So guard break.... | Forums

[Shade253]

I admit I've done zero other searches but I'll only be making the one post I think.

I have to say this game is extremely refreshing and, for the most part, feels fair, fun, and balanced.

However, i've actually put this game on the shelf and am considering returning it due to frustration from one aspect of the game. guard breaks.

I actually don't even see a need for them when we have unblockable attacks that already counter turtles, not to mention feints as well and side step attacks and all other methods of getting past heavy blockers.

As of right now though guard breaks are just so potent (dare I say.. overpowered?) that I've had entire matches where all we did is grab each other over and over again or spend the entire match attempting to throw the other person off a ledge.

Not only can guard breaks lead to instant death from ring outs but even if they aren't throwing you to your death they have the time to windup a huge overhead swing that'll probably cut 20-25% of your life.

Now you can attempt to argue that if someone is close to a ledge then don't fight over there, well ok but then me and my adversary will just be sitting still staring at each other for minutes on end.

I've actually had matches where the other person was so adamant on throwing me out of the ring that we sat for 8 minutes staring at each other until he finally got impatient and just quit the match.

Did i win? sure.
was it fun? not even a little bit.

Everything about this situation could be resolved if the counter window was just a bit larger.

At the moment even experts are having trouble reliably blocking grabs. Right now the meta if you don't want to be grabbed is to basically don't go near ledges (or if you do go near a ledge you are now playing For Honor: He Who Grabs First instead of a real duel) or anticipate exactly when they are going to go for a grab.

Problem is once you see a grab happening it's generally too late to do anything about it. I actually practiced guard breaks exclusively in practice mode and even WHEN I WAS WAITING FOR THE GRAB could only execute a guard break maybe... 50 percent of the time. This is not balanced when a single guard break can quarter your health or outright kill you but it is the hardest thing to 'parry' in the game.



The window for parrying light attacks is larger (hell the window for parrying in damn dark souls is bigger than the guard break counter window in this game).

It really comes down to the fact that when I don't counter a guard break it doesn't feel like it's my fault, because you don't have any time to actually react to a guard break, you have to anticipate it. So I don't feel like it's skill related, it's more of a guessing game than anything.

Thoughts?

I think I've gone through too much frustration already in this game exclusively due to guard breaks (they also can make some matches just plain unfun win or lose, it's not fun just circling each other going for a grab every few seconds because you know the chances of the other person countering it are so slim) so I don't know if this game is for me but I'll keep an eye on it and see what the community feels and/or if they address it somehow.

[SwaggTheRoy]

I think we all agree with you to some degree. I believe the next patch has something to do about countering it more accurately.

But yeah.. ever have this happen to you ?

[Shade253]

Just wow, yeah that is just ridiculous. It's just too strong in my opinion.
Everything else in this game feels reaction based (which is much more realistic than a 'try to predict if this is going to happen' type) and all of those elements feel balanced and perfect.

Guard breaks just need a much larger window (I argue it should be larger than those of a heavy attack because it goes through guard and it basically gives you a free heavy attack in return if it connects, or possibly a full ring out.

In my opinion if you hit the guard break button before the enemy ACTUALLY STARTS THROWING YOU/HITS YOU then you should push them away.

[SwaggTheRoy]

Just wow, yeah that is just ridiculous. It's just too strong in my opinion.
Everything else in this game feels reaction based (which is much more realistic than a 'try to predict if this is going to happen' type) and all of those elements feel balanced and perfect.

Guard breaks just need a much larger window (I argue it should be larger than those of a heavy attack because it goes through guard and it basically gives you a free heavy attack in return if it connects, or possibly a full ring out.

In my opinion if you hit the guard break button before the enemy ACTUALLY STARTS THROWING YOU/HITS YOU then you should push them away.

Personally, I see people GB Interrupt me during my 50/50 but I don't spam it nonetheless, It is required to start a mix-up with the character I main. But people who just spam it to throw you off or just throw into a wall to confirm a free 'Heavy' (as you've said) is beyond ridiculous. I feel if they make it to where people say"when you see the red shield" counter the guard break but it is way to slow thus leaving a windows of never countering it like it is now. People would just spam the button for sure. So it does seem like it'll take alot of work.

[awolcz]

Problem is also with guard break mapping on consoles. It should be mapped to R3, or allowed for player to change mapping. When I'm holding my finger on square, I can counter guard break in 90 % cases. But it is useless, because I am unable to block then. When holding right stick, I'm able to counter guard break like in max 5 % cases, while most of it is even luck.

[SwaggTheRoy]

Problem is also with guard break mapping on consoles. It should be mapped to R3, or allowed for player to change mapping. When I'm holding my finger on square, I can counter guard break in 90 % cases. But it is useless, because I am unable to block then. When holding right stick, I'm able to counter guard break like in max 5 % cases, while most of it is even luck.

I remapped my square to L1 recently. I've been getting some success more or less.

[TCTF_SWAT]

I think we all agree with you to some degree. I believe the next patch has something to do about countering it more accurately.

But yeah.. ever have this happen to you ?

That's legitimate though. LB gets a free side heavy after a GB.

[Shade253]

Now that's an interesting notion, to remap it to L1.

That could help resolve some of the issue. Still, I think actually executing a GB should be much more difficult.

Right now even if you successfully counter it all it does is push them away. There's barely any consequence for attempting one and failing unless the person was already in an attack animation or dodging (AKA: unless they get lucky).

I think GB would still have a place in mixups even if they are much easier to counter because it would keep someone on their toes.

Even if I attempt a GB and they happen to counter it it still throws them off a bit.

I'm really happy to hear that it is being looked into right now though.
I feel not as alone in this then.

[SwaggTheRoy]

That's legitimate though. LB gets a free side heavy after a GB.

I don't know if that's apart of his moveset. But the point of that was the fact that Tru3 could not tech the GB at all no matter how hard he tried lol. Idk what is wrong with the GB Interrupt atm ? But apparently it is something because they are reverting it back to beta version.

[Shade253]

The problem isn't whether or not he can follow a GB up with an attack, it's that GB in general is too easy to pull off.
Being able to follow a GB up with an attack is sort of the point so he can have alegitimate side swipe all he once.

But the counter window for something like that shouldn't be a hair wide.