[details=Spoiler] Chapter two: Lili’s Special Moves
Hopefully you’ve gotten familiar with Lili’s normal moves in the training room. Now will we cover the next part of Lili’s tool set, her special moves. Lili’s special moves are all very unique and all serve a purpose. Lili being the cool swiss army knife that she is will require that you learn how to utilize all of her special moves in order to play this character properly. Without further delay let’s jump into the moves.
Dendrobium
QCF+P
Dendrobium is a move that has a relatively good start up speed and range depending on the punch button you press. Lp comes out at 5 frames, mp comes out at 7, and hp comes out at 11 frames. All of the moves on block are -2 and if you use it in a frame trap it will cause you to lose pressure. On hit though the moves have different plus frames. Lp is +1, mp +2, and hp +3. The idea of this move is to shock your opponent in a long combo and set them up for a reset in damage. Each Dendrobium on hit has a certain range in which it puts Lili. Lp puts you closer to the opponent, mp puts you in st.mp range. Hp puts you in cr.mk to sweep range. If you do this right you’ll be able to continue the pressure or mix them up for a reset.
HP Dendrobium
The reason I gave this move its own little section is that HP dendrobium is your go to special in a meterless juggle combo. The move provides a long enough float state that you can either tag cancel in your partner or set up for another mix up, f.mk to hp, or even super arts.
Sunflower Lance
QCF+K
Unlike Dedrobium, Sunflower lance is only useful if you do the lk version. It starts up faster at 17 frames and can be used in combos with much ease, except after special canceling from cr.lk, st.lk, f.lk or st. jab. There’s no point in using the other two versions of the move because they are much slower. The only way I see the other two moves being viable is off of a cr.hp anti air or in a juggle combo. You’d use mk in a juggle combo to guarantee a hard knock down and hk for a mix up after a cr.hp anti air. Sunflower lance is one of the most important special moves for Lili because it begins her mix up game. It’s a basic move that sets up a high low mix up. When it is combined with frame traps or used in combos it can prove to be devastating. Sunflower lance gives Lili one of her longest hard knock downs and sets her up for soo many things. You do have to be careful when using this move though because it is -6 on block for the lk version and far worse for the other versions. If you get a hit with it don’t stop in between the hits because you’re still minus and could be poked by your opponent.
Feisty Rabbit
QCB+K
The move is usually called the “spin” and is more or less a method for Lili to move across the screen. She has three versions that can be “rekka” or repeatedly input to make her spin. She cannot spin from lk to mk to hk. It can only be lk to lk to lk, for example. Feisty rabbit is invincible to all projectile moves as it makes Lili “airborne”. This move can be used as an extension of Lili’s footsies game and helps her cover ground quickly but while she spins she can be hit out of the attack so be aware of what you’re doing. She also has three follow ups after Feisty Rabbit and they are Rabbit foot, Cloisonne, and Rabbit thorn.
Rabbit foot
After Feisty Rabbit press LK
Rabbit foot is a low attack that works like a sweep. It comes out at comes out at 14 frames and is -5 on block. This low attack helps her go under fireballs or knock down her opponent for a hard knock down. It’s best to use this move when your opponent least suspects it.
Cloisonne
After Feisty Rabbit press MK
Cloisonne is a two attack move that is also immune to fireballs. The move comes out at 18 frames and is also -5 on block. The trick with this move is that the second hit as an overhead. If your opponent is crouch blocking the first hit won’t hurt them but the second hit will. This move tricks opponents into thinking they are safe if they crouch block it, but they are not. This move also lands you a great hard knock down.
Rabbit Thorn
After Feisty Rabbit press HK
Rabbit Thorn is a very difficult move to use in general. If you do manage to use this move it trades fairly well as it will cause a wall bounce on your opponent and does 120 damage, but still it’s not worth using because it is unsafe and not as reliable as Rabbit foot and Cloisonne. The move as stated before is hard to use because you can’t combo into and it’s very bad on block. The move starts up at 15 frames and is -13 on block. The only times you can use this move is in a tag combo and even then it’s still difficult to use because only certain characters can have Lili use it. My advice is getting a teammate that ground bounces or has a multi-hitting move.
Angel Knee
DP Motion (Forward, down, down-forward; DP motion)+K
Angel knee is Lili’s “dragon punch” but she kinda knees you instead of punches you. The move whiffs on crouchers and isn’t your standard dp that has invincibility on it. The move makes her airborne and is more utilized as a starter for juggle combos. You can anti air with it but it’s rather difficult and pointless. There are three versions of the move and they are lk angel knee, mk angel knee, and hk angel knee.
Lk Angel Knee
To be frank, use this version of angel knee because the others aren’t as good as lk. Lk is a 5 frame special move which is minus 5 on block, which isn’t bad for a blocked DP. This move starts all of Lili’s juggle combos. It is so vital to her overall game plan that not using it will hinder your Lili greatly. This is a move you cannot pass up on and should learn how to use if you are not familiar with a dragon punch motion; I’ve provided the directional motion for really new players to practice on, my advice is take it slow on the motion then speed it up once you get a handle of it.
Mk Angel Knee
When you’re doing combos you could also do mk knee but it takes a frame longer, six to be exact, to start the move up again. There is a high chance as well the move will cause the person to fall out the combo or not give you ample time to follow up with a normal such as cr. Hp and get maximum damage. The move is minus -7 on block but the neat thing about this move is that it is it has 6 active frames which leads me to believe that she could anti air with this move if you sense a jump in on you.
HK Angel Knee
This move is solely used for tag outs. Sometimes I get the random anti air with it but if you want to make Lili a “tool”/ “extender” into your point character or anchor then this is the move to use. It’s slow as heck so there is no real way to use it to start a combo because you recover so slowly after the knock up. The move starts up at 9 frames and is minus -10. The reason why one would use this solely for tag canceling because the move hits your opponent high enough for your teammate to come in and follow up with a move. It’s very difficult for Lili to combo into this move because after the move it takes forever to recover.
Lili’s Counter
HCB (Half Circle Backward)+P
Lili’s counter is the crux of what makes her so solid against many characters. If she did not have this one tool a lot of her match ups would be very difficult. Counter is the single most important tool in terms of getting your Lili to a high level. In its most basic form you would use counter to beat certain frame traps, footsies aka throwing out a normal to hit you, or even special moves on your opponents wake up. This move is active on frame one, so there is no reason not to use it. There are three forms of counter and each one counters a certain move. LP counter gets “High moves” that hit your head and Jump attacks, MP counter counters mid attacks such as cr.jab and even Ex move such as srk, hp counter stops low attack. Counter losses out to throws, projectile such as hadoken and Jack-x uppercut and super/cross arts, so be aware of these options that beat counter. Before I finish up talking about counter please do keep in mind that counter is not full proof and not an easy way to get out of pressure. This is a thoughtful move that requires one to analyze what their opponent is doing to them and counter it appropriately.
LP counter
LP counter is Lili’s best anti air moves in her toolset. With the recent nerf to Andante this move has taken its place. You cannot jump in on Lili and try to air attack her. She will convert 180 damage build 80 meter and put you in a hard knock down state in which Lili can set up her mix up game. I highly recommend learning to use this move as your anti air and rotate it between cr.hp.
MP counter
MP counter is your go to counter for Lili. It has the ability to counter jump ins, if they are hitting it lower than your head, stand jab, most frame traps such as cr.jab to cr.jab, it beats special moves such as shoryuken and even ex moves. If you want to learn how to counter then this is the counter you learn how to utilize.
HP counter
Beats out lows and has a slightly longer active window than LP and MP counter. If you sense your opponent is going to go low then you will throw out HP counter. This counter is great to use against empty jumps and opponents who like to abuse low attacks.
Counter is your fear factor move. You use this to scare your opponent and limit their options. 180 damage is something not to scoff at. As a Lili player you must send a message to your opponent that you know what they’re doing and that they need to stop or else pay for it in blood.
Divine step Jump up QCF+K
Not every tool Lili has will be great. Lili’s Divine Step is a former shell of what it actual is in Tekken. In Tekken divine step is used in mix up and you can convert more damage off of it once it hits. Divine step in SFXTK is not even close to the Tekken version. Divine step can be summed as this; it’s a move that you can use to close the gap on a character that uses projectiles. All normal versions start up at 24 frames and can only be used while neutral jumping (jumping straight up) or forward jumping, you cannot jump backwards and to the move. The distance each Divine step moves Lili varies by the kick button you pressed. Lk is jab distance to your opponent, mk is the distance of f.mk, and hk is the distance of jumping forward and doing hk. You are supposed to do this move in reaction to an anti air or fireball but to be honest, it’s completely worthless. You’re minus 17 on block if you fail to punish your opponent and it move so slowly; trust me when you see the ex version of this move you’ll be boggled as I was the first time. From all of this I hope you can gather that this move should be used at your discretion as the risk and reward do not compensate you.
Air Spine Shot
(In the air) QCB+K
This is what sets Lili apart from the rest of her Tekken counter parts, her dive kick. Dive kick or ASS as some would like to call is used to mix up and apply pressure. Dive kick is not her whole mix up game but is a part of it and should be treated that way. Lili can jump forward, neutral jump, and back jump and still utilize her dive kick. Each dive kicks that Lili has hit at certain arcs and allot certain frame advantages upon hit.
LK dive kick
Quite possibly the worst of all dive kicks Lili has. It starts up at 9 frames which isn’t that bad but it is -7 on block and 0 on hit. The dive kick has a quick and close arc to it. You would use it to quickly hit your opponent who is trying to throw you or wake up with jabs. You can also prevent a jump away but the advantages it gives you are slim to none. It just simply stops your opponent and doesn’t offer Lili very much to work with. If you counter hit with this dive kick you can combo off of it using moves such as st. jab. I would recommend you avoid this dive kick because it’s not safe in general.
MK Dive Kick
This is the dive kick you want to use for combos. This dive kick is -2 on block but allots 6-13 frames of advantage on hit depending on where you strike your opponent. If you hit them on their body you get +6 and if you aim at their feet you will get +13 on hit and why is that you ask. Unlike lk dive kick which comes out at a close arc, this one has a slightly wider arc to the right. I’m about to get slightly technical so sorry if you get lost; some moves have recovery frames. Think of it as you throwing a punch and having to pull it back afterward. Lili’s mk dive starts at 12 frames and is slower than lk dive kick but it recovers faster at 8 frames. The hitstun of the move and point where you hit your opponent allows Lili to attack quicker than usual. In this case, if you aim at the opponent’s feet it grants Lili the ability to attack before the opponent can recover. One would use this dive kick in tangent with hk to fool your opponent in blocking a cross up. You do have to be aware of what you’re doing though because you can lose out to anti air attacks.
HK Dive Kick
Hk dive kick is your muti purpose dive kick. This move comes out at 18 frames is +6 on block and +1-8 on hit. Like the mk dive kick the + frames you get on hit depend on which part of the body you hit it at, my advice is aim for the feet. This particular dive kick is the one you will use the most. It can bait out anti airs and punish your opponent, hit them twice and break armor moves, and gives you enough plus frames to continue your pressure or even go for a throw. This is your primary mix up dive kick and probably the most important you should use. The arc is steep and slow and Lili can do it as low as the opponent’s knees and still get one to two hits. I like to super jump or jump back with this dive kick and suggest you find what suits you best.
Sadly we have reached the end of the chapter and now it up to you to take all you’ve learned in both chapters and master the tool set of Lili. In this chapter we’ve covered all of Lili’s special moves and what they do for her and what purpose they serve. I have opened the next door for you to keep expanding your Lili. The next chapter shall cover her ex version of her special move and super arts. Before I leave I want to part with these words, practice practice practice, I can’t emphasize more on how important practicing everything you learned in both chapter. It’s all up to you to make your Lili great! –JKF [/details]
