What's new

MK11 SHANG TSUNG Match Up Thread

When is soul steal amp worth it? I hadn't had enough time to play but I'm just curious when people are using it. I feel like I want the meter typically going into shapeshift to get combos or kbs going.
THis crucial to some of Shang’s real good mk9 tech) You absolutely need to make one of your priorities to end rounds with an Amplified Soul Steal. Because the damage boost carries over to another round,but you became Shang again. Amp gives you like 9 seconds of amplified damage!
And the best part is ,which wasn’t possible in mk9, the bar you spend to kill your opponent almost always comes back during the mid round taunt’s animation.
 

t3kwytch3r

Stone-Kold-Zoner
I wonder if your opponent unsuccessfully techs a throw while you're Shang, if you soul steal then throw them for their KB will it work, and wil you still have your throw kb? I'll have to check it out later.

Also gonna have to see if F4 can low profile other projectiles! Nice catch @JBeezYBabY
 
I wonder if your opponent unsuccessfully techs a throw while you're Shang, if you soul steal then throw them for their KB will it work, and wil you still have your throw kb? I'll have to check it out later.

Also gonna have to see if F4 can low profile other projectiles! Nice catch @JBeezYBabY
Yeah, it works.
No it doesn’t work if they tech wrong when you are Shang! But it works if they tech wrong when you are morphed into them, then become Shang , do whatever TF you want, and then when you morph into them again you have the KB loaded)
 

SaSSolino

Soul Stealing Loyalist
No it doesn’t work if they tech wrong when you are Shang! But it works if they tech wrong when you are morphed into them, then become Shang , do whatever TF you want, and then when you morph into them again you have the KB loaded)
Oh my bad, I misread. I thought he meant after a wrong tech while morphed.
 

t3kwytch3r

Stone-Kold-Zoner
That's complex but pretty cool, Shang's throw KB isn't as beneficial as many others i think due to the strict condition and low base damage if you drop the combo. Good to know he can essentially have 2 throw KBs.

The Skarlet MU just got that much more interesting.
 
I dunno if it has been answered already, but for the characters that have a throw kb do they conflict with his own throw kb? Or does he have access to both.

Also same question on d2.
 

haketh

Noob
THis crucial to some of Shang’s real good mk9 tech) You absolutely need to make one of your priorities to end rounds with an Amplified Soul Steal. Because the damage boost carries over to another round,but you became Shang again. Amp gives you like 9 seconds of amplified damage!
And the best part is ,which wasn’t possible in mk9, the bar you spend to kill your opponent almost always comes back during the mid round taunt’s animation.
Oh shit word? I’ll keep that in mind
 

Sonzai

Noob
I found Liu Kang to be a pretty easy match up so far
You can b3 into combo during his f4,3 string and it beats both the string and the parry for pretty good damage
That being said most Liu Kangs i've fought completly fell apart when they couldn't use this string anymore
Haven't lost any matches against him since i've learned you can beat him out of this string
And i've been maining D'Vorah so far
so maybe better Liu Kang players can work around this
 

haketh

Noob
I found Liu Kang to be a pretty easy match up so far
You can b3 into combo during his f4,3 string and it beats both the string and the parry for pretty good damage
That being said most Liu Kangs i've fought completly fell apart when they couldn't use this string anymore
Haven't lost any matches against him since i've learned you can beat him out of this string
And i've been maining D'Vorah so far
so maybe better Liu Kang players can work around this
This is actually one of the few MUs I think is tough so far haha, but I haven't been using B3 against that string, just reacting to them completing it & jabbing him out. The zoning battle feels about even but he can make good reads on Corpse Drop or Up Skulls & punish with flying kick. I'm not sure whether I'd say it's out of our favor or not yet though, gotta run so many more long sets in it.
 

LawAbidingCitizen

Bomb Setups & Ball Rolls(Mileena/Cyrax)
Ok. My Shang Clan....I know i may playing a bit gimmicky ?Question mark? But can you guys give me any pointers on my play? Thank ya kindly :)

Nice to see you play Shang. Good sets.
My tips for you are:
  • use his other moves more, 3U2, B1-throw/B1D2, F2 stagger, 112 is an amazing frame trap into Soulsteal, once they respect the 122-SoulSteal use his F2 options.
  • crossovers are fine but you need to stop jumping. Its basically just putting you at -30 every time you do it and not good to telegraph them.
  • use Shang's zoning more, his DB1 is amazing vs jumpers and dashers, beware of certain characters who can punish it on block: Liu, Sub, Jacqui, Noob.
  • play footsie more with Shang, he isn't a close up character utilize his 3, F2, D4 and DB1 range. Sometimes its better nor to throw them out, the treat od his range is enough vs good opponents.
  • There is a good projectile mixup with BF1/DB1 and DF3. Corpse drop locked em up and is best used full screen. Ground Explosion has great coverage and leads to combo and should be used mud to far range because its punishable up close. Straight skull is nice to check dashers trying to avoid Corpse. Spacing is everything with him. Backdash's are very strong with Shang since he has good presence far away and can cancel into any space control tool.
You played very well but everyone has room for improvement.
 

LawAbidingCitizen

Bomb Setups & Ball Rolls(Mileena/Cyrax)
I dunno if it has been answered already, but for the characters that have a throw kb do they conflict with his own throw kb? Or does he have access to both.

Also same question on d2.
I know if you D2 while morphed into them you lose your D2..

As first Throw KB's no his is not effected. I just changed into Jax when he was fully heated up Stole his Forward Throw KB Then after changing back used Shang's Back Throw KB. Love it vs Jax its pretty awesome to change into him when he has full heat because he has threat of F331+3 KB & F+Throw KB while changed and then gets to either back throw KB or open them with full combo.
 
Last edited:
This character may truly solve my character crisis. It makes the game play much more character specific which is what I am looking for right now. His base set is also pretty good all around. But I really enjoy soul steal right now it's just so good to close options down.

Not a big fan of his current kbs or wake ups but he can't have everything. Most characters don't.
Your character crisis solved with Sang Tsung: You can play with ALL the characters at once. :D
 

LawAbidingCitizen

Bomb Setups & Ball Rolls(Mileena/Cyrax)
That's complex but pretty cool, Shang's throw KB isn't as beneficial as many others i think due to the strict condition and low base damage if you drop the combo. Good to know he can essentially have 2 throw KBs.

The Skarlet MU just got that much more interesting.
I like to Soulsteal Jax when he is fully heated and land his KB then change back and land mine XD
 

t3kwytch3r

Stone-Kold-Zoner
I like to Soulsteal Jax when he is fully heated and land his KB then change back and land mine XD
Are you saying Shang also takes status effects from his opponents when he soul steals :O So he could get the Kahn damage buff or the JC punch that gets stronger each time it's blocked?
 

SaSSolino

Soul Stealing Loyalist
Guys is there something we can do about Erron Black's gun besides waiting for him to run out of ammo?
 

CitizenSnips

A seldom used crab named Lucky. AKA Citizen Snips.
I have about 600-700 matches with Shang online and a majority of them in Private matches against good players or Kombat League (played him for about 100 KL sets and recently got into Demi-God). I've also played him offline a bit although not super extensively yet.

My opinions are subject to change and there aren't many I feel super strong about due to the fact that the character and game are still new so I am sure there's a lot that I am not doing right and also other players are not doing right. But here's my 2 cents:

Advantage over:
Jade (possibly her worst matchup, looking at possibly 7-3)
Kitana
Noob
Jax
Johnny
Shao Kahn
Kabal
Kano
Kung Lao

Evenish:
Jacqui (kind of feels slightly in favor of Shang)
Skarlet (life lead big factor, I personally struggle against her)
Scorpion
Liu Kang
Sub Zero

Disadvantage against:
Geras (feels HORRIBLE)
Sonya (feels HORRIBLE)
Cetrion (life lead big factor, I personally struggle against her, might be even)
Cassie (might be even)


Leaving out due to lack of matches to gauge anything or just weird matches where I couldn't tell either way:
Erron Black (seems bad for Shang)
Baraka
Kollector
Raiden
Frost
Kotal
Dvorah
Anyone else I forgot
 
Last edited:
I have about 600-700 matches with Shang online and a majority of them in Private matches against good players or Kombat League (played him for about 100 KL sets and recently got into Demi-God). I've also played him offline a bit although not super extensively yet.

My opinions are subject to change and there aren't many I feel super strong about due to the fact that the character and game are still new so I am sure there's a lot that I am not doing right and also other players are not doing right. I'm not a top level player nor do I regularly play against one all the time so I think it's very possible I am wrong. But here's my 2 cents:

Advantage over:
Jade (possibly her worst matchup, looking at possibly 7-3)
Kitana
Noob
Jax
Johnny
Shao Kahn
Kabal
Kano
Kung Lao

Evenish:
Jacqui (kind of feels slightly in favor of Shang)
Skarlet (life lead big factor, I personally struggle against her)
Scorpion
Liu Kang
Sub Zero

Disadvantage against:
Geras (feels HORRIBLE)
Sonya (feels HORRIBLE)
Cetrion (life lead big factor, I personally struggle against her, might be even)
Cassie (might be even)


Leaving out due to lack of matches to gauge anything or just weird matches where I couldn't tell either way:
Erron Black (seems bad for Shang)
Baraka
Kollector
Raiden
Frost
Kotal
Dvorah
Anyone else I forgot
you can punish low guns vs cassie with ground skull if your in range which is nice.
 

CitizenSnips

A seldom used crab named Lucky. AKA Citizen Snips.
you can punish low guns vs cassie with ground skull if your in range which is nice.
Yeah definitely, and actually the main reason why it could be even. I think however that it's easier for the Cassie to dictate that range as opposed to Shang. But I may be wrong.
 
Guys is there something we can do about Erron Black's gun besides waiting for him to run out of ammo?
I would say that's kinda true for anyone in the cast that doesn't have an air teleport or something like that. Block and advance, get close enough to try and punish if he tries to sneak in a cheeky reload.