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Strategy Harley Quinn : S.W.O.T. Analysis & All Match-Ups.

ESP_-Mystique

Misanthropic Persona

S.W.O.T. Analysis

Updated from August 1 , 2013. - January 20 , 2014


Credit Goes To Master Weedoshi for the Graphic.

The strengths and weaknesses are for the opposition , the opportunities and threats are for Harley Quinn. If you're not interested In Harley Quinn , then you're crazy .. no, but really, the match-up analysis is at the bottom.

I main Doomsday , Harley Quinn and Lobo. Need anything in specific , ask me.
✌I did this offline , not online.

So whatever idiosyncrasies you notice , it doesn't pertain to online.

The DLC characters will have the own separate analysis at a later time.
This is a comprehensive study of Harley Quinn on a system called S.W.O.T. an acronym that
stands for : Strengths , Weaknesses , Opportunity , & Threats. If you are familiar with the NHK , then you know about this. I decided to do this because Match-up Charts and Tier Lists were becoming too vague , and I felt as if it really didn't explain anything. They weren't as informative as I thought they would be. This will be continuously updated because of all the variables and possibilities of Harley Quinn. Everything about Harley Quinn is magnificent and ambiguous. She is the Pandora of the DC Universe.

This is not a Tier List nor is this a Match-Up chart in conventional standards. This is an empirical , analysis of Harley Quinn and all the other cohorts of the DC universe. I am a reasonable man , so if you disagree with me , let's discuss it in a mature manner. I am only human after all. I do make mistakes. We can discuss any analysis you disagree with. I will entertain any thought. I started on this last year of August. I pieced it together bit by bit. Hopefully this will stimulate people and present new perspectives. This is not an opinion , it's an analysis. An empirical analysis. Practical , heuristic knowledge. I feel as this might be kind of rushed , and I could be possibly be neglecting something. If so , just let me know if something seems out of place. So with that , The Harley Quinn S.W.O.T. analysis.

Back Story:
Before her descent into madness, Dr. Harleen Quinzel was a promising psychiatrist assigned to Arkham Asylum, Gotham's home for the criminally insane. But after meeting the Joker, the young doctor became obsessed with the crazed criminal's warped mind. Sensing opportunity, the Joker manipulated her, driving his therapist so mad that he was able to control her. Harleen fell in love with the villain, broke him out of Arkham and devoted her life to making him happy and spreading his bloody brand of mayhem.
Athletic, agile and dangerously unpredictable in a fight, Harley Quinn is a formidable opponent in her own right. She is willing to do anything in order to further the Clown Prince of Crime's goals—no matter the cost to anyone else or even herself.

Synopsis:
Harley Quinn is considered to be a gadget character. But in many ways , she was designed to be atypical. Harley has a considerable amount of ways to frustrate her opponent. In close quarters , Harley is a force to be reckoned with.

Her Okizeme game is by far the best. She's has some of the better hit-confirms in the game and her F+ 3 is really good (especially when you MB it on your opponents wake-ups). Mix-ups and unpredictability is Harley's way of opening up her opponent. Incorporating Tantrum Stance and Silly Slide into her game-plan will help with the 50/50's.

She's also got a good semi-zoning game (it's not really zoning but it's more trapping without really trapping) , Silly Slide can be used to at the end of her combos for frame advantage and continuous pressure and mix-ups. When it comes to Harley zoning , your opponent will have to respect her. Well , at least the ones who zoning is weaker than hers.
DB + 2 (Pop Pop) is also a great way to an on-screen assist , or to create a Meaty set-up. You can also cancel it for pressure. The Meter Burn version allows Harley to move at her own will , to apply pressure. BF+ 2 (Cupcake Bomb) is decent as an anti-air , but is best at far distances , being it not safe on block. Harley can also use it to lock-down certain opponents. She is relatively safe on a lot of her normals. Her variety is what makes her dangerous.

When it comes to her being zoned , she can easily traverse 2/4 of the screen with silly slide xx Tantrum Stance , or she could just use Line Of Fire to nullify zoning , while inching in. Only to zoners who are weaker than hers. She is a ground based character with good horizontal transition. She has no air-dash , so her mobility isn't all that great. Nevertheless , she still has really good mobility. To compensate for her vertical space , she can change her air trajectory with Oopsy Daisy - DB + 1. Meter Burn to make it safe. She does have some invulnerability on her back dash and good recovery on her forward dash.
Harley Quinn struggles at full distance , because of her jump distance and height. So for characters like Death-Stroke , Sinestro , Aqua-man and Superman , it's best to apply pressure at all times and create as many cross-ups and mix-ups as possible. Stay with the oki's and meaty with these characters especially.

Wayne Manor's Great Room is Harley Quinn's best stage. Harley's second best stage would be Atlantis, only because of the bar that she can slide across to help against zoners. Basically any stages oriented for power characters need to be avoided , if possible.


Guide Nomenclature:

Neutral Jump or JIP

Jump In or 1

Jump In : 2

High Attack That Can Be Ducked: High (Abbreviated H)

High Attack That Can’t Be Ducked: Special High (Abbreviated Sp.H)

Medium Attack: Mid (aka Overhead, Abbreviated M)

Low Attack: Low (Abbreviated L)


Normals That Can Be Cancelled Into Specials For A Combo On The Ground: “Links”

Normals That Can Cancel Into Specials, But Will Not Combo On The Ground: “Cancellable”

Dash Forward: F

Dash Backward: B

Link Into: xx

Meter Burn: Meter Burn

Anti-Air: AA


Revolver Slap - 1 - A quick basic, normal with meager damage. decent in its linkings to: 1 , 1 - 1 , 1 , 2 - 1 - 1 , 2 , 3 .

Applicable as a filler , as well. This is her fastest normal , so you can use this to punish anything that requires +6 frames. But if wiffed while your opponent is ducking , then expect a punish. Advantage on block.


Type: High

Damage: 3.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 6
Recovery Frames: 11
Hit Advantage: 25
Block Advantage: 5


Revolver Slam - 2 - Causes a slight stagger on confirmation. Because of that , it's much simpler to link strings. Excellent frame advantage on block. Usable as a filler , which leads to three different strings. She moves forward some as well.

Type: Mid
Damage: 5.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 15
Recovery Frames: 14
Hit Advantage: 17
Block Advantage: 1


Spot Kick - 3 - Relatively a safe normal with a somewhat decent start-up. Except when linked into 3 , 3 , which has great advantage on confirmation , and can lead to a mix-up. Also can be canceled into Silly Slide , Tantrum Stance Cartwheel.

Type: Mid

Damage: 5.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 21
Recovery Frames: 23
Hit Advantage: 13
Block Advantage: 2


Gun Smack - B + 1 - A slight disadvantage on block. But isn't anything of much concern only to something +1 on start-up frames.(Hint) It has decent range and advances her forward.

Type: Mid
Damage: 5.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 19
Recovery Frames: 18
Hit Advantage: 16
Block Advantage: -4


Take Aim - B + 2 - Another normal where you are neutral on block. Links into B + 2 , 2. But in any case , this is her best normal. This is her best normal.

If conditioned , could lead to tick throws opportunities or the string B + 2, 2 . Also , this is another normal that can be canceled into Silly Slide; Tantrum Stance , Cartwheel. It's also good for frame advantage on recovery and block. It covers sweep distance which in case , if your playing grounded footies with someone , you can check their low guard.

Type: Low
Damage: 5.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 12
Recovery Frames: 28
Hit Advantage: 11
Block Advantage: 0


Harley Swing - B + 3 - Slow start-up but can be canceled by either dashing forward or backwards. can be charge by holding 3 .

Causes a wall bounce which leads to a string opportunity or mix-up. Can also be meter burned to add armor. Safe on block. Decent damage. Good range. Good for snuffing out wake-ups and anti-airing.

Type: Mid

Damage: 11.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 32
Recovery Frames: 29
Hit Advantage: 47
Block Advantage: 3


Ear Smash - F + 1 - Another normal with an animation that causes a slight stagger. Can be canceled into Silly Slide , Tantrum Stance. Decent range.

Type: High
Damage: 5.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 14
Recovery Frames: 16
Hit Advantage: 20
Block Advantage: 2


Overhead Bash: F + 2- An overhead normal with moderate start-up frames. This will be Harley's primary way of opening up her opponent in the mix-up game. Special cancel-able into Tantrum Stance, xx Silly Slide.

Type: Overhead

Damage: 7.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 27
Recovery Frames: 18
Hit Advantage: 17
Block Advantage: 3


Hammer Slam - F + 3- Slow Start-up , but with excellent advantage on hit. Causes a ground bounce and mix-up opportunity. Moderate recovery when wiffed. Excellent range that is an overhead , and armor can be added.

Type: Overhead
Damage: 11.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 39
Recovery Frames: 32
Hit Advantage: 59
Block Advantage: 1


Revolver Poke - D + 1 - A neutral counter-poke normal. This will be your go- to - punisher , which can be canceled into Tantrum Stance for a full combo.

Type: Mid
Damage: 2.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 7
Recovery Frames: 12
Hit Advantage: 16
Block Advantage: 0


Spinning Pistols - D + 2- Punishable on block. Launches opponent into the air on hit for follow-up damage. Suffers from damage scaling. Inconsistent as an Anti-air due to it being snuffed by anything faster than it. Completely punishable on block.

Type: Mid

Damage: 3.90%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 10
Recovery Frames: 24
Hit Advantage: 52
Block Advantage: -17


Single Shot - D + 3 - Causes a knock down on the opponent. A nice normal to stop pressure. But because of the recovery and hit , a cross-up is not an option.

Type: Low

Damage: 7.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 12
Recovery Frames: 30
Hit Advantage: 6
Block Advantage: -15


Naughty , Naughty - 1, 1 - A basic , safe normal string. Punishable with a normal of +1. But other than that , safe on block and linking. Cancel into Silly Slide for recovery or/and Tantrum Stance for mix-up or combo.

Type: Mid
Damage: 1.90%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 13
Recovery Frames: 18
Hit Advantage: 14
Block Advantage: -2


I Hope It Hurts - 1, 1, 2 - An all purpose , offensive string. Great for mind games and conditioning. A mix-up can be preform because to the fast recovery. Silly slide to continue pressure or bait a wake-up. F + 2 for an overhead mix-up or B + 2 , 2 . It also grants a free 3 , 3 This is character depended , so go in the lab and test it. It's also a frame trap.

Type: Mid
Damage: 8.80%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 24
Recovery Frames: 5
Hit Advantage: 47
Block Advantage: 21


Girl's Best Friend - 1, 2 - A decent string. A slight disadvantage on confirmation. Which makes it difficult to link this to anything else other than 3. Cancel into Tantrum Stance to make it more viable.

Type: Mid
Damage: 2.85%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 14
Recovery Frames: 14
Hit Advantage: -9
Block Advantage: 1


Rude Joke - 1, 2, 3- Relatively safe on block. Allows for the chance to create a mix-up or cross-up. It's best used in the corner.

Type: Mid
Damage: 4.51%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 25
Recovery Frames: 21
Hit Advantage: 44
Block Advantage: -5


Irresistible - B + 1, 2- This string on block is neutral , technically. A quick string that's capable of mixing up.

Type: Mid
Damage: 2.85%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 4
Recovery Frames: 15
Hit Advantage: 44
Block Advantage: -1


Let's Play - B + 1, 2, 1 - This is a really good string for pressure purposes and silly slide mix-ups. This is how most of her combos should be ending. It's quick and has good advantage on block. However , the last hit doesn't come out on block.

Type: Mid

Damage: 6.32%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 5
Recovery Frames: 25
Hit Advantage: 43
Block Advantage: 8


For Mistah J - F + 1, 3- Another string that's relatively punishable. Its starts with a high to an overhead , which gives you a free mix-up situation. A possible free Play Doctor on hit.

Type: High

Damage: 5.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 25
Recovery Frames: 23
Hit Advantage: 35
Block Advantage: -8


Miss Me - 2, B + 3 - Not to safe on block , but relatively a fast string. Causes a knock-down on your opponent for a cross-up opportunity.

Type: Low

Damage: 8.22%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 8
Recovery Frames: 26
Hit Advantage: 20
Block Advantage: -8


Hi Puddin - 2, D + 3- This string will be used mostly for pressure. Since you are neutral on block and can follow up with a move of your choice.

Type: Low

Damage: 8.22%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 14
Recovery Frames: 16
Hit Advantage: 33
Block Advantage: 0


Please to Meetcha - 2, U + 3 - This string will be a combo filler most of the time. It's punishable on block , so it's best not to use it to start combos.

Type: Mid

Damage: 6.65%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 16
Recovery Frames: 24
Hit Advantage: 47
Block Advantage: -8

He Loves Me - B + 2, 2 - This will be the starter for most of Harley Quinn's strings. It hits low-mid , which can be also cancelled into her specials. Its fast and safe on block. The second doesn't come out on block. Unclashable damage.


Type: Mid

Damage: 4.75%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 9
Recovery Frames: 29
Hit Advantage: 7
Block Advantage: 5


Don't Get Hurt - F + 2, 2 - The first hit is an overhead , so you can use this string to mix-up your opponent. But the combo itself , seems really impractical to use. The only use is the F+ 2 , overhead. The range on this string is good , too.

Type: Mid
Damage: 6.41%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 19
Recovery Frames: 17
Hit Advantage: 16
Block Advantage: -1


That's Cute - F + 2, 3 - This is another overhead , but with a weird mid-launcher finisher. Great on hit for mix-ups or cross-ups.

Type: Mid

Damage: 6.65%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 6
Recovery Frames: 23
Hit Advantage: 65
Block Advantage: 12


Lolliepops - 3, 3 - Special cancelable. To be honest , I don't see to much use for this string outside of anything. It's safe on block and can be followed up.

Type: Mid

Damage: 8.50%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 14
Recovery Frames: 19
Hit Advantage: 26
Block Advantage: 8


Side Kick - 1 - This is a great attack for preemptive Anti-Airs purposes and cross-ups.

Type: Overhead
Damage: 5.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 5
Recovery Frames: 12
Hit Advantage: 5

Block Advantage: -7


Double Kick - 2 - This could possibly be Harley Quinn's best attack. It covers a great range and has a sizeable hit-box. Great for Anti-Air as well. I prefer this for the main uses of cross-ups.

Type: Overhead
Damage: 7.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 6
Recovery Frames: 14
Hit Advantage: 18
Block Advantage: -3


Double Stomp - 3 - Causes a knock down. Does decent damage. But her 2 is best for any situation. The hitbox on this attack is at an slant , so this might cause it to whiff.

Type: Overhead

Damage: 11.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 8
Recovery Frames: 8
Hit Advantage: 8
Block Advantage: 8


Pop Pop - DB + 2- A projectile with slow start-up frames and in general, unsafe. It's best used at full-screen. This special can also create a Meaty or in buy you time. Also , it is a good Okizeme. This special is also dash cancelable. The meter burn version is great. It cancels the recovery time so you can go in for a mix-up.

Since it travels at a slow rate when held , opponents will have to time their jump , or be clipped in the process. When held at length , it is an 11.00% Unblock-able.

Type: Mid
Damage: 5.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 33/0
Recovery Frames: -149/-183
Hit Advantage: 4/42
Block Advantage: 1/0


Line Of Fire - DF + 1 - This is where most of her spacing will originate from , but the recovery is abysmal. It's good on block but it can still be punished up close , because of how long it's takes for it to return to a neutral state. It's not the fastest of projectiles , so use it sparingly. If you need a chip out , then this will since she can loop it.

Type: High

Damage: 4.00%/5.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 21/23
Recovery Frames: -185/-180
Hit Advantage: 26/19
Block Advantage: 3/8


Heads Up - DB + 1 - A decent anti-air special. The range on this special though , suffers. You have to be somewhat close in order to achieve anything. (Mid-range) Characters like Hawk-Girl would be a nightmare for Harley Quinn , since she would be out of range with this particular special , or just have anything faster. But she has other way to deal with aerial assaults.

Type: High

Damage: 4.00%/5.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 23/22
Recovery Frames: -187/-175
Hit Advantage: 26/14
Block Advantage: 5/3


(Air) Oopsy Daisy - DB + 1 - A single , aerial shot mid-air. This special is good for Meaties and Okizeme to stay at an advantage when your opponent is in a knock down state.

Type: Mid

Damage: 4.00%/5.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 11/5
Recovery Frames: 32/27
Hit Advantage: 5/11
Block Advantage: -25/-3


Cupcake Bomb - B F + 2 - More or less , a better option to anti-air.(Normal or Meter Burn Version). It's relatively safe at a distance and is throw at an arch. Use this to check your opponent at a distant.

Type: Overhead

Damage: 9.00%/12.80
---------------
Start-up Frames: 21/5
Recovery Frames: 15/-9
Hit Advantage: 26/67
Block Advantage: 12/29


Play Doctor - DBF + 1 - A command grab. It's only useful in a few combos and scales at the end. Meter burn it to add on guaranteed damage. Punishable when whiffed. On wake-up , it does have some invincibility frames. Also it leaves your opponent standing to continue your pressure , or to prevent wake-ups.

Type: Throw


Damage: 10.00%/16.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 14/0
Recovery Frames: 27/104
Hit Advantage: 0/0
Block Advantage: 0/0


Silly Slide - BF + 3 - Harley Quinn's mobility is most depended on this special , but at a cost. It has 31 frames of recovery , which leaves her vulnerable. Most zoners will be able to punish her. It does have some invincibility frames. Most of her normals and special can be canceled from this.

I feel as if this is a situational special. You can cross-up your opponent in the corner , and you can keep the pressure on after spacing. Best not to use this recklessly.

Type: Movement

Damage: 0.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 0
Recovery Frames: 31
Hit Advantage: 0
Block Advantage: 0


Tantrum Stance - DF + 3 - Her best special attack. This special has full invincibility frames on wake-up. It's quick and it hits low. This is part of her 50/50 game.

Type: Low

Damage: 5.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 19
Recovery Frames: 91
Hit Advantage: -225
Block Advantage: -153


Tantrum Stance - Forward Cartwheel: 1 - Fairly safe on block. Can be punished by specific characters. Wake-ups like Lex's Corps Charge , which is the fastest wake-up in the game , could snuff this on block. Other than that , this will be her main way to go into B + 3 .

Type: Mid


Damage: 2.90%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 17
Recovery Frames: 22
Hit Advantage: 61
Block Advantage: -7


Tantrum Stance - Hand Stand: 2 - This is really good for the high/low mix-up game. Punishable on block.

Type: Low

Damage: 5.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 19
Recovery Frames: 33
Hit Advantage: 5
Block Advantage: -16


Tantrum Stance - Bullet Frenzy: 3- A good way to deceive your into thinking you are going to Cartwheel 1 . There is no way to follow up on this , because of Harley's recovery frames. But you and your opponent will both be at neutral on stand. Best to delay it so you won't get punished on bock. So B + 2, 2 to mix it up.

Type: Mid

Damage: 7.24%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 19
Recovery Frames: 47
Hit Advantage: 0
Block Advantage: -23


Stance - Forward Somersault: F - A great way to traverse more on after Tantrum Stance. Harley will be vulnerable as she rolls forward.

Type: N/A

Damage: 0.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 0
Recovery Frames: 31
Hit Advantage: 0
Block Advantage: 0

Stance - Backward Somersault: B - For retreat purposes. Like with the forward roll , she will be vulnerable to attacks on the roll.


Type: N/A

Damage: 0.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 0
Recovery Frames: 60
Hit Advantage: N/A
Block Advantage: N/A




Mallet Bomb:
+
-
This is a full-screen Super Move. Doesn't suffer to much from scaling. Can follow with a combo afterwards.


Type: Mid

Damage: 35.41%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 15
Recovery Frames: 3
Hit Advantage: 43
Block Advantage: -46


Bag-O-Tricks: 4

Befitting of Harley’s fractured psyche and reliance on gimmicky gadgets to defeat opponents. Her Character Power is a random sampling of various odds and ends that can heal, harm or buff. Yeah , so , this is more of a taunt to me. Extremely situational.

Mr.J: 4

A framed picture of Harley’s cherished Mr. J boosts her damage output for a short time.

TNT: 4

Type: Unblockable


Damage: 15.00%
---------------
Start-up Frames: 0
Recovery Frames: 45
Hit Advantage: 18
Block Advantage: 0

Ivy's Flower: 4


A gift from Poison Ivy, this potent flower will heal a small amount of damage over time.



Combos Guild:
Practical combo starters:

B + 2, 2 Into Tantrum Stance D B + 3 , Cartwheel 1 , Follow-up. - This string is quick and is completely safe on block.

F + 2 Into Tantrum Stance DB + 3 , Follow-up. - This string strikes overhead , which allows you to create mix-ups. Utilize B + 2 with F + 2 to accomplish this.

D + 2 Into Tantrum Stance Cartwheel 1 , Follow-up. - Harley's fastest poke. Most Idea for punishing attacks at close range.

Silly Slide , BF + 3 , Into Tantrum Stance , DB + 3 , Cross Screen Carry. - This allows Harley Quinn to move across 3/4 of the screen in an instant.
Practical Combo Enders:

F + 1 , 3 Dash - This bounces the opponent and creates time to set-up pressure.

B + 1 , 2 , 1 , Into BF + 3 - This ender leaves you next to the opponent , which gives you time to set-up anything.

B + 1 , 2 , 1 , Into DF + 1 , followed by , BF + 3 - Damage variant. Does extra damage from gun shot , and sets opponent up at pointblank.

Mid-Screen Combos

Starter of choice Into DB + 3 , 1 Forward Jump 2 , F + 1 , 3- A possible 34% depending on string.

Starter of choice Into DB + 3 , 1 , Forward Jump 2 , B + 1 , 2 , 1 , cancelled to BF+ 3 - A possible 35& depending on string.

Starter of choice Into DB + 3 , 1 , B + 3 , Walk Forward , Jump Forward 2 , B + 1 ,

2 , 1 , cancelled into DF + 1 - A possible 41% depending on string.


1 , 2 , 3 - 2+ U 3- DB + 3 , 3 - 22%

2 , B + 3 - DB + 3 , 1 - B+ 3 - Jump 2 - DB + 1 - 26%
Corner Set-ups:

Starter of choice Into Tantrum Stance Cartwheel , 1 - F + 1 , 3 - F + 1 , 3 - A possible 37% depending on the string.

Starter of choice Into Tantrum Stance Cartwheel , 1 , Neutral Jump 2 , F + 1 , 3 - 1 , 1 , 2 cancelled into , BF + 3 - This is a reverse set-up for the corner. It's your choice on how you approach the situation. A possible 41% depending on the string.

Jump + 2 - 3 , DB + 3, 1 - 1 , 1 , 2 - Jump 2 , DB + 1 - 34%

Jump + 2 - 3 , DB + 3 , 1 - 1, 1, 2- DBF + 1 (Meter Burn)



Fuzzy Guard Set-up:

Jump In 2 , B + 2 , 2 , Tantrum Stance DB + 3 Into Cartwheel , 1 , Forward Jump 2 , B + 1 , 2. After knock down , follow up with another forward Jump 2 , B + 2 , 2

Jump In 2 , cancelled into DB + 1 for an overhead that creates another free jump in attempt on hit.

Jump In 2 , B + 2 , 2 , Tantrum Stance DB + 3 , Into Cartwheel 1 , Forward Jump 2 , F + 1 , 3 Ender into forward dash , Forward Jump 2 , B + 2 , 2 , Combo. - Fuzzy Guard Set-up.
Harley Quinn's Resets:

Tantrum Stance DB + 3 , Cartwheel 1 , B + 3 , F + 3 ( This has a strict timing). Your opponent will be in an neutral state. Think of it as a Tech Forced Stand.

Jump In 2 , B + 2 , 2 , Tantrum Stance DB + 3 , Into Cartwheel 1 , B + 3 , Jump in 2 , B + 1 , 2 , 1 , DF+ 1 Gunshot Ender , Into forward dash Tantrum Stance DB + 3 - This leads to a low reset.

Jump In 2 , B + 2 , 2 , Tantrum Stance DB + 3 , Into Cartwheel 1 , B + 3 , Jump In 2 , B + 1 , 2 , 1 , DF + 1 Gunshot Ender , F + 3 - This leads to an overhead , so its more like a 50/50.
Tricky Set-ups:
Jump In 2 , B + 2 , 2 , Tantrum Stance DB + 3 , Into Cartwheel 1 , Jump In 2 , 1 , BF + 3 - Silly Slide under , B + 2 , 2 ...
Punishment Options:

B + 2 , 2 Tantrum Stance Combo DB + 3 - This Punish is quick and is your best choice in range. Highest damage punish.

D + 1 , Tantrum Stance Combo DB + 3 - To punish quickly and effectively.

1 , 1 Tantrum Stance DB + 3 - Use this to be safe on block.

Throw - This is the easiest punish , useful for that place you and your opponent in a neutral state.
Harley's Defense: Zoning -

Harley's has the tools to zone most of the cast , but when it comes to the better zoners , she has to work hard for the win. Most of her projectiles aren't that great. , more or less , you should pester your opponent into wanting to get close. Her Pop Pop has slow start-up and recovery. You can cancel Pop Pop's recovery with a Meter burn to have a hit advantage. Pop Pop can also act as an slow-moving projectile when charged.

Her Line Or Fire is an alright way to nullify non-zoners or zoners who aren't that oriented for the design. The recover frames is not that great though , so make sure to space yourself , and meter burn if you have to. It's just for adding on damage.

Her Anti-Air , Heads Up , is not that significant of use. You are going to have to make reads , and time your shot to snuff your opponent. Range is an issues, as well. Characters like Superman will be able to zone her with no resistance from her Heads Up special. It has dismal recovery frames and should be used sparingly.

Oops-A-Daisy is an great special. You can use this for a few set-ups. On knock down , a meaty with this will give you a free option select: You can either Jump 2 ,
+ 2 , 2 for a Fuzzy Guard Set-Up or empty jump , throw.


Cupcake Bomb is a good way to control the horizontal ground. This special travels in an arch across the screen , so you can be punished if you are close. The meter burn version ground bounces and also has three cupcakes. Good for chip damage , too. You can also use Line Of Fire to add on damage after the meter burn version.

All and all , Harley is at best an average zoner. Use to agitate and bait your opponent into making mistakes.

Harley's Offense: Rushdown -

Harley's offense is where she shines. She is , if not , the best at the mix-up and cross-up game. Harley's B + 2 , 2 is quick and ambiguous. It also has deceptive range from sweep distance. Use it often mix-up your adversary. Harley's 1 , 1 , 2 is also great since it is safe on block. It's starts from her faster normal , so you can punish wiff attacks. Harley's B + 3 is her best option for armor and to snuff wake-ups. She has plenty of overheads and to augment that , is her Tantrum Stance DB + 3 Into BF+ 3 Silly Slide. Her Over-Bash F + 2 , leads the way after any combo ender. (Refer to Combo Enders Section) It's best not to become too predictable with Harley. So has a myriad of ways to mix-up her opponent. Predictability shouldn't be an issues if you do things right.


Practice and Execution

Harley is a Heavy - Execution character , practice makes perfect with her.

Not every tactic is created equal, and neither is every technique equally easy to perform. As in chess, the best defense is a good offense. An adversary who is pinned or being hit is an adversary who cannot retaliate. Don't come in with the goal of winning every game. To begin, you won't. And that's not the point, anyway. The point is to improve. Winning is a consequence. Losses are a chance to learn. Consider the levels of expertise:

Unconscious incompetence: The player isn't experienced enough to make an honest self-appraisal (and almost certainly overrates their abilities as a result)

Conscious incompetence: The player has now gained the experience to see their initial shortcomings.

Conscious competence: With practice and preparation, the player is much more comfortable and develops a sense of their own effectiveness, but diligence is required to stay focused.

Unconscious competence: Concepts are fully ingrained, muscle memory is established, and the process of thinking about what to do during a match is largely unconscious The key is to realize that every match is a chance to try new things and experience new situations, rather than to win at all costs every time.


Mix-ups , Set-Ups , Oki's , Etc

This is Harley Quinn's main strength.
Frequently, a player's strength is owed to not only their fighting game fundamentals, but also their set-ups and mix-ups. A well-crafted set-up sends your opponent a strong message: either guard or escape this set-up, or face a possible K.O. However, not all set-ups and mix-ups are created equal.

When crafting mix-ups, taking the easy road isn't necessarily the best choice. Take into account all the tools your character possesses so that you can make your set-up as tricky as possible, even if it requires more work and a higher level of execution than normal. Basic attacks and special moves that you might think have little use.

Punish your opponent for being human; that is,take advantage of the fact that a well-crafted set-up or well timed cross-up cannot be reacted to with human reflexes. Although anticipation often heightens a competitor's reaction time, adding extra "fluff" to a set-up can throw your opponent off, hampering their ability to react in time and causing them to question their instincts. In essence, the strongest set-ups are designed to punish your rival for being human.


Harley Quinn's Match-Ups: S.W.O.T -

Strengths , Weaknesses , Opportunities , Threats.

Superman Vs Harley Quinn

Superman is a versatile character , with great rush-down and zoning. He is a quite balanced character with mobility and a trait that amplifies his damage , and negates just about everything else. Superman at full-screen is a nightmare. His Laser are full-screen , and travel in a 20 or 25 degree arch trajectory. In the air about a 25 or 30 arch. This makes it's difficult to gain ground and momentum , but any good character with superior zoning can counter Superman's Recovery Frames. Superman's wake-ups options are really good and is always best baited. Superman block strings are good , as well. He can make himself safe , but there are gaps which you can interrupt.

What options do Harley Quinn have against Superman? This is Harley Quinn Worst Match-up. He has no real weaknesses. But he does have one that you could relatively exploit: Superman's Recovery Frames. All you have to do is avoid full-screen battle and maintain middle-ground and close quarters. Do not let Superman corner you either. Superman's F + 2 , 3 has good range and advances him forward. Push block to avoid getting jailed in or thrown(Especially in the corner). Or you could simply grab or back dash on superman's recovery to punish. (that's if he doesn't make it safe.) His only unsafe string - 1 , 1 , 2 Harley has a few strings that are faster than this , so act accordingly , and be on alert of the buffer.

Chicken block (relative to Injustice standards) your way in if you ever get pushed back. To be safe , be patient and take advantage of Superman's recovery on his Lasers. Duck Heat Zap , the chip damage is massive. Superman has really good strings , but his main ailment, he is one of many linear-straightforward characters. In other words - One Dimensional. His most damaging combos start from his Low Scoop , so be on the guard for that. If you go for the oki, it's best to bait a wake-up. The situation will most likely be 50/50 though. It's best to do a standing tech on Superman , or Harley's Play Doctor , to prevent this. Superman's Rising Grab and Low Scoop might hinder Harley's options in the corner. That's why it's always best to bait it.

Bat-Man Vs Harley Quinn

This is not a bad match-up for Harley , in a sense. The only threat is the obvious: Batman's Trait. Harley can zone Batman effectively , since Batman's standing grapple has slow start-up and is punishable on block. Just remember , some characters can duck Harley zoning. Batarang's aren't much of a threat ,either. Harley and Batman both have a strong ground and mix-up game. So Harley's advantage is at full-screen, pestering Batman. It's best not to jump to in often either, because of Harley's poor vertical space , and Sky Grapple and Scatter Bombs.

The best way to play this match-up , is to turtle or play the keep-away-game. But Batman's trait is the bane of Harley's existence. The bats can "lock-down" opponents after block strings. For example, Batman could use B + 1 , 1 , 2 xx trait, Jump, 2 , block-string. The risk/reward factor is always in Batman's favor. If opponent blocks - Batman gets free Jump 2 , followed by pressure, mix-ups, etc. If opponent jumps - Batman gets an anti-air combo. It also amplify his Footies. When it comes to close quarters , Batman has better normals and strings than Harley, so she has to depend on gimmicks up close. Fuzzy Guard set-ups after knock-down: Neutral Jump 2 , B + 2 , 2 , Oopsy Daisy (Meter Burn) for the Meaty. Baiting Batman will also benefit Harley , since Batman's BF + 3, is punishable on block.


What options do Harley Quinn have against Batman? Harley has the zoning advantage , while Batman has the ground advantage. Prioritize Harley's zoning to bait in Batman and frustrate him into making mistakes. Batman can be effectively zoned , but with tact. Watch for his Sky Grapple and Up Batarang, if you stay to the air. Push Block will help a lot in this match , to alleviate the pressure. Be patient. Batman has a double jump and glide , so be aware of his this , before you attempt to anti-air with Harley. Batman's trait: Mechanical Bats , is not as bothersome as it seems. The bat's have a loose-tracking , Harley could easily dodge them , depending on the situation.
Aqua-Man Vs Harley Quinn
This is not as a difficult match-up for Harley as popular opinion says it is.(but it still There is no point in attempting to zone Aqua-man. His anti-zoning is really good. He's all about space control , so Harley is going to have to overwhelm him with her pressure. Aqua-man is another character that is linear and straightforward in his design. The only threat in this match-up is his trait: Water Of Life.

There are ways to counter this: Starter of choice - or Jump in 2 , 2 + U 3 , B + 3 is a great way to counter this. Aqua-man has slow overheads , and not that many lows. You don't really have to much to fear from him, since his specials (Except for Water Shield) punishable on block. Aqua-man is really beginner friendly , he has no real options to deal with pressure (Oki's , Meaty , Etc). Of course, there is the Water Shied. I would say the best way to counter that is to bait it , then punish the recovery frames. But be careful of the meter burn version , which will put you at full-screen. This is where you don't want to be against Aqua-man.

Apply only constant pressure to Aqua-man. Harley's BF + 3 should only be used after Aqua-man's From The Deep. Mix-ups and Oki's to maintain your rush-down. You can duck Trident Toss. If you ever do get pushed full-screen , be patient and advance on his recovery. This will prove effective. Aqua-man's back dash is short , so stay in there with constant pressure. Don't jump against him unless its safe to. His D + 1 has good anti-air range.

What options do Harley Quinn have against Aqua-man? Aqua-man has a linear play-style. Aqua-man's combos seem to cater to maximum damage. There's no point in attempting to zone him , he dominate the ground. Aqua-man's Water Shield negates projectiles , but Harley doesn't need to zone him. Aqua-man has a lot of recovery on his strings and specials , which Harley can punish. His fastest low starter string is B + 1 , 2 , 3. Also , this goes for his overheads. They are slow , but he has the reach and range to compensate for that. Since Harley can change her trajectory in the air , pester Aqua-man from the air to stay in. Take advantage of his recovery frames and lack of mix-ups.

Black Adam Vs Harley Quinn
This is a difficult match-up for Harley Quinn simply , because , Black Adam space control and zoning is really good. This is a match that needs to be played patiently. Black Adam is a really predictable character , compared to Harley's unconventional style of play. He has no lows on his strings , so there is need to be on guard. Black Adam relies on footsies and good spacing to dominate. Apply constant pressure at all times. If you get pushed backed , be really patient and gain ground by edging ever so closely.

Keep Black Adam standing with Play Doctor and avoid knock-downs , if possible. He doesn't have the best wake-ups , but he has invincibility frames that could hinder Harley's pressure. So end combos with Harley's Play Doctor special. His trait is no threat to Harley. Don't focus to much on his Dive Kick either. Just make the read. It's punishable on block , but the meter burn isn't. His strings are safe on block , but can be back dashed for a punish. Unfortunately , Harley is to eccentric for that.

What options do Harley Quinn have against Black Adam? Black Adam zoning capabilities are unparalleled. There's no need for Harley to engage in a zoning war. Black Adam has good mobility as well , but is extremely predictable. With no type of lows , except is Lightning Strike. Lightning Strikes low , so it can be jumped , and is punishable on block. So when Harley is in with pressure , guard appropriately. Black Adam's Boot Stomp can easily be countered with Harley's B + 3 (Meter Burned.)

Bane Vs Harley Quinn
Okay , this match-up is really unorthodox. Bane is the bane of himself , ironically. Most of his strings and specials were designed to distance himself from his opponent. (Especially the meter burn versions) This makes him somewhat counter intuitive to himself. The only reason for this , I suppose , is for when he is in his de-buffed state. Bane is a high-risk , that needs to be played responsibly. He is depended on his Venom trait , and has no ranged projectiles. Bane is slow , while Harley is nimble and quick. (At least on the ground) Harley Quinn has a slight advantage in this battle. Only sight because of his armor on his specials and some normal's. After Bane's strings , back dash just in case , to avoid his command grab. Do it sparingly , in case he wiffs or do something unsafe.

If you zone , be prudent about it. Cupcake Bombs and Line of Fire will subdue Bane for a while , but once he Venom up , he will just armor through it. Loop Line of Fine to stop that. But be careful of Lv3 Venom , Bane phase through most projectiles in this state. You can counter Bane's Raging Charge with Harley's B + 3 , with good timing. But you will be taking a lot of chip damage. Bane has really good Oki's , because of his armor on Venom. But that only because of his Venom. If Bane gets in and knocks you down, it's best to tech roll back if you can , or wake-up. Better yet , back dash. Be careful of his command grab , It has a lot of range , but it isn't all that reliable. When playing against Bane with Harley , you are going to have to be patient. An aggressive Bane will make mistakes , and go low to open you up. Play attention to his Venom , be mindful of the armor specials , stay in the air with Oopsy daisy. Be cautious of the Venom Uppercut and Ring Slam.

What options do Harley Quinn have against Bane? Most of Bane's combo starters , start low. He doesn't have that many overhead starters or enders. Bane also lacks any real damaging combos. Thus , Venom trait. Just play attention to his Venom. Also , If you connect a BnB on Bane , you can Tantrum Stance roll forward to avoid wake-ups. Or use Harley's Play Doctor to keep Bane on the Defensive. Most Bane's will stack Venom one at a time , to delay the debuff. But once Lv3 is in effect , this is where Bane will become impatient. Which emphasizes Harley's ability to counter mistakes. Harley's mix-ups are really good in this match-up , since Bane is a Hit-And-Run type of character.

Cat-Woman Vs Harley Quinn
This match-up is like sandpaper grinding against each other. This is quite even in comparison. They're both good at the mix-up game and 50/50's. Harley has the advantage when it comes to projectiles ; Cat-woman can evade , but only to a certain extent. If you zone , be cautious about it. Cat-woman's Cat Dash can instantly close the distance gap between her and Harley Quinn. Cat-woman has a lot of options for mix-ups , a lot more than Harley , and even more versatility. It's best to take advantage of Harley's D+ 1 or 1 to counter her block strings and specials and punish. Cat-woman's strings are pretty much safe on block. But for her to get any real damage , meter is required. She has serious variety , really.

What options do Harley Quinn have against Cat-woman? Cat-woman is awesome.
but if you can bait her specials out , this will be your opportunity to start Harley's mix-up game. Since her specials are unsafe on block. Harley most definitely will have to control the pace of this match. While at the same time , baiting out her special. So zone her , and make her come to you.
Cyborg Vs Harley Quinn
Cyborg is going to turtle and play the Keep - Away - Game. It's best not to go at him full-screen with Harley. Although you can. Constant pressure and mix-ups are going to be crucial in this fight. Once you get in , be weary of his wake-up , and control the pace of the match. Cyborg will attempt to change the course of the match with his Grapple. It has a lot of recovery frames , so if he attempts to come in , punish with Heads Up. If Cyborg retreat , stay with him. Use Harley's Cupcake Bombs to keep him at bay. Once Harley get's in , Start using Oopsy Daisy (Meter Burn to make it safe) , to take advantage of Cyborgs lack of anti-airs.

Also , Cyborg doesn't do to well with Jump ins , Harley's Jump In 2 ; especially combined with the fuzzy guard , will cause havoc for Cyborg. If you manage to get Cyborg in the corner with Harley , be aware of his Up- Sonic Disruptor and his grapple. Don't become to reckless though , his Techno Tackle is an unblock-able , and has invincibility on wake-up. Cyborg has decent mobility and can dash cancel from his Nova Blaster , which he can seemingly appear to be gliding. It will still be best to pressure him and mix him up.

What options do Harley Quinn have against Cyborg?

Death-Stroke Vs Harley Quinn
This is not a too , difficult match-up for Harley. The same tools which make him effective , is the same tools which make him vulnerable. Death-Stroke's main weakness is his recovery frames on his specials. Death-Stroke's space control is really good. He can most definitely out-zone Harley to death. If you ever get into that situation with Death-Stroke , crouch block and be patient. Harley can BF + 3 in , to gain ground , prior to his recovery. All you have to do is block appropriately. Don't attempt to jump in - meter burn Cupcake Bomb to apply your own pressure.

In close quarters , be careful of his mix-up game. He only has two lows , but most of his damage will start from there. Death-Stroke's Jumping 3 is tricky , but don't let it deceive you. Be patient and pay attention to his trajectory and angle. This is something else that is detrimental to Death-Stroke , his overhead strings do not lead into combos. This makes him predictable , in a sense. Since you would think your opponent would want to go for optimized damage. Or they just want to distance themselves to start their zoning again.

What options do Harley Quinn have against Death-Stroke? All you have to do with Harley is stay close and keep him in a standing tech. That is , use Harley's BnB for her DBF + 1 . Death-Stroke has a good wake-up , It's best to bait it. That's if you don't do the standing tech. If you can , go to the Atlantis stage to have an advantage on his zoning.

The Flash Vs Harley Quinn
The Flash is his own worst enemy - his speed goes against him. Flash is meter depended. Without it , he has minimum damage output. Flash has quick and safe normal's. The Flash has to be close for anything to happen. He doesn't have a lot of range and he only has a couple of overhead strings starters. Everything else is either high or mid. The Flash's low strings starters are what you need to pay attention too. If flash has meter , be expecting his vortex , which will start from his low strings. Once you are in a knock-down state , be expecting an overhead. Patience and appropriate guarding is the way to win this with Harley.

She can zone flash , but he gains ground way too quickly for that. He can either take advantage of Harley's recovery and dash in , or simply phase through it. If you manage to get full-screen , loop Harley's Line Of Fire to take advantage of The Flash's recovery on his Speed Dodge. There is a good chance Flash might Lightning Charge you , to gain ground and be on the offensive. This is punishable on block , be aware. If you get caught in his vortex or 50/50's , remember: There's a good chance Flash players will start with low strings , and then go for an overhead. (By overhead I mean his Sonic Pound) Perform Harley's wake-up for invulnerability.

If you get caught in a Time Loop , don't panic , watch The Flash movements and wait it out. Time Loop combos , after the combo end , watch The Flash , be prudent and patient. Harley's mix-ups and oki's has more variety than a simple Time Loop Vortex. Meter burn Pop Pop for the pressure approach. Tantrum Stance for the guessing game. But most importantly , be patient. Harley thrives on the mistakes of others. B+ 3 for when the pressure is really on you from The Flash. If they catch on , dash cancel it and go into Tantrum Stance.
What options do Harley Quinn have against The Flash?

Green Arrow Vs Harley Quinn
Green Arrow can be pesky , but not as pesky as Harley Quinn. For starters , Green Arrow has great keep-away , and really good flexibility , no incredible flexibility. Green Arrow create instantaneous overheads , he can also change the trajectory of his shots. Green Arrow design has a detrimental flaw in it: He has few to none close quarters options once you tighten the gap. Green Arrow is the least - depended character in the game - who need meter. Green Arrow is most vulnerable during his trait. Once you get in with Harley , stay in. Without his trait , he is just green.

If he manages to trait up , time your jumps. His arrows are slow , except for the Electric Arrow. Be on the look out for his Savage Blast and Stinger. Savage Blast is a good way for Green Arrow to re-up on his trait. It is also a very good wake-up , It's not punishable on block , but Stinger is. ( the Meter Burn version of Stinger has a lot of recovery on it , take advantage of that on block). Green Arrow basically gets a free wake-up with this. Don't jump too often on Green Arrow , he has a myriad of ways to punish. Don't become to reckless. Green Arrow instant overheads are going to be an issue , if he gets close , he has the possibility of doing tricky mix-ups. Low ----> Mid ----> Instant Overhead. The thing about it , when Green Arrow has Ice Arrows equip , that's when you should expect the Instant Overhead. D + 2 -----> Ice Arrow. It's also a good way for Green Arrow to create frame traps , as well. His Fire Arrows are more for knock-down situations and chip. His Electric Arrows increases damage and speed.

What options do Harley Quinn have against Green Arrow? It's a good thing Harley can change her trajectory in the air , but she is not as flexible as Green Arrow. It's best to mix-up Green Arrow in the corner and apply constant pressure. Since Green Arrow can technically out-zone Harley , only zone if you're going for a chip out. Because of Green Arrow's incredible flexibility , It's best not to jump with Harley. Appropriate guarding , and patience when Green Arrow is on the offensive , is the best way to deal with him. Exploiting Green's Arrows recovery on his specials is the best way to stay in. He might start to become pesky with just normal arrows , just to control the middle-ground. Stinger can be baited on wake-up , since Green Arrow doesn't do to well in close quarters.
Green Lantern Vs Harley Quinn
This is not going to be a walk in the park for Harley. Green Lantern is dangerous in close quarters , because of his F + 3 . The main thing to watch for is: B + 1 , 2 and B + 1 , 3. This is where Green Lantern's pressure for 50/50's will be coming from. Most of Green Lantern's strings are safe on block , but most wiff as well. Green Lantern only has a few overhead , one which leads into a combo. Green Lantern players are really predicable. Most might go for a Turbine Mix-up , just to switch sides to start their low string pressure 50/50.

The Lantern's Might , 50/50 , is no different. It's either going to be: B + 1 or F + 3. 95% of the time it's going to be B + 1. The other 5% , goes to the overhead. When you start to catch on to their game , rarely will they switch it up. Now , Green Lantern's Rocket Trap may seen inescapable , but all you have to do is dash forward and punish.(not to sure about characters with bigger hit-boxes,) With Harley , keep Green Lantern on his feet , so not to have to deal with his wake-up.

If you're going with a reset or mix-up , respect Green Lantern's wake-up. bait it out , It's punishable on block.Green Lantern has decent zoning , but that doesn't make Harley inapt. As long as Harley control the ground game , you will be alright. Guard his mix-ups appropriately , and stay in close quarters and away from the corner. Unless it's you who is in control. Green Lantern can pin you in with his Mini Gun and chip away at your life.

What options do Harley Quinn have against Green Lantern? Harley can make this a honest match. Green Lantern's zoning is not to much of an issue , but it's crucial to defend against his mix-ups. You can always gain ground on the recovery frames. He doesn't have a lot of variety , so you can wiff a lot of his strings with Harley's small hit-box. Green Lantern can only combo from one of his overheads , so it's not too much of a guessing game.

Harley Quinn Vs Harley Quinn

Harley Quinn best herself in this match-up. This is not a match-up about who is the best Harley. The original and doppelganger Harley is more about how you can improve your shortcomings with the character. This mirror match will determine what needs to be looked at on a more introspective level.
Hawk-Girl Vs Harley Quinn
Hawk-Girl is a ferocious character. Her mobility is the best in the game , with that being said , she also has a dominating offense. She's not so bad on the defense , either. Hawk-Girls Wing Evade and Mace Charge is good for canceling out most wake-ups. She has good oki set-ups , armor , safe on strings and relatively ; her specials too. Since Hawk-Girl is based on mobility , her design focuses on high/mid strings. She has no low starter strings for mix-ups. With Harley , this match-up is going to rely on patience. Hawk-Girl's can be overly aggressive , meter burning unnecessarily , attempting to pressure. Her Mace charge can be punished with a well timed B + 3 . Harley has anti-air options that can ground Hawk-Girl.

A strategically , well-timed , DF + 1 , is beneficial as well. Cupcake Bombs should be effective against her trait. Hawk-Girl trait can also put you in instant overhead situations.

What options do Harley Quinn have against Hawk-Girl? Harley Cupcake Bombs Meter Burn can keep Hawk-Girl from using her trait , and it would be best to bait her wake-ups , since her wake-up options aren't that good.
Joker Vs Harley Quinn
Well , this will be a match of attrition. The Joker , for starters: He is a character that relies on set-ups and meter , his strings ; can all be block standing , except for one. B + 1 , 3. (Joker can't combo from this) You will most likely see this during his DB + 3 . The Joker's specials , mostly , have slow start-up frames. The only reason you should delay zoning Joker , is because of his DF + 2 (Bang!) whereas , he can dash cancel to add pressure , and he can time his shots - Harley can not. He could just duck her shots.Harley's Cupcake Bomb is good for pressure , but only when it is to your advantage.

The Joker's is deadly in the corner because of his DB + 3 set-ups. Chattering Teeth with his B + 1 , 3 or any overhead , creates any unblock-able situation. If the Joker attempts knocks you down , and do chattering teeth , either tech roll back or dash back. The Joker doesn't have that many mix-up options. His strings either has an overhead at the end , or mid-way through. Joker's can still open you up with his DB + 2 , so play attention to his strings and patterns.

Bait his wake-ups , respect his anti-wake-ups and wake-ups. His DB + 1 wiffs up close. It's punishable on block , too. Joker's jumping 2 is a really good cross-up , set-up for chattering teeth. Don't panic , block the teeth , but read the jumping 3. Other than , stay in Joker's face and control the ground with Harley's set-ups and mix-ups. Remember , don't jump , if you do ; make sure it's safe to do so. Harley has more mobility than The Joker as well , so read the gaps in his offense and defense and capitalize from there.

What options do Harley Quinn have against The Joker?

Killer Frost Vs Harley Quinn
Killer Frost is pure offense , with decent zoning. Decent mobility as well. She can parry attacks and have you on the defense. Killer Frost's trait is the issue here. She can maximize the amount of hit stun on her opponent. Even worst , most of her strings have immense hit stun , and she is safe on most. This is her main way of concocting her vortex's and 50/50's. Killer Frost's main weakness though: she lacks an actual mix-up game , and any type of way to defend aerial assaults. Because of that , relatively , she is really predictable and vulnerable. Killer Frost hampers Harley's mobility on the ground because of her Iceberg special. Harley can do her Oopsy Daisy to control the air , and alter her trajectory.
The main thing that's make her predictable , is her BD + 3. (Black Ice). This is her main way of starting her vortex's and 50/50's. She has ways of deceiving you as well. During block strings , be careful , she has a command grab. Moves with instant armor , or a quick poke , can counter this. Harley has to many options to not be able to win this. Exploit her most vulnerable area: The air. Jump in and create the fuzzy guard and keep Killer Frost guessing. Don't attempt to zone her. She has a projectile that tracks you , with quick start-up , but bad recovery. No need to rush this with Harley , she has the better mix-ups and and oki's. Read Killer Frost movements , be ready for the Black Ice special , and guard appropriately.

What options do Harley Quinn have against Killer Frost?

Lex Luthor Vs Harley Quinn
Lex Luthor has a really strong keep-away-strategy, but to compensate for that , he has a large hit-box ; no mix-up game , slow start-up on most of his specials , and long recovery frames. Half of his strings are unsafe on block , the other half are can be block standing and are short , with no variety. Lex's hardly has any real mobility and he is bulky and slow. Lex players will want you at full-screen , this is where is most effective. Lex's spacing is designed to control the ground , and to impede any type of advance towards him. If you do manage to get in , Lex's trait creates a shield which absorbs damage. In other words , Lex luthor is a defensive character , who can't handle pressure.

Lex Luthor is basically Harley's play toy in this match-up. Once Harley gets in , that's it. His set-ups are easy to read and escape. If Lex manages to get Harley at full-screen , loop Line Of Fire and Cupcake Bomb your way back in. But don't abuse it , chose your openings. It will be a challenge getting back in because of Lex's Gravity Mines and Lex Prob. Harley has the mobility to escape the probes , just don't linger too long at full-screen. Lex has an unblockable projectile that can track you. Because of his hit-box , it's easy for Harley to do her mix-ups and oki's on Lex. Just respect the wake-up(Corps Charge). It's the fastest in the game , but punishable on block. (Similar to everything else)

Lex's Jumping 3 is fierce. Really be mindful of this. It has range and tremendous hit. Lex does have a low string starter , so watch for it. Lex's only pressure in close quarters , are his set-ups. He can snuff wake-ups with his mines , so be aware of where he places the mines. If he places it in front of you , it's most likely to snuff or reverse your wake-up. If he places a mine behind you , expect a Corp Charge or push block during a block string.

What options do Harley Quinn have against Lex Luthor? It's best to exploit Lex's poor mobility with Harley Quinn's. Lex has a great keep-away-way strategy , but it's not anything Harley can't handle. When Lex goes for his Mine set-ups and Missiles , wait the Mine out and Dodge the Missiles. Harley can dodge his unblockables with ease. If you get caught in a Mine set-up , meter burn to avoid the trap. Lex's Force Field is bothersome at times , It's best to use Line of Fire to get rid of it.

Wonder Woman Vs Harley Quinn
Wonder Woman is a Jack-Of-All-Trades. Arguably , in my opinion , one of the best characters in the game. She has a lot of variety , she doesn't need to depend on meter , nor does she lack in mix-ups. Wonder Woman's B+ 2 is an amazing normal. It hits overhead , and has good range. This is part of her mix-up strategy. Wonder Woman's 3 , 3 in her Lasso Stance , is her only low string starter , and most likely , will be how she starts her combos. Her B + 2 , 3 is an overhead. Most of her strings in her Lasso Stance is safe. , except one. The Lasso is her best Stance , compared to her Sword and Shield Stance. Which leads me to this particular trait. This is Wonder Woman most vulnerable , and worst stance.

In her Lasso Stance , Wonder Woman is all about footsies and range. Her B + 2 creates an un-techable. Which allows her to continue her oppressive pressure. Her 2 + 3 and DF + 1 is the paragon of the range she has. For this range though , damage and opportunities are thin. Her B + 2 , 3 is an overhead , but can only be followed up with a combo up close. She becomes predictable. Since her best way of doing damage is 3 , 3 and if you get caught with an overhead , she will not be able to combo from it.

In her Sword Stance , Wonder Woman is able to deal more damage and has more opportunity to apply pressure. But to compensate for that , her mobility is severely hampered. Her horizontal and vertical space is too vulnerable. As a matter of fact , Wonder Woman main ailment , is her mobility. Harley can simply zone her , and control the air. Most of Wonder Woman's specials leaves her completely vulnerable and are unsafe. But she need her specials for the mobility she doesn't have. Harley can exploit that with her Cupcake Bombs to keep her at bay. If Wonder Woman had better mobility , there would be no contest.

What options do Harley Quinn have against Wonder Wonder? Wonder Woman requires tact and precision. She struggles against zoning , but she does have ways to counter it. Wonder Woman's Bracelet's of Submission will only go so far. Harley can make it hard for her to gain ground and approach. Wonder Woman's Sword Stance is best in the corner , so don't let her corner you. Her specials also make-up for a lot of her mobility , exploit that whenever possible.
Night-Wing Vs Harley Quinn
In many was , Night-Wing is somewhat similar to Wonder Woman. Trait wise. They have similar weaknesses , as well. Night-Wing's mobility makes him an easy target to be zoned , but not by Harley Quinn. Night-wing lacks a mix-up game. A lot of his , no , most of his strings are mid or overhead starters. Which mean you will be doing a lot blocking high , for the most part. Occasionally , Night-wing might start a string , and then mix-up it up with a Ground Spark. The start-up on Ground Spark has slow start-up , so you will see it and be able to guard it. He can dash cancel as well , so be alert.

In his Escrima Stance , Night-Wing has short range , but more mobility. A more defensive Night-wing will use WingDing to keep you at bay. it's like Harley Oopsy Daisy. Night-wing has a fast , safe overhead DB + 3. It's best not to get conditioned to block low , since Night-Wing most damaging combos start as mid/overheads. This is the stance where he will rush-down , but he has to be very close to confirm because of his reach.

In his Staff Stance , this is where is he most vulnerable. His mobility goes to hell , but his range and spacing becomes better. The string to be on guard against , is his 1 , F + 1. This is where most of his strings will start , because of the low hit at the end. Simply take your time , and out maneuver him with Harley. Harley won't be able to zone him in this stance. He also doesn't have that many options to chose from , either. This stance is for lock-down purposes. His pressure in his staff stance is designed to fluster his opponent. Low to Overhead simultaneously.

What options do Harley Quinn have against Nightwing? It's best to have Night-wing on the defensive in any stance. But if he ever goes into his Staff Stance , his hit-stun increases dramatically. He becomes a footsies beast. The Staff Stance also dramatically decreases his mobility , which is in Harley's favor. In his Escrima Stance , he has mobility , but poor space and reach. Harley can zone while he is in this stance. Depending on his Stance would indicate the type of strategy you need to apply. When he is in Escrima , play Keep-Away with him. Force him to make mistakes. When he is in his Staff Stance , play Rush-Down. Night-Wing mobility and options are severely limited to Footsies.

Raven Vs Harley Quinn
Raven is arguably the best at zoning and spacing in the game. This is what her whole design was based on. The range on her specials are really good , but there is a reason why Raven is most effective fat full-screen and at anti-airs. Raven's specials all have long recovery frames , and a couple of them are unsafe. So , she is somewhat one-dimensional , relying on meter for maximum damage output. Or for the follow up. Empty void is the exception. Raven's trait only emphasizes her spacing and zoning. The difference is a teleport she has. Which doesn't make a difference actually since it's counter-intuitive to her design. The only threat I see from this is the air version of it , where Raven can create cross-ups.

Harley shouldn't have any real issues or a difficult time with Raven. Most definitely avoid full-screen confrontations , since she can absorb projectiles. Keep Raven on the defense with Harley's set-ups. Harley has many options to chose from and the mobility to ground Raven. On that note , stay grounded yourself against Raven. Raven's Soul Crush has tremendous range and can anti-air. Don't become jump happy.

What options do Harley Quinn have against Raven? It;s best to stay in Raven's vicinity. Raven's spacing and range is phenomenal. Her trait only amplifies the intensity of her zoning. When you are at full-screen , it's best to be patient and gain ground. Be selective with Harley's zoning. Since Harley has the uncanny skill to leave her opponents standing , do it. This will be easier than to risk wake-ups during mix-ups.
Shazam Vs Harley Quinn
Shazam is a grappler-type of character who depends on meter to be effective. A lot of his strings will be implemented with command grabs. He's not to good at zoning. His space control depends more on his Advancing and Eluding Mercury. Shazam's normals , most of them , have quite a bit of start-up frame on them. To compensate for that , Shazam has a lot of hit-stun on his normals and specials. Besides that , Shazam is a typical left-right character. There's no need to be concerned with actually mix-ups , more or less , 50/50's. Shazam's F + 2 , 2 , 3 will be his main way of creating 50/50's or command grab set-ups. Shazam's capability to tick throw is frightening.

Since Shazam is so linear , and will rarely hit low , Herculean Might could come at any time. Another thing , Shazam also has a crouching command grab , so if you become accustomed to the high grab ; most likely , he will switch it up with the low grab. Most of the time you can just zone him. Since he has to be close in order to do any damage.

What options do Harley Quinn have against Shazam?

Sinestro Vs Harley Quinn
Sinestro is most effective at full-screen. Excellent spacing and anti-air. His Final Shackle is a great way to subdue his foes in place , to continue his zoning. Also he has a vortex which he can do after Final Shackle. It's simple to escape. Once the vortex begins , Sinestro jumps in and cancel into Ax of Terror or attempt to do a cross-up. All you have to do is crouch block. Most are his strings are designed to place is opponent at either , 1/4 or 3/4 screen away. Allowing him to charge his trait. Sinestro's trait constructs a spiky , orbital projectile. Charged with three shots , it's his best way to interrupt his opponent. Sinestro has two strings which he will be able to mix it up: B + 2 , 1 3 and B + 2 , 1.

What options do Harley Quinn have against Sinestro? Overall , Sinestro is the lamest character in the game. He could literally bore you to death. Sinestro really isn't difficult to deal with though. He only becomes bothersome when he has his trait activated. So it's best to apply as much pressure as you can. As with any other zoner , exploit his recovery frames to gain ground. Guard appropriately against his vortex and exploit his block strings. Even if he was to cancel , Sinestro would still be taking a risk.
Solomon Grundy Vs Harley Quinn
Solomon Grundy is another grappler , a strong grappler. Solomon Grundy is a close quarter fighter , with plenty of armor. His Walking Corpse comprising of much of it. It has a myriad of uses: To close the gap , armor , mix-ups and movement. Solomon Grundy doesn't bold to well against Zoners. His options are limited when it comes to keep-away-tactics. Grundy has ways of closing the gap: His forward dash is surprisingly quick , Swamp Hands tracks , which is good ; since Grundy virtual has no projectile. It's a good way for him to advance forward. His back dash recovers fast , but is short , with some invincibility. Grundy's jumps in an lazy arch , type of way. So it's unsafe to do so , unless it is safe.

Grundy's Trait offers something for various situations. The Power Chain buff Grundy's damage output. It's decent since it can be followed up with a string. The Health Chain is the most damaging and makes Grundy resist damage. But this chain leaves your opponent at a distance , so a follow up is not an option. The Defense Chain resist more chip damage , and does the least damage. Grundy also throws his opponent really far away. This chain is best against zoners and turtling. Grundy mix-ups can become predictable. For example , 1 , 1 , 2 to trait. This can be neutral jumped , but Grundy can cancel Walking Corpse and D + 2 , which has a large hit-box on it. If any thing , his grabs can be wiffed.

On another note , Grundy Cleaver Spin is a great way to to advance forward too , and deal with pressure. He has an decant anti-air , but his D+ 2 is better. Dear Air is best used as a meter burn , since this special tosses your opponent 3/4th of a screen away. Grundy is a momentum character , once he gets going , It's difficult to stop him.

What options do Harley Quinn has against Solomon Grundy? This MF right here .. Harley is going to have to play the Keep- Away- Game with Grundy. Turtling will help , too. This is the best strategy for Harley Quinn to not be overwhelmed by Grundy. Use Oopsy Daisy to take exploit Grundy aerial vulnerability. Cupcakes Bombs and Line Of Fire just to keep him at bay , chipping away.
Ares Vs Harley Quinn
Ares: The God of War , can accumulate a considerable amount of damage. That goes to say , Ares is design is based on set-ups and oki's. He has decent spacing and as well. Ares's main aliment is his mobility , lack of anti-airs , and poor wake-up options. To compensate for his mobility , Ares's God-Smack has a horizontal variance of: Near , Center and Far. Ares's forward and back dash isn't all that great , either. Ares's vertical space is just as poor as his horizontal , but his jumping 1 has good range. Ironically , full-screen is where Ares's is most effective.(Especially for mind games) Ares's trait is a Sword and Ax. The Ax is great for anti-airing your opponent for jumping in. The Sword is quick , and good for catching people off guard. Ares's himself has decent spacing. His B + 1 , 3 knocks his opponent full-screen away.

A typical strategy for Ares's is to be at full-screen , and to start a projectile war. This , of course , is situational. Ares can counter with his Warp Transmission on either: The start-up frames or recovery frames of his opponent. Warp Transmission can simply be interrupted with a poke , so it's best to do it when it's safe to do so , or within a combo. Ares's God-Smack is unblockable , so on knock-down , if it's not an untechable ; it's best to tech out or it , or wake-up with a suitable move for that situation. He's even more deadly in the corner , this is where his resets start to be bothersome. Particularly Ares's Phase Shifter. Ares's will camouflague himself , which will make you have to guess. You can still actually see some of his moves though. Just not as blatantly as to when his is visible.

What options do Harley Quinn has against Ares? Exploit Ares's mobility and Warp Transmission. Crouching low , trait. You should be expecting this a lot. He doesn't have to many options after the teleport.
Doomsday Vs Harley Quinn
This is a derp match. No , I am teasing. Doomsday is all about coercion. Doomsday can make anyone impatient and become flustered. Doomsday wholly depends on meter to make himself safe , on his normals and strings. A linear and straight-forward character is best to describe him. When Doomsday doesn't have meter , that's when he's most vulnerable. But to compensate for that , his traits adds the armor he needs to accumulate the meter he needs. To me , it would be oxymoronic to apply pressure to Doomsday. But in reality , pressure is the best answer against Doomsday. Patient Rush-Down , that is. Doomsday will inevitably make a mistake. But when Doomsday has meter , It's best to be patient , and let him use all or most of his meter. A lot of Doomsday players have poor meter management. Another thing about Doomsday , he can create a lot of Frame Traps. That's why it's best to play patiently against him when he is on the offensive.

It's best to Counter poke and play Footsies with Doomsday when he is in trait mode.

What options do Harley Quinn have against Doomsday? Doomsday's Earth Shaker is an instant Fuzzy Guard Set-Up. If you are not accustomed to blocking this , always let the low hit you. His Super Nova is of no concern , simply move. If Doomsday feints it , move in for the punish. Depending on where he lands , that is. There is not too much to Doomsday design. His mobility is really good and instantly close the gap between himself and his opponents. Still , it's best to bait him in or make him use his trait. Footsies will help to condition Doomsday into guarding low. So use Harley's Take Aim and Single Shot for this purpose , then go for the Overheads.


Thank you all for reading and for the feedback I do receive. I hope this will/has helped someone in understanding match-ups better. To have a better imagination and use creativity to your advantage. Until next time , ✌♥ & Hair-Grease
 
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Qwark28

Joker waiting room
I played the Joker matchup with @AK SaltFace 2 months ago for 4 hours or so at our third session. You do NOT want to be in Joker's face and you certainly don't wanna try blocking a J3 when teeth are below you. Tech roll when you can, don't wake up if you can't. Zone him out, don't let him get in, full combo punish his mb rlg when cancelled from anything but B1 and 212. Your J2 beats any of Joker's air normals so use it well.
 

ESP_-Mystique

Misanthropic Persona
I played the Joker matchup with @AK SaltFace 2 months ago for 4 hours or so at our third session. You do NOT want to be in corners face and you certainly don't wanna try blocking a J3 when teeth are below you. Tech roll when you can, don't wake up if you can't. Zone him out, don't let him get in, full combo punish his mb rlg when cancelled from anything but B1 and 212. Your J2 beats any of Joker's air normals so use it well.
I appreciate the feedback. I will add this to the match-up.
 
Really well written. But for the love of god, don't tell people in general to wake up on Bane lol. His strings and specials are designed to knock away on MB, because you can either knock them away on debuff, or you have an insane amount of advantage and can dash up to continue oki off of the hard knockdown. The low starter is used as a mixup once you condition the opponent, and can also stop backdashes and many wake ups with timing. f2d is an overhead string that can pump out incredible damage. d1 or d2 special cancels stop most of her options as well. Also ring grab is pretty much never used, has no priority.

Besides that, rest of the points are pretty much valid, and was extremely well written.
I feel it's an even matchup
 

ESP_-Mystique

Misanthropic Persona
Haha I appreciate the feedback. I don't want to set people up. I will add this to the match-up chart and revise wake-up strategy. I will figure out something.
 
Haha I appreciate the feedback. I don't want to set people up. I will add this to the match-up chart and revise wake-up strategy. I will figure out something.
No worries. I mean don't be afraid to mix it up. The best bet in the matchup is zone with pistols and cupcakes, and if you get charged mbb3 or mb air pistols to not get hit and continue. Been awhile since i've played a harley though
 

ESP_-Mystique

Misanthropic Persona
@ESP_-Mystique no offense but i disagree with like everything you said about Lex lol
That's alright , sir. That's why I would like to have your perspective on the match-up. I am not saying it's true or not true , but just how I see the match and Lex Luthor. What is it about the Lex Luthor match-up that is bothering you? I would like your feedback.
 

rev0lver

Come On Die Young
That's alright , sir. That's why I would like to have your perspective on the match-up. I am not saying it's true or not true , but just how I see the match and Lex Luthor. What is it about the Lex Luthor match-up that is bothering you? I would like your feedback.
I see the match completely the opposite. Harley's zoning makes Lex need to get in. I can't get anything out without my trait already up. And idk where you got Lex having no mixups from with his 50/50. Same with saying Lex setups are just easy to avoid, when there's a lot you don't have a choice in with hard to block situations and stuff like that. And without a teleport Harley can't really avoid unblockable zoning things any better than others. I think it's either 5-5 or 6-4 in Harley's favor but I don't know what Lex's you're playing no offense haha
 

SonicBoomBrad

Best Doomsday in the world
Against Doomsday with trait it's definitely not a good idea to play footsies with him, you'll lose every time. It's best to block until it runs out and then go in. He won't get any damage on you as long as you stay composed and block. That being said your notes are pretty good otherwise.
 

ESP_-Mystique

Misanthropic Persona
Against Doomsday with trait it's definitely not a good idea to play footsies with him, you'll lose every time. It's best to block until it runs out and then go in. He won't get any damage on you as long as you stay composed and block. That being said your notes are pretty good otherwise.
I appreciate it. I will revise it in another way.
 

SonicBoomBrad

Best Doomsday in the world
I appreciate it. I will revise it in another way.
Couple more things I thought of

It's also a bitch to anti air Harley, even with Doomsday you need to be on point. So you actually can jump at him pretty freely once you've conditioned him to block you on the ground as long as you mix it up and don't get too predictable.

It's good to know your frames and know what he's plus after you can block and swing accordingly.
 

Zyphox

What is going on guys, Ya Boi Zyphox here.
just wondering which flash players you play to gather this info. flash can punish a whiffed gun shot on hitbox by ducking before doing lightning charge when you see harley pull the gun out, for some reason it works. also i stuff all of you wake ups anywhere on screen with f3 after hard knockdown so you play flash's game on the ground, using the air gun shot can get you killed if you are doing it predictable.
 

SaltFace NS

Ultimate Mileena Exterminator
just wondering which flash players you play to gather this info. flash can punish a whiffed gun shot on hitbox by ducking before doing lightning charge when you see harley pull the gun out, for some reason it works. also i stuff all of you wake ups anywhere on screen with f3 after hard knockdown so you play flash's game on the ground, using the air gun shot can get you killed if you are doing it predictable.
Agreed.
 

deg222

Best Zatanna that uses Aquaman
Great effort, how long did it take you to create this anyways?

But yeah as Saltface said, you have a lot of match up analysis all wrong. Like for example, Superman Harley is a 5-5 matchup. It may seem like he has the upperhand when he's fullscreen from you, but in reality you're gaining more meter than he is and you're slowly cornering him. Once you corner him, you have full control over him with MB cupcakes and guns.
 

Cossner

King of the Jobbers 2015
Green Arrow info is pretty wrong. He doesn't have a low mid overhead mix up. His "instant overhead" isn't instant at all, since you need to load your 22 frame arrow first. Savage Blast can be blown up with normal shots. Jumping on him is great since all of his anti airs suck and you can blow up the anti air savage blast with air shots. Fire arrows are not for "knockdowns and chip (.7%)" and are actually super useful in this MU. Stinger can be MB to make it safe, and GA up close has a shit ton of options (more damaging if he has frozen arrow or meter, which he needs HELLA if he wants to get any damage at all).
 
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Fromundaman

I write too much.
Yeah, my friend is really raging over the Joker and Lex Luthor MU descriptions.
I wouldn't say raging, but that Lex synopsis is dead wrong.

In no way, shape or form does Lex want to try to zone Harley. You have zoning that disrupts the startup of just about anything I can do.

One of Lex's safest strings ends in a high/low mixup, so no, you cannot just block my safe strings standing.

You cannot throw mines in the corner, meaning I can't use that to pressure you. However, we can use the high/low mixups to start a bunch of gimmicky (But effective) corner resets.

Lex definitely wants to rush you down with armor/traps, then abuse his high/low mixups to get started, then combo into trap setups.




As for Joker, pretty much what Qwark said. His low can be canceled into teeth, so you still have to be somewhat wary of it.
Also be careful of our D2 as it severely outranges all of your normals.

You definitely want to keep us out in this matchup. If Joker can get started it can get really scary really fast.
 

ESP_-Mystique

Misanthropic Persona
Great effort, how long did it take you to create this anyways?

But yeah as Saltface said, you have a lot of match up analysis all wrong. Like for example, Superman Harley is a 5-5 matchup. It may seem like he has the upperhand when he's fullscreen from you, but in reality you're gaining more meter than he is and you're slowly cornering him. Once you corner him, you have full control over him with MB cupcakes and guns.
I don't understand how it could be wrong when I said this was my perspective on the matches. That wasn't my intention to start with , for it to be right or wrong. Its was more about how to deal with different scenarios or placing yourself in different scenarios. Anything can occur in a match , there are too many variables. That's what this is about.
 

ESP_-Mystique

Misanthropic Persona
just wondering which flash players you play to gather this info. flash can punish a whiffed gun shot on hitbox by ducking before doing lightning charge when you see harley pull the gun out, for some reason it works. also i stuff all of you wake ups anywhere on screen with f3 after hard knockdown so you play flash's game on the ground, using the air gun shot can get you killed if you are doing it predictable.
Not all Flash players are the same. People play differently from you.