KL Changes

[A F0xy Grampa]

Right I dropped KL to pick up Johnny Cage a long long time ago, before that I used to main him but got bored of his style. But recently I've started using him again. I have a look on his forum and see what people are saying about him and what not, usually all I hear is stuff relating to how his nerfs have ruined him blah blah.

IMHO I think that the way the patches have treated KL is similar to the way the patches have treated Cyrax. Having 2 safe overheads is a major MAJOR buff since he can be poked out of 112 21 and 2 4.

F2 being safe means he now has a good footsie game:

- Roll, may be frame disadvantage but is special cancellable, so there is a mindgame behind it each time it lands on block.
- F2 hits from roughly jump distance overhead, stops far jump ins
- Low hat, obvious reasons, but now the opponent has to be weary of both a low and an overhead from roughly jump distance, and they cant jump over the overhead
- 2 4 overhead on hit or block it puts you back into F2 range, cant be punished anymore (maybe reptiles dash?)
- Whiffed divekicks, just do one and see how the opponent reacts, you'd be suprised.

Also the divekick nerf has made his midscreen bnbs more damaging by a few %

At least this is what I've noticed from playing him a bit more now. I've also started the most bitchy corner game possible with him too

 

[xenogorgeous]

I still think KL is one of the best in the game, he has tools to zone, anti-zoning, pressure, build meter, and his spin is the best AA, and one of the best special moves in the game, if not abused/spammed.

A good test nowadays, could be some tourneys final against high skilled Kabal, Milleena or Cyrax, this way , a good KL could judge if all powerful aura around KL is gone after the patch, or not.

hehe

 

[Theme]

I love Kung Lao, but had originally hated how his style was. Until I picked him up, I had a hatred of him based off of online play.

As for his Nerfs, I think they are a bit extreme, but he is still so very top tier. I wish he still had the push back on his spin... too bad.

 

[LK-520]

I love Kung Lao, but had originally hated how his style was. Until I picked him up, I had a hatred of him based off of online play.

As for his Nerfs, I think they are a bit extreme, but he is still so very top tier. I wish he still had the push back on his spin... too bad.

I don't mind the lack of pushback too much, honestly. The spin was punishable before, it's punishable now. It just makes it more obvious that it's not a move to just be thrown out at random - It's meant for use in combos and fast punishes, and it's still the best anti-air in the game. It's still good, just less stupid now.

I also love that he has safe overheads now. He doesn't get much for them, but they're a good way to check somebody who's just crouch blocking on you. Back when they weren't safe, there was never a reason to block high against KL unless you saw one of the slow-ass overheads coming, and then you just comboed him for free.

That said, I think the longer recovery on low hat hurts him the most. Cancelling the recovery of his moves into a mostly safe but disadvantageous special was such a good feature. The low hat was never totally safe, reptile and KL could punish it on block (much like Kitana's D1) and others could turn it against him, but now his 50/50s come down to "reset with the risk of eating a full combo" or "safe move that nets me nothing." It just slows him down so much.

 

[Deity]

Kung Lao is horrible now. He will remain horrible until NRS gives him instant-air low hats.

 

[NRF CharlieMurphy]

Thing is... he is still one of the most mobile characters in the game. Some of the things he can do to get around the screen is amazing.

 

[Death]

KL is top 5 in the game.

 

[SLy]

Kung Lao is horrible now. He will remain horrible until NRS gives him instant-air low hats.

..I would call you a troll..but I think you're serious lol

 

[Deity]

..I would call you a troll..but I think you're serious lol

nah im just kidding. KL is still a great char.

 

[Big Pampering]

Right I dropped KL to pick up Johnny Cage a long long time ago, before that I used to main him but got bored of his style. But recently I've started using him again. I have a look on his forum and see what people are saying about him and what not, usually all I hear is stuff relating to how his nerfs have ruined him blah blah.

IMHO I think that the way the patches have treated KL is similar to the way the patches have treated Cyrax. Having 2 safe overheads is a major MAJOR buff since he can be poked out of 112 21 and 2 4.

F2 being safe means he now has a good footsie game:

- Roll, may be frame disadvantage but is special cancellable, so there is a mindgame behind it each time it lands on block.
- F2 hits from roughly jump distance overhead, stops far jump ins
- Low hat, obvious reasons, but now the opponent has to be weary of both a low and an overhead from roughly jump distance, and they cant jump over the overhead
- 2 4 overhead on hit or block it puts you back into F2 range, cant be punished anymore (maybe reptiles dash?)
- Whiffed divekicks, just do one and see how the opponent reacts, you'd be suprised.

Also the divekick nerf has made his midscreen bnbs more damaging by a few %

At least this is what I've noticed from playing him a bit more now. I've also started the most bitchy corner game possible with him too

are u serious he is obviously nerfed. the overhead you are referring to knocks the opponent down and doesnt give any decent reward whatsoever. he lost his constant pressure. and the low hat prevented zoning from a lot of characters which isnt really possible anymore. and what do u mean with dive kick nerfs and few percentages more damage? but in short i heavily disagree with ur opinion

 

[THTB]

You heavily disagree because you're being oblivious to exactly how good having a better fundamentals game actually is. KL is actually better than he was, but is harder to use now because he requires the ability to play solid footsies (Which many players actually do not do well). He's a fundamentals character now...not this nerfed aggression character everyone wishes for him to be.

 

[Big Pampering]

You heavily disagree because you're being oblivious to exactly how good having a better fundamentals game actually is. KL is actually better than he was, but is harder to use now because he requires the ability to play solid footsies (Which many players actually do not do well). He's a fundamentals character now...not this nerfed aggression character everyone wishes for him to be.

what exactly about kl 1.05 is better?and i dont really mind him being nerfed, but i really cant see how he would be better now. i think any kl player would prefer the 1.04 version

 

[A F0xy Grampa]

what exactly about kl 1.05 is better?and i dont really mind him being nerfed, but i really cant see how he would be better now. i think any kl player would prefer the 1.04 version

2 Safe overheads, he had nothing to fear before because you had no reason to not block low.

 

[THTB]

That and f2's hitbox is actually pretty good, so it being safe gives him an overhead with solid range. Kung Lao had alterations that allow him to play safer and more solid. He's fundamentally better as a character overall.

 

[Big Pampering]

2 Safe overheads, he had nothing to fear before because you had no reason to not block low.

I thought the 2-4 overhead wasnt safe on block, they made it safer right?

 

[Big Pampering]

That and f2's hitbox is actually pretty good, so it being safe gives him an overhead with solid range. Kung Lao had alterations that allow him to play safer and more solid. He's fundamentally better as a character overall.

but getting a low hat in would give him frame advantage for more pressure thus more chip damage and more meter building. and the f2 is slow and doesnt do anything besides a little damage

 

[THTB]

It works as an anti-jump, and the startup is slightly slower than low hat (3 frames to be exact). Because it's now safe, it is a really big change to KL's ground game. It allows him to use it for poking without getting massively destroyed for it.

KL's playstyle now is more akin to Ryu's in Street Fighter due to his changes. He's all about fundamentally-sound play (Footsies, spacing, fireball/DP, etc). Yes, his pressure is weakened. His goal isn't really to get in and press buttons anymore...and I don't think people actually do understand that.

 

[UsedForGlue]

Even I like Kung Lao now, he takes skill to play, and has a really fun footsie game now, and allot of guess work for you and your opponent after a blocked 24 overhead, and a f2 on hit. Kung plays like he is supposed to know. 24 low hat, was never how it was supposed to go down.

 

[EGP Wonder_Chef]

You know, despite all of the buffs, the one big reason that I think Lao may have been better pre patch was that he no longer has a single safe option off of 21212.

I guess the normal followup is safe against some chars.

 

[Abubagasa]

You know, despite all of the buffs, the one big reason that I think Lao may have been better pre patch was that he no longer has a single safe option off of 21212.

I guess the normal followup is safe against some chars.

From my experience there is one safe option after 21212 that ive never been punished for and its Ex teleport, well its unsafe if you have less then 13% hp (uppercut dmg).. downside is that it costs 1 bar of meter..

 

[EGP Wonder_Chef]

Well yeah, that and it is possible to punish it in several ways still.

 

[THTB]

21212 xx low hat was never safe. You could jump over the low hat for a full combo.

21212 now is safer...not 100% safe, but enough to get good chip and meter build off of it. You're only getting punished by like elbow. Actually, I'm pretty sure that's the ONLY thing that punishes it.

 

[Big Pampering]

It works as an anti-jump, and the startup is slightly slower than low hat (3 frames to be exact). Because it's now safe, it is a really big change to KL's ground game. It allows him to use it for poking without getting massively destroyed for it.

KL's playstyle now is more akin to Ryu's in Street Fighter due to his changes. He's all about fundamentally-sound play (Footsies, spacing, fireball/DP, etc). Yes, his pressure is weakened. His goal isn't really to get in and press buttons anymore...and I don't think people actually do understand that.

Im still not really convinced about his ''buff''. there should be more true Kung lao players to show this to the people

 

[Theme]

Im still not really convinced about his ''buff''. there should be more true Kung lao players to show this to the people

Honestly, I would still prefer his pushback on spin and lowhat recovery. I dont mind how is now, but its a load easier to punish than before. The pushback especially cripples me, because I like to wakeup spin often, and Im always baited. Im not saying hes still not top teir, because he is... but Im saying I prefer the old KL, his style suited me much more than now, but I would also agree that fundamentally, hes a better and solider.. (? lol) character. He requires much more footsies and thinking than just being a crazy fast rushdown monster that PL made him to be.

 

[Big Pampering]

Honestly, I would still prefer his pushback on spin and lowhat recovery. I dont mind how is now, but its a load easier to punish than before. The pushback especially cripples me, because I like to wakeup spin often, and Im always baited. Im not saying hes still not top teir, because he is... but Im saying I prefer the old KL, his style suited me much more than now, but I would also agree that fundamentally, hes a better and solider.. (? lol) character. He requires much more footsies and thinking than just being a crazy fast rushdown monster that PL made him to be.

honestly all the buffs are good on paper, but not that great in actual battle