Bidu
the CHILL of DESPAIR
Those are things that came with time and experience. Sub-Zero is the only character I've played seriously since the day 1 of MK9. My intentions here are only to help other players who are also interested in playing/learning Sub-Zero.
1) - The first thing you need to know and use very effectively as Sub-Zero is 2,2. It's fast, it's safe on block, it's anti-air. With that been said this it's one of the your best tools to use as a Sub-Zero player.
2) - Down + 4 is another interesting tool to use. I strongly believe Sub-Zero's D4 is one of the best pokes of the entire game. It has great range, fast recovery and you can even make a Ice Clone out of it. Sub-Zero's D3 is pretty standard, but good for closer ranges and faster recovery, it does like no damage tho.
3) - Sub-Zero Bread n' Butter kombos may sound a little weird at first (visually speaking) but there's a reason for this: as a Sub-Zero player your objective is to drive your opponent to the corner. Always. His kombos are the basic way to do it since they tend to push the opponent more and more to the corner. Did you freeze your opponent with Ice Blast or Ice Clone? Jump over if you have to, but always kombo from the right side to push even more you opponent to the corner.
4) - Every time you and your opponent jump and you hit him (with punch) remember to punish with dash~2,2~Slide or if that's still kinda hard you could just slide. Don't waste opportunities like this.
5) - Well once I have my opponent at the corner what do to? Well, theres nothing much to do if he/she can teleport out of the corner, that's a well know fact by any experienced Sub-Zero player. l-o-l If he can't teleport out that's where the fun starts! First thing you need to know is to avoid slide @ the corner kombos unless it's going to kill your adversary. The reason for not using slide at the corner is because if you do it gives little to no time to pop a Ice Clone after kombos. That been said, once you have your opponent at the corner and the Ice Clone is up keep pressure with 2,2. Most opponents tend to jump over the Ice Clone or just keep back jumping trying to avoid your attacks and 2,2 is a pretty decent anti-air tool, like I already said before. Make sure to Ice Blast if the 2,2 hits your opponent. No need to rush here: the hit confirm on 2,2 gives you enough time to react (if it hits) and finalize it with Ice Blast. What if this dude isn't jumping? I this case I like to use the Foward 4 + Ice Blast (Spartan Kick, it's a overhead). You can mix F4, Ice Blast and F4, slide to make things harder to predict. FF > throw is also a mindfuck move in this case scenario against most adversaries. Last but not least don't make the setups I've said rules. Use imagination and do your own mindfuck setups. The more "arsenal" you have in your sleeves, the better.
6) You just frozen your opponent and he is about to die what do to? But wait, he has 2 enchanced bars and can break out of kombos. Well, then you can just re-freeze him to get the kill for 4% damage out of double freezing his fatass. Or you could wait him to be ice free and throw to get 12% damage. Many think that the secret to play Sub-Zero is playing safe. I'd say it's playing smart.
Sorry for my english. I'm brazilian, so my english isn't perfect. I just hope you can understand what I'm trying to say here. lol
Edit: I'm going to add tip number 7, since it's something I don't see many Sub players using.
7) Wake up Ice Clone is outstanding, since it has good invincibility at the startup frames. Most Sub-Zero players use it with the intention of freezing their opponent. But I like to use it sometimes even if my adversary is at close range and I don't want to risk waking up with slide ('Cause he could block and I'm going to eat a full kombo after). The Clone won't come out, but basically you won't get hit either because of it's invincibility proprieties. Plus Sub-Zero does that little back jump what gives you space to breath and think what to do next. Use it with caution: if your opponent read that you going to wake up with Ice Clone he could jump and you're going to eat a full kombo.
1) - The first thing you need to know and use very effectively as Sub-Zero is 2,2. It's fast, it's safe on block, it's anti-air. With that been said this it's one of the your best tools to use as a Sub-Zero player.
2) - Down + 4 is another interesting tool to use. I strongly believe Sub-Zero's D4 is one of the best pokes of the entire game. It has great range, fast recovery and you can even make a Ice Clone out of it. Sub-Zero's D3 is pretty standard, but good for closer ranges and faster recovery, it does like no damage tho.
3) - Sub-Zero Bread n' Butter kombos may sound a little weird at first (visually speaking) but there's a reason for this: as a Sub-Zero player your objective is to drive your opponent to the corner. Always. His kombos are the basic way to do it since they tend to push the opponent more and more to the corner. Did you freeze your opponent with Ice Blast or Ice Clone? Jump over if you have to, but always kombo from the right side to push even more you opponent to the corner.
4) - Every time you and your opponent jump and you hit him (with punch) remember to punish with dash~2,2~Slide or if that's still kinda hard you could just slide. Don't waste opportunities like this.
5) - Well once I have my opponent at the corner what do to? Well, theres nothing much to do if he/she can teleport out of the corner, that's a well know fact by any experienced Sub-Zero player. l-o-l If he can't teleport out that's where the fun starts! First thing you need to know is to avoid slide @ the corner kombos unless it's going to kill your adversary. The reason for not using slide at the corner is because if you do it gives little to no time to pop a Ice Clone after kombos. That been said, once you have your opponent at the corner and the Ice Clone is up keep pressure with 2,2. Most opponents tend to jump over the Ice Clone or just keep back jumping trying to avoid your attacks and 2,2 is a pretty decent anti-air tool, like I already said before. Make sure to Ice Blast if the 2,2 hits your opponent. No need to rush here: the hit confirm on 2,2 gives you enough time to react (if it hits) and finalize it with Ice Blast. What if this dude isn't jumping? I this case I like to use the Foward 4 + Ice Blast (Spartan Kick, it's a overhead). You can mix F4, Ice Blast and F4, slide to make things harder to predict. FF > throw is also a mindfuck move in this case scenario against most adversaries. Last but not least don't make the setups I've said rules. Use imagination and do your own mindfuck setups. The more "arsenal" you have in your sleeves, the better.
6) You just frozen your opponent and he is about to die what do to? But wait, he has 2 enchanced bars and can break out of kombos. Well, then you can just re-freeze him to get the kill for 4% damage out of double freezing his fatass. Or you could wait him to be ice free and throw to get 12% damage. Many think that the secret to play Sub-Zero is playing safe. I'd say it's playing smart.
Sorry for my english. I'm brazilian, so my english isn't perfect. I just hope you can understand what I'm trying to say here. lol
Edit: I'm going to add tip number 7, since it's something I don't see many Sub players using.
7) Wake up Ice Clone is outstanding, since it has good invincibility at the startup frames. Most Sub-Zero players use it with the intention of freezing their opponent. But I like to use it sometimes even if my adversary is at close range and I don't want to risk waking up with slide ('Cause he could block and I'm going to eat a full kombo after). The Clone won't come out, but basically you won't get hit either because of it's invincibility proprieties. Plus Sub-Zero does that little back jump what gives you space to breath and think what to do next. Use it with caution: if your opponent read that you going to wake up with Ice Clone he could jump and you're going to eat a full kombo.
