Safe, extremely high-evading mid. Close-range whiff punish. Can be combined with with df1~b, ws1,2~b and backdash to launch overextensions.
SWA.1+2
Best range among Paul's launchers. Has some high evasion on startup, but punishable at -14.
qcf+1
High and slow, but very safe at -4.
b+3
Faster than df+2 for clutch situations but has a high hitbox and limited range. Good for pressure. Tracks left.
f,F+4
Cartwheel launcher. Recovers in full crouch. Tons of active frames, but slow and linear, making it vulnerable to floats and sidesteps. Advantage on block varies according to how late the attack connects.
All hopkicks crush lows but are unsafe on block. uf+3 and f,F+3 can be extended with 4 to frame trap and launch premature punish attempts. f,F+3,4 can be further extended into a high, mid or low followup with 4, f+4 or d+4.
Cancelable, but slow enough to be hopkicked on reaction. If not interrupted, both attacks recover in full crouch when canceled, giving Paul access to Ultimate Tackle (FC.1+2), mixup from FC.df+2 (an alternate input for f,F+2) and pressure from ws1,2~b.
High and slow, but extremely advantageous on block and guarantees Deathfist mini-combo on hit.
UF2
Decent range jumping high punch heat engager with lots of advantage on block. And an opp blocking this with their back to the wall is usually in DemoMan range. However this move is incredibly linear and a high. Be wary of opponents who step and flash duck often.
f,F+2:1
Second hit can be ducked but requires awareness and fast reaction. At -4, mashing on block can generally be backdashed or sidestepped.
DPD2,1
Long range high ender that is hit confirmable enabling a guaranteed FF4 on hit. An opp blocking this at the wall will perform a wall stagger giving plus frames to work with. Combined with low options like DPD4. It can be very taxing on the opponent's mental stack.
SWA.4
+ on block, homing, CH launcher. At +1 it offers subtle pressure for Paul to continue his turn with a frame trap or movement into a whiff punish. Use it to control space and challenge the opponent's approach.
Low risk at -2 and high reward with CH confirm into f+2 Heat Engager or d+1+2/b+1,2 knockdown. On block, best used in combination with sidestep to evade and launch mashing opponents. At +8 on hit, df+1~b can only be interrupted by parries or teleporting attacks, a second df+4 can only be interrupted by armor or teleporting attacks, and throw attempts can only be ducked or interrupted by a mashed Rage Art.
ws1,2~b
Delayable, sway cancelable mid-mid pressure tool. First hit tracks far to Paul's left side and combos into second hit on CH. The second hit, which should always be sway canceled, is +1 on block, +14g on hit, and CH leads to two confirmable Heat Engager options with SWA.2 or f+2. Great range when used as iWS from either crouch dash or DPD. Highly abusable attack and one of Paul's best all-purpose moves.
df+1~b, df+1,1, df+1,1,2
df+1 is a versatile plus on block mid when sway canceled, and can be used to frame trap with delayable df+1,1. Second hit on CH guarantees third hit into qcf+2 mini-combo. df+2, with obnoxious high evasion, pairs well with df+1~b on block as opponents will try to jab check the stance transition and can be launched for trying.
qcf+2 (Deathfist)
Huge, fast, damaging mid Heat Engager. Linear and vulnerable to sidestep. Ideal for whiff punishment, but the mental damage from Deathfist landing is very real. Forms the foundation of Paul's mid-low mix along with Demoman.
F1+2
+3c on block with chip. Having an on demand + on block mid is nice. The forced crouch restricts the opponents options and plus frames enable a variety of frame traps. The opponents safest options are to duck or dickjab putting them at risk to more mids or a whiff punish from Paul. The CH KND enables a guaranteed follow-up from Shoulder to Deathfist (execution intensive)
F1+2*
Holding the move boosts the chip damage and the frame advantage to +5c. Enabling more powerful frame traps with options like df2. Guaranteed KND on normal hit and becoming a full CH launcher. The charge makes the hitbox weaker to movement however.
DPD.2
Long range mid to mixup with DPD4. The follow-ups are often predictable to ppl familiar with the MU but offer a mind game of whether the string will be finished. The -10 isn't always a strict guaranteed punish for the opponent. With practice DPD.2,1 is hit confirmable as well.
Low with huge reach. Only -12 on block. Guaranteed d+1+2 for 50 damage on CH. Ideal after df+1~b~u or ws1,2~b~u. The low is unseeable but many players duck when they see the sidestep. Make sure to use your preferred mid from sidestep to help mixup your timings.
d+4,2:1+2 (Demoman)
Paul's most damaging unseeable low. Requires clean hit or CH for all three hits to connect, lacks any high crush and is extremely punishable on block. Best used sparingly, but always worth establishing as a threat. Most effective near wall, where it is more difficult to backdash.
qcf+3
Go-to unseeable low outside Demoman's Clean Hit range. Crushes highs and leads to a Demoman mini-combo on most counterhits. The move tracks so well it is basically homing.
DPD.4
Massive range, fully high crushes, solid damage, hits grounded, and good tracking. All for only -12c. The move is on the slower side so it is not good against mashing opponents. But against passive opponents, it can rack up damage very quickly. Especially combined with the DPD transition from options like df1 or ws1,2. In the open ground the quick exaggerated animation from Paul can make ppl duck but you have DPD2 to easily mix it up or exiting DPD into ws options like ws1,2. Paul is left crouching on hit so you can loop back into a ws option or movement.
b4
Solid range, +4 on hit, and only -12. Similar to Kazuya db4 (Stature Kick), its a very good low that helps continue pressure.
Demoman, slower but with no Clean Hit requirement. Least punishable low Heat Smash in the game at -12. A very threatening low for decent damage.
Heat Deathfist (H.CS.2/qcf+2)
A boosted Deathfist boasting more safety (-13 on block) and massive wall splatting range. The opponent being splat allows for a qcf1 resplat into a qcf3+4 tornado combo. The sheer threat of this move alone as a whiff punisher enables Paul to get a lot of out of his highs and lows. The enhanced properties also apply to df1+3,qcf2 throw, granted the recovery might be longer. And D1,2 enabling a powerful mindgame. A very powerful and threatening option that can be a gigantic momentum swing in Paul's favor.
Guard Breaks (H.d+1,2* and H.b+2,1*)
Chargable mids. +12 on block when fully charged, granting guaranteed d+1+2 or b+1,2 into wall splat or midscreen knockdown. Guard Break setups can be looped at the wall or mixed with other offensive tools to dissuade sidestep/mash jab counterplay.
Heat Hammer of the Gods Charged (H.F1+2*)
Keeps the same properties as regular charged F1+2* but becomes a regular hit launcher. Same ideas apply, you can setup a better situation after block/hit but the move is weaker to movement. Even in situations like post-heat engager, an opponent can make the gamble to step this move. Still a powerful option and should the opponent duck, they'll regret it.
Basic advancing string. The speed helps interrupt opponents, the advantage on hit enables pressure or a mixup afterwards (Demoman does not work due to pushback on hit leaving them out of Clean hit range), and the safety on block means even on a bad read movement is still an option.
d1
A very fast long range mid. Often referred to as a "mid-check". The speed and range can hit an opp approaching from far away. And the mid hit property makes it difficult to evade. Its safe and due to the range most players block it, they cannot fully utilize the -9 situation Paul is left at.
3
Long mid kick that tracks SSR. The move is useful for similar reasons as D1. The range can really pester opponents and force them to slow down their approach. The string follow-up is good but not recommended outside of twitch confirms or punishment.
