plus on block." This means even if they defend, it's still your turn. Abuse this. Don't let them breathe.
3. Stop over-committing. Most players lose because they try to use their "cool" moves too early. They go for the big 360-degree spin-kick. They get stuffed by a jab. Don't be that person. Use the improved standard to "condition" your opponent. Hit them with the fast stuff until they start panicking and blocking too much. Then use the big moves.
4. Check the patch notes for "Active Frames." Look for words like "increased hitbox duration" or "reduced startup." These are code words for an improved initial standard attack. If your main character just got a 2-frame buff on their standing light kick, they might have just jumped two tiers up the rank list.
The meta isn't about who has the biggest sword anymore. It’s about who can land the first, cleanest, most efficient hit. The "basic" attack isn't basic anymore. It’s the most important tool in your kit. Use it.