Guilty Gear Strive: How To Block

As a fighting game, Guilty Gear Strive also offers players a variety of ways to defend from attacks using the block move. However, Guilty Gear Strive is different in that it offers four different blocks for the player's defensive arsenal.

With that in mind, we pulled together this guide to help you. Here's how players can block in Guilty Gear Strive.

Regular Blocking

To block, players will need walk backwards in reaction of an incoming attack. Doing this will make their character guard against that attack and negate its damage. However, a character's block can be defeated with the right attack or throw.

The regular standing block can block middle and overhead attacks but will break to lows. Meanwhile, crouching block can protect the character from middle and low hits but will get opened up with overheads. Lastly, throws cannot be blocked which makes blocking ineffective for defense.

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Faultless Defense

While players can negate damage with regular blocking, defending special attacks and supers normally will deal chip damage to them. In this game, characters can be knocked out if they take chip damage that reduces their health to 0.

To avoid taking chip damage, players will need to use the 'Faultless Defense' block. Activating this block will need players to hold back and hold two attack buttons at the same time. Faultless Defense will not activate if the Dust attack is used to bring it out.

As a block, Faultless Defense has the same openings as a regular block but it pushes the enemy further if they hit it with close-range attacks. Some matchups require players to use the Faultless Defense to create an opening to stop their pressure.

Just Blocking

Guilty Gear Strive also has a system where the block's effects are further improved when the player presses the block button at the same timing as the hit lands. Blocks made this way are called 'Just Blocking'. The game announces these precise blocks with a "Just" appearing on the upper left or upper right of the screen and encircling the blocker with a circular shining energy.

Doing a precise regular block or Faultless Defense amplifies its effects greater. A precise regular block will negate any pushback to the attack and lets the blocker recover faster from the block. Meanwhile, the precise Faultless Defense pushes the enemy farther which can cause the enemy to whiff their next attack. Both of these precise blocking can open up unique openings for players who can do this difficult feat.

Application

These four types of blocks are the player's line of defense against foes who attack carelessly. Additionally, some blocks open up predictable, repeated attacks which can condition your enemy to attack more carefully to avoid getting punished. For example, Faultless Defending against Sol's Far Slash spamming will open up enough space for an interrupting Forward Punch or Crouching Kick in between the two Far Slash gut punches.

For other applications, players can play around with regular blocking and Faultless Defense as proactive choices in finding openings and making space when defending from a continuous barrage of attacks from the enemy.

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