Using 2-hours within a few seconds of him using them locks those 2-hours. From what I stand, these 2-hours are in certain groups. From our wiki:

  • Beginning at bracelets mode, AV will use the following two-hour combos:
  • Call Wyvern → Familiar → Astral Flow
  • Invincible → Benediction → Mijin Gakure
  • Meikyo Shisui → Eagle Eye Shot x 3
  • Chainspell → Soul Voice
My understanding is if you lock all the 2-hours in a given group, you will lock that combo in bracelets mode (I could be wrong here, the information available to me isn't completely clear on this).

Basically, with good strategy, strong groups can make it to bracelets mode (the last 1/3). But without locking him down, the combos and his very high damage make it extremely difficult to stay alive.

As you know of course, no one really cares about any of this anymore. PD was very likely intended specifically to put stuff like this to rest.