MKX Scorpion (abandoned)

Scorpion

Reeling moves:
Spear - This move extends combos comfortably regardless of other extenders and can be juggled or combo'd into quite easily. It has decent anti air properties but cannot easily be performed on reaction to a jump. Only one may be done in any given combo, or else it automatically does an additional hard ender. It is a high, slow to recover, and trades very unfavorably with other projectiles, so its use outside combos is somewhat limited.

EX spear - This move comes out faster than regular spear and thus works in a few additional combos, for example 214 xx EX spear. It does negligibly more damage and you can enhance it for an extra hit, but it doesn't seem worth the meter. The extra hit is a new reel state in itself, and works in combos even after you've already used the spear, but it's not worth two bars.

Minion grab - This move is slightly slower than spear but inflicts slightly less scaling, so it should be used before spear in combos if you have the choice. The slower startup means it won't combo from his overhead and it's harder to air to air into it. It is a low and trades better with other fireballs but once again the long recovery limits its use in footsies.

Flame aura - This move can be combo'd into from some juggles and his overhead, regrounds, and gives you enough time on hit to link out of it.

Juggle starters:
b+2 - A launching normal. -2 on block. You need to run in to get your conversions. Not particularly fast nor strong, with no mixup potential.

b+2 (ninjutsu) - Goes farther than his other variations' back+2s but leaves him point blank and is -14 on block. Launches incredibly high, and can be used multiple times in a combo. Very low damage.

f+2 (ninjutsu) - A double hitting launcher. Slightly safer at -11 and can be spaced more easily, as well as doing more damage than b+2. More afflicted by gravity. The two hits are very close together so you can use it to beat reversals with only one hit of armor.

neutral jump punch - Average as neutral jump punches go, with a decent hitbox both forward and down.

123 - A launching string, also -2 on block. Despite its appearance you need to cancel it to combo out of it. It launches a bit higher than his other knockdown strings, which allows it to combo into minion grab and makes it a bit more useful at the extremes of gravity scaling. Ideal punish starter in Inferno.

114 - A launching string, only -1, though it doesn't launch quite as high, allowing it to combo into leg sweep or teleport comfortably.

214 - Slightly stronger than 114 though it's more unsafe at -14, making it best as a punish combo. The launch is very far away, making cancel to teleport your best conversion. Ideal punish starter in Hellfire and Ninjutsu

Combo enders:
21 xx takedown - Good damage, no launch so it works reliably regardless of gravity.

123 xx takedown - Highest damage ender but works only at the end of very long combos with high gravity, or else the takedown will whiff.

114 xx takedown - Higher damage than 21 xx takedown but a bit inconsistent depending on gravity, character size, and distance. This distance is also problematic since after a crossup punch you're not point blank.

21 xx teleport - The teleport leaves the opponent standing at frame disadvantage. This is good because you can then mixup between options like 114 for pressure and confirming, throw, b+3 for low starter, f+4 for high starter, or even just go for run cancel blockstrings for chip. Lowest damage but an ideal ender.


Anti airs:
d+2 - This does decent damage and has an okay hitbox but will get beaten out by early jump kicks or punches since it has a high hurtbox before it ever hits.

takedown - This low profiles jumping attacks and punishes them but only works from quite far away, otherwise it goes under the opponent and can be punished. EX takedown has armor but it low profiles so quickly it's not useful as an anti air and it's just as prone to going under.


Air to airs:
Neutral jump punch - This is a good stop to jump ins but can be beaten by a very early jump kick or other good hitbox air to air options. Scorpion gets quite a lot of damage for landing one of these. Ninjutsu has improved range on this as scorpion swings his swords. This is scorpion's best anti air option.

Forward jump punch - This gives you a lot of time to land and spear, land and minion grab, or run in and do a string cancelled into ground teleport. Scorpion gets unusually high conversions on this compared to most characters.

Forward jump kick xx teleport - You can also do jump punch into teleport but this does more damage and has more reach for the same conversions. This works as an option select of sorts since the cancel only works if the jump kick connects, and you can easily combo out of it for good damage.


Anti fireball:
Teleport - A very quick, easy response to fireballs. Doesn't do much damage and very unsafe on block but can be done in the air or on the ground and can be done on reaction at most ranges, even to fireballs with very quick recovery, negating the risk of it being blocked.

EX teleport - All the positives of regular teleport but can be extended into huge damage combos. However, it costs a bar.

EX slide - Works on reaction to close fireballs, however you'll still take the damage of the fireball (but not the freeze when going through ice balls et cetera). Not very rewarding and costs a bar.

X-ray - Armors through fireballs and punishes them for high damage and needs very little reaction time. The farther away the opponent, the faster you have to do it to pick up the punish, however. It doesn't do that much more damage than basic EX teleport combos however it can be done on reaction more easily from midscreen.

Minion grab - If scorpion summons the low minion before getting hit by a fireball the opponent will be restrained, and scorpion can teleport or run in to combo out of it. You cannot do this on reaction to fireballs, and it's unsafe to randomly throw out, which means this is only really viable fullscreen, though it allows for bigger punishes than just reaction teleport punishes would give you. If scorpion is hit before the minion comes up, the minion will never grab.


Reversals: [show as reversals and as string interrupts]
EX takedown - This move comes out very quickly and has one hit of armor. No combo potential but okay damage, and unsafe on block. It reaches low profile quite quickly and will dodge even mid attacks once it does regardless of armor, which can be the difference between landing it and taking 4% and landing it without taking any damage.

X-Ray - +2 on block, multiple hits of armor, can be delayed or cancelled if you want the armor but not the attack for whatever reason. High damage. Very expensive.


NINJUTSU
Punishes:
123 xx teleport, 21 xx chain, jip 21 teleport (28%)
214 has much worse frame data than his other hit confirms and is unsafe on block against some characters, but does slightly more damage than his other starters. Stand 2 is 9f startup so if you want an easier punish you can start with 123 instead (8f).

123 xx teleport, (micro run) 214 xx ex teleport, (micro run) 21 chain, jip 21 teleport (36%)
Standard 1 bar extension to add a decent amount of damage. 214 teleport to 214 EX teleport no longer works because of the decreased launch height of 214.

f+2, b+2, njp, jik xx teleport, 21 spear, jip 21 teleport (32%)
The b+2 allows the above combo to function properly even from max range of f+2 (where it's safest). It also makes the combo somewhat easier and increases damage.

f+2, b+2, b+2, njp, jik xx teleport, 21 spear, jip 21 teleport (34%)
A second b+2 makes the combo even stronger but a bit more precise

b+2, b+2, njp, jik xx teleport, 21 spear, jip 21 teleport (32%)
b+2 goes incredibly far compared to Scorpion's other normals, which are somewhat stubby.

b+2, b+2, b+2, njp, jik xx teleport, 21 spear, jip 21 teleport (34%)
Similar to the combo above but adds a third b+2. The gravity makes this combo harder but it still works even point blank.

Confirm combos:
123 xx teleport, (micro run) 21 xx chain, jip 21 teleport (28%)
123 is the optimal hit confirm in ninjutsu. It's only -2 and outdamages 114 when cancelled into teleport, though 114 has slightly more range and doesn't require running.

123 xx teleport, (micro run), 21 xx chain, jip 123 takedown (31%)
An ender that sacrifices mixup for damage. You have to do 21 takedown if it's a shorter combo as the gravity won't allow launcher into takedown.

b+12 xx spear, njp, jik xx teleport, 214 xx teleport (23%)
Standard mid starter, for punishing people attempting to neutral duck high attacks. b+12 starts very quickly compared to most mids, and can be hit confirmed in just the two hits, though it's somewhat precise.

b+12 xx ex teleport, 214 xx teleport, 21 xx spear, jip 21 teleport (31%)
Another bread and butter EX but a replacement combo rather than an extension.

ex teleport, b+2, b+2, njp, jik xx teleport, 21 xx spear, jip 21 xx teleport (30%)
An example high damage combo in ninjutsu starting from EX teleport

Low/Overhead:
b+3 xx spear, jip, 214 xx teleport, 214 xx teleport (24%)
b+3 must be cancelled immediately and all of scorpion's options are unsafe on block, so it's best to just pursue damage on the mixup rather than safety.

b+3 xx ex spear, jip, 214 xx teleport, 214 xx teleport (26%)
EX spear is -5 on block, meaning it's not conventionally punishable, which makes this combo far safer at the cost of a meter.

f+4 xx spear, jip, 214 xx teleport, 214 xx teleport (28%)
You can substitute the ender with 212 if you don't want to cross up or want to be left fullscreen. The starter is unsafe, however.

f+4 xx ex spear, jip, 214 xx teleport, 214 xx teleport (30%)
EX spear is scorpion's only safe-on-block cancelling option.


INFERNO
Punishes:
123 xx minion grab, jip, 214 xx teleport, 21 xx spear, jip, 21 xx minion charge (33%)
123 minion grab is actually a very high damage starter, and does about the same damage as 214 starters despite being much safer.

214 xx teleport, 21 xx minion grab, jip, 21 xx spear, jip, 21 xx minion charge (34%)
Here's a similar combo to his other variations just to show they still work. Minion grab is done before spear even though they're interchangable because minion grab inflicts less scaling and thus the hits between it and spear are slightly stronger. Note that in EX teleport combos, demon buddy is too slow to combo due to gravity, and thus you must do the spear first.

Confirm combos:
114 xx teleport, 21 xx minion grab, jip 21 xx spear, jip 21 xx minion charge (29%)
114 cannot be cancelled to minion grab like 123 can. This combo works more consistently from further out but takes a big damage drop.

123 xx minion grab, jip, 214 xx teleport, 21 xx spear, jip 21 xx minion charge (33%)
123 is your ideal confirming combo in Inferno as it confirms into low demon without crossing up, allowing corner combos. It's also already damage optimal despite being a safe hit confirm.

low minion, (run in) jip 214 xx teleport, 21 xx spear, jip 21 xx minion charge (27%)
An example combo from landing a low minion in footsies.

Low/Overhead:
b+3 xx minion grab, jip, 214 xx teleport, 21 xx spear, jip, 21 xx minion charge (32%)
You have the additional low comboing option in low minion. Unfortunately it's too slow to combo after an overhead.

f+4 xx spear, jip, 214 xx teleport, 21 xx minion grab, jip, 21 xx minion charge (32%)
Here's an example overhead combo using inferno. The relaunch is possible due to the additional regrounding option. EX spear and EX teleport combos are still possible.

HELLFIRE
Punishes:
214 xx teleport, 21 xx spear, ji2, f+4 xx flame aura, 214 xx teleport (35%)
Flame aura is somewhat precise to link out of but gives damage over time and a reel state.

21 xx flame aura, 214 xx teleport, 21 xx spear, jip, 214 xx teleport (36%)
Activating the flame aura sooner in the combo usually yields more damage overall.

f+4 xx flame aura, 214 xx teleport, 21 xx spear, jip, 214 xx teleport (39%)
Starting from the overhead does high damage but requires a severely unsafe move.

f+4 xx flame aura, 214 xx teleport, 214 xx ex teleport, (micro run) 21 xx spear, jip, 123 xx takedown (45%)
Just a generic one bar combo to increase damage a bit.

f+4 xx flame aura, 21 xx fireball run cancel, 214 xx teleport, 214 xx ex teleport, (micro run) 21 xx spear, ji2, f+4 xx flame aura, 123 xx takedown (46%)
This is an example of a combo which uses a fireball run cancel to allow sufficient time for flame aura to expire, which allows you to get two flame auras in the same combo. Note that in addition to doing more damage, it leaves flame aura active longer following the combo for some additional damage during blockstrings or mixups when factoring his vortex

Confirm combos:
214 (blocked) xx fireball run cancel, 214 (hit) xx teleport
214 is scorpion's ideal confirm in hellfire. If he sees it's being blocked, he can cancel into a fireball and run cancel for chip damage and frame advantage/pressure. If it hits, you can instead cancel into teleport on reaction for a full 214 starter combo

21 xx fireball run cancel, 214 xx teleport, 21 xx spear, ji2, f+4 xx flame aura, 21 xx teleport (33%)
You can use repeated 21 xx fireball run cancel for pressure. Here's an example of comboing out of a successful one.

Low/Overhead:
f+4 xx flame aura, 214 xx teleport, 21 xx spear, 214 xx teleport (39%)
Flame aura is only -11 and leaves a small range, which makes it somewhat difficult to punish. All the above punish combos starting with overhead also apply.

b+3 xx fireball run cancel, 214 xx teleport, 21 xx spear, ji2, f+4 xx flame aura, 214 xx teleport (33%)
Hellfire lets you safely go for low hit confirms using a fireball run cancel.


Corner:
123 xx minion grab, njp, minion charge, d+2, 21 xx spear, jip 21 xx teleport
The teleport ender here keeps them cornered. You can set up mid combo minion charge to get some neat high damage juggles but they're not as strong without EX minion charge to warrant their use, most of the time. They're also not strong enough WITH EX minion charge to warrant the meter.


Fireball run cancel:


Vortex:


X-ray combos:


Footsies:
SPACED NORMALS BEING SAFE
FIREBALLS
MINION PRESSURE

anti air minion charge, (run in) 214 xx teleport, 21 xx spear, jip 21 xx minion grab, jip 21 xx minion charge (42%)
Scorpion can confirm out of anti air minion charges. A more practical combo would be run in 21 xx minion grab followed by your BNB from there.
EX TELEPORT COMBO

Notes:
In ninjutsu, Scorpion's b+4 is two interlaid hits, a 7% kick up close and a 3% sword from afar. Normally only one of the two hits can connect, however if the opponent armors both hits will connect and stuff the armored attack.

f+2 in Ninjutsu will also beat 1 hit armored attacks by its quick two hits and it's much more rewarding, however the hits are further apart so it's less reliable.

Inferno Scorpion will telegraph his minion calls with his hand motion. The low minion is so fast you can't react to his hands and the mid and overhead minions can be defended with the same high block, so it's not a huge deal.

EX hellfire will hit even an opponent knocked over on the ground. Use it to pick up an unscaled 9% on any knockdown combo.

f+3 goes really far considering its startup, and is ideal when scorpion has to balance long-range and high speed when punishing from afar.

Scorpion's flame aura ticks will remove armor from the opponent.


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