For those dedicated to bushido: ************************************************************************ J U U BBBB EEEEE IIIIIIII J U U B B E I J U U BBBBB EEEE I J U U B B E I J J U U B B E I JJJJJ UUUUU BBBBB EEEEE IIIIIIII FAQ Version 2.1 ************************************************************************ Written and edited by Anthony (Master Cho) Chau *dedicated to my student and future successor, Rash ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Directory (added by Damone): * What's New and Different? * Basic Attacks * Strengths and Weaknesses * Basic Tactics * Special Attacks and Techniques * Combinations * Strategies * The Basics * The Computer * Human Players * Playing Tips * Historical Information on Jubei * Other Stuff * Thanks ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ What¹s new and different!?!? ------------------------ The original Jubei FAQ was written mainly out of spite; all I ever played were either Ukyos and Haohmarus and I was getting tired of playing these guys that never changed characters. I was a true follower of Samurai Shodown 1 and my favorite guy was Jubei. That hasn't changed in Samurai Shodown 2; I wanted to let other players know that Ukyo is not the best character in the game. Of course, there is never a best character, but having played a bizillion of players all over the state ( I'm from California, raised in Fremont, attending U.S.C.) I have yet to play anyone that has given me a run for my money. I'm not trying to brag...in fact, I'm always looking for someone to challenge me (sorta like Ryu :D ). So I think that in order to write a FAQ, you should be somewhat of an expert in that character. Well, I think I am. The original Jubei FAQ had two parts: one that explained his regular attacks and the other his special attacks and techniques. The reason for version 2.0 is simple;at the time, I didn¹t think that I would need to repost the FAQ. After receiving about 25 email messages requesting a repost (thanks to you, Damone :D) I guess I needed to repost it. There were also problems with the FAQ that had to be changed and I am also adding Part 3, a strategy text on how to fight other characters. I am also adding as much historical reference as I can about the Yagyu ( which is also in part 3). Also, Greg Clark from Long Beach reminded me of something which all you Jubei Players will find interesting. With all being said, here I go...again!!!! ************************************************************************ Jubei is a good character; actually he's an excellent character. All around, he has very practical basic and special attacks. He's my best character and I personally think that he is the best character in the game. Of course, there is really never a best character but I think that Jubei is pretty damn close. And to those that agree, hopefully this FAQ will help you beat the crap out of all those that think he sucks (And to those people who do, please write me at my email address. I would like to know why I haven't played you yet ;D) PART 1: Basic attacks ------------------- A button attacks : Jumping-jumping sword stab Standing(far)-slashes across face Standing(close)-elbow jab Crouching- slashes low (hits high blockers) B button attacks: Jumping-Jumping sword stab( much like A but does more damage and has slightly more range). Standing(far)-straight stab Standing(close)-crossing sword strike Crouching-bends and stabs straight AB button attacks: Jumping-Jumping Slash Standing(far)-Slash and stab (double movement) Standing(close)-Close Power Slash (mondo damage) Crouching-Crouching Slash and stab (double movement) C button attacks: Jumping-Jumping kick Standing-Shin kick (hits high blockers) Crouching-stabbing sweepkick D button attacks: Jumping-Jumping kick Standing-Shin kick(hits high blockers, slightly more damaging) Crouching-Roundhouse sweep (knock down sweep) CD button attacks: Jumping-Jumping Roundhouse Kick Standing-Roundhouse kick Crouching-Double Sweeping kicks (double movement, no knockdown) Throws- using slash buttons: body toss using kick buttons: flipping body toss Taunts- AC taunt: Sheathes both swords, pulls dango inside pocket, eats it and says "Kowappamega!" (Foolish child!) BD taunt: Lowers weapons, sighs and shrugs his shoulders weaponless taunt: both AC & BD: Pulls dango from inside pocket, eats it To Catch a weapon when unarmed: Half circle towards STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES: ------------------------------- Strengths- (1) Excellent air slashes and combos (2) Well-balanced slashes (3) Sword Catch Counter-coolest move in the game (4) Two swords are better than one (5) One cocky attitude Weaknesses- (1) Kicks are relatively weak (2) Most special moves are risky (3) He¹s not Kuroko!!! BASIC TACTICS: --------------- Jubei's basic attacks might not be as cool looking (Charlotte) or as powerful (Genjuro, Kyoshiro) as other character in the game, they are a blend of both worlds. His most useful slash is his B slash. Not only does the B slash have great priority in the air, but has good reach on the ground. On the Ground- As mentioned above, Jubei¹s best friend is his B slash. Without a doubt in my mind, it is one of the major weapons that makes him so good. On the ground it gives good reach and damage(especially his crouching B slash) and it's quick enough so you can recover quick enough without worrying heavily about a huge counterattack if missed (i.e. Galford and Hanzo's B slash). ³A² slashes are extremely quick and his standing A slash has very good range. His close standing B slash (the double sword-cross) is extremely useful, especially against jumping attackers. When an attacker jump attacks you, walk forward so that he overjumps. As he gets closer, press B. Your double sword-cross strike will usually have priority over whatever air attack he does. His double AB strikes are not as practical but I have found it useful as a feint. The first part of his AB slash (especially his crouching AB slash) looks like a crouching A slash. I have fooled many people in walking toward me after the first part of the AB slash, only to be hit be the second part of Jubei¹s AB slash. And his close AB slash is a mondo damage monster. Jubei¹s kicks are also useful though they have taken his turbo crouching C sweeps away from the original SS1. Standing C and D kicks hit high blockers...I usually use his kicks on the unsuspecting and follow up with a crouching B slash. His CD kick is not extremely useful and I rarely use it, mainly because his slashes are better. When using sweeps, I rarely use any kick button except D; the D sweep knocks them off and is very quick (about as quick as the ninjas). The reason for this is because his C sweeps are slower (which was a real weapon for him in SS1) and his CD sweep is slow as well. A general tactic for ground attack is the counterattack. Use Jubei¹s B slash to its potential; though by far from being the longest slash in the game, it has good enough distance to strike a missed attack. Mix up his slashes with standing C or D kicks; these standing shin kicks hit high blockers. If these hits connect, follow up with slashes. Try to wait for an opening and exploit it with as many hits as you can. If you can¹t find an opening make one. ( Strategies against other characters will be discussed in part 3 of the FAQ). Make him dangerous...as a good player told me once ³a good game fighter is someone where you know what he's going to do but you can't do anything about it. In the Air- Likewise, Jubei is extremely dangerous in the air. His Jumping B stab has great range and priority over many other air attacks. In fact, the only other characters that have a higher priority in the air for normal attacks are Ukyo, Gen-an, Charlotte, and Kyoshiro. I rarely use his Jumping A stab since his B slash is just as quick and has better damage and slightly more range. Plus, his B slash can get hit many anti-air counters (i.e. Haoh's Crescent Moon Slash, Ukyo's Standing AB slash, etc.,) even if he gets hit or he can sometimes get through these counters. His Jumping AB slash, though having less range, is a damaging air move. It is both quick and well-ranged. In the air, a Jubei should be feared. His kicks, though being far less superior to his air slashes, are well balanced though his CD Jumping kick must be well-timed to connect correctly. Jubei is an above-average air attacker and is very good at taking out air attackers with a quick jumping B slash. But remember that going in the air is a risk; you can be easily be knocked out of the air. A general tactic is to intercept jumping characters with a jumping attack. The only other time you should use a jumping attack is to exploit an opening. Try not to jump to much. Mirror your opponent and anticipate his move. This is the key to victory. ************************************************************************ PART 2: Special attack and techniques --------------------------------- Jubei's special moves are a balance between precision and risk. When well executed, Jubei's combos are extremely deadly, with a good percentage of stunning. However, if the timing of the moves are off just a tiny bit, Jubei can suffer greatly. You must be pretty precise to use Jubei to half his potential. As Bruce Lee said it best, "Don't think...feel...(Enter the Dragon)." In this section we will examine Jubei's special moves, techniques for each special move, and the many deadly combinations that make him very deadly. SPECIAL MOVES ----------------- Rising Sword Charge Runs toward opponent, ramming with (Nikkakuratoh Kai) shoulder for multiple hits, then -O | \ + Slash leaps, striking with swords for weapon O O damage. Note: If Jubei does not reach his opponent, he will not slash. Ground Wave Throws a concussion of energy that travels (Suigetsutoh) along the ground, striking for damage. | \ -O + Slash O O 100 Sword Slash Begins waving weapons in scissor-like (Hasso Happa) motion, striking for multiple hits, Punch Slash Repeatedly usually up to three times Sword Catch Counter When timed properly, catches opponent's (Yagyu Shingatoh) weapon attack, holds with one sword, | / O- -O + A and strikes with the other. O O Weapon Breaker: ------------ Zetsu Suigetsutoh Throws a ground wave of concussive energy that strikes and explodes upwards for -O \ | / O- -O + C breaking damage. O O O Super Deformed Transformation -------------------------- -O \ | / O- -O O- + D O O O NEW!!!-Relflection move: As far as I know, only reflects ground hugging missiles. Definitely works against Ukyo's Flaming Swallow and on Jubei¹s Ground Wave (not sure about Nicotine's Flaming Gorilla). Done with crouching AB. Special move techniques: Note-Some of these techniques are difficult. Rising Charge Slash- A very powerful multi hit move that looks real cool but it's a pretty risky move. It's rare that you do any real damage if used by itself. What I mean is that unless the opponent is close to you, he can see it coming a mile away. In fact, you should neveruse this move if you are faraway; the only exception to this rule is against jumping attackers. The timing is very tricky to hit air attackers with this move. It means that you must risk getting hit by his air attack. You see, as the opponent starts coming down and slashing you must position yourself so that it looks you are going to get hit. At the last second when the weapon is going to hit, you perform this move. Before Jubei starts to charge, he will pull back. This pull back lets him "dodge" the slash and as the opponent lands, he will usually take the full brunt of this special move. I rarely use AB, as it has a long pull back. I usually use A or B. The other time to use this move is during combinations. Jubei can get off some very damaging combos with this move by connecting certain basic attacks. One of the most useful combos is a close B (the double cross-sword strike) followed with the Rising Charge Slash. This works well after you walked under a jumping assailant. As he lands, time it so that when he gets hit with the close B slash, the opponent's feet are on the floor. Following this up with and A Rising Charge Slash and you just completed a four-five hit combo. This move can also be used to get a quick dash across the screen (though I rarely do this). Look in the Combination section to see the full extent of this special move used in combos. Ground Wave- Jubei's missile attack is more of a good tool rather than a weapon. Though it is easy to avoid, it does sound damage and Jubei recovers rather quickly when compared to the likes of Charlotte, Galford, and Gen-an. It passes under aerial missiles and because of his quick recovery and the speed of his missile, Jubei can usually hit opponents during a missile exchange. Using B or AB makes his ground wave travel faster though he will be in the missile throwing stun longer. There are missiles that Jubei should be aware of during a missile exchange: *Cham Cham's boomerang- It has priority over almost any missile (ext. Wan-fu's) *Nicotine's gorilla- The fire gorilla may run over Jubei's ground wave. *Hanzo's Snake Fire- The fiery slinky can bounce over Jubei's ground wave. *Wan fu-uh..duh.. Though lag time when throwing his ground waves are reasonably quick, one must be aware that a good opponent can anticipate the missile attack. Also, unless in a combo, never try to throw ground waves at close range; an opponent can block and counterattack while you are still in the missile throwing stun. 100 Sword Slash- Though not the most useful special move he has, the 100 Sword Slash has it's uses. It can seal a victory if an opponent has little or no energy. The move is also has combo capability but the most hits are usually three or four (anymore is lucky). This move also leaves you vulnerable to aerial AB attacks if move is blocked. Sword Catch Counter - This move alone has made an already dangerous Jubei even deadlier. However, like many of Jubei's special moves, there are very great risks. There is a certain amount of time (about two seconds) where he can catch the a weapon. If miss timed, it can result in a damaging attack. This special move, more than any of his other special moves, requires the most timing and anticipation. I usually use this move against anybody with good long range; it is hard (but not impossible) to catch short ranged character like Nakoruru or Cham Cham. Genjuro, Kyoshiro, and Haohmaru are very vulnerable victims to this special attack because of their long range attacks. You can catch any weapon, (yes, even Wan-fu's pillar and Sieger's gauntlet) but you cannot catch special moves, kicks, or low attacks. The damage is reciprocative, in that, the more damage the opponent tries to do, the more damage you will do when you counter. I've killed Kyoshiro in three Sword Catch Counters in one round; all he did was Jumping AB slashes. What makes this move truly devastating is that it can catch attackers from the air!!! Many Jubei player's don't know this but if timed correctly, you can catch them in the air and they will hang in the air. However, the timing is even more difficult and if they know you are going to catch them out of the air, they will either kick, or wait till they touch the ground, then attack. Timing and anticipation are crucial in catching air attackers. One of the best techniques is to tempt them; if the opponent is far away but within jumping AB limits, throw a Ground Wave. Their natural reaction would be to jump AB at you, especially if they are trying to anticipate when you are going to throw a Ground Wave. If they don't jump to early but jump as the Ground Wave is being released, you can interrupt the missile throwing stun you are in by performing the Sword Catch Counter. This is only one strategy I use to Sword Catch Counter; you can interrupt many moves by performing the Sword Catch Counter. Weapon Breaker- Though lacking the range of other specials, Jubei's Weapon Breaker is useful because it can be repeated almost immediately with little lag time. I have been able to repeat it almost eight times in a row. Though similar to Hanzo's Weapon Breaker (The Column of Flame), it is different in that if you hit Jubei as he hits the ground, the Weapon Breaker will be interrupted (while Hanzo's Flame will still erupt). The damage is not incredible but like all Weapon Breakers, it allows free attacks on an unarmed opponent. Super Deformation- More for comical use than anything else, it prevents you from being thrown. Though there is no real use in this move, I often perform this move and as they are about to strike me, I perform a Sword Catch Counter. COMBINATIONS: ------------- What made Jubei deadly in Samurai Shodown 1 was his combo capability; that has not changed in Samurai Shodown 2. His excellent ability to interrupt moves to perform combos makes him very dangerous. Jubei has some excellent combos, and here are just a few that I know of: (Note- ³*² are difficult to pull off) -B slash (preferably crouching B slash) + Ground Wave( A or B ) -B slash (close B slash works best) + Rising Charge Slash (use A..to much delay with B or AB ) -B slash + 100 Sword Strike (I like using the B slash for the 100 Sword Strike) -Jumping AB slash + B slash + Ground Wave ( A or B ) -Jumping AB slash + B slash + Rising Charge Slash (use B)* -Jumping AB slash + B slash + 100 Sword Strike (use B) -Jumping AB slash + Rising Charge Slash (use B) -Close AB slash + Ground Wave (use A or B) -Close AB slash + Rising Charge Slash (use B) -Close AB slash + Rising Charge Slash (use AB)* These are just a few of the combos I use; Jubei has many moves that can be interrupted. For example, his standing and crouching AB slash is a two part move; the second part of the move can be interrupted by doing a special move. And there are some combos that won't work against certain characters during certain situations. The Close AB slash + Rising Charge Slash Combo won't work on a stunned Cham Cham. Know which combos to use and what not to use. PART 3: Strategies- ----------------- This section is a totally new section not found in the original Jubei FAQ. Here, I will talk about basic strategies that I use and other players use as well. I will also talk about specific strategies against cpu-controlled characters as well as strategies against human players. The Basics: ---------- There are many strategies in fighting games. There's the fireball-uppercut strategy, the turtle strategy, the sitting Guile strategy (OOPS, wrong game) and so on. The one strategy I use when playing Jubei is the Counter. Jubei is one of the best characters that make you pay for one mistake. The Counter Strategy is basically doing two things: -waiting for a mistake or an opening in an opponent's attack/defense -creating an opening for an attack The Counter Strategy also stresses anticipation. In order to counter properly, one must think ³What would I do if I were that other guy if Jubei.... Of course, the longest and toughest matches are fought against a person with the same strategy. Some techniques I use against players include using standing C and D or crouching A or AB slashes on a standing blocking opponent. If they keep blocking, I throw a fireball to see how they react. To fake a fireball, I do a crouching A slash (it looks like the fireball throwing motion). Jubei's D sweep is a good weapon to mix up things and throw your opponent off balance. And if you misjudge the distance of an attack and the opponent is going to hit you with a long range slashing attack, interrupt your missed slash with the Sword Catch Counter. And one basic strategy that works for Jubei is the Ground Wave-B Slash strategy. The opponent must be pretty far away for this strategy to work. Throw a ground wave. When the opponent jumps toward you, do a crouching B slash. This works almost all the time against the computer and well against human players. If they are close, instead of doing a crouching B slash, jumping straight in the air or jump away and then B slash. Remember, that Jubei's air B slash has incredible priority against air attackers. If the jump straight up to avoid the ground wave, run to the opponent and as he falls down, do a crouching B slash. The Computer: ------------ Note: I've only played on two levels:level two and four. The cpu character playing habits might be different on the higher levels. Haohmaru: The computer can be really easy or really hard. There is one pattern Haoh usually follows. Get within sword range with Jubei and start A slashing. Haoh will usually either get hit, block and attack with his AB, or block and jump attack. If he blocks, I usually do the Sword Catch Counter; even if he decides to jump attack me, I still have enough recovery time from the Sword Catch Counter. And if he decides to attack me with his long range AB...Ching!!! Another pattern that works against Haoh is the Ground Wave- B Slash counter (throwing a Ground Wave, watching them jump and B slashing them on their way down..I usually use a crouching B slash). Watch out for his somersaulting sword crush; he will occasionally do this when you throw a Ground Wave. Also at a harder level of challenge, Haoh will start to mix it up with sweeps and the occasional fake Tornado. Don't try to jump at Haoh; only jump if he fires his Tornado. Genjuro: Use the same strategy with Haoh: A slash him and see how he responds. Throwing Ground Waves against Genjuro are very effective, since Jubei's Ground Wave would go under Genjuro's Flying Cards. Use the Ground Wave-B Slash counter and watch out for Genjuro's three hit combo. The computer will usually do his fierce one..the one where he completely passes you. You have to block the other way (in other words, you have to walk forward) when Genjuro does his fierce three hit combo. Galford: One of the most annoying cpu characters, Galford will run A LOT. He will hit you with an assortment of weak kicks and slashes that will get you ticked off. Play with control against Galford or just go all out. The Ground Wave-B Slash counter will work once in a while against him. Otherwise, when he jumps, attack him with a jumping B slash. Galford will use Poppy, but the only one you really have to watch out for is the Teleporting Dog. The best strategy against Galford is to wait for him to throw a Plasma Blade or send Poppy. Jump attack Galford when he does so. When Galford does his split images, look at his health bar where the movement of each special move is described. If the movement is with ³A² button, Galford will appear on the left; if it is the ³B² button, Galford will appear on the right. Hanzo: Hanzo can be difficult at times. Once again the Ground Wave-B Slash counter may work once in a while but the best strategy is for him to jump in the air or fire his Fire Ground Snake at you. Watch out for his damage after move where he pops out of the ground. When you see wood, block low. Also watch out for his special; even if you hit him while he's doing it, the Pillar of Flame will erupt after about a one second delay. And be especially aware of his Flaming Piledriver. And remember that during missile exchanges that Hanzo's Snake Fire can bounce over you Ground Wave. To counter Hanzo's split images, do the same thing as with Galford; look near the health bar of Hanzo's to see the movement description in order to figure out which image is the real one. Nakoruru: She can be a pain. Nak likes to throw so don¹t let her get to close. At the start of the round, she will jump at you from a distance; attack with jumping AB slashes. If she sends Mamahaha at you, jump attack her. If she gets on her bird, jump attack her with a B slash. The Ground Wave- B Slash works well against Nak but occasionally, she will send it back with her Cape Fling. Cham Cham: Watch out for her Jumping Paw Scratch, especially when you jump. The Ground Wave- B Slash Counter works well against her. If you stun her, the Close AB combos won't work because she is too short. Pretty easy computer character but make sure she doesn't get to close to you. Cham Cham likes to throw. Also, her boomerang will go through your Ground Wave, so be careful during missile exchanges. Charlotte: Difficult cpu character to beat. The Ground Wave-B Slash counter works but you must gauge the distance for her differently. Charlotte likes to throw a lot and she will throw you out of special moves. When her rage meter is up, watch your attacks; she will do her special if you miss an attack ( I once missed an A slash at her and she hit me with her Weapon Breaker while I was still swinging!). Use A slashes at her since Jubei's A slashes are quick. If she jumps, meet her with B slashes. Don't jump attack her unless she throws her Tri-fireball; she will knock you out of the air with her Skipping Knee I'll Use My Body To Hit You Out Of The Air Ultimate Air Counter attack (sorry ..had to get that out). Kyoshiro: Usually an easy cpu character but can be a pain. When he throws his Fire Fan, jump attack him. When he taunts so it looks like he's throwing a Fire Fan, jump attack him. Kyoshiro might do his Kabuki Crunch Dance to air-counter you but usually he won¹t. One tactic I use is to continually A slash him until he jumps at me. Kyoshiro will always slash at me coming down from his jump. Knowing this, I Sword Catch Counter him out of the air ( I have killed Kyoshiro in three Sword Catch Counters). And watch out when you go air-to-air against Kyoshiro. He does some very good damage with his jumping slashes. Nicotine: Much like Nak, Nicotine loves to throw. The Ground Wave-B Slash counter works well against him. If you see him throw his Electric Bird Card, throw a B Ground Wave and hold the controller down. The Electric Bird will pass over you and your Ground Wave will hit him. Watch out during missile exchanges when Nicotine throws that Fire Gorilla at you; sometimes his Gorilla will run over your Ground Wave. If Nicotine starts rushing at you do a crouching B slash when he's in range. Also, Nicotine will taunt once in a while; take advantage of this opening. Sieger: Hard character to attack so wait for an opening. The Ground Wave-B Slash counter works but at harder levels, Sieger will anticipate when you are going to throw a Ground Wave and counter with that jumping Flaming Belly Flop of his. However, sometimes he will overjump allowing for a free hit. When throwing Ground Waves at Sieger, I only use A Ground Waves. Jubei's throw stun lag time for A Ground Waves is much faster, so he can successfully block counterattacks. Also, Sieger will reflect Jubei's Ground Waves back at him. Using A Ground Waves will give Jubei enough time to block reflected Ground Waves. Watch out for Sieger's Grab, Slap, and Punch Throw; Sieger can go through Ground Waves if you are not blocking low. Gen-an: Keep Gen-an at a distance. Gen-an throws alot and those low sweeping-sliding attacks he has are hard to counter. The Ground Wave-B Slash counter work well against Gen-an. Look out when he does that shedding after damage move. When Gen-an does his Butcher Roll, unless he's close, I don't slash him but throw a Ground Wave at him. Also, when fighting in his stage, get rid of those burning wood stacks; they can obscure your gauging of distance slashes. Earthquake: In the beginning of the round, jump attack Earthquake with an AB attack and try to follow up with a combo. Earthquake rarely blocks the first attack on him. My tactic on Earthquake is to go all out. Watch out when he disappears; he will either do the Rolling Kusari-gama slashes or he will do his Fat Drop from the sky. The Ground Wave-B Slash counter will work well. When he does the split images, do the same thing as you would for Hanzo or Galford (see Galford). And watch out for his low AB slash and his Weapon Breaker. Sometimes he will do his Weapon Breaker right after you do a jump attack at him. Wan-fu: The Ground Wave-B Slash counter works but watch out when throw his Pillar at you. Wan-fu likes to throw so keep him out of throwing range. Wan-fu will fake an AB attack and will also do an AB attack; know the difference. When he fakes one, either crouch B slash him if he is close or throw a Ground Wave. When he AB attacks you block and B slash him right away. If Wan-fu starts running at you, chances are he's going to jump attack. Counter by jumping away and B slashing. Ukyo: The computer Ukyo will play pretty stupidly but once in a while, will come out with some amazing moves. The Ground Wave- B Slash counter works but I prefer to go all out. I usually jump attack with a B slash (Ukyo will sometimes air counter with a standing AB slash, but using the B slash gives Jubei more range) and start a combo from their. Ukyo will sweep occasionally and throw alot. Remember to block low when Ukyo does an low AB attack. Jubei: A very difficult cpu character, Jubei will block almost everything. The Ground Wave- B Slash counter may work depending upon the level of difficulty of Jubei. Try not to do standing slashes at a cpu Jubei; he will Sword Catch Counter one of them. Attack with low slashes. Once in a while, the cpu Jubei will do a Rising Charge Slash. Block and wait for him to come down before you combo him to death. Jumping attacks may work but wait for an opening; otherwise, Jubei may jump attack with a AB slash. Mizuki: We are talking about a very hard boss. Always block low unless she jump attacks you (duh...). When she sends he Demon Dog, attack with a jumping AB or B slash and when you land Crouch B slash her. Either the Crouching B slash will hit her or both hits will hit her. When she teleports, she will usually teleport near the place you were standing just before she teleported. The Ground Wave-B Slash counter may work but I wouldn't count on it. Jump B slash her when she is in the air. If she gets you hit with her Confusion Ball, back into the corner and hold diagonal forward to block low and if she comes near, B slash her to keep her out of the way. Stay like this until the Angel Of Death goes away or ( if you have energy) she fire another Confusion Ball. If Mizuki fires another Confusion Ball while you are confused, walk into it to be unconfused. When Mizuki performs her special, if you see an opening for an attack, jump attack her but get ready to jump again when her Death Ball comes back. One tactic, though difficult, that works well is to throw a Ground Wave when she is far. If she jumps over if, do a Sword Catch Counter. She will always (1 out of 20 tries she won't) slash you. If timed correctly, you will catch Mizuki out of the air. Kuroko: Now we are talking hard. The only pattern I found that works consistently against Kuroko is jump attack him with a B slash and follow up with a crouching B slash. One or both of the B slashes will hit. However, Kuroko must be five or more character lengths away. If not, he will run forward as you jump (causing you to overjump) and throw you with that thousand kick throw. He may also air-counter with that Flash Flag Slash though you may hit him out of it with your jumping B slash. If he splits in two, back off. I have yet to figure out with part is the real Kuroko. When his POW meter is up, back off and block until his POW meter goes down. If it looks like he's going to throw you, be thrown. Better to take that damage rather than get hit by his Weapon Breaker. If he is close to you when you are hit out of the air or when you are getting up from a hit, throw him whenever possible. Throwing takes off significant damage to Kuroko. Don't try to jump over his fireballs to attack. You'll probably get hit by his fireballs or he will air-counter you. The Human Players: ----------------- Human players will have all sorts of patterns, tactics, and strategies. In this section, I will talk about the different strategies I have played against human players and the character they use. I will do my best to tell you how to counter theses tactics though, there may be a better way to counter them that I don't know about. Basics: ------ Some things to keep in mind when playing human players- *Never throw a Ground Wave when they are less than 2 character lengths away. *Don't Sword Catch Counter unless you are 90% positive that they will respond with a standing slash. *Try not to jump against a character with a good air-counter move. *Know the max. striking distance of each of Jubei's slashes. *Keep all four fingers out on each button; so not to give away any moves. *If they jump attack you, try to walk under them and hit them with a Close B strike: the Close B strike is a good combo starter. Haohmaru- The very good Haohmarus will be looking for you to throw your Ground Wave so they can counter with Haoh's Somersaulting Sword Crunch. Never throw a Ground Wave against a Haohmaru that is less than 4 character lengths away. Know the difference between his Tornado Spin and his fake one. Try to anticipate when Haoh is going to AB slash you and counter with a Sword Catch Counter. Never do Jubei's 100 Sword Strike unless you know it will kill him. Though Haoh may have the longest strike in the game, the standing AB slash leaves him open if he misses. Genjuro- Genjuro players love using his Three hit Combo; remember if he passes you, block forward. Throw Ground Waves, especially during missile exchanges. Genjuro's uppercut is not that great so when you can, jump attack him. His AB Slash is one of the slowest in the game so if you see him setting up for it, Sword Catch Counter. Galford- Galford players use the Teleporting Dog alot ( I admit, its a great air-counter). Watch Poppy to see which move she will perform. If it's the Teleporting Dog, just walk over to Galford and slash him. If they are performing Galford's Pildriver trap, simply jump away as you get up. Watch out for his B Slash; it has deceptive range. If he turns invisible, look at where Poppy is to see where Galford is. Hanzo- If he does the Air Shuriken, jump and hit him out of the air (of course, while avoiding the shuriken). Whenever he does his Snake Fire, jump attack. Watch out if you hit him to block low for his after damage move. Do the same thing for his throw trap as you would for Galford (see Galford). When Hanzo turns invisible, I back away and B Slash Hanzo when I hear him coming near. Nakoruru- Watch out for her Flying Slash Attack, especially the one where she hugs the ground. Whenever she send Mamaha, jump attack. If Nak gets on the bird, try to hit her immediately off if you are close. Watch out for Nak's CD low attack; it has good range. Watch out for returned Ground Waves from Nak's Cape Flick. Use Jubei's good range with his B slash against Nak's poor range. Cham Cham- Watch out for players to anticipate when you are going to throw a Ground Wave. Cham Cham may counter with her Flying Scratching attack. Be careful when she throws her boomerang on whether it hugs the ground or it angles out in the air. Watch out when jumping at her when Paku Paku breathes his Smiling Fire Breath. It hits the ground then erupts into the air. Cham Cham's sweeps have good range so always block low. Beware of the range of her standing AB attack. Charlotte- There seems to be two common tactics amongst Charlotte players. They are either kamikaze jump attackers or pokers. Kamikaze attackers will keep jump AB the enemy and this strategy works pretty good. Counter this attack by B striking Charlotte as soon as she lands from the attack. Pokers will gauge the attack carefully and strike with the very tip of Charlotte's toothpick. Use Jubei's quick A slash and carefully measure the distance of your slash. Be careful when jump attacking Charlotte when she throws her Tri-Fire missile. The wide area it takes up can create problems when jump attacking her. Her Weapon Breaker is also very quick and deadly. Be aware. Kyoshiro- Kyoshiro players will tend to stand by the fireball-uppercut tactic. However, Kyoshiro can be hit out of his Uppercut. Watch out for his Flying Lion's Tail kick, especially his CD one that stays on the screen for a while. I usually counter by throwing a Ground Wave as Kyoshiro finishes the move or I jump over him as he begins the CD Flying Lion's Tail attack. Watch out for his AB attacks, especially in the air. If Kyoshiro does his Fire Breath, it can be ducked. Don't jump attack if Kyoshiro does his Weapon Breaker; throw a Ground Wave. Nicotine- Nicotine players will use his low B slash alot. Watch out for its range. Rarely will they use his kicks. Most players will use the Fire Gorilla for missiles. Also, many will use the standard fireball-air counter strategy ( Nic's crouching AB slash is a very good air counter). If they use his Chain Grab (ala Scorpion) you can shake out of it quickly. If Nicotine jumps, always meet him with an air B Slash. Also, be careful of his tricky Spinning Pole Kick. Sieger- Sieger players will always blast you with the darn cannon of his. Stay away from him. If you are knock down and he is going to blast you in the corner, jump away. Even if you get hit, you will _roll_ away, only taking one hit. Always, block low; Sieger has alot of low hitting attacks. Make sure to block properly when he does his Flying Flaming Belly Flop. Sometimes, he will hit your jump a bit over you and hit your otherside. Be careful when throwing Ground Waves; he can flick them back or if he anticipates correctly, he can hit you with his Flaming Belly Flop. Also, be careful when you meet him the air. Sieger does some mega-damage in the air. Sieger's sweep has very good range so be wary. Gen an- As much as I hate this character, Gen-an players are among the best players (next to Jubei of course! :P ). Gen-an can be one pain; his sliding kicks are hard to counter (only with A slashes or C kick) his slashes are extremely quick and deadly, and his Poison Cloud is very deceptive. And his Butcher Roll is a great weapon. When playing against him, be careful not to miss a slash. It is hard to Sword Catch Counter Gen-an but you can, especially if the player keeps trying to slash you. Be careful when jumping at Gen-an when he blows his Poison Cloud. When he does his Butcher Roll, block and wait for him to drop on the ground. Then, B Slash and try to combo him. The Ground Wave- B Slash counter works well. Earthquake- Earthquake is actually a very good character (more so now, than in SS1). Earthquake character are always looking to use the low AB slash. Many will do the split image, then hop back and low AB. There are two ways to kills a Earthquake player. Go all out or use the fireball-air counter method. If you are going all out, use a jumping AB slash, a low A slash, a standing C kick, and then a crouching B slash. Continue this pattern and mix it up constantly; it drives Earthquake players crazy (I also like to mix in a Sword Catch Counter once in a while). The other method is to Ground Wave-B Slash counter Earthquake. Watch out for his Butt Bounce as it can take off alot of energy. Earthquake can air attack pretty well, so watch out. It is also very hard to combo Earthquake; find out which combos work on him and which don't. Wan fu- Wan-fu players will look to use his low AB sweeping attack ( it takes off alot of damage). They also look for an opportunity to uppercut whenever possible. Very good players will throw away the pillar and attack unarmed the rest of the round. Whenever possible, use low attacks on Wan-fu. The Ground Wave-B Slash counter works but his jumping AB attack has good range so measure the distance carefully. Never jump at a Wan-Fu unless he jumps in the air first; take him out of the air with a jumping AB or B slash. Watch the distance of his standing AB attack and his CD butt attack (both have great range). His sweep is also one of the best the in the game. Ukyo- A very hard player due to his great variety of offensive powers. Always block low; Ukyo players are always looking to use their low AB slash. When approaching Ukyo, never run in or walk in; take one or two steps and block. Ukyo's After Image Attack is super quick and damaging. If playing a constantly SSSing Ukyo (one that performs the Swallow Slice constantly) start throwing Ground Waves. Even if you get hit by his Firebirds, the Ground Waves should hit and do more damage. Sometimes if he is in range, you can crouch B slash him as he is doing the Swallow Slice. If Ukyo goes in the air, try to jump B slash whenever you can. Otherwise keep throwing Ground Waves and B Slash counter when he jumps at you. Jubei- The most difficult matches I have had are against Jubei players...most Jubei players I have played against are very good. The only advice I can give is to try the Ground Wave- B Slash counter, though it probably won¹t work against a jumping Jubei using a B slash. Mix up your attacks with sweeps and those shin kicks. Fake fireballs and look for opening, especially if the other Jubei misses a B slash attack. Try not to take too many risks; the more risks you take, the greater the chance that you will make a mistake. And one mistake against any character, especially Jubei, is fatal. Playing tips: Cheap or not- I have heard so many players call many things _cheap_. Whether it's jump kicking then throwing, turtling, or catching some guy's sword in mid-air, someone is bound to complain, if not openly, then in whispers. Back in the days when SF2 ruled the arcades, where I come from (which is the Fremont, Milpitas, San Jose area) it was granted that throwing was okay only as a defensive maneuver. I primarily threw in SF2 when the guy would jump kick me. I would take the hit and trade it by throwing him. This was one of the ways of a defensive throw. Another example is when a Ken or Ryu did a Hurricane Kick and after it was blocked, the blocking character would throw. However, down here in Southern California ( I go to U.S.C.), any type was throwing was cheap. So, different areas have different ideals on what is cheap. What does being cheap mean, anyway? Well, having discussed this with some very good games in my gaming circle, being cheap is using any means necessary to save your money. Here's an example: Guy A: Has a 34 win streak in SS2 with Nak, does some unbelievable 3 hit combos and does her Super Special (the Five Cape Flick & Invisible bird) to finish off all his opponents. He has some very close matches but always manages to get something off in time. Once in a while, he compliments the guy by saying something or nodding his head. And when he finally loses, he tells the guy, great match, and proceeds to put another quarter on the machine. and compare to - Guy B: Has a 34 win streak in SS2 with Nak, jump kicks then throws, if you miss an attack, does the stabbing throw at you, and constantly taunts you. He rarely uses any combos, rather throwing than risking a mistake. He sighs if you get a good hit off of him or break his weapon. And when he finally loses, he calls the guy that beat him cheap and goes away. Now, the end result is the same-both guys got a 34 win streak with Nak. However, we would call Guy B cheap because of two things: he had a bad attitude and he was afraid of losing. Of course, none of us like to lose, but through losing we learn our mistakes and become better players. Another reason for calling Guy B cheap is his obvious lack of skill. Skilled players would rather combo the crap out of someone rather than waste it on a stupid throw. Knowing how to play the game and appreciating the game is something Guy B might never learn. And chances are, if Guy A played Guy B, Guy A would win because he is more skilled at the game. Of course their are some obvious things that are cheap; not because of the player but because of bad game design. For example, those in the gaming circle would know about Guile's Magic Throw in the old SF2. For those that don't, well I'll fill you in. The Magic Throw was one of several glitches in SF2 (some included turning Dhalism invisible, turning off the game, and so on.) Basically, the Magic Throw allowed Guile to throw anyone, anywhere, at anytime. Guile would do a throwing motion and the opponent would simply fall down. There was no way to counter this Magic Throw (unless, you did a Magic Throw with another character but this is purely theoretical) and so this is one way the game is cheap. So what does this all mean?? Well, if you want to be cheap, fine.. You might not lose any money and you might think that you are good. But I for one would rather lose a match to some cheap guy rather than win by cheaping him back. Those that want to play the game because they like the game, not because they don¹t want to lose, those are real players. To learn all the techniques in the game and to be really skilled in them gives you much respect, especially to yourself. And the best part is that when you are really skilled, you can beat those cheap players handily and know that you are better than them. That is a true gamer. Historical Background of Jubei: ------------------------- Yagyu Jubei actually existed. His real name was Yagyu Mitsuyoshi (1607-1650) and was the eldest son to Yagyu Munenori(1571-1646). Munenori was a famous samurai during this period and wrote a book on swordsmanship called Heiho Kaden Sho. Jubei also wrote a book on swordsmanship called the Tsuki no Sho. He became blind in one eye when his father threw a stone at him to see how good he was at swordsmanship. He served Iemitsu Tokugawa (3rd Shogun of the Tokugawa regime) as a spy to report on the activities of the lords of Kyushu. Later, he founded a training school with 10,000 students; it was said that he was the true founder of Yagyu school of swordsmanship. There is a book on his adventures called Yagyu Tabi Nikki ( A Travel Diary of Yagyu). He was commonly called Jubei. Yagyu Muneyoshi (father of Munenori and grand father to Jubei), founder of the Yagyu School of Swordsmanship retired to a little hut in the middle of a bamboo forest. This may explain for Jubei's background in SS1 and SS2. Other stuff: --------- SS2 story- Even after the defeat of Amakusa, there was no end to the appearance of demons. The Shogun, Tokugawa, realizing the gravity of the situation, ordered Jubei to destroy these demons. But the demon's were hunting Jubei as well. "No one can withstand the might of the Yagyu Shinkegeryu-kai!" Ending- After defeating Mizuki, we see Jubei in the forest. The guy who tosses food and bombs during the game runs on to the screen holding the two Pherenx stones and asks, "Is this what you are looking for?" Jubei says, "So this is what has been causing all of the trouble, toss them to me!" He then performs his Zetsu Suigetsutoh, shattering the two stones, and the force of the blow knocks the delivery man on his butt. The scene then shifts back to his home where he is standing outside, arms crossed. The delivery man runs back carrying a package. He greets Jubei and Jubei asks him to come in for some rest and refreshments, but the delivery man insists that he has to continue working. Jubei says, "O.K. You are such a workaholic!" The delivery man runs off, and Jubei says "What a beautiful day!" He laughs heartily and contently. Sayings: "Ikuzo!" : "Kakattekoi!" [Here I go!] : [Come on!] "Ikuzo!" [Here I go!] Throw: "Denaosei!" [Try again!] (Literal: Come back again.) "Hiyokkomega!" [Punk!] (Literal: Little chick!) Angry: "Yurusanzo!" [That's it!] (Literal: I won't forgive you.) Getting Hit: "Mada mada!" [That's nothing!] Win: "Shoujin ga tarin, denaosei." [You lack dedication, try again.] Lose: "Bakana---!"[Impossible!] "Nukattawa---!" [What a stupid mistake!] Taunts: "Kowappamega!" [Foolish child!] THANKS: --------- SNK- I hope Samsho3 is the best one of all of them Damone- You got me into this, and it's been fun. Thanx Kenichiro Tanaka- writer of the SS2 character sayings- your Japanese is excellent. Would have taken me forever to translate. Thanx SFUJIMUTO-Hope you don't mind if I use part of your Tapfaq. Don't know how you do these things so fast. Thanx. Greg Clark- Thanx for that flashback on Jubei¹s Reflection move. Rash- My man!!! Let's take another Fantastic Voyage to that nickel arcade again. Damian- You were the first one to be caught by my Jubei in midair..without you, I don't think I would've become so good as I am today. I give you props! Peter-My gaming buddy since SF2...thanx for all those tips and for those philosophicaltalks about cheapness, throws, and hos (whoops..wrong newsgroup!!) To all Jubei players out there-You must train even harder than before. Hope this helps!!! Sources- The Sword and the Mind-by Yagyu Munenori: cool stuff to read about Japan Biographical Encyclopedia & Who's Who-every Japanese person is in here!! Character Sayings FAQ- Kenichiro Tanaka: need to know what they're saying?!?! SS2 TAPFAQ v5.2 - SFujimoto: What the hell does TAP stand for anyway!?! -------