History Main / InvulnerableAttack

* In ''DevilMayCry 3'' and ''4'', Dante is invulnerable during a Royal Release. Only a Royal Release, mind, not a normal Release. DeathOrGloryAttack much?

* If it's a charge-''up'' attack, the protagonist of ''TheForceUnleashed'' is basically untouchable while charging up his Force Maelstrom power. Very handy if (as the game does) you have to take out an End of Level boss and he's got some {{Mook}}s around to help him.

* Tager in ''BlazBlue'' is immune to projectiles, as well as Carl and Relius' puppets, while charging his magnetism. He's still able to be hit by physical attacks, which will knock him out of it.

* Jumping in many ''FinalFantasy'' games makes the user invulnerable to all attacks for a while, then letting them deliver DeathFromAbove (and deals more damage with a Spear) as they drop back in.

** On the other hand, "Focus Punch" is a very powerful attack, but strikes last in a turn and will fail to do anything if the user takes damage from the opponent's attack.

* ''VideoGame/BlazBlue'''s [[MemeticBadass Bang Shishigami]] has this as a game feature. His drive allows him to do a special attack, and there's a nice, long second during each of these attacks that he's completely invulnerable to damage. If he gets hit during this, and the attack is successfully blocked, you can teleport behind the enemy and hit them there. [[GameBreaker Jin Kisaragi]] has something similar with a few of his attacks. Iron Tager has some as well, most clearly with his Magnatech Wheel Distortion Drive, and has been given more invincible attack frames as part of his ''Continuum Shift'' buffs. As a counter-example, Hakumen is/was considered low-tier not just from [[MightyGlacier sloth]] but also from a shortage of these making him quite punishable.

* ''{{Castlevania}}'' has this a lot. Typically when an Item Crash is used like Hydro Storm. In ''Lament Of Innocence'', unlockable character Joaquim would be invulnerable when using a powered move that created a [[WaveMotionGun massive beam]], this was invaluable because he had a very limited move set and could not dodge or block a lot of enemy attacks.

* ''PrinnyCanIReallyBeTheHero'' has this, except you're invincible ''while'' charging, and it's not an attack: it's a dash. (Though you can segue from the dash to an invincible slide.)

* BlazBlue's [[MemeticBadass Bang Shishigami]] has this as a game feature. His drive allows him to do a special attack, and there's a nice, long second during each of these attacks that he's completely invulnerable to damage. If he gets hit during this, and the attack is successfully blocked, you can teleport behind the enemy and hit them there. [[GameBreaker Jin Kisaragi]] has something similar with a few of his attacks. Iron Tager has some as well, most clearly with his Magnatech Wheel Distortion Drive, and has been given more invincible attack frames as part of his ''Continuum Shift'' buffs. As a counter-example, Hakumen is/was considered low-tier not just from [[MightyGlacier sloth]] but also from a shortage of these making him quite punishable.

* Non-videogame example: MarvelComics' [[XMen Cannonball]] is invulnerable when using his power.

* The title character of ''BatmanArkhamAsylum'' can learn a OneHitKO move that can't be interrupted and is usable every time you get 5 hits without being interrupted. On hard mode, you'll probably defeat ''all'' enemies in large groups with either this or the CoupDeGrace. (Unfortunately, {{Giant Mook}}s can interrupt this attack even though normal ones can't, and it has an OverlyLongFightingAnimation, so fights with both giant and normal enemies are the only legitimately difficult battles on hard mode.)

* ''ResidentEvil5'' makes you invulnerable during melee attacks, as well as during any action you perform via action button, since animations cannot be interrupted. This also makes situations when a giant flaming ax misses you because you ''conveniently ducked to pick up a coin'' perfectly normal.

* In ''{{Bleach}}: Dark Souls'', using a standard throw move grants you temporary invincibility until the opponent is thrown backwards. Also, a number of characters have a charging technique which grants them a momentary no-flinch status.

A savvy player can use this to "[[DefendCommand block]]" otherwise unblockable and unavoidable area attacks. Even if the boss is ''also'' immune to the charged attack during his own "[[AllwaysAccurateAttack unavoidable]] [[UnblockableAttack attack]]", the player can save a boatload of health. Similarly, part of beating most bosses involved players learning to dodge or avoid the parts of their attack pattern where they're invulnerable.

A savvy player can use this to "[[DefendCommand block]]" otherwise unblockable and unavoidable area attacks. Even if the boss is ''also'' immune to the charged attack during his own "unavoidable attack", the player can save a boatload of health. Similarly, part of beating most bosses involved players learning to dodge or avoid the parts of their attack pattern where they're invulnerable.

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* Most ShootEmUp games will make the player invincible while they use a SmartBomb. Taking advantage of this is generally an acceptable technique in some games. Especially the ''TouhouProject'' games, wherein it is more a basic survival method rather than a means of dealing damage.

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* In the ''VideoGame/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAsPortable'' games, activating their [[SuperMode Full Drive mode]] will make the character invulnerable to everything while in their power-up animation and will also produce a handy knock back if their opponent is too close.

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* Unlike ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' where the enemies practice MookChivalry when Kratos is in a grab animation, in ''DantesInferno'' the enemies will continue trying to attack. However, as long as Dante has already started the kill animation anything that is not a grab will just pass harmlessly through.

* ''[=~Prinny: Can I Really Be The Hero?~=]'' has this, except you're invincible ''while'' charging, and it's not an attack: it's a dash. (Though you can segue from the dash to an invincible slide.)

* Unlike ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' where the enemies practice MookChivalry when Kratos is in a grab animation, in ''[=~Dante's Inferno~=]'' the enemies will continue trying to attack. However, as long as Dante has already started the kill animation anything that is not a grab will just pass harmlessly through.

* In the original ''Slayers'' {{Light Novel}}s, Lina describes how a magic user is protected by a weak forcefield while chanting a spell - it's not usually powerful enough to repel an actually dangerous attack but it helps a little. When she sees Xelloss' field deflect an incoming fireball she knows that she is dealing with someone who is really quite powerful. His amplification trinkets don't hurt, mind, and the resultant spell is... ''very'' messy for the victim.

* {{Iji}}'s Retribution move.

* {{Sonic}}'s spindash charge in the original games left him protected from enemy CollisionDamage. He was still vulnerable to attacks, spikes, projectiles, etc., so not completely invincible.