Wow I just looked at this thread and it's funny how there was always a dispute between aftershock and crystalline. I'm just waiting for someone to master AS. It's a lot easier to play crystalline I'll give them that but mastering AS, is way better. It's sad how everyone who doesn't play tremor believes crystalline is way better than AS because no notable player claims AS being better. Whenever people give their opinion about crystalline being better I just nod my head because that's what the majority thinks and saying otherwise gets u a whole lot of hate. All because no one argued that AS was better.
No one argues because no logical argument that supports Aftershock being as good as or superior to Crystalline exists. Understandably, the community has a mental image stuck of Denzel's consistent top 8 placing with Aftershock Tremor, but Crystalline has always been Tremor's best variation for the following four reasons.
1. EX low stone shatter. Aside from Goro, Tremor is the only character who has a safe armored launcher. Pre-patch EX low stone shatter was the best move in the game. Post-patch EX low stone shatter most definitely remains a top 5 move in the game. Basically, this move blows through everything, including annoying low pokes that Tremor struggles with in Aftershock and Metallic, that is not a very quick multiple-hitting string like Johnny Cage's 1,1 or Liu Kang's b+1. When Tremor has a bar in Crystalline, opponents are scared to press buttons at mid range which allows you to start your offense.
2. Safe mid and low stone shatters. Mid and low stone shatters are unsafe in Aftershock and Metallic, but in Crystalline they are both 0 on block. While every string in Crystalline that ends with a stone shatter creates a gap, you can cancel the stone shatter and bait the armored attack. You also have the ability to cancel the stone shatter and go for an EX low stone shatter to punish most retaliations in the game, including annoying low pokes. When safe and cancel-able stone shatters are conjoined with f+1,2,1, Tremor builds meter much more effectively in Crystalline than he does in Aftershock or Metallic, and building meter grants you access to the best armored attack in the game.
3. Crystallization. Tremor has one hit of "Doomsday armor". Tremor takes less damage and chip damage. Opponents cannot combo Tremor, but some exceptions apply. Hit stun is severely reduced to the extent that most wake up attacks become punishable on hit. This property allows Tremor to ignore most wake up attacks. While Aftershock and Metallic (in "Gold" stance) have weak okizeme options because of the universal up rock normalization, Crystalline's okizeme remains fairly strong due to Crystallization. Crystallization also permits Tremor to zone safely with rolling rocks. If Tremor gets jumped on by a punch, you get hit by the punch but can block the incoming combo. This strategy also applies to most teleport attacks.
4. Boulder Summon. Tremor summons a boulder that you can toss or jump away from using no stamina meter. The utility of this move is largely situational because summoning the boulder has a slow start up. Tossing the rock also has a slow start up. Nonetheless, you can use the boulder in some match ups to trade with projectiles or to anti-air jumping opponents full screen away. If the boulder hits, EX ground pulse is guaranteed for a nice chunk of damage.
As far as Aftershock and Metallic are concerned, yes, these two variations are low tier in the current iteration of the game for the following reasons.
1. Abysmal offense. No 50/50 mix ups, no pressure, and no okizeme. The universal changes to up rock have ruined any type of offense that these two variations were able to generate.
2. Abysmal footsies. Tremor struggles majorly against low pokes in these two variations. Tremor's mid attacks are too slow to check the better low pokes on block, and there is no EX low stone shatter to bail you out. You will be blocking low pokes over and over again without having an opportunity to begin your offense.
3. Abysmal zoning tools. Aftershock's aerial earthquake does 5% of damage and 0.50% of chip damage. If your opponent predicts an aerial earthquake and meets you in the air, you will eat a combo that does at least 20% of damage. The fireballs in Metallic in "Gold" stance have too many start up and recovery frames. This game has a run button and normal attacks that reach half the screen. I cannot fathom why these fireballs are this horrendous.
What is your argument?
) but there is an argument that crystalline is better all around so no point in using it mentality. Last thing, yeah iaQ does no damage but when someone gets checked ten times by it in a round, it's enough incentive to stop any attempt to zone out tremor. Thus you begin rolling stone, stone shatter, dd1 options.
