Mortal Kombat 11/Rain

Rain #MK11_RAN
POSITION Growing up an orphan, Rain joined Edenia’s army. His strategic genius earned him quick promotion, which he used to learn he was the bastard son of the god Argus, Edenia’s Protector. Armed with the knowledge that he’s a half god, Rain battles for his place in Edenia’s pantheon.
Data
Health	1000.00
Hitbox

Overview Matchups

Introduction

Introduced in Kombat Pack 2, Rain relies on his lightning-fast dashes to whiff punish the enemy and switch between spacing and rushdown.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Unmatched Dashes: Rain has some of the fastest dashes in the game. These dashes are crucial to his neutral-focused gameplan, allowing him to safely play both spacing and rushdown, evade pressure, avoid jump-ins, strike-throw from midscreen, and whiff punish from a surprising distance. Well Suited to System Mechanics: With practical default Krushing Blows, a throw KB in both directions, great reversal attacks, a lightning fast wavedash, and useful short hop attacks, Rain is well-suited to players with a solid grasp of system mechanics. Default Moveset Combo Starter: Geyser Kick (BF4) is a rare example of a combo starter in a character’s base moveset. Close Range Mixup Options: At close range, Rain can do both strike-throw mixups with his B21 and overhead-low mixups with his fast SHP, delayed SHKs, and his combo starting B3 low. With Tidal Wave (DB3) equipped, he can do overhead-low mixups from 134. Versatile Fireball: Katar Toss (BF2) is a highly versatile fireball with fast startup and useful amplify properties. Use instant amplified Katar Toss after pokes to safely steal a turn, use it in a string gap to safely catch flawless blocks, amplify it mid-flight to catch ducking enemies, or amplify it after hitting to turn +11 into a +42 knockdown. Catch-All Combo Ender: Argus Plunge (BF3) is his ender of choice in most situations, breaking armor and giving him superb corner carry. The large hitbox, long active frames, and status as a special move make it uniquely useful for catching delayed breakaways. Effective Kustom Moves: Rain‘s kustom moves broadly change his gameplay and are each uniquely useful.

Low Damage Without Specific Loadouts: Although Geyser Kick is a useful base moveset combo starter, the damage it gives is subpar. In order to deal good damage, Rain must equip Hydro Boost or Water Ball. Restrictive Kustom Loadouts: Rain’s kustom moves, though uniquely useful, often require additional slot space to be usable, and some take away from the character’s base moveset. Quantum Slice needs both Edenian Force and Quantum Rift to use all of its facets, and replaces Argus Plunge. Hydro Boost takes away some of the combo pathing that Geyser Kick allows (often necessitating Geyser Palm to plug in some of these holes), and Water Ball replaces Katar Toss. Difficult Confirms, Risky Damage: Rain’s strike-throw is heavily reliant upon being able to hit confirm B21 - his only mid confirmable string, and one that affords only ten startup frames between the first hit and the second. 13 is his only other confirmable string, but the long startup of the second hit makes it very vulnerable to mashing. Equipping Geyser Palm lets him confirm off 133, but on top of the 13 gap, the third hit of 133 does not jail and risks a D2 KB. F2 and B3 are both combo starting normals that are crucial to his gameplan, but they cannot be hit confirmed. Lacks Dirt: Rain lacks a truly dangerous move that the enemy must respect, instead relying on his fast dashes to assess the situation from a distance and adjust accordingly.

Movelist

Normals and Strings

1

Straight Punch (1)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	2.00 / 0.30 / 0.0003	High	7	2	18
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	12	4	-3	-3	-
	A straightforward punch, as the name suggests. Better speed and horizontal range than most jabs, though with slightly less height. Like all jabs, used for antiairs and conventional tick throws. With Hydro Boost equipped, combo 1 directly into Hydro Boost as 13 will not connect.

Thicker than Water (13)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	3.00 / 0.45 / 0.0005	Mid	13	2	22
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	19	10	-7	-7	-
	Mid jab followup with a large hitbox, long reach, and strong forward advancement. A bit slower than other jab followups, making it prone to interruptions. Good at catching the enemy if 1 whiffed, but don't go crazy whiffing this in neutral. Can be used to stagger with the overhead threat of 134, but be cautious of its unusually low block advantage of -7. Tidal Wave turns 13 into a canned overhead-low mixup, though it is fuzzyable and requires meter to be safe. Has a gap with 1 that is too small for any action.

Let's Get Krazy (133)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	5.00 / 0.75 / 0.0008	Mid	13	4	26
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	21	23	-3	-3	-
	A very flawed normal. A high that does not jail from 13, relying entirely on 134 to get the enemy to stand block - and guessing wrong means a D2 KB. Rain's highest damage normal or string that can be special cancelled, but its odd hit reaction against grounded enemies will cause all combo starters except Geyser Palm to whiff midscreen. Despite its long active frames it has a very small hitbox - much smaller than the animation implies - and is prone to whiff against airborne and juggled enemies. In the corner, Water Ball and Hydro Boost will combo.

Scandalous (134)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	7.00 / 1.05 / 0.0011	Overhead	16	3	30
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	19	-6	-6	-
	Overhead flip, an alternate ender to 133. Safe on block, and gives Rain enough pushback to attempt a backdash spacing trap. Can be Flawless Blocked, but Rain has many ways to cover the gap. Gives a lengthy, close knockdown on hit, well suited for corner situations where the strong screen carry of Argus Plunge is no longer needed. Can be fuzzied against 133, though the window is very tight and makes punishing 133 harder.

B1

Power Blast (B1)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	5.00 / 0.75 / 0.0008	Mid	12	2	25
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	18	9	-5	-5	-
	Used in combos, but not the most useful normal beyond that. Applies a bit of a float effect on airborne enemies, making it important for optimals. On the ground its usage as a strike-throw stagger point is already fulfilled by B21, which can be confirmed into a full combo, and its slight pushback means that it can shove enemies out of throw range on block. More useful defensively as a riskier alternative to B4, where it can be used to take space in situations where B2 would whiff - such as after a blocked enemy D4 or after F21+3.

What the Hail (B14)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	7.00 / 1.05 / 0.0011	Mid	17	6	36
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	29	-5	-15	-
	Rain briefly transforms into water and flying kicks the enemy. Hold 4 to delay the attack and hold Back to side switch, giving it four different startup values in total, each of which must be separately flawless blocked. Workable stagger threat behind B1. Great advancement, safe on block, variable timing, difficult to flawless block, and gives a lengthy knockdown on hit. However, the slower timings can be interrupted or even full combo punished.

What the Hail (B14)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	7.00 / 1.05 / 0.0011	Mid	17	6	36
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	29	-5	-15	-
	Rain briefly transforms into water and flying kicks the enemy. Hold 4 to delay the attack and hold Back to side switch, giving it four different startup values in total, each of which must be separately flawless blocked. Workable stagger threat behind B1. Great advancement, safe on block, variable timing, difficult to flawless block, and gives a lengthy knockdown on hit. However, the slower timings can be interrupted or even full combo punished.

What the Hail (B14)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	7.00 / 1.05 / 0.0011	Mid	17	6	36
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	29	-5	-15	-
	Rain briefly transforms into water and flying kicks the enemy. Hold 4 to delay the attack and hold Back to side switch, giving it four different startup values in total, each of which must be separately flawless blocked. Workable stagger threat behind B1. Great advancement, safe on block, variable timing, difficult to flawless block, and gives a lengthy knockdown on hit. However, the slower timings can be interrupted or even full combo punished.

What the Hail (B14)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	7.00 / 1.05 / 0.0011	Mid	17	6	36
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	29	-5	-15	-
	Rain briefly transforms into water and flying kicks the enemy. Hold 4 to delay the attack and hold Back to side switch, giving it four different startup values in total, each of which must be separately flawless blocked. Workable stagger threat behind B1. Great advancement, safe on block, variable timing, difficult to flawless block, and gives a lengthy knockdown on hit. However, the slower timings can be interrupted or even full combo punished.

D1

Low Chop (D1)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	7.00 / 1.05 / 0.0011	Mid	7	2	19
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	11	13	-6	-6	-
	Solid D1 by itself, with worse recovery but great range and pushback. Rain's only choice for abare with how slow his other two crouching pokes are. Crucial to the usage of D1 is its plethora of cancel options: Amplified Katar Toss will trade with 6-frame attacks, but the range and pushback of D1 will allow Rain to negate this entirely through careful spacing. Anything slower will be immediately beaten while being safe on block. The safest, lowest reward cancel option. Hydro Boost will trade with 9-frame attacks but it is highly dependent on the attack, as Rain will float right over D3 attacks as well as most D1s. With meter Rain gets a full combo punish, and on block he can attempt for risky plus frames with J2 or safely catch antiair attempts with JK. Hydroplane can immediately punish any counterpoke, and can be cancelled to start a spacing game off a D1. Amplified Hydroplane gives more pushback on block and is harder to punish (though still punishable), and gives more damage on hit than amplified Katar Toss. Evaporate avoids any immediate followup attacks but leaves Rain open to punishes. Tidal Wave will be caught by immediate counterpokes, but can be used to catch delayed actions. On block, it gives better chip and more pushback than Katar Toss.

2

Katar Stab (2)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	3.00 / 0.45 / 0.0005	High	9	3	19
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	18	14	-5	-5	-
	Heavier jab than 1, with a larger hitbox. Starts 242, Rain's punish and combo starter of choice. Better at antiairing than 1, but causes a faster drop - unless entirely ready, antiair with 1 instead.

Deadly Tsunami (242)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	5.85 / 0.90 / 0.0005	Mid	11	21	34
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	33	5	-9	-9	-
	Optimal combo starter and filler. Puts Rain right next to the enemy for easier continuation, especially for Water Ball and Hydro Boost. However, the whole string must be buffered at once, and it is very vulnerable to breakaway punish. Against enemies with breakaway, either continue with 3~Argus Plunge or a confirmed 133. Cannot be special cancelled on block, so only use this for combos.

Insatiable Prince (2421+3)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	7.00 / - / -	Mid	14	4	33
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	12	-	-	-
	Natural string ender to 242 that only comes out on hit. Deals identical damage to Argus Plunge, with quicker startup at the cost of corner carry and armor breaking. Generally the ender of choice in corner situations with regular gravity - higher gravity will have to be continued with 13 instead of 242. On hit, Rain can either dash up and threaten a throw, or he can backdash and punish their wakeup move.

No Rain, No Gain (24D4)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	7.75 / 1.20 / 0.0005	Low	11	23	28
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	13	16	-4	-4	-
	Odd alternate path to 2 that's safe on block, though it cannot be confirmed into a combo. Due to the buffer input, it also cannot staggered. Exists entirely to safely continue 2 on a stray block and inflict some chip damage.

B2

Heavy Slice (B2)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	3.00 / 0.45 / 0.0005	Mid	10	3	27
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	17	10	-8	-8	-
	Rain's fastest standing mid. Starts B212, Rain's string of choice for shimmies, turn taking, confirms, and all other forms of close range offense. Limited range and forward advancement, so outside of point-blank situations Rain must use his dashes to ensure it connects. Can be used as a single hit stagger to throw off the enemy, but keep in mind that 7-frame standing jab characters can full combo punish it on block. Though it is a mid, the hitbox does not reach crouching jab areas until later in its active frames. This is generally not a problem at point blank range, where the initial hitbox will hit the enemy's main body, but when used at the edge of its range it can get interrupted. In these situations, either mash a crouching poke of your own first, dash away, or use B1 or B4.

Rising Water (B21)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	3.00 / 0.45 / 0.0005	Mid	10	3	26
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	15	12	-7	-7	-
	Second part of B212, with near-identical frame data but being -7 instead of -8 means that it cannot be full combo punished. B21 is nothing less than Rain's most important attack. A superb stagger and shimmy, allowing him to strike-throw the enemy while confirming hits into the long corner carry of Argus Plunge. Dash up B21 allows Rain to threaten confirmable strike-throw at round start distance. Has a flawless block gap with B212, but Rain can cancel directly into Katar Toss, Hydro Boost, or even Argus Plunge to catch the enemy if they attempt it, or just stagger into another B21. All this is entirely dependent on Rain being able to hit confirm B21 - a difficult confirm to say the least. Puts a bit of distance between Rain and the enemy on midscreen hit, requiring a longer dash-up for combo continuation with Water Ball or Hydro Boost.

Thieves in Edenian Temple (B212)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	7.00 / 1.05 / 0.0011	Mid	22	5	31
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	26	-4	-4	-
	Rain finishes the B212 string with a big katar lunge. Highly active, moderately disjointed, and safe on (regular) block with enough pushback to attempt a spacing trap. Works excellently with the B21 stagger due to its natural delay and the near-neutral animation of its startup. The knockdown on hit is long enough for Rain to dash up and guarantee a B21, though it requires a touch of manual delay to catch both regular and delayed wakeup timing.

F2

Spinning Blade (F2)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	5.00 / 0.75 / 0.0008	Mid	15	3	30
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	22	13	-6	-6	-
	Highly advancing, committal normal for whiff punishing and approaching. When cancelled from a forward dash it can have alarming range. Can either be cancelled into a combo starter or continued into F21+3 to immediately and grievously punish whiffing, but neither of these options can be confirmed - cancel into F2D4 or a safe amplified special instead for less rewarding, but less risky options. If the enemy is very prepared to bait attempted whiff punishes use F3 instead. Works excellently with Hydro Boost, as amplified Hydro Boost is harder to punish and potentially makes Rain plus on block, while still giving him a full combo on hit. Rain could try to B21, throw, or mash D1 after a blocked F2 but it is very risky, due to its somewhat long recovery and the quick startup of F2D4. Surprising vertical reach, but most followups will whiff on air hit. Water Ball and Katar Toss are the most likely to land.

Rain Or Shine (F2D4)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	7.00 / 1.05 / 0.0011	Low	13	2	30
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	15	-5	-5	-
	Rain follows up F2 with a sweep. The safest followup to F2 on block by far, though with short range and long recovery it is even more dangerous on whiff. Mostly used when F2 is done to close the gap instead of fishing for a punish. Reward on hit is not nearly as good as other possible F2 followups, but it still gives Rain a close knockdown to work with. Beware of accidentally inputting Evaporate, which will leave you wide open for punishment.

When Mortals Kry (F21+3)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	7.00 / 0.30 / 0.0003	Mid	17	2	42
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	91	0	-15	-15	-
	Krushing Blow: Activates when this attack or F2 is done as a KOUNTER or PUNISH. Rain scoops and restands the enemy. Very unsafe on block, and should only be attempted against non-juggled enemies if getting the kounter/punish KB is absolutely guaranteed. Can be cancelled into Fatal Blow on hit but this applies a lot of scaling. Mid-combo it is better to do B1~Fatal Blow to apply less scaling, but for whiff punishes a Fatal Blow can add a significant amount of unbreakable, guaranteed damage. The cancel can even be done after the KB, giving a low HP Rain a potential 45% unbreakable damage counterattack. As an ender, F21+3 can halted instead of continuing into F21+34 to surprise and reset the enemy, though this is mostly a knowledge check as it is 0 on hit. Despite the extremely long recovery it is only -15 on block, causing some greedy punishes (such as Shang Tsung F243) to fail. Do not count on this fact to save your hide.

Prince of Pain (F21+34)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	5.00 / - / -	Mid	1	-	64
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	20	0	0	-
	From the restand state, Rain jump kicks the enemy, side switching and giving a moderately distanced knockdown. Only comes out on hit. Used to end a combo in a side switch if Geyser Palm is not available, and to squeeze out the last bits of damage from F21+3 if the side switch would not be a problem.

D2

Rising Spike (D2)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	14.00 / 2.10 / 0.0021	High	10	4	42
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	24	-9	-19	-
	Short ranged but highly vertical D2, good for antiairs and certain combos. The upward Water Ball toss and the last hit of Purple Pain put the enemy high enough for Rain to D2 (combo starters with more pushback, such as B21 or B3, will require a dash-up before this) and then follow up with 242 as they fall. Rain's longer ranged D1 and fast dashes also make it easier to combo from a D2 antiair.

3

Royal Heel (3)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	5.00 / 0.75 / 0.0008	High	10	3	29
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	16	17	-5	-5	-
	A non-command normal with excellent horizontal range and vertical reach. Used to whiff punish and to start combo punishes in situations where 242 would whiff, such as Shao Kahn Shoulder Charge. Mid combo, 3~Argus Plunge is used to keep combos breakaway safe after Geyser Palm and Geyser Kick, and in the corner 3 is used for double Hydro Boost combos that let Rain access some of his best non-KB damage. Not very useful in pressure or turn taking due to long recovery, lack of string followups, and high directionality. Launches the enemy up and away on air hit.

B3

Edenian Step (B3)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	5.00 / 0.75 / 0.0008	Low	13	3	29
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	19	6	-10	-10	-
	Advancing low normal with great range. Rain's low combo starter, and his best normal for backdash spacing traps. Like F2 it cannot be confirmed when starting a combo, so unless you're absolutely certain that it will catch the enemy, either finish the string with B34 to be (mostly) safe or cancel into Hydro Boost. The retreating hit reaction makes it hard to guarantee anything on a single midscreen hit, and makes followups after Hydro Boost and Water Ball harder to land. Empty hop B3 is great at catching new players but can be fuzzied, so toss in some throws and use delayed SHK along with it.

Rain And Suffering (B34)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	7.00 / 1.05 / 0.0011	Mid	10	9	30
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	9	-7	-12	-
	Lunging followup to B3 with even better range and exceptional active frames. Like F2D4 it is used to safely follow up B3 (against characters without a six frame attack), though its vastly superior range and active frames make it harder to whiff punish and give it an additional use as a space closing tool. If the enemy lacks a six frame attack, B34 can be used to bait a flawless block. Can be up to +1 with a meaty, though applying this meaty is very difficult.

F3

Heavy Tide (F3)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	9.75 / 1.5 / 0.0008	High	11	21	29
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	26	-1	-1	-
	Remarkably fast forward leaping attack, perfect for taking space and closing the gap on block. Far less rewarding as a whiff punish than F2, but much safer. First attack hits high, the second while coming downward hits mid. High profiles most crouching pokes on the way up and avoids throws entirely, though it can trade with mid crouching pokes if they are done late. Unusually safe at -1 on block, meaning that mashing D1 is not a bad option afterwards - the enemy must do their own 7 frame or faster poke to beat it, and the fastest combo starting mids are 9 frames. Gives a lengthy knockdown on hit, enough to guarantee a B21 midscreen.

D3

Undertow (D3)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	1.00 / 0.15 / 0.0002	Low	10	5	20
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	15	14	-7	-7	-
	A highly active and disjointed mid-range poke, used to quickly cover space, interrupt, and skirmish when outside of D1 and B2 range. Excellent for preemptively stuffing enemy approaches and catching backdashes. When used offensively proper spacing is key - within D1 range it has worse recovery, much worse startup, lower pushback, and enough minus frames on block to be punished by six frame attacks. Outside of D1 range, it shines as a superb defensive tool. Unusually late cancel frames means that cancelling into a special at point blank range can easily be interrupted.

4

Shallow Break (4)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	7.00 / 1.05 / 0.0011	High	11	3	25
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	17	23	-1	-1	-
	A high roundhouse kick. Not terrible on block, but the on-hit reaction is highly unfavorable, applying unusual gravity and damage scaling. For this, as well as its high directionality and lack of string followups, it is rarely used; Rain's mid attacks are simply more useful and rewarding.

B4

Sweeping Prince (B4)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	7.00 / 1.05 / 0.0011	Low	12	2	24
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	21	-4	-9	-
	A superb ninja sweep, used for safe defensive space coverage and checking. Like all ninja sweeps, it has quick recovery and low profiling. Rain's safest way to quickly put a mid-ranged, moderately rewarding hitbox out, synergizing excellently with his dashes and spacing game. On hit, the knockdown gives Rain numerous options to follow up with, and the pushback on block lets him attempt another spacing trap.

F4

Low Tide (F4)
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	5.00 / 0.75 / 0.0008	Mid	16	3	33
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	17	-4	-4	-
	Disjointed normal for covering space at a distance. Useful for disrupting approaches and for cautious, if somewhat unrewarding oki. Less range and active frames than the animation suggests. Has no string followups and cannot be special cancelled, but is safe on block at -4 and has strong pushback for a spacing trap. Frequent use will encourage the enemy to jump, opening them up to antiairs. Generally obsolete if Tidal Wave is equipped, having less range, no amplify followup, and far less active frames, though it does have faster startup and more safety on block. Not a low, despite the name and animation.

D4

	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	3.00 / 0.45 / 0.0005	Low	11	2	24
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	15	15	-9	-9	-
	Alternate mid-ranged crouching poke. Compared to D3 it is not disjoint, even more unsafe on block, much less active, and a whole frame slower, but it boasts the best cancel advantage out of all of Rain's crouching pokes - enough to frametrap into Hydro Boost without the threat of interruption. With meter, D4 becomes Rain's best crouching poke for aggression, giving him special cancel frametraps with greater reward and safety. For abare and preemptively covering space, Rain's other crouching pokes remain better choices. Only use this if you are certain that it will not whiff.

Jump and Hop Attacks

J1

	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	5.00 / 0.75 / 0.0008	Overhead	7	4	22
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	41	-2	-11	-11	-
	Very fast normal for air-to-airs and easy jump-ins. Less rewarding than J2, but easier to use. Mostly used in place of J2 in B3~Hydro Boost combos if the forward dash after J2 is proving too difficult to land. Due to its highly horizontal hitbox, it can be very difficult to land on the way down from an amplified Hydro Boost on block. -1 on block at the worst, up to +10 when done at the latest. From amplified Hydro Boost, -3 on block at the worst and up to +2 when done very late. And very accurately.

J2

	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	7.00 / 1.05 / 0.0011	Overhead	9	3	32
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	40	8	-9	-14	-
	The preferred jump-in and air-to-air, giving Rain strong damage off Hydro Boost combos and lengthy plus frames on block. Landing J2 after an amplified Hydro Boost on block will give the best plus frames, but it is oddly difficult to land with its above average startup, limited vertical range, and the quick fall that amplified Hydro Boost causes. This also leaves Rain momentarily vulnerable to antiairs and flawless blocks. Use JK instead to be harder to antiair. +1 on block at the worst, up to +15 at the latest possible timing. On amplified Hydro Boost, +1 on block at the worst, and up to +7 when done at the latest possible time.

JK

	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	9.00 / 1.35 / 0.0013	Overhead	9	3	32
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	40	8	-9	-14	-
	Unusual jump kick where Rain sweeps his leg backwards, giving it less forward horizontal range but massive area coverage in a semicircle underneath him. Brilliant for late attack jump-ins and jumpovers, and uniquely suited for catching enemies who try to avoid jump-ins by dashing forward. Rain also has excellent options to OS into - Geyser Kick and Water Ball will pick up for conbos anywhere, Geyser Palm will pick up for combos in most situations, Argus Plunge will give strong corner carry and cover against breakaways, and Katar Toss will keep the enemy (relatively) close. Edenian Force with Quantum Slice will also let Rain cancel a blocked JK into numerous mobility options. For amplified Hydro Boost on block, JK represents the safe option compared to J2, being harder to antiair and throwing off the flawless block timing while giving much worse advantage on block. Block advantage can widely vary, depending on when the attack connects - a jump kick while rising will be -17 at the worst, while the absolute latest jump kick will put Rain at +11. On amplified Hydro Boost, -7 on block at the worst, +3 at the latest.

SHP

	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	9.00 / 1.35 / 0.0014	Overhead	9	3	33
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	0	33	-14	-19	-
	Excellent short hop attack, with fast startup, a large hitbox, and a lengthy knockdown. A crucial part of Rain's mix, through immediate overheads and empty hops. Gives enough advantage for Rain to framekill with an empty hop and guarantee a B21. Like all short hops, it avoids grabs and crouching lows. Beyond its usage as a fast overhead, empty hop B3 can catch players unready to fuzzy (especially on wakeup) and empty hop throw is superb for landing a throw KB. Can be attempted at stagger points but it requires a very respectful enemy - it is generally safer to attempt it on knockdowns. Against smaller characters it may hit at the second active frame, rendering it a tiny bit more reactable.

SHK

	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	9.00 / 1.35 / 0.0014	Overhead	13	4	30
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	0	34	-12	-17	-
	Slower than SHP, but boasts much better range, more safety on block, and is much more delayable. Completes Rain's short hop mix by providing the delayed anti-fuzzy option. Can also be used to strike with a surprise overhead at the absolute tip of its range, though Rain has safer and more rewarding options for approaching.

Getup and Flawless Block Attacks

U2

	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	5.00 / 0.75 / 0.0008	Mid	11	4	32
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	39	-14	-14	-
	Exceptional U2, with strong forward advancement and huge vertical and horizontal reach. The reward on successful hit is very solid; Rain's exceptional dashes make it easy to follow up, and Argus Plunge gives him the longest possible corner carry while catching late breakaways. While most of Rain's safe and uncancellable normals create enough space for Rain to retreat, certain other normals in this category (like B34) will leave Rain in the enemy's face. In these situations, it is crucial to represent flawless block - Rain needs the damage and corner carry wherever he can get it. Can guarantee a punish on moves with 18 or more total active and recovery frames. (Liu Kang D1 appears to be an exception to this, having 19 total active and recovery frames but is able to block.)

U3

	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	9.00 / 1.35 / 0.0014	Mid	10	3	32
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	13	-7	-12	-
	Armored reversal with a large, disjoint hitbox. Slightly longer recovery than other U3 attacks, but gives slightly better plus frames as well. Hitbox has enough vertical reach to even cover the air to a degree, potentially hitting enemies trying to jump on oki. In most flawless block situations U2 will give better reward, but U3 remains important in these situations to punish attacks that the enemy has realized are U2 safe. Can guarantee a punish on moves with 17 or more total active and recovery frames.

Throws

	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	13.00 (30.00) / - / -	Grab, High	10	2	34
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	14	-	-	-
	Krushing Blow: Activates if the enemy attempted to tech the previous throw in the wrong direction. Rain relies heavily on his throws to enforce his gameplan and mix up the enemy. Forward dash~throw is one of his most central actions, and his superb dash range lets him threaten this from an unexpected distance. Once properly represented, he can then reap the rewards with forward dash~B21 to corner the enemy. Both of Rain's throws put a significant distance between himself and the enemy - his back throw putting them a touch away from maximum distance. As such, while they are difficult to force oki midscreen, Rain can use his throws to immediately start a fireball game, or to quickly toss the enemy into the corner and start a cautious, reactive cornering approach. The extreme distance created by the back throw even makes tossing the enemy out of the corner an option - the enemy has to contend with Rain's fireballs and lighting mobility in order to take advantage of the positioning, and the unexpected direction can bait a failed escape for the throw KB.

	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	13.00 (30.00) / - / -	Grab, High	10	2	34
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	14	-	-	-
	Krushing Blow: Activates if the enemy attempted to tech the previous throw in the wrong direction. Rain relies heavily on his throws to enforce his gameplan and mix up the enemy. Forward dash~throw is one of his most central actions, and his superb dash range lets him threaten this from an unexpected distance. Once properly represented, he can then reap the rewards with forward dash~B21 to corner the enemy. Both of Rain's throws put a significant distance between himself and the enemy - his back throw putting them a touch away from maximum distance. As such, while they are difficult to force oki midscreen, Rain can use his throws to immediately start a fireball game, or to quickly toss the enemy into the corner and start a cautious, reactive cornering approach. The extreme distance created by the back throw even makes tossing the enemy out of the corner an option - the enemy has to contend with Rain's fireballs and lighting mobility in order to take advantage of the positioning, and the unexpected direction can bait a failed escape for the throw KB.

Special Moves

Katar Toss (BF2)

	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	6.00 / 1.75 / 0.0018	High	13	-	-
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	42	11	-12	-17	-
	One of the best fireballs in the game. Already great without meter, having quick startup, fast travel speed, decent pushback, and only -12 block disadvantage. While this version keeps Rain in place until it lands or flies offscreen, it still synergizes excellently with his speed and keepaway. Cancel a spaced B3 into Katar Toss to safely skirmish the enemy - the B3 will jail, and the combined pushback will render Rain unpunishable in most situations. With meter, it can be amplified in two ways: it can be amplified at any point before it lands to turn it into a mid projectile that lets Rain act independently, or it can be amplified after it lands to add damage and turn it into a lengthy knockdown. Immediately amplifying turns Katar Toss into Rain's one stop shop for safety - catching counterpokes, plugging in flawless block gaps, and keeping Rain safe with pushback and decent chip damage after blockstrings. Amplifying Katar Toss mid-flight will bait the enemy into ducking, before turning the high projectile into a mid. Amplifying after a backdash~Katar Toss hit will let Rain turn stray zoning hits into a rushdown situation, or squeeze out damage when at chip territory. Still very unsafe on flawless block, but it will not provide a flawless blockable gap after most strings. The non-amplified version is always -12 when blocked and +11 on grounded hit.

	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	9.00 / 21.25 / 0.213	Mid	14	-	-
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	23	-5	-15	1 offensive meter
	One of the best fireballs in the game. Already great without meter, having quick startup, fast travel speed, decent pushback, and only -12 block disadvantage. While this version keeps Rain in place until it lands or flies offscreen, it still synergizes excellently with his speed and keepaway. Cancel a spaced B3 into Katar Toss to safely skirmish the enemy - the B3 will jail, and the combined pushback will render Rain unpunishable in most situations. With meter, it can be amplified in two ways: it can be amplified at any point before it lands to turn it into a mid projectile that lets Rain act independently, or it can be amplified after it lands to add damage and turn it into a lengthy knockdown. Immediately amplifying turns Katar Toss into Rain's one stop shop for safety - catching counterpokes, plugging in flawless block gaps, and keeping Rain safe with pushback and decent chip damage after blockstrings. Amplifying Katar Toss mid-flight will bait the enemy into ducking, before turning the high projectile into a mid. Amplifying after a backdash~Katar Toss hit will let Rain turn stray zoning hits into a rushdown situation, or squeeze out damage when at chip territory. Still very unsafe on flawless block, but it will not provide a flawless blockable gap after most strings. The non-amplified version is always -12 when blocked and +11 on grounded hit.

	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	9.80 / - / -	High	13	-	-
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	29	-	-	1 offensive meter
	One of the best fireballs in the game. Already great without meter, having quick startup, fast travel speed, decent pushback, and only -12 block disadvantage. While this version keeps Rain in place until it lands or flies offscreen, it still synergizes excellently with his speed and keepaway. Cancel a spaced B3 into Katar Toss to safely skirmish the enemy - the B3 will jail, and the combined pushback will render Rain unpunishable in most situations. With meter, it can be amplified in two ways: it can be amplified at any point before it lands to turn it into a mid projectile that lets Rain act independently, or it can be amplified after it lands to add damage and turn it into a lengthy knockdown. Immediately amplifying turns Katar Toss into Rain's one stop shop for safety - catching counterpokes, plugging in flawless block gaps, and keeping Rain safe with pushback and decent chip damage after blockstrings. Amplifying Katar Toss mid-flight will bait the enemy into ducking, before turning the high projectile into a mid. Amplifying after a backdash~Katar Toss hit will let Rain turn stray zoning hits into a rushdown situation, or squeeze out damage when at chip territory. Still very unsafe on flawless block, but it will not provide a flawless blockable gap after most strings. The non-amplified version is always -12 when blocked and +11 on grounded hit.

Argus Plunge (BF3)

File:Mk11 rain aplunge.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	7.00 (28.00) / 1.25 / 0.0012	Mid	20	25	32
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	54	10	-21	-21	-
	Krushing Blow: Activates if the move BREAKS ARMOR or hits after traveling a MODERATE DISTANCE, and then is amplified. Rain transforms into a bubble of water and flies forward. Despite its somewhat long startup, middling damage, and unremarkable knockdown it is one of the best midscreen combo enders in the game, giving unmatched corner carry. Large hitbox and long active frames also make it uniquely suitable for catching breakaways, especially delayed breakaway. Whenever possible, confirm damage and combos into this, unless specifically going for a side switch, breakaway catching, or if the enemy is already cornered.Also usable for catching jumps outside of standing antiair or Geyser Palm range - unless the enemy can alter their jump trajectory through a teleport or an airdash, it can be very difficult to avoid. Argus Plunge is also used to squeeze damage off a fullscreen Purple Pain or Water Ball. When done at the absolute longest possible distance, this can even give the KB. Along the flight, Rain can choose to amplify to finish with a ground slam, dealing more damage, giving a longer knockdown, and allowing Rain to choose the enemy side. 99% of the time this will be the side that keeps the enemy closer to the corner, though stages with strong interactables will give more of an incentive to emerge on that side. For the corner situation, use alternate enders like 134 or 2421+3 for a longer knockdown. Meter cannot be spent on block.

	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	9.00 / - / -	-	-	-	-
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	20	-	-	1 offensive meter
	Krushing Blow: Activates if the move BREAKS ARMOR or hits after traveling a MODERATE DISTANCE, and then is amplified. Rain transforms into a bubble of water and flies forward. Despite its somewhat long startup, middling damage, and unremarkable knockdown it is one of the best midscreen combo enders in the game, giving unmatched corner carry. Large hitbox and long active frames also make it uniquely suitable for catching breakaways, especially delayed breakaway. Whenever possible, confirm damage and combos into this, unless specifically going for a side switch, breakaway catching, or if the enemy is already cornered.Also usable for catching jumps outside of standing antiair or Geyser Palm range - unless the enemy can alter their jump trajectory through a teleport or an airdash, it can be very difficult to avoid. Argus Plunge is also used to squeeze damage off a fullscreen Purple Pain or Water Ball. When done at the absolute longest possible distance, this can even give the KB. Along the flight, Rain can choose to amplify to finish with a ground slam, dealing more damage, giving a longer knockdown, and allowing Rain to choose the enemy side. 99% of the time this will be the side that keeps the enemy closer to the corner, though stages with strong interactables will give more of an incentive to emerge on that side. For the corner situation, use alternate enders like 134 or 2421+3 for a longer knockdown. Meter cannot be spent on block.

Evaporate (DB4)

	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	- / - / -	-	8	10	25
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	-	-	-	-
	Rain turns himself into water, avoiding strikes and projectiles. Greatly held back by its laundry list of flaws; it can be grabbed (and triggers the roll KB for certain command grabs), the recovery is too long to punish most things, and it has a brief startup that can be mashed. Despite this it remains a useful tool for certain niche punishes - most of which can already be punished with flawless block, but Evaporate requires no meter. Also used for avoiding certain unduckable projectiles or negating the chip and pushback at the end of certain strings, but again, Flawless Block will already accomplish that with less recovery frames in most situations. 8f startup, but will take advantage of the reversal special speed boost to come out in 7f when used as a reversal.

Geyser Kick (BF4)

	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	9.00 / 2.13 / 0.0021	Mid	22	4	23
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	21	24	-20	-30	-
	Rain spin kicks the enemy away. The Amplified version has quicker startup and kicks the enemy into a rift, switching side and allowing for combo followups. Rain's default combo starter. Usable against both grounded and juggled enemies, with a generous bounce that allows for easy followups. Especially easy for the jump kick OS, due to its forward advancement. Though it side switches, the long screen carry of Argus Plunge will still grant Rain favorable corner positioning in most situations - follow up with F21+34 or Geyser Palm instead if Rain has already cornered the enemy.

	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	9.00 / 2.13 / 0.0021	Mid	22	4	23
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	21	24	-20	-30	-
	Disjoint with decent range and vertical coverage, but very long startup makes it difficult to combo into outside of specific routes, and bad at catching breakaway. Rain can cancel F21+3 into Fatal Blow but this will apply a ton of scaling - B1~Fatal Blow will deal more damage in most situations. Hold Forward to do a more distant version. Fatal Blow can also be done off the F21+3 KB, giving Rain ~45% unbreakable damage off a kounter or punish, though this damage is expensive and cannot be confirmed.

Fatal Blow

File:Mk11 rain fblow.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	32.00 / 1.50 / 0.0015	Mid	26	11	36
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	14	-25	-35	30% HP remaining
	Disjoint with decent range and vertical coverage, but very long startup makes it difficult to combo into outside of specific routes, and bad at catching breakaway. Rain can cancel F21+3 into Fatal Blow but this will apply a ton of scaling - B1~Fatal Blow will deal more damage in most situations. Hold Forward to do a more distant version. Fatal Blow can also be done off the F21+3 KB, giving Rain ~45% unbreakable damage off a kounter or punish, though this damage is expensive and cannot be confirmed.

Kustom Abilities

Riptide (BF1)

File:Mk11 rain riptide.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	6.00 / 1.75 / 0.0018	High	16	20	25
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	4	-18	-18	-
	Rain shoots a rather thin but extremely active stream of water, restanding the enemy. Usable as both a combo ender and an oki tool. The restand when ending combos is only +4, meaning that B2 will trade with six-frame attacks. Rain is forced to use D1 to stop their abare in these situations, though if that is not a possibility B2 becomes fully guaranteed. While the restand will still stop wakeup options midscreen, it puts the enemy too far away to guarantee anything - it is generally better to end with Argus Plunge. Can be up to +1 on block on a full meaty, as long as they don't duck it. Compared to Tidal Wave on oki it has worse range, can be ducked, and has no amplify followup, but is much more active, gives much better frame advantage when blocked, and is easier for catching jumping. Despite these niche strengths, Riptide is rarely seen - it simply isn't as slot-efficient as his other moves, and the restand doesn't give Rain substantial reward midscreen (where Rain should be ending combos with Argus Plunge instead).

Geyser Palm (DB1)

File:Mk11 rain gpalm.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	9.26 / - / -	Unblockable (only hits air)	9	18	25
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	41	21	-	-	-
	Rain covers the sky in front of him with a jet of water, blasting the enemy into a side switching rift. A crucial special for antiairs, combo starting, and enders. With its long hitbox and active frames it is well-suited for catching unique air specials, like Jacqui Leap and Kabal Slight Gas. Supremely rewarding on hit - when used as a combo starter it can lead into Argus Plunge for the corner carry, and for an ender it deals Rain's best damage and gives a lengthy, close knockdown. Though the on-hit reaction looks similar to Geyser Kick it makes the enemy fall faster and with more distance, necessitating a forward dash to continue in most situations. Also allows Rain to use 133 as a very easy hit confirm string, though it is unsafe. Often picked with Hydro Boost to combo against airborne opponents, especially after a jump kick, as Hydro Boost often cannot combo against airborne opponents in the same way Geyser Kick can. Learning to antiair reactively with Geyser Palm (instead of preemptively) is a crucial skill for all Rains. The air coverage synergizes excellently with his spacing and fireball game, and the ability to instantly turn a jump-in into a potential corner situation cannot be underestimated. Preemptively, it should only be used against dangerous instant-air options like Robocop Air Charge.

File:Mk11 rain gpalmamp.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	9.26 / - / -	Unblockable (only hits air)	9	18	25
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	41	21	-	-	-
	Rain covers the sky in front of him with a jet of water, blasting the enemy into a side switching rift. A crucial special for antiairs, combo starting, and enders. With its long hitbox and active frames it is well-suited for catching unique air specials, like Jacqui Leap and Kabal Slight Gas. Supremely rewarding on hit - when used as a combo starter it can lead into Argus Plunge for the corner carry, and for an ender it deals Rain's best damage and gives a lengthy, close knockdown. Though the on-hit reaction looks similar to Geyser Kick it makes the enemy fall faster and with more distance, necessitating a forward dash to continue in most situations. Also allows Rain to use 133 as a very easy hit confirm string, though it is unsafe. Often picked with Hydro Boost to combo against airborne opponents, especially after a jump kick, as Hydro Boost often cannot combo against airborne opponents in the same way Geyser Kick can. Learning to antiair reactively with Geyser Palm (instead of preemptively) is a crucial skill for all Rains. The air coverage synergizes excellently with his spacing and fireball game, and the ability to instantly turn an enemy jump-in into a potential corner situation cannot be underestimated. Preemptively, it should only be used against dangerous instant-air options like Robocop Air Charge.

Water Ball (BF2)

File:Mk11 rain wball.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	5.00 / 1.62 / 0.0016	High	17	-	-
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	37	21	-16	-16	Replaces Katar Toss
	Rain fires a ball of water at the enemy, knocking them down. When amplified, the ball captures the enemy and allows Rain to sling them in the direction of his choice. Possibly the best combo special in the game by itself as it gives solid damage, works against both grounded and aerial enemies, starts combos at any distance, and automatically confirms. The up throw will allow Rain to get a D2 off most grounded confirms (as always, B3 is the hardest for this), while the downward throw is easier to follow up. At maximum range, the back throw will let Rain continue the combo with 242, or he can do an up throw to fish for the Argus Plunge KB. Midscreen, Rain can get tremendous reward by playing slippery and fishing for mid-ranged Water Balls. The back throw gives an absurdly plus restand, giving him a free approach at all but the greatest distance. The restand is so plus that it can actually be very difficult to properly time a throw - at point blank, Rain can do a full neutral jump and the throw can still whiff! Consider tick throwing the enemy instead. Water Ball costs two kustom move slots, and it replaces Katar Toss. Considering other kustoms like Tidal Wave and Hydro Boost that give superb versatility for only one slot, Water Ball is very slot-inefficient in comparison. Sacrificing Katar Toss means greatly reducing Rain's safety and direct space control (though its on-hit reward is obviously much greater) - if he does not have Hydro Boost or Hydroplane in the remaining slot, Rain will entirely lack a special to catch counterpokes. The forward throw restand would be enough to guarantee an amplified Purple Pain - if he could equip both at the same time.

File:Mk11 rain wball.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	5.95 / - / -	-	13	-	-
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	60	-	-	1 offensive meter
	Rain fires a ball of water at the enemy, knocking them down. When amplified, the ball captures the enemy and allows Rain to sling them in the direction of his choice. Possibly the best combo special in the game by itself as it gives solid damage, works against both grounded and aerial enemies, starts combos at any distance, and automatically confirms. The up throw will allow Rain to get a D2 off most grounded confirms (as always, B3 is the hardest for this), while the downward throw is easier to follow up. At maximum range, the back throw will let Rain continue the combo with 242, or he can do an up throw to fish for the Argus Plunge KB. Midscreen, Rain can get tremendous reward by playing slippery and fishing for mid-ranged Water Balls. The back throw gives an absurdly plus restand, giving him a free approach at all but the greatest distance. The restand is so plus that it can actually be very difficult to properly time a throw - at point blank, Rain can do a full neutral jump and the throw can still whiff! Consider tick throwing the enemy instead. Water Ball costs two kustom move slots, and it replaces Katar Toss. Considering other kustoms like Tidal Wave and Hydro Boost that give superb versatility for only one slot, Water Ball is very slot-inefficient in comparison. Sacrificing Katar Toss means greatly reducing Rain's safety and direct space control (though its on-hit reward is obviously much greater) - if he does not have Hydro Boost or Hydroplane in the remaining slot, Rain will entirely lack a special to catch counterpokes. The forward throw restand would be enough to guarantee an amplified Purple Pain - if he could equip both at the same time.

File:Mk11 rain wball.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	5.95 / - / -	-	13	-	-
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	67	-	-	1 offensive meter
	Rain fires a ball of water at the enemy, knocking them down. When amplified, the ball captures the enemy and allows Rain to sling them in the direction of his choice. Possibly the best combo special in the game by itself as it gives solid damage, works against both grounded and aerial enemies, starts combos at any distance, and automatically confirms. The up throw will allow Rain to get a D2 off most grounded confirms (as always, B3 is the hardest for this), while the downward throw is easier to follow up. At maximum range, the back throw will let Rain continue the combo with 242, or he can do an up throw to fish for the Argus Plunge KB. Midscreen, Rain can get tremendous reward by playing slippery and fishing for mid-ranged Water Balls. The back throw gives an absurdly plus restand, giving him a free approach at all but the greatest distance. The restand is so plus that it can actually be very difficult to properly time a throw - at point blank, Rain can do a full neutral jump and the throw can still whiff! Consider tick throwing the enemy instead. Water Ball costs two kustom move slots, and it replaces Katar Toss. Considering other kustoms like Tidal Wave and Hydro Boost that give superb versatility for only one slot, Water Ball is very slot-inefficient in comparison. Sacrificing Katar Toss means greatly reducing Rain's safety and direct space control (though its on-hit reward is obviously much greater) - if he does not have Hydro Boost or Hydroplane in the remaining slot, Rain will entirely lack a special to catch counterpokes. The forward throw restand would be enough to guarantee an amplified Purple Pain - if he could equip both at the same time.

File:Mk11 rain wball.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	5.95 / - / -	-	13	-	-
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	84	-	-	1 offensive meter
	Rain fires a ball of water at the enemy, knocking them down. When amplified, the ball captures the enemy and allows Rain to sling them in the direction of his choice. Possibly the best combo special in the game by itself as it gives solid damage, works against both grounded and aerial enemies, starts combos at any distance, and automatically confirms. The up throw will allow Rain to get a D2 off most grounded confirms (as always, B3 is the hardest for this), while the downward throw is easier to follow up. At maximum range, the back throw will let Rain continue the combo with 242, or he can do an up throw to fish for the Argus Plunge KB. Midscreen, Rain can get tremendous reward by playing slippery and fishing for mid-ranged Water Balls. The back throw gives an absurdly plus restand, giving him a free approach at all but the greatest distance. The restand is so plus that it can actually be very difficult to properly time a throw - at point blank, Rain can do a full neutral jump and the throw can still whiff! Consider tick throwing the enemy instead. Water Ball costs two kustom move slots, and it replaces Katar Toss. Considering other kustoms like Tidal Wave and Hydro Boost that give superb versatility for only one slot, Water Ball is very slot-inefficient in comparison. Sacrificing Katar Toss means greatly reducing Rain's safety and direct space control (though its on-hit reward is obviously much greater) - if he does not have Hydro Boost or Hydroplane in the remaining slot, Rain will entirely lack a special to catch counterpokes. The forward throw restand would be enough to guarantee an amplified Purple Pain - if he could equip both at the same time.

File:Mk11 rain wball.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	5.95 / - / -	-	13	-	-
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	69	-	-	1 offensive meter
	Rain fires a ball of water at the enemy, knocking them down. When amplified, the ball captures the enemy and allows Rain to sling them in the direction of his choice. Possibly the best combo special in the game by itself as it gives solid damage, works against both grounded and aerial enemies, starts combos at any distance, and automatically confirms. The up throw will allow Rain to get a D2 off most grounded confirms (as always, B3 is the hardest for this), while the downward throw is easier to follow up. At maximum range, the back throw will let Rain continue the combo with 242, or he can do an up throw to fish for the Argus Plunge KB. Midscreen, Rain can get tremendous reward by playing slippery and fishing for mid-ranged Water Balls. The back throw gives an absurdly plus restand, giving him a free approach at all but the greatest distance. The restand is so plus that it can actually be very difficult to properly time a throw - at point blank, Rain can do a full neutral jump and the throw can still whiff! Consider tick throwing the enemy instead. Water Ball costs two kustom move slots, and it replaces Katar Toss. Considering other kustoms like Tidal Wave and Hydro Boost that give superb versatility for only one slot, Water Ball is very slot-inefficient in comparison. Sacrificing Katar Toss means greatly reducing Rain's safety and direct space control (though its on-hit reward is obviously much greater) - if he does not have Hydro Boost or Hydroplane in the remaining slot, Rain will entirely lack a special to catch counterpokes. The forward throw restand would be enough to guarantee an amplified Purple Pain - if he could equip both at the same time.

File:Mk11 rain wball.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	5.95 / - / -	-	13	-	-
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	53	-	-	1 offensive meter
	Rain fires a ball of water at the enemy, knocking them down. When amplified, the ball captures the enemy and allows Rain to sling them in the direction of his choice. Possibly the best combo special in the game by itself as it gives solid damage, works against both grounded and aerial enemies, starts combos at any distance, and automatically confirms. The up throw will allow Rain to get a D2 off most grounded confirms (as always, B3 is the hardest for this), while the downward throw is easier to follow up. At maximum range, the back throw will let Rain continue the combo with 242, or he can do an up throw to fish for the Argus Plunge KB. Midscreen, Rain can get tremendous reward by playing slippery and fishing for mid-ranged Water Balls. The back throw gives an absurdly plus restand, giving him a free approach at all but the greatest distance. The restand is so plus that it can actually be very difficult to properly time a throw - at point blank, Rain can do a full neutral jump and the throw can still whiff! Consider tick throwing the enemy instead. Water Ball costs two kustom move slots, and it replaces Katar Toss. Considering other kustoms like Tidal Wave and Hydro Boost that give superb versatility for only one slot, Water Ball is very slot-inefficient in comparison. Sacrificing Katar Toss means greatly reducing Rain's safety and direct space control (though its on-hit reward is obviously much greater) - if he does not have Hydro Boost or Hydroplane in the remaining slot, Rain will entirely lack a special to catch counterpokes. The forward throw restand would be enough to guarantee an amplified Purple Pain - if he could equip both at the same time.

Purple Pain (DB2)

File:Mk11 rain ppain.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	5.00 / 1.62 / 0.0016	Mid	77	6	-26
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	15	61	52	52	-
	Rain summons a little cloud that strikes with a bolt of lightning after a delay. If Rain gets hit, the cloud vanishes. Does not allow for links. The amplified version comes out quicker, summons three bolts, and bounces the enemy for a combo. Probably the weakest move in Rain's kustom arsenal. Slow speed, difficulty to apply, and inability to combo leave much to be desired. Setups require a substantial chunk of the combo to be compromised - for minimal reward, as Rain cannot combo off it. Dead zone in front of Rain also makes it prone to whiff in the corner, especially when done after advancing normals. The amplified version partially remedies some of these issues, but exacerbates others - the advancing motion of the amplified cloud makes it even harder to apply in the corner, and the substantial pushback on block will largely negate the threat that Rain is allowed to apply. SHP will whiff entirely, and SHK will land after the third hit, rendering it no safer. Negative recovery means that Rain recovers before the attack becomes active, while the startup is the time between the beginning of the startup to first active frame. Rain is held in place for ~55 frames for the regular version, and ~60 frames for the amplified version.

File:Mk11 rain ppain.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	8.56/ 2.67 / 0.0014	Mid	41	46	-38
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	116	67	67	1 offensive meter
	Rain summons a little cloud that strikes with a bolt of lightning after a delay. If Rain gets hit, the cloud vanishes. Does not allow for links. The amplified version comes out quicker, summons three bolts, and bounces the enemy for a combo. Probably the weakest move in Rain's kustom arsenal. Slow speed, difficulty to apply, and inability to combo leave much to be desired. Setups require a substantial chunk of the combo to be compromised - for minimal reward, as Rain cannot combo off it. Dead zone in front of Rain also makes it prone to whiff in the corner, especially when done after advancing normals. The amplified version partially remedies some of these issues, but exacerbates others - the advancing motion of the amplified cloud makes it even harder to apply in the corner, and the substantial pushback on block will largely negate the threat that Rain is allowed to apply. SHP will whiff entirely, and SHK will land after the third hit, rendering it no safer. Negative recovery means that Rain recovers before the attack becomes active, while the startup is the time between the beginning of the startup to first active frame. Rain is held in place for ~55 frames for the regular version, and ~60 frames for the amplified version.

Edenian Force

File:Mk11 rain aplungeair.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	7.00 / 1.25 / 0.0012	Mid	13	25	40
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	47	10	-34	-34	-
	Edenian Force allows Rain to perform Argus Plunge, Evaporate, and Quantum Slice while in the air. Air Argus Plunge is mostly used for escapes and air-to-airs. Despite its longer recovery than the grounded Argus Plunge the distance created is enormous - starting from point blank range, a single air Argus Plunge will put the two fighters at maximum distance. Prepared enemies can punish this, but it is generally completely safe to continue using until they have shown this capacity. Great for escaping the corner (like a cowardcopter), though it will be blocked if done too low to the ground. Amplified Hydro Boost will allow Rain to turn a blocked normal into an instant fullscreen distance for zoning, spacing, and hit-and run. Whiffed J1 and J2 can be cancelled into Air Argus Plunge, but only when buffered.

File:Mk11 rain evaporateair.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	- / - / -	-	6	21-118	18
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	-	-	-	-
	Rain evaporates in midair, dropping to the ground, after which a regular Evaporate will resume. Slightly less recovery once on the ground, but with longer minimum active frames, resulting in an Evaporate that has an even longer minimum time. Not a good choice for baiting and punishing antiairs - Rain simply recovers too slowly to punish the whiffed antiair, and many antiairs are active and big enough to catch Rain during the startup of the evaporate.

File:Mk11 rain qsliceah.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	8.00 / 2.00 / 0.0018	Mid	10	13	49
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	25	-7	-34	-34	Requires Edenian Force
	Rain rushes through the air, slashing with the energy wave as he travels. Neutral input will have Rain fly horizontally forward, while holding down will give a diving slice that grounds him. On both block and whiff, Rain can amplify the horizontal slash to follow up with either another horizontal slash or a diving slash, and he can amplify the diving slash to follow up with a grounded Quantum Slice amplify. Air Quantum Slice is a radically different move from its grounded version, transforming from a space controlling projectile into a chainable diving slash. Brilliant for approaches, anti-zoning, air-to-airs, and evasion. The versatility of the amplify cannot be understated - yolo dives can be made safe, escapes can be cancelled to catch punish attempts, he can play "floor is lava" to avoid a ground setup, he can zip around in the air while being able to choose when to turn it into a safe approach, the possibilities are numerous. With Quantum Rift equipped, he can even threaten a KB from any aerial position. While Air Quantum Slice doesn't give him the pressure and devastating damage of the other top-tier air specials, it's still a great choice that brings his superlative ground mobility into the air. If the diving slice switches side, the followup ground amplify will cause less pushback. Rain will still be safe at -5.

File:Mk11 rain qslicead.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	8.00 / 2.00 / 0.0020	Mid	11	12	35
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	29	6	-21	-21	Requires Edenian Force
	Rain rushes through the air, slashing with the energy wave as he travels. Neutral input will have Rain fly horizontally forward, while holding down will give a diving slice that grounds him. On both block and whiff, Rain can amplify the horizontal slash to follow up with either another horizontal slash or a diving slash, and he can amplify the diving slash to follow up with a grounded Quantum Slice amplify. Air Quantum Slice is a radically different move from its grounded version, transforming from a space controlling projectile into a chainable diving slash. Brilliant for approaches, anti-zoning, air-to-airs, and evasion. The versatility of the amplify cannot be understated - yolo dives can be made safe, escapes can be cancelled to catch punish attempts, he can play "floor is lava" to avoid a ground setup, he can zip around in the air while being able to choose when to turn it into a safe approach, the possibilities are numerous. With Quantum Rift equipped, he can even threaten a KB from any aerial position. While Air Quantum Slice doesn't give him the pressure and devastating damage of the other top-tier air specials, it's still a great choice that brings his superlative ground mobility into the air. If the diving slice switches side, the followup ground amplify will cause less pushback. Rain will still be safe at -5.

Quantum Slice (BF3)

File:Mk11 rain qslice.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	8.00 / 2.00 / 0.0020	High	24	6	32
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	40	22	-11	-16	Replaces Argus Plunge
	Krushing Blow: Activates on the AMPLIFIED version if Quantum Rift has absorbed two projectiles. Rain steps forward and strikes with a massive, upward angled energy slash. The Amplified version sends a followup mid slash that inflicts tremendous pushback and puts Rain at -5. While Quantum Slice is generally overshadowed by its air version, do not underestimate the ground version - it boasts remarkable horizontal and vertical coverage, surprising safety, and is excellent for ending blockstrings for the best chip damage and distance. The amplify mid slash appears to have slightly lower range than the first slash, whiffing on both block and hit when done at maximum range, so when using Quantum Slice as a spacing tool instead of a blockstring ender Rain is less incentivized to always spend meter. Excellent at stuffing out enemies who love jumping on wakeup, while staying out of U3 range. While the KB gives superb damage on both grounded and air Quantum Slice, the extreme slot cost of Quantum Slice + Edenian Force + Quantum Rift on top of the one-time nature of KBs makes it an expensive proposition. Quantum Rift does synergize decently well with Quantum Slice outside of the KB, but if the enemy is not a heavy zoner Rain should consider a different move to use in the third slot. The decision to replace Argus Plunge is not done lightly - without Argus Plunge, Rain loses much of his ability to continually drive the enemy into the corner. Equipping Quantum Slice means that the Rain must instead focus on contesting (and ceding) midscreen space, both in the air and on the ground. Classified as an unparryable projectile - projectile immune states will ignore it, but projectile parries will fail.

File:Mk11 rain qsliceamp.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	6.00 / 1.75 (2.00 when done from the air) / 0.0018	Mid	11	6	36
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	28	-5	-15	-
	Krushing Blow: Activates on the AMPLIFIED version if Quantum Rift has absorbed two projectiles. Rain steps forward and strikes with a massive, upward angled energy slash. The Amplified version sends a followup mid slash that inflicts tremendous pushback and puts Rain at -5. While Quantum Slice is generally overshadowed by its air version, do not underestimate the ground version - it boasts remarkable horizontal and vertical coverage, surprising safety, and is excellent for ending blockstrings for the best chip damage and distance. The amplify mid slash appears to have slightly lower range than the first slash, whiffing on both block and hit when done at maximum range, so when using Quantum Slice as a spacing tool instead of a blockstring ender Rain is less incentivized to always spend meter. Excellent at stuffing out enemies who love jumping on wakeup, while staying out of U3 range. While the KB gives superb damage on both grounded and air Quantum Slice, the extreme slot cost of Quantum Slice + Edenian Force + Quantum Rift on top of the one-time nature of KBs makes it an expensive proposition. Quantum Rift does synergize decently well with Quantum Slice outside of the KB, but if the enemy is not a heavy zoner Rain should consider a different move to use in the third slot. The decision to replace Argus Plunge is not done lightly - without Argus Plunge, Rain loses much of his ability to continually drive the enemy into the corner. Equipping Quantum Slice means that the Rain must instead focus on contesting (and ceding) midscreen space, both in the air and on the ground. Classified as an unparryable projectile - projectile immune states will ignore it, but projectile parries will fail.

File:Mk11 rain qsliceah.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	8.00 / 2.00 / 0.0018	Mid	10	13	49
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	25	-7	-34	-34	Requires Edenian Force
	Rain rushes through the air, slashing with the energy wave as he travels. Neutral input will have Rain fly horizontally forward, while holding down will give a diving slice that grounds him. On both block and whiff, Rain can amplify the horizontal slash to follow up with either another horizontal slash or a diving slash, and he can amplify the diving slash to follow up with a grounded Quantum Slice amplify. Air Quantum Slice is a radically different move from its grounded version, transforming from a space controlling projectile into a chainable diving slash. Brilliant for approaches, anti-zoning, air-to-airs, and evasion. The versatility of the amplify cannot be understated - yolo dives can be made safe, escapes can be cancelled to catch punish attempts, he can play "floor is lava" to avoid a ground setup, he can zip around in the air while being able to choose when to turn it into a safe approach, the possibilities are numerous. With Quantum Rift equipped, he can even threaten a KB from any aerial position. While Air Quantum Slice doesn't give him the pressure and devastating damage of the other top-tier air specials, it's still a great choice that brings his superlative ground mobility into the air. If the diving slice switches side, the followup ground amplify will cause less pushback. Rain will still be safe at -5.

File:Mk11 rain qslicead.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	8.00 / 2.00 / 0.0020	Mid	11	12	35
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	29	6	-21	-21	Requires Edenian Force
	Rain rushes through the air, slashing with the energy wave as he travels. Neutral input will have Rain fly horizontally forward, while holding down will give a diving slice that grounds him. On both block and whiff, Rain can amplify the horizontal slash to follow up with either another horizontal slash or a diving slash, and he can amplify the diving slash to follow up with a grounded Quantum Slice amplify. Air Quantum Slice is a radically different move from its grounded version, transforming from a space controlling projectile into a chainable diving slash. Brilliant for approaches, anti-zoning, air-to-airs, and evasion. The versatility of the amplify cannot be understated - yolo dives can be made safe, escapes can be cancelled to catch punish attempts, he can play "floor is lava" to avoid a ground setup, he can zip around in the air while being able to choose when to turn it into a safe approach, the possibilities are numerous. With Quantum Rift equipped, he can even threaten a KB from any aerial position. While Air Quantum Slice doesn't give him the pressure and devastating damage of the other top-tier air specials, it's still a great choice that brings his superlative ground mobility into the air. If the diving slice switches side, the followup ground amplify will cause less pushback. Rain will still be safe at -5.

Hydroplane (DB3)

File:Mk11 rain hplane.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	7.00 (24.00) / 1.88 / 0.0019	Mid	24	6	28
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	16	14	-16	-21	-
	Krushing Blow: Activates when HELD for a bit before striking. Rain slides backwards, avoiding attacks, and then jets forward with a palm strike. Hold 3 to stay in the backwards position and delay the attack, and press DD while holding to cancel. Amplify before the strike to increase the damage, pushback on block, and knockdown length. The immediate cancel is the move's most common usage by far, giving Rain a command backdash that can be special cancelled into. This allows him to instantly any blocked normal into an exceptionally favorable spacing situation, placing him right in the ideal range for further escape or a forward dash strike-throw 50/50. Outside of immediate cancels, Hydroplane is excellent for both whiff punishing and baiting attempted whiff punishes, giving less reward than a full combo but landing much more reliably. Also a solid oki tool - backdash and hold on knockdown, strike if they do a wakeup attack or a forward getup roll, and cancel if they do anything else. Certain strings and setups can be specifically punished by Hydroplane but it requires solid awareness, and most of those situations can already be punished by Flawless Block (albeit with more resources spent). Can catch immediate counterpokes when cancelled from a crouching poke, but amplified Katar Toss is generally a safer option while amplified Hydro Boost will give more reward. Keep in mind that this move is not the safest option - the immediate cancel can be punished on block, and the amplified version is still punishable by most characters when ready. Keep the enemy guessing between cancels and striking with it on block to be harder to punish.

File:Mk11 rain hplanec.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	- / - / -	-	17	-	20
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	-	-	-	1 defensive meter
	Krushing Blow: Activates when HELD for a bit before striking. Rain slides backwards, avoiding attacks, and then jets forward with a palm strike. Hold 3 to stay in the backwards position and delay the attack, and press DD while holding to cancel. Amplify before the strike to increase the damage, pushback on block, and knockdown length. The immediate cancel is the move's most common usage by far, giving Rain a command backdash that can be special cancelled into. This allows him to instantly any blocked normal into an exceptionally favorable spacing situation, placing him right in the ideal range for further escape or a forward dash strike-throw 50/50. Outside of immediate cancels, Hydroplane is excellent for both whiff punishing and baiting attempted whiff punishes, giving less reward than a full combo but landing much more reliably. Also a solid oki tool - backdash and hold on knockdown, strike if they do a wakeup attack or a forward getup roll, and cancel if they do anything else. Certain strings and setups can be specifically punished by Hydroplane but it requires solid awareness, and most of those situations can already be punished by Flawless Block (albeit with more resources spent). Can catch immediate counterpokes when cancelled from a crouching poke, but amplified Katar Toss is generally a safer option while amplified Hydro Boost will give more reward. Keep in mind that this move is not the safest option - the immediate cancel can be punished on block, and the amplified version is still punishable by most characters when ready. Keep the enemy guessing between cancels and striking with it on block to be harder to punish.

File:Mk11 rain hplaneamp.png
	Damage	Guard	Startup	Active	Recovery
	12.00 / 2.50 / 0.0025	Mid	9	8	27
	Cancel	Hit Adv.	Block Adv.	F/Block Adv.	Cost
	-	30	-16	-21	1 offensive meter
	Krushing Blow: Activates when HELD for a bit before striking. Rain slides backwards, avoiding attacks, and then jets forward with a palm strike. Hold 3 to stay in the backwards position and delay the attack, and press DD while holding to cancel. Amplify before the strike to increase the damage, pushback on block, and knockdown length. The immediate cancel is the move's most common usage by far, giving Rain a command backdash that can be special cancelled into. This allows him to instantly any blocked normal into an exceptionally favorable spacing situation, placing him right in the ideal range for further escape or a forward dash strike-throw 50/50. Outside of immediate cancels, Hydroplane is excellent for both whiff punishing and baiting attempted whiff punishes, giving less reward than a full combo but landing much more reliably. Also a solid oki tool - backdash and hold on knockdown, strike if they do a wakeup attack or a forward getup roll, and cancel if they do anything else. Certain strings and setups can be specifically punished by Hydroplane but it requires solid awareness, and most of those situations can already be punished by Flawless Block (albeit with more resources spent). Can catch immediate counterpokes when cancelled from a crouching poke, but amplified Katar Toss is generally a safer option while amplified Hydro Boost will give more reward. Keep in mind that this move is not the safest option - the immediate cancel can be punished on block, and the amplified version is still punishable by most characters when ready. Keep the enemy guessing between cancels and striking with it on block to be harder to punish.