I thought pretty hard about this. Not just for Sheeva but for ALL characters in the game. I thought about just how important meter management is, in contrast to what we deem is strong or a bit broken. I thought about my ideal MK, and how it'd have to counter balance to make everyone happy across the board. Some characters got fucked, simply because others have to stay true to their design...well IMO anyways.
Some characters didn't get "buffed"...per say. But instead, they got "FLUFFED" lol. To give them more options to become stronger if they get some hits in or give them alternative options for evasion if necessary (mainly this applies to Kano).
So here's how I'd patch MK9 if I could or had folks willing to patch it to my liking.
Note: Characters NOT mentioned here are fine IMO and need no further patching.
menu enhancements:
* at character select screen you can now configure your buttons
* moves that actually hit mid (a crouching opponent can't duck regardless if they're blocking or not) will be labeled mid in practice mode
System mechanics:
* meterless wake up special moves have slightly less invincibility, than before. this would be to force players to use meterless wakeups strategically and time them appropriately. all characters' normals would be adjusted to accommodate this change.
* time allowed to stay on the ground after a knock down has been decreased
* input bug removed
* when player has less than 10% health, a new Danger icon will sound and appear under health bar
* clean up hit detection vs. crouching neutral stance for all characters
* port over Playstation Vita exclusive costumes
* cyber reptile and smoke become available costumes to select
* remove all phantom hitboxes on normal/special normal attacks
* random advantage is removed from all attacks/special moves in the game
* address all gaps in character's ground combos
Sheeva:
* telestomp is now ONLY BEATABLE by special moves/enhanced special moves. Normals/Special Normals would no longer interupt telestomp
* slightly decrease recovery of her standing 1 / 1,2 / 2 / 2,1
* f+4 can now be 2in1'ed
* f+3,2 can now be 2in1'ed
* enhanced air throw now bounces off ground and allows followup
* ground stomp can now be cancelable by dashing
Cyrax:
* Only net that catches and holds after any type of bomb that has been detonated mid combo, is an enhanced net. regular net will force opponent to fall to the ground, thus preventing meterless reset
Smoke:
* invincibility glitch fixed
* juggles after enhanced smoke bomb have slightly increased damage scaling
* regular smoke bomb does 2% chip damage on block, enhanced version does %4
* standing 3 is slightly faster
Reptile:
* After a blocked regular elbow dash, reptile has slightly more recovery than before. to encourage full combo punishment
* duration time between when you can do one whiffed elbow dash after another has been significantly increased. there's zero reason reptile should be able to move around the screen faster than Kabal
* f+2,b+1 regains its juggle properties where you can do more reps mid screen. on the ground it lunches slightly higher. giving you more combo opportunities
Rain:
* new combo string b+1,b+3 (both special normals linked into a combo string)
Jax:
* 2,f+2,1 launches slightly higher than before, allows for potentially more juggle possibility if timed correctly
Noob Saibot:
* enhanced teleslam now causes a ground bounce. allows for juggle opportunities
Mileena:
* regular telekick no longer tracks Sheeva turning her telestomp (she'll appear below sheeva instead). enhanced telekick will track Sheeva during telestomp still
* hit box of Mileena while doing d+4 is increased
* regular ground roll is now a low
* u+4 has slightly less advantage on block
* standing 2 is slightly faster
Sonya:
* start up time for military stance is slightly increased
* hit box of Sonya while doing d+4 is increased
Johnny Cage:
* enhanced forceball combos more consistently in the corner
* f+3 has slightly less advantage (this move also no longer gives random advantage)
* f+3,3,b+3 has slightly more push back on block
Kano:
* after enhanced upball, you can now decide which direction the 2nd hit will go. forward or backwards. doesn't matter if blocked or whiffed
* f+4 now pops up higher, so that knife throw will hit more consistently if 2in1'ed after midscreen. and it'll give you more combo opportunities in the corner
* new combo 3,4 (both normals linked into a combo string) and it can be 2in1'ed
* f+3,b+2 can now be 2in1'ed, increasing combo opportunities
* b+1,2 / f+1,1 / f+1,2 now all properly combos into special moves, with the 2nd hit having less pushback and/or opponent not being able to block right away
* b+2 has slightly faster start up
Sub-Zero:
* slightly longer duration between when you can set regular ice clones
* ground freeze is now dash cancelable
* 2nd hit of enhanced slide can be dash cancelable. you can custom juggle your follow up after the enhanced slide kick hits, instead of the double palm that normally hits afterwards if not canceled
Kabal:
* longer duration between when you can do regular air gas blast
* enhanced nomad dash is no longer cancelable. but now travels full screen
Stryker:
* b+2,f+2 launches significantly higher, for added combo opportunities
* x-ray has larger range making it easier to juggle from more situations
* b+3 slightly faster
* b+3,2 can be 2in1'ed
* slightly less recovery from a blocked baton sweep
Sindel:
* enhanced ground fireball regains wave effect, giving Sindel more combo opportunities midscreen and especially in the corner
* Sindel's enhanced hair whip now has armor
* 4 can be 2in1'ed again and any potential infinite with this change addressed
* 2nd hit of b+3,f+2 is now an overhead
* last hit of 2,1,2 can now be dash canceled
Kung Lao:
* 2,1 is now high, high. not high,mid
Kenshi:
* duration time between when you can do one enhanced spirit charge after another has been increased
* enhanced spirit charge now hits high,high
* enhanced telefury adjusted to attack appropriately from further distance
Baraka:
* enhanced chop chop after hit releases opponent higher in the air, you can now combo after it as if you could combo off the regular one
* f+4 can now be 2in1'ed
* 2,2,1+2 is slightly faster than before
Nightwolf:
* f+3 is a low attack
* 1,1 after a successful jump in punch will hit accurately
* normal and enhanced arrows increased slightly in damage
Jade:
* u+3 now hits mid again
* b+1 can be neutral ducked
* b+1,f+1 can now be 2in1'ed
* 4,f+3 launches higher, allowing for more combo opportunities
Quan-Chi:
* slightly less recovery after 2,1,4
* 2,14 can be 2in1'ed
* enhanced rune does a percentage less
* after b+3,1+2 rune will always hit if 2in1'ed
Ermac:
* u+4 cancelable into special/enhanced moves
* enhanced teleport punch does slightly more damage
Shang Tsung:
* slightly less advantage from a blocked ground skull
Skarlet:
* Slightly less advantage after enhanced dagger toss
* inputs for special move transition glitches during red dash addressed