The New Testament
A Beginner to Intermediate Tech Compendium for GGST Testament (Patch 1.23)
PLEASE NOTE:
- Read the Combo Theory Primer section first.
- "sp" stands for "Stain Pop", and "dc" means "Dash Cancel".
- When a move is in boldface, it means the move hits. Otherwise it's blocked.
- Every combo or pressure sequence will have a difficulty indicator from 0 to 5 stars under the sequence notation, with 0 being the easiest.
Table of Contents:
Combo Theory Primer
Most of Testament's combos will end in (c.S / 5K >) 6H > 236S/{S}/[S] / 214H / Nostrovia. Choosing which move to end with depends mostly on the (meter) situation and personal preference:
- 236{S}/[S] (meaning half-charged and fully charged Reaper, respectively) often serves more as oki or setplay. My recommended unmetered choice, assuming the projectile hits (close to) meaty. Often also gives a higher chance of landing bird right after, sometimes even guaranteed.
- 214H results in the highest (unmetered) damage, at the cost of oki and/or setplay. Recommended when 236/S{S}/[S] doesn't reach, when it wins the round, or when Nostrovia would fully whiff.
- Nostrovia is much preferred over the other two, assuming it connects and you have the meter for it. Also used to extend combos or maintain corner pressure. See the Moveset Quirks for specifics.
The GIFs in here end in either 236S/{S}/[S] / 214H often according to my personal preference (and because I had to reduce the file size). Any valid combo enders will be given in the combo notation.
Midscreen
Pressure
- keepaway with reaper, bird, arbiter, 6P, f.S, 6H
- approach/challenge with 2K, 5K, 2S, 5H, 2H, or IAD > j.H
Conversions
Stain pop pick up (basic)
sp > 5K > 6H > 214H / 236{S} / nos
video link ★☆☆☆☆
Stain pop pick up (max range, optimal dmg)
sp > 6H > 214H / 236{S} / nos
video link ★★☆☆☆
Stain pop pick up (up close, optimal dmg)
sp > c.S > 6H > 214H / 236{S} / nos
video link ★☆☆☆☆
Stain pop pick up (up close, bird loop, optimal corner carry and meter gain)
sp > c.S > 214[P] > 5K > dc > c.S > 6H > 214H / 236{S} / nos
video link ★★★☆☆
Oki
Meaty skull and guaranteed stain
2K > 2D > 236[S] (OTG) > meaty skull > 214P
video link ★☆☆☆☆
Meaty skull and up close oki (for when you have to play rushdown in the matchup)
2K > 2D > 236[S] (OTG) > 214K
video link ★☆☆☆☆
Leaves you +4 after teleport according to my testing with OBS.
High/low mixup
far 2K > 2D > 236[S] > IAD > j.H > j.D > j.236H
video link ★★☆☆☆
True block string from the skull all the way to j.236H. Can be turned into a safe jump by delaying the IAD.
CH 6P AA (meaty skull)
ch 6P AA > 66 > 236S (OTG) > meaty skull > 214P
video link ★☆☆☆☆
Corner
Pressure
5K / c.S > (kara) 236H is +2
5K > sp > dc is +8, c.S > sp > dc is +6
General midrange pressure
1 or 2 normals > 236S/{S}/[S] > (1 or 2 normals >) 214P > arbiter/repeat
video link
High mixup (up close 5K stain pop)
5K > sp > jc > IAD > j.H > j.D > j.236H
video link ★★☆☆☆
Frame traps:
- sp > j.H (4f)
Low mixup (up close 5K stain pop)
5K > sp > jc > IAD > j.H > 2K
video link ★★☆☆☆
Frame traps:
- sp > j.H (4f)
- j.H > 2K (1f)
Positive bonus block string loop
c.S > 5H > 236S > fPRC > 214P > 5K > dc > repeat
video link ★★★★☆
Conversions
IAD catch 6H (often after 236{S}/[S])
6H > 214P > f.S > sp > 6H > 214H / 236S / nos
video link ★★☆☆☆
Max range f.S stain pop
f.S > sp > 6H > 214H / 236{S} / nos
video link ★★☆☆☆
Midrange f.S stain pop (unmetered stain reapplication)
f.S > sp > 236{S} > 66 > 5K > (kara) 236H > 214[P]
video link ★★★☆☆
Midrange f.S stain pop (metered)
f.S > sp > 236{S} > 66 > 5K > 6H > nos
video link ★★☆☆☆
High mixup conversion
5K > sp > jc > IAD > j.H > j.D > j.236H > 5K > 6H > 214H / 236S / nos
video link ★★☆☆☆
Low mixup conversion
5K > sp > jc > IAD > j.H > 2K > 2D > 236H > 66 > 5K > 6H > 214H / 236S / nos
video link ★★★☆☆
j.H conversion (metered)
5K > sp > jc > IAD > j.H > 2K > 2D > 236236K
video link ★★☆☆☆
5K conversion (unmetered stain reapplication)
5K > sp > IAD > j.H > c.S > (kara) 236H > 5K / f.S / 5H > 214[P]
video link ★★☆☆☆
5K conversion (metered)
5K > sp > IAD > j.H > c.S > 6H > nos
video link ★☆☆☆☆
Oki
throw > 66 > 236S > 5H > 214P > 5K > sp > ...
video link ★★☆☆☆
Post Wall Break
66 > 214S/H > sp
video link ★☆☆☆☆
66 > 5D / 2K / 2S > sp
video link ★☆☆☆☆
post wall break safe jump (see Safe Jumps)
Anti-airs
Grounded
6P starter
6P > 236S
video link ☆☆☆☆☆
CH 6P starter
ch 6P > (236H >) 5K > 6H > 214H / nos
video link ★☆☆☆☆
5P starter (simple)
5P > 5K > 6H > 214H / 236{S} / nos
video link ★★☆☆☆
5P starter (optimal dmg)
5P > 6H > 236[H] > 66 > 5K > 6H > 214H / 236{S} / nos
video link ★★★☆☆
H Reaper starter (simple)
236H > 66 > c.S / 5K > 6H > 214H / 236{S} / nos
video link ★★☆☆☆
H Reaper starter (optimal dmg unmetered)
236H > 66 > c.S / 5K > (kara) 236H > 66 > 5K > 6H > 214H / 236{S}
video link ★★★★☆
H Reaper starter (bird loop, optimal corner carry and meter gain)
236H > 66 > c.S > 214[P] > 5K > dc > c.S > 6H > 214H / 236{S} / nos
video link ★★★☆☆
Air-to-air
j.D starter (can be unreliable)
j.D > 66 > j.S > 5K > 6H > 214H / 236{S} / nos
video link ★★★☆☆
CH j.S starter
ch j.S / ch j.H > 66 > j.S / j.H > 5K > 6H > 214H / 236{S} / nos
video link ★★☆☆☆
Punishes
(ch c.S >) 6H > 236[H] > 66 > c.S > 6H > 214H / 236{S} / nos
video link ★★★☆☆
You can either start with CH c.S (for DP punished for example, due to the guaranteed CH) or with a non-CH 6H (for example after blocking a reversal super that's very minus). Same for the punish below.
(ch c.S >) 6H > 236[H] > 66 > c.S > 214P > 5K > dc > c.S > 6H > 214H / 236{S} / nos
video link ★★★★☆
c.S / 5K > (kara) 235H > 66 > 5K > 6H > 214H / 236{S} / nos
video link ★★☆☆☆
with a 5K starter (especially without kara and from farther away) 6H and nos can be hard to hit
note that 5K is only 1f faster than c.S at 7 vs 8
2P > 6P > 236S / 236{S}
video link ★☆☆☆☆
Safe Jumps
(kara) 5K / c.S > 236H > 214K > j.H
video link ★★☆☆☆
conversions:
- j.H > c.S > 5H > 236S
video link ★☆☆☆☆
- **ch j.H > c.S > 6H > 236[H] > 66 > 5K > 6H > 214H
video link ★★★☆☆
- ch dl.j.H > 6H > 236[H] > 66 > 5K > 6H > nos > 214S
video link ★★★★★
Very tight link between j.H and 6H.
The j.H needs to be delayed to allow it to link into 6H.
Luckily delaying j.H gives you more plus frames and still allows all other conversions, so there's no reason not to delay.
post super wallbreak: IAD > j.H (loses to 9f reversals)
video link ★★☆☆☆
Be sure to hold 1 or 4 after j.H to ensure you block the reversal. Can be made easier by just foregoing j.D > j.236H and just landing directly after j.H.
post throw (manually timed): throw > [2] > wait for crouch animation to finish> IAD > j.H
video link ★★★☆☆
Moveset Quirks (Stain, Nostrovia, Teleport, etc.)
- stain pop makes every normal plus, except for 5D, 2D, and 6H
- only 5P and 2P frametrap into stain pop (3f gap)
- 6H > nos drops from max distance. From a bit closer, the 2nd hit drops, but you can knock them into the 3rd hit with S arbiter
- teleport is fully invuln from f16-25, with a total duration of 34f