gibster13
A fan of fans
Full Boneshaper Guide for advanced and new players
In the Boneshaper variation, Shinnok becomes an extremely fundamentally sound character, who strives on space control and pressure. He works super well from 90% of the space on the screen. He has argued one of the best strings, lows and specials in the game that help his offensive or defence.
Shinnok is a pretty safe character because his main string, f41d2, is -5 on block and causes a ton of chip. His pokes are also very useful. Shinnok has a mediocre wakeup game with exhellsparks with a fast startup, low armour or fast mid armour.
From this it is clear Boneshaper is a very good character but his main flaw puts him lower in the tier list by far. HIs meterless damage is awful with hitting >20% everytime.
Strengths
-An insane d1 (6f) and d4 (mental range and special cancellable)
-Hellsparks (db2) are sooooo good. I can't stress this enough
-His bf1 is a very very good projectile dealing 8% (One of the highest non-ex in the game)
-F4 F4 F4 F4 F4
^This 7f starting low leads on to a safe string at -5 ending in an overhead strike (leads to gimmicks). This move is insane.
-His match ups are extremely even across the board but does lose some quite badly.
-Restands for days
-His backdash and run (mobility) is well above average
Weaknesses
-You are hated by everyone
-Meterless damage is soooo bad
-gets destroyed by some
Normals and Strings
F4 (f41,f41d2)- A beastly string (7f) and your go to in most situations, especially for punishes. Can be staggered to a degree but not just f4 by itself
B3- Overhead launcher at 18f but slightly punishable. Rumours it is reachable but I haven't seen anyone read to 18f before lol
F221+3- Perhaps his best string for a special cancellable restand that can be ended in different ways for fullscreen or pressure. Can combo from b3 with a slight run.
Pokes- D1 is 6f and pretty good (d1xxdb2 gimmicks) and d4 is insane
Specials
Db2 (hellsparks)- Imo, one of the best specials in the game (check hellsparks or zoning section)
Bf1-Fast high projectile with decent pushback on hit. Ex is a mid to catch people sleeping
Bf3- A fast mid shoulder charge for yolo wakeups. Ex is very useful on wakeup and catches people of guard
db3- Slow unblock able at 9% that is pretty useful for oki and making people jump
df2- Scoop/the mop is a low that is great for sideswitches and catching people sleeping (expecting a bf1). Ex is real good for the gimmick of f41xxExscoop (low) or f41d2 (oh)
The basics for Combos (most useful) (Just check combo thread if you want more swag)
Note to remember, you don't need swag
End the rest and in bf1 for pressure or hellsparks for fullscreen zoning
Meterless (cry cry cry cry)
-f41d2xxDb2 or df2 for side switch
-b3 rc f221+3xxbf1
(pretty much it lol…..dmg notations will come soon)
Metered
Now the fun begins…
-F41d2xxDb2 (ex last hit) dash instant jp1 f221+3xxBf1
-Exdf2 njp jp1 f221+3xxBf1
Corner
-f41d2xxdb2 (Ex first hit) nip f221+3xxBf1
^All you need !!!!
Hellsparks
These are soooo useful I can't even. Honestly study the fuck out of @cR WoundCowboy and his bone shaper. I can't put into words how good he is lol.
-The Ex (not on startup but as a confirm) are +14 on block that does a lot of chip as well as creates a guess (going to spend the meter for ex or not) (can delay the ex)
-Extremely hard to jump and only the luckiest people can
-Ex on startup is 7-8f and is very quick.
-Some characters have options to punish everytime but it is quite difficult.
-D4xxHellsparks is amazing for spacing but don't do it off every d4
Pressure
Although he has been nerfed a ton, he still withholds his decent pressure but he is more about mind games imo.
-F41d2xxHellsparks(ex first hit) loops into itself and is only escapable with armour
^Does a ton of chip and meter build is decent.
-Throwing the exdf2 doesn't hurt but don't think about it all the time
-WoundCowboy is the master of spacing the df2, copy and adapt if needed.
-Remeber how good f4 is
-Delaying the f4 string catches a lot of people for the unblock and expect the b3 overhead.
Zoning and Space control
His db2 and bf1 can keep a lot of characters out because they can't win the trade or even jump in. With this, it is possible to incorporate the unblockable to catch them sleeping. My big advice is not to throw them out all the time because you think you can, but to instead think smart.
Restand and what to do off it
As i have said before, f221+3 can be ended in bf1 for pressure. This is because you can, not for free, dash up f41d2 the opponent and continue pressure. This helps in a lot of match ups and is key to mastering Boneshaper. What I do is, on a read of armour, run in f4xxExdf2 which armour breaks and leads into another restand. This is decent stuff.
On the other one can end in hellsparks to zone and keep a full screen presence but its normally best to go into pressure.
Matchups
Shinnok number on the left side e.g. (Shinnok) X-X
I think Shinnok does pretty well overall but here we go
These are my opinions from experience and what I have seen, so if you disagree you're A) likely wrong B) Say what you think
Kung lao- I think bone shaper can handle each variation well 6-4
Jax- Similar to lao tbf but harder because of the 50/50 5-5
Sonya- Pretty hard in demolition because of the 50/50 game Possible 4-6
Kenshi- I have never had difficulty at all but being full screen against balanced is slightly hard 6-4
Kitana- Straight forward because she can't trade with him in projectiles but be careful of reflect 6-4
Scorpion- Quite hard because of his annoying tele but because of shinnoks footsies its not bad 5-5
Sub Zero- I find this really easy because f41 goes through clone so a lot of subs game is gone 7-3
Mileena- Horrible unless you get a bit of luck 3-7 (but not too hard)
Takeda- The hellsparks and bf1 really help but takeda (sr) has those hardtoblockables damn it 5-5
Cassie- He can zone her out really well but she has a vortex so one hit is all it takes 6-4
Jacqui- She can't get into his space to do her damage but when she is in its hard to escape 5-5
Kung jin- Not too bad but shaolin has a tool for everything damn it 5-5
Kano- He can be zoned so easily its funny but if cutthroats in, leave the room 6-4
JC- Hard. A-list is stupid and shinnok gets owned if he is in. If your zoning be smart because all it takes is one exshadowkick 4-6
Erron- Gets zoned out hard core and imo his offence doesn't make up for this 6-4
Liu Kang- Imo liu owns shinnok from every single range 3-7 (hard)
Ermac- His 50/50 game is annoying af and if he hovers in the corner,shinnok can't get him. Spectral and MOS are annoying but beatable 4-6
Kotal- Easy to zone in wargod but the others can parry everything. He overwhelms shinnok if he is in and it is hard to escape 5-5
Reptile- Simple, keep him out and d4 6-4
F/T- Although he can through ferra through bf1, he doesn't have too many escape options of f41d2 imo. It is straight forward 6-4
BugBitch- She is simple to keep out of your zone but when she is in leave the earth 4-6
Raiden- the 50/50 hurts 5-5
Quan- He can't be zoned, you must go in and pressure and therefore it is straight forward and dare I say, quite easy once going 5-5
Goro- Lol 6-4 (possible 7-3 imo)
Tanya- after her nerfs it is a lot easier 6-4
BRC- hahahahahahahahhahahaha he can't get in 7-3
Tremor- quite hard to get out of his pressure but d4 owns him 6-4
Triborg- All easy but sektor out zones him quite badly 5-5
Alien-Why was this character made ? Acidic is hard because of db2 but others can be zoned 5-5 (possible 4-6)
Jason- He can't get in at all 7-3
Leatherface- He can be zoned but not in prettylady (go in and pressure) 5-5
Predator- Always found this easy tbh 6-4 (possible 7-3)
Clips
My favourite set of mkx
Literally just search for @cR WoundCowboy or Dr (can't find your @ forgive me senapi) and this will help a ton
Anything I miss just tell me
^Keep it positive but I know Boneshaper haters will come
You said you needed help
@Parasurama @Harukaze
@ienjoywinning
@ other Shinnoks
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