BBCPE/Defense

From Dustloop Wiki

Blocking

Blocking is an integral part of any traditional fighting game. In BlazBlue, there are quite a few different types of blocking: BBBlocking.png

Ground Blocking

If you block incorrectly, an exclamation mark will appear

Hold 4 to block high attacks and hold 1 to block low attacks. Mid attacks can be blocked in any direction. As a general rule for ground blocking:

  • block low until you see an overhead, then block high
  • most air attacks and slow short ranged attacks must be blocked high
  • react to throws with throw breaks or attacks, depending on how risky you feel

If you block incorrectly (for example blocking a low attack high), an exclamation mark will appear to show that you made a mistake.

Air Blocking

Hold any backward direction while in the air to block. There is no high-low blocking in the air, making it a common place for defenders to go to avoid blocking ground-based high/low/throw mixup. That's not to say that being airborne is a fail-safe defensive posture; getting airborne is a risk since jumps have a bit of vulnerable startup and you need to deal with air throws, crossups, and air unblockable attacks.

Air Unblockable Attacks

Most ground attacks need to be Air Barrier Blocked. Notice the '!'

Many ground based attacks are air unblockable (like most character's 5B and 5C), but can be air blocked using Barrier Block. An exclamation mark will appear when you are hit by an air unblockable attack. As a general rule of thumb, use Air Barrier Block if the opponent is attacking you from the ground.

However there are a few attacks that simply can not be blocked in the air at all, like Tager's Atomic Collider.

Instant Block

Start blocking a moment before the opponent's attack connects to perform an instant block. Your character will flash white if you did this correctly. Start blocking within 8 frames of the attack to Instant Block.

Instant blocking is used for the following:

  • Recover from blockstun 3F faster (6F for air IB), thus making it easier to counter attack
  • Gain 3 Heat for each instant block (unconfirmed)
  • Reduced the amount of pushback, leaving you closer to the opponent

Sometimes IBing a mult-hitting attack (such as Nu's 6C) once will instant block multiple hits. In these instances you will only gain 3 Heat once for each time you tap block.

IB does not allow you to make "illegal" blocks: you still must block high/low correctly, and you still must use Air Barrier Block versus air unblockable attacks.

Barrier Block

Barrier Block is an interesting and highly useful technique. It's often used to negate chip damage, but it has other important uses. To perform Barrier Block, hold any backward direction and press A+B. As long as the direction and buttons are held down, your character will continue to perform Barrier Block.

Just like with Instant Blocking, you still must block high/low attacks correctly when using Barrier Block.

  • Consumes Barrier Gauge
  • Prevents chip damage
  • Increases pushback
  • Increases blockstun by 1F
  • Can air Barrier to block most air unblockable attacks
  • Prevents Guard Crush
  • Barrier Block is disabled while in Danger State

One point worth repeating is that using Barrier Block in the air allows you to air block attacks that are otherwise unblockable! Air Barrier Block is the primary way to air block things like an opponent's anti-air attacks.

Another point worth stressing is that Barrier Block increases pushback while blocking. This allows a player to escape an opponent's offense sooner by pushing him out of attack range! An advanced strategy is to make the opponent's attack miss by pushing him away with Barrier Block, then counter attack while the opponent is still recovering from his whiffed attack!

Preventing a Guard Break with Barrier Block drains a significant portion of the Barrier Gauge. The amount drained varies from character to character.

Instant Barrier

It's possible to do both Instant Block and Barrier Block at the same time! In addition to getting the benefits of both, there is one difference: pushback is even more than Barrier Block! This makes it even more useful for pushing the opponent away to escape pressure.

  • Consumes Barrier Gauge
  • Prevents chip damage
  • Greatly increases pushback
  • Decreases blockstun by 2F (5F in the Air)
  • Can air Barrier to block most air unblockable attacks
  • Prevents Guard Crush
  • Gain 3 Heat for each instant block (unconfirmed)

When you Instant Barrier, your character will have both Instant Block and Barrier Block graphical effects (flashing white and barrier is visible).

Guard Bonus

If you are stuck in blockstun for over 6 seconds straight (meaning there's not even a 1 frame hole in the opponent's attacks for 6 seconds), you automatically begin instant-blocking all attacks and the words "Guard Bonus" will appear on the side of the screen. This doesn't happen often, but it's good to keep it in mind.

Guard Crush

Ragna gets guard crushed. That's going to hurt.

Some attacks will Guard Crush if you don't use Barrier Block to block them. All Crush Triggers have this property, as well as some other special attacks like Platinum's Hammer item.

If Guard Crushed while standing or crouching, you will be in a standing state or crouching state respectively, and will be vulnerable for 30 frames.

A mid-air Guard Crush will wall-bounce and hard knockdown the opponent.

Upon guard crushing your opponent, the damage from the next attack with will not incur its P1 proration value, so use an attack with a high P2 value. Note that a 90% damage proration value will be applied to this first attack, instead, but this proration has no effect on untechable time. Additionally, throws cannot be escaped, and since throws have 100% minimum damage, characters with command throws should take advantage of this situation.

Unblockable Attacks

Some attacks are completely unblockable, meaning the only way to avoid getting hit is to move out of the way! For example, Kokonoe's Jamming Dark (632146D) is unblockable, as is Jin's Hirensou (623D) when charged to max.

High-Low Unblockable

There is also a second class of unblockable attacks that exist because the opponent hits you with a high+low attack at the same time. Because you can not block in both directions at once, you are guaranteed to get hit. There is no icon to show when this happens, though you will see an exclamation mark showing that you blocked "incorrectly". Carl and Relius both have setups into these types of unblockables.

Burst

BBCP Burst.png

Bursts are a special type of attack in BlazBlue; they do no damage, are invincible until recovery, and can be done while blocking or getting hit. Bursts are useful to stop the opponent's offensive pressure or to interrupt the opponent's combo, thus preventing some damage. Be wary, if an oppnent knows you're going to burst, they can stop their attack early and punish your recovery.

To Burst, press A.png+B.png+C.png+GGD.png while getting hit with a full Burst Gauge.

Burst Frame Data
P1 P2 Startup Active Recovery Frame Advantage Untechable Notes
10 80 6 6 43 -24 300
  • Fully Invincible 1-48F
  • Air Burst is vulnerable until landing


Bursts can be Disabled

BBCP DisabledBurst.png

Bursts can be forcibly disabled under the following conditons:

  • Getting hit by a throw or super attack
  • Getting hit by ANY attack while the opponent is in Overdrive
    • If you are already in hitstun when the opponent activates Overdrive, then your Burst will be disabled until you return to a neutral state
  • Getting hit by a Burst or Counter Assault

The Burst Icon will be crossed out during these situations.

Guard Cancel Overdrive

Press A.png+B.png+C.png+GGD.png while blocking to cancel out all blockstun and go into Overdrive! This is a potent way to get out of a defensive situation and then go back on the offensive! Guard Cancel Overdrive is explained in more detail here.

Counter Assault

Ragna using Counter Assault to get out of a defensive situation

Counter Assaults are an invincible attack that do zero damage, but blow the opponent away, and are useful for escaping an enemy's offensive pressure. Counter Assaults cost 50 Heat and are performed by pressing 6+A+B while in blockstun.

Every character's Counter Assault is unique, but they share many similarities:

  • Invincible startup
  • Does zero damage
  • Combos including a Counter Assault can not kill the opponent, no matter how much damage is dealt; they will always survive with 1 health remaining.
  • Heat Gain Cooldown for 180 frames


Throw Break

Two exclamation marks will appear when a character can break a throw. Press B+C to break the throw and escape.

  • Green exclamation mark throws have a 15 frame window to break the throw.
    • Normal throws show a green exclamation mark under normal circumstances.
  • Purple exclamation mark throws have a 27 frame window to break the throw.
    • If you throw an opponent when they are in blockstun or hitstun (plus 6 frames immediately after either), the throw will be purple
  • Pressing B+C will break throws for 16 frames if the throw animation comes out. Afterwards, you will be in Throw Reject Miss state for 14 frames.
  • Pressing B+C will break throws for only 3 frames if no animation comes out, such as when using the Barrier/Throw Break Option Select or when attempting a throw break while in blockstun. Afterwards, you will be in Throw Reject Miss state for 27 frames.


Throw Counter

You won't be able to break a throw if the opponent throws you while you are attacking them.

This happens when you are thrown while in a counter hit state. For example, getting thrown out of an attack with a lot of startup will not let you attempt a throw break. A big red X will appear when you are thrown and "Throw Counter" will show on the side of the screen.

Throw Reject Miss

If you try to break a throw early, then you will automatically fail to break throws for a while.

If you input a throw break before you are thrown, then you will automatically fail the throw break (even if it was Purple!), the game will show big red X over the exclamation mark, and the words "Throw Reject Miss" will appear.

  • If the throw whiff animation appears, you will be in Throw Reject Miss state from 17-30F.
  • If the throw whiff animation does no appear (such as attempting a throw break while in blockstun), you will be in Throw Reject Miss state from 4-30F.

In addition, pushing B and C at the same time in other situations (e.g. A+B+C for executing an RC; ukemi and rolling using B+C; etc.) will also place the character into the Throw Reject Miss state.

Tricking the opponent into attempting a throw break early, then actually throwing them is a common offensive technique in high-level play.

Barrier + Throw Break Option Select

When blocking press A+B+C to perform this option select.

If the opponent tries to throw you and you time this input correctly, you'll get a throw break; if the opponent tries to hit you, then you'll just use your barrier. However, using this method, a throw break will only work up to 3F before being thrown. The trick is to input it somewhat late, but nevertheless if the opponent delays his throw timing, this, too will put you into a Throw Reject Miss state.

Negative Penalty

Negative Penalty automatically drains your Barrier Gauge and puts you into Danger State!

Negative Penalty happens when you perform too many "Defensive Actions" in a row without performing any "Offensive Actions". Performing Backsteps, walking backwards, air dashing backwards all count as Defensive Actions. Running towards the opponent, attacking the opponent, etc. count as Offensive Actions. Your character will flash red and the screen will show the text "Negative Warning" before you actually get Negative Penalty, so use that as a sign to stop turtling!


BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma Extende
Click [*] for character's frame data
System Explanations

HUDControlsFrame DataSystem Data


Movement/CancelingOffenseDefenseDamage/ComboAttack AttributesHeat/Barrier/Burst GaugeMisc