Guilty Gear Strive Tier List (March 2023)

This latest installment in the Guilty Gear series, Guilty Gear Strive, features a number of fresh and original gameplay elements that make it easier for gamers who are unfamiliar with the franchise to pick up the basics fast. There are 21 playable characters in total, and they each have their own unique playstyle that you should explore. Follow along and learn each character’s advantage and disadvantage in Guilty Gear Strive.

S-Tier Guilty Gear Strive Characters

Happy Chaos (Shooting)

In battle, Happy Chaos relies on brutal assaults and lethal magical combos to solidify his position as the undisputed victor. The pistol itself is a finite resource, but when Happy Chaos runs out of rounds or loses his focus, he becomes far less effective.

Happy Chaos can shoot his opponents with the use of his shooting stances, At the Ready and Steady Aim. In both modes, they are undeniably strong and effective, and at times they can pierce or shove opponents to the corner of the screen, making them vulnerable to incoming melee attacks from the air or the ground.

Jack-O (Technical)

Jack-O’ has weak defenses, and her servants are much worse. It can be tough for players to take advantage of her offensive potential due to the ongoing need to manage her energy.

Jack-O is one of the fighters who has the best technical combos and can build momentum by calling servants to fight with her. Based on the number of servants she can summon, which is 3, she can change forms, and more so, the way she attacks is reliable, as she attacks not only by herself but with her aids as well.

May (Balanced)

May has a simple set of moves that makes her accessible to beginner players, but when utilized in the same fashion she is demonstrated, her moves can be predicted. While her speed and range might use some work, she makes up for it when she activates her combos.

As a strong character, she deserves to be in the S-tier ranks, as her combos not only rely on the ground but also in mid-air. There are moves in May’s arsenal that are hard to block, and predicting where they come from will be the hardest challenge for opponents to see.

Ramlethal Valentine (Shooting)

When used properly, Ramlethal’s rapid and extended patterns allow players to set up even more devastating combinations. Although she lacks long-range knockout moves, she is vulnerable to counters due to her skill with the sword.

Most of the time, Ramlethal’s sword slashes are ruthless, and even if players manage to block them, a small amount of damage will be inflicted. Overall, Ramlethal is considered a champion worth using in E sports events.

Sol Badguy (Balanced)

Sol Badguy, the game’s main character, has good mobility and a simple, yet versatile, arsenal, both of which can give a player significant tactical options. Sol’s simple combos and basic moves may look weak and slow to many newbies, but they do a ton of damage. If players have mastered Sol’s style of fighting, they make at least a 30-hit combo move, that leads to an Overdrive that will instantly K.O. an opponent easily.

A-Tier Guilty Gear Strive Characters

Baiken (Balance)

An amazing swordswoman of Japanese heritage, Baiken quickly starts a fight and uses her opponent’s strength to her advantage. As a balanced fighter, Baiken is very aggressive and wields a katana. Baiken also fights effectively at a variety of ranges and can bully any opponent at any distance. With his offense being as strong as it is, Baiken’s defense is also formidable and can parry any amount of incoming attacks, making it lethal in the eyes of many.

Bridget (Balance)

Bridget, who brings along a set of unorthodox moves and combos, is a fighter worth investing in. Bridget’s projectiles and hammering attacks are not to be messed with, as her tool kits offer variations of combos that depend solely on how Bridget should move. However, Bridget could be at a disadvantage when matched with S-tier characters.

Chipp Zanuff ( High Speed)

Chipp has some of the game’s quickest maneuvers. While his opponents try to outpace him, they may become confused by his ability to wall run and pull off mixups. Despite his improved mobility, players taking him into battle run a significant risk due to his low defense rating in comparison to other characters.

Utilizing his quickness, Chipp is a good choice for many players as he resembles moves similar to Spider-Man in the Marvel vs. Capcom series. The one thing that makes him uncanny is that he can make enemies feel vulnerable, and players are given a chance to start combos from different angles, making him amazing.

Giovanna (Rush)

Giovanna’s midrange specialization and lack of meter-dependent offensive render her vulnerable against opponents with superior range. Because of strings and mix-ups that are easy to fall for, Giovanna is at a severe disadvantage if the opponent is able to withstand her attacks.

Giovanna can be an aggressive rush-down character with outstanding speed and pressure, while also having a fair share of defensive capabilities at her disposal. Moreover, Giovanna’s combos rely not only on her quickness but also on her evasions, so as soon as a heavy or small attack is targeted at her, she will unleash multitudes of combos coming out of the ground and leading to a juggling action that no opponent can do about.

Nagoriyuki (One Shot)

Nagoriyuki has a powerful build and exceptional fighting capabilities, but his supernatural vampire talents take the cake. Nagoriyuki makes up for his lack of technical techniques with his tenacious personality. His huge katana gives him one of the longest effective ranges of any melee character in the game.

Nago is pretty rough around the edges, as his attacks can drain the HP of opponents, making him hard to avoid. As most of his attacks begin at close range, players can easily try to put distances between them and him, but it will result in failure as he is not only strong in his attacks but also quick on his feet.

Zato=1 (Technical)

A user of the shadows who can put on pressure by attacking via seemingly unavoidable means. However, not knowing how to best utilize Zato might put players at a disadvantage, as he has a poor defense.

Though he has trouble defending against hard attacks, Zato is purely skilled in the technical aspects of fighting. Unpredictable moves and sudden reversals are what Zato is best known for. In the long run, players can efficiently make original combos out of him, which can lead to instantly depleting an enemy’s health bar to only 25 to 30% left.

B-Tier Guilty Gear Strive Characters

Axl Low (Long Range)

Axl, a time traveler from the 20th century, is an excellent long-range attacker who can dispatch foes from a safe distance. When it concerns protecting himself, Axl’s close-range abilities are quite useful. Unfortunately, Axl’s lack of long-range protection means he is unprepared to fend off threats.

Technically speaking, Axl’s incredible offense in long-range attacks is something to be wary of. Still, players should realize that he is considered a B-rank character since most of his combos start from a certain distance and can be blocked easily.

Goldlewis Dickinson (Power)

Goldlewis’s strength and vitality are exceptional. Sadly, Goldlewis’s defense isn’t as good as that of other heavy fighters, and he might become predictable on defense. The tools and arsenal that Goldlewis has are amazing. With over 16 variations to choose from, his offensive moves and combos are significantly overpowering. However, when facing him, players will see him as a control type, making predicting what moves he will make easy for some.

I-no (Rush)

I-no is armed with an unstoppable guitar combo that can quickly weaken fortifications. With her hover dash, I-No can move around easily and quickly, offering her excellent mixup potential. Though she possesses various assault choices, she is nevertheless vulnerable due to her lack of a solid defense.

When hovering, I-no will have a hard time approaching opponents, sometimes leaving her vulnerable to incoming attacks. I-no is also missing out on moves, including fast button reversals on incoming attacks. She makes it up though with grappling and high and low attacks that leave opponents stunned for a short time. Because of that, she is placed in B-rank.

Ky (Balanced)

While Ky’s mobility options are merely adequate, he makes up for it with a technically varied set of tools. Ky’s arsenal includes effective mix-ups, chains, and multi-ranged blows.

With proper use of his arsenal, Ky is good for starting up the game, but in the long run, using him will be predictable to the eyes of many opponents as most of his moves can easily be read. Because of that, there are chances that Ky will be countered, especially against long-range fighters.

Millia (High Speed)

She is a cold and silent female fighter who uses a forbidden skill to turn her hair into a weapon, making her attack invisible in the blink of an eye. Millia may not offer enough options for players who prefer a more technical approach to her moveset. Those who invest the effort, though, may see her true value in fighting on several fronts at once. Though her moves rely on her quickness, there are times that she is hard to control and slows down at most. Making this factor a weakness to her skill set, Millia can compensate for it mostly with her defensive counters, thus making her a B-rank character.

Testament (Balance)

Testament, who wields a massive scythe, is renowned for her prowess in close-range to midrange combat. Testament’s range is vast, so players need to be selective on whether to approach her directly or from an aerial perspective. Though her strong suit is her range, her combos are mostly done during reversals or when she is fully charged. Because of this, her moves are very sluggish, and she is vulnerable to counterhits and punishments.

C-Tier Guilty Gear Strive Characters

Anji Mito (Balance)

Anyone looking for a somewhat balanced character can do worse than Anji. Nonetheless, against very powerful strikes, Anji can be harmed in the long run if he is countered and his movements predicted.

Predicting the opponent’s moves is what Anji is best known for, but he can be easily predicted by opponents as his style relies mostly on counters. With his graceful follow-ups, his long-term plans to continuously counter opponents’ moves will be his downfall, as movement is usually slow and can sometimes be seen through by experts around the world.

Faust (Unique)

It is nice to have some unexpected randomness coming out of characters like Faust, but there are times that it will lead to failure. Considering the fact that Faust can throw random items at enemies, they will become more problematic for many as they will need to rely on longer combos and need to plan in the middle of them when to do either ground or aerial attacks. Because of that, Faust is placed on the C-rank list.

PotemKin (Power Throw)

Potemkin’s wide array of throws makes life miserable for his swift opponents by allowing him to grab them from all sides and kill them. Though his offense and power are superior, his mobility is lacking, and this makes him hard to control, especially in Normal difficulty. One thing to know is that it’s easy to tell when he will be grappling opponents with his arms, and mostly, his combos are too short and easy to counter.

Leo Whitefang (Balance)

With Leo, you can maximize burst damage without compromising defense. Despite his formidable attacking abilities, Leo is slightly slower than his peers. At first, players can see how prideful and dominant he is with his balance of skills. but in truth, Leo is very slow at engaging attacks. One can say that his combos will only begin when enough damage is done to him, and this will be a big setback if used in the long run.

Sin Kiske (Rush)

With ruthless rushing combos and offense, Sin is a decent character, but most of the time, he is limited as his range isn’t as good as that of his father, Ky. At most, he doesn’t have any moves that can pressure his opponent. That being said, he is listed as a C-rank character at best.

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That’s the roster of characters for Guilty Gear Strive, ranked from best to worst. If players like this guide, be sure to check out our other Guilty Gear Strive-related articles