Hiruma Ryuei's DBZ Budokai 2 Normal Move FAQ v0.30 Insert standard blah blah here, if you dupe this FAQ - eh, who am I kidding, I don't care if you copy this FAQ. But stealing stuff is bad, so if you steal my stuff, you'll get bad karma. So there! Seriously, guys, don't steal my stuff. If you want to post snippets of it in your FAQ, just quote me, I'm down with that. If you want to post it on your website, that's cool too. Just don't delete my name at the top there, eyep. Any questions and comments can be sent (in proper English only) to hirumaryuei@yahoo.com. Poorly typed suggestions will be posted in my private space on the Internet for my friends and I to laugh at incessantly. Flame my guide and you'll be sorry. Table of Contents: 1. Revision History 2. Preface 3. What this FAQ isn't 4. Glossary of Terms 5. Legend 6. Universal Moves/Throws (next update, kiddos) 7. Characters Son Goku Son Gohan Piccolo Krillin Tien Raditz Kid Trunks Son Goten 8. Credits ******************** 1. Revision History: 3/26/2004 - First version (0.30) Future updates - Obviously universal moves and a few more characters coming next. Prolly some minor changes and fixes, I'm sure I messed up somewhere. I might do some stuff on punishability, but really, I'll take any help I can get with that. ******************** 2. Preface: This FAQ is to breathe some life into Budokai 2 play. Budokai 2 isn't anywhere near the complexity of say, VF4 or something, but at the same time it is a simple game that aspiring fighting game players can learn quite a bit from. Also, it's a lot of fun as a party game, since it's really easy to pick up. There is quite a bit of complexity to Budokai 2 that was present in Budokai 1, but wasn't explored in any of the FAQs for either game. Normal moves are the heart of Budokai 2. Since all of the big damage supers can only be landed off a normal string, it's important to learn the ins and outs of them. If you try doing a big damage super that is blockable without planning ahead, you're asking to get your attack blocked and punished. In all honesty, this FAQ came about for two reasons: 1: My friend Andy abuses PPPPE. He does absolutely nothing except dash-ins, blocking, and PPPPE. It doesn't matter what character he uses, he always throws repeated PPPPEs. It's really irritating, and there are plenty of ways to punish it AND land bigger, higher damage combos. So for all those scrubs using PPPPE all the time, read this FAQ. Love it. 2: My friend Sam was learning Vegeta, and he tried for HOURS to land Final Flash. Worse yet, every time I blocked it, I landed Majin Buu's Angry Explosion or just a Innocence Cannon string. Finally, we figured out why he couldn't land it - the last K of Vegeta's PPKKE is blockable. If only there was a FAQ to tell us what strings are blockable... So basically, this FAQ I wrote for my own use, but I figure, what the heck, might as well release it to the masses. ******************** 3. What this FAQ isn't: 1. It's not a storyline guide. FIRST AND FOREMOST. I don't give a crap who could beat who in the actual DBZ storyline. In the GAME, Krillin is an acceptable fighter, and Goku is only better because he can step-cancel into SSB. 2. It isn't a Dragon World/capsule guide. It can help you beat Dragon World and get capsules, but if you really want to get capsules just do the capsule cheat, or play World Tournament with Cell and do the freeze cheat. Furthermore, there are a billion walkthroughs out there for Dragon World. 3. This isn't a combo guide. There are two reasons for this: The first is there is already a combo faq out there. Second, I don't feel like mashing out 200 billion different sequences just to make sure they work. I'm already doing all the normals in the game. That's enough work for me. 4. Right now, this isn't a gameplay guide. I probably will insert some tidbits here and there about how to work the mindgames and stuff. Suffice it to say that while it's cool and awesome to do 2000+ damage combos, they aren't what wins matches. Clever move placement wins matches. If you can't get past your opponent's guard, you're not going to win. Sadly, no big damage step combos can do that, but a lot of juggles can. Step combos are for when your opponent makes a big mistake and gives one to you. ******************** 4. Glossary of Terms: Blocking: While it may be stupid to cover blocking, the basic guard is probably the most crucial ability to master in Budokai 2. Blocking an attack generally allows you to punish an attacking opponent, because most attacks in Budokai 2 have excessively long recovery. I'd say over 2/3rds of all attacks in Budokai 2, including unfinished strings, have long recovery times. This means that nearly every time you block an attack, you can land a combo for ridiculous amounts of damage. Because blocking is so critical to the game, it is equally critical to know how to get around it. Breakfall (techroll): The second major defensive technique you'll need to learn. Breakfall allows you to dodge pretty much all okizeme leveled at you. Just tap G when you are knocked down to pop back up. Some attacks automatically knock down, keeping you from breakfalling. These are typically rare, and only work on the ground. Ground Recovery: If you are knocked down, you are vulnerable to okizeme. However, by pressing G to get up, you will wake up invincibly through any of your opponent's attacks. This includes any and all projectile attacks. Also, you can tap 2 or 8 and G to sidestep while getting up, which can net you freebie attacks if they were trying to hit you up close. Guard Break (GB): When you hit an opponent with a dash-in or transformation while they are guarding, it stuns them, leaving them open to future hits. However, if you guard break an opponent, normal combos have a tendency to knock down. Thus, it is probably best to throw a launcher after a GB. Some attacks that are normally blockable are not blockable after a GB though due to this property. Guard Cancel (G-cancel): During all unblockable hits, you can hit G to immediately cancel the attack and return to neutral stance. Since some hits (specifically the double axe kick) stun THEN go into the UB, this trick is crucial to landing certain combos. Also, you may step-cancel, or tap 2 or 8 while G-cancelling. This will let you sidestep behind your opponent, which basically lets you ruin their life with normally blockable strings. Ki: The energy of life. Taking away life, that is :) Ki represents your overall ability to deal big damage to the enemy. Without any meter, your best combos range around 600 damage, which is chump change. Keep a healthy supply of ki at all times. Having a large number of ki stocks can force your opponent to play defensively. Ki is reduced by blocking and being taunted; it is increased by powering up or by striking the opponent. Launch: To send your opponent skyward for an air combo. While your opponent is launched, he cannot block or step your attacks until he hits the ground. This allows you to land some pretty sick followups, doing a lot of damage for very little ki meter. Okizeme: The fancy term for ground damage, or hitting your opponent while he/she is knocked down. This absolutely sucks in the air - most characters can brutalize you with a big combo if you are downed in the air. Fortunately, knocking an opponent down in the air is pretty hard. All small characters can do okizeme on large characters if the fight is on the ground. Fortunately, breakfall pretty much shuts down okizeme, and a lot of okizeme attacks can be beaten by using the invincible ground recovery. No character relies much on the tactic as a real source of damage, but you should get in your licks any way you can. Projectile: Any attack that shoots something at your enemy. I'm specifically referring to moves done with the E button, and more specifically to moves that can be done with E, 6E or 4E. Obviously, some characters don't have projectiles, like Satan and Videl, and some characters don't have super projectiles, like Great Saiyaman. Anyway, the point is, that super projectiles are highly punishable. If you sidestep one, you can land, at the least, a dash-in hit. Only use them as okizeme, to stuff dash-ins, or to finish combos. Note that the androids' energy field is technically a projectile in terms of punishability. Sidestep: The third defensive technique is sidestepping. It isn't as situationally useful as guarding is, and most characters can be punished right after they finish their sidestep. However, it gets around moves that guarding does not. All fireballs can be sidestepped, as can dash-ins and pretty much any big hit. If you sidestep successfully, it usually gives you your opponent's back, meaning free combos, including normally blockable combos. Piccolo in particular gains a HUGE advantage if he steps an opponent's attack. Taunt: Taunting (P+K+G+E) reduces your opponent's Ki by one stock. Very useful - it can be used instead of traditional okizeme to reduce your opponent's ability to damage you. If you know he can deal big damage with 3 stocks, I'd be taunting every time I knocked down to keep him from pulling that big super. Taunting is also a great way to get a turtling opponent to attack. Throw: Another way to crush turtles. First off, if your opponent is striking, he cannot be thrown. The only time you can throw an enemy is if he is not attacking. If your opponent is throwing, performing a throw will break it. The exception to the rule is if your opponent is in the middle of an unblockable. Characters doing unblockables can be thrown. One major bonus attribute of the throw is that they all bring the enemy to the ground at the very least, and usually the thrower as well. This is crucial for characters who fight better on the ground. Transform: In the end, generally another means to crush turtles. Transform abilities have a very short reach, but they break guard and interrupt anything your opponent can do. In general, you should use your transform ability as much as possible. In addition to breaking guard and stuffing your opponent's moves, transformations have invincibility until you completely finish the animation sequence of the transform. Abuse them. Unblockable: The game refers to unblockables as having "nullifying attributes." Unblockables in Budokai 2 must be held down until the move goes off. Furthermore, unblockables soak up one normal hit from the opponent without hurting you - just to discourage people from hitting you out of it. While UB moves are great against turtles, they can be beaten. The "double jab," a regular or super fireball, or a throw can all stop an unblockable. If you're getting hit out of your unblockable, just wait for them to throw their first attack, the release - the UB will soak up their hit and slam them. The exception to this is the "double jab," which some small characters have. These characters can tap PP very quickly and jab you twice before you can counter with the UB. Beware. ******************** 5. Legend # = Yeah, I'm a SC2 player *laughs*. Basically, each number represents a directonal input as shown: 789 456 123 So 6 is towards, and 4 is backwards, 2 is down, 8 is up. 6P means press forward + P, 4K means press backward + K. [*] = Brackets signify a point where the string can be blocked. Ex: Goku's 6PPP[K][E]. The 6P, and the other two punches will combo. The K can be blocked even if the third P connects. Likewise the E can be blocked even if the K connects. In general, you should make a serious effort to avoid doing blockable strings unless the damage is worth your while to try. Obviously, these strings aren't blockable if your opponent is backturned. (*) = Parentheses signify a point where you can hold the attack button down in order to make the attack unblockable. These should be employed often, especially if your opponent turtles. Beware, as there are quite a few ways to stop UB attacks. Backstep, fireballs, sidesteps, and to a lesser extent throws and the double jab can beat UBs. KU = A KU attack sends the opponent up into the air. This is not to be confused with a launching attack. A KU attack is used to bring the battle into the air and/or keep the battle in the air. KB = A KB attack knocks the opponent backwards. The benefit of KB is it almost always knocks down the opponent, even if done in the air. Obviously they can techroll to recover from being knocked down, but a failed techroll means you can attempt a wakeup projectile for more pain. KB moves should be standard combo finishers if you're low on meter, but don't need to position yourself. KD = KD moves are crucial to fighters that perform best on the ground. They send an opponent slightly downward toward the ground. They do not send an opponent down as much as KU attacks send an opponent up. Also, if a KD is done on the ground, it turns into a KN attack in most cases (see below). KN = By themselves, KN attacks are fairly rare. It is far more common to see KD attacks have KN properties on the ground. A KN attack knocks your opponent down, but does not launch them away from you. This means you can do some crazy okizeme if you're a small character fighting a large. However, KN attacks ONLY work on the ground. If you do a KN in the air, it just hitstuns your opponent a bit, which can give them the opportunity to attack. DON'T DO KN TECHNIQUES IN THE AIR. As stated above, most KD techniques become KN techniques on the ground. LF = Although they technically "launch," these moves do not allow followups, because they hit the opponent too far away from you. You may be able to sneak in a fireball or something, if they botch their breakfall. However, a LF move means you're not going to add on another 600+ damage like the other two launch types. Note that a lot of moves LF in the middle of the combo, then link to some sort of super attack, or just a flying kick or punch that knocks the opponent away. In 99% of all cases, it's best to just do the super attack. LL = LL launchers are the rarest type of launcher in the game. They launch, but not very high, so only a limited number of followups are available. LH = LH launchers are what make launch very high - more than enough height to pull out some mad followup hits. Some even offer the possibility of relaunching, but this has been vastly toned down in Budokai 2. Back in Budokai 1, #17 and #18 had an infinite relaunch (I believe 6PPKKG, not sure right now, my copy of Budokai 1 was stolen). ******************** 6. Universal Moves (not yet, scrub, wait until next update) ******************** 7. Characters Son Goku PPPPE - *Kamehameha PPP(6P) - KB PPKK[K] - KU PPKKE - *Warp Kamehameha P6PPK - LF (3rd hit) KU (4th hit) P6PPE - *Zanku Fist PK - KB 6PPPP[P] - LF 6PPPP[E] - *Continuous Kamehameha 6PPP[K][K] - KB 6PPP[K][E] - *Spirit Bomb (Normal or Kaioken only) 6PK(K) - KD (stuns if G-cancelled) 4PP - LH 4P[6P] - KB 4P4P - LH 4P[K] - KB 4P[(6K)] - KD 4P[4K] - KN KKK(K) - KD (stuns if G-cancelled) KK6K[K]E - *Super Spirit Bomb (Normal or Kaioken only) KK6K[6K] - KB KK4K - KU K6K - KB K(4K) - KD (ground: doesn't combo, can't UB, no KN; stuns if G-cancelled in air) 6K[P]P(P)E - LF (4th hit) *Kamehameha 6KKKKK - KB 6KKKE - *Super Dragon Fist 6KK4K - KN (last hit combos on ground only) 4KP(P) - LH (2nd hit) KD (3rd hit) (Goku's best launcher!) 4KK - KB 4K6K - KU 4K[(4K)] - KD (can't UB on ground, no KN on ground) P+K+G (1 stock): Kaioken x20 (+5% attack) P+K+G (3 stocks): SSJ (+10% attack) P+K+G (4 stocks): SSJ2 (+15% attack) P+K+G (5 stocks): SSJ3 (+25% attack) Note: Air 66P+K does not GB. Son Gohan PPPPE - *Kamehameha PPP(6P) - KB PPKK[K] - KU P6PPK - LF (3rd hit) KU (4th hit) P6PPE - LF (3rd hit) *Zanku Fist PK - KB 6PPPP[P] - LF 6PPPP[E] - *Continuous Kamehameha 6PPP[K][K] - KB 6PPP[K][E] - *Super Kamehameha (SSJ or higher only) 6PK(K) - KD (stuns if G-cancelled) 4PP - LH 4P[6P] - KB 4P4P - LH 4P[K] - KB 4P[6K] - KU 4P[(4K)] - KD KKK(K) - KD (stuns if G-cancelled) KK6K[K]E - *Super Kamehameha (SSJ or higher only) KK6K[6K] - KB KK4K - KU K6K - KB K(4K) - KD (ground: doesn't combo, can't UB, no KN; stuns if G-cancelled in air) 6K[P]P(P)E - LF (4th hit) *Kamehameha 6KKKKK - KB 6KKKE - *Super Dragon Fist 4KP(P) - LH (2nd hit) KD (3rd hit) (Gohan's best launcher!) 4KK - KB 4K6K - KU 4K[(4K)] - KD (can't UB on ground, no KN on ground) P+K+G (3 stocks): SSJ (+10% attack) P+K+G (4 stocks): SSJ2 (+15% attack) P+K+G (5 stocks): Elder Kai Unlock (+25% attack) Note: Air 66P+K does not GB. Piccolo PPPPE - LF (4th hit) *Destructive Wave PP[(6P)] - KB PP[K]K - KU PPK(E) - *Instant Killquick PP(6K) - KB PP4K - KN PK - KB 6PPPP - see notes 6PPP[6P]E - *Special Beam Cannon (Makankousappou) 6P6PP(P) - KB 6P6PP6PE - LF (4th hit) *Destructive Wave 6P[K]K - KU 4P(P) - KD 4P[K] - KN 4P[6K] - KB 4P[(4k)] - KN (Okizeme) KK[K](K) - KD (stuns if G-cancelled) KK[K]6K(K) - KB KK[K]6KE - *Hellzone Grenade (Fuse with Kami only) KK4KK - LH (3rd hit) KB (4th hit) (Piccolo's best launcher!) 6KPP[(P)] - KB 6KPP6P - KD 6KPP[(4P)]E - LF (4th hit) *Light Grenade (Fuse with Kami only) 6KKK[(K)] - KB 6KKK[4K] - KB 6KKK[(E)] - Fierce Ranma 4KK - KU 4K4K - KN P+K+G (3 stocks): Sync with Nail (+5% attack) P+K+G (4 stocks): Fuse with Kami (+10% attack) Notes: KK4KK: Third and fourth hits backturn Piccolo momentarily. PUNISHABLE. Ground 66P+K does not GB. 4K and 6PPPP have enough hitstun to combo into other moves Krillin (Kuririn) PPPPP - See notes PPPPE - *Kamehameha PP[6P]P(P) - LF (4th hit) KU (last hit) PP4PPE - LF (4th hit) *Destructo Disc PPKKK - KB PKK - KB 6PPPP(P) - KD (KB on ground) 6PPPP(E) - *Valiant Fist 6PP[6P]P(P) - LF (4th hit) KU (5th hit) 6PP[6P]PK - LF (4th hit) KD (5th hit, KU on ground) 6PP[6P]PE - Destructo Disc 6PPKKK - LL (4th hit) KB (5th hit) 6PPKKE - LL (4th hit) *Zanku Fist 6PKKK - LL (3rd hit, LH on ground), KB (4th hit) 4P(P) - KU, must be landed very deep to combo in air; always combos on ground 4P(6P) - KB KK(K) - KB KK6KKK - KB (KU on ground) last K does not combo in air KK6KKE - *Fierce Destructo Disc (Unlock Potential only) KK4KK - LH (3rd hit) KB (4th hit) KK4KE - LH (3rd hit) *Kamehameha 6KKK - KB 6KK6K - KB (KU on ground) last K does not combo in air 6KK4K - KN 4KK - KU P+K+G (3 stocks): Unlock Potential (+5% attack) Notes: PP "double jab," can stuff most opponents UBs PPPPP is safe on block 6P+K cannot be held for UB 66P+K does not GB in air 66K is okizeme against mid-sized and larger characters Tien (Tenshinhan) PPPPE - *Dodonpa PPP[6P] - KB PPKKK - LF (4th hit) KB (5th hit) PPKKE - *Fusion (Tienha) P[6P]PK - LF (3rd hit) KU (4th hit, KD in air) P[6P]PE - LF (3rd hit) *Blast Cannon PK - KB 6PPPPP - LF 6PPPPE - *Domination Blast 6PKK - LH (2nd hit) KU (3rd hit) 6PPPK(K) - LH (4th hit) KB (5th hit) 6PPPKE - LH (4th hit) *Volleyball Fist 4PP - LF 4P6P - KB; does not combo on ground 4P[(4P)] - KU 4P[(K)] - KB 4P[6K] 4P4K - LH KKKK - KU KK6KKE - *Jackhammer Fist Flash KK6K6K(P)E - LF (5th hit) *Blast Cannon KK4K - LH K6K - KB K4(K) - KD (stuns if G-cancelled) 6K[P]PPE - LF (4th hit) *Dodonpa 6KKKKK - LF (4th hit) KB (5th hit) 6KKK(E) - *Machinegun Fist 4K[P]P - LF; combos on ground 4K(K) - KD (stuns if G-cancelled) 4K6K - KU 4K4K - LH Notes: 66P+K does not GB (at all) P+K cannot be held for UB on ground, hits grounded opponents K+G has enough hitstun to deliver followup hits, but telegraphs 6K has enough hitstun do deliver followup hits if it hits from behind Raditz PPPPE - *Double Sunday PPP[6P] - KN PPKKK - KB P[6P][P]K - LF (3rd hit) KU (4th hit); first two hits combo on ground PK - KB 6PPPPP - LF 6PPPP[E] - *Weekly Special 6PPP[K]K - LF (4th hit) KU (5th hit) 6PPP[K]E - LF (4th hit) *Saturday Crush 6PK(K) - KD (stuns if G-cancelled) 4PP - LH 4P[6P] - KB 4P[(4P)] - KD 4P[K] - KB 4P[(6K)] - KD 4P[4K] - KN (Okizeme) KKK(K) - KD (stuns if G-cancelled) KK6KKE - *Exciting Year KK6K6K - KB KK4K - KN K6K - KB K(4K) - KD (stuns if G-cancelled) 6KPP(P)E - LF (4th hit) *Double Sunday 6KKKKK - KB 4KPP - LL (2nd hit) KU (3rd hit, KD in air); very difficult to follow up after LL 4KK - KB 4K6K - KU 4K[(4K)] - KD Note: 66P+K does not GB in air Kid Trunks (Chibi Trunks) PPPPK - KB PPPPE - *Buster Cannon PPP[6P] - KB PPKKK - LL (3rd hit) LH (4th hit) KB (5th hit) (5th hit does not combo on ground) PPK6K - KU P6PP(P) - LF (3rd hit) KU (4th hit) P6PPE - LF (3rd hit) *Double Buster PK - KB 6PPPP(P) - KU 6PPPP(E) - *Energy Burst 6PPPK(K) - LH (4th hit) KB (5th hit) 6PKK - KU 4P[P](P) - LH (2nd hit) KU (3rd hit) 4P[6P] - KB 4P[(4P)] - KD 4P[K] - KB 4P[6K] - KN 4P[4K] - LH KKKK - KB KK6KKE - *Blast Attack KK6K6KP - LF KK4K(P) - LH (3rd hit) KU (4th hit) K6K - KB 6KPP(P)E - LF (4th hit) *Buster Cannon 6KKP[P]E - *Buster Cannon 6KKKKK - KB 4KP(P) - LL (2nd hit) LH (3rd hit) 4K(K) - KD (stuns if G-cancelled) 4K6K - KU (doesn't combo in air) 4K4K - LH P+K+G (3 stocks): SSJ (+10% attack) Notes: 6PPPP has enough hitstun to deliver followup hits 6K has enough hitstun to deliver followup hits from the back Son Goten PPPPK - KB PPPPE - *Kamehameha PPP(6P) - KB PPKKK - LL (3rd hit) LH (4th hit) KB (5th hit) (5th hit does not combo on ground) PPK6K - KU P6PP(P) - LF (3rd hit) KU (4th hit) PK - KB 6PPPP(P) - KU 6PPPP(E) - *Continuous Kamehameha 6PPPK(K) - LH (4th hit) KB (5th hit) 6PKK - KU 4P[P](P) - LH (2nd hit) KU (3rd hit) 4P[6P] - KB 4P[(4P)] - KD 4P[K] - KB 4P[6K] - KN 4P[4K] - LH KKKK - KB KK6KKE - *Zanku Fist KK6K6KP - LF KK4K(P) - LH (3rd hit) KU (4th hit) K6K - KB 6KPP(P)E - LF (4th hit) *Kamehameha 6KKP[P] - KB 6KKKKK - KB 4KP(P) - LL (2nd hit) LH (3rd hit) 4K(K) - KD (stuns if G-cancelled) 4K6K - KU (doesn't combo in air) 4K4K - LH Notes: 6PPPP has enough hitstun to deliver followup hits 6K has enough hitstun to deliver followup hits from the back *************************** 8. Credits/Acknowledgements This FAQ was made possible by: ME, I made this guide, despite my general hatred of DBZ Sammy, who whined enough about Final Flash to make me write this Jason, who forced us to play this game even though GGXX is clearly a better game Budokai's CPU, who stun-cancelled me, causing me to be enlightened on how to do it unsurprisingly right AFTER the forums had figured it out -.- This FAQ was not made possible by: Sammy (the company), who makes GGXX, which everyone should play instead of Budokai Namco, who makes SC2, and while it is broken it is still far better than Budokai 2 and finally, FROM Software, who makes the Armored Core series, the best series of games on the planet ~FIN *