I play ShaoJin and Ninjutsu...I use footsie characters...I am now downplaying footsies...but...comparing it to the likes of SFV...where its 90% footsies...MKX relies more on tools...
You are arguing about nothing. All of this stemmed from me saying F3~run cancel was godlike and no character can deal with it. A character having a single tool that NO character can deal with well will instantly put them higher on the tier list because that instantly makes the MU numbers more in his favor than otherwise. Specifically, imagine of Cage couldn't f3~run cancel at all. You instantly don't have to respect that range as much (only d4), his pressure is more basic run cancel like LK...relying on chip damage and then losing your turn unless you use meter, he doesnt get grabs as free and he can not longer push you to the wall by doing 3 f3~run cancels on block or hit. Doesn't that make MUs more even because you don't have to worry about that tool? But that tool exists, therefore dealing with Cage as a whole becomes even more difficult. As much as you want to admit it or not, a single tool in MKX can completely alter a MU.
A perfect example is Shinnok's imposter move steal. He is so good because he steals typically the best move a character has (KJ's MB flip kick for no meter, Cassie's mb gun shots that does 18% chip, and so-on)...that tool can be implemented mid-combo, too.
So that TOOL alone makes him beat Cassie 6-4 if not worse.
You're taking into account what a character has to deal with in F3, but what about what Johnny deals with from the character he's facing? There are a lot of things that can happen before he's in F3 range. To say nothing of moves that occupy more space than F3. Then you factor in a character's ability to keep him out or force him to play their game, etc. There is a LOT of nuance you're just not taking into account.
Comparing a move that an entire character's variation is based on, with varying degrees of effectiveness depending upon what character he's facing to a canceled normal move isn't the same thing at all.
Shinnok doesn't always steal the best move.
Example: He steals Kotal's air grab, not his best move. There are more examples.
And no, I'm not arguing about nothing. I'm sorry if you're having trouble following the value of a match-up based tier list, in which numbers are based on in-depth exploration of how every kit interacts in actual matches, but that's how it works and no, one tool doesn't always decide an entire match number.
There are varying meta levels to a match up. You're talking about level 1 stuff that anyone who understands how A-List Cage works knows.
Anyway, I'll leave this here since we're having a clear breakdown in communication.
