UghGetOuttaHere
Number Cruncher. Jack of All Trades.
Young/Old Morphing
(M) = Down + Stance Switch
-Using (M) while in neutral, walking or dashing will force Shang into a 41 frame swap animation. You can not buffer the swap out of recovery (like a reversal) .This animation can be canceled into any attack [of the opposite stance] at any point, but not block/movement.
Note: Old (M), Young (M), and Form Stealer all have similar yet slightly different animations.
-Shang Tsung has the freedom to seamlessly switch stances during any part of any attacking/jumping animation. There are a few exceptions to this rule:
-There are certain recovery frames during D1, D2, D3, and D4 that lock you out of Stance Switch.
Note: Shang is locked out of Stance Switch for roughly 30 frames regardless of method. The lock out applies to Perfect Form as well.
-Shang Tsung can cancel strings from one stance into special moves of the opposite stance. This applies to string variations as well. Achieving the desired results is all about buffering and using (M) at the right time.
(M) Before Start Up = Opposite Stance Effect
(M) After Start Up = Stance Switch
Hint: Buffering a sequence and then adding (M) when needed makes this easier.
Example: Assume the buffered sequence (hit or block): Y.Shang F4,3 DB+3
Y. Shang F43, DB3 (M) = String -> Bed of Spikes -> Stance Switch.
Y. Shang F43(M), DB3 = String -> Injection
Y. Shang F4(M)121(M), DB3 = Y. Shang F4 -> O. Shang String -> Bed of Spikes
TL;DR
You'll probably wanna learn these:
(M)F3
Y. Shang 12(M), DB1
Y. Shang 2(M)4, DF1
Y. Shang 24(M), DF1
Y. Shang F4(M)121, DF1
Y. Shang F43(M), DF1
Y. Shang B12(M)
O. Shang Any move(M), ExDB3
-This allows you to play Y. Shangs superior neutral/defense but still captalize on O. Shangs superior combo tools.
Perfect Form
Shang needs roughly 20 frames before he can use Perfect Form (F,B+4) after a morph. Form Stealer (F,D,B+4) does not suffer from this and can be used at any point. Form Stealer takes 63 frames in total and the start up has to fully play our for Shang to maintain form.
Lifetime: ≈12 seconds (≈18 seconds for enhanced).
Enhanced grants a 20% damage increase.
Enhanced morph now has a visual & audio indicator that plays when times up.
Forced Morph Back: When times up on a morph, Shang is forced to perform Perfect Form after the his next animation is over, upon releasing block, or on wake up. He can, however, block before the animation is over. In MK11, there was a 7 frame window to hit him before being able to block, but it was decreased to a 3 frame window in a patch. It's my belief that the window is still 3 frames (maybe less).
I've compiled a list of moves that a morphed Shang can cancel into F,B+4 (Perfect Form) without being punished.
If a move/string isn't listed, assume it to be punishable. (That includes all low pokes)
Unsafe strings typically are -10 to -16. Low pokes tend to be -17 to -22.
[ xyz ] moves with brackets are very close to safe though technically punishable.
Ashrah: 1,2 / 2,2 / B3 / 3 / F4 / B2
Baraka: 3 / F4
Geras: B1 / F2 / F2,4 / F4,4 (UNIQUE: Leaves you netural on block, and combo with shang on hit) / 3 / 4
Havik: 1,1 / 2,2 / 3
Johnny Cage: 3 / 4
Kitana: 1,1 / [2,4] / 3 / B1
Kung Lao: 2,1,2
Kenshi: 1,4 / 3 / 4 / B2 / F2,2
Sento Stance: 1,2 / 2 / F1,1 / F3 / 4,2 / 3
Li Mei: 4 / 1,2,4
Lui Kang: 4
Mileena: 1,2 (last hit only) / F2,4 / 3 / F3
Nitara: 4
OmniMan: 3 / 4 / F3
Peacemaker: 3 / [4] / 1,2 / F4 / F4,1
QuanChi: 1,2 / F2 / F4 / 2,1,4
Rain: 3 / 2,1,1 (3rd hit only) / F2,1
Smoke: None
Scorpion: None
Shang Tsung: Shang never has to morph back in a mirror match. However, he can still use enhanced morph to get the power boost for 18 seconds. NOTE that standing 3 is the only way to morph into the opponent safely on block, as Shang.
Shao Kahn: [1,2] / F1,2,[2] (safe from any part of the string).
No axe: [2,2]
Sindel: 2,4 / F1 (First&Last hits) / 3
Subzero: 3 / 4
Raiden: F2,2
Reiko 3,4
Reptile: 4
Tanya: 3 / 4
(M) = Down + Stance Switch
-Using (M) while in neutral, walking or dashing will force Shang into a 41 frame swap animation. You can not buffer the swap out of recovery (like a reversal) .This animation can be canceled into any attack [of the opposite stance] at any point, but not block/movement.
Note: Old (M), Young (M), and Form Stealer all have similar yet slightly different animations.
-Shang Tsung has the freedom to seamlessly switch stances during any part of any attacking/jumping animation. There are a few exceptions to this rule:
-There are certain recovery frames during D1, D2, D3, and D4 that lock you out of Stance Switch.
Note: Shang is locked out of Stance Switch for roughly 30 frames regardless of method. The lock out applies to Perfect Form as well.
-Shang Tsung can cancel strings from one stance into special moves of the opposite stance. This applies to string variations as well. Achieving the desired results is all about buffering and using (M) at the right time.
(M) Before Start Up = Opposite Stance Effect
(M) After Start Up = Stance Switch
Hint: Buffering a sequence and then adding (M) when needed makes this easier.
Example: Assume the buffered sequence (hit or block): Y.Shang F4,3 DB+3
Y. Shang F43, DB3 (M) = String -> Bed of Spikes -> Stance Switch.
Y. Shang F43(M), DB3 = String -> Injection
Y. Shang F4(M)121(M), DB3 = Y. Shang F4 -> O. Shang String -> Bed of Spikes
TL;DR
You'll probably wanna learn these:
(M)F3
Y. Shang 12(M), DB1
Y. Shang 2(M)4, DF1
Y. Shang 24(M), DF1
Y. Shang F4(M)121, DF1
Y. Shang F43(M), DF1
Y. Shang B12(M)
O. Shang Any move(M), ExDB3
-This allows you to play Y. Shangs superior neutral/defense but still captalize on O. Shangs superior combo tools.
Perfect Form
Shang needs roughly 20 frames before he can use Perfect Form (F,B+4) after a morph. Form Stealer (F,D,B+4) does not suffer from this and can be used at any point. Form Stealer takes 63 frames in total and the start up has to fully play our for Shang to maintain form.
Lifetime: ≈12 seconds (≈18 seconds for enhanced).
Enhanced grants a 20% damage increase.
Enhanced morph now has a visual & audio indicator that plays when times up.
Forced Morph Back: When times up on a morph, Shang is forced to perform Perfect Form after the his next animation is over, upon releasing block, or on wake up. He can, however, block before the animation is over. In MK11, there was a 7 frame window to hit him before being able to block, but it was decreased to a 3 frame window in a patch. It's my belief that the window is still 3 frames (maybe less).
I've compiled a list of moves that a morphed Shang can cancel into F,B+4 (Perfect Form) without being punished.
If a move/string isn't listed, assume it to be punishable. (That includes all low pokes)
Unsafe strings typically are -10 to -16. Low pokes tend to be -17 to -22.
[ xyz ] moves with brackets are very close to safe though technically punishable.
Ashrah: 1,2 / 2,2 / B3 / 3 / F4 / B2
Baraka: 3 / F4
Geras: B1 / F2 / F2,4 / F4,4 (UNIQUE: Leaves you netural on block, and combo with shang on hit) / 3 / 4
Havik: 1,1 / 2,2 / 3
Johnny Cage: 3 / 4
Kitana: 1,1 / [2,4] / 3 / B1
Kung Lao: 2,1,2
Kenshi: 1,4 / 3 / 4 / B2 / F2,2
Sento Stance: 1,2 / 2 / F1,1 / F3 / 4,2 / 3
Li Mei: 4 / 1,2,4
Lui Kang: 4
Mileena: 1,2 (last hit only) / F2,4 / 3 / F3
Nitara: 4
OmniMan: 3 / 4 / F3
Peacemaker: 3 / [4] / 1,2 / F4 / F4,1
QuanChi: 1,2 / F2 / F4 / 2,1,4
Rain: 3 / 2,1,1 (3rd hit only) / F2,1
Smoke: None
Scorpion: None
Shang Tsung: Shang never has to morph back in a mirror match. However, he can still use enhanced morph to get the power boost for 18 seconds. NOTE that standing 3 is the only way to morph into the opponent safely on block, as Shang.
Shao Kahn: [1,2] / F1,2,[2] (safe from any part of the string).
No axe: [2,2]
Sindel: 2,4 / F1 (First&Last hits) / 3
Subzero: 3 / 4
Raiden: F2,2
Reiko 3,4
Reptile: 4
Tanya: 3 / 4
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