Punishing pressure

Learn to punish enemy defensive options and crush their strategies in BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle. Understand mixups, resets, and evasive maneuvers.

A) Enemy’s Defensive Options

Enemy defensive options are categorized against your MIXUPs, RESETs, and ANY type of pressure.

1 – Against your MIXUPs:

• a) General Mixup Defense: The enemy can predict the mixup timing (after air attack transition or after 2A/5A) and GUARD (switch to standing block), EVADE (jump/backstep), or COUNTER (DP/Distortion Drive/Overdrive or fast normal like 2A). This is risky and loses to LOW attacks in tight strings.
• b) Fast Mixup Defense: Against fast mixups (command normal overheads, throws, uncharged Crush Triggers), the enemy can use FUZZY BLOCK+THROW TECH or FUZZY JUMP Option Selects. This requires predicting the mixup timing and is very effective but loses to delayed LOWs.
• c) Slow Mixup Defense: Against slow mixups (Overhead specials, command grabs, long dash+grab, charged Crush Triggers), the enemy can REACT to the long startup animation by switching to standing guard+AB (or ABC). This is safe but requires concentration and doesn't work against command grabs. Alternatively, they can focus on REACTING to GAPs (gaps between attacks) by jumping/backstepping, which is easier than reacting to the specific animation. Delayed LOWs are useful for breaking this guard.
• d) Throw Defense: The enemy can predict throws (based on proximity or dash-in) and input B+C to tech the throw. This can result in them grabbing you or countering some close-ranged mixups due to the grab's faster startup. The throw tech Option Select is a safer alternative.
• e) Late Air Dash/Empty Jump Mixup Defense: The enemy can REACT to your jump by jumping themselves (unless forced to block) or use Overdrive. Otherwise, they must guess if you will attack high or low.
• f) Cross-over Defense: The enemy can use Option Selects like 1+AB (results in 2B or Barrier Guard), 4+ABC (results in grab or Barrier Guard), or 421ABC (results in DP or Barrier Guard).
• g) Fuzzy Overhead Defense: The enemy must crouch to avoid being hit by the air attack preceding the fuzzy overhead, causing the fuzzy overhead to whiff.

2 – Against your RESET Pressure Strategies:

• a) Jump Cancel Defense: The enemy can REACT to your jump cancel by jumping away (with Barrier Guard or rising 7 j.A), anti-airing on the ground, backstepping, or dashing forward. They can also PREDICT your jump cancel and attempt a preemptive forward jump (9) for a rising air grab or rising j.A.
• b) Plus on Block Defense: After you use a plus-on-block move, the enemy can counter with DP/Distortion Drive/Overdrive or 2A/5A, or evade with jump/backstep. They can also play safe and block incoming mixups using FUZZY BLOCK+THROW REJECT or FUZZY JUMP Option Selects.
• c) Stagger Pressure Defense: The enemy can punish gaps in your stagger pressure by mashing 2A/5A, holding jump (7, 8, or 9), or mashing DP input (continuously doing 623623 and mashing the attack button) after blocking an attack.
• d) Gap Punishment: The enemy can bet on the specific moment you leave a gap and try to...