M2Dave
Zoning Master
REO and I were talking about Sonya and how the Sonya players in our respective states, Riu48 in New York and Master D. in Ohio, are winning certain fights that the community regards as losing 7:3 match ups for Sonya. Users on this forum like to complain about zoning characters because they cannot get in for free to initiate their offense. However, take the following from two guys who main Kabal and Freddy.
- Sonya vs Kabal 4.5 : 5.5
- Sonya vs Freddy 5 : 5
Zoning in this game is overrated because it is very difficult to overcome the two most powerful anti-zoning tools in the game: dash block and neutral crouch. Once you acquire the skill of approaching without blocking too much, you will win. But that is perhaps another subject for another thread. I want to talk about Sonya. In my personal opinion, Sonya is a top 3 character in the game. I would say that she is the second best character in the game after Kabal at the moment. She has tools that no other character has. Allow me to elaborate.
- d+4 xx MS f+1 is one of the best offensive tools in the game. d+4 lets Sonya start her offense far away. MS f+1 is +1 on block. In other words, Sonya can put herself at a +1 advantage almost three characters away. Also, using d+4 xx MS f+1 xx CW, she builds slightly more than half a bar almost three characters away.
- dive kick has a 4F start up and leads to 40% juggles, which is common knowledge by now. But the best Sonya players know how to use the dive kick in footsies. They can neutral jump, react, and punish the safest low pokes in the game. She is the only character in the game who can punish universal d+1s, d+3s, and d+4s with a 40% damaging combo. You become reluctant to poke in situations where it is usually safe to do so, which only turns the tables around and allows her to initiate the offense.
- Sonya has the best set of universal normal attacks in the game. The standing jab (i.e., 1) is very fast at 7F. Uppercut also has a 7F start up. d+1 has a 6F start up. Obviously, she also has a long range d+4. Because of all these fast and long pokes, she is very difficult to jump on and break down defensively.
- CW and EX CW. Well, the CW has its own thread, so I do not need to make any further comments. However, I would like to mention that EX CW is better than Rain's EX superkick. EX CW has less armor than EX superkick, but EX CW is slightly faster and has more range and a superior hitbox. EX CW will never whiff on Mileena's d+4. EX superkick will. I honestly believe EX CW is the overall best defensive move in the game.
- Onion Ring has average start up frames and a poor hitbox but recovers very fast. I have no idea why she even has this special move. She does not even need a projectile that is this effective. Baraka should have probably had this version. LOL.
I can upload Sonya vs Freddy videos in the near future, but in the mean time be sure to watch out for Master D.'s Sonya at MLG.
- Sonya vs Kabal 4.5 : 5.5
- Sonya vs Freddy 5 : 5
Zoning in this game is overrated because it is very difficult to overcome the two most powerful anti-zoning tools in the game: dash block and neutral crouch. Once you acquire the skill of approaching without blocking too much, you will win. But that is perhaps another subject for another thread. I want to talk about Sonya. In my personal opinion, Sonya is a top 3 character in the game. I would say that she is the second best character in the game after Kabal at the moment. She has tools that no other character has. Allow me to elaborate.
- d+4 xx MS f+1 is one of the best offensive tools in the game. d+4 lets Sonya start her offense far away. MS f+1 is +1 on block. In other words, Sonya can put herself at a +1 advantage almost three characters away. Also, using d+4 xx MS f+1 xx CW, she builds slightly more than half a bar almost three characters away.
- dive kick has a 4F start up and leads to 40% juggles, which is common knowledge by now. But the best Sonya players know how to use the dive kick in footsies. They can neutral jump, react, and punish the safest low pokes in the game. She is the only character in the game who can punish universal d+1s, d+3s, and d+4s with a 40% damaging combo. You become reluctant to poke in situations where it is usually safe to do so, which only turns the tables around and allows her to initiate the offense.
- Sonya has the best set of universal normal attacks in the game. The standing jab (i.e., 1) is very fast at 7F. Uppercut also has a 7F start up. d+1 has a 6F start up. Obviously, she also has a long range d+4. Because of all these fast and long pokes, she is very difficult to jump on and break down defensively.
- CW and EX CW. Well, the CW has its own thread, so I do not need to make any further comments. However, I would like to mention that EX CW is better than Rain's EX superkick. EX CW has less armor than EX superkick, but EX CW is slightly faster and has more range and a superior hitbox. EX CW will never whiff on Mileena's d+4. EX superkick will. I honestly believe EX CW is the overall best defensive move in the game.
- Onion Ring has average start up frames and a poor hitbox but recovers very fast. I have no idea why she even has this special move. She does not even need a projectile that is this effective. Baraka should have probably had this version. LOL.
I can upload Sonya vs Freddy videos in the near future, but in the mean time be sure to watch out for Master D.'s Sonya at MLG.
it doesn't dismiss how effective it can be in certain MUs.
