Heat Gauge
The Heat Gauge is like a traditional "super meter" in other fighting games. Heat is used to perform Rapid Cancels, Distortions Drives, Counter Assaults, etc. Under each character's frame data section, there is a column called "Heat Gain" -- this gives the amount of heat gained when that attack hits the opponent.
The amount of Heat gained through various actions in the game can be calculated by the formula described below.
Heat Gauge Total - 10,000 units. (so 100 units = 1%)
Damage * Situation Rating
Heat Gain | The base amount of heat the attack gives. This value is not affect by damage scaling in combos so a move will always gain the same amount of heat no matter how much damage it actually does in a combo. Some attacks only give heat to the opponent (such as Distortion Drives). |
---|---|
Situation Rating | Opponent gets hit by an attack: 100% for attacker 55.56% for opponent Opponent blocks an attack: 50% for attacker 27.78% for opponent |
For calculations, the result is rounded down to the nearest integer. Some moves like Tager's Gadget Finger ignore this formula and gain a set amount of Heat. Refer to each move's Heat Column to know how much heat they gain. Instant block adds 300 heat. Each input only counts once.
Example Calculations
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EX: Ragna lands Dead Spike on an opponent:
Dead Spike Heat Gain Value: 414
Ragna gains 414 * 1.0 = 414 units
Opponent gains 414 * 0.5556 = 230 units
EX: Jin's 6D is blocked:
Jin gains 294 * 0.5 = 147 units
Opponent gains 294 * 0.2778 = 81 units
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Heat Gain Cooldown
After performing an ability that consumes 25% or more of the heat gauge (such as Rapid Cancels, Counter Assaults, and Jin's D Special Attacks), you will gain 75% less heat and auto heat gain will stop for a set amount of time (usually 180F). The time during hitstop and super flash count towards this as well, making "longer" moves less affected.
Some attacks have longer cooldowns, such as Makoto's Particle Flare (420F).
Automatic Heat Gain
When your health bar is under 35%, your Heat Gauge will slowly gain Heat automatically at the rate of 1 unit per frame. Hakumen normally gains 3 units per frame, but when he has less then 35% health, he gains 4 units per frame.
The heat meter will have a flashing icon when this occurs.
Astral Heat
Astral Heat is an attack that automatically wins the match if you can hit the opponent with it. To actually use an Astral, there are certain conditions that need to be fulfilled first:
- 100% Heat Gauge
- One available Break Burst (not greyed out)
- You are one round away from winning the match
- Opponent's health bar is below 35%
Your character icon flashes white when you can use your Astral. Note you CANNOT use your Astral in a combo if the opponent started the combo at > 35% health. However you CAN use your Astral in a combo if you started the combo with less than 100% Heat and get up to 100% by the time you want to use your Astral. Once you perform you Astral (hit or miss), you will lose 100% of your Heat Gauge as well as your Burst.
Counter Assault
Counter Assaults are a special type of attack done when in block stun and are invincible. To perform a Counter Assault, press forward + A+B with 50 heat when blocking an attack. Performing an Counter Assault also drops your max Guard Primer count by 1 for the rest of the round! This makes using Counter Assaults a long term risk since you will be more easily guard broken later in the round if the opponent is able to get you on the defensive.
Typically, a Counter Assault is just a strike, but some characters have something special, for example Arakune's Counter Assault is a throw, and Noel's a sidestep that doesn't hit the opponent at all.
Note that combos involving a Counter Assault can NOT KO an opponent no matter what; the opponent will always survive with 1 health no matter how much damage is done.