A reset is intentionally stopping a combo early to do a mixup and catch the opponent unaware. This is usually a gamble to increase damage output; if the opponent gets hit by a reset, then the overall damage dealt would be higher than just finishing the first combo. Resets can also be used as a gamble to gain other advantages, such as better screen positioning, more super meter, etc.
Example
- Guilty Gear XRD series
- Normal combo: Potemkin does a combo 5P > c.S > 5H > Hammerfall
- Reset: Potemkin does 5P > c.S > 5H > Hammerfall break, Potemkin Buster
- Potemkin does more damage this way by doing a full Buster instead of just a Hammerfall.
- This assumes the opponent is holding block during the combo and not mashing a fast attack or jump.
- BlazBlue Central Fiction
- Normal combo: Ragna does a combo 5B > 5C > Hell's Fang
- Reset: Ragna does a combo 5B > 5C > Gauntlet Hades > Continue Combo
- 5C > Gauntlet Hades does not combo. If the opponent was holding down-back, then he will get hit by Gauntlet Hades (an overhead) and Ragna gets to start a new combo from there.
- This assumes the opponent is holding down-back during the combo and not standing block or jump.