A high school pop idol who fights for truth and justice. Her fighting style is based around the Psycho Power she was born with, combined with Chinese martial arts. She is serious and a hard worker with a bright and active personality. She can sometimes be a bit of a crybaby, though.
Gameplan
Athena is a well-rounded character with great normals, special moves, and the most reliable SP item in the game.
Notable normals:
far L: This move is +1 on block making it an excellent pressure tool. This move beats jumping and mashing when done repeatedly on block.
close L: It's 0 on block and has 4f startup, which makes it great for beating characters that have slower jabs.
far.H: Good for poking and juggles, actually puts Athena in an airborne state, so she’ll go over low angled attacks like Terry’s Power Wave; this also allows for unblockable setups with the Daimon item. More notable in that it’s a solid poke to mess with anyone at range if you think they might try to approach via IAD-ing.
Recommended Partners
Mian: With these two characters on your team, you will always have an SP item that gives you a second chance at life.
A quick elbow jab. It's 0 on block and quick startup, making it good for beating characters with slower jabs.
5LL
-
-
-
-
-1
-3
19
17
-
5LLL
-
-
-
-
-5
-10
16
14
-
c.H
c.H
Damage
Startup
Active
Recovery
Hit Adv
Block Adv
Hit Tag Cancel
Block Tag Cancel
Spirit Gauge Cost
70
5
-
-
SKD
17 (With Jump Cancel)
SKD
17
-
Launches on hit and can be jump canceled on guard.
f.L
f.L
Damage
Startup
Active
Recovery
Hit Adv
Block Adv
Hit Tag Cancel
Block Tag Cancel
Spirit Gauge Cost
30
4
-
-
3
1
13
11
-
A quick palm slap. Decent horizontal range and is +1 on block. This is her go-to move to start applying pressure.
f.H
f.H
Damage
Startup
Active
Recovery
Hit Adv
Block Adv
Hit Tag Cancel
Block Tag Cancel
Spirit Gauge Cost
70
10
-
-
-3
-5
19
17
-
A wide roundhouse kick that moves Athena forward a bit. This move puts her in an airborne state, which means you can do unblockable setups with the Daimon.
j.L
j.L
Damage
Startup
Active
Recovery
Hit Adv
Block Adv
Hit Tag Cancel
Block Tag Cancel
Spirit Gauge Cost
30
6
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
A short-ranged but quick knee attack. Mainly used as an instant air dash attack in her combos and for her safejumps after both Dream Finishes.
j.H
j.H
Damage
Startup
Active
Recovery
Hit Adv
Block Adv
Hit Tag Cancel
Block Tag Cancel
Spirit Gauge Cost
50
6
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
A short ranged but fierce aerial slap.
66H
66H
Damage
Startup
Active
Recovery
Hit Adv
Block Adv
Hit Tag Cancel
Block Tag Cancel
Spirit Gauge Cost
80
13
-
-
SKD (Gnd) / HKD (Air)
-9
SKD
17
-
Wall-bounces. Doesn't have much range, so you have to get very close to hit this move.
Universal Mechanics
Forward Throw
Forward Throw 6L+G
Damage
Startup
Active
Recovery
Hit Adv
Block Adv
Hit Tag Cancel
Block Tag Cancel
Spirit Gauge Cost
100
-
-
-
-
Unblockable
SKD
-
-
Throw. Causes hard knockdown. In the corner, you can do meaty 5L which will beat jumping and mashing, but will lose to invincible DP's.
Back Throw
Back Throw
Damage
Startup
Active
Recovery
Hit Adv
Block Adv
Hit Tag Cancel
Block Tag Cancel
Spirit Gauge Cost
-
-
-
-
-
Unblockable
SKD
-
-
Throw. Causes hard knockdown. You can do IAD j.L after throwing them in the corner as a safe jump.
Air Throw
Air Throw j.5L+G
Damage
Startup
Active
Recovery
Hit Adv
Block Adv
Hit Tag Cancel
Block Tag Cancel
Spirit Gauge Cost
-
-
-
-
-
Unblockable
SKD
-
-
Throw. Causes hard knockdown. IAD j.L works as a safe jump afterward.
Assist
Assist 5I
Damage
Startup
Active
Recovery
Hit Adv
Block Adv
Hit Tag Cancel
Block Tag Cancel
Spirit Gauge Cost
-
16
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Requires SP Item. Recovers a bit over 1 bar of life. Unlike other healing SP items like Zarina's, this will heal you instantly rather than over time.
Special Moves
5S
Psycho Ball 5S
Version
Damage
Startup
Active
Recovery
Hit Adv
Block Adv
Hit Tag Cancel
Block Tag Cancel
Spirit Gauge Cost
Normal
40
13
-
-
-6 / -14
-6 / -16
25
24
1.5
Athena throws a psycho ball towards the opponent. Goes full screen.
Hits once, will pop an airborne opponent up a bit higher.
Can tag switch on whiff startup or h.
EX
67
33
-
-
19
19
45
43
0
Slow-moving, big, and oppressive. Three hits, and pops the opponent up like the normal one does. Doesn't disappear until it is off the screen.
2S
Psycho Sword 2S
Version
Damage
Startup
Active
Recovery
Hit Adv
Block Adv
Hit Tag Cancel
Block Tag Cancel
Spirit Gauge Cost
Normal
70
4 / 7
-
-
SKD / -47
-41 / -49
19
17
1
Athena’s anti-air. Three hits. Doesn’t typically recover fast enough for you to do anything after, but hitting the last hit on an already launched opponent may give you a chance to follow up in some way.
Knockdown on 3rd hit
Can cancel into Shining Crystal Bit on any hit
Can tag switch on 1st or 2nd hit
EX
100
6
-
-
SKD
-40
19
17
0
5 hits, and pretty much everything that applies to the standard Psycho Sword applies here, though you can actually hit a second one of these if the first knocks them high enough.
This version has startup invulnerability, so you can counteract a few things with it.
4S
Psycho Reflector 4S
Version
Damage
Startup
Active
Recovery
Hit Adv
Block Adv
Hit Tag Cancel
Block Tag Cancel
Spirit Gauge Cost
Normal
60
10
-
-
SKD - /6
-2 / -6
SKD
21
1
Athena’s usual reflector shield. Hits the opponent once. If it touches the opponent, or if you successfully reflect a projectile with it, you recover faster. Fast enough to land a cl.H in the corner, in fact. Unlike the usual variant in KOF, however, it’s not potent enough to reflect super projectiles.
Knockdown on hit
Can reflect projectiles
Can tag switch on hit
Cannot reflect items (SP counts as items)
EX
70
10
-
-
HKD
2
HKD
19
0
This one has all the same properties as the normal Psycho Reflector, save for the added wallsplat to crumple that the EX Reflector adds. This also means it can’t reflect super projectiles.
Typically gets its hits depending on the height you hit the move at, usually capping out at 5 hits. If you pass by the opponent during it, Athena will autocorrect during the kick at the end so she can still hit them. If the opponent is cornered, you can follow up with cl.H.
Knockdown on final hit
Can tag switch on final hit
EX
106
9
-
-
SKD
1
SKD
17
0
Like the Psycho Reflector, this shares all its traits with its normal counterpart, but it recovers MUCH faster than the standard version. If you hit it midscreen, you can follow up with a quick iad.H. Follow ups are, of course, much easier to manage in the corner, though. This one seems to cap out at 4 hits, though, even if you hit it higher up.
Dream Finish
5D
Crystal Shoot 5D (air ok)
Damage
Startup
Active
Recovery
Hit Adv
Block Adv
Hit Tag Cancel
Block Tag Cancel
Spirit Gauge Cost
300
11
-
-
HKD
-28 (Gnd)
-
-
4
Athena charges a blast, then tosses it forward. It eats standard projectiles. The aerial version always goes diagonally downward. Holding D will let you hold the move, but it doesn’t make it any more powerful.
Can charge this attack by holding the button
Causes hard knockdown
You can get a safe jump off of this move in the corner by doing a dash jump, and that the apex of her jump arc, doing IAD and j.L.
2D
Shining Crystal Bit 2D (air ok)
Damage
Startup
Active
Recovery
Hit Adv
Block Adv
Hit Tag Cancel
Block Tag Cancel
Spirit Gauge Cost
350
4
-
-
HKD
-3 (Gnd)
-
-
4
Air ok.
Athena forms a series of orbs that circle her. Whether on the ground or in the air, the damage is the same. Not pressing a button will keep the orbs spinning around you for a few seconds. They give some projectile protection and startup invul, and can hit an opponent who gets too close, but Athena CAN be hit out of it if you’re in it too long. Pressing D will cancel the move early.
Can hit twice, separate hits will not combo
Causes hard knockdown
Combos
For information on combo notation, please refer to this page.
