RM Ree
Shiba Tamer
50/50's do not exist, mix ups do. The faster we acknowledge this, the better off we'll be as players.
The mix up is overhead, low or throw, and even then it's situational. That's technically 33/33/33 (shout outs to Leeroy). It's not eloquent, and by all means continue to call the mix ups 50/50's, but many players (including myself) fail to include throws in the defensive thought process and thus are free to the 12% option more often than not.
Acknowledge there are always 3 ways around your defense. How many of you lean back and sigh when you get thrown because frankly, you forgot for a moment? I personally tunnel vision all the time.
Beyond this, it's important to be mindful that mix ups are also distance dependent. You don't get mixed up from full screen right (Ferra Torr plz)? Because Quan Chi's low starter doesn't hit from full screen. Well it doesn't hit from sweep distance either, so why consider low? This applies on both offense and defense.
On the offensive, take SZ corner clone set up, Any combo into ... njk, clone~ At this exact moment, the /only/ option he has to start a combo is b2. Both the SZ player and the opponent should act accordingly because the mix up is an illusion. Any low combo starter is completely out of range. We have a reactable low that would reach in 12, but this is a gimmick, and f33 is an easily recognizable string. The point in which a true mix up becomes available is the point when b33 will connect (at which point throw will likely connect as well). But still, this is more than a 50/50.
On the defensive, Ermac for example, at sweep distance, has an OH that will connect, but no viable low. The only real option is to block high until Ermac is within throw distance. At sweep range, he has no mix up. Not adhering to this concept could mean ~38% unnecessarily. Again, not strictly a 50/50.
For those of you reading who are thinking 50/50, consider high/low/throw instead. For those of you who don't consider distance as a factor when mixing up or getting mixed up, start.
The mix up is overhead, low or throw, and even then it's situational. That's technically 33/33/33 (shout outs to Leeroy). It's not eloquent, and by all means continue to call the mix ups 50/50's, but many players (including myself) fail to include throws in the defensive thought process and thus are free to the 12% option more often than not.
Acknowledge there are always 3 ways around your defense. How many of you lean back and sigh when you get thrown because frankly, you forgot for a moment? I personally tunnel vision all the time.
Beyond this, it's important to be mindful that mix ups are also distance dependent. You don't get mixed up from full screen right (Ferra Torr plz)? Because Quan Chi's low starter doesn't hit from full screen. Well it doesn't hit from sweep distance either, so why consider low? This applies on both offense and defense.
On the offensive, take SZ corner clone set up, Any combo into ... njk, clone~ At this exact moment, the /only/ option he has to start a combo is b2. Both the SZ player and the opponent should act accordingly because the mix up is an illusion. Any low combo starter is completely out of range. We have a reactable low that would reach in 12, but this is a gimmick, and f33 is an easily recognizable string. The point in which a true mix up becomes available is the point when b33 will connect (at which point throw will likely connect as well). But still, this is more than a 50/50.
On the defensive, Ermac for example, at sweep distance, has an OH that will connect, but no viable low. The only real option is to block high until Ermac is within throw distance. At sweep range, he has no mix up. Not adhering to this concept could mean ~38% unnecessarily. Again, not strictly a 50/50.
For those of you reading who are thinking 50/50, consider high/low/throw instead. For those of you who don't consider distance as a factor when mixing up or getting mixed up, start.