General/Other - Lackey Initial thoughts on Lackey

[GGA Jeremiah]

I decided to take Lackey into the lab for the first time this week. Here are some of my initial reactions.

• Lackey needs an identity from NRS and I don't feel he really has one. Right now his only identity I can think of is "he has that long range d1." If we get a hotfix from NRS hopefully they address this question. "What are some of the reasons you want people to pick Lackey to play as? What is his identity?"
• Of course has one of the top down 1's in MKX
• Amazing throw range
• I am in the camp that is super glad to see launching armor gone but certain variations SHOULD have kept their launching armor, in my opinion Balanced Kenshi and Lackey. This would help add identity to Lackey.
• Wow does this character get zoned out.
• I think enhanced run should be + on block. We need to be rewarded if we get through all that zoning AND that move gets close enough before they can jump out.
• I feel the Lackey only strings should do more damage to further show that this big strong guy is in fact actually strong.

 

[myri]

@Shade667

 

[Asodimazze]

I love lackey but he is so useless at the moment that every time I select him the resulting experience is just depressing. Imho he needs

- Some plus frames somewhere, just to start some kind of offensive.

- A fast d2, like everyone else. The +4 advantage for a blocked d2 can't compensate for how slow it is...just remove the advantage and make it 10f.

- Safe bf3, ex bf3. What's the point of making these moves punishable on block? The risk reward for them is so bad...

- Roll and EX Roll should pass under high projectiles, this way he would still have a bad matchup against zoners but at least have a chance to get them

- Being able to choose the command throw direction.

With these changes, he would be nothing more than a fun, competitive character. Far from top tiers but surely playable

 

[CrazyFingers]

I love lackey but he is so useless at the moment that every time I select him the resulting experience is just depressing. Imho he needs

- Some plus frames somewhere, just to start some kind of offensive.

- A fast d2, like everyone else. The +4 advantage for a blocked d2 can't compensate for how slow it is...just remove the advantage and make it 10f.

- Safe bf3, ex bf3. What's the point of making these moves punishable on block? The risk reward for them is so bad...

- Roll and EX Roll should pass under high projectiles, this way he would still have a bad matchup against zoners but at least have a chance to get them

- Being able to choose the command throw direction.

With these changes, he would be nothing more than a fun, competitive character. Far from top tiers but surely playable

Also reduce the distance command throw sends the opponent.

 

[Gofer_MK]

• I am in the camp that is super glad to see launching armor gone but certain variations SHOULD have kept their launching armor, in my opinion Balanced Kenshi and Lackey. This would help add identity to Lackey.

Add Outlaw to the list.

 

[Shade667]

@Shade667

Im probably the last person u should tag about lackey lol.

I agree with everything the OP said.

 

[Tweedy]

Jeremiah, do you consider yourself a guy that goes from low tier to low tier? A low tier hero, if you will?

I heard that you played Sheeva in Mortal Kombat 9, who I've heard was one of the lesser characters on that game. Earlier in the life of this game, you were very vocal about Jason, when he was possibly the worst character in the game. Now that he is a great character, you've seemingly dropped him, for what is now a definite bottom 5 variation.

Don't take this post too seriously, I don't know if you've really dropped Jason or not. I just find it interesting that you're somewhat of a reverse tier whore.

Almost like the MK version of the guy that always goes for fat chicks. They need lovin too.

 

[Doombawkz]

I'm almost hurt that I wasn't tagged.

 

[kantboy-2]

This is the move that Lackey needs to close those distance gaps.

Regular move; first pound/one hit of armor - knockdown
MB move; two pounds/two hits of armor - stagger, knockdown (think tremor's ground pulse)

They don't have to add animation; it's in the game.

 

[dennycascade]

This is the move that Lackey needs to close those distance gaps.

Regular move; first pound/one hit of armor - knockdown
MB move; two pounds/two hits of armor - stagger, knockdown (think tremor's ground pulse)

They don't have to add animation; it's in the game.

And make it launch pls

 

[kantboy-2]

You'd have to MB another bar to justify the launch.

 

[Karma]

Netherealm Studios don't know how to balance games...i feel your pain.

That's why tekken 7 would be more of a balance game than injustice 2. Also that's why i don't play competitively anymore. I just play it for fun.

 

[CrazyFingers]

Netherealm Studios don't know how to balance games...i feel your pain. That's why tekken 7 would be more of a balance game than injustice 2.

You can't really say that since we don't have the game but it IS hard to beat Tekken in balance.

 

[Karma]

You can't really say that since we don't have the game but it IS hard to beat Tekken in balance.

That's right, plus there's no way ferra/torr would be zone in Tekken ethier.

 

[CrazyFingers]

That's right, plus there's no way ferra/torr would be zone in Tekken ethier.

True

 

[sranc]

Lackey may suck but it's so much more satisfying when you win. He's by far the most fun, especially when you don't care about your win/loss ratio

 

[Kamikaze_Highlander]

• Lackey needs an identity from NRS and I don't feel he really has one. Right now his only identity I can think of is "he has that long range d1." If we get a hotfix from NRS hopefully they address this question. "What are some of the reasons you want people to pick Lackey to play as? What is his identity?"

• Of course has one of the top down 1's in MKX

• Amazing throw range

• I am in the camp that is super glad to see launching armor gone but certain variations SHOULD have kept their launching armor, in my opinion Balanced Kenshi and Lackey. This would help add identity to Lackey.

• Wow does this character get zoned out.

• I think enhanced run should be + on block. We need to be rewarded if we get through all that zoning AND that move gets close enough before they can jump out.

• I feel the Lackey only strings should do more damage to further show that this big strong guy is in fact actually strong.

• I had this thought the other night, that F/T doesn't have much of an identity across all variations, other than being a damage monster. But I can tell you that Lackey's identity is an oki monster, kinda similar to Shaolin KJ, end everything you can in charge/drop, hit someone with a charge, then corpse hop into a 50/50. smart players adapt quickly, but when you adapt along side them you get to explore a lot of oki situations and always make your opponent guess.
• imo Lakey's d1 range is pretty much negated by its block advantage, some characters can literally punish that poke. it also has absolutely garbage hit advantage, i'll hit someone with it then try and jump in (not something I should do with such little frame advantage I know, its called conditioning) and people can jump up and njp before i can get to the height of my jump. Its good don't get me wrong, but personally d3 and d4 are better pokes. Its good, but I honestly think Kotal's and Jason's are better d1's.
• Yes, in the corner a well placed back breaker will put the opponent at max range for another back breaker, great option if you've been enforcing strong oki.
• Technically he does have an armoured launcher. Roll as armour on it and at max range you can convert off it. But you're prolly talking about torryuken, which I agree, tho if it would keep its armour in the "barely any armoured launchers meta" it's scaling would have to be change, which is a fair trade imo. And think about it; charge has FREE ARMOUR, for +45 on hit, and a guaranteed corpse hop. Then again Lackey is Z-tier, so he needs it.
• Yup, which is ok if those who could zone him out so strongly were weak to him up close. This here lies the problem is that too many characters can compete with him at any range. He has no dominating range other than standing literally on top of you (via corpse hop). This is made even more frustrating by giving charge projectile invulnerability, yet many times if you are farther than midscreen your opponent can recover in time to avoid/block/interrupt, meaning that property that is supposed to help you conter zoning doesn't work effectively enough to threaten your opponent with.
• EX run I'm fine with being punishable, there's so much armour and hit advantage, even pushback, that if it was plus on block as well it'd be pretty broken. meterless should absolutely be safe, or just more pushback. He has no safe specials.
• Lackey already can do 30%+ meterlessly, his damage is fine imo. But I would like 4, 2+4 to launch midscreen, or be cancellable like 2, f4 is.

 

[Kamikaze_Highlander]

This is the move that Lackey needs to close those distance gaps.

Regular move; first pound/one hit of armor - knockdown
MB move; two pounds/two hits of armor - stagger, knockdown (think tremor's ground pulse)

They don't have to add animation; it's in the game.

No because then I'm gonna start mimicking him in the middle of a game.

But seriously yea, this is exactly the move he needs, its the same as Goro's, but who cares.