Counters

Counters are techniques that allow the player to be more effective against a given item or play style. Most exploit some weakness in the opponent's play style or use a strength of the player to increase combat effectiveness. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways, from outmanoeuvring the opponent to dodge their attacks, to attacking during one of their moves to inflict damage while they're vulnerable.

Most Counters do not require the player to use specific items, although choosing the correct items against a given opponent can make combat against them far easier. In general, rarer and more powerful items will have more weaknesses to exploit because of the increased complexity of their move sets, although successfully utilizing these counters may be more difficult compared to simpler items.

Common Examples

Instinct Trick

This is a very common technique used against moves that are entirely or partially unable to break Instinct. Just before a dodgeable attack is about to connect, the player will quickly activate Instinct, dodge the move, and then deactivate it again. This allows the player to conserve their dodges for more potent attacks, and makes the likelihood of it breaking far less.

Air Camping

This technique is used against items that are strongest when used on the ground. The player will simply remain in the air while fighting the opponent, either with Air Jumps, Flight, or attacks that lock them in place. This prevents the opponent from effectively fighting the player and may expose some of their defensive weaknesses.

Out-Ranging

Out-Ranging is used to counter play-styles or items with poor range. The player will stay outside of the effective range of their opponent, preventing the attacks from connecting at all, or at least reducing their effectiveness.

This can be used against anything, although this technique benefits greatly from the player using long-ranged items, because if their range is less than their opponents, the player will eventually need to close the distance to attack, nullifying the benefits of this counter.

Item-Specific Counters

• Fruit Counters
• Awakened Fruit Counters
• Sword Counters
• Fighting Style Counters
• Gun Counters

NOTE: For every beast-type fruit, when they transform, use Dragonstorm.

Blox Fruit	Counter
Rocket	Keep distance, stay airborne, and use stuns.
Spin	Run when they use Air Slasher [C], punish on other skills.
Blade	Avoid swords; short range.
Spring	Use Instinct. Z has a small hitbox.
Bomb	Aircamp, punish V charge.
Smoke	Move fast; slow skills.
Spike	Rush carefully; beware of C.
Flame	Use ranged attacks; high knockback.
Ice	Aircamp, beware C and V stuns.
Sand	Aircamp (Shark race can swim).
Dark	Keep distance; punish slow range.
Eagle	Keep distance; punish if low HP.
Diamond	Keep distance; beware C and V.
Light	Skills are Instinct-trickable.
Rubber	Distance makes them weaker.
Ghost	Use AoE to remove clones; punish cooldowns.
Magma	Very slow; punish during casts.
Quake	Aircamp, punish high endlag.
Buddha	Spam stuns/knockback; beware speed.
Love	Cancel Besto Friendo; move quickly.
Creation	Keep mobile; Instinct helps.
Spider	Dash around; Rabbit race recommended.
Sound	Wait for C; avoid close quarters.
Phoenix	Force energy drain; combo after.
Portal	Punish cooldowns; don’t chase gateways.
Lightning	Move unpredictably; beware V AoE.
Pain	Bait V and F; punish endlag.
Blizzard	Avoid V; Flash Step C; beware Instinct breaks.
Gravity	Aircamp; avoid charged C and V.
Mammoth	Weak in air; punish range gaps.
T-Rex	Punish missed X; avoid prey mark.
Dough	Wait out V; aircamp; punish after C.
Shadow	Use NPC cover; punish endlag.
Venom	Stay unpredictable; Instinct essential.
Gas	Drain gas meter; punish M1 spam.
Control	Stay airborne; avoid F teleport.
Spirit	Aircamp; punish endlag; avoid beams.
Leopard	Fight at range; punish transformation gaps.
Yeti	Aircamp; punish predictable snowball/X.
Kitsune	Wear down tails; punish post-transform.
Dragon	Aircamp; Instinct-trick F; punish AoE gaps.

Awakened Blox Fruit	Counter
Flame	Same as unawakened; avoid area burn.
Ice	Stay mobile; Instinct-trick Z/X; Flash Step out of V.
Sand	Avoid X and V; Instinct Z; keep distance.
Dark	Bait F; punish missed stuns; avoid V combos.
Light	Move quickly; avoid Z/V; punish C.
Magma	Aircamp; punish X endlag; use Instinct carefully.
Quake	Aircamp; Flash Step out of C; never get pulled.
Buddha	Aircamp; punish slow hitbox; beware M1 spam.
Spider	Avoid X; punish slow moves.
Phoenix	Stun to stop heals; punish endlag.
Dough	Disable Instinct; aircamp; punish large donuts.

NOTE: The main counter to all swords is Blade.

Sword	Counter
Katana / Cutlass	Keep distance; Instinct.
Dual Katana	Don’t rush; avoid X→Z combos.
Triple Katana	Use speed; Instinct against Z.
Iron Mace	Stay at range only.
Pipe	Aircamp; horizontal fights.
Saber	Avoid V2 Z; dash away; Instinct vs X.
Rengoku	Mobile; both moves break Instinct.
Tushita	Keep distance; punish short reach.
Spikey Trident	Avoid long X reach; stay mobile.
Buddy Sword	Instinct-trick Z; punish held X heal.
Cursed Dual Katana	Dodge straight lines; Flash Step.
Dark Blade	Avoid Z range; X doesn’t break Instinct.

Fighting Style	Counter
Combat	Slow, short range; easy to dodge.
Dark Step	Watch Breakdance; predictable.
Electric	Punish missed C; extended endlag.
Water Kung Fu	Medium distance; hard to hit.
Dragon Breath	Keep far distance; Instinct vs Z/X.
Superhuman	Instinct after Z; break combos.
Death Step	Avoid C starter; Instinct saves chains.
Electric Claw	Save Instinct for C; retreat if grabbed.
Sharkman Karate	Instinct on; watch X breaks; punish after.
Dragon Talon	Instinct-trick Z/X; avoid wide C.
Godhuman	Dash unpredictably; Instinct-trick Z/C.
Sanguine Art	Keep distance; punish cooldowns.

NOTE: Rubber fruit is immune to all guns.

Gun	Counter
Slingshot	Short range; avoid Z slow.
Flintlock	Low damage; dash away.
Musket	Low threat; dash/tank.
Cannon	M1/X break Instinct; avoid relying on it.
Dual Flintlock	High hit rate; keep distance.
Magma Blaster	Aircamp; short range weak in air.
Refined Slingshot	Same as Slingshot; stronger damage.
Bazooka	Very slow; punish easily.
Kabucha	Slow projectiles; X breaks Instinct.
Acidum Rifle	Beware Rumble combos; avoid aircamp.
Venom Bow	Slow skills; avoid Z explosion.
Bizarre Revolver	Very high damage; Flash Step X.
Dragonstorm	Instinct-trick Z; avoid M1 spam.
Skull Guitar	Aircamp; punish Z; avoid X heal.