Kitana General Discussion

[Jimmypotato]

Buff Kitana,


yeh, yeh we are definitely back baby!

 

[grizzgolf]

Any easy easy easy ground combos I could do? Also which kam should I use with her? Goro ok?

 

[Arqwart]

Any easy easy easy ground combos I could do? Also which kam should I use with her? Goro ok?

Kitana's not got much of anything for ground combos as everything she does is juggle-centric with her ability to chain lifts. There's quite a number of combos notated and shown in the Kitana Kombo thread if you want something to reference.

For kameos, she's really not too attached to any singular one as her general gameplan is solid all around. Recommendations though?

• Jax: corner escape potential, ground pound mixups / setups, combo damage, full combos off 11, safety, bonus health
• Sub Zero: zoning, top end combo damage, full combos off 11, Wind Bomb setups, safety, bonus health
• Khameleon: it's Khameleon
• Kung Lao: zoning, full combos off 11
• Scorpion: top end combo damage, full combos off 112, mixups, safety

I've also seen people using Motaro, Cyrax, Stryker, Sareena, and Goro to great success with Kitana. My overall recommendation is to get used to using 2-3 different kameos on her and switch them out as needed based on the matchup.

 

[Lex Luthor II]

I see people putting Kitana at top tier now. And I'm seeing Janet Cage as her kameo. What you all think? Agree? She good with Janet now? Or everyone else just been nerfed into the ground.

 

[Hot_DNA]

I see people putting Kitana at top tier now. And I'm seeing Janet Cage as her kameo. What you all think? Agree? She good with Janet now? Or everyone else just been nerfed into the ground.

I always thought she was close to the top.. I don't use the Janet kameo but I think Kitana's base kit( no pun intended) makes her close to the top

 

[Lex Luthor II]

I always thought she was close to the top.. I don't use the Janet kameo but I think Kitana's base kit( no pun intended) makes her close to the top

Which kameo do you use? And if you're feeling generous, what Bnbs you using with her? <3

 

[Arqwart]

Which kameo do you use? And if you're feeling generous, what Bnbs you using with her? <3

Janet's nice. However, I highly recommend Mavado. It's pretty silly adding 60 unbreakable, unscaled raw damage off every knockdown that can also lead into Wind Bomb / Fancy Flick chip damage. Also lets you scare people trying to outzone you by grabbing them fullscreen for the body bounce. Lightning trap is also VERY mean in conjunction with her long strings.

 

[Lex Luthor II]

Janet's nice. However, I highly recommend Mavado. It's pretty silly adding 60 unbreakable, unscaled raw damage off every knockdown that can also lead into Wind Bomb / Fancy Flick chip damage. Also lets you scare people trying to outzone you by grabbing them fullscreen for the body bounce. Lightning trap is also VERY mean in conjunction with her long strings.

Good to know. I was messing around with Scorpion with her, but I'll have to look all that up, have some research to do <3 Thanks.

 

[Arqwart]

Good to know. I was messing around with Scorpion with her, but I'll have to look all that up, have some research to do <3 Thanks.

After a typical corner combo, you can end with 11 xx bdf4b xx dK to break every wakeup (except Ashrah and Havik) as well as force the opponent up if they attempt to hold themselves on the ground. On further testing, the OTG Slide appears to always be blockable (?) so it's not an actual OTG which is sad. Mostly just a gimmick to sneak in 60 damage now and then or screw with the opponent's defense on wakeup. If they block the slide and bomb in this corner setup, you're sitting at around +80-83 so the world is your oyster. And that's after making them eat 398.42 meterless damage (if you count the chip from the slide and bomb). However, if they get hit by the slide, they're going to eat the wind bomb because you can hit confirm afterwards by throwing them onto the bomb. If they get hit by the slide THEN delay wakeup, they're now sitting on top of a wind bomb with your only recovery animation being a throw so you're obscenely plus once again if they block it.

EDIT: to clarify on the "typical corner combo," I'm talking about [grounded starter] xx db1, j11 xx db1b, 4 xx db1b, 11 OR b24 xx db1b, db1b, 4 xx db1b, 11

Do note that I found this setup very difficult on a technical level because of how weird it is trying to get close Wind Bomb out while also calling out Mavado for his slide which uses a down input. There's a tiny grace period once you use Wind Bomb before the game takes the input for the distance. During this grace period is when you need to call Mavado and go from your dK input to holding b. The most consistent tactic I've had is doing bdf4, dK, b in one pendulum swing motion. This will call out Mavado at the correct timing to even come out to hit the opponent as he's super picky on when he can slide, call Mavado out at the time where his slide will stuff wakeup reversals, and get you the close Wind Bomb if done correctly. If you get mid Wind Bomb in an actual match, just be mindful not to try anything (like throwing) against their wakeup or else you're likely to eat some armor.

Other Mavado Stuff

• Combos off 112 with uK
• Combos off b14 with fK if you wanna spice things up and use this godawful string
• 2412 xx Lightning Trap xx mid Wind Bomb pressure
• Sneaky 60 damage (or 17.50 chip damage) OTG slides off every touch. You either get the damage and are extremely plus, or get to just be extremely plus (~35-40 plus frames on block depending on situation). This also resets neutral & distance really well no matter if it's blocked, or results in you being that plus point blank if in the corner
• (Usually) free Fancy Flick chip damage on top of the slide, blocked or not. Can choose to protect yourself with a Wind Bomb, advance on the opponent, run away to zone, or whatever else if desired. World's your oyster when a slide hits or is blocked
• Two-bar 70 damage block breaker on a character that barely ever needs to spend meter offensively. This also sends them full screen
• ~263 damage throw combos with the lightning trap: throw xx K, bdf4f, b24 xx db1f, j112. For lightning trap timing, call Mavado as Kitana steps onto the other side of the opponent. For wind bomb timing, you've got a bit of leeway as Mavado's trap stun lasts ages. Don't try to mash out the wind bomb immediately because Kitana will still be recovering from her throw animation and won't do anything. For b24 timing, wait till they're descending from the wind bomb pop up
• Every wayward Fancy Flick against an aerial opponent, amplified Fancy flick hit, amplified Fan Toss hit, randomly not blocked Wind Bomb at far distances, etc. can become a full combo no matter how far away the opponent is due to fK and uK. This is already technically possible baseline (save for regular Fancy Flick against an aerial opponent), but now it's infinitely easier to react with and less prone to being lost damage due to eating a traded projectile
• It's a gimmick, but you can use bK on block to be +9 during any string. Very fun pressure option to toss in now and then, but be careful as it's a High that Kitana doesn't appear to be able to enforce on block so it can almost always be ducked. B1 is the only button I've found that can guarantee it on block
• If the opponent is duck blocking, 4f33 xx K xx db2 is a very easy escape option. Trap keeps you safe from non-armored options to chase your Square Wave. If they catch on and stand to block the Square Wave so you don't go flying above them, lightning trap covers you and now you get to continue block pressure

 

[Lex Luthor II]

After a typical corner combo, you can end with 11 xx bdf4b xx dK to break every wakeup (except Ashrah and Havik) as well as force the opponent up if they attempt to hold themselves on the ground. On further testing, the OTG Slide appears to always be blockable (?) so it's not an actual OTG which is sad. Mostly just a gimmick to sneak in 60 damage now and then or screw with the opponent's defense on wakeup. If they block the slide and bomb in this corner setup, you're sitting at around +80-83 so the world is your oyster. And that's after making them eat 398.42 meterless damage (if you count the chip from the slide and bomb). However, if they get hit by the slide, they're going to eat the wind bomb because you can hit confirm afterwards by throwing them onto the bomb. If they get hit by the slide THEN delay wakeup, they're now sitting on top of a wind bomb with your only recovery animation being a throw so you're obscenely plus once again if they block it.

EDIT: to clarify on the "typical corner combo," I'm talking about [grounded starter] xx db1, j11 xx db1b, 4 xx db1b, 11 OR b24 xx db1b, db1b, 4 xx db1b, 11

Do note that I found this setup very difficult on a technical level because of how weird it is trying to get close Wind Bomb out while also calling out Mavado for his slide which uses a down input. There's a tiny grace period once you use Wind Bomb before the game takes the input for the distance. During this grace period is when you need to call Mavado and go from your dK input to holding b. The most consistent tactic I've had is doing bdf4, dK, b in one pendulum swing motion. This will call out Mavado at the correct timing to even come out to hit the opponent as he's super picky on when he can slide, call Mavado out at the time where his slide will stuff wakeup reversals, and get you the close Wind Bomb if done correctly. If you get mid Wind Bomb in an actual match, just be mindful not to try anything (like throwing) against their wakeup or else you're likely to eat some armor.

Other Mavado Stuff

• Combos off 112 with uK
• Combos off b14 with fK if you wanna spice things up and use this godawful string
• 2412 xx Lightning Trap xx mid Wind Bomb pressure
• Sneaky 60 damage (or 17.50 chip damage) OTG slides off every touch. You either get the damage and are extremely plus, or get to just be extremely plus (~35-40 plus frames on block depending on situation). This also resets neutral & distance really well no matter if it's blocked, or results in you being that plus point blank if in the corner
• (Usually) free Fancy Flick chip damage on top of the slide, blocked or not. Can choose to protect yourself with a Wind Bomb, advance on the opponent, run away to zone, or whatever else if desired. World's your oyster when a slide hits or is blocked
• Two-bar 70 damage block breaker on a character that barely ever needs to spend meter offensively. This also sends them full screen
• ~263 damage throw combos with the lightning trap: throw xx K, bdf4f, b24 xx db1f, j112. For lightning trap timing, call Mavado as Kitana steps onto the other side of the opponent. For wind bomb timing, you've got a bit of leeway as Mavado's trap stun lasts ages. Don't try to mash out the wind bomb immediately because Kitana will still be recovering from her throw animation and won't do anything. For b24 timing, wait till they're descending from the wind bomb pop up
• Every wayward Fancy Flick against an aerial opponent, amplified Fancy flick hit, amplified Fan Toss hit, randomly not blocked Wind Bomb at far distances, etc. can become a full combo no matter how far away the opponent is due to fK and uK. This is already technically possible baseline (save for regular Fancy Flick against an aerial opponent), but now it's infinitely easier to react with and less prone to being lost damage due to eating a traded projectile
• It's a gimmick, but you can use bK on block to be +9 during any string. Very fun pressure option to toss in now and then, but be careful as it's a High that Kitana doesn't appear to be able to enforce on block so it can almost always be ducked. B1 is the only button I've found that can guarantee it on block
• If the opponent is duck blocking, 4f33 xx K xx db2 is a very easy escape option. Trap keeps you safe from non-armored options to chase your Square Wave. If they catch on and stand to block the Square Wave so you don't go flying above them, lightning trap covers you and now you get to continue block pressure

This is exactly what I needed. Thank you a million times over. You're a legend. Will try all of this out <3 Much love <3 <3