| Shaheen |
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| Tech (Tekken 8) |
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Tech broadly covers anything that doesn't fit elsewhere, such as:
- Notable tricks or niche uses for a string/move
- Execution tips for a particular technique
If a section gets too long, it might be sensible to move it to its own page.
Al-Ghul Master
D*,u+2
- Alternate input: SNK.D*,u+2
- chip damage on block
- power up during Heat
Al-Ghul's input is a charge motion, similar to a Flash Kick. The down input must be charged for at least 39 frames, and, like Flash Kick, any down input counts (db, df, d).
Shaheen does not need to be crouching to charge the Down input, meaning you can charge during move animations and move recoveries. For example: Landing a Heat Engager or during a move with a long total duration.
On it's own, Al-Ghul is not an extremely useful move, as it only gives +4 on block and is only 1 frame faster than a perfectly executed f,f,F+2, which is a mid and gives 1 more plus frame. However, Al-Ghul Master (H.D*,u+2), the powered up version of the move that Shaheen gains in Heat, is a guard break move that gives 13 frames of advantage on block - coincidentally, if done frame perfectly, f:b+2 is i13.
This makes Al-Ghul go from a situational, risky high, to a key piece of Shaheen's offensive capability in and out of the FC mixup. If Shaheen's opponent has shown that they are comfortable with stand blocking during the FC mixup, Al-Ghul Master allows him to call this out and still win.
As a high, it is still duckable, especially since ducking covers both Al-Ghul as well as slide, but it's important to show that you can and will use this option in Heat in tandem with his mid selection to continue enforcing the full crouch mixup.
In addition, you should be looking for setups that you can buffer it during. Obviously, holding down during the Heat Engager animation and letting it rip afterwards is a great place to start, but most players will be privy to this and duck after a Heat Engager (if they are, launch them!), but some straightforward ones to just throw out there are:
d+3,DF ~db H.D*,u+2
df+4,1,DF ~db H.D*,u+2
db+2,DF ~db H.D*,u+2
f+2,4,DF ~db H.D*,u+2
f+3+4 ~db H.D*,u+2
Al-Ghul Master is never real on block and it's recommended that you try to avoid letting it rip if you can react to the block, but most people who aren't familiar with Shaheen might not realize how plus they are on block (besides f+3+4 which is +3 on block, but anything faster than i15 will still beat out the Al-Ghul) and you might get away with it.
As of patch 1.05, f+2,3 has been buffed to +20 on hit, which means that Al-Ghul cannot be interrupted in any way if buffered during f+2,3 and must be ducked.
In addition to the above, the following moves all allow Shaheen to "guarantee" an Al-Ghul Master on hit (it can always be ducked or power crushed, but these will all either beat or trade with jabs). Other moves that have the same or better advantage on hit either push too far away (FC.df+2) or knockdown (uf+1). Please note that at tip range, a backdash can make the Master whiff.
1,2
3,DF/2,3,DF/1,2,3,DF
SNK.1+2
f+3+4
d+2
If you do try it and they show that they are keen enough to duck following the setup, they have now entered the vortex, and you can now start threatening mids like db+2,1, or go for broke with uf+4.
It's worth treating Shaheen kind of like Guile while he's in Heat. If you are able to buffer a down input, do it. Al-Ghul Master effectively turns Shaheen into an anti-Tekken character. The blocking philosophy is usually "stand block whenever possible and don't worry too much about eating chip low damage", but Shaheen turns this upside down in Heat, and being able to reliably get 42 damage against an opponent who is stand blocking - usually the safest position in neutral - is extremely valuable.
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charging Down during the Heat Engager animation.
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charging Down during df+4,3.
SNK Cancelling
SNK (or Stealth Step) is Shaheen's primary stance, with a number of ways to enter it, and several of his best moves are out of it. However, one of the most important parts of this stance is how to not be in the stance. Pressing db will instantly cancel SNK and put Shaheen into full crouch, and full crouch is how Shaheen makes his money, allowing him to threaten slide, FC.df+2 and FC.df+4,1, and also threaten his while standing options. Furthermore, Shaheen's higher damage bread and butter combos require SNK cancelling, for example:
uf+4, 3,DF SNK.2 df+4,1,DF SNKc ws3,3 T! FC.df+2 f,F+3
Another fun thing you can do with SNK cancelling is looping FC.df+4,DF over and over again to pester your opponent into crouching. SNK cancelling gives Shaheen a great deal of freedom in his combo game as well as his neutral pressure, and it's what separates beginner Shaheens from intermediate and advanced ones.