General/Other - Smoke XL Robo Smoke Discussion Thread

[Tim Static]

Robo Smoke is back, this time in XL.

 

[Pan1cMode]

Smoke has officially been released in Australia so I'd like to post my findings.

Has a 10 frame advancing mid string (f4d1) that's safe on block (-5) and can be hit confirmed into full combo meterless.

He also has b21 which is 14 frames and has even better range and is -4 on block.

Ex smoke bomb is +8 on block.
Regular smoke bomb is -6 on block

As far as I can tell, he can't cancel into smoke bomb without there being a gap somewhere in his string. The same issue arises with his spear.

Enhanced spear is safe (-4).

Has both a low (he actually has two of these) and an overhead starter.

It looks like he'll be spending meter in orde to stay safe unless hit confirming into spear.

Stagger strings are possible with 1, 11, 111 and 1112. All are safe on block with the last hit being +2 (albeit with a gap before hand).

Phase through does have some invincibility on startup, but of read, you can just run up and punish the ending frames. It does seem to recover quite quickly though.

I'm no real combo-smith, but damage doesn't seem to be that bad. He has enough opportunities to squeeze out stuff, it'll be interesting to see how his combos end up working.

 

[Altsa]

Got my mk9 main back hurray.

Quick initial thoughs:
-He has a ton of variation specific strings, many of which can't be canceled into a special
-Smoke bomb is slow and only comboes from certain strings
-Has an overhead, b1, 1 hit, so it cant be hitconfirmed, is safe on its own, doesn't combo into smoke bomb, comboes into spear, EX spear is safe.
-Has a low starter b3, comboes into spear and smoke bomb, has a followup that can be comboed into air teleport but is also unsafe on its own
-7 frame d1, 8 frame d3, medicore 13 frame d4 that looks wierd, 8 frame d2
-NO ARMORED MOVES except for x-ray, which is mk9ish fullscreen teleport attack
-Enhanced smoke away can be used against gaps in strings to escape pressure and possibly to whiff punish. Also pretty much only wakeup option.
-has all sort of crazy teleport strings that will likely confuse you more than your opponent
-after spear, you can use EX invisibilty and continue the combo, regular invi is too slow, doesn't seem to have EX invisibilty cancels reptile style, the move is too slow for that
-smokebomb input is db1 instead of mk9 db2 and its gonna take forever to learn for me
-he is so effing cool and I cant wait to play him more tomorrow.

 

[Altsa]

I also think that he is not a pure 50/50 vortex character(thank god). Sure, he has the option(sorta) but it requires meter to be safe and the combos won't be doing much damage if you end them in a spear restand.

Speaking of combo damage, I managed to get around 30% midscreen meterless and around 40% with a bar. Seems to be about average but I'm sure people will find more.

 

[Scott The Scot]

I'm trying to work on his vortex now. 21 seems to be the way to end it for +19. Meterlessly off of overhead he won't get much for vortex it appears but for low he can get more since it combos into bomb.

 

[xSamuel]

What are his pokes like, given that he has limited options for wake up?

 

[Scott The Scot]

What are his pokes like, given that he has limited options for wake up?

7 frame d1, -5

 

[BlackJackSnack]

Really no armor moves? I thought MB teleport and MB invisibility had armor

 

[BornThroughAshes]

I'm trying to work on his vortex now. 21 seems to be the way to end it for +19. Meterlessly off of overhead he won't get much for vortex it appears but for low he can get more since it combos into bomb.

You can also finish with s3 xx phase forward. It appears that both mixup options jail after that.

 

[KingKhrystopher]

No armor, whaaaaaat?

 

[Scott The Scot]

You can also finish with s3 xx phase forward. It appears that both mixup options jail after that.

Hmm interesting what gives most damage, do you know?

 

[Perdition]

No armored moves??? That has to be a bug or something. Are there any characters in the game without an armored move? This is a bummer. I wanted to main Smoke, but I do not know how a character survives in MKX without an armored special.

 

[BornThroughAshes]

Hmm interesting what gives most damage, do you know?

I'm currently grinding his restand meterless bnbs. I'm sure there are much higher damaging combos, but the most viable option I've found so far is:

Starter xx sb, s4, f21 xx spear, ji2, 3 xx phase for 21-24%

From what I've tested so far, we have a guaranteed mixup after this setup.

Edit: slightly better combo
Starter xx sb, njp, s4, b21 xx spear, ji2, 3 xx phase for 23-26%

 

[Generalbit]

No armored moves??? That has to be a bug or something. Are there any characters in the game without an armored move? This is a bummer. I wanted to main Smoke, but I do not know how a character survives in MKX without an armored special.

Blood God....

 

[21122]

Someone posted that Smoke has invincible wake ups? Is that true?

 

[BornThroughAshes]

Someone posted that Smoke has invincible wake ups? Is that true?

His phase forward and away have invicibility frames, yes.

 

[Scott The Scot]

It seems that the best way to get midscreen damage is to be unsafe off your 50/50's is by cancelling into EX overhead tele.
B1~Ex Tele, NJP, 4~Spear, JIP~4~Bomb, 4~Tele 36% is what I could come up with.

 

[21122]

From what I read so far, smoke doesn't seem all that great. Getting kind of sad D:

 

[Scott The Scot]

From what I read so far, smoke doesn't seem all that great. Getting kind of sad D:

I just vortexed my way to victory. It felt satisfying making the correct read every time. Damn mashers.

 

[nugava]

His b2 has awesome range, and he his b3/b1 (50/50) has great range too... You have safe 50/50 for about 30 % with one bar (by cancelling the b3/b1 with EX spear... Which means no more guaranteed 50/50 afterwise...)
Too bad his smoke bombs are so slow on startup...
His teleport string is safe on block (b21), but I guess it's like Raiden, it must have a gap where you can neutral jump or armor... (even poke ?)... I don't know, I'll test that later...

 

[Pan1cMode]

His b2 has awesome range, and he his b3/b1 (50/50) has great range too... You have safe 50/50 for about 30 % with one bar (by cancelling the b3/b1 with EX spear... Which means no more guaranteed 50/50 afterwise...)
Too bad his smoke bombs are so slow on startup...
His teleport string is safe on block (b21), but I guess it's like Raiden, it must have a gap where you can neutral jump or armor... (even poke ?)... I don't know, I'll test that later...

There's no gap in the string itself, but there is a gap when cancelling into something else.

 

[nugava]

Thanks... So far, for whiff punish, I am using this kind of combo midscreen for no bar
b21, spear, j1, 111, smoke bomb, njp, j1, b214 ...
And for safe mixups: b3 (or b1), EX spear, phase forward (for meterbuild), j1, 111, smoke bomb, njp, j1, b214 ... That seems shitty... I can't wait to see dope combos with Smoke...
I hope b3 (or b1) EX spear is a true block string...

 

[TerribleMatt]

I haven't really tested it but on block, 21xxsmoke towards will switch sides but sometimes if they do a reversal it will come out on the opposite side and you won't side switch. This means you can reverse their reversal and whiff punish it.

 

[nugava]

Good to know, since 21 is +2 on block...

Other thing: His low low overhead throw string is funny... Too bad you cannot combo after that... The low into overhead seems so fast...

 

[Smarrgasm]

B21 might be the most godlike string ive ever seen.

14 frame start up. Insane reach. Safe. Strings onto them even on whiff so you get in for free especially with EX bomb if they arent ready to armor.

B21 -EX smoke away/toward could also be very useful vs people trying to armor the smoke bomb as it reverses inputs and seems to be safe vs armor if they get the move to come out on the correct side.