Introduction
In CvS2, Chun Li is a very solid neutral focused character with high damage and mixups stemming from landing her Houyoku Sen super (QCFx2+K). She holds her own against most of the top tier and really shines against big characters.
She is the most changed character returning from CvS1, as her sprite and moveset were changed from a copy/paste of the Alpha series games to a more 3rd Strike inspired incarnation, with some Alpha and Super Turbo inspired flair.
Changes from CvS1/Alpha 3: Almost everything, but highlights...
- Houyoku Sen >>> Senretsukyaku, changes the kick super to a motion, and the last kick allows for followup shenanigans...
- No Upkicks or Upkick super, Hurts her reversal game tremendously.
- Dissapating fireball, varying strengths (HP is basically a poke)
- Almost all normals, except j.lk, s.mp, c.hk
If you're familiar with her 3rd Strike incarnation, here's the main changes:
- No EX Spinning bird kick (No reversal)
- Low MP (cancelable now)
- Low MK (not cancelable)
- Jump LK can cross up (pretty well)
- Stand MP is the "handshake" from ST, super good.
- Crouch HK is her alpha/SF2 sweep, which is a great anti air.
- The palm strike (B+HP) can only be performed close to the opponent as HP.
Move List
Unique Attacks
Throws
Special Moves
Super Combos
Basic Stats
- Health at Ratio 2= 14000(Below Average, Median Health is 14400)
- Stun Bar= 70 (Average)
- Stun Duration Time= +/- 0f (Average)
- Guard Guage Recovery Rate: Normal
- Crouching height= 61 (Very Short)
- Dash: Length= 98 pixels, Duration= 16f, Height= 0 (Cannot corpse hop)
- Run Speed= 9.0 (Fast)
- Roll: 132 Distance, 27f invincible, 2f upper body invincible 4f Recovery. (Average)
- Wakeup-Speed compared to Ryu= +6f (Very slow)
Colors
Preferred Grooves
The constant threat of at least level 1 Houyoko Sen is critical to Chun Li's gameplan, so C and N grooves are ideal choices for Chun Li. Roll cancels are an added bonus.
C Groove-
Advantages-
- Touch of Death C-Groove cancel combo- Canceling her level 2 Houyoko Sen into Lightning Legs allows you to link a S.HP or c.jab, c.strong afterward and cancel that into a level 1 houyoko sen, which allows the Jump HK followup. That combo alone will do over 9000 damage (at ratio 2), and a successful mixup after will usually dizzy low/mid stun characters, which should kill anyone.
- Cheap Level 1s- Chun's level 1 Houyoko Sen with the followup is the most damaging level 1 in the game (not including the mixup potential). C-groove offers level 1 supers at about a 25% discount compared to N or A. It's simple math.
- Delayed Get-up- Unpunishable method to mess with setup/safejumps.
- Air Block- This is semi important with Chun's floaty jump, but jump LK usually is a better option. Chicken blocking into low jab is a decent strategy against high priority jump ins.
- Dash- allows for an easier buffer for RC Lightning Legs.
Disadvantages-
- No Run means more methodical approaches and no running jab pressure.
- No Low Jump means you have to be really careful about jumping, Chun's jump is super high and floaty.
N Groove-
Advantages-
- Low jump- Low jump HP (both hits) can cover the up and down of the low jump arc. Low jump MK & LK are all good, and very useful get in tool. Low jump crossups are nice. Low jump headstomp is also easier to instant overhead people with. Lastly, since chun can link of her lightning legs, Low Jump combos are much easier with Chun Li than most characters. (Special moves cancel the extra landing lag of low jumps)
- Run- Chun's run is very fast and her low jab is extremely positive on block. This is abuseable.
- Counter Roll- A great defense against A groove guard crush customs.
- Counter Attack-> Level 3 Kikosho (corner only, power up activated) Not many characters can do this.
- Level 3 Houyoko Sen-> Level 1 Kikosho. (Very difficult to time, good damage)
- Safe fall Because Chun-Li's wakeup options are fairly poor, this helps her avoid knockdown mixups. Use caution, the safe fall is punishable.
Disadvantages-
- The extreme one shot damage of C-grooves Level 2 cancel combo
Other Grooves
- A-Groove: Her custom combos aren't anything special so A groove isn't an optimal pick (her level 1's end up offering better utility).
- P-groove: Has the stored level 3, and parry into stand MP->level 3 is a big threat, but she doesn't get much off of parries without super. Plays like a budget C-groove Chun
- K-groove: Has some juice if your JD's can take you into the 3 supers/round area. She can set JD's up well after blocked SBK's or Lightning Legs. Low jump is great for her. Overall not a hard character to keep out when she's raged, so relying on counter hit confirms is key.
- S-groove: Non flashing life S-Groove Chun is an abysmal character. Having to charge just to get level 1's (which you need for any decent damage) is obviously really bad. In desperation mode, however, she's death incarnate, capable of chaining level 1-> mixup-> level 1 into death.
Preferred Team Position & Ratio
Due to her need for meter, controlling style, and effectiveness against common anchors, Chun-Li is often the middle character as a Ratio 1. She struggles against many common leadoff characters like Cammy, Vega, and Iori, so make sure your opponent doesn't take big leads into the 2nd round.
Chun is also a fairly decent anchor, and especially shines against Sagat, Blanka, Bison, and Geese.
Frame Data
Normal Move Analysis
Standing Normals (Close)
a) Jab - Chun-Li's only true rapid-fire weak attack. She does a small slap move to the face. It hits high, so most characters can crouch it. Can be used as a sub-par rushdown tool against people who can't crouch it and as a rapid-fire anti-air tool against parry happy P-Groove players. It's bufferable, but only a lvl. 3 super would connect 100%.
b) Strong - Up close, Chun does a double slap that hits mid. Not a good normal, but if people can't crouch it, use it after crossups. Makes it easier to combo into a super.
c) Fierce - Close up, Chun does her back fierce from SF3:3S a palm thrust to the midsection, which is cancellable into supers and specials. Has a pretty good deal of priority, sticks out for a while, and it's meaty. Overall great normal.
d) Short - Up close, Chun hits with the side of her foot. Looks really wierd, as she twists her whole leg. Not very good. Cancels into supers and specials.
e) Forward - Chun extends one of her legs in a 45 degree angle. Up close, she uses the leg up front, so she turns her back to the screen. It is much slower than the far version, and cancels into supers.
f) Roundhouse - Up close, Chun extends a knee to the opponent's mid- section, while doing a double fist up top. It cancels into specials, supers, and superjumps. Super Jump Cancelable normals are rare and rather fun. This means that you can develop your own set of mind games if you ever get to anti-air any person with this move. Besides the same setups you can use after a kick super, there is also a new factor involved: s.rh is not a knockdown. Therefore, you can do an empty jump, land, throw, among other things. Now, if you want to confuse your opponent, you could try doing the 'Timed Setups' (c). If you decided to sj. cancel, you could jump after them immediately, and do a j.short, which will stay on the same side, even though because of its ark, it looks like it should cross up. However, if you pause slightly before you sj. and do the same thing, the j.short will position itself as a crossup. Also, when you are cornered, you can make someone block a close s.rh, superjump to the wall, wall jump out of the corner, and get back into offense with a crossup j.short! Now the opponent is instantly cornered, and you have the advantage. Finally, when you have your opponent in the corner, throw out a meaty s.rh. If they block it, sj. cancel it, and do an aerial hit. They'll probably block it. You can land and do ANOTHER s.rh, cancelled again. It isn't a really solid trap, but more of a mindgame, because if they jump, they eat an air attack, just as if they try any normal anti-air, they eat a headstomp. You can also just jump empty, land and throw them, and go for another meaty s.rh! It seems like it shouldn't really work, but it does... at least most of the time.
Standing Normals (Far)
a) Jab - (same as close jab)
b) Strong - She does a cat-claw with her hand, sticks it straight out. By far her best normal move, along with c.strong. It cancels into both specials and supers.
c) Fierce - Chun does he does her s.fierce from SF3:3S, but obviously, nowhere near as fast as in it. It IS her longest reaching normal, but it doesn't cancel into anything. Works best for whiff punishment when you do not have supers handy.
d) Short - Chun does her short kicks chain. These kicks have very good priority at the tips (Using it to beat out Cammy's s.rh is a good example.) These chain for 3 hits, and they still cancel into specials or supers. It may be able to stuff Sagat's c.HP, so perhaps it's use can be merited. Can chain into f+short. You can buffer to kick super, but only the level 3 version will hit.
e) Forward - Chun extends one of her legs in a 45 degree angle. Much faster than the close version, making it a good anti air against short jumps. It also cancels into supers.
f) Roundhouse - While standing or holding towards on the joystick, Chun goes into the air slightly and does a low sidekick. This move dodges some low attacks, as well as outprioritizes a big deal of them. Very good against people who mash low hits while you rush them. Pretty safe if blocked or whiffed. If you hold towards on the joystick, she does the exact same thing, only moving slightly forward. Does not cancel into anything at all.
Crouching Normals
a) Jab - Chun-Li's basic combo starter. She does a clap fist while on the ground. Does not go into rapid-fire chaining like most jab/shorts do. You can link them though. Cancels into supers and specials.
It's THE go to move when you're in their face. This move is as fast as normals come in CvS2. You can link fairly easily from this, especially on counter hit. Hit counter hit cr.jab, link cr.strong / far st.strong / close st.fierce xx super is a big part of why Chun is so good.
b) Strong - The magic button of death :) Chun-Li lays her whole body on the ground and fully extends a grounded fist. This attack beats out a LOT of stuff in the game, and should be abused more than s.strong for the simple fact that it hits low. It cancels into specials and supers, making it a simple option. It's better for supers than s.strong because since it's a low hit, it's easier to buffer the motion.
c) Fierce - Probably the weirdest normal in terms of priority, Chun slides along the floor with a fully extended arm. It beats out a LOT of stuff (Yama s.rh, dunno about Cammy s.rh), but loses to most of the other stuff that it SHOULD not lose to, like Nako low strong. Anyways, it's her most damaging normal, along with close s.rh. Cancels only into supers.
d) Short - Exactly her c.forward from 3rd Strike, without the long cancelling frames. Cancels into specials and supers, and hits low. That's about the only thing good about this move. Again, use c.lp instead, unless you're going for a high / low game. It's still fairly week for high / low games, as there isn't much that can connect after a c.lk. Although, c.lk xx kick super level 3 works.
e) Forward - Chun-Li's classic low forward. She bends her outermost leg, and extends the other one completely in the floor, making it a great long distance poke, if you think you might whiff c.rh. Does not cancel into anything.
f) Roundhouse - The magical anti-air button. Incorporate this to your offensive game and defensive game. It's a fully extended leg kick, which is a sweep, as well as your main anti-air. It's range is decep- tive: it hits slightly shorter than what it looks. It has OK recovery time, but as usual, don't whiff it, as it becomes roll bait. Cancels into supers, but only the Kikoushou will hit.
JUMPING
NOTE: Some attacks have two versions: Jumping straight up and jumping at people. V1 means it's jumping at people. V2 means it's jumping up.
a) Jab - Chun places her body at a flat horizontal state and slightly extends one of her fists. Has decent priority, but you're better off going with j.short.
b) Strong - Same animation as j.jab, but has wierd hitbox issues. Some attacks look like they touch the back of her body but MISS. Hibiki's s.fierce comes to mind. More damage than j.forward though.
c) Fierce - V1) Chun hits with a real hard punch, twice. You can vary the speed slightly, but not drastically, unlike with Bison's j.strong. Hits pretty well, and is really good with short jumps as a way to get in quickly. V2) Does the exact same punch, but only once, and does more damage than the other version.
d) Short - V1) Chun-Li's crossup. She fully extends her innermost leg and hits with any part of her body up to her buttocks. REALLY good in priority. V2) Chun extends one of her legs fully up. Has so-so priority, and I never really found much use for it.
e) Forward - V1) Same animation as j.short, but hella more priority, but does NOT cross up. Very good to use for when you know you won't cross. V2) Same as with straight jump short, only it damages slightly more.
f) Roundhouse - V1) Chun kicks high with both of her legs. This kick is mainly used after a kick super, as it pops them up for a follow-up reset (reffer to After Kick super follow-ups for this). Not really useful out of the follow-up, as it lacks priority. V2) Chun does a split (ouch) in the air. Has GREAT horizontal range for an airborne attack, and works as a really good air to air attack. Works with short jumps as an anti short jump anti-air :).
COMMAND
a) twd + Forward - Chun advances spinning and does a side-kick to the face area. It's a high hit, but it advances forward a lot of distance. The main use for this is to pressure after Kikkokens, in case that people try and jump out, you knock them out early in the air. Besides that, never use it, unless the person can't crouch it. If they can, you get a free pressure game every time you move in with this.
b) oc. (down/forward) Roundhouse - Chun-Li does the traditional version of her neckbreaker (also known as flip-kick). This hits high, and knocks down when connected. It is seldomly used in some guessing games, and just tossing one randomly works well enough.
c) j.down + forward - Chun-Li's headstomp. While in the air, she fully extends one leg fully downwards, and stomps the opponent in the head. If used with a short jump, it becomes an instant overhead.
Special Move Analysis
(data compliments of FSgamer)
Specials
Lightning Legs
Press K repeatedly
LK [5/4][5/4][5/4][5/4]/3/**/17 300*** +-0/+-0 MK [5/3][5/3][5/3][5/3]/3/**/17 300*** +3/-6 HK [5/3][4/3][4/3][4/3]/2/**/17 300*** +6/-3
* It takes 5 K inputs in order to activate this move. However, you don’t have to use the same button. You can drum your fingers over the K buttons and the fifth button you press will correspond to the strength of the Lightning Legs. For instance, doing LK~MK~HK~LK~HK will result in HK Lightning Legs. ** Can be mashed, so the hitting part loops until you stop mashing, then the move recovers. Takes 17 frames from the end of the last legs. *** Each hit does 300 damage.
Kikoken
hcf+P
LP 19/*/40 700 -11/-11 MP 15/*/38 800 -9/-9 HP 11/*/36 900 -7/-7
* Projectile moves are active for as long as they are on the screen. HP Kikouken travels about 1/4 of the screen, MP Kikouken travels about half the screen, LP Kikouken travels about 3/4 of the screen.
Spinning Bird Kick
Charge d,u+K
LK [20/2][6/2]/24 500x2 -2/? Airborne from frames 21~35 MK [20/2][6/2][6/2][6/2]/24 300x4 -2/? Airborne from frames 21~53 HK [20/2][6/2][6/2][6/2][6/2][6/2]/24 300x3,200x3 -2/? Airborne from frames 21~67
Super Moves
Kikosho
qcf2x+P
Level 1 4:6/2+2+2+2+3/38 2700 DN/-18 INV [full:8] Level 2 4:6/2+2+2+2+2+2+3/38 3700 DN/-18 INV [full:14] Level 3 4:6/2+2+2+2+2+2+3+4/38 4400 DN/-18 INV [full:22]
* Damage is reduced the farther Chun Li is from the opponent. Damage is also reduced if it hits an airborne opponent.
Houyoko Sen
qcf2x+K
Level 1 4:[13/2][4/2][4/2][4/2] [10/2][4/2][4/2][4/2] [10/14]/27 3000 DN/-17 INV [full:8] Level 2 4:[14/2][4/2][4/2][4/2][4/2] [10/2][4/2][4/2][4/2][4/2][4/2] [10/14]/27 4200 DN/-17 INV [full:14] Level 3 4:[15/2][4/2][4/2][4/2][4/2][4/2][4/2][4/2] [10/2][4/2][4/2][4/2][4/2][4/2][4/2][4/2] [10/14]/27 5400 DN/-17 INV [full:22] * Last hit is superjump cancelable.
Super follow ups
The last hit of Chun's kick super is superjump cancelable. That means exactly what it sounds like. She can cancel the last hit of her kick super with a superjump, and continue to combo her enemy. Here are the most common and useful follow ups.
- Kick super xx sj.hk Her most useful move after the super mixup wise. This hits twice, and hits your opponent higher into the air. This allows you to land much earlier than your opponent. Enough to walk behind where he/she will land. With all the time you have, you can set up for a nice high / low / cross up mixup. Here are some options...
- Walk behind where your opponent will land, combo xx super xx follow up. This is a very nice cross up. Many people get confused as to which way to block. I recommend crossing up, cr.jab, close st.fierce, and depending on if you hit or not, super. Or, if you don't have meter, fireball.
- Walk to seem like you will cross up your opponent, but stop, don't cross, combo xx super xx follow up. If your opponent gets used to you crossing up after the super, or has prior knowledge against Chun, this is good. This, combined with the above option sets up a good 50/50 mixup on it's own. Again, if you hit, super xx follow up
- Upon landing, j.lk cross up Yup. You can use this for almost guaranteed way to make sure you continue pressure, but it's fairly obvious as to what you're trying to do. You can continue pressure to try and throw / counter hit. Again, it's still fairly obvious as to what you're gonna do, but if you have LOW JUMP, it's a little more tricky. One, because if you low jump, it's more ambiguous as to what side you're gonna hit on. Two, because your opponent has less time to react to short jumps, you can play an okay high / low game. Now, if Chun could have a better quick, low hitting move that was bufferable into super that WASN'T cr.strong, I'd change the word "okay" to "badass". If you cross up with lj.lk, cancel into HK legs, and combo super xx follow up. See a pattern yet?
- (contributed by FSgamer) Walk, oc.HK "I know this sounds dumb, but df+HK is a pretty decent move to use after the walk under cross-up. Although the move is slow it can be hard to react to it properly. It can hit from the front, it can hit from behind, and there's a certain distance where it hits from the front but she lands behind the opponent, which can confuse the hell out of the opponent. Plus, it has frame advantage so you can always pressure the opponent with c.LP afterwards if they block."
- (contributed by FSgamer) RC Lightining Legs when they land "Why not? it's invincible, can lead to a combo into super, does good chip damage, etc. Just one more mix-up to Chun's arsenal."
- Kick super xx sj.fierce, fierce Easier timing then sj.hk. But...No terribly great mixups. Leaves you fairly close to your opponent upon landing however, so you could continue to try and pressure fairly easily. Mainly done for if you need it to kill someone and don't wanna mess up the timing.
- Kick super xx sj. d+mk (her famous headstomp), fierce (whiffs) fierce (hits) This is going to be odd to explain. Okay, the second hit of her fierce has 1 point of juggleablity. This means, it can hit someone in hitstun who is in the air. Her sj. d+mk allows her to stick out another move in the air after you do it. So if you sj. d+mk, and mash on fierce fast enough, you should be able to get the second hit of her j.fierce out fast enough to the point where it will juggle. As for useage...I don't even know if it does more damage than her double fierce follow up. It gets pretty much the same mixups too. So *shrug*. Use it if you want to be fancy, I suppose.
- Kick super xx (slight pause) headstomp This follow up allows you to still be in the air when your opponent lands. Meaning you can treat it as a jump in attempt of sorts. Your opponent doesn't really have time to try a normal anti air, but they can still uppercut you if they have one. A tricky follow up to the headstomp...Is to headstomp when your opponent lands. This pops you up yet again, and lets you stick out ANOTHER move. From here you will be headed behind your opponent. Which means you go for a cross up short, combo xx super xx follow up. *FSgamer - "You can change the timing of the j.lk so that it can hit from the front as well." If you don't see the pattern by now...Drop Chun.
-casey_MDK
The Basics
Chun's gameplay revolves around comboing into her crazy level 1s or her deadly level 2 cancels, and pressuring with her quick, high priority pokes. The reason is her supers do some serious damage, even at level one, and lead into some very confusing mix ups. There are several ways she can land her super. Here are the basic ways...
Bait something, counter hit cr.jab, cr.strong/close st.fierce xx kick super
Chun can mix up between cr.jab and walk up throw pretty easy, thanks to her fast walking speed. One of the most common ways to nail a counter hit with Chun is mix up between walk up throw and walk up cr.jab again. If they do anything to avoid getting thrown, you hit them with cr.jab, cr.strong/close st.fierce xx kick super xx sj. follow ups. Her cr.jab is as fast as normals get in CvS2 (2 frames). On counter hit, the cr.jab, cr. strong is very easy. Attempting to close st.fierce is a little risky in this scenario, because of range. You might get a far st.fierce, which does not link. But, it does more damage if you pull it off.
whiff punish something with far st.strong xx kick super
If you see someone whiff something laggy, punish with far st.strong xx super. Far st.strong is her farthest reaching move, and is also bufferable into kick supper. It's a high priority poke as well.
cross up j.short, cr.jab cr.strong/close st.fierce xx kick super
Her j.short is pretty decently prioritized, and stuff a lot of anti-airs. The fact that it's a cross up also helps her keep pressure, as cross ups leave you very close to your opponent. If you land the cross up, combo into super. Close st.fierce is much safer to try this time. Not only is it an easier link, you're closer to your opponent thanks to the cross up, and the chances of you getting a far st.fierce almost non-existent.
cross up lj.short xx hk lightning legs, cr.strong xx kick super
lj.shorts are really hard to react to, especially if you cross up with them. Cancel the recovery of the lj.short with HK lightning legs (the reason for this is that low jumps have 8 frames of recovery on landing that is cancelable only into special moves), from there, you can link off of HK legs. It's a little tight, and the timing is a little different, but once you get it down it's a great tool. Of course, you can only do this in grooves with low jump. You can link a cr. jab after the hk lightning legs too, if you want an extra move to hit confirm, but it's not necessary.
RC HK legs, cr.strong xx kick super
If you can RC her legs, this is a killer. A good setup would be to wake up with RC legs to counter your opponents wake up pressure. From there if you hit, you can link off it into super. RC legs is a very good momentum shifter. I'll get into more detail about RC legs later though. Honestly, I think it should go into the Advanced Strategy section because it's a little complicated.
Advanced Strategy
Match-ups
Credits / Thank yous
- Buktooth
- James Chen
- FS Gamer
- Casey 3K
- Gandido https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/arcade/562704-capcom-vs-snk-2/faqs/21531