Question Parries in a game with a block button?

[Xerclipse]

Okay so lets give a game with block button (Mortal Kombat) the parry mechanic! So how much justice would it do to the game? Will it break it, or will it make it more interesting.

If you can parry with the parry button and block with the block button, then there could be some big camping and baiting going on. But you would have to make the fail window of parrying more punishing.

I have heard some of the other player's opinions about parrying. Some say it is too broken and completely defeats the purpose of zoning with projectiles, Some say it adds more depth and makes you a better player.

Here is what I think:

Mortal Kombat X has lots of 50/50 games, but if you add parrying, then that 50/50 game could change. So as you hold Block, you could parry the overhead or Low. There still is some memorizing what move does what. It could give players a chance to parry those attack string openers that are OH and Low in the same sequence.

However I think it could add some problems. Why should I use Kitana's meter burned Fan projectile full screen? It looks pretty predictable for a parry or instant guard.

 

[StealthyMuffin]

Stance Change is a much better feature.

 

[Xerclipse]

Stance Change is a much better feature.

Stance Change? No parries?! That button has to do more than give you a few more frames of lag, and to see the pretty face of your opponent/ or to make the ugly opponent face away.

 

[Icy Black Deep]

Parry doesn't have to be its own button, or any button at all. Nor does it have to be possible to parry projectiles just because you can parry physical attacks.

But at any rate, MKX is very heavily slanted in favor of the attacking player, so I don't see them adding something like a parry that would help the defender.

 

[Rearawt]

How would the parry button be different from the parry specials that some characters already get?
How would you parry a projectile?

I've only ever played MK, so I don't know how other games do this

 

[I GOT HANDS]

A lot of 50/50's are already unsafe, so blocking them IS parrying. The point of the ones that are safe is that the character isn't intended to be punished for this move. We are allowed to be safe on some things I think.

 

[exflyingbooty]

parries exist already????

 

[cyke_out]

It works for soul calibur.

 

[Deyrax]

No. Parries should be special moves exclusively and only certain characters should have them. No need to turn MK into parry fest again..

 

[JerzeyReign]

I love when people parry my highly unsafe Mileena. Let me off the hook with a little 12% or whatever parry instead of optimal/full damage combo, I'll take it haha.

 

[AeWhole]

Commando Kano has parries (If I know what a parry is). They are really fun to watch when they happen. Trying to parry attacks in MK is clumsy and it just feels weird in my opinion though. It's not MK at all with parries.

 

[Barrogh]

How would the parry button be different from the parry specials that some characters already get?

Well, the difference is one being universal feature, other being character's unique feature.
I kinda like character-specific stuff tbh.

Irrelevant fun fact: Capcom re-introduced parry as a character-specific move for Ryu and sorta "flash parry" for Zangief.

Commando Kano has parries (If I know what a parry is). They are really fun to watch when they happen. Trying to parry attacks in MK is clumsy and it just feels weird in my opinion though. It's not MK at all with parries.

I suppose what OP means classic SF3-like parries. Execution-dependant blocks that have less blockstun, negate chip, may have other neat properties... There are different combinations of things they do, depending on game in question. Kinda like Kotal's Mace parry, just universal and executed with precise specific button press, with almost unexistant active frames.

Modern examples of something like that would be Just guard from Soul Calibur 5, Guilty Gear. Bid Band's parry from Skullgirls, V-skill of Ryu from Street Fighter 5...

 

[HuttonMD]

As long as the window is tight and could only be done on a read not reaction it might be fun and add a nice defensive element.

If they really wanted to change the stance switch button I think run would be a good option for it

Idk if anyone played dark souls but it shouldn't have the parry window of pre patch monestary scimitar

 

[AeWhole]

Well, the difference is one being universal feature, other being character's unique feature.
I kinda like character-specific stuff tbh.

Irrelevant fun fact: Capcom re-introduced parry as a character-specific move for Ryu and sorta "flash parry" for Zangief.


I suppose what OP means classic SF3-like parries. Execution-dependant blocks that have less blockstun, negate chip, may have other neat properties... There are different combinations of things they do, depending on game in question. Kinda like Kotal's Mace parry, just universal and executed with precise specific button press, with almost unexistant active frames.

Modern examples of something like that would be Just guard from Soul Calibur 5, Guilty Gear. Bid Band's parry from Skullgirls, V-skill of Ryu from Street Fighter 5...

Ah, okay. Well in that case really Kotal Kahn is the only one with a parry in this game. I think. Doesn't it give him extra damage though? I like this idea of parries. However considering how slow some attacks are in MKX this could make certain match ups just unplayable. It would be really neat though to see someone take an attack and not get chip from it. On the other hand parries could fix some issues with frame traps that I have. Maybe you can only parry overheads and lows? Caveat to that is you can't parry while blocking that seems a little too good.

 

[Barrogh]

Ah, okay. Well in that case really Kotal Kahn is the only one with a parry in this game. I think. Doesn't it give him extra damage though?

Well, it does. Although it's worth noting that his parry is a special with a startup (unless MB'd) while traditional parry doesn't. Well, technically. Soul Calibur's Just guard, for example, is executed by tapping block for less that 4 frames and only comes online after button is released, so you can consider duration of your tap to be that "startup" (although nothing stops you from overlap it with another animation if it's just about to end I suppose).

However considering how slow some attacks are in MKX this could make certain match ups just unplayable.

Games are built around this feature if it's core feature. For example (AFAIK), some pressure setups in Guilty Gear all but require you use Justs in order to escape block-nearly-infinites as certain characters, and yeah, they do chip when your guard gauge overheats (IIRC).

Not really expert in GG, but it's a decent illustration nevertheless.

Caveat to that is you can't parry while blocking that seems a little too good.

Sure, that's how it's always done, you mistime it, you eat entire thing. Example from SC above indicates how you must not actually hold block button in order to parry stuff (in addition, you can't parry while in blockstun, so you must parry entire chain in order to get benefits). Same goes for other games. For example, SG or SF3 parry requires you to tap "forward" to parry and release it after each hit - in a "back to block" game.