Update (9th Feb): Added a new guide on how to deal with Lowain’s Yggdrasil Super and a Lowain vs Charlotta high-level analysis.
Update (14th Feb): Added a Skybound Arts and Super Skybound Arts punish guide.
Update (10th March): Added Narmaya and Beelzebub tips & bread n’ butter combos.
Update (13th April): Added advanced general tips.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus is out now in Asia and Japan, so you can expect a boatload of day one (and more)basic combos and protips to get you started on your journey to going pro in Arc System Works’ latest. If you’re from the US and are reading this, then think of this as an upcoming guide to get you sorted on 3rd March.

Basic Fighting Game Tips For Online Play

Overheads beat throws. Every character has a universal overhead (B+C). Not only are they useful for catching crouching players, but you can use them to beat throws since you’re in the air when you perform them.

Sweeps and EX moves will lead to hard knockdowns. Keep this in mind if you want to do mixups.

You deal more damage with anti-airs. Better get used to countering jump-ins. If you’re on the offensive, however, be prepared to air-block. Or better yet, use air throws to counter air attacks, attacks with air properties, and backdashes.

Granblue Air grabs was stronger than I thought #GBVShttps://t.co/nK3tT6IX4T pic.twitter.com/jVcpzu0UYg

— ?????(Nhur)? (@SergioNhur) February 14, 2020

You can roll or evade after a dash. You cannot block right after a dash, so you should either do R2+back or R2+front instead. Just be careful of lows and throws if you attempt this.

Easy inputs have lower damage when doing a high number combo. While easy inputs for Skybound Arts (QCF+R1, QC+R1+X) are convenient, it’s best you practice doing the real inputs. If you add in an easy input in a long string, your damage output is lower compared to using the actual input.

Advanced Tips (via Animeilluminati)

Dodge projectiles instead of blocking them and advancing. When opponents throw projectiles or do projectile specials, the cooldown period is significantly longer than if you blocked it.

Take the throw. If you whiff and get counter-hit, you will lose 50% of your health from a regular combo.

Use easy inputs when mashing for reversals. Even though there’s a cooldown time when you use easy inputs, it’ll come back quickly once you’re in a neutral position. Conversely, don’t use easy inputs for projectiles.

Do not get counter-hit by an anti-air when you’re jumping in. When you jump, it’s better to eat a hit instead of a counter-hit. If they’re not crouching when you’re jumping in, you can safely attack with your own move. Otherwise, just take the hit, because if you press a button and get counter-hit, you may eat a combo that will put you at a huge disadvantage.

Try not to use auto combos if you want damaging combos. Stick to links or 2-in-1 moves; they deal optimal damage.

Character-Specific Tips

Here are a few picks for some of the more popular characters in the game.

Katalina

One of her moves (QCB + C) lets her push her opponent far off to the corner. This bread-and-butter combo set lets you maximize your damage when you get your opponent to that coveted spot.

Vaseraga

The evil-looking-but-kind-hearted tough guy has some scary corner combos thanks to his Batallion Stomp that lets his steps do the talking. Make sure to do the C version in-between attacks so that he instantly goes to the heavy steps. This combo potential works best if you power up with his unique skill.

Ferry

If you like footsies and mid-ranged nonsense, you may want to learn these advanced setups that involve the ghost doge Jiji. If you play characters like Dhalsim, Ferry is kinda like that. However, it doesn’t hurt to know some moves and setups that prevent your opponent from closing in the gap.

Charlotta

What happens when you take away Akuma’s fireball but make him half-sized: that’s Charlotta in a nutshell. A rushdown character who is quick and has crappy range, she’s perfect for getting up-close and personal. These bread-and-butter combos will net you the most damage.

Ladiva

This buff woman is a grappler’s delight. If you love using Zangief in Street Fighter sequels, you’ll love using Ladiva. Her clothesline is basically her version of the Green Hand.

She will have a heckuva time getting in as she has to rely on well-timed jumps, clothesline, and 2D reads. But once she’s in, she will deal a heckaton of damage and will keep you guessing whether she’ll command grab you or not.

If you want to get further, just emulate Japanese pro player KouijiKOG above.

Zeta

Remember how acrobatic Chun-Li was in Street Fighter 2 onwards? Zeta is kinda like that.

Zeta’s unique attack is a great combo-ender that pushes opponents away from her. Coupled with her parry follow-ups and flying spear attacks with varying trajectories, learning some of these combos can make your Zeta a literal high-flying combo machine.

Narmaya

She’s dubbed as a “scrub killer” because of her different stances that give her options to anti-airs, mixups, and punishes.

Someone’s spamming mid-ranged attacks? Her Setsuna attack can knock them to a corner. Someone’s mashing on wakeup? Just change to her Freeflutter stance and pull off her Mugen Kagura, then counter appropriately. Your opponent is turtling? Autocombo up-close for a block string, then pull off Utakata and switch your strategy around when needed.

She can change stances mid-combos, which opens up a lot of attacks for her when she gets someone to a corner. Because of this, she’s a pretty advanced character to wrap your head around.

Beelzebub

He’s a mid-ranged character all the way, with some decent counters/anti-airs, a decent jump-in unique, and a handy teleport to catch enemies off-guard. Play him like a mix between Metera and Ferry; get close only when you can confirm a hit to wall bounce them with his EX Chaoscalibur (ie the move where he hits low and mid with his cape).

Also, if you main the aforementioned Metera and Ferry, you may want to pick Beelzebub to complement the areas the two are weak at.

Watch 2 Pros Use Narmaya and Beelzebub

You may remember Go1 and Fenritti as world-class Dragon Ball FighterZ players. Now watch them use the recently-released DLC characters.

Narmaya is a close-ranged rushdown sword user who can switch styles mid-combo, while Beelzebub relies on his tricks to harass foes like his divekick, teleports, and “Tandem Engine”. You’ll learn a lot about how to use these two by analyzing this video.

NEXT: Punishing Supers & Lowain’s Yggdrasil