The King of Fighters '98 UMFE/Leona Heidern

Introduction

Leona is a character with unique tools who can't be pinned down to a single archetypical playstyle. On one hand, she can play keepaway and reactively whiff punish and air to air with her air DM, V-slasher, as well as pre emptively anti air with her specials that you can often get away with whiffing, and that juggle to DM on hit. On the other hand, she is very dangerous when up close with frame advantage due to her instant overheads, and she can even jump in and beat the opponent's anti air attempt with V-slasher. Her run goes under many projectiles and even mid-height normal moves as well. A weakness she has is that her most dangerous mixup, while unreactable, is unsafe on block if the overhead option is picked. She also requires strong execution to unlock her scariest techniques, and messing up those techniques often leads to getting combod. Furthermore, she has no true meterless reversal that can beat a well timed, low hitting meaty, and when she has meter, her reversal has nine frames of startup, which means that it is practical to manually safejump against her.

Changes from Previous Versions

98 to 98UM

Normals:

• st.C hitbox size has been increased, now hits all crouchers

• st.C now starts up 1 frame faster

• st.D startup has been decreased by 2 frames, and it now has 5f less recovery

• nj.D now has 1 frame less startup

Specials:

• d~u+A's recovery has been increased by 10 frames

• d~u+A now has startup invincibility and a decreased vertical hurtbox during the two first hitboxes of the move, making it a better anti-air to compensate for the added recovery

• b~f+D starts up faster and can now combo from heavy normals, but has had its recovery increased by 2 frames

• Leona can now move after using qcb+P, but the projectile disappears if Leona is hit or blocks; if the boomerang hits Leona can juggle afterwards

• qcb+K now can't be used if the qcb+P projectile is on the screen

• qcb+K now juggles and allows for followup attacks

Supers:

• j.qcf,hcb+P invincibility and hitbox size have been increased

98UM to 98UMFE

Normals:

• Timing for chaining cr.B into itself is now easier

Specials:

• After d~u+K is blocked, you can now do a jump attack, air throw or a V-Slasher

Supers:

• qcfx2+P now has longer invincibility

Normal Moves

Close

• cl.A: Whiffs on short crouchers. Chainable and cancelable.

• cl.B: Chainable and cancelable.

• cl.C: 3F move, hit confirms to her combos while letting you option select grab.

• cl.D: Two-hitting normal. Both hits are cancelable. Has low invincibility. Slower than C at 4F, but if you cancel the first hit, you get less pushback, allowing for different combos, or the same combos but from farther away.

Standing

• st.A: Whiffs on short crouchers.

• st.B: Whiffs on short crouchers.

• st.C: Longer-ranged punch. Has long startup. Cancelable on hit, block, and whiff.

• st.D: Another long-ranged poke with long startup. Whiffs on short crouchers. Has low invincibility. Very strong footsie move against medium crouchers. Good pre emptive anti jump.

Crouching

• cr.A: Good range for a cr.A. Good for combos and blockstrings. Chainable and cancelable.

• cr.B: Tons of range for a cr.B. Good for combos, blockstrings and poking. Chainable.

• cr.C: Leona's fastest button, so it makes for a good option up close. Does not have good anti-air hitboxes. Cancelable.

• cr.D: A long-ranged sweep with long recovery. Strong footsie move at 7 frames of startup and a good hitbox / hurtbox, but mind the recovery.

Jumping

• j.A: Very big hitbox, hurtbox far behind, and lots of active frames, so it works well for both jump-ins and air-to-airs even with the same timing. Short jumping with this button is an instant overhead against tall crouchers. Her main jump in.

• nj.A: Has a lot of active frames. Its hitbox only goes straight down, so only useful as a jump-in.

• j.B: Excellent longer-ranged air-to-air option. Fast startup, great priority. Cancelable.

• nj.B: Long startup, but has a good hitbox in front and under Leona. Cancelable.

• j.C: This move is an instant overhead even against small crouchers like Iori.

• nj.C: Two-part normal. The second hitbox has massive priority in front and under Leona.

• j.D: Good air-to-air normal. Cancelable.

• nj.D: The infamous instant overhead that cancels to V-slasher. Has very fast startup and good active frames. Has good downwards priority. Notable normal in that it's the only one that works as an instant overhead into qcf,hcb+P (V-slasher) on small crouchers. Cancelable.

CD Normals

• st.CD: Very long startup and recovery. Cancelable on hit, block, and whiff.

• j.CD: Good for blockstun pressure. Has a decent hitbox for jump-ins. Cancelable.

Throws

Leona Crash: b/f+C (close)

• Regular throw, techable. Leona stabs the opponent with her hand sending them flying in front of her. Causes a soft knockdown.

Order Backslash: b/f+D (close)

• Regular throw, techable. Leona throws the opponent fullscreen behind her, causing a soft knockdown.

Heidern Inferno: b/d/f+C (close, in air)

• Air throw, untechable.

Command Moves

Strike Arch: f+B

• Overhead with hard knockdown raw, no knockdown and hits mid when canceled into. Also cancelable when canceled into.

• Combos from heavy normals and puts Leona airborne as it hits, so it can combo into qcf,hcb+P.

• If late-canceled into it acts like the raw version, allowing you to surprise your opponent with an overhead.

• Neutral on block if not done as an overhead. After this is blocked, if you are in range of a crouching C, you can essentially frame trap your opponent even though you are neutral, because crouching C only has 2 frames of startup.

• -3 on block if done as an overhead

Special Moves

Moon Slasher: d~u+A/C

• A flash kick type of move. A version has some invulnerability, but still loses to meaties that hit low enough. Still a strong anti air because her hurtbox is very low.

• A version is the better anti air and reversal due to invulnerability.

• Unsafe on block when done up close, but when blocked from far away, it's not the easiest punish for people asleep at the wheel.

• A well timed low hitting meaty can defeat even the A version as a reversal, but many normals you wouldn't expect actually don't hit low enough to catch it.

• A meaty jumpin theoretically defeats this move if it hits low enough

Baltic Launcher: b~f+A/C

• Leona creates an energy ball with a projectile hitbox in front of her.

• A version creates a ball that doesn't stay out for very long.

• C version has Leona jump forwards and create an energy ball that travels forwards with her and lasts longer.

• Stays active for quite a while.

• On hit Leona can juggle after it.

• Fairly difficult to whiff punish; you can get away with whiffing it from time to time. Useful as a pre emptive anti air; if the opponent jumps in to it, jump and link an air V-slasher.

• Both versions are extremely positive on block, but C whiffs on medium crouchers, and A whiffs on small crouchers. Also, they are less positive if used outside of the corner, because due to the pushback, the last hits whiff.

Grand Saber: b~f+B/D

• Leona runs on the ground and delivers a energy slash when close enough to the opponent.

• The running part uses Leona's normal running animation.

• B version goes about halfscreen and D version goes fullscreen.

• B version is neutral on block, but if done in the corner, you end up in grab range, meaning that the opponent can grab you but you can't grab him.

• B version lets you juggle on hit.

• D version is quite negative on block.

• Can low-profile some stuff.

• Can be a decent mobility tool.

Gliding Buster: f+D (during b~f+D)

• Leona does a big vaulting kick that sends her flying forwards after b~f+D.

• Good to confirm into, since it gives you extra damage.

• Hits mid.

• Very punishable on block.

X-Caliber: d~u+B/D

• Leona does a big leap into the air and attempts to hit the opponent. If successful, Leona does a mid-hitting hitgrab and delivers an energy attack.

• The only difference between the B and D versions is which way Leona flies if the move is blocked. B flies forwards and D backwards.

• Can hit both grounded and in the air.

• Extremely punishable on block, but, you can do an air move while falling. V-slasher can catch punish attempts, and jumping CD can give you frame advantage against hesitant opponents.

I-Slasher: qcb+A/C

• Leona creates an energy boomerang. Although it has a boomerang visual effect, the move doesn't actually have a hitbox when the boomerang is coming back to Leona.

• The A version boomerang goes about halfscreen before it starts coming back.

• The C version goes fullscreen and then starts coming back.

• Good pre emptive anti air because she dashes back when she starts this move, which can avoid jump ins while the opponent falls in to the boomerang.

• Positive on block from most ranges

• On hit, Leona can juggle after it.

Earring Explosive: qcb+B/D

• Leona takes off her earring and throws it. It will bounce on the ground and then explode.

• B version throws the earring about halfscreen, making it bounce towards full screen distance.

• D version throws it fullscreen distance right away.

• Has long startup, so only throw one when you think it's safe, like when you are fullscreen.

• On hit, Leona can juggle after this move.

• Massively positive on block from most ranges

• Can be a good move to throw when far away as she recovers before it even reaches the opponent, letting you follow behind it.

Desperation Moves

V-Slasher: qcf,hcb+A/C (in air)

• Leona's main DM, and an integral part of her gameplan no matter how you play her.

• Has invincibility, so it can beat out other air or grounded moves.

• Very fast, so it can also whiff punish stuff easily.

• Can travel a huge distance, which combined with the speed makes it good for picking up juggles from anywhere onscreen.

• C version is good for combos after her cancelled f+B.

• MAX version has more invincibility and does more damage.

Gravity Storm: qcfx2+A/C

• Leona does a series of twirling kicks and then launches the opponent into the air, where she explodes them.

• Has a good amount of invincibility, so it's her only real invincible reversal (qcf,hcb+P also has invincibility but requires you to be airborne).

• Doesn't have much range, so it can be hard to combo into.

• MAX version does more damage.

Rebel Spark: qcb,hcf+B/D

• Leona stabs the opponent in the stomach, then proceeds to explode it with style.

• Leona's main grounded combo DM.

• Combos from heavies.

• Has good range, so it can be used as a long-ranged punish.

• MAX version does more damage.

Combos

General Notes

• In any metered combo, replace qcf,hcb+C with qcf,hcb+AC or qcb,hcf+K with qcb,hcf+BD if you have the resources.

Meterless

Low

cr.Bx1-2, cr.A, d~u+C

Mid/Jump-In

(j.X), cr.C, d,u+C

Charge down during the jump to get enough charge for d~u+C.

(j.X), cl.D, b~f+D > f+D

You can do cl.D as b+D to get enough charge for b~f+D.

With Meter

Mid/Jump-In

(j.X), cl.D, f+B, j.qcf,hcb+C

f+B leaves Leona airborne, making this combo possible.

j.D/nj.D, j.qcf,hcb+C

Air-to-air or instant overhead combo.

With Quick MAX

Low

cr.B, ABC, cl.D, f+B, j.qcf,hcb+C

f+B leaves Leona airborne, making this combo possible.

Mid/Jump-In

(j.X), cl.D, f+B, ABC, cr.D

(j.X), cl.D, f+B, ABC, j.D, j.qcf,hcb+C

You can do j.D, air qcf,hcb+C as qcf,uf+D, hcb+C for an easier cancel.

Strategy & Tips

Instant overhead to DM and its input glitch

Full neutral jump D is an instant overhead that can hit low crouchers. It is also cancellable to V-slasher. With some clever buffering, this gives you a powerful instant overhead. However, if your last jump was a short jump, then the input to get it to come out becomes one frame tight. The normal jumping D comes out in its stead, which does not work as an instant overhead. Only go for the instant overhead to V-slasher if your last jump was a full jump, or if it's a new round and you haven't jumped yet. In this case, the move works as expected.

How to safejump against Leona

Leona's only true reversal has 9 frames of startup, making it practical to manually safejump. However, she also has A moon slasher, which while not fully invulnerable, is invulnerable for long enough for the low hurtbox of the move to commence, which goes under most jumpins. It tends to trade with deep meaty jumpins, and beat shallow ones.

However, there is a way to safejump that circumvents A moon slasher while also landing in time to block her reversal DM. Because moon slasher's first hitbox is so far back, you can do a safejump that is quite horizontally far away from her. The easiest way to do this is to neutral jump after a knockdown. This will make the first hitbox whiff, and by the time the second one starts, you'll already have landed. Jumping like this turns moon slasher from a 5 frame reversal to what feels like an 11 or 12 frame one.

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King of Fighters 98 UM FE: Leona Guide by Mash It Out

The King of Fighters '98 UM Final Edition: Iori/O.Yashiro/Krauser vs. EX-Yuri/Leona/Eiji

http://youtu.be/ofkt1LPKFE0?t=1m25s