Hi guys,
I’m going to try and create a summary of the tech that’s being discussed in the general thread, things found in videos, general training tips, and assorted move information. Looks like the first post in general discussion isn’t being updated, so I’ll try and keep this as a seperate resource. I’m not going to cover the absolute basics (how to fighting game etc) and I’ll avoid using the move and string/chain/target combo names where possible.
Legend
RRn = Razor Rush #
i.e., RR3 = :f::mp:~:lp:~:mp:
Normals and strings
I don’t think I’m alone when suggesting that the key to Lei’s game plan is being in the best stance at the appropriate time; how that’s managed is through experience. But, knowing what stances suit which purposes is important and this section discusses that. It seems that all of Lei’s stance normals hit crouching.
Be sure to chime in with your own science as this is still my weakest area of expertise.
NOTE: Lei can :dp::k: from stances - the safest way to get it to happen is by using the shortcut :df::d::df::k:.
Snake
:lp: - fast and seems pretty pointless given his target combos: :lp::lp::lp::lp::lp: and :lp::mp::lp::mp:
:mp: - see above, but consider :mp::mp:; [:f:dragon]
:hp: - strong long-range poke; moves Lei forward
:lk: - superb poke; Lei’s hurtbox appears to collapse to half height
:mk: - slower version of :lk:; similar hurtbox transformation
:hk: - ranged AA; slow startup; moves Lei forward
:lp:~:lp:~:lp:~:lp:~:lp: - [:f:snake]
:lp:~:mp:~:lp:~:mp: - stance reset
:lp:~:mp:~:lp: - [:f:panther]
:mp:~:mp: - [:f:dragon]
:mp: - [:f:dragon]
:mp:~:mp:~:mk:~:lk:~:mk: - stance reset; juggle
Snake is your aggressive stance; consider entering it via RR1[:d:snake] or after a hard-knockdown. You want to be moving forward and looking for poke opportunities. If your op jumps, consider:
[LIST]
[]blocking
[]:dp::k:
[]:hk:
[][:d:panther]:mk: or :hk:
[*][:u:dragon]:lp: or :hp: or :mk: or :hk:
[/LIST]
Panther
:lp: - low, fast, and short; good poke, but range limits usefulness
:mp: - looks like it does something interesting (low AA?), but the strange hitbox makes it difficult to employ
:hp: - good reports on this normal; I have no specifics
:lk: - good low poke from range; seems to increase hurtbox height; a good option when entering panther.
:mk: - good ground poke and AA normal; leads to string
:hk: - solid AA option; hits crouching - good for meaty pressure?
:mk:~:mp:~:lp:~:mp:~:lk: - last hit is low, can knockdown
:mk:~:mp:~:lp:~:mp:~:mk: - [:u:crane]
:lp:~:mp: - returns to normal stance; usually perfect range for :mk: follow-up or :qcf::mk:
Panther looks to be a balanced stance with good AA and decent ground pressure. There are good reports on counter-hit AA options and the tekken string :mk::mp::lp::mp::lk: / :mk::mp::lp::mp::mk: makes for good BnB fodder. After either :mp: of that string, you can wait a split second and re-apply razor rush pressure as a loose frame-trap.
Crane
:lp: - a light with good range; moves Lei forward
:mp: - moves Lei forward; does something strange to Lei’s hurt-box (useful for meaty wake-up pressure)
:hp: - moves Lei forward
:lk: - nice long range poke; inches Lei forward
:mk: - low hit from standing; good meaty option
:hk: - long range poke; moves Lei forward
:lk:~:mk:~:mp:~:lk: - [bt]
An interesting stance in that all of the normals in this stance keep Lei quite safe - his hitbox advances quite a bit further than his hurtbox making crane an excellent stance for mid to long range footsies. Feels weak for AA, however (perhaps :uf::k: is useful here?). :mk: is worth keeping handy as some players like to stand when you’re standing. His tekken string from this stance leads to back-turn. The Big Boss (Yung_Ice31) suggests using crane :mp: and :mk: post knock-down: :mp: for mashers and fast reversals and :mk: for reversals with no lower-body invulnerability.
Dragon
:lp: - fast, long-range AA option
:mp: - good poke; can cancel into dragon’s spite
:hp: - good, slow, long-range AA option; moves Lei forward; [:f:tiger]
:lk: - low poke; moves Lei forward; [:f:crane]
:mk: - long-range AA; moves Lei forward
:hk: - slow, long-range AA; moves Lei forward
:f::p::p: - dragon’s spite; knockdown; juggle in the corner; [:f:tiger]
:mk:~:lp: - [:f:tiger]
:mk:~:lp:~:mp:~:lk: - [normal]
Great AA, provides :f::p::p: (more on that in the Wooden Dummy section), and can transition into tiger or crane - what’s not to like about dragon?
Tiger
:p: - long range poke; one point of armour (small window during start-up); full-screen knockdown on hit; excellent push-back on block; moves Lei forward
:k: - knockdown
:f::p::p: - crumple on grounded hit; floating on airbourne hit; juggleable in corner; reflects projectiles
Tiger is easily the most limited stance, but one that really helps in certain situations. A blocked :p: is virtually unpunishable and on hit, you can raw tag for free. The armour on the punch makes the stance useful after strings that allow you to cancel into tiger. :f::p::p: can be used out of dragon stance in the corner as follows:
[dragon] :f::p::p: [:f: tiger] :f::p::p: <juggle>
Back Turn
NOTE: Lei can enter [:d: snake] from this stance.
:lp: - mid-range AA?; linkable to :lk:
:mp: - good poke
:hp: - consider his tekken string; moves Lei forward
:lk: - excellent low poke; good recovery
:mk: - good poke; moves Lei forward
:hk: - slow sweep; hurtbox collapses; moves Lei forward
:hp:~:mp:~:lk:~:lp: - [:f:drunk]
:mk:~:hk: - juggle
Most commonly seen in combos (i.e., after comet kick), but not without benefits on its own. Some good pokes and a tekken string that leads to drunken. This is the only stance that Lei can use specials from without having to cancel the stance. Lei returns to normal stance when pressing 
. Consider pressuring with :lp:, :mp:, :lk:,and :mk: while in back-turn and using specials for punishment or movement.
Drunken
NOTE: Lei can enter [:d: snake] from this stance.
:lp: - good long-range poke; moves Lei forward
:mp: - long-range overhead; string at close range
:hp: - long range poke; moves Lei forward
:lk: - good low poke
:mk: - good AA
:hk: - AA?
:p::p: - tiger sip; cancel into :f::p:
:f::p::p: - overhead; knockdown; [playdead]
:p::p: - crumple; [playdead]
:mp:~:mp: - cancel into :f::p::p:
:lk:~:mp:~:hk: - low-hit followed by over-head then knockdown; [crane]; cancellable into :p::p:
Drunken is a solid stance for okizeme with his overhead and :lk: string giving Lei a 50/50 on a non-reversal wake-up, has a decent AA tool, can transition into crane, and tiger sip. Like crane, most of his normals extend well in front of his hurtbox making this stance useful in footsies. Also, tiger sip. The Big Boss (Yung_Ice32) suggests drunken :mk: for AA vs. Heihachi. Lei can enter [:d: snake] from Back-Turn.
Razor Rush
An important part of Lei’s offense and knowing how to get it started are important aspects. Consider starting after:
[LIST]
[]jumping in
[]:d::mp:
[]:lp:
[]:lk:
[]:d::mk:
[/LIST]
Once you start your RR pressure:
[LIST]
[]vary your timing to create natural frame traps or to confuse your op
[]exit to a stance and raw launch to catch mashers
[]think about the best stance to exit to based on your opponents style
[/LIST]
Wooden Dummy
One of the routines you need to engage in when playing Lei is training your stance switches until you become conversant with the units that make them up. Listed are some sequences which, after practicing, will help you to apply pressure during matches. It should be noted that when you stance cancel, you should consider holding back for a couple of frames to try and bait reversal attempts if that’s the kind of thing your op likes to do. That won’t help against lows (unless you’re in crane), but many reversals aren’t low.
Strings
- RR1 [:d:snake] :mp:~:mp: [:f:dragon] :mp:~:f::p::p: [normal]
- RR2 [:d:dragon] :mp:~:f::p::p: [normal]
- RR2 [:d:dragon] :lk: [:f:crane]
- RR3 [:d:panther] :mk:~:mp:~:lp:~:mp:~:mk: [:u:crane]
It might not seem too interesting, but these 4 (three really) openers transition well.
1 and 2 (just dragon’s spite, really): with no stance change afterward, the blockstun on :f::p::p: (dragon’s spite) allows Lei to immediately re-pressure with razor rush.
3 and 4: crane transitions into back-turn which in turn can transition to drunken which allows Lei to get back to crane:
[crane] :lk:~:mk:~:mp:~:lk: [bt] :hp:~:mp:~:lk:~:lp: [:f:drunk] :lk:~:mp:~:hk: [crane]
Put that all together and one training sequence might look like:
RR1 [:d:snake] :mp:~:mp: [:f:dragon] :mp:~:f::p::p: [normal] RR3 [:d:panther] :mk:~:mp:~:lp:~:mp:~:mk: [:u:crane]:lk:~:mk:~:mp:~:lk: [bt] :hp:~:mp:~:lk:~:lp: [:f:drunk] :p::p:~:p::p:~:f::p: :lk:~:mp:~:hk: [crane]
Another, for tightening up your razor rush pressure timing.
RR2 [:d:dragon] ( :mp:~:f::p::p: [normal] RR1 [:d:snake] :mp:~:mp: [:f:dragon] )…
Now, maybe you’re lucky enough to play against humans who this will confuse and defeat, but I certainly don’t have that luxury. Training with strings like this is useful for your muscle memory - again, if you become conversant in the units he has (where one unit is a water-tight blockstring or combo) and how you can connect them together, you give yourself more control. Also, looks sick.
