FIGHTERS MEGAMIX MUCH TOO LARGE Moves/Combo List and Strategy Guide Sega Saturn version 1.0 by John Culbert (tigeraid@geocities.com) This FAQ and all my others can be accessed at the following sites: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/1910 (my page) http://www.gamefaqs.com FORMAT/EASY READING: ******************** For best results, view this document with a fixed-width font (eg. Courier) and 78 characters per line. This was created in MS-DOS editor, and therefore is best viewed in the same program. Because this beast of a document is so DAMN big, I have set it up so you can find a specific section if you wish. To go to a specific character's section, use the Find command in your word processor and search the document for that character's name, followed by a colon ( : ). For example, if you wanted to look at Tokio's section, you would choose to find " Tokio: ". >>>>>>>>>>>>> INTRODUCTION: >>>>>>>>>>>>> Probably the main reason I've written up this FAQ is because gamefaqs asked for it, and you'll note I'm not one to disappoint, if you've ever been to gamefaqs.com before :). I also wrote it up because there is pretty much NO info on the web for it; on gamefaqs there's a small Pai FAQ (which is good, but doesn't exactly get in-depth, and does have a lot of mistakes), and an Akira combo FAQ--there's also a poor excuse for a FMM "FAQ" there, written by some guy who thinks Jeffry, Akira and Kage suck, but thinks Pai and Jacky are the best--yeah, right. Hell, his review of Kids Akira even says "just like Akira, but somehow better"--what the hell does that mean!?!? It's not even a FAQ, as it doesn't give strategies, and just lays out the options screen among other things (that are already documented in the instruction booklet, no less), and other than that only gives his half-assed opinion of each character. So, I figured I'd work a little bit of my so-called magic and whip this document up. Fighters Megamix, IMO, is basically a treat to tide us over until VF3 for the Saturn (which I'm told is coming, but one would wonder what it will be like and wether or not the Saturn can handle it). The first thing you'll notice is the almost absurd number of fighters (but you can never have enough characters, unless they're pallette swaps like that joke MK3), both from Virtua Fighter and Fighting Vipers. Thankfully, each Virtua Fighter has many moves from their arcade counterpart VF3, though some are missing that I REALLY wish were in there, especially with Jeffry. The ability to Evade, and Escape most Throws, is also present from VF3. The Fighting Vipers don't gain TOO much new stuff, with the exception of Side Throws (which are copied from the Virtua Fighters, no less--I hope Sega isn't turning out to be like the MK3 creators) and a couple of new moves. You also have the option of playing in VF mode, or FV mode (see "A Word About..." for more info), which will appeal to either type of player. The game also has a LOT of secret fighters, and each time you go through a different course in the 1p Mode, you release more secret fighters, ranging from secret FV fighters, to guests from Virtua Cop and Sonic: the Fighters! If this is turning out to be a review, I might as well add that the game is not perfect, at least not for the Virtua Fighters. First of all, Taka-Arashi is not present from VF3 (one of my favs--see my Taka FAQ, also on gamefaqs and my homepage), though I suppose this is no big deal, because this isn't VF3. Janet, one of the secret characters is, however, basically a copy of Aoi from VF3. Unfortunately, gameplay for the VFers is a little different in FMM; you'll notice a lot of moves do different damages or act differently, especially when it comes to what happens to your opponent when they are hit. For example, NO Side Kick will stagger a crouching enemy (Renta-Hero's Side Kick staggers automatically however), and for another example, Akira's DE and SDE do not stagger crouchers either... Another thing you will notice is that this game is HIGHLY dependant on floats as opposed to other means of doing damage--the float system is extremely loose, some would say too loose. 90% of the attacks that float the enemy from VF3 will ALWAYS float, no matter what. For example, in VF3 you can usually juggle after Jeffry's Knee Strike with only a quick Elbow or Punch (if that), unless it's a lighter opponent, or on a slope (which doesn't exist in FMM); OR the Knee hits as a MC (in which case a big juggle is usually possible). HOWEVER, in FMM, you can follow Jeffry's Knee regularily with a plethora of juggles, NOT requiring the MC. This, I suppose, is good for novices and beginners to do damage, but let me tell you it can really get annoying for those of us used to VF3 floats. Another major difference that certainly hurts characters like Kage and Lau is that there is no longer any Ring-Outs! All in all FMM is a good tide-over until VF3, and can be lot of fun if you have a lot of human competition (the CPU is so pitiful and repetitive it's silly). So, here we go... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- !!! VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE !!! I _personally_ never liked FV, nor do I like MOST of the FV fighters here in FMM, so you won't find much in-depth info on them, at least compared to the VF characters. As a matter of fact, the combos are pretty boring and small, and I will not be giving any tactics for them in an "offense" and "defense" section. There will still be a Moves Analysis section, however, so you can at least learn the basics. Sorry, but my friends and I usually play about 99% Virtua Fighter characters when playing this game. And as far as you FV fans from the arcade are concerned, why not go play VF3? :) !!NOTE!!!! In response to all you FV fans, I will propose a comprimise. I will not be providing any in-depth tactics, but if any FV PLAYERS wish to voice their style or technique of play with a specific FV character (or for that matter, any character, ESPECIALLY the secret ones besides Janet and Siba), I will be MORE THAN HAPPY to add in their tactics to this guide, for the next update. Please send anything you may have on the Vipers to me and it will be posted in this FAQ at the next update, giving you full credit. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALSO NOTE: because we only play mostly VF characters, this also means that we only play VF mode for the most part. ALL COMBOS LISTED ARE TESTED IN VF MODE!!! As well, some tactics and such may not apply to FV mode--altogether if you want a LITTLE bit of management on your float combos, more realistic damage, and more ground fighting and less air-to-air combat (foolish in this game), then play Virtua Fighter mode. :) ############################################################################# >>>>>>> LEGEND: >>>>>>> ________ Special ________ |___L1___| Config Buttons |___R1___| .-------------- X {Special Config Button} D-PAD | .----------- Y {Special Config Button} | | .-------- Z {Special Config Button} u/f u u/f | | | \|/ | | | b--N--f | | | /|\ O O O d/b d d/f O O O | | | | | | | | |________ C {Kick} | |___________ B {Punch} |______________ A {Guard} NOTE ON CONTROLLER: ------------------- By default, only the A,B, and C buttons along with the D-Pad are functional. By using the "Beginner" setting, you can set the X, Y, and Z as various combinations of buttons (eg. P+G, P+K, P+K+G, etc...), along with an Evade button. SHORT FORMS USED IN THIS FAQ: ----------------------------- HCT = Half Circle Toward (roll the joystick from B to D to F) HCB = Half Circle Back (roll the joystick from F to D to B) , = commands made one after the other + = enter commands simultaniously N = Neutral (return joystick to center) f = Forward (tap joystick forward) b = Back (tap joystick back) d = Down (tap joystick down) u = Up (tap joystick up) F = HOLD Forward B = HOLD Back D = HOLD Down U = HOLD Up P = Punch K = Kick G = Guard MC = Major Counter mC = Minor Counter m- = modified move (crouch dash) WALL = must be done with enemy's back close to wall Note: so, for those who don't understand the directional stuff, directions capitalized mean to HOLD in that direction. For example, when doing Akira's Elbow (f+P), it means to tap forward on the joystick and hit punch at the same time. On the other hand, Akira's Dashing Palm is done D,f+P, meaning that he must first crouch for a moment (HOLD down) then tap f+P at the same time. MOVES LIST LEGEND: ------------------ Following each move in brace parenthesis are the following: -Hit Level: H(igh), M(edium), L(ow), G(round) -OR Throw Level: HT (High Throw), LT (Low Throw), CT (Catch Throw), ST (Side Throw), BT (Back Throw), WT (Wall Throw) -R or UR: for reversible or unreversable -KD : indicates that it always knocks down -F : indicates that it floats -FMC: indicates that it floats on MC -St: indicates that this move staggers -StC: indicates that this move staggers crouchers -StCG: indicates that this move staggers crouching defenders only -Gr : indicates that this move leaves you on ground when it hits or misses -GrH: indicates that this move leaves you on ground when it hits -GrM: indicates that this move leaves you on ground when it misses So for example: -Double-Fist Strike: b,f+P+K [M-UR-KD] Therefore, the Double-Fist Strike hits Mid, is unreversable and always knocks down. On the other hand with Kage, -Rising Chop: d+P+K [M-R-FMC] Therefore, the Rising Chop hits Mid and IS reversable, and only floats on a MC. NOTE: Reversals do not have any info in parenthesis, just assume by the title what move they reverse. ############################################################################# ANOTHER NOTE: I have chosen to leave out the majority of jumping moves for each character, except for some that may be useful. If you want them, they're in the instruction book :). NOTE ON MOVES ANALYSIS: I will not cover every move here, just the ones I think are really important (for Akira, Kage, Sarah and Shun Di my FAQs for those fighters are a LOT more in-depth; these can be found at gamefaqs.com or my homepage). NOTE ON THE SENBON PUNCH: Although I have not had considerably good human opponents to truely confirm this with, I have found in FMM that the Senbon Punch (PKG, see Wolf and Jeffry sections for more info) is fairly useless, as a simple G-cancelled Punch does the job just find. Players have discovered the same problem in VF3, but I find it's even more pointless in FMM. So, just in case you're wondering why all my offensive techniques revolve around PG and not PKG... ############################################################################# >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> A WORD ABOUT... >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ************ *Game Modes* ************ In Fighters Megamix you can choose to play in either VF or FV mode. Virtua Fighter mode is essentially the same as VF3, with somewhat higher float heights, and normal damages compared to FV. When playing in FV mode, floats are MUCH higher and fighters have the ability to perform a "Flip-Out" by hitting P+K+G in mid-air; this can even be done when you are floated, allowing you to counter their attempted juggle with a jumping attack! In addition, when playing in FV mode, fighters will also take additional damage when they HIT the ground from a knock-down. Some knockdown moves will also smack the enemy across the arena, which is IMO another disadvantage as it doesn't always allow a Pounce and can limit Okizeme techniques. As well, when playing in FV mode, armor breaking moves are possible for ALL characters. You can break the Vipers' armor in VF mode too, but in FV mode you get the Guard-cancel "Super Moves", which counter attacks and get a cool triple-take when they knock your armor off. I suppose the only really cool feature of FV mode is the ability to knock opponents through the walls of the arena (or bounce of the ropes, as the case may be) by hitting the enemy with certain moves to finish them off. Still, PERSONALLY, you should play VF mode, but I am of course biased :). For more info on FV mode, consult a FV FAQ... *************** *Attack Levels* *************** This is were the specific attack hits on an opponent's body. H- High level (can be ducked or blocked while standing) M- Mid level (CANNOT be ducked and MUST be blocked High; cannot be blocked Low) L- Low level (CANNOT be blocked High, must be blocked Low) D- Downed (cannot be blocked at all, hits fallen opponent) **************************************** *Floating and the Art of the Counterhit* **************************************** Floating is the term used when the enemy is knocked up in the air and stays there long enough to be juggled. A lot of moves will "float" the opponent, but not all the time. It depends on where you hit them, where they are, which character they hit (lighter characters like Pai float better) and wether or not they're on the ground. Note that opponents float the easiest when you hit them with a move DURING the animations of their own move (MC). NOTE: IMO weight of a fighter does not affect floats too much in FMM, especially compared to VF3. Light enemies will travel further up into the air, but since there are few moves to juggle with that KEEP the enemy in the air (unlike in VF3), it doesn't affect the juggles I have in most cases. For this reason, none of my listed combos have weight designations, however I never checked to see which one works on which opponent--the majority of combos, even the big ones, will work on heavy and light enemies alike. BTW, there is a big exception: DURAL weighs even more than Jeffry, Wolf or Sanman (obviously because she's metal), so that's one character that all combos will not work on... Three things happen when you connect an attack as a major counter: 1) The attack is given a 50% damage (maybe a little less now?) point bonus! 2) The attack can have the potential to float the enemy high enough for a good juggle 3) As well, the attack can sometimes become more stunning (i.e. the opponent will lay on the ground longer) allowing you to get in a good Pounce. NOTE: there is also a "minor counter", which is done by attacking the enemy during their RECOVERY frames--you are awarded a smaller damage bonus, and it will also sometimes knock down/float (though usually less than the MC). Also note that you can recieve a minor counter bonus with Throws (eg. duck a High attack & Throw), but it does considerably LESS than a minor counter otherwise. ********* *Stances* ********* In VF3 your character can stand in two stances, closed stance and open stance. Consider the diagram below as a bird's eye view, the Xs being the character's feet position. Player 1 Player 2 Player 1 Player 2 X X X X X X X X Closed Stance Open Stance Think of the bottom of those diagrams as facing you, the player. Notice that the legs closest to you in open stance are close together, but the opposite legs are extremely far apart. Thus, the open stance does not allow the opponents to get very close together. But, in closed stance, one leg of player one is forward (in the diagram, the right) and their opponent's right leg is forward. This allows the opponents to get closer in to each other. This is one of the things that occur with different stances. Other things happen as well, such as moves hitting different attack levels and attacks coming out different or having more range. ******** *Throws* ******** In VF3, there are many different ways in which to Throw your opponent; remember that Throws are totally unblockable... Another change to VF Throws is that, like Tekken, they now have a missed animation where your fighter grabs at the air. This means that if you go for a Standing P+G Throw, and the enemy ducks, you will not get the punch you did in VF2; instead, you'll grab at the air and give the enemy an opportunity to counter. NOTE: for the Fighting Vipers, some of the rules below may not be true. One prime example is that some of the Vipers' Throws are done with buttons other than P+G and P+K+G. -Types of Throws- HT- High Throw (only grabs standing opponents) LT- Low Throw (only grabs crouching opponents or a sitting Shun Di) ST- Side Throw (grabs opponents at a sideways angle in relation to your character's front) BT- Back Throw (grabs opponents with backs facing your character) GT- Ground Throw (grabs fallen opponent only) WT- Wall Throw (animates Throw differently depending on position near wall) CT- Catch Throw (has execution time and recovery) Low Throws have instant execution, CAN be broken out of, and have an obvious missed animation with the fighter reaching downward slightly. A Side Throw has instant execution and CANNOT be broken out of. Back Throws are instant like regular frontal Throws and cannot be broken either. Ground Throws are attacks that grab the enemy off the ground, but have a noticable execution time, allowing fast foes to avoid them. They also have a slower recovery animation, meaning the enemy can also counter with a rising attack; note that the Ground Throws cannot be broken, however. Wall Throws are basically regular Throws that have been modified with different animations if you or your opponent are near the wall. A cool example is with Jeffry's Exchange Throw (d/b+P+G); in normal circumstances, he'll just grab your arm, whip you around and leave your back exposed. However, if Jeffry's back is to the wall, Jeffry will whip you INTO the wall, drag your face along it, then knee you (ouch!) The only difference between Wall Throws and regular Throws is that they are inescapable. Catch Throws are a special type of grab; they are inescapable, and usually lead to big damage multi-Throws, but also have a noticable execution time, allowing the enemy to counter quickly if they see it coming, and also have a slower recovery so the enemy can counter if it misses. These Catch Throws only grab High and therefore can be ducked easy, so it is best to bait the enemy into blocking High and then snag them. Note on Regular Throws: "regular" refers to a Throw that grabs High and is escapable. Generally a character has three or four regular Throws, one being P+G, which is escaped with the same motion. Other Throws can also be considered regular Throws, as long as they don't fall into ANY OF THE ABOVE CATEGORIES OTHER THAN HIGH THROW. For example, a Low Throw, or a Side Throw, is not considered "regular". *************** *Throw Escapes* *************** Unlike VF2, most Throws in this game can now be escaped. The general rule is that any REGULAR or LOW Throw can be escaped. To escape from a Throw, tap the motion the moment the opponent begins to Throw you (around 10 frames in). According to R.G.V.A posts and CreeD's Throwing FAQs, in order to escape from Throws you must input the FIRST and LAST motion of the joystick+P+G. For example, to escape Wolf's Twirl `n' Hurl (b, d/b, d, d/f, f+P+G), quickly tap b,f+P+G within the escape time (10 frames). To escape from P+G Throws (with no joystick motion), you hit P+G. When there is only ONE joystick motion, you break out of the Throw with the SAME motion. For example, to break out of Kage's Ten-Foot Toss (b+P+G), you must tap b+P+G. Finally, this single joystick escape is also true for DUEL motion Throws. For example, to break out of Jacky's Trip-Hammer (f,b+P+G), quickly tap b+P+G. It is because of this technique that you MUST vary your Throws; if the enemy knows any of the motions for your Throws, they can and will break out--that is, unless you use a different Throw than they're expecting... MIX IT UP! *********** *Reversals* *********** Some characters in FMM have the ability to grab the enemy's oncoming attack and counter it. Only certain attacks can be reversed however. Generally, any attack using a single foot or fist can be reversed, and Akira, Janet and Pai can also reverse Knees (in addition, Akira and Janet can reverse Kickflips!). Any attack that is unreversable will have a "UR" beside it in the moves list. ********* *Pounces* ********* These are attacks on fallen enemies. Each character has at least a Jumping Pounce, and a ground attack (eg. stomp). These are explained further in the moves list. ********* *Dashing* ********* You can dash by tapping f,f and you can also dash backward with b,b. To RUN forward, tap f,F. Alternately, you can now tap f+E (or F+E) or b+E to dash (or run) as well. **************** *Crouch Dashing* **************** An important part of offensive/defensive play for many characters. To perform a Crouch Dash, tap d/f,D/F from a crouch (or, D,d/f,D/F). It can also be done in most cases from standing with d/f, D/F. Yet another motion that is effective for "From Crouching" Uppercuts (eg. Jeffry's Lifting Upper) is f,N,d,D/F. If done properly, you will perform a small sort of hop/slide forward while still in a crouch. You must continue to hold the D/F until you see them start the dash, then you are free to move into any attack you wish. The Crouch Dash is most important because it will avoid High attacks and get your fighter in there quickly; and, this helps even more for guys like Akira, who have many powerful attacks started from a crouch, which can also be done out of the Crouch Dash. Moves done out of a Crouch Dash are known as "modified moves". ********* *Evading* ********* To Evade, or dodge, press the E button. This will cause your fighter to slip off to the side of the opponent AWAY FROM YOU, THE PLAYER (i.e. "dodging in"). To "dodge out", or toward you the player, tap d+E. Dodging avoids a lot of attacks that are not circular... The following is from Andrew Ryan Chang's VF3 Beginner's FAQ (dodge=evade): "Attacks can be classed into four categories: linear, backside-to-frontside circular, frontside-to-backside circular, and circular. It is nearly impossible to dodge the last. The first can usually be dodged in either direction. Dodging an attack that comes across the opponent's backside requires dodging towards their frontside, and vice-versa. Combo attacks and G button taps will align a player with a person who has just sidestepped." A good example of a circular attack is Pai/Lau's Crescent Kick, meaning that if you try to evade this, you're (usually) screwed. :) As far as the combo attacks go, this basically means that a multiple attack like, say, Sarah's PPP, will "track" the enemy during their path of Evasion... **************** *Stagger Combos* **************** When you hit an opponent with certain moves, a stagger results; the enemy will stumble slightly and is unable to do anything; time for a combo! Each character's staggering moves (if any) are explained in their section. ############################################################################# AKIRA: ****** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- Akira does not lose a lot from VF3 in this game, for sure. With the ultra- deadly DLC during floats, and the ever-powerful DE, Akira is still a HUGE force to be reckoned with. He has a great offensive game utilizing the DE, or the LBF to set the enemy up nicely, and throwing in the Guard Break on blocking enemies to set them up for a big float combo. He also has a variety of defensive attacks (not to mention the reversals, of course), even though IMO he is best used offensively. In addition, Akira has a great bit of Throw variety--if you're looking to mix it up and also do instant, solid damage, you have the Inverted Bodycheck and Close-in Ram to work with. If you want major damage, the ST is the best Throw, allowing a possible f,f+K float. And if you want to have fun, the Surprise Exchange or RBC both mix it up well. Even though the SPoD is now blockable, Akira still serves up a can of whupass when mastered. Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: D+P [L-R] -Kick: K [H-R-KD] -Shin Kick: d/f+K [M-R-FMC] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Turn-Toward Punch: P (opponent behind) [H-R] -Turn-Torward Hammer: d+P (opponent behind) [M-R] -Turn-Toward Low Punch: D+P (opponent behind) [L-R] -Turn-Toward Kick: K (opponent behind) [H-R-KD] -Turn-Torward Low Kick: d+K (opponent behind) [L-R] -Turn-Torward Sweep: D+K (opponent behind) [L-R-KD] -Ground Punch: d/f+P (on fallen enemy) [G] -Jumping Ground Punch: u+P (on fallen enemy) [G] -Punch-Kick: P,K [HH-R] -Punch-Body Blow: P,P [HM-R-] -Elbow: f+P [M-R-StC] -Dashing Elbow: f,f+P [M-R-F] -Super Dashing Elbow: f,f,f+P [M-R-F] -Standing Palm: b,f+P [H-R] -Double-Fist Strike: b,f+P+K [M-UR-KD] -Evading Bodycheck: b,f+P+K+G [M-UR-KD] -Dashing Bodycheck: b,f,f+P+K [M-UR-KD] -Single Palm: D,f+P [M-R] -Double Palm: D,b,f+P [M-UR] -Shoulder Slam: D,f+P+K [M-UR-F] -Low Backfist: d/f+P+K [L-R-FMC] -Yoho Uppercut: d/f,d/f+P [M-R-F] -Single Jump Kick: f,f+K [M-R-F] -Double Jump Kick: f,f+K,K [MM-R-F] -Dragon Spear: d/f+K+G [M-R] -Dragon Spear/Elbow: d/f+K+G,f+P [MM-R] -Dragon Lance Combo: d/f+K+G,f+P,b,f,f+P+K [MMM-KD] -Stun Palm: P+K+G [M-R] -Stun Palm of Doom: P+K+G,b,d/f+P+K,d,f or b+P [M-R-KD] -Knee Strike: K+G,release G [M-R-F] -Break Guard: f+P+G [H-R] -Break Guard: d+P+G [M-R] -Reaping Throw-Punches: P+G [HT] -Elbow Rush: P+G [ST] -Push Down: P+G [BT] -Inverted Bodycheck: d/f+P+G [HT] -Wall Bodycheck: d/f+P+G (back to wall) [WT] -Surprise Exchange: d/b+P+G [HT] -Close-in Ram: b,f+P+G [HT] -Pull-in Headbutt: d/b,f+P+G [HT] -Reverse Bodycheck: b,d/f+P+G [HT] -Stumbling Trip: b,d+P+G [HT] -Body Punch Reversal: b+P+K -High Kick Reversal: b+P+K -Elbow Reversal: d/b+P+K -Mid-Kick Reversal: d/b+P+K -Knee Reversal: d/b+P+K -Somersault Reversal: u/b+P+K -Low Punch Reversal: d+P+K -Low Kick Reversal: d+P+K ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS/MOVES ANALYSIS: ----------------------- -Punch-Body Blow: quite a useful technique for Akira; this is because if the enemy ducks your Punch, the Body Blow is all but guarenteed. Basically it should be used against persistant crouchers who fear you coming in for a Throw--a great all-around pestering technique. -Knee Strike: IMO is not really needed, because he has better floats and the motion is difficult to get off consistantly, at least on a Saturn controller. Literally, the Knee is done K+G,release G. However, you must press K+G and then release G WITHIN 1/60 OF A SECOND. The best described way of doing it is by tapping the K button and sort of BARELY "scraping" the G button with your ring finger. Best used if you've conditioned the enemy into crouching, perhaps after a Punch... -Elbow: important because it staggers crouching opponents, and is uncounterable (if blocked it cannot be countered)--an excellent attack up close, or if you know the enemy has crouched or is going to crouch. If blocked, try for a Throw. -Dashing Elbow (DE) and Super Dashing Elbow (SDE): these are weakened a fair bit in FMM, because they do not stagger crouchers, meaning Akira cannot stagger from a distance. Still, the DE should be considered Akira's most important attack, as it comes out lightning fast and is uncounterable if blocked--it also floats all the time, especially well on a MC (in VF3, it would only float on MC). If the DE is blocked, try for a Throw. If the enemy tries to counter with a really fast move when the DE is blocked, sometimes the best follow-up is ANOTHER DE to catch them in the act! The DE and SDE can also be buffered out a guard; meaning, perform the first motion (f, or f,f for the SDE) while holding G, then release and hit f+P--this will QUICKLY counter many blocked attacks, often floating enough for a good juggle. BTW, the SDE is basically just a long-range version of the DE, but has slower recovery. -Low Backfist (LBF): An ideal counter to anticipated High attacks, it will slip under them and if a MC, will float for a quick juggle. It also allows a nasty setup if blocked. Hold down as it is blocked, and the second you recover go into a Single Palm (SgPlm)--if the enemy does anything but block, you will interrupt it with the Palm for MC damage! And IF the block, you can try for a Throw! Just remember that this tactic is not totally fool-proof; the SgPlm can be avoided, and remember though that the execution time of the LBF is rather slow, so make sure they're not in a position to MC you... -Yoho Uppercut: a very powerful attack in FMM, because it consistantly floats very high for a combo. It is still kind of slow however, and recovers VERY slow, so only use it when you're sure it'll connect. A good move to use buffered out of one of Akira's setup Throws (eg. Surprise Exchange (SpEx).) -Single Palm (SgPlm): A useful attack from a crouch, especially to counter High attacks; if blocked, try for a Throw or Low Punch, as it is virtually uncounterable if blocked. This can be buffered out of a Low Punch (d+P or D+P) as a good defensive maneuver in close range. -Double Palm (DbPlm): basically a more powerful version of the SgPlm, use in the same fashion (also note that it's unreversable)--can get HUGE damage (although for some reason, less than in VF3); try for the u+P Pounce Afterwards. Still, you should be careful with this move, because if blocked you can be countered, unlike the SgPlm--this is an excellent, powerful followup to the SpEx or ST. IMO one of Akira's coolest moves, it looks and sounds VERY painful. *To get "Autopalm" after SpEx: to perform a buffered DbPlm GUARENTEED after the Surprise Exchange (d/b+P+G) is actually quite easy. Once you press d/b+P+G, then quickly roll to the forward position, then b+P. The roll to forward actually ends up being the b in the DbPlm motion, because Akira has now changed which way he is facing. Likewise, the b+P is actually f+P. And REMEMBER: don't bother to hold d/b for the SpEx, you don't need to actually charge downward for the DbPlm in this case. Easy! -Shoulder Ram (SRM): short range, so it's a good counter to High attacks but ONLY if you're close enough (eg. after a crouch dash!), floating for a good combo. Recovery's fairly good if blocked too. -Dashing Bodycheck (DBC): still Akira's single most powerful move, doing up to 80 pts. of damage and often allowing a Ground Punch (and that's without MC!). Like the DE, SDE and many of Akira's other techniques, the DBC can be buffered out of your guard by hitting b,f while holding the G button, then the f+P+K as you recover from block stun--this makes it an EXTREMELY powerful counterhit to slower blocked attacks. Other than as a counter, you MUST learn your opponent's slowest moves, so that you can interrupt them at close range with this... do it until the motion is second nature to you. The DBC is also an excellent juggle after even the smallest of floats, as it can still hit the enemy VERY close to the ground. The DBC also does additional damage against the wall! BTW, this will force a crouching BLOCKING opponent into a standing position, where they can be thrown! -Guard Breaks: the Guard Breaks are no longer considered Throws, because they will come out wether you're close to the enemy or not--they now also do 12 pts. of damage. These are GREAT moves to use up close against persistant defenders, and will open the enemy up to a combo; you'll want to use the Mid-level one on crouchers, of course, and stick to the High one vs. standing defenders, because it comes out faster. The FOR-SURE follow-up is a SDE or possibly DBC. All in all the Guard Break is Akira's second-most useful attack after the DE in his offensive rush. A SJK is guarenteed after the Guard Break (for sure after d+P+G, I'm pretty sure not after f+P+G), which will of course float for a juggle. This can turn the simple mistake of the enemy blocking at the wrong time into a devastating combo for Akira. :) NOTE: the Guard Break will only take effect if the enemy is blocking! Either way, it's just a weak Upper or Elbow... -Evading Bodycheck (eBC): note Akira will usually turn around in time after this move to allow a Ground Punch (but sometimes you remain facing in the wrong direction), and it ALWAYS knocks down. This has slow recovery but comes out fairly fast, and of course has the built-in Evade--for these reasons, you should ONLY use this to counter linear attacks that you anticipate. -Stun Palm of Doom (SPoD): not as powerful as his new DLC, but still a powerful move. Unfortunately, the Stun Palm is now considered a Mid-level move and can be reversed, so only use it in for-sure situations because it can now be blocked (but it WILL hit crouchers). BTW, if you hit a blocking enemy with a f+P+G Guard Break with their back to a wall, this will connect :). -Single/Double Jump Kick: The SJK will float for a good juggle and has DECENT recovery, and the DJK has horrible recovery but does BIG damage. Use it only in for-sure situations, eg. after a setup Throw. The SJK/DJK can also be buffered out of a guard... NOTE: it is possible in FMM to connect a SDE after this! -Dragon Lance Combo (DLC): The new big combo for Akira, this drains MASSIVE amounts of damage, and unlike the SPoD does not involve a Throw and therefore can be used as a juggle--LEARN THIS!!!!!!! In order to do maximum damage with Akira you should juggle with the DLC at every opportunity. PERSONAL NOTE: I personally don't use the DLC very often in floats--sure it does the damage, but once the DLC is mastered, juggling with it becomes pretty boring and repetitive, and I like seeing other techniques used... (especially my favorite, the DbPlm!) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Throw Setups/What Throws to use: Akira has many opportunities to use his Throw techniques. The most obvious place is after the enemy has missed a slow-recovering attack (or you block it). It is also possible to duck a High attack and Throw (with P+G, Pull-in Headbutt, Inverted Bodycheck, Close-in Ram or RBC), although IMO if you are in range for a Throw when you crouch a High attack, than you are also in range to do some MEAN damage with the SgPlm, DbPlm or a Shoulder Ram float. However, there are better places to use Throws. Basically, any time you are close to a blocking opponent, its time to use a Throw. One example involves the "delayed DLC combo"--you can delay the DBC in the DLC combo, and this may catch enemies who have blocked the first two hits, or to nail them with a MC as they try to counter. However, if the enemy learns fast and begins to counter and/or block the delayed DBC, try a Throw! :) Another good way to get in a Throw is if the enemy blocks your DE, SDE, SgPlm, or f+P Elbow Strike; this CAN be avoided, but it is one of the possibilites. Another simple Throw opportunity is if the enemy blocks a single Punch, or even the P,P. About the Throws: 1. P+G Reaping Throw and Punches- This Throw is best done when dashing in for surprise or to counter a missed attack, or after ducking a High attack from close (but for both cases, IMO if you can get in a better ATTACK, do so!) Also a good move if you anticipate the enemy going for a Throw of their own. 2. d/b,f+P+G Pull-in Headbutt- Also works after ducking attack (again, I must STRESS that you should use a powerful attack in this case!). This is also useful when dashing in to surprise the enemy. This is also a good move if a blocked attack recovers WITHIN Throw range (NOTE: depending on the move you have blocked, another buffered attack is definetely better, eg. DBC, DE, SJK or DBK). 3. d/f+P+G Inverted Bodycheck- VERY fast Throw that will often surprise the enemy (as it initally doesn't look much like a "Throw". Should be used in the same fashion as the P+G, and IMO it is better (except that it won't take priority over all complex motion Throws). A Ground Punch will connect after this for great damage. 4. b,f+P+G Close-in Ram- Pretty much the same as the Pull-in Headbutt. 5. P+G Elbow Rush Side-Throw- a good move to use when you Evade AND you're left close to the enemy. However, if you can get in one of Akira's powerful attacks, go for it instead. 6. d/b+P+G SpEx- Pretty much the same as the P+G and d/f+P+G, it can't be buffered out of a Guard and doesn't have any range, so only when your foe leaves themselves real close and blocking, or after dashing in to surprise them. NOTE: the enemy can escape 99% of the combo follow-ups you attempt after the SpEx, either by dashing away or Eing. The only guarenteed follow-up is the DbPlm, which often allows the u+P Pounce for over-all good damage anyways. See the DbPlm section for info on the guarenteed DbPlm. 7. b,d+P+G Stumble Throw (ST)- use in the same places as the SpEx, but note that the follow-ups to the ST are a lot harder for the enemy to avoid, and it leaves you slightly closer to the enemy as opposed to the SpEx. Good follow-ups are a SJK, or buffered Yoho (do motions before ST animation is finished), or play it safe with a SDE+juggle. 8. b,d/f+P+G- IMO one of Akira's best counters to blocked attacks IF they are left within range, because it does 40 pts. of damage alone and allows much more. Should be pretty much your most used Throw in the right conditions, however now it is possible to avoid the follow-up combo, so you must mix them up--you have to play the guessing game with the opponent at this point, because a d/f+K no longer combos with this (misses!), so you MUST mix up your attack after this Throw. THROWS OVERALL: --------------- Altogether it would seem his best Throw is the Stumble Throw (b,d+P+G) because it easily allows a SJK float. It should be mixed up mainly with the Inverted Bodycheck, or the SpEx against opponents who are unsure of what to do when they get hit by it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Offense: In order to be really effective with Akira, you must make the enemy crouch, or defend from a standing position. To do this, the most important moves are the DE/SDE, Elbow, Guard Breaks and the Punch. Come in with Punches and the Punch-Body Blow; if the enemy crouches, quickly G-cancel the Punch (doesn't help much in FMM, but I think it works a little) and come out with a Mid-level attack--or, more easily, just Punch and continue into the Body Blow (although this is weak.) The DE is even better in this case, and is IMO the ultimate offensive weapon (although, be careful against those who can reverse it). If the enemy blocks it, either try and Throw them, or even repeat the DE to catch them if they crouch (for a small float combo) or attempt a counter; it will also catch them if they know they cannot counter and try to dash away. In addition, the enemy may also attempt to hit you with a Low attack--if you think they will do so, whip out a Low reversal to nail them. If the enemy ducks in the first place, the DE will knock down and float. Alternately, you can start mixing in the Guard Breaks; if you know the enemy likes to continue blocking High after the DE is blocked, f+P+G will set them up for an easy combo, and if you condition them into thinking you will throw out a Low Punch or the like and decide to block Low, go for d+P+G and combo. Also see the LBF section in the moves analysis for another offensive tactic. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Crouch Dashing: An important part of offensive/defensive play for Akira is the Crouch Dash. The Crouch Dash is most important because it will avoid High attacks and get Akira in there quickly; and, this helps even more because Akira has many powerful attacks started from a crouch, which can also be done out of the Crouch Dash. Once the Crouch Dash is started, wait a brief moment, and when the Dash is starting to finish, whip off the DbPlm, SgPlm or SRM+juggle for BIG damage up close as MCs! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Defense: Against an offensive opponent, Akira can be deadly. In addition to anticipating and reversing (see Nailing Reversals below) the enemy's attacks, Akira has other great defenses. If you see the enemy using a close attack, blocking is not a big deal--after blocking, buffer in the DE or hold F and counter with a PK if it is a quick attack; or, the DBC or one of the Jump Kicks if it is slower recovering. If the enemy leaves themselves REALLY close after a blocked attack (eg. another Akira's DBC), the RBC is an excellent counter. However, it is often better if Akira can anticipate and MC the enemy's attacks; as anyone says, the best defense is a good offense--even against offensive opponents, throwing out the DE or P,P works well to interrupt their attacks (esp. the DE, which will take out even Low fast attacks). If you block an attack Low, the DbPlm, SgPlm or SRM are all excellent counters. If the enemy consistantly throws High attack strings (eg. Pai/Lau), you have plenty of time to counter with a Low Punch into a DbPlm or SgPlm (if close), or one of the m-Palm techniques by themselves, OR with the LBF+juggle!, but REMEMBER to try and hit them before their 3rd Punch, so in other words throw your MC QUICKLY! This is because they can finish their Triple Punch with a Mid-level attack--hell, Jeffry, Shun and Wolf (and others) can throw Mid-level attacks on their 3rd hit out of a Punch Rush (and of course Akira, Jacky and Sarah, among others, can throw Mid-level attacks after their FIRST Punch), so you MUST be fast on the counter. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Nailing Reversals: There are many ways to anticipate and reverse an enemy's attack. The first and most obvious is if the enemy develops a pattern of attacks that you notice, and can anticipate in time to counter. For example, if the enemy likes to rush in with Punches, the b+P+K will frequently catch them The other big time for a reversal is if you see a move coming with obvious start-up that you can reverse (eg. Sarah's Lunging Sweep (d/f+K+G). As well, yet another anticipation reversal you can use is if you manage to block standing all 3 punches by Lau or Pai--if you block all 3, the opponent will tend to go for the Crescent Sweep finish (P,P,P,d+K) to try and catch you (unless they know you're anticipating the Sweep, in which case they'll Throw or kickflip). You can either duck and guard, which is possible because the Crescent Sweep doesn't come out fast enough, or you can immediately Low reverse it. Either way, the next time you block the Triple Punch, try for the Low reversal again. Note though that this isn't always guarenteed; if the enemy ANTICIPATES your anticipation :), they can throw out the b+K Kickflip finisher to nail you (also note that the last attacks in Pai/Lau's Triple Punch rushes are guarenteed if the Punches were a MC!) Another example of a reversal chance, is if you crouch once or twice in the round and you find the enemy hitting you with a certain Mid-level move, possibly a slow-starting move. The next time you crouch, quickly stand to reverse the Mid-level move appropriately, which they will probably throw out on reflex. This tactic is a sort of "conditioning" technique, which is another way to land a reversal--it is to FORCE your opponent to throw out an attack that you can reverse. For example: from a few steps away, throw single Punches--this is for the most part completely safe, unless you are close enough that the opponent, if possible, can reverse it (in which case, you're too close :). Now, since the recovery of the Punch is fast, you will often have time to notice the enemy's counter, and reverse it! There are many more setups but all in all, the best way to land a reversal is to anticipate or NOTICE a slow-executing, reversable move. And REMEMBER, if the opportunity to counter with a powerful move is there, TAKE IT! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Yoho (d/f,d/f+P) 2. SRM (D,f+P+K) 3. DE or SDE (f,f+P or f,f,f+P) 4. SJK (f,f+K) 5. Knee Strike (K+G,release G) 6. LBF (d/f+P+K on MC)) 7. Shin Kick (d/f+K on MC) Note: just to cut down on size, most combos off the Yoho generally work after A Knee Strike (although I can't get the Knee consistantly enough on the Saturn to try ALL of them...) Combos: ------- 1. d/f,d/f+P, SJK or DJK, Pounce 2. d/f,d/f+P, DE, Pounce 3. d/f,d/f+P, D+P, SgPlm, Pounce 4. d/f,d/f+P, D+P, DbPlm, Pounce 5. d/f,d/f+P, d/f,d/f+P, Pounce 6. d/f,d/f+P, D+P, SRM, Pounce 7. d/f,d/f+P, PP, Pounce 8. d/f,d/f+P, DLC 9. d/f,d/f+P, eBC 10. d/f,d/f+P, DBC, Pounce 11. d/f,d/f+P, P,G, StPlm, Pounce 12. d/f,d/f+P, PK, Pounce 13. d/f,d/f+P, DFS 14. SRM, PP, Pounce 15. SRM, PK, Pounce 16. SRM, D+P, SRM, Pounce 17. SRM, D+P, SgPlm, Pounce 18. SRM, D+P, DbPlm, Pounce 19. SRM, DJK, Pounce 20. SRM, Yoho, Pounce 21. SRM, DE, Pounce 22. SRM, eBC 23. SRM, StPlm, Pounce 24. SRM, DBC, Pounce 25. SRM, DLC 26. SRM, P,G, DE, Pounce 27. DE or SDE, PP, Pounce 28. DE or SDE, DBC 29. DE or SDE, DE, Pounce 30. DE or SDE, D+P, SgPlm, Pounce 31. DE or SDE, D+P, DbPlm, Pounce 32. DE or SDE (MC), DLC 33. SJK, DE, Pounce 34. SJK, DBC, Pounce 35. SJK, m-SgPlm, Pounce 36. SJK, m-DbPlm, Pounce 37. SJK, DLC 37. LBF (MC), PP, Pounce 38. LBF (MC), DE, Pounce 39. LBF (MC), DBC, Pounce 40. LBF (MC), DLC ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SETUP THROWS: ------------- After SpEx: any of the Yoho combos, or often DJK will connect easily here, or SDE+juggle. DBC works after slight dash in (use f+E). DbPlm is also a GREAT follow-up (but not too damaging, just really cool), see moves analysis for info on easy buffering for it. If the enemy starts Eing out of the way, try the eBC... Either way, if you're looking for damage, a buffered Yoho is guarenteed and will float :). After ST: Yoho (BUFFER IT into ST animations!)+juggle, or dash+SJK+juggle, or SDE+juggle After RBC: SDE+juggle, or dash+DBC or dash+SJK+juggle (use f+E)--NOTHING IS GUARENTEED! After GB: DE+juggle is safest, f,f+K+juggle is guarenteed at least after d+P+G. POSSIBLY Yoho+juggle (buffered) on slower enemies. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- STAGGER COMBOS: --------------- After f+P: when you hit a crouching opponent with Akira's Elbow Strike, you you will stagger them. Good follow-ups are the SDE+juggle, or DBC. There are other possibilities; be creative. In addition, you can THROW a staggered enemy by dashing in a grabbing them as they are standing from the stagger--timing is crucial, but it can be worth- while. And if you know they will just stand or crouch and Guard, dash in and use the appropriate Guard Break! ############################################################################# KAGE: ***** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- Kage is still as weakened as he is in VF3, mainly because the TFT can be escaped, meaning Kage actually has to have variety in Throws (gasp!) A lot of his attacks can be boring, but his basic G-cancelled Punch, Elbow and Heel Kick offense is very effective. As long as Kage can connect with the TFT or f+P+G often in a fight, he's still pretty powerful. On defense, Kage has quite a few moves to deal with rushes, including the ever-powerful d+K+G, but overall he's still better on offense. As far as the Throws go, he now has more variety, including the damaging and truly spectacular TFT-Izuna Drop, or the Flipping Stomp (b,d+P+G). Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: D+P [L-R] -Kick: K [H-R-KD] -Side Kick: d/f+K [M-R-FMC] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Turn-Toward Punch: P (opponent behind) [H-R] -Turn-Torward Low Punch: d+P (opponent behind) [L-R] -Turn-Toward Kick: K (opponent behind) [H-R-KD] -Turn-Torward Low Kick: D+K (opponent behind) [L-R-KD] -Flipping Knee: u+K (opponent behind) [M-UR-KD] -Flipping Kick I: u/f+K (opponent behind) [M-UR-KD] -Flipping Kick II: u/b+K (opponent behind) [M-UR-KD] -Turn-Away Punch: b,b+P [H-R] -Turn-Away Kick: b,b+K [H-R-KD] -Turn-Away Sweep: b,b+K+G [L-R-KD] -Head Drop: u+P (near fallen enemy) [G] -Flying Stomp: u+P (mid-range to fallen enemy) [G] -Flying Knee Drop: u+P (far from fallen enemy) [G] -Heel Smash: d/f+K (on fallen enemy) [G] -Double Punch: P,P [HH-R] -Double Punch-Straight Kick: P,P,K [HHH-R-KD] -Triple Punch: P,P,P [HHH-R] -Triple Punch-Heel Kick: P,P,P,K [HHHM-R-KD] -Triple Punch-Kickflip: P,P,P,b+K [HHHM-R-KD] -Double Punch-Helix: P,P,b+P [HHH-R] -Double Punch-Helix-Heel Kick:P,P,b+P,K [HHHM-R] -Punch-Kick: P,K [HH-R] -Elbow: f+P [M-R-StC] -Downward Chop: D/F+P [M-R-KD] -Swipe Punch: d/b+P [H-R] -Swipe Punch-Kick: d/b+P,K [HH-R] -Helix: b+P [H-R] -Helix-Heel Kick: b+P,K [HM-R] -Slashing Shuto: P+K [M-R] -Shuto Chop: f+P+K [M-R] -Shuto Chop Combo: f+P+K,P+K [M-R-KD] -Spinning Chop: d/f+P+K [M-R-KD] -Rising Chop: d+P+K [M-R-FMC] -Rising Dragon Punch: f,d,d/f+P [M-R-KD-F] -Forward Roll: HCT [n/a] -Backward Roll: HCB [n/a] -2nd Roll: HCB+P after Zenten or Kouten [n/a] -2nd Attack Roll: HCT+P after Zenten or Kouten [L-R] -Roll-Dragon Punch: f,d,d/f+P after any Roll [M-R-KD-F] -Back-Handspring: u/b [n/a] -Somersault Kick: u/b+K [M-R-KD] -Dodging Scissor Tackle: d/b+K [L-R-KD] -Backheel Sweep: f,f+K [L-R-KD] -Rising Knee: D,f+K [M-UR-F] -Overhead Flip Kick: u/f+K+G [M-UR-KD] -Reverse Kickflip: d/f+K+G [M-UR-KD] -Spinning Heel Kick: d+K+G [M-R-KD] -Stepping Back Thrust: b+K+G [H-R-F] -Kickflip: u/b+K+G [M-R-KD] -Corkscrew Kick: f,f+K+G [M-UR-KD-Gr] -Thunder Dragon: f,f+P+K+G [M/L-UR-KD-Gr] -Forward Roll-Sweep: HCT+K [L-R-KD] -Backward Roll-Sweep: HCB+K [L-R-KD] -Running Slide: run+D+K [L-UR-KD] -Shoulder Throw: P+G [HT] -Takedown-Smack: u/f+P+G [CT] -Flip-over: f+P+G [H/B/ST] -Turn-Over: d/f+P+G [HT] -Flipping Stomp: b,d+P+G [HT] -Reaping Throw: b,f+P+G [HT] -Ten-Foot Toss: b+P+G [HT] -Ten-Foot Toss-Izuna Drop: b+P+G,u+P+G [HT] -Torso Takedown: P+G [BT] -Torso Takedown: P+K+G [B/LT] -Kirigasumi: P+G [ST] -Leg Twist: u+P+G (opponent close behind) [CT] -Hand Reversal: b+P+K ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS/MOVES ANALYSIS: ----------------------- -Punch-Kick: Still a good all-around move, the PK is weakened because it no longer knocks down in VF3 or FMM. Still, because it comes out as fast as a Punch (obviously), it is an excellent counter to blocked attacks--hold forward as you do it to increase the range... -Elbow: an important up-close attack; the Elbow comes out and recovers quite fast, and will also stagger a crouching opponent. Because of its recovery, you have MANY options for stagger combos or Throws too. If blocked, you can frequently follow with a Throw. The Elbow also works well as a counter-attack after you block a move that you know leaves the enemy in a crouching position (eg. Lau/Pai's d+K+G). -Double Punch (PP): the Double Punch is important to a Kage player; if blocked, you can quickly G-cancel and Throw or d/b+K, and if it connects, you can chain into a Helix, or a Triple Punch combination. It is also important for setting up an enemy to crouch. If blocked, the Double Punch recovers fast enough that Kage is free from counterattack. See offense for more info. -Double Punch-Helix-Heel Kick: if the Helix hits, the Heel Kick always will, however it never knocks down. Still, you should use the whole thing rarely, because the first 3 hits are High, so if the enemy crouches you're screwed. However, The Double Punch-Helix by itself can be a somewhat useful setup technique; see the Helix section and offense for more info. -Triple Punch-Kickflip (PPPb+K), Triple Punch-Heel Kick (PPPK): Altogether, these moves are only used by scrubs. They are not totally useless provided they are used in the right places. Other than float combos, the PPPK works well at pushing the enemy quite a far distance, especially if blocked. You're usually safe from counter if this is blocked, except against quick moves (eg. Akira's DE), but if ducked, the opponent has plenty of time to counter during the PPP before either the Kickflip or the Heel Kick comes out. For the most part, use only in juggles. -Swipe Punch-Kick: The Swipe Punch can be chained into ANY of Kage's various Punch series as well as a single Kick; the added advantage to this Punch is that it has a slight Evade built into it, allowing you to avoid linear attacks. It does, however, execute and recover slower than a normal punch--if blocked or missed, it is still uncounterable as far as I know, but its slower execution makes it better used on anticipation to a linear attack (eg. Bahn's Dashing Elbow). -Helix-Heel Kick: I LOVE this new move! the Helix comes out nearly as fast as a Punch, and the recovery is good too. If the Helix connects, the Heel Kick always will, however it will NEVER knock down. The most important feature of the Helix though is its execution speed; it is an excellent all-around surprise move, and can also be used as a counterattack to a blocked or missed attack that has relatively good recovery (eg. blocked Side Kick from Jeffry). As well, it can be used for bait--the enemy must be REALLY fast in order to counter you if they duck the Helix. Usually, you can snag them with a fast Mid-level attack if the Helix is ducked (the follow-up Heel Kick is slow enough to be interrupted); and Elbow is your best bet, allowing a stagger combo. If the enemy blocks the Helix, try for a Throw--if the enemy is lightning fast, they MAY be able to counter you first, but I have had great success with Throws after a blocked Helix. If the enemy Evades, follow through with the Heel Kick; chances are you SHOULD catch them before their Evade is completed. NOTE: it is also possible to combo other attacks after the Helix, other than the Heel Kick; See combos for more info. -Dodging Scissor Tackle: a good move, but often overused. It is LIGHTNING fast, ducks under all High attacks (maybe even some Mid-level attacks ala Shun Di?) and always knocks down. However, its recovery is HORRIBLE if blocked or missed, and Kage can be Low Thrown or hit with just about anything else. Therefore it is only good as a MC to High attacks, OR to counter linear attacks, because this move has a slight evade built in. -Backheel Sweep: This move is now completely useless in FMM, because you cannot tack it on the end of any knockdowns to hit as the enemy lands on the ground. This is still possible in VF3, but for some reason FMM won't allow it, except after the TFT (and there are better combos to be used here) :(. -Downward Chop: Weak, but it is fairly useful because of its speed. When you are in a crouch, it should be under a High attack, or to bait an enemy into crouching themselves--however, if the enemy is within range, a Rising Knee is often better than the Chop, as it allows MUCH more damage. If you are out of range for the Knee, the Spinning Heel Kick is also a fine choice. There are also many other choices for moves done from a crouch or crouch dash, so for the most part this isn't too effective, except when you need a fast move from a crouch--if there's one thing good about it, it's that its recovery if blocked is slightly better than the Rising Knee (additions?). -Rising Dragon Punch (DP): hee,hee! I was wondering when a VF character would get a DP! And this DP is no lousy move, for sure. Unfortunately, it doesn't do a WHOLE lot of damage, but it certainly isn't weak. It comes out lightning fast, and of course has the same bad DP recovery. The DP is best used to get under slow High attacks that you anticipate, or for that matter any attack--I have yet to see the DP get interrupted by any attack other than a reversal, so use it well. It is also a great move after the f+P+G Flip-over, or the TFT (b+P+G). To top it all off, you can juggle after a DP with d+K for quick damage, OR another DP (this is realy weird, as the 2nd DP hits them VERY near to the ground!)--AND, if the DP hits as a MC, it floats well enough for a BIG juggle (see combos). -Slashing Shuto: not overly useful, just to note that if it hits crouching enemies, or on a MC, a dash+Throw is guarenteed... -Rising Chop: not a bad move, it is generally overlooked. It will float on MC for a good juggle, but its range is limited. If it hits a crouching opponent, it will force them to a standing position where a Throw can connect... Not much else on this, Kage has better moves to counter High attacks--mix this in just for fun. -Shuto Chop Combo: an important attack, the Double Shuto Chop is a guarenteed knockdown, allowing a Heel Smash, and also comes out quite fast. The Double Shuto Chop is useful for counterattacking or float combos, but it also works well after forcing an opponent into a crouch; immediately toss this out for a quick, damaging combo. This is also useful after crouch-dashing a High attack, but there are better options. -Rising Knee: does GREAT damage and allows a juggle in most cases. This is most useful after crouching or crouch-dashing a High attack. However, this should be used with caution, because the recovery is BAD. See combos. -Spinning Heel Kick: ask any good Kage player and they will agree this is one of, if not his best, attack. The Spinning Heel Kick ALWAYS knocks down and on a MC guarentees a Flipping Stomp Pounce (the close-range Head Drop usually connects as well on regular hit). It can also be done from a crouch with K+G as well as d+K+G. Because of its fast execution time it is a great counter to the enemy's crouching attacks, like pestering Low Punches. Above all else, the Spinning Heel Kick is an ideal counterattack to blocked moves, thanks to its quick execution speed. -Reverse Kickflip: a GREAT new move, it has awesome capabilities if used CAREFULLY. If blocked or missed, it not only has bad recovery, but it also leaves Kage with his BACK turned, allowing Back Throws or devastating floats. If the Reverse Kickflip hits as a MC, a Turning Sweep (d+K with back turned) will connect for great damage. This move is best used as a juggle, or a SURE counter to High attacks; it is risky to use this on opponent's who can do something about it. -Corkscrew Kick: still a good move, but a move to be careful with. The good thing about it is that it hits Mid, and also has great range. Still, it comes out kinda slow so it can often be anticipated, and recovers VERY slow, with Kage getting off the ground. This will also, however, knock down crouching defenders; against inexperienced opponents, use this around mid-range after a Thunder Dragon was used sometime in the round--to novices they look similiar in execution (quick foes will notice the Thunder Dragon has a little ground roll first), and they will crouch to avoid the Dragon, only to be nailed with the Corkscrew Kick. In addition, you can also use the Corkscrew Kick as a counterattack; it can be buffered during a block, however other attacks are more useful--use it in this case against moves that leave the enemy at a slight distance when blocked (eg. Lau's Double Punch-Kick). -Kickflip: still a powerful attack that must be used CAREFULLY. The recovery is insanely long if blocked or missed, giving the enemy a LOT of time to think up a damaging counter. The good thing about it is that it allows Kage's mid-range Flying Stomp pounce, for a total of 90 pts. or more of damage! Best used in retaliation to blocked or missed attacks that leave the enemy close, or as a juggle or after a stagger. By all means you must be SURE that it will connect or you'll be one dead ninja. -Overhead Flip Kick: to be used carefully, it can be interrupted QUICKLY, and if missed or blocked can be countered easily. Because it is initially an airborne attack, it is ideal for hopping over Low attacks, and should only be used in this fashion. It is excellent when you can anticipate the enemy's Low attack. It is also possible to perform EXTREMELY powerful combos with it in the corner after the TFT (see combos). -Thunder Dragon: absolutely HORRIBLE recovery, and if ducked will leave your back vulnerable. As for the attack level, it is written so because the Dragon will hit High initially, but as Kage reaches maximum range, he will still hit Low on the way down... This move can be buffered out of a block, to counterhit in the same fashion as the Corkscrew, but there are better attacks. IMO this is best used as a juggle after the TFT (see combos) or to counterhit missed attacks from a far distance (although again, there are better options here), and it can briefly duck under High attacks. One important note about the Thunder Dragon is that it is COMPLETELY unblockable due to its tremendous force, so it can be effective on defending opponents from mid-range who may be expecting a dash-in Throw... -Stepping Back Thrust: overlooked by novice Kage players, the Stepping Back Thrust is extremely useful, mostly because it will float enemies for a good juggle. Note however that it should not be used conventionally; although it is uncounterable if blocked, it can be ducked fairly easily and countered. The Stepping Back Thrust should be used occasionally as a counter to missed attacks from within range, although as usual there are better options. The BEST place to use this move is juggling after the TFT; this is because it actually allows you to juggle even further after it if timed correctly, in combos like: (WALL) TFT, b+K+G, f,d,d/f+P, Heel Smash. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Throw Setups/What Throws to use: The key to winning with Kage is connecting with his Ten-Foot Toss. From here Kage can set up devastating combos that, if not destroying the enemy with big damage (esp in the corner!), can distance them well. HOWEVER, Kage has been severily weakened as far as the TFT is concerned in FMM/VF3--it can now be escaped :(. For this reason, you may still have to mix it up with other Throws if you're playing any foe whocan escape the Throw. There are THREE really good ways to set up Throws with Kage: 1. After a Crouch Dash--see the Crouch Dash section. 2. With a Punch or Helix offense--if the enemy ends up blocking the Helix, THROW! If the enemy blocks the Double or Triple Punch, G-cancel and THROW! 3. After stagger--after an Elbow stagger (your first), see if the enemy has the know-how to shake out of it fairly fast. If not, the Heel Kick is the best follow-up, or f+P+K,P+K. IF the are adept at shaking out, dash in (IMO best with f+E) and THROW! The timing may take some practice, because you cannot Throw until the enemy begins to come out of the stagger. Practice... Other simple places for Throws to be used are obvious; like after the enemy misses a big attack. Personally, I usually go for the TFT in this case, although of course if the enemy misses one of these big attacks (I'm talking things like a Kickflip, or Jane's d/f+P+K), you have many other options open to you. Your two most used Throws when not attempting to counter another Throw are the TFT (b+P+G) and f+P+G, both of which leave the enemy open to good damage. If you like some variety like me, mix in the b,d+P+G or d/f+P+G. About the Throws: 1. P+G Shoulder Throw: not a bad Throw, it allows a Heel Smash for 60 pts. damage total. However, it is the easiest to escape from... remember though that it takes priority over complex Throws. 2. u/f+P+G Takedown-Smack: its uses are pretty limited. However, I often TRY to get this move in if I'm fighting a snobby bastard (usually using that prick Lion...) One place to use this is from its maximum range if the enemy tends to just stand there and block--note that this usually only works once per fight as the enemy will surely catch on to the idea, and sometimes standing there and blocking may in fact be a trap for you to try the Catch Throw, which they will duck and counter... 3. f+P+G Flip-over: A great move allowing you to set up a powerful attack behind the enemy, it can basically be used in any place the P+G or b+P+G can be used. This and the TFT IMO should be your most used Throws, and if you mix them up enough the enemy cannot break out of them consistantly. 4. d/f+P+G Turn-Over: for all intents and purposes, this is the same as P+G, except with different motions. Allows a Heel Smash for the same damage too. Mix it in if you like variety. 5. b,d+P+G Flipping Stomp: his most powerful non-combo Throw, mix it in for variety, however good TFT combos still do more damage. 6. b,f+P+G Reaping Throw: see #4 :) 7. b+P+G TFT: THE MOST IMPORTANT THROW FOR KAGE. Although it can now be broken out of, it can still be mixed in with other Throws to reduce that risk. See combos for more info. 8. b+P+G,u+P+G Ten-Foot Toss-Izuna Drop: does great damage and looks very cool, mix it in with the TFT combos once in a while for variety. 9. P+G Kirigasumi Side Throw: Basically any time you Evade and left close enough to connect with it. 10. u+P+G Leg Twist (enemy behind): if missed you're in trouble, but you'd be surprised how many people fall for this. A useful place for it is in okizeme; this was posted by some guy on r.g.v.a (sorry, can't find his name): If you knock down the opponent with a move that leaves your back turned to them (eg. b,b+K+G or d/f+K+G), wait for them to rise then dash forward (in other words, slightly away from them), and if they throw a rising attack it will whiff; counter with u+P+G!! This of course is not foolproof, because all the enemy has to do is roll to the side or not attack at all, and come up to possibly MC the u+P+G, so be careful. THROWS OVERALL: --------------- Without a doubt, the TFT is still the dominating grab here. Because it can be escaped, the best Throws to mix in with it are the Flipping Stomp and f+P+G Flip-over. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Offense: The basis of offensive strategy for Kage revolves around the Crouch Dash and his various Punch rushes. Coming in with the Double Punch is probably the best--pester them with it, and if they decide to block, G-cancel and Throw (doesn't help much in FMM, but I still think G-cancelling works somewhat); alternately, you can use the d/b+K which may catch them for a MC for good damage. If they duck, G-cancel and Elbow Stagger. This is your basic strategy--now, this of course is far from fool-proof. The enemy can not only reverse (in most cases) your Punches, but they can also mix up various attacks that will pass under your Punches (eg. Tokio's Low Sweep combos). Therefore, it is often better to mix up your offense with Elbows and f+P+K, P+K as well, because if they are blocked (especially the Elbow), Kage can recover quickly enough not to be countered. When the enemy crouches, P+K or d+P+K, or even a m-Rising Knee are other options when the enemy crouches. HELIX SETUPS: Because of the great recovery of the Helix and Double Punch-Helix, Kage can often combo or Throw afterwards. If you don't anticipate the enemy crouching the Punches, throw out the Double Punch-Helix liberally; if they block, quickly whip off a Throw or Dodging Scissor Tackle to snag 'em (mix up the Throws--if you do this often enough with the same Throw, they will anticipate and escape it, awarding you no damage). If the enemy chooses to try and dodge the Helix, the follow-up Heel Kick will often snatch them in the act. If the enemy manages to duck the Helix, they have an advantage, but you can still follow the Helix with an Elbow which MAY catch them. If the Helix is not blocked, you can chain into the Heel Kick, or many other combinations--d/b+K works but is kinda weak (although it will avoid High attacks if you were a little slow). Another good follow-up is the Turn-away Sweep (b,b+K+G), or if you're really feeling lucky, try a Kickflip (u/b+K+G). The Helix strategy I have been using as of late, and is quite effective; basically it involves the enemy either getting hit with the Helix or Double Punch Helix and following with a combo, OR getting the Helix blocked and Throwing or Low attacking, OR getting the Helix ducked under and staggering with the Elbow... just note that it is NOT fool-proof, because the enemy can throw out a Low Punch or the like during your Helix that may catch you before you can react... for this reason, it should be mixed in with Elbow and Double Punch offense. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Crouch Dashing: An important part of offensive/defensive component of Kage's technique is the Crouch Dash. Crouch Dashing is a great move for Kage mainly because he can follow it with a throw--the Crouch Dash gets you in fast and against inexperienced opponents, may surprise them into freezing up... The Crouch Dash will most importantly avoid High attacks, so it is yet ANOTHER counter against offensive rushes (you must however anticipate, because you can still be hit with a Mid-level attack), and allows you to counter with a Throw. In addition to throwing, crouch dashing is important in TFT combos. It is possible to perform ANY attack from a crouch in a crouch dash, however they motion is simplified. For example, you can crouch dash in a Rising Knee with this motion: D,d/f,d/f,f+K (or, d/f,D/F,f+K). This combines a crouch dash with the Knee by eliminating the D charge. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Defense: Kage also plays very well defending against offensive opponents. If you block many High Punches, you're doing something wrong :). If the enemy comes in with Punches, you should either reverse them (b+P+K) or duck and counter in any one of the many ways Kage can from here. To counter High attacks Kage can use any of the following: -D+P (then buffer into Rising Knee, Spinning Heel Kick or Downward Chop) -d/b+K (weak but very effective) -D,d/f+P -d+P+K (floats on MC) -f,d,d/f+P (early!) -D,f+K (from close--bad range) -d+K+G (IMO BEST!!!) -d/f+K+G (early...) -f,f+P+K+G -b,b+K+G -HCT+K Out of this list, the most effective is certainly the Spinning Heel Kick, because it comes out lightning fast AND can be done from either standing or crouching--if it connects, it will chain easily on a MC into the Flying Stomp!! Now, remember that the opponent will also try to mix up their attack levels (if they're any good), so you cannot always simply duck and counter--the d+K+G is so effective because the SECOND you anticipate the High attack (and even some Mid attacks) you can whip it off, but otherwise, if you're not sure that a long enough Punch rush is coming your way, DON'T duck, or you could eat a Mid-level move. As for Low attacks, Kage can also deal fairly well with the enemy--if you manage to block the Low attack, you can usually counter best with the D,d/f+P. If the Low attack you blocked has particularily long recovery time (eg. Pai/Lau's d+K+G), you can try for a Rising Knee+juggle, or you could quickly stand and go for an Elbow stagger+combo. Now, instead of blocking the Low attack, you can also MC it with u/f+K+G, and follow with a Heel Smash. However, don't just try this every time, because from crouching most characters can whip off an attack High enough to knock you out of the air (and maybe even start a big float combo). As for blocking, Kage can also do well here. If you block a fast High attack a PK will do well enough as a mC. If it is slightly slower in recovery, the Spinning Heel Kick is definetely your best option. As mentioned above, if you block a Low attack, your best counter is the Downward Chop. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Nailing Reversals: Although reversals are not such a big part of Kage's repitiore compared to Aoi or Akira, it can still be an effective defense. A good philosophy from Tan Wu Meng is: "As long as you are in a situation where you can block the incoming attack, you can reverse it (assuming it's reversible of course)." You have to ask yourself how effective using the reversal will be in certain situations. The most obvious place to use the reversal is when you anticipate a Punch rush (OR, if you notice a single hand attack in time to react)--this is quite useful against opponents that you find hitting you when you duck the Punch rush. For example, vs. Sarah--she can throw up to three High Punches. If you block, she will likely G-cancel and Throw (or D+K,K), and if you duck, she can G-cancel and Elbow stagger, OR if she anticipates early enough, she can follow a single Punch with a Side Kick! So if you duck and this occurs, the next time she comes in with the Punches, try a reversal--in fact, if she starts the rush from a slight distance, fake a duck (QUICKLY tap down) then tap b+P+K. OF COURSE, you can also use the Spinning Heel Kick in cases such as this... You can also condition the enemy into throwing an attack WHEN you want. For example, if you notice Jeffry likes to smack you with his various uppercuts when you crouch, trick him into thinking you're crouching haphazardly. From JUST within the range of his Uppercut, throw crouching punches here and there then QUICKLY stand and tap b+P+K--if he goes for the usual uppercut, you got 'im! The whole idea of conditioning involves noticing your opponents use of moves and patterns--the above example should not be used if your opponent tends to mix up Mid-level attacks (eg. throws a Toe Kick-Hammer now and then). THE BIG THING: _IF_ you can hit the enemy with a more powerful move, DO IT! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Side Kick (d/f+K on MC) 2. Rising Chop (d+P+K on MC) 3. Rising Knee (D,f+K) 4. Stepping Backthrust (b+K+G) 5. Spinning Chop (d/f+P+K) 6. DP (f,d,d/f+P) Combos: ------- 1. d/f+K (MC), f+P, Heel Smash 2. d/f+K (MC), PPPK 3. d/f+K (MC), PG, DP 4. b+K+G, u/b+K+G 5. b+K+G, PPPK 6. b+K+G, d/f+K+G 7. b+K+G, DP, Heel Smash 8. b+K+G, d/b+K 9. b+K+G, b+P,K 9. d+P+K (MC), u/b+K+G 10. d+P+K (MC), b+P,K 11. d+P+K (MC), d/b+P,K, Low Pounce 12. DP, DP :) 13. DP, d+K 14. DP (MC), PPPK 15. DP (MC), u/b+K+G 16. d/f+P+K, DP 17. D,f+K, DP 18. D,f+K, PPPK 19. D,f+K, u/b+K+G ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SETUP THROWS: ------------- After f+P+G: This is a fun Throw that can set the enemy up for quite a few attacks. Against noivce opponents I will use the Triple Punch-Heel Kick, but of course anyone with half a brain will duck the attacks. A faster version of this that will often connect and allow a Pounce is the PPK (although this too might get ducked--not sure if it is guarenteed or not). You can also use f+P+K,P+K, Low Pounce for good damage. HOWEVER, the three best follow-ups are a Kickflip (u/b+K+G), Spinning Chop (d/f+P+K) or a Dragon Punch (f,d,d/f+P). The latter two are better; the Kickflip can be avoided by dashing away (or ducking?), so only use it against those you're sure cannot get out in time. The Dragon Punch is much better overall because it connects solidly (is there a way to avoid it?) and can be followed with another DP. The Spinning Chop can also be followed with a DP for good damage. 1. f+P+G, PPPK 2. f+P+G, d+G+G, Pounce 3. f+P+G, u/b+K+G 4. f+P+G, DP, DP 5. f+P+G, d/f+P+K, DP, Heel Smash 6. f+P+G, f+P+K,P+K After b+P+G: Heh, heh. The TFT is the core of Kage's gameplay, allowing him to drain major amounts of life (unfortunately there are no longer ring-outs, which hurts Kage's gameplay). Pretty much any attack will connect on an enemy floated with the TFT; real easy follow-ups are the Kickflip (u/b+K+G; requires slight dash; often considered boring or cheap!), Inverted Kickflip (d/f+K+G) or Spinning Heel Kick (d+K+G). Moderately difficult follow-ups require a slight controlled dash forward, like PPPK or b+K+G (which opens to further punishment!). The most difficult TFT combos involve the wall, allowing even larger juggles doing up to 50% damage at default damage settings! Basically, you can have lots of fun with follow-ups here... 1. TFT, u/b+K+G 2. TFT, f,f+P+K+G (hit enemy as close to ground as possible) 3. TFT, b,b+P, d+K 4. TFT, PPK, Pounce 5. TFT, d/f+K+G, Pounce 6. TFT, u/f+K+G, Pounce 7. TFT, DP, Pounce 8. TFT, PPPK 9. TFT, u/f+K+G, DP (DAMN hard to time without the wall, but works!) 9. (WALL) TFT, PG, d+P, DP 10. (WALL) TFT, DP, DP 11. (WALL) TFT, b,b+P, PPPK (TFT `o' Doom! only in wall :( ) 12. (WALL) TFT, b,b+P, K 13. (WALL) TFT, u/f+K+G, DP 14. (WALL) TFT, u/f+K+G, PPPK, Heel Smash 15. (WALL) TFT, u/f+K+G, b+P,K, Heel Smash 16. (WALL) TFT, u/f+K+G, u/b+K+G 17. (WALL) TFT, b+K+G, d+P, DP, Heel Smash 18. (WALL) TFT, b+K+G, u/b+K+G 19. (WALL) TFT, b+K+G, PPPK EXPLANATIONS: as far as the wall combos go, you TFT the enemy, then they bounce off the TOP of the wall (some damage), then begin to fall; from here, hit them with the first part of the attack AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE. If done correctly, the enemy should still be at Kage's head level after the b+K+G or u/f+K+G (or b,b+P, or DP, whatever)--then, the rest of the combo will connect! Combos like #11, #14, #16, and #19 can do upwards of 45-50% damage! IMO, although more difficult to time, the u/f+K+G is a better tool in these combos than the Stepping Back Thrust, as it does 5 pts. more damage... NOTE: there are MANY more possibilities. Anyone feel free to e-mail me more combos... some of the huge combos possible in VF3 I can't seem to get here... :( (eg. (WALL) TFT, u/f+K+G, DP, u/b+K+G worked on Aoi in VF3!) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- STAGGER COMBOS: --------------- After f+P: when you hit a crouching opponent with Kage's Elbow Strike, you you will stagger them. Try these: 1. f+P (stagger), f+P+K,P+K 2. f+P (stagger), d+K+G 3. f+P (stagger), d/f+K 4. f+P (stagger), dash+Throw (Throw must be done as they recover from stagger!) ############################################################################# JACKY: ****** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- Good ol' Jerky. He hasn't lost much from VF3, and is still a turtler's nightmare. Jacky is awesome as far as offensive rushes, being that he can mix up just about any level of attack, from High to Mid or Low, from Mid to High, or Low to Mid... he can also chain his Double Punch into a Knee for an easy float, being one of his best offensive manuevers against crouching opponents. His float combos can be devastating, giving him his real damage. On defense Jacky's repetiore is limited but it suffices. Basically it consists of the Double Low Kick or the Low Backfist to counter High attacks--but this seems to work fine, unless the enemy anticipates the Low moves... Jacky has never been a Throwing character, but he gains another Throw that can be used easily in a Crouch Dash, revealing a defensive technique previously unused by Jacky players. He doesn't have many Throws, but the ones he has get the job done. Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Kick: K [H-R-KD] -Low Punch: D+P [L-R] -Side Kick: d/f+K [M-R-FMC] -Toe Kick: d+K [M-R] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Turn-Away Hook: b,b+P [H-R] -Turn-Away Spin Kick: b,b+K [H-R-KD] -Turn Knuckle: P (opponent behind) [H-R] -Turn-Side Kick: P,K (l.foot fwd; enemy behind) [HM-R] -Turn-Spin Kick: P,K (r.foot fwrd; enemy behind) [HH-R-KD] -Turn-Low Spin Kick: P,d+K (r.foot fwrd; enemy behind)[HL-R-KD] -Turn Slant Back Knuckle: d+P (opponent behind) [L-R] -Turn Slant-Low Spin Kick: D+P,K (opponent behind) [LL-R-KD] -Turn Kick: K (opponent behind) [H-R-KD] -Turn Low Spin Kick: d+K (opponent behind) [L-R-KD] -Soccer Kick: d/f+K (on fallen enemies) [G] -Jumping Knee Drop: u+P (on fallen enemies) [G] -High Jumping Knee Drop: U+P (on fallen enemies) [G] -Punch-Spin Kick: P,K (right foot forward) [HH-R-KD] -Punch-Side Kick: P,K (left foot forward) [HM-R] -Punch-Kick: F,P,K [HH-R] -Punch-Low Spin Kick: P,d+K [HL-R-KD] -Double Punch: P,P [HH-R] -Double Punch-Snap Kick: P,P,K [HHH-R-KD] -Double Punch-Knee: P,P,f+K [HHM-R-F] -Double Punch-Low Kick: P,P,d+K [HHL-R] -Flash Piston Punch: P,P,P [HHH-R] -Combo Elbow: P,P,f+P [HHM-R] -Combo Elbow-Heel Kick: P,P,f+P,K [HHMM-R-KD] -Double Punch-Backfist: P,P,b+P [HHH-R] -Double Punch-Back-Spin Kick:P,P,b+P,K [HHHH-R-KD] -Double Punch-Straight: P,P,u+P [HHH-R-KD] -Elbow: f+P [M-R-StC] -Elbow-Heel Kick: f+P,K [MH-R-KD] -Elbow-Back Knuckle: f+P,P [MH-R] -Elbow-Knuckle-Heel Kick: f+P,P,K [MHH-R-KD] -Elbow-Knuckle-Low Spin Kick:f+P,P,d+K [MHL-R-KD] -Spinning Backfist: b+P [H-R] -Double Backfist: B+P,P [HH-R-KD] -Backfist-Slant Backfist: b+P,d/b+P [HL-R] -Backfist-Spin Kick: b+P,K [HH-R-KD] -Backfist-Low Spin Kick: b+P,d+K [HL-R-KD] -Smash Hook: d/f+P [H-R] -Hook Combo: d/f+P,P [HH-R] -Triple Hook: d/f+P,P,P [HHM-R] -Lightning Straight: d/f+P,P,f+P [HHH-R-KD] -Lightning Hook: d/f+P,P,P,P [HHMM-R] -Slant Backfist: d/b+P [L-R] -Slant-Low Spin Kick: D/B+P,K [L-R-KD] -Beat Knuckle: P+K [M-R-KD] -Beat Knuckle-Backfist: P+K,P [MH-R-KD] -Beat Knuckle-Spin Kick: P+K,K [MH-R-KD] -Beat-Backfist-Spin Kick: P+K,P,K [MHH-R-KD] -Beat-Backfist-Low Spin: P+K,P,d+K [MHL-R-KD] -Kick-Backfist: K,P [HH-R-KD] -Kick-Backfist-Spin Kick: K,P,K [HHH-R-KD] -Kick-Backfist-Low Spin: K,P,d+K [HHL-R-KD] -Double Spin Kick: K,K [HH-R-KD] -2-Way Spin Kick: K,d+K [HL-R-KD] -Knee Strike: f+K [M-R-F] -Dashing Punt Kick: f,f+K [M-R-KD] -Side Hook Kick: b+K [M-R-St] -Double Side Kick: d/f+K,K [MM-R] -Double Low Kick: D+K,K [LL-R] -Kickflip: u/b+K [M-R-KD] -Spin Kick: K+G [H-R-KD] -Spin Kick-Low Spin Kick: K+G,d+K+G [HL-R-KD] -Leg Slicer: d+K+G [L-R-KD on MC] -Heel Sword: b+K+G [M-R-KD] -Spinning Middle Kick: b,f+K+G [M-R-KD] -Lightning Kicks: d+P+K,K,K,K,K [MMMHH-R-KD] -Lightning Storm: d/b+P+K,K,K,K,K [MMMHH-R-KD] -Lightning Glow: d/b+P+K,K,K,K,d+K [MMMHL-R-KD] -Switch Step: d,d [n/a] -Northern Light Bomb: P+G [HT] -Neck Slashing: P+G [ST] -Bulldog: P+G [BT] -Clothesline Drop: f,f+P+G [HT] -Wall Clothesline: f,f+P+G [WT] -Trip-Hammer: f,b+P+G [HT] -Hanging Knee: d/f,d/f+P+G [HT] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS/MOVES ANALYSIS: ----------------------- NOTE: I am _NOT_ a horribly good Jerky player (at least compared to my good characters) so if anyone has additions or especially corrections to these tactics, PLEASE speak out... -Punch-Low Spin Kick: An excellent move for surprise, if you know or see the the enemy block the first Punch in your offense. If blocked Low or missed, Jerky can be Low Thrown... -Double Punch-Knee (PPf+K), Double Punch-Low Kick (PPd+K): unlike most other characters, Jerky can switch to fast Mid and Low attacks from his Double Low Punch, as well as G-cancelling to Throw or Elbow. The Knee will float on top of that! EXCELLENT offensive moves. See offense for more info. -Combo Elbow-Spin Kick: like the moves above, this combo also has a fast Mid level move following the Double Punch--if the Elbow connects, the Heel Kick always will and knock down for a Low Pounce. The recovery on the Heel Kick is bad enough to be countered by quick buffered moves if blocked. -Double Punch-Straight: Basically a knockdown version of the PPP, it often allows a Low Pounce. BAD recovery though, and it all hits High, so use with caution. -Elbow, Elbow-Heel Kick (f+PK): like most others, the Elbow is an important attack as it will stagger crouching opponents for a combo. If the Elbow connects (stagger or not), the Heel kick will always hit. See offense for more info. -Elbow-Back Knuckle-Spin Kick, Elbow Back Knuckle Low Spin Kick: A good move as far as damage, the thing to note is that the other attacks are guarenteed if the Elbow staggers--otherwise, if blocked or missed the recovery is bad; your only hope is to mix up the High/low endings, or if you notice them block quickly enough, don't throw either of the endings at all. -Spinning Backfist combos: The Spinning Backfist has the advantage of fast execution time and decent recovery. It hits High however, so make sure it does connect, at least. If it is blocked, follow with the Low Spin Kick to knock down+Low Pounce--however, this is not guarenteed, but the Slant Backfist follow-up is :). If the Backfist connects, finish with the Spin Kick or 2nd Backfist for knockdown+Pounce (and good damage). -Smash Hook combos: overall not TOO useful, you must remember that if ducked, chain into the full Lightning Hook instead of the Straight, to snag them. If ducked, the enemy has to counter VERY fast before the 3rd Hook comes out and nails them. Altogether pretty weak, too. -Slant Backfist-Low Spin Kick: a useful move, the Slant Backfist passes quickly under High attacks, and when chained into the Low Spin Kick will knock down for a Pounce. If the enemy blocks Low, try to avoid going for the Low Spin Kick, and instead try and stand in time to stagger with the Elbow. -Beat Knuckle Combos: the awesome move becomes more awesome, IMO. It can now be chained into a series of attacks--if blocked, the Beat Knuckle has tremendous recovery, but now you can chain into a Backfist and Low Spin Kick, which may surprise them. It is also possible to delay the Backfist only if the P+K is blocked, which may interrupt the enemy's counter--follow with K for the final Spin Kick in this case. If the P+K connects, the Backfist-Spin Kick usually will but to play it safe when the P+K connects I usually stick with the P+K,K+Low Pounce. -Kick combos: not useful at all, actually, but I might as well put this down. if the Kick is ducked, you can try for the Backfist-Low Spin Kick, but chances are the enemy interrupts you under the Kick-Backfist... If BLOCKED, Jacky has a slight advantage, as you can cancel into a Low Spin Kick (K,d+K) emmediately to catch them... -Knee Strike: important move for Jerky, as it floats the best of all his moves. The recovery is not too hot though, so only use it when you're sure. Actually, the P,P,f+K is better overall. -Dashing Punt Kick: still one of Jerky's most potent attacks, it always knocks down and allows at least a Low Pounce, comes out FAST and recovers fairly well, and also hits Mid-level. To top it off, its range is excellent! Abuse this move. :) (Actually, I could be wrong--as I said, I don't play Jerky.) -Side Hook Kick: an often overlooked move, it's one of the few things that I really like about Jacky in FMM. Its recovery is fast enough that it is uncounterable if blocked, and it comes out fast, automatically staggering standing OR crouching opponents; you can then follow up with many different moves. Use often. QUESTION: does this float on MC like it does in VF3? I sure doesn't stagger normally in VF3 that I know of... (then again, as I said I don't play Jerky often, and scrubs at the arcade probably wouldn't bother with this move). -Double Side Kick: A useful move, but be sure that if the Side Kick is a MC, chain into something else more damaging (see combos). This is best used after a stagger, for sure... -Kickflip: Still the attack that everyone fears from Jerky, it does major damage and allows a Pounce often. Best used after a float or stagger, as its recovery is VERY long. Also, if you think you have the timing the Kickflip is fast enough to interrupt ANYTHING... -Heel Sword: a FAST move with not-so-good recovery--SMASHES crouching enemies. -Lightning Kicks: I only listed this to tell you NOT to use it! They look really cool and knock down for big damage if all connect, but you will RARELY get them to connect. They can be blocked or ducked halfway through the sequence, allowin a lot of time to counter. However, some r.g.v.a posts have commented on the ticking ability of 1 or 2 Lightning Kicks, followed by a Clothesline Drop... -Lightning Storm/Glow: likewise for these, they look REALLY awesome but you will rarely get them all to connect. They can also be ducked or blocked mid- way through--they do have a slight advantage in that you can laternate the last hit High or low. However, if the enemy has even half-decent reflexes they can duck and counter first. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Throw Setups/What Throws to use: Jacky has a few Throw setups, but he is certainly not a Throwing character, so don't go nuts trying to connect with one... The most useful setup is after the opponent has blocked your Double Punch--quickly G-cancel (doesn't help much in FMM, but works somewhat) and nail them with a Throw, IMO best with the Clothesline Drop or Hanging Knee. This is an alternate to simply chaining into a Low attack (P,P,d+K). Throws also work after a stagger, be it from b+K or an Elbow. you must dash in and time the Throw so it grabs as the enemy is standing up full from the stagger. Technically, you cannot Throw a staggered opponent, so you must wait for them to come back to standing. Other places to Throw are after certain moves of Jerky's are blocked. The Elbow, for example, recovers quick enough to Throw often. After either the Backfist or Slant Backfist are blocked the enemy might be tad aprehensive and a Throw can catch them. The Side Hook Kick if blocked is uncounterable and therefore a Throw will catch enemies off guard here. Finally, a Throw can often be snuck in between the various Smash Hook combos. You can also Throw after blocking certain moves, best with the Clothesline. Any move that leaves the enemy close when you block it, you can probably Clothesline them; an example would be after blocking Pai's f,f+K Thrust Kick. Just imput f,f slightly early, then hit P+G. And of course you can Throw anytime the enemy leaves themselves open enough for one; however, I must stress again that Jerky is NOT a Throwing opponent; if you have one of these openings (eg. after a blocked or missed DBC from Akira), you should be going for a float combo or Kickflip... About the Throws: 1. P+G Northern Light Bomb: decent damage, but leaves Jacky on the ground if it connects, so a Pounce is impossible--it is also quite easy to break out of, so you have better choices. 2. P+G Neck Slashing (Side): A cool looking grab that sometimes allows a Low Pounce. Good move if you Evade and end up close to the enemy's side. 3. P+G Bulldog (Back): Good damage and looks MEAN, but never allows a Pounce. If you think you can get in something better, like a Kickflip or float, go for it! 4. f,f+P+G Clothesline Drop: lost a lot of strength because if you miss you no longer get an Elbow, allowing you to stagger if the enemy tries to duck. It also never allows a Pounce! Still, it has GREAT range and can be used as a counter to blocked attacks. This also looks brutal when used against a wall :). 5. f,b+P+G Trip-Hammer: still his most powerful Throw, doing 10 pts. more than the Hanging Knee and usually allows a Soccer Kick. A great offensive Throw that can be done easily out of dash. 6. d/f,d/f+P+G Hanging Knee: looks damn cool and sometimes allows a Low Pounce, it should be your most used Throw (mix it up however against those who know how to escape Throws). It can also be combined with a crouch dash to avoid High attacks and counter... THROWS OVERALL: --------------- Both the Trip-Hammer and Hanging Knee are equally as powerful when the opening arises; the Trip-Hammer does more damage and allows a Soccer Kick, but the Hanging Knee will often allow a Low Pounce. The Clothesline shold not be forgotten becuase of its range, however... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Offense: As I said, I'm not a Jerky player, but the basic strategy is still known to me. IMO the idea with Jacky is to mix it up--I cannot stress that enough. He has so many different ways to alternate attack levels it's sickening. The best offensive technique is the Double Punch; if blocked, chain into the Low Kick (P,P,d+K), or G-cancel and Throw them. If they duck the Double Punch, G-cancel and toss out an Elbow to stagger them, or even better, chain into the canned Knee (PPf+K). Pretty simple, right? At lower levels yes, but eventually the enemy will compensate for that and create a defense, like ducking and hitting you before the Double Punch is done, or Evade. Once this happens, start throwing out single Punches with the same idea, except this time you can chain into a Side Kick (P,K with left foot forward). Which brings me to another point--if you really wanna mix it up, you should use the Switch Step from a short distance to always ensure that your left foot is forward, allowing you to perform the Punch-Sidekick for this tactic. Once the enemy gets used to you starting a Punch rush from short range, switch over to the Backfist, which has a guarenteed Slant Backfist follow-up if blocked, and can chain into one of two powerful knockdowns if it hits. The only problem here is that Jacky cannot perform any Mid-level attacks from the Backfist, and you will rarely catch crouchers with the Slant Backfist, so again you must alternate... Etc, etc... again, there are other Jerky FAQs out there that can elaborate much better. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Crouch Dashing: Crouch-dashing will allow Jerky to avoid High attacks and get in offensively a lot quicker. However unlike other fighters, Jacky has a limited range of moves from a crouch (Shin Slicer and Double Low Kick), and neither are terribly effective. The only really effective thing here is to combine a Crouch Dash with the motions for the Hanging Knee Throw... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Defense: Against High rushes, the best move for you is the Slant Backfist, which will travel under and allow a follow-up Low Spin Kick+Low Pounce. Other than that, you could just crouch and Throw, if they're left close enough, or Double Low Kick. It is also possible with really good reflexes to counter pretty much anything they throw at you with a Kickflip. If it doesn't work however, you're in BIG trouble. Other than that, you can Crouch Dash in (see above), or evade and follow best with the Double Side Kick (d/f+K,K) or Heel Sword (b+K+G). Against Low attacks, a Beat Knuckle is often fast enough to deal with anticipated ones; otherwise, you can block Low and try for a Double Low Kick mC... If you block a High attack, the Clothesline Drop often will connect if the move was fairly slow; the best over-all counterattack to a block attack is the Elbow-Heel Kick... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Double Punch-Knee Strike (PPf+K) 2. Knee Strike (f+K) 3. Side Kick (d/f+K on MC) Note: just to cut down on size, the combos that work for the f+K will of course work for PPf+K Combos: ------- 1. d/f+K (MC), PPP, d/f+K 2. d/f+K (MC), f+PK, Low Pounce 3. d/f+K (MC), f,f+K, Low Pounce 4. d/f+K (MC), d+K+G, Low Pounce 5. f+K, P,P,f+P,K 6. f+K, f,f+K, Low Pounce 7. f+K, u/b+K 8. f+K, d+P, u/b+K 9. f+K, P+K,K 10. f+K, PsK, Low Pounce 11. f+K, B+P,P 12. f+K, P,G, Kickflip 13. (WALL) f+K, P,G, PPu+P, Soccer Kick 14. (WALL), f+K, P,G,P,G, d+K+G, Soccer Kick ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- STAGGER COMBOS: --------------- After f+P: when you hit a crouching opponent with Jerky's Elbow, you will stagger them. Try these: 1. f+P (stagger), dash+Kickflip 2. f+P (stagger), dash+Throw 3. f+P (stagger), d/f+K,K 4. f+P (stagger), P+K,K 5. f+P (stagger), f,f+K, Low Pounce 6. f+P (stagger), f+K, juggle (see above) 7. f+P (stagger), D/B+P,K 8. f+P (stagger), b,f+K+G As for b+K, generally all of these work, as the stagger is virtually the same, except it seems to knock them back slightly further, so you may have to dash for some follow-ups, or Throws... ############################################################################# SARAH: ****** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- Still has the ability to do monster floats, and can easily go offensive with Punch and Elbow rushes. Sarah is a croucher's nightmare, for sure. Fighting defensively against her severly limits your options. Her damaging moves, however, leave her open to counter, so she must be played carefully. On defense she has a few key moves to counter High attacks, but all in all she best played offensively. Sarah has never had many Throws, and she gains three new ones here. b,f+P+G and b+P+G both kick ass and add new variety to her Throws, and she also gains a semi-useful Catch Throw. Sarah can still whup some ass if used carefully. Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Kick: K [H-R-KD] -Low Punch: D+P [L-R] -Side Kick: d/f+K [M-R-FMC] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Turn-Away Hook: b,b+P [H-R] -Turn-Away Spin Kick: b,b+K [H-R-KD] -Spin Turn Kick: D,b+K [H-R-KD] -Double Spin Turn Kick: D,b+K,K [HH-R-KD] -Turn Knuckle: P (opponent behind) [H-R] -Turn Low Straight: d+P (opponent behind) [L-R] -Turn Kick: K (opponent behind) [H-R-KD] -Turn Dragon Kick: f+K (opponent behind) [H-R-KD] -Turn Rising Kick: d/f+K (opponent behind) [H-R-KD] -Turn Low Spin Kick: d+K (opponent behind) [L-R-KD] -Soccer Kick: d/f+K (on fallen enemies) [G] -Jumping Knee Drop: u+P (on fallen enemies) [G] -High Jumping Knee Drop: U+P (on fallen enemies) [G] -Hopping Spin Kick: f+K+G [M-R-F] -Roundhouse Kick: u+K+G [M-R-KD] -Punch-Kick: P,K [HH-R] -Punch-Side Kick: P,d+K [HM-R] -Double Punch: P,P [HH-R] -Double Punch-Snap Kick: P,P,K [HHH-R-KD] -Triple Punch: P,P,P [HHH-R] -Combo Rising Knee: P,P,P,K [HHHM-UR-KD] -Combo Jump Kick: P,P,P,u+K [HHHM-R-KD] -Combo Kickflip: P,P,P,b+K [HHHM-R-KD] -Elbow Strike: f+P [M-R-StC] -Elbow-Knee: f+P,K [MM-R-F] -Elbow-Side Chop: f+P,d/f+P [MH-R] -Elbow-Heel Sword: f+P,b+K [MM-R-KD] -Snap Side Chop: d/f+P [H-R] -High Kick-Straight: K,P [HH-R-KD] -Double Thrust Kick: K,K [HH-R-KD] -Illusion Kick: d/f+K,K [MH-R] -Mirage Kick: d/f+K,K,K [MHH-R-KD] -Illusion-Jacknife: d/f+K,Kf+K [MHM-R-KD] -Illusion Low Kick: d/f+K,K,b+K [MHL-R] -Jacknife Kick: d+K [M-R-KD] -Jacknife-Side Kick: d+K,K [MM-R-KD] -Double Low Kick: D+K,K [LL-R] -Knee: f+K [M-R-F] -Knee-Rising Knee: f+K,d/f+K [MM-R] -Dashing Knee: f,f+K [M-R-KD] -Double Kick: b+K [HH-R-KD] -Dragon Cannon: d/b+K [M-R-F] -Full Spin Heel Kick: u+K [M-R] -Rising Knee: D,f+K [M-UR-F] -Rising Knee Combo: D,f+K,K [MM-UR-KD] -Kickflip: u/b+K [M-R-KD] -Toe Kick: d+P+K [M-R] -Toe Kick-Jacknife: d+P+K,K [MM-R-F] -Spin Kick: K+G [M-R-F] -Leg Slicer: d+K+G [L-R-KD on MC] -Lunging Sweep: d/f+K+G [L-R-KD] -Side Hook Kick: d/b+K+G [M-R-St] -Tornado Kick: u/f+K+G [M-R-KD] -Heel Sword: u/b+K+G [M-R-KD] -Moonsault: u/f+P or u/b+P [n/a] -Heel Kick-Moonsault: u+K,u+P [Mn/a-UR-KD] -Front Suplex: P+G [HT] -Shellbreak Elbow: P+G [ST] -Back Drop: P+G [BT] -Back Drop: P+K+G [B/LT] -Clothesline Drop: f,f+P+G [HT] -Lightning Knee Smash: b+P+G [HT] -Quadruple Knee Smash: b+P+G [WT] -Scissor Grab: b,f+P+G [HT] -Jumping Bulldog: u/f+P+G [CT] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS/MOVES ANALYSIS: ----------------------- -Punch-Side Kick: Basically you just want to mix this up in your offensive game, especially if you think they'll try to duck a Punch rush. This however, never knocks down... The recovery on the Side Kick is exceptional, however. -Double Punch (PP): like the other characters, the Double Punch is Sarah's best offensive technique, which can be G-cancelled (for what it's worth) to catch blocking enemies with a Throw, or crouching enemies with an Elbow stagger. See offense for more info. -Triple Punch Combos: after the Triple Punch (PPP), Sarah can perform a Kickflip (PPPb+K), Rising Knee (PPPK) or Jump Kick (PPPu+K). The Kickflip is a good finisher even if they block it; it is blockable unless the Punches hit as a MC, OR the last of the three punches connects. Also note though that the Kickflip does much less damage than its single counterpart, but altogether this combo does good damage and usually allows a Low Pounce. The Rising Knee is a powerful combo finisher, but it also VERY dangerous if missed or blocked; use it only on two occasions--against REALLY stupid opponents, or as a juggle. The former means that if the enemy ducks the Triple Punch, but is so slow that you can nail them with the Mid-level Rising Knee (a good fighter will hit you before the Knee comes out). As far as juggling, this connects rather solidly after a Knee. The Rising Knee finish is blockable unless the Punches were a MC; it does, however, guarentee a Pounce. The final combo is PPPu+K--I really don't know why this is here, I hardly ever use it. Its hang-time is less than the Rising Knee or Kickflip so a Pounce is easier, but you are still vulnerable and it isn't that much faster. -Lunging Sweep: an awesome-looking move, it is slow in recovery and execution, so only use it to MC a High attack. You can usually get in a Low Pounce too. -Elbow: Like all other Elbows, this is uncounterable if blocked and will stagger a crouching opponent. Sarah's Elbow techniques are the core of her up-close strategy. The Elbow comes out very fast and recovers very fast, so that even if it is blocked, you can often surprise the enemy with a Throw. If the Elbow connects on a crouching opponent, they will stagger to a standing position, allowing you to connect with further attacks. The Elbow-Overhead Edge Kick is a COOL looking combination, but the recovery is worse than the Elbow-Knee Strike and it also cannot float, so IMO use rarely. The Chop follow-up to the Elbow, like the Chop itself, is IMO useless; if the Elbow staggers the Chop will of course connect, but what's the point when you can also connect with a Stagger combo, Knee Strike or the Overhead Edge Kick? Silliness. The Elbow-Knee Strike (f+PK), as anyone knows, is probably Sarah's best attack; it comes out VERY fast and if the Elbow connects, the Knee ALWAYS hits and knocks down--a Pounce is guarenteed. The Knee also has floating ability; and, it is easier to float after than her regular f+K because it recovers a frame faster. In addition, the Knee can also be delayed after the Elbow, so if the Elbow misses or is blocked, instead of a Throw, try the delay, and you may MC them with the Knee and can juggle for good damage. BTW, probably the best follow-up to the Elbow Stagger is the Knee Strike, because if the enemy is staggered they will float EXTRA high with the Knee. See Combos for more info. -Toe Kick-Punt Kick: If the Punt Kick connects it usually floats high enough for a good juggle. The Toe Kick also comes out fast--easily one of her best moves. It is a good surprise vs. crouching foes, and works well as a juggle too. -Punt Kick-Side Kick: if the Side Kick knocks down, a Low Pounce is guarenteed for good damage. Altogether, use it in the same fashion as the Toe Kick-Punt Kick. -Dragon Cannon: this will float the enemy high enough to connect with a juggle every time. Right at the BEGINNING of its execution this will duck under High attacks and MC, so IMO it is best used in this case. Also note that it hits Mid, but a lot of opponents will look at it and think it hits High, so use this against your foe when they crouch. Also, if it is blocked, it keeps the enemy in block stun a fair time, so try for a Throw just for the helluv it... -Illusion/Mirage Kick Combos: although some may disagree, I think these are some of Sarah's best moves. The Illusion Kick by itself does not knock down, and the second kick can be ducked unless the first kick was a MC. However, it can be chained into other kicks--if the opponent has blocked the Illusion Kick you can switch to a Low Kick, likewise if the enemy manages to duck it, OR the first kick doesn't hit as a MC, you can switch to a Punt Kick to snag 'em. Finally, if the kicks connect as a Major Counter or the first two kicks hit a standing opponent, you can press kick again for the full Mirage Kick combination, which also guarentees a Low Pounce, for a total of 74 pts. of damage or more! Basically, you want to use these combinations as reactionary moves, because of their execution speed--do NOT use them offensively if the enemy knows how to block fast, because in all cases the recovery is pretty bad. See offense for more info. -Rising Knee: this is a good counter if you manage to duck a slow-recovering attack. In addition, you can often juggle. one good thing about the Rising Knee is that it cannot be reversed... -Knee Strike: an important move, but still has to be used carefully. Its execution and especially recovery are not that great, but if the Knee Strike connects it will float GREAT for a juggle. Use in moderation, mostly against persistent crouchers--usually this is better tacked on the end of an Elbow. See Combos and Tactics for more info. -Lunging Knee: a good move, but not amazing. It has GREAT range and will hit crouchers fairly fast, and also guarentees a Low Pounce. It comes out faster than a regular knee, but it doesn't float enough to juggle and the recovery isn't too good. This is a good follow-up to a stagger that leaves the enemy a short distance away, and other than that it's not too useful. Can be used as a juggle too. -Kickflip: still a great move, it has LIGHTNING fast execution, making it a great reactionary move, especially against opponents dashing in. Usually guarentees a Pounce on MC and does BIG damage; also useful as a juggle. Best used in retaliation or to surprise an opponent. -Spin Kick: variable damage depending on distance, and usually floats ala Lau's K+G (see combos). Because of its circular path it is a good move to snag evading opponents if they're close enough; also, unlike the other fighters, Sarah's Crescent Kick hits MID-LEVEL. It also comes out fast, so it's a good move against persistent crouching opponents; if it is blocked, Sarah also recovers quite fast, so you can punish foolish enemies who try to counter it. -Overhead Edge Kick: haven't experimented with this move much, but it sure looks damn cool. It has fast execution, making it a good move against crouchers, and guarentees a Soccer Kick (d/f+K) on knockdown. -Hopping Spin Kick: not a bad move, it will float a little (see combos). Use it on anticipated Low attacks... -Moonsault: a cool new move, I find myself using this often; it can be interrupted at close range and if hit with a non-knockdown move, Sarah will stop with her back TURNED to the opponent, so NEVER use it within the enemy's attack range. From that distance, it can be useful if the enemy comes charging in, and if timed right you will land right behind them; if they didn't suspect it and you landed close to them, The Double Low Kick or the Mirage Kick are good follow-ups. If you landed a distance away, run in and try for the Running Knee. You can probably be hit in the middle of the Moonsault with a Kickflip, but it won't happen often unless the enemy anticipates it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Throw Setups/What Throws to use: As with her brother, Sarah is not primarily a Throw character. She does have some setups however. For one, the aformentioned G-cancel -> Throw after a blocked Punch rush. Other ideal places: if the enemy blocks your Elbow, try quickly for a Throw--this also works if the enemy is staggered from a crouch with the Elbow. Other than that, only the usual places, like missed attacks, or a buffered Clothesline Drop after blocking an attack--however, in either of these cases a combo or otherwise more powerful attack is a much better option. About the Throws: 1. P+G Front Suplex: quite weak and rarely allows a Pounce, the thing to remember is that it will beat out complex motion Throws and also doubles as a P+G escape... 2. P+G (Side): Looks brutal and usually allows a Soccer Kick or Low Pounce. Use it when you are left close after an Evade. 3. P+G (Back): IMO shouldn't be used when the enemy's back is turned; it is pretty weak compared to other fighters, and doesn't allow a Pounce--go for a float combo or Kickflip... 4. f,f+P+G Clothesline Drop: lost a lot of strength because if you miss you no longer get an Elbow, allowing you to stagger if the enemy tries to duck. It also never allows a Pounce! Still, it has GREAT range and can be used as a counter to blocked attacks (buffer the first f). 5. b+P+G Lightning Knee Smash: Looks VERYU painful, so above all else it's intimidating. However, it is quite weak and if the enemy has ANY speed at all they can avoid a Pounce. Still, mix this in just because it looks so cool; good as a dash-in Throw... 6. b,f+P+G Scissor Grab: the Throw of choice. It does huge damage compared to her other Throws, although as usual you can rarely get in a Pounce. Still, again mix it in. The disadvantage here is that the enemy's f+P+G escape will escape this Throw AND the Clothesline, limiting her options... 7. u/f+P+G Jumping Bulldog: This move is a Catch Throw, meaning that it cannot be escaped, but also has execution time and also recovery. The neat thing about it is that she sidesteps as she lunges forward, so it may avoid some linear attacks; also note that if the enemy anticipates they can hit you during the sprint, and if it misses (it CAN be ducked) you can also be countered. If you miss and are left close to the enemy you can often go for a Throw anyways, especially if you end up beside them. This is best used as a surprise if you think they'll fall for it, or to counter missed attacks from a distance, OR immediately after you hit them with a long-ranged attack that doesn't knock down (not guarenteed of course--they can still duck). You can also use it simply to surprise an enemy who's just standing, blocking. Note however that you cannot Pounce afterward, but it IS still her most powerful Throw. THROWS OVERALL: --------------- The Lightning Knee Smash sometimes allows a Low Pounce (not as common as in VF3, however), and it is certainly an intimidating move. However her best Throw is definetely the Scissor Grab as far as damage. Mix these two up heavily. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Offense: Unfortunately, Sarah loses her best offensive tactic from VF2, the Elbow/ Clothesline (see S. Hyun Yim's VF2 Sarah FAQ for more info, it's kinda irrelivent in this FAQ). However, because of Sarah's speed, she can still trick the opponent into getting hit. The best way to do this is to force the enemy to crouch, or in some way hit the crouching opponent. The Elbow is still a very important tool in this case, along with the G-cancel. Throw various Punch combos at the enemy (but don't throw in the kicks!) and even a couple of Chops (d/f+P)--if they block High persistantly, you can than quickly switch to a Low attack (best the Double Low Kick or if the enemy is slow, d/f+K+G--however, the safest is a single Low Punch), or even better, G-cancel and Throw (the Clothesline being the best choice because of its range, however if you are closer, any Throw will do besides the Catch Throw). Now, if the enemy ducks your Punches, then you can really pour it on; if the enemy is really slow, you can hit them with the P,P,P,b+K, but this will rarely happen; a good canned combo in this case would be the Punch-Sidekick. HOWEVER, the best thing to do with Sarah if the enemy begins ducking your Punches is to G-Cancel them, then quickly throw a Mid-level move. The ideal choice here is the Elbow (f+P), which will stagger the enemy and allow the Knee Strike follow-up and juggle, or another stagger-combo. If the enemy isn't too fast, or they are out of range of the Elbow, good moves to use are the Illusion Kicks or the Punt Kick-Side Kick combo. In addition, if the enemy is fast to move after the G-cancelled Punch, a Dragon Cannon can sometimes catch them by surprise and float for juggle combo. The above strategy is the core of Sarah's offensive technique; unfortunately, she has little in the way of Low attacks, meaning she can have difficulty if the enemy blocks High persistantly--the G-cancel -> Throw is really the only thing she has here, other than evading to surprise them. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Crouch Dashing: Not as effective a technique as it is to other fighters, but can still be useful defensively. After a Crouch Dash, good follow-ups are the Rising Knee+ High Pounce, or Mirage Kick+Pounce, or a Throw if you prefer. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Defense: Sarah plays well on defense, though not as good as offensive. The MC is very important here, as it is MUCH better for Sarah to hit the enemy out of their attack, than to block or duck it, then counter. If the enemy comes in with High rushes persistantly, a Rising Knee+Pounce is a GREAT counter, as well as an Illusion Kick chain from a crouch. If they come in with persistant Low attacks, the Toe Kick-Punt Kick or Punt Kick-Side Kick are ideal counters. If the enemy is mixing it up, try to find a pattern in their combos (esp. vs. guys like Jacky with their HHMM combos and such--counter appropriately when blocked with the Clothesline). Also note that if you manage to block one of the enemy's slower moves, you can counter with a combo of some sort, be it a Elbow-Knee Strike or Knee Strike -> Float Combo, or IMO the best being a Mirage Kick+Pounce... And of course, against faster recovering attacks, a PK is ALWAYS good (remember to hold forward when doing it to slightly increase the range!) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Knee Strike (f+K) 2. Rising Knee (D,f+K) 3. Dragon Cannon (d/b+K) 4. Toe Kick-Punt kick (d+P+K,K) 5. Elbow-Knee Strike (f+P,K) 6. Spin Kick (K+G) 7. Hopping Spin Kick (f+K+G) Combos: ------- Note: assume all combos starting with f+K can be started with f+PK... 1. f+K, u/b+K 2. f+K, PPPK, Low Pounce 3. f+K, PPPb+K 4. f+K, b+K+G, Low Pounce 5. f+K, f+PK, Low Pounce 6. f+K, d+K,K, Low Pounce 7. f+K, d+P+K,K, Low Pounce 8. f+K, f+K, Low Pounce 9. f+K, D+P,f+K, Low Pounce 10. f+K, m-D,b+K,K, Low Pounce 10. d+P+K,K, PPPK, Low Pounce 11. d+P+K,K, f+K, Low Pounce 12. d+P+K,K, d+K,K, Low Pounce 13. d+P+K,K, P,G, u/b+K 14. d/b+K, PPPK, Low Pounce 15. d/b+K, d/b+K, Low Pounce 16. d/b+K, f+PK, Low Pounce 17. d/b+K, P,G, f,f+K, Low Pounce 18. d/b+K, P,G, d+K,K, Low Pounce 19. K+G, PPPK, Low Pounce 20. K+G, f,f+K, Low Pounce 21. f+K+G, PPPK, Low Pounce 22. f+K+G, u/b+K ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- STAGGER COMBOS: --------------- After f+P: when you hit a crouching opponent with Sarah's Elbow, you will stagger them. Try these: (some may require dash after stagger) 1. f+P (stagger)K (canned)+juggle 2. f+P (stagger), d/f+K,K,K, Low Pounce 3. f+P (stagger), d+K,K, Low Pounce 4. f+P (stagger), Throw 5. f+P (stagger)b+K (canned), Low Pounce 6. f+P (stagger), d+P+K,K, Low Pounce 7. f+P (stagger), u/b+K 8. f+P (stagger), D+K,K, Low Pounce 9. f+P (stagger), P,P,P,b+K ############################################################################# LAU: **** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- Lau Chan, aka "Mr. Punch", is still a very powerful character. He retains all of his old offensive capabilities, and adds to them with the new Turn-Away Lifting Palm, and for sure the Elbow-Palm Strike (despite the fact that this always knocks down now), and his Side Kick combos. If used carefully and properly a good Lau can pretty much beat anybody, with only reversals to hinder his offense (even then, he can still mix it up well enough to prevent it). On defense, Lau has the basics, but altogether if you play him defensively you're dead :). Lau also has a variety of Throws, and the always popular Stumble Throw to set up an easy combo. Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -Kick: K [H-R-KD] -Side Kick: d/f+K [M-R-FMC] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Turn-Away Lifting Palm: b,b+P [M-R-F] -Turn-Away Lifting Palm-Spin Kick: b,b+P,K+G [MH-R-KD] -Turn-Away Spin Kick: b,b+K+G [H-R-F] -Turn-Toward Punch: P (opponent behind) [H-R] -Turn-Toward Knife Hand: d+P (opponent behind) [M-R] -Turn-Toward Kick: K (opponent behind) [H-R-KD] -Turn-Torward Sweep: d+K (opponent behind) [L-R-KD] -Reverse Drop Kick: u+K+G (opponent behind) [M-UR-KD] -Reverse Kickflip: u/f+K (opponent behind) [M-UR-KD] -Ground Stomp: d/f+K (on fallen opponents) [G] -Flying Stomp: u+P (on fallen opponents) [G] -Flying Double Stomp: U+P (on fallen opponents) [G] -Punch-Kick: P,K [HH-R] -Double Punch: P,P [HH-R] -Punch-Turn-Away Lifting Palm: P,b+P [HM-R] -Lau Special: P,b+P,f+P [HMM-R-KD] -Double Punch-Kick: P,P,K [HHH-R-KD] -Triple Punch: P,P,P [HHH-R] -Triple Punch-Crescent: P,P,P,K [HHHH-R-KD] -Triple Punch-Sweep: P,P,P,d+K [HHHL-R-KD] -Triple Punch-Kickflip: P,P,P,b+K [HHHM-R-KD] -Knife Hand: d/f+P [M-R] -Knife Hand-Punch: d/f+P,P [MH-R] -Knife Hand-Punch-Kick: d/f+P,P,K [MHH-R-KD] -Knife Hand-Double Punch: d/f+P,P,P [MHH-R] -Knife-Double Punch-Crescent: d/f+P,P,P,K [MHHH-R-KD] -Knife-Double Punch-Sweep: d/f+P,P,P,d+K [MHHL-R-KD] -Knife-Double Punch-Kickflip: d/f+P,P,P,b+K [MHHM-R-KD] -Lifting Palm: D/F+P [M-R-FMC] -Lifting Palm-Tiger Strike: D/F+P,d/f+P+K [MM-R-F] -Lunging Knife Hand: d/f,d/f+P [M-R] -Elbow: f+P [M-R-StC] -Elbow-Palm Strike: f+P,b,f+P [MH-R-KD] -Tiger Strike: d/f+P+K [M-R-F] -Dashing Palm Strike: b,f+P [H-R-KD] -Double Palm Strike: b,f,f+P [M-UR-KD] -Kick-Crescent: K,K [HH-R-KD] -Side Kick-Face Punch: d/f+K,f+P [MH-R] -Side Kick-Punch-Palm Strike: d/f+K,f+P,b,f+P [MHH-R] -Low Kick-Heel Kick: d+K,K [LM-R-KD] -Double Low Kick: D+K,K [LL-R] -Triple Low kick: D+K,K,d+K [LLL-R] -Triple Low-Sweep: D+K,K,d+K,K+G [LLLL-R-KD] -Rising Heel Kick: D,N+K [M-R-KD] -Back-Handspring: u/b [n/a] -Kickflip: u/b+K [M-R-KD] -Cartwheel Kick: u/f+K [M-R-F] -Spinning Low Kick: f,d+K [L-R-KD] -Crescent Kick: K+G [H-R-F] -Crescent Sweep: d+K+G [L-R-KD] -Hop Kick: u/f+K+G [M-R] -Big Crescent: HCT+K+G [H-R-KD] -Waterwheel Drop: P+G [HT] -Head Drop: P+G [ST] -Reverse Reaping Throw: P+G [BT] -Overhead Cannon: f+P+G [HT] -Fireman's Drop: b+P+G [HT] -Back Slam: b+P+G (back to wall) [WT] -Neck Drop: b,f+P+G [HT] -Flipping Back Slam: d/f,d/f+P+G [HT] -Stumble Throw: b,d+P+G [HT] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS/MOVES ANALYSIS: ----------------------- -Side Kick: a good attack for Lau, it will float on MC, and executes and recovers quite fast. In addition, Lau has the ability to chain into a canned combo from the Side Kick. -Turn-Away Lifting Palm (TAupKn) Combos: the only true "canned" combo after the b,b+P is K+G, but I rarely use this. What is virtually guarenteed however, is the d+P Turn-Toward DnKn, or the d+K Turn-Torward Sweep. Definetely one of his best moves. The TAupKn comes out fairly fast, but most importantly it can be chained immediately into the d+P Turn-toward DnKnP, which is uncounterable if blocked! Alternately, if the b,b+P connects and floats, the DnKn will connect and can be chained into the same DnKn combos as the normal d/f+P! A single b,b+P, d+P, PPPd+K can be COMPLETELY devastating to the enemy. DEFINETELY a move to master--see offensive tactics for more info. -Double Punch (PP): Lau's Double Punch tactics are not AS important as other fighters as far as offense, now that he has the b,b+P,d+P move, along with the DnKn offense. Not that it means it cannot be used, it should still be mixed up with other offensive maneuvers. Like most fighters, if blocked G-cancel and Throw or perform a Low attack, and if ducked, G-cancel and chain into a Mid-level attack. It should be noted that if you are going for an offense other than the b,b+P,d+P, a simply DnKn rush is in fact more effective because it hits Mid-level. -Double Punch-Kick (PPK): more useful to Lau than others, because if blocked it is quite difficult to counter, and always knocks down if it connects, allowing a Low Pounce. -Punch-Turn-Away Lifting Palm (2/3 Lau Special): same idea as Akira's 2/3 SPoD and 2/3 DLC--just perform P,b+P to get the Punch-Turn-Away Lifting Palm. The advantage here is that Lau can still perform any Turn-Toward attack after 2/3 Lau Special, although it is not technically "canned". Also note that the TaupKn in this combo usually doesn't float. See combos for more info. -Lau Special: someone on r.g.v.a a while back decided to call this move the "Lau Special", and AFAIK it stuck. This is a damaging 3-hit combination but make no mistake, it's no SPoD. If the whole combination is blocked Lau can be countered, so it should only be used when you are sure it will connect; which is not often. It can be used in float combos, though it is difficult--the reason being that you will get a Punch out of a rush starter, like a UpKn, which will not chain into the full Lau Special. HOWEVER, it is in fact possible to perform the Lau Special out of a TURN-TOWARD Punch. An example combo of this nature is b,b+P, P,b+P,f+P. The neat thing here is that theoretically you can do repeated Lau Specials in this way: P,b+P,P,b+P,P,b+P etc... (not too useful, especially in floats, though.) -Triple Punch combos: altogether useless, except in combos. The Triple Punch-Crescent (PPPK) hits all High and has horrible recovery; The Triple Punch-Sweep (PPPd+K) is similiar, except that it hits HHHL, so REALLY stupid enemies will fall for the last hit if they block the Triple Punch--still, you're left open to a Low Throw among other things if the Sweep is blocked or misses. Note however that the PPPd+K is important for doing the best damage in float combos. The Triple Punch-Kickflip (PPPb+K) is the most useful of the three combos, because if blocked only REALLY fast longer-ranged attacks can counter it, and the final hit connects Mid, which may catch crouching enemies (though they must be pretty damn slow not to counter the Triple Punch in time once they duck it). Altogether only use these techniques in combos. -Knife Hand (DnKn): one of Lau's most important attacks, especially offensively. The recovery of the DnKn by itself is not so hot, but its advantage is that it can be substituted as the 1st hit of a Punch rush. For example, you can perform PPPK, or DnKnPPK; the advantage here is that the DnKn Punch rushes start Mid-level. It is useful offensively because if the DnKn is blocked, you can chain into a single or even Double Punch to help reduce your recovery time and make the attack difficult to counter--from here, you mix it up to destroy the enemy's defense (see offense). -Lifting Palm (UpKn): still one of Lau's most important attacks, it can be chained into ANY full Punch rush, and also floats HIGH on MC. What I mean by "full" Punch rush is that unlike the DnKn, you can perform a full Triple Punch after the UpKn. So, you can perform DnKnPPK to get a Knife Hand-Double Punch-Crescent; but with the Lifting Palm, you can do UpKnPPPK for a Lifting Palm, Triple Punch-Crescent. Like the DnKn, the Lifting Palm is a good offensive move when chained into at least a single Punch, and go from there (see offense for more info). If the UpKn connects but does not float, chain into a PK or PPK for an easy knockdown. If it floats, you can simply go into the follow-up PPPd+K or PPPK, or you can play around with juggles (see combos). NOTE: in order to perform any of the follow-up Punches properly, you must return the joystick/D-Pad to N after the UpKn. -Modified Lifting Palm (m-UpKn): the Crouch Dash into Lifting Palm is pretty important to Lau , so I made it a separate move. The easiest way to perform the m-UpKn is f,N,d,D/F+P (it is imperitive that you return to neutral after the Forward tap). You can also use the easier Crouch Dash motion, d/f,D/F+P. However, it must be timed correctly at the end so that there is a brief pause before tapping P with D/F--otherwise, you'll get the Lunging Palm. The best part about the m-Upkn is that it can be "fine-tuned" so to speak; if using the f,N,d,D/F+P motion, you can delay the UpKn (if going under High attacks), or do it immediately for the true "from-standing" UpKn. The m-UpKn has all the properties of the regular Lifting Palm, and is useful mainly because it allows you to perform a Lifting Palm from virtually a standing position, allowing for a faster offense with it, and making it connect on floating opponents, AND avoiding High attacks from fairly close (which is good, because there's a good chance you'll MC with it :). Just remember that you are still considered in a crouching NON-DEFENDING position, meaning you can be Low Thrown, hit with a Mid-level OR Low-level attack. -Lifting Palm-Tiger Strike: not a REALLY important combination, but worth mentioning. In order to perform the Tiger Strike, you must first return to N after the UpKn--this also means a brief pause in between moves, which in turn means that it is not a guarenteed combo. However if the UpKn connects a _MC_ the Tiger Strike is guarenteed, and keeps the enemy floated, sky high :). Use with caution, and remember that the Tiger Strike will also still work after a m-UpKn. -Lunging Knife Hand (LgKn): Like the UpKn, this will start a full Punch rush, allowing up to 3 Punches after it. It is most useful from mid-range as a counter, because its start-up is quite slow (though its range is awesome!) When it's blocked, you can chain into at least a single Punch and go from there too. -Elbow, Elbow-Palm Strike: other fighters can chain into various other attacks from the Elbow, resulting in a great reactionary counter. Lau's Elbow technique is important only for staggering and starting an offensive rush. Why the offensive rush? Well, the Elbow, like most, comes out incredibly fast; if the enemy ducks, they will stagger and allow a combo; if it hits but does not stagger, you can go for the Palm Strike, or a delayed Throw (my fav on more inexperienced foes). If it is blocked, you SHOULD chain into the Palm Strike because of its great recovery. See offense for more info, and combos for stagger info. -Tiger Strike: to be used carefully, but has a lot of potential. If it hits, it will float HIGH with or without MC (even on a crouching defender), allowing one of Lau's great float combos. This will also somewhat avoid High attacks as well, but it should still be used VERY carefully, the recovery if blocked or especially missed is very bad, allowing a good counter. Basically it should be used defensively or when you get a clean opening for it, because the execution time is also fairly slow, and can interrupted quickly. If it IS blocked, there is still a chance you can surprise the enemy with an attack--if they are kinda slow, go for a Throw, and otherwise try a Spinning Low Kick. Altogether the Tiger Strike is a really cool looking attack, with a loud scream from Lau :). -Dashing Palm Strike: overall not too useful, because it hits High and unfortunately does not have the awesome recovery of the Palm in f+P,b,f+P. You could use it to counter missed attacks I suppose, but altogether too dangerous to be useful. -Double Palm Strike: HADOUKEN! This looks like Lau is about to throw a Fireball... Unlike b,f+P, this hits Mid and cannot be reversed. Its recovery is quite bad, so only use it in sure-fire situations, like in a float combo. -Kick-Crescent (KK): Lau's double kick attack is even worse than most other fighters, because the second hit is Crescent Kick, with BAD recovery. If ducked you're in trouble, so only use it, again, in a place where you're sure it'll connect... -Side Kick-Punch-Palm Strike: altogether a good combo; the only real disadvantage is that the last hit can be ducked, even if the first two hits connected. The advantage here is that if the Side Kick floats, the combo usually connects for good damage--if the whole thing is blocked, the Palm Strike has GREAT recovery, and you can easily buffer in the b,f+P+G Neck Drop to catch the enemy. -Low Kick-Heel Kick: the literal motion is d+K,N+K, and IMO it shouldn't be thought of as a true "canned" combo, because it is the same deal as Akira's Low Punch-Single Palm buffering. Still, if the Low Kick hits under a High attack, the Heel Kick is guarenteed IIRC, allowing a Low Pounce for overall great damage. -Low Kick Combos: difficult to perform constantly at first, you must hold D and hit K twice, then return to N and hit d+K again, and follow with K+G. I haven't actually used this often enough to know all the little tidbits about it, so I can't tell you much. Perhaps if you MC with the Low Kick, all of the hits will connect... (additions?) -Rising Heel Kick: A powerful attack that is useful for snagging persistant Low attackers, from a short distance, or after you have ducked a High attack (of course, a UpKn is much better here, though). -Cartwheel Kick: more useful than in VF2, it floats easily, and is best used to avoid Low attacks. See combos for more info. -Spinning Low Kick: a useful attack, it comes out fast and hits Low. A good move to mix in with Throws when the enemy blocks High (often better than a Throw). See offense for more info. -Crescent Kick: quite dangerous, especially because the enemy has time to duck and pound you easily however. However, one should note that this will usually set up for a MONSTER float because of the decent recovery; if you hit the enemy ANYWHERE BUT RIGHT UP CLOSE with the Crescent, you can follow with an easy juggle, best with a PPd+K or TAupKn combo. Again, only use in sure-fire situations. -Crescent Sweep: also quite dangerous, because if blocked or missed, Lau can be hit with a Mid-level move or Low Throw. Be sure when it connects. -Big Crescent: same basic deal as the Crescent Kick, except more satisfying with Lau's "OeiyeeAA!!!!" and better damage. Can be used in some select float combos... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Throw Setups/What Throws to use: Throwing is the best way for Lau to do damage to a standing, blocking enemy. After they block UpKnP, DnKnP, LgKnP, PP, PPP, etc... you can Throw them with a fair amount of certainty--just remember to mix up the Throws against good opponents who can escape them. You can also follow a Crouch Dash with a Throw, best the Flipping Back Slam, because it can be easily modified for it. Use this when you're ahead and can afford to have fun, because a m-UpKn float is a much better idea here (except that, unless you delay the m-UpKn as late as possible, it doesn't have a lot of range). Of course, if you Crouch Dash and anticipate the enemy blocking High in this case, go for the Throw. Other than that, obvious places after missed or blocked moves work as well, but remember to ask yourself in this position if you want to Throw the enemy, or do a big damage float... About the Throws: 1. P+G Waterwheel Drop: a good all-around Throw; it is weak, but allows a Ground Stomp and always switches sides with the enemy (useful if you're starting to get backed a the wall). It will also beat complex motion Throws; remember to mix it up though, as it is easily escaped. 2. P+G Head Drop (Side): a mean looking move, it is useful if left close after Eing. Remember though that you also have the option of a monster float combo... 3. P+G Reverse Reaping Throw (Back): decent damage, get it in when you can... 3. f+P+G Overhead Cannon: decent damage and leaves the enemy close for more punishment (though a Pounce rarely connects). Quick motion too; useful after dashing in, or if you NEED to get a Throw off fast. BTW, although Lau's Overhead Cannon Wall Throw is not in FMM, you will get an extra 5 pts. of damage when you Throw them into the wall with this... 4. b+P+G Fireman's Drop: a great Throw to use when dashing in, with easy motions and decent damage. If you CAN use another Throw, do so, because this is fairly weak and does not allow a Pounce. However, it will switch sides with the opponent, and you get a more powerful, cooler looking version with your back to the wall. :) BTW, this wall version WILL allow a Ground Stomp. 5. b,f+P+G Neck Drop: still his most powerful Throw, doing 60 pts. of damage AND allowing at least a Ground Stomp for 70 pts. total. This has a more complex motion, but has little range; good after a blocked attack that leaves you close (eg. Side Kick-Punch-Palm Strike). 6. d/f,d/f+P+G Flipping Back Slam: cool new Throw that can be combined with a Crouch Dash, making it most useful under High attacks. It does more damage than the Neck Drop alone, but unlike b,f+P+G it does not allow a ground attack. 7. b,d+P+G Stumble Throw: a great Throw that does a little bit of damage and allows a plethora of combos afterward. If you utilize the right combo, this will become his most powerful Throw. See combos for more info. THROWS OVERALL: --------------- Every Throw here appears to be useful in some way, however the ST seems to be the best option for damage. Other than that, the Neck Drop is still his most powerful Throw, allowing a Ground Stomp. The Flipping Back Slam should round out your repitiore as a defensive technique with a Crouch Dash possible. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Offense: Offense is where Lau shines; playing a defensive Lau will tend to get you killed, as you must keep the pressure on the opponent. Here are the best ways for Laut to move in on the opponent: 1. DnKnP: not only will this nail crouchers and allow the follow-up Punches to do some damage, but if blocked High is uncounterable (or maybe just hard to counter?) If blocked, you have many options; you can stop completely, then throw out a m-UpKn in hopes of a MC, or a TAUpKn, Kickflip or Double Palm Strike for the same reason. However if blocked you must continue into another rush (see below), or in the case of the Kickflip or Double Palm, suffer a counterattack. To do some damage, G-cancel and either do a Spinning Low Kick, or go for a Throw--remember to mix up the Throws against opponents who can escape this! If you anticipate that after blocking the DnKn the enemy will try to duck, G-cancel the Punches and perform an Elbow for a stagger. If you guessed wrong and the enemy continued to block High, chain the Elbow into the Palm Strike and continue that rush (see below). 2. UpKnP or m-UpKnP: IMO should be used often, because although the possibilities if blocked are no different than the DnKnP, this has the advantage of floating on MC. The basic idea with the UpKn is to get a float, so the main reason to use the UpKnP or m-UpKnP rush is if the move managed to get blocked instead of MCing. From that, chain into at least a single Punch, and follow the same idea as the DnKnP rush above... If the UpKn connects but does not float, go into UpKnPPK for safety, or to really surprise the enemy, stop the Punches totally and go for a Throw :). 3. Elbow-Palm Strike: Lars (larshs@vfhome.com) maintains that this is Lau's best overall rush, and I would have to agree it is effective, but only from close range so that the Elbow will ALWAYS connect or be blocked in any case. If the enemy crouches, he will be staggered and you can combo. If blocked, chain into the Palm Strike, which has great recovery and will allow you to either Throw (best with b,f+P+G IMO) or f,d+K. You can also simply pause briefly and hope for a MC with another attack, but IMO a Throw is the safest bet--however if you think the enemy's gonna try and counter with a High attack, you can try for a m-UpKn, among other things. Again, mix it up. The problem with the Elbow-Palm Strike in FMM is that the Palm Strike ALWAYS knocks down, so Lau will lose some initiative in his rush... 4. Double Punch: either the Double or even single Punch will do here; IMO with Lau's other useful offenses this is not so important (especially because it hits High), however it is useful from a distance. IMO it can be used as bait; if an inexperienced opponent sees you casually tossing Punches, he may get restless and attempt a counter; from here, G-cancel and go into an appropriate counter--just remember that may need a fair bit of anticipation for this, especially if the opponent decides to counter with a FAST move (eg. Akira's SDE)... 6. Side Kick-Punch-Palm Strike: not too useful because of the last hit hitting High, but if you think the opponent prefers to block High often, then the Palm recovers fast enough to Throw or Low attack. The Side Kick alone can work somewhat too; if blocked from mid-range, try to Evade and then hit the enemy... 7. TAupKn: finally, the Turn-Away Lifting Palm is an offensive technique I've been working on lately. From here this a lot of attacks that will work, and AFAIK the enemy has little time to Back Throw you or otherwise counter if the TAupKn is blocked. If it connects, you can of course go into a float combo. If the TAupKn is blocked, you have two options; you can hit d+P,P for the Turn-toward DnKnP, which like its normal counterpart is uncounterable--then, follow the options in #1 above. Now, the opponent is CONDITIONED now into blocking that DnKn, so he knows he can't do much else and will have to try and deal with your attacks afterwards. After this, switch to d+K after the TAupKn for a knockdown! And to mix it up, the next time you do b,b+P,d+P, don't chain into any Punches (the Turn-Toward DnKn has faster recovery than the normal d/f+P, so it is also uncounterable)--this will throw the enemy off guard and you can again Throw or f,d+K. Now, say the enemy tries to duck the SECOND he blocks your b,b+P; if you really don't think the d+P is going to work here, surprise them with the u+K+G reverse Drop Kick! Above all else, Be DEVIOUS! :) NOTE: Now, just REMEMBER that the TAupKn is not THAT great in an offense against an overly OFFENSIVE opponent. If it IS blocked, it does set the enemy up nicely; however, the problem is in execution. Although the TAupKn comes out fairly fast, it is NOT as fast as a Punch. And probably the best defense the enemy can use against Lau is to alternate really fast attacks like Punches to disuade the TAupKn--it is difficult to do this to Lau's DnKn, UpKn and Elbow rushes because they come out fast, but unfortunately if the enemy is expecting ANY rush that leaves Lau starting in a standing position, they can simply throw out a standing Punch and it will INTERRUPT the TAupKn-- what's worse is that once this Punch hits, it leaves Lau with his back turned, easily yeilding a Back Throw or float. :( So basically, you only want to use the TAupKn offense when you know the enemy will either be hit, or BLOCK it. Basically, you need the element of surprise. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Crouch Dashing: Lau has two useful attacks from a Crouch Dash; the m-UpKn and m-Flipping Back Slam; both are useful for countering High attacks, and the Crouch Dash-Throw can also be used if the opponent stands there and blocks, hoping to counter you when you go offensive with a High attack. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Defense: For the most part being overly defensive is a good way to get killed with Lau; however, it's different if you simply anticipate the enemy's attack. Against High attack rushes, the Tiger Strike can work if done early enough; likewise, the TAupKn can interrupt SLOWER High attacks, but if the enemy is moving in with Punches or Elbows, do NOT attempt it or else you'll get MCed (see offense above). However your best move here is a m-UpKn, or a m-Flipping Back Slam (although you may be hit with a Mid-level attack out of the Crouch Dash Throw if you started from a bit of a distance). If the enemy is really stupid, you can simply duck and go from there, but it is likely the enemy, at high levels of play, if going offensive will mix in Mid-level attacks. After you have blocked an attack High, probably your best counter is the Elbow-Palm Strike, and you can also buffer in a Double Palm Strike. And, if the opponent is left close enough, d/f,d/f+P+G or b,f+P+G can work as well. If you blocked a Low attack, again the Elbow-Palm Strike or Double Palm Strike are good options, as is the Rising Heel Kick (D,N+K). However, often the best counter would be the UpKn, which may not float, but will at least start a rush... But, I must stress that the golden rule with Lau is "the best defense is a kick-ass offense!" With the speed of Lau's offensive attacks, the key should be not to let your opponent start an offensive rush on you, and turn THEM into the defensive fighter, which is RIGHT where you want them with Lau. The only thing you have to be cautious about here is characters who can reverse your Punch rushes: Akira, Pai, Kage and Janet. Against Akira, Janet and Lau's daughter you need to mix up your offense between Punch/Hand attacks, Side Kicks and Elbows, so hopefully they won't know what level to reverse. Against Kage it's a little more easy because he can only reverse your Punches. Alternately, don't use Side Kick offensives often on Wolf, as he can reverse them too... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Side Kick (d/f+K on MC) 2. TAupKn (b,b+P) 3. UpKn (D/F+P on MC) 4. Tiger Strike (d/f+P+K) 5. Cartwheel Kick (u/f+K) 6. Crescent Kick (K+G at max. range) Combos: ------- Note: to slightly increase range of PPPx juggles, hold F as you do them... 1. d/f+K (MC), PPPd+K 2. d/f+K (MC),f+P (canned), DnKnPPd+K 3. d/f+K (MC), D+K,K, Ground Stomp 4. d/f+K (MC), D/F+K, Low Pounce 5. K+G, TAupKn,d+PPPd+K 6. K+G, f,d+K 7. K+G, b,f+P, Ground Stomp 8. K+G, LgKnPPPd+K 9. K+G, b,f,f+P, High Pounce 10. K+G, d/f+P+K, f,d+K, Low Pounce 11. K+G, PPPd+K 12. K+G, b,b+P, P,b+P,f+P ("Turn-Toward Lau Special" :) 12. TAupKn, d+K, Ground Stomp 13. TAupKn, P,b+P,f+P ("Turn-Toward Lau Special" :) 14. TAupKn, P,b+P, d+K, Ground Stomp 15. TAupKn, P,b+P, High Pounce 16. TAupKn, d+PPPd+K 17. (WALL) TAupKn, PP,G, D+K,K, Ground Stomp 18. UpKn (MC), f+P,b,f+P, Low Pounce 19. UpKn (MC), b,f+P, Low Pounce 20. UpKn (MC), PPPd+K, Ground Stomp 21. UpKn (MC), PPPK, Low Pounce 22. UpKn (MC),P (canned),G, DnKnPPK 23. UpKn (MC),PP (canned),G, m-UpKnPPPd+K 24. UpKn (MC),P (canned),G, DnKnPPPd+K 25. UpKn (MC),P (canned),G, m-UpKnP, m-UpKnPPPd+K 26. m-UpKn (MC)-Tiger Strike, m-UpKn-Tiger Strike, Low Pounce 27. m-UpKn (MC)-Tiger Strike, TAupKn,K+G, Low Pounce 28. m-UpKn (MC), b,f+P, Low Pounce 29. m-UpKn (MC), KK, Low Pounce 30. m-UpKn (MC), b,f,f+P, Low Pounce 31. m-UpKn (MC), f,d+K 32. m-UpKn (MC), HCT+K+G (OeiyeeAA!), High Pounce 33. d/f+P+K, PPPd+K 34. d/f+P+K, PPPK, Low Pounce 35. d/f+P+K, d/f+P+K, High Pounce 36. (WALL) d/f+P+K, PP,G, D+K,K,d+K 37. (WALL) d/f+P+K, PP,G, d/f+P+K, Low Pounce 38. d/f+P+K, DnKnPPK, Low Pounce 39. d/f+P+K, P,G, f,d+K 40. d/f+P+K, f+P,b,f+P, Low Pounce 41. d/f+P+K, b,b+P, d+PPPd+K 42. d/f+P+K, b,b+P, P,b+P,f+P ("Turn-Toward Lau Special" :) 42. u/f+K, PPPd+K, Ground Stomp 43. u/f+K, DnKnPPd+K, Ground Stomp 44. b,b+K+G, d+K, Ground Stomp ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- STAGGER COMBOS: --------------- After f+P: when you hit a crouching opponent with Lau's Elbow, you will stagger them. Try these: (some may require dash after stagger) 1. Elbow (stagger), m-UpKnPPK, Ground Stomp 2. Elbow (stagger),b,f+P (canned) 3. Elbow (stagger), d/f+K,f+P,b,f+P 4. Elbow (stagger), Throw (best with b,d+P+G IMO) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SETUP THROWS: ------------- After ST: either the TAupKn or Cartwheel Kick are good combo starters from the ST. The Tiger Strike also works fairly well, and if you wanna keep it simple, a b,f,f+P or d+K+G works well too. 1. ST, u/f+K, PPPd+K 2. ST, u/f+K, D+K,K, Ground Stomp 3. ST, TAupKn,d+PPPd+K 4. ST, d/f+P+K, PPPd+K 5. ST, d/f+P+K, P,G, f,d+K 6. ST, b,f,f+P, High Pounce 7. ST, d+K+G, Low Pounce 8. ST, d/f+P+K, P,G, b,f,f+P, High Pounce 9. ST, m-UpknPPPd+K 10. ST, LgKnPPK, Low Pounce 11. ST, b,f+P, Low Pounce 12. ST, Throw (not practical, but good on foes who try to block) 13. ST, HCT+K+G (OeiyeeAAA!), High Pounce 14. ST, d/f+K,f+P,b,f+P ############################################################################# PAI: **** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- Pai is still a good character, and has not lost much from VF3. The LBF gives her a good offensive move that she did not have previously, allowing her to start almost Lau-esque rushes. She also now has more floating ability, to let her do some real damage. She also a good set of defensive moves along with her reversals. The only place Pai is hurt compared to other characters is in the Throw depertment (see Throws). Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -Snap Kick: K [H-R-F] -Side Kick: d/f+K [M-R-FMC] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Turn-Toward Punch: P (opponent behind) [H-R] -Turn-Torward Low Chop: d+P (opponent behind) [L-R] -Turn-Toward Kick: K (opponent behind) [H-R-KD] -Turn-Toward Sweep: d+K (opponent behind) [L-R-KD] -Running Jump Kick: run+K [H-UR-KD] -Ground Punch: d/f+P (on downed opponent) [G] -Knee Drop: u+P (on downed opponent) [G] -High Knee Drop: U+P (on downed opponent) [G] -Punch-Kick: P,K [HH-R] -Double Punch: P,P [HH-R] -Double Punch-Kick: P,P,K [HHH-R-KD] -Triple Punch: P,P,P [HHH-R] -Triple Punch-Crescent: P,P,P,K [HHHH-R-KD] -Triple Punch-Sweep: P,P,P,d+K [HHHL-R-KD] -Triple Punch-Thrust Kick: P,P,P,f+K [HHHH-R-KD] -Triple Punch-Kickflip: P,P,P,b+K [HHHM-R-KD] -Step-in Swipe: f+P [M-R] -Mid Stab: b+P [M-R] -Low Bluefist: d/f+P [L-R] -Low Bluefist-Punch: d/f+P,P [LH-R] -Low Bluefist-Punch-Upper: d/f+P,P,f+P [LHM-UR-F] -Low Bluefist-Punch-Kick: d/f+P,P,K [LHH-R-KD] -Low Bluefist-2 Punch-Crescent: d/f+P,P,P,K [LHHH-R-KD] -Low Bluefist-2 Punch-Sweep: d/f+P,P,P,d+K [LHHL-R-KD] -Low Bluefist-2 Punch-Kickflip: d/f+P,P,P,b+K [LHHM-R-KD] -Low Bluefist-2 Punch-Thrust Kick: d/f+P,P,P,f+K [LHHH-R-KD] -Dodging Chop: d/b+P [H-R] -Puncture Fist: f,f+P [M-UR-F] -Puncture Fist-Snap Kick: f,f+P,K [MH-R-KD] -Lunging Double Palm: D,f+P [M-UR-FMC] -Axe Kick: K,K [HM-R-KD] -Low Kick-Heel Kick: d+K,K [LM-R-KD] -Low Kick-Low Spin Kick: D+K,K [LL-R-KD] -Rising Heel Kick: D,N+K [M-R-KD] -Thrust Kick: f,f+K [H-R-KD] -Swallow Kick: u/f+K [M-UR] -Double Swallow Kick: u/f+K,K [MM-UR-KD] -Back-Handspring: u/b [n/a] -Kickflip: u/b+K [M-R-KD] -Somersault-Cartwheel Kick: u/b+K,f+K [MM-UR-KD] -Crescent Kick: K+G [H-R-F] -Reverse Crescent: b+K+G [H-R-KD] -Crescent Sweep: D+K+G [L-R-KD] -Reverse Sweep: d/b+K+G [L-R-KD] -Cartwheel Kick: f+K+G [MM-UR] -Reverse Cartwheel: u/f+K+G [M-UR-KD] -Wrist Slam: P+G [HT] -Torso Pull-down: P+G [BT] -Torso Pull-Cartwheel: P+G,K+G [BT] -Trapping Back Punch: P+G [ST] -Overhead Cannon: f+P+G [HT] -Overhead Flip: d/f+P+G [HT] -Reaping Throw-Ground Punch: f,f+P+G [HT] -DDT: f,b+P+G [HT] -Off-the Wall DDT: f,b+P+G [WT] -Rolling Slam: b,f+P+G [HT] -Stomach Throw: b,d+P+G [HT] -Spinning Elbow Strike: D,f+P+G [HT] -Overhead Cartwheel: f+P+K+G [LT] -High Punch Reversal: b+P+K -High Kick Reversal: b+P+K -Elbow Reversal: d/b+P+K -Knee Reversal: d/b+P+K -Mid-Kick Reversal: d/b+P+K ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS/MOVES ANALYSIS: ----------------------- NOTE: As with Jerky, I'm not an accomplished Pai player, so please feel free to send additions and corrections for this section... -Double Punch (PP): one of Pai's primary offensive moves, it comes out and recovers quite fast. See offense for more info. -Double Punch-Kick (PPK): like her father's, Pai's PPK is more effective than most because of its quick recovery, and it always knocks down for a Low Pounce. A useful counter to blocked attacks. -Triple Punch (PPP): again like her father, Pai's PPPx combos are near useless except in combos. The first three Punches can be ducked and countered fairly easily, and you're as good as dead if you finish the combination with a Crescent (PPPK) or Thrust Kick (PPPf+K), because both have horrible recovery. The Sweep finish (PPPd+K) is slightly more useful, mainly because it connects the easiest in float combos, however even IF all of the PPP connects, the enemy can STILL crouch and block in time, and you can then be countered with a fast Mid-level move or Low Throw. The Kickflip finish (PPPb+K) recovers FAIRLY well if blocked, but some fast counters will still hit you... -Step-in Swipe: I THINK this is more useful than VF2... I'm not a Pai player but it led well into combos in VF3--in FMM the only thing I have found to work makes it QUITE effective. If the enemy crouches in front of you, you can hit him with f+P, and a Throw will connect immediately after! See offense for more info. -Mid Stab: A good move to duck below High attacks. If it connects on a MC, it gives a small float that you can usually tack on PPPd+K after. -Low Bluefist Combos (LBF): an EXTREMELY useful move for Pai, the LBF is your main offensive rush starter. If it connects, you can chain into a Punch and Straight Kick, which will allow a Pounce, or a Punch-Upper which will float for a good juggle. If it is blocked, you can follow into a Punch and go from there (see offense for more info). The Low Bluefist-Double Punch-x combinations are, like there PPPx counterparts, quite useless except in the occasional combo... -Puncture Fist-Snap Kick: the Puncture Fist is often more effective on its own, as it will float for a combo, especially on MC. It has a slow recovering speed however, so it should only be used as a counter, or to slip under High attacks with proper timing. It is also a good follow-up to an offensive rush that is ducked. -Lunging Double Palm (DbPlm): best used after a crouch dash or ducking a High attack up close, and will float fairly well on MC. The recovery isn't that good so make sure it connects. -Axe Kick (KK): good all-around attack, useful after certain setups. Also, if the enemy anticipates a High Kick, but just ducks and waits instead of throwing a Low attack immediately, the 2nd overhead Kick can surprise them. Go for a Low Pounce afterwards. -Low Kick-Heel Kick: the literal motion is d+K,N+K, and IMO it shouldn't be thought of as a true "canned" combo, because it is the same deal as Akira's Low Punch-Single Palm buffering. Still, if the Low Kick hits under a High attack, the Heel Kick is guarenteed IIRC, allowing a Low Pounce for overall great damage. -Low Kick-Low Spin Kick: unlike other double Low Kick techniques, the 2nd hit of this always knocks down for fairly good damage. Useful under High attacks, but be careful; if blocked or missed, Pai can be hit with a Mid-level attack or Low Throw. -Rising Heel Kick: A powerful attack that is useful for snagging persistant Low attackers, from a short distance, or after you have ducked a High attack. It can also be used with proper timing after blocking slow-recovering Low attacks (eg. Sarah's Lunging Sweep). -Thrust Kick: a cool looking attack that comes out quite fast and allows a Low Pounce. Its disadvantage is that it hits H, and if ducked you're in trouble; altogether a good counter from a distance, but make sure it hits; it also connects well against airborne opponents, floating or jumping. It can also be used to counter blocked attacks by buffering the first f, then hitting f+K after coming out of block stun... -Single Swallow Kick (SSK), Double Swallow Kick (DSK): good for countering Low attacks, but even better to follow-up her setup Throws. Beware the recovery, however... (additions?) -Crescent Kick: quite dangerous, especially because the enemy has time to duck and pound you easily however. However, one should note that this will usually set up for a big float because of the decent recovery; if you hit the enemy ANYWHERE BUT RIGHT UP CLOSE with the Crescent, you can follow with an easy juggle, best with a PPPd+K combo. Only use in sure-fire situations. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Throw Setups/What Throws to use: Pretty much the same as her father, Pai has more Throw options, but she is still not primarily a Throw character. The most practical place to Throw the enemy is after they block your Double or Triple Punch, or after blocking the follow-up Punch in the LBF-Punch combo. G-cancel and Throw. You can also use her f,f+P+G as a counter to blocked attacks that leave the enemy close. Not much else I can think of. About the Throws: 1. P+G Wrist Slam: decent damage and often allows a Ground Punch, use it when you know the enemy's going for a big complex motion Throw. Altogether it is not too useful though because it can be easily escaped. 2. P+G Trapping Back Punch (Side): hey, if you're close and to the side, go for it! 3. P+G Torso Pull (Back): you have two options here; against enemies who know how to struggle out of staggers, hit K+G immediately after Back Throwing 'em for good damage+Low Pounce. Against those less fortunate, the Back Throw will work as a sort of Stumble Throw, allowing you to connect with a quick combo, like D+K,K or a Puncture Fist juggle. 3. f+P+G Overhead Cannon: decent damage and leaves the enemy close for more punishment (though a Pounce rarely connects). Quick motions too; useful after dashing in, or if you NEED to get a Throw off fast. 4. d/f+P+G Overhead Flip: A good Throw that does no damage but leaves the foe's back to you for a combo. See combos for more info. 5. f,f+P+G Reaping Throw-Ground Punch: not overly useful, it does good damage and allows a Ground Punch for added punishment. However, it does share a common f+P+G escape motion, so good opponents should have no problem breaking out of it. 6. f,b+P+G DDT: Pai's dreaded DDT gets a new motion, making it even easier to do out of dash. It should be your most used Throw along with d/f+P+G and b,d+P+G, as it does big damage, reverses the ring (in case your back is to the wall) and SOMETIMES allows a Ground Punch is the enemy is slow. And, the Wall Throw version looks BRUTAL. :) 7. b,f+P+G Rolling Slam: overall not a bad Throw, but again shares the f+P+G escape motion. in addition, it doesn't always allow a Ground Punch or Pounce--it does however, reverse the ring... 8. b,d+P+G Stomach Throw: still a great Throw to set up for major damage, it does a little hurt by itself and allows a big combo. It is also fairly easy to do out of a dash. See combos for more info. 9. D,f+P+G Spinning Elbow Strike: along with Lion and Janet (and Taka, who isn't in FMM), Pai has the advantage of being able to Throw from a crouch. This Throw is great after a Crouch Dash AND can be combined with a Low Punch if the enemy is close. IMO this is your best choice out of the four common Throws to use, as it is overall the most useful--if this is the only f+P+G Throw you use, and you mix it up with your other Throws, the enemy will probably have difficulty anticipating it, unless you're obviously gonna crouch and Throw him. :) 10. f+P+K+G Overhead Cartwheel: a decent move that often keeps the enemy in a crouch if they freeze up; the Puncture Fist+juggle, DSK or D+K,K are good options afterwards. Good if you anticipate or force the enemy into a crouch. See offense for more info. THROWS OVERALL: --------------- Pai has a huge disadvantage when it comes to Throws: unfortunately, FOUR of her Throws share a common escape motion--f,f+P+G, D,f+P+G, f+P+G and b,f+P+G can all be escaped with f+P+G. Against a good enemy this seriously limits Pai's ability to Throw the enemy securely; for this reason, it is best (against enemies who CAN escape Throws consistantly) to reserve yourself to using only one of these four Throws, and other than that, use the DDT, Overhead Flip and especially ST instead. I would recommend using your Spinning Elbow Strike the most, because it is a powerful follow-up to a Crouch Dash to avoid high attacks. Therefore, you're most used Throws should be the ST, Overhead Flip, DDT and D,f+P+G. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Offense: Along with the basic PP offense (G-cancel and Elbow if they duck, Low attack or Throw if they block), Pai can also use the LBF to initiate a rush. If the LBF is blocked Low, throw out one of the Punches (lessens recovery), G-cancel and throw a Mid-level move--the f+P is a good option, allowing a Throw, or f,f+P+a juggle. Or, even better, the f+P+K+G Cartwheel over their head. If the enemy blocks the follow-up Punches of the LBF, G-cancel and Throw, or Low attack(s). Well, that's about it, to tell you the truth. I have played very little Pai beyond trying out some combos, and I was never much of a Pai player. ANYONE with additions to offensive strategy, please mail them to me (for VF3/FMM, there is little on Pai strategy, even from r.g.v.a.) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Crouch Dashing: Pai's greatest asset from a Crouch Dash is her D,f+P+G Throw; use this to counter anticipated High attacks for GOOD damage. She can also use the DbPlm out of a Crouch Dash for a possible float... (additions?) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Defense: IMO Pai's over-all best defenses are the Crouch Dash and her reversals. Other than that, b+P is a good counter to High attacks, and the DSK is a good move against anticipated Low attacks. If you have blocked an attack High, a buffered Thrust Kick is a good option, along with a Puncture Fist for a possible float combo. In addition, you can also use the Reaping Throw-Ground Punch buffered out of your block to grab them. If you crouch block an attack, the most useful counter is the Rising Heel Kick (D,n+K), or possibly the DbPlm... Seriously, I have played LITTLE of Pai, so additions are welcome... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nailing Reversals: To cut down on the size of this monstrosity and also because I've pretty much already written it twice, I will not do this section. See Akira, Janet's or Kage's section for info on reversals; simply focus on High and Mid reversal tactics, because of course she has no Low reversal. For the most part, the basic idea of getting reversals to work is the same for any character; it's either anticipation or conditioning... (of course, additions for Pai specifically are welcome...) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Puncture Fist (f,f+P) 2. DbPlm (D,f+P on MC) 3. K+G (K+G--max range) 4. Kick (K) 5. PPK (P,P,K) 6. LBF-Punch-Upper (d/f+P,P,f+P) 7. Side Kick (d/f+K on MC) 8. Mid Stab (b+P on MC) Combos: ------- Note: I will cut down on size with this; all combos started with the Puncture Fist can also be started with the Low Blue Fist-Punch-Upper combo. ALSO NOTE: any combo started with K can be started with PPK or d/f+P,P,K as well. Combos: ------- 1. f,f+P, f,f+P,K, Low Pounce 2. f,f+P, D+P, DbPlm, Low Pounce 3. f,f+P, PPPd+K 4. f,f+P, f,f+K, Low Pounce 5. f,f+P, P,G, DSK, Low Pounce 6. K+G, PPK, Low Pounce 7. K+G, PPPf+K, Low Pounce 8. K+G, PPPd+K 9. K+G, f,f+K, Low Pounce 10. K+G, d/b+K+G, Ground Punch 11. K+G, f,f+P,K, Low Pounce 12. K+G, u/f+K,K, Low Pounce 13. K, D+P, DbPlm, Low Pounce 14. K, PPPd+K 15. K, d/b+K+G, Ground Punch 16. K, f,f+P,K, Low Pounce 17. K, K, K,K, High Pounce :) 17. DbPlm (MC), PPPd+K 18. DbPlm (MC), f,f+P,K, Low Pounce 19. DbPlm (MC), d/b+K+G, Ground Punch 20. DbPlm (MC), K,K, Low Pounce 21. DbPlm (MC), D+K,K, Ground Punch 22. DbPlm (MC), K, f+P, Low Pounce 23. DbPlm (MC), f,f+K, Low Pounce 24. DbPlm (MC), D+P, DbPlm, Low Pounce 25. DbPlm (MC), P,G, PPPd+K 26. Side Kick (MC), PPPd+K 27. Side Kick (MC), f,f+P,K, Low Pounce 28. Side Kick (MC), Side Kick, Low Pounce ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SETUP THROWS: ------------- After ST: LBF-Punch-Upper+juggle is a good option, or a simple Side Kick if the opponent is fast. Probably the best all-around attack after this is the Puncture Fist+juggle, or DSK. After Overhead Flip: after the d/f+P+G Throw, you will be facing the enemy's back directly. I'm fairly sure D+K,K is guarenteed, or damn near guarenteed. If the enemy is really slow, go for PPPd+K, but a fast enemy can duck and counter in time. If you think this will happen however, the DSK or Puncture Fist work wonders... After Cartwheel: probably the enemy may try to keep ducking; your best bet is either SJK/DSK, or a Side Kick--if the Side Kick connects normally, keep pestering 'till the enemy decides they want to get away. If the Side kick interrupts their turn-around attack, go for PPPd+K. And, if the enemy tends to E away in time, try D+K,K, which will track somewhat... NOTE: after any of these Throws, if you find the opponent likes to duck or, use KK. And if they try to run, the f,f+K often catches them... ############################################################################# WOLF: ***** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- Wolf has lost a bit from VF3, and certainly is not the nightmare here that he is in VF3. Without the d+K (MC) Throw he has to resort to old VF2 fighting tactics, using the single G-cancelled Punch to set up the opponent. Wolf also loses one of his best Throws, the simple d/f+P+G Body Slam (I have no idea why they left this out!), which was a fast, fairly damaging Throw that allowed a Falling Elbow. Wolf also loses his Ground Throw, which doesn't hurt him TOO much... Altogether Wolf still has a good repitiore of moves, and still has the notorious Twirl `n' Hurl to do the damage. His defense relies mostly on the Crouch Dash. Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -High Kick: K [H-R-KD] -Shin Kick: d/f+K [M-R-KD] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Turn-Toward Punch: P (opponent behind) [H-R] -Turn-Toward Low Punch: d+P (opponent behind) [L-R] -Turn-Toward Low Drop Kick: d+K (opponent behind) [L-R-KD] -Turn-Torward High Kick: K (opponent behind) [H-R-KD] -Falling Elbow: d/f+P (on downed opponent) [G] -Elbow Drop: u+P (on downed opponent) [G] -High Elbow Drop: U+P (on downed opponent) [G] -Back Drop Pounce: u+K (on downed opponent) [G] -Punch-Kick: P,K [HH-R] -Double Punch: P,P [HH-R] -Double Punch-Upper: P,P,P [HHM-R] -Double Punch-Elbow: P,P,f+P [HHH-R] -Double Punch-Elbow-Swat: P,P,f+P,b+P [HHHH-R-KD] -D.Punch-Elbow-Double Arm Suplex: P,P,f+P,d/b+P+K+G [HHHLT-UR] -Elbow Stamp: b+P [M-R-KD] -Comet Hook: d/b+P [M-R-StC] -Uppercut: d/f+P [M-R-FMC] -Lifting Uppercut: D/F+P [M-R-FMC] -Two-Fisted Uppercut: D,f+P [M-UR-KD] -Body Blow: f+P [M-R] -Body Blow-Dragon Fish Blow: f+P,P [M-R-KD] -Shoulder Ram: b,f+P [H-UR-KD] -Tomahawk Chop: u/f+P [M-UR] -Tomahawk Chop-Neck Drag: u/f+P,f+P+G [MHT-UR] -Grizzly Lariat: d/f+P+K [L-R-KD] -Low Drop Kick: f,d+K [L-R-KD] -Arrow Knuckle: d+P+K [M-R] -Tomahawk Flash: f+P+K [H-R] -Level Back Chop: P+K [H-R] -Short Shoulder: b,f+P+K [M-UR-F] -Knee Strike: f+K [M-R-F] -Drop Kick: u/f+K [M-UR-KD-GrM] -123 Kid Roundhouse: f+K+G [M-R-KD] -Front Roll Kick: b,f+K+G [M/G-UR-KD-Gr] -Scissor Kick: K+G [H-UR-KD-Gr] -Flying Knee Kick: f,f+K+G [H-UR-KD-Gr] -Double High Kick: K,K [HH-R-KD] -Backfall Suplex: P+G [HT] -Spinning Arm Twist: P+G [ST] -Arm Lock: P+K+G [S/LT] -German Suplex: P+G [BT] -German Suplex: P+K+G [B/LT] -Tiger Suplex: b+P+G [BT] -Steiner Screwdriver: d/f,d/f+P+G [HT] -Twirl `n' Hurl: HCT+P+G [HT] -Side Suplex: d+P+K+G [LT] -Double-Arm Suplex: d/b+P+K+G [LT] -Arm Drag Takedown: f,f+P+G [CT] -Frankensteiner: u/f+P+G [CT] -Catch: f+P+G [CT] -Catch-Suplex: f+P+G,P+G [CT] -Catch-Front Suplex Toss: f+P+G,b+P+G [CT] -Catch-Push: f+P+G,d/f+P+G [CT] -Catch-Change: f+P+G,f+P+G [CT] -Catch-Change-German Suplex: f+P+G,f+P+G,P+G [CT] -Catch-Change-Tiger Suplex: f+P+G,f+P+G,b+P+G [CT] -Catch-Change-Push: f+P+G,f+P+G,f+P+G [CT] -High Kick Reversal: b+P+K -Mid-Kick Reversal: d/b+P+K ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS/MOVES ANALYSIS: ----------------------- -Shin Kick: IMO much better than his Side Kick in VF2, the Shin Kick ALWAYS knocks down and allows a Low Pounce (usually a High Pounce on MC!) for good damage. It comes out pretty fast, so it is an excellent mid-range counter, and if blocked its recovery IS slow enough to counter with a fast move (eg. PK). Some are disappointed with this new move, because it has less range, and worse recovery than the old Side Kick. Still, a good all-around move. -Double Punch (PP): like other characters, the Double Punch can be fairly useful in an offensive rush. However, Wolf's Punches are slower than most, and for the most part, a single Punch(+G-cancel) is a more effective setup tool for the Canadian. See offense. -Double Punch-Upper (PPP): DO NOT USE. This is one of the most dangerous moves Wolf possesses; for himself, that is. The delay between the Double Punch and the Upper is HORRIBLY long, allowing the enemy to quickly hit or Throw or reverse, often you wether they were hit by the Punches or not. Use only in a simple float combo. -Double Punch-Elbow Combos: Altogether, the Double Punch-Elbow Swat is pretty useless; however it is involved in a really good offensive technique of Wolf's; if the enemy ducks the Double Punch-Elbow, you can chain into a CANNED Double Arm Suplex Low Throw! And if blocked, the Double Punch-Elbow recovers fairly fast and you can attempt a follow-up. See offense for more info. -Comet Hook: also a great attack, if it hits crouching enemies, a buffered Throw is guarenteed out of the stagger! You can also follow with other attacks, like a Knee, if you wish. -Uppercut: still Wolf's primary floating tool, it comes out and recovers fairly fast, making it a good counter to missed or blocked attacks, or against an enemy you know is going to crouch; IMO a Low Throw is better in this case, however. -Lifting Upper: comes out a couple of frames faster then d/f+P, but works in the same fashion; useful after you duck a High attack with in range, but if you can get in a Throw, IMO it's a better idea. See Crouch Dashing for more info. -Two-Fisted Uppercut: a great attack that comes out quite fast and is difficult to counter if blocked; useful to counter pretty much any Punch rush, and even anticipated quick moves like Elbows. If it connects, go for a Low Pounce for sure. -Body Blow: great-all around move, it comes out fast and is useful against opponents who crouch up close. It is also uncounterable if blocked. The Body Blow will knock down on MC, allowing the follow-up Dragon Fish Blow to hit; this IMO should be the only place to use the second hit, because its recovery is not too good. Follow with a Low Pounce. -Shoulder Ram: very dangerous, and very powerful. If it connects up close it can do HUGE damage and always allows a Low Pounce. However, it can be ducked and if so, Wolf will flip over the enemy's back, and his back will be left wide open in recovery, so be VERY cautious with this. It's best used in combos, or to counter attacks from a distance that you may find easier than Crouch Dashing and Throwing... -Tomahawk Chop-Neck Drag: good damage with the hit Throw, it is pretty much only useful vs. Low attacks. (additions?) -Grizzly Lariat: an awesome move that is essentially Wolf's "Sweep", except that it comes out faster than most. Best used to counter High attacks, or to surprise standing defenders. It also has a wide sweeping arc, so it is quite difficult to Evade. See offense for more info. -Low Drop Kick: a fast Low attack, if you can ever pull the damn move off... stick with the Lariat instead... -Arrow Knuckle: one of Wolf's most important moves; whenever it hits it will force the opponent into a crouching stagger--from here, a Crouch Dash+Low Throw is DAMN close to guarenteed (though some on r.g.v.a still say it can be avoided). Other than that, mix the Low Throw up with other attacks in the combo, like a Shin Kick+Low Pounce. See offense and combos for more info. BTW, this will knock down on MC. -Tomahawk Flash: I am told that if it hits as a MC in this position a Low Throw IS guarenteed. Like the Arrow Knuckle, it will force the enemy into a crouch, but the stagger is not as long as the Arrow Knuckle; again, mix up the follow-ups. A Low Throw is still an effective follow-up, but can be more easily avoided. HOWEVER, the f+P+K is MUCH more useful from behind the enemy; here, it will shove the enemy into a crouch for QUITE a long time, and allow you to dash up and hit P+K+G for a Low Back Throw! See offense and combos for more info. -Short Shoulder: a new float move for Wolf, and it's IMO much better than an Uppercut or Knee; it comes out fast but unlike the Uppercut, its recovery is slow--best used on crouching opponents during a rush, or when there is an obvious opening... see combos for more info. -Knee Strike: a powerful floating tool, but like the Short Shoulder it should only be used in a for-sure situation, as the recovery is not too hot. This is best used for floating when you have first blocked an attack, but not if it has really good recovery; for example, counter Akira's DbPlm with it if you want, but I wouldn't try countering his DE with it. See combos for more info. -Drop Kick: some say this is useless, but it's not that bad. Its recovery if blocked or missed leaves Wolf on the ground, vulnerable to a Pounce, but it comes out relatively fast, has good range and GREAT damage. Most useful against opponents dashing in, or when you see an attack coming at you that leaves them standing. -123 Kid Roundhouse: my friends named this move after watching WWF wrestling one night--we saw this guy named the "1-2-3 Kid", and he was doing all these "high-risk maneuvers". He ended up finishing his opponent with a spinning kick that looked (of course) absolutely fake, but also looked identical to Wolf's f+K+G. Well, now that I'm through with my story, let me say that this is definetely one of Wolf's best moves. It is uncounterable if blocked, and has around the range of normal Side Kick. It is also quick enough to interrupt many moves from its proper range, even Low Punches, Side Kicks or Low Kicks. If it is blocked, you can also often surprise the enemy with a long-ranged Throw, my favorite being a Crouch Dash-Steiner Screwdriver. If it connects, go for a Low Pounce. See offense for more info. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Throw Setups/What Throws to use: In order to do the right damage with Wolf, you MUST Throw! All of your offensive rushes should focus on landing a Throw, best with the Twirl `n' Hurl or the Steiner Screwdriver. If the enemy misses an attack, dash in and Throw; if the enemy misses or you block a Low attack, Low Throw. If you block a slow recovering attack, Throw. If the enemy has blocked your standing Punch or Low Punch, G-cancel and Throw. If the block your Body Blow or 123 Kid Roundhouse, Throw! See offense for more info. About The Throws: 1. P+G Backfall Suplex: altogether too dangerous to use. It does pretty good damage but does not allow a Pounce. The problem is that it is the easiest Throw to escape from, but it also takes priority over complex Throws. 2. P+G Spinning Arm Twist (Side): altogether one of your best options after Eing. Use only if you're close enough, otherwise a Shin Kick+Low Pounce is IMO a better option. 3. P+K+G Arm Lock (Side): looks brutal, and is mainly useful if the enemy starts go get tired of you P+G Side Throwing them and decides to crouch :). 4. P+G German Suplex and b+P+G Tiger Suplex (Back): don't really know why the German Suplex is needed, unless you're going for variety. Both are essentially the same, but the Tiger Suplex does 5 pts. more damage... 5. P+K+G German Suplex (Low Back): pretty much the only place this is going to connect is in the Catch-Switch-Push combo described in the combo section... 6. d/f,d/f+P+G Steiner Screwdriver: IMO his best Throw. It is not as powerful as his Twirl `n' Hurl, but allows at least a Falling Elbow, and also can be combined with a Crouch Dash to increase range and avoid High attacks. 7. HCT+P+G Twirl `n' Hurl: THE move for Wolf. Be TOTALLY merciless with this, using it at almost every Throw opportunity. Unfortunetly, it can now be escaped, but that just means you have to mix it up a little against better opponents. If this connects, it is possible to run after them and Pounce, but I tend not to try for this, just to be safe. BTW, if you throw the enemy into the wall, you'll do an extra little bit of damage! 8. Low Throws: I tend to use the Side Suplex when I'm unsure of the Low Throw opportunity; this is mainly because it has a slightly longer range than d/b+P+K+G and is also relatively easy to pull off. The Double-Arm Suplex does more damage and easily allows a Falling Elbow, so use it most often when you're sure the Low Throw will work; an example would be after a d+P+K... 9. f,f+P+G Arm Drag Takedown: a very-long ranged Catch Throw with decent damage--it is however, easy to duck and the recovery is slow. Good to surprise standing, defending foes from a short distance, who are anticipating you Crouch Dashing in for a Screwdriver. 10. u/f+P+G Frankensteiner: pretty much the same as f,f+P+G, except with slightly less range. It will leave Wolf on his back if it misses, allowing the enemy a Pounce. The advantage to this Throw is that it will always reverse the ring, allowing an escape from the wall. 11. f+P+G Catch combos: the f+P+G has decent range, and IMO is the most useful way to deal with a blocking opponent from a short distance, or to counter missed attacks. EVEN better, the Catch can often track Eing opponents...After the Catch, your best frontal move is the Front Suplex Toss, which will reverse the ring and do decent damage. You can also use the Push to set the enemy up for a combo. Alternately, you can use the Switch to move behind your opponent, THEN push them for a combo, or Back Throw (however, these Back Throws are weaker than the ones used out of the Catch). See combos for more info. THROWS OVERALL: --------------- Wolf is hurt because the Twirl `n' Hurl can be escaped, and he is without his best "easy" Throw, the Body Slam. Still, if you mix in the Twirl `n' Hurl with the Steiner Screwdriver you should be alright. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Offense: Wolf's offense revolves around G-cancelled Punches, the Comet Hook and the Tomahawk Flash and Arrow Knuckle. From about mid-range, throw out standing Punches and always G-cancel them. Watch what the opponent does; most likely, they will attempt to rush in with Punches or a combination of some sort (or they may Side Kick; see Nailing reversals), which you can promptly counter with a Tomahawk Flash, or Crouch Dash+Steiner Screwdriver (or m-Lifting Upper+juggle). Once you are within range your Punches will either be reversed, blocked or ducked. If reversed, there's not much you can do except to mix the Punches up with Low Punches and other fast attacks. If they block your Punch, a standing Throw or Crouch Dash+Steiner Screwdriver is useful, as is a Grizzly Lariat; against enemies who can reverse the latter, a mix-up of the Lariat and Throws is essential. You can also G-cancel a Punch or Double Punch, then immediately throw out a Short Shoulder or Knee, which may MC their attempted counter. If they duck your Punches, G-cancel and Low Throw, or throw out an Arrow Knuckle and THEN Low Throw :). You can also attempt a float with a Knee or Short Shoulder (b,f+P+K). Yet again, you can also hit them with the Comet Hook (d/b+P) for a guarenteed buffered Throw! Most importantly, because of the speed of the G-cancelled Punch, it will often MC anything the opponent tries to counter with from a standing position (if they duck instead, see above :). When it does interrupt, a buffered Throw qill grab the enemy! Master the motions for the G-cancelled Punch buffered into either the Twirl `n' Hurl or the Steiner Screwdriver (perhaps the Catch works well here too?) As for the Arrow Knuckle/Tomahawk Flash offense, the problem is that the Arrow Knuckle, which staggers into a crouch QUITE well, is slow in recovery, whereas the Tomahawk Flash recovers quite fast, however the stagger is brief, and it hits High. So, the Arrow Knuckle is best used in the above example, when you're in range of a crouching opponent expecting a Low Throw. The Tomahawk Flash, against slower opponents, allows a Crouch Dash+Low Throw, but so far as I know the only for-sure follow-up to its stagger is the Shin Kick+Low Pounce. The good thing about the Tomahawk Flash is that, when mixed in with regular Punches to confuse the enemy into trying to counter, can often interrupt them, and at this point a Low Throw will connect for sure. The Arrow Knuckle and Tomahawk Flash, mixed in with the 123 Kid Roundhouse, Body Blow and Uppercut for possible float can altogether confuse the opponent and defend against his counters, as well as being able to pin down their reversal if possible. If any of these attacks, the Body Blow in particular, is blocked you can often get in a Throw, best with the Steiner Screwdriver, because of its range. You can also start a rush with the Double Punch-Elbow which will chain into a Low Throw when the enemy crouches it; this is also good used in moderation with the above rushes... NOTE: on the subject of G-cancelled Punches, the way to win at high levels of play with Wolf was to use the Senbon Punch, which is performed PKG, a PK that is G-cancelled to give the Punch NO recovery--a PG by itself still has a recovery time, just not as much. HOWEVER, so far I have noticed in FMM that the PKG is really not needed, with G-cancelled Punches working just as well in Wolf's rush. Anyone with additions to this please reply. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Crouch Dashing: Quite an important part of Wolf play, mainly because it leads easily into the Steiner Screwdriver. The Crouch Dash is useful to avoid High attacks mainly, but also is useful, because of its initial speed, in moving in for a Throw during a Punch or Tomahawk Flash rush. Another way to use the Crouch Dash, if the enemy begins to escape the Screwdriver (the only other easy option here, with the Body Slam no longer available, is the P+G), is to perform a m-Lifting Uppercut; this will float well on a MC for good combo that could result in as much damage as a Steiner Screwdriver anyways. Just remember that when you are in a Crouch Dash you are literally considered crouching and NOT blocking, so you can be hit with any Mid-level, Low-level or Low Throw move. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Defense: Other than his Kick reversals, Wolf still has a good defense up his sleeve (but one should not play turtle with Wolf, mainly because it's boring). From close range, your best defensive attacks are the Elbow Stamp (b+P) and Low Punch (d+P). The Elbow Stamp pretty much takes out anything the enemy attempts to throw at you as long as they remain in a standing position, and the Low Punch, altough weakened in speed, can still lead well into a buffered Throw. Remember however that because of its slower speed that the enemy can interrupt it with a simple Punch, making it not so useful a defense as it was in VF2. From mid-range the Elbow Stamp still works well when things get hairy, but only against rushes leaving the enemy standing. Against High rushes the best counters are the Two-Fisted Upper, or a Crouch Dash followed by a Steiner Screwdriver, or a m-Lifting Uppercut. The other useful all-around attack is the 123 Kid Roundhouse, which deals well with enemies who like to peck away with Low attacks (Lion, Grace). Against particularily fast opponents who mix up levels and use fast attacks like Elbows and G-cancelled Punches, the m-Lifting Upper and Elbow Stamp are your best attacks, as they are quite fast and, in the case of the Upper, difficult to counter when blocked. And of course, you can block too :). If you block a fast recovering attack, a PK is a good retaliation, though it doesn't knock down anymore. You can also counter with the Steiner Screwdriver buffering it in during the block. The Knee Strike is also useful as a mC if they are left close enough when you block. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Nailing Reversals: Definetely not a big part of Wolf's repitiore, but certainly one to consider. Wolf's Side Kick counter is IMO the most useful of the two; beyond simple anticipation, you can coax your enemy into throwing a Side Kick in one of two ways. From a distance, if you crouch, most opponents will tend to send out a Side Kick; often if you know this is coming, you can stand in time to reverse it. You can also use it in your offensive technique; when using G-cancelled Punches from a short distance, an opponent may try to hit you with a Side Kick; so, if you anticipate this happening, whip out a Side Kick reversal. As for the High Kick reversal, I really haven't tested it out that much, so I don't know if it catches other High kicking attacks besides the basic standing Kick. And unfortunately the majority of good players rarely throw High Kicks except in a combo of sorts... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Uppercut (d/f+P on MC) 2. Lifting Upper (D/F+P on MC) 3. Short Shoulder (b,f+P+K) 4. Knee Strike (f+K) Combos: ------- 1. b,f+P+K, PPP, Low Pounce 2. b,f+P+K, P,G, b,f+P+K, b,f+K+G 3. b,f+P+K, b,f+P, Low Pounce 4. b,f+P+K, P,P,f+P,b+P 5. b,f+P+K, P,G, b,f+P, Low Pounce 6. b,f+P+K, d/f+P+K, Low Pounce 7. b,f+P+K, D+P,f+P, Low Pounce 8. b,f+P+K, f+P,P, Low Pounce 9. b,f+P+K, d/f+K, Low Pounce 10. f+K, P,G, b,f+P 11. f+K, P,G, K+G 12. f+K, P,G, f+K+G 13. f+K, b+P, Low Pounce 14. f+K, P,G, m-Lifting Upper, Low Pounce 15. f+K, f+P,P, Falling Elbow 16. f+K, D+P,f+P, Falling Elbow 17. f+K, f+K, Low Pounce 18. f+K, P,G,P,G, PPP 19. d/f+P (MC), f+P,P, Falling Elbow 20. D/F+P (MC), PPP 21. D/F+P (MC), P,G, K+G ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SETUP THROWS: ------------- After Catch-Push: pretty much any fast, mid-range attack will do. My favorite is the Arrow Knuckle followed by a Crouch Dash+Low Throw for big damage. You can also follow the Arrow Knuckle with a Shin Kick+Low Pounce. If you know your opponent to struggle extremely fast and is also fast to counter attack, a Drop Kick (u/f+K) will put an end to that. You can also try a Short Shoulder float combo... After Catch-Switch-Push: From here, the Tomahawk Flash tends to stagger into a crouch much more effectively than the Arrow Knuckle. Again you can follow the Tomahawk Flash with a simple Shin Kick+Low Pounce, but what's the point of that, when you could have done better damage with one of the _Throws_ following the Catch? Well, pretty much anything you want to try here will often work, but not all is guarenteed. HOWEVER, one DEADLY combination is extremely effective and damaging and, AFAIK, is virtually guarenteed: f+P+G,f+P+G,f+P+G, f+P+K, dash+P+K+G, Falling Elbow This is a Catch-Switch-Push followed by a stagger into crouch with the Tomahawk Flash, ending with small dash buffered into the German Suplex Low Back Throw and a Falling Elbow to finish it off!!!! Altogether this combo does around 105 pts. of damage if all is done correctly! Hell, I would even venture to call this Wolf's TKoD-like combo. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- STAGGER COMBOS: --------------- After f+P+K: from the front this does not stagger considerably unless it is a MC--if it is, the buffered Crouch dash+Low Throw is definetely the best follow-up. Otherwise, the stagger into crouch is not too long, so I'd recommend a fast knock-down attack like f+K+G or the d/f+K Shin Kick, both of which allowing a Low Pounce. After d+P+K: this attack staggers the enemy into a crouch as long, if not longer, than an Elbow stagger. It is possible to crouch dash in and Low Throw the opponent; however, they may soon catch on and escape often; there are many other follow-ups: 1. d+P+K, d/f+K, Low Pounce 2. d+P+K, Knee Strike, f+P,P, Falling Elbow 3. d+P+K, f+K, d+P+K, Falling Elbow 4. d+P+K, d/f+P+K, Falling Elbow 5. d+P+K, u/f+K :) 6. d+P+K, f+K+G, Low Pounce 7. d+P+K, f+P,P, Low Pounce 8. d+P+K, b,f+P (dangerous if they crouch!!!) 9. d+P+K, b,f+P+K, d/f+P+K, Low Pounce 10. d+P+K, b,f+P+K, b,f+P, Low Pounce 11. d+P+K, b,f+P+K, f+P,P, Low Pounce ############################################################################# JEFFRY: ******* CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- Jeffry lost quite a bit from VF3, mainly his cool new Throws and the Ground Throw. Still, he is a pretty good character if you rely on the basics (Elbow, DEU, Hell Dunk Hammer and single Punches) to open up your offense. He also has much more float potential in FMM than otherwise, allowing him to do some good damage. If you mix up the offense well he can still be devastating. Jeffry also has quite a few defensive maneuvers, the most ideal being the Mid Hell Stab. And of course, he still has devastating the Throws, the best being the XPD and Frontal Backbreaker. -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -High Kick: K [H-R-KD] -Front Kick: d/f+K [M-R-KD] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Turn-Toward Punch: P (opponent behind) [H-R] -Turn-Toward Starfleet: d+P (opponent behind) [L-UR-KD] -Turn-Toward Split Kick: d+K (opponent behind) [M-R-KD] -Turn-Torward High Kick: K (opponent behind) [H-R-KD] -Foot Stomp: d/f+K (on downed opponent) [G] -Body Splash: u+P (on downed opponent) [G] -Raiden Drop: U+P (on downed opponent) [G] -Punch-Kick: P,K [HH-R] -Double Punch: P,P [HH-R] -Double Punch-Upper: P,P,P [HHM-R] -Double Punch-Hook Punch: P,P,b+P [HHH-R-KD] -Ankle Kick: d/b+K [L-R] -Low Heel Slide: d+K+G [L-R] -Step Kick: d/f+K+G [L-R] -Uppercut: d/f+P [M-R-FMC] -Double Uppercut: d/f+P,P [MM-R] -Triple Uppercut: d/f+P,P,P [MMM-R-KD] -Kenka Uppercut: d/f,d/f+P [M-R-F] -Lifting Uppercut: D/F+P [M-R-FMC] -Elbow: f+P [M-R-StC] -Elbow-Hammer: f+P,b+P [MM-UR-KD] -Dashing Elbow: f,f+P [M-R-StC] -Dashing Elbow-Upper: f,f+P,P [MM-R-KD/F] -Drop Elbow: b+P [M-R-KD] -Starfleet Maneuver: b,d/f+P [M-UR-KD] -Starfleet/Reverse Starfleet: b,d/f+P,P [MM-UR-KD] -Hell Dunk Hammer: d+P+K [H-R] -Mid-Hell Stab: f+P+K [M-R-KD] -Stomach Crash: b,d/f+P+K [M-UR] -Stomach Crash-Overhead Toss: b,d/f+P+K,d+P+G [MHT-UR] -Headbutt: b,f+P+K [M-UR-KD] -Toe Kick: d+K [M-UR] -Toe Kick-Hammer: d+K,P [MM-UR-KD] -Toe Kick `o' Doom: d+K,QCT+P+G [MHT-UR] -Knee Strike: f+K [M-R-F] -Big-Ass Boot: f,f+K [M-R-KD] -Shot Knee: b+K [M-R] -Shot Knee-Hook Punch: b+K,P [MH-R-KD] -Heel Axe: b,f+K [M-R-KD] -Tornado Hammer: f,b+P [H-R-KD] -Kenka Hook: b,f+P [H-R-KD] -Kick-Toe Kick: K,K [HM-R-KD] -Kick-Toe Kick-Hammer: K,K,P [HMM-UR-KD] -Fireman's Carry: P+G [HT] -Coconut Crush: P+G [ST] -Cranial Bash: P+K+G [S/LT] -Backbreaker: P+G [BT] -Backbreaker: P+K+G [B/LT] -Body Press: b+P+G [HT] -Box Throw: d/b+P+G [HT] -Crucifix Piledriver: d/f,d/f+P+G [HT] -Power Slam: f+P+G [HT] -Frontal Backbreaker: b,f,f+P+G [HT] -Headbutt: b,f+P+G [HT] -Headbutt-Knee Smash: b,f+P+G,b+P+G [HT] -Double Headbutt: b,f+P+G,f+P+G [HT] -Double Headbutt-Knee Smash: b,f+P+G,f+P+G,b+P+G [HT] -Triple Headbutt: b,f+P+G,f+P+G,f+P+G [HT] -Iron Claw: d+P+K+G [LT] -Machine-gun Knee: d,f+P+K+G [LT] -Powerbomb: d/f+P+K+G [LT] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS/MOVES ANALYSIS: ----------------------- -Front Kick: yet another change from a Side Kick, this kick appears to have less range, but seems quicker. Usually knocks down; a decent mid-range attack. -Double Punch (PP): like Wolf, Jeffry's Double Punch is a good offensive technique but not as important as it is to others. See offense for more info. -Double Punch-Upper (PPP): like Wolf's, should be used only in combos. The stall between the Double Punch and the Uppercut is painfully long, allowing an enemy that blocks or GETS HIT by the Double Punch to counter time. -Double Punch-Hook Punch: the Hook will come out faster than the Upper, but it hits High, making it easy to duck and counter. It will always knock down for good damage (significantly more than the PPP) and allow at least a Pounce though. -Uppercut combos: the single Uppercut is useful in that it floats on MC; you can then chain into the Double or Triple Upper for a juggle+Low Pounce. You can also try other juggles... the single Uppercut can be countered by really fast attacks if blocked, but this is still difficult. The Double Upper will never float, however it is uncounterable if blocked. The Triple Upper does awesome damage and allows a Body Splash, but I'm pretty sure the last Upper is not guarenteed normally (on a croucher, maybe?) This works quite well in float combos, and it's also involved in a great offensive technique (see offense). -Kenka Upper: using the literal motion, it in fact has limited range. However it is possible to slightly delay the Punch tap to execute a slight Crouch Dash first. You will then float them sky high. The recovery on this is not too good, so you should only use it as a counter, or to avoid High attacks. Altogether Jeffry has better options, namely the m-Lifting Upper. -Lifting Uppercut: same as Wolf, this comes out quicker than the standing version, and can be combined in a Crouch Dash to avoid High attacks. It will float well on MC and is difficult to counter if blocked. See offense. -Elbow, Elbow-Hammer: One of Jeffry's key up-close moves, the Elbow will stagger crouching opponents, and in this case the Hammer will connect easily for a knockdown and Low Pounce--you can also use a different stagger combo. Even better, the Hammer can be delayed after the Elbow to fake the enemy out; if it connects but does not stagger, you can delay and catch the attempted counter. Or, if you throw an Elbow from a distance. See offense for more info. -Dashing Elbow-Upper (DEU): primarily Jeff's best offensive move. In FMM, if you hit a crouching opponent with the DE, it will stagger; the follow-up Uppercut is guarenteed AND will float the opponent. This is changed since before, since the DEU used to force crouching opponents into a stunned, standing position, allowing a Throw. Still, at least as much damage is possible with a good float combo. The DE is also useful by itself against people who aren't in a crouch. If it is blocked it is difficult to counter; from here, you can G-cancel the DE and Throw! Even if the DE hits normally, it is often still a good idea to G-cancel and try for the Throw, unless the enemy is conditioned this way, meaning they will jam on a Throw escape. From this point, you can simply mix up the Throws, or you can toss out the full DEU to MC them. And to top it off, the Uppercut can be delayed, making a big guessing game from mid-range. See offense and defense for more info. -Drop Elbow: similiar to Wolf's Elbow Stamp, this always knocks down allowing a Foot Stomp, and is LIGHTNING fast. This is best mixed in with your offensive AND defensive tactics pretty much randomly, especially when you sense that the enemy's next attempt at attacking may in fact hit you. :) See offense for more info. -Starfleet Manuever, Starfleet/Reverse Starfleet: extremely useful moves. You may wonder why it's called the Starfleet maneuver--just watch ONE of the old Star Trek episodes, and I guarentee you'll see at least two of these per fight scene (I once flicked to an episode where Spock went crazy on the bridge and used about 20 Starfleet Maneuvers!) And Jeffry can also make good use of this :). The recovery is not too good for the single or double attack, but if on the odd chance it is blocked, make sure you carry on into the Reverse Starfleet, because it has SLIGHTLY better recovery and push-away. The Starfleet Manuever is useful for attacking rushing or dashing opponents, or to counter missed attacks from a distance; it can also take out a lot of slower Low attacks (Eg. Sarah's Lunging Sweep), although IF you have the opportunity to block the Low attack, DO IT so you can Low Throw. Altogether not too useful except in moderation, because of its recovery. Use carefully. -Hell Dunk Hammer: a great new move--it is an overhead punch that always forces an enemy into a crouch. Like Wolf's Arrow Knuckle, you have a plethora of follow-ups. The best over-all combo is to crouch dash and Low Throw for big damage. As soon as the enemy is conditioned into this, switch to something more simple, like a DEU, or Triple Uppercut (or, against struggling, a High Throw will often catch them). Also, if you are still having difficulty with the enemy after the Hell Dunk Hammer, simply repeat it to re-stagger them into a crouch! This is useful because the 2nd Hammer may often surprise them, THEN you can snatch them with the Crouch Dash+Low Throw. See combos and offense for more info. -Mid-Hell Stab: some may not agree, but I believe this is a better attack than his old Hell Stab (which still exists in VF3 only). This attack ALWAYS knocks down, often allowing a Low Pounce of overall good damage. It also has a built in crouch to avoid High attacks with ease; I guarentee few High Punches will be able to interrupt this! The Mid-Hell Stab is best used in mid-range battle to counter-attack rushes. See defense for more info. Oh BTW, as a side note, the Mid-Hell Stab does more damage to a crouching enemy... -Stomach Crash-Overhead Toss: overall good damage the Overhead Toss will only work if the Stomach Crash hits. The Crash itself is useful for evading High attacks, but use only in this respect, as the recovery if blocked is deadly. -Headbutt: AFAIK, this does not float like the old f+P+K Headbutt did in VF2. In addition, it also comes out and recovers slower than the old Headbutt. Still, it is fairly fast and also hits Mid, knocking down for a Foot Stomp. No real use for this that I have found yet. (additions?) -Toe Kick-Hammer: the Toe Kick isn't so hot offensively, but can be useful as bait, because the Hammer can be delayed in the same fashion as the Elbow-Hammer. Still, I'd prefer other attacks. -Toe Kick `o' Doom (TKoD): I'm not gonna waste space bothering to explain how to do it, since there is at least one VF2 FAQ (by Thomas H. Harper) that explains every little bit about the TKoD; and besides, it may do over 100 pts. of damage, but good luck fitting it into real battle at high levels of play. -Knee Strike: still Jeffry's best floating tool, but again it has slow recovery, so only place it where you're sure it'll connect. It can be used after baiting the enemy into a crouch or to counter your Punches, getting a monster float. The Knee is also useful after blocking attacks that leave you close. See offense and combos for more info. -Big-Ass Boot: a totally satisfying attack that looks quite sickly and does good damage if it connects, often allowing a HIGH Pounce. Hell, the recovery if blocked fairly close if often quick enough to try for a Throw even! The big disadvantage of this kick is that its execution is particularily slow, as if Jeffry has a big sign on the bottom of his foot saying "hello! Right here, reverse me!"; against Pai, Akira or Wolf you are seriously asking for it by just throwing this out, and against the fighters they will still have time to hit you quickly. The Big-Ass Boot seems mainly useful for stopping dashing-in opponents from a distance. Another use for it is after the Box Throw, though this is NOT guarenteed and can be Evaded... -Shot Knee-Hook Punch: useful little attack, if the Shot Knee connects in any case, I'm pretty sure the Hook Punch is guarenteed (on crouchers? maybe not...). Both hits guarentee a knock-down and allow at least a Foot Stomp, often a Low Pounce. The Shot Knee comes out extremely fast, and is an overall useful attack up close; if blocked, try for a Throw just for the hell of it, but chances are you will be countered. Overall, I tend to use the simple standing G-cancelled Punch to interrupt up close instead of the Shot Knee, as it recovers (obviously) faster, and allows a Throw. -Heel Axe: FAST attack that is quite useful for countering Low attacks. It is also said to be guarenteed after the Box Throw, allowing a Body Splash for a fair bit of damage. Just be careful, because although it is quite fast it has slow recovery time. See offense and defense for more info. -Kenka Hook: a decent attack, it smashes the enemy to the ground and can do decent damage; it also has great speed. But, like many of Jeffry's fast attacks it is doomed to slow recovery. It also hits High, so be cautious when using it. A Low Pounce is guarenteed. Useful against rushing opponents who often mix levels, but I prefer the Drop Elbow in this case. -Kick-Toe Kick-Hammer (KKP): a dangerous attack to use because it starts with a slow recovering, High hitting Kick. However, it is good to note that this entire combo plus a Low Pounce and totally devastate the opponent. Against inexperienced opponents it is great for showing off, but otherwise not too practical. Against opponents who freeze up after the Box Throw (which, for this Throw, doesn't seem to happen often), it is also a useful follow-up here. But most importantly, because of the loose floating system in FMM, it is possible to tack on all three hits of this move plus a Low Pounce after a float! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Throw Setups/What Throws to use: Like Wolf, Jeffry must rely on his Throws to do any REAL damage. There are many ways to Throw with Jeffry; an obvious place being whenever the enemy leaves an obvious opening, like a missed attack from a short range; dash or crouch dash and Throw. You can also use Throws after blocking both High and Low attacks (see "About the Throws" below). As far as setting up Throws, you can do that in your offensive game. After the enemy blocks your G-cancelled Punch, G-cancelled Double Punch, G-cancelled DE, Elbow or even Big-Ass Boot from close, try for a Throw. This will be delved into further in the offense section. 1. P+G Fireman's Carry: not overly useful. It is relatively weak and does not allow a Pounce. As well, it is also the easiest Throw to break out of. The only advantage is that it somewhat switches the ring, and it also takes priority over complex motion Throws. 2. P+G Coconut Crush (Side): A cool looking Throw (stolen from King of Tekken 2, no less) that does decent damage and sometimes allows a Low Pounce or Foot Stomp. A Side Throw is actually one of Jeffry's best options after Evading, period. 3. P+K+G Cranial Bash (Side Low): a TOTALLY humiliting Throw that does good damage and looks DAMN painful. Not sure about a Pounce here... Useful once you've conditioned the enemy into thinking you'll use the Coconut Crush after Eing and try to crouch :). 4. P+G Backbreaker (Back): the grand-daddy of all Back Throws has, unfortunately, been weakened to 80 pts. of damage (plus Foot Stomp). Still, go for it whenever possible. It also seems that a dash+Backbreaker after the Box Throw is VIRTUALLY guarenteed. 5. P+K+G Backbreaker (Back Low): does the same damage as the High version. This is useful for doing even more damage however; after a Box Throw, you can hit them with the Hell Dunk Hammer (d+P+K) and THEN dash in and LOW Back Throw them, plus a Foot Stomp, for a total of 116 pts. of damage! 6. b+P+G Body Press: does quite a bit of damage for such a simple Throw; against slower opponents, the Body Splash will connect, otherwise unfortunately a follow-up is more difficult in FMM. 7. d/b+P+G Box Throw: should be one of your most used Throws, setting the enemy up for any number of devastating attacks, the biggest being the combo described in #5 above. Again, against better opponents, mix it in with other Throws. 8. d/f,d/f+P+G Crucifix Piledriver: Still Jeffry's all-around best Throw, it is obviously his most damaging from the front, and usually allows a Foot Stomp. The XPD can be used best after blocking a slow-recovering attack, or combined with a crouch dash to counter High attacks. Mix it in with other Throws, because opponents will DEFINETELY be expecting this one... 8. f+P+G Power Slam: still a decent Throw that often allows a Foot Stomp. Fast and good all-around damage. Use mainly up close, or after dashing in from standing. 9. b,f,f+P+G Frontal Backbreaker: at LEAST as good as the XPD, IMO. It does slightly less damage, but allows a Foot Stomp too. It also has GREAT range because of the two forward taps in the motion. It is best used to counter missed attacks from a short distance, or EVEN better, as a counter to blocked attacks (buffer the first b,f out of the block). 10. b,f+P+G Headbutt combos: the most powerful combination of this multi-Throw is the Double Headbutt-Knee Smash; usually can be followed with a Foot Stomp. I tend only to use these for variety (they look pretty cool), as he has more useful Throws that do the same or more damage. 11. d+P+K+G Iron Claw (Low): The weakest of Jeffry's Low Throws, but OBVIOUSLY the most humiliating :). Do this if you're ahead in health and need to make the enemy feel dumb. 12. d,f+P+K+G Machine-gun Knee (Low): probably the easiest of the Low Throws to do after crouch blocking an attack (obviously because of the first d motion) and does good damage--go for a Body Splash after. 13. d/f+P+K+G Power Bomb (Low): the most useful of Jeffry's Low Throws, it does big damage and allows a Foot Stomp. It also has surprisingly good range AND this range can be extended further with a crouch dash. This is the best Throw to use after the Hell Dunk Hammer, or to counter missed Low attacks. It is also the most useful when the enemy ducks your offensive technique (see offense). THROWS OVERALL: --------------- Jeffry delivers a pack o' whupass as far as Throws go. If you wanna stick to the basics, both the Power Slam and Body Press do decent damage and allow a Foot Stomp at least. However, Your two best Throws, used in a Crouch Dash and/or to counter blocked attacks are the Frontal Backbreaker and XPD. The Box Throw is also good mixed in, allowing you to go for a series of damaging follow-ups. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Offense: Jeffry's offense relies on the following moves: G-cancelled Punch, G-cancelled Double Punch, DE(U), Elbow(Hammer), Drop Elbow, Low Throw(s), Knee Strike, Uppercut combos, and the Hell Dunk Hammer. Pressure your opponent with persistant G-cancelled Punches and Double Punches; if they are blocked OR they hit, the G-cancel can be followed by a Throw (XPD is the best here). If the enemy ducks the Punches, again G-cancel and throw a DEU+float combo, or Elbow+stagger combo, or Power Bomb (and of course, there are other Mid-level attacks available too). This is the basis of your offense. Once the enemy starts catching on, switch your offense. This time, come at them with the DE; unlike the Punches (which can possibly be countered with a fast ducking attack once they anticipate you well) it hits Mid, which will further confuse them; when they crouch you can follow into the Upper and juggle for a big combo. When they start the block the DE, G-cancel it and Throw! The other offense to mix in here is your Uppercut(s). The single Uppercut by itself should be thrown in when not expected; if it hits the crouching foe, go into the Double (or Triple?) Upper. You may also be able to interrupt for a float. If the Upper is blocked, Throw. Now, with the above strategies being mixed up heavily to really give the enemy a sweat, mix in a Knee Strike when you think they will try countering something (eg. after ducking your PP). The Hell Dunk Hammer can also be mixed in when they least expect it, to set them up for a big combo; this is best used on an opponent from short distance. AND ABOVE ALL ELSE, mix in the Drop Elbow randomly, which will deal with ANYTHING they try to throw at you (except a single Punch, which has faster execution...) Of course, the whole offensive strategy, as I said, must be heavily mixed up, because the enemy DOES have ways of dealing with things they anticipate from you, including reversals, ways of ducking under your High attacks and countering first (eg. Shun's d/b+P Low Backpush), and also Evading. Against these, you will need to generate new ways of attacking the enemy (eg. if you notice them starting to Evade your offense, mix in the PPP to track them when you think they will Evade). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crouch Dashing: From the Crouch Dash, Jeffry can perform two important attacks; the m-Lifting Uppercut, and the c-XPD (stands for Crouch Dash-Crucifix Piledriver). The crouch dash with the Lifting Upper is generally a good offensive technique, and both attacks are ideal defenses against High attacks or rushes. And of course, the Crouch Dash is needed to properly Low Throw after the Hell Dunk Hammer. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Defense: A good Jeffry plays the pecking, offensive game described above, but he does have a good defense to fall back on. Useful moves against High attacks are the Crouch Dash (see above), Mid-Hell Stab, Stomach Crash, and sometimes the Kenka Upper. And when in doubt, use the Drop Elbow! As for Low attacks, Jeffry has quite a few options. Against REALLY slow starting, anticipated Low attacks (eg. Sarah's Lunging Sweep) you can Low Throw them BEFORE it hits you, or dash backwards, then crouch dash back in for the Low Throw. Other than that, the Heel Axe, Starfleet-Reverse Starfleet and Mid-Hell Stab all work fairly well to take out Low attacks. If you block an attack High, the best counter for Jeffry is definetely a buffered Frontal Backbreaker. You can also a buffer a DEU if you find the enemy escaping your Throw. If you block Low, you can quickly return to neutral (which isn't needed if you use the Machine-gun Knee), then hit a Low Throw command to slam 'em. Other than that, the Lifting Upper may also float them. I tend to go for the Low Throw however because of the damage. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Uppercut (d/f+P on MC) 2. Lifting Upper (D/F+P on MC) 3. Kenka Upper (d/f,d/f+P) 4. Knee Strike (f+K) Combos: ------- Note: to save space, the majority of the Uppercut combos will also work with the Lifting Uppercut. 1. d/f+P (MC), PPP, Low Pounce 2. d/f+P (MC), b,d/f+P,P, Low Pounce 3. d/f+P (MC), d/f+P,P,P, Low Pounce 4. d/f+P (MC), P,G, DEU, Low Pounce 5. d/f+P (MC), b+K,P, Low Pounce 6. d/f+P (MC), P,G, b,f+K, Low Pounce 7. d/f+P (MC), d+K,P, Low Pounce 8. f+K, d+K,P, Low Pounce 9. f+K (MC), f,f+K, High Pounce 10. f+K, P,G,P,G, f+P+K, Low Pounce 11. f+K, P,G, b,d/f+P,P, Low Pounce 12. f+K, P,G,P,G, f+K, Low Pounce 13. f+K, P,G,P,G, DEU, Low Pounce 14. f+K, P,G, PPP, Low Pounce 15. f+K, d/f+P,P,P, Low Pounce 15. d/f,d/f+P, d/f+P,P,P, Low Pounce 16. d/f,d/f+P, d/f,d/f+P, Low Pounce 17. d/f,d/f+P, P,G, f+K, Low Pounce 18. d/f,d/f+P, DEU, Low Pounce 19. d/f,d/f+P, b,d/f+P+K, Low Pounce 20. d/f,d/f+P, d+K,P, Low Pounce 21. d/f,d/f+P, f+P,b+P ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SETUP THROWS: ------------- After Box Throw: for awesome damage you can simply use a buffered dash+P+G for the Backbreaker (add a Foot Stomp), however THE best combo is the following: d/b+P+G, d+P+K, dash+P+K+G, Foot Stomp This is a Box Throw followed by a Hell Dunk Hammer that forces the enemy into crouch, followed by a buffered dash and a Low Back Throw, finishing with a Foot Stomp! This combo will do a huge 116 pts. of damage! I am not certain if this combo is guarenteed however, so other follow-ups would be: 1. DEU 2. f,f+K 3. b,f+K (guarenteed) 4. KKP (on stupid enemies who don't know how to avoid it) 5. b,d/f+P,P 6. f+P+K ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- STAGGER COMBOS: --------------- After f+P: the best follow-up if you have staggered with the Elbow would be the canned Hammer that follows+Low Pounce, but you can also dash up and Throw the enemy, if you time it to grab the enemy as they recover from the stagger. Other than that, my favorite stagger combo is f+P (stagger), DEU+Low Pounce. After f,f+P: A little more useful because of the range, remember to G-cancel the DE unless you want the Upper (which is actually what IMO you should want, as it floats). After which, you can try for Throw as they recover from the stagger, or another full DEU, or a Knee Float :). After d+P+K: this will stagger the enemy into a crouch, allowing a Crouch Dash+Low Throw to connect (see moves analysis). Other than that, you can mix up the combos after it, with good follow-ups being the DEU, Heel Axe, Mid-Hell Stab, or Triple Uppercut. There are, of course, other possibilities--be creative :). ############################################################################# SHUN DI: ******** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- Everyone says he's the weakest character in VF3; I would certainly say he's at a big disadvantage, but that just makes him more challenging to play :). In FMM, however, he loses EVEN more that he desperately needs. With only TWO frontal Throws, both of which are usually easy to escape, Shun has trouble connecting here. He must instead rely on his offensive confusion capabilities with the PP, PPE, Ankle Kick, Knuckle combos and Uppercuts. Thankfully Shun does have the powerful Chouwan, as well as a host of other floating attacks. He also has great defenses. As long as you try not to focus too much on Throws against really good opponents (which is pretty hard to do IMO), he's not that bad. Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -High Kick: K [H-R-KD] -Side Kick: d/f+K [M-R-FMC] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Turn-Toward Punch: P (opponent behind) [H-R] -Sitting Low Punch: d+P (opponent behind) [L-R] -Turning Sweep: d+K (opponent behind) [L-R-KD] -Turn-Torward High Kick: K (opponent behind) [H-R-KD] -Spinning Elbow Drop: d/f+P (on downed opponent) [G] -Flipping Heel Drop: u+P (on downed opponent) [G] -Punch-Kick: P,K [HH-R] -Double Punch: P,P [HH-R] -Double Punch-Upper: P,P,P [HHM-R-KD] -Double Punch-E: P,P,E or d+E [HHn/a]-R] -Double Punch-E-Upper: P,P,E or d+E,P [HHn/a]-R-KD] -Backfist: b+P [H-R-FMC] -Knuckle Strike: f+P [M-R] -Knuckle-Hip Check: f+P,K [MM-UR-KD] -Double Knuckle: f+P,P [MM-R] -Double Knuckle-Hip Check: f+P,P,K [MMM-UR-KD] -Double Knuckle-Backfist: f+P,P,P [MMH-R] -Double Knuckle-Backfist-Hip Check: f+P,P,P,K [MMHM-UR-KD] -Turn-away Punch: b,b+P [H-R] -Turn-away Spin Kick: b,b+K [H-R-KD] -Low Backpush: d/b+P [L-R] -Low Backpush-Sweep: d/b+P,K [LL-R-KD] -Spinning Ankle Kick: d/b+K [L-R] -Ankle Kick-Fall Down: d/b+K,G [L-R-GrH] -Ankle Kick-High Kick: d/b+K,K [LH-R-F] -Ankle Kick-High Kick-Fall: d/b+K,K,G [LHn/a-R-GrH] -Sweep: d/f+K+G [L-R-KD] -Uppercut: d/f+P [M-R-FMC] -Chouwan Uppercut: d/f,f+P [M-R-F] -Lunging Fist: D,f+P [M-R-F] -Lunging Uppercut: b,d/f+P [M-R-F] -2-Handed Twisting Thrust: P+K (adds 3 DP) [M-UR-KD] -Cartwheel Kick: f,f+K [M-UR-KD] -Falling Kick: b+K [M-R-Gr] -Hopping Spin Kick: K+G [M-UR-KD] -Hopping Spin Kick-2 Hand Push: K+G,P [MH-UR-KD] -Scorpion Tail: d+K+G [M-UR-KD] -Back-hop Toe Kicks: b+K+G [M-R-KD] -Double Kick: K,K [HH-R-KD] -Double Kick-Low Backfist: K,K,d+P [HHL-R-KD] -Double Kick-Backfist: K,K,P [HHH-R-KD] -Falling Double Kick: d/b+K+G [HH-R-KD-Gr] -Mule Kick: u+K [M-UR-F] -Drink: d+P+K+G (adds 1 DP) [n/a] -Backflip: d,u/b [n/a] -Sit Down: d,d [n/a] -Low Kick-Stand: Sit,d+K [L-UR-KD] -Flipping Heel Kick: Sit,K [M-UR-KD] -Drink-Stand: Sit,P+K+G (adds 3 DP) [n/a] -Lie Down: HCT or Sit,d,d [n/a] -Sweep-Stand: Lie,d+K [L-R-KD] -Rolling Scissor Kick: Lie,F+K [LL-UR-KD] -Thrust Kick: Lie,K [M-R] -Thrust Kick-Punch: Lie,K,P [MH-R] -Thrust Kick-P-Fall Kick: Lie,K,P,K [MHM-R] -Handstand: HCB or u+P+K [n/a] -Hand Hop Back: Handstand,b [n/a] -Hand Hop Forward: Handstand,b [n/a] -Stand Up: Handstand,u [n/a] -Rolling Elbow: Handstand,P+K [M-R-KD] -Handstand Kick: Handstand,K [M-UR-KD] -Flip-Mule Kick: Handstand,K+G [M-UR-KD] -Drunken Frankensteiner: Handstand,P+G [CT] -Chouwan Upper-Backfist: d/f,f+P,b+P (need 6 DP) [MH-R-F] -Drunken Sweep: d+P+K (need 1 DP) [L-UR-KD] -Double Drunken Sweep: d+P+K,K (need 6 DP) [LL-UR-KD] -Triple Drunken Sweep: d+P+K,K,K (need 7 DP) [LLL-R-KD] -Double Punch-Ankle Kick: P,P,d+K (need 6 DP) [HHL-R] -Double Punch-Ankle Kick-Fall: P,P,d+K,G (need 6 DP) [HHL-R-GrH] -D.Punch-Ankle Kick-High Kick: P,P,d+K,K (need 6 DP) [HHLH-R-KD] -D.Punch-Ankle Kick-High Kick-Fall: P,P,d+K,K,G (need 6 DP) [HHLH-R-GrH] -Double Punch-E-Ankle Kick: P,P,E,d+K (need 6 DP) [HHL-R] -D.Punch-E-Ankle Kick-Fall: P,P,E,d+K,G (need 6 DP) [HHL-R-GrH] -D.Punch-E-Ankle Kick-High K: P,P,E,d+K,K (need 6 DP) [HHLH-R-KD] -D.Punch-E-A.Kick-H.Kick-Fall: P,P,E,d+K,K,G (need 6 DP) [HHLH-R-GrH] -Drunken Crash: f,f+P+K (need 8 DP) [M-UR-KD] -Uppercut-Thrust Punch: d/f+P,P+K (need 8 DP) [MH-R] -Uppercut-T.Punch-Falling Kick: d/f+P,P+K,K (need 8 DP) [MHM-R] -Thrust Kick-P-Ankle Kick: Lie,K,P,d+K (need 10 DP) [MHL-R] -Thrust Kick-P-A.Kick-Fall: Lie,K,P,d+K,G (need 10 DP) [MHL-R-GrH] -Thrust Kick-P-A.Kick-H.Kick: Lie,K,P,d+K,K (need 10 DP) [MHLH-R-KD] -T.Kick-P-A.Kick-H.Kick-Fall: Lie,K,P,d+K,K,G(need 10 DP)[MHLH-R-GrH] -Dancing Elbows: P+G (adds 3 DP) [HT] -Falling Elbow: P+G [ST] -Reverse Reaping Throw: P+G [BT] -Flip-over: d/f+P+G [HT] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS/MOVES ANALYSIS: ----------------------- -Double Punch (PP), Double Punch-Upper (PPP), Double Punch-E (PPE), Double Punch-E-Upper (PPEP): the Double Punch is a great offensive tool, as it can be finished with an Uppercut, or you can Evade to confuse 'em further (you can, BTW, also use d+E). You can also G-cancel the Punches if ducked and follow-up with a Mid-level move. See offense for more info. -Backfist: quite an important move, it recovers fairly quick if blocked, and floats on MC. It has great speed coming out, so it's a good move to interrupt High attacks that you anticipate. Often you can also set the enemy up to perform a High attack that you know is coming, or if they block the Backfist, try for a Chouwan. Just remember that it hits High, so try to be unpredictable or the enemy will duck and counter. NOTE: once you are past a certain drunkeness, the Backfist will float even without a MC! -Knuckle Strike Combos: First of all, Shun Di will follow the Hip Check by dancing far backwards, but ONLY if the Hip Check connects. The recovery of the whole thing is not so hot but the best part is that you can delay each hit easily. If you hit crouching enemies with it, try doing the whole combo. The next time, they'll probably smarten up and stand to block--then, do f+P, G-cancel+Throw. You can also mix it up by G-cancelling one of the hits, then Evading, or hitting them with a Low attack (best the Drunken Sweeps, if you're drunk enough). It is best to delay just before the Hip Check, because by itself it comes out quite fast and will interrupt any attempted counters. MIX IT UP! See offense for more info. -Low Backpush: one of Shun Di's most important moves, the Low Backpush comes out quite fast and is the ideal counter to High attacks--if it interrupts, follow with the Sweep. The Sweep can also be delayed somewhat, so you may interrupt an attempted counter. The Backpush can also be G-cancelled fairly quick, so if it is blocked Low, you can follow with a Lunging Fist. It shouldn't be used too often as a pecking attack, because its recovery isn't too great if missed. FOR SURE, do not do the Sweep unless you're sure it'll hit, because if blocked, it's Low Throw time! -Spinning Ankle Kick Combos: a GREAT move that sets up to really confuse the enemy. The Ankle Kick hits Low, but keeps Shun standing at the same time. IF the Ankle Kick connects you can chain into a GUARENTEED High Kick (unless the enemy was crouching), which can IN FMM ONLY be followed with a juggle for GREAT damage. What is even better is that IF the Ankle Kick HITS you can tap G and Shun will immediately fall on his face. From here it is possible to rise with any of your attacks (especially the Chouwan, or another Ankle Kick!), one of which is bound to hit the enemy. If blocked, you're left open to counterattack, BUT it is still possible to tap G and Fall Down, but ONLY if you actually delay the G. Practice the timing on this and the enemy will frequently miss their counter... See offense for more info... -Uppercut: really kinda useless because of the Chouwan Uppercut, which comes out and recovers faster. This will float on MC, but is really only useful when used with d/f+P,P+K,K when drunk. NOTE: once you are past a certain drunkeness, the Uppercut will float even without a MC! -Chouwan Uppercut: ask anyone who's a Shun Di player (a good one) what his best move in VF2 was, they'll probably say 2-Handed Twisting Thrust (P+K). In VF3, you can bet they'll say Chouwan Uppercut. This move ROCKS! BTW, the Chouwan is usually documented d,d/f,f+P (QCT), but it is possible with d/f,f+P (this motion also prevents you from accidentally doing the Lunging Fist). The Chouwan's speed is comparable to a Punch and it is uncounterable if blocked. It also floats, allowing a LOT of great follow-ups. It can also be chained into a Backfist if drunk enough, which will float even more! In a fight, ONE of your goals should be to connect with the Chouwan Uppercut. Above all else, remember the speed of the Chouwan, as it will interrupt most attacks. -Lunging Fist: a powerful attack that will also float (especially well on a MC), and can be buffered out of a Low Punch. This is best used under High attacks, because its recovery is not too good. See defense for more info. -Lunging Uppercut: the only advantage this has over the Chouwan is range. It comes out and recovers slower, and has a more complicated motion. Because of its range it is best done after Eing. -2-Handed Twisting Thrust: still one of Shun's best attacks, it does great damage and most importantly, makes him drink, gaining 3 drunken points. You have to make sure it connects in range, though, because if blocked CLOSE it can be countered (from a distance you're usually all right). During the twist Shun passes under High and even some Mid attacks, so it is yet ANOTHER way for Shun to counter High rushes. If it is blocked from a distance, expect them to dash in for a Throw or combo--counter with your own Throw, or the Falling Double Kick (d/b+K+G). -Cartwheel Kick: comes out fairly fast, but it blocked it can be countered easily. A good move, but HORRIBLY overused by scrubs. If it connects, a Low Pounce usually can be landed. Because of its initial speed it is a good intterupting attack or a surprise on crouching foes--it can also work in some float and stagger combos. -Falling Kick: for the most part, this is useless by itself. It is fast enough to interrupt most attacks, but otherwise it will ALWAYS leave you vulnerable to a Ground attack. You can try it whenever you're SURE it will interrupt, but there are better (and safer) options here. -Hopping Spin Kick-2 Hand Push: overall decent moves, the Hopping Spin Kick can be countered if blocked, so ALWAYS chain into the 2-Hand Push if blocked--even then, you should still try not to get it blocked. The main purpose of this move is bait. From a short distance, throw out the Spin Kick, then you can delay the 2 Hand Push to catch the enemy in their attempted counter. The 2 Hand Push will NEVER connect if the Spin Kick hits (i.e. it's not a true combo). -Scorpion Tail: a little-used move that is actually quite good. It comes out very fast, and since it also hits Mid-level, it is ideal for whacking crouching opponents. Watch the recovery, though. -Back-hop Toe Kicks: want to get away safe and quick? Then use this move. Not only does it look funny and knock the enemy over if it connects, but it also allows you to back of considerably far. The thing to note is that the only way this kick will connect is if you started EXTREMELY close, or if the enemy is dashing in. If the enemy tries to dash and perform any up-close move, you will interrupt them (however long-range moves like Kage's Thunder Dragon can hit you), so this is all-around a good escape technique--and if it doesn't hit, you will rarely be countered anyways, so it's quite safe. -Falling Double Kick: comes out quite fast and will leave you on the ground. This is a great defensive move as it will avoid many High attacks and rushes. It is also possible to interrupt the enemy's attempted counter-attack with this, if they block deceptive moves like P+K from max range. If this misses, remember that the enemy has plenty of time to Pounce... -Mule Kick: quite a good move in FMM, it executes and recovers quickly--if it hits, it will float easily. It is also unreversable :). See offense and combos for more info. -Drink: unfortunately, this will only give Shun 1 drunken point, and it has very long recovery. However, if done from a distance it is a good bait move; the enemy will rush in to counter you, but you often have enough time to finish drinking and counter with a fast attack (eg. Chouwan Upper!). -Sit Down Moves: when Shun sits down, he avoids High and most Mid attacks (remember he can be Low Thrown, however!). Sitting by itself is a good evasive maneuver, and I find myself tapping d,d again to lie down, which opens up more attacks in my arsenal--however, unless the enemy is mobile and may be able to easily hit you, your best bet is to drink, which will give you 3 drunken points. If the Sit-Low Kick-Stand is blocked, you're in trouble, but otherwise it will knock down, so it is best to whip this out FAST after sitting under a missed attack. The Flipping Heel Kick should be mixed up with this when you notice the enemy anticipating the Low Kick and trying to block it. See defense for more info. -Lie Down Moves: even more useful than the Sit IMO, except that you cannot drink from this position. The Lie Down is used in the same fashion as the Sit, to avoid High or most Mid attacks and counter. And he has some mean counters from here... If you succeed in lying under an attack, quickly counter with d+K (which is fast enough to interrupt ANY attack they try to hit you lying down with) or F+K (which is slower, but has better range), OR you can perform simply Thrust Kick-Punch. The Falling Kick will only knock down on MC, and will leave you vulnerable to a Pounce otherwise. Remember that you only remain Lying down for about one second and Shun Di will then stagger to his feet, VERY vulnerable to attack. See defense for more info. -Handstand Moves: altogether good moves, you can choose to hop and Handstand to avoid Low attacks, or HCB Handstand to avoid High attacks! If you avoid a High attack, QUICKLY counter with the Handstand Kick. If you began the Handstand a good distance away, wait to see what the enemy will do--if you anticipate a High attack at this time, go for the Rolling Elbow, and if they go for a Low attack, try the Flip-Mule Kick. The Rolling Elbow is the best against opponents a short distance away because if blocked its recovery is pretty good and you can go from there. And if the enemy stands about mid-range and just blocks, the Frankensteiner always works :). -Chouwan Uppercut-Backfist: THE reason to get drunk IMO (although he has a lot of other cool stuff :). The Chouwan-Backfist just makes a more damaging Chouwan, because you can STILL juggle after the Backfist! The recovery is still pretty good as well, so remember any place that the Chouwan works, this will too, and GO FOR IT if you're drunk enough! -Triple Drunken Sweep: unfortunately, these are weakened quite a bit in FMM, because, at least AFAIK, only one will ever connect after a float combo, except in the corner, where I have gotten two. They just aren't as frequent; for example, you cannot perform Chouwan-Backfist, Uppercut, Drunken Sweeps, which was a good combo from VF3! Just stick with Pouncing, I guess. :( -Double Punch-Ankle Kick Combos: by themselves, you can delay the various Ankle Kick moves, to confuse the enemy. It is also a canned combo, so it SHOULD all always connect. This is basically an alternate to G-cancelling your Double Punch and Throwing a blocking opponent. Your choice. Use the Ankle Kick combinations as you would the normal Ankle Kick moves (see Ankle Kick). -Uppercut-Thrust Punch: an altogether awesome combination, it works well on crouching opponents, but never throw the falling Kick UNLESS the Uppercut was a MC (i.e. floats), otherwise you can be Pounced. This can mix it up well, too. You can G-cancel the Thrust Punch if blocked, then dash in and Throw, or throw the Drunken Sweeps. If the Uppercut-Thrust Punch connects but does not float, you can try delaying the Falling Kick to MC the enemy. Again, mix it up. See offense for more info. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Throw Setups/What Throws to use: Basically anytime you're around the enemy when they're blocking, it's time for a Throw. Until you are drunk, or if they begin to escape your Throws, always go for the P+G to drink. Afterwards, the d/f+P+G will set up a great Chouwan float. One of the ways to make them fall for a Throw is after they block PP, among other uncounterable attacks; this is already mentioned in the offensive strategies. You can also simply dash in on persistant blocking opponents and perhaps surprise them with a Throw. It is also possible to duck a High attack and Throw, though IMO you should be going for a Lunging Fist float for more damage. About the Throws: 1. P+G Dancing Elbows: good 50 pts. of damage and more importantly, gets Shun drunk. You should go for this whenever possible, UNLESS a) you feel you're drunk enough :), or b) the enemy is consistantly escaping it. 2. d/f+P+G Flip-over: useful because it sets up for a devastating combo, usually starting with the Chouwan. See combos for more info. 3. P+G Falling Elbow (Side): as usual, doesn't allow a Pounce; also doesn't do that much damage. If you can go for a float when you Evade, do it. 4. P+G Reverse Reaping Throw (Back): same as Lau's :(. Will not combo after d/f+P+G... THROWS OVERALL: --------------- IMO Shun really got fucked around for Throws in FMM, with only TWO frontal Throws. They are, thankfully, the best of his Throws from VF3, however it severly limits his options when mixing up Throws. From the front in VF3, he also had the Falling Elbow (which is now ONLY his Side Throw), and a Throw he could do when he was drunk too. They also changed his awesome Back Throw, which also gave him drunken points! So, basically, you only have two Throws to mix up with; try to go for P+G when you're not drunk, and if the enemy is wise to this, you must sacrifice the 3 DPs to get a Throw in with d/f+P+G. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Offense: Going offensive and mixing it up is Shun's best overall strategy. Press the attack with Double Punches, mainly; from these, you have many options. If the attacks connect, you can finish the combo in some way; if blocked, you can G-cancel and Throw, Evade (which is built in without a G-cancel for PP), or throw out a Low attack. If they duck, the 3rd Mid-level upper of the PP will rarely catch them, so again the best way to deal with this is to G-cancel, then throw out a Mid-level attack, like the Chouwan :). Again, mixing it up is the key--the enemy will eventually begin to counter your Double Punches, so mix in single punches to bait the enemy, and go offensive with delayed f+P combos (eg. f+P, delay P,P, delay, Kick) along with the Chouwan to really screw 'em up, because this of course cannot be ducked. Then, try for another offense; the Ankle Kick combos will work as well here, just so long as the enemy is blocking High. Likewise, the Double Punch-Ankle Kick combos can really confuse the enemy's guarding choices once you're drunk enough. And of course, don't be afraid to toss out the Chouwan Uppercut when you think it will connect... ANYTIME you see an opening you should be going for a Chouwan float! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Crouch Dashing: An important part of offensive/defensive component of Shun's technique is the Crouch Dash. This is a good way to avoid High attacks, and an easy follow-up is the m-Lunging Fist out of the Crouch Dash for a float combo. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Defense: Against offensive opponents, Shun has quite a few moves to deal with them. Against persistant High attacks or anticipated High attacks, P+K will dive under them, giving you good damage plus 3 Dunken Points. Another, less risky move to use is d/b+P,K. Against Low moves, you can use one of your various hopping attacks (eg. Mule Kick), or d+K+G if fast enough. And of course, if the Low attack has slower recovery, you can block and counter with the Lunging Fist for a float. The Lunging Fist by itself is fast enough to counter a lot of High attacks if you crouch, and of course the ever-present Chouwan will interrupt pretty much anything you anticipate for a float combo. If you block an attack, you have many options for counter-attack, the easiest being a simple PK. The Cartwheel Kick can also be buffered out of a block in this case for a guarenteed knockdown... Other Defensive Moves: if the enemy dashes in, perhaps for a Throw, b+P, or b+K+G or simply b+K can give them a good surprise (however b+K is only useful if it hits on MC). As well, don't forget the Sit, Lie Down or Hand Stand to avoid High attacks and set up various possibilities; you can also use the u+P+K Hand Stand to avoid Low attacks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Getting Shun Drunk: Getting the Dirty Old Man to drink his sake should be one of, if not your most important, goal in the fight. Once drunk, Shun's attacks gain more damage (about 1.5 times more around 8 drinks or so, IIRC), plus he can perform many powerful and devious attacks. The P+K is the most useful for getting him drunk, as it does good damage, knocks away and gives 3 Drunken Points. This is a dangerous move to use often though, except against persistant High offenses. The P+G Throw is unfortunately very easy to escape, so you must mix it up with the d/f+P+G against opponents who know how to escape Throws (see Throw setups). Once you Sit, you can press P+K+G to drink, gaining 3 Drunken Points. The recovery time on this is VERY bad, so only use it from extreme range (VERY far across the ring), possibly to taunt the enemy into running at you, where you can frequently counter him in time with ease. d+P+K+G is the final way to get Shun drunk, unfortunately only giving him 1 Drunken Point; however, it executes and recovers faster than any of his other Drinking moves. Not only should you use this often, but it can also be used as bait--from a short distance, take a drink; you'd be surprised that the recovery is actually pretty good and a lot of opponents will think "yes! Plenty of time to hit him now!", but you'll recover in time to counter them, best with the Chouwan. Now, probably the best place to use the Standing Drink and Sitting Drink, surprisingly, is during a float or knockdown. You must ask yourself, "Should I Pounce or juggle, or can I afford to drink?" Frequently, drinking can lead to a better all-around situation for Shun. I tend to use the Sitting Drink if I MC with Lunging Fist (D,f+P) or Lunging Uppercut (b,d/f+P), giving me enough time to rise up again safely. Same with the Chouwan, actually-- however, I will only do this early in the round, or when I'm winning quite a bit, because I can afford to spare a little bit of damage. Again, ask yourself when you think a good time to sacrifice a juggle is. The d+P+K+G Drink is a little easier to use in this case--don't do it after a float, because the Sitting Drink is definetely better here. However, you can use the Standing Drink after simply knocking the enemy down. Frequently, you can even perform a Spinning Elbow Drop (d/f+P) on the fallen opponent and STILL have time to perform the Standing Drink. Any place where you have time to use d/f+P, you probably have time to Drink. IMO if you can perform a Heel Drop, do it, as the damage is worth it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Once You Are Drunk: When you are drunk IMO you should press the offensive much more; this is because you gain two useful combos, d/f+P,P+K,K, and P,P,d+K,K. The Uppercut- Thrust Punch-Falling Kick can be delayed to hopefully MC the opponent, and if the Uppercut floats the rest of the combo will connect for good damage. Remember too that the Uppercut by itself is uncounterable if blocked... The Double Punch-Ankle Kick combos are useful so far as the opponent blocks the Punches--you can also PP,E,d+K,K to mix it up and surprise them even more. If the enemy starts to anticipate the Ankle Kick, throw a Double Punch, then hit Punch again in a moment for the delayed uppercut. You also gain the Chouwan-Backfist when you are drunk enough as well. This is dangerous to Shun if defended against, so it's only useful in float combos; if the Chouwan connects, the Backfist will always connect so only throw it out when you know the Chouwan will connect. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Side Kick (d/f+K on MC) 2. Chouwan Upper (QCT+P or d/f,f+P) 3. Uppercut (d/f+P on MC) 4. Lunging Upper (b,d/f+P) 5. Lunging Fist (D,f+P) 6. Ankle Kick-High Kick (d/b+K,K) 7. Mule Kick (u+K) 8. Backfist (b+P on MC) 9. Chouwan Backfist (QCT+P,b+P or d/f,f+P,b+P) Combos: ------- Note: {P} indicates that your u+P Pounce is a good bet after this combo. {D} indicates that it can also be an opportunity to Drink (d+P+K+G)! 1. d/f+P (MC), PPP {P}{D} 2. d/f+P (MC), f,f+K {P}{D} 3. d/f+P (MC), QCT+P {P}{D} 4. d/f+P (MC), QCT+P,b+P {D} 5. (WALL) b+P (MC), QCT+P, d+P+K,K,K 6. b+P (MC), QCT+P,b+P {D} 7. b+P (MC), f,f+K {P}{D} 8. QCT+P, PPd+K {D}{P} 9. QCT+P, d/f+P,P+K {P}{D} 10. QCT+P, PPP {P}{D} 11. QCT+P, QCT+P {P}{D} 12. QCT+P, f,f+K {P}{D} 13. QCT+P, QCT+P,b+P {P}{D} 14. QCT+P, b,d/f+P {P}{D} 15. QCT+P, P,G,P,G, d/f+P,P+K {P}{D} 16. (WALL) QCT+P, P,G, D+P,f+P {P}{D} 17. QCT+P,b+P, d/f+P {P}{D} 18. (WALL) QCT+P,b+P, d+P+K,K,K 19. QCT+P,b+P, QCT+P,b+P {P}{D} 20. QCT+P,b+P, d/f+P,P+K {P}{D} 21. b,d/f+P, b,d/f+P {D} 22. b,d/f+P, PPP {P}{D} 23. b,d/f+P, PPd+K {D}{P} 24. b,d/f+P, d/f+P,P+K {P}{D} 25. b,d/f+P, f+P,P,P,K 26. b,d/f+P (MC), QCT+P, b,d/f+P {P}{D} 27. b,d/f+P, QCT+P,b+P {P}{D} 28. b,d/f+P, f+P,K 29. b,d/f+P, d+K+G 30. b,d/f+P, f,f+K {P}{D} 31. b,d/f+P, P,G, d/f+P,P+K {P}{D} 32. D,f+P (MC), m-Lunging Fist {P}{D} 33. D,f+P (MC), f,f+K {P}{D} 34. D,f+P (MC), PPP {P}{D} 35. D,f+P (MC), d/f+P,P+K {P}{D} ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SETUP THROWS: ------------- AFTER d/f+P+G: After this move, the Chouwan is GUARENTEED :). So for this reason, I rarely use anything else; the Lunging Uppercut will often work too, but I prefer the Chouwan. Of course, there are other options after this Throw, but d/f,f+P is the only REALLY effective one. If you're looking to have some fun, try d+K+G, or the Ankle Kick-High Kick, or d/b+K+G--basically anything that comes out fast enough. ############################################################################# LION: ***** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- Personally I can't stand Lion, with the exception of his brutal Throw combos, but those who like fast, pecking characters will take a liking to him. He has a good offensive strategy utilizing mostly PP and Low attacks with the occasional Elbow. He is also great on defense, with many attacks to deal with High and Mid offenses. He also has a GREAT variety of Throws at his disposal... Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -High Kick: K [H-R-KD] -Side Kick: d/f+K [M-R-FMC] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Turn-Toward Double Punch: P (opponent behind) [HH-R] -Turn-Toward Low Swipe: d+P (opponent behind) [L-UR] -Turning Sweep: d+K (opponent behind) [L-R-KD] -Turn-Torward Kick: K (opponent behind) [H-UR-KD] -Turn-Torward Advancing Poke: P+K (opponent behind) [H-R] -Ground Peck: d/f+P (on downed opponent) [G] -Heel Slam: U+P (on downed opponent) [G] -Elbow Drop: u+P (on downed opponent) [G] -Punch-Kick: P,K [HH-R] -Double Punch: P,P [HH-R] -Double Punch-Swipe: P,P,P [HHM-R-KD] -Double Punch-Low Swipe: P,P,d+P [HHL-R-KD] -Dodging Peck: d/b+P [L-R] -Dodging Double Peck: d/b+P,P [LL-R] -Creeping Peck: D/F+P [L-R] -Double Creeping Peck: D/F+P,P [LL-R] -Lunging Low Poke: b,d/f+P [L-R] -Sweeping Hand: d+P+K [L-R] -Wind-Up Swipe: d/f+P+K [L-R-KD] -Eye Poke: f+P+K [H-UR] -Dodging Double Poke: b+P+K [H-UR-KD] -Uppercut: d/f+P [M-R] -Uppercut-Swipe: d/f+P,P [MM-R-KD] -Dashing Upper: D,f+P [M-R-FMC] -Elbow: f+P [M-R-StC] -Elbow-Lunging Poke: f+P,P [MM-R-KD] -Lunging Poke: f,f+P [M-R-KD] -Helix: b+P [M-R] -Helix-Reverse Helix: b+P,P [MM-R] -Helix-Reverse Helix-Hop Spin Kick: b+P,P,K [MMM-R-KD] -Upward Slice: u+P+K [M-R-KD] -Knee: f+K [M-R-F] -Lunging Knee: f,f+K [M-R-KD] -Lunging Knee-Jump Kick: f,f+K,K [MM-R-KD] -Hop Kick: u+K [M-R] -Double Hop Kick: u+K,K [MH-R-KD] -Lunging Spin Kick: f,f+K+G [M-R-KD] -Double Low Kick: d+K,K [LL-R-KD] -Low Kick-Crescent: d+K,K+G [LH-R-F] -Handstand Kick: d/b+K [LL-R-KD] -Sweep: d+K+G [L-R-KD] -Lunging Sweep: d/f+K+G [L-R-KD] -Double Kick: K,K [HH-R-KD] -Turn-away Punch: b,b+P [H-R] -Turn-away Kick: b,b+K [H-R-KD] -Turn-Away Hop Kick: b,b+K+G [H-R-KD] -Cartwheel: u/b [n/a] -Trip: P+G [HT] -Back Strike: P+G [ST] -Piggyback Slam: P+G [BT] -Crotch Slide: d/f+P+G [HT] -Kickflip Slam: D,f+P+G [HT] -Slap-Away: f,f+P+G [HT] -Frontal Piggyback: HCB+P+G [HT] -Reaping Throw: b+P+G [HT] -Sky Strike Kick: b,f+P+G [HT] -Wall Strike Kick: b,f+P+G (back to Wall) [WT] -Jumping Neck Breaker: u/f+P+G [HT] -Wall Neck Breaker: u/f+P+G [WT] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS/MOVES ANALYIS: ---------------------- BIG NOTE: even moreso than Pai, Jacky or even the FIGHTING VIPERS, I am no good with Lion, mainly because I hate him and refuse to ever play him. Still, this is a FAQ for the entire game, so I feel obligated to write his stuff down too. Just note that about 85% of the stuff here is from the web, IRC and usenet (tactics for VF3, no less), and the other 15% was the small amount I practiced with him. Additions are welcome, from whoever plays this annoying little bastard... -Double Punch-Swipe (PPP): Lion has the advantage, like Shun, of having the 3rd hit of his PPP always knock down. However unlike Shun this 3rd hit is High, like the rest of the combo. Still, it does admirable damage, allows a Low Pounce or d/f+P, and AFAIK if the first Punch connects, all three will. The problem is that the 3rd hit has slow recovery if blocked or ducked, so the PPP best used as a counter to blocked attacks, or in float combos. -Double Punch-Low Swipe (PPd+P): Lion can now perform a CANNED Low hit after his Double Punch. This is only really useful if the Double Punch is blocked, and always knocks down. See offense for more info. -Dodging Double Peck: useful for evading High attacks; they are all-around good for defense OR offense, as the recovery of both hits recover fairly well; just try not to get them blocked by those who have Low Throws :). See offense and defense for more info. -Double Creeping Peck: Basically the same as above, but with more range. See defense for more info. -Lunging Low Poke: has a delay first, but also lunges under High attacks for a knockdown (only on MC). See defense for more info. -Sweeping Hand: one of Lion's best offensive moves, it is fast in execution and recovery; if it hits, it recovers fast enough after to set up different follow-ups, including a Throw. It sometimes knocks down. Again, I'm not a Lion expert... :) -Wind-Up Swipe: similiar to d+P+K, except that this always knocks down; yet ANOTHER way to counter High attacks, but just remember that this has BAD recovery... -Dodging Double Poke: one of Lion's best defensive moves, it dodges backwards to avoid a LOT of attacks, then counters for a knockdown. Useful against just about any kind of rush, except when the enemy crouches, of course... -Uppercut-Swipe: the Upper by itself is a useful offensive move that can lead to many things if blocked or if it connects. If the Swipe Connects, you can connect with the d/f+P Ground Peck. -Dashing Upper: lotsa debate there was on this move on r.g.v.a.. It seems that it hits Mid, but only at very close range, otherwise it will miss crouchers. It will also float, but only on MC. Therefore, the main use I see for it is to counter High attacks, best out of a Crouch Dash. -Elbow, Elbow-Lunging Poke: the Elbow will stagger crouching opponents; the Lunging Poke is then (and I'm pretty sure only then) guarenteed, or you can go for something more interesting if you wish. See offense for much more info. -Lunging Poke: if there ever was a scrub move for Lion (what am I TALKING about!?!? Most of his moves are scrubby! :) then this has got to be up there. It does GREAT damage and always knocks down, but it has such a slow startup that the enemy will be able to counter with just about anything; and it's reversal city if fighting Pai, Akira, Kage or Janet... I suppose it could be used as a counter to missed attacks from a distance, that's about it... -Helix Combos: quite a useful move, the Helix has decent range, comes out and recovers fairly fast, and of course hits Mid-level. This is most useful against crouching opponents or in combos. (additions?) -Upward Slice: Lion's Dragon Punch, if you will (if I dare dirty the Shoryuken's name with Lion ;) It comes out fairly fast but recovers not too well and doesn't have all that great range. Useful against crouching opponents or in combos. -Knee: thankfully for Lion players, Lion can know float easily with his Knee. Best used after forcing the enemy into a crouch with your offensive attack. Just don't use it liberally, as the recovery is not GREAT. See offense and combos for more info. -Lunging Knee-Jump Kick: powerful combination that is useful mainly as a long range counter or in float combos. Recovery isn't too hot. -Lunging Spin Kick: will somewhat avoid High attacks if anticipated and done EARLY, this does good damage and knocks down. The recovery is horrible, so only use in sure-fire situations. -Double Low Kick: the height of scrub attacks for Lion, these will knock down if both connect, but if blocked or missed Lion is easy fodder for Low Throws or some Mid-level moves. The Single Low Kick is actually more effective as a pecking tool, and if it connects, then chain into the Double Low Kick. -Low Kick-Crescent: amazingly enough, the Crescent in this combination will float float the enemy like Lau/Pai's K+G! If the d+K is a MC, I'm pretty sure the K+G is guarenteed, making this your best counter to High attacks, allowing a damaging float. See combos and defense for more info. -Handstand Kick: everyone on r.g.v.a. who played Lion fell in love with this move, but since I'm not a Lion player I know not too much about its advantages. I know that it will duck under High attacks for knockdown, doing good damage. It is also useful in an offensive rush if the enemy blocks your PP High, but I prefer the d+P Canned Swipe in this case (mind you, I don't prefer Lion at all, so why listen to me!!?! :) (additions?) -Sweep: fast counter to rushing opponents, or attacking opponents in general; can be countered with a Low Throw or Mid-level attack if blocked or missed. -Lunging Sweep: a forward lunge version of the above move; same disadvantages, but this one has more range, so its yet ANOTHER useful counter to High attacks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Throw Setups/What Throws to use: Well, I don't know much about Throws with Lion (mind you, I don't know much about Lion period). After an Elbow stagger is one option, as is after a non- knockdown d+P+K. Also, after the enemy blocks your P or PP, or Elbow. See offense for more info. (additions?) About the Throws: 1. P+G Trip: weak, looks boring and easy to escape. However, it is fairly easy to connect with d/f+P after this, and it will beat out complex motion Throws. 2. P+G Back Strike (Side): um, use after you sidestep, I guess... 3. P+G Piggyback Slam (Back): not too powerful compared to other Back Throws, go for it when you can (will NOT combo after Crotch Slide)... 4. d/f+P+G Crotch Slide: a move befitting of Lion's annoying style, this is one of his primary Throws and allows a Plethora of follow-ups. See combos for more info. 5. D,f+P+G Kickflip Slam: One of the most useful Throws in the game, it does decent damage by itself, and you can actually JUGGLE after it! As the enemy lands and you recover, you can hit them IN THE ANKLES with certain attacks, best with the f+K Knee which allows FURTHER comboing! (Thanks Jason! :). All-around useful after ducking an attack from close, and I'm pretty sure it can be combined with a Low Punch or d+P+K (the d motion here doubles as the motion for the Throw). 6. f,f+P+G Slap-Away: good range and useful after blocking an attack. 7. HCB+P+G Frontal Piggyback: great damage, even though it has a difficult motion for some (unless you play Wolf), and as a result is also slow to come out (meaning that P+G Throws will ALWAYS come out first in a Throw attempt). 8. b+P+G Reaping Throw: Appears the same as P+G, however Lion yells differently and the damage is different. (additions?) 9. b,f+P+G Sky Strike Kick: good damage and fairly easy to perform. Good if you wanna reverse the ring and put some distance between you and your opponent. Also has GREAT animation when done with your back to the wall... :) 10. u/f+P+G Jumping Neckbreaker: difficult motion to pull off with consistancy, and also does not allow a Pounce--it is also one of his weaker Throws. If there's one thing good about it, it's that the enemy rarely suspects it and can escape with such an akward motion. THROWS OVERALL: --------------- Your best Throw is the Kickflip Slam, best used in a Crouch Dash. From standing the Frontal Piggyback is VERY damaging, or b,f+P+G. If you wanna mix it up, the Crotch Slide is also a good way to set up for some damage. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Offense: Again, I can't offer much strategy. The Lion offense should revolve around the PP and the PPd+P to confuse the enemy; if it is blocked High, the d+P will knock down, or you can G-cancel and Throw. If the PP is ducked, G-cancel and go for an Elbow stagger. If you connect with d+P+K and it doesn't knock down, try for a u+K,K or a m-Dashing Upper for a possible float. Other than that, mixing in the various Low Pecks (the ones with good recovery) can help to keep the opponent on his toes. See other Lion FAQs available at www.vfhome.com or www.gamefaqs.com for a lot more info. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Crouch Dashing: Crouch Dashing puts Lion into position, most importantly, for his D,f+P+G Throw (m-Kickflip Slam is done f,N,d,D/F,f+P+G), or a m-Dashing Upper (f,N,d,D/F,f+P). The m-Kickflip Slam is useful offensively all-around, and both are useful against anticipated High attacks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Defense: Although Lion is primarily an offensive, pecking annoyer, he has many good moves for defense. Other than the Crouch Dash moves (see above), his primary defensive tool against rushes should be b+P+K, because it will avoid ALL attacks except for the ones with REALLY long range (eg. Kage's Corkscrew Kick); the disadvantage to this attack is that it hits High, so once you become predictable, the opponent need only stop and crouch when they see it coming... That's when you mix in d/f+P+K to avoid High attacks (it may also deal with Low attacks well, I don't know), and the D/B+P,P attacks. Basically any of Lion's moves that duck low or have a built-in evade. Again, I'm no Lion expert, so look to other Lion FAQs for more help if you wanna play this bastard... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Side Kick (d/f+K on MC) 2. Dashing Upper (D,f+P on MC) 3. Knee (f+K) 4. Low Kick-Crescent (d+K,K+G) Combos: ------- 1. d/f+K (MC), d/f+K, Low Pounce 2. d/f+K (MC), P,P,P, Low Pounce 3. D,f+P (MC), PPP, Low Pounce 4. D,f+P (MC), P,G, d+K,K 5. D,f+P (MC), KK, Low Pounce 6. D,f+P (MC), m-Dashing Upper, Low Poumce 7. D,f+P (MC), f,f+K,K, Low Pounce 8. D,f+P (MC), b+P,P,K, Low Pounce 9. f+K, f,f+K,K, Low Pounce 10. f+K, f+P,P 11. f+K, PPP, Low Pounce 12. f+K, f+K, High Pounce 13. f+K, K,K, High Pounce 13. d+K,K+G, PPP, Low Pounce 14. d+K,K+G, d/f+K, Low Pounce 15. d+K,K+G, D+P,f+P, Low Pounce 16. d+K,K+G, f,f+K,K, Low Pounce NOTE: any additions with useful or cool combos for Lion, please feel free to send them to me. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SETUP THROWS: ------------- AFTER d/f+P+G: AFAIK, the best follow-ups are d/f+P,P and f+P,P. For more interesting ones, a Knee is probably guarenteed and you have many cool options here: 1. d/f+P+G, f+K, K,K, Low Pounce (thanks chaj!) 2. d/f+P+G, f+K, f,f+K+G, Low Pounce 3. d/f+P+G, d/b+K 4. d/f+P+G, b+P,P,K AFTER D,f+P+G: amazingly enough, you can hit the enemy in the ankles as they bounce from landing after this Throw. The best attack here is a f+K Knee Strike, which allows further punishment. 1. D,f+P+G, f+K, PPP 2. D,f+P+G, f+K, f+K, d/f+P 3. D,f+P+G, d/b+P,P ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- STAGGER COMBOS: --------------- After f+P: once you stagger them with Lion's Elbow, the follow-up P is guarenteed for good damage. You can also try a Crouch Dash+ Kickflip Slam as they recover from the stagger, or f,f+K,K... ############################################################################# DURAL: ****** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- A great mis-match of other characters, Dural can easily rely on offensive strategies from Akira, Kage or Jacky, the most useful of course being Akira's DE. She also has some great defensive moves from Lion and Shun. She can now drink like Shun too, allowing her to perform a Double Dragon Punch. If you can get used to her great mix of others moves, she can be quite powerful, relying on power floats OR power Throws like the Twirl `n' Hurl or her own, DAMAGING TFT floats. Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -High Kick: K [H-R-KD] -Side Kick: d/f+K [M-R-FMC] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Turn-Toward Double Punch: P (opponent behind) [HH-R] -Turn-Toward Low Double Punch: d+P (opponent behind) [LL-R] -Turning Sweep: D+K (opponent behind) [L-R-KD] -Turning Low Drop Kick: d+K (opponent behind) [L-UR-KD] -Turn-Torward Dance Kick: K (opponent behind) [H-R-KD] -Flipping Knee Drop: u+K (opponent behind) [M-UR-KD] -Ground Punch: d/f+P (on downed opponent) [G] -Soccer Kick: d/f+K (on downed opponent) [G] -Body Splash: u+P (on downed opponent) [G] -Flying Stomp: U+P (on downed opponent) [G] -Somersault Drop: u+K (on downed opponent) [G] -Punch-Kick: P,K [HH-R] -Double Punch: P,P [HH-R] -Double Punch-Spinning Elbow: P,P,P [HHH-R-KD] -Punch-Side Kick: P,d+K [HM-R] -Double Punch-Elbow: P,P,f+P [HHM-R] -Double Punch-Elbow-Kickflip: P,P,f+P,u/b+K [HHMM-R-KD] -Double Punch-Backfist-Spin Kick: P,P,b+P,K [HHHH-R-KD] -Knife Hand: d/f+P [M-R] -Lifting Palm: D/F+P [M-R-FMC] -Elbow: f+P [M-R-StC] -Elbow-Hammer: f+P,b+P [MM-UR-KD] -Elbow-Knee Strike: F+P,K [MM-R-F] -Elbow-Lunging Poke: f+P,P [MM-R-KD] -Elbow-Kickflip: f+P,u/b+K [MM-R-KD] -Elbow Stamp: b+P [M-R-KD] -Slant Backfist-Low Spin Kick: D/B+P,K [LL-R-KD] -Dashing Elbow: f,f+P [M-R-F] -Shoulder Ram: b,f+P [H-UR-KD] -Double Uppercut: d/f+P,P [MM-R] -Chouwan Uppercut: QCT+P or d/f,f+P [M-R-F] -Dragon Punch: f,d,d/f+P (need 1 DP) [M-R-KD] -Double Dragon Punch: f,d,d/f+P x 2 (need 2 DP) [MM-R-KD] -Axe Kick: K,K [HM-R-KD] -Knee Strike: f+K [M-R-F] -Single Jump Kick: f,f+K [M-R-F] -Double Jump Kick: f,f+K,K [MM-R-KD] -Jacknife: d+K [M-R-KD] -Jacknife-Side Kick: d+K,K [MM-R-KD] -Spinning Low Kick: f,d+K [L-R-KD] -Falling Double Kick: d/b,d/b+K [HH-R-KD-Gr] -Falling Kick: b+K [M-R-Gr] -Turn-away Spin Kick: b,b+K [H-R-KD] -Spinning Heel Kick: D,n+K [M-R-KD] -Rising Knee: D,f+K [M-R-KD] -Hopping Spin Kick-2 Hand Push: K+G,P [MH-UR-KD] -123 Kid Roundhouse: f+K+G [M-R-KD] -Stepping Back Thrust: b+K+G [H-R-F] -Side Hook Kick: d/b+K+G [M-R] -Lunging Sweep: d/f+K+G [L-R-KD] -Low Crescent: d+K+G [L-R-KD] -Kickflip: u/b+K+G [M-R-KD] -Hop Spin Kick: u+K [M-R-F] -Corkscrew Kick: f,f+K+G [M-UR-KD] -Thunder Dragon: f,f+P+K+G [H/L-UR-KD] -Hopping Triple Kick: f,f,f+K+G [M-R-KD] -Beat Knuckle: P+K [M-R-KD] -Hell Stab: d+P+K [H-R-KD] -Dodging Double Poke: b+P+K [H-UR-KD] -Stomach Crash: d/b,f+P+K [M-UR-KD] -Dashing Body Check: b,f,f+P+K [M-UR-KD] -Double Slashing Shuto: D,f+P+K,P+K [MM-R-KD] -Turn-Away Punch: b,b+P [H-R] -Turn-Away Low Sweep: b,b+K+G [L-R-KD] -Switch: f+P+K+G [HT?] -Dancing Elbows: P+G (adds 3 DP) [HT] -Backbreaker: P+K+G [BT] -Turn-Over: d/f+P+G [HT] -Ten-Foot Toss: b+P+G [HT] -Clothesline Drop: f,f+P+G [HT] -Twirl `n' Hurl: HCT+P+G [HT] -Machine-Gun Knee: d,f+P+K+G [LT] -Cartwheel: f+P+K+G [LT] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS/MOVES ANALYIS: ---------------------- Note: Since Dural has many of the moves of other Virtua Fighters, I will leave the tactics out for most of them (see their sections); I will however document her unique moves, or the moves that work differently than they do for other characters. -Double Punch-Spinning Elbow: pretty sure this is a unique move for Dural, I haven't seen it anywhere else. Either way, it's useless. The Elbow comes out extremely slow after the Double Punch, so slow that it will not connect (AFAIK) under ANY conditions, even on a float. If the Elbow misses, it leaves you at a slight angle to the opponent's side; I'm guessing, though I haven't tested, that the Spinning Elbow has a small built-in Evade... -Double Punch-Elbow-Kickflip: if the Elbow connects, so will the Kickflip. Useful if the enemy crouches your Double Punch, or combos. Remember though, that this has SIGNIFICANTLY more recovery time than Jacky's PPf+PK (obviously). -Knife Hand (DnKn): Unlike Lau's, this is IMO useless. This is simply because, for some reason, it cannot be chained into anything that I know of. -Elbow-Kickflip: AWESOME combo for big damage, the canned Kickflip is a simple, guarenteed and POWERFUL follow-up to an Elbow stagger. This is also useful in even the smallest of floats. -Double Dragon Punch: This is a BIG way to do damage with Dural, in a float (especially after a TFT!) or stagger, or if you anticipate any slow-starting attack. Often an enemy will not be expecting this (except from Bahn :), so just for the helluv it, always do the 2nd one, and in case they block it may catch them unaware after. -Falling Double Kick: identical to Shun's, except it has its old VF2 motion. See Shun's section for more info. -Hop Spin Kick: a version of Sarah's hopping kick, this will float, quite well on MC. Reserve it for anticipated Low attacks... -Hopping Triple Kick: definetely up there as one of the most useless moves in FMM. It comes out quite slowly, recovers quite slowly, and the motion takes an extremely long time to execute. It also doesn't do any damage worthwhile. (additions?) -Beat Knuckle: again, a remnant of VF2, as it cannot be followed by any canned as Jacky now can. Still not a bad attack with quick execution, but pretty slow recovery. Good counter to crouchers from mid-range. Go for a Low Pounce for sure, often a HIGH Pounce... -Hell Stab: borrowed from VF2 Jeffry, I'm pretty sure it doesn't float (but I haven't seen it MC...) -Stomach Crash: another VF2 Jeffry move, it doesn't float and you can't chain into the d+P+G. It does however, still come out quickly and can duck under High attacks easily. It always knocks down, allowing a Low Pounce. -Double Slashing Shuto: I'm pretty sure these are the same as VF2 Kage's; if both connect they will knock down allowing a Soccer Kick/Ground Punch. Useful out of a crouch dash or under High attacks in general. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Throw Setups/What Throws to use: Each Throw is borrowed from another character, and most of the setups for the Throws are generally the same. The only really unique thing about Dural's Throws are the interesting combos she can do after a TFT. THROWS OVERALL: --------------- Overall the Throws you should be relying on are the Twirl `n' Hurl and the TFT. If you like using the Double Dragon Punch, you need to drink with P+G. And of course, the XPD to counter High attacks with the Crouch Dash... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Offense: Basically a mix-up of other's offensive strategies :). The Double Punch again is your best offense; if they duck, chain into the canned Elbow-Kickflip for good damage, or G-cancel and throw a normal f+P Elbow and do a stagger combo of your own. If they block your Double Punch, Throw or Slant Backfist-Low Spin Kick. And above all else, she also has Akira's DE :). See other Offense sections for more info. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Crouch Dashing: She can perform the Lifting Palm, or Throw (best the XPD), or Rising Knee, or the Double Slashing Shuto... take your pick. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Defense: Nothing new here; see other character's defense. Well, in addition, remember that her version of the Stomach Crash is also useful under High attacks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Side Kick (d/f+K on MC) 2. Knee Strike (f+K) 3. DE (f,f+P) 4. Single Jump Kick (f,f+K) 5. Lifting Palm (D/F+P on MC) 6. Chouwan Uppercut (QCT or d/f,f+P) 7. Elbow-Knee Strike (F+P,K) 8. Stepping Back Thrust (b+K+G) 9. Hop Spin Kick (u+K) Combos: ------- Note: any combo beginning with the Knee Strike can also be done with the Elbow-Knee Strike. As well, the Chouwan combos will work easily with the Lifting Palm too. 1. d/f+K (MC), DBC, Low Pounce 2. d/f+K (MC), f,f+P, Low Pounce 3. d/f+K (MC), f,d+K 4. f+K, P,P, Low Pounce 5. f+K, f+K, Low Pounce 6. f+K, f,f+P, Low Pounce 7. f+K, f,f+K,K, Low Pounce 8. f+K, DBC, Low Pounce 9. f+K, P+K, High Pounce 10. f+K, P,P,f+P,u/b+K 11. f+K, f+P,u/b+K 12. f+K, u/b+K+G 13. f+K, P,G, f,f+P, Low Pounce 14. f+K, f,d,d/f+P,f,d,d/f+P 15. DE, DE, Low Pounce 16. DE, DBC, Low Pounce 17. DE, f+P,u/b+K 18. DE, SJK, Low Pounce 19. SJK, DE, Low Pounce 20. SJK, DBC 21. SJK, P,P,f+P,u/b+K 22. SJK, u/b+K+G 23. SJK, KK 24. QCT+P, P,P, Low Pounce 25. QCT+P, QCT+P, Low Pounce 26. QCT+P, f,d,d/f+P,f,d,d/f+P 27. QCT+P, KK, Low Pounce 28. QCT+P, DE, Low Pounce 29. QCT+P, f+P,b+P, Low Pounce 30. QCT+P, P,G, DBC, Low Pounce 31. b+K+G, P,P, Low Pounce 32. b+K+G, f,d,d/f+P,f,d,d/f+P 33. b+K+G, DBC, Low Pounce 34. b+K+G, P,G, f+P,b+P, Low Pounce 35. b+K+G, P,G, DE, Low Pounce 36. u+K, P,P, Low Pounce 37. u+K, f+P,b+P, Low Pounce 38. u+K, DE, Low Pounce ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SETUP THROWS: ------------- AFTER b+P+G: probably the best reason to play Dural, for the most part she has even more devastating TFT combos than Kage (also easier for that damage to be done). Easy follow-ups are the DJK and DBC, and you can also have a lot more fun. 1. TFT, DJK 2. TFT, DBC 3. TFT, u/b+K+G 4. TFT, P+K, High Pounce 5. TFT, Double DP 6. TFT, PPK 7. TFT, P,G, DE, Low Pounce 8. TFT, PPf+PK, Low Pounce 9. TFT, P,G, DE, Low Pounce 10. TFT, P,G, F+PK, Low Pounce 11. TFT, P,G, u/b+K+G 12. TFT, f+P,u/b+K 13. TFT, b,f+P, Low Pounce 14. TFT, P,G, d/f+P,P, Low Pounce 15. TFT, d+K,K, Low Pounce 16. TFT, m-Double Slashing Shuto, Low Pounce 17. TFT, P,G, Double DP (TFT into wall) 18. (WALL) TFT, b+K+G, PPK 19. (WALL) TFT, b+K+G, DP (will Double DP work?!?) 20. (WALL) TFT, b+K+G, u/b+K+G 21. (WALL) TFT, b+K+G, f+P,u/b+K 22. (WALL) TFT, b+K+G, DBC NOTE: anyone with cool combos for the TFT with Dural, please submit them! AFTER f+P+K+G (vs. Crouching enemies): try d+K,K, or a simple DE float. Basically any fast Mid or Low-level move. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- STAGGER COMBOS: --------------- After f+P: once you stagger them with Dural's Elbow, the follow-up P is guarenteed for good damage, as is b+P. However the best follow-up is the canned u/b+K Kickflip for huge damage, or the P+K Beat Knuckle+Low Pounce. You can also dash in for a Throw... ############################################################################# TOKIO: ****** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- If played with the basics, Tokio can be quite powerful. In order to do any real damage you must rely on floats with the Uppercut, going offensive with Elbow and Punch combos. On defense, he can counter High attacks fairly well. He has a small variety of Throws that are worth using. Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -Kick: K [H-R-KD] -Side Kick: d/f+K [M-R-FMC] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Flying Stomp: u+P [G] -Ground Kick: d+K [G] -Open Spin: P,K [HH-R-KD] -Open Chest: P,P [HM-R] -Open Arm: P,P,P [HMM-R] -Open Roll: P,P,K [HMH-R-KD] -Double Punch-Wall Press: P,P,P (at wall) [HHT] -Elbow: f+P [M-R-StC] -Elbow-Backhand: f+P,P [MM-R] -Open Arm Blow: f+P,P,P [MMM-R] -Lightning Arrow: f+P,P,d,f+P [MMM-R-KD] -Uppercut: d/f+P [M-R-F] -Toe Kick: D,n+K [M-R] -Snap Knee: f+K [M-R-F] -Rolling High Kick: F,K [H-R-KD] -High Kick: f,f+K [H-R-KD] -Heel Drop: u,d+K [M-?] -Double Mid-Kick: d/f+K,K [MM-R] -Triple Mid-Kick: d/f+K,K,f+K [MMM-R-KD] -Spin-off Kick: K+G [H-R-KD] -Spin-off Sunrise: K+G,K [HM-R-KD] -Spin Float: K+G,K,K [HMM-R-KD] -Spin Cossack: K+G,d+K [HL-R-KD] -Low Sweep: d+K+G [L-R-KD] -Sweep-High Kick: d+K+G,K [LH-R-KD] -Sweep-High-Side Kick: d+K+G,K,K [LHM-R-KD] -Sweepup: d+K+G,P [LH-R-KD] -Sweepup-Kick: d+K+G,P,K [LHH-R-KD] -Sweepup-Jabs: d+K+G,P,P [LHH-R-KD] -Sweepup-Jabs-Kick: d+K+G,P,P,K [LHHH-R-KD] -Sweepup-Jabs-Kickflip: d+K+G,P,P,b+K [LHHM-R-KD] -Sweepup Fury: d+K+G,P,P,P [LHHH-R-KD] -Sweepup Fury-Kick: d+K+G,P,P,P,K [LHHHH-R-KD] -Sweepup Fury-Kickflip: d+K+G,P,P,P,b+K [LHHHM-R-KD] -Sweepup Fury-Sweep: d+K+G,P,P,P,d+K [LHHHL-R-KD] -Double Low Sweep: D+K+G,K [LL-R-KD] -Triple Low Sweep: D+K+G,K,K [LLL-R-KD] -Middle Kick: d/f+K+G [M-R-StCG] -Middle Kick Combo: d/f+K+G,f+K [M-R-KD] -Catapult: f+K+G [H-R-KD] -Catapult-High Kick: f+K+G,K [HH-R-KD] -Catapult-Mid Kick: f+K+G,d/f+K [HM-R-KD] -Catapult-Low Kick: f+K+G,d+K [HL-R-KD] -Reactor Combo: K,P [HH-R-KD] -Reactor Kick: K,P,K [HHH-R-KD] -Reactor Jabs: K,P,P [HHH-R-KD] -Reactor Jabs-Kick: K,P,P,K [HHHH-R-KD] -Reactor Jabs-Kickflip: K,P,P,b+K [HHHM-R-KD] -Reactor Fury: K,P,P,P [HHHH-R-KD] -Reactor Fury-Kick: K,P,P,P,K [HHHHH-R-KD] -Reactor Fury-Kickflip: K,P,P,P,b+K [HHHHM-R-KD] -Reactor Fury-Sweep: K,P,P,P,d+K [HHHHL-R-KD] -Bellyflop: f,d+P+K+G [n/a] -Bellyflop-Kick: f,d+P+K+G,K [M-R] -Kickflip: u/b+K [M-R-KD] -Wall Throw: P+G [HT] -Wall Press: P+G [WT] -Wall Exchange: P+G (back to wall) [WT] -Arm Clutch: b+P+G [HT] -Reaping Throw: b,f+P+G [HT] -Neck Throw: f,b+P+G [HT] -Stomach Throw: f,b+P+K+G [HT] -Double Knee: b,f+K [WT] -Back Drop: P+G [BT] -Neck Slashing: P+G [ST] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- MOVES ANALYSIS: --------------- -Open Chest (PP): overall your best offensive attack because the second attack hits Mid and when it does, the 3rd Punch is guarenteed. -Open Roll (PPK): if the 2nd hit connects on a crouching enemy, the Kick is a guarenteed knockdown... -Elbow Combos: also quite useful offensively, the Elbow will stagger crouching opponents and the follow-up combos are guarenteed. Only go into the full three hits (either combo) if you're sure it'll connect--the recovery is not that good. -Double Punch-Wall Press (PPP~Wall): just to note, at least a Ground Kick (d+K) is virtually guarenteed here. This combo usually occurs when you are going for the PPP close to a wall. The Double Knee is a lot cooler if you can get it instead... -Uppercut: recovery's not all that good, but it is a VERY easy, simple floating attack that sets up for Tokio's damaging juggles. It will BRIEFLY duck under High attacks, but don't rely on it for this alone. Good as a simple counter to missed attacks, its range is pretty good. Also a good move to whip out if they duck your High Punch. -Snap Knee: another floating attack, but altogether not as useful as the Uppercut, as its recovery is slower and doesn't seem to float as high either. -Double/Triple Mid Kicks: useful on crouching opponents in any case, the single d/f+K is difficult to counter if blocked, and the full three hits always knock down if they connect. -Spin-off Kick combos: altogether just for flash, if the enemy anticipates the initial K+G and ducks you can be countered quickly. If they're a little sLow you can hit the ducking enemies with the follow-up kicks for a knockdown and if they block the K+G High, you can try for d+K to sweep them. -Sweep combos: decent moves, good after evasion. Not sure which hits are guarenteed when, so I can't really elaborate on it (additions?) -Middle Kick Combo: a powerful tool, it is best used after FORCING the enemy to block Low, because it will stagger crouching DEFENDERS and allow the 2nd knockdown kick to connect. -Catapult Combos: again, the initial Kick if ducked will leave you open to a FAST counter, but if it is blocked you can chain into a Low Kick, and if it is ducked, there's a chance you can hit them with the Mid Kick. -Reactor Combos: the full-bLown reactor combos are Tokio's deadliest attacks, but since the majority of the hits are High, they are very impractical when the enemy can do anything about them. However, they are the best way to do damage in a float combo... -Bellyflop: a little-known move that has it uses; it has slow recovery and can therefore be countered easily, however it is quite useful if you anticipate a High attack (maybe even some Mid attacks?), as it will duck under and you can then hit Kick for a quick counter. -Kickflip: your basic Kickflip, big damage but bad recovery. Good in some floats for variety, or after a stagger... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the Throws: 1. P+G Wall Throw: a Throw that is NOT done close to the wall, it in fact throws the enemy against a far wall. Personally, I think it is only useful when you're sure you're close enough for them to smack into the wall and fall over, otherwise it becomes a simple guessing game of attacks when you run after to press the attack. I tend to stick with other Throws. Of course, this Throw is totally useless and does no damage on stages with no walls. 2. P+G Wall Press: good damage and allows a Ground Kick. 3. P+G Wall Exchange (back to wall): reverses the ring and slams the enemy into the wall for at least a Ground Kick. 4. b+P+G Arm Clutch: decent damage and allows a Ground Kick. Mix it in. 5. b,f+P+G Reaping Throw: same as above, basically. 6. f,b+P+G Neck Throw: similiar to the Arm Clutch as it leaves them close for a Ground Kick. 7. f,b+P+K+G Stomach Throw: good damage and throws the enemy a good distance while reversing the ring. Probably his best Throw, you can even Pounce if the enemy isn't too fast. 8. b,f+K Double Knee (Wall): a brutal looking Throw that sometimes allows a Ground Kick. IMO more worthwhile than P+G (WALL). 9. P+G Back Drop (Back): the Back Throw that's generic for most of the Vipers. Does decent damage. 10. P+G Neck Slashing (Side): stolen from Jacky, looks brutal and sometimes allows a Ground Kick. THROWS OVERALL: --------------- IMO his best Throw is the Arm Clutch, allowing a Ground Kick. To put distance between you and your opponent, the Stomach Throw is ideal. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS: -------- -> SUBMIT YOUR TACTICS HERE!! <- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Side Kick (d/f+K on MC) 2. Uppercut (d/f+P) 3. Snap Knee (f+K) Combos: ------- 1. f+K, f+P,P,P, Pounce 2. f+K, f+K, Pounce 3. f+K, d/f+K,K 4. d/f+P, PPP, Pounce 5. d/f+P, PPK, Pounce 6. d/f+P, d/f+P, Pounce 7. d/f+P, KPPK, Pounce 8. d/f+P, KPPPK, Pounce Any _INTERESTING_ combos would be appreciated! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- STAGGER COMBOS: --------------- After f+P: the canned PP follow-up is best, or you can hit G quickly, then go for a throw, or any big, quick combo you feel lucky. After d/f+K+G: the canned f+K is best, you can also follow-up with f+P,P,P, among other things... ############################################################################# GRACE: ****** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- Fighting with Rollerblades--yeah right. She's fast, that's for sure, and has some good floating ability. Sticking to the basics with her Punch rushes and Side Kick combos, she can be quite effective. She can also counter rushes fairly well with a series of sweeps, provided the enemy doesn't anticipate. She has decent Throw options, but could use more IMO... Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -Kick: K [H-R] -Side Kick: d/f+K [M-R] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Flying Stomp: u+P [G] -Ground Kick: d+K [G] -Vertical Kick: d/f,d/f+K [M-R-F] -Overhead Axe Kick: u+G,d+K [M-R-StCG] -Hand Chop: P+K [M-R-StC] -Backhand Slap: f,f+P [M-R-KD] -Double Punch: P,P [HH-R] -Double Punch-Wall Press: P,P,P (at wall) [HHT] -Triple Punch: P,P,P [HHH-R] -Quad Punch: P,P,P,P [HHHH-R] -Machine-Gun Punch: P,P,P,P,P [HHHHH-R] -Beat Leg: P,K [HH-R] -Beat Turn Leg: P,K,K [HHH-R-KD] -Combo Guard Kick: P,P,K [HHH-R-KD] -Jab-Low Spin: P,d+K [HL-R-KD] -Low Jab-Low Spin: D+P,K [LL-R-KD] -Kick-Straight: K,P [HH-R] -Kick-Straight-High Kick: K,P,K [HHH-R] -Kick-Straight Combo: K,P,K,K [HHHH-R] -Kick-Straight-Low Spin Kick: K,P,d+K [HHL-R-KD] -Double High Kick: K,K [HH-R] -Triple High Kick: K,K,K [HHH-R-KD] -Camel Kick: d/f+K [M-R] -Camel Spin: d/f+K,K [MM-R] -Camel Spin Cutter: d/f+K,K,K [MMM-R-St] -Cross Kick: K+G [H-R-KD] -Cross Step: K+G,K [HH-R-KD] -Cross Step Vertical: K+G,K,K [HHM-R-F] -Cross Blade: K+G,d/f+K [HM-R-KD] -Cross Blade Vertical: K+G,d/f+K,K [HMM-R-KD] -Low Spin Kick: d+K+G [L-R-KD] -Double Low Spin Kick: d+K+G,K [LL-R-KD] -Triple Low Spin Kick: d+K+G,K,K [LLL-R-KD] -Quad Low Spin Kick: d+K+G,K,K,K [LLLL-R-KD] -Combo Low Spin Kick: d+K+G,K,K,K,K [LLLLL-R-KD] -Long Axe: f+K+G [M-R] -Long Axe-Turn Kick: f+K+G,K [MH-R-F] -Kickflip: u/b+K [M-R-KD] -Wall Throw: P+G [HT] -Wall Scratch: P+G [WT] -Wall Exchange: P+G (back to wall) [WT] -Overhead Toss: d,b+P+G [HT] -Shoulder Breaker: f,b+P+K+G [HT] -Frankenseiner: d+P+K+G [HT/jump] -Back Drop: P+G [BT] -Scissor Grab: P+G [ST] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- MOVES ANALYSIS: --------------- -Vertical Kick: can be combined with a Crouch Dash to slightly extend range, and always floats well. The recovery isn't too hot, so only use it in sure- fire situations. -Overhead Axe Kick: if you can ever master the damn motion, this is an excellent attack if the enemy ducks and guards near you, staggering easily and allowing a great follow-up. Overall the Camel Spin Cutter is more useful in this case however. -Hand Chop: this will staggers crouchers, but for some reason its recovery is not too good, so a lot of combos will not connect after this! -Backhand Slap: powerful and humiliating, it can sometimes be followed with a Ground Kick. Very bad recovery if blocked, so only use it when the enemy leaves a big opening. -Punch Combos: Grace can chain up to FIVE Punches, giving her plenty of time to G-cancel and follow-up for her offensive rush. -Combo Guard Kick: comes out very quickly after blocking an attack (simialar to most PKs) and allows a Pounce--very useful in this regard. -Jab-Low Spin: unfortunately, the Low Spin Kick can only be chained out of a single Punch, but this is still a good offensive tool for those who block a Punch and expect more of them :). -Camel Spin Cutter: possibly her best attack, the first hit is essentially a Side Kick, meaning fairly fast execution and recovery and hitting Mid. VERY useful on crouching opponents, and the best part is that the 3rd hit staggers automatically if they're standing or crouching! See combos for more info. -Cross Step/Blade combos: another useful combination that does big damage AND can chain into a float for further punishment. The first, however, hits High, so use only when the opportunity is open. If the first hit is ducked, try for the helluv it to chain into d/f+K and catch them before they can counter. -Combo Low Spin Kick: Grace can also chain up to five Sweeps, even though the damage is not TOO high. Still, it's an excellent counter to High attacks, but be sure they connect, because if blocked they can be countered with Low Throws or Mid-level attacks. -Long Axe-Turn Kick: very useful for hitting opponent at a distance, as it has good range AND will float. However, if the enemy is crouching at this distance, IMO the Camel Spin Cutter has more damage potential. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the Throws: 1. P+G Wall Throw: a Throw that is NOT done close to the wall, it in fact throws the enemy against a far wall. Personally, I think it is only useful when you're sure you're close enough for them to smack into the wall and fall over, otherwise it becomes a simple guessing game of attacks when you run after to press the attack. I tend to stick with other Throws. Of course, this Throw is totally useless and does no damage on stages with no walls. 2. P+G Wall Scratch (Wall): hey, if you're close to the wall, go for it. IIRC it allows a Ground Kick. 3. P+G Wall Exchange (back to wall): reverses the ring and slams the enemy into the wall for at least a Ground Kick. 4. d,b+P+G Overhead Toss: good damage and SOMETIMES you can get in a Pounce if the enemy is really slow. Always reverses the ring and you can somewhat delay after the downward tap to avoid High attacks. Good after a Crouch Dash. 5. f,b+P+K+G Shoulder Break: painful looking Throw that does good damage. Mix it in. 6. d+P+K+G Frankensteiner (mid-air over enemy's head): totally pointless idea, anyone who jumps like that in this game is retarded. 7. P+G Back Drop (Back): the Back Throw that's generic for most of the Vipers. Does decent damage. 8. P+G Scissor Grab (Side): stolen from Kage, looks cool, never allows a Pounce AFAIK. THROWS OVERALL: --------------- The Shoulder Throw seems to be your most powerful option, or the Overhead Toss when you've crouched a High attack. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS: -------- -> SUBMIT YOUR TACTICS HERE!! <- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Vertical Kick (d/f,d/f+K) 2. Long Axe-Turn Kick (f+K+G,K) 3. Cross Step Vertical (K+G,K,K) Combos: ------- 1. d/f,d/f+K, PPPPP 2. d/f,d/f+K, PPK, Pounce 3. d/f,d/f+K, d/f+K,K,K 4. f+K+G,K, d/f+K,K,K 5. f+K+G,K, KKK, Pounce 6. f+K+G,K, PPK, Pounce 7. K+G,K,K, PPK, Pounce 8. K+G,K,K, PPPPP, Pounce 9. K+G,K,K, KPK, Pounce ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- STAGGER COMBOS: --------------- After u+G,d+K: Throw as they recover, or f+K+G,K+juggle. After d/f+K,K,K: IMO the best follow-up is ANOTHER Camel Spin Cutter :). You can also try for the f+K+G,K... ############################################################################# BAHN: ***** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- Probably the most poweruful Viper, and the closest to a Virtua Fighter. Bahn plays a bit like Akira, using the Single Punch to open the offense, where he can connect with powerful Elbow moves. He also has a decent defense with the Dodge Elbow, and can take away damage in the blink of an eye with the DBC. He doesn't have many Throws, but the ones he has get the job done. If played carefully, he's very powerful. Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -Kick: K [H-R-KD] -Straight Kick: d/f+K [M-R-KD] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Flying Stomp: u+P [G] -Ground Kick: d+K [G] -Ground Punch: d+P [G] -Double Ground Punch: d+P,P [G] -Uppercut: d/f+P [M-R-F] -Iron Elbow: f+P [M-R-KD] -High Side Kick: f,f+K [H-R-KD] -Super Straight: F+P [H-R-KD] -Dodge Elbow: b,f+P [M-R-KD] -Dashing Body Check: b,f,f+P+K [M-UR-KD] -Headbutt: P+K+G [H-UR-KD] -Hand Sweep: d/b,D/F+P [L-R-KD] -Dashing Elbow: f,f+P [M-R] -Combo Dashing Elbow: f,f+P,P [MM-R-KD] -Combo Elbow Bodycheck: f,f+P,b,f+P+K [MM-UR-KD] -Dragon Punch: f,d,d/f+P [M-R-KD] -Double Dragon Punch: f,d,d/f+P,f,d,d,d/f+P [MM-R-KD] -Wall Throw: P+G [HT] -Wall Press: P+G [WT] -Wall Exchange: P+G (back to wall) [WT] -Reaping Throw: b+P+G [HT] -Crushing Headbutt: b,f+P+K+G [HT] -Pull-in Headbutt: d/b,f+P+G [HT] -Atomic Drop: P+G [BT] -Elbow Rush: P+G [ST] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- MOVES ANALYSIS: --------------- -Straight Kick: a useful attack with good range and speed, and always knocks down for a Ground attack. Its recovery is not too good, so only use it when you're sure (eg. against crouchers from mid-range). -Uppercut: a VERY useful technique, it has decent range and ALWAYS floats for a juggle. The recovery is not too hot, so it's best used as a counter to missed or blocked attacks, or when you KNOW the enemy will be ducking when it hits. -Iron Elbow: when it knocks down it can be followed with a Ground Kick. This is an all-around useful attack up close, with great execution and decent recovery, always knocking down. -Super Straight: quite damaging, but its recovery is horrible. Use only in sure-fire situation--great range, so it's useful as a counter to missed attacks. -Dodging Elbow: Bahn's best defensive move, it will avoid any attack as long as it doesn't have huge range (eg. Kage's f,f+P+K+G). Its recovery isn't too hot, so use only in this case. -Dashing Body Check (DBC): same as Akira's. It has the same damage potential and slow recovery, and if it hits a crouching defender, it will force them to a standing position, open for a Throw! Often this is one of your best attacks if the enemy ducks your Punch. -Headbutt: smashes the enemy to the ground and allows a Ground Kick. Great execution, I suppose it's useful on crouching opponents up close... -Dashing Elbow combos: excellent attack, the Dashing Elbow is not quite as effective as Akira's, but has more damage potential (not counting a DLC float, of course), because it can be chained easily into a full DBC. Useful when the enemy crouches or as a long-range counter to missed or slow-starting attacks. -Double Dragon Punch: much more damage than Kage's DP, Bahn's is a little bit slower, but the Double DP will always connect; a useful juggle. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the Throws: 1. P+G Wall Throw: a Throw that is NOT done close to the wall, it in fact throws the enemy against a far wall. Personally, I think it is only useful when you're sure you're close enough for them to smack into the wall and fall over, otherwise it becomes a simple guessing game of attacks when you run after to press the attack. I tend to stick with other Throws. Of course, this Throw is totally useless and does no damage on stages with no walls. 2. P+G Wall Press (Wall): hey, if you're close to the wall, go for it. IIRC it allows a Ground Kick. 3. P+G Wall Exchange (back to wall): reverses the ring and slams the enemy into the wall for at least a Ground Kick. 4. b+P+G Reaping Throw: hey, looks damn boring, but gets the job done. Decent damage and allows at least a Double Ground Punch for good damage. 5. b,f+P+K+G Crushing Headbutt: does great damage by itself, but stuns the enemy rather than knocks down. No follow-up AFAIK is guarenteed, so it becomes a guessing game after it. See combos for more info. 6. d/b,f+P+G Pull-in Headbutt: still pretty hard to get off, and often allows a Pounce. Still, I tend to use this rarely. 7. P+G Atomic Drop (Back): the infamous Vipers Back Throw that does good damage and allows a Double Ground Punch. In addition, it can be comboed after the P+G Wall Throw (see combos). 8. P+G Elbow Rush (Side): stolen from Akira, go for it if you Evade and are left close enough. THROWS OVERALL: --------------- The Reaping Throw is instant damage and allows a Ground attack. Once the enemy gets wise to this, mix in the Crushing Headbutt to screw with them. And also, don't forget the very powerful P+G, Back Throw (see combos) :) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS: -------- -> SUBMIT YOUR TACTICS HERE!! <- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Uppercut (d/f+P) Combos: ------- 1. d/f+P, d/f+P, Pounce 2. d/f+P, DBC, Pounce 3. d/f+P, f,f+P,b,f+P+K, Pounce 4. d/f+P, F+P, Pounce 5. d/f+P, Double DP (OUCH!) 6. d/f+P, P+K+G, Pounce 7. d/f+P, P, f,f+P,P, Pounce ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SETUP THROWS: ------------- After P+G: it is possible to buffer a dash after Bahn pushes the enemy in the opposite direction with P+G, and briefly delay P+G for the Backbreaker! See an FV FAQ for more info on the timing. After b,f+P+K+G: again, it becomes a guessing game at this point; if you notice the enemy likes to block after this, just dash up and Throw again! If he struggles like crazy, a f,f+P combo works well, or the Double DP. If they crouch, go for the DBC. If they Evade, just hit Guard, because Bahn has no tracking ability (AFAIK.) ############################################################################# RAXEL: ****** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- Raxel has a great mix of mid-range and close attacks; he can go offensive fairly easily, but is best used as a reactionary fighter, playing on the enemy's mistakes. He also has many moves that counter High attacks. His Throws compliment his repitiore well, and can be quite damaging. Good character if played right. Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -Kick: K [H-R-KD] -Side Kick: d/f+K [M-R] -Low Kick: d+K [L-R] -Flying Stomp: u+P [G] -Ground Kick: d+K [G] -Guitar Stab: d+P [G] -Rising Spin Kick: D,n+K [M-R] -Backoff Kick: f+K [M-R] -Vertical Kick: K+G [M-R-F] -Slide Kick: d+K+G [L-R-KD] -Guitar Thrust: f,f+P [M-UR-KD] -Jab Spin: P,P [HH-R] -Double Punch-Wall Press: P,P,P (at wall) [HHT] -Jab Spin Punch: P,P,P [HHH-R] -Jab-High Kick: P,K [HH-R] -Combo Guard Kick: P,P,K [HHH-R-KD] -Double Kick: K,K [HM-R] -Triple Kick: K,K,K [HMM-R-KD] -Uppercut: d/f+P [M-R-F] -Double Uppercut: d/f+P,P [MM-R-KD] -Elbow: f+P [M-R-StC] -Elbow-Knuckle: f+P,P [MM-R] -Elbow-Knuckle-Straight: f+P,P,P [MMH-R-KD] -Elbow-Spin Kick: f+P,K [MM-R-KD] -Elbow-Spin Kick-Knuckle: f+P,K,P [MMH-R-KD] -Deathkick Combo: f+P,K,P,f+K+G [MMHH-R-KD] -Low Deathkick Combo: f+P,K,P,d+K+G [MMHL-R-KD] -Spinning Uppercut: f,d,d/f+P [M-R-F] -Spinning Uppercut-Guitar Thrust: f,d,d/f+P,f,f+P [MM-UR-KD] -Side Kick-Jab: d/f+K,P [MH-R] -Death Spin Combo: d/f+K,P,f+K+G [MHH-R-KD] -Low Death Spin Combo: d/f+K,P,d+K+G [MHL-R-KD] -Side Kick-Low Spin Kick: d/f+K,d+K+G [ML-R-KD] -Guitar Swing: d/f,d/f+P [H-UR-F] -Guitar Swing-Overhead Swing: d/f,d/f+P,P [HM-UR-KD] -Fast Crescent: f+K+G [H-R-KD] -Smashing Crescent: f+K+G,QCT+K [HH-R-KD] -Death Crescent Combo: f+K+G,QCT+K,QCT+K [HHH-R-KD] -Kickflip: u/b+K [M-R-KD] -Wall Throw: P+G [HT] -Wall Press: P+G [WT] -Wall Exchange: P+G (back to wall) [WT] -Neck Breaker: b,f+P+G [HT] -Overhead Cannon: f,f+P+G [HT] -Crashdown: u+G,d+P+G [HT] -Back Drop: P+G [BT] -Arm Whip: P+G [ST] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- MOVES ANALYSIS: --------------- -Rising Spin Kick: good speed coming out, it is ideal to countering High attacks after crouching, or after blocking a slow-recovering Low move. -Vertical Kick: minimal range, but it will float the enemy easily. It may briefly duck under High attacks as well, but if blocked you can be quickly countered. See combos for more info. -Slide Kick: bad recovery if blocked, but trips the enemy right off their feet for decent damage and it comes out FAST. Good if you anticipate any High attacks or even any other slow attack. -Guitar Thrust: great range and damage, but HORRIBLE recovery, and the execution isn't too hot either. Use rarely, except in a monster float, or to counter slow moves from a distance. -Jab Spin Punch (PPP): all hits connect High, so it can be dangerous to use altogether. However, you can use the PP and PPP in your offensive strategy. -Combo Guard Kick (PPK): as the name applies, this is an excellent counterattack to blocked standing attacks. Good damage and often allows a Pounce. -Uppercut: fairly good speed and can be chained into a second Upper followed by a Pounce. If it is blocked, TRY for a Throw. -Elbow combos: the Elbow will stagger, and at least the f+P,P,P will connect for sure. Not sure about the "Death" combos though. Mix the Elbow into your offensive strategy to deal with opponents who crouch under your Punches. -Side Kick combos: good follow-up to a stagger or float combo, the single Side Kick is difficult to counter, so it is best used at mid-range to deal with crouching enemies. Also useful combos after Evading from an attacking opponent. -Guitar Swing: could be thought of as Raxel's "Yoho", as it is pretty slow in execution and especially recovery. It will float, and either the follow-up Overhead attack or other juggle will connect. Can duck under High attacks with good timing and can be combined with a Crouch Dash. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the Throws: 1. P+G Wall Throw: a Throw that is NOT done close to the wall, it in fact throws the enemy against a far wall. Personally, I think it is only useful when you're sure you're close enough for them to smack into the wall and fall over, otherwise it becomes a simple guessing game of attacks when you run after to press the attack. I tend to stick with other Throws. Of course, this Throw is totally useless and does no damage on stages with no walls. 2. P+G Wall Press (Wall): hey, if you're close to the wall, go for it. IIRC it allows a Ground Kick. 3. P+G Wall Exchange (back to wall): reverses the ring and slams the enemy into the wall for at least a Ground Kick. 4. b,f+P+G Neck Breaker: really cool looking Throw doing good damage. 5. f,f+P+G Overhead Cannon: also good damage, it will bring the enemy towards the wall (if there is one), and it is also easily done with a dash. And it can also be used after blocking an attack that leaves the enemy close to you in recovery. 6. u,d+P+G Crashdown: IMO not worth the motions, if you screw up you jump, and that can be a bad thing. 7. P+G Back Drop (Back): the Back Throw that's generic for most of the Vipers. Does decent damage. THROWS OVERALL: --------------- The Neck Breaker seems like the best option in most cases, or the Overhead Cannon if you're looking to put them near the wall for further punishment. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS: -------- -> SUBMIT YOUR TACTICS HERE!! <- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Uppercut (d/f+P) 2. Guitar Swing (d/f,d/f+P) 3. Vertical Kick (K+G) Combos: ------- 1. d/f+P, PPP, Ground Kick 2. d/f+P, d/f+K,d+K+G 3. d/f+P, u/b+K 4. d/f,d/f+P,P, Pounce 5. d/f,d/f+P,G, PPP, Ground Kick 6. d/f,d/f+P, d/f+P,P 7. K+G, d/f,d/f+P,P, Pounce 8. K+G, d/f+P,P 9. K+G, PPP, Ground Kick 10. K+G, P,G, D+K+G 11. K+G, f,f+P ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- STAGGER COMBOS: --------------- After f+P: after staggering with the Elbow, I'm pretty sure the follow-up P,P is guarenteed. You can also use the Slide Kick or a Side Kick combo. Or, dash in for a timed Throw... ############################################################################# SANMAN: ******* CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- One of the better FV characters, he gains what Wolf and Jeffry lose, which IMO really sucks. He has a full Multi-Throws AS WELL AS GROUND THROWS! If used carefully with single Punches to open the enemy up to Throws, he is quite powerful. Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -Kick: K [H-R-KD] -Straight Kick: d/f+K [M-R-KD] -Low Kick: d+K [L-R] -Butt Drop: u+P [G] -Ground Stomp: d+K [G] -Shin Knockdown: d+K+G [L-R-KD] -Launch Fling: d/f+P+G [M-UR-F] -Elbow Smash: f,f+P [H-R-KD] -Jab-Swing: P,P [HH-R] -Double Punch-Wall Press: P,P,P (at wall) [HHT] -Jab-Swing-Hammer: P,P,P [HHH-R-KD] -Jab-High Kick: P,K [HH-R] -Combo Guard Bomber: P,P,K [HHH-UR-KD] -Jab-Upper: P,d/f+P [HM-R] -Jab-Upper-Kick: P,d/f+P,K [HMM-R-KD] -Uppercut: d/f+P [M-R] -Double Uppercut: d/f+P,P [MM-R] -Double Uppercut-Bomber: d/f+P,P,K [MMM-UR-KD] -Windmill Chop: b,f+P [M-R] -Double Windmill: b,f+P,P [MM-R] -Triple Windmill: b,f+P,P,P [MMM-R] -Ignition Punch: f+P [M-R] -Double Steamroller: f+P,P [MM-R] -Triple Steamroller: f+P,P,P [MMM-R] -Quad Steamroller: f+P,P,P,P [MMMM-R] -Steamroller Combo: f+P,P,P,P,P [MMMMM-R] -Bomber: P+K+G [M-UR-KD] -Double Bomber: P+K+G,P+K+G [MM-UR-KD] -Overhead Hammer: d+P+K+G [M-R] -Double Hammer Down: d+P+K+G,d+P [MM-R-KD] -Hammer-Reverse: d+P+K+G,d+P+G [MM-R] -Bowling Throw: P+G [HT] -Wall Press: P+G [WT] -Wall Exchange: P+G (back to wall) [WT] -Giant Swing: HCT+P+G [HT] -Neck Hang: HCB+P+G [HT] -Neck Hang-Triple Slam: HCB+P+G,f,b+P+G [HT] -Neck Hang-Typhoon: HCB+P+G,f,b+P+G,b,d,f,u,b+P+G [HT] -Neck Hang Combination: HCB+P+G,b,f+P+G,b,f+P+G,f,d,b,u,f+P+G [HT] -Bear Hug: f,b+P+G [HT] -Double Bear Hug: f,b+P+G,b,b+P+G [HT] -Bear Hug Combination: f,b+P+G,b,f+P+G,HCT+P+G [HT] -Canadian Backbreaker: f,b+P+K+G [HT] -Double Power Bomb: f,b,f+P+G [WT] -Piledriver: d/f,d/f+P [LT] -Iron Claw: d+P+G [L/WT] -Back Drop: P+G [BT] -Slow Giant Swing: HCT+P (at feet) [G] -Neck Hang-Double Slam: d,b,f+P (at head) [G] -Coconut Crush: P+G [ST] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- MOVES ANALYSIS: --------------- -Shin Knockdown: fairly quick to come out, its greatest feature is that it is the perfect set up for Sanman's d,b,f+P Ground Throw. A great way to hit an enemy when they block High persistantly. -Launch Fling: decent range and speed, the recovery's not too hot. The fat boy's only floating attack. -Jab-Swing-Hammer (PPP): slow recovery and always knocks down. The first Jab can be used offensively, but otherwise this is pretty useless except in juggles. -Combo Guard Bomber (PPK): like most PPKs for the Vipers, this is a great counterattack to blocked moves. Knocks down for a possible Pounce. -Jab-Upper-Kick: a powerful combination, the Jab-Upper is a great offensive attack, because if you condition the enemy into ducking you Jab, the Uppercut will connect (and I'm pretty sure the Kick always will to). Only use the first two hits unless the Uppercut connects. -Double Uppercut combos: basically useful on crouching opponents, Sanman cannot float with his Uppercut. Comes out fairly fast, and the single Uppercut has decent recovery IIRC. -Triple Windmill: kinda useless, they hit Mid and come out as fast as Punches, but don't knock down, and the recovery isn't too hot. (Additions?) -Steamroller Combos: good moves that can rack up the damage; to be used offensively, especially if the opponent likes to duck a lot. -Bomber: an amusing attack that can be chained into a Double version. Useful in juggles or to hit crouching foes from mid-range. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the Throws: 1. P+G Bowling Throw: A useful but easily-escapable Throw. It does good damage and tosses the enemy across the screen, possibly into a wall. You can then run at them an mix up the attacks from here. This will take precedence over complex motion Throws. 2. P+G Wall Press (Wall): hey, if you're close to the wall, go for it. IIRC it allows a Ground Kick. 3. P+G Wall Exchange (back to wall): reverses the ring and slams the enemy into the wall for at least a Ground Stomp. 4. HCT+P+G Giant Swing: weaker than Wolf's, you can do extra damage if you Throw the enemy into the wall. Mix this in with your multi-Throws. 5. HCB+P+G Neck Hang Multi-Throws: the more difficult of his Multi-Throws, these can do BIG damage. Mix them up with his other Throws to prevent escaping. BTW, the "Neck Hang Combination" is a new Multi-Throw for Sanman in FMM. 6. f,b+P+G Bear Hug Multi-Throws: easier to perform, and the Bear Hug is easy when dashing in or after blocking an attack. After the Double Bear Hug, it is also possible to do a Ground Throw for extra damage! BTW, the "Bear Hug Combination" is a new Multi-Throw for Sanman in FMM. 7. b,f+P+K+G Canadian Backbreaker: decent damage, a decent Throw after blocking an attack as well. Mix it in. 8. f,b,f+P+G Double Power Bomb: certainly more damaging and interesting than the boring ol' P+G near the wall. 9. d/f,d/f+P Piledriver: useful after conditioning the enemy to duck your High Punch... 10. d+P+G Iron Claw: same as above, except near a wall :) 11. P+G Back Drop (Back): the Back Throw that's generic for most of the Vipers. Does decent damage. 12. HCT+P+G Slow Giant Swing (Ground, at feet): if you knock the enemy down and their feet are facing you, hit HCT+P to pick 'em up. Note that you need a significant knockdown move to keep them there in time to pick them up; the recovery of the grab can allow the enemy to hit you with a rising attack. A good philosophy to follow is: if a Pounce can hit, so can this (within range of course). 13. d,b,f+P Neck Hang-Double Slam (Ground, at head): if you knock the enemy down and their head is facing you, hit d,b,f+P to pick them up. More umiliating than the Swing, but you will rarely get the enemy's head facing you. One place where it is very easy to connect with is after d+K+G. 14. P+G Coconut Crush (Side): A cool looking Throw stolen from Jeffry that does decent damage and sometimes allows a Low Pounce or Foot Stomp. A Side Throw is also one of Sanman's best options after Evading. THROWS OVERALL: --------------- When things get hairy, the simple P+G is easy and damaging. However when you want to do some real damage, the Twirl `n' Hurl seems the best, along with the Backbreaker. The Multi-Throws are powerful, but not practical unless there's an obvious opening. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS: -------- -> SUBMIT YOUR TACTICS HERE!! <- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Launch Fling (d/f+P+G) Combos: ------- 1. d/f+P+G, b,f+P,P,P 2. d/f+P+G, K, Pounce 3. d/f+P+G, P+K+G,P+K+G 4. d/f+P+G, d/f+P,P,K 5. d/f+P+G, f+P,P,P,P,P ############################################################################# KUMACHAN: ********* He plays essentially the same as Sanman, so I won't bother with a section for him. AFAIK, the only really noticable difference is that Kumachan appears to have different multi-Throws, I think. See the instruction book for these. IMO he's not worth playing, as the sprites overlap far to often anyway and generally make the fight more confusing for both fighters. ############################################################################# JANE: ***** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- As far as sheer damage, Jane is probably the most powerful Viper. Her offensive moves are quite slow so she must be used carefully, and best on reaction to the enemy's attacks. Her defenses are also quite good, and she has a great selection of Throws. Again, if used carefully, she is quite powerful. Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -Kick: K [H-R-KD] -Side Kick: d/f+K [M-R] -Low Kick: d+K [L-R] -Jumping Pounce: u+P [G] -Ground Kick: d+K [G] -Ground Punch: d+P [G] -Two-Handed Strike: QCT+P [M-UR-KD] -Uppercut: d/f+P [M-R-F] -Lifting Uppercut: D/F+P [M-R-F] -Rising Kick: D,n+K [M-R] -Knee: f+K [M-R-KD] -Launch Knee: D,f+K [M-R-F] -Power Smash: f,f+P [H-R-KD] -Tornado Strike: HCT+P [M-R-KD] -Low Tornado Strike: f,d,d/f+P [L-R-KD] -Double Jab: P,P [HH-R] -Double Punch-Wall Scrape: P,P,P (at wall) [HHT] -Double Punch-Clinch Knee: P,P,f+K [HHT] -Double Jab-Stomach Punch: P,P,P [HHM-R] -Combo Guard Straight: P,P,b+P [HHH-R] -Jab-High Kick: P,K [HH-R] -Jab-Kick-Upper: P,K,P [HHM-R] -Double Jab-Rush Kick: P,P,K [HHH-R-KD] -Double Jab-Low Spin Kick: P,P,d+K [HHL-R-KD] -Double Jab-Low Spin Upper: P,P,d+K,d/f+P [HHLM-R-KD] -Double Jab-Low Spin Strike:P,P,d+K,f+P [HHLM-R-KD] -Low Jab-Low Spin Kick: D+P,K [LLL-R-KD] -Body Blow: f+P [M-R] -Body Blow-Smash: f+P,P [MM-R-KD] -Roundhouse Punch: P+K [M-R-KD] -Lunging Uppercut: d/f+P+K [M-R-F] -Low Spin Kick: d+K+G [L-R-KD] -Low Spin Up: d+K+G,K [LH-R-KD] -Double Low Spin Kick: D+K+G,K [LL-R-KD] -Clinch Punch: P+G [HT] -Double Clinch Punch: P+G,P [HT] -Clinch Punch-Knee: P+G,f+K [HT] -Wall Scrape: P+G [WT] -Wall Exchange: P+G (back to wall) [WT] -Clinch Knee: K+G [HT] -Wall Knee: K+G [WT] -Double Wall Knee: K+G,K+G [WT] -Double Clinch Knee: HCT+K+G [HT] -Triple Clinch Knee: HCT+K+G,d,f+K [HT] -Backfall Suplex: b+P+G [HT] -Backbreaker: f,d+P+G [HT] -Neck Breaker: P+G [BT] -Tiger Suplex: P+K+G [BT] -Head Drop: P+G [ST] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- MOVES ANALYSIS: --------------- -Two-Handed Strike: a powerful attack that knocks the enemy flying. Use rarely however, as the start-up and especially recovery are not so hot. -Uppercut: fairly fast and of course it floats. Use mainly as a counter to missed or blocked attacks. -Lifting Uppercut: basically the same as the normal Uppercut, however it is done from a crouch and therefore is ideal to counter High attacks and can be combined with a Crouch Dash. -Launch Knee: basically the same properties as the Lifting Upper, however it has slower recovery so you should IMO stick to the Uppercut. -Power Smash: also to be used mainly as a counter to missed attacks, the recovery is not too hot. A Pounce is usually possible IIRC... -Low Tornado Smash: slow start-up, but will easily avoid High attacks. -Double Punch combos: just to note that the Double Punch of Jane's is much slower than other PPs, so it IMO should not be used normally in offensive rushes. HOWEVER, it is quite a useful offense if you know the enemy will block it, because you can then chain into the Clutch Knee or d+K to hit them with ease. If the manage to block the d+K, chain into an Uppercut :). -Low Jab-Low Spin Kick: the Low Jab is a decent attack for both offense and defense, and if it connects as a counter, go for the sweep. -Body Blow-Smash: not much experimenting here, but it seems that the Body Blow, like Wolf's, is a very useful offensive move; useful against crouching opponents. -Roundhouse Punch: a new move for Jane in FMM shared with Siba and Ura Bahn. It does a solid 55 pts. of damage or more on counter, and always knocks down for a Pounce. Not too fast in either respect, but IMO quite useful as a juggle :). -Lunging Uppercut: a useful counter to High attacks that will float. Only use in this case or when a BIG opening presents itself (eg. missed Kickflip), because the start-up and recovery is SLOW. -Low Spin Kick combos: IMO unless you're sure they'll connect, should not be used often. The problem is that, unlike a lot of other fighters, Jane cannot chain into a MID-level attack to catch the enemy if they block her sweep... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the Throws: 1. P+G Clutch Punch combos: Jane has the advantage over most of the Vipers in locations without walls, because she does not do a Wall Throw for P+G. Both follow-ups allow a Ground Attack after usually. 2. P+G Wall Scrape (Wall): hey, if you're close to the wall, go for it. IIRC it allows a Ground Kick. IMO you should be doing the Clutch Knees instead... 3. P+G Wall Exchange (back to wall): reverses the ring and slams the enemy into the wall for at least a Ground Stomp. 4. K+G Clinch Knee: by itself, useless. Against, a wall, double the fun :). 5. HCT+K+G Clinch Knee combos: the full Triple Clinch Knee does great damage; unsure wether or not all three parts can be broken out of (additions?) 6. b+P+G Backfall Suplex: good damage but never allows a Pounce. It will reverse the ring, however. 7. f,d+P+G Backbreaker: Should be considered your best Throw, it does good damage, allows a Ground Attack after, and can be combined with a dash similiar to VF2 Pai's DDT (f,f,d+P+G). 8. Back Throws: Tiger Suplex is more damaging, Neck Breaker's more satisfying :). 9. P+G Head Drop (Side): stolen from Lau, and does decent damage. A Side Throw can be one of Jane's best options after Evading. THROWS OVERALL: --------------- For quick and easy damage the Clinch Punch is useful, however in the long run you'll be wanting to use the Backbreaker or Clinch Knee for maximum damage. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS: -------- -> SUBMIT YOUR TACTICS HERE!! <- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Uppercut (d/f+P) 2. Lifting Upper (D/F+P) 3. Launch Knee (D,f+K) 4. Lunging Uppercut (d/f+P+K) Combos: ------- Note: any combo beginning with an Uppercut will work with the Lifting Upper as well. 1. d/f+P, f,f+P 2. d/f+P, d/f+P, Pounce 3. d/f+P, f+P,P 4. d/f+P, f+K, Pounce 5. D,f+K, m-D,f+K, Pounce 6. D,f+K, f+K, Pounce 7. D,f+K, f+P,P 8. D,f+K, P+K, Pounce 9. d/f+P+K, P+K, Pounce (OUCH!) 10. d/f+P+K, d/f+P+K 11. d/f+P+K, m-D,f+K, Pounce Note: additions, please! :) ############################################################################# CANDY: ****** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- This annoying little bitch can mix up the attack levels offensively, and really be a pain in the ass to turtlers. She also must rely on floats to do any real damage, but her floats are easily combined into her offense. She also has a great variety of defensive moves, and Throws to boot. Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -Kick: K [H-R-KD] -Scorpion Kick: d/f+K [M-R-KD] -Low Kick: D+K or d/b+K [L-R] -Jumping Pounce: u+P [G] -Ground Kick: d+K [G] -Ground Punch: d+P [G] -Cat Upper: d/f+P [M-R-F] -Vertical Kick: K+G [M-R-F] -Mule Kick: f,f+K+G [M-UR-KD] -Cat Slap: f,f+P [H-R-KD] -Cat Scratch: d/f,d/f+P [L-R-KD] -Rising Upper: f,d,d/f+P [M-R-KD] -Double Punch: P,P [HH-R] -Double Punch-Wall Scratch: P,P,P (at wall) [HHT] -Cat Jabs: P,P,P [HHH-R] -Combo Cat Kick: P,P,P,K [HHHM-R-F] -Combo Low Kick: P,P,P,d+K [HHHL-R-KD] -Punch-Kick: P,K [HH-R] -Low Jab-Low Kick: D+P,K [LL-R] -Swing Punch: f+P [M-R] -Double Swing Punch: f+P,P [MM-R] -Double Swing-Upper: f+P,P,P [MMM-R-F] -Double Shin Kick: D+K,K or d/b+K,K [LL-R] -Double Shin-High Kick: D+K,K,n+K or d/b+K,K,K [LLH-R-KD] -Triple Shin Kick: D+K,K,K or d/b+K,K,d+K [LLL-R-KD] -Double Shin-Scratch: D+K,K,P or d/b+K,K,d+P [LLL-R-KD] -Cat Tail: d+K [M-R] -Cat Tail-High Kick: d+K,K [MH-R-KD] -Toe Kick: D,n+K [M-R] -Toe Kick-Scorpion: D,n+K,K [MM-R-KD] -Toe Kick-Kickflip: D,n+K,u/b+K [MM-R-KD] -Toe Kick-Heel Down: D,n+K,K+G [M-R] -Candy Ass: P+K+G [M-UR] -Double Candy Ass: P+K+G,P+K+G [MM-UR-KD] -Quick Slap: P+K [M-R] -Quick Slap-Candy Ass: P+K,P+K+G [MM-UR] -Slap-Candy Ass-Uppercut: P+K,P+K+G,P [MMM-R-KD] -Slap-Candy Ass-Cat Kick: P+K,P+K+G,K [MMM-R-KD] -Kickflip: u/b+K [M-R-KD] -Wall Throw: P+G [HT] -Wall Press: P+G [WT] -Wall Exchange: P+G (back to wall) [WT] -Face Sit: d/b,f+P+G [HT] -Cat Flip: d,b+P+G [HT] -Crotch Slide: d+P+K+G [HT] -Air Grab: b+P+K+G [HT/jump] -Back Drop: P+G [BT] -Knee Trap: P+K+G [BT] -Back Punch: P+G [ST] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- MOVES ANALYSIS: --------------- -Cat Upper: good speed, decent recovery, and floats. Best used as a counter to missed or blocked attacks, or when you anticipate an enemy crouching. -Vertical Kick: an upward kick that floats for a big combo. Its recovery is not too hot, so only use it when the opportunity is obvious. -Mule Kick: a good attack that knocks down easily and will also avoid High attacks with proper timing. -Cat Slap: like Grace's f,f+P, this is damaging and humiliating, and can sometimes be followed with a Ground Attack. Very bad recovery if blocked, so only use it when the enemy leaves a big opening. -Cat Scratch: a fairly quick Low attack that will easily counter High moves. -Cat Jab combos (PPPx): like most PPPx combos, easily defended against in most circumstances; use mostly in combos. -Double Swing-Upper: good damage, fast, hits Mid-level and floats. Quite a good combination, the first hit or so can be used offensively; mix in with High Punches for for offensive rush. -Shin Kick combos: good if you find the enemy blocking High, as an alternate to throwing. If the 2nd Shin Kick connects, I'm pretty sure the 3rd hit (either one) will connect. Be careful that they cannot defend against this, though. -Toe Kick combos: the Toe Kick by itself is a great attack with decent recovery. This is best used to counter High attacks, and can be chained into the Kickflip for good damage. HOWEVER, it is often better to be chained into K+G, which is an AUTO-STAGGER!! See combos. -Candy Ass: an amusing attack that can be chained into a Double version. Useful in juggles or to hit crouching foes from mid-range. -Quick Slap combos: a new addition to Candy's repitiore in FMM, this is a fast Mid-level attack generally useful in hitting crouching opponents. If the 2nd hit connects, I'm pretty sure either 3rd hit will as well. IMO I would rather use f+P,P,P for a float, though. -Kickflip: generic Kickflip, it has bad recovery but quick execution--often used in floats or staggers, and because of its fast execution, will beat most moves to the punch... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the Throws: 1. P+G Wall Throw: a Throw that is NOT done close to the wall, it in fact throws the enemy against a far wall. Personally, I think it is only useful when you're sure you're close enough for them to smack into the wall and fall over, otherwise it becomes a simple guessing game of attacks when you run after to press the attack. I tend to stick with other Throws. Of course, this Throw is totally useless and does no damage on stages with no walls. 2. P+G Wall Scratch (Wall): hey, if you're close to the wall, go for it. IIRC it allows a Ground Kick. 3. P+G Wall Exchange (back to wall): reverses the ring and slams the enemy into the wall for at least a Ground Kick. 4. d/b,f+P+G Face Sit: humiliating Throw that does decent damage; however the motions are a bitch, so use in moderation. 5. d,b+P+G Cat Flip: good damage, and you can somewhat delay after the downward tap to avoid High attacks. Good after a Crouch Dash. 6. d+P+K+G Crotch Slide: a popular move in this game, this is a great setup Throw, easily allowing a combo after. See combos. 7. b+P+K+G Air Grab (both in air): both you and your opponent must be in the air; in FV, Candy could float the enemy then do this! Is it still possible? 8. P+G Back Drop (Back): the Back Throw that's generic for most of the Vipers. Does decent damage. This is NOT comboable after a Crotch Slide! THROWS OVERALL: --------------- I'd have to say it's a mix up between the Cat Flip and Crotch Slide to do any damage. The other Throws are not particularily effective, or their motions are not worth trying. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS: -------- -> SUBMIT YOUR TACTICS HERE!! <- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Uppercut (d/f+P) 2. Vertical Kick (K+G) 3. Double Swing-Upper (f+P,P,P) Combos: ------- 1. d/f+P, f,f+P 2. d/f+P, d/f+P, Pounce 3. d/f+P, f+P,P,P 4. d/f+P, PPPd+K 5. d/f+P, P+K+G,P+K+G 6. K+G, PPPK 7. K+G, f+P,P,P, Pounce 8. K+G, d/f+P, Pounce 9. f+P,P,P, PPPd+K 10. f+P,P,P, f,f+P, Pounce 11. f+P,P,P, f+P,P,P, Pounce 12. f+P,P,P f,d,d/f+P, Pounce ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- STAGGER COMBOS: --------------- After D,n+K,K+G: f,f+K+G works well, as does f+P,P,P for a float (however you may be able to escape this?) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SETUP THROWS: ------------- After d+P+K+G: easily followed by f+P,P,P for a float; refrain from PPPx combos unless the enemy has no clue, because they can ducked easily. You can also use f,d,d/f+P :). ############################################################################# PICKY: ****** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- This bastard's almost as annoying as Lion. He has great floating ability, and can peck away at the enemy offensively with his Punch combos and Knees. His defense is a little weak, with no real "dodging" moves, so one must stay on the offensive, or Evade a lot, with Picky. He does IMO need more Throws. Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -Standing Knee: K [M-R] -Mid Spin Kick: d/f+K [M-R] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Jumping Pounce: u+P [G] -Ground Stomp: d+K (up to 3) [G] -Ground Board: d+P [G] -High Spin Kick: QCT+K [H-R-KD] -Hopping Knee: K+G [M-R-KD] -Rising Knee: D,f+K+G [M-R-F] -Board Bash: b,f,f+P [M-UR-KD] -Overhead Board Bash: u/b,d/f+P [M-UR-KD] -Rocket Missle: d/b+K (at wall) [M-UR-KD] -Double Punch: P,P [HH-R] -Double Punch-Wall Press: P,P,P (at wall) [HHT] -Double Punch-Board Bash: P,P,P [HHH-UR-KD] -Punch-Kick: P,K [HH-R] -Punch-Tail kick: P,d+K [HL-R] -Low Jab-Tail Kick: D+P,K [LL-R] -Double Punch-Kick: P,P,K [HHH-R-KD] -Double Punch-Toe Kick: P,P,d+K [HHL-R] -Double Punch-Toe-High Spin:P,P,d+K,K [HHLH-R] -Double Punch-Uppercut: P,P,f+P [HHM-R-F] -Double Punch-Upper-Spin: P,P,f+P,K [HHMH-R-KD] -Double Punch-Upper-Midspin:P,P,f+P,f+K [HHMM-R-KD] -Double Punch-Knee: P,P,f+K [HHM-R] -Double Punch-Knee-Kick: P,P,f+K,K [HHMM-R] -Knee-High Spin: K,K [MH-R] -Uppercut: d/f+P [M-R-F] -Uppercut-High Spin: d/f+P,K [MH-R-KD] -Toe Kick: d+K [M-R] -Toe Kick-High Kick: d+K,K [MH-R-KD] -Toe Kick-Heel Drop: d+K,K+G [MM-R-KD] -Wall Throw: P+G [HT] -Wall Press: P+G [WT] -Wall Exchange: P+G (back to wall) [WT] -Overhead Cannon: b,f+P+G [HT] -Crotch Slide: d+P+K+G [HT] -Crotch Slide-Mule Kick: d+P+K+G,b+K [HT] -Double Knee: b,f+K [WT] -Air Grab: b+P+K+G [HT/jump] -Frankensteiner: d+P+K+G [HT/jump] -Back Drop: P+G [BT] -Shellbreak Elbow: P+G [ST] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- MOVES ANALYSIS: --------------- -Rising Knee: a powerful floating tool with bad recovery. Use it mainly to counter High attacks and/or in a Crouch Dash. -Board Bash: big damage and sends the enemy flying, but has slow recovery. Use as a juggle or a counter to missed attacks from a distance. -Punch-Tail Kick: an important offensive move, if the Punch is blocked, the Tail Kick will connect. -Double Punch-Toe Kick: pretty much the same as above, to be used offensively if the enemy blocks your Double Punch. -Double Punch-Knee-Kick: if the enemy ducks the Double Punch, the Knee will often catch them and I'm pretty sure the Kick will then be guarenteeed. Good damage. -Uppercut: good floating tool, IMO you should never go into the Kick follow-up, when instead you can use a big juggle :). Best used to counter missed or blocked attacks, or on crouching enemies in your offensive rush. -Toe Kick combos: a good offensive manuever, the Toe Kick comes out fast and hits Mid. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the Throws: 1. P+G Wall Throw: a Throw that is NOT done close to the wall, it in fact throws the enemy against a far wall. Personally, I think it is only useful when you're sure you're close enough for them to smack into the wall and fall over, otherwise it becomes a simple guessing game of attacks when you run after to press the attack. I tend to stick with other Throws. Of course, this Throw is totally useless and does no damage on stages with no walls. 2. P+G Wall Press (Wall): hey, if you're close to the wall, go for it. IIRC it allows a Ground Kick. 3. P+G Wall Exchange (back to wall): reverses the ring and slams the enemy into the wall for at least a Ground Kick. 4. b,f+P+G Overhead Cannon: good damage, it will bring the enemy towards the wall (if there is one), and it is also easily done with a dash. 5. d+P+K+G Crotch Slide: IMO you should always try for a better follow-up than the canned Mule Kick. See combos. 6. b+P+K+G Air Grab (both in air): only works when both enemies are in the air. Like Candy, this could be done after a floating move in FV; still works here? 7. d+P+K+G Frankensteiner (mid-air over enemy's head): totally pointless idea, anyone who jumps like that in this game is retarded. 8. P+G Back Drop (Back): the Back Throw that's generic for most of the Vipers. Does decent damage. This is NOT comboable after a Crotch Slide... 9. P+G Shellbreak Elbow (Side): stolen from Sarah, and does decent damage. A Ground Attack is sometimes possible. THROWS OVERALL: --------------- As you can see, the only two Throws worth mixing up are the Overhead Cannon and Crotch Slide... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS: -------- -> SUBMIT YOUR TACTICS HERE!! <- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Uppercut (d/f+P) 2. Rising Knee (D,f+K+G) 3. Double Punch-Upper (P,P,f+P) Combos: ------- 1. d/f+P, b,f,f+P 2. d/f+P, d/f+P,K 3. d/f+P, PPf+P, Pounce 4. d/f+P, PPf+K 5. d/f+P, PPP 6. D,f+K+G, PPP 7. D,f+K+G, PPf+P, Pounce 8. D,f+K+G, d/f+P,K 9. PPf+P, PPf+P, Pounce 10. PPf+P, PPf+K, Pounce 11. PPf+P, PPP, Ground Stomp 12. PPf+P, KK 13. PPf+P, d/f+P,K ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SETUP THROWS: ------------- After d+P+K+G: I find KK a good follow-up as it hits crouching enemies. You can also try for an Uppercut float... ############################################################################# MAHLER: ******* CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- The ultimate scrub character, a player need only rap on the Punch button, occasionally hitting a Kick, to play well with Mahler. Characters with reversals are the only ones that would give Mahler a true fight, unless you are quite good at dealing with hi dial-a-combos. He also has a decent defense, but he really doesn't need it. Only two really good Throws... Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -Kick: K [H-R] -Side Kick: d/f+K [M-R] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Jumping Pounce: u+P [G] -Ground Kick: d+K (up to 3) [G] -Strong Uppercut: d/f+P [M-R] -Strong Knee: f+K [M-R-KD] -Hurricane Punch: HCT+P [M-R-KD] -Gust of Rage: b,f,f+P [M-R-KD] -Double Punch: P,P [HM-R] -Blow Combo Upper: P,P,P [HMM-R-F] -Blow Combo Straight: P,P,f+P [HMM-R-KD] -Punch-Kick: P,K [HH-R] -Punch-Kick-Upper: P,K,P [HHM-R] -Low Jab-Low Kick: D+P,K [LL-R] -Blow Combo-Low Spin: P,P,d+K [HHL-R] -Extreme Death Prelude: P,P,f+K [HMM-R] -Extreme Death Symphony: P,P,f+K,P [HMMH-R] -Extreme Death Requiem: P,P,f+K,P,f+P [HMMHM-R] -Extreme Death Finale: P,P,f+K,P,f+P,HCT+P [HMMHMM-R-KD] -Blow Combo-Double Kick: P,P,f+K,K [HMMH-R] -Stomach Blow: f+P [M-R] -Stomach Blow-Fist Strike: f+P,P [MM-R] -Stomach Blow-Double Strike:f+P,P,P [MMM-R] -Stomach Blow Float: f+P,P,P,P [MMMM-R-F] -High Kick-Side Kick: K,K [HM-R-KD] -High Kick-Fist Strike: K,P [HH-R] -Low Shot: d/b+K [L-R] -Low Shot-Accel: d/b+K,K [LH-R] -Low Shot-Blow: d/b+K,K,P [LHH-R] -Low Shot-Dark Prelude: d/b+K,K,P,P,P [LHHM-R-F] -High Double Accel: d/f+K,K [MH-R] -Mid Double Accel: d/f+K,f+K [MM-R] -Low Double Accel: d/f+K,d+K [ML-R] -Revolution: d+K+G [L-R] -High Double Revolution: d+K+G,K [LH-R] -Low Double Revolution: d+K+G,d+K [LL-R] -Wall Throw: P+G [HT] -Wall Press: P+G [WT] -Wall Exchange: P+G (back to wall) [WT] -Brain Buster: d+P+G [HT] -Black Rainbow: b,f,b+P+G [HT] -Neck Slam: HCT+P+G [HT] -Black Hole: b+P+K+G [HT/jump] -German Suplex: P+G [BT] -Elbow Slam: P+G [ST] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- MOVES ANALYSIS: --------------- -Hurricane Punch: slow recovery, but good damage. Use on counterattack. -Gust of Rage: same as above, pretty much. It can however be buffered out of a block. -Double Punch combos: Both finishings are Mid, so if the enemy ducks, chain into them! If they block the Double Punch, hit d+K. -Extreme Death combos: Basically good in offense, only if the enemy ducks under the Double Punch. Antother dial-a-combo for Mahler. -Stomach Blow: a fast attack that can be chained into another. Useful offensively when the enemy ducks, because it will stagger... -Low Shot combos: another set of dial-a-combos for the FV boss. Use these if the enemy tends to block High often. If they block the d/b+K, you cannot chain into a Mid-level attack to hit them, so be cautious. -Accel combos: useful on crouching enemies; mix up the 2nd hits... -Revolution: also a move to be cautious with, it cannot be chained into a Mid-level attack, meaning you will probably get hit if this is blocked... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the Throws: 1. P+G Wall Throw: a Throw that is NOT done close to the wall, it in fact throws the enemy against a far wall. Personally, I think it is only useful when you're sure you're close enough for them to smack into the wall and fall over, otherwise it becomes a simple guessing game of attacks when you run after to press the attack. I tend to stick with other Throws. Of course, this Throw is totally useless and does no damage on stages with no walls. 2. P+G Wall Press (Wall): hey, if you're close to the wall, go for it. IIRC it allows a Ground Kick. 3. P+G Wall Exchange (back to wall): reverses the ring and slams the enemy into the wall for at least a Ground Kick. 4. d+P+G Brain Buster: the alternative to the Wall Throw, it does good damage but does not allow a Pounce. 5. b,f,b+P+G Black Rainbow: good damage and easy to do out of a dash. 6. HCT+P+G Neck Slam: a new Throw for Mahler in FMM, some speculate that it can be chained into a multi-Throw ala Sanman (additions?) 7. P+G German Suplex (Back): damaging and can sometimes be followed with a Ground Attack. THROWS OVERALL: --------------- The Black Rainbow and Brain Buster are pretty much the only ones you really need. Mahler is not really a Throwing character. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS: -------- -> SUBMIT YOUR TACTICS HERE!! <- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Stomach Blow Float (f+P,P,P,P) 2. Blow Combo Upper (P,P,P) 3. Low Shot-Dark Prelude (d/b+K,K,P,P,P) Combos: ------- Note: I find Mahler's combos extremely boring a repetitive. All three of the float moves float about the same height and essentially work the same; follow with one of his Dial-a-Combos or Gust of Rage... (additions?) ############################################################################# B.M.: ***** Note: mostly he has the same moves as Mahler, except for u+G,d+K,K,K,P, which is an overhead Axe Kick (auto-stagger) followed by a Low sweep combo. Any more additions? I will add any in the next update. ############################################################################# SECRET CHARACTER; SIBA: *********************** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- Siba is a botched character originally designed for VF1. For proof, look at some of the REALLY old VF1 machines; you'll see a picture of Siba alongside the other fighters near the top of the machine--however, the name below him says Akira! Anyways, Siba is definetely a power character. If you're looking for flashy moves, you won't find any. If you're looking for just plain brutal damage, Siba's your man. He has a decent offense mixing in single Punches with his Combo Punches, and Throwing in Elbows and the occasional Headbutt. Quite simple yet quite effective. He also has a decent defense with the Uppercuts, but altogether he's offensive and reactionary. He has little in the way of Throws (like Bahn), but the ones he has are good enough. Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -High Kick: K [H-R-KD] -Mid Kick: d/f+K [M-R-KD] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Jumping Stomp: u+P [G] -Sword Stab: d+P [G] -Ground Kick: d+K [G] -Ankle Kick: d+K [L-R-KD] -Uppercut: d/f+P [M-R-F] -Lifting Uppercut: D/F+P [M-R-F] -Kick-Punch: K,P [HH-R-KD] -Kick-Upper-Crescent: K,P,K+G [HMH-R-KD] -Kick-Upper-Low Crescent: K,P,d+K+G [HML-R-KD] -Charging Sword: f,f+P [unblockable-R-KD] -Side Slash: b,f+P [unblockable-R-KD] -Sword Slash: b+P [unblockable-R-KD] -Overhead Slash: u+G,d+P [unblockable-R-KD] -Jumping Slash: u+G,d+P+K [unblockable-R-KD] -Roundhouse Punch: P+K [M-R-KD] -Headutt: P+K+G [M-UR-KD] -Elbow Strike: f+P [M-R-KD] -Jumping Spin Kick: u+K [M-R-KD] -Backflip: u/b [n/a] -Combo Punch: f,f+P+K [H-R] -Combo Double Punch: f,f+P+K,P [HH-R] -Combo Punch Kick: f,f+P+K,K [HH-R] -Combo Double Punch-Kick: f,f+P,P,K [HHH-R-KD] -Combo Triple Punch-Mid Kick: f,f+P,P,P,K [HHHM-R-KD] -Shoulder Throw: P+G [HT] -Crushing Headbutt: b,f+P+K+G [HT] -Atomic Drop: P+G [BT] -Head Drop: P+G [ST] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS/MOVES ANALYSIS: ----------------------- -Mid Kick: a useful mid-range attack that executes and recovers quickly. It is ideal in an offensive rush, and ALWAYS knocks down. -Ankle Kick: very quick knockdown that is ideal when the enemy blocks High. Great in an offensive rush. -Uppercut: a very good floating tool that comes out and recovers fairly fast. Useful in an offensive rush when the enemy crouches, or as a counter to blocked or missed attacks. -Lifting Upper: does slightly more damage than the normal Uppercut, otherwise it works the same. Can be combined with a Crouch Dash and will avoid High attacks. -Kick combos: if you float the enemy High enough, these can be used as juggles; note that the Crescent will never connect as a combo (AFAIK); the full Kick-Upper-Low Crescent will connect normally however. Otherwise not too useful (except on the odd occasion that the Kick hits normally). Oh BTW, the Upper will only come out if the Kick hits... -Sword Attacks: all are unblockable, all are really slow. However they can all do SERIOUS damage, so often it is best to look for a place to fit them in. If the enemy is a persistant blocker, the b+P sometimes may catch them. u+G,d+P and u+G,d+P+K IIRC are good ways to counter Low attacks. As a whole the f,f+P is pretty useless as the slowest of all the the sword attacks, but it also has the most range. -Roundhouse Punch: It does a solid 55 pts. of damage or more on counter, and always knocks down for a Pounce. Not too fast in either respect, but quite useful as a juggle :). -Headbutt: smashes the enemy to the ground and allows a Ground Kick. Great execution, I suppose it's useful on crouching opponents up close... -Elbow Strike: a powerful and fast attack that, unlike other Elbows, always knocks down. Useful in your up-close offense. Follow with a Ground Kick. -Combo Punch combos: I'm pretty sure I'm the first person to actually find this move :). This was the only way for Akira to perform a PPPK combo in VF1 (which incidentally, was the game Siba was supposed to be in originally; see character overview), and it carried over to Siba. Useful mainly in juggles or in offensive rushes. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Throw Setups/What Throws to use: Siba can utilize either the single blocked Punch or blocked Combo Punch to setup a Throw. Other than that, after ducking a High attack you have the option of the Shoulder Throw or the Lifting Upper if you wish. (additions?) About the Throws: 1. P+G Shoulder Throw: altogether a good Throw. Decent damage and allows a Ground Kick too. It can easily be escaped however, so it must be mixed up with the Crushing Headbutt to prevent it. It will take priority over complex Throws, remember. 2. b,f+P+K+G Crushing Headbutt: does great damage by itself, but stuns the enemy rather than knocks down. No follow-up AFAIK is guarenteed, so it becomes a guessing game after it. See combos for more info. 3. P+G Atomic Drop (Back): the infamous Vipers Back Throw that does good damage and allows a Double Ground Punch. 8. P+G Head Drop (Side): stolen from Lau, go for it if you Evade and are left close enough. THROWS OVERALL: --------------- What can I say here? The Shoulder Throw is really all you need until they start breaking out of it, in which case mix in the Crushing Headbutt... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Offense: Siba's offense is based on the single Punch and the Combo Punch. At basic levels, if the Punch rush is blocked, G-cancel and go into either a Throw or d+K for a knockdown. If the Punches are crouched, often the enemy won't be expecting the PPPK Mid-level from Siba :). You can also G-cancel and throw out an Elbow Strike or Headbutt, among other things. Mix in the Uppercut every now in then in hopes of a float as well. Siba's Mid Kick is also a useful offensive technique because it is fast and hits Mid. Likewise with his Elbow, except it has shorter range. If either are blocked, try for a Throw. It may also be possible, if you do it moderately, to do a b+P Cross Slash (unblockable) when the enemy blocks your Mid Kick. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Crouch Dashing: A P+G Throw will do, but more importantly you can perform a m-Lifting Upper to float the enemy under High attacks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Defense: In defense, the m-Lifting Uppercut seems to be the best because of its speed and recovery. If on the off-chance you connect with a Low Punch as a counter, you can buffer into a Lifting Upper for a float. If you block an attack, the Combo Double Punch-Kick is an excellent counter, as is a simple Uppercut. If you block a Low attack, try for a Lifting Upper. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Uppercut (d/f+P) 2. Lifting Uppercut (D/F+P) Combos: ------- Note: in most cases, all combos done with the Uppercut can also be done with a Lifting Uppercut. 1. d/f+P, d/f+P, Pounce 2. d/f+P, f,f+P (probably only on MC) 3. d/f+P, f,f+P+K,P,P,K 4. d/f+P, f+P, Pounce 5. d/f+P, K,P,d+K+G (possibly only on MC?) 6. d/f+P, P+K+G, Pounce 7. d/f+P, P+K, Pounce ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SETUP THROWS: ------------- After b,f+P+K+G: again, it becomes a guessing game at this point; if you notice the enemy likes to block after this, just dash up and Throw again! If he struggles like crazy, a simple Uppercut float works well, or the Mid Kick. See Bahn for more info. ############################################################################# SECRET CHARACTER; RENT-A-HERO: ****************************** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- A FV-like fighter that has some merit. As long as he has his armor on, he can do some mean damage and floats fairly easily. Plays similiar to Tokio as far as offense. He also has the majority of Tokio's offense and Throws. A decent character. Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -High Kick: K [H-R-KD] -Side Kick: d/f+K [M-R-St] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Jumping Stomp: u+P [G] -Ground Kick: d+K [G] -Punch-Kick: P,K [HH-R] -Double Punch: P,P [HH-R] -Double Punch-Kick: P,P,K [HHH-R-KD] -Double Punch-Upper: P,P,P [HHH-R-F] -Elbow: f+P [M-R-StC] -Elbow-Backhand: f+P [MM-R] -Open Arm Blow: f+P,P,P [MMM-R] -Lightning Arrow: f+P,P,d,f+P [MMM-R-KD] -Uppercut: d/f+P [M-R-F] -Lifting Uppercut: D/F+P [M-R-F] -Ground Spark: QCT+P [H/G-UR-KD] -Knee: f+K [M-R-KD] -Overhead Axe Kick: u+G,d+K [M-R] -Backflip: u/b [n/a] -Kickflip: u/b+K [M-R-KD] -Crescent Kick: K+G [H-R-F] -Low Spin Kick: d+K+G [L-R-KD] -Bellyflop: f,d+P+K+G [n/a] -Bellyflop-Lunging Fist: f,d+P+K+G,P [H-R] -Running Jump Kick: run+K [M-R-KD] -Wall Throw: P+G [HT] -Wall Press: P+G [WT] -Wall Exchange: P+G (back to wall) [WT] -Arm Clutch: b+P+G [HT] -Reaping Throw: b,f+P+G [HT] -Neck Throw: f,b+P+G [HT] -Stomach Throw: f,b+P+K+G [HT] -Back Drop: P+G [BT] -Neck Slashing: P+G [ST] NOTE: Rent-a-Hero's armor is actually on a time limit. At the top of your health meter there is a certain number of objects that disappear one by one every so often. Once they are gone, Rent-a-Hero's armor is completely lost, and to top that off, he becomes almost a "normal guy", with only the following moves: -P -K -d+K -d+P -K+G -u/b -u/b+K He also takes considerably more damage from hits. Point in case: if you use him, play him FAST and get the fight over with! ALSO NOTE: Hero can also lose his armor by having it knocked off by attacks; however, he will still have on his shin guards, and will retain all of his moves... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS/MOVES ANALYSIS: ----------------------- -Side Kick: IMO the most useful Side Kick in the game :). It will stagger automatically, and also has the same great speed, range and recovery of normal Side Kicks. I'm pretty sure a second Side Kick (D/F+K,K) is canned after this, but IMO you should try for more damaging follow-ups. -Double Punch-Upper: unlike Jeffry's or Wolf's the Uppercut will float and comes out FAST. Unfortunately, all three hits are also High :(. So mainly, the Uppercut will only connect during an interrupt or as a counter to blocked attacks. The Double Punch by itself does fairly well offensively. -Elbow Combos: also quite useful offensively, the Elbow will stagger crouching opponents and the follow-up combos are guarenteed. Only go into the full three hits (either combo) if you're sure it'll connect--the recovery is not that good. -Uppercut: recovery's not all that good, but it is a VERY easy, simply floating attack that sets up for your juggles. It will BRIEFLY duck under High attacks, but don't rely on it for this alone. Good as a simple counter to missed attacks, its range is pretty good. Also a good move to whip out if they duck your High Punch. -Lifting Upper: does slightly more damage than the normal Uppercut, otherwise it works the same. Can be combined with a Crouch Dash and will avoid High attacks. -Ground Spark: one of the few projectiles in the game, the Ground Spark technically hits High, as the enemy need only stand and block to defend against it. It will also hit fallen opponents. Best used at a distance or when you've knocked the enemy down a slight distance away. -Kickflip: generic Kickflip, it has bad recovery but quick execution--often used in floats or staggers, and because of its fast execution, will beat most moves to the punch... -Crescent Kick: heh heh. Like Lau's, this Crescent will float the enemy for a juggle. It has fast execution and decent recovery, however it can be ducked so use only in opertune moments. -Low Spin Kick: fairly fast but cannot be chained into anything; meaning if blocked, you're dead :). -Bellyflop: a little-known move that has it uses; it has slow recovery and can therefore be countered easily, however it is quite useful if you anticipate a High attack (maybe even some Mid attacks?), as it will duck under and you can then hit Punch for a quick counter. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Throw Setups/What Throws to use: The basics, like after they block 2 hits of an Elbow combo, or after a single or Double Punch is blocked. You can also follow an Elbow or Side Kick stagger with a Throw with proper timing... About the Throws: 1. P+G Wall Throw: a Throw that is NOT done close to the wall, it in fact throws the enemy against a far wall. Personally, I think it is only useful when you're sure you're close enough for them to smack into the wall and fall over, otherwise it becomes a simple guessing game of attacks when you run after to press the attack. I tend to stick with other Throws. Of course, this Throw is totally useless and does no damage on stages with no walls. 2. P+G Wall Press: good damage and allows a Ground Kick. 3. P+G Wall Exchange (back to wall): reverses the ring and slams the enemy into the wall for at least a Ground Kick. 4. b+P+G Arm Clutch: decent damage and allows a Ground Kick. Mix it in. 5. b,f+P+G Reaping Throw: around the same damage and allows a Ground Kick. 5. f,b+P+G Neck Throw: also similiar to the Arm Clutch as it leaves them close for a Ground Kick. 6. f,b+P+K+G Stomach Throw: good damage and throws the enemy a good distance while reversing the ring. Probably his best Throw, you can even Pounce if the enemy isn't too fast. 7. P+G Back Drop (Back): the Back Throw that's generic for most of the Vipers. Does decent damage. 9. P+G Neck Slashing (Side): stolen from Jacky, looks brutal and sometimes allows a Ground Kick. THROWS OVERALL: --------------- Essentially the same as Tokio; the Arm Clutch or Neck Throw to do damage, the Stomach Throw to put some distance between you and your foe. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Offense: At basic level, a mixture of the PP and Elbow combinations when they crouch. The Side Kick should be thrown in at crouchers from mid-range, and the Upper is a good alternative to an Elbow stagger on crouching enemies. If the enemy blocks the PP, G-cancel and try for a Throw, or d+K+G if they're a little slower. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Crouch Dashing: A Lifting Upper or Throw will work well to counter High attacks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Defense: The Bellyflop is a great way to avoid High attacks, or d+K+G. If you block an attack, try to counter with PPK, or possibly an Uppercut if the recovery is a little slower. If the recovery of the blocked move is REALLY bad and definetely will leave the enemy in a standing position a K+G will counter fairly well for a monster float. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Uppercut (d/f+P) 2. Lifting Uppercut (D/F+P) 3. Double Punch-Upper (PPP) 4. Crescent Kick (K+G at max range) Combos: ------- Note: any combo done with the Uppercut can generally be done with the Lifting Upper as well. 1. d/f+P, f+P,P,P, Pounce 2. d/f+P, d/f+P, Pounce 3. d/f+P, PPK, Ground Spark 4. d/f+P, u/b+K 5. PPP, PPP, Pounce 6. PPP, PPK, Ground Spark 7. PPP, f+P,P,P, Pounce 8. PPP, f+K, Ground Kick 8. K+G, PPP, Pounce 9. K+G, PPK, Pounce 10. K+G, P,G,d+K+G ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- STAGGER COMBOS: --------------- After d/f+K: the Side Kick will automatically stagger and a supposedly canned second Side Kick will connect. You can also try for an Elbow combo, Uppercut float, or Throw as they recover. After f+P: the canned P,P will then knock down with ease. You can also Throw as they recover, or G-cancel then try an Uppercut float. ############################################################################# SECRET CHARACTER; KIDS AKIRA: ***************************** Unlike what that stupid "FAQ" said, Kids Akira is identical in play and moves to regular Akira. It may be possible that, because of his size, some combos may not work on him, but other than that, they are identical. ############################################################################# SECRET CHARACTER; KIDS SARAH: ***************************** Kids Sarah is identical in play and moves to regular Sarah. It may be possible that, because of her size, some combos may not work on her, but other than that, they are identical. ############################################################################# SECRET CHARACTERS; DEKU, BARK and BEAN: *************************************** Deku sucks really bad, and the other two aren't that great either. See www.gamefaqs.com and the FMM "Undocumented Moves FAQ" for their moves list. IMO stay away from these ones. ############################################################################# SECRET CHARACTER; URA BAHN: *************************** CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- Pretty much the same as regular Bahn, with a few treats thrown in and a cooler b+P+G :). Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -Kick: K [H-R-KD] -Straight Kick: d/f+K [M-R-KD] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Flying Stomp: u+P [G] -Ground Kick: d+K [G] -Ground Punch: d+P [G] -Double Ground Punch: d+P,P [G] -Uppercut: d/f+P [M-R-F] -Roundhouse Punch: P+K [M-R-KD] -Iron Elbow: f+P [M-R-KD] -High Side Kick: f,f+K [H-R-KD] -Super Straight: F+P [H-R-KD] -Dodge Elbow: b,f+P [M-R-KD] -Dashing Body Check: b,f,f+P+K [M-UR-KD] -Headbutt: P+K+G [H-UR-KD] -Hand Sweep: d/b,D/F+P [L-R-KD] -Dashing Elbow: f,f+P [M-R] -Combo Dashing Elbow: f,f+P,P [MM-R-KD] -Combo Elbow Bodycheck: f,f+P,b,f+P+K [MM-UR-KD] -Combo Elbow-Strike-Double Kick: f,f+P,d/f,d/f+P,K,K [MMMH-R-KD] -Dragon Punch: f,d,d/f+P [M-R-KD] -Double Dragon Punch: f,d,d/f+P,f,d,d,d/f+P [MM-R-KD] -Stun Palm: d+P+K+G [M-R] -Wall Throw: P+G [HT] -Wall Press: P+G [WT] -Wall Exchange: P+G (back to wall) [WT] -Neck Throw: b+P+G [HT] -Crushing Headbutt: b,f+P+K+G [HT] -Pull-in Headbutt: d/b,f+P+G [HT] -Atomic Drop: P+G [BT] -Elbow Rush: P+G [ST] NOTE: PLEASE!!! ANYONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO FOLLOW THE STUN PALM PLEASE TELL ME! AFAIK THE SPoD MOTIONS FOR AKIRA DO NOT WORK WITH URA BAHN! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- MOVES ANALYSIS: --------------- -Straight Kick: a useful attack with good range and speed, and always knocks down for a Ground attack. Its recovery is not too good, so only use it when you're sure (eg. against crouchers from mid-range). -Uppercut: a VERY useful technique, it has decent range and ALWAYS floats for a juggle. The recovery is not too hot, so it's best used as a counter to missed or blocked attacks, or when you KNOW the enemy will be ducking when it hits. -Iron Elbow: when it knocks down it can be followed with a Ground Kick. This is an all-around useful attack up close, with great execution and decent recovery, always knocking down. -Roundhouse Punch: shared with Siba and Jane, it does a solid 55 pts. of damage or more on counter, and always knocks down for a Pounce. Not too fast in either respect, but IMO quite useful as a juggle :). -Super Straight: VERY damaging, but its recovery is horrible. Use only in sure-fire situation--great range, so it's useful as a counter to missed attacks. -Dodging Elbow: Ura Bahn's best defensive move, it will avoid any attack as long as it doesn't have huge range (eg. Kage's f,f+P+K+G). Its recovery isn't too hot, so use only in this case. -Dashing Body Check (DBC): same as Akira's. It has the same damage potential and slow recovery, and if it hits a crouching defender, it will force them to a standing position, open for a Throw! Often this is one of your best attacks if the enemy ducks your Punch. -Headbutt: smashes the enemy to the ground and allows a Ground Kick. Great execution, I suppose it's useful on crouching opponents up close... -Dashing Elbow combos: excellent attack, the Dashing Elbow is not quite as effective as Akira's, but has more damage potential, because it can be chained easily into a full DBC, or a possible further combo with the new d/f,d/f+P,K,K--a Yoho Uppercut into a Double Jump Kick! (NOT: Ura Bahn does not have these moves normally, only in this combo). Useful when the enemy crouches or as a long-range counter to missed or slow-starting attacks. -Double Dragon Punch: much more damage than Kage's DP, Ura Bahn's is a little bit slower, but the Double DP will always connect; a useful juggle. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the Throws: 1. P+G Wall Throw: a Throw that is NOT done close to the wall, it in fact throws the enemy against a far wall. Personally, I think it is only useful when you're sure you're close enough for them to smack into the wall and fall over, otherwise it becomes a simple guessing game of attacks when you run after to press the attack. I tend to stick with other Throws. Of course, this Throw is totally useless and does no damage on stages with no walls. 2. P+G Wall Press (Wall): hey, if you're close to the wall, go for it. IIRC it allows a Ground Kick. 3. P+G Wall Exchange (back to wall): reverses the ring and slams the enemy into the wall for at least a Ground Kick. 4. b+P+G Neck Throw: Looks better than Bahn's b+P+G, and always reverses the ring. Decent damage and allows at least a Double Ground Punch for good damage. 5. b,f+P+K+G Crushing Headbutt: does great damage by itself, but stuns the enemy rather than knocks down. No follow-up AFAIK is guarenteed, so it becomes a guessing game after it. See combos for more info. 6. d/b,f+P+G Pull-in Headbutt: still pretty hard to get off, and often allows a Pounce. Still, I tend to use this rarely. 7. P+G Atomic Drop (Back): the infamous Vipers Back Throw that does good damage and allows a Double Ground Punch. In addition, it can be comboed after the P+G Wall Throw (see combos). 8. P+G Elbow Rush (Side): stolen from Akira, go for it if you Evade and are left close enough. THROWS OVERALL: --------------- The Neck Throw is instant damage and allows a Ground attack. Once the enemy gets wise to this, mix in the Crushing Headbutt to screw with them. And also, don't forget the very powerful P+G, Back Throw (see combos) :) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS: -------- -> SUBMIT YOUR TACTICS HERE!! <- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Uppercut (d/f+P) Combos: ------- 1. d/f+P, d/f+P, Pounce 2. d/f+P, DBC, Pounce 3. d/f+P, f,f+P,b,f+P+K, Pounce 4. d/f+P, F+P, Pounce 5. d/f+P, Double DP 6. d/f+P, P+K+G, Pounce 7. d/f+P, P, f,f+P,P, Pounce 8. d/f+P, f,f+P,d/f,d/f+P, Pounce ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SETUP THROWS: ------------- After P+G: it is possible to buffer a dash after Bahn pushes the enemy in the opposite direction with P+G, and briefly delay P+G for the Backbreaker! See an FV FAQ for more info on the timing. After b,f+P+K+G: again, it becomes a guessing game at this point; if you notice the enemy likes to block after this, just dash up and Throw again! If he struggles like crazy, a f,f+P combo works well, or the Double DP. If they crouch, go for the DBC. If they Evade, just hit Guard, because Bahn has no tracking ability (AFAIK.) ############################################################################# SECRET CHARACTER; JANET: ************************ CHARACTER OVERVIEW: ------------------- I was happy to see this character, because Aoi is one of my favs from VF3. With the exception of Aoi's awesome Inashis and Ground Throws, Janet plays essentially the same. She has an awesome offense with the Sidewinder, Punch rush and Elbow, and also has a great defense with lots of good counter- attacks and, of course, reversals. She doesn't have such an awesome selection of Throws compared to Aoi, but she still has a food bit of variety. Moves: ------ -Punch: P [H-R] -Low Punch: d+P [L-R] -Snap Kick: K [H-R] -Front Kick: d/f+K [M-R-FMC] -Low Kick: D+K [L-R] -Turn-Toward Double Punch: P (opponent behind) [HH-R] -Turn-Toward Double Low Punch: d+P (opponent behind)[LL-R] -Turning Sweep: d+K (opponent behind)[L-R-KD] -Turn-Torward High Kick: K (opponent behind) [H-R-KD] -Ground Chop: d/f+P [G] -Jumping Chop: u+P [G] -Rocket Stomp: U+P [G] -Ankle Kick: d/b+K [L-R] -Double Stop: d,d+P [L-UR] -Sweep: d+K+G [L-R-KD] -Sweeping Uppercut: d/f+P [M-R-F] -Rising Elbow: D,d/f+P [M-R-FMC] -Elbow: f+P [M-R-StC] -Elbow-Spinning Strike: f+P,P [MM-R] -Spinning Elbow: f,f+P [M-R-KD] -Phoenix Chop: d/f+P+K [M-R] -Knee: f+K [M-R-F] -Knee-Snap Kick: f+K,K [MM-R-KD] -Punch-Kick: P,K [HH-R] -Double Punch: P,P [HH-R] -Double Punch-Elbow: P,P,f+P [HHM-R] -Double Punch-Elbow-Spinning Chop:P,P,f+P,P [HHMM-R-KD] -Double Punch-Kick: P,P,K [HHH-R-KD] -Triple Punch: P,P,P [HHH-R] -Triple Punch-Sweep: P,P,P,d+K [HHHL-R-KD] -Triple Punch-Knee: P,P,P,K [HHHM-R-KD] -Slap: P+K [H-R] -Double Slap: P+K,P [HH-R] -Triple Slap: P+K,P,P [HHH-R] -Sidewinder: f+P+K [M-R] -Sidewinder-Elbow: f+P+K,P [MM-R-KD] -Helix: f,f+P+K [H-R-F] -Retreating Palm: b,b+P+K [H-R-KD] -Axe Kick: K,K [HM-R] -Turn-Away Chop: b,b+P [H-R] -Gun Shot: b,f+P+K (max 3 shots)[H/unblockable-UR-KD] -Slap Away: P+G [HT] -Spine Stomp Takedown: P+G [BT] -Rotary Throw: P+G [ST] -Snake Twist: d/f+P+G [HT] -Overhead Arm Toss: D,f+P+G [HT] -Stomach Throw: b+P+G [HT] -Reverse Rake: HCB+P+G [HT] -Half Snake Twist-Stomp: d+P+K+G [LT] -Body Punch Reversal: b+P+K -High Kick Reversal: b+P+K -Elbow Reversal: d/b+P+K -Mid-Kick Reversal: d/b+P+K -Knee Reversal: d/b+P+K -Somersault Reversal: u/b+P+K -Low Punch Reversal: d+P+K -Low Kick Reversal: d+P+K ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- TACTICS/MOVES ANALYSIS: ----------------------- -Front Kick: good speed coming out, great range and will float on MC. Its recovery is not as good as other d/f+K attacks, so for the most part only use it on MC when you're positive it will hit. -Ankle Kick: IIRC it knocks down on MC. It comes out fairly fairly fast and is an option if the enemy blocks High. It can also interrupt many slower Low attacks (eg. Sarah's Lunging Sweep) if anticipated. -Double Stop: very limited range, but not useless. It is uncounterable and comes out very quick. If it hits as a MC to a standing attack, go for a throw or Helix float. The Double Stop will also stagger a crouching enemy, where it is best to continue an offense with f+P+K,P or f+P. You can also Crouch Dash in for D,f+P+G. This can be used both offensively and defensively; see offense and defense for more info :). -Sweep: not as powerful as Aoi's, because it cannot be G-cancelled. Without that, it is only useful as a normal Sweep--it does seem to come out faster than most, however. If blocked, you can be Low Thrown or otherwise, so only use in sure-fire situations. BTW, it has pretty good recovery compared to other sweep moves--try for a High Pounce when this knocks down! -Sweeping Uppercut: altogether more effective than Aoi's in VF3, this will ALWAYS float for a good combo and recovers FAIRLY well. Use best in your offensive rush when the enemy crouches, or as a counter to missed or blocked attacks. -Rising Elbow: will float on MC and can be combined with a Crouch Dash. IMO you should only use this from a Crouch Dash and/or under High attacks when you have conditioned the enemy into escaping your Overhead Arm Toss. -Elbow-Spinning Strike: the Elbow will stagger crouchers, upon which time the Spinning Strike is guarenteed. As well, the Spinning Strike can be delayed, so if the Elbow is blocked or missed, try to interrupt the enemy's counter with it. The disadvantage to this combination is that it doesn't knock down. -Spinning Elbow: overall not too effective. It comes out relatively fast and has great range, however if blocked I'm pretty sure it can be countered with a Throw, and it also doesn't have the float ability of the Helix. -Phoenix Chop: best used at mid-range, it can be Janet's most effective move. Up close if blocked it can be countered with a Throw, but otherwise it is difficult to do so. If it is blocked, try to follow-up with a quick attack (eg. f+P+K or d/b+K). The real good thing about it is that, if it hits, it will force the enemy into a crouching stagger ala Jeffry's d+P+K and Wolf's and f+P+K. If it interrupts, a Crouch Dash+Low Throw is guarenteed. If the Phoenix Chop connects normally, you can still use the Crouch Dash+Low Throw, however this is avoidable. See offense for more info. -Knee, Knee Snap Kick: probably the best SINGLE canned move for doing damage, f+K,K is always a knockdown and allows always a Ground Chop, and often a High Pounce. It also comes out pretty fast and hits Mid-level. This is ideal after blocking a slow-recovering attack, or after her HCB+P+G setup Throw. You can also use just the Knee and go for a float combo in most cases as well. -Double Punch-Elbow-Spinning Chop: the Elbow or the Spinning Chop can be delayed, best if blocked to hope for a MC. Useful against crouching enemies. -Triple Punch combos: fairly useful, the Knee finish will hit crouching enemies with ease, forcing them to a standing position for a free Throw! Likewise the Sweep finish will hit standing defenders. Unfortunately, you can no longer G-cancel the Sweep, but you can somewhat delay the K or d+K. -Sidewinder-Elbow: probably Aoi's best move, the second hit can be delayed, and the first will also stagger crouching enemies (only if the block Low, I believe). If blocked, the Sidewinder is uncounterable and from there you can try for a Throw or Low attack, or a delayed canned Elbow. If the second hit knocks down, go for a High Pounce. Try not to use the second hit unless the enemy is staggered (or in a float), because it is not guarenteed and can be countered. See offense for more info. -Helix: a great all-around move, it comes out and recovers quite fast, and will also float. The disadvantage is that it hits High :(, so it is often not too good an idea in an offensive rush. The good thing is that, if BLOCKED, you are still relatively safe. It can also be evaded relatively easy, so it is definetely not the perfect attack. Ideal from mid-range as a counter to missed or blocked (buffer it) attacks. -Retreating Palm: a powerful attack, the only problem is that Janet cannot G-cancel it like Aoi. However, it will easily avoid offensive attacks of just about any kind (short of long-range moves like Kage's f,f+K+G) and always knocks down, for a possible Pounce. -Axe Kick: similair to Pai's, except the Kick does not knock down normally. If ducked, the second hit will connect (of course). If the second hit connects it will shove the enemy into a crouch ala the Phoenix Chop--however, I'm pretty sure a Low Throw is not guarenteed here, but on slower enemies it may nail them; mix up your follow-ups. Somewhat useful as bait, in that if the enemy is expecting just a single Kick, the second one may surprise them; alternately, they may expect the second kick and continue to block; only use one, then dash in and Throw :). -Gun Shot: pretty much useless, IMO. The only time I find it of any use is a) when the opponent has NO clue what's going on :) b) at a VERY far distance when the enemy chooses to run at you c) to counter VERY slow attacks from outside mid-range ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Throw Setups/What Throws to use: Unfortunately, Janet is not as adept at Throws as Aoi. Not only does she lose many of Aoi Throws (including her multi-Throw), but she also loses the VERY important Ground Throw, which could add 25-35 more points of damage after some different knockdowns, the most obvios being after the Overhead Arm Toss. Still, Janet's Throws are powerful, sometimes allowing a HIGH Pounce, and are great alternatives to floating. Ideal places to use most High Throws are after the enemy blocks your Punch rush, or Elbow, or Sidewinder, or Helix :). You can also use the KK trick (see Axe Kick section). The Overhead Arm Throw is best used combined with a Crouch Dash to avoid High attacks. You are also given a free Throw chance if a crouching enemy gets hit by the Knee in PPPK... About the Throws: 1. P+G Slap Away: quite weak and rarely allows a Pounce or Ground Chop. However it will take priority over complex motion Throws. Also does a little bit extra damage when she slaps them into the wall... 2. P+G Spine Stomp Takedown (Back): decent damage (but low compared to other Back Throws) and allows a Ground Chop. Amazingly enough, this IS guarenteed after HCB+P+G... 3. P+G Rotary Throw (Side): one of Janet's best options after Evading an attack, and befits her style of fighting. 4. d/f+P+G Snake Twist: a good Throw mixed in to avoid escapes, it rarely allows a Pounce, but swivels your position around and does decent damage. 5. D,f+P+G Overhead Arm Toss: her most powerful Throw, despite the fact that she cannot follow with a Ground Throw like Aoi could. Still, a Ground Chop and often High Pounce are possible. Best used after a Crouch Dash and/or to avoid High attacks. 6. b+P+G Stomach Throw: a decent Throw that reverses the ring, does decent damage, and allows a Pounce on slower opponents. Mix it in. 7. HCB+P+G Reverse Rake: has the most damage potential of all the High Throws; see combos for more info. 8. d+P+K+G Half Snake Twist-Stomp: despite the fact that again, Janet has no Ground Throw to use after this like Aoi, it is still a powerful Throw that allows a Ground Chop often. Best used after blocking Low attacks, or when you anticipate the enemy crouching. OR, after forcing the enemy into a crouch with the Phoenix Chop (see combos...) THROWS OVERALL: --------------- The Overhead Arm Toss is of course your most powerful Throw. Both the Stomach Throw and the Serpent Twist can also be included to mix it up, but IMO when you have the chance, use the Reverse Rake to set up a nice combo. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Offense: Overall, the most important moves in your offensive rush are: 1. PPx or PPPx 2. f+P+K,P 3. d/f+P+K 4. f+P,P 5. d/f+P 6. any High Throw If the enemy blocks your PP, G-cancel (for what it's worth) and try for a Throw, or d+K+G if they have slow reflexes. If the enemy ducks your PP, it is best to chain into the canned f+P,P; or you can G-cancel and Low Throw, or Elbow stagger, or Sidewinder stagger, etc... Once the enemy starts to notice the Punch rush, they will have created a defense against it (i.e. a move that avoids it, or a reversal). Once that happens, start going in with the Sidewinder; if the enemy tries to duck and avoid it, they will be staggered, where the canned Elbow will connect and you can Pounce for good damage. If the enemy blocks the Sidewinder, it is best to try for a Throw, or simply start the rush over; you can also try and delay the Elbow follow-up if you know the enemy will try and counter--you'll counter him and knock down for a Pounce. If at this time you anticipate the enemy will try to counter it with a High attack, quickly duck then counter with the Overhead Arm Toss. Again, try something else different; once the enemy thinks they have the counter ready for you, mix in the Phoenix Chop from a few steps away; if it interrupts, you can Low Throw. If it connects normally, see combos for more follow-ups. If the enemy avoids it (i.e. dash back, or E), change your strategy again :). If it is blocked from its proper range, try and interrupt the enemy's attempted counter with a fast attack. IMO the Phoenix Chop is your best attack when you've ALREADY forced the enemy into a crouch, along with the Low Throw... Throughout all of this, mix in the occasional Uppercut when you see the enemy duck or otherwise leave themselves open. You can also mix in delayed Elbow combos on standing OR crouching enemies (however IMO the Sidewinder is better in this case). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Crouch Dashing: Janet has two real options from a Crouch Dash; the Overhead Arm Toss and the Rising Elbow. These two should be mixed up. When the expect the Throw, use the Rising Elbow to interrupt their attempted Throw escape. If they anticipate the Rising Elbow and attempt to counter it with a simple Punch or what have you, the Throw will often snag them. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Defense: Besides the obvious Crouch Dash under High attacks, the d+K+G will also avoid most High attacks. And, if you are SURE the enemy will be attacking when it hits, the b,b+P+K is an excellent counter to just about everything--I tend to reserve it for Punch rushes and that sort of thing, where I know there's a good chance another attack is coming. You can also use the d,d+P Double Stop (unreversable too, remember) to counter High and even slower Mid attacks, possibly for a stagger... If you block an attack standing, you can counter with a buffered Spinning Elbow or, IMO better because of the float opportunity, the Helix. You can also try countering with d/f+P or f+K,K if the attack leaves them within range. If you block an attack Low, the Low Throw is your best option (return to N after blocking, then hit d+P+K+G, all done FAST). You can also block and attempt a counter with a Sidewinder or Elbow for a stagger. And remember, the Ankle Kick (d/b+K) can often snuff slower Low attacks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -Nailing Reversals: The most obvious place to use a reversal is, of course, when you anticipate a move coming. The first and most obvious is if the enemy develops a pattern of attacks that you notice, and can anticipate in time to counter. For example, if the enemy likes to rush in with Punches, the b+P+K will frequently catch them. Another time for a reversal is if you see a move coming with obvious start-up animation that you can reverse (eg. Akira's LBF). As well, yet another anticipation reversal you can use is if you manage to block standing certain High attacks that can be chained into Low attacks--for example, against another Aoi, if you block her PPP and anticipate the enemy chaining into a Sweep, hit d+P+K. Another example of a reversal chance is if you crouch once or twice in the round and you find the enemy hitting you with a certain Mid-level move, possibly a slow-starting move. The next time you crouch, quickly stand to reverse the Mid-level move appropriately, which they will probably throw out on reflex. Yet another place to use a reversal is when you know the enemy is going to counter your fast-recovering attacks with a certain move. For example, if you know Jacky will counter your f+P+K with his f+P,K Elbow-Heel Kick, then quickly hit d/b+P+K the second you recover from the Sidewinder... See Akira's and Kage's section for more in-depth info on using reversals in general. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMBOS: ******* Floating Moves: --------------- 1. Front Kick (d/f+K on MC) 2. Sweeping Uppercut (d/f+P) 3. Knee (f+K) 4. Rising Elbow (D,d/f+P on MC) 5. Helix (f,f+P+K) Combos: ------- 1. d/f+K (MC), PPPd+K 2. d/f+K (MC), d+K+G, High Pounce 3. d/f+K (MC), D+P,d/f+P, High Pounce 4. d/f+P, d/f+P, High Pounce 5. d/f+P, PPPK, High Pounce 6. d/f+P, D+P,d/f+P, High Pounce 7. d/f+P, f,f+P+K, High Pounce 8. d/f+P, f+P,P, Low Pounce 9. d/f+P, f+P+K,P, High Pounce 10. d/f+P, P,G, f+K,K, High Pounce 11. f+K, D+P,d/f+P, High Pounce 12. f+K, d,d+P, High Pounce 13. f+K, f+P+K,P, High Pounce 14. f+K, PPPd+K 15. D,d/f+P (MC), m-D,d/f+P, High Pounce 16. D,d/f+P (MC), f+K,K, High Pounce 17. D,d/f+P (MC), f+P+K,P, High Pounce 18. D,d/f+P (MC), P,G, f+K,K, High Pounce 19. D,d/f+P (MC), PPPd+K 19. f,f+P+K, f+P+K,P, High Pounce 20. f,f+P+K, PPPd+K 21. f,f+P+K, D+P,d/f+P, High Pounce 22. f,f+P+K, f+K K, High Pounce 23. f,f+P+K, d+K+G 24. f,f+P+K, d,d+P, High Pounce ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SETUP THROWS: ------------- AFTER HCB+P+G: a great Throw that will set the enemy up with their back facing you. A Back Throw is in fact guarenteed (or virtually guarenteed--anyone seen this avoided?) after this! However, there are more damaging options. The best overall option is f+K,K followed by a Ground Chop or possibly High Pounce for great damage. Your Sweep+High Pounce will also always works, but overall kinda weak. If you know your enemy isn't the type to crouch here, a Helix is a great way to start floats, or the Sweeping Uppercut. Overall however, the Knee-Snap Kick or Knee+juggle is your best bet. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- STAGGER COMBOS: --------------- After f+P: If the Elbow staggers, the canned P is guarenteed, but this is pretty weak IMO. You can try for a Throw as they recover, or possibly f+K. Altogether I haven't experimented much with this, as the Sidewinder stagger is more reliable. After f+P+K: the canned Elbow is the best follow-up, as it knocks down and allows a High Pounce for great damage. You can also Throw as they recover, or try a f+K. After d/f+P+K: If the Phoenix Chop hits as a MC, go for the Low Throw. Otherwise, it's pretty much a guessing game, with nothing really guarenteed. To really mix things up, you can simply repeat the Chop for a possible MC and Low Throw :). If the enemy continues to simply duck and/or block, the Crouch Dash+ Low Throw is reliable. You can also use f+P+K,P in the event that the enemy struggles, or f+K,K. If the enemy likes to stand and block afterwards, dash in for a Throw or d+K+G. ############################################################################ SECRET CHARACTER; HORNET: ************************* No need to list all of his moves: when he has his armor on, he has only the P, f+P, d+P, K, d/f+K, d+K and P+K+G of Bahn's. He also has his own f,f+P, which propels him along the ground to hit Low (useful for evading High moves) and his P+G "Tire Wear" Throw :). He also has a Back Throw. However, once you break off or loose Hornet's armor (you can blow it off with b+P+K), you gain all of Bahn's moves, and loose Hornet's f,f+P Low attack. IMO a good trade, note however that Hornet takes considerably more damage when his armor is off. Altogether I would rather just play Bahn... ############################################################################ ////////// /CREDITS/ ///////// Special Thanks to the following FAQ writers and Internet VF personalities: -Sitson Lee for translating AM2's charts and tactics -CreeD for his awesome Throwing FAQ -Dodee (Steve Hamilton) for his thorough VF3 moves list -Tan Wu Meng for an awesome VF2 Kage FAQ -Takeshi Morozumi for a good VF3 Kage beginner's FAQ -Chia Wilson for a decent Kage FAQ -Steve Quinlan for his awesome Akira FAQs -Jirawat Uttayaya (jirawat@phys.ufl.edu) for his great Aoi FAQ -Lars Holst Soerensen (larshs@vfhome.com or larshs@vnet.ibm.com) for his great VF3 Lau FAQ -Ki Nam (hyundai_dk@po.ia.dk) for his helpful VF3 Shun FAQ -Mukura (mukura@basil.stthom.edu) for his "Undocumented Moves FAQ" -tlawson@acs.ucalgary.ca for his FAQ documenting the differences between VF3 and FMM -gamefaqs.com for posting this FAQ :) (www.gamefaqs.com) -vfhome.com for all the support (lets get the site back up! :) -#vfhome (IRC channel) for lots of help and discussion -Jason Chaj (on #vfhome) for lots of help -Jason Jamieson (cka@efni.com) for help in play testing, and an annoying bastard of a Kage :) -Hardcore Gaming (www.harcoregaming.com) for their awesome VF site. -Anti-Chicken homepage (http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Arcade/3777/) for lots of great info; I support your cause guys! Finally, thanks to Sega for having a little bit of sense to put this game out (even though it's not the best VF) to tide us over until VF3 :) This and many other FAQs can be found at my homepage: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/1910 or http://www.gamefaqs.com Feel free to e-mail comments, suggestions and ESPECIALLY additions to the character sections to: tigeraid@geocities.com "I said it before and I'll say it again--democracy simply doesn't work!" -Kent Brockman, the Simpsons