Help me pick a new character for next season

[Second Saint]

I've decided to use KL as a crucible for new characters every season, but I'm not really sure who I should use in the next one. I main D'vorah and secondary Force of Nature Cetrion in this game. Harley in Injustice and D'vorah in MKX. I've played many types of characters, but I think of myself as primarily someone who enjoys pressure, setups, and actually having the privilege of making someone hurt for mashing. If FoN Cetrion had less ability to zone with more damage and setups with the boulder shatter, she'd probably be near perfect for me.

Kabal stands out on paper as a character that would be good for my preferred style, but I genuinely can't stand his aesthetic/personality and would never seriously consider playing him. Which is unfortunate, because dem mids and cancels, tho.

I'd like to hear any suggestions.

 

[Gamer68]

Maybe Kano's molotov variation (Dirtbag, I think)? I heard he has some corner set-ups in that variation. Pretty sure he has a fast mid and can cancel into the acid splash to stay safe-ish, and has KBs on his throws so he should be able to pressure a little on top of those set-ups. SonicFox plays him a little and thinks he's pretty good so competitively the character should be fine.

I'm not a Kano main and it's been a while since I've played so I could be wrong, though.

 

[Zviko]

Try Jaded.

 

[Altaire]

I don't mean to tell you how to play the game, but uh... Isn't switching mains with every new season of KL going to make it harder to succeed in KL?

If you're okay with that, and are more interested in mixing up your character choices than seeing long-term progress, then that's fine. If not, well, sticking to one or two characters is definitely going to net you better results.

 

[Second Saint]

I don't mean to tell you how to play the game, but uh... Isn't switching mains with every new season of KL going to make it harder to succeed in KL?

If you're okay with that, and are more interested in mixing up your character choices than seeing long-term progress, then that's fine. If not, well, sticking to one or two characters is definitely going to net you better results.

I've never taken KL seriously. I've only ever so much as completed all the goals in 1 season so I could get my D'vorah skin. It's not about success in ranked, but learning a new character from the ground up against a multitude of matchups. While learning a character, I don't mind losing at all. But if I play D'vorah and lose yet again to somebody mashing d2 out of +10 because it's hard to jail highs from d1 online and the character doesn't really have a usable mid otherwise, I will lose my god damn mind.

I do think Dirtbag Kano is a strong character, and fits me to a degree. He's my main training partner's main.

Jaded seems like a great pick. Definitely a character I can get behind. Cancels, plus frames, 11f mid, considered low tier so I got the OS. I also absolutely despise playing against Jade with D'vorah, so maybe this will help me deal with her. Yeah, I think this is the one.

 

[NickDaGreek1983]

Nunchacku Liu Kang.
Yes the teleport is 80%useless, the command grab is a useless high, you'll miss the low fireball but them mids and cancels...

 

[Altaire]

I've never taken KL seriously. I've only ever so much as completed all the goals in 1 season so I could get my D'vorah skin. It's not about success in ranked, but learning a new character from the ground up against a multitude of matchups. While learning a character, I don't mind losing at all. But if I play D'vorah and lose yet again to somebody mashing d2 out of +10 because it's hard to jail highs from d1 online and the character doesn't really have a usable mid otherwise, I will lose my god damn mind.

I do think Dirtbag Kano is a strong character, and fits me to a degree. He's my main training partner's main.

Jaded seems like a great pick. Definitely a character I can get behind. Cancels, plus frames, 11f mid, considered low tier so I got the OS. I also absolutely despise playing against Jade with D'vorah, so maybe this will help me deal with her. Yeah, I think this is the one.

Not caring if you win as long as you're learning is a good mindset to have, imo. There are plenty of great players who got that way because they got their asses beat by great players on a routine basis. It's not glamorous, but it's a hell of a workout.

It kind of sounds more like this is just a way to avoid the frustration of losing with your main (at least, when you feel like online is the reason), though. At that point, I guess it's just a question of how seriously you take competition in this. If you have big dreams of going to majors and making top 8s, I think you're better off just sticking with your main and toughing it out when this happens, as shitty as that feels. If you don't, and this is something you really just play for fun, then you're probably right to mix it up a bit for the sake of your sanity. As good as this game's netcode is, you're always going to have the occasional bad connection, and I don't think anyone ever really gets over wanting to tear their hair out over that. I can understand how it gets to a point where you need to question whether it's worth the headache.


I'm going to hedge my bets as far as thinking I know what characters would be good to recommend to you, but from what you described in the first post, Jax comes to mind. As far as just really blowing people up for mashing buttons, all I can think to suggest is someone with high base damage output, though (i.e. can consistently get big damage off a punish). That might be the place to start.

 

[Second Saint]

Not caring if you win as long as you're learning is a good mindset to have, imo. There are plenty of great players who got that way because they got their asses beat by great players on a routine basis. It's not glamorous, but it's a hell of a workout.

It kind of sounds more like this is just a way to avoid the frustration of losing with your main (at least, when you feel like online is the reason), though. At that point, I guess it's just a question of how seriously you take competition in this. If you have big dreams of going to majors and making top 8s, I think you're better off just sticking with your main and toughing it out when this happens, as shitty as that feels. If you don't, and this is something you really just play for fun, then you're probably right to mix it up a bit for the sake of your sanity. As good as this game's netcode is, you're always going to have the occasional bad connection, and I don't think anyone ever really gets over wanting to tear their hair out over that. I can understand how it gets to a point where you need to question whether it's worth the headache.


I'm going to hedge my bets as far as thinking I know what characters would be good to recommend to you, but from what you described in the first post, Jax comes to mind. As far as just really blowing people up for mashing buttons, all I can think to suggest is someone with high base damage output, though (i.e. can consistently get big damage off a punish). That might be the place to start.

Oh, I'm well past the point in my life I could try and play competitively, and I've never cared for ranked. I suppose it does to a degree have something to do with me not enjoying losing with my main, but it has more to do with how I feel the character lacks basic tools I feel should be universal and having to feel like I'm actually lucky just to be able to use the mind games she's designed to do as pressure, but generally don't get to enjoy this privelige due to an overhead that whiffs on crouch blockers.

I'm trying to not get stuck in the character loyalty trap again. I tend to learn one character and stick it out by labbing through awful situations that can only be marginally improved upon. It's not worth doing anymore.

 

[ExpectFlames]

This sounds like a terrible idea.
Buluc

 

[Altaire]

Oh, I'm well past the point in my life I could try and play competitively, and I've never cared for ranked. I suppose it does to a degree have something to do with me not enjoying losing with my main, but it has more to do with how I feel the character lacks basic tools I feel should be universal and having to feel like I'm actually lucky just to be able to use the mind games she's designed to do as pressure, but generally don't get to enjoy this privelige due to an overhead that whiffs on crouch blockers.

I'm trying to not get stuck in the character loyalty trap again. I tend to learn one character and stick it out by labbing through awful situations that can only be marginally improved upon. It's not worth doing anymore.

Fair enough. Switching mains isn't a bad idea then, if you're enjoying the game more in the long run.

All I can suggest as far as characters who have all the basic tools you could ever need would be var 3 Cage. He really has it all.

 

[Espio]

I think this is a good idea to help you grow and understand the game/characters and options. It isn't a handicap at all if you have a solid grasp of the game and a willingness to level up. Give Berzerker Baraka a whirl, I think you would enjoy the experience. I know I plan on doing this for Searing Rage Scorpion or a to be determined variation .

 

[Arqwart]

I've decided to use KL as a crucible for new characters every season, but I'm not really sure who I should use in the next one. I main D'vorah and secondary Force of Nature Cetrion in this game. Harley in Injustice and D'vorah in MKX. I've played many types of characters, but I think of myself as primarily someone who enjoys pressure, setups, and actually having the privilege of making someone hurt for mashing. If FoN Cetrion had less ability to zone with more damage and setups with the boulder shatter, she'd probably be near perfect for me.

Kabal stands out on paper as a character that would be good for my preferred style, but I genuinely can't stand his aesthetic/personality and would never seriously consider playing him. Which is unfortunate, because dem mids and cancels, tho.

I'd like to hear any suggestions.

If you're interested in setups and pressure, Kung Lao may be right up your alley. Lotus Fist can destroy mashers on block via forcing strange block string pressure and causing mindgames merely by the threat of the hat being used even if you dont. Also, you can toss it out at a distance and suddenly your teleport is a safe mixup (delayed grab, kick, hat slice into block pressure, nothing into pressure or grab on landing, etc.).

There's also the ever-present threat of divekick that most everyone has to hold against without AAing. It makes jumps a pseudo mixup.

The only concern is that you gotta be super mindful of meter management cause each hat use burns one of each bar.

 

[Altaire]

If you're interested in setups and pressure, Kung Lao may be right up your alley. Lotus Fist can destroy mashers on block via forcing strange block string pressure and causing mindgames merely by the threat of the hat being used even if you dont. Also, you can toss it out at a distance and suddenly your teleport is a safe mixup (delayed grab, kick, hat slice into block pressure, nothing into pressure or grab on landing, etc.).

There's also the ever-present threat of divekick that most everyone has to hold against without AAing. It makes jumps a pseudo mixup.

The only concern is that you gotta be super mindful of meter management cause each hat use burns one of each bar.

Var 3 Scorpion seems like another suggestion worth considering if you want to take this route. His tele is an even better jump-in mixup, both because a) guessing wrong gives him full combos, and b) even if you block the tele, you still have to guess if he's going to amp it or not. Var 1 has another layer to that guessing game too, although var 3 has more setups with the stance stuff. If you really want to ruin someone's life for pressing buttons too liberally, Scorpion definitely does that.

 

[Second Saint]

You guys are great and I really appreciate all the suggestions. This kind of stuff is why I've stuck with this website so long. For the most part, this community is all to ready to help when there's actually something to help with and not just more debate on patches/buffs/nerfs/complaints about people wanting buffs and nersfs/etc.

V3 Scorpion I think should actually go on the list. I don't know if he'll get used this season, but I could see him in an upcoming one.

Hat trick Lao was the first character I tried to pick up after D'vorah, but I didn't really click with him too well. I learned how to play him, then a guy at my local was looking for a new character, and I suggested Hat Trick, who he ended up maining. Somewhere in all that I got too busy labbing D'vorah to go back to Lao.

I have no idea what Berserker Baraka even does beyond it involving a charge. For that reason alone, I should probably at least look at him.

Any thoughts on v3 Frost? Does she have setups that actually work?

 

[Gooberking]

You guys are great and I really appreciate all the suggestions. This kind of stuff is why I've stuck with this website so long. For the most part, this community is all to ready to help when there's actually something to help with and not just more debate on patches/buffs/nerfs/complaints about people wanting buffs and nersfs/etc.

V3 Scorpion I think should actually go on the list. I don't know if he'll get used this season, but I could see him in an upcoming one.

Hat trick Lao was the first character I tried to pick up after D'vorah, but I didn't really click with him too well. I learned how to play him, then a guy at my local was looking for a new character, and I suggested Hat Trick, who he ended up maining. Somewhere in all that I got too busy labbing D'vorah to go back to Lao.

I have no idea what Berserker Baraka even does beyond it involving a charge. For that reason alone, I should probably at least look at him.

Any thoughts on v3 Frost? Does she have setups that actually work?

Scars had posted some corner stuff for V3 Frost. Given how much stuff she pumped out for Cyrax, that stuff is probably a good representation of what you can and can't do.

I do play V3, but I don't really do any of that stuff though. I'd like use the freeze, and maybe I just don't have the magic sauce for that sort of thing, but it doesn't seem easy to work with. Given it cost bar that could also be spent on other things, and you can so easily lose it, I just don't put much into trying. You can squeeze one out after a b4 or blade spin in the corner. We spend bar on MB projectiles people block, so maybe having the off chance to get a full combo has an argument to be made for it. Given all the stuff you figured out with MKX D'vorah, you would be better able to find stuff than most people, but it seems to me to go so easily sideways, that I'd rather spend bar on harassing with MB projectiles or have bar for combos.

That said, I like playing V3 Frost, and she is pretty effective in shutting down some people's game plans. Not really about set play but just making it super difficult to get in range of her. Harassing with augers and d4 when someone tries to approach can leave some people with no idea what to do, and her far range game is hard to argue with. She has answers to things to force some characters to think more. (Mostly talking about how her bomb can't be purple glowed by Jade, or smoke countered full screen by Shang.) She also has some fun combos, and feels a little less one note than some characters can. (Maybe that's just because I've played her more than most other chars). Anyway, I personally think she's worth a spin (punzzzz)

 

[MerlinsBeard]

As someone else said, Kung Lao. But, I would go with Hat Trick. Ending combos with f4 and enhanced z-hat is a simple but effective setup. You also get air teleport, which you can cancel into from air normal's. My favorite thing to do is end my combos with f1,2 which leaves you at about +48. This is the longest knockdown I've found and the closest to a true grounded teleport setup I've found.

 

[Error404]

For some reason reason , almost nobody is playing Eternal Geras . And imo people can say what they want about Cage , but Eternal is by far the best character in this game. His set play , especially in the corner is wild

 

[Zer0_h0ur]

I don't mean to tell you how to play the game, but uh... Isn't switching mains with every new season of KL going to make it harder to succeed in KL?

If you're okay with that, and are more interested in mixing up your character choices than seeing long-term progress, then that's fine. If not, well, sticking to one or two characters is definitely going to net you better results.

??
I've been doing this since season 3. It's how I learned Kollector then kitana.
I like using KL to learn characters, just gotta be mindful and learn from all the early beat downs. It's a great feeling when the character begins to click and you see the win % start climbing up.

As for the OP, I'd say dirt bag kano for the pressure set ups, but he may get mashed on.
Baraka for pressure and mash destroying but he doesn't have much set ups.

Have you considered the Frost variation with the frozen set ups?

 

[Ck AeroVoid]

who ever has the coolest skin/costume as a reward?

 

[NeroOps]

Play any characters third variation besides dvorahs it’ll make things interesting

 

[Vampbite]

Avalanche SZ is fun.