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Soul Calibur V seems to be much more mindful of specific types of hits than previous versions. I was wondering how these new hit attributes modified damage.

  1. Do clean hits, 8way run counters, regular counters, etc modify the damage done to the opponent?

  2. Do hits from the back, or hitting someone in the head modify the damage?

  3. Do the damage properties stack? Does a clean hit counter do more damage than a clean hit or a counter individually? What is the most stacking that can happen on a single move? Can hit attributes be stacked with additional damage done as a result of hitting your opponent in the back?

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As far as damage by position and type of counter, in general, Normal < Side < Back for position and Normal < Run Counter (Side) < Run Counter (Back) <= Attack Counter for counters. Tested with Astaroth's fully charged 44[B]:

  • Normal hit: 65
  • Side hit: 68
  • Back hit: 71
  • Normal hit attack counter: 78
  • Side hit attack counter: 81
  • Back hit attack counter: 85
  • Normal hit run counter (side): 71
  • Side hit run counter (side): 75
  • Back hit run counter (side): 78
  • Normal hit run counter (back): 78
  • Side hit run counter (back): 81
  • Back hit run counter (back): 85

Clean hit versions not included, as I have yet to find a way to make the system grant clean hit damage automatically (the way you can set counter damage).

Attacks that hit someone in the head (highs) don't do more damage specifically, as far as I can tell. I have yet to find a character with an attack that can be either high or mid, though.

Just inputs (inputting an attack using the fastest/perfect timing) will also increase damage slightly. This is separate from a clean hit.

Clean hits are apparently a pseudo-random chance of getting improved damage. There are some attacks that can increase this chance, and just inputs are said to slightly increase the chance of a clean hit.

Any of the individual elements stack (just input, clean hit, position, and counter), which makes a just input clean hit attack counter back hit likely the highest damage for any individual attack. How exactly they combine (i.e. is the whole greater than the sum of it's parts) remains to be seen.

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The weird thing about a "clean hit" is that you can initiate it without actually hitting your opponent, so I presume it means some other kind of hit. Possibly hitting two buttons in the same frame. The rest was very informative. –  Maxx Feb 19 '12 at 22:57
It appears that the "clean hit"-ness of a move is determined when the combination is entered, rather than on damage. –  Ian Pugsley Feb 20 '12 at 4:57
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