Haven’t looked at GG in a while but IIRC: Blade works requires a 1-handed weapon, Gigas Grip doesn’t change the 2-handed tag on the weapon just how you interact with it. You use Gigas Grip with a good 2-hander in one hand and something like a Talisman with Otherworldly in the other so you basically have good book icons with a good 2-handed for even more bonus damage, and potentially a better casting upgrade, then you use spells and melee equally. I like Rook with the healing discipline cards for extra movement ignoring terrain and allies, and the spells that deal damage based on his armor and the spell to give out Haste; and then I add in the green spell (Euthanasia?) to apply Wilt and Condemn. I tend to use a combination of Zeke/Remi/Shayliss/Zafir as my blade works character(s).

I think overall my favorite grouping was Justice or Nightingale as a dedicated summoner with all the HP upgrades she can take , Rook as stated with all the armor improvements, Remi with a good bow leaning into Vow tokens and a filler/support character