Options for Meter Drain/Reduction

[ImaiKari]

This is a guide for lowering or managing enemies' meter and special moves, as well as who I recommend to use and not, as well as reasons why. In SGM, there are multiple moves and variants that can reduce enemy meter (even an MA on Cerebella), and might help you overcome challenging opponents who seem to press that BB3 free-win button a little too fast for your liking.

There are many tools that can be used to cut out and stop enemies from getting to their win buttons, and for convenience, I've listed all of them here and will update this post as more enter the game. Hope this is helpful!​

Marquees

Spoiler

Cerebella: Upper Hand

• THROWS drain 30% meter from the opponent's BLOCKBUSTERS

This MA is strong because it's very easy to pull off in general in bella's combos (Think Merry Go-Rilla, standard grabs, Diamond Drop), and is especially potent in the special move Pummel Horse, which fully drains the opponent's blockbusters (Even at level 1!) and completely fills up yours in one move. This magical ability grants every bella easy control over any given fight. The only downside is how much this ability costs; Don't expect to be able to get ahold of this if you're just starting out.

UPDATE: In 2.5 this MA has been updated to only reduce enemy meter and not give you any. Still stronk.

Special Abilities

Diva Intervention (Eliza): Bleached Bone 2

Spoiler

• Sekhmet attacks drain 8% of the opponent's BLOCKBUSTER METER

This SA is so glorious because it can refill your Sekhmet blockbuster from a single charge attack after staggering with the Sekhmet blockbuster, allowing for many cheesy strategies. As long as you pay attention, your opponent should never use a blockbuster again. Provides very strong control, but limited to a gold character. Grab her from Eliza's prizefight if you haven't already.

Regally Blonde (Parasoul): On Ice 1&2

Spoiler

• When an opponent uses a BLOCKBUSTER, there is a 50% chance that their remaining BLOCKBUSTER METERS are reduced by 75%
• On TEAR DETONATION, each active tear DISABLES opponent SPECIAL MOVES, BLOCKBUSTERS, or TAG INS for 8 seconds

The queen of control, Regal hits the enemy right where it hurts; the BB3! Everything about this character is about telling the enemy to stuff it, with a gentle finger-wagging and a slap on the wrist when they somehow manage to get one BB out, only to cause all of their other blockbusters to go down the drain. The second part of her SA is a rather nice addition, but it does have one key flaw you should be aware of when using this frozen queen; the disable is randomly chosen. And that means, you can deploy 5 tears, detonate them, and only one 8 second tag in disable could appear. The reason this happens is because these disables do not stack, and if one is rolled it is not negated from the possible pool of disables that the other tears can apply. This SA2 is a little inconsistent. (She has a stunning palette though! Still love her.) Her lovely SA is also tied to a gold (A non PF gold nonetheless), so she will be a pain to get ahold of.

Pyro-Technique (Valentine): Soul Burn 1

Spoiler

• Inflict 2 stacks of WITHER for 10 seconds when HITTING an opponent with a CHARGE ATTACK

This SA is a nice addition to Val's normal kit, as her Charge attack is rather nice and strong. Wither is a strong DoT sort of deal, that slowly drains an opponent's meters. A nice quality SA on a nice quality Valentine. This is the hardest of all of the listed strategies to get ahold of, since Pyro is Fire elemental relic exclusive. Make sure to keep praying to RNGesus on the daily.

Hype Man (Beowulf): Hype Train 1

Spoiler

• While in HYPE MODE, reduce the meter of all opponent BLOCKBUSTERS by 10% per landed hit

Beowulf is all about control. And that's what Hype man brings to the table. Sortof. A full hype meter takes a decent while to obtain in any given match with challenging AI (You mostly rely on the grab hit in juggle), and by that time your enemy likely has a BB3 primed and ready, and may pop it on you. When this SA works, it works, though. You can easily completely drain an enemy's meters just by hitting on them in hype mode, and it helps you give them no ground when BB3'ing them yourself. This in mind, he does have low/avg attack for a beowulf to trade this off, and his SA2 is practically non existent. One of the weaker picks on the list. (Now if his SA1 drained, it might offset the inconsistency of requiring Hype Mode...)

Ivy League (Parasoul): Fenced In 1&2

Spoiler

• SLOW opponent's BLOCKBUSTERS for 10 seconds when spawning a tear
• On TEAR DETONATION inflicts WITHER for 10 seconds per active TEAR

Basically, a more consistent but less potent Regally Blonde. They work in slightly different ways that makes them unique, but they both take up a similar role. Wither is a very nice debuff to apply, slow a little less so. Her attack stat really offsets the excellence of this SA, though, so expect a long fight (Or until you fill BB3). Not one of the better options either, if your objective is to win. Definitely good at denying BB meter though!

No Egrets (Parasoul): Martial Law

Spoiler

• On CRITICAL HIT, DISABLE opponent's BLOCKBUSTERS for 4 seconds
• Also DISABLES opponent's SPECIAL MOVES and TAG INS for 4 seconds

This SA is just really strong. The strength comes with the caveat of requiring a build in crit. With her new MA1, you don't have to build as much crit, and that's a nice addition. She deals enough damage that with this SA, she just makes a safe and solid carry. Definitely keep her, she's a very effective lockdown unit.

Bad Ms Frosty (Filia):Ice To See You 1&2

Spoiler

• 50% chance on CRITICAL HIT to DISABLE opponent's TAG INS and SPECIAL MOVES for 6 seconds
• Also DISABLES opponent's BLOCKBUSTER METER for 6 seconds

See No Egrets, but 50% as likely with 1.5x the duration. Needs to build more crit than NE.

Moves

Spoiler

Three Wulf Moonsault (BB3, Beowulf)

• Reduces the meter of all opponent BLOCKBUSTERS by 25% per landed hit

Use it on any beo that doesn't have an SA reliant on grabs. A very strong effect for any move, that results in a 100% total reduction. Definitely use on Hype Man.

Cilia Slide (SM, Double)

• On HIT, inflict SLOW for 12 seconds

Middle of the Sphinx (SM, Eliza)

• On HIT, reduce the meter of opponent BLOCKBUSTERS by 50%

Blowout (BB3, Filia)

• Reduces opponent's BLOCKBUSTER METER by 50%

Buer Overdrive (BB3, Painwheel)

• Reduces the meter of all opponent BLOCKBUSTERS by 35% per landed HIT

Equates to a 100%+ meter reduction.

Ashes to Ashes (SM, Squigly)

• 
  
  
  • 25% chance on HIT to inflict WITHER for 5 seconds

Weaker than it should be, for some reason... 25% per hit on this move is not a lot.

Battle Opera (BB1, Squigly)

• 25% chance on HIT to inflict WITHER for 10 seconds

This move is a key move for squigly-- Combos very well and also inflicts WITHER. Who could ask for anything more?

Inferno of Leviathan (BB2, Squigly)

• 25% on HIT to inflict WITHER and HEAL BLOCK for 10 seconds

(Why does squigly have so many meter drain options built in?)

Countervenom: Sedative (BB1, Valentine)

• Reduce the meter of opponent BLOCKBUSTERS by 35%

A key valentine move. Never take it off.

Vial Hazard: Type A (SM, Valentine)

• Reduces the meter of opponent BLOCKBUSTERS by 50% (on HIT or BLOCK)

 

[Fel]

Doesn't Sketchy Peacock also inflict slow?

 

[Psyche]

It could be worth noting a few moves that are multi-hit that don't appear to be at first, like Middle of the Sphinx. Also, a disclaimer that no matter how hard you try, chances are you will struggle to fight back against the Supercharged modifier except with meter locks.

 

[Beldr447]

Ivy league apply wither on tear detonation since last update

 

[ImaiKari]

Ivy league apply wither on tear detonation since last update

Yup, 2.5 updated IVY LEAGUE, so I've updated my post to the changes now.

 

[Sol]

Yup, 2.5 updated IVY LEAGUE, so I've updated my post to the changes now.

the fact that you predicted the future update to a fighter when I point it out it was flat meter drain ends up actually being wither now smh

 

[joansamo]

Ivy league apply wither on tear detonation since last update

which makes her leagues better than regally blonde if you want to drain meter.