When playing new games, you may find yourself frustrated for not knowing the mechanics of the system, and how it is applied correctly. With this guide, you will find the tools needed to excel in this game on a basic level.
Core System:
Unlike many other fighters, there is a distinct Rock- Paper - System that govern the whole game.
Attacks > Throws
Throws > Block/Hold
Block/Hold > Attacks
Attacks and throws are considered two classes of offensive moves. During situacions when you execute a throw, and it is not guaranteed to connect, your opponent can use an attack to beat the throw. Throw generally do not beat attacks, however, there is an exception. Offensive Holds(OH) are throws that have the property of both beating attacks and guarding/holding( as well as any form of movement). OH's also known as Catch throws in other fighting games, are vulnerable to throws. As you can see, the RPS system is a checks and balancing system, used to keep each individual element in check.
Application
Frames
Frames is the measurement of time within the game. Every frame is 1/60 of a second. Doa4 employs a 60 frame per a second system. This translate to: Every frame of motion happens within 60 frames. This is important because moves are broken down using this measurement of time. :ka Kasumi
is a 9 frame Jab, which means it executes in 9 frames out of the 60 possible frames. This is considered to be a fast move. Than you have Defensive holds that execute in 30 frames(half a second), which is considered to be a move that is rather long.
Basic Advantage/ Disadvantage
In general, if you guard an attack, you will have advantage, your opponent will be in disadvantage and vice versa. What this means is that if your opponent tries to attack again and you attack as well, as long as your attack is fast enough, you will beat theirs. By guarding larger attacks, your opponent will be in large disadvantage so that offensives will be guaranteed against them. If an attack whiffs, there is an even greater disadvantage. Just like in real life, if you try as hard as you can to kick a can and miss, you are thrown off-balance and need time to recover, in doa, it takes a lot of relative time to recover as well.
Application
Attack Levels/Types
In Doa, there are 3 attack levels: high, Mid and low. Characters who are standing are vulnerable to low, high and mid attacks as well as standing throws. A crouching opponent is vulnerable to Mid and low attacks as well as Low throws.
Application
True Side Stepping- Defensive Stepping
In Doa, there are few characters who have true Side stepping, while the rest of the cast do not. The ones that do have true Side stepping can evade a majority of attacks. There are certain attack classes you need to be made aware of when stepping. Linear attacks can be Side stepped in any direction, Half circular attacks can be Side steped in the direction in which the leg is not creating an arch, and full circular which cannot be evaded. The reason for evading is to Cause your opponent's attack to whiff at close range.
Free Step evasion- Defensive Stepping
Every character in the game is equipped with the ability to free step. Unlike True Side stepping, Free stepping only evade two classes of attacks: Lunging and Jumping attacks. Once Stepped, the opponents back is exposed, giving you frame advantage. The amount of frame advantage is determing by subtracting 11 frames(the amount of time it takes to free step), from the culmination of frames of an attacks Hit frames + recover. If an attack is 14/3/23, you would be adding The: 3+23 = + 26 frame advantage.
Offensive Stepping:
In Doa4, you can use both True Side stepping and free stepping offensively to gain frame/position advantage. When used against a staggered, blocking, holding, neutral and dashing opponent, you will step to their back. This can also be used to step in the same direction as a techrolling/stepping opponent. Or simply be used to move around the environment to position yourself away from a danger zone or to position your opponent into the direction of a danger zone.
Application
Attacks vs. Attacks: Priority & Crushing
If you do an attack that is 18 frames, and your opponent does an attack that is 12, your opponents attack will beat yours. If both you and your opponent do a 12 frame attack, both attacks will trade unless:
There are some attacks that have more properties and can Crush more attacks. Helena's+:K is a good example of a Mid attack that beat out both High and High-Mid attacks. There are attacks that have slight evasive properties to them, and will evade certain attacks when done at the same time.
Application
While Rising
When knocked to the ground in doa, you have a couple of options. You have the ability to rise in place(pressing either or :F). You have the ability to roll in 3 directions :8, :2 and :4, and you have the ability to use 3 standard rising attacks: k -High, :k -Mid and K - Low. In Doa4, you can use Rising attack breaks(crushes) to counter attack your opponent. Tina Doing K against a Mid rising attack is one example. There is also a technique calle uramawari, which is used to expose your opponent back while they are grounded. Doing Kasumi's K while your opponent is using a rising attack will expose your opponents back.
Tech Rolling
1st introduced in Doa1, techrolling allow you to Roll as soon as you hit the ground, which is used to avoid getting placed into a ground stun. Techrolls are similar to stepping, in that you are able to avoid linear and half circular attacks. Your opponent will need to use a move that tracks, or wait for you to recover from the techroll to either hit you with a mid attack or a low throw.
Application
Core System:
Unlike many other fighters, there is a distinct Rock- Paper - System that govern the whole game.
Attacks > Throws
Throws > Block/Hold
Block/Hold > Attacks
Attacks and throws are considered two classes of offensive moves. During situacions when you execute a throw, and it is not guaranteed to connect, your opponent can use an attack to beat the throw. Throw generally do not beat attacks, however, there is an exception. Offensive Holds(OH) are throws that have the property of both beating attacks and guarding/holding( as well as any form of movement). OH's also known as Catch throws in other fighting games, are vulnerable to throws. As you can see, the RPS system is a checks and balancing system, used to keep each individual element in check.
Application
- If the opponent tries to throw me, I can them to beat the throw.
- If the opponent is moving around and just blocking, I can throw them.
- If the opponent tries to attack me, I can use a Hold to counter the attack.
Frames
Frames is the measurement of time within the game. Every frame is 1/60 of a second. Doa4 employs a 60 frame per a second system. This translate to: Every frame of motion happens within 60 frames. This is important because moves are broken down using this measurement of time. :ka Kasumi
is a 9 frame Jab, which means it executes in 9 frames out of the 60 possible frames. This is considered to be a fast move. Than you have Defensive holds that execute in 30 frames(half a second), which is considered to be a move that is rather long. Basic Advantage/ Disadvantage
In general, if you guard an attack, you will have advantage, your opponent will be in disadvantage and vice versa. What this means is that if your opponent tries to attack again and you attack as well, as long as your attack is fast enough, you will beat theirs. By guarding larger attacks, your opponent will be in large disadvantage so that offensives will be guaranteed against them. If an attack whiffs, there is an even greater disadvantage. Just like in real life, if you try as hard as you can to kick a can and miss, you are thrown off-balance and need time to recover, in doa, it takes a lot of relative time to recover as well.
Application
- The opponent attacks me with P, I block. If the opponent does P again and if I do P at the same time, I will win.
- The opponent uses a jumping attack P, and I Block it, the opponent has large disadvantage and I can hit the opponent without the opponent being able to guard it.
- The opponent uses a jumping attack P, and it whiffs, the opponent's disadvantage is larger than when blocking the knee so I can launch the opponent in this situation.
Attack Levels/Types
In Doa, there are 3 attack levels: high, Mid and low. Characters who are standing are vulnerable to low, high and mid attacks as well as standing throws. A crouching opponent is vulnerable to Mid and low attacks as well as Low throws.
Application
- The opponent is Blocking while standing up, you can do a throw or use a low attack to beat this.
- The opponent is Blocking while crouching, you can do a low throw or use a mid attack to beat this.
- The opponent attacks with a Mid :K, you can use a mid :k Defensive hold F to hold his attack.
Standing/Crouching/Back Turned
There are many states in the game that you need to be aware of. Standing, as of course, you are erect. Crouching, you are on one knee or squating, and back turned, your back is exposed to your opponent. What seemingly looks like an instant crouch, crouching in doa takes 5 frames, while crouch dashing takes only 1 frame. If you were to attack, and try to crouch, more than likely you will get thrown. When at a disadvantage up to 5 frames, you can crouch dash to avoid both high attacks and throws.
Application
- I hit the opponent with , I try to crouch while at a disadvantage, I get thrown because I was at a disadvantage.
- I hit the opponent with , I use a crouch dash, I effectively avoid my opponents throw.
True Side Stepping- Defensive Stepping
In Doa, there are few characters who have true Side stepping, while the rest of the cast do not. The ones that do have true Side stepping can evade a majority of attacks. There are certain attack classes you need to be made aware of when stepping. Linear attacks can be Side stepped in any direction, Half circular attacks can be Side steped in the direction in which the leg is not creating an arch, and full circular which cannot be evaded. The reason for evading is to Cause your opponent's attack to whiff at close range.
Free Step evasion- Defensive Stepping
Every character in the game is equipped with the ability to free step. Unlike True Side stepping, Free stepping only evade two classes of attacks: Lunging and Jumping attacks. Once Stepped, the opponents back is exposed, giving you frame advantage. The amount of frame advantage is determing by subtracting 11 frames(the amount of time it takes to free step), from the culmination of frames of an attacks Hit frames + recover. If an attack is 14/3/23, you would be adding The: 3+23 = + 26 frame advantage.
Offensive Stepping:
In Doa4, you can use both True Side stepping and free stepping offensively to gain frame/position advantage. When used against a staggered, blocking, holding, neutral and dashing opponent, you will step to their back. This can also be used to step in the same direction as a techrolling/stepping opponent. Or simply be used to move around the environment to position yourself away from a danger zone or to position your opponent into the direction of a danger zone.
Application
- If My opponent attempts to attack with a jumping and I evade it successfully, I will have enough frame advantage to use a launching attack.
- If My opponent is staggered and I evade, I will have position + frame advantage to force a mixup on my opponent.
- If my opponent techrolls to the left, I can step in the same direction, and prevent them from spacing away.
Attacks vs. Attacks: Priority & Crushing
If you do an attack that is 18 frames, and your opponent does an attack that is 12, your opponents attack will beat yours. If both you and your opponent do a 12 frame attack, both attacks will trade unless:
- One attack do more damage: The more powerful attack will win
- Both attacks are of different height levels: High attack > Mid attack, Mid attack > Low Attack, Low attack > High attack.
There are some attacks that have more properties and can Crush more attacks. Helena's
+:K is a good example of a Mid attack that beat out both High and High-Mid attacks. There are attacks that have slight evasive properties to them, and will evade certain attacks when done at the same time. Application
- My opponent does a high attack, while I am executing a p. P beats the high attack.
- Both My opponent and I attack at the same time. He does a Mid attack and I do a High atatck, My attack wins because it have more priority.
- Both my opponent and I attack at the same time. We both do the same class of attack with the same amount of damage. Our attacks trade.
While Rising
When knocked to the ground in doa, you have a couple of options. You have the ability to rise in place(pressing either
or :F). You have the ability to roll in 3 directions :8, :2 and :4, and you have the ability to use 3 standard rising attacks: k -High, :k -Mid and K - Low. In Doa4, you can use Rising attack breaks(crushes) to counter attack your opponent. Tina Doing K against a Mid rising attack is one example. There is also a technique calle uramawari, which is used to expose your opponent back while they are grounded. Doing Kasumi's K while your opponent is using a rising attack will expose your opponents back. Tech Rolling
1st introduced in Doa1, techrolling allow you to Roll as soon as you hit the ground, which is used to avoid getting placed into a ground stun. Techrolls are similar to stepping, in that you are able to avoid linear and half circular attacks. Your opponent will need to use a move that tracks, or wait for you to recover from the techroll to either hit you with a mid attack or a low throw.
Application
- I am knocked to the ground and my opponent does a ground hitting attack, I do a side roll and avoid the attack.
- I am knocked down and I do a Rising attack and my opponent jumps over me, He now have exposed my back, and receives a BT advantage.
- I knocked my opponent down and proceed to attack, my opponent techrolls and cause my attack to whiff.