General/Other - Ravenous Why I feel Ravenous is Mileena's best variation.

[Juxtapose]

Lol Sindel killed everyone

Um, dude, you realize all but Jade are back, right? Most are Revenants, but Jax and Sub-Zero are human and fine. Scorpion is human and not properly undead anymore.

In the original timeline, Cage dies something like three or four times and always came back. Mileena died in the original timeline and came back (no clones).

Mortal Kombat doesn't have perma death. Even Ed Boon tweeted that months back.

 

[JerzeyReign]

Ravenous probably holds the advantage with the pounces but Piercing is personally better to me. In the neutral game, piercing holds the advantage with low sai. If they want to attempt to zone you out, the low sai is a perfect response for everyone except for Kitana and all of her damn fans. I don't believe nor do I use Mileena as a rushdown character because its not in her. I'd like to believe I can sit in someone's face and do work but after using someone like Sonya, she doesn't have the tools regardless of the variation to go toe to toe with anyone.

You guys are the pros and respected Mileenas as well as you are playing high level talent with her so I have to yield but Ravenous just doesn't feel like the overwhelming best variation - I really don't believe any of them hold a distinct advantage.

 

[MajinBerserker]

I'd have to agree on Ravenous being the best of the three, especially after the buffs and fixes given to her in the last patch.
Overall, I just feel Rav has the most options for her to utilize in-match (grabs, tick throws, health regen, side switching). Piercing is still a strong variation for her, but I can't honestly put it above Ravenous. I started with Piercing but made the switch to Ravenous after Combo Breaker.
In terms of Mileena, I'd score Piercing with an 8/10 and Ravenous with a 9/10 (low Sai in Rav would make it perfect). Now I will say, having Piercing and Rav tourney-ready is a very wise choice for any Empress.
Congrats on your Evo performance @YOMI RM SaltFace !! And I wish you luck in all future tournies.

 

[Ninjaguy446]

Um, dude, you realize all but Jade are back, right? Most are Revenants, but Jax and Sub-Zero are human and fine. Scorpion is human and not properly undead anymore.

In the original timeline, Cage dies something like three or four times and always came back. Mileena died in the original timeline and came back (no clones).

Mortal Kombat doesn't have perma death. Even Ed Boon tweeted that months back.

I was agreeing with you. The point I was making was that Sindel killed everyone in MK9 and yet everyone is still in MKX as revenants/humans.

 

[Juxtapose]

I was agreeing with you. The point I was making was that Sindel killed everyone in MK9 and yet everyone is still in MKX as revenants/humans.

Ah, I misunderstood then. Sorry!

 

[llxPeeKABooxll]

We all know Mileena isn't perma-dead though. When has death ever been permanent in Mortal Kombat?

True, just feel that they would put Mileena on the back burner for a while :/.

 

[Juxtapose]

True, just feel that they would put Mileena on the back burner for a while :/.

They might as this has happened before. Only time will tell!

 

[ShArp]

This is a bit off topic but I just want to say thanks to @YOMI RM SaltFace (saw your fights at EVO) and @Mr. Mileena (loving your streams) because after seeing Mileena in good hands I felt in love with her and now she's my main. I still suck with her but I will improve with the time and the help of watching you guys play

 

[SaltFace NS]

This is a bit off topic but I just want to say thanks to @YOMI RM SaltFace (saw your fights at EVO) and @Mr. Mileena (loving your streams) because after seeing Mileena in good hands I felt in love with her and now she's my main. I still suck with her but I will improve with the time and the help of watching you guys play

Well good sir let me be the first to welcome you to the Mileena army. Our Empress shall appreciate your loyality & service.

 

[Damaja325]

good post. i can definitely see the benefits of ravenous, but i personally like piercing better. feel much more comfortable knowing i have that low sai cuz it's such a great tool for her mix-up game. though it is true, some of her combos net higher damage in ravenous, i don't find that enough to justify the tools piercing has. i use ravenous every so often for a change, but in the end i need my stabby sais lol.

also, wanted to say thanks @Mr. Mileena for his stream. decided to become a Mileena main because her gameplay looked so much fun.

 

[TheGabStandard]

So I have started to try out Ravenous last night and I can definitely see the positives of using the variation. I'm going to look into combos soon because at the moment I'm not seeing how Ravenous is out damaging Piercing. Now I'm probably not doing the most optimal combos as I'm doing Piercing combos but ending with F23 xx Pounce. So far damage I'm finding damage to be the same but in fairness the combos in Piercing are harder to do. Will continue looking into it

 

[YoloRoll1stHit]

So I have started to try out Ravenous last night and I can definitely see the positives of using the variation. I'm going to look into combos soon because at the moment I'm not seeing how Ravenous is out damaging Piercing. Now I'm probably not doing the most optimal combos as I'm doing Piercing combos but ending with F23 xx Pounce. So far damage I'm finding damage to be the same but in fairness the combos in Piercing are harder to do. Will continue looking into it

First, try [normal] xx roll, jump kick telekick air sai, run cancel B2 high pounce. This is the hardest but most damaging combo of ravenous
Using roll, B34 air sai, B22 high pounce results in the same damage as piercing....I think
In the corner try this combo: F343 telekick, delayed air sai, S2, S4 roll, run out, D2, 123 low pounce. 46% meterless
The 1 bar corner version is very different from piercing: F343 telekick, delayed air sai, S2, U3 MB, S4 roll, run out, D2, B22 low pounce. 52% if i remember corrently
Combo with ex roll will look like this: [normal] xx ex roll, run cancel B34 air sai, run cancel B2 high pounce. It's not that hard to pull this off consistently, but if you want to increase the damage by 1% and reduce your succes chance by 90% do B22 high pounce as ender. Note: B22 in that combo only works on medium size characters (subzero, Johnny...), doesn't work on Goro and F/T (the ones I gave up trying B22)

 

[Nu-Skoool]

Piercing having the b12 is really it's savings grace. You can argue low sai, turning every string into a possible mixup with meter, or being a good anti-zoning tool on account of low profiling some projectiles putting trades into your favor. However b12 is the standout tool. Excellent whiff punisher, safely prevents the opponent from walking into your space, lots of active frames, relatively fast on startup, and very easy to option select. In addition it can really fluster a player into making a mistake. Or it can force them to jump in, which opens them up to AA roll, armor through, which can be punished in most cases, at the very least forces the opponent to waste one of their resources, or respond with their own long range poke which can be whiff punished.

Sadistic ways is what is, however you can still get it in a lot of situations but most importantly she can get it in her midscreen BnBs for around 35-36%. Which is about 1% less than what I've seen most Ravenous combos deal.
I will say it really is hard to argue against Mileenas low pounce ticks off 2 as well as d3/4 due to how they can open an opponent up as well as b121+3 with the health regen. However as the type of player I am, b12 is too good to pass up.

 

[Endding]

B22 ~ Pounce I found easier to connect after B34 Air Sai.

 

[Blonde_Huntress]

First, try [normal] xx roll, jump kick telekick air sai, run cancel B2 high pounce. This is the hardest but most damaging combo of ravenous

That combo is soooo impractical (and not the most damaging thing she has). I think she has more practical options, combo wise. Her most damaging midscreen option is F343, telekick, air sai, roll, U3 cancel, B22, High Pounce at 43% I believe.

Piercing and Ravenous are both VERY close in terms of damage. What separates them is her Quick Taste Extend, as it provides her highest damage output from a command chain at 20%. It's really a very minor difference on the damage scale.

 

[Pig Of The Hut]

Great post and I agree on all points @YOMI RM SaltFace

 

[TheGabStandard]

That combo is soooo impractical (and not the most damaging thing she has). I think she has more practical options, combo wise. Her most damaging midscreen option is F343, telekick, air sai, roll, U3 cancel, B22, High Pounce at 43% I believe.

I'm assuming he meant most damaging as in combos that do not start with forward 3. Also is his combo really that impractical as I do something similar for anti air/midstring rolls in Piercing.

 

[Blonde_Huntress]

To me it seems like it could be easier to whiff unless you've really spent time perfecting your jump kick-->telekick into run cancel B2.

While slightly less damaging, I just find B34, air sai, B2, High Pounce or B34, air sai, F2, Low Pouce to suffice for me. I can hit those all day long.

 

[TheGabStandard]

To me it seems like it could be easier to whiff unless you've really spent time perfecting your jump kick-->telekick into run cancel B2.

While slightly less damaging, I just find B34, air sai, B2, High Pounce or B34, air sai, F2, Low Pouce to suffice for me. I can hit those all day long.

I appreciate that as consistency over risking drops. For me I generally don't like leaving damage on the table unless I absolutely have to so I would probably spend time perfecting the jump kick xx telekick combo.

 

[ZeroEffect]

@YOMI RM SaltFace
Well I asked this question in another thread, but if Ravenous is the strongest, are there any matchups where Ravenous would be specifically recommended over Piercing? Or a matchup where Piercing isn't a good choice at all?

 

[TheGabStandard]

First, try [normal] xx roll, jump kick telekick air sai, run cancel B2 high pounce. This is the hardest but most damaging combo of ravenous
Using roll, B34 air sai, B22 high pounce results in the same damage as piercing....I think
In the corner try this combo: F343 telekick, delayed air sai, S2, S4 roll, run out, D2, 123 low pounce. 46% meterless
The 1 bar corner version is very different from piercing: F343 telekick, delayed air sai, S2, U3 MB, S4 roll, run out, D2, B22 low pounce. 52% if i remember corrently
Combo with ex roll will look like this: [normal] xx ex roll, run cancel B34 air sai, run cancel B2 high pounce. It's not that hard to pull this off consistently, but if you want to increase the damage by 1% and reduce your succes chance by 90% do B22 high pounce as ender. Note: B22 in that combo only works on medium size characters (subzero, Johnny...), doesn't work on Goro and F/T (the ones I gave up trying B22)

Been trying these combos out and the jump kick xx Tele kick combos are really good. As for the ex roll combo that doesn't work against big body characters. It turns out it does. I suggest doing ex roll and without run cancelling time B3 to hit as the opponent is beginning to fall. If done right B34 xx air sai hits quite high allowing plenty of time to run, B22 xx pounce

 

[JerzeyReign]

Had to change my vote after my second local, my second time playing this game offline, and I've come to value having those pounces over that low sai. I get away with murder with them online but offline I found out the hard way that they only get you punished or allowed a free run in. Once they were in I lost all of my composure and got bodied. They were all pretty good players so I doubt the outcome would've changed for me drastically but the pounces would've changed footsie game a bit.

Not playing this game online any longer as it gave me a false sense of entitlement for some of these moves. I learned another valuable lesson yesterday.

 

[Juxtapose]

Had to change my vote after my second local, my second time playing this game offline, and I've come to value having those pounces over that low sai. I get away with murder with them online but offline I found out the hard way that they only get you punished or allowed a free run in. Once they were in I lost all of my composure and got bodied. They were all pretty good players so I doubt the outcome would've changed for me drastically but the pounces would've changed footsie game a bit.

Not playing this game online any longer as it gave me a false sense of entitlement for some of these moves. I learned another valuable lesson yesterday.

Yeah, online is a different game, from a certain point of view.

You can still play online, but you need to understand it in no way represents how the game is properly played competitively.

 

[YoloRoll1stHit]

I found out Mileena jump kick is a good tool to win most anti air. The problem is that telekick is very punishable on block and you'll have to hit confirm the jump kick. You can press jump, D3 in the air and if it hits D3 one more time to make it become telekick. But the window is very tight, a few frame too slow your telekick whiffs. Full combo should looks like this:
Ravenous: jump kick telekick air sai, B2 roll, F23 pounce
Piercing: jump kick telekick air sai, run B12 roll, B212+4
Damage can reach 36-38% if i remember correctly.
Using this tech can make opponent respect your jump, then you can get a million free jump ins.

 

[Nu-Skoool]

J4 is the better air to air due to how it covers horizontal space better and further reach.

Between roll, j4, d2 Mileena has a strong AA presence.