Overview
Julia is a well rounded character whose wide, varied toolkit allows her to adapt to just about any situation, but really specialises at getting in the opponent’s face and piling on the pressure with her deadly mid-low mixups and versatile throw game, which both lead to some devastating okizeme afterwards. Thanks to her infamous elbows, Julia has no trouble getting into her preferred range and enacting her gameplan. She also boasts some of the best combos in the game in terms of raw damage and wall carry. And once she gets to the wall she is very dangerous.
However, while Julia can control space very well with Party Crasher, the damage on it is quite low. This means that if Julia is behind on the lifelead, she’s forced to gamble and take big risks. Upclose she also lacks a fast plus on hit low - further reinforcing the point that if she wants to open the opponent up, she has to commit. Also many of her best moves have multiple inputs, meaning some execution is required to get the most out of her, both while playing the neutral and in combos.
Still, Julia’s ability to shift gears between solid, compact play and explosive high damage craziness, makes her one of the most intimidating and powerful characters in Tekken 7.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Space Control
FF1 - Aka Party Crasher is Julia’s trademark elbow attack, and her key tool for controlling space and forcing her way in on opponents. With the quickest possible input Party Crasher comes out in a lightning fast 12f, has a fat hitbox, and can also go under certain smaller highs like jabs. Don’t think of this as a 12f move though, as in most cases it will come out in 13 or 14 frames. Though it can be evaded by a well timed SSL, delaying your forward dash will re-orient with the the opponents step. It’s also very hard to whiff punish on reaction. On block it’s only -2 so Julia can still move with ease or CH the opponent doing a slow move. To further discourage the opponent from retaliating, Julia can follow up with ff+1, 4. This is a safe on block, NC when undelayed. This string can be massively delayed to bait retaliation, and on CH will lead to a combo. Just be careful as it’s a non-jailing high, and can be interrupted or SSR if delayed.
d,DF1 - Commonly known as shotgun, is another extremely strong entry tool with Julia. Thanks to it’a chunky hitbox it’s very hard to step, though a well timed SSR will do the trick. Shotgun comes out fast in 12f, though as with Party Crasher more often that not this is actually 13 or 14, and is also cancellable to Clockwork Evasive Stance, abbreviated as CES. We’ll look at the moves from CES in more detail in the stances section. If you’re really on the ball, Shotgun is also counter-hit-confirmable to the follow-up and also has utility in certain combos.
Both Party Crasher and Shotgun come out in 12f, and cover about the same range, so you might be thinking well when do I use each one? Party Crasher is your baseline tool. It boasts superior frames and as mentioned if delayed tracks very well. Shotgun on the other hand has greater damage potential - both in and of itself and the confirmable CH followup, and the spin mixups are good at bringing overly defensive opponents our their shell. So mix and match these tools to stay unpredictable.
WR+1 - Along with Party Crasher and Shotgun, WR+1 is another main reason why Julia has a such a dominating grip over the mid-range. This is a fast, ranged elbow that gives you plus frames on block, albeit with some pushback so you can’t really enforce a mix-up in open ground. On hit it gives you a free WR+2,1 for a nice chunk of damage and some incredibly powerful okizeme (which we’ll cover in the mix-up section), or ff+2 for easier execution. The great thing about running 1 is that even if the opponent blocks they’re getting their back pushed further and further towards the wall, where Julia is very strong. Just be careful as it is a high, and quite linear, however Party Crasher neatly covers both of these weaknesses.
B+4 - Julia’s b+4 is another strong tool to condition and control the opponent’s movement. Though a little slow, and high, this is a plus on block homing move, that leads to a full combo on natural hit. While the range is better than it looks, you still need to be fairly close. If you notice the opponent is stepping a lot, use b+4 to keep them in line and lock them down.
Pokes
DF+3 - One of Julia’s best pokes is df+3. Though it’s range isn’t quite as long as Shotgun or Party Crasher, it’s still quite impressive. Being a single input it’s much easier and faster to execute, and is also quite good at catching SSR. On block you’re left at -7, so you don’t have many options after. There is a natural-comboing mid follow-up to discourage the opponent from challenging you, but be careful as it’s -13 on block.
Df+4,2 - Is a powerful but somewhat risky mid string. The range is pretty good, though just a tad shorter than df+3, and it’s also 1 frame slower. While this isn’t a natural combo, should it connect on counterhit, you have ample time to confirm in to the b,f 1 follow up for a nice chunk of damage. This followup is actually a secret move that’s not on the command list. If you connect this near a wall it’s really going to hurt.
Df+4,2 is unsafe on block, so you need to discourage the opponent from punishing by occasionally finishing the string, which is also unsafe. You can also end with a safe high, just don’t be too predictable ofcourse. This move’s biggest weakness is it’s incredibly poor tracking and slow recovery on whiff. Only use this move if you’ve trained the opponent not to step by mixing up your Party Crasher timing and with Julia’s tacking moves.
D3 - Though Julia lacks a fast, natural plus on hit low, D3 is still one of her most important moves due to its sheer speed, strong tracking and surprisingly decent range, making it a strong tool to chip away at the opponent’s health bar. D+3 catches SSR very well, and most characters can only evade it laterally with SWL, which is scary to commit to due to b+4. The damage may be low but it’s only -1 on hit, so Julia can move around and fish for baits or use jabs/magic 4 to snipe out slower moves. On CH, it also gives +4 and forces crouch, significantly limiting the opponent’s options.
Mix-ups
DF1 - Julia’s df+1 is pretty unconventional. It’s a little bit slower than a generic one, and on block her options are more limited. Regardless, this is still one of Julia’s best moves for its raw damage potential. If this connects on a crouching opponent, Julia is left with an absurd +14 to work with, allowing her to get some massive guaranteed damage in!
Open - Easy: df3,1+2 / Hard: ff3 into wr21
Wall - Easy: ff14 / Hard: ff1+2
Df+1 will put the fear into opponents for random ducking against her, and when combined with her devastating lows and throws, is a must use move for Julia. This move’s biggest weakness is it’s terrible range, so it’s best used at the wall or after a close range b+4 on block.
Uf+4, 3: Or why not just go for a full launch? Julia again has an unconventional hopkick, which hits twice and is a little slower than a generic one. Along with df+1 this is another terrifying mid to mix with Julia’s lows and throws. The crazy thing about this move is that with the correct timing, you can perform an option select where Julia will automatically finish the string if it connects, and only do the first hit if it’s blocked. Essentially giving her a safe hopick! While this does sound pretty broken, the timing is very specific. Think of this as a kind of just frame that characters like Lee have a ton of. We recommend going around the buttons counter-clockwise and quickly pressing uf+4,2,1,3 to get it down. In the heat of a clutch match it’s very easy to get this wrong. Still if mastered, this is an insanely powerful tool.
Qcb, f+2 - Despite not being a dedicated grappler, Julia might just have the best throw in the entire game with Mad Axes. Again, this is another very unique and unconventional move - in that it’s both significantly faster than a normal throw, and Julia can store it for what seems like an eternity. This means that you can input qcb, typically during another move or action, and then input f2 up to 1 or evenv 2 seconds later, at which point Mad Axes will then immediately come out at the earliest possible frame. Due to how fast MA is, a lot of people will pre-emptively break 1+2 which opens them up to her other grabs. She has DF1+3 for a 1 break, B2+4 for a 2 break and then of course Mad Axes or uf+1+2 for the double hand break. Uf+1+2, is slower and not as damaging as Mad Axes, but has stronger okizeme. An immediate ff3 will beat everything but siderolls, and slightly delaying your ff3 will beat those. This in turn leads to yet more okizeme. (Show stuff like D,DF1~4 to MA, demonstrate how you can buffer during the spin animation)
FC DF4, 3 - Sometimes known as Bow and Arrow. Is one of the main reasons Julia’s FC mixups are so intimidating. Some common moves to get into crouch are: (B3, 1+4~d cancel, SS2, f3~d, WS2,2 (charge)~d,
B&A is a damaging natural low, mid string, especially near the wall where you can get a free ff+3 and on big characters, namely Jack, Bears, Marduk and Gigas, a free d+1+2. It also gives extremely strong okizeme in the open; d1+2 will catch everything but staying on the floor and from further ranges a spring attack, while ff2 catches those, so it’s essentially a 50/50. Just beware that d+1+2 will actually whiff on Marduk and Bears due to their stubby legs.
You have tons of strong mids to mix bow and arrow with while in FC, such as the previously mentioned option-select hopkick, so this is a great move for Julia to make a comeback with if she needs to.
Just be careful, as bow and arrow is launch punishable by just about the entire cast. Though, the first hit, while unsafe, doesn’t stagger on block - so you can occasionally use it by itself to confuse the opponent. A lot of characters also have trouble punishing this on block due to the pushback. For this reason experienced players will usually try to low parry if they see it coming.
WS3 - Is probably the most common mid from FC. It’s a mid, safe, wallsplatting homing move that’s pretty fast, that due to the ballerina stun can give you a free mix-up on hit, since at point blank range it leaves you at the perfect distance for a NC wardrum. More on this soon. It will also put any airborne opponents into a screw and on CH you also get a free ff2 for good damage.
4~2 -, aka Wardrum, is again a very unique move in Tekken. The 1st hit is both a low and a high at the same time. The follow-up the mid ender is guaranteed if ONLY the low connects, since the low has slightly more range than the high. If the opponent blocks the mid you’ll most likely get launched as it is very unsafe, so you need to find that sweetspot through some very specific spacing. At this particular range you now have a damaging low, mid wallsplatting natural combo, which is cheap as hell! Finding that sweetspot is often done for you though, since certain setups and KDNs leave you automatically at the perfect range, such as after a deep party crasher string on hit. After a ff3 or wr1 into wr21, walk back a little bit and you’ll be in the perfect range for wardrum if the opponent techs. Party Crasher will float everything else for a combo, and do chip damage on back recovery. Another good Wardrum-tech roll set up is after a ws+4 on hit, do a backdash followed by a very small sidestep.
Wardrum also combos on CH. A nice visual cue to help you out with confirming the follow-up is that 4~2 sparks on CH only. So you basically have an unseeable low poke, with an easy ch confirm into a damaging wallsplatting followup. While it is quite risky, wardrum is one of the most intimidating lows in the entire game, especially when at the wall.
FF1+2 - Speaking of Julia’s wall game, ff+1+2 is your go to mid when at the wall. Unquestionably one of the best wallbounces in the game, this a safe, fast mid that’s the perfect compliment to wardrums. Since it comes from a dash motion, it can also be performed from crouch, making it a nice option to mix with Bow and Arrow as well.
B+3 - Finally just to finish this mix up section, let’s quickly talk about b+3. This is a seeable low...so use with caution, but it has some nice perks. It has impressive range and high crushes very quickly, making it good against jab happy opponents. On hit it gives you plus frames and leaves you and the opponent in FC. There is nothing they can do about a ws+3 here except stand block, opening them up to bow and arrow. On counterhit it also gives a full combo. On block it can only be launch punished by Josie and a metered Akuma, so it’s generally best to low parry on reaction.
b+3 does also have a low follow-up but this is very easily interruptible on block. It does make your mixups on hit even stronger though, since your opponent will be tempted to low parry and instead eat powerful mids or bow and arrows instead. Should the canned follow-up connect it leads to easy combos with ws+3.
Whiff Punishment
DF2,1 - DF21 is your main whiff punisher from mid to close range, and typically used after successfully evading a move with a step or backdash. Connecting it leads to a canned animation, so even if you were really off-axis, Julia will automatically re-orient so that you can consistently land your preffered bread and butter. Thanks to Julia’s massive combo damage and wall carry, landing this can completely change the round in your favour.
FF3 is Julia’s main whiff punisher at ranges outside of df21, and her main option after df1 connects on a crouching opponent. It gives a iWR21 followup for beefy damage and powerful okizeme, especially for a whiff punisher of this speed and range. This can be a little tricky though, so you might want to do ff+2 until you get the hang of it.
Finally, when near the wall ff+1+2 is your go to whiff punisher.
Keep-out
FF1 is great to halt the opponent’s approach for the reasons listed in the poke section.
Standing 4, or magic 4, is your primary keep out tool. Like any magic 4 this gives a combo on counter hit. Unlike a generic magic 4 it’s unsafe on block. Julia does have followups to make the opponent hesitate to punish, but you need to commit to them beforehand.
Do note that if you want to combo from further ranges you’ll need to delay Party Crasher. The timing on this is quite tight, so we recommend you practice this. Finally magic 4 can be used in frame traps to interrupt overly-aggressive opponents.
Uf+1 - One more good keepout tool is UF1. Though a little slow to recover on whiff, this is a 15f mid CH launcher with strong tracking, especially against SSR. Julia also lowers her hitbox, making it strong against characters who like to approach with certain highs or high strings, though this is not a high crush. A good setup against jab happy opponents is party crasher on block into uf1. Usually on normal hit you just get some frame advantage, but if the opponent holds down then ff2 is guaranteed, so watch out for this.
Panic Moves
111 - is a string starting from a 10f jab, with all 3 hits being guaranteed on counter-hit. The opponent always has to keep this in the back of their mind when pressuring Julia, and is extremely strong near walls, since it can splat. Be sure not to finish the string if it didn’t land on counter-hit, as it’s quite unsafe on block at -14. A good visual cue for this is that the 2nd hit will put the opponent in crouch if the 1st jab connects on CH.
4 - As well as being your main keep-out tool, standing 4 is also a strong panic move. If you anticipate the opponent is going to use a slower move when you’re at a minor disadvantage, for example after a blocked Party Crasher, then Standing 4 will discourage them from overextending their pressure, allowing you to start throwing them into submission.
UF43 - The previously mentioned hopkick is also a good panic move since it crushes lows from frame 9f so can be good to scare your opponents from doing lows or down jabs. And unlike ttt2, even if you do mess up the option selecting timing it’s not launch punishable on block anymore.
D1 - is a generic down jab, used to interrupt the opponent out of pressure since it also high crushes and is extremely fast at 10f. Julia especially has a very good down jab since on hit, she can do WS3 to CH anything the opponent tries afterwards, as well as stopping them from stepping. If you want to go for a stronger, but risker mid option, WS1 also can’t be interrupted and catches SSL. What really makes these mids scary though, is that most characters can’t backdash Bow and Arrow after a point blank down jab, though it can still be low crushed. You can also use D2 for your down jab. Although it’s slightly slower than D1 11f, at +7 on hit bow and arrow can’t be interrupted anymore (16f)
Stances
CES
As mentioned when we went over Shotgun in the Space Control section, you can go into a CES spin afterwards by pressing either kick button. You can also access CES from 1,2 jabs, WS2 or manually with 3+4. Let’s now take a look at your options in more detail.
CES 1 is a 15f high that can CH slow retaliations from your opponent for a combo. After a shotgun on block any move slower than 13frames will be interrupted. This recovers quickly, making it tricky to crouch punish, so be sure to use a fast WS move.
CES 4 1+2 is Julia’s low option out of the stance. It high crushes and also grants a full combo when near a breakable wall or balcony, but this doesn’t mean it wall splats. Just be careful both the low and mid extension are launch punishable on block, so use this sparingly.
CES 2 is used as a mid option to complement CES 4,1+2. It’s safe on block, and on hit leaves you at major plus frames, and often - though no always - at the perfect range for a NC wardrums. Do be careful that occasionally Julia will be left a little close, which can be really dangerous if you finish the string. Here if the opponent backdashes they can actually put themselves into optimal Wardrum range, - making this one of the few instances in Tekken where backdashing can actually be a bad idea.
There’s not much reason to use the CES 3 string. It comes out in the same speed as CES 2, both hits are unsafe and you can’t delay them either for mental frame advantage. Though the second hit is listed as -13 in the frame data, more often than not due to pushback it’s actually less than that though, so you may have to settle for i12 punishment.
Shotgun Spin Meta
By far the most useful move to go into CES is Shotgun. Down jab will beat all options but Julia can do empty spin into low parry. A 12f mid however will always interrupt all CES options on block. If the opponent is onpoint with this, bait it out for plus frames and then put on the pressure with your other mix-up tools.
Swift Step
Swift step, performed with f+3 is a good way to quickly close distance while evading lows and highs, though do beware you are vulnerable to being floated in the latter half of the animation. From here you can press 4 for an unseeable plus on hit low that also combos on counterhit, 2 for a safe, wallsplatting knockdown mid which also combos on counterhit, or hold db to go into FC. f+3~1 or lashing arrow, performed by quickly tapping the buttons after one another, is a powerful move used in combos, to punish really unsafe moves with pushback, or to punish big whiffs from a distance. Finally f+3 uf+3+4 is on rare occasions used as a combo ender.
Rage
Rage Art: Julia’s rage art is completely unremarkable. It’s a super unsafe mid, that takes 20 frames to come out and starts absorbing hits on the 8th frame.
Rage Drive: Julia’s rage drive is quite similar to Feng’s or Paul’s, but lacks their range. It’s a reasonably fast mid that wallsplats from a mile away. In open ground although you’re plus on block, you can’t really do much with it due to pushback. If the opponent is shoved into the wall though they take a guaranteed 5 points of damage and are left at -7, leaving them in a terrifying position. Overall Julia’s Rage Drive makes her already amazing wall game that much more oppressive.
Block Punishment
Standing
10f - 1,2 or 1,1 (15 dmg and +5 vs 19 dmg and +2)
12f - ff14 (hard), 2~b (for side switch) or F24 (less dmg than 2~b but leaves you with more plus frames)
13f - DF3,1+2 or FF3 (Fastest input, very hard)
15f - DF21 or F41 (For some pushback moves)
16f - D1+2 (For pushback moves like Paul’s deathfist. Do note this won’t work for a max range DF.)
19f: F3~1 is good for punishing really unsafe moves with a lot of pushback like Kuma’s FF2 from any range. Not Heihachi’s though, for that you need to use d+1+2.
Crouching - Strategic Space (another mod)
10f - D1
11f - WS4
12f - FC DF2 (really good)
14f - FF3 CC (super hard)
15f - WS1
16f - UF43, which leads to better combos than WS1
Stagger lows = CC DF21 or Delayed hopkick
Combos
Easy Combo Formula: 2 filler hits, followed by a Party Crasher, Shotgun Spin, df+4,2,3 to screw then finish up with a WR21. From here we’ll just list what the optimal filler hits are for each combo starter.
Df+2,1 and qcf+2: f+3~1 / df+3
Ws+1, CH CES 1, CH f+3,2 *at close range, CH f+3, 4 and low parry: df+3 / df+3 / CH CES 1: (change screw to CES2)
Do note that with CH CES 1, you’ll need to change your screw to CES 2 after the shotgun spin. In general if you’re having any consistency issues with your combos, CES 2 is the screw to use. It’s also useful when a wall is nearby and you to finish your combo early for a splat.
CH f+3,2 at max range, Magic 4 and CH uf+1: Deep ff+1 / df+3
Uf+4,3: ff+3 / df+3
Ch b+3: CC with a microdash to df+4+3 OR bow and arrow. The first one is probably easier since the follow up party crasher timing is looser, but see what works for you.
FULL COMBO LIST
DF2,1
F3~1 DF3 FF1 F21~F3,1 FF14 s! WR21 - 79
f+3~1 > d/f+3 > f,F+1 > d,d/f+1,4~1 > f,F+1 > f,F+1,4 > S! > WR+2,1 - 76
F3~1 FF1 F21~F3,1 FF14 s! WR21 - (74 and a lot easier)
Df+1
Open - Easy: df3,1+2 / Hard: ff3 into wr21
Wall - Easy: ff14 / Hard: ff1+2
UF43
d/f+2,3~1 > f,F+1 > f+2,1,3~1 > f,F+1,4 > WR+2,1 - 68
d/f+3 > d/f+3 > f,F+1 > f+2,1,3~1 > f,F+1,4 > S! > WR+2,1 - 67
4 > d,d/f+1,4~1 > d,d/f+1,4~1 > f,F+1 > f,F+1,4 > S! > WR+2,1 - 66
Ws1
d/f+2,3~1 > f,F+1 > f+2,1,3~1 > f,F+1,4 > WR+2,1 - 68
d/f+3 > d/f+3 > f,F+1 > f+2,1,3~1 > f,F+1,4 > S! > WR+2,1 - 67
QCF2
f+3~1 > d/f+3 > f,F+1 > f+2,1,3~1 > f,F+1,4 > S! > WR+2,1 - 74
U/F,n,4 > d,d/f+1,4~1 > d,d/f+1,4~1 > > f,F+1 > f,F+1,4 > S! > WR+2,1 - 73
U/F,n,4 > d,d/f+1,4~1 > d,d/f+1,4~1 > f,F+1,4 > S! > WR+2,1 - 70
B4
microdash d/f+3+4 > d,d/f+1,4~2 > S! > dash 1+2 > f,F+3 - 68
microdash d/f+3+4 > d,d/f+1,4~2 > S! > d/f+4,2,b,F+1 - 64 (really easy)
4 CH
F3~1 ff1 f21,f3~1 ff14 s! Wr21 - 72 (very difficult)
f,F+1 > d/f+3 > f,F+1 > f+2,1,3~1 > f,F+1,4 > S! > WR+2,1 - 68 (easier)
d,d/f+1,4~1 > d,d/f+1,4~1 > d,d/f+1,4 > f,F+1,4 > S! > WR+2,1 - 65
CH UF1
f,F+1 > d/f+3 > f,F+1 > f+2,1,3~1 > f,F+1,4 > S! > WR+2,1 = 70
f,F+1 > d,d/f+1,4~1 > d,d/f+1,4~1 > f,F+1 > f,F+1,4 > S! > WR+2,1 - 68
CH CES 1
SSL > d/f+2,3~1 > f,F+1 > f+2,1,3~1 > f,F+1,4 > S! > WR+2,1
d/f+3 > d/f+3 > f,F+1 > d,d/f+1,4 > d/f+4,2,3 > S! > WR+2,1
CH WS3
It will also put any airborne opponents into a screw and on CH you can do a ff2 or dash 4~2 ff, which is more damaging but quite a bit harder.
CH ff(1),4
(wr3 df3 ff1 ff1 ff14)
WR1 / ff3
Easy: ff+2
Hard: WR2,1
Wall Combos
W! Uf3+4 ff3, this is the max damage ender, it works like Katarina’s stomp ub4 where the ff3 is free. It does take some setting up however, you have to do wr21 at a certain range from wall to get a high wallsplat to allow the uf3+4 to hit them as they slump down, then the ff3 is free. On Gigas, Marduk, Jack you can do d1+2 instead of ff3 for more damage. IF you got the stomp on axis, you can space yourself for a wardrum/mid mixup on their techroll
W! Jab to df42bf1 (the jab allows the last hit in the string to hit for 60% without delay) however it does sideswitch a lot and from a carry off a slightly off axis wall, the last hit won’t be 60% doing less damage.
W! Ff1 uf431, this is the best ender outside of uf3+4 ff3 imo because its only slightly less than above df42bf1, will never sideswitch and Julia has more advantage afterwards (can do df1 on spring kicks). Another nice thing about this ender is, if you get an awkward wall carry where you don’t have time to do a dash jab, you can opt to do ff1 instead which is easy to get. However the combo only works on half of the cast, here’s a list - https://twitter.com/Fergus_TK/status/1105489986013487105
As a Julia player, it’s very important to adjust your combos appropriately and screw early in the combo so you can go for wr21 high wallsplat, allowing you to get the max damage combo with uf3+4 ff3.
If you’re too close to a wall, you can opt for a small amount of hits into s! Then dash up d23 to a close range high wallsplat carry to allow uf3+4 as well.
Ideally, you want to do uf3+4 ff3 when you can, if not then ff1 uf431 for damage/oki unless jab df42bf1 will kill with the extra few points of damage.
Wall Bounce
FF1+2
Range: f41 to wallsplat
Close: 4 to wallsplat
At range, it’s consistent to go for f41 to wallsplat and upclose, do a standing 4. If you have the execution, you can also do df1 on crouching opponents into ff1+2 for an optimal folllowup near the wall.