Bhagwad
Noob
TL;DRTakeda Lasher is the only character I've played since I picked up MKX a few weeks ago. Here are some problems I'm facing, and I'd like the community's opinion on how to deal with them:
1. No full screen options
I know everyone says that Lasher range is a strong point. But once opponents see my 3/4 screen combos, they simple walk all the way to the other end of the screen where my whips can't reach them. Then they start spamming projectiles at me and I to slowly and painfully inch my way over to them.
I take lots of damage this way. Takeda has no teleports and his kunai is a bit tough to use at full screen honestly (I never get the inputs right for the long screen kunai).
2. No close up options!
Often I'll be able to chain combo an opponent...right until they hit the corner. Then I don't know what to do. Takeda's best moves are slow starters which are easily beat out by the opposition in terms of starter times.
I can use F1(2)2+4, but then I'll need to use the close kunai to make my string safe. And like I said, I can't seem to pull it off. In the corner, even my close kunais don't seem to hit, making f12+4 very unsafe on block. I'm left with b21 and that has 24 frames of start up! Not to mention predictable.
The only low option I have is b3, which has a start up time of 21! So when I get an opponent in the corner, my first priority is to put some distance between us so I can continue my mix ups from a safe distance.
I've lost many, many games because I didn't know what to do with the opponent once I had them in the corner. Paradoxically, most opponents want to get me in the corner. I know I should be able to do something nice, but I don't know how!
3. Difficulty extricating myself from close onslaughts
When blocking in the corner, I can poke out with d3 or d1. But then what? There's no string I can safely start that with low frames that has a chance of beating out the opponent's moves. The "Ultimate Takeda Guide" says that "a blocked d3 can be followed up with a b3 or a b2". But I have never found this to be the case. What does that mean? That if the opponent blocks a d3, I have enough time to start a b2? That has not been my experience.
Which brings me to perhaps my final (perhaps not Takeda specific) point.
3. Unable to Punish after Block
Ultimately my goal is to get my opponent with whip assault (bf2). I can't use it by itself in a corner since it has 18 start up frames and will get me killed. So I try and lead into it with a string like 112. "1" has 9 start up frames, so in theory I should be able to beat out any attack after successfully blocking a string.
In practice however, I never manage to actually start the string with "1" despite madly mashing the "1" button to get it in as early as possible. It always gets blocked, if not punished. I've had some success with d3, but I don't know any follow ups to get out of corner pressure.
Example: Here's Kung Lao beating the crap out of me and I'm unable to get a safe opening to punish. At which point would you choose to retaliate, and with what?
TL;DR: Most of my moves work great at medium range, since I can't be easily punished at a distance. But close ups are unsafe. And I'm powerless at fullscreen range!
1. No full screen options
I know everyone says that Lasher range is a strong point. But once opponents see my 3/4 screen combos, they simple walk all the way to the other end of the screen where my whips can't reach them. Then they start spamming projectiles at me and I to slowly and painfully inch my way over to them.
I take lots of damage this way. Takeda has no teleports and his kunai is a bit tough to use at full screen honestly (I never get the inputs right for the long screen kunai).
2. No close up options!
Often I'll be able to chain combo an opponent...right until they hit the corner. Then I don't know what to do. Takeda's best moves are slow starters which are easily beat out by the opposition in terms of starter times.
I can use F1(2)2+4, but then I'll need to use the close kunai to make my string safe. And like I said, I can't seem to pull it off. In the corner, even my close kunais don't seem to hit, making f12+4 very unsafe on block. I'm left with b21 and that has 24 frames of start up! Not to mention predictable.
The only low option I have is b3, which has a start up time of 21! So when I get an opponent in the corner, my first priority is to put some distance between us so I can continue my mix ups from a safe distance.
I've lost many, many games because I didn't know what to do with the opponent once I had them in the corner. Paradoxically, most opponents want to get me in the corner. I know I should be able to do something nice, but I don't know how!
3. Difficulty extricating myself from close onslaughts
When blocking in the corner, I can poke out with d3 or d1. But then what? There's no string I can safely start that with low frames that has a chance of beating out the opponent's moves. The "Ultimate Takeda Guide" says that "a blocked d3 can be followed up with a b3 or a b2". But I have never found this to be the case. What does that mean? That if the opponent blocks a d3, I have enough time to start a b2? That has not been my experience.
Which brings me to perhaps my final (perhaps not Takeda specific) point.
3. Unable to Punish after Block
Ultimately my goal is to get my opponent with whip assault (bf2). I can't use it by itself in a corner since it has 18 start up frames and will get me killed. So I try and lead into it with a string like 112. "1" has 9 start up frames, so in theory I should be able to beat out any attack after successfully blocking a string.
In practice however, I never manage to actually start the string with "1" despite madly mashing the "1" button to get it in as early as possible. It always gets blocked, if not punished. I've had some success with d3, but I don't know any follow ups to get out of corner pressure.
Example: Here's Kung Lao beating the crap out of me and I'm unable to get a safe opening to punish. At which point would you choose to retaliate, and with what?
TL;DR: Most of my moves work great at medium range, since I can't be easily punished at a distance. But close ups are unsafe. And I'm powerless at fullscreen range!
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