Tekken 8has a staggering 32 characters on its roster, all bringing eclectic playstyles to the table, making for unique and exhilarating matchups, no matter who you decide to pick up and main. Ling Xiaoyu, the baguazhang and piguazhang Chinese martial arts master, is one of such characters, returning yet again with her fierce combat prowess.

While she may be a tad tricky for newcomers, Xiaoyu is immensely fun to learn and can be pretty deadly in the right hands. If you put in the time to learn everything Xiaoyu is capable of, you will be a nuisance to deal with online!

Xiaoyu’s entrance cutscene in Tekken 8.

Ling Xiaoyu Overview

Ling Xiaoyuis one of many characters whosaw some much-needed changesimplemented into her extensive move list, enhancing the power of hermultiple stances, mobility, and general gameplay.

Xiaoyu is amaster at keeping her opponent constantly guessing,as she possesses plenty of tools formix-ups that make her okizeme* game hard to deal with.With the increased tempo of matches in Tekken 8, Xiaoyu feels like she is more of a solid and complete character than she did in previous installments.

Xiaoyu entering her Phoenix Stance in Tekken 8

Herunique move list also gives her tremendous poke optionsand makes her an absolute monster at being able topunish her opponent when they whiff attacks or end their attack string with an unsafe move.This was true even in Tekken 7 but has been significantly elevated here with the changes she received and the new system mechanics in general.

    • Refers to a scenario where players can resume their offense as their opponent gets up after being knocked down, allowing them to perform attacks that will force their opponent to block or react in a specific way to avoid taking damage.

Xiaoyu launching Kazuma with her Cross Lifting Palms attack in Tekken 8

Ling Xiaoyu Important Moves

As we covered above,Ling Xiaoyu is a legacy characterin the Tekken series, meaning hermove list is quite extensive.While getting a loose grasp on all of them is crucial, some are much more crucial to learn, as they will allow you tofollow punishes or pokes up with devastating combos.

d = Down

Ling Xiaoyu’s Character Episode ending in Tekken 8

u = Up

b = Back

f = Forward

★ = Neutral (Don’t Press Anything)

b 1+2

u/b 3

d/f 3

d/b 1+2

d 1+2

b 3+4

u/b 4

Mid Attack/Tornado And Power Crush

Absorbs incoming Mid/High Attacks.

Like we covered above, thisisn’t even scratching the surfaceof what Xiaoyu is capable of, as she hasmany more moves in her repertoire.Still, theabovementioned moves are essentialfor learning her capabilities. The sections below will showcase how to use them to pull off combos and utilize her toolkit to its fullest!

Ling Xiaoyu Combos

Now that you have a loose grasp on how Xiaoyu is played and which moves you should learn early on, it’s time toshowcase some exampleswhere she’s at her best withStandard Combos, Counter-Hit Combos, Wall Carries,and even how to performCombos with Heat and Rage Abilities.

Remember, Xiaoyu’sgeneral strategy revolves around her various stances and ability to punish her opponentswhen they make a mistake, making herpokes and counters crucialfor finding success with her toolkit. Below are many examples highlighting how to use her stances and standard attacks to her advantage!

Ling Xiaoyu Heat And Rage Combos

Ling Xiaoyu Closing Thoughts

As you can see from the combos and moves highlighted above,Xiaoyu has a ton of potentialin Tekken 8. While hermove list remained largely unchanged,thequality-of-life additionsto her overall kitmake her much more viablethan she ever was, making her seem much more complete and competent in the arena.

Thenew Heat systems and mechanics also help elevate her speedy playstyle,giving her many more options to punish her opponents. Xiaoyu always sported a more aggressive playstyle than most, and Tekken 8’s fast-paced nature makes her shine like she was meant to.

If you’re anewcomerwhowants to pick up Xiaoyu, you should be fine,but it willtake a bit of time to get a grasp on her multiple stancesand unique playstyle. While she isn’t the most complex character to learn in the game, she’s definitely not the easiest, so be prepared to hit the lab with her to learn everything she’s capable of!

While Xiaoyu’s multiple stances make her tricky to learn, they also make her tough to read, making her a decent pick for newcomers who love to be ultra-aggressive, as they can switch between her various stances to get massive punishes or launchers, leading to considerable damage and devastating combos - if you practice them, at least.