New Player

shaneschommer

New member
Just got the game about two weeks ago. managed to get pretty decent and learn so good combos and what not. I tried to test my luck online. only played a few matches. I won a match and lost one but was DESTROYED another time. The thing I realized when I was destroyed by someone using noob saibot. They didnt even throw any combos or anything like that. Pretty much just used cheap tactics to the point I couldnt even stand up. I thought I was decent at the game but I guess not... any tips on how to be better at online play?
 
Recognizing patterns is a must. You see that the enemy is following a set path you anticipate and attack.
 
Combos aren't whats important and it takes longer than 2 weeks to learn a fighting game. On the most basic level, if the noob saibot is just throwing shadows, you can teleport to counter him. This will only work consistently against players who aren't very good. As players get better, they'll trick you into teleporting so they can block and get you into a state where you can't block so they can get damage on you. I'm trying not to throw all these fighting game terms at you for now so I may not be 100% clear in what i'm saying.

Anyway, I wrote this guide, if you're planning to properly learn the game, which covers all of the stuff you should know if you want to get into the game. It is unfinished, though, but I have got quite a bit of information in there as well as a glossary you can look at if you come across any terms you don't understand: http://www.trmk.org/forums/showthread.php/28162-MK9-Basics-guide
 
Look at what EX attacks you character has, a majority has armour that can go through Noobs projectiles. You need to try and get in close, but watch out dont just stand there blocking as alot of Noob players will teleport you which can be unblockable. Also I would be sparring of diving attacks uo close as he has an anti air shadow kick
 
So, taking some of your guys advice I'm trying to recognize players moves and tendencies better. Its hard but I can very slowly see progress. Although I am still getting annihilated. Out of around 30 matches I have played only one player was my skill level and I had a really good fight with. even when I go in the beginner lobby it seems that skilled players go in there and challenge me just to destroy me and make there win loss ratio better. Its hard to get better at the game that way. I'm lucky I really like the game though or i'd probably quit haha. My main is sub so I have been watching some Tom Brady videos and trying to take notes.
 
Brady, Tom (2011-06-21). Tom Brady's MK9 Living Guide Kindle Edition.

Sub-Zero:

BEST NORMALS:

*22 HIT LEVEL:M,M - Safe two hit string.

*224 HIT LEVEL:M,M,M - Three hit string, punished by fast specials in open space and by full combo on
corners.

*212 HIT LEVEL:M,M,M - Three hit string. Mainly used in combos or vs cornered opponents.

*214 HIT LEVEL:M,M,M - Three hit string. Mainly used in combos or vs cornered opponents.

*B+12 HIT LEVEL:H,M(overhead) - Safe two hit string. Used only in combos. *F+4 HIT
LEVEL:M(overhead) - Overhead. Must be blocked in stand block.

*B+2 HIT LEVEL:M - Mid palm. Can be charged for an unblockable that will freeze.

*D+4 HIT LEVEL:L - Safe low kick with range. Advantage on hit.

SPECIALS:

*Ice Blast(DF+3) HIT LEVEL:H - Freezes the opponent, granting a combo. Unsafe at close ranges.

*Ice Clone(DB+1) HIT LEVEL:N/A - If the opponent touches the clone, they will be frozen. Clone is
blockable. If clone is read, can be punished by certain attacks.

*Ice Puddle(DB+3) HIT LEVEL:Unblockable - Opponent gets stuck and Sub-Zero gets a free combo. Very
easy to jump on reaction and punish.

*Slide(BF+4) HIT LEVEL: L - Low advancing slide. Punished by full combo on block.

EX-MOVES:

*EX Ice Blast(DF+3+BLOCK) HIT LEVEL:H - Shoots an ice beam. Very unsafe. The opponent is frozen for
much longer if they are hit wile grounded.

*EX Ice Clone(DB+1+BLOCK) HIT LEVEL:N/A - Stays on screen longer than standard clone. * Ice
Puddle(DB+3+BLOCK) HIT LEVEL:Unblockable - Reaches full screen. Opponent gets stuck and Sub-Zero
gets a free combo. Very easy to jump on reaction.

*EX Slide(BF+4+BLOCK) HIT LEVEL: L - Has armor. Faster than standard low advancing slide. On hit,
knocks the opponent backwards. Does more damage. Punished by full combo on block.

STRATEGY:

22 and 224 String:

Both hits of 22 have range, and have the ability to stop players from jumping back or over you as you
approach. The hit box on the second 2 is HUGE. It has range as well as it covers your front, head, and
back. Covering part of your back means that even when opponents do get over the first hit of the string,
the second hit will still catch them even though they are basically behind you. After 22 hits, you can hit
confirm it, then cancel into ice blast.

You can also confirm that 22 is blocked, and complete the string by doing 224. After all three hits are
blocked in open space, you can cancel into an ice clone to prevent the opponent from coming in or
punishing the string with a fast special unless the attack has armor. If you are feeling risky you can also
cancel into slide instead of ice clone.

212 and 214 String:

Besides being used in combos, these two strings are used as block strings when the opponents back is
to the corner. When the opponent is cornered, 224~ice clone won’t work because there is not enough
push back, so the clone disappears. After 212 or 214 you can clone and there is enough push back vs
cornered opponents for the ice clone to still appear. Be aware that 212 can be interrupted by attacks
with armor.

214 and 212 are also used as a safer way to hunt corner combos. Hunting for combos in corners with
224 is so risky because you can never finish the string or you will be punished by full combos so you
must always stop at 22, allowing the opponent to poke out. By using 214 or 212, you can confirm the
hits, then cancel into ice blast or confirm the block and cancel into ice clone.

Opponents can punish 214~clone anywhere on screen by using an advancing attack with armor that is
11 frames or faster by doing the attack after Sub-Zero cancels with the clone.

In open space, 212~clone cannot be punished after the clone cancel. In corners it can be punished by an
advancing attack with armor that is 11 frames or faster.

Ending Combos With B+121:

When an opponent is frozen while grounded, ending combos with jump in punch~B+121 can become an
option in certain situations. When this string hits, it keeps the opponent standing and leaves Sub-Zero at
advantage. VS normal/high hit box characters, you can follow up this string on hit with the 22/21 string.
When this attack hits low hit box characters, they can always crouch under a follow up 2 and punish you,
so you will need to use D+4 or F+4 if they try to low block. This string is very good vs characters that can
escape corners after doing an air breaker because this string does not juggle.

D+4 Low Poke

When D+4 hits vs a standing opponent, there is too much advantage for them to interrupt or jump 22
or 21 unless it is an attack with armor. D+4 is also a great poking tool and a good way to set up your
offense.

F+4

Proper use of D+4 will free up the F+4 overhead attack. Punish crouch blocking opponents with F+4~ice
blast.

Moving an Opponent into Corners:

The object here is to keep the opponent in front of you and move them toward the corner. This is where
you use the ice clone. Use it like a shield to make sure no one crosses over a certain point of the screen.
This allows you to cut off the screen while you advance.

Using Ice Clone:

90% of the time, you advance to make sure there is a clone already placed behind you. This makes it so
opponents cannot carelessly teleport or jump over, without a clone there. You also use the clone as a
shield in open space, as it can also act as an anti-air.

When opponents are cornered, set up the clone JUST outside touching range to sweep range, then
come in behind the clone and range 22 so that the first 2 whiffs/BARELY makes contact but the second
2 connects. Once opponents stop moving, you can come in and throw/D+4/F+4. You can also time it
so that as you come in, the clone is close to disappearing, and then you can 212/214~ice clone then go
back into the corner traps.

Ice Clone Cool Down Time:

If the clone disappears on its own you can clone again in one second. If the clone shatters because you
did it too close, got hit while it was on screen, or the opponent dash blocks it, then you will not be able
to clone again for four seconds.

Using Full Charge B+2:

You want to use this move for a reset and unbreakable damage. After you have frozen the opponent
you can time full charge B+2 ,so it connects just as the opponent comes out of their frozen state and can
block. If the opponent is trying to jump, block, strike, basically anything but stay at neutral, they will be
reset and frozen again, giving you a reset combo situation.

The opponent can stay at neutral, and should they do this, full charge B+2 will hit, but wont freeze the
opponent. You still have an option here. You can start the charge on B+2 then at the last second cancel

with FF and 22~ice blast. If done right the opponent cannot react to this and will get hit and frozen
again, because they stayed at neutral.

Unbreakable damage comes from the fact that if the opponent tries to breaker while frozen, and you
do the full charge B+2 set up correctly, your attack connects as they can block and no breaker comes
out. Instead it counts as the opponent blocking, and they eat the damage and are frozen. We already
established the ONLY way out of being reset by being re-frozen is to get hit with the attack while staying
at neutral, but in either situation, the attack itself hits either way giving you a guaranteed unbreakable
11%.

After Ice Puddle or EX Ice Puddle Hit:

After any of these attacks connect, you can time a full charge B+2 to connect just as the opponent
comes out of the puddle and can block. This is a guaranteed re-freeze, the opponent cannot escape by
going to neutral in this situation.

Using Ice Blast:

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT use this move to try and time a trade with other projectiles. This often times
never works. Use it to occupy space while building meter. Let opponents try to beat out your ice blast
rather then you try to trade with their projectile.

Air to Air:

When Sub-Zero lands an air-to-air jump punch, he can quickly slide or EX as he hits the ground.

Slide:

On hit, you get an untechable knockdown. This allows you to follow up as the opponent cannot roll
back. The slide is also your main whiff punisher and what you use to punish attacks only punished by
fast advancing special.

EX Slide:

When opponents attempt to heavily zone Sub-Zero out from range, use the armor on EX slide to punish
them. When Sub-Zero is with his back to a corner, use this attack to blow through any zoning attempt,
sending the opponent into the corner.

When an ice clone is spaced about a half screen away from the opponent, you can use the armor on ex
slide to go through a zoning attempt which will send the opponent into the ice clone. A good set up is in
open space after 212~ice clone. Should the opponent try to zone without first taking a step forward or
backward to slightly alter their position, the ex slide will knock them into the lice clone.

Slide and EX Slide in Corners:

After 212~ice clone is blocked by a cornered opponent, Sub-Zero can do a normal slide which will have
the opponent get frozen by the clone is the slide hits due to hit box reasons. This will work on Scorpion,
Sub-Zero, Ermac, Reptile, Quan Chi, Sheeva, and Sektor. Against the other characters you can use the
same set up, but you will need to use the EX slide.

After 212~ice clone is blocked, opponents may try to put a projectile on screen. You can jump kick over
the projectile or ex slide through it and the opponent will fall into the clone, giving Sub-Zero a corner
juggle.

Wake Up Attack:

Slide, EX slide, ice clone, and EX ice clone. be aware of how close the opponent is when you do a wake
up ice clone to avoid it disappearing due to its proximity.

Sub-Zero's X-ray:

X-ray has no armor on start up, it only has armor as it moves forward.
 
COMBOS

BnB OPEN SPACE COMBOS:

1. 224~slide - 23%

2. deep jump kick, dash 212~slide - 26%

3 214~slide - 26%

4. 22~ice blast, jump in punch~B+121 - 26%

5. F+4~ice blast, jump in punch~B+121 - 26%

6. 212~ice blast, dash (B+1)2, 22~slide - 29%

7. 22~ice blast, jump in punch~214~slide - 30%

8. F+4~ice blast, jump in punch~214~slide - 31%

9. full charge B+2, dash B+12, 212~slide - 35%

BnB CORNER COMBOS:

1. 212~ice blast, 224~slide - 30%

2. F+4~ice blast, NJ punch, NJ punch, B+12, 214~slide - 35%

3. 22~ice blast, NJ punch, NJ punch, B+12, 214~slide - 35%

4. 224~ice blast, back dash (B+1)2, 214~slide - 38%

5. 214~ice blast, back dash (B+1)2, 224~slide - 38%

6. full charge B+2, NJ punch, B+12, 214~slide - 41%

BnB ANTI AIR COMBOS:

1. air to air jump punch, slide - 9%

2. distanced AA ice blast, dash up B+12, 212~slide - 22%

3. AA 2~ice blast(opponent low to the ground), back up(B+1)2, 212~slide - 23%

4. AA 2~ice blast(opponent kept high), B+12, 212~slide - 25%

5. close range AA ice blast, NJ punch, dash B+12, 212~slide - 26%

6. AA ice cone, NJ punch, dash B+12, 212~slide - 26%

7. AA NJ punch, dash B+12, 212~slide - 29%

BnB OPEN SPACE X RAY COMBOS:

1. deep jump kick, dash 214~X - 46%

2. 22~ice blast, jump in punch~214~X - 46%

3. 214~ - 48% 4. F+4~ice blast, jump in punch~214~X - 48%

5. full charge B+2, (B+1)2, 214~X - 54%

BnB CORNER COMBOS:

1. 224~ice blast, back dash (B+1)2, 214~ X-53%

2. 214~ice blast, back dash (B+1)2, 224~ X-53%

3. full charge B+2, NJ punch, B+12, 214~ X- 54%

FRAME DATA:

1 - i16

2 - i9

3 - i18

4 - i24

D+1 - i7

D+2 - i13

D+3 - i7

D+4 - i8

F+4 - i24

B+1 - i12

B+2 - i42 (59 for maximum charge)

B+4 - i16

Neutral Throw - i10

Forward Throw - i10

Ice Blast - i22 (takes 52 frames to travel full screen)

Slide - i10 (takes 40 frames to travel full screen)

Ice Clone - i2 (takes 39 frames before the block animation begins, 45 frames before Sub-Zero can attack,
clone stays out for 150 frames)

Ground Ice - i55 (opponent is frozen for 116 frames)

Ice Blast - i20 (takes 36 frames to travel full screen, grounded opponent is frozen for 270 frames)

EX Slide - i10 (takes 32 frames to travel full screen)

EX Ice Clone - i2 (takes 34 frames before the block animation begins, 40 frames before Sub-Zero can
attack, clone stays out for 240 frames)

EX Ground Ice - i53 (opponent is frozen for 116 frames)

X RAY - i17 (takes 21 frames to travel full screen, can be charged for 240 frames)

FINISHERS:

Fatality 1 - :BFDF+4 (Sweep)

Fatality 2 - DBDF+2(Sweep)

Fatality 3 - FDF+2(Close) *Requires the Classic Costume*

Stage Fatality - FDB+2 (Close) Babality - DBD+4 (Jump)
 
Holy hell that was a lot.

So am I the only Sub-Zero who uses forward 4 as an overhead? Yeah? Damn.

Good subs will use it from time to time. I get hit with it when sub has his back to the corner and I'm expecting an ex slide. Problem is f4 ice ball isn't hit confirmable so you roll the dice and can get blown up if it's blocked.
 
If anyone is interested in maybe sparring sometime, have some fun and give some constructive criticism that would be awesome. I have ps3. PSN is CasualtyKiller.
 
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