Gryphon For Honor Guide

If you’re a fan of the For Honor game, you’ll know that a Gryphon is more than a mythical mash-up between a lion and a bird of prey.

It’s a versatile and deadly hero with a fighting style honoring the different factions in the game. If you’re new to the game, then For Honor is a brutal and exciting melee combat fighting game developed by Ubisoft in 2017. Combining ancient heroes and realistic melee combat, it is one of the most popular fighting games.

For Honor, at its core, is all about its intricate fighting system. While difficult to master at first, the combat itself is gratifying.

Knowing your different mixups, move lists, and timings builds up to an experience that takes work to emulate. What’s even more surprising is how the game manages to capture the feel of the different historical warriors the heroes represent. 

It goes without saying that to enjoy playing the game, you’ve got to learn the ropes and get ready to start swinging. That’s where this guide comes in. Let’s look at the Gryphon, a warrior with a unique kit and a compelling story to change For Honor lore forever.

A Warrior Reborn

The Gryphon is a unique take on a For Honor hero because they are based on a character within For Honor lore as opposed to a parallel of an ancient fighter.

This character is Holden Cross, a legendary knight that you would probably know if you’ve played the story mode of the Knight faction. Through his journey from a knight, to peasant, to mercenary and now champion of the Chimera alliance, he embodies a truly unique and legendary warrior.

A New Kind of Knight

In the game, the Gryphon is a versatile Hybrid hero from the Knight faction that is relatively easy to play but difficult to master. As a hybrid Hero, the Gryphon has renown balanced across all activities. Meanwhile, their move list is a series of versatile moves used to adapt to any situation.

Playing Hybrid Heroes

Playing the Gryphon as a hybrid hero requires a lot of patience, game sense, and skill. Your main goal during games is to adapt your fighting style depending on who you are up against. As a hero, you are best suited to supporting your team in holding down contested areas or in ganking around the map.

The Gryphon is a hybrid hero in more ways than one as well. The hero’s moves, armor sets, and weapons have unique cross-faction styles and represent the character’s lore. This applies to even their base in-game armor. With such a unique and diverse set of arms and armor, Gryphon’s move list also lives up to this traveler’s identity. Read below to discover the hero’s moves, common mixups, and deadly combos!

Master Mercenary, Unique Style

As we begin, this combat section assumes that you know the different controls and moves common to all For Honor heroes.

While there will be a brief explanation for some of these, for a more streamlined experience, I’ll assume you know the basics. After all, it’ll be hard to explain everything from scratch again. First, we will begin with Gryphon’s unique hero properties before we move on to their moves.

Gryphon’s Hero Properties

The Gryphon is a hybrid hero with a specific playstyle recommended to optimize their kit. The first is that they primarily focus on their combos to deal damage to enemies.

Their unique bashes often facilitate these. While they have good range, they are a defensive main much like the Lawbringer that Holden once was, and must punish heavily following different parries. Here are a few of their hero-specific properties.

Properties of Gryphon’s Finishers

Gryphon’s finishers, or the move at the end of their combo chain, have unique properties. All light finishers are undodgeable and track the opponent’s movement. This means that unless they are quick on the parry or guard stance shift, they will eat up 12 damage.

Meanwhile, heavy finishers gain the Uninterruptible Stance or Hyper armor, and the start-up of their Uninterruptible Stance is also earlier in the attack. This ensures that trading is much more favorable on your end as the movement of the episode is guaranteed. 

Ironclad Tactician

As a defensive hero, you should always seek your opponent’s attacks to evade them and trade. This is because of Gryphon’s trait, Ironclad Tactician.

Here, a follow-up light, heavy, or zone attack, after a parry will be made in an Uninterruptible stance, ensuring that your opponents eat up damage if they attack continuously.

This makes the Gryphon not just good at trading but excellent at team games where they can use their zone attack to damage multiple enemies, despite the chaos on the battlefield.

Versatile Chain Attacks

Additionally, Gryphon’s combo chains can come out of their other attacks, allowing them to chain together heavies and lights into their bash attacks for a heavy finisher. Gryphon’s zone attack hits with their shove attack, and successful guard break all count as the start of their combo chain.

These can be followed up by a second heavy or light attack. Alternatively, Gryphon can also begin a chain with a severe or weak attack and use any of their serious dodge attacks or forward light dodge attack as the second hit in their chain.

All these chain mixups for the first and second hit are necessary because they allow you to perform Veteran’s Kick, a guard break bash dealing 24 damage. A devastating heavy finisher can follow this up for around 28 damage. This makes Gryphon’s offensive combo very punishing and should always be played everywhere.

Gryphon’s List of Moves

Listed down below is a list of Gryphon’s actions. These are all usable in Gryphon’s deadly combo chain and require strategic use to outthink opponents. This is needed as he has no soft feints and only one unblockable. Use these moves in different combinations to dominate the battlefield.

• Hymn of the Winged Lion
• Veteran’s Kick and Slash
• Forceful Swirl
• Dauntless Chase 
• Cleaver Attacks
• Gryphon’s Shove

As you can see, compared to other heroes with different stances, Gryphon is relatively easy to use. They have all the standard moves of a Hero with only a few unique ones mixed in. Much of the strength in playing the Gryphon is mastering the game’s fundamentals.

To make the most out of your moves, you must know a variety of mixups. Your most well-known combo of light spamming into a bash and heavy is anticipated for a reason.

As such, you must create new mixups to catch your opponent off guard until you can deal with your kick and serious finisher. While all of this is happening, consider using a variety of parries to whittle your opponent down with damage.

Below, we will go more in-depth with your specific moves and discuss when these are best used. Afterward, we will discuss some mixups you can use for your combo and how to vary these based on your matchup. 

Hymn of the Winged Lion

Hymn of the Winged Lion refers to Gryphon, himself, as the winged lion. This is Gryphon’s three-attack combo chain and has around eight variations in total.

Any of the three hits can either be a light or heavy attack. Halfway into this chain, the finisher can instead be replaced by Veteran’s Kick for a top-heavy finisher.

As discussed above, the finishers of Hymn of the Winged Lion have unique properties. Veteran’s Scolding gives light finishers an undodgeable 14 damage, and Veteran’s Lesson gives heavy finishers Uninterruptible Stance.

Hymn of the Winged Lion Light Attacks

In the eight total variations of this chain, the most common and valuable chains begin with a double light attack sequence.

This is a handy tool as Gryphon’s light attack opener in the chain, once landed, ensures that a second light attack from the same direction also lands. This light attack deals significantly less damage and continues the chain for a combo finisher. 

The damage for a light attack is 12 on all sides, while the second light follow-up is three damage. Given Gryphon’s range and the relative speed of their light attack, this is perhaps the easiest way to start Hymn of the Winged Lion and, potentially, Veteran’s Kick.

The alternative light chain consists of three light attacks dealing damage of 12, 13, and 14. The difference is that the second attack is not guaranteed but deals significantly more damage as you attack a different side each time. This attack chain is also slower in comparison.

Hymn of the Winged Lion Heavy Attacks

Meanwhile, the heavy attacks of Hymn of the Winged Lion deal 25 from the side, with 30 as a severe side finisher. A top-heavy finisher deals 32 damage instead. All his heavy attacks can be feinted except for his rich dodge and dash attack.

Veteran’s Kick and Slash

Now, the primary bread and butter of Gryphon, and what makes players both love and hate him, is his chain bash and guard break: Veteran’s Kick.

This kick can be set up after any second attack, either in Hymn of the Winged Lion or after a dodge attack or a guard break. They can also be set up immediately after a dodge or dash attack. After these conditions, press the guard break to kick your opponent. This sets them up for a quick heavy finisher called Veteran’s Slash.

This kick bears many similarities to the Highlander move Formorian Kick. The Gryphon will also reference this by speaking in the Viking language when performing Veteran’s Kick.

Both are bashes and guard breaks, with the difference being that the Formorian kick is a neutral bash. Meanwhile, Veteran’s Slash is similar to Celtic Curse, another highlander move.

The result is a relatively fast bash for 24 damage that can lead to a devastating top-heavy finisher for 28 damage. It should be noted that this finisher, unlike in Hymn of the Winged Lion, does not have Uninterruptible. In a duel, this hardly matters, however, given the bash your opponents take.

This is frustrating for players because this kick can come from nowhere in a combo chain unless you assume it will always come out. As a bash, the easiest way to counter this is through a dodge. This leaves opponents open, however, to Gryphon’s light finisher, which is undodgeable.

As a result, much of the Veteran’s kick power is in the threat of using it. Be careful, however, as a dodged Veteran’s Kick will open you up for punishment in a guaranteed guard break. Play mind games with your opponent to win by optimizing the rest of your kit or lulling them into a bash and heavy finisher.

Forceful Swirl

Forceful Swirl is Gryphon’s zone attack. You can activate this by using both light and heavy attack buttons at once. The move has a sizable range and is useful for catching multiple enemies. Its animations are similar to Jiang Jun’s Fatal Swirl attack. Starting a duel with this zone attack as well may give you a frame advantage, as this can be used as the first attack in a combo chain. 

This means you can use Forceful Swirl and follow it up with either a light or heavy attack, then follow up that attack with a finisher or a Veteran’s Kick and Slash. Landing this combo with a light attack as a second attack is significantly easier. In either instance, the zone attack of Gryphon deals 15 damage when it lands.

Dauntless Chase

Dauntless Chase is your sprint attack as Gryphon. You can sprint and heavily attack an opponent when not in guard mode.

This attack targets your opponent’s right side and flips them over for ten damage, similar to Lawbringer’s move Long Arm of the Law. This move is helpful in ganking enemies but less so in duels where it is easily predicted. 

After knocking them down, you can choose to combo them as they have less reaction time. Also, remember that although they are knocked down at the end of the move, they won’t be counted as valid targets for moves such as Centurion’s Eagle’s Talon and Jormungandr’s Hamarr Slam which require marks to be on the floor.

Cleaver Attacks

Your dodge and dash attacks are called your cleaver attacks as they are named Helm Cleaver, Mind Cleaver, and Soul Cleaver.

These are all done through a move-dodge attack and can start combo chains. These can also be used after a light or heavy opener as the second attack in a chain. There is also a quick way to set up a Veteran’s kick, as the klick can come immediately after your dodge attack.

Helm Cleaver is your forward light dash attack for 14 damage. This attack can lead to a light or heavy attack. This movie has animations similar to Kensei’s Helm Splitter attack.

Mind Cleaver is your forward dash heavy attack that deals 22 damage. This attack can chain into another heavy or light attack.

Soul Cleaver is your dodge attack from the left or right, with animations similar to Jiang Jun’s Mighty Backlash and Kensei’s Swift Strike.

These deal 14 damage and give you an extended dodge property. It should be noted that this comprehensive dodge property does make the attack harder to hit due to how slow it is. As with your other dash and dodge attacks, you can follow up with a light or heavy attack. 

Gryphon’s Shove

Your shove is similar to the Lawbringer’s attack and can be done as a forward dash guard break. This neutral bash can also be chained as it counts as a chain opener. While it does no damage, it can be chained into a guaranteed light or heavy attack. This only applies if you hit your shove. 

A particularly nasty combination is Gryphon’s Shove into a light attack into Veteran’s Kick and Slash. Dodging Gryphon’s Shove is a guard break for you, so make sure this is done when your opponent can’t avoid or expects it. 

Setting up Punishes

Punishes as the Gryphon occurs in several scenarios, which I will list below. Take note that you will also need the stamina to perform these punishes. These help you counter and react to whatever your opponents are up to.

• Guard Breaks
• Wall Splatters
• Parrying
• Out of Stamina Opponents

The first punishment occurs on guard breaks. Here you get a guaranteed heavy which deals the same damage on all three sides for 25 damage. 

The second punishment comes after a wall splatter, often after a guard break. You can punish here with a top-heavy attack for 32 damage.

Parrying your opponent’s light attack also opens them up to a heavy attack that deals 24 damage which deals the same amount on all sides.

Meanwhile, repelling an opponent’s serious attack gives you two light episodes. Use your weak attack on the same side to perform this punishment and get the guaranteed second hit.

If your opponents are out of stamina, you can punish them by a guard break and throwing into a Helm Cleaver, followed by Veteran’s Kick and Slash. 

If you are out of stamina and parry, your punishment is your zone attack followed by a top light and then Veteran’s Kick and Slash. You can also do a top-heavy into a leading light followed by Veteran’s Kick and Slash. This is slower, however, and gives your opponents a chance to dodge your Veteran’s Kick.

Gryphon Combos

Now that you know the major moves of Gryphon, let’s review some advanced combos you can use to ensure that you can chain these attacks together.

Ganking Opener

When you support as Gryphon, your primary ganking tool is your sprint attack, Dauntless Chase. You want to ensure that you catch opponents locked in a duel with your team as this leavers their right guard open, which Dauntless Chase targets.

After your sprint attack flips them over, you can follow it with a heavy attack while they are on the ground. This can lead to a light attack followed by a Veteran’s Kick and Slash for enough damage to help your team (sprint attack, heavy, light, bash, heavy).

An alternative follow-up is a zone attack into a light attack after your sprint attack. This is useful if you have multiple enemies around you. This can also be followed up by your kick and slash (sprint attack, zone attack, light, bash, heavy).

Offensive Combo

Gryphon’s offensive power has a lot of potential with his bashes. These require a lot of unpredictability, however, to catch opponents.

Your offensive combo is your neutral bash Gryphon’s Shove, followed by a light attack to set up a veteran’s Kick and Slash. If your opponent doesn’t wisen up, you can repeat this combo for a combo lock (neutral bash, light, bash, heavy). 

Defensive Combo

As a defensive combo, you want to use your Soul Cleaver attack as it has an extended dodge property, then follow this up immediately with your Veteran’s Kick and Slash.

This combo is best used if your opponent is committing to a combo and not as an offensive combo as the dodge attack of Soul Cleaver is rather slow (side dodge attack, bash, heavy).

Gryphon in the Meta

Let’s discuss Gryphon’s Viability in the duel and team-based game modes. His viability will differ depending on which mode you’re in due to changing how you play. Furthermore, it ought to be noted that Gryphon has seen better days and has been nerfed quite a bit since his release.

Dueling

Gryphon is a solid, slightly above-average champion in the For Honor roster. For new players, however, he is an insane pick and is easy enough to learn but hard to counter for newer players. 

This boils down to their bashes, as these eventually become predictable to more experienced For Honor players. At higher levels of play, getting good at Gryphon relies on landing parries and punishes to get more defensive options.

This is because Gryphon is also massively punished if they fail their bashes. This high-risk gameplay means that you should minimize threats during trades as much as you can. 

Team Game Modes

Team-based game modes such as Breach and Dominion are where Gryphon shines best in For Honor. This is due to their helpful feats and perks, allowing them to get in, gank opponents, and heal allies. Gameplay like this will enable them to relieve pressure on the map and turn the tide of battle.

Additionally, your ganking potential is extremely promising and allows you to tip the scales in your favor due to your good range and speed. Plus, as your opponents will be stuck in their own duels, they will find it much harder to respond to your attacks. 

Matchups

As Gryphon, your best matchups are against slow immobile heroes that are susceptible to your bashes. Heroes with extended dodge properties are a bad matchup for you.

When going against heroes, watch out for heroes with dodge attacks as these will lower your chances of landing hits. You only have one undodgeable attack in your light finisher, making it difficult to trade.

Additionally, heroes with unblockable attacks are a bit more of a challenge for you as they will force you to use you Soul Cleaver, which is predictable.

Gryphon Feats

Gryphon’s feats all gear him to be a support hero focused on ganking and making a difference around the map. He has access to some unique heals and damage reduction capabilities that make him perfect for this. He also has access to some faction-specific feats to highlight his diverse background.

Tier 1 Feats

Your tier 1 feats are Stern Stare, Speed Revive, and Fast Recovery. Stern Stare lowers enemies’ attacks by 25%, while Speed Revive and Fast Recovery are self-explanatory. Depending on your playstyle, take Stern Stare and Speed Revive when ganking and Fast Recovery for Duels.

Tier 2 Feats

Your tier 2 feats are Draconite Mist, Flesh Wound, and Winners Advantage. Draconite Mist is an amazing AOE healer that is your go-to.

Flesh Wound gives you moderate damage reduction every three seconds. Finally, Winner’s Advantage gives you a temporary attack buff after a successful attack, a 20% damage bonus on your next attack.

Tier 3 Feats

Gryphon’s tier 3 feats are Draconite Bolt, Tough as Nails, and Fury. Draconite bolt is a ranged damage option that heals allies near your target, making it perfect for ganking. Tough as Nails raises your max health. Finally, fury from the Viking Faction buffs your attack, defense stats, and speed for a short while.

Tier 4 Feats

The tier 4 feats for Gryphon are Draconite Cleanser, Champion’s Aura, and Arrow Storm. Draconite Cleanser is a bomb that makes an AOE heal zone in the blast radius. Champions Aura has an AOE heal centered on you. Meanwhile, Arrow Storm deals moderate damage over a large area. Choose Draconite Cleanser for a more aggressive approach and Champions Aura for a more defensive one.

Arrow Storm is alright but does not complement your kit as much as the others. None of Gryphon’s tier 4 feats are horrible. Some of them are better.

Perks

Gryphon’s Perks are assistive, and he has access to 7 individual Perks, with higher-level perks accessible with higher-level gear.

These perks allow him to move along the battlefield, attack enemy heroes, and hold down areas where support is most needed. These reinforce his lore background as a committed leader of the Chimera Alliance, always there to provide help and leadership.

Common Perks

Your common perks are Radiant Rebound, Remedy, and Feline Agility. Radiant rebound is a 20% movement speed buff for 10 seconds after spawning or reviving. Remedy heals you for ten health after killing a hero. Meanwhile, Feline Agility gives you a 4% bonus movement speed with an additional 2% per renown level you gain, up to 10%

Rare Perk

Your rare perk is Supersonic, which gives you a 15% movement speed buff and uninterruptible sprint during Revenge Mode, persisting for 10 seconds after Revenge ends.

Heroic Perk

The heroic perk for The Gryphon is called Clever Tactics. It allows you to capture archer points and healing zones and take banners or offerings 15% faster.

Epic Perk

Your epic perk, Rising Dawn is a game-changer and allows you to revive allies to 75% health as opposed to 50%

Legendary Perk

Finally, your legendary perk is called Rapid Refresh. Kills, assists, and revives reduce your cooldowns by 5%

FAQs

Gryphon for Honor: Conclusion

Bring devastation to your foes with a true legend of For Honor in the Gryphon. Master skills honed from all the factions to lead yourself to victory. With a unique kit and a customizable and adaptable playstyle, you can outwit your opponents and bring the fury of Holden Cross.