Kustom Variation Kabal Discussion

[Ray'sGoodLiquor]

I can't be the only person out here playing kustom variations almost exclusively. Inhibiting myself to tournament variations seems like I'm cutting myself off from 70% of the game. GGA's kustom tournaments have been as, if not more, satisfying than the pro tour thus far.

On that note, Kabal has a lot of great options outside of his most commonly used movesets. I haven't labbed everything to great extent, but my favorite combination so far has been low hook grab, hook grab, and dash cancel. Low hook gives me the usual mixup with F22, and access to an extra krushing blow that's easy to bait after a 22 reset. It's also very easy to land during the +frames after B2 on block. Hook grab seems to be designed as an anti-air, but it kind of sucks at that. What purpose it seems to serve best is for combo extension and another side swap that can be added to a combo. It allows an extra 23 in combos which bumps his regular 1 bar combos above 30%. Dash cancel is what it is. It advances his pressure and throw mixups, and runs of defensive bar which I don't currently use all that often, except for the occasional U3.

A basic hook grab combo looks like-
B12xxBF3, dash, 23xxDB2(amp), dash, 4xxDB4 you can also use nomad dash as an ender in the corner and it wont side swap sometimes.

Anyone else been messing around with any of his other move sets? Maybe gas blasts or parrys?

 

[Eldriken]

I use Hook Grab, Low Hook and Nomad Dash Cancel as well for when I run Kasual matches.

 

[The_Tile]

I tend to swap out the hook grab for the restand. The combination of dash cancels, plus the 50/50 off his 9f, 11f and 15f mids make him crazy anyway, but throwing a restand into the mix which guarantees more pressure, completely eliminating the wakeup game is so strong.

 

[Plouto777]

I too prefer kustoms.

I use hook grab, low hook grab and restand.
I dont like Kabal's cancel but love the restand option combined with his good buttons and overhead/low mixups. It can also substitute the db4 if you dont want the side swap.

Does snyone have any good 2 bar combos with hook grab and amped bf1?

 

[Ray'sGoodLiquor]

I too prefer kustoms.

I use hook grab, low hook grab and restand.
I dont like Kabal's cancel but love the restand option combined with his good buttons and overhead/low mixups. It can also substitute the db4 if you dont want the side swap.

Does snyone have any good 2 bar combos with hook grab and amped bf1?

If I had to guess it would look like opener, nomad dash, F3xxBF1amp, 23xxDB2amp, 4xxender

I have a couple issues getting his meter burn projectile to come out because I don't use it that much. The amplify window is kind of short and weird. I've even switched controllers to make it easier and im still not getting it 100% of the time. It makes me feel like a scrub so i avoid it lol.

I also have a little bit of trouble getting the restand to land after a longer combo. I can normally finish with 23xxDB4, but a restand won't land after the 2 or the 23, as they're either too high or too far away. I think I need to swap out a standing 3 or 4 at the end to get the restand.

What's your follow up after restand? 111 usually doesnt reach and F2 and B1 tend to get stuffed. Am I stuck trying to win a D1 fight back into pressure? I'm trying to find better ways to exploit his b2 frame trap but i don't recall how fast it comes out. Can you safely backdash into a B1?

 

[Plouto777]

If I had to guess it would look like opener, nomad dash, F3xxBF1amp, 23xxDB2amp, 4xxender

I have a couple issues getting his meter burn projectile to come out because I don't use it that much. The amplify window is kind of short and weird. I've even switched controllers to make it easier and im still not getting it 100% of the time. It makes me feel like a scrub so i avoid it lol.

I also have a little bit of trouble getting the restand to land after a longer combo. I can normally finish with 23xxDB4, but a restand won't land after the 2 or the 23, as they're either too high or too far away. I think I need to swap out a standing 3 or 4 at the end to get the restand.

What's your follow up after restand? 111 usually doesnt reach and F2 and B1 tend to get stuffed. Am I stuck trying to win a D1 fight back into pressure? I'm trying to find better ways to exploit his b2 frame trap but i don't recall how fast it comes out. Can you safely backdash into a B1?

Yeah, i cant amp the bf1 either, i dont really like spending 2 bars for a combo, it would just be useful to know.

The restand end needs some timing, you have to let them fall a bit after the 4 so they are at the same height as the attack.

Truth is i have only recently added kabal in my roster so i dont know all the bits and techs, i dont use b2 all that much, it's somethin i have to work on.
The restand options vary depending on the range, throws are pretty standard but they work if you dont spam them, 111 is great in the corner, f4, f2 of course, d4 is also an option, im addicted to that move.
At the end of the day, the restand is still plus on hit (although barely, 2 frames if i remember correctly), still your opponent should be blocking after it so you should be able to do stuff like back dash, jump in, b2, pretty much anything just dont be predictable.

 

[Ray'sGoodLiquor]

Yeah, i cant amp the bf1 either, i dont really like spending 2 bars for a combo, it would just be useful to know.

The restand end needs some timing, you have to let them fall a bit after the 4 so they are at the same height as the attack.

Truth is i have only recently added kabal in my roster so i dont know all the bits and techs, i dont use b2 all that much, it's somethin i have to work on.
The restand options vary depending on the range, throws are pretty standard but they work if you dont spam them, 111 is great in the corner, f4, f2 of course, d4 is also an option, im addicted to that move.
At the end of the day, the restand is still plus on hit (although barely, 2 frames if i remember correctly), still your opponent should be blocking after it so you should be able to do stuff like back dash, jump in, b2, pretty much anything just dont be predictable.

Yea the B2 is +3 on block I think and has good range, I just don't recall it's startup. I find people tend to mash after the restand instead of taking their turn, I just need to work on my timing I'd assume. If you're trying to find a place to sneak it in, try finishing a combo with naked 22. It only works if they didn't leave the ground for the combo, so I usually only do it as an ender for meterless combos. You're plus enough after the 22 to go into a B2 and pressure again, or do a naked low hook if theyre mashing to get the krushing blow. If they're jumping a lot, the 2nd hit of B12 will hit them, but it starts out as an air combo and you can't loop back into the 22.

 

[Plouto777]

Yea the B2 is +3 on block I think and has good range, I just don't recall it's startup. I find people tend to mash after the restand instead of taking their turn, I just need to work on my timing I'd assume. If you're trying to find a place to sneak it in, try finishing a combo with naked 22. It only works if they didn't leave the ground for the combo, so I usually only do it as an ender for meterless combos. You're plus enough after the 22 to go into a B2 and pressure again, or do a naked low hook if theyre mashing to get the krushing blow. If they're jumping a lot, the 2nd hit of B12 will hit them, but it starts out as an air combo and you can't loop back into the 22.

Thats a nice tip, I can see myself using it once or twice in a match, thanks.

How do you feel about his air dash ability? Im kind of scared to try it myself because it has a weird hit confirm but i have faced it and its very trippy to fight, it messes up your anti airs and footsies, i guess it could be paired with hook grab for combo damage or dash cancel for some advanced mixups and preassure that im not sure im skilled enough to pull off yet.

 

[Ray'sGoodLiquor]

Thats a nice tip, I can see myself using it once or twice in a match, thanks.

How do you feel about his air dash ability? Im kind of scared to try it myself because it has a weird hit confirm but i have faced it and its very trippy to fight, it messes up your anti airs and footsies, i guess it could be paired with hook grab for combo damage or dash cancel for some advanced mixups and preassure that im not sure im skilled enough to pull off yet.

I don't really jump much in this game compared to other MK titles. His jump 2 is really strong as an air to air, but I don't land a lot of jump ins with it or his jump 1. Im also having issues where cross up jumps in this game don't correct for the direction change. Even then, when I do jump, it's to throw his air projectile. If you do his jump 2 high enough, you can cancel it into his down projectile. I catch people dashing in with that all the time. They see the 2 come out and let go of block.

I haven't labbed the air dash as all. It never felt like his gameplay needed the option. I think Kabal holds his own beyond mid screen and I don't mind trading projectiles. A lot of my success with him has been playing defensive and whiff punishing people trying to close the distance on me.

 

[Guds Skyfall]

I'd never dream of playing anything but custom for the reason you mention. Custom variations was the one thing adding depth to this game so it's honestly astonishingly stupid of NRS to lock it out of competitive play.

Anyway, I used to use low hook grab, hook grab and dash cancel, but lately I've been messing around with air gas and low hook grab in combination. Makes his zoning/anti zoning game stronger and also gives him some nice mixups due to the double overhead from two jumping attacks in a row.

Don't miss dash cancel too much and most of the time I'm not missing out on too much damage due to the lack of hook grab. The bnb I'm using deals only like 2% less damage than it would have with the hook grab extension so it’s not a big deal. Only drawback is it’s much harder to do in lag, lol.

 

[Ray'sGoodLiquor]

I'd never dream of playing anything but custom for the reason you mention. Custom variations was the one thing adding depth to this game so it's honestly astonishingly stupid of NRS to lock it out of competitive play.

Anyway, I used to use low hook grab, hook grab and dash cancel, but lately I've been messing around with air gas and low hook grab in combination. Makes his zoning/anti zoning game stronger and also gives him some nice mixups due to the double overhead from two jumping attacks in a row.

Don't miss dash cancel too much and most of the time I'm not missing out on too much damage due to the lack of hook grab. Mostly of the time, the bnb I'm using deals only like 2% less damage than it would have with the hook brag extension.

I've been messing with the air dash and I'm not finding a lot of use in it. Jacqui's is a lot better.

 

[Guds Skyfall]

I've been messing with the air dash and I'm not finding a lot of use in it. Jacqui's is a lot better.

I get a lot of mileage out of it! Both in the zoning game and up close. People very often fall for the double overhead into a combo. Very fun to use, too.

 

[Ray'sGoodLiquor]

I'd never dream of playing anything but custom for the reason you mention. Custom variations was the one thing adding depth to this game so it's honestly astonishingly stupid of NRS to lock it out of competitive play.

Anyway, I used to use low hook grab, hook grab and dash cancel, but lately I've been messing around with air gas and low hook grab in combination. Makes his zoning/anti zoning game stronger and also gives him some nice mixups due to the double overhead from two jumping attacks in a row.

Don't miss dash cancel too much and most of the time I'm not missing out on too much damage due to the lack of hook grab. The bnb I'm using deals only like 2% less damage than it would have with the hook grab extension so it’s not a big deal. Only drawback is it’s much harder to do in lag, lol.

I found this in the kombo thread. Looks like air dash can beef up combos pretty decently. 57% krushing into the corner. Originally posted by @Xerclipse

 

[Guds Skyfall]

I found this in the kombo thread. Looks like air dash can beef up combos pretty decently. 57% krushing into the corner. Originally posted by @Xerclipse

Wow, that's some sick-ass damage!

 

[Raise-Your-Sword]

I’ve been labbing Kabal recently and I noticed his enhance Gas blast has different properties on whiff than hit. Normal Gas blast always restands but if you space the enhance correctly it will put a cloud right in front of them. This gas cloud HEALS Kabal and damages enemy overtime. You’re + from the gas reset so you can throw them into the cloud, combo them back into it ect. The heal is actually pretty respectable as well. To get the correct spacing end your combo with a late f4xxgas blast enhance.

There are definitely better options but if you enjoy setups it’s pretty fun to use.

 

[Blewdew]

I’ve been labbing Kabal recently and I noticed his enhance Gas blast has different properties on whiff than hit. Normal Gas blast always restands but if you space the enhance correctly it will put a cloud right in front of them. This gas cloud HEALS Kabal and damages enemy overtime. You’re + from the gas reset so you can throw them into the cloud, combo them back into it ect. The heal is actually pretty respectable as well. To get the correct spacing end your combo with a late f4xxgas blast enhance.

There are definitely better options but if you enjoy setups it’s pretty fun to use.

could you make a video of it? I'm really curious how this works and looks.

since I'm pretty tired of KL I think I might give custom a shot, it seems to be really fun. I'd really like to play with air dash but I don't like how it takes 2 slots. I'm also interested in the gas blast, parry and hook grab. I'll lab this stuff out later, I'm pretty excited what you can with all his stuff.

 

[Raise-Your-Sword]

could you make a video of it? I'm really curious how this works and looks.

since I'm pretty tired of KL I think I might give custom a shot, it seems to be really fun. I'd really like to play with air dash but I don't like how it takes 2 slots. I'm also interested in the gas blast, parry and hook grab. I'll lab this stuff out later, I'm pretty excited what you can with all his stuff.

Just threw this together to give you an idea. I’m pretty sure you need to have hook grab equipped to get the most out of this. I haven’t been able to fully explore all the setups but here’s what I’ve found so far.

 

[Blewdew]

Just threw this together to give you an idea. I’m pretty sure you need to have hook grab equipped to get the most out of this. I haven’t been able to fully explore all the setups but here’s what I’ve found so far.

that's interesting, didn't know amp gas blast could do that. how plus on hit is the restand? if you can garantuee any mid from it it's kinda dumb lol.

 

[Raise-Your-Sword]

Hit advantage is +15, IT SAYS...lol

 

[Blewdew]

Hit advantage is +15, IT SAYS...lol

wow, I'll test that later. if that's the case I'll definitely gonna use it.