@BigMilk actually now that I talk about it, this change is raiden-esque. It's like they're making her among other characters more honest but mkx is a dishonest game. Bet money the dlc will fill a niche left by the current top tier and it'll be Like why even do all that stuff. I'll be happy if these dirt removing changes are cast wide and not mostly top ish characters.
I think that's the point of the changes cast-wide. Which characters maintain significant dirt so far? I'm legitimately asking, because I don't know. But I can't think of anyone off the top of my head. Lao got smacked and Cassie got toned down.
I agree that no armor and the 7f change combined were unnecessary, I would have personally gone for 7f, armored, but unsafe. I think 7f just because I think regular flipkick should have been 7f from the beginning and I don't think that speeding it up ONE frame for the EX version would have been sensible lol
Just finished playing the beta. Brawler will be fine but Spec Ops got bodied. I dunno if it was just me not being used to having EX Flip but losing the armour hurts, especially since I rarely even used it for safety in Spec Ops because of American Way. I literally only ever used it for the armour. If they're not gonna give Spec Ops armour they need to buff her missiles and make her more of an offensive powerhouse.
I agree that Spec Ops seems to have been hurt the most out of all of this, but I think that is a conscious NRS design decision at this point. I think they realized that 3 variations is just difficult to manage, as ultimately there will be one that is the worst. The other 2 typically have enough utility and options between them to cover MUs. In SOME cases (particular characters), all 3 are already fine and I think NRS thinks it's ok for those characters to be the EXCEPTION and not the rule.
So basically: Expect 2 viable variations per character that should hopefully offer different utility and playstyles and the 3rd one can be a wild card.
From my understanding, the following variations did not get variation specific changes that they may have needed. I already fully accept that I may be wrong as I don't play every character, nor do I browse every forum religiously:
Dualist
Spec Ops
Necromancer
Ravenous
High Tech
Ancestral
and the list goes on. It's up for debate HOW MUCH or WHAT these variations may have needed to hold a candle to the others at tournament level, or even to cover different matchups. But the fact remains that players of these characters often feel that the above variations offer the least compared to the other 2 variations.
Maybe we should think of them as "Casual" variations. Variations you use because they're fun or you like them. Just maybe not something you'd rely on in tournament. Maybe they can still win with EXTREMELY solid fundamentals because the "base character" is fine, etc. This varies for each variation obviously, but you get the point.
I'd love to have 3 100% tournament level viable variations for each character, but I don't think that will happen. It's AT BEST the 3rd variation will cover a few very specific MUs or even counter a certain play style/make up for shortcomings. At this point, Ravenous for people who struggle to do slightly more complicated combos or conversions. Also usable against players who constantly low block if you struggle to open people up. If you're a tournament level player, you likely don't NEED that but maybe it'll help some time.
In the case of Cassie, you get Hollywood for instant air guns and invincibility on wakeup now (with nut punch), with Brawler you get armor and tick throws (that also work on hit!) You pull Spec Ops out when you think people won't know the matchup
