Street Fighter 6 introduced the newest iteration of Chun-Li, essentially a “Greatest Hits” version of the character who includes many of her best moves from previous games. Many of her techniques lead to great combos. Others can be utilized during Drive Rush and Drive Impact attacks, thanks to features unique to this installment in the series.
Chun-Li is much better than several players suspected when the game launched, which explains her rise in the tier lists. It’s also because she’s a character that requires practice, as one of the toughest characters to learn in the game. But tough characters are very rewarding when a player gets them down, as they can see and feel the evolution they’ve made after spending hours with them and the game itself. It’s time to shut up again and learn some goddamn combos that anyone who spends ample time in the lab (that’s the Training mode in fighting game lingo) can pull off in the arena.
10. Light Kick Combo into Soten Ranka (26 Hits)
Start at 1:15
Anyone starting out with Chun-Li should begin with an easier combo thanks to how difficult she is to use. That’s “easier” combo, and not “easy” because this still involves practice. This combo will teach anyone using her about the juggle and damage potential she has in the right hands.
This is a light kick combo confirm which can lead into Chun-Li’s Level 3 Super Art, a combo showing how dangerous even the lightest touch from Chun-Li can be on a character. It’s a combo that finishes with a technique that can do serious damage, the most important factor regardless of the meter burn.
It’s not a long combo, but it shows how powerful Chun-Li can be in the right hands. It does a total of 4360 HP of damage to the opponent by the end, with most coming from the Soten Ranka Level 3 Super Art. The combo that leads into the Super Art is short, ensuring that the game’s damage scaling doesn’t diminish the damage from the super. It will burn all the Super meter, but will keep the Drive meter largely intact for mix-ups after the combo if it doesn’t KO the opponent.
This is not the kind of combo that will immediately prove to an opponent that anyone is an expert with Chun-Li (we’ll get to those). It will, on the other hand, show the opponent enough to see that the player knows how to use her. It’s not one of her hardest combos to perform, but it’s enough to start the Chun-Li expert on their way to the top.
It starts with the standing light kick confirm, then continues with a standing medium punch link, a crouching medium punch link into an EX Spinning Bird Kick Super Cancel, and a light kick Hundred Lightning Kicks that’s Super-cancelled into the Level 3 Super Art, Soten Ranka.
9. Medium Kick Kikosho Finisher (9 Hits)
Starts at 1:53
Mastering Chun-Li requires becoming an expert, or nearing that point, with juggle combos. The Light Kick Combo starter above is one of them, but this one is considerably more difficult thanks to the timing and spacing involved. But getting it down will help with future combos.
This is a bread-and-butter combo that Chun-Li can use from any part of the stage, and leaves more than enough meter for her (and the player by extension) to use for further combos and mix-ups. It also uses the Serenity Stream stance, one good in some combos but with few significant uses outside of that. Anyone who wants to become an expert with Chun-Li should start lower, and master this combo.
The low number of hits required for this combo will lower the damage scaling for the Super, for a combo that takes a total of 2970 HP of damage by the end. It’s a nice combo because it will not only help the player get down Chun-Li’s timing for attacks and juggles, but doesn’t require much Super meter use, and needs NO Drive meter usage.
This is another combo that won’t show the opponent how suave anyone is with Chun-Li. But it’s a good one to use in battle to do fairly good damage while preserving both the Super and Drive meters for other uses. It leaves the Chun-Li player with plenty of options and combos afterward, one of the character’s strengths.
It starts with a standing medium kick that’s Super-cancelled with a Serenity Stream stance and a quick hard kick press for the Tenku Kick that will launch the opponent into the air. Chun-Li should jump-cancel to leap with the opponent and hit them with the two hard-punch target combo for the juggle. When she reaches the ground, input a quick Kikosho, Chun-Li’s Level 1 Super Art, for the finish.
8. Cross-Up Air Lightning Kicks Finisher (10 Hits)
Starts at 3:26
A more advanced combo with Chun-Li involves learning the unique ways in which she can cross up the opponent, and combining those with her more advanced juggles. As this list progresses, the combos will get considerably more complicated. But you’ll be rewarded with higher damage potential.
This is another bread-and-butter combo Chun-Li can use that will start with her unique cross-up kick, one she’s had in every game since Street Fighter II. It’s been a good combo starter since the Street Fighter IV days, and this trend has continued with every 3D game in the franchise since.
This isn’t the most damaging combo Chun-Li has in her repertoire -- far from it, in fact. But it’s a good combo string that not only shows how Chun-Li has several that do worthwhile damage without meter usage, but will also help the player master the juggle potential with the Yoso Kick aerial stomps and the Aerial Hundred Lightning Legs by its end. It nonetheless does a good 2800 HP of damage.
You might be noticing a trend here, but this combo won’t show anyone that you’re an expert either. It WILL, on the other hand, show them how wise you are by not depending too heavily on the meter for damage. This combo will also be necessary for future and far more complicated combos. Before then, it’s worth getting down the timing for the Yoso Kick stomps and the Aerial Hundred Lightning Legs. Knowing when to execute them counts.
It starts with Chun-Li’s cross-up kick that requires a down-forward hard kick press, then continues with a standing medium kick that’s Super-cancelled into the Serenity Stream and finishes with a quick hard kick Tenku Kick to launch the opponent into the air. Once airborne, Chun-Li will perform two down + medium kick Yoso Kick stomps (and not the full three), which finishes with the hard kick Aerial Hundred Lightning Legs.
7. Medium Punch Kikosho Finish (16 Hits)
Starts at 6:58
Now that the basic bread-and-butter combos are out of the way, it’s time to get into more advanced combos. These will require the use of Drive Rushes in the middle of combos, which Street Fighter 6 properly teaches the player in its tutorial sections. Get those down as soon as possible.
One of the coolest aspects of Chun-Li involves the sheer number of ways in which she can start combos. It was mentioned above that the character in SF6 is more of a Greatest Hits version, which applies to the sheer number of combo options she has. There’s a reason why she’s hard to learn, but this also makes her rewarding.
In addition to the TWO (!!) Drive Rush cancels, this combo makes use of several tricks from the above combos, including the hard punch air target combo and Yoso Kick stomps for juggles. It will also burn the entire Drive meter and leave Chun-Li in a burnout state, but it’s worth it for 3798 HP of damage.
It was once considered a wise decision to preserve a bit of the drive meter to keep characters from going into a burnout stage. Over time, players have more wisely realized that this isn’t necessary. Burn the hell out of that thing when the exchange is big damage. Several characters have ways to protect themselves during the burnout stage, while the Drive meter recovers after being extended, and Chun-Li is one of them. Just get defensive.
This combo starts with a standing medium punch, and is linked to a crouching medium punch afterward. This is then cancelled with the first Drive Rush cancel into a crouching hard punch that hits twice, and Super-cancelled with the trusty Serenity Stream with a quick medium kick press for the Senpu Kick. This is cancelled with the second Drive Rush cancel that leads into a back + hard punch press and Super-cancelled into another Serenity Stream and a hard kick press for the Tenku Kick that will launch them into the air. Chun-Li should jump cancel this to leap with the opponent, and start with the first Yoso Kick stomp and a delayed second stop. This will continue with the two hard punch target combo, and finish with the Kikosho Level 1 Super Art.
6. Medium Punch Confirm Double Super Art Combo (36 Hits)
Starts at 10:25
After any player has realized they’re capable of executing Super Cancels, link combos, Super Art combos, and Drive Rushes, it’s time to try one that utilizes all of those for one lengthy combo. Notice that these strings are getting longer and the combos more difficult to execute as this guide progresses.
Sure, Chun-Li has plenty of ways for which she can start combos, but her medium punch confirms are so good that it’s worth showing how another one can start this way. Chun-Li has great pokes for her normal and special attacks, as always. But her damage is merely okay outside combos. A long combo like this one will maximize the damage she’s capable of.
This is a ridiculous 36-hit combo that will use the entirety of the Super and Drive meters. By the end of the string, the opponent will suffer a total of 4272 HP damage, nearly half the health for most of the roster. It’s worth doing combos like these against characters that can return the damage tenfold, especially Marisa.
This is one of those combos that will put the fear of the God of Street Fighter into the opponent on the opposite end, or the other side of the internet. They’ll know that the player has intently practiced combos in the lab, and can perform them in a live match like the one anyone will hopefully execute this one in.
It starts with the standing medium punch and crouching medium punch link, and an EX Hundred Lightning Legs that’s cancelled into the Level 2 Hoyoku-sen Super Art. After this, jump with the opponent and land an air medium punch as Chun-Li and the opponent are descending, then perform a quick Serenity Stream stance upon landing and a quick medium kick press for the Senpu Kick. Then Drive Cancel into a down + HP two hit combo, then back + HP into another Serenity Stream and Senpu Kick. This is followed by another Drive Cancel into a down + HP combo, back + HP, and a subsequent Serenity Stream and Senpu Kick. Then, finish with a Kikosho for the final attack. This will leave Chun-Li herself in a burnout stage, but it’s worth it for all that sweet damage.
5. Medium Kick Drive Super Art Finish (14-25 Hits)
Starts at 12:45
The medium punch link combo is a great combo starter, but don’t doubt the power of the crouching medium kick too. This one’s a bit more practical, thanks to its longer reach. But the timing required makes it harder to initiate combos from the attack.
Using two medium punches for a combo starter makes for a good buffer. If the first medium punch is blocked or whiffs, Chun-Li can safely follow it up with another medium punch to safely determine if she can start the combo. Not so with the medium kick, which requires being extremely good at hit-confirming. The player must be quick to react after it hits, or they’ll burn meter they could otherwise use and leave themselves open to a counterattack.
Speaking of the meter:This is another combo that will burn all of it, a wise decision because Chun-Li simply needs to do so. But the damage depends on which Super Art the player wants to end the combo with. Finishing it with Super Art 1 (Kikosho), Super Art 2 (Hoyoku-sen), or Super Art 3 (Soten Ranka) will result in 3030 HP, 3360 HP, or 4520 HP of damage, respectively. If you have the meter, you might as well spend it all to maximize damage.
This is, yet again, another combo that will put the fear of Street Fighter’s lord of The Fight (or something) into the opponent. Not only is it a masterful combo string, it will also show the opponent that you’re damn good at hit confirming. Never hesitate to style on an opponent.
This combo starts with the crouching medium kick hit confirm, which is cancelled into Drive Cancel for a quick back + HP and a Serenity Stream stance into the medium kick Senpu Kick. This is cancelled into another Drive Cancel, a quick back + HP, and a Serenity Stream stance into the hard kick Tenku Kick to knock the opponent into the air. While airborne with them, use a Yoso Kick stomp and then another delayed second stomp, the two hard-punch air target combo, and finish with any Super Art.
4. Drive Rush Super Art Finish (18-29 Hits)
Starts at 14:44
Now that you’ve hopefully gotten actions like link combos, Super Cancels, and Drive Cancels down, it’s also a boon to learn how to start combos with Chun-Li after using Drive Rush. Drive Rushing is a good way to quickly close the gap with an opponent to catch them off guard, with the Drive meter burn being worth it IF she can hit them.
This is not as easy to get down as it sounds, as it requires quick reflexes and inputting. Once it’s mastered the player can frequently trip up the opponent with unpredictable moves in Chun-Li’s large move set. Using them can start combos that will do big damage.
This combo will burn all the Drive meter, but the Super meter usage will depend on how much is stocked and whether the player wants to burn it all. Finishing it with Super Art 1 (Kikosho), Super Art 2 (Hoyoku-sen), or Super Art 3 (Soten Ranka) will result in a combo that does 3325 HP, 3655 HP, or 4815 HP, respectively. Note that the Super Art 3 usage will result in half of the opponent’s health being drained.
It’s again imperative that Chun-Li maximize damage output. If you have the meter, put all the cash on the table and spend it like you have a sure bet at winning a game of poker. Even if this doesn’t cause a KO, it’s worth going into burnout stage for all the damage being done.
The combo begins with a Drive Rush into a crouching medium kick that’s Super-cancelled into a Serenity Stream stance with a follow up light punch or light kick, that’s itself Super-cancelled into an EX Kikoken. Follow this up with a crouching medium kick that’s Drive-cancelled into a back hard punch super cancelled into a Serenity Stream stance and medium kick Senpu Kick. That leads into another Drive Cancel that’s followed up with another back hard punch Super-cancelled into another Serenity Stream followed up with the hard kick Tenku Kick to launch the opponent airborne. While airborne, follow up with one Yoso Kick stomp and a delayed second stomp, the two-hard punch target combo, and a preferred Super Art finish.
3. Overhead into Super Art Finish (21-32 Hits)
Starts at 17:24
Anyone who wants to be good with Chun-Li, and at Street Fighter in general, should know the opportunities they have to start combos. They can be started while the opponent is standing neutrally or in a corner, sure, but some characters have combos they can initiate when the opponent is crouching. Chun-Li is one of them.
All the combos at this point consist of lengthy strings to maximize damage, which -- and this cannot be emphasized enough -- Chun-Li needs to use. If you have the meter, burn it. Spend it all..
This is another combo that will consume the entirety of the Drive meter. It’s also another for which the end damage depends on which Super Art the player uses to finish with it. Ending the combo with Super Art 1 (Kikosho), Super Art 2 (Hoyoku-sen), or Super Art 3 (Soten Ranka) will create a combo that does 4384 HP, 4714 HP, or 5874 HP. The damage is excellent regardless of which combo is used, but the combo of the, well, combo itself and SA3 will send the opponent reeling in rage. That’s what the player wants.
It again must be emphasized that you should style and dance the hell over your opponent at any given chance. But mastering Chun-Li requires knowing all the ways in which combos can be started, and she has a multitude of options. There’s a reason why she’s one of the toughest characters to learn, but carefulness and patience will be rewarded.
This combo starts with the Serenity Stream stance that leads into the hard punch Lotus Fist that hits while the opponent is blocking low. This is Drive-cancelled into a quick crouching hard punch two hit combo that’s Super-cancelled into the Serenity Stream and a follow-up medium kick Senpu Kick that itself is Super-cancelled into an EX Kikoken. While the opponent is still stunned from the Kikoken hits, use the standing medium punch and subsequent crouching medium punch link combo. That’s Drive-cancelled into a crouching hard punch two-hit combo that’s Super-cancelled into another Serenity Stream stance that leads into a hard kick Tenku Kick to knock them airborne. Follow THIS up with an air Yoso Kick stomp, and a second delayed stomp, the airborne two-hard punch target combo, and finish with a Super Art. This is a LOT, but it can be done.
2. Hard Kick into Super Art Finish (20-31 Hits)
Starts at 28:03
There are lighter ways to start combos, like the light kick and medium punch confirms listed above. It’s typically possible for Chun-Li to start a combo with one of them during a match, including pressing one of those buttons after a Drive Rush. Sometimes, though, luck is a serious factor. Sometimes you catch your opponent off guard so badly that you can land a forward + hard kick counterattack. This is a serious opportunity.
This Chun-Li counterattack has the potential to stun the opponent temporarily, opening the opponent up to several combo opportunities. The stun is nearly equivalent to a Crush Counter attack from the Street Fighter V days. Again: Chun-Li should always maximize damage due to her not-very-powerful individual attacks, and she has a particularly vicious combo here that can do just that.
This is another “send everything you have” combo, because Chun-Li can afford being burnt out from the lack of a Drive meter for a bit. But the staggering damage this combo results in will make this worth it. The lengthy combo string will do at least 4568 HP of damage, nearly half the health of most opponents if only Super Art 1 (Kikosho) is used. Finishing the combo with Super Art 2 (Hoyoku-sen) will take 4938 HP of damage, while Super Art 3 usage will take a staggering 6058 of damage -- MORE than half the health of even a high-HP opponent.
Make no mistake: This is not an easy combo to pull off. But getting it down will make you an expert with Chun-Li, or even beyond that. The fear this puts into the opponent to psyche them out for the rest of the subsequent bouts online or in person is worth it too, but winning is most important.
The combo begins with the forward + hard kick punish, and then continues with a Drive Cancel and a quick down + hard punch press for a two-hit attack that’s cancelled into the hard kick Hundred Lightning Kicks. This is Drive-cancelled into a low medium punch, which itself is Drive-cancelled into a crouching hard punch two-hit attack, a subsequent Serpent Stream stance and a medium kick Senpu Kick. This is Drive-cancelled into another Serpent Stream stance and medium kick Senpu Kick. Then, finish it off with a Super Art.
1. Drive Impact Super Art Finish (21-32 Hits)
Starts at 30:32
Mastering any character in Street Fighter 6 entails learning how to maximize every punishment opportunity, which is why this post has carefully gone through a variety of them. This goes double with a character who should maximize damage at every opportunity like Chun-Li.
There are times when fate grants a forward + hard kick punish, yes. In other times,the player is so extraordinarily lucky that they’ve backed the opponent into a literal corner while burnt out from emptying their Drive meter. The desire to perform a Drive Impact at this point will be too difficult to resist, which will put the opponent into a dizzy state. The sky of the life bar will be the limit here.
This is another lengthy combo string that will burn the entirety of the Drive meter, and the Super meter if the player chooses to spend it -- and they SHOULD. The total damage again depends on the Super Art the player wants to finish the combo with. Doing so with Super Art 1 (Kikosho), Super Art 2 (Hoyoku-sen), or Super Art 3 (Soten Ranka), will result in a combo that does 3544 HP of damage, 3874 HP, or a significant 5034 HP, respectively.
This is another combo that will take much practice and patience to pull off, thanks to the sheer number of strings involved. It will take all the practice Chun-Li players obtained from using the previous combos and fuses it into one. But the damage is worth it when the Street Fighter Gods of Fate grant you a dizzied opponent. The Gods love them some combos.
This combo starts with a Drive Impact that causes a dizzy state, and continues with Chun-Li walking towards the opponent to make sure they’re perfectly situated in the corner. The full combo begins with a neutral jumping hard punch or hard kick, a standing hard kick that’s Super-cancelled into a Serenity Stream stance and a quick medium kick Senpu Kick. That’s Super-cancelled into an EX Kikoken, which will leave the opponent stunned enough for a quick standing medium punch and crouching medium punch link. The second medium punch is Drive-cancelled into a crouching hard punch two-hit attack that’s Super-cancelled into another Serenity Stream stance and medium kick Senpu Kick. That itself is Drive-cancelled into a back + hard punch press and cancelled into a Serenity Stream stance and hard kick Tenku Kick to launch the opponent into the air. Chun-Li here should be jump cancelled and hit the opponent with a Yoso Kick stomp, a second delayed stomp, the two-hard punch target combo, and finish with a Super Art. That’s a lot, but it’s absolutely possible to pull this off in a live match.
Chun-Li is a tough character to get down, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that many of these combos are similarly hard. But the player should learn them if they want to use a tough-but-rewarding character. This is one of the best versions of Chun-Li in Street Fighter history, but it speaks to the great balancing Street Fighter 6 has that she’s both fun and rewarding.
P.S. A special thanks to Sea Leaf Dojo for making these videos. Vesper Arcade gets a special thanks too.
