I still can't beat Kung Lao

[CitizenSnips]

I just can't for the life of me beat super aggressive ones. Losing back to back to this player named Upclose Kill I just can't figure out wtf I am supposed to do.

The guy does not spin unless I jump-in. When I am grounded he low hats. When I do acid spit or forceball he divekicks or teleports. If I jump it's gameover. I really need some people's advice on how to beat Kung Lao. It's like I have to play perfectly, and read EVERYTHING correctly and hope that I don't slip up. Now I realize that's the point of fighting games, but it seems like against Kung Lao I am just at the mercy of the opponent and the only way I can win is if I correctly guess EVERYTHING and make no mistake. I can't even get an offense going. There are times I can kind of zone him but again it has to go perfectly and the Kung Lao player has to mess up for it to even happen. Let's not forget his pressure strings which aren't too hard to block but the only escape is elbow dash, and that's assuming he doesn't mix in a throw.

Is there some strategy you guys use to beat this guy, or am I just supposed to hope I block a divekick or spin? I'm not talking about Kung Lao noobs who just spin whenever randomly, I'm talking about people who know to spin only when it will connect, so punishing the spin isn't even a strategy. It just seems so difficult when he is all over the god damn screen and it's especially annoying how wakeup attacks are non existent against Kung Lao because of low hat. I read THTB thinks it's 5-5 or maybe even 6-4 Reptile. I'm just not seeing how that's possible, unless there is some key thing I am missing in the matchup.

PLEASE SOMEONE GIVE ADVICE THE SALT IS COURSING THROUGH MY VEINS

 

[OtherworldOdd]

Sounds like he's just really good at reading you and countering everything you do. Not much you can do about that if he's doing it flawlessly besides mixing it up a bit. Try waiting for them to come to you and play a more reserved, tanky Reptile.

 

[CitizenSnips]

Sounds like he's just really good at reading you and countering everything you do. Not much you can do about that if he's doing it flawlessly besides mixing it up a bit. Try waiting for them to come to you and play a more reserved, tanky Reptile.

Well I'm not saying only this guy beat me, just that he was the one who made me post this thread in RAAAGE. The thing is, I don't really end up doing much of anything. The only times I'm getting punished is when I jump and wakeup attack. It's not the type of Kung Laos who sit there and throw hats all day or divekick from midscreen, it's the ones that are just constantly attacking with no real pattern that just completely throws me off. I end up not having like any opportunities and whenever I do have an opportunity, he's already built enough meter to break.

How do you fight those types of Kung Lao? Because to me, tanking just doesn't work when they pressure constantyl and then divekick/spin/low hat whenever I have the chance to do anything.

 

[Lyuben]

Have you tried the ex slow forceball dash advance?

 

[Milkman]

Lol I just beat Upclose Kill's Lao but then I matched up with him again and he destroyed me with Cage. I'm getting to the point where I will just counterpick Cages with my Noob because I just can't keep them off me with Reptile.

What I did to Upclose Kill's Lao was adapt to whatever he was doing. If he was sitting back throwing low hats I would block one and then put a forceball on the screen. If he threw another hat I would get hit by it but then dash in for my forceball combo. If he teleported I spammed D4 until it connected then I canceled into acid hand. If I sensed a divekick coming I would try to block and punish. About the spin thing though like you said, he never did it unless it would connect for sure so I just made sure not to jump in on him. If hes trying to jump in on you for pressure, just dash out and restart the forceball pressure.

This will either force him to block, throw a low hat, dive kick, or teleport. If he blocks, dash in for a pressure string but get out quick because putting continuous pressure on Kung Lao is suicide. I already gave ways on how to react to his other options. Remember not to uppercut the teleport because if he does an enhanced one OR times his teleport-kick right, you will be eating a combo. Instead just D4 until it connects then do the acid hand.

 

[CitizenSnips]

Have you tried the ex slow forceball dash advance?

Yeah but depending on where I am on screen it won't really work. Right when I shoot it out, divekick can hit me (unless I am charging it, in which case I will get low hat). If I am full screen he can low hat then divekick over it or teleport. Btw GG earlier.

 

[Shady]

If I were you, I'd worry more about Sub Zero SNIPS.

 

[CitizenSnips]

Lol I just beat Upclose Kill's Lao but then I matched up with him again and he destroyed me with Cage. I'm getting to the point where I will just counterpick Cages with my Noob because I just can't keep them off me with Reptile.

What I did to Upclose Kill's Lao was adapt to whatever he was doing. If he was sitting back throwing low hats I would block one and then put a forceball on the screen. If he threw another hat I would get hit by it but then dash in for my forceball combo. If he teleported I spammed D4 until it connected then I canceled into acid hand. If I sensed a divekick coming I would try to block and punish. About the spin thing though like you said, he never did it unless it would connect for sure so I just made sure not to jump in on him. If hes trying to jump in on you for pressure, just dash out and restart the forceball pressure.

This will either force him to block, throw a low hat, dive kick, or teleport. If he blocks, dash in for a pressure string but get out quick because putting continuous pressure on Kung Lao is suicide. I already gave ways on how to react to his other options. Remember not to uppercut the teleport because if he does an enhanced one OR times his teleport-kick right, you will be eating a combo. Instead just D4 until it connects then do the acid hand.

Everytime Kung Lao throws low hats up the ass I can never seem to shoot a forceball after a block. I guess that's something I just have to learn to do faster. And was he really throwing low hats at you alot? The only time he really did it to me was in his strings or whenever I got knocked down. Also, whenever I shoot a slow forceball, I would dash and at the same time he ends up teleporting so I am too far away from him to do anything. Do you just wait for a bit to see what he does once the forceball is out? Because whenever I do that and I dash he ends up teleporting right at the point so he ends up where I was just at but I already end up elbow dashing. I don't know maybe I just lose compsure because the whole fight ends up like a cluster fuck of things going on and once I get hit with something I end up getting hit by everything.

 

[Milkman]

Haha yeah that happened a few times we pretty much just switch positioning on the screen. I just started baiting out the teleports so it becomes a mind game of whether or not you are going to dash in for pressure or wait and punish the teleport.

 

[THTB]

This matchup is tough. It can be even, but in a lot of cases, it's really a 4.5-5.5. It's not a matchup you necessarily win, but it's not a matchup you lose. Because Reptile has the ability to punish low hat, he has to be much more careful using it. The matchup is closer to even because Reptile up close can actually work, and if he builds meter, he can cut off non-teleport approaches with Kung Lao.

You just have to really play the matchup enough.

 

[CitizenSnips]

When you say Reptile can punish low hat, you mean during that string right? I know I can punish it but when they start mixing in grabs and such it can be hard to deal with. I guess I'm just going to have to learn the matchup better. I thought I had a good grasp of how to fight Kung Lao but then I get smashed by super aggressive ones which I feel like I can't even do anything.

It took me a long time to get used to the Sub matchup (I still have matches where I brainfart and rush in recklessly), it's gonna take a looong time to get used to fighting Kung Lao

 

[THTB]

Pretty much any string ending in low hat gets punished on block. You can forget it online, but offline, it's 100% possible.

 

[RapZiLLa54]

SNIPS I'm in the same boat as you man but thanks to REO I have gotten much better at playing the matchup. I used to lose to scrub Laos but no longer so I guess thats a step in the right direction lol. I just need to really work on elbow dashing a blocked low hat string.

 

[Theme]

As soon as I see him pick KL when I pick Reptile, I just quit. Its ridiculously hard for me to keep up with an aggressive KL. If I was playing another character, like my main Raiden, then yeah, I can most likely take him no contest... but if Im not playing a character I main and am just practicing my Reptile, I'd usually get raped.


I dont like KL matchups. Reason is already stated by me over and over on the KL threads =\

 

[sLeeK]

KUNG LAAAAAAO! I always have to put on my try hard pants with him ... The best lao I have played online has to be crazy_doctor_88. I can deal with teleports/divekicks/low hats from full screen BUT that DAMN LOW HAT MIX UP #RAGE. It's funny because if a lao feels like he is going to lose he will bust out that mix up on you like his life is on the line. It's all good though you won't improve if you don't lose. Records don't mean shit so I don't leave I play for fun if I win I win if I lose I spam rematch until I get at least one win on a good lao.

Guess block low hat elbow dash/d+4 acid hand for teleports/be precise with force balls/punish divekicks seem to be recurring information. Execution time baby

 

[GodsLonelyman]

How do you fight those types of Kung Lao?

If it's online your best bet is quitting. Kung Lao in unfightable online, everything he does is safe online. Or you can pick MK3 cyrax and do resets and bomb traps on him. If it's offline, tough it out and try your best I guess. Forget reading Kung Lao, a good Kung Lao player cannot be read, period.

 

[dribirut]

you want to dash in ooops here come his low hats
you wana jumpin shit there goes his antiair spin
you wana turtle well here comes his crazy mixup and pretty much block infinite online
you wana put on the pressure.. hell spin you like crazy
if he wants to mindfuck you here come some teleports and dive kicks

i hate kunglao with a passion.. soo damn cheap

 

[retic]

http://testyourmight.com/forum/showthread.php?7684-Countering-low-hat-ending-combo-strings.&p=90925&viewfull=1#post90925

this thread (actually, REO) says that the only 2 things that can immediately punish a blocked low hat are reptile's elbow dash and Lao's spin.


Wow...

 

[sLeeK]

http://testyourmight.com/forum/showthread.php?7684-Countering-low-hat-ending-combo-strings.&p=90925&viewfull=1#post90925

this thread (actually, REO) says that the only 2 things that can immediately punish a blocked low hat are reptile's elbow dash and Lao's spin.


Wow...

The worst part about is reptile can only get 11% while the rest of the cast can maybe get a quick poke/uppercut .. I mean wtf is that? I hate seeing us all bitching about this, but it's like what else can we do? I wish they would just remove that mix up or make it punishable by EVERY CHAR.. it's not like lao NEEDS that to win. He has so many other tools that people just ignore and want to go for the quick easy win. Especially online hell we even saw it with PLs lao when he started losing.. I was thinking about picking up lao, but honestly I would feel disgusted in myself to jump on that bandwagon..

I just hope NRS takes into consideration of what well known MK players have said on this issue and do something about that mixup without making the fangirls cry. Until then good luck to us reptile users.

 

[Muffinmuggers]

Man, I love this match up, quite ironically. I've found a nifty trick in beating the majority of kung laos. A lot of kung laos are SO full of them selves on just rushing rushing rushing. But, so are reptiles, but who says we can't lay back for this fight? My favorite tactic on these guys are just to crouch, and block the low hats.. This makes a lot of the laos anxious to start teleporting.. now this is the fun part... Uppercut his teleport, enhanced slow ball, pressure. Now, becareful not to over pressure kung lao, meaning once you are done with one poke, IMMEDIATLY Back off and wait for that spin, then just Acid ball it. This type of match is super technical. When ever they are doing a down kick in the air, anticipate this and hold an enhanced acid ball for anti air, its really nice. Also, if hes spamming hates, trade with acid spit, he will eventually teleport. I find with most laos that when They know I can take their teleport and flying down kick away, I am able to win the zoning game against there low hats. And then, once this is done, you now have the rushing game on kung lao. I don't agree with Milky situations acid ball, because thats still dangerous, I would rather throw a spit and make them teleport into an uppercut. Best thing to do with kung lao is the trade game. I'm planning on making a video of my reptile vs Kung laos And raidens to help everyone out. So be on a look out for that.

 

[THTB]

Even though only Reptile and Kung Lao can punish low hat, the rest of the cast gets frame advantage. Only online is low hat gay. Offline, he loses a lot of momentum since everyone can outpoke him afterwards. His only chance to check you is to spin you or X-Ray you...the latter of which is punishable by full combo for almost everyone...which Reptile can do with f2 xx forceball.

Low hat is really only stupid due to the absurd hitstun.

 

[salvificblood]

If it's online your best bet is quitting. Kung Lao in unfightable online, everything he does is safe online. Or you can pick MK3 cyrax and do resets and bomb traps on him. If it's offline, tough it out and try your best I guess. Forget reading Kung Lao, a good Kung Lao player cannot be read, period.

No it's not and yes he can.

 

[THTB]

Good Kung players can be read...but like any good player, it'll be hard to read.

 

[Richmatic]

Make good reads. Bait and punish.

 

[Raiman]

Reptiles dash is 5 frames. I always thought it was 6. If dash can beat the spin, whats the problem here? Thats all you need, thats all you need against anyone