Flagg
Noob
As we know, Quan Chi's Skeletal boost/buff is a victim of it's own brilliance. The damage boost grants him around 31% in increased damage. In order to not make this OP, NRS have served to make this one of the longest moves in terms of execution, in the game, at 77 frames.
At 77 frames, anyone can punish a raw Skeletal boost/buff.
If you throw a Ex Skull at the opponent, full screen and it hits you are at +42. Because you are also at full screen, I am certain you can safely skeletal boost without being punished. However there is a downside. If you get green, you are guaranteed the health increase, however if you get red, you will flash for like 6 frames and the boost is over. NRS really did a number on nerfing this. Even if you go EX skeletal boost, you will get the health regen, not the damage increase.
And to be honest, who is going to not block a ex skull at full screen?
So i've been thinking that the key to this is to stagger the opponent.
If you throw a raw naked ex Skull next to the opponent, you can boost, and you will stay red, but even with the stagger, there is still 25 frames you are vulnerable.
However, if you F12 ex skull bomb, you can boost afterwards and the distance you are at thanks to the pushback of F12 then the ex skull, puts you at a safer opportunity/distance to skull boost. This might work better if you F1 into ex skull rather than F12 into ex skull.
This is by no means 100% reliant, and I have no human opponent to try this on, but from what I can see, this seems like one of the safest ways to skull boost.
I should remind you guys, that once you go red, you either stay red for around 15 seconds or until you get hit whether you are blocking or not. So you have the chance to land 2 or maybe 3 combos if they are careless, ensuring you can kill them. For instance, after a red boost:
Jip, B21, B21, B11 trance, jip, B11 medium rune does a whopping 55% from the standard 42%. I would highly recommend going for a big combo, if you go for a rune trap, the boost finishes after the first one (giving you about 30% damage) but because you used a bar for skull boost, your next rune trap will only do normal damage. While that is still high, I believe you can kill a careless opponent in 3 or even 2 combos if you successfully land red.
I wish I had a video to show, but it's quite simple...F12 ex skull, boost.
Like I said, this is not 100% guaranteed, could be that you can still punish this, but the push back coupled with the distance of the combo gives you some safety. Oh, and f1 ex skull does 16% damage, 20% if you get the jp as well.
Under_The_Mayo, what do you think? I know you're the expert, but you or any of the high level Quans, tell me what you think.
EDIT: While the above imo seems like the safest way to get a skeletal boost with less chance of a punish, i've also found that B3 1+2 then boost. This is very risky, if your opponent tech rolls and does a wake up attack that is either a teleport or full screen charge, you will get hit. However, if you're fighting someone a bit careful and they might expect you to follow up after your B3 1+2, you have a bit of a window to boost (i recommend holding block straight away!)
At 77 frames, anyone can punish a raw Skeletal boost/buff.
If you throw a Ex Skull at the opponent, full screen and it hits you are at +42. Because you are also at full screen, I am certain you can safely skeletal boost without being punished. However there is a downside. If you get green, you are guaranteed the health increase, however if you get red, you will flash for like 6 frames and the boost is over. NRS really did a number on nerfing this. Even if you go EX skeletal boost, you will get the health regen, not the damage increase.
And to be honest, who is going to not block a ex skull at full screen?
So i've been thinking that the key to this is to stagger the opponent.
If you throw a raw naked ex Skull next to the opponent, you can boost, and you will stay red, but even with the stagger, there is still 25 frames you are vulnerable.
However, if you F12 ex skull bomb, you can boost afterwards and the distance you are at thanks to the pushback of F12 then the ex skull, puts you at a safer opportunity/distance to skull boost. This might work better if you F1 into ex skull rather than F12 into ex skull.
This is by no means 100% reliant, and I have no human opponent to try this on, but from what I can see, this seems like one of the safest ways to skull boost.
I should remind you guys, that once you go red, you either stay red for around 15 seconds or until you get hit whether you are blocking or not. So you have the chance to land 2 or maybe 3 combos if they are careless, ensuring you can kill them. For instance, after a red boost:
Jip, B21, B21, B11 trance, jip, B11 medium rune does a whopping 55% from the standard 42%. I would highly recommend going for a big combo, if you go for a rune trap, the boost finishes after the first one (giving you about 30% damage) but because you used a bar for skull boost, your next rune trap will only do normal damage. While that is still high, I believe you can kill a careless opponent in 3 or even 2 combos if you successfully land red.
I wish I had a video to show, but it's quite simple...F12 ex skull, boost.
Like I said, this is not 100% guaranteed, could be that you can still punish this, but the push back coupled with the distance of the combo gives you some safety. Oh, and f1 ex skull does 16% damage, 20% if you get the jp as well.
Under_The_Mayo, what do you think? I know you're the expert, but you or any of the high level Quans, tell me what you think.
EDIT: While the above imo seems like the safest way to get a skeletal boost with less chance of a punish, i've also found that B3 1+2 then boost. This is very risky, if your opponent tech rolls and does a wake up attack that is either a teleport or full screen charge, you will get hit. However, if you're fighting someone a bit careful and they might expect you to follow up after your B3 1+2, you have a bit of a window to boost (i recommend holding block straight away!)
