Controls

As with other 2D fighters, Guilty Gear -Strive- uses Numpad Notation.

7	8	9
4	5	6
1	2	3

Button Representations:

= Punch
= Kick
= Slash
= Heavy Slash
= Dust

There is also a button for Taunt and Respect, albeit not having a preset location.

Special moves used more then one directional input. For instance, rotating the stick a quarter circle to the right is represented as 236.

= 236P
= 623S
= 41236H
= 87412D

Movement

Hold or = Walk

The most basic movement option. The character approaches or retreats from the opponent slowly.

Hold or or = Crouch

Put the character in a crouching position, lowering their hurtboxes. Note that the hurtboxes don't shrink immediately; the character can still be hit by moves normally whiffing on crouchers until they actually crouch.

= Dash (or Step)

Dashes move the character forward at a greater speed than walking. Most characters can run; hold the second

to do so. Certain characters, however, cannot run; they propel themselves forward for a fixed distance. Potemkin and Nagoriyuki, in particular, cannot even dash.

= Backdash

Backdashes move the character back for a preset distance. There is a brief period of invincibility starting from the very first frame, making it handy against certain attacks.

= Jump

Makes the character jump into the air. Pressing

or

will have them jump backward or forward respectively. There are a few frames during which the character stays on the ground before they actually jump; they are invulnerable to throws at this time, but can still be hit by strikes and projectiles. After a jump, the character has the option to either jump again in the air or air dash (except Potemkin who can only double jump, Goldlewis who can only air dash, and Nagoriyuki who can do neither), or in the case of Chipp and Millia, both.

= High Jump

After a High Jump, you can not double jump, but you can air dash. Pressing

or

will have you High Jump diagonally in the specified direction. You can use any downward direction for the

input - doing

will still give you a High Jump.

(In Air) = Double Jump

Jump again while in the air. Alternatively you can press

or

to double jump in the specified direction. Chipp can perform a triple jump, while Nagoriyuki and Goldlewis cannot perform a double jump.

(In Air) or = Air Dash

Dash in the specified direction in mid-air. Backward air dash is a moderate option for keeping away from the opponent. In the case of forward air dash, the character pauses in the air briefly before propelling forward; performing any other action during that will cancel the momentum, altering your angle of approach. Millia can perform two air dashes, while Potemkin and Nagoriyuki cannot perform a single air dash.

or = Instant Air Dash (IAD)

Instant Air Dash is a way to perform an air dash as soon as possible after a jump.

Offense

Normal Moves

Gatling Combination

Gatling combinations follow the following rules:

or > or xN

Useful for tick-throwing and mashing against pressures.

or > any command normal

A low risk/low reward route, gatling into slow command normals will often result in more pushback at higher risk.

or > , or any command normal

While less safe than starters, the ability to combo into for knockdown permits further offensive pressure or a mix-up opportunity.

c. > , , or any command normal

While less safe than starters, c. has increased hitstun on hit, allowing for combo routes into command normals not otherwise possible.

c., f., or > or

The high risk/high reward route, requires some conditioning.

Command Normals

A command normal is performed by pressing a specific direction with a specific button. Every character has both a and command normal, but each character has their own other command normals as well such as Sol's or May's . It's up to you to learn the different command normals and the properties of each for your character.

Most command normals has some form of upper body invulnerability and are useful as anti-air attacks.
Most command normals are slow, far reaching attacks.

Dust Attack

Dust Attacks are a special type of attack performed by pressing the

button without inputting a direction. It hits overhead, meaning the opponent has to block it high.

On a regular hit, Dust Attack causes a crumple that causes the opponent to float and then land back on their feet.

On a raw, fully charged hit, press any upward direction to perform a Homing Jump, chasing your opponent into the air for an air combo with no gatling limitations.

During a Homing Jump, canceling an air normal with the same input will trigger a Finish Blow, an attack that knocks the opponent down and resets both characters back to round start position in swapped positions.

Sweep

Sweeps are the primary knockdown tool of all characters input with

. They must be blocked low.

Sweeps knock the opponent down on hit, granting the attacker significant advantage to set up okizeme. Note that they only cause a hard knockdown on grounded opponents; they cause a soft knockdown on air hit.

Throw and Air Throw

In order to perform a throw, input

or

.

Throws are strong tools against the opponent who keeps blocking for too long. You have to mind the distance between your character and the opponent, though, as using it out of range will trigger a vulnerable whiff animation, putting your character in a Counter Hit state. Note that holding diagonals will not work when attempting a throw, it must be straight left or right.

Throw Clash

In order to perform a throw clash, input

or

as the opponent initiates a throw.

When two characters attempt to throw each other at close to or exactly the same time, a throw clash will occur, pushing both characters away from each other and back into a neutral situation. If you can anticipate the throw but don't have enough time to throw out an attack, this could be a valuable tool to break the opponent's momentum.

Special Moves

Special moves are moves that require a more elaborate command input, and have unique effects and properties. These range from standard projectiles (Ky's Stun Edge) to invincible attacks (Sol's Volcanic Viper) to command throws (Potemkin's Potemkin Buster). Special moves are free and do not require Tension, but some characters have special moves which change under certain conditions (Ky's Shock State for example).

One distinct difference between normal moves and special moves is that special moves always build some Tension, even if they miss completely. Special moves that deal damage also deal chip damage on block as well.

Overdrives

Much like "Super Combos" from other fighting games, Overdrives are moves that usually cost 50% of your Tension Gauge. While most Overdrives are used to deal high amounts of unburstable damage, some may grant an advantage outside of damage. Overdrives that hit the opponent will Wall Break on the last hit if the opponent collides with the wall regardless of Wall Stick (with the opponent in a hard knockdown state after the Area Shift).

Each Overdrive is character specific, and it's up to you to know what your character's variation does and what properties it contains.

Defense

Blocking

Hold or to block high or low. Hold any backward direction to block while in mid-air.

High block will not block lows.
Low block will not block overheads.

Instant Block

Press or just before an attack hits you

Negates pushback, allowing you to punish things not normally punishable.
Grants a small amount of Tension on success.
Negates chip damage.
Does not negate R.I.S.C. Level gain.
Your character will flash white if you performed an Instant Block.

Faultless Defense

or + any two attack buttons (except )
Continuously consumes Tension while in use

Pushes the defender far away from the attacker.
Negates chip damage and R.I.S.C. Level gain.
Cancels momentum causes by movement.

Instant Faultless Defense

or + any two attack buttons (except ) just before an attack hits you
Consumes Tension

Pushes the attacker far away from the defender, defender stays still.
Negates chip damage and R.I.S.C. Level gain.
Cancels momentum causes by movement.
Your character will flash white if you performed an Instant Faultless Defense.

Other Mechanics

Roman Cancel

Press any three attack buttons (except )
Consumes 50% Tension

Roman Cancel is a staple mechanic in Guilty Gear. It cancels everything your character is doing and pauses the screen for a brief moment so that you can seize the situation. The character releases a colored shockwave effect which causes slowdown for the opponent only if it touches them.

There are 4 types of Roman Cancel:

Blue Roman Cancel
Red Roman Cancel
Purple Roman Cancel
Yellow Roman Cancel

Blue during neutral or basic movement. Has the longest slowdown period, allowing you to respond to neutral situations or enable links not normally possible. Slowdown caused by the shockwave still continues even if the opponent gets hit.
Red as a strike or throw connects. The shockwave launches the opponent on hit for easy combo extensions and grants significant advantage on block.
Purple during a move outside of the Red Roman Cancel window. Use it in conjunction with projectiles to aid your offense or after an unsafe action to make yourself safe and maybe even retaliate.

During any of the above three types of Roman Cancel, you can drift in any cardinal direction by double tapping that direction or holding a direction and pressing the Dash button as you activate Roman Cancel. You can also prevent the shockwave from expanding by inputting a move during a specific window of the Roman Cancel's super freeze. This cancels directly into the inputted move, maintaining your momentum and reducing the amount of Tension spent, while still applying a reduced amount of slowdown at close range.

Yellow while in blockstun. The shockwave puts the opponent in a Guard Crush state on hit, granting the defender advantage. Applies 50% forced proration on hit.

Roman Cancels may sound very expensive, but they are very versatile and very much worth the Tension cost; Roman Cancels can make unsafe attacks safe, extend combos, and be used in mix-ups or frame traps.

Psych Bursts

+ any other attack button
Requires Full Burst Gauge

Psych Bursts are an attack where your character creates an energy shockwave and blows the opponent away. Bursts can be used as an offensive or defensive tool depending on the scenario. The Burst Gauge fills up very slowly over time or when getting hit, and the lower a character's life, the faster it fills.

Blue Psych Burst

Press + any other attack button while blocking or getting hit to perform a Blue Psych Burst. Blue Psych Bursts blow the opponent away, allowing you to interrupt an opponent's combo or reset the momentum of a match.

You cannot use a Blue Psych Burst while getting hit by throws, getting hit by Overdrives, or in a wall splat state.
Blue Psych Bursts are fully invincible during start-up.
You are vulnerable while recovering from a Blue Psych Burst.
Using a Blue Psych Burst completely empties your Burst Gauge, but hitting the opponent with the Burst refills approximately 1/3 of it.

Gold Psych Burst

Press

+ any other attack button while in a neutral state to perform a Gold Psych Burst. Gold Psych Bursts are a useful "get off me" tool on wake-up, and the reward for successfully landing one can turn the tides.

Hitting the opponent with a Gold Psych Burst fills your Tension Gauge to 100%.
Gold Psych Bursts are fully invincible until landing.
You are vulnerable during the landing recovery of a Gold Psych Burst.
Using a Gold Psych Burst consumes approximately 2/3 of your Burst Gauge, regardless if it hits or not.

Clash

A clash occurs when the hitboxes of both players' strikes connect with one another.

Either player can cancel the clashed attack into any other attack, dash, Faultless Defense, Gold Burst or Purple Roman Cancel. If the move was jump cancelable, it can be also canceled into a jump.

Taunts and Respects

Press the Taunt button to perform a Taunt. Press

and Taunt to perform a Respect. Though it's not really "attacking", Taunt and Respect do have their uses.

Both Taunts and Respects can be canceled into any action besides movement and proximity blocking after a certain amount of time. They can be used to give a false sense of vulnerability as your opponent may be lured into attacking.
Performing a Taunt will raise your opponent's Tension Gauge by 10%.
Taunt has 120 Frames of recovery while Respect has 60 Frames.
You can cancel any normal directly into Taunt but not Respect.