Free Step Dodge

I do wish DOA encourages fuzzying more though, despite it's not in a real intentional use. Things like constantly going for the abare and fishing for HiC mash just makes the game feel like it's not high level at all. You can get away with something from pressing an attack button, kinda barbaric. Granted it works, but as a spectator it just looks awful in display.

Mind you that by high level, i'm speaking from a visual aspect and not from PvP. Realistically there does exist of high level mash, block checks on repeat with semi-safe moves or light disadvantage on block, essential mash. It's just the way it's showcased where it doesn't feel like it's the ultimate pog of brain power.

A DOA where you're forced to respect plus frames and your only out of pressure is to block correctly? that would be interesting, it'd throw the balancing of the triangle system completely out of whack, but it'd be interesting, then again the triangle system we have right now ain't balanced at all

strikes are just too powerful, they beat throws, they can beat holds, and they can beat other strikes, so naturally it leads to a game where people are always pressing buttons, regardless of plus or minus situations

@Camel with 2 thumbs Pretty much yeah, though this is just DOA's case of trying to be fundamentally different for whatever reason, almost trying very hard to be different but yet still retain itself as a fighting game in mind. Which it's cool in a way, you can still be different while having a universal concept.

The good thing about it is that unlike most games, DOA is tolerable for it. No fighting game is perfect. Devs are usually afraid of change or budget issue (or even if it's an excuse for them to avoid it) but they did took a first step by adding meter to DOA which is completely new, which implies that they do take risks and "could" take chances if they wanted.

However, considering the game's marketing and demographic, such priorities pales in comparison to their vision of selling the game vs balance sometimes. Personally I think strikes beating throws is still something the game should keep. It's just how DOA is conditioned to it where there is a sheer reliance for it because of how the system is for hitting buttons, and I think part of it is because of Stun in general.

lol Christie is perfect example of this, her throws suck (at least mid screen), her holds are a joke, but her strike game is so potent that it dwarfs her weaknesses by a long shot

on the other end you have a character like Bass, his throws are probably the best in terms of damage and utility, his holds will melt your lifebar, but his crappy strike game can make all his strength irrelevant at points

it all comes back to the triangle system and how it favors strikes way more than holds and throws, personally i've just gotten used it after all this time but i wouldn't be against shaking up the formula and distributing the power a bit more fairly, but that would be a super tall order

no one wants to play a DOA where holds are too powerful (DOA4), and no one wants to play a DOA where landing 1 throw means death (DOA2 & DOA3)

maybe make it so throws can actually catch start up frames, which would essentially give every1 an OH, which sounds terrifying (I think they kinda did this in dimensions if i recall)

I don't know how they'd go about it, but at this point I'm not adverse to change for DOA

@RobHimself: Aw, man. I wasn't expecting this. You're really quitting DOA?

@Camel with 2 thumbs Yeah, it's why I mentioned it can be tolerable but it is there. And we can't dismiss the CH/HiC reward that makes strikes potent when 90% of your matches results in CH city at any level of play, and the added sauce that there are actual different strike speeds which is a game meta like many people mentioned (which I also have to agree).