I adore watching Koisy's Kitana. Koisy is a core source of my getting considerably better at the character. However, as you mentioned and even more than the ones mentioned, Kitana relies entirely on a few key tactics depending on her slotted moves.
- Flutter block pressure / chip. Super easy to anti-air if called out and she's so high up when it happens that it's free combo town
- Opponent not knowing to flawless block amplified Low Fan or not reacting to unamplified
- Post-block flawless block after B142, B231, 12D2, etc.
- Zoning
- HBS teleport callouts
- HBS sai block pressure / oki
- Low Fan / Ground War Twist 50/50s
- Throws
Literally all of the above tactics are easily circumvented by competent players. The only one that's true luck is the 50/50 Twist situation, but BOTH options are entirely death on block if the opponent guesses right (all for a smidge of damage and a knockdown). Opting for the 50/50 variation also takes all of Kitana's slots and sacrifices butt KB / armor break. Once those tactics are off the table, Kitana is reduced to a really bad stagger game, some of the worst forward and THE worst backward movement in the game, decent at best mids, 0 unfuzzyable mixups (save for Twist/Low Fan as explained as being suicidal above), good combo damage in the rare event she manages to open the opponent up, and 3-4 good KBs (D2, slice, B142 punish, butt armor break).
With the opening up of customs, I really do not understand what Kitana is expected to do at this point except be painfully average and bully Kung Lao players (as is tradition). Fun, but average as hell and flagrantly outclassed. Her main gameplay style comps I'd say are Liu, Cetrion, Shang, and Kabal; but literally all 4 of them do what she does just as competently, if not better, while also being notably better at other aspects. Kabal is a better air combatant while having great staggers, now better combo power, and fantastic weapon-range buttons. Liu is just as good a zoner while having one of the top 3 best sets of KBs and fantastic staggers / speed. Cetrion is Cetrion. Shang is just as good a zoner while having a WAY better anti-zoning tool, damn good stagger / mixup options, and just as easy hit confirms into slightly less damage.
To go off on a tangent for a minute, it really does feel like Kitana is balanced around the idea of fan combos from pre-release. "She sucks ass at pressure, staggers, and mixups; but once she gets you it's gunna hurt like hell!" If she did on par if not more damage than charge Spawn / air dash Kabal combos on top of being able to have her traditional full-screen fan juggles, I could understand arguments for her being so mediocre elsewhere. The issue is she doesn't have that damage threat. If NRS wants to keep Kitana as this stifled, flickering flame in a wet cave, at least make her fuck your day up anytime she gets a hit confirm. Bring in the 38-40%+ damage combos and 15-20%+ full-screen fan juggle combos.
Also, give her a backdash please. It's been 2 years.
