My thoughts about Ermac's normals, and punishing tools.
im having enormous troubles punishing stuff.
For instance, if enemy pushes Ermac even slightest none of our reversals work: lift is 12 frames on start up, teleport even more, soul ball somewhere there, basically only reversal left that is viable is soul burst, which is 10 frames, fastest we have, but it also has downside that it has pathetic reach, and if already mentioned pushback is present then it's useless.
For instance, Kung Jin was abusing me with his stupid staff spin for weeks and i couldnt punish it. After long hours i discovered in lab that the only viable punish for it is ex lift which is 12 frames on start up. but it is also useless against -10 or -11 moves or faster moves.
Ermac's 2 is supposedly his fastest hitting normal at 8 frames, and in theory it should absolutely work for punishing -12 moves. But there is this weird transition which tom brady recently mentioned, that it requires 1 frames to cancel block to normal, on top of that, i cant punish consistently with 2.
I don't know, maybe it's my execution, but i just keep pressing 2 after i release block immediately after enemy's hit on my block and my 2 doesn't seem to come out.
People are getting away with absurdly unsafe specials and strings. Im not saying im bad at punishing, because i tested other characters 8 frame jabs and they work perfect, they are coming out fast, and consistently. Unlike Ermac's 2. What im getting at... maybe there is error in frame data and 2 is not 8 frames at all? That would have explained my issue with punishing, but it is unlikely that there is an error with it...
For example, Kung Jins bf2, is -12 on block. I have no trouble punishing it with 10 frame special - soul burst, but i cant punish it with 8 frame jab - 2. Where is logic in that??
Im just not sure how to punish stuff with Ermac. In mk9 almost none of the cast's specials had these absurd pushback distance, it was easy punishing with almost all moves, especially 12+lift. But in mk10 everyone has this pushback and the only tool we have for punishing enemies at that kind of distance is EX lift at 12 frames. (MoS). Mystic though has it without 1 bar & EX. which is good, but not decisive factor.