Does anyone here use all thier characters listed combos - or do you stick with 2 or 3

aj327

New member
One of the unfortunate sides to this game is that it seems like there is no reason to use more than 3-4 combos for most characters. I've been practicing SZ a lot for instance and despite all the moves they have listed for him, I rarely use more than his specials and 2,2 to get things started. I'll use 2,1,4 slide as an easy combo once they're frozen (I know there are better ones, but I know I can land this one almost 100% of the time without choking). But I was going through some of his other moves the other day and noticed that many you can't combo off of anyway, and they're slower than 2,2, so why use them unless maybe they have a Low hit in there somewhere.

I saw a video of Tom Brady playing Johnny Cage and it seemed like he almost exclusively used his specials and 2,1,f2 (uppercut and jump punch/kick go without saying).

Am I looking at this wrong or do some moves just naturally rise to the top making other moves nearly obsolete?
 
it doesn't matter how many combos 1 char has. What matters is how useful they are!

So as a Sub Player I use ofc the situational most damaging. (Clone Setup Ground, Clone Setup Air, Corner, Normals, etc)
 
I think that, as much as weapons/tools you have in your arsenal, the more variation you have, and, the chances of being less predictable, are better ....

If a smart and skilled opponent figure out that all "opening gambit" you do in your gameplay, it's in order to find a gap in opponent's defense, to use your couple of favorite combos, so, he will run away and try to avoid that .... if you use others unusual combos sometimes during the match, to distract, this help in the "mind games" field.
 
it doesn't matter how many combos 1 char has. What matters is how useful they are!

So as a Sub Player I use ofc the situational most damaging. (Clone Setup Ground, Clone Setup Air, Corner, Normals, etc)

Well that's kind of what I'm getting at. It seems like there are some basic combos that should NEVER get used because there would always be a quicker/more powerful option. It would be nice if there were situations where every combo would have some sort of advantage.

Jade's moves for instance do seem to have more versatility since different moves have different speed vs reach. Her U3 move is nice for anti-air and comboing into an X-ray. Her upknee to pole stripper move is probably her fastest. B3,2 has nice range as does 2,1,2. B2 is a good antiair. So sometimes it's more fun to play with Jade because I feel like I have more tools to mix it up with. But Subzero sometimes gets a little boring/two dimensional because it seems like I'm always using the same one or two moves.
 
Most characters only have a handful of moves that you really need to know to be good with a character. But it does help to at least know all of the moves.
 
Sub-Zero has the best "d-pad wise" set of combos in the game, I explain :

- Forward combo : a combo that you can dash forward and hold the forward direction while doing the entire combo. All Sub-Zero combos that start with a forward+button, or simple a button sequence, can de done after a forward dash, keeping pressed the forward d-pad direction, without worrying about "timing release".

- Backward combo : all Sub-Zero combos that start with a simple back arrow + button, you can keep that back arrow pressed while doing all the rest of the sequence.

Sub-Zero is the only one in the game with this, at least, for what I tested, and, I hate to do something as back+1, (release back) 2 + 1 .... I prefer start with pressing back+1, keeping pressed back until the end of combo,and follow with next natural sequence 2, 1 ....

ALL Sub-Zero combos have this propriety.
 
if i play with cyrax...then i dont use so mutch different ones... if i fight against good player...then most game is anyway blocking and jumping and waiting for right moment to attack.Usualy i do then 20-32% combo. If i play against weak player...then i use more different styles...and play more opened.
 
Depends on the character... When I use Liu kang, I literally use every combo he has in one match cause they all link well together... But when I choose Shang tsung, I use only 3-4 different combos, cause his main game is juggling with ground skulls

They are my mains.
 
I know a bunch of pussy 20-30% combos with cyrax but I prefer the go big or go home kind of thing. Thats why I mostly use my 50% combo.
 
I just go with a handful of moves that I personally feel comfortable with. Like with Stryker, I only use a few combos. Back,2 forward 2 for juggling; 1,2 for juggle extender. I don't really see the need to use any of his other auto-combos when those 2 work perfectly fine and imo are easiest to pull off. Granted they don't net me the most damage, but I find them to be very consistent and reliable.
 
I only use a handful of combos as well. As you stated, there are really only one or two good combo starters for most characters. So there's not really a reason to learn EVERY combo. Just the ones to start combos or really fast ones when you're in a pinch in the corner or something. As for longer combos, still, I only learn a few of those too - the highest damaging ones that I can find. I'm not gonna waste my time learning 20% and 23% combos when I can just use 35% combos that start with the exact same move.

I just learn the highest damaging combos with each possible combo starter and then improvise when I get into a match. If it's laggy, then I'll end a combo earlier with an uppercut or something instead trying to pull the whole thing off.
 
I use the combos that have purpose. Such as having a good mixup game. Some examples with Cyrax...

1 2 1: I use this as a combo ender, and I also use it to push the enemy away. If I'm using it to push them away, I'll add in a bomb at the end. Sometimes mid bomb, some times far.

1 1 1: I use this after the dash in the bomb trap, and against crouch blockers because the last hit is an overhead.

2 2 F1: I use this for 3 quick hits if they are blocking, good for fast chip damage.

FJ1 2 1: I use this to start my combos usually. It's very easy to hit confirm into a net.
 
I learn any and all combos, strings, and specials that are useful first and then I practice them. I main Sub-Zero I know his best combo starters, his strong specials, his mix-ups for hitting low and overhead, his anti-air and use them all in most of my matches. I try not to cram unnecessary moves into my head if I can help it. If I think there's a string/move/whatever that could be helpful but is really situational then I take note of it. I have a Word document that I use to keep track of certain conditions, bnbs, and so on for my characters. I memorize what I need all the time and keep the rest in my back pocket so to speak. I know that makes me sound like an uber-nerd but I get really into things that I like, I like having things typed up and on hand, and I know I won't be able to keep track of everything for all the characters I want to use.
 
i always use all the combos my character has at his/her disposal. not only does the same combos water the game down for me but i keep my opponent off balance usually by using all or most of the combos available.
 
People say it depends on the character... for me, it depends on the lag/button lag. If there is some kind of lag, I go for the combos I KNOW are going to go through and not miss
 
there are always moves that are for at least most situations considered "best" however. not knowing all the moves and how they work/interact with others means you will never get beyond a certain threshold with your char.

noobs f,3,3,3 doesnt seem the best, his 2,1,2 and b+1,2,1,4 are almost always better, but it def has its uses.
 
For example with SZ I only use 4 combo starters:

2,2: this is the one I most use, is the fastest and most secure, and is almost unavoidable, you cannot jump or dash away from it, I use it when I start a combo from the ground.
[Example: 2,2 - Iceball - Cross JP - 2,1,4 - Slide/Xray]

B+1,2: is the most damaging one but is slower, I use it after a JP, because after a JP I have a guaranteed hit
[Example: (JP) B+1,2 - Iceball - NJP - Dash - B+1,2 - 2,1,2 - Slide/Xray]

F+4: I use this one when the rival is low blocking because works as an overhead and can be continued with an iceball and a combo.
[Example: F+4 - Iceball - Cross JP - 2,1,4 - Slide/Xray]

2,1: I use this one a lot but not as a starter, as a part of the combo. Can be 2,1,2 or 2,1,4 and I always link it with an slide or an xray.
[Example: 2,2 - Iceball - Cross JP - 2,1,4 - Slide/Xray]
 
People say it depends on the character... for me, it depends on the lag/button lag. If there is some kind of lag, I go for the combos I KNOW are going to go through and not miss

A really good point. If I can pull of some really strong punishes offline with Sub-Zero off a blocked teleport (which I can lol) but if the lag is particularly bad and I block a teleport than those bigger combos aren't necessarily my best options. I may drop the combo and end up with 5% damage, so maybe an uppercut's 12% damage is the best choice for the situations. That's one of the reasons that having situational awareness is really handy even when pulling off combos. You have to know when to pull what out of your bag of tricks.
 
I do all kombos in king of the hill with liu kang it gets people excited and they dish out the tens!
 
It really depends. every combo listed in the moves list have a purpose, even the ones that look very shitty, slow, are do little damage. It isn't until i see someone else in a tournament doing that same combo do i say, "HEY! That's that shitty combo i never use! I'm going to try it out now!" lol

I main Scorpion, his 1,1,1 combo is good, but so predictable and N00b friendly. When you start using shit like f+3,4 for mixups, you realize that these combos were put here for a purpose. Its up to us a players to practice and learn to use them in the best situations. Most characters have very easy learning curve, but finding out how to utilize those other combos are the key to mastering them
 
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