Who are the biggest winners and losers of the patch?

[Eji1700]

Armor breakers should have been universal moves. Locking them to certain variations or just outright awful moves that you can't even capitalize on (Jax's Clap, Noob's Push ) makes it feel as if the change doesn't even matter for a lot of characters. Adding some of those moves to the universal kit wouldn't have been a bad idea, or new strings/buttons entirely but everyone still locked down inside so I'll cut them some slack. Maybe it's just because I don't really play KL anymore so if someone who does has more insight into why this change is somehow better than the alternative above i'll gladly hear it out.

Ok i keep seeing noob's push mentioned as something that can't be used. I can see some problems with it, but I wouldn't be that surprised if it turns out to have viable setups, especially in the corner.

 

[scarsunseen]

Seems like everyone focused so much on breakaways and completely forgot that these armor breaking moves also work as meaty against Fatal Blow wake up.

For example, I don't see Frost doing that with DB3. I'm mainly disappointed with the lack of attention to V1 "Frost-byte" BF4. Been saying since the first month of the game... this special and its KB are still completely 100% useless

 

[Snibbor]

I thought making B12 safer was the big one. It'd be nicer if it was completely safe, but as far as I know B12 by itself is not full combo punishable, so that's at least an improvement and gives TW a bit more safety. And he also got a slew of other buffs that makes the rest of his mid-screen game much better.

B12 can unfortunately still be full combo punished on its own by anyone with a 7f jab.

 

[Syzoth]

Shao is definitely the winner. He got the buff we all asked for, and we're grateful.

 

[Zviko]

For example, I don't see Frost doing that with DB3.

No but she is pretty scary in the corner because of it. Like when do I breakaway in the corner? She can use it any time.

 

[DarksydeDash]

The biggest winner is Shao Kahn simply because Shao players had to wait over a year just to be able to be in the game.

 

[Rathalos]

I mean I get being frustrated, but NRS didn't make his F3 the armor breaker because they don't play the game or are idiots.
They made it that way because they don't want him to have access to a good armor breaker. They knew exactly what they were doing.

 

[Scoot Magee]

B12 can unfortunately still be full combo punished on its own by anyone with a 7f jab.

Does this make b12 1+3 useful? If people are trying to punish b12 or b12 teleport, b12 1+3 will hit.

 

[Zanotello]

First I thought it was unfair to variations that didn't have the armor breaker... but I think it's perfect!

Now I think the variations are balanced! And I think they weren't because the developers already had the armor breaker in the oven...

I always played underground variations and now people will think I am playing just the ones with armor breaker lol

My main is Spellmaster Shang. Now I can use 2 moves I didn't before.

winners are raiden and shao, no doubt, but lots of variations as well are usefull now... Squander, Sups OD, Born Again, etc...

Can't wait to see the next tournament...

 

[XxTheGoblinX]

from me just playing with it I was able to do some stuff with the armor break but honestly scorpion got placebo buffs. He got nothing he needed and while getting a kb on back throw is nice I would actually like hitbox changes for my mids bc as of now my mids are getting low profiled by certain normals, and to have my d4 back it was a dumb nerf and should be reverted

Fair but I think there was a universal change to crouch block. So his highs might be a lot better, hope his mids get the same justice.

 

[Lt. Boxy Angelman]

Nobody won bigger than Kabal, both by virtue of his armor break and by not being toned down at all.

Every patch, he gets closer to being #1.

 

[Darth Mao]

Cherny's hot take...

He only forgot to say that it is an huge buff for v3

 

[Scoot Magee]

He only forgot to say that it is an huge buff for v3

Are you referring to his NJ d+1/2?

 

[scarsunseen]

No but she is pretty scary in the corner because of it. Like when do I breakaway in the corner? She can use it any time.

Just breakaway right after she does DB3. It's not really that different from trying to D2 before armor comes out like in pre-patch.

 

[xKhaoTik]

Kitana's armor breaker is unusable in Highborn, very situational in Fearless and pretty good in Fanfare.
So that's a way to balance out 3 variations i guess, the weakest one got the strongest buff

Except It’s very usable in highborn and doesn’t even exist in fearless. Did you even try the patch before talking? Let’s stretch before we reach

 

[Snibbor]

Does this make b12 1+3 useful? If people are trying to punish b12 or b12 teleport, b12 1+3 will hit.

It can be used for that purpose, but b12 1+3 hits high and is also full combo punishable because of the big recovery on whiff, with potential to eat a d2 KB as well if the grab portion is read by the opponent. In other words, the risk/reward for doing b12 is always skewed against Raiden.

UPDATE: The grab portion whiffs on a crouch blocking opponent lol. The opponent can simply block and wait for you to open yourself up, as they are taking no risk to just block after b12.

 

[NaughtySenpai]

I think you still had to pay for any of the paid dlc. I know I paid for it. I just like having instant access to all of the skins, player cards, brutalities, and other stuff that are locked behind insane restrictions.

Right now there isn't even a way to unlock all the concept art, music and stages in the game. The way the Krypt is designed and NRS' unwillingness to fix or improve it are beyond comprehension for me.

 

[Darth Mao]

For example, I don't see Frost doing that with DB3. I'm mainly disappointed with the lack of attention to V1 "Frost-byte" BF4. Been saying since the first month of the game... this special and its KB are still completely 100% useless

I guess this Armor Breaker is better for v2

 

[Darth Mao]

Are you referring to his NJ d+1/2?

Yes

 

[NaughtySenpai]

Yes

Just that he addressed this as well because you can just confirm your breakaway and shit is useless again. Take 1 minute to lab, to condemn it to a lifetime of uselessness.

 

[scarsunseen]

I guess this Armor Breaker is better for v2

With the meta change, V1 Frost-byte is actually worse. She still no amplified launchers. Her BF4 and its KB are still useless. With the changes everyone ELSE got, this variation is worse. So... if I happen to freeze you with a bomb, I would do B32-DB3, I break your armor, and then I can't cash out any damage because, again, I still have no amplified launchers like the other two variations. V1 Frost does no damage.

If I played Arctic Anarchy, I'd do B32-DB3, break your armor, then go in for BF1-amp, juggle more, full combo, massive damage.
If I played Ice Machine, I'd do B32-DB3, break your armor, and I could potentially freeze you with DB4-AMP, or go BF4-KB (if available), etc.

Frost-byte gets nothing.

 

[PapaRegadetho]

It is clear that NRS doesnt want certain characters to have good armor breakers, some don't even have one. Liu Kangs V3 is the only one that has an armor breaker and thats his worst variation. Also, armor breakers for some characters aren't intended to be a "one size fits all" tool. Cherny isn't a scrub, but he is ignorant in situatuions that doesn't fit his agenda. He was calling Scorpion bad even before his nerfs, he is going to call him bad even after buffs and all that in day 2 after the patch! Are we even going to ignore the nerfs to certain top tiers as well now? C'mon people, you know better than that.

 

[Darth Mao]

Just that he addressed this as well because you can just confirm your breakaway and shit is useless again. Take 1 minute to lab, to condemn it to a lifetime of uselessness.

I guess this is a "flaw" of mechanics in general, not Scorps only.

 

[XxTheGoblinX]

Liu and Johnny are losers. I think the nerf to Lius 1,2 string is actually huge . I was screaming at my tv screen for this to be nerfed for months, Liu and Johnny players are gonna have to use some more brain cells now, no more free pressure.
Biggest winner Jacqui because she didn't get touched and her damage is still unbreakable.,but her unused variation has armor break so she might have 3 viable Variations.

 

[Pakman]

I really don't like this defence of "xyz move sucks because NRS doesn't want that character to have a good xyz tool" As if that is sound reasoning for piss-poor design and shoddy craftsmanship.

If you are going to go out of your way to give a character a tool/move (especially in this case one that is designed to counter breakaway / directly affect the meta) why would you intentionally make said tool bad?

If you don't want a character to have a specific tool/move for balance purposes, just don't give them it!