Paul

Paul
Heat	Gains guard breaking moves. Deathfist launches and wallsplats.
Heat Smash	Low, i18, -12
Heat Engagers	uf+2 qcf+2 f+4 qcb+2 f+2
Stances	Sway - qcf Backsway - qcb
Fastest
Launch	i14 – b+2 i15 – df+2
CH launch	i15 – qcb+4 (mid)
Wall splat	{{{splat}}}
Archetypal moves
Parry	b+1+3 (high or mid attacks)
Mid check	df+1 (standing) ws4 (crouching)
Power low	d4,2,1+2
Generic moves
Remapped	(none)
Missing	(none)
External links
Lore	[Phoenix]
Twitter	#T8_Paul

This page is for Tekken 8. For Tekken 7, see Paul (Tekken 7).

Paul Phoenix is a strong, fundamentally sound character that can easily be mistaken as an overpowering, damage output machine. While he is capable of eye-watering damage, his greatest strength is in his ability to shutdown aggression, due to his toolkit being both extremely compact while also being built around blowing up opponents for mashing or not being precise with their dashblocking.

His df+2 is a very compact launcher with deceptively quick recovery that excels at clipping overconfident approaches, and his extensions out of df+1 that utilize his backsway (SWA) are great keepout tools against any opponent that wants to pressure after blocking a df+1. Moves like df+1,1, b+2,1, 3,2, and d+1,4 can be delayed to further complicate the gameplans of aggressive opponents, as well as f+1+4, which is a shoulder tackle that almost instantly shifts Paul 90° to the side for a knockdown and good damage.

Furthermore, Deathfist (qcf+2) and Demoman (d+4,2:1+2) make up one of Tekken's all-time classic mixups. Deathfist is a fast, astonishingly high damage whiff punish tool that becomes even more powerful in Heat, and Demoman is a just-barely-reactable i26~i27, L,m,m string that does great damage and knocks down. Compounding this already potent mixup, he is one of the select few characters with a Heat Smash that hits low, giving Paul an even more terrifying mixup while in Heat.

Strengths

• Massive Wall Combo Damage
• Unexpectedly Evasive (Sway Plus on Block Setups/Crouch Dash)
• Safe Launchers (DF2 and B3)
• Low Heat Smash

Weaknesses

• Very Steppable Key Moves
• Vulnerable to Strong Keep Out
• High Damage Non-Wall Combos are High Execution (QCF1 loops ect)
• Subpar lows

Key techniques

QCF1 Execution

importance

☆☆☆☆☆

value

☆☆☆☆☆

dexterity

☆☆☆☆☆

rhythm

☆☆☆☆☆

Punishes

Standing

i10 - 1, 2, 3 - 24 DMG high - Panic punish

i12 - B 1, 2 - 33 DMG high - #wallbreak, #tornado - Sets up wall combos

i12 - D 1+2 - 30 DMG mid - #wallbreak

i14 - B3 - 16 DMG high - #safeOB #launcher

i14 - F2 - 40 DMG high - #heatEngager

i15 - DF2 - 13 DMG mid - #highCrush #safeOB #launcher #standingOnly

While Standing

i11 - WS4 - 18 DMG mid

i13 - WS3, 2 - 37 DMG mid #wallbreak

i15 - WS2 - 20 DMG mid - #launcher

Wiff Punishes

i13 QCF2 - 45 DMG #wallbreak #heatEngager #unsafe #uhhhhaa

i15 QCB2 - 27 DMG #wallbreak #heatEngager #safeOB

i15 DF2 - 13 DMG - High Crush , #safeOB #launcher

i27 FF4 - 20 dmg - #launcher #safeOB

i28 BF1 > DB2 - 38 dmg #safeOB

Pokes

i14 DF1,b - 11 DMG - #PLUSOB #SWAY - Best way to pressure with sway

i15 3,1,b - 31 DMG - #stringGapPunishable #PLUSOB #SWAY - longer range than DF1,b to engage into sway pressure

i15 QCB2 - 27 DMG - #safeOB #heatEngager - Natural follow-up for any of the sway pokes

i18 QCF 3 - 18 DMG - #chLauncher #unsafe

At wall:

i15 D4,2,1+2 - 38 DMG #unsafe #launchPunishable #wallbreak - Demoman :)

i19 CH SS3 > D1+2 - #unsafe

i22 QCB1 - 24 DMG - #chipDMG #forceCrouch #safeOB

at wall on hit > DB2 - 40 DMG

Frame Traps

Setup moves:

i12 DF1+3 (throw +9/ -2 ob)

i12 DF1,b (+3ob/+9oh)

i15 SWA4 (+1ob)

i22 UF2 (+5ob)

i20 SS1 (+8ob)

Samples

Safe

i15 SWA4 (+1 ob) > 1,2 (-3 ob) - 18 DMG

i20 SS1 (+8 ob) > QCF 1(-4 ob, #launcher) -21 DMG

i22 UF2 (+5 ob) > B3 (-9 ob, #launcher) - 19 DMG

Unsafe

i15 SWA4 (+1 ob) >!i10 1,2,3(-25 ob) can be hit confirmed - 25 DMG

i20 SS1 (+8 ob) > QCB1+2(-14 ob, #launcher)

Grabs

11i - B 1+4 - 40 DMG - 1 break

i12 UF1+2 - 40 DMG - #floorbreak - 1+2 break

i12 FF1+2 - 38 DMG - #wallbreak - 1+2 break

i12 2+4 B hold - 40 DMG - 2 break

i12 DF1+3 - 22 DMG - +9 trap setup - 1 break

in heat DF1+3 > QCF 2 - 43 DMG - #wallbreak #uhhhhaa

Takedown.2,​d+1,​1,​1+2 -50 DMG - 1 break

Takedown.1+2,1+2 - 25 DMG - 1+2 break

Combo Theory:

- Highest execution is to add as many QCF1s as possible into a combo for max wall travel and damage.

- Enders are FFF2 for damage in open ground and floor break, D4,2,1+2 for wall travel and wall breaks.

Sample Combos

Low Execution:

62 DMG - DF2 > 3,1 > 3,1,b > SWA1+2 > FFF2 #floorbreak

63 DMG - DF2 > DF4 > 1 > DF4 > 3,1,b > SWA1+2 > FFF2 #floorbreak

74 DMG - QCF1 > DF4 > DF1 > DF4 >3,1,b > SWA1+2 > FFF2 #floorbreak

76 DMG - QCB1+2 > QCF1 > DF4 >3,1,b > SWA1+2 > FFF2 #floorbreak

High Execution:

75 DMG - QCF1 >QCF1 > DF4 3,1,b > SWA1+2 > FFF2 #floorbreak

Walls

85 DMG FF1,2 > FF3,4 > B1,2 > 1 >QCF2 #uhhhhaa

Heat

tbd

External links

• Paul 8 minute guide by TheMainManSWE

• Joey Fury's Paul Guide