JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R/Esoterics

Offense

Hit Effect Inheritance

An interesting quirk about hit effects is that moves without such properties will not overwrite them. This effectively means that is it possible to inflict a hit effect during a combo (such as a Groundbounce effect) and extend it long enough for said effect to happen at a later point. This particular interaction sees use in several combos to allow for otherwise impossible chains.

An example of this quirk, using Pucci (Final) as an example, is the following:

1. With Whitesnake at his disposal, Pucci (Final) performs the following sequence against the opponent: 5L > 5M > 5H > 3H > 214L. This sequence ends in a groundbounce, so if Pucci (Final) lands attacks without hit effects during it, the state will not be overwritten and the combo will likely end. To be able to extend the combo, Pucci (Final) has to connect another attack with a hit effect (such as another 3H, which causes the Launch effect).
2. However, if Pucci (Final) instead performs a Flash Cancel during 214L and prevents the opponent from reaching the ground, the groundbounce will not take place until they do so. One chain that makes this possible is the following: 5L > 5M > 5H > 3H > 214L(FC) > 66 5M > 5H > 236L. Since the hit effect in this chain was never overwritten, it will seem as if 236L was the cause of the groundbounce despite being incapable of doing so.
3. Because of the newfound distance at which the groundbounce took place, the following combo becomes possible: 5L > 5M > 5H > 3H > 214L(FC) > 66 5M > 5H > 236L > 6[6] 9 j.H > 3H(QSOn) > s.2M > s.2M > 66 s.5L > s.5M > s.5H > 66 s.2L > s.2L > s.5L > s.5M > s.5H > s.3H > HHA.

Complete Unblockables

The game has some situations that set up Complete Unblockables, which have no real counterplay to avoiding damage once they're set up.

Blockstring + Unblockable

One of the easiest examples is an Unblockable during a blockstring. If an Unblockable hit occurs while the opponent is stuck in blockstun, it'll be completely unavoidable. Here's some examples set-ups:

• Blockstring + Unblockable Assist: This works with any character. Examples for Unblockable Assists are Diavolo and Vanilla Ice.
• Blockstring Assist + Unblockable: if a character has access to an Unblockable attack, they can use an Assist to put a character into blockstun and time their Unblockable to hit during it. Good Assists for this are Joseph or Jotaro (Part 3).
• Unblockable Stand Rush + Blockstring: an example of this is this sequence by Jotaro (Part 3): s.5H > s.623L(SR) > 3H. Note that there is a gap between s.5H and 3H which can be used to avoid this setup, but if 3H gets blocked the hit from s.623L will be unavoidable.

Hit + Command Throw

A more uncommon example is timing a Command Throw the same frame a Hit would occur. If these two occur on the same frame, it will create an unblockable situation where one of the two will hit depending on the defensive input.

It will become a hit if anything is done to avoid the Command Throw, like jump, otherwise it'll register as the Command Throw. Here's some examples of setting it up:

• Assist + Command Throw: any character with a Command Throw can use an Assist to time both to hit at the same time. Good example of this is AW Diego's Assist.
• Projectile + Command Throw: This setup is available to characters who have access to both a delayed (or very active) projectile which has enough range as to where it cannot be backdashed, and a (Command) Throw.
  • An easy example is this sequence by Ghiaccio: 2H > 236H > 214H, which will always result in either a hit or the Command Throw landing. Counterplay to Ghiaccio's setup is jumping to take the hit, as 214H will whiff and its recovery will open it up to be counterattacked (although the victim will always take damage in some form against this setup).
  • Another character is Old Joseph with this sequence: 5H > 214L > 5S > dl.s.63214M using manual timing.

Why does this not work with Throws? The reason for this is the ability to Throw Break, although how that has to be done depends on the setup:

• When a "Projectile + Throw" or "Assist + Throw" is setup, the first factor to look at is if the "Projectile / Assist" is a Phantom Hit, a hit without hitstun. In the case of a Phantom Hit + Throw, a Throw Break is all that is needed, which on Oki can just be done by mashing Throw. Examples of projectiles without hitstun on their initial hits which can be used for setups are: Shigechi's "I can get anything I want!" (L/M versions), Jolyne's "String Barrier", and Weather's HHA. For more information on Phantom Hits, see its separate section on this page.
  • While Weather's HHA has no hitstun in general, Shigechi's and Jolyne's aforementioned moves have a trigger Phantom Hit which has no hitstun and is merely used to activate the projectile. Shigechi can use the following sequence: 2H > 4/6S > 4/6S > 623L > 5M > 66 > Throw which, as mentioned earlier, can be easily escaped with a Throw Break.
• As for a setup without a Phantom Hit, AW Diego can use the following sequence: Throw > 22L > 66 > dl.Throw, with manual timing applied to create an almost completely unblockable situation. The difference between this setup and Ghiaccio's, is that 22X crumples, and the recovery on AW Diego's Throw is short enough to combo after, meaning this setup cannot be jumped to punish AW Diego. What can be done instead, however, is holding block and Throw Break after the grab hit to beat this set-up. Although it isn't known how exactly this influences the outcome, the blocking is necessary to beat this setup.

"3 Freeze" + Command Throw

Another setup is using the 3 Freeze effect on Koichi's Assist to set up an unblockable situation. This effect temporarily disables a lot of options, but most importantly jump. Hitting a Command Throw while 3 Freeze is in effect is inescapable, as the opponent is unable to jump.

• Koichi Assist + Command Throw: any character with a Command Throw can set this up by applying the Freeze effect prior to using an Command Throw on knockdown for example.

For more information on 3 Freeze, see the description on Koichi's page.

Defense

Dodge

Dodge	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. - - 2 - Total 36 - - Invincible between frames 1-16f Can be cancelled into Stylish Guard from frame 22 onwards Can be cancelled into Forward Dash from frame 26 onwards

Stylish Evade

Stylish Evade	Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. - - 2 - - - - Recovery after successful SG: 0f Full Invincibility after successful SE: 50f Max Invincibility after successful SE is canceled early: 42f

Stylish Guard

Stylish Guard

Damage Guard Startup Active Recovery Block Adv. Hit Adv. - - 2 13 28 - - Recovery after successful SG: 0f Full Invincibility after successful SG: 12f Max Invincibility after successful SG is canceled early: 2f Stylish Guard (SG) can be input with any combination of buttons as long as it contains + + , as it has the highest Input Priority in the game. This universal mechanic causes the character to flash white while striking a pose, and parries almost any hit with 0 recovery frames. Stylish Guard will trigger on any hit, except for Throw-type moves (regular Throws and Command Throws), Stroheim's "Farewell, you annoying Englishman!", and Risotto's "Control iron within 5-10 meters". During the move, the character will strike a pose different from their idle animation, meaning their hurtbox gets slightly shifted. This can make it easier or harder for the opponent to hit the Stylish Guard, depending on the character. When the opponent's Stylish Guard is hit, the attacker can still chain into other moves post-freeze, as it does not count as a whiff. If a Flash Cancel was buffered prior to hitting it, the Flash Cancel will take effect right as it triggers, and its recovery will play out during the screen freeze; this cancel behavior is exclusive to Flash Cancel, and can do take place after a Stylish Evade. Flash Canceling post-freeze will have some recovery and not give the attacker equal footing against the opponent. Hitting a jumping move on an opponent's Stylish Guard will let 2 extra frames play between the trigger and the freeze, this means that hitting it at it's lowest will sit out the landing recovery before the freeze, and you'll be at 0 advantage post-freeze instead of -2. Jumping Light attacks have especially weird behavior in this, as they can cancel this recovery window and input something post-trigger, technically giving you +2 advantage. Your options are: Normals Command Normals Specials HHA GHA Dodge This behavior isn't particularly useful, as your attack will be telegraphed due to frame 3 of startup being visible during the freeze, and the opponent most likely dodging out of the move due to the Stylish Guard. Recovery after a successful Stylish Guard is 0f; while there's a little 2f reset to the character's idle animation, the opponent's move doesn't continue during this. The defender will get 12f of invincibility post-freeze if they do nothing; canceling Stylish Guard's recovery with valid options will reduce this window to 2 frames (as long as it doesn't go over that 12 frame limit). For example, using a 4f 5L after a Stylish Guard, with the opponent using a move as well, will render the original attacker invincible for the startup and trade as the hit happens.

Throw Clash/Break

Throw Clashes/Breaks will happen either when two Throws clash with each other by both being in startup, or when at least two attack buttons are input within a 6 frame window after the Throw connects. A Throw Clash or Break will make both characters invincible and always result in both characters resetting to neutral with neither side having a frame advantage.

• If it's a Throw Clash, meaning any Throw input before or on the frame the throw hits, it'll Throw Break 2 frames after the Throw hits.
• If it's a Throw Break input two frames after the Throw hits, it'll break 26 frames after the Throw hits.

Throw Break uses Hit Recovery, so the only options upon getting hit post-invincibility are Block, Stylish Evade, or Jump. Players can abuse this by setting up an Assist (possibly one with an Unblockable hit) prior to the Throw Break to limit their opponent's options.

The Flash Cancel bind can be used to Throw in neutral, but it cannot be used to Throw Break. It can only Throw Clash as long as startup has reached frame 2.

Reversals & Recovery

Dash

THIS INFORMATION IS CURRENTLY ONLY GUARANTEED TO APPLY TO WEATHER REPORT, THIS INFORMATION DOES NOT COUNT FOR EVERY CHARACTER

During a dash, recovery may very depending on what button is pressed during the dash. Every character, except for Wamuu and GER Giorno, has an Instant, Late and Full recovery. Instant recovery is the same for every character, while Slow and Full may vary.

Instant

Instant recovery happens at frame 5 of the dash, the following options can be performed from this frame onward:

• Normal (Crouching and Standing)
• Special Moves
• Throw
• Backward/Neutral/Dash Jump
• HHA
• Pillar Men Mode

Late

Late recovery happens at different frames depending on character within a range of 9 to 17 frames. For character-specific numbers, check out the Character Movement Frame Data table.

The following options, including those of Instant recovery, can be performed from these frames onward:

• Command Normal
• Stylish Guard (Cannot be buffered)
• Dodge
• Forward Jump
• Shigechi Style

Full

Full recovery happens at different frames depending on character within a range of 23 to 27 frames. For character-specific numbers, check out the Character Movement Frame Data table.

The following options, including those of Instant and Late recovery, can be performed from these frames onward:

• Stand On/Off, Hamon Breathing
• GHA
• Walk
• (Back)dash

Phantom Hit

Phantom Hits are special hitboxes that do not interact with characters in the same way normal hitboxes do. They are usually coded as a single-hitting, non-damaging hitbox (though some deal 1 non-lethal point of damage) that does not deal hitstun and does not add a step towards damage scaling either. Despite not dealing damage or hitstun, it is still possible to perform Stylish Evade/Stylish Guard against them.

Their primary use is to act as a trigger for trap-based moves. One such example is Keicho's "A l-landmine?!" special move.

Input Tricks

Input Priority

While simultaneously inputting multiple options at the same time, this game will prioritize them in a certain order. Note that when a certain action isn't possible in the situation the character's in, it'll go for the next possible one. For instance, when inputting 5H and then 236L+M+H, a Flash Cancel will take effect, as a GHA cancel is not possible on whiff.

The Input Priority order, depending on the situation, is as follows:

• In Neutral/Combo: GHA > Stylish Guard > HHA > Special > Throw > Command Normal > Flash Cancel > Style > Heavy > Medium > Light > Dodge > Jump
• For Command Normals: Light > Medium > Heavy
• For Special Moves: Heavy > Medium > Light > Style

Special Moves in detail

When performing a Special Move, there is a window of X frames after the first direction was pressed for the attack button input to successfully perform the special move. For instance, inputting 2-3-6 sequentially one frame after another gives X frames to input the desired attack button.

If two separate Special Move movements are both valid in the same input frame, the game will prioritize the first. For instance, inputting 2-3-6, then immediately after 2-1-4 and an attack button, will result in the game outputting a 2-3-6 Special Move instead. As a result, the input window of the first Special Move direction must time out before a different one can appear.

Option Selects

A series of inputs that will perform a different action depending on what the opponent is doing. Most commonly used in this game to shut down multiple options that an opponent may try to use to get out of certain situations. Written below are a few examples.

Stylish Guard Tech

Since Stylish Guard has the highest Input Priority in the game, this can be easily used to the player's advantage by inputting + + + / . This extra input has no reprocussions whatsoever, and simply allows the user to Throw Break automatically in the case of being grabbed prior to the Stylish Guard. Of course, this doesn't work if the Stylish Guard appears before the Throw, as that will count as a punish instead. Technically, this should always be used instead of a regular Stylish Guard.

Bonbei Oki

Discovered by Bonbei, accessible to characters with QSOn or QM, this uses the cancel difference between whiffing or hitting a move. A more complicated OS using Any attack button > + Command Normal / Special Move.

On Oki or in Neutral for example, this can be used to set up a meaty normal, which on whiff, Stylish Guard, or Stylish Evade will be canceled into QSOn/QM, and on Hit/Block will be the desired Special/Command Normal. This way, players can safely cut their recovery upon whiff (for 0.5 HH Gauge of course), and easily confirm on the Special Move / Command Normal for hit/block. Note that against Stylish Guard and Stylish Evade, QSOn's recovery is too high to be able to protect oneself from a lot of moves, while for QM the hitbox created can stuff any counterattack. Best on characters that have a Special Move / Command Normal they can safely use on hit/block. This can be especially useful in neutral because it gives your opponent a lot less time to punish a whiff.

FC Bonbei Oki

A variation on Bonbei Oki, accessible to every character (and useful for plenty), which uses a Flash Cancel instead. A similar OS generally using Any attack button > Flash Cancel button + Command Normal / Special Move (that doesn't use a 236 motion).

This can also be done with all three attack buttons instead of the Flash Cancel button, but at the cost of causing Special Moves to default to the Heavy version (while also defaulting to Command Normals that involve the L button). This allows the character to safely cut their recovery upon whiff, Stylish Guard, and Stylish Evade (for 1 bar of course), and easily confirm on a Special Move / Command Normal for hit/block. The benefit of this compared to regular Bonbei Oki, is that recovery is completely removed against Stylish Guard and Stylish Evade, leaving the defender on equal footing post-freeze.

The reason 236 inputs cannot be used is because they will be read as a HHA or GHA. Some character-specific installs (like the Pillar Men's Modes or Fugo's Purple Haze Distortion) can mess with the setup as well, though they would still Flash Cancel on whiff, Stylish Guard, or Stylish Evade.

Click here for an example.

Known Bugs

Joseph Joestar

• Sticky Boomerang
• If Joseph blocks a reflected Clacker Boomerang twice (Both the hit from the initial reflected projectile and then the return), the projectile will be stuck to Joseph's body.
  • This glitch is merely visual, the projectile will no longer have an active hitbox.
  • It's possible to keep stacking multiple boomerangs.
  • Any attack that triggers a cinematic cutscene will make the Clacker Boomerang(s) disappear.

Retired Esoterics

The mechanics explained in this section were removed at some point via game updates, but are still listed for preservation purposes.

Kami Frame

Removed in Patch 2.3

Term coined by the Japanese community referring to the frame at which only jump, block, and Stylish Evade are available out of certain recovery types.

The types of recovery are:

• Hit
• Tech Roll (Down Evade)
• Throw Tech

These options will lock out the ability to perform any input, other than the ones mentioned previously, for a total of 2 frames.

This results in the necessity to avoid an Unblockable-type hit upon getting out of hitstun with a Stylish Evade, as the ability to Dodge or Stylish Guard is locked. Left-rights and high-lows are also a great way to make use of the lack of defensive options. Current notable users of these 'Kami Frame resets' are: Kars (ULF), Polnareff, and Shigechi.

• An easy example is this sequence by Kars (ULF): 5H > 6H on hit, as this will land the 6H unblockable perfectly as they get out of hitstun. Your only option to avoid this hit is to Stylish Evade.

Taunt Guard

Removed in Patch 2.3

Repeatedly inputting a Stylish Guard command during a Taunt (or moves with similar functions, like Pucci (Final)'s "14 Words") will buffer said action as a Stylish Evade, removing some inherent risks from Stylish Guard (like a whiff animation or the need to properly time its use). It's also possible to buffer a Throw Escape by inputting the command as a Stylish Guard Tech ( + + + / ) for an added layer of protection.

Click here for a few examples.

Cheating Guard

Removed in Patch 1.40

Performing the Stylish Guard command repeatedly during blockstun lets a character block any combination of both high and low attacks without the need to time switching guard positions, and if there's a gap then Stylish Guard will be triggered.

Click here for a demonstration.

IPS Bypass

Removal started in Patch 1.30, completely removed by Patch 1.60

Due to a flaw in the way certain multi-hit attacks are coded, where only the final hit registers the move for the purposes of IPS, finding a way to whiff this final hit will not consider the move to have been used in a given combo (and thus allow using the same move more than twice per combo). Giorno's "WRYYYYYYYYYYY!" and Kira's "Ha!" are good examples of moves that can IPS Bypass.

Here's an example of a combo with IPS Bypass.