Here are a few visual examples of the following topics metioned below.
Reflection Guard is done by inputting any 2 of the 3 buttons between A, B, or C from the start of hitstop up to the 5th frame of blockstun. Because there are many unique attacks mapped to AB, using A and B to Reflection Guard is generally a risky option. Instead, using B and C to Reflection Guard is a safer method because in the case of a failed attempt at a Reflection Guard, you will get a normal attack rather than 4AB, 2AB, or 5AB. Moving on to how one would fail to attempt a Reflection Guard (something I think many players who are not familiar with Reflection Guard have a hard time adapting to), it happens when you predict the opponent will continue to attack but he does not or mis-timing the Reflection Guard by either reacting too late to being hit or Reflection Guarding before you enter blockstun.
Because you cannot cancel whiffed moves, Reflection Guarding a blockstring, causing a long recovery normal (most often C attacks) to whiff, then whiff punishing is an extremely common tactic and one of the primary methods of using Reflection Guard.
While I mentioned using B and C to Reflection Guard is generally preferable, it is worth noting that frame traps to bait Reflection Guard attempts (much more delayed than a regular frame trap) will beat players who use B and C to Reflection Guard, but against players who use A and B to Reflection Guard, depending on the situation it can either get low profiled (in the case of using 2A to frame trap and the opponent mis-times his Reflection Guard and gets 4AB) or trigger the guard point on his attack (5AB or 2AB). In most situations it’s possible for the player to react to the guard point and use his own AB attack or other various attacks (Trump, Ranbu, Combo Blast) but there are situations where you cannot do anything, due to triggering the guard point past the cancel window (most commonly seen when using an A attack)
While I have mentioned 2 methods of inputting Reflection Guard, I will now go over some alternate and safer methods. These next methods are also tied into throw option selects, and they are plink B~C and AC. The option selects are intended for dealing with throws and throw baits, however due to the inherent nature of Reflection Guard and how the option select is applied, it also works as a method of Reflection Guarding. On the surface plinking B then C seems almost identical to just pressing both B and C at the same time, however there are many benefits which include pressing B over C (less recovery and faster startup) and for some characters, having access to an anti-air 5B. While not guaranteed, if the opponent mis-times his frame trap or you eagerly Reflection Guard before entering blockstun, there is a more likely chance of hitting the opponent with your B attack than the C attack.
Another advantage of using this method of Reflection Guarding, while not directly related but is still a benefit, is if the opponent jumps and your character has an anti-air 5B, you will catch the opponent with an air-unblockable attack if you miss-time Reflection Guard. The other method of Reflection Guarding by using A and C is a slightly more expensive option because in the case of a mis-timed Reflection Guard you will end up using Trump. However it pays off in dividends if your opponent attempts to frame trap you as you come back with an invincible attack, or cause the opponent's attack to whiff leading to a strong whiff punish. This method of course has its disadvantages, such as mis-timing Reflection Guard and if the opponent goes for a throw rather than a frame trap, depending on the timing your Trump will get thrown.
There are certain attacks in DFCI that are normally safe, but when Reflection Guarded properly become punishable or force the opponent to spend extra resources to make it safe. The attacks vary per character but they can range from multi-hitting to special attacks, and even Trump Cards. Different from reading blockstrings and using Reflection Guard to punish high recovery attacks, canned moves are attacks that can be reacted to with Reflection Guard.
Reflection Guarding Yuuki 2AB only guarantees a punish if the opponent does not immediately cancel into something after the first hit. While not ideal because it isn’t 100% guaranteed, Yuuki benefits most when both hits of 2AB connect so there is not as much incentive to cancel after the first hit only. Immediately Reflection Guarding the first hit of 2AB will push Yuuki far enough that the second hit whiffs, leaving her unable to cancel into anything to make it safe and wide open for a counter attack.
A fairly uncommon situation but worth noting in the case of it happening, Yuuki’s 236X attack is punishable when Reflection Guard is used right before the last hit of the attack. By properly Reflection Guarding you create a sizable gap between yourself and Yuuki, giving you enough time to neutral jump and react to whether it was the charged or regular version, or punish with various other invincible attacks. The caveat is that Yuuki can make this safe by cancelling into Trump Card or Combo Blast at any time before the last hit and if she is already in Trump state then she can jump cancellable at any time during the attack, nullifying the purpose of Reflection Guard. With that in mind here are some things to consider, did Yuuki already use her Trump Card that round, and if it is not the last round is she willing to spend 2 in the same round? Also in the case of having absolutely no resources to make the attack safe, Yuuki is most likely going to use the charged version of the attack as it becomes jump cancellable even outside of Trump state.
Kirino’s 5C is the only multi-hitting normal that does not follow the standardized rule of cancelability and thus cannot cancel into anything until the last hit of 5C. Naturally this weakness is waiting to be taken advantage of with the proper use of Reflection Guard. Similar to Yuuki’s 2AB, Reflection Guarding will not guarantee a punish if it is blocked point blank since the attack moves Kirino forward. The Reflection Guard timing of this attack should be done after the 2nd hit, causing the 3rd and last hit to whiff leaving her unable to cancel into Athlete’s Dash or any other move.
Undoubtedly the strongest special attack in DFC Athlete’s Dash is a force to be reckoned with, that is until certain conditions are met allowing for a method of interrupting the attack. Because Athlete’s Dash is a rekka-type attack I will first go over the various components of the attack before moving on. 236A is the initial dash which hits once, 236B is a sliding attack, and 236C is an anti-air esque two-hitting kick. Only 236A and 236C have rekka options. 236A can be followed up with A which stops her movement allowing for a feint, B which is the same attack as 236B, and C which is the same attack as 236C and holds the same rekka follow ups as well. From 236C, Kirino can cancel into B which is the same as 236B, C which attacks the opponent with a final kick, and a jump follow up that acts differently than a regular jump cancel. With this in mind, only certain options can actually be punished and the criteria limits certain character’s choices for punishing. 236A>C is the most common rekka choice for Kirino as it allows for extended pressure, but is also punishable by the proper use of Reflection Guard. After blocking the first hit of the C follow up (2nd attack, after 236A>C) immediately Reflection Guarding will prevent Kirino from doing any follow up and receiving a punish.
Kirino can easily evade the punish by canceling into an assist attack with relatively fast startup (slow startup assist attacks may not put the opponent in blockstun quick enough and will still get punished) however it costs the use of the assist and an extra meter if she is not in Trump state to make it safe. While the jump cancel follow up is a guaranteed punish with 5A after Reflection Guarding, punishing the B follow up becomes character specific. There is a leeway of 5 frames to punish the B follow up (moves with 6 frames of startup will trade, generally leaving you at the disadvantage because the B follow up knocks down) so unless your character has a 5A with 5 frames of startup, your punish is limited to Throw or possibly 2A. Again as it is character dependent 2A will only punish if it has 5 frames of startup.
Since Throw and 2A only punish the B follow up, it is generally harder for characters without a 5 frame 5A as they have to guess which follow up Kirino will use. If all it took to defeat Athlete’s Dash was a well timed Reflection Guard, the move would not be as strong as it is. While 236A>C is punishable, there are many other factors to worry about such as 236A>A, Kirino delaying the C follow up to throw off Reflection Guard timing, or using the B follow up into an assist cancel or Trump Card frame trap. It is definitely still a move to be feared, but knowing how to deal with this option makes it much more bearable.
Another fairly situational attack which can be punished when Reflection Guarded properly, Shana’s 214X attack can be punished through Reflection Guard only when blocked in the air. While it doesn’t sound very useful, like Yuuki’s Vertical Square this attack is punishable on block anyways so knowing how to use Reflection Guard and preventing the opponent from making it safe is useful to know. The timing for Reflection Guard is right before the last hit, this will cause it to whiff leaving Shana at a severe disadvantage and without the ability to cancel into anything to make it safe. The only way this can be avoided is for Shana to use Combo Blast before the last hit.
Just like the rest of the characters mentioned so far, using Reflection Guard to punish Taiga’s Hell Thrust is specific and in this case is limited to 236C. The timing to Reflection Guard is immediately after the 3rd hit. This leaves a wide gap between the 4th and 5th hit allowing you to counter-attack with any invincible attack. While AB seems like a viable option against any of the attacks previously mentioned, I will discuss later in the Guard Point Interactions section why it is not.
Attack Trump Cards are all negative when blocked, however due to the pushback and being airborne, Trump Cards become near impossible to punish. Aside from characters who can punish Trump Cards in certain situations, the use of Reflection Guard when the opponent is in the corner makes it possible for any character to punish a blocked Trump Card. The timing of Reflection Guard is dependent per Trump Card, but generally it is delayed and leaves you right next to the opponent instead of being knocked backwards. Also worth mentioning are the two types of pushback you receive when blocking a Trump Card. Asuna, Shizuo, and Quenser will knock you up into the air, even after a successful Reflection Guard, while every other character will leave you close to the ground. The important difference between the two types is that against the former three characters, jump attacks must be used to punish, as landing then attacking will not be quick enough to punish. Notable Trump Cards that are not punishable at all are Tomoka and Taiga.
The theme of Reflection Guarding canned moves so far has been that it is specific and is not always guaranteed. While it may seem pointless or irrelevant to be aware of such possible situations, knowing how to counteract them when they do appear is what sets apart players who are more likely to succeed. The micro-interactions of the game happen commonly enough where if a player can take advantage of it, he can easily turn the match to his favor.
An important thing to be aware of when airborne is the possibility of being put into a blockstring and ultimately being hit by an air unblockable attack, usually B or 2C. To avoid these situations, well timed use of reflection guard is critical as in some cases mistiming it can lead to big damage for your opponent.
The most common situation is when one player super jumps towards an already airborne opponent, due to the faster falling speed of super jump the player is most likely to land before the opponent, assuming he was able to put them in blockstun. This is the opportune time to set up your opponent into an unblockable move as you land. It is recommended to go straight into the move rather than adding 5A etc as it gives the opponent one more chance to reflection guard. Adversely, as the player on the receiving end you want to reflection guard just before the opponent lands, as if his next attack is an unblockable the reflection guard properties will keep you safe. And in the case of the opponent doing something before the unblockable, you can always reflection guard a second time. If you are in the health lead and the opponent doesn’t have a lot of meter it may be worth risking getting hit in order to conserve your own meter. Avoiding these situations with a well timed reflection guard can also turn into a whiff punish opportunity, as the opponent is recovering from their whiffed attack you can land and punish their recovery. Recognizing these kinds of situations is key to opening up your opponent without any active approaches. As for the attacking end, recognizing that your opponent is aware of the situation is equally important as it may be better to reset back to neutral after your air blockstring to avoid overextending your pressure and getting punished instead.
Both characters and assists are capable of hitting you with air unblockable attacks so recognizing when each character can do so is an important factor to improving as a player. As far as characters are concerned, it’s mainly characters with projectile type attack trump cards that can hit you with air unblockable attacks from a distance. Specifically Miyuki, Selvaria, Taiga, and Kuroko. As each character's attacks vary in how they hit, knowing how each one works is necessary to avoid them.
Kuroko’s trump card is most lethal when she’s activated her potential as it tracks full screen rather than only half, but even then it is more reliable to use her trump in a combo rather than raw so this situation is least unlikely, but I will explain for completion's sake. Similar to Miyuki, it’s possible for Kuroko to use her EX tracking projectiles to keep the player stopped in the air as she sets up her air unblockable. Dealing with this situation is the same as Miyuki.
The most common situation is for the opponent to use her EX projectile since it tracks the player into her trump card. Unaware players will block this into a whopping 3000 damage, however knowledgeable players will recognize the situation and smartly reflection guard the last hit in order to evade the air unblockable.
In Selvaria’s case her trump card hits in a straight horizontal line that lasts a couple of seconds. Instead of getting you to block before using this attack, the opponent will instead watch your jump habits and look for the opportune time to use it by itself. As the player fighting against her it is important to watch out for the potential threat of the move and approach the air with caution.
Similar to Selvaria, Taiga is more likely to hit you raw with the trump card, however there are situations in which she can set up an assist to keep the player blocking in the air and use her trump card. If blocking an assist, it is dependent on the assist but just like Miyuki you want to reflection guard just before the trump card hits, as doing so too early will still result in getting hit by the air unblockable. Using the trump card raw is not as reliable as Selvaria because it’s a single projectile, however if the opponent times it correctly against a double jump, it’s feasible to hit the player with it. Again in this situation, just being aware of the possibility will make you less likely to get hit by it.
Her 6S has fairly long startup so it’s easy to time when the attack will come, so it’s advisable to stay on the ground. Similarly to Iriya if you happen to be put in a blockstring while airborne you can avoid the unblockable with reflection guard. Otherwise it’s wise to stay on the ground and either interrupt the assist, or block and take the white damage.
Iriya only gets access to an air unblockable after she finishes her third plate, followed by a full screen row of fireworks. Normally this can be used as a left/right set up when used in oki situations, however when used in neutral it becomes much more important to stay on the ground if you are not able to interrupt the assist. The damage boost accompanied by the third plate makes getting hit by the fireworks terrifying and with sufficient meter the opponent can easily take a round when the player is under 50%. Also on more rare occasions if you hit the assist after she finishes the plate, but before the fireworks go off, the opponent now has access to a near instant full screen full screen air unblockable. If you happen to be airborne while Iriya is called during neutral and the opponent happens to put you into blockstun, they’re adversely doing you a favor by potentially saving you from the air unblockable. Otherwise there is unfortunately not much you can do to avoid this move aside staying grounded.
Because these attacks can be avoided in most situations stronger players tend to not rely on them since it’s a possible waste of an important resource. However in the few situations you can do nothing to avoid it, recognizing the situation before it leads into it is important. It’s also worth mentioning that some characters can actually avoid the normally unavoidable situations by using their air special attacks to alter the air trajectory and delay landing. While not explicitly an air unblockable, Rusian can force you into an airborne situation that can lead into one if you move incorrectly. Another point worth mentioning is that situations where you air tech (or are forced into the air such as the 2nd hit of Rusian 6S) and the opponent has an assist or is positioned in an advantageous position when you land, it is sometimes better to take advantage of the invulnerability and do nothing until you land.
Being aware of who has the health advantage is important when factoring in the frequency in which you use reflection guard. DFCI kindly shows you who is at the health disadvantage displayed by the glowing white light at the end of one’s health bar, and by using this we can gauge whether or not it’s a good time to either be stingy with our reflection guard use or freely use it. This becomes especially important on oki when the opponent has meter to dish out damage, accompanied by an assist to mix you up. If you are at the health disadvantage there is no reason to not reflection guard, however if you are not at the health disadvantage it is worth considering the opponent’s resources and whether this next mix up is worth blocking without the use of reflection guard. Outside of oki situations when at the health advantage, it is advisable to not use reflection guard outside of situations where you think you can punish the opponent who is over extending their pressure, or to save yourself from unavoidable situations like air unblockables. Aside those scenarios, thoughtlessly using reflection guard will drain your meter and suddenly when you do get a hit confirm you’ll be wondering where all your meter went. However when at the health disadvantage, you have free reign to use it whenever you like as there is no penalty whatsoever. Just be wary if the opponent catches on and introduces delayed blockstrings to fish for your reflection guard attempt.
This does not occur frequently, however if you use the right assist it’s something to keep in mind as it can be extremely useful against opponents rushing you down. Some assists cannot be interrupted after their startup, and in some cases they put projectiles or other elements on screen. The opponent can smartly evade them as long as they are on the offensive, but with a well timed reflection guard you can use their offense to your advantage and use the space created from reflection guard to push the opponent into the assist's attack. As the player fighting against the uninterruptible assist it is wise to be wary of the positioning of the on screen attacks and not over extend your pressure in a way that will put you at risk of the assist.
This one seems obvious but because of the inherent nature of reflection guard, using it will negate the opponent from closing in and mixing you up. As mentioned earlier it is also important to factor in the health situation to decide if it’s worth using reflection guard multiple times, mainly in the case of multi hitting assists, because thoughtlessly using it could instantly drain your meter to 0. In regards to 1 or 2 hit assists, it is important to understand the timing at which the attack hits, as poorly timed reflection guard attempts will turn into attacks and will possibly lead you to getting counter hit into a combo.