Launch-build scope: These rules are transcribed from GimR FGC's August 5, 2026 mechanics guide and the official beginner material. Exact route behavior, meter costs, and combo-limit values can change with a patch; use Training mode as the final authority.
Grounded normals follow a simple Gatling hierarchy
MARVEL Tōkon's grounded normal attacks are Light, Medium, and Heavy, each with standing and crouching versions. On hit or block, the normals can chain according to this hierarchy:
| Starting normal | Legal next grounded normal to test |
|---|---|
| Light | The other Light, either Medium, or either Heavy |
| Medium | The other Medium, or either Heavy |
| Heavy | The other Heavy |
The rule applies to grounded normals only. Skills, Uniques, assists, and other system actions use their own cancel rules, so reaching the end of a Gatling string does not necessarily mean the turn or combo is over.
There is also a four-grounded-normal limit in one string. For example, standing Light → crouching Light → standing Medium → crouching Medium cannot cancel into a Heavy as a fifth grounded normal. Plan the Skill, Unique, or assist before spending all four normal slots.
Know the two normal exceptions
The string limit is strict, but two exceptions make the early route more flexible:
- You may use both Light variations in either order before moving to Medium or Heavy.
- Crouching Light can cancel into itself once.
You can only use one copy of each other normal in a grounded string. Repeating standing Medium after it has already appeared, for example, does not create a new legal link. Record the exact standing/crouching sequence in Training instead of assuming that a repeated button will always come out.
These restrictions explain why a short Light → Medium → Heavy route is often more stable than mashing one button. They also make the first four normals a resource you can spend to reach a Skill, Link Unique, launcher, or assist pickup.
Link Attacks are auto routes with their own branches
Link Attacks (also called auto combos) are activated by repeating the normal type used to start the route. The launch guide describes three main routes:
| Route | Launch-build behavior to test | Typical purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Light chain into Link Unique, teammate call, and a Skill ender | Reliable wall or team-progress finish |
| Medium | Medium chain into Link Unique, Skill, and a Super when meter is available | Damage and a stable confirm |
| Heavy | Heavy chain into Link Unique, an enhanced Skill branch, and an Ultimate | High damage or round cash-out |
The route begins with the button family you chose. After the Link Unique appears, the guide reports that you can switch to a different auto-combo ender—for example, start with Light, trigger Link Unique, then mash standing Heavy for the Heavy finish. A Link Unique also adds five combo-limit stocks in the cited build, so the flashy branch can end a route sooner than its hit count suggests.
Do not treat the auto route as the only answer. On block, an auto-combo finisher may not activate its Super automatically; on hit, the same sequence can be a safe way to confirm when the screen is busy. Practice stopping before the finisher so you can choose a wall break, hard knockdown, or manual Super instead.
Air normals do not use the grounded hierarchy
Each character has a launch-build set of five air normals: air Light, Medium, Heavy, forward Heavy, and down Heavy. Forward Heavy functions as a slam-launcher/blowback option, while down Heavy ends in a knockdown.
Air normals can chain into one another without the grounded Light → Medium → Heavy hierarchy. Repeating the same air normal tracks toward the opponent and then routes into down Heavy; air Light can be used twice before that automatic knockdown in the cited build. Air normals can also cancel into a jump to extend a confirmed route.
Air Light is the notable defensive exception: the guide describes it as a mid that can be blocked high or low, while the other air normals are overhead attacks. Check the character's current command list because unique air normals and movement skills can alter the practical route.
A launch state is a choice between routes
The universal launch state begins in two common ways:
- Hit the opponent raw with crouching Heavy.
- Connect Assemble Smash and bring in the teammate follow-up.
Once airborne, the auto route changes depending on the button you repeat. Light tends toward a forward Heavy blowback, Medium ends in a down-Heavy ground bounce that can be picked up, and Heavy trades speed for more damage. If you mash an air auto combo, you cannot call an assist during that sequence; jump-cancel first when the route needs an assist extension.
Near a soft wall, forward Heavy can trigger a stage transition. At a hard wall, the opponent can bounce and the launch guide reports an Assemble Gauge reward. Treat both rewards as launch-build observations and re-test them after updates.
Five drills to make the rules automatic
| Drill | Pass condition |
|---|---|
| Gatling map | Perform each legal Light → Medium → Heavy branch from both sides without an accidental fifth normal |
| Exception check | Use both Light variations and crouching Light twice, then confirm that a repeated Medium is rejected |
| Route switch | Start a Light Link Attack, trigger Link Unique, and finish with the Heavy route |
| Air chain | Cycle air Light → Medium → Heavy, jump-cancel, then end with forward Heavy or down Heavy on command |
| Launch decision | From one crouching-Heavy launch, record the Light, Medium, Heavy, and assist-enabled endings |
Write down the route's purpose next to the input: wall, knockdown, meter, or kill. Once the input rules are familiar, character-specific Skills become substitutions rather than a completely new combo language.
Video sources and verification
- GimR FGC — The Ultimate Guide to MARVEL Tōkon — grounded Gatling hierarchy, Link Attack branches, air normals, launch states, and combo-limit behavior.
- GameSpot Trailers — Official Beginner's Gameplay Guide — official explanations of Link Attack routes, launcher inputs, assists, and universal controls.
- How to Start Playing MARVEL Tōkon — concise official Link Attack table and first-session path.
- Tag Switch Combos and Assist Extensions — team extensions after the normal route is stable.