Part 50

Learn how to perform Variable Counters and Variable Combinations in Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes, including character order impacts.

Variable Counters

Variable Counters are performed by inputting b, db, d + PA or PB while blocking. They cost one level of Hyper Combo (HC) power to use. When a Variable Counter is performed, your main character leaps off-screen, and your first or second partner comes in with an attack. You will be in control of them once the attack finishes. Variable Counters can only be used during a standing or crouching block.

The attack used for a Variable Counter is usually the same as your Variable Assist, but can differ. For example, Sonson's Variable Counter is not an attack with a Life-Up Fruit.

Many Variable Counters are controllable, allowing for follow-up hits or redirection. For instance, Spidey's Spider Sting can be followed up with another P press for an added hit during a Variable Counter. Drill Claw, Lightning Attack, and Gamma Charge can also be steered or redirected. The only Variable Counters that are not controllable are Ruby Heart's Cheval Seller and War Machine's Smart Bombs (only the b + LK + HP version is available).

Unlike Variable Assists or Variable Combinations, Variable Counters can be canceled out of into a Hyper Combo.

Variable Combinations

Variable Combinations are performed by pressing PA + PB when you have at least one level of HC power. The moves performed depend on your characters' Partner Assist Type (a, B, or y). For example, Captain America's Beta version always performs Hyper Stars & Stripes, while the other two versions always perform Hyper Charging Star.

You cannot control characters during a Variable Combination; you cannot redirect Psylocke's Psi-Thrust or set the flight path of Silver Samurai's Chou Shuriken.

The number of ways a Variable Combination can occur depends on HC power and the number of usable partners:

• Single person VC: You have only one character left, or only one level of HC power.
• Double person VC: You have only two characters left, or only two levels of HC power.
• Triple person VC: You have all characters left and three levels of HC power.

You can now perform VCs with just one person, which is useful for characters with strong single-person VC abilities like Zangief's Hyper Double Lariat or Spiral's Hyper Metamorphose. However, there is no way to choose between versions; if you have three characters and at least three HC levels, you can only do the triple-team version. After a Variable Combination ends, you remain in control of the character who initiated it, unlike in previous VS. games.

Variable Combinations can be canceled into from normal attacks or command attacks, similar to special moves, but they cannot be hyper canceled into. For example, if playing with (a) Guile, you can cancel from a Straight into his VC (Somersault Strike) with the input: standing LP, MP, Straight, PA + PB.

The order of your characters in a Variable Combination is very important for damage output. For example, using (a) Anakaris, Iron Man, and Juggernaut against Cable can result in different damage amounts based on the character order. Leading with Juggernaut can sometimes cause the Combination to fail and result in about half damage, though this can sometimes be fixed by performing the Combination in the open. Anakaris is a better leader as his VC damage is consistent in the corner or out in the open. Some VCs, like Gamma Sakura, Beta Jill, and Alpha Tron's, have a foolproof setup and deal around 99 points of damage regardless of order or opponent's screen position (if on the ground).

Picking complementary Hyper Combos is also crucial. While HCs with long horizontal range work well together, combining incompatible HCs can lead to poor results. For instance, a Variable Combination with Amingo, (B) Ken, and (y) Sakura in that order results in Amingo's Taiyou no Megumi.