Filia
Team Value
Her assists and DHCs aren't strong enough that you can form a whole gameplan around them, but she's still a very reliable partner that can bring something for any character. Her Gregor Samson super lets you continue the combo as a DHC in addition to connecting from a lot of weirder supers (Peacock’s Argus Agony, Eliza’s Lady of Slaughter, Robo Fortune’s Catastrophe Cannons… basically most, if not all supers) which is pretty valuable for maximizing DHC damage that most other character combinations would miss out on. Add on that she can play in any team position and she's pretty much a step away from being a "Glue" character.
What they bring
Lockdown assist that's amazing for both rushdown and zoning characters
Reliable DP assist
Good DHC that connects off of basically any other character's super
What they want
Neutral assists to get in, Lockdown assists to keep them in place, plenty of assists accomplish both at once
Damage assists to frontload her reset-heavy game and kill opponents much quicker/give them less chances to accidentally block or reversal correctly
Position - Any
Point: Filia is fast but with stubby normals and low damage, and of course there are plenty of assists that can make up for those shortcomings. Additionally, Filia does not struggle heavily against any of the common point characters. The biggest detractors are that you're missing out on her good assists and DHCs if she happens to die first, and her meter-build is on the lower end which can be an issue if you play a meter-hungry team.
Mid: Still gets an assist, and you get to make usage of her nice team support. While she has no safe DHC, having a combo DHC in Gregor that can followup pretty much any super in the game is still very nice to have. Additionally, for situations where undizzy is already maxed out, Fenrir does especially high damage for a level 1 DHC.
Anchor: Some people believe in anchor Filia, others don't. I do. Even without assists, her movement abilities still make her neutral very solid as long as your movement is crispy, and she does not struggle at all with opening up an opponent once she's in range. The meter built up on anchor also comes in handy as she is very good at dumping meter to offset her otherwise low damage and make a comeback. Definitely her weakest placement, and there are stronger anchors, but you cannot call her a /bad/ anchor.
Most Common Assists
H Updo (623HP) -
Anti-Air DP
Gives plenty of time to convert into a combo, but heavily scales thanks to Updo being three hits on top of assist starter scaling. Bog standard ol' reliable DP assist.
H Hairball (214HK) -
Lockdown, Neutral, Anti-Armor
Travels very far along the ground, pushing opponents away a good distance while being locked down the whole time. Its multihit lockdown and pushback makes it great for fast rushdown characters who can chase after it, amazing for zoning characters who need to create space, and "just pretty good" for slower close-range characters who may not be able to convert from stray hits outside the corner. The assist's active frames and pushback also make it very good for clipping the opponent's incoming assists (read: DP assists) and provides very good corner carry for Happy Birthday situations. A very underrated assist.
Partners
Beowulf
Recommended Assists:
L/M/H Hurting Hurl
L Chair - Projectile Sweep
Use in conjunction with your quick overhead options to 50/50 the opponent
Good for catching people trying to upback away from their problems in both pressure and when Filia is getting in close
M Chair - Projectile Overhead, Pressure
Two spaced out hits, keeping the opponent pressured even if Filia get pushblocked out, giving her time to move back in
Easy 50/50 when the chair comes down as an overhead hit
H Chair - Projectile DP
While Filia's defensive options are more than enough, a DP assist that's also a plus on block Alpha Counter never hurts
Can act as a sort of limited approach tool as the chair gets sent fullscreen, which is nice to get zoners to pause for a second
Pros:
Filia's assists give good neutral support for Beo
Filia's Gregor DHC allows for a combo post-super to keep the momentum going
Air Wulf provides a safe DHC for Filia
Cons:
Beowulf's assists are better once Filia is already in as opposed to helping her get in
The cooldown on Beo's chair assists means you'll have less cover when going for Filia's stream of short combos into resets
Synergy:
Decent for Filia, Decent for Beowulf
Not a very good duo; both orders are just decent, and if Filia dies first then Beo is left in a poor spot, while Filia can't easily bring Beo back in meterlessly while keeping advantage.
Look for good anchors that help out both Beowulf and Filia.
Big Band
Recommended Assists:
H Brass Knuckles, Beat Extend
Brass - Armored Neutral, Anti-Zoning
A character who wants to run at the opponent backed by an armored assist that commands respect, making Filia's approach much easier
Filia's below-average damage gets a nice boost from Brass in corner combos
Beat Extend - Anti-Air DP
While Filia has her own good defensive options, having a good DP assist is never a bad thing
The real reason Beat Extend is listed here is that Filia can use it as a cover to her mixups, making it more difficult for the opponent to mash through a reset as Big Band is covering the opponent with a large invincible hitbox
Pros:
For both approaching and mixing, Big Band offers Filia great support
Filia gives a good lockdown and a good DP assist
Gregor DHC is nice for getting Big Band out and continuing the combo, or putting Filia in the opponent's face with Big Band Backup
Filia can act as a good battery for Band
Cons:
Nothing in particular
Synergy:
Favorite for Filia, Good for Big Band
Very good duo, works in either order though you will clearly want Filia on point
Throw in any character you want for a trio
Cerebella
Recommended Assists:
Cerecopter, H Lock 'n' Load
Cerecopter - Lockdown, Space-Control, Anti-Armor
The option for staying in
Once Filia is in, Cerecopter makes it much harder to pushblock her out
Good for counter-calling armored assists
Lock 'n' Load - Armored Neutral, Pressure
The option for getting in
Covers a good distance in the mid-range for both approaching and counter-calling the opponent's assists, with Bella's armor shielding Filia from hits
Makes it scary for the opponent to reversal Filia's pressure with an armored fist in front of them
Filia likes to do short combos into resets, and LnL will add a lot of damage (and meter) that will quickly pile up
Pros:
Cerebella's assists feel like they were made for Filia
Hairball is nice for Bella, Updo is a good DP assist
Gregor DHC is nice to have if you land a hit with Cerebella but want to get her out
Filia can build meter pretty well for Bella to threaten with her level 3 super
Cons:
Nothing in particular aside from wonky and difficult Diamond Dynamo + assist conversions if you run Bella/Hairball
Synergy:
Favorite for Filia, Good for Cerebella
Strong duo, go bananas
Toss in any character for a trio
Double
Recommended Assists:
M Hornet Bomber, Cilia Slide
M Hornet Bomber - Neutral, Lockdown
The aforementioned assist that is both a Neutral and Lockdown assist
Lets Filia get in, and once she's in Double covers her mixups
Cilia Slide - Sweep
50/50 with your airdash options
Good option to pick if you already have a lockdown assist, or playing a trio with a character who really wants Cilia Slide
Pros:
Hornet Bomber does everything Filia wants
Safe DHC with Catheads
Double gets good neutral or defensive assistance from Filia
By ground-bouncing with 2HP, Filia can combo into Double's tag-in (but not on heavyweights)
Cons:
No
Synergy:
Favorite for Filia, Good for Double
The Day 1 Skullgirls duo remains ever strong
Any character works for a trio
Eliza
Recommended Assists:
Butcher's Blade, H Osiris Spiral, Carpenter's Axe
Butcher's Blade - Armored Lockdown, Space-Control, Anti-Armor
Big stop sign in neutral that if the opponent touches, Filia gets to easily close in
Armor makes it very risky to attempt a Pushblock Guard Cancel reversal to stop Filia from mixing
Be wary that if Butcher's hits, paired up with Filia's multi-hitting moves your combo is gonna reach max scaling quickly and build a lot of meter for the opponent
H Spiral - Space-Control, Lockdown, Mixup, Chip
Not as good as Butcher's for help in neutral, but still great for lockdown while also doing a good amount of chip damage
Does not have the weakness of Sekhmet assists in triggering assist lockout, so you can call it after short combos into resets much more often then Butcher's Blade
Better option for post-combo mixup with the way it pops up the opponent, leading to easy left/rights with Filia
Axe - Armored Overhead
Filia doesn't really need the overhead assistance, but Axe does do a lot of damage on hit, meaning Filia needs less resets to kill
Pros:
Eliza is a great partner for helping Filia stay in to keep mixing opponents
Filia supplies Eliza good assist support for approaching or defensive measures
Easy to tag into Eliza mid-combo and continue if you need to tag out for whatever reason
Filia can easily DHC from Lady of Slaughter's final hit midscreen and in the corner
Cons:
Eliza's lockdown assists heavily scale combos and don't add much to Filia's low combo damage; Carpenter's Axe adds good damage but is not that great for approaching or keeping opponents in place
They're enemies in the lore
Synergy:
Favorite for Filia, Good for Eliza
Pretty good airdashing duo in either order. They help each other out well and both can play anchor.
No specific needs for a third member, so this shell is pretty flexible
Ms. Fortune
Recommended Assists:
M/H Fiber Upper, Dash, Cat Slide
Fiber Upper - Anti-Air DP, Meter Build
While Filia has good defensive options, a DP assist is always nice to have... except
...H Fiber is hard to combo off of if you don't get a deep hit, and Filia does not want the opponent sent back to neutral
M Fiber is something to consider, as while it does not retain invincibility to its first active frame (read: it might get smacked), it is easier to combo after, and even if you don't, the opponent isn't sent as far away from Filia
Dash - Alpha Counter options
Lets you Alpha Counter into Fortune and have her choose any option, including a 5 frame jab, a fast DP, super, jump, or just block. You get to steal your turn out of some pressure strings or get punishes that no other Alpha Counter will safely allow.
Cat Slide - Sweep
While Filia does not need help in mixing up opponents, a 50/50 is a 50/50
Checks opponents who you feel are going to try to oppose your pressure with armored moves
Fortune has to be headless for you to be able to use this, meaning she's gonna have to actively be on point at some time in the match
Pros:
A good offensive assist or a good defensive one, either of Filia's assists are good for Fortune
Cons:
Fortune is not doing anything for the "getting in and staying in" help that Filia really wants
Synergy:
Poor for Filia, Good for Fortune
Mediocre duo that is pretty Fortune-focused. These characters also have very similar game plans with Filia having more limited options, so if Fortune is having trouble beating a tactic, Filia is likely going to suffer with the same thing.
Fortune takes up the point slot, so your options for a trio are limited to either a mid or an anchor.
Fukua
Recommended Assists:
H Platonic Drillationship, L Love Dart
H Drill - Lockdown, Neutral, Anti-Armor
Covers the mid-range space, helping Filia get in and start pressure
Also good for keeping pressure with its lockdown
L Love Dart - Persistent Projectile
A lingering ground threat that the opponent is forced to block, shoot, or jump over if you hide behind it, or can cover your approach and act as a combo breaker if you get ahead of the bomb. You can still call another L Dart while one is still on the screen.
Good choice if on a trio and you already have your lockdown needs fulfilled
Pros:
Fukua's assists give nice approach tools to Filia and can even help with some long-range confirms
Filia's assists are generally good for Fukua
Good DHC options for damage and combo extensions both ways
Cons:
Trust nobody, not even your clone
Synergy:
Good for Filia, Good for Fukua
Good duo. Pretty low damage shell, but they mix the hell out of you so it's whatever.
Any cast member can jump in at any position for a trio
Painwheel
Recommended Assists:
L Pinion Dash, M Gae Bolga Stinger (M Nails)
L Pinion - Pressure, Combo Tool
Not really getting much out of this aside from adding damage to combos and covering you after a blockstring
M Nails - Projectile
Chase behind it to close in on the opponent and shield you from an opposing projectile
Pros:
Filia provides overall good assist support for Painwheel
Good combo DHCs both ways, and Hatred Install DHC for safety
With Filia's low damage, she very much likes having Painwheel tag-in during a combo to up the output without spending meter
Canonically friends
Cons:
Painwheel's assists aren't exactly bad for Filia, but they're pretty mediocre overall
Synergy:
Good for Filia, Good for Painwheel
A bit lacking as a duo as Painwheel does not want to be anchor, and Filia is not the most threatening anchor character. Painwheel gets nice assistance from Filia, but Filia's benefit in the relationship mainly comes from the ability to bring Painwheel in during a combo.
A good anchor to support both characters is highly suggested, though a good point character is still a fine choice
Parasoul
Recommended Assists:
L Napalm Shot, Napalm Pillar
L Shot - Projectile, Pressure
A good projectile to chase behind to close in during neutral
The exploding tear left behind on contact makes Filia's pressure harder to contest, letting her go gorillas, bananas for a bit
Napalm Pillar
Good choice if you already have a lockdown assist, as a DP assist is always good to have
Provides a nice, invincible hitbox to expose opponents trying to mash out of your resets
Pros:
Both characters give each other generally good assist support with either a neutral + pressure assist or a good DP
Sniper Shot unscale along with the Fenrir DHC glitch (ignores max undizzy scaling for more damage) can give some silly damage
Able to let the full version of Parasoul's level 3 go and still get a full combo with Filia's Gregor DHC
Cons:
None
Synergy:
Good for Filia, Good for Parasoul
A fine duo in either order
If you want to make a trio, any character will make for a balanced team
Peacock
Recommended Assists:
George's Day Out (L George), Screwball Cannonball (5HP)
L George
A lingering ground threat that the opponent is forced to block, shoot, or jump over if you hide behind it, or can cover your approach and act as a combo breaker if you get ahead of the bomb. If you have a second partner, you can still call them while George is out.
Screwball Cannonball - Projectile, Pressure
Fast projectile that can create an opportunity for Filia to close the gap
2 hits when up close, helping Filia stay on the opponent
Pros:
Peacock gels really well with Hairball assist, Filia gets help in neutral
Argus Agony into Gregor DHC keeps the combo going even from fullscreen
Safe DHC with Lonesome Lenny
Cons:
N/A
Synergy:
Good for Filia, Favorite for Peacock
A solid duo in either order
Pretty flexible shell, so any character will work for a trio
Robo Fortune
Recommended Assists:
H Theonite Beam, Collimating Saw (5HP)
Theonite Beam - Beam Projectile
Filia's biggest struggle is in neutral, and beam assist will win neutral for you while it's active to let you close the distance to your opponent
Filia's normals are too stubby to challenge assists, but Beam is great for counter-calling
While the Beam is duckable, ducking against Filia is just asking to get hit overhead
That said, do be wary of low-profiling anti-airs or the opponent whiff canceling a crouching normal into a reversal
Collimating Saw - Armored Lockdown
More reliable lockdown assist, and it being armored makes it a nice defensive option as well
Pros:
Filia gets one of the best neutral assists, Robo gets one of her favorite assists in Hairball
Beam Super into Filia's Gregor DHC works fullscreen, letting you BLAST someone and still combo after; especially nice if you get a Happy Birthday
Gregor into Magnetic Trap is a safe DHC, but you have to be really tight on the timing
For Gregor into Magnetic Trap, be sure to DHC into Magnet as soon as you realize the opponent is blocking, otherwise you open yourself up to Pushblock Guard Cancel punishes
CSF to SBO Punishes - Magnet takes the place of SBO here, but is even easier to punish
Cons:
None, really
Synergy:
Favorite for Filia, Favorite for Robo Fortune
A fantastic duo on paper, but neither character makes for a super threatening anchor. It can work, but you can do better. If you care to.
Realistically nearly any character would fit in a trio, but a good anchor character will help this shell out the most
Squigly
Recommended Assists:
Drag 'n' Bite, Cremation
Drag 'n' Bite - Lockdown, Neutral
Generally good lockdown assist to make pushblocking Filia more difficult
Doing Hairball or Ringlet + assist can be a cheeky way to take your turn from mid-range
Cremation - Low Lockdown
Trade in neutral usage for 50/50 mix
Pros:
Filia gets help in keeping an opponent locked down from Squigly's assists
Squigly gets help keeping opponents off of her and Charge Combos from Filia's assists
Wonderful DHC utility with Squigly Battle Opera, making for a safe DHC and combo extender
If doing Gregor into SBO on block, make sure to DHC as soon as possible to not open yourself up to Pushblock Guard Cancel punishes
CSF to SBO Punishes - Gregor to SBO works in a similar manner
Cons:
Nothing spectacular
Synergy:
Good for Filia, Good for Squigly
This duo lacks a threatening anchor, but is otherwise fine.
A good anchor would be your best bet for a trio, but this shell is fairly flexible
Valentine
Recommended Assists:
H Savage Bypass
H Bypass - Combo Tool
Add damage to your combos, and can be used for cheeky resets with the way it knocks back
Filia + Bypass concepts - Skullgirls - YouTube - A cleaner video would be really nice here
Pros:
Valentine gets good neutral help, with decent vial loading support from assists
Cons:
Val is just not a good partner for Filia, with poor assist options and poor DHCs
Synergy:
Poor for Filia, Good for Valentine
Not a very good duo. Both characters can fight well alone, but they aren't the scariest anchors. You can consider it a Valentine-focused shell, but Filia does not really enable her enough unlike other good Valentine duos.
Valentine takes up the point slot, and anchor is Filia's weakest position, so a good choice would be to look for a good anchor
Annie
Recommended Assists:
L/H North Knuckle, H Crescent Cut, H Destruction Pillar
North Knuckle - Neutral, Lockdown
The lockdown is nice for Filia
While stray hits in neutral typically knock the opponent away too far for Filia to convert, she can spend a bar on Gregor to get a combo
L version is much easier to incorporate into Filia's reset setups as the opponent doesn't get sent flying to the other end of the screen
H version is the bigger neutral threat, and even if Filia does not spend the bar to convert, the opponent is at least sent to the corner, making it harder to run away from Filia
H Cut - Projectile
Helps Filia get closer to the opponent as they'll have to find some way to deal with the projectile
Can help cover Filia's mixups; the opponent can't mash out of resets easily with a big, slow projectile coming to interrupt them
H Pillar - Anti-Air DP
It's a good DP, and Filia can easily convert from it
Pros:
Filia gets good neutral help from Annie's assists
Annie gets a solid neutral/lockdown assist or a nice DP
Gregor DHC easily combos from Annie's supers even at fullscreen (might require OTG for Beam > Gregor)
Cons:
None
Synergy:
Good for Filia, Good for Annie
Can't imagine you'd run into any substantial problems playing this team as a duo
Any third character will fit fine in any slot for a trio
Umbrella
Recommended Assists:
Cliff Hanger (6HP)
Cliff Hanger - Anti-Air, Neutral
A nice threat to have once Filia reaches the mid-range, can stop jump-ins if you're afraid to gamble on Updo
Frontloads her damage, which is especially nice with how often Filia likes to reset
Makes it harder for the opponent to escape the corner with its high, hard to contest hitbox
Pros:
Umbrella's assists add nice damage to Filia's otherwise low-damage combos, and Cliff Hanger makes it harder to escape her pressure
Filia's assists deal with either of Umbrella's biggest weaknesses (neutral and defense)
Cons:
None
Synergy:
Good for Filia, Favorite for Umbrella
Great synergy between the two makes this a nice duo. Neither character is an especially good anchor, but they can handle the position. Filia is not a meter-hungry character so she can save it for Umbrella if she's the last one standing.
This shell is flexible enough to realistically take any character in any slot, though a strong anchor with a good neutral assist to help close in on opponents would be ideal.
Black Dahlia
Recommended Assists:
Medici Mousetrap (2MK), L/M/H Order Up! (X Shot)
Mousetrap - Ground Space Control, Low
She doesn't need help with mix, but you can think of it as a somewhat less committal way to hit someone low. 2MP + assist > 2HK > 236K (adjust timing for a left/right) being one example, or just a simple reset into blocking + assist when you have them scared of you going high or throwing them
Lets Filia convert from airthrows without spending a Hairball dash cancel early
X Shot - Projectile, Multipurpose*
*Slow projectile (all but shotgun and beam), combo (shotgun, ice, electric), lockdown (ice, electric, fire), long-range (beam, electric)
Normal shots don't do much for Fillia, the lockdown and long-range bullets could help a ton in pressure and neutral
Pros:
Hairball is a very nice assist for Dahlia and Updo is a reliable DP
Last Call and Barrel DHCs (Gregor > Last Call, Barrel > Fillia tag)
Cons:
Dahlia's assists outside of special bullets don't do a whole lot for Fillia, but they aren't useless by any means
Dahlia needs Ice Shot loaded or do 5[HP] in the corner to tag into Filia and keep the combo, and Filia's tag combos do not help make up for Dahlia's low damage
Synergy:
Decent for Filia, Good for Dahlia
An alright duo
Both characters can play anchor but aren't amazing at it, so a better anchor would be recommended
Marie
Recommended Assists:
[assists this character wants]
[assist] - [function]
[what it's good for]
Pros:
[How does the supporting partner's assist kit help, if helpful]
[How does this page's character assist kit help their partner, if helpful]
[Any special notes: Is there high utility or damage in their DHCs, can they easily tag to each other for preserving health or upping combo damage, Is either partner a good battery that enables the other, Does either character help deal with the other's bad matchups, etc.]
Cons:
[If either character's assist kit is poor for their partner, note it here]
[Any special notes: Is it difficult to make use of this partner's DHCs, Do these characters compete for meter or a position, Do they share bad matchups, etc.]
Synergy:
[Fav/Good/Decent/Poor for this page's character, Fav/Good/Decent/Poor for this section's character]
[Does this shell work well as a duo, or are they incomplete? Even with duo health and damage, does either character suffer as the anchor?]
[How flexible is this shell for building a trio?]