Attacks You Can Block While Stunned
In front, certain attacks can be guarded even while your character is still stunned. In that case, your character will instantly get out of stun to block the incoming hit.
I’ll use the stun from “Heavy Finish” frequently as example throughout this guide because it’s very long, thus easier to work with, however this will work while you’re under most (but not all, more on this later) type of stuns in the game, whether it’s from a Rush Attack, Smash Attack, Rushing Technique, Ki Blasts and so on.
Here is a full list of attacks that you can guard under stun:
1, 2, 3 = for chargeable attacks, it means minimum, medium, max charge level.
- Ki Blasts (Neutral/Ascending/Dashing Rush Blasts, Neutral/Ascending/Dashing Smash Blasts 1, 2, 3) can be deflected/absorbed
- Throws can be tech’d
- First Rush Attack of Comboset 1
- Smash Attacks 1 (Neutral/Up/Down/Right/Left)
- Heavy Finish 1 and 2
- Rolling Hammer 1
- Lift Strike 1
- Ground Slash 1
- Flying Kicks
- Step-In Flying Kick
- Step-In Heavy 1, 2
- Step-In Rolling Hammer 1
- Step-In Lift Strike 1
- Step-In Ground Slash 1
- Sway Flying Kick
- Sway Heavy 1 and 2
- Sway Rolling Hammer 1
- Sway Lift Strike 1
- Sway Ground Slash 1
- Rush In Attack – you need to guess whether it’s a high, neutral or low attack, and guard accordingly
- Aerial Barrage
- Energy Storm – you can deflect the ki blasts at the end
- Sonic Impact
- Raging Impact
- Spiral Slash 1
- Violent Rush
- Air Combo 1 – only if the enemy uses a Lift Strike at minimum charge
- Air Combo 2 – only if the enemy uses a Lift Strike at minimum charge
- Air Combo 3 – only if the enemy uses a Lift Strike at minimum charge
- Air Combo 4 – only if the enemy uses a Lift Strike at minimum charge
- Blast Combo 5 – only if the enemy uses a Lift Strike at minimum charge
- Blast Combo 6 – only if the enemy uses a Lift Strike at minimum charge
Ki Blasts
You can deflect or absorb Ki Blasts while stunned, this is true for all types (Neutral/Ascending/Dashing Rush Blasts or Smash Blasts).
You can not reflect Smash Blasts though.
After being hit by a Ki Blast you can still deflect/absorb the next ones.
It’s interesting to note that while in idle, if you are very close to your enemy you can not deflect or absorb ki blasts by holding Guard and then pressing Left/Right (though there are other ways to deflect Ki Blasts that will work even at point blank range).
However, while stunned you are allowed to deflect regardless of distance, so in this regard deflect is actually even better while stunned!
There are other differences to deflect while in idle vs stunned, but I’ll go more in detail about the deflect mechanic in a separate article.
Throw
In front, you can tech a throw by pressing guard at the right time even while you’re still stunned.
First Rush Attack Of Comboset 1
The first Rush Attack of the Primary Combo Set can be guarded even while you’re stunned.
In particular, after being hit by a Ki Blast or moves such as Jump Smash, Dash Smash, Dragon Dash Smash you can still guard the following Rush Attack, ensuring your enemy won’t have an easy time getting in combo
I’ll do many examples for this one because it’s the very frequent among beginners to not guard in these situations!
After Rush Blast Or Smash Blast
After a Rush Blast the enemy is in his primary combo set, meaning you can guard his next Rush Attack despite the Ki Blast stun.
Just like before, after a Smash Blast you can just guard the upcoming Rush Attack.
After Jump Smash, Dash Smash, Dragon Dash Smash
Landing a Jump Smash, Dash Smash or Dragon Dash Smash won’t make the enemy character enter combo set 2, so you can still guard the next Rush Attack despite being stunned by these heavy attacks!
After Air Combo
The 4th rush attack of the air combo has quite a long stun, so the enemy can use it to go back to the primary combo set to extend, however as per usual you can just guard.
Rush Reset Combo
And finally, RRCs aren’t true in front. The point of that tech is to go back to the primary comboset, so as you’d expect, you can just guard if your opponent tries it in front!
Be careful Not To Return To Comboset 1
After most Smashes and Rushing Techniques your character will be in combo set 2, so the enemy can’t guard your next Rush Attack. However, if you wait too long you’ll go back to combo set 1.
Let’s use heavy finish as example for this.
In this clip I purposely delayed my Rush Attack after Heavy Finish so that my character would return to comboset 1, but obviously, this means the enemy can guard my next attack.
But if you input a Rush Attack right after your Heavy Finish you will be in Comboset 2, and the enemy can not guard against that while stunned.
In the previous clip, after “Heavy Finish” SS4 Gogeta used a punch (the animation of his first rush attack of comboset 1) but in the second video he used a kick (which is the animation of the first rush attack of comboset 2).
The same applies to other Rushing Techniques, Smashes and so on.
If you wait for the recovery animation to end before giving the input for a Rush Attack, you’ll be back to comboset 1.
Depending by the move used, your enemy may still stunned at that point (it depends by how fast the recovery animation & how long the stun of your last attack is), but he’ll be able to guard your next Rush Attack regardless, so it’s not worth it waiting too long after a Smash or Rushing Technique.
Only The First Rush Attack Can Be Guarded Under Stun
What if we purposely make the first Rush Attack miss and hit the enemy with the 2nd, 3rd or 4th Rush Attack?
That will work!
The 1st Rush Attack missed because SS4 Gogeta was too far from the enemy.
However we were close enough for the 2nd Rush Attack to land, and the enemy couldn’t guard against that!
2nd, 3rd and 4th Rush Attack of Comboset 1 can not be guarded under stun, only the first one can, so you can make the first one miss on purpose!
Smash Attacks
These can be guarded while stunned in front in any direction (Neutral, Up, Down, Left, Right) but only at minimum charge. Medium and Max charge can not be guarded if done in combo.
Rushing Techniques
Here is the rushing techniques that you can guard in front even while stunned:
1, 2, 3 = for chargeable attacks, it means minimum, medium, max charge level.
- Heavy Finish 1 and 2
- Rolling Hammer 1
- Lift Strike 1
- Ground Slash 1
- Flying Kicks
As for the remaining 3, Blaster Wave, Kiai Cannon and Rush Ki Wave, these can not be guarded if done in combo.
Heavy Finish, Rolling Hammer, Lift Strike, Ground Slash
A reminder that Lift Strike and Ground Slash can be guarded with neutral guard at minimum charge (and medium too, though that doesn’t apply while you’re stunned), you don’t need low guard.
Neutral Guard will cover all 4 previous attacks!
Flying Kick
This is the only non vanishable Rushing Technique in the list.
For this one, you’ll need to block High, Up + Guard.
Note that compared to other rushing techniques or smashes, guarding Flying Kick gives little to 0 frame advantage (it depends by the animation), so despite being possible to guard while stunned, it’s usually nowhere as bad as the other rushing techniques, which can also be vanished with Rapid Movement.
Counter Stance
A final note before moving to the next section, no attack from the counter stance can be guarded while stunned:
Auto-Blaster Wave Counter
Auto-Flying Kick Counter
Auto-Ki Blast Cannon Counter
Auto-Heavy Counter
Body Strike
Sonic Sway
Signature Technique
Certain moves in the Signature Technique section of the skill list can be guarded while stunned.
I won’t make a video for these, they’re essentially Flying Kick, Heavy Finish, Rolling Hammer, Lift Strike and Ground Slash from the Rushing Technique section, just started from a Step-In or a Step-In Sway animation instead of a Rush Attack.
Here is a list:
1, 2, 3 = for chargeable attacks, it means minimum, medium, max charge level.
Step-In Flying Kick
Step-In Heavy 1, 2
Step-In Rolling Hammer 1
Step-In Lift Strike 1
Step-In Ground Slash 1
Sway Flying Kick
Sway Heavy 1 and 2
Sway Rolling Hammer 1
Sway Lift Strike 1
Sway Ground Slash 1
Just like before, the Step-In/Sway version of Blaster Wave, Kiai Cannon and Rush Ki Wave can not be guarded if done in combo:
Step In Blaster Wave
Step-In Kiai Cannon
Step-In Ki Wave
Sway Blast Wave
Sway Kiai Cannon
Sway Ki Wave
Combo
Certain portions of the moves in the Combo section of the skill list can be guarded while stunned. These often share the animation of a smash attack or rushing technique seen previously.
Here is a list:
- Rush In Attack – you need to guess whether it’s a high, neutral or low attack, and guard accordingly
- Aerial Barrage
- Energy Storm – you can deflect the ki blasts at the end
- Sonic Impact
- Raging Impact
- Spiral Slash 1
- Violent Rush
- Air Combo 1 – only if the enemy uses a Lift Strike at minimum charge
- Air Combo 2 – only if the enemy uses a Lift Strike at minimum charge
- Air Combo 3 – only if the enemy uses a Lift Strike at minimum charge
- Air Combo 4 – only if the enemy uses a Lift Strike at minimum charge
- Blast Combo 5 – only if the enemy uses a Lift Strike at minimum charge
- Blast Combo 6 – only if the enemy uses a Lift Strike at minimum charge
Rush In Attack
The Rush In Attack can have 3 directions: neutral, high, low
To block, you need to guess which one the enemy will go for and use the appropriate defense (respectively: neutral, low, high guard)
Try to not be too predictable over the Rush In Attack you’ll use! Since you have 3 directions, the odds are you in favor!
Aerial Barrage
The portion of Aerial Barrage that uses Flying Kick animation can be guarded (just like standard flying kicks) with Up + Guard
Since the animation consists of multiple hits, you can guard even after you have already been hit, until the Flying Kick animation ends and it moves to the Smash Attack animation.
Energy Storm
You can deflect the ki blasts at the end if you wake up in time, even if you get stunned by a few of them.
Sonic Impact
You can guard both the portion of the move that uses the Up Smash Attack animation with Down + Guard, or the second portion which uses the Down Smash Attack animation with Up + Guard
Raging Impact
You can guard both the portion of the move that uses the Down Smash Attack animation with Up + Guard, or the second portion which uses the Down Smash Attack animation with Down + Guard
Spiral Slash
You can guard it with Down + Guard, assuming the enemy doesn’t charge it above minimum.
You can not block Spiral Slash if it’s charged to medium or max charge, just like a regular Ground Slash.
Violent Rush
Every 8 Rush Attacks you’ll go back to the first rush attack of combo set 1, which as you already know, you can guard.
Air Combo
For all 4, you can guard the Lift Strike if it’s at minimum charge
Blast Combos
For Blast Combo 5 and 6, refer to Air Combos section above.
The other blast combos can be guarded while stunned.
Attacks With Multiple Hits
For most of the moves mentioned above, if the enemy character deals multiple hits with it, you are allowed to guard even after the initial portion of the move hit you
Here some examples:
If you have been hit by Flying Kicks, you can still guard the remaining hits of the move.
The same applies to Burter’s Ground Slash 1, he is the only character in the game that deals multiple hits with the move
And finally, Giant Slug and Janemba’s Heavy Finish 1 and 2
Attacks This Rule Does Not Apply To
There are 3 exceptions to this rule
First Rush Attack Of Comboset 1
Certain characters (such as SS4 Gogeta) deal two hits with it, however you can not guard the second one if the first hits you
Also fun fact, in Tenkaichi 2 you could!
Lift Strike
The only multi-hit Lift Strike in the game are the ones of Syn and Omega Shenron (when used against Giants, else the second hit will just miss):
Auto-Flying Kick Counter
There is only a few characters that use Flying Kick for their counter stance, here is a list:
Videl
Great Saiyaman 2
Cell Perfect
Salza
Super Janemba
Super Baby 1
Nuova Shenron
Devilman
Exceptions
There are a few cases where you can NOT guard the attacks mentioned earlier while stunned
Paralysis & Dizziness
While under Paralysis you are not allowed to take any action until the effect ends, so obviously you can’t guard attacks, deflect ki blasts or tech a throw.
And the same applies while you’re under dizziness of course.
Stun Barrier
Stun barrier happens when your character is sent into a wall (clip 1) or body blocked by your opponent (clip 2)
We already talked about how a Rolling Hammer at minimum charge can be guarded in front, but as you can see from the clips, this doesn’t work if you are under stun barrier. Same goes for the other attacks mentioned previously in the article, you can not guard them, nor absorb/deflect ki blasts.
Do note though that the the enemy can still tech a throw in this situation.
Heavy Knock Back
You enter this status after a Full Power Smash Attack, Perfect Smash (like in the clip), Hyper Smash, Giant Throw and certain Throws (such as Goku Early’s Throw), Blast 2 (like Trunks’ High Speed Rush) and Ultimate Blasts (like SS2 Teen Gohan’s Father-Son Kamehameha).
As you can see from the clip, I could not guard the 1st Rush Attack of Comboset 1!
It’s most likely the same for the other attacks, but I couldn’t even think of a way to land a Rolling Hammer, Heavy Finish, Throw etc. during an Heavy Knock Back to verify.
Obviously you can not deflect/absorb ki blasts while in this status either.
Grab Stall
The enemy can not guard an Heavy Finish 1 or 2, Rush Attack, break your throw, deflect a ki blast etc. in this situation!
Grab stalling happens after you tech a grab or a blast 2 command grab and you use a blast 1 to cancel the animation of your character.
This isn’t a guide to grab stalling, if you want to know more Grand Master Hawk has a video on this.
If you wonder, to cancel the animation I used Nam’s Afterimage in this video. This way Heavy Finish landed before Goku could get out of his animation.
Clarifications
1. My enemy is under stun barrier, I used a Rush Attack, then Heavy Finish but he guarded it, why?
While he can not guard the first Rush Attack under stun barrier, once you land a rush attack your opponent is under that Rush Attack stun, not stun barrier, so he can guard an Heavy Finish at minimum or medium charge like usual.
Similarly if you shot 3 ki blasts, he can not deflect the first ki blast under stun barrier, but he can deflect the second and third after being hit (and stunned) by the first one.
2. What can I do under Lift Strike’s stun?
You can tech a throw!
Unsure whether you could guard the first rush attack of combo set 1, heavy finish and so on, I don’t even think there is a way to create situation to test that.
You can not deflect ki blasts.