Heaven or hell, let’s rock! Guilty Gear Strive just hit its two-year anniversary back in June, and the game is still going strong. In fact, season 3 is just a few days away, with it adding one of the most requested fan-favorite characters, Johnny, back into the roster.

This new season also introduces a boatload of new battle mechanics that are sure to mix things up. But, just like other fighting games, there is a tier list of sorts that can show you which characters are performing well. Check out our Guilty Gear Strive tier list to see what the best characters are right now.

Tier list of the best characters in Guilty Gear Strive

Before we begin, it is very important to keep in mind that with season 3 over the horizon, the competitive meta for the game is most likely going to change drastically. This current list only takes into account competitive rankings with the current season 2 mechanics.

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And, as always, this tier list, or any other tier list for that matter, is NOT the be-all, end-all judgment for all characters. If a character you like is low on the tier list, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a bad character. Playing whoever you’re comfortable with is the most important thing at the end of the day.

Now, without further ado, let’s start with the strongest characters.

Guilty Gear Strive’s best characters (S tier)

Character	Details
Happy Chaos	Boasting flexible long and mid-range pressure options and versatile normals, Happy Chaos is the king at controlling a match’s flow. If he manages his ammo and concentration resources carefully, Happy Chaos can completely shut down opponents with the smart use of his handgun. Mastering his unique mechanics requires close attention, but sticking with it nets you one of the best characters in the game.
May	Totsugeki! May is a versatile and straightforward fighter with tons of great normals and special moves. Due to her weapon of choice being a massive anchor, many of May’s normals have disjointed hitboxes, which allows her to keep the pressure on safely. On top of that, some of her moves can be charged to do crazy amounts of damage. And of course, she has one of the best special moves in the game, Mr. Dolphin!
Leo Whitefang	Similar to Happy Chaos, Leo is a complex character boasting lots of versatile tools. He can switch between his normal stance and unique back-turned Brynhildr stance. While in this stance, Leo gains access to great normals, mix-ups, and even overheads. Because Brynhildr’s stance disables Leo’s ability to block, Leo needs to keep stance dancing, which enables him to confuse opponents and unleash his aggressive neutral game.

Guilty Gear Strive’s A tier and below characters

As you can see, a majority of the characters in Guilty Gear Strive are viable, so don’t be afraid to pick a character you really like, despite their position on the tier list.