Infinite Prevention System and Undizzy Beginner's Manual

Learn the basics of Skullgirl's systems that prevent infinite combos.

Version

This guide was written for the December 2013 ("Encore") version of Skullgirls. If there has been a major update since then, this guide is likely outdated.

Terminology

A CHAIN is when the animation of an attack is cancelled in order to perform another attack, thus creating a combo.

A LINK is when an attack is performed after a previous attack's animation has completely ended, but while the opponent is still in hitstun. This also combos, but it usually requires much more precise timing. A link can tie chains together in order to make longer combos.

A RESET is when the attacker intentionally ends their combo, then immediately starts another combo. Combos in Skullgirls don't always end in big knockdowns like in games such as Street Fighter, so the defender must stay vigilant while being combo'd in order to block getting reset. You can tell if you've been reset by the hit counter resetting.

What is the point of the Infinite Prevention System?

The Infinite Prevention System (or IPS, for short) allows Skullgirls to have massive freedom in what combos you can do, while still preventing infinite combos. An Infinite is typically a pattern of moves that can be repeated in a loop until the opponent is KO'd. This is also referred to as a Touch-of-Death, since as soon as you're hit, you're as good as dead. The goal of IPS is to prevent these patterns.

How does the Infinite Prevention System work?

The IPS works in 5 stages (it's simpler than it sounds), which we will look at shortly. Generally, if you start a chain (or link) with a move you have already used in the combo, IPS will trigger, and big pink hit sparks will appear with each hit. By pressing any button during IPS, the defender will be able to burst out of the combo.

You can see what IPS stage your combo is currently in at the bottom of the attack-data window in training mode.

Stage 1

Players will often start a combo with a jumping-in attack. You will be in IPS stage 1 until you land. Attacks used in this stage will not affect IPS at all.

Stage 2

This is your first chain of ground attacks. This stage also does not affect IPS.

Stages 3 & 4

Your first air chains immediately after your first ground chain. Moves in these stages are added to IPS, but IPS will not trigger during these stages. Landing progresses you to stage 5.

Stage 5

You will be in this stage for the rest of your combo. Moves used are added to IPS, and it will trigger if you start a chain with a move that was already used anywhere in the combo after stage 2. Notice that this means IPS cannot trigger during a chain.

What is the point of Undizzy?

What happens when you release a fighting game to the masses? People figure stuff out that the developers never could have. And within a year of Skullgirls' release, players had figured out how to do Touch-of-Death combos, even with IPS. Though these combos couldn't go on forever without triggering IPS, they could go on long enough to deplete 100% of the opponent's life. While IPS prevents patterns, Undizzy poses a stricter limit to prevent combos from going on too long. It allows the defender to burst in the same way IPS does, but under a different condition.

How does Undizzy work?

Once your combo enters IPS stage 3, every attack adds to the Undizzy value. You can see this number next to the IPS stage in the attack-data window in training mode, and a green meter appears below each player's health. Once this number hits 240, the beginning of your next chain will trigger Undizzy. At this point it works exactly the same as IPS, just with green hit sparks instead of pink.

When a combo ends, Undizzy is quickly reduced back to zero. Since it is not instantly set back to zero, this slightly diminishes the strength of resets. However, Undizzy will never trigger before IPS stage 5.

Because Undizzy can only trigger at the beginning of a chain, you can keep hitting the opponent even after the meter is full, as long as you don't link into a new chain. With Filia, I wait until the meter is just about full, then do s.LP, s.LK, s.MP, s.MK, s.HK, hairball, super. All of these moves chain together, brinning Undizzy way over the limit, but without triggering.

What is Burst-Baiting?

Though bursting was created to limit combo length, the rule can be strategically exploited. Burst-Baiting is intentionally triggering IPS -- or with good timing, Undizzy -- then getting out of the way of the combo-breaking burst. After bursting, the defender is left completely vulnerable for a short time, and if the attacker did not get hit by the burst, they may begin another combo if they're fast enough. Blocking against the burst will prevent the attacker from being pushed back, but they will not be able attack before the defender can defend.

If you suspect the opponent is going for a Burst-Bait, do not hit a button! Burst-baiting is a great tactic against people who are repeatedly mashing their Super while being combo'd.

Other combo restrictions

Comboing off Knockdowns (or "Off-the-Ground" or "OTG")

When an attack knocks down a character, sparks will appear on the ground below them.
BLUE sparks will allow the player to bounce back to their feet by pressing a button, during which time they will be invincible.
PINK sparks allow the attacker to continue their combo if they hit quickly enough. If they're too slow, the defender will hit the ground a second time, this time with blue sparks. Pink sparks will only appear once per combo.

Damage Scaling

The first 3 hits of a combo will inflict 100% of the move's damage. After that, each hit of the combo will do a little less damage until the 15th hit. Starting a combo with a grab will start damage scaling at 50%. To get the most damage out of a combo, you'll want to figure out how to use your more powerful moves first.

There are also character-specific combo restraints. For example, Filia can only air-dash-cancel out of her Hairball once per combo.

Because I'm sure more experienced players will complain: I've intentionally left out lesser details in this guide in order to make it shorter and more readable.

[Limitus]

i think it's well explained and understandable (at least for me).
thanks :)