Key pressure tools

The fear is what makes it real

5AAA

All-around decent move

5A

Your main gateway into pressure from most neutral situations, with lots of directions to choose from. Best used at maximum range to restrict an opponent's options, while -6, is technically a pressure reset possibility at range. Can be jump cancelled to take things aerial, useful if you think a dp or burst is coming or want to go for a crossup. Only blockstrings into 5AA or 214A at close range (5A > 5B is not a blockstring). Can also blockstring into j.A on tall characters

5AA

Big

As of 2.5, can cancel into both sweep and A guillotine, making it a very early point to go for a high/low if you wish to. -7 on block, so be very careful about using this to reset pressure (although if you do, it's a great thing to punish later on by going into 5B instead). On instant block, does not blockstring into 5B, both a good and a bad thing at times.

5AAA

No longer terrible

Has three hits - 1st and 2nd hit can be cancelled into air guillotine for a quick high (but you are going to get hit on block without OMC), and the 3rd hit can be cancelled into hop, sweep and all other specials. This is a vast improvement on 1.1, and is now a decent option to go for in pressure. The air guillotine option is very powerful when paired with OMC for a near unblockable high/low, just remember to OMC on the 2nd hit of air guillotine (the one that hits high).

2A

Not counted as an axe attack, sadly

The same startup and blockstun as 5A, but much less recovery at the cost of range. Good to stagger into itself, with somewhat limited options afterwards, with 5B being the main way to continue after this. Good to tick throw from. Does not blockstring into anything apart from itself. -1 on block, so decent reset.

5B

The branching point of multiple worlds

Major part of Labrys' pressure strings, and where the most important decisions get made. From this, she can choose to:

• block (-8, but you'll be very far away)

• sweep (only blockstring option, but strong and decent frametrap if delayed)

• forward dash cancel (-3 on block, good point to grab or jump)

• backdash cancel (-2 on block, puts her back in neutral in her preferred range, also avoids guard cancels and allows for a punish with md 5A)

• chain knuckle (2 frame gap, but excellent on counterhit and block)

• A guillotine (fast overhead, but ends pressure)

• AoA (not as fast overhead and may whiff at max range, but can vary the tempo)

• 5C (large gap, but unpunishable by many characters and punishes rolls)

• hop j.2B (spaced pressure reset)

Not an exhaustive list, but enough to keep things varied and your opponent guessing. Don't get lazy, because by themselves a lot of these options are weak and answerable. But threatening all of these at once is what makes it terrifying to deal with.

Scoring a counterhit with 5B also nets you a full punish combo!

2B

Anti-airworld noble phantasm

Effectively the same as 5B, but with the following differences:

• 2 frames longer startup

• Air unblockable, and will usually catch those trying to jump out

• Cannot sweep or AoA after this, but can jump cancel instead

Can be followed by IABD j.D for a good way to get some breathing room,

Enemies will expect you to jump after this (since that's the main reason you'd do this over 5B), which can be exploited if they OS by cancelling into a special like guillotine axe or chain knuckle instead.

2AB

Time to make a call

Blockstring and low option from 5B, but will lock you into making a major decision, which includes:

• block (-6, punishable by a lot of characters on instant block)

• A guillotine (only blockstring, but will hit twice, somewhat fast overhead but as there's no way to hit low again after a sweep and the slow speed with 2 hits, opponents will nearly always block this. Can OMC first hit into a low for a solid way to open people up)

• B guillotine (will frametrap, and is +0 on block, allowing for a pressure reset on most characters unless instant block, just be aware that if the sweep hits (non CH) and you do this, you will get hit for it)

• chain knuckle (large gap, but nice frametrap that fatals)

• hop j.2B (pressure reset option, but very unsafe)

5C

Daily reminder that Labrys has a persona, and a decent one at that

No way to blockstring into this, and characters with longer 5As (or sweeps, as the outward attacks are chest attribute) can poke you out of it if they react in time after a 5B (13 frame gap). However if you are able to reach 5C, you have a lot of very nice options to explore. These include:

• block (-3 on block, not bad overall)

• 2C (both a great spacer, move to cancel from, and +1 on dash cancel)

• 5D/22B/236C (not safe, but strong pressure resets when at max 5C range, and shorter range characters may be unable to punish even with fast reactions)

• Sweep/AoA/214A (return hits only - decent high/low)

• 236A (return hits only, leads into next stage of pressure)

236A

Mixup time

• No blockstrings into this, but does move Labry's hurtbox back slightly, so can sometimes dodge DPs

• Leads directly into a high/low/throw mixup (low is a blockstring, high is only a blockstring at max 236A range or greater, throw is a cancel from brake after winch dash)

• See Chain knuckle logic for full description of her options and what can be done when this point is reached - generally a favourable position

• Fatal counters, but doesn't do much if not followed up properly, so learn the punishes

214A/B

The end of your pressure... or is it?

214A

• First hit is a true blockstring from sweep

• If the first hit is instant blocked, there is a gap between the hits that can be dp'd

• If only the second hit lands, decently fast overhead, and can be done from pretty much any normal. Good against people conditioned to block 2A/sweeps at specific points

• -2 on block, so your turn has ended unless very far from the opponent

• The first hit can be OMC'd for a 2A for a high/low that is nearly unreactable and will get you a hit 95% of the time. Once people get wise to this, you can either not OMC the first hit (although OMC will then be needed to confirm for decent damage) or OMC and block if an opponent is dp happy.

214B

• Due to long startup, cannot be done as a blockstring

• Frametraps from sweep, good to catch those who think it's their turn or are trying to call out a pressure reset

• +0 on block, and due to Labrys 5A range, will usually be your turn afterwards. Note that you are -2 on instant block

• Same problem as 214A with regards to there being a gap between the first and second hits on instant block

• Less experienced opponents may not be able to tell the difference between this and 214A, which you can take advantage of, as they will think it's their turn after you do it

214AB

• -5 by itself, but allows for special cancels to make it safe

• Labrys has no low specials, so can either go high again or go for chain knuckle (orb and spike are too slow)

• Not the best use of meter, but worth considering if you really need to keep someone locked down (letting timer/frenzy meter run out for example)

j.A/j.B/j.2B

• Used either to start pressure from neutral, or as a way to restart pressure if you've hopped/jumped

• Note that these are not blockstrings into 5A/2A unless incredibly close to the ground

• If done too high, these are negative unless cancelled into j.C or air guillotine

• Cancelling into air guillotine allows for a quick second overhead, but should only be done with enough meter to OMC 2A for a confirm/high-low/way to make it safe

• j.2B has more blockstun than j.B, but is slower so presents more opportunity to be hit by a reversal

• j.B has a strong backwards hitbox below Labrys, so allows for good cross-ups or ambiguous right/left setups (although j.C can be used for a faster one with somewhat worse options without OMC)

• Great ways of dealing with grab DPs (Margaret, Liz) or those or like grabbing on defence (Kanji)

• Rising j.A usable as both a fuzzy on taller characters, and as a way to catch upback grab/fuzzy OS

• j.A can also be cancelled into j.B for a double overhead on slightly above IAD height airdash

236D/CD

• Somewhat of a special case - can be used up close as a tick-throw option as the recovery is relatively quick after the visual cues

• Can also microdash before throwing, but will be locked into a long dash if you dash cancel early (causes full dash cancel where you're locked into the dash for a fixed period)

• Can be done at nearly any point in pressure, as long as you're close enough (after 5A, 5AA, 2A, even after IAD j.B if you do the microdash)

• Practically unreactable tick-throw that tricks people into trying to mash

• Both D and SB versions will combo, but SB recovers faster for an even faster throw

• Will still lose to mashing and DPs, and you will lose a persona card if they tech the throw

• Can choose to just block, which will only lose to throw, and decent chance orb will catch them if they try anything else