| Paul |
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| Paul | |
|---|---|
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| Heat |
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| Heat Smash | Low, i18, -12 |
| Heat Engagers |
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| Stances |
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| Fastest | |
| Launch |
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| CH launch |
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| Wall splat | {{{splat}}} |
| Archetypal moves | |
| Parry |
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| Mid check |
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| Power low | d4,2,1+2 |
| Generic moves | |
| Remapped | (none) |
| Missing | (none) |
| External links | |
| Lore | [Phoenix] |
| #T8_Paul | |
| Discord | [1] |
This page is for Tekken 8. For Tekken 7, see Paul (Tekken 7).
Paul Phoenix is a strong, fundamentally sound character who is often 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+1,2 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 (called Phoenix Smasher in the movelist, but mostly everyone calls this Deathfist) is an astonishingly high damage whiff punish tool that hits mid, and becomes even more powerful in Heat. Demoman is a low string that does great damage and knocks down, while also being unreactable. Compounding this already potent mixup, he is one of the select few characters with a Heat Smash that also hits low, giving Paul an even more terrifying mixup while in Heat.
- Damage: Deathfist does as much damage in a single hit as most mini-combos, and becomes a launcher with Heat Dash. Having an i14 launch in b+3 greatly increases his punish opportunities, and his amazing damage at the wall combined with his mixups can prove deadly.
- Counter-Hit: qcb+4 and qcb+1 are his main long-range, counter-hit launching tools that are +1 and 0 on block respectively. 4 is a fast interrupt with several free followups, df+4 can lead to f+2 Heat Engager, and SS3 can lead to an instant wall splat d+1+2.
- Evasive: Paul has a backsway, a crouch dash, a full dive for pulling opponents towards him, and several moves like d+1+2 and f+1+4 that are incredibly evasive. Even df+2 retains its jab evasion.
- Safe Pressure and Launchers: df+2 and b+3 are both safe on block, and Paul has a good number of safe strings to keep his opponents in check.
- Brutal Heat Buffs: Paul gains several guard breaks in Heat that supplement his offense. Paul's Heat Smash is also a low (and is the safest low Heat Smash on block at only -12), giving him great burst damage potential for closing out rounds.
- Great Mixups: Deathfist/Demoman is not the only mixup he has; he can also mix up the attacks from any of his stances and between moves like f+1+2 and b+4/SS3 to keep his opponents on their toes outside the wall.
- Linearity: Many of Paul's key moves are steppable, which requires him to be pretty conservative with his moves at higher levels and makes him more reliant on matching the opponent's movement to keep himself aligned.
- Walled Out: Paul likes to play defensively, but struggles to get in and make big comebacks due to several gaps in his offense that the opponent can interrupt or safely step out of. Deep Dive can cover distance, but remains a linear approach option.
- Lows: Demoman can often be backdashed out of clean hit range, and Paul's non-Demoman lows are unimpressive. While qcf+3 has great range, it also needs a clean hit for a mini-combo on counter-hit.
- Can't do a backflip :(
| Median | |
| Short range | |
| Hard | |
| Wall | |
| Meter/Rage |
External links
| Characters (Tekken 8) |
|---|