Finally am on XBL and 2013! I haven’t found anything earth-shattering with the new Elena yet, but she certainly feels better. <div><br></div><div>I found that it looks stylish to back-dash to combo after EX Lynx Tail, but it’s kinda useless since the air TC does more damage. :) </div><div><br></div><div>Also, now that you can easily do MK Rhino Horn, St. LK xx MK Rhino Horn, Super mid-screen, she has a viable way to use Super outside the corner!</div>
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<div class=“QuoteAuthor”><a href="/profile/77455/KitL19">KitL19</a> said:</div>
<div class=“QuoteText”>Right now using Elena/Christie<br><br>Christie starter <br>stHP tc (Elena) HP > HK > st.MP > MK Rhino horn > cr.MP > MK Rhino horn > Slide/ HK scratch wheel 430/436 off of a far reaching 6 frame move…I’m loving this team.<br></div>
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If you want damage off this team for one bar:<div>Christie st.HP xx handstand > perch flop kick (d+K during handstand) > perch flop kick > late helicopter (P during handstand) > TC first hit > Elena jump forward HK > land and standing HP,HK > MK or HK Scratch Wheel.</div><div><br></div><div>Does like 485.</div><div><br></div><div>And, I almost always end juggles with st.MK, cr.HP, cr.MP XX MK or HK Scratch wheel (only two of the hits connect, so MK and HK Scratch Wheel do the same damage. So, I usually do MK Scratch Wheel to land faster and get better frame advantage. But, if I plan on continuing the combo with a tag cancel, I use HK Scratch Wheel, because the third hit WILL now connect.) As far as I know, that’s the max damage finisher…and, since Elena isn’t a massive damage character, I take every ounce I can get.</div>
Oh sweet I was mostly using stHP as a safe tag option I wasn’t really thinking about getting damage xD ty I will practice this up.
One thing to consider is that even at point-blank, you can get a safe raw tag when ending a combo with MK Rhino Horn.
Hmm… has anyone ever thought about doing combos were the point wasn’t the damage, but the amount of normal hits or special moves in them?
With so many gems that are activated based on the number of normal and/or specials you’ve hit the opponent with, I figured it might not be a terrible idea.
Corner Only, 441 dmg, 10 normal hits, 12 total hits
j.MP xx j.HP, st.HP xx st.HK, cr.MP, cr.MP xx M Rhino Horn, st.MK xx cr.HP, st.MK xx cr.HP
382 dmg, 4 special moves, 10 Total hits
L Mallet Smash, cr.MP xx M Rhino Horn, cr.MP xx M Rhino Horn, H Scratch Wheel
It’s an interesting idea. You could get more hits from this combo by ending it with Cr. MP xx M/H Scratch Wheel (3 hits total) instead of St. MK XX Cr. HP (2 hits).
Edit: Oh, NORMAL hits. 
I see what you did there.
Mind sharing more of yours Elena/Christie combos optimizations. I’m having quite a struggle on figuring how to max my damage (with both on points) when I have more than one bar.
I feel like Elena’s cr.mp into mk. Spin Scythe TC Christie s.HP xx qcf+HP s.mp cr.lk > s.mk > s.mk xx handstanf ~ f is my best one bar combo starting with Elena.
I have problem stretching it for more damage.
Can you connect the Helicopter consistently for the full hits (and the floating state)?
How would you suggest extending after the opponent already in juggle state with both of them?
I think that with Christie cr.lp cr.hp xx Handstand xx Helicopter, but connecting with the full Helicopter is kinda tricky (some character can charge super out of it, or so they say…)
This team is fun, but still need to figure a lot of its basic meter usage and damage output
I don’t know Christie awfully well, so this might not be optimal. What’s the damage to your combo compared to say… [Elena] cr.Mp, cr.MP > st.HK > Launch, [Christie] Post Tag combo is?
I say this mainly because I’m in agreement with some that Spin Scythe ultimately isn’t that good right now and if the damage from a launch combo is only slightly less, then that’s more worth going for.
So, what’s the best anti-air counter-hit combos for Elena? Running into Mishimas and others who have rage inducing jump ins, need something that’ll make them think twice about it next time.
Best I could come up with:
st.LP, st.MK xx cr.HP, M or H Scratch Wheel.
253 damage, enemy has to be at very close range at the start of the combo for Scratch Wheel to hit.
st.LP, st.MK xx cr.HP, Slide
239 dmg, can be done at any reach of st.LP.
st.LP, st.MK xx cr.HP, Brave Dance
408 dmg, 2 meters, can be done at any reach of st.LP.
st.LP, st.MK xx cr.HP, Cross Art
500-ish dmg, 3 meters, can be done at any reach of st.LP.
st.LP, cr.MP xx M Rhino Horn
177 dmg, can be done at any reach of st.LP, useful for safe tags and pushing to the corner.
I know this is hella late but just for reference for anyone who happens to stop by this dusty thread again:
I haven’t been able to play this game for months but I know by heart that Elena shines BRIGHT when it comes to anti-airs. If I recall she’s also able to stuff Rufus’s divekick clean on reaction.
Elena’s st.mp is hands down her best anti-air(with st.lp a close second) thanks to the 2013 change to both hits being special cancel-able. When you st.mp, always, and I mean ALWAYS cancel into Mallet Mash since it won’t matter whether you got both hits or not. I guarantee you at least %80 of the time when you use st.mp you’re gonna set your opponent up for a 402 meterless combo, because they’ll land right within Mallet range. I don’t know if it’s because it’s meaty or they always crouch on landing, but I’ve never had anyone stuff the Mallet upon landing. On counter hit you’ll most likely juggle them, if so then react with a Scratch Wheel. For example, I always use:
st.mp xx MP Mallet Mash, cr.mp xx MK Rhino, cr.mp xx MK Rhino xx HK Scratch Wheel
Close to corner:
st.mp xx MP Mallet Mash, cr.mp, cr.mp xx MK Rhino, cr.mp xx MK Rhino xx HK Scratch Wheel
Even with LP Mallet you’re netting close to 400 dmg. Now I haven’t used st.lp as a solid anti-air as much as st.mp, but if I recall it makes a good cross up anti-air like it did back in 3S. It’ll keep Dhalsim at bay I know for sure when he tries to teleport mid-air.
St. LP is pretty good if they’re a bit closer than St. MP range, so I use it a lot for that. There’s also LK Scratch Wheel if you need that guaranteed anti-air.
Part of my In the Lab video series, combo video for Elena/Asuka: