DarksydeDash
You know me as RisingShieldBro online.
Introduction:
Highborne is Kitana's 2nd competitive variation that possesses strong zoning via Sai toss, and an anti zoning option via teleport. Kitana's damage in this variation is primarily unbreakable at the expanse of having damage comparable to Jade unless she gets you in the corner. The main focus of this variation is load up it's specific KB by landing three Sai Toss and then cash out with gigantic damage by ending in another of her Kbs that ends in nearly 50% health loss. However, with the new patch introduced, this variation's corner damage as well as overall damage midscreen suffers due to random hitboxes and some whiffing issues that were not addressed in the latest update of the game.
The Good:
So what exactly makes this variation still worth using? Well, the MUs where this variation excels in are (for the most part) untouched; you can still play the lame the game, and counter your opponent's lame game with smart use of the teleport. Speaking of the tele, the recent changes have made it so Kitana now enters a ducking state as begins the move, making projectiles that are high more difficult to catch her in the middle of the animation. Her universal stagger game also remains with the mind game of stance cancels at the cost of a bar but they are still negative. This means if you're opponent knows a cancel is coming, your turn is over and you have lost a defense bar. Fortunately, some of the changes made to Edenian Razors have helped her in other ways, such as making the move have a 2nd range that allows all of them to connect on block for some nice chip damage (approx 6%). It is also still possible to convert off Razors in the corner using B34 but the timing is strict and the damage is drastically lower than what it was before (from 37% to 29%). Lastly, her Sai Stab KB extra hit advantage now allows us to score the Quick Execution (df2) KB off all strings by letting us perform a j2 midscreen after scoring the KB.
The Bad:
The biggest problem this variation suffers from is the inconsistency of the Razor's hitboxes and frame data on block. What do I mean by this? Well depending on which side Kitana is on while hitting the opponent, a specific number of razors will hit that ranges from either none to all. This is universal to both male and female hitboxes. A list of what side and number of razors that hits can be found below using the newly extended range:
Left:
- B321: 1 razor, sometimes 2 depending how long the button is held.
-B14: all Razors
-B13: 1 Razor
-B3: 1 Razor
-21: 1 Razor, sometimes two depending how long the button is held.
-32: 1 Razor
F2: 1 Razor, sometimes 2 depending how long the button is held.
-12: 1 Razor
Right:
- B321: All Razors
-B14: All Razors
-B13: 0 Razor
-B3: 0 Razor
-21: All Razors
-32: 0 Razors
F2: 0 Razors
-12: 0 Razors
The frame data on block on block is just as random, ranging from -5, -2, 0, +1, to -29 depending if your opponent is crouching or standing, the distance your normals hit at, how long you held button, and how many razors hit your opponent on block. As a result, this makes Highborne Kitana extremely execution heavy in the sense that you have to not only react to how many Razors have hit the opponent on block and immediately let go of the button, but you also must memorize which number of razors will hit the opponent the opponent if they stand or crouch block. Example: B13 hits with two razors while the opponent crouch blocks, and hits with one if they stand block. The only string on block or hit that 100% will always hit all three razors on hit or block is B14 so keep this in mind. In the corner, all strings have all razors hit consistently and score 18-24% unbreakable damage that keeps the opponent standing with massive hit advantage. The only downside is that some Razors will hit at the same time so you will need to memorize which strings require you to hold the button or not.
In Closing:
Highborn unfortunately has been nerfed. Factoring all the whiffing issues that Kitana still has such as not being able to use U2 after flawless blocking, df2 not connecting on ground females, the inconsistency as well as lower damage added to corner game from the change made to razors, and one of the hardest KB requirements of landing three Sai tosses for the big damage, Fanfare might now be the definitive variation to play when choosing Kitana outside of some MUs. I only hope that this is a bug and gets hotfixed soon.
Highborne is Kitana's 2nd competitive variation that possesses strong zoning via Sai toss, and an anti zoning option via teleport. Kitana's damage in this variation is primarily unbreakable at the expanse of having damage comparable to Jade unless she gets you in the corner. The main focus of this variation is load up it's specific KB by landing three Sai Toss and then cash out with gigantic damage by ending in another of her Kbs that ends in nearly 50% health loss. However, with the new patch introduced, this variation's corner damage as well as overall damage midscreen suffers due to random hitboxes and some whiffing issues that were not addressed in the latest update of the game.
The Good:
So what exactly makes this variation still worth using? Well, the MUs where this variation excels in are (for the most part) untouched; you can still play the lame the game, and counter your opponent's lame game with smart use of the teleport. Speaking of the tele, the recent changes have made it so Kitana now enters a ducking state as begins the move, making projectiles that are high more difficult to catch her in the middle of the animation. Her universal stagger game also remains with the mind game of stance cancels at the cost of a bar but they are still negative. This means if you're opponent knows a cancel is coming, your turn is over and you have lost a defense bar. Fortunately, some of the changes made to Edenian Razors have helped her in other ways, such as making the move have a 2nd range that allows all of them to connect on block for some nice chip damage (approx 6%). It is also still possible to convert off Razors in the corner using B34 but the timing is strict and the damage is drastically lower than what it was before (from 37% to 29%). Lastly, her Sai Stab KB extra hit advantage now allows us to score the Quick Execution (df2) KB off all strings by letting us perform a j2 midscreen after scoring the KB.
The Bad:
The biggest problem this variation suffers from is the inconsistency of the Razor's hitboxes and frame data on block. What do I mean by this? Well depending on which side Kitana is on while hitting the opponent, a specific number of razors will hit that ranges from either none to all. This is universal to both male and female hitboxes. A list of what side and number of razors that hits can be found below using the newly extended range:
Left:
- B321: 1 razor, sometimes 2 depending how long the button is held.
-B14: all Razors
-B13: 1 Razor
-B3: 1 Razor
-21: 1 Razor, sometimes two depending how long the button is held.
-32: 1 Razor
F2: 1 Razor, sometimes 2 depending how long the button is held.
-12: 1 Razor
Right:
- B321: All Razors
-B14: All Razors
-B13: 0 Razor
-B3: 0 Razor
-21: All Razors
-32: 0 Razors
F2: 0 Razors
-12: 0 Razors
The frame data on block on block is just as random, ranging from -5, -2, 0, +1, to -29 depending if your opponent is crouching or standing, the distance your normals hit at, how long you held button, and how many razors hit your opponent on block. As a result, this makes Highborne Kitana extremely execution heavy in the sense that you have to not only react to how many Razors have hit the opponent on block and immediately let go of the button, but you also must memorize which number of razors will hit the opponent the opponent if they stand or crouch block. Example: B13 hits with two razors while the opponent crouch blocks, and hits with one if they stand block. The only string on block or hit that 100% will always hit all three razors on hit or block is B14 so keep this in mind. In the corner, all strings have all razors hit consistently and score 18-24% unbreakable damage that keeps the opponent standing with massive hit advantage. The only downside is that some Razors will hit at the same time so you will need to memorize which strings require you to hold the button or not.
In Closing:
Highborn unfortunately has been nerfed. Factoring all the whiffing issues that Kitana still has such as not being able to use U2 after flawless blocking, df2 not connecting on ground females, the inconsistency as well as lower damage added to corner game from the change made to razors, and one of the hardest KB requirements of landing three Sai tosses for the big damage, Fanfare might now be the definitive variation to play when choosing Kitana outside of some MUs. I only hope that this is a bug and gets hotfixed soon.
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