Char Custom Gelgoog

Model Number:YMS-14	Pilot: Char Aznable
Cost: 2000 Hp: 580 Transform: X Form Change: X

Char_s Gelgoog

One of the first 25 Gelgoog in the mass production line that was assigned to Char, painted with his personal colours. It is equipped with a Blade Antenna, a unique upgrade only for Zeon commander units.

Ability Summary

Ranged	Armament	Ammo	DMG	Notes
Main	Beam Rifle	5	70	Low ammo count
Charged Main	Beam Rifle (Rapid)	–	70-147	Fires 3 BR shots while dashing in the direction of the lever
Charged Melee	Beam Naginata (Javelin Throw)	–	85-120-150	Can charge up to level 3. Throws the Naginata like a javelin at a target. Level 3 applies a slowdown effect.
Sub	Beam Naginata (Spinning Throw)	1	40-108	Throws out a spinning Naginata which travels in a circle, eventually returning like a boomerang.
Special Shooting	Elmeth Summon	1	30 per hit
Burst Attack	Elmeth Rush	–	270 (F) /264 (E & S)	Rides on Elmeth and charges. If hit, knocks target up and Gelgoog dashes up for a short melee combo. Good damage and short animation

Melee	Input	DMG	Notes
5B	5BBB	186	Standard 3-stage
	5B~8BB	189	Ends with a tackle and a slash
	5BB~8B~5B	220	Spinning Naginata attack while moving forward slightly
	5B~8B~2B	195	Launches on last hit
	5BB~8B~8B	217	Ends with slash-through
	5B(B)~2B	196~230	Stands still and stabs
8B	8B	85	Kick, dust down
4/6B	4BBBB	172	Untechable
2B	2B	115	Shield bash. Has Shield property
CC8B	CC8B	123	Naginata helicopter
BC	BC	134	Melee counter. Hold B to extend the counter stance

Cancel Routes:

A: AB, AC, BC

CSB (lvl 1 and 2): 5B, 4/6B, 8B, 2B

CSB (any level): CSA

CSA: CSB

AB: BC

AC: 2B

8B: A

Overview

Char’s Gelgoog is in the upper tier of mobility and speed compared to its 2000-cost brethren. However, lacking a pyonkaku or freefall puts the Gelgoog in a tough spot. It also has a very short red lock range for a unit with a beam rifle.

However, Char’s Gelgoog can be described as a melee MS with a beam rifle. It excels in close-ranged melee combat, and it can take advantage of its CSB to score surprise attacks. Even if you take the rear guard position, your job is not so much to support your teammate, but to look for opportunities to attack enemies who are not locked on to you.

Ranged Weapons

Main: Beam Rifle

While this is functionally a standard Beam Rifle, Gelgoog’s short red lock range and the low ammunition count means that this is not a suitable weapon for shooting wars in the neutral. Instead, this is a tool for you to close the distance, or set up your offense. You have all the cancel routes you need from this to transition into other attacks.

Charged Main: Beam Rifle (Rapid)

Fires 3 BR while dashing backwards diagonally. Long charge time of 2.5 seconds, but this is a good option due to the fact that your Main has limited ammo.

The three best reasons to use this weapon are: 1) supplementing your Main ammo, 2) staying boost efficient (3 shots fired with no zunda needed), and 3) setting up situations to hit 2B or other melee moves.

Charged Melee: Beam Naginata (Javelin Throw)

Can charge up to level 3, with a 2-second charge time for each level. Each level improves the damage, speed, vertical tracking, and muzzle correction of this move. Lvl 1 causes a stagger, lvl 2 a 1.5 second stun, and lvl 3 a 3 second stun plus a 12-second speed debuff. You know the debuff is active when you can see the naginata sticking out of the enemy.

Lvl 1 & 2 naginatas can be cancelled into any melee attacks (except CC8B). This is really useful in the close range, however the big speed debuff that comes with hitting a lvl 3 is worth the extra charge time. This is a great move to use on enemies who are not paying you attention.

This move has no horizontal tracking, but excellent vertical tracking, especially on lvl 3. Meaning to say that this a great move for catching landings, but can also disappoint you even when thrown in the close range. Try using it in different situations to figure out when it will hit and when it won’t.

Sub: Beam Naginata (Spinning Throw)

Throws out a spinning Naginata which travels in a circle before returning. Stuns on hit. This is a good okizeme tool, and it can also be used when you read the enemy’s horizontal movement. The distance in which the Naginata is thrown can also be adjusted by inputting 2 (close-range) or 8 (long-range) directional input. Always spins in a clockwise direction unless a 3, 6 or 9 directional input is made upon which it will spin in an anti-clockwise direction.

Special Shooting: Elmeth Summon

Elmeth appears on the screen and releases bits that surround the enemy and fire beams. Staggers the opponent even if only 1 beam hits, and if 4 beams hit the enemy is instantly downed and takes 120 damage.

This is a good move for forcing enemy movement, and for setups. Don’t simply throw this move out and expect it to hit: instead, attack together with the Elmeth.

Melee Set

5B: 3-stage combo

A 3-stage combo with the beam naginata that does good damage. This travels a good distance and has good vertical tracking. While this has average startup and an average hitbox, your other melee attacks can be used instead to cover those weaknesses. This melee attack has a lot of derivatives available.

5B~8BB: Tackle To Slash

A multi-hit attack ending with a slash. The slash is the same move as the last hit of the 5BBB combo. This is not a particularly good combo as it has poor cut resistance, low damage, and a slow tempo.

5B~8B~2B: Slash Uppercut

Launches the enemy upwards. This has good down value and damage proration, meaning you can deal good damage using this as a combo part.

5BB~8B~5B: Spinning Assault To Slash

Gelgoog spins the naginata to attack the enemy. Same slash as the last hit of the 5BBB combo.

5BB~8B~8B: Slash-through

A very cool slash-through which makes you travel a good distance forward. This is easy to follow up on and does good damage, making it one of your main melee combos. Just note that this combo easily whiffs when done in the corner.

5B(B)~2B: Reckless Stabbing

Gelgoog stands in place to stab the enemy multiple times. You can access this derivative from the 1st or 2nd stage on the 5B combo. This has poor cut resistance but deals high damage.

8B: Char Kick

Gelgoog leaps at the enemy and kicks it. This knocks the enemy away, but if you quickly cancel into a forward step you can connect with 5B after. This has good priority. You can also cancel into Main on hit to freefall. However this does not have good reach, so use this as a melee intercept or as a free fall combo. It can also be useful on wakeup against enemies that stand very close to you.

4/6BBBB: 4-stage Slash Combo

A pretty long combo that only deals as much damage as a 3-stage 4/6B from other MSes. It does alright in clashes.

2B. Shield Charge

Charges at the enemy with the shield in front. If the shield hits, Gelgoog then kicks the enemy. Pretty good speed on the charge in.

If any attack hits the shield, Gelgoog stops its assault and blocks the attack as if you had done the regular guard motion. This makes this move useful in overheat situations, allowing you to stay guarded for a longer duration than if you had just done a regular guard in overheat.

CC8B: Naginata Spin

The speed, startup, and hitbox of this move are all top-class. You won’t lose to any other frontal melee attacks. This is one of your main melee moves.

BC: Counter

Counters melee attacks. The startup speed is average, but you hold the counter stance for a long time. On hit, Char counterattacks (heh).

Char’s kit does not really demand that it counters much, but it’s still an option if you find yourself going up against a tough melee foe. Cancellable to CSA, regardless of whether the counter is activated or not.

Burst Attack

Elmeth Rush

[Rides on Elmeth and charges.]

On hit, launches the target up. Gelgoog then dashes up for a short melee combo. Good damage and short animation.

Recommended Combos

Ranged Weapons
Input	DMG	Notes
BR>>BR>>BR	147	Standard but a waste of ammo
CSA (2 hits)>>BR	147
BR>>CSB3	175	Ranged BnB
BR~CSB1or2>>BR	158-184
CSB1or2>>BR>>BR	162-197
CSB3>5B2B	274	Very high damage off CSB3
Melee
5B~2B>5BB~2B	279
8B>5BB~2B	251
4/6BBB>5BB~8B~8B	235
4/6BBB>8B~A	241
CC8B>5BB~8B~8B>8B		Remember you can cancel into 8B~A to freefall anytime

Strategies

Attacking from the enemy’s blindspot is the name of the game for Char’s Gelgoog. You won’t win shooting battles due to your limited ranged tools- instead, wait patiently while charging your CSB and look for openings. Char’s Gelgoog does a lot of damage off its CSB or melee attacks, so you don’t need to worry about being behind in damage.
Elmeth is a great tool to help with your offense. Don’t just fire and forget with it- attack together with the Elmeth to reduce the opponent’s escape options.
Elmeth can also be used defensively. Summoning it and then blocking enemy attacks is a great option for staying safe from melee attacks.
You need to be constantly charging CSB as it’s one of your best moves. Both the AB and BC are not moves you use too frequently, and you probably won’t be charging in with melee all the time, so get used to charging CSB during the neutral.
Char’s Gelgoog benefits greatly from all 3 burst types. Fighting allows you to cancel from your CSB to melee attacks directly, and further powerups your great melee kit. It’s the best Burst for making a big comeback. E burst gives you very little offensively, but makes you even more annoying and difficult to kill. If you’re struggling to stay alive, this might be the right burst for you. S is the most plain burst but it’s also a great option for a low-risk, mid-return playstyle. Of particular note is that you can charge CSB a lot faster in S burst. Pick whichever suits your needs best.