Playing as Paul Phoenix

Paul Phoenix is one of my favorite characters, just because he's so effective at making hard hits and variating hits very quickly.

Moves List

Throws

Name of move	Command	Hit Area	Damage
Shoulder Throw		Throw	30
Shoulder Popper		Throw	30
Twist and Shout		Throw	40
Foot Launch		Throw	35
Push Away		Throw	35
(1) Ultimate Tackle		Throw	5
1, Arm Lock		Throw	25
1, Five Punches		Throw	5, 5, 5, 5, 5
1, Three Punches, Arm Lock		Throw	5, 5, 5, 25
1, Ultimate Punishment	(Hold)	Throw	5, 8, 8, 35
Body Slam	(From opponent's right side)or	Throw	40
Twisting Arm Drop	(From opponent's left side)or	Throw	40
Reverse Back Slam	(From behind) Any throw command	Throw	50
Reversal	or	Throw	Varies

Special Moves

Name of move	Command	Hit Area	Damage
P-K Combo		H, H	12, 21
Punch Low Kick Combo		H, L	12, 8
Left Punch Low Kick Combo		H, L	5, 8
Phoenix Smasher		M	33
Thruster		M	20
Hammer of the Gods		M	32
Flash Elbow		M	15
Side Step Shoulder Ram		M	20
Bone Breaker		L, M	15, 20
Hammer to Power Punch		M, M	15, 26
Hammer to Bone Breaker		M, L, M	15, 15, 21
Elbow, Left Phoenix Smasher	(While Crouching)	M, M	21, 25
Stone Breaker	(While Crouching)	M, L	21, 21
Burning Fist		Unblockable M	100
Left Sweep		L	12
Neutron Bomb		M	20
Shredder	oror	M, M	17, 26
Double Hop Kick to High Kick		M, M, H	20, 15, 25
Double Hop Kick to Mid Kick	or	M, M, M	20, 15, 15
Double Hop Kick to Low Kick	or	M, M, L	20, 15, 15
(2) Back Step		N/A	0
2, Rubberband Attack		M	18
2, God Hammer Punch		M	15
2, Rapid Fire to Phoenix Smasher		L, M, M	12, 21, 25
2, Rapid Fire to Stone Breaker		L, M, L	12, 21, 21

String Combos

Name of move	Command	Hit Area	Damage
10-Hit String 1		H,H,M,H,M,H,H,L,M,H	10,15,7,5,7,4,5,7,8,30
10-Hit String 2		H,H,M,M,L,M,H,M,L,M>	10,15,7,6,7,8,5,8,10,30
5-Hit String		H,H,M,M,M	10,15,7,6,30

Strategy: As Paul

One of Paul's best moves is his Side Step Shoulder Ram. If a person tries to do an attack, do this move to avoid it and knock him away. Once you hit with this, it's likely you can run in for an unblockable shoulder tackle as well. One move that tends to be underrated is his Flash Elbow. Although it does little damage, it hits mid (so can be an unexpected surprise for a ducking opponent), and has very good range. Here's a way it can be useful; when an opponent tries to throw, they usually run up quickly and do the throw command. Tap forward twice, to do the dash, so that your opponent will duck to avoid the throw. Instead of throwing, though, tap Right Punch to elbow them, knocking them down. Another move that tends to be underrated is his Neutron Bomb; it leaves him in a crouching position, so you can do the Elbow, Left Phoenix Smasher or Stone Breaker easily from there.

With Paul's 10-Hit Combos, the second string seems to work more effectively than the first one. If you're playing an experienced player, try not to use either; both have quite a few points where you can counter the hits. His 5-Hit String can really frustrate your opponent; because it follows the same pattern as the second 10-Hit String, the fifth hit is expected to be low. Thus, doing the five hit string will smack your opponent in the face with a Phoenix Smasher if he tried to duck on the fifth hit.

Make sure you learn other character's moves, even brieftly, so you have an idea of where certain breaking points are in their special moves and 10-Hit Combos. If you know a breaking point, press back and a basic throw command to counter with a fairly damaging throw; if you can manage to get the timing just right, you can be daring and counter an unblockable, which can do 50+ damage! The higher the risk you take when countering, the greater the rewards; countering a more painful attack is in turn more painful to the one countered.

Facing Paul can be a hair-wrenching experience. Try to read your opponent's moves; if you're playing an experienced player, expect to be hit with the Bone Breaker. It's very fast and hard to see coming, and is great for juggling. Since you're facing a character who uses counters, try to play as a counter character yourself, such as Jin, Nina, Anna, or even Paul himself. Characters who have the non-throw counter also work okay; you just want to get an opportunity to get a hit in somewhere.

It's likely your opponent will stay just out of range of kick distance if you're knocked down, trying for a Phoenix Smasher or close-up Bone Breaker. If this happens, roll backwards to recouperate. If you're nailed by a Phoenix Smasher, your opponent will have time to run in for an almost unescapable hit; if you stay on the ground, you'll get run over, but if you get up, you'll take even more damage from an unblockable shoulder tackle. There are two ways to escape this fate; one is to get up and do a mid kick, knocking Paul down, but this doesn't always work. The better choice would be to roll to the side when he gets close; you still might get stepped on, but it's much less damage than a shoulder tackle.

Another tip, don't try a 10-Hit String or a long combo from out of reach, thinking the first few hits will bring you close enough to continue the combo; and experienced Paul will simply do a Side Step Shoulder Ram, knocking you away similarly to the Phoenix Smasher, which is what you don't want.

The one saving grace for when you face a player who loves playing as Paul is that his 10-Hit Combos are unique and easy to see coming. The point you want to watch for is the fourth hit; if it's a jab, he's doing 10-Hit String 1, and if it's a Hammer punch, or a chop, he's doing 10-Hit String 2. Thus, you can block accoringly. Remember that some or Paul's moves have a significant break point. For example, his Hammer to Phoenix Smasher has a long pause in between the two hits; you can get in a quick jab, stopping the attack, then try one of your own. Also, if you can block the first 7-8 hits of the 10-Hit Combos, there is a long pause that allows you to get a quick hit in. An example of this is if you're playing as Jin; if Paul tries 10-Hit String 2, the 9th hit has a long pause as Paul ducks down for the Stone Breaker; simply do his axe kick, which not only hits him out of the combo, but does significant damage because it was a counter.

Juggle Combos

Starter	Extra Hits	Approx. Damage
		50
		50
		50
		50
		50
		50
	(Hold)	50
	(Hold)	45
		55
		45
		50
		55
		40
		40
		45
		45
		45
		45
	(Hold)	40
	(Hold)	40
		50
		40
		40
		45
		50
		50
		55
		55
		55
		50
		60
		40
		50
		40
		40
		45
		45
		40
		35
		50
		30
		45
(While rising from crouch)		40
		35
		40
		40
		40
		35
		45
		30
		40