Countering

Learn how to effectively counter enemy ground and air approaches in BlazBlue: Central Fiction. Master spacing tools, anti-air attacks, and defensive strategies.

In BlazBlue: Central Fiction, while evasion is key, you'll inevitably find yourself cornered. It's crucial to be prepared to stand your ground and counter enemy approaches when they get close. Your primary tools for countering depend on whether the enemy is approaching on the ground or in the air.

VS enemy GROUND approaches:

• If you're in the air and they approach during your landing phase: Use your air spacing tool (usually j.B or j.C).
• If you're on the ground and they approach: Use your spacing tool (usually 5B or 5C).

VS enemy AIR approaches:

• If you're on the ground: A backwards jump (7) with a rising j.C or a forward jump (9) with a rising j.A are safe options if you predict their air approach. Alternatively, use your Anti-Air attack (usually 6A or 2C), but be aware these can be baited and punished. A jump with a rising air grab can work when the enemy is directly above you, especially after they've used their movement options like double jump or air dash.
• If you're in the air: Use your air spacing tool (usually j.B or j.C).

Special Anti-Air Option Select: For characters with a 2C anti-air, if you're unsure if the enemy will cross over, input 1C. This will result in 2C if they don't cross over, but 3C (a sweep) if they do, potentially low-profiling them.

Since you can't always know if an enemy will approach via ground or air, if you're forced to face their approach, commit to countering one type (e.g., air approaches) while guarding against the other. Factors to consider when deciding which to counter include:

1. Distance: The most important factor. Each approach type has a specific effective distance. Knowing your opponent's spacing tool reach helps identify the danger of sudden approaches, especially from medium/long range.
2. Proximity after attack: The closer they are after an attack, the more threatening they are and the more likely they are to use approaches that allow for that attack.
3. Character possibilities: Some characters have more versatile air tools (like Arakune) than ground tools, making them more prone to air approaches.
4. Opponent tendencies: If an opponent frequently jumps at you, commit to countering their air approaches.

Generally, air approaches are more threatening because they allow opponents to get much closer, much faster, and more suddenly than ground approaches. Therefore, committing to countering air approaches is often a better choice. Being forced to face an imminent approach is a vulnerable situation, as it's impossible to be ready for every possibility. Thus, staying out of the range where an enemy can suddenly reach you is paramount.