Stick It to the Stickman Tier 3 Flying Kick: Combo Chains

The tier 3 flying kick is the single highest burst-damage melee strike in Stick It to the Stickman, capable of launching ragdoll executives across entire boardrooms while chaining into follow-up strikes. Players who learn to weave this move with proper synergy partners can solo the Chief Security Officer and the helicopter-riding CEO without ever pulling out a ranged weapon, which is why every speedrun route on the official Stick It to the Stickman Steam page treats the upgrade as a mandatory mid-run pickup.

Flying Kick Stats and Tier 3 Upgrade Path

The base Flying Kick move launches your stickman forward with a single devastating strike that knocks most early-game clerks airborne. At tier 1 the move deals moderate damage, at tier 2 it gains a small knockback bonus, and at tier 3 the flying kick transforms into a full-screen dash that pierces armor, ignores hyper-armor frames, and applies a brief stun on impact.

The tier 3 flying kick is unlocked by feeding three Kick Tokens to the Combat Portfolio altar, which is the same upgrade path used by the dropkick and roundhouse kick. Once evolved, the move fires three rapid hitboxes in quick succession, which makes it the backbone of nearly every multi-hit move combo in the game. According to developer documentation shared on the official Stick It to the Stickman website, the three-hit window was specifically tuned to reward aggressive close-range play, so pairing it with melee augments multiplies its effectiveness.

Best Move Synergy Combinations for Tier 3 Flying Kick

Move synergy combinations are the secret sauce that turns a single devastating strike into a run-ending combo sequence. The tier 3 flying kick synergizes with three move categories: launchers that prop enemies airborne, follow-up strikes that catch falling ragdolls, and finishers that detonate on stunned targets. Players on the Stick It to the Stickman Discord consistently rate the Chainsaw Slash + Flying Kick pairing as the strongest mid-game duo because the chainsaw pulls enemies in while the kick launches them outward, creating a devastating pinball effect across any office floor.

Launcher Pairings

Launcher moves are designed to send enemies airborne, and the flying kick can either precede them as a setup or follow them as a finisher. The most effective launchers paired with the tier 3 flying kick include Uppercut, Spinning Punch, and Dropkick, all of which can be evolved to tier 3 through the same Combat Portfolio system.

The Dropkick synergy is particularly important because the dropkick launches enemies straight up, which gives the flying kick a perfect window to dash in from range and apply the full three-hit multi-hit window mid-air. This is the foundation of most stun lock move chains players use against the Head of Sanitation, because his hyper-armor frames only reset after a full airborne sequence.

Finisher Pairings

Finisher moves detonate on enemies that are already airborne, stunned, or pinned against destructible office props. The tier 3 flying kick leaves most enemies in a 1.2-second stun window, which is more than enough time to chain a finisher before they recover. According to community testing shared on the r/Stickittothestickman subreddit, the most reliable finisher pairings are Groin Kick, Glue Gun burst, and Taser Strike, because each one applies a secondary status that extends the crowd-control window.

Melee vs Ranged Moves: When to Choose Flying Kick

The melee vs ranged moves debate in Stick It to the Stickman always comes back to the tier 3 flying kick, because no ranged weapon can match its single-strike burst damage against a single high-value target. Ranged staples like the Stapler Burst, Fire Extinguisher spray, and Telekinetic Copier are excellent for crowd control and for shredding weak clerks across wide rooms, but they cannot apply the stun + multi-hit combination that the flying kick delivers in a single button press.

Players who want to round out their combat portfolio with both melee and ranged coverage should consult the Stick It to the Stickman weapon upgrade paths guide, which maps every ranged option to its ideal melee partner. For players who prefer to stay purely in close quarters, the flying kick is the highest damage strike move in the game, and it can be paired with the Coffee Sip buff for an opening burst that melts most early-floor executives before they even draw their own weapons.

Stun Lock Move Chains and Multi-Hit Setups

Stun lock move chains are the bread and butter of high-floor Corporate Ladder runs, because executives gain hyper-armor frames after every third hit. The tier 3 flying kick resets that counter entirely, which means a well-timed kick can open a five-second vulnerability window on even the toughest boss. Multi-hit move combos built around the flying kick typically follow a four-step pattern: launcher into the air, flying kick to apply the three-hit multi-hit window, finisher to extend the stun, and a Coffee Sip buff to refresh the cooldown reduction.

This four-step chain is the baseline stun lock setup used by most speedrunners, and it can be modified depending on the encounter. Against the Chief Security Officer, players often swap the Groin Kick for a Chainsaw Slash, because his shield passive blocks all stun-apply moves except those with full armor pierce. Against the Head of Sanitation, the Taser Strike is the better finisher because his sanitation goons spawn continuously and need to be held in place while you burn down the boss. For more on how these moves rank against the broader roster, the Stick It to the Stickman S-tier archetypes breakdown covers the best combat portfolios and synergies for every worker archetype.

Best Archetypes for Flying Kick Builds

Not every archetype can take full advantage of the tier 3 flying kick, because some archetypes focus on ranged weapons, passive augments, or hyper-armor survival. The three archetypes that synergize best with the flying kick are the Caffeine Addict, the Ego Maniac, and the Intern, each of which complements the move's strengths with the right passive augments and perk rolls.

The Caffeine Addict is widely considered the best flying kick archetype because the agility bonuses let players dash in and out of melee range faster than any enemy can swing. Combined with the Quick Recovery augment, the cooldown on the tier 3 flying kick drops from 2.9 seconds to roughly 1.8 seconds, which is fast enough to chain two full kicks into a single boss vulnerability window. The Ego Maniac is the tankier alternative, because the hyper-armor headbutt lets players trade hits without flinching, which means the flying kick can be used as an opener even when surrounded.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced players misuse the tier 3 flying kick, and the most common mistake is firing it from too far away, which causes the move to whiff and lock the player into the full 2.9-second cooldown. The ideal range is between 3 and 8 meters, which is close enough to guarantee the three-hit multi-hit window but far enough to let the player dash in safely.

A second common mistake is mixing ranged and melee moves mid-chain, because the animation cancel on most ranged weapons is long enough to break the stun lock. According to the Stick It to the Stickman 1.0 launch trailer, the flying kick is designed to be a commitment move, so players who want to use it should build their entire combat portfolio around melee synergy rather than trying to pivot to ranged mid-fight.

Tier 3 Flying Kick and Achievement Progression

The tier 3 move upgrade achievement in Stick It to the Stickman is tied directly to evolving the flying kick to its final form, which means players who want to 100% the game must build their runs around the upgrade. According to community data, roughly 35% of players who reach the final floor have not yet unlocked the tier 3 flying kick, which is the single most common reason players fail the achievement check on the Executive Demotion trophy. The Stick It to the Stickman Executive Demotion trophy guide maps out the full upgrade ladder.

Players who focus on the flying kick as their primary carry move will find that the achievement roadmap smooths out dramatically after the second tier 3 evolution, because every boss from the third floor onward becomes a stun lock target rather than a survival check. For players who want a broader view of how the flying kick fits into the larger moves roster, the Stick It to the Stickman all moves list covers every move upgrade path, tier list ranking, and synergy pairing available in the 1.0 release.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the tier 3 flying kick and how do I unlock it?

The tier 3 flying kick is the final evolution of the base Flying Kick move, unlocked by feeding three Kick Tokens to the Combat Portfolio altar after first reaching tier 2. It deals 210 base damage across three rapid hitboxes, applies a 1.2-second stun, and pierces all armor types, making it the strongest single-target melee strike in the game.

What are the best move synergy combinations for the flying kick?

The strongest synergies pair the flying kick with a launcher like Dropkick or Uppercut, then chain a finisher like Groin Kick or Taser Strike during the 1.2-second stun window. The Coffee Sip buff should always be slotted as a cooldown refresh, and the full four-step chain can be repeated every 4-5 seconds for sustained burst damage.

Should I use melee or ranged moves with the flying kick?

Stick to melee for boss fights and tight office floors, because the flying kick's 2.9-second cooldown makes ranged hybrid builds feel clunky. Ranged weapons like the Glue Gun and Fire Extinguisher are still useful for crowd control on wide floors, but the flying kick should be your primary carry move against any single high-value target.

How do stun lock move chains work with the flying kick?

Stun lock chains rely on the 1.2-second stun window the flying kick applies, which is long enough to fit a full finisher and a Coffee Sip buff before the enemy recovers. The optimal pattern is Dropkick into Flying Kick into Groin Kick, which keeps most executives permanently disabled for the entire duration of a boss fight.

Which archetype is best for a flying kick build?

The Caffeine Addict is the strongest flying kick archetype because the agility and speed bonuses let players dash in and out of range faster than any enemy can swing. The Ego Maniac is a close second for players who prefer a tankier playstyle, while the Intern is the best starter build because its low-cooldown perks make the early-tier flying kick far more forgiving.