HAF: Blocking

Robots may block. If a robot presses L1/R1, they will raise their corresponding arm to block. Depressing the button will cause the robot to unblock Robots may block attacks equal to their energy before their guard shatters and they are unable to block, move, or attack for 240 frames. Blocks will reduce damage significantly, but will not block crowd control.

When a robot is in melee mode, they will automatically track the opponent and face towards them. This fact remains true while blocking.

●  Guard Damage:

○  When a robot blocks an attack, the incoming damage of the blow will be reduced to 20% of the total damage. The damage dealt by a blocked opposing attack will be referred to as ‘Guard Damage’.

○  Guard Damage cannot reduce a player below either a limb break point or their final health point. In effect, this means that Guard Damage will never cause a player to lose a match. Only an unblocked hit may do cause such an effect. This ensures that the emotional high points of a match will never be undercut by Guard Damage.

○  Guard Damage exists to incentivize players to be the first attacker and force the opponent on the backfoot. It keeps the pace of the game up. It also allows for offensive players to be rewarded for making risky plays against defensive opponents by whittling away at their health bar.

●  Guard Limits and Block Deterioration:

○  Robots may block attacks in accordance with their energy, with each blocked attack dealing one point of Energy Deterioration. If a robot possesses no energy and attempts to block an attack, that attack will break their guard and stun them.

BLOCKING - Each successful block consumes ONE stock of energy. If a robot is blocking with both arms, that block will instead take TWO stocks of energy. Please note: the only way to successfully block ranged attacks is with both arms.

○  A HUD element will inform the player of the robot’s energy. UI elements will highlight the fact that blocking while without energy is a terrible idea.

○  Once a robot’s Guard has been Broken by an attack, that robot is immediately stunned and all points of Energy regain to full.

●  Guard Break:

○ When a robot's guard is broken, that robot is immediately stunned for 240 frames.

○  When the robot is stunned from guard break, a ‘dizzy’ icon will play for the time that the robot is incapacitated, cannot block, attack, or use abilities, and is unable to move.

When the robot has been ‘dizzy’ for 240 frames, the stun wears off and they may move and use all abilities, as per usual.