Gundam Bael

Model Number: ASW-G-01	Pilot: McGillis Fareed
Cost: .3000 Hp: 720 Transform: X Form Change: X

Bael

One of the 72 Gundam Frames used during the Calamity War, the Gundam Bael earned a fearsome reputation as being the suit piloted by the legendary Agnika Kaieru. Now awoken from its long slumber by McGillis during his coup d’etat, the Gundam Bael once again steps into the battlefield as McGillis’ tool of ambition.

Move Summary

Ranged	Armament	Ammo	DMG	Notes
Main	Electromagnetic Cannon	2	30~60	Causes Vernier, heavy stagger
Charged Main	Bael Sword (Throw)	–	65	Stuns on hit, has a unique follow-up by inputting B right after
Charged Main	Sword Extraction and Explosion	–	143	~B follow-up. Launches target
Burst Attack	Soul of Agnika Kaieru	_	304(F)/276(E & S)	Does a single slash through before doing a short pose. Ending with an explosion.

Melee	Input	DMG	Notes
Sub	AB	68	Has super-armor during the duration of the attack
Special Shooting	AC	95	Flies in a zigzag motion before striking the target that puts them in a spinning down state
5B	5BBBB	238	Standard melee combo, good damage
	5B(BB)~8B	228~276	Bael does a melee flurry with his swords before ending with a cross slash. Moves forward during animation
	5B(BB)~2B	121~215	Bael does a finisher that launches the target into the air
8B	8B	147	Bounces target upon final hit
4/6B	4/6BBB	173
	4/6B(B)~8B	223~246	Same melee derivative as 5B~8B
	4/6B(B)~2B	121~167	Same melee derivative as 5B~2B
2B	2B	90	Pyonkaku
CC8B	CC8BBB	167	First stage of attack (Bael with its leg raised) is a melee counter
CC8B	CC8B	85	Occurs only when counter is successful
BC	BC	207	Bael impales the target and drags it forward. High damage and cut-resistant
	BC~8B	133~195	Bael drags the target upwards before finishing off with a single strike. Adds more cut resistance due to vertical movement
	BC~2B	185~236	Bael impales the target with one of the Bael swords before kicking away from the resulting explosion

Cancel Routes:

CSA~B, various melee: AB, AC, ABC

AB: AC, 5B, 8B, 4/6B, BC

AC: AB, 5B, 8B, 4/6B, BC

Various melee (excluding final hit and BC): BC

Overview

The Gundam Bael makes its debut as a 3000 cost MS from Iron-Blooded Orphans. Featuring nothing more than its twin Bael swords and its built-in electromagnetic guns, the Gundam Bael specializes in close-ranged melee combat.

The Gundam Bael boasts excellent mobility, even amongst its peers in the 3000 cost bracket. Unlike the Epyon, God, or Master Gundams, the Gundam Bael is not a ground-running suit nor does it require Zero system activation like in Epyon’s case.

However, despite the presence of a ranged weapon, the Gundam Bael is firmly a melee-oriented suit. It primarily relies on hitting its Main and plowing through attacks with its Sub to get its melee offense started. Just through these two moves you can shut down many opposing options that typically work well in self defense, leaving opponents no options to stop you with. The resulting combos also deal incredibly high damage, even through ad-libbed freestyle combos with BC.

Like most melee-oriented suits, Bael comes with its own set of weaknesses. First off, its projectiles are all physical types that are liable to be erased. Secondly, unlike other melee suits the performance of its normal melee attacks is average, meaning that you’ll mostly be relying on your two shots of Main, Sub, and AC for landing the crucial first hit. This means that once you have exhausted these 4 chances you often have no choice but to turn tail.

By taking advantage of its high overall mobility and its very cut-resistant BC, Bael players should aim to isolate a target from its partner and then deal damage to it in relative safety.

Ability Details

Ranged Weapons

Main: Electromagnetic Gun

Gundam Bael fires off two rounds from its Electromagnetic Gun. Incurs Vernier and does 30 damage per round. Reloads on empty, and takes two whole seconds to reload.

The startup and muzzle correction are both good and the reload is fast. Each individual round also has a large hitbox and has a fast speed, and thus can be reliably counted on to hit a target. However, the actual travel distance of the rounds is shorter than Bael’s red lock distance, so keep this in mind.

The Electromagnetic Gun can be used in either offence or defence. The large hit box and fast startup makes it useful against onrushing enemies, and the long stagger makes it easy to follow up from a hit. Overall, a very useful tool with a wide variety of applications. The stagger from getting hit by this is rather lengthy, and a popular option after hitting with Main is to immediately use AC for an easy melee follow up.

This is one of Bael’s main tools. You can use on offense or on defense thanks to the very fast projectile speed and long stagger time. Compared to other melee suits, this tool allows Bael to poke enemies in the mid-range with little to no-risk. Use this move frequently.

Charged Main (~B): Bael Sword Throw ~ (Sword Withdrawal > Explosion)

Bael throws a sword at the target. Muzzle correction and tracking is rather weak; the sword pretty much flies straight. The sword throw itself can be canceled into a melee followup if it hits. Furthermore, the CSA also incurs vernier and the projectile itself travels slower than Bael’s Main. While the range is longer than Main, it still does not reach the red lock limit.

Unfortunately, because the CSA has a charge time that is barely shorter than the Main’s reload time, it is perfectly reasonable to forego this entirely in favor of Bael’s Main.

When cancelled into its B derivative, Bael moves forward and extracts the sword, resulting in an explosion. While the damage proration is low, the resulting explosion has a high down value. While CSA by itself is mediocre, the melee derivative can be used to down an enemy quickly mid-combo or incorporated into a melee combo that starts in Overheat.

Melee Set

This is where the fun starts. Bael has plenty of options to bring the pain to your enemies and has plenty of cut-resistant options to ensure your melee combos don’t get interrupted. However, players wanting to use Bael to its full potential will have to pay careful attention to its tools (especially AB and AC) and Bael’s cooldown and reload timings.

Sub: Bael Sword Rush

6 seconds reload time. Bael crosses its swords and charges forward. While the distance covered is fairly short, the Bael has superarmor during the entire duration. Furthermore Bael can cancel into any melee upon hit and needs to deal only one tick of damage to cancel to a full melee combo. Unsurprisingly, this is a very imposing tool that has applications in both offence and defence. Simply having this tool on standby lets Bael exert a lot of pressure without doing anything.

Caution must still be taken when using this tool. Despite its great unga potential, savvy opponents can take advantage of the short distance covered and focus on simply boosting backwards. However, due to its fast startup it is possible to simply brute force your way through enemies at close range and punish them, especially if they’re caught unawares. Enemies going in for a melee would also have to think twice lest they be caught off guard by a sudden melee with Bael’s Sub.

Like most superarmor moves, Bael will still take full damage during the animation, so avoid using this when you’re already dying. The Sub can also be easily stopped with a well-placed shot with Forced Down properties.

Special Shooting: Sword Thrust

6.5 seconds to reload. Bael charges at the enemy at high speed while swerving in a zig-zag pattern, before piercing through with a sharp thrust of its sword. The actual thrusting stage occurs at a fixed distance from your target, so you don’t have to worry about whiffing this attack at close range. However, when used in green lock, the suit covers a maximum distance of about one boost dash, so it’s not recommended to use this in Overheat or as an escape tool in green lock.

The swerving occurs for a maximum of twelve cycles after which Bael will begin the sword thrust, regardless of distance from the target. The speed of the zigzag movement also increases with each cycle up till the seventh. The zigzag motion does offer some cut resistance, though experienced players will usually wait out until the sword thrust portion begins before firing a shot for better odds of hitting.

Upon hit, the target is launched into the air, allowing for follow up. While this move can be canceled into any melee move,the input timing takes some getting used to as it will not accept an input immediately after the AC connects. Similarly, because the pierce through results in Bael being a certain distance from the target, taking too much time to input the next melee input will cause you to whiff the followup instead. Lastly, the AC can also be cancelled from any melee attack, though this is not often used.

A strong tool overall, this tool allows the Bael to quickly close in on targets caught unawares. Furthermore, if used at close range, the disorienting nature of the zigzag movement and the fast startup makes this difficult to counter. In contrast, when used at long range, the zigzag movement gives your target plenty of time to counterattack. Thus, it’s far more favorable to use this at close range than at long-range. However, provided you did not not delay your input, a followup with AC following a hit with Bael’s Main is very very likely to connect.

BC: Sword Pierce and Drag

Bael stabs the target with its sword before dragging it away, releasing it and then slashing it. While the reach of BC is fairly short, it can be canceled from most melee moves and can be canceled into the 8B and 2B derivatives anytime during the blade drag animation. While visually similar to Wing Zero TV’s 8B, it has no OTG properties.

Excellent damage source for Bael, with high cut resistance overall. However, damage proration during the final part of the sword drag (when Bael releases the target prior to the cross-slash) is high and if you extend the sword drag too long, your overall damage output will drop. Thus, it’s okay to cancel a little earlier if you’re not confident of getting the timing right. Even if your target does a Burst Reversal during the grab, the Bael will still “freefall” while retaining the inertia of the sword drag.

BC~8B: Sword Pierce and Drag (Vertical)

Melee derivative that drags the target upwards. Since Bael drags the target upwards quickly, this greatly increases Bael’s cut resistance. Overall damage is good, but just like the default BC, the damage proration during the final part of the sword drag is high.

While undoubtedly a good tool to isolate your target, be careful not to overheat and leave yourself wide open during your lengthy landing. In short, use this option if you want to further isolate the target and add more cut resistance.

BC~2B: Sword Pierce and Explosion

Melee derivative that has Bael stabbing the target before kicking itself away from the resulting explosion. The explosion is a multi-stage hit, and results in a Forced Down. The explosion is guaranteed to happen once Bael stabs the target, you do not have to finish the kick-off animation for it to happen. The explosion itself has a hitbox, so it’s possible to hit more than one target (and yourself) with it.

While the damage dealt is high, it leaves Bael stationary during the animation, so take care not to get hit while using it. It’s a quick combo finish, but the BC~8B loop does more damage if you have the boost for it.

5B: Bael Sword Combo

Four inputs for a five-hit combo. Startup and priority is average and the animation is fairly long. Recommended to use this in a combo rather than as a starter. Can be cancelled to the 8B and 2B derivatives or BC.

4/6B: Sword Combo > Kick

While the reach of this combo is unsuitable against other melee 3000 suits, this is still an excellent move to close in against anything else. Shares the same derivatives as the 5B melee set and can be cancelled into BC.

5B,4/6B ~ 8B: Bael Sword Flurry

Bael does a series of rapid slashes while moving forward. Despite the movement, it offers little cut resistance though it can be cancelled into BC. Damage from this derivative after hitting twice with Main is good, so consider using this option after hitting with Main if AC is not immediately available

5B,4/6B ~ 2B: Launching Slash

Bael performs a slash finisher that launches the target high into the air. Because the target takes significant time to land back down, this is a great tool for stalling your target and pushing for a 2v1 situation against his partner instead.

8B: Jab > Downward Slash

Bael does a jab with the sword before bouncing the enemy with a downward slash.

2B: Somersaulting Thrust

Pyonkaku. Bael does a flip before descending into a sword thrust. Bounces target upon hit. Both the ascending and descending distance is fairly short, so be careful when you are using this for landings as using it while you are too high will result in Bael simply stopping in midair.

This forms one of the key options for Bael’s movement and has a variety of uses. You can use it to coverlanding, Zusakyans, shaking off a double lock, melee approaches and more, so use this frequently. If you somehow do hit with this attack, the alpha damage is rather high and you can easily get good returns from this attack.

CC8B: Vaulting Kick > Slash

Bael vaults to the air before landing a kick followed by a series of sword slashes.The first stage of this move (leg raised in the air) actually has melee counter properties.

On a successful counter, Bael attacks from the target’s back. Has a short reach unlike regular CC8B attacks due to the extra melee counter property. Additionally due to the short counter active frames, you might not be able to counter uppercut melee attacks and side whips, making it somewhat unreliable.

However, this is not a move to be written off as the vaulting animation lets the Bael jump over projectiles while closing in.

Burst Attack

Soul of Agnika Kaieru

Gundam Bael stuns the target via a slash-through, does a cool pose before the target explodes behind him. Works similarly to Susanoo’s Burst attack. The Burst Attack is cancellable from any melee, but will move towards the target currently locked-on, so no off-camera shenanigans!

Like most Burst Attacks, the startup has superarmor. The Burst Attack also has long reach though it has no cut resistance once it connects. However, the stun duration is long enough that even if you do get hit by a stray beam rifle shot, you can still melee the target. If the enemy is shot down by the slashing motion itself, the 2nd stage’s animation will be cancelled and Bael will resume flight as per normal

Recommended Combos

Numbers in the notation following the ‘B’ represent the number of hits of each attack (e.g. BC9 means 9 hits of the BC attack).

Ranged Weapons
Input	DMG	Notes
A>>BC9~8B8>BC9>BC10~CSA~B	282
A>>(BC9~8B8)*2>BC~B	275	Easier version than the above for just a smidge less damage.
A>>AC~BC9~8B8~CSA~B	249	BnB off A starter.
A>>AC~BC~B	238	BnB #2. Less damage but much easier and faster. Better option during Burst for the shorter combo time, resulting in a higher DPS.
A>>A>>AC~BC	178	Freefall on the BC hit.
Melee
AB~5BBB~8B	236	No boost required
AB~(BC9~8B8)*2>BC~B	268	BnB from AB starter.
5BBBB>BC~B	306	Easy, high damage
5BBBB~BC10~CSA~B	315
5BBB~8B4~AB1~5BBB~8BB	303	Use AB in place of a sidestep.
4/6B~(BC9~8B8)*2>BC~B	280
4/6BBB>BC10~CSA~B	268
2B>5BBBB~CSA	286
2B~AC~BC~B	272
AC~(BC9~8B8)*2>BC~B	319	BnB. Easiest 319 damage you’ll ever do.
AC~5BBB~8BB	293	No boost necessary.
AC~5BBBB~CSA	291	Fast combo that ends with a stun. Highly recommended for down value reset shenanigans, especially during Burst
BC~5B>BC~B	266
(BC9~8B8)*3>BC~B	324
During Burst
A~(BC9)*5>8B~(change target)ABC	333	It’s advisable not to use BC~8B (the up drag) during Burst, as far as possible. This is because it eats up a lot of your Burst time flying high, and landing. The aim of this combo is to switch targets and aim for your target’s teammate with your Burst Attack, therefore only stunning the original target without executing the resulting explosion. This results in your target being stunned for a long time, allowing for down value resetting.
5BBBB~5B~8B4>5B~8B4>ABC	355	Bael’s absolute highest damage. Not substantially higher than the standard AC starter combo, which does 351 in Burst.

Strategies

Key tools for Bael are its Main and Sub.
Bael’s Main has excellent muzzle correction, fast projectile velocity, and a large hitbox and incurs a lengthy stagger. While the range is short compared to Beam Rifles etc., it still gives Bael significantly more reach than other melee-oriented suits and any hit with the Main can easily be followed up with a melee attack or with AC. Think of Bael’s Main as a starter for his melee combos rather than a ranged tool by itself.
The Sub’s extremely fast startup and superarmor makes it effective in both offence and defence. Mixing Sub into your approach lets you brute force your way through. Similarly, opponents trying to close in for a melee will need to think twice lest they be countered quickly by Bael’s Sub.
Because Bael’s tools are rather potent, you’ll be sure to get double locked most of the time. Mix up your approach with his 2b and keep yourself slippery.
Don’t force yourself to get a hit in. It’s perfectly fine to simply float around and collect locks while your partner gets to pick his shots unhindered.
If you do get a hit in, a safe option would be to cancel into BC straightaway and continue your melee from a safe distance. Once you’re more familiar, you can try experimenting with various other melee combos.
F Burst is recommended for Bael. The passive buffs are greatly welcomed and gives a significant speed boost to AC or movement in general. Since F burst lets Bael cancel immediately from Main, CSA and AC, it also expands the options Bael can use to go in.
While picking E Burst lets you do a Burst Reversal, the passive buffs are rather mediocre compared to F Burst.
S Burst significantly reduces the cooldowns for Bael’s tools (0.5 seconds for Main, 0.4 CSA charge time, 1 second for Sub, 1.2 seconds for AC). While not actually a meme pick, the buffs are not as great as F Burst.
Bael does best with 2500 cost partners. Partners that can match Bael’s performance and take full advantage of Bael’s lock collecting force opponents into a “damned if we do, damned if we don’t situation- if they double lock Bael his teammate will kill them, if they split up and take their eyes off Bael they’ll get their teeth kicked in.
Good partners range from those that can attack together with Bael like Arche and Lupus, to those that can provide an orthodox backline support like Cherudim, Excellia, and Darkhound.
2000 cost partners are also a good choice. Same concept applies, but trading performance for lighter overcost penalties. Exia, Dynames, Build Strike, and Barbatos make good partners.
Worse than a 3000 cost partner is a 1500 cost partner. Avoid this setup if at all possible.