DEAD OR ALIVE 3 LEI-FANG FAQ/STRATEGIES (v1.0 11-14-02) by Edward Chang (skuldnoshinpu@hotmail.com) Revision History v1.0 (11-14-02) First version. Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Basics 3. Quick Movelist 4. Extended Movelist 5. Combos 6. Advanced Strategies 7. Credits 1. INTRODUCTION Now that I've finally gotten around to writing this FAQ, I hope there are people who are still playing Dead or Alive 3. Also, since there's currently no FAQ for Lei-Fang in DOA3 on GameFAQs, why not? Hopefully this guide will be of use to you. This is an FAQ/Strategies guide for the Dead or Alive 3 character, Lei-Fang. Here's the obligatory stats section: Name: Lei-Fang Nationality: Chinese Birthday: April 23rd Age: 19 Bloodtype: B Height/Weight: 163 cm/50 kg (5'4"/110 lbs.) Three Sizes: 87/55/86 (34.2"/21.7"/33.9") Fighting Style: Tai Chi Chuan Occupation: Student Likes: Kyounin-Tofu (A Chinese dish) Hobbies: Aromatherapy 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 (although only Ling Xiaoyu in T4), and Isabella "Ivy" Valentine of Soul Calibur fame. On a non-fighting game front, she was Elly in the original Xenogears as well as Nephilim in Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht. Lei-Fang's style is Tai Chi Chuan, which combines a goodly number of power strikes and precision moves, along with many defensive maneuvers. I would even go so far as to say that Lei-Fang is the best defensive character in DOA3. More on this later. Lei-Fang's plot reason for joining the tournament is, once-again, to beat Jann Lee. Hopefully, she'll come up with a different reason once DOA4 rolls around (although, Gen Fu has been fighting for the same reason for quite awhile as well...) Lei-Fang has 4 costumes in DOA3. The first costume has 4 different variants, so in sum, Lei-Fang has 7 possible appearances, which is the most out of anyone aside from Kasumi. C1: Chinese Dress Variants: choose with A: Red Chinese Dress choose with X: Blue Chinese Dress choose with Y: White Chinese Dress choose with L+A: Black Chinese Dress C2: Black leather top, shorts, and shoes (similar to C4 from DOA2) C3: Blue dress (from her CG ending) C4: "Party Dress" dominatrix wear (C8 from DOA2H) C1 and C2 are available by default. To unlock Lei-Fang's other two costumes: C3: Play Tag Survival Mode, teaming with Jann Lee, and win at least 20 fights. You can "cheat" pretty easily; if you are low on health, simply press Start on the second controller. Defeat the challenging tag team, and then choose "Vs. Com". You'll continue where you left off with some, and maybe even all, of your life regained. C4: Finish story mode six times, one time each in each of Lei-Fang's other costumes, including the four variants of C1. Compared to DOA2(H), Lei-Fang has been improved in a number of areas, though some of her old strategies are no longer applicable. She retains her parries which make her excellent defensively. Her combo opportunities have increased considerably, her throws are still top-notch, and while reversals in general have been toned down since the last game, Lei-Fang's are still among the best. 2. BASICS This guide uses the following conventions: 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/stuns opponent FL - move floats opponent NR - the move is not reversible; details in the description C - on counter HC - on high counter Because I am lazy, I will copy straight from my Lei-Fang guide for DOA2H and say for the basics: 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 define "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. QUICK MOVELIST Name Command Basic Moves High Punch P High Kick K Mid Punch d/f+P Mid Kick d/f+K Low Punch d+P Low Kick d+K Jump Punch P (in midair) Jump Kick K (in midair) Rising Kick K (while getting up) Rising Sweep d+K (while getting up) Special Moves Zensho u/f+P Shahi-Chugeki u+P Sanren-Kyaku u/f+KKK Tenshin-Hairen u/b+K Soan f,f+P Sofu-Kanji f,b+P Shichi-Sun-Ko b,f+P Choshitsu-Hotsui P+K,P Tessa d,d+K Choshitsu-Hoshin-Geki f+PKP Enshu-Sui b,b+P Hoto-Suisan-Zensho b+PP Joho-Shichi-Sei d/b+PP Sho-Kinda qcf+P or P while running Hoto-Shu qcb+P Gekichi-Sanren-Kyaku d/f,d/f+PKKK Gekichi-Haisetsu-Ko d/f,d/f+PP Sokutan-Kyaku f+K or K while running Bun-Kyaku f,f+K Haikyaku-Senpu-Kyaku u+KK Senkyu-Ren-Tai b+KKK Fujin-Kyaku d/b+K Fujin-Tessa [d/b]+KK Tokyaku-Haisetsu-Ko d/f+KP Hoko-Kisan f+P+K Honshin-Tanben u/b+P Renkan-Sho-Kinda PPP Renkan-Soan PP,f+PP Renkan-Kinkei-Dokuritsu PP,f+PK Renkan-Zensho PP,b+PP Renkan-Hoto-Shu PP,d+P Renkan-Renshu-Kyaku PPKK Renkan-Senkyu-Tai PPK,d+K Renkan-Senpu-Kyaku PP,f+KK Renkan-Tessa PP,d+K Seiryuu-Soan P,d/f+PP Seiryuu-Haisetsu-Ko P,d/f+P,P+K Tanben-Senkyu-Rentai PKKK Renshu-Kyaku KK Shu-Kyaku-Senkyu-Tai K,d+K Hakkaku-Kyoshu b+P+K To-To-Ho d/b+P+K Haisetsu-Ko d+P+K Chuten-Sho d/f+P+K Senpu-Kyaku F+K Back-Turned Moves Sentsu-Hai P+K (with back turned) Throws Saiwan-Heishin-Geki F+P,F+P Saiwan-Heishin-Haisetsu-Ko F+P,F+P (back to wall) Noba-Bunso b+F+P Kaishin-Suichu b+F+P (back to wall) Token-Ko d/f+F+P Heishin-Sui f+F+P Roshitsu-Yoho f,f+F+P Roshitsu-Asshin-Ko f,f+F+P (opponent's back to wall) Ren-Taiko-Chogyo qcf+F+P,b+F+P,f,f+F+P Takuchu-Ken-Ko qcf+F+P,b+F+P,b,f+F+P Rinei-Hisui qcb+F+P Takuchu-Haisui F+P (opponent's back turned) Joho-Ko f,f+F+P (opponent's back turned) Shitsucho-Kohai-Kyaku qcf+F+P (opponent's back turned) Toitsu-Kon d+F+P (opponent crouching) Kinkei-Dokuritsu d/b+F+P (opponent crouching) Teishu-Josei d+F+P (opponent crouching, back turned) Reversals Tensen-Sotai u/b+F (against high punch) Rotai-Toto u/b+F (against high kick) Heishin-Geki b+F (against mid punch) Heishin-Haisetsu Ko b+F (against mid punch, back to wall) Kaisei b+F (against mid kick) Sohai-Kyaku d/b+F (against low punch) Hotai-Sokyaku d/b+F (against low kick) Sairetsu b,u/f+F (against high and mid punches) Hosei b,u/f+F (against high and mid kicks) Risei b,d/f+F (against low punch) Kasui b,d/f+F (against low kick) Honshi-Kato-Haisetsu-Ko f,u/b+F (against high punch) Tenshin-Ryugeki-Hairaku f,u/b+F (against high kick) Honko-Yoshin-Geki f,b+F (against mid punch) Kongo-Fujin-Kyaku b,f+F (against mid kick) Ranjakubi f,d/b+F (against low punch) Moko-Odato f,d/b+F (against low kick) Taishu-Oto b+F (against jumping punch) Senshin-Hotai b+F (against jumping kick) Taunts Geishin-Sei b,f,b+F+P+K Dame Dame d,d+F+P+K Atari f,b,f+F+P+K Mada Yaru b,b+F+P+K Down Attacks Rakuso-Suigeki u+P+K Shinkyaku d+K Tag Throws Tengyo-Ryukyaku F+P (with Jann Lee) Senshin-Koryu f+F+P (with Jann Lee) Double Dragon F+P (from Jann Lee) Goshin-Kento F+P (with Helena) Soto-Ryuso F+P (from Helena) Senpi-Gaida F+P (with Tina) Meteor Drop F+P (from Tina) Tenchi-Ryushu F+P (with Ein) Knee Fang Catapult F+P (from Zack) Shin-I-Yotenso F+P (from Gen Fu) Shin-I-Yotenko F+P (from Gen Fu, opponent's back to wall) Heishin-Geki F+P (with any other character) 4. 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. Moves/combos that are new from DOA2 are marked with an asterisk before the name, like this: *Sanren-Kyaku Moves that are specific to the Japanese/European releases of the game are marked with a double asterisk, like this: **Chuten-Sho BASIC MOVES: Every character has some variation of these moves. High Punch P; H10; - HC:S Palm strike to the face. Mid Punch d/f+P; M20; - HC:S Backhand to midsection. Low Punch d+P; L5; - HC:S Double punch to low section. High Kick K; H28; S Front kick to the face. Mid Kick d/f+K; M25; S HC:KB Side kick to the stomach. Low Kick d+K; L10; - HC:S Low kick to the knee. Jump Punch P (in midair); M15; S Jumping punch. Jump Kick K (in midair); M30; KB Jumping kick. Great for wall/ledge damage, and most characters cannot reverse jumping kicks. Rising Kick K (while getting up); M20; C,HC:S Staggers opponents on counter but followup opportunities may be limited. Rising Sweep d+K (while getting up); L20; S C,HC:KD Staggers on normal hit, knocks down on counter hit. UNIQUE MOVES: These are the moves that are unique to Lei-Fang. Zensho u/f+P; M25; S Upwards elbow strike to the midsection. Has been improved greatly from its DOA2 incarnation because it now stuns regardless of counterhit status. Great combo starter. Shahi-Chugeki u+P; H18; S Fast elbow strike to the face. Like the Zensho, it has been improved over its DOA2 version because it stuns on all counterhit statuses. Another good combo starter; mix up this and Zensho to fool your opponent, since they look very much alive. *Sanren-Kyaku u/f+KKK; M23,H12,H12; S,S,S C,HC:F,F,F DOA2's double kick has become a triple kick. The third kick negates float combo possibilities, so you might want to cancel the input after the second kick and go from there. Tenshin-Hairen u/b+K; H34; KB Backwards spinning kick. Nice knockback, but horrible range. Use only when opponent is charging. Also can be reversed like a high kick, unlike most jumping kicks. Soan f,f+P; M24; KB Double-handed palm strike that knocks the opponent back quite far. Good for wall/ledge damage; otherwise, stick to other moves that open up more combo potential. Sofu-Kanji f,b+P; H25; S Box to the ears. As the opponent falls backwards, low hits will connect, as will the P+K float combo starter. Good for surprising the opponent. Shichi-Sun-Ko b,f+P; M40; KB The ever popular shoulder ram. Is eligible for "close hit" for a whopping 60 points of damage, plus wall/ledge damage. Unfortunately, it can be reversed mid, so don't become too predictable with this move. Suggested time to use it are when opponent is floating or if opponent's back is turned. *Choshitsu-Hotsui P+K,P; H/M45,M12; F,KD Floating upwards palm and knee, and a downwards elbow strike. The second part is new to DOA3. However, since P+K is a good float combo starter (especially on counterhit), it may be wiser to F-cancel this combo and start a new float combo. Tessa d,d+K; L25; S Sliding forward kick to the low section. Deceptively long range, and hits low. Good for ending matches; most human opponents do not reverse low as often as they do mid or high. *Choshitsu-Hoshingeki f+PKP; M17,H/M45,M12; -,F,KD C,HC:S,F,KD Elbow to the midsection followed by this Choshitsu-Hotsui. Again, the P+K is a great float combo starter so you may wish to use an F-cancel to interrupt this combo. Enshu-Sui b,b+P; H26; S Lei-Fang rears back and delivers a punch. It looks mid but actually hits high. Staggers, so good combo possibility, and the backwards movement will avoid some attacks. However, it is pretty slow to execute. Hoto-Suisan-Zensho b+PP; M22,M25; -,S C,HC:S,S Two palm strikes to the midsection. Another good combo starter, although the two quick mid attacks may leave you open to reversals fairly easily. Startup time is also a little on the long side. Joho-Shichi-Sei d/b+PP; M18,M28; -,S C,HC:S,S Backfist to the midsection followed up by a double fist. Staggers fairly well, and you can avoid high attacks during the first part of this move. Sho-Kinda qcf+P or while running, P; M32; S Lei-Fang circles forward and delivers a fist to the midsection. Stuns, but is slow. Best used from the midrange; if you are too close you are apt to get hit out of it. *Hoto-Shu qcb+P; M20; S C,HC:F A new move, a rising wrist strike to the midsection. Like the Sho-Kinda, it stuns well. It trades off faster execution time for less damage. This move also floats on counter or hi counter so it is something to aim for, though it doesn't float very high even on hi counter. *Gekichi-Sanren-Kyaku d/f,d/f+PKKK; L20,M23,H12,H12; -,S,S,S C,HC:KD,F,F,F A punch to the low section followed up by the triple kicks. Excellent way to mix up the opponent. Should start from the midrange to be used effectively. Gekichi-Haisetsu-Ko d/f,d/f+PP; L20,M35; -,F C,HC:KD,F; -,NR Like the Gekichi-Sanren-Kyaku, only instead of the kicks the second hit is the back ram. This has the advantage of not being reversible (leads to position change only) so if the opponent has learned to reverse mid after the first low punch, switch to this combination instead. Sokutan-Kyaku f+K or while running, K; H24; S; C,HC:F Side kick to the face. Excellent combo starter, quite basic, and now easier to do than in DOA2. Follow up with other stunning or floating attacks in order to start a nice air combo. Bun-Kyaku f,f+K; M32; F A rising kick that always floats. Doesn't float that high normally but on counter or high counter you should be able to get a respectable float combo in. *Haikyaku-Senpu-Kyaku u+KK; H24,M35; -,- C,HC:F,KD; -,NR A new move, an inside-to-outside crescent kick followed by the Senpu-Kyaku jumping spinning crescent kick. The crescent kick no longer knocks down the opponent on a non-counter hit, which can be good in some situations and bad in others. The kick is non-reversible, however, which is always handy. Senkyu-Rentai b+KKK; H30,M20,L7; KB,F,KD Three spinning kicks, high, mid, then low. This move has been toned down from the DOA2 version; if the first kick hits, it usually knocks the opponent too far back for the other kicks to connect. If the opponent is bunched up against a wall, however, this is a great combo to use. Fujin-Kyaku d/b+K; L15; -; C:S HC:KD Low kick to the knee with Lei-Fang's back foot. Not terribly useful, use the Fujin-Tessa instead. Fujin-Tessa [d/b]+KK; L15,L23; -,S C,HC:S,S Low kick to the knee followed by the Tessa. Two quick low hits in succession often fools many opponents, so throw this move in every now and then. Make use of the Tessa stun by following up with qcf+P or something similar. Tokyaku-Haisetsu-Ko d/f+KP; M25,M17; S,F C:KD,F; -,NR A side kick followed by the back ram. If the side kick connects the back ram will definitely connect also. Again, since the back ram is non- reversible, this is one of the safer moves to pull off. Hoko-Kisan f+P+K; H22; S A double forward palm-strike that stuns regardless of counterhit status. Good combo starter, has high priority, but the opponent may duck. Honshin-Tanben u/b+P; M29; S Lei-Fang rears back and then delivers a strike to the midsection. The virtue of this move is that it serves as a modified punch; in other words, any canned combo beginning with P can be begun with this move instead. Also has good stunning properties. The only caveat is its larger than usual execution time. Renkan-Sho-Kinda PPP; H10,H12,M32; -,-,S HC:S,S,S Two palm strikes and the Sho-Kinda. Not too spectacular, you could go for better combos. The Sho-Kinda does stun long enough for some effective followups, however. *Renkan-Soan PP,f+PP; H10,H12,M20,M26; -,-,-,KB C:-,-,S,KB HC:S,S,S,KB Two palm strikes, a spinning elbow, and a double palm strike. The last hit can be used for wall or ledge damage. This combo is also one of the fastest of Lei-Fang's and is great for use in floats. Renkan-Kinkei-Dokuritsu PP,f+PK; H10,H12,M20,M45; -,-,-,F C:-,-,S,F HC:S,S,S,F Similar to the Renkan-Soan, only the last hit is changed to the P+K float starter. This is one of the most crucial combos to learn for Lei-Fang, as it is one of the major building blocks to long combos. Can be used on the ground (on a stunned opponent to float them high) or on a floating opponent (to extend the float). Renkan-Zensho PP,b+PP; H10,H12,M22,M25; -,-,-,S C:-,-,S,S HC:S,S,S,S Two palm strikes followed by two slower palm strikes. Not that great, but staggers. I'd use something else. *Renkan-Hoto-Shu PP,d+P; H10,H12,M20; -,-,S C:-,-,F; HC:S,S,F Two palm strikes followed by a lifting palm strike. The only reason to use this move is on counter status, since it floats. Otherwise it's best to use another PP... combo with more hits/damage. Renkan-Renshu-Kyaku PPKK; H10,H12,H25,H14; -,-,S,KB; HC:S,S,S,KB Two palm strikes followed by two spinning kicks. Allows for mixup games since up to this point all the PP... comboes have begun HHM... Respectable damage. Renkan-Senkyu-Tai PPK,d+K; H10,H12,H25,M10; -,-,S,F HC: S,S,S,F Like the Renkan-Renshu-Kyaku, only the last kick is mid instead of high. Again, useful for mixup games. *Renkan-Senpu-Kyaku PP,f+KK; H10,H12,H24,M35; -,-,-,- C:-,-,F,KD HC:S,S,F,KD -,-,-,NR Two palm strikes, a crescent kick, and then the spinning jumping crescent kick. A good combo to consider, and more damaging than the Renkan-Renshu- Kyaku. Renkan-Tessa PP,d+K; H10,H12,L25; -,-,S HC:S,S,S Unlike the other PP... combo starters, this one ends low. Again, great for mixup games, and the stagger can be followed up with effectively. Seiryuu-Soan P,d/f+PP; H10,M20,M26; -,-,KB C:-,S,KB HC:S,S,KB Palm strike, punch to the midsection, and a double palm strike. Changes up levels differently from the PP... combo starter series so it's good to throw in. However, it's usually better to try for the Seiryuu-Haisetsu- Ko rather than this move. Seiryuu-Haisetsu-Ko P,d/f+P,P+K; H10,M20,M35; -,-,F C:-,S,F HC:S,S,F -,-,NR Palm strike, punch to midsection, and the back ram. The back ram float can be followed up on counter, and once again, since it is non-reversible it is relatively safe to perform. Tanben-Senkyu-Rentai PKKK; H10,H30,M10,L7; -,KB,F,KD HC:S,KB,F,KD Palm strike followed by three spinning kicks. Like the KKK, this move has been watered down from its DOA version since not all kicks will usually connect. Renshu-Kyaku KK; H28,H16; S,KB Two spinning high kicks. Good for keeping the opponent away. Mix up this and the next move to create guessing games for the opponent. Shu-Kyaku-Senkyu-Tai K,d+K; H28,M10; S,F Spinning high kick and a spinning mid kick. If you are fast about it you can follow up the second hit with a short float combo. Hakkaku-Kyoshu b+P+K; H20; S Lei-Fang leans forward in an odd palm-strike attack. Staggers regardless of counterhit status, though it hits high so beware for crouchers. To-To-Ho d/b+P+K; M34; KB Lei-Fang leans back and then delivers a double fist to the midsection, knocking the opponent far back. Good tactic for avoidance and counterattack, although followup possibilities are pretty much nil. Haisetsu-Ko d+P+K; M35; F; NR The back ram. Crappy range, but floats, and the best part is that this move is completely not reversible. A successful reversal will make the opponent flip around to the other side of you, but since you turn your back during the execution of this move anyway, you end up face to face. **Chuten-Sho d/f+P+K; H22; S C,HC:F A turning lifting palm strike. Good combo starter, floats fairly high on counter hit, and Lei-Fang can turn around fast enough to do most of her PP... or similar canned combos. Senpu-Kyaku F+K; M35; - C,HC:KD; NR A spinning jumping crescent kick. Great range, thogh it has been toned down since it will not always knock down the opponent. This move is still great against charging or rising opponents, however. BACK FACING MOVES: Lei-Fang only has one back-facing stance move, and it's not terribly effective. You'll want to minimize the time you spend with your back turned. Sentsu-Hai P+K; M38; KB Lei-Fang ducks down, then turns and punches the opponent in the gut. Knocks back quite far, and Lei-Fang can duck high attacks. However, it's slow, and followup possibilities are non-existent. Nine times out of 10, you would be better off just starting a canned combo from the back-turned position. THROWS: Lei-Fang's throws are among the best in the game, losing only to Tina and Bass, and probably on equal footing with Leon or Bayman. Touden-Kou/Roushitsu-Enshin-Ko F+P; T40; KD This throw is in the US version of the game. Since I don't have the US version, I don't know what this throw looks like... comments, help, anyone? **Saiwan-Heishin-Geki/Saiwan-Heishin-Ko F+P,F+P; T40,T16; -,KD Chain-throw replacement for Lei-Fang's standard throw in the JP/Euro versions of the game. Lei-Fang palm strikes the opponent, then flips them over her back. If they hit a wall or obstacle, she'll add on the back ram for more damage. This has the potential to be the most damaging standard throw in the game, though the timing is a little tricky for the chain. Noba-Bunso b+F+P; T46; KD Lei-Fang pulls the opponent in by the arm, and then elbows them back to the ground. Not terribly impressive, there are much better throws. Kaisan-Suichu b+F+P (Lei-Fang's back to wall); T0; - Lei-Fang pulls the opponent in and switches position with them, so that they are now against the wall. Not too great, and it often comes out accidentally. Token-Ko d/f+F+P; T52; KD Lei-Fang cartwheels onto the opponent's stomach. This throw seems to have slightly longer range than Lei-Fang's other throws, so it's worth using for that reason alone. Heishin-Sui f+F+P; T55; KD Lei-Fang pulls the opponent in, and then knocks their head into the ground. Again, not that great, there are better standing throws. Roshitsu-Yoho f,f+F+P; T50; KB Lei-Fang kicks the opponent in the stomach and then sends them flying backwards with her palm. If you are even reasonably close to a wall or a ledge, you will get additional damage. A great throw to use after blocking a combo from the opponent. Roshitsu-Asshin-Ko f,f+F+P (opponent's back to wall); T60; KD Similar to the Roshitsu-Yoho, Lei-Fang kicks the opponent in the stomach but then uses the wall for leverage as she gives them a backram. Does a base of 60 damage, with the possibility for more for breaking/exploding/ electrified walls. A great followup to use once you've knocked the opponent into a wall. Ren-Taiko-Chogyo qcf+F+P,b+F+P,f,f+F+P; T48,T20,T32; -,-,KD Lei-Fang's chain throw, a palm strike to the midsection, elbow to the back, and then a trip. Worth an insane 100 points of damage, if you manage to pull off all the parts. Takuchu-Ken-Ko qcf+F+P,b+F+P,b,f+F+P; T48,T20,T28; -,-,KB Lei-Fang's chain throw, variation two. The last hit is replaced by the shoulder ram, knocking the opponent far back. Oddly enough this does 4 points less damage, but if they hit a wall or ledge this more than makes up for it. The shoulder ram will be directed along the axis of where Lei-Fang's back was when she starts the throw. Ri'nei-Hisui qcb+F+P; T62; KD Lei-Fang dislocates the opponent's shoulder and slams them to the ground. Her most powerful non-chain standing throw, it should be used often when one of the more advanced throws cannot be used. Takuchu-Haisui F+P (facing opponent's back); T55; KD Lei-Fang flips the opponent over her shoulder. Don't bother with this throw, there are much better ones to use. Joho-Ko f,f+F+P (facing opponent's back); T58; KB Lei-Fang shoulder rams the opponent's back, sending them flying backwards. As with many of her throws, you should aim for this throw if the opponent is reasonably close to a wall or ledge. Otherwise, go for the Shitsucho- Kohai-Kyaku. Shitsucho-Kohai-Kyaku qcf+F+P (facing opponent's back); T60; KD Lei-Fang knees the opponent in the neck and then spin kicks their head. A great throw to use after a successful mid kick reversal (which will leave the opponent with their back turned). Toitsu-Kon d+F+P (low throw); T58; KD Lei-Fang cartwheels backwards, hitting the opponent in the face three times. Okay throw, but the Kinkei-Dokuritsu is much more effective. Kinkei-Dokuritsu d/b+F+P (low throw); T62; KD Lei-Fang knees the opponent in the face. The low throw of choice. Teishu-Josei d+F+P (low throw, facing opponent's back); T65; KD Not a throw you are likely to see, Lei-Fang simply strikes the opponent's back with her forearm. Does a great 65 points of damage, however. HOLDS: Lei-Fang's wide variety of parries and reversals make her the best defensive character in the game. Learning the different properties of each parry/ reversal and knowing when to use which one is crucial to high-level Lei-Fang play. Tensen-Sotai u/b+F (against high punches); R47; KD Lei-Fang trips the opponent by kneeing them in the stomach. Rotai-Toto u/b+F (against high kicks); R47; KD Lei-Fang grabs the opponent's leg, trips them with her other hand, and kicks them in the stomach. Looks quite impressive. Heishin-Geki b+F (against mid punches); R47; KD Lei-Fang flips the opponent over her shoulder. Pretty basic, down attacks can usually follow. Heishin-Haisetsu-Ko (against mid punches, Lei-Fang's back to wall); R57; KD Lei-Fang flips the opponent over her shoulder into the wall, and as they slide down she gives them a back ram. Does great damage, and like her standard throw, if the wall has explosive/breaking/electrical properties it will do even more damage. Arguably the best reversal in the game. Kaisei b+F (against mid kicks); R0; - Lei-Fang catches the opponent's leg and pushes it back. Does no damage, but turns the opponent around. Sohai-Kyaku d/b+F (against low punches); R47; KD Lei-Fang catches the opponent's arm and axe kicks them in the head. Hotai-Sokyaku d/b+F (against low kicks); R47; KD Lei-Fang catches the opponent's leg and flips them up. Sairestsu/Hosei b,u/f+F (against high and mid attacks); R0; S Lei-Fang's high/mid parry, will stop almost all high or mid attacks and give her the momentary advantage. Good followups include an f,f+F+P throw or some sort of float combo. The biggest advantage is that you do not have to differentiate between high and mid attacks when using this move. Risei/Kasui b,d/f+F (against low attacks); R0; S Lei-Fang's low parry, stops low attacks and staggers opponent. Kind of useless, since if you suspect the opponent is going to attack low, you might as well use a low reversal instead. *Honshin-Kato-Haisetsu-Ko f,u/b+F (against high punches); R60; KB Lei-Fang catches the opponent's arm, hits them once in the stomach and once in the back, then hits them with the back ram. Far knockback, wall and ledge damage is a definite possibility. *Tenshin-Ryugeki-Hairaku f,u/b+F (against high kicks); R60; KD Lei-Fang catches the opponent's leg, spins around and elbows them in the back, then throws them to the ground. *Honko-Yoshin-Geki f,b+F (against mid punches); R60; KD Lei-Fang catches the opponent's arm, hits them in the stomach and back, then throws them to the ground and stomps on their stomach. *Kongo-Fujin-Kyaku b,f+F (against mid kicks); R20; S Lei-Fang catches the opponent's leg and kicks them in their other leg, forcing them to turn their back. Low damage but the setup is worth it. *Ranjakubi f,d/b+F (against low punches); R60; KB Lei-Fang palm strikes the opponent twice in the stomach, sending them flying back. Wall/ledge damage is possible. *Moko-Odato f,d/b+F (against low kicks); R60; KD Lei-Fang hits the opponent in the groin and then knocks them to the ground with a ridgehand to the face. Taishu-Oto b+F (against jumping punches); R47; KD Lei-Fang grabs the opponent's arm and slams them to the ground. Senshin-Hotai b+F (against jumping kicks); R47; KD Lei-Fang grabs the opponent's leg and slams them to the ground. Note that only Bass, Leon, Bayman, Christie, and Lei-Fang can reverse jumping kicks. TAUNTS: Taunts serve two purposes: To annoy your opponent in versus mode, or to gain more points in Survival Mode. Geishin-Sei b,f,b+F+P+K Lei-Fang poses and tells the opponent to come and get her. Dame Dame d,d+F+P+K Lei-Fang poses and tells the opponent that what they're doing is no good. Atari! f,b,f+F+P+K Lei-Fang jumps and says "Great!" Mada Yaru? b,b+F+P+K Lei-Fang hops forward and asks the opponent if they really want to continue. DOWN ATTACKS: Everybody has these. Not terribly special. Rakuso-Suigeki u+P+K; G18 Lei-Fang jumps onto the opponent's stomach. Shinkyaku d+K; G10 Lei-Fang stomps the opponent's stomach. TAG ATTACKS: Lei-Fang's tagging ability is above average, considering that she tags with many different partners, and even her generic tag throw for characters who do not have a specific tag throw is perhaps the best in the game. Tengyo-Ryuukyaku F+P (tagging in Jann Lee); T70; KB Lei-Fang kicks the opponent upwards and Jann Lee flies in with a Dragon Kick. Wall/ledge damage is very likely. Senshin-Koryu f+F+P (tagging in Jann Lee); T80; KD Lei-Fang flips the opponent to the ground, then Jann Lee stomps on the enemy, then breaks their ribs by twisting his legs. Worth style points, though ultimately their other tag throw may do more damage if wall/ledge damage is taken into account. Double Dragon F+P (Jann Lee tags in Lei-Fang); T70; KB Jann Lee hits the opponent with a few quick strikes before both he and Lei-Fang perform a Dragon Knuckle, again knocking the opponent far back, a great opportunity for extra damage. Goshin-Kento F+P (tagging in Helena); T70; KB Lei-Fang and Helena team up to do a dual chain throw on the opponent. Far knockback, wall/ledge damage is possible. Soto-Ryuso F+P (Helena tags in Lei-Fang); T70; KD Lei-Fang and Helena hit the opponent in the stomach and back and then simultaneously trip the opponent. Senpi-Gaida F+P (tagging 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. Meteor Drop F+P (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. *Tenchi-Ryushu F+P (tagging in Ein); T70; KD Lei-Fang flips the opponent high into the air with a kick, and Ein slams them down again with an axe kick. Actually not too impressive. Knee Fang Catapult F+P (Zack tags in Lei-Fang); T70 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. Shin-I-Yotenso/Shin-I-Yotenko F+P (Gen Fu tags in Lei-Fang); T70 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. If they hit the wall, Lei-Fang adds on a back ram for added fun. Heishin F+P (Other character tags in Lei-Fang); T62 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. Arguably the best generic tag throw in the game. 5. COMBOS The first thing to remember about combos in the Dead or Alive series is that, unlike other fighting game series, a combo is defined by the game as a series of attacks that, once the first hit connects, the rest cannot be blocked. However, combos can be broken by reversals, and so the damage for the combo cannot necessarily be guaranteed. The only combos that can be guaranteed are to floating opponents, or to opponents who have their back turned. Thus, the main goal of most combos should be either to turn the opponent around or to float the opponent some time during the combo. Since turning around the opponent is relatively hard, the easiest way to get guaranteed damage is to utilize a float combo. There are four parts to the basic Lei-Fang float combo: 1) Stun - you will generally want to stun your opponent first, since many many of Lei-Fang's moves do not float unless the opponent is stunned, or unless the hit is a counterhit (hitting a stunned opponent generally gives the same effects as a counterhit, as does hitting the opponent in the back). 2) Float - This is the crucial part of the combo. Picking the right float move is important since some moves float higher than others, and whether the opponent is stunned or not makes some difference as well. Also, there is a small but still significant difference between characters - Kasumi will float a little higher than Bass given the same conditions. 3) Extend - These are moves, usually canned combos or parts of canned combos, that hit the opponent in midair. Remember that moves done to a floated opponent are reduced in damage by 50%, so you will want to pick something that damages well. 4) Finish - These are single moves performed to end a float combo. They usually slam the opponent down or knock them far back, which has the added advantage of having potential for wall or ledge damage. Extend and Finish moves may come in the same canned combo; for instance, a P, d/f+P, P+K combo done to a floating opponent results in two punches for extended hits, and the P+K performs the back ram which knocks the opponent backwards. The following chart lists moves from each of the above categories. You can pick and choose from each column to experiment. Not all combinations will work, and some combinations will only work on certain characters, so spend some time mixing and matching. The float column is the trickiest, since many moves only float if the opponent is stunned or if it is a counter hit. Many stun moves float if the opponent is already stunned. Stun Float Extend Finish ---- ----- ------ ------ u/f+P u+K u/f+KKK f,f+P u+P P+K P+K,P b,f+P u/f+K f+PK f+PKP d/b+P+K f,b+P qcb+P d/b+PP d+P+K d,d+K u/f+KK b+KKK b,b+P d/f,d/f+PKK [d/b]+KK b+PP d/f,d/f+PP d/f+KP d/b+PP f,f+K PP,f+PP qcf+P d/f+KP PP,f+PK qcb+P PP,f+PK PP,d+P f+K PP,d+P PP,d+K [d/b]+KK PP,f+K PPKK f+P+K P,d/f+P,P+K PPK,d+K u/b+P d+P+K PP,d+K PPP d/f+P+K P,d/f+PP PP,d+P P,d/f+P,P+K PP,d+K PKKK b+P+K KK d/f+P+K K,d+K Here are some combos I am fond of: u/f+KK,u/f+KKK - 5 Hits, 57 Damage u/f+P,u+K,P,d/f+P,P+K - 5 Hits, 68 Damage u+P,f+PK,F,b,f+P - 5 Hits, 68 Damage u/b+P,F,PP,d+P,PP,d+K - 7 Hits, 71 Damage f+K,f+PK,F,PP,d+K - 7 Hits, 77 Damage d,d+K,f+PK,F,PP,f+PK - 8 Hits, 88 Damage f+K,PP,f+PK,P,d/f+P,P+K - 9 Hits, 98 Damage u/b+P,F,PP,f+PK,P,d/f+P,P+K - 9 Hits, 103 Damage u/b+P,F,PP,f+PK,f+PKP - 9 Hits, 104 Damage Of course, each part of each combo can be modified, especially the stunning move to begin. Again, I should reiterate that combos are not necessarily the best way to go in Dead or Alive, since until the opponent is floating, they can reverse out of the combo. This is especially true for Lei-Fang, because she has a number of powerful throws and reversals that leave her less vulnerable to counterattacks. 6. ADVANCED STRATEGIES LEVEL MODIFICATION Let's take a look at all of Lei-Fang's canned combos beginning with a P, and their associated levels. Combo Level ----- ----- PPP HHM PP,f+PP HHMM PP,f+PK HHM,H/M PP,b+PP HHMM PP,d+P HHM PPKK HHHH PPK,d+K HHHM PP,f+KK HHHM PP,d+K HHL P,d/f+PP HMM P,d/f+P,P+K HMM PKKK HHML Not too exciting. But, two important moves come into play here: the Honshin- Tanben (u/b+P), and Lei-Fang's generic mid punch (d/f+P). The great things about these moves is that they can serve as modified punches. So, you could replace the initial mid punch in any of these combos with either u/b+P or d/f+P, and continue the combo as if you had just pressed P! Aside from doing more damage, these moves also hit mid. So, if your opponent has learned to reverse high to stop your canned combos before they start, switch up to this tactic instead. Need a MHHM combo? Try d/f+PPK,d+K. Or need a MMM combo? Try u/b+P,d/f+P,P+K. If you continually switch up levels to confuse your opponent, you will get many more opportunities for maximized damage. F-CANCELLING F-cancelling is basically pressing the free button in the middle of a combo to stop the combo. Why would you want to do this? Effective use of F-cancel allows for longer combos, more damage, better knockback opportunities, etc. For example, take Lei-Fang's f+PKP. Veterans of DOA2 who often used her f+PK to float may find themselves frustrated by this move, as the last hit does fairly low damage and has limited opportunity for wall damage. But, with an F-cancel, the old Lei-Fang combo can be ressurected. A combo such as f+K,f+PKP - 5 Hits, 66 Damage can be interrupted with an F-cancel to allow for a better float hit. f+K,f+PK,F,b,f+P - 5 Hits, 74 Damage (more on wall/ledge hit) or even f+K,f+P+K,F,PP,d+K - 7 Hits, 77 Damage Important moves to consider F-cancelling after for Lei-Fang include f+PK P+K u+K u/b+P INTERRUPTED COMBOS Along the same line of thought as F-cancels, these are even easier to perform since they just involve stopping the combo and waiting. A classic example is Lei-Fang's Sanren-Kyaku (u/f+KKK) The third kick almost always knocks the opponent too far back to allow for further followup. However, by limiting the input to just u/f+KK and waiting for Lei-Fang to land, it becomes a float move with potential followups. To use an example, u/f+KKK - 3 Hits, 38 Damage But if one simply makes sure not to be too button happy on the K button: u/f+KK (pause), b,f+P - 3 Hits, 48 Damage (more on wall/ledge hit) Another use of this is the throw counter. Let's say that you have hit the opponent repeatedly with the PP,f+PK combo. However, they have learned that they can easily reverse the last hit, which is both high and mid. This is where another interrupted combo (or you could use F-cancel) comes into play. Upon performing PP,f+P, a trained opponent will immediately reverse. This is the opportunity to throw - f,f+F+P works nicely, or if you're fast, you can even get a chain throw in. Since the opponent tried to reverse, you will get a high counter throw, and get 150% damage. WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN... ...my back is to the wall? This is actually not as detrimental to Lei-Fang as one might think. She has a number of great chances to punish the opponent if her back is to a wall or a ledge. A standard response is to use her b+F+P throw. If you are against a wall, it replaces the regular b+F+P throw with a position-changing throw for no damage. One great strategy is to use her new multi-part standard throw (F+P,F+P). The timing is tricky, but the great part of this move is that if you get the chain, the opponent will be flipped over your back, smacked into the wall, and just to add insult to injury, will also get back-rammed into the wall again. This provides two wall hits; on an explosive or electrified wall this will do 77 damage, more than any standard throw in the game (and indeed, more than most throws period). Throwing them over a ledge such as on Lost World or through a breakable wall such as in Azuchi could net you upwards of 90 damage. All for a single throw! Another strategy is to use her extended chain throw (qcf+F+P,b+F+P,b,f+F+P). This ends with a shoulder ram. Since the shoulder ram will be directed along the axis of where your back was originally facing, performing it with your back to a wall will let you slam the opponent straight into the wall or over a ledge. You'll want to practice the chain so that the parts flow together smoothly to minimize the chance that your chain will be broken. 100+ points of damage will be your reward. Of course, if the opponent catches on that you're going to throw them, they'll attempt to attack you to get in high counter attacks. This is where reversals come into play. Two reversals especially come into play: her regular b+F reversal against a mid punch, and her advanced f,u/b+F reversal against a high punch. Both of these reversals will knock your opponent into a wall or ledge if Lei-Fang's back is to the wall. On high counter, both of these reversals will do over 100 points of damage - not bad for a single move! ...the opponent's back is to the wall? A player does NOT want to have his back to the wall against Lei-Fang. The reason is that Lei-Fang is one of the most effective characters at repeatedly knocking the opponent into the wall for good effect. The first strategy of course is to continue knocking the opponent into the wall with more attacks. DOA3, unlike 2, allows two wall hits to hit the opponent before they slump to the ground (and become invulnerable to further attacks). So, an effective combo would be b+KK, since both hits will smack the opponent into the wall. Another popular move is the b,f+P shoulder ram, which can cause severe damage on a close hit. Similar is the d/f+P+K double fist. Another good move to use is the d+P+K back ram. Although it will not knock the opponent into the wall unless they're standing right next to it, the move has good priority, and is also nonreversible (although a successful reversal will put your back to the wall so beware). A popular move against an opponent who is getting up next to the wall is F+K. This goes over low attacks and some mid attacks, will knock the opponent into the wall, and is also non-reversible. It's a bit slow however so don't try for it unless the opponent is momentarily incapacitated. Once your opponent learns to stop your attacks, it's time to switch up to throws. Lei-Fang was seemingly made to throw opponents into the wall, as her standard throw to an opponent against the wall changes to something identical to her f,f+P+K, a throw with two built-in wall hits. Again, a high counter and a electrified/explosive walls will net you more than 100 damage for a single throw. There's really no reason to use any other throw (well, except perhaps the longer chain throws) when you opponent is backed up to a wall. If the opponent gets up swinging, your throw attempt may be high countered. Reversals are again helpful, but one special reversal is Lei-Fang's advanced reversal (f,d/b+F) against low punches, which will knock the opponent back into the wall for great damage. High countering this reversal will again provide 100+ damage. ...my back is turned? Unfortunately, Lei-Fang's options are fairly limited while her back is turned. She has only one unique move from back turned stance (P+K). The good thing is that Lei-Fang ducks down before she performs it, so she can dodge most throws or high attacks. However generally you'll want to turn around as fast as possible, with a simple P or K palm or spinning kick. ...the opponent's back is turned? This situtation is common when fighting Brad Wong or Ayane, but Lei-Fang can actually force it to happen to anyone with her mid kick reversals (both basic and advanced). The question is what to do afterwards. Two important points about an opponent with their back turned: they cannot reverse, and all hits against them are counter hits. This means that many of the longer combos you may use will not work. There are a few moves you might want to try: f+P,K (F-cancel) float combo, qcf+F+P back throw, or d+F+P crouching back throw (if they happen to duck). ...the opponent is getting up? Beginners will usually use a rising kick to get up. Although you can try and look at the level they will kick and reverse accordingly, another good strategy is to use the F+K jumping kick. At the right distance, it will jump over both mid and low sweeping kicks, and will knock the opponent right down again. Aside from this, opponents who simply get up vary wildly in their patterns after that, so you will simply have to learn who you are fighting against. Use high priority or high damage moves, such as the b,f+P shoulder ram, on opponents who tend not to reverse; throw those who reverse. TIME MODE Lei-Fang is great in Time Attack mode, as she has a number of ways to do a lot of damage in a little amount of time. On confined levels with electrified/explosive walls, use the various strategies detailed above; a throw into the wall and a few strikes will down most opponents. Otherwise, you can use her chain throws for a relatively quick 100 points of damage; most strikes don't even compare. For more predictable opponents (like Jann-Lee or Hayabusa) use her specialized reversals to deal large amounts of damage. SURVIVAL MODE There are two goals in survival mode: To get the highest score possible, and to get as many wins as possible. The first goal is fairly easy for Lei-Fang, as with some practice you should be able to pull off at least 9-hit combos consistently. To maximize your score, you'll want to attain Double Reach quickly -- via two wall hits (such as with b+KK), or a throw into the wall and another wall hit. After attaining Double Reach, you'll want to get as many items as possible, as well as perform as many high- hitting combos as possible. One good combo is some sort of stunning move (pick from u/f+P, u+P, f+K, u/f+K, etc. etc.), then PP,f+PK,PP,d+K. This works on both light and heavy characters and counts for nine hits. TAG BATTLE MODE The first concern is who to tag Lei-Fang with. The default choice is Jann Lee, which is certainly not a bad choice. However, many players find him a little predictable to use. A great choice is Helena. She and Lei-Fang have unique tag throws both ways, and her combo ability exceeds that of Lei-Fang's. Putting them together, you could easily come up with a 16-hit combo. Another choice is Ayane. While she has no unique throws with Lei-Fang, Ayane's mastery of level mixups, as well as that of low staggers, complements some areas that Lei-Fang is weaker in. Finally, certain DOA Xtreme Beach Volleyball occurrences make it seem that Lei-Fang and Hitomi should tag together well. While they have no unique tag throws, Hitomi's power strikes and throws do indeed complement Lei-Fang nicely. The same could be said of Ein, to whom Lei-Fang does have a unique tag throw, although the reverse is not true. 7. CREDITS To Tecmo and Team Ninja for once again a great fighting game. This guide is copyrighted 2002 to Edward Chang. It may be distributed freely as long as it is not altered in any manner.