Date: Fri, 21 Mar 1997 10:11:41 -0600

Date: Fri, 21 Mar 1997 10:11:41 -0600
From: [email protected]
Subject: [SB] Li Long guide, v1.5
Newsgroups: rec.games.video.sony,rec.games.video.arcade

SoulBlade: Li Long Guide
by Graham Fredrick
v1.5

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Here's my attempt at a detailed guide to using Li Long. This assumes that
you already have a basic understanding of how to play SoulBlade, and I'll
probably be throwing around some abbreviations. If you have any questions,
comments, or additions, please e-mail me at:

[email protected]
[email protected]

You'll find this FAQ at "http://members.aol.com/gragam" and also at
"http://absolut.sites.uiuc.edu/~japierce"

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The following section is from Dave Connoy's Soul Blade FAQ, v0.9

Li Long
-------
Any combination starting with A can be started with f+A instead. Same
Damage and WDamage values apply. K can be delayed after B to either
cancel it or combo after it. You can cancel or retract the QCF+B by
tapping back on the joystick.

An "n" level hit is a SpecialMid: it only hits non-blockers.

Command Level Damage WDamage Rec Comments
(f+)A,A,A HHH 15,15,30 6,6,6 SSS
(f+)A,A,d+A HHL 15,15,31 6,6,6 SSC
(f+)A,A,K HHM 15,15,25 6,6,0 SSS
(f+)A,A,d+K,B HHLM 15,15,24,51 6,6,0,11 SS?S
(f+)A,B,K HMH 15,23,31 6,6,0 SSS
d/f+A M 40 5 S
d+A L 16 5 C
b+A M 48 7 S
d/b+A L 21 6 ?
crouch+A,u+B LM 16,31 5,6 CS
B,B,B MMM 17,19,35 6,6,6 SSS
B,A MH 17,26 6,6 SS
B,K MM 17,39 6,0 SS
f+B,B HM 25,31 6,6 SS
d/f+B M 35 6 S
b+B,B,B nMM 14,18,18 3,3,3 SSS
d+B n 29 6 C
d/b+B~A ML 46,31 6,6 S? A cancels B
f,F+B M 56 7 S
K,K HM 27,36 0,0 SS
K,d+K HL 27,24 0,0 S?
K,d+A HL 27,29 0,6 S?
f+K M 40 0 S
d/f+K M 26 0 S
d+K L 30 0 C
f,F+K H 49 0 S
d,d/f,f+B M 36+31+31+31(129) 5+5+5+5(20) S Tap b to retract
d,d/b,b - -- - S Turn around
d,d/b,b+B,b+B MM 31,31 6,0 SS
WS+A n 36 5 S
WS+B n 50 5 S
WS+K M 26 0 S
Run+K L 35 0 ?
A+B M 29+47(76) 5+6(11) S
A+G ST 70 - S
B+G ST 40+40(80) - S
A+G or B+G BT 35+35(70) - S
b+A+G R 60 - S Kick reversal
d/f+K G 25 - S
d/b+B+K U 130 - ?
A+B+K M 20+16+15+16(67) 20 S
f,f+A+B 18+21+30(136) - S

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And now a more detailed look at the moves:

(f+)A,A,A HHH 15,15,30 6,6,6 SSS
(f+)A,A,d+A HHL 15,15,31 6,6,6 SSC
(f+)A,A,K HHM 15,15,25 6,6,0 SSS
(f+)A,A,d+K,B HHLM 15,15,24,51 6,6,0,11 SS?S
(f+)A,B,K HMH 15,23,31 6,6,0 SSS

This is Li Long's basic set of A combos. The f+A comand changes the timing
on the first hit (good against Guard Impacts), and Li ducks down *ever* so
slightly before he swings. The first two hits of f+AA are slightly faster,
since you sacrificed execution time.

Change up AAK, AAd+A, and ABK to confuse your opponents. Be carefull when
using AAK and AAA, since they won't knock down at the end. If you
overuse a K combo, you could eat a reversal.

If the K in AAd+KB hits as a Major Counter, then the B is guaranteed.

In a d/f+B combo, AAA works fairly well, but you can also use AAK. AAA has
greater damage and RO potential.

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d/f+A M 40 5 S
d+A L 16 5 C
b+A M 48 7 S
d/b+A L 21 6 ?
crouch+A,u+B LM 16,31 5,6 CS

These are his basic A+motion attacks.

d/f+A is not too helpful, since it has a long execution time. If it hits
as a MC, however, the opponent will be stunned and you can tag on a
d/f+B combo. It is similar to the WS+A, but Li Long steps back after a
d/f+A, giving you a little breathing room.

d+A is good against ranged High hits, since Li ducks down even more than
d/f+A. Although it is somewhat slow, it has great range. Since it recovers
crouching, you can do a WS attack after the d+A

b+A is a fairly strong, but low priority, knock back attack. It has good RO
potential if the edge is to Li's left. You can even tack this on to a d/f+B
MC if it makes you feel good. I guess this is Li's "Power Move", equal to
Paul's Pheonix Fist (in Tekken 2) in terms of knock back strength.
Be careful not to do this when am opponent is close, since the recovery is
very slow. This is a great move against people running towards you.

d/b+a is a rather pitiful move, since even as a MC your opponent can attack
before you even get a chance to block. Avoid this and use d+A instead.
I'm pretty sure that d+A is just as fast as d/b+A.

crouch+A,u+B is a fairly strong attack to do from a Crouching stance, but
the B is unlikely to catch anyone but beginners, since it is not guranteed.

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B,B,B MMM 17,19,35 6,6,6 SSS
B,A MH 17,26 6,6 SS
B,K MM 17,39 6,0 SS
f+B,B HM 25,31 6,6 SS
b+B,B,B nMM 14,18,18 3,3,3 SSS

More basic combo's, this time using the Vertical slash. These don't have
the option of hitting low, however.

Both BBB and b+BBB can be used as general combos, or in d/f+B juggles. BBB
has very bad recovery lag, so try to do it only as a surprise attack. The
b+BBB has better recovery, but not all of the hits are guaranteed. BBB can
often catch dodgers going to Li's left, even though it's a vertical strike.

BA seems to be fairly good for catching dodgers, while BK has strong RO
potential. It can also be put in a d/f+B MC float, for some mega-style
points. The K can be delayed a little in hopes of catching your opponent.

f+BB is a very quick attack, and seems to be guaranteed after a GI. If the
first B is a counter then the second B will hit. If the second B is a MC,
it will knock down. This is quite effective in a juggle combo.

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d/f+B M 35 6 S
d+B n 29 6 C
d/b+B~A ML 46,31 6,6 S?(C) A cancels B
f,F+B M 56 7 S

B+Movement attacks here. d/f+B is Li Long's combo bread and butter. For
some combos, you might need to be VERY close when you do the d/f+B. Other
combos have better timing when you use it at maximum range.

d+B is an OK move. Similar to the d+K (explained below), Li actually goes
under High attacks. However, d/f+B is much more useful. One good thing is
that it recovers Crouching.

d/b+B~A is a fairly mean move to do: If you cancel with A you get a strong
knockdown, and if you don't you get a strong Mid attack. The only downside
is the long execution time. Try using it after a GI.

fF+B allows you to get MC height with a normal juggle, but his recovery is
too slow to actually make this behave like a MC d/f+B. Although he ducks
slightly, he doesn't go low enough to evade High hits, so use it carefully.
Try mixing this up with a d+A, since both look similar. You can use it in
place of d/f+B in a combo for extra damage, but your combo options are
somewhat reduced.

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K,K HM 27,36 0,0 SS
K,d+K HL 27,24 0,0 S?
K,d+A HL 27,29 0,6 S?

Here are Li Long's basic kick combos.

The KK is fairly worthless, since quick characters can interrupt the KK even
on a MC. This also makes it useless against button smashers, and can't even
be part of a juggle. Use KK only when your opponent is intimidated, and
change it up with Kd+K_A. Otherwise, just use Kd+K or Kd+A instead.

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f+K M 40 0 S
d/f+K M 26 0 S
d+K L 30 0 C
f,F+K H 49 0 S

Directional Kicks: f+K has OK range, but pitiful execution time. d/f+K is
a little faster, and can be mixed with f+K if you find a reversal-happy
opponent (unlikely!).

d+K, like the d+B is another attack in which Li ducks down under High attacks
even though it doesn't seem like it. It always knocks down, so you can get
a free pounce. (Side note: since this attack puts the opponents head near
you, the d/f+K_U+A(B) pounces get a 125% damage bonus)

fF+K is a knockdown attack that's just a little bit slow in coming out. As a
MC it knocks the enemy a little farther and, of course, has a better RO
potential. It is also one of his strongest single hits. In a pinch, you can
use it to hop over some low attacks, but don't expect it to hit anyone as it
strikes High.

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d,d/f,f+B M 36+31+31+31(129) 5+5+5+5(20) S Tap b to retract
d,d/b,b - -- - S Turn around
d,d/b,b+B,b+B MM 31,31 6,0 SS
WS+A n 36 5 S
WS+B n 50 5 S
WS+K M 26 0 S
Run+K L 35 0 ?
A+B M 29+47(76) 5+6(11) S

Special Attacks:

The QCF+B is a fairly slow attack, so people won't be easily caught off guard
by it. It's strengths are it's strength: if they don't block, they lose a
big chunk of health and if they do block, they get a ton of weapon damage.
It also has a little bit of horizontal range, so if you do it after someone
dodges, it can still hit them. This can be devastating when used after a GI,
or even better, after GI-ing a CE... mucho weapon loss!

QCB by itself is not too helpful, other then a taunt. QCB+B,b+B is fairly
good, because of its range. However the execution time can be a little too
long. Be careful about turning your back, because your opponent gets an
automatic mC bonus (125%) just because you've turned around.

WS+A is similar to d/f+A, but since it starts from a crouch is much easier to
connect. Like d/f+a, you might have to anticipate a High attack to make it
a MC, instead of a hit against you.

WS+B knocks down and pushes back for a little bit of RO potential. This
doesn't need a MC to knock down, you can use it if you aren't comfortable
with a WS+A,d/f+B combo (which has a greater potential for damage).
It's main fault is it's sluggish execution, and restrictiveness. Learn to
use WS+A and WS+K instead.

WS+K is the fanciest way to start a float combo. This is good as a tease
attack, since Li doesn't move as far forwards as it looks. It has lower
priority and damage compared to the other juggle starters, but can be started
from the crouching position. It does seem to have better priority than the
WS+A, so if you want a better chance at connecting, use the WS+K. If you
want a high-damage combo, go for the WS+A stun.

Run+K is your standard slide attack. Even though the game calls it a throw,
it can be blocked low. Change this up with a Run+B (actually fF+B) to keep
them guessing.

A+B is probably Li's strongest attack for a ground combo. Even when done
outside a combo, the last hit knocks down for a ground hit. Use this
sparingly, as the second hit can be blocked and the recovery at the end is
ridiculous.

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A+G ST 70 - S
B+G ST 40+40(80) - S
A+G or B+G BT 35+35(70) - S
b+A+G R 60 - S Kick reversal
d/f+K G 25 - S
d/b+B+K U 130 - ?(C)
A+B+K M 20+16+15+16(67) 20 S
f,f+A+B 18+21+30(136) - S

(my addition here)
Dodge+A M 42 6 S
Dodge+B M 40 6 S
Dodge+K L 22 0 C
Dodge+d/f+B M 35 6 S

And here go the leftovers:

A+G and B+G are your standard throws. Both of them make you trade sides with
your opponent, so use it only when your back is to the edge, not when your
opponent's back is to the edge. Same rules apply to the back throw.

b+A+G is just your basic Kick Reversal

d/f+K should be your standard ground hit, since it is quick and fast. If you
are fighting people with good reach (Rock, Mina, Ziggy) use u+A_B instead to
get a little distance.

d/b+B+K is his ublockable. As unblockables go, it's fairly useless. Except
for canceling and putting pretty light trails behind my weapon, I rarely use
it.

A+B+K is a fairly regular CE attack. It is slightly unusual for Li,
since it strikes across his body to the right side, possibly catching
dodgers.

Dodge+A (dd+A_du+A) has good damage, range, and speed, plus it knocksdown to
Long's right (unlike his other knockdown moves).

Dodge+B is fairly useless as it lacks in all of the categories that make
Dodge+A strong. Avoid using this unless the other person jumps every time
you dodge.

Dodge+K is not very strong, but comes out quick and you recover Crouching.

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General Stuff:

Li "Mishima" Long - Li seems to have borrowed a couple of attacks from the
Tekken family. The WS+A_d/b+A, and fF+B just seem to be too similar.

That Tricky d/f+B - As noted above, some of Li's float combos require you to
be a certain distance in order to connect. AAA is fairly generous, while
BBB isn't quite as friendly. Here's a short recap of combos:

Cervantes, Eat Your Heart Out! - Some characters (like Cervantes) have
uppercuts that only stagger opponents in certain situations (like when they
are crouch-blocking). Fortunately, Li Long doesn't suffer from this.

(Combos can have a Ground attack added afterward, unless noted. Difficult,
yet possible combos are marked with a D.)

d/f+B
AAA 71
AAK 69
AB 61
d/f+A (D,G) 66
d+A (D) 47
BBB 78
BA 72
f+BB 74
d/f+B 62
b+BB 57
K 56
d/f+K 65
A+B 53

fF+B
AAA 92
d/f+A (D,G) 87
BBB (D) 99
BA 86
f+BB 95
d/f+B 83
b+B 67
K 77
d/f+K 76
A+B (D) 86

WS+K
AAA 62
f+BB 65
b+B 37
K 47
A+B (1st hit only) 41

ws+A (MC), d/f+A (MC) 54+_60+...
d/f+B - continued above
fF+B - continued above

d/f+B (MC)
same as above plus... 17+...
f+AAA 88
f+AB 78
b+A 63
d/b+A 68
D+A 64
BK 90
b+BBB 83
d+B 75
fF+B 96
f+K 83
d+K 75
fF+K 91
QCB+B 76
WS+K (S) 72

fF+B (MC)
same as above plus... 28+...
haven't found any extra combos for MC

WS+K (MC)
same as above plus... 13+...
same as d/f+B 4+...
f+AAA 75
b+A 77
d+B 62
fF+B 83
f+K 70
fF+K 78
QCB+B 63

Whew, I think that's all of them...

Li's Strengths - He's got good range with those nunchakus and, noted above,
some of his Vertical attacks actually strike to Li's left. Most of his
attacks have decent power and speed, too.

Li's Weaknesses - Yes, he is not invincible. His major deficiency is his
HUGE lag time after certain moves, which can allow a throw or even sometimes
a d/f+B combo... not good. Use your range and moves wisely (as well as his
quick kick attacks) and you should come out on top.

Li Throws a Curveball - Some may consider changing levels in combos as cheap
(Mitsurugi), but most of those combos have slashes for their second hits.
This allows you to do a GI. For instance, AAK with AAd+A is not too strong
since the second strike in both is a High slash that can be ducked or GI'ed.
Li's stronger change-ups include:

crouch+A,up+B with crouch+A,crouch+A...
fF+B with d+A
KK with K+A_d+K
d+B (n, not M) with d+K
Run+B (fF+B) with Run+K

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Special Thanks goes out to Dave Connoy <[email protected]>
for the SB FAQ, his Hwang FAQ for setting a high standard of excellence, and
some helpful notes.

I'd also like to thank Justin Pierce for giving me more pointers and creating
The Stage of History "http://absolut.sites.uiuc.edu/~japierce

And Namco, for creating such a comprehensive practice mode. Now if they
would just add a frames meter I'd be all set...

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Graham Fredrick
[email protected]
[email protected]