The latest Tekken 7 character has been unleashed on the community, and he’s coming from unfamiliar territory. Final Fantasy XV’s Noctis Lucis Caelum is here, and while on the surface these two franchise don’t seem to mesh the Crown Prince of Lucis fits right in with the rest of the cast. Noctis is incredibly unique, delivering the pain with moves and abilities unlike anything Tekken has ever seen. That said, his unique traits might be off-putting to a seasoned Tekken vet, while Final Fantasy fans treading new Tekken ground for the first time might not even know where to begin...and that’s where we come in.

Twin Galaxies has prepared a beginner’s mini-guide to Tekken’s version of Noctis, complete with moves and strategies that will lay the foundation for what he can do. Use this as a basis to build your own strategies, and you should be racking up the ranked wins in no time. If this seems too simplified, or if you think I missed some key moves, here’s one quick piece of advice: don’t Noctis ‘till you try this.

A quick note: we will be using numbers to designate attack buttons, so please use the following key to figure out which button is which depending on how you’re playing:

Left Punch = 1 = Square (PlayStation 4) = X (Xbox One)

Right Punch = 2 = Triangle (PlayStation 4) = Y (Xbox One)

Left Kick = 3 = X (PlayStation 4) = A (Xbox One)

Right Kick = 4 = Circle (PlayStation 4) = B (Xbox One)

Dodge Roll for Days

Noctis has a built-in Dodge Roll, easily accessed by pressing Forward and both kicks, that has a multitude of uses. It dodges any high attack and some mid attacks, and it has two linking moves to choose from at the end of the roll. Rolling Bash (1 after the roll) is a decent Mid/High move, but the truly scary follow-up is the Tumble Slide (both kicks after the roll). This sees Noctis slide a little further, catching his opponent low and dropping them to the ground.

Check the video above by omgitsnewton to get a feel for how dangerous this move can be, specifically in the okizeme, or “wake up game.” The Slide puts Noctis in a perfect position to attack every single time the opponent tries to get up. This is a move we’ll be seeing a lot of Noctis players use in the early meta, so make sure you know how to deploy it yourself.

The Crown Prince of Mobility

A lot of Noctis’ offense comes bundled with an added perk: extended mobility at the end of the attack allowing for more safety. Take his standard Left Right combo (1,2); by pressing either 3 or 4 after the second punch, Noct will Warp to a dodge and jump out of harm’s way, either to the left or right depending on which button is held. Not only does this allow him to get out of harm’s way on block, but the dodges can be mixed up with the Heavy Slice follow-up (both punches after Left RIght) to keep the opponent guessing.

Another example is his Ascension Storm (Up-Forward + 3), a flying knee that on hit auto-combos into another kick, followed by Noctis Warping to a standing position. He drops immediately to the ground ready to put a hurt on his opponent, which makes this a very powerful move. Be warned though: if that first knee misses, Noctis is a sitting ducktis.

Noctis is ready to take on all challengers.

Quick and Easy Combos

Noctis has a few combos that are quick, easy to perform, and potentially very damaging. The Left Right combo we mentioned above is a good example, particularly with its different enders from dodges to Left Right Slice (1,2,2). The Cyclone Slash (both punches) is a quick two-hit combo where the second hit can be cancelled (both punches, then hold Back), opening up even more possibilities. The Dextra Edge (2,4) has an interesting wrinkle as well: if it hits a character in the air, Noctis will Warp into the air right next to the prone opponent for an air combo.

The common combo we keep going back to is the Blitz Rush (2,2,2,2,2). You read that right: five inputs of the same button results in one big combo. It emulates the Final Fantasy method of attack perfectly, but the combo is not without its flaws. For example: in a match against Xiaoyu we hit the first two attacks of the combo, but the second two sailed over her head and she countered. There are some ways to alter the combo, like the Triple Assault (2,2,Forward+2) or the Warp Drive (2,2,Back+2), so be sure to mix it up.

Power Moves Worth The Risks

There are a few moves in Noctis’ arsenal that have a slow start-up, but if they connect could change the entire course of a match. The Piercing Spear (Forward + 1 and 2) is a quick poke move that can interrupt a slower combo, but might leave Noctis open to a quick attack. The Shield Bash (Forward + 1 and 4) is similar, but it starts up a little slower than Piercing Spear so it may be better suited in closing gaps and getting in to a mid-range opponent.

Smash Blow (Back + 2) is an effective counter attempt, particularly because it can be chained into Thunder Impact (1 and 2 when Smash Blow hits from the front) for a flashy combo. However we found the most success with Royal Slash (Down-Back + 1 and 2), a large arcing attack that can be charged to throw off an opponent and land for even more damage. All of these moves have a slight start-up, so use them carefully to avoid getting punished.

Time As Your Ally

Noctis has access to a few moves that, on a successful hit, go into further attacks that can completely reset the momentum of a match. Flare Drive (Forward, Forward + 4) is a great example: the initial flip kick jumps right into a cinematic combo that tacks on extra damage. It also puts Noctis in standing position the opponent laying down, basically “resetting” the fight.

Our preferred option to achieve this is Warp Strike (Forward + 2), where Noctis throws his sword at the enemy and on hit triggers the brief interruption. It’s quick, it’s (mostly) safe on block, and it can interrupt a lot of combos and mess with the opponent’s timing. Achieving this “reset” can allow a Noctis player to regain momentum when on the defensive by disrupting the momentum of a match, something few other characters can do.

If you want to dig a little deeper into Noctis before trying him out online, YouTube user Zanar Aesthetics walks through each of Noctis’s moves in the video below. Study up on your Noctis and Get Ready For The Next Battle!