Also, anyone who thinks I want Helena to be OP didn't play DOA4 or never understood what she had in that game. Members like DrDogg, DR2K and me have been saying this since she was revealed. Helena is the ONLY CHARACTER in the game that actually lost tools compared to her DOA4 version and didn't get enough things to take advantage of the DOA5 system. Every other character is either a much better version of his/her DOA4 self...
Obviously you didn't play enough DOA4 to realize Hayate took a fall with her too. I'll stay my tongue on my opinion of her because simply, you're right, I never played her in 2U, 3, or 4, other than in the story to unlock something. Now what I can't let pass is that statement to say that she's the only one got taken down a few notches. Hayate for example is basically in the same boat if not worse off.
First off, lets get it out the way. His wind dash is just gimmicks. The high punch guard break(+7) and throw are the best you're going to get out of it. P+K and K aren't really better launchers, and they're both unsafe(P+K -11, K - 15). You can never throw those out raw unless you're fighting a noob, or scrub.
He's got no safe ways into his wind dash other than to critical burst and go for the launcher or to use it as a whiff punish. It's basically the same as Bokuho as far as crushing goes... except it has no duck option inside of it so it can't really crush mids.
His other mid range options are unsafe and easily punished, if not easily interruptable, with the exception of his new guard break that can come from multiple strings... which more often than so isn't really worth it. We'll get to that in a minute.
His close range options are even more work. The only safe pokes he holds are 236p or 6pk(-7 but with good push back), 9p(-3), 2p(-4), 3k(-3). He also has 214k, but I mean come on, you're wasting 32 frames for +2? It's completely seeable and holdable.
His other sources of advantage are his guard breaks, that essentially turn him into Kasumi/Christie for his next move. 66P+K is the raw move. Every version of this leaves him at +1. His jab is becomes i9, fastest mid becomes, i11, and his fastest low becomes i13. Sure you'll be the person to the next punch. But using those will set you right back at disadvantage, if they block. So what can you do? Pressure with more guard breaks til you open them up. Unfortunately this is a 50/50 game to play, and that's not including them holding your guard break on reaction. It can range from anywhere to i31, to i42. Once you see him wind up you'll already know a mid punch is coming.
His only reliable guard break is his wind dash one... which give +7. Nothing guaranteed, but your next attack more than not, will beat theirs.
His grab is only 58 damage from it, so you can try it, but you're next going to get that Hi Counter damage cause no one has the balls to hold.
His other guard break is 8pk. It's impractical to use it other than to make them freak out because you broke their guard. Someone who does their home work will know how to deal with it. Also there's a risk of the 8 buffering over making it 8p8k which is extremely unsafe. So chances are the person will take the chance of -5 for that guaranteed punish on 8p8k
Once people realize this they'll realize that they've really got nothing to worry about. Cause yea, his jab might beat yours by 1 frame. Well then just crush it with a high crushing mid, now Hayate is stunned instead of his plan to be the one getting the stun started.
inb4 3H+K OP. It's one string. Chances are you can block it all or hold the low kick. Plus the raw move is -15 and steppable, the sweep is -15, and the last hit is steppable. You can get punished just for using any part of it.
This isn't to say he's impossible to play. He's not terrible, but Helena ain't much worse than him. Once you space him out his mid range options seem like less of a threat, and once he gets in close, the player has to outsmart you the whole time to keep his offense up. I'm starting to come up with my own force tech game with him. Kinda sucks how much damage you gotta sacrifice.
Excuse my English if I made mistakes or typos anywhere. Apparently I don't type english well.
