General Strategies
Offense
Giovanna's offense relies mostly on her dash. Get used to using the dash macro as it will make your life much easier. Giovanna can perform all of her normals and specials out of her dash, as well as her throw. This lets her dynamically extend her range at the cost of some extra startup. She can also stop her dash at any point by pressing 4. Gio's neutral revolves around using her dash and dash stop to force her opponents to whiff buttons.
- Main Pokes (ordered by range)
- 5K
- 5H
- dash 5K
- dash 5H
- 236K
Keep in mind that 236K does not reach fullscreen and is quite slow. Instead of thinking about it as a traditional poke, use it to catch extended hurtboxes as it allows for a combo on counterhit.
Defense
Gio does not have a meterless reversal, so she's forced to rely on 632146H. She does, however, have a 4-frame 5P that allows her to mash out of tick throws. It may not lead to much reward but discouraging tick throws helps her establish respect.
Giovanna also has a great suite of anti-airs. She of course has the universal 6P, but her 2H also has great horizontal reach and her c.S reaches quite high and can be useful in a pinch. Outside of just normals, Giovanna has one of the best special move anti-airs in the game with 623S. It gives a decent combo on counterhit, but that is not the main draw. Even though 623S is -15 on the ground, it leaves Gio at advantage when her opponent airblocks it. She can run her strike/throw game from there and make her opponent regret trying to jump at her with relative ease.
Pressure
Meterless
Giovanna has many, many frametraps which can chain into each other as well as a very strong midscreen presence due to her dash. A lot of her midscreen pressure can directly be turned into up-close offense with a well-placed dash. She also has a variety of moves that are plus on block (c.S, 236K, 214S, j.236236H), giving her safer places to RPS between strike, throw, and throw bait.
- Basic Frame Traps
- c.S/236K/214S > 5K
- 5P > 6P (don't go for this)
- 5K > 214K
- 5K/2K > 2D
- 5K > dash Throw (tick throw, beats normals slower than 5 frame startup)
Outside her built-in frametraps, Giovanna's offense revolves around making frametraps with delays. c.S is naturally plus, but that only really matters when going for a throw or a dash c.S pressure reset. Establishing fear of c.S usually means a delayed gatling. f.S and 2S can gatling into 5H, giving her another opportunity to reset pressure (albeit with more risk as their frame advantage is worse). 5H doesn't naturally have any gatlings, but a slight delay 214K can have the same effect while still leaving Giovanna safe.
Metered Setups
- Midscreen BRC
Instead of using a jump cancel, Giovanna can instead use her dash cancelable normals (5K and preferably c.S) to gain access to BRCs. A dash cancelled c.S BRC has enough plus frames to blockstring into 5D while staying plus, and be able to also let her link from 2K to complement said 5D. Video example: https://twitter.com/raynexpress/status/1415526550087294978?s=21
- Corner BRC
Giovanna can get a fuzzy guard mixup off of any of her jump-cancelable normals in the corner if she has 50 tension available. After jumping, an immediate 66.BRC j.S will force the opponent to stand block or get hit by a highly damaging BRC combo. This part is easily reactable so most players will not get hit here. The fuzzy itself is the rising j.H after landing from j.S. This can be linked into a falling j.H to continue a combo thanks to the BRC slowdown. The low option (2K after j.S) can be linked into c.S because of the BRC slowdown as well.
Okizeme
Safejumps
Giovanna can set up safejumps quite easily by landing with a late j.H. If she has the chance to do a c.S or 5K as an OTG, she can then jump cancel and IAD j.H for a very simple and reliable safejump setup. This can be set up quite easily midscreen at the cost of some damage: a simple combo like c.S > 2H > 214K > dash > c.S will give enough height after 214K to dash up and c.S for the safejump. 5K as OTG is faster and longer range, but it may sometimes whiff due to the narrow and raised hitbox.
Examples:
https://twitter.com/subpanda101/status/1406237780125097992
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZU39CSTGBc
There are also ways to do the safejump without an OTG. After a ground throw, you may simply hold up-forward and do j.H late in your ascent and it will give you a properly timed safejump.
2D
If you wish to safely meaty the opponent, beat reversals, and stay at a distance either for matchup or mixup reasons, 2D is a solid option. Because it has such a disjointed hitbox, you are often completely uncontestable using it from a distance if you have time to get it out, thus beating many reversals in the game. For more info on which reversals 2D will be able to safely beat, check out this table in the matchups section. Keep in mind that 2D is active for 10 frames, so optimal timing will require you to hit with it on the last couple frames. Off of a throw, Giovanna can help time her meaty 2D by doing Throw > whiff 5P > 2D.
c.S
After longer combos ending in a hard knockdown or after a throw, Gio has enough time to dash in and get a meaty c.S. This can turn into a mixup with a slightly delayed throw, dash cancel, backdash to beat reversals/throw techs, Sol Poente, and more. It's usually easier for her to bait throws with a backdash instead of trying to get a frame-perfect meaty or shimmy, but it's also generally less reward and leads to less pressure. If you're able to land meaty c.S, the pressure is highly in your favour, but be wary of trying to land multiple c.S together as the window is very tight and you can easily get grabbed out of it.
Tips and Tricks
5H Counterhit Option Select
https://twitter.com/FrinkyWinkZz/status/1404966974531190788?s=19
Simply said, you use 5H then do 214K1236K. If 5H gets blocked, it'll do 214K (which is -4 on block). If 5H counterhits and enters slowdown however, the last input, 236K, will come out, which will lead into your usual ch 5H 236K combo.
Fighting Giovanna
- She keeps using the Spiral Arrow move (236K), how do I get around it?
This move may look scary, but the hurtbox is quite a bit larger than the hitbox (and it's quite slow). Most 6P normals and reactive pokes will stop her dead in her tracks. If you really read one, you can even neutral jump and get a full jump-in combo. As well, the projectile invulnerability only tanks one hit of a fireball. Fireballs such as H Stun Edge and H Graviert Wurde will mostly beat it clean, if they come out before Giovanna's 236K
- She keeps hitting me with the flip kick (214S), what can i do to stop it?
Flip kick can be beaten by moves with upper body invincibility, such as 6P. The timing is slightly different than 236K, however it is entirely consistent if Giovanna lacks meter to RC the move. If the Giovanna thinks you will go for 6P, the Giovanna player can PRC and block the 6P for a punish, but this does have to be a read. As well, characters with DPs or invincible reversals such as Sol, Ky or Leo can use their reversals to beat flip kick clean.
- When am I allowed to take back my turn?
Giovanna's offense is mostly based around blockstrings and frametraps, making her offense scary on the outset. However, most of her special move enders either leave a wide gap or are slightly minus. 6P works pre-emptively against both 236K and 214S. As well, 214K is -4 on block, which basically ends her turn unless the Giovanna player is willing to spend resources to keep the pressure up. As well, strategic use of Faultless Defense, Burst and YRC can end Giovanna pressure, though brainless use of these defensive mechanics can get you killed, so be cautious.
Matchups
Characters
Anji Mito
You cannot outrange his counter super with 2D nor can you safejump it, so performing oki on him while he has meter is inherently a risk. In neutral, however, your safe buttons will serve you well in being very difficult, or impossible, for him to punish after he autoguards them. Irritate him with your superior pokes, pressure, and try to beat his counter super either by patience or with dash-in throws.
Axl Low
Chipp Zanuff
Faust
Giovanna
Goldlewis Dickinson
Goldlewis loves to play at mid-range and pressure you with Behemoth Typhoon hits on block, so staying right out of his effective range and then using a dash-in 5H to whiff punish is very effective against players who like to throw out Typhoons carelessly. Because his pressure is so good at pushing you back to mid-range and resetting itself, Instant Blocking is very valuable for disrupting it. You want to try and stay close enough so that you can use 5P/5K abare or even throw to interrupt Typhoons, but beware his many ways to vary the timings of his pressure and effortlessly frame trap certain options.
I-No
It's probably a good idea to save meter for YRC so that you can avoid her mixups as much as possible. Fortunately, you can often play around I-No's neutral pretty well without meter purely by throwing out lows in expectation for Stroke the Big Tree, 236King through her note, and anti-airing her air approaches. If you block a wakeup Ultimate Fortissimo, you can punish it with a 2H combo starter after the first hit but before the rest.
Ky Kiske
You can 6P through Ky's 236S fireball, and 236K if he ever decides to throw out the H fireball in neutral instead. Instant blocking allows you to punish many of Ky's strings with 5K into 214K.
Leo Whitefang
May
623S can often get solid counter-hits on May's jumping normals that she usually gets away with uncontested. She also has a bit of a blind spot when it comes to being above her, as her 2H is very slow, forcing her to rely on 6P to beat your 214S and general air mixup. You can also throw out quick abare buttons like 5K in neutral to try and stuff an attempt at S dolphin or on reaction to HS dolphin.
Millia Rage
While 623S will often net you huge reward against Millias who aren't expecting it, a good player will know how to utilize Millia's plethora of air options in order to bait your anti-air. Beware of her 214P and her lows in general as they're quite good at stuffing your dash-ins, albeit still pretty slow. Besides that, though, neutral can be in your favour if you manage to stuff her approaches with your generally superior poke tools, and her being a 6 frame jab character with no meterless reversal makes your frame traps all the more simple and threatening to do.
Nagoriyuki
With Nago's strong poke buttons, it can be tricky to approach him. His 2S is great at stuffing your dash-ins, and his 2H will completely destroy your jump-ins. Saving meter for either 236236H or RC to force your turn might be valuable against Nagos who find your approaches easy to predict.
Potemkin
The multi-hits of your f.S and 2S force Potemkin to be careful when he decides to use his armored moves. Your general speed can be used to play outside of Potemkin's effective range and then dash in for a punish. Avoiding Slide Head by backdashing or using an airborne special (623S, 214S) is also a pretty good way to stop him from approaching you without having to jump and be susceptible to his threatening anti-air tools.
Ramlethal
Since being in neutral against Ram with Giovanna is so threatening, you should probably opt for not breaking the wall whenever you get a combo and simply go for corner pressure instead. That way, you avoid the position reset, and can continue your solid close-range pressure. Her f.S, 6H, and 236H can all be beaten by a properly timed 6P, but beware of doing it on roundstart as her 2S will catch you and is generally pretty safe to attempt. Since her air control options are pretty limited in range, a back jump is generally a low risk idea in neutral and as a round opener. You cannot outrange her reversal with 2D at all, so be careful. To do oki while she has meter, you may use a safejump setup, but the speed of her reversal demands you be very precise with the timing.
Sol Badguy
Zato-1
You can use 6P to somewhat safely hit Eddie's frog form during neutral. If Eddie is behind you, the back hitbox of 214S can actually have a very situational use for hitting Eddie in a spot where most Zatos wouldn't expect.
Reversals you can 2D
Below is a list of invincible reversals and whether or not you are able to use a correctly spaced and timed meaty 2D to outrange them and punish.
Yes means 2D successfully outranges the reversal and you are able to punish it accordingly (unless stated otherwise with *). This also assumes that you are at at ideal range away from the reversal, as moves with 7 frame startup or less will beat out your 2D if you are too close, even with optimal meaty timing.
Clash means 2D's hitbox may clash with the reversal if the meaty isn't optimally timed, still outranging the move but allowing it to be cancelled into something safe. Repeat clashes would likely make someone catch on and learn how to cancel from it, but it's generally not too bad as you can also cancel into FD to be safe, and as clashing builds 10% Tension.
No means 2D has to be out of the opponent's body distance to outrange the reversal, or simply cannot outrange it. You may still be able to time a meaty 2D safely (if it is not marked with **), but improper timing will see you getting hit.
If a move both cannot be outranged and outspeeds 2D's recovery (No**), 2D absolutely cannot beat it. You're much better off using a safejump or simply blocking.
| Character | Reversal | Outrange? |
|---|---|---|
| Anji Mito | Kachoufuugetsu Kai | No** |
| Axl Low | Sickle Storm | No |
| Chipp Zanuff | Beta Blade | Clash |
| Faust | Bone-crushing Excitement | No |
| Giovanna | Ventania | No |
| Goldlewis | Down With The System | Clash |
| Down With The System (720) | Yes | |
| Down With The System (1080) | Yes | |
| I-No | Ultimate Fortissimo | Clash* |
| Ky Kiske | Vapor Thrust | Yes |
| Ride the Lightning | No** | |
| Leo Whitefang | Eisensturm | Clash |
| Leidenschaft des Dirigenten | No | |
| May | The Wonderful and Dynamic Goshogawara | Clash |
| Millia Rage | Winger | Yes |
| Nagoriyuki | Wasureyuki | No** |
| Zansetsu | No | |
| Potemkin | Giganter Kai | Yes* |
| Ramlethal | Mortobato | No** |
| Sol Badguy | Volcanic Viper | Clash |
| Tyrant Rave | Yes |
* Cannot punish.
** Comes out in ~7 frames, meaning it can punish 2D's recovery regardless of meaty timing. Basically, don't 2D this if you can help it.