One of the reasons i've made raiden as my secondary is that ive come to realize this game is pressure oriented(i still have faith in his potential but in reality his entire mixup is based off two fully punishable moves, albiet two AMAZING moves, if u just play patiently though i dont know, raiden has to grab a lot), while theoretically if u read perfectly raiden can dominate if u space out and whiff punish, but the problem is amounting an offense with him is very limited and i feel i have a very strong pressure game, he doesnt have the amount of variations that im falling in love with liu kang, at the right times i can kill some1 real fast with liu.... i think the more people understand the matchups in this game they'll realize that the ability to maintain pressure in this is key. (i think kenshi is one of those chars who can do this except its zoning which is why i think hes a serious force, also kung lao and jax are different because they have bullshit)
Sonya is one of the few chars in this game who has continuous pressure options based upon good reads(JC). She has a reset and extensive pressure options into a safe launcher but lets review her limitless options
1.safe on block armored combo starter INTO a reset (only other chars in this game that have an armored move into a reset are kabal and skarlet, im stealing this from @gr8one and saying this is something special and maybe a little bit bs that seperates these characters fromt he rest of the cast, we arent sure about skarlet yet noone has pushed her to her potential but we are pretty sure kabal is nutty)
1a. safe on block cancellable launcher which limits ur options, down 1 is safe, oh wait she can armor through it or block and counter-poke, so ur forced to make reads after blocking her pressure ender because the recovery is so minute, FUCK
2. incredible dash speed(is she #1?)
3.low/mid hitbox
4.super bs down 4 which she can link into a safe launcher or ms pressure, out spaces every1 like a hoe
5. a jump arc changing combo starter making anti-airing's risk reward pretty shitty, while punishable, this is something seriously unique and threatening, especially since it can escape pressure so quickly(isnt instan air dive kick like 5 frames jesus fucking christ that gives her kung laoish abilities, oh wait she has armor (boohoo u can read it and whiff punish it, that is a distinct difference from any1 in the game) obh wait, thats right it autocorrects!!!!!!!!
6. strong anti-air jab one of the best ive heard (i think sektors is underrated), a 6 frame uppercut which u dont really need
7.her projectile is solid, not too shabby, is a pain in my liu kangs ass(it aint that easy to time that shit out when she gets advantage).
8. im too exhauisted to keep going ill add on later
she is really good, though u can whiff punish that hoe.