Advice for a beginner?

[Greil9]

I got this game since I'm a casual fighting game fan, haven't played one in a while and I've heard this is a really good series. However starting up I find out this game is very beginner-unfriendly. Not only does it throw several terms and techniques at me I'm supposed to master, but just getting to my feet without being caught in a new combo is a challenge against an experienced player and there's not really a system to find other beginners asides just finding someone on the forums.

Any hints for what I should focus on learning to get at least one round win? I've been trying to learn Jin but seems he's not quite up my alley. I'd guess I prefer a character who is fast and can get up close and personal while keeping assault up. Though in another Arc Systems game, Persona 4 Arena, my main was Kanji who might not fit that description.

[spiric0m]

First of all, find some players of your skill level or a slightly above.

Then, try out every character, read about them on Dustloop wiki and make the final decision. Judging by your description, I think that Bullet and Makoto might suit you.

The main things to practice are proper usage of normals and blocking. Learn your optimal moves for anti-airing, close range punishes, mid range moves for footsies. Learn how to properly open up you opponent with lows, overheads and grabs. Learn your character's wakeup options. If you will end up with picking zoning character(for example Nu), learn how to play zoning and runaway games.

Don't focus on learning combos. Don't repeat my own mistake. Learn few easy ones that you can pull off consistently. Don't go for the most damaging combo starter - running around and poking with 5B won't do anything. When you will feel like you've got solid fundamentals, go on and learn advanced combos and setups.

[Xiang Kasugano]

As a fellow learner of BB I can agree with the post above me. It'll take time to get to the point where you can bust out extensive 4K damage combos but that's not really important. You'll most likely lose a lot (as I have been...) but that's to be expected, especially against those already good at the game. The key thing is to get used to BB's main fight systems and learn your character's main abilities first. You gotta start small and build your foundation when dealing with just about any ArcSys game for the most part because there tends to be a lot to learn (yet at the same time a lot you can do once 'it' starts clicking with you)..

[KaleidoArc]

I tend to find a character that I can easily flow combos into it so I'll button mash and see what moves link together in simple combos and then start learning them if they are compatible to my play style by doing combos. It takes practice to be able to execute them in a match (especially with lag and delay) but just keep practicing. Try simpler versions of a combo (if you can only do the first 4 hits of a 8 move combo, go with that). If you want to play just add me; there are characters I've never played before so I could learn along with you.

[Greil9]

The first poster: your hints did allow me to get a win or two in. I tried Bullet since those gauntlets remined me of Yang Xiao Long and found I like her playstyle. No real ranged game, but so far I've encountered no zoners. I tend to have some success with overhead A into crouching B to get past some defenses adn she has decent range with crouching C so I catch some people off-guard. I'm still trying to get her heat attacks come naturally, but they're still a tad tough to pull off.

Just need to get her Astral Finishes and the half circle throw to work when I want them to. Xbox 360 pad is terrible for those half circles, but it's all I got and I'm not dedicated enough to invest to another controller for one game.

I also need to learn not to pick my character before enemy does so I can pick Stylish if they do. At my level taking on someone with autopilot engaged seems almost impossible so if they use it, so will I.

[koto /ᐠ. ｡.ᐟ\ᵐᵉᵒʷˎˊ˗]

I'm a beguinner learning Noel, If you want to play add me :)

[Kinakra]

I ussualy make a public room in FFA format labled 'I am noobV[x]' for new players. So far everyone I've played against in there is around that new to not quite intermediate level so far.

Also try ranked.

[kshinsei89]

I'd also be happy to help. I have a decent understanding of most of the roster... enough to have decent success in Abyss Mode at least. I main Terumi, Celica, and Azrael, but you could spar against my Kagura and Amane while I'm learning them if youd like. Good luck with learning the game. Also, don't rush things and don't be discouraged by losses. It's inevitable, but also important as you usually learn more from a loss rather than a win.

[DiaCrusher]

A short, but still usefull one:Git gud

[Daemyx]

Play the tutorials if you are new to the game. They do a decent job explaining the mechanics. Depending on your character of choice you might have a tougher/easier road ahead, try someone you find interesting enough to learn. Look up your character: you want to know general strategy, what buttons are useful for what and basic combos. Don't worry about complicaded stuff now, save that for when you get more used to your new character. Practice said combos so you get some muscle memory. Go play, you'll miss a lot of combos and probably lose. DON'T PANIC. Think about what happened and try to implement the things you reserched. Repeat until gud.

[穴掘りライアン]

lesson #1: know your characters
find out which character you wanna main and know what that character is capable of.
why? you need to know how to use a tool before you can actually use it.
you should also try to get to know what can every other character do so you know what to do when fighting against them. why? cuz you don't wanna lose only cuz your opponent keeps spamming a move you don't know how to deal with.
lesson #2: know your combos
blazblue has loooooooooooooooong combos. if you can perform them under any kind of situiation without dropping, your opponent stands less chance. by combos i don't mean those flashy viewtiful impractical combos. im talking about practical combos. the ones you can pull off in a real match and gives you advantages(like okizeme chance... etc.) while doing decent amount of damage and heat gain.
lesson #3: gain real match experience
this one is just straight forward... once you know how to use your tool... go ahead and try to master using your tool.

[oOFrostByteOo]

BlazBlue is pretty complicated and beginner unfriendly. You have to watch for lows,overheads, grabs, command grabs, Rapid cancels, Guard crush and Overdrive cancels. The sad truth is, you're going to lose a lot, a whole lot, until you start to learn every characters abilities. Your own character is important of course, but you have to know what your opponent can do as well, and sadly that just comes with practice. Learn which characters have command grabs, favorable throw setups, Dragon punches etc. So that you'll know what to expect when you fight them. And yes combos are long.often corner carry at least half screen, and mixup happens very fast in BB, so against a good player it's very,very difficult for a beginner. I recommend Ragna, he has very easy combos that do big damage without meter, he has a great Dragon Punch that forces even good players to respect you on wakeup, allowing you to escape more often but you'll get punished if you're predictable with it.

[Rusty Knight]

If you like rushdown type of characters, i recommend Bullet (but her DDs are painful to perform on keyboard and for beginners in general), Noel (if you connect her initial move, you can link one hit after another like there is no tomorrow), Terumi (easy to learn, not-so-hard to master and his moves makes a lot of people salty), Makoto (strong links just like Noel) and Platimun (she`s not so much of rushdown, but super fun to play, and once you learn which of her move is effective in certain situations, you`ll be able rushdown, zone or turtle almost every matchup). Also, go trough the whole training, including character specific, that`ll help you a lot, really. Try to find casual player room to try out your characters against other people, but don`t choose stylish button setting, if you want to get better. It may be easier, but with technical, you`ll actually learn how to play your character.

[Greil9]

I think I've gotten a little bit better again, though I got ways to go. And of course I'm not touching the stylish button, that's basically admitting I can't play the game for myself. Only time I'd use it is if I want to get through the story, but it forces me to use a character I'm no good at in a difficult fight and just want to see the story.

I'm still maining Bullet since I've gotten used to some of her abilities. I can do a decent mix-up and rush the opponent once I land one combo (with varying success). If I get a win though, it's usually by following overdrive frames into her second Astral with max heat level and taking out half the enemy health in one go. Still need to learn my cancels though.

Biggest issues I have are escaping combos (it's not uncommon for me to lose more than half my health since if I try to recover midair, I get beated and if I try to get on the ground to roll, they never let me land) and doing them since I usually panic when trying to do anything more complex than basic combo into drive into Cutting Sheer and start mashing buttons wildly. Not helped by Xbox 360 D-pad causing me to often jump when I try doing any specials.

PS. I do hate this game for always showing how many matches I've done, basically feeling it's saying "Look at how many games you've done and you still suck like this? God, you must be a ten-thumbed loser." I don't mind losing, but I do mind the game showing how much I've lost.

[Dashiell]

There are few ways to escape combo:
6AB for 50% gauge.
Burst at the cost of overdrive.

If they didn't hit you yet and you're defending use barrier to push them further away.

[kshinsei89]

Originally posted by Greil9:

PS. I do hate this game for always showing how many matches I've done, basically feeling it's saying "Look at how many games you've done and you still suck like this? God, you must be a ten-thumbed loser." I don't mind losing, but I do mind the game showing how much I've lost.

Don't think too much about it. It's only really there to tell you how many you've done. It's not ment for anything deeper than that. Worrying about your loss record will just give you unnecessary stress. You should be thinking "Wow, in the __ matches I've fought I was able to win __! Not too shabby considering what I'm up against. I should continue to work on __ if I want to improve my odds."

BTW, this is from someone who has only won 1 match, and thats fine. I can win the rounds, but the opponent usually takes the match.