Dragon Ball Sparking Zero Tips to Dodge, Vanish, and Counter Attacks

As much fun as it can be to let off an Ultimate Blast in Dragon Ball Sparking Zero, you'll never get the opportunity if your defense can't keep the opponent in check. Most players will be able to manage on lower difficulties without being an expert on defense, but you need a firm foundation if you're hoping to finish alternate objectives in Episode Battle or take the difficulty up a notch elsewhere. With the right tips you can learn how to counter, deflect blasts, dodge, and vanish behind your opponent in Dragon Ball Sparking Zero.

Dragon Ball Sparking Zero Defensive Tips & Tricks

The most important thing to remember about playing defensively in Dragon Ball Sparking Zero is that timing is more critical than speed. You'll still need speed to compete at a high level, but your speed will be pointless if your timing isn't good. If your timing with any defensive move isn't good, you genuinely need to spend time in training and then continue practicing in battles.

Battle Training offers interactive tutorials for just about every different kind of move. These are clean lower pressure situations where you can feel out the timing on counters and evasion as many times in a row as needed. That helps give you a better understanding of defensive timing and when specific moves will pop up, but it'll take several battles for all of that to sink in and start to become second nature.

If you're frustrated by Episode Battle and are hoping to improve your skills to finish an alternate objective, spend time on tournaments instead. Take the character you want to improve with into tournaments, and be prepared to turn up the difficulty once you can reliably win at a specific level. Below, we'll go over the four defensive maneuvers you'll be utilizing most in Dragon Ball Sparking Zero. Check our complete controls guide if you need a refresher on any other moves.

How to Counter

Your best friend is the same button you'll use to guard, RB on Xbox or R1 on PlayStation. You can hold RB to guard, but be careful about doing this for extended periods. If they get behind you while guarding it will be difficult to break free melee combo to the back.

More counter moves are done with this button than any other, but some of those we'll go through below. If you want to break free from a Rush Attack Chain with a Super Counter, you need to Move the Left Stick Up and simultaneously press X on Xbox or Square on PlayStation the instant an attack lands.

You also have a few additional options using Ki or your Skill Count. Perception is a passive prepped counter. If you B or Circle, the next melee Rush Attack coming at you will be countered. If you've got at least one Skill Count banked, that will shift to Super Perception and be a stronger counter.

If you Press RB or R1 just before a follow-up attack lands, you'll Z-Counter which will also use some Ki. Finally, you can Revenge Counter by pressing down on the Right Stick or R3 to counter while being attacked. Keep in mind these final options will require Ki, so you'll have to go to the others if your gauge is empty.

How to Deflect Blasts

If you're getting tired of Ki Blasts, you'll once again be using RB or R1 to deflect them. When the quick short burst Rush Ki Blasts are coming at you, hit RB the moment it's going to hit you to knock it away and recover your own Skill Gauge at the same time.

If an oponnent uses a Smash Ki Blast, a charged larger blast but not a special move, pressing RB or R1 won't just deflect but will also reflect the blast back towards them. A reflected Ki Blast can be volleyed back and forth between fighters.

If you've got an Ultimate Attack or special Blast coming at you, you can either guard or evade. Guarding can work at times when you'll take less damage, but some moves are unblockable. The best strategy is evasion.

How to Dodge

The second you see an opponent prepping for a blast, start rapidly tapping A on Xbox or X on PlayStation while moving the Left Stick to step or short dash to the left or right of your current location. If you have enough time and enough Ki, you can also press and hold RT+A or R2+X to Dragon Dash and get behind them. This gives you a chance to dodge the move and also unleash your own series of attacks. 

You also don't want to forget about vertical movement and obstacles. Many rocks and obstacles will be destroyed by a blast, but try to figure out the things that aren't as you're fighting on different stages. If you're behind an unbreakable obstacle and out of their line of sight, the attack can't connect. Jumping or ascension/descension can work at times, but most attacks more easily adjust to that kind of movement than a horizantal shift.

If you're in close range, melee combat range usually, you can hold the Left Stick to the left or right and tap A on Xbox or X on PlayStation. While further away you'd be doing a step or short dash, in close range you'll basically do a cartwheel dodge in the direction you move the Left Stick. This can also be a great way to slip out of combos if you get a moment to breathe in close range.

How to Vanish

Lastly, it's the one that's going to annoy you at times no matter how good you get. Just as soon as you get an opening and start hitting a few good strikes, the opponent vanishes in a flash. Most of these will be High-Speed Evasion, and that's done by pressing RB or R1 timed with your opponent's attack. If someone tries to get you from behind after a Rush High-Speed Movement, again pressing RB or R1 with the right timing will cause you to vanish.

You'll also be seeing a lot of Vanishing Assault. If you have Ki stored, you can simultaneously press A+X on Xbox or X+Square on PlayStation to vanish from your current location to directly behind your opponent. This is often most useful to setup an attack, but it can get you out of a sticky situation just as well if you're stuck on defense.

Just be careful not to lean on Vanishing Assault, because your Ki could run out first and leave you even more vulnerable to attack. All of these Dragon Ball Sparking Zero moves can be tested out in Battle Training to understand the timing, and then you need to head into battle to see how those same maneuvers feel in action.