JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R/Old Joseph Joestar

Overview

Strategy

Combos

Matchups

Resources

Introduction

This article is about Joseph Joestar's Stardust Crusaders incarnation, primarily known as "Old Joseph". For information about his Battle Tendency incarnation, see Joseph Joestar.

As the grandfather of Jotaro Kujo in Stardust Crusaders, the third part of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Joseph Joestar puts his life experience in play by combining the powers of his Hamon mastery and his Stand, Hermit Purple. Said experience is reflected in his focus on a mid-range/neutral presence, though he is no slouch at close range, either.

In Stand Off, Old Joseph makes use of his deceptively long-ranged normals to poke and close in on the opponent, with notable examples in 5M, 2M, and 5H. He also carries strong offensive tools to frustrate the opponent, such as the S version of "Hamon Overdrive" (a powerful plus-on-block, multi-hitting, forward-moving attack) and a strong trap in "Coal Tar". As an esoteric option, Old Joseph can use "Cunning Tactician" to discourage attempts to harm him, forcing opponents to be wary of its potential threat.

A rarity for Stand characters, Old Joseph's mobility doesn't change with Hermit Purple summoned, a fact he takes advantage of to control the space in front of him with incredible tools such as s.2H or "Hermit Purple!" (and its devastating "Solar Energy Hamon!" follow-up), both of which possess some of his longest range yet much smaller hurtboxes than expected. He also gains a strong neutral tool in s.5H: a multi-hitting, advancing normal that pushes opponents far enough on block to allow for disengaging pressure safely. Lastly, his kit in this mode is rounded out by a strong anti-air in "Now I gotcha!", a unique OTG combo extender in "You gotta stand on your own!", and a long-ranged command grab in "Take a STAND for it!".

Despite all of his strengths, Old Joseph has difficulties to open up opponents who are not intimidated by "Hamon Overdrive" and will not risk taking their turn back after he disengages. Should his strong neutral get breached, he can find himself in serious trouble both due to a lack of fast scramble options (with his fastest normals, 5L and s.5L, having slower startup than most) and unreliable defensive tools (the blindspots from "Cunning Tactician", along with a lack of invincible moves beyond his Counter HHA and a slow GHA), making certain specific situations quite hard to deal with. Finally, some of Old Joseph's strongest blockstrings feature gaps between moves, forcing him to hitconfirm or pick his moment to strike so as to prevent his gameplan from falling apart.

All in all, Old Joseph is a force to be reckoned with and a great pick for players who want a stable, strong character. He may not have the cunnings of his younger self and may be getting on in years, but just like wine, he becomes better with age.

• Fighting on the run!: Old Joseph is one of the only characters that is able to run both forward and backwards, giving him more maneuverability than most characters.
• Hamon Specials: For the cost of 0.5 HH Gauge, Old Joseph can perform enhanced versions of certain special moves, which will also cause Hamon Damage against Stone Mask characters.

Playstyle

Old Joseph Joestar is a character who combines Stand and Hamon Styles to access options that control the mid-range.
Pros	Cons
Range: Old Joseph's attacks, even without Hermit Purple, possess larger hitboxes and forward movement than expected. With Hermit Purple involved, Old Joseph also possesses some of the longest non-projectile reach. Meter Efficient: Not only does Old Joseph not require much meter to deal respectable damage, he can refund most (if not all) of the meter he uses in combos or even end up very meter positive. Hamon Breathing: Despite being a Stand User, Old Joseph can refill his HH Gauge not unlike Hamon characters, granting him a way to generate resources.	Predictable: Old Joseph's moveset doesn't allow for much variance from his gameplan, making him easy to read. In addition, his pressure becomes much weaker while in Stand On due to not having many safe options to end blockstrings with, as well as being unable to use Stand Rush. Slow: In compensation for their range, Old Joseph's attacks possess rather high recovery, making them dangerous on whiff. Self-Damage: The tar left behind by "Coal Tar" can also affect Old Joseph, making it very easy to turn the tables and end up in an uncomfortable position.

Stats

Style	Health	Low Health Mode	Hashtag(s)
Stand	950	Rumble	#ASBR_OJO #ASBR_OJP

Move List

Stand Off

Normal Moves

5L

5L	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 10 Mid 6 - - -2 +2 Old Joseph jabs in front. A standard, yet slow jab. Good for stopping dash-jumps, as well as for staggers and tick throws.

5M

5M	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 20 Mid 6 - - -10 -6 Old Joseph punts in front of him. A fast, long-ranged poke. Comes with bad recovery, being more unsafe on block than 2M.

5H

5H	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 36 Mid 12 - - -8 -2 Old Joseph attacks with an uppercut. Moves Old Joseph forward, which comes in handy when outside 5M/2M range. Because of its trajectory, it can be used as a preemptive anti-air against dash-jumps.

2L

2L	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 10 Low 6 - - -2 +2 Old Joseph attacks with a downward chop. Not particularly outstanding, but a good low-commitment button nonetheless.

2M

2M	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 20 Low 6 3 - -4 0 Old Joseph performs a low kick. A fast poke that has very good frame data. Great for stagger pressure and catching people walking back.

2H

2H	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 34 Low 12 - - -8 HKD Old Joseph performs a sweep kick. Causes hard knockdown.

3M

3M That changes everything!	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 30 Low 6 - - -8 - Old Joseph delivers a shin kick. Launches on hit. A rare standing Low that doubles as an important button for Old Joseph's combo structure. Can be cancelled into Quick Stand On. Deceptively low blockstun, making it hard to punish despite being pretty minus on block.

JL

j.L	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 17 Overhead 10 - - - - Old Joseph attacks with his knee. Fast enough to be safe against Stylish Guard attempts. Long active frames. Can cross up.

JM

j.M	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 26 Overhead 10 - - - - Old Joseph kicks in front. Has the longest horizontal reach out of Old Joseph's aerials, making it a great approach option. Can cross up.

JH

j.H	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 40 Overhead 14 - - - - Old Joseph punches downwards. Has the longest reach below Old Joseph, making it useful for starting pressure. Can cross up.

Special Moves

236X

Hamon Overdrive 236L/M/H/S

Version Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. Light 60 Mid 18 - - -8 -2 Medium 65 Mid 20 - - -6 0 Heavy 70 Mid 22 - - 0 +6 Style 80 (15*2, 50) Mid 18 - - +2 Crumple Old Joseph slides forward to deliver a Hamon-infused chop. The version used alters the distance Old Joseph moves. Leaves grounded opponents standing, while causing a hard knockdown against airborne opponents. This hard knockdown is unique in that it does not override other hit effects. L version: Fastest variant with the shortest range. Leads into a gapless blockstring when chained into from 3M. M version: Intermediate startup and range. Not particularly useful, being often outshined by other versions. H version: Slowest variant, with longer range than the M version. Core combo piece in Old Joseph's arsenal. Has noticeable pushback on block. S version: Costs 0.5 HH Gauge. Deals Hamon Damage. Longest range. Causes crumple on hit against grounded opponents. This version's startup and frame advantage make it a strong pressure reset.

214X

Coal Tar 214L/M/H

Version Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. Light 50 (10, 40) Mid 18 - - -28 KD/HKD Medium 55 (10, 45) Mid 22 - - -22 KD/HKD Heavy 60 (10, 50) Mid 26 - - -16 KD/HKD Tar 20 Mid - - - - - Old Joseph summons Hermit Purple to bring a drum full of coal tar, before crushing it to spill the black liquid all over the floor. The distance covered by Old Joseph depends on the version used. The first hit launches. The second hit launches and causes hard knockdown. Leaves a pool of tar that stays on the ground for ~4.5 seconds. The tar causes a groundbounce on hit, and can also affect Old Joseph. L version: Old Joseph stays in place upon grabbing the drum. Leaves the opponent the closest to Old Joseph, leading to Cinematic Taunt combos with the tar. M version: Old Joseph takes a step forward upon grabbing the drum. Leaves the opponent further away from Old Joseph. While it can lead into Cinematic Taunt combos like the L version, walking forward slightly may be needed in midscreen scenarios. H version: Old Joseph takes two steps forward upon grabbing the drum. Leaves the opponent the furthest away from Old Joseph. Doesn't lead into Cinematic Taunt combos, unlike the other two versions. In return, it acts as a great way to place the tar between Old Joseph and the opponent.

63214S

Cunning Tactician 63214S

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 55 Unblockable - - - - - Old Joseph wraps Hermit Purple around himself. If his upper body is hit, the Stand will retialiate with an attack around Old Joseph. Costs 1.5 HH Gauges. Old Joseph can act freely while in effect, but he is not protected from the damage/hit effects caused by the attack that triggered the move. The move remains active after receiving a knockdown, even if said knockdown is cinematic in nature (such as a Throw, HHA, etc.). However, using his HHA will immediately disengage it. The retaliation triggers if Old Joseph is hit by projectiles, HHAs, and GHAs, but the latter two almost always have long enough invulnerability not to be punished.

Stand On

Normal Moves

Stand 5L

s.5L	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 10 Mid 6 - - -2 +2 With Hermit Purple wrapped around his arm, Old Joseph jabs in front. Identical to the Stand Off version in every way, complete with the same applications.

Stand 5M

s.5M	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 20 Mid 6 - - -10 -6 With Hermit Purple wrapped around his arm, Old Joseph punts in front of him. Identical to the Stand Off version in every way, complete with the same applications.

Stand 5H

s.5H	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 42 (12, 30) Mid 12 - - -4 +2 With Hermit Purple wrapped around his arm, Old Joseph attacks with an advancing punch. Very safe, with long range and good pushback. Great for ending strings as a result.

Stand 2L

s.2L	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 10 Low 6 - - -2 +2 With Hermit Purple wrapped around his arm, Old Joseph attacks with a downward chop. Identical to the Stand Off version in every way, complete with the same applications.

Stand 2M

s.2M	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 20 Low 6 3 - -4 0 With Hermit Purple wrapped around his arm, Old Joseph performs a low kick. Identical to the Stand Off version in every way, complete with the same applications.

Stand 2H

s.2H	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 31 Low 12 - - -8 -16 With Hermit Purple wrapped around his arm, Old Joseph sends its vines straight ahead. Huge range, but doesn't cause a knockdown. Great for neutral, but terrible recovery on whiff. Flash Cancel window is significantly shorter than normal.

Stand JL

s.jL	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 17 Overhead 10 - - - - With Hermit Purple wrapped around his arm, Old Joseph attacks with his knee. Identical to the Stand Off version in every way, complete with the same applications.

Stand JM

s.jM	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 26 Overhead 10 - - - - With Hermit Purple wrapped around his arm, Old Joseph kicks in front. Identical to the Stand Off version in every way, complete with the same applications.

Stand JH

s.jH	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 40 Overhead 12 - - - - With Hermit Purple wrapped around his arm, Old Joseph punches downwards. Can cross up, offering some of the most ambiguous cross-ups in Old Joseph's arsenal.

Stand J7M

s.j7M Panic isn't in my vocabulary	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. - - - - - Total XX - Old Joseph uses Hermit Purple to pull himself at a diagonally backwards angle. Can be canceled into j.H. Canceling this move alters Old Joseph's momentum. Because it can be canceled into, Old Joseph can use this to attempt to reposition after a successful Stylish Guard from the opponent.

Special Moves

Stand 236L

Now I gotcha! s.236L

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 55 (20, 35) - 12 - - - - Old Joseph sends Hermit Purple out at an upward angle. If it connects, Old Joseph grabs the opponent with his Stand and forcefully slams them to the ground. This is a hitgrab. Contrary to what its trajectory might imply, this move can hit grounded opponents. A great anti-air that offers a combo afterwards if "You gotta stand on your own!" is used immediately.

Stand 236M

Hermit Purple! s.236M	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 50 (10*2, 30) Mid 24 - - -14 -8 Old Joseph swings Hermit Purple's vines out at mid-range. Leaves grounded opponents standing. Great poke when canceled into from 2H. Has a similar startup animation to "Take a STAND for it!", granting it uses in pressure.

Stand 236M-6S

Solar Energy Hamon! s.236M > 6S

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 58 (9, 4.5*2, 41) - - - - - - Old Joseph wraps Hermit Purple around the opponent and sends Hamon pulses through it to shock them. Can only be used if "Hermit Purple!" hits. Costs 0.5 HH Gauge. Deals Hamon Damage. This is a hitgrab. Binds the opponent on hit, which then transitions into a crumple. An essential element in Old Joseph's combo structure while in Stand On, in addition to being extremely rewarding to land in general.

Stand 236H

You gotta stand on your own! s.236H OTG combo extender OTG combo extender	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 30 (5*4, 10) Mid 46 - - -8 - Old Joseph swings Hermit Purple at a low angle to pull the opponent towards him. Causes crumple on hit. Only hits once on block. Can hit OTG. If a crumple has not yet been used in a combo, the move restands downed opponents.

Stand 63214X

Take a STAND for it! s.63214L/M/H

Version Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. Light 120 Throw 26 - - - - Medium 120 Throw 32 - - - - Heavy 120 Throw 46 - - - - Old Joseph unleashes Hermit Purple's vines in front of him, wrapping them around the opponent and spinning in a circle before launching them. The version used alters the distance Old Joseph moves. Causes hard knockdown on a successful Throw. Can hold 4 to throw the opponent backwards. L version: Fastest variant with the shortest range. By far the most useful variant. M version: Intermediate startup and range. Can be used to punish people who try to Stylish Guard in-between s.2H and "Hermit Purple!". Otherwise, it should be used sparingly. H version: Slowest variant with the longest range. Far too slow to be practical.

System Mechanics

Throw

Throw If it's come to this... 5/4 + Any Two Attack Buttons

Version Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. Forward 110 Throw 6 3 - - - Back 100 Throw 6 3 - - - Old Joseph pushes the opponent off-balance before delivering a Hamon-infused horizontal chop that sends them flying. One of two universal Throws (along with Zeppeli) whose damage changes depending on the version used. Leaves the opponent at a distance of about one character away. Though both Throws send the opponent at identical distances, Back Throw grants less frame advantage. Unlike other characters' Throws, both standing and OTG IPS is triggered afterwards. Old Joseph is thus unable to combo the opponent after a Throw.

Assist

Assist You gotta stand on your own!	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 30 (5*4, 10) - - - - - Crumple Old Joseph swings Hermit Purple at a low angle to strike and pull the opponent towards him. Assault Assist Stocks: 1 Reversal Assist Stocks: 2 Based on s.236H Causes crumple on hit. Only hits once on block. Can hit OTG. If a crumple has not yet been used in a combo, the move restands downed opponents.

44

Fighting on the run! 4[4] The secret Joestar technique The secret Joestar technique	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. - - - - - - - Old Joseph runs backwards, away from the opponent. Slower than most forward dashes.

5S

Stand On/Off 5S Stand On Stand On Stand Off Stand Off	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. - - - - - - - (Un)Summons Hermit Purple, altering Old Joseph's moveset and abilities.

22S

Hamon Breathing 22S	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. - - - - - Total XX - Old Joseph uses Hamon Breathing to charge his HH Gauge. Takes 18 seconds to charge from 0 to 3 bars. Cannot be cancelled into or out of. Animation changes on each use; purely aesthetic.

Heart Heat Attack

Years of Experience 236 + Any Two Attack Buttons

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 215 (30+185) - - - - - Groundbounce Old Joseph breathes in and braces himself. If hit, he will retaliate by using Hamon to blast the opponent away and onto the floor, following up with a powerful downward chop. Counter. Loses against Throws, projectiles and Assists. Disengages "Cunning Tactician" upon use. Despite not appearing to be the case, it's possible for Old Joseph to land "You gotta stand on your own!" to convert into a combo after a successful HHA.

Great Heat Attack

Hermit Purple and Hamon! 236L+M+H

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. 340 (60+34+12*15+66) Mid 2+28 - - -94 HKD Old Joseph unleashes Hermit Purple's vines. If they strike the opponent, he tightly binds them with the Stand before swinging them over his head and slamming them, launching them into the air, to then pull them back towards himself and deliver a powerful Hamon Overdrive chop to the neck. Sends the opponent to the wall, leaving Old Joseph midscreen and not allowing for any oki.

Costumes

Normal

Normal (Color 1)

Normal (Color 2)

Normal (Color 3)

Normal (Color 4)

Special

Special A (Color 1)

Special A (Color 2)

Special B (Color 1)

Special B (Color 2)

Notable Players

Disclaimer: This list is derived from community input and is in no way comprehensive or a form of ranking of any kind. Our community criteria can be found here.

Name	Usual Color	Region	Contact	Example Play
BFelix014		Canada	Unavailable	Exhibition Footage YouTube Channel