Leifang

Leifang is an interesting character, and one that's suited to a more technical style of gameplay that many others. While she's not overwhelmingly powerful, she has a few options that will make her an excellent choice if you enjoy reversals or otherwise frustrating your opponent's ability to attack.

One way in which this tendency for control reveals itself is in the way that Leifang has the ability to use opposite-direction reversals to negate enemy attacks and throw the opponent off balance, according to the following table.

When performing one of these reversals, Leifang will intercept the incoming blow, negate the damage, and shove the opponent to one side, giving you a very small window of opportunity to counterattack before they regain their footing. (When dealing with attacks that can't be reversed in this way, such as jumping kicks, Leifang will instead sidestep and dodge the attack.) Note that there is no reversal for low attacks.

Although these moves don't in and of themselves result in any damage to your opponent, one large benefit to this reversal system is that you can use one command input (d/f, F) to reverse both middle punches and middle kicks. While Leifang's attack style probably isn't well-suited for new players, this can help you counter middle attacks if you can't quite get the hang of the different movement directions for the two styles of mid attacks.

Also note that Leifang has a number of extra-damaging counter holds. These are complicated to input in the heat of battle, and are definitely best left for expert players, but if you can pull them off, then they'll let you frustrate your opponent on top of dealing large amounts of damage.

Tina

Tina's moveset is definitely that of a wrestler: lots of powerful mid and high punches, complemented by a dizzying array of throws. Like Bayman, if you play as Tina, then you're going to have to be an expert at baiting your opponent into attempting to counter your moves, and then making them pay by locking them up in a combo throw and dealing an insane amount of damage to them, hopefully crippling them health-wise and letting you finish them off from a position of superiority. Just be careful not to actually get countered; since the bulk of Tina's strikes involve high or medium punches, a good player will see what's coming and pull out the hurt with a hold move. Try to incorporate hesitations in your combos, or just let loose with the first couple of strikes from a common combo, before cancelling out of it and moving in with a throw.

Like La Mariposa, Tina can use walls to her advantage. If your back is up against the wall, you can press (b+P+K) to leap off the wall and perform a body slam. (This maneuver usually performs a Moonsault Press when she's not near a wall.) It's an unexpected addition to your arsenal, and thus one that's difficult to counter, although it is easily blocked.

La Mariposa

La Mariposa ("The Butterfly"; also known as Lisa in Dead or Alive Beach Volleyball) is a mask-wearing luchadora that wields a number of intriguing wrestling moves, but seems to be more focused on strikes than throws when compared to Bass and Tina, the other wrestling superstars of DOA. She's not as quick as some of the other strikers, but she does have a number of interesting moves which can beguile your opponents.

Lisa's capoeira-esque low kicks can sweep your opponents off their feet.

Three aspects of La Mariposa stand out. First off is her unique Corbata throw, which can be entered at the end of a number of different attack animations, some fairly simple, some (like the Reverse Tornade Combo) a bit more complicated, at least for your opponent to understand. Take a look at these in the Throws menu of your command list and give them a whirl. Some, like the Air Spin to Corbata (u/f, K, F+P) and the Turn Flip to Corbata (u/f, P, F+P), can be performed from a remarkable distance away from your foes and will let you pop their heads into the ground from long range.

Like Tina, La Mariposa can also utilize walls and other obstacles when her back is to them. If she's standing in front of a solid object, try hitting the Tope Con Giro (u/b, P, P) or the Missile Kick (u/b, P, K). With these, she'll jump backwards, plant her feet on the wall, and leap off, launching an attack that's difficult to spot from long range.

Lastly, La Mariposa can utilize her favorite arena, the TWA Coliseum, for some special moves. If you're up against the ropes in this arena, hit (b, P+K) to leap atop them. While we haven't discovered any way to actually walk up and down the ropes like she does in the opening movie, while you're atop them for a split second, you can hit either P or K to leap from the rope towards your opponent. These moves are long-distance attacks, but they don't do a huge amount of damage. Still, they're an amusing way to show off online, or punish a Brad Wong player that's waiting for you to get close so he can perform a lie-down throw. (Note that you can also perform these moves off of the ropes on the TriTower Helipad level.)