Kung Lao (Tempest) 6-4:
- Always Block high, reaction-block Lows. (KL's sweep can now combo if he has a Orbiting Hat around him, requires specific range and set-up, don't respect it too much but know it's there, especially when being cornered)
- use D2 as anti-air instead of D4, B1, 1, 2 (Kung's JiP2 has great priority, so trading with D2 and potentially extending the combo with a lift is your best AA option)
- Teleport = d1 into combo on reaction (this includes after blocking a JiP into Teleport, I could swear this wasn't interruptable before, anyone know if its been stealth nerfed?)
- f23-Hat Spin(mid, low, -3 on block): can be backdashed after f2 and after f23. Poking after a blocked hat-spin is usually the best option, however if KL is baiting your d1 to regain pressure, go for f4 or b3. You can Soul Blast after f2 as well, if KL commited to EX Orbiting Hat, he will lose the trade and the meter.
- EX Orbiting hat is now +12, doesn't change much, keep blocking (sometimes you can Armor right after blocking, but f23 will catch you if you're pressing buttons)
- Ermac's AIR Teleport will beat KL's Cyclone and Tornado during animation (on reaction, not in neutral!
- Prioritize meter for Vortex combos (destroy his wake-up, reversal game), and Soul Blast. In my opinion, armored starters are the strongest tool in the game, if you can make KL spend his meter on breakers and not his Armored Cyclone, you're winning the game.
Tanya (Kobu Jutsu) 6-4 edit:
video/TYM thread here
- Block Low, reaction-block High, block low again. Tanya only has one overhead starter (f3) and she'll never use it in Kobu Jutsu (b1 is just too good), also this overhead starter only launches when fully charged, keep in mind it's cancellable, react to this and when you see her using b1 (9 frame mid into overhead). She can EX Low Spin Kick for a combo starter, although her options in KJ are better, respect it and keep blocking low again.
- The Tonfa Combos:
ok, so this is tricky, I'm not sure if everyone is aware (and whether it's intended or not) that she can make her rekkas safe when she delays the second or third rekka (meterless). The only drawback for this is that she creates a gap between the rekkas whenever she delays, it's risky to poke and costly to Soul Blast, jumping any direction doesn't work, OS'ing Special Reversals during block sometimes trades, not worth it.
Solution?
If Tanya delays:
Block the full rekka, let her gain half a bar (...) but don't let her pressure you after this, Ermac can deal with her at short-medium, medium & full-screen range, NOT up close.
If Tanya does not delay:
if she ends with the second rekka, the pressure is yours: d1/3 guaranteed or throw,
if she's pressing buttons after second rekka: f4 punish.
if she ends with the third rekka, she's eating a full punish (F4 or 222)
If Tanya EXes the first rekka,
all the next rekkas will be safe, second is -4, the third is -23
If Tanya EXes the third rekka, she's safe.
-
Her teleporting:
she can't get free pressure anymore for a TP-JIP but she's still safe (and able to jump) after a blocked JIP/JIK. So because you're not able to even pressure off a blocked TP-JIP, I prefer not letting her getting in at all, but if you can't react then just block high into poke, throw or NJP.
D2's don't work well against her TP-JiP1, use d4 after a whiffed TPJIP, alternatively use NJP: jump neutral when she jumps, NJP when she teleports. Tanya is really bad with anti-airs or converting off air attacks, jump a bit more neutral than you're used to, it'll pay off.
- Tonfa Toss (projectile):
TP on reaction, practice to get a feel of the timing, it's decent
EX Tonfa Toss: same thing, even if the Tonfacomes back (which is not always the case): Tanya is knocked down OR you dodge it with d1-Soul ball and continue your combo (while the crowd goes wild)
If you're forced to block this, then she's got a lot of plus, go back to blocking low until she's done with her pressure
- don't levitate too much, even if you do, cancelling it into a teleport or vanish is usually a good idea (Tanya closes the distance so fast, she couldn't care less about Ermac's levitate stomps)
- Instant Air Soul Balls are very convenient in this match-up, destroy her gap-closing teleport tool
- prioritize meter mostly for Vortex combo's (reason for this is that Tanya's EX Tonfa Strike eats (all?) Armored Special in the game, Soul Blast included)
Raiden (Thunder God) 6-4
- Block low/high into blocking low again (know that jumping after a low block takes more frames, know his strings)
- Like Kung Lao it's very dependent on who's using EX meter more efficiently. which is tough because Raiden can get safe mixups in that grant a lot of meter-gain on block.
- Raiden is an extremely fast character and one that won't let your blocked d1/d3 go unpunished, being patient (baiting EX shocker, EX vicinity blast) and having a good neutral game helps a lot.
- Raiden's got good options when you jump in on him, be smart about it though as corpse-walks and cross-ups are annoying for him (especially when used in hard knockdown), if he jumps in on you: d4 into combo should beat anything he has.
- Levitate stomps open him up to Electric fly in the air, which pays off for him given the wall-carry it provides, I like backjumping into levitate stomps (as it's more concealed), using levitate cancels or just jumping backward could make him whiff Electric Fly which should lead into a full punish
- When you're cornered yourself,: don't try and jump out, his NJP is very good. I believe it's best to block low with him and being aware of his b2 range (double overhead) (if he whiffs the first overhead - for example by delaying your wake-up - BLOCK THE SECOND for an easy punish)
- Prioritize meter for Soul Blast, Vortex combo's and tech
- normal shocker is -7, only his EX Shocker is punishable
- don't reaction teleport his projectile
Kitana (Royal Storm) 6-4
Mileena (Ravenous/Piercing) 6-4
Sub-Zero (Grandmaster) 5-5 (slightly in Ermacs favor)
I'm not confident talking about the Mileena MU, haven't played her at a high level yet.
Kitana is a near mystery to me (after 2 days of labbing against her) and I think Sub-Zero is an MU worth talking about, I consider it 3-7 Midscreen and 6-4 when being cornered
