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General/Other Instill Great Fear -- Sinestro General Discussion Thread

So I decided to pick up Sinestro as a 2nd and he a really fun character to use. I like the zoning types and hybrids.

From my understanding of Sinestro you mostly want to be zoning with Sinestro. So far using him I have a hard time against opponents who pressure me. I don't know what his options are when being pressured so I have a few questions for you Sinestro players.

Is his trait important in his gameplay? Is his trait used for combos or for something different? What are his options when being pressured? What are his unsafe moves? What is his best overhead? Is rushdown bad with Sinestro? Against characters like Scorpion and Ares seems hard to be zoning with Sinestro since these 2 characters have that anti-zone option.

When they get in close I use b13 to pressure but usually has no effect on them as they adapt immediately to his B13.
If your opponent is jumping in on you a lot, his d2 is one of the best in the game so that's a great option. It leads into his vortex if you follow it up with B12, shackles, j2. You can often link a B3 off the d2 if you hit him high enough in the air. When I'm getting pressured I either just try to block and poke out when I can/dash away or push block.

His trait is the most important part of his game. It opens up his entire game from his zoning, to pressure, to damage out-put, ect. You can use his trait in his vortex which will significantly increase the damage. It turns the fake cross up axe from 19% to 34% and the cross up 3 from 28% to 40%. You can also use it for pressure. An easy example would be like B1, trait shot, b3. Trait can be used in zoning to if you just want to close out a game or keep them out. Trait basically makes Sinestro a MUCH better character as soon as you get it.

His best overhead is b2 but it has really stubby range. You can shackle off it into whatever combo you wanna do or just finish the b213 string to send them full screen. With trait you can get a b3 off it into his vortex. It definitely not bad to rushdown with Sinestro, especially when he has trait. Trait essentially makes everything he does safe and leads to big damage off potential set ups into his vortex or just combos in general. When you rush down you definitely want to utilize his air axe as much as you can. The lower you do it the safer it is and again it can lead to his vortex if you follow up with d2 b12 shackle j2 or with trait: air axe, trait shot,b3, j3 b12, j2. Just throwing b13 out isn't always a good idea because its unsafe. It's a great whiff punisher though and you can use it to make a read on a dash occasionally. I'd highly recommend practicing landing the b3 after b13. It's tough at first but it's very well worth learning.

I'm not the best but I just wanted to share some advice on how I play sinestro. I try to zone as much as I can and set up into his vortex as much as I can because his damage output is so low and the scaling on shackles combos are pretty bad. That doesn't mean to ALWAYs go vortex because sometimes its good just to go for damage. I'll tend to go in more with trait to pressure my opponent if I have to. If I don't I'll just keep zoning, let them come to me and then utilize trait when they get by my zoning. Some other sinestro players on here may be able to explain better than me but that's my take on what you said.
 

babalook

Apprentice
is it just me or is Ji3 DB1 hard to do online......actually sinestro is overall very hard to use online
 

Paul the Octopus

Slow Starter
How do you apply the vortex against players that hold down? Cross up J3 seems to whiff against a lot of the cast if you begin the vortex after a shackles -> ji2, d1, and then jump from right in front of your opponent. I could be doing it wrong...
 

babalook

Apprentice
How do you apply the vortex against players that hold down? Cross up J3 seems to whiff against a lot of the cast if you begin the vortex after a shackles -> ji2, d1, and then jump from right in front of your opponent. I could be doing it wrong...
do the 3 late into your jump, this is hard online
 
How do you apply the vortex against players that hold down? Cross up J3 seems to whiff against a lot of the cast if you begin the vortex after a shackles -> ji2, d1, and then jump from right in front of your opponent. I could be doing it wrong...
So after shackles your doing j2 then d1? The d1 is your issue. You should j2 then jump right away into fake cross up or cross up 3. After the jump 2 your opponent is in longer hit stun and he's kinda leaning back making the j3 easier to hit.
 

LEGEND

YES!
cross up Ji1 is generally a better options than Ji3 if you can get to B12-shackles to land them at the correct distance
 

Paul the Octopus

Slow Starter
Ah interesting I have been going for the d1 after the j2 because it's 1% extra damage and d1 is +17 on hit vs +16 for j2, but that makes sense. Thanks!

Why is J1 better?
 

R3CK3Dx

KNEEL
can someone tell me how to mixup when i have someone in shackles? and the best combo to put them in shackles iv been using b13 j2 22 shackles
 

LEGEND

YES!
Ah interesting I have been going for the d1 after the j2 because it's 1% extra damage and d1 is +17 on hit vs +16 for j2, but that makes sense. Thanks!

Why is J1 better?
cause it can reset the vortex situation:

Ji1, B13, B3, Ji3, B12-shackles, Ji2 compare to say Ji3, 22-shackles, B3 ect.
try to always end in B12-shackles so you can go for the Ji2 after that sets up the cross up vortex (Jumping air axe vs Ji1/Ji3)

check out this thread for combos (which i'll try and update tomorrow) http://testyourmight.com/threads/sinestro-optimum-combos.37751/
 

zoofs

bless
any really good sinestros on ps3 want to help me improve my sinestro game? only recently picked him up and I'm pretty sure I'm going to main him
 

Paul the Octopus

Slow Starter
Do you guys still think Sinestro has one of the best d2s in the game? I personally don't think so, not after the "universal d2 buff" patch. Sinestro's d2 has never been especially fast compared to other characters, but previously it had the advantage of being one of the few d2s with a good enough hit box to anti air most things. Now that most characters d2 have usable hitboxes, Sinestro's no longer stands out. The speed is meh and the hit box is no longer outstanding on a relative basis. It's probably still above avg but i feel like I have the same or more success anti airing with my alt, batgirl.
 

NKZero

Warrior
Do you guys still think Sinestro has one of the best d2s in the game? I personally don't think so, not after the "universal d2 buff" patch. Sinestro's d2 has never been especially fast compared to other characters, but previously it had the advantage of being one of the few d2s with a good enough hit box to anti air most things. Now that most characters d2 have usable hitboxes, Sinestro's no longer stands out. The speed is meh and the hit box is no longer outstanding on a relative basis. It's probably still above avg but i feel like I have the same or more success anti airing with my alt, batgirl.
I think it's really good...and against some characters I'll throw it out at max range in the neutral game. I just don't like how punishable it is. For speed and AA I think it's perfect to be honest.

I actually like using 3 as an anti-air despite it's speed. If I can really see someone jumping at me, 3 has a surprisingly good hit-box and if you lose out to a jumping attack you can't be ground juggled (and extremely difficult to be air juggled). On hit you charge trait immediately.
 

LEGEND

YES!
I wouldn't say Sinestro's D2 is one of the best in terms of AA abilities but as an overall tool i'd agree its top

Some characters can't really do anything about it at max range and alot of those who can have a really strict window to punish it and/or get very little damage. But ofc there are characters like gl, Supes, Aqua ect that have no difficulty punishing it and do heavy damage as well. Plus its pretty great to use as an opener since it only takes a slight step forward for it to be at max range
I actually like using 3 as an anti-air despite it's speed. If I can really see someone jumping at me, 3 has a surprisingly good hit-box and if you lose out to a jumping attack you can't be ground juggled (and extremely difficult to be air juggled). On hit you charge trait immediately.
i like this idea, im going to try this out a bit cause i hate having to deal with Aquaman and Batman jumps all day cause i know i can't aa them past a certain range

even if you trade every time the damage is in your favor and probably create some space. Man i really hope this works out as well as im thinking

Though it probably won't be a good idea vs GA and DS
 

NKZero

Warrior
i like this idea, im going to try this out a bit cause i hate having to deal with Aquaman and Batman jumps all day cause i know i can't aa them past a certain range

even if you trade every time the damage is in your favor and probably create some space. Man i really hope this works out as well as im thinking

Though it probably won't be a good idea vs GA and DS
This is how I see it.

Some jump-in's are almost impossible to d+2 so I go for 3. If it trades, I win in damage. If I AA, I can charge trait. If I get hit, so what? It's highly unlikely I'm getting juggled.

I abuse 3 naturally anyways for a variety of reasons, so that's why I discovered it's semi-useful AA properties although d+2 is still my go-to AA attack.

I haven't tested it extensively MU wise but it's just something I've been using and realising that I benefit more often than not against my opponent in such situations.
 

LEGEND

YES!
This is how I see it.

Some jump-in's are almost impossible to d+2 so I go for 3. If it trades, I win in damage. If I AA, I can charge trait. If I get hit, so what? It's highly unlikely I'm getting juggled.

I abuse 3 naturally anyways for a variety of reasons, so that's why I discovered it's semi-useful AA properties although d+2 is still my go-to AA attack.

I haven't tested it extensively MU wise but it's just something I've been using and realising that I benefit more often than not against my opponent in such situations.
Haven't been able to play yet but i'll be testing this tonight in casuals for sure.

Batman can probably still juggle for full combo if he beats 3 with ji2 though
 

NKZero

Warrior
Haven't been able to play yet but i'll be testing this tonight in casuals for sure.

Batman can probably still juggle for full combo if he beats 3 with ji2 though
I should clarify that when you get hit, you're just airborne so it's a very awkward situation hence the difficulty. Obviously if he hits you really early when you're still grounded then yeah it's a different issue. Then again j+2 for Batman does everything so maybe he gets damage either way lol.
 

trustinme

xbl-OBS trustinme
cause it can reset the vortex situation:

Ji1, B13, B3, Ji3, B12-shackles, Ji2 compare to say Ji3, 22-shackles, B3 ect.
try to always end in B12-shackles so you can go for the Ji2 after that sets up the cross up vortex (Jumping air axe vs Ji1/Ji3)

check out this thread for combos (which i'll try and update tomorrow) http://testyourmight.com/threads/sinestro-optimum-combos.37751/
so there's enough hit advantage on a cross over jump in 1 that it'll combo into b13? forgive me I'm new to sinestro.
 
You know how u dial combos. Like 223? U have to dial the jump 1 b13. U have to time it when it hits. Sooo if u hit j1 early u have to dial the rest of it when the 1 actually hits. If u hit the 1 late (which u should) the just dial it out.

Big difference btw links and chains. Like if u do j2 flight cancel j2 with zatanna... U have forever to link the next move. But if u just jump 2 with zatanna then u have to chain/dial it.
 

R3CK3Dx

KNEEL
supp new to sinestro and have a few questions. I want to be vortex based but i dont know what to do after b13 j2 22 shakles? whats the best mixups after that?
 
supp new to sinestro and have a few questions. I want to be vortex based but i dont know what to do after b13 j2 22 shakles? whats the best mixups after that?

there are like 20 different things to do. i haven't posting all my tech bc i still want to win in majors. just know that after shackles just do a jump 2 and you are +20-30 and they HAVE to block what comes next. there is a lot of depth here. when i am done with majors i will release my youtube vid that is now locked for everyone to see. i know thats gay but i play to win
 

KRYS9984

Apprentice
supp new to sinestro and have a few questions. I want to be vortex based but i dont know what to do after b13 j2 22 shakles? whats the best mixups after that?

If you're not going for damage (B3 after 22 - shackle) and want to integrate a set-up, a nice combo after a B1,3 hit confirms is:

B1,3 - J2 - D2 - B1,2 - shackle

It will put you in range where J2 can be followed up by an ambiguous J1 / J3 crossup (hit confirm into combo) or air ax shenanigans.

Ideally, you should follow up a hit confirmed B1,3 with B3 - J3 - B1,2 - shackle for good damage / set-ups but sometimes the B3 can be tricky to land (especially is you play online) and whiffing it will leave damage on the table.

As PTW mentioned, there are many options after a J2 lands such as crossup J1, corssup J3, air ax crossups, etc..... You just have to take all the concepts found in this sub-forum and apply what works best for you.