Leroy strategy

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

Key Moves

Function
	Core
	Secondary
	Extra

Move	PokeFast and safe, see Poke	Counter	MixupUseful against a guarding opponent.	KeepoutUseful against an opponent moving in.	ApproachUseful when moving in.	Oki
1
1,2
df+1
df+1,1+2
df+4,3
db+1,3
db+1,1+2
d+2
1,1,1+2,1
b+1
b+1+2
b+2 (parry)
db+1+2
uf+4
d+3,2
db+3
SS4
f+4,4
d+1+2
b+4
b+3
uf+2
f,F+3
f,f,f+3
b+3+4

Neutral

Contrary to what his parries might suggest, Leroy isn't a defensive character. He can play safely well enough, but he excels when using stance mix-ups at close range. Rather than just waiting for openings, frustrate opponents with Leroy’s flurry of blows and steal your turn back with parries or fast counter-hits to punish their retaliations when you have a read. But don’t fall into predictable patterns; adapt your strategy to your opponent’s habits and tendencies.

Keep Out

Immediately approaching the opponent is quite risky and somewhat reckless. Before approaching, make sure to condition the opponent to respect you. The keep out strategy is essential for boxing out aggressive opponents. Leroy has some good tools at his disposal, such as the heat engager D1+2; a safe on block mid with good range. Opponents that use sideways movement can be kept in check with B4; a safe, homing mid that also has long reach. His longest keep out attack is the heat engager F4,4; a mid, high string that can be twitch confirmed against enemy approaching attacks. All these tools are useful, but are of medium speed. Don't forget to implement the faster moves, such as jabs and mid pokes, into your keep out.

Successfully landing keep out attacks against the opponent in neutral will likely make them play more passively to attempt a whiff punish. This opens an opportunity to go for more aggressive approaching attacks and get into Leroy’s preferred range at a self-chosen pace.

Approach

Leroy’s preferred strategy is to play close-ranged offense, which makes closing the gap very important. FF3 is a handy tool for approaching, as it is safe on block, long ranged and leads to a mini combo. However, it is a duckable high. Leroy can also use Orbital Heel (UF4), a safe on block, jumping, launching mid. UF2 is yet another jumping attack, it leaves Leroy at +1 on block. It’s faster than an Orbital Heel but does not combo outside of the wall. Leroy also has a slash kick (FFF3), a plus on block, lunging middle attack. While approaching with plus frames is useful, the move is slow and linear, so be careful of enemy sideways movement. It is also important to use faster moves when approaching, such as dashing into a jab or a DF1.

All of these tools are useful enough for approaching, but none of them are particularly impressive. Leroy lacks the incredible approach tools of characters such as Dragunov and Claudio. Therefore, some opponents will play passively during neutral, using movement to bait Leroy into using his mediocre approach tools and then punishing. If you notice that your opponent is more cautious than necessary, running up and using D3,2 or DB3 is a fine way to start offense. However, aggressively approaching the opponent runs the risk of being counter hit by keep out attacks. Adapt to keep out by using the bait and punish strategy.

Bait & Punish

In order to counter keep out attacks, use movement to fake an approach and then back out of the opponent’s range. If the opponent takes the bait and attacks, they will whiff, leaving them open to be punished. For heat engaging punishers, F4,4 and 1+2,1+2,1 are Leroy’s best options. The former is longer ranged, but the latter is faster. For launchers, DF2,1+2 is a good standard launcher, FF2,2 is slower to perform but can be used from longer distances. Keep in mind that certain attacks have shorter whiff recovery than one might expect. Sticking to faster punishers such as 1,2,4 or 2,2 against moves that are difficult to whiff punish is perfectly fine if you’re still learning Tekken.

If the opponent is whiff punished several times, they might wisen up and adapt by playing more aggressively and closing space before attacking. However, doing so makes them more vulnerable to the previously discussed keep out strategy.

CLOSE RANGE TOOLS

1: The standing jab is the basis of every strategy in Tekken. Use it to check if strings are safe, to check for gaps, and to start your pressure.

CH 1,1,1+2,1: great for taking your turn back. This string does nor combo together on a normal hit, so watch for the counter. If 11 combos together, thats your cue and you can mash 1+2 to complete the string, and you have a sizable gap after committing to 11 to continue the string.

DF1: your mid check to stop your opponent from blocking low. It's safe on block but stepping after can be a bit dangerous since you're -6 (-3 in Tekken 7), but you can parry after. Step once they start getting scared of the parry.

D2: Your main low poke. Its fast, ducks under high attacks, but is -13 on block and -1 on hit. While the move is minus on hit and leaves you in a crouching state, you can still comfortably step to the background after.

B1+2: a safe on block counter hit launcher that has short reach but is incredibly fast at 12 frames. Learn to love this move, it will reward you when getting out of tight mix up situations.

D3,2: your low string that goes into stance. HRM4 cannot be uninterrupted if this hits so use that to keep them from mashing and start your mid/low mix once they sit still.

B3: a new stance transition. Plus on block and tracks but is a slow high that can be ducked so use with some caution. Same mix as D3,2

PARRIES

Leroy has a few types of parries:

Hermit Stance: Parries lows automatically

HRM 1: A Punch and kick parry. See hermit section for more details.

DB1+2: Your main punch and kick parry that is also a heat engager. Use this if you think your opponent will try to mash after DF1. Jab punishable on block.

UF2: : A punch only parry that leads into a combo on success. Jab punishable on block.

DF1,1+2,1: Final hit is a punch only parry. Jab punishable on block.

B2: Your other main punch and kick parry. Use with caution because on whiff your opponent can do whatever they want. Differing from his other parry attacks, the B2 parry makes attacks phase through Leroy safely. Some of Leroy's attacks will lead into this parry animation if hit during start up. You can follow up a successful parry with any punch button to counter attack. A new addition to his B2 parry is if you get the slow motion effect (a perfect parry similar to SF6) your follow up attack will blue spark and do more damage. Attacks that lead into B2 parry:

UF1
Third hit of 121
Third hit of 2121
Walking animation of QCF3+4

HERMIT (3+4)

Leroy's stance that auto parries lows. You can side step in this stance. Get into this stance primarily from D3,2, DB3 or manually after a knockdown.

HRM 1: A counter hit launcher that can parry punches and kicks on start up. If Leroy parries an attack it will leave the opponent at +28(g) situation.

HRM 2,3: Your tornado extender. Only ever used in combos., so you can ignore this otherwise.

HRM 3,4: A fast low-mid string that leaves the opponent standing and Leroy +1. One of your many lows.

HRM 4,1+2: HRM 4 by itself is your DF1 in stance. Safe on block at -7 and will give you a perfect parry if your opponent mashes jab and you mash B2. The 1+2 follow up is used mostly as counter hit bait and for a wall splat.

HRM 1+2,1: A new heat engager string. Use to either heat up or chip your opponent when heated.

HRM Side Step 1+2: Unlike the above this string does not activate heat but is enhanced. Use it for an easy go to option after side stepping an attack.

HRM F1: Ignore this move. I honestly don't know why they kept it since it doesn't tornado anymore.

HRM F4: Your main launcher in stance but its slow at 26 frames so be careful. Use as a safe on block launcher when your opponent is scared of your lows.

HRM B1: Your plus on block attack stance. Use this to press the advantage. While quicker than HRM F4 it only launches on counter hit.

HRM B2: Your B2 parry. Works the same as out of stance. Can safely be used when -7 or less.

HRM B3, 1+2: Your hell sweep and best low in stance. Chunky damage, tracks both directions for some reason, and can break walls. However it is death on block, so use wisely.

HRM B4: Another tracking low. +4 on hit and -13 on block. Use this if you want to use a safer low than hell sweep.