Fighting Game Guide

Granblue Fantasy: Versus (GBVS) is a 2D fighter that is accessible to newcomers to the genre. Special attacks and super attacks can be performed with the press of a single button. You can block by walking back but there is also a dedicated block button to help you as well. Spot Dodge and Roll are easy to understand defensive mechanics. RPG Mode is a really cool side-scrolling beat 'em up. Gameplay is very grounded and emphasizes fundamentals. If you're new to fighters and want a game that's easy to get into while still being technical, this is the perfect game for you.

Helpful Resources

Notation

Attack Notation

Directional Notation

Numpad Notation

High attacks are overhead attacks that must be stand blocked. Mid attacks are attacks that can be blocked with both stand block and crouch block.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus uses Modern frame data notation. If an attack has 7 frames of startup, it hits on the 7th frame.

Press 66 to run. Running can be canceled into an attack immediately but there is a delay before it cancels into blocking. There is a skidding animation after running that can't be avoided. For this reason, running isn't used for positioning except from far away and after knockdowns.

Any close proximity normal attack can start the auto combo sequence. Keep pressing normal attacks to continue the three hit auto combo. The last hit of auto combo is special cancelable.

Midscreen combos in GBVS are short and low damaging unless meter is spent. When the opponent is in the corner, counter hit, and/or crouching that's when combos get fancy. Counter hits inflict extra hitstun, creating new combos. Crouching inflicts 1 extra frame of hitstun which will stack with the counter hit bonus. The corner leaves the attacker close enough to add more hits to the combo.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus uses a priority system instead of hitboxes and hurtboxes to decide which attack wins when they are active on the same frame. Medium attacks crush light attacks. Hard attacks crush medium and light attacks. Special attacks are the strength of the button they're inputted with. For crushing purposes, U button attacks are the same strength as medium attacks. Jumping attacks are considered lower strength than grounded attacks with the exception of jumping light attacks. When a throw and a strike are active on the same frame, the throw wins.

When two attacks of the same strength are active on the same frame, a Clash happens and both players gain 10% SBA Gauge. Both players can cancel into any attack, any defensive mechanic, or dash.

High jump by pressing 1/2/3 then 7/8/9. All air normal attacks inflict 14 frames of hitstun but attacks inflict different amounts of blockstun.

There is air blocking and it blocks air attacks. All grounded normal attacks are air unblockable as well as all hard Skills/EX special attacks that aren't projectiles.

Air recovery is automatic but the character does not air recover immediately. The amount of time before recovery is based on the attack that hit. This means the character can get hit before they air recover.

Counter hitting an airborne character floats them into a juggle.

Backdashes are airborne and can be used to avoid throws. Auto combo will catch backdashes.

Safe Jump

A safe jump is a jumping attack that blocks invincible reversals.

Fighting games have landing frames, which are like recovery frames for jumping attacks. Granblue Fantasy: Versus has 5 landing frames for jumping attacks, which means the attacker can block 6 frames after landing. Most invincible reversals in this game are 6 frames or slower.

In this example, Seox perfectly times a safe jump on Gran. If Gran is blocking, Seox's jumping attack will connect. If Gran does an invincible reversal, Seox's jumping attack will go through Gran then he lands on the ground and blocks Gran's reversal.

Skills are what special attacks are called in GBVS. Every Skill has a different amount of cooldown before it can be used again. Characters have four Skills and each one can be performed with a shortcut input by holding a direction (4, 5, 2, 6) and pressing S which is the Skill button. Or you can perform a Skill with its technical input which gives it more damage and significantly reduces cooldown.

Gran's DP Skill has 200 frames of cooldown with the shortcut input and 20 frames of cooldown with the technical input. That is a big difference! But don't be afraid of using shortcut Skills. They're great to use in buffered attacks.

EX Skills are performed with the H button. All EX Skills end in a hard knockdown. EX Skills are very powerful but at the cost of having very long cooldowns. Most characters are able to take their opponent to the corner and/or get a throw mixup after knockdown with a combo that uses multiple EX Skills. You'll have to decide if it's worth it because you will be locked out of your Skills for a long time.

Skybound Art is the super attack and is performed 236236H/214214H for its technical input or 236S/214S for its shortcut input. It costs 100% SBA Gauge and puts all the Skills into cooldown. With less than 30% health, it becomes the more powerful Super Skyboard Art and that's performed 236236U for its technical input or 236S+U for its shortcut input.

Skills cannot cancel into Skybound Art. Shortcut input Skybound Art inflicts less damage when performed at the end of a long combo. Technical input Skybound Art leaves the characters closer, which gives the attacker better okizeme.

Overdrive is a powered up state that is available once per round by pressing M+H+G with 100% SBA Gauge. The activation is invincible and can be used as a reversal. It is safe on block but counter hit punishable if it whiffs. Overdrive increases damage on normal attacks and special attacks, all attacks now inflict chip damage, chip damage to yourself is negated, and your universal overhead has less startup. Simple input special attacks now have the same cooldown as technical inputs. Skybound Art and Super Skybound Art can be performed any time during Overdrive. Getting hit during Overdrive depletes a third of the gauge.

Blocking can be performed by holding 4 for stand block or 1 for crouch block but there is also a dedicated block button with G. Some of the advantages of the block button are it makes the character instantly stand or crouch which can be used to defend against fuzzy guard setups. The character blocks sooner because they block before proximity guard is triggered. And the character can stand block without moving backwards.

The disadvantages are you can't walk backwards or attack while holding the block button. Techniques like fuzzy mash are not possible with the block button.

Blocking a couple frames before an attack connects is an Instant Block. It builds SBA Gauge. That's all it does. That's really all it does. If someone tells you it does something more, they're lying to you.

There is chip kill in this game. The defender must be at 1 health and must return to neutral before being chip killed.

After a knockdown, press 2 and an attack button to quick recover. Or press 4 and an attack button to back recover.

M+H is the universal overhead. It is reactable because it has 26 frames of startup and emits a spark. Universal overheads are throw-invulnerable (including air throws) from frame 4. At worst it's +1 on hit and -4 on block, which is safe. It can hit at a later active frame to be more advantageous. On counter hit, it's usually advantageous enough to link into 5H for a satisfying combo. Universal overhead is great for going over low attacks and throws.

Rush is a strike-invulnerable dash that costs 50% SBA Gauge and is performed 6M+H. It becomes strike-invulnerable on frame 4 and always loses to projectiles and throws. It's used to close the distance and becomes an attack when in close proximity. Rush is advantageous on block.

Normal attacks can be canceled into Rush. When used this way it is a Roman Cancel that freezes the screen. Rush is special cancelable after it has been canceled into from a normal attack.

Backshift is an invincible backdash that costs 50% SBA Gauge and is performed 4M+H. It is immediately invincible and but becomes vulnerable at the end.

Meter gain is reduced for about 5 seconds after using Rush or Backshift. Neither option can be performed during Overdrive. Rush is not immediately strike-invulnerable but it stays invulnerable until the attack is active. Backshift is immediately invincible but it loses invincibility at the end and becomes punishable. Rush is the better defensive option while you're getting pressured in the corner because it is less punishable. Backshift is better for avoiding perfect meaties, throws, and pressure mid-screen. Rush is better for escaping pressure with gaps in the corner when you're out of throw range.

Throws are performed with L+M or L+U and are teched with either input. There is a whiff animation if unsuccessful. Throws have 7 frames of startup and a lot of recovery. Characters can neutral jump to avoid a throw and get a max damage punish.

The throw tech window is 22 frames, which is long enough that throws can be reacted to but late teching is penalized. Teching a throw from frames 13-22 results in a late throw tech. Late throw tech leaves the defender at -24 and inflicts a little bit of damage.

There are 9 frames of throw-invulnerability after wakeup, 6 frames after coming out of hitstun, and 5 frames after coming out of blockstun. This invulnerability carries into attacks which means players often wakeup with a fast attack when they expect to be thrown.

Because of the late throw tech penalty, players use alternative ways to avoid throws like attacks, jumps, backdashes, and universal overheads. The throw itself and the late tech penalty are low damaging but getting counter hit trying to avoid the throw can result in a high damage combo. Sometimes it's just better to take the throw.

Every character has an air throw that is fast and beats most jumping attacks.

There are two defensive mechanics: Evade and Cross Over. Players colloquially refer to them as Spot Dodge and Roll.

Spot Dodge with 4G. It has 39 total frames with the first 35 frames being strike-invulnerable and projectile-invulnerable. It has a lot of frames which means you need to dodge something with a lot of frames like a universal overhead to get a punish. Dodging fireballs is good because only one fireball can be on the screen at a time. Spot Dodge can still be thrown and it counts as a counter hit when hit.

Forward Roll with 6G. It moves the character forward and has upper body strike-invulnerability and projectile-invulnerability. It loses to throws and attacks that hit the lower body. It is twice as vulnerable as Spot Dodge and it counts as a counter hit when hit. You can't run and block in this game but you can run into Roll.

Option Selects

There are many defensive option selects in GBVS because of the block button and overlapping inputs. I like that the option selects have clear drawbacks and you have to decide if they're worth using. Inputting throw tech 3 frames after any attack button always results in a late throw tech.

Spot Dodge Throw Tech Option Select

When you predict you'll get thrown, press 4G then plink throw tech with L+U. If your opponent throws, you'll tech it and if they don't you'll Spot Dodge. This loses to delayed or slow attacks.

Universal Overhead Throw Tech Option Select

If you're going to use a universal overhead defensively, you might as well use this option select. Overhead with M+H then plink throw tech with L+U. If your opponent throws, you'll tech and if they don't you'll overhead. This beats both immediate and delayed throws. It beats and loses to everything a regular overhead beats and loses to.

5LM Throw Tech Option Select

This option select is for when you predict your opponent will run at you and do a throw or universal overhead. Press 5L then plink L+M. If it connects the LM chain combo happens. If your opponent throws, you'll tech the throw. If your opponent goes for the overhead, you'll hit them out of the air for a short combo. It's a low risk and low reward option select.

5LL Option Select

If you're going to 5LL for pressure, this option select adds safety without adding any risk. Press 5L then press L+G or press 5L then press G then 5L. The timing isn't strict. If it connects, 5LL combos. If the first 5L whiffs, the character blocks instead of performing the second hit. This is useful against invincible reversals.

Plink Throw Tech Option Select

Attacks can be plinked into throw tech. The most common one is 2M because it is usually a mid range low attack that beats shimmy. Press 2M then plink throw tech with L+U. We won't use L+M for throw tech because M was just used for 2M. If your opponent throws, you'll tech the throw. If they don't 2M comes out. This option selects loses to frame traps. Remember that plinking throw tech always results in a late throw tech penalty.

Anti-Overdrive Option Select

Overdrive activation is safe on block so making it whiff is the only way to punish it. The activation has to be Spot Dodged before the screen freezes. Press 2L then immediately after the attack finishes recovering press 4G and plink L. If 2L connects, 5L continues the combo. If 2L whiffs, the character Spot Dodges. Don't press 4G during the active frames of 2L or Spot Dodge will come out when the attack connects.

This option select can be difficult to execute because the timing depends on your character. I've found that all characters are capable of some variation of this option select. I have seen characters perform this option select with other attacks like 5L and 5M.

A good training mode exercise is to record these three scenarios to practice defending against:
1. run into throw
2. run into M+H
3. run into 2L
Run up throw, run up overhead, and run up low are very common in this game.