What options do I have after dodging if I can’t air combo

nier-automata

I'm playing on Hard mode, about ten hours through the game, and I'm noticing more and more jobber enemies don't react to getting hit. As a result, attempting to knock enemies into the air leaves me in the air with them on the ground. Not only does this not help me, it puts me in a very dangerous position if the enemies swarm underneath me or if there's somebody shooting me.

The problem is that if I light or heavy attack after dodging, I automatically do a launcher, which is something I really don't want to do. The only other option I'm aware of is just not attacking or disengaging after dodging, but this is a clunky option that drags a fight on for minutes at best and not always possible if I'm caught against a wall.

Are there any other options or weapons for me if I want to do something after dodging?

Best Answer

Depending on what your secondary weapon is, your heavy counter may not be a launching attack. According to this thread, having a Small Sword as your secondary will result in launching (or attempting to, at least) your enemy into the air, while a Large Sword will leave you on the ground. This is typically what type of I had as my secondary when I played through the game each time.

Another way you can ensure that you don't accidentally turn yourself into a floating target, then use your Pod's counter after a perfect evade. With Pod A, at least, you'll launch a grenade, which not only does much more damage than your typical Pod fire, it also tends to knock smaller enemies away.

Lastly, while you seem to be against it, pausing for a split second after a perfect evade is a perfectly viable strategy that I used myself from time to time. If you don't see an opening for an attack, then it might be best not to try one.