DBFZ/Android 21

	Unique Movement Options
	Sonic Warp

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Overview

Overview

Android 21 specializes in neutral control, being capable of locking the screen down and harassing the opponent with copy abilities similar to Kirby (she's even pink). Her normals allow her to poke and cover ground easily, while her projectile game makes it hard to approach her in the first place. For insurance, her copy abilities help levy things further in her favor, such as Sticky Energy BlastGuard:
ThrowStartup:
17Recovery:
Advantage:
making her uncontestable in the air and enabling subsequent checkmate potential. In pressure she relies on standard options but can use them better than most, her air normals being great at cross-ups and her 2L being a solid low. Defensively she has nothing special, but she can still employ common tactics like jumping out of pressure and divekicking + assist to steal corner pressure from the opponent. All-around, Android 21 brings a lot to a team without many sacrifices, making her a very strong and viable character.

Android 21

Android 21 is unique for her ability to copy abilities from her opponents with her command grab, Connoisseur Cut. She also boasts a strong long-range game, using a combination of copied attacks and her own projectiles to wear down her enemies.
Pros	Cons
Superb Neutral: Boasts some of the best ranged normals and Ki Blasts in the game. Ability Steal: Steals further enhance her neutral, can drastically increase her damage and cover for any other issues she may face. Team Value: Her A assist is loaded on hitstun, Photon Wave is very easy to use in DHCs, and she synergizes well with many characters.	Knockdowns: Always has to spend resources to get okizeme, no matter what. On top of this, she can barely gets a safejump off of ground Level 3 Super.

Unique Mechanics

Ability Absorption

There are 4 slots above Android 21's bar of meter. Each one of these slots corresponds to a version of Connoisseur Cut. From left to right, the slots are for:

Connoisseur Cut (236S)
Air Connoisseur Cut (j.236S)
Aerial Connoisseur Cut (214S)
Air Aerial Connoisseur Cut (j.214S)

After using a version of Connoisseur Cut, the slot will fill up with the move that you absorbed. After this, if you use the same input that you used to absorb the move, you'll do the special move that you absorbed instead of the Connoisseur Cut. Stolen moves are single-use and will free up their slots. Sweet Tooth (214L+M) will fill all available slots at once.

Furthermore, Android 21 can chain the copied abilities by pressing the S button on hit, alternating between Connoisseur Cut and Aerial Connoisseur Cut. Cancelling from a copied ability into an L, M, or H button will result in 214X. Attempting to cancel from a copied ability into SD will result in 214H. Canceling from a copied ability into Vanish works fine.

Using the H version of Total Detonation Ball makes 21 discard all her currently copied abilities, but in return, the move becomes stronger in proportion to how many abilities had been copied at that point.

Absorbed abilities are separated into 4 colours/categories. Using Connoisseur Cut on a character belonging to one of these categories will give you a predetermined move based on this category. The move absorbed is different depending on whether you used Connoisseur Cut (236S/j.236S) or Aerial Connoisseur Cut (214S/j.214S).

The breakdown of which character belongs to which color/category is as follows:

Blue (Earthlings): Gohan (Teen), Gohan (Adult), Goku, Goku (Super Saiyan), Goku (SSGSS), Goku (Ultra Instinct), Goku (GT), Goku Black, Krillin, Master Roshi, Tien, Videl, Yamcha
Yellow (Saiyans): Bardock, Broly, Broly (DBS), Gogeta (SSGSS), Gogeta (SS4), Gotenks, Kefla, Nappa, Trunks, Vegeta, Vegeta (Super Saiyan), Vegeta (SSGSS), Vegito (SSGSS)
Green (Androids): Android 16, Android 17, Android 18, Android 21, Android 21 (Lab Coat), Cell, Super Baby 2
Purple (Aliens): Beerus, Captain Ginyu, Cooler, Frieza, Hit, Janemba, Jiren, Kid Buu, Majin Buu, Piccolo, Zamasu (Fused)

Normal Moves

5L

Version	Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	On-Block
5L	400	All		6	3	-3
5LL	700	All		9	4	-4
5LLL	1000	All	U3+	13	4	-5

5L

Good frame advantage.

A little shorter than most 5Ls, but just as useful to 21 as any other.

5LL

Good frame advantage.
Advances forwards, more range than it looks.
Above a certain height, 5LL > 5LLL will whiff.

5LL is not usually used as more than combo or blockstring filler.

5LLL

Safe on block.

5LLL is strictly combo filler, as it cannot gatling into any other normals. Its high damage and ability to always smash makes it great for ToDs, and it also shines after a Vanish.

5M

Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
700	All		10	4		-6

As of version 1.25, adds some forward momentum. This allows it to hit at round start distance.

This move is amazing. It has huge range and is only -6, which makes it an incredible ranged stagger tool. It's also blessed with unusually low pushback, which further accentuates its strengths. 5M > 5M on block will crush a majority of the cast's 5Ls at close to max distance.

5H

Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
850 / 1000	All	U1	15	4		-5

Hits at round start distance.

Great in combos, as 21 can do the 5H rejump for more corner carry. Otherwise, its primary use is as blockstring filler.

5S

Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
600	All		13		Total 37	-4

Despite the appearance, this is only 1 Ki blast.

Great as both a stagger tool and a zoning tool. Its great frame advantage and pushback allows you to make any of 21's moves safe, and her long range lets you threaten afterwards. It is a broly level projectile meaning it will beat almost every other ki blast in the game which shuts down many characters neutral game against her, especially when used in tandem with her 2s and total detonation ball.

2L

Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
400	Low		7	2		-2

Chains into itself.
Prime close-range stagger tool.

The low 2L of legend. Gives her fast high-lows and good pressure, as well as being visually distinct from 5L.

2M / 3M

Version	Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
2M	700	Low		11	3	23	-10
3M	700	Low		17	3	23	-10

Tracks opponents up to almost half a screen away.
Won't hit at round start distance.
2M will always combo into 5H on a grounded opponent.

Unscaled, tracking 2M. This move is amazing, and is vital to combos and blockstrings alike. During pressure, 5M > 2M acts as a frame trap, while 2M > 5M works as a long-range stagger.

3M is slower than 2M but tracks from about 1/2 screen to 3/4 screen.
Has initial proration.
2M and 3M don't chain into one another like Kid Buu's.

3M > 5S > Vanish allows you to convert into a full combo. This can be used to surprise opponents who do not expect that they need to block low from so far away.

2H

Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
850 / 1000	All	U1+	14	3	22+10L	-19	4-18 Head

Long recovery on whiff.
Can be made safe with j.214L.

THE anti-air for 21. Even though 214S now has head invuln and can be used as an anti-air, 2H still has much higher reward. It also doubles as a ToD starter with Sparking.

2S

Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
450×3	All		21		Total 38	+4

Jumps back and fires three fireballs at a downwards angle.
Long startup but decently fast projectile.

21's primary zoning tool. It recovers fast enough for her to 2H a Super Dash from fullscreen, and its midair recovery allows her to air dash for a tricky pressure reset. This move alone singlehandedly wins matchups against "2-step neutral" characters like Ginyu.

Avoid becoming predictable with this normal, since 2S (and especially 5S > 2S) can be very easily stuffed with Super Dash. 2S > j.M/j.H is also vulnerable to Reflect, and at long range, 2S will be neutralised by beams.

6M

Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
850	High		24	6	4+6L	±0

Jumps, spins and does an overhead kick.
21 is airborne throughout the attack animation.

j.L

Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
400	High		6	3

Great air-to-air against opponents who are higher than 21.
High hitbox means it may whiff against some crouching opponents.

j.L gets most of its use after a dive ender, especially in the corner. Its high hitbox makes it perfect for catching air techs and dragging the opponent back to the ground.

j.M

Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
700	High		10	4

Amazing air-to-air normal.
Point blank cross-up on every character in the game

j.M is an amazing air normal to have. It's got pretty much everything you could ask for: speed, damage and range. Another excellent poke in 21's arsenal.

j.H

Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
750 [1000]	High	[D3+]	14	5

5LLLLLLL Smash hit can wall bounce.

Massive range. Great as a jump-in, and a great combo filler.
Launches aerial opponents away on hit.
Deals a little less damage than the ordinary j.H.

Unlike most other characters, 21's j.H doesn't have Smash property, preventing her from getting sliding knockdowns from otherwise common combo moves. On the other hand, this allows her to use it liberally as a combo filler, which is part of why 21's damage is so high overall.

j.H is also an incredible oki tool. Its large, omnidirectional hitbox allows it to set up for ambiguous cross-ups midscreen, or cover most tech options in the corner.

j.S

Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
400×3	All		18		Total 45+6L

Lunges forward and throws three fireballs at a downwards angle.
Jumping and then immediately using j.S will actually keep 21 closer to the ground than her 2S would.

21's j.S commands space in a similar manner to her 2S, but there are some differences between the two moves. Instant j.S affects her momentum in a different manner than 2S, propelling her forwards and then bouncing back compared to jumping backwards. Take care in throwing it out, as it has an obvious animation and can be super dashed through. Her only invincible counters to Super Dash in the air is j.214S with a yellow steal and j.214L+M.

j.2H

Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
750	All	U1+	13	4

Massive range. Adds some diagonally upward momentum on top of that.
Smash hit combos into Super Dash. Non-Smash hit can be jump cancelled into j.L or j.M.

Highly damaging combo filler, used in every 21 combo ever. Ideally you'd be doing 5H rejumps, but the trusty Saiyan BnB works just fine for 21 as well.

Special Moves

Total Detonation Ball

236L/M/H

Version	Damage	Guard	Startup	Recovery	On-Block
236L	900	All	18	Total 56	-10
236M	900	All	16	Total 42	+2
236H Level 0	900	All	16	Total 43	+1
236H Level 1	700×2	All	16	Total 41	+5
236H Level 2	700×3	All	16	Total 41	+10
236H Level 3	700×4	All	16	Total 41	+15
236H Level 4	700×5	All	16	Total 41	+20

236L

Fast projectile.
Has the same properties as other beam projectiles. Blasts through weak fireballs and clashes with beams.
Cancels into SD.

21's dedicated zoning tool. On top of beating weaker projectiles, 236L can be used with a high-blockstun assist to set up IAD pressure.

236M

Fires the ball upward into the air at an angle (45°).

A reliable answer to Super Dash. On block, using 236M and calling an assist allows 21 to start her pressure. Its lower recovery than 236L not only makes it much safer on block, but also oppressive against chicken blocking in the corner.

236H

Gets bigger, deals more blockstun and gains an extra hit with every move 21 has absorbed.
Discards all currently absorbed moves.
Clashes with level 1 supers if 21 has at least one absorbed move.

236H is plus on block even without absorbed abilities, allowing 21 to safely disengage from even the most poorly thought out blockstring. With absorbed abilities, its frame advantage ranges from high to absurd, and its high damage makes it a punishing combo starter/filler. At max charge, 21 can IAD j.M/j.H without fear of retaliation.

Hors d'Oeuvre Stab

214L/M/H (Air OK)

Version	Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	On-Block
214L	200,800 / 200,300 / 0,1000	All	U1+	12	-5
214M	200,800 / 200,300 / 0,1100	All	U1+	14	-5
214H	600,1000 / 600,1000 / 0,1200	All	U1+	14	-5
j.214L	200,800 / 200,300 / 0,1000	All	U1+	13	-5
j.214M	200,800 / 200,300 / 0,1100	All	U1+	15	-5
j.214H	600,1000 / 600,1000 / 0,1200	All	U1+	13	-5

Damage: Raw / Non-Smash / Smash
Smash triggers upon landing.
Air versions can be performed as additional followup for all Connoisseur Cuts and absorbed moves.
Ground M version corner bounces on Smash hit.
Both H versions ground bounce the opponent high into the air on Smash hit.

This divekick is an just another neutral tool for 21 to mix things up if her opponent is under her as she already has access to a plethora of special moves to keep herself unpredictable in the air such as both versions of Connoisseur Cut and any of her aerial steals. Doing this plus an assist can allow you to start pressure in situations where your opponent believes they can just meaty her as shes falling from the air. Just don't be too predictable with this move as you are still prone to being 2hd.

Connoisseur Cut

236S (Air OK)

Version	Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
236S	900	Throw	D2	24
j.236S	900	Throw	D2	13		+3L

Side switches on hit.
Can be followed up with Hors d'Oeuvre Stab by pressing L, M or H. L keeps the side switch, M and H side switch again.

Android 21 dashes forward before grabbing the opponent and impaling them with an energy spike. Its long range is offset by its single-use property, requiring 21 to discard currently absorbed abilities to use it again.

This grab is the core of 21's solo mix when she is pressuring an opponent either with 0 assists or as an anchor on the team. On the surface, 24 frames for a command grab sounds slow, however the animation starts later on, so unless the opponent is actively looking for this command grab, they will not be able to react to it. Especially midscreen when the threat of crossup, 6m and assist, DR, or staggers are very real, this command grab will even catch players that have the best defense.

Aerial Connoisseur Cut

214S (Air OK)

Version	Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
214S	900	Throw	D2	13		+3L		4-13 Head
j.214S	900	Throw	D2	13		+3L

Advances into the air at a 45° angle.
Both versions side switch on hit. Can be followed up with Hors d'Oeuvre Stab by pressing L, M or H. L keeps the side switch, M and H side switch again.
Has anti-air property.
Can be used after Dragon Rush ender to extend into supers.

Air version is great against opponents that like to jump a lot in front of you.
Another route to go into Excellent Full Course when already having a long, scaled air combo.

Absorbed Abilities

When chaining absorbed abilities, 21 begins teleporting 8 frames after pressing S and the ability being canceled into becomes active as soon as she reappears (except in the case of a raw Sonic Warp). "Cancellable" in the ability descriptions refers to cancelling into another absorbed ability, 214X, or Vanish. Cancelling from an absorbed ability into an L, M, or H button will result in 214X. Attempting to cancel from an absorbed ability into SD will result in 214H.

Kamehameha

236S (Air OK)

Version	Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
236B	262×5	All		18	25		-8
j.236B	262×5	All		18	25

Android 21 takes a step back before firing a Kamehameha. Comes out fast and is your standard beam projectile.
Cancellable starting at active frame 8.
Unlike other characters' Kamehameha, attempting to cancel into SD will result in 214H.
Ground version stays grounded.

Solar Flare

214S (Air OK)

Version	Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
214B	0	All		10	5		-1	4-10 Head
j.214B	0	All		10	5			4-10 Head

Cancellable immediately.
Has anti-air property.
Puts 21 airborne.
Just like Krillin's Solar Flare, you can use it for oki in tandem with an assist to catch opponents teching above you.
Air version can hit opponents during air invulnerable attacks like 2H.

Consecutive Energy Blast

236S (Air OK)

Version	Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
236Y	170×8	All		12			-7
j.236Y	170×8	All		12		+6L

Every hit ground bounces except the last one.
Cancellable starting at active frame 48.

Very similar to Consecutive Energy Blast as you can active tag into an assist character and still get a Dragon Rush, with the added bonus of being able to combo if this hits anywhere on screen as long as 21 has access to an air steal. All of her air steals can be cancelled into on reaction if the opponent decides to super dash this move, making it a very strong punish move on characters whiffing a beam or ki blasts fullscreen.

Sticky Energy Blast

214S (Air OK)

Version	Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
214Y	1400	Throw	D2	17	5			1-21 Head
j.214Y	1400	Throw	D2	16				1-20 Head

Whiffs against crouching opponents.
Aerial version has much longer range. It also has anti-air properties, allowing it to cleanly beat Super Dash no matter what.
Wall splats into a very short sliding knockdown on hit.
Cancellable starting 6 frames before attack hits and during timestop.
Can only land once during a combo.

This move is by far her best steal. Going for a Dragon Rush with the air version of this move stocked is functionally a checkmate. It's head invincible for so long that the opponent has to heavily delay their airdash, which will get caught by your own airdash button. If they do anything else, you can just use the move and grab them. They can't do anything about it.

Explosive Energy Blast

236S (Air OK)

Version	Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
236G	(400,800)×2	All		19		Total 39	+11
j.236G	(400,800)×2	All		15

Jumps up and throws 2 Teen Gohan-esque bombs that carry the opponent with them and only explode once they touch the ground.
The bottom bomb won't go off screen, will instead slide against the wall when done in the corner.
Hits 4 times if the opponent is caught between the two blasts (1760 damage).
Cancellable starting at startup frame 10.
LM/H follow ups will catch superdash.

Barrier Sphere

214S (Air OK)

Version	Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
214G						Total 50		4-41 Non-throw, non-Super
j.214G						Total 50+6L		4-41 Non-throw, non-Super

Similar to Android 18's barrier, gives you 25% Ki gauge for each hit blocked and can cancel into supers with L+M, H+S.
Doesn't stop throws and supers.
Also blocks hits for assists.
Active from frames 5 to 41 (54 if an attack is absorbed).
Cancellable when barrier is hit.

Homing Energy Blast

236S (Air OK)

Version	Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
236P	700	All		18		Total 45	-7
j.236P	700	All		18		Total 47+6L

Grounded version has a larger hitbox and moves slower.
Cancellable if the orb hits as it comes out.

Sonic Warp

214S (Air OK)

Version	Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
214P						Total 32		15-26 All
j.214P						Total 37		15-26 All

Similar to Frieza's 22S but without the additional shot.
Invulnerable from frames 8 to 12.
Useful for corner loops and combos.
Cancellable starting at startup frame 6.
When canceled into a 2nd absorbed ability, the 2nd ability goes through its normal startup in addition to the 8 frame startup after pressing S.

Z Assists

Assist A

Total Detonation Ball

Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
800	All		25			+30

Fires fullscreen.
Cannot be super dashed through.

21 appears and does her 236L. Shares most of its properties with the point version. Excellent as both a neutral assist and a combo assist, as it is functionally a faster beam. A great all-around assist.

Assist B

Hors d'Oeuvre Stab

Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
200, 800	All		20			+30

Tracks the opponent to about half screen.
Similar hitstun to the point version, opponent can tech in the air above her.
Above-average damage for an assist.
Fully Invincible starting Frame 10

While not having as much range as her Assist A, Android 21's Assist B covers a different role. Its hitstun is even higher than her Assist A, and the additional blockstun makes it better as a close-range pressure assist. It's especially good for forcing SD > Assist on block. Along with the buffed invincible frames this assist is no longer a bad pick as it is effectively a 20 Frame DP assist useable in neutral.

Assist C

Snack Time

Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
450×2, 400	All		35 [20]			+55

Blockstun C assist.
Startup in [] refers to when the opponent's point character is in hitstun.
Tracks to the opponent's location.
On hit, adds a third hit that spikes the opponent to the ground.

The "best of both worlds" assist. 50 frames of blockstun allows most characters to turn their ranged offense into close-range pressure and turns blockstrings into mix-ups. Lessened startup also makes it excellent for combo extensions, even though it will mostly be into a Dragon Rush ender. Great C assist all around, especially due to how she is most common as a point character and DHCs remove the cooldown.

Super Moves

Photon Wave

236L+M (Air OK) or 236H+S (Air OK)

Version	Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
236L+M	2200	All	UDV	9+4	20		-20	9-18 All
j.236L+M	2200	All	UDV	9+4	20		-20	9-18 All

Invulnerable from frames 9 to 18.
21 will teleport to a certain location in the air, despite being on the ground or air beforehand, before firing a beam along the ground that causes an explosion.
Minimum damage: 792.

21's level 1. Fast, reliable and extremely easy to combo into.

Despite looking like a single hit, this will always hit 20 times.

Sweet Tooth

214L+M or 214H+S

Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
3803	All	UDV	10+3			-29	1-20 All

Invulnerable from frames 1 to 21.
Costs 3 bars.
This is her DHC.
Fires a pink beam across the screen. On hit, 21 will turn the opponent into a dessert, take a bite out of them, then toss the remainder in disgust. If the move deals enough damage to kill, she will finish the opponent rather than deserting them.
Heals 500 blue health and fills all available slots on hit.
Minimum damage: 1521. This is the second least-damaging mainstream level 3, surpassing only Yamcha's.

Invulnerable on frame 1 makes this your invincible reversal. Being +18 on hit makes it so 21 only has enough time to meaty with a safejump or 2M

Excellent Full Course

j.214L+M or j.214H+S

Damage	Guard	Smash	Startup	Active	Recovery	On-Block	Invuln
4221	All	UDV	11+3		Until L		1-? All

Invulnerable from frames 1 to 30.
Costs 3 bars.
Minimum damage: 1721.
Brings the opponent to the ground, setting up a hard knockdown in front of you.

+28 on hit. Effectively 21's air DP. Unlike her grounded level 3, this does not fill all available slots on hit, making it a subpar choice if it's not going to kill.

As of version 1.25, if the opponent is in hitstun, 21 will teleport at the opponent's height before charging forward. Does indeed work after the first hit of any Hors d'Oeuvre Stab if high enough