Mastering Nen: The Ultimate DNF Duel Nen Master Playbook

Introduction

DNF Duel, the captivating fighting game born from the Dungeon Fighter Online universe, has quickly captivated players with its accessible yet deep gameplay mechanics and diverse roster. Among the many fascinating characters, the Nen Master stands out as a formidable force, capable of controlling the battlefield with her mastery of Nen energy. This article serves as your ultimate playbook, a comprehensive guide to understanding, mastering, and dominating with the Nen Master in DNF Duel. Prepare to unlock the power of Aura and become a true Nen Master! Her gameplay revolves around controlling space with her orbs, forcing reactions out of opponents, and converting those reactions into her favor. Many new players will find that her playstyle isn’t overwhelming, but she can be a bit difficult to understand at first. This guide aims to help those who want to pick her up.

Character Overview

The Nen Master is a character defined by her ranged capabilities, strategic setups, and ability to control the pace of a match. She excels at keeping opponents at bay with her projectiles and using her unique abilities to create advantageous situations. Let’s delve into her strengths and weaknesses to better understand her overall playstyle.

Strengths

The Nen Master boasts several key strengths that make her a dangerous opponent in the right hands. Her long-range projectiles are a cornerstone of her gameplay, allowing her to zone opponents and control space effectively. Her ability to charge Nen Shot gives her even more versatility, allowing for both rapid-fire pressure and powerful, single-hit zoning. Nen Guard offers a unique defensive option, allowing her to reflect projectiles and create openings for counterattacks. Moreover, her Nen Flower ability provides incredible setup potential, allowing her to place orbs that can be used for pressure, defense, or even as combo extenders. She is known to have great damage in the corner due to her ability to combo into air normals. With great corner carry, and being able to combo her opponents in the corner, she can create a never-ending vortex. She also has many tools to help her reset to neutral, and set up her ideal situation again.

Weaknesses

Despite her strengths, the Nen Master is not without her weaknesses. She can be vulnerable at close range, as her moves often require space to be effective. She needs to be able to convert when someone gets close to her. Managing her MP is crucial, as many of her key abilities consume a significant amount of meter. Overusing her special moves can quickly leave her vulnerable and unable to capitalize on opportunities. Characters with strong mobility can also pose a challenge, as they can close the distance quickly and disrupt her zoning game. This requires the Nen Master to be precise and patient in her zoning. Additionally, her defensive options are somewhat limited compared to some other characters, requiring her to rely on smart positioning and preemptive defense. Lastly, players who are prone to mashing will not see much results playing Nen Master as she is a character who requires patience and strategy.

Special Moves and Abilities

Understanding the Nen Master’s special moves is essential to unlocking her full potential. Let’s examine each ability in detail.

Nen Shot

This is the Nen Master’s bread-and-butter projectile. Tapping the special move button fires a quick burst of Nen energy, while holding it down charges the shot for increased damage and range. Use it to control space, interrupt approaches, or punish opponents from a distance. This is her main move to punish any whiffed move and take back the neutral.

Lion’s Roar

The Nen Master unleashes a powerful wave of Nen energy in front of her. This move has good range and can be used to catch opponents off guard or to create space. It’s particularly effective against opponents who are trying to approach aggressively. Be sure to be careful of the startup as this will be susceptible to being punished.

Energy Shield

The Nen Master surrounds herself with a protective barrier of Nen energy. This shield can absorb projectiles and even deflect certain attacks. It’s a valuable tool for approaching safely or for turning the tables on projectile-heavy opponents. This is great for reflecting gunner characters as they will constantly shoot their projectiles to keep you out.

Nen Guard

The Nen Master enters a defensive stance, reducing the damage she takes from incoming attacks. This is a useful tool for mitigating damage and creating opportunities for counterattacks. Try to experiment with different moves to figure out which move is the best to punish from nen guard.

Nen Flower

The Nen Master creates a Nen orb that floats in the air. These orbs can be used to control space, create pressure, or even as combo extenders. Experiment with different placements to find the most effective setups. This move can have different properties depending on what direction the player is holding. Be sure to use this move to its full potential as this is a crucial part of the Nen Master.

Awakening Skill

Her awakening skill grants her super armor and increased speed. The invincibility frames on it will allow her to steal turns on her opponents. This move will require smart usage as it only has a limited time.

Basic Combos

To start your journey with the Nen Master, it’s important to learn some basic but practical combos. Here are a few to get you started:

• 5A > 5B > 5C > Lion’s Roar
• 2A > 2B > 2C > Nen Shot
• Jump A > Jump B > Jump C > Air Dash > Jump C

Remember that “5” represents neutral, “2” represents down, “A” is light attack, “B” is medium attack, and “C” is heavy attack.

These combos are easy to execute and provide a good foundation for learning more advanced techniques. These are great to punish if they are caught jumping or dashing in neutral.

Advanced Combos and Techniques

Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can begin to explore more advanced combos and techniques. Here are a few examples:

• 5A > 5B > 5C > Special Move Cancel > Nen Flower > Extended Combo
• Corner Combo: Launch > Jump A > Jump B > Jump C > Lion’s Roar
• Metered Combo: Use a meter skill to extend combos for higher damage.

Experiment with different variations and find combos that suit your playstyle. Meter management is also crucial for advanced play, as it allows you to use more powerful EX moves and extend combos. Practice using burst to create distance for yourself and reset the neutral.

Strategy and Gameplay Tips

The Nen Master thrives in the neutral game, using her projectiles and setups to control space and dictate the flow of the match.

Neutral Game

Focus on zoning with Nen Shot and Lion’s Roar, keeping your opponent at bay and forcing them to approach on your terms. Use Nen Flower to create obstacles and control movement options. Be patient and wait for your opponent to make a mistake. This will allow you to punish and start your offense. Remember to have patience as this character is very heavily revolved around patience and good strategy.

Offense

Once you’ve secured a knockdown or created an opening, apply pressure with Nen Orbs and other tools. Mix up your attack patterns to keep your opponent guessing and convert hits into high-damage combos. You can also use jump ins to apply pressure if they start to adapt.

Defense

Use Nen Guard to absorb projectiles and create opportunities for counterattacks. Be mindful of your positioning and try to avoid getting cornered. If you do get pressured, look for opportunities to escape and reset the neutral. Remember that it’s important to have a read on your opponents to figure out how they will attack you.

Nen Master’s Identity

Why should you play the Nen Master? She’s a rewarding character for players who enjoy strategic gameplay, controlling space, and punishing opponents for their mistakes. She is good for players who like to have a strong neutral. Her zoning capabilities are almost unrivaled, and her ability to create advantageous situations makes her a formidable opponent in the right hands. She requires patience and practice but mastering her will be very rewarding.

Players often struggle with her close-range combat. She needs to be at a distance to be able to play well, so it’s a struggle to deal with characters who can dash in easily. Be sure to make sure you are keeping a distance from these types of characters and punishing their mistakes. Another thing that players struggle with is her MP. As it runs out pretty quickly, you will have to save up your meter.

Conclusion

The Nen Master is a complex and rewarding character in DNF Duel. Her strengths lie in her zoning capabilities, strategic setups, and ability to control the flow of the match. While she has weaknesses in close-range combat and meter management, these can be overcome with practice and smart play. By mastering her special moves, learning effective combos, and developing a solid understanding of her strategy, you can unlock the full potential of the Nen Master and become a dominant force in DNF Duel. So, embrace the power of Nen, experiment with different techniques, and develop your own unique playstyle. The path to becoming a true Nen Master awaits! Be sure to find a Discord community to improve your game, or watch some high level VODs!