Succeeding At A High Level

by Chris "Versatile" Harewood


Tables of Contents

1. Introduction/Basic Terminology
2. Poking/Priority
3. Steady Offense
4. Steady Defense
5. Move Selection
6. Mind Games/Anticipation/Reading
7. Tier Understanding
8. FAQs
9. Outroduction

Section 1: Introduction

*note: do NOT read this guide if you don't understand the notation for moves. c'mon..give me a break
*note: this guide is for people looking to play at the highest level and complete. if you're one of the people who cry about free throws,otgs or people trying to play to win, click the x button in the upper right hand corner of this window.

You're reading this guide because you want to win. Say what you will about me, but winning is something I know how to do. I made this guide a long time ago, but never bothered to put it on this site, but it seems like a good time to put it up. Read this stuff, and you will become better. I can't promise you'll be elite right away or even decent, but using this as a reference guide will help you on your "mission".

First off, let me just throw a couple terms out there. I still believe to this day that people oblivious to some of these.

1. Priority - Priority is the chance of success for a move. Basically if the move has good range and speed, it has good priority. Moves that have high priority and do solid damage are among the best moves in Mortal Kombat Deception and pretty much any other fighting game. These moves should be the foundation for your character most of the time, and should be the moves you rely on when you have nothing else to really work with.

Examples of moves with high priority....

1. Bo Rai Cho's weapon stance f+3
2. Li Mei's weapon stance b+3
3. Liu Kang's 1st stance 1,1,3
4. Scorpion's weapon stance f+1
5. Raiden's first stance f+1

2. Pokes - Pokes are moves that are fast,have high priority and are safe MOST of the time. They don't neccessarily have great range, but they are very reliable and can be used in a multitude of ways(to defend, to initiate offense,etc). Pokes come in high,mid and low variations(if you don't understand what I mean, go down to number 4).

Examples of moves that are pokes

1. Sub-Zero's 1st stance d+1
2. Sindel's 2nd stance b+2
3. Liu Kang's 1st stance d+1
4. Raiden's 1st stance 1,1(backdash if blocked)
5. Ermac's weapon stance d+1

3. Safe - Safe moves are ones that are relatively unpunishable if the opponent blocks it(meaning you can quickly more away or block afterwards). It's really as simple as that. Characters who have save options that leads to rewarding results on hit are normally the best characters.

Examples of moves that are safe

1. Dairou's 2nd stance f+2
2. Bo Rai Cho's weapon stance f+3
3. Jade's weapon stance 4
4. Ermac's 2nd stance 1
5. Hotaru's weapon stance b+1

4. High,Mid,Low - These are the 3 ways a move can hit. A high move can be ducked or blcoked by standing. These are normally the worse of the 3. High moves are only used to start a combo or if it has solid properties when they hit. Mid are moves that must be stand blocked, but cannot be ducked. Lows are moves that must be duck blocked, and cannot be stand blocked. I don't I need to give examples for these do I? Good, didn't think so.

5. Properties - Basically how the move works. Where does it hit? About how many frames is it? Does it track sidesteppers? Does it go under low attacks? etc,etc. For example, the properties for Bo Rai Cho's f+3 is it hits mid and does not track sidesteppers.

6. Tracking - A move that tracks would hit even if the opponent side steps it.

7. Stuff - Stuffing a move is basically using a move that has priority over the move being used against you to beat it out, or "stuff" it. Mids normally "stuff" low pokes.

8. Top Tier - A character that is considered to be one of the best in the game. Top tier characters are SIGNIFICANTLY better than the others, and have overpowering moves that are normally safe and highly rewarding. In most fighting games, there is one character who's so good that he almost transcends into his/her own tier. This is known as "broken tier".

9. Mid Tier - This is the trickiest to analyze, because it's seperated into 3 mini divisions basically: upper mid, mid and lower mid. Mid tier characters have the tools to compete and are noticeably better than the low tier characters, but not as dominant as top tier characters. Upper mid tier characters are noticeably better than the other mid tiers, mid tiers are right down the middle(average characters) and lower mid tiers are decent, but are more often mistaked for/considered to be low tier.

10. Low Tier - Characters who are lacking the tools needed to consistantly win/compete at the highest level. Talented players can take these characters to new heights, but eventually their limit will be reached, and they will lose.

11. Clan - a group, or "cliq" of players who represent one another when they fight. Clans are more relevant in games where team play is involved(FPS,MMORPG), but are frequently seen in fighting game communities as well(tekken,mk,sc,sf). It's not uncommon to see clan battles to determine who's the most dominant clan.

12. Scrub - "A derogative term, mostly synonymous with "loser." It is usually used to indicate a player whose skill level is low or who is deemed to simply be unable to win. Scrubs are usually either beginners to their chosen game, players who simply lack the raw skill to succeed (though they may have a high understanding of advanced play), and players who are not willing to advance their tactics.

Members of the last group are commonly not willing to learn, not able to adapt to high-level play, and often complain about losing to "cheap" tactics.

Other types of scrubs includes people who are more interested in the aesthetics of how to play a beautiful game rather than how to play a winning game. e.g. They may be lose because they are preoccupied with ending the match with a certain special move. Hence their opinion that someone who wins regardless of the tactics may be "cheap.""

13. GG - good game. said out of respect for the opponent for putting up solid fights. common to see this in a chess match, a pick up game of basketball and obviously in fighting game communities.

14. Frames - the speed of a move. The lower the number of frames, the faster it is.

15. Mind Games - "Mind games are described as the use of psychology to maximize one's chances of winning. A big part of mind games is archetyping, dissecting the way an opponent plays and then immediately gearing oneself to prepare an effective counter strategy, as well as a great deal of other tactics that take advantage of the amount of predictability present within an opponent."

16. Pitbull - A person who's very offense-oriented. Some characters are most effective when played in a pitbull manner(not just in MKD, but any fighter). Darrius would be an example of this.

17. Turtle - A person who's very defense-oriented. Some characters are most effective hwen played in a turtle manner. Scrubs look down on turtlers as being "cheap", having no skill or being a pussy. Yeah, because we all should use fighting games as a measuring stick for one's manliness.

18. 50/50 or Mix Ups - Mixing up mids/lows or mids/throws to stop the opponent from consistantly blocking the same way. This is essential in almost any video game. Mix ups also go beyond just blocking. There is almost speed mix ups in which u quicken or delay the move to throw their blocking off, but that is pointless to discuss since MK games lack these.

19. Punish - Hitting the opponent for doing a move that is unsafe. Punishing is one of the key aspects of any fighting game. You must punish a move if you see it's unsafe.

20. Throw - A grapple that cannot be blocked, and most of the time cannot be ducked. Throws are used to stop heavy blockers and to break down defenses.

21. Punisher - Basically a move that you only use to punish something. It is normally not wise to throw these moves out of nowhere, because they are unsafe most of the time.

22. Main - Fighting game slang for your best character. If someone wants to know who's your "main character" they want to know who your best character is.

Section 2: Poking

Low Poking - It's probably weird to some that I'm starting off with low pokes, but it's necessary(especially in MKD and PROBABLY for MKA) to have an understanding of how these work. People use them, but don't use them correctly.

Defensively - Defense is key in MKD, and low poking helps a lot. When your opponent is approaching you and you need space to continue turtling, low poking is a great option. It gives you space and stuns them just enough for you backdash. Do not use a low poke outside of it's natural range unless you're trying to bait them into doing something. This will cause you to get stuffed by moves with more range. Most low pokes have poor range and should be used as close as possible.

In MKD(and probably for MKA), low pokes go under high attacks, so if you see someone doing a high combos you can duck and low poke at anytime as long as a mid is not coming. If you're comfortable with doing that, you can just anticipate the combo and low poke the first hit. Most combos in this game start with high hits, and even if the combo isn't hi, the pokes in this game will either go even with the hit(both players take damage) or beat it out.

Offensively - There are good amount of low pokes suitable for starting an offense as well. The basic idea with this is to hit the low poke, and during the opponent's stun frames you quickly 50/50(mid/low or mid/throw). Here are two examples.

Smoke: d+1,walk up and either throw or u+4.
Sindel: 2nd stance d+4,d+4,d+4,b+2.

the d+4, if not blocked, stuns the opponent so their only option is the block. THEY CANNOT HIT YOU BACK.

Now, some low pokes are suited only for defensive purposes, some for offense only and some for both. Smoke's d+1 is probably the best low poke in the game because of it's sheer versatility. You can use it start up an offense and to start up a defense. Sub-Zero's shotokan(first stance) d+1 works the same way, but is not as well suited for offense as it is for defense because Sub-Zero has no mids to work with and Shotokan. On the flipside, Sindel's second stance d+4 doesn't really push the opponent away enough to be considered a solid defensive low poke, but it's INCREDIBLE for starting an offense. Understanding when to low poke and the properties of every low poke is key if you want to be good in this game.

Solid Low Pokes For Each Character

1. Jade - 2nd stance d+3/weapon stance d+4/1st stance d+4
2. Kenshi - 2nd stance d+4/2nd stance d+3
3. Scorpion - 1st stance d+1/2nd stance d+1/weapon stance d+1
4. Mileena - 1st stance d+4/2nd stance d+1/2nd stance d+4
5. Baraka - 2nd stance d+3
6. Sub-Zero - 1st stance d+1/2nd stance d+3/2nd stance d+4/2nd stance d+1/weapon stance d+3
7. Sindel - 2nd stance d+4
8. Havik - weapon stance d+1
9. Raiden - 2nd stance d+3/weapon stance d+1
10. Li Mei - 2nd stance d+1/weapon stance d+1
11. Kabal - 1st stance d+1/weapon stance d+4
12. Ermac - 1st stance d+1/2nd stance d+1/weapon stance d+1
13. Nightwolf - 1st stance d+1/weapon stance d+3
14. Bo Rai Cho - weapon stance d+3
15. Noob-Smoke - noob d+4/smoke d+1
16. Tanya - 1st stance d+4/2nd stance d+4/2nd stance d+1/weapon stance d+4
17. Shujinko - 2nd stance d+1
18. Hotaru - 2nd stance d+1
19. Ashrah - 1st stance d+4
20. Dairou - 2nd stance d+1
21. Kobra - 2nd stance d+3/weapon stance d+3
22. Darrius - low pokes are relatively worthless with Darrius
23. Kira - 2nd stance d+4
24. Liu Kang - 1st stance d+1/2nd stance d+4

Regular Pokes - Most of my offense revolves around poking, and your should too. They have good priority, are normally fast, and are pretty safe, so why not? This is the problem with most players. Poking should be your foundation. Not 50/50ing and not throwing. Knowing your character's pokes is key. In fact, you can really not play a char, but as long as you have a basic knowledge of his/her pokes, you can compete.

Solid Regular Pokes For Each Character(best pokes for each character in my opinion have a star next to them)


1. Jade - 2nd stance b+1/weapon 4*
2. Kenshi - weapon u+2
3. Scorpion - 1st stance 3,u+4/weapon f+1*
4. Mileena - 2nd stance 4
5. Baraka - 2nd stance 1,b+2*/weapon 3
6. Sub-Zero - 1st stance 1,1,3/dragon 1,1/weapon 1,b+1*
7. Sindel - 2nd stance b+2*/weapon 4
8. Havik - weapon 3(safe online basically)
9. Raiden - 1st stance 1,1,2*(backdash to make safe)/1st stance f+1/weapon u+4
10. Li Mei - weapon 2/weapon b+3*
11. Kabal - 1st stance 1,3
12. Ermac - 1st stance 1*/2nd stance 1/weapon 1,3,4
13. Nightwolf - 1st stance u+2/2nd stance 3/weapon 2,3/weapon 3*
14. Bo Rai Cho - weapon f+3
15. Noob-Smoke - Noob 4/Smoke u+4*/Smoke b+1
16. Tanya - 2nd stance 3,2*/weapon 1,1
17. Shujinko - 1st stance 1,1,1/1st stance f+4,1,1/2nd stance 2,4,4*
18. Hotaru - 1st stance b+1*/2nd stance b+2/weapon b+1/weapon 1,b+1
19. Ashrah - 1st stance 2,1*/1st stance f+1
20. Dairou - 2nd stance f+1/2nd stance b+1*
21. Kobra - 1st stance 2,1,1,4/2nd stance 1/weapon b+3*
22. Darrius - weapon 3
23. Kira - 1st stance 1,1/2nd stance f+3/2nd stance 2*/weapon 1
24. Liu Kang - 1st stance 1,1,3/2nd stance 4,3*/2nd stance u+4

Just because I did not put a star next to a poke does not mean you shouldn't use it. All of those pokes are solid. A lot of those pokes also lead to free throws. Read this guide by Red Saleen to know all of the free throws. Many of them are useless, so try to attention to the free throws for the moves i just listed.

http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/forum/showmessage.cds?id=62171

Section 3: Steady Offense

To be honest, maintaining a steady defense is more important than being an offense specialist, but you still need to be able to hold your own. Here are a few rules to maintaing offense.



1. Learn to stuff - Stuffing is probably the most important part of offense. If you see someone is whoring out low pokes in an irresponsible manner, do a mid! You may attack damage, but the trade off if the move you're using plants or grounds them is highly in your favor. For example, if someone is whoring the shit out of Kobra's kali d+3 and you're using Smoke, sacrifice taking the hit just so you can land b+1. Sure, you took 4% damage, but they're now grounded for a 50/50. Be wise about this, because obviously the best players will bait you into thinking in this fashion just so they can block and punish you.

2. Don't use lows in 50/50s(unless kabal or sindel) - Use your head. Why would you low poke in a 50/50? Most low pokes do relatively low damage. For 50/50s, use a damaging mid attack that leads into a juggle or plants and a throw. The only character characters I can think of where you'd 50/50 using mids/lows rather than mid/throw are Kabal and Sindel. Kabal's throw is alright, but hookswords u+2 is one of the most damaging lows in the game and a far better option. Sindel on the other hand has a terrible throw and is better off 50/50ing using her low poke in 2nd stance(d+4) or u+2 in weapon.

3. Use high priority moves - Use moves that have good priority to force your will upon the defender. Simple as that.

4. Don't attack foolishly - If you see something is not working, change your pattern. Also, block if you must. There is no rule saying you have to constantly attack,attack,attack. If you approach then opponent and you think they will attack, why not block? You just might be rewarded. Also, it doesn't hurt after a poke or safe move that you block or backdash, too. Feel the opponent out. Try to read their tendencies, record it in your mind, and store it for later use.

5. When in doubt, poke - Poke with mids,highs and of course with lows. For characters who has unsafe mids, low poking is key. An example would be Hotaru. His main goal when fighting is to get you into a 50/50 lock. This should be done by constantly poking around, and only taking risks when you really need to. Walk up, block, low poke and if it hits or is blocked, work from there.

6. Use effective specials - If your character has solid specials then use them. With Sub-Zero, walk up to fake attack and then clone. Same thing with Smoke and his cloud. Whore Kobra's low fireball and 50/50 it with high fireball to prevent jumpers at long distances. Randomly do Raiden's teleport to catch someone off guard. Whore Sindel's fireball, for it's one of the better projectiles in this game. Hellfire is probably the prime of example of a great offensive move if used properly.

7. Stay away from USELESS moves - Another one of prime factors holding some players back. A move may be effective, but when compared to another move it is completely useless. For example, why would you sweep with Shujinko? Honestly, what would be your reason for doing that? Sure it may go under high attacks, but do you really need to use that? Why would you use Jade's 2 in second stance? Anytime that would hit, b+1 would as which leads to FAR more damage. Is there really a reason to use Sindel's slide? It's a relatively weak move that is horribly bad on block. Why would you do Darrius' balerina kick(i think its d,b+3), when pretty much anytime that would hit(duckers), 3 would hit, too? Use common sense, and at least ATTEMPT to put yourself in a high level state of mind. Most of the best players only use what's most effective.

8. Read the opponent's defensive tendecies - See section 6

Section 4: Steady Defense

1. Poke - Poking keeps the opponent away. Period. If you're trying to defend well, and need room to continue turtling, these moves are the best option as long as they're safe.

2. Backdash - This seems to be a foreign concept to some players. It's OK to get away from people. Ya diiiiiig?

3. BLOCK! - For the love of all that is good on this earth, ATTEMPT to play some defense sometimes. Attack,attack,attack will get you killed vs the best players(cough booya cough). Good blocking sometimes should be followed up after good offense. After doing a poke or being blocked, BLOCK YOURSELF. Blocking opens up offensive opportunities for you!

4. Interrupt - I mean this in two ways. I mean to low poke when you're blocking a combo that you know is all high. This is good to avoid chip damage and to initiate your own offense. An example of this would be with Smoke. You're blocking Jades 2,2,1,cs,4,cs,1,u+3. Smoke can d+1 underneath the cs part or the 4 part. Now, I also mean to interrupt as in sacrificing taking damage to plant them. If you're using a character who has a swift,damaging move and plants or grounds them(ashrah's 1st stance f+1,raiden's 1st stance f+1,etc) you can trade off with them. Sure, you took a hit, but they're now grounded for a 50/50. Not a bad trade off eh?

5. Be WISE about "wall' moves - This is in reference to Sub-Zero and Noob-Smoke. These are dangerous attacks if used properly, but being predictable with them is not a good idea. The best players WILL whore the shit out of projectiles if they know you will do it, and moves like the teleslam from shu,kenshi or ermac WILL catch you. These moves(especially Sub's clone) are best used RIGHT after a low poke connects or is blocked. Remember that you're not always using these moves to get the opponent to walk into one, but rather to give yourself space to turtle.

6. Read the opponent's offensive tendecies - See section 6

Section 5: Move Selection

This section will be a short one, because if you read the previous ones you should have a better idea of what to use and when to use it.

- Even at the lowest level of play it's common sense to use your character's "punishing" move to punish unsafe attacks. Examples of "punishing moves"

1. Sub-Zero's weapon b+2
2. Jade's second stance b+1
3. Scorpion's weapon f+1

- Go for the most damage. If you're a talented juggler and the juggle you're trying to pull off is a viable option in online play. GO FOR IT.

- If the opponent your facing is lagging, you must change your move selection slightly. For examples, if you're using smoke and you do telepunch,sais,d+1,b+1, vs a laggy opponent just do telepunch,b+1. You know it's probably going to miss if you go for the first option, so why even create something for you to bitch about?

- See section 6 for rest.

Section 6: Mind Games/Anticipation/Reading

This is something that cannot really be taught, but I can at least try to put you in the right mind frame. This is probably the main factor that seperates an "elite status" player from a regular one. Basic fundamentals of mind games are....

Put yourself in their head - This is such a huge chunk of what mind games is about that I may not feel the need to add anything else after this! Nobody is psychic(at least nobody playing this game), but you can use logic, common sense and a general understanding of human nature to anticipate how they will block and how they will attack you.

This is where setting up the opponent comes into play. Being purposely predictable to get them to block or attack the way you want them too. Example? If I'm Sub-Zero, and I'm a big fan of cloning as soon as the round starts, eventually the opponent will catch on and try to projectile right? Then if you anticipate this happening, go for a freeze. You will trade hits as long as the projectile they're using isn't too fast. Another? Sure. If I'm Ashrah, and I walk up to you and throw you, but don't juggle you, and I switch to weapon and walk up to you, you're probably going to block. Why? Because most people see a weapon out and automatically think "big damage", so they do not duck. This is why I will 3,4,2,2 you! Now after that 3,4,2,2 hits and I walk up to your face you're probably thinking I'm going to throw you right? No, I'm going to 3,4,2,2 you again. Why? Because I can read you and I know that in your head an opponent approaching you that close has throw on their mind.

Is that going to work everytime? Of course not! And that's the beauty of mind games. You can always switch it up to adjust to how YOU ANTICIPATE THEY WILL REACT TO YOUR PREVIOUS MIND GAMES! They eventually catch on to the Ashrah player faking attack by switching to weapon after throw just to throw you again? Good, now 3,4,2,2 them.

Lets say I'm fighting M2Dave aka Igniz aka Dairou Master. He is probably the best "jutsuer" I've ever seen, but he's still only human. Now, lets say I'm using Bo Rai Cho vs his Dairou, and I f+3 in weapon. He jutsu's it and throws me back. Now, this is just an example, but anytime you try something vs an opponent and it does not work RECORD IT IN YOUR MIND. Same thing goes for if it does work. Keeping things like that in the recesses of your mind will help you not only in that particular match, but even future fights(even months from that point). Anyway, he jutsu's me and throws me back. I now understand that my opponent is capable of jutsuing right? What will I do? The next time f+3 connects, instead of throwing getting jutusued, I will f+3 him again! He now understands he cannot solely rely on Jutsuing f+3 to beat it, and he will not begin to block after f+3 more often. This now allows you to use f+3,throw more freely because he fears another f+3.

Always be inside their head in those kind of ways. Think to yourself "Man, what would I do if I were them?". You're smarter than your opponent, and even if that's not true, BELIEVE YOU ARE. Go into the fight EXPECTING to win. Just because it's a big name player, don't be intimidated. They might be more skilled than you, but they're still human and suspectible to making mistakes and succumbing to your mind games.

Another layer of mind games/anticipation/magic tricks/whatever is to purposely do things you know they will defend to set them up for something else. Bo Rai Cho is a perfect example. Lets say I'm whoring the shit out of Bo's weapon f+3 and you're blocking it constantly. What will I do? Well, what about puking? You cannot defend both moves at the same time(barring a nasty sidestep), so why not? Use their intelligence to your advantage. If you're predictable with Liu Kang/Kobra's low fireball, your opponent will begin to jump over it right? That's why you begin to use their high fireball. Basic shit like that will take you a long way.

Using movement to deceive the opponent has already been covered earlier in this section, but lets go a bit deeper. I already said walking up close to your opponent while they're stunned from a move(2,4,2,2 in weapon with ashrah for example) will probably make them duck the first few times(until they catch on and then you throw). Here is another example. Suppose you're Bo Rai Cho and you're in dire need of some big damage. f+3 connects, and you take the free throw afterwards. Now, you need some BIG damage, and his cs,f+2 or cs,1,2,cs,2 option will not help you because they have a huge amount of life. Think to yourself, most people try to block block just in case you mess up Bo's OTG after throw right? If you need big time damage, switch to sumo and walk forward like you're going to f+2(like most high level bo players will), but throw instead. This works because you know their defensive tendecies and know they will block, so you can throw. Now after that throw you can go for the OTG, or if you need even more damage, walk up and switch to weapon. Uh oh. Weapon! I'm probaly going to f+3 you right? Wrong! I'm going to throw your dumbass again. See? Using movement(stance switching including) to throw your opponent's off.

One last example of that before I move on. I'm using Sub-Zero and I've planted you with Kori 1,b+1 near a wall. I switch to dragon and duck. You're probably thinking I'm going to begin to use his d+1 to low poke you to death right? That is what I want you to think. I'm just ducking because I know it's human nature for an opponent to low block if they see something like that? Instead of low poking I will then switch back to kori and 1,b+1 you again. This ducking technique works in many different situations. Any character can use it, really. It's especially useful after throws or mid hitting plants/grounders. For example, after Hotaru's b+1,2,2,4 juggle in 2nd stance, walk up and then quickly duck before they rise. The human mind probably won't have enough time to use logic and will low block out of habit. This is when you b+1 their ass again for being so stupid. The beauty of this is that once the opponent begins to catch on, you can now just use it to give them something extra to think about. "Man, that guy got me with that silly shit before. He won't get me this time. I'm going to stand block now even if he ducks". Really? Good, because now I'm going to throw you.

On the defensive end of things, it's simple: Take everything I just said to you and use it against them. This is why people call me psychic(or professor xavier if you're Skaven). I know what I would do if I were you, but because I'm not you I can counter you before you even know what you will do. Lots of yous in their right? Read slowly. It's easy to understand. That's the key to good defense.

Tier Understanding

Another important factor to being great at this game: understanding tiers and match ups. Characters are top tier for a reason, and characters are low tier for a reason. If you're in a big clan tournament or a fight for the rights to trash talk, it not be a good idea to pick Kira vs Bo Rai Cho. I'm not saying to counter pick(even though it's a viable high level strategy that scrubs should not be crying about), but fight fire with fire. It's just fighting game manners in a casual fight not to pick Dairou right after your opponent picks Tanya. If you're going to use a top tier character, it's probably a good idea to make sure your opponent knows by picking that character FIRST. That way if they do not counter with another top tier character they have no right to bitch because they knew first hand who you will be using.

I got off topic a bit with that paragraph. This is not about fighting game etiquette. Anyway, knowing your best characters and their limitations is necessary. Sub-Zero is my best character, but you're probably not going to see me using him in a tourney match up against Bo,Dairou,Kobra or Darrius. Why? Because those are just not good match ups for Sub-Zero. He does not have the tools to properly contend against those characters. If used properly he can hang with Kobra and Darrius, but the first two are pretty much a no go for him at the highest level of play.

When using a mid tier/low tier character as your main it is almost mandatory that you have at least decent understanding of how to play the top tier characters. Think of them as "bodyguards" if you will. If somebody Noob-Smoke is picking on poor little Tanya, big brother Bo Bo can come and take care of business.

When you see someone pick a top tier character, don't be a scrub and pick someone way inferior just so you can complain after they beat you. It's a fun challenge sometimes to fight top tiers with low tier or mid tier characters, but most of the time the end result will be you falling on your face.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: How do I start off a match?

Answer: Well, it depends on the opponent and the character they are using. When I'm not used to the opponent I am fighting I tend towards being a tad more defensive with some pokes here and there to get a feel of how they fight.

Question: Who's the best character to play to win at a high level?

Answer: Bo Rai Cho. He may not be the best character anymore, but he's a lot easier to play at a high level than Dairou. However, any character can compete at a high level. Even Kira to some extent. Just keep practicing and asking for help.

Question: Who's the worst character to play to win at a high level?

Answer: Kira. She simply lacks the tools that other characters do. Her damage is moderate compared to others, and even her strong juggles leave her in poor positin. Her poking game is almost non existant. The only thing that saves her from complete disgrace is her abover average throw game and the kiss.

Question: If I'm supposed to play to win, shouldn't I infinite and fight before the round?

Answer: No. People must understand that MKD has imaginary boundaries that must be followed. It's a poor game on paper, and because of that if these boundaries are not followed by all players the game becomes almost unplayable. In most fighting games, infinites are fair game because they're normally very difficult to execute and require certain positioning, but MKD's are simple and most can be excecuted at any place on the screen.

Question: Then why are free throws and OTGs fair game?

Answer: Because it's been established near the very beginning of MKD's life cycle that free throws and OTG are basically just extra damage. Extra damage glitches are almost always allowed in fighting game communities. Free throw attempts exist in PLENTY of fighting games. It's just that in MKD there are no throw breaks. Do not blame us. Blame Midway.

Question: Why make this guide in a game that is dead?

Answer: Because there are a few players with potential who are still playing, and because a good chunk of this guide is basic fighting game fundamentals that will not only work for MKD, but probably for MKA as well.

Question: When can I fight you?

Answer: Unfortunately, I am done with MKD. On the PS2 side, the game is dead, and I plan on working in the near future and going out a lot more since my boy now has a car. There isn't much time for me to play, anyway, but I will be around in October. This guide only took me about 2 hours to type on a boring, super hot day.


Outroduction

Do not get the impression that this guide is for medicore players only. Any player can learn from this. No matter how good you are I feel this will help. High level is more in the mind than when it comes to being skilled. I have played people who mediocre at best skill level, but because they're smart they succeed. On the flip side I have also played players of great skill, but because they don't have the smarts to compete at a high level they lost to me badly. It's good to have both, but if you can only have one try to make up for your lack of skill with a sharp mind.

When it all comes down to it, it's just a game, but why not be great at something you play so much? The "I just play for fun" excuse is annoying to read. Is it fun getting pummeled by top level competetion? I know it wouldn't be for me

I'd rather not give a long, drawn out speech like I'm so kind of important figure in histroy like Doctor King, so I'll stop here. I hope you guys learned something by reading this guide. Please do not shun it off as mindless dribble. This stuff works. Believe me.

Thanks for your time.

PS: Read this.


http://www.sirlin.net/Features/feature_PlaytoWinPart0.htm
http://www.sirlin.net/Features/feature_PlayToWinPart1.htm
http://www.sirlin.net/Features/feature_PlayToWinPart2.htm
http://www.sirlin.net/Features/feature_PlayToWinPart3.htm
http://www.sirlin.net/Features/feature_PlayToWinExample.htm