Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel/System
Evasive Action
Performed through 5D/2D/j.D, Evasive Action is a movement option that is invulnerable to projectiles for a short amount of time on startup, with 2D being a small hop and 5/j.D typically taking the form of a roll. The exact details of the option vary between characters, so please check their respective pages for information on each one.
Vanishing Guard
Through inputting 4/1/7D, you will activate Vanishing Guard, a type of block that, during which, all attacks that are blocked correctly will both have their chip damage negated and cause a unique visual effect with heavily increased hitstop. During this hitstop, each player can cancel into any action outside of walking, (air) dashes and previously-used aerial options, with the one who Vanished being able to act 3 frames earlier. Vanishing Guard can be performed in the air (which allows you to block otherwise air-unblockable moves while also cancelling your momentum) and during blockstun, nullifies crossups, and can also be held for a certain period of time. You cannot switch block positions during a Vanishing Guard, there is a small amount of recovery afterwards, and throws performed on a player using it cannot be teched.
Vanishing Guard Option Select
Whereas attacks are otherwise unable to cancel into Vanishing Guard, this differs when they connect with a Vanishing opponent, allowing you to use the game's input priority (which places D button functions above normals if cancelling from Vanish) to, through inputting 4/1D plus an attack button of your choice, cancel into a normal on regular block while Vanish Guarding if the opponent does so, potentially allowing you to regain your position if they opt to throw out an attack afterwards (this video provides a demonstration).
Throws
Throws are performed through B+C. Like in most other games, throws are close-range attacks that cannot be guarded against, and can be teched through performing their input after the opponent connects with one. Unlike most other games, however, throws in Blasterz possess both a fairly large tech window and better reward on hit due to being cancelable into Evasive Action, Partner Blitz, or supers/Variable Rush. Throws will also become untechable if performed on an opponent who is currently using an attack or Vanish Guarding. Throws will whiff on opponents in block/aerial hitstun, but will connect (and cannot be teched by) an opponent in standing hitstun, allowing you to combo into them through some assists.
Recovery Teching
Hold [A] / [B] / [C] / [E] to recovery tech out of a combo at the earliest possible moment. Can be performed from the ground and from the air
- Can hold 4 / 6 to tech in a direction, or remain in 5 to do a neutral tech
Counter Hits
Counter Hits in Blasterz work similarly to those in other games, giving you higher amounts of hitstop and hitstun whenever they connect. There is an exception, however, in that 5/2As cannot counterhit, regardless of what they're interrupting.
Partner Blitz
Partner Blitz is the game's assist call function: Each Partner (excepting Aoi) begins rounds inactive, and each takes a specific amount of time for their Partner Guage to fill. Once they have, you can call that partner through the input of either A (for your first Partner) or B (for your second) plus D. For most characters, every attack they possess excepting their Lethal Blaze can be canceled into Partner Blitz, and, while performing the action from a neutral state gives a small recovery animation, canceling a move into it removes this, allowing you to act again immediately. After usage, the relevant Partner Guage will deplete, taking a longer amount of time to refill compared to the first use, and typically an even larger one past the second.
Counter Raid
Inputting 6+E during blockstun will consume 1 bar of meter to perform Counter Raid, an invulnerable guard cancel attack that blows the opponent back on hit. The recovery of the attack differs per character, with each having differing levels of safety:
- Very safe: Mora, Al, Saya, Ignis, Saber (can only be punished by Ethica's 632146 grab).
- Potentially safe: Sonico, Heart, Homura (can only be punished by jabs).
- Generally unsafe: Muramasa, Ein, Anna, Ouka (can be punished by some B moves).
- Unsafe: Ruili, Ethica (many punish options are available).
This is the equivalent of a "dead angle attack" seen in other games
Variable Rush
Performed through C+E and costing 2 bars of meter, Variable Rush is an invulnerable, often forward-travelling attack that, after which, the player can make further inputs with A, B, or C to perform subsequent moves. The exact data of each VR differs between characters, so look at their individual pages for more info. During the followups, while opponent characters can interrupt you, you are invulnerable to assists.
Infinite Blast
Infinite Blast is performed through A+B+C, and consumes the Blast Icon the you begin each round with. There are three varieties of Blast, each corresponding to the state you were in while using it, but all of them involve your character releasing an invulnerable burst of energy around them before entering Blast state for a limited amount of time. During Blast state, your attacks inflict slightly more hitstun, you will steadily gain both meter and HP, be able to cancel specials and non-Lethal Blaze supers into Evasive Actions, and your opponent cannot use their own Blast while still in hitstun.
The differing types of Blast are as follows:
- Escape Blast: Performed while your character is in hit or blockstun. Coloured blue. Blows the opponent back on hit, Blast State lasts for a much shorter time compared to the others.
- Combo Blast: Performed through canceling into Blast from a non-Lethal Blaze attack. Coloured red. Freezes the opponent in place on hit, after which they will suffer the remaining hitstun of whatever attack they were hit with previously, or standard standing/aerial hitstun if done raw (exact amount unknown). Has a reasonable amount of Blast State duration, enough to gain one full meter.
- Neutral Blast: Performed while your character is in, well,a neutral state. Coloured gold. Blows the opponent back on hit, and gives by far the longest Blast State duration.
Quick Combo
The game's name for it's chaining system. For most characters, each move can be canceled into any heavier one, as well as specials and supers.
Attack Levels
Blasterz uses an Attack Level system, with each move being assigned a group that indicates the amount of hit/blockstun it inflicts (with the exception of those with special hit effects, such as launches and wallbounces)
The exact data for each level is unknown, but rough estimates have been recorded by an anonymous volunteer:
- Level 1 (belonged to by most A moves): 10F block, 12F hit.
- Level 2 (belonged to by most B moves and some specials): 14F block, 16F hit (+2 if hit while crouching, +4 if counterhit, +4 if air hit).
- Level 3 (belonged to by most C moves and some specials): 18F block, 20F hit (+2 if hit while crouching, +8 if counter hit, no less than +8 if air hit).
- Level 4 (belonged to by E moves and some specials): 22-23F block, hitstun unknown (most attacks in this group possess special hit qualities).
Lethal Blaze
A super attack costing the entirety of your meter (3 bars); as expected, these are rather flashy, with each one utilizing an animated cut-in and almost always dealing an excessive amount of damage.
Health Values
This game features a guts system, meaning attacks deal less damage when a character's health has reached the guts threshold. The amount of health a character has, how much scaling happens when guts is active, and the guts threshold varies a lot from character to character. In the following chart, "upper scaling" refers to how much damage that character will receive when at their upper guts threshold and "lower scaling" refers to how much damage that character will receive when at their lower guts threshold. For example, the character Ein takes 98% damage when she's at 50% health, her upper threshold, and she takes 70% damage when she's at 20% health, her lower threshold.
| Character | Health | Upper guts threshold | Lower Guts threshold | Upper scaling | Lower scaling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ein | 17500 | 50% | 20% | 98% | 70% |
| Sonico | 18000 | 50% | 8% | 99% | 80% |
| Al | 18500 | 40% | 6% | 97% | 55% |
| Ethica | 19000 | 50% | 22% | 98% | 75% |
| Ignis | 19000 | 50% | 11% | 98% | 70% |
| Homura | 19250 | 40% | 6% | 99% | 65% |
| Saya | 18000 | 50% | 20% | 99% | 80% |
| Muramasa | 19500 | 50% | 17% | 98% | 80% |
| Anna | 19500 | 50% | 22% | 98% | 75% |
| Saber | 20000 | 50% | 22% | 98% | 80% |
| Mora | 20000 | 50% | 13% | 98% | 70% |
| Heart | 20000 | 50% | 8% | 99% | 80% |
| Ruili | 20000 | 50% | 27% | 98% | 80% |
| Ouka | 22000 | 45% | 8% | 99% | 80% |
Tutorial Video
If the written explanation wasn't enough or you want visual examples of these concepts, check out this video by lolokoa (2016):
Links
Evernote: NPB System Guide - Where most of this information comes from
