The Light Bow: a Guide to Pit's Arrows v 1.1

This guide will show various situations and techniques to using the angles and directions of Pit's amazing projectile; Palutena's Arrow. The guide will use pictures of different angles or situations to use the arrow in that way and directions HOW to shoot the arrow.

Updates:
Feb 20~ v 1.1 Fixed up a few errors and things I forgot to mention, made it look better, added Table of Contents, Techniques, and Credits.
Feb 23~ Added a new target test video, update of stage one half a second faster.
Feb 26~ For a supplement reading with this guide, I recommend gammonwalker's guide which can be found here: http://smashboards.com/showthread.php?t=147400


Contents:
I. Arrow Shots
II. Strategies and Tips
III. Bonus Stuff
IV. Credits

I. Arrow Shots​

A. The Basic Arrow Shots

Straight Shot:

The basic arrow shot, simply press and release B to fire a straight forward arrow. Damage ranges from 5% to 11% with a full charge. With the "Stale-Move Negation" aka Diminishing attack, the uncharged arrow till do 2-3% and the full charged will do 5-6%. This shot is used for firing opponents straight in front of you on the ground or at low height.


Vertical Shot
Same as Straight Shot, except you hold up while pulling back on the arrow and you can shoot straight above where you are. The arrow can then be curved left or right, but I do not think Diagonal Shots can be used.


Upward Shot (No Delay)

This shot is an horizontal upward direction shot, used to hit opponents slightly far away who are either in the air or on platforms. This is the No Delay version of the shot, because the Arrow begins at an upward trajectory when released from the bow. To do so, push B to begin charging the arrow, then as you release B, push up on the control stick. If you push up too early, you will do the Vertical Shot.


Downward Shot (No Delay)

Similar to the upward shot, except with a downward trajectory. Push B to charge, then simultaneously release B and push down on the control stick.



B. The Intermediate Arrow Shots, aka Diagonal Shots
These arrow shots require that you hold a direction that is not completely North, South, East or West, but at a diagonal point, ie: a North-East direction. The directions must be input as your are releasing the arrow, so that you do not accidentally shoot Up, for example.


Slight Angle Upwards Shot

This Arrow direction sends the arrow upwards at a very slight angle. To do so, you hold the control stick in a middle direction between up and away from you when releasing the arrow. In the picture, it would be a North-East corner.

Uses:

Hitting at the Head


This can be used to hit an opponent at ground level who is perhaps shielding. In the picture, it shows the arrow making contact with the head of the opponent. With a deteriorating shield, this would hit the head of an opponent trying to block the attack. The picture does not show a shielding opponent because I only have two hands



Slight Angle Downwards Shot

Similar to the Slight Angle Upwards shot, except in a downwards trajectory. Performed by holding the control stick at a South-East direction in the picture.

Uses:

Hitting at the feet

Hits the feet of an opponent with a deteriorating shield depending on distance. This picture was taken before the contact, but it does indeed hit.


Straight-Up Close Shot

This shoots the arrow away from you with the arrow approaching a straight vertical trajectory. This is the closest an arrow can be and go straight up, without shooting the arrow directly above you. This is performed by holding the control stick in a direction diagonal between towards you and up. In the picture, it would be North-West.



Straight-Down Close Shot

Excellent for hitting people recovering under the stage on platform levels. As you can see, from the edge of the top platform, you can shoot the arrow directly into the area of the edge of the stage. Performed by holding control stick diagonally between towards you and down, in the picture it would be South-West.

Difference between Straight-Down Close and Downward shot points of contact:

The picture on top shows the point of contact of the Straight-Down Close Shot hitting exactly in the circle on the side of the base of Battlefield. The picture below it is a normal downward shot, only slightly away from the circle. The main difference is, the shot shown in the above picture can reach a vertical trajectory while the normal diagonal shot will only stay at a diagonal trajectory.



C. Advanced Arrow shots, aka Multi-Direction Input Shots

Under Platform Shot

This is a useful shot to hit someone who is either standing under the platform across from you, or someone who just got up from the edge or recovered. To perform this shot, you need an initial trajectory of a Straight-Down Close Shot. After the arrow is released, flick the control stick upwards to straighten out its path and hit below the platform.

II. Strategies and Tips​

Arrow Recovery - When recovering with Pit after being knocked off the stage, you can use your arrows between jumps and maintain roughly the same vertical level. Use your arrows to attack your enemy who will be trying to edgeguard you to keep them away, or to knock them off from edgehogging so you can sweetspot that edge. (Special thanks to DEHF for using this in his videos, he's where I got this technique from)

III. Bonus Stuff:​

Pit Arrows Only TARGET TEST!

Target Test 1: 9'70'' http://youtube.com/watch?v=oFf5M6tnP_c
Target Test 2:
Target Test 3:
Target Test 4:
Target Test 5:

IV. Credits and Thank You's:​

GamerGuitarist7 - Starting and writing the guide.

Thank You to:
-Sora Ltd., Masahiro Sakurai for creating Super Smash Brothers Brawl.
-DEHF for being the first good Pit I saw, gave me ideas for arrow use.



Feel free to contribute if you want!

That's a pretty good idea for target test haha.

yah its an actual Target Test

i recorded the video on my camera, just need to wait for my dad to get home so i can use his laptop to get it off the SD card since i dunno where the camera's USB thing is


edit/ changed this thread to a guide, the target test stuff is just bonus stuff at the bottom now. EPIC!

Not bad. I will probably practice arrows a bit more.

Nice. The arrows seem like they will be very annoying to go up against. Combined with the control we have over them... ouch.

Yeah, they're a great projectile. I'm going to be adding more methods with them too so we'll have even more control over them.

ARROWWWWZZ MOAR ARROWZ

Good guide GG ^^

just read through my guide, got a lot of stuff that i need to fix. for some reason i completely forgot about aiming the bow up, so on the upwards shot you have to release B and THEN push up almost immediately afterwards. same with all other angled shots so far

nice very helpful i feel like ive played

Excellent guide, thanks for this. Pits Arrows could end up being one of the most versatile moves in the game.

woot good guide, but i have some questions.
1.so the direction the arrow goes is determined by the control stick BEFORE u release B?
2. what if u release B and then push up and towards you, would it take the path of the strait-up arrow but a little later?
3.do we have alot of time to control the arrow b4 it goes strait in 1 direction?
4. what're the mechanics of turning around?
5. how do u turn an arrow shot strait up? i saw an arrow go parallel to the ground after being shot strait up.

sorry for so many questions. i always thought that u aim the arrow (left/right/up) while holding B, release, then control where it goes.

do u think u can post up a video demonstrating?

thanks LOTS for posting about the mechanics of the arrows!

updated the guide, added content and colors and stuff. tried to make it more organized.

Nublet said:

woot good guide, but i have some questions.
1.so the direction the arrow goes is determined by the control stick BEFORE u release B?

Click to expand...

Actually, that is something I forgot to do in the first version of the guide. I said To set the direction before releasing B, but that could make you shoot it straight up, so what you have to do (and i added this in there) is input the direction simultaneously to releasing B.

2. what if u release B and then push up and towards you, would it take the path of the strait-up arrow but a little later?

Click to expand...

It'll do the close one if you input the direction as you release B. if you input it later, it should go straight up just a little further away from you.

3.do we have alot of time to control the arrow b4 it goes strait in 1 direction?

Click to expand...

You can control the arrow until it hits someone or is just gone off the screen into the abyss.

4. what're the mechanics of turning around?

Click to expand...

While charging the arrow, just tilt the control stick the other way. the same thing goes for shooting straight up.

5. how do u turn an arrow shot strait up? i saw an arrow go parallel to the ground after being shot strait up.

Click to expand...

Is that in one of my pictures or in a video? Get back to me on that.


I will ONE DAY make a video guide if people really want it.

you make a whole guide over 1 move?

It's a very versatile move. Falco and Fox's lasers in melee have guides, and they aren't as versatile as Pit's arrows.

Mysteryfox1 said:

you make a whole guide over 1 move?

Click to expand...

it needs its own guide u can do so much stuff with it its like ten things in one

I like using Arrows as mindgames. How?

Just charge an arrow, and hit left and right continuously. He will look as if he's rotating.

It's hilarious. ^_^

lol arrow dash dancing. jk. i thought about writing about doing that in the guide but its pretty obvious and not very useful, though it is pretty cool that he won't shoot the arrow til you take too long to turn again.

I would make an entire guide over Fox's shine it's just that good.

ResidentWaffle said:

I would make an entire guide over Fox's shine it's just that good.

Click to expand...

I think an arrow vid for Pit would be great! I didn't know you could do so much w/ just is arrows until I read this. Great guide!

This guide has taught me a lot. When brawl comes out, I'll be practicing with Pit's arrows and use them to my advantage. Maybe you can train me ingame someday. Thanks for the guide.

I got a question. How many times can you change a single arrow's direction? In the guide it only showed the arrow change the direction twice (from the normally straight shot).

you mean after you shot it or while you're charging it?

after you shot it, you get entire control over it for a little while. you can change its direction as many times as fast as you can move your fingers, but its pretty useless to be honest lol. Really, you just want to curve it a little bit here or there to wrap around platforms or the such like in the one picture.

if you mean while you're charging it, you can turn left and right a LOT of times before he'll shoot the arrow.


Admiral Bowser- It'd be cool to try and do a wifi match and show you some stuff if you'd like, but you'll have to wait til i get the american copy of the game since my japanese wii was used and the internet access is passworded

Leonhart- If you want to buy me a capture card i can make a video lol. the videos i've been posting on youtube are recorded by hand on a camera and aren't much more then like 20 seconds long haha.

Waffle- Yes, the shine is TOO GOOD

awsome good guide. nice vid quality lmao

Thanks. Whenever we battle each other, you can show me (or you can show me with an ingame vid). Of course, we have to wait til American Brawl comes out, then you'd use me as target practice.

Hey i was just wondering if you could make some kind of chart. It would show the "dead zones" of his arrows, in other words, the places his arrows cannot go from a single position. You could shade in the possible areas or something. Just a suggestion, but it'd be really helpful.

Nothing about orbiting arrows? It's an interesting technique, easy to use on large stages.

This is truly amazing, thank you very much for putting up this guide. I knew Pit's arrows were versatile but I had no idea that they could be used for so many different situations. Thanks again for putting up this guide!

Hardcorenesser said:

Hey i was just wondering if you could make some kind of chart. It would show the "dead zones" of his arrows, in other words, the places his arrows cannot go from a single position. You could shade in the possible areas or something. Just a suggestion, but it'd be really helpful.

Click to expand...

Yeh, if you could do arrow deadzones that would be great! Tho' it may be more helpful to non-Pit players than anyone; I'm still interested.

make a vid guide with good quility lmao. i love this guide tho nice one

pit ftw!

That's... Isaac in the first screen? </noob> </irrelevant>

What's fun to do is to curve your arrows over a partner (or opponent's) head and still land the target in front in front of him. All it takes is a rapid mashing of up and down to nail it correctly. I've done it a few times and it does well in teams.

As cool as that is, it sounds pretty useless, except with a stupid teammate and friendly fire turned on.

Actually I did think of that. It doesn't sound that useless, as being able to curse your arrow over the head of someone expecting to be hit and will shield to get someone who's not expecting it at all seems pretty useful.

Fair enough.
But what are the chances you even being in such a situation?

GamerGuitarist7 said:

you mean after you shot it or while you're charging it?

after you shot it, you get entire control over it for a little while. you can change its direction as many times as fast as you can move your fingers, but its pretty useless to be honest lol. Really, you just want to curve it a little bit here or there to wrap around platforms or the such like in the one picture.

if you mean while you're charging it, you can turn left and right a LOT of times before he'll shoot the arrow.


Admiral Bowser- It'd be cool to try and do a wifi match and show you some stuff if you'd like, but you'll have to wait til i get the american copy of the game since my japanese wii was used and the internet access is passworded

Leonhart- If you want to buy me a capture card i can make a video lol. the videos i've been posting on youtube are recorded by hand on a camera and aren't much more then like 20 seconds long haha.

Waffle- Yes, the shine is TOO GOOD

Click to expand...

Why not just format the Wii to remove the password O_o?

pit is gay. that is all.

For shame! You did not mention Pit's loop arrow! It is done by shooting an arrow straight, then after you shoot it you move the control stick in a circle, about one revolution per second. Though some question its usefulness, I have used it in a few fights to throw off my enemy.

I have a question. Is it possible to get the "perfect" hit-direction for one enemy? As example, he could stand or he will jump. I try to get such ankle so that the guy from the other edge has to worry about his next steps. Has someone a good tip for me?

here is a video showing pit's arrow loop http://youtube.com/watch?v=TCa4elU8xJU&feature=related the quality is bad but is the best i found


PD: sorry for my bad english cuz that's not my language

edit: here's another video with better quality http://youtube.com/watch?v=nyBlqxn1QTk