Heresy's Character Guide for Soul Calibur! v1.3 Ok folks, I've helped a lot of my friends find inner-peace playing Soul Calibur with the character that best suits their skills and personality. This is a guide to help you find the character that best suits YOUR needs. This is not a move list or a guide on the mission battles, this is just a run-down of all of the SC characters. I hope this helps someone out there. Well, lets start. Here's the format I've decided to use: Character # (Where they appear on your select screen) Name: (Character name) Who will like this Character: (What type of people like the Character) Skill Level, B: (How well will a new player do as this Character) I: (How well will a somewhat skilled player do as this Character) E: (How well will an expert player do as this character) M: (How quickly will a Master Character play defeat you...) Character #1 Name: Voldo Who will like this Character: If you want to spend a long time learning certain moves and stances, but be able to waste almost everyone else, Voldo is the guy for you. Skill Level, B: New players will have a rather hard time playing as Voldo, he has very few "Button Masher" moves. He takes skill to play. Play as him at least once though. You just might like him... I: Mid-Level players may start to understand how Voldo moves, and fights. It might help to watch how the computer plays Voldo, then do the exact opposite. E: Experienced players will probably know a dozen ways to kill people with Voldo. M: When fighting a master Voldo player, be prepared for a very cheap fight. Voldo can fight in ANY position, he is most dangerous with his back turned towards you. Try to get in close, and don't let him get you in a throw. Character #2 Name: Ivy Who will like this Character: People who like to see their opponent flinch when they select their character. Ivy is a popular character, and for good reason. Skill Level, B: Ivy can be a hard character to start as, I'd suggest playing as an easier character, then trying Ivy. Once you learn how to attack without "Button Mashing" you will enjoy Ivy. I: For some odd reason, most people don't play as Ivy. Her fighting style is unique and she should be focused on instead of just being randomly selected. E: Advanced players will start to understand the sheer power that Ivy possesses. Ivy is very quick, very strong, and has an amazing range. Ivy is the favorite of many experienced players. M: Fighting an Ivy master can be a painful experience. Depending on what stance Ivy in fighting in (Whip or Sword), she is either the Queen of Reach, or a powerful close range attacker. Her only low point is her mid-ranged attacks. She attacks somewhat slowly when attacking at a long range, this can open up a spot to counter attack, but you must be quick. Character #3 Name: Sophita Who will like this Character: Almost anyone will be able to play as Sophita, She is a great balance of power and speed. Skill Level, B: New players will find Sophita very easy to use. She has a wide variety of moves, most of which can be accidentally done. I: Mid-Level players will probably move on to more interesting characters, Sophita seems to lack 'Staying Power' (Although I still enjoy playing as her). E: Experienced players will find a whole new world with Sophita. She has a lot of great combos, and some great moves. She still lacks the power of the more difficult characters. M: When fighting a Sophita pro, you'd better be ready for a difficult fight. Even though she may not be as deadly in the hands of a master play as other characters, she is still very powerful. Character #4 Name: Mitsurugi Who will like this Character: Almost everyone. You should play as Mitsurugi every-so-often to see if you like his ultra quick fighting style. Skill Level, B: Mitsurugi is a good player to start as. He has many moves and is amazingly powerful. He lacks in range over some characters, but makes up for it in sheer power. I: Mid-Level players will enjoy Mitsurugi the most. After you learn the game mechanics, and learn how to best use Mitsurugi's various stances, Mitsurugi is a very powerful character. E: Advanced players may start to not like Mitsurugi after playing him for a while. Mitsurugi lacks variety in his moves, and is considered by many to be a cheap character. M: When fighting a master Mitsurugi player, be warned. In the hands of a master player, Mitsurugi can be unstoppable. Try to use long-range moves, or moves with a wide arc. Character #5 Name: Kilik Who will like this Character: New players. Skill Level, B: Kilik is the first person you should pick. He is overly powerful and has an extreme reach. Most of his moves can be done by slamming the controller against the floor... I: Don't misunderstand me, Kilik is a good character. By the time you're a mid-level player, you should move on. Kilik will become very boring. E: Experienced players will probably try to play as Kilik and realize that they have actually gotten worse as playing him. Kilik is a "Push the attack button while moving the controller" character. He lacks any style and is a very cheap character (Sorry if this offends anyone) M: Pull out the crackers, cause you're gonna get cheesed.. Sorry, bad pun. When fighting a master Kilik player, block a lot, try to get inside, and don't get fooled by his get-up tech. Character #6 Name: Xainghua Who will like this Character: There are very few people who favor Xainghua. There may be a reason for this. She lacks the speed to make her an ultra-quick character, and the power to make her a good nonstop attacker. In good hands she can be quite deadly though, stick with her and you may surprise people with her skill. Skill Level, B: New players may actually like Xainghua. She is reasonably fast and has some easy, yet powerful, moves. She should not be overlooked. I: After you've played SC for a while. Xainghua will start to loose out to more powerful characters. Try not to avoid her though, she can be a great character. E: Advanced players who have overlooked Xainghua will not find her any easier to play as, players who have tried to learn her moves will find her to be very deadly. I urge everyone to try to play as her a few times at the very least... M: Although Xainghua is not the fastest character, she is a very fast attacker. A master Xainghua player will know this and use it to their advantage. Try not to use attacks the take a long time, try to play somewhat reserved. Let her attack, then hit back quickly. Try to hit back before she gets in throwing range... Character #7 Name: Maxi Who will like this Character: People with a lot of patience who don't take to defend, but would rather attack nonstop. Skill Level, B: Beginners will probably like Maxi quite a bit. He is rather quick and is a very quick attacker. He has a very short range, but most new players won't mind. I: After play SC a bit, you will start to become frustrated with Maxi. It is very difficult to make him stop attacking. It becomes painful to start an attack and see the enemy block, it is very difficult to recover as Maxi. E: Experienced players may start to shine to Maxi. He is a difficult character to play as, and thus has great potential. Attacking with Maxi is nonstop. It's possible to start an attack and not finish till the battle is over. M: A master Maxi player can be very powerful. The only way to gain the upperhand on Maxi is to try to keep him out of range. If you can block his attack, and see that lowkick coming, you can win. Character #8 Name: Nightmare Who will like this Character: People who like short fights... If you like to attack hard, and don't mind your friends complaints, Nightmare is the Demon/Guy for you. Skill Level, B: New players will have a very easy time playing as Nightmare. He is very powerful character, with a lot of reach. He is rather slow, and his attacks tend to be even slower. I: Nightmare has many moves that make Mid-Level players still enjoy him. Although you may start to loose interest in him, you will still find the time to play as him. His lack of speed will become more noticeable. E: Advanced players will either hate Nightmare for his lack of speed, or love him for his variety of moves. He has many stances and is very powerful. If speed isn't your thing, Nightmare is worth sticking with. M: Master Nightmare players will best know how to use his linking attacks and various stances. Try to circle around Nightmare if you can. His range can be nullified with his lack of quick attacks. Don't be fooled by his linking attacks of "High attack, sword uppercut from the floor". When you are attacked, try to block. It's probably a good idea to duck and block after he attacks with an overhead attack. Character #9 Name: Taki Who will like this Character: People who prefer the quick characters will love Taki. Taki is rather powerful, given her extreme speed. Taki does have her shortcomings, but she easily makes up for it. Skill Level, B: Taki is a rather easy character to start as. She is rather powerful, and attacks very quickly (Great alternative to Maxi). She has a lot of moves that can be done accidentally. I: Taki manages to remain powerful in the hands of a Mid-Level player. Her complete lack of range is made up buy her quick attacks and fast movement. E: Experienced players will find Taki to be quite deadly, if you can get used to the range problem. One of Taki's better moves involves her flipping over her opponent's head, even the best players can accidentally ringout doing this, try to be careful... M: Master Taki players can be the hardest to beat, Taki takes a lot of skill to play, and even more skill to beat. Taki's greatest strength in her ability to move around her opponent quickly. Try to use quick, wide arcing moves on her. Don't be to afraid to kick, it can usually be done quicker than swinging your sword. Remember, Taki battles are over quickly, one way or the other. Character #10 Name: Astaroth Who will like this Character: Astaroth is not the traditional "Powerhouse" character. If you like to win battles in as few hits as possible, Astaroth is your man. Skill Level, B: Beginners will probably misuse Astaroth, thinking that he is just there to hit people and to take up large portions of the screen... Although, being played like this, he is still rather powerful. A good person to start as. I: If you play SC and think "Well, lets give the big guy a chance" you'll probably do badly as Astaroth. If you take the time to learn a few of his moves, then give it a shot. You will probably do rather well as Astaroth. Defiantly a good person to learn. Works rather well against fast characters. E: Taken the time to learn Astaroth's fighting style. You will be able to kill almost anyone. Astaroth has a huge range, and attacks quickly at a close range. He has more throws than anyone, and his spinning attack is excellent against Taki. M: Beware the master Astaroth player. The only attacks that work well on Astaroth are lunge and rolling attacks. A lot of people think that since Astaroth is slow, that fast characters are the best way to attack. This is false. Try to knock him down or ring him out. Ok, now come the hidden characters. Most of the hidden characters are clones of the other characters, with minor changes. These minor changes can make a huge difference. Since you probably won't be a new player when you get these characters, I'll give advice on how to play your first time with each character in the B: section. Character #9 Name: Hwang Who will like this Character: Hwang is the Xainghua clone. There are several difference between the two, but if you liked Xainghua, you'll probably like Hwang. Skill Level, B: First-time Hwang players will probably take a liking to him (Afterall, he's your first hidden character). I know it will be hard, but try to do a little button mashing. If you come out trying to play Xainghua, you will probably be disappointed. I: After playing Hwang for a while, you'll notice that he seems to be stronger than Xainghua, and seems to have a longer range. This may be true (I never stopped to measure), but he also seems to have worse moves, and seems to play slower. E: Advanced players probably won't play as Hwang, Xainghua seems to be better in my opinion. If you prefer Hwang, then enjoy, but chances are you'll like Xainghua also. M: A master Hwang player is just as deadly as a master Xainghua player, but for different reasons. Hwang is the King of Kick, try to take him out from a distance. Don't let yourself get juggle-kicked. Character #12 Name: Yoshimitsu Who will like this Character: Someone told me that Yoshimitsu is a Mitsurugi clone. Not a chance. Yoshimitsu is the most original of the hidden characters. He is rather slow, and has a rather short range. He makes up for this with a ton of weird, but powerful moves. If you can take the time to learn a list of moves, and can block well. Yoshimitsu is the guy for you. Skill Level, B: When playing Yoshimitsu the first time, you'll probably say "Man, this guy sucks". That's true for first time players, don't expect to know how to play him well the first time, try to learn some moves first. I: After learning his moves, you'll start to enjoy his "zany" fighting style. He makes up for his range with the most bizarre moves in the game. Try using the 'pogostick" attack, it's unblockable and rather powerful. E: Expert SC players that take the time with Yoshimitsu will understand how to best use his moves. He is very difficult to play as, but with enough skill, Yoshimitsu is very powerful, and you have the joy of watching your opponent scream. M: Master Yoshimitsu players will never directly attack you. Their favorite move is to meditate and regain health, then teleport when you get close to attack. Simply attack with a quick, semi-long ranged attack to counter this. If they keep using the helicopter attack, just strafe right and left then hit them when they land. Character #13 Name: Lizardman Who will like this Character: Sophita clone, more powerful, slower, some different moves. Falls into the 'Slow and Powerful group". Can be played like Sophita, more liked by Nightmare players. Skill Level, B: Very easy to play as in the first battle, there is no reason why you can't select him as soon as you get him and beat the game. Try to take time to figure out his moves though, he can be useful. I: Lizardman manages to remain interesting even after you've played him a few times, he has several leaping moves that can make him a quick attacker. Try to notice what makes him different from Sophita, you'll like him more once you understand his strength. E: Lizardman fails to remain interesting once you've mastered him. Although he remains quite powerful, he gets very boring. Maybe it's his WWF attitude, maybe it's the fact that there are just to few differences between him and Sophita. M: Fighting a master Lizardman player isn't as hard as you'd think. Block first, attack hard. You don't have to worry about blazing speed or super attacks. Someone with a fast attack would work best. Character #14 Name: Siegfried Who will like this Character: Nightmare players... Skill Level, B: If you're a Nightmare player, you should first be warned that Siegfried seems to have a shorter range be weaker. Although he plays faster. Not to hard to get used to. I: Siegfried has probably already become boring. He has so few differences from Nightmare. Only good for Soul Edge Memories... E: Expert SC players will probably find no use for Siegfried, just stick with Nightmare. M: A master Siegfried player is as deadly as a master Nightmare player. He'll be a bit faster, the same strategy should work against him. Character #15 Name: Rock Who will like this Character: Astaroth players looking for something new. Rock is an almost exact clone, with a few minor differences. Skill Level, B: First time Rock players will probably try Astaroth's fighting style. This should work rather well, these two characters have almost exactly the same moves. I: After playing Rock for a while, you'll probably enjoy him more than Astaroth. Although they play almost the same, some of their moves are slightly different. E: After playing for a while, the differences between Rock and Astaroth will seem trivial. There are not enough changes to make Rock any more interesting than Astaroth. Basically just a different sprite. If you're good with one, play as the other. M: A master Rock player is just a deadly as a master Astaroth player. Beware their power and their range. Try to get in quickly and attack, watch out for those fast unblockables. Character #16 Name: Seung Mina Who will like this Character: Seung Mina is the Kilik clone. They have the same moves, but seem so different. Seung Mina seems to have the style that Kilik lacks. If you like Kilik, try playing as Seung Mina. B: First time Seung Mina players will have an easy time. She seems to have a slightly shorter range than Kilik, but she's also faster. I: Seung Mina will probably become boring after a while. While she is an interesting character, she offers nothing you haven't seen elsewhere. E: Advanced players may start to understand the subtle differences between Seung Mina and Kilik. If you try playing he as Kilik, you'll probably do well and have fun. Try using her speed to your advantage and you'll notice that she does well being played as Sophita or Taki. Defiantly one of the better Hidden characters. M: A master Seung Mina player can be a challenging fighter. Don't let her get close, remember to block. If you can, try to use a character with a longer range, or an ultra-power character (Astaroth or Nightmare work well). Character #17 Name: Cervantes Who will like this Character: Ruthless people will love Cervantes. Voldo players and Sophita players will have the easiest time playing as Cervantes. B: When you first start to play Cervantes, you'll probably notice that he is amazingly powerful, and fast. He has a long reach and is a ferocious fighter. I: After playing SC for a while, you'll understand exactly how powerful Cervantes is. While some of his moves seem to be useless, keep playing as him and he'll become one of your favorite characters. E: If you're an expert player, and take the time to learn some of Cervantes's moves, you will be unstoppable against most fighters. Cervantes has some amazing combos, and is freakishly powerful. While he is commonly seen as a cheap character, he has a lot of difficult moves, and takes a good amount of skill to play well. M: A master Cervantes player may well be unstoppable. The easiest way to stop him is to try to out range or out speed him. Try to make him block, don't let him get the upperhand. If he gets close to you, remember to block, and hit quickly. Character #18 Name: Edge Master Who will like this Character: If you like every character in the game, Edge Master is the guy for you. B: Unless you're good with every character, Edge master can be very difficult. He's good to play as if you want to learn how to play as everyone else though. I: By now you should be rather good with most other characters, and thus good as Edge Master. E: Experienced players will probably like Edge Master. He adds a lot of risk, and a lot of variety. His performance is 100% dependent on how well you are with other characters in the game. M: A master Edge Master player can really mess up your game. It's easy to select your character depending on who your opponent chooses, but Edge Master is completely random. Although I have noticed that he comes up Kilik rather often. Just go with your best character, and do your best. Character #19 Name: Inferno Who will like this Character: Edge Master players, who want to have some new moves. B: Same as Edge Master. It all depends on how you are with all the other characters. I: You'll probably begin to use his original moves, which are very powerful. But it ultimately comes down to your skill with other characters. His unique moves make him more powerful than Edge Master, try to take the time to learn them. E: By now you're good with every character in SC. Inferno will add challenge and variety to your battles. Use his moves, as they are his greatest asset. If you have problems with him, refresh your mind and play as the other characters for a while. M: A master Inferno player is very powerful. Since there is no way to choose you're character around Inferno, go with you're best one. Try to pick someone with range or speed. As Inferno does not always take other characters speed (He makes a very quick Astaroth and Rock). If you see his spinning attack coming, try to knock him out of the air. It saves you the damage, and really makes people mad. Character #20 Name: Random Who will like this Character: Master Players B: Don't select this unless you don't mind risking a full battle with your worse character. I: You might try this to help improve your skills as other players. E: By now you probably don't have a character that you're "bad" with, you should do rather well using Random. M: Fighting a player who has Mastered every character in the game can be a daunting task. Play hard and fight to win. All right, this concludes my Soul Calibur Guide. I hope you enjoyed reading this, and perhaps it will help you decide which character to play as, or at least make you think twice about not playing as. Here's a short Q&A section. 1.Q: How could you be so mean to my favorite character? You must be playing them wrong... A: I tried to not be mean to any character. This is just my opinion. I have played though SC many times with every character. If you disagree with what I've written, then play as whomever you want. 2.Q: How do I get the hidden characters? A: Beat the game as all of the first 9 characters, then beat is as all the new ones. Don't ask for more details. 3.Q: Who do you play as? A: Well... I consider myself to be a master with most characters, but I am most deadly with Ivy and Mitsurugi. All right, now lets give credit where credit is due. I'd like to thank Lorddodge and Ash for the countless games they have suffered though with me. I'd like to thank SEGA for making the greatest system ever, and Namco for making the best fighting game ever. I'd also like to thank the Hurricane season of '99 for knocking out the sever of my favorite online MUD and giving me time to focus on Soul Calibur. SEGA Dreamcast is copyright SOA SoulCalibur and SoulEdge are copyright Namco This Guide was written by me, LordHeresy@aol.com Feel free to give this guide to anyone, just don't charge them for it or say you wrote it. Please don't write me with complaints or praises, I can't very well change my opinion to anyone who disagrees and if you're reading this, that is praise enough. -Remember, You are a True Hero and your Legend will Never Die.