Yes, the old thread in FGD is still around somewhere but it’s old and bloated. Time for a re-vamp…
Combos, strategies, tiers, questions, and discussion about the most under-appreciated game in the series, drama and haters stay out.
Let’s try to keep this thread unclogged without a bunch of videos, matches, etc. for the most part. There’s a SNK video thread in the video forum for a reason.
The game is kinda dead competitively right now, but maybe with KOF XII attracting new blood and the inevitable emulation of Atomiswave, the game will get more attention from people who overlooked it the first time around.
LINKS
KOF XI Thread Version 3 (2007-2008)
http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=146225
KOF XI Thread Version 2.0 (2006-2007)
http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=117142
KOF XI SRK Wiki (needs work, maybe I’ll get around to adding some stuff)
http://wiki.shoryuken.com/The_King_of_Fighters_XI
KOF XI BNBS (and like, a billion Oswald Youtube vids)
http://forums.shoryuken.com/showpost.php?p=4642034&postcount=8
Any other useful direct links, let me know–I’ll keep this OP updated.
FAQS
–Tiers?
The last tier list compiled:
SS-tier ~ Gato, Kula
S-tier ~ Oswald, Eiji, Duck (2P), Kim, Clark, Hayate*
A-tier ~ Ralf, Duck, Kyo, Maxima, Ryo, Gai
B-tier ~ Jenet, K’, Ash, Terry, Shen, Jyazu, Silber, Vanessa, Kensou
C-tier ~ Malin, Iori, Duolon, Adelheid, Benimaru, Elisabeth
D-tier ~ Yuri, Ramon, Mary, Shingo, King, Griffon
E-tier ~ Kasumi, Momoko, Athena, Whip, Hayate*
Personally I believe this tierlist to be old and a bit outdated. I’m up for discussion for a new and revised tierlist. Also note that this tierlist doesn’t include the console-exclusive characters.
(2P Duck refers to the fact that Duck on the 2P side gets a slight increase in frame advantage on certain moves due to a bug.)
(Hayate is listed twice because according to the Japanese source which compiled this list he supposedly dominates certain matchups while losing heavily in others.)
Good Beginner Characters?
Generally well-rounded characters who have simple but effective BNBs or play fairly similar to familiar Capcom characters.
A BASIC overview (meant only for absolute beginners to KOF XI):
Iori…same as he ever was. If you’ve played him in any game before you can play him here. However, the strength of his combos has been drastically reduced and playing like a fireball/DP shoto won’t work since his anti-airs have been nerfed (only really good AA he has left is his :qcf:x2+:p: DM, which leaves you wide open if you whiff)
Terry…again like Iori, a familiar character. Based off his Garou version, not classic Terry (no Rising Tackle). Also like Iori, he’s overall not as strong as he was but still has the tools to win. Power Geyser is slower and weaker that in most other games and not a reliable AA. Buster Wolf is what you should be using for both combos and AA.
Shen…straight-forward, power/combo character. Poke, confirm, combo. :qcf:x2+:p: is your answer to everything…combo-ender, anti-air, anti-poke, does INSANE damage on counter for a Level 1. He does have nuances like his command throw and sway moves but you can be simple with him and win. Has definite problems with projectiles, keepaway, or anybody who can out-rush him. Blows through meter like Rick James in a crazy summer.
Yuri…probably the closest character in the game to a classic shoto, but :qcb::p:, :df::snkd: or crouching :snkc: is usually much better for anti-air than her DP.
Kyo…your standard combo character, pretty much the same as he is in most other games you might have played him in. One important difference is that he regains his fireball :qcb::p: of Classic Kyo but still has his Aragamis (combo punch rekkas).
Ash…your standard Guile-like charge character, although with differences (he doesn’t have Guile’s long, high-priority crouching pokes). This is probably his weakest version (compared to KOF 2003 and KOF MIRA where he’s easily top tier in all)…he doesn’t do great damage, lacks combos without meter, his normals have less priority, and his keepaway/zoning game doesn’t work very well in the fast-paced, rushdown world of KOF XI. Still, he’s not bad…a good battery, and his charge :l:,:r::snka: has little recovery.
Eiji…probably the only character in this group who’s unquestionably top-tier–great for beginners and pros alike. Fast with damaging, simple combos and excellent specials. His :snkb:s are your best friends for poking. His standing :snkd: is your ticket to combos–it combos into ANYTHING. Zantetsu Ha (projectile super) is your greatest asset for anti-air (A version is slow for catching high jumps and C is super fast for hyperhops), anti-projectile and anti-rushdown, just watch the recovery.
Good starter characters?
Your starter character should be someone who:
A) Doesn’t necessarily need super meter/stocks
B) Builds meter well on their own (battery)
C) Sets up Quickshift/stun combos very well
D) Someone who has non-meter combos that can do damage fairly quickly
Under that criteria, the best starter characters are:
1st Class) Duck, Eiji, Kim, Kula, Maxima, Oswald
2nd Class) Ash, B. Jenet, Clark, Gai, Kensou, Ralf, Whip, Yuri
Good Leader characters?
There are two schools of thought on choosing your leader:
A) Your leader should be your “best” character–either the one you feel most comfortable with or the best in terms of tiers
B) Your leader should be your character with your most useful LDM (Leader Desperation Move)
There are certain mid-to-low tier characters whose value to their team improves significantly with their LDM; contrarily, some of the higher tier characters have LDMs that really aren’t that useful at all.
Characters made significantly better just by their LDMs:
–Adelheid, Athena, Duo Lon, Elizabeth, Malin, Mary, Mr. Big, Ryo, Shingo, Vanessa
Characters who should NEVER be made Leader on the basis of their LDMs:
–Duck, Gai, Iori, Kensou, Maxima
