Board Thread:Game Discussions/@comment-24255971-20131209165433/@comment-23870891-20131210230957

It takes 4 blows to charge a special attack, unless your opponent hits you hard enough enough times to equate to one of your own strikes. If the cards fall right, or the opponent is much stronger then you, you will be able to make your 4th attack a special, rather then your 5th.

'''When you start a fight at the 5th blow you will get a special attack opportunity. After that at the 4th blow.'''

This statement is not always true. If your special fails to kill the opponent then the meter does not charge at all for its use.

The normal sequence of events is as follows:

Enemy, you, enemy, you, enemy, you, enemy, you, enemy special, your special                (should you chose to use it). It varies from this point.

However, this can also occur (though rare):

Enemy, you, enemy, you, enemy, you, enemy, your special, enemy special.

In this cast the enemy attacks filled you charge bar by at least a quarter. This can also happen in reverse (your opponent gets it sooner) but this is even rarer.