Free Step Dodge

Learn when to block and when to attack. If you just attack mindlessly you will get crushed all day long. Familiarize yourself with your characters strings, and what is safe, and what causes a stun. stuns allow you to perform combos if they are deep enough, if not they are a excellent way to continue pressure.

do not spam holds. A good player will punish you with a throw when they see your are committed to random holding.

I don't have a link for you but there may be more in the general discussion forums so you can check those out.

Thanks for the advice!

Np

Also, focus on not being predictable. Due to the hold system, there's less guaranteed damage in DOA. So unlike SC where your aim is to execute the highest amount of damage per opening, in DOA you also have to consider that if your opponent knows what combo you're about the input, you'll often get countered. Ex: use different launcher attacks when you have openings to keep your opponent guessing.