VF3 / Lion [ print friendly ] [ command view ]
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Lion VF3 FAQ tb and dc
(Frequently Asked Questions)
A Strategy Guide The Secrets of the Adept
Version .120.1, November 1998
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Edited by nycat < nycat@virtuafighter.com >
The Brotherhood Of The Lion
Copyright 1998, November
No part of this FAQ may be reproduced for sale, compilation, or
any other form of commercial distribution without express written
permission from the editor. Reproduction of this FAQ in any form
by game magazines is a direct violation of the applicable copyright
laws. Copies of this FAQ and the information within may be freely
distributed throughout the VF3 community.
The Lion FAQ is a work in progress. Please send all comments and
corrections to nycat@virtuafighter.com
========
Contents
========
Introduction
Lexicon
Move List
Basics
Lion Style
Flow Of The Game,
Theory & Techniques :- Throw Escape,
Fuzzy Guard
Applying pressure to rising opponent
Escape considerations
The Lion Step,
Going Behind opponent and Turning your back
Throws,
- Notes On Using Throws Against Different Opponents,
Opening the round
Getting up
Combination Attacks,
Links
Thanks.
===========
Introduction
===========
This FAQ was written in an attempt to create a Guide for LionVF3(
Team Battle and Pre Team Battle. ) This FAQ is a cumulation of many
Experienced players ( Both Lion and non-Lion Players ) around the
globe. Credit goes to those who have patiently responded to my
questions and for sharing their experiences and expertise to make
this compilation possible. The data presented here is the compilation
of over 200 e-mails of Lion VF3 Discussion, Questions and Answer
Sessions.
========
Lexicon
========
P - Punch
K - Kick
G - Guard
E - Escape
, - Move Seperator
+ - Press together, eg P+G means press P and G together
All - Punch+Kick+Guard
d - Tap down on the joystick
f,f - Tap forwards twice
U, D - Hold up / down on the joystick
d/f - The diagonal direction between down and forward
u/f - The diagonal direction between up and forward
HCF - ( Half Circle Forward ) The Semi-Circular movement from back
to front
HCB - ( Half Circle Backward ) The Semi-Circular movement from
front to back
FC - From crouching position
TT, TA - Turn Toward
BJK - Big Jump Kick. ( d, U+K )
LJK - Low Jump Kick ( d, u, pause, K )
ToD - The Touch of Doom the second half of canned combo (f+P,P)
Notes :-
Frame Stats are in the Order Of Execution / Recovery / Hold Frames
H = High Level Attack, M = Mid Level Attack,L = Low Level Attack,
G = Ground Level ( When Opponent Is Knocked Down / On The Floor ),
T = Throw, T - B = Throw, Back. ( Opponent's Back Facing You ),
T - S = Throw, Side ( Opponent Faces To The Side ),
T - W = Throw, Wall. ( Wall Throw Conditions ).
=========
Move List
=========
Name Commands Damage Level Frame Stats
=========================================================================
Slow Punch d+P 11 L 16-1-14P
Dodging Peck d/b+P 12 L 17-2-28
Double Peck d/b+P,P 12+8=20 L,L 6-2-25
Low Punch D+P 8 L 10-1-15
Low Peck D/F+P 7 L 13-2-24
Low Peck x 2 D/F+P,P 7+10=17 L,L 13-1-26
Low Lunge Poke b,d/f+P 21 L 27-2-28
Dodging Swipe d+P+E 20 L 17-3-24
Mantis Dip d+P+K 15 L 19-2-21
Wind Up Swipe d/f+P+K 20 L 21-2-44
Low Kick d+K 12 L 18-2-27
Low Kick x 2 d+K,K 12+20=32 L,L 17-3-33
L. Kick-Crescent d+K, K+G 12+30=42 L,H 20-6-27(29)
Handstand Kick d/b+K 24 L,L 16-2-2
Low Sweep d+K+G 24 L 20-4-38(39)
Lunging Sweep d/f+K+G 24 L 26-5-33(39)
Mid Jab d/f+P 10 M 12-2-19
Mid Jab, Stab d/f+P,P 10+20=30 M,M 13-2-28
Uppercut D,f+P 24 M 13-2-26
Elbow f+P 14 M 11-2-22
Elbow-Lunge f+P,P 14+18=32 M 27-2-26
Lunging Poke f,f+P 35 M 27-2-26
Helix b+P 19 M 16-2-27
Helix, Helix b+P,P 19+19=38 M,M 18-2-27
Hel2x SpinKick b+P,P,K 38+25=63 M,M,M 28-3-29(31)
Dashing Upper u+P+K 20 M 12-4-33(34)
Sidekick df+K 24 M 15-2-28
Knee f+K 25 M 15-2-29
Lunging Knee f,f+K 15 M 18-3-32
Double J. Kick f,f+K,K 15+20=35 M 11-2-42
Hop Kick u+K 25 M 18-4-19(29)
Hop Kick, Kick u+K,K 25+30=55 M,M 23-4-24(41)
Roll Kick u/f+K 20 M 30-6-62/49(49)
E. SideKick d/f+K+E 24 M 16-2-25
H. Lunge Sweep f,f+K+G 24 M 25-4-29(28)
Punch P 9[10] H 10-1-13[15]
Punch, Kick P,K 9+21=30 H,H 11-2-35
Punch x 2 P,P 9+10=19 H,H 9-2-18
Punch x 2, Swipe P,P,d+P 19+20=39 H,H,L 21-2-44
Punch x 3 P,P,P 19+12=31 H,H,H 9-3-39
Dodging L.Swipe d+P+E 10 H 10-1-15
Dodging Swipe f+P+E 30 H 26-7-24
Mantis Gouge f+P+K 24 H 19-3-21
Mantis Thrust b+P+K 30 H 24-4-28
Kick K 25 H 13-2-27
Kick x 2 K,K 25+20=45 H,H 16-2-33
Escape, Kick K+E 25 H 13-2-27
TA Punch b,b+P 14 H 14-2-19
TA Kick b,b+K 25 H 11-2-28
TA Swipe Kick b,b+K+G 24 H 12-2-25(31)
TT Punch P 12 H,H 12-1-1
TT Punch x 2 P,P 12+12=24 H,H 11-1-20
TT Low Swipe d+P 14 L 13-1-29
TT Low Swipe D+P 12 L 11-1-13
TT Low Kick D+K 20 L 14-2-25(36)
TT Swipe P+K 14 H 15-4-16
TT Kick K 36 H 10-2-33
Ground Attacks
===============
Heavy Pounce d,U+P 40 G 33-1-47(57)/32-3-50(57)
Ground Swipe d/f+P 12 G 17-2-52
Light Pounce u+P 30 G 47-2-47(65)/27-4-56(65)
Hop Pounce uf+K 20 G 30-6-62
Throws
=========
Basic Throw P+G 40 T 10-82-1
Ring Exchange d/f+P+G 0 T 10-39-1
Crouch Throw D,f+P+G 50 T 14-67{80}
Push Throw f,f+P+G 30+20=50 T 20-61{55}
Cat Scratch HCB+P+G xxxxxxx T 10+15+15 +30=70
Trip Throw b+P+G 30+20=50 T 20-38-1
Sky Strike Kick b,f+P+G 25+25=50 T 10-80-1
Mantischoke u/f+P+G 45 T 16-124-1
Back Throw P+G 10+15 +25=50 T-B 14-37-1
Mantis Knee P+G 10+20 +20=50 T-S 20-70-1
Wall Throw b,f+P+G 50 T-W 38-52-1
Wall Slam u/f+P+G 25+25=50 T-W 21-94-1
Movements
===========
Cartwheel d,u/b 0 Move 1-49-1
Escape Step u/b+E 0 Move 1-6-24
Set-Up Step u/f+E 0 Move 1-6-18
=========================================================================
=========
Basics
=========
The first thing that you must note is that Lion does not have the
standardized features that comprise the other Characters. The way
he stands/crouches, the way he punches/kicks, and the way he moves
are totally different. Thus, in order for you to have a grasp of
his abilities, and to maximize your own potential to use him, you
must know and understand these differences.
This means that the way which Lion engages in combat with the other
characters is totally different. Let us take Akira as an example.
Akiras would generally make use of an opportunity to deal out a
massive amount of damage with the SpoD, the DLC or reversals,
(Damage Based Character) as much as possible. This would also apply
to Wolf's Usage of the Giant Swing. ( Throw Based Character ) With
characters such as Lau or Pai, you have to utilise the various
rushes and floats possible, coupled with the PPPK canned combos to
deal out the most damage ( Combo Based Character ). In the case of
Lion however, this is not so. if Lion is utilised as a Combo Based
Character, you would note that he does not have combos that deals
damage which takes up to 40-50 % of the lifebar. If used as a Throw
Based Character, you will realise that he has no major throw which
deals similar damage.
With Jacky, sometimes, you could do f+P, K even if it is the
opponent's turn, ('i.e even if the opponent has initiative/frame
advantage on you') since he may use some slow moves to take more
damage. In such a case, you can cut in by f+P,K. Lion has two such
[fast] moves, namely f+P and d/f+P. However, the biggest difference
between Lion and Jacky with those moves is that Jacky can knock
the opponent down, while Lion has disadvantage even after those
move hit the opponent. (especially with f+P.)
It should be noted that lion does have a tiny bit of advantage if
d/f+P interrupts the enemy's attack.. enough for a free throw for
lion. So it's a good move even though it doesn't guarantee the
knockdown because you can get in a throw to knock them down :) ..
It is important to note that Lion, is in fact one of the SLOWEST
characters in terms of frame speed. His normal Punch is executed
in 10 frames, whereas with other characters, it executes in 8 or
9 frames, with the only exceptions being Jeffrey, Wolf, and
Taka-Arashi( theirs are executed in 12 frames. ) The same thing is
true with that of his side kick (d/f+K), which is executed in 15
frames. With the exception of Jeffrey and Wolf, the side kick takes
14 frames to execute. Graphically, he may look fast, but in reality,
this is not so. Against a standing & defending opponent, you can
grab him or use a low-level attack. Against a crouching & defending
opponent, you can use a middle-level attack. Then, you may wonder
when to use a high-level attack. You can use it when you start to
attack. For example, in boxing, every single boxer uses a leading
jab. So, you have to do the same thing in VF and it is effective.
When it is your turn, you can throw a punch and make the opponent
defend it. Since you have the advantage when your punch is defended,
you have choices of using a fast middle-level attack or grab
him(equally, a low-level attack.) Needless to say, you do each move
according to your guess of what your opponent is doing. If you
think he is standing, grab him. If you think he is crouching, then
you elbow. etc. It is very important to know what you are doing.
Of course, it is irritating if you lose, and you may get excited,
but even in that case, you have to know what moves you are doing.
You have to know what move you are using and you have to see how
it work. (useful, risky, etc.) And, keep in mind the information.
You have to memorize only the important moves described in the body
of this FAQ. You also have to know the moves of opponents. For
example, if you efend Jacky, Sarah, Lion and Jeffrey's knee, then
you can grab the opponent or you may use P K, but not after you
defend Akira and Wolf's You have to read it over and over until
you can do what I tell you here.
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v
The essential repertoire for Lion:
1. f+P elbow. This move comes out in 11 frames, this is one of
Lion's his best moves. However, unlike, Jacky, Kage, and Lau's
elbows, even if Lion's 6P hits, the opponent has the advantage.
So, you should not be attacking too much after it hits. If f+P
hits against a crouching opponent, then he will be staggering
momentarily. Then, you press P again. Lion will do (f+P,P) and the
second thrusting will hit as well. Then, the opponent will fall
down, and you can use d+K,K as a down attack. f+P,P -> (step
forward a little bit) d+K,K (down kick, kick)when he is crouching
2. d/f+P. Since Lion's punch is almost useless, you want to use
this instead of just P. Lion's P comes out in 10 frames, which is
one of the slowest, and d/f+P comes out in 11 frames. If this hits
as a counter, you may try to grab him right away. Technically, you
can not grab the opponent, but most likely will be stunned there.
Also, after you defend some moves such as kick and knees, then you
can do d/f+P,P and both will hit. Afterward, you use d+K,K as usual.
However, d/f+P,P by itself is not a combo. i.e. the second one will
not hit under a normal situation. Either, the first one (d/f+P)
hits as a regular counter, or hits against the opponent when he is
still in the motion of kicks or knees. Then you can do d/f+P,P. Of
course, you don't have time to see if d/f+P hits as a counter,
etc., you have to be able to tell from the situation or you just
assume it will hit as a counter. At the beginning, I recommend
you use d/f+P only, and not d/f+P,P. (If d/f+P,P is defended, you
can be grabbed.) d/f+P -> b+P+G -> d/f+P (you may use other throws
as well.) d/f+P,P -> d+K,K when he is in the motion of kicks or
knees.
3.d/f+K. The middle kick. His middle kick is one of the slowest
and it comes out in 14-15 frames. This means you do not want to
use it in the close-range fight. Instead you want to use it when
he is far.. If d/f+K hits as a counter, then, the opponent will be
in the air, right? Then you use f+P -> u/f+K(as a down attack.)
However, before you get used to it, I recommend you use just d,U+P
(a high pounce.) after d/f+K. If it hits against a crouching
opponent, he will stagger. Then, you ake a guess. If you think he
is crouching or attacking, then use f+P. (or f+P as well.) Otherwise,
step forward and grab him. (b+P+G or L/X (d/f+P+G) is preferred.
Other throws are difficult to use.) d/f+K(counter hit) -> f+P ->
u/f+K or d/f+K(counter hit) -> d,U+P (high pounce) 3K(hit against
a crouching opponent.) step forward and grab or -> f+P(d/f+P) ->
use 1. & 2. as references.
NOTE:After d/f+K, Lion switches his stance. (It may NOT mean anything
to you right now, but it has some importance.)
Especially with Lion, if you use some move, say middle kick (d/f+K)
or elbow(f+P) and it is defended and you see left leg in front, by
crouching and walking backward, Lion will switch his step. Thus,
Lion steps back more than usual, and you can dodge many attacks.
Of course, this is applicable to anyone. (Probably it's most useful
for Aoi and Lion.) However, with others, you can do the similar
thing. In a similar situation, first b+E then b/d. Then, you will
be crouching, keeping distance from the opponent. This way, you
can dodge elbows and other moves as well.
4. d/b+K. This move is a low-level attack. Lion kicks twice, so it
takes a lot of damage as a low-level attack. (usually, middle-level
attacks take more.) Also, since Lion kicks twice as he crouches,
it has a long range. Therefore, you may want to use it when the
opponent is, say 2 meters away. If you are too close, even before
Lion kicks, the opponent will hit you. (although I said d/b+K is
quick, other middle level attack such as elbows are much quicker.)
By the way, at the beginning of each round, you are 2.2 meters away
from the opponent. However, if this move is defended, you can be
low-grabbed or hit by some strong move such as Akira's [DLC] Thus,
d/b+K is a good moes, but you should not depend on it.
5.L/X ( d/f+P+G), b+P+G. Two important throws. After you grab him
with b+P+G, you can use d/f+P ground attack. b+P+G looks like P+G,
but after P+G you can NOT use d/f+P. Be careful. After you grab
him with L/X(d/f+P+G), you are at his back. Then, use d/f+PP and
then d+K,K. especially useful when you are at the edge of the ring.
Then by using L/X(d/f+P+G), you switch the place, and you can push
the opponent out of the ring.
One thing about VF3 Lion. Try to practice stepping in and stepping
back. i.e. f+E and b+E. Whenever you step forward or step back,
make sure you use f+E and b+E, not ff or bb. You have to get used
to this, since whatever you do it is crucial to adjust the distance
first. e.g. if you are going to grab him, you have to step forward.
If you think he will use some move with the short range such as
knee-kicks, then you can step back, and avoid the move or block
and punish as you wish.. Then, you may step forward and grab him
or do whatever is appropriate. etc. The reason I insist you use
f+E instead of ff is that it takes less time to use f+E than ff.
For the VF3 motherboard, it takes only 1 frames to recognize f+E,
but it takes at least 3 frames to recognizes ff, since it first
recognizes f, then recognizes that the level is neutral, and then
f again. (this is at fastest. For a person to do ff, it takes more
than 3 frames.) Other reason is that I think you may make more
mistakes when you try ff instead of f+E. Of course, you don't want
to make a mistake when you want to step back or step in.
Flow Of The Game
How do you know when it is your turn to attack ?
At the start of the each round, both players are at a neutral
position, neither having any advantage over the other player. Once
the fight starts however, there WILL always be ONE who has the
advantage. A simple example:Lion attacks, and the opponent successfully
guards ( blocks ) it, then he has the advantage. Even if both of
you are using the same character, and both of you execute the same
move at the same time, his move will hit you, and yours would not
hit. When your move has been guarded , it may not necessarily be
a good idea to keep attacking. Sometimes, it may be necessary for
you to go from offensive to defensive instead. Lion's choices here
are guard, escape or ungrab(throw reversal).
Once the opponent has the advantage, you would have to guess at
what he will do. If you think he is going to use a middle level
attack, then defend against it. Once it is blocked, then the
advantage is yours since it would be your turn to attack. If you
think he is going to use a low level attack, do the same thing.
Crouch and defend. If you think that he is going for a throw, then
use an attack. By attacking, you cannot be grabbed. So you should
not go trying to throw an opponent who is attacking you with a
frenzy. Finally, if you think that he is going to use a slow attack,
then you should use a quick attack such as a punch or elbow to cut
it. These are the usual cases,there are exceptions, such as a punch
or (d/f+P) which can maintain your turn and interupt a throw attempt.
Be sure to read the fuzzy guard section to learn another throw
interrupt tactic that is important.
===========================
Advanced Techniques
===========================
Throw Escape Tactics
What is Throw Escape(ungrab) ? The Throw Escape has it origin's
from the old VF2 days, where a Basic Throw ( P+G ), can be broken
( In other words, you prevent yourself from being thrown by the
opponent ) by inputting a (P+G) command. In VF3, you can prevent
yourself from being thrown and throw your opponent as a counter
attack to their throw attempt. P+G throw has precedence over complex
throws. When you do a P+G throw at the same time as someone executing
a b+P+G throw, the P+G throw would win out against the more complex
throw. However, do note that you can not escape a Side Throw, or
a Back Throw. ( Back Throws can only be broken and retailated by
Shun. ) and that Wall Throws can only be escapable in VF3TB.
Now, let us go into the details of HOW to Throw Escape. The Basic
concept of Throw Escaping is just the simple keying in of the same
movement of the throw that you want to escape. An example of this
would be that You are being thrown by Jeffrey's Splash Mountain.
( d/f, d/f+PG ), so to successfully throw escape, input the same
commands for the throw. In this instance d/f+P+G.
What about thirl and Hurl and other throws that spin thru half a
circle?
You might be wondering, okay, so if Wolf does a HCB+P+G on Lion,
I wouldn't have enough frame time to do a HCB+P+G when I SEE it
coming, so how am I going to throw escape ? You do NOT have to
input EVERY command of the throw for the more complex throws, such
as HCB+P+G, simply input (f,b+P+G ) the first and last directional
commands. Let us see how this simpler Throw Escape Method Works.
If Lion does his Face Grab (HCB+P+G), using the basic method, you
would input f,b+P+G. For throws like Jeffrey's Splash Mountain
(d/f, d/f+P+G ), can be broken by a simple d/f+P+G. Low Throws such
as d/f+P+K+G, is broken by d/f+P+K+G, and Stumble Throws can be
broken by b,d+P+G. You input the last directional command of the
throw used. Of course, the actual direction used depends on which
side you are facing.
And HOW do we apply the Throw Escape in actual combat ? Well,
simply, when you think the opponent is going to throw you with a
f,b+P+G, then you input b+P+G to prevent from being thrown.
What are the dynamics of ungrab (throew escape and what is a the
triple escape?
When you try to ungrab, you can use P or d/f+P (or any other
move),P+G, then ungrab. (that's what you call the triple ungrab.)
You wrote that we could do P, reverse, ungrab. This is NOT true.
Even if you do P, reverse, and ungrab, the reverse you do will
never work, since you are doing something to attack before the
reverse. I think the basic technique for the throw escape is : P
(d/f+P or other fast move) P+G ungrab, or defense ungrab. Then, a
little bit advanced technique is escape defense ungrab. I wouldn't
use it very much in VF3, but you can use it in certain occasions.
Say, Wolf' low kick hits you as a counter, then you have to guess
whether he will try to grab you or try to hit you with the short
shoulder attack (or knee blast) then you can 'escape, defense
ungrab' But you have to know which way to dodge. i.e. you have to
dodge towards Wolf's back. Otherwise, even if you dodge, Wolf's
short shoulder attack will hit you. There are other situations
where you can apply this. (I won't write it up.) Other technique
is, especially with Lion, if you use some move, say middlek or
elbow and it is defended. If you see left leg in front, by crouching
and walking backward, Lion will switch his step.
Thus, Lion steps back more than usual, and you can dodge many
attacks. Of course, this is applicable to anyone. (Probably it's
most useful for Aoi and Lion.) However, with others, you can do
the similar thing. In a similar situation, first b+E then b/d.
Then, you will be crouching, keeping distance from the opponent.
This way, you can dodge elbows and other moves as well. Lion has
u/f+E. After you do this, you can cancel the motion by doing f+E,
b/u+E, b+E. Regularly, it is ot useful to combine u/f+E with others
in this way. When you want to run away from the opponent, you can
first turn back and dof/u+E,f+E,u/f+E,f+E... But you wouldn't want
to do this normally. Other situation is when the opponent is lying
on the ground and you are close by, say after you use b+P+G. then
you can use the techinique I mentioned before,i.e. turn back by b
b+P, step forward, then turn back by E in a right direction, then
you can dodge the opponent's rising attack, high or low. You can
as well use b b+P to turn back then u/f+E to dodge the kick (high
or low) by getting farther, then you can cancel the motion by
b+E(i.e. you are getting close to the opponent.) Then, you can do
something. Of course, this is not useful, but to make fun of the
opponent, you can do it. Also, say you are fighting against Akira
and you are far from him. Then, you can turn back by b b+P. If he
uses fff+P or even dashing towards you, you can use u/f+E, b+E(or
u/b+E) a couple of times. If you do it at the right moment, you
can get his back and grab him from his back. (By getting far from
him and wating there, first make him irritated.) Of course, this
does not work all the time in the sense that you can not always
guess when Akira will come to you. But it works. By the way, in
TB, you can not cancel the motion of u/f+E. About the usage of
f+P+E, say after a successful throw like P+G, right? Another reason
you want to use it when the opponent gets up is, if he hits you
with his high rising kick and if you are still facing him you can
grab(throw) him. If you are facing back, you can be grabbed. It's
not useful since it is not guaranteed, but you can do it to have
fun.
Differences of opinions seem common in this game. Can you give us
an example of something in ths FAQ that you wholeheartedly disagree
with?
Hmm, the info given is really basic. So, even if you know and even
if you can do all of these, it doesn't mean you can play VF3 or tb
well. Personally, I don't know who wrote it, but the level of the
fighting seems to be pretty low. (For example, he even said "the
most dangerous Lau's garb is b,d+P+G." No way. The only thing Lau
can do for sure after that is b,f+P d+K, step forward, d/f+K, which
does not take much. Also, if you ungrab this, you can garb Lau from
his side. So, there is no way that this can be the strongest throw
of his. It's hard to recover from it?! Well, if he can do what he
wrote for recovering, he should be able to recover and defend Lau's
b,b+P or d/f+P+K. If Lau doesn't do anything after this thorw and
try to get close to you, then recover and do 'hitting ungrab' or
something.) I don't want to say too much about it, but sometimes,
it irritates me to see people show his knowledge as if it were
everything. And actually, many a beginners believe it to be so!
It may not be so obvious, but going crazy on the controls does make
a difference in the speed your character recovers from staggers,
and stumble throws. This may not sound so important, but when you
want to be good, the margin gained recovery time is incredibly
vital. Let us take this scenario for example: Akira does his b,d+P+G
throw on you, unless you recover, a f,f+K will connnect resulting
in a DLC air combo. Half your life is gone. Now had you recovered,
you would be able to block the single jump kick.
So how exactly do you recover? Well what you do is you rotate the
joystick in circles and rapidly (rather, frantically is more like
it) and keep pressing at all four buttons repeatedly. However, to
be on the safer side, hold the guard (G) button down so you won't
accidentally crouch or do a move you didn't intend, but recovery
time seems to be a bit slower this way. Another application of
recovering is whenever you get staggered by your opponent. For
example, your character is crouching and your opponent, Kage, does
an elbow. It hits and you stagger backwards. In this case, unless
you "recover," Kage is guaranteed an automatic throw (you'd have
to use double or triple escape). But if you recover, you might be
fast enough (or your opponent slow enough) to buffer in a punch or
a move that will interrupt Kage or result him in whiffing his throw.
What are a few basic evasion considerations?
Evading Attacks, would normally be thought of as simply taping the
E button, u/b+E or u/f+E to evade an opponent's rush. Let us go
further into the ADVANCED possibilities of Evade Attacks, instead
of just pressing a button. Evade Attacks, are attacks which can
both EVADE an opponent's attack, and counter the said attack. For
example, if you know your opponent is going to do a down kick, and
you simply do a sidekick (d/f+k) against the down kick where you
should successfully staggger your opponent, and then the various
possibilities depend on you and how you want to go about it. In
effect, you have predicted that the opponent would do a low level
attack, which you then "counter" with an attack that both evaded
the low level blow and initiate your own attack at the same time.
Another example is Wolf's short shoulder (b,f+P+K). This move will
actually make Wolf temporarily evade a high punch (when done at
the right time). The ability to anticapate is a sign of an good
player, so if you think you're good, then let's see those evade
attacks. Opponent doing a high attack? Try d/f_K+G and then throw
or u+K.
"Fuzzy Guard" is a G-cancelled kick. Naturally the question comes
into mind, how am I going to use this Fuzzy Guard ? Well, in VF3,
this technique has two main applications. First, the same principle
could be used to guard against two forms of attack. An example
would be with Pai's rushing in, and you don't know if she's going
to DDT ( b+P+G ) or try to sidekick interrupt. So you G-Cancel a
kick to avoid the throw. The advantage to do this is that if they
tried to throw, they would get a missed throw animation, and you
can throw back.
The second application is a little more complicated. If your opponent
is slow to recover on a move, and knows it, they are more than
likely going to try and reverse your favorite throw when you come
in. Naturally you would like to avoid this, and get that throw in.
The best way is to throw off their reversal timing. Let us take
this scenario for an example. You KG ( G - Cancelled your kick ),
with your opponent having a missed throw animation. Your opponent,
anticipating a retaliation throw, attempted a throw reversal, and
AGAIN got a missed throw animation. NOW you throw them since the
opponent would have been thrown off their timing.
"Attacking a Rising Opponent. " or, more commonly referred to as
the "Art Of Applying Pressure To A Downed Opponent. " In this
segment of the FAQ, we focus on the application of Lion in Okiseme.
So what should Lion do to effectively Okiseme his opponent ? The
most basic option available, would usually be to throw the opponent
after blocking a Rising Kick, but that in itself is not really
considered to be a form of Okiseme. Okiseme entails several
categories, such as using the several Stepping Methods such as the
Korean Step, New Taiwan Step, and Lion's very own Lion Step, to
DODGE rising kicks. We could also choose to ATTACK rising kicks,
or we could use a go behind or back turned technique. With Lion
having no Reversals of his own, Okiseme is a very important aspect
of Lion Gameplay. However, do not think that Okiseme is a technique
easily mastered, contrary to that, timing is essential, and it
consists of a LARGE portion of gameplay in VF. You would have to
practise many, MANY times before you get it, especially when it
comes to the more Advanced Okiseme Techniques.
In the VF3 engine, there are several ways to do a rising kick. We
do the Normal Rising Kick by taping K, while rising, resulting in
a swinging kick, we could delay by waiting for the character to
rise first, then taping K for a Delayed Mid Rising Kick, in Jacky
and Sarah's case, we can do a u/f+K rising kick where they use both
legs to do their rising kick, or, when your characters legs are
closer to the opponent, there is what is termed, "Back Rising Kick",
which is executed in the same way as the Normal Rising Kick. Here
we will analysis how to apply the techniques mentioned in the
previous paragraph.
Attacking Rising Kicks, is a basic technique. We simply utilise
various attacks which can NEUTRALIZE the opponent's rising kick.
Getting real close and blocking is the most basci tactic. You can
and should throw your opponent after blocking a high rising kick.
What are the moves that are possible ? Hop Kicking, using attacks
such as Lion's Handstand Kicks ( d/b+K ), Low Side Swipe ( d+P+E
), and High Sweep Kick ( f,f+K+G ) are examples of such attacks.
We divide up the usage of different attacks for different rising
kicks into High, Mid and Low Rising Kicks, and go into details of
the moves used when we talk about these two types. But how DO we
deal effectively with Rising Kicks ? In the following analysis of
applying the various attacks on Rising Kicks, let us take Jacky as
the opponent.
Another interesting technique is to knee (f+K) -over- the low rising
kick. It actually looks more like you go right through it. It
doesn't hit, though, so follow-ups are up to you... they are low,
and nothing is guaranteed. For up-close high rising kicks, (this
is kind of an expert technique, though) ducking right next to your
opponent and interrupting (!!!) the high rising kick is possible
with D_f+P, amazingly enough. This sets up a float, the best answer
to which is f,f+KK, but you can do whatever you'd like. :> For
either rising kick, further away, stay -just- outside rising kick
range, and either dash in and throw (for high kicks) or sidekick-pounce
(for lows). If your opponent gets up without a rising kick, then
they will inevitably be vulnerable for a split second after they
get to their feet, during which they cannot (!!) block. u+P+K, d+KK
seems to be the most logical line of attack. The only way to avoid
this vulnerability period is to kip (tap E), but this has the
disadvantage of -never- being able to use a rising kick. If your
opponent rolls towards you, b,d/f+P... d+K+G... d+P+K or low punch...
will all hit them.
Low Jump Kicks ( d,u, pause, K or d, u/f, pause, K ). One of the
simplest, yet most unused attacks in VF. Yet, it is ideal for
dealing with Rising Kicks. In particular, LOW Rising Kicks. Note
that Low Jump Kicks ( Hereby abbreviated as LJK ) can NOT be applied
to HIGH Rising Kicks, due to the fact that the time taken for a
LJK to be executed is longer than the High Rising Kick's execution
time, making it unviable. ( You would get knocked out of the sky
) While the LJK is of the simplest forms of Okiseme, it is not the
safest. In order to effectively utilise the LJK, you must be
EXTREMELY CERTAIN that the opponent will do a LOW Rising Kick. Of
course, another point is that you should NOT do it TOO QUICKLY. If
you are facing an opponent who knows how to delay his Rising Kick,
you would be leaving yourself WIDE OPEN. Now, let us take an example
of how the JLK should be used.
Lion has been expecting Jacky to do a Low Rising Kick, and so does
a LJK ( d,u, pause, K or d, u/f, pause, K ). In accordance to plan,
Jacky does indeed, do a Low Rising Kick. Lion, in the midst of his
jump, would have hoped above the Low Rising Kick, and the ensuing
kick, would be right into Jacky's face. =) The option's after that
would naturally be his u/f+K followup.
The Low Hoping Fist ( d,u+P or d,u/f+P ) is the same as the LJK.
Its a hoping Punch instead of a Kick. Its usage is EXACTLY the SAME
as the LJK. However, you do have to take note that the Low Hop Fist
is takes a slightly LONGER time to execute than the LJK.
What attacks should we use for neutralizing High Rising Kicks ?
They consist of the Dodging Low Swipe ( d+P+E ), the Elbow, ToD
(f+P,P), the Low Lunging Poke ( b, d/f+P ), Lunging Sweep ( d/f+K+G
), and the Low Sweep ( d+K+G ). The ones for Low Rising Kicks are
his Handstand Kicks ( d/b+K ), the Hop Kick ( u+K ), and the Hop
Pounce (d/f+K). The following are several situations where Lion
can effectively use these moves to attack Low Rising Kicks.
High Rising Kick Attacks :-
Dodging Low Swipe ( d+P+E )
Timing is EXTREMELY CRUCIAL for this move in order to be effective.
This move ideally, should be executed once you see the High Rising
Kick coming, such that it would go nicely UNDER the Rising Kick
and swipe your opponent off his feet. Of course, this is only if
the Timing Requirements are met. Okay, now for the example. Lion
has knocked Jacky onto the floor with a previous move, and moves
towards Jacky's prone body as CLOSE as he possibly could. Jacky
rolls either to the side or towards Lion ( this move would apply
to either case. ) Now, Lion is ANTICIPATING Jacky to do a HIGH
Rising Kick. Seeing Jacky rise, and upon seeing ( Graphically )
the initial movements of Jacky's Rising Kick, Lion does the Dodging
Low Swipe ( d+P+E ), and having predicted the Rising Kick correctly,
Swipes Jacky back onto the floor again. Options after that is the
Ground Swipe ( d/f+P ), or Okiseme the opponent again. Note that
a Hop Pounce ( u/f+K ) would MISS the opponent and you would recover
AFTER the opponent Rises. Low Lunging Poke ( b,d/f+P )
Lunging Low Sweep ( d/f+K+G )
For this move, there's only a Timing Requirement, but even then,
its not so demanding. =) Lion does the Lunging Low Sweep, and should
ideally, go under Jacky's High Rising Kick, knocking him down again.
Options would be doing a Double Low Kick ( d+K,K ) immediately
after. And if you're feeling daring enough, you could always add
in a Hop Pounce ( u/f+K ) for additional damage. =)
This is one of nycat's favorites.
Low Rising Kick Attacks :-
Handstand Kick ( d/b+K )
Just as Jacky does his LOW Rising Kick, Lion executes the Handstand
Kick (d/b+K). Timing is, again, EXTREMELY crucial when you are
doing this. The Handstand Kick lifts Lion's body off the ground,
all except for one hand, which causes the Low Rising Kick to go
UNDER Lion's body. Lion's kicks, in turn would interrupt Jacky's
kick, resulting in a knockdown. You can then opt for a Hop Pounce
( u/f+K ) followup, or another Okiseme.
Hop Kick ( u+K )
Just as Jacky does his Low Rising Kick, Lion does a Hop Kick ( u+K
). Timing and distance is a little bit more flexible here, but
still crucial. Again, as with the Drill Kicks, Lion hops above the
Low Rising Kick, and kicks Jacky in the midst of his rising kick.
This also results in a knockdown. Again, followups such as Hop
Pounce ( u/f+K ), Light Pounce ( u+P ), or the Heavy Pounce ( d,u+P
) are possible. If you wish, you can attempt to Okiseme again.
The Lion Step
Allow me to introduce Lion's step. only Lion has this special step
ability..
it's really weird ability. I think (imho) that the VF3 producing
team should have removed it, but they missed it.(so they'll debug
it after team battle version maybe*shrug*) but it really is so much
more worth than a bug.It is really of strategic value. That step
is combination of backward sidestep & forward sidestep; u/b+E &
u/f+E and it is one example of Korean step. the combination is
like that,
E -> u/f+E -> f+E-> u/b+E F+E -> u/f+E -> u/b+E f+E -> u/f+E ->
f+E -> u/b+E >f+E -> b+E -> u/f+E -> u/b+E
and numerous combination exist.
There is just one principle. Lion's two sidestep can be cancelled
very easily. I mean that there is some frame stag(?) after any
skills. you cannot move by two same sidestep without frame delay.
No other character can escape twice fast. but Lion can!
Here is one example and it's very cool pattern. b,b+k -> b+E ->
u/b+E -> E -> u/f+E -> u/b+E ..... input this command as possible
as you can and you can move very quickly and it can embarrass you
match player(opponent) I hope your banana fingers allow you to
practice this eye-candy. If not, you should ask Choonghong Oh To
demonstrate for you. We have heard about the man you call "HIRO"
here in Korea from visitors. You are fortunate to have a person of
his skill level who is willing to teach . many accomplished players
are afraid to show any ideas here is hoping you have many an
interesting VF plays.
==================================================
Any other advise for my beginning play?
In beginning at fighting game, please use attack skills more than
guarding or escaping ones. I recommended leaping drill hand(u+p+k)
& flash sky kick(u/f+k). The leaping drill hand is a good middle-point
skills. ------------------- Today I recommend another good skill.
It is the drill kick.(1k) It is most useful lower-point skill on
lion. ----------- In your turn, do attacks. (see Hiro's article
on whose turn...) But in your opponent's turn, you should guard
his/her(^.^) attack. If it is a kind of upper or middle-point
skills, you should guard as standing. If it is a kind of lower-point
skills, you should do as crouching. So the basic strategy in attack
is the choice between middle-point and lower-point skills. On the
beginner, lower-point skills work very well. Lion's useful
lower-point skills.... orbit leg-front sweep kick(2 k k) drill
kick(1 k) swift earth sweep(d/f k+g) etc... after these skills,
your opponent is going to go down. Remember u/f+k as down-attack.
then, enjoy your Lion's play. ^^
==================================================
I did some reading about Korean Step very early on in VF3, but I
really didn't do a heck of a lot of thinking about it, so I hope
this discusion helps. Mostly what I've thought of so far is ways
of incorporating the different possibilities of dodging and crouch
dashing, to best maximize Lion's ability >to get the hell out of
the way. ;> Here's what I have so far: E = dodge in[to the screen]
d+E = dodge out d/f,D/F = crouch dash [in] ...or... CD u/f+E =
Lion's "in-slide" dodge u/b+E = Lion's "out-slide" dodge A lot of
this has been documented before, but let's get it all in one place
>:> * Lion's u/f+E is *always* towards the opponent's front leg
first, then alternates sides. If you tap G, you will return to
dodging towards the front leg if you do u/f+E again. Lion's u/b+E
is *always* "backwards", towards the side of Lion's front leg. *
Lion's u/f+E can be cancelled into a u/b+E, E or d+E * E or d+E
can be cancelled into a Crouch Dash * Crouch Dashes can be g-cancelled
What I've been doing lately is u/f+E -> E or d+E, with the dodge
pushing Lion further in the direction of the first dodge. So, for
example, if his opponent's front leg is closer to the front of the
screen, u/f+E -> d+E would put you (almost) twice as far as a
double-dodge. Korean step, as it has been interpreted in Montreal,
is repeated g-cancelled Crouch Dashes into dodges into g-cancelled
crouch dashes, etc etc. The net result is that you have a madly
sidestepping character, who is also crouching half of the time.
This makes throwing them (which is usually the big weakness of
dodging) very very hard.
NOW... for Lion, it doesn't seem worthwhile to do something extra,
like G-cancelled CD -> u/f+E -> Dodge -> G-cancelled CD... mostly
because it's an extra step that just complicates things. What's
more, it doesn't necessarily make the Korean Step more efficient.
But, of course, that's just an opinion. :>
Could you explain about stance?
If you'd like something a little more practical, if you hold d/b,
or b, or f, or d/f, your character will "snap" back into closed
stance, if they're in open stance. Now... if you hit f or d/f,
that back leg in open stance will move forwards to close the stance
like this: o x o x
^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v
However, if you hit b, or d/b, the *front* leg in open stance will
move *back* in order to close the stance: o x o x See the difference?
If you hit b or d/b, you will "slide" into a closed stance that's
much further away from your opponent. One guy (can't recall his
name) called this "the Zap". *shrug* It's just a natural tendency
to close stance... most people have it. :> Anyhow, this means that
what you can do is do a move, in (or into!) open stance, where you
can't get as close as closed stance, then "zap" down and back into
a far away crouch. This can help you avoid quick counters like
elbows and jabs. What's more, the same guy who coined the phrase
"zap" also suggested attacking straight out of the zap to counter
(or interrupt!) the attacking opponent.
Try it... on the opening bell, your stance is closed. Sidekick
(this will leave you with an open stance), then hold d/b... you'll
see Lion "slide" back into a very comfortable distance. This can
actually be repeated: d/f+K, D/B, d/f+K, D/B. Because you slide
back into a crouch, the Stepping Uppercut (FC, f+P) also becomes
an option. What's more, the Stepping Uppercut *also* changes your
stance, so FC, f+P, D/B, f+P, D/B... etc... is also something you
can do. Should that uppercut float, tada!... combo. :>
Please tell me about "delay" tactics. Are these really important
for Lion?
I hope to introduce 'delay' strategy today. A good example for
explain that strategy is the 'mantis kick combo'( b+p,b+p,b+k) of
lion. They are composed with three skills. You may command it
straight-forwardly. But you can insert some lag-time among these
skills. That is, please input 3 commands at little time intervals.
b+p, b+p,...b+k Your matches might be hit by this trick. Lion has
so many good combos which has 'delay' properties. axe blade end
combo(f,f+k,k) spinning wind kick-control kick(u+k,k) orbit leg-front
sweep kick(d+k,k) Especially, the second is one of the most useful
and practical skill. It is double middle-points combo. But it
needs some more practice. If your match guards it's first attack,
your lion will be frozen, stick on earth, and be attacked by your
match. But it will be overcome by lag-command input. First, do
u+k, and though it is blocked, do u+k again after little delay.
Then your lag will be cancelled. Because it(spinning wind kick-control
kick) can overcome the lag time, it is a very worth attack skill.
Note: that this doesn't stop the opponent's throw if that's what
they try to do immediately. It only works if they try a counterattack.
It may take you some time to use it without any problems. Please
take your time and enjoy. If it is too difficult to you, start it
over. I will introduce 'cancel' strategy to you. Lion's u/f+E is
*always* towards the opponent's front leg first, then alternates
sides. If you tap G, you will return to dodging towards the front
leg if you do u/f+E again. >>
8) we now have the 'step' as done by the MVP of Midnight VF club
whom, regularly watches "Akira Kid" do his 'step'! Ah... perfect.
I got to see it when it first hit the continent, back in Toronto.
It was passed on to some big guns here in Montreal, and it was used
quite frequently... until they realized they didn't know how to
use it usefully. ;> Could you think of a few things that are a bit
more practical for the Newbie? If you'd like something a little
more practical, if you hold d/b, or b, or f, or d/f, your character
will "snap" back into closed stance, if they're in open stance.
This was first revealed on the Official Sega character guide tapes.
Question: is it true that Lion can only be counted on to throw
>successfully from a closed stance? Nope. Big lie. :> It's harder,
yes, but not impossible. Do you remember me mentioning that f,f+P+G
could be used to get in really close to throw?... That's a good
tool to use when you recognize (if you have that split-second
recognition for these things like I don't =P) that you're open
stance. Try it... on the opening bell, your stance is closed.
Sidekick (this will leave you with an open stance), then hold d/b...
you'll see Lion "slide" back into a very comfortable distance. >>
8) BigCat, have you had a chance to try?: >[reformatted] E > u/f+E
> f+E > u/b+E f+E > u/f+E > u/b+E f+E > u/f+E > f+E > u/b+E f+E >
b+E > u/f+E > u/b+E [snip] Nope... none of these. They make sense,
though. It's the same concept as what I mentioned in the whole KS
blurb I spewed before... certain dodges cancel into others. or:
b,b+K>b+E>u/b+E>E>u/f+E>u/b+E: the so called "embarrass your oppo.
KS" set-up?
What is Lion's best bet to evade and counter attack?
Your best bet to "embarrass your opponent" is to use a simple E or
d+E dodge to get around them. If they do a big move, and you E at
the same time, you'll do a "super E", where you'll dodge much
further. I don't know if you've ever noticed that phenomenon at
long ranges... you'll tap E and go FLYING forwards on an angle. I
believe that's why sometimes when you dodge a move, you can get a
side or back throw, since the normal E doesn't put you very far
off the axis. I tried to transpose the numerical system preferred
in Korea into your( our) preferred representational system...
> anyhow, have you guys tried playing more with hop kicks? the d,uf
<pause> k...if you MC with it, you can get the largest combos..if
you just hit it knocks down, and if its blocked you're not in too
bad of a position initiative wise..though of course you can see it
coming from a mile away...
also it should be noted that any player that pokes a lot with P,G
or PP will hit these out of the air, and then the opponent is
floating for a big combo finisher or heavy pounce. So it's dangerous
but stylish and okay otherwise.
So much that you can practically avoid any attack you want and make
life miserable for your opponent correct ? Well, luck you then. =)
Though the Lion Step is simple, there are variations and modifications
to it that gives Lion its reputation for being an Okiseme machine.
The only problems being that the modifications added to it makes
the amount of inputs to be added a lot longer. But these modifications
STILL makes it a lot SIMPLER to do than Korean Stepping all over
the place.
Now, let us go into the more complex version of a constant Stepping
variation. You should also note the that 2 unique Lion Escape steps
move in different directions. So here is a combination that is more
commonly used. The Basic Intergration of the Lion Step into the
Korean Step starts by pressing E, d/f+E, f+E, u/b+E. Now, for the
FULL combination pattern. Press E, d/f+E, f+E, u/b+E, f+E, d/f+E,
u/b+E, f+E, d/f+E, f+E, u/b+E, f+E, b+E, d/f+E, u/b+E. Of course,
there are numerous combinations, but this is probably one of the
simplest. =)
Let us now talk about a PRACTICAL situation where the Modified Lion
Step can be used. Lion does a Double Kick ( f,f+K,K ), then a b+E,
u/b+E, E, d/f+E, u/b+E. To do this efficiently, you should input
this command as fast as you possibly can, and you will be able to
get Lion in a fast movement, which circles around the opponent.
Going Behind and Back Turned techniques
Going behind in VF3 usually involves hopping over an opponent using
a special move while they are either down, rolling or beginning a
rising kick. But with Lion it is alittle different. Many different
scenarios are possible resulting in both advantaged AND disadvantaged
positions after you have slipped behind or turned your back. The
ideal result is to confuse the rising fighter's stance when he has
risen such that he is facing away from you after the Rising Attacks.
Then lion aacn srike or throw! Lion has several options for back
turned or going behind tactics.
One form of Going Behind for Lion is done in the following manner.
After Lion's P+G throw, E, f+P+E. The E is used to close in the
distance from the Opponent, and f+P+E would being you behing the
opponent's back ONLY if the opponent rolls to the side before doing
the rising attack.
The Second form is done After b+P+G, close the gap between Lion
and the opponent by doing multiple dashes or simply b,b+P. Then
press E. Lion can then end up behind the opponent. And do not forget
to practice with d+P+E it is effective against both a low rising
attack and a high rising attack.
You have a fair number of options in VF3 with your back turned:
* Dodging is interesting. E or d+E (or u/b+E, back being towards
-your- back) will dodge, but also turn you around. If you can time
your dodge well, you can often throw, side throw, or even back
throw afterwards. One trick I heard that works particularly well
is if you know which direction you need to dodge for rising kicks,
do so with your back turned. I hear that's much more effective. In
that case, you'd often forgo combo follow-ups in favour of a simple
b,b+K or b,b+P to turn yourself around, then maybe dash towards
them (with your back still turned - we'll discuss this later) *
Dodging part 2 is even -more- interesting. u/f+G will dodge but
you will keep your back turned. This distinction is important to
make, since the follow-ups for your dodge will be DRASTICALLY
different. (i.e. you can't throw =P) There are two other ways of
dodging and keeping your back turned, both of which are quite neat:
- d+K+E (yes, Kick + Dodge) will do a normal low swipe kick, but
in the wrong direction. Because Lion (and Shun, by the way) are
very close to the ground on their low kicks, this will dodge a LOT
of things, simply because they're low, and (in Lion's case) because
you take a step away from them. Most mid-level attacks will miss
over your head, or just behind it.
- K+E,G performs a dodge, then kick, and G will cancel the kick.
This is unique in that the K+E with your back turned will dodge,
then kick =away= from your opponent, the same way as d+K+E. As
well, this dodge is a very low dodge, that ducks underneath all
high attacks. This is, by the way, with your back turned or otherwise,
the only way to "dodge" a crescent kick... otherwise, its arc of
attack is so wide that it will always hit a dodger (escaper).
* Following up... is much harder than it was in VF2. TT d+K isn't
nearly as powerful as it was in VF2, and doesn't have the pounce
potential. I find the best follow-up is d/f+P. This produces an
ultra-quick recovery jab that pulls your opponent -into- you, the
same way the P+K from b,b+K, P+K does. If you dodge an attack and
counter with this, or just interrupt the attack with it, then it
sets up the same sort of guessing game as d/f+P, only you don't
have the canned follow-up. When people start attacking mid or low
after d/f+P, I'd suggest u+P+K as a follow-up, in direct substation
for the d/f+PP.
Throws
One of the advantages that Lion has is his variety of throws. Two
of the strongest throws are his HCB+P+G, and his D,f+P+G, ( aka
FC,f+P+G throw ), which used alone are able to deal up to 40% of
the lifebar. Now, let us focus on EACH individual throw, and their
tactical advantages for each throw.
Basic Throw ( P+G )
Lion's Basic Throw. Lion rushes up to the opponent, and trips them.
Easily executed, and with a priority given to it by the VF3
Programmers, Escaping this throw would probably be second nature
with expert players, but it is STILL, nonetheless a decent option
against intermediate players who haven't mastered Double Escapes
( See Later Segments )and Escape-Reversals/Attacks/Guards. ( See
Earlier Notes. ) Tactically, it is a throw which is fast enough if
you are running out of time. Of course, it is also a throw to use
when you expect the opponent to Escape a more complex throw. There
is no follow-up for Lion's Basic Throw. After this bread and butter
throw try a b,b+P and thenE as they are rising and then throw or
f+P or d/f+K to start some more fun.
Mantis Choke ( u/f+P+G )
Lion hops on the opponent's torso, using his weight to force the
opponent them onto the floor by making them lose their balance. He
lands on top of the opponent in a semi sitting position. He sits
there
for a second before rolling off. Tactically, it is a good throw
because most players do not expect a u/f direction throw, and so,
is really rarely escaped, but has a lack of suitable followups. As
a wall throw, it allows a Ground Swipe ( d/f+P ) followup, and also
gives psychological advantage, after all, if you were SKILLED /
LUCKY enough to successfully pull off a wall throw, In the opponent's
mind, you MUST be good.. Also, because it takes so long to finish,
it may be a decent option to win by Time Out. A scenario would be,
say against damage crazy characters, like Akira, getting off the
Mantis Choke on him with 5 seconds left before Time Out, makes his
life REALLY DIFFICULT. With the time remaining, there is NO way
that he could pin a high damage move such as an SpoD, or Shoulder
Ram, DLC combo. ( Unless you're REALLY CARELESS ) If, after the
Mantis Choke, and time is NOT out yet, a possible d+K could be used
to guard against an opponent rolling towards you or a take-off kick
if used sporadically.
Push Throw ( f,f+P+G )
Lion uses his arms and shoulders to "push" the opponent away from
him, resulting in the opponent being flipped away in a spin onto
the floor. Tactically, it is useful as a Ring Out Throw, as it
covers a LOT of distance. If whiffed or reversed it leaves Lion
wide open for a wide variety of attacks. It a has a pretty good
followup potential, as a Ground Swipe ( d/f+P ) is virtually
guaranteed. Lion's Hop Pounce ( u/f+K ) followup is also pretty
viable.
Trip Throw ( b+P+G )
Lion grabs on to his opponent's arm, and trips the opponent by
kicking his/her legs out from under him/her. Another fast throw.
Tactically, it can again be used to bring the damage that tad bit
closer if you are about to lose, or it can be used to add more
serious damage to the opponent in an event that time is running
out. However, other than a fast execution, that seems to be it. If
the throw was escaped, Lion is thrown towards the other side.
Furthermore, Lion would have an AWFUL recovery time, so long that
before you could do anything, the opponent would have hit you
first.It is also VERY dangerous when Lion is near the edge of a
ring, since an escaped throw would send Lion being flung out of
the ring. If this throw was reversed near a wall, and your opponent
is a Jeffrey......... Well..... be prepared to see Lion eat a Back
Throw. Do not forget to follow-up with d/f+P.
Sky Strike Kick ( b,f+P+G )
Lion hops onto the opponent's shoulder and kicks the opponent's
back to "launch" himself into the sky in a "Reach For The Sky" or
"Superman" pose, while the opponent smashed into the ground face
first. Though spectacular in its execution, tactically, it has
hardly another other use other than a Wall Throw. After the Wall
Throw, an immediate Pounce ( u+P / d,u+P ) is possible.
Face Grab ( HCB+P+G )
Lion hops onto the opponent's thighs, and proceeds to "gouge" the
opponent's eyes out. Known affectionately as the Monkey Bite(
Singapore) in the old VF2 days. =) This throw is one of Lion's MOST
damaging and stylish throws. An intersting followup would be Lion's
Hop Pounce ( d/f+K ). The most consistant follow-up is a dash
followed by d/f+P.
Crouch Throw ( D,f+P+G, / FC, f+P+G )
From a crouched position lion grabs the opponent's wrists and uses
the leverage to hoist himself up while still remaining hunched. He
then plants one foot on the opponent's upper leg and uses his
temporary footing to backflip off of the opponent, striking them
in the chest or face with his other foot as he does so. This throw's
damage potential is as high, if not better than the Cat Scratch.
As a followup, when the opponent lands on his back, his legs bounce
up for a second. During that short time lion can follow up by
striking their legs a Double Low Kick ( d+K,K ). A Low Kick, Followup
is also possible, although the Followup is less likely if you Double
Low Kick first. Another possibility is a Down Kick ( d+K ), then
a Hop Pounce ( d/u+K ) followup. If Lion is on a Higher Angulation,
a Heavy Pounce ( d,u+P ) is possible. This throw, however, is
escapable by a b,f+P+G or a f,f+P+G throw escape.
L/X ( d/f+P+G )
Lion dives in between the opponent's legs to land BEHIND the
opponent. No damage done, but this opens the situation into a
guessing game for your opponent. You can then decide between
defensive, offensive, or adopt a wait and see attitude. This move
has an EXTREMELY WIDE potential for rush developement, since there's
almost no limit to what you can do to attack your opponent.
At that point, your opponent has to choose quickly between an
offensive, defensive or compromise posture.
What are the best follow-ups for Lion's L/X?
The best follow-ups to d/f+P+G (Lion's Surprise Exchange. L/X.) *
u+P+K (spinning uppercut/Shoryuken) is guaranteed, and slides right
into u/f+K reliably. I have never seen this combo miss. * d/f+PP
(stepping uppercut-downswipe) is almost guaranteed, I think, and
also provides a guaranteed u/f+K **Something about Lion's L/X and
then d/f+P,P tactic. Just be careful of one thing though - after
the first d/f+P the opponent automatically turns around after
getting hit. Thus, if you have an upper punch reversal, you can
immediately reverse the second P even if the first hits it. So if
you RTE (b+PK > P+G > f,b+PG or f+PG) that cuts down on the options
a lot. * d/b+K (handstand kicks) is very hard to dodge, and
impossible to block. * P+G (back throw) is not guaranteed either,
but provides a good alternative for those who run away. d,U+P (high
pounce) is guaranteed afterwards. * f,f+KK (double jumpkick) is
not guaranteed; your opponent can run away. But it will hit
crouchers, E'ers, and guarantees a pounce... I think. :> * d/f+K
(sidekick) is good, practically guaranteed but unreliable after it
hits. Lemme explain. If they do nothing (or crouch), the sidekick
will hit, but will just knock them forwards. This will -usually-
turn them around, but *not* if they are G'ing. For this reason,
it's always tough to say what should come next. Any attack could
be blocked, and throwing might not be wise. It is by far the most
"gambling" of follow-ups, but it makes for interesting flowcharts,
which we can discuss later. More often than not, though, the d/f+K
will interrupt a move, and you will get a float. The best follow-up,
I think, is to pounce. However, you can add other things, I think...
my favorite is b,d/f+P (low touch of death). It hits the opponent
off the bounce, but only if they fall face-first.
Honestly, u+p+k, d+kk might be the best guaranteed follow-up( very
important in tb). Remember to mix it up. Very few ever reverse
Lion's u/f+P+G throw..and that does 40-45 points damage...although
if they do they have a side-throw...so you must master all of Lion's
throws.
Ultimately the flowchart runs something like this... L/X d/f+p
hits and turns around if opponent tries to reverse the 2nd p, or
ends up throw escaping do your bb+k, p+k, bb+k, low pounce combo..
if your opponent blocks, b+P+G> d/f+P is a good starting point in
your selection of throws. The ground punch really annoys your
opponent. Huah! if your opponent attacks, well chances are you're
going to be hit, so you might want to escape or just finish the
d/f+PP combo...(d+K,K) really in Boston since Rich and I played so
much, it ends up after the L/X, if opponent always just crouches,
so the first attack will hit him but not turn him around, leaving
him with the advantage... at this point I just started throwing
him after the L/X... Something about Lion's L/X and then d/f+P,P
tactic. Just be careful of one thing though - after the first d/f+P
the opponent automatically turns around after getting hit. Thus,
if you have an upper punch reversal, you can immediately reverse
the second P even if the first hits it. So if you RTE (b+P+G > P+G
> f,b+PG or f+PG) that cuts down on the options a lot. And you
might experiment with f+P+K if you are lower level in stage. one
L/X follow-up I have fun with against people who are confused or
conditioned to react otherwise is u+K....if it MC's it allows for
an easy bb+k, p+k, high pounce followup or add another Kick.....otherwise
you can just tag on a high pounce... just to skim the basics again
for following up the from crouch throw...(L/X) - high pounce will
miss if your opponent is on higher ground..use d+KK, and sometimes
you need to delay the d+KK timing to hit - d+KK does a tiny silver
more damage - high pounce leaves you in a better okizeme position...and
don't forget the annoying high pounce, d/f+P if you just want to
irritate your opponent or otherwise force him to rise rolling
backwards - high pounce will often give you the more satisfying MC
thud <does it do more damage relative to d+KK here?> if your opponent
is on lower ground than you. >I think really its for the last
option I like to high pounce more often than 8:)Although, I was
unable to complete the six hit combo with Taka it was very helpful
as an exercise.(note:..this is making reference to :
L/X>f,f+K,K>d+K>*D_f+P>f,f+K,K, which I still have not completed).
Here's a another one that is excellent practice for Newbie Lion
fighter: L/X > u+PK > E > d+K > D,f+P > CD,f+P > f+P,P > d/f+P
That's a combo that's got weird moves like u+PK and f+PP and an
escape in it!!! Mucho style points. I don't know if this works PTB
though (pre-TB)...PTB is but a distant memory...heh heh... =)
Any further thoughts on Lion's slide under opponents legs throw?
L/X....... It has been suggested that there are a few important
choice between *good* finishers here: 1). Big Pounce(d,U+ and 2).
double low kicks 8^) a few thoughts from all members of our
Brotherhood of VFers on the efficaciousness of either of these two
*good* moves will be greatly appreciated. E-mail nycat at
nycat@virtuafighter.com or
Side Throw ( P+G When Opponent's Front is to the Side )
Lion gripes the opponent's upper shoulder area, and using their
shoulders as a leverage to leap up, and rams his knee into the
opponent's back. This throw has no other points other than being
unbreakable. Follow up with a Ground Swipe. ( d/f+P )
Back Throw ( P+G When Opponent's Back is facing you. )
Lion leaps onto the opponent's back, reaches around towards their
face. In a fluid motion he grabs the opponent's temple with one
hand, their jaw with the other, then pulls both hands apart sharply
at
the moment he springs off the opponent's back. A follow-up with
Lion's Hop Pounce ( u/f+K ) would almost certainly connect after
this, A Heavy Pounce ( d,U+P ) is also possible. Note that against
Shun, it is a DANGEROUS throw to use, since Shun is the ONLY
character in VF3 who is able to reverse a back throw. Against other
opponents however, go ahead, make their day. =)
Notes On Using Throws Against Different Opponents
In this segment, we will discuss a few ideas for discusion purposes
which highly are controversial and require you do your own research.
Vs Sarah / Jacky / Kage
The best throw to use, would perhaps be the Cat Scratch ( HCB+P+G
), as the b+P+G portion of the throw would be able to reverse
Sarah's Knee throw ( b+P+G ), Jacky's Trip & Hammer ( f,b+P+G )
and their Clothes Line ( f,f+P+G ), and Kage's TFT ( b+P+G ). Oh
please do not forget b+P+G> d/f+P.
Vs Jeffrey
In Jeffrey's case, using L/X ( d/f+P+G ) and the Cat Scratch (
HCB+P+G ) are ideal.These two throws serve as Throw Escapes against
Jeffrey's Ring Exchange ( d/b+P+G ), the Powa Bomb (d/f, d/f+P+G),
the Lift Up ( b+P+G ), and the Face Pounding (d/b, f+P+G ).
Vs Aoi / Akira
Lion's Sky Strike ( b,f+P+G ). Why not the use the Push Throw (
f,f+P+G ) ? Remember, you want something SAFE, which won't hurt
you if it gets reversed. This throw should reverse Akira's Shoulder
Throw ( b,f+P+G ). It would also Escape Aoi / Pai / Lion's Crouch
Throw ( FC,f+P+G ) which is an awesome throw. You will find it
available after any low punch or kick set-up as well as after a
ZAP.It is one of the most dangerous throws in VF3. Huah!
Vs Shun
The Basic Throw ( P+G ) naturally. It is to YOUR disadvantage if
you let Shun get drunk. However, for greater coverage, L/X ( d/f+P+G
) will often have good results. E> into side throw can work if
mixed in the battle.
Vs Wolf
Sky Strike ( b,f+P+G ) and L/X would be ideal. Firstly, the Sky
Strike ( b,f+P+G ) would serve to reverse Wolf's Giant Swing (
Which is his MOST damaging throw ), and could also reverse Wolf's
Setup Throw ( f+P+G ), and his Arm Whip ( f,f+P+G ). L/X ( d/f+P+G
) will also reverse Wolf's Screwdriver ( d/f, d/f+P+G ), and his
Bodyslam ( d/f+P+G ).
Vs Taka-Arashi
The Skystrike ( b,f+P+G is tacticall importasnt for ring reversal.
This alone would break almost ALL of Taka's throws, as most of them
either executed with the same command, or ends with a f+P+G. This
would make Taka-Arashi almost useless, since you would have removed
quite a bit of his attack potential. Don't forget L/X there are a
few fun things you will discover in this throw starter.
Vs Lion
Basically, you should attempt to reverse the Skystrike ( f,b+P+G
) which would also cover the Trip Throw ( b+P+G ). Make sure to be
ready to hit f+P+G if he ducks underneath though. Remember that
one of Lion's most damaging Throws is the Crouch Throw.
Vs Pai
Choice number one is b+P+G followed up with a d/f+P. Lion's Cat
Scratch ( HCB+P+G ) is also an option. It would effectively reverse
the easiest, and most damaging of Pai's simpler Throws, the DDT (
b+P+G ).
Vs Lau
Lau's Stumbling Throw ( b,d+P+G ) is perhaps the MOST dangerous of
Lau's throws, mainly due to its damage potential and difficulty to
Struggle OUT of in Pre TB machines. However, this is no longer so
in the current TB versions, and thus, we would focus on other
throws. We should make use of Lion's Sky Strike ( b, f+P+G ) & L/X
( d/f+P+G ). This would in effect, cover Lau's b,f+P+G, and his
d/f, d/f+P+G. Also a fun throw if Lion is below Lau is u/f+P+G used
once in a while, just to spellbind the cook.
There are many more combos that we did not discuss: b,b+P>P+K, etc.
b,b+K>P+K, etc.
Trial and experiment are an important of what make this game so
much fun. We have tried in a small way to level the playing field
here in this FAQ. Huah!
================
Opening The Round
================
How do you suggest I start the round after the READY announcement?
The following is a good starting point for experimentation. 1)
Back-dash . Prepare middle attack from this vantage point. 2)
u+P+K. My favorite. 3) Dodge, perhaps with guard throw-escape
(this is also an obvious choice, but useful in many cases. you can
also do crouch-dash for more options.) 4) PP > follow-up with d+K
or Throw or u/f +E >Face Grab(f,d/f, d,roll to back+P+G >d/f+P(groung
attack). Or...>E >d/b+K. 5) d/b+K . if it misses back-dash and
prepare to elbow or d/f+K( sidekick) which can set-up one of several
float combos. Sidekick> f+P(elbow) d+K>d/f+P or Sidekick> f+P>u/f+K
When opponent goes down with this second combo >E> Sidekick. Or
E>throw. Or Sidekick> u/f+E> d/b+K or Sidekick> u/f+E> FaceGrab or
any throw you feel is appropriate considering your opponent. 6)
b+P+K (this is OK, if used on the rare occasion that your opponent
is a bit slow to initiate their attack...it evades many high and
mid-level attacks) 7) Crouch-dash (somewhat risky, but the reward
is big if you anticipate correctly. 8) Dash-forward > Throw . Any
throw will work. Mix it up. 9) d/f +K> hold down-back for auto-duck
and instant stance change. If you do not get a nice counter float
then you may repeat the sequence! Do not use this unless you sense
your opponent is hesitating or is experiencing a bit of trance(brain
freeze). 10) Elbow. It can duck under Jacky's Punch. If the elbow
hts without a counter you may>d+K+G or d/b+K+G or >u/f+E> throw of
choice. If your elbow is ever blocked you may u/f+E or hold d/b to
duck . If your oppoent is aggressive after your duck then f+P for
a wonderfilled float! If your elbow staggers then you may use all
of the above and also > Sidekick! 11) Fuzzy Guard. This is an
advanced technique. Keep on reading it is explained by BigCat later!
One of my favorite round openers is u+ P+K.. most people don't
block low and it's pretty safe if it isn't blocked, and then it
sets up the f+P drill hand <or mix it up with something else like
throw if they guard or dodge>.
What are the best ways to rise after being knocked down?
Against the CPU, it's actually quite simple. If you roll away (tap
G), then rise with a delayed K or d+K, it will hit them *every*
time. Mind you, it has to be delayed, or else they'll block it. As
far as vs. goes, it's often a good idea to mix in every kind of
possible combination, except for a few that don't work very well,
like somersault away (tap/hold back) with a rising kick.
In my opinion, you should rise high against professional players
since so many people know that it's risky and less likely to be
used than the safer low rising attack. If you surprise them the
first time with the high one, you can switch to low as soon as you
think they'll start blocking high. You should also mix in rising
with no attack. Because of the big delay on rising attacks, people
get cautious and guard for a long time after you get up near them.
It is sometimes possible to surprise them then by simply getting
up and throwing as soon as you finish standing. Once they see this
strategy, they won't sit and guard as much, so you can switch to
a high rising kick (be sure to delay it for a long as you possibly
can. After rolling you can delay it for ~3-4 seconds. Also note
about rising that rising in place with high kicks gives a better
chance of Lion landing a throw after his high kick hits <in fact
if it interrupts an enemy's move it's almost guaranteed>. Rolling
first will cause the high kick to recover a bit slower and won't
get lion his throw. But rolling first may be a good idea to escape
pounces. Also, you might put in that rolling forward is very risky
and anyone can be hit out of forward rolls. When lion is dealing
with forward rollers, u+K is a good move, as is f+P, d/f+K <if done
very early> and f+K.
In general, it's a little bit complicated, because of the "flowcharts"
that exist in VF3... certain attacks and pressure techniques will
beat out certain other ones, but it's hard to say because terrain,
character and what mood the machine is in will affect these
flowcharts. For example with Lion, if you are facing uphill, and
your opp. somersaults towards you (hold f), d/b+K will *sometimes*
hit them. For something more consistent, if your opponent *ever*
somersaults towards you, if you do an early b,d/f+P (Low touch of
death?), it will always hit them. In general, you are *very*
vulnerable if you somersault towards your opponent, somewhat
vulnerable if you stand, and totally invulnerable (but at an
initiative disadvantage) if you kip up (tap E). The deal is that
some attacks will dodge or cut through rising attacks. For instance,
Jeffrey and Wolf can Knee (f+K) over low rising kicks, then do a
low throw... as well, both Akira and Lion can cut through high
rising kicks, Akira with the Short Shoulder (FC, f+P+K) and Lion
with the Uppercut (FC, f+P).
=================
Attack Combinations
==================
Attack Combinations. ( COMBOS ). An Tactical skill requisite for
outstanding Lion warfare. In this segment, we will cover the various
combinations that are possible for Lion, and the requirements for
each individual combination. They are not spoon fed, you must do
the practice to find the combos you enjoy and that work for you.
The possabilities are awesome! Have fun kicking butt.
There are TWO big combo starters for Lion VF3,tb,dc:
Uppercut ( FC, f+P ), and his TA Kick ( b,b+K )-TT(P+K) hook punch
combo that Bigcat calls Lion's "lost Move".
You can and should also use: Lion's Side Kick ( d/f+K ), Knee (
f+K ), and the Hop Kick ( u+K ).
There are a plethora of combo finishers: such as Double Jump Kick
( f, f+K, K ), Dashing Upper
( u+P+K ), Double Kick ( K,K ), P,P,P or P,K "canned combos", Double
Low Poke ( d/f+P,P ), the Elbow Lunge ( f+P,P ), Double Low Kick
( d+K,K )and the TA Kick ( b,b+K ) ( you will see why in a moment
). As well as Follow-ups: these include the Ground Swipe ( d/f+P
), the Hop Pounce or Roll-over ( u/f+K ), and the Heavy ( d,u+P )
/ Light ( u+P ) pounces.
For Combo finishers, here are some general rules:
- The Double Jump Kick ( f,f+KK ) as a finisher will hit almost
every single time. You can almost
always add a Ground Swipe ( d/f+P ). The only reason why it would
not hit would be due to Terrain / Angulation problems.
- The Dashing Upper ( u+P+K ) is purely a style finisher.
- The Double Kick ( K,K ) is a damage finisher that requires a VERY
high float. The advantage is that you can always add a Hop Pounce
( u/f+P ) to it.
P,P,P or P,K Canned Combos, though low in the amount of damage they
do, have a strong stategic advantage; with Lion pushing the hapless
opponent very far away. This has a good Ring Out(RO) potential.
- The Double Low Poke ( d/f+PP ), as a finisher, is hard to do.
You must hold D/F ( Something that most players ignore ), before
hitting P,P or else you would get the Ground Swipe ( d/f+P ) instead.
The advantage to this is that it knocks your opponent up a bit, so
Hop Pounces ( u/f+K ) becomes easier to follow up with.
- Elbow,ToD ( f+P,P ) has an almost ridiculous push advantage.Use
it or choose another character. The elbow will almost always hit,
but the Lunging Poke needs a slightly higher float. If only the
elbow hits, there is NO follow-up, unless you forego the ToD, then
you could add the Lion roll-over ( u/f+K ). If both parts of the
Elbow, ToD hit, then a Ground Swipe ( d/f+P ) can be added or a
Low Kick ( d+K ) will also hit and it looks much better.
- TA Kick ( b,b+K ) is by far the neatest finisher. It does decent
damage, but allows for the best looking followup in Lion's repertoire.
A TT pounce !!! Lion's TT Light pounce is INCREDIBLY fast. An
example of a Combo Start, TA Kick ( b,b+K ), followed by a TT Low
Pounce is invariably a combo. Remember to tap G before hitting u+P,
or else you will combo the TA Kick into a TT Double Punch.
BTW- Shota, BigCat, Chibita, Hiro and nycat have this to say about
RO. Go for it. Screw the big guys who say they don't play that
way(wah, wah). Remember Lion is a high-school kid and he has to
battle Professional wrestlers, Indy car drivers, Sensei's with
their own dojo's , Professional assasins, Sumo monsters and assorted
other door knobs. So remember what nycat taught you,. fuq em up
with RO and KO. They are part of the games design. If they don't
like it too bad. Lion does not have "break guard" moves or low
throws either. Use your RO potential. Do not listen to the door
knobs.
Check out the following for:
Movelists: and Repertoire:
http://www.katana-edge.com Check out = Tao = section.
Here you will find BigCat's VF2 FAQ for Lion. It is must reading.
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Ring/3651/posts/lion.txt
Requisite. http://voxel.net/acpgaming Lots of excellent thought
provoking ideas here.
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/1954/beginner/beglion.html
Virtua Fighter Team Battle information
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Arcade/3777
http://www.hardcoregaming.com
http://www.virtuafighter.com
========
Thanks
========
"Hiro" our teacher in NYC Choonghong Oh "BigCat" Jon Tanaka Jason
Cha
Shota T. Peter, Umass Masahiro Chibita
AkiraMad "Jang" Chang Soo Lee and the entire Midnight VF Club of
Korea
Special thanks to all the brutal vf players who kicked my ass with
Lion and let the Old man taunt play.8:P
Rulakir, my stubborn and brilliant assistant. He can be reached as
can everyone hear by e-mailing me or posting on one of the fine
boards at hg or acp or VF.
The opinions expressed that sound weird are nycats.
If it makes sense and it works thank the rest of the crew. 8:^)
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