Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising: Metera Combos Guide 2024

Metera is a character that does well in mid-range in the new Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising; has explosive damage off anti-airs and in corner situations; and is good at forcing opponents to play reactively or take big risks.

I would describe her as fairly straightforward to build a solid game plan with, paired with intermediate levels of execution and a big focus on clean reactions.

Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising Metera Guide (Strategy, Strengths, Weaknesses) [Primer]

Metera Strengths

She excels in a few ways: Her normals allow for low-commit exchanges in several matchups. Her corner setups do plenty of damage. She gets safe and jumps off almost every knockdown and anti-air.

She has two 3-hit EX projectiles, giving her a small edge in projectile wars (Alongside many reactionary armor-busting options in the Vaseraga matchup).

She’s very well-rounded, overall. Her damage in the corner off throw-based mixups is very strong.

Metera Weaknesses

Surface level, she seems incredibly strong, however, she does potentially have some weaknesses. When it comes to opening up high-level defence she may lack truly ambiguous high-low mixups, even with empty-jump being available at a moment’s notice from her 5U, just due to how slow lows are in Granblue.

We’ll have to see how that pans out. If we can’t rhythm-block her setups, I’ll remove this point later.

Damage off most grounded midscreen exchanges is also low, even with EX moves. If the opponent can jockey for space away from the corner, it’s pretty easy to play in a way that avoids taking any big risks.

Her 2H and 1H anti-airs are air blockable, which forces a cancel into 623X if she wants to make sure it nets something (It should be noted that at certain heights these normals are hella plus on block).

She lacks a fast anti-air for situations where the opponent jumps but she’s just coming out of recovery of a normal. She lacks a Reversal option outside of super. You’ll want to delegate to getting out the old-fashioned way.

Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising Metera Movesets

Just compiling insights, routes, damage, weird quirks or what-have-you. Mileage may vary concerning this guide.

Attack Summaries

Format is LMHU, with Numpad Notation
xx means “Special Cancel”
>means “Link”
, means “Chain”
X means any version of an attack.

Close Range Normals

c.L – Mash Confirm

Close light normal, clocks in at 6f. Does catch jumps, but can be tricky to confirm on air hit. Chains into auto combo, oftentimes you’ll chain into this from 2L or be mashing this out to beat throw attempts.

Example Strings and Starters:

5LLL xx 214H
5LLL xx 236H
5LLL xx 236236H/U

2L – Low Starter

6f startup, low. This is your standard low starter in pressure, and two chained into each other can combo into EX Shots. Damage on this as a starter seems better than 2L, and 5LLL in the corner but offers less confirmation time.

Important/Summary: A great pressure starter for close-range stuff. If you find yourself coming out of hop in their face, you’ll usually choose between j.H or an empty low using 2L.

Example Strings and Starters:

2L,5LLL xx 214H
2L,5LLL xx 236236H/U
2L,2L xx 214H
2L,2L xx 236H

c.M – Jump and Frame Trap

8f medium. +2 on block and +6 on hit, meaning you can catch jumps and pokes with a link into 2L, or use the threat of continued pressure to go for a tick throw. Chains into autocombo, so the above strings also apply.

Important/Summary: Great pressure starter against jumpy or mashy opponents.

Example Strings and Starters:

c.M > 2L xx 214H
Counterhit: c.M > c.MMM xx 236H

c.H – Three Hitter

11f startup, -4 on the block, but offers ample time to confirm the situation. Can be used explicitly as a trap against throw techs or to catch jumps for a reasonable amount of damage, but offers far fewer layers to your pressure compared to c.M or a 2L confirm.

This move finds a lot of use in corner combos due to its high damage and low scaling.

Pokes and Footsies Tools

far. L – Disjoint Standing Low Poke

This normal is 8f startup (Matching 2M) and is fully disjoint. You can use it to stop the close-range approach and it ruins pokes with extended hurtboxes. The main benefit of it being so fast is that if it whiffs against a jump, you can still anti-air cleanly, and it can be very hard for certain characters to even contest it at range.

Use it when you think jumps, rolls and runs are still on the table, but you don’t want to commit to something slower that might get counterpoked.

Important/Summary: Press this when you’re not sure what to do and the opponent isn’t trying to outright punish this. Great mash-out tool at close-ish range. Can’t be DP’d at range due to its lack of hurt box and recovery.

Example Strings and Starters:

far. L xx 214M
far.LL xx 214M
far.LL xx 214H
Standing only: far.LL xx 236X
Crouching counter hit: far. L > 2M xx 214M

2M – Bow Swipe That Isn’t a Low

Similar to far. L is in use, as it also clocks in at 8f. This normal has a very short recovery for such a long normal and is great for punishing rolls on reaction. It also leaves you fairly safe against sudden jump-ins compared to far. H. More hit stun than far. L, obviously, but can’t chain into anything but shots.

This will be a go-to in mid-range footsies simply due to how big the hitbox is, and how hard it is to whiff punish. You’ll often cancel this into shots.

When you’re not sure about the opponent’s roll habits, you might just let it rock instead of cancelling into shots on the block when it clips them at range.

Important/Summary: Not a low. It’s a good poke and good against jumpy/rolly/dodgy opponents.

Example Strings:

2M xx 214M/H
Standing only at a distance: 2M xx 236M/H

far.M – Axe Kick

11f startup with a smidge more total recovery than 2M (I feel it’s also worse to whiff when someone’s jumping at you or spot dodging through your poke).

Great at trashing low pokes at a distance, as it does not extend a hurt box downwards, and is a smidge better than 2M at catching jumps after the fact.

A strong harassment tool, as the tail end of the active frames also catches rolls. Use it similarly to 2M, especially when contesting low pokes like Katalina 2M at a distance.

Important/Summary: Just like 2M except even better at beating low pokes. Slower and potentially weaker to jumps that manage to clear it, but still liable to beat rolls.

far.H 🦋 – Forward Shot

Juice normal. This thing clashes with projectiles and is usually your go-to harassment normal. If your opponent isn’t trying to jump, roll or spot dodge, this button should be pressed often enough to make them try for the former.

Because it’s completely disjoint, it acts as a great predictive whiff punish against other normals, and trades well against single-hit projectiles. On hit, you can confirm into Shot, and at mid-range, you can block string into 236M for chip and general harassment.

Important/Strategy: Because it clocks in at 16f, and has travel time this normal is reachable at a distance, meaning there’s a range where players can spot dodge or roll through it with no risk to themselves. Online this range is much further out than offline, so accommodate appropriately to your delay and opponent.

If someone is playing reactively, they’re more vulnerable to you simply walking/dashing forward into 5M/2M, so you can use the threat of this move to jockey for space.

If the opponent doesn’t know about the above, just keep using it and switch too far.L/2M to contest their pokes while also leaving yourself open to punish jump-ins.

It should be noted that 236M/H and 214M/H are faster projectiles than far. H, so they don’t suffer as severely as a player waiting to react (The effective range is further out compared to far. H).

far. H has less total duration than the shots, so they’re less likely to give the opponent a full punishment if they jump, but you likely won’t be able to anti-air if they do.

Important/Summary: Use this normal at mid-range to crush all pokes and clash with projectiles. Force them to play around it and build a game plan to punish them for their attempts. Weak to jumps. Weak to reactive play at a distance.

Big prediction rolls or jumps will get them inside. Switch to 2M and your reactive play as they adjust, depending on what they like to do.

2U – Slide

This normal confers a pretty great situation on hit. You can set 22L/H and go right into meaty 2L. At a distance this move is safe and can be great for challenging approaches, catching moves out of startup or prediction rolls/spot dodges.

You can confirm this off of Hop J. H or Butterfly Explosions. As far as midscreen Oki is concerned, this is a strong option that doesn’t require the use of H Shots, meaning you have more damage on deck for the next mixup.

236X 🦋 – High Shot

This is a smidge faster than your far. H, but more overall recovery (Weaker to jumps, close-range rolls and spot dodges). These are minus on block (But mostly safe) at close range, but whiff on crouchers anywhere but point blank, making them less combo-friendly than 214X.

Each version has its purpose. The L version travels slowly, so if your opponent blocks it at a distance, it may give them a gap to roll or spot dodge that’s hard to contest. The kicker is if you lead with this at longer ranges, you can follow after it and there’s not a lot they can do to contest (Depending on the character, of course).

To block a projectile at longer distances means you’re super-mega-plus, so you can bully in neutral with risk-free butterfly sets as you force a jump or roll from them.

The M version is far more likely to block string them, netting your guaranteed chip. This is usually preferable to an L shot in close quarters against stronger opponents. I need to follow up on this, however.

H Shot is used to turn stray hits into knockdowns, punch through L/M fireballs in exchanges, and is used in the corner for really laying on the damage.

It’s not set in stone yet, but you will likely be using 214H before you burn 236H, as Low Shot doesn’t play as nice with Butterfly, and you’ll lose access to j236X (It shares the 236X cooldown).

Important/Strategy: Even on projectile clash, all versions of Shot will continue to move forward (sans hitbox) and trigger butterflies.

Important/Summary: Use shots to encourage jumping, rolling, dodging and fireballs. Fireballs are amazing for challenging longer, more dominant pokes from your opponent where your normals might get stuffed outright.

Use it just enough, paired with far. H, to convince them you’ll keep doing it, then switch too far.L/2M to leave yourself available to anti-air.

Important/Synergy with 22X: At about 3/4s screen, you can safely 22X after they block an M shot. At about half-screen, you can safely 22X after they block an L shot (It travels slower and is more plus)

214X (🦋ish) – Low Shot

Similar in all respects to 236H. I would go to this one first in combos/conversions and stray counter-poke situations, simply due to its ability to hit crouchers at a distance.

Important: Doesn’t hit any butterflies except the falling butterfly on 22C, hence the 🦋ish.

Important/Synergy with 22X: At about 3/4s screen, you can safely 22X after they block an M shot. At about 2/3rds screen, you can safely 22X after they block an L shot (It travels slower and is more plus, but not as plus as 236L)

j236X (🦋) – Air Shot

j236L/M is a great anti-fireball tool that has the potential to beat grounded fireball options without committing too much.

However, it loses to people dashing forward on prediction, so be mindful of overuse. Use it on a read against fireball, and only as much as needed to convince them to try to punish it.

j236H is a highly damaging tool for punishing early throw break options (Tech and mashed lights) in midscreen situations. It’s probably one of the few ways Metera can pump out damage on a grounded opponent without taking them to the corner first or having butterflies set up.

Of j236H you get an air launch, so you can link 2H5U > jH > 2H into carry, damage or what-have-you.

Important/Opinion: I would personally only go for j236H when I know my opponent is not late teaching. 236X is on the same cooldown, so you’re losing a valuable neutral tool in midscreen situations if it gets blocked.

Late teaching is quite hard to crack open in this game, so I like to reserve j236H for early techs and mashed light attacks done out of block stun.

5U/4U – Hop

Metera’s hop is quite good when done in situations where opponents may not have strong anti-air options on deck, or are gravitating to moves that lose directly to hop jH, such as long-winded pokes with low hitboxes. Mid-hop, you are capable of catching prediction rolls or spot dodge.

Hop does lose to reactionary anti-airs in many matchups, and does not clear a majority of far.H/far.M normals. It also struggles to clear fireballs if you don’t do it early enough.

I consider it risky play, but it can be good to throw out once in a while as a footsie tool.

Utility

M+H 🦋 – Overhead

This move is reactable but can act as a great punishment to people trying to tech throw early, and is also a great low crush. Can be very potent in the corner with 22H Butterfly, as it leads to 5000+ damage conversions if you have at least a shot on deck.

At the very least, with a butterfly, this move leads to more pressure when blocked.

22X – 🦋 Butterflies 🦋

The butterflies offer an extra layer of protection to Metera’s pokes, alongside some nutty combo potential mid screen and in the corner.

If you blow up a butterfly in front of the opponent, they will die trying to roll or jump over whatever you used to trigger it (Usually a far. H or 236L/M).

If they do not bite to the jump/roll bait, and you make the read, you can trigger the butterfly on top of them, which leaves you incredibly plus.

These are quite unsafe to do raw in neutral, or at least give up a ton of ground. The summon animation has a lot of recovery, so unless your opponent is blocking a long-distance 236L, 214L or 623M, I don’t recommend doing it.

You might be able to do it as a response to a jump at full screen, or if their character does lack the ability to punish you for it.

Important/Strategy: The optimal place for blowing up butterflies on a character is usually right in front of them so that the back end of the hitbox still catches them. This will likely save you from rolls and give them a smaller window to clear your far. H or 236M.

Both L and M butterflies will travel until they leave the screen (22H will hang around until they get to the stage edge, then they’ll chill there so you can run mixups).

So long as you’re not on cooldown, you can always replace existing butterflies with subsequent 22X inputs.

22L is a slow butterfly. This is great for setup after a forward throw in the corner, off a 2U knockdown, and general harassment in neutral. You can pop this immediately with 623M.

22M is a faster butterfly. Same properties as 22L otherwise. Can’t be used for corner setups. I find that this is better in neutral to set up the jump trap I mentioned above. You jockey for space faster and more aggressively with this one over 22L, giving your opponent less time to move forward.

Important/Strategy: Getting 22M out in a fireball war against characters can be a boon because a clash with the butterfly on top of the opponent will get triggered by any 236X, even if the projectile hitbox is negated.

22H summons two butterflies. One travels in a straight line, and one travels upwards before falling after a time. This is normally set up off corner knockdown throw, 2U or 623H.

This is how Metera sets up most of her big damage corner situations, so it’s great to just default to this in the aforementioned situations.

623X – Rain of Arrows

This move has a rising hitbox followed by a rain of arrows.

In neutral, both L and M versions of this move act as pretty solid covers to set up 22L/M Butterfly, and since they’re air unblockable they can act as unwieldy anti-airs. I need to do some lab work to figure out just where they can anti-air.

The H version offers a great knockdown in neutral and in the corner (As the main projectile won’t travel off-screen like 623L/M), giving you plenty of time to set up 22H Butterflies. In the corner, this will often be your go-to ender for the Butterfly Oki or Super.

Important/Strategy: While it’s spacing and character-specific, on an airborne opponent in the corner, Metera can combo 2H 623L into 2H 623H. 623X does a lot of hits overall, so this generates far more meters and comparable damage to other routes. Learning how to land this goes a long way to combo optimization.

Important/Summary: Do 623L and 623M in neutral where applicable to set up Butterflies. 623H will be useful when paired with Metera’s 1H and 2H, given that they’re normally air-blockable. See below.

Anti-Airs

1H/2H 🦋 – Up Shots

Air blockable anti-airs, but huge returns on counter-hit. Can be cancelled into 623X to force a proper anti-air. Luckily, these are also majorly + on the block.

I believe it’s possible to confirm the situation and choose what you cancel into, but that requires some lab work. 2H acts as an incredible combo filler in the corner, and off midscreen anti-air combos.

Neither of these has much application in grounded footsies, but they’ll be your go-to anti-air in many cases. 1H hits straight up and ahead, while 2H hits further forward.

Both can anti-air above Metera’s head, but you’ll have to watch out for more disjointed jump-ins that will force you to use 1H over 2H.

Important/Summary: Anti-airs GOOD. Damage GREAT. Air blockable BAD. Hella plus GOOD.

236236H – Flippy Fire Kick

Her H super is air unblockable, making for a great anti-air. You have to make sure to get it out early enough, as the startup is quite slow. I feel like you should prioritize keeping this for midscreen confirms off autocombo into damage, alongside keeping it on deck as an anti-air. Just having it available gives Metera lots of room to breathe against certain characters.

As a reversal option, I feel it’s middling. Its startup is slow enough that you can meet with lights and recover before the super will connect.

Awakening

236236U – Please… Step on me.

This move does more damage than 236236H and offers a hop-safe jump on hit. Not all good as an anti-air or as a reversal, but I always recommend going into this if you find yourself confirming from a midscreen auto-combo, or your successful anti-air won’t take you to the corner.

Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising Metera Combos Guide

The idea here is to convert stray hits into knockdowns, as Metera can net a safe jump jH off virtually any knockdown. Heavier starters net more damage.

Bolded Combos are “Optimized” or “Very Useful BnBs”

Character-Specific Problems and Routes

Ferry can’t be picked up by 2L,2L xx 214H > 2H in the corner. Substitute with 2L,2L xx 236H > 2H, or 2L,5LLL xx 214H > 2H

Charlotta is a potato. Some things don’t work well for her. Treat her like Ferry.

Everyone else feels pretty fat, so no worries there.

Midscreen Combo Examples

Close Standing Confirms:

5LLL xx 214H/236H/236236H/236236U (Fastest starter)
5MMM xx 214H/236H/236236H/236236U (Best off hit-confirm from jump-ins, as 5M is +)
5HHH xx 214H/236H/236236H/236236U (Best off full confirm or punish, highest damage)

Low Confirms

2L,5LLL xx 214H/236236H/236236U (Easiest, longest confirm)
2L,2L > 236S (Unawakened super confirm, likely highest damage, great reaction roll punish)
2L,5LL xx 236236U (Awakened super confirm, likely highest damage)

Frame Trap

cM > 2L xx 214M/H

Utility

2L xx 236S (Easiest reaction punish against rolls or spot dodge that end at max 2L range)

j236H vs. Throw Tech/Spot Dodge Tech OS/Low Mash

Midscreen, Sets up Crossunder Shmix. Good with Super. Probably good for anti-airs.

j236H > 2H 5U > jH > 2H > jM(1)

Midscreen, No Cooldowns Spent, Nice Carry, (Wide Characters only?)

j236H > micro dash* 2H 5U > jH > 2H 5U > delay jM(2) > 2H 5U jU > jH Safejump

*Microdash is probably char specific

Corner Optimized, with H Butterfly Safejump, Good Carry, Kind of Hard.

j236H > 2H 5U > delay jM(2) > cl.H(3) xx 623H > 2H xx 22H. (4460, Allows for 5U jH Safejump)

Butterfly Conversion Examples

For mid-screen oki, if you land a 236M Explosion Trigger on Grounded Opponent:

236M (Explosion) Hop into jH > 2U > 22L.

If you want damage:

236M (Explosion) Hop into jH > cl.H(3) xx 236236U

Anti-air Midscreen/Carry Examples

The following combo leads into a sizable carry to the corner for no meter, and leads into reversal-safe pressure:

Counterhit 2H delay 5U > jH > 2H 5U delay jM(2) > 2H 5U jU > Air Reset into Safejump jH

Counterhit 1H delay 2H 5U jH > 2H 5U delay jM(2) > 2H 5U jU > Air Reset into Safejump jH

If you manage to make it to the corner before the jM, you can do the following instead:

Counterhit 2H delay 5U > jH > 2H xx 623H > 22H

If the opponent gets wise, you can unblockable them post 1H/2H with the following if they’re cornered, or the spacing is correct.

Blocked 1H/2H > 623C > 22X

In the corner, you can pick up and go for something like:

Blocked 1H/2H > 623H > 2H 5U jH cH(3) xx 236H > 2H xx 236236H

Corner Combos

Off 214H > 2H Starter.

A little distance-dependent as you need to be closer to get this working. Works on most starters from close range, and every autocombo. 2L,2L is optimal as a hit-confirm here, but sometimes you’ll find yourself going for Autocombo. It’s more or less interchangeable.

Easiest Route, Leads to Safejump with Hop jH

2L,5LLL xx 214H > 2H 5U > jH > cH(3) xx 623H > 22H (3840 off 2L,2L)

Damage Ender, One EX Shot

2L,2L xx 214H > 2H 5U > jH > cH(3) xx 623H > far.H xx 236236H/U (4910/5362)

Damage Ender, Two EX Shot (Char Specific? Spacing Specific? cl.H into far. H is fuzzy)

2L,2L xx 214H > cl.H(3) xx 236H > far.H xx 623H > far.H xx 236236H/U(4884, sour-hit super safe jump/5362)

Hard Meterless Route; more damage without meter; stole this off Taihani.

2L,2L xx 214H > 2H 5U > jM(2) > cl.H(3) xx 623H > 2H xx 22H > Safejump j.H Reset (4020, very hard to net safe jump timing on this one. Might be char specific or require certain delay timing somewhere)

623X loop off 214H Starter. Good for Meter Gain. Starter and spacing specific.

Useful 623X Loops

2L,2L xx 214H > 2H xx 623A > cl.H(3) xx 623H > 22H (4101, Highest Meterless Damage?)

2L,2L xx 214H > 2H xx 623A > cl.H(3) xx 623H > 236236H (4813, but leads to ruined hit on Katalina, netting you a safe jump outside of Awakening)

2L,2L xx 214H > 2H xx 623A > 2H xx 623H > 236236U (5192)

22H Butterfly Oki in the corner, usually after 623H > 22H or similar setups.

2L,2L xx 236M (Explosion) 5U jH > cH(3) xx 236M (Explosion) 5U jH cH(2) xx 214H > 2H 5U jH cH(3) xx 623H > far. H xx 236236H/U (Awakening Ender nets 5393 as a reset at about 50% life)

2L,2L xx 236M (Explosion) 5U jH > cH(3) xx 236M (Explosion) 5U jH cH(2) xx 214H > 2H xx 623A > 2H xx 623H > 236236H/U (Awakening Ender nets 5393 as a reset at about 50% life)

Hop jH > cH(3) xx 236M…

Hop jH > 2L xx 236M…

Deep Meaty 2L,M+H Overhead (Explosion) > far.H xx 236H…

Off Overhead M+H Starter. in the Corner

Standing or Crouching Counter-hit, Two EX Shots

M+H > 214H > 2M xx 236H > far.H xx 623H > far.H xx 236236/H/U (????/6256)

Standing or Crouching Counter-hit, Character Specific (Tested on Katalina)

M+H > Microdash far.L > 214H > 2H 5U > jH > cl.H(3) xx 623H > far.H xx 236236H/U

Execution and Linking 2H 5U jH in the Air

Linking Normal Hit 2H 5U jH

So this is probably the diciest part of getting into Metera for those new to fighters, but it’s more human than you’d think with practice.

First, it’s height specific if you land a normal air hit 2H in neutral. This includes mid-combo.

Secondly, 5U has a lockout on inputs while you’re rising, so you can’t easily link jH after 2H without some practice, and it gets a bit harder online. Input jH too early, and you get nothing. Input it too late, and your jH whiffs through the opponent as they recover.

This is just something you have to grind out in training mode. Corner combos are probably the easiest place to practice the timing.

5LLL xx 214H > 2H 5U > jH > cH(3) xx 623H > 22H

The above combo is super useful, does decent damage and leads to great wakeup pressure.

Linking Counter-Hit 2H 5U jH

So as an anti-air, 2H can be a little different. Counter hits in GBFV freeze the victim for a moment and float the opponent until they hit the ground. What will often happen as Metera is you’ll tag them with 2H, and have to greatly delay your 5U cancel to land the following jH at the correct height.

You want to land JH as low to the ground as possible, and you have to eyeball it based on how high the opponent was.

Luckily, the window to convert meaningfully is not a fixed height, so there’s some leeway. On top of it all, you have plenty of time to confirm the situation on Counterhit.

The two combos I prefer are as follows. The first is for a safe jump:

Counterhit 2H > delay 5U > jH > 2H > delay jM(2) > 2H 5U jU > Safejump jH

The next is for oki, or if I carry them to the corner:

Counterhit 2H > delay 5U > jH > 2H xx 623H > 22H

This sets up H Butterfly and cranks damage. There’s more you can do here, but the above should get you started.

Linking Counter-Hit 1H into Stuff

Because 1H connects overhead, a 5U cancel will often send you underneath the opponent, or you’ll simply be unable to connect. So I do the following:

Counterhit 1H > delay 2H 5U > jH > 2H 5U > delay jM(2) > 2H 5U jU > Safejump jH

Safe jumps

Metera 5U jH safejump can be done off a variety of knockdowns. This allows her to intersect her opponent’s wakeup with jH. Because she’s so low to the ground, if the opponent spot dodges, rolls or does a reversal, Metera will be able to land and block, or even react punish the wakeup roll/dodge.

You’ll have to practice the timing on each of these individually, but it’s well worth it, and not too hard to do. I may update this list when I find frame-kill setups.

Safe jump Setups

Forward Throw: Dash > 5U

Back Throw: Dash > 5U

236236U: Dash > 5U

214H: Dash > 5U or 22H 5U

236H: Dash > 5U or 22H 5U

623H: Dash > 5U

High hit 2H: Jump cancel 5U into jU

MIDSCREEN BNB

Any confirm into > 214H OR 236H

You can walk forward meaty 623M on knockdown.
You can dash forward Hop > jH to safejump (Practice this.)
You can dash forward right up to them and 3S+H > Meaty 2L (3S+H being macro H Butterfly)
Any confirm into > 236236H or 236236U
Damage

Your roll punish is 2M xx 214H

Use it to punish rolls on reaction.

Your other roll punish is 2L xx 236S

If you want to be cool… but also it’s easier to react with.

If they block your Autocombo just Hop backwards

It’s safer this way.
If you’re online you can hop J. L. on top of them sure.

CORNER INTO OKI

Any confirm into > 214H > 2H xx Hop > j.M(2) > cl.H(3) xx 623H > 2H xx 22H

Easiest combo for the payoff. The jM link is netplay-friendly and leads to a cool 2H reset.
Leads to Safejump jH with proper timing.
Leads to Empty Low 2L with proper timing.
Do Safejump Hop jH > 2H to make things tight with Butterfly.
Buffed with Soriz/Djeeta patch. Going for a throw after 22H now gives you more butterfly options afterwards.
If the 2H xx 22H is too hard to get cleanly, just end with 623H > 22H instead.

CORNER INTO DAMAGE (Same as above, mostly)

Any confirm into > 214H > 2H xx Hop > j.M(2) > cl.H(3) xx 623H > 2H xx 236236H

It’s just the last combo with the super-replacing butterflies so you can think less. Swap the jM with jH for a smidgen more damage.

ANTI-AIR STUFF IF THEY’RE CLOSE

Airthrow

If they’re empty jumping this is important to guarantee an anti-air punishment if you’re not certain they’ll press buttons. Your 1H and 2H are air blockable

Counter-hit 1H or 2H into > 2H xx Hop > jH > 2H xx Hop > delay jM(2) > 2H xx Hop Twice

Great carry
Leads to a safe jump
Delay the 2H pickup after air CH as long as you can, without letting them touch the ground.
If you carry them to the corner before everything is done, just end with cl.H(3) xx 623H > 22H instead of continuing with 2Hs. Better damage and oki.
The jM(2) is height specific. If you don’t feel you have them low enough to delay jM(2), please swap with jH.

ANTI-AIR STUFF IF THEY’RE FAR

Counter-hit 2H xx Hop > jH > 2H xx Hop > delay jM(2) > 2H xx Hop Twice

See the notes in the above combo.
The difference here is you’re committing an extra 2H to pick up after the initial anti-air. Go right into hop. Delay the hop as long as you can without letting them touch the ground.
The jM(2) is height specific. If you don’t feel you have them low enough to delay jM(2), please swap with jH.

far.M xx 22L

Mandatory when people start empty jumping because your 2H and 1H are air-blockable. Great in a ton of matchups. Forces people to poke into 2H. Gives you sweet neutral

For some reason, they blocked Butterfly Explosion mid-air > Dash up far.M xx 236H or cl.H xx Super or Something.

It is unblockable. I’ll try and find a vid.

Prediction 623M

It’s good, but don’t overuse it. It can be punished on reaction depending on the character/what’s on cooldown.
If you lead with 22L, the 623M will trigger it immediately and you cannot be punished except in outlier cases.

BLOWING UP DEFENSE

Be plus (Jump-ins, cl.M, cl.L, 2L), throw the opponent.

Can’t be interrupted by reaction.
Pretty easy to throw break.
Can be pretty consistently teched on reaction offline, but you end up super plus if they try it due to the “fall on the back” animation.
If players aren’t teaching on reaction, the threat of throw establishes the counterplay listed below.

Be plus (Jump-ins, cl.M, cl.L, 2L), threaten throw, do TK j236H instead.

Leads to lots of damage.
Very expensive. Uses your favourite cooldown.
Blows up prediction late throw tech

Be plus (Jump-ins, cl.M, cl.L, 2L), threaten a throw, M+H.

Leads to damage if it catches OS tech.
Weaker to Spot Dodge OS Tech
Better with Butterflies.
Good with Butterflies.

Be plus (Jump-ins, cl.M, cl.L, 2L), threaten a throw, Hop

This leads to big damage
Stronger against Spot Dodge OS Tech
Easily stuffed with buttons
Very easy to punish if they do nothing.

But for real, just meaty 623X and take your meter.

Metera with an anti-air super is top tier. Get that money.

DEFENDING YOURSELF WITHOUT A DP

You should be able to use these options to escape any offence, even if you are technically on the back foot or cornered. Use the more risk-averse options with a higher frequency while you gather a read on your opponent’s habits. Do not expect to win every time. The idea is to play a numbers game and adjust accordingly.

No single option beats everything. Try to pick two of your opponent’s potential options and hedge against them using an option from the list below.

Block and Play Reactively (Don’t press anything)

This is great to do a lot unless you’re letting the opponent get away with loose staggered options, or you’re not teaching enough throws.
You will beat sudden jump-ins in pressure because you can anti-air.
You will see your opponent make mistakes sometimes.
You will get familiar with any openings or bad habits.
You can react super against M+H, or at least block it and be a plus.
Sometimes your opponent thinks a long blockstring will catch your jump or you pressing buttons. Blocking pushes them out.
You can still react to throw attempts fairly well.

Attack Out of Blockstun

Try to do this with a lower frequency if the opponent is doing lots of tight strings.
Reserved for when the opponent is leaving big gaps and delaying.
Hard delays come along when the opponent tries to bait you into A) Jumps B) Dodge C) Roll D) Supers E) Pokes that might not reach them shimmying backwards
Press the fastest move you have that reaches the opponent and won’t get stuffed. Probably far.L.

Do this with a high frequency against players who don’t know about it.
14G~L+U1 done late.
Great against Throw attempts.
Can punish certain timings of overheads aimed to beat your throw break.
Still lets you block tight staggers.
Weak to loose staggers. (These lose to pokes out of block stun)
Weak to hard delays in pressure, as spot dodge is reaction-punishable. (These also lose to pokes out of block stun)

Jumping Out/Fuzzy Jump (171 done cleanly)

Very safe to do at a high frequency if the opponent doesn’t know how to deal with it.
Jumping is faster than poking in some cases.
Strong against linked overheads (Chained overheads often catch), strong against throw attempts, and strong loose staggers (Unlike Spot Dodge OS).
Weak against explicit jump catches.
You can clear low normals in 7 to 8 frames or less. A small gap is all you need to escape.
Metera has a great jumping escape with Superjump > Hop.¹
Thanks to throw invuln out of block stun/hit stun/wakeup, it is possible to block during throw invuln, and jump out at the tail end of it. Easier to apply on wakeup. Harder to apply during block strings.

Extra Defensive Notes

Players who aren’t familiar with Spot Dodge OS and Fuzzy Jump will struggle to punish them. Players who are familiar with these techniques will usually leave bigger gaps to bait them. Poke instead if you find your opponent is adjusting well.
You can usually react Super anything you can block on reaction if you put your heart and soul into it. It’s just really hard.
You can cl.M people out of chained M+H, counter-hit them, and combo into Hop jM as a confirmation.

WEIRD CONVERSIONS AND SETUPS TO KNOW ABOUT AND GET FRIENDLY WITH

Hitting 623L or 623M mid screen > Hop jM(2)
Triggering Butterflies to catch rolls and then picking up with Hop jH or Hop jM
Know that any air-hit Hop > jH leads into Safejump Hop jH immediately afterwards with proper timing. Good for resets.
623X on block builds a TON of bars. Use it to farm super.
Counterhit anti-air far.M > Hop > jM(2)

NON-PRACTICAL DAMAGE FOR CLOUT

FOOTSIES

Far. L

You can press it and still be anti-air.
You can press it twice and still be anti-air.
You can press it three times and still block it.
Charlotta cannot hit this thing.
It requires very specific counterplay from the opponent.
Sadly, it does no damage.
But it does lots of morale damage.
Press it a lot when you want to challenge your front but still feel like you need to cover against jump-ins.

Far. H

Strong prediction whiff punish.
Great for challenging “lunging” moves such as Lancelot 66H or Katalina 214X
If they roll between far. H xx Shot, you are always plus so you better far. L
Can be dodged/rolled on reaction, but that won’t confer a punishment from the opponent.
Prediction rolls will confer a punishment, however.
Prediction rolls are punished by 2M xx 214H, as I mentioned above.
You can react to this hitting with an H shot.

236X and 214X

These are much faster than far. H, which makes them much harder to roll through in footsies.
Travel time on 236M and the H shots are really good for sudden, surprise counterpokes.
They challenge large, slow pokes very well and make an excellent whiff punish for buttons done out of range.
Less of an extended forward hurtbox compared to far.H
Even stronger at challenging “Lunging” moves.

Medium Normals

If they cleanly roll between your 2M xx 236X or 5M xx 236X, you are plus… I think…
If they cleanly roll between your 2M xx 214X or 5M xx 214X, you are minus.
Scared of rolls? Just let the normal rock, then whiff punish or 2M again.

Hop

Just goes over low pokes and some fireballs well.
Do it sometimes.

Dealing with Opponents Suddenly Playing Reactively

Dashing far. L, dashing 2L, dashing 2M, dashing far.M and very close M and H shots are your only “invisible” pokes against a waiting, reactive opponent. A reactive opponent is waiting to roll through or Super your far.H/Shots. Harass with your faster options until they break.
The same applies to you on the flip side. You cannot react to dash-in pokes. You can react to forward movement, perhaps, but not the poke itself. Exceptions for Metera far.H, and similarly slow options like fireballs from midscreen. Think about this when you make decisions.

If your opponent is playing in this way, keep your options down to the following:

Far.M, 2M, far.L
Dash far. M
Dash 2M
Dash far. L
214H a character length away
236H a character length away
236M a character length away
214M a character length away
Dash and stop
Walking forward
Walking backwards

I list movement options because an opponent might react to you moving closer or further away. Upon seeing a dash or walk forward they might 2M, 5H or 5M in your approach, but they cannot confirm that you will enter their range.

This is the natural intermingling of predictions and reactions. If they are responding only to movement, you can provoke whiff punish opportunities from your opponent just by faking like you’re moving into a particular range. This is footsies.

Dealing with Opponents Suddenly Playing Predictively

If they’re not reacting, they’re making reads. A fireball is always a read, but might be done on reaction to you moving forward. A roll without checking to see if there’s a projectile on the screen is a risky read, but might confer a big punish if you did happen to fireball.
Opponents will hop between these two “modes” as they make decisions. In the end, the decision to play reactively or predictively is interwoven. They lead into each other and adjustment comes at a fast pace.

WHAT IS A FUZZY JUMP?

Coming out of block stun/hit stun/waking up grants throw invuln (About 5f, 5f and 9f respectively) What are the actual numbers on this I have no idea. Check dustloop.
This means you can block for 4f upon leaving blockstun, and then jump. This avoids throws while also blocking tight strings. You will also jump away to safety if the UOH aims at throw break (But not chained overheads in most cases).
A fuzzy jump is much easier to do on wakeup because you have about 9f of throw invuln (Block for 8f, jump on frame 9)
It can be beaten by having your prejump tagged, or if they turn an air hit into damage. This is hard for some characters because the air hit won’t be counter-hit (A secret strength of fuzzy jump)
Metera loves to super jump when she fuzzies (In the video I realize she’s doing a normal jump) because she can Hop out of the corner, even correct herself midair with G, and then shoot down at the opponent if they try to anti-air.
Fuzzy jump also happens to work well against loose staggers in a lot of cases, because the gaps are much larger.

That’s all for this Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising Metera guide primer. Check out the new posts below: