Phantom strike is mid screen control.
Individual skill and proficiency are irrelevant. Great players will master the task if given enough time. Just like great Kabal players mastered instant aerial gas blasts and nomad dash cancels when before people had thought that nobody would be able to do so. Likewise.
Zod's instant aerial slow force ball plays a tremendous part of Zod's core gameplay, but players have not yet mastered "head level" aerial slow force balls, even on the taller characters.
Besides, the proof is in the match ups. Zod performs better than Sinestro against the top tier characters of the game (i.e., Aquaman, Batgirl, Killer Frost, etc.).
Actually, I was more referring to Zod Charge. I don't like PS at mid range that much. People like to jump at you at that range, and well, it's painful. Still useful of course.
But individual skill does matter. It's not the entire part, but it does. You'll excuse me, I don't know much about MK other than what I hear from the grapevine, so I'll use a player comparison: Chris G. Yeah, yeah, going for the top immediately, whatever. But before Chris G innovated her, NO ONE gave two shits about Morrigan in UMVC3. Then he practically spent a year or so striking fear into the hearts of men. Or Nemo with his Doctor Strange Loop teams. And of course Chris G's Green Arrow. But back with Morrigan, MorriDoom is a 9-1 matchup with almost every character in that game on paper because it becomes an immovable bullet hell. Yet, Jrosa is the only other person I know who successfully runs that team in tournaments(even if I forget something). So that's if it works, but usually it doesn't. MUs do not, by nature, factor in the human element, however, this thinking is poor BECAUSE the human plays too integral a part in the MU experience. MorriDoom is only 9-1 when Chris G is piloting, and Green Arrow is only a real threat in his hands too at the moment. There is a threshold certain characters have to cross before they become as good as most upplayers would say. Zod is one, and Morrigan is another.
My point is this: Zod is a character with VAST potential. But his tools are precision tools. It's going to take a lot of toil and sweat and individual skill to get him to his highest level where his MUs are more appropriate to what you say they are, and until then, I have to say Sinestro is better because his keepaway tools are simply easier to use. The margin separating Sinestro on Zod is razor thin to me. The only real concern, as I have mentioned is that Sinestro's tools require less precision, and I'd like to see a better mid from him.
Funny little aside, for all my talk about Zod being more precision and Sinestro being more general? Totally reversed when they have their respective traits out. Sinestro has to choose his Trait shots wisely to succeed, while Zod's trait is just so overpowering in the 4 seconds it's out.
I'm with Cowboy on this one, I think Zod's a better MU in some of those matches because he's much more capable up close than Sinestro.
