I'll be using my own page to test things
Mid Range / Footsies
| input | damage | guard | startup | active | recovery | onBlock | invuln |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2S | 32 | Low | 11 | 2 | 20 | -8 | none |
| f.S | 34 | All | 10 | 3 | 16 | -5 | none |
Ky is versatile enough to function well at any range, but is especially good at mid ranged poking. Against characters that have shorter range than Ky, this is your prime position to be in. 2S is his strongest poke. It hits low, has a great balance of speed and range and several good cancel options. It's likely to score a counter hit or interrupt an approach when used in footsies range. Ky's f.S is slightly smaller and slower than 2S, but complements it by having more active frames and the ability to contest aerial opponents. Both of these moves can gatling into 5H for a frametrap, or be counter hit confirmed into combos. If either of these moves are blocked at tip range, canceling into Stun Edge (236S) is usually a safe way to end the string, but beware of characters that employ tricks to work around it.
While they are good options, 2S and f.S have a fair bit of recovery on whiff. A counter strategy against them is to position oneself to make them whiff before approaching or contest them with 6P. If your opponent attempts this, vary your timing and positioning more to throw them off. Stay sharp!
| input | damage | guard | startup | active | recovery | onBlock | invuln |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5H | 48 | All | 12 | 6 | 21 | -8 | none |
| 6H | 52 | All | 15 | 4 | 20 | -7 | none |
| 2D | 34 | Low | 10 | 6 | 18 | -10 | none |
5H and 6H have more range than the 
buttons and have proper disjoints. 5H is the faster of the two, and it's also slightly more disjointed and has more active frames. 6H on the other hand, is more rewarding. It knocks opponents down on normal hit and the hitbox reaches lower to the ground, making it more useful against low profile When a character's hurtbox is entirely beneath an opponent's attack. This can be caused by crouching, certain moves, and being short. attacks. It can also lead to combos if it wall bounces, and leads to powerful counter hit combos with tremendous wall carry. In addition, Ky also has an excellent sweep in his 2D. It has good speed and range, and leads to stronger Okizeme than any of his or 
buttons. If used wisely, 2D will also condition opponents to block low, which is useful for getting them to sit still.
- GGST Ky 214K hitbox.png
| input | name | damage | guard | startup | active | recovery | onBlock | invuln |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 236K | Stun Dipper | 20×2 [20, 22] | Low, All | 7 | 12(7)3 | 30 | -19 [-14] | 1-2F Above Shoulders 3-6F Upper Body 7-18F Above Knees |
| 214K | Foudre Arc | 40 [44] | All | 24 | 11 | 6 | -2~+6 [+5~+12] | 10-11F Foot 12-28F Below Waist |
Ky can complement all of the aforementioned mid range tools with Stun Dipper (236K), a fast low with low profile When a character's hurtbox is entirely beneath an opponent's attack. This can be caused by crouching, certain moves, and being short. properties. It can be used to slip under quite a fair share of attacks, and also works well as a preemptive response to certain options. For example, if your opponent has a tendency to attack or jump after blocking pokes, canceling into 236K can interrupt them.
If you wish to go on the offensive, Ky can smoothly transition from mid range to close range by ending any blockstring with Foudre Arc (214K) or by using it raw in neutral. If used during a dash, 214K's range is extended even further, allowing it to reach nearly full screen. However, 214K is vulnerable during its start-up. Characters with strong space controlling normals, such as 
Leo or 
Nagoriyuki, can intercept the move quite easily. Don’t use it recklessly.
If you cycle Ky's mid-ranged moves well, your opponent might start approaching from the air to avoid having to contest with Ky at mid or close range. Ky is armed with many solid anti-airs, be ready to whip them out at a moment’s notice.
Close Range / Brawling
| input | damage | guard | startup | active | recovery | onBlock | invuln |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2K | 26 | Low | 6 | 4 | 10 | -2 | none |
| 2P | 22 | All | 5 | 4 | 8 | -2 | none |
| c.S | 42 | All | 7 | 6 | 10 | +1 | none |
At close range, Ky can use his fast c.S, 
or 
buttons to contest opponents. c.S is quite a versatile button, being able to gatling into , , 
and command normals. It's also jump cancelable. 2P is Ky's fastest button, and it can combo into 6P > Dire Eclat (214S) for a meterless knockdown, something that not every character can get from their buttons. 2K is Ky's fastest low, which is also a combo starter.
Ky lacks a unique overhead or command throw. This means that he is especially reliant on universal mechanics for close range mix-ups. If your opponent has strong defense, you need good understanding of fundamentals to open them up. Throws are a vital for cracking through anyone's defenses. It's a good idea to stagger Ky's fast buttons and mix in throws for a strike/throw mix-up. If you're feeling bold, 5D is a risky but very rewarding mix-up option. It is reactable, but if you condition your opponent to fear other options 5D can catch them by surprise. You can also pressure reset with 6K, but it should be done sparingly due to 6K's hefty startup. If you wish to return to mid range, any of Ky's blockstrings can be ended with Stun Edge (236S) or 214S to apply Shock State and create space. Do note that these blockstrings aren't as airtight as more aggressive characters, some characters have enough range to punish blockstring enders like 236S or 214S.
Long Range / Zoning
- GGST Ky Kiske Aerial Stun Edge.png
| input | damage | guard | startup | active | recovery | onBlock | invuln |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 236H | 20×3 [22×3] | All | 39 | Until Hit | Total 62 | +22 [+25] | none |
| 236S | 30 [33] | All | 13 | Until Hit | Total 46 | -14 | none |
| j.236H | 30 [33] | All | 21 | Until Hit | Until Landing+10 | none | |
| j.236S | 30 [33] | All | 21 | Until Hit | Until Landing+10 | none |
At long range, Ky can zone his opponents out with Stun Edge (236S). If your opponent likes to attack preemptively, position yourself outside of their range and fire 236S to punish them. This will condition your opponent to play more reactively, giving you ample time to utilize more aggressive tactics. Many characters have good ways to move around projectiles, so vary your timing and positioning. The horizontal aerial Stun Edge (j.236H) is useful for stopping an approach from the air, should they try to jump over the grounded ones. The vertical aerial Stun Edge (j.236S) can be used after an air dash to fake out an aerial approach and punish them if they use an anti-air. If your opponent respects you a lot, you can set up a Stun Edge Charge Attack (236H) and run behind it to close the gap.
Full screen projectiles are a great tool to have. Don't get into the habit of over relying on them though, as all of Ky's projectiles can be counter hit punished during their recovery frames. In addition, many characters have strong tools for closing space against projectiles, such as 
Sol's Night Raid Vortex. This means that the risk-reward ratio of firing projectiles is not as favorable for Ky as it might seem. Exercise caution. The exception is against characters that have limited mobility, such as 
Potemkin and Nagoriyuki, who might struggle to punish projectiles. You can be a bit more bold in matchups like these.
Stun Edge (236S) punish ranges
Sol:
- From half a step forwards from round start distance, Sol can CH punish on block with 6H
- He can do it on hit from one step closer instead of half a step.
- If you frame trap from max range 2P > 236S, and Sol mashes 6H, he will get hit by the fireball, then counter hit punish you anyways![1]
- Sol can react to the startup and punish from any distance further than round start with Night Raid Vortex.
- From one step forwards from round start distance, these characters can CH punish on block with f.S