Provided herein are engineered CasX systems and components thereof, including variant CasX proteins and variant guide nucleic acids (gNAs). The variant CasX proteins and variant gNAs of the disclosure display at least one improved characteristic when compared to a reference CasX protein or reference gNA of the disclosure. In some instances, the variants have one or more improved CasX ribonucleoprotein complex functions. Also provided are methods of making and using said variants.