Kamen Rider: Super Climax Heroes/System

This page explains core mechanics for Kamen Rider: Super Climax Heroes.

Battle Styles

There are six different Battle Styles that can be used in the game, all of which are chosen at character select after picking your character. The chosen Battle Style determines your character's Style Action, and depending on the character, can also change their moveset.

Form Change

Form Change Style (abbreviated to FMC) allows a character to freely switch between multiple forms on the fly, offering different strings, special moves and sometimes Rider Arts. This Battle Style can provide a lot of versatility if you're willing to learn all your character's forms.

After selecting Form Change, you are usually given a choice of which form to start as. Some characters, such as Fourze, have non-standard options on Form Change that will be detailed on those characters' pages.

Form Change transformations often provide invincibility frames, making them useful in defensive situations.

Power Up

Power Up Style (abbreviated to PWR) allows a character to transform into their selected Power Up form for 3 stocks of the Rider Gauge. Much like Form Change, Power-Up offers new moves, but unlike Form Change, Power Up's Style Action can be used to cancel strings and blockstun, making it useful in both offensive and defensive situations.

While current health remains the same, guard meters and current damage scaling does not. This means Power Up can be used in two interesting ways:

• Using (or cancelling) a Power Up mid-combo will effectively reset damage scaling, boosting the damage of a follow-up combo.
• Using (or cancelling) Power Up will refresh the Guard Gauge.

Speed Up

Speed Up Style (abbreviated to SPD) allows a character to activate Speed Up mode, where everything except that character is slowed down tremendously. This requires at least 2 stocks of the Rider Gauge, and lasts until it fully drains.

During Speed Up, the initiating character will have access to extra moves for the duration. The activation itself can cancel from normals, and is useful for both whiff punishes at any range, and heavily damaging custom combos.

Speed Up mode can end prematurely under some circumstances, such as the initiating character entering an opponent's cinematic (ie throw) or being knocked down. When this happens, the gauge drain stops without using up the remainder of the Rider Gauge.

There is also a grace period at the end of Speed Up's timer to stabilize Speed Up combos, during which Speed Up won't end until the character returns to neutral.

Assault

Assault Style (abbreviated to AST) allows a character to activate Assault mode, where they gain extra or altered moves, increased damage output, and a defense boost. Assault activation requires at least 2 stocks of the Rider Gauge, and lasts until it fully drains.

Like Power Up, Assault activations can be used to cancel normals and blockstun.

Assault characters also have access to Instant Charge — by pressing Special at the end of certain strings that knock the opponent backwards, the camera will focus on them while they pose, instantly granting one full stock of the Rider Gauge.

Support Attack

Support Attack Style (abbreviated to SPT) allows your character to call in a Striker, a special support attack that has different effects depending on the character. Striker calls cost two stocks of the Rider Gauge, and can be called at almost any point, making them very effective as both offensive and defensive tools.

You can also call your striker during hitstun at an increased cost of 4 stocks of the Rider Gauge. Their function is otherwise unchanged, dealing full damage and potentially starting a combo or KOing your opponent.

Tag

Note: Tag Style is banned in tournament play.

The only style usable by all characters, Tag Style allows you to play as a team of two characters that share the same health bar. The Tag gauge has two Style Actions: Tag-Out and Tag Assault. It also replaces the Rider Art command with a special version of Tag Assault.

Tag-Out swaps your point character with your reserve character. These can be used to cancel strings at the cost of two stocks of the Rider Gauge. While tagging out, the point character is vulnerable until the moment they jump out, at which point the reserve character will enter the ring with a flying kick.

Similar to Power-Up forms, Tag-Out refreshes damage scaling and the Guard Gauge.

Tag Assault brings your reserve character into the ring, allowing you to control both characters at once. This can be used at any level of the Rider Gauge, but will drain whatever is left, with the reserve character leaving when the gauge is emptied. In this state, all inputs will be executed by both characters, making it difficult to control, but incredibly powerful if used correctly.

Alternatively, the Rider Art button will activate Tag Assault, but the reserve character will be controlled by the computer.

Movement

This game uses a free-running movement system, comparable to the 8-Way Run system used in SoulCalibur. Input a desired direction to move in that direction.

You can jump in any direction you can run in by pushing a direction along with the Jump button. Most (but not all) air actions will turn to face the opponent during a jump.

All characters can sidestep by double-tapping up or down, as well as backstep by double-tapping back. Sidesteps and backdashes are potent defensive options due to their invincibility frames, and sidesteps in particular are commonly seen as reversals. There is no forward dash, simply holding forward makes you run towards your opponent.

Defensive Mechanics

Hold back to block an opponent's attacks. There is no high/low blocking.

Sidesteps and backsteps have invulnerability frames, so this makes them useful for avoiding attacks. However, they also have a fairly large recovery period during which they are fully punishable.

There are tech roll options after being knocked down. Pressing Light will tech roll forwards, while Heavy will tech roll backwards. Tech rolls have a longer period of invulnerability than a standard wakeup.

Additionally, during airborne hitstun, you can air tech by pressing Light or Heavy while in the air. Air techs leave you completely invincible until landing, but you cannot perform any actions during your descent.

HP and Defense Modifiers

Every character in Super Climax Heroes has a hit point value of 10,000 points alongside a unique defense modifier that determines how much damage they take from attacks, ranging from 0.85 (15% damage reduction) to 1.40 (40% bonus damage). This is the primary factor that determines damage dealt, alongside combo damage scaling.

A spreadsheet noting every character's defense modifier and guard meter values can be found here.

Offensive Mechanics

The three main attack buttons are Light, Heavy and Special.

Most characters have access to 5X, 4/6X, and 2/8X inputs on each button. Which moves and strings are available depend on the character, so be sure to check your command list.

Throws are performed with 4H. Throws universally have full tracking, and serve as a strong counter to sidewalking. To break out of a throw, press Light or Heavy in the instant your opponent attempts to throw you. Alternatively, throw's startup frames can also be used as a throw break. Breaking throw this way has a much larger timing window, but leaves you more vulnerable if your throw misses for any reason.

Most normal attacks will leave your opponent a small amount of red recoverable life, which will slowly regenerate. You can remove your opponent's red life by landing a special attack or a throw.

Combo Restrictions

Combo Damage Scaling

Super Climax Heroes uses a very simple damage scaling formula for combos, applying a 10% damage reduction for every move performed up to a maximum reduction of 90% (the move will only deal 10% of its base damage). This is applied on a per-move basis rather than a per-hit basis, so individual attacks that hit multiple times are scaled per use rather than per hit.

Some attacks, such as certain projectiles, cutscene-initiating Rider Arts and Rider Finales, are not subject to combo damage scaling.

Progressive Juggle Gravity

Juggled opponents are progressively launched smaller distances by attacks the longer a juggle combo goes on. Juggle gravity progression increments even prior to a character being launched, and it increments more harshly when hitting a knocked down opponent.

Rider Gauge

The Rider Gauge is Super Climax Heroes' super meter, used primarily for offensive techniques and Style Actions. The Rider Gauge can hold up to four stocks of meter worth 1000 points each, for a total of 4000 points. It can be charged by landing attacks, being hit by attacks or by manually charging it with the - button. Meter gain does not scale alongside combo scaling, but it is locked out after a combo reaches 50 hits.

The Rider Gauge is spent on a number of important techniques, which will be outlined below.

Rider Cancels

During any normal attack string, pressing Rider Cancel will activate a Rider Cancel. Rider Cancels cost one stock of the Rider Gauge to perform, and allow you to free cancel your string into either:

• another normal string,
• a throw,
• a special move,
• a sidestep, or
• blocking.

Unlike many RC mechanics, Rider Cancel is used during the startup or active time of an attack in order to allow it to cancel freely to one of the above actions for the rest of its duration. This even applies to strings which become airborne, although those must be Rider Canceled before they leave the ground.

Aerial Combos

A number of characters have special launcher strings. When you successfully land one of these strings, pressing Jump will allow you to perform a Pursuit Jump for one bar of meter. During a Pursuit Jump, you gain access to an Aerial Combo string.

Dash Actions

Dash Actions are extra movement options that differ depending on your chosen character. Dash Actions fall into three different types.

• Air Dash: Press Dash Action while jumping. Quickly propels you forward through the air. Costs 1/2 a stock of the Rider Gauge.
• Guard Dash: Hold Dash Action while moving forward. Slowly drains the guard gauge, but will automatically block any oncoming projectile attacks.
• Dash Shot: Press Dash Action while moving to fire a shot towards the opponent. Costs 1/2 a stock of the Rider Gauge per shot, and can chain into itself up to 3 shots.

Rider Arts

Rider Arts are activated by pressing Rider Art at the cost of half a stock of the Rider Gauge.

After performing their Rider Arts, many characters can access a special follow-up attack by pressing Rider Art again, or alternatively by pressing Special.

Some characters also have Rider Arts that are exclusive only to them, such as Meteor's Shooting Star Attack and Eternal's Zone Memory teleport.

Common Rider Arts

• High-Speed Dash: dashes towards your opponent at high speed, making you appear in front of them almost instantly.
• Zig-Zag Dash: similar to the High-Speed Dash, with the exception of moving in a zig-zagging pattern towards your opponent, making it slower to approach, but more useful for evading attacks or even crossing up your opponent.
• High Jump: causes you to jump higher than a normal jump.

Other Rider Arts

• Flight Mode: causes your character to fly as long as Rider Art is held down. Gives access to special flight-only aerial attacks. Slowly drains your Rider Gauge for as long as you are flying.
• Dodge Shot: Causes your character to fire projectile(s) while dodging backwards with full invulnerability.
• Earthquake: creates an unblockable shockwave around your character that stuns the opponent for a long duration. Can be evaded by jumping or using a move with invulnerable frames.
• Finisher Mode: exclusive to the Showa Era Riders (Rider 1/2, V3, Amazon, Black and Black RX), Finisher Mode will cause the camera to focus on the character while they pose, and a sepia-tone filter gets applied to the screen, signifying that Finisher Mode is active. While active, the character's next special move will get buffed on hit, dealing extra damage. Most (but not all) special moves will also pause the game on hit while a narrator interjects, explaining the attack.

Rider Finale

Rider Finale is the universal super, performed by pressing Rider Finale. It requires four bars of the Rider Gauge to attempt, but only two bars will be spent if unsuccessful. Rider Finale is frequently a character's most powerful attack in terms of raw damage, and its speed makes it a very powerful option for closing rounds, as well as a hail mary reversal option despite its lack of any invulnerability.

Meter Gain Specifics

The Rider Gauge is built in three primary ways:

• Landing attacks against an opponent (hit/block)
• Taking an opponent's attacks (hit/block)
• Manually charging the gauge

The meter build of any attack is calculated as a percentage of base damage and is unaffected by other damage calculation variables such as defense modifiers or combo damage scaling:

• An attack that lands against the opponent on hit or block will build 28% of its base damage as meter.
• Blocking an attack will build 26% of that attack's base damage as meter.

For example, Agito's 5L has a base damage value of 380, assuming a 1.0 defense modifier. This means that if Agito's 5L makes contact with the opponent on hit or block, it will build 106 points of the Rider Gauge. Conversely, if the opponent blocks Agito's 5L, doing so will build 85 points of the Rider Gauge.

Additionally, Climax Time increases all meter gain by 7% for the aggressor and 2% for the defender. This means that:

• An attack that lands against the opponent on hit or block during Climax Time will build 35% of its base damage as meter.
• Blocking an attack during Climax Time will build 28% of that attack's base damage as meter.

Using the previous example, during Climax Time, Agito's 5L will build 133 points of the Rider Gauge on hit or block. Conversely, if the opponent blocks Agito's 5L, doing so will build 106 points of the Rider Gauge.

Manual Rider Gauge Charge is performed by holding down the - (minus) button. Meter will not begin charging until approximately 29 frames after the input, at which point, it will build 13 points of the Rider Gauge per frame. During Climax Time, this amount is increased to 16 points per frame.

Guard Gauge

The Guard Gauge is the blue gauge underneath the life bar, marked at three points by pink markers. The Guard Gauge is depleted as you block attacks, but it also plays a far more notable role as a resource that must be carefully managed, as the game's major defensive options require expenditure of the Guard Gauge.

Guard Crush

When your Guard Gauge is depleted, you are put into Guard Crush. When in Guard Crush, a large X will appear over the Guard Gauge as it slowly recharges. You leave Guard Crush state when the Guard Gauge completely refills. While in Guard Crush, you lose all previously available non-movement defensive options and the ability to block altogether.

It is possible to perform all defensive options while the guard meter is underneath the normally required amount, but doing so will inflict Guard Crush status upon your character.

Guard Cancels

This game has two primary guard cancel options.

• Guard Cancel Step (GCS): Press Jump while in blockstun to sidestep or backstep away from your opponent (which one is character-dependent). Has invulnerable frames, with vulnerable recovery. Costs one-third of the Guard Gauge.
• Guard Counter: Press Rider Cancel while in blockstun to stagger your opponent, leaving them vulnerable to counterattack. Costs half of the Guard Gauge.

Rider Counter

Rider Counter is essentially a Burst from games like Guilty Gear or BlazBlue.

Performed by pressing Dash Action + Jump while in hitstun only. An invincible attack that does no damage, but will blow your opponent away on hit.

Bursts have a hefty price, though — performing one will cost almost the entirety of the Guard Gauge, along with whatever red (recoverable) life you had. If you do not have enough Guard Gauge, but are not in Guard Crush, then you are still able to burst; however, doing so will immediately put you into Guard Crush.

Guard Gauge Specifics

The value of the guard gauge ranges from 2700 points to 4100 points depending on the character and form, and recharges at a standard rate of 3 points per frame. During Guard Crush, it instead recharges at a rate of 5 points per frame.

An attack's guard damage is equal to approximately 75% of the damage it would deal on hit, taking into account the opponent's defense modifier. For example, Agito's 5L deals 380 damage against Den-O Sword Form, who has a 1.0 defense modifier; this means that it would deal 285 points of guard damage. However, against Den-O Rod Form, who has a defense modifier of 1.25, 5L's damage becomes 475, meaning that it would deal 356 points of guard damage.

Because the size of the Guard Gauge can vary, the individual costs of each defensive option is calculated as a percentage of a full Guard Gauge.

• Guard Cancel Step costs 20% of the Guard Gauge
• Guard Counter costs 50% of the Guard Gauge
• Burst costs 90% of the Guard Gauge

Climax Time

Underneath the timer is the Climax Gauge. The Climax Gauge is filled as both players deal damage, and when completely filled, will activate Climax Time. Once Climax Time is initiated, both players have their Rider Gauges completely refilled, and all attacks for both players get a meter gain bonus (from 28% of base damage to 35%). Both players also gain access to a Final Reflect when their meter is full.

While the Climax Gauge appears to be shared between both players, in reality, each player effectively has their own Climax Gauge which tracks total damage dealt, with Climax Time activating when a player enters the final 40% of their HP (here, Climax Time activates for the player who dealt the damage past the threshold). The player who activated Climax Time will get placed into a special super freeze that can allow extra time to link certain attacks which, when combined with the meter refresh, can create situational combos only possible due to a Climax Time activation.

Final Reflect

During Climax Time, when you have a full Rider Gauge and are not in hitstun, if your opponent attempts a Rider Finale, pressing Rider Finale at the prompt will initiate a Final Reflect. This is a competitive quick-time event played by both players to determine who gets to perform their Rider Finale.