Vapor Thrust is one of Ky Kiske's Special Attacks, first appearing in the original Guilty Gear and has been a staple part of his moveset ever since.
It also has a variation called Hun-KY Homerun used by Robo-Ky and Robo-Ky II.
Overview[]
A so-called "dragon punch" anti-air, Vapor Thrust is an invincible attack with Ky jump-rising into the air with a wide-upwards slash that leaves behind an electrical trail while also recovering with a backflip at his apex. It can be performed on the ground or in the air, and the jump arc is almost strictly vertical compared to most others with very small horizontal momentum.
Originally in Missing Link, Ky slashes outwards while facing his body directly at the foreground, though from X-onwards, he faces more towards in front of himself (towards his foe) instead. Strive instead has a different version where Ky instead performs a turning-outward slash instead of a somersaulting one, and with more horizontal momentum instead of vertical (allocated to 
).
The version often deals more damage, though in the older games before Strive it's at the cost of longer recovery as Ky flies higher (though in reality as of X, the height difference is minor and the only main difference between button versions is how long Ky stays in the air upon backflipping).
In Λ Core, it has a followup called Lightning Javelin (ライジングジャベリン, Raijingu Jaberin?), which can be used by pressing 
or . The former version—added in Plus R—blows the opponent away and downwards, while the latter blows the enemy away directly to the corner and wall bounces.
Its second variant, Grand Vapor Thrust (グランドヴェイパースラスト, Gurando Veipā Surasuto?), is among EX Ky's moves alongside the regular Vapor Thrust, and its input is 
+ (mirroring Sol's Grand Viper), where Ky performs an Impala Hunt first before going right into the usual Vapor Thrust. EX Ky can follow-up both default (since his EX version in Guilty Gear X Plus) and Grand versions of the move with Slash Through (切り払い, Kiriharai?, lit. Cutting Away) via the input + 
, where he performs an outward arm-waving motion with both arms as he slashes with his sworded-hand in unison (the finisher to Robo-Ky's Aces High) before he backflips landing back on the ground.
Robo-Ky's variant, Hun-KY Homerun (カイ幕ホームラン, Kai-maku Hōmuran?, lit. OPEN-ing Homerun), is also known as Game-opening Home Run in Isuka and Ky Home Run in Λ Core. It first appeared in Guilty Gear XX ♯Reload as part of his revamp, and can be performed by pressing 
+ . EX Robo-Ky can use the button as well. Grounded and air versions are nearly identical with the primary difference being that the first hit of aerial LV2 and LV3 versions are overheads. That, and only one button version exists, with higher level versions having Robo-Ky fly at a lower height for faster recovery (Lv1 has the highest height). It also lacks a slashing trail of any sort unlike with Vapor Thrust. Performing the LV3 version on the ground and connecting with the first hit leads straight into the Whac-KY Blow Overdrive (alluding to Aces High).
Details[]
Ky[]
| Game | Damage | Gain | Level | Guard | Cancel | Frames |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GG | ?? | -- | -- | ?? | ?? | ?Startup / ?Active / ?Recovery |
| GGX | ?? | -- | -- | ?? | ?? | ?Startup / ?Active / ?Recovery |
| GGXX | ?? | -- | -- | ?? | ?? | ?Startup / ?Active / ?Recovery |
| GGXX (Gr.) | ?? | -- | -- | ?? | ?? | ?Startup / ?Active / ?Recovery |
| GGXrd | ?? | -- | -- | ?? | ?? | ?Startup / ?Active / ?Recovery |
| GGST | ?? | -- | -- | ?? | ?? | ?Startup / ?Active / ?Recovery |
Robo-Ky[]
| Game | Damage | Gain | Level | Guard | Cancel | Frames |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GGXX (RK) | ??[1][2] | -- | -- | ??[1] | ?? | ?Startup / ?Active / ?Recovery[3] |
Gallery[]
Ky[]
Robo-Ky[]
References[]