1. Grab if your opponent manages to block 3 hits consecutively, seriously most of the time you'll land it and get an easy 12-14%.

2. run up and sweep people as they're getting up, this is sadly work more than it should, even on good players. Even better though, most wake-up attacks won't beat, only a few won't get immediately beaten if you time it right.

3.don't keep doing the same dial-a-combo, especially if you're using some one who has combo's that can end differently.

Example: Shang Tsung's 2, 2, 1 combo can also be changed to 2, 2, B + 4 which is a low hitting sweep move. This is really important because after they block the first time if you can start the combo up again you can switch it to the sweep and git the final hit in and create some confusion for the opponent.

you can also substitute the original finishing hits with special moves with special properties.

Example: Cyrax's 3, 3, 4 combo can be changed to 3, 3, Buzzsaw for a high damaging overhead on a low blocking opponent or maybe an EX ragdoll for a low hit on a high blocking opponent.

4. X-Ray combos are more important than you think, and you don't need breakers nearly as much as you think. I see all the time, people using breakers after I've only hit them 2 or 3 times and a lot of times on the last hit of my combo's effectively wasting 2 of their bars for no good reason. Breakers should ONLY be used if you and you opponent are both on your last bits of life in the second round or if you're fighting a character who you know has EASY +30% combos like Subzero or Cyrax and you can tell which combo they are going to do so you know exactly when to pull out a breaker. Try to keep from using Breakers and X-Rays in the first round because if you win 1 round and you know a good high damage X-Ray combo you should try and bust it out in the beginning on the second round because it will usually net you the victory. Some characters have some really nasty X-ray combos and some have some really terrific EX moves. Some characters have both (Jax, Kano, Johnny Cage, the Cyber-Ninja's, Freddy). If you're a more like me, liking to get in and kick some ass with cool looking high damage medium length combos then you'll want to not use meter until you have atleast 2 or 3 bars so you'll always be able to throw out a breaker or X-ray/X-ray Combo in the heat of the battle. Never use EX moves if you only have one bar unless you're in the final stretch of a battle and you're gonna use an EX move with super-armor on it (examples: Jax's EX moves, Sheeva's Grab, Baraka's lunge, JC's Shadow kick). Be sure to memorize at least one of your favorite character(s) X-Ray combos, just in case you feel the need to be a show off or you want to really hurt the enemy.

5. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE UNDER USED, ever! if you see a Stryker, Baraka, Skarlet, Rain, Jax, Sonya, Kratos, CSZ, Sektor, Jade or even the rare and majestic Sheeva you better understand that 7/10 they will be fantastic or at least really good with that character. People seem to think that because a character is hard to use or is low on a tier list, that they are pretty bad. This is completely wrong.

6. If you aren't having fun when you're fighting someone, stop fighting them. Don't ragequit though, just leave the match after the round is over. And this goes for winning and losing, if you don't like fighting people you have to chase or dodging projectiles, or constantly block or a lot of grabbing or what ever thing you hate that the opponent is using just remember that you don't have to keep fighting them. Also go easy on the inexperienced, going ape shit with the combos and moves will make them complain about characters they have a hard time beating and even make them start using and abusing characters with good special moves like Kung Lao and Raiden, and we certainly don't need any more of those guys. I've seen it happen a bunch of times, you beat some one badly, then they pick kung lao or raiden and hit you with a barrage of special moves and no combos. This doesn't mean that they win, it just means they try to use annoying tactics to win and it usually frustrates people who cannot handle them.

7. This is important, very important.

Learn long combos and traps last, learn how to fight first, learn how to get in and out, learn how to block correctly, learn how to counter and read moves. I've seen some many Cyrax players try to bomb trap me, they might land it once but if I get within 2 feet of them they are pretty much horrible and cannot get away or get out unless they breaker and waste they're meter. Don't try to use high damage combos if you cant even get out of someone rushing you down.


I hope this helped some people, though most of you here are pretty good.