Garland is a defensive close / mid-range character who is defined by good whiff punish ability, combo game, EX meter economy and crushingly good bravery damage output.
On the ground, Garland can take advantage of higher priorities, gap closers and mixups. With the character-defining Deathblow bravery, Garland can reliably generate assist meter on whiff, anti-air opponents and combo into Twist Drill for a considerable amount of damage and EX meter.
In the air, Garland can utilise attacks with well defined tracking through a variety of braveries. Twist Drill anti-airs and pokes through projectiles, Chain Cast covers his air dodges and enables dodge cancel combos and the infamous Bardiche crushes anyone caught below the mighty axe.
He boasts above average attack and defense stat, but his attributes are a bit lacking elsewhere. Movement speed is below average, air dodges are floaty, post-dodge defensive options are risky, he lacks independent HP links and air dodge punish attempts have considerable limitations. Not to mention, his braveries have well defined ranges that can hinder his approaches at times.
However, one aspect where Garland is a cut above the rest is in the usage of EX meter. Not only can Garland acquire a full EX meter efficiently through combos, his EX Burst is one of the more damaging bursts in the game. But what he is really infamous for, is his EX Revenge damage output. Being able to combo into a high damaging Bardiche five times is enough to secure a bravery break against any character at their base bravery. This creates a dangerous dynamic with Garland where he can end matches early with a full EX bar if the opponent is below half health. If the player was able to amass a couple bravery breaks before using EX Revenge, Garland can practically kill any character from full health.
Historically Garland has been considered a low tier character. However, his representation in competitive play in recent years present a case for a mid tier or even high tier position. Garland is not without faults, nor is he the easiest character to succeed with. He is decent at exploiting the opponent's flaws with proper positioning, but if he is forced to try and create a mistake, he can fall apart completely against opponents with proper knowledge, positioning and reactions. Garland's long-term gameplan is strong, but it always requires landing hits with resources to later back him up.
With consistent grounded defensive play, he can overpower many conventionally strong characters who have to engage with him first.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Whiff punishment
Bravery damage
EX meter economy - Generates meter efficiently through combos and can kill earlier with EX Revenge than any other character
Disjoints great at poking through projectiles and walls
Good ground-to-ground presence, except against area denial melee HPs
Bad movement
Post-dodge vulnerability
Limited aerial dodge punish capability
EX meter gameplan hurt by poor neutral HPs and assist punish vulnerability
[Close] Broad sword sweep. Change combo with input timing.
Unlocked at level 1
Mastered at 100 AP
Round Edge (Short)Round Edge (Long).
Three sword swipes with a chase or a wall rush ender. Press circle before the third swipe for a wall rush ender or press circle after it for a chase ender. Garland's movement can be controlled freely during the first two swipes, but it does not make it safe to use.
Round Edge isn't very safe or effective as a neutral tool. Its start-up can be reacted to with practice, it doesn't have high coverage against defensive options and it takes well over a second to cancel it into a dodge. This is not ideal, considering Garland's limited post-dodge defensive options. However, Round Edge can link into Garland's Deathblow with precise timing for a much more rewarding combo. This means Round Edge may be best used in punishes, but it can also work as a surprise attack once in a while.
The first two hits' vertical range is quite bad. They do hit behind Garland, so if the opponent blocks early at mid-range, Garland can try to move around and hit them. The higher priorities apply to Round Edge when it has not been cancelled into a wall rush ender. Since movement is halted by the third hit, it can be challenging to enforce its high priority against moving opponents.
Round Edge has potential as a punisher, but it is generally outclassed by Deathblow and Lance Charge in that area. Its long animation and arguably diminishing returns for disproportional risk compared to other ground moves make Round Edge difficult to justify for the third slot bravery.
When locked off, Garland can move in any direction on the ground with Round Edge.
[Mid] High-speed sword thrust. Vertically limited, good range.
Unlocked at level 8
Mastered at 100 AP
A mid priority gap closer and a whiff punisher that goes in a straight line. Staggers block and can be followed up with a built-in Bardiche if it staggered the opponent. Lance Charge works well as a deterrent for blocking Garland's other ground braveries. And because it travels quickly, it can punish landing lag as well. Its range extends slightly past the visual.
Lance Charge's damage is complemented by Kuja / Sephiroth assist combos and subsequent Bardiche fillers. If it staggers a blocking opponent, the wall rush hit can also get a critical hit.
Lance Charge can be a difficult move to punish on its own due to its short recovery and mid priority. Top speed assists, higher priority attacks and blocks can counter it directly. Lance Charge also doesn't catch fast sideway and upward movement well. Using this move also leaves Garland airborne, so whiffing can put Garland in a worse defensive position.
If Garland staggers an opponent with a blodge, Garland can use Lance Charge to retaliate after blodging backwards or sideways.
Lance Charge is a staple in Garland's kit and is one of the best ground-to-ground bravery attacks in the game. It can contest low priority whiffs, punish most ground dodges and serves mixup to his Deathblow pokes.
[Mid] Swift upwards sword swipe. Low accuracy, quick strike.
Unlocked at level 1
Mastered at 100 AP
One of Garland's strongest bravery attacks. Very fast start-up, low recovery, long activehitbox, combo starter, great tracking and anti-air capability in close range. The low natural recovery is Deathblow's highlight, because it is one of the few braveries in the game that do not have to be dodge cancelled for safety.
Garland can use Deathblow to poke reliably for assist gauge, and capitalize on opponent's mistakes. The long active frames means approaching Garland head-on can be difficult. On hit he can jump and combo into Twist Drill for more meter and lots of bravery damage with assist.
Deathblow is a must-have for many close-range match-ups where Garland can fight on the ground. When used well, this is a move that ties Garland's defensive gameplay together.Highbringer (Low)
[Mid] Swing sword upwards. Change combo with input timing.
Unlocked at level 32
Mastered at 100 AP
Highbringer (High). Garland follows up with built-in wall rush combo.
An uppercut with two built-in follow-up attacks. Tap the button twice for a chase ender and 90 EX or hold the button to become airborne and then tap it again for wall rush attack.
Highbringer functions as a poke, post-block punisher and an assist combo starter. The first slash shares its animation with Deathblow. Even though it has similar speed, hitbox and anti-air capability with Deathblow, Highbringer's recovery is much longer. If Garland remains on the ground, Highbringer's startup is also slower. Telling the two moves apart is not very practical though, so Garland can get away with whiffing this move occasionally.
The high version can be used as an anti-air, but missing it leaves Garland airborne, where he has to defend against dodge punishes.
Dodge cancel makes both low and high versions' recovery much shorter. Highbringer's (High) first hit can also be dodge cancelled early on hit. However, if Highbringer's (Low) first hit connects, the dodge cancel cannot be done as quickly.
Highbringer is riskier to whiff compared to Deathblow, but it is still one of the safer moves to whiff. It's a practical assist combo starter thanks to its hit stun and follow-ups, though the reward on hit is weaker on average. Walls make all Kuja assist combos much easier and more damaging.
When learning the game, Highbringer can be easier to use for assist combos compared to Deathblow, but it is ultimately outclassed at higher levels of play.
[Long] Call down lightning strikes that home in on opponent.
Unlocked at level 19
Mastered at 100 AP
Venerable strength in the form of three lightning bolts. The bolts spawn on the opponent, bypassing obstacles or lingering projectiles in front of the opponent. It is commonly used for interrupting opponents.
Thundaga has enough hit stun for all three bolts to combo into most of Garland's attacks, including Flare and air BRV assists, but the opponent must be against the wall for it to work. The upward knockback's direction is also based on the player's camera. Using Thundaga as a combo starter is not usually practical,
Thundaga is good at interrupting opponents from a distance, but it does not represent a big threat consistently. Garland is vulnerable during this move, but its recovery is quite low for an attack of its kind, which can make it tricky to whiff punish with slower assists. It is not chosen often due to its low damage, situational conversions and lack of EX generation.
[Mid] Swipe with twin blades. Approaches foe; limited height.
Unlocked at level 1
Mastered at 100 AP
Garland's primary aerial bravery that advances forward. It's fast, but not fast enough to be always unreactable, though the start-up is tricky to see. Given how Garland's other braveries are telegraphed by their effective range, Twin Swords is similarly linear in application; Twin Swords' main strength lies in having some tracking in all directions, which makes it a consistent counter attack after blocking.
Despite that, Twin Swords' range is average and the homing period is brief. The animation is also rather long. This means it can be dangerous to whiff Twin Swords, and the need for wall rushes skews the risk/reward ratio against Garland. In small stages with low ceilings, Twin Swords can represent a threat more consistently in air-to-air situations. It is not a staple in Garland's aerial kit, but it's not entirely without merit either. Generally speaking it can be difficult to justify over Bardiche, Twist Drill and Chain Cast which provide more utility and reward on hit overall.
[Mid] Swing chain. Low accuracy, but effective against any height.
Unlocked at level 1
Mastered at 100 AP
Garland positions himself above in relation to the opponent for two vertical attacks. Air combo starter, air-to-ground whiff punisher and Garland's primary post-dodge defensive option in the air. It is not invincible, but the movement can help him evade slower dodge punish attempts. On hit, Garland can dodge cancel and combo into Twist Drill for a total of 180 EX (almost 20 % of an EX bar) or Bardiche / Twin Swords at the wall. Chain Cast's consistent damage output, meter generation and applications in the neutral make it an appealing choice for a third bravery slot along with Bardiche and Twist Drill.
Chain Cast has enough hit stun to make empty chase attempts safer on average, although it is not entirely safe to use in all instances. It can also hit behind the opponent's block, though exact conditions are unclear. Being significantly below or above the opponent helps, though.
The hitbox has some oddities. It has gaps and possibly slight deadzones between the chain itself and the tip. Before reaching proper down-forward hitbox there may be a gap just below level height. It could have a small deadzone right in front of Garland as well. This requires further research.
[Dive] Mighty axe swing. Great for attacking from above.
Unlocked at level 4
Mastered at 100 AP
Garland's iconic crushing swing. A staple in Garland's kit due to its speed, average whiff recovery and infamous damage output. It can be used to build assist gauge on whiff and punish long recovery attacks below Garland. Bardiche is primarily run for its reward on hit, namely with ground wall rush assist combos and EX Revenge. The high base damage makes Garland one of the best users of wall rush bravery enhancements (primarily Booster).
Outside of combos, Bardiche's reward is lacking with no EX, short assist confirm window and no automatic Sneak Attack activations. Its other applications in the neutral are also weak due to it exclusively tracking downwards, having a small hitbox and flawed mixup options to support it. It is a loud, telegraphed and relatively slow to start low priority move on a character whose other downward attacks are all slower than 40 frames.
Despite these flaws, Bardiche is commonly used because the damage output is high enough to outweigh the cons.
[Rise] Upwards lunge with sword. Great for attacking from below.
Unlocked at level 28
Mastered at 100 AP
Fast anti-air attack with good combo potential, damage and EX output. Twist Drill primarily tracks opponents above Garland, and it is used as a whiff punisher or an occasional aerial poke. It has good range and can be combo'd into from Deathblow for 180 EX.
Twist Drill has lots of hitstun. It is one of the few moves in the game that provide a safe empty chase anywhere. This is great for both assist combos and taking EX force reliably. A late dodge cancel window and empty chase are both viable starters for Garland's commonly used assists. While Garland is safe after an empty chase, he can still lose to command blocks if he attempts to push his advantage immediately. Challenging recovery attack pokes depends on the matchup and stage positioning as well; Chasing at a corner can leave Garland closer to the opponent than usual.
Twist Drill's whiff recovery is long enough for it to be punishable on reaction. It has a blind spot above Garland's head, and it's only effective at dodge punishing from below. If the opponent has a good read on Garland, they can even use an air BRV assist to shut down Twist Drill.
Even so, Twist Drill is a staple in Garland's air combat. The disjointedhitbox allows him to poke through projectiles and traps, such as Ultimecia charged Knight's Lance. The first part can be dodge cancelled early enough to contest The Emperor's Dreary Cells, and the startup speed can be difficult to react to without practice.
Twist Drill can also hit behind the opponent's block at the right distance and angle below the opponent.
[Long] Call down lightning strikes that home in on opponent.
Unlocked at level 25
Mastered at 100 AP
Same as the ground version, except it can be done anywhere in the air. A valid option against mages and characters with poor mobility, it's main application is still interrupting opponents.
[Close] Split ground with axe. Steals bravery, then takes HP.
Unlocked at level 1
Mastered at 130 AP
Earthquake is a decent mixup against grounded opponents trying to crack Garland's defense. It tracks well, has strong knockback and it cannot be staggered reactively with LV2 Assist Change after the first hit without avoiding Assist Lock. Earthquake has minor anti-air potential, both on the initial axe slam and the rock that deals HP damage at the end.
Because the rocks act independently after activating, Earthquake can be used to punish fairly safe approaching Melee High attacks, such as Tifa's Rolling Blaze or Squall's Revolver Drive by clashing with them.
Earthquake is one of Garland's many moves that can be used and not get cleanly punished for it. But it is also followed by some of the worse disadvantage states in the game due to poor movement, risky defensive options and lack of safe follow-ups on whiff. That's true for a lot of Garland's tools, but it's by far most evident on Earthquake.
The active duration, tracking and dodge cancel window can make punishing Earthquake on the ground difficult without mid range attacks or dodge punish tools. Earthquake is effective when used sparingly, but aerial attacks from above can still punish it. It is prone to trades, but they don't backfire on Garland as often as one might expect. This is a good, staple HP attack for Garland.
[Long] Shoot multiple fireballs that chase opponent.
Unlocked at level 16
Mastered at 130 AP
Homing fireballs that can be dodged with well placed dodge. Not commonly used on the ground when Garland has other attacks with better properties and reward on hit.
Blaze has a bad deadzone in front of Garland and each fireball can inflict meter depletion on hit. These are traits that carry over to its aerial version, which sees much more use in competitive play.
[Mid] Hurl chain sword. Vertically limited, very accurate.
Unlocked at level 36
Mastered at 130 AP
One of Garland's post-dodge defensive options on the ground. Much like Chain Cast, the swift movement helps Garland evade, rather than plain invincibility. However, it is dangerous to whiff this attack due to its lenghty animation and late cancel window.
Tsunami's strong tracking against grounded opponents works very well as a dodge punisher and as an instigator when assist meter is available. Against opponents without command blocks options, doing Tsunami and reacting with an assist can be effective, because it usually forces a dodge. It can also hit aerial opponents who are close to Garland at the time of impact.
This attack also combos into assists on hit. It is a good mixup akin to Earthquake, with stronger tracking at the expense of wall rush and worse trade interactions without assist. If Garland staggers an opponent with a blodge, he can also use Tsunami to retaliate after blodging backwards or sideways.
[Long] Shoot multiple fireballs that chase opponent.
Unlocked at level 1
Mastered at 130 AP
Blaze is commonly used as an occasional long range harassment tool along with Cyclone. While this cannot wall rush, each fireball can deplete assist / EX gauge on hit. Though the projectiles have tracking, their hitbox is not large. As they home in on the opponent, they all try to focus on a singular point of impact, reducing their overall screen presence.
Despite the projectiles' speed and relatively brief duration, it is possible to reflect one of them back at Garland. That is rarely a concern for Garland though. A more common downside to Blaze is the lack of protection around Garland once the projectiles have been fired; There is enough time to hit Garland out of Blaze after firing the projectiles, but before he can act again. Using Blaze without protection from Cyclone (or even assist) can lead to unfavorable trades with opponent's assist (Blaze hits, opponent's assist breaks Garland), or assist punishes.
Blaze is a staple for Garland, despite not having strong neutral applications. It has a low hit rate at high level play, but also low risk when used sparingly from a distance. It supports Garland at a range where he doesn't have much presence, and if his opponent struggles to deal with Cyclone, it makes Blaze that much more prominent.
If the opponent has Auto Assist Lock On equipped, and the opponent escapes an assist combo as Garland uses Blaze, the projectiles won't track to the opponent. They will disperse instead.
Two Ranged High projectiles occupy space temporarily while gradually splintering off from their starting position. Cyclone is often used as a passive defensive tool, assist combo extender or a safer combo finisher after assist. It has good reward on hit thanks to its EX generation and hit stun - It combos into assists on hit, and even Garland can follow up on his own if Cyclone hits after Garland is actionable. Cyclone plays an important role in optimizing Garland's air combos for EX, namely at the ceiling and / or after EX Revenge.
Cyclone does not protect Garland effectively from all angles. Disjointed attacks and assists such as Aerith's Seal Evil can consistently punish Garland for using this move. Advancing high priority moves such as Cloud's Braver and Squall's Rough Divide can also power through Cyclone. Because Garland cannot act again early and or take advantage of the projectiles for long, it can be difficult to establish offensive momentum with Cyclone.
However, characters without Aerith assist, projectiles, command blocks, disjointed hitbox or a relatively fast advancing Melee High attack will find Cyclone to be difficult to neutralize. In these cases, Cyclone provides a consistent defensive barrier and a disruptor for Garland.
[Mid] Strike with greatsword, causing large explosion on hit.
Unlocked at level 22
Mastered at 130 AP
Garland's primary HP attack after blocking and as an assist combo ender. It tracks the opponent well, though it's bad at turning around from a bit before Garland starts moving. The knockback is very high with good wall rush potential, which lets Garland deal more damage pretty consistently after a bravery break.
Flare's active frames are very brief and as such, it is not effective at punishing early blocks and catching aerial dodges with Evasion Boost. It also has plenty of recovery frames, which leaves Garland vulnerable to punishes for a good moment.
If Flare makes contact, Garland will transition into the second hit that deals HP damage. This is true whether the opponent escapes with LV1 Assist Change afterwards or he clashes with a lower priority melee move. It doesn't have particularly strong tracking and Garland can be hit during the animation. Cyclone and Blaze can make up for this weakness, but Flare remains a staple in Garland's arsenal regardless. It is his only aerial HP he can consistently connect after staggering an opponent with a block and it works reliably after assists.
EX Mode: Class Change!
Effects:
Regen
Critical Boost
Indomitable Resolve
Garland's EX mode is conventionally strong due to his damage output. The threat of his high damaging EX Revenge combos also complements his EX mode, which depletes the opponent's assist gauge upon activation. There aren't many unique perks here, but because Garland can fill his EX gauge effectively through combos, he can get more opportunities to close out matches with it.
Indomitable Resolve
[Active while attacking] Even while taking damage, attacks can be performed without flinching.
Rare instance of super armor in Dissidia 012. During an attack animation, Garland will not flinch from any attack that does not inflict HP damage. This can be good as a surprise attack, and it can also work in a pinch against characters with HP links (Cyclone, anyone?), but remember that EX mode does not alter Garland's attack properties; He can still be blocked.
EX Burst: Soul of Chaos
An attack terrible enough to shake the heavens. Repeatedly press circle to add strength to the attack.
Damage multiplier (initial)
Damage multiplier (rest)
Type
12, 12 (24)
4x3, 3x4, 16, 16, 5x4 (100 total)
Physical
Soul of Chaos requires filling the gauge by repeatedly pressing circle . It's not the strongest EX Burst in the game, but well above average in power thanks to Garland's high base ATK, good initial hits and bravery stacking with a full EX gauge.
Garland has a handful of solo combos, but his most practical ones start with Deathblow or Chain Cast. Both can lead to Twist Drill for plenty of damage and EX, which is great for Garland.
Staple combo. High EX and leads to damaging Kuja assist combos for even more EX. Move and jump as quickly as possible. The later Deathblow hits, the more time Garland has to combo into Twist Drill.
Staple air combo, commonly used as a punish or an assist combo ender. 180 EX is great, which Garland can get by empty chasing immediately. If Garland has assist, he can also start an assist combo by dodge cancelling, or after empty chase ends.
If opponent is far after Chain Cast, Twist Drill may not land all initial hits. This combo does not require wall, but it can be easier to do near walls and corners due to reduced knockback. Garland should remain cautious when empty chasing at a corner, because being closer to the opponent makes him a bit more vulnerable to recovery attack attempts.
When wall is not nearby, Garland can dodge cancel towards opponent more reliably by moving camera sideways after Assist Chase, and then moving with a quarter-circle motion. For example, the camera is tilted to the right so Garland faces to the left. The quarter-circle motion would then be left > left/up > up. The initial left should be held for almost a split second.
EX Revenge
Garland gets access to some of his strongest combos during EX Revenge, including the notorious Bardiche combo. With EX Revenge, Garland becomes very dangerous to interact with due to its damage potential.
Condition
Combo
Base Damage
EX
Notes
Air starter, close to opponent Full EX Gauge, near ground
Garland's EX Revenge combo is infamous for its insane damage output. It is one of, if not THE strongest EX Revenge combo in the game without assist. As long as Garland is close to the opponent, he can repeatedly use Bardiche up to five times. Each Bardiche can also wall rush, which adds even more damage near ground. This combo requires little adjustment for Garland and it should be fairly easy to execute, as long as pressing Circle repeatedly is not an issue.
This combo is the reason a full EX gauge is so beneficial for Garland. It practically guarantees a bravery break for Garland. And even if it doesn't, the wall rush still lets assists follow up. As a result, this combo can do far more damage than just the listed 165 + HP WR. 4,000 HP is practically killing range for Garland, while having more health usually means being put into Near Death state.
It is important to note, that wall rush contributes a lot to this combo's damage output. Therefore, if Garland cannot wall rush with Bardiche or especially Flare, he won't do nearly as much damage. Furthermore, if Garland needs to approach opponent from a distance, he has less time to do Bardiches. In order to ensure maximum damage, Garland should consider activating EX Revenge close to opponent, while being near ground. Garland can also consider dodging behind the opponent at the beginning to get more critical hits from Sneak Attack extra ability.
Assist
Garland has a well-rounded combo game with few competitive assists. He can start assist combos with most of his moves and any wall rush he gets. This is great for learning the character, but the combos also scale well with builds and a little bit of execution; Garland is capable of doing lots of bravery damage with Bardiche during ground assists, and Chain Cast solo combos generate lots of EX for Garland. Both are great for him, as a full EX gauge is a fantastic win condition.
Kuja does just about everything Garland would want from assist. Combos off of Garland's most important moves, great holding potential for Bardiche fillers and sets up Chain Cast combos for damage and EX.
Condition
Combo
Base Damage
EX
Notes
Poke starter Ground
Highbringer 1st hit (Low) > AST BRV > AC > Flare
70 + HP WR
48
Base Damage (Breakdown): 5 > 50 (Assist) > 15 + HP WR
Opponent Assist (Comrade's Vow): ???
EX Force (Breakdown): 18 > 30
Gap closer / Punish starter Ground
Lance Charge > WR > AST BRV > AC > Flare
92 + HP WR
60
Base Damage (Breakdown): 30 > 47 (Assist) > 15 + HP WR
Opponent Assist (Comrade's Vow): ???
EX Force (Breakdown): 30 > 30
Lance Charge can be used against blocks and for sniping landing lag, which leads to a consistent Kuja assist combo on the ground. If Lance Charge hits from afar or against a blocking opponent, it deals slightly less damage without critical hits. Call Kuja assist quickly after Garland wall rushes.
Poke / punish starter, Wall Rush Air
Bardiche > WR > AST BRV > AC > Flare
92 + HP WR
30
Base Damage (Breakdown): 30 + WR > 47 (Assist) > 15 + HP WR
Opponent Assist (Comrade's Vow): ???
EX Force (Breakdown): 0 > 30
Garland's infamous assist combo starter. Kuja's ground BRV assist is rather slow, so there is not much time to call Kuja assist after wall rush. It has to be done rather early, and reacting to it can be harder if Bardiche connects high above the ground. Once Kuja assist does connect, Garland has lots of time to prepare for Assist Chase or add more Bardiches for extra damage. This is an important combo starter for Garland, so getting used to this move will pay in dividends.
A basic, reliable assist combo that works intuitively for players not used to dodge cancel combos. Chain Cast into Twist Drill is still possible, adds another 15 base damage and 90 EX if Garland can manage it.
HP starter Ground
Tsunami > AST BRV > AC > Flare
77 + HP WR
111
Base Damage (Breakdown): 12 > 50 (Assist) > 15 + HP WR
Opponent Assist (Comrade's Vow): ???
EX Force (Breakdown): 96 > 15
Tsunami can catch ground dodges and blocks a bit easier than Earthquake, and it doesn't require a wall rush. Once Tsunami has dealt HP damage, the opponent will fly upwards a little bit. Call Kuja assist when the opponent is about to stop moving upwards.
HP starter, Wall Rush Air
Flare > WR > AST BRV > AC > Twist Drill
95 + HP WR
120
Base Damage (Breakdown): 15 + HP WR > 50 (Assist) > 30
Opponent Assist (Comrade's Vow): ???
EX Force (Breakdown): 30 > 90
Just like other wall rush starters, Garland can follow up with Kuja assist. Garland can go for another Flare after Kuja, but the reward won't be very good if base bravery doesn't fully recover. Instead, Twist Drill can help deal more bravery damage and fill EX gauge faster. This is a concept that Garland's core combos will capitalize on greatly.
indicates a "Gear" extra ability or the use of CP / Equipment glitch. The total CP cost will assume the glitch is done.
Use the CP Glitch with Thief's Gear and Bard's Gear.
Substitutes
Basic: Booster for Battle Hammer (assist depletion) or Dismay Shock (EX depletion).
A strong, versatile build. High bravery damage output, enhanced EX absorption and an initial boost for meter and bravery help Garland reach a full EX bar and a subsequent OHKO faster. Use this build as your default.
indicates a "Gear" extra ability or the use of CP / Equipment glitch. The total CP cost will assume the glitch is done.
A dedicated EX Revenge build.
Against a Tidus with 184 DEF, a critical hit Bardiche can inflict 600+ bravery damage. It is possible to accumulate 5000 bravery during EX Revenge alone. Add two more Bardiches during a Kuja assist combo into a Flare and it amounts to about 7000 HP damage total. One way to mitigate damage from this combo is by equipping the extra ability Disable Sneak Attack.
Assist
Garland's assist data.
Type
Attack
Startup
Position
Spawn
Damage multiplier
Effects
BRV
Round Edge
23F
Ground
Opponent
2 x 4, 6, 16 (30)
Wall Rush
BRV
Bardiche
23F
Air
Opponent
30
Wall Rush
HP
Tsunami
45F
Ground
Opponent
2 x 6 (12)
Chase
HP
Cyclone
51F
Air
Opponent
-
Chase
Garland works with most meta assists, but only Kuja (and to a lesser extent, Sephiroth) provides the signature damage output, consistent combo opportunities and whiff punish capabilities. Other assists have diminishing returns.
The strongest known assist for Garland. Solid whiff punisher, consistent combo conversions and BRV damage. Even though the slow ground BRV assist makes it harder to react in time to max distance ground wall rushes off of Bardiche, the damage output that follows with 2x Bardiche more than makes up for it. Both BRV assists allow Garland to combo into Chain Cast > DC > Twist Drill almost anywhere for added EX meter and bravery.
Kuja also converts off of full Twist Drill consistently, with empty chase or dodge cancel alike. And if you need to play around LV2 Assist Change, Kuja's HP assists can come in handy with Bardiche > Flare Star or Chain Cast > Force Symphony.
It's about as straightforward as it gets - Kuja synergises with Garland in places where it's needed the most.
Sephiroth trades a bit of bravery damage, consistent Chain Cast follow-ups and Ranged High priority HP assists for faster speed on the ground and wider hitboxes. Double Bardiche is still possible during Reaper, but Sudden Cruelty's horizontal knockback makes it difficult to do much more than a Twist Drill or Flare.
If you need an assist to whiff punish grounded opponents more reliably, Sephiroth can substitute Kuja.
Garland can already combo into assists with Kuja and Sephiroth, but Aerith lets Garland do that even if the opponent has two assist bars. This comes at the expense of fast whiff punishes, EX meter depletion (assist hit) and Earthquake follow-ups.
Garland rarely has to prioritise LV2 Assist Change stalemate counterstrategies over everything else that Kuja / Sephiroth can already achieve.
Please edit this page's roadmap template when relevant additions and changes are made.
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Score
General
Add images for attacks (from PSP if possible).
/ 86
Pros / Cons
Done.
Elaborate on bravery damage, whiff punishment and bad movement.
? / ?
Overview / Character Data
Done.
Review overview.
2 / 2
Bravery Attacks
Ability info, overviews and images.
5 / 5
HP Attacks
Ability info, overviews and images.
5 / 5
EX Mode
Basic info, EX mode effects and EX burst overview. Images.
3 / 3
Combos
Solo combos, most Kuja assist combos.
Add Kuja assist ceiling combo. EX Revenge combos. Add Sephiroth, Tidus and Aerith assist combos and video examples of them.
6 / 7
Builds
2 example build.
Create dedicated build page. Leave only 1 build in Garland's main page. More niche builds. Add build overviews, attack loadouts and substitutes as seen on Cloud's page.
2 / 10
Assist
Assist data and recommended assists added.
Add an overview for Tidus assist and Garland when used as an assist.
2 / 3
Matchups
Create the page, add matchup analysis and tips against every character.
0 / 32
Frame Data
Create the page. A concise PvP guide with core concepts and bare essentials explained concisely. Roughly 25 % of character's total page content.
0 / 1
Starter Guide
0 / 8
Strategy
Create the page and add basic offensive and defensive strategies. Use Jecht and Squall pages as examples.
before the third swipe for a wall rush ender or press circle 
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Booster).
Large Gap in HP
White Gem
indicates a "Gear" extra ability or the use of