DNF Duel: Launcher Guide

Quick Links

• Launcher Overview

• Launcher Special Moves

• Launcher MP Special Moves

• Launcher Awakening Skill And Effect

Some characters prefer being up close and personal, some like to take things one step at a time and approach things with technical strategery, and others shine brightest when they're armed to the teeth with high-tech weapons and gadgets. The third option is Launcher's approach and game plan when facing off against other fighters in DNF Duel.

Pure Zoners are a rarity in DNF Duel but a welcomed one as their approach to the chaotic gameplay forces their opponent to respect their ranged options and pressure, making them have to change their playstyle or get annihilated. Since Launcher is one of these rare characters, it's time to look into what makes such a unique powerhouse.

If you want to arm yourself with more information on Launcher before continuing with this guide, we suggest checking out her complete Command List here!

Launcher Overview

Launcher is one of the few Zoners in the game, making her kit feel unique compared to the vast majority of the roster. However, her playstyle is as you'd expect if you have played other fighting games. Launcher thrives at long-range encounters and has several tools at her disposal to keep things that way. Everything from hand cannons to mini-guns to laser rifles, you name it, she will use them to keep you at bay, deal tons of damage, and juggle you from a safe distance.

While similar to Ranger in some aspects, Launcher lacks the close-range prowess Ranger possesses, which can be hard to get used to in a game like DNF Duel. Since everyone is out of control in this game, trying to maintain a safe distance is a task and a half, meaning we wouldn't recommend her for newcomers to the genre or archetype. Nonetheless, what Launcher does have is plenty to ensure her opponents don't have an easy time getting in on her, but it will come with some practice and experience.

Since we're on the topic of beginners, if you are one, please take a moment to glance over the terms, commands, and notations below! We will use these often throughout the Launcher guide, so we would hate it if you stumbled upon a phrase such as 'OTG' and got lost. Fighting games can be frustrating for newcomers, but we'll try our best to make the onboarding process as simple as we can!

DNF Duel Notations

Launcher Special Moves

Launcher has guns and knows how to use them, making almost all of her Special Moves (Skills) and MP Special Moves (Mana Skills) utilize some form of weapon. Since she's a Zoner, the vast majority of Launcher's Skills are ranged attacks that can juggle and combo into one another, allowing her to apply pressure from a safe distance. While she will follow the traditional A > B > S > MS 'Ascending Order' pattern, her more powerful attacks can cancel into each other like every other character. Skills are high-damaging but are primarily used as a way to crossover to Mana Skills, which is where the real magic starts.

Steyr AMR

Launcher casually whips out an entire RPG and launches a missile forward that travels across the entire stage, making it one of her best actions for setting up combos or extending them. Furthermore, Steyr AMR will knock targets down on hit, allowing Launcher to follow up directly into any of her Mana Skills. Lastly, Steyr AMR is her 5S action.

FM-31 Grenade Launcher

FM-31 Grenade Launcher is Launcher's 2S and an excellent anti-air for non-reactive situations. This Mana Skill has Launcher fire a grenade upwards at an angle, covering a decent area. The grenade will explode if it connects with her target, allowing her to extend combos.

Cannon Ball

Launcher fires a charged ball of energy from her hand cannon that travels across the screen. Cannon Ball is typically used to extend combos, counter poking, or blockstring filler. However, this move's downside is that the shot will completely pass over the majority of the cast if they're crouching, making it rarely used outside of ongoing combos or attack strings. Cannon Ball is Launcher's 6S command.

Spriggan

Spriggan is Launcher's 4S action and has her perform an aggressive baseball slide that transitions into a short cinematic on hit. Spriggan is often used to close out combos but can also chain into Ancient Trigger or BBQ. Furthermore, Spriggan will place your target in a hard knockdown state, which allows Launcher to follow up with an OTG action. However, your typical go-to options at this stage will be 2B or Quantum Bomb into Laser Rifle. You can also cancel this move into any of her Mana Skills.

Laser Rifle

Laser Rifle is an effective tool for keeping your target temporarily at bay. However, it is primarily used as a chip-damage machine or to back your opponent into a well-placed Quantum Bomb. This Mana Skill has Launcher pull out a laser gun and fire it diagonally at the ground and is performed via the j.S input. You will seldomly use this action in combos or to set them up.

Launcher MP Special Moves

Guns, Guns, Guns, and more Guns! You guessed it, Launcher's MP Special Moves (Mana Skills) also revolve around weapons. Except, this time, they're significantly upgraded and even more devastating. Launcher's Mana Skills follow the same principle as everyone else. They are extraordinarily powerful actions that require Mana to use, a resource in the game that you must manage to get the most out of or risk throwing yourself into an 'Exhausted' state. When Exhausted, you will temporarily be unable to use Mana Skills as your Mana Gauge will be empty and won't start replenishing until after a prolonged period.

Charge Laser Rifle

Launcher whips out an upgraded laser rifle and fires a devastating beam across the entire stage that deals immense damage on hit and excellent chip damage on block. Charge Laser Rifle is Launcher's 5MS and costs 50 MP to use and is often used to halt your opponent's movement or to end a combo.

BBQ

BBQ is Launcher's hitgrab invincible reversal that costs 60 MP to execute. Decent wake-up reversal and anti-air, that's excellent against overly aggressive opponents or ones that are predictable. Since it's a hitgrab with a very short range, the uses are limited and situational.

A select number of Launcher's Mana Skills can be performed with traditional Motion Inputs found in most other fighting games. Executing the moves in this fashion will have your Mana Gauge start replenishing slightly faster than it usually would when using the simple input. BBQ can be done by inputting 2MS or 623MS (⭢⭣⭨MS).

X-1 Extruder

X-1 Extruder requires 70 MP to use and is worth all of it. This Mana Skill is Launcher's primary combo extender when in the corner and the best anti-air at her disposal. X1-Extruder has Launcher summon an enormous cannon and launch an even more giant ball of fire out of it that travels across the stage with a huge hitbox. Your typical go-to follow-up on hit will be Cannon Ball.

A select number of Launcher's Mana Skills can be performed with traditional Motion Inputs found in most other fighting games. Executing the moves in this fashion will have your Mana Gauge start replenishing slightly faster than it usually would when using the simple input. X-1 Extruder can be done by inputting 6MS or 236MS (⭣⭨⭢MS).

FM-92 mk2 Lancer

If X-1 Extruder is Launcher's best corner combo extender, then FM-92 mk2 Lancer is her best non-corner-based combo extender. Launcher fires a grenade into the air at an angle that explodes and drops mini bombs onto the ground below, damaging anything it hits. FM-92 mk2 Lancer can hit OTG, allowing Launcher to chain it into other Mana Skills or her Awakening Skill. Furthermore, this Mana Skill costs 50 MP to use.

A select number of Launcher's Mana Skills can be performed with traditional Motion Inputs found in most other fighting games. Executing the moves in this fashion will have your Mana Gauge start replenishing slightly faster than it usually would when using the simple input. FM-92 mk2 Lancer can be done by inputting 4MS or 214MS (⭣⭩⭠MS).

Quantum Bomb

Quantum Bomb is Launcher's j.MS and requires 90 MP to use. This has Launcher mark a spot on the ground below, having a missile drop from the sky after a short delay that causes an enormous explosion on impact. Launcher will recover in mid-air after using Quantum Bomb, enabling her to use other air attacks if the situation calls for it. Quantum Bomb hits OTG, allowing her to follow up with other Mana Skills. This Mana Skill is also excellent for forcing your opponent's hand and does exceptional amounts of chip damage.

Launcher Awakening Skill And Effect

Launcher's Awakening Skill and Effect follow the same rules everyone else's does in DNF Duel but are extraordinarily good and make her a late-round threat. Before diving into them, we will quickly go over their general concept to catch everyone up on the mechanics. Awakening Skills are 'Super Moves' that are accompanied by a lengthy, flashy, and over-the-top cutscene. However, Awakening Effects are passive buffs and enhancements that can give your character a nudge in the right direction, potentially allowing them to secure the round if strong enough. Both of these systems become available to you whenever your health drops to at least 30 percent.

Ancient Trigger is Launcher's Awakening Skill which has her slam her weapon on the ground in front of her, covering a very narrow area of effect. Due to its limited coverage, Ancient Trigger is often used during combos and never outside them. Furthermore, Ancient Trigger hits OTG, making it an excellent way to end most of her attack strings and combos.

Overheat is Launcher's Awakening Effect and increases her White Damage Output on guarding opponents by double. While on any other character, this passive would be considered fine at best, it's exceptionally strong for Launcher as almost all of her Skills and Mana Skills already do lots of chip damage without this buff.

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