With the console version of Arc System Works’ Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- now available across the world, it’s time for the arcade version to see some updates.
The next patch, which bumps the title up to ver.1.1, brings console characters Sin Kiske, Elphelt Valentine, and Leo Whitefang to game centers along with balance changes for the entire cast and some slight system tweaks. This new version will be in location testing at select locations in Japan starting this Thursday and running through the weekend.
Below is excerpt of changes that will be applied for the upcoming location test. Take note the listing is not a full log of changes and that, as part of an early showing, the changes are tentative. Take a look and let us know what you think in the comments below.
General Changes
| Sin Kiske, Elphelt Valentine, and Leo Whitefang are now playable. |
| All characters have undergone battle balance tuning. See below for more details. |
| Buffer reception time for button inputs, forward dash inputs, etc. has been extended. |
| Inputs for certain command moves such as Special Moves and Overdrive Attacks have been made easier. |
| When repelling a projectile with Blitz Shield, the opposing character itself is pushed back if close. |
| Time it takes for Purple Roman Cancels to activate has been shortened. |
| When activating a Roman Cancel during the opponent’s Blue Psych Burst, the Roman Cancel is now red. |
| Behavior when activating neutral recovery at a low position changed. |

Sol Badguy
| Move Name |
Changes |
| Jump D |
Untechable time on counter-hit increased. |
| Gun Flame |
Yellow Roman Cancel reception window slightly shortened. |
| Kudakero |
Hurtbox before descent expanded |
| More difficult to be pushed back when blocked during the descent. |
| Initial hit damage proration 85 added. |
| Riot Stomp |
Damage increased from 10·30 to 30·50. |
| Initial hit damage proration 75 added. |
| Grand Viper |
Easier to increase number of hits with additional inputs. |
| Fafnir |
Attack Level lowered from 4 to 3, now +2F on block. |
| Slide time on counter-hit reduced. |

Ky Kiske
| Move Name |
Changes |
| Ground Stun Edge |
Initial hit damage proration 90 added |
| Yellow Roman Cancel reception window extended. |
| Stun Dipper |
Initial hit damage proration 90 added. |
| Split Ciel |
Attack level increased from 2 to 4. |
| Sacred Edge |
Start-up changed from 5+3F to 4+3F. |
| When activating a Roman Cancel immediately after start-up, the projectile now comes out |
| No longer reflected by moves like Zato’s Drunkard Shade. |

May
| Move Name |
Changes |
| Mr. Dolphin – Vertical (HS) |
Attack Level increased from 3 to 4. |
| Overhead Kiss |
Command changed to “Near opponent 623+K”. |
| Applause for the Victim |
Input priority for each button changed. |
Remains in standby state even when releasing the button immediately after command input.
After placement is complete, releasing the corresponding button launches. |
| Attack start-up reduced from 13F to 10F. |
| Can now Hop on Dolphin before attack-start-up. |
| Hop on Dolphin |
Attack damage uniformly set at 50. |
| Now easier to cancel into air dash after hitting the opponent. |

Millia Rage
| Move Name |
Changes |
| 6+K |
Attack Level lowered from 4 to 2. |
| Dead Angle Attack |
Motion changed, now knocks back horizontally on hit. |
| Digitalis |
Untechable time on counter-hit increased. |
| Recovery increased from 23F to 26F. |
| Initial hit damage proration changed from 80 to 75. |
| Winger |
Knock back on hit changed from wall bound to sliding down. |
| Forced damage proration on hit removed, initial hit damage proration 90 added, final hit’s R.I.S.C. Level decrease 15 added. |

Zato-1
| Move Name |
Changes |
| Shadow Puddle |
Is now removed by an opponent’s attack. |
| Shadow Puddle Eddie Summon |
When summoning Eddie from Shadow Puggle, a small amount of Eddie Gauge is consumed. |
| Dead Man’s Hand |
Command changed to 214+D. |
| Proration application timing changed, actual damage increased. |
| When a large amount of Eddie Gauge remains, attack damage slightly increased. |
| Untechable time increased. |
| Break the Law |
Yellow Roman Cancel reception window shortened. |
| Great White |
Knocks back less on hit. |
| Force damage proration on hit 80 added. |
| Eddie Gauge |
Eddie Gauge recovery speed from a destroyed state decreased. |
| Eddie Gauge no longer recoveries during the certain cinematics such as Overdrive Attacks. |

Potemkin
| Move Name |
Changes |
| Stand P |
Attack Level increased from 0 to 1. |
| Hammer Fall |
Hitbox expanded forward. |
| Trishula |
When activating Yellow Roman Cancel immediately before start-up, the projectile now releases. |
| Opponent floats lower on hit. |
| Untechable time on normal hit reduced. |
| Untechable time on counter-hit increased. |
| Homing Dash |
Homing Dash added. |

Chipp Zanuff
| Move Name |
Changes |
| Crouch S |
Now causes stagger on counter-hit. |
| Tsuyoshi-shiki Meisei |
Visual changed. |
| Tsuyoshi-shiki Ten’i (HS) |
Total recovery reduced from 26F to 20F, making it the same as the S version. |
| Appearance position slightly raised. |
| Shinkirou |
Now knocks backs the opponent on counter-hit. |
| Zansei Rouga |
Opponent’s behavior as the move connects changed. |
| Final hit damage increased from 110 to 150. |

Faust
| Move Name |
Changes |
| Far Stand S |
Hurtbox before and after start-up expanded forward. |
| Attack damage reduced from 38 to 34. |
| Jump 2+K |
Can now be done from a low height. |
| Hack n’ Slash |
From the second hit onwards, can now be guarded with ground block or air Faultless Defense. |
| Backward (from Spear Point Centripetal Dance) |
Untechable time increased. |
| Float of the opponent on hit changed. |
| Attack damage reduced from 40 to 24. |
| Grounded Hit-stun |
Hurtbox during certain hit-stun motions expanded. |

Axl Low
| Move Name |
Changes |
| Stand P |
Hitbox expanded. |
| Sickle Flash |
Untechable time increased, now downs. |
| When activating Yellow Roman Cancel immediately before start-up, the projectile still releases. |
| Initial hit damage proration added. |
| Follow-up input reception window is now earlier. |
| Artemis Hunter |
Input priority is now higher than Sickle Flash. |
| Hit-stop increased. |
| Heaven Can Wait |
Both the high and low version can now be Yellow Roman Cancelled as the attack starts. |
| Sparrowhawk Stance – High |
Hitbox expanded. |
| Sparrowhawk Stance – Mid |
Hitbox expanded downward. |
| Before attack start-up the hurtbox extends, and remains after the attack. |
| Sparrowhawk Stance – Low |
Hitbox and hurtbox lowered, hurtbox extends before attack start-up. |
| Initial hit damage proration added. |

Venom
| Move Name |
Changes |
| Ball Set |
When holding a different attack button as the ball is being created, the corresponding ball is now set. |
| P Ball Set’s P Ball position slightly lowered. |
| Top Spin, Back Spin |
When hitting a set ball with Stinger Aim or Carcass Raid, the ball’s level is strengthened. |
| Qv |
Knock back on hit weakened. |
| Attack Level now rises when held. |
| Dark Angel |
6 hits added to total number of hits. |
| Bishop Runout |
Can now be hit again earlier. |
| Effect time decreased. |

Slayer
| Move Name |
Changes |
| 6+P |
Horizontal knock back on counter-hit increased, easier to bound. |
| Now wall bounds even at middle of the stage. |
| Bloodsucking Universe |
Attack damage increased from 72 to 90. |
| Advantage on hit decreased. |
| Distance after hit increased. |
| Dandy Step (P) → Pilebunker |
Rush distance increased. |
| Counter-hit behavior changed to wall bound. |
| Attack damage reduced from 80 to 70. |
| Takes counter-hit damage during recovery. |
| Dandy Step (K) → Pilebunker |
Now causes wall stick on normal hit. |
| Forced damage proration on hit 70 added. |
| R.I.S.C. Level decreased changed from 6 to 10. |
| Takes counter-hit damage during recovery. |
| Dead on Time |
Hit-stop added. |
| Stun damage increased from 0 to 70. |
| Rush distance increased. |
| Recovery after the rush increased from 31F to 39F. |
| Air Tech |
Fixed bug that caused Slayer’s invincibility time when teching to be shorter than other characters. |

I-No
| Move Name |
Changes |
| Far Stand S |
Active time increased from 5F to 7F. |
| Now causes stagger on counter-hit. |
| Stroke the Big Tree |
Knock back on hit changed. |
| Now causes wall stick in the corner. |
| Initial hit damage proration 90 added. |
| Sultry Performance (HS) |
Now rebounds after full hit. |
| Charge time of maximum charge reduced. |
| Sterilization Method |
Active time increased. |
| Invincibility above the knee added. |
| Takes counter-hit damage during recovery. |

Bedman
| Move Name |
Changes |
| Crouch HS |
Now jump cancellable. |
| Knocks the opponent in front of Bedman on hit. |
| Initial hit damage proration 90 added to 2 and 3 directional input versions |
| 6+HS |
Start-up increased from 21F to 33F |
| Throw invincibility added to the latter half of the move. |
| Now causes stagger on counter-hit. |
| Hemi Jack |
Total recovery reduced from 83F to 68F. |
| Projectile portion’s opponent chase speed increased. |
| Hit-stun when receiving an attack during the projectile portion increased. |
| Forward Dash |
Total recovery reduced from 44F to 39F. |
| Counter start-up timing changed from 4F to 3F. |
| Recovery on a successful counter reduced, appearance position now farther. |
| Air Hang |
Upward movement distance from a normal attack cancel increased |
| Upward directional input reception time from normal jump revised, easier to float. |
| Homing Dash |
Can now be cancelled with any action. |

Ramlethal Valentine
| Move Name |
Changes |
| Jump 8+D |
Untechable time decreased. |
| Attack damage reduced from 50 to 40. |
| Recovery time increased from 20F to 28F. |
| Jump D |
Now causes wall bound on counter-hit in the corner. |
| Initial hit damage proration 80 added. |
| Recovery time increased from 20F to 28F. |
| Jump 2+D |
Start-up reduced from 18F to 11F. |
| Knocks the opponent downward on hit. |
| Recovery time increased from 20F to 28F. |
| Jump Deploy Giant Sword |
Jump 6+S and 6+HS total recovery increased from 29F to 35F, Jump 2+S and 2+HS total recovery increased from 26F to 37F. |
| Combination (P) K |
Forward movement distance increased. |
| Combination route to 4+K added. |
| Daruo (Glowing Version) |
Recovery increased from 15F to 16F. Input reception time decreased. |
| Input reception time decreased. |
| Glowing version now only activates when completing the motion with diagonally downward. |
| Calvados |
Start-up reduced from 12+10F to 7+7F |
| Attack damage increased from 7 to 8 per hit. |
| Recovery increased from 29F to 31F. |

Sin Kiske
| Move Name |
Changes |
| 6+P |
Now jump cancellable. |
| Recovery increased from 15F to 18F. |
| Hawk Baker |
Floats the opponent even when hitting from afar. |
| Far hit untechable timing now the same as close hit. |
| Far hit knock back distance decreased. |
| Elk Hunt |
Active time increased from 5F to 6F. |
| Recovery reduced from 12F to 11F. |
| Hitbox and hurtbox during attack start-up expanded |
| Initial hit damage proration 90 added. |
| Now floats the opponent higher on hit. |
| Beak Driver |
Landing recovery removed. |
| R·T·L |
Fixed bug that caused Sin to remain in place when repeating the follow-up inputs quickly. |

Elphelt Valentine
| Move Name |
Changes |
| Far S |
Attack level reduced from 3 to 2. |
| Pineberry |
Hurtbox added to the grenade before the explosion, bounces back when struck by the opponent. |
| When Elphelt herself receives damage, the grenade does not explode. |
| When colliding with a projectile, explodes at the point of collision. |
| Bridal Express |
Base proration added to both ground and air versions. |
| Miss Confire |
Knocks the opponent higher on counter-hit. |
| Mss Travailler |
Tension Gauge increase when reloading reduced from 200 to 100. |

Leo Whitefang
| Move Name |
Changes |
| Stand K |
Gatling route to 6+P added. |
| Graviert Wurde (S) |
Range is now unlimited. |
| Hitbox expanded downward. |
| Graviert Wurde (HS) |
Speed reduced. |
| Hitbox expanded downward. |
| Kaltes Gestöber Dritt (Follow-up) |
Throw invincibility added. |
| Brynhildr Stance → Kahn Schild |
Attack damage increased from 60 to 90. |
| Can be Yellow Roman Cancelled during start-up only. |
| Siegesparade |
Can no longer be Psych Burst on hit. |
| Advantage on hit increased from +2F to +3F. |
Source: Arc System Works, tip via 00000000