Sly Guy
Vampire Kotal.
I've been playing Kotal Khan for awhile now and he's been my favorite Character in MkX since launch. I know that Kotal has received some buffs in the past that has really helped his pressure game out a lot like when they changed his B1 to a mid, and a when they eliminated the gap in his (B1,2,2) string. But, I can't help but feel like Kotal's offense is still lacking and extremely punishable.
For example; Kotal's best strings: (B1,2,2) and (B1,4) are both by themselves unsafe. If you commit to these strings and they're blocked without special canceling, you will be punished. (B1,2,2) is -10 on block. I don't usually get punished by this online because of the 3-4 frames of delay that online usually has, but offline it's me eating 30+% damage every time. (B1,4) is -17 on block, and with it's 32 frames of recovery, this string easy to punish. This means I can't even finish a string starting in B1 and block to try and bait a reversal.
Special canceling B122 and B14 is also risky, because there is a gap between both strings and almost all of Kotal's specials. (Excluding [B1,2,2]*[EX-OHS]). {EXAMPLE}.
If you can make the most savages of reads, you don't even have to respect the low sword after (B1,4). Just go straight for the punish. {EXAMPLE} This means you can backdash, or reversal after EVERY string starting in B1. Even if you decide to use EX-OHS after (B1,2,2), all the opponent has to do is block it for an easy punish. It's even worse in Kotal's Blood God variation, because there is only one special worth using after any B1 string and that special is easy to beat with any fast poke or reversal.{EXAMPLE}
I know about Kotal's (1,1,4) string, but the fact that it start as high makes it easy for any character to poke out of at the start of the string. Also, it doesn't have any mix-up potential unless you're in Kotal's War God variation. This is the only string in which Kotal can safely force an opponent into a 50/50 mix-up.
What do you guys think? Is the all mighty Emperor too unsafe? Is his offense still lacking?
For example; Kotal's best strings: (B1,2,2) and (B1,4) are both by themselves unsafe. If you commit to these strings and they're blocked without special canceling, you will be punished. (B1,2,2) is -10 on block. I don't usually get punished by this online because of the 3-4 frames of delay that online usually has, but offline it's me eating 30+% damage every time. (B1,4) is -17 on block, and with it's 32 frames of recovery, this string easy to punish. This means I can't even finish a string starting in B1 and block to try and bait a reversal.
Special canceling B122 and B14 is also risky, because there is a gap between both strings and almost all of Kotal's specials. (Excluding [B1,2,2]*[EX-OHS]). {EXAMPLE}.
If you can make the most savages of reads, you don't even have to respect the low sword after (B1,4). Just go straight for the punish. {EXAMPLE} This means you can backdash, or reversal after EVERY string starting in B1. Even if you decide to use EX-OHS after (B1,2,2), all the opponent has to do is block it for an easy punish. It's even worse in Kotal's Blood God variation, because there is only one special worth using after any B1 string and that special is easy to beat with any fast poke or reversal.{EXAMPLE}
I know about Kotal's (1,1,4) string, but the fact that it start as high makes it easy for any character to poke out of at the start of the string. Also, it doesn't have any mix-up potential unless you're in Kotal's War God variation. This is the only string in which Kotal can safely force an opponent into a 50/50 mix-up.
What do you guys think? Is the all mighty Emperor too unsafe? Is his offense still lacking?
