Making Your Opponents Pay: Picking the right Punish

[J3RR4X]

So while I'm no tournament player I've played every character and read enough here to know their general strengths and weaknesses. However with considerably more Reptile experience I'm looking for ways to up my game.

BnBs are down, mixups are used frequently to keep people guessing, I'm getting good reads on my opponents but...

Aside from the obvious punishes (blocked smokeport, scorp's port, subzero slide, KL divekick etc.) that are all punishable via a 32 xx BnB I'm finding it hard to consistently find the frame openings after blocking the beginning of an opponents BnB and thoroughly punishing for it. Although I've read that these strings are punishable by full combo on block either I'm hanging onto block to long or I'm choosing the wrong punish combo.

For example:

Against Liu Kang:

FP BP b+FP, dash f+FP BP (and it goes on forever for 30% or more dmg)

If the first three hits are blocked successfully there is a frame window to punish however it is very slight and a crossover jump or 32 xx opener comes out too slow and the opponent recovers. I've even found d4+acidhand too slow.

The only punish that works regularly for me here is 122 xx FB into full combo.

Against Raiden:

FK FK BK string
or
b+FK FP BP string

Once the first three hits are blocked 32 xx punish comes out fast enough, or 122, or EX Ball...


Punishing with full combo depends on the string you just blocked and your opponents recovery time vs. the startup time of your string. You just have to make the right choice. Some of the answers are very cut and dry. Other answers are just Elbow Dash.

I'll start off by asking for the best choices against Johnny Cage's BnBs. When do the openings present themselves and what is the most consistent way to punish after a good read.

I'd like for this to keep going so if anyone else is having trouble with a particular opponent's strings list them here and I'm sure we'll pick them apart. It's a little more specific than a matchup thread.

 

[Somberness]

Although I've read that these strings are punishable by full combo on block

The thing is, they are not. What you are experiencing is likely the opponent attempting to either attempt the same combo again (or something else) or not block. Liu Kang's string there is 0 on block, 334 for Raiden is also 0, and b312 seems to be -1. What that means is, they are not punishable as no attack 1 frame fast to be able to hit before the opponent can block. However, if all the opponent is doing is repeating the same string over and over again, you can pick a certain attack that will beat their next attempt after blocking it. You would do this by picking an attack Reptile has that is faster than the startup of the attack that you believe the opponent is going to use. Now that Reptile's frame data is up, you can check to see how fast his options are and even check the startup of other characters to see what options would be best or most reliable to use against them. There are strings available to use that can be punished on block but most people just avoid them outside of combos, unless they present a safe jump on hit or something else beneficial.

 

[RapZiLLa54]

Best move to poke out the faster characters in game would be D3. Also note d3 can be linked into acid hand so this can get you the spacing you need to get the rushdown characters off you or you can d3 ex acid hand to go into a juggle of about 29%.

Since we are talking about Liu Kang here after his high 3 string is blocked you can d3 him, if you block his low 3 string you can cross over jump him. Please check out the matchup thread for any other questions.

Also all of the teleporters on block can go into a full combo. There is a small window once they touch the ground they cannot block.