Run for the hills, BlazBlue players! News is coming out of the very recent playtests of BlazBlue: Continuum Shift 2, an arcade update with the new characters Mu-12, Makoto, Valkenhayn, and Platinum plus balance changes nearly all around. There will be a console update for the PS3 and Xbox for these changes, of course the new characters are DLC. Longtime players might be shocked by the changes.

Copy pasta from Dustloop.com

"Ragna:
5D on grounded opponents no longer floats
3C is techable
5B>6A gattling is gone
Inferno Divider no longer has wall bounce
Belial edge doesn't bounce as high any more (can still follow up with a quick 5D)

Jin:
2C>5C gattling added (cannot re-input 2C)
B musou knocks down again [click read more for the rest]"

"Noel:
2C>5C gattling added (cannot re-input 2C)
j4D is damn fast. As if you can't see her falling from the air.
5D reduced invincibility frames

Rachel:
Overall damage increased
5B>2B gattling added
6A activation speed increased
6B on counter slides
6B jump cancel possible on block
2C hit stop increased
5C>C now slides. Mid screen C lobelia>3D> Sword iris/BBL combos. In corner 5C>C>3C can be done for 2 loops.
j2C can be canceled into attacks on landing
Lobeilas come out even when hit
George has been changed (there's a frog gauge now)
Tempest dahlia? what the heck is that? [i think he means it's been removed]

Tager:
Nothing known.
something about his collider mechanics being revised

Taokaka:
new jB, cat motion 2's animation for 2 hits
old jB is now j2B
taunt loop's been nerfed bad. it's now a joke.
drives are more stiff(?), increased hit stop.
health increase [i think.]


Arakune:
overall damage decreased
guarded drive moves give less curse meter

Litchi:
more gattlings without staff
6A with staff must be RC otherwise no followups available
4D slides. follow up possible in corner
6D's level(?) decreased. [maybe priority?]
jC without staff is now techable

Bang:
5B slower start up
2B slower start up
2B>5B gattling added. (cannot reinput 2B)
heavenly phoenix thrust no longer wall bounces for both air and ground
3C is techable
ashura slower start up, no more invincibility frames, has become a joke DD

Carl:
2B>5B gattling added cannot re-input 2B)
ada's gauge recovers slower

hakumen:
jD cannot be followed up
5D increased damage
[something about his yukikaze.]
other than that don't know much

Lambda:
5DD activation slowed
blade summonings are slower

Tsubaki:
5D instantly gives 1 stock, but holding down D gives a slightly slower charge speed
2D starts out slow but the charge speed rapidly increases. Also more stiff now.
jD charge speed increased
5B more strong
2BB>5BB gattlings added (Cannot re-input 2BB)
236A start up time increased, if comboed into cannot be follow up [i think.]
214A, B doesn't float opponent even when done by itself
623A on counter hit, untechable time decreased so cannot follow up
cannot cancel into any move from throw, throw slides. mid screen do 236D to follow up, in corner can follow up with normal combos.
after air throw timing for follow up attacks more strict

Hazama:
Ouroboros start up and move speed slowed (although it really feel like there's no difference)
Ouroboros gauge takes longer to recover
5B level reduced. If 5B>3C is not inputted with the fastest timing it won't combo.

Makoto:
parry cancel gone
5B faster start-up, can jump cancel even on block.

Valkenhayn:
cannot block or crouch in wolf form. cannot switch directions.

"Step Character" - has reasonable range. Good at follow-ups while doing damage.

cannot crouch/block in beast mode/ [something odd about walking left and right based on attack/throw? direction]

5A, 2A - small punches
5B - kick
2B - low kick
6A - some kind of knee kick
6B - some kind of mid attack
5C - ridiculously long kick; reaches far
6C - flying kick; hits mid ; feet invincible; no disadvantages even on guard; crushing attack
2C - anti-air kick; fast startup; crushing attack
3C - knockdown kick
j.A, j.B - par for the course
j.C - downward kick; even Slayer would be surprised how good this is.
236A - like "Hell's Fang" - slight advantage on hit
236B - has B-follow-up; low rush
236C - "Upper"-type rush; hits mid
Beast A - low clawing motion
Beast B - stabs upward; head invincible
Beast j.A - clawing motion
Beast j.B - rages about in mid-air
Beast C - goes airborne quickly
Beast 236A, 236B - wolf charge; A moves horizontally, B moves diagonally upward
Beast 236D - command throw, 2300 damage
632146D - like Chipp's FujiyamaGeisha super; left defenseless if all hits are guarded
j.236236C - Chokkagata Dandy
214214214D - Astral Heat ; launches opponent, transforms, [something happens involving moon]


As a Ragna player this hurts, this hurts so much. I love my 5b>6a (quick kick to launcher), I love it to death, I love 3c(sweep move). I'll especially miss Belial Edge and my floaty 5d. I think I just might cry! Well, Litchi and Bang have been spayed and neutered, Rachel has been amped back up, Tager...brace yourself, Jack...they're screwing with the Atomic Collider. Hazama can't fling his chain willy-nilly, Taokaka has to take things more seriously (no taunt loop), Carl has to wait a bit longer to play with his doll, Lambda stuck her swords in molasses, Tsubaki got a little bit of help, Makoto's parry loop is gone, and Hakumen...is still badass so far(wish I could learn to play him efficiently, need to practice my linking!).

Valkenhayn is looking fairly interesting, we finally have decent video of him in action.


Oh well, I suppose we'll see what the future holds, I'm going to hold a candlelight vigil for my 5b>6a.