Game Mechanics
Movement Options
- Forward dash:
Every character can perform their 5HP out of a forward dash (5HK instead if you're Ayako), though some characters have a command normal on the dash HP input.
Characters may also press back to cut their forward dash short, stopping them in place. However, this option is not available to Satomi, Manami, Ayako or Kaori -- these four must commit to their dashes (though they can still perform their dash normals).
- Backdash:
Backdashes operate differently depending on your character. Each character's backdash lasts for a different number of frames, changing the distance traveled. Additionally, most -- but not all -- backdashes have throw invulnerability, but not any other kind. Only Miranda and Material have access to strike invulnerable backdashes.
- Super Jump:
/
/
Super jumps cause characters to jump higher and twice the distance of a normal jump -- this is usually your main option for covering large distances. A very common offensive tactic is to super jump with rising jump light normals, as they stay active for a fairly long time and can be chained into jump heavy normals. It's also possible to perform a super jump from a dash just by dashing and then inputting a jump, although Ayako, Elirin, Manami and Material cannot do this.
Defensive Options
- Blocking: /
Something to note is that blockstun on attacks in AVG2 is quite short -- usually about 5-6F shorter than hitstun, which gives you plenty of opportunities to find your way out of pressure if you know what you're doing. Characters are also able to block aerial attacks and projectiles while in the air. However, it is impossible to air block grounded attacks, such as anti-air normals.
- Guard Cancel: +
/
during blockstun (0.5 power gauges required)
Guard cancels in AVG2 work very similarly to Alpha Counters, though there are some notable differences worth paying attention to.
Characters are able to guard cancel with each of the four normal attack buttons, and each button has a unique animation -- some actually have more than one guard cancel per button, depending on factors such as whether you're standing or crouching, or if you hold forward during the freeze frames. Generally speaking, guard cancels with 
or 
will result in normal attacks, while those with 
or 
will be special attacks.
Because guard cancel options are based entirely on existing attack options for your character, guard cancel options are not guaranteed to have any invulnerability, so don’t treat them as a free out to block pressure.
- Quick Rise: just as you hit the ground
Allows you to avoid a long knockdown animation and potentially avoid a rough okizeme situation. Since each character's quick rise animation is the same as their backdash animation, quick rise animations can differ in length depending on the character. This also means they only provide throw invulnerability, allowing them to be punished by a wide variety of attacks, especially in the corner.
- Throw Soften: / +
as opponent's throw connects
Similar to throw softening in Street Fighter Alpha 2, softening a throw in AVG2 will halve the damage of any throw you receive and putting yourself into an air reset state instead of being knocked down. Bear in mind, however, that air reset state isn't invulnerable, so depending on the throw soften animation, some characters are able to punish you for softening the throw, which can be worth more damage than the throw itself in some cases. That is, assuming you even manage to hit the throw soften in the first place -- unlike A2, the throw soften input window in this game is only 1F, so it really only becomes a factor when two players go for a throw at the same time.
Special Moves
SP Buttons
When configuring your controls, it's possible to set two buttons as SP1 and SP2. These buttons are special move shortcuts, with each SP button corresponding to the light version of one special move. If both SP buttons are pressed together, it will perform your character's Super attack (or one of them if they have multiple). For example, Yuka's SP1 results in LP Kikoudan, while her SP2 results in LP Souryugeki. Pressing SP1+SP2 will result in Yuka performing Kiryu Idatengeki.
SP buttons perform the associated special move without consideration for any otherwise mandatory input requirements; this means that if an SP button is attached to a special move that, for instance, normally requires charging (such as Chiho's Hien Geki), the charge time is completely ignored when performing the move with the SP button. In general, SP button special moves can grant characters a lot of flexibility that they may not otherwise have.
SP buttons are tournament legal.
Special move motions
Special move motions throughout this wiki will be notated using 
(236), 
(623) etc. However, Advanced VG2 doesn't require diagonal inputs to be registered in order for a special move input to be valid. This effectively means that a 236 special move only requires the 2 and 6 inputs for the special move to trigger. You'll need to work around this in order to prevent accidental special moves in some cases, but you can also use this to your advantage to make certain super cancels easier.
Power Gauge
The power gauge is your super meter. It holds up to three stocks and is built in several ways, with some building more than others. Actions that build the most meter to the least meter are as follows:
Taking damage > dealing damage > blocking attacks > having your attacks blocked > whiffing attacks
In general, taking damage builds more meter than dealing it, which makes the super meter your pseudo-comeback mechanic.
Power gauge is spent primarily on EX Special Moves, which cost one stock, and Super Attacks, which cost two stocks.
EX Special Moves
Something to note about EX attacks is that there are two ways to input them. The first is to input the special move motion with LP+HP or LK+HK, the second is to input the special move with a double input. The following is a list of EX attack inputs as a reference:
| Two-Button Input | Double Motion Input |
|---|---|
| 236+PP | 236236+P |
| 214+PP | 214214+P |
| 623+PP | 623623+P |
| [4]6+PP | [4]646+P |
| [2]8+PP | [1]319+P |
This distinction is important, because super cancelling is only possible with double input EX attacks -- in other words, you can't use the two-button EX commands to super cancel. The game just won't let it happen.
Secret Moves
A handful of characters also have special versions of one or more of their special moves known as “Secret” moves. Secret moves are essentially unique versions of a character’s special move which take a property of the EX version and apply it to the meterless version. These special moves usually have some kind of meter requirement, such as having a certain amount of meter stocked, but they do not cost any meter to perform. Secret moves are often very situational, and it’s not uncommon for characters to have Secret moves that they don’t use at all.
Combo System
- Normal Chains
Every character is capable of chaining their normals together. This is usually a bit more limited than your typical Magic Series, and chain routes tend to vary between characters, but as a general rule, every character is capable of chaining light normals (both on the ground and in the air) into heavy normals. Individual chain routes will be noted on character pages. Since most chains operate under the same logic as Target Combos, there will be some chain strings where an individual normal that is not normally chainable can chain into another normal. Because of this, we will note both what a normal can chain into, but also common target combo routes. It is also worth nothing that chains are able to continue via whiff canceling, you can do the whole chain without hitting anything.
- Special Cancels
Many normals are special cancelable, but it is worth noting that AVG2 has VERY early cancel windows. You may need to recalibrate your timing from most other games to accommodate what AVG2 asks of you.
- Launchers and Air Combos
A number of characters have command normals that launch the opponent for a combo. Unlike similar moves in other games, these normals cannot be jump-cancelled, so follow-ups usually involve either manually timing a jump or super-jump, or simply juggling with grounded attacks.
- Super Cancels
Special moves can be canceled into EX Specials, which then can be canceled into another EX or a Super.
- OTG Hits
Characters can be hit off the ground by any attack while knocked down, so long as the attack has an appropriately low hitbox. After being hit OTG, the opponent will be floated a small distance into the air, where they can be hit with attacks until they hit the ground again. Attacks that land on an opponent in this situation will cause a knockdown rather than an air reset.
- OTG and Throw Combo Damage Scaling
OTGs and throws scale damage by 50%.
