Tekken 8 has a staggering 32 characters on its roster, all bringing eclectic playstyles to the table, making for unique and exhilarating matchups, no matter who you decide to pick up and main. Ling Xiaoyu, the baguazhang and piguazhang Chinese martial arts master, is one of such characters, returning yet again with her fierce combat prowess.
RelatedTekken 8: Complete Guide To The Training Mode
Here's how to get the most out of Tekken 8's Training Mode to unleash your true potential!
PostsWhile she may be a tad tricky for newcomers, Xiaoyu is immensely fun to learn and can be pretty deadly in the right hands. If you put in the time to learn everything Xiaoyu is capable of, you will be a nuisance to deal with online!
Ling Xiaoyu Overview
Ling Xiaoyu is one of many characters who saw some much-needed changes implemented into her extensive move list, enhancing the power of her multiple stances, mobility, and general gameplay.
Xiaoyu is a master at keeping her opponent constantly guessing, as she possesses plenty of tools for mix-ups that make her okizeme* game hard to deal with. With the increased tempo of matches in Tekken 8, Xiaoyu feels like she is more of a solid and complete character than she did in previous installments.
Her unique move list also gives her tremendous poke options and makes her an absolute monster at being able to punish her opponent when they whiff attacks or end their attack string with an unsafe move. This was true even in Tekken 7 but has been significantly elevated here with the changes she received and the new system mechanics in general.
* - Refers to a scenario where players can resume their offense as their opponent gets up after being knocked down, allowing them to perform attacks that will force their opponent to block or react in a specific way to avoid taking damage.
Ling Xiaoyu Important Moves
As we covered above, Ling Xiaoyu is a legacy character in the Tekken series, meaning her move list is quite extensive. While getting a loose grasp on all of them is crucial, some are much more crucial to learn, as they will allow you to follow punishes or pokes up with devastating combos.
Input Notation Legend:
1 = Left Punch
2 = Right Punch
3 = Left Kick
4 = Right Kick
d = Down
u = Up
b = Back
f = Forward
F = Hold Forward
★ = Neutral (Don't Press Anything)
Important Moves For Ling Xiaoyu
Move Name
Input
Attack Type
Cross Lifting Palms
b 1+2
Mid Attack/Launcher
From The Ashes
u/b 3
Mid Attack/Tornado
Has Xiaoyu enter Phoenix Stance on contact.
Phoenix Tail
d/f 3
Low Attack/Homing
Enter Hypnotist Stance
d/b 1+2
Has Xiaouyu enter Hypnotist Stance.
Enter Phoenix Stance
d 1+2
Has Xiaouyu enter Phoenix Stance.
Rain Dance
b 3+4
Has Xiaouyu turn her back toward the enemy.
Born Of Fire
u/b 4
Mid Attack/Tornado And Power Crush
Absorbs incoming Mid/High Attacks.
- Some attacks will automatically transition you into Phoenix, Hypnotist, and Backward Facing Stances, such as the From The Ashes attack shown above!
Like we covered above, this isn't even scratching the surface of what Xiaoyu is capable of, as she has many more moves in her repertoire. Still, the abovementioned moves are essential for learning her capabilities. The sections below will showcase how to use them to pull off combos and utilize her toolkit to its fullest!
Ling Xiaoyu Combos
Now that you have a loose grasp on how Xiaoyu is played and which moves you should learn early on, it's time to showcase some examples where she's at her best with Standard Combos, Counter-Hit Combos, Wall Carries, and even how to perform Combos with Heat and Rage Abilities.
Remember, Xiaoyu's general strategy revolves around her various stances and ability to punish her opponents when they make a mistake, making her pokes and counters crucial for finding success with her toolkit. Below are many examples highlighting how to use her stances and standard attacks to her advantage!
Ling Xiaoyu Standard Combos
- b 1+2 > b 2, 2 > 1 > 1, 2 > ffF 3 > 1+2
- (During Phoenix Stance) d 1+2 > b 3 > 2, 1 > f 3, 1, 4 > ffF 3 > 1+2
- (Back Facing Opponent) f 3+4, 3+4 > f 3+4, 3+4 > 1+2 > f 3, 1, 4 > ffF 3 > 1+2
- (During Hypnotist Stance) 3 > 2 (Hold) > 2, 1 > f 3, 1, 4 > ffF 3 > 1+2
- u/b 3 > u/f ★, 4 > f 3, 1 > 2 > 1, 2 > ffF 3 > 1+2
Ling Xiaoyu Counter Hit Combos
- (Back Facing Opponent) 1 > 1 > 1, 2 > fF > f 3, 1, 4
- (Back Facing Opponent) f 2+3 > f 3, 1, 4 > ff > f 2 > f 3, 1, 1+2
- d/b 3 > b 4, 1
- 4 > u/b 3
- (During Sidestep) 4 > 2 F > f 3, 1 > 2 > 1, 2 > ffF 3 > 1+2
Ling Xiaoyu Wall Carry Combos
- (During Sidestep) 3 > ffF 3 > 1, 2 > 1, 2 > ff > 1 > d/b 1
- fF 1, 3 > d/b 1+2 > 1 > b 3 > 2, 1 > 2+3 > d 1, F > f 3, 1, 4 > 1 > d/b 1
- (Back Facing Opponent) f 3+4, 3+4 > f 3+4, 3+4 > 2 > 1+2 > f 2 > 2+3 > ff > b 4, 1, F > f 2, 1 > ff > u/b 3 > u/f 3, 1 > 4
Ling Xiaoyu Heat And Rage Combos
- (During Phoenix Stance) 1+2 (Counter Hit) > d 1+2 > 1, 2 > 2 > 1, 2 > fF > 2+3 > 2+3
- (During Phoenix Stance) 1+2 (Counter Hit) > u/b 3 > fF > u/f ★, 3 > 4 > 2+3 > fF > b 4, 1, F > ffF 3 > 1 b > d/f 1+2
Ling Xiaoyu Closing Thoughts
As you can see from the combos and moves highlighted above, Xiaoyu has a ton of potential in Tekken 8. While her move list remained largely unchanged, the quality-of-life additions to her overall kit make her much more viable than she ever was, making her seem much more complete and competent in the arena.
The new Heat systems and mechanics also help elevate her speedy playstyle, giving her many more options to punish her opponents. Xiaoyu always sported a more aggressive playstyle than most, and Tekken 8's fast-paced nature makes her shine like she was meant to.
If you're a newcomer who wants to pick up Xiaoyu, you should be fine, but it will take a bit of time to get a grasp on her multiple stances and unique playstyle. While she isn't the most complex character to learn in the game, she's definitely not the easiest, so be prepared to hit the lab with her to learn everything she's capable of!
While Xiaoyu's multiple stances make her tricky to learn, they also make her tough to read, making her a decent pick for newcomers who love to be ultra-aggressive, as they can switch between her various stances to get massive punishes or launchers, leading to considerable damage and devastating combos - if you practice them, at least.
NextTekken 8: Jin Kazama Guide
Here's how to master the arts of Kazama Style Karate with Jin Kazama in Tekken 8!
Posts
