I'm still learning the game, but I'll help with what I've learned anyway.
Since this is your first time playing a DOA game, and more than likely you'll want to understand some terminology when reading strats, you'll want to know some of this stuff:
Directions on the D-pad / control stick corresponds to these numbers (NOTE: 5 is not a direction):
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7 8 9
4 5 6
1 2 3
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Face buttons correspond to these letters:
= P
= K
= H
= T
The DOA series revolves around a basic triangle system, or Rock-Paper-Scissors (RPS) system for 3D fighters:
Strikes beat throws.
Holds beat strikes.
Throws beat holds.
However, if you want to improve your skills even more, none of this will matter if you don't apply what you learn, much less fully understand. This is where knowing the stun system and applying what you know based on what you learned matching frame data to your opponent's, giving you a significant edge over those particularly not in the know.
So you're probably thinking, "I already know I can use a hold out of a stun". Yes, it's possible in most situations. But there are some others where you can't, and this is where things get interesting for guaranteed setups. These stuns are called unholdable stuns, or unholdables for short.
Unholdable stuns are types of stuns that the opponent cannot cancel with a hold until the stun animation is completely finished. These stuns must be stagger escaped by toggling the D-pad in order to get out of the stun quickly. The types of unholdable stuns of note are as follows:
1)
Faint stun: Opponent faints backwards to the ground.
This cannot be stagger escaped. If you're caught in this one, there's nothing you can do.
2)
Limbo stun: Opponent bends backwards as if he/she is doing the limbo before falling to the ground.
This cannot be stagger escaped. If you're caught in this one, there's nothing you can do.
3)
Sit-down stun: Usually done with low attacks, this stun caused the opponent to fall sideways on their butt, unable to take action until they recoil. Unlike the former two,
this unholdable stun can be stagger escaped.
One last thing you'll see often mentioned in this primer is the term "
stun threshold". During a match, stun threshold is indicated on screen
when the caption "Critical Stun!" turns from white to red. When you see this on screen while stunning your opponent, you have these options at your disposal:
1) You can gamble with using a launcher for the highest possible launch height for that move, following with a juggle of your choosing.
2) You can try to land a Critical Burst. If this move connects, the opponent is immobilized for 1.5 seconds, allowing you enough time to either:
A) Use a standard launching move which will result in an automatic Hi-Counter launch, which is the highest possible launch height outside of a Power Launcher.
B) A guaranteed Power Blow followup if you are at less than 50% health (indicated when your health bar is flashing red),
C) A guaranteed Power Launcher which launches the opponent very high to optimize juggles on even the heaviest weight classes, or...
Alternatively, you can forget using the Critical Burst altogether, and instead wait for the opponent to use a hold during stun and use a throw reset, or a throw that won't knock the opponent down.
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If you want to know how to read frame data, this thread may prove useful.
http://www.freestepdodge.com/threads/frame-data-explained.5412/
Also, the character you're using now is more than enough to help you understand the fundamentals of the game. If you want to learn more about her, you can always go here to get a better understanding of her current gameplay to date:
http://www.freestepdodge.com/threads/update-christie-as-of-doa5lr-version-1-08.5267/
EDIT: Fixed a minor misconception about Critical Burst followups.
