| Paul |
|---|
| Paul | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Heat |
|
| Heat Smash | Low, i18, -12 |
| Heat Engagers |
|
| Stances |
|
| Fastest | |
| Launch |
|
| CH launch |
|
| Wall splat |
|
| Archetypal moves | |
| Parry |
|
| Mid check |
|
| Power low | d4,2,1+2 |
| Generic moves | |
| Remapped |
|
| Missing | (none) |
| External links | |
| Lore | Paul Phoenix |
| #T8_Paul | |
| Discord | TOP CONDITION OSU! |
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: Paul has many CH tools that guarantee free damage, or in the case of qcb+4 and qcb+1, a full launch from surprisingly long range and safe moves.
- Evasive: Paul has several high-crushing stances and many moves that are designed to be evasive, and his infamous df+2 still occasionally goes under jabs.
- 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: Apart from Deathfist/Demoman at the wall, he can 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. Paul also has a full throw game which makes breaking his throws just that much trickier.
- 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 and a dearth of approach options.
- 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.
- Fast Punishes: For all his damage potential, his i10 standing and i11 crouching punishes are a bit lacking against less punishable moves. 1,2,3 would suffice if it wasn't -14 on hit.
- Can't do a backflip :(
| Median | |
| Short range | |
| Hard | |
| Wall | |
| Meter/Rage |
External links
- TEKKEN 8 In Eight Minutes | Paul Phoenix Guide by TheMainManSWE
- Paul Guide by Joey Fury
- Paul Phoenix Combo Guide | TEKKEN 8 by RyzingSol
- Various Paul Guides by onepunchmanPaul
| Characters (Tekken 8) |
|---|