GGACR/Testament/Strategy

From Dustloop Wiki
 Testament



Anti-Airing

Airthrow is your strongest and most consistent reactive anti air. Very rewarding option because you get a doll to setup enhanced traps with it!

5P is quick and safe. Strong vs opponents that try to air stall because you recover so quickly.

2S is more committal but it has great range and decent low profile. It is strong at anti-airing when they're in front of you, however it tends to whiff if they're directly above you.

6P is even more committal and quite slow, but it has a strong lowprofile and becomes upper body invul frame 1.

  • Can work against IAD(instant air dash) either by beating their air buttons or by lowprofiling and then hitting them as they land(they can block it, but often people crouchblock when landing and they get opened up because it is an overhead).
  • It can beat Sol's Bandit BringerGGAC Sol 236Khold.pngGuardHigh/AirStartup32Recovery9+4 after landingAdvantage+1 and Riot StampGGAC Sol 214K.pngGuardHigh/AirStartup9 after reaching wallRecovery3 after landingAdvantage-4~ consistently.

6K, 6H and 3H have good vertical reach but they're slow. They can be used preemptively to control space both horizontally and vertically.

5D is a slow situational anti-air, but it can be effective when used preemptively. Has a big disjointed hitbox and it lowprofiles well. Gets even better when Testament has their back against the corner, because their hurtbox gets moved in the wall.


Air-to-airing is generally how you deal with air stalling and check air space preemptively. Can be susceptible to fast approaches like IAD(instant air dash) or jump early button because they might hit you while rising or during startup.

Air-to-airing with j.P is good when they are above you.

Air-to-airing with j.K, j.S and j.D cover the air space horizontally.


Traps and summons can also act as anti airs:

  • Net controls a lot of space and can catch them airdashing or during startup of slower air buttons.
  • Tree and H EXE beast are strong when you sit next to them and block. They can punish the opponent during hitstop while you're blocking.
  • K skull can be used preemptively to control air space. It has slow startup and is pretty punishable, try to have some traps around for protection before doing it.
  • Beasts can be held and released as the opponent comes down from the air, thus giving you an advantageous situation if they end up blocking it.


Movement is a good way to avoid uncomfortable situations. If you struggle challenging the opponent approaching from the air you should consider repositioning and picking a better spot. Creating space between you and the opponent benefits Testament because they have powerful summons and strong long range pokes.

Testament has a good backdash, it is 16F total with a nice travel range and is invulnerable frame 1-9. You want to backdash as late as possible, preferably on reaction to a jump in you cannot challenge otherwise. Backdashing too early may get you hit by their air button, however they can get an awkward air hit and it might be difficult to convert into anything meaningful depending on character.


Instant block(IB)

  • IB a jump in and you can create gaps to enforce RPS after they land with options such as: throw, warrant, backdash, NC, mash.
  • Air IB a jump button and you can punish with an airthrow. Air IB is even stronger than ground IB because it removes a lot more blockstun.
  • Air SB can be strong with Testament because they extend a big hurtbox during the animation. It is easily timed if the animation extends in their active hitbox. Air SB reduces any move to 1F of blockstun, thus allowing you to easily punish or approach.

How to use the traps

Where do you want your opponent to be, and where don't you want them to be?

Traps help you suffocate the opponent and give you a good idea of what they're gonna do, they make winning neutral and accessing your win condition easier.

Traps are tricky and control space really well, they basically do 2 things:

  • Hit the opponent if they're not aware of them and you can convert into a combo.
  • Control the opponent's decision making in neutral by making them play around it, thus making it easier for you to hit them.

Testament's traps can be empowered by spending dolls, which they collect when they land an airthrow on the opponent (1 doll) or hits with the Master of Puppets overdrive (stabs the opponent with a key; 3 dolls total, 2 for the first hit and 1 for the second hit).

Trees and Nets placed behind you can boost your combo reward or turn moves into combo starters! For example, badlands and warrant launch the opponent backwards and lead to powerful air combos.

Net

Is a versatile and passive screen control option, also it is one of the best things to just slyly plant if your opponent isn't rushing you.

You can place it at tons of heights, it can be both a ground or air deterrent.

Since it doesn't go away if you get hit and lingers on the screen, it forces your opponent to structure their pressure, combos, and jump ins differently.

  • Air net can be used for air stalling and changing air momentum.
  • Net can be strong placed behind you as well since it can turn badlands and warrant into combo starters.

Nets can be removed by attacking or blocking them. When attacked, causes the opponent's attack to lose 1 active frame.
Moves with 2 or less active frames can be neutralized with 2 nets.

  • For example, you can use them to be safe against Justice's Michael BladeGGAC Justice 632146H.pngGuardMidStartup9+4Recovery46Advantage-14, which is only 2 frames active. Since her super is fullscreen, you completely avoid it even if the nets are behind you.
  • Another example, Sol's 5H, since it's only 2 frames active it will completely whiff if you're surrounded by 2 nets.

Okizeme tool that is useful for when you want a wall to keep them there, however it doesn't hit them while they're crouching. Effective deterrent against reversals like Sol's Riot StampGGAC Sol 214K.pngGuardHigh/AirStartup9 after reaching wallRecovery3 after landingAdvantage-4~, Faust's FB ChopGGAC Faust 214D.pngGuardHigh/AirStartup19Recovery12Advantage+1 or Slayer trying to BDC(backdash cancel) jump out of the corner.

  • Can be used to force clashes against invulnerable moves such as Sol's Volcanic ViperGGAC Sol 623S.pngGuardMidStartup7Recovery21+10 after landingAdvantage-28. The net hurtbox takes priority over yours, so it just counts as 2 disjointed hitboxes connecting. Example.

Tree

The animation on it is subtle, it can be difficult for the opponent to spot them. It is a strong defensive tool you can sit behind patiently, it can trigger and hit them while you're blocking.
The best spot a tree can be is directly in front of Testament, where the opponent would have to stand to attack you on the ground. Jumping over will put the opponent in reach of your anti-airs.
The next best spot, especially for empowered trees, is behind Testament, where you can use badlands to juggle them backwards into the tree for a combo starter.

  • Can be deactivated if they hit you or they get close in it's proximity, usually by jumping over it, dash FD block, dash throwing or dash with an invulnerable move to avoid the activation. Take note of how the opponent responds to it and punish.
  • Empowered trees don't go away if Testament gets hit and poisons them. It is a ridiculously strong defensive tool that the opponent has to respect and approach with caution.

Skull & Curse

P skull remains active in front of you and can deal with ground approaches well.
You can otg them using P skull and get easy access to curse from a knockdown.

  • When they're cursed, the crow attacks 5 times.

K skull travels horizontally slowly and is great at controlling air space. It is slow startup however, try placing some other traps around you for protection or to make them hesitate.

  • On air CH you can convert into a combo from it.
  • It can be used in combos together with EX Net or 2K otg Net situation to make the crow attack 8 times.
  • If they try to air block it, you can teleport behind them on a read with 22K(Lucht Warrant)GGAC Testament 22P.pngGuardStartupRecoveryTotal 42Advantage- and cross up their inputs so they get hit.

D skull applies curse even on block. It is excellent at locking your opponent down, and making them feel pressured.
They can crouch under the skull, but you can approach and attack them with an overhead (j.H, 6P, 5D). They will either get hit by the overhead or be forced to stand up into it and get cursed.
The opponent will try to be mobile in the air around it, dash under it or try to hit you with a long reach crouching move, so be aware of their behavior and counter appropriately.

  • Potemkin and Justice especially struggle against it cuz of their limited mobility, Potemkin gets cursed by D skull even if he flicks it.
  • The crow attacks 5 times on block and 8 times on hit.

Curse is a really powerful and versatile assist to enhance your neutral and offense.
No one wants to sit and eat free pressure from crow, so they'll start taking riskier approaches. Even if they choose to don't approach you still get rewarded, you get to place more traps on screen and suffocate them even better.

  • Curse makes your other traps even more powerful, since your opponent feels constrained.

Beasts

Are both offensive and defensive. Since they keep moving after you let them loose, they can hit opponents, even if they hit you.
Beasts are both a way to keep a ton of pressure, and a grounded option that makes your opponent either block or jump.

  • Both are amazing okizeme tools.
  • Beasts are very strong and tricky because you can delay them for a good while and control when they release.

H beast is really versatile and important to help you get started in neutral. It can be a good defensive wall in front of you that controls a lot of space horizontally and creates hesitation from the opponent.
If the opponents approaches carelessly you can release it and hit them. If the opponent hesitates you get to summon more traps.

  • You can get access to it instantly by FRCing if you feel pressured or don't think you have enough time.
  • H beast has more block/hitstun than S beast.

S beast acts as a harassment tool, one that forces your opponent to deal with you. When you already have a bunch of traps laid on the screen, using S beast to force your opponent to approach them can be terrifying.
It's an amazing counterpoke tool from far range that can hit the opponent while they're zoning, summoning, setup, charge, bloodpack etc. You use S beast when they're playing passive or keeping their distance doing stuff.

  • It can be avoided by dashing forward or jumping. Most people approach Testament with an aggressive style and rush you down, in this situation S beast is less effective than H beast.

Okizeme

General

The most common way to pressure after a knockdown is to immediately summon EXE BeastGGAC Testament 41236S.pngGuardAllStartup22~81+6RecoveryTotal 38Advantage+16 and release it so it hits meaty.

  • S beast appears from behind them, and pushes them closer to you. Used when they're spaced away and you wanna bring them closer. Can be backdashed when used meaty.
  • H beast appears in front of you. Has more blockstun and untech time than S beast. Can catch backdash.
  • From farther away you will be able to run up and combo if the S Beast hits, or continue with a blockstring if they block, but your mixup options will be limited without taking risks or spending meter. This isn’t bad, but Testament’s options really shine with closer knockdowns.

Ideal oki situations such as 2D and 1-hit BadlandsGGAC Testament 214P.pngGuardAllStartup17Recovery13+15 after landingAdvantage-13 will give you just enough space and time to safely summon EXE BeastGGAC Testament 41236S.pngGuardAllStartup22~81+6RecoveryTotal 38Advantage+16 and run up to make them block 2K low or 6P high.

  • If you hit the opponent with Testament meaty and release the Beast after, it is a guaranteed launch situation for net (Zeinest)GGAC Testament 214H.pngGuardAllStartup11RecoveryTotal 29Advantage+2 juggles on hit, but will be more vulnerable to reversals.
  • If you release the Beast first the combo potential is limited without traps prepared, but will more easily beat defensive options.
  • Depending on the situation you may want to end a combo with OTG P Phantom SkullGGAC Testament 236P.pngGuardAllStartup30RecoveryTotal 58Advantage+2, which will remove the guaranteed safe summon S Beast, but curse your opponent. This can be a good tool against characters with strong reversal options who you want to lock down in neutral with the curse, like Slayer or Baiken.

Rotating between immediate release and delayed release EXE beast is very important.

  • You can use immediate release to condition them to block, then mix it up with delayed release to generate more plus frames for stronger mixup when they over respect.
    • Immediate release makes them block, however it gives worse frame advantage for mixups, conversions and can lose to backdash.
  • Delayed release is the greedier option that can lead to better mixups, combos and can catch backdash, but it will lose if they jump before releasing the beast.
    • There's a huge value in holding beasts and manually releasing them because you have a lot more control and can create advantageous situations.

The timing difference between 2K and 6P can be fuzzy guarded with the right block pattern. If you expect this, use strings like 2P>6P or 2P>2K or even 2P>2K>6P to mess with their timing.

  • If the high-low mixup isn’t cutting it, 5P, 2P, and 2K are all potent tick-throw options here with dash momentum.
  • Testament’s teleport, Lucht WarrantGGAC Testament 22P.pngGuardStartupRecoveryTotal 42Advantage-, is another option for oki. After summoning S Beast, time Lucht Warrant so that you will finish teleporting just before the Beast connects with the opponent. Because you can use P or K to appear on either side, this gives you a strong, but throwable, left-right mixup. Without putting them in the corner this can be hard to convert from, so its best use case is for a checkmate situation, where the opponent has to block or die.
  • If they use Faultless Defense to avoid chip it will remove crossup protection, making the K Lucht Warrant unthrowable.

Double beast

2D and 1-hit BadlandsGGAC Testament 214P.pngGuardAllStartup17Recovery13+15 after landingAdvantage-13 oki can also lead to double Beast setups.

After summoning the initial S EXE Beast, immediately summon H EXE Beast. Release the S Beast to hit them meaty and drag them to you.

From there you have several options because the second beast will cover your mixup and any hit can lead to full net (Zeinest)GGAC Testament 214H.pngGuardAllStartup11RecoveryTotal 29Advantage+2 loops.

  • The Lucht WarrantGGAC Testament 22P.pngGuardStartupRecoveryTotal 42Advantage- crossup situation is potent here, because the subsequent beasts will let you keep pressuring safely or pick up a combo on hit. Be aware this still loses to reversal throws.

Video example::

Crossup mixups

TELEPORT

It involves one or two beasts then they teleport and release the beast as they appear.
Effective when the opponent is conditioned to block high with the 6P overhead, because of the short crossup protection when standing or when they're forced to FD because it removes the crossup protection completely.
When Testament teleports, it can be thrown, because they have to leave gaps for it to be a mixup.

  • FD throw OS is a strong option against this mixup. If they teleport in front you throw them, if they teleport behind you get FD. Example: 6KH with Sol.

Regarding crossup protection

  • 1F for standing
  • 9F for crouching
  • it is recommended to block by crouching, but they can condition you with overheads to stand block
  • FD gets rid of crossup protection. They don't need to leave gaps to expose themself to being thrown anymore.

Standing and getting hit because the crossup protection is only 1F.

Crouching and blocking because the crossup protection is 9F.

Throwing the teleport as a punish when they reappear.


TREE CROSSUPS

The standard setup involves placing a tree, then S beast to push them into the tree, then change position with Testament to create a left/right mixup.
You can do many variations with this idea.

  • You can back jump, airdash back or 22P to stay same side.
  • You can neutral/forward jump, airdash forward or 22K to crossup.

How to avoid guessing?

  • Get hit by the beast on purpose and forward tech!
  • If you get hit by the S beast it will not combo into the tree, thus you can tech forward and utilize the invulnerability to escape.

Crossup:

Same side:

Getting hit to avoid guessing:


BACKTURN

Testament can set it up by hitting the opponent with Badlands(2) or throw. These knockdowns put the character in a state where they wake up reversed, which allows Testament to do meaty crossups.

  • Testament does an air combo where they sideswap with dash momentum, then land and pickup with buttons > net > Badlands(2).
    • They can also spend 25 meter on gravedigger to wallbounce and sideswap for the same ender.

Generally they rotate between these 2 setups to vary it:

  • Place H beast and then IAD to crossup.
    • On Potemkin, Justice and Testament they can IAD jH for a more rewarding setup, since they can meaty with the air button and release beast delayed for stronger offense on block.
  • Dash plant tree > TK Badlands for a crossup.

Besides being a tricky mixup that requires familiarity to recognize, the purpose of the setup is to make the regular low / overhead / throw options more effective, because it adds an extra option to think about.
The meaty crossup is also useful for the purpose of messing up their reversal inputs. Since you swap sides, they have to input their wakeup options reversed.


How to recognize and defend it?

1) Pay attention to when they swap sides and end combo with Badlands(2) to put you back in the corner.
2) Then they will either H beast > IAD or dash tree > TK Badlands for a crossup mixup.
3) Wakeup and block it by holding the 3 direction(down-forward).

  • As long as you hold down-back based on your character's back and not based on where Testament is, you will trigger crossup protection for a few frames and can block.
  • They can still mix you up with other options such as 6P/2K/throw, but it is important to understand that these crossups can happen.

This is a crossup.

Defend it by using wakeup 3.

This will protect you from the crossup and from the same side meaty.

You can wakeup 6 but you will only have crossup protection for 1 frame standing.

If you wake up with 3 you have crossup protection for 9 frames crouching.


Backturn setups with TK Badlands hitting meaty:

MOP setups

MOP stands for Master of PuppetsGGAC Testament 236236H.pngGuardMidStartup7+4Recovery41Advantage-24, which is Testament's install super that gives them access to 3 dolls. (2 for 1st hit, 1 for 2nd hit).
MOP is one of Testament's strongest win conditions. It gives you access to powerful traps, specifically, poison treeGGAC Testament 214S.pngGuardMidStartupSee notesRecoveryTotal 27Advantage-.
Poison tree is much bigger than regular tree and it doesn't go away if you hit Testament. It can only dissapear if the opponent triggers it by being in it's proximity, usually by superjumping over it.
It is a powerful defensive tool for Testament, since it will persist and often win trades by launching the opponent really high, allowing them to recover and combo the opponent.

  • It leads to huge damage combos. Poison ignores guts and defense modifier, it will be pure additive dmg to your combo (100ish extra dmg).
  • With 2 or 3 dolls you can extend and loop MOP super for extremely high dmg combos by refreshing poison over and over.

MOP LOOPS

Your goal is to open them up and juggle them into the tree for a big combo.

Setup 1: Plant tree, then S beast

A common setup many Testament players use, usually when they're too far away to get better offense.
You plant a tree and summon S beast to put pressure on your opponent.

  • The S beast doesn't hit meaty, every character can jump out to avoid it except ABA(she has an extremely slow faceup wakeup timing).

Not meaty:

Meaty on ABA:

The tree doesn't go away unless it's triggered by being in it's proximity. Testament is comfortable doing anything around the tree's protection.
The opponent is put into a RPS. To escape the corner they have to be tricky with their options.

Escaping via the air:

  • superjump or dash superjump and then airdash are good ways to escape. Testament is aware of this and you will have to feint escapes as well, with air backdash or other options.

Escaping via the ground:

  • you can hit testament and score a knockdown while avoiding the tree. Do a quick gatling into 2D and sideswap by jumping over to detonate the tree.
  • you could use options with invulnerable frames, armor or parries to avoid the tree while triggering it. This depends on the character you play. For example: ABA can use danzai, Testament can use warrant.

Other notes:

  • the further the tree is placed, the harder it can be to escape the corner
  • Testament can comfortably sit there and don't let you escape the corner


Setup 2: Plant tree, then fS

We chose fS to meaty because it has good range, speed and cancel options. It is also disjointed and can be safe vs DPs.

Options:
1) meaty fS

  • you can combo into 3H if they get hit grounded, however you need to be close enough to combo into badlands. If the spacing isn't right post MOP knockdown, you should directly meaty with 3H to be able to combo.
  • can be backdashed

2) delay fS

  • it catches backdash
  • since they will get hit airborne while backdashing, you will buffer 6K to combo into badlands, because 3H badlands doesn't combo on air hits.
  • fS > 6K also combos if they get CH or hit crouching. 6K > badlands doesn't combo grounded, however if you're close enough you can 6K > 5H > badlands and if you aren't close enough use 6K > 6H for a knockdown into S beast oki.
  • can lose to jump

3) Other options

  • 3H/6K meaty or delay 6K, for when you're too far away. 6K badlands combos on air hit. However it is not disjointed and loses to wakeup DP.
  • dash 2K / 6P / throw / 5K / cS, for when they're hesitating or over respecting.
  • if they're good at reacting to you dashing when going for the mixup, a short dash 5H is a rewarding frametrap to punish their disrespect.

You can dash and then place a tree to be closer to the opponent. This will make the "fake" mixups harder to react to, since there's less space between you and the opponent.
However if you're too close to the opponent, you might launch them over the tree with badlands and it misses, be careful with the spacing.

Can be weak to:

  • clash cancel OSes
  • overdrives
  • fuzzy defense
  • good defense and awareness of your cancel options, while properly interacting with the gaps in your blockstring

Be careful when they have resources to use overdrives. They might also IB and disrespect the gaps.

  • fS > 3H has 1F gap on block and 4F on IB
  • fS > 6K has 2F gap on block and 5F on IB


Setup 3: Summon S beast, then plant tree

This setup is pretty versatile and can get you good mileage. You can be pretty tricky if you rotate between meaty S beast and delay S beast release.

Options:
1) You summon S beast, then plant tree (214S) to release it.

  • you can go for a mixup with 2K / 6P / throw, however there's a gap after the beast where they can disrespect you. If they get hit by the beast while you do this you, it will also fumble the setup and they tech out.
  • to condition them to respect, you can press a button like fS or 5H after releasing, to frametrap or pickup into a combo.

2) You summon S beast, then plant tree and hold it (214[S]). You can release it delayed with negative edge this way.

  • it will grant you enough frame advantage to dash in for a mixup, however it will lose if they're aware and jump out on wakeup.
  • it is important to mixup between meaty and delay S beast to keep the opponent guessing and uncomfortable in the situation.

3) If you spend 25 tension to FRC S beast, you can meaty the S beast and get a gapless mixup on block.

  • high tension requirement (75% total)
  • the FRC puts you in tension gain penalty for 4 seconds. You won't be able extend into a combo by looping MOP. You will either take a knockdown or go for an extension with curse routes if you need to guts crush.

Crossup gold burst is your most rewarding mixup option in this situation, if you're sure you won't drop the combo. You get 100 meter to work with to loop MOP and outlast the FRC tension penalty.

  • It's extremely prorated and relies on extending as much as possible to get the full damage. Dropping it relatively early might mean you don't kill, where the more conventional mixups in that situation would since they have less proration.
  • It's an expensive combo to drop. Burst recovery is also pretty long and it's tighter to convert initially than more regular starters.

With delayed S beast or S beast FRC you can do pretty much do any mixup you want, such as : lows, overheads, throws, crossup by jumping, teleports or even gold burst.

Gapless mix:

Basic combo:

Curse extension:

Crossup gold burst:


Setup 4: Summon S beast, then 6K, then plant tree

Similar to the setup before, based on respect. You mix up quick release with delayed release.
You summon S beast, don't release it and then meaty with 6K. The setup is not DP safe.

Quick release:

  • done by planting tree (214S)
  • you can go for a mixup with 2K/6P/throw, however there's a gap after the beast where they can disrespect you. If they get hit by the beast while you do this you, it will also fumble the setup and they tech out.
  • to condition them to respect, you can press a button like fS or 5H after releasing, to frametrap or pickup into a combo.

Delayed release:

  • done by planting tree and holding the S button (214[S])
  • you get a gaples mix if they respect, but there's a gap to jump out before S beast

Quick pressure tips

Generally you want to do a mixup and then if it doesn't work you transition into something safe.

Make sure you know your options, almost all your buttons are negative but some are more than others.

  • 5H is -3 and 2H is -4 which makes them not too bad to end on, unless your opponent nails the instant block / slashback on them.
  • Generally you just try to do moves that leave you at a really long range so their attempt to hit you back whiffs.

Chaining into 2H or 2D can make a naturally small gap to trade / beat their mash attempt.

One rare option, because it's very slow to come out, is 5D, which has the distinction of being your only move that is + on block at +3.

  • it's very large and although it's slow, after frame 25 it will stay out even if Testament is hit.
  • has some evasive properties that can let it beat deadangles, burst or some DPs.

After you've established space you can try to get away with a special cancel.

  • Without meter basically all your specials are punishable especially by fast characters that can dash / instant airdash at you before an exe beast can release.
  • The way to work meterless specials into your game is to mix them up with delay gatlings to make a "50/50" between a frame trap or a greedy summon.
  • For example, 6K can delay cancel into 5H or 6H (or 6P) to catch people mashing after it, or you can 6K and make a beast or a tree. fS/2S > summon or 2H is another such example.

With meter you have one of the most powerful pressure tools in the game, H Beast FRC.

  • This has an early and massive window of 2-9f, and you can do very silly things with it like button > h beast frc ~ button > call s beast while releasing h beast > release s beast.
  • You can use a slower button to fish for a big counterhit or quickly input a faster button like 2p or 5k to keep them in blockstun and set up a 6p with no gap.

Blockstrings

Table of gaps and gatlings

GGACR Testament General framedata table.png

GGACR Testament Special cancel gaps.png

Green means the beast will disappear.

Yellow means the beast will trade.

  • Beast: This is for when you want to rob the opponent of their turn. If they’re conditioned to keep blocking, this is a strong option. You can also FRC the H Beast to steal turns, which is a very strong option to get pressure started.
  • Net: Makes it tricky for them to get back to approach you. Unlike the other specials, it also doesn’t go away if you get hit.
  • Skull: Skull is great if you end with something like 3H and think they’re going to move out afterwards. P Skull gets them for pressing a button, K skull can tag them for jumping. But if they block it, they get out and your turn is over.
  • Tree: Tree is best if you expect them to immediately IAD at you with a button, but only do this if you can either FRC it or you have enough space to actually start blocking.
  • Nothing: For when you have been making sure to prevent them mashing out for a while. From here, you’d reset the situation.

Pressure sequence examples

Blockstring mixups and delays

Important framedata: 6P is 17F startup overhead, 2K is 6F startup low, 2D is 14F startup low.

You made them block a beast and/or started pressure with 2P/5P.

Options:

  • 5P/2P > throw
  • 5P/2P > 2S/5H (frametrap)
  • 5P/2P/2K > cS (gapless)
  • 5P/2P > 2K/2D (low)
  • 5P link 2K (low)
  • 5P/2P > 6P (overhead)
  • 5P/2P > 2K > 6P (low, overhead)
  • 5P/2P > 2K > 2D (low, low)

Extra notes:

5P is a fast recovery button that can lead to good pressure, but it can whiff on some crouching characters.

2S is the lower reward frametrap and gives decent pressure if they block. 5H is the high reward frametrap, safe on block and you have only special cancels available after they block it.

  • they have a 1F gap on block, 3F gap on IB and they're gapless on FD. You can also manually delay by a few frames to make it easier for them to press a button and get hit.
  • the 1F gap is good for catching them holding jump.

cS for when you're afraid of them doing an invulnerable move through a gap. It is gapless even if they IB previous button.

2K is the lower reward low and gives decent pressure if they block. 2D is the high reward low, unsafe on block and you have only special cancels available after they block it.

  • 5P/2P > 2K is gapless low, useful for conditioning the opponent to respect. It will hit them standing up trying to: upback, throw or DP.
  • 5P/2P/2K > 2D is a minimum 5F gap. You can delay the 2D a bit to match the overhead timing.

5P/2P/2K > 6P is a minimum 8F gap.

5P link 2K hits at 15th frame, only need to delay 2F to match overhead timing. Note that I said you do a link, not a cancel. If you cancel it does not match the overhead timing. Big 8F gap but it can beat some players that fuzzy block, if they delay swap guard to high expecting the overhead they will get hit by the 2K.

S beast has a strange behavior on block and forces them to swap directions of IBing. They cannot IB with a 1 or 4 input, they have to use 3 or 6. This does NOT happen with H beast.


What happens if they defend your string and you didn't open them up?

You could continue your blockstring with ... cS > 2S > 6K > ender.

If you did 5H or 2D you're limited to special cancels and you have to vary them to be safer.

cS is strong because you can create another mixup with it if you're close enough. It can gatling into 6P overhead again or you can choose to go into 2D for a low.

6K is strong because you can create another mindgame there, it has a huge cancel window and can lead to some tricky options.

For example, you could cancel the 6K into S beast to pressure reset and go into your 2P mixup blockstring again. You can frametrap them with delayed 5H or 6H to make them respect the beast.

6H on hit gives you a knockdown, if they jump and get air hit it can also grant a knockdown on lower heights or you can FRC into a huge combo. You can do S beast oki from the KD. 6H FRC can be up to +16 on block.

5H has a lot of hitstun and a big cancel delay window to let you hit confirm into badlands. On CH it staggers and you can combo into S beast. 5H is also safe on block by being only -3 with decent pushback.

6K > 6P is another sneaky pressure reset and frametrap, it can catch them offguard, but you don't have a meterless low option to mix them up. However you can cancel 6K with H EXE FRC and use dash 2K or 2D as a low option.


cS > 6P or 2D is another strong mixup situation.

Options:

  • cS > 3H/2H (frametrap)
  • cS > 5H (gapless)
  • cS > 2D (low)
  • cS > 6P (overhead)

Extra notes:

  • cS > 3H is a 1F gap and 4F if they IB.
  • cS > 2H is a 3F gap and 6F on IB.
  • cS > 5H is gapless even if they IB the cS, thus it's a very safe option to cancel into.
  • cS > 6P is a 4F gap and 7F on IB, cS > 2D is a 1F gap and 4F on IB.
  • You can delay cS > 2D to be similar timing to the overhead.
  • It is smart to keep your meter for when you gatling into 2D, 5H, 3H or 2H and they end up blocking it. You can H Beast FRC and keep offense going.

H Beast FRC

Testament's strongest way to reset pressure.

GGACR Testament HEXEFRC.png

H beastGGAC Testament 41236S.pngGuardAllStartup22~81+6RecoveryTotal 38Advantage+16 FRC is a frame 2 FRC that gives you similar benefits to RRCing (Red Roman Cancel) your normal, while also leaving a summon on screen for only 25 meter.

It gives you plenty of time to true blockstring or frametrap them with buttons and you have a beast on screen for further pressure or mixups.

You can be tricky and creative with this, it's very similar to Johnny mist cancelling. Turn any cancellable button into a quick mixup or reset.


How to input it?

1) Doing H EXE FRC in neutral state: piano 41236H~PKS. To avoid getting an extra special move on accident with negative edge, you have to hold the PKS a little bit to wait out the motion buffer.

2) When doing H EXE FRC by cancelling a button you have to keep in mind the hitstop. Hitstop happens when you connect a move on hit or block, then both you and the opponent are frozen for a period of time.

During hitstop you can buffer the H beast then FRC once the hitstop ends. Since it's a frame 2 FRC you can use the hitstop as a visual cue.

  • Important to note that you can buffer the beast early and then on the FRC there's no risk of negative edge specials. Since 41236H and RC can be timed more than 10F apart(motion buffer).
  • Examples: 41236H PKS (you time the PKS after the button hitstop). You can even reuse H, by doing 41236H PSH.


Example with cancelling from a button:

  • Step 1: Choose a button you want to cancel with H EXE FRC. Higher attack level is preferred because it gives you more frame advantage. Let's pick 2H for this example.
  • Step 2: 2H > 41236[H] PKS // [] means hold. Let the beast be in standby, you can take your finger away from the H button or keep your finger on the H button and hold it.
  • Step 3: Okay you've done it! Things that could've gone wrong:

1) You did 41236H PKS 1F apart and got IK activation.

2) You got a S beast on screen or another special move. How did this happen? The S beast came out on screen because you negative edge released the S button too fast. It looks cool, but you do NOT want this cuz it will ruin your pressure or even get you punished.

How to fix: You need to create more delay between 41236H and PKS so it doesn't happen. You can input PKS after the 2H hitstop ends.

  • Step 4: What do we do with these plus frames? Stuff you could do:

1) Press a button to force them to block, frametrap or delayed button to catch backdash.

2) Go for greedy mixup by dash 2K/6P/throw/teleport etc.

Generally what you do depends on the player you face and their respect. What is respect? Respect basically determines how they choose to defend, you need to get a good read on the player you face.

Examples:

1) If they mash or jump you should go for frametraps.

2) If they backdash you should do tighter strings or something that punishes, like a delayed button that converts into an air combo for example.

3) If they DP/super you should keep it tight or aim to do safe options or even block and punish after.

4) If they block a lot you could go for a greedy mixup.

  • Step 5: We chose to press a button to take advantage of the plus frames, specifically fS. I recommend grinding your pressure tight enough so you can jail them at least with a fS. If you're closer you can use 5K, which is much easier to utilize because it is faster startup and you can be sloppier with your cancels.

41236[H] PKS > fS

  • Step 6: Release the H beast for filling the gap. Cancel fS into 3H, this will release the H beast. // Note you can also do this without using 3H by manually releasing H EXE if you were holding with negative edge(removing your finger from the button) or by tapping H again.

41236[H] PKS > fS > 3H !41236H // "!" means H beast is triggered.

  • Step 7: Cancel 3H into S beast, the H beast release secures they can't disrespect this pressure reset. Hold the S beast a little while H beast keeps them in blockstun and release it delayed for a lot of plus frames.

41236[H] PKS > fS > 3H !41236H > 41236[S]

  • Step 8: Release S beast and go for a mixup. 6P/throw/2K or 2P into stuff etc.

41236[H] PKS > fS > 3H !41236H > 41236]S[ > (dash) > mix // ][ means released.


What if they got hit when I pressed fS?

If you did the sequence properly it will be a combo on hit as well.

Video examples:

How it looks if they block:

How it looks if they get hit:

Have fun with it:

Curse

Is a really strong and versatile tool that will improve your neutral, offense and defense while putting the opponent in an uncomfortable situation.

It's basically like an assist that gives you a lot of freedom. You can use it to control space safely, plant traps while your opponent is getting attacked, hesitating or running away. You can use it for plus frames in blockstrings to fill gaps and create mixups or for okizeme. You can get pretty creative with it and punish how the opponent responds to it.

  • Requires memorizing the curse patterns and be adaptable to the situation.
  • Crow can attack them while you block and doesn't go away when active even if you get hit, but curse gets disabled if you get hit.

Pressure works kinda similarly to H beast FRC, but instead of spending meter to get plus frames, you utilize the crow attacks which are free.

You can do stuff > EXE beast and time it so the crow hits inbetween them to fill the gap and then go for a mixup.

  • You could teleport or jump over for a crossup mixup when the crow hits or you can even go for an unblockable with 2K/2D together with the crow overhead attack.
  • It is a creative and fun tool to use!

Tips and Tricks

2D Net Quick Reference

2D > 214H                     
2D > 214H > 2K (OTG) > 236K                                          

Throw > OTG Skull Quick Reference

236P                                                   
2366P                     

Fighting Testament

When to burst?

DO BURST

  • 6K or the startup of 6K
    • Testament can cancel 6K into S beast to bait the burst as a hard-read (It drops the combo if they do), however they cannot if you burst the startup of 6K.
  • The cancel into net (Zeinest)GGAC Testament 214H.pngGuardAllStartup11RecoveryTotal 29Advantage+2.
    • If you burst net startup, you have to block out of burst recovery, because net will stay out and hit you.
  • During jH startup, when they do stuff > net > jHD.
    • However don’t do it too early because they can OS with airthrow.
  • BadlandsGGAC Testament 214P.pngGuardAllStartup17Recovery13+15 after landingAdvantage-13, but only before startup or really quick after 1st hit, otherwise you get launched too high and they fall below safely.
  • OTG burst to avoid the okizeme situation and not get punished.
    • If Testament has a tree nearby, they can theoretically combo you as a punish to the OTG burst.

DON'T BURST

  • After jH, jP, or jS
  • After getting hit by EXE beast.
    • Testament can use fS for a spaced pickup or 5P when they’re close to be burstsafe.
  • If they’re below you in the air.
  • Fast recovery normals: 5P
  • Spaced long range disjointed normals: fS
  • Jump cancellable normals: 5K, cS, jS.
    • It is a hard read and they will have to drop their combo.

EXTRA NOTES:

  • They can bait burst at any point on the ground from special cancellable normals by cancelling into warrant or H beast FRC.
    • When they're spaced, cancelling into EXE beast can be burstsafe, because the animation retracts their hurtboxes and then they can release the beast for a big punish.
  • Keep your burst to prevent them from ending the combo into MOP(Master of Puppets)GGAC Testament 236236H.pngGuardMidStartup7+4Recovery41Advantage-24.
    • Look at their meter when they do the combo and burst before MOP. Once they have 50 tension they do either 5K/cS net > MOP or 5H > MOP.
    • If you burst before MOP, it will whiff and you can punish them. However if they have 75% meter they can FRC it to be safe.

Warrant

How does this even work?
It is a frame 2 counter that poisons and beats anything except throws and some unblockables.

  • Testament will freeze you in hitstop and teleport behind you in 24F to punish with a strike attack that poisons.

When do they use it?
They do it:

  • on wakeup to test if your meaties are real
  • in blockstrings during gaps
  • after being minus on block, to beat you trying to take your turn. For example: yolo badlands > warrant.
  • on reads in neutral or on reaction to certain pokes and projectiles

How to beat this?

  • Throws.
  • Forward momentum or special cancels that move you forward to avoid it.
    • Example: ABA's rekka 1GGAC ABA masshou.pngGuardMidStartup12Recovery17Advantage-5. She can do button > rekka 1 and naturally make the teleport attack behind her whiff.
  • Jump cancels to avoid the teleport behind you, but be careful because the strike has a big hitbox and needs to be FD blocked in the air.
  • Check if your character has an option select A technique where one command (or series of commands) will perform a different action depending on the circumstances, thereby allowing one action to be able to handle two distinct situations. (OS) that you can do to beat it automatically. The OS usually involves you doing a button into a series of inputs that when they cross you up, you get the move that beats the teleport attack behind you.
    • For example, Testament can do button > 41236KH. If they don't do warrant you get a cancel into 41236HGGAC Testament 41236S.pngGuardAllStartup22~81+6RecoveryTotal 38Advantage+16, but if they do warrant they teleport behind and you get a cancel into 214KGGAC Testament 214K.pngGuardStartupRecoveryTotal 52Advantage- because they crossed up your inputs. It is basically a warrant OS for their warrant.
    • Other moves that could be used to OS warrant: Justice 236PGGAC Justice 236P.pngGuardStartup5RecoveryTotal 38Advantage-, Axl 214PGGAC Axl TenhouSekiP.pngGuardStartupRecoveryTotal 31Advantage-.
  • Fast recovery buttons with little hitstop or by doing a falling air normal/safejump and then block. For example with Testament I use 5P, I recover in time to block and punish the teleport attack that is -20 on block.
  • Testament teleports behind you, however if you crouch block you don't have to swap guard, due to extended crouch crossup protection.
  • "Oh so I just block and punish, easy! WAIT IT HAS A FRC POINT???". They have a FRC point because they need it, yes. Testament goes from -20 on block up to +4 on block.
    • How you counter this? You can throw the teleport attack before startup, so they don't get a chance to FRC. Alternatively if you don't do this, Testament fastest button is 5F and you can still RPS with reversals, or IB to use more options and do them easier.
  • Keep your blockstrings tight and use lows to catch them buffering the input.
    • The warrant input is 214K and they have to stand up doing it. Match the low with the timing they would stand up.
  • Time your meaties properly and if you aren't confident use options that naturally are safe vs warrant.

Options such as:
1) Fast buttons or safejumps. Recover in time to punish by doing a fast button or a falling air normal close to the ground.
2) Avoid with forward momentum. For example: ABA cancelling into rekka1.
3) Do your warrant option select.

"Yolo Badlands and Gravedigger"

If they love playing risky and dice-roll these options, stick to dash FD approach to close the gap, since it's safe and you can focus on punishing. Hesitating and playing too safe is gonna stop working if they catch on what you're doing.


TK BadlandsGGAC Testament 214P.pngGuardAllStartup17Recovery13+15 after landingAdvantage-13

  • Has a huge disjointed hitbox that controls a lot of space horizontally, vertically and it can jump over a lot of moves and beat them.
    • It can crush buttons, anti-air, catch backdashes, punish summons, etc.
    • It is an option that forces respect from the opponent and creates hesitation. Once the opponent slows down and hesitates when the threat of badlands is established, Testament can benefit from it by being able to place summons easier on screen.
  • Is -7 on block, -11 on IB. It is pretty hard to punish unless you IB 2nd hit.
    • You can also SB 2nd hit and it will grant you a stronger punish due to removing pushback completely and being very unsafe on block.
    • Risk/reward can end up in Testament's favour in match ups where the characters struggle punishing it, especially when they have a trap behind them and it can become a combo starter.
  • If you cannot punish it on block it creates a RPS you gotta play with Testament, where they rotate between warrant, backdash, grave digger, NC, mash etc. Be aware of the post block situation and what options they rotate.

GravediggerGGAC Testament 214D.pngGuardAllStartup14Recovery16+3 after landingAdvantage-8

  • Very fast approaching move with invulnerability. Can still be beaten by active moves, because it loses invulnerability before startup, similarly to Anji's FuujinGGAC Anji Fuujin.pngGuardMidStartup20Recovery27Advantage-16.
  • It is -8 on block, however it has 6 active frames. It can be up to -3 on block if it's spaced and hits meaty.
  • Has only 3F of recovery after landing, which makes it quite safe on whiff.
  • "Testament keeps throwing me after gravedigger!". This happens because only the last 3F of recovery are landing and throwable! If you press throw too early, your throw option select button comes out(5H or 6H) and Testament throws your button startup! You have to delay your throw, don't mash as fast as possible. If you have a faster button you could throw option select with (usually c.S for most characters), use that.
  • If you cannot punish it, you have to play the post block RPS, where they rotate: throw, warrant, backdash, grave digger, NC, mash etc.

Beast oki and how to RPS

The general thing they do is summon S beastGGAC Testament 41236S.pngGuardAllStartup22~81+6RecoveryTotal 38Advantage+16, then do a mixup (high, low, throw, teleport).

  • If the S beast is meaty, it can be backdashed on wakeup. This will condition them to delay S beast to catch backdash.
    • Meaty S beast into 6P overhead often has a gap (especially if IBed), where you can do a reversal (throw, backdash, dp, super etc.). They have to condition you to respect with faster buttons, such as 2K.
  • If they delay S beast to catch the backdash, you can jump out.
    • Delay S beast leads to more frame advantage, then they can guarantee a gapless 6P overhead after block.
  • They can also summon a beast, then meaty with a button and release the beast for further pressure or to juggle into a combo.
    • This option is generally weaker to reversals, but more rewarding if they respect.

Testament will rotate between immediate release and delayed release EXE beast.

  • Immediate release is used to condition the opponent to block, however it gives worse frame advantage for mixups, conversions and can lose to backdash.
    • Often there's a gap when they attempt to go for a mixup, especially if you IB. That's where you can RPS post blocking the beast with a reversal(backdash, throw, jump, DP, super, etc.).
    • They will try to condition with frametraps or start pressure with quick button like 2P or 2K.
  • Delayed release is the greedy option that can lead to better mixups, combos and can catch backdash, but it will lose if you jump before the beast.
    • This is the option they use after they conditioned you to block, the mixup post block is strong and cannot be disrespected.

Testament creates an interesting mindgame between immediate and delayed release beast. You have to test the waters to get a feeling of how they structured their offense, but also be aware of your own defensive habits, in case they adapt back to you.


Sometimes getting hit can help you fumble their setup.

  • For example if they commit to a 2K and you got hit by meaty S beast. 2K will whiff while you're getting launched in the air and can tech out.
  • This will annoy the Testament player and condition them to utilize buttons such as 2P/5P/5K to convert air hits and help mitigate the initial mixup.

2D and 1-hit BadlandsGGAC Testament 214P.pngGuardAllStartup17Recovery13+15 after landingAdvantage-13 knockdowns gives them enough frame advantage to setup 2 beasts, where they can use one beast to meaty and have a second beast for further pressure or conversions.
They can do a lot of variations with it and it's not easy to defend, they have the ability to manually control the beast release which gives them a lot of freedom for offense.

  • Strong Testament players will vary their options and make it difficult to defend against.

Double beast okizeme and the mindgames behind it:

Can read more about their okizeme here.

Dealing with crossup mixups

Check the notes here.

MOP okizeme RPS

Check the notes here.

Dealing with common blockstrings

Defense vs the initial mixup

Here I talk a bit about Testament's options and the gaps when structuring a blockstring. GGACR/Testament/Strategy#Pressure_sequence_examples


A defensive technique that's strong against 2P > 2K and 2P > 6P is fuzzy defense. Fuzzy defense is done by blocking low, then delay input another option.

  • Options such as: block high, throw, jump, mash, dp, super, etc.

Fuzzy defense exploits the different timings when the low and the overhead connect.

  • 2P 2K is gapless, 2P 6P is an 8F gap. The overhead hits much later than the low. So technically you start by blocking low to defend the 2K timing and then input high guard / throw / jump / mash / dp delayed to beat the overhead.
  • Testament can do 2P delay 2D to match the timing of 2P 6P and beat the opponent delay swapping guard to high. However there's a big gap where you can do things to interrupt it.
  • A thing Testament can do is 2P 2S/5H as a frametrap to condition you to respect. You can still backdash or DP through the gaps. It's naturally 1F gap on block, 3F gap on IB and they can delay by an additional 3F. Forcing Testament to go for frametraps will mitigate their offense and end their turn quicker.

Punishing 2S/f.S 2H/2D


Buttons > EXE beast has a big gap where you can jump away or challenge. It is significantly easier to interrupt them if you Instant Block(IB) the button.

Be careful when pressing buttons, because once the beasts are released they don't go away if you hit Testament!

If you're gonna punish I recommend doing it in a way to avoid the EXE beast hitbox.

  • Use jump buttons, IAD punish or even attacks that put you airborne (hopkicks). Attacks like Ky's Greed Sever or Testament's grave digger and TK badlands.
  • Attacks that put you in an invulnerable state, for example A.B.A punishing with keygrab.
  • If you feel uncomfortable reacting in time to punish, consider jumping away to avoid getting hit.

Check the special cancels table(the 2nd one) in the link: Gatling table, special cancels and gaps.

Vulnerability to throws

They have lots of non-throw-safe setups and no meterless throw-invulnerable options that aren't pretty vulnerable to throw option selects.

Their pressure flow gives you more opportunities to land a throw than Testament gets from them.

"So, as in real life, if a goth enby is trying to bully you just chuck them and they'll melt" - DW

Examples:

  • on defense: warrant and NC being throwable
  • on defense and neutral: when they sit on traps, especially trees.
  • on offense: when they S beast > 6P. It's generally not gapless unless they delay S beast and they gotta condition first with 2K.
  • on offense: when they teleport

Fuzzy throw vs the initial mixup

You can throw the overhead 6P in a ton of situations if you're familiar with how to fuzzyguard and IB.

Specifically, many TEs go for some variation on mixup between 2P-2K, 2K-6P, 2P-6P, or if done with momentum, 2P tickthrow.

  • You can beat all of these with an input that's kinda like 51~4+H.
  • Because the IB on the first hit, whatever it is, will often keep you in throw range.
  • The reason the timing is tricky is because you need to downblock long enough to cover the 2P-2K string and still get a low block, which you can't react to.

Pay attention to their dolls

Testament's traps can be empowered by spending dolls, which they collect when they land an airthrow on the opponent (1 doll) or hits with the Master of Puppets overdrive (stabs the opponent with a key; 3 dolls total, 2 for the first hit and 1 for the second hit).
The dolls are displayed above their Tension gauge.

  • Testament is forced to spend the dolls when they plant traps and they will prioritize planting empowered(poison) trees for their massive benefits.
    • Empowered tree is bigger, poisons and doesn't go away when you hit Testament. It's an extremely strong defensive tool for them.
    • You can only get rid of them by getting in their horizontal proximity(you can be vertically infinitely above them and still trigger them). Some methods to get rid of them are dash block, dash into an invul option(DP, armor, parry etc) or by jumping over it. If you air block you have to air FD or you get unblockabled by their hitbox.
      • (Dash) superjump and airdash is a pretty solid way to deactivate them.
  • Empowered net is mostly used for combo filler and they generally refrain from planting them in neutral so they have poison trees available.

Net

  • Testament's ZeinestGGAC Testament 214H.pngGuardAllStartup11RecoveryTotal 29Advantage+2 places an invisible Net on the screen just above and in front of their head that remains for ten seconds (601 frames). The animation looks like they is spraying their own blood into the air.
  • If your hurtbox touches a Net, you will be frozen in place temporarily and they can easily combo you. You can safely break the Net with an attack as long as it doesn't hit you before your active hitbox extends (most j.P work, for example), or with projectiles. Nets do not go away when Testament is hit.
  • If you disable the Net with an attack there's no cooldown and Testament can summon another Net right away. However if you disable it by blocking, Testament is in a little cooldown and has to wait before summoning a Net again.
  • Against grounded Net use fast recovery pokes, check which of your buttons can hit them safely, or even neutral jump and do a falling air normal to cancel the recovery via landing and be safe.
    • Use dash block to approach safely. Check if your character can dash under the nets. If your character can dash under the nets there's a cute trick you can do to clear them and remove the blockstun from it: you dash under the net and stop your dash with SB input. The SB break makes you stand up into the net and it clears it for you.
  • Against air Net use fast recovery buttons, such as j.P. Air block is great for clearing them, especially IB and SB because you recover faster in the air and build meter + raise your tension pulse. Air blocking also restores your air options.
    • Consistency and ease of air SB depends on the character you play. Characters that expand their hurtbox in the air with SB animation(Faust, Testament) can do it easily, characters that become smaller in the air during SB animation(ABA) have a harder time doing it.
    • If they read you trying to air block it, they can teleport preemptively behind you with 22K(Lucht Warrant)GGAC Testament 22P.pngGuardStartupRecoveryTotal 42Advantage- and crossup your inputs so you get hit.
  • The air Net is also used as an extra air option to stall their falling momentum, be careful with your grounded anti airs. Either wait for them to do the Net and then anti air, or challenge them via air-to-airing with your jump buttons.
  • Empowered Net functions mostly the same way, but it traps you for longer and Testament can combo you without breaking you out of the Net. It looks like a normal Net but with a skeleton suspended in it.
  • Testament can have a total of 2 normal Nets and 2 empowered Nets placed at once. Placing a third trap causes the oldest trap to disappear.
  • If you blue burst Testament as they are comboing into Net, it's likely that they will get hit by the burst but the Net will spawn in place afterwards. In this case if you do not block after recovering from burst, you will get caught in the Net.

Tree

  • Testament's HitomiGGAC Testament 214S.pngGuardMidStartupSee notesRecoveryTotal 27Advantage- places an invisible, permanent seed in the ground under them that will sprout into a Tree if the opponent moves over it. The animation looks like Testament is standing still while a gust of wind disturbs their hair and robe. Testament is in a counterhit state for the entire recovery of HITOMI, though there is a late FRC point they can use to make themself somewhat safer.
  • The Tree attacks when it sprouts, launching the opponent into the air and allowing a combo, even if they were knocked down. You can clear the Tree safely by moving over it in the air, higher than it can reach, but note that you must use FD to block the Tree if you're too low in the air. Some characters can run fast enough to run past a Tree before it can hit them, as it takes 17f for the Tree attack to start up. If you hit Testament with an attack or throw, all their Trees will disappear.
  • Empowered Tree is larger and poisons the opponent on hit. It also does NOT disappear when Testament is hit, making it one of the strongest defensive tools in the game. The only way to clear it safely is to jump over it.
  • Testament can have a total of 2 normal Trees and 2 empowered Trees placed at once. Placing a third trap causes the oldest trap to disappear.
  • The most dangerous spot a Tree can be is directly in front of Testament, where you would have to stand to attack them on the ground, and moving over it in the air will put you in reach of their antiair attacks or their airthrow. The next most dangerous spot, especially for empowered Trees, is behind Testament, where they can use their Badlands (214 P) attack to juggle you backwards into the Tree for an extended combo.

Skull & Curse

Phantom Soul (236 P/K/D) places a floating skull on the battlefield.
The P skull floats along the ground, the K skull floats high in the air, and the D skull costs 25% tension and floats at head height, tracking the opponent's position.
If you are hit by a skull, or if you block the D skull, a floating rune will be placed on your character and Testament's crow familiar will begin attacking you.

  • There are four different attacks the crow can perform and four different patterns of attacks it will perform in sequence, each determined by which attack the crow randomly chooses first.
  • See the Overview or Full Frame Data tabs for more information.

The most important attack to track is the Overhead, where the crow turns into a demon and swings a scythe downwards at the opponent. This is an overhead attack, and if Testament knows their own patterns they can attack with a low at the same time to unblockable you.


The P skull

  • Is used as a wall to control space in front of them or as an OTG at the end of combos.
  • It causes the crow to attack 5 times.

The K skull

  • Is used to control air space.
  • Air block is great for clearing it, especially IB and SB because you recover faster in the air and build meter + raise your tension pulse. Air blocking also restores your air options.
    • Consistency and ease of air SB depends on the character you play. Characters that expand their hurtbox in the air with SB animation(Faust, Testament) can do it easily, characters that become smaller in the air during SB animation(ABA) have a harder time doing it.
    • If they read you trying to air block it, they can teleport preemptively behind you with 22K(Lucht Warrant)GGAC Testament 22P.pngGuardStartupRecoveryTotal 42Advantage- and crossup your inputs so you get hit.
  • Crow attacks 8 times.

The D skull

  • Can be thrown out to limit the opponent's movement options or used after a knockdown to ensure a long curse.
  • In neutral it can be avoided with aerial movement and some characters can run under it. You could also try to hit Testament with a long reach crouching move while they approach.
  • Although it tracks the opponent, every opponent can duck safely under it, and some small characters can even stand under it. For characters that cannot stand safely under it, a common setup is to place a D skull and then use an overhead (6P/5D/jH), which will will force the opponent to choose between getting hit by the overhead or stand blocking into the skull to get cursed.
  • D skull has some peculiar behaviour: if Potemkin reflects it or Testament counters it, they still get cursed. If it touches Dizzy's fish, it will break the fish and curse Dizzy.
  • Crow attacks 5 times on block and 8 times on hit.

Beasts

Forward EXE Beast (or H beast, 41236 H) and Reverse EXE Beast (or S beast, 41236 S) together define Testament's pressure and oki game. The following is a short list of important things to know while playing against EXE beasts:

  • The S beast comes from behind you and pushes you forward on block. This is the basic setup for Testament to apply a mixup between a low attack and their fast overhead, 6P. If you attempt to Dead Angle Attack after blocking S beast, you will face backwards, away from Testament. After blocking S beast you cannot IB by inputting 4 or 1, you have to invert inputs and utilize 6 or 3.
  • If Testament is hit while the beasts are "waiting," they disappear. Once they begin moving, however, they remain active even if Testament is hit.
  • When Testament cancels into a beast in pressure, you can always react and jump to avoid blocking a beast and being put into a mixup, unless Testament uses H beast FRC and immediately uses a normal attack. If you react fast enough it's even possible to hit them before the beast can be released, or instant air dash into a combo. Some characters can even run forward and throw Testament before the H beast can knock them back.
  • Testament can use the beasts to perform left/right mixups by using their Lucht Warrant (22P/K) to teleport in front or behind you while releasing a beast. This has roughly two timings:

1. The safe timing has the beast impact the opponent right as Testament appears. This is not truly a mixup, as the opponent will be able to block with forward or back due to crossup protection. However, if the opponent attempts to use Faultless Defence, they lose crossup protection, so this is sometimes used to end a round after an opponent has been poisoned to the point where they must FD or die to chip damage.

2. The unsafe timing has the beast impact the opponent just after Testament appears. This will be delayed enough so that the opponent does not get the benefit of crossup protection, however the opponent has a chance to throw Testament before the beast attacks.

  • S beast can be summoned in response to many fullscreen options, such as Justice's NB or A.B.A's blood pack. It's important to not be counterhit by S beast, as it will knockdown on counterhit or allow Testament to combo. On a normal hit, S beast does not knockdown, and Testament must be already in position to pick up for a real combo or you will get to air recover. This can be an opportunity to move forward (for example, I-no can trade Horizontal Chemical Love with S beast and recover forward in the air to start pressure while Testament is knocked down) and it is important to recover if you know they has a Tree in front of them, because the Tree will remove the knockdown state and give them a combo. When you recover from S beast, you will be facing backwards until you land or you perform a doublejump / airdash option.
  • H beast can be used by Testament offensively and defensively to control space in front of them and to make the opponent hesitate approaching via the ground. You can try to get in your longest range poke spacing and interrupt them preemptively. You could jump over it to avoid or you could wait it out to release and then approach on the ground. If you are too reckless they can hit you by releasing the beast, if you're too passive they can summon more traps while you wait it out. Try to get a good read on how they use it and play in a spacing where you don't give them room to summon for free, because it is slow startup. Generally you wanna annoy Testament with your pokes to stop them from summoning.

Navigation

 Testament


Systems Pages