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Taking Turns

Okay, i need some help when it comes to taking turns in mk x. Over the last few months id say I went from noob to an intermediate player, and when I lose its because I feel like I'm not taking my turn properly. I struggle with this with every character I play, but my main characters (In this order) are ninjustsu scorpion, lasher takeda, and noxious reptile.

This is how it usually goes when I play against a good player:

We are in the neutral, one of us does a string, then the other pokes, etc. Etc. But after they poke, and I block it, what should I do? Whenever I try to do something OTHER than another poke (because they usually come out in a small amount of frames) I usually get poked again, or I get hit by a full combo.

What I think I need help with is
1. What specific strings should I be doing in these constant poke wars, and when?
2. How do staggers apply in these poke wars and how can I do them?
3. Are there any other techniques/tips of things you recommend doing on this scenario? Maybe dos/donts? Thanks
 

omooba

fear the moobs
well with reptile you have f4,1,2 so after almost every poke you block your opponent has to hold that if your timing is on point. with scorpion and takeda it's more of a mix up. In mkxl for the most part if they don't do something punishable your turn never guarantees pressure because pokes beat highs and there's stuff that low profile mids. it's usually a mix up on will they poke again or armor or block thinking i will poke. but yeah you usually can't go wrong with reptile's f4. scorpion and takeda don't really have mids that good so you kinda have to guess.

with staggers you can technically stagger anything that's safe. The faster it recovers in terms of what comes after in the string, the better it is for staggering. for example sorpions 2,1 is plus and recovers pretty fast so yeah it's pretty good for staggers.

i would avoid being too repetitive. like the more you use 2,1,4 string the more they are prepared to deal with whatever options you have. if you stagger something they're not ready for they're more likely to reflexively poke at you which you can bait and punish. for example personally i never stagger 2,1 i always finish the string 2,1,4. so when i do stagger 2,1 randomly and walk back they're almost guaranteed to stick out a button and i get a free f2
 
@one1sh0t_onekill

I'm still getting use to MKX, but just to reply to your three questions:

1.What specific strings should I be doing in these constant poke wars, and when?

This usually depends on the frame data, amount of push back the string does, and your opponent. Generally, if you feel your opponent is counterpoking, you want to do a string or poke that puts you just outside their range. Then walk back and whiff punish.

For a general example, in the Subzero vs. Subzero match up, if Sub does a d4, and the opponent cournterpokes with d1, the d1 will whiff allowing for a punish if timed correctly. Also, if I walk back after landing a blocked d4, and the opponent does a d4, I can buffer b3 into ex iceball as a punish (if timed correctly).

You should generally go into practice mode and find the range where your poke, if blocked, allows you to walk back. If your character doesn't have it, you'll have to mix it up with armor or special attacks that have a gap short enough that will catch your opponent pressing a button. Then practice these scenarios in game.

2. How do staggers apply in these poke wars and how can I do them?
Staggers are generally used on hit (considering your plus). The natural tendency of getting hit with a poke is to block, to which then you can either grab, or walk up into another poke or string to punish a throw tech.

Example: Sonicfox hit with d4, blocks, Dragon walks up with overhead (potentially baited the throw)


If on a block, you should only stagger if your plus, or if your opponent is respecting you to much (like not counterpoking when your in negative frames). A good walk back, or walk forward into a string can make the opponent think it's now there turn, then proceed to punish.

3. Are there any other techniques/tips of things you recommend doing on this scenario? Maybe dos/donts? Thanks
I can't stress this enough. Watch match footage! See how your opponent is reacting to each of your strings and why, and go into practice mode to see if it was really their turn. Practice common poke scenerios, and figure out methods that will get your opponent to whiff a poke, or bait a counterpoke. Once they respect your counterpoke game, this will allow you to stagger strings, throw, and open other options.

Still in training,

-Protagonist_1