I am at a loss at how to play KL in neutral

[FreshPrinceOfPine]

I played some of KL in mkx and he was a real heavy pressure type of character, but when i play like that in mk11, I feel it doesnt work as well. His main string should be the 21212 for hit confirms but it starts with 3 HIGHS. Thats absolutely ridiculous, the opponent has like 2 full seconds to just crouch. You cant hit confirm off of f1 which is a nice normal, and I guess I should use that more, but im not playing the tempest variation where i can hit confirm with the safe orbiting hat. his b3 has the same problems where if you continue the string, youre not in range for a spin unless amplified. I definitely feel I use f21 too much, even though i've been getting away with it, its what -13 on block? So am i missing something here or is KL just in a very mediocre spot? I'm by no means a top tier player, but it seems that he doesnt have the frame data to be a pressure character like in x or the range to be mid range. At the moment i've been playing with Great Kung Lao and air teleport for kasual and the z hat for ranked

 

[UsedForGlue]

Play the Z hat variation.

Z Hat is a neutral controlling variation.

Every option that is on the table before and after you throw a z Hat is exactly the same, nothing changes, except the opponent takes 5% chip for being there. If you were thinking about jumping, or dash up throw, or d4 or baiting a jump or expecting a normal to be whiff punished, all of those options are still there, the play basically stops to make the opponent take 5% chip on a next to impossible to flawless block move.

The advantage KL has over the opponent in this exchange is that if they get too close, amplify the hat at any point in the z hat and take your advantage to either, throw, shimmy, or confirm f1 spin.

If they get close, they will try to jump, AA D2 into d1 spin - combo extend or end.

F4, dive kick and f12 are all z hat set ups and give excellent OKI anyway.

As far as normals go, only use F4, D3, D1, D4, and use 21 only to punish, and f21 only to whiff punish. Throw...a lot.

Block, be patient, punish.
Hope this helps.