Chris Harris
Well-Known Member
Stances in Dead or Alive games has always been something that is strange to use for someone who is coming from another game. In other games usually if you transition to a stance it puts you at neutral, you have advantage, or the spacing is a factor in the defensive player options. In Dead or Alive games transitioning to a stance will almost always leave you at disadvantage and you can be poked out of it.
Before we get to how stances are used in Dead or Alive we should look at the mechanic Dead or Alive has that no other game has. The stun system which basically gives you three options once you are in fact stunned; defensive hold, struggle (slow escape), or do nothing. No other game has a situation like that pop up as often as it does in Dead or Alive so keep that in my mind when thinking of stances.
Stances in Dead or Alive aren’t to force a guess on a neutral opponent or press an advantage on block. If you try to use them that way you will find it is very difficult to apply pressure because they are poking you out of it instantly and pressing their own advantage. Using a stance in Dead or Alive should be used when you have stunned your opponent and they have to deal with the mix ups.
I will use Helena as an example of a character who has a stance. Her Bokuho stance seems horrible on paper because if you ever try to go into it on block you will get poked out of it or whatever attack you try to use will be beat out because you are at disadvantage. If the opponent is stunned then Bokuho becomes much stronger. With the opponent stunned you have multiple single hit launchers, a very fast sweep, a launching throw, and a variety of strings to keep the opponent guessing. This can be said for her BT (back turned) stance as well as she is normally negative transitioning to that as well. However if you are stunned she has another fast sweep, launchers, and throws as well. Now Helena was just an example but this can be said for pretty much every stance in Dead or Alive.
Now with Dead or Alive 5 coming out transitioning into a stance on block is even worse because there is a working side step now. Using a stance in that manner now is even more dangerous now because even if your attack comes out you can be stepped and stunned which is leading to the opponent’s offense.
So before you think a stance isn’t as strong check all the options out of it and try to apply it with your opponent stunned.
Before we get to how stances are used in Dead or Alive we should look at the mechanic Dead or Alive has that no other game has. The stun system which basically gives you three options once you are in fact stunned; defensive hold, struggle (slow escape), or do nothing. No other game has a situation like that pop up as often as it does in Dead or Alive so keep that in my mind when thinking of stances.
Stances in Dead or Alive aren’t to force a guess on a neutral opponent or press an advantage on block. If you try to use them that way you will find it is very difficult to apply pressure because they are poking you out of it instantly and pressing their own advantage. Using a stance in Dead or Alive should be used when you have stunned your opponent and they have to deal with the mix ups.
I will use Helena as an example of a character who has a stance. Her Bokuho stance seems horrible on paper because if you ever try to go into it on block you will get poked out of it or whatever attack you try to use will be beat out because you are at disadvantage. If the opponent is stunned then Bokuho becomes much stronger. With the opponent stunned you have multiple single hit launchers, a very fast sweep, a launching throw, and a variety of strings to keep the opponent guessing. This can be said for her BT (back turned) stance as well as she is normally negative transitioning to that as well. However if you are stunned she has another fast sweep, launchers, and throws as well. Now Helena was just an example but this can be said for pretty much every stance in Dead or Alive.
Now with Dead or Alive 5 coming out transitioning into a stance on block is even worse because there is a working side step now. Using a stance in that manner now is even more dangerous now because even if your attack comes out you can be stepped and stunned which is leading to the opponent’s offense.
So before you think a stance isn’t as strong check all the options out of it and try to apply it with your opponent stunned.
