Soul Calibur "Welcome back to the Stage in History" Yoshimitsu Moves List For both the Namco Coin-Op Upright and the Sega Dreamcast Version developed and published by Namco Compiled by Mark Kim (Vesther Fauransy) Version 0.3.3c Date of Completion: January 31, 2000 (No Time Given) Date of Public Release: January 31, 2000 (No Time Given) Copyright Information --------------------- Unpublished work trademarked (tm) and copyrighted (c) by Mark Kim. All Rights Reserved. This file is basically derived from the move lists located at Namco America's Official Soul Calibur Site (http://www.soulcalibur.com) with the exception of some combos, move comments, and some rantings that the player might find useful during gameplay. If for any reason the URL is incorrect, I would like to know the change of URL RIGHT AWAY. This file is SHAREWARE and is strictly for entertainment use only. 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Any breach of copyright, trademark, and/or patents (which includes but not limited to plagiarism, stealing, laming, pirating, or otherwise) and/or using this document for any other purposes other than personal and private purposes, and/or illegal mirroring of this file (other than the five aforementioned URLs as described in the beginning of this disclaimer) is a direct violation of ALL APPLICABLE COPYRIGHT LAWS, International Treaties, Patent Laws, US Title 107, and the Berne Copyright Bill of 1976. Violators and Transgressors shall face severe civil and criminal penalties through the maximum extent possible by law. Mark Kim acknowledges and respects all copyrights, patents (pending or not), and trademarks whether if it's mentioned or not somewhere in either the FAQ Text File and/or site as no copyright infringement was intended. If for any reason I MUST USE any copyrighted resource, then credit will be given at the Acknowledgements Section for the common part. Note that whenever I give credit, I WILL NOT REVEAL ANY E-MAIL ADDRESSES AND/OR OTHERWISE in order to protect the privacy of the people for whom I give credit to. This file has been carefully written by Mark Kim in respect to all copyrights, patents, and trademarks. Soul Calibur, the Soul Edge Sword, Siegfried Schtauffen, Nightmare, and all other Soul Calibur-related events and objects are registered trademarks and copyrighted (c) 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 Namco, Ltd. All Rights Reserved. SoulCalibur.com is copyrighted (c) 1998 Namco America Inc. All Rights Reserved. This document was carefully prepared and created by Mark Kim in respect to all Namco Properties, as no copyright infringement was intended. I'LL MAKE IT SIMPLE: THIS FILE IS MINE AND THERE IS NO UNAUTHORIZED USE OF IT!!! I DIDN'T WRITE THIS FAQ SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE A LIVING OUT OF THIS WORK. AND I NEVER HAD, NEVER WILL WRITE THIS FAQ SO THAT SOME CRAP FREELANCE WRITER CAN INCORPORATE ANYTHING FROM THIS FILE, SLACK OFF, AND GET PAID FOR IT DUE TO THOSE DAMN COMMERCIAL PUBLICATIONS. AND I SURELY DIDN'T WRITE THIS FAQ SO THAT SOME CRAP COPYCATTER CAN JUST STEAL AND/OR PLAGIARIZE THIS WORK AND CLAIM CREDIT FOR IT. AND I DEFINITELY RESTRICTED THE AMOUNT OF WEBSITES THAT CAN MIRROR THIS FAQ SO BE IT!!! It is to remain in its original state, free of charge, and in one piece at all costs. And that's the bottom line. ======================================================================== GAME DATA Genre: Fighting Number of Players: Featuring head-to-head competition against two players or play against the computer Platform: Arcade and Dreamcast Usual Price: Arcade, 50 cents US; Dreamcast, Not Available Developer: Namco Publisher: Namco Dreamcast ESRB Rating: Teen for Strong Animated Violence Arcade AAMA Rating: Strong Animated Violence Features: Continue for Arcade, Memory Card Save for Dreamcast ======================================================================== HISTORY OF THIS FAQ February 3, 1999 ---------------- Yoshimitsu is basically an old-school character from Tekken 3 with some differences to make him a Soul Calibur character. This move list is basically a text-version of the Yoshimitsu Moves list located at the official Soul Calibur Website with some explanations and notes listed. Also, you can expect some of the combos listed at the Official Soul Calibur Combo Archives to be listed as well. Here are the URLs that you may want to try: - http://www.soulcalibur.com (Start of Soul Calibur Official Site) - http://www.soulcalibur.com/combo.html (Combo Archives, Official) May 17, 1999 ------------ Side Throws are fixed a bit to accomodate the sights of my recent Yoshi play at Aladdin's Castle at Aurora, IL US. The document should now be up-to-date as far as my Interface Usage is concerned. Voice Actors and Voice Actresses gets credited in the Character Profile. January 9, 1999 --------------- A total revision of the document, also I had to erase some of the information regardless of the situation or whatever my cause is. His side throws and his back throw are all worth looking at, so I decided to eliminate the explanations of the side and back throws since it's better to do and see than to let me explain. To tell you the honest truth, Yoshimitsu is basically what he was in Tekken 3 but he has some of Mitsurugi's moves. However, there are some variations that you need to be aware of so the prerequisites of being capable of using Yoshimitsu is that you need to take some time to play as Yoshimitsu in Tekken 3 or Tekken Tag Tournament and take some time to play as Heishiro Mitsurugi in Soul Calibur before you go ahead and play as Yoshimitsu in Soul Calibur. Although he may not be as hard to use as he was in Tekken but since his variety kind of sucks, he will take some time to get used to so you may need to use Heishiro Mitsurugi a bit before tackling on with Yo-Man. He's pretty much average like Mitsurugi but unlike Voldo, Yo-Man can't variate hits like nuts so keep that in mind. His major drawback is his lack of multiple-level moves and rather poor range. Regarding about the sword moves from Tekken 3 and Tekken Tag Tournament (The Screaming Overhead Slice and the Screaming Thrust) have been slightly toned down so that you can't always hit. The only time when you will be able to pull an unblockable hit with the Screaming Overhead Slice (db+B) is when you hold db for as long as you can. The reason why I chose Yoshimitsu as the next target in the series of my continuing efforts to refresh all of my Soul Calibur FAQs is because even though Yo-Man is a combo machine, one of the reasons why he takes time to get used to is because he lacks a lot of multiple-level moves which allows a player to mix up hits like nuts and at times, create all these boocoo conventions that leads to Juggling Combos. I would then focus on Lizard Man since he's easy as cake and like Sophie, has the easiest juggling moves in the game. I would have to focus on Astaroth and Rock last since these two may have kick-ass strength, but their major drawback is that they are too slow. Enough rambling. I recommend that you read this document all over again because I might have changed some parts of this document for various considerations. January 29, 2000 ---------------- OOPS!!! Sorry!!! Got the Newsflash wrong!!! January 31, 2000 ---------------- Al Amaloo looks to be a promising licensee: I've given him my seal of approval to mirror 6 out of 8 Soul Calibur FAQs (Notice that I have yet to update 2 of them which is Astaroth and Rock, and I have to tune up Astaroth and Rock before I can give Al my seal of approval to mirror the Astaroth and Rock Move Lists). The FAQs that Al now has in mirrored stock are Seung Mi Na, Nightmare, Siegfried, Voldo, Yoshimitsu, and Lizard Man. I have yet to update both Astaroth and Rock so that it can be presently mirrored by Al Amaloo. Thanks for your patience. ======================================================================== TABLE OF CONTENTS - Newsflash - Reason for a massive update - What is Soul Calibur? - What was the Yoshimitsu Move List intended for - Yo-Man Rants - Yoshimitsu at a glance - Basic Fighting Theories - Advanced Fighting Theories - The Notations - Move List - Combos - How to use Yoshimitsu efficiently - Yoshimitsu's Ending - Playing your Soul Calibur Share - Do's and Dont's - How to suggest suggestions - References and Resources - Acknowledgements ======================================================================== NEWSFLASH: As always, newer versions of this document can be found at Verasnaship Interactive, which is my website (http://www.verasnaship.net to be exact). If you have any suggestions, bug busts, or other things that you need to share with me, please point your browser to my convenient Web Mail Form (http://www.verasnaship.net/emailme.html). I give you explicit rights to e-mail me using the E-Mail Form, however I HIGHLY FORBID ANY DIRECT E-MAILINGS THROUGH MY MAILBOX THROUGH THE USE OF AN E-MAIL CLIENT. I will only be able to answer letters that have been submitted via the Form Mail Page (The URL again is http://www.verasnaship.net/emailme.html). If you send any e-mail directly to my POP3 Mailbox through use of an E-Mail Client, then I won't answer it unless it came from the form mail page. This document must be viewed on a monotype font like Courier New or the alignment of this file will never be correct. To fix the alignment problem while you are browsing throughout the web, please follow the directions: 1. On Netscape Navigator, click on Edit, and click on Preferences. 2. On the Appearance Pane, click on Fonts 3. On "Fixed Width Font", choose COURIER NEW as the font face and for the font size, click on "10". Here's a piece of useless text to make sure that the alignment of the file is correct: 1234567890 ********** I highly recommend that you view this file through Edit.COM if you are either a Windows/DOS User or through SimpleText if you are a Mac User. Linux users should follow the directions on how to align this document correctly. ======================================================================== REASONS FOR A MASSIVE UPDATE The most common reason why I had to update this file is because there was too much "unneeded legal tralala" that was taking up unnecessary file space. However, with the file space that I used to use just to be anal about legal issues (perhaps I was TOO anal), that file space can be REALLY BE SAVED for any game-related rants, strategies, and one's own thoughts. Another reason why I had to refurbish this file is because Yoshimitsu doesn't have too many multiple level moves, which makes him a hard character to get used to very well so you will need to rely on mainly moves that hit Mid in order to cover Yoshimitsu's entire front. Another aspect which makes Yo-Man a challenging character to get used to is the fact that by reading Mr. MG's Soul FAQ (get it at his CRITICAL CALIBUR site--http://www.vibe.mcmail.com/soulcalibur/), his range is shorter than Mitsurugi's but he should be quick enough in order to fend off some common attacks for himself. To see the coolest throws in Soul Calibur, do a Side Push (Pull backwards and hit the G button at the same time at the right timing) and then follow that up with a quick throw AND DO IT QUICKLY BECAUSE IF YOU ARE NOT FAST ENOUGH, THEN YOU WON'T SEE THE THROW. I have removed the explanation of the side and back throws because as much as it's cool, I want you to see it by executing it. It's risky doing the side and back throws (because they take more effort) but it's really cool because the animations of the throws kick-ass. I highly recommend that you use Yoshimitsu in Tekken 3 and in TTT before going on to tackle him in Soul Calibur so that you won't have a hard time learning Yo-Man in Soul Calibur. Also, it would be a good idea to use Heishiro Mitsurugi a bit before using Yo-Man since Yo-Man shares some of Mitsurugi's moves as well. A COMMON NOTE ABOUT FIGHTING GAMES, REGARDLESS: If you are a beginner in ANY FIGHTING GAME, then DO NOT CHOOSE A CHARACTER simply because you like how they look. You need to select a character that you will be able to last for more than 5 minutes on Versus Games the first time you play the fighting game. Don't get all pissed if you can't master the character in one day as fighting games require you to spend a lot of time with one character and to take full advantages of a character's strengths while you tame the weaknesses to make the character work for your repetoire. For those who live in jusrisdictions that replaces Mitsurugi with Arthur: I WILL NOT RECOGNIZE ARTHUR AT ALL. If you ask me regarding about Arthur once again, I WILL DELETE AND FILTER YOUR E-MAIL. So please, let me follow the formula of the Samurais here. The first file that I have refurbished is Seung Mi Na. Why? Because I gave Seung Mi Na too many negatives. Well, with the recent update, I should be able to fix Mi Na's image. Next was both Nightmare and Siegfried. Why? Because I'm used to the Zweihander brothers. Voldo was fourth in my list. It's not because everybody praises Voldo as the ideal character, it's because Voldo has the most moves in the game and thus this allows people to mix up moves like crazy. Voldo is a great character to use if you want to learn how to mix like nuts. Now it's Yo-Man's turn to undergo a *severe* update. Not because I need to give Yo-Man recognition, it's because there are some more analysis that I need to cover with him. More likely Lizard Man will be undergoing a severe update, though it won't be soon because I still have a lot of FAQs to refurbish as well in order to remove much unneeded legal tralala. This FAQ will also work for the Dreamcast, although I'm centralizing this FAQ towards Arcade Players. ======================================================================== WHAT IS SOUL CALIBUR? Soul Calibur is the sequel to the Three Dimensional Weapon Arcade Hit Soul Edge which was created by Hajime Nakatani utilizing the System 12 Board. Soul Calibur boosts the same gameplay of Soul Edge but with even smoother frame animation, octogonial-dimensional running, and even more features that may burn its father to a crisp. Captain Cervantes De Leon has taken the Soul Edge when he was only 21 years of age, and during the next 2 decades, rumors have been discovered that Soul Edge has been deemed as the Sword of Salvation, while others consider Soul Edge as the Ultimate Evil Sword. Not all warriors were able to reach Soul Edge, as some souls (such as Li Long) has been killed by Cervantes's strength and agility, but there are a few who were able to reach Cervantes and best him in sorts. Sophitia Alexandra destroyed the Soul Edge Female, but was wounded by the shards. At the self-same instant, Cervantes vowed to kill Sophie with the Soul Edge Male, but was attacked and defeated without warning by Taki. Taki took a shard of the destroyed Soul Edge Female while taking Sophie back to Greece. As Siegfried Schtauffen attempted to retrieve the Soul Edge Male, he is forced to wield his Zweihander (Faust) against Soul Edge, the keeper of Secrets. After Soul Edge's demise, Siegfried took the Soul Edge Male, not realizing that the sword was trying to accept Sieg as a new host to house its evil power. Meanwhile, a village at Spain has witnessed the birth of the Evil Seed, which are grounds for serious disasters of the world. Due to the death of the Soul Edge Female, the stability of all evil within has been altered in some way for a while. This game features 10 characters when the game is first stocked: - Xianghua - Kilik - Nightmare - Heishiro Mitsurugi - Sophitia Alexandra - Voldo - Astaroth - Maxi - Taki - Isabella Valentine a.k.a. Ivy There are also Time Release characters available after the TRC warms up. Here are the confirmed character addies as per SoulCalibur.Com: - Hwang Sung Kyung - Yoshimitsu - Lizardman - Siegfried Schtauffen - Rock - Seung Mina - Edge Master If you have taken a lot of time to play as Yoshimitsu in any of the Tekken games, then you should have no problem adjusting a bit from the Iron Fist Era to the "Stage in History". However, if you have not yet touched Yo-Man, then you will have a hard time trying to get used to him since he lacks multiple-level moves and he has some moves that you should never do regardless of the situation. Not having too many multiple-level moves are his main problem. ======================================================================== INTENTIONS FOR THE YOSHIMITSU MOVE LIST This document was intended to serve primarily as a text-version move list for the ninja who has lost his clan for an unknown reason, Yoshimitsu. I am NOT going to help you on how to fight the CPU foes (since the focus is human against human competition), but I am also going to help you out on some combos. This document wasn't intended to help make Yoshimitsu a clear-cut winner on a Soul Calibur Tournament. Yoshimitsu is basically his own character with a few of Mitsurugi's moves. I create Text-Based Move Lists so that you can print-out and since I'm doing it on a character to character basis, my whole intention for this work is to make learning a character simple focusing on one character at a time. I will also review some of the theories with you. These theories are universal to all characters. Because a fighting game has some theories that you need to learn for a healthy fight, I recommend that you read the Fighting Theories in this document. Read this guide over and over again, and practice your I/O on a "fake" controller. Therefore, you will be prepared to execute the moves that will keep your foes at bay. If you're familiar with Yoshimitsu, then you'll be able to spend less time and effort trying to get the commands right for this game, but if you haven't been playing a lot of Yoshimitsu in Tekken 3, then you'll have a hard time learning him, since this character assumes that you've played Yoshimitsu a lot from all Tekken games. You're welcome to offer me with any bug fixes at this location: - http://www.verasnaship.net/text/mailform.html (Coming Soon) ======================================================================== RANTINGS ABOUT THE YO-MAN IN GENERAL Listen, I'm getting sick and tired of people declaring at the Soul Calibur Forum (http://www.soulcalibur.com/cgi-bin/wwwboard.cgi) that Voldo is the man. Now to give some synopsis on this, NO CHARACTER CAN BE COMPLETE WITHOUT A DRAMATIC WEAKNESS. To help you understand why no one can have no weak points, here's the lowdown: Yoshimitsu's range is not as good as Heishiro Mitsurugi's so avoid playing range games at all costs. Yoshimitsu lives generally for close-range combat and not for long-range combat. If you have been using Yoshimitsu in the Tekken games a lot, then you should not have a problem adjusting to much of Yo-Man's list of changes. However, if you didn't take some time to master him, then you will have a hard time getting used to him not because he's awkward, it's because he lacks a lot of multiple-level moves that made Voldo a surprisingly forgiving character to use. In order to make sure that Yo-Man is easy to use, I highly recommend that you use Yo-Man in the Tekken games more often. The best way to get used to Yo-Man (if you have a PlayStation) is to rent a copy of Tekken 3 and use the ENTIRE RENTING PERIOD using YOSHIMITSU ONLY NOT to learn all the moves, but get to know Yoshimitsu a lot better. If you have a Sega Dreamcast, great. Now here's the next step on how to get used to Yoshimitsu. You will need to spend some time to play as Heishiro Mitsurugi because Yoshimitsu is basically what he was in Tekken 3 with some of Mitsurugi's moves. If you don't take some time using Heishiro Mitsurugi, then you may have a hard time taking advantages of the twists and turns Yo-Man offers in Soul Calibur. Since Yo-Man's problem is the lack of multiple-level moves, you will definitely need to rely a lot on juggles and moves that hit in the Mid, and through surprise attacks of course. Unfortunately, there are also some moves that you need to avoid in order to keep Yo-Man's stamina up to par with some of the deadlier characters. An expert Taki player will prove to be the greatest threat in the game so avoid using the Harakiri and the Turning Moves since they will drain Yo-Man's energy. If you need to restore any lost energy, do it ONLY whenever it's safe to do so, and make sure you give some room for error before teleporting since there is quite a delay in between animations. Don't abuse the Shark Combination like you did in the Tekken games since this might lead to an accidential self-ringout. The key to mastering Yo-Man is to be as aggressive as you can and to utilize complex juggles as much as you can. If you have mastered plenty of old-school Tekken juggles as Yo-Man in the past, then you should have no problem trying these juggles to impress the audience. The key to landing a guaranteed juggle is precise timing. If you need to give out more suggestions on how to use Yo-Man with the highest pride, then please let me know. Vital Statistics ---------------- Strength: *** Range: ** Dexterity: *** Vitality: ** Spirit: ** Health: ** Throw Range: It's much like what he was in Tekken, Perhaps? ======================================================================== YOSHIMITSU AT A GLANCE This section of this document has been taken from Namco America's Soul Calibur Site at http://www.soulcalibur.com and from Fighters.NET's Soul FAQ by Mr MG (http://www.fighters.net). Catch Copy: First Mechanized Ninja Weapon: Katana Weapon's Name: Yoshimitsu Style: Manji Ryu Ninjutsu Age in Years: Unknown Date of Birth: Unknown Family: Although we don't have any data regarding his family, Yoshimitsu's clan has perished for reasons unknown. Place of Origin: Unknown Height: 5 foot, 7 inches Weight: 126 lbs Blood Type: O Stage: The Water Cave BGM: Chasing Downstream Sub-Boss: Nightmare Voice Talent: Nobuyuki Hiyama Somewhere in the secluded forests at Mount Fuji lies a clan called the Manjito. A lord who sought the power of the Manjito invited the chief to his castle. Due to his age the chief sent his finest warrior to act on his behalf. Even with the finest warrior acting on behalf of the Manjito chief, strict allegiance of the Manjito has always been adhered to, but the Manjito remained secluded and refused to participate in the trial of wars. Afterwards, the denying fighter returned back to the villiage of Manjito at Mount Fuji. Unfortunately, things began to turn sour: The warrior saw his beloved villiage in ruins. The lord was being attacked by the warlord who he refused to join in this warlike age. Yo-man's boss still refused, so the requesting party destroyed an entire clan which Yoshimitsu called, "home". With no one to reach out for and with his clan exterminated, Yo-man had plans to avenge the destruction of his proud clan, but he can't commit a one-man army assault against the party responsible for killing his clan. However, he tried, but Yoshimitsu was too few and too weak to succeed as he lost his right hand in an attempt to make the offending party pay for their crimes. The legendary weapon Soul Edge would be the only way he can destroy the clan responsible for the death of his proud clan. It could be the only solution Yoshimitsu may have after all. Yoshimitsu departed to Germany to search for a mysterious azure knight who's been causing destruction and tragedies somewhere at Ostrinesburg Castle. Suddenly, Yo-man began to lose himself when he tried to keep his concentration towards his promised quest, but all of a sudden he realizes that his quest for vengeance was born from Nightmare's evil. Is there anyway Yo-man can obtain the legendary sword Soul Edge without breaking his promise? Please credit either Mark Griffin as Mr MG (http://www.fighters.net), Jason Arney (http://www.namco.com) as WCMaxi, or just type in the aforesaid URLs in your Acknowledgement section where credit is due. ======================================================================== BASIC FIGHTING THEORIES This section is basically derived from Namco's explanation of Basic Soul Calibur Theories (http://www.soulcalibur.com/system.html). I won't explain too much of them with the exception of partial explanation since the aforementioned acknowledgement in parentheses does a good job handling the theories in detail. Remember, this document is basically a depriative of Namco's index of theories at their Soul Calibur Site with the exception of text descriptions and only partial description of the theories in the game. Blocking -------- If for any reason you MUST learn a Martial Art, then the obvious art that you learn at the early stages of development is DEFENSE. Without defense, the Martial Art is all for naught. To play the game efficiently, I'll tell you what each type of blocking means. Here's how to execute a Neutral Guard (first seen in Tekken 2): - Neutral Guard High, Joystick Neutral. Blocks all High and Mid Attacks - Neutral Guard Low, Joystick Down. Blocks all Low Attacks Be aware that there is a minus when using Neutral Guard: Any attack that forces a Block Stagger WILL deplete your guard, meaning that the next blow could hurt you in some sorts. I call Neutral Guard "Weak Guarding" as this type of guard was meant for blocking attacks that doesn't block stagger you. This falls into the term of Heavy Guarding, which you do by holding the Guard Button. Here's how to continually block without receiving a hit during a Neutral Guard: - Heavy Guard High, Hold G and Joystick Neutral, Blocks all High and Mid Attacks, and any High and Mid Staggers - Heavy Guard Low, Hold G and Joystick Down, Blocks all Low Attacks and Low Staggers Even though you are staggered, provided that you ARE holding the Guard Button you will continue to block even though you are staggering. To start blocking right after you are attacked during a combo, you need to joystick Neutral and hit and hold Guard at the right time. Properties ---------- For abbreviations about properties, see the Notations. Also, during the moves, I MAY BE ABLE to alert you if a move is a block stagger or a whatever. High: A Head Hit. Crouchable. Nuff Said Mid: These hits will hit you in your mid-section. Definitely must be blocked high. Low: Slice the legs! Block Low or try to jump. Special Mid: These will hit you in your midsection, but can be blocked either high or low, just be sure to jam in that Guard Button. Ground: Limited use, only hits prone foes. Unblockable Moves ----------------- Unblockable Moves are techniques that require a long time to charge but when the move hits the foe, it will cause damage even though it's blocked. Unblockable moves leave you vulnerable during the execution of the move which can cause some spectacular (and embarrasingly painful) counterhits if for any reason your foe gets into you. Unblockable High: Defeats a High Guard, MUST BE CROUCHED! Unblockable Mid: This will hit the Mid section and will defeat any type of guard. YOU MUST MOVE AWAY FROM YOUR FOE WHEN HE/SHE IS DOING THE UNBLOCKABLE MID MOVE OR SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES! Unblockable Low: Defeats a Low Guard. Dodge or jump to avoid getting jacked. Throws ------ No need for much explanation here. Throws also defeat guard, but unlike Unblockables, with the right timing, you can escape throws, a feature first seen in Tekken 2. As you are being grabbed, press the following button(s) to escape the throw. If you are not fast enough, oh well... =O All G+A Throws: A All G+B Throws: B Side Throws, and Back Throws: Escape dependant on throw used Throws mainly are considered high hits, but Astaroth has a Mid Throw and a Ground Throw. To escape Astaroth's Drop of Lava, A at start of throw. To escape Astaroth's Burial, B at start of throw. I don't want to spoil all the fun of having to discover the throw escape methods so I'll leave the escapes up to you (with the exception of the universal throw commands). Stepping -------- No need for explanation here. All you need to do is to just tap the joystick lightly in any direction and return joystick to Neutral. In Soul Calibur, you can step at any direction! This is good because this gives you a way for free movement around the arena! Octagonial-Way Running (Eight-Way Run) -------------------------------------- This is brand new in a Namco Fighting Game, and is probably the most obvious skill you need to learn if you want to master Soul Calibur at a faster pace than in Soul Edge. Eight-Way Running is done by tapping the joystick at the desired direction you want to run, and holding the lever at the SAME DIRECTION you want to run once again. Please remember that in order to make the Eight Way Run work, the key to make the run work correctly is to make the lever "touch" instead of tapping the direction too quickly. Also, please be aware that some moves can only be executed using an Eight Way Run, so keep that in mind. For example, in Tekken 3, if you press Back, and hold Back, then you would just leap backwards. In Soul Calibur, if you tap back, and then hold back, then you would run backwards (though not as fast as if you were to dash forward). Tapping on the desired direction you want to move and holding the desired direction you want to run (with the exception of forward) is the key to effective defensive assaults. MORE ON EIGHT-WAY RUN ATTACKS ON THE OFFENSE DEFINITIONS. Crouching --------- No need for much explanation here. Just hold Down all the way while pressing guard to crouch. Remember since you are given freedom of movement in this game, you may not need to crouch unless you need to block a low attack, or et. al. Jumping ------- In Soul Edge and Tekken 3, you can jump depending on how long you hold UP on the joystick. Now those days are gone. In Soul Calibur, you can only jump by performing certain moves or by holding Block and pressing UP while the Block Button is held. You shouldn't need to use a jump because Soul Calibur's Freedom of Movement puts this feature to a crying shame. Offense Overview ---------------- Soul Calibur's offense system is pretty complex, that it would take a beginner about $25 to master offensive arts. Here are the types of offense Soul Calibur has available (Examples and/or descriptions on parentheses): - Button Tapping (Astaroth's B,B) - Button Rolling (Mitsurugi's K~B) - Button Holding (Nearly all of Asta's attacks for variety) - Multiple Buttons (Mitsurugi's A+B) - Tapping (Yoshimitsu's f+B) - Double Tapping (Yoshimitsu's f,[f]+B) - Shift Motions (You press a button first and then tap a Joystick Direction, gives this game more depth!) - Joystick Rolling (Kilik's QCF+A+B) - Completely Crouched (Hold G, Press down. Now release G and a good example would be Nightmare's WC+df+G+B) - Rise up from a Crouch (Siegfried's WS+B) - Eight Way Run Attacks (Siegfried's Brain Masher) - Combination Commands (Probably the most difficult form to understand, let's take Mitsurugi's f,[f]+A+B for instance) It's easy to do these motions than to say, so I recommend going onto Namco's explanation at http://www.soulcalibur.com/system.html for a more in-depth explanation of the Basic Arts of Sword Fighting as I don't want to spoil all the fun of theory discovery. :) ======================================================================== ADVANCED FIGHTING THEORIES Now here's the CREME DE LA CREME of Soul Calibur. Read them carefully as these will be important to know on your quest to become a good player in Soul Calibur. This section basically runs through Namco's index of Advanced Soul Calibur Theories (http://www.soulcalibur.com/systemadv.html) but I will ONLY go partial on these theories because I don't want you to rely on this document directly. As much as I want you to have fun with Namco's Soul Calibur Site, you are encouraged to browse through the aforementioned acknowledgement in parentheses. Guard Impacts ------------- Something new way back in Soul Edge. You block the instant you see a slash coming at you. In Soul Edge, when you block the instant something is coming at you, you just stagger the foe. Now there's something more in Soul Calibur. Pressing Forward and the Guard Button as soon as some slash is coming at you will push the offensive character into a back stagger. You can only do a Forward and Block Button Impact Stagger at High to Mid Attacks. Pressing Down-Forward and Guard Impact Staggers any Mid to Low Attacks. This is one important move to learn because sooner or later you may get upset seeing your foe play pattern games, etc. and if your patience has been used up, then it's time to Impact-Cut your foe off. I like to call this "Frontal-Push" because Guard Impact Repelling also pushes your foe backwards. To be more descriptive, here's how to "Front-Push" your foe: - f+G to Repel High and Mid Attacks - df+G to Repel Low Attacks Guard Parries ------------- Guard Parries are something new in Soul Calibur that isn't included in Soul Edge. To Guard Parry, press Back and Guard the moment a slash is coming at you to side-push your foe at high and mid attack heights or press Down-Back and Guard at the same time to side-push your foe at Mid to Low attack Heights. This seems to be a great counterattack because when mastered, can be satisfying to pull off at times just because you can go into a side throw afterwards. The Guard Impaction causes your character to block the attack and side-push your foe at the same time. A must do for the faster characters like Taki, Sophitia, Hwang Sung Kyung, Maxi, and Heishiro Mitsurugi. In more-depth explanation, here's how to "side-push" your foe: - b+G to parry High and Mid Attacks - db+G to parry Low Attacks Parries are best done when your foe tries to use a powerful long-range move on you. Understanding Throws -------------------- I'm not going to explain too heavily on this (mainly because I want you to just sit back and enjoy Namco's Advanced Theory Explanations at http://www.soulcalibur.com/systemadv.html) but this seems weird: Characters sometimes scream differently when doing throws, meaning that there are some time for error to jam in that escape button before all is lost. Use this as a hint for what button you need to use in order to escape throws. A good example would be Siegfried's "Taaah!" in one throw and "Eiihhh!" in another throw. Staggers -------- What is a stagger? It's when you throw a blow and if the opponent blocks it, he/she falls back, causing you to maintain your distance away from foe. However, there are also some moves that drain you after it's blocked so be careful. You need to learn how to stagger and then try to let him/her have it with a move that hits at a different location other than the height he/she is trying to block you at. Variating hits and hitting him/her at the unguarded area while he/she is staggered will help, though you may need to allow some room for error. Pinning Attacks --------------- In Soul Edge, you had to jump up and stab at your opponent by using a certain command. Gone are the days of those sissy pin attacks. Now you can use VIRTUALLY ANY ATTACK to perform all the Pin Attacks when your foe is down! However, Pin Attacks are a lot harder to get this time around now that quick recovery has been enabled. Quick Recovery -------------- When you are knocked over the air, or right after you get knocked down, hit the Guard Button as much as you can to recover. This reduces the amount of juggling pain and Okizeme the foe can commit. If you are knocked down on the ground, try leaving the joystick neutral and hit the Guard Button rapidly to recover blocking. The recovery time and the amount of drama required to recover depends on your character's physical attributes. Notations --------- Ever since my Nightmare Move List I first created, I felt that it's time to go with the Namco way of using moves. I suggest that you read the Notations over and over again in order to become familiar with the moves. The Notations I've been using on the Nightmare Move List and Siegfried Move List has been confusing, so I'm planning to fix the notations on these move lists as well. Soul Charging ------------- Soul Charging allows you to perform more powerful versions of your special moves. I call Soul Charging a preparation for Desperation because this allows you to inflict as much damage as a Counter Hit would cause. Soul Charging also has some added bonuses such as longer staggers. Be careful that while you are Soul Charging, you leave yourself vulnerable for high-damage hits so use the Soul Charge wisely. Hold A+B+K and as soon as you are charged up, let loose. Spirit Charging --------------- Spirit Charging allows you to perform even more powerful attacks that a Soul Charge would have dreamed of. Spirit Charging takes more time and effort to perform than a Soul Charge. BTW you can't block while you are on Soul or Spirit Charge Mode so use these features wisely. Spirit Charges are also called Divine Desperations which allows you to perform attacks that has higher bonuses than a Soul Charge, and it's possible that some attacks using a spirit charge may become unblockable! All you have to do is to hold A+B+K, and then hold G to charge up. As soon as you are flashing yellow, let loose. Delaying to Increasing Weight of the Moves ------------------------------------------ So what do I do on this? I simply hold the button to increase the weight of the move and I inflict extra damage with the move. This is actually called a Motion Delay, a feature that allows you to delay the move to either change property or increase damage, or even TO TRICK THE FOE THAT YOU ARE ATTACKING ALL OF A SUDDEN! If you happen to inflict Maximum Delay at times, the move will either turn into an unblockable move, will have the hitting location change, or more commonly, increase the damage done to your foe. Combine that with either a Soul or Spirit Charge-Up for maximum OUCH! Use this feature wisely, though. Part of the reason why I had to omit some of the more useful theories bubbled out at Namco's Index of Advanced Soul Calibur Fighting Theories (http://www.soulcalibur.com/systemadv.html) is because I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY ALL THE FUN OF BROWSING THROUGH THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT LISTED IN PARENTHESES like I said before. Keep on browsing through the two aforementioned acknowledgements in both the Basic and Advanced Sections of the Theory Review and you should be fine. Remember, I'm only reviewing theories derived from Namco's official Soul Calibur Site. ======================================================================== NOTATIONS f: Forward b: Tap Backward u: Tap Up d: Tap Down uf: Tap Up-Forward ub: Tap Up-Backward df: Tap Down-Forward db: Tap Down-Backward n: Point the Joystick back to Neutral A: Horizontal Slash Button B: Vertical Slash Button K: Kick Button G: Guard Button ~: Tap the control Command immediately +: Tap the control command at the same time [x]: Hold the aforesaid command control 8WR: Perform an Eight Way Run first WS: Crouch, then Rise up with the following commands performed at the same time. WC: Fully Crouched BT: Back Turned qcb: Do a quarterspin of the Joystick from Down to Back qcf: Do a quarterspin of the Joystick from Down to Forward hcf: Do a halfspin of the joystick from Back to Forward hcb: Do a halfspin of the joystick from Forward to Backward qcdf: Do a quarterspin of the Joystick from Down-Back to Down-Forward qcdb: Do a quarterspin of the Joystick from Down-Forward to Down-Backward LND: As you land SIT: Sit Down POGO: From a Sword Pogo H: The move will hit high M: The move will hit mid SM: The move will hit mid, but can be blocked while crouching L: The move will hit low !: Unblockable Mid ?: Unblockable High &: Unblockable Low P: Hits Prone Foes ======================================================================== MOVES Throwing Moves: The following are available to Yoshimitsu as Throw Moves. Keep in mind that Astaroth's throw range is excellent while Xianghua's throw range is rather lame. Like I said, Yoshimitsu has terrible range so his throw range isn't all that great, so most of the time you may need to play a little bit of variety games to get yourself away around. And don't forget that Yoshimitsu doesn't have as much variety like he did in Tekken 3. Now let me tell you about these Yo-Man moves: The frontal throws are bland to execute but the side and back throws are really rewarding to execute since the animation of these moves really kick a lot of ass. I don't want to spoil all the fun of having to go through the effort of having to execute a side and/or back throw so I'll let you do the explanation of the moves by yourself. It looks cool so it's well worth the effort because as much as I was awed by seeing these animations, I want you to look at these animations as well. Smashing a Jaw -------------- Execution: G+A at throwing range Throw Type: Front Throw Button used to escape throw: A to escape. Must start the escape before the throw kicks in. Just like in Tekken 3, Yo-Man uses the base of his katana to hit his foe's jaw. The Flying Sixtynine -------------------- Execution: G+B at throwing range Throw Type: Front Throw Button used to escape throw: B to escape. Must start the escape before the throw kicks in. Another old-school move. Yoshi grabs his foe, flips sideways and slams his foe right into the ground. This move looks a lot like the Big Boss Man's Arrest Slam death blow from WWF Superstars from American Technos, though it looks different. Many lonely gamers call this move the Sixty Nine Slam just because it looks something like a Sixty-Nine situation... Rainbow Fall ------------ Execution: qcb+A+B at throwing range Throw type: Front throw Button used to escape throw: A to escape. Must start the escape before the throw kicks in. Yoshi grabs his foe high in the air, places his foe's stomach on top of his head (much like the Warrior from WCW committing a body slam), doing a patented left side jump and ends slamming his foe right on the back! Crazy Windmill -------------- Execution: Any throw directly at the foe's left side Throw type: Left Side Throw Note: The throw will only work if your hands were grabbing the foe from the left. Button used to escape throw: Escape dependant on the throw used before the throw kicks in. I'll leave this one up to you to explain to yourself. This is one of the coolest-looking throws in the game and I don't want to throw it all out since I want you to exploit this move by yourself. Quite a painful move if you can pull it out since the animation looks like it would hurt a lot. Manjito Special Blend --------------------- Execution: Any throw directly at the foe's right side Throw Type: Right Side Throw Note: The throw move will only work if your hands were grabbing the foe from the right. Button used to escape throw: Escape dependant on the throw used before the throw kicks in. I'll leave this one up to you to explain to yourself. This is one of the coolest-looking throws in the game and I don't want to throw it all out since I want you to exploit this move by yourself. Quite a painful move if you can pull it out since the animation looks like it would hurt a lot. Izuna Fall ---------- Execution: Any throw close from behind Throw Type: Back throw Button used to escape throw: Escape dependant on the throw used before the throw kicks in. I'll leave this one up to you to explain to yourself. This is one of the coolest-looking throws in the game and I don't want to throw it all out since I want you to exploit this move by yourself. Quite a painful move if you can pull it out since the animation looks like it would hurt a lot. I still have some work to do with these throws as I try to explain the effects of execution as well. I still have a lot of browsing to do at http://www.soulcalibur.com. Face it. I hate to look up at this website just to get the job done. I know it sucks but I have to use this site and credit them because their information's pretty reliable on the long run. Forgive me on this. =( Regular Moves: These moves can be performed at anytime. Keep in mind that now that there are Eight-Way (Octo) Run moves, your strategy has to change a bit. The explained here are the following that you can perform assuming that you did not press any direction twice and attack after initiating an Eight-Way Run. Rapid Gale ---------- Execution: A,A Location: H,H Two slashes to the neck, like Mitsurugi. Gale ---- Execution: f+A Location: H Somewhat much like a turnaround slash to the neck, much like Mitsurugi. Breath ------ Execution: f,[f]+A Location: M Again, Yo-Man has some of Mitsurugi's moves, so this move will basically hit his foe somewhere at the Kidney. Scattering Wealth ----------------- Execution: df+A Location: M Note: This move will double-over stun if the hit is a counterstrike Much like Mitsurugi's df+A, this is a good way to get those combos going. Parting Gras ------------ Execution: d+A Location: SM Note: Since Yo-Man will be crouching right after this move, you can perform a While Standing Move and/or hold down to continue crouching after the move. Try to create some unconventional combos after this move. A simple slash right at his foe's leg answers the call. Stone Fist ---------- Execution: db+A,A,A,A,A Location: M,M,M,M,M Note: The final spin will make Yoshimitsu dizzy, leaving him vulnerable to such vicious counterattacks that exist. Don't do this move unless you are planning to start with the Slap You Silly first. This way Yo-Man can hit his foe at multiple parts of the body. Assuming Yo-Man isn't dizzy, he will be crouching right after this move, which means that you can perform a While Standing Move and/or hold down to continue crouching after the move. Try to create some unconventional combos after this move. Yet another old-school move involving Yo-Man doing several backhands to hit his foe's kidney with his fists. Avoid overusing this move as it will leave Yo-Man vulnerable to vicious Taki players. Slap You Silly -------------- Execution: b+A,A,A,A,A Location: H,H,H,H,H Note: The final spin will make Yoshimitsu dizzy, leaving him vulnerable to such vicious counterattacks that exist. Don't do this move unless you are planning to follow up with the Stone Fist Attack. This way you can attack your foe at multiple parts of the body by all means possible before becoming dizzy. The old-school style of punching your foe at the face five times. Avoid using this move as well as this will really leave Yo-Man vulnerable to vicious counterattacks when he becomes dizzy. Mouthless --------- Execution: b,[b]+A Location: M Note: This move will stagger a foe whenever it's blocked Pretty much like Mitsurugi's b,[b]+A but with even less range. Bill of the Demon ----------------- Execution: [g]~u,LND+A Location: L A simple slash to the foe's shin Rebirth of the Demon -------------------- Execution: u+A Location: H A simple slash to the neck, only bloodier. Sunflower --------- Execution: WS+A Location: M Basically a faster version of the Mouthless move... Samurai Cutter -------------- Execution: WC+db,b+A Location: L An old-school sweeping move from Tekken 2, this time it's not an unblockable. Very hard to execute because of the WC starting motion of the joystick. Rapid Grace ----------- Execution: B,B Location: M,M Much like Mitsurugi's B,B move, Yo-Man does an overhead slash followed by an uppercut slash. This *should* protect Yo-Man's front so use it ONLY for a defensive purpose. Ninja Blade Rush
----------------
Execution: B~A
Location: M
Note: If this move strikes a foe on a counterattack basis, the move will
shift into an inescapable throw.
Much like Mitsu's B~A, except that now Yo-Man can use this move to throw
his foe through!

Sword Spirit
------------
Execution: f+B (for the Mid Stab)
           f+B~u (for the Head Stab)
           f+B~d (for the Toe Stab)
Location: M for the Mid Stab, H for the Head Stab, and L for the Toe Stab
Note: The Toe Stab will strike prone foes.
Much like Mitsurugi's head, toe, and stomach stabs.  The Toe Stab is a move
that you can't live without since the Sword Spirit has some variations as
far as the controls are concerned.  The Toe Stab is insanely slow so it's
best just to stick with the f+B since it's a good defensive move.

Firmiana Branch
---------------
Execution: f,[f]+B
Location: M
Note: This move will stagger a foe whenever it's blocked.
Much like Mitsurugi's Soul Edge version of the f,[f]+B, except that Yo-Man
can't do a final moon slash after the initial overhead slash that will
strike prone foes.

Pomegranate
-----------
Execution: df+B
Location: M
Yo-Man does an uppercut slash that starts out juggles.  It's also a
great defensive move since it pretty much covers Yo-Man's front in
situations when Yo-Man must go defensive.

Rain-Time
---------
Execution: d+B
Location: M
Note: Since Yo-Man will be crouching right after this move, you can perform
a While Standing Move and/or hold down to continue crouching after the move.
Try to create some unconventional combos after this move.
Yo-Man does a crouching overhead slash that will also strike prone foes.

Screaming Fist
--------------
Execution: db+B
Location: M
Note: Holding the B Button will charge up the sword.  If you can max-out
the charge, the move becomes a UM.  You need to use the unblockable wisely
in order to avoid getting jacked by vicious counterstrikes.
Yo-Man does a one-hand overhead slash, just like he did in Tekken 3

Fierce Screaming Fist
---------------------
Execution: b,[b]+B
Location: UM
Note: Press the G button during the move to cancel the move.  Since this
is a UM, be sure to use the Unblockables wisely.
Like in the Tekken games, Yo-Man rises up his sword high in the sky before
stabbing his foe right at the stomach!

Propelling Screaming Fist
-------------------------
Execution: b,[b]+B~A
Location: M
Note: Press the G button for a shorter version of this move after executing
the initial starter.
Another old-school move, this is an infamous airplane-propeller like move
that has Yoshi's sword doing all the good body coverage.  The longer version
of the move drains Yoshi considerably, so you may need to perform the shorter
version of this move by all means possible.

Double Front Slice
------------------
Execution: qcf+B
Location: UM,UM
Pretty much like the two first sword slashes of the final stretch of Yo-Man's
original Tekken 1 Tenhitter.  These slashes are slow, so don't bother using
them unless your timing is good.

Eleventh Moon
-------------
Execution: [g]~u,LND+B
Location: M
A leaping uppercut slash

Autumn Moon
-----------
Execution: u+B
Location: M
Pretty much a leaping overhead slash

Tangled Beating
---------------
Execution: WS+B
Location: M
Pretty much like Mitsurugi's WS+B but with less range.

Manjito Carved Fist
-------------------
Execution: WC+B~A_d+B~A
Location: SM
Note: Since Yo-Man will be crouching right after this move, you can perform
a While Standing Move and/or hold down to continue crouching after the move.
Try to create some unconventional combos after this move.
Just a simple punch to the upper legs with disgusting range.

Heretic Sword
-------------
Execution: WC,df+B
Location: M
Note: If this move strikes a foe on a counterhit basis, the foe will fall
back stunned, meaning that no combos will follow up after this move.
Much like Mitsurugi's Time Hole where he does an uppercut stab from stomach
to face.

Kogarashi
---------
Execution: K
Location: H
Just a simple kick to the foe's face

Zigzag
------
Execution: f+K,K
Location: H,M
Note: The second hit will stagger a foe whenever it's blocked
Another old-school move where Yo-man does a dizzying kick to the foe's
face and a side kick to the foe's gut.

Hail
----
Execution: df+K
Location: M
A kick that is aimed right into the foe's chest!

Knee Bash
---------
Execution: f,[f]+K
Location: M
Note: This move will stagger a foe whenever it's blocked
An old-school style knee tap where Yo-Man does a leaping knee that will
strike a foe right at the chest.

Dust Banishment
---------------
Execution: d+K
Location: M
Note: Since Yo-Man will be crouching right after this move, you can perform
a While Standing Move and/or hold down to continue crouching after the move.
Try to create some unconventional combos after this move.
A simple kick right at the foe's ankle.  This move will also hit prone
foes.

Kangaroo Kick
-------------
Execution: db+K
Location: M
Note: This move will stagger a foe whenever it's blocked.
An old-school move where Yo-Man does a handstand kick that will start out
juggles, but the height will be too high for Yo-Man to time it good.

Bullet Cutting Fandango
-----------------------
Execution: b+K,B
Location: M
Note: If you hold the B button instead of just tapping B, you can charge
up the sword.  If you can charge up the sword fully, the second hit will
become a UM.  Nice but you need to use the motion delays wisely to avoid
and possibility of vicious counterattacks.  The second hit will stagger
whenever it's blocked.
Much like Mitsurugi's knockout kick to one-hand overhead slash, but
Yo-Man can charge up the sword slash to replicate one of his old-school
unblockables.

Mizore
------
Execution: WS+K
Location: M
Just a simple kick to the chin.

Oroshi
------
Execution: [g]~u+K
Location: M
A leaping kick where Yo-Man uses his heel to hit his foe right at the
face.

Mountain Wind
-------------
Execution: [g]~u,LND+K
Location: M
Same as the Oroshi, except this is the delayed leaping side kick.

Storm
-----
Execution: u+K
Location: M
A pile-driving jump kick that uses the power of the toe to smack some
sense at the foe's jaw.

Mine Detector
-------------
Execution: WC,df+K
Location: L
Pretty much an old-school style sweep where Yo-Man does a turnaround
foot sweep.

Spinning Low Kicks
------------------
Execution: WC,db+K,K,K,K,K
Location: L,L,L,L,L
An old-school style multiple shin kick attack, except that it may not
be executed during the Stone Fist attack.

Start a Sword Pogo
------------------
Execution: A+B
Location: Special Movement
This move will start a Sword Pogo Combination

Backhand
--------
Execution: f+A+B
Location: H
An old-school backhand that will force the foe facing away from Yo-man
when he gets hit, but you need to use this move wisely as this one
has disgusting range, and it also hits high.

Crying Spirit Slash
-------------------
Execution: f,[f]+A+B
Location: M
Note: Press the G button during the move to cancel.
Much like Mitsurugi's version of the f,[f]+A+B

Crying Sprit Slash-Death
------------------------
Execution: f,[f]+A+B,G,B
Location: L
Pretty much a combination of a cancelled Crying Spirit Slash into a
sweeping slash that hits your foe at his/her leg!

Crying Spirit Slash to Sword Pogo
---------------------------------
Execution: f,[f]+A+B,G~[u]
Location: Special Movement
Cancelling a Crying Spirit Slash in favor of starting a Sword Pogo
combination

Digging Cyclone
---------------
Execution: d+A+B,B
Location: M,M
Note: The second hit will stagger a foe whenever it's blocked
A combination of Mitsurugi's version of the d+A+B with an uppercut slash

Start Helicopter
----------------
Execution: uf+A+B
           [d] to do a landing overhead slash
           [b] to do a reverse helicopter
Location: UM
An old-school move where Yo-Man flies up in the air spinning his sword
like a chopper propeller.  Yo-Man can do several variations with this
move depending if he pressed d or b.

Standing Suicide
----------------
Execution: d+A+K
Location: UM
Note: This move will do 100 points of damage to Yoshimitsu, so don't
execute this move!
Yo-Man stabs himself with his sword.

Fake Suicide
------------
Execution: f,[f]+A+K
Location: Special Movement
Note: This move will leave you with your back turned, so be sure to get
a good counterattack if you don't want to suffer a back throw
premonition!
Yo-Man fakes his death by attempting Harakiri, but refuses to stab
himself with the sword.

Turnaround Harakiri
-------------------
Execution: f,[f]+[A+K]
Location: UM
Note: This move will do 140 damage points to Yoshimitsu, so don't even
think about doing this move!
One of the more damaging unblockables, Yo-Man turns around and stabs
himself with the sword.  A nice way to fool your foe that he/she will
be able to perform a backthrow, but you need to keep in mind that Yo-Man
will also lose energy this way as well, so use this move wisely.

Sit Down
--------
Execution: B+K
Location: Ends in Sit
An old-school sitting down move

Door Knocker
------------
Execution: f+B+K,B,B,B
Location: M,M,M,M
Note: The final hit will stagger a foe whenever it's blocked, and you
can delay the hits after the initial starter.
An old-school move where Yo-Man starts with a hand uppercut and then
bashes his foe using overhead strikes with the hand.  Pretty disgusting
range.

Shark Attack
------------
Execution: f,[f]+B+K to start
           A+B,K to complete the Shark Combination
           [A+B] to shift to Helicopter.  Follow that with either d or b
Location: M,H,M for A+B,K, M,H,UM for [A+B]
Note: The Third hit of the A+B,K will stagger a foe whenever it's blocked.
Yo-Man does a cartwheel, a drilling punch, and then a kangaroo kick.  If
Yo-Man prefers, he may do a helicopter after the initial cartwheel.

Circium
-------
Execution: df+B+K
Location: M
Note: This move will stagger a foe whenever it's blocked
Just like Heishiro Mitsurugi's version of the df+B+K

Spinning Evasion
----------------
Execution: b+B+K,B,B,B,B,B,B
Location: Special Movement
Note: The first spin will do 23 points of damage to Yoshimitsu.  Subsequent
spins will do 25 points of damage to Yoshimitsu.  I wouldn't use this move
if I was you, though.
Another old-school move where Yo-Man does a quick teleport to another location.
This is a good way to escape, but you will lose energy everytime you spin, so
don't use it unless you need to.

Poison Wind
-----------
Execution: uf+B+K
Location: M(G)
Note: This move will stagger a foe whenever it's blocked and will strike
prone foes as well.
An old-school forward roll leap.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sword Pogo Moves: These moves can only be done right after Yo-Man stabs
the ground with his sword and places his feet on top of the Katana's
handle.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sit
---
Execution: B+K
Location: Special Movement
A nice way to end the pogo into a crouching sit.

Kangaroo Kick
-------------
Execution: K
Location: M
Note: This move will stagger a foe whenever it's blocked.
Just like the normal version of this move.

Pogo Rush
---------
Execution: f,f_[f]
Location: L,L,L
Yo-Man rushes his foe while stabbing the ground with his sword.

Pogo Hop
--------
Execution: Any jumping direction
Location: UM
An old-school style hop where Yo-Man hops on one point of the arena to
another.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sit moves: These moves can only be executed whenever Yoshimitsu sits
down on the ground.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Life Rejuvenation
-----------------
Execution: SIT+N
Location: Special Movement
Note: Yo-Man will recover 8 points of life per stroke.
An old-school style life regain that has been popular ever since Tekken 2.

Teleport
--------
Execution: SIT+f_b
Location: Special Movement
Yet another old-school move that allows Yo-Man to travel to one point of
the arena to another, but this time without the energy loss of the standing
teleports.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eight-Way Run: These moves can only be executed right after you press one
direction two times in a row.  There are also some moves that require an
eight way run before doing the move.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Breath
------
Execution: 8WR,f+B
Location: M
Note: This move will stagger a foe whenever it's blocked.
Much like the original version of this move.

Hiiraku
-------
Execution: 8WR,right+B
Location: H
Just a simple slice to the foe's neck

Mouthless
---------
Execution: 8WR,b+B
Location: M
Note: This move will stagger a foe whenever it's blocked
Much like the original version of this move.

Mist Banishment
---------------
Execution: 8WR,db_ub+A
Location: L
Note: Since Yo-Man will be crouching right after this move, you can perform
a While Standing Move and/or hold down to continue crouching after the move.
Try to create some unconventional combos after this move.
Much like Mitsurugi's version of this move.

Firmiana Branch
---------------
Execution: 8WR,f+B
Location: M
Note: This move will stagger a foe whenever it's blocked
Much like the original version of this move.

Rain Thicket
------------
Execution: 8WR,d_u+B
Location: M
Note: This move will stagger a foe whenever it's blocked and will also
strike prone foes.
A simple overhead slash with lots of range, much like Mitsurugi's version
of the move.

Crying Hell Fire
----------------
Execution: 8WR,ub_db+B,A,B
Location: M,H,M
Note: During the third hit, you can hit G to cancel it.  The third hit
will stagger a foe whenever it's blocked.
Much like Heishiro Mitsurugi's version of this move.

Fierce Screaming Fist
---------------------
Execution: 8WR,b+B
Location: UM
Note: Press the G button during the move to cancel the move.  Since this
is a UM, be sure to use the Unblockables wisely.
Much like the original version of this move.

Knee Bash
---------
Execution: 8WR,df_uf+K
Location: M
Note: This move will stagger a foe whenever it's blocked.
Just like the original version of the move.

Whirlwind
---------
Execution: 8WR,d_u+K
Location: H
A simple kick right into the face

Bullet Cutting Fandango
-----------------------
Execution: 8WR,db_ub+K,B
Location: M,M
Note: Hold the B button to charge up sword.  If the sword is charged up
to the max, the move becomes a UM, but you need to be using your delays
wisely to avoid massive counterattack damage.
Same as the original version of the move.

Crying Spirit Slash
-------------------
Execution: 8WR,any+A+B
Location: M
Note: Press the G button during the move to cancel.
Much like Mitsurugi's version of the f,[f]+A+B

Crying Sprit Slash-Death
------------------------
Execution: 8WR,any+A+B,G,B
Location: L
Pretty much a combination of a cancelled Crying Spirit Slash into a
sweeping slash that hits your foe at his/her leg!

Crying Spirit Slash to Sword Pogo
---------------------------------
Execution: 8WR,any+A+B,G~[u]
Location: Special Movement
Cancelling a Crying Spirit Slash in favor of starting a Sword Pogo
combination

Shark Attack
------------
Execution: 8WR,f+B+K to start
           A+B,K to complete the Shark Combination
           [A+B] to shift to Helicopter.  Follow that with either d or b
Location: M,H,M for A+B,K, M,H,UM for [A+B]
Note: The Third hit of the A+B,K will stagger a foe whenever it's blocked.
Yo-Man does a cartwheel, a drilling punch, and then a kangaroo kick.  If
Yo-Man prefers, he may do a helicopter after the initial cartwheel.

Ninja Sun Flare
---------------
Execution: 8WR,any+B+K
           To shift to Sit, u_d_b+B+K~d
           To shift to Sword Pogo, u_d_b+B+K~u
Location: M
Much like Mitsurugi's version of the move, except that Yo-Man can go into
one of the two stances available for him.

========================================================================
COMBOS

These combos were first seen at http://www.soulcalibur.com/combo.html
(Use the View Soul's Combo Argument via HTML File) and could be possibly
be the best sections of the official site because players tend to find
combos that they want the public to know.  The reason why I wanted to
generate a Text-Only Combo List for Yo-Man is because there are people
who does not know how to use the combo effectively yet.  Also, you need
to use the combo.html's Soul Drop-Down List before pressing "View Combo"
on the Combo.HTML file.  Select Yo-Man's fancy combos to view, and then
after selecting Yoshimitsu from the drop-down menu to view Soul's combos,
hit the View Combos image and you'll know what I mean...

You may want to link to Namco's SC Combo Archives using the following URL
if you happen to use any of the combos from this section of this document:

- http://www.soulcalibur.com/combo.html

Note: Each combo are credited by its respective authors through the handles
they use.

Juggling Combos
---------------
There are ways to start a combo, and the following are available to
Yoshimitsu as Combo Lead-offs:

Execution                                   Throw            Launcher
---------                                   -----            --------
* df+A                                      Yes              Yes

E.C.'s special
--------------
Execution: df+B,b+A,A,A,(walk in a little),db+K,K,K
Counterhit Required: No
Number of Hits: 5
Air Recovery Point: Does not apply
Not guaranteed after: Guaranteed for experts, not guaranteed for
beginners.
Author: E.C.
Some hits will miss your foe but once you get the timing right for
this one, then you'll just love Yo-Man spinning to a juggling.

Jase's special
--------------
Execution: df+B,f+K,K
Counterhit Required: No
Number of Hits: 3
Air Recovery Point: Does not apply
Not guaranteed after: Guaranteed all the way
Author: Jase
Once you get the timing of the first juggling K right, there is virtually
no way out of this combo.

Masamune's special
------------------
Execution: df+B,b+K,B
Counterhit Required: No
Number of Hits: 3
Air Recovery Point: Does not apply
Not guaranteed after: Guaranteed all the way
Author: Masamune
Although Masamune says that the combo's not guaranteed after the
starter, when you get the first juggling hit right, the move becomes
a guaranteed nightmare for most scrubs disdaining any juggling combos.

Jase's special
--------------
Execution: df+B,f+K,f,[f]+B
Counterhit Required: No
Number of Hits: 3
Air Recovery Point: Does not apply
Not guaranteed after: The second hit
Author: Jase
This is a tougher combo to land because the f+K will drain you after
the execution of the move, and you will need to land the f,[f]+B
quickly for the combo to become guaranteed all the way.

WCMaxi's Old-School Combo
-------------------------
Execution: db+K,d,df,f+B
Counterhit Required: No
Number of Hits: 2
Air Recovery Point: Does not apply
Not guaranteed after: Guaranteed all the way
Author: WCMaxi
Hard juggling combo to do because of the Kangaroo Kick starter.  Once
you get the juggling hit right, then you should be able to pull off the
combo with lots of ease.  Guaranteed because foe cannot air recover after
the kangaroo Kick.

Jase's Special
--------------
Execution: df+B,A,b+A,A,db+A,A
Counterhit Required: No
Number of Hits: 6
Air Recovery Point: The second hit
Not guaranteed after: The enemy escapes or after you goof up during the
duration.
Author: Jase
One of the combos that a foe can escape, so try to limit the use against
scrubs.  Remember, the more hits you can inflict during juggles, the less
potent it becomes.

Jase's special
--------------
Execution: df+B,A,f,f+K,db+B
Counterhit Required: No
Number of Hits: 4
Air Recovery Point: The second hit
Not guaranteed after: The enemy air recovers or if you have goofed up
during the combo.
Author: Jase
Although this combo is pretty much expert-level, the combo isn't effective
since the second hit is a rather weak horizontal slash.

Jase's special
--------------
Execution: df+B,A,f,f+K,f+K
Counterhit Required: No
Number of Hits: 4
Air Recovery Point: The Second Hit
Not Guaranteed after: The enemy air-recovers or if you goofed up during
the juggle.
Author: Jase
Pretty much the same as one of Jase's previous specials.

WCMaxi's special
----------------
Execution: df+B,f+B~u,uf+K,B,B
Counterhit required: No
Number of Hits: 5
Air Recovery Point: The Third Hit
Not guaranteed after: The Third Hit
Author: WCMaxi
A hard combo to do requireing that you time the head stab correctly and
that you learn how to use the hopping kick to the fullest.

WCMaxi's Old School Combination
-------------------------------
Execution: df+B,f,[f]+K,A,f,[f]+K
Counterhit Required: No
Number of Hits: 4
Air Recovery Point: The Third Hit
Not guaranteed after: The Third Hit
Author: WCMaxi
Pretty much an old-school Tekken 3 combo, but you do need to be aware
that the third hit can hurt you more if the foe happens to air-recover
from the combo.

Tickstone's Old-School Twist
----------------------------
Execution: f,[f]+A+K,A+B,[G]
Counterhit Required: No
Number of Hits: 3
Air Recovery Point: Unknown
Not guaranteed after: The First Hit
Author: Tickstone
A hard combo to do because of the nature of the hits are all unblockables.

Pin Attack Combos
-----------------
What's a Pin-Attack Combo?  Pin Attacks are when you knock your foe off
and inflict unblockable or unescapable hits to increase the amount of ouch
you can inflict!

E.C.'s pin attack
-----------------
Execution: b+K,[B],qcf+B
Counterhit Required: No
Number of Hits: 3
Air Recovery Point: Does not apply
Not guaranteed after: Guaranteed all the way
Author: E.C.
A seemingly hard combo to pull off, but once you can get the hits OK,
then be prepared to snap, crackle, and pop your foe's jaw!

E.C.'s pin attack
-----------------
Execution: b+K,[B],uf+A+B~d_b
Counterhit Required: No
Number of Hits: 3
Air Recovery Point: Does not apply
Not guaranteed after: Guaranteed all the way
Author: E.C.
Same as the previous one, but a lot harder to make the combo guaranteed
because of the Helicopter follow-up.

Jase's tough maneuver
---------------------
Execution: f,[f]+B+K,A+B,K
Counterhit Required: Yes
Number of Hits: 3
Air Recovery Point: Does not apply
Not guaranteed after: Guaranteed all the way
Author: Jase
Although this move is an easy one, please be aware that you do need
to have the first hit connect as a counterstrike.  Once this move is
over, then keep on pounding your foe for some cheese.  The cheese has
been disabled due to the counterstrike starter.

E.C.'s quick maneuver
---------------------
Execution: f+B+K,B,B,B,f,[f]+A+B
Note: You must do a Spirit Charge before doing the execution
Counterhit Required: No
Number of Hits: 5
Air Recovery Point: Does not apply
Not guaranteed after: The moment Yo-Man does the Spirit Charge
Author: E.C.
Hard combo to do well because of the spirit charge requirement.

Just For Fun
------------
These combos are done just in case you get bored or if there is something
special that is hiding behind the move.  Don't perform them unless you
feel bored.  I won't explain anything because I want to leave that at
your own leisure.

Redfoot's flash
---------------
Execution: b~B+K right when opponent is in Jab distance than THROW
Note: This move will damage Yo-Man, so be careful
Number of Hits: Unknown
Air Recovery Point: Unknown
Not guaranteed after: Unknown
Author: Redfoot

Acel's comic reliever
---------------------
Execution: df+B,f+A+B,f+B+K,B
Number of Hits: 4
Air Recovery Point: The second hit
Not guaranteed after: The second hit
Author: Acel

E.C.'s Harakiri
---------------
Execution: f,[f]+A+K,d+A+K
Note: Do the starter from a distance, and wait for foe's approach before
doing the second hit.
Number of hits: Does not apply
Air Recovery Point: Invalid
Not guaranteed after: Invalid
Author: E.C.

That's it for today!  I'll tell you some Vestiroth's Unconventional Moves
in a future update!

========================================================================
HOW TO USE YOSHIMITSU EFFICIENTLY

1. Use Yoshimitsu like you would use him in Tekken.  This character
   assumes that you've been using Yo-Man for a long time ever since
   the original Tekken came out.

2. Since Yo-Man has shorter range than Mitsurugi, there are bound to
   be situations when some moves that Mitsurugi would strike ground
   foes, it fails.  Also, because of this, Yo-Man will need to play
   some variety games.

3. Try to use juggles as much as you can.  This way Yo-Man will get
   a head start whenever a foe viciously attacks him.

4. Don't use any move that will drain Yo-Man's energy, as these moves
   are something to worry about if fighting competency is what you are
   yearning for.

5. The Shark attack and the Helicopter moves may force Yo-Man into a
   self-ring out if you are not careful with these moves.

6. Use the Unblockables and the Motion Delays wisely as overusing them
   will force faster characters like Taki to inflict massive counter
   hurt on you.

That's all for now.  I'm going to find more tactics and I have to play
more games in order to get a feel for the Yoshimitsu.

========================================================================
YOSHIMITSU'S ENDING

Realizing that the sword is nothing more than a pawn of evil, Yoshimitsu
decided to destroy the sword at all accounts.  However, in doing so, a
spark tried to make Yoshimitsu possess the evil that was once contained
in the sword.  Refusing in his name to store the evil in his sword, Yo-Man
then uses his will to send the sparks away from his sword.  Afterwards,
Yo-Man becomes a robinhood for the poor, and assembles a clan that will
help feed the poor for many ages to come.

========================================================================
PLAYING YOUR SOUL CALIBUR'S WORTH OF SHARES

As of December 31, 1998, Soul Calibur no longer displays passwords.  The
reason why this is so is because the American Soul Calibur Site located
at http://www.soulcalibur.com has released ALL PASSWORDS for public use.
Even though this is the case, DO NOT POST ANY PASSWORDS AT THE FORUM AT
ALL!!!!!  Here is where you can find the Password goodies at:

Extended Character Prologues, Character Revelations, Special Character
Notes, Character Endings, Histories of the Arenas, and other Character-
related goodies can be found at the following locations:

- Arenas: http://www.soulcalibur.com/terrain.html
- Extended Character Prologues (only for certain characters) can be found
  at http://www.soulcalibur.com/souls.html (Click on soul of your choice)
- Character Endings and any special notes for each character can be found
  at the aforementioned URL and its respective soul for the extra.

The rest can be found at Digital Calibur.

- Project Staff's Interviews can be found at the Digital Calibur section
  located at http://www.soulcalibur.com/digital.html
- Animated Souls can be found at Digital Calibur as well.
- Password-related graphics: http://www.soulcalibur.com/themdesk.html

========================================================================
COMING SOON

- More bug fixes that I need to commit in this file.  This file may need
  to be refurbished a bit more before this file is bug-free.

========================================================================
THE DO'S AND DONT'S

From now on, this FAQ can only appear in the following sites:

* Verasnaship Interactive (http://www.verasnaship.net)
* GameFAQs (http://www.gamefaqs.com)
* Cheat Code Central (http://www.cheatcc.com)
* Secrets of the Game Sages (http://www.gamesages.com)
* Game Shark Code Creators Club (http://www.cmgsccc.com)
* Al Amaloo (http://vgstrategies.about.com and
  http://www.gamewinners.com)

Why?  Because these sites are the only ones that keep all original work
updated and up-to-date.

You can always get the latest version at my website (Verasnaship
Interactive at http://www.verasnaship.net) since I run that website
and I always post them instantly right at my website first.

GameFAQs does a good job keeping the files up-to-date at all times and
is regarded as the most visited "stable" for FAQ-related walkthroughs,
original work, and the like.

Cheat Code Central and Al Amaloo does a good job in keeping the FAQs
fresh, original, free, and "in one piece".  They instantly update all
FAQs without having me notify them.  However, Cheat Code Central
also has codes if you are into those cheat codes (yuck).

Secrets of the Game Sages is a "Code-related" partner to GameFAQs
since both GameFAQs and Secrets of the Game Sages share the same
information, links, and tricks-to-date.

Game Shark Code Creators Club is a Game Shark site run under the Code
Master to provide up-to-date Game Shark Codes and is a highly visited
Game Shark site.

From time-to-time, I might elect to do PDFs on certain games.  You
can always get the latest version at Verasnaship Interactive (that's
my website) and I'm planning to give GameFAQs my permission to mirror
my PDFs in the near future.

Rules:

* DO NOT place this file in your web site directly.  Only the five
  aforementioned sites have an exclusive right to mirror this file.

* You can make a link to my FAQ Library Page.  The only rules that
  I would like to enforce is that you link ONLY to an HTML or an
  Interactive Web Page.  The link to this page is:

  - http://www.verasnaship.net/text/fighting.html

* If you are planning to link to the five other sites that I have
  mentioned on this reminder, then you are to be advised that
  your linking rights are heavily limited as foretold on the
  webmaster's fine prints (depending on where you plan to make
  your link to).  If I'm too vague on this, then please visit
  the following URL to see why more and more webmasters are
  restricting links:

  = http://www.templetons.com/brad/linkright.html (Brad Templeton's
    Linking Rights Essay).

========================================================================
HOW TO SUGGEST ANY FIXES, BUGS, OR ANY OTHER TRALALA

Sending UCE to any of the mailboxes that I have is not tolerated.
Period.  I report any incidence of spamming by checking the header on
where you originated the message at and then report the incidence to
the server you originated your message at (which is more likely to get
you in deep trouble) or I can just slam you by sending complaints to
the following: The server you originated the message at, to your
provider, or possibly the Free-Mail Service that you use.  Don't spam
me.  It's not worth it.  I will only tolerate e-mail in regards to Soul
Calibur as a whole.  See http://spam.abuse.net to see why it's bad.

========================================================================
REFERENCES OF THIS FAQ

- http://www.namco.com (Namco America)
- http://www.namco.co.jp (Namco Japan)
- http://www.soulcalibur.com (The official Soul Calibur Site)
- http://www.fighters.net (Courtesy of Mr. MG)
- http://www.luminpro.com/soulcalibur/ (Courtesy of Wind-X)
- Cynan de Leon (komejin)
- Critical Calibur (http://www.vibe.mcmail.com/soulcalibur/)

Note: Please let me know of any changes to ANY References at all costs!

========================================================================

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

-  Hajime Nakatani for carefully creating, crafting, and directing Soul
   Calibur.  Without Hajime Nakatani, then neither Tekken nor Soul
   Calibur would flourish.

-  Studeo, Inc. for hosting Namco America's Soul Calibur Site

-  Jason Arney (WCMaxi), Mark Mikulecky (Kaipo), and Mark Holt (Madmardy)
   for dedicating their love and labor to create an attractive Soul
   Calibur Site.

-  Kaipo for being the most prolific Voldo player

-  Jamison Gold for accepting Namco America as a client.

-  Namco Cybertainment for being the first arcade chain to stock Soul
   Calibur on their shelves.

-  GameFAQs for being the largest stable of Original Work.

-  Kao Megura, since he's the first "5MB Original Work" man

-  Imagine Games Network for being the largest Video Gaming Community
   over the Internet

-  Secrets of the Game Sages for a huge collection of updated cheats

-  Finally, Frederick Schtauffen for giving Sieg a second chance to
   prove himself. :)  This is a shared interface from my Nightmare
   and Siegfried Documents.

-  Cynan de Leon (komejin) for shedding the light on some of the moves
   that I haven't been able to execute yet as Astaroth.  Thanks for
   your help!

** END OF DOCUMENT **

This electronically published work is the sole property of Mark Kim.
Please credit Mark Kim as Vesther Fauransy where credit is due.

Unpublished work (c)1999-2000 Mark Kim.  All Rights Reserved
Soul Calibur: (c)1996-2000 Namco.  All Rights Reserved