The Last Blade

Introduction

Last Blade is a weapon-based fighting game with focuses of character variation and power type.

Game Systems

Attack Notations

A = Weak Slash

b + A = Very Weak Slash

B = Heavy Slash

f + B = Very Heavy Slash

C = Kick

f + C = Knockdown Kick

df + C = Knockdown Sweep Kick

D = Repel

d + D = Low Repel

f + D = Special Repel

df + D = Special Low Repel

(when knocked over) + D = Recovery

BC = Special Attack (unblockable in Power, overhead in Speed)

CD = Throw (in Last Blade 1, throw is f/b B)

ABC = 3-hit speed combo

dd + A/B = Super Combo Starter

A+B+C+A+B+C+A+B+qcfC = Standard Super Speed Combo

Movements

                  up (u)
                    |
 (ub)  up left - 7 8 9 - up right (uf)
     
     (b)   left - 4 5 6 - right (f)

(db) down left - 1 2 3 - down right (df)
                    | 
                  down (d)

Movement Abbreviations

qcf - 236 - d/df/f - Quarter circle forward

qcb - 214 - d/db/b - Quarter circle backward

rqcb - 412 - b/db/d - Reverse Quarter circle backward

hcf - 41236 - b/db/d/df/f - Half circle forward

hcb - 63214 - f/df/d/db/d - Half circle backward

dp - 623 - f/d/df - Dragon Punch motion

rdp - 421 - b/d/db - Reverse Dragon Punch motion

charge - [4]6 or [2]8 - b~f or d~u - Hold in one direction then shift to the designated direction

hcb f - 632146 - f/df/d/db/b/f - Half circle back forward motion

b~f - [4]6 - Hold back then press forward

d~u - [2]8 - Hold down then press up

db/f - 1,6 - press down back then forward

d/u - 2,8 - press down then up

d,d - 2,2 - press down twice

qcb hcf - 2141236 - Quarter circle back half circle forward

f/b/f - 6,4,6 - press forward back forward

Notation and Terminology

Sp. - Special Move

DM - Desperation Move

SDM - Super Desperation Move

SSC - Super Speed Combo

j. - jump

Small Jump - briefly tap up

Dash Jump - tap forward twice

Small Dash Jump - tap forward twice, then briefly tap up

Power Mode

Power Mode allows the character to have more damaging strikes, and deal block damage when opponent blocks. This mode also allows for SDMs to be performed (when life is flashing and power bar is full), allows for a Special (Unblockable) Attack to be used, and can link from regular moves to DMs and SDMs. Speed Mode

Speed Mode allows the character to apply quicker strikes, but only deals block damage with special moves. The Special Attack is one that must be blocked high. Supers can be linked from regular slashes but not moves, depending on the character. You can also link 3 b+A hits before a combo.

Overheads & Unblockables

Overheads and Unblockables are performed with BC. Overheads are available only in Speed mode where they are moves that must be blocked high, can be followed up with another attack or linked to a special move after the overhead lands, and usually has a knockdown effect. Unblockables are only available in Power Mode and are chargeable, take almost or half of your life when charged fully, cannot be followed up by any move, and usually cannot be cancelled out of. (power mode only unblockables does not get introduced until Last Blade 2. on this iteration, both power and speed mode uses the overhead)

Air Blocking

Last Blade 2 has a simple system of airblocking that when jumping straight up or backwards you can block projectiles, anti-airs, aerial normal attacks, and ground special moves. The attacks you cannot block in airblocking are grounded normals and of course unblockable attacks.

Repelling and Recoveries

Similar to Street Fighter 3 parry or Garou's Just Defend, Repelling is a defensive system that allows parrying and countering, as well as recovering. Unlike Parrying or Just Defend however, Repellling is done with an action button "D" instead of a joystick motion. You are able to repel attacks on the ground, low, in the air, when an opponent attacks you from the air, or when you jump around and opponent and he or she attacks from the ground. Repelling Special moves requires you to press foward from the ground or df from crouching. With the Repelling button, you can also recover your character from knockdowns on the ground or in the air. Recovery is and should be used as a tactical tool; sometimes an opponent might expect you to recover and take advanage of that, so choose wisely when you use it.

Chain Combos Every character has their own form of chain combos but this following is a series of combos everyone is capable of:

b + A + A + A + B + f B/f C/df C A + B + C

Generally either A + B + C or b + A + A + A + B can cancel into a Special, DM, SDM, SSC