Part 67

Dive into Hwoarang's complex fighting style in Tekken 3. Learn his best combos, defensive options, and strategies to dominate the competition with this comprehensive guide.

Alright, let's break down Hwoarang's moveset in Tekken 3. He's a flashy character who relies on a lot of kicks and tricky stances, but once you get the hang of him, he's incredibly rewarding. This section is all about understanding his core mechanics, from his special moves to how to string them together for maximum damage.

Key Hwoarang Mechanics:

• Flamingo Stance (LFF/RFF): This is Hwoarang's bread and butter. Being able to quickly switch between stances and use them for sidesteps makes him incredibly elusive.
• Back Turned (BT): Hwoarang can enter BT easily, opening up unique combo starters and mix-up opportunities.
• Low Parry: A crucial defensive tool that can lead into significant damage.

Special Moves & Combos:

Here's a look at some of Hwoarang's essential moves and how they can be chained together:

• Starters:
• ws2 (while standing 2) - Normal
• d+4~4 (low sweep into another kick) - High
• f~n~d~df+4 - High
• (rfl)4~4 - High
• (rff)F+4~4 - High
• (grdt)3
• Follow-ups:
• 1.1~2~4
• 3~3~4.(rfl)3
• db+3+4
• 2~1.4~3
• ws4~4.df+1.d+4~4

Counterattacks:

• d_db+1+3 - Low Parry (can combo if followed by a light kick parry)
• d_db+2+4 - Low Parry (can combo if followed by a light kick parry)

Strategy - Attacking:

Hwoarang really shines when you play with finesse. Don't just mash buttons! You'll want to use his sidesteps (especially in Flamingo stance), dashes, and general movement to stay unpredictable. His custom strings can be tricky because they often involve high kicks, which can be punished if your opponent sees them coming. The key is to mix things up and keep them guessing. His Flamingo stance offers the best sidestep in the game, so use it to your advantage. Try starting with a f~n~d~df+3 (LFF) and immediately sidestep right. You'll be surprised how often this gets you out of danger and into a position to attack.

Use his standing jabs to pressure your opponent, and if you're lucky, you might catch them with a df+2 on wakeup. The low sweeps like (lfl) d+4 or (rfl) d+3 are great for knocking opponents down. You can follow these up right after any move that puts you into Flamingo stance (like (lff) f+4 into (rfl) ~d+3). These sweeps set up for okizeme (wakeup pressure), and ws4~4.4~3 is a solid option against opponents who don't know how to counter it.

At first glance, Hwoarang might not seem to have an easy throw/normal mix-up. But here's the trick: he can go into Back Turned (BT) stance with 1+2, and he recovers from it quickly. This lets you force your opponent to guess between a (bt) uf_u+4 (both combo starters) or a 1+3_2+4 throw. If they start interrupting this mix-up, you can throw out a (bt) d+1_2. These are low attacks, not normals, and they're some of the fastest moves Hwoarang has.

Strategy - Defending:

Hwoarang's low parry is a lifesaver. You'll get decent damage after a light kick parry, and you can even follow it up with a quick f~n~d~df+4. Moves like (lff) b+4 and (rff) b+3 are great for punishing opponents who are attacking too much. If these connect on wakeup (mjrc), they can lead to big damage and give you the advantage. Following these up with d+4~4 can be a bit risky, though. Some players can sidestep it and even get a back throw on you due to the recovery time. A safer bet might be (rff) 4~3 (if you have it available). The 4 hits most opponents unless they're ducking, and the 3 knocks down a crouching opponent, setting you up for okizeme.

Strategy - Versus Hwoarang:

If you're fighting against Hwoarang, be wary of his (lff) b+4 and (rff) b+3. These moves can completely flip the momentum of a round in an instant. When he's using parts of his kick strings in his custom strings, or when he uses (lfl) d+4 or (rfl) d+3, punish him with while-standing (ws) attacks. Don't get caught by his low parry!