DOA5: Leifang Character Breakdown
Leifang was playable in the E3 build of Dead or Alive 5, but not many people gave her a chance during the first “I’m a Fighter” World Championship. Due to time constraints, she didn’t get an exhibition video like some of the other characters. So when it came time to decide which characters would be featured in the 12 Days of DOA5, it seemed only fitting that Leifang get some attention. She’s received some very positive changes thanks to Team Ninja’s focus on creating a more unique character experience in DOA5. Without having defined stances, such as Rig’s Flamingo Stance, she may still be one of the most advanced characters in the game.
First and foremost, Leifang is probably the closest thing to a character from other fighting games as you’re going to get in DOA5 (aside from the VF characters). Her main strategy is not to focus on unholdable stuns into a Critical Burst. Instead, this version of Leifang borrows heavily from her Dead or Alive 4 incarnation. She has advanced counter holds and a wall throw that lead to full combos, and more moves that duck under high attacks than any other character we’ve comes across in this unfinished August build.
Before people start to worry that Leifang is limited to advanced counters and stuns like DOA4, she has a lot of new tools that give her alternate ways around the DOA4-style stun system. So far, she’s one of the few characters we’ve seen with a “faint” stun that does not allow an opponent to use a counter hold or shake out of the stun. She also has several attacks that put an opponent into a limbo stun or sit-down stun, which prevents them from using a counter hold.
What really separates Leifang from the other characters and allows her to work around the stun system is her advanced ability to parry (known as a sabaki in some cases). She has 14 different ways she can initiate this parry, which includes a standalone parry, or ending a variety of combo strings or single hit attacks with it. The parry handles all high and mid punch attacks, and lasts about as long as a normal counter hold, which gives Leifang plenty of time to parry an opponent’s attack.
Leifang has multiple options during the parry animation, including a high attack, mid attack, low attack, or offensive hold (a throw that goes through attacks). All of these options except the low attack are safe if the opponent blocks. If the parry connects early in the animation, all of these attacks are guaranteed to connect except for the offensive hold. All three striking attacks stun the opponent and give Leifang a chance to follow-up with another attack (although the follow-up can be countered in this situation).
The attacks Leifang has from her parry can only be used early in the parry animation. If the parry connects late in the animation, Leifang can use any attack in her arsenal as a follow-up (the faster the attack, the higher the chance it will be a guaranteed follow-up). The amount of time Leifang has to follow the parry with a guaranteed attack depends on when the parry makes contact with an opponent’s attack. The further into the animation, the more time Leifang has to connect a follow-up attack.
For example, if Leifang parries an attack very early in the animation, only her default parry attacks are guaranteed to connect. If she parries around the middle of the animation, nothing is guaranteed, but Leifang can attack before the opponent, which gives her a clear advantage. If the parry connects very late in the animation, Leifang can use a faint stun or launch the opponent into the air.
The offensive hold from the parry is probably Leifang’s best option. When an opponent sees the parry animation, if they aren’t already in the middle of an attack, their best bet will be to block, unless they want to guess how Leifang will attack after the parry. A throw will go through the parry and the offensive hold, but if Leifang uses any of the attacks from the parry, it will interrupt a throw attempt. If the offensive hold connects, it gives Leifang enough advantage to follow-up with an attack. At this point, Leifang can use a faint stun followed by a launching attack, or go right into a launching attack before the opponent can counter or block.
Leifang is shaping up to be a formidable opponent in Dead or Alive 5. Playing against her is not going to be an easy task. She can go under high attacks and throws with ease, so you won’t be able to focus on them for a bulk of your offense. In addition, you’re going to have to know when she can use her parry during a combo string. This will delay your response after blocking one of Leifang’s combos and give her a chance to stay on the offensive. If you just stand there, she can use a throw that leads into a full combo, or a combo throw for big damage. You really have to pick and choose when and how you attack Leifang.
We didn’t see a lot of Leifang players at E3, which means we may not see many at the “I’m a Fighter” World Championship: Round 2 next week. But you never know what we may have to show you, so be sure to tune in to all of the action on doa.ign.com if you can’t make it down to Hot Import Nights in San Mateo, CA on August 18th.
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