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Match-up Discussion MK9 2013 Tier List

xSMoKEx

xSMoKEx

Coward Character User
So MK9 has been out since April 2011, making this April coming up the third year since release. I know not too many people currently play but I'm personally still playing and I want to create a fairly accurate tier discussion. I got thinking thanks to GGA 16 Bit on KTP talking about KT Smith and Smoke + Chef and Reptile, and I really just want to take the opportunity to FAIRLY break down each characters tools.

Currently, my tier list looks like this: (it's supposed to be in order but especially for the lower tiers, characters could easily change a spot or two)

S+ Tier:
Kabal

S Tier:
Kenshi
Cyrax
Sonya

A+ Tier
Freddy
Lao

A Tier:
Cage
Kitana
Smoke
Jax
Skarlet

B Tier:
Reptile
Liu Kang
Sektor
Shang Tsung
Raiden
Mileena
Sub-Zero
Ermac

C Tier:
Rain
Baraka
Scorpion
Noob Saibot
Cyber Sub Zero
Sindel

D Tier:
Quan Chi
Jade
Stryker
Nightwolf

F Tier:
Sheeva
Kano

I personally have Kenshi above Sonya but I do think Sonya is an easier character; this is purely assuming your at the highest level of play. For example, a mediocre Sonya is probably better than a mediocre Kenshi given the nature of the character. However, take two players who are at the top in terms of their character such as Pig of the Hut and Death, and Kenshi is a superior character imo. Also, Cyrax could very well be bumped up a tier.

What do we think? Is there a character you feel is underrated? Personally I believe Baraka is slightly better than what most of the community makes him out to be, we've seen plenty a top notch Baraka in Tetra Spirit and even Permodius early on in the game's life. Basically just stir up some discussion and try not to use the groupthink bias that the community often has, give each character a fair chance.
 
FrothyOmen

FrothyOmen

P!
I have no relevant information to post here but when i read the thread title and who posted it, I inadvertently let a "yeeeeesssssssssssssss" slip out under my breath
 
xSMoKEx

xSMoKEx

Coward Character User
EGP Wonder_Chef said:
Also Cyrax is definitely too low.
Click to expand...
Yeah I definitely think Cyrax could be in the same tier as Sonya and Kenshi, i mentioned that in OP. Definitely a fair placement.

As for Liu Kang, I think he's really good, but his defensive options are pretty terrible and he has a hitbox the size of Canada (and equally as free :3 ) so that really hinders him imo, along with his crappy D1 and average D3. If he had some better armor or a small hitbox, or maybe even a better parry i'd move him up but I personally think its a big deal.

Don't think he's in the same tier as Cage, Kitana, Smoke, Jax and Skarlet.

I'd really be interested in hearing XBladez or the Terry bros opinion on Liu Kang. They know the character pretty well so i'm all ears if they wanna chime in.
 
xSMoKEx

xSMoKEx

Coward Character User
Also added in CSZ forgot to type him in, and i moved Quan Chi up within the tier for simplicities sake because
most agree his is better than Jade, Nightwolf and Stryker haha.
 
Jaku2011

Jaku2011

Filled with determination
Wasn't an Mk player but why was Rain considered not good? He always looks strong whenever I see someone play him.
 
xSMoKEx

xSMoKEx

Coward Character User
General M2Dave said:
Online players and the Smoke community are the biggest fools and scums on the planet.

I wonder whether the same faith awaits Kano 2.0 in Injustice.
Click to expand...
Dave where do you think Kano is then? By your standards (aka agreeing with the Smoke vs. Freddy MU lmao) im the least cowardly Smoke player on gods green earth, so thats gotta count for something.

I seriously think it's unquestionable that Kano is bottom 5 though,
 
GamerBlake90

GamerBlake90

Blue Blurs for Life!
Jaku2011 said:
Wasn't an Mk player but why was Rain considered not good? He always looks strong whenever I see someone play him.
Click to expand...

I thought the same thing, but I believe that what led to this consensus is:

1) Rain's normals aren't particularly the fastest.
2) His lightning and water bubble are not sufficient to serve as zoning tools. He must stay within at least half-screen range to compete.
3) His teleport gets him in, but at a risk.
4) All of the more known characters can essentially do what he can, only they can do it better.
5) His large hitbox hurts him when getting pressured.

Perhaps those who truly main Rain (I'm sorry for the unintended pun) can comment further on this.

AK Reno_Racks AK Smarrgasm BookBurning
 
zaf

zaf

professor
Overall good list.
First three tiers are fine IMO. Can interchange maybe a few characters but for the most part is fine.
Things I would change:
Reptile a bit lower, maybe 1-2 spots.
Liu kang moved to A tier. Not sure where exactly in A tier. I feel he is really solid and very fundamental based.
I feel he could be higher up then jax.
Last character I moved was sektor. Moved him down 2 spots. Shang and ermac have a lot more going for them then sektor does. I would even go as far as to put mileena above sektor.

A Tier:
Cage
Kitana
Smoke
Jax
Skarlet
Liu Kang

So I would have B like this

Raiden
Reptile
Ermac
Shang Tsung
Sektor
Mileena
Sub-Zer0

xSMoKEx
Rather then make a tier list based on tools. I would do one with you based on Match ups.
I feel that would be a real tier list. They kind of point to the same ting, because tools do determine match ups.
 
Smarrgasm

Smarrgasm

What's a Smarrgasm?
Basically what Blake said but ill edit in my thoughts later on.

***Edit***

Rain's main problem was having difficulty vs zoning and having decent footsies but got outclassed by a lot of characters in that department. He had bad defensive and offensive pokes and heavily relied on armor which made it that much easier to bait out and make him waste precious meter which he could only build by either getting hit or touching the other character. He had a teleport which had its uses but for all other purposes it was pretty awful.

Full screen he was less scary than Johnny Cage cause lightning was super slow and had TONS of recovery. 43 and B2 1+2 were great strings but on whiff they were terrible. His pressure was only good if they respected the cancels and didnt jump over you each time they thought you would cancel. There was also huge holes for other peoples armor in his own pressure. The safe super armor and Armored dashes were amazing but it wasnt enough to carry the character past his first problem which was the full screen game. He was basically just around Mid-tier overall but in MK9 that meant you were dead in the water.
 
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