Soulcalibur VI/Raphael/Strategy

Combat Lessons

Fighting Style

This is the traditional fighting style used by the Sorel, a French aristocratic family. It utilizes a long, thin sword designed for hit-and-run strategies. Quick foot movement allows for extremely swift and precise thrusts, and combinations of feints and lunges from the Preparation stance can whittle away at a foe like a slow-working poison.

However, the defining feature of this style is its ability to swiftly read and react to attacks. A sudden evasion and counter-thrust to the opponent's vitals is what sent many of the Sorel family's political enemies to their graves.

Style Lesson: Beginner

A Master of Many Potent Vertical Strikes

This fighting style specializes in vertical strikes, and the speed and reach of its attacks are matchless. Make good use of swift, long-range moves such as Broken Thrust (66B), or Dread Coffin (33_66_99B+K), which gives you the ability to react before your opponent if they guard. If you are able to evade an opponent's attack with the 8-way run, use a Valiant Falcon (22_88BB) to lift your opponent into the air and juggle them.

Broken Thrust
66B

(6)B - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
16	18	-16	4	KND	9%

Dread Coffin
33_66_99B+K

(3)_(6)_(9)B+K - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
22	30	2	KND	KND	15%

Valiant Falcon
22_88BB

(2)_(8)BB - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
18	14,16	-16	LNC	LNC	7%

Dominate Melee Battles with Rapid Moves

When close to your opponent, the Triple Botta in Tempo (6BBB) is a fast move that can be used both offensively and defensively. If your opponent maintains a strong guard, use the middle attack Raptor Rush (3B) and the low attack Striking Snake (1B) to slip past their defenses.

Triple Botta in Tempo
6BBB

6BBB - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
10	10,10,25	-16	0	0	5%
Counter Hit Combo. 6 dmg more on perfect input

Raptor Rush
3B

3B - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
20	22	-14	LNC	LNC	9%
Tech Crouch[12-21]

Striking Snake
1B

1B - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
18	25	-16	-4	-4	2%

Use the Preparation Stance to Connect Moves

Many of this style's vertical strikes lead into the Preparation stance by holding the button on the final command. From the Preparation stance, you can hound your opponent with an Underworld Call (during Preparation BBB) or Trifold Slash (during Preparation BBA).

PR ~ Underworld Call
PR BBB

PR BBB - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
10	10,15,30	-10	KND	KND	10%
10 dmg more on perfect input

PR ~ Trifold Slash
PR BBA

PR BBA - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
10	10,15	-16	-4	-4	1%

Dealing with Evasive Opponents

Vertical strikes are extremely powerful, but can be avoided relatively easily with the 8—way run. Moves such as the Vicious Lullaby (6AA) can help keep a side-stepping opponent under control.

Vicious Lullaby
6AA

6AA - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
18	12,14	-12	4	4	2%

Style Lesson: Adept

Making Up for the Preparation Stance's Weakness

While this fighting style offers a host of strong vertical attacks, it's vulnerable to quick horizontal evasions followed by counterattacks. However, a Venom Impact from the Preparation stance can help solve that problem. You can transition into the Preparation stance from most vertical attacks, allowing you to quickly perform another move. Use this to your advantage, and quickly slip into a Venom Impact (during Preparation B+G) to punish your opponent's opportunistic attacks. Granted, some attacks may be too quick for you to avoid, but that doesn't make this technique any less important.

Adjusting Distance with Arriere Gambit

Another technique that can help compensate for your style's weakness is the Arriere Gambit (during Preparation 4). Use it to back away from your opponent quickly and avoid their attack. You can also use a Heavy Mandritti (during Arriere Gambit AB) to feint and maintain an ideal distance from your opponent.

AG ~ Heavy Mandritti
AG AB

AG AB - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
24	15,20	-10	10	10	7%

Crush Your Opponent's Guard with Shadow Evade

If your opponent guards after you take the Preparation stance, move into a Shadow Evade (during Preparation 2), then use a Bloody Terror (during Shadow Evade B) and a Mandrake Heel (during Shadow Evade K) to get past your opponent's guard.

SE ~ Bloody Terror
SE B

SE B - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
20	35	8	STN	STN	15%

SE ~ Mandrake Heel
SE K

SE K - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
20	28	-16	KND	KND	2%

Style Lesson: Master

Stay Sharp and Aim for a Lethal Hit

This fighting style excels when wielded by a user who can quickly and precisely analyze their opponent's attacks and effectively deliver devastating counters. The moves listed below become lethal hits when used to counter, so avoid your opponent's attacks, land one of your own, and then unleash a fierce combo.

• Against horizontal strikes: Rising Wyvern (46A)
• Against vertical strikes: Deadly Dirge (46B)
• Against kicks: Hemlock Kick (46K)
• Against throws: Advance Slicer (while crouching 3B)
• Against break attacks: Nouveau Soleil (214B)

Rising Wyvern
46A

46A - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
20	20	-12	4	4	1%
vs whiffed horizontals

Deadly Dirge
46B

46B - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
18	20	-14	8	8	2%
versus whiffed verticals

Hemlock Kick
46K

46K - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
12	16	-8	0	0	1%
versus whiffed kicks

Advance Slicer
FC 3B

FC 3B - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
18	18	-14	KND	KND	9%
upon hitting whiffed throw

Nouveau Soleil
214B

214B - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
16	46	-20	LNC	LNC	15%
versus whiffed or . 4 dmg more on perfect input. Tech Crouch[6-12]

Use Forms to React to Attacks

Both Spiral Envelopment (B+K), good for evading high and middle attacks, and Circular Envelopment (2B+K), good for evading low and middle attacks, can avoid guard breaks and even unblockable attacks. The timing may be difficult to master, but they can help you easily slip past attacks that other styles are forced to guard against. When you successfully evade an attack, quickly use the Sly Riposte (while using a form to successfully evade B) to counter.

Spiral Envelopment
B+K

B+K - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
-	-	-	-	-	-
[2-9] – evades high and mid attacks

Circular Envelopment
2B+K

2B+K - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
-	-	-	-	-	-
[2-9] – evades low and mid attacks

Sly Riposte/ ~ AG/ ~ PR
Evade with B+K/2B+K, then B/B4/B46

Evade B - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
10	25	-12	8	8	-
Evade B4 - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
10	25	1	20	20	-
into AG
Evade B46 - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
10	25	2	20	20	-
into PR

Critical Edge

Royal Poison

Properties

A middle attack with long reach. it cannot be countered even if your opponent guards, so it is an extremely strong move at mid range. You can unleash this move more quickly from a Preparation stance; doing so will turn it into a break attack, making it useful against reversal edges.

Royal Poison/PR ~ Royal Poison: Fatal Dose
A+B+K/PR A+B+K

A+B+K - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
18	70	-8	KND	KND	10%
PR A+B+K - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
14	65	2	KND	KND	10%
.

Tips

This move is very effective after you evade an attack at mid range. Unleash it immediately if your opponent goes for a reversal edge against a feint after you slip into a Preparation stance.

Soul Charge

Additional Horizontal Attack Follow-ups

Normally very weak horizontal attacks, such as the Viper Hiss (during soul charge 6AB) and the Renegade Thrust (during soul charge 4AB), turn into strong follow-up break attacks. They can put a stop to an opponent's troublesome 8-way run or reversal edge, so use them without hesitation.

Viper Hiss
SC 6AB

SC 6AB - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
18	13,22	2	KND	KND	13%
. Normal Hit Combo

Renegade Thrust
SC 4AB

SC 4AB - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
20	18,32	2	STN	STN	13%
. Normal Hit Combo

Increased Strength

Though you may bemoan a general lack of attack power, the damage you can do increases in many ways during a soul charge. For example, you gain access to the speedy, versatile, and powerful Death Throes (during soul charge 6BBBB); a powered-up Rampage of the Queen Bee (during soul charge, during Preparation BBA+B); and the improved Thousand Hornets (during soul charge A+G) throw, which deals more damage and can ring out an opponent more easily.

Death Throes
SC 6BBBB

SC 6BBBB - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
10	11,11,27,62	-8	KND	KND	10%
Counter Hit Combo. 6 dmg more on perfect input

Rampage of the Queen Bee
SC PR BBA+B

SC PR BBA+B - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
10	11,11,61	-10	KND	KND	10%
Counter Hit Combo

Thousand Hornets
SC A+G

SC A+G - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
18	70	-	-	-	-
on break is +8

Royal Serpent

A soul attack that unleashes a sharp thrust upward. its quick start-up makes it a great attack to use in combos. Using 2 will shift you into Shadow Evade after the attack, allowing you to follow-up with moves available in the stance, such as the powerful low attack Mandrake Shaft (during Shadow Evade KB).

Royal Serpent/ ~ SE
236A+B+K/236A+B+K2

236A+B+K - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
16	28	-6	6	6	9%
236A+B+K2 - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
16	28	-2	10	10	9%
into SE

Royal Serpent/ ~ SE
SC SE KB

SC SE KB - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
20	30,39	-22	KND	KND	5%

Reversal Edge

Following Up with A

A horizontal attack that knocks a person over to the left. Even if your opponent guards, you'll be able to initiate your next move before them, allowing you to dictate the flow of battle.

Following Up with B

A middle thrust that sends your opponent flying. You can aim to get a ring out if you strike them from the front. You cover a lot of distance with this attack, so even if your opponent evades you with 2 or 8 they will find it difficult to land a counter hit.

Following Up with K

A kick combo that knocks your opponent down to the right. Depending on your positioning, you may be able to ring out your opponent or perform a wall combo on them.