Mileena Mortal Kombat XL moves

HIGH HEEL:

High Heel is an interesting command normal. It does a vertical split kick and only hits jumping or juggled opponents. It says it is Unblockable buuuuuut... you can't block in the air anyway...

Anyway, you can use this move as an Anti-Air to seemingly grab the opponent out of the air and slam them down for 13% damage. And, High Hee can be meter burned immediately after to caused a ground bounce for a potential combo.

You can also use it to extend some of the other combos you have been doing before. Like that tricky Combo in part 3 of the Combo Guide.

PIERCING:

Forward+3,4,3, Tele-Kick, Air Sai Blast, Ball Roll, High Heel, Meterburn, Back+1,2,1+3, Down,Down+2. 40% damage, 1 Meter.

Or just end it with High Heel for less damage and no meter burn.

ALL VARIATIONS:

Forward+3,4,3, Tele-Kick, Air Sai Blast, Ball Roll, High Heel. Meterless 34% damage.

It is not the most damaging use of meter, but it is still an interesting move. I thought it was pretty cool.

When using Mileena, I like to take advantage of her ability to use multiple special moves in the same combo. This increases combo damage and builds a lot of meter on offense. She has slow, but hard hitting normals that potentially lead to over 35% combos without meter. Combine this with her good pokes and fast Ball Roll to give Mileena a very effective offense.

I prefer to use the Piercing Variation to increase damage on some normals and use good combo enders like Throat Piercing. She also has very fast projectiles that can frustrate opponents through mix ups.

Beast or Beauty - F4,4
A great string for Mileena as the first hit is low and the second hit is a flying knee that hits mid. A trick is to space yourself out so the first hit misses. This will trick the opponent into thinking you made a mistake. Make use of the flying knee’s range at this point to catch them pressing a button..

Throat Piercing - B1,2,1+3
The grab at the end of Throat Piercing is a good combo ender since it leaves the opponent standing. When Mileena pounces at the end of this combo, enter D,D,2 BEFORE Milenna makes contact with the opponent to extend the damage of the combo from 16% to 19%. Follow up with Low Sai or Ball Roll to continue pressure.

THE MIXUP PART 2:

HALF BLOOD:

Half Blood is an Overhead-Low mixup. The first hit is an overhead and the third hit is a low. All three hits can be canceled into Ball Roll for a combo.

Forward+3,4,4, Half Blood is Mileena's most damaging Mixup option. It can be done from starting distance and mid screen. However it is not at all safe on block. So if they start blocking the overhead-low mixup, you can end this string early as Forward+3,4, Stinger. Stinger is 0 on block.

Be Careful with just throwing Half Blood out there because you can be hit out of the twisting start up animation. In Piercing you can throw a Low Sai Blast to get them to block low so Half Blood a greater chance of success As the 1st hit is overhead.

RAVENOUS:

HALF BLOOD and LOW POUNCE:

In Ravenous with the combination of Half Blood and Low Pounce, whether they block Half Blood or not you are GUARANTEED damage as long as Half Blood isn't interrupted with a jab or kick.

If Forward+3,4,4 hits you can cancel into Low Pounce chain grabs For 30% damage. If Forward+3,4,4 is blocked, you can still cancel into Low Pounce chain grabs and get 16% damage for just the grab chain. Guaranteed damage!!!

The thing about Low Pounce is, the move list in the game says the 2nd part is Forward, Forward+1, but it is really Back,Back+1 from the original direction you were facing... When you input Down,Back+4, you wait until Mileena hops over the opponet and then immediately input Back,Back+1 to do Dislocate before she turns around. The 3rd hit, Back Ride, is easy to get just wait until she is on the opponent's back and press Down,Down+2.

COMBO:

Forward+3,4,4, Low Pounce, Dislocate, Back Ride. Meterless 30% Damage.

The Low Pounce Chains Grabs can also be canceled into from the string, Over the Top, Forward+3,4,3 on both Hit and Duck Block, of course it won't work on stand block. On hit the combo does 27% damage.

RAVENOUS:

HEEL STOMP and LOW POUNCE:

Forward+1,2,Back+2 is Heel Stomp. The last hit of Heel Stomp is a low hit. If it hits you can combo into Ball Roll for a combo. However if the opponent Blocks the string and the low hit at the end is blocked, you can instead cancel it into Low Pounce, which is a grab. If the opponet blocks low and you input all three chain grabs from Low Pounce, that is 16% damage that the opponent can't do anything about.

THE MIX UP PART 1:

Mileena has a decent low-overhead game.

All VARIATIONS:
KNEE SLAPPER:

2,1,Up+4, Overhead Heel, is a low-overhead mix up. The second hit is a low. The second hit can also be canceled into Ball Roll for a combo. 2,1 by itself is called Knee Slapper.

If the opponent is standing blocking, when you press 2,1, you will hit them low and can cancel into Ball Roll for a combo. The mix up is that the third hit of Overhead Heel is an overhead, so if they remember you are hitting them low for a full combo, they will start to crouch and block, you can then instead of going into Ball Roll, finish the string 2,1,Up+4 and knock them down with the overhead as they are crouch blocking.

The way you achieve this is by figuring out if they are going to start crouching and blocking. You can do this by just using 2,1 Again...

Knee Slapper is -7 on block so it is relatively safe to throw out and check your opponent's defense. After you have a good idea of how the opponent will block you can start your mixup game. Or just guess from the very beginning... lol

The Combos I use with 2,1 are:

PIERCING:
2,1, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, Back+2,1,2+4. Meterless 28% damage.

RAVENOUS:
2,1, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, Back+1,2,1+3, Up,Up+2. Meterless 28% Damage.

A jump in punch always helps to because if the opponent is defensive, this will get to stand block and probably be more susceptible to the low hit, if they block the low, you will probably be safe or overhead them.

PIERCING ONLY:
KNEE STAB:

The string Back+2,1 Knee Stab, is -6 on block, so it is a bit safer than 2,1, however it does start up a little bit slower. The upside however is that you can use it from farther away. Back+2,1 can be used from starting distance, even at midscreen the second hit will land, and is cancelable into Ball Roll for a combo. The point is, is that the second hit is a low, so you combo on a standing blocking opponent. Knee Stab will also combo off of a Jump in Punch and is a great way to get the opponent to stand block for your low strike to work.

All the same stipulations of Knee Slapper apply to Knee Stab.
Except that you don't get the overhead mix up. Knee Stab is for a bit more damage from further away.

The Combo I always use with Back+2,1 is:
Back+2,1, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, Back+2,1,2+4. Meterless 30% damage.

Here's some more no meter midscreen combos for Mileena too

40% Universal (All Variations) - F+3,4,3,Tele-Kick,Air Sai,Run,F+2,3,Ball Roll,Dash,NJP,Walk Forward,D+2.
Video Demonstrating it - https://youtu.be/XnDWWqYozJQ

38% Universal (All Variations) - F+3,4,3,Tele-Kick,Air Sai,Run,F+2,3,Ball Roll,F+2,3,Ball Roll. You can also end with Sai if u want for the same damage.
Video Demonstrating it - https://youtu.be/7O4tdXyG5tM

42% Ravenous - F+3,4,3,Tele Kick,Air Sai,Run,F+2,3,Ball Roll,F+2,3,Low Pounce chain grab.
Video Demonstrating it - https://youtu.be/uxQ094jJMcM

43% Piercing - F+3,4,3,Tele-Kick,Air Sai,Run,F+2,3,Ball Roll,Walk Forward,B+2,1,2+4.
Video Demonstrating it - https://youtu.be/TMJY9owpOL8

40% Mileena Piercing - F+3,4,3,Tele-Kick,Air Sai,Run,F+2,3,Ball Roll,B+1,2,1+3,DD+2.
Video Demonstrating it - https://youtu.be/TuctiWpg760

Mileena can use her F+1,2,B+4 string to stuff a lot of armored wake ups.

Kung lao's ex spin in tempest and Kano's ex up ball are 2 I've found it won't stuff though

Here's a video demonstrating it on Reptile's 6 frame armored slide- https://youtu.be/ZZvdOx1IBoA

You can also perform some what of a loop with it if you end your combos with roll and then run up and do the F+1,2,B+4 string. The opponent can tech roll or back dash to get out but if you think they'll do that you can run a little longer and apply more pressure or bait a wake up after the tech roll.

Here's a video demonstrating the loop vs Sub-Zero's delayed wake ups and armored slide - https://youtu.be/O8ivvBG3OyM

With Mileena if you do B+3,4,Tele-Kick after a ball roll you can really screw with your opponents wake ups. Be sure to do the B+3,4,Tele-Kick a little lower than usual after the ball roll to reverse their wake up or make the inputs screw up so they can't perform the wake up.

Here's a video demonstrating that set up on Jason's EX Bloodshed grab - https://youtu.be/8CKmdwFyqNU

I also made a video showing how to punish a lot of Jason's strings and special moves with Mileena if anyone is interested in that - https://youtu.be/I-6TV1iIdMQ

Mileena Combo Guide Part 3.

ADVANCED:

There is an advanced, cool, tricky combo that works in Every Variation and only with the string Over the Top, forward+3,4,3.

ALL VARIATIONS:

Forward+3,4,3, Tele-Kick, Air Sai Blast, Ball Roll, Grab. Meterless 34% damage.

Forward+3,4,3, Tele-Kick, Air Sai Blast, Ball Roll, back+2,2,1+3. Meterless 34% damage.

Forward+3,4,3, Tele-Kick, Air Sai Blast, Ball Roll, forward+1,4, Ball Roll. Meterless 35% damage.

In the Corner, Forward+3,4,3, Tele-Kick, Air Sai Blast, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, Grab. Meterless 36% damage.

PIERCING:

Forward+3,4,3, Tele-Kick, Air Sai Blast, Ball Roll, Back+1,2,1+3, down,down+2. Meterless 37% damage.

Forward+3,4,3, Tele-Kick, Air Sai Blast, Ball Roll, Back+2,1,2+4. Meterless 39% damage.

RAVENOUS:

Forward+3,4,3, Tele-Kick, Air Sai Blast, Ball Roll, Back+1,2,1+3,Up,Up+2 Meterless 38% damage.

You have to input the command for Tele-Kick very fast after the inputs for Over the top. The trick to get the Ball Roll to hit is during
the Tele-Kick you have to cancel into Air Sai Blast immediately after Mileena disappears so that the Sai will hit at the highest point. When Mileena lands on her feet, immediately input Ball Roll.

This combo is easiest in the corner, or going towards the corner. It is possible at midscreen but getting the Ball Roll to hit midscreen can be very tight, but you get used to it. Gravity becomes too high for the Neutral Jump Punch to fit into these combos.

Using Meter:

Mileena doesn't need meter for damage, so you can save it exclusive for wake up attacks and combo breakers.

Mileena's EX Ball Roll, Has a hit of Armor and is her best wake up attack. It also leads into a combo, just do Neutral Jump Punch and then end the combo however you like.

Mileena's X-Ray is pretty cool, it has armor as well but I would probably use EX Ball Roll as a Reversal rather than use X-Ray.

Mileena Combo Guide Part 2.

One of Mileena's coolest strings is Half Blood, forward+3,4,4. The 1st hit is an Overhead and the 3rd hit is a low. This can be canceled into Ball Roll and end the combo as you did before. You want to be about starting distance from the opponent if you are going to attempt this string because they can hit you out of it if they are pressing buttons. I usually wait for them to be ducking before I would attempt it. That also goes for her string Over the Top, forward+3,4,3 as well. The 3rd hit of Over the Top hits mid and not low. You won't be using these strings as much as you think and wish but when you do, it is pretty satisfying. Half Blood combos usually do more damage than Over the Top Combos. In order to land the Throat Piercing and Quick Taste string enders in these next combos, you will first have to take a quick step forward after the ground bounce.

The combos I use with these strings are:

ALL VARIATIONS:

Forward+3,4,4, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, Grab. Meterless 33% damage.

Forward+3,4,4, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, back+2,2,1+3. Meterless 33% damage.

Forward+3,4,4, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, forward+1,4, Ball Roll. Meterless 34% damage...

Forward+3,4,3, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, Grab. Meterless 30% damage.

Forward+3,4,3, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, back+2,2,1+3. Meterless 30% damage.

Forward+3,4,3, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, forward+1,4, Ball Roll. Meterless 31% damage...

PIERCING:

Forward+3,4,4, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, back+2,1,2+4. Meterless 38% damage.

Forward+3,4,3, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, back+2,1,2+4. Meterless 35% damage.

Forward+3,4,4, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, back+1,2,1+3, down,down+2. Meterless 36% damage.

Forward+3,4,3, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, back+1,2,1+3, down,down+2. Meterless 34% damage.

RAVENOUS:

Forward+3,4,4, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, back+1,2,1+3, Up,Up+2.
Meterless 37% damage.

Forward+3,4,3, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, back+1,2,1+3, Up,Up+2. Meterless 34% damage.

Mileena Combo Guide Part 1.

Mileena has great combo potential. She has two strings that can be used to punish after blocking an opponent that lead into a full combo. They work well with Jump In Punch too. These strings are:

Vicious, 1,2,3 and Flip Kick, 1,2,4

1,2,4 looks cooler but results in less damage by the end of the combo, so you will want to usually stick with 1,2,3.

1,2,3 is 0 on Block so that is the safest string to do up close.
1,2,4 is -5 on Block, rather safe but still overall not as good as 1,2,3.

They both can be canceled into special moves. You really just want to cancel these into her Ball Roll, When canceling a string into a Ball Roll you just input the command for Ball Roll real fast right after the last button of that string.

After any Ball Roll you perform at anytime, it is optimal to neutral jump punch for the ground bounce.

After the ground bounce, you should end the combo. Ending it with just grab is pretty simple and works in every variation. Every variation can end this combo with the Rider string, back+2,2,1+3.

ALL VARIATIONS:

1,2,3, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, Grab. Meterless 26% damage.
1,2,3, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, back+2,2,1+3. Meterless 26% damage.

1,2,3, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, forward+1,4, Ball Roll. Meterless 27% damage...
...You have to step forward real fast after the bounce. Since the next input is forward+1, you can just Hold forward instead for a half of a second after the bounce and then press 1, that will count as forward+1 while getting you closer to the bounced opponent.

I always use the Piercing Variation because it is my favorite variation. So I always end my combos with a Piercing specific string like Sadistic Ways, back+2,1,2+4 which is the easiest to land right away after the bounce.

You could also end it with the string Throat Piercing, back+1,2,1+3,down,down+2. But you wait like half a second after the bounce for the proper height or just press forward once immediately for a fast, slight step forward then input Throat Piercing very quuckly. And to land the down,down+2 part at the end, you have to input it immediately.

So these combos in Piercing look like this:

PIERCING:

You can start with Jump in Punch or not.
1,2,3, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, back+2,1,2+4. Meterless 31% damage.

1,2,3, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, back+1,2,1+3, down,down+2. Meterless 30% damage.

In the Ravenous variation, you can end this combo with a Ravenous specific string Quick Taste, Back+1,2,1+3, Up,Up+2.

RAVENOUS:

You can start with Jump in Punch or not.
1,2,3, Ball Roll, Neutral Jump Punch, back+1,2,1+3, Up,Up+2. Meterless 31% damage.

This goes all characters. When trying to punish attacks, if you use a normal move it will come out 1 frame later because recovery from blocking is 1 frame. So trying to punish a move that is -6 will mean you need an attack with 5 frame startup unless its a special attack. Special attacks start up normally because they are reversals.

Mileena is not your standard character to play. Her combos are weird but provide a reward worth looking for. At her core the combos are different then most as she does not have simple triple LP combos. Her different variations probably provide 3 almost unique playing styles that she can crush her foes. With and overhead teleport, a basic projectile, and a roll that provides the biggest opening to combo she can be unstoppable if she gains the momentum to trample over her foes

Milena require good mixup or else she can be completely nullified by every character. Ravenous provides a few command grabs that ends combo quite nicely and finishes for a good amount of damage. Ethereal is where she gains a great mix up game. She gains 3 different teleports to dodge attacks get close to opponents and run away if needed. This moveset does require the most unpredictability due to that they don't deal damage but merely set up for damage. Piercing is her most balanced and stable form of mileena. It provides a better way of zoning enemies and keeping them on their toes. She has a low projectile her normal projectile and and air projectile to prevent the enemies momentum for a good amount of time. This also can provide opening to the opponents due to the fact that they can only predict what you will do.

The main trick with Mileena is going to be unpredictably, and reading your opponent. As her dive kick and ball leave her open to counters.

Fear not. With her speed and bnb combos you have the technology. Your main tools will work in any variation. Forward front kick, back kick front kick is an excellent button combo to use if your opponent wishes to crouch block. The first two hits are overheads with the last being a low. The second and third hits are special cancelable. Though be warned canceling the third hit correctly is strict timing. This combo canceled into ball will give a solid juggle combo.

With high, low, and air said attacks Mileena can control spacing quite effectively. Her dive kick also tracks so if you get them to start jumping to avoid sais then dive kick.

My final tip is don't be afraid to hold onto her meter for an x-ray. Other than some armor and extra hits her meter moves are not that great. Her xray on the other hand is a massive punish tool. As it tracks great, and will hit anywhere fast. They attempt to projectile spam? X-ray.

These are the strategies I've found the most useful as I main this character.

Mileena's best Punisher is her Ball Roll which has a start up of 8 frames and leads into full combo. Some examples of her best punishes off this for all variations can be seen here - https://youtu.be/TXSSdTdBrC0

Mileena's 1,2,3 string, F+3,4 and F+3 are all 0/+1 on block which can lead to some interesting mix-ups. Some of that in her ethereal variation can be seen here - https://youtu.be/KACxJtPBajw

Mileena's EX Ball Roll has armor and leads into full combo making it a great tool to get her out of high pressure situations, be careful though as it is extremely punishable. It also hits overhead which can also lead to some interesting mix-ups.

Mileena's F+2,3 is a great far reaching string that can be hit confirmed into ball roll for a full combo, it's -7 on block but is very hard to punish because of how far she is away from her opponent.

Mileena's EX Tele-Kick can punish some zoners and leads into full combo. If Scorpion decides to throw his spear out from max range for some reason and Mileena blocks it, she can punish with EX Tele-Kick into full combo.

Mileena's B+1,2 string is a great whiff punisher in her Piercing variation as it has far reach, comes out in 11 frames, and leads into full combo if you ball roll at the end.

Some great combos for Mileena's Ravenous Variation can be seen here - https://youtu.be/mo28qXhklI0
Some Anti-Air and Air to Airs can be seen here - https://youtu.be/7Uh5wKVqoTY