M2Dave
Zoning Master
With no patch in sight and Shang Tsung's release being more than two weeks away, now is a good time to create this thread. I created identical threads for Mortal Kombat X as well as Injustice 2 in the past and received positive feedback so I hope you participate and share your opinion of your main character(s).
Please do not post any tier lists in this thread. Instead, use the official tier list thread here. However, your final rating should represent a score that is consistent with the community's current consensus of your character(s). In other words, a character like Geras should receive no abnormally low final rating.
If you would like to rate your character, please use the following format and criteria.
1. Offensive options – 5/5 : this category revolves around 50/50 mix ups, pressure, and throws, including the throw’s range, position, and krushing blow requirements.
2. Neutral game and footsies – 5/5 : this category revolves around normal attacks and special moves that control the space in your vicinity, including the air.
3. Defensive options – 5/5 : this category revolves around defense, particularly the universal wake up and reversal attacks (i.e., safety, range, and hitbox). Also consider other prevalent defensive options (i.e., 6 frame d+1s, low-profiling pokes, and teleport escapes from the corner).
4. Zoning and anti-zoning – 5/5 : this category revolves around options outside of footsies range such as a projectile or a long-ranged physical attack. Also assess a character’s ability to punish projectiles and close the gap from a distance.
5. Damage output – 5/5 : this category revolves around the damage that a character is able to acquire from combos. Evaluate the damage output from combos, including resets, as well as the quantity and quality of krushing blows.
--- My ratings ---
Noob (Black Sabbath)
1. Offensive options – 3/5
2. Neutral game and footsies – 5/5
3. Defensive options – 3/5
4. Zoning and anti-zoning – 3/5
5. Damage output – 5/5
Final Rating – 19/25
Scorpion (Reborn)
1. Offensive options – 3/5
2. Neutral game and footsies – 5/5
3. Defensive options – 5/5
4. Zoning and anti-zoning – 5/5
5. Damage output – 4/5
Final Rating – 22/25
Please do not post any tier lists in this thread. Instead, use the official tier list thread here. However, your final rating should represent a score that is consistent with the community's current consensus of your character(s). In other words, a character like Geras should receive no abnormally low final rating.
If you would like to rate your character, please use the following format and criteria.
1. Offensive options – 5/5 : this category revolves around 50/50 mix ups, pressure, and throws, including the throw’s range, position, and krushing blow requirements.
2. Neutral game and footsies – 5/5 : this category revolves around normal attacks and special moves that control the space in your vicinity, including the air.
3. Defensive options – 5/5 : this category revolves around defense, particularly the universal wake up and reversal attacks (i.e., safety, range, and hitbox). Also consider other prevalent defensive options (i.e., 6 frame d+1s, low-profiling pokes, and teleport escapes from the corner).
4. Zoning and anti-zoning – 5/5 : this category revolves around options outside of footsies range such as a projectile or a long-ranged physical attack. Also assess a character’s ability to punish projectiles and close the gap from a distance.
5. Damage output – 5/5 : this category revolves around the damage that a character is able to acquire from combos. Evaluate the damage output from combos, including resets, as well as the quantity and quality of krushing blows.
--- My ratings ---
Noob (Black Sabbath)
1. Offensive options – 3/5
Noob’s mix ups solely revolve around throws as he has no overhead starters or strings that can be staggered. Fortunately, he is one of the few characters who has a krushing blow on both forward and back throw. However, forward throw leaves the opponent almost full screen away while the back throw leaves the opponent half screen away so hitting the krushing blow is a little bit more difficult than people think. Almost all of Noob’s offense is practically initiated from successfully hitting d+3 or b+1,1+3 xx spirit ball in combos. Both provide adequate frame advantage to threaten throws, which can then be mixed up with mid attacks such as b+2, f+4, and b+1,1+3. 2,1,2 can also be used to counter throw techs and uppercuts. Overall, nothing too good yet nothing too bad for this category. If both throws, or at least one of them, left the opponent much closer to Noob, this score would most certainly be higher.
2. Neutral game and footsies – 5/5
b+2 and f+4 are exceptional mid-range buttons while d+3 and d+4 are fantastic up close. b+1,1+3 is a 9 frame mid attack without a hurt box. f+2,2,1 is a 9 frame high attack without a hurt box. b+3 is also decent, though the krushing blow requirement on b+3,1+3 is impractical. As far as anti-aerial attacks go, Noob has an excellent d+2. f+3 launches and can be used as an anti-aerial attack because of its impressive vertical hitbox. The only drawback in this category is that poorly spaced b+1,1+3s are punishable by some characters. Even immaculately spaced b+1,1+3s are punishable by a handful of characters. Nonetheless, I am confident that Noob is deserving of a perfect score in this category.
3. Defensive options – 3/5
Noob has the same wake up 3 as Jade and Sub Zero. The range is limited and the hitbox is short. Even though wake up 3 technically hits mid, you can low profile the move, which is a major problem in some match ups. Wake up 2 has a very good hitbox but is -17 on block. d+3 is a phenomenal low poke with a great range, solid frame advantage on hit, and some low-profiling capabilities. d+4 is similar to d+3. There is less range but more frame advantage on hit. I subtracted two points from this category considering how easily wake up 3 gets low-profiled.
4. Zoning and anti-zoning – 3/5
Noob’s zoning game is slightly above average yet very disappointing for an advertised “premier zoning character”. Spirit ball is one of the most damaging projectiles in the game, but there is no EX version so opponents can easily neutral crouch or jump in order to advance. Tackle is a horrendous projectile because of its slow start up and recovery frames, inconsistent hitbox, and impractical krushing blow requirement. The tackle also disappears when Noob gets hit, which makes the special move worthless in projectile wars. As far as anti-zoning is concerned, Noob has a launching EX teleport, but the startup is slow at 30 frames and the hit range is high. Overall, I think he has nothing special for this category. A handful of other characters, who are not even considered zoning characters, have superior space control.
5. Damage output – 5/5
Although Noob’s krushing blows are one of the worst in the game, he has access to highly damaging combos. Combo damage usually ranges from 35% to 40% or more. Combos can also be finished in a reset that is +5 on block, but Noob is out of normal attack range except b+2. Nonetheless, I think the character deserves a perfect score for this category. Only Baraka and Sonya do more damage than Noob.
Final Rating – 19/25
Scorpion (Reborn)
1. Offensive options – 3/5
Scorpion's offense revolves around f+3 staggers and throws. The best options are f+3,4, f+3 and wait, f+3 and d+1, and f+3 and throw. These staggers are above average yet most definitely substandard in comparison to the other top tier characters' mix ups and pressure. Attempting to poke after f+3 results in a launching krushing blow but only once a match. Hitting f+3,4 for the remainder of the fight leaves Scorpion's opponent out of any okizeme threats. f+3.4 can be flawless blocked and punished by most reversal up 2s so the risk versus reward ratio is in favor of the opponent. Scorpion's forward throw provides okizeme and a krushing blow. The back throw leaves the opponent half a screen away and has no krushing blow. You can cancel strings into teleport which you can also cancel and go for throws, but if your opponent neutral crouches your throw, you eat massive amounts of damage and you cannot breakaway. In my humble opinion, Scorpion's offense is dangerous to apply against the superior rush down characters. He is therefore best used defensively, waiting patiently for the opponent to make a mistake so he can whiff punish with b+1,4,3 or EX teleport.
2. Neutral game and footsies – 5/5
Scorpion's primary mid-range buttons and strings include d+4, a superb long range low poke, f+3, an advancing mid attack that is only -2 on block that has a krushing blow follow up as a counter hit or punish, and b+1,4,3, a safe string that can be hit-confirmed into EX teleport on the second hit. d+4 is used to create space on block or initiate offense on hit. f+3 is best used offensively while b+1 is used for punishing and whiff punishing because of its excellent downward hitbox. One of the best aspects of Scorpion's footsies game is the teleport, which allows you to punish whiffed strings on the ground as well as the air. Speaking of the air, you can jump a lot more with Scorpion than with other characters because of the teleport's ability to bait anti-aerial attacks. If you jump forward, to which your opponent may react and perform an uppercut, you can cancel your teleport and whiff punish the uppercut.
3. Defensive options – 5/5
Wake up 3 is one of the very best in the game because of its speed, hitbox, and safety. Wake up 2 is less impressive but still very good. As far as low pokes are go, Scorpion has a 7 frame d+1 that is +10 on hit and only -3 on block. d+4 is +19 on hit and only -4 on block. d+4 also has a lot of range and some push back on block. Scorpion is the only character who has the ability to retreat as well as switch sides with two distinct teleport cancels so he has the best mobility in the game.
4. Zoning and anti-zoning – 5/5
The spear is much safer when whiffed than in previous Mortal Kombat games but is still more punishable than the average projectile. Thus Scorpion lacks a traditional zoning tool to stop opponents from advancing forward. However, Scorpion's anti-zoning game is so powerful that any score lower than a five should be regarded as severe downplaying. Scorpion's teleport is easily the best anti-zoning tool in the game because of its ability to be amplified on block, its ability to be performed airborne, and its ability to be canceled. Scorpion's teleport also hits mid and has the fastest startup out of any other teleport in the game. All projectiles must be used scarcely against Scorpion and from a closer distance where the player has a lot less time to react.
5. Damage output – 4/5
Combo damage in Reborn is average at 25-30% with one bar, but he has a couple of beneficial properties to combos that other characters do not. He can spend a second bar for another EX teleport to do more damage. He can also re-stand the opponent with EX spear and follow up with standing 4, which is +18 on hit. If you do not wish to spend more than one bar, you can end combos with either 1,1,2 or spear, both of which leave Scorpion in a good position for okizeme.
Final Rating – 22/25
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, an air projectile, a teleport or a dash punch to punish a flawless blocked tentacle