Series veterans like ScrawtVermillion continue to praise the new mechanics in Melty Blood: Type Lumina. Players adapt each tool to succeed through playstyles that suit their personal preference. These unique options can overwhelm beginners, so let’s explore every fundamental. Get ready to improve your performance, then catch up with the competition.

Before reading please familiarize yourself with numpad notation via our article featuring Five Melty Blood: Type Lumina Tips.

Reverse Beat

Reverse Beat is an offensive mechanic synonymous with the Melty Blood series. It allows you to chain your normals in any order. For example, you can go from B to C and back to A. The only thing stopping you from going into any button during a string is whether you’ve used it or not. You can only use each normal once.

Use Reverse Beats to end pressure safely with a light attack, set up continued pressure, tick throw, and more.

Rapid Beat

Rapid Beat was introduced in Type Lumina. It’s basically a fancy name for auto combos. Use any normal three times to enter a combo state. The last attack will launch foes. You can also hold back and A to avoid the auto combo and simply normal jab three times.

Remember Rapid Beats won’t go into any other normals. They’re very useful in situations when you need an easy combo confirm. For example, if you need to quickly react to a counterhit you can simply mash your rapid beat for some good damage into an airthrow or super knockdown.

Shield

This game-defining, defensive parry blocks incoming attacks. Press 5D or 2D at the right time to recover a small amount of health and gain access to the many follow-ups of the tool’s Shield Counter system.

Shield Counter

Press A, B, C, or B+C on successful shields to use one of the following counterattacks:

• A and C counter launch your opponent with 3C.
• B counter is a DBFZ-like vanish/teleport into a jumping attack that ground bounces on counterhit.
• B+C uses 50% of your Moon Icon. Evade through the opponent and get out of danger.

Re-Shield

After getting shielded you can immediately react with a counter shield on your opponent’s Shield Counter. This puts you in the advantage situation that they were in and places them in a guessing situation.

Shield RPS (Rock, Paper Scissors)

Once you successfully re-shield or get re-shielded you enter a RPS situation as long as you both react to the shields. This becomes a mind game of guessing what each successful shield will lead to:

• Shield against their Shield Counter and respond with an A launcher to punish any missed shields, shield baits, or missed inputs.
• B Shield Counter to go for a counterhit or punish an instant re-shield input by hitting them from behind.
• B+C Shield Counter to exit the situation. Though this can be re-shielded.
• Shield into nothing to bait out a re-shield.
• Shield into grab to grab a re-shield attempt.

Melty Blood: Shield Lumina pic.twitter.com/fzV9MzFqO6

— Magatsu (@magatsuvale) October 1, 2021

Awakening

After losing a round you enter Awakening. This mode increases your maximum Magic Circuit meter from three to four and gives you one bar of meter at the beginning of the round.

EX Specials

In Melty Blood, your main supers are called EX Specials. Perform any specials with the C button to use one of your Magic Circuit bars and unleash a unique super special move.

Arc Drive

If Ex Specials are super special attacks, then Arc Drive are like ultras in most fighting games. Press 236/Quarter circle forward B+C with 3 bars to use Arc Drive.

Moon Skills

Moon skills are amplified special moves. They are similar to standard EX moves in games like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. However, unlike those titles, Moon Skills are stored not in the standard special bar, but in the Moon Icon bar near your character’s name. Press a specified direction and B+C to perform one. Their effects vary. Each one gives your character armor upon use. You can also hold 2A+B to charge the Moon Icon bar.

Moonskills were a mistake #PS4sharehttps://t.co/KcsveCX1kc pic.twitter.com/CxsgZmPnf1

— Rikir@Pinnacle2021 (@Al_Rikir) October 3, 2021

Moon Drive

When your Moon Icon is at 50% you can press 5B+C and basically pause the game for a second to reset the neutral. You also get an additional air movement option for your airdash and jump, decreased Moon Skill cost, and gradual Magic Circuit gain. Use this mechanic to extend combos, help you react to crucial hit confirms, and react to attacks.

Moon Drive Counter

Moon Drive Counter thwarts an opponent’s Moon Drive. Once they activate their Moon Drive, use yours to possibly reset the ongoing exchange and stay safe.

Forced Release

Forced Release is a 1 bar reversal. Press A, B, and C at the same time during neutral or blockstun to activate it. It’s comparable to a burst from the Guilty Gear series in that it pushes the opponent back on hit. You can even bait and punish Forced Releases with proper spacing or shield. This mechanic will put your character in Heat mode.

Heat

Heat is a power-up that you gain after Forced Release. It causes your meter to steadily deplete in exchange for cheaper EX Specials and Arc Drives. You also get a 10% damage boost and a slow recharge to your regainable health. Your Heat gauge will go down when you get hit, take combo damage, and whiff shield.

Blood Heat

This stronger variation of Heat requires 4 Magic Circuit bars and the Awakening state after Forced Release. The only differences between it and standard Heat are an increased 20% damage boost and access to Last Arc.

Last Arc

Press A, B, C, and D with 4 Magic Circuit bars after Awakening is activated or while in Blood Heat to pull off your true ultimate attack. If you land a successful Shield during Blood Heat, Last Arc will automatically trigger and hit your opponent. Upon activation, your meter will either empty or Blood Heat will end.

here's a fun challenge
awakening + blood heat + moon drive
use whatever u can to beat this damage, any character works pic.twitter.com/NsDr3ydj04

— アニャ Anya@HEAVEN (@ban_anya) October 2, 2021

Learning when and how to use each of these mechanics is crucial to becoming a good player. Stay tuned to the Competition Center for more on Type Lumina as the game develops.