So I'm almost at 1,000 matches with Cage, and I'll admit I was wrong about a few things:
- His pokes are definitely some of the best in the game. I've been using them more and more, and they're even good at trading with some poke spammers, because D4 automatically jails into F3 if your opponent blocks. If D4 lands, you get a combo out of it. D3 is good in the corner, and even better against players that start using projectiles when they start fearing your pressure, because it doesn't push your opponent back. 244 works better after D3. Cage's D1 is ok, though it lacks range. You're never going to beat Geras at his D1 game anyway. You should utilize the other two pokes more.
- His force balls are more than fine. You can amplify them after F4 to keep your opponent blocking and guessing. They almost always whiff if your opponent is ducking, especially females, but this can easily be fixed when NRS deals with the hitbox issues. Still, you shouldn't trade with anyone for prolonged periods of time. Sub-Zero, Erron Black, definitely Sonya, and a few others WILL make you pay for it. Use them intermittently.
- I think Cage Rage is fine the way it is in terms of speed. Sure, it's easily poked out of, much like Liu Kang's final, delayed kick that causes a crushing blow. Not sure what the string is called. But if you're pressuring right, they usually don't attempt a poke as they're anticipating a grab or something else. I really don't understand how the charges work still. Sometimes it's fully charged after 2 hits, sometimes 4, regardless if it's blocked or not. It's weird and should be looked at. It's hilariously when you're using it throughout the match, then you hit the other guy when it's fully charged. They start shitting bricks and burn their meter out of fear and desperation. That's when you start going all out as your opponent is trying to jump away. Just run them down with F3 until they're in corner. They're pretty much demoralised at that point. I got hate mail from a Scorpion player telling me, "Quit playing like a bitch", because he couldn't handle Cage Rage.
A while ago, I claimed that Cage was the worst character in the game, but I think that title goes to Kotal Khan or Shao Khan. Cage is definitely solid, but not top tier. If you're patient, you can beat most anybody. Somebody here said he was playing Cage like he would in MKX, thus causing frustration. This was my problem too. He's meant to use spacing and start his pressure at mid range, before getting aggressive. I learned this first hand from getting my ass beat in a mirror match by another Cage.
Obviously his crushing blows need to be fixed, and they should just scrap his entire second variation.
Cage doesn't even get to utilize a core mechanic.
I'm still a firm believer that F3 need a to be mid attack. Everybody is fishing for uppercuts. If somebody good starts poking, have fun grabbing the rest of the match. If Cage had an overhead starter from the beginning in place of B34, this wouldn't be an issue.
Of all the characters in the game, I still can't beat Sub Zero if the player is good. Those brain dead 50/50s...some of the worst I've ever seen. It's like you can't even block the overheads in time after ducking, because they're so fast. Those stupid ice balls that destroy your projectiles, the air-axe spammers. The damned slide into a crushing. If anybody has tips against Sub Zero, I'm all ears. For some reason I'm actually much better against Scorpion and Erron Black. Everybody sucks against Geras though.
