_____ ____

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_____ _____
/ ____}/ ____} Samurai Shodown
( (__ ( (__ Special Moves Guide
--\__ \--\__ \-(== Version 1.0
____) )____) ) 01/06/93
{_____/{_____/ By Jimmy Tu -- [email protected]

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DIRECTORY:
* Introducition
* History
* Projectile Weapons
* Special Moves
* Undefined Moves
* Appendix 1
* Appendix 2

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INTRODUCTION
============
As special moves play a big part in fighting games today, players need to
learn about all the pros and cons in using them. This guide was started to
try to answer people's questions about all the special moves in the game,
Samurai Shodown. It is an attempt to thoroughly explore the strategies
needed for advanced samurais. This can be read as an addendum to the SS FAQ,
or just by itself would be fine, too.

Note: The guide is far from complete, as there are many blanks and question
marks throughout the guide. Any comments, corrections, and/or additional
information would be appreciated.

Mail them to: [email protected]
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History
=======

Version 1.0: Information on special weapons and special moves.

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PROJECTILE WEAPONS
==================

The following is a chart of the effects projectile weapons have on each other.
Some may cancel each other out while, but there are some that won't because of
difference in height and/or shape. Eg. Jubei's Suigetsu Toh travels on the
ground while Hanzo's Reppu Shuriken travels only in the air. When the two
passes nothing happens. Naturally, the same weapon will cancel each other
out.

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Plasma Blade PB
Rush Dog ? RD
Poison Blizzard C C BB
Reppu Shuriken C ? C RS
Bakuen Ryuu C C C C BR
Senpuretsuzan C C C C C SN
Suigetsu Toh = C C = C C ST
Fire fan C ? C C C C = Ff
Mura Gaburu C ? C C C C = C MG

Legend: C - cancels = - passes through
? - unknown

** Uyko's Tsubame Gaeshi produces a projectile weapon, but it travels high in
the air in a parabolic path.
[see the UNDEFINED section for more information]

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SPECIAL MOVES
=============

In SS, special moves have priority over others, so therefore it is important
to have the knowledge to know when to execute it and when not to. The
following chart lists priorities of special moves against each other.
Projectile weapons will always stop a special move. [exception: see Hoahmaru]

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Power Gradation PG
Slash Fount | SF
Fat Bound | | FB
Fat Chainsaw | ? - FC
Ninja Twirl | - - ? NT
Butcher Thrust T T - | ? BT
KogetsuZan X ! ! ! ! ! KZ
Hasso Happa X ? ? ? | ? X HH
Nikkaku Ratoh | ? ? ? ? ? ! ? NR
Chobi Jishi - - - ? ? ? ? ? ? CJ
Rotating Slash ? ? ? ? ? ? ! ? ? ? RS
*Mutsube ? - - ? ? ? ? ? - ? ? *M
Yatoro Pokku ? ? ? ? X ? ? ? - ? ? | YP
Paguna Deos X ? ? ? | ? ! ? ? | ? ? ? PD
Paguna Paguna X ? ? ? ? ? ! ? ? | ? ? ? ? PP
Sasame Yuki X ? - ? | ? X X - ? ? ? ? ? ? SY
Slicing Gust ? ? ? ? ? ? ? X ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? SG

Legend: - - move on side has priority | - move on top has priority
T - both trade damage X - not possible
! - Hoahmaru's KogetsuZan, if timed right, can go through attacks and
even projectile weapons because of temporary invincibility, a la
SF2 - dragon punch.

** All the Mutsube moves done by Nakoruru are basically
the same and therefore have the same priorities.

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UNDEFINED (detailed)
====================

Flame Fandango
--------------
The Flame Fandango has great priority because it acts like a projectile
weapon, but it doesn't move. It can cancel all [normal] projectile weapons,
listed above, and acts as a good air defense, too.

Amube Yatoro
------------
The Amube Yatoro also acts like a projectile weapon, but because the bird
travels in an air to ground attack it can't be considered a true projectile.
The bird has good priority, so it should be able to go through most special
moves. Only a projectile weapon can cancel it, eg. Hoahmaru's Senpuretsuzan.

Ahau Gabara
-----------
Because there is a fireball, it's hard to compare it to a special move. It
can be compared to Nakoruru's Amube Yatoro and Wan Fu's Exploding Wave.
Because it acts like a projectile weapon, it will stop a special move.

Tsubame Gaeshi
--------------
This attack is like a two in one, an special move with aprojectile. The
projectile travels in a parabolic path,depends on the when the move was
performed. The flaming bird has the ability to cancel other projectiles
while, the sword should have priority over all special moves.

Exploding Wave
--------------
This nasty chucking of a sword is the most damaging special move in the game.
The sword acts like a projectile and goes through all attacks, projectile and
special. Then the sword explodes to add some more damage, like a bomb going
off. There is no real counter against it except to block the initial impact
and try to play keep away with Wan Fu. Once you see Wan Fu turn Red and jump
into the air, all you can do is block.

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Look for the upcoming: "A Samurai's Guide to Unarmed Fighting"

"Hoahmaru Strategy Guide"
******************************************************************************
This article is Copyright 1993 by Jimmy Tu. All rights reserved
==============================================================================
APPENDIX 1

All physical projectile attacks (stars,skulls,fans..etc) can be sliced up by th
e
power gradation, slash fount, hasso happa or pagna pagna. Don't know
about non-physcial projectiles though (plasma blades, Ryuusuigetsu toh's or
Bakuen Ryuu's).

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APPENDIX 2

Rasheed Rankins
> Plasma Blade PB
> Rush Dog ? RD
> Poison Blizzard C C BB
> Reppu Shuriken C ? C RS
> Bakuen Ryuu C C C C BR
> Senpuretsuzan C C C C C SN
> Suigetsu Toh = C C = C C ST
> Fire fan C ? C C C C = Ff
> Mura Gaburu C ? C C C C = C MG
>
> Legend: C - cancels = - passes through
> ? - unknown

the PB, Ff, and MG all cancel out the Rush dog. i assume the RS would,
too. i may try it out today. by the way, Jubei's Nikkaku Ratoh
(Nikko Kurato?) plows through the rush dog.
also about the rush dog: a few times yesterday, i played galford
vs. kyoshiro; i landed next to him, doing the motion for the Mauling
Dog (Rush Dog w/C). as i completed it, Kyoshiro hit me with a fire
fan, but poppy was poised, ready, and UNAFFECTED! bingo, the
aforementioned dog proceeds to avenge the fact that her master just
got nailed. Kyoshiro says "sayonara" to his throat. i like it.

two other things:

tam tam's Ahau Gaburu WILL nail the (usually computer) foolish
opponent who tries to jump it. the face rising out of the flames
ain't just for looks...

also, no matter what direction Wan-fu's exploding wave hits you from,
you must block AWAY FROM BLUBBER BOY. makes sense in a twisted, vague
sort of way. i suppose.

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