Many of us have added a fresh bookmark to our browsers as we’ll be constantly referencing the new Street Fighter 6 patch notes as we explore how developers have updated the experience, but amid the long list of alterations is one that stands out from the rest.
This change may or may not have massive implications for the relatively low-tier character it affects, but it is unlike any other, making the potential for sweeping impact feel significant. Let’s take a closer look at how Capcom has buffed Jamie’s ability to regenerate Drive Gauge.
Jamie, one of the core newcomers designed to be “the Ryu, Ken, and Chun-Li of the next generation of Street Fighter,” hasn’t fared well in the street fights he’s participated in.
He’s got decently damaging combos, tricky set ups, plenty of charismatic flair, and some of the tools that seem to make other roster members top tier, but Jamie has struggled to combine these elements into a cohesive arsenal that amounts to more than the sum of its parts.
Along with more consistent combo sequences and a nerf to his sweep (which was admittedly overpowered in terms of spacing), Jamie’s most potentially game-changing adjustment comes in the form of a buff to the mechanic likely holding him back the most: his drink system.
Jamie starts each match with 0 drinks, but he gains both increased damage output and access to new moves each time he sips from his hip flask, up to a maximum of four drinks. At level 4, Jamie could be a contender for one of the best characters in the game. However, players must work their way to this level every single round, as drinks reset after each and every KO.
While other characters can capitalize on their opportunities through extended pressure or additional damage, Jamie often has to sacrifice those advantages in order to level up. Though Capcom has given him several ways to drink—such as manually drinking from neutral or drinking during the recovery animations of certain attacks—it’s still a major albatross around his neck.
Each patch, the community speculates whether Capcom might tweak the drink system so Jamie can retain some of his drinks between rounds or perhaps require fewer drinks to reach the maximum, but for the most part, the system has remained unchanged. However, there is one key difference after this latest patch: drinks regenerate Drive Gauge now.
This used to happen only if Jamie drank while maxed out at level 4, mind you, but the effect has been buffed so that it always happens now.
The Drive Gauge has proven crucial to success in Street Fighter 6, as it directly impacts a character’s ability to pressure, defend, and unleash powerful attacks.
We are leveling up our understanding of how critical decision-making around Drive Gauge usage is, as going into Burnout or lacking resources for essential moves at the wrong moments can determine the outcome of a round.
Typically, all characters build Drive Gauge when they apply pressure that isn’t enhanced by Drive Rush, but now Jamie is likely the most efficient character at building this all-important meter. Whether this buff will push him up a few tier levels remains to be seen, but we’re already starting to see some early signs of its potential impact.
Jamie has an easy way out of burnout now #sf6_jamie pic.twitter.com/4P8Q1M6liy
— Rashid Alعwaisheer (@Lynku) December 2, 2024
Spending 5 bars and staying in the green is crazy lmfao, level 2 is BUFF now #SF6_Jamie pic.twitter.com/tM77WPE106
— Fromatose (@FrosephStalin) December 2, 2024
This shit is tight, you get drive bar off any drink he has now lmfao #SF6_Jamie pic.twitter.com/Dc72fGaFIv
— Fromatose (@FrosephStalin) December 2, 2024
Jamie gains nearly half a bar of Drive Gauge from drinking, though this is somewhat hard to measure, as the gauge also increases over time and with landing hits. Capcom has noted that the amount of Drive replenished depends on the technique Jamie performs. Additionally, the amount of Drive restored increases further when Jamie reaches level 4 or has his Super 2 active.
This change does not remove the four extra hoops Jamie must jump through to gain full access to his kit and potential, but a way to directly increase the game’s second most important meter (health bar being the first) could have major implications.
Maybe this will all amount to just giving Jamie players more effective access to Drive Rush after certain combos while helping him avoid burning out, but with all the ways Capcom has given Jamie to drink, including a notable buff to the way his level 2 Super works in a previous patch, has us in a place where we wouldn’t be all that surprised to see this change be the one that pushes Jamie to new, notable heights.
We’re eager to hear from Jamie players on how this change is affecting their gameplay, but everyone’s thoughts are welcome as we move into the comments section to discuss how we feel about this particular update in Street Fighter 6.
