Lei stances

Snake

Snake is Lei's poking stance that's focused mostly on mixing the opponent up. Its has ways to set up Dragon, Tiger and panther. The forward and backward movement in this stance is about even speed. While Lei is moving in either direction gives him some high evasion in the middle of the walk animation. This is the easiest stance for Lei to access both in general and for actual useable situations even while fighting a high level opponent with a ton of match up knowledge.

Dragon

Dragon is Lei's pressure stance. Since it has strong CH moves and good frame situations, as far as Lei goes. It is also one of 2 stances to have its own throw. The movement in this stance has a better forward movement than backward. Either direction will give Lei some degree of high evasion during the middle of the animation. Dragon is the 2nd more assessable for usable situations vs a knowledgeable opponent. Dragon has moves that go into Tiger, Panther, Crane, Play Dead or back into Dragon.

Panther

Panther is one of his raw 50/50 stances. Its not the most rewarding when compared to Tiger, but its makes up for that in a few ways. Its forward movement is super strong but its backward movement is poor. Its also considered high crushing until Lei does moves. While holding forward, lei will auto low parry lows. It is also very strong at hitting grounded opponents. While in rage your 50/50 from Panther becomes quite powerful because you gain an unseeable low launcher. Panther can go into Phoenix, Dragon, Snake or back into Panther.

Tiger

Tiger is Lei's most rewarding 50/50 stance. Its movement is has a stronger backwards step than forward. While holding forward, Lei will auto parry high and mid punches and kicks. Tiger is the harder to apply vs a knowledgeable opponent than panther but it can catch anyone off guard. Thanks to the backwards movement and the insane range with TGR 4, its much better at baiting out and whiff punishing attacks. The Tiger rage drive is what you'll be using as your max damage rage wall combo. A large amount of this stance's weakness lies in it's oki; if an opponent decides to stay grounded against Tiger the most reward that you can get is 8 damage with TGR 4.

Crane

Crane by itself is rarely used as anything outside oki by the wall. Its movement is bad. However it does have the most rewarding defensive property out of any stance. It auto low crushes into a crane u/f+4, which is basically a hop kick. Moves go into Back Turn.

Phoenix

Phoenix is mostly used for combos. It does have one thing over the other stances for use outside of combos. It has a mid power crush normal hit launcher. It also has Lei's unblockable, which can be used in serval legitimate ways. Though by no means comparable to the strongest unblockables in the game. It also has a way to regain some health. The defensive property in this stance is shared with Drunken. Tapping forward will parry high punches and put you in Drunken for a free launcher. You can't move backward in this stance. When you try to move forward you end up in Drunken. Moves go into Back Turn, Snake, Slide and Drunken.

Drunken

Drunken is a stance that succeeds the most by the amount of options it has. Because it has access to all four of Lei's grounded stances as well being able to cancel out of the stance so fast that the opponent won't see Lei leave the stance, your opponent will have to worry about more moves than any other stance. This is the other stance that allows Lei to recover his health besides Phoenix. Along with Dragon, this stance has a unique throw in this stance. Because this stance has access to the throw, which gives a free follow up by the wall and a safe wall splatting mid, its super usable by the wall. The unorthodox ways Lei can go into the stance has utility. The speed in which he cover ground can be used to run away from the opponent if there is already some distance between you. The stance has inverted direction controls when in Back Turn Drunken. F3+4 goes into the stance raw and has a punch parry built in. Normally, Lei can't access his other moves that aren't a d, d/f or a d/b notation without canceling the stance. But Lei can do f+3+4 without need for a cancel. Taping forward will have a small window where it parry high punches and give Lei a free juggle.

Can be BT.

Backturn

This stance is used for one Lei's bnb combos. Outside of combos, it provides Lei with great mix up tools. High crushing, low, i12 ch launcher and a nh unseeable low launcher (i20) along with a few different types of mids. Because unique Lei rules for Back Turn, he moves toward the opponent when holding forward rather than turning around. This unique back turn is also what allows for what is Lei's most iconic move, the Haha step. In addition, he can enter Back Turn crouch back repeatedly in order to create large amounts of space. This is an non-optional state after some of Lei's punishers. The stance can side step into the background into front turn and you will get access to your side step moves. You can enter any of the grounded stances from Back Turn.

Grounded Stances

Lei has a unique relationship with downed stances. When opponent is downed a lot of moves whiff, Lei takes advantage of that and he is able to manually go down, and attack from there. But his grounded stances are not the same as downed stances, he can alternate between them using 2. But because of that players use specific names to each stance.

Knockdown

Knockdown (or KND) is entered using d+3+4, and is a stance alternate to FUFT. It's called like that because it's the most common state you will enter when being knocked down. Game calls d+3+4 and d+2+3 stances Play Dead, but only d+2+3 between players is called Play Dead for a specific reason.

Face Down

Face Down (or FCD) is entered using d+1+2, and is a stance alternate to FDFT. It's called like that as d+1+2 and d+3+4 can switch into each other by using 1. So Face Down stance is a Knockdown stance, but face down. In game d+1+2 and d+1+4 are called Sidewind, players don't use that name for no apparent reason

Play Dead

Play Dead (or PLD) is entered using d+2+3, and is a stance alternate to FUFA. It's called like that because historically (before Tekken 6) d+3+4 which game called Play Dead entered FUFA (after Tekken 6 it enters FUFT), thus the name stuck

Slide

Slide (or SLD) is entered using d+1+4, and is a stance alternate to FDFA. It's called like that because it gives access to Lei's manual Slide. The true reasoning behind that or any other naming is unknown