I.
On July 15, 2014 a masked man wearing a black hooded North Face jacket robbed a corner store in Wilmington. A security camera captured the robbery. A witness told police she saw someone flee the area in a four-door green sedan and gave police the license plate number. The car belonged to Caree Matsen, who told police she loaned the car to her sister's boyfriend, Urquhart. The police found Urquhart's belongings in Matsen's sister's bedroom, and found cell phone photos of him wearing a black hooded North Face jacket. Police arrested Urquhart on July 18, 2014.
The State charged Urquhart with first degree robbery, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, wearing a disguise during the commission of a felony, first degree reckless endangering, and possession of a firearm by a person prohibited. Urquhart could not afford a private attorney, and was assigned a public defender. Before his arraignment, Urquhart had the following contacts with defense counsel:2
• July 28, 2014: A public defender represented Urquhart at the preliminary hearing.3
• July 31: Trial counsel sent Urquhart a letter of representation explaining the trial process.4
• August 14: A public defender, possibly trial counsel, met with Urquhart and might have reviewed the probable cause affidavit with hm.5
*723• August 27: Urquhart called trial counsel and discussed filing a motion to dismiss the indictment.6
• September 2: A public defender sent Urquhart a copy of discovery from the State.7
• September 30: A public defender sent Urquhart the case scheduling order.8
• October 20: A public defender represented Urquhart at the first case review, when he was arraigned.9
After arraignment and leading up to trial, Urquhart had the following contacts with defense counsel:
• November 10: Trial counsel spoke with him by phone to explain that he was busy with another trial, and that "discovery is still forth coming" and he would "send it as [he] receive[d] it."10
• November 14: Trial counsel sent him a second copy of the State's earlier discovery responses. These were the same responses sent to Urquhart on September 2.11
• January 26, 2015: A different public defender represented Urquhart at the final case review.12
Trial counsel's supervisor represented Urquhart at his final case review. At the review, the State offered Urquhart a plea with "a minimum of 15 years of prison."13 Urquhart had not seen the State's evidence against him, and rejected the plea offer. In an e-mail after the review, trial counsel's supervisor warned trial counsel that Urquhart had received "[n]o video or prison visit since his July 18, 2014 arrest"14 and "[a]s soon as you can, I would suggest you turn your attention to this case to determine what you need to be prepared for trial."15
Urquhart was evidently frustrated with his lack of contact with trial counsel and the progression of his case. On November 5, 2014, Urquhart filed a pro se motion to compel discovery materials.16 Additionally, *724his only two-way contact with trial counsel were calls he initiated.17 The week before trial, Urquhart's trial counsel sent him the State's supplemental discovery responses which contained the surveillance footage and photos. Given prison mail delays, Urquhart did not receive the evidence until his trial counsel brought copies for Urquhart the morning of trial.18
Despite his supervisor's warning to get on top of the case, trial counsel did not speak to or meet with Urquhart until February 3, 2015-the morning of trial. Trial counsel showed Urquhart the State's surveillance footage and photographs.19 The State also offered Urquhart a five-year plea deal.20 Urquhart turned it down.21 Before jury selection, Urquhart addressed the court, expressing his frustration with his current situation:
Mr. Urquhart : I just don't understand a lot of things right now. It's too much at once. Like, I'm just hearing stuff for the first time today, and I don't-I don't even know what's coming on. I'm thinking they coming to trial, they do have this, they don't have this, and all this stuff is coming out of nowhere.... I want to find out about this, what's going on. I just want some help. I just need somebody to let me know something, what's going on. I never-nothing. All I know is this, Your Honor: A plea. That's all I keep hearing. Plea this, plea that.
The Court : I am not suggesting you take your plea. I just want to make sure that you understand that you were extended an offer and you decided to reject it. I don't care whether you plea or not.22
He next asked to address the court about the evidence trial counsel showed him that morning-the video surveillance and cell phone photos:
Mr. Urquhart : Your Honor, I just want to know if somebody want to come to me and show me all the evidence that they want to pop up with tomorrow, next week, or whatever is going on, because every couple of seconds, or every other day, I'm getting stuff late. I don't know what's going on. I don't know why. I just came here today, I'm seeing pictures for the first time. I'm seeing a lot of stuff for the first time. I don't know nothing about that stuff.
The Court : What are you seeing for the first time, sir?
Mr. Urquhart : Pictures. And also out of a cell phone that's not even mine-I don't even know what's going on.... And, also, it just-it just-a lot of things that just-I don't understand it. I don't, at all. I don't know what's going on.
The Court : All right.
Mr. Urquhart : I came here today. I just want justice. I just want some help. I *725decided not to [plea]. I just want some help. I don't know what is going on.
The Court : Are you telling me that you are dissatisfied with your representation?
Mr. Urquhart : I'm not saying-like, I'm not saying I'm dissatisfied.... I come here today. Now it's just like-it's throwing me for a loop.
The Court : Have you met with [trial counsel] before today?
Trial Counsel : No, Your Honor. And I can explain why, Your Honor. I met with him back in July, and then I started a trial, a capital murder trial, that lasted from September to mid-December. At his first case review the case was covered by [another defense attorney]. The second case review, final case review, I was actually in another trial that did not end until Thursday of last week ....
The Court : [trial counsel], I can understand your schedule.
Trial Counsel : We met today. I showed him the pictures. The pictures-I received a package from the State dated January 21st. It would have come while I was in the trial. I was not able to send it to him until the 28th, that's when my secretary was able to send it out. But he has not received them.23
...
The Court : Your client has not seen these [pictures] until today?
Trial Counsel : He saw them this morning, Your Honor.
The Court : I gather because of your schedule, [Trial Counsel], you haven't had a chance to meet with your client?
Trial Counsel : Your Honor-
The Court : Personally before today.
Trial Counsel : Before today; no, Your Honor, I have not.
The Court : Have you been able to communicate with him by telephone?
Trial Counsel : He has written me letters, and I have not been able-in response to a letter I did send it out, but he hadn't received the information that I-
The Court : Well, I can understand the schedule that you have, so don't feel that you are personally at issue here.
Trial Counsel : I understand that, Your Honor.
The Court : But has he heard from you before today?
Trial Counsel : No, he has not had an opportunity. I went from one trial into another trial into another trial.24
...
The Court : I think-I take it, frankly, the defendant to be asking me pro se for a continuance? Is that correct, sir? Stand up, sir. Do you want a delay in your trial so that you can go over this stuff; is that what you are asking for?
Mr. Urquhart : I just wanted to know, like, how this stuff-how is this stuff, like, allowed in? I just don't understand it.
The Court : Mr. Urquhart, what I am asking you is are you asking me to delay the trial?
Mr. Urquhart : No, sir.
The Court : Then [trial counsel] can explain to you how this stuff is coming in, if it comes in. I don't know if it is coming in. I haven't ruled on it yet.25
...
*726Mr. Urquhart : I don't understand nothing what's going on. I'm asking for help.26
Instead of trial counsel speaking up and asking for a continuance, the court put the onus on Urquhart to request a delay. Urquhart declined, and trial proceeded that day. After a three-day trial, the jury convicted Urquhart of all charges, and the court sentenced him to forty-three years at Level V incarceration, suspended after fifteen years, followed by decreasing levels of supervision. He appealed on June 8, 2015, and this Court affirmed his convictions.27 The Superior Court eventually appointed new counsel to represent Urquhart in post-conviction proceedings.
Urquhart claimed in his postconviction motion that trial counsel's failure to meet with him and prepare for trial deprived him of his Sixth Amendment right to the assistance of counsel. The claim was not, however, stated as a typical ineffective assistance of counsel claim under the United States Supreme Court case Strickland v. Washington ,28 where a defendant must prove both counsel's ineffectiveness and prejudice. Instead, Urquhart relied on a United States Supreme Court case decided the same day as Strickland - United States v. Cronic .29 In Cronic , the Supreme Court recognized that, when the accused is completely denied counsel at a critical stage of the judicial proceedings, the accused is excused from demonstrating prejudice under Strickland . Urquhart argued that he was excused from demonstrating prejudice because trial counsel failed to represent him in the critical pretrial stage of the proceedings.
The Superior Court agreed with the State that the Supreme Court's Cronic decision required that Urquhart's counsel be "completely absent" from representation to forgo Strickland's prejudice requirement. Because trial counsel supposedly met with Urquhart once, spoke on the telephone with him twice, and sent him five letters before trial, the Superior Court found that trial counsel was not completely absent during the pretrial proceedings.30 Thus, Urquhart could only pursue an ineffectiveness claim under Strickland , which required a showing of prejudice. Because Urquhart did not argue prejudice, the Superior Court denied postconviction relief.31
II.
This Court reviews the denial of a motion for postconviction relief for an abuse of discretion.32 Legal and constitutional questions are reviewed de novo .33
A.
With any appeal from a motion denying postconviction relief, we first address whether Urquhart's motion is timely *727and meets the requirements of Superior Court Criminal Rule 61.34 This is Urquhart's first motion for postconviction relief. It was filed within one year after conviction. Further, a Sixth Amendment claim arguing ineffective assistance of counsel cannot be raised on direct appeal and thus his motion is not repetitive or procedurally defaulted.35 Urquhart's claims are not barred or procedurally defaulted under Rule 61.
B.
As another preliminary matter, we address the State's argument that Urquhart waived his ineffective assistance of counsel claims by stating the morning of trial he was not dissatisfied with his trial counsel and declined, in the Superior Court's words, a "pro se " continuance.36 According to the State, "Urquhart could have obtained a continuance and gone over any evidentiary questions with his attorney, and taken more time to prepare his defense, but he declined."37 Thus, he "affirmatively waived any claim regarding trial counsel's pretrial performance and alleged lack of communication."38
An accused's waiver of his Sixth Amendment right to effective counsel must be knowing, intelligent, and voluntary.39 Here, Urquhart was in a state of confusion when the trial judge addressed him about a continuance. He expressed a lack of understanding of his predicament and requested help over ten times.40 When first asked whether he wanted the continuance, Urquhart's answer was to ask for clarification about the State's evidence he had seen for the first time. Neither the judge nor Urquhart's trial counsel responded to his question-the judge merely rephrased the question, stating "Mr. Urquhart, what I am asking you is are you asking me to delay the trial?"41 It was then that his trial counsel should have spoken up to address Urquhart's confusion or request a continuance on his behalf. Instead, Urquhart's trial counsel focused solely on explaining to the judge his reasons for failing to meet with Urquhart. The judge stated that he understood counsel's caseload, telling him not to feel that he was "personally at issue."42
*728While Urquhart's trial counsel was not responsible for his caseload, it did cause trial counsel not to meet with his client to prepare for trial and should have led him to pause and ask the court for a continuance.43 As we explained in Harden v. State , while "the heavy caseloads that too many of our defense counsel carry may impel them to push ahead without reflecting on the need for more time" this does not negate counsel's responsibility "to take the time necessary to develop a reasoned approach to [trial] with the client's input."44 Viewed in the context of Urquhart's overall response to the court's questions-repeated requests for help and clarification-and trial counsel's failure to speak up and request a continuance for the benefit of his client, we find that Urquhart did not knowingly and intelligently waive his right to later appeal his trial counsel's failure to provide effective assistance of counsel.
III.
We now reach the heart of this appeal-whether trial counsel's failure to meet with his client and prepare for trial violated Urquhart's Sixth Amendment right to the effective assistance of counsel in his criminal trial. On appeal, Urquhart and the State essentially reiterate the arguments made in the Superior Court-for Urquhart, trial counsel's complete absence from the critical pretrial stage of the criminal proceedings was indisputably ineffective, and under Cronic prejudice need not be shown-and for the State, that counsel was not "completely absent" pretrial, his claim fell under Strickland and not Cronic , and thus Urquhart was not excused from demonstrating prejudice.
A.
The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees that "[i]n all criminal prosecutions the accused shall enjoy the right ... to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence." The accused's right to counsel "is a fundamental component of our criminal justice system."45 " 'Of all the rights that an accused person has, the right to be represented by counsel is by far the most pervasive for it affects his ability to assert any other rights he may have.' "46 Because the right has such special value, "[i]t has long been recognized that the right to counsel is the right to effective assistance of counsel."47 "If no actual 'Assistance' 'for' the accused's 'defence' is provided, then the constitutional guarantee has been violated."48
In Bell v. Cone ,49 the United States Supreme Court explained the interplay between its two seminal Sixth Amendment cases- Strickland v. Washington and United States v. Cronic .50 The difference *729between Strickland and Cronic is not one "of degree but of kind."51 In Strickland , the Court "announced a two-part test for evaluating claims that a defendant's counsel performed so incompetently in his or her representation of a defendant that the defendant's sentence or conviction should be reversed."52 The defendant must prove that "counsel's 'representation fell below an objective standard of reasonableness' " and second that " 'there is a reasonable probability that, but for counsel's unprofessional errors, the result of the proceeding would have been different....' "53
In Cronic , the Supreme Court "identified three situations implicating the right to counsel that involved circumstances 'so likely to prejudice the accused that the cost of litigating their effect in a particular case is unjustified.' "54 The first, and, according to the Court, "most obvious" is the complete denial of counsel at "a critical stage,"55 meaning "a step of a criminal proceeding, such as arraignment, that held significant consequences for the accused."56 A "critical stage" includes the pretrial process.57 Next, the presumption is warranted if "counsel entirely fails to subject the prosecution's case to meaningful adversarial testing."58 And finally, the Cronic presumption should be applied when "counsel is called upon to render assistance under circumstances where competent counsel very likely could not...."59 When any of these three situations occur, the likelihood of prejudice is so high that "the defendant need not show that the proceedings were affected."60
*730B.
Urquhart claims that his case falls under the first Cronic exception-that he was completely denied counsel at the critical pretrial phase. A complete denial of counsel occurs "when a criminal defendant must navigate a critical stage of the proceedings against him without the aid of 'an attorney dedicated to the protection of his client's rights under our adversarial system of justice.' "61 But, "bad lawyering, regardless of how bad, does not support the [ Cronic ] presumption."62 Under Cronic the question is not whether Urquhart's trial counsel was inadequate, but whether the inadequacy rose to a complete denial of representation.
The Superior Court held that Urquhart was not completely denied counsel under Cronic because he was represented at the preliminary hearing, arraignment, and both case reviews; and he received two phone calls and four letters.63 Urquhart correctly points out, however, that all but two of these occurrences took place before arraignment. The United States Supreme Court has emphasized that "the most critical period of the proceedings" is "the time of their arraignment until the beginning of their trial, when consultation, thorough-going investigation and preparation [are] vitally important."64 Although different counsel represented Urquhart at court appearances before trial, for the nearly four months between arraignment and trial, Urquhart received what appears to be one non-substantive phone call and one transmittal letter from trial counsel.65 Trial counsel's notes summarized the phone call: "Spoke to client. Explained that I was in a trial. That discovery is still forth coming and that I would send it as I received it."66
This entry, trial counsel explained, was "an indication to trial counsel that [he] pulled and reviewed discovery with the *731client."67 Even if the entry indicated that he reviewed discovery with Urquhart, trial counsel had not received the photos or surveillance footage, and, as Urquhart points out, "[w]ithout that evidence, ... review of the discovery was inconsequential and did not provide [him] with an opportunity to appreciate the evidence against him."68 As for the November 14 letter, it contained a copy of the discovery trial counsel received from the State that had already been sent to Urquhart on September 2.69 This second copy still lacked the photos and surveillance footage-more than three months after the State had revealed their existence at the preliminary hearing.70 The grim reality is, in the critical pretrial phase when trial counsel must meet with his client to review the evidence, develop strategy, and prepare for trial, that did not occur. Trial counsel admitted as much when asked by the judge.71
We would not be the first court to find a complete denial of counsel under Cronic in the pretrial phase when counsel was absent before trial and did not meet with his client to prepare for trial. In Mitchell v. Mason , the Sixth Circuit found the defendant was completely denied counsel during the critical pretrial phase, when "counsel was suspended from the practice of law for the month immediately preceding trial, ... met with [the defendant] for no more than six minutes over the seven-month period before trial, ... and the trial court repeatedly ignored [the defendant's] entreaties for counsel who would properly prepare a defense."72 The court focused on counsel's duty to investigate, explaining there was no way to discharge the duty if he failed to consult with his client. The court concluded that, in these circumstances, "no effort to consult with the client was made," and thus the defendant was completely denied his Sixth Amendment right to the assistance of counsel during a critical pretrial stage of the proceedings.73
The facts here are similar. While Urquhart's counsel was not suspended from the practice of law, he "went from one trial into another trial into another trial" over Urquhart's entire pretrial period-requiring different public defenders to represent Urquhart in his place at the pretrial hearings, including the final case review.74 In addition, while counsel in Mitchell met with the defendant for no *732more than six minutes, Urquhart's counsel did not meet with him for almost four months before trial. Lastly, and most significantly, Urquhart's repeated requests for help were effectively pushed aside by his trial counsel and the court. Thus, following Mitchell would lead to the conclusion that Urquhart was completely denied counsel under Cronic .75
We recognize that the line between a Strickland violation and a Cronic violation is not always easy to draw. Other courts have given Cronic a limited reading, making a distinction between an actual complete denial of counsel and a constructive complete denial-the situation in Mitchell .76 The Superior Court took the conservative tack, and held that the mere presence of counsel satisfied Cronic , regardless of the degree of counsel's effectiveness.
This appeal has elements of both a Cronic and a Strickland violation, and leads us to the conclusion that the Sixth Amendment demands more than the presence the morning of trial of a warm body with a law degree. No one seriously argues that trial counsel's failure to meet in advance of trial with a client facing a serious felony charge with lengthy minimum mandatory jail time was effective. Under the stark facts in this appeal-no advance discussion with Urquhart of trial strategy, what witnesses to call, how to respond to the State's evidence, whether the defendant should testify, and no sober conversation with counsel outside the distractions of the morning of trial whether to enter into plea negotiations and accept a plea-the defendant should not have to point to any specific event of prejudice and disprove the State's contention that trial counsel was able to "wing it" enough at trial to satisfy the Sixth Amendment. As the Supreme Court said in Cronic , some situations "ma[k]e it so unlikely that any lawyer could provide effective assistance that ineffectiveness [i]s properly presumed without inquiry into actual performance at trial."77
Even if specific prejudice need be shown, under a Strickland analysis trial counsel's pretrial ineffectiveness prejudiced Urquhart in plea negotiations. Postconviction counsel did not argue prejudice, complicating our review of a Strickland claim. It would have been preferable for postconviction counsel to make a fully briefed Strickland claim as an alternative to Cronic . But, the State has consistently maintained that Strickland , not Cronic , applies to this appeal, and that Urquhart *733has not demonstrated prejudice. Because the prejudice is manifest from the record, in the interest of justice, we will consider prejudice under Strickland .78
The reasonable probability standard under Strickland asks whether there is "a probability sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome."79 In the context of a plea offer, Strickland requires a reasonable probability "that the plea offer would have been presented to the court ... that the court would have accepted its terms, and that the conviction or sentence, or both, under the offer's terms would have been less severe than under the judgment and sentence that in fact were imposed."80 A fair trial does not "wipe[ ] clean any deficient performance by defense counsel during plea bargaining."81
Here, we think it is obvious that had the objective circumstances-the evidence the State was going to present, the length of time Urquhart faced if he went to trial and was convicted, and the likelihood of an acquittal-been the subject of professionally adequate consultation between client and counsel, there is a "reasonable probability" that Urquhart would have accepted the plea. That is all Strickland requires.82
Trial counsel in a criminal case must discuss with his client the possibility of a plea instead of going to trial, especially if the State has offered to resolve the case for a sentence significantly shorter than the defendant could face if convicted at trial.83 Plea discussions are sensitive, and for counsel to be effective in a case like this, counsel must build trust between attorney and client through pretrial contact, a review of the strengths and weaknesses of the State's case, and a frank discussion about the defendant's chances of an acquittal after trial.84 None of that happened here before the day of trial.85 No *734groundwork was laid, no trust was built up, and there was no review of the State's evidence against him. Whether in a fit of pique about his attorney's performance, a state of confusion, or because he was "seeing things for the first time," "getting things late," and "needing help," Urquhart turned down a plea offer of ten years less than offered at the final case review. Had trial counsel performed his pretrial responsibilities, communicated with Urquhart, and had counsel had a rational conversation with him outside the distractions of the morning of trial, we think under Strickland there is a reasonable probability that "the result would have been different."
IV.
The parties have framed this dispute as a choice between two United States Supreme Court cases- Cronic or Strickland . This appeal, however, has elements of both cases. Under Cronic , its "presumption of prejudice is the fundamental idea that a defendant must have the actual assistance of counsel at every critical stage of a criminal proceeding for the court's reliance on the fairness of that proceeding to be justified."86 Trial counsel was absent for the critical pretrial stage of Urquhart's prosecution. Under Strickland , "prejudice can be shown if loss of the plea opportunity led to a trial resulting in a conviction on more serious charges or the imposition of a more severe sentence."87 Urquhart could not make informed decisions about the new plea offer.
Not all plea decisions, including decisions to enter a plea on the morning of trial, are subject to challenge for ineffective assistance of counsel. Obviously, there are material differences between a case when a defendant faces a modest sentence and the facts and law are not complex, and this case. In the former, defendant and counsel can often come to a reasoned decision in a compact time frame. But where, as here, the defendant faces serious charges and the possibility of generations of prison time, the need for a correspondingly serious effort to counsel the client must be recognized if Strickland is to have its intended protective effect. And where, as here, defense counsel has not engaged in a meaningful review of the evidence with the defendant, who in turn tells the court that he is confused and needs help, we are unwilling to ignore trial counsel's shortcomings by saying that trial counsel did competent work at trial with what he had. The Sixth Amendment requires more than the physical presence of counsel the first day of trial in a serious felony case with the possibility of a lengthy minimum mandatory incarceration.
The Superior Court's judgment is reversed, and the case remanded to the Superior Court. Although the defendant has asked for a new trial, we leave it to the Superior Court to decide whether a new trial should be ordered, or the State and the defendant agree on another remedy.88 Jurisdiction is not retained.