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Help make my Cassie mo' sassy?

OK, so ive been around here for awhile...dont really post too much (which i plan to change with this MK iteration) BUT one thing I see all the time in thread after thread is people asking for help/whining and TYMers requesting match footage in order to offer insight and be awesome!....now im typically a DIYer, especially when it comes to MK because I think that figuring out things on your own tends to make your fighting style more distinguished from others if that makes sense...BUT....my work schedule nowadays (65, sometimes 70 hour work weeks) doesnt permit the amount of time I would typically like to devote to the lab..so I ask you guys:
1-where do I need the most work?
2-what area of improvement should I devote lab time to first?
3-I already watch any and all Cassie related videos on the internet (no, not THOSE videos, geez..), follow DrGross and FoXy, etc...but what other reference material would you recommend?
I study past matches quite a bit and can already tell that my BLARING issues in this set are meter management and reactions..but im interested in the things i DONT see that tend to be the deciding factors in sets like these.
This is a 5 match set (pretty entertaining as well) with a decent scorp/LK where i end up down 2-0 in a ranked ft3


PS- I plan on posting more match videos as I go along (for better or worse) to show improvements/new issues im having along the way with hopes this may help someone else AND/OR help alleviate some of the apprehension others may have about asking for help...
PSS- Sorry for the incredibly long post lol just wanted to try and head off any confusion beforehand
 

TyCarter35

Bonafide Jax scrub
A lot of ur issues seem to come from whiffing ur normals too much.and getting caught by scorpions lows too much. Scorpion shouldn't be mixing u to death and he didn't even need to hitconfirm into tp because u kept letting go off block. Also dash cancel into ur normals in the neutral if ur gonna throw them out. He was jumping when u were knock down a lot. A d2 on wakeup wouldn't be a bad idea. Also the string where u go into the shadow kick being hella plus u should be careful abt throwing it out liberally since u can get poked/d2 out of. But yea most of ur problems came from whiffing too many normals so had u dash canceled u would've probably given urself an easier time.
 
i screw that up (not dashing) when i try to throw after restand ALL. THE. TIME. lol its my old brain i guess haha but yea, thats definitely something i have written down to absolutely and completely input into my game
 

HugeMcBigLarge

Retirement my ass
Just writing notes as I see things:
Optimal punishes. There are several opportunities for you to full combo punish, but you take some small string dmg instead.
Over-reliance on S4 for pressure. It's great that it's +, but you need to use the + frames for something, not just more S4. You become predictable when you use the same sequence over and over
More faith in your jump ins/punishes. Match 3 vs. Scorp you miss some huge punish windows and jump instead of pushing buttons (you do this a lot actually)
Know your power zones better. Scorp wants to be on top of you or full screen. That midscreen zone your strings have more carry, you can throw projectiles and give him less time to reaction tele.
This is match up specific -> You can bait scorp teleports. This guy took every tele bait you threw (after every blocked projectile/full screen neutral moment). That should be 25%+ everytime he does that until you take away that option entirely.

First match against Liu Kang, you did your S4 for +, then went for the low. Perfect use of + frames there

Combo/conversion practice. You drop several anti-airs and a big corner combo at the end. That's all lost damage and oki. it's an obvious one to point to, but I've lost tournie matches because of similar things and it's really something you should focus on ironing out entirely
 
Just writing notes as I see things:
Optimal punishes. There are several opportunities for you to full combo punish, but you take some small string dmg instead.
Over-reliance on S4 for pressure. It's great that it's +, but you need to use the + frames for something, not just more S4. You become predictable when you use the same sequence over and over
More faith in your jump ins/punishes. Match 3 vs. Scorp you miss some huge punish windows and jump instead of pushing buttons (you do this a lot actually)
Know your power zones better. Scorp wants to be on top of you or full screen. That midscreen zone your strings have more carry, you can throw projectiles and give him less time to reaction tele.
This is match up specific -> You can bait scorp teleports. This guy took every tele bait you threw (after every blocked projectile/full screen neutral moment). That should be 25%+ everytime he does that until you take away that option entirely.

First match against Liu Kang, you did your S4 for +, then went for the low. Perfect use of + frames there

Combo/conversion practice. You drop several anti-airs and a big corner combo at the end. That's all lost damage and oki. it's an obvious one to point to, but I've lost tournie matches because of similar things and it's really something you should focus on ironing out entirely
absolutely perfect advice my friend! The dropped combos are entirely my dumb fingers getting ahead of themselves, but thatll come with time and labs...i canNOT STAND leaving damage out on the field...i get so frusterated, even after WINS, when I, MYSELF, keep games closer than they should be because of dropped combos and missed punishes...same for the damned corner ugh my mind just goes blank even though Ive labbed the hell outta it. the power zones advice is something that i continue to sweep under the rug (obviously) so I cant wait to implement that and make it more of a priority! THANK YOU for this inisght its definitely going on the lab pad
 

Vslayer

Juiced Moose On The Loose
Lead Moderator
So you started safe, then right at the beginning he hit you with a combo and you started playing recklessly. That anti-air was good, try hitting F,41 into low gunshots and you can get a combo out of it and it's easier to get.

In the corner you were always standing close to him you want to back up to give them the impression that they have space and if they roll you can get them as well. You were always using F4,1 so mix it up with B1 is a good check especially if you back up they most likely will not expect it. Use F3,4 into glow kick as a mix-up and if you back up again, use b2,4 into nut kick for the restand and go for a grab or another mixup. If they're blocking a lot in the corner just grab them.

You weren't blocking his strings and you weren't punishing with 1,1,1 either so learn his strings and practice blocking them. Also if you're mid to full screen against a scorpion they will yolo teleport, this is a fact. Just play more conservative when you're against him.

Use D4 to keep him away from you and control the space, also use F2 1+3 more since it's + on block and allows you to get a KB when they press buttons, and they will press buttons, trust me.
 

xSkeletonSmasherx69

NOBODY CAN TRULY DEFEAT ME
In the first game you could have broke the last two combos but it looked like you were saving the meter for his follow up once he finished, then didn't use the getup attack, then ate another combo without breaking out. You could have turned that game around easily and carried some momentum into the next game.

Your staggers are good. Follow up with a new string every so often. Like the low gunshot starter.

You punished his TP when you blocked it which was excellent. However, either his timing was really good or you got hit by it a lot for free.

After the 4th game I could predict in the beginning of the round he would walk back and activate his damage boost. If I were you I would have walked forward and tried to pressure him into not doing it for free.

Scorpion doesn't have any fast overhead starters so I would always start with blocking low then stand up afterward. You were hit quite a few times by his low starter.

In the very last game you had an opportunity to combo him and switch sides with him into the corner. You should lab that combo if you don't know about it yet.
 
So you started safe, then right at the beginning he hit you with a combo and you started playing recklessly. That anti-air was good, try hitting F,41 into low gunshots and you can get a combo out of it and it's easier to get.

In the corner you were always standing close to him you want to back up to give them the impression that they have space and if they roll you can get them as well. You were always using F4,1 so mix it up with B1 is a good check especially if you back up they most likely will not expect it. Use F3,4 into glow kick as a mix-up and if you back up again, use b2,4 into nut kick for the restand and go for a grab or another mixup. If they're blocking a lot in the corner just grab them.

You weren't blocking his strings and you weren't punishing with 1,1,1 either so learn his strings and practice blocking them. Also if you're mid to full screen against a scorpion they will yolo teleport, this is a fact. Just play more conservative when you're against him.

Use D4 to keep him away from you and control the space, also use F2 1+3 more since it's + on block and allows you to get a KB when they press buttons, and they will press buttons, trust me.
yea i need to just drop the b3, b243 punish altogether..namely because .i ALWAYS spaz and accidentally hit the 3..I also NEED to amp glow kick when I run the b24 on block...sometimes my mind gets to racing and just deletes itself lol
 

HugeMcBigLarge

Retirement my ass
Other things to consider,
When mixing your other options, end in safe stuff. For example your B13 string gets punished. Do that into the EX up glow kick instead. Having a safe special to end stuff in should help cover any risk/mix up you want to go for. Once you are always safe, you can start to develop hit confirming into more dmg instead of just covering your -. This can also start leading to new sub-meta games. You can start to use your great back walk speed after your EX up glow kick to start baiting them to do a string and punish that.
-I recall footage of Gross beating someone with pretty much JUST the f2,1+3 and guns during the Summit tournie

I don't think you used air guns once. Both characters did have a teleport (in your defence), but it is a challenge to Scorp's jump back-teleport.

Your opponents only consider patterns you show them. Once you do something, they expect you could do it again. Presenting more options makes them consider more things and makes any option you use less predictable. Mix up your strings.
 
In the first game you could have broke the last two combos but it looked like you were saving the meter for his follow up once he finished, then didn't use the getup attack, then ate another combo without breaking out. You could have turned that game around easily and carried some momentum into the next game.

Your staggers are good. Follow up with a new string every so often. Like the low gunshot starter.

You punished his TP when you blocked it which was excellent. However, either his timing was really good or you got hit by it a lot for free.

After the 4th game I could predict in the beginning of the round he would walk back and activate his damage boost. If I were you I would have walked forward and tried to pressure him into not doing it for free.

Scorpion doesn't have any fast overhead starters so I would always start with blocking low then stand up afterward. You were hit quite a few times by his low starter.

In the very last game you had an opportunity to combo him and switch sides with him into the corner. You should lab that combo if you don't know about it yet.
yea my corner game is absolutely horrendous...idk why...i lab the corners AND side switches all the time (the time i DO have anyways...even bought a switch and the switch version SPECIFICALLY to lab on the go and late nights at work..) i just drop the ball when its time to do the work though i think it will come together with more mid to high level practice against proper opponents...hopefully.
like most have said here I definitely need to start using more strings more often and use the + frames to switch up the mixup/pressure...these are all things i just have to DRILL into my head...thats why i tend to lean towards writing things down...takes me back to my school days having to write down "i will not talk in class" 300 times i guess lol awesome input from you ALL so far guys! I honestly wish I would have asked MUCH sooner...wouldnt have these bad habits to break
 
Other things to consider,
When mixing your other options, end in safe stuff. For example your B13 string gets punished. Do that into the EX up glow kick instead. Having a safe special to end stuff in should help cover any risk/mix up you want to go for. Once you are always safe, you can start to develop hit confirming into more dmg instead of just covering your -. This can also start leading to new sub-meta games. You can start to use your great back walk speed after your EX up glow kick to start baiting them to do a string and punish that.
-I recall footage of Gross beating someone with pretty much JUST the f2,1+3 and guns during the Summit tournie

I don't think you used air guns once. Both characters did have a teleport (in your defence), but it is a challenge to Scorp's jump back-teleport.

Your opponents only consider patterns you show them. Once you do something, they expect you could do it again. Presenting more options makes them consider more things and makes any option you use less predictable. Mix up your strings.
wonderful advice! i didnt go air guns because i tend to get TP'd outta the air often....scorpions really arent ever that much of an issue for me BUT its rare that I get a decent one so he had me a bit flustered and off the game I wanted to play.
ex up glow kick is a MUST for me...I have GOT to start using that AND taking better care of my meters
 

STB Sgt Reed

Online Warrior
Game 1: Staggering F4 is great as it's 9F and 0 on block. HOWEVER, the point to it is to set up the overhead vs low or throw option.

So do things like: F4 F41, F4 throw, F4 F4 B13. So that way they don't know if you are going with F41 or F4 into B1.

Also, need to practice blocking scorpion's strings. You got hit by the low like 7 times that match. Always block low vs scorpion for the first hit because unless he does a raw b2 (I think it's b2? the fire infused flipping overhead kick), the earliest he will overhead is the second hit of a string, so no need to block high.

Game 2:

Don't always go for a back throw after you land your bnb into nut kick. Better players will start teching the throw out of predictability. Go for the other throw and also don't always go for a throw at all, go for some f4s or pokes too.

Game 3-5:

Conversions. You had good ideas and a few times just ended up dropping a pick up or a situation where you could have punished (scorpion blocked tele, scorpion whiffed moves, and jump kicks that landed but got no follow up in the corner)

Don't try to jump liu's fireballs with Cassie, her gunshot goes underneath. Use this to your advantage and make him come to you. That's where you can use your spacing to punish him.

In general work on hit confirming your strings before you throw out things like nut kick or low gunshot which are not safe on block.
 
This is how remedial I am lmao I have to give myself small chunks of homework or I'll just go home and jump right back in doing the same ol dumb junk that has me plateau'ing into bad habits
Edit: ugh... Can't upload pictures I guess? Anyways it was a picture of my footnotes/things to work on when running sets tonight :/
 

lionheart21

Its Game Over, Man
This is how remedial I am lmao I have to give myself small chunks of homework or I'll just go home and jump right back in doing the same ol dumb junk that has me plateau'ing into bad habits
That's happened to me a few times during the KOTH matches where I'll basically get bodied in Round 1, and then I'll actually remember how to play Cassie in Round 2.
 
Game 1: Staggering F4 is great as it's 9F and 0 on block. HOWEVER, the point to it is to set up the overhead vs low or throw option.

So do things like: F4 F41, F4 throw, F4 F4 B13. So that way they don't know if you are going with F41 or F4 into B1.

Also, need to practice blocking scorpion's strings. You got hit by the low like 7 times that match. Always block low vs scorpion for the first hit because unless he does a raw b2 (I think it's b2? the fire infused flipping overhead kick), the earliest he will overhead is the second hit of a string, so no need to block high.

Game 2:

Don't always go for a back throw after you land your bnb into nut kick. Better players will start teching the throw out of predictability. Go for the other throw and also don't always go for a throw at all, go for some f4s or pokes too.

Game 3-5:

Conversions. You had good ideas and a few times just ended up dropping a pick up or a situation where you could have punished (scorpion blocked tele, scorpion whiffed moves, and jump kicks that landed but got no follow up in the corner)

Don't try to jump liu's fireballs with Cassie, her gunshot goes underneath. Use this to your advantage and make him come to you. That's where you can use your spacing to punish him.

In general work on hit confirming your strings before you throw out things like nut kick or low gunshot which are not safe on block.
great stuff here my friend! hit confirming is most certainly a very weak point of mine..as you can see from me throwing out b243 yolostyle.. BUT there are times I actually do it (on purpose even!) here lately lol
 
would like to take a second and thank you guys for all your input and time spent so selflessly! Like I said, Ive been here for AWHILE...since MK9 (only an official member since 2016 though ive been religious about MK since 92...UMK3 was my hayday! Even have an entire tattooed sleeve devoted to MK) and knew you all were really good folks but I never expected the sheer amount of willingness to extend a helpful hand. I hope others thumb through here and we can get other threads like this established throughout other characters forums and level up not only TYM but the MK community as a whole....I dont want to see what happened to MKX happen to MK11 and god forbid see TYM turn into some of the MK related FB groups...dont get me started on those buffoons...yuck!
Anyways, Im about to get off work here shortly and head straight to the lab with all you have offered so far! Hopefully I'll pop in the TYM KOTH later on and see yall....and be a little more than a practice dummy lol
 

STB Sgt Reed

Online Warrior
Not a lot of people are willing to post matches and such and get criticized so I wanna give you kudos for doing so. You obviously want to level up, so I have no problem trying to help someone like that.

I wish more people on this site were similar to yourself.
 
Not a lot of people are willing to post matches and such and get criticized so I wanna give you kudos for doing so. You obviously want to level up, so I have no problem trying to help someone like that.

I wish more people on this site were similar to yourself.
you remember that next time ckillface13 is on deck in KOTH with that Jax ;)