Rain General Discussion

[DarksydeDash]

I gotta experiment with it more but I think the low hat from lao and the portals have some deadly mixups.

 

[Felipe_Gewehr]

So, I have played against some Rains and some were trying to do some setups with kameo sub. Basically launch > freeze with sub > charge the projectile to stun the enemy > set um a whirlpool on the ground > start a new combo with the double overhead.

Theoretically this is supposed to be a hard to blockable, but I figured out that you can just delay wakeup and then just stand block the overheads. So this means more experienced players will quickly blow you up hard for this once the meta evolves. Just a heads up

 

[santanabar]

Unfortunately this character needs some (most) of his moves redesigned. Portals, whirlpool, shield and the ddu projectile, all of them are crap.

Every time I see a Rain win a game is becase he just hit him with normals/strings much more times than the opponnent, nothing related to his moves or setups.

 

[santanabar]

I know we've got some folks on here that are absolutely dead-set determined to make him work for them in the character's current state but if I'm being honest with myself, I won't be playing Rain much in MK1 unless NRS makes significant adjustments to his kit. I feel like his design came about backwards or something; like they prioritized giving him a bunch of unorthodox tools but forgot to make them work in practical ways. It's like he was designed in Practice Mode to be an experimental character with a bunch of flashy and fun to look at tools and by the time they were done with implementing his specials and trying to make the hitboxes work for them, they lost all motivation to actually have them make sense. By no means do I mean to offend any of you guys that play him/want to play him but there is so much about this alteration of the character that just irks me.

You have no idea how badly I want someone to find something that really pushes this character over the top or even makes use of his "zoning tools" in a meaningful way where he could compete with most of the roster but I don't see it. It pains me so much to admit this because prior to release, I was determined to main him (since this is the first time he's been part of the base roster in the new era) but there is nothing about him that works for me. I envy those of you that can make him work for you.

I remember watching the Kombat Kast where Stephanie shows off what he can do and it felt like they didn't even know what is good about him. That's when I kind of knew how this was going to turn out.

Cant agree more, it was the first character I tried, and even though I had no clue about other characters, my first impression was character incomplete low tier. Same feeling as frost on release in mk11

 

[bmoee1]

The whirlpool can be blocked but it sets up for a lot of mind games, especially if you can place it in different parts of your combo…. Low tier… no way!

 

[M2Dave]

So, there is a gap between f+2,1 that allows the opponent to interrupt with armor moves.

This could be a major problem for the character long term.

The currently perceived top tier characters do not have such a conspicuous weakness.

 

[exeeter702]

The whirlpool can be blocked but it sets up for a lot of mind games, especially if you can place it in different parts of your combo…. Low tier… no way!

What an inciteful contribution man!

Guys! Hang on, we didnt stop and consider pool on BLOCK and the kind of mind games it can create!

 

[DarksydeDash]

How are we feeling about Lao kameo? I really like how the hat is + on block

 

[bmoee1]

How are we feeling about Lao kameo? I really like how the hat is + on block

I like his buzzsaw mixup game. You can use d3 to check them anytime they want to back up and then you can go crazy. I would like to find better use for his teleport (some char can combo off a throw with lao kameo) and maybe the spin for better combos. He seems decent for now, but I prefer cyrax for pressure because of his reset and combo potential.

I still think scorpion kameo is best for me right now, though.

 

[Ptehu]

for me nothing works better than Sub-Zero kameo. Both for safety in zoning and combo extension.

 

[PrinceGoro]

for me nothing works better than Sub-Zero kameo. Both for safety in zoning and combo extension.

I feel like for combo extensions the scorpion kameo is best,you can gel his entire moveset together with it and confirm literelly anything into scorp fire balls for a full combo and the damge scaling is not as bad as sub freez.

you can do stuff like:
f21xxdb1 mid scorp fireballs jump 2 4 3, 1xxdb3 far scorp fireballs dash full charge 4 f2xxdb3

 

[Ptehu]

of course you can bring Scorpion, but bear in mind that I'm old xD my fingers & muscle memory are not working as in late 90s.

My preferred playstyle is more to keep calm and wait for opponents mistakes rather than hitting endless strings.

That's why I hate I cannot master Smoke properly

 

[PrinceGoro]

of course you can bring Scorpion, but bear in mind that I'm old xD my fingers & muscle memory are not working as in late 90s.

My preferred playstyle is more calm and wait for opponents mistakes rather than hitting endless strings.

That's why I hate I cannot master Smoke properly

hahah all good,everyone has their preference.
The scorp kameo with rain is just really fun and the combos are very satisfying

 

[DarksydeDash]

Kano is really good for making Geyser safe and having mindgames.

 

[exeeter702]

for me nothing works better than Sub-Zero kameo. Both for safety in zoning and combo extension.

Cryax affords a similar combo conversion as scorpion off of armored geyser, something sub can't provide. Sub gives better combo damage (about 15ish) off of a f3,2 route, but less damage (15ish) off of f2,1 confirms than cryax.

Cryax can make strings safe off bad confirms, sub freeze combos must be confirmed outside of f3,2 starters.

Cryax and sub can both get full charge beam combos off of s2 starter.

Cyrax whirlpool setups are weaker than sub setups, but still workable and more varied.

Cyrax has better corner combo damage for the most part. Off of f3,2 one cameo charge, one meter around 465 damage. Sub corner combos range in the 420 range if you cancel f3 right into meter up beam, or 430ish if you confirm f2,1 into meter up beam.

Sub freeze and armor are on a 15 sec charge timer. Cryax chopper is on a ten second timer. Minor but still worth noting I suppose. Cyrax also provides 2 bar launcher off throw.

It really boils down to:
Cryax

• armored wake up combos
• block pressure mix ups
• more damage in the corner
• combo access from throw (situational)
• more damage from f2,1 routes

Sub

• strong anti zoning utility (very strong MU defining)
• charged beam whirlpool setups (situational)
• more damage from f3,2 routes

 

[bmoee1]

Has anyone been able to find a practical use for his portal?

 

[BanTheTesters]

Thought I’d switch gears a bit and try someone new, rains fun. Very technical as well

many tips on what strings I should be pushing un safe strings with, etc?

 

[SaladPlateLover]

Has anyone been able to find a practical use for his portal?

The teleport is slow and hard to 50/50 from it when it's often difficult to tell what side you'll come out of, so the most practical use is just summoning them to cancel strings. Otherwise you place a portal, back dash a lot, and when the opponent walks near the portal you have the option of teleporting where you'll want to cover yourself with a cameo first.

 

[bmoee1]

Thought I’d switch gears a bit and try someone new, rains fun. Very technical as well

many tips on what strings I should be pushing un safe strings with, etc?

I typically try to dash in and do 11 to punish unsafe moves. the first jab seems to miss a lot on moves like smokes teleport or mileenas ball roll. I’ve also been able to punish some unsafe stuff with his standing 211 string.

@SaladPlateLover Ive been using sub zero kameo recently and the strat you mention seems to work best with the projectile invincibility. Very hard to get in on rain when he plays like this. Only problem is his damage output is horrible.

 

[DarksydeDash]

Has anyone been able to find a practical use for his portal?

114 is great when cancelled into portal. Completely safe at -2. You can back up and setup the other portal with ease too.

 

[DarksydeDash]

Thought I’d switch gears a bit and try someone new, rains fun. Very technical as well

many tips on what strings I should be pushing un safe strings with, etc?

You're gonna have to get used to dashing up with 11 and F2, or use reversal geyser with Scorpion. His buttons are very slow and stubby for punishes with large pushback. Reiko's slide kick and Raiden's Superman are super hard to punish with Rain.

 

[exeeter702]

Has anyone been able to find a practical use for his portal?

literally just for gaining better frames after a string, and building meter at long range. Everything else is either fake as hell, or too much setup for what you would get for it.

Portal hop is literally punishable at every frame. There is no moment where you are able to evade any sort of attack, and unless the opponent is locked down with the help of a cameo, any time they ARENT simply smacking you out of it is, is just lack of knowledge on their part.

You can sometimes use it to switch sides, but given how fast the top tiers are with projectiles or forward momentum specials, even that is a crapshoot.

 

[BanTheTesters]

You're gonna have to get used to dashing up with 11 and F2, or use reversal geyser with Scorpion. His buttons are very slow and stubby for punishes with large pushback. Reiko's slide kick and Raiden's Superman are super hard to punish with Rain.

Nice I’ll give it a shot next go around

 

[Geoffmeister]

So Rains buttons are clearly terrible, to the point where you have to rely on jumpin's a lot -> which are very risky due upblock.

If you want to stop dying to this, I suggest the following:

If a portal is out -> Rain can OS his JiK32 with portalport.

You input JiK32 - d,f2:
-> on HIT: the string comes out
-> on block/upblock: the portalport comes out

Consider this a staple in your gameplay because he can't play neutral. Cannot.

Another tip would be to use Far Geyser more (but be wary of your opponents reversal specials), to apply some conditioning.

 

[exeeter702]

So Rains buttons are clearly terrible, to the point where you have to rely on jumpin's a lot -> which are very risky due upblock.

If you want to stop dying to this, I suggest the following:

If a portal is out -> Rain can OS his JiK32 with portalport.

You input JiK32 - d,f2:
-> on HIT: the string comes out
-> on block/upblock: the portalport comes out

Consider this a staple in your gameplay because he can't play neutral. Cannot.

Another tip would be to use Far Geyser more (but be wary of your opponents reversal specials), to apply some conditioning.

Until someone who understands the character, blows you up before you get through the portal jump. There isnt enough block stun on ji3 for this to be applicable. There is plenty of time for a simple d2, and if the opponent is quicker, (which I was able to replicate on random playback confirming) a full ariel route punish is going to happen.