Combos remain the lifeblood of fast-paced fighting games, especiallyGuilty Gear Strive.As with otherArc System Workstitles, theGuilty Geargame boasts flashy theatrics, faster-paced combat, and brutal attention to technique. Both fighting game newcomers and savants can get into the game quickly. However, those with a more technical grasp onStrive’s combo system will outlast the competition.
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At a first glance,Striveseems to encourage more button-mashing to players than anything else. However, those who pay closer attention to the flexible controls of thisGuilty Geartitle will dish out fierce combos in no time at all.
Updated on Jul 19, 2025, by Rhenn Taguiam:With Arc System Works having announced “Another Story” DLC forGuilty Gear Strive, fans of the series can have a better look at the behind-the-scenes of some aspects of the main story. The DLC seems to star Ramlethal Valentine as she heads to Illyria to handle an emergency. However, things immediately seem amiss - and players need to be on their toes to be able to handle new threats. Players who are still working on their combos may need to check some aspects of their playthrough in order to improve. These include their playstyles, counters, Roman Cancels, and even Overdrives.
15Playstyle Determines Combo Allowance
Similar to other fighting games,Strivedoes offer characters with unique movesets. However, whereas most fighting games createcharacters with movesetsthat work with the game’s physics,Strivefollows the traditionalGuilty Gearand ArkSys formula of fast-paced gameplay with a penchant to break the rules. As such, eachStrivecharacter boasts unique gameplay options that can ruin an enemy’s day if they don’t know how to adjust their playstyles properly.
For newcomers to the game, they need to remember that their character of choice will adjust not just their overall playstyle but how often they can whip out combos. Examples of these include:
14Counter Playstyles To Disrupt Combo Chains
Just as how characters have special shticks that determine their “best” combos and playstyle, they also come with considerable drawbacks. Players who know how to destabilize an opponent’s playstyle can ensure their characters don’t get to pull off their bread and butter combos. This means knowing exactly how to counter even the toughest of foes. For instance:
13Roman Cancels Give Breathing Room
Unlike other fighting games,Striveoffers a lot of versatile mechanics players could use to “tinker” with the game’s physics and give them an edge. For instance,Roman Cancelsgive players three ways of canceling their moves in order toseamlessly progress into an ordinarily-inaccessible attack. When used correctly, Roman Cancels can give players access to combo strings even they won’t expect their character to pull off. Here are versions of Roman Cancels players can do:
12Stop Escapes With Counters
While players can count onblocking to ensure they don’t get as much damageas possible from enemy combos and specials, using aCounter Hitis actually a neat way to secure combos. And what’s more fun is that players can do this while an enemy is attacking.
Pressing the right attack button right before an enemy attack will give them the opportunity to Counter Hit. This basically interrupts the attack with a special animated attack that deals a bit more damage than a regular normal attack. Not only that but the opponent gets stunned for a slightly longer time compared to regular blocks. This allows players to counter with a combo almost immediately.
11End With Overdrives Whenever Possible
A staple feature inGuilty Geargames,Overdrive Attacksare extremely special moves that help characters dish out awesome-looking attacks with unique animations. All characters have unique Overdrive combos that cost Tension, meaning they’re ordinarily reserved for extremely special situations. However, players may want to end their combos with Overdrive Attacks.
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At its core, it’s advisable to use Overdrives whenever possible, especially for their effects on mobility. Since they can cause Wall Breaks, using an Overdrive against a cornered opponent will not only send both players to a new stage but extends the hitstun duration of the opponent character. This gives players more room to pull off deadlier combos.
10Get The Move List Going
When it comes to pulling off combos,players need to have a solid grasp not just of a character’s moveset, but also of their combo potential. As with otherGuilty Geartitles,Strivehas Command Normals (Direction + Attack), exclusive Special Attacks, and even Overdrives that act as super attacks. All of these are unique for every character.
Beyond these are tiny movesets, which involve a mixture of basic Attack patterns that work with the “style” of a certain character. Before players venture into mastering combos, they need to get familiar enough with the go-to playstyle and moveset of their characters.
9Take Note Of Defensive Modifiers
Players who want to take their combo game seriously may want to consider a crucial aspect ofGuilty Gearcharacters: defensive modifiers. Thanks tothe Dustloop Wiki, players can get a basic glimpse of how “spongy” a character iswhen it comes to tanking damagethanks to these mods.
In terms of base Defense, Sol Badguy tops a whopping 0.98-percent modifier to damage. This makes him ideally harder to hit in the base game. This changes throughout combat, as the inherent Guts stat can lessen damage taken the lower a combatant’s health gets. In this case, Anji Mito tops everyone with a whopping 5 Guts. However, based on these two stats overall, Nagoriyuki (0.96-percent Defense and 4 Guts) should be the hardest to kill, especially at low health.
8Consider Gatling Normals
Contrary to other fighting games where moves seamlessly “weave” into each other,Striveencourages players to invest in a bit of technical prowess. Combos often come in various types, depending on the string of basic Attacks used by players. Unlike other fighting games,Guilty GearStriveuses a Gatling Normals system. Normal Attacks rely on timing and repetition instead of outright stringing.
In turn, Light Attacks (Punches and Kicks) don’t just go into Medium Attacks (Slashes) and Heavy Attacks (Slashes). Rather, there’s a certain “flow” that the game wants players to remember.
7Land That RISC
Striveheavily incentivizes an aggressive playstyle. In fact, the RISC Meter is the franchise’s way of punishing extremely defensive opponents. When players block too much, enemy attacks raise the RISC Meter. Should it fill up completely, the next enemy attack will always become a hard Counter Hit, ending up with harsh damage points.
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In turn, players may want to pressure opponents enough to keep them blocking and amp up their RISC Meter. Likewise, players who notice their opponents have an already-high RISC Meter might want to fill it up and land that harsh Counter Hit.
6Watch Out For Combo Breakers
Possibly in light of fairness,Striveoffers just as many defensive options as it does offensive maneuvers. Players who get themselves in a pinch can rely on various combo-breaking maneuvers to get some breathing room when pummeled by opponents. For the attacker, knowing how these maneuvers affect them can help them discover better playstyles that emphasize mobility and recovering lost space.
In any situation, forcing the enemy to spend Tension before pulling off a fierce combo can leave them with fewer defensive options.
