Combo List - Mileena Mileena Combo Thread (updated feb 2016)

[Sultani]

People are starting to figure out some things. When they do, you can't hit anyone.

Block everything low, stand up after a string in case it's cancelled. She needs a legit overhead starter... not because U4 was good in MK9, but because every single other character has one.

B12 in piercing has good range... but that one single tool isn't good enough to fix her gigantic other problems.

Her "mixup game" sucks. Mileena sucks. Switching to Sonya.

 

[Glaga]

People are starting to figure out some things. When they do, you can't hit anyone.

Block everything low, stand up after a string in case it's cancelled. She needs a legit overhead starter... not because U4 was good in MK9, but because every single other character has one.

B12 in piercing has good range... but that one single tool isn't good enough to fix her gigantic other problems.

Her "mixup game" sucks. Mileena sucks. Switching to Sonya.

Awh. Well, it was mighty nice of you to create this thread. It was nice having you!
I guess this also means we need a new combo thread.

 

[Rapid99]

Awh. Well, it was mighty nice of you to create this thread. It was nice having you!
I guess this also means we need a new combo thread.

If all you folks don't mind waiting a day or two I'll likely be starting up a mish-mash hybrid thread of "Mileena Combo building / Where to start with Mileena" in order to give people trying out Mileena a good go-to for the basics - but it should full-fill our needs if this thread tanks.

People are starting to figure out some things. When they do, you can't hit anyone.

Block everything low, stand up after a string in case it's cancelled. She needs a legit overhead starter... not because U4 was good in MK9, but because every single other character has one.

B12 in piercing has good range... but that one single tool isn't good enough to fix her gigantic other problems.

Her "mixup game" sucks. Mileena sucks. Switching to Sonya.

Also farewell Sultani. The thread has been great so far, it's a pity you couldn't be with us longer but I wish you luck in your escapades with Sonya.

Hope you'll always remember that even though you were seduced by Sonya's lovely overheads - Mileena will always be JUST AS PRETTY =)

 

[TheGabStandard]

People are starting to figure out some things. When they do, you can't hit anyone.

Block everything low, stand up after a string in case it's cancelled. She needs a legit overhead starter... not because U4 was good in MK9, but because every single other character has one.

B12 in piercing has good range... but that one single tool isn't good enough to fix her gigantic other problems.

Her "mixup game" sucks. Mileena sucks. Switching to Sonya.

Shame but completely understandable. A few of my friends have figured out the "mixup" game and its hard to get combos again without focus on whiff punishing. An decent speed overhead that didn't need meter would be nice but such is life. Thanks for for contribution to the character though, I'm sure your work has definitely helped a lot of people picking up the character.

 

[Sultani]

Lol im not dying. Im just maining someone else.

 

[Johnny San]

For those not satisfied with her mix-up game, there's a little something called Ravenous which has a deceptively long overhead. It's not easy as I've been playing this variation since day 1, but it works wonders in the neutral. Also some deceptive cancels off certain strings.

Just saiyijin.

 

[TheGabStandard]

Lol im not dying. Im just maining someone else.

Lol true, I think its just some of us showing gratitude since you started the thread and your info has been put to good use.

For those not satisfied with her mix-up game, there's a little something called Ravenous which has a deceptively long overhead. It's not easy as I've been playing this variation since day 1, but it works wonders in the neutral. Also some deceptive cancels off certain strings.

Just saiyijin.

Ravenous is the only variation I haven't touched but going to start tonight

 

[The Bearded Dan]

She needs a legit overhead starter... not because U4 was good in MK9, but because every single other character has one.
.

Kitana says Hi

 

[NotKaiten]

It's weird bc Im planning on sticking with Mileena at least for awhile but my friend mains Sonya. I always tell him "Mileena doesnt have any mixups bc Sonya took them all. Do I block the high? Low? Low then high? Oh wait I got command grabbed. GGs"

 

[Sultani]

OP is updated with some specific notes about string usefulness and properties of specials. Metered combos are indicated and bolded, and are moved to the bottom of the combo list per variation.

I hope I captured everything, the OP is pretty comprehensive of everything that's in this thread right now. check it out.

 

[Saboteur-6]

They said the same thing about Harley Quinn too. Mileena just isn't a 50/50 rushdown character. She's hybrid like Harley except Mileena has the telekick punish from anywhere on the screen. .

 

[1man3letters]

They said the same thing about Harley Quinn too. Mileena just isn't a 50/50 rushdown character. She's hybrid like Harley except Mileena has the telekick punish from anywhere on the screen. .

yea but thing about that is telekick is currently ass in mkx.
hit them with normal telekick and mileena is put in a defensive guessing game cause it minus on hit.
and ex telekick doesnt work alot of the time with the 1st hit hitting and the rest of the move whiffing, have over a dozen clips of this saved that i was going to make a video with (it has happened WAAAAY more than that but there the ones i bothered to save)

 

[Sultani]

She doesnt need to be a "50/50 character."

The reality is that very few true 50/50 setups exist in this game. Mixup starters aren't 50/50s.

Mileena has neither. Block everything low and stand up after a string. Thats as far as her "mixup" game goes. Characters that actually have 50/50s... cassie but only after landed ex nut punch, erron black, quan chi, sonya, and kung jin. Kung jins is safe. Thats not ok.

Outside of that, people are calling things 50/50s that arent.

 

[Saboteur-6]

Look call it what you want but I recall a similar conversation about Harley's playstyle and mix-up options towards the beginning of Injustice and look what Saltface, Kitana Prime, and others did with her. Mileena is a gimmicky character.

 

[NotKaiten]

snip

Same damage and pretty much the same combo except I switched out neutral 4 for B12. I mean, she has sais, you're playing the piercing variant and the last move she does is called Sadistic Ways. Why would you kick instead of stabby stabby?

njP TK xx Air Sai D2 (side switch) B12 xx Roll (side switch) walk forward B21 2+4

EDIT: "A 'true 50/50' is used to describe a mix-up in which the defender must guess and commit to one option, without any way to determine which option the opponent will choose and react accordingly."..wait when you say mixup starters aren't 50/50s do you mean like the "21" part of 21U4 isnt a 50/50 or do you mean something meaty low/high on wakeup isnt a 50/50? Cuz I thought you meant the latter isnt a 50/50 but after re-reading it I think I misinterpreted your post.

 

[Sultani]

I meant that any time you have more options than guessing high or low its not a 50/50. But yes, i meant that tons of people are calling high and low combo starters 50/50s and its frustrating... because standing there and guessing is almost never the only choices you have.

you could call 21 a 50/50 because she can cancel it into low sai or u4 i guess, but theres no reason at all not to just block the first two hits and stand up, because if u4 is used, full punish. If low sai is used and it hits, -8, full punish. If its blocked, full punish.

There is no reason outside of f3 (which doesnt need to be blocked ever actually) to not just block lowcand then stand up after the string. She has no mixups. She has no 50/50.

She sucks.

Edit: in ravenous she gets 50/50s. saw johnny san post. Assumed he was going to mention that.

 

[Johnny San]

She sucks.

So this is what Mileena discussion has devolved to. Lack of 50/50s (which isn't even true) equates to a shitty character. What's wrong with the Mileena community?

 

[Sultani]

So this is what Mileena discussion has devolved to. Lack of 50/50s (which isn't even true) equates to a shitty character. What's wrong with the Mileena community?

No. Lack of 50/50s AND complete and utter lack of even a single mixup with zero ways to open anyone up ever makes a shitty character.

On a block string you can get your high or low pounce in ravenous which is the exception, but it is what it is. Every option she has outside of high orlow pounce is defended and punished exactly the same way.

The very first thing I said was that she doesn't need to be a 50/50 character, so i have no idea how you interpreted what i said that way. I just want her to have one mixup.

I hope someone finds something where magically she gets a real overhead starter, but short of taking 20 frames off the start up of f3 i just dont see it.

Have fun with mileena, but i think im done with her.

 

[Afrodisiaque]

People should use grabs more, grabs are so good in this game it's ridiculous. Just this makes it enough to have a good mix up game.

I play Ravenous and I think the best thing to do is trying to punish the opponent thanks to her roll and you combo into her ravenous command grab. She does a lot of damage meterless like 37% easy which I think is why she doesnt have good overheads starters kinda like kitana.

She is also pretty good against zoners with her ex tele kick into combos. Her best overhead is her EX roll which is pretty good as a reversal and also as a mix up into a combo.

I think she has potential, the game is still pretty new =).

 

[Johnny San]

zero ways to open anyone up

This is where you lose me. It's like you disregard mixups because their unsafe on block or don't grant 30+%. You're disregarding grabs. You're disregarding the neutral game. You initially disregarded an entire variation. I'm not sure why. But it looks like you've made up your mind. Adios.

 

[Rapid99]

I meant that any time you have more options than guessing high or low its not a 50/50. But yes, i meant that tons of people are calling high and low combo starters 50/50s and its frustrating... because standing there and guessing is almost never the only choices you have.

you could call 21 a 50/50 because she can cancel it into low sai or u4 i guess, but theres no reason at all not to just block the first two hits and stand up, because if u4 is used, full punish. If low sai is used and it hits, -8, full punish. If its blocked, full punish.

There is no reason outside of f3 (which doesnt need to be blocked ever actually) to not just block lowcand then stand up after the string. She has no mixups. She has no 50/50.

She sucks.

Edit: in ravenous she gets 50/50s. saw johnny san post. Assumed he was going to mention that.

While this is kind of like a band-aid on an amputated limb...

I'm finding that sometimes instead of going low-overhead in strings with exRoll (2,1, exRoll for example) if I'm playing one of those people that is obviously just sitting there thinking to themselves "I can just block everything low and stand-up after every string" sometimes I like cancelling into exRoll early instead of the low hit.

I'm fully aware this is far from full proof and is reliant on having meter but even if your opponent recognizes the 21 or the f12b4 etc. if you have meter they do have to make the choice between crouching for the low hit they know is coming or stay standing by predicting you cancelling into overhead early.

 

[NotKaiten]

I agree that her lack of mixups affects her tier wise pretty badly. As she is right now her Piercing variation will not be a 50/50 character unless there's some magical glitch where ending a kombo a certain way or running into F3 causes it to come out faster. That said tho, she does have legit 50/50s. Even if Low Sai is unsafe on hit, it's still a 50/50. Yes, there's no reason to block low bc it's unsafe on hit but if the opponent is on that last bit of life, that 6% low seems just as risky as the 6% OH because either can kill you. Or she could blow a meter and do EX Sai which will do more damage on hit and puts her at +3. She also has the option to meter burn a throw and make you guess F4 or EX Roll and both combos do 27% or more.

Before you reply, trust me I understand that all these are terrible 50/50s (low rewards and/or meter heavy) but they are 50/50s. Nonetheless, I feel like she's meant to be more of a reaction based character which means people are gonna have to work hard for her wins.

 

[TakeAChance]

Strings your opponent CAN'T Crouch low than overhead.

F124 (ends in low, hit confirmable, cancel frames) = The opponent has to guess between Ex Ball and the low. Both unseeable.

2~Ex Ball or 21~ball or 21u4
B2~Ex Ball or B21~ball

Those are situations where it's literally a blind guess.

Hell, if they wanted to make her a better mixup character, make her low sai + on hit.

12 is a godlike block pressure string to. 12 is 0 on block which makes it great for tick throws.

I have frustrated a lot of people by doing 12 throw, 12 d3, and 123. All of which are safe.

 

[Rapid99]

I agree that her lack of mixups affects her tier wise pretty badly. As she is right now her Piercing variation will not be a 50/50 character unless there's some magical glitch where ending a kombo a certain way or running into F3 causes it to come out faster. That said tho, she does have legit 50/50s. Even if Low Sai is unsafe on hit, it's still a 50/50. Yes, there's no reason to block low bc it's unsafe on hit but if the opponent is on that last bit of life, that 6% low seems just as risky as the 6% OH because either can kill you. Or she could blow a meter and do EX Sai which will do more damage on hit and puts her at +3. She also has the option to meter burn a throw and make you guess F4 or EX Roll and both combos do 27% or more.

Before you reply, trust me I understand that all these are terrible 50/50s (low rewards and/or meter heavy) but they are 50/50s. Nonetheless, I feel like she's meant to be more of a reaction based character which means people are gonna have to work hard for her wins.

A lot of this resonates with my experience with her as well.

I've have encountered lots of the "she has no way of opening people up" argument but often when pressed as to why it's difficult to open people up the conversation always comes back to "muh 50/50".

Mileena isn't a 50/50 character in the way that the most popular characters are right now but she does have the capacity to force a high/low block guess situation and with a single bar of meter she has access to a passable mix-up game and an awesome armor/punish ex.

Outside of the 50/50 IS EVERYTHING meta Mileenas standard strings are little on the slow side but tend to have ok reach for how 'moderately' quick they are. It helps her a lot that so many things cancel into xxRoll which is really quick to start up and not only leads to decent damage but people have to respect the Roll if they want to punish you with slower strings. If you're not too predictable with it it's a massive range punish that comes out really fast.

I may be being harsh here but sometimes I feel like if you were going by the hearsay opinion floating around these days you would think that in order to be viable a character has to have access to a range of quick start-up, meterless 50/50 strings that give you advantage on block.

 

[Sultani]

This is where you lose me. It's like you disregard mixups because their unsafe on block or don't grant 30+%. You're disregarding grabs. You're disregarding the neutral game. You initially disregarded an entire variation. I'm not sure why. But it looks like you've made up your mind. Adios.

No. I disregarded mixups because i was convinced that there arent any.

There are options i didnt even consider Though... i mean, its not like its written in stone that you have to do an entire string before you cancel it.. things like 2 ex roll or 21 roll are viable where you cant just block low then stand up.

Kinda invalidates my entire argument. Lol