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New to MK9, need help!

protools27

Rebel without a scene
I've been playing injustice pretty much since release and love it. I also am super hype for MKX, so I figured I should play some mk9 before release to adapt to the block button and other things, but I am utterly lost. Learning a fighting game takes so much time, and I'm coming into the game pretty late. So do you guys have any advice on where to start? I'm just starting out with combos and getting used to juggling in this game, but I have zero match up knowledge, don't know what characters zone, rush down, mix up, etc. Literally anything will help me at this point. Thanks!
 

Eh SnOwY

PC FGC
Yeah play story mode. Also try to pick 1-2 Characters and practice them alot... learning Matchups can be quite a grind. I have friends
who also have started mk9 and i always taught them how to play sub zero ^^
 

Rodrigue

Spongerod
I'm recently learning MK as well so can't be that much of a help. But I decided to join the ranks and picked Sonya. First thing I read here was Mortyseinfeld's guide. Pretty much sums up her whole game (footsie, pressure, combos...) and to say that it was helpful is an understatement. I'm not sure if every character has a guide like this one but I'd recommend browsing the forums.
You should also be able to poke out of pressure which is a big deal in this game. No push blocks.
Block dash canceling is important. Here's why
Hope this helps!
Might as well thank @MortySeinfeld while I'm at it. Big thanks to you bro! Awesome guide :)
 

Sage Leviathan

I'm platinum mad!
Play the story and ladder, take it easy in the beginning. Find a character who fits you. Mess about with them in practice. Then, you're ready to learn the hard stuff.
Midscreen combos first, then corner combos. Start small, then maximize damage output. What normals are useful, which aren't, etc. The last thing to learn is frame data. Don't be bothered with it until you're well vested into the game.
 

DuBBer Kiir

Apprentice
Learn a top 8 character, to cover bad matchups, then learn a bunch of low tiers because they're way more fun and gratifying to win with. Don't jump like a rabbit, people will adapt to that quickly and start neutral jump punching you. Footsies in mk9 are a lot different than injustice because of dash blocking. The ground game in mk is a lot faster paced. Learn what specials are safe and unsafe and find out how to abuse them. Don't play Kenshi, people won't like you. Play a new character every week, and definitely play story mode. Play ladder on expert and get used to punishing stuff and practicing your bnbs. Just remember setups don't worn on bots because they wake up at the first frame if they see you not blocking or trying to cross up lol.
 

Amplified$hotz

I like Tekken 8
I'm also new. I used to main cage but decided to go with a beginner level character in sub-zero I don't usually know what's going on. Heck I don't even have my own playstyle. I just do wwbd. What would Brady do. I fail miserably though
 

DavS13

Mortal
I'm also new. I used to main cage but decided to go with a beginner level character in sub-zero I don't usually know what's going on. Heck I don't even have my own playstyle. I just do wwbd. What would Brady do. I fail miserably though
If you need help hit me up on xbl : DavS13
Subzero is a very good beginner character though, that's who I always recommend to my friends when they were first starting out.
Basically control space, d4, clones, 22 AA, and keep em in the corner
 

Eminent

Forum Lurker
Learn the very reliable versions of the bnb combos for your character. Especially characters like johnny and sonya who have resets at the end. The reset ending is way more important than squeezing the 2% extra damage out of the combo.
 

Wemfs

The only morality in a cruel world is chance.
Play the story and ladder, take it easy in the beginning. Find a character who fits you. Mess about with them in practice. Then, you're ready to learn the hard stuff.
Midscreen combos first, then corner combos. Start small, then maximize damage output. What normals are useful, which aren't, etc. The last thing to learn is frame data. Don't be bothered with it until you're well vested into the game.
Good advice right here ^
 

Amplified$hotz

I like Tekken 8
If you need help hit me up on xbl : DavS13
Subzero is a very good beginner character though, that's who I always recommend to my friends when they were first starting out.
Basically control space, d4, clones, 22 AA, and keep em in the corner
Yeah but I'll be on like at 10 central time
 

Fractured_Shadow

Really likes to throw things at you.
Rushdown: Cage, Sonya, Lao, Kabal, Jax (?), Skarlet

Zone: Kenshi, Freddy, Kabal, Kitana

Space Control: Smoke, Sub Zero, Raiden, Reptile

Broken piece of shit: Cyrax

Yolo everything: Mileena

Vortex: Scorpion

Reset (damage exploit characters): Jax, Smoke, Cyrax

Actual resets: Cage, Kabal, Sonya, Skarlet

I have left out a large majority of the cast because of their LOL factor when compaired to the above.
 

TwiztidOne

I don't know who that is...
My biggest advice I could give to you, is to learn how to counter poke, counter poking is sooo important in MK9

Basically, d1 and d3 are fastest universal pokes in the game, so they're usually used to break up your opponents pressure. On hit they're usually around +1 and + 3, so if you do manage to break up your opponents pressure with one, you can start your own. On block though, they're around -13 and -7, so if your opponent reads you're going to try to break his pressure, he can block and either punish or start more pressure.

Here's a couple scenarios to help you understand it better.

As kabal I pressure my opponent with b12~nomad dash cancel(ndc) which is plus 2 on block, I then read that he is going to try to poke out with a d1, so i would wait and block his d1 which is -13 on block. That way I can get a full combo punish with my 9 frame f4~nomad dash.

As johnny cage vs kabal, I read he's going to interrupt my f3 pressure with a d3 which is -7 block, so I wait and block it. Then I start pressuring him with my 9 frame f3 shenanigans.

It's crazy because at a high level people stop poking with d1s and d3s it becomes about committing to those normals to keep the pressure on your opponent. There's like way more to it and I don't want to be typing forever though. So if you have more questions about it pm me.

Also counter poking is also useful because you can stop people from linking pokes into special moves. Since d1 and d3 have such little cancel advantages, you can block pokes and interrupt it with your own normal for a full combo punish before there move even comes out.

An example of this is johnny cage vs kitana, if kitana trys to escape pressure or get anything started with d1~cutter, johnny cage can block and interrupt it between the d1 and the cutter with his 9 frame f3 because d1s have horrible cancel advantage on block.
 

Amplified$hotz

I like Tekken 8
My biggest advice I could give to you, is to learn how to counter poke, counter poking is sooo important in MK9

Basically, d1 and d3 are fastest universal pokes in the game, so they're usually used to break up your opponents pressure. On hit they're usually around +1 and + 3, so if you do manage to break up your opponents pressure with one, you can start your own. On block though, they're around -13 and -7, so if your opponent reads you're going to try to break his pressure, he can block and either punish or start more pressure.

Here's a couple scenarios to help you understand it better.

As kabal I pressure my opponent with b12~nomad dash cancel(ndc) which is plus 2 on block, I then read that he is going to try to poke out with a d1, so i would wait and block his d1 which is -13 on block. That way I can get a full combo punish with my 9 frame f4~nomad dash.

As johnny cage vs kabal, I read he's going to interrupt my f3 pressure with a d3 which is -7 block, so I wait and block it. Then I start pressuring him with my 9 frame f3 shenanigans.

It's crazy because at a high level people stop poking with d1s and d3s it becomes about committing to those normals to keep the pressure on your opponent. There's like way more to it and I don't want to be typing forever though. So if you have more questions about it pm me.

Also counter poking is also useful because you can stop people from linking pokes into special moves. Since d1 and d3 have such little cancel advantages, you can block pokes and interrupt it with your own normal for a full combo punish before there move even comes out.

An example of this is johnny cage vs kitana, if kitana trys to escape pressure or get anything started with d1~cutter, johnny cage can block and interrupt it between the d1 and the cutter with his 9 frame f3 because d1s have horrible cancel advantage on block.
Can you counter poke subby
 

Fractured_Shadow

Really likes to throw things at you.
Don't people cancel d4 into clone? And what about 21, 212
You can cancel D4 into ice clone on hit but not on block. However you cannot counter poke a D4 because he is nutral on block. 2,1 and 2,1,2 are ok but dont yield anything. Worst subby can do on block is 2,1,2~ice clone or 2,1 into a d4. He really doesnt have great pressure options. Also his 2 will wiff on low hitbock characters so he can get blown the fuck up for using it too much.
 

Amplified$hotz

I like Tekken 8
You can cancel D4 into ice clone on hit but not on block. However you cannot counter poke a D4 because he is nutral on block. 2,1 and 2,1,2 are ok but dont yield anything. Worst subby can do on block is 2,1,2~ice clone or 2,1 into a d4. He really doesnt have great pressure options. Also his 2 will wiff on low hitbock characters so he can get blown the fuck up for using it too much.
Lol he's so bad