A Halfway Decent Violet/Lee FAQ Version 1.5 Created: 11:58 PM 8/13/2002 By Allyourbase (Emmanuel Lopez) Contact: maverick236@hotmail.com *********** Legal Stuff *********** Violet/Lee and other characters mentioned in this FAQ are the property of Namco. This FAQ is the expressed intellectual property of Allyourbase (AKA Emmanuel Lopez) and any infringement on copyright laws is bad. Readers may save or print out this FAQ as long as it is done only for private use. If you would like to post this FAQ on your site, please email me and let me know what you intend to do. Any attempt to post this FAQ without giving me credit is obviously against the law, so don't try it. To make sure the text is properly formatted check below 1234567890 abcdefghij If the above text lines up, you're free to go! This FAQ appears in: - GameFAQs.com - FAQs.IGN.com - TekkenZaibatsu.com If it appears anywhere else, please take it down. I'm well within my rights to sue you and it won't be pretty. ***************** Table of Contents ***************** I. Introduction/Why I made this FAQ II. Version History III. Movelist IV. Analysis -Throws -Special Arts -Hitman Stance V. Lee Doesn't Suck VI. VS. Strategies VII. Closing Remarks VIII. Thank you's and dedications ************ Introduction ************ The Tekken series, especially Tekken Tag Tournament, is one of my all-time favorite fighting games, right up there with SoulCalibur and Marvel Vs. Capcom (which I suck at sadly). Tekken is an easy game to get the feel of and at the same time, it takes a whole lot of time and effort to truly master the game. This appeal to novices and seasoned experts produces a unique environment where an upset is possible. Compare that to other fighting games where the balance of power is clearly biased towards those who spend a lot of time practicing their skills. I'm not trying to diss experts, but I like the excitement of having to prove myself. I'm not saying an upset is always going to happen, but I believe Tekken does reward strategy, but the game's easy-to-grasp nature doesn't alienate newbies. I wrote this FAQ to shed some light on Violet/Lee Chaolan. Long dismissed as a weak Law knockoff, Lee started to develop his own style in Tekken Tag. Armed with devastating and flashy moves, I saw Lee was a viable character in the right hands. And so, the seed was planted. When Tekken 4 came out last year, I was pleased they had improved on Lee's capabilities. Many months and countless victories later, I felt it was my duty as a Tekken junkie to impart my knowledge to those who are fortunate enough to buy Tekken 4 for the PS2. *************** Version History *************** 3:09 PM 8/30/03 - I've updated my new contact information. Seems everyone and their grandma wants to give me some sort of email virus. 9:57 PM 12/23/02 - Went over the FAQ a couple of times now that I have some free time. Took the time to redress some factual errors and fix grammatical mistakes. 10:31 PM 9/5/2002 - Finished the VS. Strategies section and added the "Lee Doesn't Suck" section to the FAQ. Whew! I think that's a wrap on Version 1.2. Now... to get started on that Soulcalibur II guide. Which character should I do it on? 9:09 PM 8/22/2002 - After a nice long break, I decided to press forward and add some new features to the FAQ. Right now, I am working on the character specific VS. Strategies section. More updates later. 2:01 PM 8/22/2002 - Completed the move analyses. 7:01 PM 8/14/2002 - Finished the movelists. I'll have to round up my buddies to use as punching bags and collect data for the analysis. I hope school won't cut into my playing time too badly. Anyways, I hope everyone's milked my fondness for "Gilmore Girls" for all of its comical worth. Hahaha, enough already, let's get to work! 11:58 PM 8/13/2002 - Began production of the FAQ. Poring over movelists and thinking about how to lay out information is tough. Did anyone else see "Gilmore Girls" tonight? I know it's a replay but... Hey! stop laughing! Even the fiercest warriors have a tender side. And besides, Alexis Bledel is a total fox! ******** Movelist ******** I'm hoping you understand the universal notation agreed upon by all Tekken players. If you don't know, I suggest you hop over to Tekkenzaibatsu.com and peruse their glossary. You will find it extremely helpful. But before we go, here are a few short terms to take note of: CHICKEN - to counter a REVERSAL. You need to take note of which limb was grabbed and press the corresponding command. For example if a left limb was grabbed, press f+1+3. HMS - Hitman Stance. Lee's signature stance. Many moves can link to and from this stance. OKIZEME - attacking a downed opponent. REVERSAL = Paul, Nina, Jin, and King are capable of reversing incoming attacks. Counter reversals with a CHICKEN. PARRY - to turn aside an attack to gain an advantage in frames. Law, Bryan, and Julia are capable of parries. SS - short for sidestep. SSL - sidestep to the left. SSR - sidestep to the right. OK, that's about it. Away we go! ====== Throws ====== Name Position Command Escape Misc. Position change any u_d_b_f+1+3 Wu Tip front 2+4 2 Neckbreaker front F+2+4 2 Knee Crusher front f,F+3+4 1+2 Harrassment left 2+4 1 Stunner right 2+4 2 ============ Special Arts ============ Name Command Range Misc. 1-2 Punch 1,2 hh = Mist Step ~f,N n/a = Violet Knuckle 2 m = Violet Kick [HMS] 4,[~3] m 1-2 to Silver Rain Kick [HMS] 1,2,4:4 hhm Acid Rain Combo 1,3:3:3 hhmh Violet Knuckle 1,F+2,2>2 hhmh Fang Rush b+1,1 hh = Triple Fang Rush 2 h = Mist Step ~f,N n/a = HMS 3+4 n/a Schwartz Rose Hook S+1+2 m Rave War 2,2 hh Rave War Combo F+2>2>2 hmh Right Cross SS+2 h = Mist Step ~f,N n/a Left Violet Screw Kick [HMS] SSR+3,[~4] m Right Violet Screw Kick [HMS] SSl+4,[~3] m Slicing Kick d/b+3 l Quick Silver Sting u/f+3 h Roundhouse d/f+3 m Split Axe Kick f,f+3 m Dragon Slide FC,d/f,d,d/f+3 l Head Kick to Violet Hammer 3>3 hm Head to Step in Kick 3,f_d/f+3 hm Acid Rain Combo #2 f+3:3:3 hmh Mist Wolf Kick [HMS] b+3,[~4] m Mist Wolf Combo b+3>3 mh Mist Wolf Feint b+3~3 h Mist Wolf Trap b+3~3,4 n/a Opponent must block kick Silver Low Kick to Head Kick d+3,3 lh = Violet Hammer >3 m = Step in Kick d_d/f+3 m Tsunami Kick WS+3,3 mm Starts Infinity Kicks = Step in Infinite Starter d/f+3 m = Low Kick Infinite Starter D+3 l = Rave Kicks 3,3,3,3... mhmh = Violet Hammer Rave Kicks u+3,3,3... mmh = Low Rave Kicks D+3,3,3... lmh Shredder Kicks f,f,N,3,4 mm = High Shredder Combo >4 h = Mid Shredder Combo >d/f_f+4 m = Low Shredder Combo >d/b_d+4 l Silver Sting u/f+3+4 h Delayed Dragon Slide f,f,N+3+4 l Backflip [HMS] b,b,N+3+4 n/a Shaolin Spin Kicks 4,3,4 hhh Roundhouse to Somersault 4,u+3 hm Violet Spin Hammer 4,3,3 hhm Quick Somersault [HMS] FC,(u/b_u_u/f)+4,[~3] m High Somersault FC,(U/B_U_U/F)+4 m Rainbow Drop FC,(U/B_U_U/F)+3+4 m Fake Somersault [HMS] FC,(u/b_u_u/f)[~3+4] n/a Silver Tail d,d/f+4 l Hop Kick U/F+4 m Silver Knee u/f+4 m Silver Whip f+4 h Violet Heel [HMS] b+4 m Violet Kick [HMS] d/f+4,[~3] m Rising Violet Kick [HMS] WS+4,[~3] m Silver Cutter [HMS] b,b+4,[~3] m Blazing Kick d,d/b+4 m Machine Gun Kicks 4,4,4 hhh Laser Edge d+4 l = Machine Gun Kicks >N+4,4,4 hhh = Shaolin Spin Kick >N+4,3,4 hhh = Violet Spin Hammer >N+4,3,3 hhm = Roundhouse to Somersault >N+4,u+3 hm Laser Edge Rush [HMS] d+4>4>4>4,[~3] lllm Hitman Stance 3+4 n/a Mist Step f,N n/a = Cancel [HMS] b+3+4 n/a = Soviet Kick 3,4 mm = Sway b,N n/a = Code Red Low 4 l Silver Cyclone d+3+4 ! Power Punch d/b+1+2 ! = Cancel u,u n/a Low Cancel to Cyclone d+4,N+4~3 10-String Combo d/f+1,2,2,1,3,3,3,4,3,4 ================== Hitman Stance Arts ================== These attacks can only be done from the Hitman Stance. If you consult the above movelist, you see there are many ways to link into this stance. By doing so, you can play a lot of mindgames with your opponent. Lots of wholesome fun! Name Command Range Misc. Freaker Jabs 1,1 hh = Mist Step ~f,N n/a Fake Freaker to Scatter Kick 1,3 h Fake Freaker to Violet Kick [HMS] 1,4,[~3] m Fake Freaker to Silver Rain [HMS] 1,4:4,[~3] m Scatter Blow 2 m Scatter Kick 3 h Ship Slicer 4 l Hitman Step f n/a Cancel to Standing b n/a Sidestep Walk U_D n/a Cancel to Crouch D/F n/a Predator Step u_d n/a ******** Analysis ******** ====== Throws ====== Wu Tip 2+4 Escape: 2 Lee grabs his opponent's shoulders, flips over them and twists their neck in the process. Ouch. It hurts a lot. Throw in every now and then to hose turtles. Neckbreaker F+2+4 Escape: 2 Another one of Lee's standard throws. This time, he grabs the opponent's neck and slams them down with a swinging neckbreaker. Standard throws really suck in T4 because you can break either of them by pressing 2, but do have a place when used sparingly. Knee Crusher f,F+3+4 Escape: 1+2 The only command throw at Lee's disposal. The motion is quick and simple to execute. Basically Lee grabs his opponent and drives his knee into their face. Fast. Simple. Very effective with a two button break, although an expert will be able to break this throw by quickly tapping and holding down 2 and then pressing 1 with two held down. Despite this, you should be able to land this throw frequently. To really make effective use of the Knee Crusher, you can enter the command f,N,f+3+4. Basically, this allows you to take a Mist Step and cancel it into the throw. As you can see, this extends the Knee Crusher's range exponentially. Cool, eh? ============ Special Arts ============ 1-2 Punch 1,2 = Violet Knuckle 2 = Violet Kick [HMS] 4,[~3] = Mist Step ~f,N A good ol', tried-and-true poking technique. This is probably your safest bet as a good opening gambit since they come out reasonably fast. Not as damaging as other combos, but fast enough to stuff any throw attempts, unblockables, and some other stuff. Nobody's gonna psych me out by charging an unblockable. When I see them go for it, I just run in there and give 'em two quick jabs. Combined with the Mist Step, you can punch twice and then swiftly move in to close the gap on your opponent. In addition, you can also link to other moves from the Mist Step to throw off your opponent's timing. While they expect you to be vulnerable while moving in, you can quickly cancel the step into another attack. Another dimension to a simple 1-2 poke is you can throw in other attacks and even link into the Hitman Stance, opening up more mindgames. Last but not least, 1-2 Punches make great juggle fillers, although Namco decided to tone down juggles. Damn. 1-2 to Silver Rain Kick [HMS] 1,2,4:4 Personally, I prefer the 1-2, Violet Kick link to Hitman Stance because you throw out a mid kick which will push back any aggressive opponents. You really have to be up close for the two punches to connect. Hitman Stance is best used from just outside kicking range, so linking to it from this move puts you too close for my taste. Acid Rain Combo 1,3:3:3 In this series, Lee does a punch, a head kick, followed by a low kick and another head kick. This is one of those infamous Just Frame moves. The timing for the triple kick is a real bitch, but once you get it down, you have a godly poke. If one kick hits, the rest are guaranteed, setting up a sweet crumple stun. Very difficult to do, but once you get it down, Lee becomes a very scary opponent. 1-2 to Violet Knuckle 1,F+2,2>2 Lee does two head punches, a body blow and a final head punch. The good thing about this combo is the last hit can be delayed to confuse the crap out of the other guy. Against anybody with a functioning brain and some skill, you should cut this attack short on the body blow because an expert will wise up to your mind games and duck the last punch. You should throw this out every and then to poke somebody out of their rush or just to keep them away. Fang Rush b+1,1 = Triple Fang 2 = Hitman Stance 3+4 = Mist Step ~f,N This is the meat and potatoes of Lee's punch strings. The Fang Rush opens up with Lee striking the other guy's head with a backfist before hitting them in the chest with another backfist. Because of the lunging motion Lee makes when executing this attack, you can use this from a good distance away. You will like this attack because it's fairly quick, covers a lot of ground and can link into either the Hitman Stance or the Mist Step. Furthermore, you can execute the Fang Rush straight from a block, making it a handy retaliatory move against blocked moves. Schwartz Rose Hook SS+1+2 One of Lee's sidestepping attacks. Executing this command causes Lee to hit his opponent with a quick hook punch. If timed right, it is possible to sidestep an attack completely and score with this one. The range is a little lacking, as you have to be pretty close for it to work. At the same time, it also hits mid so you can duck it. Master this move and you got a solid counter. Rave War 2,2 Honestly, this move isn't so hot. Lee simply jabs his opponent in the head and follows it with a backfist to the head. Both moves hit high, so it shouldn't take a rocket scientist to duck. There are better punch strings at Lee's disposal. Rave War Combo F+2,2>2 A much better variation on the Rave War. Lee advances forward with a head punch, body blow and a backfist to the noggin. The good thing about this move is Lee moves forward while attacking, allowing you to close the gap between you and your opponent or push them into a wall. The last hit goes high, so it's best just to stop at the last hit. A very effective poking tool, though not as fast as the 1-2 Punch or as versatile as the Fang Rush. Right Cross SS+2 = Mist Step ~f,N Another of Lee's attacks coming off the sidestep. This time Lee throws out a quick right cross which hits high. Although it hits high, the execution speed is pretty fast and you can link to the Mist Step to set up some of your other attacks. Mix this up with the Schwartz Rose Hook and the Screw Kicks to give your sidestep some flavor. Remember, in T4, if you can sidestep like a pro, then you can easily beat 75% of the people you face. Left Screw Kick [HMS] SSR+3,[~4] Yet another sidestepping attack at Lee's disposal. The motion for this one is a bit odd because you can only do it from one particular direction. Novices may be put off by this, but a true master knows the value of this move. Lee does a slow turning kick which hits mid and links into the Hitman Stance. Use this from a good distance away, like when you're anticipating an opponent to run in and attack. Right Screw Kick [HMS] SSL+4,[~3] Like the Left Screw Kick, this can only be done sidestepping in a particular direction. This version is slightly more powerful than the Left Screw Kick. My advice is to either stick with one of these and memorize how to do it from both sides of the screen or two memorize how to do both from both sides of the screen. Slicing Kick d/b+3 A good move to deceive opponents with. Lee takes a step forward and then uses his left leg in a low sweeping motion to hit low. There's a little windup to this move, but the kick itself is pretty speedy. On a counterhit, you'll cause your opponent to shift to his/her side, setting up a side throw oppurtunity if you're fast enough. Use this one occasionally because even the most dimwitted opponent will wise up if you overuse it. You can also use the Slicing Kick to tag grounded opponents. Quick Silver Sting u/f+3 A flashy move to look at and pretty good too. Jumping into the air, Lee throws out a wicked cool sidekick which will knock down an opponent if it connects. The only problem is the kick hits high and comes out pretty slow. Believe it or not, there is a slower and more powerful version. My suggestion is to use this one every now and then to throw your opponents off. You can also use it to halt a charging opponent from long range. Don't go crazy with it though, OK? Roundhouse d/f+3 Lee simply throws out a roundhouse kick with his left leg. You can use this as part of your poking game, to push an opponent away or to bait a chicken (more on that later). The range is pretty good and even up close it's a good idea to throw one out every now and then. Split Axe Kick f,f+3 Borrowing a trademark move from his foster family, Lee steps forward and brings his leg down with a crushing blow. Since Lee has few power moves besides this one, I would use this attack at long range or to punish missed attacks. It hits mid, so ducking opponents better think twice about crouching to avoid attacks. You can also use the Split Axe Kick to keep grounded opponents from rolling onto their feet. Dragon Slide FC,d/f,d,d/f+3 One of Lee's sneaky weapons from the fully crouched position. Lee slides forward baseball-style and trips up his opponent in the process. This leaves Lee face down with his head towards his opponent, and it's possible to add a sweep kick if you're fast enough. Throw this in with other mixups from the fully crouched position to keep the surprise factor intact. Just keep in mind you'll switch sides with your opponent. If you're comfortable playing from the 2P position, there's no need to worry. Head Kick to Violet Hammer 3>3 Lee kicks his opponent in the head before using the same leg to deliver an axe kick. Probably a good overall attack to use as a poke or if you have a brain freeze and don't know what to do. As you can see, the last kick can be delayed, which is useful in getting turtles to come out of their shells. The axe kick hits mid, so even if the other guy ducks you can probably still nail them. Don't too predictable using it, because a savvy player will block high or attempt to reverse you. Head to Step-in Kick 3,d_d/f+3 Similar to the Head Kick to Violet Hammer, Lee begins with a head kick. But this time he steps in and throws out a side kick as a followup. The side kick has more range than the Violet Hammer, so this is a safe bet when just outside of punching range. The delivery of the last kick is somewhat slower, so be sure to have a chicken ready in case of a reversal. Acid Rain Combo #2 f+3:3:3 Not really a great combo to use because all three kicks can be blocked standing. There are better kicking combinations to be had. Use sparingly, unless you know your opponent sucks. Mist Wolf Kick [HMS] b+3,[~4] = Mist Wolf Combo 3 = Mist Wolf Feint ~3 = Mist Wolf Trap ~3,4(on opponent's block) Although Lee has very few power moves, this is one and probably one of his best due to its range and speed. There are a great many mixups available from the Mist Wolf Kick, the most notable is the ability to go into Hitman Stance. Ahh... all the mind games you can play with the Hitman Stance. Use the Mist Wolf Combo against inferior opponents, because experts will be wise enough to duck the last hit. The feint will probably fake out some people some of the time, so throwing it out adds more dimension to the Mist Wolf Kick. Finally, the trap is pretty tough to land. You have to press 4 at the exact moment your opponent blocks the kick. Don't obsess about trying to land it. Instead, go into the Hitman Stance after the Mist Wolf Kick and proceed to psychologically mess up your oppoent's game. Silver Low Kick d+3,3 = Violet Hammer >3 = Step in Kick d_d/f+3 Leaps and bounds better than the Head Kick to Violet Hammer. The initial hit is low, which is more than enough to throw off even the smartest players. Either finisher hits mid, allowing you to hit crouched opponents. However, the Step in Kick has more range than the Violet Hammer. Use it at range. Up close, finish this combo off with the Violet Hammer. You'd be surprised how many times you'll nail this move before people wise up to it. Tsunami Kick WS+3,3 = Step in Infinite Starter d/f+3 = Low Kick Infinite Starter D+3 = Rave Kicks 3,3,3,3... = Violet Hammer Rave Kicks u+3,3,3... = Low Rave Kicks D+3,3,3... THE most recognized and feared Lee technique. It is possible to kick indefinitely, as the name implies, although it isn't wise to do so. There are tons of mixups available from the Tsunami Kick starter and most achieve the "deer caught in the headlights" effect nicely. Most people will freak out once you start your barrage of kicks and will turtle up or try to counterattack. You can either start the third kick low or mid, and it's a good idea to vary your Infinite Starters to keep other players on their toes. Another plus is the kicks are all done with the left leg, so buffering a reverse should always be easy. Just be careful if you're playing against King. No matter what anyone tells you, you cannot escape from his kick reversals. Shredder Kicks f,f,N+3,4 = High Shredder Combo >4 = Mid Shredder Combo >f_d/f+4 = Low Shredder Combo >d/b_d+4 Stealing a move from Paul, Lee charges in and delivers two mid-hitting launching kicks and follows up with a finisher of your choosing. After the dashing motion, Lee goes into the Mist Step, allowing to delay the actual attack considerably and expand your range. For example, you can dash, count to 1 and then launch the Shredder or you can dash, complete a Mist Step and then do the Shredder. Along with the Silver Knee, Hop Kick, and Blazing Kick, this is a sound juggle starter. Silver Sting u/f+3+4 The beefed up version of the Quick Silver Sting, except slower and more powerful. This time, Lee does a turning jump kick aimed for his opponent's skull. There's a little windup, so an alert player can probably duck or jab you out of the attack. Thus, my advice is to use this when you anticipate an opponent's attack. One more note, this is the only attack which will juggle off the Scatter Blow from Hitman Stance. Backflip [HMS] b,b,N+3+4,[~3+4] Highly useful to create some space between you and an opponent. I like to use this to break away from an aggressive opponent or just to play mind games. Delayed Dragon Slide f,f,N+3+4 Similar to the Dragon Slide, you don't have to do this one from the fully crouched position. The only difference is there's a delay because Lee stops and turns around before sliding. I would recommend using this move at range, as a mixup for the Shredder Kicks. Once you have the opposition anticipating the Shredder Kicks, you can bust this one out for a low hit. Shaolin Spin Kicks 4,3,4 Yet another set of moves borrowed from Law. All of the kicks hit high, so smart players will duck or poke you out of your rush. Otherwise, the kicks allow Lee to advance, allowing you to close the gap on the other player. All told, don't go crazy with this one. Roundhouse to Somersault 4,u+3 Lee throws out a head kick, pauses, then does a Somersault. The delay usually fools people into eating the Somersault, so you can get away with abusing this move to a degree. Throw it in with other kicking combinations to mess up your opponent's timing. Too bad you can do any juggles from this move, because the Somersault is one hell of a launcher. Violet Spin Hammer 4,3,3 Similar to the Shaolin Spin Kicks, but instead of throwing out a final spin kick, Lee drops his leg with an axe kick. Use this instead of the Shaolin Spin Kicks. It covers as much ground just as fast and can't be ducked under. Overall, a good move to freak people out. Quick Somersault FC,u/f_u_u/b+4 With all of that fancy motion, quick seems to be a strange description for this move. Law can do this move with a simple u/f+4. But if you've set up your FC guessing games fairly well, opponents looking for the Infinity Kicks and Dragon Slide will never seen this coming. Otherwise, you might just be doing it by accident, which can probably hurt your game. High Somersault FC,U/F_U_U/B+4 It's almost like the Quick Somersault, except slower and it doesn't launch. I would stay away from this one and stick with the Quick Somersault. Fake Somersault [HMS] FC,u/f_u_u/b,[~3+4] This move is probably one of those "Oh crap, I didn't mean to do that" moves. Sure you can go into Hitman Stance, but that's about the only good point. Avoid this one at all costs. Silver Tail FC_d,d/f+4 In a fashion similar to move Nina has, Lee uses his entire body to sweep the opponent of their feet. The sweep hits low and sets up okizeme pretty well. Off the top of my head, the only two problem I cans think of are Silver Tail can be countered with the universal low parry (press d/f) and you only knock the opponent down on a clean hit. Nevertheless, when you combine this with Lee's other FC attacks, you have plenty more guessing games at your disposal. Hop Kick U/F+4 One of your go-to juggle starters. It's quick, and easy. You should spend a lot of time practicing different juggles to find out which combos you're comfortable with. Definitely bust out a Hop Kick after a blocked move. It has great range but the recovery will leave you in a compromised position if it's blocked. Silver Knee u/f+4 Not to be confused with the Hop Kick. The motion is almost similar except it's u/f and not U/F. Silver Knee is a decent juggle starter. What it lacks in range, it excels in speed and recovery. This is definitely best used up close, around punching range. Again, practice juggles so you know how to maximize the damage you score off your opponent's air time. Silver Whip f+4 Just about the fastest kick in the game. I use this attack to stuff any strings and/or multithrow attempts. My only complaint is it hits high, but you need Jedi-like reflexes to anticipate when a Silver Whip is coming. It's fairly easy to abuse this move because a surprising number of people, and experts, will eat this move. For all it's worth, the Silver Whip doesn't do much damage, but since you'll be landing them often, all that tick damage really starts to add up. Violet Heel [HMS] b+4,[~3] Not exactly an "abuse me" attack, but effective when thrown out at odd intervals. It's especially useful when you want to link into Hitman Stance. What's even better is you can throw out the Violet Heel and follow it up with either the Silver Whip, Violet Spin Hammer, or some other quick attack to throw off you opponent's timing. Violet Heel is primarily used as a fast and easy link into Hitman Stance. It can launch opponents, but only on counterhit and most of the time you'll have gone into Hitman Stance before you can capitalize. Violet Kick [HMS] d/f+4,[~3] Lee throws out his right leg with a front snap kick. It's not as fast as the Silver Whip, but the ability to link into Hitman Stance is a welcome property. From there you can wreak all the mayhem you want. This is a pretty good interrupt against strings, but I prefer the Roundhouse to push people who are too close. Silver Cutter [HMS] b,b+4,[~3] It looks like the Violet Heel except it comes out slower and knocks down when it scores. The Silver Cutter is an excellent defensive move because the initial b,b motion means you backpedal a bit before unleashing a kick. It also tracks sidesteppers well. Pretty useful when trying to play keep away with overaggressive opponents. Links into Hitman Stance for more fun! Rising Violet Kick [HMS] WS+4,[~3] Coming out of the fully crouched position, Lee hits his opponent with a kick to the gut. It's similar to the standing Violet Kick. When combined with the other attacks from the fully crouched position, like the Dragon Slide or Infinity Kicks, it really shines in throwing off the other player's rhythym. Blazing Kick d,d/b+4 A trademark Lee move, he whips out his right leg and sends the opposition flying sky high into the air. If fighting didn't work out, Lee could always try out as a kicker in the NFL. Haha. Seriously, pay special attention to where you're fighting. In open areas, a launched foe will float much higher than any other juggle starter. In closed areas like the garage or airport, they will hit the wall and come crashing down sooner, enough to throw off your juggle timing. Blazing Kick is a decent juggle starter, pushing back opposing players if blocked. All in all, it's pretty safe, but I would recommend using Blazing Kick at range or when you anticipate an incoming attack. Machine Gun Kicks 4,4,4 The speed of the Machine Gun Kicks is impressive, but all three of them hit high, which leaves you pretty vulnerable if your attack is ducked. Stick to using the Shaolin Spin Kick or Violet Spin Hammer since they fulfill the same functions the Machine Gun Kicks do. Still pretty useful if you're in a jam and don't know what to do. Laser Edge d+4 = Machine Gun Kicks >N+4,4,4 = Shaolin Spin Kick >N+4,3,4 = Violet Spin Hammer >N+4,3,3 = Roundhouse to Somersault >N+4,u+3 A low hitting side kick with many great mixups. This is a kick string you can rely on heavily. The fact you can delay the next kick will give you a huge advantage over the other guy. In fact, it's entirely possible to base your entire offensive strategy around this string. The two best mixups in this series are the Roundhouse to Somersault and the Violet Spin Hammer because the former has a little delay before the Somersault. The Violet Spin Hammer can be used to advance on somebody or to tag ducking opponents. Laser Edge Rush [HMS] d+4>4>4>4,[~3] This is the move that will get you labeled "cheap" if you use it a lot. People complain about this move. Why? Instead of bitching about it, why don't they just learn how to parry or reverse this attack on reaction. C'mon you lazy slapasses, it isn't that hard. All but the final kick hit low, so anybody who's paying attention can see what's coming. Laser Edge Rush is very effective against Christie scrubs or against any newbies. On counterhit, all of the kicks will hit, making it useful in catching grounded opponents who're trying to roll to their feet. But please, don't ever attempt this on an expert. They'll quickly hose your attack. And plus, it insults our intelligence. Of course, this is a great move to use to close out a match. Just because it'll label you "cheap" doesn't mean you shouldn't use it. Hitman Stance 3+4 Although perceived as a taunt, this stance actually has very good attacks and serves its purpose as a psychological weapon. Basically, Lee rears back on his back leg and beckons his opponent to attack. Against poorly trained opponents, this might provoke them to overextend themselves in an attempt to nail you. Fortunately, the Hitman Stance auto-guards high and mid attacks and you can unleash lots of nice attacks of your own. Just be aware you can't defend as well as you could just standing and your mobility is somewhat limited. Since much of Lee's special arts link into this stance, I'll give this it's own seperate section. Mist Step f,N = HMS Cancel b+3+4 = Soviet Kick 3,4 = Sway b = Code Red Low 4 Don't confuse this with Kazuya's move of the same name. Instead of sidestepping like Kazuya, Lee crouch dashes forward. While not considered a true crouch dash, it does slip under high attacks. Unlike the Mishima crouch dash, Lee is considered fully standing after coming out of the Mist Step. I like to use this manuever to close the distance and stay in an opponent's face. You can also cancel the Mist Step with some other move; I like cancelling into the 1-2 Punches or the Laser Edge mixups. The Mist Step has also been beefed up with new moves like the Soviet Kick and the Sway. The Soviet Kick looks similar to the Shredder Kicks and launches. It's an effective juggle starter any way you slice it. Sway looks like the head fake Nina, Paul and Bryan have, although only one move links from it. I mostly Sway just to fake somebody out. I find after pelting someone with enough Mist Step moves, the Sway does nicely into baiting an opponent into a rash attack. Silver Cyclone d+3+4 One of three unblockables at Lee's disposal. It's essentially an unblockable version of the Silver Sting with a ton of windup time. The chargeup time makes this skill impractical outside of practice mode. Power Punch d/b+1+2 = Cancel u,u I like to charge up the Power Punch and cancel it primarily to scare people. This feint works wonders against turtlers, who try to attack when they see Lee charging up. You can quickly throw out a Violet Kick, 1-2 Punch or Silver Whip to stuff their counterattack attempts. Actually, the fake Power Punch is better than the actual move itself. Low Cancel to Silver Cyclone d+4,N+4,~3 I'm not sure if this is a glitch move because I've never done it myself. From what I hear, the timing is somewhat tricky. If anyone can tell me about this move, I sure would appreciate it. 10-String Combo d/f+1,2,2,1,3,3,3,4,3,4 Everyone has seen this combo in some form or another because Law has the same attack. As such, I doubt you will get anything past the first four hits in. It's better to use the first four hits as a juggle filler or a counterattack. ============= Hitman Stance ============= Freaker Jabs 1,1 = Mist Step ~f,N Lee throws out two quick backhands. I like using this move as a keepaway. Most people react to the Hitman Stance by trying to rush in and land a hit. With these two jabs, you can nail them in their folly. New in T4, you can end the two jabs by going into Mist Step. I can't stress how neat this is. For example, do Freaker Jabs, Mist Step and then come out of the step with a nice move like the Violet Knee for a quick juggle. Neat, eh? If you're playing aggressive, this is perfect for stopping a potential counterattack and closing in to press your advantage. For those who are more content to hang back and play mind games, which is what the Hitman Stance is all about, doing the Freaker Jabs returns you into the stance for more wholesome fun! Fake Freaker to Scatter Kick 1,3 As the name implies, Lee throws out a fake jab. Instead of punching, he switches up the attack with a hooking kick. If you nail the kick on a clean hit, you get a jazzy autothrow where Lee wraps his leg around his opponent and drives their head into the ground! Just watch yourself because the kick hits high and is pretty easy to block or duck on reaction. Fake Freaker to Violet Kick [HMS] 1,4,[~3] Yet another move stemming from the Fake Freaker Jab. Instead of doing the Scatter Kick, a mid-hitting front kick is thrown out. Useful for faking out people who duck in anticipation of the Scatter Kick. The best part is you can return to Hitman Stance by pressing [~3] to continue your assault. It's impossible to stay in the stance indefinitely by repeating 1,4,[~3], although I wouldn't suggest doing that. Fake Freaker to Scarlet Rain [HMS] 1,4:4:4,[~3] I don't recommend using this move. For all the buttons your press, you pretty achieve the same effect as the Fake Freaker to Violet Kick. Scatter Blow 2 Probably the most used move coming out of the Hitman Stance. It's a spinning uppercut which sends opponents flying. Unfortunately, juggling oppurtunities are limited because the other player flys too far. The only guaranteed juggle is the Silver Sting, making it seem like a "canned combo." If the Scatter Blow is blocked, there's significant lag time, so get ready to block. Like I stated before, this is a popular attack from the Hitman Stance; don't lean on it too heavily. Scatter Kick 3 Flashy describes this move the best. On a clean hit, you will get an additional autothrow which is awesome to watch and humiliating for the opponent. It does hit high, so a savvy player will duck or block it and unleash a counterattack of their own. It's much more worthwhile to set this move up from the Fake Freaker to Scatter Kick. Ship Slicer 4 The Ship Slicer looks almost like the Silver Tail. They both hit low and are good to use at long range. The only difference is the Ship Slicer always knocks down, which the Silver Tail only does on a clean hit. It's the only low-hitting move that links off the Hitman Stance, and so should provide a good surprise factor. Beware of abusing this move. The worst case scenario is to get parried and suffer some form of abuse you can't defend against. Try to keep the surprise factor on Ship Slicer fresh by relying on other attacks as your primary method of damage dealing. Hitman Step f Tapping f allows Lee to take a small step forward while remaining in Hitman Stance. This is a pretty good way to move into range for Ship Slicer or some other jazzy attack. The step is really small, so don't rely on stepping too much. Then again, if you need to do a lot moving to get into position, you're doing the whole thing wrong. Cancel to Standing b You cancel into the standing position. Simple. You can now go back to layin' the smack down with your special arts. Sidestep Walk U_D This move shares similar properties with the Hitman Step. It allows you to take a small sidestep left or right. Like the Hitman Step, the movement is somewhat small, so use this exclusively as a way to fine tune your position in relationship to the other player. Cancel to Crouching D/F As the name implies, this cancel leave you in the fully crouched posture. From here, you can unleash a whole variety of attacks stemming from the crouch. Infinity Kicks. Dragon Slide. Violet Kick. Also useful ducking under high attacks. Predator Step u_d THE best movement option available in the Hitman Stance. While remaining in Hitman Stance, Lee takes normal-sized sidesteps. Not only does this move him off axis, it also allows him to advance on the opponent. At best, you can probably evade an attack and land one of your own. **************** Lee Doesn't Suck **************** Before we delve into the character specific strategies, there are some general remarks I'd like to impart to you, my pupil. First of all, I'm glad you're reading this FAQ. That tells me you're looking for something new in Tekken besides using Kazuya, Paul or somebody else because they're easy to learn and easy to win with. I gotta give you props for taking the road less traveled. Now some general words of wisdom about Lee. 1) Lee ain't Law. Lee ain't Paul either. Lee doesn't have an easy executing power move like the Deathfist nor can he juggle well. Your strength lies in the speed of your attacks and the numerous mixups you have at your disposal. I would advise you to take full advantage of them. 2) Playing Lee defensively is bad. As I alluded to before, Lee doesn't have many power moves to fall back on. Lee's style is rapid-fire strings and fast interrupts, so your best defense offense is a carefully planned and well executed offense. Sure you could play as Bryan, block most of the time and then bust out with a couple of Mach Punches to win, but this is a LEE FAQ. If you're not pressing the issue with attacks, you should be trying to interrupt your opponent's onslaught so you can resume your offensive. 3) Always have a plan. Never rush at an opponent without trying to figure out what you plan to do next. Kinda like chess, only much faster-paced. My philosophy is I attack to set up my opponent for another attack. If I score a hit, that's just great. But the idea is to understand how to set up your opponent for your other plans. 4) Pay attention! I know it sounds retarded, but sometimes I get busted for it too. It's really easy to get carried away with your strings and then eat a big-time ass whippin'. Take heed of your opponent's tendecies. We're all creatures of habit. Find your opponent's and capitalize on it. Along the same lines, study how they react to your attacks. Can they block it? Do they eat the whole string? Or did they reverse it? By noting these things, you can gauge the skill of the other player and give insights on how to proceed later on in the match. 5) You can be flashy. You can win. But you can't always do both at the same time. Lee's specialty is chipping away at an opponent's health. I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record, but compared to King or Paul, Lee doesn't have the capability to cause a lot of damage in a hurry. Never forget that. ************** VS. Strategies ************** Now that you've learned everything there is to know about the various properties and uses for Lee's attacks, it's time to apply them. In this section, I will break down how Lee matches up with the other characters in Tekken. I'll offer insights based on experience and suggest strategies to hose the opposition. To make your life easier, I'll also list some key moves you should watch out for. Finally, I've added my own personal ratings. Instead of using a hackneyed star or number system, I thought it would be interesting to liken each of the characters to a certain situation. For example, fighting Kuma could be described as difficulat as getting a root canal. You get it right? Here are some terms I'll throw out in the style descriptions. These definition should give you an idea of what I'm talking about. Take note that sometimes a character will fall into two or more categories. offensively - also known as a "pitbull" or "bulldog." Characters used offensively like to pour on the attacks, giving the opponent little oppurtunity to counterattack. Examples would be Kazuya, Lee, and Hwoarang. defensively - also known as a "turtler." Defensive characters play lots of keepaway games, leaving you to screw up your rush. These characters usually have high damage moves, which allow them to change the momentum in their favor at a moment's notice. Kuma and Marduk are examples of turtlers. balanced - these characters are comfortable playing either offensively or defensively, depending on the situation. King, Bryan and Jin are examples. tricky - a tricky character is adept at confusing the opponent. This is usually entails the uses of various stances, feints or attacks that change levels rather abruptly. Yoshimitsu and Lei are great examples. =============== King the Second =============== Style most often used: balanced Moves to watch out for: 1-2 Punch 1,2 = Suplex 2+4 = Palm Strike 1 = Powerbomb 2+4 (opponent must be crouching) Reversal b+1+3_b+2+4 Super Kick b+3 Hop Kick u/f+4 Stagger Kicks d+3+4,4,4 Spinning Knife Hand 1+2,1 Dark Shoulder f+2+3 Low Dropkick d/b+4 Elbow Sting d/f+1 Low Jab Uppercut d+1,~N+2 Giant Swing f,HCF+1 Deadly Boomerang SS+3+4 Frankensteiner d/f+3+4 Konvict Kick f,f+4 Flying Knee f,N,d,d/f+4 Giant Swing f,HCB+1 [escape: 1] Any chain throw setup How to win: There's a reason to fear the man in the jaguar mask. King has inherited some of the late Armor King's moves to make him a more potent opponent. While most people only associate King with his multithrows, a true King expert knows better. King is adept at short, rapid poking strings and an expert will use this to set you up for a whole multitude of chain throw horrors. King has one of the fastest 1,2 jabs in the game and he will either use that or the Low Jab Uppercut to keep the heat on you. Your paramount goal is to keep your opponent off balance. The best way to do this is to out poke King and stay in his face with firm, sustained pressure. Don't rush in wildly attacking because you'll most likely get reversed or eat a big time attack. I like to exploit the mixups I have at my disposal, namely the Laser Edge mixups and the Triple Fang. By keeping the opposition guessing, you can divert their attention from planning their attack to stopping yours. At range, be wary and rush in when you see an opening. The Deadly Boomerang Kick is the hardest hitting regular move in the game and walking into one really isn't helping your cause out any. You want to keep King at around kicking range, just out of Stagger Kick reach. If you're too close you could get Hop Kicked for a quick juggle, knocked silly with a Super Kick or eat a CH Stagger Kick. For the most part, you can stop crouch-dashes cold with a well-place Mist Wolf Kick, but be prepared to break a throw. I recommend the 2,1,1+2 double tap because a majority of King's throws break with either 2 or 1+2. You need fingers of lightning to do it. To do the double tap, you press 2,[1],1+2. Simple right? Obviously any opponent is less dangerous when they're in the air. Punish whiffed and blocked attacks with a Silver Knee or Hop Kick to pop King up if you're in range. Otherwise, go with the Mist Wolf Kick. Low hitting moves are pretty useful against King, since he can only reverse high and mid attacks. Sidestepping is also useful to get around King's attacks and set up your own. Stick with the Schwartz Rose Hook and the Right Cross because the Screw Kicks are slow enough to reverse, and you can't chicken King's kick reversals. Along the same vein, don't become predictable with your kicking strings. It will be a difficult battle, but if you pick your spots carefully, you can exploit your speed advantage to triumph. Difficulty = Trying to take a college final exam while being shot at by a sniper. ============== Kazuya Mishima ============== Style most often used: offensively Moves to watch out for: Shining Fists 1,1,2 Blazing Demon Rush b+3,1,4,2 Gut Punch d/f+2 Abolishing Punch f+2 Mist Step f,N = Wind Godfist d/f+2 = Hell Sweeps d/f+4 Stonehead f,f+1+2 [escape: 1+2] Kidney Punch d/f+1 = Abolishing Punch f+2 Crouch Dash f,N,d,d/f = Wind Godfist 2 = Hell Sweeps 4,4 Heel Drop d/f+4,4 Donkey Elbow b+1 Demon Gut Punch WS+2 Statue Smash d/b+4 How to win: Kazuya doesn't have very many moves; just the ones good at beating you. You'll see a plethora of crouch dash mixups. Other moves which start with an f,f motion can be buffered into a crouch dash, so be on your toes for a buffered Stonehead throw. If you do get grabbed, press 1+2 immediately to get out of it. Try not to overextend yourself attacking, because if you miss, you'll be staring at the wrong end of the Shining Fists combo. Beat Kazuya at his own game by unleashing a barrage of your own attacks. Your punch combos can stuff most of his more powerful attacks. If you ever see Kazuya throw a 1-2 punch, your reaction should be to duck because he'll probably tack on the Statue Smash afterwards. The deadliest move in Kazuya's arsenal is of course, the Wind Godfist. It's the fastest juggle starter in the game. Once you do get popped up, you'll be subjected to some painful juggles. Along the same vein, avoid subjecting yourself to CH. If you're not careful a Demon Gut Punch will throw you into a crumple stun and set you up for a world of hurt. Since the crouch dash is so great at range, try to stay close to Kazuya. That way, he'll have to rely on other moves to create some space. Your main goal is to pour on the pressure. Kazuya doesn't have much in the way of defensive moves and you can exploit this liability with a controlled flurry of pokes and custom strings. By poking him out of his rush, you dictate the pace at which the fight goes. Lee is a far superior poker, so throwing in short strings with various attack levels works to your advantage. You can go into Hitman Stance because it auto guards high and mid attacks. Since Kazuya has a condensed library of moves, it's easy for him to get predictable. Don't hang back and wait; take the fight to Kazuya. Difficulty = Writing and turning in an FAQ in 3 days. ============ Paul Phoenix ============ Style most often used: offensively Moves to watch out for: 1-2 Punch 1,2 Deathfist QCF+2 Elbow Thruster QCF+1 Step in Strike f+1+2 Head Fake QCB = God Hammer Punch 1 = Rubber Band Attack 2 = Sweep 3 = Elbow Strike 2 = Stone Breaker 2 = Deathfist 1 Tile Splitter d+1 Falling Leaf d+4,2 Low Kick SS+3 Shoulder Tackle f+1+4 Shoulder Smash d+1+2 Shredder Kicks f,f+3,4,4_d+4_f+4 Shredder u/b_u_u/f+3,4 Push Away f,f+1+2 [escape: 1+2] Reversal b+1+3_b+2+4 How to win: There are three flavors of Paul players. First you have the "I'll abuse the Deathtfist" scrub. These chumps are easy to dispatch. It's possible to sidestep the Deathfist, but in my opinion it's much too risky since it tracks reasonably well. I prefer to block and counterattack. If you give little oppurtunity to get Deathfist'ed, then you've eliminated 100% of the scrubs' offense. This forces the chump to rely on other attacks, which in all likelihood, they don't know. From there, you're free to beat the crap out of them. The second variety is the reverse scrub. These morons like to turtle up and reverse anything you throw at them. What they don't know is Lee is an excellent character to bait and buffer chickens because a lot of his attacks use the same limb more than once. For example, the Machine Gun Kick is just 4,4,4 so buffering a chicken is a easy as 4,4,[4]. Try to bait this scrub into reversing. Lots of Machine Gun Kicks, Low Kicks to Violet Hammer, Infinity Kicks and other simple attacks are in order. Getting chickened has a nice chilling effect, and once they learn you know how to counter a reverse, they're toast. Smoke and cook to taste. The final variety is the expert. An expert will refrain from using the Deathfist unless you miss badly. They like the Falling Leaf combos and throwing out short strings to poke you out of your game. Fortunately, the Falling Leaf only knocks down on a clean hit, and if you're any farther than punching range, that's not going to happen. As for the poking, sidestep frequently to avoid the incoming blows. It's in your favor to frustrate the other player with your rapid-fire combinations and juggles. Paul doesn't have much in the way of low hitting attacks, so you can focus on blocking high and mid. The Silver Whip is excellent in breaking up rush attempts and the Roundhouse can push Paul back and force him to come to you. Any Shredder attempts can quickly be stuffed with a quick 1-2 Punch or Violet Kick. You should respond to any blocked attack immediately with Hop Kick to pop Paul up for a juggle. The less time he spends on two feet, the better. Keep these points in mind and victory should be yours. Difficulty = Asking the person you like out on a date. ============= Nina Williams ============= Style most often used: offensively/tricky Moves to watch for: 1-2 Knee 1,2,3 = Palm Grab :1+2 2-1 Low Kick 2,1,4 Blonde Bomb f+1+2 Bad Habit f,f+3_QCF+3 Divine Cannon d/f+3+4 Side Kick d/f+3 = Assault Bomb 1,2,1,1+2 = Punch 2 = Creeping Snake 1,4 = Geyser Cannon 3 = Low Kick D+3 = Uppercut 2 Spin Kick to Upper d+3,2 Reversal b+2+4 Ray Hands d/f+1+2 Spiral Explosion SS+1+2 Cartwheel Punch 1+4 Quick Panther Claw f,f+2 Wipe the Floor d,d/f+4 Head Grab Toss u/f+1+2 [escape: 1+2] Heel Slicer SS+4 Jab SS+1 = Crouch Dash ~F = Bad Habit 3 = Sway ~B Uppercut d/f+2 How to win: Nina is easy on the eyes but a tough customer in the right hands. She is one of the best pokers in the game with her assortment of short and confusing strings. If you whiff, there's a Bad Habit kick waiting for you. It's not fun to get kicked in the nads. Fortunately, you can do something about it. For all she's worth, Nina just doesn't have much in the way of power moves like Jin or Paul. You, on the other hand have the Split Axe Kick, (Quick) Silver Sting, Mist Wolf Kick, and the Screw Kicks. Hmmm... she only has the Blonde Bomb and Bad Habit. I'd have to say six to two works in your favor. It's a good idea to turtle up against Nina, but not to do it completely. Remember, Nina still has those nasty chain throws to hose turtles. If you do get grabbed, stick with the 2,[1],1+2 double tap to break free. It won't work all of the time, just enough to save your ass. Fortunately, most of Nina's juggles, however long they are, don't do so much damage. There are ample oppurtunities to break free, usually when you fall back on the ground and Nina attempts to scoop you up with a d+4,1. Try to alternate between tech rolling and staying on the ground. In addition, the Divine Cannon isn't nearly as fast as it was in Tekken 3. Now let's talk offense. Any damage Nina can deal out, you can too and a little more. Play your strength advantage and pressure her with Triple Fangs, Laser Edge Mixups, and 1-2 Punch mixups. My theory is if you're poking her, she can't poke back. While you're at it, juggling her is the best way to gain an advantage. Along the same line, perfect okizeme technique will keep Nina grounded, where she's not as dangerous. Remember, when fighting Nina, you want her 1) in the air or 2) on the ground. As always, buffering a chicken is necessary to deter the threat of reversal. Just thank your lucky stars Anna's not around, as she was more adept at staying in your face. Needless to say, easy on the eyes, not easy to fight against. Difficulty = Trying to go three days without any sleep. ================= Christie Monteiro ================= Style most often used: offensively/tricky Moves to watch out for: Slippery Kick 3,4,4,4 Handstand f+1+2 Satellite Moon 4~3 = Satellite Grounder 3 Arching Crescent d+4 Chain Kick d/b+3,4,4,4 Knee Thruster b+3 Jumping Jacks u/b+3+4_u+3+4_u/f+3+4 = Grounded D Rewinder 1+2 = Cartwheel Kick 3 = Grounded 3 = Flapjack Kick 3+4 How to win: Christie isn't exactly a brand new character, style-wise anyway. She's basically, as one writer put it, "Eddy Gordo with great boobs." Umm... right. Like Eddy, she's a favorite of button-mashing morons everywhere because of the simplicity of her attacks. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Christie's attacks chain together beautifully and a lot of them require kick buttons. I know the "Moves to watch out for" section may seem short, but a lot of these moves link into a whole shitload of other attacks. Why waste space stuffing a Christie FAQ in a Lee FAQ? My suggestion to you is to peruse a good Christie FAQ to find out what she's capable of. If you want to simplify things, a majority of her attacks either hit mid or low. So let's go over how to beat a Christie player. There are two varieties, scrubs and experts. If you're faced with a scrub, my first word of advice is not to underestimate your opponent. My second maxim is to fight fire with fire. If they're going to attempt to beat you with a barrage of Slippery Kicks, then get cheap on them too. Repeated dosages of Laser Edge Rushes, Infinity Kicks, Slicing Kicks and Silver Tails are in order. Remember, if they choose to play cheap, that's an invitation for you to sink to their level. At least for me it does. If there are scrubs, there must be experts too. Experts have a full understanding of how each of Christie's strings link into other attacks. There are two postions at Christie's disposal, Grounded and the Handstand. Grounded looks like Christie is knocked down with her feet towards you. Don't be fooled, there is a way to tell the difference. When Christie is Grounded her feet are somewhat elevated and her head is raised. It looks as if she's doing a sit up. When you determine Christie is Grounded, you have two options, hang back or charge in. If you opt to charge in, a rapid-fire attack like a Low Kick or Laser Edge can disrupt any mischief Christie is plotting. Most people choose to hang back and let Christie get up on her on. It's recommended to vary between charging in and staying back at odd intervals. Handstand position should be easy to spot, unless you need new glasses or something. Don't try anything fancy to bust up Christie because a lot of the moves in the Handstand can put a big hurting on you. Stick with the Mist Wolf Kick or Laser Edge. Both are fast enough to cut through Christie's strings. Above all else, stay patient. You will have little, if any, oppurtunities to take Christie on standing up. When she's standing, it's juggle time! Punish her with the baddest juggle you know. That wasn't so hard, was it? Difficulty = Writing a term paper due in a week. ========== Yoshimitsu ========== Style most often used: SUPER tricky/offensively Moves to watch out for: Jab 1 Savior Boot d/f+4 Cartwheel f,f+3+4 = Shark Attack 1+2 = Kangaroo Kick 3+4 Sickness b+1+2 = Bad Breath 1_2_3_4 Backhand f+2 Wood Chopper d/f+3,1 Knee Lift u/f+3 Flea 1+2 = Flea Headbutt 1+2 = Kangaroo Kick d+3+4 CH Blade Slice f,f+2 Moonsault Slayer QCF+1 Sword Spin b,B+1~1 Sword Slash d+1 Spin Kicks d/b+3,3,3,3,3 Leaping Knee f,f+4 Whirling Kick FC,d/f+3 Straight Uppercut d/f+2 Avoiding the Puddle u/b_u_u/f+4 Life Siphon QCF+2 [escape: 2] Possession QCB,F+1 [escape: 1] Hilt Uppercut SS+2 Hilt Strike SS+1 Ballerina Combo 3,3 How to win: Yoshimitsu is a tricky, tricky sucka to go up against. Besides Xiayou and Lei, nobody else can confuse you as well as the wily space ninja. Namco decided to tweak with the speed of Yoshi's pokes, meaning the Savior Boot and standing left jab aren't as scary as before. Nevertheless, Yoshi is still an excellent poker and is devastatingly effective employing hit-and-run tactics. In addition, he also has the Straight Uppercut, one of the best launchers in the game (aside from the Wind Godfist) and good juggles. A good Yoshi player will utilize his pokes to bait you into eating juggle after juggle. The crafty space ninja is the master of confusion and you'll be banging your head in frustration deciphering what he'll do next. His unpredictable style and numerous unblockables will keep you on your toes all the time. In addition, Yoshimitsu is disturbingly adept at keeping you on the ground. Many of his moves can hit you as you try to roll to your feet or can quickly put you back on the floor. I'm talking about Whirling Kicks, Spinning Kicks, Sword Slashes, Flea Stances and Moonsault Slayers. No big deal, right? If you're reading this FAQ, it shouldn't be. I said Yoshi is good poker, but I never said he was better than you. Lee simply has the speed and priority to cut through Yoshi's attacks. Play up your speed advantage by pressuring the other player. As long as you keep the heat on, Yoshimitsu won't be able to hang back and play his confusion games. Fast attacks like the Silver Whip and 1-2 Punch are your go to attacks to poke Yoshi out of his strings. Why not give him a dose of his own medicine? Retreat into Hitman Stance and force him to come to you and guess what kind of junk you're trying to pull on him. Conversely, launch a bunch of mixups at him and have Yoshi figure out what you're up to. If you can poke effectively and correctly anticipate what sort of trickery your opponent is attempting, this fight is yours to win. Difficulty = watching TRL without throwing up or hating yourself ========== Kuma/Panda ========== Style most often used: defensively/tricky Moves to watch out for: Double Claw f+1+2 Hunting Stance 3+4 Hammer Claw 1+2 = Hunting Stance ~F = Low Swipe 1,2 = Lifting Swipe 1+2 = Tackle 3+4 = Double Hammer 1+2 Demon Uppercut f,f+2 Pushing Front Kick f+3 Bear Headbutt d/f+1+2 Body Check u/f+1+2 How to win: It's not very often you find somebody who will play Kuma, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't take precautions to insure your victory. Kuma is a great long range fighter because he has the longest arms of any character in the game. Don't give him the range advantage by staying back. Instead, it's best to stay in his face. While Kuma does have range, his moves lack any serious speed and priority so staying on him should always be to your favor. Be watchful for Double Claw scrubs. They only use one move, but try to vary the timing with dashing and sidestepping. It's easy to block since it hits mid. Other than that, the Demon Uppercut is a sneaky move which allows Kuma to move under high attacks. Rather than try to poke him out of it, just block it since it's easy to spot. Their Hunting Stance, which can be accessed after a Hammer Claw or by pressing 3+4, offers a range of mixups and low hitting attacks. A quick Low Kick should stuff any mischief they plan. In the right hands, Kuma is a formidable opponent, but otherwise, he isn't so much difficult. Difficulty = Doing division on a calculator. ================ Heihachi Mishima ================ Style most often used: offensively Moves to watch out for: Stonehead f,f+1+2 [escape: 1+2] Wind Godfist f,N,d,d/f+2 Twin Pistons d/f+1,2 Tile Splitter d+1 Altar Breaker b+1 Dark Thrust WS+2 Hell Sweep f,N,d,d/f+4,4,4,4 = Tsunami Kick N+4,4 = Thunder Godfist 1 Power Punch QCF+2 Demon's Breath 1+2 Flash Punch Combo 1,1,2 How to win: At over 75 years of age, Heihachi is easily the oldest contestant in this installment of Tekken. Don't let his age fool you; Heihachi is a more potent fighter than Wang (You remember Wang right? Man, he sucked in Tekken Tag). Heihachi packs a pretty painful punch and can launch and juggle you in so many different ways. The Power Punch is similar to Paul's except it comes out faster and stings less. His Hell Sweep mixups are no fun to partake in and his Demon's Breath attack is fast enough to stop most attacks. Don't fret, that's why you're here; to find out how to beat him. Heihachi is still slow compared to fleet-footed Lee and takes hits like a wuss. Sock it to your foster father with rapid-fire pokes sprinkled with the occasional power move. Sidestepping frequently and safely will get you around a lot of Heihachi's attacks while setting up your own. The best way to hose the Hell Sweep is to be able to low parry on reaction. If you can do that, it eliminates much of Heihachi's guessing games. Aside from the Hell Sweeps, Heihachi doesn't have much in the way of low attacks, so you can get away with blocking high to a degree. Fortunately, juggles have been toned down greatly in T4, which was pretty much old man Mishima's forte in Tekken Tag. In addition, his Hell Sweeps don't always hit grounded opponents. Don't count on these revision to save your ass however. You'll still need to play it smart to win. Except for a crappy right kick reversal, Heihachi can do little to deflect incoming attacks, so buffering chickens goes out the window. Stay on him like white on rice and you should prevail. Difficulty = Running to the refrigerator to get snackies before the TV commercial break ends. ========== Bryan Fury ========== Style most often used: balanced Moves to watch out for: Mach Punch f,f+2 Snake Edge d/f+3 Snake Slam b,B+1 Snake Punch QCB+2 Chains of Misery FC,d/f,d,d/f+1+2 [escape: 1+2] Snake Shot WS+1_QCF+1 Rising Knee WS+3_QCF+3 Body Blow WS+1+2 Punch Parry b+1+2 = Mach Punch ~2 How to win: Bryan is a downright scary opponent in the capable hands of a master. He will pressure with all sorts of pokes and get you to panic. Then he unloads with the heavy hits like the Mach Punch and his insidious juggles caused by launchers, namely the Snake Slam, Snake Punch and Snake Lifter. Bryan also has a pretty good crouch guessing games which are also available from his QCF crouch dash. In addition, he also has a punch parry which chains into a guaranteed Mach Punch if it the parry is successful. Not to worry, there are weaknesses in Bryan's game. For starters, Bryan lacks much in the area of low hits, which simplifies your blocking technique. You can afford to block high and even the Snake Edge, Bryan's best low attack, has considerable windup. An alert player can low parry and sting Bryan with a juggle or power hit. Bryan's crouch dash is nowhere near as mobile any of the Mishimas, Hwoarang's, or King's, forcing him to stay close in order to use his crouch guessing games. A fast attack like the Low Kick or Laser Edge can quickly disrupt his crouch dash. Keeping Bryan off-balance is the key to beating him. If you manage to knock Bryan onto the ground, do your best to keep him there. Numerous Dragon Slides and other low attacks are in order. Be careful though, Bryan is more than capable of playing defensively. A few well-placed power hits will quickly shift the momentum to his favor. Avoid overextending yourself and you will do just fine. Difficulty = Eating anything featured in an episode of "Fear Factor." ========== Lei Wulong ========== Style most often used: VERY tricky Moves to watch out for: Tiger Strike SS+1 = Tiger Stance ~F = Dragon Stance ~U_D Drunken Fist SS+2 = Drunken Strike 2 = Drunken Stance ~F Rave Spin d/b+4,4 Play Dead d+3+4 = Rave Spin 3,4 = Launching Kick 3+4 Back Turn b+3+4 = Fox Step ~b = Low Backfist d+1 = Sweep d+3+4 = Snake Stance ~D Cannonball b+1+2 Drunken Punch b,b+1 = Drunken Stance ~F = Drunken Punch 1 = Drunken Fist 2 = Drunken Strike 2 = Drunken Kick f+3+4 Razor Rush f,N,1,2,1,2,4 Hop Kick u/f+4 Dragon Elbow u/f+1+2 [escape: 1+2] Tripping f,f+1+2 [escape: 1+2] How to win: I hate to say it, but the moves to watch out for section is far from complete. Lei has a dazzling array of moves to confuse and hurt you and a lot of them chain together into his various stances. Rather than formulate a list ad nauseaum of key moves, my recommendation is to scope out a good Lei FAQ (there are many) and study it carefully. When I say carefully, I mean to actually take the command sheet, print it out and try them out for yourself. Through firsthand experience you can observe each move's different properties and links. Arm yourself with this knowledge, you'll need it. If you're a little pressed for time, I hope the above list cuts it. As with any other tricky character, such as Christie or Steve, the best way to cut through their b.s. is to turn up the heat. If you don't give them space to set up, it'll be a nasty poking war, which you have the upper hand in. Conversely, you can force Lei to come to you. If he lies down, get the hell away and if he goes into a stance, back off so he has to come at you. Force him to play guessing games from the Hitman Stance and punish him for wrong answers. Guessing games from mixups are also quite fun for you. The fully crouched position forces him to guess between Somersault Kicks, Dragon Slides, Violet Kicks and Infinity Kicks. Here's a quick description of each stance Lei has: Snake - right foot raised, left arm bent mimicking a snake poised to strike. Dragon - right leg hyperextended, left leg bent a bit, arms are raised with the right arm higher than the left. Panther - crouching with left arm extend toward you, palm down. right arm is held close to chest, palm up. Tiger - both hands are extended in front of Lei, mimicking a tiger's paws. Crane - the Crane Stance, think "The Karate Kid" movies. Backward - back is facing you (duh). Drunken - left arm is extended and Lei shuffles around randomly. Phoenix - left leg is raised and held close to chest, right arm is raised above head and left arm is held close to chest. One more word of advice, beware of a knocked down Lei. Recovery in T4 has been sped up and even when on the ground Lei can tag you with a Rave Spin if you're not careful. Never let up and be merciless in your assault. Be liberal in your usage of the Triple Fang and Mist Step mixups to stay in his face. Now go out there and win, win, win! Difficulty = Trying to find porn on the Internet. Hard at first, but once you know where to go, easy pickin's. =========== Julia Chang =========== Style most often used: offensively/tricky Moves to watch for: G-Clef Cannon 1~1~1 Party Crasher f,f+1 = Skyscraper Kick 4 Mad Axes QCB,F+2 [escape: 1+2] Skyscraper Kick WS+4 Tequila Sunrise WS+2_3~2 Spin 3+4 = Spin Kicks 4,4 = Razor's Edge 1 = High Kick 4 = Low Kick d+4 Spin Kicks 4,4 = Razor's Edge 1 = High Kick 4 = Low Kick d+4 Twin Arrow b+1+2 Mountain Crusher d/f+4>2>b,f+1 How to win: Julia is one tough (and disturbingly hot) fighter. This foxy mama has a whole bunch of moves which can quickly change attack levels. In addition, many of her moves link together, allowing Julia to string together lots of fast attacks which will slowly, but surely, deplete your health meter. Julia thrives on counterhits to do the heavy damage and she can accomplish this with ease because her attacks have high priority. Here's a fact. Many people, even experts, lose to a good Julia player simply because they don't know what to expect. While most people study King, Paul, Christie, Nina, Kazuya, Hwoarang, and Lei FAQs, few bother to study Julia. This ignorance will ultimately lead to your downfall. It is my semi-sage advice to read a Julia FAQ so you can understand the different ways her moves link. Once you got that down, it's just a matter of reading your opponent's intentions and reacting accordingly. A smart Julia player will try to pop you up with Julia's fast 1~1~1 or confuse you with a whole crapload of mixups. Don't resort to turtling and trying to read your opponent. Instead, attack Julia and react to incoming attacks accordingly. I'm never comfortable playing guessing games, even though I have a fairly accurate idea of what will happen. I'd rather limit the amount of mixups I have to decipher by forcing my opponent on the defensive. Push Julia away and make her fight on your terms. Violet Kicks, Roundhouse, Mist Wolf Kicks and Laser Edge mixups will keep Julia a good distance away from you and allow Lee to dictate the pace of the match. It's never wise to go head-to-head with Julia because a lot of her better attacks also have good priority. Use Silver Whips and Triple Fangs to bust up her strings and lay the smack down with Split Axe Kicks and juggle starters. Keep patient because there will come a time when Julia has overextended herself from a barrage of attacks. Julia also has some degree of windup with some her attacks, so if you're feeling brave, you can charge in and poke her out of it. Like Nina, easy on the eyes, but not easy to fight against. Difficulty = Watching an episode of "Dawson's Creek" without falilng asleep. =========== Ling Xiayou =========== Style most often used: offensively/VERY tricky Moves to watch for: Rain Dance Stance b+3+4 = Low Kick d+3 = Hook Kick 4 = Stepping Kick f,f+3 = Reverse 1-2 2,1 = Hook Kick 4 Rolling Tumble f+3+4 Cartwheel Dodge f+1+2 Flapping Wings d+1 Somersault 4~3 = Art of Phoenix d+1+2 Phoenix Wings D+1 (ends in Art of Phoenix Stance) Art of Phoenix d+1+2 = Phoenix Punch 1_2 = Phoenix Lunge 3 = Tumble f+3+4 = Phoenix Upper 1+2 = Super Upper d+1+2 = Cartwheels u+4,4,4 Skyscraper Kick WS+4 Storming Flower d/b+1 Lily Whip 1+2 How to win: Man, Xiayou can be a tough target to land a hit on. In addition to her regular sidestep, she also has a variety of dodges and assorted manuevers to confuse you. You will hardly get a chance to fight Xiayou on a horizontal plane, so do your best to keep her in your sights. She can't do much damage except if she manages to string together many attacks (which she does well), so you have the edge there. It would behoove you to read a good Xiayou FAQ to understand what she's capable of. Although Namco tweaked juggling in T4, she still manages to keep you in the air rather well. When she's in Rain Dance Stance, charge at her with caution. Although her back is turned, she can still make you pay dearly for your reckless aggression. The Art of Phoenix is just as tricky. A swift Laser Edge will knock her out of it. Darting in and out of her range is espcially effective and learning how to sidestep effectively will hose Xiayou. Now that there are walls in the different stages, focus on pinning her down so she has limited room to manuever in. Difficulty = Doing long division... using Roman numerals. ============ Marshall Law ============ Style most often used: balanced/tricky Moves to watch for: Advancing Knee 1,2,3 Gut Punches SS+2,1,2,1 Dragon Storm b+1>2>1 Junkyard Dog b+2,3,4 Low Punch to Flip d+2,3 Double Flip (u/b_u_u/f)+4,3 Poison Arrow f+2~1 Fake Flip u/b+3 = Blazing Kick 4 Dragon Tail d/b+4 Rave War Combo f+2,2>2 Dragon Hammer f+1+2 Knee Crusher f,f+3+4 [escape: 1+2] Noogie Punch d/f+1+2 [escape: 1+2] = Bulldog ~2,1,1+2 Step in Kick d/f+3 Super Kick f,f+3 Parry b+2+4 Dragon Charge d+1+2 ++++++++++++++++++++ Dragon Charge Stance ++++++++++++++++++++ Power Punch 1 = Gut Punch d+1 Junkyard Dog 4,3 Facelift 2+4 Super Kick 3 How to win: Experts and novices alike agree, Law can kick ass. Good speed and strength combined with ease of use makes Law a nightmare to play against. Most of Lee's moves originate from Law, so some of the stuff he throws at you shouldn't be foreign. If you're thinking Law and Lee are alike, think again. Law is a character who thrives on power strikes and juggles. Lee is more of a pressuring type of attacker who excels at confusing the opponent with his mixups and pokes. The main thing you want to take note of when fighting against Law is to beware of his Dragon Storm and Junkyard Dog combos. These are his go-to strings and it is imperative you learn the difference between the two. Any time you get block, you can bet your lunch money he'll attempt to counterattack with either Dragon Storm or Junkyard Dog. Another bad thing is the Low Punch to Flip. The jab is pretty fast, allowing Law to interrupt your attack and bust out a hurtin' with the Flip Kick in one fell swoop. Try to alternate between slow and fast hitting moves so he can't rely on his parries too much. Now that Law has two different stances, you should also learn how to distinguish between the two. Personally, I've never seen them, since most people like to play Law straight up Tekken Tag style. Pressure Law with your best strings and keep the heat on. You never want your opponent to dictate the tempo at which the match goes. In my opinion, you should keep Law at kick range, since many of his best moves are punches. Infinity Kicks, Mist Wolf mixups and other moves should keep him at bay long enough. Be patient and never try to force anything. Your best strategy is to employ a balanced mixed of turtling and rushing. Good luck! Difficulty = Going to work with a hangover. ================== Hwoarang AKA "Bob" ================== Style most often used: offensively/tricky Moves to watch out for: +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Done from either Lefty or Righty stance +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Body Blow d/f+1+2 Stance Switch 3+4 Crouch Dash f,N,d,d/f = Skyrocket 4 = Uppercut 2 Talon Skyrocket f,N,d/f+4 Low Kick Doggy Lift d+3,4 Crippler d/b+4 Public Enemy d/f+3>4 Snap Kick d/f+4 Tsunami Kick WS+4,4 (ends in Righty) ++++++++++ Lefty only ++++++++++ 1-2 Punch 1,2 = Jump Kick f+4 = Side Kick f+3 = Right Flamingo 4 = Left Flamingo 3 E. Coli f+3~3 Plasma Blade b+3 Backhand f+2 (ends in Righty) Flying Eagle 3~4 Nose Bleed Kick b+4 (ends in Righty) Left Flamingo f+3 Icicle Crusher b+1+2 +++++++++++ Righty Only +++++++++++ Jab 2 = Axe Murderer 4,3 = Double High Kick 4,4 Migraine 1,1 Grand Theft f+4~4 Cheap Shot f+3 (ends in Left Flamingo) Backlash 3~4 +++++++++++++ Left Flamingo +++++++++++++ Snap Kick d/f+3 Crescent Kick b+3 Right Heel Lance b+4 Teaser Trip d+4 Low Kick Doggy Lift d+3,4 (ends in Right Flamingo) Left Heel Lance b+3 ++++++++++++++ Right Flamingo ++++++++++++++ Snap Kick d/f+4 Left Heel Lance b+3 Teaser Trip d+3 How to win: I know what you're thinking. "Dude, what the hell is a Hwoarang FAQ doing here?" Well, hate to say it, but it needs to be here. Hwoarang is one of the most complex characters in Tekken and this list is only the tip of the iceberg. OK, I'm going to give you a moment to catch your breath. Got it? Good, let's go. It's easy to notice Hwoarang's primary attacks stem from kicks. A good Hwoarang player will use his punching strings to set you up for his more lethal combos. Otherwise, a vast majority of the Hwoarang users are button mashing idiots. Try to spot the difference between the two. Hwoarang is comfortable with keeping the heat on you with flurries and flurries and flurries of strings and combos. As such, in conjunction with his confusing stances, makes him a formidable fighter. The first order of business is to determine which stance he's in. Take note of which leg is facing forward. Here's the short and sweet. If Hworang is in the 1P position LFF is when he's facing you (as the player looking at the screen). In 2P position, LFF is when his back is to you. His Flamingo Stances are easy to figure out and he can't block while in them. Nevertheless, caution is the better part of attacking because Bob can still bust out some sick attacks. The best way to counter Hwoarang is to close the distance on him. As a kick-based figher, Bob needs some room to operate. If you can stay uncomfortably close to him, as in within punch range, you can poke him out of a lot of stuff. In terms of blocking, Hwoarang has hardly any low attacks, so you should can block high. If you can anticipate your opponent's intentions, ducking under high attacks on reaction will ease your fight. The three keys to beating Hwoarang are staying in his face so he doesn't have operating room, keeping him on the ground, and never attacking recklessly. Difficulty = Surviving a heat wave while wearing sweat pants and a big, heavy jacket. ============ Craig Marduk ============ Style most often used: defensively Moves to watch for: 1-2 Punches 1,2 = Body Shot f+1 = Side Kick 3 = Headbutt 1+2 = Ready Stance 3+4 Earthquake Punch b+1 Alligator Kick b+4 Low Kick d+3 Uppercut d/f+1 Shoulder Smash d+1+2 Berserker Chops f+2,1,2,1 Ready Stance 3+4 = Tornado Chop 2 = Tudo Takedown 1+2 (ends in Mount position) High Reversal b+1+2 (ends in Mount position) Mid Reversal b+3+4 (ends in Mount position) Suplex QCF+1 = Mount ~1+2 (ends in Mount position) Powerslam QCF+2 = Mount ~1+2 (ends in Mount Position) Backhand b+2 Elbow Stinger f,f+2 Touchdown Spike f,f+1+2 How to win: Craig isn't a very popular character at the arcades, but then again, people can be strange sometimes. The Vale Tudo master is a scary opponent to behold and his rough-and-tumble style suits him perfectly. If you don't know, Vale Tudo is a combination of Japanese jujitsu and Brazilian streetfighting. It was developed by the Gracie brothers and is a common (and formidable) style in the UFC world. The power of Vale Tudo is so awesome that the US even has certain aspects of the art taught to its elite military forces, namely the Army Rangers. If you're fighting Craig, expect a lot of your fights to end up with you on your back with him on top, trying to pound your face in. Since you like to do a lot of your fighting standing up, this can't be good. It's best to understand which moves allow Marduk to Mount. Even then, the fight's not over. If Mounted, Marduk can throw up to four punches at you in any order. For example, he can go 2,1,1,1 or 1,1,1,1. The possibilities are endless. To combat this, you need to be alert. If he swings with his left, you should press 1+3 and 2+4 to block a right punch. Sometimes, Marduk gets sneaky and press 1+3 or 2+4, which sneaks past your defense. To combat this, hit either 1 or 2. Outside of tussling around on the ground, the best way to take Marduk on is when he's on his own two feet. Pressure him relentlessly with mixups; your speed is much superior to his. Don't anything foolish or too risky unless you like winding up on the ground. Be patient, Marduk's lack of speed means he get overextended pretty easily. Just try to stay on your feet OK? You should do just fine. Difficulty = Eating a three course meal in one sitting. ========= Steve Fox ========= Style most often used: offensively/tricky Moves to watch for: British Edge 1,2,1 = Flicker ~B = Finisher 2 = Low Sweeper d+2 Short British Edge 2,1 = Finisher 2 = Low Sweeper d+2 Twin Jabs 1,1 Low Sweeper d/b+2 Sonic Fang d/f+1+2 Weave Left 3 = Double Hook 1,1 = Overhead Smash 2 Dashing Cross f,f+1 Ducking Lunge f+3_4 = Super Upper 2 Heart Break Shot f+1+2 Albatross Spin 3+4 = Gut Punch 2 = Low Punch d+2 = Extended Spin U_D = Eagle Hook 1 Sway b+3_4 Punch Parry 2~f = Eagle Hook 1 Straight Body Hook 2,2 How to win: Another popular T4 character. Like Paul, Steve is powerful and easy to use. Steve has great poking speed and plenty of fast, hard hitting attacks. With his bob-and-weave style of fighting, he can fake you out of your shorts faster than you can say, "What the hell?!?" There are two types of Steve players, mashers and experts. Mashers like to abuse the Short and regular British Edges, usually ending it with the Low Sweeper. Twin Jabs also come out a lot along with random Weaves, Ducks, Spins, and Sways. In short, with all of this button mashing, expect to see a constant blitz of attacks. Attack whenever you find an opening. Beat a masher to the punch by unleashing some cheapness of your own, namely Infinity Kicks, Laser Edge Rushes and whatever else you think is cheap. The sky's the limit and it's only fair to give a "cheap" player a dose of their own medicine. The difference between a masher and an expert are almost imperceptible but the key is the pace at which the match goes. An expert understand he can unload a bunch of attacks in a hurry, but knows better. Instead he will play Steve like a true boxer, dictating the tempo with pokes and interrupts and then going all-out in short assaults when he finds an opening. It's difficult to outpoke Steve, since a lot of his moves are fast and have high priority. Instead, rely on a mixed blend of turtling and rushing at the appropriate times. By keeping him out of his optimal range, you can really take the teeth out of an opponent's attack. Strive to keep Steve out of his punching range, but close enough for you to kick him. Steve doesn't have a lot of low attacks or okizeme game, so if blocking and getting up should be simpler compared to other characters. In addition, he's vulnerable to attack when he's bobbing, ducking or weaving so a well-placed strike is more or less guaranteed. It's best to foil his trickery with a fast attack, since the main purpose of his feints are to bait you into eating counterhits. Be patient and time your rushes carefully. Difficulty = Playing basketball with a cold. ========== Jin Kazama ========== Style most often used: offensively Moves to watch for: Twin Thrusts 1,2 1-2 Axe Kick 1,2,3 2-1 Thrust 2,1,4 = Low Kick ~4 Kazama's Fury 1,3,2,1,4 Jab to Axe Kick 1,3~3 Twin Lancer d/f+1,2 Lancer to Kick d/f+1>4 = Low Kick ~4 Demon Hell Thrust 1+2 Lancer 2,1 = Side Crusher 4 = Shin Kick 4~4 Crouch Dash f,n,d,d/f = Thunder Hook 1 = Wind Hook 2 = Stature Sweep 4 Electric Wind Hook f,n,d~d/f+2 Corpse Thrust d+1 Demon's Paw f,f+2 Laser Cannon b,f+2>1 = Edge >1 = Scraper >d+2 = Annihilator :D+[2] Devious Left Blade d+3,3 Can-Can Kicks d+3+4 Battle Kick f+4 High Parry b+2+4 Lingering Soul b+1+2 How to win: Take everything you knew about Jin from Tekken Tag. That's right, everything. You got it all? Good, now throw it out the window. Jin is back, and with a completely revamped movelist. You won't see Shining Fists, Demon Steel Pedals and the like anymore. However, Jin retains his Electric Wind Godfist (renamed Electric Wind Hook), Laser Cannon mixups, and Demon's Paw attacks. At least you know what those look like. Jin has shifted from being a finesse character to more of a power fighter. You'll see plenty of Jin players at your local arcade, so you'll quickly get acquainted with his style. To sum it up, Jin can bring it, and bring a lot of it. Jin is still one of the top-tier offensive pokers in the game and can mix up his attacks as good as Lee. So where do I begin? Lee has a speed advantage over Jin and can pretty much poke him out of his strings. The best way to do so is to study your opponent's tendecies. If they start with the Laser Cannon, it's best to just block it all because the other two hits can be delayed and really mess you up if you get hit. Fake Jin out of his shorts with your insidious mixups. Sidestepping frequently will help you get out of harm's way, if you can do it correctly. One thing to take note of is Jin players like to keep the heat on you with a continuous rush. Let him know you mean business some of your best and baddest strings, juggles and stuff. It's really hard to get away from Jin because his Crouch Dash covers so much ground. Conversely, you too can chase a retreating Jin with Mist Step. Don't become too predictable with your attacks because Jin still has that parry you should worry about. A well-played Jin is hard to overcome, so you'll need to bring your A game and minimize your mistakes. Difficulty = Going to school, having a job, and a social life... simultaneously. ====== Combot ====== Style most often used: anyway possible Moves to watch out for: depends on which character its mimicking. How to win: Combot is the equivalent of Tetsujin/Mokujin from Tekken Tag. It can mimic and character's style although some moves have different properties because of Combot's size. This is especially true if Combot is impersonating Kuma because it doesn't have the range benefit like he does. Be wary of a person who chooses Combot. They might be a) a fool who has no idea what they've done or b) a seasoned pro who has a deep understanding each character's different nuances and styles. So you should either be frothing at the mouth or soiling your shorts. Don't be quick to judge your opponent. Wait until after a round or two. A novice will usually turtle and attempt to decipher which character Combot is. Why don't you make things harder for them by turning up the heat? Go crazy with your best and flashiest attacks. An expert, on the other hand, will most likely know what character Combot is emulating and play accordingly. Since the element of surprise is in your opponent's favor, I'll try to do my best to eliminate that advantage. The trick is to read how Combot is standing during the pre-fight sequence. Here's my best shot: Lee - standing in a relaxed guard position. Both hands are at around waist or stomach level. King - one of the easier ones. Standing in guard position with both hands reared up like a boxer. Bobs from front to back rather conspiciously. Lei - also fairly easy to spot. Shuffles to the left and right. If at any time you see the Razor Rush step during the pre-fight sequence, you should have a pretty good idea of what to expect from your opponent. Yoshimitsu - if you can't spot this, I suggest you get some glasses, man! He's holding a goddamn sword for cryin' out loud! Nina - stands with her arms out from her body. Both hands are open as if she's going to do a double karate chop. If you look closely, her arms move in sync as she bobs. Hwoarang - looks like King's except he isn't semi-crouched like a boxer. He bobs up and down rather than from front to back. If he busts out with a stance change... then uh... Combot is impersonating Hwoarang. Kuma/Panda - pretty easy. Doesn't stand in guard position. Arms are down by the waist and Combot is hunched over, kinda like a bear standing on two feet. Duh! Steve - similar to King except when he bobs, he twists his chest from side to side. Heihachi - one arm is out and away from the chest in the open position, as if to deliver a karate chop. The other arm is close to the chest open and facing palm up. Notice the wide stance adopted by the legs and feet. Bryan - it's a pretty macho looking stance. The left hand is down low by the waist, while the other hand is close to his face. Law - another easy character to recognize. Bobs in place while arms are shifting alternately from face level to abdomen level. Julia - her feet are spread far apart and is sort of leaning forward. The left arm is out at shoulder level while her right arm is close to her left elbow. Ling Xiayou - weight is shifted to the back leg. Her stance is similar to Nina's in terms of the position of her arms. Jin - very difficult to spot right away. Looks like a regular guarding stance, nothin' special. Paul - similar to Jin. Kazuya - similar to Paul, who's similar to Jin. These last three will give you trouble. Marduk - both arms are up at around shoulder level. *************** Closing Remarks *************** I hope you learned something from reading this FAQ. Some people attempt to dismiss fighting games as mindless button-mashing, but I digress. As you can see, it's more like a science that can be studied. And as with all sciences, numerous trials and errors are needed to come upon the winning formula. I think the guys at Namco did a marvelous job with the fourth installment of the Tekken series. They managed to throw in some new innovations and characters, while keeping enough of the "same ol' stuff" to keep long-time fans such as myself interested. Hopefully this FAQ is sufficient enough to vastly improve your mastery. There is no substitute for practice. It's one thing to go through this FAQ and decide in your mind which moves are the best. I know I've tried to make correct and factual analyses, but ultimately, you, not me, will be playing the game. Nothing can ever be simulated to perfection. It's better to go to your local arcade and practice what you've learned. Not only will you understand what works and what doesn't, you'll also remember more and you won't need to bring a sheet with commands written down every time you play. In summary, there are three points I want to elaborate on. First, I've done my best to dispel the myth that Lee is an inferior Law clone. Nothing could be farther from the truth. While it seems easier to gain mastery over characters like Bryan, Kazuya or Jin, Lee has a pretty steep learning curve which will reap massive dividends once you get it right. Second, there is no such thing as an all-powerful character. Each character has distinct strengths and weaknesses. If you suck, you only have your lack of practice to blame. Finally, don't be afraid to lose. That may sound antithetical to what I've written so far, but every match is a learning experience. You should always look for things you do well, things you don't excel at, and areas which need improvement. I wish you all the best in your pursuit of becoming the King of Iron Fist. Good luck! *************************** Thank you's and dedications *************************** To those who perished in the tragedies of Sept. 11, 2001 - This tragedy has helped unite a nation long disaffected with prosperity and self-absorption. To all those radical leftists, I must chastise you for trivializing these people's deaths as nothing more than a means of protest against US policy in the Middle East. You don't understand how terrorists think and nobody should be wasting time trying anyway. God bless those innocent souls, they will not have died in vain. To the men and women who are serving in the Armed Forces - You are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to defend the values which make this country great: freedom, liberty and equality. I salute you and wish you a successful mission and safe return home. My family - First and most importantly, to my family, without who I wouldn't be the person I am today. Heck, I wouldn't even exist. My parents, brother and sister have been constant presences in my life and I imagine I would be a much worse version of my current self without them. Namco - For creating the most ass-kickin'est game in the recorded history of games. I salute you for you efforts! TekkenZaibatsu.com - If you need movelists, you got 'em right here! Where would I be without this valuable resource? GameFAQs.com - An excellent site, for the people and by the people. If you ever need help in a game and don't want to shell out $15 for a game guide, this should be your first stop. You can also catch up on the latest gaming news here. Whoever translated the Sega game "Zero Wing" - I pity the fool for unintentionally creating one of the most hilarious Internet phenomena! You have to watch the goofy music video to truly grasp how badly "Zero Wing" butchered the English language. Besides, I have a pretty cool pen name now! Someone set us up the bomb! Hahahahahahahahaha... All my favorite bands - The White Stripes, Coldplay, Foo Fighters, P.O.D., Garbage, The Strokes, The Hives, U2, and yes, even Elvis Presley for providing excellent music while I wrote up this FAQ in the wee hours of the morning and late afternoon. Various "lad magazines" like Stuff, FHM, MAXIM - These magazines make it OK to act like guys. All this politically correct nonsense has to stop! And besides, no other magazines do a better job putting famous gals like Katie Holmes or Kirsten Dunst in tasty pictures. Keep up the most excellent work!