HWOARANG FAQ This FAQ is (c) Tate Walker-Suoja. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer: This is to be distributed freely across any medium provided that the content is not altered in any way and proper credit is given to the writer and sources. The characters stated in this FAQ and everything involving Tekken just about is copyright Namco, and they can and likely will sue your ass :P. I might too so who knows. Complaints and corrections (constructive criticism only please) can be sent to ironmonkey84@hotmail.com Version: 2.0 Boardname: Turel_Azure 11/01/02 This FAQ may receive corrections/additions at any point in time. Be sure to check back for updates. V 1.0 – FAQ Submitted V 1.1 – Fixed the line spacing issue, added some information on VS section and small blurb on more useful moves. V 2.0 – Bigger update. Fixed the line spacing issue for sure (better be fixed damn it), and just about a complete overhaul of the FAQ, to better help out people. REQUIRED READING: Tekken 4 Hwoarang Movelist, Triple Lei and deftones14's Liquid Hwoarang FAQ (preferably after or alongside this one), Triple Lei's Fox Step FAQ (after this one). Contents-- 1.Basic Hwoarang -Introduction -Basics -Juggles -Okizeme -Throws 2.Advanced Hwoarang -Flamingo Stance Combo Strings -Changing it up -Defense with Hwoarang -Other Hwoarang Options 3. Versus Character Notes 4. Credits SAY NO TO SCRUBS >>>>>>BASIC HWOARANG =================================== Introduction To the reader: This FAQ is for those who know Tekken and want to SINCERELY learn Hwoarang, his strengths, his weaknesses, and what works and does not work, and to win without being scrubby. Read this along side of Hwoarang's move list for reference. I will also not explain the move notation as I hope those reading this FAQ already know it. I'm not retyping that stuff. You can find one at www.tekkenzaibatsu.com and www.catlord.com . =================================== Basics To start, Hwoarang (aka Bob, but Triple Lei hates that name) is one of the most in depth and complex characters in the game. The key to Hwoarang is knowing what he can do in each stance, and how to get to each stance. It is this that allows Bob to have the most advanced juggles in Tekken 4, as well as the most advanced mix-ups in Tekken 4. On top of that, Hwoarang has a deadly throw game. Where Hwo lacks however, is in defense. He has very few moves that could be counted as defensive. So what does this mean?: Hwoarang is very offensive. For being offensive, he has the best tools as well. His tools are his very numerous launchers, his insane juggles after those launchers, his okizeme (ground hitting) game, and his mix-up strings. Not to mention the integration of walls into T4, which gives Hwoarang yet another huge game he can play. Your opponent will find themselves blocking and trying to counter your hits a lot, so expect to fight more WS moves and quick jabs, because as a Hwoarang player, they tend to be the only moves that can hit you out of your offense. First things first, toy around with Hwoarang. Try out all his moves, and note their properties. Right off, if you know Tekken at all, you might easily notice some of Hwoarang's basic moves that are useful all on their own. These would be: WS+4,4 d/b+4,4 LFF f+3~3_f,N,d,d/f+3~3 LFF f,f+3 LFF f+2 LFF b+2 LFF b+3 LFF b+4_RFF b+3 LFF 3~4 RFF 3~4 These moves all are decently balanced for speed, damage, and recovery. All have different properties in stuns and how they hit, and can be very useful at variant times. Just make sure to note the properties of the moves in ALL situations. For example, if your opponent blocks the RFF 3~4, they are sideturned, and you can get in some easy hits from there. More of this will be explained in depth later. A very important part of Hwoarang is to learn what moves put him into what stances. As you will notice, Hwoarang has four stances: LFF, LFS, RFF, RFS. All moves in each stance are very different, and as you do moves, they may cause you to switch stances. It is very important to know what stance you are going into, so you can do moves accordingly. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART TO THE BASICS OF HWOARANG. Learn all stances, and use them all. The reason behind this is that Hwoarang is one of the few characters where in order to succeed you will need to learn and use ALL of his moves. Just about EVERY move has a situation that it can be used for. =================================== Juggles Some moves, as you will go on studying, will launch the opponent in the air. From here, you can attack the opponent more in a string of guaranteed hits; they cannot do anything to avoid the damage. Hwoarang has many moves that create this property, and they are known as launchers. Hitting the opponent after a launcher is a juggle, and Hwoarang truly excels at juggles. Here is a list of juggle starters. LFF_RFF: f,N,d,d/f+4 d/f+2_f,N,d,d/f+2 on CH only d+4,4 (Rarely use, easily ducked) LFF: b+3 3,3,3,3 (Never use this) f,N:d/f+4 (Hwoarang's Just Frame. Must hit d/f+4 at the exact same time.) RFF: f+4~4 4_2,4 on CH LFS: 3,3,3 (Rarely use) b+4 RFS: b+3 d/f+4 4 on CH As you can see, that's a lot of options to start juggles with. Most juggle starters here are somewhat quick to start, but do not have the greatest recovery time. So if you have one blocked, or whiff one, expect retaliation. The only non-punishable launchers on block are RFF 4_2,4, LFF d/f+2_f,N,d,d/f+2, RFS d/f+4, and LFF f,N:d/f+4. All are punishable if whiffed, so be careful. As for following up with juggle hits, the favored move tends to be LFF 1,2,3,1. The reason behind this is that it leaves the most options open after it is completed. You can follow it up with a 1,2,3,4; f,f+4, your own styling move, or another 1,2,3,1 followed by a oki mixup. Another reason is that if they hit the wall, it's very easy to get in another 1,2,3,1, and keep the juggle going. Even infinite juggles are possible in certain stages with this move. However, personally, I enjoy damage more, so I start with LFF 3~4, 1,2 to whatever for my juggles. If you end up in RFF after you launch, f+3,1 and go into the 1,2,3,1. For more juggles, I recommend viewing combo movies all over the internet, or the combo lists on Tekken Zaibatsu. =================================== Okizeme Once you land this juggle (or any attack that knocks the opponent over), the opponent is on the ground. This is where Hwoarang's incredible oki game comes into play. Here's a quick list of all of Hwo's moves that hit grounded: FC+3 FC+4 U/F_U+2 (Waste of space. Only for show. A bad show.) U/F>3 (Wastes less space than the one above, good for show and mixup) LFF b+3 LFF_RFF d/b+4 LFS d+3 RFF f+3~4 (2nd hit, and no trip properties) RFF 4,3 (High damage grounded) RFS d+4 LFF_RFF d/b+3+4 LFS d+4 (only hits on hills when downslope) RFS d+3 (only hits on hills when downslope) LFF_RFF d+4 (only hits on hills when downslope) In addition to this, Bob has MANY moves that punish tech rollers, and these moves are: LFF_RFF d/b+4,4 LFF f,f+3 LFF_LFS_RFF d+3,4,3 LFF d+4,4 LFF_RFF f,N,d,d/f+4 or f,N,d/f+4 LFF b+3 RFF f+4~4 RFF 3~4 (Yes! This works wonders! Especially on WR attacks) This is the basis for Hwoarang's oki game. He will own people that tech roll too much, honestly. The only characters with better oki are Heihachi and Paul, who's d+1 hammer punches tend to hit grounded now. Just don't forget to make them eat their tech rolls! If you make them afraid to tech, you keep them on the ground. =================================== Throws Hwoarang has a VERY surprisingly good throw game. Not only do they look cool, but also his command throws have different escapes :D. He has five command throws, and mixing them up between each other will prevent your opponent from escaping them very often. qcb+3 - Best throw overall, as it has sparkles. It looks awesome, hurts a lot (40), and requires the unexpected 1 to escape. It also has a super quick 11 frame throw animation, giving the opponent minimal time to react. And on top of all this, it can be canceled into from the Crouch Dash! Just don't abuse, or they will escape it (maybe). f+2+3 - Hwoarang's old school T3 2+4 throw is now a command throw, which does normal throw damage, but requires 1+2 to escape. It's very very easy to do, and that with the two-button escape makes this one very useful. RFF 1+3_2+4 - High damage throw that looks very cool (but not as cool as qcb+3). Requires 1+2 to escape, making it worth using. Very nice to follow up with after RFF 2 jab. It has a disadvantage in how slow the animation of the grab for the throw is, so don't use it too often. f,f+2 - Sucks that it has the standard 2 escape, and it looks kind of dumb, but it has great uses. The f,f dash in is great for the super turtlers, as you move in close, and it is the easiest command throw to perform in the entire game. Standard Damage, not much in oki after it either. Also very very easy to cancel out from a crouch dash. d,D/B+1+3 - Decent throw, just hard to perform. 1+2 escape, looks okay, but leaves INSANE oki opportunities afterwards. If you can pull this off well, use it. Also don't forget how cool Bob's back, left side, and especially right side throws are >:D. Tekken 4 added a new kind of throw to their game, and that's the 1+3 position change. This can add a whole new dimension to the game if played right. Hwo has a guaranteed b+4 from LFF 1+3 into a wall from mid range and long range, and has 1,2 or 1,1 at all ranges. Many mix-ups can be done with another 1+3 or a d/f+1 after the 1,2, or a b+4. You can also mix in b+3 and d/b+4,4 with this for some crazy mix-ups. There's more to this of course, but these are the basics for the position change against the wall. >>>>>>Advanced Hwoarang And now, we get to the true Hwoarang. Everything else before is basic. Note that Advanced here is a tentative term; it is only advanced relative to the basics. To high level players, this stuff remains basic. =================================== FSCS (Flamingo Stance Combo String): Now this is where I talk about Hwoarang's Flamingo Stance Combo Strings (FSCS), and his insane mix-ups with this option. This also goes in depth to Hwoarang's counters to his weaknesses, and some advanced tactics on certain moves. There is another FAQ by Jake Campbell on Tekken Zaibatsu that gives wonderful insight into the FSCS. The link is: http://www.tekkenzaibatsu.com/tekken4/faq/hwoarang-01.txt I suggest you read it for incredible depth on the FSCS. I am going to add some thoughts on it however. The basic, as it says there, is LFF_LFS d+3,4,2,f+3 repeat. This string hits so often that people encountering even this most basic version do not know what to do. Learn this, and use this. The only way someone can stop it is to duck jab after your 4 or f+3. You might say that someone could just duck and block the entire thing, but that is where the mix-ups come in. You see, when you hit d+3,4, which puts you in RFS. That means you can do anything that you could do normally from RFS. The following 2 puts you in RFF, and the f+3 back in LFS. The mix-ups here are CRAZY. The other great startups that Mr. Campbell also mentions are 1,2,3 or 1,2,4, and you can also do just 2,3 or 2,4. Remember that Bob's 1 and Bob's 2 are almost the same frames, so doing the 2 first can be great at times. From LFF you can also f,N,d,d/f+3 to go into Flamingo and start that way, or triple sidestep, and just f+4 (slow). From RFF you have even more options, like 4~f, d/f+4~f, and f+3. From either flamingos, if you face a standing jabber, who tries to jab you out, you can answer with your own 8-FRAME!! kick. f+3 in LFS and f+4 in RFS are 8 frame double hitting kicks that hit high. Use these once or twice depending on your opponent. If these hit, follow them up with the jab to continue your string. Against ducking opponents you have MANY options. This is what makes the FSCS so dangerous. If they stay ducked, and you switch up, half of their life bar vanishes in seconds. From LFF or RFF, you can do the double mid hitting d/f+3,4 that does tons of damage. From RFF you can do d/f+4~f which puts you right in RFS. When you're in RFS and LFS..that's when you grin as the opponent ducks. From LFS you have 4 options: b+4 for a juggle starter; 3,3,3 for a juggle starter; 3,3,4 to continue the string, and d/f+3 which ends the string and leaves you in RFF stance. From RFS, you have the b+3 launcher, and the two most evil mix-ups in the FSCS, RFS 4 and RFS d/f+4. These two kicks are VERY fast and both have high potential for damaging juggles. 4 on CH you can do almost any juggle you can do from b+3. On d/f+4, you can do d+3,4,3 for some decent damage....that puts you back in LFS! You can counter almost any attack with the right move in the FSCS. They try to throw? LFS 4 or RFS 3. These kicks make you hop in the air, and hit the opponent for quite a hunk of damage, and leave you in a FS. An opponent tries to power hit you out? b+3 in LFS and b+4 in RFF or RFS spin you to the side, and this is one of their best uses despite their sidestep being toned down. If an opponent is incredibly skilled, and begins to parry and block a ton of moves, mix up more first off, and 2nd....THROW! Hwoarang can throw opponents in the middle of the FSCS with almost no lag! f+2+3 is recommended highly for this purpose. Normal throws are just as effective if the opponent has trouble escaping, and you haven't even tried a throw all round. And of course, follow the throw with your oki :). Sidestepping opponents are hardly ever a problem for the FSCS, as all the moves in the string can track. However, against super sidestep opponents like King and some others, you may want to use Bob's RFF 3~4 with it's tremendous arc to at least make the opponent duck or block or something, which will give you back your edge. I also recommend the RFF 3~4 in that when blocked, it side turns, and a b+3 is almost guaranteed after the blocked one. And if ducked, you can usually block any super powerful move or combo, or at least crouch jab. This move is safer than most think to be honest. Obviously, there are so many options here that it would take literally pages upon pages to explain them all. This is where your own personal style can set into your Hwoarang style. That is why I find Hwoarang so much fun, as almost every player can have their own individual style of playing him. It's harder to do this with Jin and Kazuya and Paul. So come up with your favorite strings, and mix it up! My favs: 2,3,d+3,4,2,2,3 end hits: h,l,h,h,h,h d+3,4,N,f+4,2,d/f+4~f,3,1,throw hits: Sm,h,h,h,h,m,h,h,h d+3,4,2,f+3,3,3,4,2,f+3,d+3,4... hits: Sm,h,h,h,m,m,h,h,h,l,h.... 2,3,2,2,4~f,2,d/f+4~f,f+4,d/f+4,d+3,4,3 hits: h,m,h,h,h,m,h,h,m,Sm,h,h Please note that moves such as LFS b+4, LFS 4, RFS b+3, and RFS 3 are very punishable by jabs if blocked by the opponent. So use them when you expect to hit, and are using them for good reason. They should be rare components of your mix-up. =================================== Changing it up So one may think that the FSCS is unbeatable, but as said before, it can be crouch jabbed and stopped. That means you take a hit, and that is never good. You can also at some points in your switch up eat a WS move, which is often a juggle starter. This is VERY BAD. So..what to do? Don't always do the FSCS that's what! Doing the same string over and over leads to predictability, and a good player can capitalize on your patterns. Characters like Paul, Steve, Julia can punish you INCREDIBLY hard for not mixing it up. Mix up your FSCS on it's own, and mix it up with normal moves. d/b+1, WS 4,4 is a weapon, and is unbeatable if you land the jab. The most they can do is block. This is Bob's only abusable move. d/b+4,4 is also very decent although very punishable if ducked. On recovering opponents it's a must, and works well just as a changeup from constant high and mid attacks. It also side turns if the 2nd hit is blocked, which you can b+3 after to keep them defensive (or 1,2,3,3,3,4...). RFF has many lethal attacks. Learn them...2,3; 2,4~f; 2,4<4 and especially 3~4, which side turns if blocked, and comes close to guaranteeing a b+3 afterward. It requires a special block maneuver to block correctly, and there's only a few frames for them to turn back to face Bob (Not revealing it here for all those wanting to learn how to beat Bob :P Read the 70+ pages of the Bob thread instead hehe). 2,3 after a 2 in the FSCS is a wonderful tool that is high in damage AND very fast. And if they duck your 2, you can just do 2,1,1 or 2,N,d/f+4(~f) instead to hit them. One other tip, is if you have range, start the FSCS or just attack with awkward moves. Try starting a FSCS with LFF f,f+3. The guard break will cause some confusion. For me, RFF f,f+4,3 blocked followed by f+3,d+3,4,2....is a great startup for me, even though the frame advantage from the guard break on the f,f+4,3 is minimal to non-existent. If you are apart, and the opponent tries crouch dash in close, I usually find I can LFF 3~4 them a lot of the time and get some high damage in for them thinking I was too slow. You can do the same with d/f+3,4 at this further range, with even more efficiency but a little less damage. =================================== Defense with Hwoarang As will become obvious, defense is much harder with Hwoarang than some other characters. You don't have a sway like Paul, Bryan or Nina; you don't have counter moves like Paul or Nina; you don't have parries like Law or Xiao; you don't have special parries like Steve, Bryan or King etc etc. In other words, there is not a ton you can do in terms of solid defense with Hwoarang. His defense has its origins in movement and motion and attacks. First off, Hwoarang has a few moves that physically move him, and a few that involve ducking motions with them. To classify them, there are moves that sidestep, moves that duck, moves that fade away, and moves that stop. Note that some fall under both categories, and are extremely good for dodging. Ducking moves: LFF f+3 f,N,d,d/f+3_3~3_4_2 d/f+2 (ducks only left high jabs reliably) LFS b+4 (ducks only left high moves reliably) SSR moves: LFF f+3 f,N,d,d/f+3_3~3 SSL moves: LFF b+2 LFF f,N,4 RFF f+4 Fade Away moves: u/b+4 b,b+3+4 The Foxsteps. Now, all these moves tend to be very situational. The most reliable of these moves for dodging are the f,N,d,d/f+3~3, LFF b+2, u/b+4, and LFF f+3. Moves that duck tend to be best for ducking jabs, and moves that SS are better for dodging kicks and longer punches. LFF b+2 is wonderful against right moves, and u/b+4 has a habit of beating out most slower moves altogether. For moves that SS, it's best to SS in the direction they move Hwo before and/or after you perform the move. This results in move such as the Triple SSR, which is SSR,f+3,SSR. Another great one is SSL,b+2. These two movements can easily put you behind the opponent, WITH a frame advantage. Now, there are a few moves that have no dodging properties, but their priority is SO high that they literally stop almost any offensive that your opponent can launch at you. These moves are LFF f+2 LFF f+1+2 LFS 2 LFS f+3 RFS 1 RFS f+4 RFF 2 RFF d/f+4(~f) Use these moves when you anticipate a coming offensive. LFF f+2 dominates more than any other move I know. I've been able to stop Jin cold constantly with it, whether it's 2,1, or Laser Scraper. These moves are about stopping an anticipated move. Do not do them too late, or you will eat CH. As for movement, the RFF back dash is very far relative to anyone else's backdash. Also, when you learn how, the Foxstep is your best friend. Read Triple Lei's FAQ for more information on that, as it answers just about everything there. Don't forget about wavedashing (f,N,d,d/f,u,f,N etc.) either. And lastly, one very effective tactic is to duck. I know this sounds silly, but with Hwoarang as offensive as he is, you always want to attack, or interrupt. However, since it is very easy to be punished if you try a d/b+1 to interrupt by an 8 frame jab, just duck. You don't even have to bother with a WS attack. If you do nothing, not only does it seem to show superiority, but your opponent will forget you have WS attacks on some occasions. =================================== Other Hwoarang Options First and foremost, many Hwoarang players surround a lot of their game around Hwoarang's WS+4,4. I (and every other Hwoarang player) cannot emphasize enough how important this move is. This move has many uses, as it hits mid twice, and can be part of your FSCS, and can even be part of juggles for the more elite players. Just remember this move, and use it. It is your safest move, period. But abuse it, and you become predictable. And you should know by now what happens to a predictable Hwoarang. And although many complain about Hwoarang's 10 frame jab, his 1,2 combos are still fast, and have VERY HIGH frame advantage on hits. There is an entire game that focuses on Hwo's oki, which involves 1,2,3 and the d+4 or b+4 mix up. This can devastate an opponent if used occasionally, but abuse leads to extreme punishment. If the 1,2 is ducked, prepare to eat WS against a smart opponent, and if blocked, faster characters and smarter players can jab you out of your flamingo. So use this as part of your mix up, and it will be devastating to all. And if you have too much trouble hitting with your standing jabs, don't forget that d/b+1 is 8 frames; excellent for interrupting things. There is also a small game surrounding Hwoarang's f+1+2 move, the Icicle Crusher. This move is advantageous in that you can follow it up with some mix up games, like a throw or a d/f+1 after a hit. After a blocked f+1+2, you have about enough time to block anything thrown at you save a super fast knee from Yoshimitsu. So don't forget to use this move as well in a mix-up, perhaps even a wall mix up. For quick midhits, at close range d/f+1 gives the best frame advantage over the d/f+1+2, but has a little shorter range. For longer range in either RFF or LFF, d/f+4 gives better frame advantage, and one you can switch into the flamingo with. Hwoarang also has some SICK wall combos that you must utilize if given the chance. His old standard fare from Tekken 3 seems to be a wonderful part of wall combos now, as 3,3,4,4 does a ton of damage if you keep them in the air. Good players can tech after the first hit, so make sure to hit it right. I suggest getting them to hit with their side or face with your LFS b+4 or RFS b+3. Other moves that work wonders are LFS 4 and RFS 3 over and over once you get them in the air and keep them there. Don't forget the position change if they block, and if you get a power wall hit from say LFF 3~4, be sure to get in 3+4,3~4 on them for free super damage! d+3,4 is your best friend when you have them against the wall, as well as your jabs from any stance. Also, small trick: RFS b+3_LFS b+4, d/b+4,4 into wall makes them hit the wall BT. >>>>>>Versus Character Notes: =================================== These are things to note when fighting other characters, and which characters cause unique problems for Hwoarang, and the best tactics I have come up with to counter them. I suggest looking into the 110+ page Hwoarang thread on Tekken Zaibatsu for more detailed information on this, as well as everything else regarding Hwoarang. VS. Bryan Bryan is not extremely scary to contend with, but he is still intimidating. His jab strings can hurt if you eat a CH jab. Also, be very weary of his punch parry and WS moves. His WS moves, while somewhat slow, are absolutely devastating on hits. Bryan also likes to punish things with his mach punch, so watch yourself on high recovery moves. Low parries are your best friend, as Bryan has plenty of low attacks. VS. Christie Christie is relatively easy for Hwoarang. While she provides a lot of trouble for jabbers, your LFF b+3 and d/b+4,4 hit her out of a lot of her moves, as well as your f+2. Just remember her patterns, and low parry when you get the chance. Just think in terms of your Oki game, and you should end up ahead. VS. Heihachi Hei you kind of just have to feel out. He has all kinds of moves, but he does them slower than most other characters. Hell sweeps, wavedashing ewgf, WS+2, qcf+2, 1,1,2, and his JF moves. Just be cautious, and punish him when you see an opening. His 10 frame jab won't stop your strings any time soon when you have momentum on your side. VS. Hwoarang f+2 is your best friend. Do all you can to stop his strings. d/b+1, f+2, and b+2 will be very good at getting around his strings, and be sure to punish his juggle attempts with throws and your own juggle starters. Just focus on stopping his strings above all else. VS. Jin Jin is feared by just about everyone in the game. He dominates tournaments, and he can dominate friendly play as well. The most important things with Jin are to perfect your defense, because it's very hard to stop that Laser Scraper once it's on top of you. If you're at a distance, f+2 completely halts a LS or the 2,1 mixup, so use that to your advantage. Just perfect your defense against the LS (as in time your SSR) and avoid his other juggle starters. VS. Julia Julia can truly be a bitch at times. Her f,f+1 is very good at stopping your strings cold. A good idea is to try and SS everything you can, go on defense, and just look for an opening. d/b+1, WS 4,4 helps you gain momentum on her better than it does on some other characters as her 1,2 is different from all other characters. If you develop another method that works, try it. Just remember to SS a lot. VS. Kazuya For a 10 frame jabber, Kazuya is damn fast. He has a very unique way of bulldogging you to death, and whatever you do, DO NOT GET HIT BY WS+2 EVER. Once you do, your life bar just vanishes. He feeds off of clean hits and counters, so play safe. One advantage you have is that he cannot get out of your strings too easily, and that the majority of his moves are SSable. Just don't get caught, or you will severely regret it. His juggles are absolutely devastating. VS. King King can be a true Hwoarang killer. With the kick parry, and well timed crouchdashing throws, he can weave through your strings and under some attacks and throw you. Now, this is where you use f+2, jabs, and f+1+2. His jab strings can be annoying, so remember to defend. The most important thing to remember is how to escape his throws. If you cannot escape, he will devastate your Hwo. A neat strategy against King is to delay all your motions for your strings, which is un-intuitive, but works wonders when they go into a countermove frenzy. VS. Kuma Kuma is very interesting to fight. He has very surprising speed for his size, and he can just have a habit of hurting you really fast with single hit moves and okizeme combinations. As Hwoarang, you need not fear his hunting stance as much, but do your best to avoid his low hits. Crouch- dashing in is a very good option when he starts to jab (f+1) interrupt you for a juggle. Just remember that most of your juggles won't work on him, due to his size. VS. Law Law is really fun to fight against. He makes you think, due to his DSS cancels. Just learn when he might cancel, and block accordingly, then punish as best you can. Just be cautious, and don't leave yourself open. He is a very fun fight, so don't get frustrated. A good Law can parry lots of your moves, so be absolutely sure to mixup your moves to avoid being caught by a parry to DSS f+1. Low parry the junkyard kick, and duck around his jabs. VS. Lee For me, Lee can just be plain annoying. You might have a better chance asking someone else for help on him. They give me more trouble than any others, but I will do my best to help. Lee loves to keep on assaults sometimes, with his 1,2~mist step mixups. Just know that your f+2 beats his SS+2, and that his hits don't do a whole ton of damage. d/f+2 can work well, but don't panic if you can't get it in. Just remember your d/b+1, and try your damndest to start up your own string. VS. Lei I sadly do not have a whole lot of really great Leis to play against, but I just know that low parries and knowing his moves is the best defense against him. He can get through some of your strings, but I wouldn't worry too much. Just avoid being predictable at all costs, as Lei can capitalize on it. Make sure to utilize all of your okizeme game when he hits the ground as well. More strats will come in the future. VS. Ling Ling provides less trouble for Hwo than she does for most other characters, once again due to similar reasons as Christie, in that some of Hwo's great moves hit her out of AOP fairly easily. However, do not let her predict your moves and counter them by going into AOP and punishing you appropriately. Have confidence, but don't get cocky. VS. Marduk Marduk provides no unique challenge for Hwoarang, as he is challenging to everyone who faces him. You have to learn his tackle escapes, period. There is nothing you can truly once he tackles you save know the game. It would be a very good idea to mix up as much as you can, as Marduk can succumb to the strings at times, and because he has two separate counter- moves, for highs and for mids, and so he has to predict between the two. VS. Nina Nina can be a little tough at times. The most important thing to remember is that you can SS the majority of her moves, save for d/f+1+2. If she begins to hit you often with strings, practice on watching her motions for an option to low parry. If you are able to deter her from using low attacks, you eliminate a large portion of her game, and get a free juggle in. VS. Steve Steve can literally devastate Hwoarang. He gives Hwoarang more trouble than any other character. He has a very easy time jabbing you out of your moves, and your lack of a parry causes him to never second-guess retaliation. With Steve, more than any other character, it is important to be able to duck without attacking back. He will out-bulldog you most of the time, but use every opportunity you can to juggle or start your mixups. If you do a mixup, concentrate on mid attacks, as if you let him duck and get in a WS attack, you completely loose your momentum. VS. Yoshimitsu Yoshimitsu is a blast to play against. First off, you have a distinct advantage as there are very few moves that Yoshimitsu can steal and use effectively back on you, since as Hwoarang you use all of your moves. Just remember that his game focuses on counter hits, so don't get caught by one, like SS+1 etc. As for unblockables, just do your best to dodge, and if you get hit, do your best to avoid an okizeme game. This match, in my eyes, is a truly even one. You will get interrupted in your strings, and take hits, but so will he. My rival is a strict Yoshi player as I am a strict Hwo player, and we each beat each other 50% of the time. Just expect a fun match, and do your best. >>>>>>Credits A big, huge, monstrous thanks to Castel, and Tekken Zaibatsu for not only creating the haven for Tekken players, but also for hosting this FAQ and providing a move list. Another big thanks to the rest of the TZ board moderators for putting up with that place. Thanks to Catlord for his incredible Just Frame project, even though he doesn't have the Talon Sky Rocket yet hehe. Huge thanks to the movie people, especially HHH's combo vid and the guys at Tekken Central, Triple Lei, and especially Markman and Tensaikun and the other guys of San Diego Tekken. O_O!? Triple Lei and Deftones14 need a big thanks for their Hwoarang FAQ, which brings some incredible strategies to light. And now, a special thanks to the following Hwoarang players, who are kind enough to share strategies and thoughts through words and movies: Triple Lei, Deftones14, Tbuxton, Tensaikun, Unabinh, Maddogjin, SMAKSU, FoxStepCEO, Iliketekken, Ambient Rush, and all the rest I forgot to mention. Thanks to Ambient Rush for proofreading version 1.0 And lastly, a huge thanks to all the UW players. Shriram, John, Justice, Dave, Eugene, Jimmy, Tam, JJ, and the new guy Andrew.