Soulcalibur VI/Astaroth

Overview Move list Combos Matchups Strategy Resources

Introduction

Astaroth stands proud as Soulcalibur's big-body representation, using his massive axe for long reach and huge damage, and subjecting his victims to a stunning variety of command grabs at close range. He is the primary grappler character of the game. With the way throws work in SoulCalibur VI, Astaroth is a very strong character as the grappler character, able to force 50/50 interactions and control the flow of battle with the threat of the immense damage he can put out. Being a big hard hitting character, he does suffer from the usual archetypal downfalls of having few quick moves that make his defense difficult to master against the right opponents.

Strengths	Weaknesses
High damage Long-ranged attacks Massive variety of command grabs to keep the opponent guessing Plus on command grab break Can break throws from behind	Worst block punishment in the game Limited repertoire of fast attacks Huge hurtbox Lives and dies by good reads and decision making

Unique Mechanics

Revenge

While not necessarily unique to Astaroth, he is perhaps the most notable user of the Revenge mechanic. Similar to armor in other games, attacks with the Revenge property can absorb a counterattack without interruption, powering up the Revenge attack in the process.

Command Throw Breaks

This is also not something unique to Astaroth, but a large influence on his gameplan. Any time a command throw is broken, the character initiating the throw ends up at +6, allowing them to continue their turn. Given that he has the most command grabs out of any character in the game, this becomes a key component to his gameplan and utilization of his moveset.

See Strategy for a full strategy breakdown.

Astaroth #SCVI_AST
Kunpaetku, Grand High Priest of the evil cult Fygul Cestemus, oversaw the creation of a golem by the name of Astaroth in accordance with the absolute rule of their god—none other than Ares, the God of War himself. Imbued with the strength of the agent of death Ker as well as the martial experience of highly skilled warriors, the merciless golem was the perfect warrior to serve the cult, who lived according to a doctrine of destruction and rebirth.

Key Moves

Hades Control
6A

6A - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
18	18	-6	4	14	4%
Long reaching horizontal

Hades Break
2A

2A - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
20	18	-14	-4	-4	1%
Tech Crouch [8-RC]
Nonstandard 2A that is slow but a true low with very long reach. Fantastic round ender.

Poseidon's Tide
214A

214A - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
34	90	-14	KND	KND	4%
if followups not pressed
Legacy move. Incredibly high damage but very slow horizontal mid.

Hades Divide
44A

(1)_(4)_(7)A - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
26	22	-12	6	KND	9%
+10 dmg and KND on range hit
Long reaching horizontal mid. Safe against most characters due to pushback.
(1)_(4)_(7)(A) - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
44	36	8	KND	KND	9%
+4 damage on tip range.
Can be held for a break attack.

Vertical

Bear Tamer
BA

BA - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
20	20,14	-8	2	2	10%
Normal Hit Combo
Long range poke. Very strong keepout tool. Cannot be ducked by defender on block unless delayed.
Bb6 - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
20	20,16	2	10	10	10%
Normal Hit Combo
Second main string option from 5B. Plus on block.

Ax Offering
B6B

B6B - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
19	18,21	-12	4	14	9%
Normal Hit Combo
Hit confirmable mid string with strong mental frames.

Ax Slide Cannon
6B

6B - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
20	22	-8	2	KND	9%
Astaroth's safe counter hit tool.

Ax Crash
66B

(3)_(6)_(9)B - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
16	32	-14	0	KND	6%
[4-14] vs and horizontals. when hitting backdashing opponents
Very fast and rewarding counter hit tool, but unsafe.

K

Moloch's Revenge
3K

3K - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
14	8,12	-8	4	4	4%
Astaroth's primary fast poke.

Bull Rage
FC 3K

FC 3K - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
18	30	-12	KND	KND	2%
Tech Crouch

Bull Rush
66K

(3)_(6)_(9)K - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
18	26	-6	12	KND	9%
Tech Crouch[6-RC]
Strong tech crouching mid that is very difficult to step.

Multi

Minotaur Crush
6A+B

6A+B - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
18	20	-12	0	12	4%
after winning previous round via Ring Out

Final Anguish
A+B+K

A+B+K - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
24	85	KND	KND	KND	-
Unbreakable
Astaroth's nonstandard CE. Slower than other CE but is an unbreakable throw which is guaranteed to land if the opponent is standing BEFORE the flash.

Fiendish Assault
236A+B+K

236A+B+K - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
16	39	-6	4	4	9%
Astaroth's soul attack. Uniquely powerful due to it being a horizontal.
++ 236(A)+(B)+(K) - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
30	39	2	12	12	9%
Armor [16-22].
Can also be charged to grant armor. Useful if the Astaroth can confirm that he is interrupting a small attack during the flash animation, and grant and even more favorbale on hit situation.

Grabs

Bludgeoning Crush / Drop of Lava
2A+G / 1A+G

2A+G - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
12	45	KND	KND	KND	-
. Tech Crouch
1A+G - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
12	55	KND	KND	KND	-
4 . Tech Crouch
Astaroth's crouch grabs. Very useful against opponents that step duck. Back crouch throw can lead to reverse ringouts.

Wicked Judgement / Vile Titan
46A+G / 64A+G

46A+G - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
22	56	KND	KND	KND	-
. Tech Crouch [6-22]
64A+G - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
22	46	8	8	8	-
4. Tech Crouch [6-22]
Astaroth's advancing tech crouching command throws.

Titan Bomb
236A+G

236A+G - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
18	65	KND	KND	KND	-
70 damage if fastest input
Astaroth's main forward command throw. RE safe. Leads to excellent oki.

Flight of the Wicked
214 A+G

214A+G - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
18	35	LNC	LNC	LNC	-
4 40 damage if fastest input
Astaroth's main backward command throw. RE safe. More damage than forward throw. Followup with 22B for damage, or 11BK for oki. Leads to front facing RO and RO to either of Astaroth's sides.

Vicious Madness / Cursed Earth
66A+G / 44A+G

(3)_(6)_(9)A+G - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
46	40	KND	KND	KND	-
Armor [10-46]
(3)_(6)_(9)A+G2 - Attack Level:
Impact	Damage	Block	Hit	Counter	Guard Burst
45	45	KND	KND	KND	-
Armor [10-46]
Astaroth's armor throws. Very unique defensive tool. Loses to most multi-hitting strings. The back throw has much higher reward than forward throw.