Oh right, sub-zero doesnt really have any due to the lack of plus frames
Best he has is off a d4 on hit
Based on spacing you can run up d4 for again which will catch everything or if you're closer you can check them with f4,2 and confirm into whatever
There are also gimmicky things you can do by staggering strings with b1,2 and f1,2,2
Once you get people to respect b1,2 you can do b1 wait then what ever string but there is a gap which is punishable if they make the read
f1,2 is zero on block so you can pressure after it as well
but you need to make people respect the f1,2,2 first
The issue is f1,2,2 is -9 and therefore is punishable
You can make the final 2 safer by cancelling into a special but its match up dependant
Frame trap would work much better if the f1,2,2, was -6 or -7 instead but in its current state its the best 'frame trap' we have
Your best normals for frame trapping are generally low pokes (d3 to be specific) to get frame advantage or f3,3 which is your fastest mid . You can also use 1,1 if you expect them to press buttons standing, but again its all reads based.
Cryomancer does have gimmicky frame traps, but he's best played as a footsie character. A lesser but safer kotal khan.
With a few changes he could play pressure, but right now is pressure is based on conditioning. Like some of you guys have mentioned he has no real way of building meter outside of throwing ice balls in the neutral, he can't maintain pressure so he doesnt build meter like that. He relies on meter for his high damage footsies, but he has no way of building that meter. Right now the only changes i'd like to see are
- f1,2,2 made -6 or -7
- f4,2,1+3 made more plus on hit OR we can choose to knockdown using by adding an input (someone else suggested making the ender a special, and this would be useful since we could more easily reverse positions)
- f1 is given 12f start up instead of 15f. in its current state it can only be used off a jump in, and even then it can be armoured out of based on height.
- d1 is 7f because right now there is no reason to use this button over d3 or d4 since they all start at 9f
- normal hammer has faster start up to block string off of f4 and is made to be -8/-9. OR is made plus on block and the start up stays the same. Right now this special is completely useless. I only use it to build meter.
- air hammer is -4 instead of -7. Really is only used to break armour right now, and even then if they block its punishable. It's already punishable if they delay wake up. It shouldnt be punishable on normal block as well. or maybe instead air hammer has less recovery on whiff and it keep its current frames, this way it could be used a semi reliable means of building meter.
- wishful thinking but d2 is given 11f start up instead of 13f. doesnt have to happen, but holy crap you have to be sitting there waiting for the jump to anti air with this. Most characters have a 7-9f anti air, sub-zeros is almost double that.