Question Is a rushdown Kenshi viable at the highest level?

[FrothyOmen]

Kenshi's got one of the best d3s in the game, the holiness that is the 21b2 string and all the yomi that comes with it; great footsie tools in SC, RK, f22b1, f22b2, 21b2, f32, b2; great walk speeds, boatloads of armor, the ability to constantly check people with (lbsh) an unpunishable sc on block, and the ability to lame people out with some of the best zoning in the game.

Is an offensive, aggressive kenshi viable in your eyes? I'm considering giving him another go and I'm just having way too much fun with his d3/d4/b2/21(b2)/throw, I basically pretend I'm Smoke and use those strings the same way I'd use smoke's d3/d4/b2/2(14)/throw and it's been working marvelously for me. Poke~sc is hilarious and blows up a lot of people.

Not to say I'm any good with it yet, but what are your guys thoughts on an offensive playstyle like this? Do you see it as being as viable as I think it might be?

 

[EGP Wonder_Chef]

Yeah he can rush down, but never rush down if you don't have to.

 

[A F0xy Grampa]

Well, the only character he has to rush down would be Kabal right?

And Kabal has better rushdown than him, so its pretty useless. But he has a safe midscreen 5050 game, go nuts.

 

[Big D]

Rushdown? Kenshi? THE??? hell no.

 

[BTK HYENA]

Well, the only character he has to rush down would be Kabal right?

I personally disagree with this. I believe the Smoke matchup requires more rushdown than others.

 

[BTK HYENA]

To answer your question, Frothy, yes. But it's better to be a flexible Kenshi, as opposed to one style. I was strictly a zoning Kenshi for a -long- time, and paid for it in numerous tournament loses.

 

[zaf]

You can abuse peoples wake ups with ex shoulder

 

[EGP Wonder_Chef]

tbh I think you need to rush Scorpion down too. REALLY weird, but his hellfire stuffs anything that Kenshi does from fullscreen.

 

[A F0xy Grampa]

I personally disagree with this. I believe the Smoke matchup requires more rushdown than others.

Kenshi doesnt HAVE to rushdown smoke though, also smokes offense is probably worse than Kenshis since Kenshi has better options at 0 frames and even when he's slightly negative.

People get agitated by smokes running away, but he cant actually hurt you until you make the mistake.

 

[STB Shujinkydink]

at the highest level no. To scrub out some online wins? sure!

 

[BTK HYENA]

Kenshi doesnt HAVE to rushdown smoke though, also smokes offense is probably worse than Kenshis since Kenshi has better options at 0 frames and even when he's slightly negative.

People get agitated by smokes running away, but he cant actually hurt you until you make the mistake.

Agreed, you will not take damage, but you also can't afford to make a trade with a smoke bomb while attempting to zone. Would it not be a better option to be within jump/SC range, play footsies, and jip into a BnB as opposed to taking that trade risk?

 

[DJ L Toro]

man i thought i posted in here
wasnt Pig Of The Hut experimenting with this? i vaguely remember him mentioning something about it roughly a week after mlg

 

[A F0xy Grampa]

Agreed, you will not take damage, but you also can't afford to make a trade with a smoke bomb while attempting to zone. Would it not be a better option to be within jump/SC range, play footsies, and jip into a BnB as opposed to taking that trade risk?

SC range still takes the risk of trading with a SB though, which would still be in Smoke favour damage wise.
B2 and F3 are probably better bets to go with IMO.

Kenshis rushdown rules are pretty similar to KL at some points, at 0f is he gonna shoulder or not?
If they respect the shoulder, do another string, if they dont, do a shoulder.
If the respect the spin, do another sting, if they dont, spin.

Simple stuff, just that what Kenshi lacks in speed he makes up in overhead/lows. Vice versa with KL.

 

[BTK HYENA]

SC range still takes the risk of trading with a SB though, which would still be in Smoke favour damage wise.
B2 and F3 are probably better bets to go with IMO.

I more or less use the SC range thing as more of a mind game. With that, I mean that -every- player expects a spirit charge at some point. Makes the opposing player have wrong reads and such. But, I concur with you, in regards to B2 and F3.

 

[TakeAChance]

Yes, everyone should play rush down kenshi, it would totally be the greatest Kenshi ever. Screw zoning with him, that is not what was intended.

 

[zaf]

Rushdown kenshi does exist. I juat do not know how good it is...

Jer does it and it can work. It is just not seen so no one believes it to work.

How viable it is, or if it is more viable then turtle kenshi i dont know.

But when you look at his tools, you can see it too.

 

[STB Sgt Reed]

Poke slash rapes jumpers .... Poke SC rapes pokers.


Its quite fun rushing down with kenshi actually.

 

[NKZero]

Kenshi can definitely play the role of a rushdown character...but then again if he outzones almost all the cast then it is largely unnecessary. Still not to take away from anything he has up close, all the mid-hitting strings, the safeness, the +7 frame traps off EX spirit charge etc. which all become even more devastating in the corner. He's more dangerous up close than given credit for.

 

[Tolkeen]

Kenshi's got one of the best d3s in the game, the holiness that is the 21b2 string and all the yomi that comes with it; great footsie tools in SC, RK, f22b1, f22b2, 21b2, f32, b2; great walk speeds, boatloads of armor, the ability to constantly check people with (lbsh) an unpunishable sc on block, and the ability to lame people out with some of the best zoning in the game.

Is an offensive, aggressive kenshi viable in your eyes? I'm considering giving him another go and I'm just having way too much fun with his d3/d4/b2/21(b2)/throw, I basically pretend I'm Smoke and use those strings the same way I'd use smoke's d3/d4/b2/2(14)/throw and it's been working marvelously for me. Poke~sc is hilarious and blows up a lot of people.

Not to say I'm any good with it yet, but what are your guys thoughts on an offensive playstyle like this? Do you see it as being as viable as I think it might be?

Asks a thread about top level Kenshi...

highest ranked player to respond is the new "emo" kid on the block, Big D.

it's not impossible, it's not improbable, it does happen, it can be intimidating when people aren't expecting it, but he's slow compared to some other rushdown characters (10 frame high being his fastest string starter) and his best move sends the opponent full screen. I'd say, go for it if you're having fun, just don't get all emo if you get bodied by a JC.

 

[kronspik]

If you want to rushdown, you should at least zone until they get close, then switch to rushdown mode.

 

[Death]

Kenshi has it all. He's ridiculous

 

[RiBBz22]

My advice is to only use it if you have to

 

[PPJ]

21f4 - ex rising karma

 

[Pig Of The Hut]

man i thought i posted in here
wasnt Pig Of The Hut experimenting with this? i vaguely remember him mentioning something about it roughly a week after mlg

Characters to rush down:

Kabal
Lao (sort of)
Smoke
Noob
Freddy
Scorpion
Cyrax (again sort of)
Shang (Sort of)
Rep (Sort of)

Rush down tools

f22b2 Strings and setups <---#1 rush down tool
Armor
Sc
B2
f3
D3 <--- best friend

Rushdown kenshi happens when it needs to

 

[zaf]

Characters to rush down:

Kabal
Lao (sort of)
Smoke
Noob
Freddy
Scorpion
Cyrax (again sort of)
Shang (Sort of)
Rep (Sort of)

Rush down tools

f22b2 Strings and setups <---#1 rush down tool
Armor
Sc
B2
f3
D3 <--- best friend

Rushdown kenshi happens when it needs to

kenshi beats ermac 7-3 as it stands
but rushdown kenshi beats ermac 8-2 =P