エレナ

Elena — Counter-Guide

Key Info

Active-frame overhead with combo
- MK
Overhead target combo available
- 6MK→MK
Defense
- OD invincible reversal with 6F startup: 623KK
- Anti-air invincible with 5F startup: 623LK
- SA1 236236K — 9F startup, no projectile invincibility
- SA2 236236P — 12F startup, projectile invincible
- SA3 214214K — 8F startup, fully invincible
Moves that are plus on guard
- MK
- 236PP→6HK
- 236PP→6LK

Neutral Play (Mindset)

Watch out for Slide (3HK / Root Breaker)
- Elena's slide loses its punish window when the active frames hit late
- It's important to fight at a range where it still puts her at risk
- When punishing, remember she is at -10F on a deep hit
Throwing projectiles is fine
- Elena can pass through projectiles with Lynx Song (236P), but it's hard to time on reaction — she has to preemptively place it
- Feel free to throw projectiles at a reasonable rate
Get punish combos on all of her target combos
- Elena often drops her hit confirms. This is where you want to steal damage
- MP→MP
  - -10F on guard
- 6MK→MK
  - -14F on guard
- MK→HK
  - -8F on guard (2nd hit)
  - -18F on whiff
- 2MK→HK
  - -9F on guard
- HP→HP
  - -17F on guard
- 6HP→HP→HP
  - -11F on guard (2nd hit)
  - -16F on guard (3rd hit)
Use parry liberally
- Elena is a character where hit confirms are essential to play correctly
  - Press parry at mid-range to bait her into misfiring hit confirms

Lynx Song

Elena's projectile-invincible approach move (Lynx Song). Branches into 4 different follow-ups. Delayed follow-up input activates Lynx Whirl, which gains the same properties as the OD version.

Normal version

236P
- 236P→6LK
  - Rushing attack
  - -5F for Elena on guard
- 236P→MK
  - Combo tool
  - -9F for Elena on guard
- 236P→6HK
  - Oki (wakeup pressure) tool
  - -3F for Elena on guard
- 214K→P (Spinning Scythe)
  - Enhances the above three follow-ups
  - Each follow-up gains the same properties as the OD version

OD version

236PP
- 236PP→6LK
  - +1F for Elena on guard
- 236PP→MK
  - -4F for Elena on guard
- 236PP→6HK
  - +3F for Elena on guard

Recommended Counter

When not enhanced, remember it's your turn after guarding — keep that in mind.

Scratch Wheel

Elena's anti-air invincible special.

623LK
623MK
623HK
623KK
- Elena's OD invincible reversal

Recommended Counter

Performance is excellent — don't jump carelessly.

Leopard Snap

Elena's rushing attack.

236P→6LK
- Normal version is -5F for Elena on guard
236PP→6LK
- Enhanced version is +1F for Elena on guard

Non-enhanced 236P→6LK at close range: if your character has a 5F standing LK with good reach, go for a punish combo. On the enhanced 236PP→6LK, if you guard it you are -1F, but Elena can walk shimmy at +1F.

Recommended Counter

236P→6LK
- After guarding
  - If you have a 5F standing LK with long reach, land a punish combo
    - Avoid using cancel rush here — maximize your return to gain advantage going forward
  - Keep in mind the slide exists, so make sure to fight at closer spacing when battling Elena
236PP→6LK
- After guarding
  - The low option is 2LK, but even on hit, the follow-up 2LP won't reach
    - 2MK exists but the confirm is too hard to consider
  - Walk-in throw will whiff if the opponent is walking backward
  - For the above reasons, walking backward after guard is a very effective defensive option
- Advanced counter-strategy
  - The above approach will work against most Elenas, but a skilled Elena may adapt
  - Against opponents who back-walk, Elena will attempt 2MK target combo on hit confirms
  - Against such opponents, 4F back-walk → crouch guard → fuzzy attack is effective
    - The reason for including a fuzzy attack is to punish when Elena whiffs her throw
    - You can confirm it, but it's difficult to react to each action individually — instead press the button at the timing you'd guard her strikes, which covers both guarding attacks and punishing throw whiffs

The video below has the following recorded after 236PP→6LK on guard:

Walk slightly → throw
2LK→2LP
2MK

Mallet Smash

Elena's overhead rushing attack.

236P→6HK
- Normal version is -3F for Elena on guard
236PP→6HK
- Enhanced version is +4F for Elena on guard

Recommended Counter

236P→6HK
- After guarding
- You can act earlier than Elena after non-enhanced 236P→6HK — strike back
- Enhanced 236PP→6HK gives Elena +3F and she can shimmy — enter the mix-up
- Since the startup is 22F, when used as oki (wakeup pressure), it's realistic to watch only for this and aim for a perfect parry
236PP→6HK
- After guarding

Spinning Scythe

Elena's combo special move.

214LK
214MK
214HK
214KK

If it hits, you usually take the damage, but she may use it to reset combo scaling. Also remember: after guarding Spinning Scythe at any strength, you can get a heavy attack starter punish combo. Be careful — if you're standing when trying to punish, the third hit will connect. Use a crouching heavy attack when punishing.

Recommended Counter

Since she might reset scaling mid-combo, keep pressing buttons during the combo
- Drive Impact (DI) is a good option
After guarding Spinning Scythe, punish with a crouching heavy attack

Moon Glider

A special move cancellable from various normals. She retreats backward and hits your retaliation attempts. Unlike Josscool (Josselyn's stance), she cannot stop partway through — counter with neutral jump or Drive Impact (DI).

Frame data varies by strength:

214LP
- -3F for Elena
214MP
- -2F for Elena
214HP
- -2F for Elena
214PP
- -3F for Elena

Branches into:

214P→6P
- -13F for Elena
214PP→6P
- -19F for Elena

Recommended Counter

Unlike Josscool, the move starts up fast — using raw cancel rush will often get you hit. When you read 214LP, take the following options:

Drive Impact (DI)
Neutral jump

The first hit has no punish, but if she extends to the follow-up it becomes a full punish. Don't forget to punish with a heavy attack.

3HK / Root Breaker

Elena's slide loses its punish window when the active frames hit late. It's important to fight at a range where it still puts her at risk. When punishing, remember she is at -10F on a deep hit.

Recommended Counter

Don't fight at the range where the slide's last active frames connect
Depending on depth, the -10F may be reduced slightly — hard to judge on the fly
- On the second hit assume counter hit and go for a heavy punish combo

Root Breaker

-12F on guard. Long reach — if it hits at tip range, heavy attacks may not connect.

Recommended Counter

Punish safely with your own 2HK
At close range, go for a heavy attack starter for a damaging punish combo

Target Combo Counter Guide

Once you get used to it, punishing after her target combos on guard isn't too difficult. However, the crouching MK and forward MK target combos are hard to guard — learn each motion in training mode.

MP→MP
- -10F on guard
6MK→MK
- -14F on guard
MK→HK
- -8F on guard (2nd hit)
- -18F on whiff
2MK→HK
- -9F on guard
HP→HP
- -17F on guard
6HP→HP
- -11F on guard (2nd hit)
- -16F on guard (3rd hit)

Recommended Counter

Learn the animations and make sure to land your punish combos.

Judo

When Elena lands a throw in the corner, she cannot meaty overlap without using cancel rush. However, forward step allows her MK to land as a meaty, making it stronger than characters with no corner oki.

Recommended Counter

When Elena uses forward step, she is at +4F
- MK overlaps as a meaty and leads to a combo
When she uses cancel rush
- Rush MK overlaps as a meaty, granting her 5–8F frame advantage
- Perfect parry or OD invincible reversal is best for reversing the mix-up

Leg Tackle

Elena is at +24F advantage. Taking a back-roll recovery removes her oki (wakeup pressure).

Recommended Counter

Take back-roll recovery.

Leg Lift Throw

Elena is at +19F advantage.

Back-roll recovery means she has no oki (wakeup pressure) even with cancel rush. In the corner, if she uses cancel rush, OD invincible reversal is guaranteed on confirmation.

Recommended Counter

In the middle of the screen, take back-roll recovery.
If your back is to the corner, confirm the cancel rush and use your OD invincible reversal — don't get lazy about confirming.