Temjiin
www.mkxframedata.com
I've been playing a lot of good Sub players lately and been getting a lot of success against him with the lizard. STB CharlieMurphy Altaire NKZero knoterror Sgt Reed 24
I know this MU very well and have a lot of ideas and strategies on how to overcome S-Z. I also believe it's easier for Reptile to corner Sub than the other way around.
1. The Ice-Clone sweet spot - It might be common knowledge, but you can actually touch the ice clone with your D4 foot and not get frozen. This puts you at a huge advantage in the matchup because you can now play footsies with him in a part of the screen that he feels safe. You need to judge this right (I've got the distance down to a tee now) but you can basically D4 Sub out of his clone as he walks towards you through it. This effectively limits him to either sliding, D4ing you or jumping in on you. (The 2nd hit of 22 can hit you if spaced right) When Sub puts a clone up and I'm close, I'll walk up to this distance and crouch block. You can't be hit by iceball and can D4 him out of nearly all of his normals from here or anticipate the jump in.
2. Use armour - EX slide is your best friend. There's several uses. Obviously it goes through clone so if you the read that your opponent will clone with you cornered, this is your easiest get out. Your opponent will bait it so use it sparingly. EX slide will interrupt any corner pressure Sub exerts on you, be it a 212/4 blockstring or D4s or jump ins. You will also be out of the corner.
EX slide is best used to PREVENT you being cornered. The best chance SZ has of beating Reptile is to be aggressive and to push him in the corner as early as possible with 2,1 and D4 pressure. If I feel I'm close to being cornered I will interrupt his block string pressure with EX slide and armour through it.
3. Reptile wins full screen - Sub Zero is not safe at full screen behind a clone and will lose if he thinks he can throw iceballs safely. If Sub puts up with clone and throws an iceball from full screen, you can block/duck and immediately dash and JIP for full combo. The clone will have disappeared and you will go over his second iceball. Once he respects this, he will probably not throw a second iceball, meaning you can spit and zone him.
Another option is you can slide under an iceball at full screen, putting you within dashing range of him. Do not dash. You can bait his clone and spit here or advance further (walking only) to get yourself further away from the corner. You can't slide under Ice Beam but you can slide on reaction to Ice Ball.
4. Zoning - Reptile wins in a full screen projectile trade (fast ball only, not slow ball or spit) when executed at the same time. At full screen when both characters zone simultaneously, Reptile will be frozen, whilst Sub will be launched. If timed right, you can block low to cut out his slide but even if you missed this by a few frames, you have still won the trade 8% to 7%. If you use an EX fast ball, you can recover to block, dash and full combo. Zoning should always start with a fast ball in case Sub zones back.
Sub doesn't want to be zoned, and contrary to mixed opinion Reptile is one of the best zoners in the game. 321 slow forceball is the best combo ender for Reptile vs Sub. The only thing Sub can do to switch momentum from this scenario is to wakeup with EX slide, otherwise you can put another projectile on screen and block his ice ball. However if you bait the EX slide, you can end a combo with 321 slow ball and charge EX fast forceball. If Sub wakes up with EX slide you have a full combo. On block, it has pushback and you can keep zoning him. Only Ice Beam will put you at disadvantage in this scenario.
Resetting sub with 2 f3 1+2 is not a good idea, you can't follow it up with pressure as he can immediately clone and freeze you. Only following the reset with spit will hit him.
5. Can't touch this - Reptile has a fucking crazy-ass hitbox and Sub has a real hard time hitting him. As you see below, Sub's 2 whiffs on Reptile most of the time. You can abuse this by ensuring you are never blocking high and always ready to D4 yourself out of pressure.
6. Do not dash! Dash should not be used as an offensive tool in this MU but rather to punish an ice ball at half screen or for plain mobility. There is no excuse for dashing into a clone in this match, ever.
7. Escaping the corner - You need a bar at all times. In this match, one bar to spare is the same as a breaker in the Cyrax matchup. You need to EX slide during a blockstring, if Sub jumps in on you or if he commits to D4 pressure.
You can't play footsies in the corner but you can poke through some clone setups if you don't have meter.
212 Clone (most popular setup) - you can D3, D1 and 1 safely through the clone. You can 2 as an anti air but only if Sub has jumped. The recovery of 2 will get you frozen so you cannot use this offensively if Sub is walking towards you.
214 Clone - you can D1, D2, D3, D4, 1, and 2 safely through the clone
b12 Clone - you can D1, D2 ,D3, 1, and 2 safely through the clone
D4 Clone - you can use 1, 2 and NJP safely. All low pokes will get you frozen and if you anti-air with D4 you will still get frozen after hitting SZ. Only scenario where you should block high.
A few examples below.
These tips will frustrate the Sub Zero player, where as previously it has been the Reptile player getting frustrated.
Patience is key.
I know this MU very well and have a lot of ideas and strategies on how to overcome S-Z. I also believe it's easier for Reptile to corner Sub than the other way around.
1. The Ice-Clone sweet spot - It might be common knowledge, but you can actually touch the ice clone with your D4 foot and not get frozen. This puts you at a huge advantage in the matchup because you can now play footsies with him in a part of the screen that he feels safe. You need to judge this right (I've got the distance down to a tee now) but you can basically D4 Sub out of his clone as he walks towards you through it. This effectively limits him to either sliding, D4ing you or jumping in on you. (The 2nd hit of 22 can hit you if spaced right) When Sub puts a clone up and I'm close, I'll walk up to this distance and crouch block. You can't be hit by iceball and can D4 him out of nearly all of his normals from here or anticipate the jump in.
2. Use armour - EX slide is your best friend. There's several uses. Obviously it goes through clone so if you the read that your opponent will clone with you cornered, this is your easiest get out. Your opponent will bait it so use it sparingly. EX slide will interrupt any corner pressure Sub exerts on you, be it a 212/4 blockstring or D4s or jump ins. You will also be out of the corner.
EX slide is best used to PREVENT you being cornered. The best chance SZ has of beating Reptile is to be aggressive and to push him in the corner as early as possible with 2,1 and D4 pressure. If I feel I'm close to being cornered I will interrupt his block string pressure with EX slide and armour through it.
3. Reptile wins full screen - Sub Zero is not safe at full screen behind a clone and will lose if he thinks he can throw iceballs safely. If Sub puts up with clone and throws an iceball from full screen, you can block/duck and immediately dash and JIP for full combo. The clone will have disappeared and you will go over his second iceball. Once he respects this, he will probably not throw a second iceball, meaning you can spit and zone him.
Another option is you can slide under an iceball at full screen, putting you within dashing range of him. Do not dash. You can bait his clone and spit here or advance further (walking only) to get yourself further away from the corner. You can't slide under Ice Beam but you can slide on reaction to Ice Ball.
4. Zoning - Reptile wins in a full screen projectile trade (fast ball only, not slow ball or spit) when executed at the same time. At full screen when both characters zone simultaneously, Reptile will be frozen, whilst Sub will be launched. If timed right, you can block low to cut out his slide but even if you missed this by a few frames, you have still won the trade 8% to 7%. If you use an EX fast ball, you can recover to block, dash and full combo. Zoning should always start with a fast ball in case Sub zones back.
Sub doesn't want to be zoned, and contrary to mixed opinion Reptile is one of the best zoners in the game. 321 slow forceball is the best combo ender for Reptile vs Sub. The only thing Sub can do to switch momentum from this scenario is to wakeup with EX slide, otherwise you can put another projectile on screen and block his ice ball. However if you bait the EX slide, you can end a combo with 321 slow ball and charge EX fast forceball. If Sub wakes up with EX slide you have a full combo. On block, it has pushback and you can keep zoning him. Only Ice Beam will put you at disadvantage in this scenario.
Resetting sub with 2 f3 1+2 is not a good idea, you can't follow it up with pressure as he can immediately clone and freeze you. Only following the reset with spit will hit him.
5. Can't touch this - Reptile has a fucking crazy-ass hitbox and Sub has a real hard time hitting him. As you see below, Sub's 2 whiffs on Reptile most of the time. You can abuse this by ensuring you are never blocking high and always ready to D4 yourself out of pressure.
6. Do not dash! Dash should not be used as an offensive tool in this MU but rather to punish an ice ball at half screen or for plain mobility. There is no excuse for dashing into a clone in this match, ever.
7. Escaping the corner - You need a bar at all times. In this match, one bar to spare is the same as a breaker in the Cyrax matchup. You need to EX slide during a blockstring, if Sub jumps in on you or if he commits to D4 pressure.
You can't play footsies in the corner but you can poke through some clone setups if you don't have meter.
212 Clone (most popular setup) - you can D3, D1 and 1 safely through the clone. You can 2 as an anti air but only if Sub has jumped. The recovery of 2 will get you frozen so you cannot use this offensively if Sub is walking towards you.
214 Clone - you can D1, D2, D3, D4, 1, and 2 safely through the clone
b12 Clone - you can D1, D2 ,D3, 1, and 2 safely through the clone
D4 Clone - you can use 1, 2 and NJP safely. All low pokes will get you frozen and if you anti-air with D4 you will still get frozen after hitting SZ. Only scenario where you should block high.
A few examples below.
These tips will frustrate the Sub Zero player, where as previously it has been the Reptile player getting frustrated.
Patience is key.
) then I have a better chance of winning.
