#five element configuration

Rust in Peace came out in 1989, GG showed up in 1998, so I think it’s fair game!

Dr. Paradigm refers to the Elements (Fire, Lightning, Wind, Water, and Ki) as the ‘Five Element Configuration’.  Though why it’s described as a Configuration isn’t really explained.

I discussed this more specifically in the Magic+Defined tag and Magic tag, but it might still be hard to visualize and process if you can’t fully picture it.

In simple terms it’s like a code language with functions that “tell things” to happen. A lot of the middle-work needed for most common spells is pre-written on objects like Instroments, even Zeal is its own kind of key function command, though it appears as liquid fuel.

On an even more basic level, it’s energy itself. Fire, Lightning, Water, Wind, Ki (Qi or Life Energy), Kinetics, Physics, etc. Even Sound is a kind of mixture of elements.

Most fundamental of all is Ki energy, which is what sustains life in the world, though beings like Gears and Demihumans (and Valentines) have a much higher capacity for Magic than most untrained Humans do. But it can also be said that a trained Sorcerer (Magic Arts user) is superhuman in and of themselves.

The key difference is how individuals tap in to their own Magic, increase it, and manifest it. Just like how Meditation can calm the mind and spirit, Breathing techniques and internal energy control can bring out the true potential, even of Humans.

It may be hard to visualize, but most active Gears have a sustained connection with the Backyard as an energy source, through their core, almost like a living rechargeable battery cell.

While Humans don’t have that constant connection, we have the ability to tap in to and harmonize with surrounding energy, and sometimes make it our own on an elemental level.

But even that surrounding energy comes from the Backyard space, it’s all part of what defines this world AND us as living beings.

It does, however, require a great deal of concentration, focus, and the capacity to visualize it. Just like Demihumans are born from Human Folklore and Fictional Tales, our Imagination is vital to establishing that link.

And it’s not something you can absolutely physically visualize, either. Often it comes in the form of sensing a change in the flow of things like circulation, pulse, or even just a warm or cool pressure when in proximity to things around you.

It’s also easier to visualize an element you most commonly associate yourself with. Your natural predisposition, habits, and environment in other words.

Water, for example, is an everyday necessity for living, even if we don’t always think about it, it’s also partially in the air we breathe to an extent. If we are in regular contact with it, it becomes much easier to visualize.

Of course, more energy-intensive elements are harder to establish a link with, particularly Fire and Lightning. But, with some safe preparation and prevention, we can also experiment with those elements too. Often users of those elements use Instroments as a medium or trigger for their Magic. Just like a Zippo Lighter can produce a spark and small flame.

For users of the Ki element, it is quite literally a mastery of the body they have to focus on. Not just strength, but senses and awareness, reflexive speed, and familiarity with various techniques and stance forms to bring out and optimize that power. Often a sword or various other weapons and tools are needed to bring out that potential.

Even things like Dreams and Strong Emotions can influence our internal state. That may sound obvious, but it has a stronger effect on the Backyard than even we are often aware of. It even has the power to harmonize with people around us we come in contact with or show concern for!

Sympathy, Empathy, “Reading the Air in the Room”, Love, Piety, are all very much a part of that. It’s also part of our instincts and senses.

Ki is a “foundation energy type”, so it can be used with other types of Magic Energy (Houriki) to form different spell techniques (Houjutsu).

Ki is also the oldest type, and with training, most Ki users are highly skilled in all areas of Magic.

Kliff Undersn and Kum Haehyun are other examples.

Earth isn’t classified as one of the Five Magic Elements (primarily because it’s not an energy source), as for Kliff, what he uses is Ki, which is.

His attack “Sole Survivor” isn’t an Earth-based attack… it’s him basically fighting off a bunch of dragon’s fangs trying to eat him alive up from the ground.

Most of his attacks assume he is fighting a massive dragon (or group of them) while trying to duel with his opponent (Neck Strider, Limb Cutter, Scale Stripper, Digging in to Hell, etc).  He didn’t get his nickname “Dragon Killer” with no reason.

The 5-element standard was set by the Conclave for the most part, based on their research in Magic, so there’s plenty of stuff that exists outside their ken of knowledge (even Dr. Paradigm says so in his Research Scores on the Backyard).

Still, how much of that is something Sol knows about or has worked on developing in his own designs for the OutRage remains a mystery.

That goes for the Zessen and its connection to the Japanese as well.

There’s no accounting for every weapon, but I suppose each has a certain minimum aptitude requirement or “cost” to use.

Consider that at least five of the weapons serve to amplify an individual’s basic talents in Magic.  And the nature of that magic is the very thing that defines the cost.

—Fire (Consumes resources, burns everything. Can potentially produce harmful waste byproduct e.g. smog, chemical burning, etc.)—Lightning (Uncontrollable/unpredictable nature, energy quickly disperses but requires a natural “outlet”, has the Natural “Negative (atomic) charge”.)—Water (An overpowering element, very dense and potentially destructive, can erode materials, water has to flow somewhere.)—Wind (A cutting element, high potential for destruction, affects soundwaves and other atmospheric conditions, even the weather.  Difficult to ‘stop’.)—Ki (The basic “energy of life”, difficult to define, let alone use.  Can potentially damage the body if over-used e.g. “Ki-Overflow Syndrome”.  Has a strong connection with the Backyard.)

These are all the “negatives” about using said magic, since it is a risk in and of itself…

Oh so you figured it out, did you?  (I left that one a puzzle on purpose.)

Wu Xing may be stretching speculation because the actual established elements in Guilty Gear are Fire, Lightning, Water, Wind, and Ki (there is no mention of Metal, Wood, or Earth).

Even if there is no accounting for Metal/Wood/Earth, Ki has an electromagnetic and harmonic property associated with it… so interacting with Metal is possible.

Wind is sometimes associated with Dimensional Barrier theory… so it is also related to sound.  And sound of course can interact with Ki and other elements and multiply them.  Music in and of itself is considered a powerful type of Magic in GG.

That being said, Slayer says that Frederick’s passion burned brightly in a world of darkness… so he could not think of a more appropriate name (that and it appeals to Sol’s taste as a fan of Queen).

Still… I’m sure the idea of being a Solfeggio is not lost to Sol.  He is “attuned” to the Backyard now… so being able to adapt to and understand the complex Steps of that convoluted space will enable him to go as far, if not further than “That Man” has traversed.

Good observation, though, that’s just scratching the surface. Ki has been around long before Magic was even discovered and regulated.

According to GGXtra, Ki has been known to emit powerful EM Pulses. Electro-Magnetic pulses the likes of which could easily shut down any existing technology (though that does not account for Magic-Based technology).

It could even be argued that Ki was part of the cause of the Dawn of Revival and the appearance of the Universal Will.

Certain Japanese in particular seem to suffer from a chronic illness known as Ki-Overflow Syndrome (with symptoms like a headache and lethargic behavior and irritability) which could quite possibly cause them to affect others with a negative influx of Ki, sometimes injuring themselves and those around them (though most are treatable cases, they don’t appear to have a full cure as yet).

Beyond that, not much is known about Ki itself, other than any human is capable of using it with some training.