I am mostly a defensive player, so I am always blocking at the start, but I usually end up getting comfortable with the opponent I am fighting and either win easily or lose massively. I have developed two strategies to avoid the latter:
1. If the opponent breaks my Throw, I try to use a special attack or a blockbuster before they resume their usual stance. This almost always works, and more often than trying to hit normally when they are getting up off the ground. But it doesn't always work.
2. This one works 95% of the time, and 99% if the opponent is dashing toward me (unless I act too late):
If the opponent is blocking and I am far enough away to feel comfortable not blocking (which may be as close as one fighter's width away), I just wait for them to stop blocking, then use a blockbuster or special ability as soon as they move. Occasionally they block me but not often. If they start dashing towards me I just hit a blockbuster and hope they got close enough by then, or I use a ranged ability, which is best unless you have mods that penalize distance.
I have only completed Story 1-2 Expert and 3 Advanced and 4 Normal however, so I have no idea how well this strategy works speed-wise in Master (where it's pretty useless anyway given the high combo threshold), or in high-tier PF/Rifts. For what it's worth, it enabled me to do a Treasure node against a pair of gold Big Bands (total 4k+) using silver Beat Box and Resonant (<2.5k total). After 3 refills worth of failed attempts, that is.
1. If the opponent breaks my Throw, I try to use a special attack or a blockbuster before they resume their usual stance. This almost always works, and more often than trying to hit normally when they are getting up off the ground. But it doesn't always work.
2. This one works 95% of the time, and 99% if the opponent is dashing toward me (unless I act too late):
If the opponent is blocking and I am far enough away to feel comfortable not blocking (which may be as close as one fighter's width away), I just wait for them to stop blocking, then use a blockbuster or special ability as soon as they move. Occasionally they block me but not often. If they start dashing towards me I just hit a blockbuster and hope they got close enough by then, or I use a ranged ability, which is best unless you have mods that penalize distance.
I have only completed Story 1-2 Expert and 3 Advanced and 4 Normal however, so I have no idea how well this strategy works speed-wise in Master (where it's pretty useless anyway given the high combo threshold), or in high-tier PF/Rifts. For what it's worth, it enabled me to do a Treasure node against a pair of gold Big Bands (total 4k+) using silver Beat Box and Resonant (<2.5k total). After 3 refills worth of failed attempts, that is.