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Lily, a descendant of the Thunderfoot tribe and one of the recently introduced characters in Street Fighter 6 wields pogamoggans, a type of war club, and possesses the ability to communicate with the spirit of nature. What sets her apart from other fighters is the ongoing buff mechanic that allows her to charge specific Special Moves.
When executing the Condor Wind, Lily can earn up to 3 Windclads, each of which can enhance one of her attacks.
However, due to her unique gameplay, new mechanics, and somewhat unpredictable frame data, mastering Lily may prove to be a challenge for some Street Fighter 6 enthusiasts. With the help of this guide, however, players can gain a comprehensive understanding of her moveset and effortlessly execute her combos.
Strategies for Lily
Lily’s strategic approach involves losing ground initially to acquire buffs and then regaining ground to perform her combos. Since she is a mid-range standard fighter, Lily relies on manipulating her opponent's movements and adjusting her positioning accordingly. For that, she must read the enemies and keep them at bay with pokes and pushes.
Poke Before Attack
To avoid punishments, poke the opponent in advance. Despite her physical appearance, Lily is not a speedy fighter. And she is prone to losing frame advantage on blocks. So, check the enemy before going all in on combos, and engage only if there seems to be an opening.
Play for Frame Advantage
By accumulating Windclads, some of Lily’s Specials gain faster recovery. This allows her to come back quickly and cancel into HP-draining moves on the block. Her OD Spire, for example, gets up to +8 frames, which is enough to break the enemy’s stance and initiate Lily’s Command Grab.
Stock Windclads Before Heavy Combos
Without the Condor Wind buff, Lily’s Specials have below-average damage. Players are therefore advised to stock at least two Windclads before going for chained attacks. This ensures they’ll inflict the highest DMG and will have a longer reach for possible grapples.
Lily’s Move List
Excluding common moves like Drive Gauges, Lily has 17 commands. Of these, two are Throws, four are Super Arts, five are Unique Attacks, and the remaining six are Special Moves.
Lily’s Move | Description | Type |
Condor Wind | Windclad buff | Special Move |
Condor Spire | Spinning forward attack | Special Move |
Tomahawk Buster | Diagonal aerial strike | Special Move |
Condor Dive | Airborne tackle | Special Move |
OD Condor Dive | Overdrive airborne tackle | Special Move |
Mexican Typhoon | Spinning slam | Special Move |
Ridge Thrust | Overhead attack | Unique Attack |
Horn Breaker | War Club jab | Unique Attack |
Great Spin | Airborne body press | Unique Attack |
Double Arrow | Jumping two-hitter | Unique Attack |
Desert Storm | Grounded three-hitter | Unique Attack |
Canyon Throw | Leg sweep | Unique Attack |
Falling Cliff | Seoi nage | Unique Attack |
Breezing Hawk | Spinning war club combo | Super Art |
Thunderbird | Thunder attack | Super Art |
Soaring Thunderbird | Midair thunder attack | Super Art |
Raging Typhoon | Spinning slam | Super Art |
Best Combos for Lily
The correct order for Lily’s combos is charge, poke, pound. It is essential to gather at least one Windclad stock before poking, which will allow for identifying opportunities to strike and concluding with chained strikes leading to Critical Arts.
Beginner: HP + QCB P + Down HK
Classic Controls | Modern Controls |
Heavy Punch + Condor Wind + Down Heavy Kick | Heavy + Neutral Special + Down Heavy |
As a basic guard-breaker combo, the heavy punch into Condor Wind and Swipe is ideal for collecting Windclads. When performed in the corners, this combination allows for pressuring a defensive opponent while buffing Lily’s Specials at no cost. To perform it, follow up an on-hit heavy punch with a quarter-circle-back punch and down heavy kick.
If Lily's combos seem too complex, choose the Modern Control option instead of the Classic one. Lily is among the top characters that work well with the new simplified inputs, making her even more efficient with them.
Intermediate: HP + HP + DR Cancel + QCF Kick + Super Art Lv. 1
Classic Controls | Modern Controls |
Heavy Punch + Heavy Punch + Drive Rush Cancel + Condor Spire + Breezing Hawk | Heavy + Heavy + Drive Rush Cancel + Back Special + Forward Special Heavy |
With this heavy punch into Condor Spire and Super Art Level 3 combo, players can get up to 2,000 DMG quickly. The only catch is that it’s Windclad-reliant, meaning that the quarter-circle-forward kick should be charged to deliver the ideal result. To use this combination, start with a double heavy punch followed by a buffed Condor Spire and close with Lily’s Level 1 Super Art.
Advanced: Back HP + MK DR + Down HP + QCB MP + Super Art Lv. 3
Classic Controls | Modern Controls |
Back Heavy Punch + Medium Kick Drive Rush + Down Heavy Punch + Quarter-Circle Back Medium Punch + Super Art Level 3 | Back Heavy + Medium into Drive Rush + Down Heavy + Quarter-Circle Back Medium + Down Special Heavy |
For the highest damage, combine Lily’s back heavy punch with a medium kick into Drive Rush and devastate the stunned enemy with a quarter-circle-back medium punch followed by the Level 3 Super Art. Although slightly hard to land, this advanced combo inflicts up to 4,000 (40%) damage, ideal for a comeback.
Tips for Winning with Lily
To win every match with Lily, keep the commands simple. Instead of overdoing her Specials, exploit her basic light and heavy mix-ups. Lily can put a lot of pressure on an opponent just by using her punches and kicks, which can be canceled into high-damage punishments when there’s a gap.
Counter Throws with Overdrive Anti-Air
Tomahawk Buster’s OD version can block throws. Use this move when checking or poking goes wrong in close-range and the opponent initiates a grapple. But note that this move is heavily punishable as it has a slow startup and a significant on-block frame disadvantage.
Dodge Projectiles with an OD Spire on Windclad
While mostly susceptible to projectiles, Lily can evade them in mid-range using her Overdrive Spire that’s buffed by Windclad. Additionally, she can also rely on Condor Dive to jump over a projectile and land a surprise attack at the same time.
Mix Up Condor Wind with Combos for Less Frame Disadvantage
Condor Wind takes 47 frames to complete, making this move a dangerously punishable attempt, especially against close-range grapplers. To cope with this disadvantage, mix Lily’s buff with her combos. Luckily, Condor Wind has a one- to two-hitter follow-up strike which activates near the enemy. Use this to her advantage and get buffs mid-battle.
Pros and Cons of Playing as Lily
Regarding Street Fighter 6’s tier list, Lily is one of the less potent characters in the main roster. This is mainly because of her over-reliance on the wind buffs and slow movement despite her size. On the plus side, however, she’s an excellent poke with cost-effective combos and simple inputs.
Pros
- She has cheap and effective pokes.
- Her buffed moves are consistent.
- Her Command Grab is invincible.
- She has a small hitbox.
- Her combo inputs are easy to remember.
Cons
- She’s slow.
- Her pre-buff damage is low.
- Her Windclad buffs are not permanent.
- Most of her moves are interruptible.
How to Counter Lily
When it comes to countering Lily, it's best to use long- and close-range fighters. Lily's speed and dodge weaknesses make her an easy target for characters like Dhalsim and Cammy. Dhalsim's long reach allows him to keep Lily at a distance, while Cammy's fast close-range combos overwhelm her and prevent her from getting the necessary buffs.
Street Fighter 6 is available now on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
