The King of Fighters AFK (hereinafter KOF AFK) has seen its second new fighter, Terry Bogard, storm into the top pick rates right after launch. While the Codex stats are impressive, nobody expected such a swift ascent, displacing established fighters with ease. To top it off, Terry has claimed the number one spot for Execution synergy pick rates. With shifts in the Rush, Solid, and Special synergy leaders as well, we have compiled the latest ranking data after a week of massive volatility.

Ranking Battle TOP 100 Composition Statistics

※ Data aggregated from the deck information of TOP 100 rankers in KR-1 and KR-2 servers.
※ There may be slight discrepancies with current ranker decks.
※ We plan to expand the server coverage in the future.

New fighter Terry has entered the top 10 for pick rates immediately upon release. Terry sits at 6th place overall and ranks 1st among Execution synergy fighters. While the 'new character' effect is surely at play, a surprisingly high number of top rankers have slotted Terry into their parties. Since Execution synergy triggers upon battle start and enemy kills, it is notoriously tricky to use in PvP. It seems many are using it primarily to inflate their party's combat power.

Let's look at the other rankings. Orochi Iori has nudged Orochi Leona aside, climbing to 5th place. Players who have reached Iron 3 or higher in season rewards at least five times since the official launch can exchange for at least one Orochi Iori, which has helped the fighter surpass Leona, who is gated behind premium pulls and ranking events. Meanwhile, KUSANAGI has broken into the top 10, propelled by the Execution synergy pick-up, landing at 8th place with a 10.5% total pick rate. High regards for the fighter's performance within the Execution synergy also contribute to this; using KUSANAGI alongside Terry is proving to be a solid choice.

Beyond Execution and Special synergies, we are seeing shifts in other top-tier categories. The leader for Rush synergy has shifted from Jeon Hoon to Shun'ei, while the Solid synergy leader has moved from Mary to Ralf. Other synergies remain unchanged. Use this as a reference to see which fighters are currently dominating the ranking battles.

Ranker Synergy Preference

As mentioned, the intersection of Terry's debut, the Execution synergy focus, and the Orochi Iori exchange timing has caused quite a stir in pick rates. This has shifted synergy preferences significantly. Rage dropped from 198 users (99%) to 181 (90.5%), while Execution jumped nearly tenfold from 5 (2.5%) to 46 (23%). Special synergy also saw a massive boost, rising from 97 users (48.5%) to 168 (84%). Expect Special to give Rage a real run for its money in next week's figures.

Furthermore, for the first time since we began tracking, we encountered a synergy that saw zero activation. That would be Rush, which provides a boost to Normal and Active skill damage. This is typically used by fighters with extra attack triggers, such as Shun'ei and Jeon Hoon, who are currently the top picks for this synergy. However, these fighters often employ 'Strike-type' skills, which have the unfortunate downside of triggering enemy counter-attacks. Do keep in mind that you might be opening yourself up to a nasty riposte.

A Glimpse into Ranker Combinations

This time, we are looking at the setup used by the KR-2 server's top player, Choco-Bread. The party consists of Kyo, Chizuru, Terry, Orochi Leona, and Ryo, activating Rage, Execution, and Special synergies. Kyo and Terry are at 10 stars, Orochi Leona at 4 stars, and Chizuru and Ryo at 3 stars. It is quite a surprise to see Orochi Leona developed to 4 stars.

The Codex effects from Kyo, Terry, and Orochi Leona have significantly boosted the overall account stats. Since these effects increase Attack, HP, Defense, and Penetration, they provide a massive buff to the entire party. Kyo and Terry provide 570% each at 10 stars, while Orochi Leona adds 210% at 4 stars. It seems the strategy here is to rely on raw power scaling.

Perhaps that is why no buffers like Shermie or Tung Fu Rue are used; it is a 'to each their own' kind of squad. All these fighters have built-in self-buffs, suggesting they are meant to handle business themselves rather than relying on teammates. This likely allows the team to pick off enemies one by one, keeping the Execution synergy active throughout the fight.

User Poll - Which synergy do you think is the best?

Last week, we held a poll on stage progression. Among the 67 participants, the majority had reached stage 4,000 or higher. In the written responses, some even provided specific figures like '12,000 - 8,400 - 7,740 - 3,660'. It is truly impressive that some players have already pushed past 10,000.

KOF AFK features unique 'synergies'—set bonuses that trigger when you field at least two members, including pets. Including the Special category, which functions as a standalone, there are 8 types in total. Players are using these to experiment with various combinations across stages and ranking battles. What do you consider the ultimate synergy? Please vote, and we will reveal the results in the next Meca Ranking.