Chernyy Volk
Wolf lord, footsie bully, chronic corner abuser.
For now, I'm only gonna talk about changes to the top 5, and universal QOL changes to the game. I'm gonna list the universal changes I want and talk about why afterward in a listed order. I want to put it all this way... I've accepted this game for what it is, but it doesn't mean I don't want it to become what it was intended to be. This game could be cleaner, more competitive and better. So with that said, my universal and top 5 changes aim to basically accomplish 3 things here.
1: Bring the top 5 not down, but force them to have to work around the unique systems (wakeup/flawless block) more and respect the options.
2: Remove the jank.
3: Establish a character trend foundation all balance can work off of for the future of the game.
Universal Changes I want:
1: U2 damage to be buffed and for wakeup U2 auto correct to be buffed
2: Dash blocking removed, or at least delay the timing before someone can block.
3: All the whiffing/hitbox issues addressed. This includes nerfing the insane hitboxes like Sonya's super hitting on both sides etc.
4: All s1 and low profiling crouch button anti airs to be removed.
5: Breakaway is still fucked
1 - U2 damage buffed/Wakeup U2 auto correct buffed:
I've said it before, but I basically think U2's are not only useless, they don't offer the reward for the cost AND the read you're making. Right now U2's currently do 6-7%. I want U2's to do 15%. 150 Damage. Period. Breakaway also makes success with these an absolutely shitty trade off. Most people have a breakaway to spend once you actually hit these. They just aren't worth it right now. I also think how easily these can be jumped over on knockdown is a problem. I'd like to see everyones U2's get increased auto correct so people can't just +15 splat into hop over every time. Although if these received the damage buff I mentioned, maybe you don't need to do this since now a crossup meaty jump in would take a big risk because it could be flawless block launched.
2 - Removing Dash Blocking:
This needs to go. It needs to go. It needs to fucking go. I'm so tired of people talking about "free movement" and shit in this game. This is not free movement. It destroys the neutral footsie based foundation of the game. You CANNOT. CANNOT. Play footsies against the really good wavedashers in this game. It's safe uncheckable forward movement because they're usually in a block state that kara's what are intended to be only slightly forward advancing into fucking gigantic buttons. The ONLY REASON, I'M TELLING YOU GUYS, THE ONLY REASON characters like Sub and Sonya are as good as they are is because they have what virtually amounts to a resourceless run. If they didn't have this movement, they'd EARN their neutral wins. Right now characters like Sonya, Sub, Johnny and Liu can just encroach on you almost risk free. Movement should never be almost risk free.
3 and 4 - Addressing hitbox/whiffing issues and removing s1 and low profiling crouch normal anti airs:
The first part of this is obvious right? It's just a matter of consistency. You want to be able to rely on a string working 100% of the time the way it should, or be able to play the neutral by visually confirming what you're looking at as literally as possible.
A lot of people however I think will complain about the latter part. I have to assume objections to this are going to be rooted in both MK9 nostalgia and people who suck at making reads on jumps. I HIGHLY disagree with the idea of the s1 anti air or crouch normals that anti air because they low profile. One is a very low skill cap high reward fuck jumps tool and the other type COMPLETELY removes jumping at all from the game. There's this weird misconception in the NRS community that other games have easy reactable anti airs and that as such MK or Injustice should conform to the same standard. This is false. A lot of people also conveniently forget that jab anti air was the most complained about thing in SFV at it's time, it didn't require a read. It threw your opponent into a 50/50. It destroyed the balance of of the zoning in that game cause zoners especially, could throw a projectile, you jump it and they still had the time to anti air s1 you. In this game s1 anti airs get you MORE REWARD than that. You get a full combo that's usually safe against breakaway, 24%+ damage AND oki. D2's should be the DP of this game. Single hit, chunk of damage and reliable on reads.
The low profiling anti airs are worse of course. You just can't jump. It's always reactable. Options that ENTIRELY remove other options from a fighting game shouldn't exist. So this means Sonya's d1 has to go etc. Nerf these hitbox/hurtbox combinations.
5 - Breakaway needs addressing
At the end of the day, this is still a shitty mechanic that allows people to intentionally make stupid yolo decisions on a read and opt out. For now, I'm ready to say it. One breakaway per match. That's it. If that doesn't happen, we need to develop anti-breakaway rules into the game. The obvious ones IMO are that you can't breakaway KB's that launch and U2's. Wakeup or FB. I'd take either one of these.
So let's talk character changes. I'll try to provide my explanation behind my changes.
Geras:
f212 is -7 and flawless blockable on the last hit. Other characters have to risk this for similar tools, so should he. f21 should be safe.
Sand Trap should be -30 on block. It controls neutral so well. Make him have to call you out instead of this being a braindead check.
This is actually all I'd do to him.
Sonya:
b123 is a dial up string that has to be committed to. This character should not have staggerable mix.
Remove the bf1 MB krushing blow from Ring Master.
Erron Black:
f4 is consistently flawless block U2-able. The MB followup is -15.
21212 is flawless blockable on the last hit and button punishable.
dd3 has slower startup and the gunshot is a high.
Sub Zero:
Sub is fine as is if dash blocking is nerfed/removed.
Scorpion:
Can't MB teleport on block. People keep crying despite this being OS-able so just give them what they want.
Make b141 special cancelable. This string is pointless right now.
Buff the damage on Reborn's air throw and give it absolute air to air priority.
Those are my thoughts.
1: Bring the top 5 not down, but force them to have to work around the unique systems (wakeup/flawless block) more and respect the options.
2: Remove the jank.
3: Establish a character trend foundation all balance can work off of for the future of the game.
Universal Changes I want:
1: U2 damage to be buffed and for wakeup U2 auto correct to be buffed
2: Dash blocking removed, or at least delay the timing before someone can block.
3: All the whiffing/hitbox issues addressed. This includes nerfing the insane hitboxes like Sonya's super hitting on both sides etc.
4: All s1 and low profiling crouch button anti airs to be removed.
5: Breakaway is still fucked
1 - U2 damage buffed/Wakeup U2 auto correct buffed:
I've said it before, but I basically think U2's are not only useless, they don't offer the reward for the cost AND the read you're making. Right now U2's currently do 6-7%. I want U2's to do 15%. 150 Damage. Period. Breakaway also makes success with these an absolutely shitty trade off. Most people have a breakaway to spend once you actually hit these. They just aren't worth it right now. I also think how easily these can be jumped over on knockdown is a problem. I'd like to see everyones U2's get increased auto correct so people can't just +15 splat into hop over every time. Although if these received the damage buff I mentioned, maybe you don't need to do this since now a crossup meaty jump in would take a big risk because it could be flawless block launched.
2 - Removing Dash Blocking:
This needs to go. It needs to go. It needs to fucking go. I'm so tired of people talking about "free movement" and shit in this game. This is not free movement. It destroys the neutral footsie based foundation of the game. You CANNOT. CANNOT. Play footsies against the really good wavedashers in this game. It's safe uncheckable forward movement because they're usually in a block state that kara's what are intended to be only slightly forward advancing into fucking gigantic buttons. The ONLY REASON, I'M TELLING YOU GUYS, THE ONLY REASON characters like Sub and Sonya are as good as they are is because they have what virtually amounts to a resourceless run. If they didn't have this movement, they'd EARN their neutral wins. Right now characters like Sonya, Sub, Johnny and Liu can just encroach on you almost risk free. Movement should never be almost risk free.
3 and 4 - Addressing hitbox/whiffing issues and removing s1 and low profiling crouch normal anti airs:
The first part of this is obvious right? It's just a matter of consistency. You want to be able to rely on a string working 100% of the time the way it should, or be able to play the neutral by visually confirming what you're looking at as literally as possible.
A lot of people however I think will complain about the latter part. I have to assume objections to this are going to be rooted in both MK9 nostalgia and people who suck at making reads on jumps. I HIGHLY disagree with the idea of the s1 anti air or crouch normals that anti air because they low profile. One is a very low skill cap high reward fuck jumps tool and the other type COMPLETELY removes jumping at all from the game. There's this weird misconception in the NRS community that other games have easy reactable anti airs and that as such MK or Injustice should conform to the same standard. This is false. A lot of people also conveniently forget that jab anti air was the most complained about thing in SFV at it's time, it didn't require a read. It threw your opponent into a 50/50. It destroyed the balance of of the zoning in that game cause zoners especially, could throw a projectile, you jump it and they still had the time to anti air s1 you. In this game s1 anti airs get you MORE REWARD than that. You get a full combo that's usually safe against breakaway, 24%+ damage AND oki. D2's should be the DP of this game. Single hit, chunk of damage and reliable on reads.
The low profiling anti airs are worse of course. You just can't jump. It's always reactable. Options that ENTIRELY remove other options from a fighting game shouldn't exist. So this means Sonya's d1 has to go etc. Nerf these hitbox/hurtbox combinations.
5 - Breakaway needs addressing
At the end of the day, this is still a shitty mechanic that allows people to intentionally make stupid yolo decisions on a read and opt out. For now, I'm ready to say it. One breakaway per match. That's it. If that doesn't happen, we need to develop anti-breakaway rules into the game. The obvious ones IMO are that you can't breakaway KB's that launch and U2's. Wakeup or FB. I'd take either one of these.
So let's talk character changes. I'll try to provide my explanation behind my changes.
Geras:
f212 is -7 and flawless blockable on the last hit. Other characters have to risk this for similar tools, so should he. f21 should be safe.
Sand Trap should be -30 on block. It controls neutral so well. Make him have to call you out instead of this being a braindead check.
This is actually all I'd do to him.
Sonya:
b123 is a dial up string that has to be committed to. This character should not have staggerable mix.
Remove the bf1 MB krushing blow from Ring Master.
Erron Black:
f4 is consistently flawless block U2-able. The MB followup is -15.
21212 is flawless blockable on the last hit and button punishable.
dd3 has slower startup and the gunshot is a high.
Sub Zero:
Sub is fine as is if dash blocking is nerfed/removed.
Scorpion:
Can't MB teleport on block. People keep crying despite this being OS-able so just give them what they want.
Make b141 special cancelable. This string is pointless right now.
Buff the damage on Reborn's air throw and give it absolute air to air priority.
Those are my thoughts.
