Mixup-oriented pressure

Learn how to break enemy guards with mixups in BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, including HIGH/LOW, LEFT/RIGHT, grabs, and Crush Triggers.

Mixups are the primary method for breaking an opponent's guard and can be categorized into:

• HIGH/LOW (including empty jumps and late air dashes);
• LEFT/RIGHT (achieved by crossing through, above, or under the opponent);
• GRABS and Command Grabs;
• And finally CRUSH TRIGGERS.

An overhead mixup can be created using a technique called “tiger knee”. This allows you to perform an air special or super as soon as you leave the ground. If the air special has overhead properties, it can be used for an immediate overhead mixup from the ground. This is done by inputting the special (or super) motion followed by a jump input (continuously) and then the attack button (e.g., 2369X or 2147X). To perform an air special right after a jump cancellable attack, execute the jump cancellable attack, then input 8, followed by the air special’s motion (e.g., 236X or 214X). For example, Jin’s Hizangeki (j.214D) can be performed on an opponent's wake-up by inputting 2147D, or after 2A or 5C by inputting 8, then 214D (input: 2A, 8, 214D or 5C, 8, 214D).

To perform late air dashes, after jumping (with 8 or 9), execute your air dash (66) late after jumping and immediately before landing, during the descending phase of your jump. Performing it too early may result in a non-true mixup or whiffing your air attack. Your air attack(s) must be input right after the late air dash to ensure they connect before landing.

To utilize air-based mixups, it's important to know when you can jump during pressure: after jump cancellable attacks (including ground attacks like 5A or 2C, and air attacks like j.2C) and after landing from a jump.

Mixups can be classified by their properties:

• Fast Mixups: Command normal overheads, throws, and uncharged Crush Triggers. These typically have short range and a startup of 19 to 23 frames. They are usually performed at specific moments like neutral, after 2A, or after 5A. These are the strongest and hardest to deal with, often requiring the opponent to predict their execution.
• Slow Mixups: Specials (overheads, command grabs, and charged Crush Triggers). These generally have greater range and a startup of 24 to 30 frames. They can be performed at any point in a string because normal attacks can be cancelled into specials. These are generally easier for the opponent to deal with due to their longer startup animation.
• Cross-overs: Performed by jumping over the opponent (using double jumps, jump cancelling attacks, high jumps, early air dashes, or Instant Air Dashes), dashing beneath them, or crossing through with specials.
• Fuzzy Overhead (f-shiki) Mixups: Character-specific, sometimes character-dependent, these can involve a rising j.A right after forcing the opponent to block an air attack that causes enough blockstun.
• Instant Overhead Mixups: Specific to heavily offensive characters, these usually deal little damage.

To execute the strongest mixups, you must be close to the opponent. Since blocking attacks pushes the opponent away, strategies to re-approach during strings or restart pressure are necessary. These are known as RESET PRESSURE strategies.

Ways to reset pressure include:

1. Through the air, with Jump Cancels.
2. Through the ground, with Dash Cancels.
3. Through the usage of Plus on Block moves (attacks that grant priority, allowing continuous attacking, like some command normals or specials) that ideally also propel you forward. To check if an attack is plus on block, examine its frame advantage data online or test it in-game by having the opponent block the move and then attempting to attack simultaneously with both players (e.g., using 2A). The player who attacks first has priority, indicating their move was plus on block.
4. By using normal attacks with short recovery (like 5A, 2A, and 2B for most characters) that can be immediately chained into other attacks. This forces the opponent to block under threat of being hit if they attempt any action. You can reset pressure by dashing after these normal attacks, also known as stagger pressure or “gap pressure”, making the timing of the mixup unpredictable. This is effective against players who remain blocking and focus solely on reacting to long startup mixups without challenging your pressure.

Two less frequently used methods include:

1. Using specials with a follow-up, forcing the opponent to block or risk a counter. This method is generally weaker due to the long recovery of most specials.
2. Making use of meter to Rapid Cancel the recovery of any move.