Alien Substance
Evanesce
Revision (3.0) date: December 1st, 2013.
Hermes Dash Cancel pressure (abbreviated as "HDC") is a fundamental aspect of Kratos' gameplan. Without HDC capabilities, Kratos is arguably the worst close-quarters-kombatant in MK9. With proficiency in HDCs, Kratos is like Kabal's trouble-making stepchild who is able to harness a portion of his daddy's powers.
HDC pressure gives Kratos a form of blockstring pressure, and as with all pressure, it gives Kratos super meter and inflicts chip damage upon his opponent. Some less-noticeable effects include: letting your opponent know of how threatening Kratos can be, and making the opponent feel uncomfortable around Kratos, which is a great psychological bonus for you.
Primary HDC moves:
These normals and strings are Kratos' primary tools:
1xxHDC
1,1xxHDC
1,1,2xxHDC
2xxHDC
2,1xxHDC
2,1,2xxHDC
D4xxHDC
B1,2
B1,B4
B1xxHDC
B1xxApollo's Bow
Some ways to start pressure include using D4xxHDC, or ending your combos with Helios Head~JIP,*string cancelled into an HDC*.
Normal HDC Pressure:
The usual way of doing HDC pressure is to mix up Kratos' three-hit strings with an HDC, for they provide the guessing game needed to keep your opponent blocking. Cancel a string into an HDC, before the three hits or after. Following an HDC, it is best to repeat the process with one of the two 3-hit strings, while never becoming repetitive and predictable in your pressure.
Protip: Standing 2xxHDC is actually very fast and hard to react to. I like to use 2xxHDC for more complicated mixups. (Note: Don't use this after 1,1xxHDC)
Options and stuff:
Apollo's Bow ender:
While the opponent may release block and be able to jump out of HDC pressure, consider the option of cancelling out of the end of your string into Apollo's Bow instead of an HDC to catch the opponent and return to HDC pressure, or stop it there and wait for the opponent to do something unsafe and/or reckless.
If the opponent happens to block the arrows, it may be wise to anticipate your opponent's next attack. Not many know the safety of Apollo's Bow (-1), so they may try something that only works on unsafe point-blank projectiles, like a full-combo punish. In this case, the Golden Fleece is a good option, unless dealing with low-hitting attacks.
More cautious opponents may try to poke you and then start their own pressure, in this case, it's best to lure them into a false sense of security by blocking the poke and (because most pokes are negative on block) use the Golden Fleece on their attempt to pressure. Of course, the possibility that they will poke more than once is there, but this is all part of the mind games of kombat.
Protip: 2,1,2 can be jumped out of, for there is a gap between the second and last hit. I recommend using Apollo's Bow to catch opponents that may try to jump out through the gap.
Hermes Backdash Cancel:
Another way of dealing with opponents trying to jump out of HDC pressure, is to backdash your HDC, into B1xxHelios (B1 is Kratos' best anti-air normal).
It is usually best to do a Hermes Backdash Cancel into B1~Helios after a three-hitting string, and maybe D4, but it all depends on your gut instincts concerning your opponent.
Caution: B1 has 21 frames of startup, so the AA has to be on a good read (i.e. lucky guess
). In the event that the opponent does not try to jump out, then B1,2 will come out, and if that whiffs, Kratos is usually in trouble.
HDC~Crossup JIP:
This is one method of mixing up your HDC pressure. This is best-used during a situation which you would normally cancel into further pressure, not in situations where you would end it (e.g. Apollo's Bow ender and the Hermes Backdash Cancel).
Uppercuts can easily hit Kratos out of a crossup here, so I don't use this all that often.
An HDC~Crossup JIP is useful to avoid armored specials, especially those that leave the opponent standing in relatively the same place. (e.g. Scorpion's Flame Spear, Kenshi's Spirit Vengeance)
Down+4:
D4 can hit low-hitbox characters who may attempt to crouch Kratos' HDC pressure. In most cases, repeating D4, D4, D4s can catch those who attempt to counter-poke.
Be advised: it is easy for an opponent to jump out before the D4 gets to the active frames.
The above can be circumvented by hitting the opponent once with a D4xxHDC, and doing D4xxHDCs repeatedly. Perfect, to-the-frame D4xxHDCs will beat out any poke and catch any jump out attempt that the opponent may try to do.
B1 mixups:
Seeing as B1 is a slow move at 21 frames, it is best to use this when your opponent respects your pressure. B1 grants a variety of mixups:
B1,B4 is a mid-to-low hitting string, which knocks down on hit, and leaves both neutral on block.
B1,2 is a mid-to-overhead string, which also knocks down on hit. This should be rarely used, since Kratos is -20 on block, and if the opponent tech rolls on hit, Kratos will be at -56.
B1xxHDC is good to go back into more HDC pressure, or if you're feeling ballsy, to go into another B1 mixup situation.
B1xxApollo's Bow will catch those gap-jumpers, and if B1 anti-airs, there is a good chance that you will get a full-combo punish after the arrows.
-----------------------
Go see Somberness' Kratos Frame Data for more information about that.
Hermes Dash Cancel pressure (abbreviated as "HDC") is a fundamental aspect of Kratos' gameplan. Without HDC capabilities, Kratos is arguably the worst close-quarters-kombatant in MK9. With proficiency in HDCs, Kratos is like Kabal's trouble-making stepchild who is able to harness a portion of his daddy's powers.
HDC pressure gives Kratos a form of blockstring pressure, and as with all pressure, it gives Kratos super meter and inflicts chip damage upon his opponent. Some less-noticeable effects include: letting your opponent know of how threatening Kratos can be, and making the opponent feel uncomfortable around Kratos, which is a great psychological bonus for you.
Primary HDC moves:
These normals and strings are Kratos' primary tools:
1xxHDC
1,1xxHDC
1,1,2xxHDC
2xxHDC
2,1xxHDC
2,1,2xxHDC
D4xxHDC
B1,2
B1,B4
B1xxHDC
B1xxApollo's Bow
Execution Data:
1 -----( 12
2 -----( 12
D+4 --( 12
B+1---( 21
Advantage on block:
Frame advantage is assuming the HDC and following attacks are done to-the-frame.
1 -----( +8
1,1 ---( +6
1,1,2--( +8
2 -----( +8
2,1 ---( +8
2,1,2 -( +9
D+4 --( +8
B+1 --( +1
Execution Data, adjusted by Frame Advantage on block:
+1
1 ----( 11
2 ----( 11
D+4 -( 11
F+4 -( 12
B+1--( 20
+6
1 ----( 6
2 ----( 6
D+4 -( 6
F+4 -( 7
B+1--(15
+8
1 ----( 4
2 ----( 4
D+4 -( 4
F+4 -( 5
B+1--(13
+9
1 ----( 3
2 ----( 3
D+4 -( 3
F+4 -( 4
B+1--(12
1 -----( 12
2 -----( 12
D+4 --( 12
B+1---( 21
Advantage on block:
Frame advantage is assuming the HDC and following attacks are done to-the-frame.
1 -----( +8
1,1 ---( +6
1,1,2--( +8
2 -----( +8
2,1 ---( +8
2,1,2 -( +9
D+4 --( +8
B+1 --( +1
Execution Data, adjusted by Frame Advantage on block:
+1
1 ----( 11
2 ----( 11
D+4 -( 11
F+4 -( 12
B+1--( 20
+6
1 ----( 6
2 ----( 6
D+4 -( 6
F+4 -( 7
B+1--(15
+8
1 ----( 4
2 ----( 4
D+4 -( 4
F+4 -( 5
B+1--(13
+9
1 ----( 3
2 ----( 3
D+4 -( 3
F+4 -( 4
B+1--(12
Some ways to start pressure include using D4xxHDC, or ending your combos with Helios Head~JIP,*string cancelled into an HDC*.
Normal HDC Pressure:
The usual way of doing HDC pressure is to mix up Kratos' three-hit strings with an HDC, for they provide the guessing game needed to keep your opponent blocking. Cancel a string into an HDC, before the three hits or after. Following an HDC, it is best to repeat the process with one of the two 3-hit strings, while never becoming repetitive and predictable in your pressure.
Protip: Standing 2xxHDC is actually very fast and hard to react to. I like to use 2xxHDC for more complicated mixups. (Note: Don't use this after 1,1xxHDC)
Options and stuff:
Apollo's Bow ender:
While the opponent may release block and be able to jump out of HDC pressure, consider the option of cancelling out of the end of your string into Apollo's Bow instead of an HDC to catch the opponent and return to HDC pressure, or stop it there and wait for the opponent to do something unsafe and/or reckless.
If the opponent happens to block the arrows, it may be wise to anticipate your opponent's next attack. Not many know the safety of Apollo's Bow (-1), so they may try something that only works on unsafe point-blank projectiles, like a full-combo punish. In this case, the Golden Fleece is a good option, unless dealing with low-hitting attacks.
More cautious opponents may try to poke you and then start their own pressure, in this case, it's best to lure them into a false sense of security by blocking the poke and (because most pokes are negative on block) use the Golden Fleece on their attempt to pressure. Of course, the possibility that they will poke more than once is there, but this is all part of the mind games of kombat.
Protip: 2,1,2 can be jumped out of, for there is a gap between the second and last hit. I recommend using Apollo's Bow to catch opponents that may try to jump out through the gap.
Hermes Backdash Cancel:
Another way of dealing with opponents trying to jump out of HDC pressure, is to backdash your HDC, into B1xxHelios (B1 is Kratos' best anti-air normal).
It is usually best to do a Hermes Backdash Cancel into B1~Helios after a three-hitting string, and maybe D4, but it all depends on your gut instincts concerning your opponent.
Caution: B1 has 21 frames of startup, so the AA has to be on a good read (i.e. lucky guess
). In the event that the opponent does not try to jump out, then B1,2 will come out, and if that whiffs, Kratos is usually in trouble.HDC~Crossup JIP:
This is one method of mixing up your HDC pressure. This is best-used during a situation which you would normally cancel into further pressure, not in situations where you would end it (e.g. Apollo's Bow ender and the Hermes Backdash Cancel).
Uppercuts can easily hit Kratos out of a crossup here, so I don't use this all that often.
An HDC~Crossup JIP is useful to avoid armored specials, especially those that leave the opponent standing in relatively the same place. (e.g. Scorpion's Flame Spear, Kenshi's Spirit Vengeance)
Down+4:
D4 can hit low-hitbox characters who may attempt to crouch Kratos' HDC pressure. In most cases, repeating D4, D4, D4s can catch those who attempt to counter-poke.
Be advised: it is easy for an opponent to jump out before the D4 gets to the active frames.
The above can be circumvented by hitting the opponent once with a D4xxHDC, and doing D4xxHDCs repeatedly. Perfect, to-the-frame D4xxHDCs will beat out any poke and catch any jump out attempt that the opponent may try to do.
B1 mixups:
Seeing as B1 is a slow move at 21 frames, it is best to use this when your opponent respects your pressure. B1 grants a variety of mixups:
B1,B4 is a mid-to-low hitting string, which knocks down on hit, and leaves both neutral on block.
B1,2 is a mid-to-overhead string, which also knocks down on hit. This should be rarely used, since Kratos is -20 on block, and if the opponent tech rolls on hit, Kratos will be at -56.
B1xxHDC is good to go back into more HDC pressure, or if you're feeling ballsy, to go into another B1 mixup situation.
B1xxApollo's Bow will catch those gap-jumpers, and if B1 anti-airs, there is a good chance that you will get a full-combo punish after the arrows.
-----------------------
Go see Somberness' Kratos Frame Data for more information about that.
Last edited:
. Perhaps I should though, it'll only help my execution. I was under the impression that I could only HDC off of f2...a command normal that I don't regularly use. #themoreyouknow
