Question forward 4 into slide?

[DViousKoala]

I've been thinking about this and used it in practice and against friends offline. This move is almost unblockable being that if your opponent is crouch blocking the overhead attack will hit and you can go into slide (or ice ball if you were already planning it). If he/she is standing the forward will be blocked, but unsuspecting players won't have the reaction to immediately crouch after the initial hit, leaving them open for the slide which is almost instant after the forward 4. Tell me what you guys think about it.

 

[Ironsoulsmasher]

I think it's a good mix-up, though it's not new to me.

 

[Marcus]

Works for me. Been using it too.

Just dont abuse it. Slide is punishable as hell so you might want to suprise your enemy with it at a critical point in a match.

 

[salvificblood]

I use d4, slide. I discovered it by accident through negative edge and then used it on a few unsuspecting people as an alternate to d4, clone. The thinking behind it is if I see my opponent always coming out of crouch block after a couple of d4's, I check them with the d4, slide. I don't use it very often. Much more rarely than I use d4, clone as the slide is punishable.

 

[Mechacide]

There's no reason for the opp not to block low after f+4. It might work once or twice, because they're not expecting it, but once they realise you're using it, they'll just hold D everytime they block f+4.

 

[PANDEMlC]

I've been doing the whole b1 2 1 into dash up f4 slide a lot. It's also fun to throw out a sweep instead a few times so they are expecting that then throw out the f4 iceball. Of course this only works well on non kung lao wake up type characters. F4 is still really good though for corner situations I think, since some people might crouch block behind your clone to avoid slides or something.

But yeah f4 slide, I do it a lot. Most people don't expect it and typically either get hit by the f4 first or block it and forget to crouch. It's pretty tricky and seems to connect if the f4 does hit into slide. Definitel throw it out to make them respect it.

 

[Wildabeast]

Decent mix-up, I use it occasionally after b121 if my F4 is blocked instead of an Ice Clone. Just remember to use it sparingly as Slide is highly punishable.

 

[Dark_Rob]

Mechacide said it the best. Its a risky move and against good players especially you may only wanna play that hand once. Its just to risky to throw out there more than that. Hitting F4 slide is alot like winning a hand of Texas hold em with 7,2 offsuit, Be happy you won and dont do it again.

 

[Lyuben]

Its not really a mix up.

A mix up involves a guessing game. In this case the only real guess is whether they spartan kick or slide you at the beggining but there is no reason why you should remain blocking high after a spartan kick. Only thing that can come is: Clone- not attack. Ice Ball- hits high. Slide- hits low. So therefore just block low to cover your bases.

 

[Bidu]

Mechacide said it the best. Its a risky move and against good players especially you may only wanna play that hand once. Its just to risky to throw out there more than that. Hitting F4 slide is alot like winning a hand of Texas hold em with 7,2 offsuit, Be happy you won and dont do it again.

What Rob and Mechacide said, basically.

Use it once in a life time. If you keep using it constantly you gonna get your ass raped. I really prefer to overhead into ice blast if hit or just overhead into ice clone to be safe and to mix it up a lil bit. Overhead into slide should be avoided against top players. Definitly not a move to be spamming it away.

 

[GamerBlake90]

Everyone here pretty much said what I was going to say.

Best I can say is, f4 into Cold Slide does work as a pretty good mix-up, but not if you use it too much. At times I would just go with f4 into Ice Clone. A lot of Sub-Zero's attacks can be crouch-blocked and he has few overheads. So get those mix-ups going like crazy.

 

[Altaire]

Overheads are highly, highly overrated. If you've got a fast, reliable overhead, more power to you; Smoke players will know all about this. That said, overheads are never necessary. If you can manipulate your opponent into blocking low for fear of a low attack, he's 100% more vulnerable to being thrown. The throw IS your universal overhead. Not many people seem to realize this, but when you crouch block in MK9, you put yourself at a disadvantage. You're far more exploitable than if you were in stand block, as it takes more time to stand up and move than it does to just let go of block and dash/walk/jump.

That said, I would never, EVER use F4 into slide. I really don't think the damage is worth the risk, because if the slide is blocked, you're eating a full combo.

 

[King]

If you can manipulate your opponent into blocking low for fear of a low attack, he's 100% more vulnerable to being thrown. The throw IS your universal overhead.

I've had throws whiff on crouching opponents.

 

[deathgun]

looks good against people who arent used to fight subzero. As soon as they start mastering that matchup, it gets really risky. Its just about to duck after blocking the f4, he will have plenty of time to punish anything that comes after the kick.

ps: you can use it after a 212 clone against a cornered opponent that usually dont get frozen after you slide, and you will make the clone to freeze them. Not a big deal aswell once if they get hit by the f4 its better to use an Iceball and to follow from that. Right now its worth to freeze the opponent with the IC and then to use a bar to GF and you get a guaranteed reset, but after the patch it will be the same as the IB, so we better start getting used to it.

 

[Altaire]

I've had throws whiff on crouching opponents.

This is only the case if they're crouching but not blocking, or in active frames where their hitbox is too small. The latter happens very, very seldom, and the former just invites all sorts of mid and low combo starters for big damage. If they start trying to take that route, you can blow them the fuck up.

 

[King]

This is only the case if they're crouching but not blocking, or in active frames where their hitbox is too small. The latter happens very, very seldom, and the former just invites all sorts of mid and low combo starters for big damage. If they start trying to take that route, you can blow them the fuck up.

Ah! That, I did not know. Thanks for the tips.

 

[Raptor]

guys and what do U think about 50/50 2,2,2 and 2,2,slide? have U tried that one before? will this have any usage in game or is it too risky?

 

[Beat11]

guys and what do U think about 50/50 2,2,2 and 2,2,slide? have U tried that one before? will this have any usage in game or is it too risky?

That can work but the reward is very small. The good thing is that Sub zero's strings can be easily interrupted by all his special moves except puddle. Slide can be a fast low attack that can be hard to defend against if you use it with a varying rythem and with ice clones for safer strings. Sometimes i do the 22, Slide to sometimes to catchs foes offgaurd when they expect the usual 22, 224 iceclone, 22 iceclone, 21 iceclone, 212 iceclone, etc. 222 only works as a overhead for little damage with high risk. It can work if you condition them to your low slide strings. Thats the problem tho, your at risk everytime you do for little reward.

@Altaire: Are throws garaunteed when you get grab from crouch block? Also, the b+121 and the b+124 have a nice overhead and low hits on them. Since they can be cancelled by clone, slide or iceball and the b+121 causes a nice amount stagger to continue pressure, making these strings seem pretty good. Its nice really.

 

[Mechacide]

b+1,2,1 and b+1,2,4 has no mixup, because you can jump out of either ender.

If you wanna play Sub like Scorpion, then by all means use the 2,2,2 and 2,2 xx Slide mixup, but it's really not necessary : P

 

[NRF CharlieMurphy]

I use d4, slide. I discovered it by accident through negative edge and then used it on a few unsuspecting people as an alternate to d4, clone. The thinking behind it is if I see my opponent always coming out of crouch block after a couple of d4's, I check them with the d4, slide. I don't use it very often. Much more rarely than I use d4, clone as the slide is punishable.

do you always insta clone after a d4? I don't' hardly ever do it until my opponent doesn't jump into the d4 pause clone.

 

[Enenra]

Eh, it's cool, but I'd rather freeze 'em...
Then again, if it's for the game and they have a breaker it will prove to be VERY useful.