Attacks You Can Block While Stunned
Introduction
In front, certain attacks can be guarded 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 stuns in the game (but not all, more on this later), whether it’s from a Rush Attack, Smash Attack, Rushing Technique, Ki Blasts and so on.
For most clips in this page, after being hit Goku won’t be holding Guard in the first half of the video, this to show that the next attack didn’t break combo, he is still stunned by the time it lands, but then in the 2nd half of the clip you’ll see that he can block regardless.
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 Attack 1 (Neutral/Up/Down/Right/Left)
- Flying Kicks
- Heavy Finish 1 and 2
- Rolling Hammer 1
- Lift Strike 1
- Ground Slash 1
- 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 neutral deflect or absorb Ki Blasts
However, while stunned you are allowed to deflect regardless of distance, so in this regard deflect is actually better while stunned!
There are other differences to deflect while you’re in idle vs stunned, but I’ll go more in detail about the deflect mechanic in a separate article.
Throw
In front, you can throw tech by pressing guard at the right time while you’re still stunned.
From the back you can’t throw tech, regardless of whether you’re stunned or not.
First Rush Attack Of Comboset 1
The first Rush Attack of the Primary Combo Set can be guarded while you’re stunned.
In particular, after being hit by a Ki Blast or other moves such as Jump Smash, Dash Smash, Dragon Dash Smash you can still guard the following Rush Attack.
It’s very common among beginners to not guard in these situations, so I’ll provide more examples for this one.
After Rush Blast Or Smash Blast
After a Ki Blast, the enemy is in his primary combo set, meaning you can guard his next Rush Attack despite the Ki Blast stunning you.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a Rush Blast or Smash Blast!
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 unlike Smash Attack 1, so you can guard their next Rush Attack!
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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, however, you can just guard here too!
Rush Reset Combo
Rush Reset Combo is about moving from the secondary combo set to the primary one, this can only be done by some characters, on certain Rush Attacks. You need to time correctly your next Rush Attack, so that the enemy can not guard, and your character won’t follow up with your next Rush Attack in the secondary string.
However, as seen in the video, RRCs can only work from the back. In front you can always guard them as he is returning to, well, the 1st Rush Attack of Combo set 1.
A more detailed guide from Paige can be found here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE7nU2S7opM. Note that the video is quite old, it says RRCs work in front too, which is incorrect as shown in this guide.
A list of RRCs can be found in the Tenkaichi 3 Database: https://1drv.ms/x/c/de67fcfa5883821d/EZ7N3IptTMBIvRcRWF1YTA4BGycWfTMR_zT5I24rNk5J7Q?e=eIoMlL
If you delay, you’ll return to combo set 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.
In this clip I purposely delayed my Rush Attack after Heavy Finish so that my character would return to combo set 1, doing so means that the enemy can guard my next attack.
Whereas if you input a Rush Attack right after your Heavy Finish you will be in Combo set 2, and the enemy can not guard against that while stunned.
In the previous clip, after “Heavy Finish” SS4 Gogeta used a punch (animation of his first rush attack in combo set 1), whereas in the second video he used a kick (is the animation of the first rush attack in combo set 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 don’t delay for too after using 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, 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 character deals multiple hits with it, you are allowed to guard even after the initial portion of the move has 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 this attack:
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.
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! Here is a video on this:
Lift Strike
The only Lift Strikes that can deal multiple hits are the ones of Syn and Omega Shenron when used against Giants (the second hit will miss otherwise):
to check if by reaching the ceiling it’d work on mid sized characters too
Auto-Flying Kick Counter
You may have already noticed from the list at the beginning of the article, but here is a reminder that Auto-Flying Kick Counter is not among the attacks you can guard while stunned, regardless of whether it’s the first or last hit of the move.
There is only a few characters that use Flying Kick for their counter stance, here is a complete list:
Videl
Great Saiyaman 2
Cell Perfect
Salza
Super Janemba
Super Baby 1
Nuova Shenron
Devilman
Video:
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 throw tech.
And the same applies while you’re under dizziness of course.
Wall Splat
Wall Splat happens when your character is sent into a wall (clip 1) but also when body blocked by your opponent (clip 2).
The community often uses the term “Stun Barrier” to refer to this also.
As you can see from the clips, guarding a Rolling Hammer at minimum charge while stunend doesn’t work in this situation. Same goes for the other attacks mentioned previously in the article. You can also not absorb/deflect ki blasts.
Do note though that the the enemy can throw tech in this situation:
Soft Knock Back
You enter this state after certain moves such as Kiai Cannon 2 or Blaster Wave 2. You can not guard while stunned here, either:
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.
Throw Stall
The enemy can not guard an Heavy Finish 1 or 2, Rush Attack, tech your own throw, deflect a ki blast etc. in this situation!
Throw stalling happens after you tech a throw or even blast 2/ultimate blast command grab (such as Broly’s Giant Hammer) and then, you use a blast 1 to cancel the animation.
This also works if the throw or command grab is used on a giant. In this case it is not necessary for you to press guard to tech the throw, as giants are immune to throws anyway.
Burter’s throw loop + combo reset, beaten by switching into a giant
Realigning + throw tech doesn’t work if the throw is performed after Burter’s 1st Rush Attack of Comboset 2, as attempting to do so will trigger the slow turnaround animation instead. After the throw, Burter can autoflank and repeat the process from there.
Even as a giant character, if you throw tech you’ll need a Blast 1 to cancel the animation. If you allow the throw to hit the giant instead, you won’t need to consume a Blast 1 for this
Unrelated to this guide, but in this state your enemy also can not use Z-Counter, Rapid Movement, Emergency Blaster Wave or any blast 1s. Grand Master Hawk has a video on this mechanic on youtube.
If you wonder, in this video to cancel the animation I used Nam’s Afterimage. 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 into 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 the Rush Attack stun, not stun barrier, so he can guard an Heavy Finish at minimum or medium charge while stunned, 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.
Finally, do note that this also applies to multi hit moves such as Flying Kick. Your opponent can not guard the first hit under the situations mentioned in “Exceptions”, but after that they’ll still be able to guard the successive hits, because they are stunned by Flying Kick now (or heavy finish, ground slash etc.)
2. What can I do under Lift Strike’s stun?
You can not deflect ki blasts but you can throw tech!
To check whether u can guard
Here is a video: