The Last Blade 2/System

Power Mode

Power Mode allows the character to have more damaging strikes, and normals deal chip 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 Unblockable Attack to be used (BC), and can link from regular moves to DMs and SDMs. DMs can be done freely when life is flashing.

Normal attacks on the ground that use your characters weapon will rebound off the opponent in power mode, Lee being the exception to this as his normals are all punches or kicks. This does not apply to jumping attacks. Normals that rebound cannot be guard canceled against. This doesn’t mean they are safe on block, just safe to your opponent preforming a guard cancel.

Speed Mode

Speed Mode allows the character to cancel normals into other normals, dealing less damage and only deals block damage with special moves. The Special Attack (BC) is an overhead, so it must be blocked high. Instead of a Super Desperation Move, you can do Super Speed Combos (fandangos) or a regular Desperation move. Supers can be linked from regular slashes but not moves, depending on the character.

EX Mode

Please refer the FAQ on how to access this mode.

EX Mode is sort of a balance between Power and Speed, where you are afforded elements of both, such as chain combos and normals doing chip damage, but are evenly handicapped by taking more 1.3x more damage and building no meter when normals are blocked. Under EX, you can use the Special Attack that can be blocked high, you can perform Super Desperation Moves or Super Speed Combos, link Supers from regular and Special moves.

Super Speed Combos

Also called Fandangos by the community (enigma frenzy attack on the steam version), these are deadly rave type supers available in speed and ex mode. These cannot be combod normally, that is to say you cannot cancel normals into them and expect them to combo. A few characters have ways to combo into them but outside of that they are only guaranteed after a deflect. At point blank they hit on frame 17 after the backround animation ends (63F total from the 22A/B input, this is universal) The game still accepts inputs during the backround animation for your opponent. 22A is an overhead starter, 22B is a low so your opponent must guess which way to block or deflect. These can be deflected in the air no matter which starter you use.

Inputs vary per character but the basic one, 22A/B 5A 5B 5C 5A 5B 5C 5A 5B 236C, is universal.

Overheads & Unblockables

Overheads and Unblockables are performed with BC. Overheads are available only in Speed and EX 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 cause a soft knockdown. Unblockables are only available in Power Mode and are chargeable, take almost or half of your life when charged fully, cause a hard knockdown, and cannot be cancelled out of (minus washizuka and Kojiroh when charged long enough. You can cancel the rebound animation that happens in power mode when grounded weapon attacks are blocked into these.

Stagger

Similar to GGXX, certain Special Moves, Desperation Move and Overheads (when hitting an opponent blocking low) can put characters in a Stagger state after a hit, which sends them stumbling backwards. Like Guilty Gear mashing out with a button and directional inputs will speed up recovery from a Staggered state. In particular after an overhead BC stagger if your opponent is mashing fast enough nothing is guaranteed as a follow up (dash then throw is still a good option) Some moves are harder to recovered from like Zantetsu’s DM, and some are not scripted to recovered from i.e Akari's CD throw

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, B+C attacks, akari’s fireballs, zantetsu’s 236A and dash slice, 1st hit of Kagami 623B

Deflect and Recovery

Similar to Street Fighter 3 parry or Garou's Just Defend, Deflect is a defensive system that allows parrying and countering, as well as recovering. Unlike Parrying or Just Defend however, Deflecting is done with an action button "D" instead of a joystick motion. You are able to deflect attacks on the ground, low, and in the air. Air deflect also works against ground attacks. Follow up with action button "D" again if you successfully repel against the attack for a hard knockdown. this does not work when deflecting in the air. Deflecting special moves does not require 6D or 3D like in Last Blade 1 and they can be done with any direction or neutral. However, deflecting special moves requires better timing.

Deflects are active as soon as the game reads the D input. The first 4f of any deflect will deflect specials/dm as well as normals, for standing the next 10f will only deflect normals. After this there are 20 recovery frames where you are a sitting duck. Air deflect is only active for 4f and you are in recovery until you hit the ground +10f when you land. Crouching deflect lasts 8f and has a 32f recovery. Be cautious with these as they can be baited and are extremely punishable if you miss.

• For Hibiki only the window to deflect special/dm on standing deflect is 6f, total frames are the same.

With the deflect button, you can also recover your character from knockdowns on the ground or in the air. However, there are some moves that you can't recover from, which are anything that is considered hard knockdown such as 6C and D after a deflect or guard cancel, or Zantetsu’s dash slice. Recovery is and should be used as a tactical tool; but it's very risky, as many characters can bait it and combo off it. As a rule of thumb, use it if you're away from your opponent, if you're close to them, you will get punished.

Guard Cancel

This requires full meter. Cancel lets you deflect under blockstun, allowing you to counter-attack the opponent. Input 412D while blocking. It Is more prominent on Power Mode since your meter builds faster, but it’s almost always a good use of meter as it lets you take your turn and shift momentum in your favor. The opponent is launched a character high on guard cancel and open to a combo, launched higher when guard canceling an air normal. Any normal in power mode that rebounds when blocked cannot be guard canceled, everything else can be. You must be on the ground to be able to use this. Pressing D again after a guard cancel will do an attack that causes a hard knockdown.

Chain Combos (Speed and EX modes only)

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

Note: *You cannot start any chain combos from low attacks I.e. 2A 5B doesn’t not work in this game as it does in last blade 1

4A>5AA>5B>6B/6C/3C/BC

• Pressing 4AAA also works as 4A 5AA
• You can skip normals or mix in other variations of chains. For example 4A 5A 3C, 5A 2A 2B, 4A 2A BC etc.

5A>5B>5C is universal (Autocombo)

Most every normal in chain combos are cancelable (varies per character) 6C is never cancelable in speed/ex

Dashing Normals

You will see people refer to them as Dashing High, Dashing Low, Dash A or Dash B etc. This might get confusing, so I hope this clarifies it since it's pretty important for some chacters.
Dashes in general CANNOT be done by simply tapping 66, you have to tap 6, then tap again and hold it, 6[6] is the notation for that.
Dashing HIGH can only be done with A or B, all you have to do is Dash (6[6]) and after a while press either A or B while holding 6.
Dashing LOW can perform with any attack button, however, you have to Dash (6[6]) and then move to 3, it's a little tricky and not really useful.