Terms within
Soulcalibur games often change between each iteration of the series. For instance, what a "soul charge" did in
Soulcalibur II is very different from what it now does in
Soulcalibur VI. As such, all terms are defined using their most recent interpretation from the most recent game in which they are relevant.
Character specific terms, such as special stance names and definitions are available on those character's relevant pages.
#
1P/2P
Denotes which side a player starts on: left or right. Player one starts on the left, and player two starts on the right. When discussing moves and move lists, all directions are assumed with the player being 1P.
50/50
Sometimes known as "nitaku". A situation where a player must make an abject guess between two different options while at disadvantage.
A
Abare
Attacking while at disadvantage. Fighting games in general, follow the simple rules of "taking turns". In most situations, there is clear understanding of who has advantage and disadvantage. The player at advantage has the initiative to attack, while the player at disadvantage should block. This relationship will trade back and forth during a match; hence "taking turns". A player is said to attack in "abare" when they ignore the rules of advantage and disadvantage and attack when they are at disadvantage.
Advantage
Describes a situation where one player recovers faster than the other. For example, 1P may attack; which 2P may block. If 2P recovers faster than 1P from that block, then it is said that 2P is at advantage and 1P is at disadvantage. If both 1P and 2P were to immediately attack each other with attacks of equal speed, 2P's attack would hit first.
Air Control
When hit in the air, the player may input various directions to slightly alter their float path. Air controlling can help prevent ring outs, as well as force your character to fall out of combos that would otherwise connect.
Armor
The state in which a character will "ignore" attacks from the opponent. When a character executes an armored attack, they may ignore certain attacks from the opponent. They will still take damage from the incoming attack, but they will not be interrupted.
Attack Throw
B
Back-turned
BT - The state at which a player's back is facing the opponent.
Brave Edge
- Sometimes known as a "meter burn". Some attacks can be enhanced by expending a small amount of meter. While every character had brave edge attacks in
Soulcalibur V, only a few select characters can use this technique in Soulcalibur VI.
Break Attack
- Formerly known as a "guard crush". This type of attack breaks the guard of the opponent, in many cases, leaving the attacker at high advantage. Break attacks are visually represented by blue lightning around the weapon. Break attacks also break through reversal edge :RE:.
C
Charge
Some attack can be charged up by "holding" the inputs down for an extended period of time. While the attack will come out slower, it tends to come with additional benefits including increased damage, property changes or even becoming break attacks
.
Chip Damage
Damage which is applied, even when the opponent is guarding against attacks.
Critical Edge
(
) - A "super" attack which costs one bar of soul gauge meter.
Crouching
Sometimes known as "ducking". A low stance which allows you to duck under high attacks. While crouching you are still vulnerable to mid and low attacks, but low attacks can be blocked by guarding
.
Counter-hit
CH - When a player is hit by the opponent, while they are in the process of attacking or moving. Moves may apply different hit properties and states when hit on counter, versus when hit normally. Attacks on counter-hit also do more damage and are signified with a red hit-spark.
D
Disadvantage
Downed
Sometimes known as "grounded". The state of being down on the ground. Usually this means you have been knocked down to the ground by the opponent, but some characters can choose to down themselves. Some characters even have access to special moves while downed, most notably
Xianghua's Guei
.
Ducking
E
Execution
The time it takes for an attack to "execute". Usually abbreviated in the form of the number of frames from input (i#). For example, an attack with an execution of i14 means that the attack will have the potential of doing damage, 14 frames after the initial input.
F
Frame
Soulcalibur runs on a 60 fps (frames-per-second) engine. As such, a single frame is the smallest unit of time in the game, at 1/60th of a second. A move which is -16 on block, means the opponent will recover 16 frames faster on block. Based on frame data, this could mean that moves with execution times of i15 or below have the potential to punish for free damage.
Forced Crouch
FRC - Some attacks will force the opponent down into a full crouch state on block.
Full Crouch
FC - Some moves can only be executed while the player is already crouching. A move which can only be done in full crouch means that the character must already be crouching before the start of the move. Usually, when a player is downed and holding
,
or
, any attacks they do from the ground will be full crouch.
G
Guard Break
Guard Crush
- Every attack a player blocks, slowly chips away at a secret hidden guard meter. When their guard meter gets low, their health bar will begin to blink yellow/red. If they continue to guard strong attacks in this state, they risk having their guard "crushed"; which will momentarily leave them open to attack.
Grounded
Guard Impact
(
) - A special move that parries the opponent's attacks. Like a reversal edge :RE:, guard-impact will stop all attacks except unblockable attacks
and break attacks
. In addition to leaving the opponent open to attack, successfully guard-impacting an opponent's move will regenerate a small amount to your guard meter. Failing a guard-impact however, has the reverse effect and will apply additional damage to the guard meter.
Guts
A system which lowers the amount of damage weak attacks will do the opponent when they are at critical health.
H
Hit Confirm
The act of using the visual information of a previous attack, to determine your next attack. An example would be doing an attack that launches the opponent in the air, but only continuing with a combo if the launcher was successful.
Hit-spark
A visual marker which identifies that a character was hit by an attack. Normal hit-sparks show up in orange, however attacks which connect on counter-hit show up in red.
I
J
Jail
"Jailing" is a situation, where an attack string "locks" the opponent into continuing to block, if they blocked previous parts of the string. Usually this means that if the opponent blocks the first part of a jailing attack; then they can not do anything except block the second part of the attack. In some situations, jailing can also prevent an opponent from switching between high and low guards.
Just-Frame
JF - A just-frame is a term used in all fighting games that implies a "frame perfect input". There are 60 "frames" in a second, so this means, when inputting a move, the player inputted the move on the absolute perfect frame; usually limited to 1/60th of a second. Not all moves have just-frame variations; but those that do, tend to have slightly altered properties when inputted correctly. In such a case, the attacking player will momentarily flash white to show that the just-frame was executed properly.
Just-Guard
JG - Similar to a just-frame, a just-guard is executed by not blocking until the last possible moment right before the opponent's attack connects. If done properly, the defending player will momentarily flash white. Successfully just-guarding will reduce any potential chip damage to zero, as well as negating any guard meter damage.
Just-Ukemi
JUKE - Some attacks which knockdown may allow the opponent to ukemi off the ground as a just-frame, thus negating all future damage.
K
Knockdown
KND - Some attacks will knock the opponent down the ground on hit.
L
Launcher
LNC - Some attacks will launch the opponent up into the air on hit.
Lethal Hit
:LH: - Some moves may automatically change when certain conditions are met. For instance,
Mitsurugi's
is a standard mid-level
launcher. However, if the opponent crouches against his
, it will turn into a lethal hit. On lethal hit, it will launch significantly higher, giving Mitsurugi more options for additional damage.
M
N
Natural Combo
NC - A string of attacks (combo) which are guaranteed to hit, should the first part of the combo connects. There is nothing the opponent can do to stop the subsequent damage.
Natural Combo Counter-hit
NCC - Similar to natural combo, but only guaranteed if the first part of the combo connects on counter-hit.
Nitaku
O
Okizeme
Sometimes shortened to "oki". This is the strategy of what you do to a knocked-down opponent. When you knock an opponent down, there are many options you can choose to execute in order to keep pressure on the opponent as they try to get up off the ground; while the opponent has many options they can choose to defend against your ongoing pressure. This interaction between the two players is what we call okizeme.
On-the-ground
OTG - An attack which can hit the opponent even when they are on the ground. In some cases, OTG attacks can pick the opponent up off the ground, forcing them to stand back up.
P
Pit-bull
Q
R
Recovery
The state in which a character is recovering from their previous action. Depending on the frame data, the speed at which you recover based upon the speed at which your opponent recovers determines whether you are at advantage or disadvantage.
Reversal Edge
:RE: (
) - This an auto-parry stance. While in this stance, you will auto-parry all attacks except unblockable attacks
and break attacks
. If you successfully hit the opponent with a reversal edge attack, in addition to some base damage, you will force a small mini-game with the opponent. If the initiator wins the mini-game, they will also generate a small amount of soul gauge power. Similar to
Rock-paper-scissors, this mini-game can last up to two rounds.
Rushdown
A specific play-style based around staying as close to the opponent as possible.
S
Shakeable Stun
SHK - Sometimes known as "stagger". The state at which a character has been stunned by the opponent. A standard stun can be escaped out of by "shaking" the joystick. This means inputting eight cardinal directions on the controller; or two full rotations.
Slide Roll
A type of input that requires the player to quickly press two buttons in succession. For instance,
aK 
would require a player to hit the
button and then immediately afterwards, hit the
button. They are called slide rolls because the speed at which you would hit these buttons in succession is equivalent to if you were sliding your finger from one button to the other.
Soul Charge
:SC: (
) - A special state which expands and empowers a character's move set. Soul charge costs one soul gauge meter and lasts for an extended period of time. While in the soul charge state, characters will often get access to new moves, as well as enhanced properties of their existing moves, including chip damage. Activating soul charge will also push the opponent away, interrupting their attacks.
Special High
A high-level attack that can be blocked both as a high, and as if it were a low. It can also be ducked.
Special Mid
A mid-level attack that can be blocked both as a mid, and as if it were a low.
Special Low
A low-level attack that can be blocked both as a low, and as if it were a mid. It can also be jumped.
Stagger
T
Tech
Tech-Catch/Trap
Tech-Crouch
TC - Moves which may automatically crouch under high
attacks.
Tech-Jump
TJ - Moves which may automatically jump over low
attacks.
Throw
- Part of the basic triangle system of most fighting games. Throws are techniques which ignore a player's guard. They are executed with either
or
Throw Escape
Most throws can be escaped from by hitting a button at neutral, or while holding
.
Triangle System
Most fighting games in their most basic form, follow a triangle system similar to rock-paper-scissors. Guarding trumps attacking, attacking trumps throwing, and throwing trumps guarding. Of course, the expanded depth beyond this simple system is what makes all fighting games different from each other and infinitely complex, the basic principles are the same.
Turtle
A specific play-style based around defensive mechanics and punishment.
U
Ukemi
Sometimes known as a "tech". The act of getting up off the ground as quickly as possible to minimize recovery. Executed by hitting
the moment you hit the ground. Optionally, you can hold a direction as you "tech" to get up in that specific direction.
Ukemi-Catch/Trap
Sometimes known as a "tech-catch/trap". Part of the okizemi system, a tech catch is an option designed to catch an opponent who attempts to ukemi a knock-down. Generally, a tech catch will only hit if the opponent techs, or will gain additional properties if the opponent techs.
Unblockable Attack
Special attacks which can not be trumped by guarding. Signified by orange fire around the attacker's weapons.
Unshakeable Stun
STN - Unlike the standard shakeable stuns, this type of stun can not be escape and leads to guaranteed damage.
V
W
Wall-splat
W! - The act of knocking an opponent into a wall. Hitting someone into a wall does a small amount of additional damage. It can also lead to followup damage and additional okizeme against that wall.
While Crouching
While Downed
While Rising
WR - Sometimes known as "while standing up". The moment state a player is transitioning from crouching to standing, or from downed to standing. Most characters have moves which can only be executed during the state at which they are rising. Usually, when a player is downed, unless they holding
,
or
, any attacks they do from the ground will be while rising.
While Standing Up
X
Wake-up
Y
Yomi
The ability to "read" your opponent and properly guess their intended actions before they even do it.
Z
Zoning
A specific play-style based around keeping the opponent away from you.
