List of the best zoners in the game?

[Cibernetico]

Just wanting to know if there is a list or even a comparison chart of characters who's main game is related to zoning.

 

[Verstande]

I'm not sure but I think Kabal's zoning is the best as of now.
Or maybe Kenshi, I wouldn't know at best though.

 

[AK Toxic]

Kenshi, Kabal, Mileena

 

[Flagg]

Peoples suggestions are going to be so biased.

The best zoners, imo (and I only use 2 of these characters), in no particular order:

Shang T'Sung
Kitana
Freddy
Noob Saibot
Sindel
Kenshi
Kabal

 

[PND_Mustard]

freddy, kabal, mileena id say

 

[A F0xy Grampa]

Johnny Cage & Baraka

 

[Lt. Boxy Angelman]

1. Freddy.
2. Kitana.
3. Kenshi.

Kano's gotta be on that list somewhere. Somebody call the gay butcher, 'cause he's got knives and balls for days.

 

[smokey]

Kabal + kitana without a doubt.

Kenshi has great zoning and controls the whole screen really well, but he doesnt get 30%+ combos from anti air projectiles.

Sindel is pretty hectic too, she might not be all that great but someone who knows what they are doing with her can definitely cause some serious salt.

I hear scary things about freddy but i havent faced any who knew what to do with him, so i cant comment

 

[M2Dave]

1. Kabal - iaGBs and buzzsaws. Full screen ground control with dash. Strings + dash cancels to create space. EX dash for defense.

2. Freddy - glove toss and Freddy fingers. Full screen ground control with spikes. Regular and EX teleport for defense and mobility. Sweat dreams can be used vs other zoning characters.

3. Mileena - iaSBs as the primary projectile. d+4 for mid range zoning. Roll as AA. f,f+3 to disable opponent's projectiles. Very small hitbox.

4. Kitana - iaFs as the primary projectile. Max range d+1 and f+2,1 for mid range zoning. Square boost for escape.

5. Noob - 50/50 mix up with tackle / slide anywhere on the screen albeit very unsafe. Shadow upkick for AA. Not much else going on. Footsies and defense are mediocre.

 

[Mr. Mileena]

idk about you guys, but kenshi is a BITCH to fight. lol

 

[M2Dave]

People need to stop saying that Shang Tsung is a zoning character when his gameplay heavily revolves around footsies and close ground skull frame traps.

 

[Justice]

People need to stop saying that Shang Tsung is a zoning character when his gameplay heavily revolves around footsies and close ground skull frame traps.

This.

 

[Prinz]

I agree with m2dave. While Shang has lots of fireballs, they are not for zoning, more for setups.

 

[GuamoKun]

You may not think so, but if "zoning" counts as controlling space,

SUB-ZERO is the best one then.

 

[eskuAdradit0]

Well yeah, Shang's main strength is his upclose game imo, but if he gets the zoning lead he can be a real pain in the ass if he's making good reads (like any zoner should do). Plus, his Soul Steal covers almost 3/4 of the screen (and also air) and upskull zoning setups are really good. However, if he gets outzoned it's most likely game over in what regards zoning. His zoning is one of those "everything or nothing" things.

 

[Sage Leviathan]

Peoples suggestions are going to be so biased.

The best zoners, imo (and I only use 2 of these characters), in no particular order:

Shang T'Sung
Kitana
Freddy
Noob Saibot
Sindel
Kenshi
Kabal

This. Nuff said. Tho as a tactic of spacing, id also say Subbzy and Ermac.

 

[NogunYesknife]

People need to stop saying that Shang Tsung is a zoning character when his gameplay heavily revolves around footsies and close ground skull frame traps.

Lol? how does a character heavily revolve their game around footsies but they're not a space control character? You contradict yourself.


OP: If youre talking about which character is better at zoning then: Sub zero and Shang.

If youre talking about which character's zoning does most damage and builds meter: Mileena and kabal

 

[Death]

I cant really comment on a lot of the fighters but I'd definitly put Kitana, Mileena and kabal as top 3.

 

[M2Dave]

Lol? how does a character heavily revolve their game around footsies but they're not a space control character? You contradict yourself.


OP: If youre talking about which character is better at zoning then: Sub zero and Shang.

If youre talking about which character's zoning does most damage and builds meter: Mileena and kabal

Zoning is technically everything that "controls space" and "allows you to force your opponent where you want him/her to be", but the player has to apply this definition carefully within the context of the game. Why would I list Sub Zero when he struggles to approach any character with a good projectile? Why would I list Shang Tsung when DetriotBalln has proven that the character is most effective as a frame trap character?

My list is fairly accurate. I guess I could add Kenshi as # 6 and Sindel as # 7, but I wanted to create a top 5 list.

 

[Theme]

Dont think anyone mentioned Raiden... Yes. Raiden. You laugh? Obviously havent played my friends Raiden.

**Oh and Im not even talking about the lightening bolt...

 

[cR WoundCowboy]

Zoners:
1) Kabal
2) Kano
3) Sindel
4) Mileena
5) Shang Tsung

Shang can definitely zone, but it is match-up dependent. Ermac, Subzero and Johnny Cage are examples of matchups where zoning should probably come before the frame traps. Smoke, Liu Kang and possibly Cyrax are matchups where you want to utilize the frame traps more. It all depends.

 

[Maxter]

1. Kabal - iaGBs and buzzsaws. Full screen ground control with dash. Strings + dash cancels to create space. EX dash for defense.

2. Freddy - glove toss and Freddy fingers. Full screen ground control with spikes. Regular and EX teleport for defense and mobility. Sweat dreams can be used vs other zoning characters.

3. Mileena - iaSBs as the primary projectile. d+4 for mid range zoning. Roll as AA. f,f+3 to disable opponent's projectiles. Very small hitbox.

4. Kitana - iaFs as the primary projectile. Max range d+1 and f+2,1 for mid range zoning. Square boost for escape.

5. Noob - 50/50 mix up with tackle / slide anywhere on the screen albeit very unsafe. Shadow upkick for AA. Not much else going on. Footsies and defense are mediocre.

forgot about #1 zoner, he is the god of zoning because of his antizoning tools even tho he cant do damage he controls the game at full screen, his name is smoke, he can just smoke away and you will never catch up till you get him to the corner, he can deflect all of the best zoners projectiles and his smoke bombs are to quick to compete with, if he gets meter he can do chip with ex smoke bombs, he is number 1 on my list, agree or disagree?

 

[M2Dave]

forgot about #1 zoner, he is the god of zoning because of his antizoning tools even tho he cant do damage he controls the game at full screen, his name is smoke, he can just smoke away and you will never catch up till you get him to the corner, he can deflect all of the best zoners projectiles and his smoke bombs are to quick to compete with, if he gets meter he can do chip with ex smoke bombs, he is number 1 on my list, agree or disagree?

Smoke is not a zoning character because he has no zoning tools. In my opinion, Smoke is best described as a hit-and-run and turtling type of character, which is different from zoning. Smoke's gameplay style is kind of smiliar to Raiden's, and as a Raiden player, you know that Raiden is not a zoning character. He just counters zoning very well.

[MENTION=3246]TsungSupreme[/MENTION], that is the most awkward list in this thread thus far. No Freddy? No Kitana? Sindel top 3? And Shang Tsung, for the 100th time, is not a zoning character.

 

[Tim Static]

[MENTION=3246]TsungSupreme[/MENTION], that is the most awkward list in this thread thus far. No Freddy? No Kitana? Sindel top 3? And Shang Tsung, for the 100th time, is not a zoning character.

DING!

 

[chessmaster]

do some characters zoning abilities take into account whether they have a teleport or reflect? if so wouldnt everybody with a tp be considered a good zoner?