The King of Fighters XV/King of Dinosaurs/Strategy

Neutral

KoD has some excellent buttons like most grapplers, and some easy confirms as long as the player knows what to do from confirms at each range.
Far 5A and far 5C (with some armor) can check hops.
Far 5B is a fairly long poke.
2D hits twice. 236C is a slow long range poke that is unsafe at close range.
Hops are floaty but the hitboxes on jump normals are good, and fairly fast for the lights.
2C can antiair with armor active from 5th frame, but no longer works well as well vs crossovers.
2A is a fairly long and tall mashable confirm with good routes
Hop/jump CD moves KoD's hurtbox back a bit so it wins or trades against many attacks.
Hop/jump B is a great jump in and crossover.
Good tick throws if you can get the upper hand at neutral.

Pressure

Generally, pressure can be established by discouraging go-to options.
Far 5A, far 5C, and mid-range 236C (riskier) can discourage jumps.
To discourage run up, check advances with 5B (option select cancel to 236AC from max range to hit extended hurtboxes or advancing opponents).
Tick throws at various ranges can make opponent jumpy and create openings.
At 3.5 or 4.5 bars, KoD has damaging shatter strike combos that include max activaton.
KoD has strong corner punishes with 3 or more bars that can demand respect.

Mixups

Frame traps off 2A: - can loosely cancel/gatling into itself to frametrap like most other characters (can get four 2A's in a string) - can cancel to 236A(AB) as a 2F frametrap (safe on block) - can cancel to 236AC as a 1F frametrap (unsafe on block) - can cancel to 236C as a 6F frametrap that also catches jumps at closer ranges, though many characters can also punish at closer ranges. If blocked after far range 2A, it's hard to punish, but opponents can hop 236C on read from that range since its vertical hitbox doesn't go far forward. This is an odd special that creates many interactions.

Easy but slow tick throws: Close-range light, then 6214C Close-to mid-range light, then 6214BD blocked 2A or 5B into 236B/D (range based) or 236BD (tracks position) Jump A (whiffs vs crouch), 6214C (can't use faster grabs since the jump A grants a block pose and brief throw invulnerability to defender)

Fast tick throws: 2B~far 5A (whiff), 6214A. **2B~5A will get far 5A against a blocking opponent one pixel or more away. Won't reach if 2B or 5A hit. 2B~far 5A (whiff), lvl1 grab (more range, can catch opponents even if 2B hits as long as 5A whiffs if close enough) 2B~far 5A (whiff), lvl2 grab (even more range, can catch opponents even if 2B hits as long as 5A whiffs if close enough)

Empty jump when opponent is not challenging jumps then 1F or super grab, including after crossover empty jump.

Whiff hop A setup vs crouchers: Hop/jump A whiffs crouchers but grants brief throw invincibility to defender preventing the fast command throws from connecting right away upon landing. Can hard read with 6214C to counter players who reflexively use normal throw at point blank range since it is throw invul and forces the close C or D normal to come out. Opponents may cancel the throw attempt into something invincible or airborne to counter the armor grab though. If landing from whiff hop A outside of throw range, opponent is likely to block low in anticipation of an immediate low. A slower grab like 236B, 6214AC, or a super grab (or run up 6214A) may work well here.

Spacing mixup after knockdown (discovered by Amedo). If KoD is near opponent with time to spare after a knockdown, whiffing any of the following will move him back outside of normal throw range: cl.5A, cl.5B, cl.5C, cl.5D, 2C, 2D, 236A(AB). Can bait throws with this while taking the opportunity to attack. 2B is an easier meaty starter to space, but can use something stronger like 2C-6A to get 236C to land in the corner. 2C-4A is stronger but 4A is whiff punishable if the confirm is blocked low. This is universal; every character seems to have ways to create space by whiffing certain normals or specials.

Safejumps

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King of Dinosaurs Safe Jumps

Countering K.O.D.

- Cancel all throw attempts into moves that get your character airborne (ideally safe) in case KoD uses armor throw
- Take advantage of better poking characters that cause pushback at mid-screen neutral as KoD has limited ability to punish effectively mid-screen (range and damage)
- 3.5 bar shatter strike does over 700 damage whether vs ground or air without much effort
- 4.5 bar shatter strike does over 800 damage whether vs ground or air without much effort
- If you can't punish shatter strike with normals, consider guard rolling to punish it if you can react in time.
- 4A is very damaging if it connects vs air, but needs to hit from close to get good damage without max mode. Learn the ranges to whiff punish this.

Against a KoD who cancels 2A to any 236P or 236K:
- Block 2A, then continue blocking after recovery for a half second before neutral jumping
- This blocks every qcfP special, jump punishes 236K (and long range 236C) with jump starter, and scores a ground punish vs 236AC