Killer Instinct (2013)/Gargos

Overview Strategy Matchups Resources

Introduction

Gargos PLACEHOLDER CHARACTER STORY

Gargos PLACEHOLDER GAMEPLAY OVERVIEW

Character

Strengths

Weaknesses

Master of the Skies: Great aerial mobility, with 3 midair jumps and Reckoning to change his trajectory on a dime. Despicable Me: For a bar of shadow, Gargos can summon a minion to lock down his opponent on defense and interrupt their offense. Excellent Zoning: Portal Punches are great at keeping most characters from walking forward, build a lot of meter and allow him to combo at range. Snowball Factor: When Gargos gets the minions out and has instinct up he is almost impossible to stop.

Bad defense: Without his buddies, Gargos has no easy way to take his turn back when pressured. Poor Grounded Mobility: Gargos has a sluggish forward dash and one of the lowest walk speeds in the game. Low-Mid Damage: Gargos's damage is below average, particularly during portal punch combos. Weak Comeback Factor: Gargos's instinct is not particularly good at helping you recover from a deficit, and it has major drawbacks.

Character Data
Forward Walk Speed	124f to cross two large training mode squares Instinct Forward Walk Speed= 179f
Backwards Walk Speed	158f to cross two large training mode squares Instinct Backwards Walk Speed= 160f
Forward Dash Duration	29f
Backdash Duration	22f
Pre-Jump Frames	5f
Jump Duration	41f Can jump 3 extra times while in the air
Landing Recovery	4f
Advantage Post Grounded Combo Breaker	+4

Universal Mechanics

Instinct

Stoneskin: Gargos sacrifices movement speed, dashes, extra jumps, and the ability to block for infinite armor. At any time, he can perform Eruption to remove the armor and keep half of his remaining Instinct meter.

Combat Traits

Ranged Autos & Linkers: Gargos can start a combo from any distance after a long-range L Oblivion opener.

Normal Moves

Standing Normals

Standing Light Punch
Stand LP/5LP

Test Caption

Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
8(2%)	10(2%)	--	1.6	2.4	Mid	6	2	9	16f	+4	+6	+2	Chain
Gargos' 5LP fills various roles in his offense 5LP being chainable makes its one of gargos fastest hit confirmable attacks Low recovery so Advanced KI players can use it for backdash OS 5LP is used tick throws with L Devil's Divide and can pseudo-frame trap into 2MP Weak to upper body invulnerable attacks and is one frame slower than "average" jabs

Standing Medium Punch
Stand MP/5MP

Test Caption

Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
18(5%)	22(6%)	--	2.4	4	Mid	8	2	19	28f	+5	+8	+0	--
Secondary poke for bullying opponents low pokes Has the lowest range of all of Gargos' mediums Has low pushback

Standing Heavy Punch
Stand HP/5HP

(Scorn)

Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
28(7%)	32(8%)	--	4	4.5	Mid	14	5	21	39f	+15	+33	-1	Stagger
High Yield stagger with a crazy +15 on Hit can be used as a delay meaty to hit jumps and backdash on oki 5HP>Minion Command is +7 on hit comboing into all of gargos' lights,2MP and Light(/ Shadow) Devil's Divide

Standing Light Kick
Stand LK/5LK

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Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
10(2%)	14(3%)	--	1.6	2.4	Mid	5	4	16	24f	0	+2	-1	--
Gargos fastest move which is important for defense Gargos has poor reversals options Used as an interrupt to attack overextending offensive string not confirmable so Gargos is either just getting the interrupt or letting L portal punch rip raw Has slightly more range that 2LP

Standing Medium Kick
Stand MK/5MK

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Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
18(5%)	22(6%)	--	2.4	4	Mid	10	2	26	37f	-1	+2	-4	--
long-range long recovery poke for hitting just past 2MP range

Standing Heavy Kick
Stand HK/5HK

(Insolence)

Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
20(5%)	14(3%)	--	4	4.5	Mid	17	8	23	47f	+33	+33	-22	--
Utterly enormous anti-air. Has a moderate upper body invul hurtbox so can be used to blow through certain pokes probably shouldn't be though

Crouching Normals

Crouching Light Punch
Crouch LP/2LP

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Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
8(2%)	10(2%)	--	1.6	2.4	Mid	6	2	9	16f	+4	+6	+1	Chain
Chainable jab that hits upper body invul moves (unlike 5LP) less plus than 5LP ,losing the frame trap into 2MP, but does has pushback allowing tick throws with gargos normal throw

Crouching Medium Punch
Crouch MP/2MP

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Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
18(5%)	22(6%)	--	2.4	4	Mid	7	3	17	26f	+5	+8	+1	--
the god poke with meh offense

Crouching Heavy Punch
Crouch HP/2HP

Test Caption

Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
24(6%)	28(7%)	--	4	4.5	Mid	13	5	17	34f	+5	+8	-3	--
gigantic, slow Anti air

Crouching Light Kick
Crouch LK/2LK

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Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
12(3%)	16(4%)	--	1.6	2.4	Low	6	5	7	17f	+2	+4	-2	--
fast low combos into L portal punch on hit

Crouching Medium Kick
Crouch MK/2MK

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Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
24(6%)	30(8%)	--	2.4	4	Low	11	2	24	36f	-1	+2	-4	--
slower,high reward low combos into Light reckoning on hit (and Light Portal Punch)

Crouching Heavy Kick
Crouch HK/5HK

Test Caption

Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
28(7%)	32(8%)	--	4	4.5	Low	18	2	28	47f	+53	+53	-10	Hard knockdown
Full Screen low sweep/zoning tool

Air Normals

Jumping Light Punch
Jump LP/8LP

Test Caption

Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
16(4%)	20(5%)	--	1.6	2.4	High	7	5	4	15+f	+15	+17	+8	--
Modest Air to Air can be used on oki to fastfall as gargos by whiffing it rising

Jumping Medium Punch
Jump MP/8MP

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Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
20(5%)	24(6%)	--	2.4	4	High	7	5	4	17+f	+3	+2	-4	Crossup
used as overhead that doesnt lead to anything without minion

Jumping Heavy Punch
Jump HP/8HP

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Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
28(7%)	32(8%)	--	4	4.5	Mid	22	3/17	4/42	28+f/80+f	+61/+15	+61/+15	0/-58	Launcher
Mid Launcher that can combo into Air Devil's divide and other things used low to the ground to snipe defensive options from the opponent while airborne; Not used much high in the air due to long recovery

Jumping Light Kick
Jump LK/8LK

Test Caption

Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
16(4%)	20(5%)	--	1.6	2.4	High	8	8	4	19+f	+15	+17	+8	--
jump in with aggressive air to ground hitbox used in dj mixups to hit defenders same side with the consistent neutral double jump/ndjLK to hit people same side and finnicky yet ambiguous forward double jump LK/fdjLK

Jumping Medium Kick
Jump MK/8MK

Test Caption

Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
20(5%)	24(6%)	--	2.4	4	High	13	7	4	23+f	+16	+19	+8	Cross-up
Gargos primary crossup jump in moves his push box higher; you can double jump at a perfect height and hit an opponent crossup when doing fdjMK at an arc where fdjLK would hit same side you can jump and whiff jMK to land crossup at a distance that empty jump usually lands sameside

Jumping Heavy Kick
Jump HK/8HK

Test Caption

Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
10(2%)	14(3%)	--	4	4.5	Mid	21	4	23	47+f	+40	+40	-1	Soft knockdown
very minus on block pushback tool you hope that they get hit and sent fullscreen to zone On block, most characters can dash in after you due to the meh frame data and some characters can punish for a full combo Has a massive crouchable deadzone inside the wing tips

Throws

Throw
5LPLK/4LPLK

Test Caption

Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
30.4 (8%)	-	10.1(2%)	-	-	-	-	-	-	36f	-	-	-	Hard Knockdown
Lets you set up a minion summon if you have meter gives good oki does an ender level of pd successfully incorporating normal throw into Gargos' attack boosts his ability to get high ender level cashouts.

Special Moves

Oblivion
QCF+P/236P

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Version	Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
LP	14(3%)	14(3%)	--	??	??	Mid	13	5	22	39f	+5	+5	-14	Launcher vs. airborne
L portal punch is Gargos' primary zoning tool and is omnipresent yet constantly underminable L Portal Punch is AVOIDED by dashing past it AND jumping over it L Portal Punch is -14 on block, allowing most characters to be able to freely dash in after blocking one to claim space and some characters to punish poorly spaced portal punches L Portal Punch is an instant homing attack that cannot be blocked on reaction. walk and react block doesn't have an answer to this version of portal punch (While it is easy to walk and block M and H Portal Punch) also has significant use as a juggle tool being a vacuuming long-range/mid-range Light launcher on a character with meh light attacks
Version	Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
MP	24(6%)	24(6%)	--	??	??	Mid	27	5	22	53f	+25	+25	-11	Soft knockdown
M Portal Punch tracks horizontal movement well and is intended to be used to blow up dashes M portal punch is avoided by jumping over it M portal punch is slow enough to walk forward and block it on reaction
Version	Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
HP	24(6%)	24(6%)	--	??	??	Mid	32	5	22	58f	+48	+48	-11	Ground Bounce
H Portal punch is a high reward slow preemptive Anti-Air Ground bounce attack H portal punch is avoided by dashing past it H portal punch is also slow enough to walk forward and block it on reaction

Devil's Divide
QCB+P/214P

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Version	Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
LP	--	--	--	??	??	--	5	2	28	34f	--	--	--	--
Gargos quickly grabs in front of him fast up close version of Devil's Divide used in convention has more range than normal throw; you can tick into Devil's Divide from a single 5LP when normal throw would whiff grabs a minion if a minion is front of him (and a throwable opponent isnt) Has "Possession bug" which can be used to give Gargos HKD Grab Finishers. After a hard knockdown, Gargos can meaty command grab people with L D. Divide into a finisher that causes hard knockdown.
Version	Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
MP	--	--	--	??	??	--	23	2	36	60f	--	--	--	--
Gargos steps forward before grabbing. This one was made for ticking from mediums and heavies if Gargos does 5LP xx M D. Divide the opponent can jump OR fuzzy jump to beat the grab and gargos has to guess which one to run his unsafe strike/throw at. this is doable but less ideal than 2MP>M D.Divide vs L Reckoning or (Close) 5LP,L D.Divide vs 2MP grabs a minion if a minion is front of him (and a throwable opponent isnt) Has "Possession bug" which can be used to give Gargos HKD Grab Finishers After a hard knockdown, Gargos can use a late M D.Divide as a high risk read vs backdash (and/or blocking) that causes a HKD
Version	Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
HP	--	--	--	??	??	--	11	6	20	36f	--	--	--	--
An anti-air grab, or juggle ender. When used in a juggle it is heavy breakable even in situations where 3 hit rule doesn't apply (eg: 2HP,H D.divide is breakable
Version	Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
JP	36.0 (72.0)	--	--	??	??	--	11	2	4	16+f	+61	--	--	Hard Knockdown
Automatically performs a hard knockdown version Sadistic Drop. Raw Air D. Divide does double damage (10%->20%) when a minion is facing gargos and not attacking Ends juggles from jHP and high H portal punches in an unbreakable hard knockdown Has "Possession bug" which can be used to give Gargos HKD Grab Finishers. After a HKD ender in the corner with Dretch minion, Dretch will ground bounce people from the air for gargos to air grab with H D. Divide. Damage Grab finsher here after hkd ender does more damage than shadow damage ender (w/o pummels) and gives you the same setup due to being a hard knockdown with the possession bug

Sadistic Drop
Devil's Divide ↑/214P8

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Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
36(10%)	36(10%)	--	??	??	--	--	--	--	??	+22	+22	--	Has Possession Bug
izuna drop if the previous move Gargos did was a hard knockdown the opponent will be izuna dropped for a hard knockdown

Sadistic Hurl
Devil's Divide →/214P6

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Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
20(5%)	20(5%)	--	??	??	--	--	--	--	??	+11	+11	--	Recapture
A potent part of Gargos' corner pressure, as he scores a free light or medium manual.

Sadistic Appetite
Devil's Divide ←/214P4

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Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
0(0%)	0(0%)	--	??	??	--	--	--	--	??	+23	+23	--	Steals Meter;Has Possession Bug
Gargos yoinks 20% of the opponent's Shadow and adds it to his own, then drops them for a soft knockdown*. if the previous move Gargos did was a hard knockdown the opponent will be dropped for a hard knockdown

Sadistic Intent
Devil's Divide ↓/214P2

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Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
0(0%)	0(0%)	--	??	??	--	--	--	--	??	+4	+4	--	Recapture
advantage grab finisher used for surprise resets and trolling this is bad without pummels; ok with pummels

Reckoning
QCF+K/236K

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Version	Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
LK	28(7%)	34(9%)	--	??	??	Mid	23	14	23	59f	+20	+20	-38	--
Stagger Combo opener backswing which can be used to avoid pokes and whiff punish the opponent especially low pokes bounce recovery on block which is usually unsafe; you get one air action mess up the punish
Version	Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
MK	38(10%)	44(12%)	--	??	??	Mid	8	24	36	67f	+4	+4	-44	--
Gargos zips upward at a steep angle for a vicious anti-air.
Version	Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
HK	50(13%)	54(15%)	--	??	??	Mid	48	11	22	80f	+31	+31	-12	Full invul 1-47f
A very slow reversal, if you can even call it that. Instinct cancel this to be plus, armored, and close.

Shadow Moves

Shadow Oblivion
QCF+PP/236PP

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Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
19.6(5%)	19.6(5%)	5.2(1%)	0	0	Mid	7+5 (12)	67	35	113f	+2	+2	-16	Tracking projectile
Gargos unleashes a barrage of 14 Portal Punches at the opponent's position. Gargos hops backwards during startup which can dodge attacks. Low damage but that's the cost of a move that can't be avoided.

Shadow Devil's Divide
QCB+PP/214PP

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Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
72(20%)	72(20%)	24(6%)	0	0	--	9+0 (9)	2	44	55f	+62	+62	--	Throw invul 1-9f
Gargos steps forward, automatically performing a juiced-up Sadistic Drop on hit. In neutral, this move deals a lot of Potential Damage.

Shadow Reckoning
QCF+KK/236KK

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Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
30.8(8%)	36.8(10%)	5.6(1%)	0	0	Mid	1+8 (9)	21	16	45f	+15	+15	+2	Proj invul 1-28f
To Do

Minions

Minions
QCB+K/214K

L-R: Izzik, Dretch

Izzik and Dretch, skinny and fatty, stabby and jumpy, Larry and Jerry. Y'know, those two guys.

Izzik (skinny stabby blue one) is slow and frail, but aggressive on offense. His Kill move is a 9x-hitting spin attack that locks opponents in place.
Dretch (jumpy flabby red one) by contrast is a tanky mover, but attacks infrequently. His Kill move is a delayed singe-hit overhead.

Minion Summon
QCB+K/214KK

This is when the party starts

Version	Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
S	--	--	--	0	0	Mid	16+0(16)	--	19	35f	--	--	--	--
Tap the buttons for Izzik, hold the buttons for Dretch. Press back to summon in Cover Mode, otherwise they will spawn in Creep Mode.

Izzik Attack
--

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Version	Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
?	9.0/18.0(2%/5%)	9.0/18.0(2%/5%)	--	0	0	Mid	13	8	10	30f	+32	+32	+26	--
Izzik will perform the anti-air version automatically if the opponent is airborne.

Instinct

Stoneskin
HP+HK

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Gargos is free to blow through all light, medium, and special strikes, in exchange for becoming practically immobile. If Gargos activates with momentum on his side, it can be very difficult to escape or challenge his pressure.

Eruption
3P/LMHP

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Damage	Counter-Hit Damage	Potential Damage	Shadow On Hit	Shadow On Block	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery	Total Duration	On Hit	On Counter-Hit	On Block	Special Properties
0(0%)	0(0%)	--	??	??	Mid	11	6	35	51f	+23	+23	-35	To Do
Gargos tears off his stone armor in this full-screen reversal. Can be performed in neutral, during knockdowns, even while getting combo'd. If you whiff a Counter Breaker, pop this immediately.