If your opponent is terrifying you, then a Psych Burst might be just the thing to save you from certain destruction. Guilty Gear Strive is a fast-paced and offensive game, which doesn't leave much room for players to turtle-up and counter obvious mistakes like Street Fighter might. Here you need to be on the ball, moving swiftly, and you just might make a mistake that has you amidst a giant combo that could potentially end your game. It's not a situation you want to be in.
Luckily, GGST gives you a handful of defensive options to help you cover your back when you're stuck in the corner, or in a long combo. All of these options could backfire, sure, but they could also pull you out of a dire situation just before you lose a round.
In this guide we're going to be breaking down Psych Bursts, and a few other defensive options you can use in order to protect yourself against aggressive opponents in Guilty Gear Strive.
Inputs For Psych Burst In Guilty Gear Strive
The inputs for Psych Burst are really simple, you just need to press two buttons at the same time which aren't Dust. So, Heavy Slash and Kick are good options - you can also set a single button input for it. Tap it at pretty much any time, and you'll be able to use a Psych Burst. Though you shouldn't just use it at any time, of course.
Below your health bar, there is a tiny meter. This is your Burst Meter, and when you have at least half a Burst Meter, you will be able to use a Blue Psych Burst, while a Gold Psych Burst will require the entire meter, but it'll be worth it if you can use it effectively.
How To Use Psych Bursts Effectively In Guilty Gear Strive
A Psych Burst can be used as a defensive tool, and that is the best use case first and foremost. If an enemy has you in a combo, a Psych Burst can push them back and help you to escape. However, if you just use a Psych Burst on the first hit, you don't know if the enemy was even going to convert into a full combo.
As a result, if you want to be conservative, you should only use your Psych Burst when you see your opponent use a Roman Cancel. If they use a Roman Cancel in a combo, you know they intend to extend it and do harsh damage. Otherwise, if you're low on health, you might want to keep an opponent at bay even after a single hit.
But as mentioned before, there are two kinds of Psych Bursts…
Blue Psych Bursts
A Blue Psych Burst is the default, and will be used to push back opponents during a combo, or just whenever you wish. It's good, it's effective, and it can save your life. This only uses half of your Burst Meter.
Gold Psych Bursts
A Gold Psych Burst is a bit different. You need a full meter in order to use it, and it's used when your opponent is vulnerable. They will be able to reflexively block it fairly easily when they see it activate, unless they're already in a vulnerable animation, so it should be used as a whiff punish, or if you can read your foe really well. On contact, the Gold Psych Burst will hit the opponent, and also fill the Tension gauge, meaning you can now abuse some Roman Cancels and Overdrive techniques.