Allan Paris
Well-Known Member
This thread is for the beginner players that don't know how to deal with wake-up kicks effectively. Dealing with wake-up kicks can be annoying in Dead or Alive 4 as the game lacks a true back dash and getting away from them can be rather difficult for a beginner. But don't worry, beginners this thread will help you be more effective with dealing with them properly.
CHARGED ATTACKS
I know that some of you may be fond of charged attacks to beat out wake up-up kicks. Do not do charged attacks to beat them out, granted you can do them to do it, but it is not a very good idea. If the charged attack is whiffed you will be punished for it severely. If the timing of the charge attack is not timed right your opponent can execute the wake-up kick and hold the charged attack. So, you will lose in both situations. If you want to do charged attacks to beat wake-up kicks only do them to play around and not as a serious tatic to beat out an opponent's wake-up kick.
JUMP-DOWN ATTACKS
The other solution that you may be trying to do is the jump-down attacks, these are not effective at all. The jump-down attacks will stop wake-up kicks, but they only will reset the knock down postion your opponent is in. Allowing them to get back up with a wake-up kick, and if your opponent tech rolls your jump-down attack will miss, which will lead to more punishment. Again, do this to play around and not as a serious tatic to beat out an opponent's wake-up kick.
BLOCKING
Blocking wake-up kicks is one of the effective tatics you can do to avoid guessing on holding them. Blocking will reset the situation back to a neutral stand off, that is a good situation in DOA4 rather than missed guesses. Also, blocking a low wake-up kick allows you to punish it with a low throw. The mid and high wake-up kicks can not be punished with a throw if blocked, do not attempt to grab those (only Spartan can).
KOREAN BACK DASHING
KBD (Korean Back Dashing) is covered in this thread: http://freestepdodge.com/threads/stepping-techniques.334/ and is in the media section, on what it looks like as well as executing it (PL's Advanced Tatics Demonstration Pt. 1). This movement is not easy to pull off as a beginner, but once learned it is very effective. Moving away from wake-up kicks with KBD allows you to; whiff punish a wake-up kick if you time your attack correctly, it can reset the situation back to a neutral stand off, and because of the large hitboxes of wake-up kicks you can hold them out of the range of getting hit by them.
CHARGED ATTACKS
I know that some of you may be fond of charged attacks to beat out wake up-up kicks. Do not do charged attacks to beat them out, granted you can do them to do it, but it is not a very good idea. If the charged attack is whiffed you will be punished for it severely. If the timing of the charge attack is not timed right your opponent can execute the wake-up kick and hold the charged attack. So, you will lose in both situations. If you want to do charged attacks to beat wake-up kicks only do them to play around and not as a serious tatic to beat out an opponent's wake-up kick.
JUMP-DOWN ATTACKS
The other solution that you may be trying to do is the jump-down attacks, these are not effective at all. The jump-down attacks will stop wake-up kicks, but they only will reset the knock down postion your opponent is in. Allowing them to get back up with a wake-up kick, and if your opponent tech rolls your jump-down attack will miss, which will lead to more punishment. Again, do this to play around and not as a serious tatic to beat out an opponent's wake-up kick.
BLOCKING
Blocking wake-up kicks is one of the effective tatics you can do to avoid guessing on holding them. Blocking will reset the situation back to a neutral stand off, that is a good situation in DOA4 rather than missed guesses. Also, blocking a low wake-up kick allows you to punish it with a low throw. The mid and high wake-up kicks can not be punished with a throw if blocked, do not attempt to grab those (only Spartan can).
KOREAN BACK DASHING
KBD (Korean Back Dashing) is covered in this thread: http://freestepdodge.com/threads/stepping-techniques.334/ and is in the media section, on what it looks like as well as executing it (PL's Advanced Tatics Demonstration Pt. 1). This movement is not easy to pull off as a beginner, but once learned it is very effective. Moving away from wake-up kicks with KBD allows you to; whiff punish a wake-up kick if you time your attack correctly, it can reset the situation back to a neutral stand off, and because of the large hitboxes of wake-up kicks you can hold them out of the range of getting hit by them.
CHARACTERS
Ultimately, once you start getting better at Dead or Alive, you will find that each character excels at doing one of the following solutions I gave to properly deal with wake-up kicks. Some characters have the ability to jump over wake-up kicks and get back turned damage i.e. Ryu Hayabusa, Lisa, or Tengu, there are more. There are characters who have an attack that will beat out wake-up kicks i.e. Jann Lee or Gen Fu, there are more. Some characters excel at holding wake-up kicks rather than blocking or KBD i.e. Hitomi, Kasumi, or Ayane, there are more. You will learn what each character can do through experience, and experimenting with the characters you like.