SCORPION
BEST NORMALS:
* 1 - hook jab that hits high. is adv on block or hit.
* 11 - hook jab into gut punch, both hit high. safe but not adv on block but is adv on hit
* 14 - hook jab into mid kick. safe but not adv on block but is adv on hit
* 114 - high high mid string that is safe on block, mainly used as a combo ender.
* d1 - crouching jab that hits special mid. is adv on block or hit.
* 4 - mid hitting straight kick.
* b3 - safe mid launcher.
* 4b3 - mid kick into a safe mid launcher.
* 43 - mid high high string used as a combo ender
* d3 - low that high crushes.
* d4 - low that high crushes.
* about the 43 string -
SPECIALS:
* bb1(spear) - his classic spear, when it hits Scorpion gets a combo. hits high so it can be ducked, on block or on hit Scorpion has a large recovery window so he is very vulnerable during these recovery frames. spear can be used after a launcher to bring the opponent back down to the ground for a combo. the spear can also be linked in after certain normals. the spear does have a "2 hit rule" meaning that as long as you only do 2 hits then spear you will be granted his standard combos. if you do any more then 2 hits then spear the opponent will be thrown past Scorpion and thrown to the ground face down not allowing scorpion to land his damaging combos.
* db4(ninja slide) - a sliding move that covers a decent distance and hits low so it must be crouch blocked. on block this move is very unsafe and punished by combo of choice.
* dd2(inner flames) - Scorpion ignites himself on fire and if he is physically touched with ANY normal or special that hits high or mid the opponent will be set on fire. if you attack Scorpion with an attack that hits low or is a projectile type special then he'll be hit out of his flames. you can extend this move by holding 2 and Scorpion will stay ignited until you release 2. against Flash, if you ignite him on fire Flash will get a guaranteed bf4 spin into 42% combo, so do not use this special vs Flash unless it will kill him.
* db2(summon hellfire) - Scorpion summons up flames which are unblockable to the opponent. this attack has better tracking then in previous MK games when it comes to catching the opponent during their forward and backward walk but it will not track at all vs side step. unlike previous MK games, MKDC allows Scorpion to link hellfire of off normal attacks. in MKDC hellfire is not adv on hit like it is in past MK title. in past MK games Scorpion would be able to follow up his hellfire with normal strikes because it left him at adv on hit. this is not the case in MKDC, if Scorpion tries to follow up with normal attacks the opponent can beat him out because they recover before Scorpion.
* db3(teleport punch) - thi sis the second fastest special in the game. there are 3 versions of this move...
1. db3 in close - a 2 hit mid mid launching string that is a true mid on both hits. on block the opponent gets a combo of choice.
2. db3 from range - the first hit of the teleport punch doesnt make contact but the second hit where Scorpion appears behind the opponent will make contact. this attack will not grant Scorpion a juggle, only a knock back. on block this version of the teleport punch is 100% safe. while safe this move hits high so it can be ducked and Scorpion will get punished by combo of choice.
3. db3 in air - because Scorpion is in air there is not first hit of the teleport punch, instead Scorpion just teleports behind his opponent with the second hit of the normal string. like the ranged grounded version, this attack will not grant Scorpion a juggle, only a knock back. on block this version of the teleport punch is 100% safe. while safe this move hits high so it can be ducked and Scorpion will get punished by combo of choice.
PRO-MOVES:
* db3*db3(pro teleport punch) - this version of the teleport punch adds an extra hit too the end of the standard teleport punch. there are also 3 versions of this move.
1. db3*db3 in close - a mid mid high string that is 100% safe vs stand guard but punished by combo of choice of the high it is crouched. another problem is that Scorpion can still be punished before the third pro move hit even comes out. this is not a mix up between the standard 2 hit teleport punch and the pro version because you can actually confirm by sight the difference. what i mean is that Scorpion is so negative after the standard in close db3 that you have time to stand there and see that the pro version was not done and still get a combo, if the pro version is done you can then also crouch it on reaction and punish scorpion with a combo. also, if the first hit of the pro teleport punch hits in close then the other 2 hits will also connect launching the opponent but you cannot spear to get a full juggle because it breaks the "2 hit rule" of the spear so you will have to juggle them rather then try to spear to bring them back down to the ground.
2. db3*db3 from range - the first hit wiffs but the second hit connects and then the third hit also connects and this will allow Scorpion to spear and combo where the standard version of the teleport punch will not. both hits hit high so the opponent can crouch and Scorpion can be punished by a combo after either the first or second punch.
3. db3*db3 in air - there is no first hit to wiff because Scorpion is in the air. Scorpion will appear behind the opponent and connect with the second hit and then the third pro teleport punch hit will connect. this will grant Scorpion a spear into a combo where the standard mid air teleport punch will not. both hits hit high so the opponent can crouch and Scorpion can be punished by a combo after either the first or second punch.
METER:
Scorpion uses meter for RAC's, rage combos, and rage 50/50.
*Meter Examples:
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STRATEGY:
HELLFIRE: after any normal hits Scorpion gets a guaranteed hellfire. the best way to abuse this is by using his d3/d4 to link in a hellfire for 11% damage. this acts as a great baiting tool to bait the opponent to jump or crouch block so Scorpion can u2 or use his b3/4b3 safe mid launching strings. because Scorpion has so many mids,most of which are safe, you will find that 90% of the time your opponent will remain standing when Scorpion is in close. after hellfire hits Scorpion is at a slight disadvantage but he can use the fact that his teleport punch is the second fastest special in the game to beat out any normal or special attack from the opponent unless its Flash's bf4 or a parry type special. because if this Scorpion can continue his offense after hellfire hits if you read that your opponent is respecting the option of the teleport punch. if you are fighting a character that has a parry type special such as Sub-Zero's ice statue or you are fighting Flash, you can do nothing after hellfire hits and bait out the special and then punish. if hellfire trades with a strike or projectile, Scorpion gets a guaranteed spear into combo, or a teleport punch into combo, or another hellfire and all of these are possible anywhere on the screen.
FRAME ADVANTAGE: Scorpion has frame adv on 1 and d1. this will allow Scorpion to poke with a series of 1's and or d1's or mix and match with 1, d1, 11, d1, 1, d1, d1, 1, 1, 1 etc.. without the opponent being able to interrupt with a normal strike and vs most characters not even specials will interrupt. unless the character has some kind of parry or fast special, l the only way out of Scorpions frame traps are to guess and try to crouch his high jab pressure and/or jump out of his d1 crouch jab pressure. this is a good bait for Scorpion to use his safe mid strings/launchers or u2 to punish the opponent for trying to get out of a frame trap. also, because Scorpion's best mids and b3 mid launcher is safe he can check the opponent in case of a jump out/crouch attempt with no risk to him. if you find your opponent just standing there blocking you can link a ninja slide off of 1 or d1 and you can also link in a hellfire if you read they will continue blocking.
NEUTRAL FRAME ADVANTAGE: with Scorpion there is such thing as neutral frame advantage. after Scorpions b3 or 4b3 is blocked, Scorpion is at neutral with his opponent. even though he is at neutral he can use the fact that his db3 is the second fastest special in the game and beat out all normal strikes from the opponent and will also hit the opponent if they try to back up so vs most characters your opponent would have to stand there and block which will allow Scorpion to continue his pressure because of the threat of his db3. if the character has a special that is a parry type special like Sub-Zero's ice statue then this will beat out Scorpion's db3 in this situation but this can be used as a bait because if the opponent throws this special out and Scorpion does not do anything then he can punish his opponent with a guaranteed combo. also , Flash's bf4 spin will also beat out Scorpion's db3 in this situation as well but Scorpion can also bait this and punish.
BREAD AND BUTTER STRING: Scorpion's b3 and 4b3 are bread and butter strings. b3 is a safe mid launched and 4b3 is a mid into a safe mid launcher string and this string cant be crouched, jumped out of, or interrupted with any normal or special. because b3 and 4b3 are safe mid launchers opponents spend most of the match standing when at close range vs Scorpion. this allows scorpion to use throws, his db4 slide, d3/d4~hellfire, or come in for a frame trap with 1 and d1 pokes. the fact that the 4b3 string has a safe mid launcher that cant be interrupted in it means that Scorpion can cancel the string after 4 with a hellfire or ninja slide special because if the opponent tries to interrupt or jump or crouch after 4 is blocked then the b3 ender will launch without Scorpion taking any risk for finishing the string.
VERSUS FRAME TRAPS:
when Scorpion is placed in a frame trap he can use his db3 teleport punch and interrupt any frame trap in the game unless you are fighting Flash who can bf4 after a frame trap. this means that the opponent will often times opt to not continue their pressure in an attempt to bait out Scorpions db3. if you read that the opponent will try to beat db3 then you can go right into your offense off of your opponents own frame trap, if you read they will continue their frame trap pressure then db3 and combo.
VERSUS BREAKER COMBOS: when fighting vs Green lantern or Shao Kahn do not use Scorpions spear to bring them back down to the ground. vs Green Lantern you have no strikes that are anti-breaker, b3 and u2 are reduced breaker strikes vs GL but not anti breaker. online vs GL Scorpion can d1,4, and ninja slide and this will result in the green hand not being able to connect after GL breaks, this is not the case offline. Kahn has no way to anti break or reduce the damage on his breaker by using moves like u2 and b3 like you can do vs GL. the only way Scorpion can anti breaker after he spears the opponent back down to the ground after a launch is hellfire. launching the GL or Kahn player then bringing them back down to the ground for a hellfire only allows them to keep their meter while you do less damage on your combo and also give them even more meter to add to what they already have. By keeping them in their air after you launch then finishing your combo without using the spear to bring them back grounded you exploit the only real limit of their breaker combos which is they got no damage when they break in air. if the GL or Kahn player does not break out of the juggle then, while they keep meter, at least you were able to do close to 40% damage. if the GL or Kahn player breaks out of the juggle then, while you didnt get any real damage, at least you forced them to burn meter giving them less opportunity for a breaker combo.
VERSUS RAC's:
rage activation combos are worse then breaker combos because they are more damaging and there is no anti to them. if they are near you then RAC is guaranteed. treat this the same way as you do breaker combos. keep the opponent in the air, if you bring them back down to the ground with a spear the hellfire will not save you from a RAC like it will a breaker combo because they can activate right after it and RAC you.
PUNISHING:
1. after blocking a move punished by combo of choice punish with 43~bb1 -
2. after blocking a move where the opponent is spinning mid air in a ball punish with bb1 or b3,bb1 -
3. after blocking a move that causes the opponent to stumble back punish with db2. after blocking a move punished by fast/mid speed specials or fast jabs punish with db3 -
4. punish projectiles with db3 or db2 -
COMBOS
UNBREAKABLE: Scorpion has 3 unbreakable attacks. spear, hellfire, and inner flames are all 100% unbreakable.
COMBO EXAMPLES:
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STANDARD COMBO COMMANDS:
1. b3,bb1,114~db2
2. b3,bb1,43~db3*db3
3. u2,4~bb1,114~db2
4. u2,4~bb1,43~db3*db3
5. 4b3,(walk up)114~db2
6. bb1,u14b3,(walk forward)u2,114~db2
7. bb1,u14b3,(walk forward)u2,43~db3*db3
8. 43~bb1,u14b3,(walk forward)u2,114~db2
9. 43~bb1,u14b3,(walk forward)u2,43~db3*db3
10. db3(close range),bb1,114~db2
11. db3(close range),bb1,43~db3*db3
12. db3*db3(not close,can also be done in air),bb1,114~db2
13. db3*db3(not close,can also be done in air),bb1,43~db3*db3
14. db3(close range), db3, 114~db2
15. db3(close range), db3, 43~db3*db3
16. db3*db3(close range), 114~db2
17. db3*db3(close range), 43~db3*db3
18. L1 throw into pillar, bb1, 114~db2
19. L1 throw into pillar, bb1, 43~db3*db3
RAC COMMANDS:
1.
**OPPONENTS BACK TO WALL** RAGE~db1~b1,114~db2
2.
RAGE~db4
RAGE COMBO COMMANDS:
1.
**OPPONENTS BACK NEAR WALL** u2,4~bb1,(walk forward slightly)11 or 14,(walk forward slightly till opponents back is to wall)
RAGE~db1~b1,114~db2
2.
**OPPONENTS BACK TO WALL** bb1 or 43~bb1,11 or 14,(slight pause)
RAGE~db1~b1,114~db3
3.
**SCORPION'S BACK TO WALL db3,bb1,11 or 14,(slight pause)
RAGE~db1~b1,114~db3