Mortal Kombat 9/Sub-Zero

From SuperCombo Wiki

MK9Logo.png

Sub-Zero

MK9-SubZero Face.jpg

An assassin of the Lin Kuei clan, Kuai Liang commands the power of ice and cold. Unlike other members of his clan, he and his older brother, Bi-Han, were abducted as children by the Lin Kuei and trained in the techniques of assassination throughout their lives. Though his codename is Tundra, he has now assumed the mantle of Sub-Zero to honor his brother after Bi-Han's mysterious death. With the help of his fellow Lin Kuei Smoke, Sub-Zero tirelessly hunts the one who killed his brother.



Moves

Basic Attacks

Name
Command
Damage
Notes
Front Punch
Fp.png
3%
High.png Bufferable.png
Back Punch
Bp.png
5%
High.png
Front Kick
Fk.png
5%
High.png Bufferable.png
Back Kick
Bk.png
9%
High.png
Crouching Front Punch
D.png + Fp.png
2%
High.png Bufferable.png
Crouching Back Punch
D.png + Bp.png
12%
High.png uprcut
Crouching Front Kick
D.png + Fk.png
1%
Low.png Bufferable.png
Crouching Back Kick
D.png + Bk.png
3%
Low.png Bufferable.png
Angled Jumping Punch
during angled jump, Fp.png or Bp.png
4%
Med.png
Angled Jumping Kick
during angled jump, Fk.png or Bk.png
7%
High.png Knockdown.png
Straight Up Jumping Punch
during straight up jump, Fp.png or Bp.png
5%
Med.png Groundbounce.png
Straight Up Jumping Kick
during straight up jump, Fk.png or Bk.png
5%
Med.png Knockdown.png

Command Normals

Name
Command
Damage
Notes
Swipe
B.png + Fp.png
5%
High.png Bufferable.png
Force Claws
B.png + Bp.png
5% / 7% / 15%
Hold Bp.png to charge up; 3 levels of charge; Med.png / Med.png / Unblockable.png ; level 3: Knockdown.png and frozen
Big Leg
F.png + Bk.png
7%
Med.png Bufferable.png
Sweep
B.png + Bk.png
7%
Low.png Sweep.png

Throws

Name
Command
Damage
Notes
Throw (Away)
B.png or N.png + Fp.png + Fk.png
1% + 4% + 4% + 3%
Throw.png
Throw (Towards)
F.png + Fp.png + Fk.png
1% + 4% + 4% + 3%
Throw.png

Kombo Attacks

Name
Command
Damage
Notes
Frosty
Fp.png ---.png Fp.png
3% ---.png 5%
High.png ---.png High.png ; 1st and 2nd hit: Bufferable.png
Cold Feet
Fp.png ---.png Fk.png ---.png F.png + Bk.png
3% ---.png 5% ---.png 8%
High.png ---.png High.png ---.png Med.png ; 1st and 2nd hit: Bufferable.png ; 3rd hit: Flatten.png
Arctic Blast
Fp.png ---.png Fk.png ---.png B.png + Bk.png
3% ---.png 5% ---.png 6%
High.png ---.png High.png ---.png Low.png ; 1st and 2nd hit: Bufferable.png ; 3rd hit: Sweep.png
Ice Pick
B.png + Fp.png ---.png Bp.png ---.png Fp.png
5% ---.png 5% ---.png 10%
High.png ---.png Med.png ---.png Med.png ; 1st and 2nd and 3rd hit: Bufferable.png
Ice Cold
B.png + Fp.png ---.png Bp.png ---.png Bk.png
5% ---.png 5% ---.png 9%
High.png ---.png Med.png ---.png Low.png ; 1st and 2nd hit: Bufferable.png ; 3rd hit: Sweep.png
Frost Bitten
Bp.png ---.png Fp.png ---.png Bp.png
5% ---.png 3% ---.png 9%
High.png ---.png High.png ---.png High.png ; 1st and 2nd and 3rd hit: Bufferable.png ; 2nd hit: Knockdown.png and frozen ; 3rd hit: Knockdown.png
Ices Up
Bp.png ---.png Fp.png ---.png Bk.png
5% ---.png 3% ---.png 11%
High.png ---.png High.png ---.png High.png ; 1st and 2nd and 3rd hit: Bufferable.png ; 2nd hit: Knockdown.png and frozen ; 3rd hit: Knockdown.png
Tundra Slice
F.png + Bk.png ---.png Fp.png + Bp.png
7% ---.png 10%
Med.png ---.png High.png ; 2nd hit: Knockdown.png
Winter Blade
Bp.png ---.png Bp.png ---.png Bp.png
5% ---.png 3% ---.png 6%
High.png ---.png High.png ---.png Med.png ; 1st and 2nd hit: Bufferable.png ; 3rd hit: Flatten.png
Cold Steel
Bp.png ---.png Bp.png ---.png Bk.png
5% ---.png 3% ---.png 8%
High.png ---.png High.png ---.png High.png ; 1st and 2nd and 3rd hit: Bufferable.png ; 3rd hit: Knockdown.png
Chill Out
Fk.png ---.png F.png + Bk.png
5% ---.png 7%
High.png ---.png Med.png ; 1st hit: Bufferable.png ; 2nd hit: Flatten.png

Fast Tags

Name
Command
Damage
Notes
Absolute Zero
Bp.png ---.png Fp.png ---.png Tg.png
N/A

Tag Kombos

Name
Command
Damage
Notes
Freezer Burn
Fp.png ---.png Fk.png ---.png Tg.png
Based on Teammate
Arctic Assault
B.png + Fp.png ---.png Bp.png ---.png Tg.png
Based on Teammate
Ability To Freeze
Bp.png ---.png Bp.png ---.png Tg.png
Based on Teammate
Tag Kombo Attack
Attack from Teammate's Tag Kombo
10%
High.png Flatten.png

Tag Specials

Name
Command
Damage
Notes
Tag Assist
D.png , B.png + Tg.png
0%
Performs Icebeam ; frozen
Tag Attack
D.png , F.png + Tg.png
9% + 3%
Performs Powerslide ; Low.png + Med.png ; Knockdown.png

Special Attacks

Name
Command
Damage
Notes
Iceball
D.png , F.png + Fk.png
0%
frozen ; If performed on an already frozen character, 6% damage and Unblockable.png
Slide
B.png , F.png + Bk.png
9%
Low.png Knockdown.png wkup
Ice Clone
D.png , B.png + Fp.png
0%
frozen wkup
Ice Puddle
D.png , B.png + Fk.png
0%
Unblockable.png frozen ; Cannot be buffered into ; If performed on an already frozen character, 0% damage and Sweep.png

Enhanced Special Attacks

Name
Command
Damage
Notes
Icebeam
D.png , F.png + Fk.png + Bl.png
0% (6%)
frozen ; If performed on an already frozen character, 6% damage and Unblockable.png
Power Slide
B.png , F.png + Bk.png + Bl.png
9% + 3%
Low.png + Med.png ; Knockdown.png ; has armor *patch*
Ice Statue
D.png , B.png + Fp.png + Bl.png
0%
frozen
Ground Freeze
D.png , B.png + Fk.png + Bl.png
0%
Unblockable.png frozen ; Cannot be buffered into ; If performed on an already frozen character, 0% damage and Sweep.png

X-Ray Attack

Name
Command
Damage
Notes
Deep Freeze
Fk.png + Bk.png + Bl.png
5% + 16% + 12%
1st hit: High.png , has armor when charged

Finishing Moves

Fatality
Kode
Distance From Opponent
Fatality 1
B.png F.png D.png F.png + Bk.png
Sweep
Fatality 2
D.png B.png D.png F.png + Bp.png
Sweep
Fatality 3 (DLC)
F.png D.png F.png + Bp.png
Close
Stage Fatality
F.png D.png B.png + Bp.png
Varies
Babality
D.png B.png D.png + Bk.png
Jump

Move Analysis

Basic Attacks

N/A


Command Normals

Big Leg

Bufferable overhead. Use Ice ball if connects, use ice clone if it's blocked.


Kombo Attacks

Bp.png , Bp.png string

  • On hit cancel the third hit into ice ball.
  • On block finish with Bk.png and throw a clone.
    • Easy hit confirmable string into ice ball. Also good anti-air.


Fp.png , Bp.png , Fp.png

  • Can be finished with an ice ball on hit to get another dash up kombo.
  • On block or hit can be cancelled into a safe clone.


Special Attacks

Ice Clone

Good for anti-air and shielding. Use it to control space and keep opponents in corner and pressured. Once out it lasts for 3 seconds.


Ice Ball

Unsafe on block up close. Keep opponents in check with Ice balls. Remember you can shoot them while a clone is out. Try to bait them into projectile wars and you will most likely tag them with a ball.
After patch the freeze is now 10 frames longer!


Ice Puddle

Very unsafe, only to be used for mind games against other players. Best cancelled into after the b+1 2 4 string to catch them blocking on wake up.


Slide

Hits low and is a staple to Sub's mind games and his entire strategy. On hit the opponent can't roll recovery either.


Enhanced Special Attacks

Ice Statue

Lasts on screen 5 seconds as opposed to 3 for the standard clone.


Ice Beam

Rather than a ball, this freeze comes out as a beam, use this if the opponent likes to jump your balls and it'll hit when they come back down.


Ground Freeze

Instead of a small puddle this version freezes the entire ground in front of Sub. Slow start and only use with mind games and heavy blockers.


Power Slide

Does an extra hit and swaps sides with the opponent, good when trapped in a corner to turn the momentum. Now has armor after patch.


X-Ray Attack

Dashes 2/3rds of the screen.

Blockable.

One hit of armor AFTER releasing the charge, it doesn't have armor before that.

Can be charged to delay the attack to hit jumpers or to mix up the opponents timing.

Can be chained into after Bp.png Fp.png Bp.png


Basic Strategy

Sub is an adaptable character that's is typically used in two main ways, neither is "better" as they're just a different style and depending on the opponent should be switched between.


Defensive/Zoning:

This type likes to get an ice clone out to stop fast rushes and will throw ice ball from cover. This style works best against characters without "special" projectiles that say freeze or trap sub zero on hit. Pure damage projectiles wont stop the freeze and full combo afterward. A player using this type revolves around frustrating the opponent into making hasty and stupid mistakes.


Offensive:

This type will do his best to stay in your face and cancel his attacks into the clone or slide as much as possible to keep the opponent on the defense. Trapping the opponent in the corner is the end goal of this type.


Regardless the type of sub you use I find that it's critical to develop your own hybrid of these types and throw your own little tricks in to surprise opponents.


Advanced Strategy

N/A


Combos

Bread and Butters

7-Hits: Bp.png Bp.png ---.png Ice Ball ---.png Bp.png Fp.png Bk.png ---.png Slide

8-Hits: Ice clone ---.png Straight Up Jump Punch ---.png Dash ---.png B.png + Fp.png , Bp.png ---.png Bp.png , Fp.png , Bp.png ---.png Slide

8-Hits: Anti-air: Bp.png into Ice Ball ---.png B.png + Fp.png , Bp.png ---.png Bp.png , Fp.png , Bp.png ---.png Slide

9-Hits: F.png + Bk.png ---.png Ice Ball ---.png Straight Up Jump Punch ---.png Dash ---.png B.png + Fp.png , Bp.png ---.png Bp.png , Fp.png , Bp.png ---.png Slide

Jump-in Combos

  • N/A

Combos With Enhanced Specials

  • N/A

Combos With X-Ray Attacks

1. B.png + Fp.png , Bp.png ---.png Ice Ball ---.png Straight Up Jump Punch ---.png Dash ---.png B.png + Fp.png , Bp.png ---.png Dash ---.png Bp.png , Fp.png , Bk.png ---.png Xray

Corner-Only Combos

44%: B.png + Fp.png , Bp.png ---.png Ice Ball ---.png Straight Up Jump Punch x2 ---.png B.png + Fp.png , Bp.png ---.png Bp.png , Fp.png , Bk.png ---.png Slide

Style

Lockdown type character with Ice clones and balls.


Matchups

These will be updated as I gain experience. Kratos and Freddy not included yet cause Freddy isn't out and Kratos is banned.

They are all from my personal experience, not saying these are 100% accurate.

Jax: 7-3

Johnny Cage: 7-3

Kano: 7-3 - Try to bait out up balls by jump in cloning, make sure to constantly be wary of the balls cause a block on a horizontal ball gives a FC. Slide under knives when mid range.

Sonya: 7-3 - Throw a clone and stand behind it since blocking the arc kick bounces her into your clone, slide under projectiles.

Baraka: 6-4 - Stay away from him at all costs, Baraka is huge for damage if he gets in on any character, pop a clone and throw ice, you still have to fight smart but this is in Sub's favor.

Kenshi: 6-4

Liu Kang: 6-4

Noob: 6-4

Reptile: 6-4

Sektor: 6-4

Shang Tsung: 6-4

Sheeva: 6-4 (not enough experience)

Stryker: 6-4

Quan Chi: 6-4

Cyber Sub-Zero: 5-5

Jade: 5-5

Rain: 5-5 (no idea yet, really)

Scorpion: 5-5

Smoke: 5-5

Sub-Zero: 5-5

Kabal: 4-6

Kung Lao: 4-6

Nightwolf: 4-6

Raiden: 4-6

Sindel: 4-6

Cyrax: 3-7

Ermac: 3-7

Kitana: 3-7

Mileena: 3-7

Skarlet: 1-9