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	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 Loop

importance

☆☆☆☆☆

value

☆☆☆☆☆

dexterity

☆☆☆☆☆

rhythm

☆☆☆☆☆

Sway Cancel

importance

☆☆☆☆☆

value

☆☆☆☆☆

dexterity

☆☆☆☆☆

rhythm

☆☆☆☆☆

Strongest In The Universe

importance

☆☆☆☆☆

value

☆☆☆☆☆

dexterity

☆☆☆☆☆

rhythm

☆☆☆☆☆

1. Punishes

  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

1. While Standing

i11 - WS4 - 18 DMG mid i13 - WS3, 2 - 37 DMG mid #wallbreak i15 - WS2 - 20 DMG mid - #launcher

1. 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

---

1. Pokes

i14 DF1,b - 11 DMG - #PLUSOB #SWAY - Best way to pressure with sway i15 QCB2 - 27 DMG - #safeOB #heatEngager - Natural follow-up for any of the sway pokes i15 3,1,b - 31 DMG - #stringGapPunishable #PLUSOB #SWAY - longer range than DF1,b to engage into sway pressure 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

---

1. Frame Traps

1. 1. Setup moves:

i12 DF1+3 (throw +9/ -2 ob) i12 DF1,b (+3ob/+9oh) i15 SWA4 (+1ob) i22 UF2 (+5ob) i20 SS1 (+8ob)

1. 1. Samples
    1. 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

1. 1. 1. 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)

---

1. 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

---

1. Combo Theory:

- Highest execution is to add as many QCF1s 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.

1. Sample Combos

1. 1. 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

1. 1. High Execution:

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

1. Walls

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

1. Heat

tbd

External links

Paul 8 minute guide by TheMainManSWE

Joey Fury's Paul Guide