The Newest Mortal Kombat (9) Tier List

[Altaire]

Why is Shang Tsung not S tier? He does need to use soul steal successfully and he wins, having that damage boost.

Shang can go a whole match without ever soul stealing and win. The only time Shang absolutely needs to use soul steal is after a blocked F3 4, because F3 4 isn't safe on block while soul steal is. Voila, the wonders of hit confirm.

EDIT: Dammit THTB, why can't you let me have my fun?

 

[Verstande]

Shang Tsung has some terrible match ups, that's why.

 

[BookBurning]

Why is Shang Tsung not S tier? He does need to use soul steal successfully and he wins, having that damage boost.

I agree, that .153434 millisecond damage boost should boost him way high up on the tier.

Plus since everyone knows how to play every character no matter who they soul steal anyways. Prinzmetal you have my support.

 

[Altaire]

I agree, that .153434 millisecond damage boost should boost him way high up on the tier.

Plus since everyone knows how to play every character no matter who they soul steal anyways. Prinzmetal you have my support.

Don't forget that mirror matches are always an absolutely favorable situation, especially when it's four seconds of them!

 

[Pig Of The Hut]

SLIPS: I'm actually in the heavy minority, I believe in "the player" not "character tier" charts and I understand why some wouldn't agree w me but I actually take more substance from that than anything. I believe in the right hands any character can be A+ or S tier. I play the player first then character.

Sharp paws: I'd like to play you soon

 

[THTB]

Shang isn't S tier because he himself has problems playing his own game. When you only factor in soul steal, yeah, he shouldn't lose any matchups. Everything else, added on, though, prevents that.

 

[BookBurning]

SLIPS: I'm actually in the heavy minority, I believe in "the player" not "character tier" charts and I understand why some wouldn't agree w me but I actually take more substance from that than anything. I believe in the right hands any character can be A+ or S tier. I play the player first then character.

That's how I always have felt, I mean I hate to bring up this situation to always support that claim so I'll just say this instead.

"Adon, GamerBee vs Rufus, Justin Wong. EVO 2010."

 

[PimpUigi]

REO was basing his claims on version 1.04. This tier list is based on version 1.05, the current version of the game.

The current version didn't change Mileena, plus Shang Tsung, and Kano were buffed.

I think Mileena being in S tier would only be justified if people don't know how to fight her.

 

[THTB]

@BookBurning Not to be offensive, but that particular situation does not hold any weight to the "it's the player" argument. That was really more of a "this player does not know said matchup" type of ordeal. At that point, no one did, actually. The character was so unused at that stage of SSFIV's life span.

[MENTION=3429]PimpUigi[/MENTION] This particular version of MK9 is so drastically different, and a lot of notable characters got nerfed, which does help out Mileena in the long run.

 

[BookBurning]

@BookBurning Not to be offensive, but that particular situation does not hold any weight to the "it's the player" argument. That was really more of a "this player does not know said matchup" type of ordeal. At that point, no one did, actually. The character was so unused at that stage of SSFIV's life span.

[MENTION=4]THTB[/MENTION] That's fair enough. How about our boy Reo placing 2nd at EVO with Milleena? Or anyone Joe chooses to play then? Haha, I think that's a better argument.

Edit: Then again she is in S Tier now supposedly and he did play Kabal afterwards.. Regardless I feel that Reo could do well with any character he spent alot time with, even if EVO isn't the best example.

 

[Sao87]

Cage bad match ups: Sub-Zero, Reptile, Noob-Saibot, Kitana, Kabal, Shang Tsung

Tough match ups: Sektor, Quan Chi, Freddy, Kenshi, Sindel, Mileena

I've sort of given up on Cage as a main character because at high level he lacks the ability to be consistent but I really like him as a pocket character because he is great for some of the really strong characters in this game.

 

[THTB]

@THTB That's fair enough. How about our boy Reo placing 2nd at EVO with Milleena? Or anyone Joe chooses to play then? Haha, I think that's a better argument.

Kinda is the same situation, but let's not forget that Joe is still like one of the top 3 players in the country at the game, as it is. Him at EVO falls into both situations lol.

 

[RagingNight]

That's how I always have felt, I mean I hate to bring up this situation to always support that claim so I'll just say this instead.

"Adon, GamerBee vs Rufus, Justin Wong. EVO 2010."

err when Justin Wong said that, that was when the game was still in beta. Adon was ass in that phase, just like how Dudley was stupid good in beta and then nerfed hard on the release version.

 

[sharp_paws]

SLIPS: I'm actually in the heavy minority, I believe in "the player" not "character tier" charts and I understand why some wouldn't agree w me but I actually take more substance from that than anything. I believe in the right hands any character can be A+ or S tier. I play the player first then character.

Sharp paws: I'd like to play you soon

well sure, anyone can beat anyone with anyone... the tier chart doesn't determine matches in the real world, of course not... its just theory, it might not be 100% accurate (or like you said, even matter) but it can give you insight on good/bad matchups... are you going to walk into a high level kitana fight with your cyber sub or your mileena? we just talk about it because we like talking about it

we've played, 3 or 4 games, you beat me pretty good.... i'm just an average MK player

 

[sharp_paws]

The current version didn't change Mileena, plus Shang Tsung, and Kano were buffed.

I think Mileena being in S tier would only be justified if people don't know how to fight her.

this is exactly how i feel with mileena, so much of her stuff is off limits against good players that you need to resort to this kind of patient, looking to catch people/playing around them, running...mode. i don't like playing like that, maybe some people do and thats fine , maybe i play the character wrong or in a way that doesn't work anymore

 

[Pig Of The Hut]

well sure, anyone can beat anyone with anyone... the tier chart doesn't determine matches in the real world, of course not... its just theory, it might not be 100% accurate (or like you said, even matter) but it can give you insight on good/bad matchups... are you going to walk into a high level kitana fight with your cyber sub or your mileena? we just talk about it because we like talking about it

we've played, 3 or 4 games, you beat me pretty good.... i'm just an average MK player

Again depends on the player, lol there's one kitana player I play who is really killer that I do much better w CSz against his kitana than mileena

Go figure lol

Last time I played this player CSz went 4-0, mileena 2-2 and quan 2-0

So again player but majority mileena

 

[LuckyStrikeMike]

Don't forget that mirror matches are always an absolutely favorable situation, especially when it's four seconds of them!

This, A thousand times this. I occasionally use shang and play at least half of the cast as well as my opponents. But the problem is not character knowledge, the problem is soul steal's short duration. After soul steal, even a good player only gets 1 or 2 chances to do real damage, but then it gets predictable. I suppose you could throw projectiles and zone, but why? Because you want to do do 6 or 7 percent chip? Maybe try a teleport and put yourself in a risky situation?
Sure, you can also get maybe 3 to 4 chances to get in using EN soul steal. But shang needs his meter for more important things, like breakers and EN ground skull. So I suppose if you want EN soul steal on wake up or in a combo that's fine for novelty's sake. Maybe you'll catch someone by surprise sometimes. But it just seems like a bad investment.

 

[DownfouralitY]

I'm really surprised Jade is so low. I agree with the rest of it, Good shit guys. Keep it up.

 

[THTB]

I'm really surprised Jade is so low. I agree with the rest of it, Good shit guys. Keep it up.

I've been saying for a while Jade is pretty much bottom tier, since before this recent patch, actually. Her numbers just aren't that good. Yeah, she has glow, and yes, for 1 bar she turns into Mecha Zangief, but what other things does she have?

 

[Altaire]

This, A thousand times this. I occasionally use shang and play at least half of the cast as well as my opponents. But the problem is not character knowledge, the problem is soul steal's short duration. After soul steal, even a good player only gets 1 or 2 chances to do real damage, but then it gets predictable. I suppose you could throw projectiles and zone, but why? Because you want to do do 6 or 7 percent chip? Maybe try a teleport and put yourself in a risky situation?
Sure, you can also get maybe 3 to 4 chances to get in using EN soul steal. But shang needs his meter for more important things, like breakers and EN ground skull. So I suppose if you want EN soul steal on wake up or in a combo that's fine for novelty's sake. Maybe you'll catch someone by surprise sometimes. But it just seems like a bad investment.

Well, there's nothing wrong with throwing projectiles, zoning or doing anything else that's more or less risk-free during soul steal, it's just not something you should go out of your way to do. For instance, let's say you were to morph into Skarlet: Why not knife cancel just for the meter? It doesn't even matter if you're doing damage, it's just nice to get some meter out of it while you turtle out the soul steal's duration. Shang can combo into a soul steal with most of his BnB combos for roughly the same damage as he'd get with a straight skull/close ground skull/1 2 1, and depending on the matchup, this isn't such a bad idea.

Granted, you're absolutely right about the soul steal's duration setting you up for a fall if you try to press the offense. You're only going to lend yourself to predictability, which is going to get you blown up. You'll just wind up overextending yourself if you morph into, say, Cage or Raiden, and try to go too heavy on the offense.

 

[DownfouralitY]

I've been saying for a while Jade is pretty much bottom tier, since before this recent patch, actually. Her numbers just aren't that good. Yeah, she has glow, and yes, for 1 bar she turns into Mecha Zangief, but what other things does she have?

Haha, yeah true. I never used Jade or really played a good Jade but I know Reo uses her and Krayzie does or used to. That's why I was surprised that she was so low. I agree with what you mean though.

 

[Prinz]

I understand that Shang Tsung has his own game and only relying on soul steal is not going to win you matches. I've been playing him a little, so I have some experience. Yes, his own game as is at the moment places him where he is right now in the tier list. But, at the moment, players like DetroitBallin and Alex Valle are just relying on his own game because they don't know, or don't want to play as other characters I suppose. I'll just wait until someone learns all S-tier, or most of them, and uses Sh Ts. I think this is going to place him a little higher.

Oh, yeah, one more thing. Mirror matches should definitely be won by the player who plays the character on the highest level, but they are hard because one has a strategy with his character and when another player uses the same character in another way you get mindfucked, this is why mirror matches seem harder.

I would like to hear top players' opinion on mirror matches in 2-3 words.

 

[THTB]

That's the problem, though...the morph factor isn't going to make Shang any higher. On paper it does, but in actual play, it doesn't make his hard matchups any easier to be able to use said troublesome character with better damage for a brief period of time.

 

[Prinz]

Yeah, maybe you're right. Anyway, in my opinion Jade, Stryker and Shang Tsung are better than their current placements, but, man, those high tiers are some bitches.

 

[16 Bit]

I would like to hear top players' opinion on mirror matches in 2-3 words.

Irritating, obnoxious, annoying.