The Zoning Academy (Mortal Kombat X Edition)

[M2Dave]

Brief zoning character report for the 06/23/2015 patch.

Kano - EX up ball is -5 on block with massive push back. As Tom accurately stated, "Kano gets up for free with meter now". In addition, choke has been made -4 on block. I would have also loved to see an improved up laser and/or more block advantage on EX knife toss in Cybernetic. Kano remains a mid tier character in my opinion.

Kitana - the princess has received tons of buffs, all of which were necessary in my opinion. Unfortunately, I do not use Kitana to give specific feedback, but the Kitana community seems to be content, so I assume she should be a much better character now.

Liu Kang - the "shaolin flame" (d,d+1) has acquired new properties that completely change how Flame Fist plays. You can now cancel certain strings into the shaolin flame to gain block advantage and perform combos that were impossible pre-patch. Furthermore, even though the bicycle punch (f,b,f+4) is a special attack, you can cancel the last hit into any of the other special attacks that are available in Flame Fist. Very interesting stuff.

Quan Chi - unchanged. Still a top tier character and arguably the best zoning character in the game.

Shinnok - the buffs keep on coming. In Necromancer, flick and fiend have received better tracking, but the major buff comes to the fireball in Bone Shaper. The "dark beam" (b,f+1) hits high now, but its recovery and hit advantage have been vastly improved. You can now end combos with f+2,2,1+3 and cancel into the fireball to gain advantage. Bone Shaper is officially viable.

Tanya - the armor and block advantage on the EX teleport have been removed, and rightfully so. The hitboxes on b+3,1 and f+2 appear to have been fixed. Tanya is slightly worse defensively but still strong. Definitely still top 10.

Overall, a great patch for zoning characters. A great patch for the game. The game still favors the aggressor but seems much more fun. Do we finally have some variety in this game? I hope so.

 

[Pan1cMode]

Brief zoning character report for the 06/23/2015 patch.

Kano - EX up ball is -5 on block with massive push back. As Tom accurately stated, "Kano gets up for free with meter now". In addition, choke has been made -4 on block. I would have also loved to see an improved up laser and/or more block advantage on EX knife toss in Cybernetic. Kano remains a mid tier character in my opinion.

Kitana - the princess has received tons of buffs, all of which were necessary in my opinion. Unfortunately, I do not use Kitana to give specific feedback, but the Kitana community seems to be content, so I assume she should be a much better character now.

Liu Kang - the "shaolin flame" (d,d+1) has acquired new properties that completely change how Flame Fist plays. You can now cancel certain strings into the shaolin flame to gain block advantage and perform combos that were impossible pre-patch. Furthermore, even though the bicycle punch (f,b,f+4) is a special attack, you can cancel the last hit into any of the other special attacks that are available in Flame Fist. Very interesting stuff.

Quan Chi - unchanged. Still a top tier character and arguably the best zoning character in the game.

Shinnok - the buffs keep on coming. In Necromancer, flick and fiend have received better tracking, but the major buff comes to the fireball in Bone Shaper. The "dark beam" (b,f+1) hits high now, but its recovery and hit advantage have been vastly improved. You can now end combos with f+2,2,1+3 and cancel into the fireball to gain advantage. Bone Shaper is officially viable.

Tanya - the armor and block advantage on the EX teleport have been removed, and rightfully so. The hitboxes on b+3,1 and f+2 appear to have been fixed. Tanya is slightly worse defensively but still strong. Definitely still top 10.

Overall, a great patch for zoning characters. A great patch for the game. The game still favors the aggressor but seems much more fun. Do we finally have some variety in this game? I hope so.

Kenshi also got a slight damage reduction (1% off midscreen BnBs, 2% off corner ones) but they left Jacqui untouched :/

I don't know how they can give Raiden buffs but completely ignore a character like Jacqui

Let's hope predator gives us a zoning variation

 

[SaltShaker]

Brief zoning character report for the 06/23/2015 patch.

Kano - EX up ball is -5 on block with massive push back. As Tom accurately stated, "Kano gets up for free with meter now". In addition, choke has been made -4 on block. I would have also loved to see an improved up laser and/or more block advantage on EX knife toss in Cybernetic. Kano remains a mid tier character in my opinion.

Kitana - the princess has received tons of buffs, all of which were necessary in my opinion. Unfortunately, I do not use Kitana to give specific feedback, but the Kitana community seems to be content, so I assume she should be a much better character now.

Liu Kang - the "shaolin flame" (d,d+1) has acquired new properties that completely change how Flame Fist plays. You can now cancel certain strings into the shaolin flame to gain block advantage and perform combos that were impossible pre-patch. Furthermore, even though the bicycle punch (f,b,f+4) is a special attack, you can cancel the last hit into any of the other special attacks that are available in Flame Fist. Very interesting stuff.

Quan Chi - unchanged. Still a top tier character and arguably the best zoning character in the game.

Shinnok - the buffs keep on coming. In Necromancer, flick and fiend have received better tracking, but the major buff comes to the fireball in Bone Shaper. The "dark beam" (b,f+1) hits high now, but its recovery and hit advantage have been vastly improved. You can now end combos with f+2,2,1+3 and cancel into the fireball to gain advantage. Bone Shaper is officially viable.

Tanya - the armor and block advantage on the EX teleport have been removed, and rightfully so. The hitboxes on b+3,1 and f+2 appear to have been fixed. Tanya is slightly worse defensively but still strong. Definitely still top 10.

Overall, a great patch for zoning characters. A great patch for the game. The game still favors the aggressor but seems much more fun. Do we finally have some variety in this game? I hope so.

This patch did great work. I stand by the EX tele nerf not effecting Pyro Tanya too much. To be honest I didn't even use it that much unless I was playing Kobu, where it was broken. The pushback on fireballs with her already air float back is just icing on the cake.

Necromancer Shinnok's flick tracks jumpers and bone grab tracks runs. Amazing stuff. The stuff of legends. Kitana players have told me she's good enough to win a tournament as a main character. Liu Kang couldn't be looking any better, and while people are looking at his new combo/chip potential, I'm looking at that combined with strong zoming in that variation. Quan Chi still Quan Chi's.

All those characters feel a lot stronger and I think they are all viable now, all except 1. Kano. The dream is dead. The false narrative that "he is fine" will be the death of the character. Funny part is that most people who think he's fine are those who don't actually use the character. He needs some help and the more characters getting truck loads of buffs means the farther down the list he falls. Bottom 10 right now on his way down further. At this rate he'll easily be "bottom 5" by the end of patches.

I'm departing from the character altogether. Tanya is serving very well, and I'm picking up either Shinnok or Liu as an alt.

 

[M2Dave]

Kenshi also got a slight damage reduction (1% off midscreen BnBs, 2% off corner ones) but they left Jacqui untouched :/

I doubt you will see any more changes for Full Auto Jacqui. She is considered a complete character, which kind of makes sense. Nothing else remains that can be buffed without making her too good.

All those characters feel a lot stronger and I think they are all viable now, all except 1. Kano. The dream is dead. The false narrative that "he is fine" will be the death of the character. Funny part is that most people who think he's fine are those who don't actually use the character. He needs some help and the more characters getting truck loads of buffs means the farther down the list he falls. Bottom 10 right now on his way down further. At this rate he'll easily be "bottom 5" by the end of patches.

@dribirut can correct me if I am wrong, but Bone Shaper Shinnok is a much better Cybernetic Kano. Bone Shaper has similar zoning abilities but also includes block pressure with EX low fireball, a 50/50 mix up with b+3 / f+4, and a very long-ranged launching armor move.

 

[SaltShaker]

@dribirut can correct me if I am wrong, but Bone Shaper Shinnok is a much better Cybernetic Kano. Bone Shaper has similar zoning abilities but also includes block pressure with EX low fireball, a 50/50 mix up with b+3 / f+4, and a very long-ranged launching armor move.[/QUOTE]

Yea I can definitely see it. I'll be using Bone Shaper and Necromancer as my secondary unless the new FF Liu can win me over, with Tanya as the main. Bone Shaper Shinnok makes it hard to jump with ground fireballs, hard to stand with ground shake, has a Batgirl-esque looping type of a 50/50, high/low mixups in strings, low scoop 2/3's of the screen, etc. Then there's Necro with its enhanced tracking for some real zoning and good damage specials. Shinnok has officially become a character that can solo.

With the buffs to the other zoning characters, I see no reason to play Cyber Kano anymore. Zoning is actually on the way up finally in MKX, while Kano sees no part of it. Day 1 he was a very strong viable character. Today, I have to struggle to think of a zoning character he is better than, with unlikely buffs in the near future because "he's fine". What a waste, but at least there's strong alternatives now.

 

[Pan1cMode]

I doubt you will see any more changes for Full Auto Jacqui. She is considered a complete character, which kind of makes sense. Nothing else remains that can be buffed without making her too good.

f121 comes out on block (I mean, come on, it's got a block advantage listed!), bf2(ex) is safe on block (it requires meter, cannot be combo'd after and does a whopping 9% on hit surely it could at least be safe instead of -20), d2 adjusted to make a semi-ok anti-air (or 4u4. Both these moves look like they are designed to be anti-airs yet neither of them adequately functions as such) and tech shield given 2 frames faster startup and more meter gain for successful use (it's slower than Kenshi's with less reward. It needs an increase in speed and reward. Nothing too broken, but 2 frames faster and 1/4 a bar [instead of 1/10] isn't too much to ask).

None of these buffs would make her too good, all of these would help her significantly.

 

[gibster13]

@General M2Dave

I wanted to conversation this but my phone is being dumb

M2dave I know your the guy to go to about my problem, for we are both zoners but this problem has a lot more then just zoning.

I feel MKX does not aquire all forms of style of fighting. These normally range from rushdown to zoning and even footsie based attack. I hate it it seems that all you need is some broken 50/50 that even a noob(no offence) could do with no skill or basic fundamentals. I love to zone and I honestly feel that MKX doesn't want that to happen, it won't let it. For this reason and others I think that MKX in fact is quite boring to play. This is upsetting for I am the biggest MK fan on earth and also love the characters.

In terms of character detailing(costumes and sound)
and all the other things NRS has done to make this game is detailed and precise. Yet I feel something is missing and in fact it also feels that when I go in training, I have found what NRS has let me to find. The balancing is superb and I love how they have done it but the game itself is not on the same level.

I think in order for this game to last it MUST allow all styles of play to be preformed instead of mindless 50/50 and rushdown.

This is the first one of these posts I have done because I have been bottling up my anger for the best game on earth because I want it to live a long life. Any opinion I would really appreciate it and sorry for the length sorry if there are any grammatical issues. My phone is stupid

 

[Carmine]

@General M2Dave

I wanted to conversation this but my phone is being dumb

M2dave I know your the guy to go to about my problem, for we are both zoners but this problem has a lot more then just zoning.

I feel MKX does not aquire all forms of style of fighting. These normally range from rushdown to zoning and even footsie based attack. I hate it it seems that all you need is some broken 50/50 that even a noob(no offence) could do with no skill or basic fundamentals. I love to zone and I honestly feel that MKX doesn't want that to happen, it won't let it. For this reason and others I think that MKX in fact is quite boring to play. This is upsetting for I am the biggest MK fan on earth and also love the characters.

In terms of character detailing(costumes and sound)
and all the other things NRS has done to make this game is detailed and precise. Yet I feel something is missing and in fact it also feels that when I go in training, I have found what NRS has let me to find. The balancing is superb and I love how they have done it but the game itself is not on the same level.

I think in order for this game to last it MUST allow all styles of play to be preformed instead of mindless 50/50 and rushdown.

I feel like with the pattern of the patches that is the direction they are trying to go, they have nerfed the pressure of alot of 50/50 characters scorpions/still have 50/50s but less pressure
they have given characters without mixups either pressure tempest kung lao, mournful kitana, or better zoning tools, balanced kenshi, pyromancer tanya, or given them a mix of options, changes to boneshaper shinnok, changes to sonya to have better zoning.

I think with each patch they are opening up new styles to play the game even though it is still slightly dominated by 50/50s, I am really liking the direction they are going with the patches, now only if they make block breaker useful

 

[gibster13]

I feel like with the pattern of the patches that is the direction they are trying to go, they have nerfed the pressure of alot of 50/50 characters scorpions/still have 50/50s but less pressure
they have given characters without mixups either pressure tempest kung lao, mournful kitana, or better zoning tools, balanced kenshi, pyromancer tanya, or given them a mix of options, changes to boneshaper shinnok, changes to sonya to have better zoning.

I think with each patch they are opening up new styles to play the game even though it is still slightly dominated by 50/50s, I am really liking the direction they are going with the patches, now only if they make block breaker useful

Block breaker needs fixing but I still feel zoning isn't the best choice when you could choose a 50/50 character and not have to think as hard. It frustrates me for a am a zoner. Bring back freddy lol. Zoning on this game is good at keeping people out that well. It doesn't have control over the opponent that much. Pyromancer is okay, mournful is okay, kenshi is good, Quan is good and Kano is okay but apart from Quan it downs get them that far. This of course is just my opinion mad I agree the patches are good.

 

[Carmine]

Block breaker needs fixing but I still feel zoning isn't the best choice when you could choose a 50/50 character and not have to think as hard. It frustrates me for a am a zoner. Bring back freddy lol. Zoning on this game is good at keeping people out that well. It doesn't have control over the opponent that much. Pyromancer is okay, mournful is okay, kenshi is good, Quan is good and Kano is okay but apart from Quan it downs get them that far. This of course is just my opinion mad I agree the patches are good.

I wasnt saying it was the best, but I am saying with each patch it has started to become better, and we have at a minimum 2 more patches to go if they dont add more characters around 6 if they do, and I am really liking the direction they have been going with each patch so with 6 more I think we might actually have a game with a good number of styles available to play

 

[gibster13]

I wasnt saying it was the best, but I am saying with each patch it has started to become better, and we have at a minimum 2 more patches to go if they dont add more characters around 6 if they do, and I am really liking the direction they have been going with each patch so with 6 more I think we might actually have a game with a good number of styles available to play

At the end it should be good IF they go the right way. I mean giving raiden more options ;-; but apart from that I agree

 

[TwistedGamesMK]

Hey im kinda barging in but i just found this thread. I usually win most of my online games by zoning with necro shinnok and pyro tanya.

 

[16 Bit]

Princess zoning report:

The parry in Assassin has faster start up. Previously it was almost useless because the start up was so long. This is now usable so she can blow up rush down fools spamming 50/50's.

In Royal Storm her Square Boost is now a hard knockdown. This prevents her combos from being punishable on hit or severe disadvantage on hit. Now rush down fools can't do 50/50's as she recovers from finishing her own combo.

In Mournful the Air Glaive has much faster recovery. Before she would float down slowly. It also has a new reaction on hit where the opponent floats up, making it easier to combo. In addition since EX Air Glaive pops them up she has a 50/50 off a jump in punch because she can mix up JIP~EX Air Glaive and JIP b+3. This allows her to give rush down fools a taste of their own 50/50 medicine. The EX Glaive now has no gap on block so she can use her projectile to start offense.

Two big general fixes are her EX d,b+2 can now combo on hit so she has an armored launcher that leads to 30% combos. This allows her to have better risk/reward when dealing with rush down fools and their 50/50's. Also the 2,1,2 and f+2,2 strings are now safer on block. This improves her footsies game so she is safer as she tries to keep out 50/50 monsters.


This is a very good patch for the princess.

 

[gibster13]

Hey im kinda barging in but i just found this thread. I usually win most of my online games by zoning with necro shinnok and pyro tanya.

It's fine to barge necrosis okay but is destroyed by people with good movement. Kanos dashes are insane. Pyromacner is good cause of space control but I don't think it is that good at zoning tbh, I may be playing it wrong that is. I main necromancer shinnok and I like the challenge of hitting ppl with flick which has shit tracking

 

[DarksydeDash]

So how's pryomanxer Tanya after the nerfs?

 

[ShaolinGunFu]

Princess zoning report:

shes high mid tier now at least

 

[M2Dave]

@General M2Dave

I wanted to conversation this but my phone is being dumb

M2dave I know your the guy to go to about my problem, for we are both zoners but this problem has a lot more then just zoning.

I feel MKX does not aquire all forms of style of fighting. These normally range from rushdown to zoning and even footsie based attack. I hate it it seems that all you need is some broken 50/50 that even a noob(no offence) could do with no skill or basic fundamentals. I love to zone and I honestly feel that MKX doesn't want that to happen, it won't let it. For this reason and others I think that MKX in fact is quite boring to play. This is upsetting for I am the biggest MK fan on earth and also love the characters.

In terms of character detailing(costumes and sound)
and all the other things NRS has done to make this game is detailed and precise. Yet I feel something is missing and in fact it also feels that when I go in training, I have found what NRS has let me to find. The balancing is superb and I love how they have done it but the game itself is not on the same level.

I think in order for this game to last it MUST allow all styles of play to be preformed instead of mindless 50/50 and rushdown.

This is the first one of these posts I have done because I have been bottling up my anger for the best game on earth because I want it to live a long life. Any opinion I would really appreciate it and sorry for the length sorry if there are any grammatical issues. My phone is stupid

Once you come to peace with the fact that you cannot solely play a zoning based game and win in Mortal Kombat X, you will have more fun and be more successful. A typical Mortal Kombat X zoning character plays similarly to Akuma in the Street Fighter IV series. You zone and play footsies, but as soon as you score a knock down, you run in for pressure and 50/50 mix ups. This gameplay aspect will never change because the game is designed to be fast-paced and favor the aggressor. But I do not mind as long as zoning and defense play some kind of role. I actually do not want another Freddy or Zod in this game. I want to play in a different and unique manner.

In order to add more variety, NRS has fortunately been patching the game and improving the unique but lesser used variations such as Shinnok's Bone Shaper, Kitana's Mournful, Liu Kang's Flame Fist, and Mileena's Ethereal. I honestly cannot understand why some fools in this community keep complaining when Paolo delivered 85%+ of character specific changes that people in the community requested. I would fix some hitboxes (i.e., Liu Kang's windmill punches that partially whiff on some characters), buff a couple of more characters. and normalize the S tier characters a little, and I think the game will be finished.

 

[M2Dave]

So how's pryomanxer Tanya after the nerfs?

Strong. Probably too strong. Invincibility frames on teleport must be entirely removed and applied to EX teleport only.

@GGA 16 Bit , which combos do you do after EX d,b+2 in Mournful and Royal Storm?

 

[16 Bit]

Strong. Probably too strong. Invincibility frames on teleport must be entirely removed and applied to EX teleport only.

@GGA 16 Bit , which combos do you do after EX d,b+2 in Mournful and Royal Storm?

RS = EX d,b+2~float, air fan, f+3,3~ground fan, f+4~lift, njp, f+4~throat slice
Mournful = EX d,b+2~air glaive, run d+1~staff slam

 

[DarksydeDash]

Strong. Probably too strong. Invincibility frames on teleport must be entirely removed and applied to EX teleport only.

@GGA 16 Bit , which combos do you do after EX d,b+2 in Mournful and Royal Storm?

So TJE variation is still underrated? They'll learn..

 

[RunwayMafia]

@General M2Dave

I would strongly reccomend placing mournful Kitana in your top 5 list of zoning characters. The glaives (which were very strong to begin with) are now even stronger considering the buff to her air glaives and the inclusion of the now 5050 and the 31% chip frame trap.

Also, shadow kick is now 2 frames faster and is one hell of an antiair when they start jumping the glaives. BAM BITCH, full screen yet again!

Mournful is tourny viable.

 

[M2Dave]

@General M2Dave

I would strongly reccomend placing mournful Kitana in your top 5 list of zoning characters. The glaives (which were very strong to begin with) are now even stronger considering the buff to her air glaives and the inclusion of the now 5050 and the 31% chip frame trap.

Also, shadow kick is now 2 frames faster and is one hell of an antiair when they start jumping the glaives. BAM BITCH, full screen yet again!

Mournful is tourny viable.

I agree that she is strong and viable now. Here are my top 5 zoning characters.

1. Pyromancer Tanya
2. Summoner Quan Chi
3. Bone Shaper Shinnok
4. Balanced Kenshi
5. Mournful Kitana

 

[Pan1cMode]

I agree that she is strong and viable now. Here are my top 5 zoning characters.

1. Pyromancer Tanya
2. Summoner Quan Chi
3. Bone Shaper Shinnok
4. Balanced Kenshi
5. Mournful Kitana

Just wait till predator comes out and they (hopefully!) buff Jacqui.

You think bone shaper is legit? I haven't played him really but will give him a shot.

 

[Rude]

I agree that she is strong and viable now. Here are my top 5 zoning characters.

1. Pyromancer Tanya
2. Summoner Quan Chi
3. Bone Shaper Shinnok
4. Balanced Kenshi
5. Mournful Kitana

Do you mean Necromancer Shinnok?

Otherwise, I completely agree with this list.

 

[Pan1cMode]

Do you mean Necromancer Shinnok?

Otherwise, I completely agree with this list.

Bone shaper has that plus on block projectile thing, a full screen unblockable and hell sparks... Maybe that's what he's referring to? Necro does seem like the better single variation though.