Combo guides

[Hex:Feet]

So I was told that you basically need 3 types of combos:
One from the neutral
One for punishing
One in the corner
But in videos it seems like there are just neutral combos like ok how does any of you who play the game a lot learn combos for a new character? Especially if the character has been out for a long time so guides may be outdated?

[рехнут]

there are midscreen (no matter neutral or punish) and corner types of combos basically, plus advanced anti-air and air2air conversions; and that's that, there's not much variety for comboing whatsoever, so you'll likely cover most of your needs with even an outdated YT guide video (duh, just look up for the most recent ones)

[FedeSMF]

About that question, you can search for youtube guides, the better ones have different combo situations that you can learn.
Also, testyourmight have a forum for each character, so you can check that page and find useful info, including different combos:
https://testyourmight.com/categories/mk11-characters.605/

You must test your combos in practice mode, you can set the characters in the middle of the screen or in the corner, be sure to display the framedata boxes.

Now about the different type of combos:
- the neutral one will be your bnb combo, to throw in the neutral, normally it starts with a mid and it's an advancing move.
(for example, Cassie's B24 starts with an 11 frames mid, advancing move).

- the punish one must start with a fast string, to punish unsafe moves, normally it starts with a jab.
(for example, Cassie's 111 it's a 7/9 frames high/mid jab, or her F41 it's a 9 frames mid)

- the corner combo could be a bnb, but also could start with a jump or a ranged attack, your rival is against the wall and some attacks now juggles, so the idea is to put pressure to your rival.
(for example, Cassie's F41, BF1 (amp) jails into 43, and in the corner 43 juggles and let me continue the combo, so I use staggers to put pressure and then use my combo).

[popsicle]

https://www.kombatakademy.com/ is all you need. They even do tierlist posting of tournament players and regular people. So you get to compare.

[Hex:Feet]

Originally posted by SMF_Fede:

About that question, you can search for youtube guides, the better ones have different combo situations that you can learn.
Also, testyourmight have a forum for each character, so you can check that page and find useful info, including different combos:
https://testyourmight.com/categories/mk11-characters.605/

You must test your combos in practice mode, you can set the characters in the middle of the screen or in the corner, be sure to display the framedata boxes.

Now about the different type of combos:
- the neutral one will be your bnb combo, to throw in the neutral, normally it starts with a mid and it's an advancing move.
(for example, Cassie's B24 starts with an 11 frames mid, advancing move).

- the punish one must start with a fast string, to punish unsafe moves, normally it starts with a jab.
(for example, Cassie's 111 it's a 7/9 frames high/mid jab, or her F41 it's a 9 frames mid)

- the corner combo could be a bnb, but also could start with a jump or a ranged attack, your rival is against the wall and some attacks now juggles, so the idea is to put pressure to your rival.
(for example, Cassie's F41, BF1 (amp) jails into 43, and in the corner 43 juggles and let me continue the combo, so I use staggers to put pressure and then use my combo).

What is a jab?
And what does bnb mean?
And stagger and "juggels" are words I don't know :D

[FedeSMF]

- jab is a fast punch, it's a high and normally your fastest move, so that's why is the way to go to punish your rival. Normally it has short reach, so if your rival made an unsafe move but is not upclose, you could punish with your advancing move.

- bnb means 'bread and butter', it's the main combo route, the most used one.

- check the other topic for the 'staggers' video, it means applying pressure by not ending your string, not all the strings can be a stagger, you don't have to be very minus, have fast recovery, and be a bit deceiving to your rival.
juggle means keeping your rival in the air, normally you have to amplify (amp) a special attack to juggle and continue the combo, but in the corner some strings allow you to juggle without using that special, or allow you to continue that combo for bigger damage.

[рехнут]

i think most characters have even midscreen meterless normals/strings combo-launchers;
also bnb - is the only thing most characters have in this game, i mean, there are different starters which you confirm into launcher, but after that - it's just one same bnb, guh

[Hex:Feet]

Originally posted by SMF_Fede:

- jab is a fast punch, it's a high and normally your fastest move, so that's why is the way to go to punish your rival. Normally it has short reach, so if your rival made an unsafe move but is not upclose, you could punish with your advancing move.

- bnb means 'bread and butter', it's the main combo route, the most used one.

- check the other topic for the 'staggers' video, it means applying pressure by not ending your string, not all the strings can be a stagger, you don't have to be very minus, have fast recovery, and be a bit deceiving to your rival.
juggle means keeping your rival in the air, normally you have to amplify (amp) a special attack to juggle and continue the combo, but in the corner some strings allow you to juggle without using that special, or allow you to continue that combo for bigger damage.

okay just 2 more things I dont know/want to understand:
What is an advancing move (please give me an example here)
and:
So good players learn a character and then just look up combos on youtube or how would you learn a new character when the next combat pack comes out?

[рехнут]

Originally posted by AgressiveAustrian:

how would you learn a new character when the next combat pack comes out?

you, first of all check character's normals, strings and specials - their frame data and hitbox type; then you look up for which of them launch opponent for combos and figure them out by yourself (comboing is really simple for most characters in this game) or check for yt guides

[Hex:Feet]

Originally posted by рехнут:

Originally posted by AgressiveAustrian:

how would you learn a new character when the next combat pack comes out?

you, first of all check character's normals, strings and specials - their frame data and hitbox type; then you look up for which of them launch opponent for combos and figure them out by yourself (comboing is really simple for most characters in this game) or check for yt guides

Thanks :D now I just have to figure out what Fede meant with "advancing moves" and I am good to go playing the game I always wanted to learn

[Denvej]

Advancing move means a move that pushes your character forward while he attacks.

[Hex:Feet]

Originally posted by Denvej:

Advancing move means a move that pushes your character forward while he attacks.

Thank you!

[AndD]

forget about those s... advices, all games you lost were not cuz you failed combo, game is not reading a lot of things on purpose and i hope you play on pad cuz game is broken for keyboard, game design is so damn trash not mentioning game imput lag, not mentioning auto tracking moves/skills,people spam same and same moves and game will not read your input properly like 5 times in a row. there are characters which totally dont need combo to win really, just spam safe moves and few 50/50 you will win a lot of fights like this. you can train train and train combo, ok it is good to use them for more dmg but keep that in mind game design is just TRASH and dont expect super results. to learn combo just pick variation or skill for your character which is launcher( pops him into air or stuns him) that allows you next moves which are guaranted hit confirm for more dmg + some ender skill(usually) which connect with last string like noob saibot if you pick upgraded teleport and low slide skill(113,upDown(enchanted),f221,backForward3), anyway smth like that.
Higher rank = more desynced games anyway.

[FedeSMF]

Originally posted by AgressiveAustrian:

What is an advancing move (please give me an example here)
and:
So good players learn a character and then just look up combos on youtube or how would you learn a new character when the next combat pack comes out?

Ok, first, ignore the wall of text above, no one will care reading a 1000 words vomit that has no spaces, punctuation marks, or any logical way to structure the text to make it more readable.

Now, 'advancing move' is that string that makes your character moves forward and also continue with that combo, so you're covering some distance and using a combo string.
Some characters have advancing moves but can't combo, like Shang Tsung's F4, but if it's blocked is +5 on block.
Raiden't F2 or F4 make him cover good distance and can be 'cancelled' into a combo, and there are other that have less distance covered but makes your character advance and hit-confirm that move, like Cetrion's F23 string, Cassie's B24, Riden's B31, etc.

Now, 'cancel' means to continue a string into a special that allows you to combo.
Cetrion's F234 is her best move, she advances, has an overhead at the end of it, but also can be cancelled after F23 into a special (tendril pull), so she can combo afterward.

'Hit confirm' means doing a string, and see, if hits you can cancel that string into special.
If that string is blocked, you should end that string or cancel it into a safe special to not being punished.
Cetrion's tendril pull is -35 on block, so if you don't 'hit confirm' and your rival blocks the tendril pull, he will have all the time in the world to punish it.
Good Cetrion players cancel F23 into 'deadly winds', that's a special that leaves Cetrion safe and with a bit of distance with the opponent.

'safe on block' means that if a move ends with -6 or better than that, you can block afterwards and be safe. If a move is more negative (for example Cetrion's -35 tendril pull), you could block and still be hit, because attacks with 7 frames or bigger will punish you anyways, because you have 35 frames to recover in Cetrion's case.


Now, about the 2nd part of your question.
First you have to know your character, so go into practice move, see his/her strings, see which strings are safe, which can be safe due the pushback, see the distance of your attacks, the tools you have to punish your rivals, and of course, practice your combos.
Here is a guide about learning a new character that could be useful:
https://youtu.be/4J8Ps7OAjzc

Once you feel comfortable with your character, now you'll have to learn the technical side of this game, you'll have to learn about fundamentals, learn about the framedata, how to jail or do frame-traps, which strings could help you to condition your rival.
There are many youtube guides about that, Jolfvaka has a ton of technical stuff on his youtube channel, so feel free to check that.

There is also important to check how the pro players play that character, you will learn a lot by watching in which situations they use certain moves, which strings they use to punish, how they condition their rivals, movement and stuff.

And of course, play against other guys, that will help you get better but of course, you have to have some practice and some idea about what your character can do before jumping online.

Lastly, combos are a part of the game, not the most important part as there are many aspects as equal as important. The idea is that you have to react to the fight situations and not try to force a situation so you can use your bnb combo.
How to defend, to punish, have a decent movement, to condition your rival, have good use of staggers, poke and jailings, spacing, are aspects equal as important as combos, so once you feel comfortable with the 3 type of combos, you should integrate the technical side of the game and develope that aspect.

[Hex:Feet]

Originally posted by SMF_Fede:

Originally posted by AgressiveAustrian:

What is an advancing move (please give me an example here)
and:
So good players learn a character and then just look up combos on youtube or how would you learn a new character when the next combat pack comes out?

Ok, first, ignore the wall of text above, no one will care reading a 1000 words vomit that has no spaces, punctuation marks, or any logical way to structure the text to make it more readable.

Now, 'advancing move' is that string that makes your character moves forward and also continue with that combo, so you're covering some distance and using a combo string.
Some characters have advancing moves but can't combo, like Shang Tsung's F4, but if it's blocked is +5 on block.
Raiden't F2 or F4 make him cover good distance and can be 'cancelled' into a combo, and there are other that have less distance covered but makes your character advance and hit-confirm that move, like Cetrion's F23 string, Cassie's B24, Riden's B31, etc.

Now, 'cancel' means to continue a string into a special that allows you to combo.
Cetrion's F234 is her best move, she advances, has an overhead at the end of it, but also can be cancelled after F23 into a special (tendril pull), so she can combo afterward.

'Hit confirm' means doing a string, and see, if hits you can cancel that string into special.
If that string is blocked, you should end that string or cancel it into a safe special to not being punished.
Cetrion's tendril pull is -35 on block, so if you don't 'hit confirm' and your rival blocks the tendril pull, he will have all the time in the world to punish it.
Good Cetrion players cancel F23 into 'deadly winds', that's a special that leaves Cetrion safe and with a bit of distance with the opponent.

'safe on block' means that if a move ends with -6 or better than that, you can block afterwards and be safe. If a move is more negative (for example Cetrion's -35 tendril pull), you could block and still be hit, because attacks with 7 frames or bigger will punish you anyways, because you have 35 frames to recover in Cetrion's case.


Now, about the 2nd part of your question.
First you have to know your character, so go into practice move, see his/her strings, see which strings are safe, which can be safe due the pushback, see the distance of your attacks, the tools you have to punish your rivals, and of course, practice your combos.
Here is a guide about learning a new character that could be useful:
https://youtu.be/4J8Ps7OAjzc

Once you feel comfortable with your character, now you'll have to learn the technical side of this game, you'll have to learn about fundamentals, learn about the framedata, how to jail or do frame-traps, which strings could help you to condition your rival.
There are many youtube guides about that, Jolfvaka has a ton of technical stuff on his youtube channel, so feel free to check that.

There is also important to check how the pro players play that character, you will learn a lot by watching in which situations they use certain moves, which strings they use to punish, how they condition their rivals, movement and stuff.

And of course, play against other guys, that will help you get better but of course, you have to have some practice and some idea about what your character can do before jumping online.

Lastly, combos are a part of the game, not the most important part as there are many aspects as equal as important. The idea is that you have to react to the fight situations and not try to force a situation so you can use your bnb combo.
How to defend, to punish, have a decent movement, to condition your rival, have good use of staggers, poke and jailings, spacing, are aspects equal as important as combos, so once you feel comfortable with the 3 type of combos, you should integrate the technical side of the game and develope that aspect.

super helpful, thank you mate

[🔥Astral Rage🔥]

Lol this game has combos also?
I thought they abandoned it after MKX