Dragon Ball FighterZ is a game that appeals to a wide variety of players. Dragon Ball fans who are new to fighting games, and players from other fighting game communities that may not play similar games are all drawn to Dragon Ball FighterZ. For many newer players, learning how to block in Dragon Ball FighterZ can be a daunting task. The game requires precise blocking when you’re being pressured by a skilled opponent and can get frustrating when you don’t know how to block. In this article we’ll cover how to block in Dragon Ball FighterZ so you can start getting out of those pressure situations.
How to Block
Dragon Ball FighterZ is similar to games like Street Fighter and Guilty Gear. In order to block you simply hold Back or the diagonal between Down and Back (Down/Back). If you want to block most aerial attacks, including jump-in attacks and overheads, you need to block standing. This means you need to block by holding Back on the analog stick or d-pad. If you want to block low attacks, which consists of most crouching attacks and a few standing attacks, you need to hold the diagonal between Down and Back so that you’re essentially crouching while holding back.
If your opponent uses a jumping attack, that’s considered an overhead. Every character has a universal overhead by pressing Forward + Medium Attack, but most jumping attacks are also considered overhead attacks. All overhead attacks will hit if you’re crouch blocking (holding Down/Back). You must block an overhead attack from a standing position (hold Back). Of note, a Super Dash is not an overhead attack and can be blocked crouching or standing.
As a general rule of thumb, consider all attacks from the air to be overhead attacks that you must block standing (hold Back). If the opponent is not in the air, you should default to crouch blocking. Not all aerial attacks are overheads that will hit you out of a crouching block, but it’s still a good idea to stand block anytime your opponent is in the air, which includes the short jump during a universal overhead (Forward + Medium Attack). Keep in mind, if you’re crouch blocking often, a skilled opponent will eventually go for a throw (Dragon Rush) or overhead attack, so be ready for both.
Blocking Mix-Ups
Skilled players will use advanced techniques, such as the Instant Air Dash, to quickly jump into the air and mix you up with a potential overhead attack. This can make it very difficult to block in time. While there’s no easy way to block these fast overhead attacks, the more you see them, the faster your reaction time will get. If an opponent is relatively close to you, especially if you’ve been crouch blocking a lot, expect an overhead to come sooner rather than later.
In addition, many opponents will go for a left/right mix-up, by using the Instant Air Dash to jump to the other side of your character, then go for an attack while they’re landing from the jump, or land and go for a low attack. Usually, if the opponent crosses to the other side of your character, you need to block in the opposite direction (even if your character hasn’t turned around yet).
It’s important to remember that you cannot get crossed up in the corner unless the opponent uses a teleport of some sort. Simply jumping over you in the corner will not cause them to move to the other side. Instead, they will stay on the same side, so don’t change how you’re blocking if you’re in the corner and the opponent tries to jump over you.
Dash and Jump Recovery
Another very important aspect of blocking is recovery. Anytime you tap Forward, Forward or Back, Back to dash forward or back, there’s a small period of time during and immediately following the dash that you cannot block. A skilled opponent can take advantage of this by attacking during this period of recovery.
As soon as you start jumping, before your character has left the ground, but after you’ve pressed Up or whatever direction you’re jumping, you can be hit. This is similar to the dash recovery, except that this happens just before your character jumps, instead of after. If you’re getting pressured by an opponent, you generally do not want to try jumping because you’ll get hit more often than not.
For more strategy and advice, including controls and general tips, check out our Dragon Ball FighterZ game hub!
