The Flawless block depth in MK 11 breakdown

[Eddy Wang]

So according to @REO in his podcast he states that flawless block allows you to recover 4 frames earlier for a move you block, something we should be able to go in detail when the game launches.

Just posting this out to widen your ideas in case you want to research further and don't want to fall behind against tournament players if you plan to go out and compete or better yet, have so much fun online.

Flawless block allows you to block anything in game that can be blocked by reducing its chip damage gradually, this includes jump attacks to low attacks, and if REO's theory of recovering 4 frames earlier this is what we will be able to do, just a few examples:


Skarlet's tongue its -6 on block, if flawless blocked it becomes -10 on block.
If a poke its -3 on block, if flawless blocked it becomes -6, still not enough for a punishment, but enough to apply a 11f mid, or even to backdash to create a gap.
Gapped strings that have a 5f gap will have a 9f gap if flawless blocked, if you couldn't to a 7f jab in between gaps, you will be able to do it if you F.block it.
Moves that are -7 on block will become -11 on block widening your punishment window.
If a certain move doesn't have a gap to backdash, there is a possibility of having if flawless blocked.
You can't interrupt Scorpion's teleport amplification if regular blocked, maybe you will be able to if you flawless block it?

Input window timming configuration:
Always use short or medium, since it allows you to use specials way late on the strings, the long version allows you to cancel stuff earlier but doesn't allows you to visual confirm and forces a lot of commitment.

Reversal characters have an edge against flawless block on gapped strings
Johnny Cage
Jade
Skarlet
Sonya
And whoever has a reversal parry input has an edge on gapped strings because they can use it as will and you cannot U2 after FLB the gap, because instead you will get countered for it, however you can still flawless block into nothing depending on the data but some characters like Skarlet who controls her reversal are mostly safe.

Jacqui is a special case because she can cancel her strings gapped or not into fake outs for a clinch, by far one of the characters which interested me a lot, she feels advanced enough for the likings.



And before anyone be worried, remember Dizzy said there is a lockout timming every time you block, so you cannot mash flawless block, never the less its going to be really interesting to research its applications day 1, looking forward to april 23rd.

 

[khumbolawo87]

Great write up. This will definitely influence the meta going forward. Scrubs like me still won't consistently do it though

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[Eddy Wang]

Great write up. This will definitely influence the meta going forward. Scrubs like me still won't consistently do it though

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Even if its not 4 frames earlier, in the frame data there is a slot saying F.Block advantage, so we should be able to know exactly how minus a certain move is if blocked or flawless blocked.

 

[SaSSolino]

I wish flawless block would just negate chip damage. It would allow for some extremely hype comebacks and we wouldn't have to worry about getting option selected into launch for using a gapped string.

 

[Kroaken]

Even if its not 4 frames earlier, in the frame data there is a slot saying F.Block advantage, so we should be able to know exactly how minus a certain move is if blocked or flawless blocked.

Didn't Tom already note that the frames aren't additive?

 

[khumbolawo87]

I wish flawless block would just negate chip damage. It would allow for some extremely hype comebacks and we wouldn't have to worry about getting option selected into launch for using a gapped string.

I still don't exactly understand what option select is?

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[Professor Oak]

I wish flawless block would just negate chip damage. It would allow for some extremely hype comebacks and we wouldn't have to worry about getting option selected into launch for using a gapped string.

Why tf else would they put a gap in the string?

 

[SaSSolino]

I still don't exactly understand what option select is?

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An option select is when by inputting the same command(s) a player can have a different, always positive outcome regardless of which option the opponent choses.

For exaple in Soul Calibur 6, Azwel has a move (22B) that's plus on block when cancelled in BoB (a stance he enters with K), but he doesn't have any quick mid off of it, meaning that Maxi can use his 6A+B, a quick high crushing move, to beat any of Azwel's options.

If Azwel does 22B > K > A or 22B > K > K, Maxi's 6A+B will high crush the BoB A or BoB K and punish it, while if Azwel does 22B > K > B, Maxi's 6A+B will come out faster than the BoB B and still punish it.

 

[Eddy Wang]

Didn't Tom already note that the frames aren't additive?

I don't think we will know for sure until we have ours hands in the game

I wish flawless block would just negate chip damage. It would allow for some extremely hype comebacks and we wouldn't have to worry about getting option selected into launch for using a gapped string.

There is nothing to be afraid of really, some ppl are just over reacting, there is a lot of depth to it and the second we get the practice mode we will find the answers we're looking for from an offense or defense stand point.

 

[SaSSolino]

There is nothing to be afraid of really, some ppl are just over reacting, there is a lot of depth to it and the second we get the practice mode we will find the answers we're looking for from an offense or defense stand point.

I hope so. I haven't played the stress test but the stories I've heard are scary.

 

[LawAbidingCitizen]

Even if its not 4 frames earlier, in the frame data there is a slot saying F.Block advantage, so we should be able to know exactly how minus a certain move is if blocked or flawless blocked.

Assuming the data is correct. I've noticed just from observation that much in the moves list is inaccurate and needs to be verified.

Didn't Tom already note that the frames aren't additive?

Yes they said something along those lines, maybe it doesn't change advantage but allows a bigger window to input certain things that are applicable.

We need more info on this mechanic, hopefully we get a practice mode in the beta.

 

[THTB]

I hope so. I haven't played the stress test but the stories I've heard are scary.

IMO it's a lot of panic over stuff we still don't fully understand and haven't labbed to the fullest extent. Not to say concerns should be taken with a grain of salt, but we didn't know about the 5f PB lockout after a normal block until Dizzy said something about it, and no notable player besides I think REO and Tom made any sort of comment on the blockstun reduction.

 

[SaSSolino]

IMO it's a lot of panic over stuff we still don't fully understand and haven't labbed to the fullest extent. Not to say concerns should be taken with a grain of salt, but we didn't know about the 5f PB lockout after a normal block until Dizzy said something about it, and no notable player besides I think REO and Tom made any sort of comment on the blockstun reduction.

Wait what's this blockstun thing? First time I hear about it myself.

 

[THTB]

Wait what's this blockstun thing? First time I hear about it myself.

So here's the full skinny on PB/Perfect Block.

Whenever you successfully perform a PB, on top of the chip damage reduction and access to the PBR/Perfect Block Reversal, blockstun is reduced by 4 frames, and all pushback that would normally occur on block is removed. This is huge, because this opens up some specific punishes that no longer require the PBR u2 to punish the opponent, such as d2, as, for example, Scorpion's is normally -8 IIRC, so it becomes -12 with no pushback. This effectively opens up extra punishment opportunities on potential situations such as hard reads of d2s, FBs, Skarlet's tongue, etc, for much larger punishes.

The only real restriction for getting PB to work at all in strings with gaps, as Dizzy stated before, is that the gap has to be large enough to be able to FB and have the armor activate, which happens at frame 5 of the FB. So therefore, PB is locked out for 5 frames if you are placed in normal blockstun. This effectively means that strings with gaps are not completely waxed when blocked if the gap is not significant enough, and makes particular strings much more viable options than initially thought.

 

[SaSSolino]

So here's the full skinny on PB/Perfect Block.

Whenever you successfully perform a PB, on top of the chip damage reduction and access to the PBR/Perfect Block Reversal, blockstun is reduced by 4 frames, and all pushback that would normally occur on block is removed. This is huge, because this opens up some specific punishes that no longer require the PBR u2 to punish the opponent, such as d2, as, for example, Scorpion's is normally -8 IIRC, so it becomes -12 with no pushback. This effectively opens up extra punishment opportunities on potential situations such as hard reads of d2s, FBs, Skarlet's tongue, etc, for much larger punishes.

The only real restriction for getting PB to work at all in strings with gaps, as Dizzy stated before, is that the gap has to be large enough to be able to FB and have the armor activate, which happens at frame 5 of the FB. So therefore, PB is locked out for 5 frames if you are placed in normal blockstun. This effectively means that strings with gaps are not completely waxed when blocked if the gap is not significant enough, and makes particular strings much more viable options than initially thought.

Honestly it still sounds like FB is too strong.

 

[khumbolawo87]

Honestly it still sounds like FB is too strong.

I have most of my beef with Breakaway at this point

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[Kroaken]

I like flawless block itself. I'm not sure about the reversals from it though.

 

[LawAbidingCitizen]

@Tom Brady
Can you elaborate more on Flawless Block and if it does or doesn't make the opponent more +/-

 

[THTB]

Honestly it still sounds like FB is too strong.

It's very much designed to be strong but requires knowledge of the moves in the game to properly take advantage of it, and isn't a purely defensive option.

 

[Eddy Wang]

Honestly it still sounds like FB is too strong.

Its designed to reward players who spend ages labbing time of strings and every possible move they can block in the game, which in turn opens up a new layer of punishment and much more to it.

So yeah, FB its definitely too strong and it should be.

 

[LawAbidingCitizen]

Honestly it still sounds like FB is too strong.

I'm actually welcoming Flawless Block Canceles as a new addition. For me it adds depth to the back and forth game, if it does in fact reduce recovery by 4 frames before your attacking opponent during gaps, I'm all for this. Think about previous games that had glaring bad matchups where certain characters had a huge advantage with long reaching meatys and great pokes or unique tools that allow insane pressure/mix-ups. Flawless Block counters could add a buffer between characters with lackluster tools in bad matchups (7-3) and allow the mid to low tier character the capability to counter said pressure and reduce that matchup from a 7-3 to a 6-4.

I do agree that it may be too OP to have 35-40% damage off of FBC U+2 reversals. Maybe NRS will reduce the damage done off U+2 by scaling without effecting the OS on Wake up and FBC's. I'm very eager to see more about this mechanic and how it exactly functions.

 

[THTB]

Its designed to reward players who spend ages labbing time of strings and every possible move they can block in the game, which in turn opens up a new layer of punishment and much more to it.

So yeah, FB its definitely too strong and it should be.

Exactly. There's way more opened up not even in just the concept of labbing your strings, but also just hard ass reads and great heads up plays akin to 3S. Like, imagine someone mixing you in the corner, down to your last 5%, and they go for a typically safe OH, but you react to it and PB it, and it suddenly is punishable by your jab. So you get the launcher off, and in a panic, they breakaway but you read it, so now the oki is yours and momentum swings heavily from there and you mix them back for a major comeback because you made a great play, and forced them to eat your offense from there.

Thinking about that type of play happening...oh the hype would be off the charts.