Question - War God Kotal Kahn Kasual Questions

[ZeroSymbolic]

I watched a lot of character breakdowns and played around with a few Kanidates. I've decided to make Kotal Kahn my first main.

Here is my current game plan and what I think I know about the character. I'm looking to the community to confirm or bust these ideas:

1. War God is objectively his best variation.

2. Best strings are probably b1,2,2; b1,4; and f3,4.

3. I like wiff punishing with f2, f2, d2. It's braindead and does like 25%.

Additionally these are questions I have:

1. What special should I be ending combos with to make them safer?

2. How the hell do I deal with full auto Jacqui?

3. What are some bnb's I can get down to do respectable damage?

4. How do I play against intense rush down like Liu?

5. General question; how do you deal with Telestomps in this game (Goro and Quan)?

Any other additional info is appreciated. Thank you in advance.

ZeroSymbolic7188 on PSN.

 

[Tweedy]

You probably don't want to use F2 too much, to start combos. It's really slow in comparison to F1 and B1, and whether it combos off of a jump 1, depends on how deep the jump 1 is.

Generally, you should end all combos in F1B2 xx df2, because df2 grants a hard knockdown and a lot of plus frames. You can also sub out F1B2 in the corner for a lot of combos, with 114, when you start worrying about optimal combos.

Most of Kotal's game revolves around strong neutral play with his B1, F1, D4/D1, and pressure with his B1 string and 114 xx air grab.

Meterlessly off of B1, your bnb if going to be B122 xx df2. Kotal doesn't really get a combo off of this string, unless he uses meter, but it's the safest/fastest string with the most mix up potentially. You can do all sorts of things like B122 xx db1, B122 xx db2, B12 xx db2, B1 xx Db1, B14 into anything, B122 staggered to bait armor because the low sword is armorable.

There's also a launching mix up off of B1 with B1 xx EX db1 and B14 xx EX db1. It's somewhat possible to fuzzy(block the faster one first to cover both options) that, but you can really fuck up their timing by staggering a B1 and doing F3 xx EX overhead sword, or F3 into anything whatever.

Off of EX overhead, the general bnb is whatever into EX overhead, F2, F1B2 xx df2.

The War God bnb off of F1B2 is F1B2, standing 1, F2, F1B2 xx df2. You can just do F1B2, F1B2 xx df2 for a really easy combo that still gives 22% and a hard knockdown.

Don't worry too much about F2 and gigantic meterless damage. Just keep up consistent pressure and make them panic.

You can also link sword specials off of pokes like D1 and D4. That's really cheap as well.

Also, use F2 to convert off of an air to air jump in. Do like jump 1, F2, F2, F1B2 xx df2.

 

[Cooljaxx]

First off *Kahnbos not combos , second off this character is fairly easy to use. In order to deal with stomps you can air grab them or back dash and punish. Whiff punish with the b1 strings or the f1 strings. F2 is fairly slow so it won't whiff punish most things.

 

[ZeroSymbolic]

This majorly noobish but what does xx mean in this forum notation?

 

[Tweedy]

This majorly nobody but what does xx mean in this forum notation?

It mean cancelling, basically.

So for example, B1 xx db1, is just B1 db1 on the controller. The xx is just used to specific that you're cancelling a normal attack into a special attack.

 

[Eldriken]

Also, some folks use ~ to indicate cancelling.

b1~db1 means to press b1 and then press db1.

 

[Snibbor]

1. War God is definitely his best variation.

2. B14 and b122 both have an armor able gap between the final hit in the string and any special cancel. They are also unsafe if you do not special cancel. His 114 string leaves him +1 across variations, and can be made more plus by canceling into air grab or totems in blood God. However, the first hit is high.

3. Yea kotal has some crazy damage lol


1. In blood and sun God you can end in ex df3 to leave yourself +15, but there aren't any specials you can use to make yourself safe after a normally unsafe string is blocked. In war God, ex df3 is +20, which can guarantee 114 or a b1. War god also has df2 which is -5 I think, making it safe. Everything I just listed can be armored through after ALL of kotals strings except 114.

2. Gotta play really patient for that one. Don't jump, walk and crouch to avoid the projectiles until you're within f1 range. The EX sunstone in blood and sun God also eats projectiles, so a well timed one of those can catch your opponent off guard and leave you in a favorable position.

3. War God:

F1b2, 1, f2, f1b2 xxdf2
114 ex df1, f2, (b122 db1)or(f1b2 xxdf2). Does 42% and 40% respectively, the latter leaves you with much more advantage after knockdown however.

Sun God: b122 xxdb2 does 26% when kotal has reached level 3 sun God, that's what I normally use to punish midscreen.

Blood God: f1b2 xxdb1, b1 ex df1, f2, b14 xx df1.
Any totem can be canceled into in place of db1, however you will do far less damage.

4. Armor, poke out, backdash. It's all about making reads, try to keep your opponent pressured yourself, rush down characters in this game usually don't have great defense.

5. Goros can be backdashed on reaction and whiff punished. Quan's hits overhead and can be full combo punished.

 

[ZeroSymbolic]

Out to eat right now can't try this till I get back to the hotel. However, I noticed no mention of the f3, 4 string. Is the low start not worthy of note?

 

[Tweedy]

Out to eat right now can't try this till I get back to the hotel. However, I noticed no mention of the f3, 4 string. Is the low start not worthy of note?

It's not bad because generally people will block low then high versus Kotal, and F3 is kind of slow so it will mess that up.

In the corner you can do a meterless full combo off of it with F34 xx db3(cancel it by holding up), D1, F1B2 xx df2. There's probably a more damaging combo there, but that's what I do.

 

[ZeroSymbolic]

Ooo and I just thought of another more general question. I generally suck at the wake up game, both as the guy waking up and the guy being woken up. Can yalls explain how it actually works?