Shao Kahn Discussion Thread

[TheDylbot]

Just right now Shao is basically in the "he's 1 patch away from being good" kinda zone. As it stands currently he won't be able to excel. Sure he can do fine but for a lot of people "fine" ain't good enough.

Both variations basically have a dead move in the buff/debuffs cause there's no possible way to get them right now(unless you know something and please enlighten me) on anyone with a functioning brain, even if you try to sacrifice combo damage and end a combo early canceling into a buff you are still like -25 right by the enemy.

Up hammer could be a lot better if they minimized the gap so you couldn't uppercut/perfect block it. Like enough for them to try to hit a button but not enough for them to do much. I thought this was his best move until I explored it further(due to the perceived pressure power I thought it had) but now I know it will get you killed for trying to use it.

If shao could even do like Old Kotal, do move whiff into air grab, then either be less negative, or plus on a few things that would be a big help.

So yeah Shao alright, but nothing special right now.

Completely agree. Hopefully some bigger brains than mine in this community can dream up some nice tech, because I'm in the same vein as you. Been a fan of yours for a while now too Roofle, loved your Broly tech in DBFZ (he was my main there too haha)

 

[Kiss the Missile]

There is some hardcore agreeing going on here

 

[TheDylbot]

Apologies, something went wrong haha.

 

[Kiss the Missile]

What are you guys using for anti airs/anti crossups

 

[TheDylbot]

What are you guys using for anti airs/anti crossups

DB1 (scum grab!) Does the trick for me so far, but I've been keeping it simple, haven't had time to mess around with anti air conversions just yet sorry

 

[Evil Canadian]

What are you guys using for anti airs/anti crossups

scum grab is good and quick for what it does. He basically has the best d2 in the game for anti airs though as far as I can tell, its ridiculous. Raw d2 does more damage than scum grab(unless you burn a bar) so go for that most of the time.

Scum grab will be able to connect in situations where you have less time to react unlike d2 though, as it has much faster startup.

I haven't really found any button thats good for like AA into combo yet, maybe stand 4 but I gotta play around with that more.

 

[AK Harold]

Questions what do his debuffs do?

 

[NothingPersonal]

Hot take: throwing up and back hammers should be + on block and B2 should be overhead or safer. (If you're thinking this a buff request, you are right. Mods don't allow buff threads so sneak in buff posts are a given). Real talk though, he has no mix-ups and up close is pretty vulnerable so these are reasonable to me.

 

[Balltapper]

What are you guys using for anti airs/anti crossups

The spacing is a little questionable and idk if videos are allowed

Spoiler: Shao AA

EDIT: My dumbass accidentally clicked post before posting the combo, 23, d4 fb3mb, slight walk forward 14 db3

 

[Pandamoniumz]

Hot take: throwing up and back hammers should be + on block and B2 should be overhead or safer. (If you're thinking this a buff request, you are right. Mods don't allow buff threads so sneak in buff posts are a given). Real talk though, he has no mix-ups and up close is pretty vulnerable so these are reasonable to me.

I think that's kinda the deliberate design decision of this game. Characters with huge normals pretty much don't have mix. You produce offense through stagger strings, jailing, and shimmy/spacing. See the same shit with Jade and other longer characters.

 

[Metzos]

Character is garbage.

No solid mid hitting normals.

Unsafe at everything.

Almost all of his strings have gaps.

His dmg is godlike on paper. In reality? Good luck getting the buffs in a real match against an opponent who knows what he/she is doing. Plus the fact that without solid strings you have to rely on yolo stuff to get your damage going ( random charges and yolo f21's).

A luck of a solid mid means that he cant compete against anyone in this game.

Suggestions (yes SUGGESTIONS, since the character SUCKS, i dont care if its day 3 or day 133, thats facts talking):


1. Either make his f2 a mid hitting attack or leave it high and make it faster. Alternative solution is to make his b3 less unsafe on block and cancelable.

2. F34 cancelable ( why that string is not cancelable is beyond me).

3. Increase the damage of merciless spear and hammer throw. Shao Kahn is fookin Shao Kahn. His projectiles need to be slow but hit like a truck like Goro in MKXL.

4. Make the buffs recover faster after using them from certain combos as enders.

5. Make his scum AA throw able to choose where to leave the opponent.

6. Make his f4 an OH.

7. Make his 44 cancelable.

8. Give him a command grab.

Post edited.

 

[FrankOceansWaifu]

Jesus christ relax he’s fine

 

[just_2swift]

make his spear have enough hit-advantage so when he lands it full screen or 3/4 of it lets him set up a buff or make it a 2 in 1 cancel allowing to cancel into it into buff on hit.

remove the f34 grab and turn it into a command grab and make the crushing blow requirement after landing it 3 times 4th grab will KB and make f34 canelable.

fix grab KB

make f2 a mid

make b3 plus 2 or 1

make amplify scum allow the player to choose the side to leave the opponent

 

[TheDylbot]

Jesus christ relax he’s fine

Well yeah he's fine, he's solidly average - with good fundamentals you will take games, but the thing is, look at the kind of stuff coming out of a character like Erron Black already. 2 games in a row that man has been given a full tool kit, he's got set ups, above average zoning, far reaching mix ups, and combos.

I started messing around with other characters and SK being 'fine' is ok, but it's not gonna get him real representation. I don't want to see my fave character get the swamp thing treatment.

 

[Evil Canadian]

Yeah I think Shao is average as well. Certainly, and absolutely can be better. But compared to actually bad characters? Naw he ain't rotten.

That said the buffs/debuffs/dark priest absolutely need to be faster than they are, they are basically dead moves.

Also if up hammer actually worked the way I thought it did before I found all the holes, those 2 things and that would be enough to make him solidly fun.

 

[Nulak]

 

[Kiss the Missile]

Shao Kahn not having a command grab is absurd.

 

[just_2swift]

fix the gap in 12 and f24 make s3 a mid

 

[Bronzefist]

What do you guys consider solid mids?

His b2 and f3 are both relatively fast mids. B2 has some decent range as well but it's strictly a poke and not a combo starter. Give some good frames in hit. I've had to increasingly use it due to being uppercutted out his other stuff. :/

 

[FrankOceansWaifu]

It’s super easy to hit confirm his F34 string.

Also it seems like he’s designed to stay mid range and whiff punish. B3 controls most the air space in front you. I just don’t get the point of amping shoulder into the OH.

 

[Kroaken]

Why are none of his spear moves in his Variations? God damnit, NRS.

 

[Hor_PeT]

Hi guys. I am labbing up hammer on block.
According to the frame data it is -8 on block but after coming from the above it looks pretty neutral (I recorded AI to jump).
I could not punish with 7F move either.

Do you know any proper punish for it if it is available?
The best I found is an upper cut in the gap lol. That does more damage than the hammer and have more advantage than Shao Kahn. It is a weird move.

 

[freerf245]

Howd they release him this bad?

 

[XxSYNDROISxX]

Anyone know how to do his1,2 1+3 brutality?

 

[Nevearos]

Shao Kahn not having a command grab is absurd.

I agree. Even the tutorial mentions that his moves emphasize corner carry. Seems surprising they wouldn't give him one. Also, the priest should totally be named Orko.