Obviously damage, shake removes the threat of dagger mind-games from mid-long range, better whiff punishers, much better OKI game imo due to smoke away/toward going through all of Skarlet's wakeups after a knockdown, Skarlet needs a lot of meter to keep Smoke locked down but Smoke has some ways out using things like ex shake and d3 smoke away that others would typically not have or have to use meter for, probably better pokes overall imo. Smoke is MUCH less punishable than Skarlet on block.
I still don't have any issues with calling the MU even, but I do not feel that Skarlet wins this. I have always thought Skarlet is an awesome character, so don't take anything as a dis against the character or something...I think she is top 10, right around where Smoke should be placed (7-10 ish).
I won't say that your information is false, but there are some things that i don't see as advantage over Skarlet in this matchup.
The Damage isn't a issue in This MU, aside of Smoke Resets having the biggest drop factor in the game, its not Cyrax's types of combos, they are all breaksble, so its like any other combo in the game. Skarlet can land 47% every time 122 resets Smoke from a F4 combo, that is because Skarlet has character specific combos that hit big sized hitbox characters smoke included, and that means it will always gain a bar of meter back when you can't break that combo.
Shake isn't a issue, it can be baited out with 1 frame higher iaDs, basically Smoke will not stop skarlet to fire daggers, but it will have to worry if they're meant to hit him or just whiff over his head, sure he has teleport to counter, but that has to be done on a read instead of reaction. He can always smoke away to the corner.
Skarlet can close in space at nearly the same rate as Kabal, so smoking away or forwards from D3 or naked isin't a real threat, is just a shennaningan IMO.
I can't really see how Smoke Oki game can be superior with D3 smoke away/toward, Skarlet wakeup game is a empty armored dash that lasts 27 frames but has 29 armored frames, she has 2 frames of armor to do anything, including blocking, unless Smoke uses ex Smoke away/toward its only projectile invincible.
All crimson dashes follow ups beats out shakes and ex shakes, and she can counter wakeups or set traps that may look unsafe to bait into a heavy punish.
Even without meter, Skarlet is still a small hitbox character, when she D3, most of the cast attacks goes over her, this includes Johnny C's F3, KL standing 21, etc etc so characters are often forced to counter with D3, D1 which doesn't gain nothing and risk getting countered.
The problem with Skarlet, is that she doesn't exactly follows the rules of the game, she doesn't get stuck out like the rest of the cast do against the top 15 characters of the game, she has answers to anything, even the most retarded stuffs like Kenshi's Zoning, Kabal Zoning, run away characters etc etc.
When she gains meter the wide area of control expands on its on, not only in range or space, but her offense becomes more heavier and people will have constantly to worry what should or shouldn't do when x numbers of meter are active, while she has all planned out on how it will playout if you do. Did you knew that the knockdown system of MK9 as a flaw that is 100% exploitable by Skarlet's Oki game?
Some Smoke players have it at 5-5, i personally have this Matchup at 6-4 Skarlet favor, as long as Skarlet is able to stay comfortable and move at will at any range even without firing daggers and don't feel a huge barrier do make her game work like in the cyrax matchup, as long as she has armor abd the opponent doesn't, as long as a big sized hitbox vs small hitbox being a factor, i will have this MU as 6-4.
