Melty Blood/Controls

Controls

Melty's moves and combo sequences are notated with a combination of button letters and numbers, known as Numpad Notation. First of all, the game has 5 buttons: A, B, C, D, and E.

Here are the digital directional inputs possible in Melty Blood:

⬁	⇧	⬀
⇦	ｎ	⇨
⬃	⇩	⬂

And here are how those same directions correspond to the layout of a number pad. 5 represents the lever neutral position, and 6 always faces the same direction the character is facing for consistency.

７	８	９
４	５	６
１	２	３

By representing lever directions with numerals as shown above, any set of lever and button inputs can be represented with a combination of button letters and numbers. Additionally, moves are given prefixes to signify certain properties, such a j. for "performed in midair". More information on notation specifics can be found in the Notation Glossary.

A, B, and C correspond to weak, medium, and heavy attacks respectively.

The D button functions as shield, which is a parry mechanism. Specifics of the D button vary with the Moon style.

236D/j.236D (After successful Shield): Launching counter hit follow up. Can be guarded if timed right. (Full moon only)

214D (Can be done while blocking): Shield Bunker. (All moons, though Half has a unique Shield Bunker when done while blocking.)

The E button (labeled "QA" ("Quick Action") in game config) is the in-game macro button which outputs different button combinations depending on the direction held (regardless of the character's state). Does not do anything on diagonals.

5E: Acts as A+B+C.

• [Ground Only] Activate Heat or Blood Heat (Crescent), Circuit Charge or Active Blood Heat (Full).
• [Ground/Air] (while blocking/being hit) Circuit Spark (Crescent, Full; Half in a special case).

4/6E: Acts as A+D (resulting in 4/6A+D)

• Throw/Air Throw and Throw Tech .

2E: Acts as A+B. Results in 2A+B.

• Dodge and Air Dodge (Crescent, Half).

The only direction/button combination that can't be done with the E button is 4/6A+B or j.4/6 A+B, which gives you a dash/backdash or airdash/airbackdash.

Movement and Metagame

Commands will assume facing right, and using the numpad notation above. Commands will be underlined.

Guarding

• Block: Hold any direction away from your opponent. You will only actually block when an opponent's attack would hit you.
  • Note: Holding up-back on the ground (7) in neutral state will cause you to jump, leaving you vulnerable during the jump startup frames. After that, the block in the air will count as an air block. In general, air blocks are vulnerable to grounded attacks but can block ground projectiles.
  • Holding directly back (4) will put you into a standing block against approaching attacks. Standing blocks block high attacks (such as most non-projectile air attacks) and mid attacks, but not low attacks.
  • Holding down-back (1) will put you into a crouching position, from which you can crouch block. Crouch blocks block mid attacks and low attacks, but not high attacks.
  • EX Guard: Available to Crescent and Full moon only. Similar to Guilty Gear's Instant Block or Garou's Just Defend. Input a guard right before an attack connects to trigger a gold flash and the words "EX Guard". Restores guard meter, increases pushback, decreases meter gain for the attacker, and shifts frame advantage by 2 frames in favor of the defender. EX guard can be done during blockstun, so multiple hits in a blockstring can be EX guarded.

Jumps

• (Neutral) Jump(8): AKA jumping straight up. This is very different from Jump(7) and Jump(9), in that you can drift forward or backward in the air by pressing 6 or 4 before you reach the top of the jump arc.
• Doublejump: Input by pressing an upward direction in midair to jump in that direction. Will force you to face toward the opponent. Must land or get hit before you are able to do it again. Neutral double jump can drift like neutral jump.
• Superjump: Tap any downward direction, then 8 (for a neutral superjump) or 9 (for a forward superjump). A jump that goes farther, higher, and faster than usual, but with slightly higher startup.
  • Super Double Jump: A doublejump that goes higher and farther than usual. Can be input in two ways: the Superjump command, or just tap 9 with 1f timing. While the 1f timing sounds difficult in theory, it is very easy to do if you need to do a super doublejump during a combo: Just press and release 9 during the hitstop of the air move you are going to super doublejump cancel.

Dashes and dodges

• Dash: Press 66 or 6A+B to dash forward and 44 or 4A+B to dash away. Most (all?) ground backdashes have startup invincibility frames.
• Air Dash: Input the dash command in the air to go in that direction. Will NOT force you to face toward the opponent. Must land or get hit before you are able to do it again. To instantly air dash, you must input 6956, 9656 or 4754 or do 96A+B.
• Ground Dodge: Available to Crescent and Half moon only. Input by pressing 2E or 2A+B on the ground. Ground dodges have invincible startup, and are strike invulnerable but can be thrown.
• Air Dodge: Available to Crescent and Half moon only. Input by pressing 2E or 2A+B in the air. Same properties as ground dodge, but has two extra properties: they will brake your air momentum and will force your character to face the opponent. You will be unable to act until you touch the ground or get hit.

Techs

• Throw tech: Pressing A+D when just grabbed by a regular throw. You can tech out of throws with 1A+D as an option select, which would come out as shield if you aren't grabbed.
• Ground Tech: Some knockdown-inducing moves allow you to ground tech. Ground techs can go either forwards, backwards, or neutral, which are input by pressing 6, 4, or 8 respectively right before you hit the ground. All techs have a bit of recovery at the end. Neutral techs start up a bit faster than forwards and back techs.
• Air Tech: Press any button in the air once hitstun has ended to recover. If you are holding a leftward or rightward direction, you will tech left or right.

Option Selects

• 1A+D: Either techs an incoming Throw or performs a Low Shield.