
victor
victor Tekken 8 Season 3 Guide


Introduction
Victor Chevalier is a weapons-based fighter who overwhelms opponents with his relentless stance pressure, while simultaneously boasting strong keep-out options. Victor's game plan aims to score high impact counter hits from moves like 1+2 and f,f,f+2, which enable his high-travel wall carry. Once Victor has the opponent at the wall, he boasts devastating 50/50 wall pressure with moves like IAI d+2, and IAI d+1+2 from his katana-focused IAI stance. Victor is also unique in that the majority of his moves utilize weapons, meaning you won't be as susceptible to low parries or parries akin to Asuka's b+1+3.
Victor blends his close-quarters combat fighting style with his myriad of weapons to deliver what can only be described as 'refined violence'. If you're looking for a weapons-centric, versatile, and easy-to-use character, Victor is the super spy for you.
Strengths
Weaknesses
- Boasts a susceptibility to SSR.
- Very mediocre/bad low pokes.
- Weak throw game, as Victor doesn't have access to a 2-break throw.
- Innately, he must take large risks.
Heat System
- Victor's heat system primarily enhances his Katana, the Takemikazuchi. This gives him access to a low-hitting heat smash that breaks & activates wall-stage hazards. The heat smash itself is only -14 and tracks to Victor's weak side, making it a very effective mixup option to complement Victor's great mids. In heat, his u+1+2, an unsafe and evasive helm breaker, becomes safe and interacts with wall-stage hazards. This makes u+1+2 a great panic option when in heat. From IAI stance, Victor's IAI.d+2 becomes empowered, increasing its plus frames and chip. In heat, IAI.d+2 becomes especially oppressive at the wall when combined with IAI.d+1+2 and other wall splatting options from IAI. He also gains access to a heat-exclusive move, h.db+1+2. The move is somewhat slow and very linear, but leaves Victor in IAI stance at a staggering +9 frames when blocked. On hit, the move knocks down for chunky damage. Overall, Victor's heat provides him with a threatening low option while simultaneously making his mids even more threatening.
Top 10 Moves
Punishers
Standing
Great damage for a i10 punish, can transition into PRF at +7.
Forces Victor into IAI, gives decent plus frames.
Less damage than 2,2,2, but grants 1 more frame of advantage. Mostly inferior to 2,2,2.
Wall splats, forces crouch, and is easily hit confirmable. Can be cancelled into PRF stance.
Heat engages and wall splats.
Wall splats, but doesn't heat engage. Does less damage. Considered inferior to f+4,1.
Launch punish with above-average range.
For unsafe moves with large amounts of pushback like Kuma/Panda's f,f+2.
Crouching
Standard i11 punish.
We can use uf,1,1 as a ws punisher, given the uf input. The go-to -13 ws punish.
Less damage than uf+1,1, without anything to warrant using it as a punisher. Inferior to "uf+1,1".
Deals 9 more damage than uf+1,1, and knocks down. Doesn't go into stance/doesn't entail a guaranteed mix-up like uf+1,1. Used when more immediate damage is needed.
Chunky, launching mid. Your go-to for -15 punishes.
8 more damage than ws+1, but tail spins early. Considered inferior to ws+1.
Whiff punishers
Fast, easy to hit confirm, good range, and has guaranteed follow-up in "PER.1+2".
For larger whiffs, "df+2" is your go to. Utilizes his karambit. Great range for a df+2.
For large whiffs that occur farther away.
Combos
Beginner Combos
Combo Enders
Wall Combos
Small Combos
Notable Moves
Stances
IAI
Enter manually with 3+4, or from 2,2,2, f,f,f+1+2, PRF. 3+4, f+4,2,d, f,f,f+2,d or uf1,1,d. Victor's katana-based stance. Has threatening, long-reach options that serve a variety of different purposes. When in IAI, we can pressure with our aforementioned IAI.d+2, mid-check with IAI.d+1 and IAI.2, as well as go low with IAI.d+1+2. We can cancel out of IAI stance by pressing db, or up (though db is by far the safer option). Pressing down in IAI stance will duck, avoiding high attacks. Pressing forward in IAI will duck, move forward, as well as auto lowparry (though the timing is strict). Victor can also move backwards in IAI by tapping back, performing a motion similar to forward, but without the parry properties. All of these mentioned movement options can be cancelled into each other, making Victor quite nimble in IAI stance. Victor cannot block while in IAI stance. IAI is most dangerous at the wall after f+4,2d or 2,1f > PRF.2,2. While at the wall, our IAI.2, IAI.1,1+2, IAI.1,1, IAI. 1+2, and IAI.d+1 will wall splat, and our IAI.d+1+2 knocks down and gives us strong okizeme. This creates a strong 50/50 guessing situation, incentivising Victor to get his opponent to the wall whenever possible.Perfumer (PRF)
Enter manually with f+3, or from 2,1,f, 1,1,2,f, ws+1+2,f, fc.1+2,f, uf+1,1,f, b+1,f, or db+1,1,f. A more okizeme-oriented, neutral tool stance that emphasizes Victor's knives. Victor gets access to a variety of different tools, the most effective being PRF.1+2, PRF.1, PRF.2,2, and PRF.3. Moreover, Victor has access to his uf+1+2 throw while in PRF, and can cancel out of the stance in a variety of ways. Victor can hold df to do a small crouch dash, leaving him in crouch. Victor can also cancel PRF into IAI by pressing 3+4 while in stance. Victor can also perform a heat burst/smash from IAI. Victor cannot block in PRF stance, and counts as being in a parry state when initially pressing f+3. Lastly, f+3 has a small window to punch parry, giving a guaranteed i17 move or faster, but the timing is strict like the previously mentioned IAI forward input parry.Panic Moves
Frame Traps
Knowledge Checks
Defensive Tips
Sidestep Right.
Most of Victor's core moves are weak to SSR. If you're attempting to SSR in the right circumstances, Victor players will be forced to play far more compact and honest, making SSR the best defensive option you have against him. This is not always full-proof, as Victor has ub+2 and uf+2 to combat SSR. SSR can be particularly effective when you anticipate a while-running attack, as both of his while running options lose to SSR.Try not to duck low too often in neutral.
Not only does Victor not have a complete grab game, but his low options in neutral are very subpar. Although PER.1 is great, it's choreographed by the stance transition and is weak to SSR. Although f,f,f+1+2 can be threatening, it's again beaten by SSR. The only time it's generally in your interest to duck against Victor is when he's in IAI stance (and you have a read on the low), or when he's in heat and in close proximity to you.Approach Carefully.
In neutral, Victor plays off of your mistakes so that he can carry you to the wall and abuse IAI stance. Don't overextend your offensive, or you'll be punished by his defensive/keep-out options (b+1+2, db+4, etc.) Be on the lookout for said options and be proactive about baiting/punishing them accordingly.Defensive Move Handling
External Resources
- My video tutorial elaborating on Victor's "d+2".
- My video tutorial on how to control evasive opponents utilizing Victor's "db+1,1".
- A Youtube channel dedicated to posting daily top-level Victor matches.
- The Victor Chevalier discord, where you can meet and learn from a myriad of great Victor players.
- High-level Victor replays from Replay Database