*Currently a WIP. Sections will be steadily added as the guide near completion!
-Before we start the guide off, if you're a beginner you should know the basics about reading frame data and inputs. I will use actual button macros throughout this guide, but here is a picture that shows you what the directional inputs are numerically:
1 ~ Down Back
2 ~ Down
3 ~ Down Forward
4 ~ Back
5 ~ Neutral/No Direction
6 ~ Forward
7 ~ Up Back
8 ~ Up
9 ~ Up Forward
-Next you should know the basics regarding how to read and interpret frame data. Here is an example: 20(4)25. The first number is the start up frames, which shows how many frames it take for the attack or throw to actually begin. The second number in parentheses is the total active frames during the attack animation, and finally the last number is the recovery, which shows how long it takes for the attack to recover so you can begin another attack. Worth noting is that the longer it takes for an attack to start up, the more likely you are to be jabbed or hit out of it, and the longer it takes for the attack to recover, the more likely you are to get hit or thrown afterwards.
-Another key thing you need to know is MOVE SAFETY. Move safety is how safe or unsafe an attack is on block, and you can see for yourself how unsafe an attack is by enabling the move details in training mode and looking at the move advantage. +1 or better frames means you have a frame advantage, meaning in this situation you're able to move first and the attack you use afterwards in that instance with no delays will be faster by that allowed advantage!(Example: If you perform an attack and gain +4, the attack you use immediately afterwards will be virtually 4 frames quicker than normal in that instance). +0 to -5 is safe, meaning you can not be throw punished after the attack, with the only exception being 5i neutral throws if you are left at -5. -6 to -7 is semi-safe, meaning you can be thrown if an opponent uses a quick throw, but longer framed throws will not get you, and -8 or worse is unsafe, meaning you can be thrown, so watch out when you use her unsafer attacks.
-Throughout this guide, to cut some corners and to eliminate text bulk, I will use the "i" symbol in place of the term "frames'. An example would be 23i, which basically is the same as saying 23 frames. Keep this in mind as you read this guide.
-Finally, another thing I will mention throughout is whether Momiji's attacks track, meaning if your opponent attempts to sidestep it, it will follow them, while if an attack has no tracking, it will not hit when sidestepped. Now that all the basic stuff is covered, let's transition to her pros and cons.
-Knowing what your chosen fighter specializes in and struggles in is a key thing I think you should know. This section will show her pros and cons, and I will provide a detailed summary to further explain them:
°Above average speed; Is a 10i striker with a 12i mid, and a 12i low in terms of neutral punches and a 12i kick with a 14i mid kick and a 14i kick in terms of neutral kicks. Good neutral with a plethora of swift moves at her disposal up close making her well suited against both characters quicker or somewhat faster than her.
°Smaller easy to use move kit making her easy to pick up and play compared to the other ninjas. Great for people looking to easily pocket or sub another character for a change of pace without much commitment! Relatively low execution combos with no overtly difficult gimmick or gameplan.
°Very good range and reach, having an assortment of attacks with good range giving her both a solid keep out and spacing game. Formidable at any range although mid range is a notable forte of hers. Attack safety and guard pressure is also further enhanced from good spacing knowledge!
°Can create and close gaps relatively quickly thanks to her special back air flip and her jump stance. This can help stay in her foe's face or away from them at a set distance in stages that'll allow it in open space. Generally has no issue being able to passively or aggressively lengthen or shorten the gap between her and her foes.
°Good combo game damage and wall carry. Has easy ways to easily confirm combos to make use of environment hazards including both walls and floors, making her very flexible! Combos are generally simple as well, not requiring much complexity although her more flashy combos offer greater wall carry and damage if mastered.
°Formidable stun game, having varied stuns allowing for a variety of different set ups and baits, including a faint stun, blind stun, and crumple stun.
°Has two unique jump stances that can be used for mix ups and combos; the first one is a simpler one that a high jab with two different options to finish it while her double jump stance allows her to use one of three safe attacks, including a launcher throw for opponents who favor guarding!
°A generally safe character having more than enough ways to safely poke and attack her foe without worry of being thrown in most cases.
°Decent tracking moves, having relatively threatening tracking moves that can easily catch foes who favor sidestepping. Also has good in string tracking options.
°Decent holds, with her mid punch and low kick holds granting her the ability to perform a manual combo for guaranteed damage. Also has an expert hold against mid punches that can be used to achieve additional damage against a good mid punch prediction.
°Good throws, having a variety including a launcher throw from her double jumping stance and a punish throw. Her throws also have varied environmental interactions ranging from wall hazards to ground hazards as well!
°Useful guard pressure, having a couple of moves she can use to guard break a foe who favors guarding and turtling, leaving her plus in those situations with an advantage to begin her offense.
°Has a unique fatal stun in her backturned move kit, giving her another way to pursue guaranteed damage.
°Is one of the several characters who has special fatal sit down stuns littered in her moveset, ideally against counter hit low attacks giving her a deceptive edge against foes reliant on lows.
°Good low crushes, having more than enough ways to easily avoid and punish low focused opponents.
°Dangerous counter hit game, as her attacks can often launch and cause a lengthy stun when correctly used, making it very risky to try to attack her when it's your turn to strike.
°Good oki/ground pressure game, having numerous ways to easily pack on the pressure against foes on the ground to force them up for pressure resets, making it easier for her to continue building momentum after her foe gets up from the ground. Also has moves she can use to easily force a force tech situation.
°A generally linear character who doesn't have much ways to mix up her attacks, with her mix ups being mostly 50/50s that can be easy to guard or predict. Will have to work much harder at higher level to avoid being held or read quickly since her options are easy to guard.
Not much versatility with her hit levels, having mostly mid punches and high punches with linear mid kicks and hardly any in string mix ups.
°Very lacking in terms of lows, having only one in string low mix up which is a 50/50 mix up from a slower low, and only one heavy low sweep which is not only slow but quite punishable. Can make opening up her opponent a chore as there's never much a major reason to crouch against her.
°While very safe, her safe moves tend to be easy to crouch, hold on reaction due to repeating hit levels, and she can be easily stepped.
°While she has good tracking moves, she's relatively linear in this area and can be predictable if she continously relies on them.
°Relatively roughly average walking speed when advancing or retreating. Doesn't hinder her much since it's more fluid pace can help her pace her approach but this can make it difficult for her to approach or retreat from aggressive foes without the help of her forward or backwards jumps.
°Somewhat lacking in raw evasive moves. Has a few ways she can evade specific strikes when at a disadvantage but these generally are more limited.
°Possibly one of the worst unique fatal stuns in the game, only being usable when backturned and being quite slower than usual making it only able to work into a combo set up after specific conditions such as a missed hold in the opponent's part. Generally very situational.
°Launchers are generally limited and predictable, making a stun launch game risky unless with the correct conditioning to lower an opponent's guard. Good reward but overall risky and vulnerable to being held. Stun game is also limited as her attacks are generally easy to read and hold, like her stun launch game, it's risky at higher level but generally damaging.
°Jumping stances are both somewhat telegraphed and linear in terms of options. Can get hi counter struck in the air if caught during the jump. Both also somewhat glaring flaws; Uzukaze only has two attack options besides the double jump and both options are generally unsafe. Amakake has stronger follow ups and an additional throw option but access to this jump stance is more limited and situational and the follow ups are much slower and telegraphed making usage more tricky to integrate at higher level.
°Is a lightweight so combos and juggles are especially effective against her, making her much more at risk for higher damage combos. Some characters also have access to certain juggles that only she can be juggled with as well which can potentially lead to more damaging juggles.
-To summarize this, Momiji is a more simplicit character who has both options for playing aggressive and defensive when needed thanks to her varied knowledge of ninjutsu and Aiki-ju-jutsu. As a ninja, she's naturally among the faster characters in the game being about above average in speed, and having ample attacks with good reach to keep her opponent locked out when playing the spacing game, making her strong at both close range, mid range, and mid far range! She's relatively damaging as well, having good combo damage and wall carry, and she is very simple to pick up due to her easy to learn combo set ups and juggles. Her damage can be quite devastating when she gets a launch and this is further enhanced when fighting in stages with dangerzones and hazards such as electric floors or nearby breakables. This also makes learning her best combos more rewarding rather than tedious when mastered.
Unique to her is her jumping stance Uzukaze that allows her to jump into to the air, granting you access to numerous options to rush the foe when moving in, and she can also perform a double jump from this stance called Amakake to extend her reach with even more deceptive attacks, including a launch throw, hard hitting punch or kick attacks, and a special charge move that can lead to great damage if the foe falls for it! Momiji is also generally safe as she has a maelstrom of safe moves , and her stuns are as threatening as they are varied. Guard pressure for her is also decent and her tracking is formidable, and she has well balanced holds and throws for all situations making her generally a well versed character.
However, Momiji is perhaps one of the most linear characters in the game as her string mix ups are very limited, making most of her strings easy 50/50 guess situations that the foe can easily hold or guard making her have trouble opening up foes who are heavily guarding or using a solid iron wall of defense, forcing her to rely more on delays and manual mix ups to keep the foe tripped up. Besides those, she also is comprised of static strings that only Her guard pressure can help, but again her options for applying pressure are usually predictable. Her jump stances may help mix up at times but it's mostly negative on block and her advantage is low if not negative as well if used as a free cancel in stun set ups making it a risk to bait for a hold if the foe doesn't fall for a hold bait. She'll generally struggle to open up opponents who are used to the match up and who have strong options to easily negate her strikes; Offensive holds and parries can easily shut down most of her kit making fighting defensive powerhouse characters like a Leifang a very uphill battle for her.
Overall, Momiji can be considered a more balanced offensive ranged ninja character who has a bit of everything from the main four; with Kasumi's focus on speed and counter hits, range that rivals Ayane and Hayate and solid keep out, pressure comparable to Hayate's block pressure and several moves from Hayabusa her mentor, she has everything she can need to be a threat if mastered and used to her best potential! As long as she plays at the range she's most comfortable at which is mid range, she can be an annoyance who can wisely condition her foes to open them up to her stronger mids and quick launches!
If you're also a Tamaki player, Momiji is also quite similar to her as well as both use general Aikido principles that focus on range and proper pacing, albeit with differences; While both are somewhat more limited, Momiji has an edge in pressure and speed as she can cancel into her Uzukaze jump, has numerous moves for applying both positive and negative guard breaks, and she is generally more mobile with her jumps and flips she can use to close and open gaps. Tamaki lacks Momiji's pressure and ninjutsu enhanced mobility but in its place she has better defensive tools such as a parry attack, offensive holds she can use raw, while running, or even from specific attacks and her expert holds are unique as they guarantee Tamaki damage while being able to hold them to prolong them making her able to easily catch moves without difficulty!
Besides that however both are generally equal in safety and can both deal equally threatening damage, but if you want another character who can give you a good alternative way to play with a style that goes hand in hand, Momiji is your dragon shrine maiden!
~I'm ready to learn!: For a quick run through of whats changed about Momiji from LR to 6, here's a mini section! Generally, Momiji is mostly the same however, she no longer has her power blow or her in air stance charged one, instead the air variant has been replaced with an on hit throw attack sequence that can deliver 12 combo hits if properly executed, making it a slower but very lethal attack if it hits! She's also been given a few more options, such as a new safe mid punch elbow that leaves her backturned and a 2-in-1 high jump kick ender guard break from her and strings giving her a bit more to work with. Her pressure has also been improved as her old now grants her positive guard break pressure on block and now only knocks down, and her fire attack has lost its close hit properties but now gives her more guard break advantage making her far better suited for pressure against foes quick to tech up or recover. This overall strengthens her mid close to mid range game since she now has reliable ways to build up guard pressure when the foe is focused on simply guarding.
Like the other returning fighters as well too, Momiji has gained a new way to extend combos via a bound state; her jump stance allows her to do this with > which ends her string with a downwards mid kick that slams the foe on the ground into this state, allowing her to end the combo with , her new close hitter attack that will deal increased damage when done close enough to trigger the close hit property! She also has a backturned fatal stun kick that replaces her old , with that backwards flip being now assigned as . Her old power launcher has also had its charge ability removed, in favor of making it now a standalone move that can lead into her command throw or into the additional string hits via .
Besides that however, she is mostly the same as before and is still somewhat linear, but she can fare well if properly keeping her opponent at the mercy of her ranged game and pressure! She's generally overall better suited for closer range now and has easier ways to apply pressure to foes now!
-This section will break down Momiji's signature Uzukaze and Amakake stances, jumping stances that are integral in her move kit.
Her easiest stance is which is Uzukaze, an overall 30i jump that covers a decent distance, being ideal for about mid range usage. It can be followed up with a hit as soon as 15i making it a good way to move in on a foe and it avoids lows as well!
~Not enough!: Momiji is able to transition into her Uzukaze jump stance via the following moves by inputting or up after the attack: , , , and . From these attacks, the jump can be used multiple ways, whether to avoid a potential throw attempt from a grab happy opponent, to bait a reaction such as a crouch or sidestep or to even fool your opponent and to second guess them attempting to hold against you as Momiji will often be at an advantage if she doesn't use a follow up and the foe hasn't went for a panic hold. Make sure to put this to good use so you can show Ryu that as a dragon shrine maiden, you will forever be at his service!
Here's some options she can utilize from it:
- Her 10i high swipe jab with 41i recovery, it's her quickest option and perfect for a way to get in from a distance. It tracks and with the jump giving it most of its range, it's about a decent reach move allowing you to attempt an assault from mid range. The move however is one that demands careful usage and commitment since if it hits on normal hit, you'll stun the foe but be -10 unless you finish the attack with one of its enders. It's also a shocking -16 on block making it a risky free cancel, and it's easy to crouch overall since it's a high. Can be used as a bait move to test the reaction of the foe but quite risk. When done to a foe facing away, you'll gain a +6 crumple stun that'll guarantee her ender options.
From the P attack, she has the following enders:
()- Her 13i high slashing follow up with 29i recovery, this tracks as well too and also covers a bit of distance making it a more last ditch effort to avoid a whiff if the first strike misses. It'll cause a +5 stun on hit and will cause a +30 blind stun on hit, being one of her scariest stuns on offer. When you score this, basically any move in her arsenal can connect and all her launchers can be used. The move string also jails on block, but is unsafe at -10, but this is far safer than a single 9PP attempt, so use this if you know you're likely going to get thrown but wish to avoid a heavier risk punish throw from your opponent. Useful as well in extended juggle combos as refloat making it a great extension tool from more complex juggle set ups.
Can be used against a back facing foe for a +20 to +21 stun you can continue a stun into or a quick launch.
()- Her 18i upwards mid kick with 32i recovery. With good reach, tracking and being a good way to check crouches and sidesteps, this is a lethal option from P since it launches on normal hit, getting you a decent launch for a shorter combo, although it'll give you the most launch height from a stun launch or counter hit launch. Unsafe however at -15 when blocked, but it does have a final kick ender that the foe will have to respect, although the recovery from this move will make free cancel easy to since since this has no delay opportunity for its ender meaning you'll have to commit to it if finishing the string.
()- Her mid kick ender, which has her perform a downwards 22i mid kick with 25i recovery. Has reach but is able to be stepped and it's unsafe at -14. This move is special since it'll cause a bound while juggling the foe that swats them to the ground for an easy close hit ender or something similar! Besides that however it doesn't do anything noteworthy besides causing a normal knockdown on hit or counter hit. When done against a foe facing away it'll cause a +14 crumple stun for a quicker stun set up if you wish to pursue it!
-That concludes her string from this attack! Here's her other moves:
~- Performs a 12i mid kick with 25i recovery if it whiffs and 19i recovery on block or hit. With the jump, it has decent reach, making it another way try to stun the foe from a distance. This follow up is special since it'll lead into her Amakake double jump stance on hit and block making it useful for many areas such as stuns, ending in a guard break on block, or as an ender in juggle set ups!
On hit it'll also cause a +49 reel back stun that can also be free cancelled to perform anything that's 16i raw such as launcher or more ranged follow up, although walls can easily cage foe to easily connect shorter ranged attacks. If blocked it'll cause a +14 guard break that'll give you more ease in making sure her Amakake follow ups have the breathing room to easily counter hit your foe if they attempt to strike you in anticipation of a free cancel. You'll also be left squatting meaning highs will miss you.
While intuitive, the attack when blocked is vulnerable to strike punishment during the crouch since the recovery doesn't suit a free cancel when guarded, leaving you open to a low throw, low offensive hold, or any quick low strike or mid that's as fast as 11i. This makes mids dangerous since you'll be considered crouching.
- Her most passive option which is her 15i Amakake double jump. Naturally since it's a jump, it'll evade lows and can cross up the foe to switch sides up close, allowing it to also avoid certain attacks at times. Being lengthy, this is a more telegraphed option that must be used carefully as Momiji is open to a hi counter strike if struck during the jump and since the height she's at is already quite high, the damage can be severe depending on the location. The jump however is an excellent extension for combo enders to ensure it'll lead to her other hard hitting options to slam the foe into the desired danger zone!
The next section will cover her Amakake, her double jump. This stance is however more limited in terms of access since it can only be entered by itself from a>. However, while situational, she can also enter the jump stance from a near a wall with the foe's back to it, from a successful low throw against a forward or back facing crouch, from a with your back to a wall by using during the brief wall squat, and from a successful low kick hold.
These are the attacks she's able to perform from the jump:
- A rather complex option, this is her 45i to 46i downwards mid attack that has her slash at her foe with a 46i aerial high into a 12i mid with 23i recovery. This is her staple ender for stages with floor hazards, and if the foe is airborne or launched on hit it'll result in 2 hit! The high however will mostly miss in neutral situations so only count on it to hit when juggling. On hit it'll cause a normal knockdown and this will occur on counter hit too, making it relatively non threatening. Hi counter hit will result in a bounce however that will allow a 6PP(for wall hazards), KK(For quick no timing force tech set ups) or PPPP(for optimal wall hazard enders) or PPP4P(for optimal floor hazards enders) even against heavies making it a risky move for a foe to attempt a throw.
On block it'll cause a guard break that's -1 but max range will leave you +1, making it a relatively painless safe move to use although the telegraphed nature of this move leave it vulnerable to holds. The attack will also not track making it rather easy to step. A true mid, making it a slower way to punish foes in stances that can avoid a normal mid. Also has good reach making it a useful way to attempt a move in.
-Ends her jump with a 57i to 58i jumping high kick with 26i recovery. This is her other staple ender for juggles when you want something for sending foes flying into wall hazards as it has alot of pushback, and it has decent reach. Will always interact with wall hazards and will always knockback on hit. When blocked, the attack will cause a +2 to +3 guard break depending on distance making it a useful way to allow another attempt to pressure the foe if they choose to block.
The option however is vulnerable to crouches and can be stepped making it a risk, especially if you over do using her throw option and condition the foe to low crouch to evade it. However, if an opponent is playing smart and doesn't want to risk a low hold in fear of a mid ender, this can be used to easily blast back foes who have been conditioned to not panic hold. Besides use as an ender, being a positive guard break however and being dangerous near wall, the move itself offers no real other reward on hit besides higher damage from counters or wall hazards
- Her most overhauled option from DOA5LR, this is a lengthy 75i(74i from transitions) air mid shoulder strike with 40i recovery that'll knock down on hit, although whiffing is risky. The attack is unique since it's able to be charged, allowing you to enter one of three phases when charged or not charged. All phases however have good reach which varying on guard safety depending on how long you've charged it. The move however as a whole does
In phase 1 with little to no charge, it'll cause a normal knockdown and will wallsplat, allowing for an easy combo from a wall such. The move however is unsafe at -10 on block up close but can become safer at max range at -5 to -9 depending on how you spaced it making it a useful safer strike for players who are very well versed in how far they can space for it to hit.
Phase 2 is able to be entered if the move is charged to about 81i and will have a lesser 35i recovery. This will lead to a special on hit strike throw sequence that will be entered if charged to 80i, which will lead to Momiji unleashing devastating back strikes to her incapacitated before launching them and sending them slamming into the ground with her powerful fire ninpo, which results in 9 devastating hits. If the or or is timed well during the combo throw prompt(either as soon as it appears or during the mid latter attack sequence when she stagger her foe while they're facing away), it lead however to 12 devastating hits that'll result in much higher damage! This makes the move useful as a way to punish foes who have been conditioned to either not panic hold from Amakake in fear of the launcher throw or who have gotten used to holding and expecting her high kick ender instead making this one of the stronger options, especially in stages with floor hazards! If blocked, it'll cause a +8 guard break up close and at max range it'll result in a +13 to +17 stun that can lead to numerous guaranteed strikes! To save time however, those will be added in a bit later for ease!
Phase 3 is the strongest and will be done if you charge to the max which is 95i, making this her strongest variant with the most reach and damage potential, and it'll lead to the same throw sequence as Phase 2 charge would. Overall the attack itself in all phases is seeable and able to be reacted to but conditioning the foe to fear one of the phases can help you throw them off by making them second reactions based on how long you decided to charge it. All phases lack tracking however so be prepared to face either a sidestep or special sidestep in most situations if done raw.
- Her 51i(from transitions) to 52i throw option, Momiji performs an aerial knee to neck hold before flipping them upwards in the air vulnerable to additional damage. This is the best option for catching foes quick to hold in stun for its good combo reward, and it's range make it a useful trap for foes who are being defensive from a mid range distance. Since it's a throw it naturally will track making it useful as her way to check sidesteps since this is her only tracking option. While useful, the throw however will leave her open to crouching and standing throws during the recovery since she goes from crouching to briefly squatting. The throw will also not work against special sidesteps that involve a crouching state.
Make it your aim to not make this a habit to go in since it can get predictable, but rather condition your foe to expect it or fear it to keep them open to her other strike options.
-This concludes her break down of her jump stances, remember to always use them wisely as they have powerful options and damage potential, but overall more linearity and predictable nature compared to other more fleshed out stances. Now let's get into her break gauge mechanics!
/- You can use ¼ of the meter to perform a side step attack. This is a 27i mid punch strike with 30 frame recovery that knocks back the opponent full screen. Unsafe at -15 and doesn't track.
- You can use ½ the meter to perform a Break Hold. A break hold is a hold that will hold any attack but does very low damage. This will also provide +5 advantage and reset the positions to round 1 fight distance, resetting the neutral. These are also the only way to escape a fatal stun from attacks or a break blow cancel.
- You can use a full meter to perform a Break Blow. Momiji's break blow and break blows in general are a powerful attack with Sabaki type properties, meaning it'll interrupt strikes if timed right, allowing you to unleash a damaging blow that'll send the opponent flying backwards, clothes tattered and bruised. The attack is also able to be used after certain launches, after bounds, and even after certain wallsplats. The disadvantage is that it can be shut down with a simple low strike and can be hi counter thrown and the move can be stepped and held. +4 on block.
~Wow, very good!: There's more to the Break Blow than you think: if you press H once it hits, Momiji will perform a Break Blow Cancel. A cancel will stop the full blow from coming out and will leave the opponent in a fatal stun state. While in fatal stun, the opponent will be unable to do anything unless they have ½ a meter available to break hold to escape the stun, meaning you can use the cancel as an opportunity to go for more damage than the Break Blow may do in set situations, especially in certain environments with the right conditions. Be wary since if your opponent has meter, they can use the meter to escape the fatal stun, but you can also use this as a way to go for a hi counter throw set up if you anticipate this. Also be wary that the opponent is only limited to break holds for escape as long as you don't use any normal attacks to continue the stun, since after that the opponent will not be in the fatal stun anymore; in this case they can regularly hold which although is a risk, you can use to pursue even more damage or a hi counter throw set up.
There's other attacks you can use that involve the new button, but don't cost meter:
/- This lets you avoid linear or non tracking attacks at the press of a button. You can use this to avoid specific attacks and punish the recovery with a throw, but be wary since sidesteps lose to throws and will result in a counter throw. If you have meter, you can use ¼ of it to follow up a step with a side step attack. If the sidestep attack is done near walls with rope properties, it'll cause a +51 to +53 wall rope rebound stun that leaves the foe at a major disadvantage. This is possible in stages like Muscle, Sweat, and the Colosseum from a certain distance. Be wary for fatal rush attacks since the first hit will turn the opponent backwards in a fatal stun, which can lead to some deadly back turned situations. The side step attack also has no tracking so your opponent can step you for it as well.
Another thing is a fatal rush: a string that puts the opponent in a fatal stun, and finishing it can lead to quick damage, but you can also stop part way through and make a custom combo using the fatal stun:
- The first hit is the only one that can be done unless it hits. This is a 18i tracking high punch with 28i recovery. On hit, it'll result in a fatal stun which you can then follow with the other 3 attacks(the frames and the hit level don't really matter since only break holds can stop them and they can't be done unless the first strike hits). You can also use it in stun since the fatal stun eliminates the worry about opponents using normal holds and it'll force them to use their meter if they don't want to risk guaranteed damage. attacks with close hit properties will also have their close hit damage added on again in fatal stuns as well too! Momiji will perform 7 hits with her fatal rush and then the final one will cause a knockback. The first two parts involve 2 single hits while the 3rd part consists of 4 quickly executed hits before finishing with a final hit that will cause the knockback. Momiji's fatal rush is one of the more unique fatal rushes compared to standard ones since the quicker execution flow of the 2nd and 3rd hits allows it to be used from a variety of situations including as an ender from bounds and as a staple wall splat hit as well!
When the full string hits, it'll knock back and can wall splat. The string can also be used in juggles and after certain launchers as well if the height is high enough. If done on block, you'll be unsafe at -12, and be careful since the string can be ducked and low crushed. The string is also strong against side steps as it will cause a fatal stun that leaves them back turned and open to a guaranteed back turned set up. The string will also cause a +56i rebound rope wall stun in stages like Sweat or Muscle that have wall rope properties, but only from a certain distance.
If you have a full meter and do the string, you'll automatically transition into your break blow, but if you wish to save your meter, do so that you won't waste meter. DOA6 is a game where meter management is important, so be sure to save it and stock up for when you'll need it. Avoid wasting it on random sidestep attacks and nasty break blows and use it when the time's right and when it's absolutely necessary since sometimes your opponent will attempt to force you to discard it and bait reactions to make you waste it which is the last thing you want to do. Make every time you use the meter count!
Now that we've finished the rundown of the Break System and you better understand it, let's ease into her moveset!
Table of contents
Section 1: Explanation of reading frame data & understanding numerical input
Section 2: Momiji's Pros & Cons with a Rundown Summary
Section _: Momiji's Uzukaze & Amakake Jump Stances
Section _: Momiji's Uzukaze & Amakake Jump Stances
Section 3: The Break Gauge & the Break System
Section 3: The Break Gauge & the Break System
Section 4: Momiji's Full Moveset Breakdown(WIP)
Section 5: Momiji's Throws Explanation(WIP)
Section 6: Momiji's Holds Explanation(WIP)
Section 7: Momiji Basic Combos and Set Ups(WIP)
Section 8: Momiji's Offensive Pressure Tools(WIP)
Section 9: Momiji's Defensive Pressure Tools(WIP)
Section 10: Momiji's Anti-Sidestep Pressure Tools(WIP)
Section 11: Momiji's Ranged Tools(WIP)
Section 12: Closing Remarks & Future Expansion(WIP)
Section 9: Momiji's Defensive Pressure Tools(WIP)
Section 10: Momiji's Anti-Sidestep Pressure Tools(WIP)
Section 11: Momiji's Ranged Tools(WIP)
Section 12: Closing Remarks & Future Expansion(WIP)
Section 1: Explanation of reading frame and understanding numerical input
-Before we start the guide off, if you're a beginner you should know the basics about reading frame data and inputs. I will use actual button macros throughout this guide, but here is a picture that shows you what the directional inputs are numerically:
1 ~ Down Back
2 ~ Down
3 ~ Down Forward
4 ~ Back
5 ~ Neutral/No Direction
6 ~ Forward
7 ~ Up Back
8 ~ Up
9 ~ Up Forward
-Next you should know the basics regarding how to read and interpret frame data. Here is an example: 20(4)25. The first number is the start up frames, which shows how many frames it take for the attack or throw to actually begin. The second number in parentheses is the total active frames during the attack animation, and finally the last number is the recovery, which shows how long it takes for the attack to recover so you can begin another attack. Worth noting is that the longer it takes for an attack to start up, the more likely you are to be jabbed or hit out of it, and the longer it takes for the attack to recover, the more likely you are to get hit or thrown afterwards.
-Another key thing you need to know is MOVE SAFETY. Move safety is how safe or unsafe an attack is on block, and you can see for yourself how unsafe an attack is by enabling the move details in training mode and looking at the move advantage. +1 or better frames means you have a frame advantage, meaning in this situation you're able to move first and the attack you use afterwards in that instance with no delays will be faster by that allowed advantage!(Example: If you perform an attack and gain +4, the attack you use immediately afterwards will be virtually 4 frames quicker than normal in that instance). +0 to -5 is safe, meaning you can not be throw punished after the attack, with the only exception being 5i neutral throws if you are left at -5. -6 to -7 is semi-safe, meaning you can be thrown if an opponent uses a quick throw, but longer framed throws will not get you, and -8 or worse is unsafe, meaning you can be thrown, so watch out when you use her unsafer attacks.
-Throughout this guide, to cut some corners and to eliminate text bulk, I will use the "i" symbol in place of the term "frames'. An example would be 23i, which basically is the same as saying 23 frames. Keep this in mind as you read this guide.
-Finally, another thing I will mention throughout is whether Momiji's attacks track, meaning if your opponent attempts to sidestep it, it will follow them, while if an attack has no tracking, it will not hit when sidestepped. Now that all the basic stuff is covered, let's transition to her pros and cons.
Section 2: Momiji's Pros & Cons with a Rundown Summary
-Knowing what your chosen fighter specializes in and struggles in is a key thing I think you should know. This section will show her pros and cons, and I will provide a detailed summary to further explain them:
Pros/Strengths
°Above average speed; Is a 10i striker with a 12i mid, and a 12i low in terms of neutral punches and a 12i kick with a 14i mid kick and a 14i kick in terms of neutral kicks. Good neutral with a plethora of swift moves at her disposal up close making her well suited against both characters quicker or somewhat faster than her.
°Smaller easy to use move kit making her easy to pick up and play compared to the other ninjas. Great for people looking to easily pocket or sub another character for a change of pace without much commitment! Relatively low execution combos with no overtly difficult gimmick or gameplan.
°Very good range and reach, having an assortment of attacks with good range giving her both a solid keep out and spacing game. Formidable at any range although mid range is a notable forte of hers. Attack safety and guard pressure is also further enhanced from good spacing knowledge!
°Can create and close gaps relatively quickly thanks to her special back air flip and her jump stance. This can help stay in her foe's face or away from them at a set distance in stages that'll allow it in open space. Generally has no issue being able to passively or aggressively lengthen or shorten the gap between her and her foes.
°Good combo game damage and wall carry. Has easy ways to easily confirm combos to make use of environment hazards including both walls and floors, making her very flexible! Combos are generally simple as well, not requiring much complexity although her more flashy combos offer greater wall carry and damage if mastered.
°Formidable stun game, having varied stuns allowing for a variety of different set ups and baits, including a faint stun, blind stun, and crumple stun.
°Has two unique jump stances that can be used for mix ups and combos; the first one is a simpler one that a high jab with two different options to finish it while her double jump stance allows her to use one of three safe attacks, including a launcher throw for opponents who favor guarding!
°A generally safe character having more than enough ways to safely poke and attack her foe without worry of being thrown in most cases.
°Decent tracking moves, having relatively threatening tracking moves that can easily catch foes who favor sidestepping. Also has good in string tracking options.
°Decent holds, with her mid punch and low kick holds granting her the ability to perform a manual combo for guaranteed damage. Also has an expert hold against mid punches that can be used to achieve additional damage against a good mid punch prediction.
°Good throws, having a variety including a launcher throw from her double jumping stance and a punish throw. Her throws also have varied environmental interactions ranging from wall hazards to ground hazards as well!
°Useful guard pressure, having a couple of moves she can use to guard break a foe who favors guarding and turtling, leaving her plus in those situations with an advantage to begin her offense.
°Has a unique fatal stun in her backturned move kit, giving her another way to pursue guaranteed damage.
°Is one of the several characters who has special fatal sit down stuns littered in her moveset, ideally against counter hit low attacks giving her a deceptive edge against foes reliant on lows.
°Good low crushes, having more than enough ways to easily avoid and punish low focused opponents.
°Dangerous counter hit game, as her attacks can often launch and cause a lengthy stun when correctly used, making it very risky to try to attack her when it's your turn to strike.
°Good oki/ground pressure game, having numerous ways to easily pack on the pressure against foes on the ground to force them up for pressure resets, making it easier for her to continue building momentum after her foe gets up from the ground. Also has moves she can use to easily force a force tech situation.
Cons/Weaknesses
°A generally linear character who doesn't have much ways to mix up her attacks, with her mix ups being mostly 50/50s that can be easy to guard or predict. Will have to work much harder at higher level to avoid being held or read quickly since her options are easy to guard.
Not much versatility with her hit levels, having mostly mid punches and high punches with linear mid kicks and hardly any in string mix ups.
°Very lacking in terms of lows, having only one in string low mix up which is a 50/50 mix up from a slower low, and only one heavy low sweep which is not only slow but quite punishable. Can make opening up her opponent a chore as there's never much a major reason to crouch against her.
°While very safe, her safe moves tend to be easy to crouch, hold on reaction due to repeating hit levels, and she can be easily stepped.
°While she has good tracking moves, she's relatively linear in this area and can be predictable if she continously relies on them.
°Relatively roughly average walking speed when advancing or retreating. Doesn't hinder her much since it's more fluid pace can help her pace her approach but this can make it difficult for her to approach or retreat from aggressive foes without the help of her forward or backwards jumps.
°Somewhat lacking in raw evasive moves. Has a few ways she can evade specific strikes when at a disadvantage but these generally are more limited.
°Possibly one of the worst unique fatal stuns in the game, only being usable when backturned and being quite slower than usual making it only able to work into a combo set up after specific conditions such as a missed hold in the opponent's part. Generally very situational.
°Launchers are generally limited and predictable, making a stun launch game risky unless with the correct conditioning to lower an opponent's guard. Good reward but overall risky and vulnerable to being held. Stun game is also limited as her attacks are generally easy to read and hold, like her stun launch game, it's risky at higher level but generally damaging.
°Jumping stances are both somewhat telegraphed and linear in terms of options. Can get hi counter struck in the air if caught during the jump. Both also somewhat glaring flaws; Uzukaze only has two attack options besides the double jump and both options are generally unsafe. Amakake has stronger follow ups and an additional throw option but access to this jump stance is more limited and situational and the follow ups are much slower and telegraphed making usage more tricky to integrate at higher level.
°Is a lightweight so combos and juggles are especially effective against her, making her much more at risk for higher damage combos. Some characters also have access to certain juggles that only she can be juggled with as well which can potentially lead to more damaging juggles.
-To summarize this, Momiji is a more simplicit character who has both options for playing aggressive and defensive when needed thanks to her varied knowledge of ninjutsu and Aiki-ju-jutsu. As a ninja, she's naturally among the faster characters in the game being about above average in speed, and having ample attacks with good reach to keep her opponent locked out when playing the spacing game, making her strong at both close range, mid range, and mid far range! She's relatively damaging as well, having good combo damage and wall carry, and she is very simple to pick up due to her easy to learn combo set ups and juggles. Her damage can be quite devastating when she gets a launch and this is further enhanced when fighting in stages with dangerzones and hazards such as electric floors or nearby breakables. This also makes learning her best combos more rewarding rather than tedious when mastered.
Unique to her is her jumping stance Uzukaze that allows her to jump into to the air, granting you access to numerous options to rush the foe when moving in, and she can also perform a double jump from this stance called Amakake to extend her reach with even more deceptive attacks, including a launch throw, hard hitting punch or kick attacks, and a special charge move that can lead to great damage if the foe falls for it! Momiji is also generally safe as she has a maelstrom of safe moves , and her stuns are as threatening as they are varied. Guard pressure for her is also decent and her tracking is formidable, and she has well balanced holds and throws for all situations making her generally a well versed character.
However, Momiji is perhaps one of the most linear characters in the game as her string mix ups are very limited, making most of her strings easy 50/50 guess situations that the foe can easily hold or guard making her have trouble opening up foes who are heavily guarding or using a solid iron wall of defense, forcing her to rely more on delays and manual mix ups to keep the foe tripped up. Besides those, she also is comprised of static strings that only Her guard pressure can help, but again her options for applying pressure are usually predictable. Her jump stances may help mix up at times but it's mostly negative on block and her advantage is low if not negative as well if used as a free cancel in stun set ups making it a risk to bait for a hold if the foe doesn't fall for a hold bait. She'll generally struggle to open up opponents who are used to the match up and who have strong options to easily negate her strikes; Offensive holds and parries can easily shut down most of her kit making fighting defensive powerhouse characters like a Leifang a very uphill battle for her.
Overall, Momiji can be considered a more balanced offensive ranged ninja character who has a bit of everything from the main four; with Kasumi's focus on speed and counter hits, range that rivals Ayane and Hayate and solid keep out, pressure comparable to Hayate's block pressure and several moves from Hayabusa her mentor, she has everything she can need to be a threat if mastered and used to her best potential! As long as she plays at the range she's most comfortable at which is mid range, she can be an annoyance who can wisely condition her foes to open them up to her stronger mids and quick launches!
If you're also a Tamaki player, Momiji is also quite similar to her as well as both use general Aikido principles that focus on range and proper pacing, albeit with differences; While both are somewhat more limited, Momiji has an edge in pressure and speed as she can cancel into her Uzukaze jump, has numerous moves for applying both positive and negative guard breaks, and she is generally more mobile with her jumps and flips she can use to close and open gaps. Tamaki lacks Momiji's pressure and ninjutsu enhanced mobility but in its place she has better defensive tools such as a parry attack, offensive holds she can use raw, while running, or even from specific attacks and her expert holds are unique as they guarantee Tamaki damage while being able to hold them to prolong them making her able to easily catch moves without difficulty!
Besides that however both are generally equal in safety and can both deal equally threatening damage, but if you want another character who can give you a good alternative way to play with a style that goes hand in hand, Momiji is your dragon shrine maiden!
~I'm ready to learn!: For a quick run through of whats changed about Momiji from LR to 6, here's a mini section! Generally, Momiji is mostly the same however, she no longer has her power blow or her in air stance charged one, instead the air variant has been replaced with an on hit throw attack sequence that can deliver 12 combo hits if properly executed, making it a slower but very lethal attack if it hits! She's also been given a few more options, such as a new safe mid punch elbow that leaves her backturned and a 2-in-1 high jump kick ender guard break from her and strings giving her a bit more to work with. Her pressure has also been improved as her old now grants her positive guard break pressure on block and now only knocks down, and her fire attack has lost its close hit properties but now gives her more guard break advantage making her far better suited for pressure against foes quick to tech up or recover. This overall strengthens her mid close to mid range game since she now has reliable ways to build up guard pressure when the foe is focused on simply guarding.Like the other returning fighters as well too, Momiji has gained a new way to extend combos via a bound state; her
jump stance allows her to do this with > which ends her string with a downwards mid kick that slams the foe on the ground into this state, allowing her to end the combo with , her new close hitter attack that will deal increased damage when done close enough to trigger the close hit property! She also has a backturned fatal stun kick that replaces her old , with that backwards flip being now assigned as . Her old power launcher has also had its charge ability removed, in favor of making it now a standalone move that can lead into her command throw or into the additional string hits via .Besides that however, she is mostly the same as before and is still somewhat linear, but she can fare well if properly keeping her opponent at the mercy of her ranged game and pressure! She's generally overall better suited for closer range now and has easier ways to apply pressure to foes now!
Section 3: Momiji's Uzukaze & Amakake Jump Stances
-This section will break down Momiji's signature Uzukaze and Amakake stances, jumping stances that are integral in her move kit.
Her easiest stance is
which is Uzukaze, an overall 30i jump that covers a decent distance, being ideal for about mid range usage. It can be followed up with a hit as soon as 15i making it a good way to move in on a foe and it avoids lows as well! ~Not enough!: Momiji is able to transition into her Uzukaze jump stance via the following moves by inputting or up after the attack: , , , and . From these attacks, the jump can be used multiple ways, whether to avoid a potential throw attempt from a grab happy opponent, to bait a reaction such as a crouch or sidestep or to even fool your opponent and to second guess them attempting to hold against you as Momiji will often be at an advantage if she doesn't use a follow up and the foe hasn't went for a panic hold. Make sure to put this to good use so you can show Ryu that as a dragon shrine maiden, you will forever be at his service!Here's some options she can utilize from it:
- Her 10i high swipe jab with 41i recovery, it's her quickest option and perfect for a way to get in from a distance. It tracks and with the jump giving it most of its range, it's about a decent reach move allowing you to attempt an assault from mid range. The move however is one that demands careful usage and commitment since if it hits on normal hit, you'll stun the foe but be -10 unless you finish the attack with one of its enders. It's also a shocking -16 on block making it a risky free cancel, and it's easy to crouch overall since it's a high. Can be used as a bait move to test the reaction of the foe but quite risk. When done to a foe facing away, you'll gain a +6 crumple stun that'll guarantee her ender options.From the P attack, she has the following enders:
()- Her 13i high slashing follow up with 29i recovery, this tracks as well too and also covers a bit of distance making it a more last ditch effort to avoid a whiff if the first strike misses. It'll cause a +5 stun on hit and will cause a +30 blind stun on hit, being one of her scariest stuns on offer. When you score this, basically any move in her arsenal can connect and all her launchers can be used. The move string also jails on block, but is unsafe at -10, but this is far safer than a single 9PP attempt, so use this if you know you're likely going to get thrown but wish to avoid a heavier risk punish throw from your opponent. Useful as well in extended juggle combos as refloat making it a great extension tool from more complex juggle set ups.Can be used against a back facing foe for a +20 to +21 stun you can continue a stun into or a quick launch.
()- Her 18i upwards mid kick with 32i recovery. With good reach, tracking and being a good way to check crouches and sidesteps, this is a lethal option from P since it launches on normal hit, getting you a decent launch for a shorter combo, although it'll give you the most launch height from a stun launch or counter hit launch. Unsafe however at -15 when blocked, but it does have a final kick ender that the foe will have to respect, although the recovery from this move will make free cancel easy to since since this has no delay opportunity for its ender meaning you'll have to commit to it if finishing the string.()- Her mid kick ender, which has her perform a downwards 22i mid kick with 25i recovery. Has reach but is able to be stepped and it's unsafe at -14. This move is special since it'll cause a bound while juggling the foe that swats them to the ground for an easy close hit ender or something similar! Besides that however it doesn't do anything noteworthy besides causing a normal knockdown on hit or counter hit. When done against a foe facing away it'll cause a +14 crumple stun for a quicker stun set up if you wish to pursue it!-That concludes her
string from this attack! Here's her other moves:~- Performs a 12i mid kick with 25i recovery if it whiffs and 19i recovery on block or hit. With the jump, it has decent reach, making it another way try to stun the foe from a distance. This follow up is special since it'll lead into her Amakake double jump stance on hit and block making it useful for many areas such as stuns, ending in a guard break on block, or as an ender in juggle set ups!On hit it'll also cause a +49 reel back stun that can also be free cancelled to perform anything that's 16i raw such as launcher or more ranged follow up, although walls can easily cage foe to easily connect shorter ranged attacks. If blocked it'll cause a +14 guard break that'll give you more ease in making sure her Amakake follow ups have the breathing room to easily counter hit your foe if they attempt to strike you in anticipation of a free cancel. You'll also be left squatting meaning highs will miss you.
While intuitive, the attack when blocked is vulnerable to strike punishment during the crouch since the recovery doesn't suit a free cancel when guarded, leaving you open to a low throw, low offensive hold, or any quick low strike or mid that's as fast as 11i. This makes mids dangerous since you'll be considered crouching.
- Her most passive option which is her 15i Amakake double jump. Naturally since it's a jump, it'll evade lows and can cross up the foe to switch sides up close, allowing it to also avoid certain attacks at times. Being lengthy, this is a more telegraphed option that must be used carefully as Momiji is open to a hi counter strike if struck during the jump and since the height she's at is already quite high, the damage can be severe depending on the location. The jump however is an excellent extension for combo enders to ensure it'll lead to her other hard hitting options to slam the foe into the desired danger zone!The next section will cover her Amakake, her double jump. This stance is however more limited in terms of access since it can only be entered by itself from a
>. However, while situational, she can also enter the jump stance from a near a wall with the foe's back to it, from a successful low throw against a forward or back facing crouch, from a with your back to a wall by using during the brief wall squat, and from a successful low kick hold.These are the attacks she's able to perform from the jump:
- A rather complex option, this is her 45i to 46i downwards mid attack that has her slash at her foe with a 46i aerial high into a 12i mid with 23i recovery. This is her staple ender for stages with floor hazards, and if the foe is airborne or launched on hit it'll result in 2 hit! The high however will mostly miss in neutral situations so only count on it to hit when juggling. On hit it'll cause a normal knockdown and this will occur on counter hit too, making it relatively non threatening. Hi counter hit will result in a bounce however that will allow a 6PP(for wall hazards), KK(For quick no timing force tech set ups) or PPPP(for optimal wall hazard enders) or PPP4P(for optimal floor hazards enders) even against heavies making it a risky move for a foe to attempt a throw.On block it'll cause a guard break that's -1 but max range will leave you +1, making it a relatively painless safe move to use although the telegraphed nature of this move leave it vulnerable to holds. The attack will also not track making it rather easy to step. A true mid, making it a slower way to punish foes in stances that can avoid a normal mid. Also has good reach making it a useful way to attempt a move in.
-Ends her jump with a 57i to 58i jumping high kick with 26i recovery. This is her other staple ender for juggles when you want something for sending foes flying into wall hazards as it has alot of pushback, and it has decent reach. Will always interact with wall hazards and will always knockback on hit. When blocked, the attack will cause a +2 to +3 guard break depending on distance making it a useful way to allow another attempt to pressure the foe if they choose to block.The option however is vulnerable to crouches and can be stepped making it a risk, especially if you over do using her throw option and condition the foe to low crouch to evade it. However, if an opponent is playing smart and doesn't want to risk a low hold in fear of a mid ender, this can be used to easily blast back foes who have been conditioned to not panic hold. Besides use as an ender, being a positive guard break however and being dangerous near wall, the move itself offers no real other reward on hit besides higher damage from counters or wall hazards
- Her most overhauled option from DOA5LR, this is a lengthy 75i(74i from transitions) air mid shoulder strike with 40i recovery that'll knock down on hit, although whiffing is risky. The attack is unique since it's able to be charged, allowing you to enter one of three phases when charged or not charged. All phases however have good reach which varying on guard safety depending on how long you've charged it. The move however as a whole doesIn phase 1 with little to no charge, it'll cause a normal knockdown and will wallsplat, allowing for an easy combo from a wall such
. The move however is unsafe at -10 on block up close but can become safer at max range at -5 to -9 depending on how you spaced it making it a useful safer strike for players who are very well versed in how far they can space for it to hit.Phase 2 is able to be entered if the move is charged to about 81i and will have a lesser 35i recovery. This will lead to a special on hit strike throw sequence that will be entered if charged to 80i, which will lead to Momiji unleashing devastating back strikes to her incapacitated before launching them and sending them slamming into the ground with her powerful fire ninpo, which results in 9 devastating hits. If the
or or is timed well during the combo throw prompt(either as soon as it appears or during the mid latter attack sequence when she stagger her foe while they're facing away), it lead however to 12 devastating hits that'll result in much higher damage! This makes the move useful as a way to punish foes who have been conditioned to either not panic hold from Amakake in fear of the launcher throw or who have gotten used to holding and expecting her high kick ender instead making this one of the stronger options, especially in stages with floor hazards! If blocked, it'll cause a +8 guard break up close and at max range it'll result in a +13 to +17 stun that can lead to numerous guaranteed strikes! To save time however, those will be added in a bit later for ease!Phase 3 is the strongest and will be done if you charge to the max which is 95i, making this her strongest variant with the most reach and damage potential, and it'll lead to the same throw sequence as Phase 2 charge would. Overall the attack itself in all phases is seeable and able to be reacted to but conditioning the foe to fear one of the phases can help you throw them off by making them second reactions based on how long you decided to charge it. All phases lack tracking however so be prepared to face either a sidestep or special sidestep in most situations if done raw.
- Her 51i(from transitions) to 52i throw option, Momiji performs an aerial knee to neck hold before flipping them upwards in the air vulnerable to additional damage. This is the best option for catching foes quick to hold in stun for its good combo reward, and it's range make it a useful trap for foes who are being defensive from a mid range distance. Since it's a throw it naturally will track making it useful as her way to check sidesteps since this is her only tracking option. While useful, the throw however will leave her open to crouching and standing throws during the recovery since she goes from crouching to briefly squatting. The throw will also not work against special sidesteps that involve a crouching state.Make it your aim to not make this a habit to go in since it can get predictable, but rather condition your foe to expect it or fear it to keep them open to her other strike options.
-This concludes her break down of her jump stances, remember to always use them wisely as they have powerful options and damage potential, but overall more linearity and predictable nature compared to other more fleshed out stances. Now let's get into her break gauge mechanics!
Section 3: The Break Gauge & the Break System
The meter in DOA6 is divided in 4 parts, and the meter fills up quickly as you attack, but it also slowly fills from defending and receiving damage./- You can use ¼ of the meter to perform a side step attack. This is a 27i mid punch strike with 30 frame recovery that knocks back the opponent full screen. Unsafe at -15 and doesn't track.- You can use ½ the meter to perform a Break Hold. A break hold is a hold that will hold any attack but does very low damage. This will also provide +5 advantage and reset the positions to round 1 fight distance, resetting the neutral. These are also the only way to escape a fatal stun from attacks or a break blow cancel.- You can use a full meter to perform a Break Blow. Momiji's break blow and break blows in general are a powerful attack with Sabaki type properties, meaning it'll interrupt strikes if timed right, allowing you to unleash a damaging blow that'll send the opponent flying backwards, clothes tattered and bruised. The attack is also able to be used after certain launches, after bounds, and even after certain wallsplats. The disadvantage is that it can be shut down with a simple low strike and can be hi counter thrown and the move can be stepped and held. +4 on block. ~Wow, very good!: There's more to the Break Blow than you think: if you press H once it hits, Momiji will perform a Break Blow Cancel. A cancel will stop the full blow from coming out and will leave the opponent in a fatal stun state. While in fatal stun, the opponent will be unable to do anything unless they have ½ a meter available to break hold to escape the stun, meaning you can use the cancel as an opportunity to go for more damage than the Break Blow may do in set situations, especially in certain environments with the right conditions. Be wary since if your opponent has meter, they can use the meter to escape the fatal stun, but you can also use this as a way to go for a hi counter throw set up if you anticipate this. Also be wary that the opponent is only limited to break holds for escape as long as you don't use any normal attacks to continue the stun, since after that the opponent will not be in the fatal stun anymore; in this case they can regularly hold which although is a risk, you can use to pursue even more damage or a hi counter throw set up.There's other attacks you can use that involve the new
button, but don't cost meter:/- This lets you avoid linear or non tracking attacks at the press of a button. You can use this to avoid specific attacks and punish the recovery with a throw, but be wary since sidesteps lose to throws and will result in a counter throw. If you have meter, you can use ¼ of it to follow up a step with a side step attack. If the sidestep attack is done near walls with rope properties, it'll cause a +51 to +53 wall rope rebound stun that leaves the foe at a major disadvantage. This is possible in stages like Muscle, Sweat, and the Colosseum from a certain distance. Be wary for fatal rush attacks since the first hit will turn the opponent backwards in a fatal stun, which can lead to some deadly back turned situations. The side step attack also has no tracking so your opponent can step you for it as well.Another thing is a fatal rush: a string that puts the opponent in a fatal stun, and finishing it can lead to quick damage, but you can also stop part way through and make a custom combo using the fatal stun:
- The first hit is the only one that can be done unless it hits. This is a 18i tracking high punch with 28i recovery. On hit, it'll result in a fatal stun which you can then follow with the other 3 attacks(the frames and the hit level don't really matter since only break holds can stop them and they can't be done unless the first strike hits). You can also use it in stun since the fatal stun eliminates the worry about opponents using normal holds and it'll force them to use their meter if they don't want to risk guaranteed damage. attacks with close hit properties will also have their close hit damage added on again in fatal stuns as well too! Momiji will perform 7 hits with her fatal rush and then the final one will cause a knockback. The first two parts involve 2 single hits while the 3rd part consists of 4 quickly executed hits before finishing with a final hit that will cause the knockback. Momiji's fatal rush is one of the more unique fatal rushes compared to standard ones since the quicker execution flow of the 2nd and 3rd hits allows it to be used from a variety of situations including as an ender from bounds and as a staple wall splat hit as well!When the full
string hits, it'll knock back and can wall splat. The string can also be used in juggles and after certain launchers as well if the height is high enough. If done on block, you'll be unsafe at -12, and be careful since the string can be ducked and low crushed. The string is also strong against side steps as it will cause a fatal stun that leaves them back turned and open to a guaranteed back turned set up. The string will also cause a +56i rebound rope wall stun in stages like Sweat or Muscle that have wall rope properties, but only from a certain distance.If you have a full meter and do the string, you'll automatically transition into your break blow, but if you wish to save your meter, do
so that you won't waste meter. DOA6 is a game where meter management is important, so be sure to save it and stock up for when you'll need it. Avoid wasting it on random sidestep attacks and nasty break blows and use it when the time's right and when it's absolutely necessary since sometimes your opponent will attempt to force you to discard it and bait reactions to make you waste it which is the last thing you want to do. Make every time you use the meter count!Now that we've finished the rundown of the Break System and you better understand it, let's ease into her moveset!
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