Pai questions and answers thread (Fundamentals)

xFatalDMG

Member
Hello everyone,

My name's Rob, but I go by xFatalDMG in the FGC and other networks. I'm an avid VF player in Japan, and have learned from some of Japan's best Pai players, and had some advice from KamageAkira (Shiwa Pai, Ao Pai). I'd like to create a discussion thread relating to Pai since she's definitely a great addition to the DOA franchise. Having played Virtua Fighter for many years, and playing with some of Japans best Pai players, it would be nice to have a Q&A about her character, playstyle, etc.

Furthermore, I'd like this thread to be an open discussion for new players but also veteran players of Pai users. Let us share our ideas, and build our knowledge on the great character that is Pai!

Let the discussion begin!

Who is Pai?

Name: Pai Chan
Age: 21 (as of Virtua Fighter 5)
Relationship: Father is Lau Chan, friends with Sarah Bryant and looks up to Eileen as her role model/Idol

Fighting style: Ensei-Ken or "Mizongquan" (Lost track fist or way of the deceiving fist). Her fighting style consists of a variety of martial arts stemming from Shaolin long-fist, Tai-Chi and Pakua, Shaolin being more external while the latter are more internal based. Essentially this style consists of very deceptive strikes and hand movements, creating confusion with your opponent. Refined foot work, fast and varied kicks and high leaps make Pai a very dangerous character in the right hands.

Place of birth: China
D.O.B: May 17, 1975

How should you use Pai?

Pai can be used in a variety of different ways, with mid range being her biggest strong point. Aggressive (Abare) players can definitely take advantage of this since most of her strikes/pokes are safe but also cover enough range for recovery. Defensive players can also benefit from Pai since again her strikes and setups are relatively safe in comparison to other cast members. Her 9K+G is one of her safest moves in VF and can really put yourself in a good position for a follow up attack.

Hopefully the 9K+G will see an appearance in DOA5. What really makes Pai shine are her variety of ways to sabaki or reversal her opponents. Very similar to that of Lei Fang, the only major difference is that Pai's style incorporates more quick strikes which allow her better movement but also due to her quick movements and confusing strikes she's a fairly good mixup type character. With the inclusion of the Shaolin long fist style, her attacks allow for really solid strings/combos and can really catch your opponent off guard if they whiff.

Pai is definitely a whiff punishing character, since as mentioned earlier her safe attacks and quick speed allow her to adjust spacing to counter any opponents attacks, and furthermore her reversals add that extra spice. For those who want a faster, more quick striking Lei Fang then Pai would be your best weapon.

How to play Vs.Pai

Since Pai is a very quick striking character but mid range, you definitely don't want to give her any space to move around, as that would put you in a bad position. Best option vs Pai is to develop an understanding of her setups but also her attack patterns (depending on the player). Many times, Pai players tend to rely too much on specific moves to capitalize on mistakes, but if you're able to adjust to that Pai shouldn't be any problem. Be more in her face and don't give her (or your opponent) time to think, because by doing so you're allowing yourself for a quick and severe mixup game that can turn sour very quickly.
 

DR2K

Well-Known Member
Do you think the universal hold system in DOA5 would hurt her mix up options that she has in VF5?
 

xFatalDMG

Member
Strengths:
Quick attacks that cover a good amount of range
Can reversal/sabaki fairly well
Has regular throws and ground throws (not sure if the ground throws will be in DOA5)
Safe attacks
Solid mixup game
Can be used in a variety of ways
Deceptive play style

Weaknesses:
Damage output isn't too strong (Not sure if this will change in DOA)
Can become predictable if patterns are used consistently (that could go with any character I think)
Light character so she's more susceptible to longer juggles, etc.
Despite having a strong reversal game, if whiffed, can put her in a bad position.. so again being creative and not developing easy patterns.
 

TRI Mike

Well-Known Member
One of the things she's gonna suffer from a lot is not being able to land 3PK on opponents standing up from the ground because wake-up kicks in DOA are like the fists of an angry god. 66KP is one of her most solid combo starters in VF5FS from a distance and I think most people will be able to hold the punch, and I'm doubting the stun in DOA5 will have the same guaranteed options from FS.

Other than that I think she's gonna transition REALLY well. standing K from counter and hi-counter will guarantee a fairly nice juggle. That alone is great in DOA.
 

xFatalDMG

Member
Do you think the universal hold system in DOA5 would hurt her mix up options that she has in VF5?

I don't think it would hinder her too much, as long as you're able to capitalize on your opponents habits/patterns. Because she's able to attack from all different directions, it would be tricky to really use the hold system on her, unless of course your opponent has a set pattern which you could easily predict.

Of course, this is just speculation since DOA5 isn't out yet, but personally speaking if you're able to really develop a true understanding of Pai's offensive and defensive strategies, it won't be so bad.

One of the things she's gonna suffer from a lot is not being able to land 3PK on opponents standing up from the ground because wake-up kicks in DOA are like the fists of an angry god. 66KP is one of her most solid combo starters in VF5FS from a distance and I think most people will be able to hold the punch, and I'm doubting the stun in DOA5 will have the same guaranteed options from FS.

Other than that I think she's gonna transition REALLY well. standing K from counter and hi-counter will guarantee a fairly nice juggle. That alone is great in DOA.

Yea I can agree with this statement TRI Mike. A lot of her tools from VF5FS may or may not do so well in DOA as you pointed out with her 3PK. However, because it's an entirely new system perhaps it may throw some players who are not used to Pai, a curve ball. Her 66KP is definitely one of her best assets and hopefully can do its job in DOA as well. The only issue I see with 66KP is that because you can clearly see it coming, an experienced player could probably side step it and punish since she's in disadvantage I think. (-13 on block, +2 on hit) And also as you said, holding the punch too.

But again, if you can mix things up and not fall into obvious patterns, her 66KP would be pretty deadly. The stun system seems entirely different, but yet a bit similar. We'll see what happens once the game drops.
 

TRI Mike

Well-Known Member
Something else. A HUGE advantage she could get now is from DOA's string delay and free canceling. We could cancel whatever the shit we want into whatever the shit we want. Oh my God dat Pai.
 

xFatalDMG

Member
haha, I never thought of that but yea with that addition as well it would only make Pai more of a beast. She already has some feints in her movesets, so GET HYYPPEEE!
 

xFatalDMG

Member
I really wonder how useful her stances will be in DOA5.

Basing this off of just observation from the Pai vs Gen Fu videos, I'd say that due to the doa system itself and it being very fast paced compared to VF, I think her stances would be extremely useful. And as TRI Mike mentioned in an earlier post, with the addition of being able to string delay and free cancel that would make Pai real deadly.

Especially since her 3PK is such a good tool to fake players out, you can hit them with the 3P then feint the K go into another mixup or stance + free cancel + string delay OMMMGGGG

 

NightAntilli

Well-Known Member
Well the K from her her 3PK is a high right? And when charged it becomes a mid, but it takes a while to charge.. So it's easily crushable/counterable before you can even get the chance to cancel out of anything lol. Unless of course they removed the charge and made it mid.. We'll see xD

I really can't wait to try her out in DOA5. She seems exactly the same as in VF5FS, but because the move properties will be quite different, I guess her play style will change quite a bit.
 

xFatalDMG

Member
Well the K from her her 3PK is a high right? And when charged it becomes a mid, but it takes a while to charge.. So it's easily crushable/counterable before you can even get the chance to cancel out of anything lol. Unless of course they removed the charge and made it mid.. We'll see xD

I really can't wait to try her out in DOA5. She seems exactly the same as in VF5FS, but because the move properties will be quite different, I guess her play style will change quite a bit.

Yea it becomes a mid, and it does take a while to charge. The benefit of it is that despite its long charge you can just feint it into her second stance to bait out a move, then capitalize on the whiff. Or, you can feint it into another mid attack (in the video 2:02)

I also notice her BnB combo that was used in VF5 vanilla was used a lot in the video, but not her new stun BnB from VF5FS...Again, once the game is out more dissecting will ensue
 

XXxHakuxXX

Member
I'm just happy she still has that hilarious parry that causes the opponent to trip up and move around all funny like lol. I can see myself laughing too damn hard and losing a round cause of the funny animation XD.
 

Konradinho

New Member
Yeah, she plays with opponent when she reverses it, which looks hillarious. I'm thinking how big is frame advantage after this, if Pai can easily pull off 33P+K.

Her critical burst is 66+P (maybe motion changed). Her damage is better than I excpected. IT is nice to see that they gave her 46K+G some bounce properities, just like in VF5FS. And power blow has got really nice animation.
 

NightAntilli

Well-Known Member
I wonder what they did with her half circle attacks. They probably track.. Which would make it much easier to punish side stepping opponents than in VF5FS. I really love her 4K there, but because it's half circle it's not as useful against sidestepping opponents and she's 'forced' to use her slower circular moves like K+G.
 

Konradinho

New Member
I'm also wondering what about her stances - In developers battle player used only Meishiou once, no Bokutai or Hakkeshou. Maybe it's just cause he didn't know her much.
 

xFatalDMG

Member
Umm, what ground throws? She has standing and low throws in VF:FS.
That's what I'm referring to, her low throws. Since the opponent is close to the ground (crouching) I just call it ground throws.

I'm also wondering what about her stances - In developers battle player used only Meishiou once, no Bokutai or Hakkeshou. Maybe it's just cause he didn't know her much.​
I would probably assume the same. Probably didn't know much about Pai and her other stances. He was using her very basic BnB from VF5 so he's probably just playing around
 

Allan Paris

Well-Known Member
Oh ok. Well for future reference call them low throws or crouching throws in DOA. There are ground throws in DOA and that will confuse some if you are referring to her low throws as ground throws.

As far as her other stances go, I bet they are safe to transition into. I've been playing around with them in VF and thinking about her moves coming out of her Bokutai. A character that can parry shouldn't have a problem with that stance. Even with her Meishiou if those first 2 mid punches aren't a 2in1 that stance won't be all that effective once people learn her. If her other moves from BT are safe then doing Meishiou could have its uses.

I am curious to know if her unsafe attacks are still unsafe or are they safe now/5i punishable. Watching the 1st vid with the developers I think Pai did her 6K and then jabbed Gen Fu before he could counter attack. I know 6K is not a frame advantage move in VF but in DoA it looked like it. Or Pai has a 9i jab now?

I also saw that she still has parries. Pai is going to be 1 scary ass character to fight against, all of her parries in VF (except for 1) puts you in some type of fucked up position. With how DoA5 works now when you are put BT she Is going to be nuts.
 
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