whedgehead
My Lex Takes You to Paradise
INTRODUCTION
Hey guys, for the past couple of days now I've been hitting the lab pretty hard examining Lex in a different way: by way of stage and stage interactions. I have a ton of notes for every stage and for the interactables for those stages with the hopes of being able to find the best stages to pick against MU's, as counterpick, etc. While I will probably have a tl;dr at the end of this that gives my opinion of which stages I feel like are best for Lex, I want to have an open discussion as well because I feel like stage selection is very important in this game and will become much more important as the game ages. I have a lot to post here that applies both more generally to the stage and for Lex specifically, and hopefully when you go through it you can get a good sense of how Lex behaves on select stages. While not all of this involves crazy tech (moreso examination and analysis), I still hope it will help both Lex players and everyone else alike. Also, these are mainly my own opinions and are open to discussion. This is gonna be very wall-of-text-y as well so I apologize in advance.
GENERAL NOTES:
-Interactables will be highlighted in yellow.
-Whether I feel the stage is balanced, slightly favored, or favored by a character archetype will be highlighted in blue.
-Whether I feel that 1p or 2p has an immediate advantage based on starting position will be highlighted in orange.
-When I feel the stage should be picked in pink.
-Final assessment will be noted in green.
-Background Bounces (BGB's) start from an area and are allowed all the way to the end of the object you are bouncing them off of on either side (for instance, from the rightmost arch support on Hall of Justice Plaza to the rightmost edge of the fountain). I tried to note these distances but I may've missed some.
-When I discuss carries from BGB's, I used the simple combo 22 x db2 MB, 22 x BGB, b3, ji3, bf2. While other enders will carry different distances, this gives a rough idea the average distance they will travel.
-The frame trap (FT) I refer to is getting a probe/MB probe up and going for interactable.
-On a lot of corner interactables if they are in the corner you can B3, dash under, interactable for free or close to free damage as it beats out a lot of their options once they are knocked down. These will be marked with an asterisk*.
-Fully charged trait + MB interactable gives 3 ticks of armor.
-I generalized a lot in some instances (as in for example I know Green Arrow grabs Robocop's gun and uses it on Strykers compared to flipping or not every power character throws the Moon the same way on Watchtower), but the main point of this was to examine how Lex behaved and give a brief glimpse into how others did as well for stage knowledge.
-Joker's Asylum and Wayne Manor Nighttime are purely aesthetic and as such are not included.
Stage Analysis
Batcave Crime Lab
Interactables: Grenades, Batcomputer, Missiles, Transition Right Corner
Balanced
No Advantage
Pick: Against any
-Grenades: All archetypes throw, knocked free from heavy stage damage. Good to do Grav Pull ender on top of these, then pick them up and chuck them. 2 usages.-Batcomputer: All types can BGB. Covers mid screen-ish to close to corner. BGB at right most corner puts them right at the button for the missiles and you in the missiles line of fire. However, them being placed into the corner is great for Lex. Leftmost side places them about midscreen. Unlimited usages.
-Missiles: All press the button to call missiles from the Batmobile that fly at half screen. Not too helpful for Lex's game unless playing a spacing game against rushers. Unlimited usages, normal length recharge.
NOTES: Generally very balanced, Lex likes the BGB but putting a zoner into the missile corner could be a problem.
FINAL ASSESSMENT: BALANCED PICK
Batcave Lagoon
Interactables: Elevator, Breaker, Wires, Exploding Barrels, Transition Left Corner
Balanced
1p Slight Advantage
Pick: If you want to feel flashy/LexFlex on 'em
-Elevator: Power characters have no interaction, gadgets/acros flip off (can bomb). Gadget characters can place infinite bombs here and escape which is not good for Lex. Unlimited usage, no recharge.-Breaker: All types throw straight down. Not much to say on this one, good on a knockdown at your feet against some characters. Easily punished. 1 usage.
-Wires: If opponent is juggled into these, the electricity keeps them there allowing for follow-ups. Could be useful for Lex for combo extension and potential setups/resets. Ex combos: b2u1, hit wires, ji2, 22 x Grav Pull MB, b3, ji2, Corp Charge (46%% 1 bar); Orbital Strike MB, hit wires, ji3, f2 x Corp Charge (37% 1 bar); etc. Unlimited usages, possible slight recharge?
DEVELOPMENT!: You have enough time to place a mine at their feet once they are caught and they will fall onto the mine at which point you can continue the combo. Very situational.
-Exploding barrels*: All throw (powers high, gadgets roll). Can jump the roll at all ranges. Can duck the toss close to 3/4, 3/4 may be unavoidable, must jump >3/4. Unlimited usages, normal time recharge.Notes: I want to like this stage, but more often than not the wires just mess up combos if not at the right range or not expecting the opponent to get thrown into them, and the unlimited bombs of the elevator could potentially be frustrating.
FINAL ASSESSMENT: SUBOPTIMAL PICK
Insurgency Command Center
Interactables: Pipe, Monitors, Charge-y Wall, Transition Left Corner
Balanced
No Advantage
Pick: Against Any
-Pipe: All types can use once, either towards or away from corner, distance halfway from pipe to corner or from pipe to monitor. All general use applies, good as a defensive option or to keep corner pressure. Lex can end corner combos with trait backdash > pipe to possibly stuff some forward advancing wakeups or something of the like and keep pressure on. 1 usage.
-Monitors: Powers throw, gadgets bomb with shrapnel 
, acros divekick. May be unavoidable besides backdash at fullscreen, good frame trap (FT) interactable for Lex. Full screen and fast, close opponent can dash under punish. 1 usage.
, acros divekick. May be unavoidable besides backdash at fullscreen, good frame trap (FT) interactable for Lex. Full screen and fast, close opponent can dash under punish. 1 usage.-Charge-y Wall: All types can charge against wall and charge forward with an attack. Non fully charged version is a High, fully charged is unblockable. Cannot be MB. Doesn't seem to have any good uses for Lex, could theoretically trait up and use it to get in on single projectile zoners or against rushers, but seems impractical. Unlimited usages, normal recharge.
Notes: Generally a very balanced stage, no BGB makes Lex sad 
FINAL ASSESSMENT: BALANCED PICK
Insurgency Luthor's Lab (AKA HOME TURF)
Interactables: Brain Thing, Lights, Laser, Robot, Transition Left Corner
Balanced
2p Advantage
Pick: Often Against Zoners, Against Any, Often On Counterpick
-Brain Thing: Powers throw, gadgets/acros flip off button creating eye lasers at half screen which they can follow up off of. Throwing stops lasers and escape. Full screen projectile. Regardless of if you or the opponent are in the combo you can use it. Good potential after trait and could even do u3 ender x interactable. 1 usage, unlimited with normal recharge for gadgets till broken.
-Lights: All throw, good speed, not quite fullscreen. Good FT interactable, dash under escapes and punishes. Have to duck/jump depending on range. 1 usage.
-Laser: All use against corner. Absolutely stupid for corner pressure, end corner combos with trait backdash laser for lulz and RQ's galore. Literally has next to 0 recharge time and is extremely fast. May even possibly beat out the robot flip of gadgets/acrobats. They are gonna wish you transition them.
-Robot: Powers throw in a straight line, gadgets/acros flip (can bomb). General use applies (throw out, MB throw).
Notes: I like this stage for Lex, advance zoners into the left corner and have a field day. Midscreen you can pressure with lights and the brain is good as well. Lex's home turf is definitely a stage Luthor can get behind. Unfortunately, no BGB.
FINAL ASSESSMENT: SOLID PICK
FERRIS AIRCRAFT
Interactables: Turbine, Toolbox, Missile, Air Canisters, Missile Launcher
Favor: Zoners
1p Advantage
Pick: Never Ever Against Non-Powers or Zoners, Rarely Against Others, Maybe on Counterpick
-Turbine: Powers throw and stay in corner with opponent fullscreen, gadgets/acros swing and can follow-up. Good defensive, can be dodged if close. Can be used to setup mines and zoning after hit. Unlimited usage and slow recharge.
-Toolbox: Powers throw in straight fullscreen, gadgets/acros slide it fullscreen. General use applies, must duck it close and jump it far. 1 usage.
-Missile: Powers throw down, gadgets explode , acros divekick. Very slow, only really good on knockdown below. 1 usage.
, acros divekick. Very slow, only really good on knockdown below. 1 usage.-Air canisters: all throw in a straight line, BGB if close. Can only be used towards left side. Cant do anything off the BGB. 3 time usage, no cooldown time between tosses.
-Missile Launcher: Powers throw, gadgets/acros press button to send straight fullscreen missile. Missiles are slow-ish and not fullscreen. Unlimited, slow-ish recovery.
Notes: Not a very good stage for Lex. No BGB and not the greatest interactables to work with for power chars. Also, if a true zoner takes this it can be an uphill battle as both corners are good defensively (we've all seen what I call fAris aircraft).
FINAL ASSESSMENT: BAD PICK
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