MK9 Most Current Tier List Thread: Updated 9/1/2011

[JennyCage]

This is probably the most accurate tier list I've seen yet. The only change I would make is putting Sonya in A and Shang in B. Shang has sooooo many bad matchups, there's no way he belongs in A tier. For the guy wondering why Sektor is A tier, it might have to do with his ability to do 40% off any landed jumpkick if he has meter. He also has great zoning and counter zoning options. Sektor's a sleeper that will surprise people when he does well at a tourney. It's only a matter of time.

 

[rev0lver]

Tom, could you please give some explanation for the changes from previous lists? Such as why x character was previously x tier but moved. The biggest change being CSZ, and strange things like Kitana moving to S-tier even though people have started to duck cutters.

 

[SZSR]

ShotOuts to Tom Being Stronger, faster, better looking than me... My gf disagrees with the last one bro.

Anyways. If anyone wants some great sub advice talk to shoryuken. Or marvaz. Great rush down subbys.

You're my bro and I found your story and pics mildly interesting. And it should be harder, better, faster, stronger than you, not stronger, faster, better because that's the wrong order. I'm a stickler for grammar.
/trolling sarcasm

Sub-Zero is a competent character, and with his new buff, it really should make his hard matches with guys like Kung Lao, Kabal, and Reptile easier, but i'm not feeling it. As CD's Sub showed last night, he can manage against some of the best rushdown characters. I feel he should be getting into S tier.

 

[JennyCage]

I can't speak for Tom but Kitana's placement is obvious - she can do ridiculous 50%+ combos where half the string is unbreakable. Her D1 is better than Mileena's D4 (faster startup and recovery, just about the same range, same tiny hitbox) and she has a ton of safe strings. She's like Johnny Cage and Shang Tsung's lovechild on crack.

 

[Crathen]

I think the community is focus way too much on the tier list and NOT in the matchup discussions wich are the main source for a real Tier List ( however some tier lists are based on the counties' tournaments results ) , saying "oh he's S tier" doesn't says it all , he can still be dealed with it unless the matchup is really horrible ( talking about things like 8-2 and 9-1 wich are not in this game ) , so what i'm trying to say is.... back to the matchup discussions instead of arguing on tiers.

 

[Vulcan Hades]

I agree about Sonya being A tier.

The thing that really puzzles me about Sektor is that he is almost identical to Stryker in every way (zoning, counter zoning, air control, great footsies, reset that leaves opponent standing, some mixups, decent damage output). But somehow Sektor is A tier and Stryker is bottom tier. Basically, the only difference between the two is that Sektor 's wake up and counter zone tool (teleport uppercut) leads to combos but is unsafe on block unless meter is spent. So that move alone is what makes Sektor so good. If Stryker's roll was a launcher and led to combos he would probably be A tier as well.

 

[Lt. Boxy Angelman]

Tiers make my head hurt.

And it's all gonna be different AFTER the patch, which means we'll all be having this same dispute all over again.

*sigh*

 

[JennyCage]

I agree about Sonya being A tier.

The thing that really puzzles me about Sektor is that he is almost identical to Stryker in every way (zoning, counter zoning, air control, great footsies, reset that leaves opponent standing, some mixups, decent damage output). But somehow Sektor is A tier and Stryker is bottom tier. Basically, the only difference between the two is that Sektor 's wake up and counter zone tool (teleport uppercut) leads to combos but is unsafe on block unless meter is spent. So that move alone is what makes Sektor so good. If Stryker's roll was a launcher and led to combos he would probably be A tier as well.

Stryker struggles to link anything past 35% damage iirc. He's so slow that fuzzyguarding him is child's play. Sektor is a lot faster, can pressure better, has a low starter, and can nail you for 40%+ off any landed jumpkick. He can stop jumpins with flamethrower, set up pressure with ex missile, and can zone and counter-zone in a way that combos for big damage. Sektor is leaps and bounds above Stryker... but then again, who isn't?

 

[RWDY Nori]

Top players need to spend more time on a real matchup chart vs a tier list. A tier list (especially saying silly things like "S" tier) just mislead the community that other chars are not good enough to win.

Or, the tier list needs to be created by a select number of top players (Player you frequently see at tournaments and placing high) because they have obviously seen more from this game than others have. This thread will simply turn into the last thread at this rate since obviously everybody has an opinion

 

[JennyCage]

I think the community is focus way too much on the tier list and NOT in the matchup discussions wich are the main source for a real Tier List ( however some tier lists are based on the counties' tournaments results ) , saying "oh he's S tier" doesn't says it all , he can still be dealed with it unless the matchup is really horrible ( talking about things like 8-2 and 9-1 wich are not in this game ) , so what i'm trying to say is.... back to the matchup discussions instead of arguing on tiers.

Sheeva VS Kung Lao
Baraka VS Kabal (or any competent zoner)
Shang Tsung VS Cyber

Still want to say there are no 8-2 matchups in this game? It isn't anywhere near balanced yet, but it's getting there... slowly.

 

[Massive Kano]

In any case, this list itself is just a curiousity as of now. The explanation and commentary on it is what everyone's really waiting for.

 

[rev0lver]

I can't speak for Tom but Kitana's placement is obvious - she can do ridiculous 50%+ combos where half the string is unbreakable. Her D1 is better than Mileena's D4 (faster startup and recovery, just about the same range, same tiny hitbox) and she has a ton of safe strings. She's like Johnny Cage and Shang Tsung's lovechild on crack.

How many times do we have to go over this? You can't do an unbreakable combo with Kitana over roughly 25-30%, and if you do, you're probably being a dumbass with your meter (spending a bar to get like 2% more). Those 50% combos have hit~fan, hit~fan lift, etc. You can break on those hits. Shang Tsung does better unbreakable damage.

Also, Mileena's d4>>Kitana's d1. There is a range difference, and it's pretty important. They're both 6 frames.

What separates Kitana from the rest of the upper tiers is that while her combo damage is big, her 2 launchers start with a 17 or 18 frame attack. Against a good opponent, it's very rare to actually start a combo without it being a punish, JIP, or starting with ex fan.

My main point is wondering why Tom moved her from A tier to S tier. We knew she had big combo damage before, not too much has changed.

 

[Tom Brady]

we can do a match up chart after the patch, no point in it now.

 

[Demonfang10]

The last thread has been run over with patch after patch after patch and all of the comments in that thread are moot. This thread will hold the most current list and be updated after the next and hopefully final balance patch.

these tier groups are listed in no order...

Tier: S
Kung Lao, Raiden, Johnny Cage, Kabal, Kitana, Cyrax, Reptile

Tier: A
Mileena, Sub-Zero, Kano, Scorpion, Liu Kang, Nightwolf, Sektor, Skarlet, Kenshi, Rain, Smoke, Shang Tsung, Sonya

Tier: B
Cyber Sub-Zero, Ermac, Noob, Jade, Jax

Tier: C
Quan Chi, Baraka

Tier: D
Sindel, Stryker, Sheeva

good list. Is this based on machups or how awesome the character is, cause if its based on machups, than yes i agree with everything except liu kang should be lower. if this based on how awesome the character is than ermac is no way shape or form b tier and neither is CSZ, and mileena is totally S tier.

 

[Tom Brady]

ShotOuts to Tom Being Stronger, faster, better looking than me... My gf disagrees with the last one bro.

Anyways. If anyone wants some great sub advice talk to shoryuken. Or marvaz. Great rush down subbys.

lmao, dude.. i counter troll trolls on stream w/trolling, no need to put pics of yourself and your sister in the tier thread. if you are gonna troll me, know that im just gonna troll back. ppl always think my counter trolling is serious LMAO..


no more posting pics in this thread guys lol..

 

[Tom Brady]

cyber sub has too many bad match ups to be higher then B tier. after the patch we will re-vist this list and do a match up chart.

 

[bloodsport]

This is probably the most accurate tier list I've seen yet. The only change I would make is putting Sonya in A and Shang in B. Shang has sooooo many bad matchups, there's no way he belongs in A tier.

soul steal

 

[16 Bit]

I agree about Sonya being A tier.

The thing that really puzzles me about Sektor is that he is almost identical to Stryker in every way (zoning, counter zoning, air control, great footsies, reset that leaves opponent standing, some mixups, decent damage output). But somehow Sektor is A tier and Stryker is bottom tier. Basically, the only difference between the two is that Sektor 's wake up and counter zone tool (teleport uppercut) leads to combos but is unsafe on block unless meter is spent. So that move alone is what makes Sektor so good. If Stryker's roll was a launcher and led to combos he would probably be A tier as well.

Sektor's instant air teleport uppercut blows up projectiles on reaction so it being unsafe doesn't matter that much.

 

[Tom Brady]

i moved sonya to A, i didnt mean to put her in B.

 

[16 Bit]

I can't speak for Tom but Kitana's placement is obvious - she can do ridiculous 50%+ combos where half the string is unbreakable. Her D1 is better than Mileena's D4 (faster startup and recovery, just about the same range, same tiny hitbox) and she has a ton of safe strings. She's like Johnny Cage and Shang Tsung's lovechild on crack.

She has safe strings that don't really lead to any mixups or traps. plz don't compare her offense to Cage.

 

[Massive Kano]

Anyway, I think you're overrating Kano, as much as I love him. He's too predictable (B+1, 1, 2 or F+3, B+2 with throws mixed in is functional, but as bare bones as it gets), too low damage, and his best specials have been slowed down way too much. He can sorta-kinda zone and sorta-kinda rush down, but he excels at nothing and jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none is not what you want to be, especially in a game with fools like Kabal and KL who can do it all with no compromises. Grade B.

If Konqrr's latest matchup numbers are what you're going by, they need work. Kabal 5-5 and Mileena 5-5 are the most problematic. Sonya 6-4 is doubtful, too. Like a lot of people have already said, Sonya is ascendent right now. She's definitely going places.

 

[DrDogg]

Some explanation would be nice here Tom.

I see no way Kitana is S-tier while Shang and Sonya are A-tier. I'm going to assume the lists aren't in order because there's absolutely no way Kitana is better than Cyrax or Reptile.

- Kitana controls the air, but not as well as Kabal, Shang or a few other characters.
- Her anti-crossup is average at best.
- Her pressure game completely crumbles if the opponent ducks, and there's no reason not to duck against Kitana. You can block all of her overheads on reaction.
- She has good damage with minimal meter usage, and decent unbreakable combos with a lot of meter usage.
- d+1 is very, very good... but it's also punishable on block.
- She has terrible wake-up options.

Did I miss anything? Because this is not a list that depicts an S-tier character...

I can't speak for Tom but Kitana's placement is obvious - she can do ridiculous 50%+ combos where half the string is unbreakable. Her D1 is better than Mileena's D4 (faster startup and recovery, just about the same range, same tiny hitbox) and she has a ton of safe strings. She's like Johnny Cage and Shang Tsung's lovechild on crack.

Just about everything you said is wrong. Learn more about Kitana before you defend her placement.

 

[Sentry_Gun]

Anyway, I think you're overrating Kano, as much as I love him. He's too predictable (B+1, 1, 2 or F+3, B+2 with throws mixed in is functional, but as bare bones as it gets), too low damage, and his best specials have been slowed down way too much. He can sorta-kinda zone and sorta-kinda rush down, but he excels at nothing and jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none is not what you want to be, especially in a game with fools like Kabal and KL who can do it all with no compromises. Grade B.

If Konqrr's latest matchup numbers are what you're going by, they need work. Kabal 5-5 and Mileena 5-5 are the most problematic. Sonya 6-4 is doubtful, too.

A character is only as predictable as the person playing that character.

 

[Massive Kano]

A character is only as predictable as the person playing that character.

And you have to start before you can begin. Platitudinous saying is platitudinous.

In all seriousness, though, you do know that different characters have a variable number of viable strings and setups in this game, right? Objectively speaking, independent of human factors?

 

[RWDY Nori]

Offtopic, but Sentry Gun's sig is pretty hilarious