The 62.3Kb Athena Asamiya Ultimate Guide by Lump (Kof '97)
<[email protected]>
March 14, 1998 (Happy 21st Birthday Athena!!)


Please don't use Notepad to view this document as you will probably get pretty
annoyed from scrolling sideways too much. I recommend you use at least Wordpad
with the "wrap to window" feature checked (in "view", "options", "text").

Note: This FAQ considers the fact that you use Advanced Mode. If you don't,
well, you should anyway :) If you use an extra mode Athena, many of the tactics
are hard to execute, especially those concerning SDM's. Might as well not use
her in extra mode - there are other fighters more suited to extra mode than
Athena.

~~~~~
Contents:

-1- A guide to the code used for expressing the commands
-2- Statistics
-3- In-game miscellaneous information
-4- Abilities
-5- Normal throws
-6- Modified moves
-7- Special moves
-8- Normal move chain combos
-9- Combos
-10- Disadvantages of Athena
-11- Advantages of Athena
-12- Interruptible moves
-13- Character relationships
-14- Character to character tactics
-15- Other tactics
-16- DM/SDM strategies
-17- Endings with Athena
-18- Credits
~~~~~

-1- A guide to the moves:

Fw: Forward
Bk: Back
Dn: Down
Up: Up (up is never used by the way)
QCF (Quarter Circle Forward): Rotate joystick from D to DF to F.
QCB (Quarter Circle Backward): Rotate joystick from D to DB to B.
HCF (Half Circle Forward): Rotate joystick from B to D to F.
HCB (Half Circle Backward): Rotate joystick from F to D to B.
DP (Dragon Punch): Fw, Dn, DnFw
RDP (Reverse Dragon Punch): Bk, Dn, DnBk
S (Store): Hold the joystick in a stated direction for around two seconds.
A: Weak punch
B: Weak Kick
C: Heavy Punch
D: Heavy Kick
*: Requires at least one power bar in Advanced mode.
DM: Desperation move. Requires at least one power bar in Advanced mode.
SDM: Super Desperation move. Requires at least two power bars in Advanced mode.
Press A+B+C to power up and every DM done while the green timer on your power
bar is on becomes a SDM.
Escape Roll: Requires one power bar. Fw/Bk + A+B while blocking. Fw will roll
you forward one screen, Bk, will roll you backward one screen.
CD Counter: Requires one power bar. Press C+D when blocking.

-2- Statistics:

Name: Athena Asamiya
Nationality: Japanese (but spent most of her time in China)
Fighting Style: Chinese kenpo (kung fu), Psychic Powers
Blood Type: B
Height: 163 cm
Weight: Around 49 kg
Birthday: March 14,1977
Age: 21 (in 1998)
Hobbies: Singing, Astrology
Favorite sport: Lacrosse
Favorite food: Ichigo Daifuku
Least favorite thing: Butter, Grasshoppers
Prized Possession: Peter Rabbit tea set
Her voice in Kof '97: Yukina Kurusu


-3- In-game miscellaneous information:

Introduction (If she's the first fighter in your team)
Athena appears in an idol outfit (if on the 1st player side), or in a sailor-
moon costume (if on the 2nd player side).  She pulls off the outfit, revealing
her normal clothes.
Quote:   "Athena, ikimasu!"
Meaning: "Athena, ready!"

Introduction (if she's the 2nd or 3rd fighter in your team)
Athena raises up her arms and then gets into her normal stance.
Quote:   "Athena, ikimasu!"
Meaning: "Athena, ready!"

Against Sie Kensou, Ikari Team (Ralf, Clark, Leona), Ryuji Yamazaki or Orochi
Leona
Athena is wearing a pretty dress.
Quote:   "Athena, ikimasu!"
Meaning: "Athena, ready!"

Taunt
Athena sneezes, stands up straight and winks, holding her hands in a prayer
position (she's asking for forgiveness).
Quote:   "Gusshi, gomenasai!"
Meaning: "Achoo, excuse me!"

Win pose (if you hold (A) when she wins a round)
Quote:   "Yatta!  Gu!"
Meaning: "I did it!  Good!"

Win pose (if you hold (B) when she wins a round)
Quote:   "Yay, kampeki!"
Meaning: "Yay, perfect!"

Win pose (if you hold (C) when she wins a round)
Athena does her "Sailor Moon" pose, like in Kof '96.
Quote:   "Watashi tachi wa makenai wa!"
Meaning: "We won't be beaten!"

Time out (if you have less life than the opponent when time reaches zero)
Athena snaps her head from side to side three times, then buries her face in her
hands, sobbing.

Draw game
Athena snaps her head from side to side three times, then buries her face in her
hands, sobbing.

Round loss
Quote:   "Gomenasaaaaaaai!"
Meaning: "I'm sorry-------!"

Recovery roll
Quote:  "Ei!"

Partner background pose....
Athena cheers for the active partner.
-If your player hits....
Raises a hand.
-If player gets damaged (includes blocks of special moves)....
Winks.
-If player wins round....
Raises her hands in a prayer-like motion, with a happy look.
-If player loses round....
Puts her hand on her forehead.
-If Athena has already been defeated in this match....
Crouches, head down.
-Player avengement....
Thumbs up and smiles.

Special move quotes
Psycho Ball Attack: "Psycho Ball!"
Psycho Sword: "Psycho Sword!"
Phoenix Arrow: "Phoenix...Arrow!"
Psychic Teleport: "Teleport!"
Shiny Crystal Bit: "Yaaaahhhh!"
Crystal Shoot: Quote:   "Ikkee!"
              Meaning: "Go!"
Phoenix Fang Arrow: "Faaang....Arrow!"


-4- Abilities:

Quickness: 4.5 out of 5 (N.B. Orochi characters are abnormal therefore are rated
over 5)
Jumping ability: 4.75 out of 5 (she is also able to jump off walls thus letting
her jump all the way out of the screen)
Average speed of filling power bar: 4.25 out of 5


-5- Normal throws:

Bit Throw : Fw or Bk + C when you're near the opponent
Psychic Throw : Fw or Bk + D when you're near the opponent
Psychic Shoot : Fw or Bk + C when you're near the opponent during mid-air (air
throw)


-6- Modified moves:

Chain Thigh : Fw + B
-(B) version: 2 hits if close
-Athena leaps forward with one knee out. Can do two hits if very close (similar
to Kyo's style 75 modified)
-Has autoguard (can take one hit and go through that attack without getting hit
and only taking blocking damage)
-Does minimal damage but useful in some combos.

Phoenix Bomb : Dn + B during mid-air
-(B) version: 1 hit
-Athena sticks her rear out and bops her opponent on the head as she falls, then
rebounds up again (she must have springs in her bottom!)
-Does minimal damage.


-7- Special moves:

Psycho Ball : QCB + A or C
-(A) version: 1 hit
-(C) version: 1 hit
-Athena does Guile's Sonic Boom movement with her arms and out pops a cute pink
orb which travels across the screen.
-The slow Psycho Ball is useful against jumping-in opponents whilst the quick
one is effective in keeping an opponent in the corner.
-Average damage.

Phoenix Arrow : HCB + A or C during mid-air
-(A) version: 7 hits
-(C) version: 9 hits
-Perhaps Athena's 2nd best special move (barring DM's). Athena turns into a
yellow fireball and projects diagonally forwards towards the ground. The (C)
version also has an extra long-range knock-down kick at the end of the Phoenix
Arrow which changes direction to wherever the opponent is.
-The (C) version comes down at around a 135 degree angle from vertical (up)
while the (A) version comes at a 150 degree angle.
-The (C) version knock-down kick is quite confusing for your opponent who might
try to roll under the Phoenix Arrow and end up getting thumped by the kick as
they get out of the roll.
-This move is amazing in what it can do for an Advanced Mode power bar. It fills
up like crazy even if they block the move. Used repeatedly, it can fill up all
three bars in no time.
-Look under on section for Phoenix Arrow tactics.
-(C) version does above-average damage, (A) version does average.

Psycho Reflector : HCB + B or D
-(B) version: 4 hits
-(D) version: 7 hits
-For the (B) version, Athena sticks her arms out and produces a big shining pink
ball which has the ability for many hits. In the (C) version, Athena jumps about
one quarter of the screen and does the above description.
-Hence it's name, this move can reflect projectiles at the same speed it was
thrown at originally. I'm not exactly sure if she can reflect big things like
the Art of Fighting Teams' Ha-oh Sho-ko-ken but my friend said he got smacked by
his own Ha-oh Sho-ko-ken when Computer Athena used a Psycho Reflector. But I
advice you not to try to reflect huge projectiles like that, it's safer to just
block it.
-This, like the Phoenix Arrow, will fill up your power bar quickly but this move
isn't as safe as the Phoenix Arrow.
-Average damage

Psycho Sword : DP + A or C
-(A) version: 5 hits
-(C) version: 6 hits
-Like a dragon-punch whereby she produces a small line of psychic energy in her
upstretched hand.
-Makes multiple hits but minimal damage.

Kuuchuu Psycho Sword : DP+ A or C during mid-air
-(A) version: 4 hits
-(C) version: 5 hits
-Exactly the same as above but works in the air and does a little less damage.

Psychic Teleport : QCF + B or D
-Athena rushes forward with an after-image in her original location.
-This really isn't a teleport, apart from the fact that it can go through an
opponent, as you can hit Athena in her original location or where she is now
(even when she's in the middle of "teleporting")
-The (B) version teleports her around half the screen and the (D) version around
three-quarters of the screen.
-This move isn't really too useful. Use this move only in bluffing tactics or in
combos or if you're against the Computer Athena and want to hear her shout a lot
(the Computer Athena will probably start teleporting when you teleport thus
causing a lot of noise) or if her rumoured infinite combo works (it uses this
move).

Super Psychic Throw : HCF + C while opponent is near
-(C) version: 1 hit
-Athena grabs you and flings you up like a rag doll with her psychic powers.
-Undoubtedly her best move (with the Shining Crystal Bit DM). Unblockable and
ultra-useful, this move sets up all her combos. Learn how to execute this move
at all positions and situations if you want to use Athena effectively.
-Although it does puny damage, the opponent is vulnerable to any attacks while
he/she is flung up and while he/she drops down.

* Shining Crystal Bit : Bk, HCB + A or C
-(A) version: 2 hits
-(C) version: 2 hits
-Athena's beaded necklace glows and quickly (almost instantaneously) two beads
expand and start glowing whilst forming a kind of a figure eight flight pattern
around her.
-Can be done in the air.
-In the SDM version, Athena has a flashing shield around her which makes her
invulnerable.
-Damage wise, DM does quite good damage, SDM does considerable damage.
-To get out of the move quickly press A+B+C+D. This is because if you let the
move go all the way to completion, she has a period of time where she is very
vulnerable to attacks. A better alternative is to use the Crystal Shoot (look
under).

* Crystal Shoot : QCB + A or C during Shining Crystal Bit
-(A) version: 1 hit
-(C) version: 1 hit
-Can only be done when in the first three-quarters of the Shining Crytal Bit DM.
Athena raises her hand and the two beads join above her hand. When released, it
becomes a fat projectile of electricity.
-The A or C button can be held to delay the attack (the projectile stays in her
hand until you let go of the button).
-On the ground, the (A) version shoots horizontally and the (C) version
diagonally up. In the air, both versions shoot downwards. All versions have a
slight homing capability (well, it won't go backwards and chase your opponent up
the wall if you're wondering! - but it does chase them a bit).
-Does good damage compared to other projectiles normal projectiles.
-Look under for strategies on this DM.

* Phoenix Fang Arrow : QCF, QCF + A or C during mid-air
-(A) version: 10 DM - 25 SDM hits
-(C) version: 11 DM - 32 SDM hits
-Athena turns into a yellow fireball and does four powered-up Phoenix Arrows
although there's no knock-down kick at the end. The SDM causes six powered-up
Phoenix Arrows.
-Does lotsa damage but leaves you vulnerable at the end if the opponent blocks
this move.
-The amount of damage is relative to the opponent's size and position when they
get hit (compare the damage done to Chang Koehan and Choi Bounge and you'll see
a bit of a difference).


-8- Normal move chain combos:

Dn + B x 2
Dn + B x 2, fw + B
Jump C, dn + B
Jump C/D, stand C/D, fw + B
Jump C/D, dn + D, fw + B


-9- Combos:

Standing heavy punch into "Psycho Sword", DP + A/C

Standing heavy punch into Super Psychic Throw, HCF + A/C, then do either of the
moves listed underneath.

Jump C/D; Stand/Crouch C; Super Psychic Throw, HCF + A/C, then do either:
1)Jumping C+D
2)Dashing C+D
3)Jumping Dn+B
4)Psycho Sword, DP + A/C
5)Kuuchuu Psycho Sword, Jumping DP + A/C
6)Psycho Reflector, HCB + B
7)Phoenix Arrow, Jumping HCB + C
8)Jumping B; Phoenix Arrow HCB+A/C
9)Shining Crystal Bit, Jump/dash Bk, HCB + A/C
10)Jumping B; Shining Crystal Bit, Bk, HCB + A/C
11)Dashing C; Shining Crystal Bit, Bk, HCB + A/C
12)Phoenix Fang Arrow, Jump QCF x 2 + A/C
13)Jumping B; Phoenix Fang Arrow, QCF x 2 + A/C

Jump C/D; and when you land do a Super Psychic Throw, HCF + A/C then do either
of the moves listed above.
Note: This version is easier as you don't have to combo the heavy punch into a
Super Psychic Throw.
Note: Recommended for beginners.

Jumping heavy punch or kick, standing or crouching heavy punch comboed into
"Super Psychic Throw", HCF + A/C, then "psycho reflector", QCB + B, then as soon
as Athena recovers from the Psycho Reflector animation execute the "Shining
Crystal Bit", Bk, HCB + A
Note: The (A) version "Shining Crystal Bit" is better since it comes out faster.
Note: This combo is probably the best for Athena in Kof '97.
Note: This requires at least one power bar. If you don't have one, replace the
Shining Crystal Bit with a (C) version Psycho Ball but you must hit your
opponent high enough with the Psycho Reflector or else you'll miss with the
Psycho Ball.


-10- Disadvantages of Athena:

-You may have noticed already but her Dn+D sweep kick is extremely short ranged.
It is so infinitesimally small that I need a miscroscope to see it. Use Dn+C
instead against your opponent unless he/she is very close.
-It is very easy to accidentally do a Shining Crystal Bit in the air as you try
to execute a Phoenix Arrow. Watch that your joystick movements are accurate.
-Her normal special moves (if not comboed) are, on average, weaker compared to
other fighters.
-She's very noisy :)


-11- Advantages of Athena:

-She possesses one of the most diverse range of moves in the game, if not the
most diverse.
-Her combos are very effective damage-wise and are unblockable if done correctly
(Remember - HCF+C is an un-counterable throw)
-Her Super Psychic Throw is one of the best moves in the game.
-Shining Crystal Bit is good for surprises due to it's speed of execution.
-She is very agile and is only beaten in agility by Orochi Iori, Orochi Leona
and Choi Bounge (yes, that little peep-squeek bug who's so hard to hit!)


-12- Interruptible moves (can be chained into a combo):

Standing close: A, B, C, D
Standing far: A - - -
Crouching: A, B, C, D


-13- Character relationships:

Friendly: Benimaru Nikaido, Sie Kensou, Chin Gentsai.
Angry: Yashiro Nanasake, Shermie, Chris, Iori Yagami, Orochi Iori, Orochi
Yashiro, Orochi Shermie, Orochi Chris. (In other words, all the bad guys except
Orochi Leona)
N.B. When Athena is defeated and the next fighter enters, friendly relationships
will get an additional power bar plus what's left over and angry relationships
will delete all left over power bars. Other characters are neutral and she will
leave whatever is left after she got beaten.


-14- Character to character tactics:

N.B. The Psycho Ball - Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport - Psycho Sword
technique and the Shining Crystal Bit sucker technique is often mentioned. Look
under in the section "Other tactics" to find out what they are.
N.B. If you don't know what some of the moves are, check with Kao Megura's Kof
'97 FAQ available in just about every Kof '97 site there is.

Against Kyo
-One of your toughest opponents. His autoguard moves are really really annoying
and his diverse moves can hit you from all sorts of positions.
-Keep close as it will be the only way you can get an attack in. His autoguard
Oniyaki uppercut will go through even your Phoenix Arrow so watch it.
-When you're close try a Standing/Crouching C then a Standing/Crouching A/B (it
won't hit - just a bluff move) and your opponent will no doubt try to do a
Wicked Chew/Poison Gnawfest chain hit or, if you're unlucky, a Freestyle Final
Showdown DM, but in most cases he won't risk a DM. At this point try to roll
through the chain hits and thump him from behind.
-It's actually not too bad to be stuck in the corner against Kyo. When he starts
cornering you with modified Wicked Chew/Poison Gnawfest combos, you can either
time a roll so he will continue his combo while you're behind him or you can
time a Shining Crystal Bit so that he will Wicked Chew/Poison Gnawfest into your
DM.
-When you jump in against your opponent, does he always give you an Oniyaki? If
he does, do a full jump and when he does his Oniyaki, quickly execute a Phoenix
Fang Arrow to teach 'em.
-Watch out if you're in the corner. Kyo has an infinite combo starting with his
style 75 modified which works when you're in the corner.
-It is possible to utilise the Shining Crystal Bit sucker technique against Kyo
but it is very risky.

Against Benimaru
-Another tough opponent. Benimaru is one of the few fighters who are totally and
utterly defensive, and Benimaru is one of the best fighters in Kof 97.
-Watch out for his Raikoken/Raijinken as they are so utterly annoying and
devastating.
-Jumping-in is somewhat impossible. His anti-air Raikoken/Raijinken and his
Super Lightning Flash Kick will zap you outta the air anytime. Perhaps you can
fool him with your wall-jumping ability.
-I have fought many many times against Benimaru players and there are some
patterns they always follow:
1)The Flying Drill kick into a Shinkuu Katategoma or a Raijinken. Whenever you
see Benimaru jump, wait till he is in the peak of his jump then roll towards
him. At this point he is helpless and you can pulverise him if he does a Flying
Drill. You can also execute a Shining Crystal Bit instead of rolling.
2)When you are lying on the ground, he will rush up and do a Shinkuu Katategoma
to suck life as you get up. Time a get-up Shining Crystal Bit to zap him.
3)Same as above but with a Raijinken. You know he will try a Raijinken instead
of a Shinkuu Katategoma as he will position himself further away. In a Shinkuu
Katategoma he will position himself right next to your body on the ground.
Anyway, if he is about to do a Raijinken, roll through and punish him from
behind.
-Never jump when you're cornered. He will give you a taste of a Raikoken.
-The best offence is defense against Benimaru. Since he is all defence (well,
nearly), just wait till he comes and attacks you. This will usually provide a
good opportunity for a counter-attack. Use rolls effectively.

Against Goro
-The big huge lumbering oaf is a real real annoyance. His various throws are so
wierd that you don't know where they're coming from. I got smacked by a Cloud
Tosser twice in about 10 seconds when I tried to give him a Phoenix Arrow or
two.
-Watch those reversals of his. They'll come in thick and fast against a proper
Goro player.
-The Psycho Ball - Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport - Psycho Sword technique
works wonders. This should be your main line of attacking.
-As with Benimaru, defensive play is a good idea against Goro.

Against Terry
-Geez. Another fighter that's gonna be like hell-and-back.
-Terry has three really strong moves - his Power Charge (sets him up for
everything), Rising Tackle and Power Wave.
-Try not to do many Phoenix Arrows. Terry, like Kyo's Oniyaki, will do a Rising
Tackle and autoguard off all the Phoenix Arrows' hits and hit you instead.
-Terry's Power Charge is really his strongest move. It starts his infinite combo
and on top of this it has a huge range and has the capability for any sort of
juggling act. Always block this or do a Shining Crystal Bit timed correctly to
counter this annoying move. You can also quickly do a Shining Crystal Bit after
you block his Power Charge if you're very fast.
-Terry's power wave will snuff out any activity within half a screen. You jump.
Smack. You roll. Smack. You shoot a cute fireball. Where'd it go? I haven't
thought of any way to counter his power wave apart from staying away from it and
jumping all the way over it when he does it or a well-timed roll.
-All Terry's DM's have a massive lag time at the end of it. Use this to your
advantage if you block any of his DM's.
-Perhaps the best way to go against this brute is to get in close and go tango.
Terry has the power of ranged attacks so rid that advantage by getting-in close.
Watch that you don't hound him when he's lying on the ground, he will do a get-
up Power Tackle which will autoguard any of your moves.
-The Psycho Ball - Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport - Psycho Sword technique
works too but be careful not too use it as a repetitive attack pattern. Terry
will learn and will probably just keep shooting Power Waves to stop your Psycho
Balls.

Against Joe
-His crazy Hurricane Uppers are done so often, it's not funny.
-Unlike Benimaru, Joe is based more upon his offensive moves. Take advantage of
any positional advantages you may gain and keep the pressure on him.
-If Joe does do his Hurricane Uppers, all you can do is block. But if you're in
the corner and and he keeps getting at you with those hurricanes, roll through
and do a Standing C hcf+C in his face to teach him a lesson.
-Another thing which may annoy a hurricane-happy Joe is your Psycho Reflector.
Reflect his hurricanes and give him his own wind.
-Really, once you get in close and stop his hurricane trap, Joe's a gonner. He
may try a Tiger Kick or a Golden Heel to get you out of his face. But if you
keep your onslaught right, he can't get you. Standing C into a hcf+C does
wonders when you're in close.

Against Kensou
-This guy's your "boyfriend" so keep a close on him - in more ways than one :)
-His moves are similar but you have the advantage of having more useful attacks.
-When Kensou does a slow Chokyudan, Psycho Reflector the thing and throw your
own (C) version Psycho Ball. Extremely good against those Kensou players who
throw slow projectiles and rush in to throw you or trip you.
-Kensou's chain-hitting Ryurenga: Chiryu is somewhat tricky. Just block all
three hits and thump him at the end of it.
-Kensou's Dragon Jaw Smash is probably his best move. This dragon-punch attack
has autoguard so be careful when jumping in. You can also use the Shining
Crystal Bit sucker technique.
-Watch his Senki Hakkei DM - it kinda hurts and comes out very fast.
-When Kensou eats that silly bun of his, just power up (A+B+C) if you can and
come in and do either of the SDM's although I recommend you do the Phoenix Fang
Arrow SDM as it does more damage. Watch that you don't attack him normally. He
may counter you with his fake bun.

Against Mai
-Mai's Fan Dance is like a baby version of Chizuru's DM and is just as lethal. A
(C) version Fan Dance can easily combo to take a quarter of your life quickly.
-Don't stare at her :) She might thump you while you lose your concentration.
-Watch that you don't use Phoenix Arrows when Mai is in the corner. She can give
you a Fan Dance straight after she blocks you.
-Psycho Balls can annoy Mai enough that she will roll in or jump in. Remember
that Psycho Ball - Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport - Psycho Sword technique.
It will do wonders.
-Mai's flash-kick-like move is not too good giving you an opportunity for a
Jumping C/D Standing/Crouching C hcf+C combo.
-Escape rolling (when blocking, Fw/Bk + A+B) or a CD counter (when blocking,
C+D) is a good exchange when Mai does a Fan Dance. Escape roll if you have more
than one power bar, otherwise do the CD counter.

Against Mary
-Watch her weird throwing combos. They're the only reason why people use her.
They do immense damage and half of them are unblockable.
-Most Mary players are turtles just waiting for that opening. You can try
getting in close and chaining a Standing C into a hcf+C but if that doesn't
work, do the Psycho Ball-Psycho Sword/Shining Crystal Bit technique.
-I usually fight Mary with Kyo and beat her quite easily. This means I don't
have much experience with Athena against Mary :( But one thing's for sure -
Kyo's relentless Wicked Chew/Poison Gnawfest smothering tactics works wonders so
maybe it's advisable to pressure Mary from about a character's width distance.
-But on the other hand, it seems ok to stay far away so that Mary can't
unexpectedly do her weird combos at you.
-If you do stay far away, try the Psycho Ball - Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho
Teleport - Psycho Sword technique. Perhaps it'll work.

Against Yamazaki
-Yamazaki players will probably find themselves using their Snake Arm attack as
their main weapon. Well, they're probably smart as they do quite extensive
damage and come out very fast.
-Watch that if you jump towards him, you REALLY jump. His high Snake Arm attack
will pop you out of the air if you're too low.
-If you're about a half-screen's distance, roll towards him as Yamazaki will
always try to keep you away from him with his Snake Arms.
-When you jump in, most Yamazaki players will try a Sadomazo reversal. Taking
this into context, when jumping in, always do a deep hit then block. If you hit
him deep enough, you will block his Sadomazo and you can hit him afterwards.
-The best way to stop Yamazaki for Athena is to stay far. Unlike other fighters,
Athena isn't as strong when in close against a monster like Yamazaki.
-When less than three-quarters of a screen away, always shoot slow Psycho Balls.
Fast ones are suicide for you as his Bai Gaeshi reversal acts much like your
Psycho Reflector except that he can throw them back at near Ha-oh Sho-ko-ken
speed.
-Always follow a Psycho Ball with a Psycho Reflector after waiting 1 second
after shooting it (unless he jumps). Hopefully Yamazaki will taste his own Bai
Gaeshi.
-Watch Yamazaki's infinite combo starting with his Sand Kick. It's blockable but
comes out fast although admittedly it is a bit short ranged.
-Since Yamazaki has no long range attacks (apart from his Snake Arms) the Psycho
Ball - Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport - Psycho Sword technique should work.
Remember that Bai Gaeshi though.
-I accidentally found this out a few days ago. A guy did a Yondan Drill DM
against me when I jumped in against him. Usually, if you get hit or block the
initial hit on Yamazaki's way up, you get thumped on his way down. But I blocked
that first hit and quickly did a Shining Crystal Bit as he was about to get me
with the second hit. And yes, you guessed it, it got him. Perhaps that can be of
some use if you get caught in that Yondan Drill.

Against Billy
-The king of pokers. He can poke that damned stick of his even further than
Chang with his damned iron ball.
-Anyway, Billy is one heck of a ranged fighter. Just about all his moves are
ranged. But this does lead to some interesting tactics.
-Billy will always try that Shutenrenha Kon when you're in the corner. If you
were on the ground and trying to get up, zap his stick (and it'll zap him) with
a get-up Shining Crystal Bit.
-Billy's Kyoshu Hishu Kon is just so much fun to exploit. When he disappears
outta the screen, do a Shining Crystal Bit and watch him fall to his doom.
-Perhaps his most annoying move is that reversal of his, the Karyu/Suiryu
Tsuigeki Kon. When you see him just standing there, not bouncing around like he
normally does in his normal stance, you know he's trying to sucker you into
hitting him. Either Psycho Ball him or Phoenix Fang Arrow him.
-His poor excuse for air defense comes in the form of a Senen Satsu Kon. Just
mid-jump-in and hold back so you'll block the move if he does it. If you block
it in the air, quickly do a Shining Crystal Bit and zap him. If he doesn't do
the move at all, land and hcf+C him into a combo.
-Don't worry if you jump in and get set on fire by his Super Flaming Whirlwind
Cane DM as it does hardly any damage if you got hit while in the air. It's
another story if you get hit on the ground though.
-Get in close and use your hcf+C effectively. Billy has no command throws of his
own and his advantage of range will disappear if you're close. He should be easy
pickings once you're in close.
-Alternatively, you can do the Psycho Ball - Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport
- Psycho Sword technique when afar.

Against Yashiro
-He doesn't have many moves does he? Anyway, you'll probably figure after a
while that Yashiro's best move is his Upper Duel, an uppercut which also acts as
a reversal. Even though this is just about his only air defense, it's a lot
better than Billy's :) Stick to the ground most of the match as Yashiro players
just want you to jump-in against them.
-You can also do some wierd jumping tactics like hopping straight up when you're
about a character's distance away and you opponent will probably try an Upper
Duel. Well, hopefully it won't connect and you can thump him while he's on his
way down or a Phoenix Fang Arrow while in the air.
-His other moves are not so good so all you have to do is design tactics to
thwart that Upper Duel of his. Perhaps some dashing then rolling tactics into a
hcf+C will put an end to his Upper Duels.
-Watch that Standing heavy kick of his. It's an overhead move that can be
comboed to all sorts of things. Always block high when mighty close. Getting
tripped is not as bad as losing tons of life.
-Yashiro's Final Impact DM is sometimes tricky. It will cause a guard-crush when
not fully charged but unblockable when charged. When Yashiro charges, he looks
like he's charging as in extra mode charging so always know what mode your
opponent is using.
-When you see Yashiro do this DM, jump and Phoenix Fang Arrow him. Since he's
tall it does relatively more damage.

Against Robert
-Robert has a good air defence coming in the form of the Ryuga (looks exactly
like a dragon punch). It can thump you out of just about any aerial moves and
has quite a big horizontal range too (that's because he kind of bends his arm so
his elbow sticks out). It's really not advisable to jump in against him
expectedly as he will just Ryuga you out of anything. The sucker technique with
the Shining Crystal Bit won't work well here as the Ryuga has a fast gigantic
reach vertically (it will instantaneously reach half a screen vertically).
-So what can you do? If you get too close, sure he can't get you with that
wierdo Dragon Attack Fist but he'll just as surely command throw you and land a
Ha-oh Sho-ko-ken as you fall lifeless to the ground. But there seems to be a
"range" which many people talk about where Robert is plain hopeless. It's about
a quarter of a screen away from Robert.
-At this range, he only has a few options for attack.
1)His Swallow Kick (where he does a diagonal kick from the air and bounces off).
Anticipate any jump attacks and do a Shining Crystal Bit or, if he does a
Swallow Kick, roll under, a-la Benimaru's Drill Kick. Same technique. Same
results.
2)That wierd cyclone-type kick the Swallow Whirlwind Kick. Block the whole thing
then after the last block quickly do a Shining Crystal Bit or a Crouching C.
-And that's it at that range. Of course most Robert players will try to roll
through also. If he rolls forward, roll backward. If he keeps rolling, give him
a bluffing Psycho Reflector and that should stop him rolling. He'll probably
then do his Swallow Whirlwind Kick.
-Of course there's the long ranged techniques of Athena which works against
Robert. Psycho Ball - Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport - Psycho Sword.
-If you find yourself in a corner with Swallow Whirlwind Kicks, time a Shining
Crystal Bit or a Psycho Sword.

Against Ryo
-Since Robert is nearly a clone of Robert, all relevant tactics work similarly.
-What makes Ryo a better player (in my opinion) is his Mokoraijingo which has a
capacity for three (I think) autoguards. Many people just keep coming in with
Mokoraijingo's and it's very hard to get out of the trap. When he does two of
these in a row, it's a safe bet he will do it again so on the third Mokoraijingo
in a row, do the Shining Crystal Bit.
-Once again, tactics are similar to that of Robert (of course not for the
different moves).

Against Yuri
-She's not really much of a challenge. Although she has a respectable variety of
moves, none do much damage.
-Her slowish moves are easily countered by Shining Crystal Bits.
-You can always do that Jumping C/D, Standing/Crouching C, hcf+C combo against
her as her Super Upper air defence is too offensive to be a good defensive
maneuver.
-The Psycho Ball - Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport - Psycho Sword technique
works well too.
-Need I say more?

Against Clark
-A real tough opponent. Just about all his attacks revolve around his painful
command throws.
-You can also do the Shining Crystal Bit sucker technique when Clark tries his
Napalm Stretch.
-Stay far and do the Psycho Ball - Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport - Psycho
Sword technique till he gets annoyed. He will most often go on a total offensive
then - not suitable for Clark. Take advantage of this.
-Clark really can't do much from far away and so relies on his dashes, rolls and
hops to gain ground. Do the above technique during the round.
-Watch that you jump over that Running Three DM - it's unblockable and has a
long range.
-If you take a risk, you may be able to throw him by a dashing hop D then
quickly do a hcf+C as you land. If the risk works, it'll pay off.
-The far reaching Standing C into a hcf+C also does wonders.

Against Andy
-Andy is very fast. Most of his moves come out with lightning speed so watch it.
-I haven't played many Andy players so I can't tell you much about the guy.
-If you block his first four hits of his Flying Meteor Fist DM, jump and Phoenix
Fang Arrow the guy as he poses for his massive Hishoken.
-Watch that command throw of his - it works much like Robert's and Ryo's.
-Andy has many combos which link to his Flying Meteor Fist so watch out when
you're close.
-I find it better to stay away from him as he can do some pretty serious damage
when you're up close. So I do recommend you stay away from the guy and try the
Psycho Ball - Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport - Psycho Sword technique.
-Jumping in will usually land you in trouble with his Shoryudan but it is
susceptible to the Shining Crystal Bit sucker technique in higher altitudes as
the Shoryudan is vertically slow.

Against Ralf
-This is one tough fella. Unlike Clark though, you have to get in close or he'll
surely use his various zoning tactics to keep you away whilst sucking your life
up.
-When jumping in, jump very high as his ground Diving Bomb Punch only has a
limited vertical range. You should end up on the other side of him. You can also
roll in when he does the Diving Bomb Punch or the Ralf Kick.
-Once you're close and you're about a half a character's length from him, Ralf
players will usually do the Vulcan Punch. Watch out as this does a lot of
blocking damage and he can keep walking forwards with it. If you jump in and
land right next to him, he'll try to get you with a Super Argentine Back Breaker
- a command throw.
-So hover around that range - about a character's length away and come closer
then back again to confuse your opponent.
-At this range your Standing C into a hcf+C is supreme.
-Your opponent is using extra mode? Watch that you don't get into blocking
troubles with his repeated Blazing Vulcan punch DM. Block all the hits till he
does that final uppercut, then Shining Crystal Bit him or if you're low on life,
do a CD counter early in the DM.
-If you get caught by the Horse-Mounted Vulcan Punch (eep! rapist!) and he
charges up for a Galactica Phantom as you're on the ground (as people tend to do
because the Galactica Phantom is unblockable and does huge damage), do a get-up
Shining Crystal Bit and he should punch himself into oblivion.
-If he does a Galactica Phantom under normal circumstances, jump towards him and
Phoenix Fang Arrow the guy.

Against King
-Most King players will use two main moves for offense, the Surprise Rose and
the Double/Venom Strike.
-With the Surprise Rose, use the Benimaru Drill Kick tactic where you roll under
her Surprise Rose and thump her from behind. It's easy to tell when she's going
to do it as she shouts "Surprise Rose" early in the move and the move is quite
slow. You can also Shining Crystal Bit her on her way down from the Surprise
Rose.
-The Double Strike is a nuisane but if you aniticipate the move early enough,
you can jump over it and Phoenix Arrow/Phoenix Fang Arrow her. Never roll
through the first projectile of the Double Strike, the second one will always
hit you.
-The Tornado Kick is very hard to use the Shining Crystal Bit sucker technique
on. It's initial altitude is around a third of the screen up so smart King
players will wait till you're about that range then Tornado Kick you.
-The best way to stop King is either from really far away or from really close.
When you're far, do the Psycho Ball - Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport -
Psycho Sword technique. When you're in close, King has three moves which are her
main close-combat ammunitions.
1)The Trap Shot. Not too good but it comes out quickly so may surprise you. It
is blockable on the other hand so don't fret.
2)The Mirage Kick. Quite annoying but a blocked Mirage Kick can be punished.
3)The Silent Flash DM. At this range, this is King's power. She can combo this
from normal moves and it will do some serious damage. As with the Silent Flash,
once blocked, King is vulnerable to just about anything.
-Watch that when you jump in you don't get caught by her Silent Flash DM. It can
also work as an anti-air maneuver.

Against Chin
-Trickiest character in the game. His moves are widely varied a-la Psycho
Soldier Team and his autoguard/reversals are pretty annoying.
-Watch that Hotangeki attack! They do some good damage and come out quite
unexpectedly. When you block one gourd, always keep blocking as a second one may
come out.
-When you see him suddenly just stand there wobbling like he's nuts, beware. He
can thump you in the air and also along the ground, both very quickly. There's
not much you can do about stopping them although you can thump Chin in each move
after you block them.
-Exploit Chin when he executes his Fool Moon Drunk move (he just flops there on
the floor) and you're close. He cannot block while on the ground and he can only
get up via two special moves making it harder still for him to block anything.
Do a Phoenix Arrow if he's two character lengths or so away or do a Shining
Crystal Bit/Psycho Reflector if he's closer. By the way, you can't Psycho Ball
him while he's crawling on the ground.
-Chin is very hard to get close to. He can just spontaneously explode (Roaring
Flame Invitation DM) and you'll just pass straight through him into a super
painful DM/SDM. He can also use his other DM, the Roaring Flame which he can
direct upwards.
-His DM's can be comboed into any of Chin's normal attacks can turn quite
unfriendly.
-One of my friends often plays with Chin - hence we call him alcoholic:) - and
he's very good with using him. I've played him many times and he uses some
pretty sneaky tactics:
1)Because he has very bad agility (worse than Goro's), he takes advantage of his
ultra small hop. A dashing hop by Chin hardly leaves the ground so is very
tricky to block (especially when you're next to him). Also, the Jumping C does
two hits then comboed into a standing C into a DM and you're in trouble.
2)I have never got even close to him with Athena by jumping in when he has a
power bar. He always gets me with either DM.
3)He charges quite fast too (like all the Psycho Soldiers). Repeated Fool Moon
Drunks into a Carp Fish Anti-Strike or repeated gourd attacks and he already has
a full bar.
-Watch that Ryurinhorai move as it has autoguard and is quite sneaky and
painful.
-Best way is to stay far and Psycho Ball - Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport -
Psycho Sword technique him as he can't jump very high over the Psycho Ball so
after a few fast Psycho Balls he'll be forced to roll. I'm pretty sure a Psycho
Ball will hit Chin as he's doing a Rotary Air Fist so don't worry about shooting
Psycho Balls.

Against Chizuru
-Another sneaky character who is also a bit annoying.
-Staying far and doing the Psycho Ball - Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport -
Psycho Sword technique is the best method to killing her. Your Psycho Balls will
thump Chizuru out of any of her moves. Always use the fast (C) versions of
Psycho Balls against Chizuru.
-Getting in close is another story altogether. You just can't :) her Hyakatsu (a
dragon punch) is just plain impossible to get through. No amount of Shining
Crystal Bit sucker techinique suckering will work. Stay far and stay healthy is
what I always say. If she does one of her many teleport atatcks, you can also
roll through it but it may be a dud so you won't get any advantage out of that.
Another tactic is to do a Psycho Reflector every once in a while and she'll
surely try to attack you with one of her teleport attacks. Do a Shining Crystal
Bit in her face.
-Another thing when you're in close is her I-Men Ikkatsu DM which acts like the
mother of all Fan Dances. When your opponent is in extra mode, watch it. Once
you're cornered it's very hard to get out without getting hit. Firstly, try not
to get hit by it :) The last hit will pop you up into a juggle (usually a I-Men
Hachijuugo Katsu DM) and there goes most of your life. Also if you just turtle
up, you will lose a lot of life by blocking and she can easily throw you while
you're stuck in the corner (then do another I-Men Ikkatsu as you stand up).
Escape rolling may work at times but once I got Crouching D 'ed while I escaped
by the real Chizuru who was just standing behind her fake (dunno how) and there
I was on the ground only to stand up into another I-Men Ikkatsu.
-Repeated rolling can also gain you some ground and when you're in close keep a
steady attacking onslaught and, luckily, you can trade hits with her I-Men
Ikkatsu if you hit it (thereby only sustaining minimal damage). But the rolling
won't work much of the time so beware.
-Extra mode Chizuru can also continually charge up and use SDM's of her I-Men
Ikkatsu for more pain.

Against Chang
-Ah yes, that fat bald blob with his stupid ball. Although he may seem silly for
starters, he can be used to some good tactics (and boy does that ball hurt!)
-Yes, you're right, he's another poker. But this time it ain't a poke, it's more
like having a car fall on you unexpectedly. He does incredible damage with his
normal moves and theoretically he can kill you with one move!
-Many Chang players will just jump around with their Jumping C 's and take off
about half your life without you realising it. Always roll against Chang.
Jumping is near suicide, especially full jumps.
-(C) version Phoenix Arrows are also suicide as he'll just trip you with that
ball of his.
-Watch the range of that ball. It's about five times your range so watch out
when he starts jumping towards you.
-Psycho Ball techniques unfortunately won't work well with Psycho Swords against
a jumping-in Chang as the Psycho Sword doesn't interrupt the Psycho Ball
animation fast enough before you get whacked. Psycho Ball with Shining Crystal
Bit, on the other hand, is very effective.
-Roll in and hcf+C him, especially when he's in the air.
-Rolling will just about get you out of anything with Chang, especially his
jumping C 's. Roll under then Shining Crystal Bit him.
-When you hcf+C him, jump and Phoenix Fang Arrow him instead of using the normal
combos as it will take off a lot of his life (he's fat and the DM will hit many
times).

Against Choi
-From a big fat guy, we find ourselves with a total opposite (where did Kim find
these guys? :)
-All I can say is that you have to be fast in using your Shining Crystal Bit.
You'll get many opportunities for it against Choi but all other moves, apart
from normal attacks, won't work well due to Choi's speed and agility.
-Watch out for his Jumping C combos - they can take out around half your life in
one combo!
-Rolling hcf+C works quite well also.
-Punish Choi's DM's if you block them. He's either posing or flopped on the
ground if you block his DM's.

Against Shermie
-Quite a weird throwing character but effective in some ways. The Psycho Ball -
Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport - Psycho Sword technique is what I usually
do against Shermie.
-Her DM's require you to be next to her (therefore are unblockable) so beware
when close.
-Watch that DM where she gets you in a backdrop and holds you there. Tap buttons
like mad to get out of it quicker.
-She is very susceptible to that Jumping C/D, Standing/Crouching C, hcf+C combo
as she has no air defence.
-I've only played against the Computer Shermie so I don't have much experience
to any attack patterns human players use with her. E-mail me if you know of any
:)

Against Chris
-The corner trapper. He seems quite harmless but when you're in the corner,
that's when Chris is in his element.
-Watch his punch version Shooting Dancer Thrust as it will hit you if you don't
crouch-block and his kick version Shooting Dancer Thrust will hit you as an
overhead.
-Usually those two moves and the Slide Touch is what'll make up the corner trap
plus his anti-jump-escaping Twister Drive DM. It is quite hard to get out of the
trap but you can always anticipate an attack and Shining Crystal Bit him out of
it.
-A Psycho Reflector also works well but watch that you don't miss as he will
most probably thump you after you finish the move.
-When you're out far (recommended), do the Psycho Ball - Shining Crystal
Bit/Psycho Teleport - Psycho Sword technique and it should get him stuck as he
has no immediate long range attacks.

Against Shingo
-Kyo's "student" is nearly as tough as Kyo himself. The lord of critical hits,
guard crushes and knockdowns, watch your life bar often as you may be surprised
how much damage Shingo can do.
-You can't really jump in against him as he'll do his Oniyaki and probably
counter your attack and critical hit you as an after-taste.
-Shingo is susceptible to a Psycho Ball - Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport -
Psycho Sword technique.
-Watch his SDM version of his Kake Horin because, if you block it, it will crush
your guard and Shingo can then chain another attack after it.
-Don't underestimate his incomplete Poison Gnawfest. It does quite a lot of
damage, is a knockdown manuever and can cause critical hits often.
-When Shingo does his incomplete Indistinct Wheel, always do a standing block as
once in a while his last hit can act as an overhead.
-Also watch out for the overhead hitting Shingo Kick which'll knock you down.
-Good thing Shingo doesn't have Kyo's autoguards else he'd be damned hard to
kill.

Against Kim
-Kim is a tough character if your opponent knows how to use him. His various
combos usually come out of his Standing C and his Crouching B into a Hangetsu
Zan. But there are a lot of other combos out there.
-Getting in close is very difficult as he has a few effective air defences in
his arsenal. So jumping in maybe suicide although there is a small opening where
you can get him via a dashing hop.
-Rolling in may not be too smart due to his Meteor Drop which will get you while
you roll.
-Watch that Meteor Drop. You have to crouch block it.
-The Psycho Ball - Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport - Psycho Sword technique
works quite well against Kim as he doesn't have anything in the sense of range.
-If Kim starts a Hisho Kyaku from high above, roll towards him then punish the
daylights out of Kim as he steps into nothingness.
-Kim only gets into his element when close so keep him away with the Psycho Ball
- Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport - Psycho Sword technique and he shouldn't
be able to retaliate.
-If you're stuck in the corner, watch out. Never escape by jumping as you may
get into an infinite combo starting with Kim's Hangetsu Zan. Just stay in the
corner and punish any blocked moves. After a while Kim will retreat.

Against Orochi Iori or normal Iori
-When you think he's about to jump, do a mid-jumping D (you must jump first or,
if further away, end up higher than him in the air) and it will always snuff out
his jumping heavy kick attack (Orochi Iori).
-Once he's stopped being a jumping bean (Orochi Iori), do a random series of
Psycho Balls and Phoenix Arrows. N.B. Watch that you don't use Phoenix Arrows
when Iori has a power bar - fast players can DM you (ouch!).
-If you have that rare chance, come in and do a Jumping D, Standing C, hcf+C
combo and give him some pain.
-Watch that you don't get caught in his unblockable infinite combo (Kuzu Kaze -
a throw where he grabs you and shoves you past him - heavy punch, Kuzu Kaze,
heavy punch etc.). Remember, Kuzu Kaze in an un-counterable throw.
-Psycho Reflector all his projectiles if you can (probably only the slow ones)
then Psycho Teleport next to him (whichever version brings you closest) and
hcf+C combo him.
-Normal Iori is a hard opponent and there is no pattern to killing the guy. Just
wait for opportunities, especially if he jumps as he's not very fast in jumping.
-Orochi Iori is just plain silly (why'd SNK put him in? it spoils the game). You
must learn to anticipate your opponents attack patterns then Shining Crystal Bit
any weaknesses as all Orochi Iori players are different (except for that jumping
heavy D).

Against Orochi Leona or normal Leona
-Use the Psycho Sword a lot to annoy your opponent when Leona jumps towards you
(Orochi Leona). With normal Leona you can also do the Psycho Ball-Shining
Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport - Psycho Sword technique.
-When Leona starts doing ground attacks (she doesn't have many) do a random
series of Psycho Balls and Phoenix Arrows.
-Watch that you don't get caught by Leona's super (the one where she stabs you
and blows you up does immense damage).
-If you have that rare chance (not as rare as against Orochi Iori), come in and
do a Jumping D, Standing C, hcf+C combo.
-Probably her best move is her Moon Slasher. Watch that you don't get suckered
into a Moon Slasher.
-With Normal Leona, she is quite easy to Jumping C/D, Standing/Crouching C,
hcf+C as she doesn't have many (any?) anti-air moves.
-Take advantage of the rare times when she does her ultra-stupid I-Slasher. Jump
in and totally pulverise her with anything you can combo.

Against Orochi Chris
-This is easy. Just keep coming in from the air. Watch out for his Iori-type
dragon punch though.
-If your opponent is an experienced Orochi Chris player, he will most usually
stuff you in a corner with a series of moves. Predict when he's about to attack
and do a (B) version Psycho Reflector or a Psycho Sword (if he jumps) to annoy
him to stop cornering you. Then come in with a Jumping D, Standing C, hcf+C
combo and thump him once he stops cornering you.
-His moves are all harmless except for his purple projectile (looks like a power
wave gone sick). This is quite painful.

Against Orochi Shermie
-Wait till she blows you that annoying ball of lightning then quickly do a
Phoenix Arrow or Phoenix Fang Arrow if you're at most half a screen away (the
closer the better).
-Watch out for her Raikoken (Benimaru has the same DM). It comes out fast and
does a lot of damage and has an initial frame of invulnerability. If you're
about to land on a Raikoken during a jump, do a Shining Crystal Bit to keep
yourself in the air and avoid the Raikoken (life is more precious than power
bars).
-Keep away from her. Half her DM's require you to be next to her and those DM's
are unblockable.
-But on the other hand, don't get too far away. If you're too far she will take
advantage of her silly lightning balls and give you extra unnecessary pain. Keep
about a quarter to a half screen distance from her.

Against Orochi Yashiro
-Psycho Balls do wonders at this brute.
-Keep your distance. Yashiro has many painful throw moves.
-Use your wall-jumping ability often.
-When Yashiro is close, wait a split-second and he'll probably try to attack
you. Quickly do a Shining Crystal Bit DM is his face. Hopefully it will connect.
If he blocks and he's within rolling distance, cancel the DM (A+B+C+D) and jump
away. Otherwise execute a Crystal Shoot.
-It is extremely risky to try a Jumping D, Standing C, hcf+C combo as Yashiro
will probably throw you before you can execute the hcf+C. But you can modify
this combo and execute the hcf+C without the Standing C, if he blocks your
Jumping D, and you will have a better chance of throwing him before he throws
you.
-The Psycho Ball - Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport - Psycho Sword technique
should work.

Against Orochi
-Don't be scared of this guy. You only have to fear two moves and when you're
close, his normal moves do little damage.
-Get close and keep thumping him with normal heavy punches, C+D knock-down moves
or your Super Psychic Throw.
-Orochi is an idiot. Your Jumping D, Standing C, hcf+C combo will most often
work.
-Just two things to watch out for:
1) Orochi's projectile is hard to see and does massive damage. Keep a sharp eye
on Orochi (I'm not sure if you can reflect this projectile with a Psycho
Reflector).
2) One of his DM's causes you to move towards him. Once you see that flash which
heralds a DM, see if the screen goes white and shiny (his other DM). If it
doesn't then jump away quickly. At this stage you can either throw a Psycho Ball
or a Shining Crystal Bit into a Crystal Shoot.
-I don't know why Orochi is so easy. Maybe the machine I play at is set to a
very easy setting. I mean, I killed Orochi with Kyo in the first round and I
only lost one teensy-weensy bit of life - that's because I blocked something,
otherwise I would've got him perfect :) - yesterday and the day before I nearly
beat the guy perfect. What's happening here?

Against Athena
-Seeing double? Exploit Athena's weaknesses:
1)The (C) version Phoenix Arrow - you can hit her after you block the knock-down
kick. Don't roll forwards against this version of the Phoenix Arrow as it'll
kick you out of your roll.
2)Get close with a Jumping D then hcf+C her. Watch out for that Shining Crystal
Bit DM though.
-Really just use all the tactics related here as you both have the same
abilities, just different tactics.


-15- Other Tactics:

Always mix up Phoenix Arrows when your opponent is in the corner.
-If your enemy is in the middle of the "battlefield" it is pretty safe to use
the (C) version Phoenix Arrow. Otherwise, mix up (A) and (C) versions when your
enemy is in the corner.
-When you actually do an (A) version, your opponent may be expecting that knock-
down kick so he will block for an extra split-second. At this point you may do a
Super Psychic Throw, HCF + A/C.

Psycho Ball - Shining Crystal Bit/Psycho Teleport - Psycho Sword technique:
-Shoot a Psycho Ball.
-If your opponent blocks it, shoot another. If he rolls past it but is still far
away, shoot another. If he rolls and is within attacking distance, wait a split
second (he'll probably try to attack) then do the Shining Crystal Bit and it
should get him. You can also do a crouching C into a hcf+C if you're fast.
-Otherwise, if he jumps and is going to land on you, do a Shining Crystal Bit or
a Psycho Teleport/Dashing, Psycho Sword/Shining Crystal Bit depending of how far
away he is.

Shining Crystal Bit sucker technique:
-This technique works for slow moving dragon-punch attacks such as Kensou's,
Andy's etc.
-Jump very high so that the peak of your jump will be exactly vertical to your
opponent. At this point your opponent may try a dragon-punch maneuver. Since you
should be high enough, you can have a split second to do a Shining Crystal Bit
and your opponent should run into it.

Rumoured Infinite combo (not confirmed):
-Do the Super Psychic Throw (hcf+C) on your opponent then do a (B) version
Psychic Teleport. When the opponent is about to land, smack him with a heavy
punch then execute Super Psychic Throw once again. Teleport again, punch,
Psychic Throw.... etc. etc.
-This hasn't been confirmed so don't go blaming me if it doesn't work :)
-In hindsight, try not using the Psychic Teleport and just do the heavy punch,
Psychic Throw thing if the original version doesn't work. Once again, this
procedure hasn't been confirmed.
-By the way, this juggle seems extremely similar to Iori's infinite combo but
this is probably harder to do.

Taunt strategy:
-Ever wondered if that taunt did anything apart from getting a few laughs? Well
here's a good strategy with the taunt (look at the opponent's face if you manage
to pull this off!)
-You need at least one power bar, but if you have more, max up (A+B+C).
-You must be at least three-quarters of a screen away, don't be too close to
your opponent.
-Now execute the taunt (press START) - isn't she cute when she does that?
-Your opponent will now do one of four possibilities:
1)Attack you from the air. This is the best scenario. Tap bk then "Shining
Crystal Bit" bk, hcb+A when your opponent is committed into jumping at you (when
he's in the air and is in line to land on you). This will pull you out of your
taunt and smack your opponent with a DM. Normal DM has around a 95% chance of
not getting hit by opponents attack, SDM has 100%.
2)Attack you from the ground. This isn't so good but it's ok. Wait till he/she
is right next to you or anticipate when he is going to execute a rush move
(Terry's Power Charge, Kyo's Poison Gnawfest/Wicked Chew etc.) then do the above
movements. Hopefully you timed it right and the DM/SDM hit.
3)Attack you with a projectile. Not good. Tap bk, bk and block the projectile.
You can't do anything about that projectile (especially if it's fast, otherwise
you may be able to use a Psycho Reflector on it).
4)Your opponent doesn't do anything. Oh well, try taunting again. He'll come at
you eventually.
-This tactic hardly ever works twice on the same opponent but it truly is
satisfying if you pull it off :)
-A good way to entice him to come over is to madly press the buttons and swear
in different languages when you're in the taunt pose (buttons don't work in
taunt pose - beware that tapping the joystick twice in the same direction pulls
you out of the taunt ) and act as if you accidentally taunted and can't get out
of it. He'll try to take advantage of poor sneezing Athena but he may be in for
a surprise.... :)


-16- DM/SDM Strategies:

Shining Crystal Bit/Crystal Shoot
-The Shining Crystal Bit DM comes out extremely extremely fast - like
Benimaru/Orochi Shermie Raikoken. It is better in some cases than the Raikoken
as it shields you on all directions, can be done in the air and has the ability
for a Crystal Shoot at the end of it. On the other hand, it does less damage
(unless your opponent keeps running into you :).
-When you fall on the ground and your opponent is right above you trying to hit
you when you get up, do the DM and watch it do it's job. He'll learn not to
pester you as you get back to your feet.
-This DM is also useful in mid-air encounters. I've got my friend many times in
the air with this - now he won't jump at me anymore :(
-You can almost guarantee a sure hit with the Shining Crystal Bit when your
opponent jumps at you - do the DM and it will hit him.
-Crystal Shoot is quite effective but usually acts more as a safety move than
anything else (to keep them away as you recover from Shining Crystal Bit DM).
-Always hold the button when doing the Crystal Shoot. At any sign of movement at
all (especially rolling) let go of it. This is most effective when the opponent
is around one step away from rolling distance. This is very effective also if
the opponent jumps - observe how the Crystal Shoot chases him!
-SDM Shining Crystal Bit is very good - like Kyo's SDM Orochinagi you become
quite invulnerable and if they touch you they get damaged.

Phoenix Fang Arrow
-Although it does more damage than the Shining Crystal Bit (usually), the
Phoenix Fang Arrow is a less useful DM.
-Use mainly only against tall characters i.e. Chang, Yashiro, Goro, Shermie,
Orochi etc. as it does massive damage against them.
-This would be a good DM apart from the fact that it leaves you so open for
attack at the end of it if they block the move.
-Someone said that this DM did more damage when the opponent actually blocked it
rather than get hit by it. All I can say is HUH? I've never noticed such a fact.
Of course I may be wrong but I'm very sure you do more damage if this DM hits
'em rather than block it.
-Also there was a rumour that you can chain a Phoenix Fang Arrow at the end of a
Phoenix Bomb (Jump, Dn+B - remember the rear-end attack?) Not confirmed but may
prove handy if it works.


-17- Endings with Athena:

-Psycho Soldier Team  (Athena Asamiya, Sie Kensou, Chin Gentsai)
They talk about the Orochi and how they'll be the only ones who can stop him if
he awakes from his sleep. Then they're interrupted by a girl in a wheelchair
wearing glasses who introduces herself as Kaoru Watabe. Athena remembers that
Kaoru was the fan who wrote to them and ended up encouraging them to enter the
KoF '97 tournament. Kaoru thanks them for the letter and the tickets, and Kensou
asks  "What tickets?".  Athena had sent Kaoru tickets to the Finals match and of
course Kaoru had fun cheering them on. Kaoru announces that she's been training
hard herself ever since she got out of the hospital and then attempts to walk.
However, she falls, and Kensou attempts to dash over to catch her but ends up
with his face in the dirt. Athena winds up catching her instead and, after
asking if each other are ok, they start laughing. Kensou then starts saying that
he'll "never be noticed. Sniff, boo hoo".

-Old Hero Team  (Athena Asamiya, Ralf Jones, Clark Steel)
Ralf and Clark are seen as Ikari Warriors... shirtless and with guns. They say
"Mission accomplished!" and other such things. A strange-looking Athena is
looking at her body and says "This is... me?"  A weird-looking Kensou is seen in
the background saying "Have you forgotten...?"


-18- Credits:

Takuma's Kof '97 page:
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Lair/7454/index.html
For a quick overview of Athena's move commands (just to check if I had them
right).
Takuma: [email protected]

Kao Megura's Kof '97 Faq:
His homepage disappeared recently but you can get this FAQ at just about every
Kof '97 site.
For the miscellaneous information on Athena.
Kao Megura: [email protected]

Matt Hall:
For the endings.
Matt Hall: [email protected] / [email protected]


And that's the end of it all! Phew!

Comments, corrections, additions and the like are welcome. Please note that this
FAQ may be distributed freely as it is without manipulations. Any information on
this FAQ may be taken but the consequent credit must be implied.

"Technological progress is like an axe in the hands of a pathological criminal"
- Albert Einstein (as if he knew anything :)

Lump (Kyo Kusanagi, Athena Asamiya, Benimaru Nikaido) -> No Iori ?!?! Athena is
more fun to use :)
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