I wasn't sure about this build - I had thought it would be too simple. But looking into it, there was more to this character than I expected and I ended up being pretty happy with this build. As always, this build is conceptualized entirely in a vacuum, with choices made in my best attempt to fit the character. These choice may not hold up in a campaign with different themes and should be adjusted accordingly.
If you prefer watching over reading, check out the YouTube video on the character!
Let's get into the build for Chun-Li from Street Fighter!
CHUN-LI
SOURCE Street Fighter
BUILD GOALS
o An Interpol agent who joined the agency to investigate her father’s death at the hands of M. Bison
o Following the completion of this mission, she became a martial arts instructor and community figurehead
o Fights utilizing a combat style that draws from Kung Fu and Tai Chi
o Her signature move is the Hyakuretsukayu, a series of rapidfire kicks done from a standing position
o Spinning Bird Kick has Chun-Li go into a handstand before she spins while kicking out at enemies that draw close
o Sen’enshu is an overhead drop kick capable of knocking an enemy down
o Kikoken demonstrates that she has the ability to use ki as this attack launches a ranged blast of ki and has different forms depending on the punch input used to do the move
o Tenshokyaku is a jump kick during which Chun-Li makes several strikes, knocking her enemies into the air
o For her super moves, Kikosho summons a blast of ki energy in her hands before she makes a powerful palm strike against a foe
o Hoyokusen uses two Hyakuretsukayu in a row before delivering a powerful kick that launches the enemy skyward
o Soten Ranka actually starts with a punch to the gut before she delivers rapidfire fisticuffs against the enemy in midair. She finishes with a kick to launch them even higher, takes a quick sit, and then leaps after them with a finishing kick
o Capable of wall jumping
LEVEL 1
Ancestry & Heritage: Skilled Human
o Ability Boosts & Flaws: +Strength, +Dexterity
o Ancestry Feat: Natural Ambition
o Skill Increase: Acrobatics (trained)
Background: Detective
o Ability Boosts: +Wisdom, +Dexterity
o Skill Increase: Society (trained), Underworld Lore (trained)
o Background Feat: Streetwise
Class & Subclass: Monk
o Class Ability Boost: +Dexterity
o Skill Increase: Athletics (trained), Deception (trained), Medicine (trained), Stealth (trained)
o Class Feat: Ki Strike, Reflective Ripple Stance
Details
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Wisdom, +Charisma (Str +2, Dex +4, Con +0, Int +0, Wis +2, Cha +1)
I’ve been attempting to use ancestries for builds that conceptually fit rather than visually fit, but for Chun-Li, human is the way to go. It lets her take Natural Ambition for an extra class feat and the skilled heritage helps shore up her skills, which are otherwise a little lacking. Given her agility and flexibility, she picks up Acrobatics with her heritage. Detective feels like the best fit for her background as an Interpol agent as the rest of her backstory doesn’t really stand out. Monk is probably the most obvious choice for her class and she focuses on Dexterity as a monk. With the fluidity of her Strikes, Reflective Ripple Stance is the best option for her common attacks given that it is a finesse stance while Ki Strike is a step towards her Kikosho.
LEVEL 2
o Class Feat: Dancing Leaf
o Skill Feat: Quick Jump
o Gear: cloak of feline rest
LEVEL 3
o General Feat: Feather Step
o Skill Increase: Athletics (expert)
o Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+1), cloak of feline rest, stalk goggles
LEVEL 4
o Class Feat: Flying Kick
o Skill Feat: Cat Fall
o Gear: bracelet of dashing, handwraps of mighty blows (+1), steadyfoot tassel, cloak of feline rest
LEVEL 5
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Wisdom (Str +3, Dex +4.5, Con +1, Int +0, Wis +3, Cha +1)
o Ancestry Feat: Clever Improviser
o Skill Increase: Acrobatics (expert), Stealth (expert)
o Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking), bracelet of dashing, aerial cloak, steadyfoot tassel, cloak of feline rest, stalk goggles
Like many fighting game characters, Chun-Li makes some truly outstanding jumps and leaps, which will be demonstrated with Dancing Leaf and then further expands upon that with Flying Kick for her Sen’enshu. Quick Jump expands on her jumping ability as a skill feat while Cat Fall lets her land lightly on her feet regardless of the falls that her foes send her on. Matching this lightness on her feet, despite the sheer thickness of dem legs, she also takes Feather Step. I’ve used this excuse before, but Clever Improviser feels like a good fit for agent and spy-like characters and given that Chun-Li is indeed an Interpol agent, she picks it up.
LEVEL 6
o Class Feat: Ki Blast
o Skill Feat: Titan Wrestler
o Gear: +1 explorer’s clothing, handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking), lifting belt, bracelet of dashing, Jack’s tattered cape, steadyfoot tassel
LEVEL 7
o General Feat: Fleet
o Skill Increase: Acrobatics (master)
o Path to Perfection: Reflex (master)
o Gear: lesser grub gloves, +1 explorer’s clothing, lesser boots of free running, handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking), bracelet of dashing, aerial cloak
LEVEL 8
o Class Feat: One-Inch Punch
o Skill Feat: Kip Up
o Gear: ash gown, hauling weapon rune, lesser grub gloves, +1 explorer’s clothing, handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking), merciful weapon rune
LEVEL 9
o Ancestry Feat: Incredible Improvisation
o Skill Increase: Athletics (master)
o Gear: +1 resilient explorer’s clothing, ash gown, boots of bounding, lesser grub gloves, lesser boots of free running, handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking)
LEVEL 10
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Wisdom (Str +4, Dex +5, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +4, Cha +1)
o Class Feat: Flurry of Maneuvers
o Skill Feat: Wall Jump
o Gear: thunderblast slippers, +1 resilient explorer’s clothing, astral weapon rune, ash gown, lesser grub gloves, handwraps of mighty blows (+1 striking)
Expanding out of Ki Strike is Ki Blast, which allows her to send out her ki as a ranged attack, akin to her Kikoken. While Chun-Li is primarily known for her quick attacks, she lands some truly powerful blows as seen with her with the powerful kick in her Hoyokusen or the punch that opens her Soten Ranka. She takes up Flurry of Maneuvers to mix in Grapples or Trips with her Strikes based on the classic throws of fighting games and the knockdown of Sen’enshu. As light and lithe as Chun-Li is, she goes up against giants like Zangief and others without hesitation, leading to the inclusion of Titan Wrestler in her build. Then, based on how quickly she gets back on her feet after sitting down during her Soten Ranka, she uses Kip Up. Wall Jump fits with her ability to leap off the sides of the screen when cornered. While monk offers Chun-Li additional Speed, she has Fleet to make her even faster but more importantly allow her to jump even farther. She also expands upon her Clever Improviser with Incredible Improvisation.
LEVEL 11
o General Feat: Toughness
o Skill Increase: Stealth (master)
o Path to Perfection: Fortitude (master)
o Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+2 striking), armbands of athleticism, thunderblast slippers, +1 resilient explorer’s clothing, ash gown, boots of bounding
LEVEL 12
o Class Feat: Wave Spiral
o Skill Feat: Rolling Landing
o Gear: +2 resilient explorer’s clothing, handwraps of mighty blows (+2 striking), impactful weapon rune, thunderblast slippers, astral weapon rune, alluring scarf
LEVEL 13
o Ancestry Feat: Hardy Traveler
o Skill Increase: Underworld Lore (expert)
o Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+2 greater striking), +2 resilient explorer’s clothing, ki-channeling beads, impactful weapon rune, armbands of athleticism, thunderblast slippers
LEVEL 14
o Class Feat: Improved Knockback
o Skill Feat: Powerful Leap
o Gear: hellfire boots, handwraps of mighty blows (+2 greater striking), moderate grub globes, +2 resilient explorer’s clothing, daredevil boots, impactful weapon rune
LEVEL 15
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Wisdom, +Charisma (Str +4.5, Dex +5.5, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +4.5, Cha +2)
o General Feat: Incredible Initiative
o Skill Increase: Acrobatics (legendary)
o Path to Perfection: Reflex (legendary)
o Gear: +2 greater resilient explorer’s clothing, spacious pouch (type IV), hellfire boots, handwraps of mighty blows (+2 greater striking), ki-channeling beads, greater ash gown
Chun-Li is probably going to have to rely upon just making multiple Strikes to represent her Spinning Bird Kicks, but she could use Wave Spiral for the spinning of the attack. While knocking enemies across the arena isn’t exactly unusual in fighting games, Improved Knockback is meant to specifically represent the way that Chun-Li launches enemies skyward with her Tenshokyaku and Soten Ranka. To helps her jumps and rolls, she has Rolling Landing while Powerful Leap further enhances her jumping ability. From her general feats, Toughness helps her hang in the fight while Incredible Initiative helps her get into the fight quicker. Meanwhile, Chun-Li’s role as an Interpol agent and her stories within the Street Fighter series has led her all over the world, lending to the inclusion of Hardy Traveler.
LEVEL 16
o Class Feat: Flinging Blow
o Skill Feat: Water Sprint
o Gear: greater thunderblast slippers, +2 greater resilient explorer’s clothing, spacious pouch (type IV), hellfire boots, handwraps of mighty blows (+2 greater striking), moderate grub globes
LEVEL 17
o Ancestry Feat: Heroic Presence
o Skill Increase: Athletics (legendary)
o Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+3 greater striking), greater thunderblast slippers, greater astral weapon rune, +2 greater resilient explorer’s clothing, spacious pouch (type IV), hellfire boots
LEVEL 18
o Class Feat: Rippling Spin
o Skill Feat: Cloud Jump
o Gear: cloak of swiftness, handwraps of mighty blows (+3 greater striking), major crown of the fire eater, greater thunderblast slippers, +2 greater resilient explorer’s clothing, spacious pouch (type IV)
LEVEL 19
o General Feat: Thorough Search
o Skill Increase: Underworld Lore (master)
o Gear: +3 greater resilient explorer’s clothing, cloak of swiftness, 17, handwraps of mighty blows (+3 greater striking), greater thunderblast slippers, greater astral weapon rune
LEVEL 20
o Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Wisdom (Str +5, Dex +6, Con +3, Int +0, Wis +5, Cha +2)
o Class Feat: Enduring Quickness
o Skill Feat: Slippery Prey
o Gear: handwraps of mighty blows (+3 major striking), +3 greater resilient explorer’s clothing, mercurial mantle, greater armbands of athleticism, major crown of the fire eater, greater astral weapon rune
Flinging Blow is based on a similar concept and usage as her Improved Knockback and the build might not need both. I think Flinging Blow is the better of the two – or you could combine Improved Knockback with Knockback Strike for a similar effect. If you just want to retrain Improved Knockback, I’d look at options such as Wind Jump or Timeless Body since she’s looking pretty good for being in her fifties. Rippling Spin expands on her stance and enables her to move around her enemies while throwing them off-balance. Maneuvers like this usually aren’t huge in fighting games but it fits with some of her flowing style and does match nicely with the rest of the build. Naturally, with all her speed, Chun-Li takes Enduring Quickness as her final class feat, letting her weave in her movement with the rapidfire attacks that she is known for.
Cloud Jump is probably the most important skill feat among this block, letting her do the high jumps seen in her Soten Ranka. Decidedly a hero, Chun-Li uses Heroic Presence for her last ancestry feat mainly because humans desperately need better seventeenth level ancestry feats. Finally, she has Thorough Search since she is meant to be an Interpol agent and this will aid her in her investigations.
FREE ARCHETYPE SUGGESTIONS: Monk very capably covers Chun-Li and the extent of skills she displays, which makes it easy to use in a free archetype for but hard to give suggestions for. Given her agility and flexibility, she could make use of the Acrobat Dedication with feats such as Dodge Away, Tumbling Strike, and Tumbling Opportunist. She could also maybe take up Edgewatch Detective since she is an Interpol agent or could reinvest into her Intelligence to take up the Investigator Dedication, which offers greater options. Finally, she could pursue a Student of Perfection Dedication, which honestly might fit her the best with feats such as Perfect Strike, get to Perfect Ki Expert for unfolding wind buffet that will potentially allow her to make five Strikes in a round, which unfolding wind blitz also could with Perfect Ki Exemplar.
BUILD CONCLUSION
Chun-Li is a skilled human monk with the detective background, which serves to represent her work as an Interpol agent. Monk with its features like Powerful Fist serve to represent her basic fighting capability while her Reflective Ripple Stance with its agile and finesse traits serve for the rapidfire attacks that she is best known for – with Flurry of Blows, she can make four attacks in a round to represent her Hyakuretsukayu. Spinning Bird Kick can be accomplished simply by making multiple Strikes or through her Wave Spiral though that is a Trip rather than a Strike. Flying Kick can help to represent her Tenshokyaku or Sen’enshu while its knockdown effect may come from her Flurry of Maneuvers. Between Ki Strike and Ki Blast, Chun-Li is able to respectively replicate her Kikosho and her Kikoken given its range. Her attacks that launch enemies, such as Hoyokusen and Soten Ranka, can come from either Flurry of Maneuvers with a Shove or Improved Knockback and Flinging Blow. Finally, she is able to jump off the sides of the screen thanks to her Wall Jump skill feat.
This martial marvel matches mighty malefactors in melee, meting out masterful maneuvers while manifesting magnitudinous moxie.
Lemme know what you think and what other builds you would like to see!
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Have a fantastic Friday!
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