Expanding Pikachu's options...

[pictish freak]

So, recently I've found myself in a slump with Pikachu. I've noticed more and more I rely so much on my smashes, and quick aerials. The problem is, unless I can consistantly perform better with my mindgames, I get wasted as I'm struggling to mix it all up enough.

To that end, I've decided I require to tilt to improve my game. The problem is as soon as I tried to impliment them, I realised I hadn't the foggiest on what to do. I've been looking at some vids of the japanese Pikachu, but I'd appreciate input on some good uses for each tilt.. things that aren't eclipsed by smashes.

Part of my problem, in fact, is that I WOULD bounce enemies on the U-tilt a few times, but then I think 'Hey, up smash will do more damage, and could lead to another up smash anyway..'

So yeah, I could use some help on some handy tricks, or even some nice set ups... just something to mix it up. I'm getting far too predictable for my likings.

Anything would help, I'm just low on ideas and need a few sparks of inspiration...

[stilettotrap]

I haven't found much of a use for utilt either - it's best used when opponents are behind you, but in that case, why not just jump and uair? If the opponent's in front of you, a usmash or a grab would do the job just as well. So meh, as far as utilt goes, I'd say it's fairly optional, and including it in your game is a mostly stylistic thing, as Pika has plenty of alternatives.

Ftilt and dtilt are just your basic poking moves. They have fairly good range as far as Pika goes - wding back into ftilt or dtilt is probably your fastest counter to most approaches. They are also your fastest ground attacks aside from the headbutt, which really doesn't serve much of a purpose. There aren't a lot of guaranteed follow-ups when you're using the tilts; they're just there to give you a bit of breathing room when you don't want to risk something slower or laggier.

So meh.

[pictish freak]

I guess so... *sigh*

I'm just trying to work out if tilts can reliably set up for anything, it'd be nice to use it for a bit of a surprise, like I recall seeing a vid of a japanese Pikachu player who did stuff like double D-tilt to F-smash, but it all seems so horrendously dependant on DI, weight and percentage ><

I mean, they're nice poke moves and all, but I'd rather WD back into F-smash. I guess WDing into a tilt might hit some faster spproaches, though...

Cheers for the input, I appreciate it...

[frotaz37]

I think the best way to improve is to just constantly play against other good people. Seriously, if you can do that, you win.

[pictish freak]

I know that, I do try and do that as much as possible. My big problem lies in that I ahven't got enough options ot mix up.. I;m just looking for some handy ways to use tilts and possibly grabs, even, to make my Pikachu a bit more varied and harder to read...

I'd rather get some advice on using these things than spent forever trying to work out something semi decent.

[chesterr01]

watch my vids. I r so l33t.

Now seriously, dtilt is a nice tilt. dtilt_>utilt. Then again there are not many useful stuff for the tilts.

I mostly use a well spaced dtilt to lure my opponent out of the shield. Usually, if it connects a dtilt will push him back, and let Pika breathe a little. Sometimes the enemy will pop up, leading for a dashed shffled nair/dair, but get in there quick so he won't get out of his tumbling animation.

I love the up smash too, but there are some situations that you'd want to do an up tilt instead, mostly at low percentages. Let's say your juggling someone annoting (e.g. Sheik). You get in there however you want, and get an upsmash. An uair, good! but now she jumps away. Now, let's do an utilt, followed by another one, another one, uair, u/n/dair. More damage. Alternative: utilt, usmash. Alternative 2: Uptilt, fair, ff and let her hang in the air, follow up. (I know you don't like the fair, but it's like DK's: you gotta find the magic in it).

At higher percentages, you wanna go for the upsmash though. Forget about the up tilt. If you do up tilt, at some percentages, you can follow it with a dair, and get something with that.

[pictish freak]

Cheers man, I appreciate the input.

While I don't completely agree with everything you said working, I'm more than willing to try it out until I'm sure ^^ Thanks again..

[The Cape]

(I dont play Pika alot so bear with me here)

But I see the D tilt as a good damage building device (since the D smash sends them flying). The forward tilts is a faster alternative to the forward smash, especially at higher percents.
The utilt however I see much use for. Dsmash to Utilt (x2-4) then either an aerial or a Usmash. I believe that (expecially for the fast fallers) that U tilt is a better alternative to U smash for small amounts of damage building.

Please bear with me as I dont play Pikachu much, but those are my opinions.

[pictish freak]

Even against Fox, I just find that the damage I could build before he could DI the U-tilt (Y'know, multiple attacks, more room for error) would be much easier to build with the easy to land double (or, in cases, triple) up smashes.

Meh, I'm starting to see merit for the F and D-tilt, at least. Just gotta wait for human comp before I do much, though... roll on weekend.

[chesterr01]

one question:
any use for the ftilt?

[stilettotrap]

Eh. It has more range than dtilt, and you can aim it. It serves pretty much the same purpose.

[Red Dragon]

Originally posted by pictish freak
So, recently I've found myself in a slump with Pikachu. I've noticed more and more I rely so much on my smashes, and quick aerials. The problem is, unless I can consistantly perform better with my mindgames, I get wasted as I'm struggling to mix it all up enough.

To that end, I've decided I require to tilt to improve my game. The problem is as soon as I tried to impliment them, I realised I hadn't the foggiest on what to do. I've been looking at some vids of the japanese Pikachu, but I'd appreciate input on some good uses for each tilt.. things that aren't eclipsed by smashes.

Part of my problem, in fact, is that I WOULD bounce enemies on the U-tilt a few times, but then I think 'Hey, up smash will do more damage, and could lead to another up smash anyway..'

So yeah, I could use some help on some handy tricks, or even some nice set ups... just something to mix it up. I'm getting far too predictable for my likings.

Anything would help, I'm just low on ideas and need a few sparks of inspiration...



I been through this, i didn't know what the heck to do with the tilts until i started practicing with them.

Tilts with Pikachu are at their prime when they are used at higher precentages, at least more than 25% damage. His tilts are used differently, i will explain some uses for each tilt below...

Pikachu's tilts have very low knockback, thus they can't be used as a combo finisher, they have to be used to connect into a stronger attack, weak attacks in this game MUST be connected to stronger attacks, that is the only use for Pikachu's tilts, to combo, unless its the Down Tilt where you can wavedash back and down tilt to get the opponent away, but you're most probably going to end up doing a short hopped neutral A aerial.


UpTilt- This is mostly used to juggle, into either an Up smash, or a Double Up A aerial (once he is in the air, do a normal jump, Up Aerial, jump again, do another up aerial, from there you can either fast fall and thunder :D, pretty neat huh?, it has to be in the right angle though, sending the opponents character straight up). To fast Fallers you can always do a up tilt to a forward smash.

Forward Tilt- This is used to back an opponent away, but for that purpose i rather use a down smash or a Down tilt. But this is used as a faster option, can be connected to neutral Aerials at certain situations, i varely use this tilt, Down tilt is much more effective.

Down Tilt: A simple wavedash back to a down tilt will do pretty nicely, especially when the opponent is at higher percentages because you can dash and short hop into a neutral A (yes i do love neutral A, you can connect it into an upsmash :D)


Well i hope this helps Pictish Freak, actually, i KNOW this will help ;)

[Melee Warrioir]

not to be of an annoyance but seriously i have to bring this up. i mean firstly u say to me(pictish) that tilts arent great and u rather use smashes. and i say try them out they are good and they each can help you in battle. but u didnt believe me. now u go making this thread that shows how much u want to learn about tilts. i cant figure u out... anyways F-tilt has a lot of priority for a tilt; it can stop fox/falco's F-smash and missiles from samus (at least the homing ones). up-tilt is situational, but shouldnt be forgotten. its move that just has to be used at the right percentage and when this happens its a good move. d-tilt is like pika's A attack, except its slower(not a bad thing in this case) and more powerful. and almost no lag. also, when at close range w/ ppl at low percent instead of hitting them with A, try out d-tilt and mix it up with some other stuff. this is what i do sometimes. i use d-tilt 2 times, then f-tilt, then if i mange to get lucky enough and they fall for it, u can walk up and use another f-tilt on them.

[pictish freak]

Because I still see the tilts are inferior options to other stuff. It's just I need the variety, so I need to know their main uses to be able to mix it up until I want to actually use the good attacks again >.< Don't like tilts with Pika...

[Melee Warrioir]

well we did tell u the main uses for them so try them out and tell us how they fare for you.