Matchups vs Noob, skarlet, Cage

[Skryba]

Greetings, people.

So, I wanted to talk about some of Scorpion's MU's. Am I the only one struggling against Noob and skarlet? It may very well simply be my inability to adapt to the MU's, but these two seem to be extremely hard for me because both characters have much better long distance presence, both seem to always be ahead of scorpion in the mid range with better ranged tools (this destroys my main game plan which revolves around footsies, whiff punishing and only getting in with a successful hit confirm into combo or jailing for + frames) and better options, and upclose they also seem to have stronger buttons.

As for Johnny, I also seem to struggle because all his advancing normals make it really hard to maintain the proper distance for footsies that scorpion usually wants, and up close I don't seem to feel any better xD

Are these actually bad MU's for scorpion or do I just need to keep working on it? Is it entirely due to lack of knowledge on my part?

Thanks in advance for any answers, and feel free to discuss other MU's in the thread!

 

[Mikemetroid]

I think Johnny does really well against Scorpion but if I had any advice, it would be to abuse Johnny player's tendencies to poke(d1,d4), and to take your time.

@Scoot Magee plays this MU very well and he may have some good advice too.

 

[Scoot Magee]

I dont think I know enough about noob and starlet to comment but I played Mike a lot.

A lot of his long range stuff starts high so d4 works well to check him and bait jumps. Just hit and run. Learn to hit confirm b2, b1, f3 and b14 into tele cancel and just play really safe. He has to take a risk to get close to you. I think that's the best way to play the match based off my experience.

 

[NRF CharlieMurphy]

You should probably tell us what variation of Noob your'e dealing with.

I always make it a point to check him with f3 as often as I can. SD's exSlide puts Noob in a very good position... but not one where Scorpion can't check him constantly.

SD Noob is really a players character. He can adapt very well to many styles of play, while also kind of enforcing his own style. IN KL he's a tough cookie because you don't have much time to figure out his tendencies.

I would jump all day against Skarlet. I don't think being on the ground makes much sense as she can toss stuff at you. If you're jumping you can react to any projectile and punish easily. You both don't have quick mids... so once you're in her face the use of 2 and 21 and f3 and of course throw to open things up.

Which Scorpion are you using? He does have to change his philosophy

 

[Skryba]

Thanks, @Mikemetroid and @Scoot Magee, yeah the few things I've noticed that can give me a hand in the Johnny MU are low profiling his F3 (I believe that's the notation for his advancing high kick, but can't say for sure), where D4 definitely shows its uses (I'd been using it less and less since the nerf, but I've already noticed that I definitely need to keep using it in some MU's, this one specifically), and knowing when to counterpoke him, after blocking pokes or his advancing mid and low.

Still having a whole lot of difficulty against noobs and skarlets, though. Can't seem to get a handle of the MU's =|

Anyone have any tips?

 

[Skryba]

You should probably tell us what variation of Noob your'e dealing with.

I always make it a point to check him with f3 as often as I can. SD's exSlide puts Noob in a very good position... but not one where Scorpion can't check him constantly.

SD Noob is really a players character. He can adapt very well to many styles of play, while also kind of enforcing his own style. IN KL he's a tough cookie because you don't have much time to figure out his tendencies.

I would jump all day against Skarlet. I don't think being on the ground makes much sense as she can toss stuff at you. If you're jumping you can react to any projectile and punish easily. You both don't have quick mids... so once you're in her face the use of 2 and 21 and f3 and of course throw to open things up.

Which Scorpion are you using? He does have to change his philosophy

I'm using reborn, sorry, forgot to mention in the OP.

I feel like SD Noob is the toughest one because I can't even find any decent punishes, the slide not only seems to make everything safe, the threat of it actually stops me from trying to punish unsafe strings (I guess I need to get used to keeping track of his offensive meter to amplify, but any time I guess wrong it's like 15/20% damage or something =S).

Yeah, I think I have to lab exactly how negative he is after I block enhanced slice, and to see what I can get in to pressure him. The move kinda rattles me, and since he's not a common character to encounter I still haven't learned the MU properly =/

Check, I'll give it a try at being more airborn against skarlet. Hadn't thought of that, I tend to avoid jumping a lot, except for a couple jump ins or neutral jumps, but I can see how it makes sense against skarlet. Will jumps consistently avoid her tendrils, though? Or will I get smacked out of the air?

Thanks for the reply! =D

 

[Scoot Magee]

Thanks, @Mikemetroid and @Scoot Magee, yeah the few things I've noticed that can give me a hand in the Johnny MU are low profiling his F3 (I believe that's the notation for his advancing high kick, but can't say for sure), where D4 definitely shows its uses (I'd been using it less and less since the nerf, but I've already noticed that I definitely need to keep using it in some MU's, this one specifically), and knowing when to counterpoke him, after blocking pokes or his advancing mid and low.

Still having a whole lot of difficulty against noobs and skarlets, though. Can't seem to get a handle of the MU's =|

Anyone have any tips?

It's also good to learn cages options after block ex force ball. You can interrupt some options with st 1 or even low profile. There are options you can backdash away from and some you need to respect. Honestly I haven't taken cage to the lab in a while so I dont remember everything in detail. Still it's good to explore your options in that plus frame situation. Cage players will abuse it if you respect everything.

 

[DrFolmer]

Johnny rivals Scorpion's footsie game, which is why it might seem a bit harder to deal with because you're fighting someone who can punish you for disrespecting too much with b1 staggers etc.

As Scorpion you need to play lame. While nerfed, you still have a teleport which can reaction punish Johnny if he gets impatient and throws forceballs. Your d4 works wonders even post nerf as it denies Johnny from using his to-go hitconfirmable advancing string. You can do this at minus frames as well due to his lack of a fast mid (be careful you're not too minus. I wouldnt throw it out after the full b1 string on block as f4 can still hit you).

Your stagger game as Scorpion is still good, and you have a mid stagger at that. You want to be kinda disrespectful throughout the match but not predictable. At some point the Johnny player will have to decide whether to throw out a risky f4 into nutpunch on a read (as it isnt hit confirmable) to get damage or settle for the much less rewarding f44 which is minus enough to effectively be turn ending for Johnny.

Johnny's own f4 stagger is excellent but in mind it is a high - and so is all his fast combo starters. It makes a stagger read extremely easy to deal with as the only option he's left with to check you is a poke. If he goes for another f3, d2 his ass. If he goes for 124 d2 his ass. If he goes for a throw, d2 his ass. Or just crouch and punish how you see fit