2k2 - Leona (Orochi) Heindern

[Archedgar]

Old Leona information

Leona (Orochi) Heidern, Orochi in the middle because she was 'technically' Orochi before she became a Heidern.

Anyway, just to kick things off, if I had to make SPECIFIC tier listings, I would say that it goes something like this:

1-Athena
2-Choi
3-Billy Kane
4-Leona
5-Vannessa

While the others are subject to debate as to order, it is near undisputable that Leona is definitely one of the higher tier characters, due to her solid air game, great ground game(low pokes, overhead, projectile(sort of), *INSANE* combos for her type of gameplay), she lacks nothing and has a lot left over from certain areas(range?!).

While Choi lacks defense, Billy Kane lacks offense and Athena lacks in general comboability with her moves, Leona has none of these problems...


Anyway, Leona has no standard combo, no 'typical' bread and butter 'one' to pull off constantly. She can do near 100%(near), starting from a stand D, it depends on your stocks and if you want to lose health(riot of blood mode).

Her basic poke combo is :

-Crouch B, crouch A, down-up A(or C I suppose)

It does more damage than it would seem, especially in riot of blood mode.

An impressive fact that I just learned today is, that Leona can link her V-slasher from her jump A which is pretty quick to come out , which is good to surprise enemies, I'm certain we *all* know that she can link the V-slasher from her jump C/D, and if you didn't, well , now you know


While Leona has some lovely combos and great low attacks which are 'exentuated' by her knock down overhead kick, her game mainly consists of poking and zoning.

It is worth mentioning that in 2002, V-Slasher will outright defeat ALL aerial attacks, at least every single one that I've seen. Making it, hands down, the best air to air 'move' in the game.


Riot of Blood mode activation is "u,d,u,d,u,d + BD"(for short). This mode automatically drains half of your health, BUT, it removes your 'attack' recovery, in the same way that max mode activation does, thus this allows you to further 'continue' some combos.

Riot of Blood leona, while being the fastest character in the game, does not possess as much power as one might imagine, it is not advisable, you lose your ability to high jump, thus, losing a lot of V-slasher opportunities, and of course, the health thing.


Leona is high tier, due to her great zoning abilities, arguably overpowered V-slasher priority, lovely pokes and (arguably again) 'broken' combos, truly, unlike Athena, Billy Kane and Choi, she lacks nothing.

Discuss Leona !

[Empyrian]

First time, in riot mode which takes half of your current life, you gain speed not damage.

B_F A is a great move.

Leona is a turtle character.

While V-slasher is the best air move, it does not beat all aerial attacks. It loses to air slams and Vice's HSDM.

[Archedgar]

I'm pretty sure Leona gains a bit of damage after rioting.

Her V-slasher probably 'does' lose against Vice's HSDM, however, if you read CLOSELY, I said 'attacks', a command throw is technically *not* included in that.

My point, once again, still stands, V-slasher, basically overruns any attack in the air, and truly, most attacks on ground as well. It seems to have insane priority and possible invincibility.

[shen_vs_galford]

Orochi mode jumping and backsteping does confuse your opponent a lot. PLus her HSDM can be accessed, which can underrun projectiles.

Orochi mode only if you have elss than 1/3 health.

PLus i like how she screams in it so :razz:

[kaijin]

I'm assuming we all know that Leona can combo her V-Slasher from charge b, f+C.

It's been a while since i've annotated KOF moves so excusev my error if i did make a mistake.

[ken_garou]

First time, in riot mode which takes half of your current life, you gain speed not damage.

B_F A is a great move.

Leona is a turtle character.

While V-slasher is the best air move, it does not beat all aerial attacks. It loses to air slams and Vice's HSDM.

And also, her V-slasher move loses to Kusanagi's C due to his autoguard.

[Kain]

Why would someone use d - u +A when C has better range and pushes the opponent away... towards the corner? *laughs maniacally*

For some odd and stupid reason I cannot use her c.C as an effective anti-air as other c.Cs. WTF?! But good players can and should use this instead of Moon Slasher, especially A version.

Leona also has a great throw which cannot be recovery rolled from, giving her enough space to use her earring bomb (qcb+B, which must be blocked low. I have still to find a good use for D version).

Now, a question. Exactly how do you use that annoying backwards hop C that serves as a weird overhead? I don't know if it's the distance or the timing but I end missing entirely or worse, using her Moon Lasher.

[orochan]

leona is much better on offense rather than defense, she's won me two tournaments down here by herself

the ability to get the vslasher out at any time is extremely handy, especially after a C baltic launcher or jump D

combos ending in her moon slasher chop away at health bars too...

plus shes gorgeous.

i miss her

[G-Product]

Baltic Launcher (A) seems pretty good on wake-up after a mid-screen knock down.

Also you can juggle after her Grand Sabre in the corner. In case ya didnt know

All about the hyper-hop with her. Hyper-Hop D is your friend

Standing CD, Grenade (B) is good. The grenade should connect once they fully recover. Givin them almost no choice but to block unless they quick recover or have like 1 frame start-up super with invincibility

But I cannot link cr. A from cr. B at all what so ever. But I can in every other game. so uh WTF

Crouching B/Crouching D/Crouching A all great pokes. So is Grand Sabre. And could u say jumping D is a poke . Though I cannot do her Gliding Buster, SC, V-Slasher but I can in everything else

Aslo how does her MAX 2 work. Can u only do it in Riot Mode or what? I cant do it 4 the life of me.

All combos worth mentioning

Cr. B, Cr. A, Moon Slash (C)
Standing close C/D (2 hits), Strike Arch, X-Calibur (A) (corner only)
Standing Close D (1 hit), + B, cr. D or do the above corner combo

with bar
Standing close D (1 hit), + B, standing close D (2 hits), Rebel Spark
Jumping D, V-Slasher
Standing close C/D (1 hit), + B, standing close C/D (2 hits), Strike Arch, V-Slasher (C)

[killer_iori]

hello i never seen someone use the leona tronsformation combos in versus match for funny or freeplay i think the combos is a little difficult to pull of but it possible to do it with easy way like this, first her bc combos super great damage
1- D(1hit),rdpK,D(2hit),BC, run ,D(2hit),fowardB, p or A+C (2 or 3 stock)
2- D(1hit),BC,D(1hit),rdpk, D(2hit),forwardB,qcf A+C (3 stock) if you do hit correctly the bomb will explose when the opponent fly in the sky for another damage is the combo i usually use because it's easier and do more damage than the 1- combo
and now the transformation of leona if you lifebare is full there no reason to do hit but it style fun
the hard way
1-D(1hit),rdpk,(up down)x2,D(1hit),up down B+D,then do
a) D(1hit),BC,run,D(2hit),fowardB, p or A+C (2 or 3 stock)
b) dwnB,dwnB,dwnA,up A or C
c) D(1hit),BC,run,D(2hit),qcb B+D (1/4 of life) hsdm 3stocks
d) anything else
personally i use a) version of this combos only if i have 3 stocks it does great damage and it so beautiful when you use it in versus or tourney it's one of the best and hard combos in the game because of the execution must be very fast.
the easy way
2-D, rdpk,(up down)x3,D(2hit),then B+D rapidly,down B,BC,small jump D,qcf p or A+C
i usually use it as soon as possible when i have 2 or 3 stock the esay way to pull of this combos instead of doing down B,BC,small jump D,qcf p or A+C i use down BC ,qcf up forward D, A or A+C
the trick is down BC coul execute a dwnB and activate the bc mode to and i prefer buffer the dm or sdm becauseit's easier than the small jump if you aren't very good for it that all i have to explain and leona is one of my favorite character like iori yagami