'The King of Fighters AFK' (hereinafter KOF AFK) has just introduced a new Wedge synergy fighter, 'Rugal Bernstein' (hereinafter Rugal). He comes equipped with buffs for allies in the same or different rows, while simultaneously slapping the opposition with a two-turn debuff right at the start of the skirmish. Rugal stands out as the only Wedge synergy fighter currently packing such a debuff. Given his synergy potential with the Rage archetype, we’ve broken down his performance and the best party compositions for him.

Q. So, what’s the deal with Rugal?
A. He’s a Wedge supporter who hands out buffs to your squad and debuffs to the enemy.

Rugal is a Wedge synergy fighter who targets the closest enemy. His passive, 'Merchant of Death,' grants a 20% max HP boost if you slot him in the front row. At the start of combat, he hits all enemies with a 30% attack reduction debuff for two turns. Unlike his HP boost, this debuff doesn't refresh after the initial engagement, so keep in mind that front-row placement is non-negotiable.

His offensive skills are categorized by type. The normal skill 'Genocide Cutter' is a strike type, the active 'Dark Barrier' is a projectile type, and the finish skill 'Dead End Screamer' is a grapple type. 'Dark Barrier' deals single-target damage and buffs the defense of allies in the same row by 40%, which climbs to 50% at 5-star promotion.

The 'Dead End Screamer' finish skill attacks a single target and grants a 15% increase in finish skill damage to allies in the opposite row for two turns. If Rugal is in the front, it buffs the back, and vice-versa. At 7-star promotion, the finish damage boost hits 30%, scaling up to 45% at 10 stars.

Q. How should I build a team around him?
A. Go for a Wedge pet or Shermie, paired with Rage fighters.

Activating the Wedge synergy boosts the entire team's penetration by 10-20% and HP by 15-25%. Before Rugal, the 'Shermie + Yuri' combo was the standard. With Rugal now in the mix, it’s best to drop Yuri and pair him with Shermie, or simply run 'Rugal + Wedge pet' to trigger the synergy. You’ll have a shot at snagging a Wedge pet during the 'Secret Agent' event starting next week.

Some of you might ask, 'Why leave out Yashiro?' Well, his buffs overlap with Rugal’s, meaning only one will apply. Plus, all of Yashiro's skills are strike-type, which tends to trigger enemy counter-attacks. Rugal’s grapple-type skills help you avoid those extra hits, making Shermie the superior partner. If you don't have her, Yuri remains a decent fallback.

Thanks to the finish skill damage boost, pairing him with Rage synergy fighters is the way to go. Currently, Rage is stacked with powerhouses like Kyo, Mai, and Chizuru. For maximum efficiency, run 'Rugal - Shermie' in the front and 'Mai - Kyo - Chizuru or Orochi character' in the back. If you're using Yuri instead of Shermie, place 'Rugal - Orochi character' in the front and 'Mai - Kyo - Yuri' in the back.