In the 7th part of our irregular SC6 game meta series, we will look into one of the mechanics that are among the most defining factors of the game – Soul Charges! And as usual, the answers were kindly provided by top competitors from main SC regions around the world.
This is how the regions are represented this time:
America:
Incendiate
Father Ramon
Latin America:
Shennou
And now, to the questions (and answers!) themselves:
1) Soul Charge is widely considered one of the most game-changing mechanics in SC6. What is your opinion?
575: Soul Charge is a good mechanic indeed, but I prefer Brave Edge in SCV rather than Soul Charge, since Soul Charge will make the overall game far from neutral. Nevertheless, I’m not saying that Soul Charge is pointless or has no merit; It can make the game more “well-plotted” sometimes, so if there is SC7, BE+SC or BE only are both acceptable for me.
Aelz: I have some mixed feelings about Soul Charge in SC6. On one hand, it’s a very flashy mechanic where your character power-ups and is able to do some very cool and powerful things, and everyone has access to the soul charge so in a way, there’s no disparity or imbalance. However the thing that irritates me most is how a SC activation completely warps a round, the one pressing it automatically reverses any kind of pressure and gets a huge advantage, it is not very skillful or engaging. I’d say Soul Attack was a welcome upgrade to the soul charge as it is a way to increase the pressure you’ve already built by spending meters. Soul Charge balancing and meter gain is also a concern, some SC are just too powerful and more importantly happen way too often to the point it ruins the enjoyable regular gameplay of Calibur.
AkeoPo: I generally agree with that opinion. Soul Charge is strategically valuable because it stops you when you run out of time (very important). Also, characters with high-potential soul charge moves can make the game completely their own in that short span of time.
Father Ramon: Soul charge was a very interesting choice for this game. The fact that most characters can use SC and just have a new game plan while also resetting the situation is amazing and fun. In the past, almost everything about soul charge was useless. Maybe I would change how SC affects the opponent on block like making it – on block. But I would love to see this kind of SC back in SC7
Incendiate: Soul Charge is one of the most game changing mechanics in Soul Calibur 6 since it’s incredibly easy to use and very strong regardless of the character you use. With the introduction of Soul Attack, most characters have access to a direct mixup that also puts them in SC creating a hugely advantageous situation, which most other mechanics do not force. I don’t think it’s the strongest mechanic in the game though.
MercyMain: It definitely feels like it but only on certain characters. I personally really dislike how some Soul Charges are so much stronger and complete when compared to others, or straight up blatantly unfair.
I believe that Soul Charge, if they want to keep the mechanic, should take a more balanced risk/reward ratio instead of giving God mode.
Shennou: I agree but I think is worth mentioning that some of the “Soul Charge moves” were present in characters movelists without costs in previous SoulCalibur games. However, some additions made in SC6 went over the top in contributing strength to some characters.
2) Which character(s) do you consider having the strongest Soul Charge and why?
575: Azwel, 2B, Yoshi, Astar
Azwel: Simply very strong, moves enhanced such as 10f aa, muscle buster 50/50, long-range reaching. When he is at SC state, he has no shortage.
2B: Many safe 50/50s.
Yoshi: You will die immediately if you don’t have the know-how of Yoshi players’ mixup.
Astar: Just do 33/66k(k) and 236a.
Aelz: For the very very best of SC : Seong-Mina, Groh, Azwel, Yoshi. Those are so powerful they can win an entire round by themselves with very little effort because of their ability to loop you with insane pressure/mixup until you die.
Others that are broken as f but just a bit less : Tira (GS is opie op but JS is just ‘good’), NM, Talim, 2B, Astaroth, Cervantes.
AkeoPo: Nightmare’s soul charge moveset has incredible potential. It creates a situation where you can end the game with just one hit, and it’s easy to restore the gauge. It also has the ridiculous advantage of a terror charge.
Setsuka and Tira also have good soul charge, but each feels limited.
In the case of Setsuka, her soul attack is strong in her setup when it hits, but other than that, it feels not very good. So, the problem is when there is no situation to hit Soul Attack. 1A is not a very good move. Even if it gets stronger, it is a move that cannot become more than a joker card. Setsuka has a lot of other good moves. Of course, that’s not much of a problem, as her movesets are great even if she’s not soul-charged. there is not much difference between when she has Soul Charge on and when she doesn’t.
As for Tira… Gloomy side has a soul charge with great potential… but Jolly side’s reliance on counterplay is sometimes a hindrance. There is only Js 66aaa and you have to invest all your luck to hit. I don’t know why there are weird moves like Js 6a. Of course, the Js sc 236k is a great move.
Except for them, I think Astaroth, Cervantes, and Yoshimitsu are good.
Father Ramon: Characters like RR Amy and Zas are incredibly annoying due to the 50/50s they get and insane damage output. I love Sophie’s SC but it lasts very little. But in terms of my pick for best? Groh. That character is in SC for what feels like years! 50/50, big damage, he just goes crazy on you.
Incendiate: The most impactful Soul Charges in the game that come to mind are: Astaroth’s, Groh’s, Seong-Mina’s, 2B’s, Nightmare’s, and Azwel’s. Each of these character get a new tool and a huge increase to the potency of their already strongest tools like 2B’s plus-on-block stance mixup and Astaroth being given a truly very threatening Mid (236A).
MercyMain: Azwel, Groh, Astaroth, Yoshimitsu, Nightmare and Cervantes to name few. They are definitely a span over the others.
Shennou: I don’t think there’s exactly the strongest one, but some are extremely strong when we take the character’s entire kit into consideration and what’s added with their Soul Charges:
– Azwel: has unrestricted access to Almighty mode;
– Kilik: can be in Soul Charge for a entire round, which turns him into a character that can win a round in two wrong choices from the opponent. Knowing how to use Kilik’s Soul Charge well makes all the difference;
– Seong Mi-Na: BA 1B, unblockable 44B+K for some setups, SC 66AA and its “hell sweep” (SC FC 1KKB). She is a strong character who got some of hers key moves buffed getting more damage potential;
– Groh: I usually say that’s what makes the character worth;
Honorable mention for Setsuka and Hwang.
3) Same question but in regards to Soul Attacks.
575: I am not familiar with SA for all characters but will choose NM and Haohmaru.
NM: VERY long-range SA, and NM is the only character that can use SAs during SC state, which provides him with more decent options during combos.
Haoh: SA will activate the “reddish” Haoh.
Aelz: Best SA : Tira, Yoshi, NM, Sophitia, Groh, 2B. All those SA allow the characters to basically have a free SC mixup which is incredibly powerful. NM and Sophitia SA are different in the way that they are just extremely powerful moves/combo extenders.
AkeoPo: It would be nice to lower the damage of the moveset overall and nerf the dribble distance a bit. It’s a game changer… but if it’s too much, the game itself becomes annoying.
Father Ramon: I love the Soul Attack mechanic so much! Allowing characters to substitute damage in combos for set ups, plus frames, better oki, and punishes. It’s so versatile! I want SA to be apart of all SC games.
Incendiate: Soul Attacks that come to mind are: Yoshi’s, Groh’s, Voldo’s and Amy’s. Being able to force their offense while in SC powers up their Soul Charges significantly so much that these character’s SC become far more relevant than some of the other characters with strong SCs because of the situation provided by their SA.
MercyMain: Ivy, Tira, Groh, Nightmare, Kilik. Most of them are very strong stance entrance or leaves you in a state of complete helplessness when you don’t have a bar for your own Soul Charge. (Good luck not getting RI C:)
Shennou: Soul Attack was a mechanic to get into Soul Charge without having to sacrifice too much damage and also a 16 frame universal punisher. I liked it a lot, although I think not everyone has a good Soul Attack. I think Setsuka and Taki have the best Soul Charges in the game, as well as Seong Mina, Mitsurugi and Geralt the worst. Setsuka and Taki for the reward, and the last three for the lack of reward when compared to others. I think that Geralt’s SA is hard to use consistently.
4) Which characters Soul Charges do you believe to be on the weaker/lackluster side of things?
575: Xianghua’s SC. I think most X players tend to use CE more since her i12 CE is so good.
Aelz: I’d say Hilde is the obvious choice for the weakest soul charge, it just doesn’t bring as many strong options as the others. On the weaker side but still pretty good, I would consider Xianghua, Sophitia, or Kilik, they’re pretty good but you feel like they have not gotten the same amount of infinity stones as the other soul charges.
AkeoPo: I don’t think there are any characters with weak soul charge in this game. At least I think Xianghua’s is weak, but it’s not a balance issue because she uses CE more often and it’s better anyway. If you want to buff her Soul Charge, you have to nerf her CE.
Father Ramon: I believe every character is good enough to win a major, honestly. I hear a lot of people saying things about their character’s weakness but I never feel like it ever over shadows the powerful things about the character
Incendiate: Some of the weaker Soul Charges in the game are Xianghua’s, Maxi’s and Hilde’s yet due to the strength of SC are still fully worthwhile to utilize, just slightly more niche. Xianghua and Maxi lack ways to keep their pressure in SC while Hilde who is capable of keeping it, doesn’t really get anything new to make it more realistically threatening when mixing up besides the introduction of a command grab in one direction of break.
MercyMain: I don’t believe them to be weak, I believe them to be balanced as they are more punishable or just less powerful in general. Sophitia, Cassandra, Zasalamel, Hilde etc.
They just lack ridiculous moves and have much clearer and intuitive counterplay to them.
Shennou: Xianghua and Geralt definitely. I honestly don’t see reasons to give up their CE, which I consider good for their speed (Xianghua) and range (Geralt), in a fight, except for some very specific reason. I prefer their Critical Edges than their Soul Charges’ kits.
BONUS: Which Soul Charge do you consider the coolest and why?
575: Grøh, because it is ANIME game!
Aelz: For the coolest SC, I hesitated between Groh’s and Kilik’s but I settle for Haohmaru MAX RAGE SC, super high-risk and super high-reward mode that allows you to do some of the sickest things in the game. It instantly creates a super exciting situation as the risk behind the mode doesn’t feel cheap compared to a regular SC.
AkeoPo: Tira and Setsuka, Nightmare. It’s just because they’re cool!
Father Ramon: Coolest SC in the game has to be Setsuka. She is the coolest character when she is on SC. So many string extensions, new punishes, damage buffs, a unique stun mechanic. Definitely my #1 favorite.
Incendiate: The coolest Soul Charge to me is probably Setsuka’s. It’s very dramatic and has gorgeous animations and sick voice lines on moves such as 1A:A:A:A, Shrouded Sky K and A+B, and B+KBB.
MercyMain: Setsuka’s, no doubts.
Shennou: Kilik’s, definitely. The character is transformed and his most stylish moves and combos, in my opinion, are those of Soul Charge. It’s one of the things I have the most fun playing with the character!
Thank you a lot for your answers!!!