Ashrah General Discussion

[Immortal]

Yeah, as much as i enjoy this and just straight up killing people with it(people rage hard over mics), this needs to go.

 

[Second Saint]

According to Dizzy, I might be missing the hot fix on PC, causing the extension.

 

[Immortal]

Im not sure that's true, many people have PS5 version so can test this out but as far as i know it's the same a cross all platforms.

 

[Second Saint]

Im not sure that's true, many people have PS5 version so can test this out but as far as i know it's the same a cross all platforms.

It seems like most people who try it can't replicate it though.

 

[Immortal]

Oh, i see, so there was a hotfix after the "big" patch in which case it's missing on PC as for now. Makes sense.

 

[SaltShaker]

According to Dizzy, I might be missing the hot fix on PC, causing the extension.

Im not sure that's true, many people have PS5 version so can test this out but as far as i know it's the same a cross all platforms.

Yea it looks like it's gone in the form of the video, the "walk up 8 years later with armor remaining" version lol. Can still flash parry the armor like a FB and the 3 hits of armor is also still here so full punish combos on your WU. I just did the "Rain hardtoblockable" oki that they love doing and you get HIM for trying it LOL.

 

[b0rg]

looks like the former cyrax clan wants our girl destroyed

 

[SaltShaker]

I feel like the Forward Disk is underutilized when using Ashrah/Sareena. It frame traps a good amount of their options at range making them more tempted to release block like they do when anticipating a F2 opening them up. And because it has great frames on block you have a lot of options if they block it. Starting to like mixing it in with the other options.

 

[Immortal]

I always use that, even point blank it's only -2 on block(0 or + from any other distance). I really should start to utilize her dark stance for the +frames, certain characters feel like would be much easier to fight in it.

Also any tips fighting a really good Kitana players? They either zone me out with Lao Kameo or just d4/b4 when i aproach and i have nothing to contest from that distance outside of F2 which will whiff obviously on her D4/B4.

 

[Trustful_Whale]

Maybe b2 or b3 against her lows?

 

[Immortal]

I'm way to far to reach with b3 or b2 alone, both have shorter reach than Kitanas d4/b4. Second part of these moves will reach(b31 or b22) but again i will get hit on whiffing the first part by her D4/B4.

I could hit F3 when on a read of her D4/B4 but man, the risk/reward is not in my favour with it. I'm starting to think that dark stance and pressure but it's so akward...

 

[SaltShaker]

I always use that, even point blank it's only -2 on block(0 or + from any other distance). I really should start to utilize her dark stance for the +frames, certain characters feel like would be much easier to fight in it.

Also any tips fighting a really good Kitana players? They either zone me out with Lao Kameo or just d4/b4 when i aproach and i have nothing to contest from that distance outside of F2 which will whiff obviously on her D4/B4.

I'm way to far to reach with b3 or b2 alone, both have shorter reach than Kitanas d4/b4. Second part of these moves will reach(b31 or b22) but again i will get hit on whiffing the first part by her D4/B4.

I could hit F3 when on a read of her D4/B4 but man, the risk/reward is not in my favour with it. I'm starting to think that dark stance and pressure but it's so akward...

I have a similar issue as well, I struggle hard in this MU. And there's also the risk of hitting a button on block and Kitana has you spaced for a full combo whiff punish. The main things I've tried is if I block it sometimes I won't immediately return poke to see if they go for the micro back into mid string to combo you and whiff punish, or micro dash forward myself at them before hitting a button.

Other than that I try to be the one controlling the setplay with Fireball right outside of the "losing range" into micro F4/B3/Grab/F2 type stuff, and go forward much more than most matches. This is the MU that made me try the Scorpion Kameo to threaten grab combos. I don't think there's an actual answer to not get zoned out from afar that I have seen outside of trying to hit a boomerang or a low Dark fireball but it's definitely a losing battle at range, but this above helps with keeping her in check or punishing her in the range. Kitana/Lao and Kitana/Stryker are hard MUs imo. I wouldn't say it's a winning MU at all.

 

[Benlo]

Ashrah is really the nice surprise of MK1 for me.

I had no specific intention to main her, but she's so fun to play with.

I pick Sonya as kameo, being able to extend with air attacks or on the ground is useful.

 

[chud_munson]

I'm finally taking a short break from Reptile and starting to dig into Ashrah a bit. What are people's thoughts on Scorpion as a kameo for Ashrah? I saw some stuff mentioned in here about him synergizing well with dark stance, but the other big thing for me is that you can get 26% off a back throw with one bar pretty reliably and easily. Is the synergy with Sareena too good to pass up?

 

[Second Saint]

I'm finally taking a short break from Reptile and starting to dig into Ashrah a bit. What are people's thoughts on Scorpion as a kameo for Ashrah? I saw some stuff mentioned in here about him synergizing well with dark stance, but the other big thing for me is that you can get 26% off a back throw with one bar pretty reliably and easily. Is the synergy with Sareena too good to pass up?

Scorpion is a pretty good kameo because he nets you big damage off strike/throw and you can confirm well with him. If you land a throw with dark stacks on, it's easy to get over 30% with a bar (replace f2~ex df3 with b22~ex df3). What he lacks is help in the neutral and ways to add safety. You can absolutely win with him, and if that's what you like, stick with it until you want to try something else.

 

[M2Dave]

Is the synergy with Sareena too good to pass up?

Yes, because daggers combo from Ashrah's key normal attacks and lead to high damage, which is particularly important for f+2.

Speaking of f+2, it connects after daggers anywhere on the screen, even full screen if you dash forward.

The other kameos do not offer the same quality in terms of conversions and damage output.

Ashrah is a mid-range character like Reptile but better so you should feel right at home.

 

[chud_munson]

Ashrah is a mid-range character like Reptile but better so you should feel right at home.

Jesus, you weren't kidding. Everything is safe or plus, big range, huge damage. This is easy mode Reptile.

 

[Immortal]

I have a similar issue as well, I struggle hard in this MU. And there's also the risk of hitting a button on block and Kitana has you spaced for a full combo whiff punish. The main things I've tried is if I block it sometimes I won't immediately return poke to see if they go for the micro back into mid string to combo you and whiff punish, or micro dash forward myself at them before hitting a button.

Other than that I try to be the one controlling the setplay with Fireball right outside of the "losing range" into micro F4/B3/Grab/F2 type stuff, and go forward much more than most matches. This is the MU that made me try the Scorpion Kameo to threaten grab combos. I don't think there's an actual answer to not get zoned out from afar that I have seen outside of trying to hit a boomerang or a low Dark fireball but it's definitely a losing battle at range, but this above helps with keeping her in check or punishing her in the range. Kitana/Lao and Kitana/Stryker are hard MUs imo. I wouldn't say it's a winning MU at all.

Nothing changed for me sadly, more and more people just do b4/d4 and i can't enforce anything within that range which is really annoying. Today a Sindel player just went to town on me with basic string which puts me exactly at a range of her b4/d4 and i was lost, he kept that range all the time and sometimes just went full screen to zone me out(he played Lao kameo).

I really dont understand what should we do at that d4/b4 range of many characters(same vs Kitana, Havik etc..)? 2 whiffs, F2 same obviously, B2 wont reach and i get hit out of second part, i can only do F3 which is death on block. I also can't whiff punish b4/d4 coz i need to dash forward and he just d4/b4 before i do anything; zoning is also not an option, obviosly. I really have no clue here. Dark stance? What do you guys do?

 

[M2Dave]

I really dont understand what should we do at that d4/b4 range of many characters(same vs Kitana, Havik etc..)? 2 whiffs, F2 same obviously, B2 wont reach and i get hit out of second part, i can only do F3 which is death on block. I also can't whiff punish b4/d4 coz i need to dash forward and he just d4/b4 before i do anything; zoning is also not an option, obviosly. I really have no clue here. Dark stance? What do you guys do?

Against players who neutral crouch (in an attempt to whiff punish f+2) or mash low pokes at the "losing" range, as Salt Shaker says, you have to represent your fireball. Opponents will either jump (easy AA with 2), back dash out of fireball range (micro dash f+2 into 43%), or use armor if they have one that reaches (yet few characters do, and you typically trade 7% for 11%, which is no big deal considering that they use bar). If they block the fireball, you are at least +15 on block. Micro dash d+4 works very well to check low pokes and neutral-crouching opponents thereafter.

As far as being zoned out is concerned, every single high projectile, including Reiko's stars, is punishable by neutral crouch f+2 in footsies. If you have a life lead, enter dark stance and keep trading with full-screen dark projectile. Your opponent will usually start jumping or using instant aerial fireballs, both of which can be clipped with Sareena's forward assist. Dark projectiles have long recovery frames on block and whiff. Never use them at mid range. Switch back to light stance and use the light projectile.

My piece of advice is not to panic against zoning, which is weak in this game. (Trust me... I would not be using a character like Ashrah if zoning were strong in this game. LOL.) Overextending sets you up for offense, which is the genuine threat against a character like Liu Kang. Simply be patient and look for opportunities to punish or trade with projectiles.

Edit: Experiment with Goro, folks. He is better than Scorpion if you wish to play rush down Ashrah.

• Back assist leads to combos from key normal attacks (1,2, f+4,2, and f+2 as well as b+3 when in range). The staple conversion is jump 1, f+2, EX d,f+3, aerial 1,2,2, b,f+2.
• Close up punch leads to a combo after back throw and f+3. Mid up punch leads to a combo after 2,2,3.
• EX b,f+2 into close up punch also works, but the timing seems difficult.
• d,b+2 becomes a safe chip tool when used in strings.

 

[Immortal]

Against players who neutral crouch (in an attempt to whiff punish f+2) or mash low pokes at the "losing" range, as Salt Shaker says, you have to represent your fireball. Opponents will either jump (easy AA with 2), back dash out of fireball range (micro dash f+2 into 43%), or use armor if they have one that reaches (yet few characters do, and you typically trade 7% for 11%, which is no big deal considering that they use bar). If they block the fireball, you are at least +15 on block. Micro dash d+4 works very well to check low pokes and neutral-crouching opponents thereafter.

As far as being zoned out is concerned, every single high projectile, including Reiko's stars, is punishable by neutral crouch f+2 in footsies. If you have a life lead, enter dark stance and keep trading with full-screen dark projectile. Your opponent will usually start jumping or using instant aerial fireballs, both of which can be clipped with Sareena's forward assist. Dark projectiles have long recovery frames on block and whiff. Never use them at mid range. Switch back to light stance and use the light projectile.

Thanks for the tips but it's much more than that. Propably it's more decision making error on my part than anything.

They only neutral duck from far away in anticipation of F2, they don't do that in b4/d4 range, they just do d4/b4, armor throu my projectile if needed or clean jump punch/kick it and punish, at that precise range(d4/b4) and time you wont recover in time to punish(2) or even block. Next it's the normal string with +ender(i know there is often a gap depending on a character but more often than not i kinda dont use the bar to armor throu coz i need bars to convert into decent damage) i often just hold what comes next, d4, he blocks and either d4 back or string. Repeat.

Had match like that minutes ago, vs some Liu Kang player, he did mostly F43 variations into Lao Low hat, armored throu my projectile and repeat. If we reset the neutral he just keept going full screen away and either ex fireball or low fireball, sometimes threw low hat into the "mix", couldn't hit him with single Sereena call. Not to mention i had to watch out for throws up close, coz he converted of these pretty easy. Like i'm watching these games again now and thinking what else can i do to not be at disadvantage. Also for whatever reason i noticed he hits me with F43 even if i block d4(so he is -6) before that and try to backdash he just dash forward dash a hits me with second part of that string, which is like wtf.

 

[Zimbobweigh]

Against players who neutral crouch (in an attempt to whiff punish f+2) or mash low pokes at the "losing" range, as Salt Shaker says, you have to represent your fireball. Opponents will either jump (easy AA with 2), back dash out of fireball range (micro dash f+2 into 43%), or use armor if they have one that reaches (yet few characters do, and you typically trade 7% for 11%, which is no big deal considering that they use bar). If they block the fireball, you are at least +15 on block. Micro dash d+4 works very well to check low pokes and neutral-crouching opponents thereafter.

As far as being zoned out is concerned, every single high projectile, including Reiko's stars, is punishable by neutral crouch f+2 in footsies. If you have a life lead, enter dark stance and keep trading with full-screen dark projectile. Your opponent will usually start jumping or using instant aerial fireballs, both of which can be clipped with Sareena's forward assist. Dark projectiles have long recovery frames on block and whiff. Never use them at mid range. Switch back to light stance and use the light projectile.

My piece of advice is not to panic against zoning, which is weak in this game. (Trust me... I would not be using a character like Ashrah if zoning were strong in this game. LOL.) Overextending sets you up for offense, which is the genuine threat against a character like Liu Kang. Simply be patient and look for opportunities to punish or trade with projectiles.

Edit: Experiment with Goro, folks. He is better than Scorpion if you wish to play rush down Ashrah.

• Back assist leads to combos from key normal attacks (1,2, f+4,2, and f+2 as well as b+3 when in range). The staple conversion is jump 1, f+2, EX d,f+3, aerial 1,2,2, b,f+2.
• Close up punch leads to a combo after back throw and f+3. Mid up punch leads to a combo after 2,2,3.
• EX b,f+2 into close up punch also works, but the timing seems difficult.
• d,b+2 becomes a safe chip tool when used in strings.

how timely you posted this as I was trying to cook up more stuff with Goro, namely kameo sauce with her armored ghost dash safe or even plus on block and combo on hit

if i do normal ghost dash and up kameo immediately thereafter, like a slide input practically before ashrah even starts teleporting, that can catch them for combo on hit and also jail on block and be slightly plus.

i'm also trying to figure out the input and timing to get f2, bf2 (kameo) to jail properly on block and launch on hit. down kameo might be the answer in this case but it is a very specific timing that I am having a hard time pinning down, because if you do it wrong it makes your ghost dash come out as the slice version which is not what we want. sadly up goro makes him come out too far on block

 

[M2Dave]

Like i'm watching these games again now and thinking what else can i do to not be at disadvantage.

I would have to watch those games myself.

I have been playing Mortal Kombat for a long time, and I assure you that I am not going into anyone's footsies hall of fame anytime soon. LOL. However, I feel like Ashrah wins the neutral against Liu Kang fairly convincingly. Liu Kang's entire gameplan revolves around controlling the pace of the match with various fireballs and forcing you to overextend so he can mix you up with f+4 / back throw. While this strategy is very effective, he does not excel at the mid range game as Ashrah does. So you should be able to out-footsie this character unless you are playing Ninja Killa, or any other player who is significantly above your level.

You also mentioned that you need bar in order to convert into decent damage. Ashrah (with Sareena) has decent meter-less damage. f+4,2, back kameo, 2,1, d,f+1, f+2, d,b+2 does 33% and regenerates 50% of lost kameo meter.

Check forward dashes with 2,1 / 2,2 back kameo. Your opponent should not be hitting you with f+4 after you block d+4.

I cannot emphasize the importance of being patient. Projectiles will never kill you in this game. The combos will, though, and very quickly too.

 

[Immortal]

However, I feel like Ashrah wins the neutral against Liu Kang fairly convincingly. Liu Kang's entire gameplan revolves around controlling the pace of the match with various fireballs and forcing you to overextend so he can mix you up with f+4 / back throw. While this strategy is very effective, he does not excel at the mid range game as Ashrah does. So you should be able to out-footsie this character unless you are playing Ninja Killa, or any other player who is significantly above your level.

Yeah i've been thinking a lot about that today. Made some changes into my plays - i think i play way to passive, safe and "honest" for lack of a better word. Like they poke, i block, i poke back, they blocked so im waiting for their move and so on. I don't cancel pokes into specials(man i died so many times from people just canceling pokes on block...). Played todays sets way more agressive, trying to stay at 2,2 range all the time and checking them with it all the time(and b2,2/f4,2) and got better results thats for sure(except one game vs some Smoke player, who just did all sort of unsafe shit mix but hey it worked).

You also mentioned that you need bar in order to convert into decent damage. Ashrah (with Sareena) has decent meter-less damage. f+4,2, back kameo, 2,1, d,f+1, f+2, d,b+2 does 33% and regenerates 50% of lost kameo meter.

That's true i should use that more, i just auto go for most damage while it would be smart to get a bit less but save the bar.

I cannot emphasize the importance of being patient. Projectiles will never kill you in this game. The combos will, though, and very quickly too.

Yeah i don't have a problem with fireballs, maybe except Reiko EX projectile(that shit killed me few times....) but in general i don't feel that's any problem when playing as Ashrah.

I have been playing Mortal Kombat for a long time...

Damn, that reminds me when i was playing the first MK in 1992. Man im really ancient. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[Zimbobweigh]

Nothing changed for me sadly, more and more people just do b4/d4 and i can't enforce anything within that range which is really annoying. Today a Sindel player just went to town on me with basic string which puts me exactly at a range of her b4/d4 and i was lost, he kept that range all the time and sometimes just went full screen to zone me out(he played Lao kameo).

I really dont understand what should we do at that d4/b4 range of many characters(same vs Kitana, Havik etc..)? 2 whiffs, F2 same obviously, B2 wont reach and i get hit out of second part, i can only do F3 which is death on block. I also can't whiff punish b4/d4 coz i need to dash forward and he just d4/b4 before i do anything; zoning is also not an option, obviosly. I really have no clue here. Dark stance? What do you guys do?

i don't totally know what to advise here but when it comes to sindel, i realized recently that you can get a full combo punish on sindel with f2 if she does the fourth hit followup on her hair string and you flawless block it

 

[Second Saint]

I'm pretty sure you can armor the low fireball on reaction from mid screen or so. I think spending the bar for a knockdown can be worth it. Moreso if using a kameo that can combo off it like Goro or Stryker.

Might be worth labbing all the fireballs dark stance ex bf2 can full combo punish from a certain distance.