Trunks FAQ For: Dragonball Z Budokai By: CloudMS7 Copyright(c)2002 to CloudMS7 Version 2.0 Introduction ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hi, and welcome to my very first FAQ. When I first picked this game up from the store, I had anticipated spending every minute of my day playing as Vegeta, who is easily my favorite character from the series, but I just found that his style somehow didn't suit me. I loved using Final Flash over and over, but that's not exactly the best strategy if you're looking to be good at this game, which I am. As I was stringing myself from the ceiling with my controller cord, I said to myself "Hey wait, Trunks has a sword!" As we all know, sword = good, AND he's one of the few people who starts out with an attack that nukes the entire stage, leaving only a crater to battle it out in. So, suffice to say, sword + nuke attack = my new character. During the course of this FAQ, I will assume that you at least have a general idea of how to play the game, especially considering I have little to no ASCII skills, so a Controller Diagram is out of the question. My Controller Layout ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Since I have an unavoidable habit of assuming that everyone on Earth sets their controller up exactly how I do, I will tell you how I set up my controller so if, for instance, I say "Press O", you will know what the hell I'm talking about. X = Kick Square = Punch (Notice my lack of ASCII skills. Even a square is out of my reach.) O = Ki Blast Triangle = Guard L1 = Guard R1 = P+G (Grab) L2 = P+K+G (Transform) R2 = P+K+G+E (Taunt) Now, I know you're probably thinking to yourself, "Self, this is easily the most amazing controller setup I have ever seen in my life. But, I seem to have a few questions, even though I do realize the incredible potential this layout has." Not to fear, young one. I will explain. I changed "Kick" to "X" simply because I have been playing far too much Tekken lately, and I kept Guarding instead of kicking my opponent in the face. Since I play an insane amount of Super Smash Bros. Melee, my instincts to Grab lead me to press R1, so I put "P+G" in place of "P+K", which is easy to accomplish with my layout. This also explains my placement of Guard in the L1 position, so my first instinct to Guard will be the right one. Then I just put Transform and Taunt in there, as I use them quite often, for obvious reasons. So there you go. If I accidentally say "Square" instead of "Punch", you'll know where I'm at. --- Note: All damage numbers are calculated while in Normal Mode, non-SSJ. You can obviously expect more damage from a customized character, but this will serve as a basis for comparison between moves. Combos ~~~~~~ In the following section, I'll list every Combo that I know of, as well as a short tip on what they're for and how to use them. Punch: ------ P - Damage: 70 - It's not a combo, but it's fast, allowing it to be used to disrupt your opponent's combo, as well as tack on a quick 70 damage. P,P - Damage: 135 - Unfortunately, I haven't found any strategic purpose to perform only 2 punches, as the second has far too much recovery time, leaving you open for attack. P,P,P - Damage: 203 - Luckily, this combo works much better than P,P. It does more damage, while having much less recovery time than P,P or P,P,P,P, making it a safer bet against a Defensive opponent. P,P,P,P - Damage: 258 - This combo is basically only useful for setting up a Buster Cannon shot, as the final P leaves you open due to its recovery time. I would recommend either stopping after the third P, or going for broke with a Buster Cannon shot at the end. P,P,P,Forward P - Damage: 293 - Although similar to the previous combo, it has one added bonus, and that comes with the final Forward P. Trunks strikes his opponent with an open palmed strike, which not only is fairly quick, but also has great knockback power, making it very useful for Ring Outs/Wall Breaks/etc. The only real downfall to this combo is the recovery time after the final Forward P, but it's power and damage make it well worth the risk. P,Forward P,P - Damage: 212 - Good damage, but the bad recovery time means following this up with either a K or a Finish Buster is your best bet. Forward P - Damage: 70 - It takes longer to start than a normal P, takes longer to recover from, and does the same damage. No. Just no. Forward P,P - Damage: 135 - It's startup time, damage, and recovery time aren't exactly the greatest, so don't use this one on purpose. Forward P,P,P - Damage: 203 - Again, it just has too much recovery time to be truly effective. Your best bet is to keep going. Forward P,P,P,P - Damage: 283 - From the looks of it, it has a slight edge on recovery time over the previous combo, so if you need to end your combo, do it here. That minute difference may save you from taking a Counter combo to the face. Ouch. Forward P,P,P,P,P - Damage: 383 - Not only does it finish with a strong punch dealing 100 damage, but it launches your opponent into the air, making it a safe, effective combo, but only if you connect with the final hit. If you see your opponent blocking, be sure to make an attempt to end it with the previous combo to up your chances of a painless escape. In the air, the final hit changes to an open palmed strike to the chest, dealing the same damage, but turning into a great Ring Out weapon. Connect with this in the right place, and you'll either be sending your opponent through a mountain or outside the ring. Sometimes the bigger risks are worth it... Backwards P - Damage: 80 - Well, it has bad startup time, as well as recovery time, but unlike Forward P, it does more damage. Use it either to mix up your attacks or to set up for a dashing elbow, explained next. Backwards P, Forward P - Damage: 160 - It's amazing how few of the people I have talked to even realize that these two moves can be chained together. It's a fairly simple combo, consisting of a backfist followed by a rushing elbow. Like most moves with knockback power, it's main uses are: Ring Outs in the World Tournament Arena, pushing your opponent away to gain some Ki, and pushing your opponent through the "wall" of the arena. The main concern here is the Backwards P's startup time, but the rushing elbow comes out very quickly once the Back P is connected with. If you're having trouble beating the CP in World Tournament mode, give this combo a try. Free cheap KO's for you. Backwards P, P - Damage: 160 - Nothing special here, but it can easily lead to a Forward P,P,P,P,P with the right timing. Damage abounds in this combo, but it's not the most dependable in your arsenal, as it takes quick reflexes and good timing to pull off. Give it a shot. You'll be very pleased with the results. Backwards P, P, Dashing P - Damage: 234 - Ah, more free KO's in World Tournament mode. The second P in this combo launches your opponent into the air, leaving them completely defenseless as they fall to the ground. While it may take a bit of practice, you can easily follow this up with a rushing elbow (Double Tap Forward, P), tacking on 74 more damage while at the same time launching your opponent far away from you. What else could a guy ask for? This is my personal Backwards P-started combo of choice. Backwards P, Backwards P - Damage: 160 - Well, if you're looking to knock your opponent down directly in front of you, then have I got the perfect combo for you. I haven't found a real useful purpose for this myself, unless you're really looking to shoot your opponent in the back with a Ki Blast while they lay on the ground. If so, then go right ahead. Dashing P - Damage: 80 - It's fairly simple, use this while dashing. If you use this every time you are approaching your opponent, they will obviously catch on and make you pay, so be sure to mix things up a bit by alternating between dashing attacks and simply stopping your advance. Sure, it's not the greatest strategy around, but it'll keep them on their toes. Dashing attacks aren't known for their stealthy attributes. Kick: ----- K - Damage: 80 - Yes, it's quick, but because of the second K's speed, there is really no reason to stop the combo so quickly. K,K - Damage: 154 - Now here's your quick K combo of choice. It seems to me that the second K recovers faster than the first, while retaining the range as well. Slip this in any chance you have, and if they block it, the small amount of recovery time will keep you relatively safe. K,K,K - Damage: 222 - Eh, I'm not particularly fond of this, and I'll tell you why. The third K, while setting up for further combos, has awful range. If you're not practically inside of your opponent, this will not land, meaning stopping your combo here is foolish. You will only be leaving yourself open. Keep going, my friend. K,K,K,K - Damage: 340 - Personally, I like to end the K combo after the second K, simply because the third K can leave you open, but if you're willing to go all out, the final kick does massive damage. On top of the damage, the final kick also launches your opponent into the air, far away from you, which can be good or bad depending on your situation in the battle. If you're losing, it allows you a chance to gather yourself, as well as let any Support Capsules you have take their effect. But, if you're winning, sending your opponent that far away from you can work against you, so use your own judgment to decide, as I can't rightly guess what your playing style is. K,Backwards K - Damage: 231 - Although the speed on the first kick is up to par, the speed on the second kick is lacking a bit. If connected, it does a great job of sending your opponent into the ground, thus stopping their advances and letting your regroup a bit. On the other side of the coin, if you miss with the second kick, you are left wide open, as the point at which the last hit of the second kick connects is at the highest point of the kick, meaning you are wide open for the entire duration of Trunks bringing his leg back down. Be sure they take the first kick cleanly, or be ready to end it as soon as possible to avoid taking damage with no way to defend yourself. K,K,Backwards K - Damage: 235 - Luckily, all 3 kicks in this combo are very fast, meaning there's little chance your opponent will be able to block in between them, making this a relatively safe combo to use at any point in the match. Once again, the recovery time on the final kick is a pain, and will leave you open to attack if they block it, so be sure to keep your eye open to see if they take the second kick before you commit. Finally, a great way to finish this combo is with a P,P,P,P,E Buster Cannon combo. It will up your damage to almost 600, it only costs 1 Ki level, and it requires very little practice to get the timing down. Just start hitting P after your Kick connects, and you'll be sure to start it up. One of the easier combos to pull off with great results. K,Forward K - Damage: 170 - Another good, quick combo useful for Ring Outs, Wall Breaks and knocking your opponent away from you. Definitely useful in almost any situation. K,K,Forward K - Damage: 231 - Although this combo does good damage, the recovery from the spin kick leaves you open to attack, so I would recommend either stopping after the first 2 kicks, or continue the combo with... K,K,Forward K, K - Damage: 366 - Awesome combo. It does good damage, it's quick, it's 5 hits, and it doesn't leave you open after the finisher. The only concern here is that you are left open if the final kick doesn't connect, but stopping the combo after the second kick should be no problem if your opponent is blocking. Definitely make this a mainstay in your attacking strategy. K,K,Forward K,Forward K - Damage: 306 - Basically the same as the previous combo, only you sacrifice damage for a bit of safety. If you don't connect with the final kick here, you're much safer than with the previous combo. But, on the other side of the coin, even if you connect with the final kick, you're still left slightly open for attack. All in all, I say stick with K,K,Forward K,K, and stop it early if they are blocking. Forward K - Damage: 90 - Another reason Trunks is my favorite character, he knees people in the face. Not only does this move have a rather short amount of startup time, it leaves your opponent reeling while not taking much time for recovery. But, the followup kick is so fast that there are very few times that you would only want to perform this kick, so it cuts down its usefulness quite a bit. Forward K,K - Damage: 164 - Trunks starts with his knee, then immediately follows with a quick kick to the midsection. It's fast with an average recovery time, and even though the next kick lacks adequate range, your best bet is to keep going with the combo considering the speed of the next kicks. Forward K,K,K - Damage: 232 - Unfortunately, it suffers from bad range, so either stop before it, or keep going afterwards. Forward K,K,K,K - Damage: 303 - Although the spinning kick at the end may look cool, it's recovery time will hurt you more than it helps if you don't finish the combo. Keep pressing your Kick button... Forward K,K,K,K,K - Damage: 371 - There we go. Trunks finishes off the entire combo with a strong kick to the midsection, launching your opponent backwards. This full combo does great damage with the added benefit of a small increase in range from Trunks using his legs as opposed to his arms. Once again, the launching can be used for Ring Outs, etc. Backwards K - Damage: 85 - Great damage and range, but horrible startup time. Better be prepared to finish this off with something, or expect a world of hurt to be coming your way. Backwards K, K - Damage: 236 - This short combo does awesome damage considering its short input sequence, but it still suffers from the bad startup time of the Backwards K. It should be noted, although, that the risk you take with this combo is rewarded by your opponent being knocked to the ground, thus allowing you to either hit him with a quick Ki blast, or wait patiently for their next move. Backwards K, Forward K - Damage: 168 - This is one of the faster ways to launch your opponent into the air, but not the most effective. Unless Aerial fighting is your forte, stick with the Backwards K,K as your Back K combo of choice. Backwards K, Backwards K - Damage: 173 - Although this move launches your opponent into the air for a small amount of time, your options are somewhat limited to what you can do to them. You have just enough time to either follow up with a rushing elbow or a Ki Blast, both doing close to the same amount of damage. If you're relatively new to the game, stick with the Ki Blast, as it is quick and easy to pull off, but if you can pull off the rushing elbow, do so. It knocks them a good distance away from you, allowing you to either hit them with a followup Ki blast, or gather Ki/let Support Capsules do their work. I've managed to pull off a dashing kick a few times, thus launching your opponent into the air, but it just doesn't seem as dependable as the elbow or Ki Blast. The strongest combo I have managed out of this is to follow the second K with a P, Forward P, P - Finish Buster combo. Try simply holding Forward and pressing P 3 times after the second hit connects, then following it with E. It does good damage and has the knockback power of Finish Buster along with it. Dashing K - Damage: 90 - Your dashing K does more damage than your dashing P, but I haven't really grown accustomed to using it. It seems to have less range than dashing P, so I rarely use it. If you're looking for a change in your dashing advances, give this a shot, but I wouldn't suggest building an offense around it. Guard + Kick - Damage: 195 - This is a quick, damaging "combo" that is actually more useful than most people give it credit for. It comes out just as fast as a standard K, only the second and third kicks connect MUCH faster than in a standard K,K,K combo. The only downfall that this move has is the small amount of lag after the third kick has connected, but even that is minimal and does not justify being hesitant about using this move. Also, this move is safer than a K,K,K combo simply because the final kick launches your opponent into the air slightly, leaving them defenseless (Although you can't follow up with an attack until after they have landed due to the lag of the final kick.), and halting their attacks until they Safe-Fall or land on their face. Overall, this is actually a great move, and you might even want to hotkey it on your Controller setup, even though I have not. It's up to you. Punches and Kicks: ------------------ (For the next 3 moves, P + K means inputting both the Punch and Kick buttons at the same time.) P + K - Damage: 100 - This is a simple attack that launches your enemy into the air, and is one of the faster way to start up some aerial combat. It can be charged, but contrary to popular belief, charging will NOT increase the power nor the damage. It is simply a way to ensure that you connect with the attack when you want to connect with it. It is also one of the elements needed to trigger Burst Zone, although the timing is rather difficult, and doesn't accomplish much aside from knocking your opponent away from you (And tiring your thumbs in the process.). Note: All 3 P+K move have a special attribute, and that is the fact that you are invincible during the startup, meaning you can charge them as much as they can be charged without worrying about your opponents attacks. The only exceptions are Ki combos, such as Buster Cannon or Finish Buster, and also note that you are not invincible while the attack has initiated, meaning you can be hit while you are attacking your opponent. Forward P + K - Damage: 95 - Similar to P+K, this is a simple move intended to launch your opponent directly forward, which would obviously equate to Ring Outs, Wall Breaks, etc. It's startup time is a bit slow, but is on par with moves such as Backwards P, meaning it is an effective tool when going for a quick Ring Out. I find it especially effective after executing a Guard Break, as your opponent is wide open and this is an assured way of knocking them back a good distance. Backwards P + K - Damage: 85 - This is the third simple task move that employs P+K, only this one is what I like to call a "Small Airtime Launcher", or one of the other similar terms I have used throughout this FAQ. This move is fairly quick, does average damage, and leaves your opponent open to literally ANY combo you want to throw at them. Buster Cannon, Finish Buster, Physical Abilities, Physical Attacks, and yes, even Burning Attack can be comboed after this move, although the timing can be difficult if not practiced enough. Timing is the key to making this simple move turn into big payoffs, so be sure to spend some time in Practice mode with this one. P,K - Damage: 153 - Quick, easy combo to pull off, with the added bonus of the punch's speed coupled with the knockback power of the kick. Guess which stage this comes in handy. P,P,K - Damage: 212 - 2 quick punches, but the speed of the kick leaves something to be desired. Keep this combo going. P,P,K,K - Damage: 287 - Great combo. The final kick comes out remarkably fast after the first, deals good damage, while at the same time lifting your opponent off the ground, preventing any counters. Recovery time on the final kick isn't what it should be, so be aware that a savvy Blocking opponent can make you pay. P,P,K,Forward K - Damage: 347 - Another good combo to practice. The final kick not only hits twice, doing great damage, it launches your opponent into the air, nulling any chance of a counterattack. But, once again, if you miss the final kick, you are left wide open for attack, so be absolutely sure you can make contact with it. If they take the first K, you are usually safe to proceed into the Forward K, so keep your eyes open. P,P,K,K,K - Damage: 380 - If you connect with the second kick, the final kick is a Godsent. If you miss with the second kick and attempt to land the third, you WILL be punished. You have a little bit of leeway in which to hesitate before initiating the final kick, so don't be afraid to wait on the final press to see if your second kick connects. It's better than taking a combo simply because of a missed finisher. Forward P,K - Damage: 158 - This little combo doesn't serve much of a purpose unless your opponent is blocking, in which case it would be much better to end it after your first kick rather than the second. Forward P,K,K - Damage: 235 - If the first kick connects, continue with the combo. If it doesn't, don't attempt the final kick, as it does have slightly more recovery time than the first. Better safe than sorry, eh? The final kick of this combo acts like your rushing K, as it launches your opponent into the air. Nothing new here, just a different way of approaching the same result. Forward P,P,P,K,K - Damage: 396 - Another high damaging combo that you should get familiar with quickly. It's very easy to pull off, it has awesome knockback power, and it's similar to the combo used to perform the Burning Attack, adding a little variety to it as well. The only downside is that if the first or second kick misses, you are left wide open for attack, so be sure to end the combo at the first sign of your opponent blocking. Note: The final K can be charged, but I haven't found an effective use for it as of yet. It seems that even a slight charge can cause a miss, and the damage doesn't seem to go up either, so I would stick with a simple kick button tap for the finisher on this combo. Backwards P, K - Damage: 180 - Once again, the bad startup time on the Back P limits its usefulness, but the launching ability of the K makes it worthwhile. This is a safer alternative than Backwards P, P, Dashing P for launching purposes, so feel free to alternate between the two to add a little variety to your attack. Backwards P, Forward K - Damage: 210 - Did I mention the bad startup time on Backwards P yet? To put it simply, this accomplishes the same thing the previous combo did, only it does 30 more damage. Choose whichever suits your style more, but I prefer this one myself. More damage = good. Backwards P, Backwards K - Damage: 175 - This acts like the other "small airtime launchers", only it seems to develop a bit slower because of the knee's slightly slower startup time in comparison to the P you could follow Back P with. Is the slightly higher damage worth it? In my opinion, no, but you choose whichever works best for you. Once again, you can add Forward P,P,P,P,P after this move with proper timing, adding much more to the damage total stated before. P,Forward P,P,K - Damage: 330 - This combo does great damage, it knocks your opponent into the air, and it can't be disrupted, so why NOT use it? Well, there's a bit of recovery time at the end, but other than that, it's one of your best bets. Definitely one of Trunks' best combos. K,K,Forward K,Forward K,P - Damage: 391 - Not only will this do great damage to your opponent, but it also sets up for a Finish Buster, which has great knockback power as well as adding tremendous damage to this already powerful combo. This is a rather safe combo with some great payoffs. Use it often. Forward K, P - Damage: 170 - Pretty simple, it's a quick knee to a fast punch. You have much better combos in your arsenal, but a little variety never hurts. Backwards K, P - Damage: 159 - Although the bad startup time on the Back K hampers this combo's speed, the followup punch is very fast. Also, this is yet another small combo that can lead to either Forward P,P,P,P,P or P,Forward P,P, Finish Buster. Note: If I have forgotten any combos, feel free to let me know. Any combo that ends with a "Small airtime launcher" can usually be followed up with either a Dashing A, Finish Buster combo, or a Forward P,P,P,P,P, but if you have other finishers, E-mail me. Special Attacks ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ These are just a collection of the various Special Attacks, a description of what they do, and, if applicable, any combos that they can be worked into. Super Saiyan - Although SSJ is supposed to give you a flat 10% increase in damage, from my calculations so far, it seems SSJ gives anywhere from a 5-15% increase, but adds a slight increase in speed to boot. You only need 3 Ki Levels to activate Super Saiyan, so don't be afraid to start off the battle with your transformation if you feel the need to do so. This also allows you to perform "Burning Attack", which is Trunks' incredibly powerful Special Skill. Since the only downside to being SSJ is a slow drain on your Ki levels, I suggest being Super Saiyan whenever possible. If you find it doesn't suit your style, you can even take it out of your Custom Capsule Tray and focus more on Defense and Buster Cannon/Finish Buster. There's no wrong way to do it, so give both ways a try. Super Trunks - Super Trunks will give you an added 10% in damage (On top of the previous increase from Super Saiyan, or a flat 20% if you like.), as well as a rumored boost in speed, which I can't confirm as of yet. So far, I haven't really found that using another slot for Super Trunks is very helpful, as I can easily gain more damage from a simply Mixed Blood Power Capsule, which is effective during the entire battle. I do recommend having Super Saiyan in your Capsule Tray, the main reason being to allow you to use Burning Attack, but there are better uses for your valuable Capsule Tray slots than this. Super Trunks2 - It's the same as Super Trunks, only it adds 10% more to your total damage, making for a full 30% increase in damage as opposed to Normal Trunks. While doing 30% more damage may sound very tempting, there are downsides to this power. First, it takes 3 full slots just to allow you to have the ability to transform to Super Trunks2. Second, you have to attain 5 Ki Levels before transforming, meaning Ki Finisher combos are out of the question at the beginning of the battle. Lastly, Mixed Blood Power not only adds 15% damage for the entire battle, but it adds 10% defense as well, making it a much better option in my opinion, as it'll give you a better overall power while not forcing you to constantly strive to get your Ki Level up to 5 for the sole purpose of gaining power. I will say, though, that Trunks looks awesome when he goes Super Trunks2, and his picture gets cooler, so it's not ALL bad. Buster Cannon - Damage: 280 (Alone), 479 (Complete Combo) - The two more prominent combos that trigger Buster Cannon are: P,P,P,P,E and Forward K,P,P,P,E. If you have created a Custom Trunks, chances are you will be using P,P,P,P,E more often, to save slots for other Capsules. If not, Forward K,P,P,P,E works just as well, except with the added bonus of a longer range on the initial hit. Whichever works for you is the one you should use. The damage difference is minimal, but be aware that Buster Cannon has no knockback power, which can lead to a counterattack from your opponent. Finish Buster - Damage: 300 (Alone), 541 (Complete Combo) - The two most common combos to initiate Finish Buster are: P,Forward P,P,E and K,K,Forward K,Forward K. Both are equally easy to pull off, but the kicks do quite a bit more damage, at the cost of a small amount of speed. Not only does Finish Buster do more damage, it has an innate knockback attribute, making it perfect for World Tournament Ring Outs, Wall Breaks, etc. There really is no downside to using Finish Buster, so I focus on this more than Buster Cannon. Burning Attack - Damage: 1100 (Alone) - Burning Attack can be triggered by pressing: Forward P,P,P,K,E. Simple enough. Oh, and by the way, 1100 damage. And that is just in the original Super Saiyan mode. Ouch. Learn to connect with this on a regular basis and victories will come much, much easier. Blast Attack - Damage: 559 (Complete Combo) - Initiated by K,K,Forward K,K,E. Nothing entirely special about Blast Attack. It does good damage, and it only costs 1 Ki level, making it a great move to have in your Capsule Tray. I'm more of a fan of the Ki Blasts, myself, so I tend to not put this into my Custom Trunks, but it's definitely worth it if it suits your playing style. Energy Burst - Damage: 833 (Complete Combo) - Initiated by Forward P,P,P,P,E. The benefits are that it does great damage, puts your opponent far away from you, and leaves you fairly safe during the startup combo, all important factors when considering whether to put it into your Capsule Tray or not. But, it does have a couple downsides to it. For one, the Forward P isn't the fastest combo starter around, making it a bit more risky to start than the previous combos. Second, it costs 2 Ki levels, which may be a bit more than you are willing to use on one move if you have gone the Super Saiyan/Super Trunks route. Third, there's no knockback power, meaning its sole purpose is dealing damage (Although, it does quite a good job of accomplishing that task.). All in all, this is another tossup whether you want it in your tray or not. If you are using Super Trunks/Super Trunks2, I wouldn't suggest placing this in your arsenal. On the other hand, if you are using Normal Trunks, or have a Gero's Perpetual Energy R&D equipped, this is a great fit for your Capsule Tray. Rapid Fall Slash - Damage: 250 - It's your basic grab attack. Personally, I don't even have this attack in my tray, as I find it much more beneficial to up my Attack and Defense with my Capsule Tray slots. If you find yourself fighting an opponent who constantly blocks, either play the waiting game with them or use a Guard Break (A strong attack, such as Dashing P, that breaks through your opponent's Guard, leaving them open for attack.) and they'll eventually leave themselves open. On the other hand, if you just can't seem to get by without a Grab attack, then by all means put Rapid Fall Slash in, as it does decent damage, has a good startup time, and is relatively safe to use. Meteor Break - Damage: 587 - Sure, it's fun to watch, but using 3 Ki Levels to do 587 damage is NOT in your best interest, especially if you are using SSJ/Super Trunks. There are plenty of 1 Ki level combos that do as much damage as Meteor Break, so I recommend removing this from your Capsule Tray in favor of Energy Burst or an extra Support Capsule. Capsule Information: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The prominent reason this game is such a vast improvement over previous DBZ games is the addition of the Exciting Skills System. If you need to know more about the E.S.S. in general, there is an in-game tutorial as well as a full FAQ here on GFAQ's that will teach you everything you need to know. This portion of my FAQ will cover each Capsule that Trunks can equip, and why you should/shouldn't place it in your Capsule Tray. (I covered all Ability/Physical Capsules in my "Special Skills" section. I'll add a brief summary after each Capsule here, but please refer to "Special Skills" for a detailed explanation.) Ability: -------- 1. Super Saiyan - 10% increase in damage, slight boost in speed, slow drain on Ki, takes 3 Ki Levels to activate. 2. Super Trunks - 20% increase in damage, slight boost in speed, slow drain on Ki, takes 4 Ki Levels to activate. 3. Super Trunks2 - 30% increase in damage, slight boost in speed, slow drain on Ki, takes 5 Ki Levels to activate. 4. Buster Cannon - Basic Ki Blast combo, average damage, uses 1 Ki Level. 5. Finish Buster - Ki Blast combo with knockback power, above average damage, uses 1 Ki level. 6. Burning Attack - Trunks' Ultimate Move, massive damage, only usable in Super Saiyan or above, uses 3 Ki Levels. Physical: --------- 1. Blast Attack - Good damage, no knockback power, uses 1 Ki Level. 2. Energy Burst - Great damage, relatively safe and easy to execute, uses 2 Ki Levels. 3. Rapid Fall Slash (Grab) - Below average damage, unblockable, uses no Ki Levels. 4. Meteor Break - Average damage, fast, but doesn't do enough damage to warrant the 3 Ki Levels used. Support: -------- 1. 1/3 Senzu Bean - 1 slot - The 1/3 Senzu Bean is activated when you are KO'd, reviving you with 1/3 of your Health restored as well as giving you 1 Ki level. Now, I realize it doesn't sound like much, but this is actually one of the better values for just one Capsule Tray Slot. For the most part, battles are won by very slim margins, meaning your opponent has at least less than 1/3 life left when you are KO'd. What the 1/3 Senzu Bean does is bring you back into the fight, and even though it doesn't completely fill your gauges like the full Senzu Bean does, it gives you enough power to finish off your opponent even if you make a mistake or two in the process. All in all, unless you seem to be losing your battles by an insane amount of Health (In which case you should be practicing, not wasting 2 added Capsule Slots on the full Senzu Bean.), I would suggest sticking with the 1/3 Senzu Bean to protect you from a quick KO. 2. Senzu Bean - 3 slots - I've already talked a bit about it with the 1/3 Senzu Bean, but I'll reiterate. Most battles are won by small margins, meaning your opponent won't have much life left when he/she KO's you. So, do you really need to completely fill your entire Health and Ki levels? I think not. With those 2 slots, you can easily raise your Attack/Defense/Ki levels to a high level, in which case you wouldn't even need a Senzu Bean. Not to mention the fact that Senzu Beans aren't your most effective Defense in World Tournaments. But, once again, if you are a Defensive player and prefer Turtling your opponent as opposed to a more Offensive strategy, I can see where this would do you a world of good. It would give you an insanely high margin of error, while allowing you to equip Saiyan Heritage to ensure your victory after your first death. So, it's really up to your playing style. That's why they call it a "Custom" Trunks. 3. Normal Fiber Jacket - 1 slot - Plain and simple, it's a 10% increase in your Defense. Although that may sound like a good deal, you also need to know that the Mixed Blood Power not only increases your Defense 10%, it also increases your attack by 15%, and is just as easy to acquire as the Normal Fiber Jacket. But, if you are just starting out in the game, and have very few Capsules, any little bit helps and this is a great Beginner's Capsule, so don't be afraid to place it in your tray if you feel the need. 4. Quality Fiber Jacket - 2 slots - Like the Normal Fiber Jacket, only it gives you a 20% increase in Defense, as well as taking an added slot in your Capsule Tray. Once again, I feel that Mixed Blood Power does you more good for less slots, so I suggest skipping this one as well. 5. Sturdy Fiber Jacket - 3 slots - Just like the other two Jackets, only it adds 30% to your Defense, and takes yet another slot in your tray. I myself can't justify using nearly half my slots to gain 30% Defense, but then again, I'm an Offensive styled player, so I'd much rather boost my Attack than my Guard. If you are looking to build a Defensive oriented Trunks, this may be the first step you want to take. Put this, a Senzu Bean and Mixed Blood Power/Saiyan Heritage in your Tray, and I don't think you'll be dying any time soon. 6. Missing - ??? - I haven't got this Capsule yet, so that makes it quite difficult to tell you how to use it. It sits to the right of the Sturdy Fiber Jacket, so any info on what this could be would be much appreciated. 7. Gero's Energy R&D - 1 slot - In theory, this would be a great Capsule to have equipped, as any time you reflect an opponent's Ki Blast, you gain Ki energy. But, sadly, the usefulness of this capsule is ruined by the simple fact that there are hardly any Ki Blasts shot, much less Deflectable Ki Blasts. At most, you'll see 5 Ki Blasts come your way in a battle, and if you deflect 3 of those, you may even gain 1.5 Ki levels, and that's only if you time it to Deflect-Back each time. Make it 0.9 if you simply deflect it away from you. I just don't think that this Capsule is the best use of your valuable slots, unless you have a friend who is determined to shoot 20 Ki Blasts your way each battle. Then, and only then, I would suggest equipping this, but for normal purposes, look towards your other capsules. 8. Gero's Deflection R&D - 1 slot - No. Just no. Don't do it. I'd rather have a blank spot in my Capsule Tray. 9. Gero's Deflect-Back R&D - 1 slot - Well, it has one thing going for it, it's not the Deflection R&D. Ki Blasts just aren't strong nor plentiful enough to fill up a valuable slot with an auto-Deflect-Back, as you can easily Deflect it yourself with very little practice in timing. Spend 5 minutes in Practice Deflecting a Ki Blast against the CP and you'll be as proficient at it as you need to be. Skip this one. 10. Mixed Blood Power - 1 slot - Now here's a Capsule definitely worth your while. For one Capsule Tray slot, you get a 10% Defense increase, as well as a 15% Attack increase, making this one of the best values for Support Capsules in the game. Also, this lasts the entire battle, making it much more useful than Capsules such as Rage/Serious/Kami Water etc., so placing this in your Capsule Tray is a must for almost any style of player. 11. Viral Heart Disease - 2 slots - Without Vaccine, this is one of the more worthless Capsules you can place in your Tray, especially considering that it takes 2 slots. Now, if you want to use this in conjunction with Vaccine, it can be a very lethal combination, especially against any annoying Defensive players you might come up against. The longer it takes them to KO you, the more damage they take, meaning it's perfect in that situation. But, on the other side of the coin, if you facing an Offensive player, they may be able to take advantage of your lack of Skills/Defense that you have given up because of the 3 slots you have given up for this tactic. Know your opponent before attempting the Viral Heart Disease/Vaccine combo. Note: Viral Heart Disease/Vaccine is the easiest way to win the World Tournament at the higher difficulties, which makes earning money a breeze. Set the Match Time to 30 seconds, equip the 2 capsules, then Guard/Evade for the entire battle. 12. Vaccine - 1 slot - Unless used in conjunction with Viral Heart Disease, this is quite worthless. The only real situation I see this being useful in is if you are fighting a friend who is using the Viral Heart Disease/Vaccine combo, in which case you null his advantage while only using 1 Capsule slot. It would be rather foolish of your opponent to reveal their Custom Capsule setup to you, so this is a rare, rare occasion. 13. Super Holy Water - 1 slot - To be quite honest, I can't tell you what this does. I've taken it into Practice Mode, but I can't seem to get it to change any stats, nor does it seem like I take less damage, but I could be wrong. If you have any in-depth info on this, feel free to Email me. 14. Saiyan Heritage - 1 slot - Once again, I can't seem to get any official percentages on how much this increases your Attack and Defense, but I can say that I do see a noticeable difference in how much damage I give out/receive after this is initiated. If you plan on using a Senzu Bean in your tray, I will recommend going for broke and adding this in to maximize your powers in your 2nd life. 15. Serious! - 1 slot - When your life reaches 1/3 or less (Meaning you have gone down into your red/orange bar.), your Attack is increased by 10%. Well, it's not the worst Capsule you could find, but I'd much rather stick with an Ability, Physical, or Mixed Blood Power/Normal Jacket Capsule if I wanted a 1 slot improvement. I say skip it. 16. Serious!! - 2 slots - Same thing, only it initiates at half life, and you get a 20% increase in Attack. Depending on low life to up your Attack is usually not the best strategy, but this is probably the best value of the 3 "Serious" capsules. I'm not a big fan of them myself, but if it suits your style, then go for it. 17. Serious!!! - 3 slots - Same thing again, only it initiates at 2/3 life, and gives you a 30% increase in Attack. I have to say, I was tempted by the 30% increase, but 3 slots is just a bit too much for me to sacrifice. If you are willing to go all out with this one, be sure to save your Ki levels for later in the fight for when you can deal the most damage with your boosted Attack power. 18. Rage! - 1 slot - 10% increase in Attack for the first 10 seconds of the battle. Battles aren't won in 10 seconds. Leave it be. 19. Rage!! - 2 slots - Same, but 20% for 15 seconds. They're not won in 15 seconds, either. Skip it. 20. Rage!!! - 3 slots - This is probably the worst of the 3, as it wastes 3 very valuable Capsule slots. It gives you a 30% increase in Attack for 20 seconds. Folks, I'm sorry to say that battles just aren't over in 20 seconds. Plus, this commits you to an all out Attack pattern for 20 seconds straight, and if your opponent sees that, you stand little to no chance of pulling off any effective attacks. Mixed Blood Power (Do I mention this Capsule enough?) gives you 25% worth of stats, only it's for the entire battle, whether it lasts 1 second or 3 minutes. Don't rely on any Capsule that requires you to be at a certain Health/Time Frame to become active, as it only limits your abilities and your options while battling. If you want your battle cry to be "I'm really strong for 20 seconds and half my Capsule slots are gone! Charge!", then by all means put Rage!!! in. 21. Potential - 2 slots - Well, I must say, Potential is one of the better Capsules out there, especially for an all out Attack Trunks. You start out with a 10% increase, and then every 8 seconds, your attack is increased 10% for a maximum of a 40% total increase. So, in about 30 seconds, you have yourself a 140% Attack rating, which is higher than Super Trunks2 gives you, and all for only 2 slots. Did I mention it lasts the entire battle? Well now I did. Potential should definitely should be high on your list of priorities, and it goes perfectly with a Super Saiyan Trunks using Burning Attack. 22. Super Kami Water - 1 slot - Super Kami Water is one of the more commonly used Capsules, and you can see why. It gives you a 30% increase in Attack from the beginning of battle, and it lasts throughout the entire match. But, it initiates a drain on your Health. Now, I realize 30% is incredible, especially for one Capsule, but the Health Drain is just too much. The second you run into a slow paced, Defensive player who is well versed in the art of blocking, you WILL lose. He simply has to block and evade while watching your Health fade down to 1/6th it's total. This is yet another Capsule that forces you into an almost blind attack pattern, and I just don't think it's worth the risk for you. Keep your health around, and depend on Super Saiyan/Mixed Blood Power/Potential for your Attack increases. Note: The only exception to the rule may be if your are trying to set up a one hit killer Trunks. Give him Capsules such as Super Saiyan, Super Trunks, Super Trunks2, Mixed Blood Power/Potential, and 2 Burning Attacks, and you'll be doing over 2000 damage in a single attack. Give it a shot, and see what you think. 23. Gero's Perpetual Energy R&D - 3 slots - Well, this Capsule boils down to strictly what style of player you are. It gives you unlimited Ki, meaning you can perform a Ki combo at any point in the battle, which is obviously a good thing. But, it doesn't allow any Transformations (No Super Saiyan.), and it takes up 3 of your 7 slots, meaning your Attack and Defense will most likely be lower. So, do you go for unlimited Ki attacking, or do you go for higher stats/move selection? The choice is up to you, but I have decided against Gero's Perpetual Energy R&D, simply because I love Burning Attack, and I love the insane amount of damage it does. Plus, Trunks looks too cool in Super Saiyan mode to not use it, so I have made my decision. If you like to focus solely on Buster Cannons, Finish Busters and Physical Capsules, then this is the perfect Capsule for you. 24. Breakthrough (Trunks) - 7 slots - This is attained after all 7 Dragonballs are collected and Shenron is summoned. It will be covered in detail in the "Breakthrough" section. Breakthrough: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To put it simply, Breakthrough is the best Capsule in the game, and may be the best overall use of your Custom Tray Slots, if you choose to go this route. Once you have obtained the Breakthrough skill for Trunks from Shenron, and equip it, you will notice right away that it takes up your entire Tray. Don't worry, it is quite a bargain for any player. Equipping Breakthrough gives you the same effect as adding: Super Saiyan Super Trunks Super Trunks2 Buster Cannon x2 Finish Buster x2 Burning Attack x2 Blast Attack x2 Energy Burst x2 Rapid Fall Slash x2 Meteor Break x2 So, in effect, you are getting 17 slots worth of abilities for the 7 slots Breakthrough takes up. Every attack you have will start to do insane amounts of damage, and you have access to them all at the same time. It gives you an extraordinary amount of variety to attack your opponent with, and variety is the single greatest asset you can have on your side. Nothing makes up for starting a combo, knowing exactly what you are going to finish it with, and knowing that your opponent has no clue of what is coming his way. For instance, if you start a punch combo, you can use Buster Cannon, Finish Buster, Burning Attack or Energy Burst, with very little noticeable difference in the startups. Or you could simply stop your Punch combo, and watch as he is Guarding in fear of what is to come next. Free Grab. (That's equipped, too, by the way.) Never, ever commit yourself to a single attack pattern, as I've said before. This not only gives you numerous attack patterns, it doubles their effectiveness, and gives you 3 Saiyan levels to play with as well. But, there is of course a down side. It, obviously, takes up all your slots, meaning you won't have room for any special effects such as Senzu Bean, Potential, Mixed Blood Power, etc. Also, it does nothing to improve your Defense, making this a more Offensive player friendly skill. I definitely recommend equipping this and using it for a while, even if you are looking for a Defensive character to use. It's well worth your time to check it out and see what kind of options you really have with Breakthrough equipped. Custom Trunks: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ With all that said, let me show you how I have set up my Custom Trunks when I am not using Breakthrough. 1. Super Saiyan 2. Buster Cannon 3. Finish Buster 4. Burning Attack 5. Mixed Blood Power 6. Potential This is how I set up Trunks for general, all purpose fighting. This is what I find to work best with my playing style, as it gives me plenty of variety, as well as giving me a huge boost in Attack with the Super Saiyan/Potential/Mixed Blood Power combo. After about 30 seconds, you will have 165% (After Potential has hit its Max.) Attack in Super Saiyan mode, while having an added 10% in Defense. Now, you can easily take out Buster Cannon or Finish Buster, putting in any other capsule of your choice, but I like having variety in my character. One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a fighter is limiting yourself to a single attack pattern, as it is just too predictable, and your opponent will take advantage of it. So, if you choose to take an attack out, be sure you have something to make up for it, or plenty of Defense to make up for any cracks in your fighting style. Also, you could easily take out Super Saiyan and Burning Attack, focusing on other attacks or even boosting your stats, but I have chosen this way for a couple of reasons. For one, Trunks looks awesome in Super Saiyan mode, and the point of a game is to have fun, so do whatever it takes to make you enjoy the game. Second, having Burning Attack is always good idea, as 1300 + damage is nothing to scoff at, and can easily turn the battle in your favor in a matter of seconds. Third, Super Saiyan also gives you a slight boost in speed, which is always a welcome addition to your arsenal, not to mention the fact that no other skill in the game will add to your speed. Miscellaneous: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is where I'll put any information that doesn't really affect the game, but is a fun little diversion. Costume Changes: ---------------- Press X - "Arrival Trunks" - Trunks will be decked out in his Capsule Corps. Jacket, Black Pants, and will have his sword sheathed behind his back. My personal favorite. Press Square - "Cell Saga Trunks" - Trunks will be decked out in Saiyan Armor, with much longer hair than "Arrival Trunks". Also, Trunks looks awesome as a Super Saiyan in this costume, so be sure to check that out. Stage Destruction: ------------------ Planet Namek - Be sure to use Burning Attack while fighting on Planet Namek. 
It will destroy the stage as usual, but instead of the usual crater, it will 
turn into the Namek that was being slowly destroyed during the final battle 
between Goku and Frieza.  Definitely cool.



Update Log
~~~~~~~~~~

Version 1.0 - First Version
Version 2.0 - Included forgotten combos, More Special Attack info, Capsule 
Information, Breakthrough Information, Custom Trunks information


Planned Information in Future Updates:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1.	Damage for each move in each SSJ level.
2.	More in-depth strategies
3.	Any character specific strategies that come to my attention
4.	Fixing any missed/incorrect information



Thank You's
~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks to everyone E-mailing me with information.  Unfortunately, I had most of 
the information you were giving me (Such as Super Trunks, etc.), but I 
appreciate it that you are willing to help.  I do need that final capsule 
information, since I haven't found it yet.

~~~~~~~
Closing
~~~~~~~

That's all I have for you right now, but you can expect more and more updates 
as I get further along in my quest to create the Ultimate Trunks.  I'm 
continuously learning more and more about Budokai, as we all are, so you can 
expect that some changes may occur in my strategy from here on out.

If you have any information I might need, feel free to email me at:

CloudMS007@aol.com

Please put "Trunks FAQ" in the title, or I will most likely delete it, which 
wouldn't do either one of us a whole lot of good.

Thanks for reading.  I hope I helped you out.