To me from my not-quite-noob-but-in-no-way-pro perspective, it seems that x-rays you can easily combo into are superior to ones, that leave a big enough gap for blocking.

Comboing into an x-ray will make it unblockable but it will make the x-ray do less damage than if it was used without a combo. So you have a choice between high damage and a chance to miss or low damage with a guaranteed hit.

Of course it depends on the character. Certain characters' (like Sub-zero) x-ray doesn't have scaling damage.

Regardless it's almost always the better option to go for the x-ray in the combo. You'd get more damage over all from the combo + x-ray then just them by themselves.

I always launch my x-rays of a combo if possible, it just seems more effective to me.

I play Scorpion, whose X-ray is awesome because it's so easy to punish with it; it hits almost instantenously and can dodge any projectile.

" To me from my not-quite-noob-but-in-no-way-pro perspective, it seems that x-rays you can easily combo into are superior to ones, that leave a big enough gap for blocking.

Of cause combos can be broken with a breaker, but then your still left with a full meter.

So basically you not likely to whiff an x-ray if you get into the habit of using them in combos (I think).

I donno... perhaps someone better at the game can set me straight if I'm completely wrong about this.

This generalization isn't meant for grapple x-rays that are unblockable... but more x-rays like Liu Kang's for example.

"

I think X-rays are way to forgiving in implementation. If your invisible foot hit box which is larger then your foot model get clipped, you get pulled into an X-ray. Also unblockable x-rays are ridiculous, especial when characters with high hit counts are the ones shafted. You have to get at least a 2-3 hit combo in to get a high hit x-ray going otherwise its going to be blocked, while other characters can simply decide, oh hey i want you to lose 33% , and you can't do shit about it. Also grapple x-rayes have a very wide area of effect, while multi hit x-rays are piss easy to dodge.

I remember continuously blocking Noobs x-ray's, or trying to cancel it with getting an uppercut in, then i learned shit is unblockable and can't be canceled. I think x-ray's should be canceled by moves like upper cuts or grabs, if you can time an uppercut on scorpion's x-ray you should be reward not negated, or a sweep. I don't understand rewarding someone for simply hitting a win button. Scorpions probably a bad example since you can block, but i think you get the gist.

" I think X-rays are way to forgiving in implementation. If your invisible foot hit box which is larger then your foot model get clipped, you get pulled into an X-ray. Also unblockable x-rays are ridiculous, especial when characters with high hit counts are the ones shafted. You have to get at least a 2-3 hit combo in to get a high hit x-ray going otherwise its going to be blocked, while other characters can simply decide, oh hey i want you to lose 33% , and you can't do shit about it. Also grapple x-rayes have a very wide area of effect, while multi hit x-rays are piss easy to dodge.I remember continuously blocking Noobs x-ray's, or trying to cancel it with getting an uppercut in, then i learned shit is unblockable and can't be canceled. I think x-ray's should be canceled by moves like upper cuts or grabs, if you can time an uppercut on scorpion's x-ray you should be reward not negated, or a sweep. I don't understand rewarding someone for simply hitting a win button. Scorpions probably a bad example since you can block, but i think you get the gist. "

Also, I AM on the PS3 and do not have any of the "insta-fixes' that are available at this time. However, unless NRS insisted that Sub's XRay should not-scale and buffed him, then it should still be this way.

" @Ares42: The difference is high hit combos must be combod into otherwise any good player will block

" @Sackmanjones:
Sub-Zero's combo 2,1,4 is at 18%. His XRay is at 33%. The total expected outcome should then be 51% without scaling. The actual outcome is 48% all together. You might say that isn't that much compared to the expected total.

However, take his 2,2,Freeze. NJ1,dash,B+1,2~2,1,2 combo which is at 28% by itself. Combined with the 33% Xray, the expected outcome is a whopping 61%. The actual outcome is at 43%. "

If i combo into a X-Ray i always use as few hits as i can. But if i see a opening or i can bait the opponent into just eating the X-Ray without a setup i always try that.

" @Ares42: So are you saying that there is no difference between Scorpions X-ray and Sonia's from a stand still? Sonia's starts out similar to a normal combo move, which makes it as easy to block as a normal combo, compared to scorpions which can take advantage of any mistake? "