STREET FIGHTER III 3rd STRIKE: TWELVE FAQ
-= SAL's guide to shapeshifting mayhem =-
STORY:
A year has passed since the events chronicled in Street Fighter III 2nd
Impact. Within that time, the "perfect soldier" experiments run by Gill's
organization have finally neared completion. Their top scientist, Doctor
Kure, has successfully made use of Urien's theory of cell reconstruction in
designing the newest model, and the first "never dying warriors" have now
been born. With all laboratory testing producing positive results, the only
remaining element is to evaluate these new prototypes with assigned tasks in
the real world. Subject Twelve has been chosen as one of these test
subjects, with his performance being monitored to determine whether mass
production of the model is ready to begin. His mission is to locate and
retrieve the escaped subject Necro, dead or alive, before knowledge of his
existence reaches the outside world...
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NORMAL ATTACKS:
This is only a list of his useful attacks. If it's not listed here, you
probably don't want to be using it for anything.
JAB Punch + SHORT Kick
A grab where Twelve coils himself around his opponent and scores multiple
hits. Tap the buttons to slightly increase the damage. The opponent drops to
the ground right next to Twelve afterwards, making it not too good of an
idea to use most of the time.
F/B + JAB Punch + SHORT Kick
A throw in which Twelve hurls his opponent to the other side of the screen,
either in front or behind him depending on the joystick direction used.
Useful if your opponent is crowding you and you just can't seem to shake
them any other way.
STRONG Punch (far)
A quick poking attack with pretty good range. It's useful for scoring random
unexpected hits on an opponent in a lot of different situations, especially
when they underestimate it's reach.
STRONG Punch (close)
An elbow thrust that resembles Necro's equivalent attack. This is useful in
that it's his best move that can be cancelled into other attacks, such as
the A.X.E. and X.N.D.L.
FORWARD Kick
A quick jabbing knee thrust that moves you forward a little. A fairly safe
way to get in close, though you don't really want to be that close with
Twelve most of the time. It does have excellent priority though, making it a
good counter in a poking war.
D + FORWARD Kick
A low kick with pretty good range that makes a useful poking attack. Mix
this up with the standing Strong and your opponent will probably never be
able to get in too close.
STRONG Punch + FORWARD Kick
This has pretty long range for an overhead attack. Mixing it up with the
crouching Forward usually gets good results.
FIERCE Punch
An upward axe-strike with a long diagonal reach. This is an excellent air
counter, but must be done early due to the vulnerable lag at the beginning.
D + FIERCE Punch
A rolling Strike that scores multiple hits. It has very little range, but is
great to use up close, especially as an opponent is getting up after being
knocked down.
FIERCE Punch (while jumping)
A far reaching diagonal attack. This is great to hit opponents who
mistakenly think they're out of range of your attacks, and is excellent to
use after gliding towards the opponent from far away.
ROUNDHOUSE Kick
A very far reaching horizontal attack. It's a little slow to come out, but
faster than most of Nerco's long reaching attacks overall. Use it anytime
your opponent is in it's range but not up too close. The only thing to watch
out for is people jumping to avoid and counter it.
D + ROUNDHOUSE Kick
A knockdown drill slide. It doesn't have much more range than the average
sweep, so it shouldn't be used much differently. This is a unique move in
that it can only hit once, but must be blocked mutliple times.
ROUNDHOUSE Kick (while jumping)
A downward slice that hits almost directly underneath. Another good attack
to use when gliding, but this time you want to be in close. This can also
hit standing opponents from a high jump or glide due to it's long vertical
reach.
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SPECIAL ABILITIES:
INVISIBILITY - Fierce + Roundhouse
Twelve becomes invisible for a few seconds. If the opponent attacks Twelve
he will become visible again, even if he blocks the attack. The N.D.L. is
also still visible, even though Twelve will not be. Twelve can also become
visible by performing the move again while he's already invisible. Like all
taunts, this move leaves Twelve vulnerable for a short time before taking
effect.
GLIDING - towards, towards, or back, back (in the air)
Twelve can glide in the air after jumping. This can be done at any point
during a jump, though the glide arcs downward slightly at first, and will
cancel if he touches the ground while doing so. The glide can be foward or
backward regardless of which direction Twelve is jumping, and can change
direction once if he touches a wall while gliding. The glide can be
cancelled at any time into anything you can normally do in the air (aside
from another glide), including parrying and special attacks.
PROJECTILE EVASION - hold towards or back
Twelve is able to walk harmlessly underneath most projectiles in the game.
He can avoid either by walking forwards or backwards, but must begin walking
before the projectile reaches him, since there is a slight delay after
pressing a direction in which he can still be hit by the projectile.
Projectiles he cannot walk underneath include Remy's low Light of Virtue,
Ryu's Shinkuu-Hadoken, Urien's Temporal Thunder, and any other projectiles
which reach down low enough to touch him (mostly just Super Arts).
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SPECIAL ATTACKS:
N.D.L. - D,DF,F + Punch
This takes poking to a new level altogether. Twelve shoves his arms into the
ground, and they come up out of the ground a distance away. The Punch button
determines the range of the attack, with Fierce reaching almost a full
screen away, while Jab comes out just in front of him. This is a relatively
safe way to poke at someone far away, and makes for an excellent way to
intercept distant jumpers as they land. When timed carefully, it can even be
used to simultaneously avoid a projectile by crouching underneath it and hit
the opponent with the move at the same time. It can also be used to nullify
certain projectiles outright if it hits them directly, but considering all
the better ways Twelve has of dealing with projectiles this isn't really
recommended. The EX version of this move will intercept the enemy wherever
they are on the ground, and hit them twice instead of once.
A.X.E. - D,DB,B + Punch repeatedly (air or ground)
Who needs nunchuks when your limbs are made of rubber? Twelve madly flails
his arms about, causing massive potential damage if all 5 hits connect. The
Punch button used determines two things: the damage inflicted, which is
greatest when using Fierce, and the speed that the attack comes out at, with
the fastest being with Jab. The maximum damage five hits can only be landed
when using the Fierce version on the ground, and only against a grounded
opponent. This move has excellent priority, making it an effective air
counter when timed correctly, as well as an ideal move to use on a fallen
opponent as they're getting up. The EX version basically just combines the
speed of the Jab version with the damage of the Fierce version, giving you
an insanely quick 5-hit barrage of flailing-arm madness.
D.R.A. - D,DB,B + Kick (in the air)
Sky diving must be a popular hobby for creatures who can become their own
hang-gliders. Twelve quickly dives at the opponent from any point of a jump.
The Kick button determines the angle he comes down at, with Roundhouse
travelling quite far across the screen, and the Short almost directly
straight down. This won't knock an opponent down, but won't leave you open
to most counterattacks unless it's blocked. Like Twelve's other specials
this has excellent priority, making it an ideal air-to-air attack, as well
as a quick effective counter against ground-based specials or
horizontally-travelling projectiles. The EX version dives at the Roundhouse
angle, but is much faster, hits twice, and knocks the opponent down.
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SUPER ARTS:
I. X.N.D.L. (2 charges maximum) - D,DF,F,D,DF,F + Punch
Twelve sticks his limbs in the ground and creates a wave of N.D.L. type
spikes across the ground. Although it can be cancelled out at times, it
usually makes an excellent counter against ground based attacks. It does a
fair bit of damage, comes out very quickly, and rarely leaves Twelve open to
possible counter-attacks when blocked. It comes in especially handy against
most projectiles, which it will nullify and pass through upon impact. The
damage and number of hits vary depending on the distance of the opponent and
what they're doing. The ideal situation is when you catch an opponent with
it while they're performing a ground attack at medium to far distance away.
It can be chained off of a close standing Strong or standing B + Forward,
but you won't score as many hits with it this way. It can also be used quite
effectively to intercept jumpers as they land, but again you won't score the
maximum number of hits when it's used for this purpose. It typically does
around 20-30% damage, assuming it lands at least 5 hits upon impact.
II. X.F.L.A.T. (1 charge maximum) - D,DF,F,D,DF,F + Kick (while jumping)
With moves like this Twelve might as well forget the organization and go
sign up for the next summer Olympics. This is a D.R.A. style dive, with the
angle and speed resembling that of the EX version. If it successfully
connects, he'll proceed to rush through the opponent with a massive air
combo of up to 18 hits. This move can be blocked, and is usually rather
difficult to hit a jumping opponent with, making it only really useful to
use on an opponent who's performing a move on the ground that they won't be
able to recover from in time to block. Though the window of opportunity to
counter-attack after blocking this move isn't a large one, it's definately
there, so you have to be careful with it's use. One way to potentially
increase the chance of sneaking it in on someone is to become invisible
before trying to use it, though even then it's still rather hard to catch
someone off-guard with. If you're fast enough it can also be used to
effectively counter some projectiles by quickly jumping and initiating the
move as soon as you have a clear line of impact over the projectile to your
unguarded opponent. Still, the relatively restricted practicality of this
move probably makes it his worst Super Art overall, despite the average
damage it inflicts being a high 30-40%.
III. X.C.O.P.Y. (1 charge maximum) - D,DF,F,D,DF,F + Punch
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then this guy really knows
how to show a lot of affection. Twelve will temporarily transform into his
opponent with this move. Once transformed, the super meter will become a
timer, and Twelve will transform back into his normal form once it runs out.
While transformed, Twelve can use any abilities of his opponent aside from
those which would normally require use of the super meter, namely EX
specials and Super Arts. To make up for this loss, Twelve will only take
about half the damage that the character he has become normally would. This
means that your opponent will only be doing half the damage to you that you
are able to do to them with the same attack. Although Twelve is not
vulnerable to attack while transforming into his opponent, he is left
vulnerable while changing back to his original form, during which time he
will take more damage than he normally would from an attack which interrupts
the process. Keeping this in mind, your goal should always be to defeat your
opponent before the timer runs out, or at least to inflict as much damage as
possible while it's still active. In order to have an easier time
accomplishing this, you'll want to use this Super Art most against
characters who can dish out more damage than they can take. Akuma and Gill
are especially ideal targets, because aside from meeting this requirement,
they also have no EX specials that you'll be missing. On a final note,
taunts will carry their usual effects over even after Twelve changes back to
his original form. Note that a morphed Dudley and Sean's taunts will not
throw out a rose or a basketball respectively, but they will still function
normally otherwise. Also, supporting characters such as Effie and Poison
will never appear for a Twelve posing as Necro or Hugo. There may be other
slight discrepencies for certain morphed characters, but they aren't likely
to have much effect, if any, on gameplay.
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GENERAL STRATEGY:
If Twelve's fighting style could be summed up in one word, it would be
"anticipation". An unusually high number of Twelve's attacks have an initial
lag-time before they'll even connect, meaning you really have to be thinking
ahead when it comes to both offense and defense. He is one character who
should rarely stay idle or even block, instead always attacking or
counter-attacking at all times, with the only notable exception being while
waiting in position for a fallen opponent to get up off the ground. His
arsenal includes an answer to virtually any situation you can come across,
and the key is learning exactly how and when to use every strategy and
technique to your advantage. When truly played well, you should get a sense
of being able to control your opponent's actions indirectly through the
actions you perform with Twelve, forcing them from one trap to the next like
pulling on the strings of a helpless puppet...
AIR DEFENSE
Learn to use the standing Fierce almost instinctively against opponents
jumping in within it's range, starting it early so it will intercept them in
the air. If they start parrying it or jumping in too close for it to
connect, switch to using the A.X.E., varying the button used to accomodate
the situation. The Fierce A.X.E. is always preferable due to the increased
damage over the other versions, but it must be started almost as early as
the standing Fierce to ensure it connects. The Jab A.X.E., on the other
hand, is able to connect virtually instantaneously, allowing you to counter
incoming attacks in a pinch when necessary.
GROUND DEFENSE
Twelve's lack of in-close combos is compensated by the huge array of attacks
he has at his disposal with which to keep his opponent from getting in close
enough to do any themselves. The standing Strong and crouching Forward both
have great range and speed, allowing you to poke opponents away with
relative ease and safety. His overhead attack and sweep also do a great job
against grounded opponents, though they aren't quite as risk-free. If an
opponent does get in close, his crouching Fierce is a good attack to try,
though even it has a slight lag at the beginning, making it difficult to get
out against someone who's constantly attacking. Just don't forget his
tossing throw (towards/back + Jab + Short) if things get too hot to handle,
as sometimes it really is his best bet for getting out of a tight situation.
AIR OFFENSE
Due to his gliding and aerial specials, Twelve always has plenty of options
once airborne. Gliding in with a Fierce or Roundhouse can catch people off
guard, and be quite difficult to counter even when they see it coming. If
they try to parry your incoming attacks, try using the A.X.E. while
airborne, as parrying every hit is difficult, to say the least. Finally,
don't overuse the D.R.A., but always keep in mind that you have it while
jumping. It will counter practically anything in the air and plenty of
attacks on the ground, giving you a quick all-purpose attack to use whenever
you see an opening in your opponent's defense.
GROUND OFFENSE
Defensive opponents who wait on the ground for Twelve to take the initiative
are actually in the worst position possible, as when it comes to range
fighting, Twelve's options are even more open and safe than Necro's. The
simplest way to attack from a distance is simply by poking the opponent with
the Fierce N.D.L., causing them to either take the initiative or sit there
taking block damage. If they're actually able to sit there parrying the
N.D.L. on a regular basis, turn invisible to make it a lot harder for them
to see it coming. After you manage to lure them in a little closer, his
standing Roundhouse makes a great attack to throw at them, being relatively
safe at long range and doing considerable damage when it connects. When an
opponent has been knocked down and doesn't recover with a roll, try either
standing on top of them and using a crouching Fierce or Fierce A.X.E. as
they rise. If they're able to time a Super Art to counter those, try
standing back and hitting them with a standing Roundhouse or N.D.L. instead.
Though you aren't likely to score any big damage on them on ground offense,
Twelve's diversity of long-range moves allow him to constantly assault his
opponent from even a distance with relative ease and safety.
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EXTRA STUFF WORTH MENTIONING:
Try using X.C.O.P.Y. during the SUV bonus stage. Although you won't turn
into the car (you weren't really expecting that, were you?), it produces an
interesting effect.
There is a special pre-fight sequence that happens before the first round of
a Twelve vs Necro match. You're guaranteed to see it if you play through the
game with either of them, since they are each other's "rival" character (ie.
the final 'set' match-up before fighting Gill).
His binary winning quotes actually spell words if you assign letters to the
numbers represented. The number 1 (00001) equals A, the number 2 (00010)
equals B, and so on. Translations are as follows:
01011.01111 = "KO"
01011.01001.01100.01100 = "Kill"
10000.00001.01001.01110 = "Pain"
00101.01101.00001.01111 = "EMAO"
00100.00101.00001.10100.01000 = "Death"
00101.11010.01010.01111.00010 = "EZ Job"
00110.01001.01110.01001.10011.01000 = "Finish"
10100.01000.00101.00101.01110.00100 = "The End"
They spelled his name wrong on the opponent selection screen! Although it's
correctly spelled "Twelve" everywhere else, it's incorreclty spelled
"Tweleve" in that one spot. And here I thought we'd finally seen the end of
errors like this in Capcom's games...
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That's it... have fun kicking butt with one of the most fun, imaginative,
and potentially dangerous characters to show up in a Street Fighter game
yet! :)
email me at:
[email protected]
be sure to also check out my Sean guide, available at www.GameFAQs.com
