In 'The King of Fighters AFK' (hereafter KOF AFK), levelling up your fighters grants account-wide stat bonuses. Last time, we covered Attack and Penetration buffs. Today, we are shifting focus to the fighters who bolster your Defense and HP. Once you have pushed your key Legend-tier fighters to their limits, consider funneling your leftover experience into these characters to keep your squad standing a little longer.

Q. Which fighters boost Defense through leveling?
A. There are 11 Legend-tier fighters including Tung Fu Rue and Benimaru.

Let's start with those Defense-boosting fighters. Every 10 levels, your account stats climb: 1% at level 10, 1.5% at level 20, 2% at level 30, scaling up to 8% at level 100. Since this applies per fighter, it certainly adds up.

Across all rarities, 28 fighters provide Defense buffs: 11 Legend, 6 Unique, 3 Epic, 5 Rare, and 3 Normal. Focusing on the Legend tier, Tung Fu Rue is a standout choice due to his barrier utility; he is quite viable in the current meta, so he makes for a solid investment of your resources.

For those looking for easier acquisition, Maxima and Meitenkun are your best bets. Both are 'Rage' synergy fighters, currently featuring higher drop rates in the active pick-up banner, and they are also available via the '[Rage] Legend Fighter Selection Ticket'. If your team is folding too quickly under pressure, these two deserve your attention.

Q. Which fighters boost HP through leveling?
A. Keep an eye on the 10 Legend fighters including Kasumi, Saisyu, and KUSANAGI.

Next up is HP. Boosting the collective health pool helps your squad survive those nasty encounters, though given that stats like Tenacity, Wedge, and Solid can also be buffed via synergies, these fighters might be lower on your priority list.

There are 33 fighters in total that provide HP, distributed as follows: 10 Legend, 9 Unique, 4 Epic, 5 Rare, and 5 Normal. Terry Bogard, a recent pick-up star, is among them, so you might already be enjoying some of these benefits.

If you are desperate for more HP, look towards Chizuru, Sie Kensou, and Antonov. Like the Defense fighters mentioned earlier, they are easier to pull from the current 'Rage' banner or grab via selection tickets. If you need that health bump immediately, they are your go-to.