The King of Fighters XIV/Benimaru Nikaido

Movelist

(*) = EX OK

(!) = MAX OK

Throws

Catch & Shoot - close / +

Front Suplex - close / +

Spinning Knee Drop - close / + (in the air)

Command Normals

Jackknife Kick - +

Flying Drill - + (in the air)

Special Moves

Iai-Geri - + / (*)

Inazuna Sandan-Geri - charge ~ + /

Raimeitou - + / (*)

Raijinken - + / (*)

Air Raijinken - + / (*)

Benimaru Collider - close, , + / (*)

Super Special Moves

Rai-Kou Ken- + / (!)

Benimaru Rising Shot - + / (!)

Climax Super Special Moves

Raiha Jin-Ou Ken +

Quick Combo Reference

Quick Combo Reference

Notation Key (place notation here)

0 Meter	Anywhere Low, Anywhere Low, Anywhere	(Combo 1) = (damage number here) dmg (Combo 2) = (damage number here) dmg (Combo 3) = (damage number here) = 231 dmg
1 Meter	Corner Anywhere Low, Anywhere	(Combo 1) = (damage number here) dmg (Combo 2) = (damage number here) dmg (Combo 3) = (damage number here) dmg
2 Meters	Anywhere	(Combo 1) = (damage number here) dmg

Gameplay Overview

Benimaru Nikaido is one of the fan favorites from the original roster all the way from KOF94. In this game he is definitely one of the best characters with almost every tool at his disposal. The only important move he lost from previous games was the reversal kick. Despite that loss he can still be played in various different ways ranging from keepaway to rushdown. Due to his good damage and versatility he fits any slot in the team.

Strengths:

+ Awesome set of moves both normal and special

+ Raijinken being probably the most buff version of itself ever, covering jumps and ground approaches at the same time, while building meter

+ j.D is king

+ Versatile gameplay that supports both defense and offense

+ Fits any team composition

+ Fast meter build

+ Command grab

Weaknesses:

- No proper reversal move without meter

- No proper projectile without MAX

- Fast standing pokes (st.A, st.B, st.C) whiff on crouchers

Normals

Standing

• st. A: This is a quick, long ranged jab mostly used to stop incoming/forward hops. When the opponent is blocking, it will whiff on most crouching characters and can be chained into from cr.B and cr.A.

• st. B: This fast kick has a decent upward arc that is typically used to stop incoming/forward hops. .. This normal whiffs on most crouching characters and can be chained into from cr.B or cr.A.

• st. C: This hard punch is used as a hard hitting poke & stops incoming hops However, this is not as fast as st.A or st.B. Because of this, you will have to do this normal earlier.

• st. D: It has a slow startup but is a great long range poke to confirm into quick max combos. As of 3.10 it no longer avoids low moves although you may still avoid some grounded projectiles (Iori, Geese) when timed correctly.

Close

• cl. A: A quick cancellable elbow jab. Hits crouching characters and can chain from cr. B and cr. A if needed.

• cl. B: Benimaru performs a cancel-able side kick aimed at the opponent's face. Can be chained from cr. B, and cr. A. Will hit crouching opponents despite the animation.

• cl. C: Benimaru throws out a cancel-able fierce, quick, swinging elbow. Best used as a punish into a combo, or after a jump-in attack.

• cl. D: Benimaru knees the opponent. Similar in use & damage to cl. C, but less negative frames on block and has more pushback on block.

Crouching

• cr. A: A fast cancel-able jab that can be used to maintain pressure and can chain from cr. B, and cl. A.

• cr. B: A fast cancel-able crouching light kick that you will be using to confirm into combos. Can chain into itself and cr. A and cl. A. Hits low.

• cr. C: Benimaru throws out an uppercut while remaining crouched. Can be used as a grounded anti-air and is cancel-able. It has a generous hitbox even slightly reaching behind Benimaru.

• cr. D: This is a cancel-able good ranged sweep. Hits low.

Jumping

• j. A: This jumping elbow attack has a downward angle aimed at 4 o'clock (on 1p side). Can be used for air-to-air situations. Special cancel-able.

• j. B: Benimaru performs a short ranged jumping knee attack can cross-up. Special cancel-able.

• j. C: This jumping punch has the same downward angle as j. A but has a deeper vertical range. Good for jump-ins. Special cancel-able.

• j. D: This long, horizontal ranged flying kick can be used as an air-to-air, a jump-in attack, and can cross-up easily. Special cancel-able. One of the best jumping attacks in the game due to being so versatile.

Blowback

• st. CD: Benimaru stays in place while delivering a powerful, long ranged horizontal side kick. Great to use as a poke. Only cancelable on hit (won’t cancel into command normals).

• j. CD: This kick is best used for ground-to-air coverage because it whiffs on crouching characters and has a upward aiming angle.

Throws

Catch & Shoot - (b/f+C) close

• Benimaru grabs the opponent, then knees them in the face. The opponent lands near the corner of the screen
• Can be broken
• Soft knockdown

Front Suplex - (b/f+D) close

• Benimaru belly-to-belly suplexes the opponent. The opponent lands a character spaces away from Benimaru, and recovers slightly after him allowing for a meaty.
• Can be broken
• Hard knockdown

Spinning Knee Drop - in air (b/f+C) close

• Benimaru grabs the opponent mid-air then drops them straight them under his knees. The opponent recovers slightly after Benimaru & lands two characters spaces away from him.
• Hard knockdown
• As of 3.10 balance changes he can also combo into this.

Command Moves

Jackknife Kick - (f+B)

• Benimaru soccer kicks the opponent. Crushes lows (lower body invulnerability) & is cancel-able into special moves on hit

Flying Drill - (down + D) (if in air)

• Benimaru brakes his jump to drill down diagonally towards the opponent. Doesn't combo into anything.

• 3 hits if performed from a jump (-3F on block), 2 hits if performed from a hop (-2F on block).

• Doesn't knockdown

Special Moves

Iai-Geri - (qcf + B/D)

• Benimaru performs a lighting fast kick attack aimed at the opponent's face. Comes out in 6 frames & is best used within combos or to use as a quick close ranged punish. It's hard to punish if blocked, but it is susceptible to being whiff punished by sweeps because of its long whiff recovery.

• Can be cancelled from crouching & standing light & heavy normals attacks

EX: Has 3 frames of start-up & much harder to punish by itself.

Inazuma Sandan-Geri - (down, up + K)

• This is the follow-up of Iai-Geri, 2 kicks (the animation of Far D, then his old dp+K). Always best used when Iai-Geri is hit-confirmed; punishable is whiffed or blocked.

• Soft knockdown

• First hit is super cancel-able

EX:Last hit of his follow-up does 2 extra hits. Best used at the end of combos for extra damage.

Raimeitou - (qcb + A/C)

• Benimaru throws out a lightning crescent slash towards the opponent. Best used as a pre-emptive poke (because of its slow start-up) or to be used as a combo extender during max mode.

• Light punch version travels a short distance & is hard to punish midscreen.

• Heavy punch version travels farther & juggles the opponent. But has very slow start-up (susceptible to being knocked out of before it hits), and has very bad recovery if whiffed. The upside is that it is safe on block.

• Soft knockdown

EX: The slash attack turns into a tall projectile that travels full screen.

Raijinken - (qcf+A/C)

• Benimaru throws out a lightning ball punch. The opponent is stunned momentarily if hit grounded, while soft knockdowns jumping opponents.

• Light punch version is aimed in-front of Benimaru horizontally. The range surrounding the lightning ball is deceptively large which can catch opponents jumping towards you pre-emptively or stopping opponents dashing towards you at a mid-range. Can combo from Benimaru's standing heavy normals. Can be evaded by some characters sweeps & command normal slides. Generally this is the version to go for instead of the heavy one as it covers better angles and faster too.

• Heavy punch version is aimed diagonally above his head. Whiffs on crouching opponents. Has slower start-up than the light punch version & can be knocked out of if used as a last second reaction anti-air.

• Super Cancel-able

EX: This is the light punch version animation but has less start-up with the same amount of range. When hit, the opponent is stunned, placed mid-air in a juggle-able state.

Air Raijinken - (qcf+A/C)

• Benimaru performs an aerial haymaker surrounded by electricity. This move very briefly keeps Benimaru airborne. When hit, the opponent is briefly stunned similar to the grounded Raijinken. This move might whiff on crouching opponents if performed too really during the jumping.

• Light punch version (A) moves Benimaru slightly towards the opponent

• Heavy punch version (C) moves Benimaru slightly away from the opponent

• Can be cancelled from all Benimaru's jumping normal attacks

• EX: The opponent is stunned momentarily in the air then falls to the ground causing a soft knockdown, while Benimaru briefly pauses then lands straight down.

Benimaru Collider - close (hcb,f + A/C)

• Benimaru grabs then shocks the opponent. The opponent drops to their knees.

• 1-Frame command grab. Can combo from Benimaru's special cancel-able ground normals (except cr. D)

• Hard knockdown

EX: More damage & can follow up with any attack while the opponent is slumping to the ground.

Super Special Moves

Rai-Kou Ken - (qcf, qcf + A/C)

• The super version of Raijinken, with more damage & much larger surrounding attack area. Lands 5 hits.

• Can combo from Benimaru's special cancel-able ground heavy normals.

• Light punch version points in-front of Benimaru. The heavy punch version follows the diagonal direction of the normal heavy punch Raijinken which can whiff on crouching opponents.

• Hard knockdown

Max: Fully invincible, faster start-up, more damage with a larger attack area. Best used as an anti-air or at the end of certain combos.

Benimaru Rising Shot - (qcf, qcf + B/D)

• Benimaru quickly rushes towards the opponent with a lightning kick that travels a bit over half-screen distance towards the opponent. On hit, Benimaru hit the opponent with a fierce lightning axe kick. Best utilized at the end of combos because of the knockdown or to use as a quick far range punish.

• Punish-able on block and if whiffed

• Can be knocked out of while traveling towards the opponent

• Can combo from Benimaru's light and heavy ground normals

Max:Travels a bit farther than the normal super version, more damaging but has the same start-up time.

Climax Super Special Moves

Raiha Jin-Ou Ken - (qcb, hcf + A+C)

• Benimaru zaps the opponent with a full-screen horizontal lightning snake strike. Benimaru is fully invincible throughout this move but is stuck in recovery for a while.

• The lightning strike is active for a short amount of time, which can be evaded easily by the opponent by a roll on reaction

Combos

• (any special information about the character combos if needed)

Notation

Rush Auto Combo

Meterless: 3 hits that ends in his Iai-Geri and Inazuna Sandan-Geri. 177 DMG.

1 Meter: 3 hits that ends in his Rai-Kou Ken. 233 DMG

EX: 3 hits that ends in his MAX Rai-Kou Ken. 335 DMG.

0 meter

Anywhere

• cr.B, Rush Combo = (197 DMG)

• cr.B, cr.B, hcb,f+A/C = (148 DMG)

• cl.D, qcf+B/D > d,u+K = (200 DMG)

• cr.A, cl.D, qcf+B/D > d,u+K = (215 DMG)

Mid-Screen/Corner

• st. CD, qcb+C = 141/180 DMG

Corner only

• st.CD, f+B, qcb+C, qcf+B/D > d,u+K (279 DMG)

• cl. D xx qcb A > qcf D - d~u K = (251 DMG)

(doesn't work on small characters)

1 meter

Anywhere

• cr.B, cr.B, cr.B, qcf+B/D, SC, qcfx2+K (262 DMG)

(Lower the amount of cr.B's depending on how far you are from the opponent. You can super cancel the first hit of the qcf+B/D > d,u+B/D follow-up for more damage)

• cl.D, qcf+B/D, SC, qcfx2+A (296 DMG)

(Add a jump-in attack for more damage.)

• cl.D, BC, cl.D, hcb,f+AC, qcf+BD > d,u+B/D (290 DMG) { 1000 }

Mid-Screen/Corner

• st.CD, qcb+C (1) (SC) qcfx2+A = (261 DMG/140 STUN)

Corner

• cl. D, qcb+A, qcf+D > d~u+K (SC) qcfx2+P = (363 DMG/290 STUN)

• st.CD, f+B, qcb+C, qcf+K > d~u+K (SC) qcfx2 P = (359 DMG/380 STUN)

Max Mode

Anywhere

• cl.D [BC] cl.D, hcb,f+AC, qcf+BD > d,u+B/D (290 DMG)

• cr. Bx2, st. B [BC] cl. D, hcb~f+A+C (run) f+B, qcf+A+C, j. D = (270 DMG)

• cr. Bx2, st. B [BC] cl. D, qcf+A+C, (run) f+B, qcb+A, qcf+B+D > d~u+K = (349 DMG)

• cr. Bx2, st. B [BC] cl. D, qcf+A+C, (run) f+B, qcb+AC, qcfx2+K = (460 DMG) (1250 Max Mode)

(start with a jump-in attack with a heavy normal for more damage)

Corner

• cr. Bx2, st. B [BC] cl. D, hcb~f+A+C, f+B, qcf+A+C, qcb+C, qcf+D > d~u+K = (299 DMG)

• cr. Bx2, st. B [BC] cl. D, qcf+A+C (run) f+B, qcb+A, qcf+B, qcf+B+D - d~u K = (360 DMG) {1000 Max Mode}

(doesn't work on short height characters)

2 meters

Anywhere

• cr. Bx3, qcf+K > d~u+K, qcfx2+A+C = (384 DMG)

(place combo description here)

• cl.D, qcf+K > d~u+K, qcfx2+A+C = (423 DMG)

(add a jump attack for more damage & an easier confirm)

Corner

• cl. D, qcb+A, qcf+D > d~u+K, qcfx2+B+D = (463 DMG)

Max Mode

• cr. Bx2, st. B [BC] cl. D, qcf+A+C, qcb+A, qcfx2+K = (445 DMG) {1000 Max Mode}
• cr. Bx2, st. B [BC] cl. D, qcf+A+C (run), f+B, qcb+A, qcfx2+P = (453 DMG) {1000 Max Mode}
• cr. Bx2, st. B [BC] cl. D, qcf+A+C (wait), f+B, qcb+C, qcf+A, qcfx2+P = (485 DMG) {1000 Max Mode)
• cr. Bx2, st. B [BC] cl. D, qcf+A+C, f+B, qcb+A+C, qcfx2+K (460 DMG) {1250 Max Mode}

(start with a jump-in attack with a heavy normal for more damage)

Corner

• cr. Bx2, st. B [BC] cl. D, qcf+A+C, qcb+A, qcf+B (SC) qcfx2+A+C = (443 DMG) {1000 Max Mode)

• cr. Bx2, st. B [BC] cl. D, qcf+A+C (run), f+B, qcb+A, qcf+B+D, qcf+B (SC) qcfx2+A+C = (498 DMG) {1500 Max Mode}

3 meters

• (place combo here) = (place damage amount here)

(place combo description here)

4 meters

• (place combo here) = (place damage amount here)

(place combo description here)

5 meters

• (place combo here) = (place damage amount here)

(place combo description here)

Misc

Frame Data

Benimaru KOFXIV Frama Data Link

Videos

KoF XIV: Benimaru Beginner Breakdown

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Benimaru Nikaido Quick Combo Guide

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Benimaru Slow Motion Hitboxes

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