Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is Arc System Works' follow-up to the 2020 fighter, published by Cygames and released on 14 December 2023 for PC, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. The launch roster ran to 28 fighters, with Anila, Siegfried, Grimnir and Nier joining the 24 who came across from the first game. The defining change is Bravery Points, a three-point per round defensive resource that Raging Strikes, Brave Counters and Skybound Arts all pull from.
Starting Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising can feel overwhelming. This guide tells you exactly what to focus on during your first hours so you don't waste time on things that don't matter yet. For the full progression path, see our walkthrough.
What Kind of Game Is This?
Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is a action game built around Bravery Points and Guard Crush. The core loop involves mastering these systems to progress through increasingly challenging content.
What to expect: Time investment in learning mechanics, experimentation, and gradual mastery. The game rewards patience and knowledge.
Choosing Your First Role
| Role | Beginner Rating | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Gran | Excellent for beginners | Balanced approach |
| Charlotta | Excellent for beginners | Balanced approach |
| Vaseraga | Excellent for beginners | Balanced approach |
| Ferry | Excellent for beginners | Balanced approach |
| Lancelot | Excellent for beginners | Balanced approach |
Our recommendation: Start with Charlotta. It offers the most forgiving experience while teaching core mechanics.
Avoid Lancelot as your first pick. It requires deep knowledge of game systems to use effectively. Once you're ready, check our classes guide for all options.
First Session Step-by-Step
Step 1: Learn Bravery Points
Both players start every round with 3. They pay for Brave Counters and are stripped by Raging Strikes, guard crushes and Skybound Art damage. Your defence weakens as they drain, and being hit by a Raging Strike at zero leaves you defenceless for the follow-up.
This is the foundation. Spend your first 15-30 minutes getting comfortable with how Bravery Points works before worrying about anything else. Our combat guide breaks this down further.
Step 2: Head to Story Mode
Three acts, the first two carried over from the 2020 Granblue Fantasy: Versus and the third written for Rising. The JRPG systems from the original were stripped out, so progression is stage by stage rather than through a party and equipment layer.
Clear the main content here before moving on. Everything teaches fundamentals you'll need later. See our maps guide for all locations.
Step 3: Get Your First Upgrade
Look for Super Skybound Art: it's the most accessible early upgrade. The stronger version, available only with a full SBA gauge and less than 30 percent of your own health remaining. It is the game's designed comeback tool.
Step 4: Understand Guard Crush
The state a Raging Strike forces on a blocking opponent, opening them up for a punish. It is the reason blocking is not a safe default in Rising the way it was in the first game.
This is the system most new players overlook. Invest time here early. It pays off throughout the entire game.
Step 5: Push to Grand Bruise Legends
A 30-player party mode in a chibi art style, running sets of three minigames covering obstacle courses, team collectathons and survival rounds. It has nothing to do with the fighting game underneath it, which is the point.
Essential Mechanics Explained
Bravery Points
Both players start every round with 3. They pay for Brave Counters and are stripped by Raging Strikes, guard crushes and Skybound Art damage. Your defence weakens as they drain, and being hit by a Raging Strike at zero leaves you defenceless for the follow-up.
Guard Crush
The state a Raging Strike forces on a blocking opponent, opening them up for a punish. It is the reason blocking is not a safe default in Rising the way it was in the first game.
Simple and Technical inputs
Rising removed the damage and property gap between one-button Simple inputs and full motion Technical inputs. The creative director confirmed identical properties, which makes Simple a legitimate competitive choice rather than a training mode.
Rollback netcode and crossplay
Rising ships with rollback netcode and crossplay between PC, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, so the online population is pooled rather than split three ways.
Per-character Versus Rank
Your rank is tracked separately for each character, so picking up a second fighter does not put your main's rating at risk. It is the reason the roster stays experimented with rather than locked in after week one.
Common Beginner Mistakes
1. Learning Technical inputs first because you assume Simple inputs deal less damage, which Rising no longer does
This is a common trap that costs new players significant time.
2. Burning the whole SBA gauge on Ultimate Skills and having nothing left when the round comes down to one exchange
This is a common trap that costs new players significant time.
3. Attacking into an opponent below 30 percent health, straight into a Super Skybound Art
This is a common trap that costs new players significant time.
4. Spending your last Bravery Point on offence and then having no Brave Counter when the pressure comes back
This is a common trap that costs new players significant time.
5. Blocking as a default plan, which Raging Strike and guard crush exist specifically to punish
This is a common trap that costs new players significant time.
First 5 Hours Checklist
- Understand Bravery Points and Guard Crush
- Choose Charlotta as starting role
- Clear Story Mode main content
- Acquire Super Skybound Art or equivalent upgrade
- Reach Grand Bruise Legends
- Watch the opponent's Bravery Point count, not just their health. Both players start each round with 3, and an opponent at zero cannot Brave Counter, which turns your safest pressure sequence into a genuinely free one.
- Simple inputs deal the same damage and carry the same properties as Technical inputs in Rising, which was not true in the 2020 game. If motion inputs are the thing keeping you from playing, use Simple and spend that practice time on spacing instead.
Tips for New Players
- Watch the opponent's Bravery Point count, not just their health. Both players start each round with 3, and an opponent at zero cannot Brave Counter, which turns your safest pressure sequence into a genuinely free one.
- Simple inputs deal the same damage and carry the same properties as Technical inputs in Rising, which was not true in the 2020 game. If motion inputs are the thing keeping you from playing, use Simple and spend that practice time on spacing instead.
- An Ultimate Skill costs 50 percent of the SBA gauge. Spending two of them in a round means no Skybound Art, so decide early whether the round plan is steady conversions or one large payoff.
- Super Skybound Arts only become available below 30 percent health with a full gauge. When your opponent crosses that threshold, stop pressing buttons on their wakeup and start blocking, because the game hands them a comeback tool at exactly that moment.
- Brave Counter costs 1 Bravery Point and launches on hit while recovering quickly on block. Hold one point in reserve rather than spending everything on offence, because a defensive option you cannot afford is not an option.
- Raging Strike into Raging Chain is the intended answer to an opponent who blocks everything and never presses a button. Learn one confirmed route out of the guard crush per character rather than improvising it live.
- Training Mode already includes frame information, character breakdowns, combo practice, situational training and punish training. Use situational and punish training against the specific character beating you rather than grinding combo trials that never come up in a match.
- Ranked rating is stored per character, so a second character can be learned in ranked without risking the rating on your main. That design choice is the cheapest way to learn a matchup from the other side.
- Story Mode's first two acts are carried over from the 2020 Granblue Fantasy: Versus, and the RPG systems from that game were removed. If you played the original, act three is the only new material, and it takes an evening.
- The launch roster was 28 characters, of which Anila, Siegfried, Grimnir and Nier were new. If you played the first game, 24 of the fighters you already know are here, though Bravery Points change how their pressure sequences resolve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Simple inputs deal less damage than Technical inputs?
Not in Rising. The 2020 game penalised one-button skills, but the creative director confirmed that Simple and Technical inputs have identical damage and properties here. Simple inputs are a legitimate competitive choice.
What are Bravery Points for?
Each player starts a round with 3. They pay for Brave Counters, and they are drained by Raging Strikes, guard crushes and Skybound Art damage. Your defence weakens as they fall, and taking a Raging Strike at zero leaves you defenceless for the follow-up.
How do I deal with an opponent spamming Raging Strike?
A Raging Strike costs meter and only pays off if you are sitting in block. Brave Counter out of the guard crush at a cost of 1 Bravery Point, or contest the approach instead of blocking. An opponent who leans on it will run their own gauge dry.
Do I need to have played the first Granblue Fantasy: Versus?
No. Story Mode's first two acts recap the original's plot, and 24 of the 28 launch fighters came across from it. Rising also removed the RPG progression layer the first game used, so nothing carries over mechanically.
Is there crossplay and rollback netcode?
Yes to both. Rising supports rollback netcode and crossplay between PC, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, and Versus Rank is tracked separately for each character you play.
More Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Guides
- Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Overview
- Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Best Builds
- Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Tier List
- Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Walkthrough
- Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Tips & Tricks
- Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Weapons Guide
- Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Combat Guide
- Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Boss Guide
- Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Maps & Locations
- Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Crafting Guide
- Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Classes & Characters
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