Match-up Discussion Kitana Matchup Discussion Thread

[Konqrr]

Can anyone help me? Any and all tips are welcome.

Hey Shakugan, welcome to Edenia ^_^

From watching your video, I could tell that you lack experience in the matchups. You let him jump in on you and didn't punish him (or punish hard enough) when he made a mistake. I would suggest getting your combos down to second nature. Not just the ones where your opponent is standing still in training mode (those are important too), but on actually punishing the moves your opponent does on reaction. Things like an air whiff teleport from smoke are punishable with 2~fan on reaction for 40%. Every ermac tkp is punishable by a dash in d1 but more importantly, if you are close enough it is punishable by dashing in for a 21 into the combo of choice.

Get to know your combos and punish accordingly. If you don't have someone to train with doing moves on you so you can practice punishing them, set the training mode ai to do wakeup moves and practice punishing them. They come out randomly so it will help you be more able to punish them when you see them in a real match. Using a human to do them on you is 100x better though.

Learn matchups. Once you know the matchup, you can start playing against the person.

 

[Verstande]

you can also do a f21 on ermacs tkp by dashing once

 

[Konqrr]

you can also do a f21 on ermacs tkp by dashing once

Yes. He can block it, but he has to block it or lose 45%.

 

[16 Bit]

Yes. He can block it, but he has to block it or lose 45%.

Yeah that's the key to that match IMO. Once you condition him to block after a push because he fears f+2,1 you're able to get in and throw or whatever.

Plus with standing 2 she can blow up his jump in punch attempts while still blocking out of respect for push. I like to chill at that max f+2,1 range.

 

[1man3letters]

[MENTION=1667]Osu 16 Bit[/MENTION]

hey could i get yours and some other kitana players input on the baraka vs kitana matchup,
yes i know it heavily in kitana favor because of iafan's and that blade charge can whiff if try punish them

butt id apreicate the kitana forums inputs on this matchup for kitanas point of view

 

[16 Bit]

[MENTION=1667]Osu 16 Bit[/MENTION]

hey could i get yours and some other kitana players input on the baraka vs kitana matchup,
yes i know it heavily in kitana favor because of iafan's and that blade charge can whiff if try punish them

butt id apreicate the kitana forums inputs on this matchup for kitanas point of view

Well my only high level Baraka exp is playing Cuban Guy online(who I thought was quite good). Seems like a very easy match though. Like you said, IAF all day long and EX charge can whiff. If it does hit it's not the end of the world because her escape potential is so good with Ass. I barely respected that. Chill out at max range d+1/f+2,1 range and play footsies, trying to whiff punish a d+4 with f+2,1 and blow up any jump in attempts. When you get near the corner look for Ass opportunities. Played out exactly as you'd think. Felt like fighting a weaker Cage.

 

[DRS Shakugan]

Hey Shakugan, welcome to Edenia ^_^

From watching your video, I could tell that you lack experience in the matchups. You let him jump in on you and didn't punish him (or punish hard enough) when he made a mistake. I would suggest getting your combos down to second nature. Not just the ones where your opponent is standing still in training mode (those are important too), but on actually punishing the moves your opponent does on reaction. Things like an air whiff teleport from smoke are punishable with 2~fan on reaction for 40%. Every ermac tkp is punishable by a dash in d1 but more importantly, if you are close enough it is punishable by dashing in for a 21 into the combo of choice.

Get to know your combos and punish accordingly. If you don't have someone to train with doing moves on you so you can practice punishing them, set the training mode ai to do wakeup moves and practice punishing them. They come out randomly so it will help you be more able to punish them when you see them in a real match. Using a human to do them on you is 100x better though.

Learn matchups. Once you know the matchup, you can start playing against the person.

What is my primary anti air? I have some trouble stopping people from jumping.

 

[16 Bit]

What is my primary anti air? I have some trouble stopping people from jumping.

standing 2~fan and standing 3~fan. 2 is slightly faster and has a hitbox reaching further out. 3's is higher up.

 

[Verstande]

standing 2~fan and standing 3~fan. 2 is slightly faster and has a hitbox reaching further out. 3's is higher up.

I think 3 is better though, because expert jumpers know where to hit and when, 3 usually takes them out of the picture.

 

[1man3letters]

Well my only high level Baraka exp is playing Cuban Guy online(who I thought was quite good). Seems like a very easy match though. Like you said, IAF all day long and EX charge can whiff. If it does hit it's not the end of the world because her escape potential is so good with Ass. I barely respected that. Chill out at max range d+1/f+2,1 range and play footsies, trying to whiff punish a d+4 with f+2,1 and blow up any jump in attempts. When you get near the corner look for Ass opportunities. Played out exactly as you'd think. Felt like fighting a weaker Cage.

thanks for the reply and input
im trying to work on my chars bad matchups rather than using a alt,and baraka has a few,so i have plenty of work haha
thanks again

 

[rev0lver]

So what do you all think about the Reptile matchup now? I still think online is 7-3 Reptile, but I finally got a chance to play a good offline Reptile player Saturday in some sets with Rapzilla. I said it was at least 6-4 Reptile before, but now, dare I say it, I could even see a .5 advantage for Kitana. He IS zone-able if you're not mindless with it, and 2,1 can blow him up up close.

I just want to say how ecstatically happy I was when I found out how easy elbow dash is to punish offline.

 

[Konqrr]

It is still in Reptile's favor with the fact that once he knocks her down, she can't do anything but let him put a forceball on the screen and block whatever blockstring he wants to do next.

Basically, if Reptile is allowed to put a forceball on the screen, she has to deal with it and instantly loses projectile advantage. Reptile does this by using acid spit to interrupt the constant flow of iAFs.

I'd say it's 5.5-4.5 for Reptile.

 

[rev0lver]

It is still in Reptile's favor with the fact that once he knocks her down, she can't do anything but let him put a forceball on the screen and block whatever blockstring he wants to do next.

But is this enough to justify a negative matchup? I just feel like Reptile cannot rush down well against her.

 

[Konqrr]

But is this enough to justify a negative matchup? I just feel like Reptile cannot rush down well against her.

I haven't fought a knowledgeable Reptile that I didn't fear. One random dash and he has a forceball on the screen and you have to deal with it. Kitana's best practice gameplan is to stay as far away as possible and throw iAFs all day. Reptile's options to get in are limited...he can use his dash which iAF stops or jump which she could throw a fan higher to hit him. But, a Reptile that knows the matchup can time an acid spit to hit or trade with her and he now has a forceball on the screen which she can do nothing about but let him do what he wants. He gets in now. You try to ass out and he gets a free slide which is an untechable knockdown. That means forceball and he has the advantage.

Basically, Reptile doesn't have trouble getting in range against Kitana to do damage. He might have to trade or take damage here and there, but once he does get in (and he will), she must respect the dash and that lets him do what he wants.

Maybe I don't have enough experience in the matchup, but it has never been easy.

 

[GuamoKun]

Ah so Kitana players, along with Cyber Sub, Kitana is my main. Howver, she plays second fiddle and without a doubt I don't know as much about Kitana as you guys.

Kitana destroys Cyber-sub and I want to look deeper into this match-up.

So, let's say you are fighting against CSZ, how would you respond to his EX bombs? (he shoots three simultaneously)

What would you do against the dive kick?

 

[Konqrr]

The first thing that comes to mind is to jump back a second or so after they are thrown. If CSZ tries an ex freeze or dive kick, I would ass out. Otherwise I would wait until I am coming down from my jump and do a low AF.

I've only encountered this a couple of times and this has worked well for me.

 

[x18x2xwildx]

Hey Kitana God's, I have a huge problem with Stryker. I know you guys are saying that the matchup is in her favor, but I have way too hard of a time getting in on him. His gunshot beats out Kit's iAF, and his grenades stop my from butt attacking through the air to him. So that leaves with me dash blocking and get sweeped by a baton or rolled over.

So, my only real way to counter is a njP on reaction to a roll toss? Are there any other tips you can give to help in the Stryker matchup?

 

[aj1701]

I've also got a character question. Cage: what do you do about his frame traps? I could barely escape, and not at all if he got me to the corner. I also had a hell of a time baiting anything to punish. Even IAF was met with nut punch to deny me meter from throwing fans. Also, what about online, anything that works there?

 

[16 Bit]

I've also got a character question. Cage: what do you do about his frame traps? I could barely escape, and not at all if he got me to the corner. I also had a hell of a time baiting anything to punish. Even IAF was met with nut punch to deny me meter from throwing fans. Also, what about online, anything that works there?

You d+1 him out so he'll start d1ing. Then you stop and block and can punish his blocked d+1 with your d+1.

you can space him out with more than just fans. IAF spam is putting yourself closer to the corner. Instead don't be afraid to just chill out at max d+1 range doing nothing. He's no threat from that range. You can blow up a jump in and he can't just walk up because of d+1. Play footsies, looking to punish a whiffed low poke with f+2.

When you start getting backed into the corner begin looking to ass out before it's too late and you're cornered. Look for spots when he's going to be busy and close enough he can't punish it. Use setups like end a block string with ass.

 

[aj1701]

I played a Smoke today, and like many they like to abuse teleport, ground and air. In the middle of our set, I was able to consistently punish a whiffed air teleport (I had learned to stop jumping) with a b2 combo for around 30%. Later, I could do it but not consistently; it seemed like the timing was strict, or perhaps it depends on how high he is. Or maybe it was online screwing with me.

So whats the verdict? Can whiffed air teleports be punished reliably? If not, what are the conditions?

 

[rev0lver]

b2 combos would probably scale better but you can consistently punish with 2~fan.

 

[UsedForGlue]

6-4 - Cyber Sub-Zero
Kitana controls the air which shuts down dive kick. He has a hard time getting in. Teleport is punished by 2~lift

I have to say that the match up for CSZ is allot worse than 6-4. Its around 8-2.

He really has absolutely nothing to stop kitana getting a life lead and never going near him. He is hopeless is this match.

 

[Konqrr]

I have to say that the match up for CSZ is allot worse than 6-4. Its around 8-2.

He really has absolutely nothing to stop kitana getting a life lead and never going near him. He is hopeless is this match.

I have to agree with you. I've been reading people say how bad it is and I recently played a local CSZ player and double flawlessed him lol ... I know that proves nothing because I'm on another level from where he is in the game, but I can see how the character really can't do anything to get in and when he does, she gets out easily. His bomb traps are pretty much non-existent against her as well.

I think that CSZ should have a safer teleport so he can compete in matchups like this one. I mean, if Kit does an iAF and CSZ teleports on reaction to it, she recovers in time to punish him or at least get pressure lol

 

[rev0lver]

I don't see how it is worse than 7-3. Yeah, Kitana zones him out easily, so you just have to do against Kitana what almost every character has to do against Kabal, get in and pressure. It's not like CSZ can't do anything up close to justify an 8-2.

 

[GuamoKun]

I don't see how it is worse than 7-3. Yeah, Kitana zones him out easily, so you just have to do against Kitana what almost every character has to do against Kabal, get in and pressure. It's not like CSZ can't do anything up close to justify an 8-2.

I don't think it's an 8-2 at all either but oh well, you now, with opinions and all...

CSZ does really good up close me thinks but Kitana is so good at keeping him out and thats why I think it is a 7-3 probably