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Leo is a pretty popular character to play right now in Guilty Gear Strive mainly because of SonicFox’s incredible victory in the recent LEVO tournament. Not only did he put up a great match, he was the only person in the top 8 using Leo Whitefang.
Leo Whitefang is one of the more offensive and tougher characters to use in Guilty Gear Strive, lovingly dubbed “Gorilla” for his looks and play style. Using him also tests the player's control and intentionality in a similar fashion to Zato-1.
This guide will explain how to play Leo Whitefang in Guilty Gear Strive and go into the basic movement, kit and game plan. This guide will not go into combo routes and basics, so make sure to check out other guides to learn the fundamentals.
Guilty Gear Strive: A guide to using Leo Whitefang
Crossing them up & entering Brynhildr stance
Leo is often classified as a stance character. He has two stances: his regular stance with access to basic mechanics such as blocking and jumping, and his Brynhildr stance. Brynhildr stance (termed BT for short) sees Leo turn his back towards the opponent and gives him access to new moves and specials.
In Brynhildr stance, Leo cannot block or jump. But each button gives access to an extremely powerful normal and can be used to perform incredible mix-ups. Leo also has an incredible offense, and going into BT should be a priority as a Leo player in Guilty Gear Strive.
But there are two problems. The first is that Leo doesn’t have nearly as much mobility and speed as other characters in Guilty Gear Strive. The second is that there are only two ways to enter Brynhildr.
Getting into Brynhildr
Two specials in regular stance can be used to enter BT:
- Kaltes Gestöber Zweit [236H]
- Turbulenz [214S]
For readability, these specials will be referred to by their inputs rather than their name for the rest of the guide. 236H, is a dash attack that, in close range, can cross up the opponent. Only if the player manages to cross-up the opponent will BT be achieved. It’s pretty unsafe to do in neutral and should either be performed on knockdown or a read.
214S has Leo sort of dash forward and knock the ground to create a pillar of light. This move is much easier to confirm and is used to stance cancel through a combo from normal mode. Holding down S while performing this move is necessary to get into BT in Guilty Gear Strive.
Staying in Brynhildr
The main problem in BT is the lack of mobility and ability to block. It’s why he is given one defensive option called the Kahn Schild [BT D].
Kahn Schild is a parry that, upon connecting, launches a counter-attack on the opponent if they’re close enough. It can also absorb or reflect projectiles depending on their nature. Use it sparingly, as mashing it out frequently will be an immediate cue for the opponent to throw Leo.
The kit, the mix-ups and cancelling out of Brynhildr
Leo has access to two charge specials:
- Graviert Wurde [4(6)S/H]
- Eisen Sturm [2(8)S/H]
4(6)S/H is a projectile that moves slowly but is an important tool to poke and close in. The light variant is also used in combos. The heavy variant, while harder to pull off, is more rewarding and capable of nullifying a lot of projectiles fully.
2(8)S/H is a DP and, naturally in Guilty Gear Strive, is a little riskier to use as an anti-air due to Faultless Defense. It is better used as a wake-up attack.
The only other special in normal mode he can use (besides his stance cancels) is 236S, which is more or less, a lighter version of 236H. It is a primary combo finisher in Guilty Gear Strivem, as there is no follow-up and it knocks down the opponent.
Brynhildr Stance
In Brynhildr stance, individual buttons are all players need to mix their opponents up. Each one is associated with a powerful normal, with K being the low option and H being the overhead.
It’s not really optimal to use the charge supers in this mode because of how easily Leo can be punished while charging in Guilty Gear Strive.
However, there are two specials that Leo can use in BT exclusively.
- Gländzendes Dunkel [214K]
- Blitzschlag [214H]
The main purpose these specials have is to go back to normal mode, as releasing the button early allows him to get out of Brynhildr. 214K allows for a guard break, and 214H is a command grab. Both can be used to diversify BT pressure.
The importance of stance cancelling
Yes, Leo’s best offense is achieved from BT, but it is simply too risky to stay in BT all the time. Using 214K, or 214H or simply pressing 22 to stance cancel frequently is important to achieve an offensive balance and make some moves safe.
Don't rely on heroically pulling off Kahn Schild all the time for defense in Guilty gear Strive.
Leo’s game plan & supers
As stated before, safely switching in and out of Brynhildr stance is a skill Leo players in Guilty Gear Strive have to master. Use projectiles, or one of his far reaching normals, to get the offense in and focus on pulling off full combos from there whilst being aware of the stance.
Leo has two supers:
- Stahl Wirbel [632146S]
- Liedenschaft des Dirigenten [632146H]
632146S is only usable during BT and is one of the best supers in Guilty Gear Strive. It is a ridiculously fast projectile that can sometimes be combo-ed into but is best used on reaction. 632146H on the other hand can be used in any stance and is a reversal super.
For more advanced information and combo routes for Leo in Guilty Gear Strive, make sure to check out the Dustloop wiki.
