Frame Data in Mortal Kombat X
- Why you should care about frame data
Frame Data is very important to understanding a game in and out. You can literally see how fast or slow a move in the game is. Knowing frame data can help you gauge where you should use an attack on the screen or if it would aid you in mixing up your opponent.
There are a lot more uses that I could go over but this is to give you something to jump start your brain. The goal here is to make you better players without just holding your hand. I want to give you the tools to improve so you can build yourselves as players.
- Applying Frame Data
The way that I go about applying frame data is I use it to find my fastest attacks, attacks that leave me at advantage on block, advantage on hit, safe on block and of course you want to know what is unsafe so that you can stay away from using these attacks.
Unsafe attacks give your opponent opportunities to damage you and well in a fighting game you want to deplete their health bar before they deplete yours, so the LAST thing you want to do is give them any opportunity to deal damage to you. At the very least minimize these opportunities.
For example I use Kung Lao. My fastest attack in my entire arsenal is his Enhanced version of his Spin called Cyclone (I just say EX Spin). Its 4 frames. This means when I have a bar of meter I can punish any attack in the game or most attacks in the game that leaves my opponent as -4 frames on block. Thankfully you all can see the frame data via the move list in the game.
Another example. I want to find safe poke to attack with that has some range. Kung Lao’s d3 has 12 frame start up meaning it executes in 12 frames. It -5 on block. Making it unpunishable unless by a point blank range Lao ex spin. Its a great poke. On hit is +10 so I can follow up with another poke. Great for keeping the opponent out and spacing. I would want to use this poke at its max range instead of upclose since its 12 frames. In point blank range 12 frames is very slow but at the tip range of the attack it is very good.
Frame data is great to know but you also must know your ranges of attacks. An attack could have great data but if you are using it in the wrong range than you won’t get the best result.
- Mortal Kombat X frame work
In Mortal Kombat X there are situations that behave unlike any game.
I will go over certain situations below:
– Blocking an Attack. When you block an attack no matter safe or unsafe you are put into a block stun. Some attacks seem safer than they actually are because of their block stun. For example Kung Jin’s staff spin is very unsafe but because of the block stun it seems that it is safe. The reason being is because you have to release block at the first frame to get maximum advantage to punish it.
If an attack is -12 on block for example, depending on when you release block determines how early you can punish it. I see people missing a punish with an attack because they released block too late and lost their opportunity. So you must know the timing on every attack so you can get the best results. Practice the timing for releasing block and doing your attack.
– Punishing unsafe on block attacks as a reversal.
There is only one way to perform a “reversal” on block and that is to perform a special attack. Every character wasn’t created equal but a lot of characters can punish attacks that unsafe and by pass the block stun as soon as they block an attack. For example Reptile can use his elbow dash as soon as he blocks an attack and it will execute as a reversal attack and perform on the first frame after blocking the attack. Allowing you a much easier punish than trying to punish with a regular normal attack.
Hey guys that is all for now for this frame data lesson. Make sure you study this and apply it to your own strategies and characters.
Discussion
Please explain “Wake up attacks”
This frame info makes the game even more interesting!