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The Real MK9 Top 10 Characters

U cant think like that.

Gen won Evo. He isn't top 10 in AE. I don't even think he's top 15.


Also, if we look at MK, Sektor has won two tournies, and he's not top 10.

Its not always about the character, its the person controlling the character.
Dude, still. Cage is undoubtedly top 10
 

RiBBz22

TYM's Confirmed Prophet/Time-Traveler
Alright, since our community loves lists, MK9 has been out for over two years, and we have never been able to settle on the top 10 characters, I figure that now is the time to decide. Here is my attempt at placing the top 10 characters in the game:
1. Kabal
2. Kenshi
3. Sonya
4. Cyrax
5. Freddy
6. Kung Lao
7. Smoke
8. Jax
9. Kitana
10. Skarlet

Feel free to discuss and critique the list and please post your own.
Everything is perfect until u get to Smoke. The list should end Cage Smoke Kitana Skarlet
 

xKhaoTik

The Ignore Button Is Free
IMO, the top 5 is basically set In stone (Kabal, kenshi, Sonya, cyrax, Freddy)

Its 6-10 is what most people are having mixed thoughts on. 6-10 definitely consists on Lao, smoke And kitana. The other two are really hard to determine.
 

zaf

professor
IMO, the top 5 is basically set In stone (Kabal, kenshi, Sonya, cyrax, Freddy)

Its 6-10 is what most people are having mixed thoughts on. 6-10 definitely consists on Lao, smoke And kitana. The other two are really hard to determine.

I agree with the top 5.
That is something that has taken us over 2 years but that should not be anything to dispute anymore

top5 - kabal, kenshi, cyrax, sonya, freddy.

You are right saying that we have no idea for what to put in the 6-10 range. Even I am not too sure.
Some of my definites are the following.

top 6-10 - Kung lao, Kitana, Liu kang.

Potential characters to be in the last 2 spots for top 10 - Cage, skarlet?

I do not add jax because I believe the ones listed are better.

Smoke I do not believe to be top 10. Most people base this on his damage, but I am aware of how good the character is. I just feel there are 10 better characters then him.

Reptile, same as smoke. I know he is solid but there are better characters IMO.

If we were to use my list here. With the 6-10 being Lao, kitana, liu kang, cage and skarlet then we could easily bang out the 10-15.
my personal 10-15 are : jax,smoke,reptile, shang tsung and ermac.

with the characters i just listed, still not sure where to put sektor or raiden.
for the most part, this game is really balanced. the problem is really with just a few characters.
 

cR WoundCowboy

WoundCowbae <3
I agree with the top 5.
That is something that has taken us over 2 years but that should not be anything to dispute anymore

top5 - kabal, kenshi, cyrax, sonya, freddy.

You are right saying that we have no idea for what to put in the 6-10 range. Even I am not too sure.
Some of my definites are the following.

top 6-10 - Kung lao, Kitana, Liu kang.

Potential characters to be in the last 2 spots for top 10 - Cage, skarlet?

I do not add jax because I believe the ones listed are better.

Smoke I do not believe to be top 10. Most people base this on his damage, but I am aware of how good the character is. I just feel there are 10 better characters then him.

Reptile, same as smoke. I know he is solid but there are better characters IMO.

If we were to use my list here. With the 6-10 being Lao, kitana, liu kang, cage and skarlet then we could easily bang out the 10-15.
my personal 10-15 are : jax,smoke,reptile, shang tsung and ermac.

with the characters i just listed, still not sure where to put sektor or raiden.
for the most part, this game is really balanced. the problem is really with just a few characters.
Sektor is 16 and Raiden is 15. I agree with you on Reptile- the way the game has evolved has put him at a disadvantage. He gets completely murdered up close by a few characters. As for Smoke... there is NO way a character isn't top 10 when he can do 80%, especially since he has good footsie tools in D4, D3 and B2 and the Smoke bomb, which blows up people that try to play footsies with him.

Skarlet is overrated.
nuffsaid.
I used to agree with you, but how is she not top 10? She has one of the best armored moves in the game, good pokes, and decent air control.
 

NKZero

Warrior
1. Kabal
2. Kenshi
3. Cyrax
4. Freddy
5. Sonya
6. Kung Lao
7. Smoke
8. Raiden
9. Reptile
10. Johnny Cage

Just outside the top 10 (NPO): Skarlet, Kitana, Liu Kang

Let me explain my last three picks...

Raiden: I still believe he still hasn't been played to his full potential. Perfect Legend showed glimpses of it at CEO 2013. Teleport is a truly ridiculous move and it forces people to play to Raiden's pace. If the teleport is used properly for whiff punishing, in between strings, covering the gaps in his own strings etc. he becomes a real threat. He has pretty decent footsies and he hits pretty hard as well. One of the best turtle characters with a life lead. I also think MU wise against other members of the top 10 he tends to hold his own. Very hard to play effectively at the highest level though and that's what is holding him back (plus there are better options).

Reptile: Not so much for the tools he has but more because he does astoundingly well against the top two at least. He does great against Kenshi and holds his own against Kabal. He has a few problem MU's there but apart from maybe one or two it's nothing drastic. He still has fantastic tools and he excels when he's allowed to control space with a variety of force balls. The threat of elbow dash opens up a large amount of options that he shouldn't normally have access to. Just a very solid character with good MU's.

Johnny Cage: If you are the best in one facet of the game (maybe tied with Kabal in rush down), then you deserve a place in the top 10. He has some unfavourable MU's vs heavy zoning characters but that's about it. His mobility in terms of his forward dash really helps him to close the distance quickly plus EX shadow kick is really useful when used properly and done on reaction to projectiles. Obviously once he's in it becomes a real problem because his pressure is hard to escape and he does absurd chip damage. As long as you are patient with Cage in the hard zoning MU's, you will get in and then the MU swings drastically in your favour. If any MU is deemed un-winnable for Cage, it's probably Kenshi.
 

zaf

professor
Sektor is 16 and Raiden is 15. I agree with you on Reptile- the way the game has evolved has put him at a disadvantage. He gets completely murdered up close by a few characters. As for Smoke... there is NO way a character isn't top 10 when he can do 80%, especially since he has good footsie tools in D4, D3 and B2 and the Smoke bomb, which blows up people that try to play footsies with him.
I used to agree with you, but how is she not top 10? She has one of the best armored moves in the game, good pokes, and decent air control.

I know how good smoke is, on top of the b2, d4 and d3... he also has 3d12, 32, 3 on its own, his smoke away and towards....
hmmmm...maybe you are making me see the light. Like i know he is a good character, i just never felt he was a top10 character.

So do you agree with my 10-15 characters?
 

AZ MotherBrain

If you believe enough, -7 could be +7
but,.... but....what about sub-zero?:(
One a serious note, I agree with Cowboy's list.
I think the number ten spot could got to Skarlet, Cage, or Reptile though.
 

cR WoundCowboy

WoundCowbae <3
I know how good smoke is, on top of the b2, d4 and d3... he also has 3d12, 32, 3 on its own, his smoke away and towards....
hmmmm...maybe you are making me see the light. Like i know he is a good character, i just never felt he was a top10 character.

So do you agree with my 10-15 characters?
Somewhat. I think Jax and Smoke are better than that and Ermac is at around number 18.
 

YOMI DJT

LIn Kuei Champion
We'll never know because we are letting mk9 die :(. But freddy is not 5 with that 8-2 mu imo. Skarlet is not top 10 either imo because most players dont have exp vs her. But once figured out she is like jax solid high mid like around 11-13. Raiden is near the bottom imo too unsafe. Teleport is not that good.ex and normal tele can be punished. Sektor is way better than raiden imo.
My top 10 I think
1.kabal
2.kenshi
3.cyrax
4.sonya
5.kung lao
6.freddy
7.johnny cage
8.smoke
9.kitana
10.reptile
 

GGA Saucy Jack

The artist formerly known as ImNewbieSauce
1) Kabal
2) Kenshi
3) Cyrax
4) Sonya
5) Kung Lao
6) Freddie
7) Cage
8) Smoke
9) Kitana
10) Reptile

I feel really confident in 1-9, the problem is that valid arguments could be made for:

Reptile, Raiden, Skarlet, Jax, Shang, Sektor, and Liu for number 10. It's so hard to nail that down. I think it's Reptile, but I don't think you're wrong for putting any of those at 10. They all have talking points.
 
I'm seeing to much reptile upplaying here lol. I get that he doesn't lost that badly to Kenshi or Kabal lol. He has a handful of bad matches, too many to be top 10 decisively.
 

STRYKIE

Are ya' ready for MK11 kids?!
Not sure my opinion matters but i'd definitely vie for Smoke being number 7, his reset combos pretty much destroys the rest of the cast who have limited meter building capabilities or no real answers to Smoke bomb.

I mean if the top 10 was only comparing the ability of the top 10 to compete amongst each other then maybe I could say Smoke was lower, but you have a good Smoke who's completely familiar with every single match up in the game, it'll only be the top 10 (maybe top 15) giving him fits (look at how Wafflez did at FR). His legitimately bad matchups are already higher than him.
I don't disagree. And at least it's an analysis because as far as I've seen so far Smoke has been forced into these lists solely on the basis of the reset lol

I guess it depends on the quality vs quantity argument in the case of bad matchups. AFAIK Reptile doesn't have a matchup worse than 4-6 but has plenty of them, yet Smoke has 3-7s but less of them.

It also begs the question on where Skarlet and Human Cyrax fit into this considering the meta of their meter build and damage output. Doesn't Skarlet get almost 60% meterless or something? I honestly don't know but I'm sure I remember CD Sr. saying it somewhere.
 

GGA Saucy Jack

The artist formerly known as ImNewbieSauce
I'm seeing to much reptile upplaying here lol. I get that he doesn't lost that badly to Kenshi or Kabal lol. He has a handful of bad matches, too many to be top 10 decisively.
How fitting right after my post you'd come in here and downplay. For shame! Channel your inner #muffin
 

YOMI DJT

LIn Kuei Champion
1) Kabal
2) Kenshi
3) Cyrax
4) Sonya
5) Kung Lao
6) Freddie
7) Cage
8) Smoke
9) Kitana
10) Reptile

I feel really confident in 1-9, the problem is that valid arguments could be made for:

Reptile, Raiden, Skarlet, Jax, Shang, Sektor, and Liu for number 10. It's so hard to nail that down. I think it's Reptile, but I don't think you're wrong for putting any of those at 10. They all have talking points.
If only mk9 wasnt having a funeral. I feel like jax cant be top 10 because all the low hitbox chars give him trouble.
 

GGA Saucy Jack

The artist formerly known as ImNewbieSauce
If only mk9 wasnt having a funeral. I feel like jax cant be top 10 because all the low hitbox chars give him trouble.
I can see that. But of course the counter argument is his advancing armor and brutal corner game. I agree with you totally man, he's outside top 10, but he, like the others, can be talked about. Makes it tough. At least we can all agree Nightwolf is shite right? "ancestors, make this matchup only be 4-6!"