Bat Within

"Unleash the Bat Within, transforming into a flock of scattering bats, mitigating any damage you've taken."

- Gates of Hell description

Bat Within is a defensive technique of the dark arts introduced in the first Bayonetta game. It is one of the four abilities that Umbra Witches are able to use to transform themselves into animals. In the games, Bat Within is used to avoid attacks at the last second possible.

Bayonetta
Bat Within is an ability that is available for purchase at the Gates of Hell once the Beast Within ability in Chapter VII has been unlocked. It can be purchased for 30000 Halos. Once purchased, it is activated by dodging (pressing the right trigger) at the very last moment before an attack. If it is successful, Bayonetta will briefly turn into several bats and quickly reform, typically activating Witch Time immediately afterward. The Bat models of Bayonetta are available in the gallery upon defeating the game.

Bayonetta 2
In the sequel, Bat Within is available for purchase at the Gates of Hell immediately after the Prologue chapter for 30000 Halos. Bat Within functions identical to the first game and the Bat models are once again available to view in the gallery.

Moth Within
When playing as Jeanne in both the first and second games, an identical technique called Moth Within is one of her default abilities. Successfully using Moth Within is the only way Jeanne can activate Witch Time by herself without equipping Accessories. Instead of morphing into a swarm of purple bats, Jeanne's version transforms her into several white and red moths.

Hornet Within
Hornet Within is the variant of Bat Within used by Rosa in Bayonetta 2. Rather than transforming into bats, Rosa's ability gives her the appearance of several oversized killer wasps. It functions identically to Bayonetta's Bat Within technique.

Gameplay
In the first game, Bayonetta is able to use Bat Within after Chapter VII. It is useful in combat against faster enemies such as Grace and Glory. Certain enemies, such as Gracious and Glorious, cancel out the Witch Time that occurs following the technique.

Bat Within appears in certain cutscenes in both the first and second games. It appears in a cutscene in which Bayonetta is avoiding Jeanne's barrage of bullets in the first game, and when Bayonetta is rescuing Loki from the Masked Lumen in the second game.

Super Smash Bros. for 3DS/Wii U
Bat Within appears in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. It activates if Witch Time is activated too late, or if Bayonetta dodges an attack at the last second. When Bat Within activates, Bayonetta can move in the direction the player tilts the control stick, except if Witch Time was activated. Witch Time can still activate when Bayonetta is hit between the activation windows for both it and Bat Within, though the duration of Witch Time is slightly shorter if this happens. Bat Within also halves the damage Bayonetta took, rather than completely negating it.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Bat Within reappears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, retaining its functionality from the previous game.

In the intro cutscene to the story mode "World of Light", Bayonetta uses Bat Within to evade some of Galeem's beams of light. She is soon vaporized by the beams upon reforming and being captured to be used to create puppet fighters for the non-fighter spirits.

Trivia

 * Bat Within is one of the four abilities that can transform Witches into animals, the other Bayonetta can change being Panther Within, Snake Within and Crow Within.
 * However, Bat Within is the only known technique that can transform witches into multiple entities.

Forme de la chauve-souris