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General/Other - Alien Why Tarkatan may be Alien's best variation

Dankster Morgan

It is better this way
Most people think Acidic is Alien's best variation, I'd say mostly because of what Sonic does with him. Acidic is still top 5, top tier, etc.. That's not what I'm getting at. I just think Tarkatan is better, maybe even the best.

Reasons to pick Tarkatan over Acidic:

1. Hit confirm meter spending off of 50/50s: If Acidic wants to launch for an actual combo he has to commit to EX Flip in a non hit confirmable, very unsafe 50/50. If Tarkatan wants to launch, he cancels 50/50 in to rekka, where he is only partially unsafe, and wastes no meter if he is punished, and still gets the same damage if it hits from hit confirming rekkas.
If Acidic wants to launch he is:
100% unsafe
wasted a bar of meter
If Tarkatan wants to launch he is:
50% unsafe
wasted no meter

2. 9 frame armor launcher: I don't really need to explain the benefits of a 9 frame armor launcher, but I will anyways. EX flip is around 18 frames if I recall, and can be armor broken by stuff that Tarkatan EX DB2 can't. It is easily Alien's best choice to reversal option select gaps in the opponent's offense.

3. Standing 2 and the 21/214 strings: Not only is it one of Alien's best footsie tools in this variation, but it also makes Tarkatan a better punisher that Acidic. If there is something that the 9 frame B1 won't reach to punish, Tarkatan still has access the the long range 9 frame standing 2.

4. DB1 knockdown in the corner into JB2 gives Alien pressure if the opponent doesn't have meter, or the pounce HKD is still good if you prefer it. I'd take that over a plus 1 restand.

5. And of course the rekkas: Rekkas in MKXL essentially allow the player to get away with stuff they shouldn't be able to get away with while they are negative. Yes they can be blown up by fast armor, but the majority of the armor used to reversal OS doesn't launch. Most characters have to spend a bar to get like 12% to blow up the rekka gap. Sick punish bro. Or a character with Predator tier armor, lel. Alien can be plus 3 with max delay rekkas ending in low. If he is worried about them back dashing he can stop at the second rekka. So if you don't have meter, the rekkas essentially put you in a 50/50 situation. And smart use of overhead rekka will hit. During an EX crawl combo, Alien can stop at the second hit of rekka and jail everything but a 50/50, but strings like F134 and B113 especially have 50/50s built in, plus the added bonus of being able to end strings in flip, snag, or rekka, he has enough tools to mix you in this situation. The rekkas also give Alien better footsies, being able to hit confirm full combos off of B3 and the like, and ex rekka being 15 frames and reaching half screen, and launching for a full combo if Alien has another bar.

I think all this is better than damage ticks, zoning, and a plus 1 restand. Once again, I'm not downplaying Acidic if some retard tries to twist my words against me, don't. Once again, I think Acidic is top 5.

I know @Tweedy thinks this as well, and I think more people need to be aware of this. Tarkatan Alien actually being slept on in terms of capabilities is a crime against humanity.
 

UGL Preon

The Casual God
I think both are exceptional at what they do. However one seems to require much less effort in terms of executing the game plan than the other. People like simple and that acid being able to get kills can be crucial in the clutch.

I think both variations compliment eachother very well and serve perfect harmony. While Konjerer still has its utility
 

Dankster Morgan

It is better this way
I think both are exceptional at what they do. However one seems to require much less effort in terms of executing the game plan than the other. People like simple and that acid being able to get kills can be crucial in the clutch.

I think both variations compliment eachother very well and serve perfect harmony. While Konjerer still has its utility
They do compliment each other well. But I think Konjurer is never worth using. Even though it is a good variation, it gives Alien nothing the others can't imo.
 

Tanno

The Fantasy is the Reality of the Mind
Tarkatan Alien is my 2nd main. I use him for vortex to prevent someone to restand.
 

Revenant Zero

Death Comes
Just reading these points, remembering Tweedy's match with Lord Brady and my match with Dragon at SJX gave me chills. Very informative, I always admired Tarkatan variation because of how hard you have to read, you need to be on point and be ready for it or have a game plan to strike back.
 

dennycascade

UPR_ghastem
He might be talking about the EX crawl into second rekka hit. Good points on here btw, I never thought about the better meter management with the confirmable rekka.
 

tafka Djinn

One for three off the roof
I've felt this way since I first watched Dragon v. Fox, but since he lost I've never been entirely comfortable admitting that, but it just feels like risk/reward is always more in Tarkatan's favor than Acidic, barring Subzy of course.
 

Dankster Morgan

It is better this way
I've felt this way since I first watched Dragon v. Fox, but since he lost I've never been entirely comfortable admitting that, but it just feels like risk/reward is always more in Tarkatan's favor than Acidic, barring Subzy of course.
At final round, Tarkatan was a billion times better because rekkas were completely safe, he was like Demolition Alien back then.
 
Acidic's space control and ability to make you fear moving anywhere on screen (jumping gets AA acids, forward movement gets poked, moving back is asking to be chipped out, standing still is death) are what makes me hesitant to say tarkatan is the best.

Also, acid blood isn't only +1 and is height contigent I thought, as there has been plenty of evidence to disprove it. Similar to how Summoner Quan has enough hit advantage to summon a bat to HTB and still be + if he gets trance at max height
 

ATP2014

The best mediocre Batman
Personally, I feel like Acidic and Tarkatan are equal in how good they are, and each should be used in different matchups.

Acidic does better vs:

Mileena
Sonya
Cassie
Lao
Bo Rai Cho
Goro
Leatherface
Tarkatan

Tarkatan does vetter vs:

Shinnok
Predator
Quan
Scorpion
Sub Zero
D'Vorah
Triborg
 

Dankster Morgan

It is better this way
I know about the variable height, but some people think it is an actual vortex and they are forced to guess or something. If there was no run button id say acidic would be better, but run in and press buttons > zoning by far in MKX.
 

Dankster Morgan

It is better this way
If I lose to an Alien it's not because "damn that zoning, it's so hard to get in" it's because of his dominating footsies and offense, which Tarkatan does better. Being able to get off the ground far easier, pressure better, and launch safer is WAAAAAY better than nickel and diming it with small mixups in Acidic to be safe, or "zone" in MKX.
 

Dankster Morgan

It is better this way
Personally, I feel like Acidic and Tarkatan are equal in how good they are, and each should be used in different matchups.

Acidic does better vs:

Mileena
Sonya
Cassie
Lao
Bo Rai Cho
Goro
Leatherface
Tarkatan

Tarkatan does vetter vs:

Shinnok
Predator
Quan
Scorpion
Sub Zero
D'Vorah
Triborg
Is personally switch Sub-Zero and Lao, but other than that, dead on.
 

tafka Djinn

One for three off the roof
and people STILL believe it's only +1? There's a whole thread dedicated to it and PLENTY of video evidence smh
I actually had to go re-read the OP to see if the blood was even mentioned. Seeing as I didn't even realize it was mentioned, I'll go out and say I'm still camp Tarkatan.