Espio
Kokomo
So I will be honest and preface this by saying that for a large portion of the game's life I have been pretty down on this variation due to my view of it lacking in versatility like the other two variations who have increased zoning or counter zoning options. I must admit that I was wrong and was looking at the variation from the wrong angle and with the recent patch making low stab a back, forward 2 input and making it have an enhanced version that is plus 12, I decided to pick it back up.
With that out of the way, I'd like to discuss why I think Dragon Fangs is currently still underrated and quite possibly his best variation.
This is the only variation where Goro has long ranged overhead, low and mid options that all hit at round start. Two of the options (forward 3) is safe and the overhead (Forward 4) is plus. The low option in low stab while -8 and somewhat unsafe can be spaced to be safer and can be ex'd to be plus 12 on block with armor so with meter all options are super safe or plus on block giving him greater ranged options.
The importance of low stab: The fact that this move is plus 12 on block and armored as I mentioned above are already huge perks, but then add to this the fact that low stab can blow people up for walking backwards and put them on their back and it gives them a greater incentive to block low which can open up overhead options.
Low stab hitting low( as the name implies lol) means that Goro gets an insanely good boost to his mix up game so strings like 1,1,2 that might have seen little to zero use at all might have periodic applications after conditioning the opponent to block low.
This also applies to super good strings like 2,1 where the second hit is an overhead and what not.
Low stab can be can cancelled off strings and normals and many strings do not have gaps in the cancels for the plus frames unlike in Tigrar Fury where there is always some type of gap in the strings cancelled into it.
Increased range/footsies: Any jab or fist based normal or special gets increased range including down 1 + down 2 + up 1/2 + 2,1. Many of Goro's fast normals come in the form of jab attacks and it makes them so much more effective and viable for keeping the pressure on opponents. Then with his down 1, imagine Goro's already good down 1 fusing with Kitana's long ranged down one except it doesn't have the slower speed or greater lack of safety that Kitana's down 1 has. Goro is a character built around really good pokes so this just amplifies his base tool kit.
Increased anti-air: With the addition of fang spin and ex's recapture capabilities, Goro is capable of getting over 30% on some of the trickier to anti-air options in the game. couple this with a longer ranged up 1/up 2, down 1, down 2 and his universal anti-air options and Goro has many more viable ways to force the opponent to play on the ground, which is where Goro thrives.
Increased chip/combo damage: Fang spin does greater chip than punchwalk and more damage on hit as well. 2,1,2 is plus and offers more sustainable offense, which in turn gives him greater chip damage. Greater damage on command grab reads and in combos.
Conclusion: Goro as a base character's strengths are concentrated in his strong pokes, footsies, and chip damage. This variation of Goro takes Goro's core tools/strengths and amplifies them so he gets greater sustainable chip/offense and even more annoying pokes, making him feel much more complete in design and execution. The difference between Dragon Fangs and the other two variations is that Dragon Fangs is building on Goro's natural design ethos/strengths of how he is intended to play while the other two provide a sort of "pseudo versatility". Goro isn't a zoner or a counter zoner, he is best when he is up close in your face or in footsies range. Goro as a character I feel benefits the most from having a plus on block special and more sustainable offense (and while he has this in Tigrar, the gaps make it less attractive than low stab) and Kuatan warrior lacks that type of offense sustaining plus on block attack/pressure as well.
This is obviously my opinion and my opinion alone, but I rarely change my mind on things unless I've put in a lot of time and effort. I spent the vast majority of the game's life playing Tigrar Fury, but for the aforementioned reasons, Dragon Fangs has been redeemed in my eyes as I've come to understand Goro much more as a character. Nothing I'm posting here is necessarily "new" information, but more for informative purposes and to get people to think about the variation and Goro more and in different ways.
Dragon Fangs isn't bad or the joke variation I thought it was or many people still think it is and I've come to not only enjoy playing it, but feel it is has immense worth like top variation levels of worth
With that out of the way, I'd like to discuss why I think Dragon Fangs is currently still underrated and quite possibly his best variation.
This is the only variation where Goro has long ranged overhead, low and mid options that all hit at round start. Two of the options (forward 3) is safe and the overhead (Forward 4) is plus. The low option in low stab while -8 and somewhat unsafe can be spaced to be safer and can be ex'd to be plus 12 on block with armor so with meter all options are super safe or plus on block giving him greater ranged options.
The importance of low stab: The fact that this move is plus 12 on block and armored as I mentioned above are already huge perks, but then add to this the fact that low stab can blow people up for walking backwards and put them on their back and it gives them a greater incentive to block low which can open up overhead options.
Low stab hitting low( as the name implies lol) means that Goro gets an insanely good boost to his mix up game so strings like 1,1,2 that might have seen little to zero use at all might have periodic applications after conditioning the opponent to block low.
This also applies to super good strings like 2,1 where the second hit is an overhead and what not.
Low stab can be can cancelled off strings and normals and many strings do not have gaps in the cancels for the plus frames unlike in Tigrar Fury where there is always some type of gap in the strings cancelled into it.
Increased range/footsies: Any jab or fist based normal or special gets increased range including down 1 + down 2 + up 1/2 + 2,1. Many of Goro's fast normals come in the form of jab attacks and it makes them so much more effective and viable for keeping the pressure on opponents. Then with his down 1, imagine Goro's already good down 1 fusing with Kitana's long ranged down one except it doesn't have the slower speed or greater lack of safety that Kitana's down 1 has. Goro is a character built around really good pokes so this just amplifies his base tool kit.
Increased anti-air: With the addition of fang spin and ex's recapture capabilities, Goro is capable of getting over 30% on some of the trickier to anti-air options in the game. couple this with a longer ranged up 1/up 2, down 1, down 2 and his universal anti-air options and Goro has many more viable ways to force the opponent to play on the ground, which is where Goro thrives.
Increased chip/combo damage: Fang spin does greater chip than punchwalk and more damage on hit as well. 2,1,2 is plus and offers more sustainable offense, which in turn gives him greater chip damage. Greater damage on command grab reads and in combos.
Conclusion: Goro as a base character's strengths are concentrated in his strong pokes, footsies, and chip damage. This variation of Goro takes Goro's core tools/strengths and amplifies them so he gets greater sustainable chip/offense and even more annoying pokes, making him feel much more complete in design and execution. The difference between Dragon Fangs and the other two variations is that Dragon Fangs is building on Goro's natural design ethos/strengths of how he is intended to play while the other two provide a sort of "pseudo versatility". Goro isn't a zoner or a counter zoner, he is best when he is up close in your face or in footsies range. Goro as a character I feel benefits the most from having a plus on block special and more sustainable offense (and while he has this in Tigrar, the gaps make it less attractive than low stab) and Kuatan warrior lacks that type of offense sustaining plus on block attack/pressure as well.
This is obviously my opinion and my opinion alone, but I rarely change my mind on things unless I've put in a lot of time and effort. I spent the vast majority of the game's life playing Tigrar Fury, but for the aforementioned reasons, Dragon Fangs has been redeemed in my eyes as I've come to understand Goro much more as a character. Nothing I'm posting here is necessarily "new" information, but more for informative purposes and to get people to think about the variation and Goro more and in different ways.
Dragon Fangs isn't bad or the joke variation I thought it was or many people still think it is and I've come to not only enjoy playing it, but feel it is has immense worth like top variation levels of worth
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. We have a tournament this Sunday at GDA, expect footage. I will be repping Goro for my Shokan brothers.
