Guard
- This article is about the technique. For the enemy from Kirby Star Allies, see Guard (enemy).
“ | To guard...Push L or R. It can reduce the enemy's attack power. | ” | — Tutorial from The Beginner's Show, in Template:KSS KFP |
Guard is Kirby's primary defensive action that appeared in many games. By holding down the appropriate button, Kirby assumes a defensive posture until the button is released. While guarding, Kirby takes no damage from weak attacks and minimal damage from most stronger attacks, in addition to retaining his ability and not getting knocked off the ground. Enemies that contact a guarding Kirby also take minimal damage.
Generally, guarding is ineffective against attacks which involve grabbing. Guarding also has no effect on environmental elements such as wind or lava, and will typically not defend against the strongest boss attacks. Kirby can only guard while standing still. However, in Triple Deluxe and beyond, if Kirby guards in midair or moves to the side while guarding, he will Dodge.
In Template:KSS KFP and Kirby Super Star Ultra, guard does 1 damage to enemies including bosses. From [[Kirby's Return to Dream Land|Template:KRtDL KAW]], the default guard does 4 damage to enemies excluding bosses.
Appearances
- [[Kirby Super Star|Template:KSS KFP]] / Kirby Super Star Ultra
- [[Kirby's Return to Dream Land|Template:KRtDL KAW]]
- New Challenge Stages (Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition)
- Kirby: Triple Deluxe
- Kirby Fighters Deluxe
- Kirby: Planet Robobot
- Team Kirby Clash Deluxe
- Kirby Star Allies
- Super Kirby Clash
- Kirby Fighters 2
Special Guard techniques
Copy Abilities
These Copy Abilities (and/or their respective Helpers) have their special version of guard with additional features. As a result of these particular guarding techniques, the user may be unable to dodge on the ground (or at all) when employing some of them.
- Bell - While guarding with Bell, Kirby hides inside of his bell helmet, and cannot be harmed. Releasing the Guard or being hit will cause the bell to reverberate, damaging nearby foes.
- ESP - If a foe hits Kirby shortly after the guard is activated, Kirby will vanish, then reappear and counter with a shock wave that deals substantial damage (PK Evade). When timed perfectly, the counterattack is more powerful, and Kirby will shout as he performs it (PK Insight).
- Ice - From [[Kirby's Return to Dream Land|Template:KRtDL KAW]] onward, guarding with Ice produces a spherical ice formation around Kirby which blocks more damage than a regular guard.
- Leaf - While guarding with Leaf, Kirby is intangible instead of invincible; attacks will simply pass through him regardless of their power. This guard also makes Kirby immune to grabs. Releasing the guard causes minor damage to nearby foes.
- Mirror - Guarding with Mirror provides a shining bubble of energy around Kirby's body. This bubble negates damage from even strong attacks and can reflect projectiles. In Kirby: Planet Robobot, the shield will eventually vanish if held too long.
- Ninja - Starting with Kirby: Triple Deluxe, guarding with Ninja right before being hit by an attack will cause Kirby to use Clone Technique, which transforms him into a log that damages the attacking foe(s). However, it can only be used for a brief moment.
- Smash Bros. - In Kirby: Planet Robobot, guarding with this ability produces a bubble shield resembling the one from the Super Smash Bros. series. (See Guard#In the Super Smash Bros. series section of this article.)
- Spider - Guarding with this ability encases Kirby in a string pod, preventing more damage than a standard guard. The pod also shoots out small spikes when hit, dealing more damage than normal collision.
- Staff - Guarding with the Staff ability will allow Kirby to perform a counterattack simply called Staff Counter.
- Sword Hero - In all three Team Kirby Clash games, guarding in this role will create a large bubble shield which other Kirbys can take cover under to protect them from damage as well.
- Tac - The helper of Copy becomes intangible while guarding.
Additionally, while not a true guard, crouching with Archer causes Kirby to become intangible as long as he remains still, acting as a pseudo-guard. In this state, he can fire arrows or crawl along the ground, but doing either will make him vulnerable.
Dream Friends
Some Dream Friends in Kirby Star Allies also have their own special version of guarding.
- Rick & Kine & Coo and Gooey take cover in a burlap sack called the Protective Bag when guarding. This is a reference to Kirby's Dream Land 2, where they are found in bags after defeating a Mid-Boss.
- Adeleine & Ribbon hide behind a canvas and become intangible like Tac and the Leaf ability do. The canvas shows one of Adeleine's illustrations from Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards. When releasing the guard, paint sprays out, which damages nearby enemies.
- Dark Meta Knight hides in a mirror when guarding, similarly to his Kirby: Triple Deluxe boss fight. It absorbs strong attacks and reflects projectiles, the same as the Mirror ability.
- Magolor uses his 5-piece star-shaped super shield when guarding, which absorbs all damage, but can break. Every time a piece breaks, it does damage to nearby enemies.
- Taranza has Magic Guard which absorbs all damage and shoots out spikes like the Spider ability does.
Special Guard Properties
The following summarizes properties of the above-mentioned special guards.
User | Guard | Description | Immune to damage? | Ground dodge? | Air dodge? | Counterattack? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adeleine & Ribbon | Canvas Cover | Hides behind a canvas and becomes intangible. Releasing the guard causes paint to spray out. | (Also immune to grab attacks) |
When released | ||
Bell | Bell Block | Hides into the bell hat, which can reverberate to damage enemies in contact. | Contact (No effect to bosses or mid-bosses) | |||
Dark Meta Knight | Reflector Shield | Guards with an reflective shield that reflects projectiles. | Reflects projectile | |||
ESP | PK Evade PK Insight |
Performs a special counter attack before/when getting hit. | Only during PK Evade/Insight | |||
Ice | Ice Block | Guards with an ice shield. Releasing the guard (known as the move Ice Scatter) scatters the ice shield which deals minor damage and freezes nearby foes. | ([[Kirby's Return to Dream Land|Template:KRtDL KAW]] onward) |
When released | ||
Leaf | Leaf Hide | Hides into a pile of leaves and becomes intangible. Releasing the guard causes a burst of leaves that deal minor damage to nearby foes. | (Also immune to grab attacks) |
When released | ||
Magolor | Star Guard | Guards with a five-piece star shield, which deals damage when a piece breaks. | (With durability) |
When a piece breaks | ||
Mirror | Reflect Guard | Guards with an reflective shield that deflects projectiles. | (Kirby: Planet Robobot only & with durability) |
Reflects projectile | ||
Ninja | Clone Technique | Performs a special counter attack before getting hit. (Kirby: Triple Deluxe onward) | Only during Clone Technique | |||
Rick & Kine & Coo Gooey |
Protective Bag | Hides into a bag that resembles the one they are trapped inside from Kirby's Dream Land 2. | ||||
Smash Bros. | Shield | Guards with the shield from the Super Smash Bros. series. (Kirby: Planet Robobot only) | ||||
Spider | Pod Guard | Hides into a string pod, which can spike out to damage foes in contact. | Contact (No effect to bosses or mid-bosses) | |||
Staff | Staff Counter | Performs a special counter attack before getting hit. | Only during Staff Counter | |||
Sword Hero | Hero Shield | Guards with the shield equipment to create a barrier that also protects teammates inside. Its durability decreases in time. | (With durability) |
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Tac | Tac Hide | Becomes intangible. | ||||
Taranza | Magic Guard | Guards with a magic shield, which can spike out to damage enemies in contact. | (Also immune to grab attacks) |
Contact (No effect to bosses or mid-bosses) |
Gallery
Super Smash Bros. series
The shield mechanic in the Super Smash Bros. series is heavily based on the guard mechanic from the Kirby series, with the energy bubble very reminiscent of the Mirror ability's Reflect Guard. The primary difference is that shields shrink as they are held or take damage and will eventually break if not deactivated, stunning the user.
Eventually, this concept went full circle in Kirby: Triple Deluxe, when the ability to dodge after guarding, developed in Smash Bros., made its way into this game.
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