Mileena has several great ways to stop opponents from jumping toward her, and she even has a few overhead/low mix-ups as well. She’s not as safe as some of the other characters, which means she has to take a few risks, but with the ability to stop opponents from jumping it makes people have to change their general game plan. Anything that forces an opponent to play differently is an advantage for you. Add this to Mileena’s overhead/low mix-ups and you have a solid character.
Notation Key
PlayStation/Xbox
1 – Square/X
2 – Triangle/Y
3 – X/A
4 – Circle/B
Tele-Kick
Notation: Down, Down+3
Enhanced: Yes, but no armor.
Mileena’s trademark Tele-Kick is a great anti-air attack. It can be done on the ground or in the air and it beats out almost any other aerial attack. It’s fast enough to use as a reactionary attack when you see an opponent jump, and if it hits an aerial opponent Mileena can combo after it with a slightly delayed Air Sai Blast followed by a Ball Roll into a full combo. If it hits an opponent on the ground, or the attack is blocked, Mileena can be punished. It’s harder to punish her if it hits, but it can be done by skilled players, especially if Mileena is trapped in the corner at the time. The enhanced version adds a few hits for additional damage.
Ball Roll
Notation: Back, Down+4
Enhanced: Yes, with armor.
Mileena’s Ball Roll hits mid (even though it looks low), which means it can be blocked standing or crouching. If it connects it knocks your opponent into the air so you can follow with a juggle combo. If it’s blocked Mileena can be punished easily so be careful when you use this. It’s best used to extend a combo after you confirm the opponent has been hit.
The enhanced version (Flip ‘n’ Roll) has armor and adds a flip before the Ball Roll. The flip hits as an overhead attack, which can throw some opponents off if you don’t use it too often. However, if it’s blocked, Mileena can still be punished with ease.
Sai Blast
Notation: Back, Forward+1
Enhanced: Yes, but no armor.
Mileena’s primary projectile attack covers the full length of the screen and hits high, which means an opponent can duck under it without having to block. This is a traditional projectile attack that should be used from a distance to zone your opponent. It’s not safe if the opponent blocks at close range, so do not use it unless you’re at least halfway across the screen. The enhanced version (Double Sai Blast) throws two projectiles in rapid succession. Both versions can be done in the air or on the ground.
Let Us Dance (X-Ray)
Mileena’s X-Ray hits as an overhead attack and can be used to end a combo to guarantee it connects. While it’s technically not safe if the opponent blocks it, most characters have difficulty punishing Mileena due to the distance left between the characters after the X-Ray is blocked. Because Let Us Dance starts with what is essentially a Tele-Kick, it also works well as an anti-air attack in place of a Tele-Kick. In addition, while Mileena has good enhanced special moves, she isn’t as meter-reliant as most other characters. This means she’s can use her X-Ray without having to worry too much about not having meter for enhanced special moves.
Basic Strategy
Mileena has a few instances in which she can use an overhead/low mix-up at the end of a combo. She has several combos that end with a low attack. Instead of using the low attack you can instead mix in the Flip ‘n’ Roll (Back, Down+4+Block) overhead attack. It’s not safe if the opponent blocks correctly, but most skilled players will be expecting the low attack instead.
The Somersault Kick (Forward+3) is a safe overhead attack that leads into the Stinger combo (Forward+3,4). While the Somersault Kick is fairly slow, it can still catch opponents from time to time. If the Stinger combo is blocked Mileena is safe from punishment, but if it hits you can continue into the Over the Top combo (Forward+3,4,3) which bounces the opponent off the ground and allows Mileena to follow with a juggle combo.
If the Stinger combo is blocked you can continue into the Half Blood combo (Forward+3,4,4) which is not safe if the opponent blocks, but it ends with a low attack that can be mixed up with the Flip ‘n’ Roll for an overhead/low mix-up. It’s a risky mix-up, but if the overhead connects you can follow with a full combo for big damage. You also have plenty of time to see if the Half Blood combo hits and cancel into the Ball Roll after the last hit.
The Heel Stomp combo (Forward+1,2, Back+4) is a good combo to use with or without the overhead/low mix-up at the end. The combo is one of the longer combos animations in the game, which gives you plenty of time to confirm if the combo hit or the opponent blocked. If it hits, you can transition into a Ball Roll after the last hit in order to extend the combo without using meter. If it’s blocked it becomes an overhead/low mix-up with the Flip ‘n’ Roll.
The last hit in the combo is a low attack that’s safe if the opponent blocks. Cancel the second hit into Flip ‘n’ Roll instead to force the opponent to guess how they should block. Mileena can be punished if the overhead is blocked, so use the low option more often than not. Once your opponent has been conditioned to expect the low attack, switch it with the Flip ‘n’ Roll to throw them off-guard and land a big combo. The Spinning Heel combo (Forward+2,3,4) gives you a similar mix-up as it also ends with a low attack, but this low is not safe if the opponent blocks so be cautious when using it.
The Shin Cracker (Down+3) and Low Heel (Down+4) should be your primary low pokes, especially since Mileena’s Low Slash (Down+1) tends to miss on occasion (and isn’t low anyway). The Crab Step (Forward+4) hits low and leads into the Beast or Beauty combo (Forward+4,4). It’s not safe if the opponent blocks, but most characters have difficulty punishing it with anything other than a basic Down+1 attack.
Mileena’s Vicious (1,2,3) and Flip Kick (1,2,4) combos are safe if the opponent blocks and good poking combos to use. Flip Kick is especially good because if it hits you have plenty of time to confirm it hit and cancel into a Ball Roll (Back, Down+4) after the last hit. This extends the combo for considerably more damage.
The Double Chop (Back+1,2) and Overhead Heel (2,1, Up+4) combos are safe and good to use throughout a match. The Overhead Heel is especially nice because it ends with an overhead attack that can potentially throw off your opponent. In Mileena’s Piercing variation you can end this combo with a Low Sai instead as a mix-up. Keep in mind, the Low Sai is not safe if the opponent blocks, but it still forces a mix-up that can end in your favor. The second hit of the Overhead Heel combo is a low attack which can also be useful. In fact, you can just use the Knee Slapper combo (2,1) which is the first two hits of the Overhead Heel combo, then cancel into a special move if you’re confident it will connect.
The Rider combo (Back+2,2,1+3) is not safe if the opponent blocks, but works well as a way to end juggle combos with a decent amount of damage. In addition, you can use the High Heel (Up+3) as an anti-air attack when your opponent tries to use a cross-up jump attack. It won’t hit an opponent on the ground, but it beats cross-up attempts almost every time. It’s very common for an opponent to try to jump over you and hit with a cross-up jump punch. As long as you time the High Heel well it will send them back to the ground. If you have meter to burn you can press Block when it hits to bounce the opponent off the ground and follow with a juggle combo.
The Pounding Heel combo (Back+3,4,3,4) also works as an anti-air attack. This works best if the opponent is too close to react with a Tele-Kick, but not close enough for a cross-up jump. To get the full combo, input the first two notations (Back+3,4) at normal speed, then quickly press the last two attacks (3,4). If this combo is blocked only the first two attacks will execute, but when used as an anti-air attack it should hit every time. If you’re a bit late with the first attack it may trade with the opponent’s attack which would cause the combo to stop.
Piercing Variant
The Piercing variation allows Mileena to use her sai weapons more often. She gains several basic attacks and combos that utilize her sai weapons. The best of the bunch is the Knee Stab combo (Back+2,1) which is very similar to the Knee Slapper combo from her other two variations. It’s a mid attack followed by a quick low attack. If the low is blocked Mileena cannot be punished, but if it hits you can extend the combo into Sadistic Ways (Back+2,1,2+4). Be warned, Sadistic Ways is not safe if the opponent blocks, so make sure you confirm Knee Stab hit before you continue into Sadistic Ways.
Most of the other basic attacks and combos Mileena gains in this variation can be punished in the opponent blocks. In addition, you can’t cancel most of them into special moves in order to extend the combos. These combos are generally used to end your combos for maximum damage.
Mileena also gains a Low Sai (Back, Forward+3) projectile attack, which is essentially her Sai Blast from a crouching position. This should be used in a similar manner to the Sai Blast for zoning purposes from across the screen. Mileena’s crouching stance can duck under most other projectiles as well, which makes it very useful against opponents trying to zone with projectile attacks. It also hits low which means your opponent has to block it crouching.
Ethereal Variant
The Ethereal variation gives Mileena the ability to throw her sai and then teleport to its location. There are a few different versions of this based on where you want to teleport. Fade (Down, Down+2) leaves Mileena in the same place she started, Fade Towards (Back, Forward+2) teleports Mileena half a screen forward and Fade Away (Forward, Back+2) moves her half a screen back.
If you cancel a blocked combo into one of the Fades, it’s difficult for most characters to interrupt the teleport. However, if an opponent anticipates Mileena will teleport she can be punished as soon as she appears.
You can hold 2 when you execute any of the Fades to delay Mileena’s reappearance. While she’s invisible most basic attacks and special moves will go right through her as if she wasn’t there. However, throws can still hit her. She remains in the position she started in until you release 2.
The primary benefit of the variation is that you can avoid certain attacks so you can punish your opponent easier. After your opponent blocks a safe combo you can end it with a Fade and then potentially punish them if they try to attack again. For example, Mileena’s Vicious combo (1,2,3) is safe if the opponent blocks. End this with the Fade Away and you can possible punish your opponent’s missed attack follow-up depending on how they react.
Ravenous Variant
The Ravenous variation gives Mileena three new attacks. The first is an extension of her Double Chop combo (Back+1,2). In Ravenous Mileena can use the Quick Taste combo (Back+1,2,1+3) which adds another attack to the end of the combo. If this attack is blocked Mileena can be punished, but you have a decent amount of time to see if the first two hits connect before inputting the final command, if you have good reactions. When the last hit connects you can extend the attack by pressing Up, Up+2 during the final animation to give Mileena a bit more damage.
This variation also gives Mileena one of the only low throws in the game with Low Pounce (Down, Back+4). This only hits crouching opponents, but it cannot be blocked. If it hits you can extend the throw with Dislocate (Back, Back+1 during the attack animation). The in-game move list shows this as Forward, Forward+1, but it’s accounting for the change in direction that occurs during the initial throw. From the original direction Mileena is facing when you use Low Pounce, you need to press Back, Back+1 to extend the throw. You can even extend it a second time with Back Ride (Down, Down+2 during the Dislocate animation).
Mileena has a similar attack with High Pounce (Down, Back+3), but it’s not a throw like Low Pounce. This attack can be blocked standing or crouching, but it still has extensions similar to Low Pounce. During the initial animation of the attack, use Stab (Down, Down+2) to extend it once, then Double Kick (Back, Back+4 during the Stab animation) to extend it a second time. Once again, the in-game move list shows Double Kick as Forward, Forward+4, but this is accounting for the change in direction. From the direction Mileena is facing when you first use High Pounce, you press Back, Back+4 for the Double Kick extension.
Low Pounce is not safe if the opponent isn’t crouching, but as a low throw it can catch crouching opponents off-guard and should be used throughout a match. High Pounce is safe against most characters and can be used to end combos as well.
Sample Combos
Universal
37 percent – Forward+3,4,3, Tele-Kick, Air Sai Blast, Forward+2, Ball Roll, Forward+1,4, Sai Blast
Piercing
41 percent – Forward+3,4,3, Tele-Kick, Air Sai Blast, Forward+2, Ball Roll, Back+2,1,2+4
Ravenous
36 percent – 1,2,3, Ball Roll, Back+3, Tele-Kick, Air Sai Blast, Forward+2,3, Ball Roll, High Pounce, Stab
Fatalities
Face Feast – Down, Back, Down, Back, 3 (Close)
Tasty Treat – Forward, Back, Forward, Back, 2 (Close)
Brutalities
High Roller – Hit the opponent with at least five Ball Roll attacks (Back, Down+4), then kill the opponent with a Ball Roll or Flip ‘n’ Roll (Back, Down+4+Block).
Tele-Splat – Kill the opponent with a Tele-Kick (Down, Down+3) or Tele-Drop (Down, Down+3+Block), and hold Up during the attack animation.
Early Lunch – In the Ravenous variation, kill the opponent with the Quick Taste combo (Back+1,2,1+3, Up, Up+2 and hold up throughout the animation).
For more information on Mortal Kombat X, head over to Prima’s free guide or directly to tips for Kitana or D’Vorah!
