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Kenshi Noob Guide?

I'm just beginning to get into MK9. Right now my favorite characters are Kenshi, Kung Lao, and Ermac.

I'm just wondering, I've found so many advanced and complex guides for Kenshi, including pages of combos. But I'm married, with children, and employed. I don't really have the time to go watch the Mayo videos and take notes. I just want some quick tips.

What is the general strategy I should use with Kenshi?

What combo strings are the best to use both in terms of damage and ease of execution? I probably need one for each situation, midscreen, corner, in-air attack, meter, and x-ray (if one exists). I don't really want 15 different combos for each situation.

Finally, what special moves, (built-in) combo strings, and normals should I avoid using or limit to special cases?
 

Under_The_Mayo

Master of Quanculations
I'm just beginning to get into MK9. Right now my favorite characters are Kenshi, Kung Lao, and Ermac.

I'm just wondering, I've found so many advanced and complex guides for Kenshi, including pages of combos. But I'm married, with children, and employed. I don't really have the time to go watch the Mayo videos and take notes. I just want some quick tips.

What is the general strategy I should use with Kenshi?

What combo strings are the best to use both in terms of damage and ease of execution? I probably need one for each situation, midscreen, corner, in-air attack, meter, and x-ray (if one exists). I don't really want 15 different combos for each situation.

Finally, what special moves, (built-in) combo strings, and normals should I avoid using or limit to special cases?
Hey buddy, totally understandable that all this information is a bit much if you`re just starting. But if you have about 20 minutes, allow me to recommend just my first video guide for the character, The Science Of Kenshi, and Kenshi: Up Close And Personal.

"Science" goes over his basic normals, basic combos, stuff like that. It`s a bit outdated (september) and a lot has been discovered/revised since then, but it`s still a good place to get started from.

"Up Close" looks at using his poke strings and specials at close range for good offense.


Then you should be good for quite a while before you`re ready to go into the deep stuff!! Hope this was helpful.

I`m actually working on a full guide of EVERYTHING, hopefully to be released in about a month.
 
Under_The_Mayo
Thanks for the reply. I think I was looking at the wrong videos on your channel. Initially the videos I was looking at were videos regarding hybrid combos (versus midscreen and corner combos) as well as things related to unbreakable combo damage. I didn't notice the videos you mentioned. I started with the science one now. Thank you a lot.

As for the patch changes, I'm not an expert, but from the patch details I found after during a search, the only Kenshi specific changes were:
• Kenshi’s X-Ray (Soul Blade) can no longer be reflected.
• Kenshi is freed up sooner now when he absorbs a projectile with his (Blade Absorb)
• Kenshi’s F2,2,B1 (Absentminded) reaction no longer lets opponents be hit just as they hit the ground.
• Nightwolf and Kenshi can no longer still absorb a projectile if they get hit out of their enhanced reflects before the recovery frames start.
source: http://shoryuken.com/2011/09/23/mortal-kombat-9-patch-notes-92311/

I don't know if there were any Kenshi specific changes included in a patch after September 23rd 2011.

Off the top of your head, what changes should I be aware of that affect the strategy discussed in the Science of Kenshi video?
 

Under_The_Mayo

Master of Quanculations
Under_The_Mayo
Thanks for the reply. I think I was looking at the wrong videos on your channel. Initially the videos I was looking at were videos regarding hybrid combos (versus midscreen and corner combos) as well as things related to unbreakable combo damage. I didn't notice the videos you mentioned. I started with the science one now. Thank you a lot.

As for the patch changes, I'm not an expert, but from the patch details I found after during a search, the only Kenshi specific changes were:
• Kenshi’s X-Ray (Soul Blade) can no longer be reflected.
• Kenshi is freed up sooner now when he absorbs a projectile with his (Blade Absorb)
• Kenshi’s F2,2,B1 (Absentminded) reaction no longer lets opponents be hit just as they hit the ground.
• Nightwolf and Kenshi can no longer still absorb a projectile if they get hit out of their enhanced reflects before the recovery frames start.
source: http://shoryuken.com/2011/09/23/mortal-kombat-9-patch-notes-92311/

I don't know if there were any Kenshi specific changes included in a patch after September 23rd 2011.

Off the top of your head, what changes should I be aware of that affect the strategy discussed in the Science of Kenshi video?
I'd say none. Kenshi has gone mainly unchanged. He still has a glitch where if you do wakeup reflect or absorb, the invincibility frames cause it to fail. Nightwolf had the same problem. They fixed his and left Kenshi's broken.
 
lol i'm so glad I checked this thread, I watched teefxx video and was going crazy on my vita trying the absentminded reset/otg thing and now I see it's been removed.

Anyway thanks everyone here for being so helpful with kenshi, I've mained Mileena since MK9 came out but with the Vita I wanted an alt, I was hovering between Kenshi and Smoke (I like my gals sexy and my boys cool lol), and the huge amount of vids/tutorials etc for kenshi made my choice a lot easier.

One question though, I see cr.4 cl.TK is one of his best footsies, but I have problems to link those, right now I can pull it 70% of the time by doing cr.4 mash TK, but I would like to know if there's a easier way to input those.
 

Under_The_Mayo

Master of Quanculations
lol i'm so glad I checked this thread, I watched teefxx video and was going crazy on my vita trying the absentminded reset/otg thing and now I see it's been removed.

Anyway thanks everyone here for being so helpful with kenshi, I've mained Mileena since MK9 came out but with the Vita I wanted an alt, I was hovering between Kenshi and Smoke (I like my gals sexy and my boys cool lol), and the huge amount of vids/tutorials etc for kenshi made my choice a lot easier.

One question though, I see cr.4 cl.TK is one of his best footsies, but I have problems to link those, right now I can pull it 70% of the time by doing cr.4 mash TK, but I would like to know if there's a easier way to input those.
You can use the input buffer to your advantage. Hit down and 4 and then immediately hit back and 4. Don't input down-back as it's own motion after the down4. The down from your down4 will be remembered in the system, and as you press back4 you'll get the slash.

You can also use this in the Down1 Rising Karma combos, by hitting down and 1 and then back and 1.
 
Thanks, it seems to work better now.

Yet again, thanks for all your efforts with Kenshi. I'm looking for an alt basically because almost all high level players, death, mr mileena, pig etc, have left Mileena so there's no new technology coming and the character has become stagnant. Watching people so dedicated to Kenshi is great. I've watched all your four ultimate videos and right now those are way out of my league, but it's great to have so much new stuff to check out about a character for once.

Waiting anxiously for your complete kenshi guide!
 

Tolkeen

/wrists
D4 into TKS? I usually use D3 into TKS. Isn't D3 better since it's faster and lowers his hitbox?
D3 tks has a huge gap on both block and hit. Meaning your opponent can hit you before tks hits.
D4 on the other hand has so much cancel advantage that the tks can't be interrupted, even by armor.
Sc is the correct cancel for d3, because there's no gap to armor out. But be wary of your opponents character. Some characters can punish a blocked sc.


Tapatalk, helping me procrastinate.
 

Under_The_Mayo

Master of Quanculations
D4 into TKS? I usually use D3 into TKS. Isn't D3 better since it's faster and lowers his hitbox?
D3 is a big part of your offensive poke game, and things will be going pretty fast that you're likely not going to be hit out of d3 slash. But yeah, you can. Particularly if you mix it up with D3 SC/EX SC, and just D3's into B2 overheads or throws, etc. Then you can get away with incorporating D3 Slash. And if an opponent picks up on it, it'll get riskier. Normally, you can rely upon it though. If you wanna go safer, go for D4 Slash.