Raphael Soul Calibur 2 Faq
Copyright Bojack (
[email protected])
Ver. 3.
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These numbers mark the margins, if they all fit in one line,
the margins are good.
Overview:
This is a Faq for Raphael Sorel in Soul Calibur 2. He is a Fencer who
uses a classical Rapier Sword. Since there is no Faq out on playing
Raph at a half decent level, I'm taking the liberty of writing one.
Hope you like it and hope it helps you become introduced to Raphael
play or improve your existing Raphael play. I've been playing him
since the game came out and the more I think I've got him down, the
more I see he can do. He's possibly the deepest character in Soul
Calibur on par with Maxi. His multitude of Stances is daunting as
well as his basic movelist. Hopefully this guide aleviates any
problems peeps might have with understanding what he can do and MUCH
MORE IMPORTANTLY, what he cannot.
*********************************************************************
A quick disclaimier, I think plagiarism is not right, there fore I
will give credit where credit is due. If you think I somehow ripped
you off, please keep the lawyers away and simply tell me. I'll make
sure I give credit and repost the faq with credit no matter where its
posted and more than likely with in the end of the day. I don?t want
legal troubles over a simple guide and am MORE than willing to work
things out so you don't have to sue the pants right offa me. Just
before any one asks, I got the movelist from some dude on the forums
at www.soulcalibur.com I forgot who he is but I want him to tell me
who is so I can give credit.
*********************************************************************
First off, just in case you're wondering,
here's some background info on Raph.
Stats:
Age 32
Weight 159 pounds
Birthdate November 27
Height 5'10"
Birthplace Rouen France
Blood Type A
Weapon Rapier
Weapon Name Flambert
Story: (Directly from www.soulcalibur.com)
During the 16th century, France was amidst religious strife.
Raphael, the young master of the Sorel Family, grew up with the
tumultuous age as his cradle, the scheming of noble families as his
lullaby, and the rapier and medicine as his playmates. His cool,
unemotional demeanor created many enemies, but his quick and precise
decision-making and execution skills solidified the foundation of
his family amongst the nobles.
Unfortunately, Raphael made a critical mistake during the year of
the notorious Evil Seed catastrophe. He discovered too late that one
member of nobility supported by the Sorel clan became insane from
the effects of the Evil Seed. Consequently, Raphael gave his enemies
the justification to come after him. To make matters worse,
treacherous members of his family who were thrust into the conflict
surrendered quickly and offered to hand over Raphael in order to
protect themselves.
Raphael hid himself in an impoverished town to escape from his
pursuers, which included his family members. But accustomed to a
life of privilege without want, Raphael could not bear the cold and
hunger he suffered in the slums. He most certainly would have died
if it were not for a little girl named Amy, who hid the weakened
Raphael from his enemies.
For the little girl, helping Raphael was only a simple deed
motivated out of spite for the soldiers. For Raphael, a man who
until then lived by his own means, it marked the first time he owed
his life to someone else. He felt emotions that he had never
experienced before, and Amy became an irreplaceable presence in
Raphael's life.
Raphael's exposure to life in the slums made him see the world in a
whole new light, and realize the meaninglessness of everything.
Nobles quarreled constantly and only thought of their petty interests
and self-preservation. And the commoners, tired of constant warring,
had given up hope. The world was filled with people whose soulless,
meaningless lives made them no better than the dead.
Convinced that the chaos of war was no place to live a meaningful
life, Raphael took Amy and left the poverty-stricken town. Avoiding
war-torn lands, they moved to a town in the countryside. But even
with the new surroundings, he could not get Amy to open her heart to
the world. Even though her life in the slums strengthened the
10-year old girl's wariness of life and gave her a tenacious will to
live, it erased any sense of hope she had for the future.
Assuming a false name, Raphael befriended a rich noble to obtain the
means to take care of the young girl. He employed his cunning to
gain the trust of the lord and those around him. And when the
opportunity arose, Raphael poisoned the noble and spread word that
the "lord had left on a long journey."
One day, Raphael found a letter with references to the Evil Seed-
the turning point in his life - in the mansion library. He was
fascinated by the information, and it wasn't long before he made
the connection between the Evil Seed and Soul Edge.
Soul Edge- a demonic blade that promises power
in exchange for one's sanity.
What if such a sword were thrust into the hands of the pathetic
nobles? They would undoubtedly fight feverishly for the weapon, and
ultimately destroy themselves. Commoners would be unfortunate victims
of the war, but their existence mattered little, for they were no
better off then the dead. It would all be worth it if the petty,
war-mongering nobles could be eliminated to secure a meaningful
future for Amy.
But in order to accomplish his goal, Raphael needed Soul Edge; he was
determined to obtain the sword by any means necessary.
A grand, insane plan was brewing in his mind-
all for the sake of a young girl.
Anyways, enough of the story, onto the good stuff.
Raphael
==================================================================
-==Basic Movelist==- *Note* I got this movelist from soul-
calibur.com. From some dude who translated a Japanese web page
(If you read this, tell me who you are so I can give credit where
it's due). Anyways, this whole list is posted at Soul Calibur.com
anyways now so you can go find this there. I also got the idea for
my SC speak legend from Bertico84 from Gamefaqs.com.
==================================================================
** Legend of SC speak **
789 7=Up Back 8=Up 9=Up Forward
456 4=Back 5=Neuteral 6=Forward
123 1=Down Back 2=Down 3=Down Forward
A= A Button
B= B Button
K= K Button
G= Guard Button
"+"= Commands entered simultaneously.
"No space"= Commands entered in sequence.
"[]"= Hold Button
"~"= Slide Input
CH= Counter hit
RO= Ring out
Knockback= Opponet is hit and knocked away from Raph.
Crumple Stun= Opponet is hit and falls to the ground slowly open
to any attacks.
Spin Stun= Opponet spins in place, dizzy and with blue sparks
Launches= Sets up for juggles
Knockdown= Character falls to the ground, different from crumple
stun in that they fall down much more quickly
GI= Guard Impact, a defensive move that throws the opponet off
balance
WJ= While Jumping
WL= While Landing
WS= While Standing up
*Note* To enter any Prep Stance, hold the button of the attack
used.
-=A Slashes=-
AA H H G Cancels
AB H H Goes into Prep D
A2A H L
A6 H Goes into Prep B
4A> Spin Stun on CH H
1A L
2A SM
3A> Can Ring Out M
6A H
66AAB H H M Goes into Prep B
44A> Crumple Stun on CH H
-=B Slashes=-
BB M M G Cancels
4BB> 2nd Hit Launches on CH H M GB on Second Hit Delay
1BB L L
2B M
3B> Launches when in close M
6B H Goes into Prep D
6BB H H Goes into Prep B
6BBB H H M Goes into Prep C
66B M Goes into Prep C
44B> Knocks back and can RO M
-=Unblockable Move=-
44A~B *Note Deceptive Range M G Cancels
*Note Raph also moves Forward on G Cancel
-=Kicks=-
K H
4K> Crumple Stun on CH H
1K> Can RO L
2K L *Note* Raph's Fastest L Attack
3K M
6K H *Note* Raphael's Fastest Attack
66K> Causes Knockdown on CH M
44K M
44K214 Movement Goes into Retreat Step
-=A+B Slashes=-
A+B> Launches on CH M M 2nd Hit Can be Delayed
A+BA M M L 2nd Hit Can be Delayed
4A+B M M *Note* VERY FAST!
3A+B> Can RO L
66A+B> Launches (higher on CH) M G Cancels
9A+B> Auto GI's Horiz H/M M Goes into Prep B
-=Frat Parry Stance=- (Also known as Quick Parade)
1A+B> Auto GIs Horizontal H&M Stance Goes into PrepB
In FP B All M
In FP B[B] All M Goes into Prep C
In FP B 2_8 Movement Goes into Prep B
-=Crouching Moves=-
FC A SM
FC 3AAB H H L Goes into Prep B
FC B M
FC 3B L Goes into Prep B
FC K L
-=While Standing Moves=-
WS A H
WS B M
WS K M
-=Advance Step=-
236> Auto Counters Horiz. H's Movement Forwards
236AB M M
236B M
236K M
236A+B> Launches on CH M
-=Retreat Step=-
214 Movement Backwards
214A L
214[B]> Auto GI's Vert. H/M M> Can RO
214B M
214K> Knocksback w/ RO on CH M
-=Circular Envelopment=-
B+K Stance
After poke evade AA M M
After poke evade B M Goes into Prep C
After poke evade K M
After horizontal evade A M
After horizontal evade B M Goes into Prep C
After horizontal evade K M
Under evasion 236 Movement
Under evasion 214 Movement
-=Spiral Envelopment=-
A+K Stance
After poke evade AA M M
After poke evade B M Goes into Prep C
After poke evade K M
After low horiz. evade AB M M Goes into Prep C
After low horiz. evade B M Goes into Prep C
After low horiz. evade K M
Under evasion 236 Movement
Under evasion 214 Movement
-=Preparation Stances=-
<Prep A Moves>
In PrepA A L
In PrepA 6AB M M
In PrepA B> Can Auto GI M
In PrepA 2B L
<Prep B Moves>
In PrepB A> Can Auto GI Horiz. Goes into Prep A
In PrepB 6AB M M
In PrepB 4A H
In PrepB B> Can Auto GI M
In PrepB K M
In PrepB 2_8 Movement Goes into Prep B
<Prep C Moves>
In PrepC A> Can Auto GI Horiz. Goes into Prep A
In PrepC 6A H Goes into Prep B
In PrepC B M
In PrepC K H
In PrepC 2_8 Movement Goes into Prep B
<Prep D Moves>
In PrepD A> Can Auto GI Horiz. Goes into Prep A
In PrepD 6A H
In PrepD B M Goes into Prep B
In PrepD K M
In PrepD 2_8> Fastest SideS.Movement Goes into Prep B
-=Eight Way Run Moves=-
8WR 6AAB H H M Goes into Prep B
8WR 6B M Goes into Prep C
8WR 6K> Universal Slide L
8WR 6A+B> Launches M G Cancels
8WR 3_9B> Knockdown on CH H Goes into Prep D
8WR 3_9AA H H
8WR 3_9AB H L
8WR 3_9K> Knockdown on CH M
8WR 3_9A+B> Has Auto GI M Goes into Prep B
8WR 2_8AB M L Goes into Prep B
8WR 2_8B> Knock Down on CH L
8WR 2_8K H
8WR 1_7A L
8WR 1_7BAB M H M
8WR 1_4_7K214 H> Links to Retreat S.
8WR 1_7A+B Stance Goes into Prep B
8WR 4A> Crumple Stun on CH H
8WR 4B M
8WR 4A~B M
-=Throws=-
A+G>Raph sticks his sword under their arm and flips
over on their head.
B+G>Raph grabs them and stabs them multiple times and
finishes with a huge Thrutst that can RO easily.
Throw from left>Raph grabs them, throws them on the
floor in a heap and then smashes them
with his sword.
Throw from right>Raphs Grabs them, throws them to the
floor then jumps on their back and then
stomps on their back.
Throw from behind>Raph grabs them, bends them over, and
then does a spin ending with Raph
impaling his sword thru their whole body.
-=Jumping Moves=-
WJ A> Causes Back Turn H
WJ B> Causes Knockdown M
WJ K> Causes Knockdown M
WL A L
WL B> Launches M
WL K M
-=Wall Jump Moves=-
Wall Jump A L
Wall Jump B M
Wall Jump K M
------------------------------------
***-=Preparation Stance Section=-***
------------------------------------
*Note* To enter Prep Stance, hold the button of the attack that
will enter Prep.
This is possibly the biggest and possibly the most important part
of advanced Raphael play. I will discuss the Prep Stances at length,
tell you which moves enter which prep, what each prep stance can do,
and how Prep stances can link.
-=Moves out of Prep Stances=-
[Prep A]
A- A fast low slash.
6AB- A quick side slash followed by a quick M 214 B Thrust.
B- A 214 B Thrust, can auto GI through Attacks if you [B].
2B- A low FC 3B Stab. *Note* Does not link to Prep B.
[Prep B]
A- A quick sword swing from head to toe. Can Auto GI,
6AB- A quick side slash followed by a quick M 214 B Thrust.
B- A 214 B Thrust, can auto GI through Attacks if you [B].
4A- A Turnaround Slash, can cause Crumple Stun on CH.
K- A Kick. His 3K Kick.
[Prep C]
A- A quick sword swing from head to toe.
Can Auto GI, goes into Prep A
A6- A Running Slash and goes into Prep B.
B- A powerful 236 B Thrust.
K- A Kick. His 44K Kick, it also can be linked to Retreat Step.
[Prep D]
A- A quick sword swing from head to toe.
Can Auto GI, goes into Prep A
6A- A quick Punch with the hilt of Raph's Rapier.
*Note* Probably his fastest Prep Attack.
B- A quick H stab that goes into Prep B
K- A Kick. His 66K.
-=Prepartaion Stance Strings=-
Ok, prep A can only be obtained by going thru another prep using
the A button. Prep A attacks are as follows,
A
6AB
B
2B
Also to be noted is that pushing 2 or 8 during ANY prep (but A)
makes Raph do a side twirl (pretty useless against most peeps) that
puts him into prep B.
Now on with the fun,
*NOTE* All the below , put Raph in prep B.
6A-A on to prep A
6A-6AB
6A-B
6A-4A
6A-K
66AAB-A on to prep A
66AAB-6AB
66AAB-B
66AAB-4A
66AAB-K
6BB-A on to prep A
6BB-6AB
6BB-B
6BB-4A
6BB-K
9A+B-A on to prep A
9A+B-6AB
9A+B-B
9A+B-4A
9A+B-K
1A+B-A on to prep A
1A+B-6AB
1A+B-B
1A+B-4A
1A+B-K
FC3AAB-A on to prep A
FC3AAB-6AB
FC3AAB-B
FC3AAB-4A
FC3AAB-K
FC3B-A on to prep A
FC3B-6AB
FC3B-B
FC3B-4A
FC3B-K
8wr 3_9AB-A on to prep A
8wr 3_9AB-6AB
8wr 3_9AB-B
8wr 3_9AB-4A
8wr 3_9AB-K
8wr 3_9A+B-A on to prep A
8wr 3_9A+B-6AB
8wr 3_9A+B-B
8wr 3_9A+B-4A
8wr 3_9A+B-K
8wr 2_8AB-A on to prep A
8wr 2_8AB-6AB
8wr 2_8AB-B
8wr 2_8AB-4A
8wr 2_8AB-K
Ok, that's the dull part, now for the really fun part, being able to
do a move, go to prep C or D and THEN attack, then go back to prep B
where you can attack again then go to prep A where you can attack
AGAIN. That's four attacks possible. If you do a full prep C or D
string you can get some mad damage if they eat the whole thing. You
can also do Prep C K and link to Retreat Step for additional attacks
and/or spacing options.
*Note* All moves below put you into prep C,
then you can go into prep B then into prep A.
6BBB-A on to prep A
6BBB-6A-A on to prep A
6BBB-6A-6AB
6BBB-6A-B
6BBB-6A-4A
6BBB-6A-K
6BBB-B
6BBB-K- Into Retreat Step
66B-A on to prep A
66B-6A-A on to prep A
66B-6A-6AB
66B-6A-B
66B-6A-4A
66B-6A-K
66B-B
66B-K- Into Retreat Step
1A+B6BBBBBBB-A on to prep A
1A+B6BBBBBBB-6A-A on to prep A
1A+B6BBBBBBB-6A-6AB
1A+B6BBBBBBB-6A-B
1A+B6BBBBBBB-6A-4A
1A+B6BBBBBBB-6A-K
1A+B6BBBBBBB-B
1A+B6BBBBBBB-K- Into Retreat Step
B+K B-A on to prep A
B+K B-6A-A on to prep A
B+K B-6A-6AB
B+K B-6A-B
B+K B-6A-4A
B+K B-6A-K
B+K B-B
B+K B-K- Into Retreat Step
A+K B-A on to prep A
A+K B-6A-A on to prep A
A+K B-6A-6AB
A+K B-6A-B
A+K B-6A-4A
A+K B-6A-K
A+K B-B
A+K B-K- Into Retreat Step
A+K AB-A on to prep A
A+K AB-6A-A on to prep A
A+K AB-6A-6AB
A+K AB-6A-B
A+K AB-6A-4A
A+K AB-6A-K
A+K AB-B
A+K AB-K- Into Retreat Step
*NOTE* All the following moves put you in prep D.
6B-A on to prep A
6B-6A
6B-B-6AB
6B-B-B
6B-B-4A
6B-B-K
6B-K
AB-A on to prep A
AB-6A
AB-B-6AB
AB-B-B
AB-B-4A
AB-B-K
AB-K
8wr 3_9B-A on to prep A
8wr 3_9B-6A
8wr 3_9B-B
8wr 3_9B-B-A on to prep A
8wr 3_9B-B-6AB
8wr 3_9B-B-B
8wr 3_9B-B-4A
8wr 3_9B-B-K
8wr 3_9B-K
<Moves the Put Raph in Prep and Which Prep they put him in>
[Prep A as said above can only be accessed by pressing A in ANY
other Prep Stance.]
[Prep B can be obtained via,]
A6
66AAB
6BB
9A+B
1[A+B]
1A+B B [2_8]
FC 3AAB
FC 3B
8WR 3_9 AB
8WR 2_8 AB
8WR 3_9 A+B
Prep C/D [2_8]
[Prep C can be obtained via,]
6BBB
66B
1A+B B B
B+K B> On successful Auto Evade
A+K B> On successful Auto Evade
A+K AB>On successful Auto Evade
[Prep D can be obtained via,]
6B
AB
8WR 3_9 B
I find it easiest to remember Prep Stances by memorizing the moves
that CAN and CANNOT enter Prep Stance instead of by how they look but
just in case you want to know how they look,
Prep A,
Raph swings his sword low to the ground, it glows blue.
THIS IS THE PREP STANCE ITSELF, it's very short and
can auto GI Horizontals.He doesn't say anything in this stance,
he only grunts.
Prep B,
Raph waves his sword in short swings and advances slowly forward.
He also says "En Guarde."
Prep C,
Raph swings his sword and advances forwards much faster than B.
He also says "Give Up!"
Prep D,
Raph just stands in one spot waving his sword slightly.
He says "Hah!"
Authors Thoughts on Prep Stances,
Personally I think, prep C is the most powerful stance, the
236 B Thrust you get out of it is VERY powerful indeed and when you
start 6B 66B mixups he gets real dangerous fast as well as the fact
he can enter into it out of Auto Evades and on B+K B or A+K B the
236 B Thrust will combo on if the B hits on CH. Prep B has it's
uses but mostly only because it can be gotten out of so many moves,
Prep A is useful because it essentially lets you turn Prep C and D
into Prep B and offers a quick low slash as well as Auto GI
possibilities. Prep D is well, I don't really use it that much due
to the fact that only three moves open it up and most of the time you
won't be using those moves, but using Prep A and K out of Prep D,
even the seemingly weak Prep D HAS it's uses, you just won't be
depending on it like Prep B or C and it doesn't have Prep A's mixup
potential, it does link to Prep B though so that can be useful.
Do also note though that the side step <Thanx to Snowblower from
soulcalbur.com for pointing this out> from Prep D is significantly
faster than the side step from Prep B and C so it's also evasive
potential too. This goes right into Prep B of course so you can side
step then do a Prep B attack or string or go into Prep A possibly
Auto GIing a H or M attack in the process. But don't get too
comfortable using this sidestep maneuver since it can be AA'ed by
most if not all characters, before Raph can get to Prep B to Auto GI
the Horizontal with Prep A.
#Now for some basic strategy on using Preps properly#
6BBB and 66B lead to Prep C where you can 236 B Thrust by simply
pressing B. This makes 6BBB and 66B very useful to set it up. So you
can do that and hurt people a lot with it, sooner or later they will
catch on, they will sidestep it, avoid the thrust and punish Raph,
to avoid that, once they learn to side step it, do Prep C A6 and
they will usually eat the A6 every time. After that you can go to
Prep A or Prep B, in Prep B you can simply K them or do a 6AB if
they are being very aggressive or you can go to Prep A and hit them
with a low A slash or a 2B stab and if they get privy to that hit
them with a B or a 6AB or just a 6A if you don't want to commit
yourself too much. It's also possible to Prep C A6 then throw them
which can be useful too if they like to just stand around after
stuff like that.
6BB leads to Prep B which in itself isn't too useful. But if they are
GIing the third hit of 6BBB too much, 6BB Prep B 4A or K which will
hit them during their failed GI attempt. And it will hurt. Or simply
6BB Prep B, then K. That's great too. FC3AAB is great too since it
leads to Prep B which means that you can sit there, FC3AAB and NOT do
a Prep Stance and then do FC3AAB again and once they get privy to
that you can do FC3AAB then enter a Prep Stance then hit them when
they crouch block. In fact most of Prep B's use comes from being a
transition Prep after Prep C and the fact that it can be entered from
so many moves. So you can do all those moves, then NOT do the Prep
or do the Prep and NOT attack and wait for them to hit you where you
can enter into Prep A GI them then punish them. Also NEVER forget,
that Prep B 4A KILLS Side Steps. Also gets Crumple Stun on CH.
Also, Prep D as mentioned above, has uses with it's quick side step.
It's good to use since against peeps who are B button happy you can
AB which is pretty safe and easy to do in itself, then sit there in
Prep D and when they go to attack, side step then attack. Or you can
just go to Prep A if they are attacking M or L whilst you?re in Prep.
If they do get jumpy and decide to try and run in or do a H attack,
AB Prep D B will stuff all kinds of H attacks AND it enters prep B
where more things can happen. Also remember that Prep D [2_8] 4A is
pretty seamless and will evade a lot of stuff since you get the first
side step from Prep D and then another side step from the 4A which
is really good.
Prep Stances are also useful after the auto evades, it's pretty much
just Prep C which is good cuz if they get hit by one of the Auto
Evade B's on a CH the Prep C 236 Thrust is a guaranteed combo which
can do nearly a quarter life damage and leave them open for wakeup
games as they are blown to the ground. OR if they get to block the
Auto Evade B then you can sit in Prep till the drop their guard then
hit them. And if they do get privy to the 236 B thrust afterwards,
feel free to go into Prep A or A6 them for side stepping.
The possibilities for Prep Stances are pretty endless but you have to
know your opponent well to kill them with Prep Stances. Mix them up
well and Raph's power instantly becomes obvious. The Prep Stances are
deep, probably too deep. We're talking Maxi depth without the
randomness or safeness. To use Prep Stances properly you have to work
and think hard. It's all in the mind. Stay ahead of your opponent and
you will kill them. This is the way Raph has to be played Reactions
are not allowed here. He's not Taki or Xianghua and cannot be treated
as such, his stuff if not used at the right time is easily avoided.
So remember that when fighting with him.
Anyways, enough of Prep Stances eh? I think you're ready for
something else now right?
===Auto Evades===
A+K=Spiral Envelopment, Evades L's and M's.
B+K=Circular Envelopment, Evades H's and M's.
Ah Auto Evades, one of my favorite parts of playing Raph. When
pressing B+K or A+K Raph will either wave the tip of his sword in
one circle (A+K which evades M's and L's) or swing his whole sword
around once (B+K which eavdes H's and M's).
Upon being hit while in these stances he will AUTOMATICALLY dodge
the attack. He can then attack out of his auto evade. These are
EXTREMELY powerful tools and any Raph player pretty much needs to
know them well to be effective.
How do they work?
This was a question I used to ask every time I tried them out. I
didn't know what was going on and it was a while before I was able
to get a good handle on them.
A Successful Auto Evades will have three Phases,
Phase One Start Up,
Pressing A+K or B+K puts Raphael in Auto Evade stance. Once the
buttons are pressed Raph can evade attacks instantly, they are active
from frame 0 meaning you don't even have to see Raph go into stance
for them to work. If the game receives the signal for Raph to go into
Auto Evade even a tenth of a second before he gets hit, he will auto
evade. This feature of their speed makes them great reactionary tools.
Phase Two Evade,
Now while being attacked in Auto Evade stance, Raph will NOT be hit
by the attack that initiates the Auto Evade. He will some how evade
it (hence the name) and he will either duck backwards or do a near
instant side step, or he might jump over the attack (not to be
confused with actual jumps or fuzzy guarding) or whatever he does
to avoid it.
Phase Three Attack,
After Raph has evaded the attacks he can attack. Different attacks
will come out of A, B, and K respectively so in this respect they
are very Auto Counterish. It is even possible to enter Prep C after
an Auto Evade allowing for more coolness.
So, Auto Evades sound pretty solid right? Well, they have their
holes. One, they are not infalliable, you WILL pick the wrong Evade
at the wrong time and eat attacks for it. Also, to be noted, Attack
strings can easily hit Raph after a successful Auto Evade. If you
do them too much it is easy for enemies to hit him with AA or KK or
whatever out of the Auto Evade. Raph can also be thrown out of them
(he can still break throws if grabbed during an Auto Evade stance so
stay on your toes) and lastly, like GI's and other Auto Counterish
moves, fake outs and wrong guess WILL get you killed for entering
them. Auto Evade attacks can also be blocked sometimes, attacks out
of Auto Evade are not instant nor guaranteed.
Despite all of these limits on Auto Evades (and there maybe more
I'm not sure), Raph's Auto Evades are still nasty tricks up his
sleeves. IF some one is doing predictable strings, choose the right
Auto Evade at the right time and Kill them for it. If they are
rushing with single powerhits (Astaroth and Nightmare are guilty
of this a lot), Auto Evade and hurt them and their game plan badly.
If a character (say Kilik with his Tribute Stance) does something
that leaves them with a L or M mixup game, A+K will avoid both
options out of the stance. Also to be noted, BOTH A+K and B+K evade
M's making either Auto Evade a sure fire counter. It's also possible
for Auto Evades to side step B strings allowing for relatively easy
counter hits. Like every other facet of Raph, their possibilities are
too deep to be fully explored in a simple Players Guide like this one
so I'll leave the ideas up to you mostly. Do note that Prep C after
Auto Evades is an excellent option. It means that he's not done
attacking which is always a good thing for Raph. That's actually
about all for Auto Evades. Use them wisely and peeps begin to
think twice about attacking. Auto Evade Throw sounds fun too.
Anyways, enough with Auto Evades eh?
Wait I forgot a few notes about Auto Evades,
**Extended B+K Evade**
Doing certain moves then buffering B+K will result in Raph spinning his
Rapier about 5 times. If at this time he's hit M or H he Auto Evades.
Known Moves that lead to extended B+K,
A+B
66A
8WR 8 (NOT2) B
There's others but I don't know them.
**Linking A+K's**
If timed right, you can link two A+K's together.
The purpose of these is obviously what you do after people learn to
recognize Auto Evades to they'll pause, then try and fail to hit him.
There, that's enough of Auto Evades.
+++Soul Charge Cancels+++
<Note, I got the info for these from a vid released a while back on
soulcalibur.com by a dude named WCMaxi>
Ok, Raph can do basic moves, he can do Prep Stance, and he can Auto
Evade, but that's still NOT all he can do. He can use Soul Charges
to cancel certain moves and use them to maintain the initiative and
do constant rush down. I used to think SCC's were awesome and the
coolest thing in the world and honestly I still think they are kinda
cool but they, combined with a lvl 1 SC 236 B Thrust Guard Break,
and the ability to do throws out of them within a quarter of a second
when done correctly make him cheap and dirty like Talim or Taki. If
used properly they make Raph either flat out broken or near broken.
There's still a part of me that wants Raph to be broken cuz I like
using Raph that much but it's probably in the best interest of the
game that he lost the crazy speed of the SCC's in ver. D. He's still
powerful enough to compete except now you have to think instead of
running forward SCCing all day long. It basically had the potential
to turn Raphael into Taki with a long reach sword which isn't right.
Of course I don't think Taki's Possession Rush Cancels are right
either since they allow her to do essentially the same things Raph
can out of SCC's but hey, that's what Namco wants. Anyways, back
to the matter at hand. Here's the possible SCC's. They STILL are in
ver D just not as quick. To do them simply activate a Soul Charge
at the right time during these three different attacks.
6BB (SCC)
To do this, do a brief pause after the second B, then hit the A+B+K
for the Soul Charge, the hit G to cancel it and do what ever
you want.
FC3AA (SCC)
To do this, allow the second A to hit the opponent, the precise
instant it hits the enemy, hit the A+B+K for the Soul Charge.
8WR 3_9 A (SCC)
To do this, do the attack, and HOLD the A button, the instant the
attack hits the enemy, press B+K while holding A for the charge.
That's about all I care to say for SCC's. Use 'em if you want to in
ver. A if you still have it but don't get to comfy with them.
Ver. D they are different and not so readily abusable.
###Frat Parry###
1A+B= Frat Parry Stance.
1[A+B]= Frat Parry into Prep B.
1A+B 6B= Infinite Stabbage.
1A+B 6BBBBBBBBB[B]=Infinite Stabbage into 66B into Prep C.
1A+B B [2_8]= Infinite Stabbage into Side Step into Prep B.
Press 1A+B and Raph will spin his sword around as he pulls his arm
back by his hip. His sword will glow blue and he will say, "This is
the end" or "How Boring". After that he will have several options.
1) Nothing, that's right, go into Frat Parry then let it end and do
nothing.
2) Frat Parry then go into "Infinite Stabbage" <- I know it's really
called "Quick Parade" and "Stoccato Rampate" but I think Infinite
Stabbage and Frat Parry are better and more technical sounding.
3) Go to Prep B from Frat Parry Stance (1[A+B])
4) Go into Prep C from Infinite Stabbage.
5) Go into B+G j/f Throw from Infinite Stabbage. *Note* I don't think
this will work in ver. D, I don't have ver. D yet so I cannot tell
for sure.
Frat Parry is really weird. It can Auto GI attacks, but the attacks
it will Auto GI are really specific. It will only Auto GI Horizontal
H's and M's. So it's not a very good "All Purpose" Auto Counter. But
it does have it's uses. Just not very many. It is worthwhile to note
these few things about Frat Parry and the Infinite Stabbage.
On a lvl 3 SC the Infinite Stabbage becomes unblockable.
If a lvl 3 SC Intinite Stabbage whiffs entirely, the following 66B and
Prep C 236 B Thrust will also be unblockable. *Note* This doesn't work
if the SCUB Infinite Stabbage hits.
Intinite Stabbage ACTUALLY TRACKS. And since it hits mid, is great for
keeping pesky X's and Taki's and Talim's away and stuff. It has great
anti 8 WR priorities.
If they are ducking and eat the Infinite Stabbage the following j/f
throw WILL miss.
Auto GIing on Frat Parry does NOT put Raph in a Post GI state, he
stays in Frat Parry Stance so the following Infinite Stabbage will hit.
The Auto GI window for Frat Parry is VERY small and hard to utilize.
The Side Step out of Infinite Stabbage has Prep D Side Step speed.
SCUB Infinite Stabbage is one of the coolest looking attacks EVER!!!
So ok, that last one is just opinion, but the rest is fact. Anyways,
learn to use Frat Parry well, it's very useful. More useful than it
would seem. I can't wait until ver. D where I can 6BB and then go
directly to Frat Parry. That will rule.
^^^Advance Step^^^
236= Advance Step.
236A= A jumping spin slash.
236AB= A jumping spin slash followed by a Lunging Impale.
236B= THRUST Raph most powerful move. Possibly his most important move.
236K= A kick.
236A+B= A jumping slash, juggles on CH, knock down other wise.
Advance Step, a short ground dash. What's it good for? Well a lot.
First off, it's a movement that ducks all H's. It also counters H
attacks automatically. Second off, it puts Raph in FC animation at
the end if you hold 2. So you can advance and have access to FC3AAB
and FC3B too which is really cool. It's a good way to get around.
And it's got possible mixups via FC3B, FC K, and FC B and FC3AAB and
such. Plus the attacks you can get out of it's start up are great.
Overall it's definately something you need to think about.
^^^Retreat Step^^^
214=Retreat Step
214A= A quick low slash like that of Prep A, A.
214B= A quick Impale attack.
214[B]= A slower, longer range, higher damage Impale with Auto GI's.
214K= A kick.
Ok, I'm not sure of any special properties Retreat Step gets other
than the fact that it's just a quick back dash. There is the distinct
possibility that it might not have the same damage punishments that
regular back dashes have. It does have a variety of unique attacks it
can do out of start up. It is also quick. There is another special
property that it has. It can be linked from a 44K. It can also be linked
from a Prep C K so that's something to keep in mind. It's usefull, so
uh, use it. Also to be noted, 214 B can be buffered from ANY attack.
================================
---Combos---
================================
Yeehaw, here's Raph's depressingly short list of combos.
Raphael has few non CH combos, so I'm not even really gonna bother
with them. Besides, his CH combos are pretty much his best bet at
winning. All of these attacks do about a quarter or more damage. I
am aware of the fact that stuff like 8wr 2_8 AB combos on CH but I
don't really consider two hit combos worth noting so all I've put
here is stuff I know that hurts and is relatively fancy.
4K CH, A+BA
8wr 3_9 B CH, 1BB
8wr 2_8 B CH, 1BB
66A+B CH, 66K, BB
3B CH, 6BBB
4BB CH, 6BBB
236 A+B CH, 6BBB
8wr 2_8 K CH, 236 B
8wr 2_8 K CH, 8wr 1_7A
44A CH, 236 A+B
A+B CH, 6BBB
B+K B CH Prep C B
A+K B CH Prep C B
A+K AB CH Prep C B
B+K A CH, A+BA (might not work, it's a theory combo)
Final Words on Ver. 3 of my Raphael Sorel guide-> Well, I love to
use Raph, it's always a challenge. You can't play him like any other
SC character and win. He's unique from the ground up. He's deep yet
simple. There's mind games galore and that's great. Just remember,
it's all in the head, play cautiously and defensively. Think fast
and play hard or die. That's Raph. And yes, to get good with Raph,
good enough to compete seriously that is, expect to spend lots and
lots of time using him and practicing. The road to being a good Raph
is a long and hard one that takes much dedication. He's an Expert's
character like you wouldn't believe. Anyways, I've got to end this
here for now, expect a ver. 4 of this guide sometime in the near
future with an explanation for all his moves and various uses (as
well as how to avoid them for the rare instance when you have to
fight another Raph) as well as a damage table for all his moves.
Thanx to,
All my friends and the peeps over at www.soulcalibur.com and the
dude who translated the move list that I used. Thanx to all who've
taught me little tidbits here and there about what I can do with
Raph. Thanx most of all to my friend Gavin, you're a good friend
and a GREAT sparring partner. Your Kilik and your amazing side
stepping abilities have taught me time and time again how far I
still have to go thanx man. Also, a big shout out goes to any one
and every one (Especially Zelomax for running cool tourneys) I've
tangled with in tourneys. Every one teaches me a little bit more
than I knew before I fought you . And finally Darqfalz, you're the
coolest SC dude I've met in a long time, I'll be over at Tampa
Lanes one day to spar some more. I will always need good practice
against Assholeroth :D
Any Q's or comments should go to,
[email protected] *NOTE* there is a _ between riki and
makishi The forums at www.soulcalibur.com that place is a massive
wealth of info. Hell, odds are your Q is already answered some
where in there. I'm also on Gamefaqs from time to time posting in
the Arcade Soul Calibur 2 Message Board and can be reached there.
I'm always Bojack no matter where I go so see ya around.
Happy Fencing.
Legal Disclaimer,
I do not own any right to anything to do with Soul Calibur 2, It's
Namco's property through and through, they've got tons more money
then I'll ever see so I won't claim what they own as my own. Also,
don't rip my guide off and not give credit. If you do get money for
it, tell me and maybe send it my way cuz I'm pretty poor.
Well, till next time, well, next version, see ya.
Raphael Sorel Faq, ver. 3 finished 12/08/2002.
