After trying out Sandalphon from Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising at Frosty Faustings XVII, I’ve certainly got thoughts about him and what makes him a potential top tier character. Sandalphon is a very fun character with key strengths that help him fight against stronger characters comfortably. If you’re interested in learning about what new things this character brings to the table, you’ve come to the right place!
Editor’s note: There will be notations used in this guide to describe certain attacks. If you find yourself confused at any of these points, use the guide below as guidance:
Solid Defense
Sandalphon’s kit is already off to a good start by having two invulnerable reversals. His EX reversal is excellent for getting the opponent off you for a low price. However, if you’re looking for something that grants a hard knockdown, his ultimate skill reversal does the job for you. By having these reversal options and Brave Counter, he can already make the opponent scared of his defense. It also helps that throws and fuzzy mashing are great defensive options in GBVSR.
With all these tools at his disposal, Sandalphon’s defensive game is already strong. However, that doesn’t mean you can afford to get reckless. His slower close-range normals make him weaker when it comes to scrambling, meaning you shouldn’t be mashing buttons on defense too often. Instead, careful consideration of when to use your reversals and Brave Counter will take you much further as a Sandalphon player.
Malleable Toolkit
Aside from his solid defense, Sandalphon’s unique mechanic, where he can utilize the different elements of nature, really puts this character far above others. After pressing 5U followed by an attack button, he imbues himself with one of four different elements: Wind, Water, Fire, or Earth. Each element changes how his special moves function, making him a versatile character capable of adapting to different situations depending on the opponent’s character, and other factors. Below is a write-up of what each element does:
- Wind Element: Grants him an airdash when using the dash macro in the air. His projectiles also become faster, allowing him to control space more quickly. I want to point out that Sandalphon can’t airdash backward with this element.
- Water Element: Gives Sandalphon access to a slow-moving fireball that’s useful for multiple scenarios. It can be used to set up oki, help deal with zoning or cover his approach when playing neutral. The slower speed makes it a potent tool for controlling the match’s pace.
- Fire Element: Enhances his fireball damage output and modifies his regular fireball to knock the opponent down on a normal hit.
- Earth Element: Grants another slow-moving fireball, which functions similarly to Percival’s fireball, allowing for corner pressure. Also seems to give Sandalphon a defense boost, allowing him to be a bit more tanky when taking damage.
Other Findings
Having said all of that, there are some other parts of his kit that players will be interested in hearing about. Sandalphon has a 22X series where he can shoot a projectile out really fast like Narmaya. From this 22X series, he can also go into a stance that grants him different follow-ups. We didn’t get to play around with this much in our time playing, but we hope to see it in action in the upcoming special pre-launch livestream. Having any kind of stance ability is great for overwhelming opponents.
Additionally, his 2M is a standout normal, which appears to be 7 frames and has good range. This makes it a reliable poke for checking opponents at mid-range, interrupting their movement, or contesting space effectively.
Lastly, his Super Skybound Art (SSBA) is a super-fast laser that activates his “Paradise Lost” attack. Important to note that this can go through projectiles, so don’t let the opponent get away with zoning you out!
Final Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Sandalphon Impressions:
The character is still in development, so while we are not sure if some of the things listed in this article are final, it sure is exciting! Having strong defense and a versatile toolkit in GBVSR is very important, as many characters are coming to the game. The characters who are better equipped with the strongest tools have a better chance of surviving against most of the roster in competitive settings. Please look forward to more fighting game character impressions in the future when DLC characters release!
Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is available now on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.