A first and very valid question is: Why this FAQ, now that the sequel
DoA3 is out, and now that DoA2H is very very old?
The answer is that people still play DoA2H, and that in general many
of the strategies in this guide may be extended to DoA3 with very
few adjustments. And in fact, once I get my own grubby little hands
on DoA3, I will be revising this guide for its DoA3 reincarnation.
Also, Lei-Fang's moves have never been examined in any great detail...
until now.
With that said: this is a guide for the Dead or Alive 2 Hardcore
character, Lei-Fang. Here are the game-provided stats on Lei-Fang.
Name: Lei-Fang
Tagline: Tai Chi Quan Genius
Homeland: China
Fighting Style: Tai Chi Quan
Age: 19
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 110 pounds
Measurements: 34-22-34
Occupation: College Student
Seiyuu (Voice Actor for you non-anime freaks): Touma Yumi, also known
to the world as Urd in Ah! My Goddess, Sylpheel in Slayers, Yui in
Fushigi Yuugi, and in fighting games, Nina Williams and Ling Xiaoyu
of Tekken, and Isabella "Ivy" Valentine of Soul Calibur fame.
Lei-Fang's fighting style is Tai Chi Quan, known to many as "that
weird thing old people do" but also a martial art in its own right.
As such Lei-Fang has access to a goodly combination of both power
strikes and precision moves, making her one of the more interesting
characters in DoA2.
Lei-Fang's supposed plot reason (and I use the word "plot" sparingly
when talking about DoA) for joining the tournament is to go and
beat up Jann-Lee, who apparently beat up a bunch of punks who ambushed
Lei-Fang. Lei-Fang thought she could've handled all of them, and so is
quite ticked at Jann-Lee for assuming she couldn't take care of
herself.
Lei-Fang has eight costumes in DoA2 Hardcore:
C1: Red and yellow sleeveless Chinese dress
C2: White and red sleeveless Chinese dress
C3: Green, red, and black torso-less Ying-Yang outfit
C4: Black leather top and shorts
C5: Blue and yellow casual Chinese wear
C6: White and yellow traditional Chinese wear
C7: Green and white traditional Chinese wear
C8: "Party dress" (extremely risque black leather dress, looks like
dominatrix wear)
Of these, C3 and C4 are my favorites. C8 would be too, but her hair
looks stupid in that dress.
Lei-Fang has many cool quotes as well.
Begin Fight Quotes:
"Yoroshiku ne!" (Hello!)
"Kakugo wa ii?" (Are you prepared?)
"Motto motto!" (More, more!)
End Fight Quotes:
"Otsukaresama deshita!" (Nice work!)
"Mm, jouteki!" (Mm, splendid!)
"Yoshi! Ii katchi!" (Okay! Good win!)
"Nando yatte mo, watashi no katchi yo!" (No matter how many times you
try, it's my win!)
"Tairiki dasu sugi chatta?" (Did I overdo it?) (on "Great" only)
"Gomen, asobase!" (Sorry to play around!) (on "Greatest" only)
Character Specific Quotes:
"Ojiichan, muri shinaide." (Grandpa, don't overdo it.) (Gen Fu)
"Chikara ja nakute ne." (It's not about power.) (Tina)
"Mata tsuyoku natta deshou?" (I became stronger, haven't I. (Jann-Lee)
"Mata butoukai de oaishimashou." (Let's meet at the next dance.
(Helena)
2. BASICS
First, the conventions used in this guide.
f - tap forward
b - tap backward
d - tap down
u - tap up
u/f - tap up and forward
u/b - tap up and back
d/f - tap down and forward
d/b - tap down and back
[] - hold the button. For instance [f] means hold forward
qcf - roll the controller from the down position to forward
qcb - roll the controller from the down position to back
P - punch button
K - kick button
F - free button
+ - perform simultaneously
, - perform in succession
H - move hits high
M - move hits mid
L - move hits low
G - move hits grounded opponent
T - move is a throw
R - move is a reversal or parry (hold)
KD - move knocks opponent to the ground
KB - move knocks the opponent back; wall/ledge damage is possible
S - move staggers
FS - move causes face stun
LS - move causes lift stun
CR - move causes crumple stun
CS - move causes crying stun
FL - move floats opponent
SS - move causes sit stun
DO - move causes double-over stun
DOB - move causes double-over back stun
FFS - move causes fall forward stun
FBS - move causes fall back stun
NR - the move is not reversible; details in the description
C - on counter
HC - on high counter
The descriptions of the various stuns were first recorded by Shiva (Tom
Cheng), who was kind enough to let me use them in my FAQ. Here they
are, with a few additional notes. If a stun move is performed on an
already stunned opponent, extra effects will manifest.
Poke stun -- This is barely considered a stun, but whenever a character
is hit, he/she will snap back somehow to reflect being struck. This is
only a 'stun' because no attack can be executed at that time. Many
different poke stuns have different effects while on slippery surfaces.
For example, some foot sweeps will make the victim slide back a bit
if on ice or water.
Face stun -- The opponent recoils a bit and holds his/her face, still
standing relatively straight. This is a very "standard" stun.
Extra: opponent falls back to the ground.
Lift stun -- The opponent goes limp and 'shrugs' upward. Extra:
opponent is lifted into the air for a float combo. This is the most
important stun in the game. If lift stun is inflicted while on a
slippery surface, the victim will slip and partially fall, extending
stun time.
Double-over stun -- The opponent bends over slightly, usually because of a knee
or fist to the gut. Extra: opponent falls forward to the ground.
Double-over shove stun -- A more powerful double-over stun, sending the
victim back in addition to the double-over. Extra or on slippery
surface: becomes sit-down stun.
Crying stun -- The opponent leans forward, usually to the side, and
holds his/her face like a weeping baby. This usually comes in the
middle of combos or mid attacks. If crying stun is inflicted while on
a slippery surface, the victim will slip and partially fall,
extending stun time.
Stagger -- The opponent takes a little stumble backwards. This is very
hard to distinguish from a face stun.
Low Stagger -- The opponent takes a little stumble backwards. If low
stagger is inflicted while on a slippery surface, the victim will slip
and partially fall, extending stun time.
Fall Forward Stun -- The opponent slowly slumps forward to the ground.
Fall Back Stun -- The opponent slowly falls backward to the ground.
Critical stuns: These stuns are usually the result of a big hit or being hit
during another stun. You do not want to be in any of these
positions if you can help it.
Critical stuns cannot be escaped. Lift stun hits and certain other
moves will float opponents who are in critical stun.
Critical stun: Sit-down stun -- Opponent is thrown back and ends up
sitting on the floor.
Critical stun: Crumple stun -- Opponent bends way over forward, slowly
falling.
Critical stun: Crumple back stun -- Opponent bends way over backwards,
slowly falling. Usually crumple stun and crumple back stun are caused
by the same attacks, just hitting different parts of the victim's body.
Stuns are important because if stunned, the opponent cannot block for
a set period of time -- hence the basis of combo attacks. Contrary
to the definition of "combo" used in Tekken and others, a combo in Dead
or Alive 2 is defined as a string of moves which, once the first move
connects, cannot be blocked. However, combos may be interrupted by
reversal, even if the opponent is stunned. We will come back to this
point later in the combos section.
Speaking of combos, however, be aware that you cannot just add together
the component damages of the parts to get the total combo damage. The
reason for this is that the game "prorates", or changes the damage,
of moves inflicted during comboes. This is to make float combos not
cheap and stagger combos less deadly. When an opponent is staggered
or floating, moves hitting the character will be prorated 50% (in
other words, the move will only do 50% damage). In tag mode, this is
taken further; a character can start out a combo at 100%, and float
for 50%, tagging in their partner. The partner can continue the float
at 50% prorating. If the float continues even further and the original
character is tagged in, subsequent float moves on that character do
a measly 35% damage. Thus even ridiculous 16-hit comboes will not
do THAT much big damage.
Damage can be prorated in other ways. Certain power/impact moves,
such as Lei-Fang's shoulder ram or back ram, will score a "Close
Hit" if the enemy was extremely close when you hit them. Close Hit
will prorate moves 150%.
The game also defines "Counter" and "Hi Counter" moves. Note that
there are three general types of moves in DoA: "strikes" (normal
moves), "holds" (reversals), and throws. These moves arrange in
a sort of paper-rock-scissors formation: strikes beat throws, throws
beat reversals, and reversals beat strikes. The upshot of this is
that if you hit someone who is trying to throw you, or you throw
someone who just tried to reverse you, you will do a "Hi Counter".
This prorates moves 150%. If you do a move of the same type, or
do a move that does not follow the triangle formation (throwing
somebody as they're attacking or attacking somebody who missed
a reversal), you do a mere "Counter" and the move is prorated 125%.
There is another way to get "Counter" status: hitting an opponent
in the back.
Reversals definte "Hi Counter" and "Counter" a bit differently.
When you input the command for a reversal, your character does a
reversal animation, and for about a half second you will receive all
incoming moves at the specified height level and avoid them, instead
doing damage to the opponent in most cases. If you input the reversal
command quite early, and the opponent hits into it, you will get the
normal reversal. If the incoming attack comes in almost immediately
after the input command, you will get a "Counter" and the reversal
will do 125% damage. Finally, if you input a reverse command at the
exact moment when an attack hits you, you will get "Hi Counter" and
will do 150% damage.
Now note that if you combine say, Hi Counter, with a combo, the
proratings stack. For instance, if you start a float combo with
a Hi Counter, the first move will do 150% damage, while additional
moves in the float will do 50% -- but 50% of 150% damage, so it
will be a straight prorating of 75%. Likewise, counter moves
begin at 125% damage, and are then prorated to 62%.
Finally, stacking "Close Hit" and "Counter" or "Hi Counter" will
result in a single prorating of 160%.
3. EXTENDED MOVELIST
What follows is a listing of Lei-Fang's moves, with a detailed
explanation of each one. The first line will have the move's name
and input command, as well as the attack level and damage done, and
any special properties of that move, following the conventions given
above. Then a brief description along with any applicable strategies
for that move will follow.
For instance, a line such as:
S. Hai P,[d/f]+P,P+K; H10,M20,M35 -,-,F; C,HC:S,S,F -,-,NR
means: The name of the move is S. Hai. It is performed by pressing
punch, then holding the down-forward direction and pressing punch,
then punch and kick in unison. The three hits of the move do
high, mid, and mid damage for 10, 20, and 35 points, respectively.
Normally the first two moves have no special effects, the last move
floats. On counter or high counter the first two moves stagger, and
the last one floats. The last move is also non-reversible in all
cases.
BASIC MOVES:
Lei-Fang shares these moves with most other characters.
High Punch P; H10; HC:S
Actually an open palm strike. Staggers only on high counter.
Mid Punch d/f+P; M20; C,HC:S
A backhand to the midsection.
Low Punch d+P; L5; C,HC:DO
Double punch to the low section.
High Kick K; H20; C,HC:FBS
Kick to the face.
Mid Kick d/f+K; M25; C,HC:SS
Kick to the stomach.
Low Kick d+F; L10; C,HC:KD
Kick to the knee.
Jump Punch P (in mid-air); M15; S
A palm strike to the face. The staggers caused by counter or high
counter are longer than the normal hit stagger.
Jump Kick K (in mid-air); M30; KD C,HC:DO
Kick to the high chest. Beneficial stunning effects on counter
only.
Rising Kick K (getting up from ground, or immediately after jumping
backwards) M20; KD, C,HC:CS
Sideways kick to the midsection. Beneficial on counter hit.
Rising Sweep d+K (getting up from ground); DO C,HC:KD
Sweep to the feet. More beneficial from a stunning viewpoint on
non-counter hits.
UNIQUE MOVES:
Zensho u/f+P; M25; C,HC:S
An upwards elbow strike to the midsection. Fast but not terribly
effective.
Shahi u+P; H18; C,HC:S
A higher upwards elbow strike to the face. Faster than the Zensho,
but for lesser damage, and the opponent can duck.
Niki u/f+KK; M23,H25; S,S C,HC:F,F
A double hopkick. An effective float starter.
Tenshin u/b+K; H34; KD
Spinning jumping kick backwards. Since the hop is backwards the
range of this move can be said to be negative... even if you're
standing directly next to the opponent, they will not be hit unless
they walk into it! Also a bit on the slow side, and is reversed
as if it were a standing kick.
Soan f,f+P; M26; KD C,HC:DO
Lei-Fang charges forward for a double palm strike. Will knock the
opponent down on normal hit, double-over stun on counter or high
counter. Again a bit on the slow side, easily reversed.
Sofu f,b+P; H25; FBS
A box to the ears, looks like. Good for surprising the enemy, and
low kicks or other moves will hit the opponent as they fall over.
Chisun b,f+P; M40; KB
The ever-popular shoulder ram. Good damage, and relatively fast.
However, it's reversible, illogically enough, which can lead to
some frustration. I suggest using it at the end of float comboes,
or if you manage to surprise the opponent from behind or in the
middle of a long execution time move.
Kinkei P+K; H20,M25; LS C,HC:F
An upwards palm strike and a knee lift simultaneously. The downside
is that this move can thus be reversed both high and mid; if reversed
high it will reverse as a punch, if mid it will reverse as a kick.
Floats on counterhit, though, so it may be worth it.
Tessa d,d+K; L25; S
Lei-Fang slides forward and hits the opponent with her back foot. The
range of this move is surprisingly long and most human opponents
rarely reverse low unless they're expecting it, so it's a good move
to use if the opponent has very little left on their life bar.
Renchu f+P,K; M17,H20,M25; -,LS C,HC:CS,F
This move is identical to the Kinkei but it is preceded by a quick
elbow strike to the midsection. Great for floating opponents, as long
as they don't reverse mid...
Anshu b,b+P; H26; S
Lei-Fang rears back and then charges forward for a punch. It looks
mid, so it fools some people into reversing mid, and it stuns quite
well. A bit on the slow side, so use it only at midrange, not close.
Hoto b+P; M22; C,HC:S
An open palm strike. As opposed to the Anshu, it looks high but is
actually mid. Quite tricky, although unless it hits on counter there
is little merit to this move. It is not documented, but this can
be extended to b+PP for M22M25.
Shanpo d/b+PP; M18,M28; -,DO C,HC:CS,DO
A low backfist followed up by a double fist to the midsection; both
hits are mid. Useful for a quick stun.
Shaorin qcf+P; M32; DO
Lei-Fang circles forward and delivers a strong punch to the midsection.
Good stunning potential but long on the execution time, and too easy
to inadvertently pull off. Try using it only in mid range; you'll
probably get interrupted otherwise.
G. Niki d/f,d/f+PKK; L20,M23,H25; -,S,S C,HC:CR,F,F
A punch to the low section followed up by the Niki double kick. Good
combo starter from the midrange as the range is quite large
comparatively and again, most people don't reverse low.
G. Hai d/f,d/f+P,P+K; L20,M35; -,F C,HC:CR,F -,NR
A low punch followed up by the back ram. The second hit is not
reversible (successful reversal leads to a position change only).
Range is lower than the Niki, but if the first hit hits the second
will as well. The second move will leave your back turned.
Sokutan f+K; H24; S C,HC:F
A side kick to the face which stuns quite well and is easy to pull
off, although it can (and will be) ducked often. Unfortunately
it is too easy to inadvertently do the Bunkyaku (f,f+K), so if
you are going for this move I recommend holding down f for awhile and
then pushing K.
Bunkyaku f,f+K; M32; F
A modification of the Sokutan which hits mid instead of high and
does more damage. It loses the stunning properties of the Sokutan,
instead knocking the opponent down.
Hikyaku u+K; H24; C,HC:F
An in-to-out crescent kick. Hits high and floats on counter or
hi counter.
Sengu b+KK,d+K; H30,M20,L15; KD,KD,KD
Three spinning kicks, high middle then low. A good combination
as the first kick will knock the opponent of their feet and thus
the next two hits will not be reversible. All three kicks do not
usually hit though.
Fujin [d/b]+KK; L15L23; -,S C,HC:S,S
Lei-Fang kicks the opponent with her back foot and then slides forward
for the Tessa. Since both hits are low and the move has fairly good
range, this is quite effective if the opponent has been neglecting
their low defense. Stuns for a short while allowing good follow up.
Tokyaku d/f+K,P+K; M25,M35; S,F C,HC:SS,F
A side kick followed by the back ram. Again, the second hit is
not reversible (position change only). Beware, unless the opponent
is quite close when you hit them with the kick, the backram will
not connect, and it leaves you with your back turned, which is
quite dangerous for Lei-Fang.
Hoko f+P+K; H22; S
Lei-Fang rears back and then delivers a double palm strike to the
face. Stuns quite well, but again the risk of a high attack is
that the opponent will duck.
Honshin u/b+P; M29; C,HC: FFS
Lei-Fang leans back and then delivers an open palm strike to the
midsection. The interesting part of this move is that it is
a modified punch, in that any of Lei-Fang's canned comboes starting
with P (such as PPP or PKKd+K) can have the first P replaced with
this move instead, which alters the level and therefore creates
interesting guessing games for the opponent. However it is a bit
slow on the execution time, so I suggest using d/f+P as the mid
level replacement punch of choice.
R. Shao PPP; H10,H12,M32; -,-,DO HC:S,S,DO
Two palm strikes followed by the Shaorin. An okay combination, although
generally the last hit will not hit during floats because it is too
slow.
R. Kin PP,f+PK; H10,H12,M20,H20,M25; -,-,CS,F C:-,-,DO,F HC:S,S,DO,F
Two palm strikes, then a turnaround and the Renchu combination.
Extremely effective at prolonging floats, but quite tricky to
pull off. I'd suggest taking the effort to master this move as
the increased damage in floats is great.
R. Zen PP,b+PP; H10,H12,M22,M25; C:-,-,S,S HC:S,S,S,S
Two quick palm strikes followed by two slower palm strikes. The
recovery time is pretty bad, so only use if you think you will
get a counter hit, which stuns the opponent well.
R. Renshu PPKK; H10,H12,H25,H28; -,-,-,KD C: -,-,FBS,KD; HC:S,S,FBS,KD
Two palm strikes and two spinning high kicks. Respectable
damage, the downside is that all attacks are high, so it
is quite easy to avoid.
R. Sengu PPK,d+K; H10,H12,H25,M20; -,-,-,KD C:-,-,FBS,KD; HC:S,S,FBS,KD
Same as R. Renshu, except the last kick is mid instead of high
and does slightly less damage. If you think they'll reverse
high go ahead and do this move.
R. Tessa PP,d+K; H10,H12,L25; -,-,S HC:S,S,S
Two palm strikes followed up by the Tessa. Yet another entry
into the wonderful diversity of the PP combo starter series.
Also a not so bad way to end float comboes.
S. Soan P,[d/f]+PP; H10,M20,M26; -,-,KD; C:S,S,KD HC:S,S,S
Palm strike, low palm strike, and a double palm strike. Weird
timing makes this move unpredictable, but at the same time
it leaves you open to interrupting attacks.
S. Hai P,[d/f]+P,P+K; H10,M20,M35 -,-,F; C,HC:S,S,F -,-,NR
Like the S. Soan only ending with the back ram instead. This
has the added advantage of increased damage and the fact that
the last hit cannot be reversed; however the range is
decreased, and it leaves you with your back turned.
Tanben PKK,d+K; H10,H30,M20,L15; -,KD,KD,KD; HC:S,KD,KD,KD
A palm strike followed by the Sengu combo. Only the first two
hits are generally reversible because the first kick will knock
the opponent of their feet.
Renshu KK; H28,H32; S,KD C,HC:FBS,KD
Two fast spinning kicks. Both high, but otherwise good damage
potential.
Shu Sen K,d+K; H28,M20; S,F C,HC:FBS,F
Like Renshu, only the second kick is mid, giving the move more
variety but less overall damage.
Paika b+P+K; H20; S
Lei-Fang leans forward into an odd looking palm strike to the
face. Staggers quite efficiently, and has reasonably good range.
The execution time is a bit long.
Tozu d/b+P+K; M34; KD
Lean back and then a double punch to the midsection. Knocks
the opponent down regardless of counter and is thus really
effective only as a single move, as it is too slow to combo
in most cases.
Haiseki d+P+K; M35; F, NR
The move I have referred to as the "back-ram", this move has
crappy range but it is not reversible; in fact, if reversed,
the opponent will flip around to your back, but since your
back was turned in the first place you'll end up face to face!
Thus it is better for you if your opponent reverses rather than
blocks.
Senpu F+K; M35; KD, NR
Lei-Fang's only attack move with the F button, it's a jumping
spinning axe kick with quite good range, and it is not
reversible. Use it on people as they're rushing in or getting up.
BACK-FACING MOVES:
Lei-Fang has but one unique back facing attack, and frankly,
it sucks.
Sentsu P+K; M38; KB
A power punch to the midsection which knocks the opponent
down. Slow, no combo potential, and slightly above average
damage. Not recommended.
THROWS:
Lei-Fang has mostly above average throws.
Toden F+P; T42; KB/KD
Lei-Fang grabs her opponent by the wrist and delivers a
palm strike to the midsection. Not particularly damaging,
although the hit will knock them over ledges if they are
close enough.
Noba b+F+P; T46; KD
Lei-Fang pulls her opponent in by the wrist and then
hits them with an elbow strike with her other arm.
Again, not that spectacular, and only slightly more
damaging than the Toden.
Kaishin b+F+P (Lei-Fang's back to wall) T0; -
Lei-Fang pulls the opponent in and switches positions with them,
so that now the opponent is backed up against the wall. Not too
great, and far too easy to pull off accidentally. No real
advantage to this throw other than superior positioning.
Tokan d/f+F+P; T52; KD
Lei-Fang grabs the opponent's torso and then cartwheels onto
them. This throw seems to have a longer range than the others,
and it is quick in execution; I have not seen this throw
escaped.
Heishin b,f+F+P; T55; KD
Lei-Fang pulls the opponent in by the wrist and then knocks
the side of their head into the ground with her fist. Doesn't
look that great, but the damage is there.
Yoho f,f+F+P; T50; KB
Lei-Fang grabs the opponent, then kicks them in the torso before
palm-striking them back. Knocks the opponent back a fair distance,
good for extra wall or ledge damage.
Asshin f,f+F+P (opponent's back to wall); T60; KD
A great throw, it's basically the Yoho, only Lei-Fang uses the
wall for extra leverage and thus uses her elbow on the second
hit. 60 is the base damage but you will get more for explosive
walls. Also despite the command given in the movelist, I find that
as long as the opponent is backed up against the wall f+F+P or
even F+P work just as well.
Rentai qcf+F+P, b+F+P, f,f+F+P; T48,T20,T32; KD,KD,KD
Lei-Fang's chain throw, variation one. She grabs the opponent
and hits them with a palm strike to the torso, spins around for
an elbow to the back, and then trips them into the ground for
a sweet 100 points of damage. Will save you many many times
in say, survival mode, where they rarely seem to break out of
it. However, if your back is to a wall or ledge, it would
be more advantageous to do...
Kenpi qcf+F+P, b+F+P, b,f+F+P; T48,T20,T28; KD,KD,KB
Lei-Fang's chain throw, variation two. The first two hits are
the same, but instead of the trip she shoulder rams them in the
back. Oddly this does less damage on its own, but since the
shoulder ram knocks them back a fair distance wall and/or ledge
damage is possible. The shoulder ram will be directed along the
axis of where your back was when you originally start the
chain throw, so use this variation if your back is to a wall
or ledge.
Rinei qcb+F+P; T62; KD
Lei-Fang's most damaging standing non-chain throw, Lei-Fang
basically dislocates the opponents' shoulder before shoulder
throwing him to the ground. A good throw to shoot for if the
opponent keeps escaping your chain throws.
Haisui F+P (facing opponent's back); T55; KD
Lei-Fang grabs the opponent's arm and shoulder throws him
to the ground. Not too special, there are better throws.
Shanpo f,f+F+P (facing opponent's back); T58; KB
Lei-Fang delivers a hard shoulder ram to the back; basically
the last hit of the Kenpi. Slightly more damaging than the
Haisui, and better range by virtue of the f,f dash in.
Chogo qcf+F+P (facing opponent's back); T60; KD
This very painful-looking move involves Lei-Fang kneeing the
opponent in the back of their neck, then spin kicking their
head into the ground. Worth style points as well as a good
60 points of damage.
Toitsu d+F+P (crouching opponent); T58; KD
Lei-Fang cartwheels backwards, incidentally kicking the
opponent in the face three times. All right throw, although
if you suspect the opponent will crouch you should go for the
Kindoku instead.
Kindoku d/b+F+P (crouching opponent); T62; KD/KB
Lei-Fang knees the opponent in the face, sending them
flying back.
Teishu d+F+P (facing crouching opponent's back); T65; KD
Not a throw you are likely to see often, Lei-Fang delivers
a hard knife edge chop to the back of the opponent's neck.
HOLDS:
Tensen u/b+F (against high punches); R62; KD
Lei-Fang grabs the opponent's arm and then trips them with a
knee to the stomach.
Rotai u/b+F (against high kicks); R62; KD
Lei-Fang grabs the opponent's leg, uses her other arm to trip them,
then spins around to kick them in the stomach.
Shingeki b+F (against mid punches); R62; KD
Lei-Fang grabs the punch and flips the opponent over her head.
Shinhai b+F (against mid punches, Lei-Fang's back to wall); R70; KD
An extension of the Shingeki, as the opponent slides down the wall
Lei-Fang also hits them with a shoulder ram. The actual damage
may be higher than 70 depending on the properties of the wall. Note
that this is potentially the most damaging reversal in the game;
almost 130 damage on a high counter reversal!
Kaiso b+F (against mid kicks); R0; -
Lei-Fang pushes the kick back, turning the opponent around. Does
no damage but gives you a slight advantage. I recommend following up
with a F+P,K,b,f+P combo, as most other moves usually are not fast
enough. If you are daring you can try for a qcf+F+P throw.
Sohi d/b+F (against low punches); R62; KD
Lei-Fang pulls the opponent in with their momentum, then gives them
an axe kick to the head.
Hotai d/b+F (against low kicks); R62; KD
Lei-Fang pushes the opponent's leg up, flipping them backwards.
Teishu b+F (against jumping punches); R62; KD
Lei-Fang flips the opponent to the ground.
Senshin b+F (against jumping kicks); R62; KD
Lei-Fang flips the opponent to the ground. Note that Lei-Fang is able
to reverse jumping kicks while most characters cannot.
Seiretsu/Hosei b,u/f+F (against high/middle attacks); R0; S
Lei-Fang's parry, does no damage and gives you a very slight advantage.
The big plus to this move is that you do not have to differentiate
between high and mid attacks.
Risei/Kasui b,d/f+F (against low attacks); R0; S
Lei-Fang's low parry, no damage. Kind of useless because if you think
the opponent will attack low you might as well reverse low.
TAUNTS:
Geishin b,f,b+F+P+K
Lei-Fang steps back and bids the opponent come get her.
Dame Dame d,d+F+P+K
Lei-Fang steps towards the opponent and gives them a mock
bow, telling them "no, no!" as if chiding a small child.
Yoshi! f,b,f+F+P+K
Lei-Fang jumps into the air saying "Yoshi!" (Okay!) Shortest
taunt animation and therefore the taunt of choice if the opponent is
not finished yet, or in Survival Mode.
Dame Dame (2) b,b+F+P+K
Lei-Fang hops back and cocks her head to the side, again saying
"no, no!". Kind of annoying because this move is too easy to do
in tag mode, and it is quite long and leaves you quite vulnerable.
DOWN ATTACKS:
Rakuso u+P+K; G18
Lei-Fang hops onto the opponent.
Shinkyaku d+K; G10
Lei-Fang stomps on the opponent.
TAG ATTACKS:
Lei-Fang's tagging ability is quite extraordinary, as she has
many special tag throws, not to mention three tag throws with her
"primary" partner, Jann-Lee.
Heishin b+F+P+K or f,f+F+P+K (tag in Lei-Fang); T62; KD
Your partner whips the opponent towards Lei-Fang, who flips the
opponent over her head a la the mid punch reversal. Also a la
the mid punch reversal, if they hit a wall Lei-Fang will tack on
a shoulder ram for extra variable damage. The f,f+F+P+K input
will work only if the character does not already have a tag throw
with Lei-Fang.
Lei-Fang also has many character specific tag throws.
f,f+F+P+K (Lei-Fang tags in Jann-Lee); T70; KB
Lei-Fang flips the opponent behind and then kicks them in the
back to float them; Jann-Lee pops in with his Dragon Kick, which
has added damage potential if they hit the wall.
qcf+F+P+K (Lei-Fang tags in Jann-Lee); T80; KD
Lei-Fang flips the opponent to the ground, where Jann-Lee stomps
on them, and then crushes the opponent's ribs with two more stomps.
Worth infinite style points if you land it.
f,f+F+P+K (Jann-Lee tags in Lei-Fang); T70; KB
Jann-Lee delivers three quick punches to the opponent, then he and
Lei-Fang both perform the Dragon Knuckle, knocking the opponent far
far back. Wall damage possible.
f,f+F+P+K (Lei-Fang tags in Helena); T70; KB
Lei-Fang team up to do a dual Kenpi chain throw to the opponent. Wall
damage is possible.
f,f+F+P+K (Helena tags in Lei-Fang); T70; KD
Lei-Fang and Helena surround them opponent, hitting them once
in the chest and once in the back, then flipping them to the ground.
If you tag Helena to Lei-Fang I suggest using the b+F+P+K to override
this tag throw with the Heishin instead, as you will usually get
the added wall damage.
f,f+F+P+K (Lei-Fang tags in Tina); T70; KD
Lei-Fang grabs the opponent in a hammer lock, circling to their back,
when Tina comes in and the two do a double bulldog maneuver.
f,f+F+P+K (Tina tags in Lei-Fang); T70; KD
Tina does a reverse Frankensteiner to ground the opponent, then boosts
Lei-Fang into a sit-down splash.
f,f+F+P+K (Gen-Fu tags in Lei-Fang); T70; KD/KB
Gen-Fu rams the opponent then lifts them up; meanwhile
Lei-Fang grabs the opponents foot and catapults over Gen-Fu, slamming
the opponent down to the ground.
f,f+F+P+K (Zack tags in Lei-Fang); 70; KD
Zack knees the opponent in the stomach while Lei-Fang knees them in
the back; Zack then knees the opponent again and Lei-Fang uses the
momentum to flip them into the ground.
4. COMBOS
The key to winning battles in DoA is knowing when and where to use
comboes. Remember that unlike some other fighting game series,
comboes are not guaranteed damage; they can be reversed out of,
hurting your character in the process. With that said the only
"guaranteed" comboes are float comboes, and so you will want to try
to employ these as much as possible.
Just as the central dogma of genetics goes DNA->RNA->Protein, so
too does the central dogma of DoA comboes go Stun->Float->Extend->
Finish.
The reasoning is simple. The main goal is to get the enemy into the
air for as long as possible, and then tack on additional damage.
Certain portions of the central dogma may be omitted; for instance,
one can start directly with a float, or one can end with the extend.
However, the truly ridiculous combos encompass all four parts. Stunned
opponents generally float higher, allowing more variety in extend
and finish moves.
Experiment with the table below, picking one from each column and
joining them together in different combinations. Not all combinations
work, as the moves that float often float to entirely different
heights. Some comboes may only work on counterhit. Not all extend
moves lend themselves to finish moves.
*this move leaves your back turned so further options are limited
**only floats staggered opponents
As you can see, Lei-Fang has many combo starting options but few
ending options. Ideally, after an extend move you should be able to
finish with the b,f+P shoulder ram, which has added wall/ledge damage
potential. However, don't go crazy; Lei-Fang is not a big multi-hit
character like Kasumi, Ayane, Helena, or Zack. Often you will have
to choose between Extend or Finish moves, and the situation will
dictate which you should choose.
Finally, don't underestimate the canned combo! Lei-Fang has great
variations on simple themes. Any canned combo that starts with P
can be extended and modified in great ways.
Let's take a look at all of Lei-Fang's canned combos beginning with P.
Not so exciting. But now realize that u/b+P and d/f+P serve as modified
punches to the midsection. So in fact any of these combos can have
their first hit designated as mid! The possibilities are almost
endless. Need a MHL combo? Try d/f+P,P,d+K. Switch up levels often to
confuse your opponent. Combine this and the float combo, and you'll be
virtually invincible.
5. STRATEGIES
VS. CHARACTERS
Dead or Alive is less about using your moves well against certain
characters than it is about knowing the other character's moves well
and being able to counter efficiently. With that said, here are a few
tips that are probably generalizable even if you are not playing
Lei-Fang.
vs. Kasumi
Kasumi likes those fast hits. Don't let her take advantage of this
by using your slower moves. Instead go for the faster strings, but
don't stick to this plan too much or she'll reverse. At this point
you can also go for the longer-range throws (d/f+F+P or f,f+F+P).
vs. Hayasbusa
Try to avoid punching attacks, as if they are reversed they'll go
into that cheapass spinning piledriver counter, which does
ridiculous damage and is also quite annoying. Stick to kick combos
or irreversible attacks. Watch for easily reversible high attacks;
however, be aware that Hayabusa uses low attacks more than the
average character, so watch for these opportunities as well.
vs. Gen-Fu
Luckily, Gen-Fu, when controlled by the computer, uses mostly
mid attacks, so reversing mid often will get you quite far. If
he catches you with his throw where he tosses you into the air
and then catches you, immediately reverse mid after as he is likely
to do his Ugyu strike, which if not countered can hit for a
ridiculous 75 damage.
vs. Helena
Helena's style is very similar to your own; in fact, Ling Xiaoyu
of Tekken, whose fighting style is also supposedly Tai Chi Quan,
has a style which is like an eerie hybrid of Lei-Fang's and
Helena's. In any case, try to block and then reverse easy to
see combos. Also be aware that while Helena is in Bokuho (low)
stance, she can be crouch-thrown.
vs. Tina
Stay on top of her and don't let her throw you. Break the chain
reversal if she reverses your mid kicks. In Story Mode she is
the second character you face, so she shouldn't give you too much
trouble.
vs. Bass
What applied to Tina also applies to Bass. Break his chain
reversal, and also beware of his several power strikes. Luckily
most of them hit mid, so reversing mid often is a good policy.
vs. Zack
Zack's multihit kick combos are quite easy to reverse. His other
moves are less predictable. If you don't know what's coming don't
attempt to reverse; block instead, as he is prone to change levels
on you easily.
vs. Leon (or Bayman)
Leon, at least controlled by the computer, uses a two-punch, low-kick
combo quite frequently, so reverse low if you see this coming.
Otherwise stay with high reversals, for the most part.
vs. Jann-Lee
Computer-controlled Jann-Lee teaches us one lesson, and that is when
in doubt, reverse high. The vast majority of his moves will be reversed
if you do so, the major exceptions being his Dragon Elbow and his
f,f+K jumping axe kick. If he pulls off his three punch combo and
you haven't yet reversed, don't bother reversing the final move because
it can be the kick (high), dragon knuckle (mid), or a sweep (low),
and you don't really want to guess.
vs. Lei-Fang
Playing yourself should be easy, right? Especially since you know all
of your own comboes, right?
vs. Ein
Ein is almost like Jann-Lee in his indiscriminate use of high attacks,
but not quite as much. Also beware for his comboes which incorporate
low kicks; if you know they're coming, they become easy combo break
points.
vs. Ayane
Ayane likes to use low kicks to stagger you before launching into mid
hits for combo floats. If you don't successfully reverse a low kick,
then, reverse mid to catch her next move. It'll work most of the time.
vs. Tengu
If you've played DoA2 for any length of time, you'll realize how
easy he is to beat, mostly because his moves are quite repetitive.
If he tries to blow you over with his fan, rush in and reverse mid.
His triple flip kick is also mid. If he somersaults backward, prepare
to reverse mid for his charging ram; if after somersaulting he
instead jumps towards you, prepare to reverse high to counter
the float kick he's probably going to launch at you. The rest
of Tengu's combos should be blocked and then suitably countered,
although beware; he has ridiculous throw range/priority.
TIME ATTACK MODE
Lei-Fang is a good choice for time attack as most of her moves
balance speed and power quite well. A quick way to tack on 100+
damage is to use her chain throws; practice until the parts flow
together evenly. You're working against the clock, so avoid
longer moves, or the u+P+K down attack. Knocking the opponent into
a wall, and then following up with a f,f+F+P throw is your friend.
The game considers a "good" score under 4:15 (255 seconds, or 2^16 - 1
seconds for you non mathematicians), on official rules, and doing so with
Lei-Fang will net you her 7th costume. I consider a
good score under 4:00 (30 seconds per person, or 15 seconds a round),
or if you're REALLY good, 3:30 (which I've only done twice).
SURVIVAL MODE
Unfortunately, Lei-Fang is not the best for Survival Mode. Her
lack of long comboes means you will not be able to get the
ridiculous scores that, say, Helena would. However, Lei-Fang
is durable enough that should you switch up your attacks often
enough, you should prevail. Especially keep an eye out for the
extra wall damage you can do with f,f+F+P, d+P+K, or b,f+P.
The chain throws will help you out, also, as the computer rarely
breaks out of them. Fifty wins will net you the Medal and the
right to say that you are sufficiently Survival-Mode l33t with
Lei-Fang. Don't expect much on points, though; my 50+ wins netted
me barely over 2 million points. If you're going for points rather
than wins, knock out a whole bunch of items with a few quick down
attacks, knock the opponent into the wall, and collect.
TAG BATTLE MODE
An obvious question is who to pair Lei-Fang with. The game
suggests Jann-Lee; I suggest Helena. Part of Lei-Fang's advantage
is that her combos are not terribly obvious, as Jann-Lee's are;
adding in Helena and sticking to her more esoteric moves will
preserve this element of surprise. Not only that, but Helena
and Lei-Fang have special tag throws both ways, not to mention
special intro and winning sequences. Also keep in mind a ridiculous
16-hit Helena/Lei-Fang combo, which alas is easily broken until
the eighth hit.
This combo will net you 16 hits as well as upwards of 160 damage;
quite ridiculous, as well as the fact that any human opponent
you manage to connect this combo on will immediately feel quite
embarrassed since you just slammed them for more than half
their life bar in one combo.
Should you choose not to tag with Helena, keep in mind that Lei-Fang's
PP,f+PK makes for a great float extender, as if you start it early
enough in the float it will maintain the same float height, allowing
you to tag back in with the original character and finish with whatever
move you would like.
6. CREDITS
A big thank you to:
The Playstation 2, sucking away my life quite enjoyably
Tecmo, for creating such a great series of fighting games
Jesus, for letting me kick his Ein ass with my Lei-Fang (sometimes...)
Shiva (Tom Cheng), for his suggestions, help, and overall l33t
A big "screw-you" to:
Hayabusa
The bastards at Square of America who decided to dub FFX
This guide is copyrighted 2001 to Edward Chang. It may be distributed
freely as long as it is not altered in any manner.
