Gordeau wields a scythe called the Demon Sickle "Devourer" that he can summon at will. The Scythe is very large and has a lot of reach. As a result, you'll find that Gordeau has normals, specials and partner skills that have a lot of reach and hit in wide arcs. This allows Gordeau to control a lot of ground space in neutral, making it difficult for others to approach him freely.
Although Gordeau is capable of controlling a lot of space thanks to his scythe, whiffing these scythe normals put him at a severe disadvantage because they have a lot of recovery, often leaving him open to being punished. Gordeau also doesn't move very fast. To make the most of Gordeau, you'll need to learn to judge your spacing well and optimally make use of his long reaching options.
- Ludicrous range on his scythe normals.
- Has a very simple game-plan that is easy to execute.
- Reverse beat allows him to confirm most hits into a full combo or blockstring.
- Excellent anti-air options with 2B, B Assimilation, and Aim Opening.
- EXS attacks boosts his metergain while draining the opponents resources.
- S-tier assists easily makes him one of the best "team players" in the whole game.
- Above average health.
- Scythe normals are quite slow, unsafe on whiff, and greatly extend his hurtbox.
- Slow reversals make him susceptible to baits and safe-jumps.
- Precise Aim is his only air combo ender, meaning that for the most part he can't convert them into a ground combo via assists like most other characters.
- Cannot use more than one EXS attack per combo without an assist or Resonance Blaze, limiting his meter steal potential.
Gordeau EXS gives him the unique ability to form purple claws on his right hand that he can use to rip pieces of a person's soul from them. In Under Night in Birth, this unique ability was adapted into his gameplay by allowing his Assimilation command grabs to steal GRD. However, in BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle this ability allows Gordeau to steal a chunk of his opponent's Skill Gauge and add it to his own. His meter steal is static for each attack, meaning it is unaffected by the 180 frame meter-build cooldown that normally occurs after using Skill Gauge. This also makes it good at the end of long combos where normal meter build decreases.
The following moves will steal some of the opponent's Skill Gauge on hit:
- All versions of Rusty Nails (5AAAA and 6P)
- All versions of Assimilation (5BBB and 214X)
- Mortal Slide - Divest
Normal Moves
5A
- Jump cancelable.
- Throw cancelable.
Gordeau steps forward before punching, giving this attack extra range. Has many cancel options which makes this move good for applying pressure and mix-ups. Generally used in combos to catch opponents after landing during relaunch combos or after Mortal Glide or Grim Reaper in the corner.
- Jump cancelable on hit.
- Throw cancelable.
- Lightly pushes airborne opponents away.
5AA is mostly used as combo and pressure filler. Only -1 on block, making this his safest ground attack and the best point to reset pressure.
- Jump cancelable on hit.
- Launches opponents away on hit.
5AAA has good reach and damage but is very unsafe on block. Avoid using this move in blockstrings.
- Hits 3 times. Drains 2.5% of opponent's meter per hit and gains 1% meter per hit.
- Stuns grounded opponents on counter hit.
- Opponent cannot Cross Burst during this attack.
5AAAA has very long disjointed range, is safe on block, and is a natural frame-trap from 5AAA. This is the only EXS attack Gordeau has that isn't a grab. Hitting both the opponent's point and assist character will double the amount of meter stolen, making this an excellent attack for happy birthday situations. This move has no cancel options on block or whiff (even in Resonance Blaze), requiring assists for combo extensions. Can only follow-up solo on counter hit in the corner if it connects at close range.
5B
- Jump cancelable on hit.
- Knocks down on air hit.
5B has humongous range but also quite a bit of start-up so don't use this recklessly. This is his best scaling starter and thus should be used to begin punish combos whenever possible. Doesn't hit as high vertically as the animation implies, making this attack vulnerable to jump-ins.
- Shade Harvest follow-up is only done on hit.
- Mortal Slide hits once on hit or block, hits twice on whiff, while Shade Harvest hits once.
- Mortal Slide launches on its second hit.
- Shade Harvest vacuums opponents on hit or block
- Shade Harvest is jump cancelable on hit.
- Values in [] are when Mortal Slide doesn't hit the opponent's point character.
Gordeau reaches out with his scythe and, if his attack connects against the opponent, pulls it back to drag them closer to him. Used to keep opponents close during pressure or combos. If Mortal Slide’s first hit missed the point character, he will go the second hit of Mortal Slide instead of Shade Harvest, which is an upward swing with the scythe that launches away on hit.
- Hits 2 times. First hit is a command grab, second hit drains 5% of opponent's meter, gains 10% meter.
- Can only be used if Shade Harvest (5BB(2)) hit the opponent's point character.
- Only hits the opponent's point character.
- Opponent is invincible to all other attacks until Gordeau releases them.
- Opponents cannot burst during a throw.
Drains the most meter out of any of Gordeau's EXS attacks. Never provides optimal damage as a combo ender and can only be followed-up with assists, making this move somewhat difficult to use. Can whiff after 5BB if 5B hit at near max range.
5C
- Shares the same hitbox and animation as j.B.
- Airborne on frame 7.
- Knocks down airborne opponents.
- On grounded hit, leads into a timed follow-up.
- Follow-up damage, meter gain, oki, and timing changes if partner is available.
While most characters generally only use 5C as a last resort, the fact that Gordeau has an arcing airdash (which is much slower and reactable than normal air dashes), has only two air overheads (j.A and j.B) with the first being prone to whiffing against crouching opponents, and has no other grounded overheads means that he actually relies quite a bit on 5C to mix-up opponents. His is an assault style 5C, meaning its safe on block but has longer start-up than normal 5C's.
Note: This move still whiffs on Yumi. Top Tier Privileges, am I right?
2A
- Jump cancelable.
- Throw cancelable.
- Can cancel into itself up to three times.
Primarily used to interrupt an opponent's pressure or enact his own stagger pressure. Can be whiffed on purpose after some normals like 5B to make them safe or at least less unsafe. Gordeau's reversal action is quite slow so using this button on wake-up against poorly planned or timed oki may just prevent Gordeau from being safe-jumped.
2B
- 7-16f head attribute invulnerable.
- Hits 2 times. First hit is a low, second hit launches on hit.
- Jump cancelable on hit, on either hit.
Used in neutral to stop air approaches, used in pressure to hit opponents low, and used in combos to launch opponents. The second hit covers above, ahead, and behind Gordeau, allowing it to stuff dashs, IADs, cross-ups, and teleports simultaneously.
2C
- Hits low.
- Jump cancelable on hit.
- Launches on hit.
- Enters recovery on hit or block.
Travels a third of the screen, shrinks his hurtbox, and has tons of active frames, making this a good move to use in neutral.
j.A
- Hits 2 times.
- Double jump cancelable.
Primary air-to-air and air combo part. Also used in relaunch combos. Has weirdly placed hitboxes, low damage, and can only land both hits on grounded opponents out of an IAD. Use j.B for jump-ins instead.
j.B
- Double jump cancelable.
Primary jump-in attack and air combo part. Also used in relaunch combos. This is his best overhead as it does good damage and can lead into a full combo on a grounded hit. Can be used for fuzzies.
j.C
Mortal Glide
- Launches on hit.
Generally used mid-screen in air combos before Precise Aim or in the corner after jump-cancelable on hit normals to do relaunch combos. If this move scores a counter hit at point-blank range as close to the ground as possible, Gordeau can catch the opponent with a dashing 5A for a full conversion. Unsafe on block no matter what height its done at so never use this move in blockstrings.
Universal Mechanics
Ground Throw
5B+C
- 100% minimum damage (2000)
- If Gordeau isn't near an opponent, he will dash a short distance then grab.
- Holding back when inputting the grab will result in Gordeau throwing his opponent behind him.
- Wall bounces mid-screen, wall sticks for 60 frames in corner.
This is his fastest grab as well as his most damaging but it can be teched unlike Assimilation. Can combo the wall bounce into most of his grounded normals (save for 5B and 5C), specials (not 214A), and all of his supers, meaning his combo paths off of throw are pretty diverse. Wall stick can combo into literally any attack. Combo directly into Assimilation for good unburstable meterless damage.
Aim Opening/Precise Aim
5A+D (Air OK)
- Invincible on start-up.
- Ground version starts with Aim Opening, air version goes directly into Precise Aim.
- Follow-up attack is only done if Precise Aim hit the opposing point character at least once.
- Aim Opening hits once and is air unblockable, Precise Aim hits 6 times, and the follow-up hits once.
- Aim Opening launches on hit, all other hits knockdown on hit.
- 5% minimum damage. (Ground) 60 + (15 X 6) + 80 = 240. (Air) (35 X 6) + 50 = 260.
Old 22B into j.214B. Gordeau slams his scythe into the ground then jumps while spinning it above his head, following-up with an overhead slash back into the ground. One of the slowest shoryuken-like reversals in the game at 21 frames of start-up, making it highly susceptible to safe-jumps. While Aim Opening has a deceptively large hitbox, it isn't very good as an anti-air as it doesn't reach very high vertically and even if it does catch an opponent he will need a very slow assist that can pick them up after Gordeau does both Aim Opening and Precise Aim. Not usually used in ground combos due to this move's poor oki options but this is his only choice for ending air combos. Has decent minimum damage which makes it good for finishing off opponents without burning meter.
Cross Burst
(While being attacked) 5P+D (Air OK)
- Invincible on start-up.
Unlike most Cross Bursts, Gordeau only attacks once he lands, rather than striking from mid-air. This changes the possibilities of whiffing with it, as bursting in while being combo'd from too high in the air will guarantee a whiffed burst, but bursting against fast-falling attacks such as Yang j.C and Kanji j.236A will still punish them, unlike most other bursts in the game which will track to the incorrect vertical positioning.
Skills
Grim Reaper
236A/B
- Hits 2 times.
- Launches opponents away on hit.
Gordeau spins with his scythe twice. Used in neutral alongside an assist to force opponents to block. Can link into 5A or 2B in the corner.
- Hits 4 times.
- Launches opponents away on hit.
Gordeau spins with his scythe 4 times. Used in optimal damage combos by calling an assist afterwards. Very strong for active switch pressure, especially in sandwich situations.
Assimilation
214A/B
- Hits 2 times. First hit is a command grab, second hit drains 2.5% of opponent's meter and gains 5% meter.
- Works against standing or crouching point characters, even in hitstun.
- Opponent is invincible to all other attacks until Gordeau releases them.
- Opponents cannot burst during a throw.
Used in pressure to mix-up opponents. Requires an assist to convert into a combo. Always provides safe-jump oki.
- Is head attribute invulnerable.
- Hits 2 times. First hit is a command grab, second hit drains 2.5% of opponent's meter and gains 5% meter.
- Works against airborne point characters, even in hitstun.
- Opponent is invincible to all other attacks until Gordeau releases them.
- Opponents cannot burst during a throw.
Used in neutral to anti-air opponents, even those who are air guarding. Also used to end most grounded combos. Requires an assist to convert into a combo. Always provides safe-jump oki.
Extra Skills
EX Grim Reaper
236C
- Hits 6 times.
- Launches opponents away on hit.
- 10% minimum damage. (70 X 5) + 140 = 490.
Gordeau spins with his scythe 6 times. Has massive range, damage, and travel distance. Used for optimal damage combos when assists are available.
EX Assimilation
214C
- Throw invincible from frame 1.
- Hits 4 times. First hit is a command grab, fourth hit drains 5% of opponent's meter and gains 5% meter.
- Works against the opponent's point character in any state, even in hitstun.
- Opponent is invincible to all other attacks until Gordeau releases them.
- Opponents cannot burst during a throw.
- 10% minimum damage. 80 + 100 + 150 = 330.
Long animation on hit makes it difficult to extend combos with assists and also eats up a lot of the combo timer. Always provides safe-jump oki.
Partner Skills
6P
Rusty Nail
- Hits 3 times.
- Drains 2.5% of opponent's meter per hit, gains 1% meter per hit.
- Launches opponents on hit.
Somewhat slow but gives a decent amount of untechable stun on hit and can be done from a moderate range. Only assist that uses his EXS, making it vital for increasing metergain and keeping the opponent's resources low. Can be spammed in Cross Combo for masive metergain and meter steal.
5P
Grim Reaper
- Hits 2 times.
- Launches opponents away on hit.
This is his most versatile assist thanks to its fast start-up speed, huge range, high damage, and long active frames. Can lock down opponents for mix-ups and can limit their movement options by controlling space.
4P
Aim Opening
- Hits once.
- Ground bounces on hit.
This move may be a tad situational, but it gives you a hard knockdown that makes combo extension a breeze.
Distortion Skills
Mortal Slide - Divest
236B+C
- Invincible on start up.
- Hits 7 times on hit (10 times in RB), twice on block or whiff.
- Only does follow-up attacks if the first hit connected against the opponent's point character.
- Follow-up attacks can only hit the opponent's point character.
- First hit restands opponents on hit.
- Second hit vacuums opponents on block.
- Fifth hit (Seventh in RB) drains 5% of opponent's meter, gains 10% meter.
- Final hit launches opponents away (knocks down in RB).
- 20%, 28%, 22% minimum damage. 200 + (280 X 4) + 506 = 1826.
- (RB) 20%, 27%, 14% minimum damage. 200 + (135*3) + (270*4) + 336 = 2021.
- Values in [] are for the Enhanced version, values in <> are for whiffed or blocked first hit.
On block, the opponent will be dragged towards Gordeau, and he will no do any other hits. Has the same start up and frame disadvantage as Turbulence while having more horizontal range and being significantly safer on whiff, making this Gordeau's go-to reversal super. In the corner, Gordeau is able to get situational IAD safejumps afterward. Final frame advantage on hit becomes notably worse in RB, preventing any sort of safe set-ups. If either super will K.O. the opponent, use this one as it steals meter and refunds a small portion of the meter it used.
Safejump Details:
- Does NOT work on characters with counter DPs like Yosuke, so you'd have to empty jump it.
- Does NOT work on characters with guard point DPs like Kanji. You can also opt for different oki for these fellas.
Special cases:
- Ragna DP has too much of an arc so if he whiffs completely on neutral/back techs, but if he does forward tech DP, you just lose that interaction.
- Susano'o and Ruby can forward tech past you but you still have time to block their DP.
- Gordeau and Hilda can be kept same side if you opt for IAD+button, otherwise they tech past.
- Waldstein's case is that you go past him and it just whiffs, so just don't run into him after going over if they DP
Turbulence
214B+C
- Invincible on start up.
- Becomes full invulnerable for the duration of the super if the opponent's point character is hit.
- Hits 9 times (18 times in RB).
- Final attack wall bounces, all other launch opponents on hit.
- 10%, 22% minimum damage. (100 X 8) + 1056 = 1856.
- (RB) 10%, minimum damage. (100 X 5) + (50 X 10) + (360 X 3) = 2080.
- Values in [] are for Enhanced version.
Has slightly better damage and oki than Mortal Slide - Divest, making it good for ending combos that will either end the match or won't result in taking out one of the opponent's characters. Gordeau does all of the attacks on block or whiff, making this move hilariously unsafe if it doesn't hit. Has a gap between the initial strikes and spin attack that can be reversal-ed through on block. The normal version has an additional gap between the spins and the final attack. Most characters are also able to low profile the spinning hits by crouching and using crouching attacks.
Distortion Skill Duo
Turbulence
P during Main Character's Distortion Skill
- Identical to Gordeau's solo version of Turbulence except it deals slightly higher minimum damage.
- 100% minimum damage. (240 X 5) + (40 x 3) + 680 = 2000.
- 100% minimum damage. (200 X 5) + (35 X ) + (200 x 2) + 750 = 2500.
Gordeau's assist super is Turbulence, but it has faster start-up, a better final frame advantage, and higher damage, making this a good super for finishing off opponents. The enhanced version still has safe-jump oki so keep that in mind.
Astral Heat
Soul Vanish/Soul Exodus
222B+C
- Requires 9 bars of meter, level 4 Resonance Blaze, and the opponent must have one character remaining.
- Invincible on start-up.
- Grants victory upon a successful hit.
Should be used to end combos whenever possible. Can be used as a powerful reversal or projectile punish thanks to its invincibility and range but is very costly and unsafe on block.
External References
- Azrael [★]
- Celica A. Mercury [★]
- Es [★]
- Hakumen [★]
- Hazama [★]
- Iron Tager [★]
- Izayoi [★]
- Jin Kisaragi [★]
- Jubei [★]
- Mai Natsume [★]
- Makoto Nanaya [★]
- Naoto Kurogane [★]
- Nine the Phantom [★]
- Noel Vermillion [★]
- Nu-13 [★]
- Platinum the Trinity [★]
- Rachel Alucard [★]
- Ragna the Bloodedge [★]
- Susano'o [★]
Click [★] for character's full frame data
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Frame Data & System Data •
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Attack Attributes •
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