Launch

Effect

Launch is one of the side-effects of certain skills or bullets. Unlike a status effect, the enemy does not gain a certain status, but undergoes a physical action, which may impede its ability to strike back at you.

Properties

The sort of physical impediment the enemy undergoes depends on the enemy itself. But usually the same category of enemies undergoes nigh-on the same side-effect. It also sometimes depends on where you hit the enemy (from behind, the side, or the front), as to how effective the side-effect is.

• Small enemies: They will fly several meters upward.
• Medium enemies: These will fly up into the air, and land on their back.
• Large enemies: The effects vary on the enemy itself. Most common are flinching, tripping and falling over.

Combinations of side-effects

You can not launch an enemy that has just undergone blowdown. However, you can juggle an enemy several times with launch. This will send them flying higher then usual, and will impede their retaliatory action for longer. This only works for small and medium enemies.

Note that some enemies not only fly upwards, but once they land also roll backward, away from you. This makes it harder to use combos.

By using launch repeatedly on a large enemy which can not undergo blowdown, blowaway, or launch, you can stunlock the enemy. If timed correctly, the enemy will keep flinching while taking damage from your shots, and will not be able to take physical action. It will die without having been able to retaliate.