KOF 98UM - Athena Asamiya

[sibarraz]

Notation
= Light Punch
= Light Kick
= Strong Punch
= Strong Kick

Throws
Psychic Throw: / +
Bit Throw: / +
Psychic Shoot: Any Direction but + /  in air

Command Moves
Renkantai   +                                              
Phoenix Bomb: + in air                    

Special Moves
Psycho Ball: + /                                            
Psycho Reflector: + /                                      
Phoenix Arrow: + / in air        
Psychic Teleport: + /                              
Psycho Sword   + / (air)                                    
Super Psychic Throw: + /                        

Desperation Moves
Psycho Ball Revolution: x2 + /                                  
Shining Crystal Bit:   x2 + / (air)                          
Crystal Shoot: + / (can hold)                          
Cancel: press                
Phoenix Fang Arrow: x2 + / in air              

[sibarraz]

SNK's favorite jailbait, in one of her better incarnations!

All her normals are canceleable except her far versions (A could be canceled though)

f+b can be canceled from a normal (Even low attacks) and into dp +a or hcb x 2 + p if you are in the corner (otherwise will whiff) I had to confirm if you can cancel it into her qcb + k on air, or qcf x2 + k on air. the best is to combo this command from low attacks, otherwise, there will be a risk that the combo will whiff

d+b on air, is personally a really good move, timed right, you can cross up your opponent (but nothing could be comboed from it) and is slightly safe, every time from a while could be a good move to mess with your opponent

Her dragon punch is realy good, had good priority, even though if it's blocked, you're screwed

Athena's metagame revolves around her Psycho Ball, Teleport and throw. In the original 98, if you throw a slow psycho ball while after that you teleported forward the game, a bug will appear where the psycho ball is unlockable. Now, that bug is an actual feature that even other characters had. But not only that, if you learn well the timing of this bug, you can even combo a standing c and then make a combo (If you had your opponent cornered this could be LETHAL) Also, you can create some setups with super psychic throw, The only way to avoid this bug, is if you use evade instead of roll, otherwise, you could had lots of problems with athena

Super Psychic throw is a grab, which can be followed for almost all her moves, the best options could be a psycho ball to try a setup for her bug if you opponent doesn't block, or combo the move into her shining crystal bit, even though if you are mid screen, you will had to run a little and do the input, or jump toward your opponent and do it there,the timing could be tricky, but after a while, you will get it

New to 98um, is the move psycho ball revolution, is a fireball which a had a really low damage for a DM, but that at the same time has a very good priority, which could catch characters who are jumping toward you off the guard. This move could be good, but is far from being abuseable

Overall, idea is like almost always a character of hit and run, but in 98um specially, she could be very offensive, and if you play your mind games right, you can screw your opponent

Combos

d.b, f+b, psycho sword
hcf + p, Psycho Ball /Shining Crystal Bit
qcb + p, Teleport, Standing C, psycho sword
hcf + p, jump, qcb+ b (Air) shining crystal bit (Must be on corner

[desmond_kof]

I play against a very good Athena locally, and she is a nightmare to deal with.

Firstly, you gotta practice hyper hopping those Psycho Balls, and properly anticipate them. If you don't want her throwing balls at you, Athena needs to be shutdown offensively. If you start the match well by just getting in her face and that player might be a little hesitant to shoot a ball. Just be careful of that Psycho Throw, the range is good, and it sets up her unblock-able trap.

Her air normals aren't bad either, her j. 2B has a shitload of priority and it lasts forever too. Plus at a certain range, it can actually just cross you up while you are standing near her. If you try to anti air her with down C, its gonna get stuffed.

Kyo can qcf +A/C her fireballs and even her Psycho Ball Revolution if timed right. His qcf X 2 + P super is good if she tries to throw a fireball close to him, he will actually eat it up, then pass through and hit her. Iori can duck underneath the psycho ball with his qcb, hcf + P for a neat punish, but again, you have to anticipate it.