Grapplers?

[a male waitress]

Is there a viable grappler in this at all? I mainly play grapplers in fighting games and command grabs and their setups are mostly my bnbs in games like street fighter, blazblue et al, I haven't really played any NRS games in the past few years, picked up MKX and actually am enjoying it. My current main is wrestler Jax but I really would like to see if there was a character that was focused more on command grabs and in particular like a few unblockable command grabs?

Idk, either way, I love the game.

 

[BloodyNights]

Is there a viable grappler in this at all? I mainly play grapplers in fighting games and command grabs and their setups are mostly my bnbs in games like street fighter, blazblue et al, I haven't really played any NRS games in the past few years, picked up MKX and actually am enjoying it. My current main is wrestler Jax but I really would like to see if there was a character that was focused more on command grabs and in particular like a few unblockable command grabs?

Idk, either way, I love the game.

Erron Black is an amazing grappler, so many of his strings on block cancel into command grab creating crazy guessing games.

 

[xInfra Deadx]

Erron Black is a character worth looking into.

Damn...got beaten to the punch.

 

[Wetdoba]

Fucking Erron Black being the best grappler in addition to his other amazing tools is mind boggling. Wheres the love for the real grapplers NRS?

 

[PANDEMlC]

I pay Relentless Jason and Sun God Kotal Kahn, which are both grapplers. I'd highly recommend them both. Grapplers unfortunately aren't too good in NRS games so you have to make do with what we've got. Kotal and Jason are pretty similar grapplers too, both have good whiff punishing and some solid tick grabs. Jason has more setups and mind games with teleports, unlimited armor and reversed inputs. Both I'd say are solid mid tier characters so enjoy.

 

[a male waitress]

Wait, Erron Black, dude with massive stack damage potential, corner carry combos and what not is the best grappler in the game? That just feels...wrong? Isn't Kano/Jax the normal grapplers in this series?

 

[Alright RyRy]

Goro. Fastest CG is NRS History.

 

[FlappyDaniel]

I play commando Kano, the way you have to play him mindset wise, and neutral game is in line with a traditional grappler. The biggest thing that makes it hard for them to make a "zhangief" grappler or something in this game is that every character has the same vitality whereas in Street fighter a character like zhangief has like 300-400 more health then a rushdown character. Without this to help with balance I think they're having a hard time trying to balance how grapplers play with how they should fit into MKX.

 

[Baconlord]

Wait, Erron Black, dude with massive stack damage potential, corner carry combos and what not is the best grappler in the game? That just feels...wrong? Isn't Kano/Jax the normal grapplers in this series?

Kano is normally a zoner and Jax is more of a spacing character. This is the first time mk has had any true grapplers and erron black is probably the best of them but if your not a fan of him I would try relentless Jason or Fera/torr.

 

[TheTetraSpirit]

Wait, Erron Black, dude with massive stack damage potential, corner carry combos and what not is the best grappler in the game? That just feels...wrong? Isn't Kano/Jax the normal grapplers in this series?

Yep, those are the "supposed" grapplers, but Erron has tick throws out the ass and an actual long-range command throw.

Anyway, I do recommend Commando Kano.
More of a strike grappler who's fairly heavy on pressure with grabs peppered in here and there, but he's solid all around, has forward and backwards command throws that can be EX'd for armor, and high and low parries for blowing up button mashers/making hard reads.

 

[ando1184]

Wait, Erron Black, dude with massive stack damage potential, corner carry combos and what not is the best grappler in the game? That just feels...wrong? Isn't Kano/Jax the normal grapplers in this series?

Kano supposed to be but his command throw is a little buggy since the EX whiffs vs characters doing strings and attacks at times. His commando variation is still the "archetype" grappler of this game design-wise.

 

[Brutal Chimney]

Goro,Jax, and Kano will probably be buffed in the future so I say just continue playing with them and wait for your time to shine.

Erron Black isn't the best grappler he just has one really good command grab.

 

[SPY]

EB while having grab move, he is not a "grappler" type character, he is rushdown, mix up type of character.
But unlike SF, in MKX there is no bulky, tanky characters who can turn tables with few command grabs or unblockable super. Much closer to classic (SF) sense grapplers, are Relentless\Unstoppable Jason, Commando Kano, Sun God Kotal Khan, Goro, Wrestler Jax.
There is hybrid type grapple characters in MKX who have command grabs, but their power and strategy lies in other areas and command grab is only utility for them, like Ferra Thor, Erron Black, Ravenous Mileena, Brawler Cassie.

 

[ZigZag]

I think commando Kano is well viable but he'll just take more skill to use over something like Outlaw EB.

 

[a male waitress]

I play commando Kano, the way you have to play him mindset wise, and neutral game is in line with a traditional grappler. The biggest thing that makes it hard for them to make a "zhangief" grappler or something in this game is that every character has the same vitality whereas in Street fighter a character like zhangief has like 300-400 more health then a rushdown character. Without this to help with balance I think they're having a hard time trying to balance how grapplers play with how they should fit into MKX.

That makes a lot of sense. I wish they could do some scaling because I just love slowly walking down somone as Gief, do some banishing flats and SPDing the fuck out people in corners. That play style just does not exist in MK and it's frustrating for someone like me who almost exclusively uses grapplers in fighting games. Like I always feel that the command grabs in this game should be unblockable and they're not. However...yeah, Erron Black's command throw is sick, then again the command throws in this game are generally pretty easy to do so I can see the compromise.

 

[FlappyDaniel]

Command grabs ARE unblockable in this game, that's entire meta surrounding them. Choke is not a true command grab so is blockable. Get your opponent blocking due to pressure then tick grab them or just raw grab them.

 

[Paramisery]

Command grabs are unblockable, but what throws this game off is that armor protects you from grabs. I'm a life long grappler player too and to be honest I'm really struggling to enjoy mkx. I want to like it but my playstyle really doesn't exist in it. Worse yet, you're only getting roughly 20% off of an ex command grab, other characters who have an armored launcher get way more than that so grappler variations in mkx actually do less damage and have equal health. I'd actually recommend NOT using a grappler variation at all to be honest.

 

[Brutal Chimney]

The problem about these grabs is the discrepancy between landing a succesful command grab and succesful juggle is just too large.

I a game of 30% meterless combos, a 12% throw doesn't cut it.

The highest potential we have is about 20% but that still means we have to outperform them 10 times as opposed to them who only needs to 2-3 times. I don't care how bad of a player you are 10 times, in one match and you're going to start adapting.

 

[Paramisery]

The problem about these grabs is the discrepancy between landing a succesful command grab and succesful juggle is just too large.

I a game of 30% meterless combos, a 12% throw doesn't cut it.

The highest potential we have is about 20% but that still means we have to outperform them 10 times as opposed to them who only needs to 2-3 times. I don't care how bad of a player you are 10 times, in one match and you're going to start adapting.

You totally hit the nail on the head. Command grabs are just plain not scary in this game.

 

[FlappyDaniel]

Tick throw conversion is what makes them scary. Unless you're converting 60%+ of those you're not going to make anybody afraid because they can just block the jump in or poke and then counter with pressure. They need to always be in fear of getting touched because theoretically most blocked normals from us should equal 16% health missing. I also get a decent grip of damage each round from just pressure. Chipping away and trying to bait them into poking or launching or something. Commando is all about controlling the pace of the match, making good reads, and out footsying your opponent.

 

[Brutal Chimney]

All fighting games are about that and the one who succeeds gets the punish, the problem is I'm half dead when I'm punished and meanwhile they get a tickle.

 

[Paramisery]

I completely understand that "conversion" is what counts, but in a game with so many high/low mixup options when is a command grab really a better choice? Regular high/lows net more damage and are usually safer! I don't see a single benefit to playing a grappler variation. Has one ever made top 8 yet in a decent sized tournament?

 

[buyacushun]

I'm looking for a grappler now too and quite a few things annoy me with grappler characters. The damage you're getting is nothing compared to other characters in the game, let alone other grapplers in different games. Some characters I personally feel need better ticks. Only down normals and maybe one string just feel weak. The worst part though is you don't seem to get much advantage after landing a command grab. Usually with grapplers, once you land a grab the opponent now has this fear because you're getting closer again to inflict big damage again. Jason chucks the opponent away AND on the other side of you. I don't know if anybody else does this. I think Kotal and maybe Kano got some more advantage in a patch. But overall grapplers definitely feel off in MKx imo.

EDIT: I don't know if anyone put in a list so. . . .

Wrestler Jax, Commando Kano (I played), Sun God Kotal Kahn (Played week 1), Goro, f/T (Actually, all variations have a throw they just vary in speed and damage.), Relentless and Unstoppable Jason, Erron Black (Who lands the most grabs lol. Mostly because he has other mixups and some of the best tick strings.)

I think those are all the characters with a grab mixup. I don't like to include Brawler Cassie because she gets an overhead and a duckable throw. The overhead is more of a combo ender since she has better mixups she can make safe with meter and well a duckable throw doesn't feel command grabby lol. I'll use it every once and a while just to keep my opponent on their toes but it doesn't do a lot of damage and switch sides.

EDIT2: I think NRS should've taken a lesson or two from Tekken on grapplers with strings. Or any of the other 3d fighters if they're grapplers are similar. I only have experience with Tekken so I can't say for the others.

Found out Ravenous Mileena doesn't actually have high/low grabs. A low throw and a mid grab on hit animation. Not what I'm personally looking for.

So now I get to pick from Commando KAno, Sun God Kotal, and f/T. Those 3 fit the bill have having some ok normals and decent whiff punish. So I have to pick my normals and really work my way in and try to make people scared to jump. Unless they do the NRS exclusive feature of pressing buttons and avoiding my grab and potentially hitting me.

 

[Paramisery]

Grapplers are completely bad in this game.

 

[a male waitress]

You totally hit the nail on the head. Command grabs are just plain not scary in this game.

Unfortunately that's what I've noticed to. Even like EX gotcha grab is great, so is the multislam but really it's just a glorified regular throw. A real command grab would pretty much have damage on par with this game's x-ray and I think allowing a character to have 2 moves (an x-ray) and say like an ex command grab that does 25-30% damage is probably not the NRS way.