Arc System Works gives fighting game fans yet another thrilling combat experience with Guilty Gear Strive. As a Guilty Gear title, fans can expect no less but fast-paced combat intertwined with technical combat mechanics. Strive will see Sol Badguy confront That Man, the person who turned him into a Gear, and settle his fate once and for all.
And thankfully, Sol isn't alone in his journey. Alongside Sol Badguy are 14 other playable characters - two newcomers and the rest a part of Guilty Gear's rather diverse roster of crazily powerful characters. However, from a player's point of view, just how would one rank Strive's current playable roster?
Updated December 17, 2021, by Rhenn Taguiam: As fans would expect, there’s more than meets the eye after the launch of Guilty Gear Strive. In addition to introducing the Guilty Gear franchise with fresher, friendlier, and fiercer mechanics, Strive introduces new characters into the acclaimed fighting game franchise alongside the reintroduction of fan-favorite combatants. When it comes to ranking every playable character in the new Guilty Gear game, it helps to consider the addition of DLC characters — which as of writing includes Goldlewis, Jack-O’, and Happy Chaos. Just how do they fare against the original roster?
18 Chipp Zanuff
Nothing beats Chipp in terms of speed. As a High Speed Type, Chipp has the fastest attacks and has perhaps the most number of movement options. He can wall run, triple jump, and has remarkable dash speed that can help him position himself whenever necessary. Due to his speed, his pressure game is really strong.
Granted, Chipp does boast some of the fastest movesets in the game. His unique wallrun lets him pull off mixups that can confuse enemies already trying to outrun him. However, despite his increased maneuverability, his lower defense rating compared to other characters does add a huge risk to players using him. He has the lowest health in the game and has rather inconsistent damage numbers. Interestingly, Chipp mains could precisely tailor the character's penchant for speed to gain the upper hand before enemies could even strike a counter.
17 Millia Rage
Millia boasts her speed, and foes easily bow down to her sheer maneuverability. As a High Speed Type, Millia has a number of options to dash around the battlefield to avoid attacks or get into position. She immediately has fast dashes, fast falls, and double jumps at her disposal, which she can string into complex attacks. This earned her the title of setup queen, as her fast moves and her neutral game can easily pave the way for devastating attacks.
Sadly, Millia perhaps doesn't boast enough opportunities within her moveset for players looking for a more technical approach. However, those who take the time may realize her potential in engaging in combat from multiple fronts. Aside from having the second-lowest HP, Millia has few defensive options, slow meter gain, and even an unsafe Burst.
16 Jack-O’ Valentine
Despite her status as a DLC character, Jack-O’ Valentine holds one of the most important roles in the larger Guilty Gear universe. Serving as a “copy” of a portion of Aria Hale’s memories, the enigmatic That Man originally created Jack-O’ Valentine to help restore Aria’s consciousness. Jack-O’ has two personalities: a child-like persona, and a calm and collected woman.
Despite her conflicted nature, Jack-O’ is a deadly combatant. Due to her connection with Aria, Jack-O’ demonstrates vast magical potential. With her body, she’s able to self-regenerate on top of superb physical stats. Her weapon of choice is an iron pumpkin flail, which she uses to both attack physically and act as a conduit for her energy attacks. Her toolkit naturally features advance sweeps, long pokes, and extended normals. Unfortunately, Jack-O' has rather poor defenses, and even poorer defenses for her servants. The constant need to manage her resources can make it difficult for players to capitalize on her pressure potential.
15 Happy Chaos
Originally just an entity behind the scenes, Happy Chaos is the name of the man who used to go by “Chaos” in the Guilty Gear franchise. Serving as the man who originally discovered the Backyard, Happy Chaos influenced a lot of series events from behind the scenes. Although his intentions remain relatively unclear, they seem motivated by his discovery of the “true nature” of the universe, which drove him to the point of insanity.
Fans would love to play Happy Chaos if not for the nature of his abilities. In the lore, Happy Chaos is easily the strongest being in the franchise. He introduced the use of magic, discovered the Backyard where Gears are created, and even tapped into destructive energies to his whim. In combat, Happy Chaos capitalizes on fierce attacks and deadly magical combos that cement his superiority in the battlefield. Unfortunately, his gun itself is a resource, and Happy Chaos isn't as efficient when he's out of bullets or concentration. Moreover, Happy Chaos leaves himself wide open whenever he drops combos, which doesn't help his already-weak defense.
14 Faust
Being a Unique Type, Faust has a weird set of attacks that separate him from the rest of the cast. He can throw a variety of items as an attack, and can use them to accommodate his pressuring pokes. It doesn't help that his weird twists and contorting movements also alter his hitbox.
However, his unique nature does pose some disadvantages as well. Players need to study the way Faust reacts to things such as tick throws, wallbreaks, and even his sheer meter reliance. These things can dictate Faust's potential aggression, so players need to watch out for these caveats. His rather strange movements and his item-throwing capabilities become his greatest strengths as a fighter. However, Faust relies a lot on his meter to execute his deadlier skills, and the random nature of item throws can hurt his damage potential.
13 Zato-1
Zato-1 essentially gives players two characters to play with on the tradeoff in the form of a technical toolkit. As a Technical Type, Zato-1 boasts unconventional movement and attack options that will keep opponents second-guessing their movements. Thanks to the presence of Eddie, Zato-1 can opt for attacks while stunning opponents, or even mitigating damage while the other opts in for the counter.
Boasting a unique symbiotic moveset, Zato-1 and Eddie make a great pair in paper. However, players will soon realize that Zato-1's toolkit can become quite demanding when it comes to timing and proper positioning. The pair's attacks can happen in two places at once: Eddie can stun opponents while Zato punishes with a mix-up, for example. Unfortunately, Zato does have subpar defense, and not knowing how to use Eddie can put players at a disadvantage. Considering the presence of Eddie, Zato has more room in his hitbox to get hurt, which doesn't help his low HP.
12 Leo Whitefang
Leo Whitefang is a terrifying opponent to face, especially since all his attacks generally have great reach. In turn, Leo boasts high burst damage and pressuring mix-ups that will keep opponents on their toes. As a Balance Type, Leo also boasts a meterless reversal and other defensive options can keep Leo's HP off critical levels.
Despite Leo's straightforward aggressive moveset, opponents who see through his chains can easily punish him with counters. Given his nature as a bruiser, players need to strike a careful balance between his full defensive or full offensive options. Leo is a great way of capitalizing on burst damage without trading off defense. Unfortunately, despite his attack power, Leo tends to be much slower compared to others.
11 Goldlewis
In a world as chaotic as Guilty Gear’s, even countries need one-man armies to defend themselves. For the United States, this defense takes the form of Goldlewis Dickinson, presently serving as the Secretary of Defense. A gentle giant, Goldlewis is extremely dedicated to this cause. He’s humorous on the side, and rather scary when annoyed.
Similar to heavy-hitters like Potemkin, Goldlewis capitalizes on his sheer size and strength to dominate combat. This time around, he carries a mysterious coffin as his weapon of choice. The entity inside this coffin can provide Goldlewis with a variety of weapons to cement his attacks. In terms of combos, Goldlewis is a power fighter that trades low movement with immense firepower. Given his large stature, Goldlewis boasts tremendous health and strength to boot. Unfortunately, Goldlewis can become predictable on neutral, and his defense isn't as decent compared to other heavy fighters like Nagoriyuki and Potemkin.
10 Axl Low
Courtesy of his weapon, Axl Low easily dominates the long-range game. Due to his range mastery, Axl can immediately pressure his opponents through harsh zonings and anti-airs. However, Axl can easily get up close and personal whenever necessary.
While Axl Low boasts a fast-paced moveset, his toolkit does rely a lot on range and proper mix-ups to see his moves pay off. It may take a while for newcomers to string normals and specials from various ranges while at the same time giving enough room to dodge and counter enemies. His close-range specialization can work well to his advantage in terms of defense. Sadly, Axl's specialization in close-ranged defense means he lacks safety tools to protect himself from long-ranged attacks.
9 Nagoriyuki
Nagoriyuki is the equivalent of a nuclear bomb if Strive ever had one. His high damage toolkit boasts incredible numbers at mid-range, making him perfect for pressuring opponents. Moreover, his throws and lethal strikes can easily obliterate enemies who make a misstep when approaching him. These elements easily make Nagoriyuki befitting of his One Shot Type status.
Nagoriyuki does compensate for his technical moveset with his robust nature. He has one of the biggest ranges for a melee character in the game, courtesy of his massive katana. He's both hard to hit at the beginning and hard to kill in crucial moments. However, the skill ceiling of his timing-intensive kit will require training to make his robust defense worth the while. Unfortunately, Blood Rage punishes players for being too reckless with him, and lack of mobility can make Nagoriyuki predictable.
8 Anji Mito
Being a Balance Type, Anji Mito's toolkit immediately gives players access to a swath of decent combat options. Theoretically, players can use Anji's kit to accommodate any combat situation. He has interesting throws and strikes, alongside an autoguard move that lets him "slide" into attacks for a counter.
Countering Anji and predicting his moves can hurt him in the long-run, especially when against heavy-hitting attacks. Unlike other characters, though, Anji boasts both a good offense and remarkable defense. Albeit not as "remarkable" in any of these areas, Anji is a decent choice for any player who wants a character that's as balanced as a Guilty Gear could get. Countering Anji and predicting his moves can hurt him in the long-run, especially when against heavy-hitting attacks.
7 I-No
I-No dominates the ranged scene. As a Rush Type, her moveset has options for all ranged types. Unlike other characters, I-No boasts a hovering dash that allows her to access her air options quickly. Moreover, her high damage grabs, pressure resets, and frame traps make I-No tricky to defend against.
Nothing's wrong with a ranged specialist, but I-No will find herself easily cornered once enemies find a blind spot to her ranged assault. She boasts great mobiltiy with her hoverdash, which at its core also gives her great mixup potential. I-No might boast some of the most flexible attack options out there, but her lack of a stable defense still makes her vulnerable.
6 Potemkin
Potemkin appears as a juggernaut, which he capitalizes on as a Power Grappler. Players will easily appreciate Potemkin for his command grabs, long-ranged attacks, and his sheer durability. His multiple throwing options can turn a speedy opponent's journey to a nightmare, as Potemkin can grab them to death from different fronts.
Despite Potemkin's attack power, his huge frame easily becomes the death of him. His lack of movement options already put Potemkin at a disadvantage, so players need to master his options to keep enemies at bay with throws, grapples, and harsh counters. While he has a larger hitbox and lesser mobility options, he does make up for it with massive defense.
5 Giovanna
Giovanna doesn't leave much room to think. Her toolkit heavily relies on aggression, using quick movements and strikes. Giovanna's step dash alone helps her keep closing the gap, be it through an attack or sliding follow-up. As a Rush Type, her reliance on the offense quickly places Giovanna on the top-tier of character rankings, especially when considering her easy mix-ups and devastating strings.
Due to her aggressive nature, Giovanna does have a need to keep pressuring enemies to maximize her toolkit. Her meter-independent offense can make her quite predictable, and her mid-range specialization can prove fatan against long-ranged foes. While players can easily get into her strings and mix-ups, failing to break through an enemy's guard can put Giovanna at a huge disadvantage.
4 Ky Kiske
Ky Kiske loves maintaining his position on the ground. Perfectly fitting the Balance Type, Ky has more than enough moves to stay perfectly still and yet maintain pressure on his opponents. He boasts long-ranged slashes to control mid, dish out pokes for the long-range, and even dominate the skies with anti-airs. And when he gets moving, Ky has a diverse number of defensive options that will help him regain the neutral ground.
While arguably average in terms of movement options, Ky does compensate with a technically diverse kit. His moveset contains decent mix-ups and chains alongside multi-ranged attacks can can help Ky keep opponents on their toes. Given his number of attacks, Ky has great space control as well.
3 May
Just because she has an affinity with water doesn't mean May is a softie. In fact, as a Balance Type, May can dish out high damage numbers from a wide variety of sources. Her air-game is extremely strong, having faster and higher jumps compared to other characters. Meanwhile, she also boasts powerful throws, courtesy of various grabs mixed into her attacks.
Despite her small frame, May boasts an approachable toolkit that newcomers can learn easily. Of course, this does make her moves and strings a bit predictable when used precisely as shown. She does need improvements when it comes to speed and range, but she can compensate for these elements when she taps into her combos.
2 Ramlethal Valentine
Nothing really beats a giant sword, and using two is just asking for trouble. Ramlethal's damage-heavy kit boasts some of the easiest-to-learn strings compared to other characters. As a Shooter Type, Ramlethal can capitalize on combat from any range thanks to her throwable swords. She can attack opponents from afar and grab her swords on the other side of the field, letting her prepare attacks anywhere.
And while her kit gives her access to both projectiles and long-ranged assaults, players do need to consider the various risks that come with her attacks. When used correctly, players can throw in quick or long normals as setups for more devastating combos. Her sword manipulation does leave her open for counters, and she doesn't have knockdown moves in long-range. Still, Ramlethal is a great beginner players for those who love the pressure game.
1 Sol Badguy
Sol Badguy boasts a toolkit that loves getting up close to his enemies. By nature, his specials give him a lot of options to approach opponents from a variety of vantage points. His normals allow him to setup throws, frame traps, and mixups that lead to devastating attacks. As a Balance Type, Sol offers opportunities for both defensive and offensive play that players can freely alternate across combat.
Granted, Sol Badguy more or less serves as the introductory character for Strive. However, he's no pushover. His decent maneuverability coupled with a flexible-enough straightforward toolkit can provide any player with various opportunities to turn the tide of combat. He has decently-balanced damage and defense, alongside mix-ups that make the game quite enjoyable for newcomers. His aggressive playstyle can easily acquaint newcomers with the fast-paced nature of the game.
Guilty Gear Strive released in June 2021 and is playable in the PS4, PS5, and PC.