GGXRD-R2/Sol Badguy/Starter

From Dustloop Wiki
Key Moves
Key Moves
Pokes
  • f.SGGXRD Sol fS.pngGuardMidStartup7Recovery23Advantage-11 is your go-to long range fast button. It sports great reach and speed, but is low reward without Tension The name for the main resource meter in the Guilty Gear SeriesTension can be spent on Faultless Defense, Overdrives, and more..
  • 2SGGXRD Sol 2S.pngGuardMidStartup10Recovery8Advantage+3 is the low compliment to f.S. It doesn't reach as far, advantaged on block. It works great as a poke and a pressure ender or extender.
  • 5HGGXRD Sol 5H.pngGuardMidStartup11Recovery26Advantage-9 is a much larger but slower normal than his S normals in exchange for more range and more reward, especially on counterhit. 5H is also jump cancellable, allowing you to easily disengage or threaten an IAD An air dash performed from a standing position as quickly and as low to the ground as possible from a jump. Done by inputting 956 754, and depending on the game, using a dash macro right after a jump. afterwards.
  • 2DGGXRD Sol 2D.pngGuardLowStartup7Recovery20Advantage-6 is an incredibly 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. sweep, and a great tool to counterattack and fish for knockdowns by going under attacks.
  • 6PGGXRD Sol 6P.pngGuardMidStartup9Recovery20Advantage-9 is a counterattack for beating pokes and hunting for counterhits. It has a decent amount of recovery and very few cancels, but fantastic reward especially on counterhit.
  • 6HGGXRD-R2 Sol 6H.pngGuardMidStartup17Recovery26Advantage-10 is a high risk high reward move. It has the most startup of his pokes and a ton of recovery, but can be special cancelled for safety. If this counterhits, it launches very high, allowing for huge damage followups anywhere on the screen, making it a great punish tool.
Anti-Air
  • 5KGGXRD Sol 5K.pngGuardMidStartup5Recovery13Advantage-7 is a fast 2 hit kick. It works as Sol's primary anti-air in a majority of situations thanks to the speed, high reach, and consistent reward. It lacks the upper body invuln of a standard anti-air, making it possible to lose to early buttons with lots of active frames.
  • 6PGGXRD Sol 6P.pngGuardMidStartup9Recovery20Advantage-9 is an occasionally useful anti-air. It lacks much vertical height, and is a bit slower, but having invulnerability allows it to beat early buttons or IADs in some spots where 5K would not.
  • 2HGGXRD Sol 2H.pngGuardMidStartup8Recovery26Advantage-13 is a much slower anti-air with high reward on counterhit. Don't use this unless you know for a fact it will hit, as has long punishable recovery.
  • j.HGGXRD Sol jH.pngGuardHigh/AirStartup9Recovery0Advantage- is his primary air normal for going air-to-air, especially good for opponents high above him and can score air throws when holding 4 or 6.
Close Range
  • 5PGGXRD Sol 5P.pngGuardMidStartup4Recovery6Advantage±0 is your fastest button and one of Sol's main options in scrambles. It easily confirms into a knockdown with 2D.
  • c.SGGXRD Sol cS.pngGuardMidStartup5Recovery16Advantage-4 is your best starter for combos and pressure. Generally you'll go for this meaty Hitting an opponent to cover the moment as they lose invincibility. The most common one is performing an attack early on okizeme to gain frame advantage and bait reversals. or after a dash to catch them moving or mashing.
  • 2PGGXRD Sol 2P.pngGuardMidStartup5Recovery4Advantage+2 is an easily spammable +2 on block jab. Great for starting pressure as it sets up frame trap An offensive technique where the attacker leaves a small opening in their offense, goading the defender into performing an attack. This opening is designed such that the attacker can easily counter the defender's attack with their own.s and tick throw A throw done after attacks, very soon after if not exactly when throw invulnerability expires on the opponent. A Tick Throw take advantage of that the opponent naturally expect a Frame Trap coming, making it very hard to react to or escape from.s, which is how you'll mainly open up defensive opponents.
  • 2SGGXRD Sol 2S.pngGuardMidStartup10Recovery8Advantage+3 is as good of a pressure tool as it is a poke. As it leaves Sol +3 on block, it is an entirely safe way to end pressure. You can threaten frametraps, run up strike/throw, or just sit and wait for them to do something.
Specials
  • 236PGGXRD Sol GunFlame.pngGuardAllStartup20RecoveryTotal 50Advantage-4 Gunflame. A projectile that allows Sol to control space in front of him. Great zoning tool to keep the opponent moving, and with YRCYellow Roman Cancel it's one of your easiest ways to win neutral. It has high recovery, so without YRC your opponent can airdash over and punish you.
  • 623HGGXRD Sol VolcanicViper.pngGuardMidStartup5Recovery29+8 after landingAdvantage-41 H Volcanic Viper. A huge DP Dragon Punch A move that has invulnerability during its startup, long recovery, and a rising motion. that goes through almost anything. Great for anti-air, breaking out of pressure, and reversals on wake-up. Just be sure that you'll hit, as if it whiffs or gets blocked without any meter to RC, it's very unsafe.
  • j.214KGGXRD Sol Kudakero1.pngGuardAllStartup22Recovery29 after landingAdvantage+2 Break. Useful divekick special to alter air momentum and punish anti-air attempts. Leaves you safe as long as the second hit connects.
  • 623KGGXRD Sol WildThrow1.pngGuardGround Throw: 122500Startup4RecoveryWhiff: 45Advantage- Wild Throw. A fast and high reward command grab that starts combos from anywhere on screen into great damage. This is your main tool to get the opponent scared on defense.
Combos
Combos

Sol combos are less about memorizing routes and more about memorizing different pieces. Generally without meter, you'll be best off just confirming into a 2DGGXRD Sol 2D.pngGuardLowStartup7Recovery20Advantage-6 and cancelling into either Gunflame FeintGGXRD Sol GunFlameFeint.pngGuardStartupRecoveryTotal 30Advantage- for okizeme From Japanese "起き攻め". Attacking an opponent about to wake up after they were knocked down, usually with meaty attacks or mix-ups. and tension gain, or Bandit RevolverGGXRD Sol BanditRevolver1.pngGuardMidStartup9Recovery2+8 after landingAdvantage-5 for damage and corner carry. Both of these cancels are unsafe on block, so be sure to confirm if you hit them or not before cancelling.

With 50 Tension, Sol can use Red Roman Cancel from 5HGGXRD Sol 5H.pngGuardMidStartup11Recovery26Advantage-9 to combo a Bandit BringerGGXRD Sol BanditBringer1.pngGuardHigh/AirStartup32Recovery9+4 after landingAdvantage±0 for a launch and damaging followups. After a midscreen Bandit BringerGGXRD Sol BanditBringer1.pngGuardHigh/AirStartup32Recovery9+4 after landingAdvantage±0, you can go into FafnirGGXRD Sol Fafnir.pngGuardMidStartup18Recovery12Advantage+2 for tons of damage and corner carry.

In the corner, Sol can launch meterlessly using 6PGGXRD Sol 6P.pngGuardMidStartup9Recovery20Advantage-9 allowing him to easily access his signature combo, the Dustloop. Further learning of more advanced Sol combos can be found in his combo page.
Starting combos

Sol's ideal starters are counterhits like 6P, 5H, 2H, 6H, and his special moves. Without any extra conditions like counterhits, Sol will usually start combos with a fast close range normal like 5P/5K or (2K/2S/2D for lows) or Wild Throw.

  • 5P > 5K > 2D > 214P/236K

A simple example of cancelling a string into 2D, Sol's most accessible combo. Without meter or counterhit, this is generally all you get midscreen.

  • 5K jump cancel (jc) > j.K JC > j.H > 623H > 214K

Anti-air into a knockdown. Anti-air combos can vary depending on height and character, so this may require some tweaks to work mid match, but is consistent.

  • c.S > 6P > delay 2H JC > j.S JC > j.S > j.D > 623H > 214K

An example corner combo. Launching in the corner with 6P leads to good damage meterless. Can be optimized with Dustloops.

  • 623K, delay 5H > 2H JC > j.S JC > j.S > 623H > 214K

BNB A staple combo that is simple yet effective. from Wild Throw midscreen. You can run under them during the delay into 5H to keep the same side, which is useful during corner offense to keep the corner.

  • c.S > 5H > 236P > RRC, 5H > 236[K], 41236H, 66 c.S > 6P > 6H > 214P
Red Roman Cancel combo for higher damage and corner carry. Ending in 6H > 214P in the corner gives amazing pressure options and sets up for the meatiest Gunflames. The general idea with this RC is that you RC Gunflame very early in startup, then combo into 5H. This allows the Gunflame to combo, which launches for Bandit Bringer to hit.
Spending Meter
Spending Meter

Sol has plenty of great ways to spend meter, mostly abusing YRC in neutral and offense to ensure safe pressure and further mixups.

  • GunflameGGXRD Sol GunFlame.pngGuardAllStartup20RecoveryTotal 50Advantage-4 YRC is generally where you'll spend the most meter. It's a great neutral tool, since you can jump to meet them in the air while Gunflame covers the ground. On offense, this generally re-buys pressure incredibly safely as you can dash up to abuse plus frames from Gunflame or get a strike/throw mixup.
  • H Volcanic ViperGGXRD Sol VolcanicViper.pngGuardMidStartup5Recovery29+8 after landingAdvantage-41 RRC is a safe wakeup option that you can combo from on hit. This makes it much harder to pressure Sol if he has 50 meter, as he can easily DP out and RC for safety.
  • 5HGGXRD Sol 5H.pngGuardMidStartup11Recovery26Advantage-9 RRC is a combo extender and ranged starter. This allows Sol to turn a poke into high damage, usually with Bandit Bringer
  • Tyrant RaveGGXRD Sol TyrantRave1.pngGuardMid,AllStartup5+1Recovery31Advantage-15 is an incredibly fast and damaging super that can be useful both as a reversal and a corner combo piece. The second hit causes a wallbounce that can be followed up from for huge damage. You can delay confirm this from a 2D, allowing a scarier low in Sol's mixups.
What to do after a knockdown
What to do after a knockdown

You'll either do one of two things after a knockdown: time a safejump A very well-timed jump attack on a character who is rising from a knockdown. Your goal is to attack extremely close to when you land so that, if the character performs an invincible reversal attack, you will land and be able to block. The opponent is then forced to block your jumping attack, since reversaling doesn't work, which will give you some nice pressure and hopefully an opening. with j.S or meaty Hitting an opponent to cover the moment as they lose invincibility. The most common one is performing an attack early on okizeme to gain frame advantage and bait reversals. them with Gunflame.

Timing a safejump j.S relies a lot on your awareness of knockdown quality and wakeup time, but even without a safejump, just doing a delayed jump normal like this on mixup is a powerful way to threaten multiple options. You can just let an air normal rock for an overhead, fall and 2K for a low or 623K for a grab, or block to bait reversals if you didn't get a safejump.

Meaty Gunflame is a very safe option to immediately get plus frames on an opponent. It may require delays to not hit OTG, but if you delay too much you may be in recovery while they wake up, putting you at risk of a reversal. With meter however, you can YRC to ensure this never happens, making for scary mixups after they block the Gunflame.