Guilty Gear Strive is an incredibly elaborate and nuanced fighting game, that is a perfect fit for any gamer looking for a challenge. Incredibly convoluted lore and a head-banging soundtrack might keep some away, but for those that are willing to break through the barrier of entry, you’ll find a fighting game experience with a ton of core mechanics.

There are nine types of fighters, each with a different playstyle. With 20 fighters in total, and more being added as DLC, there’s something for everyone. Here’s our definitive ranking of the roster.

Guilty Gear Strive fighter types

Balance (Sol Badguy, Ky Kiske, Leo Whitefang, Anji Mito, May, Testament, Baiken) —A little bit of everything, these characters are well-rounded and easy to pick up.

Long Range (Axl Low) — As the name suggests, this character has good long-range engagement.

High Speed(Chipp Zanuff, Millia) — Master your inner Sonic the Hedgehog and pummel foes with precise punches. Though they aren’t as tanky as some of their opponents, they make up for it in pure adrenaline.

Power Throw (Potemkin, Gold Lewis) — Hurl yourself into the air with an enemy by your side, that’s what Potemkin likes to do.

Unique (Faust) — Play unlike any other character with this trait.

Technical (Zato-1, Jack-O) — Use zone control and micromanage the field with Zato-1.

Shooting (Ramlethal Valentine, Happy Chaos) — Could have just reused the Long Range category, but I guess Guilty Gear got to be cute.

One-Shot (Nagoriyuki) — Wait for your opening and then completely slice open the competition.

Rush (Giovanna, I-No) — These characters can consistently stay in the faces of opponents, catching up to them whenever they try to get away.

C-Tier

20. Anji — This fighter with a fan just doesn’t stack up against his more nuanced foes. He lacks a lot of the critical skills that could bring him into the competition and there are other characters that can just accomplish his goals better.

19. Jack-O

18. Gold Lewis

17. Axl — Though he’s quite a cool-looking character, with a scythe and an attitude, he just isn’t as good as some of the other fighters on the roster. Axl struggles to fight when he’s behind, allowing other fighters to make up that space and just absolutely annihilate him.

B-Tier

16. Faust — One of the most unique fighters in the game, Faust can be hard to learn. But once you get this terrifying beast on your side, there’s no telling how far you can take the competition.

15. Zato

14. Potemkin

13. Millia — Using her hair as a sharp weapon, Millia can help turn the tide of any fight. She’s got great long and short-range engagement but suffers when she’s put in a tight position. She may not be the most extreme character, but she’s certainly usable.

12. Testament

A- Tier

11. Baiken — One of the newer characters, Baiken uses her assets and swords to keep her enemies on their toes. She’s got great control of the map, but one bad move and you’ll lose the fight.

10. I-No

9. Sol Badguy

8. Kipp

7. Ky

6. May — How she got an anchor and dolphin to fight with is beyond me, but I’m glad she did. She’s one of the most unique and fun fighters on the roster — you won’t regret taking May.

5. Nagoriyuki

S-Tier

4. Happy Chaos — A bit similar to Axl in how he zones enemies, this terrifying fighter just does it better. His knockbacks and damage are more effective, making him a top-tier contender.

3. Giovanna

2. Leo

1. Ramlethal Valentine — Using two giant swords, Ramlethal is one of the best characters in the franchise. She’s got great control, strong combos and the damage to back it up.

Guilty Gear Strive is out now for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.