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Guard

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more varieties of Guard
Guard KSSU artwork.png
Artwork of Kirby in Guard from Kirby Super Star Ultra.
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

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. Yes
(Also immune to grab attacks)
No Yes When released
Bell Bell Block Hides into the bell hat, which can reverberate to damage enemies in contact. Yes No No Contact
(No effect to bosses or mid-bosses)
Dark Meta Knight Reflector Shield Guards with an reflective shield that reflects projectiles. Yes No Yes Reflects projectile
ESP PK Evade
PK Insight
Performs a special counter attack before/when getting hit. Only during PK Evade/Insight Yes Yes Yes
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. Yes
([[Kirby's Return to Dream Land|Template:KRtDL KAW]] onward)
No Yes 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. Yes
(Also immune to grab attacks)
No Yes When released
Magolor Star Guard Guards with a five-piece star shield, which deals damage when a piece breaks. Yes
(With durability)
Yes Yes When a piece breaks
Mirror Reflect Guard Guards with an reflective shield that deflects projectiles. Yes
(Kirby: Planet Robobot only & with durability)
Yes Yes Reflects projectile
Ninja Clone Technique Performs a special counter attack before getting hit. (Kirby: Triple Deluxe onward) Only during Clone Technique Yes Yes Yes
Rick & Kine & Coo
Gooey
Protective Bag Hides into a bag that resembles the one they are trapped inside from Kirby's Dream Land 2. Yes No Yes No
Smash Bros. Shield Guards with the shield from the Super Smash Bros. series. (Kirby: Planet Robobot only) Yes Yes Yes No
Spider Pod Guard Hides into a string pod, which can spike out to damage foes in contact. Yes No No Contact
(No effect to bosses or mid-bosses)
Staff Staff Counter Performs a special counter attack before getting hit. Only during Staff Counter Yes Yes Yes
Sword Hero Hero Shield Guards with the shield equipment to create a barrier that also protects teammates inside. Its durability decreases in time. Yes
(With durability)
Yes Yes No
Tac Tac Hide Becomes intangible. Yes No No No
Taranza Magic Guard Guards with a magic shield, which can spike out to damage enemies in contact. Yes
(Also immune to grab attacks)
Yes Yes Contact
(No effect to bosses or mid-bosses)

Gallery

KPR Kirby Guard clip.png
From Kirby: Planet Robobot
KPR Shield clip.png
Smash Bros. Kirby uses his shield.

Super Smash Bros. series

SmashWiki has more information about this subject here.

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.