For a person who has never played a KoF games before, how do you decide on who to pick?
Do you go for balance, where each character specializes in a fighting style or keep it real and pick whom ever you’re most comfortable with?
i’d go with whoever your most comfortable. I use Joe, Terry, and Iori/ Robert mostly cuz I used Iori and Joe in CvS 2. Terry and Robert are just cool 
Seems to be a lot like CvS2 in that regard to me. I’m guessing you wanna start with someone that’s not meter-reliant as your battery, then try someone with easy combos into their super. Last character will be your anchor, but it doesn’t seem to be about just picking a powerhouse like it is in CvS2 (lol Sagat). You could just go with your best character I’d imagine, or pick someone that can fight your other characters’ shitty match-ups well.
I go with comfort too, I’m still deciding a third team member, right now Kyo and Athena are solid, but I’m messing around with Clark and Leona, and Terry as a third
KOF doesn’t really work like that. Pick 3 chars you rock with, choose the order, done. Matchups in kof aren’t great or shitty, for the most part, unless you are just plain outclassed by the other guy. Know your characters, handle yo business. This game isn’t as meter-building reliant as cvs2 because it builds quick as hell. KOF is combo/rushdown/precision counter to turn the tide territory. Cvs2 is meter management.
Comfort is the way to go. So far im playing with Leona, Ralf, Shen Woo, Robert, and Ryo.
In the good ol days when there were a bunch of hot girls in KOF, I would rock out two hotties like Mai and Blue Mary with Terry.
Now that the female roster in XII is so limited, I go old school team Fatal Fury with Terry Andy and Joe.
Duo Lon looks really cool, so I’m planning on maining him. Go with who you feel comfortable with.
duo lon
duo lon
duo lon
duo lon
duo lon