Gakuran Basic Style Guide
The free starter style every player begins with. Balanced, forgiving, and the best teacher of fundamentals — Counterstrike rewards a clean parry, and Swift Recovery keeps your posture healthy.
By Gakuran Guide Team
Last updated:
Quick Answer
Basic is the default free Common (59%) starter and a solid B-Tier (community) style. Its signature perks are Counterstrike (+5% damage on your next hit after a perfect block) and Swift Recovery (+15% posture regen after a perfect block), backed by Guard Pierce II (15% chip) and Resilience II (25% grapple). It works on any height — Average (170–176cm) is recommended while learning — and is the ideal style to master parry timing before rerolling into a rarer pick.
Basic Combat Combos & Mechanics
Core combo strings and parry-timing fundamentals:
Core Basic Combos Breakdown
- Punish Pressure: M1 → M1 → M1 → M2. A simple, readable string that ends on a ragdoll M2 — the safest way to learn spacing.
- Counterstrike Window: Perfect Block → M2. A confirmed block triggers Counterstrike, adding +5% damage to your next hit.
- Posture Management: Perfect Block → Swift Recovery fans your posture regen by +15%, letting you re-engage faster than the opponent expects.
Basic Style Overview
RARITY & ODDS
Common 59%
TIER RANK
B-Tier (community)
BEST HEIGHT
Any (Avg 170–176cm)
GUARD PIERCE
II (15% chip)
Basic M1 animation (left). Source: Official Gakuran Trello.
Official Trello Perks
Counterstrike
After a perfect block, your next attack deals +5% damage. Punishes opponents who spam into your block and teaches reactive defense.
Swift Recovery
+15% posture regen after a perfect block. Keeps you upright in long trades and rewards disciplined blocking.
Guard Pierce II
15% block chip damage. Even when the enemy blocks, you still deal chip — a rarity for a free starter style.
Resilience II
25% grapple win chance. Decent clash defense for a starter, though far below the V-tier grapple styles.
Source: Official Gakuran Trello - Combat Styles (Basic card) and Combat Style Perks list.
How Basic Fits into the Meta
Strengths
- Free and always available: you start with it and roll it constantly, so there is zero cost to learn on.
- Teaches fundamentals: Counterstrike and Swift Recovery directly reward parry timing and posture control.
- Surprisingly complete: Guard Pierce II and Resilience II give it real pressure and clash defense for a starter.
Weaknesses
- Mediocre damage: no big damage perk means long trades against meta styles.
- No iFrame M2: unlike Boxing, Basic M2s can be interrupted.
- Outclassed at the top: Boxing, Wrestling, and Kure simply out-pressure it once you can reroll.
Best Build for Basic
| Stat | Recommendation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Height | Average (170–176cm) | Balanced range and speed — ideal while you learn spacing and parry timing. |
| Ethnicity | Any | Basic has no height-specific synergy, so pick whatever look you prefer. |
| Playstyle | Reactive defender | Lean on perfect blocks to trigger Counterstrike and Swift Recovery rather than raw aggression. |
Basic vs Other Top Styles
| Style | Basic Advantage | Basic Disadvantage |
|---|---|---|
| Boxing | Counterstrike can punish predictable Boxing pressure | Boxing's speed and iFrame M2s out-trade Basic badly |
| Muay Thai | 15% chip wears down Muay Thai's block | Muay Thai's higher Guard Pierce and ragdoll M2s dominate |
| Slugger | Faster attacks interrupt Slugger's slow swings | Slugger's 30% Unstable trade wins raw damage races |
How to Counter Basic
Basic is a beginner style, so the counters are about punishing mistakes:
- Out-pressure it: Boxing and Muay Thai simply out-speed Basic's M1s and force trades in your favor.
- Bait the parry: Basic players overuse Counterstrike — feint a block-bait and punish the whiffed M2.
- Grapple: with only 25% Resilience, Basic loses most grapple clashes to high-Resilience styles.