King is arguably a Top 10 when it comes to punishment. He has solid punishers. Standing, while-standing, whiff, you name it. Here is the list with the breakdown.
1. Standing
i10 punisher
When it comes to a 10-frame punisher, King can only do jab strings, or a grabs if necessary. King's best option is 2,1. It's a 2-hitting natural combo jab string with a 25 damage and +7 ON HIT. Yep, it is. What can you do with a +7? Well, you can obviously buffer any throw after that with no worries of getting interrupted. Still, they can break it or even duck and launches you. But if they have the balls to do it, then you could go for some fast mids like DF1, DF2, or another jab, and you're free from any interruption. Note that on block, 2,1 is only -1. You're definitely at disadvantage. But with only -1, you could go for some stuff like sidesteps their attacks, try to interrupt them, or maybe go for some setups. Also, the 2,1 range is surprisingly decent for a jab punisher. But 1,2 or F+1,2 is actually has a better reach for a jab punisher, though with lesser damage and lesser plus-frames.
- Alternative 10-frame punisher for King is a buffered Giant Swing. If you have the execution, matchup knowledge, and sharp awareness, you could buffer them while blocking an attack. It's not really ideal because you could mess up by landing another move if you didn't buffer it correctly, and they can obviously break it with 1 if they're ready. Hell, they can even interrupt it or duck it if you didn't buffer it perfectly. But when it connects, you're basically landing the most damaging i10 punisher in the game. Imagine eating a 45-85 damage because you are being -10 on block. Yep, disgusting.
- Note that a dickjab (D+1) can also be counted as an i10 punisher.
i11 punisher
The only 11-frame punisher King could ever pull off is a buffered grabs mixup. Though you can just 1,2 or 2,1 them for the safest option. There are three command grabs that comes out at 11 frames and can be buffered while blocking an attack. It's a:
- Piledriver (QCF+1) which break is 1 with its mixup follow-up and its specific breaks,
- Tombstone Piledriver (DB,F+2+4) which break is 2,
- and Muscle Buster (QCB+1+2) which break is 1+2.
All of them can be used as an ultimate 11-frame punisher if necessary because it's quite damaging. And not only that, due to every single one of them has an oki, you can apply another pressure or even setups. Note that all of them can be broken with their respective breaks. Though they can't duck or interrupt it whatsoever if the grabs buffered perfectly and correctly.
- Also, note that Giant Swing comes out at 10 frames and can be used as an 11-frame punisher as well.
i12 to i13 punisher
All command grabs or even generics are available to land if they're at -12 or -13. But there's one best option that King can pull off. And it's not 2,1. It's B+1,2. What is it? It's a 2-hitting natural combo string with a 33 damage and +5 on hit. As an i12 punisher, it has big damage and a decent plus frame after it hits. Sure, they can interrupt some of King's stuff after it, or even sidesteps it. But when they do, some safe tracking mids like DF+1 and DF+2 would absolutely hit them. If they respect you, you could just buffer grabs out of it and turns it into a mixup game all again. Not only that, B+1,2 is arguably the best i12 punisher in the game when it comes to range. You could punish something that has some pushback with it. Such as Paul's Deathfist, or Marduk's FF+3,2. Even Heihachi's FF+2 could also be punished at a certain specific angle.
- Note that B+1,2 is a double high-hitting string and -13 on block. Also, there's some specific situation where you couldn't use it as a punisher like when Bears use a certain string into Hunting stance which some of it are -13 on block but their position crushes high. The alternative way for it is using DF+2 because it's the only i13 mid attack that King has.
i14 punisher
Outside of grabs and every option above, King has two best options of i14 punisher. It's either DF+1,2 or B+2,1. Each of them has its ups and downs. Here's the breakdown of it.
- First, DF+1,2. It's a double mid-hitting natural combo string that obviously comes out at 14 frames. It has a decent range, a 30 damage, and +5 on hit. With +5, everything is just like B+1,2 when it comes to plus-frame situation. Though, it's only -10 on block. It's the best choice if the punishable moves have a high crush on block like Devil Jin's Rage Drive. Also, this move is an elbow which means, some parry or reversal setups won't work unless it's Leroy, Jin, Geese, or Heihachi (CMIIW).
- Second, B+2,1. It's a double high-hitting natural combo string that comes out at 14 frames, has a slightly better range than DF+1,2, a 37 damage, and knockdown on hit, which is also wall-splat if the opponent hits the wall. It's safe, but the second attack can be ducked if the first one is blocked, and vice versa. Because it knocks down the opponent, you could apply pressure or setups after it hits. And when the opponent hits the wall, you can definitely add more damage by doing a wall combo, etc.
i15 punisher
At this point, there's an option for King to punish the opponent with a launcher. That's UF+4 for you, the iconic Hopknee. It's a mid launcher that comes out at 15 frames and -13 on block. It also has a decent range and can be used as a whiff punisher occasionally.
- Note that it's a knee attack. This also means some parry or reversal setups won't work unless it's Leroy, Jin, Geese, or Heihachi (CMIIW). It's also a good punisher for Xiaoyu's Cali-roll launcher.
If there's a wall and your opponent do a mistake that costs them -15 on block, you can use F+2,1, the stolen Armor King's trademark string. It's a long-range 2-hitting natural combo string with a 37 damage, knockdown on hit, and a wall-splat. Well, hopknee also has wall-splat property, but it's obvious that F+2,1 is a better choice due to damage and range. Also, you can apply pressure and setups after it knocks down the opponents because of its FDFA (Face Down Feet Away) position where they can't tech-roll whatsoever. And when it hits the wall, just do some wall combos for optimal damage. Last, but not least, F+2,1 is arguably the best whiff punisher King ever has due to its long-range. It could even easily punish Heihachi's FF+2. However, this is a mid, high attack which means the second attack can be ducked if the first one is blocked.
- Also, note that the first hit of this move is an elbow. So, it pretty much like DF+1 or hopknee.
- FYI, F+3:1+2 can also be counted as an i15 punisher, though it's not really effective as a punisher.
i16 and above
At 16 frames and above, there are several options like B+3:1+2, B+4, 1+2 strings, and even Atlas Hammer (D+1+2). Most of the mentioned moves didn't really work as a proper on-block punisher because of its slow startup and there are obviously better options like i15 and below. Some lows like D+3, D+4, and D+3+4 could also be counted as a punisher. Though, it's ultimately ineffective, except for some kind of 'Last Effort' whiff punisher.