The HuBBs
Active Member
Overall the tournament rules for DOA have been applied across the board no matter the site or location. Do note that these are also suggestions and final decisions for a tournament are up to the Tournament Organizer's discretion.
Dead or Alive 6
Dead or Alive 5
Do note that this is the normal rules that most offline tournaments follow as well as most online tournaments. There have been some changes to the formula in the past. The rule set for DOA has changed many times in the past, mostly due to Evo, CGS and WCG's influence. With the fall of the Championship Gaming Series, the DOA rules have reverted back to the old standard.
Old Rules (For Historical Purposes)
F.A.Q.
What system is Dead or Alive 6 played on?
Steam is the suggested and most competitive platform due to its low latency and controller support. If Steam is unavailable, then Xbox Series X is the suggested platforms.
What system is Dead or Alive 5 Last Round played on?
PlayStation 4 is the suggested platform.
Is it okay to use a controller converter?
Although not recommended for use in most cases due to converters causing input delay to the contestant or in rare cases both contestants, converters are handled by the decision of the tournament organizer. Currently, the Titan One converter with Tournament Edition firmware installed is the recommended converter due to its reportedly no input delay feature and the ability to play any controller with any system.
Is it okay to use a wireless controller during a tournament?
When using a wireless controller it's important to make sure the controller is desynced from the machine. Unfortunately, there is no way to desync your controller yourself on the PlayStation 4. So it is also important that you clear out all previously synced controllers when you arrive at your station to sync your controller.
Why are danger zones turned on?
Danger zones have always been in the game since the first Dead or Alive. To disable them is to take out a tactical element from the game. With danger zones off an opponent who is thrown against a wall or slammed into an electric floor will suffer less damage. However, Danger zones can be allowed off if you and your opponent agree to it.
Why is Dojo banned?
Dojo, or the "Training" stage, is removed from the Random filter by default for each game that supports the random filter. Additionally, the stage has no danger zones or positional advantages unlike any other stage. It is handled similarly to the Danger Zones requirement above.
Note: Tatami, Dojo's predecessor in DOA4, was not available in the game's random stage selection.
Why is Experimental Playground (Dead or Alive 4) banned?
The physics in this stage can cause some inconsistent results. Attempting air juggles with various characters are not guaranteed.
Why is the Metroid Stage (DOA Dimensions) banned?
When Samus appears and uses a power bomb there is a moderate chance for the game to desync.
Why has the life setting been changed from Normal to Largest and back?
This was mainly because of the Championship Gaming Series (CGS). Dead or Alive 4 was a featured game on the short lived gaming competition show. One of the rules was having the life set to largest. For about 2 years all major DOA4 tournaments used largest life so would-be competitors can later try out for future seasons of the show. When CGS ended, the Life rule reverted back to Normal.
It was also debated that having the life set to Largest allowed the game to balance out due to the Hold System having its damage percentage lowered. The counter argument was that it allowed the higher-tier characters an unfair advantage over lower tier characters that needed the extra damage given by the hold system. (I.E. Hayabusa might only need two holds to win when playing on Normal and Largest, but Bayman might need two holds to win on normal and three holds on Largest).
Additionally, life setting was 240 points of health for Normal setting up until Dead or Alive 5. In Dead or Alive 5 the Normal setting was altered to 300 points of health (the old Largest setting). Dead or Alive 6 continued off of Dead or Alive 5 by keeping its Normal life setting set to 300 points of health.
Why was Tengu and Spartan banned from certain tournaments?
Tengu was banned in DOA2U because he was considered a "boss" character with many unbalanced attacks when compared to those of the rest of the cast, and for World Cyber Games (WCG) that rule was carried over. Tengu was a more balanced character in DOA4, and banning him and Spartan-456 had more to do with a tournament organizer's available time in unlocking each than the character's viability. If a Dead or Alive 4 tournament is done, these two characters presently are not banned from play.
Dead or Alive 6
- Life Setting: Normal
- Holds: 4-way
- Round Time: 60 seconds
- Rounds: First to 3.
- Matches: First to 2 for all but finals; First to 3 for Grand Finals, Winner's Finals, and Loser's Finals.
- Winner Lock: On. Winning player must remain their character. If Random was selected, then player must re-select that character
- Stage Select:
- Dangerzones: On
- Stage: Random
- Stages Removed from Random Filter:
- Chamber of Potential
- Forbidden Fortune
- Hidden Garden
- Chinese Festival (2nd Listing/Bottom section)
- Stages Removed from Random Filter:
Dead or Alive 5
- Rounds are set to a 60 second time limit
- Life is set to Normal
- First to 3 rounds per match
- First to 2 matches per set, except for the Winner, Loser, and Grand Finals
- First to 3 matches per set for Winner, Loser, and Grand Finals
- Dangerzones are set to On
- Random Stage select
- Winner Lock is Enabled
- Random Character can be chosen, but if the player wins s/he must choose the same character for the following match.
- DOA5
- Dojo stage is removed from Random Filter
- DOA Dimensions
- Metroid Stage is banned(DOA Dimensions)
- DOA4
- Experimental Playrgound stage is banned
- DOA3.1
- Hayate's Cartwheel (2P+K / 8P+K) is banned
Do note that this is the normal rules that most offline tournaments follow as well as most online tournaments. There have been some changes to the formula in the past. The rule set for DOA has changed many times in the past, mostly due to Evo, CGS and WCG's influence. With the fall of the Championship Gaming Series, the DOA rules have reverted back to the old standard.
Old Rules (For Historical Purposes)
- Dead or Alive 6 rules before DOA6 World Championship ruleset
- Matches: First to 2 except for finals; First to 3 for Winner, Loser, and Grand Finals.
- Stage Select:
- Dangerzones: On
- Stage: Random
- Stages Removed from Random Filter:
- Forbidden Fortune (2nd stage listing)
- Chinese Festival (2nd stage listing)
- A.P.O. (2nd stage listing)
- Lost Paradise (2nd stage listing)
- Hidden Garden
- Chamber of Potential
- Stages Removed from Random Filter:
- Largest Life (During the CGS era for DOA4)
- 2/3 match points, 3/5 for loser and winner finals (a recent change, people will probably still use this rule)
- 40 seconds (has been argued for multiple times and is was used quite often in online tournaments)
- Tengu is banned(Tengu was banned in DOA2U and in DOA4 for WCG tournaments)
- Nicole(Spartan) is Banned DOA4(Was banned in WCG tournaments)
- Dangerzones are Off
F.A.Q.
What system is Dead or Alive 6 played on?
Steam is the suggested and most competitive platform due to its low latency and controller support. If Steam is unavailable, then Xbox Series X is the suggested platforms.
What system is Dead or Alive 5 Last Round played on?
PlayStation 4 is the suggested platform.
Is it okay to use a controller converter?
Although not recommended for use in most cases due to converters causing input delay to the contestant or in rare cases both contestants, converters are handled by the decision of the tournament organizer. Currently, the Titan One converter with Tournament Edition firmware installed is the recommended converter due to its reportedly no input delay feature and the ability to play any controller with any system.
Is it okay to use a wireless controller during a tournament?
When using a wireless controller it's important to make sure the controller is desynced from the machine. Unfortunately, there is no way to desync your controller yourself on the PlayStation 4. So it is also important that you clear out all previously synced controllers when you arrive at your station to sync your controller.
Why are danger zones turned on?
Danger zones have always been in the game since the first Dead or Alive. To disable them is to take out a tactical element from the game. With danger zones off an opponent who is thrown against a wall or slammed into an electric floor will suffer less damage. However, Danger zones can be allowed off if you and your opponent agree to it.
Why is Dojo banned?
Dojo, or the "Training" stage, is removed from the Random filter by default for each game that supports the random filter. Additionally, the stage has no danger zones or positional advantages unlike any other stage. It is handled similarly to the Danger Zones requirement above.
Note: Tatami, Dojo's predecessor in DOA4, was not available in the game's random stage selection.
Why is Experimental Playground (Dead or Alive 4) banned?
The physics in this stage can cause some inconsistent results. Attempting air juggles with various characters are not guaranteed.
Why is the Metroid Stage (DOA Dimensions) banned?
When Samus appears and uses a power bomb there is a moderate chance for the game to desync.
Why has the life setting been changed from Normal to Largest and back?
This was mainly because of the Championship Gaming Series (CGS). Dead or Alive 4 was a featured game on the short lived gaming competition show. One of the rules was having the life set to largest. For about 2 years all major DOA4 tournaments used largest life so would-be competitors can later try out for future seasons of the show. When CGS ended, the Life rule reverted back to Normal.
It was also debated that having the life set to Largest allowed the game to balance out due to the Hold System having its damage percentage lowered. The counter argument was that it allowed the higher-tier characters an unfair advantage over lower tier characters that needed the extra damage given by the hold system. (I.E. Hayabusa might only need two holds to win when playing on Normal and Largest, but Bayman might need two holds to win on normal and three holds on Largest).
Additionally, life setting was 240 points of health for Normal setting up until Dead or Alive 5. In Dead or Alive 5 the Normal setting was altered to 300 points of health (the old Largest setting). Dead or Alive 6 continued off of Dead or Alive 5 by keeping its Normal life setting set to 300 points of health.
Why was Tengu and Spartan banned from certain tournaments?
Tengu was banned in DOA2U because he was considered a "boss" character with many unbalanced attacks when compared to those of the rest of the cast, and for World Cyber Games (WCG) that rule was carried over. Tengu was a more balanced character in DOA4, and banning him and Spartan-456 had more to do with a tournament organizer's available time in unlocking each than the character's viability. If a Dead or Alive 4 tournament is done, these two characters presently are not banned from play.
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