DuinoElegies
Dis Member
I am an average MK9 player. I get to play a few hours a week and I will most likely never be tournament level. However, for the majority of players out there in the online community who are like me: you can win the majority of your matches. You can do this playing people who have played hundreds (sometimes almost a thousand) more matches than you. My player stats are nothing impressive, I am terrible at Tag and have no time to be good with two characters, however, I am comfortably over 50% in both my ranked and my player matches and I take pride in more experienced players spamming me with messages that I cheat, or less experienced players quitting mid match. Here's how I do it. Feel free to disagree.
Number One -read this thread: http://testyourmight.com/forum/showthread.php?5172-Tips-on-becoming-a-better-player-Part-1-How-losing-helps-you-get-better
Number Two - read this thread: http://testyourmight.com/forum/showthread.php?45-Playing-to-Win-Part-1
I must say that most of my losses came from not taking the advice on these two threads. After reading them, my win to loss ratio drastically improved.
Number Three - Do not try to learn every combo you see on videos.
Number Four - Do learn three to four situational combos that you can pull off ONLINE (with lag!). These should be the easiest combos to pull off for you. Do not try to be fancy. There is no reason to miss out on 20-30% damage (or miss forcing a breaker) because you want to be fancy and cannot pull of your combo 95% of the time. I will list the 3 combos that I use most often at the bottom of this thread.
Number Five - When you get matched up with a player who is better than you. Play them half a dozen times, even if it means losing every game. You will balance out your win/loss with the knowledge that you gain.
Number Six - When you play someone who plays a character that you do not often see, or that has the match-up advantage on you, keep playing them! Play them until you have learned how to fight against that character. You will learn nothing if you say, "Oh, thats smoke, my tactics don't work on him." You need to change your tactics to fit the character and player that you are fighting against.
Number Seven - Be PATIENT. Especially against agressive players. I cannot tell you how many Kung Laos or Johnny Cages or Reptiles there are out there who win the majority of their games steamrolling other players. Don't get steamrolled. Take some chip damage, learn how to get away or wake up. Learn their combos and block them. When you find the opening and get your combo off, you will make up the difference.
Number Eight - Only use your X-Ray if it will win you the game. Do not blow your X-Ray for damage. Cyrax has so many high dmg combos that cost 1-2 meters.
Number Eight and a Half - Make sure you have meter for combo breakers. Use the smallest amount of meter for your combo damage. I personally believe that 45-50% dmg for 1 meter is better than 60% damage for 2 meters or even 70% dmg for 3 meters. (You are less likely to get your combo broken in that time. (There are situations where 60% will win you the game: go for it).
Number Nine- Be able to initiate your combos without netting. Get good at setting up your combos. While netting works well for most. It just doesn't work for some. Don't let those players who are good enough not to get netted, get away with the win.
Number Ten - There is no number ten. I just felt it rounded out the list.
The useful stuff:
These are the three combos I use. They are mostly all I need. I know that there are higher dmg combos out there. However, they are more challenging and I KNOW that I can pull these off every time. If these aren't the ones for you, find ones that fit your style. (I do not use bomb resets, that doesn't mean I think you shouldn't, do what will win you games).
1. When a player is in a ground net (This does not include set up): 1, 2, EXFF4, FF4, d2, b2, ff, 1, 2, 1, (FF4 or DF1 for pressure). This is 45% without the set up dmg. From across the screen you can net someone and get 45% dmg with 1 meter with this combo, and its EASY to pull off!
2. When a player is thrown into the air from a bomb or netted in the air: nj2, EXFF4, b2, 1,2,1, df1 (this will give you between 30 and 36% dmg (1 meter). Again very simple.
3. When you have no meter and you've netted them on the ground, the simple 1,2,1, df3 grab. Not much dmg but sets up good distance.
4. When they are in the corner. This I attribute to TrophyClub. 1,2,1, bb4, 2,2 (or 3,3) nj2, b2, EXbb3 (let meter drain), nj2, bb3.
Rinse and repeat this combo for massive damage. Some players you will need to just back off of for their wake up to go off. Some players will try to jump out, try to anticipate and nj2 to keep them there. Feel free to throw in some EXFF4 or extra hits for dmg. If they are low and stuck in the net, I will X-Ray instead of EX net.
Some strategy:
If you can, keep your opponent at a distance and throw out combos of near bomb, far bomb, net until you see results. Make sure to follow up a net (usually air) or a successful bomb with a sturdy air combo.
Players that jump a lot are begging to be anti-aired.
Teleport often but change it up if you are getting punished. Be smart.
When you teleport, come out of it with 3,3, net and start your combos. It will own many people.
If you teleport and people want to uppercut you, duck, let them do it, then uppercut them or 3,3, net.
Don't let someone uf2 the crap out of you. Nj2 them or use your df1 to get the heck out.
I hope that this helped some noob, average, or interested Cyrax players. Cyrax is a lot of fun and worth the time and effort. I have much more to learn and improve but that will never change.
Number One -read this thread: http://testyourmight.com/forum/showthread.php?5172-Tips-on-becoming-a-better-player-Part-1-How-losing-helps-you-get-better
Number Two - read this thread: http://testyourmight.com/forum/showthread.php?45-Playing-to-Win-Part-1
I must say that most of my losses came from not taking the advice on these two threads. After reading them, my win to loss ratio drastically improved.
Number Three - Do not try to learn every combo you see on videos.
Number Four - Do learn three to four situational combos that you can pull off ONLINE (with lag!). These should be the easiest combos to pull off for you. Do not try to be fancy. There is no reason to miss out on 20-30% damage (or miss forcing a breaker) because you want to be fancy and cannot pull of your combo 95% of the time. I will list the 3 combos that I use most often at the bottom of this thread.
Number Five - When you get matched up with a player who is better than you. Play them half a dozen times, even if it means losing every game. You will balance out your win/loss with the knowledge that you gain.
Number Six - When you play someone who plays a character that you do not often see, or that has the match-up advantage on you, keep playing them! Play them until you have learned how to fight against that character. You will learn nothing if you say, "Oh, thats smoke, my tactics don't work on him." You need to change your tactics to fit the character and player that you are fighting against.
Number Seven - Be PATIENT. Especially against agressive players. I cannot tell you how many Kung Laos or Johnny Cages or Reptiles there are out there who win the majority of their games steamrolling other players. Don't get steamrolled. Take some chip damage, learn how to get away or wake up. Learn their combos and block them. When you find the opening and get your combo off, you will make up the difference.
Number Eight - Only use your X-Ray if it will win you the game. Do not blow your X-Ray for damage. Cyrax has so many high dmg combos that cost 1-2 meters.
Number Eight and a Half - Make sure you have meter for combo breakers. Use the smallest amount of meter for your combo damage. I personally believe that 45-50% dmg for 1 meter is better than 60% damage for 2 meters or even 70% dmg for 3 meters. (You are less likely to get your combo broken in that time. (There are situations where 60% will win you the game: go for it).
Number Nine- Be able to initiate your combos without netting. Get good at setting up your combos. While netting works well for most. It just doesn't work for some. Don't let those players who are good enough not to get netted, get away with the win.
Number Ten - There is no number ten. I just felt it rounded out the list.
The useful stuff:
These are the three combos I use. They are mostly all I need. I know that there are higher dmg combos out there. However, they are more challenging and I KNOW that I can pull these off every time. If these aren't the ones for you, find ones that fit your style. (I do not use bomb resets, that doesn't mean I think you shouldn't, do what will win you games).
1. When a player is in a ground net (This does not include set up): 1, 2, EXFF4, FF4, d2, b2, ff, 1, 2, 1, (FF4 or DF1 for pressure). This is 45% without the set up dmg. From across the screen you can net someone and get 45% dmg with 1 meter with this combo, and its EASY to pull off!
2. When a player is thrown into the air from a bomb or netted in the air: nj2, EXFF4, b2, 1,2,1, df1 (this will give you between 30 and 36% dmg (1 meter). Again very simple.
3. When you have no meter and you've netted them on the ground, the simple 1,2,1, df3 grab. Not much dmg but sets up good distance.
4. When they are in the corner. This I attribute to TrophyClub. 1,2,1, bb4, 2,2 (or 3,3) nj2, b2, EXbb3 (let meter drain), nj2, bb3.
Rinse and repeat this combo for massive damage. Some players you will need to just back off of for their wake up to go off. Some players will try to jump out, try to anticipate and nj2 to keep them there. Feel free to throw in some EXFF4 or extra hits for dmg. If they are low and stuck in the net, I will X-Ray instead of EX net.
Some strategy:
If you can, keep your opponent at a distance and throw out combos of near bomb, far bomb, net until you see results. Make sure to follow up a net (usually air) or a successful bomb with a sturdy air combo.
Players that jump a lot are begging to be anti-aired.
Teleport often but change it up if you are getting punished. Be smart.
When you teleport, come out of it with 3,3, net and start your combos. It will own many people.
If you teleport and people want to uppercut you, duck, let them do it, then uppercut them or 3,3, net.
Don't let someone uf2 the crap out of you. Nj2 them or use your df1 to get the heck out.
I hope that this helped some noob, average, or interested Cyrax players. Cyrax is a lot of fun and worth the time and effort. I have much more to learn and improve but that will never change.
. This applies to both situations, if you let your opponent fly over, or you dash back, and keep them in front, you'll end with 59%.