SoulCalibur VI: Tips and Tricks for Beginners

SoulCalibur VI is the latest entry in the prolific fighting game series. The core mechanics like weapon-based fighting and eight-way-run are all still perfectly intact from past entries, but there are a few new mechanics introduced, and the game functions like a soft reboot of the story and timeline. If you’re new to the series, or haven’t played a SoulCalibur game for a long time, there’s a lot to take in. We’ve got a few helpful tips and tricks for beginners to help you get started in SoulCalibur VI.

SoulCalibur VI Tips and Tricks For Beginners

Play Libra of Souls First

SoulCalibur VI has a lot of options available to you right when you start the game up. Two different story modes, online play, versus, arcade; it can be a lot to take in. The best place to start, however, is with Libra of Souls, the biggest story mode of SoulCalibur VI.

Libra of Souls has you creating your very own character, and using them to journey around the world of SoulCalibur, completing main quests, side quests, and more. Upon starting Libra of Souls you immediately get the option to play through a detailed tutorial, explaining the ins and outs of SoulCalibur VI’s combat. Even past this, however, Libra of Souls is perfect for learning the ins and outs of each character.

At the start of the mode you get to pick one weapon, but you’ll be able to obtain every kind of weapon, and therefore every character’s moveset, as you keep going. This gives you the chance to try out how each character plays, and Libra of Souls often introduces unique rules during battles that will require you to change strategies, like only low attacks doing normal damage, or only attacks while Soul Charged doing proper damage. In turn, this then leads to you having to try different moves and options in battle, furthering strengthening your understanding of each weapon. By no means do you have to solely play through all of Libra of Souls before doing anything else, but it’s a good idea to make it the place you start in SoulCalibur VI, at least.

SoulCalibur VI Tips and Tricks For Beginners

Use Weapons that Match Your Alignment in Libra of Souls

Libra of Souls has a lot of light RPG elements unique to the mode, one of which are some light moral choices. Throughout the story you’ll have to make some choices that’ll change the narrative, and will change your alignment at the same time. On the bottom right of the map you’ll see a character portrait will scales holding a blue and red flame, this notes your alignment. Blue is essentially good, while red is evil.

Many of the weapons you collect in Libra of Souls will also fall into this alignment, noted by blue or red flames next to their names. Weapons that have the same alignment as your character will receive a huge boost in critical hit rate, and you can see this stat boost on the description for the weapon on the selection screen. Whenever you can, you should try and use a weapon that has the same alignment, and when you have to make choices you should, generally, try and stick to the good or evil choice, as it’ll further your alignment. Fights later on in Libra of Souls can get incredibly difficult, so you’ll need every advantage you can get.

SoulCalibur VI Tips and Tricks For Beginners

You Can Get More Soul Points Later on in Libra of Souls and Soul Chronicle

The very first town you visit in Libra of Souls has an Exchange option, where you can trade gold in for Soul Points. These Soul Points are used in the Museum to unlock concept art, story and lore bits, and more. You’ll need a lot of it to unlock everything, but luckily the game gives you quite a few ways of doing it. Don’t worry too much about how little you’re getting at first.

Every character story you beat in Soul Chronicle will reward you with Soul Points, around 300 apiece. Considering each character story takes roughly 25 minutes to play through, this isn’t bad at all. Alternatively, later on in Libra of Souls, it’ll be much easier to get gold, and you can basically grind through random battles as much as you want to. You can even get food items that boost the amount of gold you get from a fight.

This makes it much easier to exchange gold for Soul Points, although you’ll only get 100 for 5,000 gold. Still, the more you play, the more you’ll get.

SoulCalibur VI Tips and Tricks For Beginners

Learn How to Effectively Use Reversal Edges

Reversal Edge is the big new feature introduced with SoulCalibur VI, and it can be a game-changer in combat if used properly. Reversal Edge is mapped to the R1 button, if you’re using the standard control scheme. Essentially, holding down R1 and using Reversal Edge puts you in a parrying stance that you can use to block normal and throws. Only Break Attacks can break through Reversal Edge. Letting go of R1 will launch a vertical strike, and if it lands you and your opponent will be put into a clash that requires each of you to hit one of the face buttons. The three main attack buttons then have a rock-paper-scissors kind of function, with the winner of the showdown hitting the opponent with an attack and briefly knocking them down/stunning them.

When used correctly, Reversal Edges are one of the most useful tools in your defense. They can let you turn the tide back around if you’re overwhelmed by the enemy’s assault, or pop into a defensive mode after unleashing a combo. The only catch, of course, is if you launch it incorrectly, it can leave you open to massive damage. Reversal Edges need to be activated when the enemy is straight on, and if you telegraph it too much they can simply move to the side and circle around you, leaving you stuck in the animation and attacking nothing but air.

The only way to learn proper use of Reversal Edge is pretty much practice. You need to try it out and get the hang of the new feature. Luckily, SoulCalibur VI has a training mode to let you try things just like this out. You can access it by going to the Battle option on the main menu, and then selecting training. It’s a good idea to take at least a few minutes out and try techniques like Reversal Edge.

SoulCalibur VI Tips and Tricks For Beginners

Don’t Forget About Soul Charge

Each character has a lot of moves and abilities in their repertoire, and your Soul Gauge also lets you unleash a devastating attack known as a Critical Edge, with a flashy animation to boot. However, it’s easy to forget about the other option that comes with your Soul Gauge, Soul Charge. By hitting R2+back while you have at least one gauge, you can enter a heightened mode with a variety of benefits. During Soul Charge each character unlocks extended or more powerful combos, although it differs from character to character. At the same time all of your attacks will cause chip damage if the enemy blocks, letting you continue to press the attack.

There are two other benefits to Soul Charge as well; activating it will send out a shockwave that blows the enemy back if they’re near, and it also freezes the timer at the top until your gauge runs out.

Critical Edges let you do a lot of damage quickly, but Soul Charge can be great for interrupting a powerful enemy attack and giving you a slight boost. Sometimes they’re a better idea to give yourself more of a fighting chance in the long run, rather than just popping off a quick Critical Edge. Whichever character you choose to main, make sure you take a look at their move list and see what opens up when Soul Charge is activated.

SoulCalibur VI Tips and Tricks For Beginners

The Museum Has a Bunch of Tips for Each Character

SoulCalibur VI really strives to be accessible to new players, and outside of easing you into things with Libra of Souls, there are even a whole bunch of tips and tutorials you can view in-game. There’s a lengthy section on the general ins and outs of combat, but there’s even an entire section for each character on their special moves, tactics, and more. It’s a good way to strengthen your knowledge of a character, before jumping into training and trying things out yourself.

To view these tutorials select the Museum option from the game’s main menu. After that simply select the Combat Lessons option, and you’ll be free to peruse the general and character tips.

For even more guides on the game, make sure to check out our SoulCalibur VI wiki. If you’re interested in playing as SoulCalibur VI’s guest character, Geralt from The Witcher, you can als0 check out our list of dedicated tips for him.