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Top 5 Hardest Characters to Play: SoulCalibur VI Guide

Published on: 01/27/2021
By: Theresa Gaffney

SoulCalibur VI is easy to pick up, hard to perfect. Those accustomed to Tekken’s pinpoint precision may find the transition to SoulCalibur easy, but players with a 2D fighting game background have more to learn. The game’s 8-way movement creates options like side step counters at every angle, making the art of positioning and character mastery a huge factor in high level play. 

After discussing some of the easiest to learn characters, the Competition Center now brings you the top five most difficult fighters to play in SoulCalibur VI. This list is based on community build feedback, ease of technical execution, and stance options. Don't let the difficulty curve stop you from playing a character even if you're still learning the fundamentals.

Maxi

Affectionately known as the “Dandy of the South Seas,” Maxi is a difficult pick for new players. He has six different stances with multiple options that make mastery challenging. Many of his moves flow from one stance to another, allowing you to cancel or mix-up attacks in between. While it is comforting to know that Maxi sports solutions for many situations, it’s also potentially overwhelming to dance your way through a matchup. Take up Maxi if you want a DDR feel to your SoulCalibur game.

Voldo

Similar to Maxi, Voldo’s multiple stances make him a tough character to learn. The dual katar-wielding warrior takes serious technical execution to pull off extended combos. Jump into a powerful mantis walk, or execute a rolling attack with very little warning. In the hands of a skilled player, Voldo’s two move lists (when facing forward or backward) become second nature. However if you’re looking to jump right into a character, the Hell Guardian may require too much time to master.

Ivy

Complicated inputs make Ivy simultaneously difficult and rewarding to play. The infamous daughter of English aristocrats returns in SoulCalibur VI with a reputation for difficult combos. Her design hasn’t changed much over the years, which means Ivy continues to have a higher learning curve than other characters. For instance, while Ivy’s Calamity Symphony has been somewhat simplified SCVI, her Summoning Suffering string is still notoriously difficult to learn. If you want to challenge yourself by learning a character with good mid and long range whip options, Ivy might be the best pick.

Hilde

Hilde was the first fighter released in the Season Two pass for SoulCalibur VI. The Princess General stands out because her overall technical execution is on the difficult side compared to other roster members. Hilde’s sword and spear feature four charge moves per weapon based on directional input or crouch, which can provide a challenge for beginners. Given her lack of range, Hilde requires a certain finesse to combat zoners and a deep commitment to the study of each character matchup.

Setsuka

A more recent addition to the roster, Setsuka is described as rewarding for patient players who enjoy difficult input strings. She trades stances for the highest JF (just frame) combos in the game, which are incredibly difficult to pull off. However, skilled Setsuka players committed to technical execution are rewarded with high damage throws and punishing blows. If you like a challenge, Setsuka may be a good pick. Just expect to spend a few hours in training mode before ever setting foot in the arena. 

Make sure to watch the Competition Center’s SoulCalibur VI Open Series to see how challenging characters are handled by the best community players. Once you’ve decided on your main, enter one of the weekly tournaments to show off the fruits of your own training. 

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