GUILTY GEAR X2
PS2 VERSION JOHNNY FAQ
By Vincent Leung (Dust/Meowthing - email:
[email protected])
Version History
-------------------
v.1.6 (11/6/03)
- Okay, I seem to have added the fact that the Air Throw 'untechability'
is false. Fixed! Revised Combo section for easier reading. I hope. Fixed
and added a few more notes here and there.
v.1.5 (01/6/03)
- Minor correction regarding Mist Cancel section. Additional info added to
several sub-sections in the Analysis section. New General Overview section.
v.1.4 (04/5/03)
- Many more spelling/formatting error corrections and additions.
v.1.3 (28/4/03)
- Added missing Throw and Air Throw tactics in Analysis section. More error
corrections. Added EX and Gold mode sections. Suggestions from various
people in the GGXX/X2 community added in relative sections (thanks guys!)
v.1.2 (26/4/03)
- General editing. Added important notes to Mist Trap in Analysis section.
Added more in the Analysis Section, added Throw and Air Throw descriptions
in the Movelist section. Corrected formatting problems.
v.1.0 (25/3/03)
- FAQ started!
Contents
-------------------
1.Introduction
2.Commands
3.GGX2 action basics
4.Johnny Movelist & Descriptions
5.Analysis and Tactics
6.Combos
7.General Overview
8.EX and Gold Johnny
9.Credits
1. INTRODUCTION
-------------------
Hello all and welcome to my first FAQ ever - about Guilty Gear X2,
and Johnny, one of the coolest characters ever created.
I assume most of you have read other FAQs and as such know what GGX2 is all
about. If not, here's a brief description - Guilty Gear X2 is a fighting game
developed by Arc System Works and published by Sammy Corporation (Big Ben
Interactive over here in the UK). It's one of the most fun fighters I've played
in a while, and the fact I can use almost all the characters (i.e. I don't leave
any of the slowasses (Chang from KoF for example) or weaklings, etc at the
Character Select screen and THAT screen only) is what appeals to me. Heck, I can
kick some butt with Potemkin, even it's a first try ;) With that out of the way
(if you really need more info on the game, go check some more FAQs or visit some
gaming sites), we'll move to the one, the only - Johnny!
Johnny - ain't he cool? They way he moves, the way he holds his sword - it's
just so slick :) More on him later!
2. COMMANDS
-------------------
Before anything else, I strongly advise you purchase an Arcade stick to play
GGX2 with, if you haven't already. A pad won't do as well for really advanced
playing. Ironically, I use a pad :)
These are the 5 attacks you will get used to using in GGX2. I won't list any
button positions since many of you will have customized the layout to your
preferences.
Punch = P
Kick = K
Slash = S
Heavy Slash= H
Dust = D
For this FAQ movelist (I might use other variations elsewhere) I will be using
the "NumPad" visual key system for your D-pad/D-Stick.
It goes like this:
7 8 9
\ | /
4-- 5 --6
/ | \
1 2 3
Where 7=Diagonal Up-Left
or 9=Diagonal Up-Right
and so on.
I will be using the numbers to show directional inputs in my Movelist. For
example, for Johnny's Mist Finer Middle, I will type: "236K". You will press
in a continuous motion: 2 for Down, 3 for Diagonal Down-Right, 6 for Forward
and K for kick. Easy huh? Well, I hope you those unfamiliar with the system
will quickly get used to it :) All movelist commands are to be inputted facing
right (i.e. Player 1's beginning position. Reverse commands to facing left). For
jumping commands, however, I will use j. instead. Makes things a tad easier to
remember :)
Here are some other notes and annotations I will use in my movelist/combos
section.
[x] - Hold button "X" where "X" can be either P,K,S,H or D.
JC - Move is Jump Cancelable. More on this and the other Cancels later.
RC - Move is Roman Cancelable.
FRC - Move is False Roman Cancelable.
A - Move must be done in mid air.
G/A - Can be done on the ground or in mid air.
T - Throw, unblockable and can be done in mid air. Must be extremely close to
opponent.
-> - Cancel into [move]
(f) Move should be done away from the opponent (the command will do another
move if done close to the opponent).
3. GGX2 ACTION BASICS
-------------------
Guard Gauge
The Guard Gauge is the little red bar below your health bar. It'll begin with
it being half full. This is one of the features that encourages the player to
stay on the offensive. As you block, the Gauge will fill. Once it reaches it's
maximum, all hits on the Guard Gauge maxed character will result in a Counter
Hit - the Stun time for every move is increased slightly, thus creating
excellent opportunities for damaging combos. If you are on the receiving side of
pain, however, the Gauge will gradually empty. As it lowers, the damage you take
is decreased. So those dealing out 10+ hit combos will soon find the victim
receiving pathetic damage. The Gauge will slowly return to its middle position,
if you do not block or get hit.
Tension Gauge
This gauge is similar to those ol' Hyper Combo Meters or Super Move Meters in
your "Street Fighters" and "Capcom VS Whoever's Dumb Enough To Fight Capcom"
(No offense to both series - they're excellent games in their own right, just
having a little fun :) ). The Gauge will start off at zero at every match. As
you attack, the Gauge will increase accordingly to the damage your move deals
out. At less than 25% (1/4), your only choices on working with the Gauge are
Faultless Defense and Instant Kill. At 25% (1/4), it will turn from Blue to
Green, signaling the option to use 1 False Roman Cancel. At 50% (1/2), the bar
will turn Red, giving you the choice to use either: 1 Dead Angle Attack, 1
Overdrive, 1 Roman Cancel, 2 False Roman Cancels, Faultless Defense, and Instant
Kill. At 75% (3/4), you're given an extra False Roman Cancel at your disposal.
At 100%, the bar turns Gold, with all Tension options available: 2 Dead Angle
Attacks, 2 Overdrives, 2 Roman Cancels, 4 False Roman Cancels, Faultless Defense
and Instant Kill. There's a downside to the Gauge - if you turtle (i.e. Block
like there's no tomorrow, or just overall keep away from your opponent), you
will receive a "WARNING" notice above your bar. Turtle long enough, and you'll
receive a "Negative Penalty", your bar is completely drained to 0%, and you're
back to square one on Tension options.
Burst Gauge
New to GGX2, the Burst Gauge is one of two things - a combo breaker, and Tension
Gauge filler. It can do one of the two at a time. Activate by D+ (any other
attack button). The first of two Burst options is the Yellow Burst - This
activates when you use the burst by itself. Your character will float up in
the air slightly, and release a yellow flash of energy. If the enemy gets hit
by it (it's fairly easy to spot) then they'll fly back far off and your Tension
goes to 100%. But it's VERY tricky to pull off against skilled players, since
they will try and bait you into wasting your burst. This burst uses 70% of your
Burst gauge. The second is the Blue Burst. This is the combo breaker. If you're
being punished viciously, activate it (Dust+another attack button). Same
animation, except a blue burst emerges. Your opponent will be blasted back far
off, and you'll be left with time to recover. The drawback being it is blockable,
plus the recovery time is slow - so if they block, you're pretty much dead. This
version uses the full gauge. There are two ways to refill Burst gauge: It slowly
recharges by itself, or you take damage. As your life bar gets lower, the more
Burst you receive back from taking damage. The Burst gauge does not reset from
round to round (i.e. what's left on your gauge will carry over to the next
round).
Double Jump
Press up during midair, and you will jump to an even higher height. Almost as
high as a High Jump (see below), that is, if you time the double jump to be at
the peak of the first jump.
High Jump
Press a down direction and then an up direction quickly, executing a high jump.
A shadow will follow the character during a high jump with a 'whoosh' noise,
this will allow you to go high into the sky really quickly if the need calls
(e.g. evading Faust's "What's Up Next?" bomb variant.) You can't mix double
jumps and high jumps, but you can airdash.
Dash/Run
By double tapping forward or back, most characters can dash. This lets you move
around quickly, but be warned: you cannot block while dashing. If you press
forward and hold the next forward, you will run. You can also dash in midair.
If you jump forward and press forward again, this counts as two forwards, so
your character will jump forward and immediately airdash. Johnny hops forward
instead of dashing, and as such cannot run.
Basic Attacks
Basic attacks are simply performed by pressing P, K, S, or H. Pressing these
same buttons while crouching, or while in midair, you can perform different
basic attacks. 6P and 6H are also basic attacks; S changes whether close or
far from the opponent. Some characters also have 6K basic attack (Johnny, for
instance).
Overdrives
These attacks require 50% (1/2) of a tension bar to perform. There are
exceptions, being Dizzy's Gamma Ray and Justice's Gamma Ray, which take a full
tension bar to perform. Like special attacks, the properties and inputs vary
depending on your character.
Instant Kill
These are real 'friendship killers' if you perform them successfully >=).
If you hit with this move, the opponent instantly loses the round, regardless
of how much health he or she has left, hence 'Instant Kill' >=) . To perform an
instant kill, press all four attack buttons at the same time. This will put you
into instant kill mode. While in instant kill mode, your tension gauge gradually
decreases. You cannot use any other Tension option (i.e. DAAs, RCs, FRCs, and
FD). Once your tension runs out, you will slowly lose health instead. Once you
cancel instant kill state by pressing all four buttons again, you will no longer
lose tension or health. All instant kills are performed by pressing 236,236H,
with one exception - May, but I won't go into her :) (Aw heck, it's 41236,
41236H). The property of each instant kill is different, be it projectile, close
up hit, or throw. Also, regardless of whether you hit with the instant kill or
it is blocked/missed, you will lose your tension gauge for the rest of the round.
And that sucks. Really.
Dust Attacks
Press D to activate the Dust attack. The move cannot be blocked low, and as such
is great for those sneaky standing combo -> D attacks >=). The Dust attack will
launch your opponent in the air, spinning. Press up afterwards to perform a
Homing Jump, chasing after your hapless opponent. Launch a devastating mid air
combo while you have the chance, and make them weep :) Also, the Dust attack is
moderately slow, so if you're careful enough, you can revert to mid level
blocking.
Sweep
Pressing down + D will make your character do a sweep. The sweep must be blocked
low, and if it hits, the opponent will be knocked to the ground. Great for
planning ahead setups and surprise attacks.
Stagger
If you score a Counter Hit (or just a normal hit with certain characters) with
certain moves, your opponent will stagger. They will go into a stagger animation
(usually them slipping) and a joystick animation tells them to waggle the
joystick to get out of the stagger. What this means for you is that you have an
extra second or so to launch a combo while the opponent struggles to get out of
the stagger.
Throw
Throws must be performed extremely close to the opponent, by pressing either 6H
or 4H. They are unblockable. Once a throw is started, there is no way to escape.
Getting close enough to perform a throw, though, is pretty damn hard alright.
Dashing in and pressing H will not work as this will just perform the 6H basic
attack; you must either release forward and press 6H again, or stop your dash
and press 4H. You can also do mid air throws, again you have to be very close
to use it.
2 in 1 Cancel.
Also known as "Basic Cancel". this refers to canceling the recovery time of a
basic move (i.e. S, 6P, or j.K to name a few) into a special move (such as
Johnny's 236H (Glitter is Gold)). Most of the basic attacks can be 2 in 1
Cancelled, so I won't bother listing it as a notation in the Movelist. Just
experiment. 6H, for example, is a good place to start for Johnny.
Jump Cancel
Some basic moves can have their recovery time cancelled into a jump simply by
pressing up as soon as the move connects. This can lead to some nice air combos.
One of Johnny's examples is 6H.
Roman Cancel
If you press 3 of the either P, K, S, or H (but not D) buttons at the same time,
you can perform a Roman Cancel. This will instantly revert your character back
to his/her standing animation (i.e. you've just thrown away all the recovery
time of your RC'ed move = good) and allow you to attack again immediately. This
takes 50% tension to use. This is the key to many damaging combos, otherwise
impossible to perform without RC. Note that you can only use a Roman Cancel if
you hit the enemy, regardless of whether they block or not. Whiffed (missed)
moves cannot be RC'ed.
False Roman Cancel
New to GGXX, the False Roman Cancel is essentially a mini-Roman Cancel. It is
performed the same (3 attack buttons (other than D) at the same time during an
attack). However, there are a few differences. Not every move can be FRC'ed,
and the timing is very very strict - usually within 1/5th of a second after
performing the move. (e.g. Sol's GunFlame, perform FRC as soon as he hits his
sword on the ground, releasing the flames - THAT's how strict FRC timing is).
Also, you do not have to connect with the opponent to perform a FRC. FRCs also
take only 25% (1/4) tension. A FRC, if successful, will release blue circles
instead of the RC red circles. You can also get an idea of the timing in
Training Mode, set Display Mode to include Command Inputs, and when you do a
move (say, 6K for Johnny) as he does the move, the Command Input bar will
flash blue, telling you when to use the FRC command.
Dizzy (state)
If you hit your opponent with a long combo or with powerful hits continuously,
they may become dizzy. A ring of bird like things encircle their head, slowly
disappearing as the Dizzy effect wears off. While dizzy, the victim is open to
anything you can throw at them. They are basically open to anything. Dizzy time
may be shortened by mashing the buttons and waggle the D-stick/pad around
(Incase you're panicking, the game will helpfully show you that you should
wiggle the D-stick frantically).
OTG (Off The Ground)
Off The Ground refers to hitting the opponent as they are lying on the ground,
making them bounce 'Off The Ground'. Say, for Johnny, he hits his opponent with
a mid-air combo. They fall, hit the ground, then bounce up just slightly. Then
lay on the floor. You then have a 2 second opportunity for an OTG hit. Not much,
but can finish off a weakened opponent or begin one of your setups.
Recovery
Also known as 'Teching' or 'Ukemi', Press 1 attack button (GGX used to be 2
buttons) while falling in mid air for a Recovery action. Your character will release
a fine white circle outline (With a 'Ping!' sound and probably some witty quote to
boot) and instantly revert back to a 'landing' animation. At this point, all mid-air
movement options - Dash and Double Jump, are reset. For example, if Johnny does a
double jump and the opponent manages to hit him during mid-air, you press 1 attack
button, Johnny will Recover, and you can again double jump or dash. The window
opportunity for a Recovery action depends on the type and power of attack your
opponent inflictedon you, as well as the number of hits - the more hits your
opponent deals on you, the earlier the window for Recovery. Some moves will not
allow the victim to Recover at all (e.g. Johnny's Level 2 Mist Finer). You can
also decide the direction of the Tech, as in, you can decide if you want to Tech
forwards or backwards - this is decided by hold left or right and pressing the
attack button. Please note in this FAQ I will use "Recovery" (with capital R) to
define this move. I will use "recovery" (without capital R) to show the length of
lag time a certain move has.
4. MOVELIST
-------------------
Ah, the movelist, I'm pretty sure most of you have seen what Johnny can do, and
in this installment he's received only one new special move, but a pretty useful
one at that. Here we go.
All moves are done facing right.
BASIC ATTACKS
P (RC/JC) - Johnny does a little 'fwip' with the back of his hand. Short range,
but a nice combo starter.
K (RC/JC) - Johnny stretches out his left leg at mid level. Short/Medium range.
Not quite as fast as P, but a good mid-level poking move nonetheless.
S (RC/JC) - Johnny unsheathes his sword and does a slick swipe that reaches the
heads of the shorter characters and the chest level of the other less
vertically challenged ones. Up-close, he will poke the opponent with the
handle of his sword.
H (RC/JC) - Johnny unsheathes his sword and does a vertical sloping slash that
reaches just high enough to reach opponents halfway in mid-air.
D (RC/JC) - Johnny kneels down slightly, then uppercuts with the back of his
fist. Slow in execution. If you successfully connect with D, then be sure to
deal out some pain with an air-combo.
2P (RC) - Johnny make a short 'fwip with his hand. Fast, but nothing useful.
2K (RC) - Johnny spins around and does a kick with his right leg. Also fast, and
can be a nice poking move.
2S (RC) - Johnny spins around and pokes the opponent with the sheath of his
sword. Nice combo starter or addition. Also, even though it looks like it hits
low, it's actually a mid-hit. Just a thing to keep in mind when attempting a
mix-up of high/low attacks.
2H (RC) - Previously in GGX, Johnny did two slashes, one down, the next up. How
I miss that move - it was so great for those sneaky gits trying to jump in
>=). Now he does a quick horizontally sloping slash. Almost the same range as
2S. Maybe further, in fact. Near instant execution - nice poking move. It
also staggers on Counter Hit, meaning the victim will be in stun mode for
about a second (PLENTY of time to set up a combo - provided you know what
you're doing). The one disadvantage of this move is that it's recovery time
is really slow, plus you can't Mist Cancel it (BAH!).
2D (RC) - Johnny does what seems to be a breakdance sweep kick. Hits twice on
certain characters. Great to 2 in 1 a Glitter is Gold (236H) if you're quick.
j.P (RC) - Johnny hits with the top of his sheath angled downwards. Like it's
other P counterparts, it's fast and keeps the enemy aloft slightly longer.
j.K (RC) - Johnny does a kick angled slightly steeper then j.P. Great mid-air
combo addition.
j.S (RC) - Johnny does a horizontal slash. The main attack in most mid-air
combos.
j.H (RC) - Johnny slices downwards at an angle similar to j.P. Not too useful in
mid-air combos because of it's angle, better for landing strikes. Staggers on
Counter Hit, though I've yet to setup a useful combo after the stagger from
this.
j.D (RC) - Johnny does a bicycle kick. Knocks the enemy far back and bouncing
off the wall. Wide range, the leg doesn't actually have to be the part that
connects (i.e. Johnny's back can also hit), so it's useful for a low ground
hit, kinda like a 6P in air.
6P (RC) - Johnny leans forward and smacks the opponent with his fist. The main
anti-air of most Johnny users. It has upper-body invincibility, meaning most
(all?) air attacks will not harm Johnny during this attack. If used against
a ground opponent, it will launch in most cases.
6K (FRC/RC) - Johnny dashes forward, all the while turning, then ending with a
straight vertical kick. This is one of the most used attacks, since it's
excellent all-round - it can launch the enemy in the air, and even if
blocked, and still give Johnny a split-second or so to recover. Even better,
if you FRC it and land next to the opponent = free throw! :)
6H (RC/JC) - Johnny spins on the spot, with the move ending with a vertical
slash similar to H, but stronger. It does not go as far up as H, but that's
a moot point, since combining it with Mist Cancel will lead to some
devastating assaults.
Throw - Johnny grabs the opponent by the neck, then flings them into the air.
One of the best throws in the game, since victim in air = lots of
attack/setup options. You can follow up and air combo them, or wait for them
to fall and coin them, or make a Bacchus Sigh and hope that they fall into
it, and so on.
Air Throw - Johnny grabs the opponent (somewhere), does a mid air somersault and
throws them at a downwards angle. The opponent will knockback off a wall as
well, if done near the corner. Again, a excellent throw, allowing lots of
options for you.
Bacchus Sigh
412P - Johnny leans forward and unsheathes his sword slightly, just slightly,
releasing a mist around him, which will then travel slowly towards the
opponent. On contacting with the mist, the opponent will then be covered
with it for approximately 6 seconds. During this time all Mist Finer attacks
are unblockable. Yes. Long starting animation, so it's best to perform it
against a downed opponent.
Glitter is Gold
236H - Also known as "Coin". Johnny does a punch animation, now with a coin
flying out of his hand in a small arcing movement. This is probably the
recommended special for a 2 in 1 cancel, since it's very fast in execution
and recovery (provided it hits). As well as that, the coin has a more
important function - to charge up the Mist Finer's power and attack status.
He has 8 coins per match, as shown above his tension gauge. The Mist Finer
can be charged up to level 3 with each consecutive Coin hit (that is, as
long as you don't use a Level 2 Mist Finer, you can charge it up to Level 3),
the details shown below.
Mist Finer attacks
-------------------
I swear the guy says "Mist Refiner" :)
Mist Finer Middle
236[K], release K to execute slash (RC) - Johnny enters a 'Kamae' stance, then
once K is released, he does a extremely fast mid-level slash. He then takes
a second or two to sheath the sword back. Great range, can beat out Sol's
GunFlame by a few pixels or so. You can also just tap the attack button to
release it without entering the Kamae stance.
Mist Finer Higher
236[P], release P to execute slash (RC) - Again, Johnny enters his Kamae stance,
unleashing a fast upwards slash once P is released. When done against an mid
air opponent, they will be sent flying backwards. Key to what I call the
"Mist Juggle". More on that on the Tactics/Combos section.
Mist Finer Lower
236[S], release S to execute slash (RC) - Again, Kamae stance, and as the name
says: low & fast slash. Knocks down - your opponent won't be able to recover
at all.
Kamae stance movement
- Press 6 or 4 to move veeery slowly, forwards or backwards respectively
during Kamae stance.
Mist Cancel
236[P/K/S], press H - Hold any of the 3 buttons down, then press H to quickly
cancel out of Johnny's Kamae stance. This is an EXCELLENT move to utilise in
Johnny's playstyle. In fact, for advanced playing, it's damn near essential.
More on this later on the Tactics/Combos section.
Mist Finer levels
-------------------
The Mist Finer is charged up by Glitter is Gold (236H). The Level of your Mist
Finer will be shown under the Tension Gauge. Incase you need more pointers, for
Level 2, Johnny's hand will emit a small swirling ball of energy once you enter
the Kamae stance, and for Level 3, Johnny's hand will continuously emit swirling
energy balls.
Level 1 - No coin needed. A standard 'flash slash'. Quick and dirty, S (lower)
version especially useful for opponents trying to dash in.
Level 2 - A stronger flash slash. It's untechable (i.e. the victim cannot
perform a Recovery). The opponent is held aloft longer. Excellent for combo
endings. Also, the execution is just slightly faster than Level 1.
Level 3 - A multi-hit slash fest. 9 hits in total. If I got it correct, K does
around 7 mid level slashes and 2 low level slashes. P does 8 upper level
slashes and 1 mid level slash. K does 8 lower level slashes and 1 mid level
slash. Very nice, but not at all useful at advanced play. You're better off
using level 2 for quicker strikes for a few reasons - 1. It takes less time
to power up with 236H; 2. If you whiff level 3, then it's back to square one
with 2 coins less; 3. If you unleash a level 3 and the opponent manages to
get behind you, then it's free combo time for them and an exceptionally
painful consequence for Johnny!
-------------------
Divine Blade Transport
623S (FRC) - This makes Johnny leap forward 3/4 of the screen pretty fast.
Great for getting near the opponent really quickly. FRC input must be P+K+H.
Divine Blade
Press S during Divine Blade Transport (A/FRC) - Johnny, during mid DBT flight,
will release a pillar of flame. Will knockdown any standing enemies, and is
useful for an followup OTG attack.
Aerial Divine Blade
236S in mid-air (A/FRC) - Same as Divine Blade, except you do it in mid air
instead of using DBT.
Ensenga
41236H (A/RC) - Johnny's new move. Johnny will unsheathe his sword and make a
blindingly fast slash in front of him, flames engulfing the slashed area.
Hits twice. This is an excellent move. Powerful and fast at the same time.
also a great Recovery attack. A bit slow on the recovery time, though that
depends on how high up in the air you are (Johnny cannot do anything else
during landing). Wonderful mid-air combo ender. It also hits as an overhead
(i.e. crouching blockers will be in a world of hurt) and there are a few
useful tricks regarding this move. More in the tactics section.
Overdrive - "What's My Name?"
632146H (RC) - Johnny will start off this fine Overdrive with a long stab angled
upwards. If it successfully hits, Johnny, if on the right hand side, will
switch to the left hand side (so the Overdrive makes more sense) slice down,
then swing the sword back to him, marking a J with the 3 slashes. He'll spin
his sword then sheath it, say some witty comment, then the J lightly
explodes
in flames. This is a great Overdrive in a few ways. It has pretty long reach,
enough invincibility frames at the start to JUST get you out of slight
trouble,
and if you're stuck on the right hand corner, will position you back to some
more space. The damage in this installment has been reduced, due to more
significant damage scaling. Overall, one of the better, if not excellent
Overdrives. However, note that the Overdrive will NOT hit anyone lower than
waist height (characters such as Faust and crouching characters). Also known
as "Johnny Special" and "Sore ga Ore no Na Da" ("That is my name").
Instant Kill - Joker Trick
236, 236H during IK Mode - Johnny will throw across a playing card that travels
very slowly. The card will NOT hit the shorter characters (Baiken, Bridget,
etc), unless they somehow manage to land on it while in midair (or they
attack, causing their standing position to elevate slightly). If successful,
the victim will turn into a Joker Card, with them in a frozen dizzy state.
Witty comment, then a slash to cut the card in half. Pretty rubbish except
against the CPU. Even beginners will spot this a mile away (unless you
manage to use it as a counter). Beware if you whiff the move, the recovery
time is the slowest of slow.
5. ANALYSIS AND TACTICS
-------------------
Okay. I will not tell you exactly how to play Johnny. You can make him do a
rushdown, keepaway, whatever. Everyone differs. I will, however, give you some
pointers to keep in mind when using Johnny.
RANGE
-------------------
Starting off, Johnny has a good range with his S, H, Ensenga and Mist Finers,
thus, he can keep his opponents far off if he wanted to. It is recommended to
place Johnny at mid-range, as he can then utilize his 236H to it's potential.
After 236H Counter Hit, you can then quickly dash in and perform a S and end
it with a 236K.
HOPPING
-------------------
Thanks to jiyuna of the Gamecombos GGXX forums for pointing this out. As stated
in the Basics section, Johnny hops for a dash, and as such cannot run. During
this time he cannot do anything until the dashing stops. Characters who can run
can use a small trick which involves using Faultless Defense to completely
remove the recovery time of the run (if you stop a run normally, there will be
a few frames animating the momentum stop, in which you will be vulnerable), so
you can just run in and trick the opponent with a FD brake. However, Johnny
cannot do this (he must wait until the hopping animation finishes before he can
do anything else), and as such his dash is rather unsafe if used frequently, as
seasoned players will exploit this weakness into a combo. As an alternative, use
Instant AirDash to travel, and j.K to start a offense (beware of Anti-Air
attacks, though). *UPDATE!* Thanks to CrimsonDisaster of the Gamecombos.com GGXX
forums for this. You CAN Faultless Defense, but only JUST as Johnny finishes
hopping. I've tried this, and while it's a neat trick that makes Johnny a tad
safer, I still think that the duration of the hopping animation still makes the
dash unsafe, especially when you mistakenly dash when you are so close to the
opponent.
6K
-------------------
Keep in mind his 6K. This move is very useful since it makes Johnny get real
close to the opponent and launch them in the air. If blocked, it will still
allow Johnny a split second to do another action, such as back dash or block.
You can also play a few mind games with characters such as Axl and maybe Baiken.
Both have counter moves, in that if you try and hit them during such a move,
they will counter attack. Now, with 6K, it's risky since those who have played
against Johnny players will know 6K is an essential part of Johnny's offense.
Take Axl's214P Counter move. If you 6K it, Axl will deal a counter attack,
wasting off alot of damage. BUT! Remember that 6K is FRC'able? Yes, you can FRC
the 6K JUST before the kick and there you are, standing right next to Axl, still
in Counter move stance. Now go for a free throw!
GLITTER IS GOLD (236H)
-------------------
Johnny's coin move is probably the most useful move out of his arsenal. It can
act like a arcing projectile, thus stopping some weak projectiles; it can juggle
if the opponent is in mid-air; and it is a useful OTG hit. It will also cancel
the recovery time of most high lag moves (such as 6H) and it's own recovery time
is great as well. Try and connect with a coin after a Counter Hit if you're
close enough. You are then armed with a charged up Mist Finer to use in addition
to a Gatling assault.
BACCHUS SIGH
-------------------
Remember your Bacchus Sigh - it's always nice to have your Mist Finers
connecting 100% :) Even if it does not connect, it will more often than not
scare your opponent, forcing them to jump to escape the mist, at that point
you can start your own aerial assault. It's a good idea to land a mist every
time you knock your opponent down. It then gives you the advantage of the
knowledge in that you can score a free combo starter.
DIVINE BLADE
-------------------
If by chance, you connect with a Mist Finer Upper at mid-stage, chances are the
opponent will fly real far back. You can chase with a Divine Blade Transport,
and Blade them as they hit the floor. Or you can just DBT and greet them as they
wakeup with something else.
ENSENGA
-------------------
The Ensenga, as well as being an useful attack for Johnny, has several special
uses when applied correctly. Starting off, the first hit of the Ensenga is
unTechable. That is, the opponent will be left falling in the air with no
chance to Recover. This is extremely helpful in turning the tables in a match.
One way to do it (and probably the easiest) is to Roman Cancel as soon as the
move performs (remember that RC only activates if an attack connects). If you
haven't use any of your airdash options, then it'd be best to use them now. Of
course, there are better uses for your 50% of Tension. Anyway, the other method,
the harder way, is to correctly position yourself so that the blade only hits at
it's very highest (the Ensenga slash goes from bottom to top, right?).
With this 1 hit, the opponent will not be alight in flames, so there's a thing to
watch out for when attempting the one hit Ensenga. A nice way to set your
opponent up for a unTechable Ensenga is to use j.D. The move knocks the opponent
higher up and even more so if they get bounced off the wall. There is also another
trick, in that you can perform Ensenga from the ground (known as 'Low Altitude
Ensenga' or 'Instant Ensenga') The command is as follows: 41236[9]H. It's best
performed when you 'buffer' it with another move, preferably 6H. Buffer, in
meaning you input the command as the previous attack is being performed. For
the Instant Ensenga however, the timing for the input is slightly slower. Wait
till the 6Hconnects, then enter the command. If done right, the buffered Instant
Ensenga will perform right after the game allows you to JC the 6H. Roman Cancel
that, Air Dash in, and use one of your Air Combo options. There are several
variations of the command, personally I found it easier to do 412369[8]H (a 3
quarter spin) since I use the PS2 analogue stick.
THROW AND AIR THROW
-------------------
Johnny's throw is one of the best in the game, since he throws the opponent in
the air, it gives you plenty of options as to what to do to the opponent before
he Recovers. Most players will go for a straight air combo, but you can also do
other things such as Coin the victim, or prepare a Bacchus Sigh waiting for the
opponent to walk/land into it. A very useful way of getting a throw, is to use
the Divine Blade Transport (623S) at mid range. Johnny will zoom right next to
the opponent, allowing you a throw opportunity (for an even safer bet, use
4H(for facing right) or 6H(for facing left). The normal H is fast enough to push
you back in case the opponent anticipates your DBT -> Throw trick (so don't
abuse it) and will hit the opponent if they try to jump. This tactic works (for
me) at least 80% of the time, especially if your opponents block, as they would
be anticipating a Divine Blade flame pillar. Johnny's normal throw is also useful
for wakeup if the opponent is close to you. His throw has probably the second
highest normal throw priority, beaten by only Testaments in my opinion. For the
airthrow, the fact that the opponent cannot Recover out of it alone is reason
enough to practice it alot. it's a bit risky, but if you do connect, you can start
a Mist Trap (see two sections below), Coin them (if you land before they do) or
just prepare a Bacchus Sigh altogether and start a Mist Finer combo.
MIST CANCEL
-------------------
One of Johnny's most essential tactics (hell, probably THE most essential tactic)
is the usage of Mist Cancel. Try performing a 6H alone on the opponent. See how
long it takes for him to sheath his sword back? Now try 6H, and immediately
after that, perform a 236[K/P/S] ->H. If done correctly, Johnny will slash as
normal with 6H, but will then instantly change to his Kamae stance then cancel
back to his standing position. All this means is that Johnny can quickly change
his single attack to something more devastating (more so if you score a Counter
Hit). Think of the MC as a mini FRC, with no Tension required! Practice Mist
Cancel like it is your life line, it'll save you from many sticky situations,
such as when your 6H is blocked (it's recovery time is slow). It'll also open
the door for lots of combos, especially if you Mist Cancel H/6H upon Counter Hit
(which will then give you 2 seconds or so of stagger time). For pad users,
perform the K version, then slide your thumb over to H (this is assuming you have
the controls to defaults).
MIST JUGGLE
-------------------
Also known as Mist Loop. This involves the usage of Coins and Mist Finer Uppers
to keep the opponent in the air for an extended period of time (which depends
on the number of coins you have), killing almost 2/3s on average of their health
bar (not alot, but it can turn the tide of the battle if you and your opponent
are on you last bits of health). It's also a great way to quickly build up large
amounts of Tension (thanks for CrimsonDisaster for telling me that, I never did
notice :) ). First off, it can only be used in the corner, as the enemy cannot
fly far back. Start off with a launcher, say 6K, then:
236H ->236P ->Dash ->236H ->236P ->Dash ->236H ->236P....
And so on. The Coin keeps them from Teching out, giving you time to start the
Level 2 Mist Finer Upper, this move disabling their Recovery. Note the usage of
the 'Cancel in' notations - the Juggle must be performed with speed with little
to no error from the start, otherwise the victim will have time to Recover. Once
you rip out that Level 2 Upper though, he/she is then helpless until you finish
your assault. Also, an easier way to keep your opponent in the air is to dash in
and use any basic attack that holds them aloft, so candidates would either be 6H,
H or standing (f)S. For example:
6K ->236H ->236P ->Dash ->(f)S ->236H ->236P ->Dash ->(f)S ->236H ->236P....
And so on. The S will give make the victim stay in that mid-air position a bit
longer, instead of falling down completely. It also looks much cooler and deals
that much more damage. Also, you do not have to use a launcher to start off the
Juggle. You can Counter Hit them as they are in the air (preferably with 6P), or
hit them with a Level 2 Mist Finer altogether. You can then start the Juggle the
same way. Note that at times your opponent may luckily tech through your first
Mist Finer, in which case be ready for a counter assault. Even better, since the
Level 2 Mist Finer has a slightly faster execution than Level 1, you can Coin
the opponent before you start the juggle - your opponent can't escape. I like to
use this technique when I'm nearing the end of the match and the opponent is in
the corner. It usually provides a guaranteed win. Do keep in mind that due to the
damage scaling in the game, all combos will do substantially less damage as the
victim's health decreases, so don't rely on the Mist Loop repeatedly, you will
only be wasting coins by the fouth repetition.
MIST TRAP
-------------------
Ah, the infamous Mist Trap. Killed all in Guilty Gear X, apparently impossible
to do in GGX2. Here's the method:
Knockdown the opponent (preferably with a sweep), then hit them on the ground
with a 236H (coin). Hopefully they will not Recover out from the coin. Now, if
all goes as planned, emit a mist. Then, do a crouching H as they wake up, then
rip out your Level 2 Mist Finer. Then coin them as a OTG hit, and repeat.
So in combo terms:
2D, 236H, 412P, 2H ->236K, repeat from the 236H to keep the trap going.
Now one thing I've thought as to why the trap isn't possible in GGX2 is because
of Johnny's new 2H. Instead of 2 slashes, he only does one slash and gets pushed
back real far off. I've yet to try it in a real match, since there are better
uses for the coin, plus the fact many others have tried it anyway and have said
it doesn't work perfectly.
*UPDATE!* Thanks to CrimsonDisaster of the Gamecombos.com GGXX forums for this:
"A ghetto Mist trap can be set up anytime you have Level 2 [Mist Finer]. Knock
them down with Sweep, air throw, 1 hit Ensenga, or Burst and call the mist. The
Mist Trap doesn't always have to involve 2H, at least not in GGXX. Just stand
out of throw range and do some meaty attack [and cancel] into L2 Mist Finer.
That is, unless they have a very good wakeup like Sol's DP (Volcanic Viper -
this move has invincibility frames at the very beginning, making it a excellent
wakeup attack). In which case, you may want to pause a bit, then do a [combo]
string into L2 Mist Finer. In any case, it's not nearly as easy to set up, or
inescapable as before."
So there you have it. The Mist Trap, harder to trap, but still a nice technique
in Johnny's arsenal.
6. COMBOS
-------------------
Just a quick recap of the notations :
[x] - Hold button "X" where "X" can be either P,K,S,H or D
JC - Jump Cancel
RC - Roman Cancel
FRC - False Roman Cancel
T - Throw
-> - Cancel into [move]
OTG - Off The Ground
MC - Mist Cancel (236[P/K/S], H)
Any important requirements for the combos to work are in brackets.
-------------------
(Fairly close up)
P,->K, S, 236H ->236K/s
->P, K, S, 236H,->236K/S
->K, S, H, 236H ->236K/S
->P, K, 2.S, 236H -> 236K/S
6K/6P/Throw,->JC, j.K, j.S, j.D, 41236H
->JC, j.K, j.S, j.K, j.S, j.D, 41236H
->JC, j.K, j.P, j.S ->JC, j.K, j.S, j.D, 41236H*
->JC, j.K, j.S ->JC, j.S, j.H, j.D, 41236H
*For the j.D to connect, you have to be either really close to the opponent,
or have the opponent to be in the corner, otherwise, the j.D will knock the
opponent too far high up to use the 41236H.
Throw,-> 236H, 236P
-> j.P x3, j.K, j.S, 41236H* ->214P
*Corner only. If done right, the Ensenga should be unRecoverable.
(Close up)
2D(1 hit) ->236H, (MOVE FORWARD) ->S ->236K ->Dash, 2.P ->H, 236H ->236P
Now this one is fairly tricky to pull off, especially since your opponent can
Recover straight out from the 236H. If they didn't, continue with the
finishing Mist Finer as normal. If they did, then wait for them to exit the
Recovery invulnerable state then perform a S ->236K.
(Fairly close up, 50% Tension)
6H (CH) ->412369H ->RC -> AirDash, j.k, j.S, j.D, 41236H
(Must have Level 2 Mist Finer ready, mid range from opponent, 50% Tension)
->MC ->Dash ->2.S ->236S ->RC ->Dash ->6H ->JC, j.S 41236H
->MC ->Dash ->2.S ->236S ->RC ->Dash ->6H ->JC, j.S->JC, j.S, 41236H*
*I found that this combo works best on Faust, due to his floating properties.
You can switch the aircombo to any of the other 3 above.
(Must have Level 2 Mist Finer ready, 50% Tension)
236S ->RC ->Dash ->6H ->JC, j.K, j.S ->JC, j.K, j.S, 41236H
->6K ->JC, j.K, j.S ->JC, j.K, j.S, 41236H
->6K ->JC, j.K, j.P, j.S ->JC, j.K, j.S, 41236H
->6K ->JC, j.K, j.P, j.S ->JC, j.K, j.S, j.D, 41236H
->6P ->JC, j.K, j.S, 41236H
->6P, 236H ->H, 236P
The 6P versions have to be close up. See below for notes on the 6K variants.
(Must have Level 2 Mist Finer ready, fairly close up, 25% Tension)
(f)S ->236K ->236H (OTG) ->Dash ->H, 623S (S)* ->FRC ->2.K, S ->236P
*The Divine Blade should hit the opponent as they wake up. While technically
not a completely linked combo, this is great if the opponent is not
anticipating the Divine Blade.
(Must have Level 2 Mist Finer ready, close to opponent)
K, S, H, 236K ->RC ->Dash, 6H ->JC, j.K, j.S, 41236H
(Must have Level 2 Mist Finer ready, fairly close up)
K, S, 236S, 6K->JC, j.K, j.S->JC, j.K, j.S, j.D, 41236H
Also, a few notes from the Lemon Man (who gave me this combo, thanks):
["The low-hitting Slash Mist Finer pops the opp straight in the air. If you're
quick, the 6K will connect and launch the opponent as if it were a regular
ground hit. It also works if you do:
S, 236S, 6K->JC etc. or
K, H, 236S, 6K->JC etc. or
P, K, S, 236S, 6K->JC etc. or
anything else that guarantees the 236S, basically.
I prefer the K, S, 236S version the best for a couple of reasons. First, other
versions seem to screw up the range. If the opp is pushed too far away before
the 236S hits, the 6K won't go far enough. Second, it's safe to start after a
6K gets blocked. If I think the opp will attack after the 6K, I'll start up the
K, S. If I think he'll block, I'll throw him. If I guess wrong and try the K, S
and he blocks it, I end with H, MC or H, Coin instead.
This combo does about 208 points on Sol, it works from anywhere on the screen,
it only requires one coin and it's pretty easy. You can also very easily change
the air combo part to whatever you're comfortable with.
Also, if you want to work the K, S into your game but don't have a Lvl. 2 Mist
Finer set, try:
K, S, H->RC, 6K->JC etc.
This also does a lot of damage and works from anywhere on the screen, but
requires that you have half a tension bar to use."]
Ground juggles
-------------------
As the opponent lands near you....
K ->236H ->H, 236P -> Mist Loop if available
2P ->236H ->S, 236P -> Mist Loop if available
6P ->236H ->H, 236P -> Mist Loop if available
If Mist Loop isn't available, chase with a dash and coin the opponent or DBT
and spear/land.
1-hit Ensenga setups
-------------------
6K ->JC, j.K, j.S ->JC, j.K, j.S, j.D, 41236H(1hit) ->RC, land, H ->236H, 236P
->RC, land, 214P
->RC, land, 236H, 214P
->JC, j.K, j.P, j.S ->JC, j.K, j.S 41236H(1hit) ->RC, land, H ->236H, 236P
->RC, land, 214P
->RC, land, 236H, 412P
More to come as I practice and watch more videos. In the meantime, try some
yourself! Any combo suggestions can be emailed to
[email protected],
thanks.
-------------------
7.GENERAL OVERVIEW
-------------------
Here are my recommended moves for various situations.
Pokes: K, S
Close pokes: K
Rush in counter: 2S, 6P, S
Jump in counter (anti-air): 6P, H
Overhead: Instant Ensenga (41236[9]H)
Pressure: Coin, K, S, H, 6H
Air to Air: Ensenga (41236[9]H)
Air to Ground (jump-in): j.H ->Ensenga (41236H)/Divine Blade (236S), j.K
Wakeup: Johnny has no reliable wakeup attacks unfortunately, but if you're
really desperate: What's My Name? (632146H), Throw
8. EX AND GOLD JOHNNY
-------------------
This section has information on the changes on EX and Gold Johnny.
EX JOHNNY (hold L2 before pressing any other button)
-------------------
Changed moves:
K - Becomes something like a tripping kick, except it doesn't trip. Too short
ranged to be anything useful.
6K - Is now normal Johnny's K but animated thrusting forwards. Knocksdown.
2H - Switched to the GGX version. Johnny does 2 slashes, the first one down,
the second, back up. Both hits now connect regardless of positioning (in
GGX it was awkward trying to have both hits connect on 2H).
j.H - Switched to the GGX version. Johnny just does a direct stab downwards,
no spinning or anything fancy.
Mist Finer
236P/K/S - The Mist Finer is now a Counter move, similar to Axl's Counter move.
The attack angle can be switch at any time during the move (i.e. you can
begin the move as a K attack, but press P, and the resulting counter attack
will hit as a Mist Finer Upper). S version counters low attacks only.
Glitter Is Gold has no effect now.
Dash
4[4] or 6[6]
Johnny now dashes, but very very slowly. After seeing this, I now like normal
Johnny's dash/hop alot :)
New moves:
H.I.T.S.
623K - Johnny does a normal 6K on the spot, launching the opponent. However,
Johnny will also move off the ground. Add a 214K to make Johnny do a
downward smash on the opponent. Think of it as Sol's Volcanic Viper.
Overdrive - Unchou no Iai
236, 236H (A) - Johnny does a speedy slash downwards at the opponent (kinda
like a j.H). If the move connects, the opponent will be lifted high in the
air, while Johnny poses very stylishly. A witty comment later, the opponent
is freed from the air suspension with spontaneously appearing slash. So
basically, the move hits twice - one as the Overdrive starts, and the second
as the opponent is falling to the ground. A VERY flashy move, it doesn't
do as much damage as the "What's My Name?" Overdrive, but it's great for
showing off. Because of the speed of the first slash, this move is very hard
to avoid (but it IS possible).
Lost moves:
Bacchus Sigh
214P
GOLD JOHNNY (hold L1 and press Dust)
-------------------
Gold Johnny is stupidly powerful. All his normal attacks have doubled in damage,
and his Mist Finer does (wait for it) 500+ points of damage (a standard full
life bar is 420 points). Yes. Literally Instant Kill. His dash is near instant
(but still vulnerable), travels across the whole screen, and goes through the
opponent. So all in all, a very formidable opponent.
9. CREDITS
-------------------
Special Thanks to:
My two cousins, my only human opponents/training dummies in GGX2, even if they
do button mash and IK often. :)
Echang for his excellent FAQs which helped me correct a few things regarding
Johnny's moves (especially the Japanese names).
</pre><pre id="faqspan-2">
Everyone in Gamecombos.com and its GGX2 forums for everything regarding GGX2.
GameFAQs for uploading this FAQ for all to see (and critique, maybe).
Those fantastic videos of GGXX players brawling it out, showing me new tactics
and strategies, especially those of MSY and his amazingly cunning Johnny.
AUTHORISED SITES
-------------------
Sites that have been granted permission to host this FAQ thus far:
GameFAQs.com
NeoSeeker.com
Copyright 2003 Vincent Leung. Retransmission in any form without express
permission of the author is strictly forbidden.
