Mastering Dragon Ball FighterZ goes beyond simply landing combos. Advanced defensive techniques and understanding how to break through an opponent's defenses are crucial for climbing the ranks. This section delves into the more nuanced aspects of gameplay that separate beginners from intermediate players.
Defensive Options
While blocking is your primary defense, it's not always enough. Reflect is a powerful tool that pushes your opponent away and creates space, but it consumes Ki. Use it wisely to escape pressure or reset neutral. Super Dash can be a risky but effective way to close distance or punish predictable attacks, but it's highly susceptible to being 2H'd (a universal anti-air attack). Learning when to use these options and when to simply block is key.
Guard Cancel and Vanish
Guard Cancel is a defensive maneuver that allows you to perform a special move or an attack immediately after blocking an opponent's attack, provided you have enough meter. This can be a lifesaver when you're stuck in a corner or under heavy pressure. Vanish, on the other hand, is an offensive tool that consumes Ki to teleport behind your opponent, allowing for quick mix-ups. However, it can be baited and punished if used predictably.
Mix-up Strategies
An effective mix-up strategy involves presenting your opponent with multiple offensive options that are difficult to defend against simultaneously. This can include:
- High-Low Mix-ups: Alternating between attacks that hit high and attacks that hit low, forcing the opponent to guess which way to block.
- Cross-ups: Attacking from an angle where your character ends up behind the opponent, forcing them to switch their block direction.
- Command Grabs: Special moves that cannot be blocked normally and require a specific input to avoid. These are excellent for breaking through tight defenses.
- Okizeme (Wake-up Game): When an opponent is knocked down, the attacking player can set up pressure to hit them as soon as they recover. This involves timing attacks and special moves to catch their recovery options.
Understanding Frame Data (Basic Concept)
While deep frame data analysis is for advanced players, understanding the basic concept of "plus" and "minus" frames is beneficial. If your attack leaves you at "plus" frames on block, you recover faster than your opponent, allowing you to continue your offense. If your attack is "minus" on block, your opponent recovers faster and can potentially punish you. Learning which of your character's moves are plus on block can give you a sificant advantage in pressure situations.