Shang/Shujinko matchup thoughts
This is not a matchup chart, rather a suggestion of how I feel about the value of Shujinko with Shang in the MU. I think Shang works very well with Shujinko, he never needs him to do good damage outside of Standing 1 punishes and he complements his zoning style with his meditation and various moves that work as zoning tools. Generally, he gives Shang a big damage boost and a zoning tool but there's variety. The fact that you can use him to eat projectiles is a low key great benefit and has usage in any matchup with projectiles, less so with multi hit projectiles like Reiko's. I need way more MU experience but lets get it.
Kitana: C - Needs more practice, Im going to say C because you don't get easy big combos fromà her fan spin, though you can combo into it with apep punch. She could have some dirt. Her kick is a decent zoning tool to cover the air space
Mileena: B - Gets a big damage boost from being able to use ball roll, but ball roll probably won't ever be safe. It's nice that you get her ex projectile but she has options around it.
Tanya: B - Projectile isn't very good, but spin gives good damage combos as well as a good ranged mid check.
Rain: B - Meditation projectile wall is notable and you can convert his damage anywhere. Projectile might have usage
Smoke: B - Anti air is kinda whatever I guess and you don't get the damage boost in midscreen but you do get it in corner. This might be a great tool but because you go invisible on the kopykat but Shang might not be the best to make use of it
Scorpion: A - Big damage, safety and you can convert all of your combos into restands which allow options from your F4 string. Meditation tanks spear. Feels great
Reptile: B - Good damage from a good tool in forceball, but it hasn't clicked for me that great yet. Feels like ground skull does a lot of the same thing as forceball so this might not be a game changer for Shang
Sub: A - The buff to slide was massive, getting to hit them with slide for 11% from full screen without nearly the same risk(or any risk tbh) is awesome. You get the big damage from ice ball
Li Mei: B - Nice damage and a good zoning tool from her projectile
Kenshi: A - I'll say A because I know you can go hard with Sento but tbh I have no experience against real Kenshis or using Sento like that. The sword charge is decent though
Baraka: B - You get a nice projectile and safety from his kopykat but this one might be weaker.
Geras: A - Sand Blast gives big damage combos and Time Stop has all kinds of shenanigans. Sand Blast is a good zoning tool to give Shang even more edge here
Shang: D(C in mirror) - You get a nice version of straight skulls and Shujinko will turn into their Kameo, which isn't very good from what I can tell. in the true mirror of Shang/Shujinko, it gives a damage buff like EX Injection which is probably better.
Shao: B - Damage from his low projectile launch and the overhead. The damage is significant, the moves are slow but the overhead is nice to have.
Sindel: B - You get the damage and a little mixup from B223 that can lead to some damage. Overall solid with meditation wall
Reiko: D - Mimic is okay for some things but Kopycat does his parry and it seems terrible for Shang. Reiko's projectile minimizes the projectile wall. Near useless
Raiden: A - You get his projectile which isn't great because he can just teleport on you but you also get his EX teleport which hits low and is completely safe. Very good damage and safety, and further makes his projectile a risky move to use
Liu Kang: B - More MU knowledge needed, but you can get some damage from EX flying dragon and the low projectile can have use.
Johnny: C(?) - Flash Kick is actually nice, and you can use nut punch to get restand, but it doesn't come easy. If I felt good about getting the +6 from nut punch, I'd say B but it might just not be great for Shang
Kung Lao: C - His projectile is okay but his spin ends up not being useful, despite being a very cool move
Ashrah: B - Combo damage if you have the execution and you have her projectile which you can combo from. Might be an A but more MU needed
Nitara: C - A nice anti air which helps and one you can combo from in some situations but maybe not something to write home about
Havik: A - You get his mid blood ball which is good but you also get his torso spin punches which do great damage and are +4 on block! Awesome, easy to use but also with the cool setup potential
Omniman: A - Safety from clap, and three moves that all hit him out of his Viltrum Stance, allowing for combos from any point of the screen if you have meter. Very good damage boost from apep punch into overhead. Another great one for Shang
