Testament

	"Mature Content"
	This character or verse has mature themes and concepts, thus those of young age are ill-advised to look through these.

Testament is a former antagonist and a recurring figure in the Guilty Gear series. Once a humanoid Gear serving Justice during the Crusades, Testament acted under her control until gaining a degree of independence. They are the adopted child of Kliff Undersn, who cared for them despite their transformation. Skilled in dark sorcery and armed with a scythe forged from their own blood, Testament battles alongside loyal familiars — most notably their EXE Beast and the Succubi with whom they have formed a pact.

Testament
Agender Guilty Gear StrivePrevious Games ▾ “ I've been very lucky to meet people who've accepted me. I, too, used to carry myself like some sort of demon. Even though I was surrounded by accepting people. „ ~ Testament to Nagoriyuki Guilty GearGuilty Gear XGuilty Gear XX ▾Guilty Gear Isuka Λ Core “ Damn dirty humans! „
Origin
Origin	Guilty Gear (1998)
Creator	Daisuke Ishiwatari
First Appearance	Guilty Gear (1998)
Voiced by	Kayleigh McKee (English); Takami Akkun (GG1), Katsuaki Kobayashi (GGX, GGXX), Yū Kobayashi (GGST) (Japanese)
Characteristics
Species	Gear
Gender	Agender
Pronouns	They/Them
Sexuality	Unknown
Age	Unknown
Birthday	May 9th
Height	6'1"
Weight	161 lbs
Ethnicity	Swiss
Status	Alive
Alignment	Neutral Good (Before War), Chaotic Evil (After War), Chaotic Good (X and onward)
Archetype	Black Knight
Occupation	Tournament Organizer & Sponsor (Formerly)
Time Period	2180 (Guilty Gear), 2181 (Guilty Gear X), 2187 (Guilty Gear Xrd), 2187 (Guilty Gear Strive)
Language	English
Homeworld	Earth
Relationships
Affiliations	Justice, Dizzy, Ky Kiske, Sol Badguy
Enemies	Sol Badguy (Formerly), Ky Kiske (Formerly)

Background

This dropdown contains the synopsis of Testament's story. Read at your own risk as you may be spoiled otherwise!

Origin Testament was born in Switzerland during the Crusades and lost their parents at an early age. They were taken in by Kliff Undersn, commander of the Sacred Order of Holy Knights, who raised them as his own child. Out of deep gratitude, Testament hoped to inherit Kliff’s name and succeed him one day. In 2127, going against Kliff’s wishes, Testament enlisted in the Order despite their aversion to violence, believing it would make their father proud. Tragically, their plans never came to pass; in 2128, while carrying out a mission for the Order’s reserve unit, Testament met an untimely end. Their body was never recovered — instead, agents from Nation A captured them and handed them over to the Post-War Administration Bureau. Testament was subjected to experiments that forcibly turned them into a Gear, regardless of their own will. Although they retained self-awareness, they soon obeyed Justice’s command to eradicate humanity. Around 2140, Testament and Kliff faced each other in battle under unknown circumstances. Forced to fight on opposite sides, Kliff killed Testament, but they inexplicably survived and returned to serving Justice. The two would never meet again during the Crusades. At some point, Testament also encountered Sol Badguy and discovered his nature as a Gear. Following Justice’s sealing in 2175, which ended the Crusades, most Gears either became dormant or gained free will, but Testament remained under her influence. Compelled to see her freed, they worked to break her seal and reignite her campaign of destruction. Manipulated by the Conclave without realizing it, Testament operated behind the scenes during the Second Holy Order Selection Tournament to amass enough energy to revive Justice. Guilty Gear Following the announcement of the Second Holy Order Selection Tournament in 2180, Testament sets their plan in motion to revive Justice. They break Zato-ONE and Dr. Baldhead out of prison, tempting Zato with the chance to confront Millia Rage and giving Dr. Baldhead his scalpel back — which he immediately uses to stab Testament in a fit of madness. Later, Testament appears before Sol Badguy, the tournament’s victor, and reveals the event’s true purpose: to collect the energy needed to resurrect Justice, requiring one final blood sacrifice. Though Sol defeats Testament in battle, they offer up their own life to release Justice, using their blood to shatter her seal. In another version of the story, Testament revives Justice in an incomplete state and willingly gives their blood to make her whole. Despite Testament’s sacrifice, Justice is defeated once more by Sol and Ky Kiske, with Sol ultimately landing the final blow. In Kliff’s account, Testament, upon being defeated, tries to console their father before dying in his arms. Kliff then challenges Justice alone, taking responsibility for Testament’s fate. Justice learns too late that Testament’s bond with Kliff may have been what limited her strength. With Justice’s final breath, Kliff also passes away, feeling his long burden at last lifted. Guilty Gear X After Justice’s defeat, Testament regains their former self-awareness and manages to escape capture. Aimless and without a sense of purpose, they wander to the village where Kliff is buried, bringing flowers to their father’s grave. There, a priest approaches and asks if Testament once served in the Holy Order, which they deny. Testament notices the priest is accompanied by a blind girl named Josephine, who quickly warms their heart. Moved by her innocence, Testament asks her to call them Kliff instead of their real name. While Testament considers whether children like Josephine could give them a new reason to live, Venom suddenly appears, attempting to abduct Josephine to coerce Faust into joining the Assassin’s Guild. Testament intervenes and flees with Josephine into the Forest of Demons, where she introduces them to her friend Dizzy. When Josephine is injured, Testament and Dizzy rush her to Faust’s clinic in the village; as they wait, Testament and Dizzy open up to each other about their painful pasts, with Testament revealing that they too are a Gear and sharing their true identity. The villagers, led by the priest, soon turn on Dizzy and set Faust’s office ablaze, causing her to lose control of Necro and Undine. Witnessing her despair, Testament vows to stay by Dizzy’s side and helps calm her down. When Josephine later rejects Dizzy as a demon, Testament leaves the village with Dizzy, returning with her to the forest. Not long after, in October 2181, word spreads about Dizzy’s existence, and Ky Kiske comes to investigate. After Dizzy defeats Ky, a large bounty is placed on her head. Testament takes it upon themself to fend off any bounty hunters who come near, protecting Dizzy until she decides to leave the forest and accept Johnny’s invitation to join the Jellyfish Pirates. In one version of events, Testament and Dizzy’s presence eventually discourages people from venturing into the forest, and Dizzy wonders if it will take humanity a thousand years to let go of the Crusades. Testament privately promises to guard her for however long it takes. In another account, Testament recalls Kliff’s teachings about a knight’s duties and encourages Dizzy to see the world beyond the forest, while she, in turn, convinces Testament to go with her. Guilty Gear XX Testament appears unexpectedly on the May Ship to visit Dizzy, only to discover she has been knocked overboard by I-No. Blaming the crew for their negligence, Testament angrily leaves to search for Dizzy. In one possible scenario, they find Dizzy already dead, with Johnny having slain the one responsible; overwhelmed with grief, Testament kills Johnny and swears to wipe out humanity before burying Dizzy in the Grove. In another version, Slayer and Sol approach Testament to warn them that the Post-War Administration Bureau and That Man have resurfaced. In a third account, Testament locates Dizzy, who has been possessed by Necro, and helps free her; after she regains her senses, Dizzy defends her crew’s actions, and Testament departs peacefully before Dizzy reunites with April and May, promising she’ll visit Testament soon. Later on, Dizzy comes to the Forest of Demons to give Testament a letter, expressing her gratitude for helping her find her place in the world. They spend time together, during which Dizzy confides her worry about rumors of bandits threatening a nearby village. Testament explains they can’t intervene, as they want to avoid any bloodshed, but reassures Dizzy that she should follow her heart and return if things go wrong. Before she leaves, Dizzy says she will keep sending letters, and tells Testament it would make her happy if they lived somewhere she could reach them more easily. Testament responds that they will consider it before disappearing. After the matter with the “bandits” is settled, Testament confronts Johnny, who encourages them to move out of the forest and build connections beyond Dizzy. Testament admits he might be right, and Johnny asks to be informed of their future plans, but Testament brushes it off, exchanges a playful remark, and teleports away once more. Alone, Testament reflects that it has been around fifty years since they last wrote a letter and decides to send one back to Dizzy. Guilty Gear XX Λ Core Plus After entrusting Dizzy to the Jellyfish Pirates, Testament resumes guarding the Forest of Demons, determined to protect it from intruders as a way to atone for their past (“…Will the world ever forgive me?”). Their solitude is broken when Johnny and May bring Dizzy to visit, but things go awry when she loses control of Necro and Undine because of Crow’s imitation of Justice. In one version of events, Testament chases after Crow but fails to catch him, returning to their vigil over the forest and vowing to defend it for as long as they can. In another, after Slayer’s warning, Testament returns to find the forest engulfed in flames and calmly accepts their fate, believing that humankind will eventually destroy itself anyway. In Dizzy’s first scenario, Testament tries to dissuade her from seeking answers about her past and warns her not to trust Ky. When Dizzy insists on leaving with Ky despite the warning, Testament tells her never to come back since they still cannot forgive humanity, but Dizzy holds onto hope that one day Testament will be able to. They wish each other well before parting ways. Guilty Gear Xrd In the years that followed, Testament stayed in contact with Johnny, occasionally visiting him and spending time near the May Ship II, even though Dizzy no longer traveled with the crew. For a while, Testament also kept a distant watch over the elderly couple who had once cared for Dizzy before she met them, though they made sure not to reveal themselves to the couple. Guilty Gear -Strive- Testament has settled down with the elderly couple who once looked after Dizzy, having grown close to them over time. They have taken up construction work and are even thinking about trying modeling as a side job. This new routine has brought them a feeling of calm and happiness. Story ModeArcade Mode In the epilogue, Testament is shown visiting their family at Dizzy and Ky’s estate after the G4 Summit has concluded. In Testament’s Arcade Mode, they first meet Chipp Zanuff, who is wary of Testament’s intentions. Testament assures him they are merely out for a stroll, enjoying some tea, and reflecting on their new life. Impressed by Testament’s calm demeanor and the surroundings, Chipp softens and compliments both the scenery and Testament before they part ways. Testament then encounters Nagoriyuki, someone they hoped to meet. Nagoriyuki senses darkness within Testament and questions what caused their change. Testament credits their growth to having accepting people in their life and admits they once behaved like Nagoriyuki. While Testament is not there to fix Nagoriyuki, they offer to share tea with him. In alternate scenarios, Testament lightens Nagoriyuki’s mood with small talk and jokes, eventually getting him to accept their invitation for tea. In A.B.A’s Arcade Mode, Testament shows interest in her relationship with Paracelsus. A.B.A admits to feeling uneasy about Paracelsus leaving her, and Testament cautions her against becoming obsessed. Surprisingly, A.B.A takes the advice to heart and contemplates her actions and their relationship. During their interactions, Testament is amused by A.B.A and Elphelt’s energetic behavior, often laughing, which unsettles Paracelsus. When Paracelsus seeks help, Testament apologizes, explaining they are only passing through.

Appearance

• General Description:

Testament has a pale complexion, sharp red eyes, and long, straight black hair that reaches down to their hips. Their appearance is noted for its striking androgyny and elegance, often drawing comments about their good looks and the balance of femininity and masculinity in their design. They carry an overall Grim Reaper motif that is consistent across games.

• Facial Features:

They have an angular face framed by their long hair, with distinct red eyes. In previous games, they can transform their face into a skull for certain animations, emphasizing their supernatural, reaper-like presence.

• Clothing/Outfit:

Testament’s classic outfit includes a black leather ensemble: a midriff-baring top wrapped around the chest, a belted mantle that covers their arms, and a mid-calf wrap skirt detailed with gold grommets along the hem. The skirt is held in place by two crossing belts on the thigh and another belt at the waist. They accessorize with an arm warmer on one arm, a fingerless glove on the other, a choker with silver studs, and knee-high heeled boots.

In Guilty Gear: Strive, their outfit changes to a sleeveless white shirt with a jabot under a black waistcoat with silver buttons, combined with the familiar black mantle draped over their forearms. Their skirt now includes silver buttons and multiple brown belts adorned with skull ornaments. They wear fingerless gloves on both hands—white on the right, black on the left—with a cross-like symbol and the word “compensate” visible on the mantle sides and glove backs. Testament’s redesign also adds a black top hat with a skull brooch on its band, adding to their gothic, reaper-inspired look.

• Special Features:

Aside from their ability to manifest a skull face, Testament’s scythe is a core part of their appearance. Its design changes slightly across games—originally silver with a downward blade near their leg, later crimson red and wielded at head height, then returning to a downward position in Strive.

Personality

• Kind and Altruistic: Testament is inherently gentle, philanthropic, and selfless, putting others’ needs before their own. They have a special fondness for children and do whatever they can to shelter and guide those who’ve lost their way, preferring education and rehabilitation over blame and punishment.

• Protective and Dutiful: Testament’s sense of duty runs deep, rooted in their days as a knight sworn to protect the innocent. Even after decades and the trauma of being turned into a Gear, they hold onto that promise, striving to safeguard those who can’t defend themselves.

• Warped by Force: The forced Gear conversion under Justice’s control left Testament deeply scarred and cynical, instilling in them a hatred for humanity they never truly wanted. Although they retained their will and memories, they were powerless to disobey orders, causing their pacifistic nature to twist into an impulse for violence they came to hate.

• Haunted yet Resolute: After Justice’s defeat, Testament was tormented by guilt over the atrocities they committed. Isolating themselves from humanity, they devoted their existence to protecting Dizzy and the Forest of Demons, seeing this as a way to atone for their past sins and find new meaning.

• Loyal but Wary: Testament’s trust in humans is fragile at best. They often prefer to intimidate or warn opponents rather than harm them, struggling to hold back when pushed too far. Despite their Gear nature that compels them toward violence, they genuinely hate killing and cling to their protective instincts.

• Forgiving and Gentle with Friends: Testament’s relationships show how deeply they still care. They hold a fatherly love for Dizzy, worry about her freedom and wellbeing, and have developed an unlikely sense of kinship with fellow victims like Eddie and even Sol, despite clashing with them at times.

• Peaceful and Recovered: By the time of Strive, Testament has embraced a calmer life, helped by the people who accept them for who they are. Living with Dizzy’s adoptive family has softened their bitterness toward humanity. They’ve grown more sociable, inviting others for tea, and even showing a dry sense of humor. Although they remain dignified and do not tolerate disrespect, Testament is finally at peace with who they’ve become.

Goals

• Help Justice and kill Humanity (abandoned).
• Protect Dizzy (Succeeded).

Relationships

Justice

Testament held a tournament in order to revive Justice, a rebel among the gears declaring war against the humans due to using the gears unfairly, being willing to even sacrifice themself in order to revive Justice.

Kliff Undersn

Testament and Kliff fought nearly forty years ago, where Kliff was the victor and believed that he killed Testament, along with the post-battle dialogue implying that Testament is Kliff's child. This is further confirmed by Kliff's conversation with Justice and Testament is indeed his child.

General Information

Name: Testament

Origin: Guilty Gear (1998)

Overall Series: Guilty Gear

First Appearance: Guilty Gear (1998)

Company: Arc System Works

Creator: Daisuke Ishiwatari

Actor

• English Voice Actor: Kayleigh McKee
• Japanese Voice Actor: Takami Akkun (Guilty Gear (1998), Katsuaki Kobayashi (Guilty Gear X, Guilty Gear XX), Yū Kobayashi (Guilty Gear Strive)

Gender: Agender (While Testament being Kliff's child is indeed true, Testament is not a guy, but agender. This is something directly stated by Arc Systems themselves, along with Ishiwatari noting in a 1998 newsletter that Testament is androgynous and has transcended human existence. This is also shown on the Guilty Gear Strive website that Testament uses they/them pronouns. It's also been officially stated during an Arc Revo America 2021 Finals that Testament is meant to be agender)

Sexuality: Unknown

Pronouns: They/Them

Handedness: Ambidextrous (Testament can wield their scythe in either hand)

Age: Unknown

Blood Type: Unanalyzable

Birthday: May 9th

Time Period: 22nd Century:

• During Guilty Gear (1998): 2180 (The Sacred Holy Order of Knights secured humanity's victory in 217 and the first Guilty Gear takes place 5 years later)
• During Guilty Gear X: 2181 (This game takes place one year after Guilty Gear)
• During Guilty Gear Xrd: 2187 (Directly noted in the intro to Chapter 1 to take place during this time period)
• During Guilty Gear -Strive-:' 2187 (Directly noted that this game takes place three weeks after the end of Guilty Gear Xrd)

Timeline: Main Timeline

Homeworld: Earth

Residence: Forest of Demons (Before resolving to protect the half-Gear Dizzy), Unknown Area living with an elderly couple who once took care of Dizzy (Currently)

Story Role: Secret Villain, Reformed Villain, Playable Fighter

Legacy: Local Legacy (Testament is known only by a few, allowing them to hold a mock tournament in order to revive Justice)

Influence: Even-Influence (Testament was the reason Justice revived in Guilty Gear (1998))

Language: English

Ethnicity: Swiss

Religion: N/A

Classification: Puppet Master

Species: Gear

State of Being: Regular

Physiology: Gear Physiology

In-Universe Creator: Unknown

Occupation: Tournament Organizer & Sponsor (Formerly)

Risk Rating: S

Affiliations: Justice, Dizzy, Ky Kiske, Sol Badguy

Enemies: Sol Badguy (Formerly), Ky Kiske (Formerly)

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 161 lbs

Status: Alive

Alignment

• Before War: Neutral Good (Kliff notes that he found Testament and took them in during the Crusades, calling Testament a kind soul where they volunteered to be a solider thinking it would make Kliff happy)
• After War: Chaotic Evil (Testament went insane after seeing all of the bloodshed within the war. Testament held a tournament in order to revive Justice, a rebel among the gears declaring war against the humans due to using the gears unfairly, being willing to even sacrifice themself in order to revive Justice. Testament revives Justice in order to wipe the world of humans)
• Guilty Gear X and onward: Chaotic Good (After the events of the Second Holy Order Selection Tournament, Testament regained their sense of self, feeling guilty for what they've done, they hid in the Forest of Demons before resolving to protect the half-Gear Dizzy from humans who pursued her, in doing this as a way to atone for their sins, it ended up bringing back their human sensibility)

Protection Level: Street Protector (After the events of the Second Holy Order Selection Tournament, Testament regained their sense of self, feeling guilty for what they've done, they hid in the Forest of Demons before resolving to protect the half-Gear Dizzy from humans who pursued her, in doing this as a way to atone for their sins, it ended up bringing back their human sensibility)

Threat Level: Global Threat (Testament revives Justice in order to wipe the world of humans. Noted that their pure hatred of man and incalculable power makes them one of the most dangerous living beings on Earth at the present time of Guilty Gear X2)

Potential

• Type(s) of Potential: Growth Potential
• Level of Potential: High Potential
• Description: The genes of a Gear has one mature quickly, thus Sin is a fully grown adult despite only being a couple of years old.
• Limitations: Nothing notable.

Archetypal Tiering: Black Knight

Codex Statistics

Grade: S (Noted that their pure hatred of man and incalculable power makes them one of the most dangerous living beings on Earth at the present time of Guilty Gear X2)

Tier: 8-B, Far Higher through Magic of the Backyard

Cardinality: Finite

Dimensionality: 3-D

Power Source: Magic (Mankind has succeeded in the dream of developing a natural, limitless energy supply, being the Age of Magic. This is further supported in the memoirs of Eripmavs D Yraid where a band of mages calling themselves "Apostles" taught magic to the people. Magic is described as a scientific impossibility, a power close to omnipotence, with all of its information being of an unknown origin)

Attack Potency: City Block level (Potency) (Fought and defeated Johnny who fought against Bedman, where in his fight with Slayer, caused a massive cavern across the entire terrain), Far Higher through Magic of the Backyard (Magic draws power directly from the Backyard, allowing a user to amplify themself to carry more energy than anything on this planet is capable of producing, however without an intermediary, this energy would destroy the planet). Can ignore durability with Magic (The Backyard is the term used to give reason to the five element configuration, in other worlds, it's "something" that conveys the information that defines the fundamental truth of this world, the magic people use are different from the alchemy that uses resources from present numbers, magic users like Sol and Sin forcefully borrow some kind of "reason" from that "something", being described as an obscure world that magic users temporarily access to gain power. Roughly put, it's a world that can rewrite the rules of the universe in any way it wants)

Durability: City Block level, Far Higher through Magic of the Backyard (Magic draws power directly from the Backyard, allowing a user to amplify themself)

Striking Strength: City Block Class (Potency), Far Higher through Magic of the Backyard (Magic draws power directly from the Backyard, allowing a user to amplify themself, to where even a single strike or punch from them carries more energy than anything on the planet is capable of producing)

Lifting Strength: At least Class 1 (Should be comparable to Bridget, who with her instant kill can lift the likes of Potemkin casually, who weighs 1446 lbs), Far Higher through Magic of the Backyard (Magic draws power directly from the Backyard, allowing a user to amplify themself)

Travel Speed: Regular Human, Superhuman with Blast Drive (Blast Drive allows the fighter to move like the wind, running far faster then the fighter normally moves), Far Higher through Magic of the Backyard

Attack Speed: Superhuman, Far Higher through Magic of the Backyard (Magic draws power directly from the Backyard, allowing a user to amplify themself. Fighters can move so fast with their Roman Cancels that they create a light afterimage of two of the same fighter doing a roman cancel)

Reaction Speed: Superhuman, Far Higher through Magic of the Backyard (Magic draws power directly from the Backyard, allowing a user to amplify themself. Can avoid sword slashes from Johnny where it's noted that Johnny's attacks move at the speed of light)

Stamina: Superhuman (Their story modes has her fighting against characters repeatedly with no breaks without them showing any signs of tiring), Limitless Magic (Makind has succeeded in the dream of developing a natural, limitless energy supply, being the Age of Magic)

Range: Standard Melee, Extended Melee with Scythe, Multiversal with Magic (The Backyard is the term used to give reason to the five element configuration, in other worlds, it's "something" that conveys the information that defines the fundamental truth of this world, the magic people use are different from the alchemy that uses resources from present numbers, magic users like Sol and Sin forcefully borrow some kind of "reason" from that "something", being described as an obscure world that magic users temporarily access to gain power, with it being larger then the universe)

Intelligence: Supergenius Intelligence (Gears have the capacity to learn quickly, with Dr. Paradigm having knowledge and throughput that exceeds that of Leo's entire operations department)

Knowledge: Master level (Nagoriyuki notes that Testament is someone that's uncommonly skilled)

---

Powers and Techniques

Standard Fighter AbilitiesGear PhysiologyUnique Abilities

• Acrobatics (Fighters are able to perform high jumps while in combat)
• Air Dash (Fighters are able to dash while in the air to perform an air dash)
• Multiple Jumps (Fighters are able to jump twice)
• Aerial Recovery (Fighters through the use of Knockdown Evasion are able to flip out of a knockdown hit, ready to retaliate. With Recovery Direction, when using a Recovery move while pushing a directional button, the fighter can recover from a knock down in the direction they press, allowing them a chance to counterattack if used correctly)
• Charged Attack (The Charge Attack System is a system where fighters charge up their attacks for increased power, being able to charge it up t three levels)
• Counter (Fighters through the use of Dead-Angle Attack are able to strike the enemy even while the enemy is still attacking. With Counter Hit, while the opponent is trying to use a move, the fighter can counter attack by hititng them with one of their attacks, causing the opponent's time off balance to increase)
• Second Wind (Fighters can get back up and fight for a second round even after their health is depleted)
  • Healing (Fighters can restore back their health for the second round of a fight)
• Guard Break (With Dust Attacks, by pushing a Slash and Heavy Slash, the fighter can use attacks that break the crouching guard. With Power Attacks, fighters can unleash a slow move that whe hit, has a high guard crash rate)
• Auto-Pilot (With Auto Guard, if fighters are not performing an action, they will automatically guard head-on attacks)
• Aerial Recovery Nullification (With Sweep, if this attack hits the opponent, they cannot bounce back from the attack with a recovery move)
• Acausality
  • Future or Past Defiance: When it looks like I-No has killed Sol through destroying his past, That Man comes in to note that it is foolish to believe this "Now" is what's really important, if there is no present, then neither the past nor future can exist, making everyone immune to affects from the past or future of time as they exist in their own presents.
  • Time Paradox Immunity
    • Paradox Immunity: "Now" is what's really important, if there is no present, then neither the past nor future can exist, making everyone immune to paradoxes that effect the past or future.
• Magic (Mankind has succeeded in the dream of developing a natural, limitless energy supply, being the Age of Magic. This is further supported in the memoirs of Eripmavs D Yraid where a band of mages calling themselves "Apostles" taught magic to the people. Magic is described as a scientific impossibility, a power close to omnipotence, with all of its information being of an unknown origin)
  • Axiom Manipulation, Truth Manipulation & Information Manipulation (The Backyard is the term used to give reason to the five element configuration, in other worlds, it's "something" that conveys the information that defines the fundamental truth of this world, the magic people use are different from the alchemy that uses resources from present numbers, magic users like Sol and Sin forcefully borrow some kind of "reason" from that "something", being described as an obscure world that magic users temporarily access to gain power)
    • Law Manipulation (Roughly put, it's a world that can rewrite the rules of the universe in any way it wants. Noted by Asuka that magic is the power to bend the rules of nature)
    • Statistics Amplification (Magic draws power directly from the Backyard, allowing a user to amplify themself to carry more energy than anything on this planet is capable of producing, however without an intermediary, this energy would destroy the planet)
    • Dormant Power Reservoir (As Magic draws power directly from the Backyard, allowing a user to amplify themself to carry more energy than anything on this planet is capable of producing, they possess immense dormant energy that they cannot release as it would result in the destruction of the planet)
      • Non-Standard Damage (Through amplifying their energy on this scale, they can destroy physical space occupied by a barrier, creating a spontaneous microverse)
    • Biological Manipulation & Fusionism (Noted in the memoirs of Eripmavs D Yraid that through the use of magic one can fuse Gear cells to the material world, allowing them to reproduce and become at least semi-permanent)
    • Fire Manipulation, Telepathy & Teleportation (Magic has become a foundation of people's lives in Guilty Gear, for starting fires, communicating with people from afater, teleporting)
• Non-Standard Interaction
  • Soul Interaction: Fighters are able to fight and interact with ghost.
  • Higher-Dimensional Interaction: Fighters are able to interact with Bedman, who deleted his own ID and became a multi-dimensional being.
  • Transcendent Interaction: Fighters are able to interact with beings like Slayer, where it's noted by Happy Chaos that Vampires are apart of Demi-humans, who transcend genetics, physics, and even time itself with their very existence being essentially a bug in the world's programming.
  • Non-Existent Interaction: Fighters are able to interact with Raven, a being that notes he is non-existent entity.
    • Creation (Magic users can create beings like magehounds, who are not that different from a real dog, their personality depending entirely on how the user raises them)
• Lock-On (Fighters are able to enter a "Lock-on Mode", where they target a single foe)
  • Statistics Boost (Attacks in Lock-on Mode are powerful, catering to one-on-one battles)
• Finishing Blow (With Instant Kills, if either fighter wins with an Instant Kill move, he or she wins the match immediately, no matter which round the game is currently in)
  • One Hit KO
• Power Modification (If fighter's inflict even a single attack on a ghost they will take control of it and be able to use its abilities against the opponent)
• Chaos Manipulation (Fighters utilize an energy known as "Chaos Energy" to do things like perform Perfect Guarding and perform Chaos Moves, a super-powerful attack that takes a completely full Chaos Bar to use)
  • Energy Manipulation
  • Perfect Guard (Fighters are able to use perfect guard to block special moves or chaos moves without losing any life at all)
  • Statistics Boost (If a fighters Chaos Bar is full and they dash from across the screen, they will flash and be able to tackle the opponent)
• Forcefield Manipulation (Fighters can use a technique known as Faultess Defense, this allows the fighter to enter a special guard condition that creates a barrier around them preventing the opponent from shaving away strength with deadly attack, and the knock back is greater than a normal guard, giving them more time to ready an attack against the opponent)
• Energy Manipulation (With Roman Cancels, the fighter generates an energy field around themself)
  • Afterimage Creation (Fighters can move so fast with their Roman Cancels that they create a light afterimage of two of the same fighter doing a roman cancel)
  • Time Manipulation (With Red Roman Cancel, knocks back the enemy and briefly slows them down in time. With the Blue Roman Cancel, slows the enemy down in time. With Purple Roman Cancel, slows the enemy down in time)
    • Counter (With the Yellow Roman Cancel, can stop the opponent while they're attacking and slow them in time)
    • Vibration Manipulation
• Space-Time Manipulation (Through two fighters slamming into each other at strong forces, they spread space-time wide open).

• Resistance to
  • Extreme Heats (Fighters can take fire attacks from Sol, which burn around their entire body, along with take hits from Axl's different flame attacks)
  • Electricity (Fighters can block and take hits from electric attacks, such as Justice's attacks that electrocute with each hit)
  • Shadow Attacks (Fighters are able to take hits from Zato's shadow Eddie where the Shadow can instant kill someone through destroying their shadow)
  • Poison Manipulation (Fighters can eventually have poisons wear out)
  • Power Modification (Fighters are able to hit each other without any effects to their abilities, where if fighter's inflict even a single attack on a ghost they will take control of it and be able to use its abilities against the opponent)
  • Axiom Manipulation, Truth Manipulation & Information Manipulation (Fighters can face off against Gears, where Gear Cells are what That Man used to create a sphere within the Backyard which was making a physical interference with it and causing distortions within it, where the Backyard is the term used to give reason to the five element configuration, in other worlds, it's "something" that conveys the information that defines the fundamental truth of this world, the magic people use are different from the alchemy that uses resources from present numbers, magic users like Sol and Sin forcefully borrow some kind of "reason" from that "something", being described as an obscure world that magic users temporarily access to gain power)
    • Law Manipulation (As they resist the Gear Cells mere existence interfering with the Backyard, they also resist other effects uch as the Backyard being a world that can rewrite the rules of the universe in any way it wants)
  • Soul Manipulation & Information Manipulation (Fighters are able to fight against Justice, where Justice's information density is equivalent to a galaxy cluster, where the soul breaks down under the pressure of the information density, an example of this can be seen through the Backyard, when a normal life form enters the Backyard they turn to dust, the Backyard is composed of high-density information which governs all of creation, any normal creature is instantly crushed by that wealth of data)

Noted by Testament that Sol is also a gear like them, comparing themself, meaning that they are also a gear, which gives them:

• Superhuman Physical Characteristics (Gears are a fusion of human and animal DNA with magic, resulting in a horrible mix of vitality and raw strength. The Gear Project is noted to be a plan of transforming a man into a more powerful entity)
  • Superhuman Strength (Gear Cells have profound effects on an organism's body like granting it tremndous physical power)
  • Superhuman Durability
  • Superhuman Speed
  • Superhuman Reaction
  • Superhuman Lifting
  • Superhuman Energy Efficiency
• Bloodlust (Gear blood makes one always have the want to destroy others around them)
• Genius Intelligence (Gears have the capacity to learn quickly, with Dr. Paradigm having knowledge and throughput that exceeds that of Leo's entire operations department)
• Longevity (Gears can live for a long time, such as Sol Badguy spending 150 years living as a bounty hunter)
• Regeneration (Gear Cells allow one to heal wounds almost instantly. Sol regenerated instantly from a pike stabbing through his chest)
• Supernatural Resilience (Gears remain unaffected by objects stabbing through their body)
• Cyborgization
  • Partial: Gears are a fusion of human and animal DNA with magic, being both machines and living beings.
• Irregular Physiology (Gears are noted to be unnatural beings)
• Pain Tolerance (Gears can endure the pain of being within the Backyard, where Asuka Kreutz notes that if someone strays too far into the Backyard, their soul breaks down under the pressure of the information's density)
• Aura (Axl notes that Testament has a "bizarre aura". Johnny notes how he felt a Gears' malicious aura)
• Supernatural Resilience (Gears can survive what should be fatal wounds, such as Kliff believing he had killed Testament but being shocked to see they're alive)
• Impact Resistance & Pierce Resistance (When the Gears turned on humanity, there were no weapons that humanity had that were capable of resisting the Gears)
• Accelerated Development
  • Passive
    • Body: The genes of a Gear has one mature quickly, thus Sin is a fully grown adult despite only being a couple of years old.
• Magic (The cells constituting Gears are created from the applied technology of magic. Gears are noted to possess an enormous supply of mana. Gears are noted to be living weapons based on magic)
  • Dimensional Travel (The usage of Gear Cells can allow humanity to travel into the Backyard. Gear Cells are noted to be the "key" to enter the Cube, an artificial, isolated space within the Backyard)
• Link Manipulation (A test gears DNA data was briding the link between the Backyard and the real world)
  • Conduit (Gear Cells serve as a conduit to the Backyard regardless of whether the subject's alive or dead)
    • Energy Manipulation
• Axiom Manipulation & Information Manipulation (Gear Cells are what That Man used to create a sphere within the Backyard which was making a physical interference with it and causing distortions within it, where the Backyard is the term used to give reason to the five element configuration, in other worlds, it's "something" that conveys the information that defines the fundamental truth of this world, the magic people use are different from the alchemy that uses resources from present numbers, magic users like Sol and Sin forcefully borrow some kind of "reason" from that "something", being described as an obscure world that magic users temporarily access to gain power)
  • Law Manipulation (Roughly put, it's a world that can rewrite the rules of the universe in any way it wants).

• Resistance to
  • Information Analysis (Gears blood types cannot be analyzed regularly, such as Testament's not being able to be analyzed)
  • Disease Manipulation (The invention of Gear Cells were noted by Sol that they were going to flip the healthcare system on its head, That Man turned Aria into a gear to save her from her incurable disease)
  • Pressure Manipulation, Soul Manipulation & Information Manipulation (Gears are able to resist the effects of entering the Backyard and Valentine's powers, where when a normal life form enters the Backyard they turn to dust, the Backyard is composed of high-density information which governs all of creation, any normal creature is instantly crushed by that wealth of data)

• Superhuman Physical Characteristics
  • Superhuman Strength
  • Superhuman Durability
  • Superhuman Speed
  • Superhuman Reaction
  • Superhuman Lifting
  • Superhuman Energy Efficiency
• Martial Arts (Testament utilizes Saito-Style Martal Arts, an ancient form of martial arts)
• Weapon Mastery
  • Scythe Mastery: Testament is a skilled user of a scythe, being able to use it in combat against other weapons, despite them not being a useful weapon in combat)
• Transformation
  • Limited Shapeshifting: Can slightly change their face to look more robotic.
• Social Influencing (Tricked everyone to enter a tournament in order to try and revive Justice)
• Animal Taming (Testament has a crow with them that flies around them, this crow is noted to be a Succubus that transforms itself into a crow when not in battle. The crow will also fight and attack for Testament)
• Sheer Will (Testament's powerful force of will and emotional fortitude allowed them to retain their memories and personality, something most gears are unable to do)
• Freedom of Manifestation (When Gears don't have a leader, they cannot function properly and will hibernate, which caused all Gears to cease functioning and entering a dormant state when Justice fell yet Testament is unaffected by this, going out of their way to revive Justice and retaining a sense of self)
• Resurrection & Reactive Power Level (When Testament first fought their father they were only a mid-class Gear and were easily defeated, though for unknown reasons, Testament came back to life, stronger than before)
• Clairvoyance (Testament is able to tell that Axl is not form this era of time, where he was caught in a "time slip" an hurled 200 years into the future)
• Invisibility (Upon approaching a fighter at the end of Guilty Gear (1998) arcade mode, they appear before them invisible)
• Teleportation (Testament appears with a skull and then teleports into the battlefield)
• Afterimage Creation (Can move so fast, they leave behind light afterimages of themself)
• Transmutation (Can transform their scythe into a key)
• Summoning (Testament can summon two spirits to attack the enemy, leaving an effect of blue flames around their body. Testament can summon Succubus, a magical creature that appears in moves like Phantom Soul and Seventh Sign)
• Bestowal (Testament alongside many others lended their energy to Sin Kiske and Unika as they fought the core of the entity)
• Energy Manipulation (Can shoot out a skull made of energy at their opponent)
• Portal Manipulation (Can open portals out of their body to attack opponents with)
• Blood Manipulation (Testament's scythe is made from their blood, or from the blood of one of their familiars can make a web-like object with their blood. Can conjure blood-like weapons from the floor to attack their opponent. Can shoot blood out from their air attacks)
  • Absorption (Can absorb one's blood to strengthen thesmelf)
• Glyph Manipulation (Testament is able to create glyphs that they shoot energy blasts out of)
  • Energy Projection
  • Summoning (Testament can summon enemies to attack out of these glyphs)
    • Burrowing (One of their summoned glyph enemies burrow out of the ground to attack the target)
  • Poison Manipulation (Testament can shoot out a glyph that poisons the target)
• Their Instant Kills
  • Soul Manipulation (Testament's instant kill has them forcibly rip one's soul out of their body)
  • Summoning (Testament summons a spirit to reach into the opponent and crush their internal organs).

• Resistance to
  • Sleep Manipulation, Biological Manipulation, & Mind Manipulation (When Gears don't have a leader, they cannot function properly and will hibernate, which caused all Gears to cease functioning and entering a dormant state when Justice fell yet Testament is unaffected by this, going out of their way to revive Justice and retaining a sense of self)

---

Equipment

Scythe

A scythe Testament uses in combat that's formed from their own blood.

Familiars

The familirs Testament uses in combat, the most notable ones are the EXE Beast and the Succubi they formed a contract with.

---

Notable Techniques

Standard Fighter Techniques ▾

Guilty Gear (1998)Guilty Gear XGuilty Gear XX ▾Guilty Gear 2 Overture

Gatling Combo System

Gatling Combos involve chaining together normal attacks, always increases or staying the same level of strength. After a Gatling Combo, the fighter can then usually cancel, or two-in-one, into a Special Move.

Charge Attack

Fighters have a special move that can be charged up for increased power, this is accomplished by charging their special in order to use an enhanced version of an attack that reaches all the way to level 3.

Instant Kill System

Instant Kill moves are moves that are a fighter's most powerful technique. Defeating an opponent with the Instant Kill will end the match immediately, regardless of the round the fighters are on.

Chaos Moves

Chaos Moves are super-powerful attacks that takes a completely full Chaos Bar to use. These moves do far more damage then a fighters standard attacks.

Dash / Back-Dash / Air Dash

Fighters can dash forward, do a back dash, and dash even in mid air, allowing for greater mobility of moving around their opponents during fights.

High Jump

A high jump is much higher then a regular jump, and a forward or backward High Jump travels all the way across the screen. A Double Jump cannot be performed during a High Jump.

Knockdown Evasion

When a fighter gets hit with an attack that knocks down, they will flip out of the hit immediately, ready to retaliate.

Double Jump

A fighter can jump once on the ground and once again in the air, allowing them to reach higher and out of reach spots from other fighters.

Throws

Fighters can grab opponents to throw them, being able to throw them either forward or backwards.

Mid-Air Turn

Through pressing the Taunt Button when in mid-air, the fighter can turn around and face the opposite direction, this technique can be useful to attack from behind.

Aerial Combos

Fighters have an Aerial Combo Launcher, which allows them to launch the opponent into the air, they can follow with a Chase Jump where they can attack the opponent with a multi-hit, mid-air Gatling Combo.

Dead-Angle Attack

When blocking an opponent's attacks, the fighter can quickly input a Special Move command to cancel their block animation and strike the enemy while they're still attacking.

Perfect Guard

Unlike normal blocking which drains a small amount of life when blocking against a special move or Chaos Move, the Perfect Guard can block without losing any life at all. Though the Perfect Guard will drain the fighter's Chaos Bar, and if they have no Chaos Energy at all, they will not be able to use Perfect Guard.

Faultess Defense

Through inputing the punch and kick simultaneously while pushgin the directional button for a guard position, the fighter enters a special guard condition that creates a barrier around them. This prevents opponents from shaving away at their strength with deadly attacks and the knock back is greater than when using normal guards, giving the fighter more time to ready an attack against their opponent. This also enables the ability to guard against attacks that cannot be guarded against during jumps. However, while performing Faultess Defense the Tension Gauge decreases, once it is fully depleted the fighter can no longer use Fautless Defense.

Roman Cancel

While hitting an opponent with an attack, pushing any of the attack buttons will forcefully stop attack actions and return the character to a normal standing pose. This allows the fighter to create their own original combo moves and hit unique attacks the opponent was not expecting.

Jump Cancel

There are certain attacks that can be cancelled mid-move into a jump, being called a Jump Cancel. When hitting an opponent with, or guarding against certain attacks, press the Directional button UP to cancel into a jump. Successful use of this can help to enhance their combo techniques.

Counter Hit

While the opponent is trying to use a move, the fighter can counter attack by hitting them with one of their attacks, because the opponent's time off balance is increased, this move allows for use of combo attacks that normally couldn't be used.

Recovery Direction

When using a recovery move by pushing a directional button, the fighter can recover from a knock down in the direction pressed, this can provide with a chance for a counterattack if used correctly.

Instant Kill Technique

As the name implies, these are the ultimate deadly attack that can do away with opponents with a single blast. Due to the sheer power of these moves, they take a long time to unleash. Unleashing an Instant Kill attack, completely depletes the Tension Gauge, thus missing this move at all makes the fighter struggle worse as they won't be able to use various actions that require the Tension Gauge.

Guard

Push the directional button opposite of the direction of the fighter's opponent to guard against attacks. There are standing and crouching guards which guard against the respective areas, with standard guard defending against high and mid-level attacks while crouch guarding defends against low attacks. Fighters can even guard during jumps to protect against attacks in the air.

Two-Level Jumps

Fighters can jump again while in the air.

Gatling Combo

A method of linking normal moves together as combo attacks. The moment a fighter hits an opponent with a normal attack, they proceed to enter commands for another normal attack to create combos. The number of moves that can be used in combos vary with each character.

Overdrive Attack

Over Drive attacks are powerful attacks that use up 50% of the Tension Gauge. The commands for the move vary with each character.

High Jump

Press the down then up directional buttons quickly to jump higher than the usual jumps, though a Two-Level jump cannot be used after a High Jump.

Forward Thrust Attack

With a Punch or Heavy Attack common to all characters, keep the right directional button pressed down while attacking to transform attacks.

Dead Angle Attack

At the instant the fighter has guarded against an opponent's attack, push two attack buttons simultaneously while pushing down on the right directional button to counterattack from the guard position. The Tension Gauge needs to be at 50% or above for this move.

Dust Attack

By pushing a Slash and Heavy Slash button, the fighter can use attacks that break crouching guards. Opponents attacked with this move will be spun around and knocked down, becoming temporarily defenseless. At this time, push up on the directional button for the fighter to pounce on the opponent and have a perfect chance to strike back with a combo attack.

Sweep

Push a Slash and Heavy Slash button while in crouch to use the Sweep move. If this attack hits the opponent, they cannot bounce back from the attack with a recovery move.

Tension Gauge

The Tension Gauge is a gauge that shows a character's hostility, which holds the key to victory. The power of this gauge increases when the fighter uses aggressive moves like moving forward, dashing, forward jumps, and attacks. As the power of this gauge increases more moves can be used.

Recovery

When knocked down after being attacked, push any 2 attack buttons simultaneously while in the air to regain balance. This moves enables the fighter to quickly ready themself against the next attack.

Throw

Push the right or left directional button near an opponent and push the Heavy Slash button to activate this special attack. It's a risky move as the fighter needs to be near an opponent, though the opponent cannot guard against this, making it an effective move to mix in with normal attacks.

Guilty Gear X2Guilty Gear XX Λ Core Plus

Psych Burst

Allows the fighter to not only knock back enemies but also increase the Tension Gauge to "MAX" b meeting certain conditions. The Pysch Burst can only be used when the Burst Gauge reaches "MAX" and it redners them invulnerable for a set tie when activated, but it cannot be activated while the fighter s hit by an Overdrive Attack or when being thrown.

Two-Level Jumps

Lets the fighter jump again while in the air.

High Jump

Press down then up on the directional buttons quickly to jump higher then a usual jump.

Forward Thrust Attack

With a Punch or Heavy Slash common to all characters, keep the right direction button pressed down while attacking to transform attacks.

Dead Angle Attack

At the instant the fighter guarded against an opponent's attack, push any two attack buttons simultaneously while pushing the right directional button to counterattack from the guard position.

The Tension Gauge must be at 50% or above for this move.

Dust Attack

By pushing the Dust button, fighters can use attacks that spin around and knock down the opponents. This causes them to become temporarily defenseless. At this time, push up on the directional button to pounce on the opponent. It's a perfect chance to strike back with a combo attack.

Sweep

Push a Dust button while in a crouch to use the Sweep move. If this attack hits the opponent, they cannot bounce back from the attack with a Recovery move.

Recovery

When knocked down after being attacked, push any two attack buttons simultaneously while in the air to regain their balance. This move enables them to quickly ready themself against the next attack.

Throw

Push the right or left directional button near an opponent and push a Heavy Slash button to actiavte this special attack.

Approach an opponent during a jump while pushing the directional button in the direction of their approach and push the heavy slash button to be able to body toss the enemy during a jump.

During a Dash or Backstep, the fighter can not use a throw move.

Gatling Combo

A method of linking normal moves together as combo attacks. The moment they hit an opponent with a normal attack, enter the commands for another normal attack to create combos. The number of moves that can be used in combos vary with each character.

Overdrive Attack

These are very powerful attacks that use up 50% of the Tension Gauge. The command for this move varies on the fighter.

Instant Kill

As the name implies, this is the ultimate deadly attack that can do away with opponents in a single blast. As these moves are very powerful, they take a long tme to unleash.

Faultless Defense

Push the punch and kick button simultaneously while pushing the directional button for a guard position to enter a special guard condition that creates a special barrier around the fighter. This prevents opponents from shaving away through a fighter's strength with deadly attacks, and the knock back is greater than when a fighter uses normal guards, giving them more time to ready an attack against the opponent. They can also guard against attacks that cannot be guarded against during jumps.

While performing the Faultless Defense, the tension gauge decreases in real time, when the Tension Gauge powr is depleted, this guard can no longer be used.

Jump Cancel

There are certain normal moves where fighters can forcibly stop hitting an opponent with an attack or stop guarding against an attack and link it to a jump. By using these attacks, the fighter can combine these with attacks to widen their repertoire of combo attacks.

Roman Cancel

While hitting your opponent with an attack, push any three of the attack buttons except Dust button to forcefully stop attack actions and return the character to a normal standing pose. With the application of the move, fighters can create their own original combo attack. In order to perform a Roman Cancel, the Tension Gauge must be at least 50% full.

Counter Hit

While the opponent is trying to use a move, the fighter can counter attack by hitting them with one of their attacks. Because the opponent's time off balance is increased, the move allows the fighter to use combo attacks that they normally couldn't use.

Recovery Direction

When the fighter uses a Recovery move, they can recover from a knock down in the direction pressed. A recovery can provide the chance to counterattack if used correctly.

Slip

Specific Normal Moves, Special Moves, and Overdrive Attacks have the special ability to put opponents into a "slip" condition. When the fighter hits an opponent with these moves, they render enemies defenseless for a set time.

Two-Level Jumps

The fighter can jump again while in mid-air.

High Jump

The fighter can jump higher than usual by quickly pressing the directional input down and up. However, Two-Level jumps cannot be used after a High Jump.

Forward Thrust Attack

Through pressing the directional button while pressing the Punch or Heavy Slash buttons, the fighter can transform attacks.

Psych Burst

The fighter becomes temporarily invincible and knocks away the opponent when the Burst Gauge is at max. This technique cannot be used while taking damage from an Overdrive Attack or while being thrown. The Tension Gauge also maxes out whenever the fighter hits an opponent with a move.

Dust Attack

A fighter launches a Dust Attack by pressing Dust while standing. It's impossible to guard against a Dust Attack by crouching. After hitting the opponent with a Dust Attack, press the directional button to chase the opponent and him them with a combo attack while in the air.

Sweep

The fighter uses the Sweep move on the opponent by pressing the Dust button while crouching. A swept opponent cannot use a Recovery move.

Recovery

The fighter can regain balance when knocked down by pressing any attack button in midair.

Throws

The fighter can throw their opponent by pressing the directional button while pressing Heavy Slash when near the opponent. The opponent can also be thrown while in midair using the same method.

Throw Escape

The fighter can escape the opponent's throw while they are on the ground or in mid air through pressing the directional button while pressing Heavy Slash. This technique cannot be used while unconscious or launching an attack.

Gatling Combos

The fighter can create a combo out of a series of Normal Moves, launching a second attack as soon as the opponent is hit with the first attack. The number of moves that can be used for this technique are different for each fighter.

Force Break

It's a unique Special Move that consumes 25% of the Tension Gauge. Commands for this technique vary for each character.

Overdrive Attacks

These are extremely powerful attacks that consume 50% of the Tension Gauge. Commands for this technique vary for each character.

Instant Kills

As the name suggests, this is the ultimate attack that can knockout the opponent in one blow. Although these moves are extremely powerful, it takes time to successfully execute them.

Faultless Defense

While simultaneously holding down any two attack buttons except Dust, press a directional button in the direction the fighter wants to defend in order to enter a special guard called "Faultless Defense". In this state, fighters life won't be consumed when guarding against opponents Special Moves, but the opponent will knock the fighter back further than usual. This technique can be used to guard an attack which normally cannot be defended in mid-air.

Jump Cancel

The fighter can override certain moves, such as hitting the opponent or being blocked by the opponent by jumping out of a move when the fighter is midway through it. This technique can create great varieties in attacks and combos.

Counter Hit

By hitting the opponent in the middle of a move, the fighter can counterattack the opponent's attacks. A counter hit staggers an opponent longer than usual, so it gives a fighter a great chance to try combos they wouldn't normally pull off.

Recovery Direction

Press any directional button while recovering to move towards that direction as the fighter recovers.

Staggering

Certain Normal Moves, Special Moves, and Overdrive Attacks can put the opponent in a "stagger" state after a hit. A "stagger" opponent is temporarily defenseless.

Instant Block

Guarding against the opponent's attack right before it hits activates the "Instant Block". This will cause the fighter to start shining white with a bright light. Unlike a normal guard, which has a period where the fighter cannot move or attack, this time frame is shorter for Instant Block. Thi technique is helpful for guarding against attacks from close range.

Slash Back

Simultaneously pressing Slash, Heavly Slash, and the directional button in the direction the fighter guards against creates a yellow effect.

If successful, the yellow effect flashes and will dramatically cut the stun time after a guard; however, the fighter becomes temporarily defenseless if it fails.

Roman Cancel

While hitting the opponent with an attack, simultaneously press any three attack buttons, except Dust, to cancel the attack move. This technique allows the fighter to create their own original combo attacks. However, it consumes 50% of the Tension Gauge.

Force Roman Cancel

Each fighter has several attack moves that are compatible with this technique, while using one of those attacks, simultaneously press any three attack buttons except Dust of a certain timing to cancel the attack move and return to a standing pose. The best timing to input the command varies for each attack move, and if the timing is missed, it fails. When it's successfully activated, the technique consumes 25% of the Tension Gauge.

Free Mode & Lock-on Mode

Free Mode

It's a normal mode where a fighter can freely move around the battlefield, in this mode fighters can unleash attacks that cover a wide-range to hit multiple foes, but the power of the attacks are rather weak.

Lock-On Mode

Lock-on Mode is an effective technique for one-on-one skirmishes or situations where a fighter would like to target a single foe. Through holding a lock-on on a target, attacks are far more powerful, catering to one-on-one battles, combined with directional input, they can use vertical or horizontal attacks on enemies to shake them up.

Aerial Dash

During a jump, press A to perform a forward dash in mid-air. The fighter uses aerial dashes to jump over units or shortening the gap during aerial combos.

Step

Use the directional input and A while locking on to use a step movement. The distance it covers may be short, but through taking advantage of its speed, one can avoid attacks from enemies or shake them up during an attack.

Blast Drive

Through usage of the left stick button, the fighter is able to run like the wind, being able to accelerated and decelerate respectively.

Drift

During a blast drive, a fighter can perform sharp turns, allowing them to keep their momentum.

Auto Guard

If a fighter is not performing an action, they will automatically guard head-on attacks. However, auto-guard does not block attacks from behind or while the fighter is performing attacks. Along with this, guarding opponent's attacks too much will cause a guard crash, making them defenseless.

Modern Cancel

A technique that skips the recover animation of attacks, allowing the fighter to immediately perform another. With Modern Cancels, the fighter cna combine attacks that normally do not combo to forcibly create a combo, or completely bypass the defenseless state of their attacks during their recovery animation.

Cyclone Blast

It's an emergency-evasion technique that releases a sphere-shaped energy when the fighter is attacked to knock enemies away. This move is effective for escaping an attack from a group of enemies, however it requires a lot of tension.

Short Dash

While in lock-on the fighter can quickly move a short distance, being able to quickly shorten the gap between themself and the opponent.

Power Attack

The fighter unleashes a powerful attack that has a slow start animation. It has a high guard crash rate.

Avoid Knockdown and Falling Techniques

When the fighter takes damage from an enemy and are knocked down as a result, press A in mid-air at an appropriate time to use "Avoid Knockdown" to quickly regain their balance.

By pressing A right before the fighter hits the ground, the fighter will be able to use "Falling Techniques" to quickly get up.

Super Backstep

Allows the fighter to travel a longer distance than a normal backstep, an important technique to quickly distance oneself from the enemy.

Homing Jump

Press A while locking on to jump toward the target. They can also use an air dash to charge toward their target.

---

Other

Standard Tactics: Initially in Guilty Gear (1998) Testament utilizes manipulation in order to get everyone to fight to revive Justice, along with staying invisible so the fighters could not see them. When it comes to them fighting themself, Testament utilizes their blood scythe along with blood attacks and using their familiars for attacks, summoning them from portals or glyphs.

Weaknesses

• Gear Weaknesses: Gear blood makes one always have the want to destroy others around them. When Gears don't have a leader, they cannot function properly and will hibernate, which caused all Gears to cease functioning and entering a dormant state when Justice fell, they can only resist this through developing a self-consciousness. Gear Cell suppressors can suppress the Gear Cells in one, this allows characters like Sol to maintain his human form and why when entering Dragon Install he takes off his headband (as it is a Gear Cell Suppressor).
• Standard Fighter Weaknesses: Perfect Guarding is done through the use of Chaos Energy, if the fighter has no Chaos Energy at all, they will not be able to Perfect Guard. While performing Faultess Defense, the fighters Tension Gauge decreases, when the Tension Gauge power is depleted, this guar can no longer be used.

Explanations

Testament's Gender

While the American versions of the game calls Testament a "he", this is never present within the original releases of the game. Arc Systems has noted Testament's gender to be agender, along with Ishiwatari noting in a 1998 newsletter that Testament is androgynous and has transcended human existence. This is also shown on the Guilty Gear Strive website that Testament uses they/them pronouns. It's also been officially stated during an Arc Revo America 2021 Finals that Testament is meant to be agender.

Testament being referred to with he/him pronouns is purely an aspect in the English version of the game. Similar to how characters like Kirby are called he/him in the English versions of the game when they have gender neutral pronouns in Japan.

The Backyard

When studying the energy that shouldn't exist (magic), a theory arose: that being the Backyard, a superior dimension. The Backyard is described by Sol as a virtual space though is refuted as the other way around, where the main world is the one that's a virtual space. The Backyard is the term used to give reason to the five element configuration, in other worlds, it's "something" that conveys the information that defines the fundamental truth of this world. The magic people like Sol and Sin use are different from the alchemy that uses resources from present numbers, magic users like Sol and Sin forcefully borrow some kind of "reason" from that "something", being described as an obscure world that magic users temporarily access to gain power. Just as the Earth can't exist if there's no universe, this world cannot exist unless they have that "something", being larger then the universe. Roughly put, it's a world that can rewrite the rules of the universe in any way it wants. The Backyard can be explained as a book or library that has the theory of the world written on it. It's responsible for the usage of irregular magic even scientists such as Sol have never seen before, allowing people to use magic that disproves the fundamentals of magic. The Backyard was discovered by a Philosopher, being described to rule all things in the universe and from within it, one could understand any truth or even bend the world as they please. Sol notes that if Valentine could freely access the Backyard, then she can also mess with the world's fate. Asuka Kreutz notes that if someone strays too far into the Backyard, their soul breaks down under the pressure of the information's density. In Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign-, the Backyard is defined as a world separate from our own, yet somehow controlling it, what's hidden behind its gates are the eternal truths, including good & evil, creation & destruction, and of chaos the likes of which mankind has never seen. The Backyard is a space connected by people's dreams. Axl traveling in the Backyard with I-No noted how his body felt heavy and his head felt weird, with I-No noting they're in a field created by That Man so they could exist in the Backyard in the flesh. When a normal life form enters the Backyard they turn to dust, the Backyard is composed of high-density information which governs all of creation, any normal creature is instantly crushed by that wealth of data. The Backyard has no effect on any non-living matter. RoboMay explains the Backyard as composed of extremely dense information that governs the creation of all material things and by adding new information to it, one could easily deform the world itself. Noting that it is a dangerous place that could literally cause the world to break.

Trivia

• Regarding Testament's gender, Arc System Works marketing rep Riku Ozawa has stated that Testament is specifically agender musei, neither male nor female, and that the character was instead previously portrayed as androgynous ryōsei, but that the team chose to change that in the new game. Ozawa also stated that in English, Testament would be referred to with they/them pronouns. Both musei and ryōsei are categories of X-gender, the Japanese equivalent of the word 'non-binary'. Katano's Developer's Backyard further confirms that after undergoing surgical modification and being turned into a Gear, Testament has lived without the concept of gender.
  • In an Arc System Works Fan Club [HYPER] newsletter, sometime prior to 2002, Daisuke Ishiwatari was told that fans were sending in postcards asking about Testament's gender. In response, he reportedly said that Testament was "...androgynous ryōseiguyū. Weeell, it's actually a matter of having transcended human existence. Just like me.".
  • In the popularity polls included in Arc System Works 25th Anniversary Official Character Collection, Testament is listed in both the male and female character polls.
  • On Testament's Asura System TCG character cards, a question mark is used instead of a gender symbol.
• Testament shares their name with American thrash-metal band Testament. Prior to Strive, the word "low" could be seen on the back of their mantle, possibly referencing the band's 1994 album and song of the same name. One of their Overdrive Attacks in Strive, Nostrovia, may also be a reference to another one of the band's songs.
• One of Testament's early designs labels them as 'Blackmore', likely referencing English guitarist Ritchie Blackmore.
• One of their Overdrives, Master of Puppets, shares its name with the 1986 album and song by Metallica. The band may have also been referenced by Ky's Overdrive Ride the Lightning.
• Their second Instant Kill, Seventh Sign, could be a reference to Yngwie Malmsteen's album of the same name. Malmsteen may have also been referenced by Ky's second Instant Kill, Rising Force.
• The move Unholy Diver is likely a reference to the song and album "Holy Diver" by American heavy metal band Dio.
• Testament's dislike for Sol isn't due to anything he personally did to Testament, but rather, it is because Kliff revered Sol in his youth and it became a complex for Testament, who feels similarly about Kliff.
• Testament has the most amount of hobbies in the series, having a record number of 36 in Strive, showing how much they are enjoying life now. Since the reveal, the development team has enjoyed the many pieces of fanart of Testament enjoying their hobbies.
• Costumes based on Testament's Strive look appear in Tales of the Rays, for Duke Panterei, and in Soulworker, for Lily.
• Testament has made a guest appearance in the game Elemental Story.

Gallery

Guilty Gear (1998)Guilty Gear XGuilty Gear PetitGuilty Gear XXGuilty Gear IsukaGuilty Gear JudgmentGuilty Gear -Strive-Guilty BearGuest appearances

• 

  Portrait

• 

  Defeated portrait.

• 

  Idle stance.

• 

  Complete Bible scan.

• 

  Hybrid Card Collection No. 029.

• 

  No. 085.

• 

  No. 086.

• 

  Artwork.

• 

  Concept artwork.

• 

  Portrait.

• 

  X Arcade ending.

• 

  Advance Edition Arcade ending.

• 

  X Plus Story ending 1.

• 

  X Plus Story ending 2.

• 

  X Plus Story event.

• 

  X Plus User illustration.

• 

  Website illustration.

• 

  Petit 2 Arcade ending.

• 

  Guilty Gear X Plus Challenge illustration.

• 

  XX artwork.

• 

  XX portrait.

• 

  Λ Core artwork.

• 

  Λ Core Plus SD artwork.

• 

  XX Arcade illustration.

• 

  XX Story ending 1.

• 

  XX Story ending 2.

• 

  XX Story ending 3.

• 

  XX Mission illustration by Daisuke Ishiwatari.

• 

  Slash Arcade illustration by Masaomi Kikuchi.

• 

  Slash Special illustration by Hidari.

• 

  Λ Core Arcade illustration.

• 

  Λ Core EX Character illustration.

• 

  Λ Core Plus Story ending 1.

• 

  Λ Core Plus Story ending 2.

• 

  Λ Core Plus Mission illustration by Yuki Kato.

• 

  Λ Core Plus Mission illustration by Hideharu Kato.

• 

  Λ Core Plus Network illustration.

• 

  Λ Core Plus Network illustration.

• 

  Idle stance.

• 
• 

  Ball in Dimmu Borgir.

• 

  Twitter birthday card.

• 

  Artwork.

• 

  Arcade illustration.

• 

  Arcade ending.

• 

  Artwork.

• 

  SD artwork.

• 

  Concept artwork.

• 

  Concept artwork.

• 

  Early concept artwork.

• 

  Victory screen.

• 

  Reaction to Bone-crushing Excitement.

• 

  Artwork.

• 

  Elemental Story artwork.

• 

  Tower Records vol.2 main visual.

Codex Statistics Questions

Q: Shouldn't they scale to the higher levels of magic naturally?

A: This would not make much senses as it there are scenes that showcase the cast do not regularly produce those levels of energy, Ramlethal was going to destroy the ship they (Sol Badguy, Ky Kiske, Sin Kiske, & Elphelt Vaentine) were flying on, claiming "We're thirty-four thousand feet up. If this ship goes down, I doubt anyone will survive", Dizzy's instant kill is a massive explosion that the explosion alone scares all fighters into surrendering, Jack-O's instant kill causes an explosion so wide it can be seen from the planet, however the planet is overall fine, etcetera. It makes much more sense that they are at far lower levels normally and can reach or even ignore higher levels through tapping into the Backyard.

Battle Records

Path 1
15 - 1 - 0

Path 2
15 - 1 - 0

Path 3
14 - 1 - 0

Combined
44 - 1 - 0

VictoriesLossesInconclusive

Guilty Gear X2Guilty Gear Strive

Path 1Path 2Path 3

• May - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location May's Ship

• Johnny - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location May's Ship

• Venom - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location Nirvana

• Axl Low - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location Unknown Stage Name

• Potemkin - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location Zepp

• Anji - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location Japanese Colony

• Johnny - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location Hell

• May - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location May's Ship

• Johnny - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location May's Ship

• Venom - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location Nirvana

• Axl Low - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location Unknown Stage Name

• Potemkin - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location Zepp

• Slayer - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location Castle
  • Note: Slayer fought him to merely see how the new enemy of humanity was doing.

• Sol Badguy - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location Hell

• May - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location May's Ship

• Johnny - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location May's Ship

• Venom - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location Nirvana

• Axl Low - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location Unknown Stage Name

• I-No - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location Babylon

• Dizzy - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location Babylon

• Chipp Zanuff - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location

• Jack-O - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location

• Zato-1 - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location

• I-No - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location

• Anji Mito - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location

• Leo Whitefang - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location

• May - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location May's Ship

• Nagoriyuki - Fight
  • Conditions: Chipp helps Testament fight him.
  • Location May's Ship

• Sol Badguy - Fight
  • Conditions: None.
  • Location Final Stage

None.