What do you expect to see in MK9's evolution in 2-3 years?

[Dizzy]

Cyrax has a better chance of evening the match with Kabal. Cage punishes the Kabal players mistakes for 20-30% while Cyrax gets breaker trap (40%+ inescapable) or reset combo. Even then, I doubt it unless an OS or something extremely broken like that happens. The system isn't very conducive to OSing anyway.

 

[THTB]

Luckily the more I watch the old games the more I begin to understand fucked up shit and how it's used. THTB

Man, ST is golden, but damn is there some gay shit in that game.

 

[Ashenar]

Man, ST is golden, but damn is there some gay shit in that game.

I agree with you 100% The Alpha series was also golden and mannnnnnnnnnnnnn was there some shit in that game. But the level of play was god like.

 

[Visceral Vain]

Whiffing reptile's elbow dash into a standing 2 then either going into the drop kick or not will become the greatest 50/50 in the game.

 

[RunwayMafia]

The way I see it, rune trap will drop down to a 1-rep into post-RT mixup. I also can see his counter zoning game becoming a lot more talked about. Trance is the gayest trade in the game. It is essentially a slower EX freeze with less range that's still useable.

STB CharlieMurphy I think Kitana suffers too much from not having a non-poke option that hits crouching opponents at a decent speed. I do think her footsies game will flesh out to be even more retarded than it already is, but I can see her either retaining her current position or dropping in favor of more characters capable of abusing the poking game harder.

Finding out Kitana's b3 can link has changed my game considerablly...I don't know why people take this as an insult but I think the majority of this cast is "un explored"

 

[THTB]

I agree with you 100% The Alpha series was also golden and mannnnnnnnnnnnnn was there some shit in that game. But the level of play was god like.

Personal opinion, A2 > ST as a game overall.

GGA Dizzy Idk. Cyrax punishes Kabal for his mistakes harder, in raw statistics, but it seems like he has to do more to get those mistakes. Cage isn't that bad on punishment...after a nutpunch combo, he's getting a chunk of damage through the follow-up chip (as well as frame advantage with a bar), and doesn't he have a better defensive game vs Kabal's pressure than Cyrax?

Pretty much, that leaves it at:

-Kabal doesn't want to play Cage inside, whatsoever, but wants to stay away from the corner, too
-Kabal wants to not fuck up at all vs Cyrax, but isn't as afraid to pressure him, and can still play from a distance

Either way, I honestly see both of them as the the ones who will give Kabal more fits down the line (Cyblax even moreso than Cyrax).

RunwayMafia it's a good normal, but as I said, the problem lies in its speed. She doesn't have fast enough normals that can hit crouching opponents.

 

[Dizzy]

Kabal players are leaving a lot on the table atm, in lots of MUs. It's a character with years of potential for sure. I can't say the same about lot's of the other cast. If anything most of his MUs will go further in his favor then they already are.

Once Kabal players really master the flash parry there won't be much to fear up close against Cage if you got a bar; they won't have to bother with a guess. Right now most don't want to bother trying it against Cage and fucking it up, lol. It's no secret that there is a difference in fighting Kabal and fighting Kabal players.

As far as the mistakes thing, currently I see Kabal players make plenty of mistakes against Cyrax. Plenty of saws point blank or off strings going unpunished. It's hard but you're not going to stand a chance against Kabal with most characters if you can't do stuff that is hard.

 

[Glass Sword]

I think Liu Kang, Shang Tsung, Skarlet and Rain will be seen as better characters than they currently are.
Liu Kang will finally reach his full screen potential where he can easily transition from zoning to rushdown back to zoning.
Rain players will master the instant air teleport and will be able to get a full punish with lighting while being able to get in better.
Skarlet players will exist.
Shang Tsung will be seen as the every man of the cast only having perhaps one atrocious match up (Cyrax).
Who knows what the future holds.
Also THTB I am working on making your Smoke predictions true I practice everyday... SOON
Edit: Sektor is one who will rise as well if Sektor's start abusing that low hitbox on block to punish jabs.

 

[SLy]

I can see Ermac getting more dangerous. His flight is overlooked and can really mindfuck you from across the field sort of like jax.

 

[OutworldKeith]

I think Liu Kang's zoning will get better

 

[Seapeople]

If he's not already, Cyrax will probably be considered one of the most dangerous characters up close and in the corner. He's pretty much on Cage's level imo

 

[Killphil]

Spoiler

Edit: No really, I do!

 

[SLy]

I also cant help but to keep looking in CSZ direction. I know he has something we haven't really dabbled with that will benefit him in the long run..

 

[LEGEND]

I actually think Jax's lack of damage will come to bite him in the ass immensely. Too many characters hit too hard everywhere on the screen.

Idk, He may only have 4 Bad MUs and 2 3-7s. Plus he can dominate alot of the cast and goes even with Kenshi and possibly Kabal

His midscreen damage is only low when grounded, but what he lacks in damage he makes up for in momentum and Armor. And now with the 1(2) wiff to GP or X-ray punishes, his Midscreen grounded damage is actually not bad at all vs some characters, JC and Sonya in particular

 

[FCP/EMP SCAR]

Skarlet will move up to top 5

 

[KiD INsAnitY]

2-3 years game will be damn near dead

 

[RiBBz22]

Smoke I can't see dropping out of top 10. By 2-3 years, people will have developed their execution to the point where not many fuck up his resets. Plus I see him benefiting from the perfection of the poke game. But Skarlet, definitely can see that possibly happening.

Missing the reset is not the reason that Smoke loses his bad MU's, so I totally disagree on that helping as much as you think. With that said I doubt he will ever be seen as a character outside of the top 10 because I do believe what you say is true against 90% of the cast for the most part.

His issues have nothing to do with his pokes and reset consistency, and they have everything to do with strong tournament characters which are high on the tier list shutting down all of his options and building enough meter to the point where they don't have to fear the reset.

 

[Illmatix]

kung lao's game will completely revolve around the chained fist 50/50 at high level.

 

[NKZero]

kung lao's game will completely revolve around the chained fist 50/50 at high level.

There's nothing special about the mix-up instead but the more Kung Lao players use the 21212 (ending with punch not overhead hat), the more meter they build and that's dangerous. At the moment they're only doing 21 and it's getting predictable. The mix-up itself is very unsafe and a lot of characters can full combo punish both options on block. 21212 is safe except against the fast advancing specials e.g. elbow dash and spirit charge.

 

[Illmatix]

There's nothing special about the mix-up instead but the more Kung Lao players use the 21212 (ending with punch not overhead hat), the more meter they build and that's dangerous. At the moment they're only doing 21 and it's getting predictable. The mix-up itself is very unsafe and a lot of characters can full combo punish both options on block. 21212 is safe except against the fast advancing specials e.g. elbow dash and spirit charge.

ermac can full combo punish this. i think it will make and break matchups as it builds good meter and if you land the 50/50 you are safe from deadly blockstring pressure against characters who have lethal BSP. (Cyrax, kabal, cage etc.)

 

[Flagg]

Quan Chi has meterless combos that do 43%. When I use him, I like using rune trap to close off a match or round, I dont like it being the be all and end all of his game. Surprises me the amount of people not using his EX Trance more to drain meter.

I think Sonya will be like Mileena later on, which is manageable, and not "omg its Sonya!"

People will be interupting strings way, way more, leading to a radical change in mixups, delayed inputs, etc.

 

[xInfra Deadx]

kung lao's game will completely revolve around the chained fist 50/50 at high level.

I can tell you as a Kung Lao main that THAT won't be happening anytime soon...there are holes in that particular string(s) that can get armored or even jumped out(212121+2).

 

[NKZero]

ermac can full combo punish this. i think it will make and break matchups as it builds good meter and if you land the 50/50 you are safe from deadly blockstring pressure against characters who have lethal BSP. (Cyrax, kabal, cage etc.)

if Lao needs space all you need to do is 21212 or 24-1+2. Why risk it to get a little extra damage? Plus low hat is only +2 on hit and doesn't give pushback, so it doesn't do much against the rushdown characters. Also Lao can do B1F1 string, which I think is under-used. Gives nice pushback as well.

 

[NKZero]

Quan Chi has meterless combos that do 43%. When I use him, I like using rune trap to close off a match or round, I dont like it being the be all and end all of his game. Surprises me the amount of people not using his EX Trance more to drain meter.

I think Sonya will be like Mileena later on, which is manageable, and not "omg its Sonya!"

People will be interupting strings way, way more, leading to a radical change in mixups, delayed inputs, etc.

Do you think there's a safe way to implement skeletal boost in a match (obviously without the knockdown glitch)? That move is too important to not have a place in Quan's game.

 

[TotteryManx]

If MK10 isn't out and MK9 isn't dead in 2-3 years? I can honestly see Cyrax being the best in the game. He already has 100% combos. Lets be honest about this, all it takes is one mistake/punish to win a round with rax. Once everyones execution is down to a T I don't see why he couldn't be the best. I see so many players drop his resets and such.

You're going to have at least one punish in every round. What happens when a player is so flawless with Cyrax's resets he doesn't drop any? Look at Denzell during SCR...he was destroying people with resets until the top 8...and what did I notice in his later matches? He was dropping resets lol. If he wouldn't have who knows.