Law strategy

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

Overview

Law has many versatile tools at his disposal, with tons of safe mid strings, frame traps, and lows at his disposal to chip away at and condition opponents. He also has a fair bit of evasion, with some good high and low crushes for different situations.

With his array of advancing moves that hit both mid and low, Law can be a threat at any part of the screen. His slide is perhaps better than it has ever been, giving great damage for better range and less risk than a hellsweep. He can easily go from DSS into Slide Stance to mix opponents up in all kinds of ranges and situations.

Many of his mid-hitting strings are safer on block than they seem. Tekken strings that end in mids are usually punishable, so Law is exceptional in this regard. This can be used to perform stagger pressure and then catch opponents off guard with highs, lows, crushes and counter hits.

Key Moves

General Pokes/Punishers

NameThe name of the move in the English localization.Most often directly from the in-game movelist, but can also be a community name.

AltOther inputs that also perform this move, written in notation.

InputThe input to perform the move, written in notation. This is often used as the move's name.For strings, the input of the previous moves in the string is shown but washed out.

Hit levelThe hit level of the move.Capital letters mean it hits grounded.For strings,​ the hit level of the previous moves in the string is shown but washed out.

DamageHow much damage the move does without any modifiers.For strings,​ the damage of the previous moves in the string is shown but washed out.

RangeThe maximum range recorded of the move hitting Lars on-axis. (For Tekken 7, it's vs Heihachi.) Assume an error of about ±0.03.For strings, this is the range of the whole string.This measurement shouldn't on its own be used to compare characters: larger characters get more "range" by this measure, but their opponents do too.

Left TrackingThe tracking score to the attacker's left.Roughly speaking, when up close, if the defender sidesteps or sidewalks right for no more than this many frames, the move still connects.

Right TrackingThe tracking score to the attacker's right.Roughly speaking, when up close, if the defender sidesteps or sidewalks left for no more than this many frames, the move still connects.

BlockThe frame advantage on block.Blank if the move can't be blocked (e.g., an unblockable or an aerial attack).For breakable throws, this is the frame advantage when the throw is broken.

HitThe frame advantage on hit.Blank if the move is not an attack, e.g. is a stance transition only.For throws, this is the frame advantage after the throw.

CHThe frame advantage on counter hit.Blank if this is the same as on normal hit, i.e. there is no special behavior on counter hit.

StartupThe active frames of the attack. The "i" stands for "impact", i.e. impact frame.If there is more than one hit, a comma indicates that frame 1 is now the frame after the last active frame of the previous hit.For strings, therefore, this usually has a leading comma.

StatesThe frames where the attacker is in any special states, e.g. jump, parry, or powercrush.

RecoveryThe total number of frames, the recovery frames, and what stance the move recovers in, if any.The "t" stands for total and "r" for recovery. If no stance is listed, the move recovers in the default, standing position.For strings, the total frame count is from the start of the string with no delays.

NotesAnything that doesn't fit elsewhere.Many common move properties, such as whether a string can be delayed, go here.See Movelist#Notes for standard wording of common properties.

#Law-1,2,2

1,​2,2

h,​h,​m

5,​8,​10

-8

+4

+4

i20

Combos from 1st hit CH

#Law-1,2,2,2

Left Right Dragon Fist Combo

1,​2,​2,2

h,​h,​m,​h

5,​8,​10,​15

-9

+4

+9d

i13

• Combos from 1st or 3rd hit CH
• Delay-able
• Transition to DSS with F
  • (-3 oB, +10g oH, +15d CH)

A good jab string that has a safe mid and is counter hit confirmable on the last hit for a natural combo that deals 38 damage. This move follows a big trend of many of Law's strings going into safe mids.

#Law-1,1,1

Furious Rush

1,​1,1

h,​h,​m

5,​5,​20

-12

+41d (-17)

i20

Heat Engager

Heat Dash +5, +36a (+26)

• Combos from 1st or 2nd hit CH

Balcony Break

#Law-1,1,2

Knuckle Barrage Combo

1,​1,2

h,​h,​h

5,​5,​12

-6

+6

i17

• Transition to DSS with F
  • (-5 oB, +7 oH)

Another good jab string that is a bit riskier on block as well as being a bit harder to confirm, but with some extra benefits. 1,1,1 is a Heat Engager that is natural on counter hit, while 1,1,2 is natural on normal hit and is Law's best i10 punisher.

#Law-b+2

b+2

m

12

-8

+4

i16

#Law-b+2,1

Vortex Rush

b+2,1

m,​m

12,​16

-15

+11a

i26

Tornado

Balcony Break

• Combos from 1st hit CH

#Law-b+2,3,4

Junkyard Kick

b+2,​3,4

m,​l,​m

12,​10,​23

-7

+36a (+26)

i23

Tornado

• Combos from 2nd hit CH
• Delay-able
• Transition to DSS with F
  • (+6 oB, +49a (+39) oH)

Perhaps Law's most abusable string, and a favorite of many ranked players. A mid poking string that goes into a low and then quickly into a safe mid. In order to punish this string, an opponent absolutely has to low parry it or else they get caught and launched by the final mid. If an opponent knows to parry it, you can try to delay your timings and change which followups you do to throw them off. Though it's not particularly "real" mix, it's very difficult for new players to combat this string and can take someone quite far at an early skill level.

#Law-uf+3

Dragon's Fury

uf+3

m

20

-8

+42d (-16)

i18

js

Heat Engager

Heat Dash +5, +36d (+26)

Balcony Break

Great low crushing poke and Heat Engager. Good range, safe on block, and just generally good to throw out against opponents that rely on lows. Also good for Heat Dashing.

#Law-3+4

3+4

m,​m

5,​10

-13

+3

i14

Alternate input DSS.3+4

#Law-3+4,4

Wild Dragon's Flight

3+4,4

m,​m,​h

5,​10,​25

+7 (+10g w)

+31d (-27)

i30

js

Balcony Break

• Combos from 1st hit
• Chip damage on block
• Alternate input DSS.3+4,4

A versatile double kick with excellent range, speed, and wall carry. Good for combos, whiff punishing, and it's usable out of DSS for frame traps and confirms. The followup is plus on block, but it is very easy for an opponent to either duck or mash if they have the knowledge to do so.

#Law-f+1+2

Dragon Hammer

f+1+2

m

20

+3c

+8c

+55a

i20

Transition to FC with D

An excellent plus move that is fast, difficult to see and gives a hefty launch on counter hit. Holding down during this move transitions into crouch, which is perfect for frame trapping into ws4 to then go into DSS to combo or continue pressure.

Lows

#Law-db+3

Shin Crusher

db+3

l

15

-13

+3c

+13g

i17

Law's all-around best poking low. Good tracking and advantage on hit.

#Law-d+1

Low Backhand

d+1

l

15

-12

-1

i21

cs6~

FC

Transition to Slide Step with DF

#Law-d+1,3

Low Backhand > High Kick

d+1,3

l,​h

15,​21

-9

+20a (+11)

+65a (+45)

i24

Balcony Break

• Tornado on CH

A few of Law's lows have unique follow-ups, and this is one of them. Though it's rather slow to start up and the string doesn't combo, it has high crush properties pretty early into the animation and can often throw opponents off while only being -12 on the first hit.

The second hit is a natural combo on counter hit, giving very good damage and a knockdown. Especially useful against quick high strings, like a 1,2.

#Law-d+4

d+4

l

7

-11

+0

i15

#Law-d+4,3

Construct Kick

d+4,3

l,​h

7,​12

-12

+0

+5

i12

• Combos from 1st hit
• Nosebleed stun

Another good all-around poking low. Fast, good range, only -11 on block and neutral on hit. The followup is good for damage, but in turn will make you launch punishable if the opponent ducks.

Slide

#Law-FC.df,d,df+3

Slide Kick

FC.df,d,df+3

l

20

-23

+13

i16~20

• Alternate input df+3 in Slide Step

Perhaps Law's most infamous move, made even stronger in this game thanks to the guaranteed 1+2 nunchuk followup (done by holding back to turn around beforehand). Easily one of the best lows in the game, boasting the damage and unreactability of a hellsweep with far better range. Unlike a hellsweep, however, it doesn't stagger you on block, giving a far less damaging float punish if the opponent does guess low. The only weakness of this move is its input: the two forward inputs having to be done from full crouch does increase the perceived startup of it a bit, but you can just as easily fake it out and go for a mid if your opponent tries to react to this. Furthermore, holding df during DSS or some other moves lets you go into a Slide Step that lets you slide instantly without having to do the input.

DSS Transitions

#Law-4

Right High Kick

4

h

15

-9

+7

i13

#Law-4,3

4,3

h,​h

15,​12

-8

+1

+23a

i18

• Combos from 1st hit
• Transition to DSS with F
  • (+8 oB, +17g, +39a (+32))
  • DSS allows full combo off of Magic 4

A quick and effective way for Law to get into stance at close range. Just remember that it can be ducked in between the two hits against stronger players. If the opponent still isn't crouching, you can go into DSS.f+1 for a frame trap.

#Law-ws4

ws4

m

14

-4

+7

i11

• Transition to DSS with F
  • (+5 oB, +16 oH)

Uniquely, perhaps Law's most reliable way to get into DSS up close is with a while standing move. It may seem like an unremarkable ws4 at first, but it's a whopping +5 on block with the DSS cancel and actually gives a natural combo into DSS moves on counter hit, turning Law into a terrifying counter hit machine that gets damaging combos and frame traps off of an unassuming i11 mid. The most common combo off of this is 3+4, which can give upwards of 90 damage at the wall. A very threatening move in the right hands, and may even encourage the use of iWS techniques to be able to utilize it more effectively in neutral.

#Law-b+1

b+1

m

12

-9

+2

i14

• Transition to DSS with F
  • (-3 oB, +8 oH)

#Law-b+1,2

b+1,2

m,​m

12,​12

-12

+2

i19

• Combos from 1st hit
• Delay-able
• Transition to DSS with F
  • (-9 oB, +5 oH)

Not typicaly preferred over ws4 as the frame data is worse, but both hits can end in stance for some unusual mixup potential.