Alexis Kestler
Hey friend! If you want to maximize Harley Quinn‘s chaotic potential in MultiVersus, you‘ve come to the right place. As a hardcore Harley main ever since the game launched into open beta, I‘ve experimented extensively with all her perk options. In this definitive guide, I‘ll share everything I‘ve learned about how to build the optimal perk loadout to dominate with Harley.
Who is Harley Quinn?
For those unfamiliar with Harley‘s background, let‘s start with a quick history lesson. Harley Quinn first appeared in the iconic 1990s Batman animated series as the Joker‘s doting sidekick and love interest. Her flashy costume and eccentric personality quickly made her a fan favorite.
Harley‘s origins as Dr. Harleen Quinzel, a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum who falls for the Joker, add tragic depth to her character. She eventually strikes out on her own as an antihero – an unstable but endearing character beloved for her gleeful mayhem.
Harley has evolved a lot since her animation days. Margot Robbie‘s portrayal in modern DC films captures Harley‘s deadly but vulnerable qualities. And in the excellent 2020s comic series by Stephanie Phillips, Harley leads her own gang of misfits while contemplating her future.
Now Harley Quinn brings her signature blend of gymnastic combat and oddball antics to the platform fighter arena in MultiVersus. She fits right in with the game‘s whimsical tone.
Harley Quinn‘s Playstyle Breakdown
Before picking the right perks, it‘s key to understand Harley‘s innate strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths
- Extremely mobile aerial fighter
- Fast and long-reaching normals
- Specials that launch and juggle foes
- High early damage output
Weaknesses
- Lightweight – easily KO‘d
- Limited ranged options
- Mediocre ground game
- Relies heavily on reads and reactions
Harley wins matches through dominating the skies and keeping opponents airborne with combos. Her ground game is lackluster, so perks should focus on improving her mobility and air advantage.
Harley Quinn‘s Signature Perk: Smooth Moves
Every character in MultiVersus has a unique signature perk, and Harley‘s is Smooth Moves. This perk makes her side special attacks ALSO act as dodges with a few frames of invincibility.
This perfectly complements Harley‘s aerial-focused playstyle. Having air and ground dodges baked into her side attacks enhances her mobility and evasiveness. She can avoid damage while threatening space.
Smooth Moves is 100% a must-have perk in all your Harley Quinn loadouts. No other signature perk suits her so perfectly.
Best Perks for Harley Quinn
Let‘s breakdown the best perks to pair with Smooth Moves in Harley‘s loadout, including how to unlock them.
Snowball Effect (Unlocked at Level 4)
Snowball Effect increases your team‘s damage by 7% against whoever has the highest damage currently. This let‘s Harley dish out some nasty early KO‘s.
Harley builds up damage quickly with her combos, so snowballing that advantage makes perfect sense. This perk also encourages aggressively pursuing whoever is most vulnerable.
[Gameplay showing Snowball Effect netting early KO]Up, Up and A-Slay (Unlocked at Level 5)
This perk boosts your team‘s attack damage by 5% on moves that launch opponents vertically.
As discussed earlier, juggling foes in the air is central to Harley‘s gameplan. Up, Up and A-Slay enhances her core strength. Landing neutral airs, up airs, up specials and more become even more dangerous.
[Gameplay of combo with Up, Up and A-Slay perk]Aerial Acrobat (Unlocked at Level 9)
Aerial Acrobat reduces your air dodge cooldown by a whopping 50%. This lets Harley air dodge nearly twice as often.
As an agile fighter who lives in the air, having more air dodges improves Harley‘s recovery and disadvantage state. It provides more wiggle room for weaving around attacks.
[Demonstration of faster air dodging]Hit Me If You‘re Able (Unlocked at Level 10)
This perk increases your dodge invulnerability by 33% at the cost of slower dodge speed.
The increased invincibility frames make Harley‘s Smooth Moves dodges safer and let her dance around attacks with fewer tight timing requirements. Less risk for high reward.
[Showcase dodging through attack that would normally hit]Alternate Perk Options
While the above perks are ideal for Harley, here are a couple other great choices if you don‘t have them all unlocked yet:
- Coffeezilla (Level 8) – Shorter air dodge cooldown
- Make it Rain, Dog! (Level 2) – Earn gold faster to buy upgrades and snowball your advantage
I also sometimes run I‘ll Take That (Level 15) which lets you steal a teammate‘s buff. Having the flexibility to grab a clutch defense or attack buff fits Harley‘s unpredictable mischievousness!
How Do Harley‘s Perks Compare to Other Fighters?
One way to identify optimal perks is by comparing them directly to what other characters run. Here‘s a look at how some of Harley‘s key perks stack up:
| Perk | Harley Quinn | Batman | Superman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowball Effect | Recommended | Decent | Good |
| Up, Up and A-Slay | Recommended | Situational | Not Needed |
| Aerial Acrobat | Recommended | Not Needed | Situational |
As we can see, perks that lean into Harley‘s aerial game are lower value on more grounded fighters like Batman. And Superman has less need for juggle boosting perks due to his heavyweight playstyle.
Putting It All Together: Builds and Loadouts
Now let‘s combine Harley‘s signature perk with the other top options and assemble some killer perk loadouts.
Aggressive Loadout
Smooth Moves + Snowball Effect + Up, Up and A-Slay
Maximum early damage into lethal vertical KO power.
Defensive Loadout
Smooth Moves + Aerial Acrobat + Hit Me If You‘re Able
Improved dodging and maneuverability for added safety.
All-Around Loadout
Smooth Moves + Snowball Effect + Aerial Acrobat
Blends enhanced offense, defense, and mobility. Great generalist build.
Within these outlined loadouts, feel free to mix and match perks based on your personal playstyle and which bonuses complement your strengths the best. For example, if you struggle with ringouts, swap in Perk Training Wheel for some horizontal blast zone protection.
Mastering Harley‘s Mayhem
Hopefully this guide has given you all the tools and knowledge needed to create the perfect perk build for dominating matches with the one and only Harley Quinn. Here are some key takeaways:
-
Lean into Harley‘s aerial mobility and juggle strengths when choosing perks
-
Prioritize unlocking Snowball Effect, Up Up and A-Slay, Aerial Acrobat, and Hit Me If You‘re Able
-
Her signature perk Smooth Moves is mandatory for enhancing her dodges
-
Compare Harley‘s top perks to other fighters‘ builds to understand their unique value
-
Mix and match perks to suit your personal playstyle once you have options unlocked
Now get out there and start clobbering foes with your super-powered mallet combos! Bat them around the stage with glee using your customized perk loadout. And if you have any other Harley tips or tricks, let me know down below. Happy brawling!
