The Zoning Academy (Mortal Kombat X Edition)

[Ugodimak]

3 or 4 at best. Kano, Liu Kang, and Kenshi.

Shinnok would be the 4th but only in one variation. His zoning tools are relatively safe and strong, but I worry with him against the anti-zoning tools of the game. He has one low and no overheads as starters. Shoulder and EX Shoulder is unsafe on block, Skulls can be blown up by a teleport combos on block (tested against Scorpions's teleport ), among other things. He isn't all bad, and has some strengths, but I don't feel he's as good a zoner as the other 3. Especially taking his other two variations into account. It would be all Necromancer for zoning.

Damn, that's really disappointing to hear both his shoulder rush AND EX shoulder being unsafe. I'm curious to know which variation of Liu Kang you found to be best zoning wise, or did you mean just in general?

 

[SaltShaker]

Saltshaker, why don't you like Kitana as a zoner

For some reason, I always forget her. That MK9 salt is still real. My friend co-main's Kitana so mentally I was think of her as "not playing her" since I have to play her 200 times a week minimum lol.

Never tried Assassin outside of looking at it, but Royal Storm and Mournful look strong. Imo stronger than Mileena and Shinnok's zoning. I would say it's just as good as the aforementioned characters. What's great about her too is her ability to deal with a lot of the new elements of the game effectively.

Also, I have no idea why Mournful is so bypassed. Maybe because of the Jade thing? Easily one of the best overlooked variations in the game. She'll definitely a good zoner in MKX.

Post edited.

 

[Zoidberg747]

@SaltShaker have you messed with Takeda at all. Because unless all of his moves are extremely negative he will most definitely be a good footsie/zoning character.

 

[Barrogh]

if you guys are looking for a good zoner, give master of storms raiden a try.

Didn't you say that you found nothing of worth with him so far?

@SaltShaker have you messed with Takeda at all. Because unless all of his moves are extremely negative he will most definitely be a good footsie/zoning character.

I guess someone said that his whips are generally something like -30. Sounds like at that distance people will be getting punishes on him.
Doesn't mean his game is going to be weak though.

Saltshaker, why don't you like Kitana as a zoner

Because we have you for that.

 

[Zoidberg747]

Didn't you say that you found nothing of worth with him so far?


I guess someone said that his whips are generally something like -30. Sounds like at that distance people will be getting punishes on him.
Doesn't mean his game is going to be weak though.


Because we have you for that.

What's the point of giving them to him then? Eh, i'll make it work.

 

[SaltShaker]

@SaltShaker have you messed with Takeda at all. Because unless all of his moves are extremely negative he will most definitely be a good footsie/zoning character.

I was strongly considering main'ing him all up until yesterday. Don't get me wrong, I think he'll be amazing, Top 10 character easy, but I'm not sure if he's for me. With the tools characters

His whip normals are pretty negative, but don't get too worried because you shouldn't be throwing them out close range anyway because they're slow. At distance they are pretty safe from most things and safe from teleports as well.

If you plan on playing Takeda I'd advise you to go with him. It's almost impossible that he won't be a strong character.

 

[M2Dave]

I played Kano in Mk9 and Raven in Injustice so I'm all for zoning, but I actually like this direction they're taking, sue me. There are now tons of safer options to get in on zoners but all have a counter measure. It makes zoning more rewarding and also has zoners play a bit of the close ranged game without sandbagging.

Play up close against characters who have safe 50/50 mix ups and armored special moves?

Your post sucks.

 

[kabelfritz]

Didn't you say that you found nothing of worth with him so far?

i said i didnt find knockdown Setups with orbs. he still is a good zoner and orbs are strong screen control.

 

[ShaolinGunFu]

Play up close?

 

[regulas]

No, Goro is not a zoner.

So the fireballs he gets in Tigrar are bad?

 

[SaltShaker]

So the fireballs he gets in Tigrar are bad?

I haven't used my preorder code until Tuesday because I'm afraid my account will be banned or something lol. So I don't know the properties of his fire moves but I can assure you Goro isn't going to be a zoner. It just gives him some options to using the tools in MU's.

 

[Phosferrax]

@SaltShaker you don't think Sorcerer Quan can zone?

 

[haketh]

@SaltShaker you don't think Sorcerer Quan can zone?

Whichever one Ketchup played with the Bat definitely can, we saw bits of it from ketchup but he was just playing way to nervous & unsafe. He was doing very successful zoning when he was backing up, playing patient, mixing up between Runes & Puggles.

 

[OG Mannimal]

I think we might have to tell the scrubs ways to get around the zoning from day 1, so that they don't get the good zoners nerfed.

 

[Amplified$hotz]

I'm confusion. Why isn't granddady master mcnasty Sub-Zero considered a zoner? Doesn't he control two spaces at once?

 

[iamylem]

Word of advise: if people expect to zone with Cybernetic Kano, you will literally be spamming the same knife move over and over, and then doing b2 to ground opponents and anti airing. That is literally it, so if that's your sort of thing then great, but he is very one dimensional, and Quan Chi or (I assume) Ermac or Kenshi or Kung Jin will be much deeper.

And that why a lot of people hate zoning in general. This post makes it seem as if Zoners go in with the mindset of spamming a couple of attacks and not actually thinking during gameplay. Also no offense to the poster just happen to see your post and felt like sharing my thoughts

 

[SaltShaker]

@SaltShaker you don't think Sorcerer Quan can zone?

He definitely is. For sure.

I just don't think he'll be a very good one compared to what the roster and the game mechanics present. It's still Day -2 so I could be dead wrong, but that's my early thoughts.

 

[M2Dave]

And that why a lot of people hate zoning in general. This post makes it seem as if Zoners go in with the mindset of spamming a couple of attacks and not actually thinking during gameplay.

How are "set players" any different with their 50/50 mix ups?

 

[Barrogh]

How are "set players" any different with their 50/50 mix ups?

And how bitching about "setplay" is any different than bitching about anything else?

 

[M2Dave]

And how bitching about "setplay" is any different than bitching about anything else?

I am not bitching about anything. Keep the safe 50/50 mix ups. Just give me the tools to keep my opponents away before they have a chance to take advantage of them. But most set players want an easy way to get in and have access to safe 505/0 mix ups.

 

[Circus]

Play up close against characters who have safe 50/50 mix ups and armored special moves?

Your post sucks.

Careful Dave, it's day -2.

Speaking in such a bold "Deathstroke is the new Kano" way might just bite you in the ass again. How about you just wait until the game develops before jumping the gun on every zoning character's up close options like you always do.

I know you think you're always right though, so if you want to, just go on. You've shown that no matter how many times proven wrong you will always preemptively think everyone else is wrong except you.

 

[ShaolinGunFu]

This post makes it seem as if Zoners go in with the mindset of spamming a couple of attacks and not actually thinking during gameplay.

They are actually thinking during gameplay, they're thinking "do another projectile, do it again, one more time, oh shit he got close run away! projectile, projectile, wtf he got in on me?! this characters entire community lacks fundamentals"

 

[Hitoshura]

They are actually thinking during gameplay, they're thinking "do another projectile, do it again, one more time, oh shit he got close run away! projectile, projectile, wtf he got in on me?! this characters entire community lacks fundamentals"

Actual zoner mindset

So, I need to use my projectiles to control my opponent by keeping him in place which allows me to control the map overall. If he guesses right, then I have to do my best and block until I can get a few hits in, send him mid-full screen, and try to take advantage of his space again. My normals can't compete with rushdown characters.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That's what an actual zoners train of thought is. It's a different type of playstyle. I can't believe it's 2015 and people still don't realize not everyone plays the same.

 

[Shark Tank]

1.Run at opponent
2.Press buttons

Did I hit him?

☑--->COMBO
☒--->"WHAT THE FUCK SPAMMER"--->Back to step 1.

 

[LEGI0N47]

I think we might have to tell the scrubs ways to get around the zoning from day 1, so that they don't get the good zoners nerfed.

Even if you did they wouldn't listen.

I'm scarred to invest in a main because if he's good, especially online, he might get Nerfed.