Krankk
Smoke & Noob & Rain
Hello everyone.
The title of this thread says "guide", but considering that I don't have much experience with fighting games... it's more of a perception of a beginner than a true guide. I'm going to list Noob Saibots tools and talk about them. If you see me thinking and talking crap, immediately call me out on that and correct me. This is mainly for me to learn more about the game and Noob Saibot, who is my main (until Smoke becomes DLC). So please, feel free to tell me where I'm wrong and why I'm wrong. And if you feel like I'm not considering certain stuff, point that out as well, so that I can implement it into my play.
Thanks!
All of the following information is based on Noob Saibots "Dark Sabbath" variation!
NOOB SAIBOTS MOVEMENT
Back Dash = Kinda bad.
Forward Dash = Decent. Not too bad, not too horrible.
Backwards Walk = Decent. Not too Bad, not too horrible.
Forward Walk = Great walking forward speed.
Teleport = Not as fast as Scorpions or Kollectors Teleport, but still good enough and leads to combos with good damage.
Sickle Port = Noob Saibot can port himself in front or behind the opponent (depending on your position). A good way to close distance from the air and catch opponents off guard, who are going for an Anti-Air or something.
Noob Saibot doesn't really have that many advancing strings. I think I count only one or two really effective ones. So you'll have to git gud at positioning yourself without the easy mode that are advancing mids. Overall he still seems fairly mobile due to his decent walk speed and his teleports. Like, no one is going to zone out Noob Saibot.
NOOB SAIBOTS NORMALS
F2 = Safe advancing mid ... can be cancelled
Good button. Safe on block, advancing, can be special cancelled. I just don't think you would ever use this alone, since it's featured in one of your main combo strings.
B2 = Safe advancing mid ... can't be cancelled
Just a safe advancing mid, which pushes the opponent far away and allows you to throw out some projectiles. Strikes me as an overall very good button, when you want to gain some distance.
D2 = Unsafe Anti-Air Uppercut
Strikes me as a great Anti-Air. Covers a lot of space. Obviously unsafe and can't be special cancelled.
F3 = Unsafe High ... can be special cancelled
Seems to be a surprisingly good Anti-Air. Probably not as good as D2, when it comes to the space it covers, but it can be special cancelled into Teleport for a full combo. Seems to also do a good job in extending combos to add extra damage.
F4 = Unsafe advancing Low into a High
It's unsafe at -7, but I feel like that's not so unsafe that you wouldn't want to use this button. However, it's range is actually not that great... It looks better than it actually is. And with the second hit being a high, you might whiff your first Low and then set yourself up for a devastating D2 Krushing Blow counter. So really pay attention to the space between your opponent and yourself.
NOOB SAIBOTS STRINGS
11 = Safe ... can be special cancelled
112 = Safe Overhead ... can't be special cancelled
113 = Unsafe ... can be special cancelled
I'm a little bit indifferent on the 11. In my eyes it's too fast to hitconfirm it properly, so you have to commit to something.
Noob Saibot doesn't have any Overhead strings, which lead to combos, so most experienced opponents will block low against Noob. So having the 112 Overhead string should lead to at least some damage.
The 113 is unsafe on block at -8 frames on block, but it seems to be one of the main strings, which lead to the big boi damage. Be careful with this string.
212 = Safe Low ... can be special cancelled
F221 = Safe advancing mid ... can be special cancelled
F2212 = "Unsafe" advancing mid ... can't be special cancelled
212 strikes me as one of Noob Saibots two best strings. It's a safe low, but turns into a mix up, when you combine it with a Jumping 1. So J1212 becomes an overhead into high into low into mid. Lesser opponents will get caught by one part of the mixup and you'll be able to convert it to the big boi damage. However, good opponents might immediately duck after the Overhead and D2 Krushing Blow your ass into oblivion.
F221 is Noob Saibots other top string, since it's a fast advancing mid. It strikes me as a great whiff punisher. The downside of the string is, that you can pretty much only special cancel it with the Shadow Tackle (Running Clone). Your Teleport doesn't combo, which is a pity.
F2212 is unsafe according to the frame data, but if the opponent blocks the string the last unsafe hit doesn't even come out, so it's actually safe. This string strikes me as a combo ender, since you won't always be able to use Noob Saibots special moves to finish off long strings. Also, when you end combos with this string in the corner, it looks like Noob Saibot switches the position with the opponent and places himself in the corner... So watch out for that.
B1 THROW (1+3) = Unsafe ... can be special cancelled
B1 THROW 2 = Unsafe ... can't be special cancelled
B1 into THROW is unsafe, but it has pushback and it looks like not all too many characters can punish it. On top of that the strings animation is very slow, so it's very hitconfirmable. On average this string should do quite a bit of work for you.
B1 into THROW into 2 is a Krushing Blow, if you Kounter or Punish the opponent. Noob Saibots Krushing Blows aren't that great from what I can tell, so this string is something you'll want to land at least once per match in the right situation to get the Krushing Blow damage.
B3 THROW = Unsafe Low ... can't be special cancelled
B3 THROW is very unsafe, but it's starts off with a low and leads to a Krushing Blow, if the opponent was stand blocking. Now there isn't much reason to block standing against Noob Saibot, but if you condition the opponent to block your jumping in Overheads standing, you might catch them off guard and get him with this mix up. You jump in with 1 into B3 into THROW and get your Krushing Blow.
NOOB SAIBOTS SPECIALS
Spirit Ball
High projectile. Not safe on block. Noob Saibots main projectile / zoning tool, since it travels very fast and has much less recovery than his Shadow Tackle. You'll mainly be using this ability for zoning - pretty much never in combos, since there are more damaging options.
Shadow Tackle
What a shitty ass projectile. It's mid, but it has painful recovery... And if Noob Saibot gets hit while the clone is running towards the opponent, the clone disappears. So Noob Saibot can't even trade with his clone. You'll still be throwing it out quite a bit, since it's a mid. Just be careful with the spacing. If your opponent is too close and jumps over the clone, you'll get punished hard (the recovery is that insane).
The Shadow Clone can be amplified on hit for extra damage. If you've hit 10 clones, the next amplified clone causes a Krushing Blow. I may be wrong, but I feel like they should totally change the requirement. The requirement wants to you HIT the opponent with 10 clones. Blocked clones don't seem to count.
(Air) Sickle Port
I feel like this is an ability with a lot of potential. It's a decently fast projectile teleport, which can be amplified into a pop up and a full combo. You could potentially trick opponent into trying to anti air you, but then launch them from behind with this ability. It strikes me as an ability with a high skill ceiling, since it requires prediction, great timing and great spacing.
Rising Shadow Kick
Noob Saibots famous Up Clone. Rising Shadow Kick is pretty much useless in the mid screen. The only way to implement it into combos and such is in the corner. There it opens up Noob Saibots high damage potential. It might also be a good anti air, but I feel like Noob Saibots D2 does a better job at anti airing... and if you're feeling like high risk = high reward, you can go for a F4 anti air into an amplified Teleport for a full combo.
Tele-Slam
Yet another classic Noob Saibot ability. An unsafe and moderately fast teleport, which can be amplified to become a combo extender. This is where Noob Saibot gets the majority of his damage from in the mid screen This is your main combo starter. Unfortunately it doesn't work with your main advancing string, but you still have other strings to use it with. A big downside is, that by nature of the teleport, your opponent will always be in a juggle state and be able to break out with the air escape.
NOOB SAIBOTS COMBOS
Baby Combos:
F221 x BF2 = 18% DAMAGE
212 x DU = 20% DAMAGE
113 X DU = 20% DAMAGE
You can of course add jumping 1s or 2s at the start of these baby brain combos for extra damage. The same applies for all the other combos as well.
You can also amplify the special moves for a small amount of extra damage.
First Grader Combos:
212 x DU (Amplify) > Walk Forward > 11 x BF2 = 29% DAMAGE
113 x DU (Amplify) > Walk Forward > 11 x BF2 = 31% DAMAGE
Second Grader Combos:
212 x DU (Amplify) > Walk Forward > F2212 = 30% DAMAGE
113 x DU (Amplify) > Walk Forward > 113 x BF2 = 35% DAMAGE
Corner Combos:
212 x DB4 > 11 x DB2 = 24% DAMAGE
F221 x DB4 > 11 x DB2 = 25% DAMAGE
212 x DB4 > 113 x DB4 = 26% DAMAGE
212 x DB4 > B1 THROW x DB2 = 26% DAMAGE
F221 x DB4 > 113 x DB4 = 27% DAMAGE
212 x DU (Amplify) > 113 x DB4 = 31% DAMAGE
Obviously none of those combos are truly optimized. If you want min-maxed combos, you'll have to look somewhere else. Just know that adding 1% or 2% or even 3% extra damage to combos often comes with a whole another layer of execution. And I'm not sure, if a beginner truly needs that. I'd personally rather land a 25% damage combo consistently than attempt a more damaging one, but drop it at 22% or something.
NOOB SAIBOTS GAMEPLAN:
Noob Saibot strikes me as very versatile, so I'm not sure if I have narrowed his gameplan down properly.
But I would say that on average I'd be looking to chip the opponents health away with Shadow Clones at max range, whenever I can. They're mid, so they can't be ducked. Noob Saibots Spirit Ball is a very fast traveling projectile, so that can be spammed quite well as well. It's a high though, so it can be ducked. If the opponent tries to counter zone, I can always go in with a teleport and amplify it into a full combo.
Once the opponent closes the distance I have my B2 to push them back again. Or I have my F221, a safe and advancing mid, which can be special cancelled with the Shadow Clone to gain some distance back. Another option is F4, which is an advancing Low into High, which also creates some distance between the opponent and me.
On the Kombat Kast they said that Noob Saibot was one of the main zoners in the game, but I don't feel like Noob Saibots zoning is very potent. He seems to shine in the corner. But at the same time he doesn't really have all to great mix up options. He has an overhead, which doesn't really lead to a combo. So the opponents will mostly be blocking low against me. However, jumpings are natural overheads, so they can be combined with Noob Saibots 212 string, which has a Low. That should open the majority of opponents up, unless they are able to duck the second high hit of the jumping in string... or they can fuzzy guard the overhead > high > low in time.
So that's what I would do as Noob Saibot. Frustrate the opponent as much as I can at max range with Spirit Balls and Shadow Clones. If they try to counter zone, I have my teleport. If they try to get in, I have some buttons, which push them back. I also have one advancing string, which leads to another pushback. I also have some mix up options with jumping in overheads into low strings. And if I ever get them to the corner and manage to keep them in there, then it's game over due to Noob Saibots high combo and damage potential in the corner.
So, that's a beginners take on Noob Saibot! Any kind of feedback and advice are appreciated! Thanks!
The title of this thread says "guide", but considering that I don't have much experience with fighting games... it's more of a perception of a beginner than a true guide. I'm going to list Noob Saibots tools and talk about them. If you see me thinking and talking crap, immediately call me out on that and correct me. This is mainly for me to learn more about the game and Noob Saibot, who is my main (until Smoke becomes DLC). So please, feel free to tell me where I'm wrong and why I'm wrong. And if you feel like I'm not considering certain stuff, point that out as well, so that I can implement it into my play.
Thanks!
All of the following information is based on Noob Saibots "Dark Sabbath" variation!
NOOB SAIBOTS MOVEMENT
Back Dash = Kinda bad.
Forward Dash = Decent. Not too bad, not too horrible.
Backwards Walk = Decent. Not too Bad, not too horrible.
Forward Walk = Great walking forward speed.
Teleport = Not as fast as Scorpions or Kollectors Teleport, but still good enough and leads to combos with good damage.
Sickle Port = Noob Saibot can port himself in front or behind the opponent (depending on your position). A good way to close distance from the air and catch opponents off guard, who are going for an Anti-Air or something.
Noob Saibot doesn't really have that many advancing strings. I think I count only one or two really effective ones. So you'll have to git gud at positioning yourself without the easy mode that are advancing mids. Overall he still seems fairly mobile due to his decent walk speed and his teleports. Like, no one is going to zone out Noob Saibot.
NOOB SAIBOTS NORMALS
F2 = Safe advancing mid ... can be cancelled
Good button. Safe on block, advancing, can be special cancelled. I just don't think you would ever use this alone, since it's featured in one of your main combo strings.
B2 = Safe advancing mid ... can't be cancelled
Just a safe advancing mid, which pushes the opponent far away and allows you to throw out some projectiles. Strikes me as an overall very good button, when you want to gain some distance.
D2 = Unsafe Anti-Air Uppercut
Strikes me as a great Anti-Air. Covers a lot of space. Obviously unsafe and can't be special cancelled.
F3 = Unsafe High ... can be special cancelled
Seems to be a surprisingly good Anti-Air. Probably not as good as D2, when it comes to the space it covers, but it can be special cancelled into Teleport for a full combo. Seems to also do a good job in extending combos to add extra damage.
F4 = Unsafe advancing Low into a High
It's unsafe at -7, but I feel like that's not so unsafe that you wouldn't want to use this button. However, it's range is actually not that great... It looks better than it actually is. And with the second hit being a high, you might whiff your first Low and then set yourself up for a devastating D2 Krushing Blow counter. So really pay attention to the space between your opponent and yourself.
NOOB SAIBOTS STRINGS
11 = Safe ... can be special cancelled
112 = Safe Overhead ... can't be special cancelled
113 = Unsafe ... can be special cancelled
I'm a little bit indifferent on the 11. In my eyes it's too fast to hitconfirm it properly, so you have to commit to something.
Noob Saibot doesn't have any Overhead strings, which lead to combos, so most experienced opponents will block low against Noob. So having the 112 Overhead string should lead to at least some damage.
The 113 is unsafe on block at -8 frames on block, but it seems to be one of the main strings, which lead to the big boi damage. Be careful with this string.
212 = Safe Low ... can be special cancelled
F221 = Safe advancing mid ... can be special cancelled
F2212 = "Unsafe" advancing mid ... can't be special cancelled
212 strikes me as one of Noob Saibots two best strings. It's a safe low, but turns into a mix up, when you combine it with a Jumping 1. So J1212 becomes an overhead into high into low into mid. Lesser opponents will get caught by one part of the mixup and you'll be able to convert it to the big boi damage. However, good opponents might immediately duck after the Overhead and D2 Krushing Blow your ass into oblivion.
F221 is Noob Saibots other top string, since it's a fast advancing mid. It strikes me as a great whiff punisher. The downside of the string is, that you can pretty much only special cancel it with the Shadow Tackle (Running Clone). Your Teleport doesn't combo, which is a pity.
F2212 is unsafe according to the frame data, but if the opponent blocks the string the last unsafe hit doesn't even come out, so it's actually safe. This string strikes me as a combo ender, since you won't always be able to use Noob Saibots special moves to finish off long strings. Also, when you end combos with this string in the corner, it looks like Noob Saibot switches the position with the opponent and places himself in the corner... So watch out for that.
B1 THROW (1+3) = Unsafe ... can be special cancelled
B1 THROW 2 = Unsafe ... can't be special cancelled
B1 into THROW is unsafe, but it has pushback and it looks like not all too many characters can punish it. On top of that the strings animation is very slow, so it's very hitconfirmable. On average this string should do quite a bit of work for you.
B1 into THROW into 2 is a Krushing Blow, if you Kounter or Punish the opponent. Noob Saibots Krushing Blows aren't that great from what I can tell, so this string is something you'll want to land at least once per match in the right situation to get the Krushing Blow damage.
B3 THROW = Unsafe Low ... can't be special cancelled
B3 THROW is very unsafe, but it's starts off with a low and leads to a Krushing Blow, if the opponent was stand blocking. Now there isn't much reason to block standing against Noob Saibot, but if you condition the opponent to block your jumping in Overheads standing, you might catch them off guard and get him with this mix up. You jump in with 1 into B3 into THROW and get your Krushing Blow.
NOOB SAIBOTS SPECIALS
Spirit Ball
High projectile. Not safe on block. Noob Saibots main projectile / zoning tool, since it travels very fast and has much less recovery than his Shadow Tackle. You'll mainly be using this ability for zoning - pretty much never in combos, since there are more damaging options.
Shadow Tackle
What a shitty ass projectile. It's mid, but it has painful recovery... And if Noob Saibot gets hit while the clone is running towards the opponent, the clone disappears. So Noob Saibot can't even trade with his clone. You'll still be throwing it out quite a bit, since it's a mid. Just be careful with the spacing. If your opponent is too close and jumps over the clone, you'll get punished hard (the recovery is that insane).
The Shadow Clone can be amplified on hit for extra damage. If you've hit 10 clones, the next amplified clone causes a Krushing Blow. I may be wrong, but I feel like they should totally change the requirement. The requirement wants to you HIT the opponent with 10 clones. Blocked clones don't seem to count.
(Air) Sickle Port
I feel like this is an ability with a lot of potential. It's a decently fast projectile teleport, which can be amplified into a pop up and a full combo. You could potentially trick opponent into trying to anti air you, but then launch them from behind with this ability. It strikes me as an ability with a high skill ceiling, since it requires prediction, great timing and great spacing.
Rising Shadow Kick
Noob Saibots famous Up Clone. Rising Shadow Kick is pretty much useless in the mid screen. The only way to implement it into combos and such is in the corner. There it opens up Noob Saibots high damage potential. It might also be a good anti air, but I feel like Noob Saibots D2 does a better job at anti airing... and if you're feeling like high risk = high reward, you can go for a F4 anti air into an amplified Teleport for a full combo.
Tele-Slam
Yet another classic Noob Saibot ability. An unsafe and moderately fast teleport, which can be amplified to become a combo extender. This is where Noob Saibot gets the majority of his damage from in the mid screen This is your main combo starter. Unfortunately it doesn't work with your main advancing string, but you still have other strings to use it with. A big downside is, that by nature of the teleport, your opponent will always be in a juggle state and be able to break out with the air escape.
NOOB SAIBOTS COMBOS
Baby Combos:
F221 x BF2 = 18% DAMAGE
212 x DU = 20% DAMAGE
113 X DU = 20% DAMAGE
You can of course add jumping 1s or 2s at the start of these baby brain combos for extra damage. The same applies for all the other combos as well.
You can also amplify the special moves for a small amount of extra damage.
First Grader Combos:
212 x DU (Amplify) > Walk Forward > 11 x BF2 = 29% DAMAGE
113 x DU (Amplify) > Walk Forward > 11 x BF2 = 31% DAMAGE
Second Grader Combos:
212 x DU (Amplify) > Walk Forward > F2212 = 30% DAMAGE
113 x DU (Amplify) > Walk Forward > 113 x BF2 = 35% DAMAGE
Corner Combos:
212 x DB4 > 11 x DB2 = 24% DAMAGE
F221 x DB4 > 11 x DB2 = 25% DAMAGE
212 x DB4 > 113 x DB4 = 26% DAMAGE
212 x DB4 > B1 THROW x DB2 = 26% DAMAGE
F221 x DB4 > 113 x DB4 = 27% DAMAGE
212 x DU (Amplify) > 113 x DB4 = 31% DAMAGE
Obviously none of those combos are truly optimized. If you want min-maxed combos, you'll have to look somewhere else. Just know that adding 1% or 2% or even 3% extra damage to combos often comes with a whole another layer of execution. And I'm not sure, if a beginner truly needs that. I'd personally rather land a 25% damage combo consistently than attempt a more damaging one, but drop it at 22% or something.
NOOB SAIBOTS GAMEPLAN:
Noob Saibot strikes me as very versatile, so I'm not sure if I have narrowed his gameplan down properly.
But I would say that on average I'd be looking to chip the opponents health away with Shadow Clones at max range, whenever I can. They're mid, so they can't be ducked. Noob Saibots Spirit Ball is a very fast traveling projectile, so that can be spammed quite well as well. It's a high though, so it can be ducked. If the opponent tries to counter zone, I can always go in with a teleport and amplify it into a full combo.
Once the opponent closes the distance I have my B2 to push them back again. Or I have my F221, a safe and advancing mid, which can be special cancelled with the Shadow Clone to gain some distance back. Another option is F4, which is an advancing Low into High, which also creates some distance between the opponent and me.
On the Kombat Kast they said that Noob Saibot was one of the main zoners in the game, but I don't feel like Noob Saibots zoning is very potent. He seems to shine in the corner. But at the same time he doesn't really have all to great mix up options. He has an overhead, which doesn't really lead to a combo. So the opponents will mostly be blocking low against me. However, jumpings are natural overheads, so they can be combined with Noob Saibots 212 string, which has a Low. That should open the majority of opponents up, unless they are able to duck the second high hit of the jumping in string... or they can fuzzy guard the overhead > high > low in time.
So that's what I would do as Noob Saibot. Frustrate the opponent as much as I can at max range with Spirit Balls and Shadow Clones. If they try to counter zone, I have my teleport. If they try to get in, I have some buttons, which push them back. I also have one advancing string, which leads to another pushback. I also have some mix up options with jumping in overheads into low strings. And if I ever get them to the corner and manage to keep them in there, then it's game over due to Noob Saibots high combo and damage potential in the corner.
So, that's a beginners take on Noob Saibot! Any kind of feedback and advice are appreciated! Thanks!
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Great post all the way through..
