Why not standing 4? Isn't it +2 on block?
Even 114 or b121 are good because they are completely safe.
Besides, HF players shouldn't start mixing up the blockstring until the opponent respects it because the full blockstring is no-risk-high-reward but pretty much every mixup has risks.
The usage of standing 1 is good not because of frame advantage, but because of fast animation the leaves you close to your opponent, so if you do whole 114 string or b121 string your opponent will know that you finished safe string (if they know scorpion at all), and will not try to punish you for it, but for standing 1 they may think you messed up your 21 input and try to punish you. But as i said i believe the best way to bait Ex reversal is by doing b3 fbc into block at some point of the block pressure.
As for changing patterns - i believe at some points you will HAVE TO change them. After a lot of practice, my opponents started to catch 4 in 214 and escaped more pressure that way + they gain a lot of distance, so i had to either let it happen, or try to predict when they will let go of block, and do something like 21 fbc into 214, or go for risky teleport after 214 to get another combo from their descision, that results in some sort of mind game, when both of you trying to predict what your opponent will do during the blockstring.
As for mixing up b3's and f2 (sometimes even f4) i believe you have to put a scare in your opponent of potential combo, besides of just doing blockstrings, they must fear that options and try to escape your pressure - giving you even more advantage at right reads. And i almost always have 3 bars of meter in hellfire because of the pressure tools it has + how much specials it uses during combos (i even cancel fireballs at full screen sometimes for additional meter). So you always have an option of going for safe EX-spear when you want to do a read, it's not risky and it can only give you more advantage if you can get into your opponent's head.
So for me the basic thing in this pressure is to swap your patterns a lot. Bait armored move once or twice and they will stop trying to do it all the time = you have opened an option for F4 -ex spear for yourself or throw. If they always block first b3 fbc i do a lot of f2's if i have 3 bars of meter, so they will have to think what you will do, either b3 or f2. Sometimes i even do something like b3 fbc into b3 ex spear, just to be very unpredictable and make them panic during blockstrings.
Use teleport canceç more to escape than punish characters who have backdash chasing strings, i was having some issues with that on the first month, but recently i've noticed you'd better off being neutral most of the time or at advantage for a throw in the minimum, than risk anything at the cost of meter.
Try jumping backwards too, a lot of characters who have backdash chasing strings have to respect jump backwards, becasue scorpion can teleport on reaction and track for a hit 1 frame faster than doing on the ground.
Yes, that's what i've come too eventually, i'm just a bit bothered by the fact that most characters with armored combo starter will have 30+ punish with right read, but i'm forced to get punished after good read. But i guess i'll just have to get less punishes and be more safe until tracking gets buffed (maybe never).
Haven't tried jump backs, but sounds like a good option, especially because you can do something like backjump into 3~Extele for good punish, i just feel like characters with really good advancing normals, also have huge hitbox that allows them to hit aerial targets and put you into very bad situation, so i'm usually trying to block their shit now instead of escaping it.
