Juraiprince juraiprince@hotmail.com 3/19/99 DISCLAIMER: this guide may not be duplicated in whole or in part without first getting permission to do so. For private use only, copyright 1999. INTRODUCTION: You may be wondering why I'm crazy enough to write a guide for quite possibly the weakest character in SFA2. Well, it's because he's my favorite character of the bunch, and I happen to like the underdogs. So, on we go. Legend: ======================================================= The following will be used as a reference for the motions ub u uf f=forward/toward b=back b n f u=up d=down db d df ====================================================== I don't know about your button settings, but I use the following as the button arrangement. Remember, you don't HAVE to have this arrangement, I just find it easier: X = Light punch Circle = Light Kick Square = Middle Punch Triangle = Middle Kick L1 = PUNCH x3 R1 = KICK x 3 L2 = Fierce Punch R2 = Fierce Kick ======================================================= A = Any(reference to either of a punch or kick button) P = Punch K = Kick H = Hard/Fierce Strength L = Light Strength M = Middle/Medium strength (2 sec.) = Charge for 2 seconds ====================================================== MOVES (1:) = Standing (2:) = Crouching Normal Moves & Explanations Light Punch(LP) 1:Charlie throws a simple jab, doing meager damage. Nothing extraordinary. 2:Charlie, again, does a jab. This is a good linking move, to either a Sonic Boom, or Somersault Shell. NOTE: you can link(go from one button to another for a combo) this to an LK. Medium Punch(MP) 1:Charlie does a short uppercut. Become acquainted with this button, as this is one of his best anti-air moves. The other being his Light Somersault Shell. 2:Charlie does a longer punch. Not recommended as a linking move, or to two-in- one a combo, just use it if you have to. Fierce Punch(FP) 1:Charlie tosses his arm forward, creating a slow, but powerful, punch to the opponents face. Use this move mainly as a keep away, or, as an interrupting move(to some extent). 2:Charlie goes from a squatting positiong, to a very high uppercut. In theory, this is a good anti-air, but put into use, it has little priority, thus, you can be hit out of it. Light Kick(LK) 1:A short kick to the knees. This can be used as a two-in-one, but its rather quick end may throw off the timing. 2:A short-ranged low kick. Medium Kick(MK) 1:A medium range high kick. The jump-in version allows Charlie to have some cross-up ability. 2:This is another of Charlie's good moves. The long range this kick has allows for keep aways and can be two-in-oned to a somersault shell. *My main use for this button is exactly that!* Fierce Kick(FK) 1:A slow, high hitting kick. The awkward angle that the leg is tossed in makes it lose any ability to be a good anti-air, anti-jump-in attack. 2: A normal trip, just has a wider range. ======================================================= SPECIAL MOVES & Explanations ======================================================= Sonic Boom: B(2sec.), F + AP LP: Slow MP: Moderate Speed FP: Fast Quite possibly the biggest similarity to Guile is this move. A projectile that can be very helpful for Charlie users. The light and fierce punch versions are effective, but the medium version has nothing very good about it. Use the LP and FP versions to trick opponents into jumping early, or too late. Somersault Shell: D(2 sec.), U + AK LK: one-hit, slightly off the ground version(excellent anti-air) MK: 2 hit, higher of the ground(so-so anti-air) FK: 3 hit, very high(Up to the life bar), so-so anti-air, leaves Charlie WIDE open, should it be blocked or misses. Charlie raises one leg and does a splits movement while airborne, which creates a "shell" around his legs, hitting the opponent. The harder the button, the bigger the shell size. The LK version is a sure-fire anti-air, and it doesn't have that terrible a recovery time! Spinning Back Knuckle: F + FP Charlie spins his body and hits the opponent across the head with a strong punch. Use this on a would-be jumper, otherwise, this is just a longer-ranged Fierce Punch. Knee Bazooka: F + FK Charlie lunges forward with a strong kick to the waist. This move has no other use(that I can think of) other than a "shock value", of sorts, type of move. It's not an overhead, it has a long start-up delay and recovery time, so I don't know what else to say. Overhead Hop Kick: F + MK Charlie spins his body forward, and performs an overhead kick. Use this on crouching opponents. This would have been a great move, had it not had the long recovery at the end. it has a a somewhat fast start-up, but it can't two-in-one, nor can it recover quickly enough to stop a reversal. Use with caution. Air Backbreaker: (in air and close to opponent) F + MP/FP Charlie grabs the foe and slams them down on his knee. Very good priority, but slow on the coming down, meaning, tech. hits are more than likely. ====================================================== SUPER COMBO MOVES ====================================================== Sonic Blade/Blitz/Break: B(2 sec.), F, B, F + P Lvl 1:(motion + P) Charlie releases one sonic boom upon the command, and another when another punch button is pushed. Lvl 2:(motion + 2P) Charlie releases one sonic boom on command, and another when a punch button is pushed, and another when another punch button is pushed. Lvl 3:(Motion + 3P) Charlie releases one sonic boom on command, another after pushing another(or the same) punch button, another after another push, and one last one after another push. This is my favorite super from Charlie's repertoire, aside from his CC's(which I'll talk about later). You have a window of about 2 milliseconds after one sonic boom is released to push a punch button for another sonic boom to come out, otherwise, you've just wasted a super bar, on a single sonic boom. I say this is charlie's most useful super because if the first one is jumped over, you still have enough time to release another sonic boom. Not only that, but since this IS a super move, neither of the sonic booms can be air blocked! Keep in mind though, that the Level 3 version should be used only if you're certain it will hit. Otherwise, the Level 1 super will do just fine. Crossfire Barrage: B(2 sec.), F, B, F + K Lvl. 1:(motion + K) Charlie does a four hit auto-combo. No possibility for a juggle, unless the opponent is cornered and falling. Lvl. 2:(Motion + 2K) Charlie does the same combo, but ends it with a spinning back knuckle. Again, you can only juggle if the opponent is in a corner. Lvl. 3:(Motion + 3K) Charlie does the 5 hit combo from Level 2, but ends it with an uppercut utilizing Charlie's "Sonic" power. Again, no juggles unless in a corner. I don't find much use for this super, unless I want to chip life bar energy on a losing opponent. Because the first hit of the crossfire barrage practically knocks the opponents away when caught in the air, there is no possibility for a "vacuum" effect, or even a juggle. Somersault Justice: DB(2 sec.), F, B, UF + K *NOTE: I do the motion DB(2 sec.), DF, DB, UB + K, and the move comes out perfectly every time. eXpErImEnT!* Lvl.1:(Motion + K) 2 consecutive somersaults. Can juggle, if opponent is directly overhead, or slightly away when caught in the air. Lvl.2:(Motion + 2K) 2 consecutive somersault shells, only this time, the second SSS has a farther range. Lvl.3:(Motion + 3K) 3 consecutive somersaults. Practically no juggle possibility, nor does it do massive damage as one would think. This move is average at best. The best version of the three is the 2K version, as it can juggle if you've only scraped the foe on the first somersault shell. Level 3 version is o.k., but if the first hit misses, or it just knocks the character down/away, then the other two will miss, and well, you may get a reversal, or a pop-up move when you hit the ground. The Level 1 version does o.k. damage, but has an incredibly small range, so, use it if you want to. ====================================================== COMBOS, CUSTOM COMBOS, MISC. STUFF AND THE END OF THIS GUIDE ====================================================== Can you believe it! this guide is almost over! Hope you enjoyed the ride. Alright, I've done in-depthedness(my word) on all moves, but why no combos? Well, if you have to know, it's because I don't use them very much. Call me cheap, or whatnot, but I truly don't find Charlie a combo powerhouse. And even IF he is able to connect a couple of hits, the "at the moment" effect that works for ARK and others doesn't quite work for a charge character. If you haven't figured it out, Charlie is a major defensive character. Oh, o.k., I give in, I'll show SOME combos that I find useful enough that I use now and then. 1: Jump-in FP, immediately hold back on the directional pad/joystick, land, MP, push forward on the d-pad and push any punch. It's a sweet three hit combo that ends in a sonic boom, it can push back people who are blocking and give you enough time to block any retribution. Alternatively, you can substitute an LP-->LK for the MP for an additional two hits. However, since the LP is so high, you might miss ducking, or short characters. 2: Ducking MK(while holding down on the D-pad), then push up and any kick. 2-3 hits, depending on which kick button was used. simple combo ending in a somersault shell. THAT'S IT! no more combos. Sorry, but if you want combos, try it out on your own, and good luck! Now, so Charlie isn't really a comboing machine, what CAN I do with him? Well, start off with his excellent Custom Combos! Because the CC meter(which is activated when there is at least one level of power level filled, and pushing two punches and a kick, or vice-versay, simultaneously) gives you the "sped up" effect, you no longer have to charge down to do a somersault shell!(the same can be said about the sonic booms, but they don't do much damage, and can be blocked fairly easily, even when in close). So, to start you off, here is the following: At level 1: D + FK-->D, U + FK---->D, U + LK At Level 2: D + FK ---->D, U + FK---->D, U + MK---->D, U + LK At level 3: D + fK ---->D, U + MK---->D, U + LK---->D, U + MK---->D, U + FK All these combos do very good damage. and since, in some cases, you may have a little time on the CC meter left over, you can add a couple of medium punches and kicks here and there. Miscellaneous stuff to know: Alpha Counter: When Blocking an attack QCD(that's right, down) + P/K Counters with either a quick spinning back knuckle, or a fast(albeit, blockable) trip respectively Tech. Hit(a.k.a. Throw Softening) When thrown, press either toward the opposing direction of the throw and either a fierce or Medium punch. This will reduce damage by about 1/3. Air recovery(limited) and Falling recovery. the motion is the same, but sometimes it won't work in the air. The motion is QCF + P. The punch button used will judge the distance. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! WITH CHARLIE, DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT USE THE MEDIUM AND FIERCE VERSIONS! Because charlie isn't a "combo machine", you may end up right in front of the opponent and not have anything to do. Just do the Light version to get back on your feet. As for the air recovery, if it works, you'll flip in the air and take up where you last left off. CHARLIE'S PROS AND CONS: ======== =pro's:= ======== a)Charlie has a somewhat wide throw range. b)Even small combos do big damage. c)Sonic boom speed d)Custom Combo ======== =con's:= ======== a)too slow for an average size character b)no true combo ability from lack of linking c)somersault super can knock away. THE FUN CORNER! this part I like more. I'll give you some fun stuff like quotes to play around with. ====================================================== End taunts: Hold Select after a match and either of the buttons for the corresponding taunts: LK: Charlie shows his back to the screen and says "Too Easy" LP: Charlie wipes his glasses, looks at the screen, and makes a "humph!" sound. MK: Same as LP version. MP: Charlie fixes his vest, looks at the screen and makes a "humph!" sound. FK: Same as LP FP: Charlie takes out a set of glasses, puts them on and says "humph!" ====================================================== SUB-BOSS! ====================================================== Win 6 matches without losing a round and with at least four super finishes to face Rolento! ROLENTO: Hey, Trooper. What are your orders? CHARLIE: I'm out to neutralize M. Bison, Sir! ROLENTO: Over my dead body! CHARLIE: I hope you brought a body bag. ====================================================== OUTFIT COLORS! ====================================================== If you happen to use my fantastic-amazing-wonderful-incredible...ahem...button arrangement, these colors will be easy to access. Choose Charlie with either of these buttons for the corresponding colors: MP = Yellow Vest with Green pants and boots(normal) LP = Red Vest with Green Pants and Boots. MP+MK = White vest with green pants and boots(my fav!) LP+LK = Yellow vest with dark blue pants and boots. ======================================================= BYE BYE! I hope you enjoyed my little Charlie guide. Acknowledgements: thank you, the reader, and thanks to Capcom for the great character design for charlie(love the glasses), and for making this great game. Bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye bye....and bye