The King of Fighters '98/Heidern

Introduction

Heidern is on Dadteam because he's a dad.

Colors

Gameplay Overview

He is a low tier character focused on zoning and counters. His zoning overall is good with his Cross Cutter, with a bunch of ways to punish how the opponent reacts. He also has good pokes and profits from good reads. His main weaknesses are his mediocre answers to superjumps, some combos not connecting on certain crouching opponents, some not even on standing ones (ouch). Weak answers to pretty short characters, where one of his main combo tools, cr.A, will miss the crouching opponent. His st.CD is also a bad CD for defense because it will miss crouching opponents. If you don't care about winning, and would like a cool zoning style with a life draining command grab and counter, then Heindern might just be for you!

In-depth Analysis

Movelist

	Frames	Advantage	Cancel	Block	Hitbox		Notes
Standing Close
	3/3/11	-3/-5	-	HL			Identical to st.A
	5/4/12	-4/-6	C	HL			Used to links into Storm Bringer (hcb + P).
	5/1(4)5/13	+2/0	-/C	HL/HL			Main combo starter with cr.A
	5/3/22	-5/-7	C	HL
Standing Far
	3/3/11	-3/-5	-	HL			good vs short-hop
	5/2/16	-6/-8	-	HL			Heidern's best long range poke (fast, wider hitbox and best recovery).
	9/4/24	-8/-10	-	HL			Outclassed by Heidern's st.B.
	25/6/22	-8/-10	-	HL
+	25/9/17	KD/-4	S	HL			Good move to cd counter. Can be used as a meaty.
Crouching
	3/2/10	-2/-4	C	HL			combo starter and footsie move.
	2/5/11	-4/-6	-	L			footsie move.
	6/3/17	0/-2	C	HL
	6/5/22	KD/-9	C	L			Cancelable sweep.
Jump
	6/14	-/-	-	H
	3/5	-/-	-	H			Very good vs air-to-air cause great priority.
	4/5	-/-	-	H			Cross-up. Heidern's main jump-in.
	6/5	-/-	-	H			Good jump-in.
+	9/6	KD/-	-	HL			Great priority. Useful on air-to-air.
Neutral Jump
	3/6	-/-	-	H
	8/7	-/-	-	H
	11/5	-/-	-	H
Command Normals
f +	18/4+3/22	-/-	-/-	H/H
f + (cancel)	18/4+3/22	-/-	S/-	HL/HL

Normal Throws

• b or f + C -

• b or f + D -

• In air, b / d / f + C / D -

Other Normal Moves

• Run: Heidern has a short hurtbox during his run and is able to pass below high moves and fireballs - similar to Iori's Maiden Masher super (qcf hcb + P).

Special Moves

• Cross Cutter ((b) f + P) - Heidern cross his hands in his front for a Sonic Boom style charge projectile that is very useful to keep your opponent at middle distance, but had a slow startup. A version travels slow and C is faster, only comboable with a standing opponent.

• Moon Slasher ((d) u + P) - Heidern motion his arms like a circle to the head of his opponent. A fast startup anti air for jump in attacks, use it for punish and low combo enders.

There is a glitch related to this move: if you wiff this move, the next Storm Bringer (hcf + P), Killing Bringer (hcb + K) or Final Bringer (DM qcf qcf + P) will deal more damage (around 50% more). The buff ends if you are hit ou if the Final Bringer/Killing Bringer/Storm Bringer misses or is blocked.

• Neck Rolling ((d) u + K) - A blockable grab that its a good anti air for far distance, use it after a Cross Cutter but beware if opponent block because its unsafe, recommended agaisnt projectile spammers.

• Storm Bringer (hcb + P) - A short range command grab that steals your opponent's health (heals yourself). Its a good combo ender. It is a masheable throw. It is affected by Moon Slasher glitch bonus.

• Killing Bringer (hcb + K) - A Counter Move, use B for DMs, Specials and Jump In attacks, and D version for low ones. It steals your opponent's health (heals yourself). When triggered, it is a masheable throw. It is affected by Moon Slasher glitch bonus.

Desperation Moves

• Final Bringer (qcf qcf + P) - An upgraded version of his Neck Rolling that steals opponent's health (heals yourself) and is more unsafe on block, use it as a surprise move for combo enders and rolling opponents. It is affected by Moon Slasher glitch bonus.

• Heidern End (qcb hcf + K) - Its his main Super combo Ender, more safe than Final Bringer but with a slow animation. Only use the B version, the D one is way too slow.

Fastest Attacks

• 0F: C throw; D throw
• 1F: -
• 2F: cr.B
• 3F: cl.A; st.A
• 4F: cr.A
• 5F: cl.B; cl.C; cl.D; st.B
• 6F: cr.C; cr.D
• 7F: -
• 8F: -
• 9F: st.C
• 10F: -

Combos

• Best jump-ins:
  • j.C (Can crossup.)

• cr.A x 2 > (d) u + C

• cr.B / cr.A, cr.B

• Point blank: cr.A / cl.B > Storm Bringer (hcb + P)

• cr.C > Moon Slasher ((d) u + C)

• Far from opponent: A Cross Cutter ((b) f + A),
  • (S)DM qcf qcf + P
  • Neck Rolling ((d) u + K)

• Corner & standing: cl.C (2 hits) > (S)DM Final Bringer (qcf qcf + P)

Against some characters it is possible to add Shooter Narnagel (f + B) (1 hit) before the super.

• cl.C (2 hits) > Shooter Narnagel (f + B) (1 hit) > (S)DM Heidern End (qcb hcf + B)

• cr.C > (S)DM qcb hcf + B

Out of close range.

• Far from opponent & conner: A Cross Cutter with A ((b) f + A),
  • (S)DM qcb hcf + D
  • run, [any combo]

• Simple buffers:
  • cl.D > (S)DM qcb hcf + B
    • qcb + D > hcf + B

When you use the Moon Slasher ((d) u + P) glitch bonus (see on move description), DM qcf qcf + P still deals less damage than DM qcb hcf + K (just a little less), but SDM qcf qcf + P deals more damage than SDM qcb hcf + K. In fact, with the glitch bonus, cl.C > SDM qcf qcf + P, will deal more damage than cl.C > f + B > SDM qcb hcf + B.

Heidern is the only character that cannot start a combo from a low attack... His only non-knockdown low attack is cr.B and its not cancellable, nor chainable in another cancellable attack and it has frame disadvantage on hit, so you cannot link into his command throw (hcb + P) :(.

Strategy Corner

• MAX: cr.C > (d) + C

deals ??? than

• cl.C (2 hits) > + B (1 hit) > + B

Keep this in mind, when you need to decide whether to trigger MAX or keep meter for a DM.