Advanced Bryan Fury Strategy FAQ v.1.0 By The Black Lion Creation Date: Wednesday, March 20, 2002 Okay, this is my first FAQ, so don't laugh at me. Table of Contents 1. Why Bryan? 2. Title 3. Conventions 4. Throw List 5. Basic Moves List 6. Basic Combo List 7. Essential Moves List A. Bruce Special Combos B. Chopping Elbow Juggles C. Snake Edge Juggles D. Left Upper Juggles E. Mach Punch and Mach Kick F. Throwing and Sidestepping G. Bryan's Crouch Dash H. Sway and Smash I. Okizeme 8. Advanced Training 9. Winning the Fight 10. Credits 1. Snake Edge - The Advanced Bryan Fury FAQ. 2. Why Bryan? Bryan is a very, very powerful character, more so than someone like, say, Paul, without being as cheap. He may not have the awesome and diverse high/low mix-up of the Mishimas or the Changs, but don’t underestimate him. One mistake, and you’ll eat 40-60 damage points with one or two simple combos. That was the reason that I decided to write this FAQ, to teach people different strategies when fighting as Bryan, besides the 3,2,1,4 - 3,2,1,2 mix-ups the people fight with down here. Now, he’s not a pretty man, but he’s extremely powerful when it comes to both stand-up moves and juggles, which makes him a force to be reckoned with. 3. Conventions. U - directional button up D - directional button down F - directional button toward opponent B - directional button away from opponent U/F - up and forward simultaneously U/B - up and back simultaneously D/F - down and forward simultaneously D/B - down and back simultaneously (directions when standing on left side of opponent, reverse if on right side) 1 - left punch 2 - right punch 3 - left kick 4 - right kick 5 - tag (if mentioned as TTT move) + - press buttons simultaneously WR - while rising from crouch SS - during sidestep CH - counter hit 4. Throw List. Move Name Conventions Properties Gravity Brain Buster 1+3 30 damage Front Neck Full Swing 2+4 30 damage Sidewalk Slam (from left)1+3 or 2+4 40 damage Knee Blast (from right)1+3 or 2+4 40 damage Neck Throw (from behind)1+3 or 2+4 60 damage Reverse Throw (back toward opponent)1+3 or 2+4 30 damage Chains of Misery D,D/F,D,D/F+1+2 73 damage 5. Basic Moves List. Move Name Conventions Hit Level - Properties Hammer Driver 1+2 Mid - 21 damage, 31 on CH Chopping Elbow B+1 Mid - 22 damage, 32 on CH Knee Break B+4 Mid - 17 damage, 25 on CH Backspin Mid Kick F+3 Mid - 22 damage, 32 on CH Side Step Elbow F+1+2 High - 26 damage, 38 on CH Stomach Blow D/B+2 Mid - 18 damage, 26 on CH Low Kick D+3 Low - 13 damage, 18 on CH Thin Low Kick D+3+4 Low - 15 damage, 22 on CH Wolf’s Tail D/F+4 Mid - 23 damage, 33 on CH Snake Edge D/F+3 Low - 25 damage, 37 on CH Left Body Blow D/F+1 Mid - 10 damage, 15 on CH Right Body Blow D/F+2 Mid - 18 damage, 26 on CH Rolling Driver U/F+3 Mid - 25 damage, 37 on CH Orbital Heel Kick U/F+4 Mid - 22 damage, 32 on CH Meteor Smash B+1+4 Mid - 60 damage, 90 on CH Gravity Blow F+1+4 Mid - 21 damage, 31 on CH Front Kick B+3 Mid - 20 damage, 30 on CH Mach Breaker F,F+2 High - 30 damage, 45 on CH Slash Kick F,F+3 Mid - 33 damage, 48 on CH Mach Kick F,F+4 High - 32 damage, 47 on CH Flying Knee Kick B,B+4 Mid - 25 damage, 37 on CH Headhunter SS+1 High - 33 damage, 48 on CH Shell Shock SS+2 High - 26 damage, 38 on CH Cheap Trick SS+1,2 High - 28 damage, 41 on CH Light Back Knuckle B+2 High - 16 damage, 23 on CH Sway and Smash D,D/B,B+2 High - 21 damage, 31 on CH Left Upper WR+1 High - 18 damage, 26 on CH Right Upper WR+2 High - 18 damage, 26 on CH Fisherman's Slam (During Right Upper) Spec - 21 damage High Knee Kick WR+3 Mid - 22 damage, 32 on CH Short Upper WR+1+2 Mid - 12 damage, 17 on CH Rising Kick WR+3+4 Mid - 28 damage, 41 on CH Snake Slash F,F,F+3 Mid - 30 damage, 45 on CH Come On! 1+3+4 Mid - 00 damage, 00 on CH Supercharger 1+2+3+4 None - Makes all strikes CH 6. Basic Combo List. Quick Spin Kick 3,3 Mid,Mid 34 damage, 42 on CH One Two Low Kick 1,2,3 High,High,Low 27 damage, 29 on CH One Two Body Blow D/F+1,2 Mid,Mid 26 damage, 31 on CH Front Kick to Knee B+3,4 Mid,Mid 32 damage, 42 on CH Front Kick to Punch B+3,2 Mid,High 32 damage, 42 on CH Triple Spin Kick F+4,3,4 High,Mid,High 50 damage, 58 on CH Double Back Knuckle B+2,1 High,High 33 damage, 40 on CH Hands of Doom B+2,1,2 High,High,High 54 damage, 61 on CH Wolf Call B+2,4 High,Mid 39 damage, 41 on CH Wolf Bite B+2,1,4 High,High,Mid 51 damage, 58 on CH Vulcan Cannon D/F+1,1,1,1 Mid,Mid,Mid,Mid 25 damage, 30 on CH (only two hits will connect) Jab to Double Spin Kick 1,4,3 High,High,Mid 38 damage, 40 on CH Running Blind 1,4,3,3 High,High,Mid,High 54 damage, 56 on CH Mid Kick to Rush 3,2,1,2 Mid,Mid,Mid,Mid 53 damage, 61 on CH Bruce Special 3,2,1,4 Mid,Mid,Mid,Low 51 damage, 59 on CH High Kick to Rush B+3,2,1,2 High,High,Mid,Mid 57 damage, 67 on CH Run for Cover B+3,2,1,4 High,High,Mid,Low 55 damage, 65 on CH Whipping Fury 1,4,2,4 High,High,High,Mid 65 damage, 80 on CH Cremation 1,4,2,1,4 High,High,High,High,Mid 65 damage, 77 on CH (not all hits will connect) Lair's Dance 1,4,2,1,2 High,High,High,High,High 63 damage, 75 on CH (not all hits will connect) Double High Knee Kick WR+3,4 Mid,Mid 38 damage, 48 on CH 7. Essential Moves List. Okay, I've given you the moves list for Bryan's various attacks, but how do you use them? In this section, I'll give you a list of moves and strategies vital to successfully playing as Bryan Fury. These attacks are tested constantly, and have always worked for me, even under the most extreme competition I've ever played. Anyway, these are just the attacks that are of any use, so I'll begin with the most basic and essential of these. A. Bruce Special High, Bruce Special Low - This mix-up game is still one of the best, and even though I get mad at people who ONLY use this combo, it is still a very good mix-up game if you happen to be playing someone you can't beat any other way. One of my favorite tricks is motorsetting the opponent by doing a bunch of orthodox Bruce Special High combos (3,2,1,2), then switching at random to the low variation(3,2,1,4). This will keep your opponent guessing and give you the psychological advantage. Another mix-up you can use is his Bruce Rush (2,1,2,1) and Rush to Mid Kick (2,1,2,4). The other great thing about this strategy is if you stop using the combo and switch to a different playing style, the opponent will be too accustomed to the combos to defend against anything else, unless you're playing a master or someone not brain dead. Take advantage of this and whip out a Chopping Elbow juggle or a Snake Edge juggle to finish him/her off. Unless they're brain dead. B. Chopping Elbow Juggles - One of my favorite moves in Bryan's arsenal is his Chopping Elbow, which juggles mid-height and leads to three basic options once it has connected. First, after the opponent has been launched into the air, bust out the Triple Spin Kicks(F+4,3,4)to inflict massive damage. This is the easiest of the three to do and causes the most damage. Second, after the Chopping Elbow, try doing Running Blind (1,4,3,3) if you want to mix things up a bit or just want to show off. This is a bit harder to do than the Chopping Elbow/Triple Spin Kicks combo, but it's a good solid juggle anyway. The timing on this one isn't too tough, just wait for a split second after the opponent is launched into the air, and then do the rest. The third option after the chopping elbow is to do the Snake Edge (D/F+3) to inflict damage comparable to the Chopping Elbow/Triple Spin Kick juggle. I don't do this very often, but the damage is decent. It eliminates the possibility of playing okizeme games, however. Do this one only if you want to mix things up a bit. Do the Chopping Elbow only if the opponent has whiffed a big move, like a Wind God Fist or a charge-up move, because it has horrible recovery time. Another word about these combos, you can sneak in a quick jab or two on all these combos while the opponent is in the air before you do the rest of the juggle, but that makes the possibility of completing the juggle much more difficult. I really recommend using just the Chopping Elbow/Triple Spin Kick combo at first just to be safe. C. Snake Edge Juggles - My second favorite move with Bryan is his Snake Edge (D/F+3). What many people don't realize about this move is that it's actually a juggle starter. When you perform this move, however, there are not many options for inflicting further damage. You can try doing his Left Upper (WR+1) or Rising Kick (WR+3+4) but my favorite is his Double High Knee Kicks (WR+3,4) for maximum impact after Snake Edge. This is a pretty simple combo, but it causes nearly 65 points of damage if it connects. This is a very high priority juggle and should be used as part of a healthy okizeme game. This combo is also great if you happen to do it to a jab abuser, a person who tries to interrupt all your attacks by constant jabbing, or someone who constantly does the Mishima Shining Fist combos repeatedly. Just do the Snake Edge, and you'll quickly discover that this attack brings you under the range of the jabber, giving you a clear avenue for destruction. Use this when the opponent least expects it or tries to counterattack with a sloppy jab. D. Left Upper Juggles - This move is performed when you have to good fortune to duck a jab or high kick before it even has a chance to connect. The Left Upper (WR+1) is a simple move, but leads into some pretty nasty combos. If you connect the Left Upper, the opponent will be launched higher than even the Chopping Elbow. There are a lot of options as far as air juggles go when you connect this move, but by far the most useful is the Wolf Bite (B+2,1,4) which is relatively easy to combo into the juggle. You can also perform a jab and the Running Blind combo to mix things up if you want, although the timing for the Left Upper/Jab into Running Blind combo is tricky at best. If I were you, I would simply use the Left Upper/Wolf Bite combo, since it deals the most damage with a minimum of effort. E. Mach Punch and Mach Kick - The Mach Punch hits high. The Mach Kick hits high. Once you understand the weaknesses of these two moves(you can duck under both), you can move on to their advantages. You can use the Mach Punch to punish whiffed moves, and the Mach Kick to interrupt long combos. The Mach Punch is a decent, fast, powerful move with great penetration and stopping power. It's also very easy to play okizeme after you connect this move. Use and abuse this move as a way to punish whiffed attacks. The Mach Kick has special properties which make it different from the Mach Punch in one special way. It sidesteps as it attacks. So, when someone like Hwoarang starts one of his kick combos, you can cancel his attack and knock him down, even when he's in the middle of his combo. This is also a great way to punish people who abuse long combos, like amateur Baek or Hwoarang players. F. Throwing and Sidestepping - Bryan does not have a lot of throws, but make the most of what he has. What I mean by this is to use his throws as part of his okizeme game, after the opponent gets up or whiffs a wake-up move. In heated matches, I use for the most part only throws. I use throws mainly as a way to set up a Chopping Elbow or Snake Edge, but I have a very strong throw game, and the reason is my ability to sidestep. Just tap the up or down direction for a moment, and you will have sidestepped either left or right, depending on what direction you are fighting your opponent from. When you have sidestepped an attack, you will have a split second to initiate a throw. The best part about sidestep throws is the extra damage inflicted, plus the difficulty in countering them. If you learn to become a good sidestepper, then you'll have a good, well balanced game. One more thing, you can use this strategy with every character. G. Bryan's Crouch Dash - Yes, Bryan has a crouch dash, for all you Mishima fanatics out there, but it has some major disadvantages when compared to the Mishima crouch dash. First, it is a stationary crouchdash, which means that when you perform the crouch dash, Bryan moves forward only very slightly. Second, he cannot wavedash, which limits his mobility somewhat, but not if you don't know how to wavedash in the first place. Third, you have to be extremely close for it to work, a little bit closer than throw range. But his crouch dash does have it's uses. It ducks under high attacks for one, it recovers quickly, and you can perform his rising moves almost instantly, which gives his Left Upper juggles better priority. I wouldn't rely on his crouch dash like a Mishima, if had other options, but it can be used effectively if you know what you're doing. H. Sway and Smash - Bryan's sway maneuver is similar to Paul's in that when performed, you avoid high attacks for a split second. The usefulness of this maneuver is that you can avoid high attacks and retaliate instantly. The disadvantage for this is that it requires split second timing, however, you can use it as a stand-alone move to confuse the opponent, and press 2 at the last second to launch them into the air. After this, simply perform Running Blind. The timing for the juggle makes it so that the only air juggle possible after a successful Sway and Smash is Running Blind. The sway maneuver is a nice move to have, so long as you have the luck to consistantly pull it off. I. Okizeme - Bryan has a very strong okizeme game, provided you know how to use the Snake Edge and throws effectively. When I knock someone to the ground via the Mach Punch, I like to run forward and do a quick Snake Edge to cause a little bit of extra damage. When they get up from that, just as they get up, I like to throw them. Mix up your throws or else be prepared to be countered repeatedly. Sometimes I like to wait until the opponent has performed a wake-up move like 3 or 4, then I do a Chopping Elbow juggle to make them pay for it. The Low Kick Bryan has really comes into play when playing a good okizeme, when the opponent tries to roll forward or does a flying cross chop. The Slash Kick is also a good way to punish someone who tries to attack while getting up, but has less priority than the Chopping Elbow. Still, when the opponent tries to get up, my weapon of choice is the Snake Edge, because it will get them every time, with or without the standing juggle. One thing to remember is that when you do a Snake Edge okizeme off of a throw, the opponent will fall with his head toward you. When you do the Snake Edge again as he gets up backwards, only do the first rising knee after the initial juggle. That way, you'll have time to recover and do a Slash kick as they get up again. After that, headbutt them after they have been knocked almost across the screen and quickly perform another Snake Edge as they get up. Against an unworthy opponent, this okizeme pattern will continue indefinitely, until they are dead or have tagged out. Either way, they will have a tough time getting up if they are knocked down. 8. Advanced Training - To fully develop your skills, you need constant competition from people who challenge you. If you live in any place remotely like the place I live, however, a constant stream of worthy opponents is very hard to find. To alleviate this problem, try fighting the Ultra Hard computer on Tekken Tag Tournament for long periods of time. You can do this in the Practice Mode and fight the computer indefinitely until you can whip the computer consistantly. This is a hard process at first, but your timing will improve and you will eventually elevate your skill if you happened to plateau with what knowledge you have. Eventually you will start to use moves that are effective and you will know how to use them better than previously. Consistant training in this method will improve your effectiveness at Tekken, so long as you continue to learn new and different moves. 9. Winning the Fight - Don't think about beating your opponent, just take it one move at a time. 10. Credits. I would like to thank Namco for making such a great series of games with such replayability and coolness. I would also like to thank my friends Iron Bear and Grim for giving me competition and support while I developed my mad skillz. I would like to thank Catlord's awesome site for the educational value it provided on the creation of this FAQ. I would also like to thank caffeine for keeping me awake on nights where I thought I would pass out before laying the smackdown on my friends on Tekken. Thank you, caffeine. 11. About the Author. The Black Lion is a seasoned writer and tekken veteran since Tekken 2, when he used to play as Kazuya and Bruce repectively. If you are ever in Missoula, Montana, check out the Cyberstation at the Southgate Mall. If you see a guy playing Tekken 4 wearing a black trenchcoat, come on in for a challenge. If you come back later and I'm gone, well, you won't see me for a while, for I have gone home and am in training against the computer because you kicked my ass. I am also a Jedi. Not that that's important, but just so you know. If you have any questions or suggestions concerning this FAQ, E-mail me at seraph_illusion@yahoo.com