Volcanic Viper

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Volcanic Viper is one of Sol Badguy's Special Attacks, first appearing in the original Guilty Gear and has been a staple of his move set since.

Overview[]

Essentially his "dragon-punch" anti-air, Sol does a rising jump-spinning uppercut slash in flames emitted from his blade. In the first game, it was performed by having Sol push his sword upwards via an outward spinning slash aimed fully vertical (akin to his close standing with his following arm), with only a few flame tears in the air being left behind. As of Guilty Gear X however, it has since changed into a simple upwards reverse-grip slash with Sol's leading arm that has flames emitting throughout the blade instead via resembling a single flame jet.

While the rises up the lowest with only head-level invulnerability and one hit, the version goes higher and has full invulnerability. Both versions however, can carry horizontal momentum when done from his running dash (with going further forward). Both can be done in midair as well where the midair version has some altered damage ranges.

From Guilty Gear X onwards, inputting + during the attack follows up with Sol tumbling around with a slamming kick (with both of his legs doing the splits) that knocks the opponent back down, known as Knockdown (叩き落とし, Tataki Otoshi?, lit. Thrashing Dropper). This followup can be done even on whiff and has a deceptive amount of range, and can even be used to delay Sol's falling recovery for a bit in some scenarios should Volcanic Viper whiff, but still likely is punishable.

While in Dragon Install state, doing the version on the ground only causes Sol to perform his classic Charge Level 3 version as a towering multi-layered rising wall of flames (which is essentially the flames graphic for the move multi-layered upon itself rather than a single flame trail in the 2D games), which increases the damage, height, and amount of hits on the counter if the first hit confirms. However, it's possible for the victim to fall out of the rest of the hits if the first hit connected is a counter hit due to the hitstop frames interfering with the move's animation. This version is also given to default by Kakusei/Bousou Sol in Isuka, with the of Grand Viper following-up into the same tall-rising DI version.

As of Slash in ode to Sol's incarnation back in Missing Link, EX Order-Sol gains access to this move and also unlike present-Sol, he also gains an FRC point for it at the near peak of either version despite lacking the Knockdown/Tataki Otoshi. Meanwhile for EX present-Sol, he instead gains a followup Sidewinder in place of Knockdown, which may require specific height placement and spacing to be able to properly clean-hit off of the Volcanic Viper's launch without the combo becoming invalid (moreso possible with the version height).

In Λ Core and its revisions, EX Order-Sol gains a Force Break version of Volcanic Viper via the DI-version (likely nodding to again, Volcanic Viper Charge Attack Level 3) which functions relatively the same.

Grand Viper is a loosely-related-and-enhanced take, while Storm Viper is its initial prototype during Sol's days serving in the Holy Order.

Robo-Ky II performs this move instead by unveiling a rocket-salvo-mechanism on his leading free arm. Unlike Sol however, he does not have access to the Knockdown followup.