by theygamesAre you searching for the best Street Fighter 6 Luke combos and special moves? Luke is a more well-rounded character compared to his previous iteration. As a result, he is one of the better characters to use if you’re new to fighting games, as nothing he does is particularly complex. His move inputs are similar to other beginner-friendly fighters, such as Ryu or Ken, but he puts a unique spin with follow-ups to Overdrive moves that end combos.
Fighting games have some characters that are naturally easier to learn than others, but even so, Street Fighter 6 Luke is rather difficult to master without some guidance. So, to help you get to grips with all of Luke’s moves, we’ve had hands-on time with the game to give you all the techniques available to him and some tips for how to play the character in Street Fighter 6 by utilizing his strengths and learning which moves can lead to massive combos.
How to play Luke in Street Fighter 6
The best way to play Luke is to keep the enemy at medium to close range. All of his best combos are performed at close range, but luckily, he has many ways to narrow the gap.
Luke debuted at the end of Street Fighter 5 as the final DLC character, but he makes his main roster debut here. Those familiar with the character will know he is a well-rounded fighter who has access to very quick projectiles and anti-air specials, while plenty of his normal moves can close in the distance between him and his opponent.
At first, you should be poking away at your opponent with Sand Blasts to keep them on their toes. If they decide to jump in, that’s when to use the Rising Uppercut to punish them. You can also throw in a few medium kicks as they reach quite far. It’s a great strategy as you can easily follow up with specials or super arts to inflict significant damage.
Luke’s standing punches will close the distance between you and your opponent. If Luke hits a standing light punch, you can follow up with a medium punch then a heavy punch to execute a target combo, which you can extend even further with super moves afterward. Medium punches do more damage and go the same distance, but you can press the medium button four times to execute a normal combo. Sadly, you can’t follow these up with special or super moves. Heavy punches do much more damage and reach further, so are good for mixing things up a notch.
Street Fighter 6 motions
If you have never played a six-button fighting game and are looking at our guide for the first time, chances are that you don’t know how to perform certain motions. Unfortunately, this gets doubly confusing as you need to press a lot of buttons in order with specific timing to execute combos. Street Fighter 6’s tutorial teaches you how to play the game, but if you want to get to the next level with your chosen character and wish to consult external sources, you may find this glossary useful.
Motions
- Quarter-circle forward – push down on the d-pad or stick and quickly rotate to the direction your character is facing.
- Quarter-circle back – push down on the d-pad or stick and quickly rotate in the opposite direction to the one your character is facing.
- Z Motion – press forward, then quickly press down and rotate so you’re pressing down and forward simultaneously.
- Overdrive – known previously as EX moves, this is the same move, but you press any two punches or any two kicks. It consumes two bars to the Drive Gauge to execute.
Street Fighter 6 Luke special moves
Sand Blast – Quarter-circle forward + Punch
A projectile that launches sand at the opponent. It’s very quick, and Luke’s Sand Blast will cover a short, medium, or full-screen distance, depending on the strength of the button. After executing the Overdrive version of this move, you can follow it up by pressing the two punch buttons again, which launches a second full-screen blast.
Flash Knuckle – Quarter-circle back + Punch
A quick jab that closes in the distance. You can increase this move’s damage by holding the punch button. Luke’s arm will flash when fully charged, changing the properties of this move slightly and hitting the opponent twice. This move has several finishers:
- Light punch – launches the opponent into the air.
- Charged light punch – launches the opponent high into the air.
- Medium punch – knocks the opponent back slightly.
- Charged medium punch – launches the opponent into the side of the screen, causing a wall bounce.
- Heavy punch – causes the opponent to drop to the ground.
- Charged heavy punch – causes a hard knockdown onto the opponent.
- Overdrive – requires no charging, but does need two punch buttons pressed to execute. If the first jab connects, Luke follows up with a second that launches the opponent as high as a charged light punch Flash Knuckle. If you quickly press two punch buttons as the first blow hits and the opponent is still on the ground, Luke will throw them with a DDT instead.
Aerial Flash Knuckle – Quarter-circle back + Punch
Aerial Flash Knuckle has two modes, just like the ground version, and they all have the same properties. Tapping the punch button will cause Luke to fire a small Sand Blast projectile, while holding the punch button will make Luke uppercut the opponent. All punch strengths of this move do the same damage, but the uppercut does more than the Sand Blast. The Overdrive Aerial Flash Knuckle always executes the uppercut, taking more off the enemy’s life bar than the regular version.
Avenger – Quarter-circle forward + Kick
No Chaser – during Avenger, press punch
Impaler – during Avenger, press kick
Avenger is a move known in the fighting game community as a Command Dash. The idea is that it executes a dashing motion that you can follow up with a button press. No Chaser executes a shoulder tackle, while Impaler uses an axe kick. No Chaser is a regular standing move that can be blocked while standing or crouched, while Impaler is an overhead attack that punishes those crouch-blocking. You can only use the Overdrive version of Avenger, but it adds armor to the Command Dash part. You’ll still take temporary damage from being hit once, but it won’t interrupt the move, and if you wait a while, you’ll recover from this temporary health loss. If you’re hit after taking temporary damage, it becomes permanent, and you take additional damage as if it was permanent.
Rising Uppercut – Z Motion + Punch
A Shoryuken-like move, Rising Uppercut is an anti-air move but can also launch enemies into the air from the ground. Pressing stronger punches does more damage and brings Luke forward a further distance. The Overdrive version of this move is invincible the entire time and hits twice normally, but if you press the two punch buttons again, you will execute a follow-up slamming attack.
Street Fighter 6 Luke Super Arts
Level One: Vulcan Blast – Quarter-circle forward x2 + Punch
Luke executes a string of four medium-range Sand Blasts before following up with a charged full-screen Sand Blast to finish this five-hit combo. We reckon the optimal time to use it is to extend combos, sending the opponent flying with the final hit, such as using the Overdrive Flash Knuckle.
Level Two: Eraser – Quarter-circle back x2 + Punch
Another move you can use to end a combo string hitting the first punch of Eraser will allow Luke to unleash a ten-hit combo that results in a hard knockdown. If Luke misses the first hit, it takes him several seconds to recover.
Level Three: Pale Rider – Quarter-circle forward x2 + Kick
Luke’s Pale Rider is best executed after poking with a medium kick, as it will nearly always hit if performed straight afterward. This is what’s known as a ‘hit confirm’. You can also use Pale Rider at the end of a combo or after an Overdrive Flash Knuckle. It can also slip underneath enemy projectiles.
Luke combos
Luke has tons of combo opportunities available to him; however, there are a few basic combos where you can add special moves and super arts to add some extra spice. That said, try to mix things up so you’re not rinsing through your Drive Gauge by overusing Overdrive attacks, leaving yourself vulnerable to Drive Impacts or other lethal blows.
Crouching MK xx Sand Blast (Light or Overdrive)
If you’re poking away at your opponent from a medium distance, use this very basic combo. It doesn’t do a lot of damage by itself, but doing this often will keep the opponent on their toes. With enough pressure, you may be able to bait your opponent into jumping in, giving you the perfect opportunity to land a cheeky anti-air.
Standing LP, Standing MP, Standing HP xx Special Moves
This is Luke’s most important target combo, as it’s regularly used to link more complicated combos you can learn down the line. You can follow up the standing HP part to use most of Luke’s special moves, though we highly recommend trying the Overdrive Flash Knuckle as it does the most damage and can lead into a super art.
Crouching MK, Crouching HP, Throw
This isn’t strictly a combo, but if you’re using a crouching MK to poke at the opponent, following it up with a crouching HP can put you in a prime position to throw your opponent straight afterward, causing a hard knockdown. You can use this position to maintain the pressure.
Double Impact, Overdrive Flash Knuckle
You’ll need to practice the timing for this one, but if you hold forward and press HP twice, then execute the Overdrive Flash Knuckle command as soon as the second punch lands, you can execute a quick Flash Knuckle. This launches your opponent high in the air for a juggle opportunity with Luke’s special moves or super arts if you can time it correctly.
And those are all of the Street Fighter 6 Luke moves and combos. We highly recommend that you spend a fair bit of time in the game’s tutorial and training modes to practice several combos. Of course, plenty of other characters are available, so check out the rest of the Street Fighter 6 roster to see if anyone else catches your eye.