How to actually get in with Lex?

[legend550]

So Im wondering if any good lex luthor players would share how they actually get in to start combo's. I know this sounds like a noob question, but where im coming from is that 112 missing on crouching opponents and b 13 seems so slow to come out it gets stuffed all the time. Anyone care to help a person trying to learn the least played character?

 

[regulas]

Get a knockdown, such as with corp charge, then trait cancel forward and start any 50/50 combo starter. You can also try laying out probes or other tech but I find armour is a more reliable method. That being said I havn't really played lex in awhile .

 

[legend550]

Ok so im really must be noob to this game what do you mean by trait cancel?

 

[regulas]

Ok so im really must be noob to this game what do you mean by trait cancel?

Press your trait and hold (4) and then immediately dash while still holding trait. It causes you to cancel the trait (so you're not stuck standing around) but still charges it giving you armor, and since you're dashing forward you will be right on top of your opponent.

You now have armour in the perfect position to start a combo, since if they do anything but block your armor will absorb their hit while they get hit, and if they block it's a 50/50 chance they get hit anyway.

Won't work on everything but for a basic tactic for starting combo's it's ok.

 

[legend550]

OMG my world has been blown. This is amazing. Before i would get knockdown then armor but get nothing out of it

 

[whedgehead]

also ji2 can be a good way to get to damage, as its mega positive on block so when you land you can go for a 50/50 somewhat safely (although a better bet is to b2u3 (hit confirmed into d3) or 22(d1/b3) as both of those options are pretty safe)

EDIT: I should also mention that b2u3d3 is a hard knockdown and 22d1 linked into Corp Charge also results in a hard knockdown both giving you time to trait dash cancel. Also you can dash cancel the trait with either a forward dash or a backdash

 

[Wemfs]

TYM, where worlds and minds get blown.

 

[Nonameformedude]

Lex has some nice frame traps, and since hes huge people dont expect quick hits. Whenever you get into footsie game and start checking kids with d1 pay attention to whats going on. If a d1 hits its time for your 50/50, follow up with a f2 starter or a b13. On hit you can continue the combo like the billionaire baldy you are, but on block things get a little unsafe because lex can get a little negative(its kool, you have options). If b13 gets blocked you can cancel into your trait, then cancel your trait into a backdash to reposition or dash forward to mix em up again. f2 on block is more tricky because you cant cancel into trait safely, but you can cancel into a lance blast to get some push back and keep them in block stun. Remember when in that footsie battle its good to do about 2 d1's before you go into the starters to keep safe from reversals, but no more than 3 because then your just asking for someone to f3(mb)you for a high damaging combo(though its best to judge how many based on the opponent and instinct). This isnt full proof, but its a great way to get started with the straight dirty set up game that is Lex.

Also it is very VERY important that you abuse the things that lex can do. You should never do nothing after a corpse charge as its a free probe/mine/trait cancel. Your trait is so very important so use it whenever its up(taking away 100% of the damage from an interactable then punishing your opponent for using it is game changing). Remember that Lex can frustrate and upset rushdown with wake up corpse charge-probe-close mine-orbital strike, also this gives you time in game to think.

 

[legend550]

How do people feel about the topic i believe in the main thread about characters that are not tournament viable and lex is one of them. Do you feel that Lex's traps and setups are enough to put him in contention for say a top 8 apperance?

 

[legend550]

I only ask this question cause i love lex but i got a tournament ive been getting ready for and feel like a need a pocket character just in case lex doesnt cut it. Ive been looking at a simple doomsday in my pocket

 

[Nonameformedude]

If you are really looking for a "pocket character" that will be able to play their game no matter the match up then pick Killer Frost, Batgirl, or Scorpion. Tbh in my opinion though if you are good enough to get top 8 then you can get it with lex.

 

[legend550]

i have a feeling that scorpion is gonna get banned from most tournaments till he is fixed due to his blatent ignoring of the interactable system. Killer frost is just to dumb even for my tastes. I like broken characters but she.......she is on a whole nother level. I only ask just because ive read some other posts in this lex forum and they all seem to have this mental breakdown moment over lex as well.

 

[Tony at Home]

I'll add that I've had great luck using corp charge as a wakeup attack online. Other players tend to be very aggressive against Lex and from my experience, 9 out of 10 times I get a successful corp charge on wakeup for an easy trait.

 

[miloPKL]

theres no way lex is tournament viable. i played him at my local last month and i will again this saturday.

with lex personally i feel there is no 'getting in' there is only controlling space and footsies. lex can't simply get in. sure he has corp charge but its very risky for full punish on block. for me, the idea with lex is using all of his tools at the right moments and continually being mobile. not necessarily advancing, but with lex you simply CAN NOT stay in one place or you will get steamrolled. you must play intelligent and dance in and out of max range of your opponent and cause them to make mistakes and bad decisions.

that is my method. do not worry about getting in. it will happen if you play a smart spacing game.

however if you are facing a strong zoner - its pretty hard. walk and dash between projectiles, lex can dash between most projectiles in the game

 

[Wrenchfarm]

Lex is my boy, but I don't think you'll be taking the tournament scene by storm with him. He has crippling weaknesses that other characters don't have that simply limit him (slowest dash in the game, unable to dash between many common projectile moves, often runs into unavoidable intractable hits, ect.) Really hoping he gets some love in the Zod update.

 

[Tony at Home]

Has anyone tried using the probes to close the distance?

I've had a couple times where I've used an opportunity after dodging a projectile to get out a meter-burn probe. I generally get nailed during the cool down, but once the probes hit them I get two free dashes forward- in range to punish the next blocked range with a corps charge.

Maybe I'm being too impatient and should just walk/dash/block as many have suggested, but I'm thinking a health sacrifice to get probes out to help close distance may be offset by the meter-farming that accompanies the enemy zoner's barrage.

 

[regulas]

Lex's main problem is that he is too hectic. It's similar problem that Lobo has, basically you have to be constantly doing things without screwing up what you are doing in order to be fully viable. Theoretically like with Lobo you could dominate with Lex, but it's just not humanly viable (at least not anytime soon) Maybe in 2 years or so once people really master Lex he could be more tourny viable.

 

[BDMao88]

Lex is a zoner.

#rev0lver

 

[MashPotatoTower]

lol his trait Fing sux!!!! he hass no chance at all!

 

[regulas]

He could be a zoner if they gave his zoning some damage... and some not horrible frame data...

 

[Roko1985]

So Im wondering if any good lex luthor players would share how they actually get in to start combo's. I know this sounds like a noob question, but where im coming from is that 112 missing on crouching opponents and b 13 seems so slow to come out it gets stuffed all the time. Anyone care to help a person trying to learn the least played character?

J3! On hit d1~db2 MB into whatever combo or reset set up you want. Use f2. People are blocking low against him( at least what I have experienced).

 

[ShadowBeatz]

You guys are really underrating Lex.... I feel he is tournament viable. Does he have bad match-ups? Absolutely, but most characters do

I think this is just a case of Lex being so unique in regards to this game. He's not a pure rushdown character, he's not a zoner, he's not a counter zoner. He is all about set-ups and mind games; bending your opponent to your will and forcing them to move how you want them to. You need to be playing 2 or 3 moves ahead the entire game and that's what I LOVE about him. He's a strategist. You don't play for damage. It's all about positioning and set-ups.

Yes, he does have a big weakness against zoning, but I feel his biggest downfall is he's a character that requires thought in a game where most characters don't. When each characters' weaknesses start really being explored and this game isn't so braindead anymore, I feel we'll see Lex moving up to high-mid.


And as far as answering the question, he's got probes, he's got armor, he's got a jumping 3 with AMAZING range... he's got a few tools to get in This isn't MK where jumping will get you killed. Don't be afraid to jump from 3/4 distance and throw out that Axe. Make them respect it

 

[Vilén]

Lex is a hit-confirmable F2 and faster probe away from making people cry all day.

I won't say Lex will net you #1 but I think if you run drills like an animal against the zoners and top tier, I don't see this character keeping you from a respectable placing any time soon if you're on the level.

I'm sorry but I find this character to be completely underrated. He's not a secret top-tier but he's not a write off. I find RTSD Lex to be pretty fucking scary.

Fuck, if you get your gameplan right with RTSD in mind, you'll probably drown a lot of people in a puddle of their own character ignorance.

The problem here is that Lex reminds me a lot of Astaroth in SC. He just doesn't work right if your opponent isn't scared of ALL your options. That's the trick. Stuff like this made Astaroth a consistent A tier in SC because SC is nothing but mindgames and terror... but it's harder in Injustice because some characters just straight don't give a fuck about anything ever.

The game at this stage is less about mindgames and more about who can put the most dominant tools on the screen the fastest.

Will it be an uphill battle? Yeah. But fuck man, eventually more than three people are going to have to take a character that isn't top 10 to a tournament. The infinitymillionbillionjillionzillion Black Adams and Supermans is starting to get pathetic.

 

[miloPKL]

a lot of people think Lex is being slept on, or he is underrated. is lex a bad character? fuck no lex is an amazing character with great tools and unique fun strategy. im sure if someone wanted to dedicate their lives to grinding match ups and avoiding zoning and so on, they might maybe make top 8 if they are lucky. because sure, it takes effort to learn any character at a top level. but i think the effort to win with lex is HIGHLY disproportionate at the moment. i kinda feel like that isn't even up for debate - lex is slow and has slow everything [except Corp Charge] and to play successfully you need to run with that momentum and continually out guess your opponent. lex can not stand in one spot and zone like others, he can't apply pressure upon pressure like others, in fact... everything lex does, another character does better. the effort required to win with Lex vs BA? Supes? AM? Batman? Scorpion?

hell i mean cmon we've all seen the tier lists. lets see what top players think about lex. i presume these guys know more than me.

KT Smith - bottom 6
REO and Tom Brady - bottom 5
Pig of the Hut - bottom 4

do I take tier lists as gospel and masturbate over top tier players opinions? fuck no, but i do play lex, im no top player myself, but my experience has led me to believe this placings are accurate.

will we see lex develope without patches? i really really hope so. i love using the character. i do believe it could happen. i mean anything is possible. but i dont think it is likely without a patch. unless we have all overlooked something tech or gameplay that will raise him.

 

[Nermanater26]

You guys are really underrating Lex.... I feel he is tournament viable. Does he have bad match-ups? Absolutely, but most characters do

I think this is just a case of Lex being so unique in regards to this game. He's not a pure rushdown character, he's not a zoner, he's not a counter zoner. He is all about set-ups and mind games; bending your opponent to your will and forcing them to move how you want them to. You need to be playing 2 or 3 moves ahead the entire game and that's what I LOVE about him. He's a strategist. You don't play for damage. It's all about positioning and set-ups.

Yes, he does have a big weakness against zoning, but I feel his biggest downfall is he's a character that requires thought in a game where most characters don't. When each characters' weaknesses start really being explored and this game isn't so braindead anymore, I feel we'll see Lex moving up to high-mid.


And as far as answering the question, he's got probes, he's got armor, he's got a jumping 3 with AMAZING range... he's got a few tools to get in This isn't MK where jumping will get you killed. Don't be afraid to jump from 3/4 distance and throw out that Axe. Make them respect it

probes, mines, and orbital all take upwards of 75-100+ frames to actually come out. Half the cast has full range punishers or unblockables that will stuff him any time lex twitches from fullscreen. Its not just a matter of "some bad matchups" its a matter of no matchup to be had against quite a few characters. Mindless DS spammers aside, a moderately good controlled zoner will beat the best lex every time.
J.3 is easily the best air normal in game, and corp. charge is one of the best specials, but honestly those 2 will only get you so far against smart competitive scene players.
You say setup-up like your opponent is going to sit there sleeping for 4 actual seconds while you lay a mine, toss a probe, then orbital strike, only to have them jump away out of all three and keep you locked in block for the rest of the match with fast full screen projectiles.
If lex jumps, block. Wait for the blocked corp charge, and punish heavily. Everything else is a walk in the park for most characters.