Worth learning frame data?

[Rpggames77]

Does learning frame data help make you a better player, and if it does is it a lot or a little better?

 

[AirFair]

yes. Then you can find out what works and what can work in situations. You don't necessarily have to memorize everything. Just certain IASA frames or landlag frames.

 

[Sudoi]

For some people, yes. They sre able to calculate exactly when and where to do something ( 0_0 m2k). Others can't, like me. What I do is I remember certain flags for my character.
I main Ganon, so: UpAir(LowMid Lag), Dair(High Lag), Fair(Mid Lag), Bair(mid low lag). Adjust to your playstyle!

 

[pagedMov]

It's honestly hard to say if studying frame data makes a player better, but knowing where the hitboxes are can be helpful. Like, I didn't know that Fox's bair had a hitbox on both sides until I checked out the frame data/hitboxes. But honestly, knowing the frame data off the top of your head will be of little use in matches, because most of the time micro frame advantage (difference of 1-2 frames, i.e. Fox shine beating out Fox jab) doesn't matter 9 times out of 10, and macro frame advantage (difference of 10 frames or more, i.e. Fox Up-Smash beating out Bowser F-Smash) is usually obvious and you can tell just by looking at the animation that one will come out before the other. Nonetheless, knowing the location of certain hitboxes and hitbox properties can help you at times, like knowing that Peach's legs are invincible during down-smash, for instance. However, knowing things like what frame Fox's up-smash comes out on will not help in any situation.

 

[Sutekh]

It's not really about memorizing numbers as much as it is understanding how the game functions. Memorizing the frames of invincibility for each character's air-dodge won't open up many doors in game as far as application goes, but knowing how many frames of jump-squat your character has gives you an idea of how long of a window you have to jump-cancel grab or JC-UpSmash. Knowing that hitting an opponent puts you both in hitlag can help if you notice you're missing your fastfall inputs when Uair juggling.

Basically, don't consider "studying frame data" to be memorizing M2k's data-dump page, but look at it as understanding the data behind how the game works and how you can apply that to being able to better control your character.

That being said, there are certain situations, especially when talking about shield pressure, where knowledge of specific frame data is important, as it allows you to put your opponent in a position where they can't escape you if you execute properly.

So to answer your question, is frame data important? Yes, as long as you're studying the right things.