Best/Worst Custom Moves for Your Main

[lionheart21]

As stated in the title, due to the fact that we are able to use our own custom variations, I wanted to see which moves are basically must-haves for our characters and which are pretty much just a waste of a slot, and why we think this. Also, this only applies to moves that we can add, not moves that are there as a default.

Cassie:
Best- Kneecappin: Arguably the best zoning/counter-zoning move in the game, and her main combo extender in Digital Soldier.
Worst- Flippin Out: If anyone can find a good use for this move, by all means, let the Cassie community now because we've got nothing.

Johnny:
Best- Pissed Off: While it sucks that this is a command grab that can be blocked (seriously, what the hell Netherrealm?), this is still a good way to end combos
Worst- Throwing Shades: Terrible range, terrible startup, just terrible

 

[Edmund]

From my experience:

Skarlet:
-Best- Dagger Dance Counter, Teleport
-Worst- Red Mist- replaces her primer zoning tool.

Kitana:
-Best- Upward Fan Toss - allows for combos to have fan toss in them! Also a good anti-air tool, and the amplified can hit mid range.
-Worst- maybe it's just me but Edenian Fade stance has few uses. Edenian Razors, same thing and replaces a large combo special move.

 

[xenogorgeous]

interesting thread, yeah ..... it's cool having the customization option, but I agree that even having freedom to setup your moves list, there are a bunch of them that are pure crap useless stuff .... simply don't work in a fighting game, waste of time trying to use in competitive matches fight !

 

[ScreamQueen]

Flippin' Out is one of the worst specials in Mortal Kombat, man.

 

[Dreamcatcher]

Great thread I love it. I agree that Cassie's kneecapping might be the best counter-zoning move in the game period, better than Scud Shot because it's quicker on approach and you don't need to amplify it to do damage or at least trade.

Jax:
Best - Expert Grappler: This move by itself terrifies a TON of players. The ability to easily hit confirm off F33 along with the rest of the mix it provides with consistent damage is what lifts Jax to high middle tier. (imo) I use Jax almost every set but I still dread playing against his Hunker Down vari because sometimes it is incredibly hard to read.
Worst - Buckshot: Why? Why would anyone sub this for the full screen grenade launcher that doesn't use heat? Lol... I would rather use the Enhanced Advanced Force ability for the extra chip damage.

Erron Black:
Best - LnL/Scud Shot: I can't choose between the two, I feel like these are the most close to broken moves in the game. LnL leads to his launcher and tons of combo/mix opportunities. Scud Shot is probably tied with Cassie's kneecappin' for best counter-zoning move in the game. Plus you can cancel into it from B222 with a stupid mix.
Worst - TNT Toss: I actually think everything else, even the down peacemaker, are more useful than this move. I HATE this ability with a passion. I can deal with the fact that it hurts him, even though it's dumb... but WHY didn't they add anything else to the amp that could be effective for setups? Instead we are suppose to just throw it mindlessly wherever and hope for the best? Hell of a game plan there NRS.

 

[Vslayer]

Kano

Best: lumbar check, manhandling
great for combos and pressure

worst: acid spray thing
can't really use in combos and useless for pressure unless you're in the corner

 

[Tanya-Fan-28]

Cetrion
Best: I'm not a good judge but so far Geyser has suprisingly got me the longest combos and saved me more than once. Despite having 28 start up

Worst: D2 is like a white crayon. Its rarely useful but when it is, that, is a very eventful moment.

 

[Afumba]

Jade
Best: Airrang cuz its just that good

Worst: Nitrokick cuz it does nothing. No reason for this to be a skill.

 

[Slymind]

As stated in the title, due to the fact that we are able to use our own custom variations, I wanted to see which moves are basically must-haves for our characters and which are pretty much just a waste of a slot, and why we think this. Also, this only applies to moves that we can add, not moves that are there as a default.

Cassie:
Best- Kneecappin: Arguably the best zoning/counter-zoning move in the game, and her main combo extender in Digital Soldier.
Worst- Flippin Out: If anyone can find a good use for this move, by all means, let the Cassie community now because we've got nothing.

Johnny:
Best- Pissed Off: While it sucks that this is a command grab that can be blocked (seriously, what the hell Netherrealm?), this is still a good way to end combos
Worst- Throwing Shades: Terrible range, terrible startup, just terrible

Funny how 16 bit said it was one of his best moves(in this very forum i think), maybe for him that does not play JC.

 

[Edmund]

Okay I am going to make a more comprehensive list:

1. Jacqui:
   1. Worst: tech dome. Doesn't do much, just kinda sits there.
   2. Best: Lethal Clinch; oh my god we love it, same thing with Cybernetic Override. Best non competitive is rocket blast
2. Sonya
   1. Worst: Air throw. Just doesn't have many uses, it's kinda just meh. She already has good Air to Air tools, and most of the time she's grounded anyway
   2. Best: Energy Rings Charge
3. Jade
   1. Best: Pole Valut + Cancel; love the sneaky pressure, has cool brutality
   2. Worst: The move that replaces her glow because her glow is so good why make it a reflect that doesn't last

Now I'm going to add random characters i don't play so from its just a casual perspective
-Geras's add and reduce time. Not many, if any, matches go to the point where you're waiting out a round with Geras.
-Cassie's kneecappin is so fucking good
-Cetrion's abilities with rings around her are just not that good because they cost so many resources
-Never found a use for Jacqui's air sharpnel blast amplify
-Jade's blazing nitro kick is actually more of a hindrance sometimes because the normal one side switches
-Skarlet's krimson shield, red rain, and red mist all require you to be either mega plus, mid combo, and take up valuable spots. Red mist also removes the tongue

 

[Metin]

Kabal;

Best - Extended Hook, Dash Cancel
Worst - Nomad Spin

Scorpion;

Best - Teleport Cancel, Burning Spear
Worst - Demon Slam

 

[Deleted member 5032]

Kabal

Best: Extended Hook, Air Dash
Worst: Air Straight Buzzsaw, since it replaces his amazing Air Downward Buzzsaw.

 

[Peckapowa]

From my experience:

Skarlet:
-Best- Dagger Dance Counter, Teleport
-Worst- Red Mist- replaces her primer zoning tool.

Kitana:
-Best- Upward Fan Toss - allows for combos to have fan toss in them! Also a good anti-air tool, and the amplified can hit mid range.
-Worst- maybe it's just me but Edenian Fade stance has few uses. Edenian Razors, same thing and replaces a large combo special move.

blood flow

 

[zerosebaz]

I don't know about the best, but Cage's Arch Fireball has to be his worst, not because it's the worst by itself, throwing shade is a worst move, but this one also replaces his regular fireball for one that is so high that wiffs against standing opponents. It's terrible. If it didn't replace his regular fireball, or if it had a lower arch, then it could work, but as it is you trade a great projectile for a terrible one, there is no point.

 

[Dreamcatcher]

1. Jacqui:
   1. Worst: tech dome. Doesn't do much, just kinda sits there.

While in the dome it protects her from 1/3 of all incoming damage, plus has a KB with the back throw. I don't think any move that has a KB can be considered the worst. (especially one that does 310 damage)

The startup is slow but it lasts 7 seconds, and can be cancelled into or used full screen if you're not currently counter-zoning.

 

[Edmund]

While in the dome it protects her from 1/3 of all incoming damage, plus has a KB with the back throw. I don't think any move that has a KB can be considered the worst. (especially one that does 310 damage)

The startup is slow but it lasts 7 seconds, and can be cancelled into or used full screen if you're not currently counter-zoning.

It stops a 1/3 ?!

Confirmed I am a clown

 

[Dreamcatcher]

It stops a 1/3 ?!

Confirmed I am a clown

Lol it's all good. I thought it was kind of pointless at first too until I started labbing it. If Jacqui's 1st Round KO wasn't one of the best variations in the game, Next Gen wouldn't be so overshadowed because it's actually pretty decent.

 

[Rozalin1780]

Kitana:

Best - Up Fan, Edenian Twist + Ground War: Up fan allows her to cover the air much better (like she's supposed to!), especially when amp'ed, and opens up new combo potential. Edenian Twist + Ground War gives her an overhead special she can cancel into at any point in her strings turning her into a mixup monster while also functioning as a pseudo divekick.

^Neither of which are tournament viable.

Worst - Royal Protection: Completely useless. As an anti-zoning tool, by the time you absorb one projectile, another is on its way. Can't absorb multiple projectiles. The buff portion is also useless since it lasts only a few seconds which means at best you can toss 1 fan before it fades.

^ Totally tournament viable.

 

[Eddy Wang]

Skarlet
Best: Teleport, Parry, Siphon, Blood Ball control
Worst- Everything else its just kinda there.

 

[CriticalDrop]

Good thread!!!

Actually, most of the moves I was about to point out are already mentioned:

Kano.
Best:

Best: lumbar check, manhandling
great for combos and pressure

This^^
I can hardly live without manhandled and lumbar check is a must have by all means, the very foundation of his up-close mindgames and pressure.

Worst: Dirtbag variation is, as a whole, a bad move... by whoever designed it.
Seriously, Kano's setup moves (molotov and chemical moves) are almost useless, circumstancial at best in their current state.

Cassie:

Cassie:
Best- Kneecappin: Arguably the best zoning/counter-zoning move in the game, and her main combo extender in Digital Soldier.
Worst- Flippin Out: If anyone can find a good use for this move, by all means, let the Cassie community now because we've got nothing.

This^^, no doubt. Kneecappin is something for which there is no rational excuse to leave it out of your gameplan. Flippin-out, on the other hand, seems like something designed to compensate the awesomeness of kneecapin.

 

[colby4898]

Liu Kangs is all pretty boring...

Best low foreball
Worst command grab (hits high and ticks don’t work on crouch blocking opponents... with no overheads it’s useless)

 

[mrapchem]

Sub-Zero

Best: Rising Ice. It maximizes his midscreen/corner damage and allows for the 124 KB to hit mid-screen also. Works very well in conjunction with Arctic Trap and Ground Freeze

Worst: Frigid Storm. It is a 36-frame startup projectile that only does 6% damage on hit and can be low-profiled. It does happen to be a mid though, so there's that!

 

[ShepherdOfFire]

-Worst- maybe it's just me but Edenian Fade stance has few uses. Edenian Razors, same thing and replaces a large combo special move.

I don't agree here, I find the stance quite good actually, the only thing I'd change with it would be the KB requirement. It's almost impossible to land it against a real opponent.
And the edenian razors aren't that bad by themselves, the thing is that they conflict with Fan Lift, so yeah it's not great.

 

[Name v.5.0]

Johnny Cage


Best: Pissed off. Its flashy, and his highest damage ender. But for some reason doesn’t work on block even though it’s a command grab. Be great if the whole thing came out on block. Mixed with brass knuckles it’d be awesome.

Worst: It’s not throwing shades. It actually does have a use, even though it’s situational. It’s fucking stunt double. What a waste. Huge startup, no setups, easily traded or dodged. It’s useless and it takes up 2 slots.

 

[DeftMonk]

As stated in the title, due to the fact that we are able to use our own custom variations, I wanted to see which moves are basically must-haves for our characters and which are pretty much just a waste of a slot, and why we think this. Also, this only applies to moves that we can add, not moves that are there as a default.

Cassie:
Best- Kneecappin: Arguably the best zoning/counter-zoning move in the game, and her main combo extender in Digital Soldier.
Worst- Flippin Out: If anyone can find a good use for this move, by all means, let the Cassie community now because we've got nothing.

Johnny:
Best- Pissed Off: While it sucks that this is a command grab that can be blocked (seriously, what the hell Netherrealm?), this is still a good way to end combos
Worst- Throwing Shades: Terrible range, terrible startup, just terrible

Cage has crap moves in spades with that glasses toss AND camera flash lol.

Lao I have to say I messed around in lab for first time last night with that Great Kung Lao stance and was immediately SOOOO sad that isnt a tourney variation. Good stagger pressure, GTFO wall carry, launcher, and a low ender? Tears.

As far as worst for lao Id definately have to go with the one that extends the range of orbiting hat...what the heck is that garbo? Also why is orbiting hat 1 defensive and 1 offensive bar yet Im still negative after they block it?