General/Other - Kenshi **Possessed & Kenjutsu Guides in OP** Pig's Home for all Kenshi

[Santaclaus]

I can't do any of these combos, god damn. Not sure if I should give on up on fighting games in general.

It's the Down punch into the Ex DF4 that I can't connect, as well as the DF1, B1.

definetly dont drop fighting games in general lol. first of mk is different from most fighting games in many ways so if you dont like the tomato soup maybe you'll love the chicken soup.
second the db1, d1 is a very hard link, not all links are this hard. however if you are missing the d1 into the EX db4 it might be because you are A: doing d1-b4 or B: holding a directional button before the db4 special move comes out

this game has a weird feature that if you hold a directional button before a buffered special move commes out it cancels the buffered special...

 

[NorCalSamurai]

@Pig Of The Hut , I look ridiculous with a full beard, but me and my rugged stubble are reporting for duty. Kenshi is my favorite character to play in this game, and I'm going hard on all three variations. Stoked to see all the info in here, Kenjutsu is my favorite variation and that vortex is fucking nasty.

 

[Lt. Boxy Angelman]

Processing on youtube now

This must be what Plankton felt like when he finally overthrew the Krusty Krab.
Thank you, Based Pig <3.
After my time with him yesterday, I have a few questions I want to gauge you with...

-Would I be crazy to think Kenjutsu Kenny's best use of meter would be for the armored EX DF1 Sword Spin? Seeing as the only EX special he can extend combos off of is the DB4 Lift, I feel like my best chance of holding my own against faster opponents is keeping the best GTFO option I can on deck.
-Am I crazier to think his best means of keeping momentum in this variation is the 22 reset? With no overhead slash + trading the Spirit Charge for the smaller TK Push, I'm really starting to think the best way to work this variation is to play him in Kenshi Reverse, and keep him close enough with pressure setups, position reversals and grabs to be able to keep the opponent on edge and keep Kenny out of the corner. The BF3 Yoink gives him sway over 80% of the screen, but it isn't enough.

Y'know who the Kenjutsu style reminds me of? Tom Brady's Sub-Zero. And 22 is his B121 into more shenanigans. He's billed as a screen controller, but his power lies in mindfuckery.


Also: I hereby motion that the Kenjutsu DB1 be re-dubbed the Sento Shoryuken.

 

[tatterbug4]

Yea he has two

Possessed
B1 ex db4 nj2 f32 ex db4 22 into vortex options
1. Reverse input db2 tele mix up
2. Reverse input ex db4 launcher
3. B3


Kenjitsu vortex example
F2 ex df1 b1 ex db4 ji2 d1 <----+16 on hit

Guarantees vortex options which are

1. F2 ex df1 combo
2. Ex df1
3. B3 df1
4. B3 ex df1
5. 311
6. 31 ex df1

^^^^ this shit is B-A-N-A-N-A-S

It's working so well

Can you do a vid of the vortex for possesed by the way? I don't think I understand it.

 

[FrothyOmen]

For those of you struggling with the d1 EX DB4 link, well... not much I can do to help you there. Shit's hard after b1~rk. Feels like 1-2 frame link. 114 is actually pretty easy to link it off of! 114 xx rk, d1 xx EX DB4 for easy blender set up. I think I prefer that to using 4 to punish in situations like say a reptile dash in your face or something that leaves them punishable point blank. This gives you all the time in the world to mash out a punish, hitconfirm the rk, and hitconfirm into spending your meter so you're not YOLOing it out as much

 

[sparkytiz]

Ji2 b1 rk d1 ex lift ji2 f32 tele slam, so i hate to sound like a total noob but I have been trying to figure out this combo since im new to fighting games and I tried the possessed variation and it seemed super zoney and it just didn't feel right to me. So i found this thread and tried out kenjutsu in practice and liked the feel, unfortunatly i am super new to fighting games so i was wondering if someone could explain his BnB move in kenjustsu in lamen terms for me. Would be greatly appreciated since i found out by skimming the thread more that rk mean rising karma but i dont know what ji means also, i am on the ps4 thanks a bunch for reading.(also i was thinking kung jin also but i dont know some good starting characters).

 

[FrothyOmen]

Ji2 b1 rk d1 ex lift ji2 f32 tele slam, so i hate to sound like a total noob but I have been trying to figure out this combo since im new to fighting games and I tried the possessed variation and it seemed super zoney and it just didn't feel right to me. So i found this thread and tried out kenjutsu in practice and liked the feel, unfortunatly i am super new to fighting games so i was wondering if someone could explain his BnB move in kenjustsu in lamen terms for me. Would be greatly appreciated since i found out by skimming the thread more that rk mean rising karma but i dont know what ji means also, i am on the ps4 thanks a bunch for reading.(also i was thinking kung jin also but i dont know some good starting characters).

Been posted a few times already mate, here's a quick run-down of a lot of the inputs:

Number = Xbox = Playstation
1 = X = Square
2 = Y = Triangle
3 = A = X
4 = B = Circle

f = forward
b = back
u = up
d = down
jip = jump in punch
jik = jump in kick
njp = neutral jump punch
njk = neutral jump kick
xx or ~ = cancel (i.e. f32 xx db1, which could also be written f32 xx rising karma)
EN or EX = Enhanced move (i.e. db1+block, also could be written db1+blk, db1 EX, EX db1, EX rising karma, EX rk, etc.)

 

[FrothyOmen]

After playing with 114 in Kenjutsu a bit more, in my scrub's opinion it's definitely one of his most important strings. 114~DB1, d1~EX DB4, J2~d1 into 50/50 is critical. I will be fishing for this off of pretty much every jump in, as well as any point blank punishes. The beauty of this string is that it's not too hard to hit confirm into the RK, and if you confirm a block, you can pretty easily cancel into BF2 and be safe from most punishes (F U REPTILE DASH) ... If somebody does something stupid in your face, you can punish them for about 50% with only one bar off an easy hit confirm, assuming you hit the 50/50

 

[gross]

The beards are strooooooong in this thread

I am pleased

Kenshi looks pretty solid I want to try him as my second character.

By the way Good stuf pig.

 

[NoobHunter420]

I can't do any of these combos, god damn. Not sure if I should give on up on fighting games in general.

It's the Down punch into the Ex DF4 that I can't connect, as well as the DF1, B1.

Fighting games can be pretty damn hard.
I suggest trying to learn characters with easier combos.
I still have trouble landing the b1~bf3.
try reptile,Kung jin or some of the more noob friendly characters.
am learning Mileena at the moment.

 

[Axysial]

So, I'm really loving Kenjutsu Kenshi so far in this game but I'm having some issues. I can land the combos pretty easily (Online that's an entirely different story) but I have a hard time figuring out what to do in the mean time. I mained Green Arrow in Injustice, and compared to that game Mkx just seems..sluggish maybe? Could just be I'm not used to the game itself yet, but any help would be appreciated!

Edited for clarity and typos

 

[ABACABB]

Kenjutsu doesnt feel like kenshi to me lol Maybe its his best variation but not for me

 

[FrothyOmen]

So, I'm really loving Kenshi so far in this game but I'm having some issues. I can land the combos pretty easily (Online hat's an entirely different story) but I have a hard time figuring out what to do in the mean time. I mained Green Arrow in Injustice, and compared to that game Mkx just seems..sluggish maybe? Could just be I'm not used to the game itself yet, but any help would be appreciated!

Kenshi's footsies are way different from green arrow, and movement in this game is way diff from igau. 2 different games. Try playing kenshi within spirit charge range (BF2) and constantly pressure your opponent with that move. Force them to respect your reach, and then you have a game built up. You can start changing it up from there, you are a zoner, force them to respect your reach, which is actually not all that far sadly. Kenshi's very much so a medium-range zoner, he's pretty terrible at full screen by comparison to what he's capable of at half screen.

 

[Pig Of The Hut]

Kenjutsu doesnt feel like kenshi to me lol Maybe its his best variation but not for me

14f start up whiff and on block 3/4 screen punisher and move restricter sounds like Kenshi to me

 

[FrothyOmen]

Kenjutsu doesnt feel like kenshi to me lol Maybe its his best variation but not for me

Yeah, jury's out on whether balanced or possessed is his best "pure zoning" variation. balanced has reliable meterless damage, faster teleflurry, meterless combo-starting rising karma, and a worse push, while possessed has slower starting but safer on block and higher damage versions of those specials. Ending strings in demon lift (db1) as possessed kenshi is pretty safe, not many people can punish that (you're -8 I think)

possessed DB4 is also way better than balanced IMO, I feel like the possessed version doesn't hit people as they are standing up with a block to check them, whereas the demon one will hit them as they're standing, and knock them back down if they're not blocking low.

Dunno which is better, but I'm liking possessed a lot more so far.

 

[Axysial]

Kenshi's footsies are way different from green arrow, and movement in this game is way diff from igau. 2 different games. Try playing kenshi within spirit charge range (BF2) and constantly pressure your opponent with that move. Force them to respect your reach, and then you have a game built up. You can start changing it up from there, you are a zoner, force them to respect your reach, which is actually not all that far sadly. Kenshi's very much so a medium-range zoner, he's pretty terrible at full screen by comparison to what he's capable of at half screen.

Thanks, I'll be sure to put that to good use and wrap my head around this game's intricacies. By any chance though, do you have any advice vs heavy pressure? I play a lot vs a friend of mine who is very talented at both Sonya and Cassie, and once he gets in the only real out I seem to have is EX DF1 or breaker.

 

[FrothyOmen]

Thanks, I'll be sure to put that to good use and wrap my head around this game's intricacies. By any chance though, do you have any advice vs heavy pressure? I play a lot vs a friend of mine who is very talented at both Sonya and Cassie, and once he gets in the only real out I seem to have is EX DF1 or breaker.

Yeah, I like to try to keep a bar ready at all times to armor out of pressure like that. Remember that backdashes are invincible, though, try to go to practice mode and set a dummy to do the things that your friend is doing and practice where the gaps to backdash are. You can actually find these gaps by playing as cassie, for example, setting a bot to "Reversal: always" and set the reversal to "backdash", they will automatically backdash everywhere that there's a gap that's exploitable. Learn from the cheating CPU, then exploit it yourself vs. your friend.

kenshi's defense is shit so you have to git gud and maximize what little options you have. I'm certainly one of the absolute worst players at this too -- but this is a really great way to get started at improving your defense. Learn to exploit your opponent.

 

[FrothyOmen]

Here's a video showing off some Kenjutsu 114 Vortex combos:

Hitting the d1~ex db4 is way easier off of 114~rk than it is off of b1~rk... this doesn't invalidate the b1 by any means though. You need to be able to do both, but 114 makes it easier if you can apply it when appropriate

 

[Tenryuga]

I'm new to MK and looking to learn as much about the characters I'm interested in. What variation of Kenshi do you suggest if I like to play the neutral and mid range footsies / harass the opponent with range pokes and then run my train if they respect my zoning or if I land a knockdown?

 

[Cage Redfield]

I don't see the vortex in Kenshi's Kenjutsu variation. First off, you need 2 bars to do the combos, 1 if you're hit-confirming DB4 off of F2/B12 somehow. Ending your combo in DF1 (non EN) ends your combo and mix-up from there and you have to deal with the wake-up game (if your opponent has armor), so the vortex ends. Batgirl was able to end in bola for free, allowing her to infinitely do her vortex. Outlaw Erron has a free combo extender in sand toss, so he's able to do this in a similar fashion but also has to deal with the wakeup game after his combo. Your combo extenders require meter so you get a 50/50 from EN lift that ends in a knockdown/full screen depending on where you are and what you ended in and then it ends and you go back to playing your zoning/footsies game. I don't see how the combo starts with a low/overhead, ends in a stagger state/knockdown and allows you to go for the same low/overhead continuously unless you're trying to bully on wakeup and have full meter.

And for possesed, you're doing 22, a move that's 0 on hit, into a 29f teleport with bright obnoxious effects. That move is easy to see coming from a mile away, the camera even pans up because Kenshi is high in the air. You can even NJP punish Kenshi before he gets to attack. Landing from the teleport and attempting a B3 is asking for death too. At the very most, I see Kenjutsu having 50/50's and Possessed having whatever you call that, unless I'm super wrong.

 

[infamy23]

I don't see the vortex in Kenshi's Kenjutsu variation. First off, you need 2 bars to do the combos, 1 if you're hit-confirming DB4 off of F2/B12 somehow. Ending your combo in DF1 (non EN) ends your combo and mix-up from there and you have to deal with the wake-up game (if your opponent has armor), so the vortex ends. Batgirl was able to end in bola for free, allowing her to infinitely do her vortex. Outlaw Erron has a free combo extender in sand toss, so he's able to do this in a similar fashion but also has to deal with the wakeup game after his combo. Your combo extenders require meter so you get a 50/50 from EN lift that ends in a knockdown/full screen depending on where you are and what you ended in and then it ends and you go back to playing your zoning/footsies game. I don't see how the combo starts with a low/overhead, ends in a stagger state/knockdown and allows you to go for the same low/overhead continuously unless you're trying to bully on wakeup and have full meter.

And for possesed, you're doing 22, a move that's 0 on hit, into a 29f teleport with bright obnoxious effects. That move is easy to see coming from a mile away, the camera even pans up because Kenshi is high in the air. You can even NJP punish Kenshi before he gets to attack. Landing from the teleport and attempting a B3 is asking for death too. At the very most, I see Kenjutsu having 50/50's and Possessed having whatever you call that, unless I'm super wrong.

Agreed in regards to possessed. I've been trying to implement some of this stuff, and it just does not work at all against competent players. It's so easy to react to the teleport and you get punished hard for trying it.

Also, possessed in general feels quite weak to me due to it's insane reliance on meter. Meter seems pretty scarce in this game. I often find myself landing a beefy 40% combo in possessed, and then quickly realizing that my damage sucks now that I have no meter. On top of that, if I get pressured, I will need my meter for defense, which again, leaves me with pitiful damage on offense.

 

[FrothyOmen]

@Cage Redfield you're sorta wrong, kenshi is able to start vortex on hit confirm for 1 bar right now, he doesn't have to commit in kenjutsu until he is sure the EX DB4 will connect and open up the 50/50 situation. I think vortex is probably the wrong name for it, I mean you get one rep, and if you want 2 reps it takes 3 bars. I'll definitely give you that one, but there is absolutely a 50/50 in that situation. F2 Overhead ~ EX DF1 versus B3 Low ~ EX DF1 is very difficult to see and react to, the overhead looks way faster and harder to see than scorpion's overheads in MK9 so I think it's a totally good option. At worst you're -10 at point blank, at best you're doing 50% life for one bar. It's definitely based around both a bar of meter and a correct guess, though, so I have to concede there are concerns with it. But with how fast the low transitions into the overhead... that's gonna be really hard to block for most people for a while. In the early meta this is basically an unblockable until people really start looking for this, and once they do, we get to open up with more options, and therefore more mind games and damage sources. It's exciting stuff

 

[Cage Redfield]

Also, possessed in general feels quite weak to me due to it's insane reliance on meter. Meter seems pretty scarce in this game. I often find myself landing a beefy 40% combo in possessed, and then quickly realizing that my damage sucks now that I have no meter. On top of that, if I get pressured, I will need my meter for defense, which again, leaves me with pitiful damage on offense.

I honestly feel like you can take this exact post and replace "possessed " with "kenjutsu" and it still reads true lol.

 

[FrothyOmen]

For possessed, I'm starting to get a really good feel for him. I think most people are probably playing him wrong. He is a lot more reliant on Demon Lift in the neutral game than the other variations are with their rising karma. In Kenjutsu, you are often using B1F2 and D4BF2 as your footsie tools, perhaps with the occasional b3 thrown in there for spice. In Possessed, your demon lift is -8 (!!!) with good pushback, ESPECIALLY the d4~lift version. You pretty much want to always be cancelling into the lift, and throwing barge out as your naked option, and rely on either 1 or uppercut for your antiair. It's really, really hard for people to get in on possessed. I think his barge actually has a higher vertical hitbox. His footsie space control is way safer than Kenjutsu's, while still retaining high damage potential. I'm really, really loving this variation right now, and I'm barely using the teleport shenanigans. I can't really comment on how those are gonna turn out, I haven't messed with them.

 

[FrothyOmen]

I honestly feel like you can take this exact post and replace "possessed " with "kenjutsu" and it still reads true lol.

Just wait until you start getting repeatedly thrown around by BF3 from ridiculous ranges, are dropped right next to kenshi, then are put into a free 50/50 oki situation unless you armor to stand up. BF3 is a pretty retarded move in that variation if you're getting good hits with it.