Hi! As an avid Jade fan, fighting and character wise, I decided to make this small guide as an easy way for players to start learning. I've run into exactly 11 Jade players (I HAVE kept count) in my 3000+ online matches, and have been personally told I have one of the best Jades on XBL. (GT: AdmiralPancake has the absolute best Jade I've ever seen. Straight up filthy.)

She's considered low tier, and for good reason. Her lack of mixups, slow projectiles, fairly unsafe strings, and slow startups on some moves make her prone to be outplayed at a high level. But she CAN compete, and though you'll have to work twice as hard as a Kung Lao/Ermac/Cyrax, etc. player, beating characters that are tiers above you, and getting positive compliments on using a severely underused and weak character is one of the most satisfying feelings I get from playing this game.

Let's get started!



Strings:

Input: damage, (hit location), safeness, speed, linkability to specials, other notes.

1, 2, 2: 10%, (high x3) fairly safe, very fast. 1, 2 can link to specials.

B1, F1: 15%, (high x3) not very safe, very fast and can be done one back dash distance away. B1 can link to specials.

2, 3, F2: 14%, (high x3) fairly safe, very fast. 2, 3 can link.

F2, 1, 2: 14%, (high x3) not safe at all. Fast, but length of string can be bad if whiffed. If whiffed, Jade WILL get punished very fast. F2, 1 can link.

F3, 4, 2: 16% (high, low, high) fairly safe. fairly fast. this is a great mixup, but F3 must connect for the second and third hits to connect. I tend to use it in CQC against players blocking high. The first hit will be blocked, but the 2nd and 3rd happen quick enough to catch them for 12% + 2% chip damage.F3,4 will link, but only with boomerangs, and ex staff slam.

B3, 2: 11% (high x2) fairly safe, fast. can be linked.

4, F3: 13% (high x2) extremely safe, very fast. input reads 4, F3, but can be performed easier as F4, 3. 4 links.


Other moves of note:

U3 is great. Fast, safe, and extremely fast recovery.

B2 is a great launcher and combo starter with some anti air qualities, but isn’t very safe.

Overhead staff is wonderful, but slow and unsafe. Be aware of when you use it.
Staff grab now has pushback on block. It's still not the safest move, but it works much better knowing you'll lose some distance if it's blocked.

Jade has a very fast uppercut, but its reach doesn’t go very far over her head.

Her sweep is decent, but not one of the fastest.

Both throws do 12%.



Some combos:

Ex low boom > jip, F2, Staff Slam, B2, U3 = 34%, w/o boom = 22%

Ex low boom > jip, B1, staff slam, B2, Staff grab = 42%, w/o boom = 30%

jip > F2, Staff slam > B2 > xray = 42%

Ex low boom > jip > F2, Staff slam, B2, B3, staff grab = 43%, w/o boom = 31%

Ex low boom > jip, B1, staff slam, B2, U3 = 44%, w/o boom = 32%

jip > B1, staff slam, B2, xray = 49%, w/o jip = 46%


The xray ones are a little unlikely, seeing as you're gonna want your meter for ex booms, glow and kick, and for breakers for defensive play.



General Tips:

Be aware of who you’re fighting. Abuse the hell out of glow when facing Cyrax; one net will screw your entire game up. If a Noob wants to throw shadows all game, glow + booms will be your best friend. Because Kung Lao is...Kung Lao, his spin will have priority over B2, B1, and I believe Staff grab. Watch out for this on his wake up.

Unfortunately, Jade doesn’t have very many mix up options. Her only overhead is the staff slam, and her only low hits are the second hit of the F3, 4, 2 string, and low booms.

Play defensively to be successful. Jade’s rushdown game isn’t the greatest, considering her best strings are not very safe. She doesn’t zone well either, for the most part. Boomerangs are slow. Bait, and punish. Build meter by glowing and throwing booms.

Ex boomerangs are great combo set ups; they leave the opponent stunned for a few frames, and adds 12% to any combo you perform consequentially.

A basic, super easy combo of Staff slam, B2, U3 does 23%

In the corner: two U3’s is the easiest 21% you’ll ever get.

Ex kick is armored and goes full screen, treat it like Johnny's ex kick. Great wake up option. Unfortunately, this is her best wake up. Overhead staff slam is slow, ex overhead is ok, but is easily avoided.

If someone wants to trade projectiles, just glow and throw, then close in. Eg., Sindel, Noob, hiding Subs, Cyrax, etc.

Also, glow allows you to walk through ice clones, so use that to your advantage, but make sure you time it so it doesn't wear off while you're in the clone.

And of course, a ‘big surprise’ is in store for us Jade users with the next patch, so stay tuned and hopefully something good come out of it :)




Feel free to contribute any tips, let's expand the Jade user community!