ALISA QUICK START KIT

Alisa is a character that excels at creating whiffs, with her exceptional movement, wide array of pokes, and versatile whiff punishers. New to Tekken 8, her keepout is now just below the best in the game. Against defensive opponents, her chainsaw stance offers low risk, medium reward mixups and chip damage. She integrates well with the heat system, enhancing all her core strengths in heat.

Alisa can be played in a very beginner-friendly way, but also has much to perfect for the specialist. If any of the above appeal to you, or you simply find Alisa cute, this guide will help you build a basic gameplan for mid range and close range, and point you to further moves to incorporate in your gameplay.

Mid range game

As an Alisa player, you want to maintain mid range when possible, and only enter close range on your terms — often with chainsaws out. Practise recognising the range on Alisa's f+2 (about range 2.7 in the in-game frame display): inside it is close range, outside is mid range!

Keepout

Keepout is the easiest mid range tactic to master, since it does not require much knowledge about the opponent's character. Simply hang out at range and throw out one of these moves preemptively any time your opponent might approach.

u+2 is Alisa's strongest keepout button and one of the longest keepout moves in the game. On hit, you enter close range in destructive form and heat (→ heat engager). On block or whiff, either exit destructive form safely with d+1+2, or use DES f+1 to catch too slow retaliation (→ destructive form).

f+2,1 is a keepout mid that covers the weaknesses of u+2. While u+2 as a high cannot keep out low profile approach and can be baited out and ducked, f+2,1 is a mid that catches both. It is slightly shorter than u+2, so you have to wait for your opponent to enter your range before using it. On hit, the situation is exactly the same as after u+2 (→ heat engager). On block, you are punishable at -10, but many characters' block punishers will not reach.

In heat both u+2 and f+2,1 are cancellable into a heat dash with u+2,f and f+2,1,f for a full combo.

Approach

If you play your keepout successfully, your opponent will hesitate to approach. They may actively try to make your keepout whiff by moving outside of your range, or they may freeze without an answer. Either way, you can now move in.

Alisa does not have oppressive approach moves as fast as Reina's f,f+2 or as hard to whiff punish as Dragunov's WR+2. Closing the distance is rarely Alisa's preference, but she does have options to catch a passive opponent.

WR+2 is a long range high that leaves you at an advantage on block. New to Tekken 8, Alisa can enter destructive form with WR+2,1+2. On hit, follow WR+2 with f+1+2 and return to mid range game. On block, you enter close range at +5 in either normal stance or destructive form. It is possible, albeit difficult, to choose to enter destructive form only after seeing your WR+2 get blocked. If you accidentally enter destructive form on hit, DES b+1+2 will hit many wakeup options and is safe to attempt.

Vary your approach by simply dashing up into a close range button such as d+4, b+1 or jab. This is preferable to mixing WR+2 with other ranged moves because WR+2 has so many weaknesses that it is difficult to predict your opponent's answer: duck, sidewalk left, sidestep right, or floating it out of the air. Whichever option they choose, you can use this time to dash in and start your close range offence.

Whiff punishment

If your opponent stays back and presses keepout buttons of her or his own, your best bet is often to dash in then dash out to make the move miss. Test the opponent's patience by hovering around the border between mid range and close range, and focus on punishing any whiffs.

Beginners to Tekken are recommended to use the same moves here as for keepout, u+2 and f+2,1, for less to memorise. For others, Alisa has a very versatile kit of whiff punishers for tailoring the range, risk and reward to your preferences.

3,2 is Alisa's default whiff punisher. It is fast at 13F and has long range to complement Alisa's strong backdash. On hit, it is a heat engager. On block, it can be ducked and launched, but if your opponent does not duck, at only -2 you have the same options as after u+2 on block.

Use df+2 for more reward on a successful whiff punish. df+2 does not quite have the range of 3,2 but leads to a full combo and is safe on block.

In heat it is possible to use u+2,f or f+2,1,f for even more range and reward.

Summary of mid range game

Here is a summary of Alisa's unique options at mid range. Generic tools, such as jabs and movement options, are outside the scope of this guide, but become just as important to Alisa as any other character as you level up.

Showing your keepout moves makes the opponent wait. When the opponent waits, it's on you to approach and carry the match on. Seeing you approach makes the opponent want to keepout, which you can wait out and whiff punish, but waiting again makes the opponent approach, looping the rock-paper-scissors.

Beginning players might only know one link of the cycle — say, they only want to attack you. If you sense this, keep doing what works. Against players who are aware of the full cycle, the fun is in predicting when they will change gears!

Close range game

If mid range game revolves around controlling space, close range game emphasises the dimension of time. Every time you make contact with the opponent, you will be left at a definite frame advantage or disadvantage.

In normal stance, Alisa thrives at small frame disadvantage, where the opponent has an incentive to press a button which she can sidestep or backdash then whiff punish. This is different from traditional mixup characters, like Devil Jin, who establish frame advantage to go for a high damage low or mid.

When Alisa gets a turn by either blocking an opponent move or hitting a move of her own, let the opponent block pokes such as f+2 and df+4, to trade your plus frames for small minus and create an opportunity for Alisa.

Core offence with f+2 and d+4

Alisa's most important offence starters are the mid f+2 and the low d+4. Both start a three-way mixup when the opponent blocks standing. f+2, a mid, will be blocked, leaving you at -4, and the low d+4 will hit, leaving you at -1.

f+2 → sidestep. At only -4 on block, f+2 sets up an opportunity to sidestep. If the opponent answers with an immediate button that is not homing, and you sidestep in the appropriate direction, you can make the button whiff and whiff punish it with 3,2 or df+2.

f+2 → extension. If the opponent catches your sidestep with a homing move, with a move you don't yet know how to sidestep, or with a low-risk move that is hard to whiff punish such as a jab, you can stop all options by finishing the string f+2,1. On hit, it is a heat engager before heat, and a launcher in heat. The risk on block is very small at only -12.

f+2 → mixup. When the opponent is wary of your sidestep or the extension, they will freeze after blocking f+2. Now is the time to go into destructive form with f+2,1+2 and make them regret playing passive by mixing strong lows and mids such as DES d+1 and DES 1.

It can be scary to press slow moves from minus, but this is an essential risk to incentivise the opponent to answer with moves that you can sidestep and launch. Remember your goal with f+2 is to make the opponent retaliate!

d+4 has a very similar mindgame to f+2, with the three options of sidestep, the extension d+4,1+2, or a mixup such as f+2 or d+4. Like many lows, it is minus on hit, but at only -1, Alisa can sidestep even more moves than after f+2 on block. The tradeoff is that d+4 cannot transition into destructive form, so you may need to work harder to make the opponent press buttons for you to sidestep.

Creating whiffs with pushback

df+4 is Alisa's fastest mid at 12F. As a rule of thumb, it catches sidesteps and sidewalks when used at +4 or better, making this move very safe to use after hitting almost any move. On hit, you are left at +4. On block, it pushes the opponent away

If your opponent's offence doesn't stop and you suspect it has a gap, try df+4. On hit, you are left at +4 (→ small advantage). On block, df+4 has pushback, so you can backdash out of their shorter moves' range and return to mid range game.

uf+1+2

Pushback situations carry very low risk, but they are also easy to counter with a simple dash block or backdash.

Taming the masher

While f+2 and d+4 work well against players who block at frame disadvantage, the opponent has many options to try and steal your turn. Jabs, crouch jabs and power crushes can beat your offence in speed, while hopkicks and backsways can evade your moves even from heavy disadvantage. Many players will have a habitual panic button which you can observe and maximise your punish for.

df+1,1,2 is a fast mid counterhit string for 60 damage and destructive form. Use this at frame advantage when you predict your opponent will press normal buttons such as crouch jabs. Stop after the second hit if you see they didn't press.

d+4,1+2 and throws, especially uf+1+2, are good to beat power crushes but lose to crouching and jumping. If you were poking with d+4, you can hit confirm it into d+4,1+2 during the slow motion of your opponent's heat burst.

Finally, step block or f,N is the safest way to bait out a turn stealing move. Unlike dashing with f,f, stepping forward with f does not break neutral guard, so you autoblock as soon as you release f. Use this at frame advantage when you predict some kind of challenge, but are not sure what. Block punish any power crushes, rage arts, hopkicks or backsways. Especially good for round ends.

Destructive form

Destructive form

Huge advantage after a heat engager

DES f+1+2 is Alisa's default button after entering heat with one of her heat engagers, since it catches all attempts to move or retaliate, including power crushes. On hit, it leads to a full combo in heat and a mini-combo without heat. On block, Alisa is left at an advantage of +5, with some pushback, and can continue her offence (→ destructive form).

DES d+2 is a high damage low. Because the mid DES f+1+2 is so strong on both hit and block, the low DES d+2 should be used sparingly, when the opponent has forgotten about it, such as for round ends. On hit, Alisa exits destructive form at +4 (→ small advantage). On block, DES d+2 is punishable at -14.

Reference

Block punishment

When you block a punishable move, there is no mindgame: take your guaranteed damage and move on. Here is a list of Alisa's common block punishers. If you are a beginner, focus only on the small punishes from standing 1,1 and crouch WS+4, and on the launch punish uf+4,4, available both from standing and crouch.

After 1,1 and WS+1,2, you can opt to enter destructive form with 1,1,1+2 and WS+1,2,1+2 for more pressure (→ destructive form).

Use b+4,4 and u+3,2 to punish moves with pushback on block.