MK11 Rewards Patient Players

[Vslayer]

I was rewatching some of the matches I lost and I just understood what MK11 was about gameplay wise and why I lost the matches that I lost. It's about being patient, playing defensively and punishing. The one thing I was never really good, or the type of tactics I never use because my mind works this way: they're not blocking? PUMMEL THEM. They're blocking? PUMMEL THEM. They're hitting me? PUMMEL THEM. I'm a very offensive player.

That's why the emphasis isn't on long juggles like it was in MKX, MK11 is not an offensive game. That's why most of the character's combos and specials are unsafe, the game wants you to punish and punish BIG. Remember when there was a big debate on which game should you play to prepare for MK11? Here's the answer: the game of patience friends.

Take Kabal for example, his KB on Hook Slam (db4) leads to major damage and the requirement is that you need to use it raw, not in a combo, on Kounter or Punish. So literally ALL you have to do is be patient and wait for the opponent to throw something unsafe, and BAM you get yourself a 35-50% combo punish. This is not helping me be less hyped about the game, do you have ANY idea how excruciating this is going to be until the second I can finally get my hands on Cassie? I'm dying inside, which is ironic since the whole point of this post is to be more patient.

If anyone wants to improve and isn't looking at the game footage from their losses, get on that now. This has been a PSA.

 

[xenogorgeous]

well said, young padawan, well said ....

 

[Pizza]

It seems that way.

Which is fine, because I like the kind of fighting with patience from games like Samurai Shodown and Last Blade. I'm all for it.

 

[Circus]

In the demo there weren't any 100% offensive characters that are meant to just hold forward like I imagine someone like Jax, Kotal, and Jacqui would. Even still, I bet those offensive characters have to show a certain amount of restraint and patience too.

It's awesome though.
In MK11, I loved the feeling of walking someone into the corner as Baraka, but it felt like an annoying chore in Injustice2 (and it's why I lost interest so quickly).

I think I'm going to really dig how Kano is going to be a mix of mid range control and up close pressure.

Is it April 23rd yet...

 

[Vslayer]

In the demo there weren't any 100% offensive characters that are meant to just hold forward like I imagine someone like Jax, Kotal, and Jacqui would. Even still, I bet those offensive characters have to show a certain amount of restraint and patience too.

It's awesome though.
In MK11, I loved the feeling of walking someone into the corner as Baraka, but it felt like an annoying chore in Injustice2 (and it's why I lost interest so quickly).

I think I'm going to really dig how Kano is going to be a mix of mid range control and up close pressure.

Is it April 23rd yet...

Oh yeah, I feel that most of the cast will be unsafe, and if someone has lots of really safe strings then they'll probably really really strong.

Soon friend, soon

 

[LawAbidingCitizen]

I think it's more of a balance of skills. You must have decent spacing, offense, defense and character knowledge. The most important thing about MK11 is game knowledge. Knowing what move reaches, punishes and it's advantage and what moves beat out other hard to deal with normals.

I think pushback is going to be very strong in this game: being able to space your opponent away just in range of your most powerful yet strong mids will open up players.
If I had to make a guess about how we list matches during beta, it would be lackluster of knowledge and practice mode. I know I didn't fully understand the matchups or the characters normals to the degree I needed to master said character.

 

[PapaRegadetho]

Welcome to an actual fighting game buddy!!!

 

[Edmund]

Now when I play MKX I realize just how much more i prefer Mk11's speed. It's so much more rewarding and it takes a lot more thinking and patience like you said. Really hype for the release.

 

[Vslayer]

I think it's more of a balance of skills. You must have decent spacing, offense, defense and character knowledge. The most important thing about MK11 is game knowledge. Knowing what move reaches, punishes and it's advantage and what moves beat out other hard to deal with normals.

I think pushback is going to be very strong in this game: being able to space your opponent away just in range of your most powerful yet strong mids will open up players.
If I had to make a guess about how we list matches during beta, it would be lackluster of knowledge and practice mode. I know I didn't fully understand the matchups or the characters normals to the degree I needed to master said character.

Definitely, I just feel like this time around the emphasis is on defense rather than offense which is really great. I think learning this game is going to make anyone a better fighting game player overall, especially people like me who don't play patiently.

 

[LawAbidingCitizen]

I loved mkx but it was very Offensive based, you built meter from offinsive play and they put in dumb mechanics to compensate for this: Armor steal turn and breaker and delayed wakup and invincible back dash.

The armor launchers was a horrible addition because it was abused by offensive players to continue pressure or add more guess to the allready heavy rushdown focus.

Not saying I didn't like mkx because I did but I am more hyped about MK11 than any mk. The neutral based back and forth is absolutely awesome. I like that most characters don't have overhead and low launchers, it keeps them honest and forces players to think instead if relying on easy to open mechanics.
We have old school mix-ups:
Number of hits
Frame Traps
Spacing (wiff Punishers)
Overhead to Throw or Low to FTs.

Good-bye HTBs hello mind games.

 

[magandi]

can't wait to play erron black and destroy your footsie dreams with random midscreen 50/50.

 

[LawAbidingCitizen]

Definitely, I just feel like this time around the emphasis is on defense rather than offense which is really great. I think learning this game is going to make anyone a better fighting game player overall, especially people like me who don't play patiently.

Oh absolutely, I like that you can be a setup, rushdown or zoning/defensive player and be successful as long as you know the fundies.

 

[Vslayer]

can't wait to play erron black and destroy your footsie dreams with random midscreen 50/50.

Can't wait to teleport behind you and go for a grab XD

 

[LawAbidingCitizen]

Can't wait to teleport behind you and go for a grab XD

And he can't do them 50/50s if the player is controlling space.

 

[Juggs]

That’s if certain players don’t get defensive options nerfed into the ground, lol.

 

[Circus]

can't wait to play erron black and destroy your footsie dreams with random midscreen 50/50.

He gets like 9-10% off either on hit.

The punish on block for either could be up to 35%.
So I say go right on ahead lol. I like my odds.

 

[GLoRToR]

can't wait to play erron black and destroy your footsie dreams with random midscreen 50/50.

Can't wait to have better range and projectile immunity and a teleport and make you never be able to start a 50/50 XD

 

[NothingPersonal]

I miss Doomsday

 

[Pizza]

That’s if certain players don’t get defensive options nerfed into the ground, lol.

Oh yeah. I forgot about those "pro players", professional complainers who want the game to be shaped to their own likings.

 

[Gamer68]

Based off of the characters we've been able to play, this is true.

But Liu Kang, Jax, Jacqui, and some others might change this.

You mention how Kabal has a Krushing Blow that is activated by getting a punish and how that sets the tone for the game, but at the same time Jax has a Krushing Blow that is activated when he lands and overhead with heated arms (which he gets by landing punches / staying offensive).

I think most of the game will be midrange punish characters, but you will still have offensive powerhouses and zoners. Against these characters, I could see how you approach the game and match-ups could change quite a bit.

 

[Vslayer]

Based off of the characters we've been able to play, this is true.

But Liu Kang, Jax, Jacqui, and some others might change this.

You mention how Kabal has a Krushing Blow that is activated by getting a punish and how that sets the tone for the game, but at the same time Jax has a Krushing Blow that is activated when he lands and overhead with heated arms (which he gets by landing punches / staying offensive).

I think most of the game will be midrange punish characters, but you will still have offensive powerhouses and zoners. Against these characters, I could see how you approach the game and match-ups could change quite a bit.

Very good point! I forgot about that Jax one. And I think he gets heated arms on block too right? If so, he'll be a very offensive character (I might even pick him up XD), but I want to also play characters like Cetrion and have different gameplans too.

 

[lionheart21]

I was rewatching some of the matches I lost and I just understood what MK11 was about gameplay wise and why I lost the matches that I lost. It's about being patient, playing defensively and punishing. The one thing I was never really good, or the type of tactics I never use because my mind works this way: they're not blocking? PUMMEL THEM. They're blocking? PUMMEL THEM. They're hitting me? PUMMEL THEM. I'm a very offensive player.

That's why the emphasis isn't on long juggles like it was in MKX, MK11 is not an offensive game. That's why most of the character's combos and specials are unsafe, the game wants you to punish and punish BIG. Remember when there was a big debate on which game should you play to prepare for MK11? Here's the answer: the game of patience friends.

Take Kabal for example, his KB on Hook Slam (db4) leads to major damage and the requirement is that you need to use it raw, not in a combo, on Kounter or Punish. So literally ALL you have to do is be patient and wait for the opponent to throw something unsafe, and BAM you get yourself a 35-50% combo punish. This is not helping me be less hyped about the game, do you have ANY idea how excruciating this is going to be until the second I can finally get my hands on Cassie? I'm dying inside, which is ironic since the whole point of this post is to be more patient.

If anyone wants to improve and isn't looking at the game footage from their losses, get on that now. This has been a PSA.

From how that sounds, it sounds like my prior experience with Chun-Li is gonna pay off, since that was the one character that I ever really played a defensive style with.

 

[Gamer68]

Very good point! I forgot about that Jax one. And I think he gets heated arms on block too right? If so, he'll be a very offensive character (I might even pick him up XD), but I want to also play characters like Cetrion and have different gameplans too.

I think he only gains heat when he hits the opponent, I don't think block pressure counts. I could be wrong, though. If he does gain heat on block then that's insane -- especially if he has safe strings.

 

[STB Sgt Reed]

mmhmmm! And I love me some patient gameplay! looks at avatar ... yup, checks out. lol

But don't worry, there will definitely be characters that break that meta for sure.

Kung Lao
Liu Kang

definitely come to mind.

 

[REYTHEGREAT]

MK11 is more footsie based, so yes, you need to be patient. Move back and forth, bait an attack, and so on.