Regarding this particular guide, I reserve the right to ask the moderators to close it at my discretion.
MODS - I want this thread closed if:
1) People come on here yelling at me because they dont think I'm good with Scorpion. Their opinions do not matter; this is the best guide for Scorpion that is currently out there, so take it for what it is..
2) People who come here trying to challenge me. I am not posting this because I want or need any new enemies who want to "beat the guy who writes the guides!".
3) People decide to start flaming each other, insulting each other, or just flat out start shit-talking.
Those are my three rules. If you dont obey them, I will request that this thread be shut down.
"When there is no room left in hell, the dead shall walk the earth."
-Dawn of the Dead-Scorpion Breakdown:
The way Scorpion is used best is as a "Rush Down" fighter. He's good for constantly being on the offensive, and charging the hell out of your opponent. He's got a pretty bad distance game with the exception of extremely skillyfully placed Hellfires, and if used correctly, his special moves really don't matter. Truth be told, he had two stances that can be FULLY utilized to do nothing but charge your opponent. Both Hapkido and Muguryu are DESIGNED to make your opponent guess whats coming next. These stances were designed purely for 50/50. With this particular character, you better get used to 50/50 games, and if you don't, don't even bother reading this guide, because its ALL 50/50. Without it, Scorpion is just 'another character'..
Now, a little history about me and my experiences with Scorpion. I have probably played as many matches with Scorpion as I have with my Shujinko, and I DO have over 1,500 matches under my belt using Scorpion alone. I am not the best Scorpion online, not by a lot. Since I came over to the XBOX, I have played TONS of literally GREAT Scorpions. One of the best goes by the name of YouWillPerish, and the other goes to ALEXEI09. Everyoen else is just an immitation. =-P No offense to anyone who thinks they're good, but the thing is, I only play with Scorpion as my third in command (Preceded by Noob-Smoke and Shujinko) but you don't see me going around getting insulted when other people like that say THEY have the best Scorpion. Often times, they do. Perish has handed my ass to me many a times, and so has ALEXEI09. So this guide goes out to those guys, who took the time and mastered Scorpion to an UNATTAINABLE perfection.
So needless to say, my Scorpion is my third best. Out of over 1,750 matches or so, I have won approx 1,400 of them using Scorpion.
So, credit from this guide does not go to JUST ME, it goes to the following;
YouWillPerish for showing me what Scorpion was capable of, ALEXEI09 for taking it and mastering it, Aldagod for whupping me, and Molson for schooling me back in the day on the PS2. This guide is for you guys..
And without further adieu, we shall move into the actual guide.
Moves to Use:
Flip Kick (F,B+3) - This is Scorpion's most underused move, because of the fact that immediately after it, you get a free Hellfire. Its fast, and I believe it hits low, so god forbid they happen to be crouching or crouch blocking when you throw it out.
Hellfire (D,B+2) - This move is one of the most useful in the game, simply because of the fact that its fast, it comes from below, and its great at punishing someone who thinks they can turtle and throw fireballs all day. (*ahem* KOBRA!) You WILL take the fireball on occassion, but the GREAT thing about this move is that it can be done in the middle of a downwards sidestep. In example, if someone throws you a fireball, and you decide to sidestep down, immediately press B+2 in the middle of the downwards sidestep, and you will throw out a hellfire and not only sidestep the projectile, but punish your opponent for being dick enough to throw it. you can ALSO get a FREE Hellfire after almost all of Scorpions style-branching combos. Its ridiculous how damagiong this move is in the middle of combos.
Bloody Spear (B,F+1) - USE THIS MOVE SPARINGLY! I have found that with Scorpion, whenever you get the spear to connect, IMMEDIATELY move into Moi Fah, and press EITHER B+2, or B+1. EACH move will either stun your opponent for long enough to get a Hellfire, or plant them long enough to get a Hellfire. Either way, Moi Fah is the way to go. I PREFER to use B+2 because it does 11% Damage, as opposed to the 9% that B+1 does.
Teleport Kick (D,B+3) - This move is as useless as a tit on bullfrogs. The only times I have ever gotten this move to work was against newbies and less-skilled players. Its retardedly slow, and if they attack you, it takes damn near twice as much damage because your stupid ass got blocked. Its honestly useless in my eyes, but I'm sure than the enlightened people out there will find a use for it. It's just got so many negative factors that its not even funny. If your opponent is crouching or crouch-blocking, your teleport will go right over them, and leave you standing... yep, you guessed it... EXACTLY WHERE YOU WERE before you did the damn move! So honestly, use at your own discretion and risk, its all up to you and how you want to play.
Now, with all that being said, Scorpion is unique in the fact that he is the ULTIMATE true high/low fighter in this game, in my opinion. Some may argue that Havik has the best TRUE 50/50 in MK:D, but I argue that vehemently. Scorpion was DESIGNED for straight up guessing games. He has two seperate stances dedicated to charging the hell out of your opponent, and trust me, I'll teach you to utilize them in this guide..
HAPKIDO StyleThis style is perhaps his best in order to catch your opponent off guard. Let me explain that Scorpion is a "poke fighter", in the sense where all of his damage will come from doing perfectly timed and meneuvered single strikes. In this stance, he has two moves that give free throws OR free hellfires. I prefer to do the Hellfires because if I used the throws, everyone and their mother would be bitching about how I throw all day. The throw takes 11% damage, and the Hellfire takes 10%, so its no major difference, just 1% actually, so its not a big deal. This stance is also used alot for pop-ups, as well as great poke moves that give you the advantage in any 50/50 match-up.
Now, the moves you NEED to learn in Hapkido style, are as follows:
U+4 - This is a pop-up combo starter. Hehgih kicks you into the air, and you can then combo the hell out of them. This move hits HIGH, you'll MISS if they block low. If you connect with this move, STAND THERE AND WAIT FOR THEM TO HIT THE FLOOR. The second they hit the floor, do a Free Helfire, and then a new 50/50 mix-up of your choice.
3 - This is Scorpions most useful move in the entire three stances. Its his Axe Kick. Anyone from the MK:DA days will tell you that this move is so good its scary. It hits in 2 sections, the first hit being high, the second being mid. So unless your superman and have his speed with the blocking, your usually going to get hit with one of them. The only way they can avoid it is by blocking HIGH, but they won't do that, because if they do, they get THROWN. (*hehehe*) This is a GREAt trained move for some combos listed below.
2 - This is a kick-ass "poke" maneuver. It hits high, and often times alot of people expect you to start a combo off of it. There's no need. If you connect with this move, all you have to do is do a Hellfire immediately after this. Once this move connects, the animations make your opponent "stumble". you have a faster recovery time, so you can so either a Throw of a Hellfire by the time the computer LETS them be able to either block, or crouch/block. This is a great wake-up move, because if you literally walk up to someone, and do nothing but STAND there while they are blocking, they will feel foolish, and let go of block to try to attack you. The thing is, if you work on your timing, the second they let go of the block button, they'll get hit with the 2. Then a Hellfire. Then a new 50/50 mix-up. This is a great trainer for some combos listed below.
B+3 - This is a VERY fast sweep move that hits low, and makes your opponent fall to the floor. If they DO NOT tech roll either to the side or normally, you can usually get a free Hellfire after this move..
2, 3 - This is an awesome combo that truly fucks with the whole 50/50 aspect of things. The first hit, the 2, will connect high, as I described above. But the next hit will come out lightening fast, and thats the Axe kick. Use this combo to mix it up.The thing is, mix this move up alot. For example, when you are trying to put the pressure on your opponent, usually when you notice that they are starting to block alot, for example you press 2.. They block high. you press 2 again.. They block hgih again. Press 2,3, and 9 times out of 10, after the 2 is successfully blocked, they will try to attack you, only to get hit by the 3 (Axe Kick) that follows it). Thats what a trainer is.
2,3,B+1 - This is ANOTHER awesome combo. you can use either the REGULAR 2 as a trainer. you can do what I described above, and catch them by surprise with the 2,3. OR, you can do this combo. The last hit LAUNCHES them accross the screen, where guess what? YOU GET A FREE HELLFIRE! If you connect even with only the last hit of this combo, you will be guaranteed a free hellfire. Mix this combo up with the above mentioned trainers, as well as the short combo mentioned above. This particular combo followed by a hellfire does a GREAT amount of damage, is lightening quick, and makes them think twice about going on the offensive.
3,B+1 - The same as above, only missing the first hit (2).
All in all, Hapkido is the style you want to be in if you want to dish out tons of damage quickly, and efficiently. Strategies for this style will be listed below, after all of the styles have been explained.
MOI FAH StyleThis is the style to use when you want to throw in a few QUICK moves before switching FROM Hapkido INTO Mugai Ryu. It has very limited wake up moves, but it does have a few good stun moves, and a decent combo that leads into the Hellfire. All in all, this is NOT Scorpions best Stance, so don't spent too much time in here or your bound to lose.
The moves to learn for this style are as follows:
B+1 - This move hits mid, plants them on the floor. This is only good is I want to walk up, sidestep, and get a free throw. The better move is to just do a free hellfire, and walk up with a new 50/50 mix-up. in example, this move should ONLY be used after you successfully catch your opponent in a Bloody Spear. If your not in Moi Fah, CS into it, do this B+2, then CS out to either Hapkido or Mugai Ryu and 50/50 them.
B+2 - This is the move you do for extra damage. In example, this move should ONLY be used after you successfully catch your opponent in a Bloody Spear. If your not in Moi Fah, CS into it, do this B+2, then CS out to either Hapkido or Mugai Ryu and 50/50 them.
3, 3, 3 - This is a decently fast combo, and serves 2 purposes; Obviously if he charges you connect and take damage with this combo, or you can do this PURPOSEFULLY knowing they're going to block it, this way it pushes them backwards enough for you to recover and re-think your next move.
3,3,CS - Do this combo, and your guaranteed decent damage. As I said, Scorpion is a poke fighter, and these are some decent pokes. If you land this combo, the last hit will launch you accross the screen, amd give you a FREE Hellfire.right after this combo. It does good damage, and automatically switches you over into the Mugai Ryu stance.
MUGAI RYU StyleThis style is his most defensive yet offensive style. In all honesty, this style is great for doing literally both, as longas you are good at mixing up highs and low hits. All you have to do is really learn 2 moves, because this is what this move was designed for.
Moves to learn in this stance:
F+1 - This is a GREAT move that hits mid, and launches your opponent into the air. EVERYTIME you connect with this move, you throw out a Bloody Spear, and then combo off of that. This is a great move to catch your opponents guarding low. Fortunately for you, so many people online abuse the simple THROW that it has EVERYONE trained to naturally block low. That works in your favor for this case, because if they block low, they get launched. This is a great move and has a very good recovery rate. if you miss it, its almosy immediate that you can do your next move.
D+1 - This move is a powerhouse, It's like Kobra's D+1 and Bo Rai Cho's F+3 combined. It doesn't give you a free throw, but it DOES guarantee you space when you need it. Throw this fucker out FREQUENTLY, whenever your opponent charges you. Also, its great to stop someone from an already oncoming attack. Usually its also a good idea to use this in the middle of an oncoming combo, as its a good interrupter. Its also LIGHTENING fast, and gives you just the advantages that you need in order to get that split second to plan your next move. You can also combo like a mofo off this. But not in the senses that you guys are used to. This is a great poke move, that stops your opponent in their tracks, and often times, if you connect with this, you'll notice that AFTER it connects, your opponent will just STAND there for a second; they weren't expecting to get hit by this. THIS is the rare situation where I am referring to. In that split second they stand there, charge the hell out of them, combo them with whatever you have the feel for at that moment. It works, its effective, it's quick, and gets the job done. Use this move very frequently.
Now, for the best part - STRATEGIES!
Scorpion Strategies
As I said before, Scorpion is one of the few characters in Deception who can either revolve completely around poke combos, or he can completely revolve around 50/50 attacks. Because of his large wealth of single hit poke moves, this makes him unique in the strategy section, simply because he always keeps you guessing where the hits are going to be coming from next, high? Low? Mid? Low? WTF?!?!?
Hapkido Strategies
Use his 2 as a trainer, where you can throw in other moves, like 3, or even 2,3,B+1 followed by Hellfire. These moves hit ALL OVER the place so the chances are that you'll be able to hit them with one of them in the combo..
2, 3, U+4. . . Hellfire, Walk Up, 50/50
The above combo will truly piss you off, because its one of those combos where if you connect with the pop-up, everyone wants to roll out of the way and continue attacking, where this combo doesn't let you. if you connect with the U+4, you have a guaranteed Hellfire, and if you time it correctly, the Hellfire will connect, and force your opponent to stand straight up, where you can walk up and 50/50 them with either his 3 Axe Kick, or the Throw. if they just stand there for a second or two... fuck it, throw out a second Hellfire! Then continue the 50/50..
2, 3, U+4. . . Hellfire, B+3 (IF THIS CONNECTS) Throw out another Hellfire, and continue the 50/50.
This combo is very much like the one listed above, and completely plays with the 50/50 mix-ups. It will keep your opponent guessing literally until the bitter end..
The best thing to do with Scorpion is to actually look for an opening, and then do his 2 poke NOT in a juggle. For example, if you see an opening to 2 poke them, DO IT. Stande real close, and then throw out a Hellfire, and continue your 50/50. If they duck, press 3. If they stand, either throw out another hellfire, or Throw them.
MOI FAH Strategies
3
The simple 3 has a decently long range, and does a good bit of damage (10%) and is also completely safe on block. If they block, it pushes them away and gives you space to retaliate if they attack you as well.
The best move to use is the simple B+2 in close quarters. it has an EXTREMELY little range, but its great for getting yourself a free hit (Hellfire or Throw) afterwards.
1, 1, 3, 3
As both Mr S & Chimage have mentioned, this combo is completely safe, even if blocked. If you connect with one of the kicks, your GUARANTEED a throw, and ALMOST guaranteed a Hellfire instead of a throw.
1, 1, 3, 3, CS
This is a great combo that Chimage pointed out. it accomplished half of the things that Hapkido does - In essence, the last CS hit launches them accross the screen, and guaranteed you a Hellfire, and leaves you in Mugai Ryu. Not bad, eh?
3,3,CS
Use this as I said above to launch your opponent accross the street, and get yourself another free Hellfire. Scorpion REVOLVES around the Hellfire, and he is awesom as I stated with the 50/50 game. USE IT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE.:
Now, we move on to. . .
MUGAI RYU Strategies
The only tactic that I will mention for this style is the look for any opening where you can connect with the F+1, so you can combo into other styles.
The other advice I can give you is to poke the shit out of your opponent every time that they try to attack you using the D+1 pokes.
Also, whenever you see them duck, use his F+1 pop-up move, it will take damage, and give you enough distance to plan ahead and do the Bloody Spear into your next combos.
So in essence, the GENERAL strategy for Scorpion is to make your opponent panic by attacking them as fast as possible. As soon as they have no breakers, you can use his Style-Branching combos from Hapkido (2,2,CS,3,CS followed by a free Hellfire). Also, don't feel bad about doing the F+1/D+1 'Scorpion Cheese' in his weapon stance. EVERYONE ONLINE who uses Scorpion runs to those two moves. if you want respect from your opponents, I would suggest that you spend most of your time in Hapkido, and beat them without the "cheesy tactics" that everyone else so vehemently bitches about..
Other things to note:
If at any point you see your opponent ducking, and you're not close enough to do anything to them, USE the Hellfire. You MAY catch them, or you MAY NOT, but use your judgment and timing. See exactly what works for you, and what exactly doesn't. But try everything under the son, see what works for you. That's the only way to win.
Other useful information for Scorpion:
Scorpion has SO MANY free throws and free Hellfires that Ican't even actually list them all. Basically, EVERYTIME YOU LAUNCH YOUR OPPONENT, do a Hellfire. EVERYTIME you catch your opponent with 2 in Hapkido, do a Hellfire. EVERYTIME you connect with U+4 in Hapkido, do a Hellfire. After EVERY Hellfire, use a 50/50 combo. Mix it up, and thats your key to victory, I swear to you.
If you guys have any questions or additions, as well as input and/or comments to make, please feel free. Any and all information is a plus, and helps out other people who are currently using, or trying to LEARN how to use Scorpion. RESPECT THE RULES I MENTIONED above. If you do not, I will request that the moderators lock this thread, and completely remove it from the forums.
Thanks, and have fun dominating your competition.
