Maybe not Necessary but hardly OP
The biggest thing for me was once I was in the corner and the armor portal was up, it seemed like I had no options.
If you have a fast armour breaking string?
Summoner is basically the same way now too, variationless until 141.
You can combo into the EX trance really easily, but I have found its actually possible to do it without meter. Here is an example, its probably not optimal damage or meter drain though. http://1drv.ms/1XWqAa5
When would you start a combo using s2? The optimal 2 bar Sorcerer combo midscreen now is f2122/b324, 4 EX trance, meter drain spell, run into crossover punch, f2122, quick run 4, mid rune, MB rune, far rune - 44% and drains 1.3/1.35 bars of meter (Depends on how much meter they have when the combo starts). Off b2 for 2 bars the best you can get is b2 EX trance, forward dash, crossover punch f2122, step forward NJP, quick run 4 mid rune, MB rune, far rune - 41% and drains 1.3/1.35 bars of meter.
If I'm gonna punish something it'll be with s14 trance. It's only 1 frame slower, it's easier to special cancel, and it does more damage. There are very few situations where I would be compelled to punish with s2 instead. Aside from that, you'd never use it in the neutral or after a JIP, so I guess your combos are just for extremely rare punishes. They are optimal though if you want to do them, but I wouldn't because of what I said in my reply. You lose a ton of damage, spend a bar, less advantage, no full screen hard knockdown, and no post knockdown spell setup. If you were gonna use s2 to punish something then I would do s2 trance, jump back punch, f2122, NJP, 141 into spell setup.
Standing 1 is significantly stubbier than standing 2 though. I tried punishing a point blank Cyrax net a couple days ago and standing 1 literally did not fucking reach. I think you would be surprised at how often standing 2 can come into play as an emergency punish normal, and overall I do think lackluster punishment/counterpoking options for anything -14 or less is one of the biggest variation-wide problems Quan has that isn't really talked about.
Again, the main purpose of this particular combo is to meter drain the opponent while they can't do anything about it because after 21 is unblockable, I'm aware of all the combos you say, just my combo is not about hard knockdown into spell, or do a lot of damage, is to drain the meter of the opponent for "free" because while you use your bar you recover it quickly again my using skulls and runes, thats all. Thanks again but you are talking about different things, but they are worth it tho for the people that doesnt know about it.
I understand the purpose of it, I'm just saying it's a waste of meter in my opinion for the reasons I gave.
Yep I know exactly what you mean about Quan's normals. I think people would talk about it if he was a balanced character being overhyped, but since he's always had at least 1 OP variation and still does, it was never really a talking point because slow normals or not he's still S tier. I didn't know s2 had slightly better range than s1 though. I might start using it more then.
s2 range is way better then s1. For example Bone Shaper's Dark Beam can only be punished with a s2! Everything else is either too slow or doesn't have the range.
Yeah Paulo mentioned that in the patch stream, but he also said it regenerates slightly faster without leaving it. It was 6 seconds before and now I think it's 4 seconds.
Thank god #2 is not active, it would ruin his position game midscreen. for me, anyways, since i typically stand in front of my armor portals
