Lidia strategy (Tekken 7)

Key moves

FunctionDegree to which the move is fit for this purpose.
	Core
	Secondary
	Extra

Move	PokeFast and safe, see Poke	CounterStronger against enemy attacks, e.g. has evasive, crush, parry, or counter hit properties.	MixupUseful against a guarding opponent.	KeepoutUseful against an opponent moving in.	ApproachUseful when moving in.	OkiUseful against a grounded opponent, see okizeme.
1
1,2
2
2,4
4
b+1
b+2
b+2,1
b+4
f+2
df+1
df+1,2
df+3
df+4
d+2
d+3
d+4
db+1
ws1
ws3
ws4
4,2
4,3
df+1+2
db+1+2
b+1+3
uf+4
SS.2
SS.4
f+4,3
d+1
df+2
db+2
db+3,2
db+4
f,F+1+2
f,F+3+4
ws2
FC.df+3
f+1+2
df+4~4
f,F+2
f,F+4
wr1
db+3+4
uf+3
f,F+3
OTG.d+2

Tracks left

• f+1+2
• df+1
• df+2
• df+4~4
• db+3
• f,F+3
• ws1
• ws2
• FC.df+2
• FC.df+3

Tracks both

• 1,2
• df+3
• d+3
• d+4
• db+2
• b+1
• b+2,1
• b+4
• ub+1
• ws3
• ws4,2

Tracks right

• 4
• b+2
• f+2
• df+1+2
• df+4
• d+1
• db+4
• uf+3
• uf+4
• f,F+4
• f,F+1+2
• f,F+3+4

1

2

4

df+1

df+3

df+4

d+3

b+1

b+2

ws1

ws3

ws4

A common theme with Lidia is solid pokes with high and/or mid extensions. Making best use of these pokes is an exercise in restraint: The purpose of the extensions is to be a threat to let you steal turns on block (i.e. utilizing mental frame advantage). If you overuse the extensions, you not only might die for it, but you never get your free turns. Even if df+1,2 never gets ducked on block, the situation is clearly -3; df+1 might seem worse at -5, but it has the threat of df+1,3 looming.

4

Important in some matchups as the fastest move that reliably tracks right.

df+2

Most dependable mid mixup option with great speed, range, and free damage on counter hit.

b+4

More than a cheap string. It's fairly safe, although slow for a poke; the situation on block feels good at -3 with the threat of b+4,4; and 21 damage is solid reward on hit.

f+4,3

Surprisingly effective as a mixup tool, dealing the most damage of any safe mid (although it's not strictly speaking safe). Unlike d+1, at +8 it's able to beat both steps and all challenges.

f+1+2

Hit confirm into f+1+2,3,2,1 off of movement or attacks.

f+1+2,3,2

Easier hit confirm than f+1+2 and works as a mixup, but much riskier. Delay f+1+2,3,2,1 if you're finishing the string on block to improve the mental frame advantage.

Don't use f+1+2,3 as it can be punished safely by mashing into the jail.

uf+4

Arguably the best hopkick in the game with great tracking, a low hitbox, and the ability to combo off anti-airs.

SS.4

Anti-poke move. Can launch jabs at -1.

ub+1

Despite its appearance, this is not an evasive move. Rather, it's an effectively homing mid with a low hitbox and lots of range.

Pressure

The backbone of Lidia's pressure is df+2. Whenever she's +5 or better, it can't be stepped by most characters; the range is long enough that it usually can't be beaten by a backdash or backswing blow; and the hitbox is low enough that it beats evasive moves. Challenges eat a hefty counter hit. So even if they know you're going to spam df+2, the only thing they can really do is block it. (Some characters can powercrush or parry, but these are inherently risky options.)

With df+2 discouraging anything but blocking, Lidia can aggressively use any frame advantage regardless of space by dashing up and doing a heavy mixup.

The clearest example of this is after 2,4 on hit. It's +8 with a massive amount of pushback. Most characters don't have much pressure in these situations because they have to dash in first to do a mixup, exposing them to challenges. But because df+2 so robustly discourages challenges, Lidia is able to keep up the pressure.

Red Tape

An uninterrupted Red Tape (db+3,2) with clean hit is the end goal of Lidia's pressure.

This is relatively easy for two reasons: it's fast, and most of Lidia's moves are +6 or better on hit. The threat thus looms almost every time the opponent gets hit (and often when you block something too).

After df+1,2 and ws4,2 on hit, there's enough pushback that despite being +8 the clean hit can be avoided with a backdash, and some characters can even make it whiff.

While it's easy to enforce, keep in mind that it can be blocked, and when it's blocked you die. Lidia's strongest safe mid option to mix with is d+1, which only deals 20 damage, so you need to do a lot of mids to properly discourage ducking.

Mixup:Lidia-d1-oh-p1.gbt (download) ^{What is this?}

Lidia d+1 on hit in mirror. Opponent is on P2 and can SSR to beat d+1.

	b	d	FC.d+1	SSR
d+1	1	25	-9	-60
db+3,2	40	-80	44	40
df+2	-2	21	45	21

Nash equilibrium with payoff 5.51

d+1

0.23

db+3,2

0.16

df+2

0.61

b

0.67

d

0.29

SSR

0.04

Payoff for dominated options

FC.d+1

-32.45

While d+1 is the strongest safe-on-block mid, there are more rewarding ones that are tricky to punish properly, most notably df+1,2, ws1,2_4, f+1+2,3,2 (mid at i22), f+4,3, b+3,4, and f,F+1+2. Judicious use of these should keep the opponent on their toes without being too risky.

Also, f,F+2 can be unreasonably strong if the opponent doesn't know the on hit situation well.

Manual stance

Using f+3+4 and b+3+4 for pressure can be extremely effective against defensive opponents.

The ideal situation is getting to HAE without being interrupted.

A risky but rewarding way to enforce this is mixing up CFO.4 with CFT.4. That might seem a little outrageous, since CFO.4 is both slower than CFT.4 and very reactable at i28, and they're done from different stances, but the situation is stressful for the opponent and telling the stances apart on reaction is not so easy.

f+1+2,3,2 on block

Mixup:Lidia-f+1+2,3,2-ob.gbt (download) ^{What is this?}

Lidia f+1+2,3,2 on block in mirror.

Assume P1 is doing max delay on last hit. So in the case of b vs b, P2 should be able to react such that it's about +2. (Blockstun is 19 frames, and delay is 4 frames. So take 15 from an assumed 23 frames to react to give 8 frames of mental frame advantage. Take that away from the +10 to get +2.)

	1,2,2	b
f+1+2,3,2,1	31	-67
b	-29	-1

Nash equilibrium with payoff -15.67

f+1+2,3,2,1

0.22

b

0.78

1,2,2

0.52

b

0.48

While f+1+2,3,2 is much safer than a simple -10 move, it's risky enough that it's far from a safe mid option for mixups.

1,2,2 on hit

Basic strategy is to use CFT.2,3 to check challenges and movement, and use CFT.1 and CFT.4 to mixup. Opponent can beat all of these options with a dickjab, which you need to answer with CFT.1+2. Going to TAW gets a stronger mixup between TAW.1 (more damage than CFT.1) and TAW.4 (safer than CFT.4), but risks eating a hopkick.

Mixup:Lidia-122-simple.gbt (download) ^{What is this?}

Lidia 1,2,2 on hit in mirror on infinite stage.

Assumes P2 doesn't parry and doesn't react to second stance but rather commits to a particular strategy from start.

Note that db+1 and uf+4 beat CFT.4. Against many chars CFT.4 evades these options.

Assumes that CFT.2,3 beats all steps, but note that this isn't always the case.

	b	d	b,d	d,b	db+1	uf+4	3:2	ssr,b	ssr,d	swr	swl
CFT.1	-1	33	-1	33	-8	28	61	-60	-60	-30	-40
CFT.2,3	0	3	0	3	-8	38	38	35	35	35	35
CFT.3	-1	-60	-1	-60	-7	75	75	28	28	28	28
CFT.4	32	-80	32	-80	-8	-67	34	32	32	32	32
CFT.1+2	-29	31	-29	31	59	27	59	-60	-60	-20	31
TAW.1	2	51	51	2	-7	-69	-85	2	51	-60	-60
TAW.2	-1	28	28	-1	-7	-69	-85	-1	28	28	-60
TAW.3,1	-1	42	42	-1	-7	-69	-85	-1	42	-40	-40
TAW.4	30	-40	-40	30	-7	-69	-85	30	-40	-60	-60

Nash equilibrium with payoff 2.08

CFT.1

0.15

CFT.2,3

0.39

CFT.4

0.14

CFT.1+2

0.15

TAW.1

0.08

TAW.2

0.02

TAW.4

0.07

b

0.53

d

0.16

b,d

0

db+1

0.22

uf+4

0.03

ssr,b

0

swr

0.06

Payoff for dominated options

CFT.3

-7.76

TAW.3,1

0.24

d,b

-2.08

3:2

-22.88

ssr,d

-2.08

swl

-6.1

It's possible for opponents to react to the TAW transition and interrupt, but this is much riskier than with HAE because TAW.1 can evade jabs and dickjabs. There's also less time to react, since the transition takes 19 frames and TAW.2 is i15, giving the opponent only 23 frames to react with an i10 move and win (compared to 25 frames vs HAE).

CFT.2,3 can be stepped by most characters, but doing so is difficult.

Some characters can clear it with a SSR using d skip, but somewhat inconsistently. These characters are Asuka, Dragunov, Josie, Katarina, Kazumi, Law, Leo, Nina, Noctis, Lei, Julia. Heihachi and Lidia are also in this category but don't need to d skip.

Other characters can clear it with a SWR timed so that the walk doesn't start until after the first hit has been cleared. This is consistent but tricky. Too early on the walk eats the first hit, and too late doesn't get a walk and eats the second hit. These characters are Armor King, Bryan, Claudio, Devil Jin, Fahkumram, Feng, Geese, Jin, King, Marduk, Master Raven, Miguel, Paul, Shaheen, and Steve. Lili and Zafina are also in this category but do SWL instead.

If the opponent is already off-axis even slightly, then most characters can clear it easily with a SSR. Alisa, Lili, and Zafina still need to SWL instead.

f,F+2 on hit

Mixup:Lidia-f,F+2-simple.gbt (download) ^{What is this?}

Lidia f,F+2 on hit (and R.f,F+2+3 on block) in mirror.

Options such as b,d are composite options meaning b on the timing for first stance and d on timing for second.

Assumes P2 doesn't parry and doesn't react to second stance but rather commits to a particular strategy from start.

	d	b	b,d	d,b	db+1	uf+4	ss,b	ss,d	1,2,2
HAE.1+2	-60	43	-60	43	-8	-67	43	-60	-30
HAE.1	82	-1	82	-1	-8	-67	-1	60	-30
CFO.1	-60	1	1	-60	-7	26	22	22	26
CFO.2	19	-29	-29	19	85	85	19	19	85
CFO.3	-60	-1	-1	-60	-8	62	76	76	-30
CFO.4	45	3	3	45	-8	88	-63	-63	-30

Nash equilibrium with payoff 3.67

HAE.1+2

0.2

HAE.1

0.25

CFO.1

0.23

CFO.2

0.18

CFO.3

0.01

CFO.4

0.13

d

0.08

b

0.59

b,d

0.03

uf+4

0.09

ss,d

0.09

1,2,2

0.13

Payoff for dominated options

d,b

-3.67

db+1

-9.21

ss,b

-9.14

It's possible for an opponent to react to the HAE transition with fast moves. The transition itself takes 20 frames and the fastest option is i16, giving the opponent 25 frames to react and be faster with an i10 move.

In this case, i10 punishers can heavily punish both HAE.1 and HAE.1+2, but HAE.2 gets a counter hit launch against most of these. HAE.2 also discourages parries (although most of these are better beaten by a delayed HAE.1). This forces most characters to react mainly with a dickjab, which is much less rewarding.

If an opponent is focused on reacting, you can replace the HAE transition with f,F+2 into nothing and then do a regular standing mixup. Because they're too busy looking for the stance transition, they won't be ready for the Red Tape.

db+3,2 oki

After db+3,2 the opponent is grounded but +10, so their wake-up kicks are usually faster. The distance and angle are always the same, regardless of what distance the db+3 hits at or whether there's a wall. Because of the angle, the opponent can't do a spring kick, and toe kick whiffs.

The main options are:

• Another db+3,2 – beats wake-up into standing guard; loses to wake-up kicks
• db+3+4 – beats low wake-up kick, side rolls, and staying down; loses to mid and delayed low wake-up kick
• uf+4 – beats low wake-up kicks and wake-up into crouching guard; loses to mid wake-up kick
• Guard – mixup to beat mid or low wake-up kick

Both wake-up kicks can be beaten with db+1; d+4 will trade, but this is only really worth it if it'll kill.

Against characters with shorter legs, a backdash can make the mid wake-up kick whiff for a bigger punish. A backdash into crouch can option select both wake-up kicks, but this is not very practical.

Front roll

The opponent can avoid all main attacking options with a front roll. This loses hard on a read to f+4,3,1, which hits them back turned for a guaranteed f,F+3. The first hit whiffs, but it can hit if a dash is done first, i.e. with f,f,f+4,3,1.

Looping

If the opponent does B getup, then a second db+3—

• will not clean hit against Armor King, Bob, Bryan, Claudio, Devil Jin, Dragunov, Fahkumram, Feng, Ganryu, Geese, Gigas, Heihachi, Hwoarang, Jack-7, Jin, Katarina, Kazuya, King, Lars, Law, Leo, Lidia, Lili, Marduk, Master Raven, Miguel, Negan, Nina, Noctis, Paul, Shaheen, and Steve;
• will clean hit against Akuma, Alisa, Anna, Asuka, Eliza, Josie, Julia, Kazumi, Kuma, Kunimistsu, Lee, Lei, Leroy, Lucky Chloe, Panda, Xiaoyu, Yoshimitsu, Zafina;
• i.e. it works against Akuma, Kuma, Lee, Lei, Leroy, Yoshimitsu, and females excluding Katarina, Leo, Lidia, Lili, Master Raven, and Nina.

Against opponents where it doesn't loop, the tiniest dash forward is enough.

A potential option select incorporating this is a dash into db to block the low wake-up kick, into db+3. The db can be held for up to 5 frames before entering crouch, after which db+3 can't be done.

TAW.4 oki

After TAW.4, Lidia is +9 and the opponent is FDFA.

With perfect input, f,F+3 is guaranteed. However, if the input is slow by even a single frame, they can guard with b getup, so unless you're an execution god this option is a bit suspicious on its own.

No wall

To beat B getup, there are a number of options:

• f,F+4 is the most solid choice, doing 16 damage with the shortest recovery, making it safe and getting some oki.
• db+1+2 and f,F+1+2 are higher risk options, doing 20 and 27 damage respectively, but can be whiff punished by a while standing kick if they stay down.
• df+2 or f,F+2 work but all stance moves except TAW.1 whiff if they keep holding B, and they can interrupt with wake-up kicks, so only good if you expect them to mash tech roll.

To beat other options, there are two broad categories to consider:

• Attacks, such as wake-up and while standing kicks from quickstand, and unique moves such as Marduk's FDFA.d+2.
• Passive options, such as side roll, front roll, and staying down.

Side roll is beaten handily by b+3+4~n,f as it's too slow to block TAW.2, which can be done on reaction. Other passive options at best give up a free TAW mixup. The main value of this option is it also gets a TAW mixup against B. In this situation, TAW.1, TAW.2, and TAW.4 can't be stepped by most characters; TAW.2 trades with i11 and loses to i10 attacks, most of which TAW.1 evades. The big risk of this option is it loses to any wake-up attack. On a positive note, only delayed wake-up kicks get a counter hit.

Attacks of all variety can be safely beaten by uf+3, which also covers everything except side roll right and getting up. These attacks can be beaten with higher payoff by f,F+3, but this is risky. Another way to cover these options is d+1, which beats quickstand and side rolls, but loses to staying down.

Wall involved

If near the wall, df+2 and f,F+2 become more enticing since the stance moves won't whiff. If near but not quite at the wall, df+2 into TAW.1 can push them closer.

Extra options to consider at the wall are:

• OTG.d+2 – beats everything except b getup
• d+1 – beats everything except staying down

OTG.d+2 oki

After OTG.d+2 hits, they can't tech roll and it's +0. This is most common at the wall vs a face down opponent.

FDFA

• There's no way to get more than a free mixup against someone holding B.
• Most moves whiff to a side roll right.
• d+1 seems dominant, beating side rolls and getting plus frames if they block it. But it whiffs hard enough that it loses to staying down into a while standing kick.
• A robust strategy is using d/b+2 to force them to stand up and otherwise doing an ordinary mid/low mixup.
• At the wall, a riskier strategy is using b+3+4~n,f or f+3+4~n,f to goad attacks, and using df+4,3_2 or df+3,4 to splat these.