Sweep will beat jump in punches 99.99999% of the time. It's cross ups that give Smoke the worst trouble.
EX Smoke bomb is already really useful, it doesn't need to be any better. Regular smoke bomb can't chip because it's indirect properties are so good; it's start up and cool down are probably the best in the game for a combo starting "projectile" and it isn't even techinically a projectile so it beats reflect moves. Also, you can punish a whiffed anything from anywhere on screen with it.
my wish list of reasonable Smoke changes (let's be clear, I'm not asking for these just playing "fantasy MK character" instead of "fantasy football)
-take away the reset
-faster uppercut
-faster canceling out of EX shake
that's about it.
As much as I would like to see it, Smoke is never going to get an armored move because the reasoning behind armor distribution was that characters could get "easily zoned out" and couldn't return fire (ie. non teleporters like Kabal, NW, JC, Subz, Reptile, Jax, etc. There are characters that under this criteria shouldn't have armor: Sonya and Rain. But, that's a whole 'nother discussion). Smoke can't be zoned out and therefore will never get armor, and we won't ever see the REAL benefit of having it.
Clearly, the best use of armor is to break pressure with a guaranteed retaliation. I'm going to put it out there and say that the single most important thing in this game is MOMENTUM. It's true for every character but espcially for Smoke. This patch is bad news for Smoke; hard to get going, can be stopped by spending one meter.
Yes, EX Shake is good to break pressure USUALLY, and there would be some level of redundancy if he had, say, armored EX t punch. But, armor is 100% guaranteed pressure reversal and there is plenty of shit that beats EX shake.
OFF TOPIC: most hype way to end a match with Smoke?
X-Ray > dash cancel > throw
EDIT: I know X-ray has armor. That doesn't count lol.
