Why you can't reach CELESTIAL rank in Guilty Gear Strive (and what you can do about it) 

The gatekeepers really keeping me down out here

Why I can't reach CELESTIAL rank in Guilty Gear Strive right now is because of influencers like LK, who generously share knowledge about the game, thus levelling up the entire FGC, thus making the average skill level higher. It's really sweaty up here, in floors 8, 9, & 10, when I'm constantly going up and down. I'll just keep grinding though and gladly take in the advice I can get to get through the gatekeepers. Cheers LK, keep the good work!

as a Nago main, i WILL reach heaven with the power of poor blood management, anime and raw zansetsu

What to watch out for in any GG game: PB Potemkin: Potemkin Buster Jam: Puff Ball Slayer: Pile Bunker If trouble is all you see, it's bound to be PB

I can reach it just fine, it's staying in it that's an issue... Damn level 1000 Ramlethals.

I'm capped at 9 for now. Chilling in park to get more uninterrupted practice instead of bouncing btwn 9 and 8

I was slowly working my up the floors with I-no always playing on the recommended floor. Then I picked up Zato and I'm on floor 4. Lmao

Struggling Millia player bouncing around floor 6-8.... Your Millia gives me hope

This is my first GG game and the first fighting game I’ve played with a fight stick since I was a kid. Stuck on floor 6 with Gio. Think my biggest hurdles are just knowing how the game works mechanically and not messing up inputs constantly. Thanks for the tips LK!

My biggest hurdle getting into Heaven was mostly that once I hit floor 10, people got exponentially more choosy on if they wanted to actually fight or not, so my biggest challenge became just getting a match.

I made it to celestial with my main I-No then I ran into a level 348 Chipp.

Saying switch character, when I know Anji is part of the reason it's difficult to beat the celestial challenge, gives me even more drive to just perfect him. I'm going to keep playing my dancing boy and nobody can stop me.

I always pay attention to May like a hawk when I see her move forward on the ground. That's when I know she can't dolphin.

Biggest tips to get really strong, really fast. Find a very good player ( celestial player) in Park. And then play and play, and each game observe where you get punished and why you don t broke his guard or deal a lot of damage. And then go to training and fix that. If it's damage, go learn more damaging combos If it's defense make the dummy do the sequence of attacks you struggle to block and try to find a solution If it's neutral try using different approach and see how do you get punished to find a solution ( positioning, air approach, ground approach, run block, run poke, jump guard, empty jump...) If it's tension management and neutral basics, go look at pro gameplay and see what they do to approach and how they use their tension, at the end it could take 10 hours of training to replicate approximately a pro strat Most of the time People don t progress because they don t try to progress They don t want to go to training and they just play match waiting that they get good miraculously You can get strong by playing match but you only get strong with your reflex and positionning, you ll be more at ease but you will not learn New strat and it will take longer to get strong this way

I grinded my way to celestial and found out that, ironically, heaven is full of demons. Level 300+ chips, nagas, sols, etc. So I guess I'm in limbo now. Always getting let in and immediately kicked out of heaven.

Reached celestial with Millia a couple days ago but still feel like I'm nowhere near good at GG yet, the fighting game journey is a tough one.

Just got to floor 10 as a Faust Main 🖤

The tower system is nice. TBH i don't even care about rank in this game. I'm having a great time getting good matches at around floor 8 and 9. The game's solid netcode and absolutely sublime gameplay. I'm maining Millia and i NEVER play setup based quick characters, i always usually go with footsies based neutral control type characters so it's really a change for me. Great game, love strive, thanks LordKnight for all your tutorials on Millia they helped so much.

Im still struggling on the “purchase the game” part

Winning 5 straight for celestial is so hard.

"But LK why would I lab a match up and study other characters options when I can just complain about them on Twitter until they get nerfed?" 🙃 In all seriousness, great video! Ones you have done in this style, like your guides to fighting Z Broly, have helped me think about how I approach games and characters and that is super valuable insight LK you are the GOAT 🙏🙏🙏

I don’t feel like I’ve tried very hard but I’m already at floor 8. I guess all those hours of dragon ball fighterz paid off.

I don't struggle to reach Celestial, I got to floor 10 real easy. ... by getting matched up with floor 4 players during quickplay... ... I'm now getting easily bodied on floor 10 and I can't get out

Coming from DBFZ without Zoning, I thought learning Nago was going to be difficult, but man I felt like this character was made for my hands.

i hit floor 9 imma just chill in the park so i can learn match ups and try tech. i dont wanna fraud my way up with picking and choosing match ups only to get knowledge checked by some simple shit

Why: you succ. Solution: Git Gud. You’re welcome, that’ll be $39.95

It's crazy he didn't say Leo's name once.

Ram dp sp works all day the beam sp connect from sword throw safe jumpbwhen u come in on my I full combo you and kee0nyou away n pushbu toncorner all day no mix tho no air moves to do on ground I'm about to pick up milla or chip button gotta put in way more work or Leo maybe or Faust or Shadow guy but he gay smh

I just play every person I can find at floor 10 and always all 3 matches regardless if I get smoked or not.

I started this game as the first gg I played, I thought that I probably shouldn’t play nago (even tho he was the thing that got me excited for fhis game), until I get better because ppl said he is hard. I was doing really bad and went, ok, f*** it, I’l just play nago and now I’m at 9th floor and climbing… Just play whoever you want, if it’s hard then just work harder. Don’t play the character you like is the worst advice u can give. Rest of the video is great tho so thanks for that

i almost dont know anything about this game and still at celestial rank with potemkin lul

Problem number 1: We return to the character select screen (so LK said to pick Sol, got it.)

I wish the towers were character specific so i can try out a new character and not have to worry about leaving the 10th floor. If i lose trying someone new that i have been working on.

I've found it easy to hit floor 10 but actually beating the celestial challenge feels so hard. Anywhere below even on floor 9 or 10 I feel almost unstoppable as a Ram player who knows the frame traps SQ shows off in tournament but then the celestial floor humbles me and reminds me how much I don't know in match ups or even just in general.

Celestial? Boi I’m not even getting past floor 7

Step 1: Get better Step 2: Learn to fight Top Teirs

Why not FD cancel your air dash when trying to whiff punish? I thought that Millia-super-jump-air dash-FD-j.H was pretty nice since that allows for a 2K combo and enough height for an air dash cancel off of an as soon as possible j.H? Why not tell people to 6P through hammerfall? Why does it matter if they whiff an air button? Isn't the landing recovery what you are after? For example, I thought that air-dash-land has the same recovery and total duration as air-dash-j.S-land?

What do you mean, I did it. Ok but for real, im moderate, maybe above average at fighting games. Maybe so-so. I have a tendency to choose characters on the "Lower" tiers out of accident, usually out of joy playing more difficult characters. But the big advantage that I have is that people dont generally know how to fight against me (In this case, as I-no). And when I do find someone good against my shenanigans as the character, I Level Up, becoming even more difficult! And so, I eventually get permanent stay on celestial floor (Until floor reset).

Technically you don't need to know ANYTHING about fighting those four characters because the tower system is completely idiotic and busted and you can decline matches against any character you don't want to play against for ZERO penalty. Even during the challenge. Do we get relevant information before the match like the ping and frame delay? No. But you get to dodge bad matchups for free if you feel like it.

Can't escape floor 7 because people back out when they see Potemkin. Running away from ranked fights should nudge the one who stuck around up, while draining the declining party's rank some. How the F can I learn if people keep declining fights!? I'm not even good

I have to address the scrub comment. I'm gonna drop some truth. Being a scrub is a mentality. The scrub mentality consists of blaming everyone and everything other than yourself and your own ability to comprehend the fundamentals of any one genre of gaming or sport. This isn't a title to title issue. Characters aren't the problem. Mechanics aren't the problem. More often than not it's your problem. In FG's: 1. You can't expect people to play the game the way that you want them to. 2. respect the counter. 3. Learn footsies and spacing, but more importantly, patience. 4. Learn and implement frame data to your advantage. 5. This one goes hand in hand with the first rule of mastery. Adapt and overcome. May isn't unbeatable. Sol isn't unbeatable. Go into your replays. Watch the match up that you're having a hard time with. Go into practice mode and practice those scenarios. So that you can find a way to beat them, or get out of them. If you're unwilling to do any of these things, and for some reason think that the dev's should cater to you. Or that you shouldn't have to for any reason at all. You're a scrub. Live with it. Because you're not going to get anywhere, and you will never get better as a result of this kind of thinking.

Most Pot play is a strike/throw guessing game. It turns into an active decision of just how much do you want to avoid Pot Buster? Because Pot players like me will make bets that you’re so focused on avoiding the grab that we can sweep you, or f.S you, or put you through the gunshot mixer. But I agree, being better than you are to reach another level is just matchup knowledge. Because every character has some bullshit tech you need a knowledge check on.

Thanks a lot. I'm playing Ky on floor 10 and whenever a Sol wants to fight me I feel stressed out so much (I don't want to dodge any matchup). Same with Pot.

Too good for 10 not good enough for VIP 😭

SO basically we're supposed to guess what Sol does after far slash (cuz it's pretty much unreactable if he does a low punch for example)....

I can't get into Celestial because I'm new to Guilty Gear, and I need more experience. I do not deserve to be at a rank that I am not skilled enough to be in. The ranking system works, and I trust where I am.

For me the real gatekeepers are nago, millia, chipp, ky, and axl, cause there's so many of those in celestial and I have to work so hard just to be allowed to punch them once then there's a solid chance I won't get anything off it other then two blocked hits and a teched grab and then it's their turn and neutral reset and have to go back to square one but with less health, like these players are so consistent and so smart I can't get away with any of sol's bullshit.

I been straddling between floor 10 and celestial. I am always off by just 1 more win when i reach celestial tower to get it.

I don't know about the point made at 1:55 The lobby system gives you a choice with who you want to fight, meaning you can dodge anything you even feel slightly uncomfortable taking if you wanted to. I was able to go from F8 to heaven from just dodging sol, may, and ram. I'd still suggest learning every matchup, though. I tried getting vip once, on my first attempt I only took Axl vs pot matches. And I was 1 game away from getting VIP. That being said this is incredibly unfair and there needs to be something preventing me from doing this.

I'm painfully stuck on the 10th floor with muh Vampy Boi Nago. I wanted to play him since day 1 and now people clown on me saying I picked him up because "hype." *Crying noises* I sometimes fluctuate between the 9th and the 10th, but mostly I'm on the 10th. I've challenged the Celestial floor three times. Twice I got folded with only one and two wins respectively, the third time I ran into Sanefox11. You know. The pro in the Dominican Republic who also does art. Just fuggin' bad luck honestly. I bet one time I'll run into somebody I can partially beat. It'll happen. MY VAMPY SAMURAI BOI IS GONNA GET TO HEAVEN SOON LK!

Funny this video comes up now, cause I've gone through (and failed) the Celestial challenge like 6 times now, and somehow 90% of the games I've played were against Giovanna. I know the other characters are there- they're playing on other cabs- but I always end up against a Giovanna. Game is fun as heck and I'm having fun figuring stuff out, spending a bunch of time on Training mode finding what's safe or not, trying out different things, trying to get myself to FD more etc. Edit from 20 hours later: I cleared the Challenge now, without fighting a Gio- fought Axl, Ky and Ram

10:58 at 50% Tension Meter metal game goes like this [Any other Character]: "Gotta convert this in to Roman Cancel and and open up my opponent." [Ramlethal Players]: "2362362362362362362362326326326326 HS"

My problem is I can't pick a character so I'm kinda just stuck at being mediocre lol. I want to play Baiken but they cut her so I'm mostly playing Anji since he's kiiind of like Baiken, but he's not exactly Baiken so I'm not fully satisfied with him so when I get bored I swap characters. So I guess I'm just not fully dedicated to the game yet, although I'm doing pretty well so far at least. I bounce around between floors 8 and 10. I really hope one of the new characters added in Season 1 is someone I can fully attach myself to, but otherwise I'm just stuck waiting until Season 2 to hopefully maybe get Baiken (since we already know she isn't gonna be in Season 1). Aba would be cool too though, I liked her when I tried out +R, but Baiken was the character I liked universally in all the games, especially in Rev 2 (I liked how they changed her moves a bit, made it even more fun IMO). Sorry, it's late at night and I'm rambling haha. Great vid as always LK.

A level 500 Chipp player followed me around the lobby the first time I got up there... I need to get back up there. Friendship with 1st King postponed. New Best Friend 2nd King: le Monke.

I was just going to say that the reason I can't get there is because I'm not good enough... lol.

As a very new player, who has only played online a few matches only to identify weaknesses, I have definitely thought about character vs character match ups. There's another huge hurdle for us newbies, we have no answers. I know how I get my ass kicked, I know the problems, just can't figure out the answers. XD This video was huge.

Literally been in and out of celestial final frontier for 6 months. Got one match away today and now I’m really reaching for resources, thanks LordKnight!

Lk, heavy dolphin is +5. If they block that, they can't interrupt an S Dolphin attempt. Important for beginners to know this, maybe you overlooked?

I thought I would get tips on how to avoid Potemkin Buster. xD What do I do on wake-up to stop it? I got Flamethrower -> Buster spammed x3 and couldn't find a way out..

I play this game off and on with friends but for the past 3 days I’ve been playing by myself and I got to floor 7 with Asuka #R Kreutz, but back down to floor 6, learning now how each character works

I auto-pilot too hard is my problem. I "give up" basically. Sometimes I know shit just...don't do that and get hit.

Can I just say you give the best matchup advice on youtube. Would love to see a more in-depth series that covers every move for every character.

I'm nowhere near good. I'm stuck on floors 6 and 7, but the number of people that let me get my swords back as Ram is stupid. I'm a dumb boy. If you see me whiff my sword throw, punish me.

Right now I'm not sold on maining any one character yet. I really need Jam in the game so I can just go wild.

My biggest issue is Sol, even though I play Sol. People complain about him all the time, but I only ever see another one in level 9 and I get so bodied I'm back down to level 6 before he stops rematching me..

i agree with the Potemkin call out and Sol, but ram has the least mix of them. if anything you need to show how to beat milia and chip and those stupid characters that exist to do 100 damage then run away. characters with good mids are easy to play against. having to guess low or high every 3 seconds isnt. everyone making how to be ram videos, now shes gonna be weak as hell, cause she isnt truly busted like sol. no true plus frames, like may. people just need to learn patience.

LK: - Trust, they're going to do it. (RAM DP) Me, a Ram player: - Or am I? e_e

I'm trying to get to celestial with exclusively Laust. I'd probably be there if I was playing Sol lol

I'm stuck between floor 7-8 because I rarely even do more than a 2-3 move combo on hit even when I have meter available lmao. I can repeat high damage combos in training just fine but for some reason I never have the mental clarity to execute them in real games. I made up for it by winning neutral more often than my opponent. But on floor 7-8 The amount of times I win neutral in most matchups is close to equal to my opponent. And at that point my 20% damage combos lose to their 40%. Almost all the games I lose come down to my opponents simply getting more damage off each hit confirm than I do. I just wish my brain would cooperate lmao.

I just hit Celestial Today. I can’t believe I made it. It’s funny the day I start doing safe jumps I hit celestial after a year and a half.

im in floor 10 but whenever i play someone in that floor i never win. Thats mainly because i just fucking suck and i make too many mistakes so im gonna train a fuck ton and grind with friends until i get back to playing on tower.

11:21 bro my character with good neutral ONLY has a reversal as a "get of me" lmfao. Of course I'm going to do it.

I have no clue how to fight people past floor 7. It's like watching a toddler box a rottweiler.

If you cant reach celestial Its really a simple explanation you must not be using sol,millia,chipp,may or anji and if u are fighting games isn't your thing those characters can pretty much do want plus a lot of characters got corny cheap shit

Sol os easy may bait potemken block jump when he grabs u can't punish dude really its annoying ram bait

Been playing since launch and have yet to get higher than 9. I get there and immediately lose one game and get sent back down. "Love" this tower system.

You can't reach Celestia because you as an average player ran into a may/sol that plays way too often and you get bodied back into the earth and wake up with dirt in your mouth.

Give it to me straight, doc, it's because I play Anji, isn't it? Also I'm bad but that's besides the point

finally in celestial, but i get bodied by anyone i face. like absolutly destroyed every goddamn match, and im not sure im learning anything from it.

OK GUY im gonna need you to delete this video right away anti Potemkin propaganda will not be tolerated.

Got to celestial but then went to japan celestial and went all the way down to floor 6 LMAOOO Got a lot better playing people there then Australia.

Hit celestial today now i dont really have any goals ive seen kids with low level golds because they rank farm with alt f4ing games i feel since the game is so new you’ll see alot of mashers up there near celestial to 10

Interesting video but I think I'll just rot in floor 4 until my thumbs stop fucking up my inputs

I got to floor 8 in two weeks after just starting the game. Now I think im stuck but this video helps

I just stayed away from Axl and it was no problem :) and yes, i play Potemkin

Would be pretty dope to get experience against celestial people. Shame that opportunity only comes every half an hour at best due to the garbage ass lobby system

If you want a really short answer: you aren’t playing sol (This is a joke)

I’m bouncing around 9- 10 and a little bit of my celestial starter matches but I usually face a really good rushdown character and get demolished because I’m axl low 😅

Manually timing safejumps for Millia 2H 214P and 6H 214P knockdowns has been the hardest out of these, specially against Leo players. It also feels like jH has so little blockstun sometimes, I keep getting grabbed after it.

as a nago main its difficult to fight may and i dont know which is the fastest button to stop totsugeki.ngl if you main may dont even reply

I've been stuck on floor 9 since release. What's wrong with me?

Well.....my first match trying to get into Celestial was against Octopimp....

Well I’m cheeks against pot guess I won’t be getting celestial 😞

I've been slowly climbing my way. Was at 2 wins out of 3 and got absolutely bodied by a Zato LOL oops. Question I have about Sol though: Is the strat the same for Vortex if they go for a PRC into command throw? That gets me WAY more than Vortex into RRC to continue pressure.

If you literally only want celestial and not to play against a variety of characters, you can literally learn one matchup super well and just farm those players. lol

Retitle this to: Millia main projects insecurities towards Potemkin.

Ram down heavy is going t0 punish milla jumping into a full combo

celestial rooms are trash there should be a elite celestial or something like that

Im very aware that i cant hir celestial because i can't break past floor 8

i got into heaven on my second try but i really think if different people were there i would’ve been terribly horrifically wiped