Yang FAQ/Movelist v2.8 for Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike by Thomas Shin (arlieth@west.net) Disclaimer: This FAQ can not be duplicated in part or in whole without expressed permission from the author. Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, and all characters related are the property of Capcom of Japan. This FAQ is Copyright Thomas Shin/Arlieth Tralare 1999,2000,2001. (You know the drill.) -=Contents=- 1. Introduction 2. Quick-Guide 3. Basics 4. Techniques 5. Super Arts 6. Combos 7. Tactics 8. The Leftovers - = [ r e v i s i o n h i s t o r y ] = - 03/06/00 v2.8: One little combo that I thought warranted attention. Namely, C.Short -> EX Mantis Slash. It's more useful than you'd think. Also, exhibition combo by Xerocrew posted. (Check them out at http://www.shiningblade.com/xerocrew/ 01/03/00 v2.7: Happy New Year! ^_^ Interesting info I found out after doing some research on a Dreamcast regarding his Senkyuutai (normal Drill Kick, not the super art), enough to warrant its use in combos. Heavily revised combo section especially regarding Drill Kick. Damage modifiers added in Combo and Quick-guide sections. His best Kara-cancel is his Roundhouse kick. Special Attack section heavily edited, Stats on moves changed to reflect results from Dreamcast training mode testing. Revised Mindgame 3, added a new little trick. 09/22/00 v2.6: Fixed a mis-translation made in one of Yang's Skillsmith combos for the Sei-ei Enbu. (The 2nd one, specifically.) It's a C.Forward, not an L.Forward =P 09/21/00 v2.5: Some minor changes made to the format. Also, an extra note about Yang's fighting style was given to me by Yun_Iori. ^_^ Vs. content has been revised heavily. Mindgame #2 has been replaced. Alternate translation of Yang's Teleport (tentative)? Most likely Final Version. 08/05/00 v2.4: More erratum fixed. Namely, Yang doesn't have the Dakai, he's got the Senpuu Kyaku. Duh. Also added a little bit in the combo section and another tip for the Kaihou (Teleport). 07/08/00 v2.3: One new combo added for completeness's sake, some erratum fixed. New Sei-ei Enbu data taken from Kao Megura's updated Third Strike FAQ. 06/07/00 v2.2: Small tip in Mantis Slash and Dive-kick descriptions. Also adjusted the damage percentages for supers to reflect overall hit points (Skillsmith stats) instead of the lifebar. Other little tweaks. Took out an air-chain combo because it's impossible to do outside of theory. Same day v2.1: Added a mindgame trick that I completely forgot to as below include in, what... three months? I submitted it to GameFAQs a bit prematurely. 04/20/00 v2.0: Found a new combo that I never thought to try (duh...) and cleaned a few parts up. Unless I happen to extensively play against expert Oros and Necros in the near future, this'll be sitting still for a while. Added a little stuff on Q and Makoto vs. Tactics as well. More organization? Heh. Some stuff's been cleaned up as well, 'cause this FAQ is large enough as it is. 04/13/00 v1.9: Added some combos that I completely overlooked a while back. Also another little mind-game trick. ^_- 04/06/00 v1.8: Added two Sei-ei Enbu SkillSmith(tm) combos. 02/16/00 v1.7: And more tweaks... revised descriptions... 01/30/00 v1.6: Decided to make even more tweaks... 12/15/99 v1.5: Tweaks to the normal movelist and tactics. 10/26/99 v1.4: Discovered a semi-infinite trick and two bugs, with the Sei-ei Enbu. Also, a few more small tweaks. 9/16/99 v1.3: This update is dedicated to the 50+ Otter Pops that selflessly gave their lives. For what reason? None, really. On another note, Tactics have been updated. 9/12/99 v1.2: More small tweaks. Nothing much. 9/11/99 v1.1: tweaked a move description, added info for Sei-ei Enbu, put in some Juggle combos and tactics edit (Thanks to Min Sub Kim) I also remembered to put in the Ryu Tactics this time. 9/10/99 v1.0: Started on 9/8/99, finished on 9/9/99 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 1-:Introduction: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- A brief analysis of Yang's fighting abilities: He's a combo pixie. He's also not the greatest character in the game, admittedly. He doesn't inflict much damage, takes quite a bit of damage, and he doesn't have the fastest learning curve. Yang's optimum range is around sweep-range on the ground, and half the screen away when starting a jump. He has an extremely punishing mix-up game revolving around his comboing and fake-outs. But aside from this, he does have two things going for him: He's fast. Oft-repeated, but it's true. [it's true.] He looks cool. For starters, Yang is a bishounen kung-fu boy who loves roller-blades and owns a cute white cat. His brother (Yun) now fights in a rather different fashion than he, and supposedly Yang has something to prove to his twin bro. When Yang fights, he squirms around as opposed to Yun's statue-still pose. If you haven't figured it out by now, they're essentially opposites (Yin and Yang). He's got a bit of an inferiority complex going against him, so he's prone to fits of brooding and being a general loner. (I wouldn't be surprised if he writes poetry as well. Heh.) (If you want to see his cat, get 3 wins and you'll see it at the start of each fight afterwards. It's cute. It might even be lucky. ^_-) But not many of you really care about story, and coincidentally, that's about as much as I know about Yang's background. So there. Oh yeah, if you were wondering about his colors, pressing Fierce will give you his standard colors (Purple top, black pants), Short will show you just how much Yang can look like Iori Yagami (of KoF fame), and pressing Jab + Forward + Fierce will give Yang the awesomely cool professional black attire. I forget the rest, and they don't really matter too much anyhow. And for you martial-arts otaku, I believe that Yun and Yang practice Kempo. (Which isn't TECHNICALLY Kung-Fu, but a derivative, as far as I know. I may be -very- wrong. Don't quote me on this.) Besides that, it appears that they know some Jeet Kune Do. Yang also incorporates Acupressure attacks in his style, which explains why his gloves only have two fingers on them. I'm also going to assume that you've at least read in passing, a generic Street Fighter III FAQ (such as Kao Megura's), so you should be aware of notations such as qcf, EX and the like. If you don't, you'd better get cracking. There are some techniques that you should be aware of before reading this guide, especially how to jump-cancel a launching attack. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 2-:Quick-Guide: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Stuff you should know in a nutshell. Far Anti-Air attacks: Fierce, Forward, Forward Senkyuutai, C.Forward Near Anti-air attacks: Forward, Strong, Short Senkyuutai Best Air vs. Air attacks: [J.]Fierce, Roundhouse, Short, Forward. Best Stun attacks: EX Mantis Slash, Byakko Soushouda Ranged Pokes: Fierce, C.Forward, Forward, Mantis Slash x1 Close Pokes: Strong, C.Jab, C.Strong, Short Not Recommended: Roundhouse, Drill-Kick or Teleport vs. turtles Best combo starters: J.Forward -> Divekick, C.Forward, Strong Most Abusable Attack: EX Mantis Slash (Combined with C.Forward) Command overhead attack: twd+Forward (Spinkick) Best super: Tenshin Senkyuutai (EX Meter) Best Kara-Cancel: Roundhouse Remember: -Crouching characters take an extra 25% damage. -There are no Major Counter hits in this game. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 3-:Basics: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- -=Standing=- [Punch] Jab: Fast, quick eye-poke. Use it as anti-air when someone has no health left. ^_^ Strong: Pokey elbow to the gut. Yang will step forward a little when he does this move. Has EXCELLENT stuffing priority. Used to start his Punch chain-combo (bread n' butter). You will use this one a LOT in close-combat. There is a slightly different animation for the far version of the elbow, and you can't combo from that one, so be careful if you're trying to combo it into a Mantis Slash. However, it will save your bacon if you tried to combo into a Drill Kick. One more note: The Strong punch will do more damage than the 1st hit of the close-up Fierce. Remember this when you're doing a combo. Fierce: There's two versions. Towards + Fierce [at close range], or just a normal Fierce will make Yang take a step and perform a spear-thrust to the neck. GREAT priority and range. Stuffs almost every jump-in, but watch the angle. Unfortunately, it has mediocre recovery. The close-up Fierce is a two-hit vertical knifehand to the chin. This has just as much priority, but much less damage compared to the spear-thrust. You may cancel the 2nd hit of the punch for the Tourou Zan x3 instead. Be careful about this move when punishing someone, especially if they're falling from the air (it'll do crappy damage). [Kick] Short: A quick kick to the shin. If used as a short-range stuffer, only use one at a time, walking up to them between kicks (the range is rather bad). Makes for anti-climatic finish. You may chain this kick into the other two for Yang's kick combo. On another note, it has more range than his Jab. Forward: Yang has three versions of this kick. His normal Forward kick is a fast roundhouse kick to the head that can hit jump-ins (and jump-outs), although it's somewhat lacking in priority. On the otherhand, it is a *great* poking attack that can easily piss your opponent off in a corner. His close-range Forward kick (aka [L]aunch Forward) is a vertical side-kick right to the chin. Yang does the splits when he does this (Owwww...). It hits crossovers fairly well, and can set up for a juggle as it launches the victim to the air. If you're going to snuff a jump-in with this, kick early, especially because it doesn't have the greatest priority, and characters such as Alex and Makoto have wicked ranges with their jumping Fierces. Chances are that the angle of their air-attack is outside that of the launch kick. Also, you can go into a super-jump right after this kick and chase them with an air Roundhouse if you like. In combos, I will label this kick as an L. Forward to signify a Launcher. Note: To use the L.Forward, you must be within throw range. Towards + Forward will do an overhead spin-kick. He's still vulnerable to many low attacks using this move, though. It's probably better to use the standard overhead, which hops. This does have a longer range than the normal overhead, however. Since you're considered to be 'on the ground' during this move, you are still vulnerable to certain throws and most Super Arts. Also known as the 'Senpuu Kyaku'. [Spin kick] Roundhouse: Eww. It ain't what it used to be from 2nd Impact. It's a spinning back-kick that hurts fairly well. However, it has rather bad lag before the move (but good recovery). NEVER use it to hit jump-ins, as its angle will usually whiff the target... use the Fierce punch instead. The best time to use this is after juggling someone with a standing Forward kick if you need some extra range. Yang might as well fix his hair up in that spin animation. =P The only positive about this move is that it moves Yang back a bit, so that it becomes just a little bit harder to throw him. In fact, many Roundhouse attacks do this (test it by kara- cancelling the attack and checking if your character shifts backward instead of forward. Alex and Makoto do this too). -=Crouching=- [Punch] Jab: Quick poke to the knees. Use it for fun, or to give you a little breathing room after an overhead. You can juggle with it too, if it means anything. Strong: Yang smashes your foot with his hand. Little damage, great priority, but you can't chain with it like in 2nd Impact. If you're right next to your opponent in a game of footsie, use this punch. There's a few instances when this won't work (i.e.: against Yun) because of priority/speed issues. Fierce: This one's interesting. It's a double-hit rising knife-hand, with great range but low damage. Use it if you're under a hurricane kick, or countering an overhead. For the most part though, it's useless- use two C.Strongs to escape close-range clinches instead. [Kick] Short: Close foot-mash kick. Really fast, use it as a stuffer. It no longer chains into the crouching Forward kick, but it still chains into itself. Forward: A mid-long range kick to the feet. This move is Yang's premiere low-chainer. Beware the priority though, as it often gets stuffed by characters such as Urien, Hugo and Elena, because it has a tiny little lag time behind it. However, it stuffs most low attacks if done early enough. It seems to work especially well against Shotoclones because of the speed. Roundhouse: Your standard foot-sweep. You can't chain anything after it like with Yun, but it comes out fairly quickly. Moderate range, standard priority, and it juggles Remy like a golf-ball if done during the Sei-ei Enbu. It might also juggle other characters, but it's rather iffy. -=Jumping=- [Punch] Jab: Small little elbow that flies the whole way through. In a pinch, can suffice for a stuffer, but don't rely on it. Strong: Another short-ranged punch. Don't bother. Fierce: High priority smacker with okay range (you can jump backwards and STILL hit certain characters with it). However, it's advisable not to jump in with it, as it must be connected deeply to be effective. Use it to smack someone else out of the air, preferably. If you have enough height, you may stuff aerial Shotokan spinkicks. If Yang jumps straight up, then he'll perform a straight knifehand chop to the neck for some nifty damage. [Kick] Short: A cool-looking jumping side-kick. It lasts the whole Jump, and has odd priority(but again, don't rely on it). You might want to use this to beat attacks like the Megaton Press, especially with the Sei-ei Enbu. Forward: You'll use this one a lot. It has okay priority, but nice range (the farthest of all his air-attacks). If you look like you're going to hit deep with it, chain it into his Dive kick (df+Forward Kick) to add insult to injury. It's fun. Roundhouse: A vertical kick that has okay priority, but good range. You may want to use this against someone in the air. Don't bother chaining this into a ground combo, as it usually pushes the victim too far back. I don't use this too often, personally, although it's great when you use it with the Sei-ei Enbu because of it's hit locations. You may use this move to smack someone else out of the air, but press the button a little earlier than you normally would. This move can RELIABLY stuff aerial attacks within range, but does not do as much damage as his J.Fierce. -Throws Neutral: Memories of Double Dragon come to mind as Yang grabs the poor sucker's head and starts bashing them with his knee. Mash the buttons! This one is used for stun damage. You may no longer connect with his Tenshin Senkyuutai afterwards, however. Also- the recommended method of mashing involves wiggling the joystick left and right while flopping your palm on the buttons. Towards: This one's kinda cool. Yang grabs their shoulders, then plants his sneakers on their chest and kicks off. Hard. Back: Yang pulls the victim towards him, plants his feet on their chest, then rolls backwards and launches them away. Note: If Yang whiffs a throw, he'll lean forward with his hands outstretched for a split second, then recover. Also, Yang's one of the few characters who can increase throw stun as well as striking stun after a taunt. It ain't much, but you might need the extra edge. And if you're really nice and don't like taunting, then flip back and do it at the beginning of the round so it won't be so insulting. The bonus only lasts for one connected attack, however. Overhead (Strong Punch + Forward Kick): Yang will do a hop with his hand outstretched. Kinda silly, but effective. This is preferred because you can't get thrown from it, unlike his other overhead. About Kara-Cancelling: His best one seems to be his Roundhouse kick. It's pretty damned good, so use it. ^_^ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 4-:Techniques: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Key: Move name (Japanese Translation): Motions [EX?] Damage: On a scale of 1(Bad) to 5(Excellent)/[EX Version if applicable] Range: Described as best as possible... Speed: Scaled 1-5. A Speed 5 can combo off of a jab. Priority: Scaled 1-5. Priority 5 stuffs everything. Recovery: Scaled 1-5. Recovery 5 is equal to Hugo's Palm Bomber. Weakness: Described briefly. Strengths: Described briefly. (Depends on Strength) The Strength of the button pressed (i.e.: Jab, Strong,Fierce) can drastically affect a move's properties. If so, it will be explained in detail. Most moves do have a damage modifier depending on the strength of the button pressed anyways, but it's usually not very significant. QCF : Quarter Circle Forwards QCB : Quarter Circle Backwards HCF : Half Circle Forwards HCB : Half Circle Backwards DP : Forward, Quarter Circle Forwards (Dragon Punch) 3x : Perform the motion up to three times [EX]: Press two buttons instead of one for a powered version. U,D,F,A: Up, Down, Forwards, Away (You should know this...) Tourou Zan (Mantis-Style Slash): QCF + Punch (3x) [EX] Damage: 3/5 Range: About sweep range Speed: 3/4.5 Priority: 4/3 Recovery: 3/4 Weakness: Low, Long-range, Air Strengths: Awesome poke supplement, Easily comboed This move is a series of three inward swipes with Yang's hands, each one dragging him forward. The timing is variable between each swipe, and can be used to throw an opponent off if they block the first or second hits. You can stop doing this at any time, but beware, for there is a nasty lag after the 2nd and 3rd strikes if you don't keep it up. The third and final strike is a wicked backhand that launches the opponent away, and does the most damage of all the strikes. This technique has good stun damage, and if chained with the low Forward kick, can be very effective as a quick punishment. Note that if you combo it, it does a little less stun-damage, but gives you the added safety of being too far to retaliate against with many moves. If you play your cards well, you can zone your opponent into your maximum effective range. This move is vulnerable to low strikes and has a short lag before the attack, so don't EVER think about using it as a wake-up move. However, the priority for this is rather nice. Unfortunately, it'll trade with Shoryukens and such, if not lose. If you attack with this, you'll go right under certain attacks such as Alex's DDT, Shotokan spinkicks, and Urien's Headbutt. Abort the move as soon as possible if this happens, or just complete the rest and get the hell out of there, varying on the super they've chosen. It also hits low enough that Dudley's Cross Counter can't defend against it consistently. ++ The EX version has a bit of lag time before the first strike, attacks for twice the hits, and moves Yang forward even more than usual. You may use this for punishing a missed or blocked sweep. I advise that you use a steady tempo for this attack, except for the last two hits, which you should mash like crazy. ^_^ This is a retaliation attack- don't use it to stuff someone as the slight lag before the 1st hit may screw you over. It *IS* possible to chain some jabs into this move, but the timing is extremely difficult. ++ Senkyuutai (Arcing Thigh Drill): QCF + Kick [EX] Damage: 3/5 (+ Juggle) Range: Point Blank to Full Screen Speed: 3/4 (Depends on Strength) Priority: 2/3 Recovery: 2/4 (Depends on Strength) Weakness: Sweeps, grapples Strengths: Juggle, Anti-projectile, Anti-air Yang will roll on the ground rather quickly, then launch himself upwards with an outstretched sneaker. This works okay as anti-air. You can chase someone jumping away from you with this, if your timing is good. Also juggles from a close-range Forward kick. The length that Yang rolls along the ground is determined by the kick that you use. Choose wisely. This move doesn't do much damage by itself, although the stun damage is very decent. Short: Doesn't roll at all, but instead launches himself VERY high into the air. Cannot combo this one, HORRIBLE recovery. However, it has no initiation time, so use it as a wakeup if you're really up to it. Forward: Rolls for a bit, then launches. Bleh recovery. Don't use this in combos if you can help it. Roundhouse: Rolls for the entire length of the screen before launch. Pretty good recovery, because he doesn't launch himself very high at all, and sets him up for an extra juggle. I suggest Strong punch. EX: Like the Roundhouse version, but faster. Again, you have the choice to juggle afterwards. Use this one to punish fireballs if possible. This move is best comboed off of a close Strong punch. This is also very safe, because if you're too far away to combo into it, Yang does his far Strong elbow, which can't cancel into any other attack. This prevents you from doing the move anyways and getting punished hard. ^_^ Also, if you want to combo, always use Roundhouse version, or the EX version if you have meter. These two will let you follow up with a juggle. This move gets stuffed by attacks such as Akuma's Dive-kick, or any Shotokan's J.Fierce. Also, you CAN be grabbed out of it! For this reason, if you decide to use this as a wake-up attack, use the Short version against grapplers such as Hugo and Alex. You can also get sweeped out of it, so beware. Byakko Soushouda (White Tiger Paired Palm-Strike) QCB + Punch (QCB + Two Punches to fake) Damage: 4 (+ High stun) Range: Slightly closer than sweep range Speed: 1 Priority: 5 Recovery: 3 Weakness: Easily parried Strengths: Mind-game, Priority, Stun, long "Active" time This is nasty. Yang will pair his hands together and ease them forward, while raising his forward foot. At the end, CRASH! Yang stomps down, and smashes forward with his palms. This strike has a very short distance, but it has GREAT priority. This move takes precedence over anything without an invincibility frame. Keep in mind that Yang is vulnerable throughout the entire move, and as such, may end up trading hits if he's too close to a countered attack. This move can also cancel fireballs if timed correctly, although its use is limited. Certain Super Arts such as the Shoryu-Reppa (and all copycats), the Messatsu Gou-Rasen, Remy's Flash-Kick (not the Super Art or EX), and many more moves will be stuffed if you put Yang just far enough away to strike them. If you're too close, you place yourself at risk for a trade or even a whiff. Just don't use this against Super Arts that dash forward, such as the Shippu-Jinrai Kyaku and the Brave Dance, as they have frontal invincibility frames. On that matter, so do some EX moves too. This move is best used to stuff wake-up attacks and even jump-ins (although this is parry-bait). A neat little trick with this move is that it can be aborted. If you press two punch buttons instead of one as if doing an EX move, Yang will stop halfway through the wind-up. This is quite fun to do against someone getting up, as they may attempt to parry/counter the attack. If this happens, attack/defend accordingly. On a special note, this move is Super-Cancelable. Zenpou Tenshin (Forward Roll): HCB + Kick Damage: 0 Range: Throw Range Speed: 3 Priority: 1 Recovery: 2 Weakness: Can be easily countered, counts as a hit (reduces damage) Strengths: Sets up for supers/punishments Not the greatest command-throw in the world, mind you. Yang will lean forward in a grabbing motion. If he whiffs, he'll look like a dork as he almost loses his balance and recovers. If he connects(good luck), he'll flip over his opponent's head and land behind them, all set up for a combo. However, there's a few problems with all this. There's a lag before the actual grab itself. Hell, someone can throw you before you actually lay your hands on them. It has horrible range, and it's often whiffed into a normal kick because of its half-circle motion. And when you DO connect, you'd better attack fast, because the victim will turn around very quickly if you wait a fraction of a second too long. To add icing to the cake, you won't be at point-blank range when you flip over, so some combos may be impossible to complete after this move. =P Don't bother doing a Super Art with this move, because the target will take 25% damage from the 1st hit and lose 40% damage total because the grab counts as a hit. Kaihou (Convalesence?): DP + Kick Damage: n/a Range: Half Screen to Full Screen (Depends on Strength) Speed: 3 Priority: n/a Recovery: 3 Weakness: Slight recovery time, vulnerability Strengths: Mixup, Cross-under Yang's new Teleport. It's flashy, but it kinda sucks. Yang is vulnerable throughout the first half of the teleport when he's still a blur, until he actually disappears. However, it's fast, and the distance is variable depending on the strength of the Kick pressed. Use this to cross-under an opponent, or to put on extreme pressure. Since Yang is vulnerable for 1/3 of a second after the teleport, he's wide open for a counterattack (or a series of low ticks). So use this to chase after a reeling opponent, but be very careful about it. And of course, you can run away with it too. ^_^ Don't use this to get out of a corner-trap, because of the lack of invincibility frames. All in all, it really isn't that good, as it's quite limited when compared to Akuma's Ashura Warp (although that's a hell of a lot slower, and vulnerable to Super Arts). You can combo into it with certain normal moves such as Strong and the 1st hit of a close Fierce for mixup purposes. Use this ESPECIALLY after you've juggled them. Also, a great trick to do with this is to poke them with a Short kick, then immediately use the Short version of the teleport to end up right behind them for a throw. Raigeki Shuu (Lightning Attack Kick): Jump U or F, DF + Kick Damage: 2 Range: 15/45/60 degree downward angle (Depends on Strength) Speed: 4 Priority: 2 Recovery: 3 Weakness: Easily punished/countered Strengths: Variable range, speed, comboable Yang's dive-kick. It can only be done on the descent or the peak of a jump. The strength of the Kick button pressed determines the angle at which Yang dives. Short: Drops almost straight down, and you can fake someone out quite well by super-jumping and then suddenly dropping. Don't use this to attack, because it will hit at a very shallow angle and make you prone to a throw. Forward: Drops at a 45 degree angle. This version may be chained from a jumping Forward kick for some extra damage. Roundhouse: Continues the arc of the jump. Make sure you hit as low on their body as possible to ensure a deep jump-in. The one real disadvantage of this move is that if you connect at a shallow angle, you'll most likely be thrown, because this is definitely NOT Akuma's dive-kick. It doesn't stun the opponent nearly as long, and the descent is twice as slow, so be prepared to Tech-Hit after it. However, if you chain it, and your opponent blocked the jumpkick but not the dive-kick, you'll have plenty of time to perform your combos. The ability to chain his divekick after his J. Forward is unique to Yang only (Yun has a Jab -> Fierce air chain instead). Because most of Yang's jumping moves have mediocre range and hit-stun, you will have to rely on this to land many jump-in combos. You may link a super after it if you feel inclined to do so, although I recommend a combo. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 5-:Supers: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- I: Raishin Mahhaken(Quaking Thunder Demonic Fist Break) x1 /Punch Level of Skill: Easy Meter Length: Long Damage: 40% Max Range: Sweep Range Speed: 4 Priority: 5 Weakness: Directly above, One-hit parry, delay Yang will stomp down with his foot as he thrusts forward with a Spear- Hand strike. If it connects, then he'll dash through his opponent, stabbing into the flesh of their neck for multiple hits. You CAN use this as an anti-air attack, because there's a tiny pause before Yang actually strikes. Because of this pause, this gives Yang additional frontal invincibility frames (in other words, he's completely unable to be grabbed), but now the only way to combo this attack is off of a J.Fierce, a very well placed Dive-kick, or a C.Forward. This is made to be used as a counter-strike, and possibly anti-air because of that lag, but it's MUCH harder to use this for punishing a blocked attack. It's a one-shot-wonder, so use it as such and don't bother too much with a combo. However, if someone parries a Palm-Strike, by all means Super-Cancel into this and catch them off guard. I *have* used this as anti-air for good results against Akuma's pressure game. Fireballs are not a problem. Also, if someone blocks this, they can't immediately retaliate afterwards, so it's rather safe. One more thing: If you try to hit someone who's off the ground, such as an overhead or a juggle, this Super Art won't hit for but maybe a fraction of the hits. If your opponent is in the middle of a universal overhead, then you're going to whiff a lot. =/ II: Tenshin Senkyuutai (Rolling Arcing Thigh Drill) x2 /Kick Level of Skill: Intermediate Meter Length: Long Damage: 25% Max Range: Full Screen (Point-blank for the actual hit) Speed: 5 Priority: 4 Weakness: Grapples, low-hitting projectiles Yang will roll forward rather quickly, and then launch himself into the air in a series of kicks. Yes, you can punish fireballs in this way, but you'll most likely be using this with Punch Combo #1. One problem: You can be GRABBED out of this Super Art, not unlike his normal Drill Kick. You can also be sweeped out of this Super, but such is a freak occurrence. But don't worry yourself about this and use it to counter anticipated sweeps, punishing missed attacks, and using it as a juggle after an EX or normal Drill Kick in the corner. If used as a juggle, the combo-buffer penalties are reduced I believe. This attack hits for around 20% damage if done straight, 10% if in a combo. Watch in shock at how little it does! But at least it looks cool. You can use this to roll right under fireballs too, but don't use it too late or you'll find yourself high and dry. You can try to use this as anti-air, but you need damn good timing. My recommendation is to select this super SOLELY for the amount of EX attacks that you can store. III: Sei-ei Enbu (Phantom Point Waltz) x1 /Punch Level of Skill: Expert Meter Length: Hideously Short. ^_^ Damage: 30% Max (Within duration), 20-22% (In a combo) Range: n/a Speed: n/a Priority: 4 Weakness: Long-range grapples, projectiles It's Custom Combo Time! Yang is trailed by shadows which attack twice. In effect, Yang does the same, IF NOT LESS damage per hit. However, the fact that you can poke, poke, poke away during the 7 seconds(?) that this lasts will more than make up for it. The meter's so short that you'll be using it twice, if not three times a round. This is much improved from the 2nd Impact version. Any multi-hit attacks (close Fierce punch, Senkyuutai) will hit for at least three times as many hits against an airborne opponent. Yang's close up 2-hit fierce will hit for as many as nine times. Certain characters can be juggled from a sweep (Remy, Ryu) as the shadows will bounce the victim for two more times off the same low Roundhouse kick. The best usage for this is to mix up a high-low game, because if the opponent is hit just once, they'll be vulnerable to anything else you throw at them. This is absolute hell for the parry-happy. The secret power behind this move is the ability to snuff out a number of Super Arts in the game. Because of the coverage from the other two shadows, you can do a jump-kick without fear of Hugo's Megaton Press and Alex's Stun-gun Headbutt! One of the properties of these extra images that you can abuse is to attack from two sides at once. After you knock an opponent down, try to trap them between yourself and your images with a dive-kick. Any super without an invincibility frame will be stuffed if used as a counterattack, because they'd have to wait until the third attack passed before they could hit you safely. Just be extremely careful for rushing supers because of their temporary invincibility frames, such as Ken's Shippu-Jinrai-Kyaku, Hugo's Hammer Frenzy, and Urien's Tyrant Slaughter. Note that you might trade with a few normal attacks. If you're really good with this Super-Art, you can take off some 20% life or more with the right kind of attacks. Be sure to use this when you've got your opponent trapped in the corner. ***** There's a bug with this super: If you use the Teleport, you will no longer have the shadows trailing you. In fact, for all purposes, the super is no longer in effect, although you still have the timed meter draining. This only happens against Akuma, fortunately. I've had this happen several times, but i'm not sure what exactly causes it... perhaps the activation of *his* super... -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 6-:Combos: Notation: C. = Crouching J. = Jumping L. = Launching (done as a close range move) ( ) = Additional Notes/Short name [ ] = Optional * = Special Instance/Exhibition combo A note about Combos: During any combo, the damage that a given move will inflict is automatically reduced depending on what type of attack it is, and how many hits preceeded it. Also, Super-canceling a Special Attack into a Super Art will also drastically affect damage. Normal Attack: -7% x Number of hits already dealt Special Attack and Super Arts: -5% x Number of hits already dealt Supercancel(2-in-1) Light Attack: No Penalty Medium Attack: -7% Hard Attack: 15% Special Attack: 25%(!) Juggles are considered part of the combo. If you used an EX Drill kick to launch your opponent in the air, then nailed them with the Tenshin Senkyuutai, the initial hit would do -45% damage (-25% for Special Attack, and -20% because this is the 4th hit of the combo.) Note that the % does not refer to the lifebar, but to the damage rating of the attack itself. -= Master List=- [Excluding Sei-ei Enbu combos] -Basic Combos- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (Punch #1): Strong -> Fierce -> Back + Fierce -> [Tenshin Senkyuutai] (Kick #2): Short -> Forward -> Roundhouse (Mantis #3): C.Forward -> Mantis Slash x3 (EX Optional) (Air-Chain): J.Forward -> Dive-Kick (Chain) -> ... ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Zenpou Tenshin (Flip grab) -> C.Forward -> EX Mantis Slash (All hits) J.Fierce -> Raishin Mahhaken C.Forward -> Raishin Mahhaken C.Jab x3 -> EX Mantis Slash C.Short -> EX Mantis Slash (very reliable but harder EX Mantis timing) Strong (close) -> Tenshin Senkyuutai Fierce (close, 1st hit) -> Tenshin Senkyuutai Overhead -> Tenshin Senkyuutai (Overhead must hit LATE) C.Short x2 -> Tenshin Senkyuutai (Requires MAD timing skillz) Dive-kick (Chain) -> Any Super Art or Basic Combo " " -> Strong -> Roundhouse Drill Kick -> Strong -> [Teleport] " " -> Strong -> Roundhouse Drill Kick -> Tenshin Senkyuutai " " -> EX Drill-Kick -> Strong -> [Teleport] " " -> EX Drill-Kick -> Tenshin Senkyuutai " " -> L.Forward -> ... L.Forward Kick -> Tenshin Senkyuutai " " -> Fierce " " -> Mantis Slash x3 (In the corner) " " -> Jab Mantis Slash x1 -> Tenshin Senkyuutai (Corner) " " -> Medium Drill-kick -> [Tenshin Senkyuutai] (Anti-air or Corner) " " -> EX or Roundhouse Drill-kick -> Strong (Corner) " " -> J.Fierce or J.Roundhouse (Super-jump cancel) " " -> J.Short (jumping away from opponent, safety, vs. Chun only?) [By Skillsmith] Corner, vs. Q only * EX Mantis Slash -> Tenshin Senkyuutai [By Xerocrew] Corner, Stun only * Dive-kick Chain -> Strong -> Short Senkyuutai -> C.Strong -> C.Forward -> Palm-Strike -> Tenshin Senkyuutai -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ***** A few notes for 2nd Impact Players: You can no longer chain a Jab into Strong, nor can you do a low Short into a low Forward. Also, remember that you can't follow Combo #2 with the Tenshin Senkyuutai. The Raishin Mahhaken has only one charge this time, but the Sei-ei Enbu is much quicker to charge than before. Yang's forward dash can no longer hop over sweeps as effectively, and this is especially true vs. Makoto and Chun-Li. Furthermore, Yang's twd+Forward spinkick no longer combos into the Raishin Mahhaken, as both have been toned down a bit. Finally, the Drill Kicks don't juggle quite as high as they used to. Which is a shame, because there were some trippy stunts you could pull with them... ***** -Basic Combos- (a.k.a. Bread n' Butter) The following here are Yang's most used combos. [Punch Chain]: Strong -> Fierce -> Back + Fierce This is one of Yang's most used combos. It's fast, although it doesn't deal much in the damage department. It knocks the opponent down, and can be comboed into a Tenshin-Senkyuutai for a cool-looking finish. Use this combo to stuff upcoming attacks immediately. The final hit (which is a Palm-Strike) has variable timing- You can delay it for a very short pause to throw someone off. This would include people blocking and/or parrying the combo. This is especially true for Red-Parries. Use it to your advantage. [Kick Chain]: Short -> Forward -> Roundhouse Yang's fastest combo. It does okay damage and fair stun. You may want to use this after a dive-kick. This combo must be done very quickly (All within the space of 1/2 a second). If you want to catch someone who's falling to the ground with this combo, you'll have to time it well, because the first kick hits quite low. Whereas Combo # 1 may connect the first hit only if done too early (because they're in the air), Combo #2 may whiff entirely. What this means is that if someone's planning to do a Super Art, you're going to eat it because of the time it takes to initate a close Forward kick. This is especially true with Hugo (You'd think he'd fall to the ground a little faster, but he doesn't.) A suggested followup after this combo is a Teleport, then a throw. This Kick combo does NOT knock the opponent down. Note that this combo can be parried high for all three hits. Also, you can no longer chain the Tenshin-Senkyuutai with this, as there's too much of a lag after the triple-kick. Well, it may still be possible, but don't count on it very much. [Mantis Chain]: C.(Crouching) Forward -> Mantis Slash x3 You may very well use this combo a lot. It does fair damage and it starts out low, which makes for some very evil punishment. But remember that sometimes, it's just better to do the Mantis Slash x3 straight, without the C. Forward. You might get the jump on a footsie game with it. If you find people Low-Parrying you a lot when you're trying to use this combo, just keep in mind that sometimes... simple is best. Use the Mantis-Slash x3 as it is, no combos and you may be able to catch your opponent off guard. (The Mantis-Slash by itself has slightly better priority.) You could use the EX version instead, but the timing is rather tricky. However, it tends to connect in its entirety after a Flip-grab (Zenpou Tenshin). [Air Chain]: J. Forward -> Forward Dive-kick You can only do this when jumping towards the opponent, not when jumping backwards or straight up. Remember that you can, after landing a jumping Forward kick -> Dive Kick, go into any ground combo afterwards without fear of retaliation. But be careful if the first kick is parried, for if you didn't land it deeply enough, you'll be pushed so far back from the parry that your Dive kick may miss. This move has a severe weakness- it can only connect at certain angles of jump-ins. Thus, it's somewhat telegraphed against veteran players, so it may be necessary to forego this Air-Chain and simply use a normal jump-in attack instead. Furthermore, if both hits of the Air-Chain do not connect (one gets parried but the other hits, etc.) then you may find yourself unable to follow up with a combo afterwards... which brings us to the next exciting section. (Rah.) -=Air Chain Combos=- These advanced combos require a bit of practice and timing to get right, especially because juggling with the Tenshin Senkyuutai for all the hits can be a *bitch* sometimes. Note that in some cases, if you do not connect with both hits of the Air-Chain, you may be unable to land the rest of these presented combos. In this case, you can resort to Yang's Combo #2, the Kick-Chain for a near-guaranteed combo. The reason why these combos have been singled out as opposed to just slapping the Dive-kick (Chain) before any other combo is that these have a much higher payoff on connecting after the Dive-kick. Both the EX Drill-Kick and L.Forward are attacks that have very high potential for damage and the like, but are near-impossible to connect on someone who's at least half-awake. If you find yourself needing an alternative to a Dive-kick chain, use a deep J.Fierce. The combos listed here are in order of increasing difficulty. Dive-kick (Chain) -> Roundhouse Drill-Kick -> Tenshin Senkyuutai After the Drill-Kick, you're almost guaranteed to connect with the super if your timing's good. If you're REALLY nervous about getting that super in, then use an EX Drill-Kick for more air-time, but be warned that the damage will be severely penalized. * Dive-kick (Chain) -> Strong -> EX Drill-Kick -> Strong -> [Teleport] After connecting with the 3-hit EX Drill-kick, hit their body with a close, standing Strong punch. Follow up with mind games. If you are in a corner, the Teleport will not bring you behind them, so it might be better to use an EX Mantis Slash instead of an EX Drill-Kick in the first place. This is also his most effective followup for a Dive-Kick. Dive-kick (Chain) -> L.Forward -> J.Fierce (High stun potential) Timing the Dive-kick so that you connect the L.Forward is extremely difficult. It used to be much easier in 2nd Impact, but Capcom decided to shrink the stun-time after a Dive-kick. More often than not, you will whiff. But if you do get the hang of the timing needed, then this combo will pay off both in damage, stun and in offensive pressure. (Again, Mindgame #3 because you juggled with a normal attack.) If you manage to follow this up with a Flip-Grab or a Mantis Slash, the stun damage inflicted will exceed 50%, but you'll need to anticipate your opponent. Once you get the hang of connecting the L.Forward, feel free to use the other L.Forward combos. Dive-kick (Chain) -> L.Forward -> Forward Drill-kick -> Tenshin I've got bad news for you- this combo can only be done near the corner. Similar to how Ken cannot use much after a J.Fierce -> Strong -> Fierce chain because the J.Fierce pushed his enemy too far away, you simply won't be able to reach your opponent in time (unless they're Q) to connect with the Tenshin Senkyuutai unless they're in the corner. Dive-kick (Chain) -> L.Forward -> Tenshin Senkyuutai This ain't what you think. You're going to catch them with the super BEFORE they hit the peak of their launch. >=) (Major props to Elusive!) What you need to do is super-jump cancel after the L.Forward (after all, it is a launching attack) and use the Tenshin before you actually jump (while you're still in your crouching frames for the super-jump.) To do this, you'll have to perform a Tiger Knee (Down, Down-Towards, Towards, Up-Towards) motion instead of the 1st QCF to do the super. This same crouch-frame delay lets Hugo perform 360 throws without leaving the ground, even though Up has been touched on the joystick. Oh yeah- This is completely useless. Only use it if you're REALLY bored. ^_^ -=Mixing it up with the Sei-ei Enbu=- With the Sei-ei Enbu, you could do less chain combos and more single strikes that end up linking together. Also, certain combos may link into another combo. Low Forward -> Palm Strike (May be possible to get more juggles after the Palm Strike if you're in the corner.) Jumping Forward -> Dive-Kick (Chained) -> Short -> Forward(chain)-> Mantis x3 (23+ hit combo) [Seems to work on Hugo only...] The following won't actually combo, but they're certainly interesting to try. Overhead -> C.Forward -> Teleport -> Flip-Grab (Zenpou Tenshin) -> Strong -> Mantis Slash x3 Note that you may be able to substitute the Tourou Zan x3 with repeated Jab Mantis Slash x1's. Also note the lack of launcher combos in this sub-section. During the Sei-ei Enbu, it becomes near-impossible to follow up a launching attack because of the fact that your shadows are hitting your target multiple times before the body has reached the peak of its arc. Because of this, any more hits would violate the juggle limit. ------------ SkillSmith Sei-ei Enbu Combos: (Props to Kyoujin for translating this!) Dive-kick -> Jab x5 -> Mantis Slash x3 (27 hits) Jab Mantis Slash(1st hit)x8 -> C.Forward (end Super)-> Fierce Mantis Slash x3. (28 hits) The first combo requires either good timing or a very deep dive kick to be able to land the Mantis Slashes after the jabs, but it works very well as a crossup combo. (Knock them down, then use the dive kick to land behind them.) Since the Mantis Slash is not an instantaneous attack, it's a little difficult to connect after the initial jabs. Use a C.Jab instead. The 2nd combo is a bit easier to connect with (try to connect it after an overhead) although timing the C.Forward is tricky because of the short window of opportunity. In any case, make sure that you use the Fierce Mantis Slash at the end for maximum damage. If you're having difficulty getting your opponent to stay down long enough for you to cross them up, use his Punch chain and then super- cancel into the Sei-ei Enbu. From there you can do a dive-kick, or teleport. ----------- -=Juggles=- ("You hit the ground when I SAY you hit the ground!") Yang's juggle combos start with the closeup standing Forward kick, which as you may recall, launches your opponent into the air. These are actually best done in a corner- keep this in mind when you're practicing. Also, additional juggle hits may be achieved while your opponent is stunned. Mess around and experiment. Launching (L.)Forward Kick L.Forward Kick -> Tenshin Senkyuutai " " -> Fierce or Roundhouse " " -> Mantis Slash x3 (In the corner) " " -> Jab Mantis Slash x1 -> Tenshin Senkyuutai (Corner) " " -> Medium Drill-kick -> [Tenshin Senkyuutai] (Anti-air or Corner) " " -> EX or Roundhouse Drill-kick -> Strong (Corner) " " -> J.Fierce or J.Roundhouse (Super-jump cancel) " " -> J.Short (jumping away from opponent, safety, vs. Chun only?) For the Mantis Slash x3, you can connect all three hits if you time it right, and only in the corner. You can't juggle with all the hits of the EX Mantis Slash, because the recovery/delay time is cut in half. For the Jab Mantis x1 -> Tenshin Sen, this is real tricky to pull off. You may consider walking forward a little before the Jab Mantis x1. I've whiffed this on Elena before, with painful results... but whether this is a result of faulty timing or just plain physics is still beyond me. If you mash it, you'll connect with it. The best way to set up a Juggle combo during the middle of combat is to parry, then launch them with the Forward kick. Barring that, use the Dive-kick chain. Always keep in mind that you can juggle after parrying an overhead, and you'll do fine. And remember that Tenshin Senkyuutai. ^^ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 6-:Tactics: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Yang's greatest asset is his cornering ability. With the Mantis Slash, he can push most opponents into the corner and trap them there. Also mix up your combos to keep your opponent off guard. Once you've got them in a corner, most people fall for the silliest tricks... Mindgame Trick #1: Few people remember that the Palm Strike is super cancelable. Therefore, if someone is parry-happy, and you have a Raishin Mahhaken or a Tenshin Senkyuutai saved up, then purposely time a Palm Strike to hit them as they get up. They'll parry it, during which you're super-canceling. You may also use this as Anti-air. Or you could fake the Palm-strike... ^_^ This used to work better in 2i, when the Raishin Mahhaken didn't have that delay. Mindgame Trick #2: After knocking your opponent down, high-jump -> dive-kick behind them and attack them as soon as they get up. Doing so puts them at a defensive position where you have the advantage, and for some reason they'll fall prey to a C.Forward -> Mantis Slash combo much more readily. Crossups like this can confuse even skilled players if they forget what you're planning. While this isn't a true crossup, it's still effective because of Yang's speed. You can also mix up the dive kicks to fake them out. Variation: Use the Teleport instead, especially if they like to quick-rise. Mindgame Trick #3: After a L.Forward kick -> Jumping attack, do a Zenpou Tenshin (Flip Grab) when you hit the ground, or Combo #3. This also goes for Drill-Kick -> Strong. After juggling someone with a normal attack, they will *always* flip back on their feet (with one exception), so resume the mixups! (Or watch out for supers.) You can also activate your Sei-ei Enbu for a mixup game (constant attacks will render you partially invulnerable to most supers.) Note: If you're in the corner and you used Roundhouse Drill-Kick -> Strong, you MUST use a Teleport to get close enough for the Flip Grab. Mindgame Trick #4: This is something best saved until the end of the match. With the Mantis Slash, abort the 2nd hit and walk forward to your opponent, perform the Zenpou Tenshin (Flip Grab) on them, and start another combo into the Mantis Slash again. It isn't recommended for regular use, so just pull this one out of your ass on a rainy day. This is best used when you have the Sei-ei Enbu activated... this can REALLY mess up your opponent's day... Mindgame Trick #5: This works especially well with Ibuki, but works fine with Yang. If you truly want to piss off your opponent, start walking towards them with Short kicks in a steady rythym. You'll snuff their moves by pulling off an old Jeet Kune Do technique- kicking them in the shins to distract them from attacking. ^_^ And indeed, Yang does incorporate Jeet Kune Do in his fighting style. (This is an adaptation of Ibuki's Advancing Jab trap.) Character-specific tactics: The recommended super to use overall is the Tenshin Senkyuutai- not because the super's great, but because you have a HELL of a lot of EX meter to use. If you feel the need to mix it up before your opponents catch on to your tactics, then try my suggestions. =P Akuma (Gouki) Suggested Super: Sei-ei Enbu or Raishin Mahhaken Stamina: 81% (Lowest) Strengths: High damage, easily comboed moves and a sick mixup game. Weaknesses: Very low stamina and stun gauge Tricks: Shakunetsu Hadouken -> Hyakki Shuu mixup Shun Goku Satsu as anti-air Tenma Gou Zankuu as a surprise attack (more on this) Taunt -> Kongou Kokuretsu Zan (Lightning, adds 50% more damage) There's usually two kinds of Akuma players: Super-defensive and Super Offensive. For the Super-defensive ones that jump back and throw air fireballs all day, time your Drill-Kick to hit them, or Super-Jump at a high-enough angle so that you can rip them out of the air with a jumping Fierce punch. However, this might make you open to an aerial Tatsumaki, so you can try the third approach: teleport under their air-fireballs without leaving yourself wide open. In fact, this is a very, very abusable option for you- If you want to learn some juggling combos, now's the time. Akuma will like to use his Fierce punch as a poking move, like your own Fierce. Watch out for it. If you know how to Red-parry, then remember to parry immediately after blocking a low Forward kick which is usually chained into a fireball or a spinkick, then retaliate with a Mantis Slash. But keep in mind that you could be suckered into a Raging Demon (Shun Goku Satsu) instead, so keep an eye on that super meter. Against the Super-Offensive Akuma players, you'll have your hands full. Akuma's Dive-Kick busts through Yang's Roll Kick, so you'll have to block it, then throw Akuma afterwards, or block the upcoming combo. The key strategy here is to put Akuma on the defensive, since you don't have any moves with high priority startups (such as a Shoryuken). You may have to resort to swiping Akuma out of the air with a super-jump air-Roundhouse. And remember, since Akuma has the shortest stun meter in the game... if you can manage to get him knocked down, taunt. More stun damage to you. ^_^ If Akuma throws a Shakunetsu Hadouken and, while you try to parry it, goes into the Hyakki Shuu flip, block the rest and either use a Drill-Kick or jump. ^_^ An afterthought- If you attempt to have the Sei-ei Enbu on a cornered Akuma who happens to teleport, corner him again and wait for him to teleport as a wake-up before activating the Sei-ei Enbu. (Activation of supers throws Akuma out of the teleport) Alex Suggested Super: Sei-ei Enbu and Raishin Mahhaken Stamina: 100% Strengths: High damage and stun, great range and a quick dash and jump. Weaknesses: Big target- easy to combo off of. Tricks: Forward -> Spiral DDT (Pseudo-Tick throw) Elbow Slash(anti-air) -> Stun Gun Headbutt Crossup Air Stampede (Stomp) Power-Bomb tick-throw (Jump-in with Short, or overhead) A word of advice: This is a character you want to keep trapped. Alex's mind-games are so punishing that you don't want to give him an inch of breathing space. Yang is the 2nd weakest character in the game in regards to stamina. This one's a tough match, mainly because Alex does disgusting damage. If you're knocked to the ground, be VERY careful of Alex's Power Bomb and his overhead Fierce (which can ALSO swat you if you try to jump away!) If he's kinda far away from you, he'll probably use a C.Roundhouse because of its deceptive range, but he probably won't use it in the corner. If he has the Boomerang Raid, then watch for a low Short -> Super. Alex has one of the fastest dashes (next to Urien), so don't be surprised if he opens up with a dash and power bombs your skull into the concrete. Since you don't have as much range, nor can you cover distance as effectively, you'll want him pinned in the corner. Also, he may try to dash in with a Hyper Bomb at the start of 2nd or 3rd round- you can always try to jump away from it. As for Alex's tick throws, watch out for a jumping weak attack, an overhead, or a crouching jab/short. If you see one of those, either use an overhead or jump out of the way. Be extremely careful when jumping in against Alex.He can either use his headbutt, which has sick range and cannot be parried, a Strong -> EX Knee Grab, or his C.Fierce, which has very good priority. Also remember that the Spiral DDT cannot be parried or blocked high, so if you see that one coming, duck and throw him when he lands. On occasion, he may attempt to chain it off of a close Forward knee instead of his Flash Chop. While it may not actually combo, it may still catch you off guard. If Alex jumps at you, take a good look at how far away he is. If he's going to land on top of you, he's aiming for a bread and butter combo with J.Fierce. If he's farther away, he's trying to use J.Roundhouse -> Headbutt. In the latter case, you can crouch under his J.Roundhouse and nail him with a C.Forward to combo into the Mantis Slash. In the former, you might just want to teleport out of his way. A special note about Alex's Stun-Gun Headbutt: You can hit Alex at the peak of his jump and afterwards. Don't bother jumping out of it- just try to counterattack it with a standing move. If timed right, you can also try using the Palm-Strike, but you may want to activate the Sei-ei Enbu before doing this. This is most effective when Alex uses it as a wake-up super. Remember that he can't grab you if you're doing an overhead, but one of Alex's favorite wakeups is the EX Knee Grab which can nail you HARD. Some prefer to use an EX Stomp, which would effectively snuff some overhead attempts as well. The EX Knee Grab *can* hit standing opponents. Most of all, you should keep a VERY steady eye on your Stun Gauge. One combo from Alex will send you reeling halfway to a world of hurt. Chun-Li Suggested Super: Raishin Mahhaken or Tenshin Senkyuutai Stamina: 93%, 131% after taunt (Shoulder Rub) Strengths: Speed. Damage. Priority. Range. She's nothing but strengths. Weaknesses: C.Roundhouse can be high-parried. Other than that... Tricks: Air-air kara-cancel has insane range Lightning-kick for guaranteed tick damage after a knockdown This is also a tough match (Notice a trend here?) against the Choke Queen. Chun-Li will combo her supers after a low Forward most often, so don't be afraid to do some overhead Hopping if she's got a super handy. However, if she doesn't have a super, don't bother using overheads. Her C.Roundhouse snuffs any mix-ups along that line. Chun Li has four different viable anti-air attacks- C.Roundhouse and Fierce from far away, C.Roundhouse and Forward kick for close range, and her EX Spinning Bird Kick which she uses as a wakeup as well. Guess what most people pick? C.Roundhouse has a fairly short recovery time, so after parrying it you'll need to make quick use of the opening. In fact, few of her moves have more than a .4 second recovery time, save her supers. What you should be afraid of is her air-game- she has a double Fierce with variable timing, along with her jumping forward kick. Fortunately, her Fierce has relatively low priority compared to her forward kick, and your standing Fierce is GREAT anti-air against her. Also be cautious of her throwing- the hardest Chun-Li players will end up throwing you a LOT. If she uses the Houyoku-Sen, remember that it has no invincibility frames so use anti-wakeup games to your advantage. If you're feeling cocky, know this: the Kikousho must be parried at least 20 times from its activation. The Houyoku Sen must be parried in an 8-hit, 8-hit, 1-hit sequence, and the Tensei-Ranka requires at least 4 parries (if you're in mid air), delay for a split second, and another parry for the final hit. Parrying her normal lightning kick on the ground is also rather tiresome because it never seems to end! You'll parry more than a dozen hits if your opponent insists on mashing the kick button, so just build your meter up and pull off the Raishin Mahhaken when you get the chance. Perhaps the most effective tactic is to keep her trapped with constant Jab Mantis Slashes which can pre-empt her attacks at close range. Your mileage may vary. And for Red-Parrying: After a low Forward kick, red-parry her Kikouken, unless she has a Kikousho charged up. Also, try to red-parry her Houyoku-Sen while she's still burst-kicking. You'll be surprised at the results. Dudley Suggested Super: Sei-ei Enbu, Tenshin Senkyuutai Stamina: 100% Strengths: Extremely strong, with range, speed, great mixups and an absolutely hideous corner-juggle game. Great chains too. Weaknesses: Completely vulnerable to mid-range footsie pokes. Tricks: EX Short Swing Blow as a safe wakeup attack Confusing anti-air game with Ducking-Upper Dudley has plenty of openings for you to retaliate with the EX Mantis Slash. Beware his uppercuts and when he dashes forward for a sec (which works well as an anti-poke) because he can either swipe you out of the air, counter a sweep, or not punch at all and just THROW you. His overhead punch is tricky to notice. Despite all of this, he'll almost always be standing, because he has NO FOOTSIE GAME. None. So move in and pull off Combo #3 on him, and throw him a few times to keep him off. However, I wouldn't get too predictable, now. If you're within the range of his C.Roundhouse, use quick attacks that won't cause you to suffer if they're parried. Dudley has some sick followups to parries. Standing pokes can be parried, and followed with a Roundhouse -> EX Machine Gun Blow, so watch it. I recommend the C.Short -> EX Mantis for close range. Beware his Rocket Uppercut if you're gonna try throwing, though. If you're falling behind, you could probably stand to benefit by turtling a little and taking a breather. If you despise turtling, then super jump at him, parry, then go into Yang's air-chain (forward kick into Dive kick) then mop him up. The Palm Strike will bust Dudley out of his Rocket Uppercut if needs be. Dudley has some highly effective EX attacks that you should be very watchful of, especially the EX uppercut and his dash-back attack (Short Swing Blow). Be wary of these as wakeups. You CAN throw him out of his Jet Upper (even the EX if you're quick), as well as the Corkscrew Blow if you're at point-blank. This is a tricky thing keep in mind, being that Dudley has some great close-range chain combos to initiate into supers. However, this is perhaps preferable to being pressured by Dudley, where his Fierces and Roundhouses (Yeah, I know) will leave you reeling across the screen seeing stars. Even a good parrying game is somewhat at a disadvantage because of the variable timing and angles that he can use for his punches. So stay in close and throw when he least expects it to keep him off his guard. Finally, his mixup game is deadly, so use the teleport if necessary so that he doesn't get comfortable with you. If you're trapped, he will use his Short Swing Blow to evade any pokes or throw attempts (the latter being a nasty, nasty tactic), as well as juggle you in the corner like a malignant trampoline. Elena Suggested Super: Raishin Mahhaken or Tenshin Senkyuutai Stamina: 93% Strengths: Evil punishment combo with a C.Strong, great mix-up and a wicked footsie game. Also, extremely fast dash. Weaknesses: Against Yang, not much. Tricks: Surprisingly, not much. I'm suggesting the Tenshin Senkyuutai for a wholly different reason than for Dudley. You probably won't find any feasible openings against Elena- she's kind of a Chun Li Lite in regards to speed and range. You may have to use your Palm-strike or the Raishin Mahhaken to stuff random pokes and the EX Roll Kick to punish a blocked Lynx Tail (her new breakdance-type move). About her Brave Dance- if the super is blocked, there's almost no recovery time afterwards, so counterattack quickly or just keep blocking. Elena will use the Scratch Wheel as a wakeup, which can be stuffed by the Palm Strike if you're FAR enough away. However,don't use this against a Brave Dance. Be careful when jumping at her and use double-parries. You'll most likely be VERY defensive throughout this match. The teleport actually works well against her. She does beat you miserably in the range department, so take your time. If she has a super charged up, you should watch out for overheads, because she can link her Super from those. If she has Healing, she'll try to knock you down with a ground chain or a throw before using it, so play keep-away because she's not going to gain any more meter. =P A final note: Elena's C.Strong can combo extremely well, and it has deceptive range. Keep an eye out for it, as well as an EX Rhino Horn used as long-range anti-air (she can juggle you after that). Hugo Suggested Super: Sei-ei Enbu Stamina: 111% (Subsequent Taunts give 117%, 131%, 140% and 151%.) Strengths: Raw damage, pure and simple. Great range too. Weaknesses: Easily punished because of slow attacks. Also, he's a very large target. Tricks: Body Splash -> C.Jab -> Meat Squasher (Pseudo-Tick Throw) whiffed Palm Bomber -> Moonsault Press delayed Hammer Frenzy * Best Kara-cancel in the game First, let me say that this fight is all about zoning. Close enough to chain your combos, but right out SPD range. What you'll want to do is to move (herd, actually) Hugo into the corner where it's almost impossible for him to get out. Put pressure on him so he doesn't have a chance to mix you up... and if you've got the Sei-ei Enbu, here's your chance to try some neat combos. Also remember that if you try to combo into the Mantis Slash, you'll be (relatively) safe if he blocks it, as you'll be out of grab range. Since Hugo has incredible poking ability, it's advised that you may want to poke back with the standing Fierce once, or use the Tourou Zan x3 instead(you might even want to EX it, but that's your call). But Hugo can stuff your Fierce with his sweep, and your sweep with his Strong. You can't win with this. Don't try matching his priority in the air if you're not off the ground yet. However, If you decide to jump IN (Hugo doesn't have the best Anti-Air if you're already in his face), then go in with the Air Combo chain or a fierce punch, then jump back OUT and do another Fierce punch on the way. This works rather well as Hugo will most often be trying to grab you. In fact, if he misses the first time with an SPD, he'll try again, and again, and again... keep jumping! This is ESPECIALLY effective with the Sei-ei Enbu activated. If you see Hugo leap in the air (his air-catch) over to you, then you should use a L.Forward kick or get away, because he's trying to land a SPD or a Gigas Breaker on you. However, if you have the Sei-ei Enbu activated, don't fear. And keep jump-kicking him around if he has the Megaton-Press because the Sei-ei Enbu will stuff his super if you time your kicks right. And you can NOT parry his air-catch in Third Strike. Be careful if Hugo has the Hammer Frenzy. If he has this, then watch it when he wakes up or jumps at you. If he charges at you with the Hammer Frenzy, then block high, but if he doesn't attack immediately during the super, throw him, or SOMETHING- because he's delaying the attack. Or even worse, he'll just stay there like that and do an SPD on you when the dash wears off. And a final warning: Don't try to hit with overheads at -close- range, because he'll probably retaliate with an SPD before you can do anything. (However, throwing his ass around is not only effective because he won't expect it, it's *damn* funny. ^_^) Use the Senpuu Kyaku (twd + Forward overhead) instead as it has more range. Ibuki Suggested Super: Tenshin Senkyuutai, Raishin Mahhaken Stamina: 83% Strengths: Speed, chains, mixup game/footsie Weaknesses: Low damage Tricks: Yami Shigure (Dagger/Slash super) when you parry a Kunai Chain Combo -> Dash -> Throw (That dash counts as a move!) Advancing Jab punches (very annoying. Counter with C.Short) This one's an iffy, mainly because Ibuki isn't the powerhouse she used to be. Therefore, not many people play her in 3rd Strike anymore. Still, I wouldn't try looking for Ibuki to make a fatal error to combo the Tenshin Senkyuutai, and she still retains a lot of priority, so use the Raishin Mahhaken to bust through. You're also better off blocking low more than high, because of the properties of certain attacks. If she tries an overhead, use a C.Fierce or C.Jab to knock her away. If you have her trapped in a corner, keep in mind that she'll probably dash out. A good L.Forward kick can knock her out of a teleport-dash, as well as your Mantis slash. Your recommended fighting distance is right at the edge of an EX Mantis Slash. She needs to use her chains to inflict damage, so you need to put yourself into a position where you can spank her if she messes up. If you let her get too far away, she can start playing keep-away again. If she's too CLOSE... well now, you're extremely susceptible to her traps and her highly annoying advancing Jabs. Get her away by jamming on C. Jab or something. The one move you may wish to keep an eye on is that air-leap of hers... she can activate the Kasumi Suzaku from there. Teleport or dash out of the way so that you can nail her on the way down. In fact, make a habit of teleporting when she jumps- she can't throw a kunai behind her. Ken Masters Suggested Super: Raishin Mahhaken, Tenshin Senkyuutai Stamina: 100% Strengths: Hard-hitting combos, mixup and footsie, plus a great poke. Weaknesses: Not much. Tricks: Jab Shoryuken x2 in the corner EX Air Tatsumaki for anti-air/juggle I've run into some normal Ken players and some REALLY HIDEOUS turtling Kens. Watch out for his standing Roundhouse kick because it has great range, damage, speed and priority. Not to mention it can pick you out of the air. Don't bother jumping at Ken, instead, throw a sweep out if he starts to spaz on the joystick. Throws work alright, but watch out for those wakeups. If you want to use the Raishin Mahhaken effectively against a Pokey/ Footsie game, dash forward, wait a split second, then execute it as they attempt to sweep you. Or, you could try just plain blocking the sweep... it's got that much recovery lag. Most Shotokan footsweeps have quick execution but rather bad recovery lag. Capitalize on it with an EX Mantis Slash. As with all Shotokans, use your Palm-strike to your advantage. It counters all Dragon Punches, you can fake it, etc. If he has a Shippu Jinrai Kyaku ready, use an overhead to counter it. Against the Shinryuuken, fake him out with a Short dive-kick to fall short of the super. Ken's main tactic is to use lots and lots of combos and jab uppercuts, as well as his C.Short -> Super. Also, the Shippu Jinrai Kyaku punishes pretty damn well, so don't leave yourself open with roll kicks and stuff. This goes for the Mantis Slash as well. You can play defensively against him without too much trouble (as opposed to Ryu, who you want to keep pressure on.), although his tricky kicks need some watching. Also, be careful of that C.Strong he has. That thing has some damn good priority and damage, and can link into into a super. Makoto Suggested Super: Tenshin Senkyuutai or Sei-ei Enbu Stamina: 93% Strengths: Speed, priority, damage, and a great dash. Weaknesses: Poor wakeups (vulnerable to traps), and her own traps are rather high-risk. Tricks: Karakusa/Hayate trap Tsurugi (or EX version) anti-wakeup Dash-in Karakusa tick-throw (if you block the Tsurugi) EX Fukiage wakeup (50%+ Stun) This little dizzy-bitch will try and get all over you like white on rice. Be extremely careful when trying to poke (In fact, it'd be better not to poke), and refrain from overheads because she has nasty ways to counter it. If she starts a footsie game against you, back away and counter with a Fierce. Wait for the right moment to counterattack, and do it hard. You may indeed have to do a little bit of turtling against her, because of her high priority. If you get knocked down to the ground, do a quick-rise before she can close in any further. Just to confuse her, you may want to throw her occasionally. If you're comfortable with your parrying skills, then by all means USE THEM, because you'll need it if you're playing offensively. Makoto's special moves are one-shot-wonders and don't super-cancel that well (except with #1), so you won't have to worry about double-parrying all too often. (#1 = Seichuusen Godanzuki 5-hit punch super) I don't recommend trapping Makoto in the corner with overheads. Her EX Fukiage -> Tsurugi can easily stun you, doing some major hurt. Trap her using Sei-ei Enbu tick throws/mixups and footsie pokes. Later in the game (or in the day ^_-) you may go against a more defensive Makoto who loves to stay in the air all day and use her air priority to its fullest. Remember your Teleport? Use it as a crossup and position yourself to land right behind where she'll land. Use this opportunity to land a good juggle combo ending with the Tenshin Senkyuutai, or play a Mindgame on her. Makoto's jumping Fierce has surprisingly good range, and sets her up for a nasty combo. Expect her to jump in, or to dash into your face if she's got a super charged. A special note about her EX Hayate punch: If you're dashing forward (Yang will hop slightly off of the ground when doing this), the EX Hayate will pass RIGHT THROUGH you. Save your ass with this trick if they're desperate to knock a shot off of you. If she has the Seichuusen Godanzuki (Punch super), you may want to be *extremely* careful because she can link it after a C. Forward kick, her universal overhead, and her Hayate dash punch. However, your normal Overhead will travel right over it if you time it well. If she's using the Abare Tosanami Kudaki (Off-the wall kick) then remember that she can chain it off of an overhead karate chop, or after her Karakusa grab (if she's close to her side of the screen). If she has this super, MIX UP YOUR CHAINS! Red parrying into the Abare Tosanami is deadly in the hands of a skilled Makoto player. Also, if she's got two full meters, it's not unheard of for a Makoto player to intentionally whiff an Abare Tosanami and immediately go into another Abare Tosanami while you're trying to sweep her. ^_- Finally, the Tanden Renki leaves her unable to block, so use the Mantis Slash... hell, abuse it with the C.Forward kick as well (Combo #3). Don't try to match her air priority, though. If you have the Sei-ei Enbu, nothing more needs to be said. Just watch for those crouching Forward kicks. Necro Suggested Super: Raishin Mahhaken, Tenshin Senkyuutai Stamina: 87% Strengths: Range, Defensive traps Weaknesses: Slow recovery on attacks Tricks: Electric Blast in corner for tick damage (~20 hits to parry) (even the Magnetic Storm super doesn't have this many hits...) Don't poke, but instead close in for throws and combos to stuff his moves. Careful when you jump in, because I haven't found anything that smashes through his electric field. Of course, you could try parrying it. ^_^ If you do, remember that you'll have to parry backwards after a while (he can continue it). You can't be as reckless because Necro's pretty good at turtling. For a change, you may want to play this game on the defensive, as Necro's -mixup- game is slightly lacking in speed. EX Roll Kicks actually work allright if you can predict him, and Dive Kicks will work as well. The Slam Dance has no invincibility frames that I know of, so if you're attempting a jump-in against it, poke early with a forward kick. If Necro tries to use his air-drill, he's just left himself open for a spanking. Parry the drill twice, then use a super or a launcher combo to open up the hurt. Also, be careful retaliating after a blocked Spinning Punch, as he has deceptively good recovery afterwards. Oro Suggested Super: Raishin Mahhaken, Tenshin Senkyuutai Stamina: 93% Strengths: Great priority on his pokes, stun damage, turtling game and corner pressure traps Weaknesses: Too slow to maintain an offensive (Use your speed!) Tricks: Crossup Jinchuu Nobori (Head stomp) Yagyou Dama Corner Trap Roundhouse kick of DooM! (25% Stun) Grab your pokes! (Urk...) Now this is a wierd match. Oro has a few charge moves, so expect him to chuck a fireball for the hell of it. He can doublejump too, as well as perform some funky dive attacks. He also has excellent poking ability, so you're going to do some parrying. His standing Roundhouse is just as good as Ken's, and he can chain his grab-slam with most attacks. Also, his charged uppercut hurts pretty badly, and he's got some good juggle combos going his way. So don't jump too often. If he has his grab-super charged to full, use some overheads to keep your butt off the ground so he can't throw you. If Oro is trying to play a pressure game on you by controlling the middle of the stage, use your teleport and fake him out with dive kicks. Most likely he's got a super activated in this scenario. For the most part, you'll have to keep the pressure on with constant Mantis Slashes and pokes. Just watch that charged uppercut, and play keep-away when necessary. Oro is damn slow, so use that to your advantage and stay out of the corner. By the way... don't get too predictable with your Fierce poke. Oro can just reach out and slam you three times for free, if your opponent has their wits about them. Q Suggested Super: Tenshin Senkyuutai, Sei-ei Enbu Stamina: 100% (Subsequent Taunts: 131%, 140%, 164%!) Strengths: Insane defense if he taunts, Easier parrying, painful juggle combos. Fairly good corner-trap game. Weaknesses: Extremely slow, Dash-attacks vulnerable to sweeps/pokes, slow offense, many openings for retaliation and juggle combos. Tricks: Taunt 3x for increased defense Tick-throw with Capture and Deadly Blow GREAT Kara-Cancelled throw and Overhead Kara'd Overhead -> Deadly Double (1/2 Screen Range!) When fighting Q, do NOT let him corner you, or you're in for a ride. It's advisable to use the air-chain kicks against him because he's so tall, but beware of his arm flail, which works as a great anti-air. Also, he can retaliate against air attacks with a parry -> Capture and Deadly Blow -> EX Head Rush Punch -> Roundhouse -> Taunt. Bad news for you. The rushing punch takes a while to attack with, so if you see it coming, feel perfectly free to either parry it or stuff it with a Fierce. Hell, if he doesn't have you in the corner, it's his weakest attack. Just don't poke away trying to charge your meter up... you may have to be a little defensive if you're in a stand-off. Just remember that he *can* chain his arm flail and his supers after a close Forward kick. Also, back to the arm-flail (High Speed Barrage). It's a GREAT anti poke move, so don't try using your Fierces and Roundhouses to chip damage away. A master Q player will gradually pressure you into the corner where he can keep you pinned. Use the Teleport to keep him on the defensive, because doing so will ruin his charge for the Dashing attacks. Also use the Teleport or EX Roll kick to help you punish him if he taunts. And taunt he will. Teleports are useful to stay away from the Total Destruction, but do NOT jump at him when his Deadly Double Combination is charged. In fact, it may be a good idea at this point to start running like hell... or charge up the Sei-ei Enbu and use some combos. If he has the Critical Combo Attack, remember to block the 4th hit low. However, most Q players will use the DDC exclusively. This super can inflict *more* damage than a Gigas Breaker if the followup juggles connect. WATCH OUT FOR IT. If you can avoid getting hit by this super, there's a very good chance you'll win the match. Don't try to poke him when you're on the ground too often, as Q has a very decent Kara-Cancel. (Go to Shoryuken.com for more about this technique.) Overheads and mixup games work pretty well because Q is quite slow and won't have much time to bust out with a high-priority move. Just be careful of his Deadly Double Combination, and you should be okay. This can be a long, drawn out battle of attrition, so be patient. At all costs, do NOT throw random attacks in an attempt to keep him away or to build meter, as he will maul you and taunt over your fallen body. Remy Suggested Super: Raishin Mahhaken or Tenshin Senkyuutai Stamina: 87% Strengths: Juggles, priority Weaknesses: Predictable offense, poor recovery Tricks: EX Cold Blue Kick trap First off, you want to prevent Remy from controlling the pace of the match. Use liberal amounts of Short dive kicks to fake him out into using a Flash Kick, and to dodge thrown Light of Virtues. Remy has some excellent priority, so be careful about poking him. If he does the double-roundhouse sweep, block the first hit and PARRY the second. From there you may do a Tenshin Senkyuutai or the Mantis Slash. Don't try to use overheads on him, because he can launch your butt into the air with his Flash Kick. If you're feeling gutsy, then jump at him and get ready to parry. If you manage to knock him down, then stand just a bit away from him (roughly outside the range of a sweep) and perform the Palm strike. If you're far enough away, you'll bust Remy out of his Flash Kick as he gets up. This is very demoralizing and will most likely make Remy start to turtle, in which case you get to throw him! ^_^ However, if the Blue Nocturne is charged up, then use throws. I believe the Blue Nocturne doesn't do too well against air attacks, though. But it's probably likely that it'll catch you off-guard if you're playing a good Remy player anyhow. You can try using the fake Palm Strike to provoke him as well. Also note that it's quite easy to parry the Flash Kick when you're on the ground. Put the pressure on Remy, because if he starts using a high-low mix game on you, you may have to teleport and rethink your strategy. Remy has an overhead kick that looks deceptively like it should be blocked low, and if he traps you with his Light of Virtue -> Cold Blue Kick, either turtle for a breather or go on a parrying spree. If you *know* that he's going to use a Cold Blue Kick, then jump straight up and clip him out of the air. Something you should be wary of: Remy may juggle with a super, after his throw(in the corner). Also be careful in an air-air matchup, because his Fierce punch can send you flying upward for another juggle. Ryu Suggested Super: Raishin Mahhaken or Tenshin Senkyuutai Stamina: 100% Strengths: Well balanced, high strength Weaknesses: None Tricks: Short Tatsumaki -> Throw fake EX Aerial Tatsumaki Crossup This match can turn ugly, real fast. The Shin-Shoryuken is self explanatory, and the Shinkuu-Hadouken is also fairly basic and painful. Try not to get caught in a standing combo. Also beware of a low Forward chained into a spinkick, EX Spinkicks in the air, and Shoryuken wakeups. And if you decide to parry Ryu's attacks, you may want to double-parry if in the air (Ryu has a 2-hit aerial strong) Ryu's footsie game is highly annoying (as is any Shotokan's) but try not to be suckered into eating a Shoryuken at close range. Also remember that if you already know if Ryu's going to throw a fireball, use the EX Roll-Kick or the Tenshin Senkyuutai. The same goes for the Denjin Hadouken; Yang has plenty of options to evade that, if your parrying skills are in question. If you have an empty Stun gauge and you're parrying the Denjin Hadouken at point-blank, parry two or three hits and take the rest. You'll recover quickly enough so that Ryu won't have a chance to walk up and nail you as you're busy parrying (There goes your perfect. =P) The ideal tactic is to pressure Ryu into making a stupid mistake, such as an uppercut or a fireball. Remember to red-parry fireballs after a C.Forward. If you're in doubt as to what kind of retaliation you should use, fall back to the EX Mantis Slash. This works especially well on blocked sweeps, as with all Shotos. Expert Ryu players will rarely jump, utilize his quick dash, and dart in and out to sucker you into an opening where they can land a sick 1/2 stun or 35% Shoryuken combo on your ass. Also, their dash lets them stay at a very far distance (out of your attack range, no less) and gives them the speed to throw you before you realize it. This, along with his very effective kara-cancel, will make it extremely difficult for you to pressure him into the corner... just when you think they're in the bag, you find yourself flat on your back. Finally, be extremely careful of jump-ins. Ryu possesses a three-hit combo that can inflict up to 70% stun. An Air-Air counter or a cross-under may be in order, unless you're sure of the timing for the jump-in Fierce- in which case you can just parry and launch him in the air for a combo. Don't forget to throw and teleport, either. Sean Suggested Super: Raishin Mahhaken or Tenshin Senkyuutai Stamina: 93% Strengths: Speed (great normal moves), Shotokan-level strength and dash Weaknesses: Horribly sucky special moves Tricks: Basketball trap w/ Sean Tackle Sean is not what he used to be. If you're blocking his Tornado-Kick (or even hit by it), throw him at the very moment he stops kicking you. This works a little too well, really. Also, be careful of his half-assed Dragon Punch as a wakeup or anti-air. His Shoryu-Cannon is nothing to laugh at either. Don't try to jump at him too often, as he can hurt you quite a bit with his Strong -> Roundhouse chain as a crossunder. He's got the classic short n' speedy dash like Ryu and Ken. You'll have plenty of openings to perform a super on him after blocking his attacks. Just be careful of his poking game- he's deceptively quick and has decent priority with his normals. Remember, like any Shoto, blocking his sweep is an easy EX Mantis punishment. His most preferred super will most likely be the Shoryu-Cannon. It's great anti-air, so take care around it. He may also select the Hadou Burst, because of the fact that it doesn't suffer much, if at all, in the way of combo-buffering penalties. Also, he can link the Hyper Tornado after two C.Jabs. Twelve Suggested Super: Sei-ei Enbu or Tenshin Senkyuutai Stamina: 87% Strengths: Range, but that's it. Weaknesses: Easily punished, takes a lot of damage, crappy supers Tricks: Deceptive J.Roundhouse kicks for mixup Note: If Twelve performs X.C.O.P.Y into Yang, use throws and Combo #1 when the chance presents itself. During this mode, Twelve takes 1/2 damage or something, so keep him blocking (and activate Sei-ei Enbu while you're at it). Twelve in his normal form has incredible range but not-so-good startup speed for his attacks. Thus, if you get right in his face and initate some combos, you'll put him on a serious defensive. But don't try jumping at him, as he'll use that arm-flail attack not unlike Q's. And if he uses that squirrel-glide in the air, teleport after him! If he tries to keep you out with long range pokes, just use the Tenshin Senkyuutai when you see the animation start. Yeah, that'll teach it... One more note: If Twelve morphs back from his X.C.O.P.Y., take the opportunity to do some enhanced damage. Any attack will do double damage, (except the Raishin Mahhaken, which will mostly miss) so get that Palmstrike ready... Urien Suggested Super: Raishin Mahhaken or Tenshin Senkyuutai Stamina: 100% Strengths: Fastest dash in the game, good range Weaknesses: Mediocre in-close chain-combos Tricks: Headbutt -> Throw Crossover vs. crouching or rising opponents Aegis Reflector Traps The Flying Anago Special (heh.) A difficult match for Yang, if you're not careful. Urien has a great footsie game, so don't try to use Combo #3 too often. Instead, you may want to Keep It Simple, Stupid and use the Mantis Slash as it is, without trying to combo it. It's got more priority than many of his pokes and specials if you're within range. Use the EX Mantis-Slash as retaliation for a blocked Chariot Tackle and he'll be afraid to use it. Since Urien is a charge character, be wary of wakeups. Also be VERY careful about jumping in, because Urien's juggle combos can beat the snot out of you. He has incredible range with his attacks, but the Chariot Tackle is vulnerable to low hits so get those C.Shorts ready. Don't use the overhead too often, as Urien can launch you with his fierce punch for a juggle. However, if he's playing a lot of footsie, then hop over his low kicks. If you wish, you can also play defensively, but watch out for that overhead punch. He also has a disgustingly effective dash which he'll most likely throw afterwards. One thing to beware of is Urien's headbutt. If he opens the round with this move, he's closing in for a throw. Your first reaction will be to block the headbutt, naturally... so keep this in mind at the start of each match, or if you've been knocked down. The headbutt will also knock you out of your jump if you decide to leap over him. Nasty Aegis reflector trap if you're not in the corner: Urien does a Chariot Tackle -> Fierce Aegis Reflector for some wierd-ass reason. GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE. If he grabs you with a neutral throw, he can drop you on the Aegis Reflector and juggle you for some damage. Also: If you ARE in the corner and you were knocked down, he can try using a jab Aegis Reflector and grab you right before it activates. If he pulls this off, Tech-hit his throw and you can most likely block the Aegis. Actually getting hit by the Aegis while you're standing is not an option, unless you want to die. So let this be a lesson to you: stay away from the corner. =P Yang Suggested Super: Tenshin Senkyuutai or Sei-ei Enbu Stamina: 83% Strengths: Speed, EX Mantis Slash retaliation, mixup Weaknesses: Takes damage like a sissy, poor wakeup attacks Tricks: Already explained. =P You may want to be careful about retaliation if you try to bust through Punch Combo #1 since the final hit can be delayed. If you end up blocking the first hit of the Tourou Zan, then just sit back and wait until the third hit, or until there's been a considerable pause in the attack. (You could try a red-parry...) If he foolishly does the Roll Kick while you're still on the ground, block it, then trip him before he can recover with a Super Art. Also, learn how to parry a dive-kick so that you may find more ways to implement your own. Use cross-under Teleports and mixups to your advantage, as Yang has a poor wakeup array to choose from. If you can keep a constant offense and slam him every time he tries to escape from it (stay in his face at point-blank!). If you have the option of either losing your offensive pressure or inflicting more damage (Flip-Grab vs. Standard throw), it's better to keep the pressure up. Nothing's as easy to kill as a spazzy player who snaps under pressure. ^_^ Also, take note of the kind of combos they like to do. Always try to red-parry after a blocked C.Forward. Yun Suggested Super: Raishin Mahhaken or Tenshin Senkyuutai Stamina: 83% Strengths: Speed, Excellent chain combos, mixup Weaknesses: Again, takes damage like a sissy and poor wakeups. Tricks: Dive-kick fake out Fake Palm Strike Yun will leave himself open after a good deal of his moves, especially his dashing punch. Use this to punish him with Punch Combo #1 into the Tenshin-Senkyuutai, or throw him into the nearest corner of the screen and activate Sei-ei Enbu. If Yun has the Gen-ei Jin activated, save your supers until it's over. He does have quite a footsie/poking game, so you might be a bit defensive. When Yun has an active Gen-ei Jin, it is unlikely that he will jump. However, he can get you into a nasty juggling combo that starts with a C.Forward, or with a corner-trap. You may want to play keep-away against him, or attempt to make him nervous with lots of Short Dive kicks. His favorite tactic is pressuring you with dive-kicks into his Jab- Short-Strong combo because of it's versatility (You-Hou can be chained after a jab Shoulder Check) Use your teleport to cross under his jumps and retaliate with the Mantis Slash after blocked attacks. You also have the option of parrying his dive kicks to set up for a launcher combo, but ware his supers lest he lay one on you. Gill Suggested Super: Sei-ei Enbu or Tenshin Senkyuutai Stamina: 111%? Strengths: Range, priority, damage, stun... Weaknesses: None. =P Tricks: ... he needs Tricks? Whaaaaaa? I hate this battle with a passion. Remember to punish Gill after blocking or parrying his Violence Knee Drop and teleport when the situation warrants it. Just watch out for his range- he does have a nasty footsie game. vs. CPU, he rarely blocks the rest of the Mantis Slash if you delay one of the hits. Also, use your jump-ins a lot after you knock him down. If you're playing this one at home against a friend, don't bother jumping at Gill unless you want to watch your stun meter rise exponentially. Instead, try to fake him out and use crossup Sei-ei Enbus and teleports to confuse him, and leave him open for an EX Mantis Slash. Stay well away from him and play some mad keepaway, because you can't afford to be caught in a juggle combo. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 7-:The Leftovers: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- For those of you curious, here are the Japanese rankings by Skillsmith. I have been told that these rate the effectiveness of each character's *combos*, not necessarily their overall character. Yun XS Yang XS Ken S Akuma Between A and S. They were ambiguous I guess. =P Chun-Li A++ Urien A++ Ryu A+ Alex A Dudley A Oro B++ Remy B++ Ibuki B+ Elena B+ Makoto B Q B Sean B Necro C Twelve C Hugo D+ Thanks to Joel Benefiel for tearing me to shreds with his Alex, to Asian Bomber for telling me about the Sei-ei Enbu ever-combo, Min Sub Kim for some tactical advice and some simple juggle combos, A.o.D. for his Q matchup analysis, and the epic sacrifices made on behalf of many packages of instant noodles. Breakfast of Champions. =P Pocky helps too, in a pinch. Also, thanks to Kyoujin for translating the combos at the SkillSmith website, and for Shoryuken.com for the Kara-cancel article. Check it out. Special thanks go to Kao Megura (Chris MacDonald) for writing up his movelist and supplying the translations of everyone's moves. Side note: I found an alternate "Kaihou" listed as "Convalesence" (Recovery) which could have something to do with Yang running away to escape danger. I found this to make a bit more sense than "Pleasant Kneel" although the "Hou" part is written in Katakana. I could be VERY wrong. The latest version of this FAQ can be found at: http://www.west.net/~arlieth or at http://www.gamefaqs.com (Damn narcissism.) Check out the 3rd Strike VMU saves at my site. I'll add more when I can get around to it, but I don't expect that i'll be doing so until the beginning of January. Sponsored by Weisenheimer Productions. http://www.dimfuture.net/elsewhere/weisenpro.html