Struggling with flash move/guard

[Scumbag Nordavind]

Doing first playthrough on nightmare on the PS4. I already beat and 100%d Ys VIII and IX on nightmare I can say I mastered the flash in those two games, but in this one... I don't know, I just can't seem to get it right. I don't even try flashing against most mobs, and in bosses I can sometimes pull of the guard, but forget about flash move, only chance I get it is by pure luck. Doesn't help that I can't have both moves on both shoulder buttons as I had on 8 and 9 (move on left, guard on right), it really helped me with the react times. The fixed camera views don't help either.

I could just cheese most of the fights with Karna but it doesn't feel quite right, even though I like playing as her. Also, I guess the answer is no, but is there no way of seeing the duration of the flashes ? Another issue I find myself in is the flash move timer ending, not realizing and getting hurt.

So, tl;dr - any tips in mastering flashes for someone already too used to Ys 8 and 9 nightmare

[Aura Enterpr//se]

Flash Move and Flash Guard both work differently (and inferiorly) in this game compared to Ys VIII and IX, simply they won't provide you any invincible duration to counter attack.

That means for Flash Guard, say a giant baboon that aoe ground slams you 3 times, you have to Guard all of its 3 hits, if you just guard once and let loose of the rest two, you will eat full 2 hits. In other words, you have to Guard (spam) till the attack is completely over (no lingering hitboxes) then counter attack (Adol's Aura Fencer or similar skill is the best counter to go along FG), or backstep and runaway (if possible). In addition, you have to Guard when the attack about to touch you (stricter timing but not too difficult either), meanwhile Ys 8 and 9 allow a lenient interval sphere so you can trigger Guard ahead before attacks (after all some are lightning fast, difficult to anticipate)

And similarly for Flash Move, is basically useless and pace breaking, say if you are in an aoe vortex attack, either FM and run away else eat hits subsequently, or you have to FM, slight pause, FM again till the attack is over.

Therefore and from my experience, your best tool is Flash Guard and FG only, don't try to mix FG and FM together, and use (spam) FG to build Extra gauge for easy massive damage

p.s: If you are going for Ys SEVEN, it is similar except no Flash Move, only Flash Guard.