The King of Fighters XIII/Hwa Jai

Hwa Jai

In a nutshell

Hwa Jai stopped drowning his Fatal Fury sorrows from defeat in alcohol and makes his first appearance KOF. Hwa Jai shares an almost identical set of normals with Joe, but his options form his special moves allow him to play much different than his Muay Thai predecessor. Hwa has a tricky set of tools that allows him to set up aerial traps akin to Mai's 'gimmicky' techniques. He can easily alter his aerial trajectories and his specials have been considerably improved across the board, which includes his damage power up and command grab DMs.

Move List

Normal Moves

Name

Command

Damage

Special Properties (glossary)

Standing Light Punch

kof.lp

25

chaincancel cancel

Standing Light Kick

kof.lk

30

cancel

Standing Heavy Punch

kof.sp

80

specialcancel

Close Heavy Punch

Close kof.sp

70

cancel

Standing Heavy Kick

kof.sk

80

Close Heavy Kick

Close kof.sk

70

cancel

Crouching Light Punch

d + kof.lp

25

chaincancel cancel

Crouching Light Kick

d + kof.lk

30

low chaincancel

Crouching Heavy Punch

d + kof.sp

70

cancel

Crouching Heavy Kick

d + kof.sk

80

low softknockdown cancel

Blowback Attack

kof.sp + kof.sk

75

lowerbodyinv softknockdown specialcancel

Jumping Light Punch

Air kof.lp

Jump: 45
Hop: 40

high cancel

Jumping Light Kick

Air kof.lk

Jump: 45
Hop: 40

high

Jumping Heavy Punch

Air kof.sp

Jump: 72
Hop: 70

high cancel

Jumping Heavy Kick

Air kof.sk

Jump: 70
Hop: 68

high

Jumping Blowback Attack

Air kof.sp + kof.sk

Jump: 90
Hop: 80

softknockdown cancel

Unique Attacks

Name

Command

Damage

Special Properties (glossary)

Sliding

df + kof.lk

75

low softknockdown specialcancel

Throw

Name

Command

Damage

Special Properties (glossary)

Shushouboku ~ Hiza Jigoku

f or b + kof.sp or kof.sk (while close)

30×2+48

throw softknockdown

Special Moves

Name

Command

Damage

Special Properties (glossary)

Bakuretsuken

qcf + p

kof.lp : 20×3
kof.sp : 20×6
ex : 20×3+30+50

drivecancel
ex : softknockdown

Bakuretsuken Finish

p Bakuretsuken, then qcf + p

20+40

softknockdown drivecancel

Dragon Tail

qcb + k

kof.lk : 50
kof.sk : 50×4 (50×3)
ex : 50×4
Air kof.lk : 50
Air kof.sk : 70
Air ex : 90×2

airok drivecancel
Ground ex : hardknockdown
Air kof.sk and ex : softknockdown

Dragon Kick

dp + k

kof.lk : 70
kof.sk : 70×2
ex : 90+35×2
Air k : 70
Air ex : 35×3

airok softknockdown drivecancel
Ground ex and Air ex : anywherejuggle

Desperation Moves

Name

Command

Damage

Special Properties (glossary)

Drink Nomi

qcb qcb + p

For 10 seconds, the following effects are applied:
10% damage increase, increased velocity on special moves, opponents float higher during juggles

Dragon Dance

qcf qcf + k

k : 0+10×9+20×2+20×2+40
ex : 0+10×9+20×6+120

softknockdown

Dragon Backbreaker

qcf hcb + p

50+200
Drink Pink: 50+200+55

throw hardknockdown maxcancel

Final: Dragon Kick

qcf hcb + kof.lk + kof.sk

Direct hit: 450
Indirect hit: 40+40×8

Direct hit: hardknockdown
Indirect hit: softknockdown

Console Changes

• Standing CD now moves forward and has lower-body invincibility.
• Heavy Dragon Tail (qcb+D) has faster recovery; it can be followed up with a normal move after it hits.
• Light Dragon Tail (qcb+B) has faster startup and can be comboed from heavy attacks.
• EX Dragon Tail (qcb+BD) does less guard crush damage.
• EX Air Dragon Kick (Air dp+BD) now hits 3 times like its ground version and does 154 damage (previously 35×3).
• All frames on Drink Nomi (qcb qcb+P) have been changed. It recovers faster now.
• Light Dragon Backbreaker (qcf hcb+A) is now a 1F throw instead of a leaping throw.

Strategy

Move Analysis

Normal Moves

• Standing Light Punch () - Beats out hops.

• Standing Light Kick () - Quick with good range and it combos into slide. Good way to start a punish if there isn't much time and you need to make up distance.

• Standing Heavy Punch () - Good range and special cancellable (try the heavy Dragon Kick), helps Hwa confirm a combo from a greater distance. Also works as a far anti-air.

• Close Heavy Punch (Close ) - Standard close normal. Likely to see some heavy use.

• Standing Heavy Kick () - Great poking tool, reasonably fast and abusable. Stuffs a lot of attacks.

• Close Heavy Kick (Close ) - Close knee attack. Seems to have a smaller window than close Heavy Punch to combo afterwards.

• Crouching Light Punch ( + ) - Not all that useful really unless for stuffing.

• Crouching Light Kick ( + ) - Quick prod, chains into itself and crouch light punch.

• Crouching Heavy Punch ( + ) - Great horizontal reach but has little verticality. Doesn't work well as anti-air.

• Crouching Heavy Kick ( + ) - Decent sweep. Good reach.

• Blowback Attack ( + ) - Use when you detect a sweep or slide. More utitlity than most blowback attacks.

• Jumping Light Punch (Air ) - Horizontal tap. Speedy air-to-air.

• Jumping Light Kick (Air ) - Standard jumping prod. Fast.

• Jumping Heavy Punch (Air ) - Cancelling into light aerial Dragon Tail allows you to link a close heavy punch afterwards.

• Jumping Heavy Kick (Air ) - Good, deep diagonally angled kick that's great for jumping in with, though maybe not as much hitstun as the heavy punch. Use interchangably.

• Jumping Blowback Attack (Air + ) - Not really worthy of comment. Hangs out for a while.

Unique Attacks

• Sliding (+ ) - A great cancellable slide. Superb range for a combo starter or to put inbetween a close normal and a special. Doesn't go under projectiles unfortunately.

Throw

• Shushouboku ~ Hiza Jigoku ( or + or [while close]) - Standard throw.

Special Moves

• Bakuretsuken ( + ) - Combos from close normals but not mid-screen after a slide. The follow up launches. Cancel it into a Heavy Dragon Tail and the opponent is still airborne for further punishment.
  • Bakuretsuken ( + + ) - Combos easily from a slide mid-screen and the follow up is automatic.
• Dragon Tail ( + ) - Not an overhead. Outside of combos, this is a move for keeping the pressure on.
  • Dragon Tail ( + + ) -
• Air Dragon Tail (Air + ) -
  • Air Dragon Tail (Air + + ) -
• Dragon Kick ( + ) - Heavy has horizontal range, Light is the anti-air.
  • Dragon Kick ( + + ) -
• Air Dragon Kick (Air + ) -
  • Air Dragon Kick (Air + + ) -

Desperation Moves

• Drink Nomi ( + ) - Increases damage done by 10% (substantially more with Dragon Backbreaker) and specials have more lift to them, allowing you to keep juggle combos going longer.
• Dragon Dance ( + ) - A smashing move for finishing juggle combos. Bugger all priority. Don't expect to hit with this raw very often.
  • Dragon Dance ( + + ) - Substantially more damage than the non EX version for an extra bar of meter. Works in all the same situations.
• Dragon Backbreaker ( + ) - Light is a close one frame grab, Heavy a far jumping one. Use the Light either in combos or when you're opponent is right next to you and at frame disadvantage, such as a failed ranbu super attempt. The Heavy can be worked into quite a few natural setups or simply wait for your opponent to make a mistake and punish. Has startup invulnerability. Gets a hefty damage boost from 'Drink Nomi'.
• Final: Dragon Kick ( + + ) -

Advanced Strategy

• High level Muay Thai tactics.
• Always listen to this while fighting. Bonus points if you're drunk while hearing it.