Can't beat my friend's Liu Kang

[scrubjesus111]

First off, I wanna say my friend was a top 50 player in IJ2. So he’s got really good fundamentals and reactions. He wins sets no matter who he picks, but he is extra mopping me with Liu Kang, like 20:1. What do I do against this character? His fast advancing kick string (sorry i don't know the input) is ridiculously good at catching me. His zoning with low / high fireball is great. Lightning fast bf3 to whiff punish into combo from a distance. Both wakeup options land easily and lead back into godlike stagger pressure or full 300-ish combo. A friggin’ parry with fast start-up. Just great, damaging options all around. I underlined advancing strings because I think that is the crux of the issue - he can start his pressure whenever he feels like it, it catches everything and of course it’s his combo starter. Help??

 

[RAYBAANN]

Starting to use Liu Kang? LOL

 

[scrubjesus111]

Starting to use Liu Kang? LOL

Nah that's his character that's against the rules

 

[Onilordasmodeus]

You can play Jade and try to counter Zone him. She also has a parry.

Liu can is a good character, and can be hella annoying. You have to stay out of his range and punish.

 

[leoj89]

I need help with this as well.

I thought I could punish with geras 1,1 string after the kicks had been blocked but nope. I still don't understand frame data I guess.

 

[Inzzane_79]

Whenever I face something I don´t seem to find an answer to while playing I just go into practice mode and record that "string, Special, whatever" that gives me troubles and find something against it (is there a gap that big that I can poke through? Is that string safe or can I reversal punish it? Can one of the attacks be flawless blocked?)

 

[xenogorgeous]

Whenever I face something I don´t seem to find an answer to while playing I just go into practice mode and record that "string, Special, whatever" that gives me troubles and find something against it (is there a gap that big that I can poke through? Is that string safe or can I reversal punish it? Can one of the attacks be flawless blocked?)

great advice, dude , this is very good indeed !

 

[Fitzhume]

Get in the lab. Like any fighting game, it comes down to knowing what tool of your fighter can punish a blocked string or whiffed moved by his fighter. Take note on what he likes as his open his combos with or just flat out ask him. Go into training and record it then set it on playback. There is no easy answer to this question. If he plays smart against you and just doesn't throw caution to the wind, there may be very few things you can do to punish his playing style with that character. Inzzane_79 is a smart person. As I was typing this I just glanced up and saw their post. Sorry.

Turn on the frame data for that character and see if he is negative on block or plus. If he is negative on block, figure out how many frames you have to punish it if possible. Grand that lab time in, it will help. Most of the time you will find the answer there instead of going 20:1 or worse while just playing against someone. I hope you find your answers there.

 

[Fitzhume]

I need help with this as well.

I thought I could punish with geras 1,1 string after the kicks had been blocked but nope. I still don't understand frame data I guess.

Once you understand frame data, a whole new world to fighting games will open up to you. Fighting games will ever be changed. VesperArcade on YouTube has some great tutorials on frame data within his SF IV videos.

 

[portent]

Anytime I play against a character I can't stand fighting, I always learn how to play that character. I may never break the character out in a match, but understanding that character on a fundamental level will help you.

I used to lose to Makoto in 3s all the time, so I started using her, and enjoyed it so much she became my 3s main. In MK9 I had assumed I would use Scorpion since he's my favorite MK character, but I had so many issues fighting Reptile that I wound up maining him after learning him.

 

[Inzzane_79]

Sidenote, I don´t know how your friendship is but my Buddy and I go into online practice a lot and Show each other how to counter specific Things we do with our characters. Of course now it will be easier to punish my Buddy but it will also be more easy to punish randoms in ranked or in king of the hills.

Learn together (it´s more fun anyways) and more important GROW TOGETHER to be better Players

 

[CrimsonShadow]

Do you know the mind game around f43u3 or whatever that string is? If you’re not playing it, then you aren’t truly playing the MU yet, and he’ll just abuse it and be plus constantly.

 

[CrimsonShadow]

But I should also say that honestly, for anyone asking for help against a matchup or player, posting a video is always the fastest way to get help.

You can only learn so much from someone saying “This didn’t go well for me”, but a video allows people to see exactly what you’re doing right and wrong, and give you pertinent advice.

In fact, you might also learn something from your own video that you didn’t realize while playing the match.

 

[scrubjesus111]

I need help with this as well.

I thought I could punish with geras 1,1 string after the kicks had been blocked but nope. I still don't understand frame data I guess.

You can't punish the kicks at the end of the string, they're plus on block. You have to interrupt immediately after the third kick. A good liu kang might adapt and start cancelling the string into low fireball -- which you can punish on block. They might AMP that, which you can low punish.

Whenever I face something I don´t seem to find an answer to while playing I just go into practice mode and record that "string, Special, whatever" that gives me troubles and find something against it (is there a gap that big that I can poke through? Is that string safe or can I reversal punish it? Can one of the attacks be flawless blocked?)

I did this and it did help with learning how to interrupt the chinese warrior string. However I learned that Liu Kang is just a monster and it's simply difficult to fight a good one

GREAT responses guys. @CrimsonShadow I've never uploaded a video before but I'll see if I can next time we play.

 

[Rizz091]

Nah that's his character that's against the rules

It still helps to play the character a bit to learn the matchup. Playing as the character can open your eyes to what his weaknesses are and how a Lui Kang player might think.

Also I found this vid pretty helpful, has some good info on how to beat him

 

[NothingPersonal]

Kill him in his sleep.

 

[scrubjesus111]

Yeah I think I'll pick up liu kang. Great advice guys. And murder is always an option too lmao