How do I use the Extend Force Gauge?

...depends

Extend Force Gauge is the second resource you play around in Arcana Heart 3. Located underneath the portrait

It has a variety of uses just like the Arcana Gauge but it also has a special "Extend Force Mode" which allows for all sorts of fun. We won't go too deeply into the meta usage of the Extend Force Gauge along with the Extend Force Mode, for now.

Before we begin, we need to go over some terms used by the community, in case you talk to somebody and they start using Arcana Slang. Also I will be using these terms in this article

EF (Extend Force) - Is actually a mode you go into, depending on how you use the Extend Force Gauge. If somebody says "While in EF", they mean "While in EF Mode"

EFC (Extend Force Cancel)

Blast - Extend Blast
Eclipse - Arcana Eclipse

Let's first look the Gauge itself, and figure out the different states that its in

There are 3 main states to look for, each being color coded

Full - Big 100% and the Bar is Green

Recharging - The Bar is blue

No Burst - Entire HUD is red, the recharging portion is Orange

Also if you are in the Extend Force, it won't be full but the bar will still be green, kinda confusing

Now onto the usage

Extend Force Uses

The uses for the EF Gauge depend on what state you are in.

If the Extend Force Gauge is Full you can

EF Cancel (A+B+C during some attacks after they "connect" or Projectiles, while grounded)
EF Blast (A+B+C in Neutral Grounded)
Guard Cancel EF Blast (A+B+C in Grounded Blockstun)

If you are in EF Mode

Arcana Eclipse (214B+C while in EF)
Arcana Blaze (236A+B+C while in EF)

If you are NOT in EF Mode and the HUD is White

Burst (C+E)

And details on each use

-ALL- of these actions can only be done while grounded, except for Burst. Which is funny for an Air dominant game

EF Cancel (EFC) - Enters EF - Cancels attacks on Block/Hit and most Arcana Projectiles on whiff. Unlike Homing cancel, it returns you to neutral completely, so you can do say...5C EFC Jump, whereas Homing Cancel will force you into Homing. The EF only lasts HALF the duration

EF Blast - Enters EF - Makes your character do an unclashable, no damage attack to get people off you. It is fully invincible until it hits, and if it connects with the opponent, the invincibility will last until you recover from the EF Blast (So projectiles cannot punish you on success). You get the FULL duration for EF

Guard Cancel EF Blast - Enters EF - Its EF Blast but done in blockstun. The startup is longer before the attack connects, and you only get HALF of the duration of EF

Arcana Eclipse - Only usable in EF - Ends EF - Its a "Super" that is specific to the Arcana you pick. Some normal Supers can cancel into Eclipse which is nice. The EF Gauge will recharge slower after usage, which means Eclipses are not "Free".

Arcana Blaze - Only usable in EF - Ends EF - A powered up Eclipse, but its generally terrible because it puts the EF Gauge into No Burst state, as if you bursted. Not recommended unless it will straight up win you the entire match

Burst - Usable if the EF HUD is white - Cannot be used in EF - Did you get hit by a mixup that almost made you vomit. Are they about to win the match. Do you just disagree with what just happened? Well you can escape combos with C+E. This however locks your EF bar for a long time meaning you lose access to all the tools above. Bursts are not hit punishable and can only be airthrown after the initial burst. Use this with caution

And thats it for uses. Soon I will write up the actual effects of the EF mode

How do I use the Extend Force Gauge?

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