Prinz
watch?v=a8PEVV6tt14
I was listening to podcasts and hearing all those problems that players have with using Kitana, Sonya, Reptile etc. (the only one that didn't seem to have problems was REO and his Kabal, well, undersandable). So this brought me to the thought: What is the most important in Jade's counter game? What is it that she can use against all characters and what is it that she can counter against all characters? Here are my thoughts as of right now:
1. Zoning:
- projectile-only type of zoning (Reptile, Shang Tsung, Sindel) - Jade never has to feel weak against this type of zoning. So whenever you meet these characters you should never have a problem being zoned out.
Most important: in these situations is to make as more damage as possible from fullscreen, make them come to you, do damage up-close if possible and send them fullscreen again.
- projectile-only type of zoning + get-in move (Cyrax, Ermac, Kabal, Kano, Kitana, Kung Lao, Liu Kang, Mileena, Noob, Quan Chi, Sektor) - the problem is the get-in move, which has different properties in different characters, but its main purpose is to get in on you.
Most important: is baiting that get-in move, punishing it accordingly and sending the opponent fullscreen again. For example: teleports can be blocked on reaction, Kabal's/Kano's/Liu Kang's stopped/prevented with boomerangs, Kitana's easily reacted etc.
- projectile + physical type of zoning (Jax, Freddy, Rain, Nightwolf) - the problem is the physical zoning (Jax's GP's, Freddy's claws, Rain's and NW's lightning). This is one situation where Jade would have to get in or fool them into thinking she might.
Most important: is to make good use of shadow kick + flash. It will be the ultimate tool for getting in/ punishing blocked physical zoning. If you have meter it's a lot better - it can be used for enSK or other en-moves up-close.
- physical-only type of zoning (Kenshi) - this is the only match where jade is forced to get in.
Most important: is to have meter either for en-SK or other en-moves up-close.
2.Counter-zoning:
- pure projectile out-zoning (Kenshi (but he will mostly out-zone), NW, Smoke) - Jade can not zone these characters if they decide to counter-zone you.
Most important: is baiting and making them come to you: Kenshi - he'll out-zone you so you'll have to get in, NW - you can bait his reflect with high-rangs, Smoke - never zone.
- other ways of out-zoning (Raiden) - Raiden can always teleport on reaction to any boomerang and punish you.
Most important: not to zone.
3.Rush-down:
Most important: against any rush-down, besides having good fundamentals in using d1/d3 and knowing frame data of their strings, you'll always want to have meter for glow to stop and punish heavy rush-down on block such as JC's f33,enballs, KL's teleport-instant 3 or Sonya's kartwheel. En-SK and en-OS are also good to use sparingly, but they're blockable and don't really do anything glow can't.
4. Footsies
Very few will out-footsie Jade, so they will most likely rush you down, but all specials, normals and strings will keep them in check.
So, like this I come to the conclusion that the most important would have to be not having meter, but BUILDING METER.
Here are my thoughts on this:
1. Zoning:
- projectile-only type of zoning: use flash and rangs, do strings ending in staff-grab;
- projectile-only type of zoning + get-in move: use flash and rangs, bait get-in move, punish/do strings, send at full-screen/staff grab distance;
- projectile + physical type of zoning: flash through projectiles and bait physical zoning, than advance, punish/blockstrings, send back at fullscreen or stay close;
- physical-only type of zoning (which is Kenshi) - the only way is to do blockstrings after getting in, so the best would be to stay in as much as possible and build as much as possible meter + send Kenshi in the corner, this will limit his game a lot.
2. Counter-zoning:
- pure projectile out-zoning:
Nightwolf - flash + rangs, followed by blockstrings up-close, you can choose to send him fullscreen or stay close.
Smoke - flash is the only tool for meter gaining at distance, maybe OS when he throws the bomb, but blockstrings are the main tool. So, jump his bombs on reaction, FK when he smokes away/toward to get closer and beware his teleport. He'll do random teleports to check you. The rest is to keep at mid-screen and out-footsie him. When close - do a blockstring ending in staff-grab and out-footsie him again.
- other ways of out-zoning:
Raiden - get in, or bait his teleport, do blockstrings and get the life-lead. He'll have to get in. Knock him down close to you as much as possible, this will keep him close and give you opportunities to buid meter.
3.Rush-down:
All characters can rush you down and this situation is not good for meter-building for any of the cast. So the main thing is to have at least 1 bar or so when one gets in. You can not build meter unless you lose life in this situation.
4. Footsie:
All of Jade's specials and normals are footsie tools (except rangs). Thus this is her best and most efficient way to build meter. Knowing that a blocked b32-special builds almost 35% of a bar, normal-special - almost 25% etc. is very tempting (check out this thread for more info http://testyourmight.com/threads/jade-meter-building-data.14822/).
This is a sort of a mini-guide or something, but keep in mind that your opponent, no matter what type of character he uses, will combine different types of gameplay so you'll have to adjust. But he will be limited by his character, and you will have to capitalize on that.
1. Zoning:
- projectile-only type of zoning (Reptile, Shang Tsung, Sindel) - Jade never has to feel weak against this type of zoning. So whenever you meet these characters you should never have a problem being zoned out.
Most important: in these situations is to make as more damage as possible from fullscreen, make them come to you, do damage up-close if possible and send them fullscreen again.
- projectile-only type of zoning + get-in move (Cyrax, Ermac, Kabal, Kano, Kitana, Kung Lao, Liu Kang, Mileena, Noob, Quan Chi, Sektor) - the problem is the get-in move, which has different properties in different characters, but its main purpose is to get in on you.
Most important: is baiting that get-in move, punishing it accordingly and sending the opponent fullscreen again. For example: teleports can be blocked on reaction, Kabal's/Kano's/Liu Kang's stopped/prevented with boomerangs, Kitana's easily reacted etc.
- projectile + physical type of zoning (Jax, Freddy, Rain, Nightwolf) - the problem is the physical zoning (Jax's GP's, Freddy's claws, Rain's and NW's lightning). This is one situation where Jade would have to get in or fool them into thinking she might.
Most important: is to make good use of shadow kick + flash. It will be the ultimate tool for getting in/ punishing blocked physical zoning. If you have meter it's a lot better - it can be used for enSK or other en-moves up-close.
- physical-only type of zoning (Kenshi) - this is the only match where jade is forced to get in.
Most important: is to have meter either for en-SK or other en-moves up-close.
2.Counter-zoning:
- pure projectile out-zoning (Kenshi (but he will mostly out-zone), NW, Smoke) - Jade can not zone these characters if they decide to counter-zone you.
Most important: is baiting and making them come to you: Kenshi - he'll out-zone you so you'll have to get in, NW - you can bait his reflect with high-rangs, Smoke - never zone.
- other ways of out-zoning (Raiden) - Raiden can always teleport on reaction to any boomerang and punish you.
Most important: not to zone.
3.Rush-down:
Most important: against any rush-down, besides having good fundamentals in using d1/d3 and knowing frame data of their strings, you'll always want to have meter for glow to stop and punish heavy rush-down on block such as JC's f33,enballs, KL's teleport-instant 3 or Sonya's kartwheel. En-SK and en-OS are also good to use sparingly, but they're blockable and don't really do anything glow can't.
4. Footsies
Very few will out-footsie Jade, so they will most likely rush you down, but all specials, normals and strings will keep them in check.
So, like this I come to the conclusion that the most important would have to be not having meter, but BUILDING METER.
Here are my thoughts on this:
1. Zoning:
- projectile-only type of zoning: use flash and rangs, do strings ending in staff-grab;
- projectile-only type of zoning + get-in move: use flash and rangs, bait get-in move, punish/do strings, send at full-screen/staff grab distance;
- projectile + physical type of zoning: flash through projectiles and bait physical zoning, than advance, punish/blockstrings, send back at fullscreen or stay close;
- physical-only type of zoning (which is Kenshi) - the only way is to do blockstrings after getting in, so the best would be to stay in as much as possible and build as much as possible meter + send Kenshi in the corner, this will limit his game a lot.
2. Counter-zoning:
- pure projectile out-zoning:
Nightwolf - flash + rangs, followed by blockstrings up-close, you can choose to send him fullscreen or stay close.
Smoke - flash is the only tool for meter gaining at distance, maybe OS when he throws the bomb, but blockstrings are the main tool. So, jump his bombs on reaction, FK when he smokes away/toward to get closer and beware his teleport. He'll do random teleports to check you. The rest is to keep at mid-screen and out-footsie him. When close - do a blockstring ending in staff-grab and out-footsie him again.
- other ways of out-zoning:
Raiden - get in, or bait his teleport, do blockstrings and get the life-lead. He'll have to get in. Knock him down close to you as much as possible, this will keep him close and give you opportunities to buid meter.
3.Rush-down:
All characters can rush you down and this situation is not good for meter-building for any of the cast. So the main thing is to have at least 1 bar or so when one gets in. You can not build meter unless you lose life in this situation.
4. Footsie:
All of Jade's specials and normals are footsie tools (except rangs). Thus this is her best and most efficient way to build meter. Knowing that a blocked b32-special builds almost 35% of a bar, normal-special - almost 25% etc. is very tempting (check out this thread for more info http://testyourmight.com/threads/jade-meter-building-data.14822/).
This is a sort of a mini-guide or something, but keep in mind that your opponent, no matter what type of character he uses, will combine different types of gameplay so you'll have to adjust. But he will be limited by his character, and you will have to capitalize on that.