Problem with that is that you have to press d+1 for that first hit, and that move couldn’t possibly be his c.LP.
OK so I spent an hour or so typing up some Paul notes during a 2 hour journey. Again, sorry I don’t know the names of any moves!
Specials
Qcf+P = DAT PUNCH. You know the one, he’s had it forever and it’s done qcf+1 in Tekken iirc. It does very good damage, knocks down, is chargeable, wall bounce with EX and is fast enough to combo off of c.LK (LP version). HP version goes maybe a 1/3 to 1/2 screen distance, so not a full screen move.
The move is largely safe on block, and I think may be entirely safe if spaced right/correct version is used. However, I have been hit by a reversal super after a blocked one before.
This is Paul’s go-to move. It’s good as a combo ender, good in block strings, good as a whiff punisher, or to charge and then dash out of to close in. Quite spammable. Also while punishable on whiff it’s not *that *bad especially if the whiff is due to them jumping over you, you should recover to block the follow up.
DP+P = POWER DUNK! Lol. I’ve not played Tekken much since 3 and TT1, but I don’t remember this move. At all. It’s basically exactly like Terry’s power dunk, a low jumping downward fist. This is a really, really good overhead that knocks down and really makes Paul a threat, especially with oki set ups. It’s quick and safe on block and also has dishonest hitboxes/animation- apparently you have to block high earlier than it looks like it hits (I play as Paul and not against him so…) Like all overheads in this game it will cause ground bounce on counter hit, so you can do something like c.LK, c.LK xx Power dunk or wait a sec *then *power dunk and you’ll bait out a button, get counterhit overhead then do cMK xx super or cross rush into super. Combined with f+MP (overhead) jMK (crazy cross up) and his decent crouch normal this is the basis for his up close-in your face mix up/knock down/oki game. Lots of high-low and left right stuff going on.
EX is pretty cool because you can do it off your chains for some really tough to block strings like cLK, MK, FP xx EX power dunk. It causes a bounce on hit but it seems kind of strange… like maybe it only bounces outside of combos or if they are in block stun- it doesn’t seem consistent but I haven’t really investigated it all that much, I mainly use the EX just as a mix up if they are blocking everything and I need a hit.
Qcf+K- a running jumping knee move. Paul takes a few quick steps forward then does a rising knee that hits anti-air. The knee goes about chest height. The EX goes through fireballs and gives you a nice juggle opportunity. The normal ones can be followed up but only if they hit meaty, or may be character dependent.
Like many of the Tekken characters moves, it’s use is a bit deceptive. Initially you think it can be anti-air, but the start up isn’t really fast enough except to punish far jamps or as a predictive move. It’s not completely safe on block but spaced right with the right buttons it’s definitely hard to punish. It’s probably -3 or -4 on block. In my opinion this game is about safe low risk offense, and Paul just has safer moves for most purposes. One situation it’s very good for is as a combo extender near the corner (EX) as in these situations EX qcf+P can’t be followed up. Also if you have some meter the EX will get you through the tricky spot against good fireball players .
DP+K- Generic looking hop scissors up-kicks that again looks like an anti-air move (not scissors like Bison) but doesn’t really work like one. I’m not sure what this is called or when Paul used it in Tekken but it’s the kind of move ©everyone in Tekken history ™ had as UF 3,4.
Anyway like with most Tekken moves this has no invincibility or even that good a start up, although it’s better than a lot of similar moves. It’s at it’s best when hit early or meaty at a jumper or similar situation as you recover fast enough to follow up- sometimes you get dp+lk, cMP xx qcf+p for a nice free combo off a jump in.
One thing I would say about this game though is that anti-air moves will break your heart- they are too unreliable, and the game is too fast and the jump angles and cross ups too good. The best anti air is nearly always NJ+best button (in Paul’s case up RH or jMP). That said EX is good here and actually looks different, he gets extra kicks and it’s a much better anti air and his only real wake up option other than block or tech roll. It’s got odd hit boxes though as I think it can be crouched by some characters.
At first I thought it was unusual that Paul had two similar looking anti air kick moves, both of which don’t really do the job, but I’ve come to see the qcf move as a horizontal tool that also hits jumpers and has combo uses, and the dp as a meaty anti air, anti jump or wake up ghetto SRK (EX only)
c.fierce is probably his best actual non air-to-air tool against jumpers but it’s slow and only works at that perfect distance to jump in that only a noob would jump at.
No, when you have Juri jumping all over you and all the other quick characters in this game, you’re not going to hit any of these moves. It’s either air-to-air MP, HK or evasion….
QCB+P – back step into punch. Jab- Paul back dashes. The end. No invincibility iirc, so the only advantage over your basic godly universal backdash is that Paul has a pretty small back dash.
MP- back step into overhead-looking punch that doesn’t hit overhead L This looks like one of Paul’s signature moves, his fist is above his head and he smashes it down. Like I say, it looks like an overhead. Sorry, I wish I knew more about the names of moves and their Tekken notations, but I’m more one of those old school guys that calls Vega’s moves wall dive and flip kick instead of ‘Rising Crystal Barcelona claw terror’.
FP- back step into a nice big fat elbow that is also unsafe but not *that *unsafe. Again, this looks like one of his Tekken moves.
This isn’t all that useful of a special because the attacks can mostly be stuffed on reaction by basic normal. So the only really potentially useful one is jab version. And you (and every other character) already has a back dash with instant invincible frames.
It does look pretty cool when you do the HP version on opponent wake up and backdash out of their dragon attempt to hit them on the way down. But you would have been better off blocking or backdashing then hitting a fat combo…. EX version is actually good, but then every EX move is good! He does another Tekken string after a faster backstep then finishes with double palms (like heihachi’s qcb+p move only without electricity) that wall bounces. While this is faster, does good damage and lets you follow up with a combo it can still be stuffed.
Overall he really relies heavily on a few moves, so I try to find uses, even gimmicky ones when I can for the other moves (mainly EX as the others aren’t practical or safe). For instance against frame traps or blocked jump ins I sometimes use qcb+PP just to keep them cautious and every now and again I ‘waste’ a meter on EX up kicks so they don’t jump in. The truth is though, Paul is a very very very momentum based character. He can kill off one knock down and basically everything he does leads to a knock down.
On the reverse side, very fast, safe characters like Juri or Law can leave him with no window of opportunity to start your mix up, which you basically need to connect with a blocked cross up or normal to get going. Also for a character who generally hits hard he doesn’t have very damaging combos unless you use meter, but you have to consider that everyone can do 35% with two bars anyway.
Generally I like to have enough meter that when I hit I can do xx super or abc tag, law bnb into tag super for ~60%
Paul has very good health too which is definitely a big deal in this game where one super combo into successful mix up will kill Juri/Law and the rest of the bleeders.
If I had to compare him to one character in another game it would probably be 3S Makoto, as they both have dreadful walk speed and similar safe dash punches, overhead specials and dodgy anti air. They also feel annoying and random to lose against, and have excellent normals.
cMK, cMP, all his LP and LK moves are cancellable, and cMK has really great length. His sweep is decent too, especially for a Tekken character. sLP is definitely good for frame traps as it’s +frames and self combos for 2 hits.
His launcher is very short distance, which is really interesting as raw launcher basically beats any low move- you can use it like a ghetto parry (predict their low attack, press HP+HK, combo) which of course is a universal system, but I wonder if maybe because of Paul’s very safe, close style where there are obvious points where the opponent has to squeeze in a reversal or a jab/short and I guess they wouldn’t want to make it like he could beat out cMKs after a blocked qcf+P.
Still, I can’t get over much more how good his knowck down and mix up game is, and how much all his moves set each other up- counter hit overhead into qcf+p, anti air kicks into EX knee, and my favourite scrub killer, qcf+p over and over when you knock them down- so many people try to jump on wake up or do a move and end up knocked down by meaty fist… again.
Command normas-
F+mp is his overhead, it’s good and fast, but not as fast as Steve or Juri. You can’t combo off it unless you hit them counter hit but it’s definitely good to have!
Df+HK, MP,MP is his d+3,1 (iirc) thing from Tekken. It’s an OK string but unless I’m missing something… why not just do low short/mk/mp into combo instead ??
Stuff like this I just use for variation purely because once you become too predictable with Paul you start struggling to get damage. I was dining out off low shorts into power dunk for weeks, I’m 100% sure Paul will be a hit online as he has some really simple, effective stuff. If you know or think you know what your opponent is likely to do you can set up some very damaging and annoying stuff and keep them lying on the floor or blocking.
When Ono said Paul is a “thinking man’s character” I think he was probably right. He’s not technical or complicated, just about smart reads and decision making. I could see older players who don’t play as much anymore doing really well with Paul.
Great description, could you make similiar one about Asuka?
Thanks a lot man, I’ll start updating the first post now. Btw, that punch to the ground that doesn’t have him jump into the air, is that his f.MP or just LP dunk? 5:15 in this video.
Great!! Paul seems really solid with how you put it!
Is Steve a zone character? I can’t figure him out when I look matches of him, some people like to throw projectiles and some others like to rushdown…
thats qcbMP he does at 515
There’s just one guy who plays Steve, and he plays Dudley in 3S so he knows how to be agressive. However with Steve he is quite turtly and uses his v good cHP anti air and down jab to zone you out + fireballs. It’s kind if defensive agressive I guess, if that makes sense. Steve has excellent stand and crouch jabs that are + frames in block so he can use them to walk in with once you block one and has a ridiculous throw reach for his size. Also his overhead is very very fast. I think his combos are weak and none of his specials are particularly scary tools. Maybe he’s more technical and my friend uses him wrong, I don’t know. Also he seems to need meter to do any kind of damage. Even when played real solid Steve seems to need loads and loads of seperate connected attacks to win, whereas Law or Paul can capitalise off one hit with a combo or series of mix ups.
Ah, I see. At first glance it looked so different from when it connects in another video, so I thought it was another move. Thanks for clearing that up.
EDIT: Btw, that df.HK, MP, MP string, is it the string that happens from the 5th to the 7th hit in this combo?
Uhm, Steve looks weaker than his Tekken apperances, but whatever, I’ll still gonna play as him.
Paul really seems like Cody 2 with a very rewarding offense and a weak to non existent defense and an utterly crappy backdash.
I’m curious about that knee moves, the last time I played tekken was years ago… I can’t remember a move I can associated with that description.
I’m sad that they didn’t make a fuerte f.mk overhead-roll, like he has in the tekken serious.
while I don’t think he gets more moves, I’m pretty sure it will be fine tuned some more, I think he’ll have at least some sort of invincible non-ex move to actually anti air. as you said, it’s a potent tool in this game, I think everyone will have some sort of anti air move.
and, yeah for his target combo <3
Quite sure he means his QCF+3+4.
Well he had a rag in the back pocket of his grungy jeans so I assumed he was working on his motorcycle. I just don’t see how his T4 incarnation stands out from his T3, T5, or T6 incarnation. He pretty much looks the same since T3.
he had a a deeper personallity with a struggle to find his true self. even before he was a dedicated street fighter who earned money on the streets and defined himself through winning in battles.
that’s all better then 'I wanna beat aliens…"
It’s really nice that you’re taking all the time to post all this info for us. Thanks for going into all these detail on Paul, Law and Kuma! =] Would be cool if you posted on other Tekken characters and SF characters that weren’t on SF4. (Rolento, Posion, Hugo)
I got some simple questions and it’s cool with me if you can’t really answer them.
The way you talk about Juri make it seem like she’s actually really good in this game. Just wanna know if she actually is.
How do you think characters like Bison (although you probably cant talk about him) and Balrog are gonna fare in this game? I’m a huge fan of the dictator but I’m quite skeptical on charge characters being good in a fact paced game with combos. I suppose this could apply to Dhalsim as well.
How many SF characters are gonna have new/older moves that they didn’t have in SF4? (See: Ryu got donkey kick back)
Will the mishimas retain their godliness from previous tekken games?
Is Yoshimitsu still hard as hell?
Thanks!
SHIT
This theme…
This Paul…
I played the SHIT out of Tekken 3, and Paul, King, and Yoshi were my main guys. Oh man, why can’t I hold all this nostalgia? =[
Paul from T4 was definately a better character with more depth bit its almost impossible to convince sf fans that a goofy version of a character isnt the best because you guys love that crap. He had a awesome reason to fight but wasn’t all ryu lame about it and still haf his personality, he had let his fame go to his head and was trying to find himself again. I thought.it was a cool idea that someone who.just loved fighting and comp got caught up in it and I would have liked if they kept that character development.
Either way Im happy people are into my fav tekken character and I love what Im hearing about how he will play, cant wait to pair him with Hwoarang.
You should do a report on Yoshimitsu and Raven if you have the time
only catched a few things in the new gameplay video:
-his c.hp is a 2hit.
-s.lk (i assume) looks like shoto’s s.lk, so should be a decent anti air.
-ch sway=>fist doesnt do anything special besides knocking down. I hope it’s more viable as dudley’s pre AE short swing blow.
[media=youtube]SQbtKWfT4fU[/media]
-lvl 2 charge does wall bounce aswell. unclear if comboable afterwards.
-1:24 demoltion man combo!
-1:33 hammer punch into falling leaf
-1:50 s.hp does crumble as counter hit.
lvl 2 is a free ex move. Only reason it wall bounces is because that move originally causes a wall bounce