______ ______  __  __ __
     /	   //	   // / / //  /                             __                             
    /  ___// ___  // / / //  /                              | |
   / /___ / /   /// / / //  /                            ___| |___
  /___  // /__ /// / / //  /                             \__ _ __/
 /     //      // /_/ //  /___                              | |
/_____//______//_____//______/by ishbu                      | |
      ______ ______ __      ___ ______ __  __ ______        | |
     /     // __  //  /    /  // _   // / / // _   /        | |
   /  /   / __  //  /    /  //  ___// / / // __  \          | |
  /  /   / / / //  /    /  // _   // / / // /  \  \         | |
 /  /__ / / / //  /_   /  // /_/ // /_/ // /    \  \        | |
/_____//_/ /_//______//__//_____//_____//_/      \__\       \_/

"The Legend Will Never Die"

Soul Calibur
Strategy FAQ 0.5
For the US Version of Soul Calibur
by Ishbu
MFIshbu@mail.com (e-mail me if you would like to be notified of new versions of my FAQ)
Please, do not copy this FAQ without my personal consent. I'm very lenient with things like this, so I'm sure if you
ask you'll definitely get my permission. 
FAQ History

0.5 Basic FAQ completed

1. Introduction
2. Defeating the Button Bashers
	A. The Button Basher Test
	B. Brief Strategy
3. Blocking & Countering
	A. Novice Blocking
	B. Novice Countering
	C. Advanced Blocking & Countering
4. Advanced Moving
5. Throwing
6. Memorization
7. Practicing Methods
8. Credits
9. In the Next Update
10. Current Projects

	Thank you for downloading my Soul Calibur FAQ. Please, keep in mind that this is not a move list, this is just a 
tool to assist you in becoming a very good player at Soul Calibur. Also, this is generally meant for two-player bouts,
since the methods I will attempt to explain in this document require a large amount of time to perform.
	I'm sure that all Soul Calibur players have encountered the "let's press every button and hope we win" type
of players. And I'm sure that most of us have lost to them. The entire point behind this is that if you do lose to these
button-basher people, you are one yourself. Any player with a good knowledge of properly guarding and performing special 
moves and counters will be able to win very often againt button-bashers. 


This is a brief test to see if you are one of those damnable button bashers. Take this test after you've finished a match.

1. How did you just win the match? (i.e what moves did you use)
2. Did you not use the guard?
3. Did you use it less than 5 times?
4. If your opponent was a damned button basher, answer this question. Did you lose?

If you had more yes's than no's, you are a button basher! If they are equal, than, well, you're ok. If you had more no's,
why the hell are you reading this FAQ?


	I will elaborate more on this later. 

Guarding- Use your guard often, this will negate the entire attack! 
Countering- This has the same effects as the guard, except that it also causes the enemy to "freeze" for a few moments.



The one weapon that we (experts) have access to is the guard. Although it isn't actually an offensive manuever, it leads
to other attacks, which will devastate your opponent. Here is what you should already know-

	-You block automatically if you are standing stationary.
	-You don't block automatically if you are moving.
	-When an attack is blocked, it causes no damage.
	-Blocks are performed by pressing the A button(by default).
	-Some attacks can get through blocks. 

Blocking is sort-of like a game of rock, paper, scissors. Some attacks get through certain blocks, etc. 

Block			What Gets Through It

Standing Block		Some vertical attacks low attacks
Croaching Block		Vertical attacks


Now on to countering. This is a form of blocking that is often ignored by many players. To perform a counter,
simply press <- and A, at the same time. Here is a chart showing the upsides, and the downsides to countering.

Goods- Well, the enemy's attack does now strike you and they become paralyzed for a few seconds. Yay.
	You can easily surprise your enemy. 
Bads- You have to be very precise with your countering. 


Telegraphing- This is when the opponent "telegraphs" his or her attack- they might pull back their weapon in
preparation of a poke-type manuever, or they might skip forward. Learn to recognize these, and to block them. 
You might want to practice in practice mode. 

Attacking your opponent- Only attack your opponent after they have attacked, and are open to an attack, or after you
have countered on of their attacks. 

Patterns- Make up a pattern of blocking and countering. For example it could be
Block-Block-Block-Counter-Vertical Combo(x2)
Block-Counter-Block-Counter-Soul Charge- Horizontal Attack(x3) etc.
Only repeat the pattern no more than three times- you wouldn't want your opponent to catch on, now would you?
I only recommend trying this after you have gotten used to the advanced blocking and countering. 

Ducking- Duck when your opponent uses a horizontal attack.
Sidestep- Sidestep when your opponent uses a vertical attack.
Backing Away- Back away when your opponent uses a combo. 
Jump Forward- Jump forward after your opponent is done attacking, or when they have been successfully countered. 

These are a LOT more difficult than blocking and countering, and the only advantage they have is to demonstrate your
mastery over the Soul Calibur fighting system. 

Throwing is an excellent skill to develop- throws are onblockable (they can be countered [ I'll include throw 
countering in the next update]). 

Keep in mind that throws can be done from any angle. (MORE ON THIS IN THE NEXT UPDATE)


There's not much to say in this area, except that it helps to memorize an enemy's general reach, important combos,
and special moves. This allows you to know how often you will need to block, how easy it is to counter, etc.
In the next update, I will add a chart showing off this information for each and every damn character.
These are the methods I used to augment my playing skills; the times needed to practice are only relative to my
gaming skills, you might need more or less time. 

Blocking & Countering
	1. Start practice mode.
	2. Start the computer opponent.
		a. difficulty- medium, stage 4
	3. Wait until you have gone a minute without getting hit once.
		a. start applying your counter
	4. Wait until you have gone a minute without getting hit once. Make sure
	you have used your counter at LEAST 5 times.
		a. start attacking your opponent
	5. Wait until you have gone a minute without getting hit, than move the AI's difficulty up to
	very hard, stage 4. Adjust accordingly.
	6. Repeat this until you are up to the highest difficulty.
	7. Go into arcade mode with the highest difficulty on, and try to defeat the game perfectly (NOTE- I have
	done this numerous times)

Moving & Throwing
	 1. Do the same exact thing at you would when working on blocking and countering, except you can't use either
	 at all during the entire practice session.  

	1. Just go into practice mode, and practice fighting every single character in the game. 

Thanks to me 
God bless Namco for a damn good game
Sega rocks



I will try to include-

			more info in every area
			a Soulcharge area
			and whatever if suggested to me, or I think of myself

I might work on a Trick Style FAQ, since it is the 2nd most requested FAQ at Game FAQs as of 10/10/99. I'm
also contemplating on whether or not to create a web site featuring my FAQs...perhaps I will wait until
I have written a sizable number of FAQs.