Basic Mechanics

Objective

The objective in Xuan Dou Zhi Wang is to defeat the opponent character. Typically this is achieved via "knockout" (complete health depletion). XD enables players to use one or three characters as a team. In 1 on 1 play, the match is divided into rounds and the match is won when a character scores two round victories. When a round ends, both characters have their health refilled before the following round (super meter and super stocks carry over between rounds). In 3 on 3 play, each team fields a single fighter at a time and the other members of the team are queued. Rounds end when a fighter falls, at which point the next fighter enters the fight. Matches are won when one team is unable to field any more characters. In this type of play, between rounds, the winning fighter only gains back a portion of their life. Super meter and super stock continue to carry over between rounds (even for the losing team).

Understanding the Interface

XD Interface (Click the picture to enlarge)

1. Health Meter: Represents your fighter's current health. When depeleted you will lose the round. If the bar is green at the end of the round, you earn a "Perfect" victory. Round victories will appear beneath the life bar.

2. Super Meter: Shows your current super energy. When it fills up, it will empty and you will earn one super stock. When the bar is filled and you have the maximum number of stocks, it will say "MAX".

3. Super Stock: Shows the number of stocked supers you have. You can have up to three supers stocked at a given time. Stocks are exchanged to execute super attacks, counter moves, and to enter "Max" mode.

4. Timer: Starts at 60 at the beginning of a round and will count down to zero. If the timer arrives at zero before a fighter falls, the round will be decided by the character who has the most health.

5. Profile Picture: Shows the active fighter. In 3v3 matches, you will also see your teammates in this area. A defeated teammate shows a red 'X' over their profile picture.

6. Attack Shortcuts: Pressing the keys shown will execute the action shown (Y is roll, H is throw, 7-9 are special attacks, and 0 is a super).

Controls

By default, Xuan Dou Zhi Wang is controlled using the keyboard. The major controls are WASD (for movement) and UJIK (for attacks). You can remap the controls from the options, as well as assign the controls to work off a game controller.

Directional controls

• D (Right): When facing right, this will move your fighter forward. If facing left, it will move you away from the opponent or block.
• A (Left): When facing right, this will move you away from the opponent or block. If facing left, it will move you forward.
• W (Up): This will cause your fighter to jump.
• S (Down): Your fighter will enter a crouching state.

This guide will always assume the fighter is facing right (on the left side of the screen) and will use the terms "forward", "back", "jump", and "crouch" instead of the directional inputs.

Attack controls

• U: Executes a "light punch" (LP or "A")
• J: Executes a "hard punch" (HP or "C")
• I: Executes a "light kick" (LK or "B")
• J: Executes a "hard kick" (HK or "D")

This guide will use the A/B/C/D notation to denote attacks.

Systems

These are the combat systems of XD. They are related to mobility and basic offense and defense.

• Walking: Simply holding forward or back (when not being attacked) will walk your character towards or away from the adversary.

• Running: Double-tapping forward and holding the input on the second tap will cause your character to run forward, advancing much faster than simply walking.

• Back Dash: Double-tapping back will cause your character to make a short dash away from the opponent.

• Jump: A regular jump is accomplished by firmly pressing the "Up" key and your character will leap straight up or towards/away from the attacker if combined with forward or back.

• Super Jump: Pressing down for a split second then performing a jump will cause a much faster leap.

• Hop: A hop is a short jump. To hop, press "Up" lightly (or up/forward or up/back to hop toward or away from an opponent).

• Hyper Hop: If you execute a hop the same as a super jump (down then lightly pressing up), you will execute the fast variant of the hop.

• Crouch: Holding "Down" will cause your fighter to crouch down. Certain attacks can be avoided if crouching.

• Blocking: Blocking is accomplished by holding back or down and back when an opponent attacks. Holding back will block standing and holding down/back will block crouching. If you block a special or super attack, you will take a small amount of damage (called "chip damage"). You cannot block throws.

• Rolling: Rolling is an evasive maneuver. Press both light attacks (A and B) together to roll. Rolling near an opponent will cause you to pass through them to the other side. You are invincible to attack during the roll but there is a brief recovery period once the roll is finished where you are vulnerable.

• Back Roll: Press back and the two light attacks to roll away from an opponent.
• Quick Recovery: Rolling the instant you are knocked down will allow you to back roll into a standing position without ever entering the knockdown state.
• Emergency Evade: At the cost of one super stock, you can excute a roll during a block to give yourself a tactical advantage while the opponent's attack recovers.

• Blow Off: A "Blow Off" is a move that will instantly knock an opponent down. To perform, press both hard attacks together (C and D). You can perform a Blow Off when standing or jumping (if crouching, simply pressing D will knock down the opponent, referred to as a "sweep").

• Guard Counter: If blocking, performing a Blow Off will retaliate against the opponent's attack and knock them down. This costs one super stock to perform.

• Throws: Stand next to an opponent and press both punch buttons (A and C) to throw them. Pressing back and both punches will toss an opponent behind your character. If you miss a throw, your character will perform a "whiff" animation.

• Max Mode: With at least one stock of super, press B and C together to enter "Max Mode". In Max Mode you can perform a "Max Super" attack, as well as do slightly more damage. Your character will glow and you will see a timer appear above your super meter. When the timer expires, Max Mode ends.

• Combo: A combo is a series of attacks that does not allow the opponent to defend themself in between hits. If a string of attacks is a certifiable combo, you will see a hit counter appear on your side of the screen that counts the number of consecutive combo hits.

Attack Types

These are the different kinds of attacks in XD.

• Basic Move (or "Normal Move"): Pressing one of the attack buttons will generate a normal attack. Punches (A or C) are typically hand attacks and kicks are typically foot attacks (B or D). A and B are quick but weak and C and D hit harder but take longer to execute.
  • Standing basic attacks come in two varieties: normal range and close range. Close range basic attacks have different animations and uses than normal range versions.
  • Basic attacks can also be performed jumping or crouching, resulting in different variations that have their own applications.

• Command Normal: A Command Normal is a character-specific attack (but not a special attack, as it does not do chip damage) that is accomplished by holding a direction and pressing an attack button. Refer to the character movelists for individual Command Normals.

• Special Move: A Special Move is a character-specific attack that is a unique part of their style. Refer to the character movelists for individual Special Moves.

• Super Move: A Super Move is a character-specific attack that requires at least one stock of super meter to execute. Refer to the character movelists for individual Super Moves.

• Max Super Move: A Max Super Move is a Super Move executed when in Max Mode. These are the most powerful attacks your character can perform.
• Hidden Esoteric: There are some characters with "Hidden Esoteric" Super Moves. These moves require two power stocks to be executed, but not entering the MAX mode. They're usually done by performing an input that ends with hitting two attack buttons at once (opposed to regular supers that require only one attack button to be pressed). To be used on the game, they have to be unlocked first, via the Hidden Awake system on the "Characters" section.

Terminology

These are terms that are used to describe situations that arise during a fight.

• Links: A link is a predetermined combo that allows a character to execute a basic attack that can move into a Command Normal. When linked to, Command Normals sometimes have property changes to their effects on the opponent. Possible links will be included with the Command Normals on a character's movelist.

• Cancel: A cancel is when a basic attack is chained to a special move. These are often not predetermined but still follow a consistent pattern. They are the foundation of combos.

• Hit Stun: Hit stun is the state an opponent is in if an attack was successful (but the victim remains standing). Keeping an opponent in hit stun with multiple attacks that do not break this state is what allows combos to work.

• Block Stun: During a successful block, there is a short period where a character cannot move or react. This is called block stun and a character cannot be thrown until it ends.

• Attack Height: Attacks can be either high, mid, or low level.
  • High Attack: A high attack is one that must be blocked standing and can be crouched under.
  • Mid Attack: Mid attacks must be blocked standing and cannot be crouched under.
  • Low Attack: Lows must be blocked when crouching and blocking high may result in taking a hit.

• Overhead: An overhead is an attack that must be blocked standing and if blocked crouching, it will guarantee a hit.
• Cross Up: Normally when an opponent is hit, they are pushed away from the attacker. However, if an attack hits them in such a way that the opponent is on the opposite side when it connects, it is called a "Cross Up" and the opponent will be pushed towards the attacker. Cross Ups must be blocked in the opposite direction (as technically the attacker is now on the other side of the victim) and can lead to otherwise impossible combos.
• Juggle: A juggle is a combo where the attacker keeps the victim airborne during the duration of the combo. Different moves can trigger a juggle state. Reference the movelists for which moves can start a juggle state.