Kitana General Discussion

[xWildx]

It’s clear NRS had no idea what to do with Kitana in this game. You look at whiff punishers like Cassie and Kabal, and zoners like Shang and Cetrion, and wonder wtf Kitana is supposed to be good at.

 

[DarksydeDash]

It’s clear NRS had no idea what to do with Kitana in this game. You look at whiff punishers like Cassie and Kabal, and zoners like Shang and Cetrion, and wonder wtf Kitana is supposed to be good at.

Haha Razors go bbbbrrrr

 

[OPS_soldier]

Varies per character, Kitana has the slowest backdash in the game at like 20 frames and one of the fastest jumps.

Yeah, Ive learned that if you want to properly play the spacing game it actually makes more sense to jump back as her haha. amazingly enough, you can though, on a poke read, backdash and still whiff punish with b1. Very hard though.

It’s clear NRS had no idea what to do with Kitana in this game. You look at whiff punishers like Cassie and Kabal, and zoners like Shang and Cetrion, and wonder wtf Kitana is supposed to be good at.

Testing ive learned that Kitana could properly whiff punish if her b2 string just simply didnt clip or she didnt low profile after b2. That really is her only problem if you really focus on her gameplan. As long as it clips when your slightly up frames or they are slightly minus, Kitana isn't as good as the characters you mentioned.

 

[John_NX]

Haha Razors go bbbbrrrr

IM WEAK.

 

[xWildx]

Yeah, Ive learned that if you want to properly play the spacing game it actually makes more sense to jump back as her haha. amazingly enough, you can though, on a poke read, backdash and still whiff punish with b1. Very hard though.




Testing ive learned that Kitana could properly whiff punish if her b2 string just simply didnt clip or she didnt low profile after b2. That really is her only problem if you really focus on her gameplan. As long as it clips when your slightly up frames or they are slightly minus, Kitana isn't as good as the characters you mentioned.

The problem with her game plan is that she so much as breathes next to the opponent and is generally -7. Has 0 plus frames to speak of unless you win the lottery on razors. And gets her mids low profiled quicker than using Helena in DOA.

 

[Zer0_h0ur]

The problem with her game plan is that she so much as breathes next to the opponent and is generally -7. Has 0 plus frames to speak of unless you win the lottery on razors. And gets her mids low profiled quicker than using Helena in DOA.

B131 has better frames than that on block iirc

 

[OPS_soldier]

B131 has better frames than that on block iirc

Its minus 1. Very good.
B131 is the only string you should basically be using IMO, especially in the corner since you can combo. Its flawless blockable but you can stagger it and throw or jump back. Against novice players it allows you to sneak in a b2 combo, and against good players you can walk back and throw a fan. If they are conditioned to block the whole thing you can sneak in a throw. Id like to remind everyone, all my posts are always refering to FF. That string tells me, in my opinion, that a lot of Kitanas gameplan was supposed to focus on confusing your opponent with aerial presence and whiff punishing for high damage. Not crazy staggers or pressure. Except, like, maybe the b131 stagger on read that your opponent just blocks.

Oh and d4 does something similar it seems. On hit it puts them right in b2 range and on block it puts them just away to where they cant d1 poke you anymore. Again, kind of hinting to me she was supposed to combo via whiff punishing. Man though, her d4 has horrible frame data Id say.

Edit: if Kitana has no overheads and no plus frames, WHY did she not get a krushing blow throw? The throws dont even set you up!

 

[John_NX]

Its minus 1. Very good.
B131 is the only string you should basically be using IMO, especially in the corner since you can combo. Its flawless blockable but you can stagger it and throw or jump back. Against novice players it allows you to sneak in a b2 combo, and against good players you can walk back and throw a fan. If they are conditioned to block the whole thing you can sneak in a throw. Id like to remind everyone, all my posts are always refering to FF. That string tells me, in my opinion, that a lot of Kitanas gameplan was supposed to focus on confusing your opponent with aerial presence and whiff punishing for high damage. Not crazy staggers or pressure. Except, like, maybe the b131 stagger on read that your opponent just blocks.

Oh and d4 does something similar it seems. On hit it puts them right in b2 range and on block it puts them just away to where they cant d1 poke you anymore. Again, kind of hinting to me she was supposed to combo via whiff punishing. Man though, her d4 has horrible frame data Id say.

Edit: if Kitana has no overheads and no plus frames, WHY did she not get a krushing blow throw? The throws dont even set you up!

Because NRS logic that's why.

 

[Zer0_h0ur]

Its minus 1. Very good.
B131 is the only string you should basically be using IMO, especially in the corner since you can combo. Its flawless blockable but you can stagger it and throw or jump back. Against novice players it allows you to sneak in a b2 combo, and against good players you can walk back and throw a fan. If they are conditioned to block the whole thing you can sneak in a throw. Id like to remind everyone, all my posts are always refering to FF. That string tells me, in my opinion, that a lot of Kitanas gameplan was supposed to focus on confusing your opponent with aerial presence and whiff punishing for high damage. Not crazy staggers or pressure. Except, like, maybe the b131 stagger on read that your opponent just blocks.

Oh and d4 does something similar it seems. On hit it puts them right in b2 range and on block it puts them just away to where they cant d1 poke you anymore. Again, kind of hinting to me she was supposed to combo via whiff punishing. Man though, her d4 has horrible frame data Id say.

Edit: if Kitana has no overheads and no plus frames, WHY did she not get a krushing blow throw? The throws dont even set you up!

I'm a trash Kitana but I try to do exactly that. Mixed results.
I like her D4. It has crazy reach and goes under a lot of other buttons. It's her D1 I have trouble using.

 

[OPS_soldier]

I'm a trash Kitana but I try to do exactly that. Mixed results.
I like her D4. It has crazy reach and goes under a lot of other buttons. It's her D1 I have trouble using.

My best result with d1 has always been to just steal the turn back. Id argue go for d4 more because it actually gives you the range you want.

 

[DarksydeDash]

I've talked about it before, but I think I need to make an in depth tutorial/explanation of Kitana's best string: b131.

This string, especially in fanfare, is crucial to playing her. before anyone saying "but you can't combo lift" you can combo it in the corner (which is where it shines the most) and B13 into ass is still over 15% unbreakable with oki. Damage in this game, whether it's unbreakable or not, is severely under valued. Like everyone complains about throws but those are 14%, B13xx ass does more, and this damage adds up quickly since you only need two of these to take away 30%.

 

[xWildx]

B131 has better frames than that on block iirc

It does. I was speaking in general. Anyone that knows the MU knows Kitana is no threat up close. It is what it is.

 

[OPS_soldier]

I've talked about it before, but I think I need to make an in depth tutorial/explanation of Kitana's best string: b131.

This string, especially in fanfare, is crucial to playing her. before anyone saying "but you can't combo lift" you can combo it in the corner (which is where it shines the most) and B13 into ass is still over 15% unbreakable with oki. Damage in this game, whether it's unbreakable or not, is severely under valued. Like everyone complains about throws but those are 14%, B13xx ass does more, and this damage adds up quickly since you only need two of these to take away 30%.

b131 is GODLIKE in the corner. Its sooo good in FF. It has deception added all over it because theres so much you can do with just that one string. Once I condition with d1 onto b142 I start immediately going into that thing.

Anyone wanna talk about how with enhanced square wave, if opponent breaks away they can full combo punish you with a jab afterwards? Ive stopped using it after I experienced that.

 

[Dogeofthesea]

Anyone wanna talk about how with enhanced square wave, if opponent breaks away they can full combo punish you with a jab afterwards? Ive stopped using it after I experienced that.

Another thing that was mentioned around here but NRS still doesn't want to fix. Same with B231 and F234 strings: since you have to dial the whole string instead of hit confirming, if they catch someone in the air the rest of the strings can whiff and Kitana eat a combo

 

[DarksydeDash]

Sonic playing Kitana:

 

[John_NX]

Sonic playing Kitana:

So him struggling in the neutral (especially against cassie) isn't so much different from my experience.

 

[OPS_soldier]

It seems like everyone is kinda agreeing that Fearless is the best? Iirc KP said Fearless was the best toolbox out of the three.

Btw for anyone who plays FF, did you know you can use b34 as an anti air/meaty to combo jumpers? I learned that yesterday from another Kitana player. It seems to link into fan lift if they are already in the air.

 

[PlusFrames]

Btw for anyone who plays FF, did you know you can use b34 as an anti air/meaty to combo jumpers? I learned that yesterday from another Kitana player. It seems to link into fan lift if they are already in the air.

FF player here looking to lab this later. Cheers!

 

[Arqwart]

It seems like everyone is kinda agreeing that Fearless is the best? Iirc KP said Fearless was the best toolbox out of the three.

I'd argue Fearless has the best positive matchups, but the same overall negative matchups as Fan-fare. It also can't hitconfirm basically any string into combos unlike Fan-fare so it struggles just a little more in those negative matchups. As to whether it's the best, I still think Razors as a special move is much too powerful for Highborn not to be the "best" of the 3.

 

[OPS_soldier]

Just got out of the lab. So, b34 is useful when you can read a jump from a slightly minus string and on meaty after a knockdown when they have no more defensive meter. If you dont get a jump you are safe. It will clip the person jumping and they will fall by MK11 gravity back down to the ground to where you can combo into fan lift. It is also hit confirmable. You have to time it correctly. If you do not, you will still hit them out of the air but you cant hit confirm into lift and instead you'll have to with square wave. You can hit confirm depending how high they are in the air so no biggie to me. This isnt a fix all but it is better than what I was doing. Before I had to just straight up jump back on a read or do a standing 1 high on a read of a jump in from slightly minus strings like Frost.

This isnt the finished video as I am still editing but I wanted you all to see it.

Edit: Works on neutral jumps too!

 

[PlusFrames]

Just got out of the lab. So, b34 is useful when you can read a jump from a slightly minus string and on meaty after a knockdown when they have no more defensive meter. If you dont get a jump you are safe. It will clip the person jumping and they will fall by MK11 gravity back down to the ground to where you can combo into fan lift. It is also hit confirmable. You have to time it correctly. If you do not, you will still hit them out of the air but you cant hit confirm into lift and instead you'll have to with square wave. You can hit confirm depending how high they are in the air so no biggie to me. This isnt a fix all but it is better than what I was doing. Before I had to just straight up jump back on a read or do a standing 1 high on a read of a jump in from slightly minus strings like Frost.

This isnt the finished video as I am still editing but I wanted you all to see it.

Edit: Works on neutral jumps too!

Nice work! Thanks for sharing!

 

[John_NX]

Guys, I'm planning to make a video about kitanas current state and upload it to YT soon. Should I or am I gonna get trolled and dragged for basically speaking the truth? I'd like to talk about the general "state" of kitana, the buffs "controversy", the variations and the changes I'd like to see.

 

[Juxtapose]

Guys, I'm planning to make a video about kitanas current state and upload it to YT soon. Should I or am I gonna get trolled and dragged for basically speaking the truth? I'd like to talk about the general "state" of kitana, the buffs "controversy", the variations and the changes I'd like to see.

It's your own Channel, I say make the content you want. Keep it constructive and factual though, making note to differentiate when you're presenting an opinion over fact. It's hard for people to properly blast and troll when one is being straight up and honest.

 

[xWildx]

Guys, I'm planning to make a video about kitanas current state and upload it to YT soon. Should I or am I gonna get trolled and dragged for basically speaking the truth? I'd like to talk about the general "state" of kitana, the buffs "controversy", the variations and the changes I'd like to see.

Go for it. Honestly, Kitana only needs a few changes to be completely fine IMO. I’m interested to hear what others have to say.

 

[xKhaoTik]

Guys, I'm planning to make a video about kitanas current state and upload it to YT soon. Should I or am I gonna get trolled and dragged for basically speaking the truth? I'd like to talk about the general "state" of kitana, the buffs "controversy", the variations and the changes I'd like to see.

If you don’t say anything about her THIRTEEN FRAME STANDING 2 that is a HIGH, you’re dismissed from this thread