KoF XI: Character Strats

Classic Fighting Games Other Games
1

I know KoF can’t be dead in the states si I’m posting what I learn. Feel free to do the same.

So far, I use Duck King, Gato, Shingo and Kasumi.

**Duck King. **
Pros: Great mobility, Good damage, easy traps, easy setups, balanced moveset, switches well, some high priority normals, normals move him forward very far.
Cons: Fair air domination, limited b&b’s, has poor wakeup game, moves have a wierd randomness, some moves leave him WIDE open, bad priority specials and short range on important normals.

Ducks Kings strength is his unpredictability, oddly high damage even on chip and his dial combos, which are actually dial strings preset into the game software. His supers are ok, but he has no anti air moves UNLESS you do Duck Dance, which leaves him open for death.

btw: f=forward, b= back. d=down, cr=full crouch, df = down+ forward, buttons are in CAPS everything else is pretty straight forward.

Air Feint ***** (d,d in air). Basically a jump reset letting him rechoose his motion when performed. Cannot be buffered like in Real Bout, but can be done after almost any move that leaves him high in the air. Best move ever!

Dash feint **** (Dash,df +C). Like a roll, he can be thrown out of it. Unlike a roll there is NO moment of vulnerability anytime when this move is performed can only be cancelled at the end. SWEET!

**Feint ***** (d+A, crf+C). **This makes his mixup game all the more evil against those cautions turtlelers. Jabs then slides in very quickly for a very short time. Great for this special throw setup.

Choke Roll **** (d+C on downed opponent). Only one use for it. Unlike Duolons, Duck’s body hits the opponent so if you are to far away or do it too late, it wont hit. If you can, do it. FREE DAMAGE, plus he always ends up on the other side meaning you can get a free C headspin for some good chip.

Overhead ** (f+A) . Too slow, uncomboable, weak damage. Just go for the C headspin. The chip alone does more damage than the overhead.

** Combo 1 ***** (cr+b, standing B, f+C). **Great combo all around. Fast, good damage, can be switched out of, performed after jump ins of any kind, starts low, can buffer to any move he has. What else can be said about it.

** Combo 2 ***** (cr+B,B, df+D). ** Interresting combo. Can be buffered into all of his moves for clean hits and maybe a good combo.

**Needle Kick *(Df+b). Like any other slide kick in the game. Nice to get a Choke roll. Cannot be buffered into or out of. Leaves him vlunerable unless done from the farthest range. Nothing more than a fast, mid range knockdown.

**Jump kick ** (standing B far away). **Its a wierd slow jump kick but it is his best anti air and can be canceled into air feint. Interresting, but otherwise useless.

Headspin Attack *** (fb+P, press C on C version for extra hit or rfb+P in air). His headspin moves are a mixed blessing. Neither is effective more than half screen away, but both will combo from close C ONLY, A version might combo from string 2.
Air cannonball is horrible if you miss, and 50/50 if they block. If you do it right above the opponent you will cross over and get a free combo for as much as 50% health

Break Storm ** (dp+K) Useless… ok not realy. The B version ONLY hits opponents HIGH on the air. D might seems to randomly hit opponents who are very close. Prety unreliable. Both versions go WAY too high but seem tricky enoguh to be unpredictable upon landing. Use sparingly if ever.
**
Dancing Dive *** (rfb+K).** Never use the weak version. D-version trades air, hits low at the beginning and can be followed up with an air feint for sweet mixups. Can be buffered from close C.

Supers:
Break Spiral* (fb, uf, d +K). ** HAH, good luck getting THAT pretzel motion on 360’s! Uncomboable, low priority, low range. Bah, at least its a throw!

**Beat Rush **** (hcb,f +P-> A,A,B,A,C,C,D,C, dp+E). **The only reliably comboable move. Also has high invincibility frames. Good on the ground, bad anywhere else.

**Duck Dance: *(d,d +CDE) **I give it 1 star out of my love for P-Chan. Only combos in the corner from a standing C and DOESN’T dizzy if the first hit hits. Also keeps dancing no matter what. At least you don’t have to press C to perform the follow ups.

->Diving Punisher: *** (qcbx2+P in air)
->Rolling Punisher:* (qcfx2+P)**
I clump these two together because they are basically powerful headspin attacks. They deal MASSIVE, MASSIVE chip but mediocre damage. I have yet to combo either.
Air one is better cause I have been able to bounce it off the opponents head. It’s like a friggin drill for gods sake.

**->Dancing Caliper: *****( qcbx2+K) **Good move if you can get it to hit since it goes STRAIGHT UP. If you do it you will recognize it from Fatal Fury… its the original breakstorm that looks like Terry’s rising tackle and made that funny weed-whacker sound. Does GREAT damage, but only hits opponents point blank. His best anti air since it is the ONLY move he has that vacuums and has huge invincibility.

->Break Hurricane:* qcfx2+P ** Not a great move, pretty low damage starts out with a knee then goes into a break storm.
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** LDM * (hcb x2 + E in air)** horrible, horrible move. Don’t even bother using his as leader. It’s just break spiral in the air. STUPID!

2

Good to see so many interesting contributions.

Shingo.
Pros: Moves in fast, deals damage quickly, VERY easy to pick up, moves smoothly, very well rounded moveset, has many of Kyo’s useful normals, good air coverage, easy cancels.

**Cons: **Slow on recovery, lacks combo depth, poor defensive capabilities, has very few cancellable moves.

Shingo’s strength is his… well, strength. He is a single blow character without the grapples. Looks a lot like Kyo but plays much more like Shen Wu. If you are just learning KoF, he is that character for you. Like a bologna sandwich; simple, not too fancy and can get the job done.

Moves:
Kakkodake ***. f+B: Axekick. Useless for anything other than building that extra sliver of meter. It connects much more often than not after S or D + C and it doesn’t hit overhead ever?

100 Shiki**** (dp+P): It’s a DP, what the hell do you want from it?

114 Shiki********** (qcf+A): Shingo’s all purpose move. Need a combo, do this move. Need to retaliate after a move pushes to far away, use it. Need to punish a slow move like Iori’s d+D, use it. Need to move forward quickly and safely, use it. Goes 1/3 the distance of the screen in 5 frames and only leads to trouble if done point blank… MAYBE! Cancels almost naturally into every DM he has.

115 Skiki ** (qcf+C): As good as 114 is, this is bad. Slow, laggy, knockdown FAR away, virtually uncomboable and hits after it’s half over. Just avoid it except after a well placed C.

212 Skiki *** (hcb+K): Second hit is a very fast overhead (for B version, anyway). Both versions comboable after close C ( 75% sure). I have had no success in canceling this move into a super unlike in previous games. Use it sparingly or if you want to switch, otherwise…

Shingo Kick ** (qcf+K): Basically Kyo’s jump kick, but goes less up and a lot more forward. It doesn’t combo or cancel and makes a bad anti air so it’s more a filler move than anything else.

Air Shingo Kick ***** (hcf+K): So what makes this move better than the move above, especially since they are the same move with the same properties? It’s an air move, that’s what. It makes his air mobility far less predictable. When performed, it floats him a little then WHACK! It can also be performed after a back dash and sends him right back where he started from. Use it a lot more than the other one.

Idou Sachi *** (qcb+P): A combable roll. And that’s it, use it sparingly.

Nitogi **** (close dp+K): Basically a grapple that launches. Easy to set up and perform along with good damage potential with the basic uppercut follow up. On the downside, I have yet to combo it as in previous versions.

DM’s:
note Never perform these outside of a combo. Either buffered from C, cr+C or cancelled from 114 shiki. They will never, EVER work as they are slow and stupid to look at.

Burning Shingo***** (qcb,hcf + P) It can lead to some real easy cancels or tag-out comboes. Like all of his moves, it does really good damage. If blocked, you are DOOMED!

Ge Shiki Kake Hourin *** (qcfx2 + P) One hit shoulder ram. That is all.

Leader Moves:
Oboro Ka Kuruma: qcfx2 + E ***** This move is carnage. Great anti air, fast as shit, easy to dream cancel into or regular cancel from and does good damage. The one downside is that it may miss full damage, as the most powerful hit occours when he falls flat on his face. Of course, if you miss, you eat dirt!

3

Kasumi:

Pros: She has counters, wave goes through other fireballs, she has a command grab, the best overhead I have ever seen, nice variety of normals and specials, um… she’s a chick?
Cons: Unbalanced, poor mobility, bad air control, slow movements, limited combo options.

Not a great character overall. Her moves feel clunky (not smooth on execution), she feels a bit slow even though she isn’t. She is all about the ground, but once she or the opponent is in the air she is at an automatic disadvantage. She moves forward almost unexpectedly, however, giving her something positive.

Moves
Hiji Ate****(f + A) It’s just an overhead right? True, but its really fast and almost undetectable and hits twice. I have yet to combo it like in the old days, but there’s still some time to learn.

Special Moves:
Kasane Ate: **** (qcf + A also in air). Just a short ranged wavelike fireball move. The move itself cannot be canceled by other fireballs but it goes straight through all moves. Good move but not combo worthy.

Ougi Mizo Nagashi: ****(qcb + P up to 4 times). Her combo, pure and simple. Can be cancelled into any of her DM’s. Vary it for your viewing pleasure but recovery on any of the 4 repeat motions is the same except for the last which knocks down and makes longer stun on block.

->Ougi Mizo Takayori Mukuru*** (after 3rd one, qcb + K)
Instead of knocking down the last hit, she feints a kick and stops dead. Performed quickly it can set up for a nice command grab without wasting a cancel.

Tenchi Shuuten: * (qcb + K Stupid) Stupid move for the risk involved. It grabs falling (like if cancelled after a trip), jumping or standing opponents (I think). Does HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE damage and destroys any chance for a trap or wakeup game. Should have kept the auto-guard move.

Tatsumaki Souda: *** close, hcb,f + P. 3 hit command grab. Good for what it is, but cannot be comboed into as far a I know. At least it launches… I guess.

Messhin Mutoh: **** (hcf + B.) Jump-in/ special counter we all know how these work.

Sassho Inshuu: ** (hcf + D) Mid/overhead counter

Hanshin Morute Fukushimashi: ** (hcf + E) Low counter.

Super Moves:
Chou Kasane Ate: **** (qcfx2 + P) Super wave projectile. Stops jump ins pretty well. Continues even if she is hit. Oddly fast. Damage is pretty poor even for a super projective.

Shiranei: *** (close, hcbx2 + P) Another low priority, VERY short ranged, uncomboable command throw, you do the math.

Leader Moves:
Shingan Kuzu Otoshi: *** qcf,hcb + E
Just her super counter. Covers everywhere but her back and stops non projectile D.M.'s I would rather have an attack, frankly. But good at what it does.

4

You forgot to bring out that backdash Kasane Ate stops rush down attempts, is a valuable AA, and also is great battery…3-in 1.

Excellent stuff though.

I have some Kula strats (2k2/NW based play with her added toptier Hop C and Unblockable LDM combo) but Im wondering whether to talk about them and spill the beans.

5

Backdash KAsane Ate stops short jumps pretty well. But it doesn’t seen to go as far forward as she goes back when she backdashes. Just post, the more info, the more fun!

6

All right Kula…from what I’ve seen already…and this is based on 2k2/NW but from what I see still applies.

st. b-Her 2k2 move to kill with. Great pokes good to start combos with etc. bnb combo-cr. bx2, st b DP+C.

Df+C- Her Anti(H) Air. Get it anti hair…haha I know. This move is the AA to use in most cases with Kula.

Lay Spin-qcb+b/d,f+b/d-She has many variations of it, one does the slide and another does the icicly projectile

Freeze proj-D/F+A- Kula puts out a longrange projectile that is perfect for killing bosses like Young/NEOWAVE GEESE HAHAHA!!!

qbc+p-Reflect-Reflects projectiles, can be comboed and is good to finish combos with if blocked…pushes you back safely.

CD Attack- Good priority…is used in the air with Hyperhop/Jump/Super Jump etc, to knock the opponent out of the air.
Hop/Jump/HH/Sjump C-OMFG- This move owns now because it is like Iori’s Hop C in that it acts as an overhead and can be used to start vicious combos like her Unblockable HSDM/LDM Freeze Execution Super Combo I see in videos…dnot know if I should tell you guys that one or if it is in the SRK KOF XI thread…let me chekc and see if it is…heheh

Thats enough for now…gotta get back to work…

7

So what’s the deal with Clark this year? From the vids I’ve seen, he looks a lot like his '03 self, but has an increased pressure game with his jumping CD (E now) back. B&B still seems to be jump A, close C [1 hit] into the Backbreaker. Is his new super worth using at all?

8

How do people rate K’ and Oswald?

9

does anyone know how to cancel jenet’s qcf+b/d into jumping d+d’s?

10

He is like he was in '02. Because the throw system has changed a bit, it’s more difficult to get the close C, Backbreaker after the jump-in unless you can run in after the jump. He still has the two hit punch (like Ralph’s) that launches on the second hit, but its faster so you have to be faster on the DM cancel.

K’ and Oswald are rated pretty high, but not as high as Gato or Kula. The KoF thread in the “Fighting Game Discussion” thread has the exact tiers. Its like page 25 or 26 or something.

Do it anytime after she stops flipping around. Since she’s in the air for a long time, you have plenty of space to do it. Since I don’t use her, I don’t know the exact traits, but since Duck has something similar I know DO IT REALLY FAST!

11

And now for Gato

Pros: Everything! Superior mobility, excellent damage, unpredictability, speed, hes just UNGODLY!

Cons: Um… Only anti air is a super. Kinda tricky getting the best cancels with him.

Anybody who has seen him knows, Gato is in a class all his own. Pure pwn-age is all I can say cause he is just too good. It took me a day or two to get used to his changes from 2k3, but don’t expect MoTW Gato, either.

Moves:

Command Moves:
Sai Ago:****( f + A). Fast, and unpredictable overhead. Use it a lot cause it’s damn good and seems to have really high priority far away.

Muran Geri:** ( f + B).** Good for long ranged anti air or to move in really fast. Just adds to his unpredictability . Use it.

Special Moves:
Shin Kiba:* ( qcf + p)** Slams his open palm forward. Comboes from close C or D and cr+ A or C and sets up for follow up. His ONLY cancelable move as far as I’m concerned and sets up for nice dream cancel.
**->Totsu Kiba: *** (f,f + P). **Perform it after shin kiba. Not much, but its free damage and it’s same on block. Just do it if you can.

Fuu Kiba:*** (qcb + K). This is where it all happens. Slams the ground around him then pops up into the air. Combos from close C or D only and follows up to
->Ana Kiba: (A)** Safe, fast as hell, builds meter like crazy, comboable, knocksdown (NOW). Abuse it like a cheating wife.
->Sen Kiba:** ( B)** Mediocre as anti air, sets up for funky juggles. Also comboes and if timed right and if close enough, you can get a free super that the opponent can’t switch out of for massive, massive damage if done properly.
**->Kyuu Kiba: ***©. **Slower than 2k3, basically am overhead. Good for mixups and thats it.
->Katsu Kiba: (D). **A slow, laggy slide kick on the ground meaning if performed early, Gato is compelety vulnerable while in the air. Goes far, and can be cancelled or used to switch out.

**Ura Fuu Kiba: **** (qcb + P) **Similar to the previous, but different follow ups. Combos just like the previous.
**->Shun Kiba: ****(A). Now that he can attack when he does it, this move is ungodly. Flies forward almost the entire distance of the screen. Basically a superfast, super short jump.
->Ou Kiba: *** (B) Counter, but in the air. Requires a lot of skill to use properly, but not an aweful move.
->Mu Kiba: close, or *** ©. Kind of an overhead throw. Im not sure if it can hit jumping opponents. Good for mixups, and that’s about it.
**->Rou Kiba: * (D). **Another completely useless move. Like Katsu Kiba, but he teleports back 1/3 of the distance of the slide but can still be hit. Can be super cancelle at any time, even during the teleport, but WHY!

Super Moves:
**Rei Kiba: *****(qcfx2 + P). **Thrusts his palm forward super fast and, if it hits cleanly, he jumps up and grabs the opponent ALWAYS. The first hit can be Dream cancelled. Super fast and high priority. Who could ask for anything more?
**Tatsu Kiba: ****(qcfx2 + K). **Fast jump kick type more. Looks like he’s riding a cloud right into the sky. Does good damage, but very close ranged. His best anti air by far. If you don’t use it as an anti air, use it ONLY cancelled after Katsu Kiba or just juggle with it in the corner.

Leader Moves:
Tenryuu Retsu Kiba: *** (dp + E up to 3 times). Pretty poor DM overall, but better than many other LDM’s in the game. Very technically demanding move. Avoid using outside of a combo or a dream cancel ON THE GROUND ONLY. Do all three or just don’t bother doing it.

12

Comboes.
Duck:

cr=croucing, s=standing, df = down + forward, n = neutral, f = forward
Duck chains
(Duck is overloaded with chain combos on the ground so I have to list his comboes differently)

**chain 1: **
st+C, or D, cr+A X1 or X 2
st+B, st+B, f+C **
cr+B, st+B, f+C **
cr+Ax2, st+B, f+C
cr+A, st+B, st+B, **f+C **
cr+A, cr+B, st+B, **f+C **
Stuns long enough for switch
Buffers mostly into hcb, f+P…; rfb+B, fb+A

chain 2:
cr+B, cr+B, df+D (juggle)
st+B, cr+B, df+D
buffers into everything except hcb, f+P super
buffers into d,d+CDE (but full damage in corner only)

My favoite chains
cr+B, st+ B, f+C, rfb+B
cr+B, cr+B. df+D, C headspin attack
cr+Ax2, st+B, f+C, Beat Dance
corner
cr+B, cr+B, df+D, dp+D
cr+B, cr+B, df+D, d,d, CDE
switch in, C, cr+B, cr+B, df+D, rfb+B, [d,d,] in air f+A, hcbx2 E (I have yet to succeed in doing this one, but there is still a long way to go in the game. )

Kasumi:

st/cr fierce
->f+A
->>fb+A
->>hcb+Px3 (cancelled into hcbx2 K)

cr+D,
->hcb+K

st+A, f+C

favorite strings
st+C, f+A, hc+Px4.
st+C, f+A, fb+A (, hcb+B if opponent in the corner)
(not actually a combo, but works well against turtlers)
st+C, f+A hcb+Px3, cancel hcbx2 +K

Shingo:
Pretty much all of his moves combo after close C or D

My favorites with Shingo.
cr+B, cr+A, fb+A
close C, f+B, hcb+B
close C, f+B, fb+A cancel fbx2+P
close C, f+B, fb+A cancel hcb, hcf+P cancel 5th to fbx2+E
(one thing I like about Shingo is that if fb+A EVER hits you can almost on reaction cancel into a super. There is a 75% chance that it will be a succesful hit

Gato:
close D -> hcb+B -> B, after landing fbx2 + P
close D -> hcb+B -> B, (in corner) fbx2+K
close C
->fb+A -> f,f +A
->fb+A cancel fbx2 +A, dream cancel dp+E 3 times.

13

really?
i was mashing down d like nobody’s business but it just wasn’t coming out, i don’t even know if it’s specific to the b or d version.

and it’s damn hard to practice it in the middle of a match when everyone is so much better =\ oh well, i’ll be sure to test it out.

14

The best I can say, look at as many match vids that you can with B. Jenet in them and look for what you need.

15

Yes good tips indeed for him Cool Water…its a great Hit Confirmation technique to master because as it looks it gives her instant recovery!!! (B. Jenet)

16

whassup with the basics of this game…like jumping is a no-no from my playing but wtf is the quick jump with the shadows behind it???..yea i know i don’t know shit, i have tried to learn an snk game since kof 95…so yea, basics dammit… :tup:

17

Jumping, there are two types of jumping: Regular and Super. Super inreases the vertical distance and speed of the arc and drop and creates a trailing shadow. You can make each jump lower by pressing down right after you press the jump direction you want. Abuse super short jumps, but carefully cause smart people know ways to stop it.

Rolling, you can only roll if the stick is in neutral, forward or back. The only times you are allowed to roll is if you are standing, blocking if you have a power stock, if you hit with a normal and you have a power stock or if you are just landing from a normal knockdown.

Tagging, Press AB or CD, also for the Shifting, you can switch only when you are standing on the ground.

Shifting is when your teamate comes in in attack mode. Since they are in the air, you must press an attack when they come out to perform an attack!

Combo Shift, The exact conditions are difficult to explain, but you can always do it after any physical normal or special as long as you are on the ground before AND after it touches the opponent. Its a lot more complicated after D.M.s so I won’t go into it.

Saving Shift, do it if you are on the ground, get hit or blocking and have two stocks. Saves your ass if you KNOW your gonna take damage.

Cancelling, there are many ways to cancel in Kof
1: Normal-> normal (eg: cr+ B, cr+A)
2: Normal-> special
3: Normal-> D.M 2 power stocks
4: Special-> D.M 1 spirit stock + 2 power stock
5: Special-> L.D.M. 1 spirit stock + 2 power stocks
6: D.M.-> L.D.M. 1 spirit stock + 3 power stocks (this is a DREAM CANCEL)

So you can see that that you can do a combo like…
normal-> normal-> special -> combo shift -> normal -> D.M -> L.D.M
for a total of 2 spirit stocks and 4 power stocks if you are careful how you do it.

Yeah, that’s all I can help you with. Everything thing else is kinda learn it or not.

18

thank you, really all i needed was that damn jumping shit because i have been playing the computer and it was not having that jumping shit. good look though, now i’m just gonna watch the shit out of some videos and get going.

19

Well actually depends…I havent played this game yet but I can say if this game is like the others then there are FOUR TYPES OF JUMPS…correct me if I am wrong CoolWater bc I am going off 2k2/2k3 stuff

There is Regular Jump, Short Jump, Super Jump AND HYPERHOP. Whats the difference between short jump and Hyperhop???

Short Jump doesnt give you as much priority as HyperHop does…so whoring Jump D’s with Iori is BEST WITH HYPERHOP. (Shadow Short Jump in other words)

20

I guess its just the way you look at it.
1: Two types: Regular jump or super jump (becuase one is super)
2: Two types: Jump or Hop (becuase hop is lower)
3: 4 types: Jump, super jump, hop super hop.

Really it doesn’t matter, but let me explain my reasoning. I look at jumps in terms of #1 because Regular jumps generally start by pressing up and never stop being Regular jumps no matter what you press after that.

Super jumps, however, start by pressing down meaning they do not start as jumps traditionally start.

Hops are performed AFTER the regular jump motion is completed by pressing down quickly and are, in my opinion, just moves done on a jump (like triangle jumps). This helps me understand why you can’t do OTHER moves in hops (eg. Kasumi cannot do a Kasane Ate during a short jump)