Hello, my name is Landon D and I am a competitive Tekken player from the east coast of USA. I have been playing fighting games for almost 2 decades, and playing Tekken for 17 years. Tekken is my favorite fighting game and I'm extremely passionate about it. Marshall Law is the character I chose to main when I decided to start taking Tekken seriously around 10 years ago. This guide is an attempt to bottle up all the information I have obtained from experience and interacting with other top players such as Knee, Arslan Ash, Ninjakilla_212, Speedkicks, Anakin, Glaciating, SonicFox, PhiDX, and Joey Fury. I will continue to update this guide as Tekken 8 continues down it's lifespan. If you have any questions please don't be afraid to come by and ask me on my twitch stream, twitter, or discord. I am very integrated into the Tekken community and am more than happy to answer any questions you may have about Law, Tekken, the players, or its culture. Thank you and enjoy the guide.
Introduction
Law is a rushdown control character that uses various rekka's (3-hit delayable strings) to get people to respect his offense. He is one of three slide (FC df,d,df+3) characters in the game, which is a full crouch low used to get responses from your opponent and control the tempo of the match. He is very beginner-friendly and good at teaching the fundamentals of Tekken. Law's win condition is trying to get the other person to try and squirm out of your extremely safe pressure that limits a lot of the other person's options, and then hitting them with a launcher, or landing one of his high-rewarding counter hits. One of Law's most annoying moves is his generic df+2, and in heat mode, he gets access to a virtually better version of that move with more range and tracking with 1+2. If you play Law, you are going to have to get used to taking the initiative, thinking quickly, being creative, and divining head first into danger, and adapting.
Law is a very offensive character. While he isn't as stance-heavy as Hwoarang, and not quite as delay timing heavy as Bryan, he sort of fits right between there. He is a control character, which means a lot of the time you're trying to limit their timing and their options with either your jabs, df+1, df+2, or options that could come from DSS. Law doens't have a crouch dash like a Mishima, but he has a crouch walk to pressure slide. The crouch walk with the threat of his slide is really good at getting in or getting the other person's timing in neutral. Which he doesn't have any other full crouch lows besides the generic low into flipkick, his while standing options are amazing, and his most common party starter. ws+4 into DSS is the main poke he uses to start his pressure from full crouch.
Strengths
Amazing small-tekken: While the range on Law's jab isn't that far, the hitbox isn't crazy. The properties and strings that come from his small options are really good. His df1 and b1 are also really strong too. Basically, if Law gets in range of his jab, then he will maul you. He is the rushdown control character incarnate.
Plus frames for days: Dragon hammer (f+1+2) and db+3 are super annoying and really safe options. ws3, ws4, wr3, f2~1, and f3,1 are all plus with DSS, and if something isn't plus, then there's a follow-up.
Solid whiff punishment: 3+4,4 (i14) - b+2,2 (i16) - and b+4,3 (i14) at the wall are good whiff punish options. 1+2 in heat mode is BROKEN.
Infinite money glitch: Law recovers heat meter whenever he lands Tornado Claw (1+2) or uf+2. This means if you ever land a slide, which guarantees a 1+2 99% of the time, or if you just are right with any of your timing reads with 1+2, you can stay in heat mode the entire round.
Weaknesses
Naturally aggressive: By design, Law gets almost no value playing defensively. This doesn't mean you aren't supposed to block or set up shimmies, it means you need to be actively forcing reactions out of your opponent at all times. His only armor move is -14, though it does quite a bit of damage if you have good execution.
Through the Fire and Flames: You cannot contest some characters without your heat mode. If you aren't good at managing your meter, then you will struggle
Wolverine: Law is at his strongest at range 0. Characters that have extremely high reward mids, long range zoning keepout, very consistent jab evasion, or weapons force the Law player to get creative with his movement or buttons to get in to deal damage or create whiffs.
Chinese boxing: Law's parry does not work versus knees, elbows, shoulders, weapons, Heihachi's forehead, or Kuma and Anna's butt
Heat System
1+2 becomes a safe normal hit launcher at -8 with pushback
Law's jab defines how you are supposed to play him. I cannot stress how important it is that you need to get in range to pressure with his jab. Against some matchups you don't want to be pressing this a whole lot. If you are in range to jab someone you can start mixing them with whatever you need at that time. Jab into db3 if you want to poke low and track left, jab into f1+2 if you want to pressure fuzzy mashing or ducking for a high counter-hit reward, jab into 1,1, 1 as a frame trap and counter-hit confirm to stop MOST mashing (you need to be sure what they are going to mash won't crush your jab. If it does you can either sidestep it or df2), jab into b+1 string that tracks right and is crazy good in heat mode, jab into b+4 if you need option coverage for people stepping right to beat your jabs/df1/b1, and jab into sidestep or sidestep block for reactionary information or to pressure ss3 timings when you're sure you earn space for a more damaging low than db3. Jab into df2 whether it hits or not gives you a lot of info on whether they are playing small to interrupt your jab or chose to move. Law's 1,2,3, 1,1,1, and 1,2,2,2 are all NCC from the first hit. If you are new to Law I recommend throwing out random a** 1,2,3 a lot just to get a feel for the range. 1,2,3 is -5 in this game, so you can always threaten his b+1+3 parry into DSS f+1 for a heat engager, armor, or mash something again. Mashing out 1,2,2 is just as good since you can counter-hit confirm it into the last hit (1,2,2,2~f) and be +10 into DSS. Even if you don't counter-hit someone with the first part of the string, you can earn space by finishing the high or the mid of the last hit. The 3rd hit of his jab string is also counter-hit confirmable into either last hit and is really good at the wall. His 2 jab and f+2 go into the same rave war combo, but don't have any counter-hit properties on the first hit. His 1,1,1 is the strongest counter-hit from his jab and it's counter-hit confirmable into the 3rd hit because it's an engager, heat dash launcher and a wallsplat. You won't have to worry about anyone ducking the second hit of 1,1,1 unless you're fighting a really huge nerd.
This is THE MID. f1+2 is +3, forces crouch on block, and is a counter-hit launcher. You can choose to go into crouch by holding down during the animation, and on hit, it is +8. Doiung jabs, df1, b1,2, b+4, and df2 are really annoying after this but in matchups where the other character as a wonky hurtbox like Reina or Zafina you want to be careful chasing and pressing when youre +3
The low you want to use to mix with f+1+2 to piss people off. It forces crouch like f+1+2, tracks to his left really well and to his right just a little bit, and is +3 on hit. Doing b+4 after gives you an insane amount of option coverage to feel comfortable continuing your offense after. (Don't overthink what this move is supposed to do. I spent way too long trying to find a super scary frame trap for this move, like df4,3 or df1, when in reality it's just a low that does damage and makes people want to hit you back. Getting people to duck on the timings of this low will let you place more f+1+2 (dragon hammer). 90% of Law's gameplan is getting them to run into df2 anyway, and if they happen to get counter-hit by f+1+2, then that's their fault.
Basically super db+3, but instead of forcing crouch, it puts you into stance. On counter-hit, you can link into DSS f+1 or 3+4.4. In heat mode you can link into 1+2. Once you get the space to use this move, you can mix it with ss+2 or sidestep and do f+1+2 or even uf3.
Very cheap rekka. He can cancel into DSS from either of the first two hits and in heat mode it becomes a full launcher. For an i14 mid that tracks to his right really well it's a pretty insane string to have. The second hit is -12, but if someone isn't aware of Law's autoparry you can cancel the 2nd hit into DSS by doing b+1,2~f and it will parry if they were punishing with punches.
I know this is a generic launcher, but whatever juice they put into Law's df+2 is just different. I've played so many other characters with safe df+2's, but for some reason, Law has this cursed energy around his. Law's combo damage is relatively high in this game, and randomly landing this move might secure the round. I've played thousands of matches with Law, and I can't even tell you the exact tracking of this move. Sometimes it tracks left up close, sometimes it hits people going right. In the Law mirror, if you don't fully commit to a full sidestep right then it launches you. The best way I use this move is to cash out on people trying to contest timings, either for keep out, when they try to step your jabs, get around f+1+2, or step after db3. If you damage the other person a bit, they will eventually run into this move, and if they aren't running into this move, then hit them until they do. I am being so serious when I say 90% of the time you want people to run into df2, heat 1+2 (which is basically just a super df2) b1,2,2 or dragon hammer.
This move is BROKEN. In order to succeed in Tekken 8, it's really important to know which moves you need to abuse and why. Law doesn't have any heat-engager punishers, they all require a counter-hit, punishable, or from stance. The way to win in Tekken 8 is to pressure your opponent with heat mode. This move used to be a Forest Law only move done with ws+3. It doesn't have that good of tracking, but it is amazing everywhere else. Not only is it a low crush, but because of the input he can also do from crouching. Which means you can randomly rip out a heat engager whenever you want. A lot of the times you want to end your heat pressure with uf+3, b1,2,2 (Only Forest Law had the counter-hit launch on that string too) or heat smash. I think it's best used if you can get someone to react to Law doing the DSS df into crouch transition and either doing the slide or uf3. You'll find spots to rip this move, it's very satisfying to hit.
This is the move that makes Law really scary when you let him in. Law's full croush ws+4 is +4 on block into DSS and gives him so many more opportunities to build space for slide or to start doing ws+3. Check the stance guide for more info on DSS. But basically, do enough of these and you'll land more slides.
I have to mention this move with Law because he needs it to get in. The rest of the string is there just to make sure the other person blocks after it.
This move can get you in and also doubles as a hit confirm with ff+2,3. You can also do ff+2, f1+2 if they aren't moving or jabbing, and it will counter hit them
m, i14, -6 oB, +2 oH, +7 oCH
Punishers
Standing
i10f 1,1,2 (Standard i10 punish that goes into stance)
i12f 3,4 | uf+1 (Knockdown good damage. Uf+1 is really situational)
i13f df+1,2 | 4,3~f (In most cases his 3,4 is his optimal punish but there will be situations where you'll need to use df+1 and 4,3)
i14f 3+4,4 | b+4,3 (Your main whiff punishers. b+4,3 is better near a wall.)
i15f df+2 | uf4 (You'll need to hopkick to punish things like Eddy b3,3 since it leaves him in crouch)
You step Law's small options like his jab strings, df+1, and b+1 to the right (or Law's left). db+3 tracks to Law's left and sometimes df+2 tracks that way aswell. 1+2 is a range 2 nunchuck move that tracks the way you normally want to avoid most of Law's stuff, even the DSS options. Spacing for this move is very fun. It's -13 and becomes a safe launcher in heat mode. Press this move randomly.
M, i16~17, -13~12 oB, +12a (+5) oH, +66a (+50) oCH
Ever since he got the follow-up with df+1,2, he can press df+1 more. If you're having trouble spacing with Law, just get close enough to land this move, and you'll be good. Df+1 sidestep block lets you see whether someone wants to respond with quick moves, slow moves, or nothing at all. Pretty safe option when you need to feel out your opponent, and placing mids just lets you use more lows. And Law's lows are very annoying. I should've put this move in the beginning, but they aren't as cool. You can play a pretty solid Law with the moves I listed above while putting in some DSS options here and there. In most of your matches, you'll either start off playing small with jab or df+1 and eventually go into db+3, f+1+2, ss+3, etc.
Law's slide. Play around with how long you can hold the last df input until you press the 3 button for the slide. You get a free backturn d+4 or turn around and hit 1+2, but you have to be kind of quick
It's +16 and has so many natural hit links from it. When people are reacting to the movement before your slide this move is amazing, you just have to be very close to use it. DSS f2~1 and DSS4 are a GODLIKE mid/low mixup after this, and so is DSS 4. I honestly love this move, but you really gotta make sure they aren't ducking when they see you crouch. If they aren't ducking, you can probably use this move more. And sometimes when people duck ws3, a DSS 1 counter hits their punish. It's a fun move to start mixing people with, just get creative.
While it doesn't leave you point blank, very linear, and it isn't as plus as it was last game, I think Law's wr3 is very strong. It is one of his most plus mids he has at +6 and wallsplats too. Season 2 removed kicharge counter hits (thanks Hwoarang), so kicharging afterwards isn't very viable anymore. But when you are in heat mode, doing 1+2 after wr3 on block is a very annoying meaty because most people will want to move or mash because of the spacing the move leaves you on block. When people aren't sidestepping, then wr3 or f1+2 are good moves to bully people with, especially Leo players who want to try and fuzzy block everything for a ws4, 1+2 punish
m, i20~28, +6 oB, +35d (-23) oH
Stances
Dragon Charge
Commonly referred to and known as DSS because the stance used to be called Dragon Sign Stance, and nobody wants to start calling it DC, so we just say DSS. The stance's main purpose is control. When you enter the stance from ws4 all of the options can be step blocked to the right (or Law's left). DSS 3 is homing but a high, and DSS 4 tracks that way, but you can see the start-up if the other person is locked in. The only thing deterring a step duck is DSS 1+2, which tracks to Law's left, and DSS f2, which tracks if it's done immediately. If someone is ducking or mashing after ws4, either finish the string or do DSS f+1. Once people start sidestepping right or straight up doing nothing in response to moves that enter DSS, that's when you can start pressuring slide by going into crouch. Ws3 is +16, so you can basically just have your way with them. A lot of the times because there's so many options that come from DSS, most people just block, and you get to the delay catch part of Tekken and just mix them afterwards. You just gotta be creative with it. In heat mode, DSS auto-parries punches, and ws4 > DSS heat 1+2 is the GOAT because they can no longer just sidestep right block/duck after they block ws4.
The legendary flip kick. It's really good in this game
m, m, i18, -14 oB, +78a (+62) oH
Frame Traps
f1+2,d → ws4wr3 → 1+2db3 | f1+2 → b4 (this isn't technically a frame trap, but this sequence is so op and has so much option coverage it might as well be. They have to crouch jab to beat this and ws4 trades and leaves you plus. Doing b4 after db3 or f1+2 is super cheap if you need confidence to go in afterwards.
Knowledge Checks
4,u3 > d2,3
This was my main setup when I was 13 years old and it's the noobiest thing in the world. Don't do this on anyone that knows 4,u3 is -1.
Don't do this on anyone that has been playing Tekken longer than 4 years or looked at the Speedkicks Law drill. But it's kind of cheap in heat mode because of the punch parry. You have safer and faster counter hit options, and better options for DSS.
h, h, i13, -8 oB, +1 oH, +23a oCH
Defensive tips
Get away from him
Law is a monster up close. The tools he uses to get in are ff3, b2, and uf2 and f3,1. Sometimes they will rip a random DSS f4 (legend kick) from far away or a wr3, but you want to go left against all of these moves from range 3.
Hold your timing
After ws4 or anything that goes into DSS sidestep right block is very good to do. Depending on your character the DSS f2 will track right and so will 1+2. But 1+2 is -13 outside of heat mode.
Sidestep right to beat these options. He has to use lows, b4, rip and random 1+2, or pray df2 hits you when you start doing this. Anything else that could hit you is either really slow and you can hit him out of it or a suicide technique. Law's f2 is godlike
law
