Tekken 3 Strategy guide ver 1.0m


Confused on all the new moves? Desparate to show off in the arcade with dozens of wins? See if I could help with this strategy guide. Please email me if you have any comment, new strategy or moves.


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Who is on the list?

Due to the lack of time, I have only managed to cover the following characters:



Nina Williams

Included here is a basic strategy guide for Nina. First, you should know some of the basic moves of Nina such as:

With these, you could be more or less unpredictable. It is also a good idea to know the Ten Hit Combos of Nina just to confuse your opponent even more. This is especially so when you start doing one ten hit and then stop in the middle of it and do a throw or connect with another ten hit. The fact that very few people use Nina and that her ten hits are a mixture of short and fast punches and kicks makes her quite deadly to most average players. However, you have to avoid attacking too much especially if your opponent is backing away all the time because your attacks generally cause only low damages and if you press your opponent too much when he is backing away, occasionally there might be a gap in your short punches/kicks and your opponent which then generate a chance for him to attack you with huge damage moves - especially if he is a Paul player!

Your basic tactic should be based around the move d/b+4,3 which juggles your opponent (in a counter or if he is not block high) and you can carry out the juggle as follows:

d/b+4,3, 1, d/b+4,3
Divine cannon combo, left punch, divine cannon combo

d/b+4,3, u/f+3, d/b+4,3
Divine cannon combo, kick, divine cannon combo

The timing is pretty narrow for the u/f+3 kick and if the last divine cannon combo does not connect because your opponent row sideways quickily (occurs if you let your opponent to touch the ground before you execute the last part of the combo). If this is the case, try not to do the last two kicks and wait for your opponent to row sideways first. Then connect with d/b+4,3 if you think that your opponent will block high or F+1+2 if block low - normally they will block low since they are too scare of your juggle kick! However, you have to be careful against characters with reversals as they could reverse your juggle kick if - that is if they dare to take the risk!

If your opponent is now too scare of you that he is more or less idle (waiting for you to attack), you could try to do your multi-parts. If your opponent attacks you like crazy, you could either backup a bit and do the d/b+4,3 kicks or reverse their attack. Below are some of the characters that I would like to go into some more details.

Against Lei

If the Lei you are playing against is lying down most of the time, he will be in trouble. Try to do the d/b+4,3 kicks all the time and you should be fine. If he is lying down but is a bit far away from you, you could try the Neil kick f,f+3. Against a lying down Lei, you should have a good chance to win.

Against Hwoarang

Since Hwoarang will normally attack you with high kicks and if your opponent try to scare you off by pressing onto you with kicks combos, you might actually be able to find a chance to juggle him. However, beware of the Hunting Hawk kicks u/f+4,3,4 when you are doing the d/b+4,3. Please do not run towards him if you do not know how to block his combos.

Against Paul

Paul is a dangerous character and it is a good idea that you don't use Nina against him. If you insisted, there is actually not much I could tell you but to use the old tactics. However, remember that if Paul is moving backwards, he is looking for a chance to use the HUGE damage Power Punch (I hate it!) and if he is moving forward, he normally will go for the sweep and elbow combo D+4,2. Then he will either do a low punch when you are on the ground or wait until you try to get up and do the sweep and elbow combo again, and again. He will also try to do the three kicks combo when he is running towards you. My suggestion to you is to wait until he start running towards you, do the d/b+4,3 combo and if you are on the ground, do not try to get up immediately so that you could avoid the sweep. Do not initiate a forward attack if the Paul you are playing against is good and backing away most of the time. His Power Punch can cause 70% damage in a major counter and he will definitely run towards you once he got you with the punch - that is, you should be dead by then... One more thing to watch out - if your opponent expects you to do the d/b+4,3 combo at the start of the round, he could actually do the side step and shoulder ram move, f+1+4 and hit you!

Against Eddy

Eddy is such a cheap character! He will generally initiate moves with a lot of low attacks. So beside using our old tactic, also try the d/f+2 slapping moving which can get him when he is executing low hits combos. If he is doing his combo far away from you, try also the Neil Kick. If he move towards you especially when he is doing his combos, try out the sweep - while crounching D/F+4.

By Mario Xavier 13 March 97

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Paul Phoenix

Paul is definitely going to be one of the strongest characters in Tekken 3. His Power Punch takes off just so much energy that you wonder whether you should play against any Paul players. Unlike in Tekken 2, his movement and recovering time from moves is quicker. If you are quick and lucky enough, you might be able to finish your opponent in less than ten seconds.

The basic strategy for Paul will be to use his Power Punch (since it does so much damage especially as a counter hit). The most secure way to play Paul is to wait for your opponent to attack you from a distance while you back away from him. At these moments, because your opponent is simply too far away from you when he does the move, you should be able to hit him with the power punch as a counter. After this you could simply run over him to take off more energy.

On the other hand, you have to make good use of the sweep and elbow combo D+4,2. This combo is especially deadly when your opponent is down and trying to get up. You can do this combo over and over again until he is dead (if you are lucky enough). All your opponent could do is to wait for you to do the combo before he gets up. However, if you think that your opponent will wait for you, you could actually do a down punch (either d/b+2 or u/f+2). Make good use of this sweep and elbow combo even when you are pressing your opponent because when your opponent is a bit nervous, he is less reactive to block low attacks. Also alternate your combos between this sweep combo and the tile splitter plus sweep and elbow combo and the tile splitter plus power punch combo. When you want to move forward from a distance, you can try f,f+4 and as you land, do a normal kick, 4. You could also also do the three kicks combo and preferably, a low kick for the last kick (since most people expect a normal high kick at the end). There are obviously some new moves for Paul but the basic strategy remains with the old moves. Do not do the whole Ten Hit Combos unless you are sure that your opponent doesn't know how to block them - the combos are too easy to block and slow.

Against Lei

Make sure you don't go too near him. Remember the f,f+4 kick, the d/b+2 and u/f+2 punches when Lei lies down. You could also try more of the normal low kick d/b+3 to sweep him when he is lying down. Do not do the power punch all the time - remember that Lei can lie down! If you back up most of the time and attack appropriately, you should win. If Lei attacks a lot with the 4xpunches and a kick combo, try to reverse him at the start of the combo or at the final kick if you suspect it to be a high kick.

Against Nina

Just beware of Nina's d/b+4,3 combo (divine cannon combo). You could wait for her to miss her moves (since her moves are mostly short ranges) and give her the power punch. It should be easy.

By Mario Xavier 13 March 97

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Jin Kazama

When fighting as Jin always be ready to strike with a juggle starter. The most obvious one being the Mishima godfist strike:- f,n,d,D/F+2. Jin's newest juggle starter is a remnant of Jun's teaching, the running uppercut which must now be performed whilst in evade:- Press d,n to evade (side step) and press 2 to initiate the uppercut.

Jin also has a gut punch combo which comprises of 3 punches - the last punch either be a straight punch or a juggle uppercut. For the straight punch combo:- F+2,1,2 and for the juggle combo:- F+2,1,D/F+2. After your opponent is in the air, hit with a standing left punch 1, then 1,2,2 - back fist combo.

Normally, it is advisable to use the godfist motion without pressing a button:- f,n,d,D/F to trick your opponent to do a move beofre you did. If your opponent gets used to blocking high, attack low with Spinning demon f,n,d,D/F+4,4. Another effective move from Jun is the Lift kick, D+3+4 which hits low then high and can be performed twice if timed correctly, or could connect with one of Jun's other combos 1+4,2,4 (end with a high kick) and 1+4,2,D+4 (end with a low kick).

Jin's unblockable Spinning thunder godfist from Kazuya is best used when your opponent is rising. The spinning godfist can be used as a short range or long range attack, depending on whether you press b+1+4 (short) or B+1+4 (long).

Jin can become predictable in the hands of an average player so mix up your moves and if your opponent has a reversal, use high and mid attacks carefully. Jin's most effective counter is his reversal which if used correctly can have devastating effects, but should not be relied upon.

By Cedric and Raymond da Silva 18 March 97

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Lei Wulong 1

Note from Mario: the name of the stances (from Japanese) should be:-

I do not change it here to wait for the official confirmation.

Headbutt: this moves under a high strike, so use it to counter any move that could normally be ducked. A good example is, when playing against another Lei, if you block low against your opponent's rave spin (ie, the sweep is blocked), go straight into a headbutt and you have a guaranteed counter against the jumping crescent. Also, lure your opponent into a trap by deliberately missing a headbutt when they are outside hit range and surprise them with a u/f+4 short jump kick as they run in to counter - you get to perform a juggle combo if it hits.

Slide position: dropping straight into the slide position, like many of Lei' moves, is great against casual scrubs but useless in high level competition. The main drawback is the lack of rising midkick, all moves from this position hit low. The only way to get a mid kick is to either roll towards your opponent and midkick on the end of the roll, or roll over into the play-dead position and try a different attack from there.

Elbow drop: this hits either a standing or floored opponent, and leaves you in the play-dead position. It's sometimes good to use this as a sneaky way to get into 'play dead', then float with the double kick or hit them with the rave spin.

Drunk stance: the low kicks from here can be seen coming a mile off (the buildup is so long) but like the elbow drop, it can be used as a sneaky way to get into a liedown position (miss the double kick, then cartwheel from the facedown position as the opponent moves in to counter, he won't know what hit him). The drunk punch is very effective though, it has a good range, and does good damage, and people seem to walk right into it for some reason. Also, standing in the drunk stance, if your opponent tries to run into you (or it may be if they attempt certain attacks, I'm not 100% sure), Lei staggers around his opponent and gets behind where he should be able to get in a back (side?) throw for free. I've only ever seen this "drunk surprise exchange" happen twice, so I'm not entirely sure how it works, but all Lei has to do is stand there in the drunk stance.

1 turning punch -> back turn: this one can take people by surprise, it starts out like the old 2 turning punches, but stops after the 1st punch in the back-turn position. Do this outside of hit-range, then use your favourite back-turn technique as your opponent moves in to counter (a d+4,4 rave spin usually does the trick).

1 turning punch, back uppercut. This is nice to use as a counter, I think that the floating uppercut is guaranteed if the 1st punch MC's. A lot of Tekken 2 players still duck when they see the first punch come out, and aren't expecting the uppercut, so it's quite useful against Tekken 3 beginners.


The 5 stance sequence: I'll go through the 5 stances individually. Note that each time you switch stance (going up to the snake stance, or doing the throw moves to switch again), you usually sidestep, so switch during an opponent's attack and you can sometimes get around to their side for a really damaging combo that they can't block (or sidethrow after switching to the 'tiger' stance).

'Snake' stance:
---------------
The 6 hopping punches are easily ducked and countered, so use them at
your own risk!

The 3 stabbing punches are much better, if the 1st one counters, the
combo does a huge amount of damage.

The hopping low kick usually takes people by surprise and returns you
to the snake stance where another technique can be attempted.

The 'fall down & kick up' is another effective move, it does good
damage and leaves you in the 'facedown'position.

'Tiger' stance:
---------------
The spin&throw takes a lot of people by surprise, and often gives a
sidethrow.  If your opponent starts to duck the throw, hit them with
the double arm strike instead, as it can start a juggle.

If your opponent falls into the trap of thinking that you're an easy
target when standing in a weird stance, counter with one of the 5-hit
combos, if the 1st kick MC's, the rest is guaranteed and the damage
is very high.

'Mantis' stance:
----------------
This one's good.  The double low punch combo tends to come out
quicker than the uppercut, and is highly effective.  More risky, but
with a higher payoff, is the uppercut:  the float is low, but the
uppercut has a fast recovery time, so you can easily juggle with a
punch rush if this one hits.  Also you can use the sweep to get into
the stance for the unblockable (see section (5)).

'???' stance: (sorry, don't know the name of this one!)
-------------
The low sweep from here has a good long range and is very quick,
hardly anyone blocks this.  If they do, mix it up with the overhead
strikes, as they hit a croucher and do nasty damage.

'Crane' stance:
---------------
The low kick is very effective and has quite a long range, it works
nicely on a rising opponent.

The 4-hit combo is good if you can counter with it, otherwise you
leave yourself open to throws/countering, as the last kick has a very
long recovery time.  Note that the timing of this combo is weird, you
have to tap the combo out at a consistent speed or some of the hits
come out more slowly.  The last kick floats if it connects, so juggle
if you get the chance.



----------------------------------------------------------------------
Stance switching techniques
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Tapping u or d during any of the stances in the 5-stance sequence
moves to another stance.  Note that Lei performs a sidestep during
the stance change, and you can use this to devastating effect.  For
example, go to the 'snake' stance, wait for your opponent to try and
hit you, step to the 'mantis' just before your opponent connects and
(if you timed it right) you have a guaranteed hit, and in the
'mantis' stance, your best choice would be the uppercut as it can be
used to start a juggle.

Remember that the u/d taps for stance changing are reversed when
facing left.  You could think of it as being 'clockwise' and
'anticlockwise' joystick taps, but that just makes it even more
confusing - blame Namco, not me!


Stance-switching in mid-combo:
------------------------------
Lei's ability to change stance in the middle of a combo is one of his
most powerful techniques.  These are all the ways that I (currently)
know of that allow this:

Method (1) sidestepping: start off one of the following combos:
f,N,1,2,1,2,4 (punch rush, midkick)
F+4,1,2,4 (crescent, 2 punches, midkick)
F+4,2,1,2,4 (crescent, 3 punches, midkick)

Hold the joystick in either D or U position during any of the hits,
release the buttons, then release the joystick, and Lei will stop the
combo and go straight into a sidestep and switch stance.  The stances
are:

During 1st hit: 'snake'
       2nd hit: 'tiger'
       3rd hit: 'mantis'
       4th hit: '???'
       5th hit: 'crane'

The numbering may be slightly different for the crescent, 2 punches,
midkick combo, I can't remember.  I never use the crescent ones
anyway, the first kick leaves you wide open to counters and is
absolutely suicidal against expert players, so it's probably best
to stick to the punch rush.  Note that if you want to dodge on the
last hit, you have to do the midkick version of the combo, the
lowkick one won't work.

Method (2) holding a certain joystick position during a combo:
(note there is no sidestep when changing stance with this method)

start off one of the following moves/combos:
[in 'snake' stance] 2,2,2 (stabbing punches)
[in 'snake' stance] 1,1,1,1,1,1 (hopping punches)
[in 'tiger' stance] 2 (double arm strike)
d/b+rk (1st hit of rave spin)
[in 'mantis' stance] 3 (mantis sweep)

Hold the joystick in a certain position during the combo, stop at any
time, then release the joystick, and you should be in a new stance.
Stance switches and directions to hold are:

"stabbing punches" - hold 'F'
During 1st hit: 'tiger'
       2nd hit: 'tiger'
       3rd hit: 'mantis'

"hopping punches" - hold 'F'
During any hit: 'snake'

"double arm strike" - hold 'F', changes to '???'

"rave spin" - hold 'D', changes to 'snake'

"mantis sweep" - hold 'B', changes to 'one leg' stance (can attempt
unblockable from here)


Using the stance switch:
------------------------

Here's some examples of how a mid-combo stance switch can be used to
confuse your opponent and string techniques together.

Example (1):

Start a punch rush from just outside the hit range, and dodge on the
1st punch:
f,N,D+1
This makes you do one whiffed punch, then instantly sidestep your
opponent's inevitable counter or reversal attempt and puts you in the
snake stance.  Now hit them with the stabbing punches:
2,2,F+2
If it's working so far, they have just taken some nasty damage, and
you're now in the mantis stance.  Now go for the floating uppercut:
2
If they're too slow to counter, or crouching in a futile attempt to
block the last combo, they're going to get floated.  Juggle with a
punch rush & midkick+dodge.
f,N,1,2,1,2,D+4.
As soon as the midkick connects, you sidestep into the crane stance.
Now hold F to walk towards the floored opponent and hit 4 as soon as
they try and get up (this hit is 95% guaranteed against the CPU, but
_good_ human opponents will get out of it).

Example (2):

Start a punch rush when you think it's likely to be blocked (watch
out for those reversals), and dodge on the 2nd punch:
f,N,1,D+2
After the 2nd hit is blocked, you sidestep into the tiger stance.
Go for the spin & throw:
1
If they expect a full punch rush, they'll still be blocking, and are
likely to just stand and take the throw.  If they try and counter
it's possible they'll miss because of the sidestep, and if this
happens you often get a side throw.

Example (3):

Similar to the last one, dodge on the 2nd punch:
f,N,1,D+2
After the 2nd hit, when you get into the tiger stance, go for the
double arm strike, holding F for a further stance switch.
F+2
If the strike is blocked, you are now in the '???' stance, so hit 4
for a
low sweep that nearly everyone falls for.


If you try and stance-switch too often, your opponents will get wise
to it and be able to counter as soon as you dodge, so try to use it
sparingly and you'll always be able to surprise your enemy with an
unexpected stance-switch.  Remember that you can throw from the tiger
stance and float/juggle from the mantis stance.



----------------------------------------------------------------------
Juggle techniques
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Type (1): high floats or low floats with a fast recovery time:
---------

Float with any of the following techniques:

u/f+4 (short jump kick).  Note that with Tekken 3's shorter jumping
system you no longer have to perform this as u/f,N,4, so the kick
comes out slightly quicker (which can make all the difference when
countering).  This floats low but has a fast recovery time.  Use this
in close fighting but get too predictable with this and expect to see
it reversed.
[from 'play dead'] 3+4 (double kick)
[from 'mantis' stance] 2 (uppercut)

Juggle with:

1,f,N,1,2,1,2,4+SS - quick punch, punch rush and midkick, sidestep to
             'crane'.  From here, attempt to hit the rising
             opponent with either 4 or 3,4,2,3, but this
             isn't guaranteed
f,N,4,1,2,3 - 5-hit combo
1+2,d+1,d+4 - 2 turning punches, low backfist, back sweep
1+2~1+2,1,2,1 - turning punch and back uppercut, 3 punch combo (not
        sure if 3rd punch connects)
4~4,3,3 - rolling kicks (as opponent hits the floor)


Type (2): low floats with long recovery time:
---------

Float with any of the following techniques:

[from 'back turn'] 2 (back uppercut)
1+2~1+2 (turning punch, back uppercut)
[from 'crane' stance] 3,2,3,3
[from 'tiger' stance] 2

Juggle with:

4~4,3,3 - rolling kicks (as opponent hits the floor)


Type (3): bounce juggles from the low backfist:
---------

Start with [from 'back turn'] d+1 (low backfist).  Follow up with:

2,d/b+4 - back uppercut, sweep (sweep isn't guaranteed)
d+1,d+1,d+1,d+1,d+4 - 4 more low backfists, sweep
3+4,3+4,3+4 - 3 backflips, the first 2 are guaranteed, the 3rd can be
          blocked with quick recover
4,d/b+4 - back midkick, sweep


Type (4): from the first hit of a rave spin:
---------

Start with d/b+4,N.  Follow up with:

(WS)+4 - rising front kick

D - change to 'snake' stance, follow up with:
2,2 - 2 stabbing punches
2,2,F+2 - 2 stabbing punches (3rd misses), -> 'mantis', you can
      attempt 1,2 for the double lowpunch combo as they try
      to get up
1,1,1,1,1,1 - 6 hopping punches, 5 of them connect



----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hitting a floored/rising opponent (cheese!)
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Learn the rising habits of your opponent and adapt your ground-hit
strategy depending on what you expect your opponent to do.


If your opponent rolls back:
----------------------------

3~4[,U] (jumping crescents) does good damage, leaves your back
        turned, so follow up with a d+4 sweep or d+1 low backfist
    with possible followup hits.
[in 'mantis'] 1,2 (double lowpunch combo), very powerful.
[in 'crane'] 4 (jumping low kick)
[in 'crane'] 3,4,2,3 (4-hit combo) sometimes starts a juggle if
                     your opponent messes up.
u/f+2 (elbow drop)

b+1+2 (headbutt), your timing has to be good, but this one does
      nasty damage, connecting just as they stand up.

4~3 (carwheel kick), highly effective against back-rollers, and if
    it's blocked, there are plenty of techniques to follow up with.


If your opponent stays down without moving:
-------------------------------------------

3~4,D (jumping crescent -> 'knockdown') this one allows the jumping
      crescent to hit, even if the opponent doesn't move!

u/f+2 (elbow drop)

If your opponent siderolls:
---------------------------

d/b+4 (sweep)



----------------------------------------------------------------------
General strategy and tips
----------------------------------------------------------------------

* Don't just do the back-turn techniques after chaining combos, use
b+3+4 to turn your back when facing forward.  As in Tekken 2, this
can transform your counter-attack strategies, as going straight into
a back-turn actually makes Lei step backwards and puts slightly more
distance between you and your opponent.

For example, when playing against a death fist-happy Paul player,
hover about just outside the hit range of his death fist, then
deliberately whiff a short jump kick.  As soon as you hit the ground,
turn your back with b+3+4 and instantly hit d+4,4.  Most Paul players
take the bait when they see your missed jumpkick and fly in with the
death fist.  It's turning your back that moves you slightly out of
reach, allowing your rave spin to hit him instead.

* The guard melting punches (f,N,2,1,2,1 if 1st punch is blocked
high) are still there, but as in Tekken 2 they are easily reversed,
so don't even try it against Jin/Paul/Nina.  If the opponent gets
hit, some of the punches float, so get ready with that rolling kick
as they hit the ground.  If all 4 are blocked, your back is turned,
so go for a back uppercut or rave spin.

* Learn the 4 lie-down positions and how to get into them, and all
the moves that are possible from each position.  You often end up
lying in a strange position after getting knocked down or thrown or
reversed.  Use this to your advantage, don't just get up, you can
often hit them with a cartwheel kick, rave spin, or float with the
double kick.  Sometimes getting MC'd by Paul's death fist can
leave you in the slide position and you can hit him with the slide
(4~3) as he runs up to stamp on you.  The same goes for the
back-turn, if you end up with your back to your opponent without
actually trying to get there, don't turn to face forwards, adapt your
attack strategy: a low backfist juggle, rave spin, or back uppercut
juggle could all be attempted whilst your back is turned.

* As I mentioned before, use stance-switching carefully.  If you do
it all the time, it's going to be of no use (just try it against the
CPU and you'll see what I mean).  Surprise your opponent with a
sudden switch to the tiger stance and you may well get a throw, or
switch to the mantis stance when they're not expecting it and you
stand a better chance of floating with the uppercut.  Drop out of a
punch rush after the 4th hit, switching to the '???' stance:  the
last thing to go through your opponent's head was guessing which
height to block the last kick - they suddenly realise you stopped the
combo early and try to counter, by which time you should have hit
them with the low sweep (this works a _lot_ of the time).

* Use the short jump kick to float!  If you're about to lose a round
by quite a large margin and you need to pull a miracle out of the
bag, run up to your opponent and go for the jump kick.  If it hits,
you may be able to juggle off enough energy to grab a last-minute
victory.

* Drink during the neck-shaker throw if your energy is low.
Remember, the energy you get back from the drink is removed from the
damage that you cause your opponent, so it doesn't affect the overall
balance of energy in the game - use it only when necessary.

* Some characters have difficulty hitting Lei while he's down.  Cheap
and cheesy players exploit this by spending 90% of their time lying
down, although personally I think this sucks.  Except for when I do
it =)



----------------------------------------------------------------------
Lei Vs other characters
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Vs Xiaoyu:
----------
She can cause real problems.  Don't start a punch rush from outside
hit range unless you are confident that your opponent doesn't have
good countering skills, as her quick punch combos are deadly.  When
she goes into the low stance, your best attack option is the rave
spin, as it's virtually impossible to hit her with anything else.

Vs Law:
-------
Lei has a good advantage against law.  When you lie down (or after
getting knocked down), most Law players don't attempt a guaranteed
ground hit, they go for something like a dragon tail or
lowkick,flipkick combo that only hits if you try to get up.  Stay
down, let them start their combo, wait until it's about to finish,
then unleash the most powerful liedown technique you can, depending
on the position you're in (the double kick floater is always going to
give the highest damage potential).

Vs Nina:
--------
Nina is very powerful against Lei, if she keeps hitting with the
divine cannon (lowkick, floating midkick), you can't lie down to
avoid it.  Also, the trick of turning your back before countering is
useless against the divine cannon.  Stick to punch rushes and she'll
start using reversals.  She is definitely one of the most powerful
characters against Lei - pick someone else against Nina!

Vs King:
--------
Again, not really a play-dead friendly character.  If your opponent
punishes play-dead with ali kick combos, fight him standing (and stay
the hell away from his ground throws!).  u/f+4 floats are handy if
you get in close, most King players want to show off with throws when
you get close, so give them the short jump kick if they try it.

Vs Hwoarang:
------------
Oh dear, poor old Hwoarang has a bit of a hard time here.  He does
have a move that hits Lei while he's down, the trouble with it is
that it's quite weak and it can only be done when his feet are in a
certain stance, so a lot of Hwoarang players bring out the wrong
combo and miss completely, leaving them wide open to your liedown
attacks.

Vs Paul:
--------
Paul is undoubtably the most powerful character in the game (then
again, now Eddie is here, I'm not so sure).  The death fist and
sweep&elbow combo are all he needs (and are all 99% of Paul players
seem to use).  As mentioned before, try to lure him into doing his
death fist and move out of range and counter.  If Paul knows what
he's doing, he'll hit you when you lie down with the floor punch.
If he tries the sweep & elbow instead, he misses, you get a free
liedown attack, so punish him severely if he falls into this trap.

If you're desperate/mad/suicidal/showing off, get into the 'mantis'
stance and just walk towards him until he unleashes a death fist.
Avoid the death fist with a sidestep to the 'crane' and give him the
full 4-hit combo, you should be round the side where he can't
block, it does huge damage and finishes in a float!  This is
extremely risky, but looks spectacular if you can pull it off.

Vs Eddie:
---------
Stay as far away from him as you can, if you get close to him, you're
probably going to lose 50% of your lifebar before you even see him
move (I seriously hope Eddie is going to be toned down for the 100%
version).  Make Eddie come to you, lure him into starting one of his
sweep combos from too far away.  When he does this, back off as much
as possible, and when he gets to the part where he's jumping towards
you, let rip with a punch rush - you'll MC and get about 3 free hits,
then he has to guess the end kick.  For added confusion, sidestep
after the 3rd punch and go for the mantis uppercut & juggle him.
Alternatively, the back-turn and rave spin technique for countering
works very well against Eddie.  Rememer that you can do the low combo
break against his sweeps.

Vs Jin:
-------
Jin is a very dangerous character.  His dashing uppercut no longer
hits you while you're down (it did in the 60%), which does make life
a hell of a lot easier for Lei Vs Jin, but you still need to watch
that u/f+4,4,4,4 which a lot of Jin players throw at you.  Watch out
for his dragon+left punch (and his unblockable), he crouches so low
in the buildup that it ducks _underneath_ a punch rush, which means
he gets a MC and you lose about 50-70% energy.  Hit him with plenty
of low stuff (rave spins, mantis double punches, etc.) to stop him
getting comfortable with the idea of using reversals against your
jumpkick floats or punch rushes.

Yoshimitsu:
-----------
What you have to watch out for here is his sword swipe that hits you
while you're down.  If he starts any of that pogo stick nonsense, hit
him with 1+2~1+2 and he'll soon give up on that.  His high spin kick
leaves him wide open to play dead + double kick floats.



----------------------------------------------------------------------
How to fight _against_ Lei
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's some hints for Lei-haters (and with Lei being more than a
little cheap in Tekken 3, I'm sure there's going to be plenty of
them):

* Whatever your character, learn the move that hits Lei while he's
down.  Paul should use the ground punch, Jin can use the
u/f+4,4,4,4 jumping roundhouse & sweeps combo, King can use the
Ali-kick.  Punish him when he lies down, force him to fight standing.

* When he goes into a punch rush, watch out for a stance switch.  If
you have average reaction time, a simple d+2 counter will stop him.
If you're a little more daring, and have fast reactions, you can
often get in a throw or a damaging counter.

* Most Lei players seem unable to go more than 10 seconds without
going into a punch rush.  If they start it from outside of the hit
range, and your character has reversals, reverse him as soon as he
gets close enough.

* When Lei drops into 'play dead' when close to you, you have a 50/50
chance of being hit with either a rave spin or double kick.  Learn
which one your opponent does more of (a good Lei player is the one
who mixes it up exactly 50/50).  If in doubt, block high, as the
double kick sets up juggles and you stand to take more damage if it
hits.  Remember that the double kick can be reversed.

* When Lei plays dead and then rolls towards you, if in doubt, block
low.  He can put a rave spin on the end of the roll, but the only
mid-level strike he can do is a midkick.

* If you block the first hit of a rave spin (blocking low), the
second can be reversed.  It can also be ducked, giving you a free
counter or throw.

* When Lei switches stance, he can still block high (this puts him
back into a regular stance), but AFAIK he cannot block low, so hit
him with something low each time he tries it.

By -MG- matthew@bitscorp.com 18 March 97

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Lei Wulong 2

GENEREAL 
Of all the returning characters (and offspring), by far Lei Wulong has
undergone the most changes.   From what I have seen, there are two major
types of Lei players:  Old Style and New Style.  Old Style players are
Tekken 2 graduates that rarely or never use the new moves.  New Style players
tend to mix it up, but uses mostly the new techniques. This strategy is for
those who are, or who wish to be, New Style players. [DISCLAIMER:  I am not
a Lei master, nor a Tekken Guru.  I just call'em like I see'em]

If you are an Old Style player, then you should be able to get some fast hits
off pretty quickly.  However, Lei is best played conservatively (see the
"TURTLE" section on 'Catlord's Tekken Psychology 101'); this is because his
long combos are harder to connect.  Old Style players will see this quickly.
Unlike Tk2 though, Tk3 does NOT require Lei to be lei-ing on the ground to be
most effective (pun intended).

JUGGLERS and TENHITTERS
I'm not a big believer in Big-Combos, and I am adamantly against air juggles.
Honestly, the game is about having a good time against an opponent, and I
guarantee you that nothing is more enjoyable than getting off a small 3-4
hit combo to work with Lei.

AIR-WULONG -- U/f+4,1,f,1,2,1,2,D+4, release D,3,4,2,3
Hop-kick , punch, dash, 4-punch, Crane-Stance, 4-hit-Crane-Combo
Looks impressive, doesn't it? It IS, if you can get it off.  The problem is
getting the u/f+4 to connect.  You really have to catch them offguard.  Do
NOT try this unless you are at least 75% sure you will hit with the hop-kick,
elsewise you're gonna' take a beating.  Finishing the Crane-combo will juggle
your opponent again.

TEN IS ENOUGH -- 1,2,1,3+4, etc...
Left-Punch, Right-Punch, Left-Punch , Back-Flip, etc...
The problem with this X-hit combo is that your opponent often sees it coming.
Even worse, if you successfully get the hits off, the back-flip will usually
miss or be blocked since it is so slow to get off.  I would suggest that you
use this move no more than once per round, at absolute most, if at all.

BACK TO BUSINESS-- 3,3,3+4,3+4 (3+4)
Left-Kick, Left-Kick, Back-Flip, Back-Flip
This one works, as long as your second kick connects.  The first will kick
high, while the second will kick low and put your opponent on the ground and
make Lei turn to his back, allowing for the 2 following back-flips.  If the
first kick connects, you can finish the string;  if it is blocked, there is
still a chance that the second will connect, and you can finish the string.
A third Back-flip is possible, but will rarely connect.  When is this move
best used?  Right at the beginning.  If your opponnet loves to attack 
immediately, your 3,3 will usually connect first.  This is especially
effective as a first move against EDDY GORO.

PACK YOUR BAGS FOR AN ELBOW-TRIP -- u/f+1+2 (THROW)
This is a doozy.  This throw is more effective than the others because to get
out of it the opponent must press 1+2, which they never do.  When is it most
effective?  At the Beginning of the round, like any throw.  The more advanced
players will pull back when the round starts, waiting to see what you do. If
you know your opponent is like this, then immediately go foward and throw
his/her butt.   My philosophy is, "If you're gonna just stand there, I'm
throwing you."

ELBOW-DROP-SOUP -- u/f+2
This is actually a drunken-style move that has an incredibly long reach.
If you're opponent attacks high, then you are screwed.  But Low hitters are
especially prone to be hit by this.  It is unexpected, hit's while coming
down, and has a long range.  Use this for a surprise hit, or if you need
just a small hit to win the round.  One of my favorite moves is to run at
a standing opponent from far away, then suddenly stopping far out of his 
range while he misses his combo, then hitting him with the Elbow-Drop.  This
Elbow-Drop is perfect against opponents on the ground, and is particularly 
effective against EDDY GORO.  Use with discretion.

DON'T BUTT IN -- b+1+2
This head-butt acts as a ducking move for Lei, so a high attack from an
opponent will miss.  This move is especially effective against Hwoarang,
who usually attacks with high-kicks.  Also, this is one of those rare moves
that will work twice in a roll against an opponent (i.e. surprise him with 
the obvious).

CAN'T SWEEP AT NIGHT?  d/b+4, [X, ATTACK!]
d/b+4,4 -- rave-sweep, rave-spin-high-kick
Unless you are Positive you can connect with the sweep, DO NOT do this.  If
your opponent blocks the sweep, he/she will certainly block the high-kick.  
This move simply leaves you too open for an attack if you miss.

d/b+4,D,[2,2, F] -- sweep, Snake-Stance, 2-hit, Tiger-Stance
Beautiful.  Just Beautiful.  After the sweep, you switch to the stance.  If
you missed the sweep, you are not left open for an attack (like d/b+4,4).
If you connect, you can hit your opponent twice while he is falling.  Another
option is to do [2,2,2, F], which will put you in the Panther-Stance instead,
but the third punch will NOT connect.  I prefer this, because I can then 
attack low with [2] after the opponent gets up (works 90% of the time).  But
then again, connecting the Tiger-Throw looks pretty damned cool.  Another 
option is to hit with a [4,1,1,1,1,1,1, F].  This will kick low, therefore
forcing your opponent back in the air a bit, then hit with the quicker left-
punches.  The [F] at the end will put you right back into the snake stance.
(Note:  if your sweep does NOT connect, and you are one or two hits from
winning the round, attack with the [2,2,2] -- there is a better than average
chance that you will hit with at least one of those right-punches.)

CALL ME SNAKE -- (f+2+3, X) OR (d/b+4,D, X)
First, I'd like to say that this looks NOTHING like the Snake stances that I
have seen, and I have seen many.  The Panther Stance looks more like the Snake
Stance, but far be it from me to change the naming conventions now. Anywho,
people in the Snake Stance are usually tempted to attack with the quick
left-punches [1,1,1,1,1,1].  That will work, but only as a counter, or if the
opponent is an idiot.  The main problem is that it is a high attack and the
opponent simply needs to duck.  I prefer hitting with a [2,2,2]. This hits
the mid-section and is less expected.  But this too will leave you wide open
if it is blocked, and often if it connects.  So this should be used if you
just need to get that extra hit in, or if you're willing to take a hit
afterwards.  Of course, you can also try to catch your opponent off-guard by
doing [1,1,1,1,1,1,F], or [2,2,F] or [2,2,2,F], which will immediately put
you into another Stance and allow for another attack.  The more seasoned
players will NOT fall for it.

*ONE STEP FOWARD, TWO STEPS SIDEWAYS -- Side-Stepping-Stance
This move requires good timing.  Enter into a stance--any stance except 
drunken will do. Wait for your opponent to begin attacking.  When he/she is 
close enough, switch to another stance.  While changing stances, Lei
automatically SIDE-STEPS, allowing you a free attack on your opponent. They
are usually surprised at this.  This works REALLY WELL for avoiding an
opponent that is running towards you at full speed.  THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT
AND POWERFUL SKILL TO LEARN.

ANTS IN MY STANCE
The best way to use a stance is to walk towards an opponent while in a stance,
then take a step or two back at the last second.  A seasoned opponent will
wait for you to come close before attacking.  But if you take a step back at
the last second, your opponent will miss the beginning of his attack-string,
allowing you to time a direct hit.

A DASH OF WHIPASS PLEASE -- f,N,1*,2*,1*,2*
Dash-Foward, Punch, Punch, Punch, Punch. (replace * with D)
After any of the punches, pull D.  At the end of the string, you will go into
one of the many stances.  Which Stance you enter is based on When you pulled
D.  If you know how to use the new stances, keep swithching them around to
keep your opponent off balance.  An interesting strategy is to start this
string far away so that you switch into the stance as soon as you are in
hitting range (the 1,2,1,2 punches do not usually connect, often times leaving
you open for an attack).

BUILDING CHARACTER -- character specific

VS. PAUL -- Pull back at the beginning of the round, then WoMp him after he
misses his first 2-hit combo.  Almost ALL Paul players attack immediately
with the 2-hit-attack.  Play very conservatively.  Sweep attacks work well.
SIDE-STEPS are very effective if timed right.  BLOCK ALOT.

VS. EDDY -- The 3,3 usually hits at the very beggining of the round; EDDY
players love to attack first, but Lei's 3,3 is usually quicker than anything
EDDY has to offer.  Use the u/f+2 Elbow-Drop when you are far enough away, 
and eddy is doing his low-break-dancing-attacks.  Sweeps are difficult to
get off, since EDDY has a very long reach.  EDDY is a low-attack character and
hence can be a very difficult opponent for Lei.
  
VS. NINA -- Sweeps tend to work well.  Watch the Reversals.

VS. KUMA -- This is a freebie for you.  But I Have taken a severe punishment
by one particularly really good KUMA player in my time.  

VS. LING -- This one is tough.  The Phoenix Stance is the big danger here.
The u/f+2 Elbow Drop works well when she is in her Phoenix Stance, but not 
always.  A 4~4,3 Rolling kick OR 4~3 Cartwheel Kick can be effective at times
also.  She is really quick and moves alot, so you watch your six.

VS. JIN -- A nice tall character that is often played conservatively.  Throws
are quite effective against JIN.  Sweeps work well too.  BLock alot and try
to hit him after his combos.  Stay Off the ground, and try not to SIDE-STEP
during his Hell Sweeps.

VS. YOSHIMITSU --  Sweeps are good.  Go for Low attacks, like a 4~3 Cartwheel
or 4~4 Rolling Kick.  Yoshi players are uncommon, so a decent player can give
you a sever pummelling.  Blocking is hard due to so many Unblockables that
he has.  Run away alot.  Side Stepping doesn't work that well.

VS. HWOARANG -- Sweeps, Sweeps, Sweeps.  Throw in a Head-butt too if you feel
like it.  The Play Dead position (d+3+4) works well agains him.  Be as
aggressive as you want.  High Attack Characters such as this one should be 
an easy win against.

VS. JULIA -- Block alot, and take the open shots.  She's too quick to trade
punches against.  Conservative play is the key.  Throwing is good too.

VS. KING -- I haven't a clue.  I always have a hard time here.

LEI VS. LAW  -- Jackie Chang VS. Bruce Lee?  'NUFF Said.

By ~The H. Le bobafett@sgi.net 9 June 97

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Last updated: 09/06/97
By Mario (jinkazama00@hotmail.com)

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