Option Select

[Catastrophy]

I'm new to the concept, only having learned about it while watching EVO this year.

Are there universal ones in this game or are they all character specific? Also, could someone provide an example in BB how the command input would be used?

Thanks!

[Henaki]

Option selects are inputs that the game system chooses the "best option" despite the opponent capable of doing different things. A very very very basic option select is actually close moves/throws in the original street fighter 2. If the opponent is in range, you will do one move, but if they are incapable of getting hit by the low range move/throw, the far move will come out instead. Generally this is good because you would never want a full screen throw attempt.

Anyway, the most basic option select in BlazBlue is throw tech/barrier block. Hit 3/Down back and A+B+C, if you time it right, this will block any attack that isn't an overhead, but if the enemy decides to throw you at that time, you will instead tech the throw. For the sake of example, this is a win/win situation, despite there being counters to doing this option.

[FlyingVe]

Option selecting is like playing both rock and paper at the same time. Hnekai is right the ABC option Select is the most useful in BB.

Also, the reason you heard it alot at EVO is that Option-Selects are much more important in the world of SF than BB.

[Catastrophy]

Are there character specific ones in this game? Also I'd personally have to be careful with the blocking ABC because I might actually roman cancel a move on reaction to block.

[FlyingVe]

Well, I don't really know alot about Option-Selects in BB (again not so important in this game), but the ABC option select is for when you are under pressure, and not sure whether the opponent will throw you. it's most used on wakeup to prevent wake-up grabs.

[Heroic_Legacy]

Are there even safe jumps in this game?

[A.X.I.S.]

Are there character specific ones in this game? Also I'd personally have to be careful with the blocking ABC because I might actually roman cancel a move on reaction to block.

how would you rapid cancel trying to block? are you mashing pokes?

@ heroic...jumping in BB is safe...almost always safe.

[mAc Chaos]

Well... I can IAD / jump in just close enough to make people think they can DP but in reality I'd land and be able to block... so yes, I think.

[4r5]

yes

[qwerty]

the most precise definition of option select is when your input is ambiguous and the game decides the outcome based on the action of your opponent.

this applies even if the input is being buffered; so long as you're capable of doing two or more actions with one input, it's an option select.

[Heroic_Legacy]

So I would be able to safe jump a Ragna doing wakeup ID with Tager's j.B and land in time to block it or 2B if j.B was blocked/hit?

[FlyingVe]

Good luck with that. The reason it's so effective if SF is because, after an untechable knockdown, the other guy gets up after a set interval. Therefore you could time a jump in to be a safe jump. In BB, when the other guy can tech whenever he pleases, you will never be able to time it correctly.

[Dacidbro]

You can still have safe-jump scenarios, and it's wise to know when it has happened. If I'm falling in at X time and they're getting up at Y perfect time you can abuse the fact that your jump is safe for mix up. Even better, if your opponent knows your jump is safe and is good, chances are he's blocking high and not jumping, so you can land then instant low, or command grab. There are safe jump moments even in BB, especially when you end up in the corner.

[Keo-bas]

So thats what option select is about eh. One thing been concerning about the jump in scenario in BB. Dont number of characters have normals that are air unblock able? I think I remembering reading in System guide that in CT the defender could IB unblockables, but I read that it cant be done in CS.

I figure with the different version of ground tech that jump ins would be less effective and risky.

[freelander]

air unblockable normals have nothing to do with this conversation in this thread lol

[-Ladon-]

You can still have safe-jump scenarios, and it's wise to know when it has happened. If I'm falling in at X time and they're getting up at Y perfect time you can abuse the fact that your jump is safe for mix up. Even better, if your opponent knows your jump is safe and is good, chances are he's blocking high and not jumping, so you can land then instant low, or command grab. There are safe jump moments even in BB, especially when you end up in the corner.

Safe jumps still aren't a universal thing, bb's teching system pretty much guarantees that you won't be safe jumped on unless you put yourself into the situation, not to mention how floaty jumps are in general.

Safe jumping is pretty close to non-existant since there are so many other options around it, and it's not like you can OS tech rolls like backdashes in SF4(wryyy)

[Keo-bas]

I had the wrong idea what option select is. I'm having difficulty grasping the concept, or even seeing it in practice with BB system.

My later post was in regards to jumps being safe in BB. I thought it was similar to options select when some one mention rock paper scissors reference. Sorry about that.

[Blade]

I'm not sure but, to list a few Calamity Trigger Option Selects I've heard of:

B+C+(D first) during Bang or Haku-men's moves could break you out of throws. I don't think that applies to Continuum Shift anymore though.

And though it's not really an Option Select, whenever character's clash with eachother (offset), they're given a free normal or special or DD cancel window. In some moves with a lot of recovery frames (Jin's 623C), if it clashes with something like Ragna's Inferno Divider, if you held 2+C after the input, you could punish Ragna if he decides to mash ID. It's kindof a pre-emptive holding of buttons. I think Carl has quite a few things he can do in that regard as well, since he's the only character who can Barrier-airdash, and do other things through Negative Edge.

[Catastrophy]

how would you rapid cancel trying to block? are you mashing pokes?

If I attempted to block after doing a move very close to the end of recovery and did this ABC thing I run a pretty solid risk at my skill level of RCing the end of the move just to throw tech. In the middle of a block string sure, it's not going to RC.

[DoomieJ]

you shouldnt need to throw tech immediately after doing a move. You do understand that throw has a horrid startup and a worse throwbreak window right? This is one of those times when a troll is saying something right to provoke you, and you SHOULDNT take the bait.